I had a talk with a maritime academy grad the other day and it was interesting

He has a degree and I do not.

We were talking about people we know that had good formal educations that were replaced by people that didn't, including High School dropouts and vice versa.

Although this is rapidly changing, the seagoing maritime trade is one of the last businesses where formal education isn't a requirement.

It is perfectly possible to find a captain running a 1200 foot long ship that entered the business sweeping the floor and worked his way up.

Something to be said for that.

Incidentally, the proper term for a person that started off as an ordinary seaman and worked his way to an officer's position is 'Hawsepiper'. 

To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY