American Competitiveness

[3rdnlng]

BS. You should be mad at the parasitic system and stop whining instead of gouging others because of past sacrifices... I am the wrong person to be whining to you on this... I have made more sacrifices for my occupation and to my health (which should concern any family practioner) than you have in your little finger... But let's not get into a pissing contest. 115k? Even in that prior hole and all the other add ons... ROFLMAO! 5, 10, 15 years of having it "rough", "digging yourself a hole." Digging yourself a hole and then scoring later money is the very reason we have a health crisis in this country... LOL... You gotta be joking... You got it easy my friend compared to the real world... I did the math... Try living in the real world with your family customers doc maybe that is why they are coming to see you?

 

I suppose you are living real rough... From paycheck to paycheck... If you are, congrats... Keep it up, you gotta another 40 years to a lifetime to go! All those lean years justify the ends... Are you kidding me? You went into the medical profession to help OTHER people. LOL... 5, 10, 15 years...

 

How old are you Doc? The priviledge? Hah... Like nobody else sticks it out for the priviledge? Nice to have a 10-20 year timeline... Try a lifetime sticking it out for that priviledge... Keep hope alive brotha!

 

Spend and tax or in your case, charge the customers more!

 

Sorry... I have no sympathy... I know you work hard and are dedicated... But no more harder than the next slob on the planet. Keep grinding it out! Peace...

 

 

But you are the guy that makes $30 an hour for working 1 hour out of 8 and complains about finding time for a break. You toll booth operators are amazing.

[GG]

Hey who asked you... You are a money man...Figure it out. By what I am saying... You can't argue with the notion that the taxpayer and nation are getting quite a bang for their buck and are able to effectively compete with the world. Transportation systems play a vital role in how a nation can effectively compete. On a small scale within a nation, look what happened to BFLO.

 

Crunch the numbers, even a working dick moron like myself can figure it out. It is obvious where things are going wrong when it comes to competition! I just happened to see it on a daily basis on Main Street... Sorry I am not locked away in some fancy office on Wall Street or holed up in cube farm...

 

Welcome to Obama's America, where a guy who can't write a coherent sentence can deflect blame on evil bankers, greedy doctors, sleazy lawyers and scamming business owners.

 

If we can just keep carp out of the Great Lakes, all would be well in this country.

[Jauronimo]

Probably because you're distracting them from their sand castles.

I'm on the puppet side of the business. The bottom fell out of sandcastles in 2008 and theres just no surplus value to be realized. I can't feed my family without that indefinite interest so I transferred to the puppet division for a shot at the big time.

[Chef Jim]

BS. You should be mad at the parasitic system and stop whining instead of gouging others because of past sacrifices... I am the wrong person to be whining to you on this... I have made more sacrifices for my occupation and to my health (which should concern any family practioner) than you have in your little finger... But let's not get into a pissing contest. 115k? Even in that prior hole and all the other add ons... ROFLMAO! 5, 10, 15 years of having it "rough", "digging yourself a hole." Digging yourself a hole and then scoring later money is the very reason we have a health crisis in this country... LOL... You gotta be joking... You got it easy my friend compared to the real world... I did the math... Try living in the real world with your family customers doc maybe that is why they are coming to see you?

 

I suppose you are living real rough... From paycheck to paycheck... If you are, congrats... Keep it up, you gotta another 40 years to a lifetime to go! All those lean years justify the ends... Are you kidding me? You went into the medical profession to help OTHER people. LOL... 5, 10, 15 years...

 

How old are you Doc? The priviledge? Hah... Like nobody else sticks it out for the priviledge? Nice to have a 10-20 year timeline... Try a lifetime sticking it out for that priviledge... Keep hope alive brotha!

 

Spend and tax or in your case, charge the customers more!

 

Sorry... I have no sympathy... I know you work hard and are dedicated... But no more harder than the next slob on the planet. Keep grinding it out! Peace...

 

I love how someone who has never lived in someone else's shoes can go on like this blabbing about how comfortable those shoes are.

[Doc]

BS. You should be mad at the parasitic system and stop whining instead of gouging others because of past sacrifices... I am the wrong person to be whining to you on this... I have made more sacrifices for my occupation and to my health (which should concern any family practioner) than you have in your little finger... But let's not get into a pissing contest. 115k? Even in that prior hole and all the other add ons... ROFLMAO! 5, 10, 15 years of having it "rough", "digging yourself a hole." Digging yourself a hole and then scoring later money is the very reason we have a health crisis in this country... LOL... You gotta be joking... You got it easy my friend compared to the real world... I did the math... Try living in the real world with your family customers doc maybe that is why they are coming to see you?

