zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Sun, 22 Jul 2012 02:33:54 -0400, Bill wrote:

zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Sat, 21 Jul 2012 23:31:03 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Sat, 21 Jul 2012 19:14:29 -0700 (PDT), "Gramp's shop"
wrote:

Here's an interesting piece found in the online New York Times equating the business practices at HD to the general decline in craftsmanship in our country:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/bu...y.html?_r=1&hp

Remember that quote in Pogo "we have met the enemy and it is us".

Sometime in about the 60's or 70's, society decided that blue collar
work was not as good as white collar and professions where you did not
do that manual labor. College was more affordable and Dad, who worked
on the line an a factory, was able to send one of his kids off to
college.

Hmm, am I wrong, or did Home Depot become ubiquitous sometime after the '60s
or '70s?

Perhaps college should be made more affordable. Perhaps professors should
actually teach

What do you think they are doing? Times have already changed.

Research. Writing proposals for research.

and student loans should be abolished (or at least greatly
reduced)? Maybe get rid of scholarships, too.

May as well get rid of auto financing while you're at it.
And mortgages too--they are evil!

...and I thought you wanted to middle class to be stronger.

That was an example of hyperbole--exaggerating your suggesting that
student loans and scholarships should be abolished!


Oh, well.

If you wanted to improve the economics, you might have colleges screen
students and turn away one they expect might not be as competitive
following graduation. But that would not be very democratic or popular.
However, that is similar to the way things are done in China, I believe.

Following graduation?

I said "screen"! That means before admitting students. Phoenix, the
online university, is an example of a fraud (from what I've heard).


How about turning away those who can't even get there
without dumbing down the entire system? Ramedeal reading in college?

Maybe students should talk to an advisor (perhaps mom or dad?) before
they choose a college and a major? All 18 year-olds respect the
opinions of their parents, don't they? Caveat emptor.

Perhaps require an "employment 101" course. Though, if effective, it would
dry up a lot of departments. The faculty wouldn't allow that to happen.