# Juvenile delinquent taught at a university **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 7, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154 "2014-01-07T18:58:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/141 "2014-01-15T22:54:43Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > Yes, this nonsense is very obvious. But as you see from other reactions to this comment, some people want to shun me. You got modded for insulting **Thudlow Boink** , not Obama. Can’t speak to the shunning, but your tireless refusal to state your point or answer any of numerous direct questions certainly has made this thread annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/142 "2014-01-16T00:31:28Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > If American people are, as you say, stupid, then they are not qualified to chose their leader using general elections procedure. Therefore this procedure is improper. As a consequence, every elected president, including Obama, was elected improperly. We have returned to the first of my possible conclusions. You logic weird. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/143 "2014-01-16T02:36:43Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > The position of the President is the most important in the country. The head of NASA, whom you mentioned, reports to The President. If education is not needed to occupy a superior position it is even less needed to occupy the inferior one. Now that would be an absurd angle to take, since if a position be it in a business or government, by the nature of the duties to be performed is one requiring specific specialized professional knowledge or expertise, then yes it is perfectly reasonable for the subordinate to be required a level and type of education and training that is not required of the management executive to whom s/he reports. Even if it’s a difference in educations of a kind or degree that would in another circumstance and another work environment result in the relative hierarchy being reversed. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Simus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@Don\_Simus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Simus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/144 "2014-01-16T02:59:06Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > You logic weird. In that case you will find a lot of authors weird. Plato, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/145 "2014-01-16T03:13:00Z")
Plato is cool and all, mad respect for what he did given his time period and culture, but let’s not act like he was perfectly logical. His theory of forms, conception of the republic\*, and that unmoved mover stuff was kind of nonsense, even if interesting to think about. - Philosopher kings, really? ---
**Author:** ![BlakeTyner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/146 "2014-01-16T03:48:51Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > Nay. I would like to learn how to increase mpg. Please teach what you wrote above your fellow shakespeares. I’d be happy to do that, but the prerequisite for that course is, in addition to introducing a valid thesis with supporting evidence and avoiding logical fallacy, understanding and applying the conventions of capitalization and spelling. I’ll make you a deal: post your college transcripts and I’ll be happy to post mine. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Simus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@Don\_Simus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Simus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/147 "2014-01-16T19:30:07Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Plato is cool and all, mad respect for what he did given his time period and culture, but let’s not act like he was perfectly logical. His theory of forms, conception of the republic\*, and that unmoved mover stuff was kind of nonsense, even if interesting to think about. He is certainly far more logical than homo americanus. Actually, even Maleus Maleficarum by Kramer and Sprenger shows more solid logic than a discourse of homo americanus. > [@Jragon](#): > > - Philosopher kings, really? What’s wrong with it? Besides it is no a phantasy, but something, which did exist in Golden Age. Also in Hindi civilization kings (kshatriyas) were subordinated to philosophers (brahmans). Do you prefer to be ruled by moneybags via their puppet president? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/148 "2014-01-16T19:57:58Z")
This thread has completely convinced me of the value of a well rounded education with a thorough grounding in the humanities, particularly grammar, composition, logic and argumentation, and persuasive writing with a focus on clarity. ---
**Author:** ![BlakeTyner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/149 "2014-01-16T20:36:40Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > This thread has completely convinced me of the value of a well rounded education with a thorough grounding in the humanities, particularly grammar, composition, logic and argumentation, and persuasive writing with a focus on clarity. Now, now…those are things nobody needs. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Simus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@Don\_Simus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Simus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/150 "2014-01-16T20:42:36Z")
> [@BlakeTyner](#): > > I’ll make you a deal: post your college transcripts and I’ll be happy to post mine. Your transcripts do not interest me. I would like to see Obama’s. And you should wish the same, since we had hired him to lead our herd. A school of what level do you permit me to be graduated from? What GPA do you allot me? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/151 "2014-01-16T20:52:15Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > A school of what level do you permit me to be graduated from? Jedi Academy? ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/152 "2014-01-16T20:59:30Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > …his claim to have been a teacher is pretty much entirely his word - and let me emphasize again, we’re talking about Frank Abagnale here. He’s vague on the details and the witnesses and records which should exist if he had impersonated a teacher don’t exist. To put this in perspective, Abagnale maintains that the scene towards the end of the movie where he escapes from the plane via the lavatory when it lands in the U.S. is true, even though it has since been pointed out that this would require him to pass through a hose. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/153 "2014-01-16T21:11:30Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > Your transcripts do not interest me. I would like to see Obama’s. And you should wish the same, since we had hired him to lead our herd. I would like to see Obama’s stool samples. And so should you, unless you maintain that the ability to properly digest food and excrete waste are unimportant. You can’t have it both ways. Either dropping deuces is an irrelevant and unnecessary skill, or it is a crucial bodily function and we elected an organism to the office of the Presidency without confirming his ability to pinch a pumpernickel loaf. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/154 "2014-01-16T21:47:47Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > In that case you will find a lot of authors weird. Plato, for example. No, I’ve found Plato to be quite good at logic. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Simus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@Don\_Simus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Simus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/155 "2014-01-16T23:15:32Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > No, I’ve found Plato to be quite good at logic. This is because of the phenomenon which we discussed in another thread > **[The music that is better than itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=706395)** > > Researchers told the participants of their experiment that they are going to play two variations of the same theme by two composers. They declared that musical critics say that the first variation is a masterpiece, while the second is its exaggerated... The same person listened to the same musical record twice. First time it was described as a masterpiece, the second time as an exaggerated imitation. First time the listener described the record as “philosophical contemplation of life” and the second time as a “jerky composition that spoils mood.” ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/156 "2014-01-16T23:31:27Z")
No, I’m pretty sure it’s not that. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/157 "2014-01-17T00:00:57Z")
I know this is a fool’s errand, but I’m going to do it anyway. Don, I have one simple question for you: What is your point? Please note, responding with another question about what I think is not a point. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Simus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@Don\_Simus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Simus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/158 "2014-01-17T03:07:09Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > No, I’m pretty sure it’s not that. Ah! then it must be an illusion. The things one feels absolutely certain about are never true. ---
**Author:** ![BlakeTyner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/159 "2014-01-17T03:17:14Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > A school of what level do you permit me to be graduated from? What GPA do you allot me? Why don’t you make an assertion? Why do you not seem to grasp that anecdotes do not equal data? Also, I’ve decided that for every question you answer with a question, I’m going to write a haiku. Here’s the first: Why you no logic? Is it deliberate, or Do you just not see? ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154/160 "2014-01-17T09:56:34Z")
> [@Don\_Simus](#): > > Abagnale was a high school dropout, but not an idiot. He new what one can fake. You know who is another high school dropout? [John Travolta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Travolta) > [@Don\_Simus](#): > > No it would not. To fly passenger jets one needs 4 years of study and a B.S. degree. This the same as the minimum requirement (in terms of years of study and degree) to teach college courses. You know who flies passenger planes? John Travolta.\* > [@](#): > > Travolta is a certified private pilot.[citation needed] He owns five aircraft, including an ex-Qantas Boeing 707–138 airliner that bears the name Jett Clipper Ella in honor of his children.[52] It appears that the 707 is a passenger jet: > [@](#): > > The Boeing 707 is a mid-size, long-range, narrow-body four-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes from 1958 to 1979. Its name is commonly pronounced as “Seven Oh Seven”. Versions of the aircraft have a capacity from 140 to 189 passengers[4] > [@Don\_Simus](#): > > If Abagnale taught sociology at BYU, he could do it at Embry-Riddle. > > However, only a licensed pilot can teach AS 121. Otherwise the consequences will include injury or death and(or) aircraft damage or its complete destruction. So, could high school dropout John Travolta teach AS 121? (Of course, Travolta, since he doesn’t even have a BS degree, may not actually be flying his planes, but levitating them through the air using his Scientology superpowers.) \*I’ll admit I didn’t look further than Wikipedia and they’re missing the cite about his certification, but I would assume Travolta flies his own 707 although he may not be licensed as a commercial airline pilot. But the Wikipedia article also mentions that: > [@](#): > > On September 13, 2010, during the first episode of the final season of her talk show, Oprah Winfrey announced that she would be taking her entire studio audience on an 8-day expenses-paid trip to Australia, with Travolta serving as pilot for the trip. He had helped Winfrey plan the trip for more than a year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/juvenile-delinquent-taught-at-a-university/678154.md?page=9)