 

I suppose you are living real rough... From paycheck to paycheck... If you are, congrats... Keep it up, you gotta another 40 years to a lifetime to go! All those lean years justify the ends... Are you kidding me? You went into the medical profession to help OTHER people. LOL... 5, 10, 15 years...

 

How old are you Doc? The priviledge? Hah... Like nobody else sticks it out for the priviledge? Nice to have a 10-20 year timeline... Try a lifetime sticking it out for that priviledge... Keep hope alive brotha!

 

Spend and tax or in your case, charge the customers more!

 

Sorry... I have no sympathy... I know you work hard and are dedicated... But no more harder than the next slob on the planet. Keep grinding it out! Peace...

I'm still LMMFAO at "gouging the system." It's pure comedy.

[Juror#8]

We can have never ending debates on whether you can create the same growth in national wealth in a service vs a manufacturing economy, and so far, we've done fairly well in growing the standard of living in the switch to a service economy.

 

But whether America's competitive advantage will last is more fundamental than that. You allude to it, but don't bring it the full circle. There needs to be a wholesale shift in parents' and schools' attitudes that in order to be competitive on a global scale, kids need to learn to compete and recognize that failure is one of the outcomes, and that not everyone is special at birth. You have to earn your lot in life, because the guy next to you who is hungrier will take it away. Right now, the other countries are a lot hungrier than the US, while the next generation that we are raising is being trained to avoid contact & competition because it hurts their self-esteem.

 

Very well put. Reflects my thoughts exactly and I couldn't have articulated it better.

 

I firmly believe that it starts with the parents and how the youth are raised at home. We grew up in SE DC and spent a couple of years in Baltimore city while my mom managed a Wendy's in Essex. My mom didn't want me and my siblings playing outside during the summer or after school because of the neighborhood rif-raf. Instead, we had to do 25 (100 when we weren't in school) dictionary words a day (word, part of speech, definition, synonym, use it in a sentence, single-space, next word). We did 200 words of one letter, then to the next letter, and to the next letter, etc. until we reached "Z," and then we'd start again at "A" for 200 more.

 

When we'd complain, she'd ask us if we liked being poor, if we liked not having a tv, if we wanted nicer things. When we'd answer "no/yes," she'd say "if you do your words for a year, you'll get those [that]shoes/tv/nintendo/watch/money..." She kept a list on the fridge of how many words we did each month and put sticker stars throughout the year as we'd get closer to some goal item. The goal item (usually nintendo, starter jacket, Jordan shoes) didn't materialize but she repeated the process the following year with the same promise.

 

After a few years we stopped believing her cause we never received any recompense. We did, however, tackle the words like clock work, as required.

 

When I graduated from UVA, my gift from her was a framed collage of 5 years worth of those monthly word count lists. She also added my year-end school report cards. She put a sticky note on the outside of the frame that read "I told you so."

 

We need more of that foreshadowing in this country - not necessarily the ascetic approach that my mom took (which was probably necessary considering the Barry Farm crack environment in the 80s and 90s) but an absolute dedication to learning, teaching, discipline, and successful outcomes.

[KD in CA]

We grew up in SE DC and spent a couple of years in Baltimore city while my mom managed a Wendy's in Essex. My mom didn't want me and my siblings playing outside during the summer or after school because of the neighborhood rif-raf. Instead, we had to do 25 (100 when we weren't in school) dictionary words a day (word, part of speech, definition, synonym, use it in a sentence, single-space, next word). We did 200 words of one letter, then to the next letter, and to the next letter, etc. until we reached "Z," and then we'd start again at "A" for 200 more.

 

When we'd complain, she'd ask us if we liked being poor, if we liked not having a tv, if we wanted nicer things. When we'd answer "no/yes," she'd say "if you do your words for a year, you'll get those [that]shoes/tv/nintendo/watch/money..." She kept a list on the fridge of how many words we did each month and put sticker stars throughout the year as we'd get closer to some goal item. The goal item (usually nintendo, starter jacket, Jordan shoes) didn't materialize but she repeated the process the following year with the same promise.

 

After a few years we stopped believing her cause we never received any recompense. We did, however, tackle the words like clock work, as required.

 

When I graduated from UVA, my gift from her was a framed collage of 5 years worth of those monthly word count lists. She also added my year-end school report cards. She put a sticky note on the outside of the frame that read "I told you so."

 

That's a fantastic story, especially the bold part. Good for you, and your mom.

[GG]

That's a fantastic story, especially the bold part. Good for you, and your mom.

 

Yup.

[erynthered]

That's a fantastic story, especially the bold part. Good for you, and your mom.

 

 

Ditto.

 

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[GG]

Very well put. Reflects my thoughts exactly and I couldn't have articulated it better.

 

I firmly believe that it starts with the parents and how the youth are raised at home. We grew up in SE DC and spent a couple of years in Baltimore city while my mom managed a Wendy's in Essex. My mom didn't want me and my siblings playing outside during the summer or after school because of the neighborhood rif-raf. Instead, we had to do 25 (100 when we weren't in school) dictionary words a day (word, part of speech, definition, synonym, use it in a sentence, single-space, next word). We did 200 words of one letter, then to the next letter, and to the next letter, etc. until we reached "Z," and then we'd start again at "A" for 200 more.

 

When we'd complain, she'd ask us if we liked being poor, if we liked not having a tv, if we wanted nicer things. When we'd answer "no/yes," she'd say "if you do your words for a year, you'll get those [that]shoes/tv/nintendo/watch/money..." She kept a list on the fridge of how many words we did each month and put sticker stars throughout the year as we'd get closer to some goal item. The goal item (usually nintendo, starter jacket, Jordan shoes) didn't materialize but she repeated the process the following year with the same promise.

 

After a few years we stopped believing her cause we never received any recompense. We did, however, tackle the words like clock work, as required.

 

When I graduated from UVA, my gift from her was a framed collage of 5 years worth of those monthly word count lists. She also added my year-end school report cards. She put a sticky note on the outside of the frame that read "I told you so."

 

We need more of that foreshadowing in this country - not necessarily the ascetic approach that my mom took (which was probably necessary considering the Barry Farm crack environment in the 80s and 90s) but an absolute dedication to learning, teaching, discipline, and successful outcomes.

 

I hope you realize what you have done.

 

Every time someone starts to whine that poor minority parents can't deal with the troubles of raising their kids in their environment, while worrying how to feed, clothe them and then worry about lack of universal healthcare - there will be the obligatory link to this post.

[DC Tom]

I hope you realize what you have done.

 

Every time someone starts to whine that poor minority parents can't deal with the troubles of raising their kids in their environment, while worrying how to feed, clothe them and then worry about lack of universal healthcare - there will be the obligatory link to this post.

 

 

That isn't just minority parents. The kids I tutor, the parents most of them have no idea how to motivate their kids. "But if I force her to do her homework, she gets frustrated and cries!" Yeah, life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid.

 

Of course, considering that they're hiring a tutor, they're at least engaged, albiet at something of a distance.

[Doc]

Very well put. Reflects my thoughts exactly and I couldn't have articulated it better.

 

I firmly believe that it starts with the parents and how the youth are raised at home. We grew up in SE DC and spent a couple of years in Baltimore city while my mom managed a Wendy's in Essex. My mom didn't want me and my siblings playing outside during the summer or after school because of the neighborhood rif-raf. Instead, we had to do 25 (100 when we weren't in school) dictionary words a day (word, part of speech, definition, synonym, use it in a sentence, single-space, next word). We did 200 words of one letter, then to the next letter, and to the next letter, etc. until we reached "Z," and then we'd start again at "A" for 200 more.

 

When we'd complain, she'd ask us if we liked being poor, if we liked not having a tv, if we wanted nicer things. When we'd answer "no/yes," she'd say "if you do your words for a year, you'll get those [that]shoes/tv/nintendo/watch/money..." She kept a list on the fridge of how many words we did each month and put sticker stars throughout the year as we'd get closer to some goal item. The goal item (usually nintendo, starter jacket, Jordan shoes) didn't materialize but she repeated the process the following year with the same promise.

 

After a few years we stopped believing her cause we never received any recompense. We did, however, tackle the words like clock work, as required.

