My maternal Grandmother suffered with Alzheimers. She lived for about seven years after she could no longer recognize me, or anyone in the family... The conditions she lived for those years in a home were an indignity she would not have wanted to bear and the distress on the family was an ongoing torment... terrible way to go. We must find a cure. Hopefully your mom can mend and carry on.
Strength and best wishes for all concerned,
O.A.

It took me 11 years to get my degree in economics. I became a stockbroker. Hated screwing people for money, so I quit. Became a court reporter (barely) taking enough time to have finished law school. Didn't like it. Move to Wyoming in '78, got a job teaching at a small commnuity college where I was told I would need an advanced degree if I was to stay in education. Got my Masters at BYU during that time, then was let go. Got a job driving tankers in the gas fields during that "energy crisis," saved a ton and went to the U of Wyoming to get my Doctorate where my "part time" job was driving trucks. On graduation, got hired by the State of Wyoming (voc rehab, then Director of Vocational Development at the State Hospital (mental), then Family Services doing child abuse investigations. After 20 years with the State, I was making $43,000 a year. "Retired" and started driving in the gas fields again and averaged $168,000 a year (100 hours a week) for nearly 4 years. Summary: virtually everything I have, including most of my advanced education is due to trucking.

My conclusion on today's higher education: it is not designed to teach you to think, be independent, to grow personally, it is designed to get you to conform.

Thoughts are with you Jb. I thought the best advice in this video was at the end. A student should know why they are going to a college or university. I went to a small business college near home because I felt it would help me in running our family business. If a student is going just to make more money then they most likely will be disappointed. One point that I thought was unfair was showing all the great names who didn't go to college. Back in their day, Lincoln for example, you could self teach and practice law. That is no longer the case.

wow j. thoughts are with you on the parent front. Been there and still am. Of course you are a great prof. There are hundreds of them. and we had been following FIT's success and business/education model for quite awhile before we met you-they stand out.

Thanks, O.A. I am busy with my "shrug job". As "shrug jobs" go, it's as good as I could ever hope for.

My mom broke her hip and two neck bones. Dad has virtually no short term memory left. In 2.5 months, he went from early-stage Alzheimer's to late-stage, just like his dad did 30 years ago. I am considering changing my Gulch name to either Alzheimer or NoMindLeft. My parents certainly have renewed interest in a couple of projects that had ended a couple of years ago when the grad students working on them graduated.

I have some in my field if you would like to come collect it. :)

Cool new word. I am a Autodidact.

This is simply to true. Even more so in the public school system. Political correctness is destroying us on so many fronts.

Also so many people seem to need to understand the definition of diversity.

dictonary.com

Diversity
noun, plural diversities.
1. the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness:

Diverse
adjective
1. of a different kind, form, character, etc.; unlike:

Where in that definition does it say we must tolerate a difference that is destructive to ourselves? Where does it say we have to like someone who has a values opposed to our own? Where does it say we can sue because someone else says something about their preferences that we do not like? Where does it say that we cannot offend or be offended and still go on in our lives?

I must miss understand that definition because it certainly seems it has a lot more to it than the dictionary says it does.

To me Megan got it right. The exposure to others and others ideas is a good thing. Developing your own ideas and philosophy is a good thing. The issue is accepting or developing any particular philosophy is not viewed as being diverse, taking a position and standing by it is thought to be an error; perhaps this is the biggest error of all that is peddled in our TV shows, movies and at our public school and college classrooms.

We should be exposing and challenging our kids and young people to develop and defend a point of view. To stand by a value system and learn of its worth by the fruits that value system produces. Constantly exposing themselves to other ideas and seeing if they fit into the value system they find to work. Its philosophical development and something we no longer value or teach.

Hello jbrenner,
I am sure there are quite a few exceptions to the general perceptions. Generalizations can sometimes do an injustice to the innocent. I have no doubt about the integrity of the institution you work at. I hear good things about several universities, like Hillsdale etc. As is typical, bad news gets the headlines...

Sorry about the news of your parents condition. I was wondering why we have heard less from you of late. You were missed.
Best wishes,
O.A.

Love Penn and Teller. Amazing how far they come without adopting a a child from Africa and speaking out against corporations.

Anyone else love the 90's movie "PC"

Another great post.

I knew that sooner or later I would have to defend the university system (at least partially) against the overwhelming majority of Gulchers, but the last couple of weeks has been kind of overwhelming in that respect. At my university, students get at least their money's worth from me and my colleagues, and we are glad to exchange value for value.

Please pardon me for not responding more frequently. Providing value for my students takes a lot of time. My Gulch activity will be primarily in the summer time, almost like going to Atlantis for a month in Atlas Shrugged. Very recently my parents have both gone downhill very quickly. I had to take power of attorney, and so my "free time" is pretty much gone. Thanks in advance to any of you for your concern.

A barrel of laughs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU3QjOFRP...

Exactly!

exactly

One that I really like is Environmental Hysteria from Season 1. All great shows though!

Never thought I would hear you say that. I definitely never thought I would agree. I'll have to watch more of those.

I really enjoy bullshit

That was excellent. I think every high school senior should watch that.

Part 2 of 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESc0z1Tb...