AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM? YEAH RIGHT …
|| By FITSNEWS || In yet another embarrassing commentary on America’s government-dominated education system, a new international test shows U.S. millennials trailing their global peers in … well, everything.
According to the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) – administered by Princeton University on behalf of the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – American millennials received “abysmal” results.
(To view the results for yourself, CLICK HERE).
In literacy, U.S. millennials trailed every other participating country save for Spain and Italy. In numeracy – a.k.a. the ability to apply mathematical skills to everyday situations – they ranked dead last.
Meanwhile when it came to “problem-solving in technology-rich environments,” U.S. millennials tied for last place with three other countries: Ireland, Poland and the Slovak Republic.
(So yeah, insert your Polish jokes here …)
Oh, and our “best and brightest” got schooled by the best and brightest in other countries, too … as American millennials brought up the rear in virtually every percentile.
“Millennials in the U.S. fall short when it comes to the skills employers want most,” author Anne Fisher wrote for Fortune.
Indeed they do … but by all means let’s continue trusting government to educate our children, right? Right?
Clearly it’s working … for other countries, anyway.
182 comments
I thought Obama promised that by now all school children would be above average.
You’re thinking of Garrison Keillor.
The kindergarten class had a homework assignment to find out about something exciting and relate it to the class the next day. When the time came for the little kids to give their reports, the teacher was calling on them one at a time. She was reluctant to call upon little Johnnie, knowing that he sometimes could be a bit crude. But eventually his turn came.
Little Johnnie walked up to the front of the class, and with a piece of chalk, made a small white dot on the blackboard, then sat back down. Well the teacher couldn’t figure out what Johnnie had in mind for his report on something exciting, so she asked him just what that was.
“It’s a period” reported Johnnie.
“Well I can see that” she said. “but what is so exciting about a period.”
“Damned if I know” said Johnnie, “but this morning my sister said she missed one. Then Daddy had a heart attack, Mommy fainted and the man next door shot himself.”
Fools. As we spend our time arguing over details and refusing to cooperate to solve our problems we lose ground to the world. Oh I forgot it’s too hard as we cut , cut and then complain that things weren’t working so we can justify turning over the system to private corporations.
One thing’s for sure, it’s gotten worse since 1979.
LOLOLOL – uh ….yeah.
Your argument is one sided – indicates you want to spend, spend, spend. There still exists such a thing a compromise as dirty as it sounds.
“Uncle Willies” was the name of the cigars Mencken smoked, I believe I remember. I wonder if there is any connection?
It is a name two of my nieces called me that. It has nothing to do with my actual name but based on a children’s story with a Pirat named Willie and I came to visit and they ran down the stairs calling me uncle Willie instead of my real name. I took that name as affection for my nieces. I have had it now for over 15 years now. I like your story a lot also. I will remember that. I love journalism.
Rush had this several days ago. I LMAO. The Democrats told these Dumb@$$#$ they were the Best and Brightest. And the arrogant idiots believed them…LMAO…
And now they elected Obama, and there are no jobs, even if they were not total Dumb@$$#$…Hahaha..
Please….save it for the idiots who listen to him. I am sure the delivery was different.
Rush has 20 million listeners and he has been on the air for more than 25 years…EVERY DAY for THREE hours…
CNN, MSNBC would be out of business, if they were fair market-controlled, and not propped up by liberal propagandists. While Rush has been targeted with leftwing crusades to get him off the air w/ lies and calls for boycotts.
To attack Rush makes you look like a coward and a NAZI-Communist. Or should I say, the modern-day Democrat…But I’m not surprised one bit by WHO, and WHAT you are…even though you flee from it when called out.
I’m still here, haven’t ran anywhere. Of course, I see you are still ranting on ….
“Rush has 20 million listeners and he has been on the air for more than 25 years…EVERY DAY for THREE hours…”
I think I SEE your problem. ma’am….
Yep, right when the dumbing down began…
You been robbing blind for 50 yrs…and it just gets worse…
You think things are fucked up now *with* a government…
I doubt you and I agree on much more than general/basic philosophy, but without a government, nothing is left but anarchy.
There is nothing wrong with our government, just the people we elect to run it.
That’s been the argument for a solid 240 years now, I’m sure after the next election things will improve.
Not without term limits and balanced budget amendments, just don’t ask me to hold my breath.
That was the point I was making.
You Democrat Slave owners seceded once before. I BEG you to do it again…I BEG you…
You Republican carpet baggers destroyed the south.
The South is flourishing idiot. Look at population numbers. SC just added a Congressional Seat. The liberal Rust Belt is losing political power and representation, thanks to HORRIBLE liberal government.
Look at Detroit, and you see the future of absolute Democrat rule…
All you touch turns to failure….
so, freeing the slaves, defeating the South, Sherman’s march, and the reconstruction were a success, then?
I’m Totally Against Slavery, you Dumb@$$. Defeating the very small number of Democrats who held slaves was a GIGANTIC success. Sherman punished the South gratuitously, and liberals are still trying to do that. If we could have deported you Slave-holding Democrats, we would not have been subject to barbaric retribution for so long.
You F*#ked up everything, as still are…
Yeah.. that whole civil war.. confederate flag thing
Hate to say it, know how unpopular it is, but that is the reason for Common Core. We are lagging behind in a global market. It is longer days for children of parents who want the best education – regardless whether it is public, private or home school. If you want to compete in global market, which we are already a part of , US is not isolated as some wish – it starts with education.
Well crap, either my comments are not popular or someone is pinging FITS site?
It was probably because it was Friday night and everyone else’s mental capacities were fading….
I kept getting a server error msg 504 or something…
you just met him…..
