iamshack

I agree with a lot of this is general. Many jobs that require a college degree do not require any particular skills learned in college, but rather, some degree of common sense. Unfortunately, employers often use a college degree as a minimum threshold for common sense, which couldn't be more inaccurate.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 08:13 PM) Those are my fav exercise. Rocking 30's on those today. I didn't describe them right. I mean the last exercise in the routine...the one Drea does like 25 of and pisses off Tony.

Just to give you guys an inside perspective, I trade electricity for a living, and I know the costs of a lot of the types of units you guys are discussing here. I'm going to be more vague than I'd like because I can't divulge specifics, but here are the basics. We have a partnership in a very large solar project, and I can tell you it costs around $150-165/mWh, which translates to 15 - 16.5 cents/kWh. Our coal units run anywhere from .02 - .03/kWh. Our gas units, with a current gas price around $5.25/mmbtu, and depending on their particular capabilities and design, run anywhere from about .03 - .07/kWh. We have several renewable units, mostly which are geothermal, which I don't even price out because they are "must takes," meaning we take the energy regardless of the cost to satisfy state and federal standards. We have several wind projects due to come online shortly, the costs of which I am not aware of as of now. However, as some people have mentioned, in regards to the renewable intermittent resources, you must back them with traditional fossil fuel sources, which means those units must remain online and "hot," meaning they are burning gas or coal. The other costs you have to associate with all these renewable resources are those that are going to have to go into re-designing and re-constructing the electricity grid. The current grid is simply not able to withstand the large shifts and swings intermittent resources will most likely cause.

Seriously, who the hell do these women think they are? Funny how much different men are from women...

QUOTE (ptatc @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 07:40 PM) Wow, somebody has watched "Secret of my Success" too many times (although Helen Slater may have been worth it) ?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 07:29 PM) Wow, do you guys plan debates around WSJ articles and then just expect me to find them and link to them? This is kind of incredible timing if you didn't plan this in advance.The WSJ posted this one...yesterday. Gee whiz, what a shocker. Good find, Balta.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 10:29 AM) It came out all weird, so I took it down. My camera is fuzzy. Pumped out ARX like a champ last night. With vball mon and wed, I am doing tues and thurs as resistance days to go with fridays. I didn't think it was weird. Looked like you've been doing some good work. Shoulders & Arms today...damn those lying down tricep raises....so hard to do them without cheating...

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 05:56 PM) Again I ask, what industry will those jobs in in? What jobs will offer decent wages without a college degree? Those jobs were manufacturing. Those are leaving in droves. I would like to agree with you, but I can't think of a job sector that will produce those jobs. I'm going to get back to this thread later on this evening when I have more time. But one point I would like to make for you to chew on now, is that if you have any experience in the lower level job market (positions for recent college grads or employees in the beginning stages of their career), you know that employers almost would rather you not be highly trained in their field. Many corporations have individualized training programs and would rather train you in their method and manner than have to waste the time "untraining" you and then re-training you. This is in large part why the value of a college degree has decreased and willingness to start at the bottom rung of the latter with a desire and willingness to move up has gained more of a foothold than in previous job markets.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 04:32 PM) More people want to go to college. There are the same amount of good colleges. Therefore college tuition will continue to increase until there is a decrease in supply of college applicants or demand for higher education. If college isnt worth as much, why are more people applying to college and graduate schools each year? I know that I wouldnt have my job without my degrees, you cant have my job without it. I dont like how much college costs, but I understand its a competitive market. Why did people keep paying more and more and more for housing up until the housing bubble burst?

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 04:32 PM) More people want to go to college. There are the same amount of good colleges. Therefore college tuition will continue to increase until there is a decrease in supply of college applicants or demand for higher education. If college isnt worth as much, why are more people applying to college and graduate schools each year? I know that I wouldnt have my job without my degrees, you cant have my job without it. I dont like how much college costs, but I understand its a competitive market. When the job market and the economy suck, people use the opportunity to further their education. The class sizes of universities swell during bad job markets.

