Amen!

Amen!

Rick

Forgive me...

Forgive me, it may just be my dark sense of humor, but it strikes me that the last time your friend complained about being sicker than you he was apparently right...

complaining

MikeM: You have that right. My friend died from hardening of the lungs, a very bad way to go, but you know what, he did not complain, but took it gracefully. When I was building my first home, he would come over and help me a couple of hours each day, gratis. I could put up with him, just because of that! Even though he was not a model railroader, he was very supportive of my hobby. He was a locksmith, shoe repairer and school bus driver. Someday I plan to build a model of his shoe repair shop. I still have copies of his receipts I can use for the store sign. He was no educated fool, but had a lot of common sense and useful skills, all self taught. He was a modern day polymath, only without an education.

Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

I'm sorry too

MikeM, that's very funny 

Hmmm

I had to look up what a polymath is!

George

Unsure

I'm both unsure what this has to do with the hobby, and dismayed to see how an education has become a negative in our modern society.  It does explain a lot, however, about the past few years.

Not so unsure...

I'm amused by your deep driving need to have everything that's posted on the forum be rigidly on topic.

As for education being a negative, no.  I think what the OP was saying is that many very educated people seem to completely lack intelligence or common sense.  I am not saying that is the case with anyone on this forum.
 

Not rigid

Not rigidly on topic, but I will gladly admit that one of the reasons I prefer this forum, is the signal to noise ratio is high.

I'd prefer (for selfish reasons) that it stay that way, and I am willing to voice that opinion.

Well, maybe...

Well maybe you just come across as rigid without meaning too? )

I'll agree, the generally high signal to noise ratio here is a plus and I hope it continues as such.

However in all honesty, I do find the comments made to off topic posts by what seem to be "self appointed topic policemen", to be possibly even more annoying than the off topic fluff that prompted the comments in the first place. [smile]

At the very least, commenting helps to perpetuate the thread which is seemingly working against your cause, not?

Isn't it common sense to ignore discussions you would rather not see, rather than perpetuating them by commenting on them?

This in itself seems to exemplify the difference between education and common sense.  But what do I know?  Someone is almost sure to tell me!  [grin]
 

Complaining

Given the title of the original post, there is room both for me to complain, and for you to complain about my method of complaint.

True in this case; as it only took you three days to bring it back into discussion, and out of in-activity.

Huh?

Three days?  The dates on the posts didn't seem to reflect that much time had passed but honestly I didn't look really closely so I could be wrong.  Anyway, I wasn't the one that had issue with the thread topic in the first place and I still don't have issue with it.  Complaining seems to be a huge part of Model Railroading.  I'd say the OP was spot on topic.  And along came Scarpia to complain.  Seems somehow fitting.

I'm not on the forum every day anymore (round of applause) so sometimes I may be behind in commenting.  Once summer is over I'll perhaps have as much time as you to hang out on forums.

Are you two having fun without me??

I actually kind of agree with both of you.

Scarpia said:

And Kevin said:

If you take some of what each said, you get this:

I think what the OP was saying is that many very educated people seem to completely lack intelligence or common sense. It does explain a lot, however, about the past few years.

Since there are more people (and a higher percentage) attending higher education than ever before, the current state of problems with our country (and world) could be blamed on that "higher education". So could laziness and a tendency not to accept responsibility for one's own words and actions.

I also believe there is a much lower level of "common sense" than ever before. Seems the "smarter" people get the bigger the simple problems become.

Complaining is part of the human condition. So is bickering.

Just so this post is somewhat on topic, how is that power supply article coming along? I'm not complaining, but how's it coming???

And doesn't that river need one more coat of gloss medium???

And so there is one real complaint, I'll complain about a poster who posts pictures of his models, then tries to slip in a post with a picture of his "brochure" with his "services" and "items" for sale. That's what we call spam, Elvin!

Now that there are three of us sounding foolish, three strikes, we're out. 

I'll Make It Four

Gents,

I was in The US Navy! I always heard that "A Bitch'en sailor is a Happy Sailor!"  When someone stops talking I get nervous. 