—————————
There was once a young man who, in his youth, professed his desire to become a great writer. When asked to define “great” he said, “I want to write stuff that the whole world will read, stuff that people will react to on a truly emotional level, stuff that will make them scream, cry, howl in pain and anger!”
He now works for Microsoft, writing error messages.
Always
check the DNA of your computer.
Common Core will go down as the greatest educational boondoggle ever, just ahead of the “open classrooms” of the seventies.
The thought process behind Common Core math is so convoluted that not even the teachers understand it. All you need to understand about multiplication is that two times two equals four. The explanation for that process runs about six pages in Common Coreesee.
I don’t agree, not because I personally am some expert in Math, but because I have many family members who are experts in their field of expertise and when they look at it, they say….yeah that sure would have made this easier. I hated theory math because I could never understand how to use it. I followed business math as an alternative (finance/accounting), I have some regrets about that, because I have an interest in Science and my educations limits exploration.
Yesterday I purchased 10 items at a Walmart that with tax totaled $23.36. Noticing a new, lovely cashier who was alone at her station I went there to keep her company. A little chit-chat and then she told me the total for the 10 items was $23.36. I had in my hand a twenty and four ones. She completed the receipt which showed $1.64 change. She paused, and realizing that had to be incorrect, gazed into my eyes as though to read my mind. She had already mentally calculated that my change had to be less than a dollar. Still gazing into my eyes she said “I’m thinking about what I did wrong – I’m not going to make a math mistake.” . She said “Your change is $ .64 but where did the extra dollar come from?” Then she examined the receipt in the register.
When she had seen the bills in my hand she had accidentally entered $2.40 instead of $24.00. which then showed a balance due — but she mentally calculated the difference as $ 22.60 which she entered but it gave me an extra dollar in change. As she gave me the correct change I complimented her. Her attitude and determination made my day. I would have just handed her the dollar and thanked her. She will be a popular cashier.
I might also say these same math weenies have to pull out a calculator to calculate a tip…LOL. But, you get the pic.
‘Night now ;)
A visitor to a boys military academy asked one of the
students, “And just how old are you, sonny?”
The boy answered, “That’s hard to say, sir.
According to my latest school tests, I have a psychological age of 11 and a moral age of 10.
Anatomically, I’m 7, and mentally I’m 9.
But if you refer to my chronological age. That’s 8 – but
nobody pays any attention to that these days!”
“1 + 1 = 2” is proved a hundred or more pages into vol. TWO of Principia Mathematica.
Russell and Whitehead are among the most billious of British theoretical authors, prattling on about nothing while making it sound important. Babylonians and Greeks were using complex algebraic formula more than 5,000 years ago.
If we’re talking discrete math or scientific math you can wax on as eloquently as you heart desires but 1+1=2 because it does, not because of some secret truth revealed in lengthy complex discussion.
(True) mathematics vs. “engineering math,” or pretty close anyway.
Ancient Greece vs. Rome, essentially. “It follows” vs. “it works.”
For the vast majority of students, “it works”math is not only all they need but it is far easier to teach and master.
…and seemed to work just fine until the underlying fabric of our culture started to fall apart.
1+1=2, that is true. While I am certainly not a professor of Math, I have taken classes that taught me how to use what I call theory Math. One a simple programming course, that I was admitted to because they failed to recognize I did not have the prerequisite Math courses for the class.
I was given the option of staying in the class, because by the time they had realized their error, I was not failing. I will say I had to work MUCH harder, HOURS every day devoted to this one class to squeeze out a B.
It was then I realized the value of that “theory” Math that I had ignored for so long, preferring concrete numbers.
Common Coreesee.
TBG’s great great grandma was a Coreesee princess.
I am surprised there are not more comments on this article. IF ever there is a topic on this site worth reading (which I think there are many), then this IS one to pay attention to.
There is no denying, this is a non-partisan issue, that we all should care deeply about. If not for ourselves, the future generations, our children.
I know it is late, I myself am going to bed as soon as I get the sick in bed, but in 3 hours only a few comments? All you antagonists/protagonists out there – where are you when it’s important?
Now is the time to get involved, not 1 year, not 5 years – but now. Time is of the essence and yes, it is a “race to the top.” I use those terms loosely, not due to political affiliation, but the tagline/slogan is true.
Is American exceptional? Damn right! Can we lead and set the standard, guaranteeing our children jobs in the future, or should we follow?
We ARE leaders, not followers and to accept anything less is nothing more than admitting defeat. The choice is clearly ours for the making.
It’s Friday night, most of us have suspended our cogent thought for the evening.
I have spent much of mine too! Maybe tomorrow we can pick up where we left off. It is a topic am passionate about.
Have a great night Colonel, sleep well.
BULL-$#!t it’s non-partisan. That’s wishful thinking…
These millennials have been PROGRAMMED for leftwing politics. The Democrat Party wants you a STUPID and helpless as you can be. Take a look at the Democrat-Controlled Corridor of Shame.
If you are not ignorant and hateful, you are not nearly as likely to vote D. They want the lily-while cul-d-scaccers as dependent on them as the special interest groups liberals control by race, gender, sexual orientation-based hatred…
I’m over that brief moment where I missed you ;)
But you ADMIT I’m right…right?
I admit you may have a valid point that has me reading the Common Core Standards for 8th graders. On page 95 (link below) there is a book mentioned “Monk, Linda R. Words We Live By:
Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution” for 8th graders. I am going to buy the book.
As you can see, not much mentioned at the 1st grade level and it seems that teachers and other can develop their own curriculum.
Truth is there is so much information and misinformation on the topic, I want to educate myself for myself and my daughter.
Right now I am very happy with K12.com
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf
My question: Why have you pontificated in favor of CC to such a degree, w/o even knowing its contents? …That’s the height of ignorance…
Anything Obama throws out there, despite the danger, you gobble it up, on his word – ‘pass it to see what’s in it’ – w/ no regard the damage it does to Americans, and our children…
We MUST reverse these Horrible polices…or we’ll pay dearly for not opposing it…As a parent it is your OBLIGATION to protect your child…
I do know its contents for my daughter grades. The height of ignorance is taking something completely out of context and posting it as left wing BS. You have no idea how they were using that.
What, should I buy every single book on that list, read them all and we can talk about this again in a year? I’m sure you have done that?
No, all you are doing is reading what someone else gives you and perpetuating the hype.
FYI – the reviews on that book are very positive. I lean in the direction IF there was any leftwing attempts to manipulate, it was likely the teacher. Common Core is a set of Standards, but based on everything I have read they do not have a national curricula, though I will say k12 comes very close….
Big Ed is pushing ALL the content and the tests. Its very leftist and they’ll make billions…
You ALWAYS make lame excuses when you get baught…see Hillary. …
Show me where it says that states do not set their own content/tests?
EVERYTHING I have read indicates that state and local educators are in charge of curricula.
I simply chose one that is more national.
Bull-S#!t…if the tests are nationalized…how in the H#!! are you going to localize content???
Hoss, all you have to look at is the results. What’s so damn hard about that? Give you another 10 years and we will have nothing but near idiots.
Change is almost always accompanied by anxiety and FEAR. I would rather face my fears alone, than listen to a bunch of frightened cowards who follow the masses and believe everything they are told.
I will travel this path until I come to a fork in the road and then I will decide which way to turn.
Griping about something that has already happened isn’t going to change it. Breeding fear, hate and politics vs. educating yourself, only leads to more fear mongering. Many wars have been fought for the same reasons.
Oh, I forgot YOU are the soldier ;)
Change from the GREATEST country in the world to a THIRD WORLD Banana Republic…F*#k that, you Leftist idiot…
Look at the economy, healthcare and foreign policy, and you’re telling me you’re going to ALLOW Obama to CHANGE Education to fit his mold…
Again: read what his Czar said is behind Common Core…
That said: the SC Legislature told the State School Board ‘NO’ on Common Core…So I don’t give a F*#k what you want…You better buy Private School if you insist on polluting your child w/ Anti-American Bull-S#!t…I don’t have to pay for it, thank God, and my legislature…
I went and found a source you might approve of to dispute the idea that there is no CC in SC.
“The media reports are dead wrong,” Sheri Few, president of South Carolina Parents Involved in Education (SCPIE), told Breitbart News. “By the state Education Oversight Committee’s (EOC) own admission, the ‘new’ replacement standards are 90 percent aligned with Common Core.”
“http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/03/13/new-south-carolina-standards-90-aligned-with-common-core/”
Of course, it Sheri Few again, but another article here: http://dailycaller.com/2015/03/13/common-core-is-dead-in-sc-or-is-it/
I’m sure that the collective of white folks at the State House had nothing to do with creating and maintaining the Corridor of Shame. Free passes for everyone! Yaay. And boy you are right, those millennials are being programmed to question and challenge our very way of life. Our culture of denying rights and equal opportunity has worked just fine for some of us in power for a long time and we don’t need your Yankee, carpetbagging, candy ass to come down here and try to program our kids into your Commie ways of thinking.
You’ve gotten the LIBERAL way on EVERYTHING. Especially in education. More money, more toleration of failure and more attention to problems and it just gets WORSE…
These Millennials are being BUSTED for ignorance and incompetence. Their crusades against people they hate just make them dumber. Maybe being @$$holes, who just push causes for radicals and extremists leads to stupidity…that’s what it seems….
Where is SubZeroIQ these days? She was quite entertaining sometimes, but I’ve forgotten who kept annoying her until she went silent.
Probably in a nut house somewhere. (If there are any still operating),
Several of us were guilty of annoying her. It was such a pleasure.
I, too, was guilty,,,
She probably changed her alias to GT LOL
No, her posts were lengthy, weird, and nearly always about people who were relentlessly tormenting her. Some commentators said they knew who she was. She just dropped of the radar. …
That is one of the unique things about this site. I am so used to the FB forums where you get slapped if you stray too much for the topic.
Here people just sorta go with the flow and we end up talking about all sorts of things.
Hate I missed her posts, they sound really depressing :)
“depressing” — I forgot to mention that
American public education spends many times more cash per pupil than any other country in the world. These results are what financial analysts call a “poor ROI”. So the obvious solution is to spend more money, right? Right??
Hilarious how FITS blames the GOVERNMENT, when it’s Democrats…That’s FITS at his most ignorant…
Democrat politics, and their control of education, leads to this level of inferiority…
These millennials have been PROGRAMMED for leftwing politics. The Democrat Party wants you as STUPID and helpless as you can be. Take a look at the Democrat-Controlled ‘Corridor of Shame.’
If you are not ignorant and hateful, you are not nearly as likely to vote D. They want the lily-while cul-d-scaccers as dependent on them as the special interest groups liberals control by race, gender, and sexual orientation-based hatred…
I am a high school teacher in the corridor of shame. The lack of common sense in the South Carolina Education Department is astounding.
There is a lack of common sense in SC, period.
Amen.
You can tell that when you look at who/what we elect for just about anything.
So South Carolina is the bottom of the bottom? At least this site reads on a GrandTango level.
I read this at WaPo last week and it sounded awful.
Then, I clicked on the accompanying 3 graphs and there was 10-15 points difference between the USA and the highest ranked country which doesn’t seem monumental.
