Victoria, BC. Out in the suburbs. 302 seats.
Plattsburg? Been, done that. Used to live in Montreal. Plattsburg was the "local" U.S. shopping centre (center?).
-- Cheers Roger T.
Victoria, BC. Out in the suburbs. 302 seats.
Plattsburg? Been, done that. Used to live in Montreal. Plattsburg was the "local" U.S. shopping centre (center?).
-- Cheers Roger T.
Jim, what do you teach?
On my recent trip (Montreal to Maritimes and back) some poor benighted Canadian gave me several loonies in change - I later noticed one of them looked funny - it was a Susan B (US Susan B. Anthony dollar coin, gold colored).
On re-reading my post, I feel I should make clear that I was only satirizing the chauvinistic and jingoistic attitude expressed by some, as well as commenting on the fellow's misfortune to lose 30 cents US (and that of the person who passed it to him - although some of the sort mentioned in the first sentence above will do anything to get ride of a Susan B lest if corrupt their manhood or pollute their precious essences or some such).
Me, I like Canada and Canadians, particulary those from Cape Breton. I do draw the line at poutine, however, even poutine Italienne.
I did it the cheap way. Paid the first semester, then let the employer reimburse me at 90%, which mostly paid for the second semester, at which point I was reimbursed again...
It took 5 years but I came out with my AAS.
I opted to not go with the Bachelors because I didn't feel I could put up with the Political Correctness BS at university.
Jay Modeling the North Shore & North Western C&NW/CNS&M in 1940-1955 Due to spam, all e-mails except those from selected addresses will be refused. Thanks for your understanding.
BZZZT! Wrong answer. Susan Bs are cupro-nickel, minted 1979-81. The newer gold-colored coins are of Sacagawea, the Shoshone (?) guide that assisted Lewis & Clark, and I daresay made their trip a whole lot smoother. Not sure when they started minting those, but late 90s or 2000 is a reasonable guess.
Jay Modeling the North Shore & North Western C&NW/CNS&M in 1940-1955 Due to spam, all e-mails except those from selected addresses will be refused. Thanks for your understanding.
I'm glad you enjoyed your trip. And of course we Capers are the friendliest of the lot.
Glen Port Morien, Cape Breton
My first response was tongue in cheek as well, because I didn't think this particular public arena was a place to be talking about my income.
Well my second reponse was tongue in cheek as well. But from a practical standpoint, if I were to try and get a college degree at my age, I'd be giving up my standard of living as well as my hard-won spot in my profession for a questionable future, as well as forking over a lot of money. In other words, it's not really a good idea.
That's the real killer, to someone already established. I estimate the cost of a 4-year degree for me - allowing for what might count from my rougly one year at UC - and opportunity cost - would be in excess of $400,000. It would mean 3-4 years of poverty, and emerging in debt as a 50-year old fart with a degree and rusty in the area of real world experience. Like I said, not a very good idea.
True. In my profession a degree is not a requirement except in big company jobs. And at the time I jumped ship and entered my profession (1977), it was starving for talent. I doubled my take home pay from my college job, instantly, and in less than three years was making double that again.
No question I made the most income during my self-employed years (1991-2002) but then it becomes a gray area, you have additional expenses, it's difficult to compare. I gave it up for personal reasons... it was just the right time, and at the same time a job opportunity came along so I took it.
It's a different world, but intersects the same world that I exist in. There is no shortage of opportunity to form business and personal relationships in the working world, perhaps moreso in my profession than burger-flipping :-) but still, its out there. I suppose if I missed anything at all by not finishing college, it would be just the experience of completing it as a long-term, formal process. If I had stayed in school 3 more years, I would have not met the people I met early on in my working career that shaped my life for the next 25 years... and continue to be part of my life. Would not have met my wife either... no marriage, no divorce - at least not with her! Perhaps I could have been equally successful on another path, or moreso. But no reason to dwell on the unknowable - I'm the sum total of my experience to date, and I find it acceptable.
Andy
I went to a state university when it was inexpensive (okay cheap). Got up to $39 a semester by the time I graduated.
The degree got me in the door. Ability kept me there. All the contacts in the world don't cover ineptitude (at least in engineering). Didn't join the alumni association and have contact with only one of my college buddies.
My boss in the old days used to talk me up to potential customers. He would get going in his sales mode, and close a deal... months later I'd get introduced to the new client, and I always waited with amusement to see how I had been portrayed. Once I was fooling around with a customer's computer and I guess the subject of college sports came up, and I mentioned going to UC basketball games in the Armory Fieldhouse. The guy got a puzzled look on his face and said "I thought you went to M.I.T.?" First time that one happened I busted out laughing and said "I can't even spell M.I.T." - fortunately the "little white lies" never became a problem for me... although the boss probably had some explaining to do at the next meeting. I just never went along with the ruse of the week, and it seemed to solidify my relationship with the customers (many of whom are still with me 20 years later), and the good-natured adversarial relationship with the boss made us an "interesting" team as one customer put it.
