It is always tough to read about a soldier, police officer, fire fighter, first responder, or others who willing serve others so that we may all live with more assurance, who dies in the line of her or his duties; however, and no doubt being a parent is in and of itself a bias, there is something so striking, so innately primal and instinctive about the protection of a child – especially your own – that in some instant, bizarre and macabre thought, I began to question how not to rank but to recognize this level of “service”.

When a soldier or police officer dies, especially in the line of duty, very rightful, respectful and solemn honors are paid to the fallen. I have seen many memorial services for people from many backgrounds of service and duty over the years, but I cannot begin to fathom a rightful, respectful and honorable service for a parent who dies in the line of duty; nothing seems to come close to honorific enough. A flag may drape his coffin, bagpipes may play Amazing Grace or Taps, guns may fire in salute to his service, but what will truly honor his ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty as a parent?

I know it is a huge digression from the devastation and other sad news surrounding the storms in the area for many, but I think some of those who have served and some of those who are parents too will understand the philosophical dilemma so to speak. When my time is up, military and masonic honors conveyed and that folded flag presented to my children, I certainly want them to be cognizant and hopefully proud of my service, but I hope I have done them a better service simply as their parent.

Maybe there is no appropriate honor we can bestow upon this yet named champion, but rest assured that no one will ever be able to define amply terms like sacrifice, hero, service, and parent to his little girl that her father’s line of duty and ultimate deed as a parent has taught and will resonate with her and others for lifetimes to come.

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Okay, so this is not a steamy or politically charged entry that a few have come to enjoy, but you might learn something or confirm your knowledge and get a free ego stroke, so stick around for a minute. Like most, I write for a variety of reasons whether by choice or consequence. So, it is handy to have a good working knowledge of words, uses and meanings … or at least a quick reference, especially useful for times of uncertainty or when expedience takes precedence over excellence. Personally, I think computers have a mixed history when it comes their efficacy in increasing education. I’m not sure which is more true: the computer makes me seem smarter by helping learn to spell (spell check is built into my word processors and as a toolbar add-on for my browser for typing in most online applications, to include this website); or, I am slowly becoming smarter by use of my computer. For example, MS Word tells me when I misspell something and even warns me when I may be writing a confusing or run-on sentence; further, with a few keystrokes (Shift + F7) I can bring up the built-in thesaurus and avoid reusing a word too often, or even find a word to which I never even considered, or possible knew. Either way, were here (in the Digital Age) now so we may as well make use of the resources and hope for the best.

Commonly Confusing Words

There is no two ways about it, English is probably one of the most confusing languages there is and it’s full of confusing words. Beyond homophones, many of our American English words have near or same pronunciation with different meanings. Furthering the confusion is words with exact spellings and pronunciations with different meanings. And you thought memorizing theorems was tough – the English language can be a tough bear to bear around sometimes.

Confused Words List #1

Grandpa and Dad both use to tell me, “Say what you mean and mean what you say.” Well to be sure, that was sound advice. Make sure you are saying what you mean and that you have used the right word for the right requirement in everything you write; practice makes perfect.

1. accept: take, receive
   except: exclude or leave out
2. advice: noun meaning to guidance
   advise: action verb meaning to guide
3. air: noun for the atmosphere we’re breathing
   err: verb meaning to make an error; mistake
4. affect: verb; to influence
   affect: noun describing psychological state
   effect: impact and purpose; noun
5. a lot: many
   allot: divide
6. all together: all at one once; at one time
   altogether: completely; all inclusive
7. already: happened before;  previously
   all ready: wholly prepared
8. conscience: moral sense
   conscious: alert; awake
9. eminent: distinguished
   imminent: at any time; expected
   immanent: inherent; inborn
10. loose: noun meaning not fastened; not tight
    loose: can also be used as a verb to mean let go
    lose: verb for misplace

No doubt we’ll be adding to the list in the near future, but this will make for a decent dent in hopefully clarifying commonly confusing words.