So, until I can get further clarification on what the differences really mean, I’m not apoplectic.
We have Work Keys at TEC schools. Every HS needs to be requiring their successful completion by all students so that they can graduate with something that means something to employers.
Actually, a HS in my area does offer Work Keys. It needs to be mandatory state wide in all academic tracks. That should also cut down on some of the remedial work HS grads have to do when they get to TEC and college.
I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face. If you want to predict how well a child does in school, study the family. Parents have turned to “Education experts” to solve our problems and have been all too willing to hand over parental responsibility to the schools.
Common Core is going to fail precisely because parents don’t understand it. It further alienates parents from the school. Parents are encouraged to trust the teachers and just turn over their kids to the “experts”.
Any successful education reform should have as its primary goal to engage parents. The best way to engage parents is to give them power. Power mean they have meaningful choices.
I agree with choice, but I am a parent willing to understand Common Core. I am learning with my daughter. In 1st grade it isn’t that challenging, but I will say this, it is FAR more challenging than the education I had. My daughter reads, writes and has better math skills than I had until probably 4th grade.
It is amazing what they can actually learn if you spend the time with them and K12 has excellent curriculum. The books, including teaching guides, are laid out in a very well though out manner, the topics tie together, the web based interface is the best I have seen. I am not exaggerating, it is dummy proof. I log in, my daily plan is there, parent instructional videos when new topics are being covered (i.e. they literally have a fold up sheet you use in Literature Comprehension, to prompt students with questions), attendance records, progress reports, and Noodle Verse.
It would be hard to parents to understand without access to these tools.
You’re a F*#K!*g LIAR and an idiot…
You people are VERY dishonest about common core. Obama’s Education Czar even ADMITTED (then retracted after heat) that Common Core was an effort to attack White People, who did not have low test scores…
Link to Common Core propaganda example:
http://scdigest.blogspot.com/2014/08/see-common-core-lesson-for-8th-graders.html
Another Common Core ‘essay’ also attacks Lincoln for not enacting Emancipation soon enough. You Dumb@$$ America Haters…
You F*#king Cliche, Bull-$h!t idiot…
Your effort and involvement with your child’s education is commendable. The problem is that it requires you to learn something entirely new.
Parents own educational experience is of little value. It’s all new to them. Most will not have the time to learn Common Core.
I believe it is almost purposely done to diminish the advantages that educated families have. If you can alienate parents, then the advantages of a good family are minimized. That way you can reduce the gap with minorities and the poor.
Would you say Hitler’s effort to develop Hitler Youth was ‘commendable’…???
Common Core is DANGEROUS and subversive. Don’t let some nice talker Bull-S#!t you…
Link to CC example from a Lex 1 School. : http://scdigest.blogspot.com/2014/08/see-common-core-lesson-for-8th-graders.html
PS: Lex 1 WAS one of the top Districts in the country…the more LIBERAL it gets, the more failure it produces…
I followed the link below from Department of Education site. So is it Common Core or did someone tailor instruction?
“Will the Common Core State Standards keep local teachers from deciding what or how to teach?
No. Common Core standards are a clear set of shared goals and expectations for what knowledge and skills will help our students succeed. Local teachers, principals, superintendents and others will decide how the standards are to be met. Teachers will continue to devise lesson plans and tailor instruction to the individual needs of the students in their classrooms. Local teachers, principals, superintendents, and school boards will continue to make decisions about curriculum and how their school systems are operated.”
http://www.cgcs.org/domain/106
Common Core is not curriculum. It’s only standards, what a kid should know at the end of the school year.
How do standards fail? Haven’t we always had some kind of standards to determine if a kid gets passed to the next grade?
If the school is picking poor curriculum material to get kids to the standards – and from what can be read nationwide, many are – they need to do better.
But, I’m curious if some of these parents were so concerned about standards or curriculum before they became a political football they could be manipulated with.
Yeah, blame Common Core. Ha! Ha! SC spent more than $100,000 to rewrite Common Core with the result is that the new SC Common Core is practically the same as the old Common Core! Ha! Ha! Except that SC didn’t get the $$ the education department gave other states to adopt the standard Common Core. Ha! Ha! You buffoons don’t even understand the purpose of Common core! The only good that has come of all this is that SC Common Core is still basically the same as other state Common Cores so kids won’t suffer as a result of SC insanity.
You were F*#king up education LONG before Common Core. And the re-write of it looks like it may just be repackaging the same damaging propaganda, thanks to liberals in the education industry.
The General Assembly may have to FORCE you to follow the law the PEOPLE want to see, that will eradicate Common Core…
Common Core simply preaches that America is a racist country, and our Founders were scum…kinda like what ignorant Fools like you and Obama believe..
But remember NAZI Germany and the Democrat Slaveholders tried to FORCE their Bull-SH!t on us. How much longer will you perpetuate your, lies hate and injustice before we light your lazy, thieving @$$ up, just like we did Hitler’s and the Democrat Slaveholders?
Good thing we can still import smart kids and smart adults. Just look at the students and faculty in university engineering and science departments. “We are in Asia somewhere.”
US students seem to be following the US (pipe)dream: “We’ll get rich the quick and easy way: selling hamburger-chain stock futures to each other. Then we’ll spend all our gains on conspicuous consumption. Differential equations? Yeah right! That’s totally for nerds. Do you see how they dress?”
Differential equations are integral. The limits are infinite.
But they progress in only the tiniest of steps.
Yeah see right there – you lost me….LOL. Not entirely, but differential equations are not my thing. I prefer concrete numbers and the closest I stray from that is trending for the most part.
