Is A College Degree Worth The Price?

Jack Hough, an associate editor with SmartMoney Magazine, recently authored an article for msn.com. He opines that someone who invests the money they would have spent on college will make larger returns when it comes time to retire, despite earning less each year. “College degrees bring higher income, but at today’s cost they can’t make up the savings they consume and the debt they add early in the life of a typical student.” Gary Becker, University Professor of Economics and Sociology at the University of Chicago, offers a different perspective: “It’s wrong to say you shouldn’t have debt after college. It’s like saying you shouldn’t borrow money to buy a house.” Kim Clark of U.S. News & World Report writes, “Lots of research shows that those who study math, sciences, or career-related courses generally end up earning more than those who focus on the humanities, for example. And generally, graduates of better-ranked and more-selective colleges do far better financially than others, even better than similarly qualified students who turn those colleges down to attend lower-ranked colleges.” Clark references a study from Harvard University that found that students who don’t have a shot at first- or second-tier colleges might be better off if they chose their cheapest options. There are also other benefits to having a college degree. An article from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business reads, “College-educated people are healthier, their children achieve more, they respond better to crises, and they manage financial assets better.” - Do you think that your college degree was worth the cost? - How would you counter these arguments?

Making a Difference: Disney Studios Makes a Major Contribution

We all have our favorite children’s and family movies that Walt Disney Studios has created over the years. Now Disney is pointing in a new direction with a focus they call “Disneynature.” The purpose of the new production unit is to produce films that spotlight the realities of nature. The first of the films in this direction is the incredibly moving documentary called “Earth.” Originally released internationally in 2007, the American version of “Earth” premiered on April 22, a day also known in the U.S. as Earth Day.

“Earth,” narrated by James Earl Jones, follows the lives of three non-human families, polar bears, elephants, and humpback whales, for a one-year cycle in their very precarious and difficult lives.

In addition to distributing this film that documents the fragility of all life, Disney has pledged to plant one tree in the endangered Brazilian rainforest for every person who saw the movie during its first week. The trees are being planted by the Nature Conservancy, whose slogan is “Protecting Nature. Preserving Life.”

Disney has announced that the box-office receipts for the first week totaled $16.1 million, which translates to their funding 2.7 million trees for the Conservancy to plant.

So the challenge here is to respond to the meaning of this new direction by Disney:

Did you see the film? If yes, what did you think?

If you haven’t seen it, are you interested in doing so?

Do you have any thoughts to share on the issue of the fragility of all life on Earth?

Or on the issue of planting trees in the Brazilian rainforest as opposed to here in the U.S.?

We look forward to hearing what you think!

Military Veterans: Disability & Homelessness

One estimate from the Veterans Administration is that since 2003, more than 60,000 U.S. military personnel in Iraq have been wounded or struggle with psychological disorders. The percentage of veterans who are amputees is said to be the highest since the Civil War, and at least one-third of military personnel who have served in Iraq struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Returning service personnel with a disability are required to submit an application for a Disability Compensation claim. While the time required to transition from submission of an application to being declared eligible for treatment or compensation varies by region, it is presently stated as approximately six months.

In terms of homelessness, as of November 8, 2007, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans indicated there were 195,827 homeless veterans in the U.S., and 2,784 of those were in Pennsylvania.

Individuals interested in how our returned military personnel are faring might research any of the following:

· U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

· National Coalition for Homeless Veterans

· Iraq War Veterans

For those interested in learning more about how to assist returned military, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans provides a “Locate a Community-based Organization” link (under “Homeless Veteran Service Providers”). A search for “Philadelphia” lists six agencies in the area that provide assistance and services especially for homeless veterans.

· What ideas do you have in respect to how our returned Iraq veterans are treated?

· Do you have any ideas to share on what we can do to assist?

· Do you know of any employment opportunities for returned veterans?

· Is your workplace cognizant of returned veterans issues? If so, do you have any ideas to share in respect to your workplace?