Here is an easy, fun theory to test how quickly information degrades from authenticity into audacity:

Purposefully tape a piece or two of toilet paper to the bottom of your shoe, and exit into a public, but “controlled” arena, such as at the office. Make sure a colleague or even a friends takes note of your faux pas. Before long, a cute anecdote is circulating around the office email pool about how silly you looked or how embarrassed you were when you came out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to your shoe; and before long, by the end of the day, absurdity morphs the anecdote into asininity and before you know it, you shit your pants at the office.

Sorry for the graphic imagery, but you are already very likely thinking of a very similar situation exampling the contrast of the authentic against the comprehension of the asinine twists of the former?  If the above experiment were carried out, even to a different less degrading depiction without shocking terminology about defecation, who would be the victim of the misinformation? Certainly you may feel victimized if a story were taken out of context and passed around as the truth, and rightfully so. Is the only “innocent” victim the one misreported? What about the recipients of the wrong information? Are they victims of being misled? Don’t be too quick to come to theirs, or even your own, defense.

This is exactly what happens to each of us nearly every time we receive an email forwarded to us. You recognized them at once:

• Please Forward
• Please Read
• Please Do NOT  Delete
• I Don’t Normally Forward Emails, But This ONE is Really IMPORTANT

These are just a few examples of subject and opening lines to emails that anyone with an email account receives. For that matter, I get more of these than emails from Bill Gates offering me ten cents for every time I sent and get others to resend emails for their tracking and testing; I have yet to see a guest on Oprah, Good Morning America, or even a local paper story or picture of anyone holding up a huge check from Microsoft or Bill Gates making them an overnight millionaire. I am more inundated with emails from friends, family and colleagues that require my immediate attention, reading, action and forwarding to everyone I know on a daily basis than the times I have won the Internet Lotto or failed to help some heiress in Africa get her late father’s wishes and money to me. What is so important that my friend who never finds it important enough to forward emails to everyone she knows to send this one to me for my immediate consideration and call to act?

Read and Forward THIS Email Examples

Here are a few examples of emails that I have received demanding my attention and begging for my reaction

• No Presidential Prayer Day Proclamation for 2010
• UK to Outlaw Holocaust Education

As time, energy and frustration dictates, I will periodically revisit, edit and add to this entry with link over to others that are expamples.

The bottom line up front (BLUF) for me is multiform for me, I guess. First, the emails are malicious; they are meant to be hoaxes from the starting gate with the juvenile goals to see how far the farse will travel and bogging down lanes on the information superhighway. Secondly, I suppose I am a bit offended by receipt of such emails; my sensibilities are offended. Finally, I am struck by the very audacity and ignorance of those who continue to readily jump on a phantom bandwagon and then ask everyone they know to realize their ignorance while lending a hand to help them up onto the audacious and ignorant wagon with them.

Ignorance v. Stupidity

For me, there is a fine but definitive line between being ignorant to the facts or about the knowledge of something and the stupidity of further promoting and propagating untruths without the simple expenditure of a couple of keystrokes and a minute of time. In essence, it also comes down to an exercise in common sense. When we see an ad too good to be true, we almost automatically look for “the catch.” Where is that “sixth sense” when we read an email so full of pathos it is an obvious assault on our sensibilities requiring the same speculation and suspecting of the all-too-good advertisement?

Let Your Fingers Do the Walking

Before the Internet killed the yellow pages star the oft quoted and re-used slogan of the Yellow Pages, “Let your fingers do the walking,” was applied across the spectrum of academia, not just to finding a reputable plumber on a Sunday. When I didn’t understand a word, my grandfather and father were quick to point to a dictionary and let my fingers do the look-up so my brain would remember the definition and meaning. When you receive an email that begs you to get involved and forward, do yourself, your credibility and your sensibilities a favor and let your fingers type on over to a few verity checks before becoming an accomplice to stupidity:

• Google – yep, Google – put that pathetic subject line in the search engine and see what comes up; probably the real answer or a link to Urban Legends who give the “rest of the story” to these too oft BS emails. For example, if I search Google for “2010 prayer day canceled by obama” the first link to appear is to Urban Legends and merely from the viewing of the SERP (search engine results page) I can clearly read “False:…” and the story and link are a click away.
• Urban Legends – click on over and you’ll see the Paul Harvey version of your email and a verity of its authenticity in seconds; a great way to educate yourself and the sender of the email to you! Using the above example, here’s the rest of the story on the 2010 Prayer Day issue.

