At least a participation ribbon.

We should at least get a ribbon. Everyone should get a ribbon, right?

We should raise taxes on the evil rich corporations, that'll show'em.

"Hopefully we'll still get a trophy, though"

We are clearly a 'very special' country at this point.

seems appropriate

Thanks Bushia

that 200 dollar tax 'surplus' sure was worth it.

Wow, funny how this is right over a story about how crappy our textbooks are. Could it be that our ill-educated kids aren't educated enough to be all boot-strappy?

'Course we used to depend on immigration to bring in the best and brightest from other countries, so it could be the fact that we now hate immigrants.

mybabysmomma: We should at least get a ribbon. Everyone should get a ribbon, right?

Ugh...and this, ladies and gentleman, is why our nation's competitiveness has dropped. Did you know teachers are now grading tests and papers in purple ink because it's less damaging to the kids self esteem?! Ridiculous!! Bring back the red ink and maybe our competitiveness will go on the rise!

If real wages keep dropping, it'll continue. We have the best productivity in the world but wages in real dollars are stagnant.

Eventually, if you kill wage growth, you kill the domestic market.

Hydra: Satanicpuppy: Wow, funny how this is right over a story about how crappy our textbooks are. Could it be that our ill-educated kids aren't educated enough to be all boot-strappy?

'Course we used to depend on immigration to bring in the best and brightest from other countries, so it could be the fact that we now hate immigrants.

You only have the Dept. of Education to thank for that.

/though most will still try blaming Texas or Kansas

All that inbreeding can't be helping any.

Hydra: Congratulations, America. You're Europe, now.

/the obvious solution is to spend MOAR

Noted ultra-capitalist, small government, state Sweden comes in at #2.

Hydra: Satanicpuppy: Wow, funny how this is right over a story about how crappy our textbooks are. Could it be that our ill-educated kids aren't educated enough to be all boot-strappy?

'Course we used to depend on immigration to bring in the best and brightest from other countries, so it could be the fact that we now hate immigrants.

You only have the Dept. of Education to thank for that.

/though most will still try blaming Texas or Kansas

Well, it goes without saying that we need a national standard for textbooks, which we don't have. It also goes without saying that we need to move away from fad-based education: there has been a lot of interesting work done in cognitive science in the last 20 years, and very little of it has been applied to teaching, which is one of the most obvious practical applications it has.

Satanicpuppy: Hydra: Satanicpuppy: Wow, funny how this is right over a story about how crappy our textbooks are. Could it be that our ill-educated kids aren't educated enough to be all boot-strappy?

'Course we used to depend on immigration to bring in the best and brightest from other countries, so it could be the fact that we now hate immigrants.

You only have the Dept. of Education to thank for that.

/though most will still try blaming Texas or Kansas

Well, it goes without saying that we need a national standard for textbooks, which we don't have. It also goes without saying that we need to move away from fad-based education: there has been a lot of interesting work done in cognitive science in the last 20 years, and very little of it has been applied to teaching, which is one of the most obvious practical applications it has.

Hell to the no on the national textbook standard. We'll get stuck with the retard Southern reading of history and science.

Nightsweat: If real wages keep dropping, it'll continue. We have the best productivity in the world but wages in real dollars are stagnant.

Eventually, if you kill wage growth, you kill the domestic market.

But if we kill wages, then foreign companies will start outsourcing their work to our underpaid labor market. It's a win-win!

Hydra: Satanicpuppy: Wow, funny how this is right over a story about how crappy our textbooks are. Could it be that our ill-educated kids aren't educated enough to be all boot-strappy?

'Course we used to depend on immigration to bring in the best and brightest from other countries, so it could be the fact that we now hate immigrants.

You only have the Dept. of Education to thank for that.

/though most will still try blaming Texas or Kansas

I blame Alabama and Rhode Island.

So those textbooks are like print versions of Fox News.

Not happening subby.

Here is proof:

I'm still waiting to find my 2004 Olympics U.S.A. Men's Basketball National Team bronze medal t-shirt and cap.

Anyone have one? Or a couple?

The United States slipped from second to fourth in the survey, behind Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore.

One of these things... is not like the others.

No big shock though that standings based partly on a survey of business owners, would describe the business environment in the U.S. as bieng somewhat on the rocks at the moment.

The United States slipped from second to fourth in the survey, behind Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore. It had fallen from first place the year before.

WE'RE NUMBER 4! WE'RE NUMBER 4! WE'RE NUMBER 4! USA! USA! USA!

Competitiveness isn't the only measure where we are lagging behind Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore:

treecologist: So those textbooks are like print versions of Fox News.

Wrong thread.

So someone else has to go to Iraq next time?

Came in to see the Idiocracy reference - leaving with a Downs syndrome smile

/and a trophy

Ma trophy better have 10 points on er

Nightsweat: Satanicpuppy: Hydra: Satanicpuppy: Wow, funny how this is right over a story about how crappy our textbooks are. Could it be that our ill-educated kids aren't educated enough to be all boot-strappy?

