>>>Surely you can't be oblivious to the obvious? If Palin's IQ is 110 I would be surprised. Obama's probably 140+
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>>>And what does that have to do with the price of eggs? Is there some proof that IQ tests are an accurate measure of intelligence? After all, these tests are subjective - not exactly the same thing as the results of a blood test <g>.
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>>One of the most memorable presentations I ever attended was at a computer conference, although it didn't have much at all to do with computers. The presenter's main point was that there are many components of intelligence and IQ tests measure only one of them, analytical intelligence. These people tend to have IQs and get good or great grades in school. I don't remember the precise definition of the other types but will put them under the umbrella of emotional intelligence -- imagination, understanding of others, understanding of yourself, understanding of nuance, that kind of thing. A good case can be made that in many if not most endeavors they are at least as important, if not more so, than analytical ability.
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>>Which is a way of saying I agree with you that grades, degrees, and the like are not perfect predictors of overall ability or of success. Especially when you put traits like drive and perseverance into the mix.
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>In my experience perseverance is more likely to indicate a lack of intelligence :-}

Really? I think it's a terrific trait in anyone. Sure, we'd all like to get everything right on the first try, but that isn't reality for very many of us. Often the key to success is a willingness to keep at it until you reach the desired outcome.

Here is one of my favorite inspiring stories. (A genre I am not necessarily big on) It was in The New Yorker many years ago and focused on a geologist for Royal Dutch Shell, as Shell was then called. His job was to find undiscovered oil reserves. He became convinced that this one particular spot was a mother lode and got approval to drill there. They set up a drilling operation and found no oil. That's an expensive operation, BTW, as I'm sure you know. He then got approval to try a slightly different spot. Another dry hole. This went on something like 31 times. He talked them into trying one more time and they said OK. ANOTHER dry hole. Somehow he talked them into funding yet another try, and they hit the biggest oil field that had been found anywhere in the world at the time. That's perseverance.