Keep your credibility and sensibilities in tact – suspect and check the authenticity of those outlandish emails with passionate pleading to forward to everyone you know; else everyone you know may know may know ….

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Amps Will Kill Ya!

A few weeks ago my son and I got off on a digression that led to a nearly two hour debate about which was the killing factor in getting electrocuted. I honestly got so engrossed in the debate I really cannot even recall how the subject came up; but somehow I ended up making the comment, ” … it’s not the voltage that will kill you, it’s the amps,” to wit my teenage son was all too eager to correct, stating “… it’s not the amps, it is the ohms that is the cause of death in electrocution.” Okay, game afoot, please clarify.

Tyler decided that he had been convinced by a former teacher and science textbook that it was in fact the very fact that the human body had a natural resistance (ohms) that made would cause its death should electricity be introduced. Really?

So most assuredly, we “debated” the issue back and forth for some time, swapping analogies, examples and factoids to better make our respective cases … all to no avail; we simply could not agree. Ironically, we really seemed to be talking about the very same thing, but we were looking at it from different perspectives and understanding it from different points of view. But honestly, I really felt we were talking about the same thing and merely using and understanding the definitions on different levels. My position was that the “introduction” of electricity into the body was an unnatural offense to it and the fact that the body has a natural ohm was not the culprit, but the electricity that contained enough amps (0.5  amps by the way is all it takes to kill a human) to kill the individual, while Tyler maintained that the body’s ohm resistance being present stopped the electricity from passing through the body and hence rendered it “dead”. Hmm … let’s think on that a moment; nope, back to arguing!

Communication Failure

After unsuccessful attempts and an hour later trying to prove my case, I did not give up, but I did offer a challenge and reward. I would allow Tyler access to my computer, books and any reference material he could find within an hour and if he could prove me wrong, by an authoritative source, I would give $10 for helping me see the light … sorry, the pun just slipped. However, as a former non-commissioned officer in the Army, I was taught to make use of available resources which I have tried with little success to impart to my children. As such, I felt it only fair to also offer up my phone for the research … “Call your grandfather who spent over 40 years of his life as an electrician, meaning that every single day of his career and the majority of his life, he’s had to live or die by the very knowledge which you are seeking.” With that, I handed him my phone and walked away to allow him optimal concentration and use of faculties for proving me wrong. Good luck.

Now, I knew the answer, not because of my own education, but from my father who survived life as an (electrical) lineman with the knowledge that a little amp goes a long way. After a few minutes, I re-entered the room to find my son busily typing at the computer researching the Internet looking for any source that would prove him right, and me wrong … and apparently grandpa too!

“What did Grandpa Gordon say?” I asked upon entry to the back of Tyler’s slumped over body steadily pecking at the keyboard.

“Amps will kill ya!” and then he hung up, Tyler informed me.

Yep, sounds like grandpa – short, succinct and sure; case closed. Not so fast …

Communication Errors Kill

What started out as an intended correction of the old man to put me in my place, migrated over to a debate, and evolved into an exercise in communication. Again, in essence, we were really talking about the same thing: the amps are the “killing agent” in electrical shock and because of the body’s natural resistance, it is almost always a deadly introduction when the two meet. However, we were so headstrong in our positions and being proven right, that we failed to see the common ground that we were standing in – we were talking about the same thing but failing to hear the commonality enabling us to reach an agreement and move forward …

You know, maybe ohms do kill you … if you’re too resistant to communication?

Thanks to Tyler for the education in communication; I’m never too old to learn – I hope!

Thanks to my Dad, William G. Mineo, for the education, experiences, and humility to enable turning the other ear! (And the short, direct, and on-point answer / phone call couldn’t have been better scripted.)

Thanks to my own grandfather, William L. Mineo, and great-grandfather, Robert T. Mineo (for whom (Robert) Tyler is named) for their ever-consistent ethos, and stubbornness, that resonates throughout our generational lineage that empowers our logos and drives our pathos!

