What is a job in construction like?
Well i have 19 yrs construction background that being said i don't want my kids to do it. These days you are just a liability to most contractors they want you to do anything with nothing and for as little as possible. When I first started it was different contractors treated you with a little respect knowing you are as much responsible for the welfare of the business as they are. They can't complete jobs without workers, workers can't work without owners getting work.You know a symbiotic relationship. But not anymore a lot of owners of big companies are the kids of the original owners with no on the job experience all they know is the fastest cheapest get it done before anyone sees it way makes them money. It used to be you had skilled tradesmen who had the time to do a quality job but not anymore. I don't mean time to goof off either I mean time to do the job correct and so it looks good. I apprenticed for 5 yrs for both my trades 6 yrs total as sprinkler fitter, 13 yrs total with school as electrician. That being said contractors would rather pay someone 6 dollars an hour to do most of a job and 1 guy 25 an hour to fix their mistakes. And now you have a new problem especially for carpenters,laborers,and drywallers. Its called illegal aliens. They come in and do any job for 5 dollars an hour or less so contractors get one person as foreman who speaks spanish and english and he pays them good and the rest of the crew is illegal aliens at 5 bucks an hour. You'll never be able to support a family for that money and why would they pay you more???? It just costs them more money.The other down side is anymore people with dirty hands are looked down upon as second class citizens these days. Your good enough to build their building but not good enough to park where people can see you. Or eat in their cafeterias or use their bathrooms were too dirty. I hate to scare you off if you want this kinda of life you'll do it but I want you to go into this with your eyes wide open. I love working with my hands and creating things working out problems and just plain hard work. But these days we are a dying breed and unless things change why would anyone want to do this kinda life? I hope you understand and good luck. Also don't forget we build so if it rains we get wet if hot we sweat if cold we shiver and snow well say hi to frosty There is usually a lack of walls and a roof for most of the job. So I hope you don't mind the elements.
What are some pros and cons of the Washington DC area?
Washington, DC is a great place for business, politics, museums, and great colleges for study. They have a great transit system for getting around Maryland, DC, and Virginia. And it is also served by Amtrak, our nation's rail system. The question is, what do you want to do when you get there? Various careers are located in that area, but you should also know that it isn't cheap. And the crime rate isn't as low as it should be. (although getting better over the years) Oh, yes, it is served by three good airports. (BIW -Baltimore Washington INTERNATIONAL, Ronald Reagan National Airport, and Dulles Airport in Virginia) And it is great for military matters and diplomatic affairs. But if you're looking to start a farm, then its probably better to head to the south or midwest. If you're looking for peace and quiet, then I'd recommend the south. Kentucky is known for horse racing. West Virgina is known for coal mining. Virginia has lots of tobacco farms. Florida is know as a citrus capital. Texas is very well known for oil. (unless you're a lobbiest, then DC is the place for you)
Best places to live in oklahoma? pros/cons of living there?
Bixby A short 25-minute drive outside Tulsa, Bixby is one of Oklahoma's fastest growing cities with a current population of about 20,000. Located along the scenic Arkansas River, the small town of Bixby offers residents a bit of nature and culture. A 4,500-seat performance center offers space for concerts and sporting events, while the Bentley Park Sports Complex provides the community with a place to play baseball or walk along one of several trails. Median family incomes fall around $78,000, while housing falls around the $187,000 mark. In addition, the community's job-growth rate far exceeds the nation's average at more than 36 percent over the last eight years. Norman If small town life isn't for you, then you may prefer the hustle and bustle of Norman, a fairly large college town of about 100,000 residents. Norman is best known for being the home to the University of Oklahoma, a large university with a world-class art museum that houses works by some of the greats, including Monet and Renoir. The cost of living in the academic community is relatively cheap, with median family incomes falling at about $65,000 and home prices landing around the $130,000 mark. Besides the local university, Norman is also famous for its rich and vibrant arts scene. In fact, the city lays claim to a number of legendary musical artists, including contemporary rock band The Flaming Lips and music producer Jimmy LaFave. Edmond Edmond is a fairly large city just 20 minutes outside of Oklahoma City that has developed a reputation for its love of the arts. The city of more than 75,000 boasts many public sculptures, seven nearby museums and 14 nearby colleges, universities and professional schools. The cost of living in Edmond is a little high, with the median family income set at around $81,000. Home prices are within a decent range, landing at about $180,000. Edmond's public school students garner some of the highest scores in the state in testing, and almost 80 percent of its residents have completed at least some college.
Is Leverage on TNT a modern day version of Mission: Impossible?
It's Mission Impossible meets the A Team... as to skill set: Hutton/Ford = Mastermind -- former Insurance Investigator, has had to protect from assorted thieves so can see how they can do it Hodge/Hardison = Hacker -- can bankrupt a small country w/ an I phone Reisgraf/Parker = Thief -- cat burglar Kane/Elliot = fighter -- does his best work in 4-1 fights, and knows his way around most weapons Bellman/Sophie = Grifter -- Long Cons/role playing ie a real life version of the Nigerian Prince E mail scammers but so far in the 3 seasons everyone has stepped out of their comfort zone a few times with Sophie and Elliot being the Brain at times, Hardison repelling from a roof top, Parker playing a central role ala Sophie etc. any relation to Hustle is tangential Both could be seen as children of the 'Ocean's 11' Franchise, but one is a blonde Jock and the other a brown haired book worm -- still siblings but as different as can be
Why are college towns liberal and the most remote rural towns conservative?
Japhson. I majored in engineering. Our professors didn't talk politics, and yet I ended up a liberal. I think part of the reason was the tremendous amount of diversity there was in my class. I not only had friends of all different types, but friends from Korea, Vietnam, Mexico, India, Pakistan, and UAE. The smartest hardest working guy I knew was a muslim. I had tremendous respect for his intelligence and strong will to get things done under lots of pressure. He was one of my better friends.
Family living in Carlsbad, CA ...pros and cons...?
I've lived in Encinitas (which is right next to Carlsbad) for about 10 years and think that Carlsbad is great. The two negatives are high housing prices (but not as bad as coastal areas further south) and traffic on Hwy 5, which is always bad. But Carlsbad's positives outweigh the negatives. One thing I love is that during the summer months every Friday evening 6 pm to 8 pm they have free concerts that rotate between three public parks in Carlsbad. They usually feature a blues/jazz/salsa/big band act (all professional musicians) where you bring some wine and picnic dinner and visit with friends, listening to music and dancing and eating. It's a great way to celebrate the weekend. If you have kids there's playground equip nearby...very family friendly. Other Carlsbad pluses are nice beaches, nice restaurants, generally safe, and away from the hustle and bustle of downtown San Diego.