Intelligence? What's that?

Nanoo-Nanoo!

I'm willing to bet that you've met somebody who's "intelligent"; hell, you probably consider yourself at least of average intelligence. But, what is it about them or yourself that you perceive as "intelligent"? To kick it up a notch, what the hell is "intelligence"?

1. Is it knowledge of facts or concepts? Isn't that just exposure, memorization, and regurgitation?
2. Is it their analytical ability in dissecting concepts? Isn't that learned through training, particularly in higher education and science?
3. Is it their ability to think "outside the box"? Isn't that someone who may conceptualize things differently than the majority of people?
4. Is it an Intelligent Quotient Score (IQ)? Isn't that just based upon cultural norms of verbal, analytical and quantitative skills relative to a persons age group?

I would argue that one's intelligence potential is beyond the bag of genes you're given, which in themselves vary person to person, but also includes environment and experience into the complicated equation. I concede that perhaps, biological and genetic factors may "lower the ceiling" of possibilities (i.e. being mentally disabled, pre-birth nutritional & chemical factors etc.); however, I would maintain that environmental and experiential factors play a significant role in developing a person's intelligence.

Don's (current) Conceptualization of Intelligence:

Intellectual Capital (foundation of logic/reason/creativity)- this is a complicated equation of cognitive processing factors; including the potential speed & capability with which one processes different types of information, as well as assimilates and accommodates that information into their knowledge-base. This is not only a capacity to "intake" information, but also to "process" and "utilize" that information. Factors that may impact the potential of this capital: may be pre and post birth nutrition & chemical exposure, parental genetics in regards to rate of cognitive development, socialized value of intellectual stimulation, and environmental stimulation level and opportunity to expand and further intellectual development.

Do you believe in such a thing as "intelligence", and if so, what is your conceptualization of "intelligence"?

Is intelligence something that is static, or is it something that may evolve over time?

Does intelligence really matter? What's the value?

And the magical question, "Can Intelligence be measured?"

You know how we kick it; hit us with your mad wisdom mon!

Democracy or hypocrisy?

Monin'!

The U.S. government never ceases to amaze me with how far they're willing to go to make the world hate them; well, at least the "non-Christian" world.

Well, just to give you a brief history since WWII (World War Two, for the extremely stupid), I will require the assistance of those fancy yellow bullets Dan loves so much:

• WWII ends. Britain controls the area that is now known as "Israel" & "Palestine". The British promised both the Israelis and the Palestinians their own country. Obviously this area holds significant religious history and value for both groups. As a result, the British give the Israelis about 60% of the land and 40% to the Palestinians (Gaza & the West Bank, two smaller areas separated by Israeli land); Bethlehem & Jerusalem are considered "International Territory" for the two kids to play nice in.
• However, there was disagreement by Palestinians as to the division and borders. Since no one gave a shit (Israel & Britain), they decided to revolt. Some countries, who I won't name or mention that they are red, white, and blue, funded and supported the Israelis and gave them the weaponry & training to build one best armies in the world.
• The Palestinian revolt ended up with them being slaughtered by the Israelis in a day or so. Not only did they get their asses beat, but the Israelis decided to take some of the Palestinian land and literally, uprooted and forced Palestinians to move to concentration camps (not quite as bad as those camps that Hitler forced Jews to go to in WWII; just think really poor gated-off ghetto). Israel at this point is up to about 75% of the land in the area and uses its military to govern the roadways to and from Palestinian areas; performing "at will" searches of anyone who is Palestinian.
• In the 90's, the other Arabic brothers such as Iran, Syria, etc., said "Hey, why you being so messed up to the Palestinian people, they're our Arabic brothers! Stop or we're going to beat you up!"
• Israel beat their asses pretty easily once again (and once again with some western Christian help). This furthered the shitty conditions for the Palestinians, which helped fuel the sales pitch by extremists to hate the Jews and Christian countries like the Britain and the U.S. More terrorist attacks against Israelis occur as a result & continual attempts at negotiation end in frustration.
• Recently, as a result of negotiations to re-establish a Palestinian state, the Israeli army has withdrawn its troops, as well as uprooted Israeli immigrants from Palestinian land. Also, Palestine was allowed to have its first Democratic election!
• However, the party that the Palestinian people elected is Hamas; a group that has publicly stated that it hates Israel & the mentioned Christian countries. (I wonder how someone could win with that platform given the history?)

And here we are today; "U.S. and Israelis Are Said to Talk of Hamas Ouster" ( http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/14/international/middleeast/14cnd-mideast.html?hp&ex=1139979600&en=72330403b4aa5c56&ei=5094&partner=homepage )

WHAT THE FUCK?

Let me get this straight, a country is allowed to have a free election, but if the outcome isn't what we like, we're going to cut them off from trade and economically starve the citizens of the country until they start to hate who they've elected?

Okay, Hamas hates the U.S. and Israel, and will probably grow a militia to defend itself and potentially invade Israel; but isn't that the "normal way" that nations are made?

