There is also an abundance of garbage

Now if only we could get it to work on the other abundant type of garbage

Much like saving the world or trying to teach one 'respect or courtesy'... 'wishful thinking'.

Unfortunately, the technology to turn monkeys into usable energy hasn't arrived as of yet.

I was shocked when I found out how much grades were curved for students in classes that are part of our pre-med track. Having a political agenda or curving grades in humanities or atmospheric science classes is bad enough, but these people are going to be doctors. I always thought that medical schools were less forgiving and figured that the less intelligent would be weeded out but as I just posted in another thread I cannot bring myself to assume that stupidity isn't also rewarded outside of the academic environment.

You are correct! Mediocrity is rewarded with just enough bananas to keep the monkeys happy.

The professors that I've had have been delightfully rigid and unyielding in what they expect and thanks to them, I got to be surrounded by Smarter People as I progressed on.

I think that when people are just handed exceptional rewards for doing substandard work, it fogs their judgment. Just from personal experience, not one person I know who has a PhD is willing to accept that the "Sky is Falling" in the form of environMENTAL[ism].

It depends on the school, the deans, the professors, the reputation, and the tradition.

You can find schools that don't cut any slack or at least don't make life easy for a student. You usually know that before you even attend it.

I have seen classes that have averages which are low compared to other classes but it has to be taken in by context and the course. The subject matter could be a lot more conceptually complex or the mathematics was extremely detailed and required a full range of knowledge. In those cases I can see why they curve simply because the material takes years to master. There are certain times when they get a chemistry major to pass quantum physics with at least a C so he can actually get to his upper division classes and start learning what he needs to learn.

It is all relative.

Thank you for this post. Better late then never?

This I am sure is repeating some of what you have already said. I have never been able to understand how anyone could claim to understand the details of earth's weather. I am still waiting for the day that they can manage to predict the local weather correctly. It is something that is so dynamic that it can be called chaotic. How do they know that the earth would not be getting warmer right now if people did not exist?

Then take into consideration the path that the earth takes around the sun, the moon, the oceans, volcanoes, etc… A lot of the environmentalist force factories to implement better hardware and procedures to prevent pollution. Even though it only amounts up to the pollution of ten SUV's. Funny how everyone looks at the large things and completely forgets how fast all the little things add up.

I struggle with this sometimes because I believe in being respectful of my surroundings. However I am a consumer and I am not going to feel guilty for it. I do still believe that there are some simple things that can be done to improve upon my life in general. When people go to extremes is when good thoughts go bad.