Liberals get what they want more and more…and it just keeps swirling down the toilet…Education is just one example of full-control FAILURE by Democrats…
How much longer will Ignorant F*#ks – like FITS – get away w/ blaming Republicans, the ONLY hope we have to repair this nation that is severely damaged by the leftwing radical ideology…
And NCLB was such a success?
I’m all for the Federal Gov’t getting the H#!! out of education, and quit connecting funding to their editorial control…
That said: NCLB was byzantine, as far as paperwork goes…and burdened teachers w/ way too much record -keeping, as ALL liberal programs seem to do. It’s why Teddy Kennedy gave NCLB to Bush. And Bush was trying to get along…
And NCLB was NOT anti-American and harmful to actually learning, as CC is…
CC is radical, leftwing propaganda…designed to germinate anti-American subversives of our citizenry…
CC is HIGHLY unpopular because it’s SO dangerous…for any parent who actually CARES for the future of their children, and their country…
Have you actually read any of the text books? I heard that same thing and was totally opposed to Common Core, but I don’t see the radical leftwing propaganda. Unless you call a fact as something that can be proven? The History lessons talk about all religions, most recent lesson was about Israelites and Moses being put in a basket. Much more than that, but I am sure you recognize that much from the Bible.
An essay that a parent gave me from Meadow Glen Middle School..(link below)….
She ended up removing her child from the school. This is just one anti-Constitution example. Another attacked Lincoln, technically because he was white. You’re FULL of S#!t if you support CC, unless you are an enemy of America…
Link: http://scdigest.blogspot.com/2014/08/see-common-core-lesson-for-8th-graders.html
That is certainly interesting even if taken out of context. Sometimes in the Literature Comprehension classes they will demonstrate how to tell a fact vs. an opinion. The lesson plans/books I use, do talk about author’s purpose, the reason the author wrote the article, (to inform, entertain, persuade and so on) A fact is something that can be proven, so based on what I have read, this piece is an opinion based article and the authors purpose is to persuade.
I would have taken my daughter out of that school too. I wonder what curriculum they are using and who develops it.
I like K12.com because they are consistent and SO far, we have not seen anything like this. However, when home schooling I would simply tell my daughter that is one persons opinion and it is written to persuade. I don’t agree with their opinion.
I would not like to see that piece in a public school AT ALL.
Only Dumb@$$#S let people like you talk them into accepting your hate-speech and propaganda as education…
It has NO place…and CANNOT be tolerated…regardless of your attempt to tell us Night is Day…
Please stop projecting your hate speech on me :)
He can’t. It doesn’t matter how civil you are to him, he doesn’t have the capacity to to reciprocate. Not only that, despite the fact that he does all the insulting, he will later claim you have insulted him in a diatribe after he has lost the argument of the main point. He is truly the most pathetic human being I have ever tried to engage with.
What is mind boggling to me is that all that people have to do to shut him up is stop responding to him; stop hitting the ‘reply’ button. But, many here simply cannot resist.
As an old social worker boss of mine once said, the rational person who thinks they can have a rational conversation with an irrational person becomes irrational themselves.
Of course, he is at least 25% of FITS’ hits…maybe, he IS FITS…
True Nitrat, but he IS entertaining :)
He is, often, off base but is not bat chit crazy as most of the liberals, on this board, are.
I’ve linked it for you…and get mountains more…but you are pushing this Bull-$#!t based on blind ideology..so I doubt you’d care no matter how much evidence that proves you wrong…
In SC state agencies, that dunce will rise to management. All he will have to know is how to say “Yes” to the powerful and “No” to the others, and especially to competent ethical staff.
“Insert Your Polish Jokes Here”
That’s what she said.
I’m thinking a very good Irish joke would work here……..
Damn, I need to impregnate someone. I fear the future of mankind depends on it. One needs to only step outside, outside anywhere, in this country and the dumbfuckery, will permeate your soul. This dumbfuckery leads to DNA damage and a likely diagnosis of apeshititis.
It’s scary when I think about that, which I try to avoid. But you said it ” only step outside, outside anywhere, in this country” and we can’t……
If we don’t ERADICATE liberal Domination of our communication systems, it will not get better…
That is too funny!
Geee Whizzz……wish I had said that!
I teach a college class, the participants of which have no idea what an adjectival noun is, or why 44BC (bce) is important. Yet, ALL of them graduated as A students from their several high schools. A unified education plan will not solve this problem, if math, science, AND history and grammar are not taught competently. Many, MANY certified teachers don’t have an iota of an idea how to teach.
But look on the bright side: They believe the only reason there is wide-scale failure in the Black Community is because EVERY White person in America, is racist, and took it from them…
And they believe the top 1% getting substantially richer, while the average middle class white person struggles to buy new shoes for their children…is good, and true justice…especially as 20 million more poor people were added to the Food Stamp program in the last 6 years….
Geniuses all…
Look, I know you mean well, but unless you’re talking about a singular political group, please don’t say “they.” It makes you sound racist, which you persistently insist you are not.
I don’t EVER remember saying I’m not racist. I let my actions speak for myself. I defend America, and ALL American’s rights equally. I don’t shill for special interests, based on race, or anything else.
You come across as more racist than I do, by bringing it up…
Democrats, Black and White – or dangerous…and by calling them failures, as THEY are…I’m being more non-racist…than any Democrat who bases all on race…
OK, but that means you’d rather be inflammatory than reasonable, which obfuscates your arguments, and chases away potential allies.
I just don’t succumb to discussing any point based on the cliched premises, placed in the dialogue to distract from how the Democrats are DESTROYING America…Hope that clears it up
But you DO succumb to cliches of the right. I made that mistake too. We are all human, we all fight for that which we believe is best for our families. BOTH sides have something to contribute.
