I want my cheap gas!

In response to Andys post about higher education, there are some good points, and points that need to be discussed further. One thing Andy did bring up that is completely valid is the fact that more students are getting into universities, but those students are smarter. I'm sure thre are/will be all kinds of studies determining why todays students are smarter. But that is not for me to discuss.

One thing the original study doesn't factor in - not that they could have even anticipated this - was the rise in prominence of community colleges. With community colleges, todays students can get professional training in vocational programs without spending 4 or more years learning about the Ming Dynasty when all they want to do is learn how to weld, or become a physical therapist.

There are many great paying careers out there available with only a community college education.

BUT, as the original study indicated, there is a growing disconnect between the Joe Schmoe workforce and educated intellectuals.

Don't get me wrong, the world needs welders and carpenters. But without the higher education, those workers have a hard time understanding the context of todays world and world situations. Joe Common has a hard time understanding why we need trade agreements and why manufacturing jobs have fallen off. Joe Common believes that the Arabs and oil companies are sitting around getting rich and fat off higher gas prices. To a point, I even think they are. But I believe we need to have a firm understanding of economics and our recent economic policies to understand the sudden jump in oil prices. With the Federal Reserve pumping millions of dollars into banks and the economy recently, the value of the dollar has fallen off slightly against overseas markets, and - without going into another essay - oil prices have risen.

The intellectuals know - maybe - that we live in the United States but we our part of a global economy. 10 years ago, when you got a morning stock market update, it was just of the U.S. markets. Now, we get information on overnight trading in Asia.

Joe Common doesn't understand the ramifications of Hugo Chavez hoarding oil supplies in Venezuela, but I don't know anything about welding.

The intellectual divide is - I feel - one of the primary reasons the U.S. is getting left behind by economic giants India and China. Even though those two countries are very agrarian societies, technology is a major part of their day-to-day lives.

OK. I think thats all I can think about right now. There could possibly be a million branches off this post, but we shall see.

Join my book club, mwahahahaha

This is about something I have been wanting to talk about for a long time. It may even disturb people who I see on a daily basis. And I have as much authority to discuss this as the person next door. I openly admit to having listened to a whole lot of bad rock music. I don't anymore, or at least try not to. Anyways, here goes.

One of the most influential persons in todays media is Oprah Winfrey. Duh. She commands a million person audience everyday. She stumps for politicians. Her book club makes bestsellers. She can make a star out of anybody. She also uses her larger than life influence to spread the words of New Age prophets.

Oprah's newest cause is the New Earth philosophy. Based on the book, "A New Earth," by Eckhart Tolle, who will "gently lead readers to a new level of consciousness, awaken them to their lives' purpose and invite them to envision a new earth where peace and fellowship are the norm." That is straight from the publisher's website, Penguin Books. Great idea, really. But didn't Jim Jones gently lead people to the juice line, too?

Prior to this book, Oprah widely endorsed the new age best seller "The Secret." This book trys to disguise itself in Biblical references, but they are taken completely out of context. Oprah's website says, "the principle explains that we create our own circumstances by the choices we make in life. And the choices we make are fueled by our thoughts which means our thoughts are the most powerful things we have here on earth." Listen up everyone: Our thoughts are the most powerful things we have here on earth. News to me. I pretty much thought that Jesus and God had a monopoly on "most powerful things" on Earth.

And I know that Oprah does do good. I know she gives a lot of her self and her money to charities. I've never spoken to her personally, but I really think she does a lot of her charitable work in order to create good karma for herself. At least, if you followed what she preaches, thats what it seems like.

Anyway, I'm not a big fan. Sorry. I just think that we should be careful of someone with that big of a daily audience and the overtly disastrous message they might be sharing.

Too early for feel a good story?

Finally, after years - although it seems like decades - the Tampa Rays are contending in the AL East. As of press time, they are only .5 games out behind the Red Sox beast. It seems as though management finally went after some veteran leadership during the offseason.



I'll step aside and let the pros tell you all about it. Here is Amy K. Nelson of ESPN.

Check, please

So, a big-time college athlete is on his way to being in a mess about gifts, money, and so forth. yawn. At the same school another big-time athlete was said to have accepted the same. yawn.

I went to a big school. Lots of kids go to big schools, wether is for school, sports, or to party. We've all seen kids who drive Yugos, and those that drive Beamers. I said this when I was at NC State too, and I still say there is no such thing as a poor college student.

The only poor athletes you might see on campus are probably on the bowling team, or Mathletes. The NCAA will probably do a percursory check of USC and O.J. Mayo, and find nothing worth investigating. But we should all know better. Any star athlete who has a "disadvantaged background" and shows up on campus in designer threads and a new ride should be investigated thoroughly. But before the punishment, if any, is handed down, lets find out who their benefactor is. As in the Mayo case, it could be someone who wanted to be an agent. It might be asking too much, but couldn't the NBA decertify them? Oh wait, that would be taking money from David Stern because the big-time college athlete will have to squander time by continuing to play for the NCAA, and not the NBA. The NBA has a vested interest in seeing these young studs get to play-for-pay.

Lots of blame always gets tossed on the hangers-ons and agent wannabe's for giving gifts to college stars. But don't think for a minute that coaches don't know what's going on with their players. As much money and time goes into recruiting each player, coaches know when and where these kids like to go to get a milkshake, much less who goes with them.

Yes, the kids are at fault. But if you were a college athlete and had to rely on Athletic Dept. handouts for every meal, would you say know to some free money? The NCAA should go after the schools, but the coaches have just as much to gain from this system as the athletes do. Until the NCAA severly cracks down on coaches - like a multi-year ban, recruiting handcufffs - this system will continue to prosper.

The political sin wave

Before I start on this editorial, I need to tell you some things about me. I am a Christian. More now, than what I was just 2 years ago. I also lean more to Republican politics and ideals than to Democratic. Working 2 years in the rent-to-own industry can do that to you.

A lot of people see the GOP has the "Christian" party in todays world. This isn't necessarily a bad thing for Christians. The rap against Christians is this is the same party that gave Pat Roberts, Alan Keyes, and Ron Paul big bear hugs. They all are conservative, no doubt. But they have all been labeled as extreme conservative, or in the case of Roberts, racist and a general nut job.

After the 8 years of the Clinton lovefest, it would have been hard for the GOP to win back support it experienced during the Reagan terms. If it weren't for the Dems throwing Al "The Robot" Gore out during the 2000 election, the Dems may have had a better chance at beating W. Currently, the GOP is so beaten up, that it is the perfect opportunity for either a black or female candidate on the Dem side. And the presumed nominee of the GOP is old enough to be either Obama's or Hillary's dad.

Politics is cyclical. The GOP will probably continue to be in slight dissaray until the next generation of conservatives is ready to assume control. But lets have a real moment. Looking at this seasons crop of political ads, most of the GOP candidates are older than their Dem counterparts. Until there are younger GOP candidates for younger voters to look to, the Democrats will probably be more successful with that demographic.