It always seems to surprise me when I see something on TV news that seems to support something I’ve said. This very evening on the news I saw this report where a manufacturer reported being worried that he would soon be unable to hire skilled workers, skilled technicians to work for him. The one job they actually mentioned was, ya ready for this? Welding. Yep. Remember back a few articles ago when I was ranting about how maybe some kids just really didn’t need to go to college? That maybe even my over educated self would have been far better off when I moved out here if I had a welding certificate rather than a Masters Degree in Broad Field Earth Science.
Now here’s this report on national TV saying that American industry is running out of workers who can do skilled labor. That’s folks who can actually MAKE STUFF rather than push paper around on a desk, fill out forms, or make presentations for a business, a product or whatever. Now the wild thing is why these folks fear they will soon be unable to find these skilled workers. Seems the Vocational Education in most schools is being cut.
Yep. Seems kids today are basically being told, you can go on to some Jr. College and four year University OR you can flip burgers for the rest of your life. Nothing in between like welding, machining, carpentry, or even the technical side of the high tech revolution. You know the side that builds the machines or actually takes care of folks like nurses do. So who’s going to do that if we don’t let kids who’d rather mess with that stuff than spend endless hours and money they might not have getting a higher education they don‘t really want?
This is supposed to be a rural community here in Lone Oak. That means that, theoretically at least, most folks out here make a living off of the land. They grow food of one kind or another, for people and animals, they grow fiber. In other words they keep the rest of the country fed, clothed and supplied with numerous things they take for granted. Do the local kids in 4H or any of the Ag classes really get any encouragement to keep doing that? Don’t think so. Some of what I’ve heard is that the Ag department is shrinking. I’m guessing due to lack of funding.
Now I do not subscribe to the idea I’ve sensed in some areas that farmers and ranchers are dumb, narrow minded, resistant to change or anti-technology. Anybody who can fix a hay baler with spit, hope and baling wire is probably as smart as any big time engineer, maybe smarter and way more practical. I also know that if it looks like it will work for them they will be the first in line to jump on a new technology as well as the first to drop it if it turns out to be a dud.
So why are the schools dropping vocational ed and cutting back on teaching Ag?
Heck if I know. Same reason they are cutting out PE and complaining that the kids are getting fat for all I know? Yep. I know. They blame lower funding for the schools. But come on here folks. Dose it really take that much cash money to do a really good job of teaching? Yeah, you got to pay the teachers and the better they are the more you better pay them to keep them there teaching your kids. But then the teachers are like the guy on the line welding stuff together. They are making a product. They are the ones who should get the good pay, I say, not the folks with the fancy degree (fancier in the case of teachers) shuffling papers on a nice big desk while sitting in a comfy chair. They should also be let to do their jobs instead of baby sitting or trying to use politically correct language to tell parents that Johnny would read better if there was stuff at home for him to read or if he ever saw his parents reading. And maybe just maybe, little Anna Bell really would rather be a nurse than a doctor or even a farmer! We all need to realize that there are real jobs out there that are extremely important that don't get paid enough, but should at least get some respect for the folks who do them and do them well.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Alt Op # 40, Economic downer
Lots of bright minds in DC and other places are coming up with all kinds of plans to “Save the Economy.” Well, folks, here is where I get not only alternative but down right gloomy.
I don’t think the “economy” that we have developed over the last century or so can be saved. I don’t think it can be saved because it is inherently unsustainable. Why do I believe that? Who am I to say such a thing? I’m a regular gal. Slightly over educated, but not in economics. But I read all kinds of things from all kinds of places. I’m not the only one who thinks our present economy is doomed. As to why I agree that it is doomed, keep reading.
Our economy today is dependent on one and only one energy source. If you don’t get your energy from that then you don’t get, by our economy’s standards, “enough to do anything.” No, that energy source in not electricity. That is just how we use a lot of it. The real, the basic energy source is fossil fuel. Oh, here is where I might point out that even the uranium used in nuclear reactors is a fossil fuel, perhaps the oldest one, left over from the very formation of the planet.
That dependency on fossil fuel wouldn’t be quite so bad if we used them, and had always used them, in a wise and frugal manner. But we didn’t and with the outlook our economy insists we have in today’s society we never will. We use them lavishly and wastefully.
We are using them that way even though they are no longer cheap and easy to get. You’ve all read the horror stories about “fracking” as it relates to the process of getting oil or gas out of non-permeable shale. Want to know why we are only now finding out about this problem? Because until now the oil and gas folks didn’t need to do any fracking where people rich enough or close enough to a big city TV station could bitch about it. The only reason they do it where they do it now is because they have to. Why? Because there ain’t no more else where!
