Kerry "Your educated and smart or your in Iraq"

[Vudak]

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts

So, if you've done it right, then to you I offer a well deserved "way to go". Just don't allow yourself to be fooled into believing that even a majority of those you shared the halls with have done the same as you. They haven't.

I go to a state school, so I definately know what you're talking about times 10.

I haven't graduated yet.  But I'll get there.

The thing is, I'm a high school dropout (basically since 9th grade, though I hung around and enjoyed the view for awhile).  I pay much of my own way through college (I am more fortunate than most, I do have an aunt who has me on a generous scholarship program: I get an "A," I get reimbursed for the course.  I get an "A-," I'm SOL).

"Scholarship" regardless, it wasn't easy getting accepted full time without any SAT's to speak of, and it's not easy passing classes.  It takes a lot of work to get those A's, and a lot of sacrifices.  Definately not as big of ones as someone in the army makes, granted, but sacrifices all the same.

So I do get a little irked when people suggest that college is a joke and the only people that really work for anything don't bother with a university.

[storch]

Originally posted by Captain Virgil Hilts
The problem is that college turns out as many fools and idiots as it does well educated people, if not more. But the fools and idiots end up in jobs that are way over paid in the current top heavy corporate environment.

the solution for this is to to gut it up and go out on your own.  start your own business.  there is a real need in the current marketplace for people who work with their hands.

irrespective of the trade you select, if you follow this next pattern you will earn all the money you will ever need to live comfortably and retire well.

1. become licensed and insured
2. enroll in a continuing education program specific to your trade
3. advertise initially
4. be professional and have a sharp presentation, wash your truck weekly and keep it in good repair.  I buy a new truck every ten years but they never leak oils or are all banged up.
5. show up for appointments on time or if delayed, call the customer
6. perform your work with pride and provide value to the customer.
7. give the customer more than than they paid for as compared to what your competition does.
8. stand behind your product or service.

in a few years step three becomes redundant and you may cancel.  there will be a well beaten path to your door.

if you take the first dime out every dollar you earn and place it in a safe mutual market fund you will retire a very wealthy individual.

if you live in America the above is easy to do, you just gotta wanna do it

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

Outstanding Vudak, congratulations on making the turn around, that's a wise decision even though it leads to a tough row to hoe. I'd say if you continue on your current path, and get out with an education as opposed to an indoctrination, you will truly be one of the few who have actually done something of value in college. Good luck.

[indy007]

Originally posted by Urchin
A college degree means a LOT of extra money, over a lifetime.  The military does have some extraordinary deals for education, I've looked into it.  I haven't even ruled out enlisting if I can't land a job right out of school (I'm up to my eyeballs in debt lol).  But for people to be expressing all this faux outrage at the nerve of Kerry to tell students to do well in school... it just strikes me as a "get out the vote" message to Republicans.

Face it - the days where you could come out of high school and make a comfortable living at a blue collar job are over.  If you don't have any education, you got a rough, low-income, no insurance life ahead of you.  A 4 year degree today is the high school diploma of yesteryear, and by the time my nephews are entering the workforce (in 18-20 years), I imagine a masters degree will be about standard.

Right on. 3 quick things.

1) Debt is bad. Parents hammered that into me, so my total lifetime debt has never been > 5k. That's pretty much chump change as far as debt is concerned. Unfortunately for them, my friends with degrees haven't gotten a good ROI, and are further in debt than when they started.

2) You just have to know where to look and which markets. There are several very, very well paid blue collar jobs that don't even require experience to get your foot in the door. No military service required. Like I said, it's all about knowing where to look.

3) Kerry's choice of words sucked. =P Big mistake for a politicians, especially this close to election day. Whatever you say can & will be held against you!

[BlueJ1]

Originally posted by Vudak
That's a REAL wide brush you're painting with there, Blue...

Oh well. My opinion is biased being that I grew up in a low end middle class family. If I was rich Im sure my opinion would be the opposite.

[midnight Target]

Well, if you listen to the pundits you have 2 choices..

Vote Democrat because you hate Bush and his policies or

Vote Republican because you hate John Kerry....


One actually makes a little sense.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by midnight Target
Well, if you listen to the pundits you have 2 choices..

Vote Democrat because you hate Bush and his policies or

Vote Republican because you hate liberal pandering and high taxes....


One actually makes a little sense.

Fixed!

[Dago]

Originally posted by midnight Target
Well, if you listen to the pundits you have 2 choices..

Vote Democrat because you hate Bush and his policies or

Vote Republican because you hate John Kerry....


One actually makes a little sense.

Among the reasons I vote Republican, I hate those who pander to scum like Jesse Jackson and his fan base who have a huge sense of entitlement.

[Vudak]

Originally posted by BlueJ1
Oh well. My opinion is biased being that I grew up in a low end middle class family. If I was rich Im sure my opinion would be the opposite.

I'm just saying that I wouldn't paint most people in the lower class as having better  morals then everyone in higher classes...

I know quite a few people from both extremes who are absolute scumbags.  If you believe in "The American Dream" (or just have worked for a few years in a decently sized city) and such it would almost seem like there are more in the poorer classes...  Just the rich ones are more noticeable.

Also saying that morals play a lesser role in the lives of the educated...  Why would you say that?  Because what they argue for is different?  There's two sides and all...  A person arguing to keep abortion legalized, for example, isn't doing so because they're evil (well, we'd hope)...  They're doing so because they've been exposed to different (not necessarily better) ideas that seem to make sense to them.

A major point of going to school is for things to rub off on you that you wouldn't have experienced without school...  I'd imagine that is still a major point of joining the service, too.

[Gunthr]

Kerry has always disparaged our soldiers in an attempt to further his career goals:

 In 1971,

"They told the stories at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Jenjis (Genghis) Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country." - Kerry

 

Kerry's statement was very close to the false propaganda being put out by the communists at the time, who spread disinformation and fabricated war crimes to manipulate American public opinion.

Besides being heresay, this is how Kerry tries to further his career even today, disparaging the military.  Na - this was his true feeling about our soldiers.

[cav58d]

Mr. Kerry...I will hold an MA in Foreign Policy in May 2007.  Ya know what I'm doing next?  Joining the US Army, not as an RLO, but as a Warrant Officer...Take that liberal hippie!

[cav58d]

On a serious note, has there been any calls for his resignation?

[lukster]

Originally posted by cav58d
On a serious note, has there been any calls for his resignation?

From the democrats? You're kidding right? He could have sex with a minor page and be cheered or drive drunk and leave a woman to die in his car and be guaranteed a lifetime seat.

[GtoRA2]

It is kinda amusing, Kerry is not a very bright guy, and it does not mater at all what he meant now. People took it wrong, what he should have done is apologize to the troops for the mis-understanding.


He didn't, and instead he is acting like an bellybutton and making it worse. More proof he is a fool and an idiot, and this is what the Dems gave us to vote for last time.


Maybe this will kill any chance he has to run again in 08 though.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by lukster
From the democrats? You're kidding right? He could have sex with a minor page and be cheered or drive drunk and leave a woman to die in his car and be guaranteed a lifetime seat.