Quote from: JWags85 on Today at 11:45:46 AMDid something specifically spur this thought?

Of course they don't NEED it.  But humans have desired jewelry, in nearly every culture and geography since the beginning of time.  And I'm sure you know that countless animal species seek out and adorn themselves and their habitats with pretty jewelry or baubles.

Its an easy angle because people like to use personal vanity or expensive belongings as convenient targets for complaining about human consumption and the environment, but as someone who is works with a couple NGOs on sustainability/environmental impact (thus sees the data/studies and interface with people whose experience goes across many industries/raw materials)...if you eliminated all gem (whether diamond or other precious stones) and gold/silver mining tomorrow...it wouldn't even make a dent on the most pressing environmental hazards of resource extraction/mining.

Plus it teaches many children there is a tangible value to their physical labor.

Quote from: #UnleashJosh on Today at 03:07:02 PMYes, this has zero to do with why college is a scam now.

Thanks though.

Quote from: #UnleashJosh on Today at 03:10:52 PMYup, totally not a scam. Books that cost $400 each, with a new version out every year, that you need, so no 2nd hand.

40k Tuition per year. But you can take out a loan that you'll be paying off for the next 30 years. At 18, you make that decision.

Room and board exploded, another loan for that.

Oh and BTW, https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics Everyone now GOES to college. Around 2012, it was basically just another four years of high school, now grad school is the real college. Oh btw, another 20k per year...

Just a bit out of touch here sultan. But that doesn't shock anyone.

Oh.

So you have no f*cking clue what "scam" actually means. Let me enlighten you. People aren't getting cheated out of their money. They aren't getting tricked into paying for things. (At most places.)

College is a high cost investment that people make hope that it makes their lives better - financially and otherwise. It is not a guaranty by any means, and many families can't cash flow it easily, and that's where problems arise.

I am all on board for having conversations about why college costs so much, and how we as a society can make it more affordable. But using phrases like "scam" quickly seperate those who engage in serious thought from those who just say sh*t. To no one's surprise, you seem firmly in the latter category.

Quote from: Tarragona on February 21, 2026, 09:52:36 AMThat article is misleading a bit.

https://x.com/rosschaifetz/status/2025048187451388111?s=46

Barry Evans (VCU) started the fight. The other 2 things were common basketball plays with bad timing. Down 16 with 1 second left, VCU tried to steal the ball and take a shot while everyone else had stopped playing. Often a coach would tell the players to back off. He didn't.

So, trapped on the sidelines at half court, he steals the ball, and he gets a soft low body bump tap foul from Avila if foul worthy at all. Normal basketball plays. Questionable timing and location.

This angle here shows Evans running upand shoving a player from behind:

https://x.com/jwarren332/status/2025031901757444135?s=46

Josh Schertz still has some of his sneaky top national 100 junior tennis speed.

The mentioned previous year fight was fans in the stands as VCU had a player from Saint Louis on their team. He brought a lot of family and friends. There was a lot of trash talk that eventually turned physical.

Good to have you back shoothoops!

H

Quote from: TSmith34, Inc. on Today at 03:33:35 PMOn the absolute requirement for accountability after all this rather than the Biden & Obama approach to letting it all go:

https://archive.li/x8vv5

Hopefully the dems completely get burnt down as well. The two party non ranked voting is entirely why this was able to happen.

And Biden will go down as the 2nd worst president.

Quote from: Billy Hoyle on February 21, 2026, 02:01:42 PMWes Miller finding a way to save his job?

I really liked Wes Miller as a coach when he was at UNCG, thought he was gonna be a great high major HC.  But he's been really disappointing 5 years in at Cincy.  He walked into a mess, but its been years and now he has the B12 to leverage instead of the AAC.  And this year has just been a weird year. Lost to Eastern Michigan in the non-con and lost by 20 on a neutral court to a very mediocre UGA team.  Started 1-3 in the B12 and then absolutely handle a previously recently undefeated ISU the entire game.  Then they lose another 4 of 5, Miller is near tears apologizing to fans for losing to WVU, and then they destroy a UCF team that had just beat TTU, beat K State bad enough to get Tang fired, and then smoke KU in Lawrence.  What a ride.

Also, another volume transfer portal caution story.  They brought a bunch of seemingly attractive transfers, former top 100 guys like Harris from WVU/Illinois, another guy who shot 40%+ from 3 at both Cal and Baylor, and then Kriisa who started 70 games for Zona then shot 40% from 3 at WVU before transferring to UK and getting hurt...but they've all stunk.  Especially Kriisa.  Their most productive transfer, from George Mason, got hurt before the year even started.  Their other 2 transfers, Thiem and Baba Miller, have actually been their best 2 players, but bringing in that much new talent, especially when you have 2 other highly touted top 60 freshman, you gotta expect more.   

Quote from: #UnleashJosh on Today at 03:27:49 PMYawn. Remember, all these regimes come crashing down in the end. Trump will be gone, but thousands of others will face consequences.

Nuremberg 2.0

On the absolute requirement for accountability after all this rather than the Biden & Obama approach to letting it all go:

https://archive.li/x8vv5

Quote from: Jay Bee on Today at 02:48:16 PMBlood on her hands!

Yawn. Remember, all these regimes come crashing down in the end. Trump will be gone, but thousands of others will face consequences.

Nuremberg 2.0

Quote from: Jay Bee on Today at 02:48:16 PMBlood on her hands!

Why yes, the people with blood on their hands are the ones calling out the violent killers, not the violent killers themselves! Yes, indeed.

Quote from: The Sultan on Today at 12:53:43 PMIt's clearly not a scam overall. Some colleges can be scams.

But yes, there are deep flaws throughout our educational system.

Yup, totally not a scam. Books that cost $400 each, with a new version out every year, that you need, so no 2nd hand.

40k Tuition per year. But you can take out a loan that you'll be paying off for the next 30 years. At 18, you make that decision.

Room and board exploded, another loan for that.

Oh and BTW, https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics Everyone now GOES to college. Around 2012, it was basically just another four years of high school, now grad school is the real college. Oh btw, another 20k per year...

Just a bit out of touch here sultan. But that doesn't shock anyone.

Quote from: The Sultan on Today at 12:26:34 PMhttps://www.census.gov/library/stories/2025/09/education-and-income.html

Yes, this has zero to do with why college is a scam now.

Thanks though.