Yep, that is one of the big reasons the economy is, in my opinion going to go bust. We are running out of the stuff we use to make it go. Coal? HA! What they’d have to do to make that run your car or truck is way more expensive than gas is now. Yeah, it could power an electric car, but without a lot of filtering the smoke from the stacks would have us all suffering from COPD before long.
Then there is the basic outlook our economics has taught us to have. We deserve a raise just because we showed up for work most days and were generally on time. We think we deserve a raise even if the cost of living our life dose not go up.
Why? If we have enough to live on, enough to eat, keep reasonably warm in winter, cool in summer and stay dry and comfy when it rains, and friends / family to keep us company, why do we need more money? More stuff? Human nature? Maybe. Maybe not. Somehow I think our present wastrel life style has taught us this outlook. Now we throw out things even our grandparents would have repaired and kept using. These wasteful habits of ours are really rather new to our culture and will end it.
What to do, specifically what to do NOW to survive the end of oil and the modern economy? Start a sustainable food garden. Read up on Permaculture. Learn to walk again. Help any interested neighbors start their own gardens. Work with nature, not against it.
I don’t think the “economy” that we have developed over the last century or so can be saved. I don’t think it can be saved because it is inherently unsustainable. Why do I believe that? Who am I to say such a thing? I’m a regular gal. Slightly over educated, but not in economics. But I read all kinds of things from all kinds of places. I’m not the only one who thinks our present economy is doomed. As to why I agree that it is doomed, keep reading.
Our economy today is dependent on one and only one energy source. If you don’t get your energy from that then you don’t get, by our economy’s standards, “enough to do anything.” No, that energy source in not electricity. That is just how we use a lot of it. The real, the basic energy source is fossil fuel. Oh, here is where I might point out that even the uranium used in nuclear reactors is a fossil fuel, perhaps the oldest one, left over from the very formation of the planet.
That dependency on fossil fuel wouldn’t be quite so bad if we used them, and had always used them, in a wise and frugal manner. But we didn’t and with the outlook our economy insists we have in today’s society we never will. We use them lavishly and wastefully.
We are using them that way even though they are no longer cheap and easy to get. You’ve all read the horror stories about “fracking” as it relates to the process of getting oil or gas out of non-permeable shale. Want to know why we are only now finding out about this problem? Because until now the oil and gas folks didn’t need to do any fracking where people rich enough or close enough to a big city TV station could bitch about it. The only reason they do it where they do it now is because they have to. Why? Because there ain’t no more else where!
Yep, that is one of the big reasons the economy is, in my opinion going to go bust. We are running out of the stuff we use to make it go. Coal? HA! What they’d have to do to make that run your car or truck is way more expensive than gas is now. Yeah, it could power an electric car, but without a lot of filtering the smoke from the stacks would have us all suffering from COPD before long.
Then there is the basic outlook our economics has taught us to have. We deserve a raise just because we showed up for work most days and were generally on time. We think we deserve a raise even if the cost of living our life dose not go up.
Why? If we have enough to live on, enough to eat, keep reasonably warm in winter, cool in summer and stay dry and comfy when it rains, and friends / family to keep us company, why do we need more money? More stuff? Human nature? Maybe. Maybe not. Somehow I think our present wastrel life style has taught us this outlook. Now we throw out things even our grandparents would have repaired and kept using. These wasteful habits of ours are really rather new to our culture and will end it.
What to do, specifically what to do NOW to survive the end of oil and the modern economy? Start a sustainable food garden. Read up on Permaculture. Learn to walk again. Help any interested neighbors start their own gardens. Work with nature, not against it.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Alt Op # 39 : Don't call me! Call 911!
Okay folks, this is just a little silly. In the past month two different folks have called me to tell me that there was either a fire somewhere or that there had been and now there was smoke somewhere it shouldn’t be.
First, thanks for the vote of confidence, BUT!
Don’t call me, or any other person you know to be a volunteer firefighter when there is an emergency situation. If there is a grass fire headed toward your property; house or barns, or if there is smoke inside your house for some odd reason call 911, don’t call someone on the fire department! 911 is the fastest way to get someone there to help you.
Okay if you just want to know if there is still a burn ban on, or if it’s a good idea to set off fireworks go ahead and call up your friend on the VFD. But if it is an emergency and you need help call 911! Calling a member of the department will not really get help there any faster. Calling them second might get them to the fire house ahead of the others.
