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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Kelly Anderson<br><br><b><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>>…</span></b>I am sad that I didn't do auto mechanics and welding in high school. That would have served me much better than a lot of stuff I did take<span style='color:#1F497D'>…</span>-Kelly<span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I get ya Kelly, but in general I disagree with the notion. There is so little classroom time available, I would advise young people to look around for worthwhile practical electives: typing, networking, IT, Microsloth apps, perhaps home repair or craft shop, but not auto, not home economics, not welding. Reasoning: there are better ways to learn that stuff, especially now. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>When we were younger, the way to learn that was to get a junky old car for practically nothing, then fix it. Plenty of old guys around will help you or explain to you what you need to do. I see that as one of the most effective male bonding rituals left. It isn’t dangerous, isn’t particularly costly, and it has a ready reward: fix the junkpile, you ride. Otherwise, we call you pedestrian, and do it with an understated derision, the kind that motivates young men to pick up the wrenches and get to work.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Welding: never waste classroom time with that, unless you intend to become a professional welder. Otherwise, get a welder and some rods (they aren’t expensive), watch the YouTubes, read the basics book you can get online or at the public library, all of which can be done in about an hour or two. Then just practice your way to success. Make a weld, break it, look at the break, figure out what they mean by penetration and why your first welds don’t have it, try again, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I would tell the young people: Learn it by doing it, in both auto and welding. Put away the dope and the beer, you don’t have time for those things now. You have the opportunity to pick up skills that will help you the rest of your life. Grab as many of them as you can.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>spike <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>