Round 2 - Geeks Club History Draft

[iam90sbaby 2,125]

Same deal rank everyone 1-5.

 

 

Current Standings:

TBBOM - 5 points

Bear - 3 points

Volty - 1 points

90sbaby - 0 points

Vudu - 0 points

 

 

Administrator

 

 

Volty:

Augustus Caesar - Augustus, also called Octavian, adopted name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor. He first gained prominence after delivering the funeral speech for his grandmother Julia as a young boy and some years later, he was elected to the College of Pontiffs. While studying and undergoing his military training in Illyria, he heard of his maternal great-uncle Julius Caesar's assassination. Caesar had no legitimate heir under the Roman law and hence had named Octavian as his adopted son and heir, who gladly accepted the will and travelled to Italia to claim his inheritance. But he soon realized that the road to inheritance wasn't that simple as Mark Antony, Caesar's old ally and friend had taken hold of Caesar’s assets and the papers. After several political alignments, wars and treaties he finally received his due. During his reign, the Roman Empire attained Pax Romana (an era of relative peace), a new taxation system, road networks, courier system, the Praetorian Guard and official police and fire-fighting services. He led successful conquests of Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Norcium, and Hispania, and made all the neighboring states his client states.

 

Tang Taizong - previously Prince of Qin, personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is traditionally regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty for his role in encouraging Li Yuan, his father, to rebel against the Sui dynasty at Jinyang in 617. Taizong subsequently played a pivotal role in defeating several of the dynasty's most dangerous opponents and solidifying its rule over China.^[7]

Taizong is typically considered to be one of the greatest emperors in China's history and henceforth, his reign became regarded as the exemplary model against which all future emperors were measured. His era, the "Reign of Zhenguan" (贞观之治; 貞觀之治; Zhēnguān Zhī Zhì) is considered a golden age in Chinese history and was treated as required studying material for future crown princes. Under the Zhenguan era, Tang China flourished economically and militarily. For more than a century after his death, China enjoyed prosperity and peace brought about by the solidification of imperial protection over the Chinese regions. In territorial extent, it covered most of the territories previously held by the Han dynasty, including parts of modern Vietnam, Xinjiang, and Central Asian regions as far as eastern Kazakhstan. This era of consolidation and conquest laid the foundation for Xuanzong's reign, which is considered to be the height of the Tang dynasty.

In 630, Emperor Taizong sent his general Li Jing against Eastern Tujue, defeating and capturing its Jiali Khan Ashina Duobi and destroying Eastern Tujue power. This made Tang the dominant power in East and Central Asia, and Emperor Taizong subsequently took the title of Tengeri Qaghan ("Tenger Khan" or the God like Emperor).^[8] He also launched a series of campaigns against the oasis states of the Tarim Basin, and against the armies of their main ally, the Western Tujue. During his reign, Tang armies annexed Karakhoja in 640, Karasahr in 644 and Kucha in 648.^[9]

Unlike many of the nobility of the time, He was a frank rationalist and scholar of logic and scientific reason, openly scorning superstitions and claims of signs from the heavens. He also modified important rites in order to ease the burden of agricultural labour.^[10] The modern Chinese historian Bo Yang opined that Emperor Taizong achieved greatness by enduring criticism which others would find difficult to accept whilst trying hard not to abuse his absolute power (using Emperor Yang of Sui as a negative example), as well as through his employment of capable chancellors such as Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui and Wei Zheng. Emperor Taizong's wife Empress Zhangsun also proved to be a capable assistant.

 

Akbar the Great - Akbar was one of the most powerful emperors of the Mughal Dynasty and the greatest Muslim ruler who built a large empire expanding over most of the Indian subcontinent. Right from the age of 13 when he took over the reins of the Mughal Empire, he conquered and subjugated territories and states in the northern, western and eastern regions, especially Punjab, Delhi, Agra, Rajputana, Gujarat, Bengal, Kabul, Kandahar and Baluchistan, to bring most of India under his control. Despite being illiterate, he possessed exceptional knowledge in almost all subjects. He earned high respect from his non-Muslim subjects, mainly due to his adoption of policies that created a peaceful atmosphere in his diverse empire. He also re-organized taxation systems, divided his army following the mansabdari system, and established foreign relations with the West. Being a patron of art and culture, he got a number of literature books written in various languages and constructed numerous architectural masterpieces during his reign, such as Agra Fort, Buland Darwaza, Fatehpur Sikri, Humayun Tomb, Allahabad Fort, Lahore Fort, and his own mausoleum at Sikandra.