Remember most real emergencies, medical, fire, or accident usually require more than one person and even specialized equipment like fire trucks or an AED and not every single person on the department can use ALL the equipment. If you call 911 and tell them what the problem is they can tell the local VFD faster than one of the members can call up everybody on the phone. Then we all go to the firehouse, get what we need and get to where ever we need to go.
And that brings me to another big problem. When you call 911 know where you are! Know where the problem is! If you call from a land line the address you are calling from shows up at the 911 office, but it helps if you also tell the dispatcher your address number and road. Then you can elaborate a bit and say it’s this or that color house with something noticeable (if anything) out front. If they ask you can give them simple, clear directions. You should have also told them exactly what the emergency is. Maybe you burnt that pot of beans and the house is full of smoke and all you need is a big fan to blow the smoke out. That’s fine. Make sure they know that’s what you need so they can tell the VFD. If your friend just fell down after complaining of a sudden pain in his left arm and stopped breathing, be sure they know that and be ready to do what they tell you to do.
However, if there’s smoke in your house or it’s on fire don’t even bother calling 911 until you and your family is out of the house! And don’t go back in! Use a cell phone or your neighbors phone and call 911 from OUTSIDE the house.
If you use a cell phone to call 911 about an emergency on the road or otherwise, be very sure you can tell them where you are. Preferably something like “Hwy 69 near the water tower just north of 513.” or “the water tower north of the river bridges.” Be as specific as you can. It’s very frustrating to be wandering up and down roads trying to find somebody who’s called for help when you’ve only been given a very general location like “somewhere on 513!” when the actual problem is at the fourth house east of 513 on 21whatever and THAT is actually closer to, say 2947 than to 513. See what I mean.
When you need help you almost always need it quick. So call 911 rather than an individual. After all it is entirely possible that all the volunteers on the VFD could be at work and/or out of town at the particular time you need help. If that happens and you only call your friend on the department then you are, as they say, S. O. L. But if you call 911, give them a good idea of the problem and an accurate address and/or good directions then one of the surrounding VFD’s can come help you. Or at least come looking for you if you don't give them an address or good directions.
First, thanks for the vote of confidence, BUT!
Don’t call me, or any other person you know to be a volunteer firefighter when there is an emergency situation. If there is a grass fire headed toward your property; house or barns, or if there is smoke inside your house for some odd reason call 911, don’t call someone on the fire department! 911 is the fastest way to get someone there to help you.
Okay if you just want to know if there is still a burn ban on, or if it’s a good idea to set off fireworks go ahead and call up your friend on the VFD. But if it is an emergency and you need help call 911! Calling a member of the department will not really get help there any faster. Calling them second might get them to the fire house ahead of the others.
Remember most real emergencies, medical, fire, or accident usually require more than one person and even specialized equipment like fire trucks or an AED and not every single person on the department can use ALL the equipment. If you call 911 and tell them what the problem is they can tell the local VFD faster than one of the members can call up everybody on the phone. Then we all go to the firehouse, get what we need and get to where ever we need to go.
And that brings me to another big problem. When you call 911 know where you are! Know where the problem is! If you call from a land line the address you are calling from shows up at the 911 office, but it helps if you also tell the dispatcher your address number and road. Then you can elaborate a bit and say it’s this or that color house with something noticeable (if anything) out front. If they ask you can give them simple, clear directions. You should have also told them exactly what the emergency is. Maybe you burnt that pot of beans and the house is full of smoke and all you need is a big fan to blow the smoke out. That’s fine. Make sure they know that’s what you need so they can tell the VFD. If your friend just fell down after complaining of a sudden pain in his left arm and stopped breathing, be sure they know that and be ready to do what they tell you to do.
However, if there’s smoke in your house or it’s on fire don’t even bother calling 911 until you and your family is out of the house! And don’t go back in! Use a cell phone or your neighbors phone and call 911 from OUTSIDE the house.
If you use a cell phone to call 911 about an emergency on the road or otherwise, be very sure you can tell them where you are. Preferably something like “Hwy 69 near the water tower just north of 513.” or “the water tower north of the river bridges.” Be as specific as you can. It’s very frustrating to be wandering up and down roads trying to find somebody who’s called for help when you’ve only been given a very general location like “somewhere on 513!” when the actual problem is at the fourth house east of 513 on 21whatever and THAT is actually closer to, say 2947 than to 513. See what I mean.
