Joey was the new kid who made good. He got out of sewer work, by obtaining a scholarship to a state university. That was about a year ago.
Last night, he showed up with his lunchpail in hand. It was kind of like the end of Flowers For Algernon, when the retarded guy comes in to class, having forgotten everything that happened during the previous year or so. Sad as hell to see, if you ask me, which he didn't.
He didn't seem to want to talk about it. In fact, he seemed bitter as hell. Eventually, I managed to get the story out of him, while we were installing a lifting pump.
It seems that the scholarship money required to keep him in school just evaporated. Something about funding, and tax cuts, and priorities. Seems that, while the big cheeses at Halliburton can get no-oversight, no-bid contracts, a kid with a 3.8 GPA in premed has to go back into the tunnels. Odds are, he'll spend the rest of his life down here with us.
Well, why not? After all, it's not like most Americans can afford to go to the doctor, anyway, and SOMEONE has to keep the shit from geysering out of the sewers. Old Faithful at Yellowstone is one thing; Old Faithful in the middle of a city street is another. Still and all, it IS a shame. Joey really isn't happy here, and I think he would have made a good doctor. He has the smarts, and the right personality. He wanted to go into pediatrics, and I think he would have been really good at that.
Joey is just another sad story among millions. Another kid run down by the crooks and fixers and pimps that we, the people of America, have chosen to lead us. We have sewn the breeze, and we will surely reap the whirlwind. We are becoming a nation of WalMart greeters and - for the lucky ones - blue collar workers. No more doctors, no more scientists, no more engineers (unless you count bullshit like "process engineers"). When I was a young child, I remember hearing Jack Kennedy speaking, just after Sputnik. The poor headshot bastard is probably rolling in his grave right now.
That's all I really have to say about this right now.
- GITM
I wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
I agree
Quote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
As do I. Im struggling myself with cash for University, and I am glad my Goverment is willing to offer low interest loans and have low tuition fees (until 2007). Having American friends who have told me about the costs over there, I cant see even middle class kids going to the better Universities in the future. Then again, maybe that is the idea, though I doubt those at the top care either way.
Quote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
nownow gnome, get back to your lot and make enough money to pay your tithe and barely feed yourself or you'll be shot for treason.
Quote from: The meringueQuote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
nownow gnome, get back to your lot and make enough money to pay your tithe and barely feed yourself or you'll be shot for treason.
they can't shoot him for that. what you think this is? Bushlandia?
Quote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
nownow gnome, get back to your lot and make enough money to pay your tithe and barely feed yourself or you'll be shot for treason.
they can't shoot him for that. what you think this is? Bushlandia?
give it time. Our kids are going to inherit the dystopia our parents created.
Quote from: The meringueQuote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
nownow gnome, get back to your lot and make enough money to pay your tithe and barely feed yourself or you'll be shot for treason.
they can't shoot him for that. what you think this is? Bushlandia?
give it time. Our kids are going to inherit the dystopia our parents created.
Nah! That's what guns are for, mate.
"Violence rules!
Guns are cool.
And we've got guns in our schools!"
Quote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
nownow gnome, get back to your lot and make enough money to pay your tithe and barely feed yourself or you'll be shot for treason.
they can't shoot him for that. what you think this is? Bushlandia?
give it time. Our kids are going to inherit the dystopia our parents created.
Nah! That's what guns are for, mate.
"Violence rules!
Guns are cool.
And we've got guns in our schools!"
dress it up how you want, it's the same schtick all over again.
it's always a good excuse to blame your parents.
Quote from: The MeringueQuote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
nownow gnome, get back to your lot and make enough money to pay your tithe and barely feed yourself or you'll be shot for treason.
they can't shoot him for that. what you think this is? Bushlandia?
give it time. Our kids are going to inherit the dystopia our parents created.
Nah! That's what guns are for, mate.
"Violence rules!
Guns are cool.
And we've got guns in our schools!"
dress it up how you want, it's the same schtick all over again.
Naw. Deeeeuuuuude. It's different.
Quote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The MeringueQuote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCQuote from: The meringueQuote from: gnimbleyI wish I had something witty or intelligent or moving to say right now.
This post deserves that.
nownow gnome, get back to your lot and make enough money to pay your tithe and barely feed yourself or you'll be shot for treason.
they can't shoot him for that. what you think this is? Bushlandia?
give it time. Our kids are going to inherit the dystopia our parents created.
Nah! That's what guns are for, mate.
"Violence rules!
Guns are cool.
And we've got guns in our schools!"
dress it up how you want, it's the same schtick all over again.
Naw. Deeeeuuuuude. It's different.
in 1851 russia finally abolished serfdom because they were lagging behind the world in every single repect it's possible to be behind the 8-ball in. a little over 55 years later ther was an 8 year revolution because the country's infrastructure couldn't adapt fast enough and the first world war was crippling their economy. After Lenin's dying from a series of strokes stalin comes in on a bloody coup and works 30 million people to death "fixing" the problem. and that's still a smaller note in history than the holocaust.
