Qualified to Make Productive Contributions
Do you have a degree?
'A degree in what? '
You know?
Something that validates your intelligence!
'Oh...
Something that documents my discipline,
And education?
Something that verifies my verity,
To conform to the wholesomeness of humanity.
And I am now qualified to make productive contributions?
My life lived,
Has already provided the requirements.'
Uh...yeah...I guess.
Whatever that was you said.
'And...
I imagine you have at least 'one' degree? '
Of course!
I got me two.
And I'm gon' get me a job that pays.
'Hopefully not to teach English!
And...
Suppose I did not have that 'degree'.
Would that make my efforts less credible?
Would that make a fame or notoriety less worthy?
IF...
I should pursue that route.
I know this is difficult for you to believe...
But a degree doesn't measure my success felt.
And I feel pretty damn successful! '
So...
You 'do' have a degree?
'You've missed my point entirely.
And you...
Have been depicted as a scholar?
God...
Thank you for opening my mind,
And doors! '
OH!
So you've studied to be a minister?
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Related quotes
One Little Victory
A certain measure of innocence
willing to appears naive
a certain degree of imagination
a measure of make-beleive
a certain degree of surrender
to the forces of light and heat
a shot of satisfaction
Celebrate the moment
as it turns into one more
another chance at victory
another chance to score
the measure of the moment
is a difference of degree
just one little victory
a spirite breaking free
one little victory
the greatest act can be one little victory
a certain measure of righteousness
a certain amout of force
a certain degree of determination
daring on a different course
acertain amout of resistance
to the force of life and love
a certain measure of tolerence
a willingness to rise above
song performed by by Rush

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Degree In Life
There are some people
both old and young.
They’ve done something once
and the next minute they know all about it.
They say they have degrees in this and that.
In the biggest degree of them all
they have all fallen flat.
With the degree of life,
you first have to live it,
before you can get awarded that.
You have to suffer all
the indignations and pains
that there are there,
all the joys and the happiness,
triumphs can share.
You have to look into
the darkest soul
and know what goes on in there.
As for those who say they know it all,
those are the ones who have just stopped wetting the bed.
You’ll never have that degree
until you start living
and stop saying the world loves me.
Some say I’ve taken drugs.
What the hell has that got to do with it.
It only goes to show one thing,
how weak minded you are.
It isn’t a mark on the degree of life.
A degree of life measures
how strong you are in mind
and not how many
hallucinations you’ve had in your head.
14 December 2007
poem by David Harris

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In That Corner Is The Soup
I have a degree from Harvard.
'I have a degree from Yale.'
~I have a degree from Columbia.
With a Master's packed in my sack.
To prove that I prevailed.~
**That's great.
All of you should feel extremely proud.
Now...
Here is the scoop,
Your bowls are over there.
And in that corner is the soup! **
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Down On Your Knees
Alright, ooh yeah
Are you ready to rock, Im talking about satisfaction
So lets cut the talk, yeah, and get on with the action
Better make up your mind, girl, cause its now or never
Its getting down to the night, yeah, and I aint waiting forever
Shes alright, cause shes all I got tonight
Shes alright, and shes eager to please
Down on your knees, this is love in the first degree
Down on your knees, and tonight the lovins on me
Are you ready to rock, babe, she saw me coming for miles
So let me see what you got
cause darling, youll be driving me wild
Better make up your mind, girl, cause its now or never
Its getting down to the night, girl, and I aint waiting forever
I aint waiting, girl
Shes alright, cause shes all I got tonight
Shes alright, and shes eager to please
Down on your knees, this is love in the first degree
Down on your knees, and tonight the lovins on me
Get down
Now that you got me real worked up
What you gonna do with me
Now that you got me really hot
Im easy to please
Down on your knees, its this love in the first degree
Down on your knees, yeah tonight the lovins on me
Down on your knees, this is love in the first degree
Down on your knees, yeah tonight the lovins on me
Im down on my knees, this is love in the first degree
Im down on my knees, yeah tonight the lovins on me
Down on my knees, this is love in the first degree
Down on my knees
song performed by by Kiss

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Guilty Of Love
(coverdale)
I believe my love for you
Is a love that will last forever,
An Im here to testify
Im a prisoner of your heart
Baby dont you believe
When I tell you I love you
That I really mean it,
Dont you walk away,
Dont you turn your back on me
Im guilty of love,
Its a crime of passion
Guilty of love,
An theres no doubt about it,
No doubt about it
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty,
In the first degree
Guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty,
In the first degree
I can never forget the times
When I took what you gave me for granted
So I stand accused
An I plead guilty to the crime
You can lock me away if you want
Just as long as your arms are around me,
An I wont mind
If you just throw away the key
Im guilty of love,
Its a crime of passion
Guilty of love,
An theres no doubt about it,
No doubt about it
Guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty,
In the first degree
Guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty,
In the first degree
Guilty of love...
Im guilty of love,
Its a crime of passion
Guilty of love,
An theres no doubt about it,
No doubt about it
Guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty,
In the first degree
Guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty
Guilty of love,
Im guilty of love,
Im guilty,
In the first degree...
song performed by by Whitesnake