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 04:20 PM) Especially when most of the work force has college degrees. Even if college degrees become a dime a dozen, it will be prefered to a High School diploma. You guys are looking at this from a different perspective. The argument is not so much whether those with college degrees who are appropriately employed according to their skillset will earn more money. I would love to see some unemployment figures for twentysomethings with and without college degrees.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 04:16 PM) It is the key to earning more in your life. Also no one has ever said it would be free. We are into the second generation of industrial and manufacturing flight out of this country. This isn't a new thing. Again, where am I arguing anything should be free? The other point I am trying to get across here, is that if we continue down this path, it will not be the key to earning more in your life. It will be a wasted investment.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 04:56 PM) The numbers are very clear, and all of that kind of stuff is factored in. By simply getting a bachelors degree, you earn about a million dollars more than someone with a HS diploma over a lifetime on average. Those have been the numbers. My feeling is they will change if we continue down this current path.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 04:18 PM) I just want to know when a college degree became the point of entitlement, and not an investment in the rest of your life? If you know you have to spend $100,000 to make an extra million dollars over your lifetime, that pretty much clears it up for me. When we were all told by our entire educational system that going to college was the next logical step in our education? When we were told that a college degree was necessary to fulfill the American dream? I'm 32 years old, and at every step of my education, from about the age of 7 onward, it was beaten into my brain that in order to be a productive member of society, I should strive to achieve a college degree. There are entire propaganda campaigns, with as much involvement from the school and the community and parents to convince children to make it the goal of the first quarter of their life to achieve a college degree. Let's face it, when you're in the first quarter of your life, what are we told to accomplish more than a college degree? This isn't like some decision I randomly came up with on my own, like joining a band, or taking up gymnastics. This is a brainwashing campaign that pervades pretty much all corners of our educational system and our society and culture. From Generation X onward, we have been promised that a college education is the key to becoming successful, just as our forefathers were told that with hard work came an opportunity to succeed. Well, it's starting to look more and more like we were given an empty promise, and it's just a bit of a kick in the ass right now. You can't have going to college and getting a degree be such a huge mantra in the molding of your youth and then bail on your promises and leave them holding the bag. That's just not right.

Field Turf! Field Turf! David Haugh

Happy Birthday, Gents...and Keith!

QUOTE (Tex @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 07:05 AM) I am certain everyone here with degrees will encourage all of you to drop out of college. That way, years from now, we'll hear you b**** that you were denied a promotion because a college degree was required, or they won't even interview you. Meanwhile, those with degrees will be promoted and interviewed. The choice is yours. And college is not just a path for your career. Some people actually value education for education's sake. I could write a scenario where the kid that dropped out of high school winds up managing the college grad, but that isn't reality and hasn't been for a long time. Check the want ads, without a degree of any kind, you will not be considered for positions. Why start a job search by eliminating possibilities? And at least in my corner of Texas, you will not be a bank manager without a degree. That's a minimum. Tex, How much did your tuition cost when you were in college?

QUOTE (juddling @ Feb 3, 2010 -> 12:29 AM) 2003 Ford T-bird here. doubt that would be considered a girly car but i have no problem driving my wife's Chevy Aveo when necessary. I wassssonly kiddddddinnnnggg. Come baaaaccckkk...

QUOTE (juddling @ Feb 2, 2010 -> 11:16 PM) As long as it gets you from point A to point B who gives a rats behind what 'kind' of car it is....... This the kind of thing guys that drive women's vehicles typically say... J/K!

Some pretty awesome stuff being said about Martz. I am really getting amped for a new offense. Too bad we have to wait 8 months to see it. Martz Promises Revamped Offense

It also depends on what you're looking for. I have all the respect in the world for those who managed to find their mates early in life. Me, well, I've dated a lot of women in my day, and there have been about 3 I've ever really thought I could see myself with long term. It's a very individual thing, I think. My guess is, when you're really ready, you'll know.

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Feb 1, 2010 -> 11:31 PM) I think it's more than that, but these are friggin' huge cans. Did someone say huge cans?

Don't think I didn't see your picture, Rock. Nice work, buddy.

It depends on the schooling each person wants as well as their career aspirations. Men working in the trades get married earlier than men that get extensive schooling, simply because they can afford to. Couples that wish to go to college and have a career afterwards often wait until they reach 30 or later. Then of course, you have your grad students and professional degree students who often don't finish school until their mid-to-late twenties and don't get married until their mid-thirties, if at all. A large part of it depends on your schooling, career choice, and then the job you end up settling into. I can tell you, when I was in law school and working full-time, I didn't have time for a relationship. So obviously I wasn't getting married until well after I graduated.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Feb 2, 2010 -> 07:01 PM) Dude, I did the same thing. What year did you graduate? Dec 2007 here. I'm not for totally forgiving student loans, but I've said repeatedly before one of the better ways to stimulate the economy is to put all student loans into deferment for a certain amount of time. My fiance (masters) and I (juris doctor) pay over 1200 a month on loans. We'd gladly spend that on a house/things to put in the house/other services/goods. I graduated in May of 07'. Hard to believe it's been that long actually.