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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (101568)	2/22/2005 4:03:41 AM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 793912

AMERICAN DIGEST - Tire Education In Analog World WITH THE INCREASING SHRINKAGE OF ACADEMIA INTO ARMED HAMLETS OF PAP and circumstantial evidence, and with the coming removal of Harvard's President Summers to a Red Guard-style re-education camp, it makes Top of the World's suggestion, Send Your Kids to Trucking School, seem not just reasonable, but smart: globaloctopus.blogspot.com Some parents in my home town start to worry about college admissions when their kids turn 11. For years, I've thought it makes more economic sense to send your kids to trucking school when they turn 18. It takes a few weeks. Then co-sign for a Peterbilt tractor. It's all a matter of opportunity cost. The tads can start earning right away. So if college costs $50K a year, the college-bound will cost $200K in four years (and it often takes longer). Meanwhile, the truckers will be earning, say $50K a year. At the end of four years, your trucker kids will be $400K ahead. And at the end of four years, most college kids will either be (a) going into occupations with mediocre pay, like teaching; (b) going to graduate school; or (c) going into rehab. So, is "liberal education" worth it from an intellectual or spiritual perspective? Given the biases and dominant schools of thought on campuses today, I'm not so sure. Of course, if your kid really wants to learn about raku, the banjo, or telemetry, by all means they should do so, and if you can, you should help them do it. But if you're motivated by economics or just a general idea that college is a "good thing," trucking school is an option worth considering. More and more I think the basic concept is sound. True, his daughters point out that it would take you away from home to much, but so what? If that's a problem, air-conditioning repair in the sunbelt would keep your kids in high clover all their working lives. Or, if that's too airy a task, fall back on the old standby, plumbing. Last month, a faucet in my yard began leaking at high speed from behind the shut-off valve. Water flowing everywhere including down under the foundation. It was seven in the evening when I discovered this and there was no recourse but to call a plumber up from town. First plumber, out on a job. Second plumber, on a job with another stacked up but could come by at around midnight. Third plumber? Gone to Vegas for a four day weekend. Fifth plumber? Jackpot. He was at dinner, but no problem, he'd be up in 30 minutes. And he was right on time. "Sorry to call you away from you dinner." "No need, I love to work at night." "Really. Do much of that?" "Sure. There's things that can't wait when they go wrong, you know, in the plumbing business." "Yes," I say. "Things like this." "Oh, worse. Much, much worse. Well, the first thing to do is shut off all the water to the house. Where's the shut off valve." "Err... well.... Well, I don't know." "No worries, I'll find it." And he does. Then he takes a large power tool out of the truck and, in 15 seconds cuts off the spigot from the wall. Then he takes a threader from the truck and threads the pipe. Then he takes a gigantic bronze plumbing item of serious mien and attaches it to the pipe. Then a new faucet. Turns the water to the house on and, presto, the faucet is back in action with the leak a distant memory. "Wow, that was quick. Thanks a lot." "You're welcome. That'll be $210 and I won't charge you for the faucet." I quietly and carefully write out the check. "There you are. You been doing this kind of work long?" "Since I got out of the army about 20 years ago. I love to work at night."