Our oldest son Chip (Tim, Jr.) who has contributed to this blog is currently four terms away from graduating from UC-San Diego with a Bachelor’s degree in economics. Even taking into account a proposed term abroad in The Netherlands next fall, he stands to graduate one term earlier than scheduled.
Unfortunately, I cannot really envision his life past college, especially after visiting his bachelor apartment in the Mission Bay area of San Diego on December 30 to pick him up for the Holiday Bowl game between Nebraska and Arizona and seeing all things strewn about which is a pretty good representation of his mind regarding life a year and a half from now. While he has been successful academically, he cannot really articulate his next move coherently and that train is a comin’. Interestingly, I can much easier envision our youngest daughter’s future past college even though she has only completed one semester since she plans on becoming an elementary school teacher and has a current aptitude for teaching young children.
Now successful people finish college and proudly display their degrees and wear spirit wear from their alma mater. There are also successful people who never spent a day in an institution of higher learning. In between there is that amorphous group of folks who “attended” college.
Now I personally have trouble figuring this group out. I know many people who did not finish college, and their reasons range from the bizarre to the heartbreaking. Some are quite honest they were just not cut out for academic pursuits and some were forestalled by family or personal issues, but nearly all are not proud of the fact they did not complete the experience.
Of course, the most heroic stories in my mind are those of people who grind out bachelor’s degrees under extremely difficult family and personal issues. My own Nebraska bride possesses such an heroic story which could fill a novel.
Now everyone possesses a basic understanding of a bachelor’s degree. To get one a person needed to finish high school, meet certain requirements for acceptance, and then complete four to five years of education, obtain a certain GPA and meet other requirements. It is a big thing since 73% of the population does not have a bachelor’s degree. (Further distinction occurs when one possesses a graduate degree, with over 90% of the population not having one.)
But their is less understanding of the mysterious resume item of “attended” college , which can mean anything from the range of ”I dropped out in the first semester” to “I was 12 credits short and got kicked out for cheating.” Still, people do include this “attendance” in their resume.
Which brings us to the case of David Gauny, candidate for City Council. At his very stylish campaign website, electdavidgauny.com, complete with a Shepard Fairey type photogrpahy, one finds out that David Gauny is a Naval veteran (thank you for your service) and “attended” college in Chico and San Francisco. What does this mean exactly, and do people realize this probably means that he did not finish a degree program?
Steve Mehta, a local attorney, endorses David Gauny citing his “dedication.” My Nebraska bride is dedicated, slogging out a 4.0 bachelor’s degree over a six year period while working full time and caring for two small children. That is dedication. How dedicated is “attending college.”
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Isn’t “attended college” synonymous with “dropped out of college?”
If he got a degree but took various classes at several colleges, then listing the colleges makes sense. But without ending up with a degree, it sounds rather uncommitted…
So would you have preferred Gauny to mention nothing about college? Perhaps we can wait to hear about his circumstances once the debates get started.
Also, when writing about education–or lack thereof–it would be best to do a quick spelling and grammar check (“their is less understanding,” “photogrpahy,” lack of proper punctuation in last sentence, etc.).
Dr. IHeart is a tough grader.
OK, the BGH controversy has passed.
Mr. Wilson, tear down this wall!
LOL
P-)
Harry Truman “attended” college. The lack of a college degree says nothing about one’s character.
I went to high school with two guys who were by far the smartest guys in the entire class. While they were ahead of everyone else, the one guy was alittle brighter than the other. The second guy could never quite compete with the first, smarter guy. The second guy went to a great college, got good grades, and then went to law school. The first guy went a semester ot two and then dropped out. He wound up working at a gas station. The moral of the story . . . . the first guy was smart enough to realize that in the end, it really didn’t mater.
With no spell check and no ability to edit posts, spelling and grammar in this forum are hit and miss!
Tim,
This piece reminds me of last October when you and I were each charged to write an opinion piece about the G&L office expansion at Henry Mayo.