These days in russia people still die of the cold in winter for the same reasons they were dying of the cold 150+ years ago. sure... different.
New boss = old boss.
Sure boss. Whatever you say boss.
What makes you think the shooting would stop, this time?
Quote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCSure boss. Whatever you say boss.
What makes you think the shooting would stop, this time?
a little hope, some alcohol and free sex, or if that doesn't work there's always the benevolent semi-plutocratic meritocracy.
Quote from: The meringueQuote from: Irreverend Hugh, KSCSure boss. Whatever you say boss.
What makes you think the shooting would stop, this time?
a little hope, some alcohol and free sex, or if that doesn't work there's always the benevolent semi-plutocratic meritocracy.
But who cares about little joey? Fuck little joey! what about little billy? Huh? how come no one talks about little billy?
This is gonna be a bit of a tangent, but it's always fun to try to stay at a college over a vacation. The bueraucracy remains even when 90% of the bueraucrats are off partying while the students with the sense not to join the band and go off to play for a basketball tournament so they can get back to the dorms at 1 am saturday and be locked out (go look at the beginning of the sentance so you don't get confused by the next part) are off getting wasted.
So I stayed over at a friend's house with 3 other band members and her 5 or so roommates. Was kinda amazed I was able to sleep with Star Wars playing downstairs. I remember the podracing scene, then I was out.
Next morning the friend discovered she was sick, but we got back to the campus, called some people, and were able to get into our rooms so we could take stuff over to the place they'd let us sleep. Which turned out to be beds in a lounge in a gigantic maze of a dorm complex that's rumored to have been designed to prevent riots. Had to wander to the third floor to find a shower and to the fourth to find a microwave.
Couldn't find a place to eat, so I had ramen and vending machine food. And what I really wanted to say in responce to the rant is that by some odd coincidence (Which we found many of) my RA was staying in the same room. So we talked, and mentined various professors with abyssmal intellects (the B and C students get the jobs, the ones with 4.0s go on to some high-paying bullshit), the fact that we've been reduced to hunter-gatherers with the closing of the dining halls, and he hinted that he'd had to take the RA job to stay in school, and that it was taking too much time for him to study enough.
This is my way of saying, Loved the rant. I never know how I should end em, though.
Damn.
This hit way too close to home. Way too close.
My brother got by on grants and loans, but will I be able to? I doubt it. I have an excellent GPA and I qualified for a grant and numerous scholarships a couple of years ago. I found out that I don't now.
When you cut taxes you cut funding, and we weren't too big on funding for education anyway. Our educational system is failing people at every level. We're missing the point of "protecting our future".
Quote from: HoshikoThis hit way too close to home. Way too close.
My brother got by on grants and loans, but will I be able to? I doubt it. I have an excellent GPA and I qualified for a grant and numerous scholarships a couple of years ago. I found out that I don't now.
When you cut taxes you cut funding, and we weren't too big on funding for education anyway. Our educational system is failing people at every level. We're missing the point of "protecting our future".
Too true.
Welcome to the post-American century.
Well, they were so free with the money that too many people were going to college. We can't have the 'lower' classes making it, can we? :roll:
Quote from: Eldora, Oracle of AlchemyWell, they were so free with the money that too many people were going to college. We can't have the 'lower' classes making it, can we? :roll:
Not at all. They get airs, you see. Pretty soon, they start thinking that they are just as good as the rich people.
Quote from: The Good Reverend RogerQuote from: Eldora, Oracle of AlchemyWell, they were so free with the money that too many people were going to college. We can't have the 'lower' classes making it, can we? :roll:
Not at all. They get airs, you see. Pretty soon, they start thinking that they are just as good as the rich people.
And don't forget the part about earning a decent wage. :twisted:
Quote from: Eldora, Oracle of AlchemyQuote from: The Good Reverend RogerQuote from: Eldora, Oracle of AlchemyWell, they were so free with the money that too many people were going to college. We can't have the 'lower' classes making it, can we? :roll:
Not at all. They get airs, you see. Pretty soon, they start thinking that they are just as good as the rich people.
And don't forget the part about earning a decent wage. :twisted:
That's like
stealing from the company!
Quote from: The Good Reverend RogerQuote from: Eldora, Oracle of AlchemyQuote from: The Good Reverend RogerQuote from: Eldora, Oracle of AlchemyWell, they were so free with the money that too many people were going to college. We can't have the 'lower' classes making it, can we? :roll:
Not at all. They get airs, you see. Pretty soon, they start thinking that they are just as good as the rich people.
And don't forget the part about earning a decent wage. :twisted:
That's like stealing from the company!
:lol:
Quote from: HoshikoThis hit way too close to home. Way too close.
Don't worry, I won't do it again.
You guys are brutal.