While I certainly see your point I have to strongly disagree. Maybe it's my business mind set but you HAVE to analyze your return on investment (ROI) and determine whether or not it's cost effective to attend college. Currently there are certainly means to get a decent education for under 25k and while that's a bit steep I could argue it's worth it for a number of reasons. However we are facing a crisis that will push College tuition to the point of making it a horrible investment in the very near future. Tuition is skyrocketing faster than inflation and wage increases and if it doesn't slow down or retract community college could cost 50k and at the point you really have to ask yourself when you'll see a ROI.
You are right there are many avenues to have your schooling paid for (or borrow) if you're below the poverty line and especially if you've popped a couple of kids out that are being fed by EBT and WIC but for all of us working folk those handouts aren't available as someone has to pay for them.
Sure you can take student loans out but again one has to ask whether or not 20 years house payment(some situations. Car payment size is probably closer currently) size student loan payments are doable with their potential income level when you factor in the cost of living with expenses, rent, food, etc... (Those of us who pay for our own food, rent, etc...) ;)
While I do somewhat agree with you that you tend to learn better in the classroom with differing opinions and views I would also argue that opposing views, different ideas and outlooks are also widely available on the internet. This is how I've taught myself the likes of mysql, php, jquery, javascript, html, css, etc... Now if we're referring to something like a x-ray technician, nurse, or any other specialized field then it would be nearly impossible to learn in any other setting the classroom and lab. I guess it really depends on what you want to do with your life.
Let me start by saying I have invested nearly $700 dollars in signal amplification equipment just to be able to get Verizons signal at my house. I did so because I heavily rely on my phone for my data and have been paying for an unlimited data plan from Verizon for nearly three years now.
I also purchased a Droid Bionic after waiting months and months to buy the device only to be disappointed with horrendous bugs, VERY slow updates, and what was possibly the worst digital camera phone I've seen on a smart phone (I've actually seen flip phones with better cameras. It's since been corrected but took nearly a year to update).
I despised the Bionic so much I forked out some extra dough and purchased the "Pure Google" (What an F'ing Joke!) Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first phone with Ice Cream Sandwich. Well, six month in to ownership and there hasn't been one single update for this phone and as Google has pointed out it's Big Red (Verizon) to blame for the delays. This phone is very nice but what isn't nice is the horrible signal, stuttering keyboard, and whopping 6 hour battery with regular use.
Now after Verizon has stuck it to me with two different smart phones and after I've been reassured time and time again from Verizon reps that I will be able to keep my unlimited package I'm now reading that they will be stripping unlimited plans from their grandfathered loyal customers.
Here's what I have to say to you Verizon. &%$% You! As soon as I'm forced from my unlimited package I will be going to your competition and enjoy doing so. So in the wise words of toll booth willy, "Here's a dollar twenty five and go #$@% Yourself".
Sorry Ryan, but you can not put a price tag on an education. I do not care what it costs. Not to mention the many avenues for which to acquire the revenue for furthering your education. Although I admire some for attempting self-education it is simply not the same. It is only through a classroom type social interactive atmosphere that we are truly able to objectively view differing subject points. I was asked once if the reason I love to discuss matters (debate) is because I am so apt to confrontation. I told them "No. I love to debate in order to see someone else's views from a differing perspective." This is the only way we truly educate ourselves. Interaction with others. It is the only way we learn. The only way we inspire others to do better. The only way we prevent ourselves from past mistakes. Education is priceless. Despite any price tag that may be placed upon it in any generation. Simply put, I'd rather be a college graduate driving a Pinto than an illiterate idiot jerk driving a Mercedes.
Erasing ignorance is worth any cost. They can never foreclose on, repossess or in any way take away my education or what I have learned. Education received at the ☛ hands is priceless. It depends on how you look at it. If you are looking at education = your monetary worth or future earning power, or, at the fundamental growth of all mankind exponentially for each educated child OR adult.
I would love to further my education but frankly the debt I would be forced to burden outweighs my desire enhance the piece of paper sitting on a shelf in my office. For people like me self-education through research and action is far more desirable than a student loan payment the size of a luxury car.
I've never gotten into Stewart or Colbert but have seen a few funny clips here and there. You are right about none of them being trustworthy. While I prefer Fox greatly to MSNBC I take anything gathered from them with a grain of salt. The truth is out there; ....well somewhere.
Being accident prone, I can see fining people for texting and walking in public. You get somebody into texting, they walk out in the street. Next thing you know a family is dead because a car swirved to avoid hitting the person. Or a zillion dollar car has damage because they hit somebody and a family is crush because their son/daughter/grandchild/neice/nephew is dead and they sue the person with the zillion dollar car then get called money hungry cuz they don't know it was their family member's fault. I can see it being a problem that would need addressed myself. There is nothing wrong with pausing, text, then start walking again. It saves people being angry because of you being rude (you can't notice your surroundings if you are focused on a phone), and saves injury/death...and in the end saves money. This being said by a text addict, so it's not that I am against texting by any means. I just don't agree with putting other's in danger to do so.