Your article was supposed to support the rationale behind the project:
http://www.the-signal.com/news/archive/3490/
While I was asked to outline Smart Growth’s concerns in my piece.
http://www.the-signal.com/news/archive/3488/
In reading the two, most everyone agreed that mine was relevant and articulate and yours was a (very) far-reaching attempt to tie me to the world’s economic meltdown because I was a mortgage broker. Between the two of us, you certainly seemed less educated – at least on the relevant issue.
Today, your now-habitual personal swipe appears to question my dedication as a leader -and even a man- for failing to complete a four-year degree. I would be less than honest if I said there haven’t been times that I wish I would have completed my degree but frankly it has not been a crippling detriment to my professional life.
From the early ‘90s to 2003, I served as a national sales manager for a tech company and a VP of Sales and Marketing for a publisher of post-secondary and corporate training products. During this time, I spent many months and years traveling out of state on business and most weekends catching up on laundry and expense reports.
Was there time for school? Absolutely. But to achieve my professional successes I focused entirely on professional pursuits at countless seminars, trade shows, speaking engagements, and business expos with more than 80 different bus-ed groups of which we were part. Right or wrong, the time left over was often devoted to self-education with books on economics, industry publications, and countless articles on economic and educational trends, distance learning, and business. (Also a few on sailing but that is just a passion
Since that time, I received my real estate agent and broker licenses and started a mortgage company I share with my wife. We continue to enjoy a small but loyal group of clients that will never go elsewhere for their loan. We are honest, fair, and very DEDICATED to serving their interests.
Integrity has had a price and we’ve talked more clients out of loans than into them these past few years – we don’t touch loan mods or foreclosure stuff. So, after also spending four-years learning California planning laws and seeking a better precedent on what was arguably the most controversial project in our city’s 23-year history, I earned my life & health and property & casualty insurance licenses and joined an Encino-based firm last January. My focus is primarily business and commercial property insurance and I hope to open an office here in Santa Clarita in the next year, despite the tough economy.
I guess my point is that not having a degree has never been a blow to my success as a business leader, a community advocate, a husband, or a father. And I am VERY DEDICATED to all of these. Steve Mehta, whom you mention, is just one of many people that have seen this and respect it.
As you will hear in the upcoming debates, my approach to city issues will be well-researched and collaborative. I have DEDICATED myself to understanding the issues. In fact, I believe I’m more DEDICATED and knowledgeable than several that I’m running against (with or without degrees) which is precisely why I’m running.
Whether I am the right man for a position on council remains to be seen but one thing is certain: a degree doesn’t make you a smart person and it certainly doesn’t make you an ethical person or a leader. It doesn’t even make you more educated. There are many degreed people in leadership positions that have proven this over and over.
I expect many more attacks against my perceived weaknesses and God knows I’m not perfect. My hope is that the people who’ve watched what took place in the last few years and who hear what I propose for the future will judge me on those merits of my effort, research and integrity and ignore the far reaching and largely irrelevant swipes that have plagued so many elections. Truly, a degree does not make you a better man, Tim.
Happy New Year to All,
David Gauny
http://www.electdavidgauny.com
IHeart:
One might assert that there are plenty of good reasons for interrupting one’s education (military service, family, etc.) but there is never a good reason for not finishing at all unless one did not have the aptitude. I think of so many examples where people did grind it out over years if necessary to finally finish.
Some examples where the people did not “need” the degree:
Emmitt Smith, the All Star running back for the Dallas Cowboys, attended school in the the spring and early summer every year after the football season ended until he completed his BA in Recreation.
Dr. J completed his BA at UMass after leaving the NBA.
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, returned to Berkeley under the alias Rocky Clark to complete a degree in English.
Mentioning that one “attended” college seems borderline misrepresentation, like one is trying to fool people who do not understand the nomenclature.
Sorry about the typos and grammar but that proves no plagiarism!!!
Publius;
The issue is not whether someone has a college degree or not as an indicator of character, the issue is when one tries to overstate their academic credential.
