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Ben Stein's Diary
Jobs for Graduates
That’s what San Diego’s National University is providing.
Sunday–Mother’s Day
Alex and I are at our house in Rancho Mirage. The temperature as we
left for the Mother’s Day Brunch at Morningside Club was 112.
That’s hot.
The brunch was delicious but there were not many people there. Lots of men and women have gone home because The Season for parties and socials has ended. Plus, it’s hot as blazes.
Still, Alex and I had a fine meal mostly of chicken, then came home, packed up, and got on the Freeway.
It was fantastically hot. Just sheets of wavy heat coming off the asphalt. It was terrifying to think what would happen if the a/c broke.
Luckily, it didn’t, and soon we were in Calimesa, where the temperature was a mild 85 with a lovely breeze. I had a snack at the Burger King. I met a lovely couple from Phoenix who had been visiting in Marina del Rey. The girlfriend is a medical biller for a huge chain of hospitals. She argues with insurers to get the hospitals paid. She said she was hiring like mad and still could not keep up. The demand for capable men and women in this field is bottomless and growing.
She had learned about it, if I recall correctly, at a nonprofit partly on-line, partly campus-based school called National University in San Diego.
This is some amazing coincidence, because I am addressing their commencement tomorrow in San Diego.
We ran into maddening traffic in Rosemead, then got to near home. We pulled into a Taco Bell to get a Diet Coke. Two LAPD officers were questioning two young men. No one was in cuffs. When the young men saw me, they asked me to sign some bottle of Clear Eyes, then the police wanted autographs, too, and soon everyone was laughing and the cops let the young men go.
We got home, and I washed up, and then jumped into a Town Car to be driven down to San Diego. I slept the whole way except for a stop at a Sonic where the waiters were all on roller skates. The owner of the franchise came screaming up to the store in his truck to tell me how much he loves The American Spectator, so that was nice.
I slept the whole rest of the way, checked into my room with its life-or-death tea maker, then went to sleep next to a window overlooking the San Diego Marina. I had a long dream about my pal Wendy yelling at me because I eat too much fast food.
Then, more sleep, then dressed and out to the commencement preliminaries. The main one was visiting with Patricia Potter, a brilliant, lovely, friendly woman. Like my mother, she had spent some time at Goucher College in Maryland. My mother had transferred to Barnard but always had a fond spot for Goucher and for Maryland, where my sister and I “grew up.” (I still know every word of “Maryland, My Maryland.”)
Ms. Potter and I had a great talk, then off to get robed, meet super friendly officers, trustees, and faculty. I also met the long-time soul of the school, Dr. Jerry C. Lee. He’s retiring after a spectacular career at National and elsewhere.
We went into an immense room at the San Diego Convention Center. I was told there were 7,800 people there — students and families, primarily. The room was kept at a perfect temperature.
I spoke mostly about National. It is a great place in that it educates people for the world as it is. The students are taught engineering, nursing, teaching, medical billing, many other subjects that will get the grads jobs when they get out. They will get jobs and they will make a living and they will have the self-esteem that only making a living and being self-supporting through their own contributions can confer.
Yes, it’s true that many schools teach discontent, whining, moaning, bitching, navel gazing, and disloyalty. Yes, it’s true that some of them are famous schools.
About the Author
Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes “Ben Stein’s Diary” for every issue of The American Spectator.
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Frank Drackman| 5.16.12 @ 6:56AM
No hot Belorussian Blondes??
Did I miss a page?
Frank
Anthony| 5.16.12 @ 9:08AM
Frank, Ben's been told by his doctor (and his mommy) to lay off the shiksa for a while, lest he truly go blind, which is not a good thing for a guy who hawks clear eyes.
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 5:12PM
Yeah. Where's the Hungarian Hotties, Ben? Frank Drackman is Right!