Thanks be to God for them all!

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Another Year Closer to Humus

I ended my birthday with an MRI this year; damn it sucks getting older. As I lay in the very loud thumping noise of the MRI machine with my shoulder even further restricted by a special image capturing device, my mind was racing. I was wondering what ever happened to the grand daughter of my old neighbor’s who’d been born on my 8th birthday over 30 years earlier. I was wondering if I had thanked everyone on Facebook who’d posted a reminder to my age earlier in the day; surely I left someone out, but hopefully they all knew I was grateful. I was wondering where and how I would celebrate next year; hopefully not confined in an MRI machine! But then it dawned on me … I really don’t like to celebrate birthday’s anyway. Then I really began to wonder – why was I wondering about a day I would personally prefer to be another day? I’m not vain about my age, but the idea of birthday celebrations after a certain point just seems pointless. Unless of course, you reach another plateau range which is in itself noteworthy; when my great-grandfather turned ninety and later ninety-five, now that’s worth commemorating in my book!

Birthdays – Annual Reminder of Mortality

So if you are reading this and I’m between the ages of 21 (which I have long surpassed) and 80 (that’s my “goal” year) do not feel it necessary, an obligation, or a necessity to remind me of my passing mortality, the aging process in and of itself is reminder enough … daily.

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Don’t Detract From Democracy Via Distraction

Can we mix politics, religion and democracy?

Okay, I admit it, that was a bit long for a title and subtitle, and you are probably expecting a really long dissertation to explain it … probably not going to happen; we’ll have to see how it types out. It is really simple, but as you can see, a long, complicated, or confusing title could easily lead into an entire diatribe when some simple dialog will suffice. It seems to never fail, with every major election year, we have to drum up major issues to distract us from real problems that politicians fail to fix.

“We will not forget” is an oft used statement among several organizations, groups and countries, most especially here in the United States; I am reminded not only of that statement, but the commitment with which it comes as well, every day that I display the POW/MIA flag with its similar, somber message, “You Are Not Forgotten”. Both of these terms took on special meaning for the entire world on the morning of September 11, 2001. While the generation a few years before me will always remember where they were, with whom they were with and what they were doing when Jackie was assassinated, when Brother Martin was gunned down, or when Bobby was taken from us too. Similarly this generation will always remember with painful clarity the morning, the moments, and the mourning of 9/11. We could not forget, should not forget, never forget the events of 9/11; but let us not turn the remembrance of those lost into a misguided trip onto distraction drive by politicians who do not have real answers to our real problems.

2010 Election Year Distraction Delegate: Mosque at Ground Zero

The Mosque at Ground Zero, more appropriately should be referred to as the mosque near ground zero, first off. Then again, Newt, Ann and other ranters would not have gotten nearly the press play that they did had they titled their discussions (diatribes really) more appropriately and accurately. While religion is just that and should not be equated to race, that is exactly where detractors and distractions are  trying to lead the discussions, to an unjustified question of an us versus them mentality … an attempt to race bait.

While I am personally not in favor or the mosque near ground zero, it has nothing to do with anyone’s religion. Actually, it is my concern, that irrespective of the intention of the Islamic center at this location, it will be a target for heated debated, discussions and potential hotbed for violence by all those whipped up in a frenzy over its existence. We have the opportunity and yes, even the obligation, to show the world that we are truly that beacon on a hill that we have always aspired to be and be the tolerant, respectful and freedom loving people of the American ideal. Blocking the building of a religious center would accomplish what? Blocking the building of the mosque at or near ground zero will only serve to show that we are no more free than the theocratic, oppressive political systems we openly abhor.