 

When I graduated from UVA, my gift from her was a framed collage of 5 years worth of those monthly word count lists. She also added my year-end school report cards. She put a sticky note on the outside of the frame that read "I told you so."

 

We need more of that foreshadowing in this country - not necessarily the ascetic approach that my mom took (which was probably necessary considering the Barry Farm crack environment in the 80s and 90s) but an absolute dedication to learning, teaching, discipline, and successful outcomes.

If only your (inspiring) story were the norm and not the exception. My compliments to your mom.

[meazza]

We need more of that foreshadowing in this country - not necessarily the ascetic approach that my mom took (which was probably necessary considering the Barry Farm crack environment in the 80s and 90s) but an absolute dedication to learning, teaching, discipline, and successful outcomes.

 

It's only natural that complacency kicks in. As I stated earlier times, my parents were straight off the boat immigrants with not a penny to their name but out of my entire family, I am the least disciplined because I had it easier than my brothers/sister did.

[Taro T]

Very well put. Reflects my thoughts exactly and I couldn't have articulated it better.

 

I firmly believe that it starts with the parents and how the youth are raised at home. We grew up in SE DC and spent a couple of years in Baltimore city while my mom managed a Wendy's in Essex. My mom didn't want me and my siblings playing outside during the summer or after school because of the neighborhood rif-raf. Instead, we had to do 25 (100 when we weren't in school) dictionary words a day (word, part of speech, definition, synonym, use it in a sentence, single-space, next word). We did 200 words of one letter, then to the next letter, and to the next letter, etc. until we reached "Z," and then we'd start again at "A" for 200 more.

 

When we'd complain, she'd ask us if we liked being poor, if we liked not having a tv, if we wanted nicer things. When we'd answer "no/yes," she'd say "if you do your words for a year, you'll get those [that]shoes/tv/nintendo/watch/money..." She kept a list on the fridge of how many words we did each month and put sticker stars throughout the year as we'd get closer to some goal item. The goal item (usually nintendo, starter jacket, Jordan shoes) didn't materialize but she repeated the process the following year with the same promise.

 

After a few years we stopped believing her cause we never received any recompense. We did, however, tackle the words like clock work, as required.

 

When I graduated from UVA, my gift from her was a framed collage of 5 years worth of those monthly word count lists. She also added my year-end school report cards. She put a sticky note on the outside of the frame that read "I told you so."

 

We need more of that foreshadowing in this country - not necessarily the ascetic approach that my mom took (which was probably necessary considering the Barry Farm crack environment in the 80s and 90s) but an absolute dedication to learning, teaching, discipline, and successful outcomes.

I hope you and your siblings throw one heck of a party every Mother's Day. Congratulations to her and you.

 

As others have stated, far better than I can, that is an inspirational story.

[BillsFanM.D.]

BS. You should be mad at the parasitic system and stop whining instead of gouging others because of past sacrifices... I am the wrong person to be whining to you on this... I have made more sacrifices for my occupation and to my health (which should concern any family practioner) than you have in your little finger... But let's not get into a pissing contest. 115k? Even in that prior hole and all the other add ons... ROFLMAO! 5, 10, 15 years of having it "rough", "digging yourself a hole." Digging yourself a hole and then scoring later money is the very reason we have a health crisis in this country... LOL... You gotta be joking... You got it easy my friend compared to the real world... I did the math... Try living in the real world with your family customers doc maybe that is why they are coming to see you?

 

I suppose you are living real rough... From paycheck to paycheck... If you are, congrats... Keep it up, you gotta another 40 years to a lifetime to go! All those lean years justify the ends... Are you kidding me? You went into the medical profession to help OTHER people. LOL... 5, 10, 15 years...

 

How old are you Doc? The priviledge? Hah... Like nobody else sticks it out for the priviledge? Nice to have a 10-20 year timeline... Try a lifetime sticking it out for that priviledge... Keep hope alive brotha!

 

Spend and tax or in your case, charge the customers more!

 

Sorry... I have no sympathy... I know you work hard and are dedicated... But no more harder than the next slob on the planet. Keep grinding it out! Peace...

 

Peace? interesting choice of words.

