http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2009/08/12/4b-one-key-to-wealth/
How a Haircut Led to a Handy Acronym
Wednesday, 12th August 2009 (by J.D.)
*** begin quote ***
I came up with a set of questions that I felt would help me really think through purchases – beyond the want or need aspect.
{Extraneous Deleted}
… but finally I came up with an easy to remember acronym…WEALTH.
* Want or need?
* Ego?
* Add-ons?
* Lifestyle?
* Time?
* Happiness?
*** end quote ***
Great contribution!
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INITIALISMS | Tagged: Economics, Education | 
Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE56M3G020090723
Naked girls plow fields for rain
Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:35pm EDT
*** begin quote ***
PATNA, India (Reuters) – Farmers in an eastern Indian state have asked their unmarried daughters to plow parched fields naked in a bid to embarrass the weather gods to bring some badly needed monsoon rain, officials said on Thursday.
Witnesses said the naked girls in Bihar state plowed the fields and chanted ancient hymns after sunset to invoke the gods. They said elderly village women helped the girls drag the plows.
*** end quote ***
This struck me as “interesting” on several levels.
(And, no their are no NSFW pics. Like you need a news story to find those on the inet? Please, DMML!)
First, the simple child-like faith that “gods” can be “embarrassed”. If they weren’t embarrassed by our congress critters, then naked girls would be comic relief.
Second, what is there thinking in terms of cause and effect? I suspect some “dirty old man” came up with this idea. If I had the comic skills of Jay Leno, this would be funny.
Third, how about some education and science for these folks? Never mind some clean water and water storage projects. This is a gooferment failure. Guess the national and state governments like the current state of affairs.
Fourth, it’s really good for the USA that so many countries put their women in unproductive situations. It’s like going into a fight with half your brains tied in a sack.
Fifth, how do these women feel? Hard to imagine. Dumb? Like cattle? Unappreciated?
Now these folks should have the freedom to believe whatever they want. But I wonder how they got to this level of thinking.
Stupid, stupid, stupid. It’s our own thinking that kills and enslaves us.
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Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: Education, freedom, Human Factors, Women's Rights | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.cmi-gold-silver.com/gold-confiscation-1933.html
Myths, Misunderstandings, and Outright Lies
# – # – #
Well worth reading BEFORE buying or selling anything gold, silver, or other “valuable stuff”.
As a veteran “gold bug”, I knew this stuff, but it’s well written refresher.
It’s long, but let me summarize: If you see it on TV or hear it on radio, be afraid. Be very afraid!
If Wall Street is a casino, then a lot of the gold dealers are just fraudsters.
Fore warned is fore armed.
Now can I interest you in Nigerian Gold Shares?
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Leave a Comment » | GOLDBUG | Tagged: Education, FRAUD, Inflation, Revolt | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/134551.html
*** begin quote ***
Public schools are filled with eager, fresh-faced youngsters, and prisons contain many rough-looking adults with uninviting personalities. But put aside that difference, writes Steve Chapman, and you find some important similarities between the two places—government-run facilities where individuals are held for a specific number of years without their consent, at the mercy of their custodians. So it was a mild surprise last week to learn from the Supreme Court there are some abridgments of freedom and invasions of privacy inflicted on children that the justices will not tolerate.
*** end quote ***
And, why does a freedom loving America permit the gooferment to brainwash future voters?
Notice where Obama sends his children for their education.
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Leave a Comment » | GOVEROTRAGEOUS | Tagged: Education | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://hoopscoach.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/starting-line-in-coaching/
THE COACHING STARTING LINE
Posted on July 4, 2009 by hoopscoach
(Part 4 in a series on the coaching profession)
*** begin quote ***
For the past few days I have been blogging about the coaching profession. I have touched on a few different topics Improvement, Work Ethic and Why We Coach. Every experienced coach has their own personal story on how they entered the business. Most stories are very interesting. Next time you are talking with a peer, ask them how they got their start?
{Extraneous Deleted}
If you want to enter coaching at the collegiate level, you better try and get with someone who is good. You better be ready to start at the bottom and have a small pay check (if you’re lucky enough to get paid). Entering coaching, there is no surefire, direct way. Everyone has their own story (as mentioned before). You can start as a team manager and become a sponge. Learn everything you can about the business. Maybe you played for a guy in college who is a head coach and he hires you. Maybe you know someone who knows a head coach looking for someone. However you get in, it’s a growing process-don’t be in such a hurry to advance. There are no short-cuts.
