Vote today... Mitt Romney or Barack Obama

[FrantzM]

Franz- agree, but information is not entertaining. And hardly worth devoting 24/7, constant bombardment of conjecture, opinion and catering to the audience segment. BBC is decent, frankly, I've started reading ex-US news through aggegators and hardly ever watch TV 'news.' Cartoons are actually not just more entertaining, but often more informative.

Hi

I do not want to look backwards. i rarely do but there were mechanisms (laws) in place that mandated equal time and fairness (Equal Time and Fairness Doctrine). They were both repealed the First during Reagan Presidency and the second most recently (People with more knowledge of the Law will corect me if necessary) that would have curtailed or made very difficult the birth and success of outfits such as FoxNews (very extreme if you ask me) or MSNBC or countless others but these two are the have come to signify the rise of partisan broadcast channels on TV. We should have a hard look at the present situation and evaluate the effects of the repeals. One could say that it hasn't been too good so far. The will of the People seems to still work despite the Financial "success" of FNC. yet the existence of such powerful and well frequented outlets distort the political reality. One could argue tht extremism would not be such in our political reality if it weren;t for such outlets. News is too important to be only entertainment. I see that as a dangerous trend. IME, IMHO, YMMV, etc

I am with you. I have come to understand better what is going on in the World by making sure of watching American Broadcast News last.. The BBC is good but so is the French Outlet AFP (Agences France Presse).. for a different view on World events. Are they unbiased? No. Not really but the emphasis is on facts not on entertainment or partisans coloring.
I have previously mentioned Education. In a world increasingly interdependent, I continue to remain astonished by the insularity of too many Americans and that also colors the Political discourse especially on Foreign Affairs. The tone on the Campaign was strange talking about allies as if they were lepers (Europe) or about about our main, manufacturing partner some would say base as a child to straighten-out (China). I could bet that the microphones through which blusters were proferred were "Made In China" .. Our leaders when elected have to meet and deal and sign treaties with people they recently disrespected ... It makes America positions difficult it makes treatin even with Friends and with enemies or adversaries an impossible task and that has an impact on our bottom line on our economy. Understanding , which only comes with Education avoids or at least mitigates that.. more it allow people a better mastery of their destiny... The USA is the most entrepreneurial country on the planet and for it to create jobs it must look forward, at the 21st century.. Manufacturing jobs of the past 50 years will not come back. New jobs will be in New sectors and those will come only with R&D which again suggest Education... it has to be made affordable it is a cost we must bear for a better future ... Education. high level , affordable Education cannot be always defered, it is something that must be approached right today ...

I'll stop there I find myself in a strange political mood .. I must be happy

 

[Bill Hart]

Frantz- I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa in the 50's -60's. By the mid-70's, the steel mills were dying, and heavy manufacturing, for all sorts of industries, was beginning to migrate overseas- Japan had excellent quality steel, and precision construction of trains and other industrial equipment (and by then, the US prejudice against 'Japanese made' goods from WWII was waning). In any event, that town was dismal- heavy unemployment of mill workers- skilled, but not trained for a different, more service-oriented economy. Although there were job training programs to help adults transition, I'm not sure how effective they were. The reality was, the old mill guys just died off, and the younger folks, even those who were not interested in 'white collar' jobs, did something else. (Coal mining was also big in the region, similar issues- in those days, it was a good paying, if dangerous job and one could start without skills and work their way up). All those kinds of jobs are scarce today- automobile manufacturing the Detroit way is a dinosaur, the cars built in the South are not only cheaper, more modern factories for the most part, but better in quality. (Think Toyota, BMW and others who build here now). But, what do we do with a vast potential workforce that has neither the skill nor the inclination for advanced education and doesn't really want to go into a profession? Even there, law jobs and financial services jobs are scarce, doctors and quality educators are probably a need. Some new form of WPA for our infrastructure? I dunno. Training for the future is great, but for what?

 

[cjfrbw]

Very well said, Frantz.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

But, what do we do with a vast potential workforce that has neither the skill nor the inclination for advanced education and doesn't really want to go into a profession?

Not sure if I agree with your statement, but if so, isn't a huge part of that due to financial constraints? The cost of education needs to come down significantly if that's the case, but we all know that won't happen.

 

[WLVCA]

Wonder if this campaign will push Republicans to reconsider their position on global warming and climate change.

After all, two hurricanes had a bearing on the race.

One disrupted the Republican convention and one gave Obama the opportunity to look Presidential and bipartisan in the final week of the campaign.

 

[jazdoc]

As someone who invested in 9 years of post collegiate education, I understand the importance of learning and training.

However, simply spending more on education doesn't seem to be the answer....

An educational investment has to translate into a viable career choice that produces an adequate return on investment. As outstanding student debt has risen above $1 trillion, it is sad to see so many young people taking on large amount of college debt that will never produce a payoff for them as individuals or for the greater society. We have way to many young people using college to delay adulthood with profound consequences....such as the increasing phenomenon of the Federal government garnishing retirees' Social Security to pay back student loans!

