Posted on 05/31/2012 8:07:29 AM PDT by C19fan
Leading to — WE the taxpayers support the universities, pay for the tenured leftist faculty members to do very little, pay for the students to attend for free, pay for other people’s children to be brain-washed by lefties.
A gift from the taxpayers to all the lazy lunkheads.
Things like this ensure that the Tea Party stays alive and well.
A degreed Chef is somone who has a combination of the degree PLUS years of experience. Typically, a degree PLUS 4-6 years gets you to the Sous Chef level. After about 10 years as a Sous Chef, you can move up the ranks to Executive Chef.
That is where the money is at, at the Executive Chef level. But, this is your degree PLUS about a decade or more of experience.
With just a degree - you are at a very menial level; and that level isn’t a very high paying job at all.
I wonder why they left out this part of the story about the ‘student’ and his loan troubles?!!!
******
At the end of 2003, as the dot-com bubble fizzled it’s last breath, I lost my job at a web hosting company near San Francisco.
After losing nearly 60 pounds in 2003 shortly after Dr. Atkins died, one of my most passionate subjects at the time was learning how to eat well and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I did NOT want to see that weight come back. I studied many diet programs; I learned about good and bad carbohydrates; I reviewed how diet programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers work for people; I watched the Food Network on TV endlessly (but only after allowed myself to own a television again since I figured out that a TV was one of the prime factors for being over-weight); I was shopping for only produce and protein at the local Food 4 Less near my home in Santa Rosa, California. It was suggested to me that I enroll in culinary school since I was already such a passionate cook and because it appeared to being a booming industry with great job opportunities.
My partner and I were at a cross-roads in our life; we could either purchase a new Mercedes Benz or I could go to culinary school (both cost between $40,000 and $50,000). We agree the best choice was for me to sign-up for classes at the school since we were told I would graduate as an executive chef earning $95,000 per year.
I started classes with next rotation in April 2004 after my partner and I moved from Santa Rosa to San Francisco, one of the most expensive places to live in the world. However, we found an apartment on Fillmore Street between Fell Street and Oak Street in lower Haight that was close enough for me to walk to school in the Tenderloin.
The weekend after my final Friday at school was extremely rough for me. My partner packed up all of the valuables in our apartment and disappeared in the middle of the night with our 19-month-old Weimaraner bitch, Sadie. My world was completely shattered. I lost my partner and my support system as well as all of my culinary tools and machines not to mention my absolute pride and joy, Sadie. I was an emotional wreck on Monday when my internship began at the San Francisco Center for Culinary Development (CCD). But I was determined to finish the program and graduate as close to the top of my class as possible. I was going to finish what I had started. And then I was going to find the dog I paid for and shared with my partner and do everything in my power to get her back; she was my little girl and, at times, the only thing that kept me going in school. Especially when it came to some very difficult classes like Wine Studies.
And after living in San Francisco for 15 months, my total credit card balance was hovering around $20,000; much of which was shared debt with my ex-partner that I was still trying to locate.
Eventually, I remembered my ex-partner’s mother’s name and his hometown of Grand Junction, Colorado, and I was able to call his mother and locate him. I immediately filed suit against him for his half of our debt on my credit cards and well for the custody of our dog. While I was waiting for the court date to arrive, I searched Craigslist endlessly every day.
My court date with my ex-partner in Colorado came, and I drove to there with high hopes of at least returning with my beloved Weimaraner. I had cried myself to sleep over the loss of Sadie so many nights in the months since she was taken away that I simply could not imagine a future life without her in it. Unfortunately, the justice system does not consider pets as real property, and even with the cancelled check for the $1,000 price tag of the dog, I was unsuccessful in getting custody of the dog. And, to my dismay, although the portion of credit card debt shared with my ex was nearly $10,000, I settled for $5,000 in court mediation after having a long and tearful discussion with my ex. He agreed to give me $300 cash that day and pay me $100 per month. At least I got to see my little girl that day.
This is the beginning of my hell with Sallie Mae. I am not the only victim. In 2007, I was interviewed by a film company making a documentary about the student loan crisis. My story is now airing on PBS in the film Default: The Student Loan Crisis (defaultmovie.com). I was interviewed by several national media outlets, and my story appeared online and in print. When I told my story to Student Loan Justice (studentloanjustice.org), I was immediately contacted by Alan Collinge. We have become part of the national cry for bankruptcy reform concerning student loans as well as returning truth-in-lending requirements to student loans. The last five years have been difficult to say the least. As the meal assembly store in Berkeley changed owners, I was forced out. I quickly got another job as the executive chef at a competitor meal assembly store in Danville, California. Unfortunately, in December 2006, I was terminated after I was injured in the kitchen and could no longer complete my daily duties as a chef.
After endless court dates and doctor appointments in 2007, I received workers’ compensation income along with California state disability income. I settled a lawsuit against my former employer shortly after they went out-of-business. As the end of 2007 approached, I has spent so many days and nights watching CNN and MSNBC, that I knew a huge financial collapse was coming in 2008. And since the majority of my income from workers’ comp and state disability was going towards my credit cards revolving around $25,000, I made a tough decision to end all debt payments beginning in January 2008. I needed the income for my living expenses and survival as a disabled American. Now, four years later, my credit has been destroyed. All of my credit cards have been charged-off. My private student loan is in default, and the current principle balance is gigantic $141,000.
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=251088951631556&id=186052074801911
I am permanently partially disabled. I will never work in a commercial kitchen again.
I take half a dozen medication a couple times a day just to maintain a tolerable pain level so that I can at least a little activity in my life (ie walking my companion pet, a Weimaraner bitch puppy; driving to the grocery store; daily household chores). I see chiropractor to keep the injury in my lower back from wreaking havoc on my spine. After recommendation, I have also started to see a massage therapist; however, this is not covered by Medicare or Medicaid, so I have to pay the cash fee of $60 per visit. This limits my massage therapy to one per month based on my budget from my Social Security income.