When you need help you almost always need it quick. So call 911 rather than an individual. After all it is entirely possible that all the volunteers on the VFD could be at work and/or out of town at the particular time you need help. If that happens and you only call your friend on the department then you are, as they say, S. O. L. But if you call 911, give them a good idea of the problem and an accurate address and/or good directions then one of the surrounding VFD’s can come help you. Or at least come looking for you if you don't give them an address or good directions.
Alt Op #38 Buzzes and bites
This time I’d like to talk about buzzwords and sound bites.
First let me give you a definition of these two words. Buzzword means: a fashionable word or concept, often associated with a particular group of people and not understood by outsiders (informal)
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Sound bite, on the other hand, means : brief broadcast remark: a very short comment or phrase intended or suitable for broadcasting in a news program, especially one by a politician. Their use is often regarded as demonstrating superficiality and glibness.
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
There is even a game called buzzword bingo that can be played when you know you will be sitting through a boring meeting or speech likely to be loaded with the things. You simply make up a bingo card before the meeting with a list of the most likely buzzwords the speaker will use and then pass it out to your friends. A number of words used for a ‘bingo’ is decided on and when you are able to check of that number of words on your card you either yell ‘bingo’ or, if you just don’t want to get in trouble then you raise your hand and ask a question, dealing with the subject, that has the word bingo in it somewhere.
Sounds like something we should all do when listening to either the news or political speeches. It might make it harder for them to lead us blindly about with these kinds of words.
The problem is that while these words may have once actually carried a definite meaning, buzzwords especially as they are usually taken from a technical jargon of some kind or other, that meaning has usually been lost or diluted when it becomes popularly used. “Green” for instance. Once it was just a color. Then it became a movement. Then it became a descriptive for a special form of whatever other word it was tacked onto as a descriptive. We now have “green power”, “green fuels”, “green economy”, and any number of other “green” things. It has become as bad as the word “lite” or “light” and just as misleading or, in this case; fattening!
Sound bites are just as bad. We all think we know what they mean. But these short groups of words that may or may not stir the soul one way or the other, have been taken completely out of context and used that way so often I doubt some of us even know what they once really meant.
One that bothers me, that I have heard recently is “Class War.” It was being used to refer to the idea, a splendid one in my opinion, that maybe; just maybe, those who have scads of money should pay the same tax rate as everyone else. Not MORE than everyone else, just the SAME as everyone else.
Now I’m not against people who have a lot of money. I’d really like to be one someday. I’d have no problem paying taxes on what I earned then, just as I have none paying what I owe now. How dose that make the very idea the opening shot of a “class war?”
First let me give you a definition of these two words. Buzzword means: a fashionable word or concept, often associated with a particular group of people and not understood by outsiders (informal)
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Sound bite, on the other hand, means : brief broadcast remark: a very short comment or phrase intended or suitable for broadcasting in a news program, especially one by a politician. Their use is often regarded as demonstrating superficiality and glibness.
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
There is even a game called buzzword bingo that can be played when you know you will be sitting through a boring meeting or speech likely to be loaded with the things. You simply make up a bingo card before the meeting with a list of the most likely buzzwords the speaker will use and then pass it out to your friends. A number of words used for a ‘bingo’ is decided on and when you are able to check of that number of words on your card you either yell ‘bingo’ or, if you just don’t want to get in trouble then you raise your hand and ask a question, dealing with the subject, that has the word bingo in it somewhere.
Sounds like something we should all do when listening to either the news or political speeches. It might make it harder for them to lead us blindly about with these kinds of words.
The problem is that while these words may have once actually carried a definite meaning, buzzwords especially as they are usually taken from a technical jargon of some kind or other, that meaning has usually been lost or diluted when it becomes popularly used. “Green” for instance. Once it was just a color. Then it became a movement. Then it became a descriptive for a special form of whatever other word it was tacked onto as a descriptive. We now have “green power”, “green fuels”, “green economy”, and any number of other “green” things. It has become as bad as the word “lite” or “light” and just as misleading or, in this case; fattening!
Sound bites are just as bad. We all think we know what they mean. But these short groups of words that may or may not stir the soul one way or the other, have been taken completely out of context and used that way so often I doubt some of us even know what they once really meant.
One that bothers me, that I have heard recently is “Class War.” It was being used to refer to the idea, a splendid one in my opinion, that maybe; just maybe, those who have scads of money should pay the same tax rate as everyone else. Not MORE than everyone else, just the SAME as everyone else.
Now I’m not against people who have a lot of money. I’d really like to be one someday. I’d have no problem paying taxes on what I earned then, just as I have none paying what I owe now. How dose that make the very idea the opening shot of a “class war?”
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