Oh, now come on Ryan. Puuuhhhhlllleeeaaassseee? MSNBC is too liberal, Fox is too conservative. They often choose sides and rarely offer a real non-partisan view on anything. CNN just bores the heck out of me, and actually gets scooped by others so often it's just embarrassing. I don't watch any of these stations because none of them really seem very trustworthy enough to offer differning views or "both sides of a story". It's really quite simple.
MSNBC= Anything Democratic.
FOXNEWS= Conservative/Republican/Tea Party
I actually watch Comedy Central's Daily Show and Colbert Report. They make fun of both sides, and often enough with extremely funny humor. At least I can laugh whilst being totally disgusted. ;-)
I'm sure the movie will still be very good but just like Underworld, Transformers, etc... I am indeed turned off to the movie quite a bit. I will be waiting for it to come out on dvd and frankly every time I look at that guy I think, that's the guy who Mark Zuckerberg screwed over.
I vote neither. We sacrificed Fox News to opt in to a cheaper tv package and I've attempted watching MSNBC because it's the only network we get now and after witnessing two Rachel Maddow tv spots I became so nauseated that I couldn't take any more. That and the show I tuned into was sympathetically wishing illegal immigrants a wonderful mothers day. Yes they were publicly promoting illegal immigration. CNN is far more bearable but at least Fox News attempts or pretends to show both sides of the political sprectrum. I'm no fan of Fox because of the biased coverage they gave Ron Paul but they are still leaps and bounds better than MSNBC.
Don't get me wrong here I love me some Walking Dead but there are a couple of reasons why I have to choose Breaking Bad.
First, Breaking Bad has been flipping amazing from the first episode; just when you think it can't get any better it does.
Second, I have to dock Walking Dead some points for their VERY limited special effects budget in the first season. Watch the CDC blowing up and you will see what I mean.
Here's how it breaks down though. I never thought I would get into a show about a school teacher cooking meth or a zombie show and I love them both. AMC is phenominal with their original series. We just got done with the Killing season one and it's amazing as well. (A little slow but by the 6th or 7th show you'll be hooked.)
You are right there are many avenues to have your schooling paid for (or borrow) if you're below the poverty line and especially if you've popped a couple of kids out that are being fed by EBT and WIC but for all of us working folk those handouts aren't available as someone has to pay for them.
Sure you can take student loans out but again one has to ask whether or not 20 years house payment(some situations. Car payment size is probably closer currently) size student loan payments are doable with their potential income level when you factor in the cost of living with expenses, rent, food, etc... (Those of us who pay for our own food, rent, etc...) ;)
While I do somewhat agree with you that you tend to learn better in the classroom with differing opinions and views I would also argue that opposing views, different ideas and outlooks are also widely available on the internet. This is how I've taught myself the likes of mysql, php, jquery, javascript, html, css, etc... Now if we're referring to something like a x-ray technician, nurse, or any other specialized field then it would be nearly impossible to learn in any other setting the classroom and lab. I guess it really depends on what you want to do with your life.
Let me start by saying I have invested nearly $700 dollars in signal amplification equipment just to be able to get Verizons signal at my house. I did so because I heavily rely on my phone for my data and have been paying for an unlimited data plan from Verizon for nearly three years now.
I also purchased a Droid Bionic after waiting months and months to buy the device only to be disappointed with horrendous bugs, VERY slow updates, and what was possibly the worst digital camera phone I've seen on a smart phone (I've actually seen flip phones with better cameras. It's since been corrected but took nearly a year to update).
I despised the Bionic so much I forked out some extra dough and purchased the "Pure Google" (What an F'ing Joke!) Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first phone with Ice Cream Sandwich. Well, six month in to ownership and there hasn't been one single update for this phone and as Google has pointed out it's Big Red (Verizon) to blame for the delays. This phone is very nice but what isn't nice is the horrible signal, stuttering keyboard, and whopping 6 hour battery with regular use.
Now after Verizon has stuck it to me with two different smart phones and after I've been reassured time and time again from Verizon reps that I will be able to keep my unlimited package I'm now reading that they will be stripping unlimited plans from their grandfathered loyal customers.
Here's what I have to say to you Verizon. &%$% You! As soon as I'm forced from my unlimited package I will be going to your competition and enjoy doing so. So in the wise words of toll booth willy, "Here's a dollar twenty five and go #$@% Yourself".
MSNBC= Anything Democratic.
FOXNEWS= Conservative/Republican/Tea Party
I actually watch Comedy Central's Daily Show and Colbert Report. They make fun of both sides, and often enough with extremely funny humor. At least I can laugh whilst being totally disgusted. ;-)
First, Breaking Bad has been flipping amazing from the first episode; just when you think it can't get any better it does.
Second, I have to dock Walking Dead some points for their VERY limited special effects budget in the first season. Watch the CDC blowing up and you will see what I mean.
Here's how it breaks down though. I never thought I would get into a show about a school teacher cooking meth or a zombie show and I love them both. AMC is phenominal with their original series. We just got done with the Killing season one and it's amazing as well. (A little slow but by the 6th or 7th show you'll be hooked.)