One 'word': nucular.

Yeah, smart.

Hah!  I spoke and read at a 12+ grade level in Jr. High.

Wait...if Palin speaks at a high level...doesn't that mean she's being...ELITIST!!!

~Zoo

Yea, the world is coming to an end because a person misspeaks a single word. So she's got nucular stuck in her head. Does that mean she can not qualify for VP, or maybe President? Come on Zoo, stop the nit picking and accept she did good (see how I didn't say great).

The things they tell kids in school to motivate them now a days [e digicons](\(\[/e] .

Probably, but in a good way.

Hmm, how did I get those 2 cool dudes next to Spock?

She said it like 4 times.  It's a pet peeve and I don't want to hear the word, 'nucular' over and over again.  Ugh.  It's annoying.

She did okay...which is to say she exceeded expectations of not erupting into a giant ball of total failure. 

Hey...it was the computer that told me that...some stupid program we had to do. I think it was called Accelerated Reader...but it's been many years since then.

Oh...now elitism is good...when it's a conservative.  

~Zoo

Well, she may say nucular but at least we know what she means. Every time Obama says change, many still wonder what exactly does he mean by it when so far his entire campaign has been anything but change, politics as usual as some call it.

So you took the word of a machine that had predetermined answers? How's that Magic 8 ball working for you?

When it's a conservative, everything is good.

I must say that being at the lower level would probably help in a nationally televised debate.  Much of America is, well let's face it, stupid.  The more the Senator or Governor talk down to the general public the better?  I know it seems to be quite an irrational argument and implies a lot, or does it?

Our school uses Accelerated Reader too, Zoo.    (too, Zoo...that's sounds silly)

I know you're too young to have heard him speak, but LBJ would have driven you crazy, Zoo

There were many that thought he was not an intelligent, crafty politician based on his manner of speaking (a hayseed, if you will), but he is considered by many as one of the most effective Senate Majority leaders we've had in Congress.

Point being, judging someone based on their speech patterns or pronunciation skills can often be not only incorrect in terms of their actual intellect or ability but is generally seen as 'elitist'.

Kurtin...are you a guy?  I dunno but I keep picturing you as a gal.  But anyway my husband said the same thing as you pretty much.  Most of the public does better at a 6th grade level.  If that's the case, Biden did better than Palin looking at it that way. 

This reminds me of my own speech patterns.  I am constantly getting down here in FL either "what part of Boston are you from" or "what part of New England are you from?" 

Today in Walgreens a guy was having trouble on the machine that you select pictures with your camera photo card as I was sitting at the other machine.  I offered to help him and as I told him what he needed to do he asked me what part of Boston I was from.  He's a "New Youka"  (get it?)   We take r's out of where they should be and add them when they shouldn't be.  Like we say "cah"  instead of "car."   I sak "Mauk" instead of "Mark."

So tonight we had company from a trio who came for visitation from a local church.   We went to their church only once so they had never met us.  We all hit it off great and then the older gentleman asked about our kids.  When I gave him the info, he remarked at how smart they all were.  When he asked who they took after I deferred to my husband as the brains in the family and he said he didn't know but that I was pretty smart myself.  So I guess it's true, language or speech patterns should not dictate IQ. 

Although we've all heard the saying it's better to keep your mouth shut and let others think you're stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.  But then again, it not  how you're saying things, but what you're saying that tells the story.  

Hit or miss...much like praying.

Oooh...trying to bait me? 

Unfortunately you're right...   People don't want to try and pick up on sublties and nuances and big ol' scary words.  The simpler and more direct is often the better. 

And that is why I'm misanthropic.

Oh, I know that.  Hell, for all I know she could be doing it on purpose to play up the 'small town folk' persona.  It's just that continually mispronouncing words really annoys me...I can stand a regional dialect and accent, sometimes I like to mimic them...but nucular's not a word.  In fact, it's more of a pain to say then nuclear.  New and clear...two syllables as opposed to three.

~Zoo

It was a very good debate because I really enjoyed seeing Palin, but the whole thing was marred by Biden's string of pathological lies. He was really smooth at delivering one after the other though. He's much like Obama... very comfortable while telling people lies. Probably because they are both lawyers.

Yep, KFC.  I'm a guy.

Keen observation, Anthony.  Although, are we to dismiss Palin's lies?

You must LOVE Jimmah Cawtaw too!

But LBJ at least could enunciate Pictoratus. It was just how "y'all" would say it.

Personally, I didn't think LBJ had an accent. But then, no one from Texas does. It's everyone else that talks funny!

When I worked for a national retailer, there was one receptionist in Lubbock.  her voice could melt steel!  She had the best and most beautiful Texas twang you could ever want to hear! 

Now THAT should be the American normal!