Write letters to coaches, pick their brains. Ask to work their camp in the summer. Make calls, shoot off e-mails and introduce yourself. Let people know what your aspirations are. Attend clinics and try to speak with the coaches after it’s over. In the beginning of your journey, be prepared to work hard.
If you are lucky enough to get in, don’t be afraid to get down and dirty. You may have to wipe up sweat off the ground, hand water out to players and rebound for them late into the night. Look for things to do.
*** end quote ***
Seems like that’s a success formula for anyone starting out in ANY line of work. IMHO!
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Leave a Comment » | JOBSEARCH | Tagged: Education, freedom | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Let’s Unleash the Experts: Pay It Forward With Your Job Search
June 4, 2009 · 1 Comment
*** begin quote ***
I’ve been trying to tell you how important it is to be “nice”. It works. I promise. Read the following story from a guy we’ll call “The Big Turkey”:
*** end quote ***
Wonder who this “The Big Turkey” could be? ROFL.
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Leave a Comment » | JOBSEARCH | Tagged: Education, Human Factors | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1609743
Build An Alumni Network by fjohn reinke
As an “old alumni”, I’ve learned the value of “networking”. College alumni have an easy natural way of building one. Unfortunately, few people realize the need for it.
Even fewer people can define what “networking” is, or the objectives of it. Everyone can tell you what the want out of it; instantly! Everyone wants to “network” when they are out of work. Everyone wants a new or better job from “networking”. Everyone wants. Nobody understands about “helping, before being helped”.
I personally believe that “networking” is NOT some open ended wishy washy ‘connect to everyone’ of Facebook or LinkedIn. Or even worse: Myspace or Plaxo. I’m an attendee at the “church” of networking is a “structured activity”. I particularly like Lucht’s definition of “networking” as a formal meeting. In counseling my “turkeys” (i.e., out of work executives), I structure it as: a five minute howdy, five minutes about listening to the target, five minutes for the “networker” to describe their search or need, ten minutes to listen to the target give their wisdom, and five minutes to extract two more names. Input one name; output two names. And, another “listen station” is enable to alert you to opportunities.
But how do you get to that point?
If the predecessor activity is “first help, then be helped”, how does one know who to help? You have to “seed the field”. There’s where Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Plaxo, or anything else can be useful. It allows you to connect with people easily and casually. So the model is: “Seed the field”, “First help, then be helped”, and then “Use structured networking meetings to seek help”.
At no time in our lives are we able to “seed the field” than in our college days. Even after being out for a while, one can still recapture the “seeding”. I always thought “alumni” was a great way to setup a granfalloon — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granfalloon — strange idea. A very important concept in “job search”. You can use your “alumni” connection to create a granfalloon. That will allow you to know who needs help. Of course, know that you have to help. But that’s usually the easiest part. Then, after helping, you have a person ready to help you when you need it.
So, we have moved the problem back to “seed the field”. Does your school have a vibrant alumni society? Most schools have something. Unfortunately that “something” is organized around raising money for the school in the form of alumni donations. That doesn’t necessarily help the alumni. Services are all oriented to satisfy a different master. That’s really perfect for the person who wants to “seed the field”. A Yahoo or Google group, a free WordPress blog, or such can form the nucleus of an alumni news service. “Seeding this particular field” is a small effort in three areas: Identify the alumni in the news, collect alumni email addresses, and operate a small daily news cycle. Sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn’t today.
Google news has the ability to present links that satisfy the news requirement. Let say that an alumni of “Ye Olde University” want to “do” this. Dashing to the free, and unequaled wordpressdotcom site, this alum creates a blog called “TheGreatUnwashedAlumsOfYeOldeUniversity”. (Free!) Then, this alum goes to Google news and searches for “Ye Olde University”. This alum can then request email or an rss feed. Then, check the news about and for alumni. Copy news from the source to the blog and post. Zip over to Legacy, the obituary site, and do the same thing. You’re now a font of news and information for your fellow alums.