Dave:
So you took the opportunity to take on jobs and apply for licenses that did not require a college education, and that is great. Also, you are satisfied with your life right now and that is great too. So not finishing college did not “hurt” you, but in your “resume” response above you intimate that NOT finishing college has somehow made you more successful. Would you state that if invited to speak at career day at one of our local high schools? Would you recommend that to your daughters?
Also, why the “attend college” so prominent on your website if it has not been a “big deal” in your life? Why not just leave it out completely?
NickelDime:
You made me remember an incident in 1985 when I worked in Omaha, NE for then Touche Ross. We had close relationships with one of the local colleges (UNO) for recruiting purposes and I later taught there (adjunct) so I knew most of the accounting professors.
People who have earned their Doctorate hold it most dear, and they all have horror stories about how hard it was to get.
At a luncheon our then Managing Partner (who within ten years was dismissed for cause and within five more years had his CPA license stripped for cause) told one professor that he “could just pretty much pick up a doctorate right now” from University of Nebraska-Lincoln
since he could turn in an outdated book on insurance taxation as a dissertation and the head of the program would credit his “business experience” for the sixty hours post undergraduate required.
Naturally they all despised him for his arrogance and were quite happy when his ultimate downfall came.
Mike: it was Readermama who questioned whether I was posting as both BGH and SCVfan so lay that one on her, not me! I simply asked how she or anyone would prove who they are and it snowballed from there.
Tim: as to Dave Gauny, in my opinion the problem would have been if he claimed to have graduated from those schools, which he did not. He did not lie. As you mentioned there are many reasons one does not complete an education. With all due respect, in and of itself a degree does not make anyone smarter, better, etc.
I have found David to be thoughtful and a good listener. He does not accept things just because someone says so but does his own research. He has excellent critical thinking skills. His style is more collaborative and inclusive, a gentleman if you will, who strives to find solutions not just identify the problems. We don’t always agree but can respect each others opinions. I think he would make an excellent public servant.
For a trip down memory lane, if I remember correctly, there was a prominent lady here in Santa Clarita who lost a Planning Commission post for claiming degrees she did not possess, Tim.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
David, your response is well written and I certainly respect the fact that you have made your way in the world without a degree and are financially successful; but I am curious now why you don’t offer any sort of reason for not finishing college. Do you have a skeleton in your closet or is Tim leading us down a garden path of speculation?
While I am a college graduate myself, I would not necessarily hold myself superior to someone who attended but did not finish. My own father is in the latter category. He left school early to join the Marines and never went back to finish. In spite of his lack of a degree, he supported his family very nicely as an engineer who obtained many patents and worked on top secret military projects throughout his career.
Unfortunately, a college degree is now pretty much a necessity for anyone seeking a job which pays a decent salary. What my father did would no longer be possible for someone without a formal degree.
RM:
I think you have hit the nail on the head. When one brings up the “attended” card it could mean anything, like ND so cleverly put his “attendance” at Stanford.
One of my personal favorites is the CEO of a rather large company (son of the founder, so figure it out) who in his corporate bio lists his “attendance” at Cal Poly SLO and then talks about how this is a prominent center of excellence for a certain discipline important to the business.
This is an ironic assertion since that institution through him out for lack of academic performance.
While a college degree looks nice on a resume, as one develops in the business world, it becomes less and less important. I worked with a couple of guys with MBA’s from Stanford and the Univ. of Chicago – a couple of the best business schools around. In spite of their degrees, they were only fair to average employees. I had no problem competing with them with my CSUN MS. Likewise, there are plenty of folks that get law degrees that don’t or can’t pass the bar and attorneys that practice law for a bit that go on to other things. A degree is just a ticket to get you invited to the dance. Interesting that Tim didn’t discuss the degrees that Councilmembers Weste and McClain have or don’t have or why Frank Ferry isn’t an attorney.
BGH:
When one claims a degree they don’t have or claims military service they did not do that reveals a very profound problem with honesty.
I would urge you to check out David’s website. He mentioned his attendance at college before his military service, yet in his response above seems to demean anyone who actually went to the trouble to finish college since he obviously became much smarter by reading lots of books over 13 years. If this coded message was not in his bio, this would not be an issue for me.
