tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post7151109932237117948..comments2024-03-19T05:03:19.939-07:00Comments on Rural Revolution: Useless degrees vs. practical skillsPatrice Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06012022335047974670noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-36351326705426803602018-01-03T07:13:06.498-08:002018-01-03T07:13:06.498-08:00Hello Every One, I am Robbort Bassler From Ohio U....Hello Every One, I am Robbort Bassler From Ohio U.S.A, I quickly want to use this medium to shear a testimony on how God directed me to a Legit and real loan lender who have transformed my life from grass to grace, from being poor to a rich woman who can now boast of a healthy and wealthy life without stress or financial difficulties. After so many months of trying to get a loan on the Internet and was scammed the sum of $9,800 i became so desperate in getting a loan from a legit loan lender on-line who will not add to my pains, then i decided to contact a friend of mine who recently got a loan on-line, we discussed about the issue and to our conclusion she told me about a woman called Mrs Christina Rojas who is the C.E.O of Happiness Loan Firm So i applied for a loan sum of (750,000.00USD) with low interest rate of 3%, so the loan was approved easily without stress and all the preparations where made concerning the loan transfer and in less than two(2) days the loan was deposited into my bank so i want to advice everyone in need of a loan to quickly contact him via: Email: (Happinessloanfirm2478@hotmail.com) he does not know am doing this i pray that God will bless him for the good thing he has done in my life.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10191497617759167876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-28055450454492855972018-01-03T07:11:54.422-08:002018-01-03T07:11:54.422-08:00Hello Every One, I am Robbort Bassler From Ohio U....Hello Every One, I am Robbort Bassler From Ohio U.S.A, I quickly want to use this medium to shear a testimony on how God directed me to a Legit and real loan lender who have transformed my life from grass to grace, from being poor to a rich woman who can now boast of a healthy and wealthy life without stress or financial difficulties. After so many months of trying to get a loan on the Internet and was scammed the sum of $9,800 i became so desperate in getting a loan from a legit loan lender on-line who will not add to my pains, then i decided to contact a friend of mine who recently got a loan on-line, we discussed about the issue and to our conclusion she told me about a woman called Mrs Christina Rojas who is the C.E.O of Happiness Loan Firm So i applied for a loan sum of (750,000.00USD) with low interest rate of 3%, so the loan was approved easily without stress and all the preparations where made concerning the loan transfer and in less than two(2) days the loan was deposited into my bank so i want to advice everyone in need of a loan to quickly contact him via: Email: (Happinessloanfirm2478@hotmail.com) he does not know am doing this i pray that God will bless him for the good thing he has done in my life.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10191497617759167876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-76808716229104251832013-10-31T23:20:46.210-07:002013-10-31T23:20:46.210-07:00Wow such interesting views. I sincerely believe t...Wow such interesting views. I sincerely believe that going the technical root or the academia root is purely a personal choice. I believe that education challenges ones and exposes a person to different world views (having to learn about different theoretical framework of different subjects etc). If my son decides to be a butcher, I would be very supportive but still encourage him to study whilst he is still young and work part time in a butchery. As soon as he has completed his BA or whatever degree he can always become a full time butcher. Every young person should experience the joys of campus life, critical thought provoking research skills and community responsibility that a good institution of higher education should foster. By the way I believe that a degree in Gender Studies is a very good degree for community development, international policy making, rural development (particularly in the developing nations), product development and human resource strategies. To cut a long story short, everything depends on the individual's preference, their ability, their intellect as well as their environment. Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940322878575914994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-42824271992633471522013-09-16T13:54:18.349-07:002013-09-16T13:54:18.349-07:00My first thought on this subject was where were th...My first thought on this subject was where were the parents to advise against this in this economy? Yes a degree can be a good thing, my mom was a teacher for many years and retired from teaching. I on the other hand never went to college, living simply has become a way of life for us and I can't begin to imagine what it would be like had I gone to college and had to pay back all those loans. Hubby was a cab driver but later in life decided to go to college and work towards a law degree, I believe he would have made a great lawyer however when the time came to move on to a better job to help support us and still go to school, there was nothing available for him, we believe it was due to his age, no one wanted to hire an older man. He still works as a cab driver. Thank goodness we don't have expensive student loans to pay back.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05354638313869681651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-87622775524056611782013-09-07T06:14:17.114-07:002013-09-07T06:14:17.114-07:00Even "useless" is overly kind.
I, for o...Even "useless" is overly kind.<br /><br />I, for one, would far rather hire a high school dropout than a "gender studies" major.<br /><br />A hint for college students: if the title of your major contains the word "studies", you are going deep into debt in order to acquire a credential that will make you _less_ desirable to employers than you were the day your high school principal handed you that sheet of fancy paper saying "this is just a prop...your real diploma will arrive by mail".<br /><br />And yeah. The world needs more good butchers.lelnethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08600824544185328505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-40733477475138655782013-09-06T11:07:51.869-07:002013-09-06T11:07:51.869-07:00My Grandfather was Milkman, he delivered milk and ...My Grandfather was Milkman, he delivered milk and eggs everyday in Nebraska...my father was greatfull for this, " thanks to his simple job, we never went hungry during the great depression".....so, they ate well while college professors died of starvation....go figure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-25617589089529108362013-09-06T11:02:49.621-07:002013-09-06T11:02:49.621-07:00your rebutal to the numbskull was dead on.... also...your rebutal to the numbskull was dead on.... also, i love your stories..........live strong.<br /><br />keith cossairtAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-83108494926591476232013-09-06T07:51:46.440-07:002013-09-06T07:51:46.440-07:00Read this whole comment, and couldn't agree mo...Read this whole comment, and couldn't agree more.Troy Burbankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15235978094174056765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-16787572852652756982013-09-05T17:40:29.029-07:002013-09-05T17:40:29.029-07:00My grandfather was a butcher. While he and my gra...My grandfather was a butcher. While he and my grandmother raised 8 children born during and after the Great Depression, my father told me (not too long ago), with pride, that because of grandfather's occupation, there was always meat on their table regardless of how poor they were.<br />Since my father had to drop out of school at age 14 after my grandfather died and there were still 3 young children at home to care for, I also grew up poor. But we all had a great work ethic and went into careers with practical skills, after each of us began working at age 14 (the minimum age in our state, with permission from the school district superintendent). My father went on to earn his GED and associate degree and had a well-respected career as a fire-fighter. In turn, he showed us by example that you can, if desired, continue to work hard to improve your lot in life.<br />My husband was raised by his grandparents, themselves growing up during the Great Depression. After his grandfather got out of the Air Force, he became a veterinarian. His children, and grandchildren, were all expected to work at his solo-practice rural veterinary clinic starting by age 10-12. He taught them all to shoot, hunt and fish. We didn't discover until after his death that he actually had been an accomplished and recognized sharp-shooter in the Air Force.<br />While I may have an extremely employable doctorate, my dear husband, with his high school diploma and service-sector job history, is a brilliant, creative and successful problem-solver. I am privileged to have him in my and our childrens lives.<br />MHG has made an excellent decision and will have a unique skill set that, in conjunction with the wonderful education his parents have provided him, will help make him a successful individual in his own right and by his own hard work. I personally applaud him and his family for focusing on what's important, not what's "politically correct."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-92120141113460285222013-09-05T14:08:47.618-07:002013-09-05T14:08:47.618-07:00Nothing wrong with being a butcher or a blacksmith...Nothing wrong with being a butcher or a blacksmith -- if TSHTF, those skills will be among the most needed & desired. Also, you don't have to work for a big processing company like Hormel -- you can move to a small town & butcher deer and other animals for hunters. But it's sometimes surprising how college degrees can be used -- the new CEO of one of Chicago's biggest museums has a degree in divinity. That has nothing to do with museums -- but might have something to do with human relations. Maybe that translates into a viewpoint the museum wanted. Go figure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-19763478923791930702013-09-05T12:41:40.329-07:002013-09-05T12:41:40.329-07:00I work in IT. I have 16 years of experience in th...I work in IT. I have 16 years of experience in the field. I completed a degree in 2010, solely to have the line item on my resume. That line gets me past the HR gatekeepers that control hiring in my field. Beyond that the only value in my $16,000 diploma is as a piece of tinder.Elizabeth Greenenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-90424552627270894062013-09-05T05:04:32.125-07:002013-09-05T05:04:32.125-07:00"Formal Education" failed (interesting l..."Formal Education" failed (interesting links):<br /><br />- "The Higher-Education Bubble Has Popped" "Not only are the returns poor, but the quality of the product is poor." @ http://mises.org/daily/5533/The-HigherEducation-Bubble-Has-Popped<br /><br /><br />- "Hey, Entrepreneurs, Skip The MBA And Use The Money To Start Businesses"<br />Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/tony-hsieh-value-of-a-college-education-2010-10#ixzz1AmUJt3Qd<br /><br />- "Jim Rogers: "All Of You Who Have MBAs Have Made Mistakes" And You Should Be Farmers Instead"<br />Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/jim-rogers-getting-an-mba-is-a-mistake-and-you-should-become-a-farmer-2010-12<br /><br />- "17,000,000 college educated Americans have jobs that they are overqualified for, according to the BLS.<br />Over 482,000 college-educated Americans are customer service representatives and over 100,000 are maids and janitors; 5,057 of whom have a Ph.D."<br />Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/college-educated-wasting-degree-2010-10<br /><br />- "The disposable academic - Why doing a PhD is often a waste of time"<br />Read more: http://www.economist.com/node/17723223<br /><br />- "Do people need MBAs—particularly degrees from elite b-schools—to become successful chief executive officers with hefty paychecks? Exclusive new research suggests the answer is "no"." "... life experience may count for more than lessons learned in B-school. "<br />Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/dec2010/bs2010121_528228.htm<br /><br />- "Financial Benefits of a College Education Are Smaller Than You'd Think"<br />Read more: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/05/24/financial-benefits-of-a-college-education-are-smaller-than-youd/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl4|sec1_lnk2|65020 <br /><br />- "Anyone going to college is gambling...a college education just is not a good investment."<br />@ http://blog.mises.org/17272/a-grim-look-at-how-college-worked-out-for-2010-graduates/<br /><br />- http://www.mises.org.br/Article.aspx?id=1072<br /><br />P.S. BTW, "The 15 Richest People Who Didn't Graduate From College"<br />Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-15-richest-people-without-college-degrees-2010-11?op=1#ixzz1Ufe6WsheAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-16158570194910050102013-09-04T23:56:30.317-07:002013-09-04T23:56:30.317-07:00I read that degree title and immediately thought o...I read that degree title and immediately thought of a consultant/advisor to companies doing business with Japanese. It's not as useless as it sounds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-1693621935954566502013-09-04T14:21:21.951-07:002013-09-04T14:21:21.951-07:00I retired from a major IT company a couple of year...I retired from a major IT company a couple of years ago after 40 years. I had a Team Lead that always told me "a smart person has a good trade, then a career". Meaning, you always have something to fall back on (if you want it) if and when you (or your job) become(s) obsolete. All my training came from the US Navy or in house, I just got tired of the new stuff every day, so I retired. Now, I'm doing the really fun stuff I did 40 years ago, I wonder some times what my life would have been like I had a stuck with my "trade". Good for the young man to choose a trade/career that will always be in demand. Who knows, he may end up owning a thriving business if he wants.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-69649795156814470032013-09-04T13:43:45.009-07:002013-09-04T13:43:45.009-07:00Montana Guy,
I'd take a leveraged short posit...Montana Guy,<br /><br />I'd take a leveraged short position on 50% margin on the idiot studying for the master's degree in gender studies -- that's a stock guaranteed to go to zero (wildly profitable for a short). The butcher's apprentice might be successful so his stock might have some value as a long trade with unknown risk (market risk; unknown character risk). The gender studies short is a perfect money making play stealing money from stupid liberals who would invest in the gender studies student. And if I was Goldman Sachs, I would naked short the gender studies student's stock (skipping the margin step and simply printing shares to sell to stupid liberals).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-15123058324019735902013-09-04T10:18:04.920-07:002013-09-04T10:18:04.920-07:00Imagine if two young people tried to sell shares i...Imagine if two young people tried to sell shares in their future success including debt. One was a butcher apprentice, the other studying for a Master's degree in Gender Studies. Which would you invest in?<br />Montana GuyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-8304013180573195732013-09-04T09:50:06.474-07:002013-09-04T09:50:06.474-07:00My dad has been a butcher his entire adult life an...My dad has been a butcher his entire adult life and I am proud of him. He is the hardest worker I know and has a large customer base that only want him to cut their meat. He has also made extra money on the side during deer season processing the deer meat at a local shop. The biggest thing for him is that at 62 his body is getting tired from the physical labor. <br /><br />Our world/nation is changing and only a fool can't see that a trade/skill is the way of the future.<br />Nicholenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-4476825169396128922013-09-04T09:23:02.900-07:002013-09-04T09:23:02.900-07:00Trades will always be in demand-I think it's a... Trades will always be in demand-I think it's a shame there isn't some form of apprenticeship offered by high schools, where a student could work and learn from a tradesman-be it a bucher, electrician, or whatever. Short version is it's his life, and his to do with as he sees fit. A good butcher will always have an income...and no massive college debt. More power to him.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-41880976270624263422013-09-04T07:46:27.218-07:002013-09-04T07:46:27.218-07:00I firmly believe (& encourage my children) to ...I firmly believe (& encourage my children) to get working jobs. To form a skill set that will be useful when computers and technology are not. I want them to be well informed, and educated, but to have the hands on ability to perform a job skill not just their brains. My husband, currently military is taking a certificate course to become a butcher as well. Having a skill is more important than anything else. He has all this "education" in different forms from his military career, but that means little if you have no actual skill you can perform in the job world. He finishes his military career in less than 2 years and is trying to acquire a skill set for future jobs now before he has to hunt for a job. I too am learning a skill, in case the need arises for both of us to earn an income to support our family. I think learning a skill and trade is far more beneficial than just "book smarts". <br /><br />Learning in NYAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-43476082526165329872013-09-04T06:07:14.290-07:002013-09-04T06:07:14.290-07:00I'm very glad, for his sake, that he's loo...I'm very glad, for his sake, that he's looking into a field that will likely remain busy long term. WITHOUT having to spend a fortune to get the experience!<br /><br />When I started college I picked a degree in a field that was, AT THAT TIME, a high demand field. Infact, the demand was so high that I probly could have started fresh from highschool. But I wanted the degree.<br /><br />By the time I graduated (only 4yrs later) I had a stack of student loans to pay back....and no job prospects. The bubble had popped, and the market was saturated with experienced professionals looking for work. There were no jobs for a "fresh out of college newbie". My job prospects have never quite recovered. Keeping up-to-date is costly and time prohibitive when you're working 60hrs a week just to make ends meet. I keep plugging away at it. But oh do I wish I'd gone into a trade instead of college.....Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11924993310937754220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-44855968691025791832013-09-04T01:24:24.988-07:002013-09-04T01:24:24.988-07:00Oh how awesome that EG's son wants to be a but...Oh how awesome that EG's son wants to be a butcher! I rarely see any young men (or women for that matter) going into that, yet someone still has to do that particular job. While I adore my middle aged kick-in-the-pants butcher, at some point he's going to need someone to take over for him. Or another butcher was floored that my reaction was "that's it?" when he gave me my total for cutting/wrapping/smoking my half a pig (it's certainly not a skill I've got, that's why I've got someone else to do it!).<br /><br />I'm almost to the point of discouraging my kids from going to college if their talents/skills/desires aren't going to be served by going to college. One child is enthralled with all things building, another is into all things mechanical/vehicle/repair, both of which are better learned with an apprenticeship and hands-on training. I have to admit seeing a 9yo correctly use a drill is so darned cute, as is a 7yo helping change the oil in a vehicle. :)<br /><br />Another tidbit I've heard time and time again in the job market was that you can teach someone a skill and how to do things, but you can't teach them work ethic and good character. Things that make all the difference.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-67649945502672857062013-09-03T22:24:03.407-07:002013-09-03T22:24:03.407-07:00Learning a trade you can use anywhere in the world...Learning a trade you can use anywhere in the world? Good for him. <br /><br />I knew a retired butcher who made a tidy sum and got some choice cuts of deer and elk every hunting season. He either got some cash or a steak on every animal. He had all the equipment and could process an animal in no time flat. It took longer to help him clean up than anything else.Dennisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-56077687626998639252013-09-03T20:47:43.938-07:002013-09-03T20:47:43.938-07:00How true. But a degree in Diesel Technology or any...How true. But a degree in Diesel Technology or any technical endeavor takes some intelligence and common sense. Something our liberal profs haven't been teaching their students in a long time. When our oldest daughter graduated from college, we noticed in the program that by FAR the most common degree was in psychology. We asked our daughter why so many students were majoring in psych? She told us it's one of the easiest degrees with the easiest requirements! Ah, that explains a lot. --Fred & Deb in AZAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-47267456907530167502013-09-03T19:39:45.331-07:002013-09-03T19:39:45.331-07:00Probably true. I know someone with a Masters in s...Probably true. I know someone with a Masters in some gobbledygook blahblahblah who works for the Feds doing who knows what.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06363532651622078445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-73504729869257204902013-09-03T19:38:30.888-07:002013-09-03T19:38:30.888-07:00I agree that Andria is nearly unemployable. She i...I agree that Andria is nearly unemployable. She is a lawsuit waiting to happen and all it will take is an imagined slight from another person.<br /><br />My BA is in English; I was a secretary and later an office manager. I took accounting classes later on and learned how to do bookkeeping. Not glamorous but I could earn a living, unlike Andria.<br /><br />My husband went straight from high school to becoming a firefighter. He worked hard, took classes and earned every certificate he could, and retired after 33 years at the tender age of 52 with a pension. A few months ago there was a need at a rural fire district (very small, one station, two square miles) that suddenly lost their Chief, and he stepped in to help. It doesn't pay very well but we don't need the income and he's back in a fire station! He works long hours but every day he comes home happy.<br /><br />We live very near the Rim Fire in California and while he did not work on the actual fire, his district received evacuation orders and he made sure that everyone including elderly who didn't drive had transportation and somewhere to do, as well as organized a daily community meeting that included Forest Service and Red Cross personnel. I am so proud of him. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06363532651622078445noreply@blogger.com