[ExI] the formerly rich and their larvae...

[spike]

> Bryan Bishop
...
> 
> It is my understanding that the distance learning 
> institutions are frowned upon as commercial institutions and 
> not beacons of academic success... - Bryan

Well sure Bryan, but let me try another angle at the whole academia and its
discontents.  I work at a big engineering firm (Lockheeed).  The reason I
have stayed there all these years (19) is that it has enormous opportunities
for education.  There is the formal stuff, with some classed offered by the
local universities there on the site (math, space technology and business
courses mostly) but there is also tremendous potential for learning from
colleagues.  I consider it a terrific fringe benefit of working in a big
corporation to be able to work in teams, make friends who know cool stuff,
then we talk about our work, teach each other of our areas of expertise.

That style of learning is not exactly a beacon of academic success, as it
grants no actual credentials.  But my notion is that if one is in a good
job, one should get steadily smarter just from hanging out with smart
people.  So don't be afraid of going into a big company.  They have their
advantages.

The trick is getting one's foot in the door.  Usually that requires a
college degree, with an advanced degree preferred.

spike