In article ,
uncle arnie wrote:

Telamon wrote:

In article ,
uncle arnie unclearnie@nknowledgeablel wrote:

David Wilkins was interviewed on CBC/RCI show "As it Happens". He
doesn't know anything about the country he has been appointed
ambassador to. Nothing. He deflected all questions about Canada,
apparently b/c his qualification for the job is that he is about
as informed as the appointer. He knows no geography, no idea of
the national anthem, let alone being smart enough to turn down an
interview until he gets briefed. Those with low expectations for
an appointee could not have imagined such an idiot in their
wildest dreams.

Oh, and it is important to you if you're an American. Wilkins
doesn't know why. Do you?

So the way it works here in the US is that ordinary people run for
office or are appointed in this case to an office in the government
as opposed to having a ruling elite. I have an imported body
builder for my governor for instance. Hopefully Wilkins will do
well after some on the job training.


Interesting. Such people don't get elected in other countries. They
have to be intelligent and knowledgeable first. They get stupid
later after temptation of office.

This is what a free country is all about. Anyone can run for office,
even legal emigrants once they become citizens, with a few exceptions
such as the office of the president. Pretty exciting stuff when you
think about it. I would not want to subject myself a ruling elite.

Like any service to country serving as a representative is a duty not a
privilege and you are not supposed to use the position to enrich
yourself. The people that do get caught and pay the price.

But there are always exceptions like people that get elected many times
and they start to think they are better than the common man. There are
some that abused their position in the media and government.

The USA is a government by the people, for the people and of the people
not some ruling elite.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

uncle arnie wrote:

Cronyism in ambassadorships is hardly new. Nor is having an
ambassador who is completely ignorant about the country he is
representing the U.S. in.

It's an unfortunate, but true fact.

It speaks volumes about our education system, the myopia of "powerful"
people in this country, and the distain shown to other countries.

Telamon wrote:

In article ,
uncle arnie unclearnie@nknowledgeablel wrote:

David Wilkins was interviewed on CBC/RCI show "As it Happens". He
doesn't know anything about the country he has been appointed ambassador
to. Nothing. He deflected all questions about Canada, apparently b/c his
qualification for the job is that he is about as informed as the
appointer. He knows no geography, no idea of the national anthem, let
alone being
smart enough to turn down an interview until he gets briefed. Those with
low expectations for an appointee could not have imagined such an idiot
in their wildest dreams.

Oh, and it is important to you if you're an American. Wilkins doesn't
know
why. Do you?

So the way it works here in the US is that ordinary people run for
office or are appointed in this case to an office in the government as
opposed to having a ruling elite. I have an imported body builder for my
governor for instance. Hopefully Wilkins will do well after some on the
job training.


Interesting. Such people don't get elected in other countries. They have to
be intelligent and knowledgeable first. They get stupid later after
temptation of office.

--
Eric F. Richards

"Nature abhors a vacuum tube." -- Myron Glass,
often attributed to J. R. Pierce, Bell Labs, c. 1940

On Sat, 30 Apr 2005 16:43:32 -0400, dxAce
wrote:



dxAce wrote:

uncle arnie wrote:

David Wilkins was interviewed on CBC/RCI show "As it Happens". He doesn't
know anything about the country he has been appointed ambassador to.
Nothing. He deflected all questions about Canada, apparently b/c his
qualification for the job is that he is about as informed as the appointer.
He knows no geography, no idea of the national anthem, let alone being
smart enough to turn down an interview until he gets briefed. Those with
low expectations for an appointee could not have imagined such an idiot in
their wildest dreams.

Oh, and it is important to you if you're an American. Wilkins doesn't know
why. Do you?

What's to know? The guy is just coming to represent the USA, not to kiss ass.

But, if there is something he needs to know, it can be found he

http://www.negativepositive.org/****-canada.html


dxAce
Michigan
USA
I loved that website! Of course, this is coming from a person who
bought the "The Best of Triumph, The Insult Comic Dog" just so I could
repeatedly watch his escapes in Quebec. If you haven't seen it by
all means seek it out and view it.

But there are always exceptions like people that get elected many times
and they start to think they are better than the common man. There are
some that abused their position in the media and government.

The USA is a government by the people, for the people and of the people
not some ruling elite.

Sweet Jesus! Ya gotta know about something other than your own *navel*.

