The stages of life

A recent report indicates the changes in duration in time for a student to finish college. I think, in general, we have seen an elongation in the stages of life. In the early sixties a man got a college degree and could expect to meet a variety of recruiters on his senior year. He made the choice over which corporation he would work for and moved to a big city for a few years. There he had a few wild years, played the guitar, sowed some oats, and finally at age 24 got married and moved to a nice house in the suburbs where his progeny would go to school.

Today things have greatly become elongated in time. A typical young man can expect to go to community college for six years, then have a gap year where he works part time in retail, then transfers as a junior to a four year college, where he will take six years to get his bachelor's degree. Then seven more years leads to a masters degree. Now at age 38 he is ready to get a full-time job, which he finds at age 40. At age 40 he moves into his first apartment. Soon comes a baby or two and a few years later, marriage. At 50 he starts shopping for his first house. Unfortunately, following shortly is  divorce and foreclosure. Then a few years back in retail and he is ready to go back to community college to learn a trade.

At 56 he starts his new career as an air conditioning repairman but soon hurts his back and goes on temporary disability. A few years later he is ready for retirement. The modern American dream.

Good news for our president

Like Bill Clinton, Obama appears to be lucky in the quality of his adversaries.
Romney has money stashed in the Cayman Islands and Gingrich has ex wife troubles. I wish I had an ex-wife.

How to bring back America's manufacturing might

Recently there have been a spate of articles about Apple Computer's Chinese manufacturing. This American Life also did a fascinating one hour program  on the topic.

For years we have been told if only America could duplicate China's manufacturing prowess we could bring millions of jobs back home. The solution is easy. We set up huge factories and have dormitories built in the complex. Foremen can go the the dormitories at night and rouse the workers from their beds and put them on emergency shifts. We pay workers 50 cents an hour. If we do that, we can bring back America's domination as a manufacturing country.

Editor's note: This American Life has done a retraction on the show they did.

Yikes, Internet gambling is coming

After a December court decision, the door to legalized Internet gambling has been opened. It won't happen instantly, but states, eager to raise revenues, are expected to pass legislation allowing for Internet lotteries and potentially other forms of Internet gambling.  Should be interesting.