Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Hiring Ian

Because when you're attempting to grade finals, what you need to do is get sucked into a reality show with no commercials. Entree PBS' 1867 Texas Ranch House, which features a fellow Ohioan, although I suspect he is from the small secret pocket of Ohio that exports tools, because his biography reads like this:

Ian now lives in Ohio. He recently completed a master's degree in adventure education

Oh, but if this sounds useless to you, fear not. He has an emphasis:

with an emphasis on cultural diversity.

Man, that'll get you places. Where can't you go in life with a master's degree in adventure education with an emphasis on cultural diversity?

THIS WEEK ON BUSTEDHALO.COM: Now I hate Mexico, too!

changing my major at: mb@blondechampagne.com

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

On the Spiritual Smackdown posts:
I'm so glad to hear someone finaly mention that the illegal immigrant thing has a lot to do with the illegals not paying taxes and the like, yet getting the benifits of what tax money pays for. It has been very frustrating to me to hear so much coverage in the news about jobs and workers and hear NOTHING about taxes and the idea of the illegals paying their fair share like everyone else. I loved your analogy about you tying to sneak into Germany, you are great at making points like that. Go MB!

Anonymous said...

Thanks, jcat-- I appreciate that you went to BH. I hate confrontation (sssshhhh, don't tell my students who want a grade raise) but this is actually kinda fun.

Anonymous said...

Adventure education WITH and emphasis on cultural diversity?...

Sounds to me as if this guy likes to drink the mezcal AND suck the worm too! how's that for adventure?

And if what you hate of Mexico are mexican politicians and soap operas, then I'm with ya all the way CHICA! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I agree with jcat -- but, as usual, the heart of the matter is far less interesting (read: makes less sales) than inflaming acusations. Yes, it's illegal, technically it's also identify theft (the most common form seems to be providing a false SSN to get insurance and the ability to apply for jobs.) No, I can't hold the job market against people who for the most part are undercutting jobs that most Americans over 20 wouldn't take anyway. Faking US citizenship to lean on an already over-taxed (no pun) system, which I've paid dearly into all my life, and probably won't ever see benifit from? That's another matter entierly.

BTY: a quick note on the quotes referenced in the BH article... (couldn't resist) ...
Comp students constantly ask why correctly structured English is important. Yes, Virginia, that whirring sound *is* my grade school teacher spinning in her grave.

Anonymous said...

Heard on a Dallas radio station a couple of weeks ago:
"I have the answer for this whole immigration issue: I-35 SOUTH!!!!"

Anonymous said...

But is it really right for our economy to be based on the fact that many of these workers work for slave wages? If we paid American workers to pick lettuce (i.e. minimum wage), the cost of lettuce would be MUCH higher than it is. Perhaps not a good example- I don't like lettuce. But the idea of paying $4 for a tomato and $15 for spaghetti sauce is more than most Americans would pay.

I think the "taking advantage of the system" goes both directions. Yes, some are working tax-free, but MOST are working for way less than legal minimum wage. It's a creepy form of slavery. The South's economy crashed when slavery was abolished (Thomas Jefferson didn't like the idea of slavery, but didn't feel that he could afford to be without it). There are huge industries that would crash if these workers were kicked out and we had to pay for the coast of wages. You're in Florida- can you imagine the price of oranges if they were picked by American workers?

I just get mad when the individuals who rip off the system- and there are always some- get lambasted, but the money that is being made off of their backs is not.

Now, I realize that this is not the topic of this thread... And it does bother me that Americans are hiring people who are breaking the law.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you guys want to comment and discuss all this, but can you take BH stuff to that site, please? I'd like BlondeChampagne to remain a thought-free area. This is a Fun Zone. Thanks :)

Anonymous said...

What univerity gives degrees in Adventure Eduction. I think Ian should be reported to the SPCA for the cow licking stunt. The cow was licking him, definite animal abuse!

Cbell said...

Can I just say that I fell onto the Texas Ranch House by accident because there was NOTHING entertaining on the other 200 channels I currently subscribe to. While I didn't watch it enough to get anyone's names, I just wanted to smack the wife of the rancher because she is witching about how she is a 21st century woman with no voice amongst the men-folk there. Hellllooooo... you are supposed to be living in 1867. Your value is only slightly higher than the cook and a rung down from a horse. You are chattel in the 1800s and only glad to have survived the birthing process of your three children... and they were all GIRLS for goodness sakes!

Okay... I'm done now.

Anonymous said...

My favorite is Maura the SuperDooperWomyn. She's like, "I want to ride with the men and be a hero to the women watching this program!" Okay. When it comes to choosing heroines, Maura, you may take a seat at the end of a very very long line of ladies who have done a slight bit more than sell their souls to PBS. I don't know about the rest of you, but when I'm looking for role models, the first place I go is a reality show contestant.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I'm the one who brough the Smackdown here. I'll be sure to check it at the door next time.

I cannot, absolutally cannot, stand reality shows. Seems people will do just about anything to get on TV nowadays. I especially hate shows like Overhaulin'. The car makeover is fine, but the crap about stealing the car and lying to the person about what happened is stupid. Shows like Punk'd need to be stopped as well, though I have to admit to sharing MB's not-so-secret pleasure in schadenfreude, when it applys to famous people that deserve it, that is. (I had to use meriam-webster online to spell schadenfreude right, but thanks to an episode of Boston Legal in which they said it about a dozen times, I know how to pronouce it!)

Jenib said...

On the Ranch House Show: We just got sucked into this one too and it's finals week for me. Between LOST and this show, I am so behind....shhh.

Mrs. Cook needs a bitch slap-it's embarassing to hear her whine about her ego when she signed on to be part of a time period. I think they should ahve given the "house elf" woman every opportunity to do the cowboy thing and treated her like a man. Nothing like full immersion into that kind of all day labor intensive job to make a person change their tune. I have been on a working cattle ranch in modern time and still do not consider that job as "greener grass". I am a staunch supporter of equal rights/pay and all that jazz (sorry for being "glib") but I know my limits.

Anonymous said...

I have never experienced such a massive swing from rooting for a group of reality-TV people to hating them so very, very thoroughly. Wow. Good job, Cooke family.

Anonymous said...

So, thanks to you, I ended up watching the last episode of Ranch House and I am kicking myself that I missed the rest. Tell us your thoughts on the finale, if you'd be so kind, dear possessor of the RACK!

Tamar ;)

Jenib said...

Yes, MB, please give a recap of the finale because I freaking missed it!?!?!?! And I read they got their asses handed to them. I sooo wanted to see something like that.

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