'Course we used to depend on immigration to bring in the best and brightest from other countries, so it could be the fact that we now hate immigrants.

You only have the Dept. of Education to thank for that.

/though most will still try blaming Texas or Kansas

Well, it goes without saying that we need a national standard for textbooks, which we don't have. It also goes without saying that we need to move away from fad-based education: there has been a lot of interesting work done in cognitive science in the last 20 years, and very little of it has been applied to teaching, which is one of the most obvious practical applications it has.

Hell to the no on the national textbook standard. We'll get stuck with the retard Southern reading of history and science.

this

maybe if all of the manufacturing jobs hadn't been driven offshore to india and china (thanks to greed on the parts of both businessmen and unions) we'd have a more stable economy.

I think what subby was referring to is the fact that we now reward our children for LOSING, and have stopped keeping score at sporting events for children - so nobody "feels bad". Everyone get's a trophy.

My nephew had a game the other day, and he said that he played real good and was happy, and that he hoped he won. I asked, well did you? What was the score? He responded that he didnt know, as they do not keep score. This is very bad. Life keeps score. The world keeps score.

It leads to serious issues later down the road, as everything in life is a competition, from getting a parking spot, to getting a job. Our children are screwed and cannot compete in the game of life - which, in case you didn't know - is NOT FAIR.

As with everything else in this country, we are alseep at the wheel, while other countries have been kicked into high gear for decades with the single goal of over-taking us.

Satanicpuppy: Wow, funny how this is right over a story about how crappy our textbooks are. Could it be that our ill-educated kids aren't educated enough to be all boot-strappy?

'Course we used to depend on immigration to bring in the best and brightest from other countries, so it could be the fact that we now hate immigrants.


ILLEGAL immigrants. The distinction is not trivial. The way things are set up now, we're not selecting for immigrants who are the "best and brightest from other countries"... we're selecting for immigrants who are willing to break our laws to work shiatty jobs and live in overcrowded conditions off the books.

It would be very nice if we could halt the torrent of illegal immigrants and then simultaneously vastly increase the number of LEGAL immigrants. Immigration is really good for our country - just not the way we're doing it right now, which is unconscionable for numerous reasons.

Tissot: My nephew had a game the other day, and he said that he played real good and was happy, and that he hoped he won. I asked, well did you? What was the score? He responded that he didnt know, as they do not keep score. This is very bad. Life keeps score. The world keeps score.

I had a variation of this when I was a kid.

We'd have a parent keep score in a notebook, for the coaches, but the kids were never allowed to know. It was...odd. Made the entire thing meaningless.

/thought my Dad was insane when he sat me down and told me the world is out to see me fail, and it's his job to prepare me to the best of his abilities to not let that happen. now I know better
//thanks Dad
///csb

Not competitive? Our available labor rate^ is through the roof!

But despite less competition, CEOs are making more money, thanks for the bailouts, US gov! Now we can make money without hiring workers or making a superior product!

Tissot: It leads to serious issues later down the road, as everything in life is a competition, from getting a parking spot, to getting a job. Our children are screwed and cannot compete in the game of life - which, in case you didn't know - is NOT FAIR.

Some things are worth competing for, other not so much. A parking spot? I pull into the empty stalls away from the store and walk an extra 30 seconds. A job? I will f*cking destroy you. Knowing what's worth fighting for is half the battle.

/yo joe

Scoreboard.

from their website:
"The World Economic Forum is an independent, international organization incorporated as a Swiss not-for-profit foundation."

Walker

I laughed way too hard at that.

/One, for the express elevator to hell, please

itsfullofstars: Scoreboard.


True... but that was over 41 years ago. I don't know about you, but I wasn't even born when that happened. It's like bragging about the scoreboard from the prior game when we just lost this one.

So, we lost the game?

itsfullofstars: Scoreboard.

Yes, but parents sure as hell weren't coddling their kids back in the '40s and '50s. They were diligently teaching their children to STFU, respect authority, and shape up and fly right, and that nobody gives a damn about their feelings. Oh, and they were downing gallons of hard liquor every day.

Walker

I laughed too long.

/When I get to the ledge of the hell hole, just kick me.

Hydra: Similar to Middle Eastern countries, the scandinavian countries have gotten lucky with vast amounts of natural resources that they can export and run big trade surpluses with. According to your logic, we should strive to be like Saudi Arabia.

America made it rich in the first place from huge amounts of natural resources. We were the original Saudi Arabia.

mongbiohazard:
True... but that was over 41 years ago. I don't know about you, but I wasn't even born when that happened. It's like bragging about the scoreboard from the prior game when we just lost this one.


Forty-one years isn't that long ago. How about something newer. How about: THE INTERNET

Yea. The rest of the world can suck it. As long as we have a yearly GDP of over $14,000,000,000,000 I'm not too worried about the rest of the world over-looking the United States.

Add in that we've made huge health and financial reforms in the middle of the worst economic recession & government in-fighting known to modern America. And while a good portion of the United States sees these things as bad. The rest of the world judges them as good. Which will only continue to help our standings in the long run. Things don't get better overnight.