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Love In The First Degree
Words and music by jim hurt and tim dubois
I once thopught of love as a prison a place I didnt want to be.
So long ago I made a decision to be footloose and fancy free.
But you cam I was so tempted to gamble on love just one time.
I never thought I would get caught.
It seemed liek the perfect crime.
Chorus:
Baby, you left me defneseless.
Ive only got one plea.
Lock me away inside of your love and throw away the key.
Im guilty of love in the first degree.
I thought it would be so simple, like a thousand times before.
Id take what I wanted and just walk away, but I never made it to the door.
Now babe, Im not beggin for mercy.
Go ahead and throw the book at me.
If lovin yous a crime, I know that Im as guilty as a man can be.
Chorus
Oh yeah. oh yeah.
Chorus
Oh yeah. love in the first degree.
Love in the first degree.
Love in the first degree.
song performed by by Alabama

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The degree of loving is measured by the degree of giving.
quote by Edwin Louis Cole

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Matter Of Degree
B. SMITH would most undoubtedly be very, very cross
If some rude person called him Jap, and yet, I'm at a loss
To see how he could argue otherwise in that respect:
A Jap is human - or a rumour's rife to that effect.
And he talks and argues much the same as B.
So, if SMITH is not a twin
To his cherished Yellow-skin,
Why it's only just a matter of degree,
Just a trifling little matter of degree.
Now, a Jap is not a monkey. though he's oft compared with such,
And he doesn't look unlike one, so it hardly matters much.
A monkey has a fearsome phiz, and hands that grab at things,
And he imitates his betters - all of which the matter brings
To a very clear conclusion, seems to me,
Which you cannot fairly funk:
If a Jap is not a monk
Ey, it's patently a matter of degree.
And we needn't mind a matter of degree.
Of native monkeys hereabout, of course, you haven't heard;
And a monkey's not a native bear, which, clearly, is absurd,
And yet, a bear clings to a tree with young bears on its back
(My word! we're getting on a rather interesting tack)
Yes, it clings there like the cheerful chimpanzee.
So, if monkeys are not bears
So, overlooking certain petty matters of degree,
We are forced to these conclusions with undoubted certaintee:
B. SMITH'S a Jap, a Jap's an ape (according unto SMITH),
An ape's a bear, a bear's a bunyip, and the last's a myth!
It's as clear as any argument can be
That if our dear friend SMITH
Is not a simple myth
It's an unimportant matter of degree,
Quite a microscopic matter of degree.
poem by Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis

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So I try not to do press and if you can keep the balance of keeping a certain degree of anonymity and do interesting work then you can hope for a degree of career longevity.
quote by Charlie Hunnam

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress.
quote by Ramana Maharshi

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Degree
What value
a degree?
A degree is only
worth
what the market
can pay.
Paid from gross national product
a country produces.*
All education is down time... though
a necessary economic luxury.
There is also
credential inflation.**
Redundant technologies
new research techniques
undermining this value.
This is a degrees
financial value.
A degree
is a recognized
level of ignorance.
A measured graded
accounting of markers;
approved component knowledge,
research skills and diction.
Graduate, Honours, Masters, Ph.d.,
in a limited specialized area.
A degree may also
have an egotistical value
be necessary for a career
or needed self esteem.
This is a degrees
intrinsic value.***
If a degree is
necessary to you
it is worth something
essentially valuable
if not a degree
is nothing
but wasted
unfocused effort.
The value of a degree
unspecified unidentified
an approximate amount
expressing time in relation
to specific numbers
qualities opportunities
a phenomenon key
awaiting recipient action.
* In the 1990’s in any developed country at least one third of the population was involved in education annually. This percentage included all students from preschool through to universities, all apprenticeships and technological training or up skilling, research, development and associated dependent industries, and all personal teaching these skills. The cost of all this on going education had to be paid for from the gross national product a country produced.
** This equates to more degrees equals inferior jobs and salaries. An example is the United Kingdom in the 1970’s when 4% of the population obtained a degree compared to the 1990’s when 30% did.
*** Inherent; belonging to the nature of a thing; essential; real.
poem by Terence George Craddock