Alan Brooks| 5.16.12 @ 8:45PM
Wish this insult-to-the-Judaic faith Ben Stein would please stick with economics.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 5.16.12 @ 7:07AM
I agree. Where were the good looking women? I know they are out there because like Ben I have Sex-Ray vision and see those babes from a mile away. They never notice me but that's not the point.
On another note, Ben, I've never eaten at Burger King and wonder what kind of snack they have there that would tempt your palette. When you refer to snacks at Burger King please be more specific. You could actually help lift the economy somewhat as many trek to Burger King for a "Ben Stein" experience. There's one not far from me on Viers Mill Road in Silver Spring, Md. and I'm sure they would appreciate the plug.
Albert Constantine Jr.| 5.16.12 @ 12:42PM
"I'm sure they would appreciate the plug"
They just got it, and I was thinking similar product placement fee thoughts as I read the article.
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 5:15PM
Bill: they are always talking to Ben. As a very hot blonde who wanted me to do her (I was married and said no) once told me: "Women are primarily concerned with two things about a man: the size of a man's wallet and the size of his....(primarily the wallet).
Hence, Ben.
By the way, Bill: BK's hamburgers are OK. I prefer Wendy's but they are a cut above the arches.
Bob K.| 5.16.12 @ 10:42PM
They made a hell of a "Whopper" when it cost only 35 cents!
Bob K.| 5.16.12 @ 10:45PM
Anyway, when I was in Silver Spring, a few years after Ben graduated from Montgomery Blair HS there, I much preferred Little Tavern burgers.
Jack in Wi.| 5.16.12 @ 7:18AM
Ben here, reminds me of my late father in law. He would regale me with endless recitations of what he had to eat all day. I used to get quite a kick out of keeping him going, to the endless groans of everyone else.
Cobalt| 5.16.12 @ 8:00AM
Apparently, National University does not send its graduates out into the world to claim "victim status".
These graduates will probably raise their children to have a good work ethic, and not see themselves as victims who are owed something from society.
Someday, some of the graduates of National University may even create jobs for other people, in the private sector.
How could the government let this happen?
Denver todd| 5.16.12 @ 8:06AM
Ben should go to McDonald's for their strawberry creme pie. Whoever came up with that is brilliant.
Frank Drackman| 5.16.12 @ 8:14AM
Really,
is College needed to learn how to drive a Truck, unclog a drain, execute a Mob Hit?
Seriously, despite AlGores Internets, some of us Old Fogies still like the Old-Fashioned Porn, the kind you can hold in your hand and take with you to the Men's Room.
And how does My "Screw" I mean "Penthouse" Magazine get to my hot little hands?
Not from Jug-Dish in Bangalore, with his PhD in IT, its some smelly guy named "Leon" with tatoos and maybe even a prison record.
Who delivers it to my local convenience store, run by Jug-Dishes more ambitious brother.
Thats the problem with America, too many Jug-Dishes, not enough Leons.
Frank
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 2:14PM
Frank,
you is so rights. Yeh. Dose boys doing Mob Hits from Jasper, Alabama are always busy doing the work that keeps America goin'.
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 2:18PM
From the Wiki:
"According to America's Most Wanted, Walker County, Alabama is the #1 place in America to hire a hitman."
Now, I lived for seven years in Cullman, Alabama, a hop, skip, and jump away from Walker County and Jasper, AL. I knew about this well before I did the Wiki. And I was one of the only psychiatrists there.
I simply mention this for all the stupid bastards that keep taunting the Psychiatrist for the Alabama Chain Gang. Like I said, I never threaten anybody.
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 2:24PM
I, of course, am kidding about being concerned about the "taunts." Honestly, taunt away, morons.
However, insult Alabama and I will NOT intercede with the Walker County residents I know to protect you. You will be on your own.
