This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Robert What's the difference between this and Ted Baxter? Also, neither name is particularly memorable.
Kendra Kirai: Ted Baxter is more of a (wannabe) ladies-man/snake-oil salesman. They're trying to sell you something; either themselves, or their point of view or both.
Looney Toons: Right, and the Clavin is a know-it-all who actually knows nothing. They both want to be recognized and appreciated, but they take different paths.
BTW, "Claven" is actually spelled "Clavin". I've renamed the entry.
Kendra Kirai: Whoops, thanks Looney. :)
ccoa: Moved discussion page from original page.
Thinks Too Much: Removed the following, as it is a picture-perfect example of why the damn Rule Of Cautious Editing Judgement exists and what happens when nobody corrects a violation of it. And, it's Natter.
- Real-life example: Al "I invented the Internet" Gore is sometimes portrayed this way, though he never actually made the claim. Parodied in a Snickers ad
during the 2000 presidential election in which Gore is represented by a cartoon donkey on a voter's shoulder and president-to-be George Bush as an elephant with daddy issues:
Bush: "My dad and I wear the same pants."Gore: "I invented pants!"- Dork Tower once had Al swearing a New Year's Resolution to stop claiming to have invented things he had no part of. Of course, this was the same strip which had Bush's vow to develop a smart, focused technology policy thwarted when he fled from the "magic box" on his desk a computer.
- Actually, if you listen to many of Al's Senate speeches, or read his "Earth in the Balance" book (I didn't read his other one, so can't say about it), he really IS like this. He's hopelessly misinformed about much of what he talks about. Even when he's right about things, his statements are usually gross exaggerations. Many Global Warming advocates are upset about him because he damages the cause when he exaggerates.
- I don't know what he is "really" like but the exact quote is: "During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet". Which is 100% true and no exaggeration. Internet pioneer Vint Cerf said, "His initiatives led directly to the commercialization of the Internet. So he really does deserve credit."
- Further, many OTHER global warming advocates consider An Inconvenient Truth to be far too conservative, actually underestimating the risk. There's a continuum of opinion among advocates for the existence of global warming...
- FWIW a British court ruled that An Inconvenient Truth contained so many material errors of fact that it should not be shown to schoolchildren without a warning.
Johnny E: On that note, the Real Life section needs cleaning up, or scrapping.
Mezadraglide: Why does the Troper Tales page for this redirect to Brilliant, but Lazy? Surely this occurs often enough in real life that it deserves its own. (Plus it's not really related to Brilliant, but Lazy at all, since this describes stupid people who think they're smart, while Brilliant, but Lazy describes intelligent people who can't be bothered working.
- TA: I believe that is the joke.