 

Suleiman the Magnificent - commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the West and "Kanuni" (the Lawgiver) in the East, was the tenth and longest-reigning Great Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566.^[3] Under his administration, the Ottoman State ruled over 20 to 30 million people.

Suleiman became a prominent monarch of 16th-century Europe, presiding over the apex of the Ottoman Empire's military, political and economic power. Suleiman personally led Ottoman armies in conquering the Christian strongholds of Belgradeand Rhodes as well as most of Hungary before his conquests were checked at the Siege of Vienna in 1529. He annexed much of the Middle East in his conflict with the Persian Safavids and large areas of North Africa as far west as Algeria. Under his rule, the Ottoman fleet dominated the seas from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and through the Persian Gulf.^[4]

At the helm of an expanding empire, Suleiman personally instituted major legislative changes relating to society, education, taxation and criminal law. His canonical law (or the Kanuns) fixed the form of the empire for centuries after his death. He was a distinguished poet and goldsmith; he also became a great patron of culture, overseeing the "Golden" age of the Ottoman Empire in its artistic, literary and architectural development.^[5]

Breaking with Ottoman tradition, Suleiman married Roxelana, a former Christian girl converted to Islam from his harem, who became subsequently known and influential as Hürrem Sultan. Their son Selim II succeeded Suleiman following his death in 1566 after 46 years of rule, thus beginning a long state of stagnation and decline during Selim II's reign. Suleiman's previous heir apparents Mehmed and Mustafa had died, the former from smallpox and the latter had been strangled to death 13 years previously at the sultan's order. His other son Bayezid had been killed by his support and Selim's order in 1561 with four of his sons.

 

TBBOM:

Gaius Marius - was a Roman general and statesman. He held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his important reforms of Roman armies, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens, eliminating the manipular military formations, and reorganizing the structure of the legions into separate cohorts. Marius defeated the invading Germanic tribes (the Teutones, Ambrones, and the Cimbri), for which he was called "the third founder of Rome."^[1] His life and career were significant in Rome's transformation from Republic to Empire.

 

Dwight D. Eisenhower - Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States, who reduced Cold War tensions and is known for his 'Atoms for Peace initiative'. Before becoming the president, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and played a pivotal role in the World War II. Eisenhower served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, and successfully planned the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45. Belonging to Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, Eisenhower was born in a religious family in Kansas. After finishing his high school, he joined the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. After graduating from the Army, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Gradually rising through the ranks he rose to the highest position in the army. After retiring from the army, Eisenhower contested the 1952 presidential elections to crusade against "Communism, Korea and corruption". He was president for two terms and through his initiatives and policies he made the world a much safer place to live. He played a vital role in ending the Korean War and de-escalated the tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.

 

Alfred the Great - Alfred the Great was the King of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. He was born as the fifth son of Aethelwulf, King of the West Saxons, and since he had four elder brothers, initially it seemed unlikely that Alfred would ever become the king. However, his father wished that his sons should succeed the kingship in turn as he felt that choosing just one son to inherit the throne might weaken the leadership. Intelligent and bright, Alfred displayed an interest in scholarly pursuits from a young age and also received training in military arts normal for a young man hailing from the royal family. After the death of his father, three of his brothers, Aethelbald, Aethelberht and Aethelred ruled in succession. During that era the kingdom was under threat from Danish raids and when the Danes attacked during the reign of his brother Aethelred in 870, he aided his brother in commanding the forces. Aethelred died the next year and Alfred succeeded him. After becoming the king he successfully defended his kingdom against the Viking attempt and greatly improved the country’s military structure and legal system.

 

Cordell Hull - Cordell Hull was a major political leader of Tennessee, USA and 47th Secretary of States of the United States. He is credited as the longest-serving Secretary of State remaining in the position for eleven consecutive years. Hull served the country from 1933 to 1944 and was a close ally to the then president Franklin Delano Roosevelt who called him the father of the 'United Nations' for his notable contribution in the creation of the organization. In 1945, the Norwegian Nobel Committee honored Hull with the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution in the establishment of the United Nations. In a political career of ups and down, Cordell drew heavy criticism on his stand on the Jews (Victims of the Nazi Holocaust) entry in the country after he advised the president to refuse shelter. Hull died after suffering a series of strokes and cardiac arrests on 23 July 1955.