As time permits, you identify your fellow alumni. And, invite them to read your blog. Capture demographic info as you can in a spreadsheet or document. Name, Email, Class Year, DOB, Address, Phone, and other background data. Try to categorize their characteristics – doctor, lawyer, indian chief, teacher, finance, pharma, etc. etc. Geography. Organizations. Whatever you can. Finally be sure you ask them how you can help them? Setup a plan to “ping” them every so often, quarterly, but at least yearly. Use Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Plaxo, Cardscan, or anything you can think of to find and connect. Each connect can be reported in your blog as an “update”. Note: Do NOT post email addresses, phone numbers, or street addresses in the blog. Spammers and scammers abound. Become the “Paul Revere” connector that Malcom Gadswell describes in his books. While there is a good reason not to post this information, it does allow you to be the “clearing house”. Just report that you heard from “Jones, Joe (Class of XYZ)” and some further information if you have it.
So, you now have a field being “seeded” for your future use.
Use this as input to “First help; then seek help”. Try to “help” everyone you can. Match needs with resources. Collect information about your fellow alums. It will snowball quickly. When time comes for you to ask for help, you’ll have a field of “plants” ready for harvest.
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Leave a Comment » | JOBSEARCH | Tagged: Education, Networking | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Just for an “economics lesson”, watch an old “Let’s Make A Deal” on Game Show Network. Pick any episode. They’re all from the Sixities. Watch for the final prize giveaway. It’s usually a car. Guess the price?
A beautiful Buick LeSabre. Base price 3,000 dollars.
Different dollars!
It makes you laugh!
But, it should make us all cry.
Some store of value.
In 40 years, will people be looking back wistfully about what a dollar could buy!
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Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Tagged: economic, economic freedom, Economics, Education, Inflation, Revolt | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.reason.com/news/show/132972.html
Obama’s Hypocrisy on School Vouchers
The “most ethical” administration turns its back on principle to pay off the teachers’ unions
Shikha Dalmia | April 20, 2009
*** begin quote ***
Four: The most blatant hypocrisy involves Obama’s personal parental decisions. He chose to send his own daughters to Sidwell Friends, a private school among D.C.’s most exclusive institutions whose annual tuition runs around $30,000. If he felt so strongly that offering children an exit route would stymie the reform of public schools, then why not put his own daughters in one? Jimmy Carter did. This would not only please unions—prompting them to open up their war chest even more in the next elections—but also signal his resolve about reform. If he didn’t, that’s presumably because his daughters’ futures are too precious to be sacrificed on the altar of politics. But, evidently, the futures of other children are not.
Incidentally, among the children who will have to return to public school once this program is scrapped are two of his daughter’s schoolmates, who were using their vouchers to attend Sidwell. It’s sad that Obama’s message of hope and change doesn’t include children like them.
*** end quote ***
Please, why would the poor minorities expect anything form a politician.
The Sidwell decision was a foregone conclusion.
No, one only has to go back to Prussia in pre-WW1 Germany to figure out why “skrools” produce the results they do. The system was designed to create factory workers and cannon fodder. The elites don’t send their children to these schools; they are destined to be the “future leaders”.
Now, we have to ask these “elite”: “Why do we need factory workers and cannon fodder?”.
Guess that’s what the drug war and abortions are for.
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Leave a Comment » | GOVEROTRAGEOUS | Tagged: Education, Revolt | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/132882.html
Education Secretary Shovels Dirt on D.C. Vouchers’ Grave
Matt Welch | April 14, 2009, 10:22am
*** begin quote ***
When congressional Democrats in February singled out Washington, D.C.’s school voucher program as just about the only federal initiative not worth funding as part of a $410 billion spendapalooza, some Democratic apologists were all, yeah that’s bad, but technically they’re continuing the program for one more school year, then requiring congressional reauthorization at that time, etc.
*** end quote ***
Hey, Obama’s kids are getting a good education!
Remember Walter William’s quote?
“The primary victims of Philadelphia’s public schools are black students whose chances for upward mobility are being systematically destroyed by callous politicians and teacher’s unions. If the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan set out to destroy black academic excellence in Philadelphia, I doubt whether he could achieve as much damage.” Walter Williams, Jewish World Review, Dec. 19, 2001, “Education fraud in Philly”
This is no surprise. When will the sheep wake up?
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Leave a Comment » | Ranting | Tagged: Education | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/news?slug=ap-ncaa-graduation&prov=ap&type=lgns
14 women’s tourney teams have perfect grad rates
By The Associated Press 4 hours, 38 minutes ago
*** begin quote ***
Fourteen women’s basketball teams in the NCAA tournament have perfect graduation rates.
