Latest bobblehead chatter is that his association with Romney will doom Paul Ryan’s future political career. So Ryan is cutting himself loose from the Romney game plan and has unleashed (everybody’s favorite word these days) his inner wonk by … giving a Powerpoint presentation?
I’m with Dave Weigel — “wonk” is being defined down for Ryan’s benefit. Real wonks don’t do Powerpoint, and if they do, they don’t limit themselves to four bleeping slides.
Ryan also is reported to be saying snarky things about Romney within earshot of reporters on his campaign bus. I understand not everyone is buying that, though.
See Paul Krugman, “Delusions of Wonkhood” and “Death by Powerpoint, Continued.”
What a great title, maha!
Krugman is beautiful, ain’t he?
I remember reading about the Dunning-Kruger Effect in a business journal about 10 years ago, and realized most, if not all, of upper management at my company suffered from it.
We had some former college linebacker who was connected with someone at the company. He was judged to be some sort of expert on the internet and it’s potential use for businesses. Why? I don’t know. ‘Cause he’s fairly young, maybe. So, the first time I run across this Evangelical boy-genius, is on a conference call. He starts laying out some things, and I’m sitting there thinking, “This guy doesn’t know sh*t about this! ZOMG!!!”
How did I know? ‘Cause he knew less about this subject than I did – and I KNEW that I knew sh*t about it.
So, after getting a top position in the region’s management, he takes our just recently started business internet group, and moves them lock, stock, and barrel to a different city in the same state – it’s where HE wanted to live, and raise his half-dozen children. He disrupted peoples lives, and made them either move, or quit – and this in the post 9/11 Bush recession!
The move cost the company tens of millions of dollars, and failed utterly.
He was asked to leave, but was given a very, very, nice package – sound familiar?
Read about this effect, and realize that THESE are the people in charge of too many companies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
From the wiki, I take this great line – ‘Bertrand Russell once said, “One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision.”‘
We elevate people who don’t know sh*t, but are adament that they do. Too often, adamance trumps competence.
a PowerPoint presentation that turns anyone who watches it into a murderous zombie
Paul Krugman actually wrote that sentence. And my day just got a little brighter.
“Pinky, are you pondering what I’m pondering?”
“I think so, Brain, but if a real wonk has just snarked you, does that make you a ‘snonk,’ or a ‘wark’?”
Ryan and Stenchy.
That’s all I got – so you win, maha!
Many of the bobbleheads were showing a clip of Ryan on the stump yesterday, he was reading notes from a music stand, it was awful, even more awkward than Mittens! He was yammering on about the Packer game and had to go to the notes for his “witty banter”.
BEST- TITLE- EVER! I love you maha,, you have a special way of making soda come out of my nose at the most un expected times! God thats priceless!
The freaking debt clock is what gets me. Apparently we’re supposed to support Romney/Ryan simply because they complain about the debt a lot, even though their proposals would actually increase it.
A word about craig robinson, head of the gop in Iowa: He lacks any room to be a critic of ANYONE except himself. Does anyone recall how long it took them to decide who actually won the caucus? It made us look like fools here. If you want to be first in the nation you best have your results before the primaries are all but over every where else and they should be accurate the FIRST time..
With that said I wonder is this crack me up day? The stench…I love it little buddy!
And what is with all the Gilligans Island stuff this election ? We have Thurstan Howell and lovey and now Gilligan..Limbo would make a great skipper.. now we just need a deserted island to send them to where their policies can never hurt anyone again.
It’s too late for Paulie. He’s already been exposed as a fraud. Like hepatitis C his political life blood is forever tainted. he’s not only going down in flames with Romney, he’s going to be sent a packin’ by the people of Wisconsin. If he had enough sense to read the hand writing on the wall he’d be building a working relationship with the Boy Scouts of America to maybe cash in on their organizing their next National Jamboree.
I see where his blockbuster book The young Gunsis selling of .75 plus 3.75 for postage.. Now that’s a deal for any up and coming conservative with an entrepreneurial spirit, much better than buying and reselling discounted Iraqi dinar if they can negotiate a bulk rate on the postage.
OT, but this is too much to leave unattended.
“I’ve been across this country, and my heart aches for the people I’ve seen,” Romney told a crowd of several hundred people here. “There are so many in our country that are hurting right now. I want to help them.”
There’s an old saying us New Yawkers like to use to question sincerity, and it’s apropos here..”Say it with money”. Before you can have an aching heart..you need to have a heart.
Ain’t nothin’ stopping Mittens from helping them now. And isn’t he the same guy that deplores government dependency?
Somewhere in a dusty attic I suspect that there is a portrait of Mitt Romney.
I’ve always been repulsed by people who feign sincerity,but Mitt Romney evokes an unidentifiable emotional horror in me when he tries to feign compassion. It knots my stomach.
The droid has received new programming, obv. Alas, too late!
Just a little something to think about in seeing the insidious effects of vulture capitalism…I live in a home that is valued in keeping with national “median’ house price. And I’m paying twice the amount for homeowners insurance than I do for property taxes..which include, police, firefighters,schools, emergency services, parks, roads,911, municipal services and a host of other governmental services that I’m not even aware of. Seems capitalism has gotten the lions share of my labor. And the capitalist hook in me is as firmly planted as my obligation to society is. Sad.
“Romney evokes an unidentifiable emotional horror in me when he tries to feign compassion.” Similar to the “uncanny valley” psychological phenomenon. A robot that looks “almost human” invokes revulsion.
I am certain the Politico article is satire, so unless I missed it in the other comments, I am informing all of you or you all just pwned me.