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First, a reading of the original editorial by Jim Wiese of Elizabethtown KY entitled “Who are the scofflaws?” should be in order. Second, though Mr. Wiese did not identify himself as such, indicating a personal view versus a stance on behalf of any organization affiliated with, many local residents know and identify him through his chairmanship of the Hardin County Republican Party, and he ended his opinion with a firm recommendation to elect “conservative” politicians in the upcoming November 2010 election. Thirdly, without respect to his political opinions, associations or affiliations, Mr. Wiese is locally infamous for his continual commitment to community, commonwealth, and country. Finally, I personally know Mr. Wiese: he is a member of the Staff Judge Advocate for the United States Recruiting Command (USAREC) at Fort Knox KY, where I served in the military as a Human Resources Specialist from 1997 – 2001, and as a government contractor working on the re-branding and transition of the Army into the cyberspace with GoArmy.com from 2001 to 2004; I have nothing but reverent memories of our limited encounters.

After painful editing of my original 634 word response, I settled on the below submission to the newspaper’s editorial board; not knowing what, if any, will appear in print, here is my final draft.

Clarifying Constitutional Confusion

I’m not a constitutional scholar but that doesn’t prevent me from taking a participatory role, or anyone from taking active roles to fuller understand the issues facing our common tranquility and security. I’m sure it was a mere matter of space allocation wherein Jim Wiese (Aug 1^st “Who are the scofflaws”) was unable to explain clearly how federal government had no business in Arizona’s state law to handle the immigration problem as they saw fit.

Yes, we are individual states ‘contracted’ for a common goal (mainly defense) creating our United States of America, after deciding it was counter-productive and dangerous to go it alone; recognizing and accepting the fact that, at times, the needs of the whole must sometimes trump the desires of one. This is why states are forbid from entering into treaties and cannot pass laws counter-intuitive to the nation’s goals as a whole.

Does a state have the right to protect itself? Absolutely! They have every right to expect that when threatened, the collective United States will come to its aid. Does any state enjoy the right to circumvent federal statutes, going outside prescribed parameters of the law? No. Is Arizona really the litmus of American ideals we want to champion? They recognized and adopted the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. only when they couldn’t obtain a Super Bowl bid – when it became financially necessary, not morally acceptable or right. Is Kentucky that beacon for others to emulate, passing the 13^th (KY rejected 2/24/1865) 14^th (rejected 1/8/1867) and 15^th (rejected 3/12/1869) Amendments on March 18, 1976?

America needs action, not knee-jerk reactions. America needs reasonable, equitably enforced immigration laws. We don’t need states running amuck, acting outside the prescribed (constitutional) guidelines. We have recognized, reacted, and corrected that behavior before – at the federal level – Brown v. Board of Education as a small example. Current calls for the repeal of the 14^th Amendment are distasteful, disenfranchising, and a deliberate distraction.

An un-adjudicated charge of malfeasance doesn’t justify subverting federal law by individual states. WE, the American citizenry, are guilty of malfeasance; we fail to participate, we fail to vote, and it is we who keep sending to our hallowed capitol those more concerned about corporate campaign donations than the constituents they’re charged to serve. In November, we need common sense citizens regardless of political affiliation; who know what living on a budget means, can balance a checkbook, and appreciate the struggles of citizens, not corporate donors.

W. R. Mineo
Vine Grove KY

Update: 16 August 2010

The News Enterprise ran a nicely edited version of my editorial, enhancing it with the following cartoon as its lead:

14th Amendment Political Cartoon by Artist Clay Jones

Read the online, edited version at News Enterprise Opinion section for Aug 15, 2010

Let us briefly consider how former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is spewing the exact xenophobic and prejudicial slandering  that completely reinforces the stereotype that radical terrorist Osama bin Laden has used to give synergy and support to rally a small percentage of fellow radicals to blindly follow the unethical, immoral, and ill interpreted ideologies and policies of terrorism against those who do not succumb to their ill conceived ideals of Islam.

Newt Gingrich and Osama bin Laden

Gingrich Should Stifle Himself

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is obviously not as calculated an orator as he would like to believe himself to be. He is not a policy maker who gives objective, calculated, reserved rhetoric to convey, understand, and rally; he is an attention grabbing politician promoting the very ideals that keep us afraid, that invites radical response, and endangers our security, not provide for it.

Gingrich-Bin Laden Alliance

Read and learn more about the Newt Gingrich – Bin Laden Alliance.

