MARCOTIMES

THE HIGH COST OF EDUCATION

1/2/2012

The lofty goals of the human race have been purged by the barriers that man has constructed around quality education. Years ago, education was a driving force for the advancement of a society into the modern world; Kennedy comes to mind when he said: "ABC is for you and me." However, now, in this modern world, it is best to be an ignorant fool so those that have had the privilege of a higher/costly education can take advantage of the profit that ensues from unopinionated masses and videogame gaga kids who consume voraciously, like fire ants in summer.

A grandson's path to choose: study or play?

8 Comments

marco A. miranda sr. link

5/3/2012 08:22:38 am

REGIME CHANGE --- I listened to the eminent Professor expound on our current events: “When you have a country rich in natural resources that is mismanaged and abused, there is always regime change. It is a much preferred option to having the UN or a coalition of countries produce sanctions, organize military campaigns and invade the country in order to remove those responsible for its mismanagement.”
“Professor, that is easy to say but there must be something more tangible to initiate such drastic procedure”
He put his hands in front of him and had his fingers build the usual steeple supposed to indicate weighed opinion and three-dimensional wisdom. He replied:
“The signs are there for all to see. Neglecting the UN for years and ignoring its resolutions. A weak economy, high unemployment, inflation. Poor social services that cause a large percentage of the population to have no medical assistance. Corruption in public places where nepotism is rampant. Building palaces all over. Widespread fraud and corruption in protected private industrial sectors where favoritism is more than rampant. Leaders who neglect to see this happening and do nothing about it deserved to be removed. Especially if they use their power to brain wash entire sections of the population in favor of diversions meant to disguise their ineptitude”
“Yes Professor, Ahmadinejad has to go!”
“Listen you idiot, I was not talking about him!”

Marco A. Miranda Sr. link

5/3/2012 08:39:33 am



IRAN, AGAIN?

"Professor, are we going to have another invasion? Isn't Iraq and Afghanistan enough? Are there potential invasions in other countries in the Middle East and North Africa after we get over our recent upheaval and economic catastrophe?"
Before answering the Professor looked out the window of the Lear 60 and gestured for me to look. He pointed to several of the Caribbean islands that seemed to have been put together with the same charm and elegance as a necklace of pearl is blended together. It was indeed a lovely view.
Elena, his companion sitting in a back seat of the plane where she had dozed off and on, said:
“A view like this deserves another flute of Champagne!”
While I do not like to abandon the pilot's seat while in flight, traffic to St Thomas Island and the Virgin Islands this morning was scarce so I went back and sat with the Professor, leaving the door to the cabin open and allowing Betty, my lovely hostess-secretary, spiritual support and co-pilot to take over. In addition to being a very attractive hostess and invaluable secretary, she is by now an experienced first officer, not to mention her skill at skiing, tennis and her ability to help me overcome the bouts of anxiety and insecurity that affect me quite regularly.
Just to see the back of her lovely head of silky hair and her exciting neck, plus the sight of the instrument panel even from some distance gave me some reassurance. Also it diminished the guilt associated with breaking a basic flight rule.
The Professor turned to me and pointing at the copy of the NY Times said:
"It seems to me that matters are again getting out of hand with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and if we have to invade Iran, it is my hope that we will not employ the same nebulous rhetoric fabricated for the Iraq invasion. How can we forget that phrase about our troops being received by the Iraqi people with applause and flowers!"
He took a sip of the golden liquid in the flute in front of him and continued:
"Iran is a different cup of tea. For one thing, Iran has every right to develop a nuclear power industry as long as they do so within accepted international guidelines and supervision. The major problem is the poor level of understanding and the faulty knowledge of the nuclear industry that pervades our Administration, which seems to ignore or purposely misunderstand the difference between nuclear power and the production of nuclear weapons."
Keeping my eye on the cabin and watching the slight corrections dictated by the Automatic Pilot, I recalled some of those statements full of glorious bravery made in the recent past about invading Iran; made with such finality that you could almost hear the B-52's overhead and listen to the frightening swoosh of those Tomahawks leaving the deck of one of the super carriers parked in the Gulf.
"I know what you are thinking" said the Professor. "The fact that a country installs a small reactor does not necessarily mean that nuclear weapons are next. Nuclear products are widely used in health care, medicine, food processing, agriculture, biological and medical research, besides electrical power generation, and a million other uses without the slightest possibility that mushroom clouds will suddenly appear nearby. A basic course on these subjects should be obligatory for the White House, Congress, the Cabinet and everyone within reach in the Administration!"
Another sip of the Bloody Mary and then:
"As far as is known, officially and unofficially, Iran's present plans deal with development of nuclear power plants as they are aware that their substantial oil reserves will not last forever. The fact that they have done some enrichment does not mean that the next step is a nuclear weapon. It takes years to go that route. Remember that it took North Korea 20 years to make a few pounds of plutonium and Libya about the same, even if this last did not make it beyond some innocent conversions of 238 and 235. Meanwhile, diplomacy and international pressure can make sure that such route is not taken."
He paused to take a long look at the islands below. Then, he added: “As usual, the problem with Iran is one that involves human attitudes and reactions. Their current leader, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, seems to thrive in bringing up real and imagined ghosts before the international audience. He is a master at creating doubts and maintaining suspicious, especially in what concerns Iran’s atomic projects.”
“You are right, Profe. One of these days, either the US or the Israelis are going to take him seriously and in hours Iran will be quickly cleaning up pieces of reactor walls, uranium isotope charges and those smelly and radioactive boron bars!”
He continued;
“We can not ignore Ahmadinejad’s confrontational tone with the Western powers, especially the US. He is particularly proud to show off his home-made warplanes as they streak over the capital at every

