Anyone, anything Republican

I love your sense of humor. [smile]

You go for the easy stuff, Tafhdyd! Why don’t you try the more difficult challenge, to find something, anything Trump has ever said that makes sense, - at least some sense, kind of? I’m still working on that one!

Taffy, my friend, you’re the one who’s alleging that Obama is “smarter” and I’m pointing out that he’s not as smart as you say. Of course, if you want to expand the field, should I point out that you believe and continue to spew the lie that there was some magical Republican to Democrat party switcheroo, even though there never was? And of course, we have Jorg following your lead because that’s all Jorg is capable of doing – following. If Jorg tries to lead, all he has are his (and to borrow from your shtick) fantasy world interpretations of the Second Amendment and the Electoral College that are as invalid as your R to D party switcheroo fantasy.

I found it, Tafhdyd, - something Trump was right on, for a rare change: he stated that Norway’s educational system is superior to the US! He is dead right on that one, but how he knew, is a mystery. Someone told him?

Jorg

I'm curious. Are you referring to Trump's past comments lauding schools in Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Norway for being open during COVID? If you're citing some other positive remark about Norway, what did he say and when did he say it?

All Trump said, Ray, was that the Norwegian educational system was superior to our. or something to that effect. He happened to be right on that one, - something I know since I have experienced both, grown up under one, and had children under the other.

Hello, Jorg

I understand your sense of pride in hearing something favorable about the old country. Who wouldn't feel the same? With respect to the Norwegian education system being better than the US system, can you provide some context to your remark, "... or something to that effect"? Do you know what was said and when it was said?

No, Ray, I don’t pay that much attention to what a character like Trump says!

However, since he did mention an educational system I was very familiar with, for the record, there are many differences, both in the difficulties and grading of tests, but the most important difference is the structure of high school. In Norway, high school is split into lines with different focus, like a science line with focus on math and physics, an English line with obvious focus, as well as a Latin line and a Commercial line.

Btw.: “High school” is a misnomer in international terms, where “high” is reserved for the very highest, i.e. university level, like the German “Hoch Schule”, which has nothing in common with an American high school!

Hello, Jorg

Verzeihung! You said you don't pay much attention to what Trump says, but you're sure he favorably mentioned Norway's education system. With regard to schooling in Germany, kids who would attend high school in the US may attend Gymnasium or Realschule. The term Oberschule may be applied to students in the age range, but not "Hoch Schule." Hoch is the German word for "high" but it wouldn't be used to describe "high school." You see, Jorg, one cannot simply tap into an online translator and type in a word and expect it will be an accurate translation. I fully accept that Trump said something positive about Norwegian schools. I'm just asking if you know what he said and when he said it. You have written so many tines that Trump is a liar... perhaps he was lying about Norwegian schools?

No, Ray! “Hochschule” is the German generic name for higher education, called colleges and universities here in the US. Or do you think you know better than my German family members, educated even way beyond that? And I have friends who studied medicine at Heidelberg Hochschule, while I studied engineering at Norwegian Technical High School (Norges Tekniske Høyskole), which required top high school (gymnasium) grades to get in.

But again, who really cares what Trump said? He wouldn’t remember himself the next minute!

Hey, Jorg

Thanks for providing some context. I did find where Trump complimented some European countries (including Norway) for keeping schools open during the pandemic when schools were closed in the US, but that doesn't translate to any particular foreign school system being superior to the US. If Trump said what you claim he said about Norway, perhaps it's really not much of compliment. Why? Take a look at US schools' performance held up to other countries... we're in trouble. I think we're on safe ground assuming whatever Trump said about schools being closed in the US that he was referring to children in our public education system compared to similar school systems in Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and... drumroll, please... Norway.

You introduced "Hoch Schule" into the conversation. We've already had the "who's better?" conversation concerning Norway's higher education system, funded by Norwegian taxpayers, compared to private institutions of higher learning in the US. "Free" (taxpayer funded) higher education in Norway is not superior to private US schools. The Times Higher Education "World University Rankings" for 2023 listed Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Princeton, Cal Tech, and six other private US universities in the top twenty worldwide. Cal Berkeley plus some European and Asian universities rounded out the other nine top twenty spots. Where's Waldo... I mean... where's Oslo? The University of Oslo (UiO), Norway's premier institution of higher learning, ranked No. 127.