*** end quote ***
NCAA could clean this up in a heartbeat. And, level the playing field. Tie graduation to the scholarships you can give out. One of your team doesn’t graduate or isn’t on schedule, that’s one less scholarship you can give out. Sounds fair to me! Guess coaches will have to focus on selecting players who can make the grade and coaching them in more than basketball. I know that MC focuses on graduation. There has to be some small tolerance for personal decisions, emergencies, and such. Maybe they get 1 free pass or such an allowance. But clearly if your player can’t graduate, can’t read, and has been totally exploited, then they need some protection.
Embarrassing! Or worse.
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Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: Economics, Education, Morality | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YTkzMzllNmE3MDM3NDhmMjcxZjA5MTE0OTk5NDJkODQ=
NRO BLOG ROW – THE CORNER – Wednesday, March 11, 2009
*** begin quote ***
Accordingly, conservatism will return to prominence when it uses time-honored and unchanging free-market principles to address new problems, and when it finds advocates who both are adept at communication with non-traditional audiences (e.g., why it is in the interest of African-Americans to be skeptical of abortion on demand, why Hispanic small-business people need to be wary of intrusive regulations, why Asian-Americans should fear affirmative-action-driven de facto racial quotas at the University of California, why talented teachers should not have to join bureaucratic, ossified unions, why today’s young people should not have to pay off Obama’s annual $1.7 trillion deficits, etc.) and believe in their message’s resonance, without trimming[?] for the applause of the moment.
*** end quote ***
As “conservatism” seeks to return us to the “classical liberalism” of the First American Revolution, a little L libertarian like myself can agree that it’s a good first step.
Unfortunately, for as smart as I feel the DOWGs were, and they were far smarter than I, and more courageous as well, I don’t think we can rewind the clock.
We have to take those “classically liberal” principles and move forward applying them to today’s problems.
Just as the King was rightly opposed as tyrannical, so to must we oppose the new “king” — the overpower all-encompassing gooferment.
Empowering the individual to make their own choices and bear the consequences of bad choices.
So, we have to have miniscule government. Close to the people. With it’s only mission being to protect the rights of individuals.
Argh!
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Leave a Comment » | ADMINISTRIVIA | Tagged: Bailout, economic freedom, Economics, Education, honesty | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/2009/02/25/a_nation_of_cowards
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Nation of Cowards
by Walter E. Williams :: Townhall.com Columnist
*** begin quote ***
The bottom line is that the civil rights struggle is over and it is won. At one time black Americans didn’t share the constitutional guarantees shared by whites; today we do. That does not mean that there are not major problems that confront a large segment of the black community, but they are not civil rights problems nor can they be solved through a “conversation on race.” Black illegitimacy stands at 70 percent; nearly 50 percent of black students drop out of high school; and only 30 percent of black youngsters reside in two-parent families. In 2005, while 13 percent of the population, blacks committed over 52 percent of the nation’s homicides and were 46 percent of the homicide victims. Ninety-four percent of black homicide victims had a black person as their murderer. Such pathology, I think much of it precipitated by family breakdown, is entirely new among blacks. In 1940, black illegitimacy was 19 percent; in 1950, only 18 percent of black households were female-headed compared with today’s 70 percent. Both during slavery and as late as 1920, a teenage girl raising a child without a man present was rare among blacks.
If black people continue to accept the corrupt blame game agenda of liberal whites, black politicians and assorted hustlers, as opposed to accepting personal responsibility, the future for many black Americans will remain bleak.
*** end quote ***
# – # – #
I like Walter Williams. He calls them as he sees them.
One of his most memorable quotes was: “The primary victims of Philadelphia’s public schools are black students whose chances for upward mobility are being systematically destroyed by callous politicians and teacher’s unions. If the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan set out to destroy black academic excellence in Philadelphia, I doubt whether he could achieve as much damage.”
Yup, I sneer at the Islamic fundamentalists, who in denying women their right “to be all they can be”, “poke out their own eye”. They deny themselves the productivity of half their “human resources”.
But, here at home, we are doing something similar to all the minority children as well as most of the non-minority.
We are criminally stupid allowing the gooferment to be involved in education. Specicially the politicians and the teacher’s union should be the outlaws!