Need for Involved Citizenry:
The issue (for me) is not the degrees one does or does not have, or the respective GPA’s etc., but putting in a coded message that may be designed to “fool” people into thinking one has an education because two of the three incumbents don’t.
On the lawyer issue for full disclosure I have a law degree (Drake University class of 1984) and I worked in a general practice law firm for one year in Boone, Iowa after graduation but knew that I had little aptitude or ability for that kind of work, so I switched to public accounting where I was probably only marginally better for the next 18 years.
On the issue of schools, we used to joke how accountants trained at Cal State Fullerton and CSUN absolutely dominate public accounting firms and financial leadership of companies in SoCal easily outnumbering the graduates of UCLA and USC. I currently work for a CSUF graduate and while incredibly smart and successful he is very humble and self effacing; something in short supply in a lot of these positions.
Well Sarah Palin went to 4 different schools and then jumped back to the University of Idaho to get a journalism degree… always found it odd that she had such disdain for the media and then quit her position as Governor. Perhaps her inability to finish what she stated and settle into a course and follow it in her early days should have been a warning sign for the people of Alaska. I am not sure if that applies to this guy.
I am a little annoyed at the lame photoshop effects though…
Oh I think your boy will be fine… he will find his way.
Hey Berta or Scvfan… I think the admins can view your IP addresses.
Tim Meyers is such an elitist and sooo transparent. First, he predicted City Council incumbents will win in our April election now he’s compelled to trash the challengers as insurance for his prediction.
Need for Involved Citizenry;
Why isn’t Frank Ferry an attorney?? He was admitted to the CA state bar in June 1994, CA Bar Number 170425. So, if the CA state bar recognizes him as an attorney, that’s good enough for me.
Blazingmonk, if that is the case Jeff can easily dispel the notion that I post under any name other than my own. He probably is unwilling to open that door though. I don’t appreciate being wrongly accused when it is easy for someone to prove otherwise. And as I have said many times I don’t care what name people post under unless they do it to malign others. I like to know my accusers. And I like to respond.
It’s a simple thing to explain one’s not finishing a degree. Here are some examples:
1. I ran out of money.
2. I didn’t enjoy it and decided a military career would better suit me.
3. I was bored and decided to start my own business.
4. I got married and started a family.
5. I was young and stupid and did something which got me kicked out.
A simple response like that is all it would take for me to stop being curious. Then let an investigator like Blazingmonk take over to check out the truth of that explanation!
BTW, Blazingmonk: People can post from home, from work, from the library, from a friend’s house — thus thwarting the IP address solution. This is one of the ways trolls get through even after they’ve been banned.
Bill:
Elitist?? Before you start making those accusations we need to compare hands to see who has the most callouses from physical labor!
I wrote this to defend my Nebraska Bride and the many others who literally busted their asses to get a Bachelor’s degree (I remember my own time in academia as fun.), and then to have Dave Gauny say that he “attended” college to fool the ignorant into thinking he finished, and then to further demean people like my Nebraska Bride by saying that he got MUCH smarter by reading lots of books that he sold in the 90′s.
Tim Myers says: “The issue (for me) is not the degrees one does or does not have, or the respective GPA’s etc., but putting in a coded message that may be designed to ‘fool’ people into thinking one has an education because two of the three incumbents don’t.”
Don’t confuse your own issue here, Tim. Even those of us in the “amorphous group who ‘attended’ college” can see your snub. The question at the end of your post (the one without a question mark) was whether I was “dedicated,” not one of verb usage, so stop redirecting the conversation.
I could have made a lot more money for myself if I had been marketing my business for the last four years instead of fighting the money crowd in this town. I suppose I also could have completed my degree to further my own interests. Instead, I put these aside for a cause that became increasingly concerning as I learned more – and make no mistake, the time involved was much more than the credit hours required for a four-year degree!
My concern became not just a project but the entire approach and process our city is applying to major decisions that will affect our homes, our businesses, and the future of our city. It’s not a question of whether I’m dedicated, but whether I’m dedicated to service or self interest. Shouldn’t that be the larger qualifier for a public servant?
