Intelligence is irrelevant to a happy old age

[Mr._johngalt]

JG:  By stating that REW couldn't possibly imagine how liberating that is, implies that REW isn't as smart as you. 
That's not a very smart statement, when you have no information on REW.

Regards, Jarhead

Well, look at it this way. I did not intend to imply anything, but if I had,
my chances of being right would have been over 99 out of 100, even with no info. BTW, I like REW...........no disrespect.

JG

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Hey, I like my marshmellows burnt! 

I honestly don't know what my exact I.Q. is.  When I was younger I took a test and was placed in a gifted magnet (over 130 I.Q., or so I was told) and I took a short test as an adult that estimated 150.  But who knows if that was accurate?  Maybe because my Dad is an Ivy League white male I understood analogies involving greek fables? 

General Theory of Relativity?  Probably beyond me no matter how hard I try (actually, now I'm too old anyway), but I certainly could choose any mortal profession, and do well.

From time to time in Mensa, the idea that old farts (like me) should requalify
pops up. Never goes anywhere. I have no idea if I could requalify
(almost 30 year member). I've consumed an ocean of booze since I was
first accepted, and doubt I would even apply if the idea took root today.

JG

 

[wabmester]

but I certainly could choose any mortal profession, and do well.

Not me.   I consider myself extremely lucky that computers went mainstream just around the time I needed a job.   Other than software developer, what other job could I get that gave me instant feedback on my work, and if I made a mistake, I could simply debug, edit, and recompile.

When I was a kid, I used to reset my moral compass by asking myself "what if everybody in the world acted like I did?"    Imagine what kind of world this would be if software developers were unleashed on the real world?   Buildings would crumble.    Cars would run a couple of miles and then stop (reboot!).   Surgeons would say "hmm, let me try that again...."

 

[greg]

Real intelligence is a happy old age.

 

[lazyday]

After a few years of programming, I learned that I made much higher quality product if I examined and improved my code thoroughly before ever trying to run it. I then tried to write in a simple and robust way. Running&debugging was good to get out most of the bugs one would notice right away, and leave in several that wouldn't be noticed for some time.
I intended to research or even take a class on robust methods of coding to reduce bugs, but never got around to it... too late now.

I'm not detail oriented enough to be a really good programmer anyway. When I was really little, wanted to be a surgeon. Thankfully, I didn't... horrible to imagine the consequences of all my mistakes in that field.

Laurence--there's a movie where Marilyn Monroe explains Relativity to Einstein using some toys. Easy for anyone to understand.
dunno if that's general or special though. Which is the hard one?

 

[SteveR]

The tough one is Special Relativity. If you think this one is tough....try Quantum Physics. That will mess up your mind for sure.

Cosmology is now defined in terms of Quantum Physics. Only a handful of people on this planet can really understand it. Read a Stephen Hawking book sometime. He tries to put it in layman's terms but it is still way out there.

 

[riskadverse]

I dated a girl who was a cosmologist - she messed with my mind but she would cut my hair for free.

 

[laurence]

Read Stephen Hawking's "A brief history of time" and enjoyed it immensely. That man is truly amazing, no other proof needed that disabled does not mean less able.

I have immense respect for programmers, I had to change some .xml at work and screwed up the code, took me a day (off and on, constant interruptions) to debug it. I'll stick to computer security.

 

[HFWR]

there's a movie where Marilyn Monroe explains Relativity to Einstein using some toys...

Saw tracy Lords do something similar this past weekend!!

Seriously (if you can believe that), intelligence does not equal wisdom...

 

[REWahoo]

I dated a girl who was a cosmologist - she messed with my mind but she would cut my hair for free.

I don't get it. What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut?

REW

 

[MJ]

I don't get it. What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut?

REW

I didn't see a smiley face so I don't know if you're joking.
I guess he meant cosmetologist.