Marco A. MIranda Sr. link

5/3/2012 08:42:06 am

GUNS

The President of the Gun Association, also known as The Top Gun, is hard to get. It had taken me three weeks of one sided pleas with the voice mail system and a crowd of assistants and secretaries to obtain the interview with the Top Gun..
The association's offices are sumptuous. Almost every office has an imposing view of the skyline, the distant mountains in the background or, if located on this side, the view is breathtaking with the lake, the charming villas on the shores and the sailboats lazily coming and going. I observed all this with some apprehension upon meeting the Top Gun.
He asked me point blank about the purpose of my insistence on meeting him. I explained briefly the widespread opinion that guns were too easy to obtain and therefore allowed more deadly encounters. He countered:
"Guns don't kill, people do! But if you look carefully, it is the same kind of empty phrase that says: ‘Cars don't kill, people who drive them do’, ‘Planes don't kill, it is the fuel pump that blows up in the air or the suitcase full of denadrine 6 or gomma -2 that does it, Food doesn't kill, unless it is poisoned", "Fire doesn't kill, unless your house burns down and you are in it", "Exercise don't kill you unless you run into a truck" and so on with ridiculous analogies and phrases that mean absolutely nothing.”
"Sir, do you really believe that guns don't kill people?"
"Absolutely. The people killed in this country by firearms are only a small percentage. The people who commit those crimes would commit them anyway. With axes, bricks or knitting needles. Don't tell me you want to ban the knitting needles. . "
"I don't want to ban anything. I am an impartial reporter, mind you."
"All right, then what is this bullshit about us being responsible for the deaths reported in our cities?"
"For one thing, one of the arguments seems to be based on some reasonable assumptions. If you have a violent situation developing, it is true that anything serves as an offensive weapon. But by the same token, eliminating the most deadly of all of them, will tend to reduce the chances of immediate death"
"Hah!" There was sarcasm and a touch of irritation in his voice. "Listen, choir boy, there are more people killed in car accidents than killed by firearms. So, according to the tenets of that group of dodoes promoting the ban of firearms, if you ban cars, you will eliminate car deaths. Well, let me tell you, the reasoning is absurd."
"But do you not agree with me that not having a gun handy will reduce crimes committed with firearms?"
"Of course, you bullet head! But it will increase those crimes committed with knives, poison, scissors, tooth picks, talcum, television and toilet paper. So, you are gonna ban all of them?"
His reasoning was sound. In a moment of rage, people tend to use any handy object to do harm. I looked at him in the eyes and borrowing the calm but decisive looks of Humphrey Bogart, replied:
“Not at once but we plan to start with guns!”
That is when he grabbed the baseball bat and stood up.