 

So doctors are "the biggest hypocrites in the world." "Distasteful." "Easy money" folks. We "charge too much." You 'enjoy making your family doctor squirm.' "Doctors should go to med school....but live like others." Certainly nothing there to instigate a pissing match which you so 'desperately' want to avoid....shortly after calling me a whiner and then telling me that your personal sacrifices are so much greater than mine etc. How so? They may, in fact be....just curious as to how you know? I have made zero comments about your profession as I have no idea what toll it takes on you or your family. Hypocritical much?

 

My point in jumping in was that this was a conversation about my field and about everyone living the 'same.' I.e. work hard and get rewarded or do far less...and be equally rewarded.

 

1. Simply stating that doctors are 'gouging' the patients is so generically false. Again....capitation? full risk practice? medicare allowable?

2. "Go to med school sure....but doctors should live as others live". does the inverse apply? ....suck the gov't teet....and live as others live? If you have excelled in your field...congrats. You should be rewarded accordingly. I won't begrudge you one bit.

3. You need to do the math again. I essentially have two 30 yr mortgages. One for my house and one for my 'career.' For the record....I drive a 2004 Explorer....paid for. In addition....the math for my age was 'there' if you had looked. I've been out of residency 12 years and started at 29. That's 41....just in case.

4. Timeline? I'll be working far into my 60's though I'm hoping 65. Part of my beef is the time and money physicians (most) have to invest to even start their career. As I said, many of my friends started their careers far earlier; with far less debt; and have much better long term financial prospects. Considering I graduated Med school in late 90's....I'm 14 yrs into that 'timeline' now. Guess I'll be retiring next year....right??????? I am just now starting to bite into the 160K principle I had to borrow for med school...never mind college. Try again. Looks more like a 35 yr timeline. Not to mention I have to save my own retirement. No gov't annuity to fall in my lap....but that's another story about how 'unfair' reimbursement is in certain professions.

5. So....docs are only allowed to go to med school to 'help people.' Pure altruism. Yet we docs are 'creating the health care crisis in this country by digging ourselves a hole and then scoring later money.' So.....how am I to 'help people' if I don't borrow money to get my education?' That's right....it's the damn system. I'll agree with that to this extent...... Medical educations cost too much money.

6. Privilege was used as 'sarcasm.' I.e I borrowed huge money to get through med school....and then racked up thousands and thousands in interest while working as an indentured servant....errr....resident. What a 'privilege.' An no...I never said anything specific about anyone else's job or sacrifice...I leave that to you.....Including the slob comment. My father was a custodian. I learned a lot from him about working hard.

7. Spend and tax? Charge the customers more? Again....clear documentation that you don't understand medical billing. And I'm not gonna explain it. Borrow the money and get an education in medical billing if you're interested.

8. Never asked for your sympathy. I merely wanted to defend my field and provide 'one' example of sacrifice. based on 'my' experiences, I'd be pretty upset if people who are clearly along for the ride are afforded the same type of compensation as someone gave up years to acquire a skill or trade to make themselves more marketable. As you stated, you have given far more than me. Go tell your boss to give you a raise. Since you seem to think that doctors control reimbursement....... perhaps the same applies in your field.

 

From my perspective....Docs are a cross section of society. Good, bad, drunk, sober, happy, depressed, faithful, cheating, fair and crooked....just like everyone else. But you already knew that. Just like you know I'm a hypocrite, a gouger, a distasteful human being, and a whiner....in addition to knowing the exact motivation for my going to med school and my presumed retirement date. Keep firing in every direction. you'll hit something eventually.

 

Seriously? to borrow your term.... LMFAO! I'm turning this back over to you Doc.....I just remembered why I don't post much.

[/dev/null]

Very well put. Reflects my thoughts exactly and I couldn't have articulated it better.

 

I firmly believe that it starts with the parents and how the youth are raised at home. We grew up in SE DC and spent a couple of years in Baltimore city while my mom managed a Wendy's in Essex. My mom didn't want me and my siblings playing outside during the summer or after school because of the neighborhood rif-raf. Instead, we had to do 25 (100 when we weren't in school) dictionary words a day (word, part of speech, definition, synonym, use it in a sentence, single-space, next word). We did 200 words of one letter, then to the next letter, and to the next letter, etc. until we reached "Z," and then we'd start again at "A" for 200 more.

