quote Originally posted by starlightcoupe: If I had half your ability in electronics, I'd be much smarter.

Thanks for the compliment, but you are sadly misinformed.

quote I once met a Korean prostitute whose IQ was off the charts ...

Are you comparing me with a Korean prostitute now?

Along similar lines ... there was a story published in New Mexico magazine more than ten years ago which involved a well-known writer from New Mexico (I believe it was Max Evans) who had been associated with several major movies and thus had rubbed elbows with a lot of big-name stars. In describing the other-world reality of life in Hollywood, he related several stories ... one of which involved a prostitute who accompanied one of his acquaintances to lunch at a high-dollar Hollywood restaurant. She had a master's degree in English literature from Smith College, spoke several langauges, and was the intellectual equal of anyone he had ever met. She preferred prostitution to her previous occupation as a university professor because it was both more fun and paid better, plus it exposed her to a lot of interesting and challenging people. She prided herself on the fact that she could conduct an intelligent conversation with anyone, anywhere, on any subject. For these skills (and others) she commanded more than $2,000 an hour.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 10-05-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: She preferred prostitution to her previous occupation as a university professor because it was both more fun and paid better, plus it exposed her to a lot of interesting and challenging people. She prided herself in the fact that she could conduct an intelligent conversation with anyone, anywhere, on any subject. For these skills (and others) she commanded more than $2,000 an hour.

I think it's funny she believes that a guy would actually pay her $2,000 an hour for her conversation skills. Might know a lot about the ivory tower, but doesn't know much about men.

quote Originally posted by faaaaq: not exactly concerned with how it comes off... i only mentioned IQ so the folks who seem to hate me might be less inclined to go "nuh uh, yer a dum dummy." and i DID excel in school. they tried forcing me into every advanced class that was offered, every single year i was in school, from Elementary to Senior year. im not in college because i disagreed with homework and didnt get grades worthy of a scholarship, and cant yet afford college. (sorry, but $30+ a year is a tad out of my price range, and i will NOT spend loads of money and years of my life to learn a trade i dotn enjoy). going to college or not doesnt change if you are smart/good in school... my sister was top in her class from grade 6 to 12. offered a free ride thru Harvard. she isnt in school. in fact last i heard she was unemployed, with no plans to go to school. this is the internet...proof is basically moot. you believe what you choose to. ANYTHING can be faked or lied about unless seen in person. and i never said i was better than everyone else...just better than the few idiots everyone has to deal with in school nowadays that hold everyone back.

"Disagreeing with homework" is usually called getting the answers wrong. There are a few cases like in Science where facts get changed around but for the most part there is no disagreeing. And I can't afford that much a year either, but I took out loans that I will pay back afterwards.

And I don't really understand this. Your sister paid a $75 fee to apply to Harvard, got offered a full ride, then decided not to go to any school? Did she get pregnant? What happened? Something about that doesn't sound exactly right. And yes, any family earning less than $60k a year gets a full ride to Harvard. And any family making up to I think like $150k only has to pay 10% tuition. The fact that she got in then declined is the interesting part to me.

quote Originally posted by theBDub:

she didnt apply, they came looking for her. she didnt go because shes an idiot and chose her boyfriend over going to school.

and by "disagreed with homework" i meant "i never did it." most peopel are too unwilling to admit grades dont always show intelligence... give me any test on any common highschool subject, ill ace the hell out of it. i just have zero motivation or drive lol

quote Originally posted by faaaaq: she didnt apply, they came looking for her. she didnt go because shes an idiot and chose her boyfriend over going to school. and by "disagreed with homework" i meant "i never did it." most peopel are too unwilling to admit grades dont always show intelligence... give me any test on any common highschool subject, ill ace the hell out of it. i just have zero motivation or drive lol

Hmm... ok.

I'd think with 83% of APPLICANTS not getting accepted they wouldn't care to look for someone but who am I to question you... I mean almost all of applicants have a pretty sure chance of graduating Harvard so it's not like a bunch of idiots are applying... but that's fine.

EDIT: I keep reading my posts thinking "Wow I sound like a jackass" so I deleted a line.

[This message has been edited by theBDub (edited 10-05-2010).]

quote Originally posted by crazyd: I think it's funny she believes that a guy would actually pay her $2,000 an hour for her conversation skills.

I believe it. I once worked for a guy (a flawed-genius entertainer) who would regularly hire a roomful of prostitutes just to provide non-physical companionship while he drank himself into oblivion. Sad but true.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 10-05-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Marvin McInnis: She preferred prostitution to her previous occupation as a university professor because it was both more fun and paid better, plus it exposed her to a lot of interesting and challenging people.

Wasn't she the one doing the exposing?
As for the $2k/hr for conversation, I could believe it. I wouldn't pay that much, but I'd find someone like her fascinating to talk with. Talk about someone with connections.

quote Originally posted by faaaaq: ............ i just have zero motivation or drive lol

In my world, thats called "Not giving a phruck"....there is lots of it some days.

Staying away from bashing folks at the moment....but later on...

theBDub.... EDIT: "I keep reading my posts thinking "Wow I sound like a jackass" so I deleted a line."

There is validity in your words. You are young, and in a sea of tuna, you represent the sharks. More power to ya...

ever try to read an MDs writing....and they went to college for at least 8 years.

quote Originally posted by starlightcoupe: I took a college creative writing class last spring to jump start my creative writing juices and at 72, I was by far the oldest person in the room ... and I can truly say that that collection of what I term "kids" were the most creative group of writers I have ever seen. The students addressed me not with deference but treated me as an equal and gave me honest, creative critiques of my stories.

Back on the original topic, I too have been taking classes at our excellent local community college for the past several years ... everything from anthropology to auto repair to computer science to HVAC to medical coding and billing to robotics to welding ... for nothing more than my own enlightenment. Like you, I have generally been well accepted by my younger classmates ... as long as I approach them as intellectual equals and don't try to talk to them like their grandparents. The instructors are, if anything, sometimes more skeptical initially than the other students, at least until I demonstrate that I'm both capable of doing the work and willing to do it.

My own experience is that about 15% of my classmates are exceptionally intelligent, capable, and highly motivated. They're fun to share the class with, and I learn from them. At the other end, about 25% are only marginally capable, poorly prepared for college, disinterested, and/or unmotivated. I would have to say that the students in my automotive classes have probably been the worst in this regard, but I've seen it to some degree in just about all of my classes. I don't understand why some of them are even in college ... and I don't think they do either, except that many of them don't seem to know what else to do. I sometimes worry more about the young people today who can't (or don't) even make it this far.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 10-06-2010).]

Marvin, I found that the kids in my creative writing class were above average compared to the other classes I have taught at the community college level. Only two of the students could be termed as below average. The instructor told me after the class finished that our class was the best she had ever had so this was a great group of kids who tried their best and took an interest in the subject.

I have had my share of bad students when I was teaching and it was so frustrating for me. I'd go home and complain about the bells--ding dongs and dingalings. I would bet they had their share of compaints about me but I only had one class where my students evaluated me in the low end of the scale. I quit teaching for a long time after that group. One man tried to take control of the class but I didn't let it happen.