Canada is our neighbor and our largest trade partner! *Every* American
should know about Canada, how their country works and our trade
relationships. Especially the ambassador!

Heck -- Shirley Temple served the United States as its representative to
the United Nations, ambassador to both Ghana and Czechoslovakia, and as
it's Chief of Protocol.

Shirley Temple Black stopped beign that cute little movie star almost
70 years ago. She paid attention as she grew up, took the goodwill
garnered as a child and put it together into an impressive diplomatic
career. To imply that she did not know her job is laughable.


What's the big deal?

-=jd=-

In article , -=jd=-
wrote:

On Sun 01 May 2005 11:09:40a, raoul wrote in message
:



Heck -- Shirley Temple served the United States as its representative to
the United Nations, ambassador to both Ghana and Czechoslovakia, and as
it's Chief of Protocol.

Shirley Temple Black stopped beign that cute little movie star almost
70 years ago. She paid attention as she grew up, took the goodwill
garnered as a child and put it together into an impressive diplomatic
career. To imply that she did not know her job is laughable.


She held only superficial info about Ghana and Czechoslovakia - no more
than the average politico would - prior to her posting to either country.
She learned (as the vast majority of ambassadors do) through immersion in
the host country. She knew as much about her host countries going in as
Wilkins will about his. The only thing she had going for her was a
demonstrated ability to be charming and tactful in promoting American
interests. *That* was the sum total of her relevant skills, and she was
darn good at it. For you to imply that she was some kind of world scholar
and not just another political appointee is *entirely* pathetic and
laughable.


You know this, do you?

Do you really think she would have continuted to be appointed if she
didn't know what she was doing? I did not imply that she was some sort
of world scholar. I said she developed an impressive diplomatic career
by studying and paying attention as she went along.

RD - Boy Howdy Big Time !

RAOUL,

Ian Smith wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


dxAce wrote:

uncle arnie wrote:

David Wilkins was interviewed on CBC/RCI show "As it Happens".
He doesn't
know anything about the country he has been appointed ambassador
to.
Nothing. He deflected all questions about Canada, apparently b/c
his
qualification for the job is that he is about as informed as the
appointer.
He knows no geography, no idea of the national anthem, let alone
being
smart enough to turn down an interview until he gets briefed.
Those with
low expectations for an appointee could not have imagined such an
idiot in
their wildest dreams.

Oh, and it is important to you if you're an American. Wilkins
doesn't know
why. Do you?

What's to know? The guy is just coming to represent the USA, not to
kiss ass.

But, if there is something he needs to know, it can be found he

http://www.negativepositive.org/****-canada.html


dxAce
Michigan
USA

Lol! Seems like you might have a low opinion of Canada....

It's an easily formed opinion...

dxAce
Michigan
USA

In article ,
raoul wrote:

In article , -=jd=-
wrote:

On Sun 01 May 2005 11:09:40a, raoul wrote in message
:



Heck -- Shirley Temple served the United States as its representative to
the United Nations, ambassador to both Ghana and Czechoslovakia, and as
it's Chief of Protocol.

Shirley Temple Black stopped beign that cute little movie star almost
70 years ago. She paid attention as she grew up, took the goodwill
garnered as a child and put it together into an impressive diplomatic
career. To imply that she did not know her job is laughable.


She held only superficial info about Ghana and Czechoslovakia - no more
than the average politico would - prior to her posting to either country.
She learned (as the vast majority of ambassadors do) through immersion in
the host country. She knew as much about her host countries going in as
Wilkins will about his. The only thing she had going for her was a
demonstrated ability to be charming and tactful in promoting American
interests. *That* was the sum total of her relevant skills, and she was
darn good at it. For you to imply that she was some kind of world scholar
and not just another political appointee is *entirely* pathetic and
laughable.


You know this, do you?

Do you really think she would have continuted to be appointed if she
didn't know what she was doing? I did not imply that she was some sort
of world scholar. I said she developed an impressive diplomatic career
by studying and paying attention as she went along.

Thank you for making my point in the most obvious way. All you have to
do is give argumentative people enough rope and they will hang
themselves every time.

Here let me re-quote it for you.

So the way it works here in the US is that ordinary people run for
office or are appointed in this case to an office in the government
as opposed to having a ruling elite. I have an imported body
builder for my governor for instance. Hopefully Wilkins will do
well after some on the job training.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California