 

Bear:

Prince Dorgon - formally known as Prince Rui, was a Manchu prince and regent of the early Qing dynasty. Born in the Aisin Gioro clan as the 14th son of Nurhaci (the founder of the Qing dynasty), Dorgon started his career in military campaigns against the Ming dynasty, Mongols and Koreans during the reign of his half-brother, Huangtaiji. In 1643, he engaged Huangtaiji's eldest son, Hooge, in a power struggle over the succession to the throne. Both of them eventually backed out and agreed to let Huangtaiji's ninth son, Fulin, become the emperor; Fulin was installed on the throne as the Shunzhi Emperor. Dorgon served as Prince-Regent from 1643–1650, throughout the Shunzhi Emperor's early reign. Under Dorgon's regency, Qing forces occupied Beijing and gradually conquered the rest of China in a series of battles against Ming loyalists and other opposing forces around China. Dorgon also introduced the policy of forcing all Han Chinese men to shave the front of the heads and wear their hair in queues just like the Manchus. He died in 1650 during a hunting trip and was posthumously honoured as an emperor even though he was never an emperor during his lifetime. However, a year after Dorgon's death, the Shunzhi Emperor accused Dorgon of several crimes, stripped him of his titles, and even had his dead body exhumed and flogged publicly. Dorgon was posthumously rehabilitated and restored of his honourary titles by the Qianlong Emperor in 1778.

 

William Doyle Ruckelshaus - is an American attorney and former U.S. government official. He served as the first head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, was subsequently acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and then Deputy Attorney General of the United States. During 1983 through 1985 he returned as EPA Administrator.

 

Andre Cox - is the 20th General of The Salvation Army. He was commissioned as an Officer in The Salvation Army on 25 May 1979. He was elected to the position of General by the 18th High Council of The Salvation Army on 3 August 2013.

He was the Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army from 1 February 2013 to 3 August 2013. In the wake of the unexpected retirement of General Linda Bond, Cox fulfilled the duties of General for a little under two months until the High Council could elect a new General.

Born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe) to an English father and Swiss mother, Cox spent his childhood years in Southern Rhodesia and the United Kingdom, before moving to Switzerland where he met and married Silvia Cox (née Volet), who was born to Swiss parents in Argentina.

 

D!ck Cheney - Known to be one of the most influential vice-presidents in the history of the United States of America, Cheney is an illustrious politician and businessman and has been an active in world politics for over three decades now. Although he was a Democrat initially, he became a Republican, so that he could be associated with former president George W. Bush, whom he adored. He started out as an intern and went on to don many hats during the presidential terms of Ford, Nixon and Bush. He influenced the decisions of the Department of Defence and has advocated many of Bush’s administrative policies. However, the most significant period in his political career was his partnership with Bush during the Gulf War, the war on terrorism, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. He left office after Barrack Obama came to power and has since, openly expressed his contempt and disagreements with Obama’s administrative policies. His political career was largely defined by Bush and his policies, which shaped the course of America’s future in both; positive and negative manner. He is also currently active in his business endeavours. Scroll further for more interesting information on this personality.

 

Vudu:

James E. Webb - was an American government official who served as the second administrator of NASA from February 14, 1961 to October 7, 1968.

Webb oversaw NASA from the beginning of the Kennedy administration through the end of the Johnson administration, thus overseeing all the critical first manned launches in the Mercury through Gemini programs, until just before the first manned Apollo flight. He also dealt with the Apollo 1 fire.

In 2002, a planned space telescope, originally called the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), was renamed the James Webb Space Telescope as a tribute to Webb.

 

Razia Jan - born in Afghanistan, has worked for many years to forge connections between Afghans and Americans. Razia is the founder of Razia's Ray of Hope Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and children in Afghanistan through community-based education.^[1] She was nominated as a Top 10 CNN Hero of 2012 for her work on the Zabuli Education Center, a school that she founded in rural Afghanistan that provides a free education to about 350 girls.

 

Henry Dunst - was an Anglo-American Puritan clergyman and the first president of Harvard College. Brackney says Dunster was "an important precursor" of the Baptist denomination in America, especially regarding infant baptism, soul freedom, religious liberty, congregational governance, and a radical biblicism.

 

Robert Grosseteste - was an Englishstatesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian, scientist and Bishop of Lincoln. He was born of humble parents at Stradbroke in Suffolk. Upon his death, he was almost universally revered as a saint in England, but attempts to procure a formal canonization failed. A. C. Crombie calls him "the real founder of the tradition of scientific thought in medieval Oxford, and in some ways, of the modern English intellectual tradition".

