With that in mind, Dr. Kathryn Dong, assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alberta, has created a two-week medical elective for future physicians that places them in the inner city so they can learn about current programs and interact with community members.

The city wants to lure a major university to set up a science and engineering campus that would churn out engineers to power a high-tech expansion in the economy.

2ndly, thanks for reading so deep into one of the posts that you’re actually commenting on the comments. That’s true dedication. Your Good Badger trucker hat is in the mail.

3rd, you’re not going to be able to lawyer your way into convincing me America isn’t a sue happy nation. Granted I don’t spend a tremendous amount of time researching the basis behind these cases, but the premises of too many of them simply seem like attempts of reflecting any blame. Unless this was the first time she ordered coffee from McDonalds, she should know better than to put boiling hot liquid in her lap. I’ve burnt my tongue on that shit enough times to know to keep it away from my testicles. Sure it doesn’t need to be that hot, but that’s like me suing a restaurant for having their forks too sharp after sticking one in my eye.

But on the spectrum of ridiculous law suits, that one is a legitimate case. http://www.oddee.com/item_96614.aspx “After watching an episode of the reality TV show “Fear Factor” on NBC in 2005, Austin Aitken sued the network for $2.5 million. He said the sight of contestants eating blended rats digusted him so much that his health suffered.”

But to clarify, I don’t hate lawyers, I hate the people who make so many lawyers necessary. I don’t blame you for wanting to get rich because you’ve developed an expertise understanding of the law (or ability to spin it). The people who make lawyers necessary are much closer to those in the financial industry than the lawyers themselves. They want to get rich quick without providing any utility to society. Just promise that once you’ve made enough to live comfortably for you and the 12 babies you’ll make, that you’ll use your power to defend those who actually need it and not for cases like:

“Aging German playboy Rolf Eden filed charges against a 19-year-old for refusing to sleep with him. The complaint? Ageism.”

Mr. Davis,

Although I find myself reassured by your comment that my future services as an attorney will always be in need, I could not help but to notice your implication that people are willing to sue over such frivolous matters as spilled coffee to the crotch. While I agree this does seem somewhat frivolous, I think if you click on the provided wikipedia link (by know Wikipedia has become a reliable source, right?) you’ll see that the 79 year old lady that sued McDonald’s deserved every penny. Take note that plaintiffs usually do not receive punitive damages, only compensatory damages. Punitive damages serve to punish the defendant as a traffic ticket punishes a driver for violating traffic laws, and most states do not let plaintiffs receive those type of money damages. So all the millions of dollars in punitive damages being discussed aren’t going to Old Lady, only the lower amount of compensatory damages go to her.

Everyone hates a lawyer until they need one!

I still think the best students will be occupied by most business majors, pre-med, pre-law, etc. Pre-med maybe less so now that public health has at least entered into the discussion. Lawyers will always be needed as long as there are enough people that will sue for spilling coffee on their own crotches. And of course business is still a lucrative major.

I enjoy all the feedback team. Keep it coming.

ps – your parents sound like awesome people. i came from a similar story…almost exact actually (from IL, went to UW cuz my parents are awesome, and moved to CA cuz the women are awsome) and i owe it all to my parents for allowing me to have such opportunities. i am forever indebted to my parents and it sounds like you are too…never forget that!

pps – Da Bears!!

I think a greater understanding of all available careers will certainly help the kids who go into business as a default (i.e. me), but when you can help construct a major economic meltdown, and then get a multimillion dollar bonus while unemployment is skyrocketing for the rest of America, you have to note that our current rewarding system is improperly aligned.

Really, you don’t have to look any further then teachers. They are arguably the most important profession to our future and they barely make enough to support themselves. But I could go sit at a desk for Blue Cross and deny people health coverage and make enough to take a vacation every 10 days.