If I have anything in common, that even closely resembles Libertarians – (paraphrasing) ” Live and Let Live”
We are not going to solve world problems, but we can impact state, but best if we look at world. MHO.
You talk in CIRCLES – that end in Democrats and failure……I’m VERY direct, and I support the reason why…
This country is in SEVERE distress because of people like you. We can no longer tolerate your control over us. It HAS TO stop. We labor to build it, but that means NOTHING if we let you, and very corrupt, ill-willed people take it…
Oh I see your morning lesson in Church has worn off. Yes, I am tolerant and I am very direct in that tolerance and my reasons why.
We are in distress, but get your undies out of a bunch. I have never had control over you, nor do I wish to ever have said control. You miss the bullet “I support choice.”
You want to prevent choice, but my goal is to perpetuate it. I only have control over you, if you allow it.
I also labor to build, a good chance we are working on the same building? It matters not, because I prefer the building of my choice and I am willing to pay for it.
Whatcha GT, you will never get my building, but yours is crumbling. I offer you shelter in exchange for your soul (all sarcasm intended).
You seem to let the liberals tell you how to think, and posit your message. When they can manipulate you, they win. And that’s all they care about. Because when they have power, they rule with hate and vengeance…. (see Obama)….
The problem seems to very obviously be in the colleges of education, in teaching teachers how to teach, and has been for decades.
My theory is that it’s the result of the educational theory changes that came about after Sputnik. That would account for SAT scores starting their decline in 1969.
We need to identify the schools of education that are producing teachers with issues teaching. When we get all of those colleges up to speed, results will improve.
I know two degreed young early-career scientists who tried to become “critical area” (science-math) school teachers. They had to take a few education courses at USC College of Education. They were driven mad by the widely encompassing abject ignorance of their professor(s?). The ignorance included well-known aspects related to learning (including formal education) and genetics or evolution. One student could not stand to proceed. The other repressed his gag reflex and finished and presumably is a decent science teacher, or at the very least he knows his science.
A young lady graduated college with a teaching degree, I think early childhood development? Not many openings at the time she graduated, so she worked daycare very briefly.
One day she came home crying how mean the kids were, they pulled her hair, they scratched her, they wouldn’t listen to her and so on. She quit. LOL.
It’s funny because before her “teaching” experience, she knew more about early childhood development than any parent out there.
All European countries I know about have a government run educational system on a national level–no local school districts. Yet, the students in most of these countries far exceed ours in most measures. To me, this builds a strong argument for nationalizing our schooling and let the federal government run the system as they do in Europe. It does not support the argument posited by Fits to get the government out of education.
Department of Education was being “fully” implemented just as I graduated high school. I believe my early education was far superior to anything I have witnessed since. Smaller schools and not in SC. Those same schools today, have now been merged into larger schools. From what I hear, kids are graduating who can’t even read.
The other side to SC education ranking. I know someone who moved to SC decades ago, was a straight A student in CA, but struggled to make passing grades in SC? How do you explain that?
I don’t think there is a one size fits all. Every child learns differently. I have bought several books to understand my child’s learning style. While the books help, she is my best resource. All I have to do is listen her to figure out the best way to teach her.
Bottom line: Ignorance, like knowledge, can be taught.
The media and the education system – two of the most influential communications systems in America – are dominated by liberals and Democrats…
Change that, and you may see us begin to right ourselves. If we don’t, it will just get worse…
Did anyone celebrate Pi Day yesterday? Happy belated Pi Day!
only those of us who know what it represents……..
Hate to say it, but I would not have a clue what Pi Day is, had my husband and daughter had a lengthy discussion about it yesterday. My 6 year old likely knows more about Pi than I do….LOL Sad, but ….. true.
If you ever need help in business, balancing accounts, analyzing data…I can help. But if you wanna talk PI, much to my chagrin – I simply don’t know the answers. Could probably figure it out, based on explanation and give a care. But….yeah I stink at that.
“…embarrassing commentary on America’s government-dominated education system…”
“Clearly it’s working … for other countries, anyway.”
Just curious…are all of these countries which are supposedly whipping our asses educationally doing so without government funded / controlled schools? All private / free market schools?
Talk about a loaded question. It is thought provoking, so much, that I almost clicked like, but one worth researching – the study of studies ;)
Michael Crichton wrote an article on this subject called “UFOS Cause Global Warming.” His conclusion was that too many studies were tainted by opinion, and that consensus is no substitute for the scientific method.
Very well said, of course, I would expect no less from a professor. However, in my own searches on Global Warming, to much is tainted by opinion.
So let assume my opinion only, based on scientific research: We rotate on a 24 hour axis. Is it true? I think proven. Given that basis, then can it be concluded that drilling, mining, whatever imaginable pollution happens in another country would affect US?
Then there is the argument we need to save resources, so that we might be the last to hold them. While I disagree today, I “believe” based on my VERY limited knowledge of Math, that perhaps these sources will replenish themselves, much like volcanos – and while we were able to track their eruptions for a period of time, can we now?
Much is still unknown about nature.
Do you mind if I ask what your area of specialty is? You are professor of ?
Professor, I am more interested in your opinions than most on the site, but I will challenge all of them. Nothing personal. I am a knowledge seeker and I just CAN’T stop.
Let mw say this: you are looking in all of the wrong places.
Sad thing is, I’ll have to take your word for it. I remember Crichton, but I do not remember the conclusion, at least not the same as you do.
Likely because I read too many other articles and never believed in UFOs per se.
Hmmm….the question begs to question WHO is Michael Crichton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichto
I did enjoy Jurassic Park, which is likely what your thesis is based on? Come on Professor. Are your really a professor, or just nuggets that require research….hmmm. Either way, thought provoking.