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Observe the Quality of Your Way of Life
A degree?
I think I have a couple,
Of those worthless things myself.
A man with a mind,
And a mission he can produce.
Needs to network his talents.
And not become seduced,
By pledging to fraternities.
To become induced by materialism.
Pursued by greed.
Like those in such selective groups do.
Those who now say,
They can do what they choose!
A degree only shows a conformity to rules.
By an approval stamped on a piece of paper.
Proving the one receiving it...
Is fit to be shown,
How to screw over others too!
Observe the quality of your way of life.
Who with a degree has made it right?
Who with a BA, MA and/or PHD...
Has shown they had sense enough,
To avoid mistakes made...
That has brought today's economy,
To the brink of a catastrophe!
Who with a degree,
Can insist they have common sense?
And if this debate leads into an argument...
Be prepared to defend yourself.
Since talking BS politics...
Those educated,
Do their best at it!
A degree?
I think I have a couple,
Of those worthless things myself.
A man with a mind,
And a mission he can produce.
Needs to network his talents.
And not become seduced...
By the wickedness of luxuries.
That has increased more crime.
With homelessness and hunger!
Hosted by a society...
Dieting on addictions of all kinds!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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I received my undergraduate degree in engineering in 1939 and a Master of Science degree in mathematical physics in 1941 at Steven Institute of Technology.
quote by Frederick Reines

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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God manifests himself to us in the first degree through the life of the universe, and in the second degree through the thought of man. The second manifestation is not less holy than the first. The first is named Nature, the second is named Art.
quote by Victor Hugo

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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No Clue What Keeps Them Established
A chemistry felt,
Is not communicated in words.
Nor does obtaining a degree,
Automatically certifies one intelligent...
With common sense.
Comprehension develops with experience.
Ask anyone with a degree who still feels ignorant.
And those who have gone through several relationships...
Have no clue what keeps them established.
Many people are seeking ways to impress...themselves!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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The End Of April
This is the time when larks are singing loud
And higher still ascending and more high,
This is the time when many a fleecy cloud
Runs lamb-like on the pastures of the sky,
This is the time when most I love to lie
Stretched on the links, now listening to the sea,
Now looking at the train that dawdles by;
But James is going in for his degree.
James is my brother. He has twice been ploughed,
Yet he intends to have another shy,
Hoping to pass (as he says) in a crowd.
Sanguine is James, but not so sanguine I.
If you demand my reason, I reply:
Because he reads no Greek without a key
And spells Thucydides c-i-d-y;
Yet James is going in for his degree.
No doubt, if the authorities allowed
The taking in of Bohns, he might defy
The stiffest paper that has ever cowed
A timid candidate and made him fly.
Without such aids, he all as well may try
To cultivate the people of Dundee,
Or lead the camel through the needle's eye;
Yet James is going in for his degree.
Vain are the efforts hapless mortals ply
To climb of knowledge the forbidden tree;
Yet still about its roots they strive and cry,
And James is going in for his degree.
poem by Robert Fuller Murray

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Degree Finished Sort Out Time
remember
you are young
you have time
degree finished
you had to focus
to complete a degree
time cast managed
mastered sacrificed
you are young
you can nimble easily
exchange change
interactive life parts
career now later
before court marriage
marriage suit or not
wed journey options
are youth time yours
like a degree
take a little care time
to sort out
a little time
can be echo years
a little time
seed harvest grows
life decisions
interchanges
are star maps
dream flights
poem by Terence George Craddock

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At Cardozo, study of law is part of a larger culture. You can get a law degree and make a good living, but it is best that you do that having studied the discipline for its own inherent merit, because you love studying.
quote by Norman Lamm

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dying Degree
Dresser droors are filled with pocket change
Coupons cut, cigarettes smoked down to the butt,
Is this what dreams are made of!
Adding up subtracting down you find yourself sucking the rind
Dying degree, graying amie
Final payment made - had you forgot?
The rightful owner of one deluxe cemetary plot
Paisley satin lined how apprapoe
What a better way to go
Dying degree, graying amie
No more eating crumbs
When my pension finally comes
Your kids want eat mush anymore round me
Dying degree, graying amie
song performed by by NOFX

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tupelo Honey
(van morrison)
You can take all the tea in china
Put it in a big brown bag for me
Sail right round the seven oceans
Drop it straight into the deep blue sea
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
Now you cant stop us on the road to freedom
You cant keep us cause our eyes can see
Men with insight, men in granite
Knights in armour bent on chivalry
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
I heard a tale of old manhattan
Ive never been there, but I want, wanna go
Standing waiting on my number
And my number, its gonna show
Hes as sweet as tupelo, tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet, hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
Hes as sweet, hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
Hes as sweet, hes as sweet
song performed by by Dusty Springfield

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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