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Obama fumbled many times but I am amused when I hear or read about the "lack of bipartisanship" attributed to Obama... This is a case of re-writing the narrative. Members of the Republican party came forward telling to whoever with a microphone or a pencil that they were going to make sure that this President would be a one-Term... And they tied , the People of the US of A though otherwise thus this Electoral Vote drubbing... Now this behavior from the opposition has morphed into a lack of bi-partisan from the President.. Shouldn't we be a tad more honest?
We need strong parties to keep each other in check and honest .. An motor turn because it has two poles to use a platitude. No problem with disagreement but obstructionism to the scale it has been practiced the past few years will not help even when we re-labelled. The rational recourse would be to be pragmatic but .... but that is the problem with extremism: Ideology becomes reality.. Even in the presence and knowledge of facts.

 

[Bill Hart]

Not sure if I agree with your statement, but if so, isn't a huge part of that due to financial constraints? The cost of education needs to come down significantly if that's the case, but we all know that won't happen.

What i meant was, not everybody wants to be a doctor, lawyer, biotech engineer or other traditional profession which requires many years of school at great cost. etc. I didn't mean to sound like an ass about that and apologize if it sounded like it.

 

[Bill Hart]

One other footnote to Jazzdoc's post about the cost inefficiencies of education. I have been teaching as an adjunct at a law school in NY for some years, soon to start doing so in Austin. Many, many of the law students today are shouldered with huge debt unless their parents are wealthy. Almost any private law school, (not just the Harvards, Columbias or Yales) cost at least 50k/yr. in tuition, some more. Add rent, cost of food, books, computer, clothes, the occasional beer or date or movie or whatever. Going to school in a major metro area (NY, Boston, DC, LA, San Fran, etc), these kids are looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and law jobs are scarce these days for newbies. The old model was, you went to a good school, made law review, got top grades and went to a 'big' firm to make what sounds like a lot of money, coming right out of the box. (In reality, given the cost of living in a place like NYC, that big salary isn't nearly as much as it sounds like, but it's still a nice salary for a 24 year old). Some kids would do it, just to pay off their student loan debt, and then have the freedom to do public service,or whatever. (One went off to write a screenplay that got produced by Hollywood, but that's another story). And those (the 'big law' kids) were the lucky ones, at the top of the heap, from the better schools, with top grades and resumes. Anything less - lesser school, less than top grades- drastic difference in salary, say making 1/3 (or even less) than what the kids with the big firm salaries get. Now, the world has changed. Too many lawyers, too many law students for too few jobs- and saddled with big debt to boot. Working at an underpaying unfulfilling (probably non-law) job (or one that is more in the nature of using their degree to do very low grade, unfulfilling work (think 'collection agent')) , with the prospect of having to carry hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt in your 20's? Pretty depressing.
One area for improvement is to give students some real life professional training, and not just to be researchers or law clerks to work at traditional law firms. Actually teach them how to draft a contract, how to conduct due diligence of an IP portfolio, how to think about interviewing a witness or client and how to be a real working lawyer, not just a theoretician or assistant. Law schools eschewed that for years, because they didn't want to appear to be 'trade schools.' So the students (and firms) relied on ''on the job" training, which is also quite expensive (for the firms). Many students don't get that training now particularly if they aren't getting a job at a decent firm willing to help them along.
How to translate that vital, real life training into the myriad other fields, services, markets and jobs that we need to create? That's the hard part, let alone defining what those jobs are, so they are training for something that is needed in 5 or 10 or 20 years.

 

[cjfrbw]

I have a friend whose brother was a research Phd at a very prestigious research institute in San Diego. He got tired of having his name published fifth on research papers. He studied the law on his own, never went to law school, just did it part time home study with intent and internet, studied what he could of old law boards. He passed California law board on his first try, self taught, now represents some pharmacology companies. I am sure his dual expertise has something to do with his success, but in a world of high ticket education, a story like that give some pause.

The young people who bought my business obviously had affluent parents who stood behind them. They still have crushing debt, and even their parents would not co sign an additional mortgage, so they rent. I can't see them emerging for ten years to afford a home reasonably, unless parental outpatient care kicks in big time. My wife and I only had debt and no parental outpatient care, but still managed to pay debt reasonably quickly and get into a house before our 40's.

 

[Bill Hart]

I have a friend whose brother was a research Phd at a very prestigious research institute in San Diego. He got tired of having his name published fifth on research papers. He studied the law on his own, never went to law school, just did it part time home study with intent and internet, studied what he could of old law boards. He passed California law board on his first try, self taught, now represents some pharmacology companies. I am sure his dual expertise has something to do with his success, but in a world of high ticket education, a story like that give some pause.

The young people who bought my business obviously had affluent parents who stood behind them. They still have crushing debt, and even their parents would not co sign an additional mortgage, so they rent. I can't see them emerging for ten years to afford a home reasonably, unless parental outpatient care kicks in big time. My wife and I only had debt and no parental outpatient care, but still managed to pay debt reasonably quickly and get into a house before our 40's.