Here’s a nugget that you two love-birds can digest…
——————————————————————
THE TAX SYSTEM
EXPLAINED IN BEER
—————————————————
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill
for all ten comes to $100. If they paid
their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this…
The first four men (the poorest)
would pay nothing
The fifth would pay $1
The sixth would pay $3
The seventh would pay $7
The eighth would pay $12
The ninth would pay $18
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59
So, that’s what they decided to do.
The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite
happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball.
“Since you are all such good customers,” he said, “I’m going to reduce the cost
of your daily beer by $20?. Drinks for the ten men would now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our
taxes. So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free.
But what about the other six men? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that
everyone would get his fair share?
They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they
subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man
would each end up being paid to drink his beer.
So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce
each man’s bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to
follow the principle of the tax system
they had been using, and he proceeded to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.
And so the fifth man, like the
first four, now paid nothing (100% saving).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%
saving).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28%
saving).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25%
saving).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22%
saving).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16%
saving).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first
four continued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men began to
compare their savings.
“I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving,” declared the
sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, “but he got $10!”
“Yeah, that’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved
a dollar too. It’s unfair that he got
ten times more benefit than me!”
“That’s true!”
shouted the seventh man. “Why should he get $10 back, when I got only $2? The
wealthy get all the breaks!”
“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison, “we
didn’t get anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!”
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks so
the nine sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to pay
the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money
between all of them for even half of the bill!
aw ha aw ha……this sound too much like something Thatcher would says, but I love it!
How do you type the sound lips make, “pluuuuuuuh?” We were had fun.
Now love dove – where were we? LOL
Don’t …… stop. :)
Sorry, had to cook supper. Let’s see.. I USED to be (in order) a child actor and VO actor in the 40’s & 50’s, a DJ in the 50’s & 60’s, a News Anchor in the 70’s & 80’s, Successful Political PR Rodent and internet merchant in the 90’s and 00’s. Retired, went back to school, got a terminal degree in teaching college Theatre, Speech, and later, Film. Now I teach at one of South Carolina’s smaller extension, which I consider heaven.
My hobbies are weather, geology, astrophysics (no shit), and sailing. My sin is politics and theology and other things one shouldn’t discuss at dinner.
I’m not a Libertarian because I believe we should be able to beat the crap out of everybody – but not do it. I don’t care if people want to have sex with goats (although the goat must agree). I believe that the American Constitution is one of the most beautiful political documents ever written. Finally, I believe in an unfettered marketplace and eschew Keynesianism, but believe that there are SOME people whom the Church SHOULD take care of, but don’t, and so we must – but those are damn few.
I’m not perfect, but, like Earth, I’m “mostly harmless.” I gotta correct papers now..
I don’t care if people want to have sex with goats (although the goat must agree).
—————————–
A farmer asked a friend to recommend an attorney to defend him against a charge of bestiality. “I know a great trial lawyer, “the fellow said, “but he’s expensive and doesn’t know how to pick a good jury. I know another lawyer,” he continued, “who’s not a great trial lawyer, but he’s cheap and really knows how to pick a jury.”
The farmer settled on the cheap attorney, but immediately had second thoughts when the key witness, a neighbor, began his testimony. “I saw Jed mount his goat from behind,” he said, “and when he was finished, I saw the goat turn around and lick Jed’s pecker.”
The accused farmer was devastated and had all but given up hope of acquittal when a juror in overalls whispered to the fellow next to him, “You know, a good goat will do that.”
You gave me my one good laugh, today!
Your previous comment is excellent!
And you are the funniest and kindest blogger on the internet. Now I REALLY gotta go correct papers.
Thanks for that comment. In an attempt to save my sanity I have taken a personal vow to avoid, as much as possible, nasty/depressing/negative comments for a period starting on 1/1/15 until the next primaries begin. So far it’s working very well for me! Also, I love jokes & humor, and they work best here when someone gives me a good lead-in. Just for a bonus tonight here’s one I haven’t used for a while.
———————–
The bus stops and two Italian men get on. They seat themselves and engage in animated conversation. The lady sitting behind them ignores their conversation at first, but her attention is galvanized when she hears one of the men say:
“Emma come first. Den I come. Two asses dey come
together. I come again. Two asses, dey come together again. I come again and pee twice. Den I come one-a
more.”
“You foul-mouthed people,” the lady yelled. “In this country we don’t talk about our sex lives in public!”
“Hey, coola-downa lady,” said the man. “Imma justa teachin’ my fren’ howa to spella Mississippi.”
LMAO – so glad your are taking a break. We all need to remember our sense of humor. You have a great one – I laugh daily and that allows me to carry on.
Not sure what you were like before, but I do know, I wouldn’t change a thing about you.
Did you hear about the woman who finally figured out men?
She died laughing before she could tell anybody.
Laughing so hard it hurts. You are so funny! The funniest things are those that at least have a hint of truth.
You would have to hear my laugh to know I just might die before I told anyone …. LOLOL
He gives us many laughs!
Oh my gawd, I’m married, but if he dies will you marry me?
All joking aside – well said….
Thanks for taking the time.
Where are you most of the time? You are one of the most interesting people on this site.
Just finished grading.. Thank you for the compliment, but I really think Mr. T. B. Goldstein and M. Shifty are far more interesting. I particularly like the Colonel’s writing. On the Left, Mister Mike Sur La Plage is extremely interesting. But you should ask my wife, the Skinner Behaviorist. One can only stand so much mirth.
Fair enough :)
Give your wife a hug like you will never see her again – from a woman’s perspective, she will enjoy. Since you have devoted so much of your time helping us – I might offer one tiny piece of advice. Love her like tomorrow doesn’t exist. I am guessing you do. Wishing you both much happiness.