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Leave a Comment » | Political | Tagged: Education, Gooferment, Moral Hazard, Problems | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2009/02/play-the-point-not-the-score.html
Play the Point, Not the Score
*** begin quote ***
{Extraneous Deleted}
Brad Gilbert – a great tennis player (and coach) in his own right – was one of the announcers for the finals. He annoyed me at first with his whispery affect until I realized that he was courtside. He completed redeemed himself when he uttered the line of the tournament: “Nadal is so incredible because he plays the point, not the score.”
Ponder that – Play the point, not the score.
{Extraneous Deleted}
This is such a powerful metaphor for business (and life). Play the point, not the score. Down 4-1? Doesn’t matter – play the point. Just had someone quit on you. Doesn’t matter, play the point. Fell short of plan for the month of January – doesn’t matter – play the point. Just had a big deal go off the rails? Doesn’t matter – play the point.
When you are in the game, play the point. Play every point. Regardless of the score.
*** end quote ***
Seems so simple. But, then most great ideas are.
The problem is that we are always in some game or another.
When does one pull out of the game and take stock. Assess where you are in life.
Like the famous Drew Carey quip … in his series Whose Line Is It … “and, the points don’t matter”
Hmmm?
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Leave a Comment » | Productivity, Quotes | Tagged: Education, Quotes | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article5446920.ece
From The Times
January 5, 2009
Probability lessons may teach children how to weigh life’s odds and be winners
Professor wants ‘risk literacy’ on the curriculum Risk literacy could be taught as part of maths, science, or civics and personal and social education
Mark Henderson, Science Editor
*** begin quote ***
Professor Spiegelhalter’s four rules of risk, which he says everyone should know
* Stuff happens We cannot predict exactly how every precise event will turn out, but we can often predict the overall pattern of events surprisingly well
* Compare like with like If you want to show that speed cameras reduce road traffic accident rates, don’t just put them in places that have just had a run of accidents
* What am I not being told? This person may well have got better after she took this wonder treatment, but how many other people’s stories are not being featured?
* Twice not-very-much is still not very much Increasing a tiny risk may not be so important: almost everything interesting might help and it might also harm. The trick is working out the balance for you
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Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: Economics, Education, Propaganda | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.pnj.com/article/20090113/NEWS01/901130315/1006/NEWS01
Officials ordered to stop prayer at schools
ACLU wins injunction against Santa Rosa School District.
Carmen Paige • cpaige@pnj.com • January 13, 2009
*** begin quote ***
A federal judge has ordered the Santa Rosa County School District to stop promoting religion and prayer in the classroom and at school events.
*** end quote ***
This begs the question: “What is the Santa Rosa County School District?” and “Why are they running a school in the first place?”
Then, there would be no First Amendment problem.
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Leave a Comment » | Political | Tagged: Education | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/338/story/59958.html
Pitts: Lincoln might not have welcomed Obama’s election
*** begin quote ***
Actually, Lincoln likely would have been appalled. How could he not? He was a 19th century white man who famously said in 1858 that “there is a physical difference between the white and black races, which . . . will forever forbid the two races living together upon terms of social and political equality.”
How do you reconcile that with all those cartoons of Lincoln congratulating Obama? You don’t. You simply recognize it for what it is: yet another illustration of how shallow our comprehension of history is, yet another instance where myth supersedes reality.
*** and ***
Of course, Lincoln freed no slaves. That’s the myth. His Emancipation Proclamation was a military measure to demoralize and destabilize the rebellious South; it covered states he did not govern but did not apply in slaveholding states that remained under his jurisdiction.
None of which is to deny or diminish the greatness of the 16th president. His greatness stands unquestioned, unquestionable. We would be a very different nation, a lesser nation, without his political genius, his dogged faith in the unsundered Union, his refusal to accept less than Union, even when haunted by reversals and setbacks that would have broken anyone else.
No, the argument is not about Lincoln’s greatness.
*** end quote ***
But, it should be!
Lincoln is up there on my list of “Worst American Presidents”.
As a corrupt Illinois politician who was in bed with more than the railroads, one has to take not of the following:
(1) The War of Northern Aggression. What you call the Civil War. What some call the Second American Revolution. The is no Constitutional, legal, or moral justification for this war. That alone would rocket him too the top of the list.
(2) Income tax to pay for that war. Government debt too.
(3) Freedom of Press savaged when editors dared to criticism him.