Pretty rare these days, 'reading' for the bar. At one point, back when men were men and people rode horses, there were very few law schools and people sort of interned for a lawyer to learn the ropes; at some point they sat for a test of some sort; obviously, that's gotten institutionalized over the years, but the notion of someone taking the bar without going to law school was pretty rare when I started, and I am not sure it is even available in most jurisdictions at this point. Fascinating story, though. The biotech patent lawyers and electronics engineering patent lawyers remain in demand.

 

[egidius]

I have a friend whose brother was a research Phd at a very prestigious research institute in San Diego. He got tired of having his name published fifth on research papers. He studied the law on his own, never went to law school, just did it part time home study with intent and internet, studied what he could of old law boards. He passed California law board on his first try, self taught, now represents some pharmacology companies. I am sure his dual expertise has something to do with his success, but in a world of high ticket education, a story like that give some pause.

The young people who bought my business obviously had affluent parents who stood behind them. They still have crushing debt, and even their parents would not co sign an additional mortgage, so they rent. I can't see them emerging for ten years to afford a home reasonably, unless parental outpatient care kicks in big time. My wife and I only had debt and no parental outpatient care, but still managed to pay debt reasonably quickly and get into a house before our 40's.

pharmacology. like that word!

 

[Bill Hart]

pharmacology. like that word!

Very difficult to pronounce if you are using the product.

 

[Steve Williams]

Market's done very well over the last 4 years and has historically done better w/a Dem pres vs Repub.

finished down 313 points today Bob

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Very difficult to pronounce if you are using the product.

Now that's funny! LOL!

 

[chrisr]

Perhaps the rules have changed since your friend became a lawyer, but California requires a JD or equivalent law degree to sit for the state bar. I'm just guessing (and I don't mean to make an issue of this topic) that he may be a patent agent instead of a patent lawyer.

Patent agents need a 4-year science or engineering degree and need to pass the patent office bar exam. They can represent people before the patent office, but not in court. In other words, they can help people get patents, but they can't help them sue in court over them.

Patent lawyers need a science/engineering degree + JD + patent bar + state bar to represent both at the patent office and in court.

- Your friendly neighborhood patent lawyer

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

- Your friendly neighborhood patent lawyer

Ohoh!

I swear my kitchen table is round and not a square with rounded corners.

 

[chrisr]

John, exactly! Well done.

 

[hvbias]

One other footnote to Jazzdoc's post about the cost inefficiencies of education. I have been teaching as an adjunct at a law school in NY for some years, soon to start doing so in Austin. Many, many of the law students today are shouldered with huge debt unless their parents are wealthy. Almost any private law school, (not just the Harvards, Columbias or Yales) cost at least 50k/yr. in tuition, some more. Add rent, cost of food, books, computer, clothes, the occasional beer or date or movie or whatever. Going to school in a major metro area (NY, Boston, DC, LA, San Fran, etc), these kids are looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and law jobs are scarce these days for newbies. The old model was, you went to a good school, made law review, got top grades and went to a 'big' firm to make what sounds like a lot of money, coming right out of the box. (In reality, given the cost of living in a place like NYC, that big salary isn't nearly as much as it sounds like, but it's still a nice salary for a 24 year old). Some kids would do it, just to pay off their student loan debt, and then have the freedom to do public service,or whatever. (One went off to write a screenplay that got produced by Hollywood, but that's another story). And those (the 'big law' kids) were the lucky ones, at the top of the heap, from the better schools, with top grades and resumes. Anything less - lesser school, less than top grades- drastic difference in salary, say making 1/3 (or even less) than what the kids with the big firm salaries get. Now, the world has changed. Too many lawyers, too many law students for too few jobs- and saddled with big debt to boot. Working at an underpaying unfulfilling (probably non-law) job (or one that is more in the nature of using their degree to do very low grade, unfulfilling work (think 'collection agent')) , with the prospect of having to carry hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt in your 20's? Pretty depressing.
One area for improvement is to give students some real life professional training, and not just to be researchers or law clerks to work at traditional law firms. Actually teach them how to draft a contract, how to conduct due diligence of an IP portfolio, how to think about interviewing a witness or client and how to be a real working lawyer, not just a theoretician or assistant. Law schools eschewed that for years, because they didn't want to appear to be 'trade schools.' So the students (and firms) relied on ''on the job" training, which is also quite expensive (for the firms). Many students don't get that training now particularly if they aren't getting a job at a decent firm willing to help them along.
How to translate that vital, real life training into the myriad other fields, services, markets and jobs that we need to create? That's the hard part, let alone defining what those jobs are, so they are training for something that is needed in 5 or 10 or 20 years.

Sadly I have 3 close friends that have graduated from mid tier law schools that are without law jobs at the moment. All of them worked just as hard as me in med school. One of them works part time at the law school library as a desk clerk, the other at H&R Block doing taxes and third has moved back with his parents. Every one of them with $100k+ in debt. They graduated a few years ago so their tuition wasn't quite as high as it is now.

 

[MylesBAstor]

finished down 313 points today Bob

They'll get used to the tail no longer wagging the dog.