 

[sgeeeee]

I am 100% sure I could care less what anybody's IQ is.  :

A person's IQ correlates very well to the score they got on an IQ test. After that, IQ is an indicator of almost nothing.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I don't get it.  What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut?   

REW

That's a winner

JG

 

[Nords]

I don't get it.  What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut?    REW

Didn't Abbot & Costello used to do that routine? I'm not even gonna go near the phrase "free trim."

cosmology: 1 a : a branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of the universe b : a theory or doctrine describing the natural order of the universe
2 : a branch of astronomy that deals with the origin, structure, and space-time relationships of the universe; also : a theory dealing with these matters

cosmonaut: Etymology: Russian kosmonavt, from Greek kosmos + Russian -navt (as in aeronavt aeronaut) : an astronaut of the Soviet or Russian space program

cosmetology: : the cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair, and nails

 

[REWahoo]

I didn't see a smiley face so I don't if you're joking.

After reading your tag line ("Most people don't act stupid: it's the real thing!") I understand your skepticism.

REW

 

[Sillysal]

I would like to thank everyone from the cosmology post down for a good out-loud laugh!

 

[riskadverse]

nevermind

 

[MJ]

After reading your tag line ("Most people don't act stupid: it's the real thing!") I understand your skepticism.

REW

I can safely say that my tag line does not apply to the majority of the forum posters.

 

[TromboneAl]

Did it bother anybody that the first sentence in the marshmallow story ended in a question mark?

I wish that I was dumb enough not to notice that.

I wish that I was dumb enough not to notice that the NBC News slogan:

"More Americans watch NBC news than any other news organization in the world."

doesn't make sense.

I'd like to put all my money in a trust, and then become an ignorant dumba$$.

 

[Nords]

I wish that I was dumb enough not to notice that the NBC News slogan:
"More Americans watch NBC news than any other news organization in the world."
doesn't make sense.

I think you have to be smart enough to stop watching the news.

Ya know, Al, my MIL spent five years as a proofreader for her state's legislature. You might have a very profitable avocation in your keen error-checking eye...

 

[wabmester]

I wish that I was dumb enough not to notice that.

But did you notice that for the last couple weeks, we've all been includng one subtle mistake in our posts for you?

 

[MJ]

Tbone, I may be missing something but what's wrong with,
"More Americans watch NBC news than any other news organization in the world."

Regardless whether the statement is true or not, Americans can watch a number international news organization on cable (BBC, China News etc.).

What am I missing?

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I think you have to be smart enough to stop watching the news.

I am completely turned off by "the news" and it is not just my right wing
orientation. Just seems dopey to me. Even Rush Limbaugh (a former icon)
gets switched off regularly. "The masses are asses" pops into my head.
I suppose it is true. Not much comfort there.

JG

 

[TromboneAl]

"More Americans watch NBC news than any other news organization in the world."

What they mean is

"More Americans watch NBC news programs than watch news programs produced by any other news organization."

Their slogan says that more people watch NBC news than watch other news organizations.  People don't generally watch news organizations (that is, they don't sit outside the newsroom building with binoculars), so although their slogan is probably correct (and it's easier to say), it's not what they mean to say.

Or maybe their poorly written slogan means that there are more Americans watching NBC News than other news organizations watching NBC news.  It's just not a logically constructed sentence.  Even if you think the sentence is OK, it's awkward enough that it shouldn't be used as the main tag line for a supposedly intellectual organization.

Now, I don't want to come off as an anal retentive nitpicker here (talk about bad word choice!).   My point was that I wish I didn't notice things like that. 

 

[Nords]

Now, I don't want to come off as an anal retentive nitpicker here (talk about bad word choice!).

Too late!

My point was that I wish I didn't notice things like that.

Maritally, you're doing the right thing by sharing it with this board instead of with your spouse. She appreciates that more than we'll ever know.

I guess the next step would be to keep sharing these insights with your kids, which will help turn them into critical thinkers. Of course it's an unexpected bonus that it aggravates the heck out of mine...