(4) Atrocities against civilian populations like Sherman’s “March to the Sea”.
(5) Single handedly destroying the concept of a Union of Equals amd morphing into the USA as the tyrant state.
And, don’t forget, he want to send all the “Negros” back to Africa. A racist among his other “endearing” qualities.
Those are just my uneducated points. There are much smarted folks than I who can give you “Chapter and Verse” about Lincoln.
But, don’t disturb the sheeple.
One of these days I should codify my “worst list”!
But that’s hard on the old BP.
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Leave a Comment » | Political | Tagged: Education, Gooferment, Lincoln, Morality, Obama, POTUS08, Presidential2008, Problems, Propaganda, Revolt, Rights, Secession, Tax Revolt | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Guess this is the “change” we were promised?
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Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Tagged: Economics, Education, FRAUD, Obama, POTUS08, Tax Revolt, Taxes | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Online Profits
*** begin quote ***
Many people wrote emails to congratulate me for the launch of the Online Profits training program, saying that they think it is a excellent course, and that they would love to join, but they don’t have the funds to be able to.
Thinking about that I decided to run a contest giving away 10 free memberships (each one worth $288). Those free memberships will give you full access to the training program for 6 months.
*** and ***
Join the Most Complete Internet Marketing and Online Business Training Program, and Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever!
* Learn all the facets of Internet marketing
* Create your own online business
* Take your existing projects and websites to the next level
* Discover the tools and strategies that you need to succeed
* Get access to a vibrant community of Internet marketers and entrepreneurs
*** end quote ***
No secret: I’m cheap. If I won six months free I’d explore it.
Paying 300$, I’m not so sure.
Maybe if I was a young risk taker, I’d jump on it.
Now, I’m always concerned about a “Mad Dog” (i.e., a faud). In this case, I’ve been reading some of these folks for more than a year and I think they are serious and believable. I AM concerned that (1) I’m untrainable; (2) I can’t do it; and 93) I might not WANT to do it.
Argh!
YMMV!
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Leave a Comment » | Technology | Tagged: Education | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20081119_tows_bookdownload
Leave a Comment » | MONEY | Tagged: Education | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/womens-basketball/recap?gid=200812180232&prov=ap
What do you think when you see a big powerhouse team “beating up on little kids”?
I’m a mix of conflicting emotions. Having graduated from a small Catholic college with a proud basketball tradition, I’ve seen “the team” get thrashed. It has convinced me that NCAA basketball isn’t about basketball, school pride, student athletes, or even achievement.
It’s about the money honey!
And, the self-delusion that that there is any affinity between a bunch of ringers and the student body.
We over-look the damage done when big time basketball or football schools “graduate” functional illiterates. Basket weaving 101? And, all the tutoring, accommodations, and sometimes fraud that goes into the “game”.
Nope, it’s time to learn some very hard lessons:
(1) It’s all about semi-government organizations (i.e., schools that are fund largely by involuntary taxation) that have “feathered their own nests” by fooling students and alumni.
(2) It’s the football and basketball version of Major League Baseball’s minor league. WIthout the honesty of paying the players, and without puncturing the illusion that the “team” is anything more than it is.
(3) It does NOTHING to improve ourselves, our families, or our societies. People some how feel that if the “home town” team wins it reflects well upon them. This nonsense distracts us from other performance issues that do reflect upon us.
(4) I often refer to “millionaires playing for billionaires” in my posts on taxpayer funded stadiums. Nothing seems more ABSURD than when someone refers to a PRO team as “theirs”. I fall back to the old joke: “if it’s mine, can I sell it?”. (This also applies to “my government”, “my schools”, “my town”, “my state”, “my country”, or “my world”. In life, there is very very little that is truly “mine”. (See rants on full and partial slavery by “your government”!)
(5) We need a shift in memes and paradigms. One thing that blogging on the internet does is to cause those shifts.
IMHO!
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Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: Education | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://www.lewrockwell.com/huff/huff24.html
*** begin quote ***
You might also ask your US Representative to co-sponsor the Bill to Abolish the Fed. So far Ron Paul’s Bill has no co-sponsor. What does that tell us?
*** end quote ***
[JR: That politicians are happy with the blank check that the current system provides them? ]
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-2755
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Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act – Abolishes the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and each Federal reserve bank.
Repeals the Federal Reserve Act.