Also, "yes", the U.S. has the right to withdraw any trade or backing to a country that may be a potential enemy; but by doing so, aren't we alienating the people who we supposedly say we're trying to help within the country?

I think this is a difficult situation:

• On one side of things, we don't want to fund a developing country where the elected politicians dislike us and potentially will use our resources that we provide them against us.
• On the other, by alienating the citizens of the country, we re-enforce the sales pitch by those extremists that we do not want the Muslims to succeed; furthering the potential for low-budget extremist measures (i.e. TERRORISM!)

There are ethical & ideological issues here.

• Do we help the citizens of a developing country, who we have helped dick over in the past, develop the education and economic stability to evolve beyond the past?
• Also, aren't we unraveling the ideological threads of democracy by condemning and discrediting the results of a free-election because our "favored" political party did not win? Isn't the point of the election process so that the people can elect a party that represents the opinion of the people; even though that opinion may be that the U.S. & Israel are bastards?

What do yall think about this issue?

If you were president (unlikely unless you were a "C" student at an Ivy league school), what would you do?

Put your thinking caps on and hit us with some mad enlightenment!

Church of the Union Address

Good Morning Fellow Americans!

Last night I was witness to the State of the Union Address by our President. Having been subjected to the psychological scarring of going to Catholic School until the 5th grade, I'm quite familiar with the rituals of Church; you sit, stand, kneel, sit, pray, kneel, stand, eat a wafer, drink some grape juice, stand, kneel, sit, etc. It's sort of the calisthenics for the big delusion in the sky!

Last night's speech reminded me a lot of church in that there was talk about good & evil, answers to the world's problems, some generic truths, and of course let us not forget; lot's of bullshit....

In a nutshell, this is what the President talked about (Bush paraphrased by yours truly):

I. National Security

• Who cares that we entered Iraq with inaccurate information, ulterior motives, and without much global support; we need to just suck it up and support the troops who are risking their lives to establish our democratic colony in Iraq; there's no use crying over my old hasty decisions, let's move forward with unity!
• Hey Iran, don't use efficient power sources such as Nuclear power or we're going to blow your ass away after we're done with Iraq! Try me bitches!
• I've taken my executive powers and established the Terrorist Telephone Watch; we will monitor any US international phone calls that are to suspected Al Queda members or associates. So all you ARABS, don't phone home!
• I'm encouraging congress to extend the Patriot Act; pretty please?

II. Taxes/Economy/Energy

• I will save yall money by continuing tax cuts, eliminating 140 programs that aren't working (how many did Bush create?), increase grants/funding for alternative energy research by 22%, as well as paying for the war in Iraq (and soon to be, Iran). I'll do all this and cut the deficit in half by 2009; and if you buy now, I've got some prime vacation land out in Death Valley that I'd like to sell you too!
• I'm also going to increase education monies for science & mathematics; we want creativity in the form of technological innovation... fuck education in art, philosophy, and anything that does not contribute to the GNP; I mean, that ethical & emotional crap is what religion is for, right?
• We want more research in alternative fuels & technology such as solar, wind, and nuclear (Iran can't git nun?), so that we replace 75% of our oil imports by 2025. (While we're at it, why come we don't dig up some of that good ole oil up in Alaska, I mean, it's just a stupid environmental preserve? Hey, wait a minute, that wouldn't count as "imported" oil would it?)

III. Healthcare

• I'm going to pressure insurance companies to compete, as well as promote Health Savings Plans that you can take with you from low-paying job to low-paying job.
• I believe in all life as having an equal right to liberty and living (sure....yea...), I believe every life is special and should be protected (uh huh....where are we going here?).....So I'm asking congress to ban ALL cloning and embryonic research in all forms (ahh, there it is! Fucker...)
• I am re-instated the Ryan White Act to end the medication wait for AIDS patients (more money to pharmaceutical companies? see "economy" spending section above...do the math... cut the deficit in half by 2009? Was accounting required at Yale?)

Now, it is only fair that I evaluate the Democratic Response that followed the President's sermon....

Tim Kane gave the democrats' response (a democrat who was elected senator in the highly republican state of Virginia. How you ask? Oh, he ran on the platform that he was a minister and believed in family values and God. DAMN! So that's how you convince a bunch of gun-toting, redneck, born-again Christian morons that you're on their side!)

Transcripts from Don's Living Room:

Tim Kane: "There's a better way..."

Don: "Oh yea?"

Tim Kane: "There is a better way..."

Don: "Uh huh...."

Tim Kane: "There's a better way...."

Don: "Hit me with it Timmy!"

Tim Kane: "There is absolutely a better way..."

Don: "What is it man?! What is the better way?!"

Tim Kane: "As politicians, we need to be service-oriented, be accountable for our results, and continue to light the way of liberty!"

Don: "You're a fucking moron...."

So, in a nutshell, that's what happened.

If you saw the Church of the Union Address, what are your thoughts on the sermons?

If you didn't see it, you're a shitty American, but share your thoughts anyway!

Do it!