Rickard nailed it today. The competitive gene in this country has metastasized into something that attempts to justify lying, cheating, and stealing as legitimate actions by real “competitors”.
This is actually based on true facts. A recent news article described how the US students test fairly far down among first-world countries in terms of math, science, history, writing, reading, etc., but first in self-esteem.
Earthlinks so rule! We rule! Where is our trophy! I want a big shiny silver trophy carried down the field by some guy and then we can all kiss the trophy and hold it up to show how cool we are. And i wouldn’t know if i’m bowing down to myself or to the trophy. Maybe we are just bowing down to our incredibleness how our number onedness!
Considering that private schools, in general, get much better results with less money than public schools, I’m not so sure giving the public schools all the money they want will do any good.
@Night-Gaunt49, The USA counts every birth, regardless of birth weight, as a birth. The countries it is compared to for the bogus statistic you quoted have a lower weight limit limit below which births are not counted in infant mortality stats. When you compare USA stats using the same lower weight limit as the country of comparison, you’ll find we have about 1/5 the infant mortality for the same weight range.
“Most people born in the usa only speak english and can’t even speak, read and write that well. Most people in other countries speak at least 2 languages. Even people in the 3rd and 4th world who own only the rags they’re wearing, and can’t read or write in any language, speak at least 2 languages.”
Bear in mind that they need to. You go 100 miles in Europe and they speak a different language. You go 100 miles in the US, and there isn’t even a large change in the accent. Even our biggest neighbor mostly speaks English as do many of the nearer islands in the Caribbean.
Essentially the entire continent speaks or understands English, as opposed to a patchwork of ex-feudal kingdoms amalgamated into countries smaller than many US states, where they can have two or three languages within a country, much less across an actual national border.
This sounds a bit jingoistic, which was not really my intent. Just pointing out that there is more necessity to speak multiple languages in other areas.
Stuart had me going until the absurb 1/5 figure. Having lived in Europe, I can tell you that’s a bunch of b. His argument also doesn’t explain why we have a lower life expectancy that other industrial nations. I’d like to see this source.
What people do miss is that much of the lower US performance in health is related to poverty - the US has more really poor people than Europe and poverty coorelates directly to poor health and high infant mortality- and geographic spread - it takes people longer, on average, to get to medical services here than in Europe. In emergencies, travel time kills.
BTW, the idea that everybody outside of the US speaks multiple languages is overstated. Everybody in Germany studies English but for most it’s like high school Spanish here in the US; something they tend to forget after a couple of years.
margueritem almost 14 years ago
Brewster, I love ya, ya big goof!
zero almost 14 years ago
Most of Earth is more of a number 2…
Coyoty Premium Member almost 14 years ago
“Ohhh, my spleen…!”
http://www.youtube.com/audiusa?csref=45926879222299484
Bilan almost 14 years ago
At least we didn’t place last in English Lit.
…or did we?
lewisbower almost 14 years ago
The R U Sirius crew is a shining example how self worth is earned.
Sandfan almost 14 years ago
Rickard nailed it today. The competitive gene in this country has metastasized into something that attempts to justify lying, cheating, and stealing as legitimate actions by real “competitors”.
gordrogb Premium Member almost 14 years ago
But we are definitely number ONE in CARTOONING!
Can I get an AMEN on that?
WaitingMan almost 14 years ago
Brewster chants the Republican mantra. Total denial in the face of reality.
puddleglum1066 almost 14 years ago
This is actually based on true facts. A recent news article described how the US students test fairly far down among first-world countries in terms of math, science, history, writing, reading, etc., but first in self-esteem.
matt almost 14 years ago
Earthlinks so rule! We rule! Where is our trophy! I want a big shiny silver trophy carried down the field by some guy and then we can all kiss the trophy and hold it up to show how cool we are. And i wouldn’t know if i’m bowing down to myself or to the trophy. Maybe we are just bowing down to our incredibleness how our number onedness!
Phatts almost 14 years ago
… but it’s Democrat policies that got us to where we are.
Sherlock Watson almost 14 years ago
“It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber.” (Bumper sticker)
cknoblo Premium Member almost 14 years ago
Considering that private schools, in general, get much better results with less money than public schools, I’m not so sure giving the public schools all the money they want will do any good.
lewisbower almost 14 years ago
cknoblo Shhh! Don’t let anyone know or we will have to send a couple of members of the NEA to re-educate you as we do city councils.
stuart almost 14 years ago
@Night-Gaunt49, The USA counts every birth, regardless of birth weight, as a birth. The countries it is compared to for the bogus statistic you quoted have a lower weight limit limit below which births are not counted in infant mortality stats. When you compare USA stats using the same lower weight limit as the country of comparison, you’ll find we have about 1/5 the infant mortality for the same weight range.
MacLir almost 14 years ago
Clark Kent said, about 14 hours ago
“Most people born in the usa only speak english and can’t even speak, read and write that well. Most people in other countries speak at least 2 languages. Even people in the 3rd and 4th world who own only the rags they’re wearing, and can’t read or write in any language, speak at least 2 languages.”
Bear in mind that they need to. You go 100 miles in Europe and they speak a different language. You go 100 miles in the US, and there isn’t even a large change in the accent. Even our biggest neighbor mostly speaks English as do many of the nearer islands in the Caribbean.
Essentially the entire continent speaks or understands English, as opposed to a patchwork of ex-feudal kingdoms amalgamated into countries smaller than many US states, where they can have two or three languages within a country, much less across an actual national border.
This sounds a bit jingoistic, which was not really my intent. Just pointing out that there is more necessity to speak multiple languages in other areas.
pdchapin almost 14 years ago
Stuart had me going until the absurb 1/5 figure. Having lived in Europe, I can tell you that’s a bunch of b. His argument also doesn’t explain why we have a lower life expectancy that other industrial nations. I’d like to see this source.
What people do miss is that much of the lower US performance in health is related to poverty - the US has more really poor people than Europe and poverty coorelates directly to poor health and high infant mortality- and geographic spread - it takes people longer, on average, to get to medical services here than in Europe. In emergencies, travel time kills.
BTW, the idea that everybody outside of the US speaks multiple languages is overstated. Everybody in Germany studies English but for most it’s like high school Spanish here in the US; something they tend to forget after a couple of years.