Re: What happened to Japan?

royls_at_telus.net
Date: 07/19/04 

Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 21:52:56 GMT

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 15:42:36 +0000 (UTC), Jim Blair <see@sig.com>
wrote:

>Chief <Chief@Home.com> wrote:
>
>>...Both my
>>kids have good educations from top tier colleges but go in and out of
>>work occasionally. If they didn't have a good education, I could see
>>where they would be in trouble in today's world.
>
>Yes, education will (I predict) become ever more important.

Salesmanship will be even more important, because education is
becoming so common.

>>Unless your one of the truely wealthy, education is the only way to enjoy
>>a somewhat decent lifestyle and that education is disappearing as an
>>option to the kids who by no fault of their own were born to poor
>>parents.
>
>Nonsense. Just about every kid in the US has the OPPORTUNITY for a "good
>eduction" IF THEY CHOOSE TO TAKE IT. The problem is that many do not:
>they spit in the face of that opportunity. But it is there for those who
>want it.

True, but there are still far too many who are born unable to benefit
by it, whether through poor genes, fetal drug and alcohol exposure,
etc., or who become unable to benefit by it through poor nutrition,
emotionally destructive or intellectually impoverished home life, etc.
IMO, for most who ultimately don't benefit by educational
opportunities, it is already too late by the time they get to school.

>Remenber that rich guy who went to a poor innercity Baltimore school
>(mostly white then but black now) who returned to his old grade school to
>give a pep-talk? At the last minute he decided he could not inspire them
>with words alone, so he promised them that anyone who graduated from
>highschool and qualified for a college, he would insure that they could
>afford to attend the college.
>
>Some 6 years later many in that class did graduate from highschool and get
>accepted to a college. They were motivated by his promise and the idea
>that they COULD do it.
>
>But it turned out that his promise didn't cost him very much. All those
>kids got full scholarships to college!

That is an inspiring story, but it should not just be the
beneficiaries of private philanthropy who get such assistance.

>>....I wouldn't mind a tax increase for that at all.
>
>I don't object to paying taxes to fund the education for those who want to
>learn.

Nor I. I'd far rather pay more for public education that usually does
some good than for medicare that usually doesn't.

>>....But I do mind a
>>tax increase for Bunker nukes, corporate welfare, mistakes that lead to
>>wars, ....
>
>Me too.

We agree on a lot!

-- Roy L

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