I think it’s general consensus that at the very least, Abignale exaggerated some of his stories, but he also kept them in the realm of believability. I could hear a story about someone impersonating a pilot to get free rides and think “yeah, that sounds plausible.” If he adds on “and then one time I flew a commercial airliner!” I would immediately go “Well, that’s just obviously bullshit.”
Second this. Why is the OP being so coy? What is your argument here?
Good for you. Now please answer my second question. Why the story about teaching two sociology courses is believable?
Have you missed the dozen or so posts in this thread explaining why teaching an introductory level college course doesn’t require any particular expertise in the subject?
Ignoring the fact that you’re overstating the story that was actually told, it’s because it’s believable that any schmuck could teach most intro college courses by staying two weeks ahead.
Best,
Ace309, regular teacher of introductory economics
OK. Now please answer my third question. What do you learn from the courses which anyone can teach?
I don’t know. Ask Frank Abagnale why he decided to tell so many lies. I’m just pointing out that when a person admits he tells a lot of lies, you’d be naive to believe everything he tells you. Look for corroboration and be suspicious if he can’t provide any.
So what exactly are you claiming? That we can’t believe the administration of Brigham Young University on a matter of record keeping because the founder of the Mormon faith made some fantastic claims? The founders of most religions made fantastic claims - does it follow that we can’t believe any member of a religion?
The introductory course material that the professor delegates to the TA.
Introductory level material. Is there a reason you won’t answer anyone else’s questions?
What do you want to say? Than Abagnale resembles McCain?
What are you talking about?
Frank Abegnale’s impersonation of a sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela’s funeral. It was all over the news last month.
A basic, survey level understanding of the course material, same as if you’d bought the textbook and read it by yourself, without taking the class at all. The important thing you get from taking the class is certification that you’ve taken it, understood the material, and are ready to move on to the more advanced courses.
Man, nothing gets by you, does it?
Well, almost nothing.
And as long as we’re racking up questions you’re ignoring: I see that you (or someone sharing your username) posted about this topic on another discussion forum back in 2010. Why is this of such particular interest to you? And are you “Mikhail Simkin,” listed as the webmaster of the site you linked to? If so, I enjoyed taking some of your “is it art or shit” quizzes. I’m proud to say I scored a 100% on the “Pollock or Bird Poop” one!
Every post he’s made here in the last five years has been about that same website, so I think it’s pretty clear who he is.
He’s Frank Abagnale.
Why would he lie about being a SDMB poster and not lie about being a racecar driver. Or an elm tree.
I was a Norway spruce for three years in Minnesota. True story.
Is it your contention that every race car driver is then an elm tree?
What does this tell us about elm trees?
I don’t have a TV. I made an internet search and got the following story
The fake translator, Thamsanqa Jantjie, was immediately exposed. What has it to do with Abagnale? He read 5 courses a week for five month and each time made a safe landing.
Do you mean that the translator was not Frank Abagnale? If you look at the photo of the translator side by side with the photo of Abagnale impersonating Arizona Senator John McCain, I believe you will clearly see that they are they the same person.
Perhaps more importantly, in this case the imposter was able to fake his skills and credentials well enough to successfully gain access to the speaking platform at the funeral of a Nobel Laureate for Peace and deceased head of state in front of a crowd of thousands and a worldwide audience of millions. Despite the protection of the most respected and professional security detail in the world, the United States Secret Service, stood within three feet of the President of the United States and United Nations Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon as they addressed the world, and not a single one of them realized it until notified after the fact.
What, then, does this tell us about sign language and sign language interpreters?