I thought reading comprehension was mandatory in higher education?

[Ironclad Alibi]

As long as we are discussing the Miskatonic University, be sure to check out The Polar Express parody, The Antarctic Express.

[mhkohne]

As long as we are discussing the Miskatonic University, be sure to check out The Polar Express parody, The Antarctic Express.

Antarctic Express was pretty weak, if you ask me. I sold my copy almost immediately.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Antarctic Express was pretty weak, if you ask me. I sold my copy almost immediately.

To be honest, I only wanted it for the pictures of the airplane.

[Sapphire Silk]

Antarctic Express was pretty weak, if you ask me. I sold my copy almost immediately.

Polar Express was so bad I never even bought a copy.

[wolfie]

The part that I found funny was she was wearing a sweatshirt from Harvard.

When she probably wasn't intelligent enough to be able to cook beets.

[Casino Jockey]

i have mentioned on here a few times that once i sold the classical music shop i decided to go to university as i never went when i was younger and i wanted a degree now.

so anyway i was buying my books for second semester (around june or july) when i was behind someone complaining they could not get a refund on a text book.

the crux of the argument was the book they brought - a zoology book dealing with reptiles had nothing to do with her IT course but she had brought the book because it had a snake on the front. now dear reader i know some of the IT types have guessed where this is going but for those who have not - she was supposed to buy a book called "python for rookies" - as in the programming language.

this book she brought had one of those annoying things that text book manufacturers like to include to try and kill the second hand market - a scratch off code that allows access to a website with additional info and exercises. she had scratched off the code -reghardless of if she had used it online or not, once it is scratched it is considered "spent" - she didn't like this and it turned into a song and dance.

she didn't get the refund and actually threw the book away when she left the campus bookstore. i grabbed it, resold it through the second hand bookshop (which is different to the one she was in) and make $90

[paxillated]

Ain't it nice to run into that kind of idiot?

Back in my janitor days, one office:

- Threw away a coffee maker that had a melted plug. I spent about 75 cents and replaced the plug, and that sucker lasted me 12 years!

- Threw away a spoon that had been slightly chewed by the garbage disposal. It is Sterling silver. I wonder what it's worth now?

[Teskeria]

I don't think many going to Harvard have much reading comprehension. or intelligence. That is my opinion because I da*n sure wouldn't sign that contract guaranteeing Harvard 25% of my income for the rest of my life. Which is required if you go there. (My mom had a friend who's son was accepted to Harvard. They were asking my mom's opinion about the contract. she's not a lawyer, just a natural with numbers.)

[wolfie]

IThat is my opinion because I da*n sure wouldn't sign that contract guaranteeing Harvard 25% of my income for the rest of my life.

Being a "big-name" school, they probably already have obnoxiously high tuition fees. Are you saying that they're demanding 25% of graduates' income (before or after tax?) IN ADDITION to the tuition fees?

You may have heard the expression "tithing" - it's normally used in a religious connotation, and refers to GIVING (i.e. initiated by the person supplying the money, not a grab by the receiver) 10% of your income to the church. Does Harvard seriously think they're 2 1/2 times as important as a diety?

[morgana]

Yeah, the things people throw away . . .

One office I worked in was throwing away a small conference table ("small" as in 6 1/2 feet by 3 feet). I batted my eyes at the loading dock crew, called my then-husband to bring the truck, and now I have a 6 1/2 foot solid wood sewing table.

Some friends of mine are Olympic-caliber dumpster-divers. Bookcases, a desk, a grandfather clock, a loveseat that just needed a few upholstery nails, a 52" flat-screen TV . . .

[Chromatix]

- Threw away a spoon that had been slightly chewed by the garbage disposal. It is Sterling silver. I wonder what it's worth now?

About $15 at current silver-bullion prices, assuming it contains about an ounce of silver. That's not as much as I would have expected, but silver is a deflationary precious metal - its price tends to go down over time, relative to gold.

[SailorMan]

Ah, good ol' M.U. I still remember the alma mater song, Iä, Iä, Cthulhu ftaghn!

D'oh! Now you did it! My pet Cthulhuahua is barking!

[Primer]

On a more serious note, reading comprehension is a real problem at my school. Not too long ago, one of the full-time profs in my department (Math) tried to pass a reading comprehension prerequisite to any and all math courses. Dead in the water.

[Chromatix]

That's pretty bad. Is there a example paper for that anywhere, so we can get an idea of the level required?

[Primer]

Chromatix, pick up any basic algebra text, anywhere. If we can get them through high school level algebra, those who want to can usually handle trig and calculus. The biggest hurdle is NOT a poor background in math, but rather, poor reading skills.