Our Dependencies

[cowboydoc]

Just for the record Wingnut I think your education is just as valuable. My grandfather never had an education past sixth grade and yet he has been tremendously successful. He has been successful because he worked 16 hours a day his whole life. Like yourself whatever he needed to know he taught himself, either through books or the school of hard knocks. He never got a handout either but sure gave alot to people. Even if he was late for something and someone was stranded along the road he'd stop and help them. I completely respect men like him and yourself. They never walked off a job or threatened to strike for more money. They just did what they had to do to be better. My hero is and always has been my grandfather. If everyone was as self-motivated and ambitious as people like him and yourself this country wouldn't be where it is today. Something for nothing just doesn't happen, but more and more everyday that's what people want.

 

[Egon]

Was that northern railway along the Smoky?

Egon

 

[Wingnut]

yep ... the ARR (or Alberta Resources Railroad). Made it to Rodman pretty quickly but got a "little" drunk one night, had a disagreement with the strawboss and quit. Hey, I was young (17) ... I've learned not to be so quick.
But, like all experience, it was good experience.

 

[Wingnut]

/w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif
coming from you, Richard, that means a lot. Thanks.

I find it truly, truly sad that this country was built by folks like your grandfather ... and is being destroyed by people like ... oops, that'll lead to politics.

Life is what you make it .... and enjoyable if you want it to be. Even my bad days are good days!

For those of you that haven't quite caught on to what Richard, Dave and I (and others) have been saying .... if you want more than 100% ... you need to give more than 100%. I don't care if we're talking work, church, school, or sports. If you want to stand out ... you'd better stand up!

OK ... enough soapbox for January ....

 

[RanchMan]

Cowboydoc & Wingnut-

I just couldn't contain myself - both posts (CD - regarding how much professionals REALLY work and WN- how it isn't "right" for society to make everyone get paid/live the to the same standard) were truly EXCELLENT! Right on the mark, bull’s-eye!!! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Both posts reflect my "Buck up and deal with it!" sentiment I had put over on CBN in the economy thread. I think that lots of folks simply don’t understand (or refuse to /w3tcompact/icons/sad.gif) that a great number of the “haves” in our society made extreme sacrifices and started life very much as “have nots.” Call it class envy, work ethic, whatever. A lot of those who put forth the effort required to get where they are resent (and IMO, rightfully so) those who expect the same to simply be handed over to them.

If someone wants to be a janitor (or whatever else that pays a low wage job) - and they’re happy doing it - GREAT! I have no problem with the person or the profession. But I don’t care how good a janitor someone is, they don’t deserve that $100,000/year salary.

I'd add some more, but quite frankly, why would I want to put chrome do-dads all over your solid gold posts? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif Thanks for being so eloquent - and right.

 

[Egon]

I spent some time there too but was working for one of the major contractors.
Later I got to work on part of the road going in to Grande Cache.
It was lovely country. At that time there were sheep, goats and wild horses on the river hills at all times of the day. Didn't take more than six mounths to change all that. Used to fish some of the creeks in the evenings.
Did you get to ride the river on the jet boats?

Egon

 

[utahmule]

I agree wholeheartedly with what Wingnut, CDoc and others have said. Education and hard work come in all shapes and sizes. I'm a Civil Engineer, with a Degree, and some of the best education I've received was from my field experience.

I also agree that most engineers would benefit a bunch from getting out into the field at the onset of their careers. When I started out as a field eng. for a large construction company, I had a great foreman that taught me things every bit as valuable as what I learned in school. Later on, some of my fellow engineers were designing site plans with grades calculated out to 5 or 6 places past the decimal. They would go out the a site to check on the work, complain that the grades didn't match to 1/100,000 of a foot. They were laughed off the site.

It works both ways, though. The crew foreman where I am now has a bitter comtempt for anyone with more than a high school education. This includes trade schools, etc. We all have bits of wisdom to offer to each other. One kind of education is not better than another, as long as its applicable.

I'm another college boy who has worked a paying job since I was 15. Stable boy, landscaping, fry cook, waiter, stage hand. I remember, at my first office job, working a SAT. morning(one of many). The boss was in a good mood and offered to buy breakfast for the ten of us. He gave the secretary a C note and the keys to his caddy and told her to take oreders and run to McDs. She was offended and said it was not her job and beneath her. I jumped up and offered to do it.

Work is work, whether it's blue collar, white collar or whatever. And yes, some people make more than others. If you're not happy do something about it. The last three job changes I've dropped 40% in pay, and am happier. I try to do what it takes to make me happy and try not to worry about what I can't control.

Sorry for the length, and incoherence.

 

[utahmule]

Have any of you guys read "Atlas Shrugged", by Ayn Rand? Very relevant to this discussion.

 

[Wingnut]

Yep, mustangs, Dall sheep, black bears .... and an unbelievable number of underground wasps nests. My most vivid memories of that country is 1) the day I stepped into a wasps nest and had 48 stings on my legs (Camp 8), and 2) 2 weeks later (Camp 7) when I got s single sting ... 1/2 inch over my right eye ... swollen shut for a week and the worst migraine I ever had!
Beautiful, beautiful country!
The river boats (jet boats) on the Little Smokey were after my time there ... I was there in '67, I believe.
My dad was working in ... and later running .... Camp 7 (CNR helped him get his degree "back").
Liking that country is probably what helped me find my farm .... Wasn't much north of me in Thorhild except boreal forest to the arctic. Love that wilderness!

For those of you that have never seen the Little Smokey country - west of the Rockies and north of Jasper ... much of it is still unspoiled wilderness with a fair bit of muskeg. We kept our drinks cold in the summer by lifting 1-2 feet of moss and putting the drinks in the permafrost underneath.

 

[Wingnut]

Eric ... just where do you think I learned my politics? I finished Atlas Shrugged the first time when I was 12, and The Fountainhead the first time when I was 13. I've read each one at least 3 times so far. Atlas Shrugged is as dry as a book can possibly get (I'm sure there's a couple of Galt's speeches that I STILL have not gotten through) but should be required reading at all universities to counter the decidedly left-wing slant of most professors.
I immediately thought of the book when that fire happened in the tunnel in Switzerland.
I'd say history has proved Ayn to be more of a clairvoyant than a writer (not to say that she was a bad writer).

pete