Education is an opportunity to learn, common sense is required to usefully apply any knowledge. While I Was in the Navy I realized that the fighter pilot was dependent on a team to maintain and service the aircraft. He was only a part of the team, as such a very important part. Education is not only available in colleges and universities and it does not always come with a degree!

Regards,

John

********************************************************************************************************************************************

The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.
Norman Vincent Peale

We're verging on a quantum leap away from railroading

Re:

"  Since there are more people (and a higher percentage) attending higher education than ever before, the current state of problems with our country (and world) could be blamed on that "higher education". So could laziness and a tendency not to accept responsibility for one's own words and actions.  "

The reality of higher education, in my perception, is that in many cases, students are taught what to think, and not how to think.   And the second sentence in the above quote is part of what is taught.

No, I not going on; the rant stops before starting.  May I, however, recommend an excellent resource from one of my favorite authors:  "Intellectuals and Society", by Thomas Sowell.

Funny!

Jeff, you're killing me! LOL!!!

As for your query about the article, quit complaining! [grin]

I've started the four book set on safety precautions when opening a device with "no user serviceable parts".  If I live long enough to finish that, the rest will flow quite naturally I am sure. [wink]

Seriously though, it's summer now.  I wouldn't hold your breath...I've started it but there is so much on my plate outdoors now I won't bother with it much until fall.

A page from my book

Suffice to say, I don't think any single social group, (including those with an education, or those without) has a monopoly of fools among it's constituency.  

I'll take a page from my own book, and suggest that if anyone would like to continue the conversation on education, to please feel free to contact me via email through the MRH site.

Cheers

A monopoly of fools...

I think that's likely true.

I think also that perhaps the educated fool tends to draw more attention to themselves than the uneducated fool does.  Again, not referring to anyone specific here.

I'll pass on continuing the discussion of education offline though.  I can't imagine the offline discussion being nearly as entertaining.  [smile]

That's better...

Now I can read smiles... I think.

Again I kind of agree with you both.

Kevin, I was holding my breath. Then I went ahead and opened up the cover on that PC power supply. After a slight bout with short hairs standing I have a angle on it... But I'd still like to see an article. 

Scarpia, I'll also decline any offline conversation about education. My common sense tells me I'd be packing my ninth grade edjumacation in my lunchbox and heading home before I learned anything.

John, that is the best quotation yet you've dug up!

Keep smiling, laughing, and use whatcha got!!!

Now, before I draw any more attention to myself, I'll end my musing.

Back On Track

Gents,

In real life I am always expected to put the damn things back on track.

In the layout room I still have to put the train back on the track from time to time.
At least there I get to blow the whistle, ring the bell, and pull the throttle.

I agree that misery loves company, but so does fun, and the layout room is where the fun is.

Regards,
John
*******************************************************************************************
Man is the best computer we can put aboard a spacecraft...
and the only one that can be mass-produced with unskilled labor. Wernher von Braun

...

So I accidentally hit the "Spam" Button, instead of the reply button...My apologies, Ferro!

He sounds like a man I would have spent as much time as I could have to have him around, and I would have said as much as I could only to keep him going, only because I'm sure it'd get richer the longer he talked!!!

All "educators" are is people with experience. The best educators have a lot of it, and they happily share it and share it freely. The "education" system wants to hold a monopoly on "educating," but they are but one Road to Rome...but not all people want to go to Rome...

A "little shoveling snow" is sometimes the finest way to "build a little character"...hence, why complain?

It's far better to rephrase the Complaint into "What is my Issue?," followed by the question, "What can I do to change the issue?"

If the question comes back as "I don't Know," it's time to start a topic on the issue and ask around for opinions on how to solve the issue from people who are everything from having done it themselves to having never done a thing in their life - you never know where a GOOD idea might be found! 

And if I DO solve it myself, well, then I'm posting a topic or perhaps even filling out an Article Request form!!! 

Anyhow...this is a fun topic, but I have far too much work to do right now! There's the 4-6-6-4 projects, this new 2-8-4 project, the old Tugboat project, the FT project, and that's JUST the things sitting Right here in my hands!! Time to get a jump on it all!!!

Anyhow...Back to my workbench it is!!!