(October 8, 2013 at 1:50 pm)Minimalist Wrote: American "exceptionalism" takes another hit....and it isn't just the kids this time.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/2013100...33K02.html

Quote: WASHINGTON (AP) - It's long been known that America's school kids haven't measured well compared with international peers. Now, there's a new twist: Adults don't either.

In math, reading and problem-solving using technology - all skills considered critical for global competitiveness and economic strength - American adults scored below the international average on a global test, according to results released Tuesday.

Adults in Japan, Canada, Australia, Finland and multiple other countries scored significantly higher than the United States in all three areas on the test. Beyond basic reading and math, respondents were tested on activities such as calculating mileage reimbursement due to a salesman, sorting email and comparing food expiration dates on grocery store tags.

Not only did Americans score poorly compared to many international competitors, the findings reinforced just how large the gap is between the nation's high- and low-skilled workers and how hard it is to move ahead when your parents haven't.

Quick...someone organize a "We're #1" chant for all the Fox News Fucks.

There was a report on the news this morning on this. They floated a couple of "why is this" questions. Notably absent was the fact that of the countries compared, the U.S. is the most religious.

Yeah, but them other countries ain't got God, guns, and guts! 'Murica!

(October 8, 2013 at 3:18 pm)festive1 Wrote:

(October 8, 2013 at 2:45 pm)kılıç_mehmet Wrote: That's why you have to import higher quality people from overseas, as it seems.
Lower quality people already storm your country by land from the south.

Umm... Setting aside your racist assumption that Latinos are somehow inferior... Net influx of illegal immigration over the Mexican border has been 0 for a few years now. You see, we tanked our economy.

Yeah, Dubya's solution to illegal immigration was to make sure there were no jobs. That dickhead.

(October 8, 2013 at 3:50 pm)Minimalist Wrote:

(October 8, 2013 at 3:18 pm)festive1 Wrote: Umm... Setting aside your racist assumption that Latinos are somehow inferior... Net influx of illegal immigration over the Mexican border has been 0 for a few years now. You see, we tanked our economy.

Yeah, Dubya's solution to illegal immigration was to make sure there were no jobs. That dickhead.

Oh, the clever bastard. So that's what he was doing.

(October 8, 2013 at 1:56 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Clearly you haven't understood American Exceptionalism.

I don't, I'm a skeptic. That's just not about gods.

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(October 8, 2013 at 3:22 pm)Chas Wrote: There was a report on the news this morning on this. They floated a couple of "why is this" questions. Notably absent was the fact that of the countries compared, the U.S. is the most religious.

We want to see the correlation, but our culture is much more than bible-believers who do other stuff.

If I had to make a quick guess as to why we are behind others, I would say it is arrogance. I think we believe that everyone else wants to be like us Americans with our freedom, our music, our Hollywood, Facebook, Twitter, etc. ad nauseum. Seriously, many of us think the world revolves around the US.

When you think you are number #1 you can do two things: rest on your laurels, or constantly improve so you can stay in first. I think we've gone for the former option.

Quote: I think we believe that everyone else wants to be like us Americans with our freedom, our music, our Hollywood, Facebook, Twitter, etc. ad nauseum.

Oddly, because of their superior computer skills, they have ready access to most of those things anyway just by being smarter.

You know what I wonder, is how can Canada and America be so different in these things when most Canadians are within a few hours drive of the border?
I'm Canadian, and while we are conservative compared to europe, we have a much lower intensity of our religiosity, and a much better education system. However our healthcare sucks, but at-least its free.