I don't think I know more than your German family members. I'm guessing they're a pretty smart bunch... and well educated. Germany had ten schools ranked higher than UiO. Tell them, "Guten Tag!" for me next time you see them.

Ray: You seem to have forgotten that this started out as a comparison between American high school system and the Norwegian equivalent. Through personal experience of both, I held the latter to be advantageous, mainly because it was divided into diverse lines, with different focus, like math and physics for the science line, English for the English line, and so forth. That has nothing to do with the universities, although I say that the Norwegian high school provides a better basis for further studies.

Clearer now?

And finally, for the record: My reference to what Trump allegedly said about the Norwegian educational system, was meant as a joke, of course! What on flat Earth would he know! I doubt he would even be able to pass a high school exam “over there”, certainly not in the science line, and probably not even in the English line. He would even be hard put to get better than a mediocre grade in the final English exam in elementary school. All grading of final exams is done in secrecy, by graders who have no idea who they are grading for, and with the teachers without any say in it. So, no chance even for the wealthiest to pay for a dumb kid to get through, - like Trump’s dad unsuccessfully did, when he tried to get him into USC!

Sorry, Jorg. I was out shopping for a new clothes washer.

Re: your 5:23 pm post... this exchange did not start out as a comparison between American high schools and high schools in Norway. You wrote at 9:01 am that Trump stated, “Norway’s educational system is superior to the US!” The statement you attribute to Trump lacked context, and I asked (twice) “what did he say and when did he say it?” We still don’t know.

Then, at 11:23 am, you introduce a comparison between high schools in Norway and high schools in America. So, allow me to correct the record… this exchange did not start out “as a comparison between American high school system and the Norwegian equivalent.” In the same post you introduce “Hochschule” (university level studies) into the conversation. I responded in the afternoon. Part of those comments included asking for a third time… what did Trump say and when did he say it. We still don’t know.

Later in the afternoon, I fully acknowledged that US schools perform poorly, and surmised Trump may have made a comment about US schools closing during the pandemic and that some European (including Norwegian) schools had remained open. The topic did not start as a comparison of high school systems, but you brought them into the mix. You also brought higher education into the conversation. OK. Turnabout is fair play. I quoted some worldwide rankings comparing the top US universities to the top level of higher education in Norway. Any reaction to three dozen different US universities being ranked higher than UiO?

Hi, Jorg

Most of the 5:50 pm post is just the same ol’ schtick… with one curious exception (for me). I did not know Fred Trump tried to get his son, Donald, into USC. For someone who claims not to pay attention to what Trump says… you seem to know a lot about him. Again, I find that curious.

Ray: Only because of some family connection with that school.

LittleFoot,

That’s a variation of the quote often attributed to Mark Twain. “Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.”

That’s why I don’t answer some of the comments. I am not hiding, I just don’t want to waste time with someone that doesn’t understand the subject and doesn’t believe facts when presented to them.

Hey LittleFoot, I appreciate your concern but with rabid lefties such as Taffy, Jorg, Rel, and folks with their same mindset, I copy/paste a variation of previous responses (about 10 cover over 90% of their malarkey). These folks don’t have anything new and they repeat the same fake news and lies. All of which are and have been, by myself and others, debunked multiple times. I might worry if these folks came up with valid arguments. As it is now, I like to keep them honest and each of their throwaway comments/LTEs is handled in 5 minutes, on average, while I’m on Zoom calls.

A suggestion when Taffy asks you for information or links - don’t bother. In the past, I’ve provided links and information but once Taffy realizes he’s wrong he, like others, will ghost you and then pop up again, repeating the same malarkey. Maybe he forgot? I don’t know, maybe he has Biden-itis but he doesn't realize he has it?

I love Tafhdyd's rebuttal. "That’s why I don’t answer some of the comments. I am not hiding, I just don’t want to waste time with someone that doesn’t understand the subject and doesn’t believe facts when presented to them." Good try Taffy, you don't reply because you have no defense, you've been check mated 100's of times, you're a true BLUE ideologue. After facts show up, you go into hiding and wait for Ground Hog Jorg Day when a regurgitated LTE appears on the SMDJ and allows you to pop your head out and see Jorg. And then like a well trained liberal seal, you clap your hands in approval for Jorg. Now I know my harsh truthful comment wont' move the ideological bobble inside your head, but it has to be said. You could try opening your mind, reading all sides and then fact checking the left. Just don't use leftist fact checkers.