Frank Drackman| 5.16.12 @ 4:23PM
does anyone remember last time the BCS champion wasn't:
A: from the State of Alabama
B: from Alabama/Florida
C: from Alabama/Florida/Louisiana
Frank
Tom Byrne| 5.16.12 @ 8:50AM
I wish Ben Stein had made the commencement speech at RPI in 1986 instead of Gary Trudeau.
Kilgore Trout| 5.19.12 @ 8:53AM
By RPI, I assume you meant Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute which you shortened to RPI because you couldn't spell Rensselaer.
Anthony| 5.16.12 @ 8:58AM
If National University had a law school, they'd kick the shit out of Ben's Yale bulldogs.
hardcard| 5.16.12 @ 9:46AM
Benny,
You must be exhausted ! Take a nap.
AhiaGuy| 5.16.12 @ 9:52AM
...Awaiting Mr. Alan Brooks' next troll post where he makes some insulting racial or ethnic slur and thereby impresses himself at how clever he is to stir up the commentators.
Crassus| 5.16.12 @ 10:52AM
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........
Joellen| 5.17.12 @ 5:44PM
Thanks Crassus - got my chuckle for the day.
solidground| 5.16.12 @ 10:55AM
Be careful of all that junk food, Mr. Stein. You know where it can lead.
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 2:12PM
TCU taught me Biology, which helped me get into medical school. I didn't learn subversion.
I think the problem is that most English, PoliSci, and History Majors, hell, most pre-law types, have the brains of untrainable fleas, regardless of their SATs.
Despite Ben's 1600s, it's obvious he wouldn't have had the chops for Medical School.
somnolence| 5.16.12 @ 3:21PM
Medical billing is a very competitive field these days(I did it in the Air Force and then for awhile after I got out in a Houston hospital over 30 years ago), and not all graduates are immediately going to be placed in it. Also depending on where you are you just might make enough to pay your rent, maybe. It paid a pittance in 1977, barely above minimum wage in some hospitals and insurance agencies. We have conflicting arguments these days about young people going home again to live with mom and pop, and experts saying go for minimum wage jobs if you have to etc. at the same time a weakened economy has property values plummeting, auto dealerships having a difficult time of it, and multitudes holding on to what money they can save, foregoing impulsive buying. Glad you solved all our problems, Ben.
DrRisk| 5.16.12 @ 4:29PM
I taught an MBA course for National University once, about 15 years ago. The students were not at all serious─they merely wanted the credit for their degree. Four of the 15 students EARNED and "F" in the course, which they received. Their final exams were all cross-populated and generally indecipherable.
They made an appeal to the Dean, who, without consulting me or reviewing their work or final exams, unilaterally changed their grade to "A".
National University is a diploma mill.
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 5:08PM
Frank: TCU (my Alma Mater) finished number 2 behind Alabama after BEATING THE WISCONSIN PUSSWADS (Wisconsin and Pusswad is, of course, a redundancy) in the 2011 Rose Bowl. As they went undefeated that year, a case could have been made for a share of the BCS NC.
I do love your stuff, Frank. Particularly the very poor taste stuff. :-)
cuban pete| 5.16.12 @ 8:28PM
O.T.,
I first learned of TCU in 1955 when Jim Swink's picture was on the cover of Street & Smith's college football preview. He was an All American halfback and like you went on to a career in medicine. When I get the opportunity to talk with TCU grads they invariably enjoy my recollection of Dr. Swink.
All the best,
cp
Occam's Tool| 5.16.12 @ 5:09PM
Yes, Jack, every low blow is fun. :-)
Mike| 5.16.12 @ 7:47PM
Ben, Good stuff! I really enjoy reading your columns.
PCP Smoker| 5.16.12 @ 9:52PM
My mom received her MS from there in 87. North County, San Diego, in the mid and late 1980s was about as close to paradise as I've ever felt.
DANSHANTEAL| 5.18.12 @ 5:31PM
Do me a favor and go to Huffpost and read Bob Reich's ungiven speech to graduates. Now there's a whiner. Ben has the right attitude.