 

When we'd complain, she'd ask us if we liked being poor, if we liked not having a tv, if we wanted nicer things. When we'd answer "no/yes," she'd say "if you do your words for a year, you'll get those [that]shoes/tv/nintendo/watch/money..." She kept a list on the fridge of how many words we did each month and put sticker stars throughout the year as we'd get closer to some goal item. The goal item (usually nintendo, starter jacket, Jordan shoes) didn't materialize but she repeated the process the following year with the same promise.

 

After a few years we stopped believing her cause we never received any recompense. We did, however, tackle the words like clock work, as required.

 

When I graduated from UVA, my gift from her was a framed collage of 5 years worth of those monthly word count lists. She also added my year-end school report cards. She put a sticky note on the outside of the frame that read "I told you so."

 

We need more of that foreshadowing in this country - not necessarily the ascetic approach that my mom took (which was probably necessary considering the Barry Farm crack environment in the 80s and 90s) but an absolute dedication to learning, teaching, discipline, and successful outcomes.

 

Awesome story

 

Unfortunately today's parents are more interested in a quick fix to their kids problems and kids don't understand the concept of delayed gratification

[Chef Jim]

Peace? interesting choice of words.

 

So doctors are "the biggest hypocrites in the world." "Distasteful." "Easy money" folks. We "charge too much." You 'enjoy making your family doctor squirm.' "Doctors should go to med school....but live like others." Certainly nothing there to instigate a pissing match which you so 'desperately' want to avoid....shortly after calling me a whiner and then telling me that your personal sacrifices are so much greater than mine etc. How so? They may, in fact be....just curious as to how you know? I have made zero comments about your profession as I have no idea what toll it takes on you or your family. Hypocritical much?

 

My point in jumping in was that this was a conversation about my field and about everyone living the 'same.' I.e. work hard and get rewarded or do far less...and be equally rewarded.

 

1. Simply stating that doctors are 'gouging' the patients is so generically false. Again....capitation? full risk practice? medicare allowable?

2. "Go to med school sure....but doctors should live as others live". does the inverse apply? ....suck the gov't teet....and live as others live? If you have excelled in your field...congrats. You should be rewarded accordingly. I won't begrudge you one bit.

3. You need to do the math again. I essentially have two 30 yr mortgages. One for my house and one for my 'career.' For the record....I drive a 2004 Explorer....paid for. In addition....the math for my age was 'there' if you had looked. I've been out of residency 12 years and started at 29. That's 41....just in case.

4. Timeline? I'll be working far into my 60's though I'm hoping 65. Part of my beef is the time and money physicians (most) have to invest to even start their career. As I said, many of my friends started their careers far earlier; with far less debt; and have much better long term financial prospects. Considering I graduated Med school in late 90's....I'm 14 yrs into that 'timeline' now. Guess I'll be retiring next year....right??????? I am just now starting to bite into the 160K principle I had to borrow for med school...never mind college. Try again. Looks more like a 35 yr timeline. Not to mention I have to save my own retirement. No gov't annuity to fall in my lap....but that's another story about how 'unfair' reimbursement is in certain professions.

5. So....docs are only allowed to go to med school to 'help people.' Pure altruism. Yet we docs are 'creating the health care crisis in this country by digging ourselves a hole and then scoring later money.' So.....how am I to 'help people' if I don't borrow money to get my education?' That's right....it's the damn system. I'll agree with that to this extent...... Medical educations cost too much money.

6. Privilege was used as 'sarcasm.' I.e I borrowed huge money to get through med school....and then racked up thousands and thousands in interest while working as an indentured servant....errr....resident. What a 'privilege.' An no...I never said anything specific about anyone else's job or sacrifice...I leave that to you.....Including the slob comment. My father was a custodian. I learned a lot from him about working hard.

7. Spend and tax? Charge the customers more? Again....clear documentation that you don't understand medical billing. And I'm not gonna explain it. Borrow the money and get an education in medical billing if you're interested.

8. Never asked for your sympathy. I merely wanted to defend my field and provide 'one' example of sacrifice. based on 'my' experiences, I'd be pretty upset if people who are clearly along for the ride are afforded the same type of compensation as someone gave up years to acquire a skill or trade to make themselves more marketable. As you stated, you have given far more than me. Go tell your boss to give you a raise. Since you seem to think that doctors control reimbursement....... perhaps the same applies in your field.

