So would an adult who has been on an extremely heavy course of antibiotics also be more susceptible to botulism? Similar to how they’re more vulnerable to things like C. diff?

Ohhhh that’s close to Costco and Wegmans! My exciting Friday nights just got even more exciting.

I’m still traumatized. I had to walk two blocks down the street to find somewhere to dump each shovel of snow

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I thought you said you weren’t broke anymore?

I think you’re being a little naïve about how difficult it is to make a living in this state without a college degree. The point is a lot of adults aren’t doing better than 22 year olds.

Do you already have a college degree and a decent job? Did you have kids or other expensive responsibilities when you were 32?

It sounds like this program is specifically targeting adults who don’t have existing training that would get them well-paying jobs. Or who might currently be in a dying industry and want to transition to a new line of work that the state is in need of workers for.

There are plenty of 30 year olds out there still working low-paying service jobs. But at 30 they’re more likely to also have significant expenses like children that a younger person would be less likely to have.

I guess I’m not sure what you mean by “less going for you” or why that would mean you wouldn’t be a good candidate for this program?

Going back to school as an adult is harder than when fresh out of high school. Removing tuition as a factor could significantly lower hurdles for this population.

That’s a good point. It could be a lower cost pilot program to show proof-of-concept that this kind of program is beneficial.

Right. So that’s at least 90% of MA residents who would qualify.

Honestly I’d love to go to community college and pick up some random degrees and skills just for fun. I’m a nerd who loves school, and that’s probably exactly how I’d spend my time if I had unlimited funds. But I already have a PhD and a high-skill job, so that funding would be kind of wasted on me.

Do community colleges have many admissions requirements? I thought not? This program is for community college, not 4-year state colleges.

To clarify, I think free state college for all residents would be great. But if for whatever reason that's not politically or economically feasible, then I think more limited strategic programs are better than doing nothing.

But if all residents qualify then the amount all residents pay will also be higher. If there’s limited funding, it makes some sense to limit the number of people in the program to a strategic group where it would have the most impact. In this case they propose limiting it to people over the age of 25 who don’t already have a degree. It’s a lot more difficult to go back to school when you’re older- this could help lower that hurdle.

This is the kind of program, like many others, where not everyone directly benefits, but the whole state may indirectly benefits. There’s a critical shortage of medium-skilled technical workers in the state. Increasing the supply of people who are qualified to do these jobs could improve the state’s overall economy, leaving more funding for other programs.

Kind of odd how so many comments in this thread are focused on the program not being open to every single resident. This is very typical of how the government works. For example, everyone helps pay for SNAP benefits, but not everyone gets SNAP benefits- just the people who need it.

Fascinating.

I did not see one, but I can only assume.

No?

Yeah if it's a harsh turn take it comically slow. Don't feel silly about it- worth it to stay safe!

Hmm ok. So still above freezing for rush hour.

Any more details on when that extreme temp drop is going to be? Does Friday night mean like 11pm, or like... 6pm?

Big highways will probably not be too bad as they tend to salt the hell out of them (at least in MA- not sure about NH). General increased traffic for holiday travel should also help keep roads not too icy. Avoid using cruise control, though.

I have driven many an icy road in my '91 camery with no antilock breaks (it did have all-weather tires, however...but not special snow ones). On the back roads take things slow, especially turns. Look for dark patches on the road- don't assume anything is just wet. Black ice looks a lot like water. if you get stuck on a particularly slick bit of hill or something, see if you can maneuver onto some grass for traction (if it looks safe to do so). Buy some kitty litter and keep it in your trunk in case you get really stuck. Put it under your tires to increase traction. If you skid don't panic, don't slam the breaks and don't make any sudden movements. Gently steer in the direction you want to go.

Take it easy and you'll be fine!

It’s over an hour away but I’ll still be heading there regularly.

Yes but I’m from NJ, so i like to think that NJ is coming to join me up here.

There’s a Rita’s Italian Ice in Wapole now. New Jersey is slowly spreading north.