I’m holding out for M. Shifty LOL ;)
“I’m not a Libertarian because I believe we should be able to beat the crap out of everybody – but not do it.”
Well, that may not be “Libertarian”(I don’t know, I don’t follow the LP), but that philosophy is certainly “libertarian”(as in Rothbard), because it fits the non-aggression principle exactly. (If someone threatens you, you can kick their ass, if you are actually in fear of your life, you can kill them)
I’m sure you’re right, in that respect (I always thought Murray R. looked like what Bob Woodward would look like in old age, and I my guess seems to be on point.) I just am not enamored of labels – the glue hurts when you try to peel them off.
When we allow someone to label us, then they can also disable us.
I’m not impressed with labels either.
I think it was Ben Franklin who said, “If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both.”
I will try to refrain from quoting AR on the topic ;)
As I have posted before and in this thread. It’s the family. It isn’t even single parents. Single parents can raise a child, but it is the negligence of those single or married who conceive children they are not prepared or committed to raise. Transplant the same family in Europe, Korea or Japan and they would perform just as poorly.
Are schools are not different, are families are.
Precisely my point. We can rail on our educational system all we like, but the system itself is only partly to blame. It’s our culture, family structure, and attitude toward institutions like education that are falling apart much faster than educational bureaucracies (although they’re screwed up as well, no doubt). FITS can’t use the tired old “government-run schools” thing as his bogeyman if the schools that are whipping our asses are…government run.
sic(k) willie is “skooling” us from his sad little porn site.
He has cut back posting soft porn since he learned there are pennies per click when he entices loyal readers (all eight of them) to follow other soft core porn links.
What a voucher slut, sic(k) weewee.
sic(k) weewee will post any cr@p to attack public education in order to keep voucher scam payoffs coming from Howie the Voucher Clown.
sic(k) one, tell Howie the Voucher Clown to help fix the issues facing public education.
You and Howie know the issues: poverty, racism and discrimination, and the host of social ills that go along. But, voucher clowns don’t care about that.
They just want their voucher scam. Vouchers would do nothing for those who need help the most, except leave them further behind.
And that’s a voucher scam fact!
BIN News Funding Editor
Flare and Balanced
You are just a parasite that Sic Willie needs to remove from his site, lest you infect others with your poisonous lies.
HIGH HEELS
Up Your Arse
We often discard that which we can not make sense of – too intellectual. One of the main problems in getting Ayn Rands books published, they were considered too intellectual?
I am not an objectivist, much of her philosophy is BS IMO, but there are nuggets I do like, she herself would disapprove of those “nuggests.” In her world you either bought the whole philosophy or none. Well, If that is the choice, then I choose none.
However, I do find it intriguing that her books were difficult to market because they were, as critics said, “too intellectual.”
I could believe a number of reasons, but too intellectual? It is simply in my mind true.
I still don’t wholly or even mostly agree with her. I find her lover, 20-25 years her junior, far more interesting. His publishings are far better IMHO.
Why does it not surprise me that you think her writings are BS?
Maybe because I read them? Hmm….
Rand advocated reason as the only means of acquiring knowledge and rejected faith and religion. She supported rational and ethical egoism, and rejected altruism. – wikipedia
Religion and faith are not incompatible with reason. Some believe that we are all selfish. I find that easy enough to believe. Rand carries it too far. She advocates selfishness.
I accept her rejection of religion. I also agree with her “rational” thinking – but she didn’t live it. A fairy tale way of thinking?
Altruism, oh my gawd – to oft have I been labeled as altruistic according to her definition. Yes, I have compassion, but not a complete fool or idiot, as IMHO she turned out to be. Her lover of 25 or so years younger, Nathaniel Brandon (which does contain Rand?) is far more interesting IMHO.
It might even be said that Religion, faith, reason and psychology are not compatible?
I admire her selfishness, but deplore here disdain for those of the same sex.
It occurs to me, I have never expressed it exactly this way. I don’t believe in “irrationality”. Sure their is the mentallly ill but otherwise people are reasonable. People always have reasons for their actions. It isn’t lack of knowledge or reasoning that is the cause of bad things. ISIS and Al Qaeda are not crazy or ignorant;they are evil. Jihadi John and many other were educated and hand advantages most don’t have, yet they made a “reasonable” but evil choice. Even a rationalization is reason.
I believe in evil, Rand? I don’t know.
Nor do I believe in irrationality (unless I am the one throwing crap…LOL j/k) – but what is rational? Some people are reasonable, but according to AR we shouldn’t expect that. She is arrogance upon the highest perch, but a lot of “rational” and “objective” thought.
I am sure AR could rationalize such behavior, but hence, I cannot,
Rand doesn’t believes in active participation of evil, yet based on all I have read, she is a part of that evil.
Irreconcilable differences in life and philosophy? Dunno. Much of her philosophy I do like, but more I struggle with.
If you believe Darwin’s theory then we are in competition. It is reasonable and right to prefer and favor my own race or ethnic group. Our selfish genes require it. I believe that is rational, but evil. Reason, even well informed, doesn’t always lead us to a good outcome
‘Night BT ;)
You can’t have exceptional anything, including exceptional children, when you expect constant entertainment to be part of the package. Blaming “the system” without taking responsibility for your own participation in dumbing down America is yet another sign of immaturity perpetuated by a service economy. I read these comments and I have a mental picture not of kids in their basements but of fat cats in easy chairs.
Please share an example of a school system serving a city the size of Columbia, let alone a large geographic area the size of South Carolina, anywhere in the world that isn’t government run?