 

 

90sbaby:

Steven Smith - Steve Smith is a veteran of four space flights covering 16 million miles and seven space walks totaling 49 hours and 25 minutes. Smith’s spacewalk time places him in the top five on the all-time American and World spacewalk duration lists. He joined NASA in 1989 in the Mission Operations Directorate. As a payload officer, his duties included preflight payload integration and real-time flight controller support in Mission Control. He was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1992 and then completed one year of astronaut candidate training.^[1]

In September 1993, Smith became the first member of the 1992 astronaut class to receive a flight assignment. He has served as the Astronaut Office representative for the Space Shuttle Main Engines, the solid rocket boosters, the external tank, and shuttle safety. Smith was also assigned to duties at the Kennedy Space Center for a year and a half as a member of the astronaut support team. The team was responsible for space shuttle prelaunch vehicle checkout, crew ingress and strap-in prior to launch, and crew egress post landing. After STS-103, he served as the Deputy Chief Astronaut for a year.

Smith completed an assignment serving as the NASA Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) Launch Package Manager for the ISS Program, and currently serves as the NASA International Space Station Program Liaison to the European Space Agency.^[1]

 

Attended Bret Harte Middle School in San Jose, California and graduated from Leland High School, San Jose, California, in 1977; received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering in 1981; a master of science degree in electrical engineering in 1982; and a master’s degree in business administration in 1987. All three degrees are from Stanford University.

 

NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Space Flight Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, IBM Outstanding Technical Achievement Award, IBM Outstanding Community Service Award. Seven-time high school and collegiate All-American in swimming and water polo. Two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion at Stanford in water polo. Captain of the 1980 NCAA Championship team. Former Board Member of Special Olympics Texas.^[1]

 

Steve Smith worked for IBM in the Large Scale Integration (semiconductor) Technology Group in San Jose as a technical group lead from 1982 until 1985. Following a leave to pursue graduate studies, Smith returned to IBM’s Hardware and Systems Management Group as a product manager until 1989.

 

 

Charles George Gordon - Charles George Gordon, better known as Gordon Pasha or Gordon of Khartoum, was an English army officer and administrator, best remembered for his expeditions in China and northern Africa. As a general of the British army, he served in the Crimean War and participated in the expedition to Kinburn, for which he was honored with the Crimean war medal and clasp from the British government and was made the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by the French government. However, his major recognition came after his appointment as the commander of the 3,500 Chinese soldiers, known as the ‘Ever Victorious Army’, following which he succeeded in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion and seizing its principal military base, Changzhou Fu. This heroic service earned him accolades from both the British and the Chinese government, apart from the nickname ‘Chinese Gordon’. He entered the Egyptian army under Khedive Ismail Pasha and served in Khartoum and Gondokoro, building stations along River Nile and making attempts to end slave trade. Eventually, his appointment as the Governor-General of Sudan took him to Khartoum to free British and Egyptian forces, due to the uprising of Sudanese rebels led by Muhammad Ahmad, who proclaimed himself Mahdi, against the Anglo-Egyptian rule, where he was captured and executed.

 

Sir Charles Trevelyan - Charles Trevelyan was a British colonial administrator and civil servant who became renowned as the father of modern British civil service. Born to a clergyman father, Trevelyan grew up to become a highly educated and qualified adult. It was for his proficiency in learning Asian language and dialect that Trevelyan, soon after his studies, earned an appointment as a writer for the East India government in India. During his stint in India, he occupied important influential position and earned quick promotions. In 1840, he returned to England to take up the position of the assistant secretary to Her Majesty’s Treasury. He served in the position until 1859. During his term, Ireland and Scotland went through a period of famine. Instead of hastening famine relief works, Trevelyan introduced laissez-faire attitude and encouraged the government for minimal intervention. Trevelyan also served as the Governor of Madras. His career’s high point came when he counselled for competitive admission examinations for civil services that secured selection of qualified and educated people as civil servants and administrators.

 

Arne Duncan - Making significant reforms and positive changes in the American public school education system, Arne Duncan, the 9th United States’ Secretary of Education, is one of the most progressive administrators, today. During his tenure, he made many substantial contributions in the field of education, which brought about many positive improvements in the lives of American students and teachers. He offered his support to President Barack Obama’s goal of producing the highest number of college graduates. He brought about reforms to ensure that colleges and universities provide job placements and student loans at default rates. He has raised education standards, improved teaching quality and has also increased the number of scholarships being granted to students. Before he assumed office as the United States’ Secretary of Education, he was the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools and became longest-serving education superintendent in the United States of America. As a CEO, Duncan introduced various education initiatives, closed down under-performing schools, expanded after school and summer learning programs. These efforts had tremendous impact on the academic scenario and helped improve the student performance considerably. Also was the creator of the "Daisy campaign".