 

From my perspective....Docs are a cross section of society. Good, bad, drunk, sober, happy, depressed, faithful, cheating, fair and crooked....just like everyone else. But you already knew that. Just like you know I'm a hypocrite, a gouger, a distasteful human being, and a whiner....in addition to knowing the exact motivation for my going to med school and my presumed retirement date. Keep firing in every direction. you'll hit something eventually.

 

Seriously? to borrow your term.... LMFAO! I'm turning this back over to you Doc.....I just remembered why I don't post much.

 

Waaaaaaayyyyy too much time spent on replying to an EII post.

[Juror#8]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Yep, she is an awesome woman. She always assured us that our station in life would be what we endeavored to make it.

 

Anyway, the point that I was making is that parents are so influential in what their kids ultimately accomplish. Though Tom's point is a good one - that mixed and matched demographics have parenting and motivation issues - GG's point is also quite true. It is unfortunately the case that a disproportionately large amount of minority folks in urban environments end up stuck there - and blame external factors for that condition. Though it is true that motivation/success will be less so in school environments that have dilapidated buildings and antequated materials, it is also true that some of those environmental factors can be overcome with supplementary parenting effort at home.

 

We had that.

 

Other's didn't. They believed in the classic hood pronouncement: "The only way to get out of SE is to slang crack rock or have a wicked jump shot."

 

 

I'm now a proponent of an 11 month school year. It is slightly less of an academic year than is the Japanese model, but it allows for a smoother, less segmented transition between grade levels and more overall time for the breadth of material that should constitute a student's annual learning experience. It sounds draconian, or as if would put undue academic pressure on a developing mind, but I sincerely believe that it is the only way that we'll bridge the intellectual gap that exists between us and the rest of the developed world.

 

And consequently our institutions (academic, business, research and development, scientific, etc.) should experience a direct and proximate benefit in about a generation or so from that bit of paradigm shift.

 

U.S. competitiveness should reap the benefits not long thereafter.

 

Unfortunately it probably won't happen. Some lobby (toy, cartoon, videogame) will have a schitfit and make sure such a directional shift would never happen. They'd create some superpac, and cloak it under the auspices of "don't take sports from our children."

 

[dayman]

 

 

I'm now a proponent of an 11 month school year.

 

 

Oh God can you imagine the Wisconsin teachers union?

 

I'm all for trying anything and everything to up the productivity of our future workforce...IDK about the practicality of that but if it were possible it would be worth trying same as anything else. The crux of our problems is our kids suck and our teachers suck ... put them together for an extra couple month idk maybe they suck less? I'm all for encouraging our kids to work harder though and if they have to sit at the damn desk longer and that's the only way then let's do it no need to wait....and when it costs money nobody complain.

Edited June 8, 2012 by TheNewBills

[DC Tom]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Yep, she is an awesome woman. She always assured us that our station in life would be what we endeavored to make it.

 

Anyway, the point that I was making is that parents are so influential in what their kids ultimately accomplish. Though Tom's point is a good one - that mixed and matched demographics have parenting and motivation issues - GG's point is also quite true. It is unfortunately the case that a disproportionately large amount of minority folks in urban environments end up stuck there - and blame external factors for that condition. Though it is true that motivation/success will be less so in school environments that have dilapidated buildings and antequated materials, it is also true that some of those environmental factors can be overcome with supplementary parenting effort at home.

 

We had that.

 

Other's didn't. They believed in the classic hood pronouncement: "The only way to get out of SE is to slang crack rock or have a wicked jump shot."

 

 

I'm now a proponent of an 11 month school year. It is slightly less of an academic year than is the Japanese model, but it allows for a smoother, less segmented transition between grade levels and more overall time for the breadth of material that should constitute a student's annual learning experience. It sounds draconian, or as if would put undue academic pressure on a developing mind, but I sincerely believe that it is the only way that we'll bridge the intellectual gap that exists between us and the rest of the developed world.

 

And consequently our institutions (academic, business, research and development, scientific, etc.) should experience a direct and proximate benefit in about a generation or so from that bit of paradigm shift.

 

U.S. competitiveness should reap the benefits not long thereafter.

 

Unfortunately it probably won't happen. Some lobby (toy, cartoon, videogame) will have a schitfit and make sure such a directional shift would never happen. They'd create some superpac, and cloak it under the auspices of "don't take sports from our children."

 

 

As I recall, growing up I had a 12-month educational year. Only a 9 month school year, though.

 

Another thing this country has to get over is the idea that learning requires school.