I am disheartened with the lack of sympathy or concern for people in my position; either that of a disabled American or that of a victim of a predatory school and loan company.
The only thing I want from Congress is the right to file bankruptcy and start my life over from zero. Otherwise, I will never be able to own a home. I will never be able to buy anything without paying for 100% of it with cash.
I hope you will take the time to view my story at defaultmovie.com or on PBS as well. I pray that you will also take the time to speak with your Congressman about these issues and that you will consider these issues this election year. The future of America depends on the education available and the ability to pay for that education.
Sincerely, Nick Keith. Waverly-Shell Rock Class of 1994. Waverly, Iowa
I’m afraid that you are correct. Soon the loans will be dischargable through bankruptcy. Let’s face it - there’s little downside if you declare bankruptcy immediately after graduating. Buy a car first, declare bankruptcy, have all of your debts wiped out (as I understand bankruptcy law, you get to keep the car). Now, your’re credit rating is trashed, but you should be able to recover it in seven to ten years.
What’s the problem?
None that I can see, except that no one will continue to make college loans....
But, he can afford a website...
Just wait until you see what
Nick is cooking!
A native of Iowa, Nick Keith appreciates healthy yet nutritious cooking which brings delicious and tantilizing flavor to your tastebuds! Nick is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy located in San Francisco, CA. Nick is currently located in Waverly, Iowa providing private chef services to families in their homes.
Private Chef Services
Whether you are a mother working full time and need help with meal preparation and planning, or are otherwise on the go and just need some assistance, Nick is able to come to the rescue! Nick will personlly meet with you and gather your likes and dislikes and plan healthy, nutritious, and tasty meals for you and your family to enjoy.
Chef Nick Keith is environmentally conscious and makes extra efforts to recycle and protect the environment
He made a mistake in career choice. Tough sh!t. We all make financial mistakes from time to time and have to suffer the consequences.
Without an escape clause, these loans can strangle a person.
Boo hoo boo hoo. Why should anyone be allowed to default on a debt unless the debt was incurred fraudlently? Seriously. I know people who finance life style with debt and live right on the edge of insolvency (note they're not friends, simply acquaintences) If any of these morons had their debt wiped out overnight, in two years they'd have maxed out their credit cards and drained the equity in their homes again. SCREW LOSERS WHO FINANCE LIFESTYLE WITH DEBT AND THEN EXPECT TO BAIL OUT AND LEAVE THE LENDER HOLDING THE BAG (and losing the money).
Upside down on a house you can't afford? Then why did you buy it to start with? In a minor way it cheers me up to go by apartment complexes and see piles of belongings out on the street. Then I know at least one deadbeat was evicted.
$140K to learn to be a cook? What happened? Was the Egyptology course filled up?
See Post #43...
“I have also started to see a massage therapist; however, this is not covered by Medicare or Medicaid, so I have to pay the cash fee of $60 per visit. This limits my massage therapy to one per month based on my budget from my Social Security income.”
From that “sob story” I thought the guy was born and bred in Marin County not Iowa. It sounds like No Cal assimiliated him like the Borg.
Oh my. So Wine Studies is the Organic Chemistry of culinary school???
Oh my. So Wine Studies is the Organic Chemistry of culinary school???
after my partner and I moved from Santa Rosa to San Francisco, one of the most expensive places to live in the world
He made a choice to live in the gayest and one of the most expensive cities in the US. I should feel sympathy for him while he's having a gay old time?
My partner packed up all of the valuables in our apartment and disappeared in the middle of the night
Too damn bad. Presumably he picked this person - again a bad choice on his part. Why should those of us who don't go around making serial bad decisions pay for his problems
bitch...bitch...bitch
What the hell is this loser doing keeping a pet if he's so destitute? Pets are LUXURIES.
I could go on, but the more I read, the less sympathy I have, (and I didn't have any to start with).
That's part of bankruptcy. A perfectly normal way to do business. You can do it with a business, mortgage or other loan, but not with student loans.
Prices would decrease if a college knows a person can declare bankruptcy after a certain time. That' helps to curb tuition. However, now, colleges know that they can a loan will be forever on someone, thus there is no incentive to lower or have a cheaper tuition.
A loan in a freemarket usually has a high interest rate if there is little chance it would be paid back. But, we don't have a market like that in college loans.
Tuition prices would go down immediately for everyone if there was no financial aid for students from Gov't grants, or Gov't in general. By having cheap credit it has also allowed Colleges to push fake degrees and fields, if a student couldn't make a living, then those degrees would disappear, because a college would look at the long term view that the student couldn't pay back their tuition in such a field, thus, ending that stupid degree.
The idiot decided it would be too much to live in the East Bay where costs are lower and take BART into SF. Of course that is what tens of thousands of normal people who are going to have to open their wallets to support this loser do everyday.
Being a gay litigious whiny victim is no way to go through life.
He and his ‘partner’ paid a freaking $1,000 for a DOG!
As I understand it (I might be wrong) when students used to go bankrupt the taxpayer was on the hook. The colleges got paid anyway.
“Perhaps he should have taken an Economics course while in college. Maybe Finance?”
Uhhh...how about in grade school?
This a..hole far from deserving sympathy, doesn't deserve anything but contempt
You've hit one of my "pet peeves." I think that anyone on ANY sort of public assistance should have that assistance removed if they're found to have a pet (cockroaches excepted.) Pets are a luxury. If some parasite is using the government to rob me because he's lazy to steal my money on his own, then if that deadbeat has a dog he better damn well have some mam tom to put on his thit cho.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.