Let’s be honest, Tim. Given that I met you for the first time less than two months ago (a 10-second introduction, really), it’s safe to say your issues with me are rooted in my opposition to the G&L expansion. Your company, Landscape Development, is a major contributor to the HM foundation and I expect we’ll see its name on the landscaping portion of this development once the expansion gets underway. I stood in your way and now you take petty swipes. I get it.
I suppose one could say that we’re both dedicated. Your objectives are different than mine which is okay but your approach is something I’d never encourage my kids to emulate. Some things they just don’t teach you in school.
Tim Meyers, you’re an elitist and I’ll compare my work history with you any day of the week! You were NOT defending your wife… that is simply laughable. You think you are an important figure in this liitle city and being an elitist, it came quite natural to run down someone you consider a lesser human being. You are shameful!
Dave:
Let’s take this offline for a moment. I have some questions I would like you to answer.
TIM – STOP REDIRECTING!! I NEVER SAID THAT I AM “MUCH SMARTER” THAN SOMEONE WITH A DEGREE – IN FACT, I NEVER USED THE WORD “SMARTER” IN ANY OF MY POSTS SO KNOCK IT OFF!
RM:
There really are no skeletons here. I was not a great HS student and went into the military at 19 years old. After my discharge (yes, it was honorable), I was more interested in a career as a pilot than a degree. I took a job at the local airport in Chico where my high school sweetheart was attending school. There I took a semester or two (I honestly don’t remember) of general ed courses.
I’ve covered much of my career path but I was living in the Bay Area when I went back to school at SF City College in the late ’90s. Older and wiser, I was a straight-A student there but was also promoted in my position at work and wound up traveling three weeks out of every month. I had to withdraw. Nothing weird or spooky, I just could not meet the attendance requirement for a passing grade. I’m aware that all of this can and will be dug up so I have no inclination to hide anything here.
Since then, I’ve considered doing online courses and have even pondered the degree programs at the university center (my understanding is that they’re considering a commercial underwriting degree program). We’ll see. Right now, however, I’m embarking on a new career, I serve on the small business subcommittee for the Economic Development Corporation, and I have a City Council campaign to run. I also have two great stepdaughters (they prefer to be introduced as daughters but just in case someone accuses me of an intent to mislead, I’ll clarify here) and a dream of buying another sailboat and restoring it for a retirement partially spent in the Caribbean. Oh, to dream!
As I said in my original response, I wish I would have completed the degree earlier in life. I encourage my kids or any others to do so, as it’s much easier to get ahead if you get it out of the way first. For me, at some point, my professional experience and competing priorities made it less important to me as time went on. No skeletons, just life.
If this excludes me from a City Council seat, then so be it but let’s get on with the issues instead of questioning my dedication. Aside from Ferry, I honestly don’t know who does or doesn’t have degrees on the council. I assess them on their understanding of the issues and the quality of their representation. I believe this is where the focus should be in a campaign so let’s get on with the issues.
In light of Mr. Gauny’s heartfelt and honest response, I apologize for the (let’s be frank) meanness in the original post and my comments following.
Thank you, David, for your candor. Thank you, Tim, for the apology.
David, if you “represent” as well as you write, you will be an excellent councilman.
Education is important to me. I think we need leadership that puts Education as a priority. I don’t think people should ever stop learning.
Mr. Gauny – You have a nice story and people eat that up with a spoon. I have a few policy questions.
1. I think what I would be interested in hearing is why you should be elected to the City Council? What are you bringing to the table that isn’t currently there? What are your strengths?
2. What is your position on the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 and John McCain’s belief that we need to reenact the Glass-Steagall Act?
3. What are your plans to help create more jobs and make the most of the money made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act?
4. Some financial analysis have suggested that the economy could take another dip in the second half of this year, they have suggested a second stimulus to help counteract it. What is your position on that?
I think these are important questions that should asked of everyone seeking a position in public office.