This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills go first to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills never make it out of committee.
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Arhhh!
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Leave a Comment » | MONEY, Ron Paul | Tagged: DOWNSIZING, Economics, Education, FED, Foreign Exchange, Inflation, Moral Hazard, Morality, Revolt, Ron Paul, Tax Revolt | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
>>Do we know each other or have some connection i’m blanking on?
>Nope, I’m just a reader of your blog and noticed you were on Facebook.
> Just thought I’d add you.
> Oh and I noticed you’re an engineer. I’m on my way to being a mechanical engineer and
>was wondering if you would recommend electrical over mechanical.
Well, I can’t say much about how you waste your time. :-) Reading my blog. Thanks. It’s a very confused modest effort. I’m happy to do the Vulcan mind meld with you on Facebook.
I’m more of a “computer” injineer. I took an EE program because that was how “computing” was done in those “old days”. My first degree was actually BEEE for Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Did the 148 credts for Electrical and an extra 28 credits of “Senior Level” courses for the “Electronic” side. Semiconductor theory, Compiler theory, and such. For the College, who was just dipping their toe in that “pond”, it eventually became their Computer Science major that was jointly offered between the Engineering and Business Schools. I went on to exploit it in the “business world”, as opposed to “scientific” or “theoretical”. The rest is history.
I’d say you’ve got a Chevy versus Dodge choice. It’s in the eye of the beholder. It really depends upon what your vision for your life is. Does electricity or mechanical systems float your boat. IT’s a tough economy out their right now, BUT, (there is always a big butt), I think “engineering” trains you to think in a certain fashion. Must be all the math. Two important caveats: (1) “Life” and “People” are not suitable for “engineering solutions”. You need diferent skills for dealing with them that you don’t necessarily get in engineering school. Engineers are very blunt; that’s not so good. (2) Engineers always think there is a “right answer”, add a safety factor, and everyone will agree. Doesn’t work that way with “soft” problems.
I can’t tell you to pick one over the other. I can suggest that life is much harder for your generation. Success for your generation is: (1) ruthless financial discipline — no bad debt; (2) a life long interest in learning — education — a degree — they can’t take it away from you; (3) a white collar job in order to save big bux; (4) a blue collar skill for hard times — never saw a poor plumber; (5) one or more internet based businesses — your store is always open; (6) a free time hobby that generates income; and (7) a large will-maintained network of people who can “help” you.
I think: (A) You need to talk to your Deans at school. I assume you have a Dean of Engineering, an “Electrical” Dean, and a “Mechanical” Dean. Seek their guidance. I think you’d find them to be very open and knowledgeable. (B) Talk to at least four alumni from your school. Two in each discipline. Get their opinions of their respective fields. (C) Talk to the jobs people at your school. Find out where the last few graduating classes went. (D) Finally, talk to your parents. (They know you best. And, have your best interest at heart.)
I’m jealous. I wish I was just starting out again. But, I’ve made my mistakes. Paid dearly for them and hopefully learned from them. You’ve got virtually unlimited possibilities. It’s a great time to spread your wings! The world is your oyster. If I were you, I’d seek what made me choose “Engineering” in the first place and carefully “follow your gut” from there.
Good luck, feel free to “stand on my shoulders” anytime. I hope this was helpful.
Your e-freind,
fjohn
P.S.: Begin to build your professional profile on LinkedIn and connect to me there also. It’s like “Facebook” for recruiters and job seekers.
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I’m humbled that (a) Someone actually reads my blog. (b) Actually asks my advice on their life.
That’s a very scary position to be put in. I could ruin his life and view of people. So I took the time to bang out an honest and complete answer. I include it here because I have always felt that when some one takes the time and courage to ask, then they deserve an answer. That and if there’s one questioner, there are others out their too timid to ask. Not that I am some “temple of wisdom”, but like I once heard a quiz show exclaim: “But I gave my answer quickly!” That’s me, maybe wrong, but quick. And, approachable. :-)
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Leave a Comment » | JOBSEARCH | Tagged: Education | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/highschool.html
Why School is Bad for Kids
by Rachel Grobstein
The following Op/Ed article appeared in the December, 1999 issue of The Spoke, the student newspaper of Conestoga High School in Berwyn Pennsylvania, and appears here by permission of Rachel Grobstein, who was a sophomore and Spoke Art Editor when the article appeared. The article orginally appeared both in print andon-line
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Once upon a time a child is born who, after spending many days blissfully watching how his fingers move and poking at the cat, enters the first year of what will be the focus of the next decade of his life: school.
And so, as he embarks upon his educational career, he learns many things.
First of all, he’s taught that there’s a difference between learning and living – as if learning is here in the school building, and living is outside, and there’s no correlation between the two.
As if what he did for the first five years of his life – like discovering language – wasn’t learning at all.
He learn that to be confused or wrong is a crime. The school wants Right Answers, and he learns countless ways to con the teacher into thinking he knows something he doesn’t; he learns to bluff and cheat.
He also learns to be lazy. Before school began he worked for hours and hours, with no thought of reward, to make sense of the world. But in school he learns that no one does anything they don’t have to and he learns to be bored.
Poor guy.
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Because essentially, however grading may be justified or supplemented with explanations, it shows the student that what counts in the end is not whether he has learned the material and will apply it or use it to enrich his life, but that a high number will get him into a good college.
How do you truly measure what someone knows? In the words of Holt: “Let the child learn what every educated person must someday learn, how to measure his own understanding.”
What, after all, is the goal of education? Making honor role? Or making sense of the world?
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Silly writer! (Like the Trix commercial. Silly rabbit, Trix re for kids.) “Education” is for the teacher’s union and their politicians.
It has NOTHING to do with educating anyone. It’s sole purpose is to create a dumbed down population suitable to being led by the elite. (Where do the politicians send THEIR kids? The Kennedys, Kerrys, Bushes, and Obamas? Not to YOUR school! Last one to do that was Jimmy Carter and look where Amy is; as opposed to Carolyn Kennedy!)
No, the American education paradigm was Horace Mann lifting the Prussian model to create good soldiers (i.e., cannon fodder) and factory workers (i.e., “human resources”) that could be easily led “by their betters”. Argh!
In case anyone hasn’t noticed. It ain’t the 1800’s. We don’t need no “factory workers”. Never “needed” cannon fodder, but that’s another discussion.
The world has changed so why are we using an “education model” from the last century?
Simple. There is an incestuous relationship between politicians and the teachers’ union. Together they like the current system just fine. The Union gets fatter and the politicians keep getting reelected. Round and round it goes. Decade after decade.
Where does it stop?
When the parasite kills the host, of course. And, “we” are almost there.
In NJ for example, property taxes that fund the “education industry” are at the breaking point. In NJ, after being amused and trained from ages 3 to 22, functional illiterates pop out of the “daycare” (aka, public school system) and can’t find jobs.
Doesn’t anyone notice that this generation will be the first generation that will be worse off than their parents? (I’d say than their great grandparents. At least, those folks could grow their own food.) Does anyone see the key factor that Diamond points out as one of the factors in societal collapse? Have with our “education” system literally “sawed down the the last tree on Easter Island”?
We have a large population of “idiots” running around unemployable and thinking they actually know something. Ask them to make change or list to them attempt to articulate their frustration by writing something. Anything? Read their “totem poles” on MySpace, Facebook, or blogs. It’s sad.
They have been deluded into think that they are actually thinking.
So, one can’t just kvetch. One has to offer solutions.
(1) Stop paying for the “education” of others. Parents had ’em. They should pay to educate them. Sorry, but the only way to get a better educated population is to put the people in charge who will really care that it gets done. When people spend their own money, it is truly amazing how demanding they become.
(2) Parents need to realize that they and their children are being defrauded by “public education”. They need to be Hercules cleaning the Aegean stable getting what their children need to succeed.
(3) Children need to wise up that they are getting screwed. Instead of a tattoo, they need to “educate” themselves. And not about American Idol. or what the latest Hollywood harlot is doing. They need to learn that when ANY politician’s lips move, they are lying. And, they need to seek to educate themselves for the hard times ahead.
IMHO!
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1 Comment | Ranting | Tagged: Education, Gooferment, Moral Hazard | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
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FJohn Reinke
Consultant at Technology Legacies LLC
Advisor, Computer Governance Committee at Manhattan College
Editor / Publisher at Jasper Jottings
Greater New York City Area
JJ Positraction JJ Endnotes Downsize DC
Philosophy of Liberty
I have NOT received any gagged governmental information requests
Reinke Faces Life 