 

 

[vuduchile 1,941]

I feel like there were two distinctly different schools of thought on this category. While Volty and TBBOM loaded up on world leaders and statesmen that ran their respective empires, the rest of us included people who successfully steered different types of ships.

 

Since Volty made the categories, I can only assume his selections are more in line with what he was thinking when he created it.

 

My approach was to identify individuals who led teams to accomplish extraordinary things, or create world renowned institutions.

 

Leaving myself out, I vote:

 

90's

Volty

Bear

TBBOM

[iam90sbaby 2,125]

Volty

Vudu

Bear

TBBOM

[Hardcore troubadour 12,670]

D!ck Cheney? And that write up for him was obviously not written by the drafter. Is that ok?

[iam90sbaby 2,125]

D!ck Cheney? And that write up for him was obviously not written by the drafter. Is that ok?

 

I am taking all my write-ups from either wikipedia.org or thefamouspeople.com those are my only sources, I don't have time to sit here and do a write up for each person, I do have a life you know.

[iam90sbaby 2,125]

I need some votes, where you fockers at? Round 2 is over tomorrow night, theres no way all of you are complete idiots.

 

Jerryskids's where is your vote?

[Voltaire 4,564]

I feel like there were two distinctly different schools of thought on this category. While Volty and TBBOM loaded up on world leaders and statesmen that ran their respective empires, the rest of us included people who successfully steered different types of ships.

 

It's going to be one of the most difficult category to draft since we interpreted it all so differently. I did get my top four picks though (for what good it'll do me).

 

I'm not ready to rank right now, I'll have to do some more research.

[iam90sbaby 2,125]

It's going to be one of the most difficult category to draft since we interpreted it all so differently. I did get my top four picks though (for what good it'll do me).

 

I'm not ready to rank right now, I'll have to do some more research.

 

I'm number one Volty, don't deny it.

[Jetdoc 20]

1. Voltaire. Takes this category in a runaway. Augustus is the clear number one choice, having to govern a massive empire without any sort of telecommunications (imagine that!). Akbar is another great choice, and Suleiman is just cream on top of his great draft (it's the freaking Ottoman Empire! awesome).

 

2. Vuduchile. Webb is an exceptional choice - he was personally responsible for pouring the foundation of NASA as it exists today, in the middle of the Cold War era and it's famed Space Race. For a non-military leader, he is easily top five on any administrator's list. Also love the pick of Razia Jan, although probably less of an administrator and more of an ambassador...a great modern-day choice. Love the religious pick in Dunst...was expecting to see more religious picks since their administration is probably some of the most pervasive (and had the most pervasive impact!) in history.

 

3. TBBOM. Great pick in Eisenhower. He wasn't a great president, but his strength was running things in times of chaos, and poured a lot of what we have today from an organization of government standpoint. Wasn't thrilled by the Hull pick, and Gaius Marius was probably 3rd or 4th on my list of Romans from an administrative standpoint.

 

4. 90sbaby. Absolutely loved the Gordon pick. Given the negative connotation of England's colonial empire, he really isn't viewed favorably by history, but when you look at what he accomplished throughout Africa and China in holding together a fragile empire, it's great. Absolutely hated the Steven Smith pick. Love the guy, love his history, hate the fact that he was picked as an administrator. I would've picked him as a high pick pioneer or explorer, but it seemed like a stretch here.

 

5. Bear. You'll get flack over the Cheney pick, but it is really the Cox pick that I didn't like. Yes, he's the current leader of one of the biggest charitable organizations that the world has known, but I wouldn't even label him as the greatest leader of that organization over its tenure. You would've gotten a lot more credit if you picked William Booth as its founder, given how expanded an idea into a great organization before he died and how it continued through today.

[Voltaire 4,564]

Gaius Marius

Dwight D. Eisenhower

------

Alfred the Great

James E. Webb

Prince Dorgon

Sir Charles Trevelyan

Henry Dunst

Robert Grosseteste

Charles George Gordon

-------

Cordell Hull

William Doyle Ruckelshaus

Razia Jan

Andre Cox

Steven Smith

------

D!ck Cheney

Arne Duncan

-------

Roll with

 

TBBOM

Vudu

these are very close

Bear

90sbaby

[iam90sbaby 2,125]

Okay, I am going to let round 2 run until tonight, I will post round 3 tomorrow. I decided to do absolutely nothing this weekend and being a lazy pos.