Thanks
I actually agree with Readermama on this one.
David: Just as I have always experienced when speaking with you, honest and complete answers. As a side note, a father is the one who guides, loves and supports not the one who inseminates. Your girls are fortunate to have you for their dad.
Tim: Kudos for the apology. It speaks highly of you.
Nice thread. Very informative. Personally, I’ll vote for almost anyone not currently on the council. To bullet, or not to bullet – that is the question!
Blazingmonk – I am familiar with the issues that you bring up but they are larger than I can tackle at this moment. Please forgive me but I only have a minute before a movie with the family and wanted to address Tim’s apology.
Tim – I am speechless and appreciative of your final note. Thank you and I agree with BGH – it speaks volumes.
ReaderMama and BGH: thank you for hearing me out.
Happy New Year to all!
To Scott I am actually a little annoyed at this thread.
Tim brings up a candidates education which is very relevant and gets attacked by Bill who starts calling him an Elitist. Apparently Bill has a problem with education or educated people. Then Mr. Gauny comes in and tries to change the focus on Tim’s blog to one of motives. Does this sound familiar? It wasn’t but a couple weeks ago, Mrs. Vakay was caught red handed plagiarizing conservatives worked overtime to focus on my motives. Motives are irrelevant for a couple of reasons first no one can know someone’s motives, second it clouds the issue. In this case Mr. Gauny’s education. I am willing to forgive a lack of formal education if someone is t
In the ministry people that didn’t graduate from Bible College or Seminary were called novices, formal education wasn’t always a requirement for church service but they sure didn’t rely on a man’s personal story like this. Berta González-Harper response was probably the most telling, she melts at the story of him taking care of step-daughters. Don’t get me wrong I applaud this, my own Step Father was only Father I ever knew. He is a blue collar guy with lots of integrity who I admire deeply, much of how I view the world was learned from him. I don’t get warm and fuzzy about who I choose for political office, I want to know what the person brings to the table?
Are we going to have another Kathy Colley situation where after the election she admits she knows nothing about water? People elected her because she had a good story, where Michael Cruz was a bit more boring but was WELL QUALIFIED for he position. Parents have been raising their kids in Santa Clarita for decades, does that mean they are all qualified for this position? Why aren’t people in here asking the tough questions like Tim? We should be putting every person under the microscope. Why do you think we have the Sarah Palins and Joe Bidens in office? I am sick of political ideological foot soldiers that spit out a talk point stews, that even buys because that is the only thing for sale.
Fair enough Mr. Gauny, take your time. I realize that you would just be one vote in a council but I would like to know where you are on these issues.
forgive the mistake…
I am willing to forgive a lack of formal education if someone is t
should be
I am willing to forgive a lack of formal education if someone shows themselves to be qualified and well versed. Formal education doesn’t mean someone is educated or not. Plenty of people with degrees that are idiots.
Blazingmunster, you are anonymous and irrelevant.
I am not anonymous my name was published in the newspaper last week. Stay with us my friend… You are just pissed because you got nailed AGAIN… you never have anything to say back because your a zombie. Hurry up tune into your favorite media blowhard so they can tell you what to be afraid of, what to be outraged about and what to think about everything.
Come on Bill call me an elitist because I think education is important… seriously I have no respect what so ever for you because you never say anything with substance. I would have more respect for you if you just said that you don’t care that Mr. Gauny never finished school… but instead you attack the guy that has the brains enough to ask the question. Your attack wasn’t even clever it was the typical “elitist” line that conservatives are trained to bring up when ever they are shown to be outgunned in the education department.
It is a same the Gretchen Carlson has to down play her education to keep her job a Fox. Why does the right hate education? It takes hard work to get an education, why isn’t that valued? Tim’s numbers speak volumes only 30% of our population have a Bachelors degree even less have a masters.
Honest question, Are conservative parents encouraging their kids to skip college?
are Bill R and Dave G tight?
Hey Blazingmonk, I “melt” at anyone doing the right thing since it seems to be a rare commodity these days.