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If you are reading this at work, at your place of worship, or other place of potential need for political correctness, please increase the font for the nosy onlookers, and heck why not, bring in the children and grandchildren; time for a lesson in bull[...]t – may as well get use to it now, because we (the adult, kids – it is not your fault, but definitely your fight and your future, so please pay attention, the rest of your life will be a test of it!) bring it on ourselves by continually be allowing dumba[...]s in DC and we apparently have the stomach to keep sending them back. Oh, but Rob, I didn’t vote for so and so … oh, but my friends, they are nearly each and everyone guilty of crimes against common sense, and many more today committed crimes against … dare I say it for fear of being taken out of context or accused of grabbing headlines … yeah – they can defame and denounce all they want … our elected members of the House of Representatives today created crimes against humanity.

Might be a good time to send the kids and grandkids away, I don’t feel like censoring anymore; and of course it might be respectful to not continue reading this if you are in fact in a place of worship.

Congressional Crimes Against Humanity?

Yeah, I said it. Failing to pass a health care bill specifically for 9/11 first responders, our U.S. Congress Committed Crimes Against Humanity! I only apologize to any person or descendant of a person who is or was a victim of the normally associated, violent and oppressive, known meaning and connotation; barring that, nearly every member of the House of Representatives can kiss my ass and own what they have sown and may they never get another dollar, another vote, or any sympathetic ear. Yes, nearly every member, and I’m not talking about a number of Republicans or a number of Democrats, Independents, Libertarians or Librarians … I am only aware of one that might be salvageable … though they will all spin it and spoon-feed it to their bases in any sleazy way possible to justify not averting their eyes from the public should they dare ask for another term.

What About Procedures and Amendments?

There is no nice way to put this to please all, but in case I wasn’t clear – bullshit!

The fact that we continue to spend billions in earmark funds and attach other completely unrelated amendments to bill is a load of crap. But that is the way the system works … I’m sorry, didn’t you hear me – BS!

The system is broke and WE all keep allowing it to be that way. We cannot pass a defense appropriations bill without funding research for how long boiled eggs will stay preserved in space? We cannot get a bill out of committee for dealing with pedophiles because some Representative could not get his amendment attached for a tax break for whiskey distillers in his Congressional District? Think these are bad examples, just do a little research of your own and see what kind of asininity we allow these asses to ascribe unto us all; again, and again, and again.

Well, certainly for an issue as important as taking care of our own, especially for one of the worst tragedies in our history, we could comprehend the necessity for common sense. Hell no! We couldn’t pass a bill to fund health care for victims of 9/11 – sad, sick, impeachable!

Congressional Term Limits

Yep, I’m calling for them; Congressional term limits should be enacted this year! Not by an act of law or an amendment to the Constitution, neither will be expedient enough; we’d just debate to death and fail to act out of apathy. Not by act of treason, terrorism or tyranny; we’re better than that. We can enact them by not re-electing a damned one of them. Nope, yours is no good either, I don’t care what her record is. Mine is no good either, he is a PAC-paid-for-politician too and of no use as he is as compromised as his foe across the aisle. I honestly don’t think anyone could persuade me to pick a single politician that should be protected and re-elected.

Correct Congressional Conduct

You want commonsense back into the fabric of government? You want realistic spending, realistic priorities, realistic budgets, realistic thinking back in OUR congressional halls? Then we need to send realistic people to these hallowed halls who understand commonsense, reality, and priorities. These newly elected officials needn’t have long pedigrees, pockets full of cash, or even political aspirations (none is better); simple Constitutional requirements are necessary, however the ability to balance a checkbook, lack of corporate sponsorship, and not be endorsed by a sitting Member of Congress is a must!

wrmineo notes:

I wrote this a few days ago after the AP wire released the story and I had to write or explode; Grandpa said to never to go to bed angry – it didn’t help much. However, I did let it lay for a day before clicking the publish button and placing it on the ether for the Internet archives to hold forever until death does it part. I decided to change very little – they can all get the hell out of DC and let some common sense citizen run the place for a few years and we’ll see we really didn’t need them anyway, I’m sure of it! I did change some of the earlier, heavier heaving of slurs and cursing, changed the first header to edit/omit the word ‘pissed’ and even added a breakpoint to send kids away, because even though mama said don’t say something if you can’t say it nice, sometime we common-folk just get pissed and no sense letting the pressure backup.