Andy
I teach in a department of engineering technology, but I am the only one there who specializes in production systems, so I teach quality, production control, plant layout, and time study. I am coauthor of two books for such classes which support my trains.
I also have one course "Technology and Cultural Relevance" which is a general (and gentle) introduction to thinking about how individuals in the world react to technological change. (Including railroading)
I went back for a PhD in engineering 15 years ago, after 30 years in industry around the world. (I guess I am responsible for some of this flight to third world countries. Seems like all the good paying engineering jobs were helping startups). So I understand enough about tough times, production workers, and how the factory floor really operates. I try to get this through to my students. The older ones catch on fast.... The others come back after a few years and tell me examples that could have come out of my rambling lectures.
I come from a family where education was not obtained, but prized. My Dad was a tool and die maker and I learned my way around a shop at about 10. (It was between my Lionel Trains and my Ham radio stuff in the basement) All of my uncles were engineers, though. I really never had a chance. It seems to be in Scottish blood, like Haggis....
Jim Stewart
I always thought the trip was bumpier- at night.
Jim Stewart
Yes, I like that answer, for what my opinion is worth. I could see that in my dad. He tried management, but hated it. He was a great tool and die maker. He liked doing it and talked with enthusiasm about projects while I went to engineering school. He was an active mason and Tyler of his lodge. (as I am this year) He was a clown in the shriners and his friends left a considerable sum to the NJ shriners hospital upon his demise. He left my mother enough to live her life with dignity. And he played golf with a 25 handicap. (Mine is about 40) ;-). What more could be expected from a life?
Oh, yes, he left two children with a firm understanding that you must work hard for anything you want. And that usually it is much more valuable gotten the "old fashoned" way.
I also got, through his mason friends, to see several GG1's up close. I have five of them for my layout. Seems when I left New Jersey and the early 60's I thought I would never look back. Now they are growing HO scale in the Train room...
Just a note, most graduate work is done with some assistantship. We pay many of our masters students about 900 a month and free tuition for half a day's work PhD students usually get paid as a lowest level teacher.
Jim Stewart
I went to Newark College of Engineering. Books cost more than tuition. The school was on High Street in the worst neighborhood in Newark. It was designed to become a factory if we didn't contribute to the economy....
I did learn to play bridge there....
Jim Stewart
On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 22:21:20 UTC, snipped-for-privacy@hhcustom.com (Andy Harman) wrote: 2000
In engineering aptitude counts for more than education. There is an engineering mindset that is needed to do the job well. If you don't have it you may be adequate if you have enough desire and work hard enough, but no more. OTOH there are some tools that are best learned in school but most skills are learned on the job. The engineering education I saw in the late '80s (just before retirement) was not encouraging.
The Sacagawea (sp?) is round, not 11-sided... the SBA has the straight edges but just stamped on the inside, you can't really feel it. The Sac and the SBA had to be the same size and weight to work in coin-op machines... although probably the only machines that take them are at the post office and in casinos. I never see either dollar coin in circulation unless I buy something from the vending machine at the post office - buy a roll of 37 cent stamps, insert 2 Jeffersons into the machine, and get 3 SBA's as change.
Once I paid for a pizza with a whole stack of SBA's. Guy gave me a weird look until he looked at them under the light. I imagine anyone who handles money for a living - cashier, banker, pizza person... probably sees a lot more interesting stuff.
My brother once sold about $5 worth of candy to a girl who paid with 5 silver dollars, when he worked at a convenience store. Brother got 5 silver dollars for 5 bucks, little girl probably got serious spanking from her mom/grandma/whatever!
Andy
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no....... actually I found I was 40 pounds overweight and getting worse. decided I needed a more physical job, and went to a 1 year underground mining school. That was almost 30 years ago, and had my business after doing that.
John H.
Actually you made out well, but so did the Canadian who gave you the coin, as no bank in Canada will (some exceptions may exist) even accept US coins at PAR. They say it cost too much to ship them back to the US.
"NERD" <
I don't think any bank anywhere in the world accepts coinage for that very reason.
Always try to unload your foreign coinage before your flight, or drive, home. Although in Canada you can use U.S. coinage anywhere for retail sales.
-- Cheers Roger T.
What? My bank here in the 'States accepts US coins.
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