Let’s hope not, I am hoping Mr. Gauny isn’t the typical. I am hoping he recognizes the problems in right vs left politics. If he is a guy that stands on his own two feet and seeks to unite and look for compromise when conflict happens he has my vote.
Bill continues to show himself as a follower.
Berta González-Harper parents raising their families isn’t a rare commodity… Yes it is great that a person would step in and be a father where there is none. My own Step Father [father] did this… but it doesn’t mean much when it come to political office. People should require more. “Having a good story” doesn’t do much for me if they create policies that hurt my family. Use that Coconut.
Tim – you bring up an excellent point that is relevant to 99.9% of us regular, normal, humans. That is that there is something speaking to the stamina, determination, mettle, backbone of those who enter college, fight the long, hard battles, and claim their degrees as their own.
It took me 9 years of night school to get my 4 year degree, and another 6 years of night school to earn my 2 year MBA. It has “hard work” – but I believe the determination required not only paid off for me, but also as an example to my kids, all of whom have graduated from great schools, and two of whom already have their advanced degrees.
Now, as to the .5% of the non-normals: Tim, in this case your argument may not stick. We need go no further than Steve Jobs, Steve, Wozniak, or Bill Gates. Arguably, these three changes the lives of those of our generation more than any others – and all three were drop outs from college, pursuing their visions in the personal computing field.
Few would challenge their academic excellence or their personal determination.
However, it must be said that Woz might be more mortal than the other two: Woz returned to UC Berkeley under an assumed name and completed his engineering degree later in life.
Even world changing geniuses sometimes like the nice feeling of “getting things done.”
- Gary
Hey Blazy, here’s a coconut for you: change your handle to “Faint-Heart”. Since you’ve been outed use your real name here, otherwise, shut up. Why should anyone answer your questions or have a meaningful debate here with a no name faint-heart such as yourself!?
By the way, Tim Meyers knows full well that he did not ask the question up front – he attacked which is why he ulitmately and honorably apologized. At least he’s brave and puts his name out there, unlike you, Faint-Heart.
sigh…
Hey tough guy, don’t you have some Mexicans to ridicule?
Hey Spiney, come back to the forum. We’re not nearly as nasty over there!
Blazingmonk: Parents raising their families was not the issue. David Gauny, in the interest of full disclosure lest someone make a big deal out of it, mentioned he is a “step dad”. Something I was unaware of. I simply said his girls are lucky to have him. You remarked that I “melt” at such statements as though that were a negative. I do find it heartwarming because I find way too many parents, particularly fathers, do not fulfill the role of parent for their offspring. I applaud all parents who take the time and energy to actually love, guide, teach, and support in every sense of the word, and help raise children who will make positive contributions to the world they live in. Not all parents, step or otherwise, are willing to do the hard work necessary. In my opinion, good parenting speaks to good character. I also applaud those who recognize they are not cut out for parenting. Argue with that.
Now, if the subject really had been parents raising their kids, I would disagree with you. Too many parents are not “raising” their kids. The TV, video games, internet, and peers are raising them and that is one of the reasons we have so many youngsters who are in gangs, have no morals, respect, boundaries, social skills, etc.
Thankfully, there are still many great young people who care about our world and the people in it. They are for the most part, the result of good parenting and their own determination.
LOL at Bill… http://www.the-signal.com/news/article/22343/
When Signal called me for an interview I gave them my name. How do you think Roger Gitlin could call me a radical in his weak letter to the editor, he has on coming from me calling him out soon BTW… Scvtalk got my name from the Signal. Stay with us Chap. Why are so obsessed with my name… you trying to stock me.
Gary hit the button on the head. Going to school shows more of a determination and will to finish that is really essential for public office. Tim said it only 30% of our population gets their bachelors degree. It seems like it should be a no brainer for public office. So far Mr. Gauny has shown he has a good personal story and he is good at judging motives. I guess I am just confused at what Tim had to apologize about.
Berta González-Harper – Again how does any of this have anything to do with this position? My step dad that adopted me some how qualifies him for public office? I am confused? Enlighten me?