If you were offended reading this article; tough, you could have stopped before now.

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When I returned to college recently, I realized that I was a “non-traditional” student since having well surpassed the age of 30, but I was struck by the over emphasis of the use of the term “Adult Education“. Between terms a few years ago, I took the summer off to do website redesign, development, Internet marketing and website maintenance on a major Ohio university website overhaul project with my Army buddy and business partner, Ryan Sharrer, Level 5 Development Group (L5DG). In preparation for the sales meetings, we both did a lot of research (Internet surfing) of other university website’s to get a good sense of the needs, direction and design for the project. Again and again, I came across the term Adult Education on nearly every single college, university, technical and other post-secondary school and education site.

Adult Learner

Believe me, I understand the marketing base, reasoning, and tactics in catering to adults who already have full-time lives with job, family and other commitments, who feel the need to get further ahead, or even just to set a better example for their own children. However, something still struck me as almost offensive when I was labeled an “Adult Learner” – I drove to the campus just like everyone else, no short bus picked me up along the way to the university.

Defining an Adult Learner

My fill finally came when I was enrolled in an online, upper-level computer information class; our first assignment was to post a discussion on BlackBoard (a CRM specifically designed for higher learning institutions) about, “What does being an ‘Adult Learner’ Mean to You?” I’m enrolled at Western Kentucky University (WKU). Gordon Ford College of Business, Marketing Management degree seeker, taking an online computer course mainly directed at MS Excel that I’ll probably never use (no offense, Mr. Gates – great foundation you and Melinda have by the way) and this instructor wants to know what it means to me to be an Adult Learner?! It finally struck me, I was offended – feeling discriminated against, catered to, all because I was over the age of 22!

College Students are Adult Learners

Nah, I could not be that concerned, conceited or vain about my age, could I? I was only 39. Then it struck me again, just a little harder and square in the face this time – an 18 year old entering college is not considered an adult! Why not? Is not all post-secondary, college and university learning in fact Adult Learning? Were not all college and university students in fact in Adult Education? Are colleges and universities a higher end of boarding schools where parents send their children? Well, in a way I suppose so. However, in college versus boarding school, you are expected to be more responsible, more accountable, more … adult!

College Education is Adult Education

Let’s stop labeling only the “non-traditional” older students at a college as members of Adult Education and members in an Adult Learning category – it’s all adult learning, all adult education, all about preparing for bigger and better things in life … as an Adult! Not picking on one of my own Alma Mater’s necessarily, they just happen to be a realistic, known example to me, but at WKU, as I am sure is a growing trend among major U.S. colleges and universities, incoming freshman are required to take mandatory classes about “life skills” and “higher education” – I am not talking about an orientation class here (they have those too, of course), but full-blown, full semester classes for college credit. In many colleges, freshman, and often higher grades, are required to live on-campus, in dorms, and purchase a meal plan to ensure they eat. Huh? Yep, from the cradle of home to the campus of collegiate coddling.

Preparation for Adult Education as an Adult Learner

Granted, not every student entering into a college or university, is fully prepared to take their educational career to the next level. Granted, it is a tough transition from high school to college for some. Granted, it is incumbent upon colleges and universities to ensure they provide all of the necessary resources for the success of their students – we all want bang for our buck. But do we really need to avoid calling these young adults entering into a world where greater responsibility, greater accountability, and greater results are expected of them, adult learners part of the adult education program and process?

I will not pretend to have the answers, just simply questions that need answering. However, it seems that we need to accomplish a few things as members of society, educators, and parents: protect, provide and prepare – if we do our jobs right, every student entering into college will know that they are an adult learner, part of an adult education process, regardless of age; with that knowledge comes a greater sense and respect for the responsibilities, tasks, and successes expected of them – now, and for the rest of their adult lives.

Safe surfing!

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