What Do You Think Today?

[aliantha]

The idea in the US, is that college -- particularly a liberal arts college -- is meant not just to train the student for a job in his or her major, but to give them a broad (albeit not deep) cultural education, as well. Hence the history/math/science/foreign language requirements for every student, no matter their eventual major.

If all you want is career training, you're supposed to go to a technical school.

[peter]

The idea in the US, is that college -- particularly a liberal arts college -- is meant not just to train the student for a job in his or her major, but to give them a broad (albeit not deep) cultural education, as well. Hence the history/math/science/foreign language requirements for every student, no matter their eventual major.

If all you want is career training, you're supposed to go to a technical school.

Does it work?

[Avatar]

Good question Peter.

--A

[aliantha]

The idea in the US, is that college -- particularly a liberal arts college -- is meant not just to train the student for a job in his or her major, but to give them a broad (albeit not deep) cultural education, as well. Hence the history/math/science/foreign language requirements for every student, no matter their eventual major.

If all you want is career training, you're supposed to go to a technical school.

Does it work?

For the tech school kids, usually, I think. For the college kids, it depends on how desperate the workplace is to hire and train new workers.

[peter]

My convenience store franchise has introduced it's answer to the Marks and Spencer £10 meal deal [starter, main, bottle of wine and dessert] and come up with the 'Big Night In'; two 'Pot-Noodles and a four pack of 'Fosters' for a fiver.

[michaelm]

My convenience store franchise has introduced it's answer to the Marks and Spencer £10 meal deal [starter, main, bottle of wine and dessert] and come up with the 'Big Night In'; two 'Pot-Noodles and a four pack of 'Fosters' for a fiver.

For some reason I had a mental image of a Reeves and Mortimer sketch when I read that...

[Avatar]

...the 'Big Night In'; two 'Pot-Noodles and a four pack of 'Fosters' for a fiver.

I think I just died a little inside.

--A

[peter]

Trust me Av, you would if you went for the 'Big Night In' deal!

And now; morose thought for the day.

There is only one true destination in life, and it is the same one for all of us. There is only one true aim of all medical research and that is to prevent us from reaching it.

Be lucky

[peter]

My wife worked for the NHS as a hospital domestic for 30 years. Last month her department was transferred to a private outscourcing company who became her new employer [not SERCO, but a company very much like them]. After thirty years of continuous employment in the same position, she was transferred with not so much as a letter of thanks or a well wishing for the future from the NHS which to me seems a bit insensetive. I await to see what tricks her new employers will have up their sleeves, which I'll bet a pound to a penny will not be in *her* interest.

[Orlion]

My wife worked for the NHS as a hospital domestic for 30 years. Last month her department was transferred to a private outscourcing company who became her new employer [not SERCO, but a company very much like them]. After thirty years of continuous employment in the same position, she was transferred with not so much as a letter of thanks or a well wishing for the future from the NHS which to me seems a bit insensetive. I await to see what tricks her new employers will have up their sleeves, which I'll bet a pound to a penny will not be in *her* interest.

That sucks. Hope it works out, though!

[aliantha]

Gotta love capitalism. Happy holidays and thanks for your 30 years of service -- here's your Christmas shaft....

Edited to add: It happens all the time in broadcasting. Somebody posted a question in a Facebook radio forum asking whether anyone had ever been fired over the holidays. You would not believe the number of affirmative responses. Or maybe you would.

[michaelm]

Yes, gone are the days when the worker drone gets rewarded for doing a good job.

A few years ago I was laid off (got a job elsewhere within the same company within weeks fortunately) after getting a great performance review that year. I also got turned down for a promotion that my manager proposed as his manager vetoed it, using as a reason that she didn't feel I had enough experience across different lines of business. I also got no raise that year. Sorry, what was it you said in my review? Exceptional performance? Damn, I'd hate to find out what you do to people who get a bad review!

I had 2 weeks I could spend in the office looking for a job internally (which worked out well), but 3 days after I got the news my manager's manager sent out a message across her organization (about 4,500 people) to say that she was determined to "Reward, recognize and retain the right people". Let me see Reward...nope, recognize...nope, retain the right people...nope.

The company did it to me again last year, along with about a third of the people in my group. Glad to see the back of them, and much happier where I am now (and earning more money).

[peter]

My step-daughters employers [a UK Bank] have placed her entire 'level' of staff [probably thousands up and down the country] under threat of redundancy five times in the last four years. In easch case she waits for some three months to find out if she will loose her job or not, and then has to re-apply to see if she can be re-employed in another position. This threat hangs over her continously, and many have already 'gone to the wall'. Meanwhile the bank posts good profits and sells itself as a top-grade employer. The stress on my step-daughter has reduced her to having 'panic attacks' and a feeling that she just wishes the inevitable would hurry up and happen. WTF!

[michaelm]

It was a bank that I was working for to, although it was a US one.

[peter]

I remember the line in the film 1492 where Columbus questions his patrons [the banks] how they can provide him with funds when the church has decreed his venture heretical. The man stops to consider, "Well, let me put it like this," he says, "There's 'good', there's 'evil'.....and there's banking."

Waheeyyy! The UK press has discovered a new word with which to terrorise the public; "WEATHER BOMB!" [apparently we're in the middle of one!].

[Wildling]

Waheeyyy! The UK press has discovered a new word with which to terrorise the public; "WEATHER BOMB!" [apparently we're in the middle of one!].

Is that like the "SNOWPOCALYPSE!!!" that one of the stations around here came up with a year or two ago?

[aliantha]

Sorry, Wildling -- the Capital Weather Gang here in DC coined Snowpocalypse about four years back.

[Wildling]

Dammit. I knew those guys weren't bright enough to come up with their own overdramatic phrasing.

[I'm Murrin]

Apparently "Weather Bomb" is something that happens several times a year, but for some reason it's only now coming into public awareness. This particular one is supposed to be worse than usual, though, very big waves off the west coast.

[Vraith]

Sorry, Wildling -- the Capital Weather Gang here in DC coined Snowpocalypse about four years back.

My memory is so bad...was that before, during, or after "Snowmageddon?'

[on a related note, apparently the Pineapple Express is coming in to CA/OR/WA...off-loading inches of rain and/or feet of snow, depending on elevation].