Recent Comments

1. about 7 hours ago on Gary Varvel

   Yep, making a mountain out of a molehill…

2. about 8 hours ago on Matt Davies

   My family refuses to go shopping on holidays like Memorial Day.

3. about 8 hours ago on Working It Out

   Maybe so.

4. about 8 hours ago on 9 to 5

   Yep, popularity contests. At our five year class reunion, our Class President showed up and made a short speech. He admitted that he had done nothing as Class President, and was frankly surprised that he’d been elected.

5. about 8 hours ago on Zen Pencils

   My class valedictorian was a nice girl with a photographic memory. She could tell you any quotation out of any of our textbooks – including page number and physical location on the page. Made her an excellent test taker.

   I got to partner with her in physics class. Hoped she would be able to explain things (the teacher couldn’t – he also only quoted lines from the textbook). Then realized that she did not understand the meaning of the things she could quote.

   Met her again at my five year reunion. She had graduated at the top of her college class. She was going to be a CPA.

   Met her again at my ten year reunion. She was in tears. She had failed her CPA licensing exam three times. Had never gotten less than an “A” before, let alone failed. Her job was in jeopardy due to not getting the license. Her problem was those tests required more than regurgitation – they were practical examinations. She could not apply the facts that she’d memorized.

   Don’t know what happened next, since I’ve never gone to any more reunions. I suspect she stopped trying to be a CPA. I truly hope she’s happy now.

6. about 8 hours ago on Working It Out

   Often the prize for utilizing an “open door policy”…

7. about 8 hours ago on Looks Good on Paper

   The 8th one is Thief…

8. about 8 hours ago on Brewster Rockit

   Too many people don’t bother to research potential occupations. They don’t talk to people already in those occupations to find out how it is in that world. They don’t investigate job markets and pay scales, recurring costs (such as maintaining a license or replacing personal protective gear), or compare benefits and perks. They don’t analyze the costs to enter an occupation (such as a college degree if required). They just listen to popular gossip and assume that what they hear will apply to themselves.

   It’s not really a kid’s fault – all of this requires help from supposedly experienced and reasonable adults. Sadly, our schools and many parents fail to meet the challenge. In my opinion (for what it’s worth) I believe that most kids would be better off getting jobs straight out of high school – where they can experience what their education levels and skills can (or can’t) earn them. I’ve seen this act as the motivation that young adults need to take career training more seriously… but it can also trap some into a permanent low level rut.

9. 1 day ago on Jeff Stahler

   Need those around in case a Former Guy needs a prop to hold upside down during a photo op…

10. 1 day ago on Steve Breen

    Oh, another BTW… the community college where I teach offers certificates and diplomas for several trades (the difference is how many courses you take, meaning how deep you get into studying the ins and outs) but they are not degrees (degrees require at least four years of study, including nonrelated elective courses, per our State requirements). Certificate can be completed in one year, the diploma in two.

    Is a trade certificate or diploma worth it? Well, several employers recruit our graduates and some contribute advice and lab materials to our programs. Some students find jobs before graduation. The State subsidizes student tuition (in some cases the State pays the whole cost) – and ours is a red State that tends to defund public education.