I just moved to Austin this summer (I know, I know, I traded in Chris Christie for Rick Perry, not sure how good a deal I’m getting) and I’ve been seeing some very poorly designed campaign signs on the lawns of some of the more expensive houses around town that look like the homeowners are endorsing someone named “Ryan Romney” for president. I wonder if these were intentionally designed badly…
I am certain the Politico article is satire
Yeah, satire in word but not in spirit..Paulie knows he went for the brass ring and missed. Paulie is in the early stages of buyers remorse, he got a big head with all the fawning and flattery lavished upon him by his fellow fraudsters, and he beginning to sober up to the reality that he’s been unmasked and judged a loser by the American public.
Sure it’s sad, but that’s what happens when you stay to long in Young Gun childhood fantasies
The only significant contribution Paulie is gonna make in the economy is a rise in the sales of rubber holloween masks.
A little food for thought for the informed voter:
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/romneys-lean-mean-medicaid-plans-for-nursing-home-residents/1252778
Somebody at work mentioned to me that he read (somewhere) that Romney is not only from another planet – but he’s obviously a disguised Ferengi. This makes total sense – the GOP has secretly been taken over by the Ferengi and as proof I submit for your consideration the Rules of Acquisition. See for yourself if they don’t look suspiciously like the GOP platform. (from Wikipedia)
Mentioned Rules
1. Once you have their money, you never give it back.
2. The best deal is the one that brings the most profit.
3. Never pay more for an acquisition than you have to.
4. A woman wearing clothes is like a man in the kitchen.
5. If you can’t break a contract, bend it.
6. Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity.
7. Keep your ears open.
8. Small print leads to large risk.
9. Opportunity plus instinct equals profit.
10. Greed is eternal.
11. Latinum isn’t the only thing that shines.
12. Anything worth selling is worth selling twice.
13. Anything worth doing is worth doing for money.
14. Anything stolen is pure profit.
15. Acting stupid is often smart.
16. A deal is a deal…until a better one comes along.
17. A contract is a contract is a contract…but only between Ferengi.
18. A Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all.
19. Satisfaction is not guaranteed.
20. When the customer is sweating, turn up the heat.
21. Never place friendship above profit.
22. A wise man can hear profit in the wind.
23. Nothing is more important than your health, except for your money.
24. Latinum can’t buy happiness, but you can sure have a blast renting it.
25. You can’t make a deal if you’re dead.
27. There’s nothing more dangerous than an honest businessman.
31. Never insult a Ferengi’s mother…insult something he cares about instead.
33. It never hurts to suck up to the boss.
34. War is good for business.
35. Peace is good for business.
40. She can touch your lobes, but never your latinum.
41. Profit is its own reward.
44. Never confuse wisdom with luck.
45. Expand or die
47. Never trust a man wearing a better suit than your own.
48. The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife.
52. Never ask when you can take.
57. Good customers are as rare as latinum–treasure them.
58. There is no substitute for success.
59. Free advice is seldom cheap.
60. Keep your lies consistent.
62. The riskier the road, the greater the profit.
65. Win or lose, there’s always Hupyrian beetle snuff.
69. When she discusses money for “favors”, charge her what she’ll pay.
74. Knowledge equals profit.
75. Home is where the heart is…but the stars are made of latinum.
76. Every once in a while, declare peace….it confuses the hell out of your enemies.
79. Beware of the Vulcan greed for knowledge.
82. The flimsier the product, the higher the price.
85. Never let the competition know what you’re thinking.
89. Ask not what your profits can do for you, but what you can do for your profits.
94. Females and finances don’t mix.
95. Expand…or die.
97. Enough…is never enough.
98. Every man has his price.
99. Trust is the biggest liability of all.
102. Nature decays, but latinum is forever.
103. Sleep can interfere with opportunity.
104. Faith moves mountains…of inventory.
106. There is no honor in poverty.
109. Dignity and an empty sack…is worth the sack.
111. Treat people in your debt like family…exploit them.
112. Never have sex with the boss’s sister.
113. Always have sex with the boss.
121. Everything is for sale, even friendship.
123. Even a blind man can recognize the glow of latinum.
125. You can’t make a deal if you’re dead. [6]
139. Wives serve, brothers inherit.
141. Only fools pay retail.
144. There’s nothing wrong with charity…as long as it winds up in your pocket.
162. Even in the worst of times, someone makes a profit.
168. Whisper your way to success.
177. Know your enemies…but do business with them always.
181. Not even dishonesty can tarnish the shine of profit.
189. Let others keep their reputation…you keep their latinum.
190. Hear all, trust nothing.
192. Never cheat a Klingon…unless you can get away with it.
194. It’s always good business to know your customers before they walk in the door.
202. The justification for profit is profit.
203. New customers are like razor-toothed greeworms. They can be succulent, but sometimes they bite back.
208. Sometimes the only thing more dangerous than a question is an answer.
211. Employees are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don’t hesitate to step on them.
214. Never begin a business negotiation on an empty stomach.
217. You can’t free a fish from water.
218. Always know what you’re buying.
223. Beware the man who doesn’t make time for oo-mox.
229. Latinum lasts longer than lust.
236. You can’t buy fate.
239. Never be afraid to mislabel a product.
242. More is good…all is better.
255. A wife is a luxury…a smart accountant a necessity.
261. A wealthy man can afford anything except a conscience.
263. Never allow doubt to tarnish your lust for latinum.
266. When in doubt, lie.
284. Deep down, everyone’s a Ferengi.
285. No good deed ever goes unpunished.
286. When Morn leaves, it’s all over. (made up by Quark—season 3, episode 3, this is representative of the idea that all things may be adjusted should it serve to make a profit)
Oh wow, Ferengi! A name I’ve not heard in a while.
Star Trek: the best political satire of all.
In Ryan’s defense, 4 Powerpoint slides could be “wonkish” if he used animations or imbedded videos. You can really stretch out the value of a single slide with those things.