Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. This is a long post. If you are receiving it through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all photos and the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (# External photo attribution at the end of the post #1-#2.)
In Part 1 of Fall Facades, I touched on a variety of topics and enjoyed it so much that I decided on another limited foray – not a deep dive – but just a shallow submergence.
Higher Education
In the prior post, I debated the wisdom of two new trends – the first was eliminating grades for first-semester college freshman. Then there’s the advent of college concierge services where hired help does everything from doing students’ laundry, dorm room cleanup, shopping, etc. Does this promote personal responsibility?
“College Concierge empowers students to focus on what is important in their academic and social journey during these important years or their life.”
Academic institutions are not known for adapting and it’s created a double squeeze – on the parents and students paying tuition. (#3)
“More colleges are surpassing the $100,000 price tag. Fifteen schools now charge six figures and others are on the verge.” (Washington Post 8/31)
“For the 2025–26 school year, private U.S. colleges average $44,961 in tuition alone, and when you add housing, food, books, and other expenses, total annual costs can exceed $100,000 for students without scholarships or aid.
Tuition has more than tripled since 1980, rising faster than inflation, while real median family income growth has been modest.” (The Conversation.com 6/26/26)
This has led young people to search for other options. There are some high-paying jobs which don’t require a college degree but specialized training.
And there’s the on-line diploma mills – some are drawing scrutiny according to the Washington Post. (9/18/26) (#4)
“Enrollment at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, where students can earn a bachelor’s degree in less than a year, has skyrocketed.
Recently: A Post education reporter clicked his way toward a college degree in days, for less than $100. Many colleges’ transfer policies allow credits from unaccredited platforms.”
More AI Implications
While one can be critical of colleges for not adapting with the times, some professors are showing creativity when testing students. (#5)
According to a 7/15/2026 Washington Post article, a Brown University professor thought students were cheating on exams so decided to fight back:
“Last semester: The average midterm score in the professor’s economics class was 96. It’s usually in the 60s to 80s. He made the final (test) in-person, and 27 students dropped the class.
The bigger picture: Universities are struggling to manage AI, while students have high incentives to use it. And new technology, like AI glasses, makes it harder to catch cheating.”
Besides learning to live independently and gain a sense of personal responsibility, it goes without saying that the primary purpose of college is to prepare one for the working world and now AI is understandably having an impact on employment search firms.
Admittedly, a recruiter, who saw a resume like the one from the applicant below, wouldn’t have much of a challenge telling him where to go (or burrow…) (#6)
According to Morning Brew: “Many career advisors and universities are encouraging job seekers to use AI to craft their résumés and cover letters. But then recruiters have to figure out whether the candidate is a good communicator or just good at using AI.
And while 60% of hiring managers say they can identify AI-generated applications, only about 25% actually can, according to a Software Finder survey.“
I remember in my hiring days trying to review stacks of resumes for sought-after jobs (often while watching NFL games), but this has also changed:
“In Q1 2022, the average job opening drew 89 applications. Three years later, each opening attracted 243 hopefuls.
To keep up, 90% of US employers use AI screening, according to a Stanford University study. While those tools help weed out unqualified candidates, they also turn talented prospects.”
This brought back a memory of one of my favorite interviews when I was the Business Manager at the Oregon State Bar in the early ’80’s. We were hiring for a legal secretary/assistant for our General Counsel – an important position and one which had evidenced problematic turnover. (#7)
One finalist was a very impressive woman – a University of Washington grad whose goal was to become a clinical psychologist and wanted a secretarial position while attending grad school. (What better way to gain practical experience than working around lawyers…?)
I only interviewed the three finalists of which she was last. Although some would scoff at this cliched question, I found that even though interviewees expected it, one could judge creativity and insight by the answer.
Our conversation went like this:
Me: What would co-workers assess as your strengths and weaknesses?
Applicant: (smiling) My weakness is I can’t swim. What are your weaknesses?
Me: (without smiling) I don’t have a sense of humor.
I immediately offered her the job. She was a superb addition to our staff and I’m confident that she achieved her goal.
The Lawyer Mentality
Speaking of lawyers, I’ve mentioned before in several posts, that one of the things I enjoyed about working with lawyers for almost forty years, was their appreciation for the nuances of the language. It’s exemplified by often taking conversation or phrasing literally.
I used the example of my long-time friend – brilliant litigator and intellectual property lawyer, John Mansfield, a magna cum laude, Order of the Coif and Law Review Editor at Cornell Law School (a long time ago.) (#8)
In 2012 – shortly after starting this blog – we Beerchased at the legendary Mock Crest Tavern. After reading the phrase in the Mock Crest menu, “Breakfast Served – Any Time,” John said to our server, “I’d like French Toast from the Renaissance Era.”
I’ll leave you with another example. A lawyer’s spouse asks him to go to the grocery for a carton of milk and adds, “If they have avocados get two.” He returns with two cartons of milk and she asks, “Why did you get two cartons of milk?” He replies, “They had avocados…” (#9)
A successful errand??
Farewell to Another Great Watering Hole
One of my favorite bars for many years – it was close to the former Oregon State Bar building where I worked – was the Leaky Roof Gastropub. It originated as a food cart in the Goose Hollow Neighborhood and would have celebrated its 80th anniversary early next year. It abruptly closed down with only a note on the door in July.
My affection for the Leaky Roof was heightened in 2018 because it became the 300th establishment I’d visited since starting the blog in 2011.
Celebrating this milestone were my wife, Janet, and four friends who were part of a walking group. (David and Kate Dickson, Mary Maxwell and Roy Lambert) We always finished our treks with a visit to a bar or brewery.
I returned a few months later for follow-up research with my long-term (since 1979) friend, Dennis Ferguson. It was appropriate because it had one of the best cheeseburgers in Portland and every time we Beerchased, Fergy would down one.
Resurrection?
As with some watering holes which have closed during and since the pandemic, it was recently reported in Whatnow.com/Portland on 9/14 that the Leaky Roof has reopened as the Leaky Roof Tavern.
I’m somewhat skeptical, however, as I could find no other print or social media link about this. Nor was there any contact info for the new enterprise.
If it is true than the purported new owners, Agron and Roni Pervizi, better get moving and shaking if they don’t want another closure and because Fergy will soon be knocking at the door for a cheeseburger.
