John Adams

If you've got teenage children, avert your eyes. If you're paying for a college education right now, skip this post. If you're in the process of paying off student loans (like Abigail and me), here's a how-to page just for you. After much reflection, I've reached a conclusion best-articulated in a Wall Street Journal Editorial this week: College is bull sh--. You'll need a subscription to view the whole thing but I'll book report it for you. Charles Murray sums up his Opinion nicely: Instead of just leveling a criticism of the uselessness of the BA, 2/3s of which fall into the categories "criminal justice, social work, public administration and the many separate majors under the headings of business, computer science and education," he proposes a solution: competency exams. He uses the CPA exam as the model. It's a 14 hour exam that comprehensively covers a range of topics, insuring that the person passing it has some measure of expertise in the subject. It's a good thought. As a member of the legal profession, I'm certain I could have passed the Bar after a year of law classes, and would not have needed any of my undergraduate classes. Not only could I have saved money, I would not have wasted time in loads of sh-- classes. (I was an engineering undergrad, and even in the sciences, I had lots of useless classes.) I would only append to Mr. Murray's proposition an apprenticeship model. The competency exam measures a person's capacity to do a job; the apprenticeship measures their desire to do it (ever met a lawyer who likes their job? Me either; maybe an apprenticeship would weed the profession.). The average college BA measures neither of these. PS. Here's a related speech about the state of education and how it kills creativity, by Ken Robinson.

Sure, now that SDJarhead is ready to jump off the Empire State building with your "buy silver" recommendations, you say "only joking."

Oh, I know who Michael Bolton is, and it's not who you think. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSje5N0VzlY...feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ8SefiNEcs...feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwjU3HWLM3c...feature=related

Oh, and also your job to keep reposting your March post. And also to be wrong and expose the bases of your assumptions as belief in an at-best vague book and mistaken understandings of facts. I'll be anxiously awaiting 9/2009. Either we both lose or I win. In both scenarios, you lose. Toodles, O wise sage. May your powers of prognostication continue to amaze all.

Agreed, if it results in a cooling and not escalation. I smell Condi's hand in that. Her toenail clippings are smarter than W.

His "When a Man Loves a Woman" remake was crap. Why would you care what he said?

Zero point Zero is Bluto Blutarski's GPA. Sad to admit I speak Potato Head.

If it "remains to be seen," why penalize with the windfall profit tax? Besides pandering to an annoyed electorate that is.

That the candidates both feel the need to give JC a public BJ is horrific. We've had non-Christians, non-practicing, and probably borderline atheists as presidents before. Some were our best presidents. Hard to believe we've slipped into these dark ages.

Let's posit that I'm in the tax bracket Obama's targeting with the 10+% income tax increase. I will not cheat, as you say, because cheating risks jail. But here's the system Sherlock: there are other legal mechanisms to avoid tax increases, especially when they are on this magnitude. Last year I had a plan for paying less taxes. In 2010, my plan will be a lot more aggressive because I'd rather have a say in how I spend my money than hand it over to the government. Anyone who pays their taxes with a smile is a sh--head. Rather than raising taxes, how about taking the novel position of cutting spending, hrrmm? Hard to fathom, I know. But it is still possible, isn't it? Is it? Please say yes.

You mean the guy who was 2nd in the NFL in tackles, as a rookie, when he got hurt last year? That Poz? Oh, well he lead the team in tackles on Thursday.

This is always one of my favorites. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more civilized time in the history of humanity. Sure, you can point to our shortcomings, but they pale in comparison to any other age.

Not only that, life would go on. Some would die off, but life would go on. You have to admit, it's fun to have Chicken Little around.

Why do you think?

That I have followed this thread well enough to clarify that point is not something I'm proud of!

He apologized for not liking Trent. He defends his desire to wish harm on people he doesn't like. Who's the buttnugget?

Not according to DD's holy book. That 12212012 date can't be right because it originated with dark-skinned peoples.

No good QB throws 40+ yard passes. That's a myth. Peyton Manning attempted 2 passes of 40+ yards last season. (In comparison, in 2006, Losman had 10 attempts of this length. In 2006 (pre-Moss), Brady had 18; in 2007, Brady had 28.) Manning attempted 22 30+ yard passes (maybe 1 or 2 a game). Edwards can throw a 30 yard pass just fine, and will probably average an attempt a game. His arm is good. If he has problems, it's not because he's a Chad Pennington. It will be for some other reason.

If Armageddon is upon us by 9/2009 as DD predicts and you are apostolic of, I wouldn't lose much sleep over the 20% drop in silver this month.

I love Trent. It's. The. Pre. Season. I don't care about the play-calling or how he plays. The only thing I now care about in pre-season is Peters's absence.

My point was that the thread (and posters who agree) have disappeared but thanks for the link. It's funny to read.

Maybe the poster just deleted it by accident. In any event, can we put to rest at least one myth. Trent's arm strength is FINE. It's not Favre, Elway, or Manning but it's not bad either. He throws a 20 yard pass on a rope and hits the out with a bullet. That's what matters. As to the rest of the game, it's nice to see the O play well but it's pre-season. I won't get worked up about a win or loss for a few more weeks.

That doesn't make up for your Armageddon silliness on PPP but it's funny.

Click those ads to support this guy. He'll need it to defend the lawsuit.

Your mom wants me to convey this message, "You're not a prophet and she wants you out of the basement."