More Facts of Lifeby Green Writer on May 30th, 2008 at 10:53 am |
(6 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
Loading ...The Fly says “Fucka Chinar,” but I’ll have you know that ”GW” believes America is getting fucked.
I have always been perplexed by how the wealthiest country in the world ranks poorly in the area of education.
Yesterday, on the tube someone stated we rank 17th in the world for high school graduates and 7th in the world for college graduates. Also kids have a 70% chance of graduating high school, but if you live in a U.S. city you have a 50% chance of graduating.
I further found out that the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the top out of the 10 fastest growing fields of employment, 6 categories do not require a college degree. Out of 6, 4 do not require any education at all.
Also very interesting was that employers polled stated that a large percentage of people employed with college degrees have poor reading, communication, and basic math skills.
Some are arguing that some people or kids are just not interested in education. Others state that this countries wealthiest people are high school and college drop outs. This may be true for some, but can not encompass all.
Where can we expect to go as a country if we can not turn out the brightest minds consistently and evenly across this country? Are we becoming so gentrified that we need a surf class just for the menial tasks we do not want to do?
I say, America needs to wake the fuck up and make your own fucking coffee, breakfast, and what have you. You’ll find that you can improve quality while saving coin.
Wake up America, fuck the Jonses, if you continue to have champagne tastes with a water budget you effectively will go nowhere in regards to true wealth and you’ll find yourself like the average American retiring on $10,000 or less per year.
IMO this is now way to enjoy the golden years. Don’t be the 70 something working at WMT for health care!
So how does all this make you money…well I’m not sure. I’m not going to tell you to short SBUX or retail since they have already been blown up.
I have been stating we are in a growth recession, and lately the numbers have been supported this thesis.
However, with the inflation Genie getting out of the bottle, a blown up manufacturing sector, corporate profits eroding from higher input costs and as of late wage growth pressure, it would seem that you can off the growth part of the equation for the foreseeable future.
As long as real wages decline due to inflation adjustments I just do not see how this market can continue to look past the problems and trade higher. Perhaps we will inflate the money supply enough to inflate the markets higher. As some of you know that only prolongs the downside to come and makes it all the more vicious.
Due to inflation pressures I still insist a long term outlook should include USO, GLD, UNG, SLV, and all companies surrounding these commodities along with foreign blue chips and currencies. [[EWZ]] is still looking good since my $92-$93 call.
GLT
 by Green Writer
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Grade 12 advanced students math (most recent) by country
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 France: 557
#2 Switzerland: 533
#3 Australia: 525
#4 Denmark: 522
#5 Cyprus: 518
#6 Lithuania: 516
#7 Greece: 513
#8 Sweden: 512
#9 Canada: 509
#10 Slovenia: 475
#11 Italy: 474
#12 Czech Republic: 469
#13 Germany: 465
#14 United States: 442
#15 Austria: 436
Weighted average: 497.7
DEFINITION: Results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) involving a half-million students in 41 countries.
Grade 12 advanced students science (most recent) by country
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 Norway: 581
#2 Sweden: 573
#3 Denmark: 534
#4 Slovenia: 523
#5 Germany: 522
#6 Australia: 518
#7 Cyprus: 494
#8 Switzerland: 488
#9 Latvia: 488
#10 Greece: 486
#11 Canada: 485
#12 France: 466
#13 Czech Republic: 451
#14 Austria: 435
#15 United States: 423
Weighted average: 497.8
DEFINITION: Results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) involving a half-million students in 41 countries.
Literacy > Adults at high literacy level (most recent) by country
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 Sweden: 35.5%
#2 Norway: 29.4%
#3 Denmark: 25.4%
#4 Finland: 25.1%
#5 Canada: 25.1%
#6 Netherlands: 20%
#7 Czech Republic: 19.6%
#8 United Kingdom: 19.1%
#9 United States: 19%
#10 Germany: 18.9%
#11 New Zealand: 17.6%
#12 Australia: 17.4%
#13 Switzerland: 16.1%
#14 Ireland: 11.5%
#15 Hungary: 8%
#16 Poland: 5.8%
#17 Portugal: 3.2%
Weighted average: 18.6%
DEFINITION: Percentage of adults whose level of document literacy is rated ‘high’. Data for 1998.
SOURCE: OECD
Mathematical literacy (most recent) by country
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 Japan: 557
#2 Korea, South: 547
#3 New Zealand: 537
#4 Finland: 536
#5 Canada: 533
#6 Australia: 533
#7 Switzerland: 529
#8 United Kingdom: 529
#9 Belgium: 520
#10 France: 517
#11 Austria: 515
#12 Denmark: 514
#13 Iceland: 514
#14 Sweden: 510
#15 Ireland: 503
#16 Norway: 499
#17 Czech Republic: 498
#18 United States: 493
#19 Germany: 490
#20 Hungary: 488
#21 Spain: 476
#22 Poland: 470
#23 Italy: 457
#24 Portugal: 454
#25 Greece: 447
#26 Luxembourg: 446
#27 Mexico: 387
Weighted average: 500.0
DEFINITION: Mathematical literacy mean value of performance scale 15 years old 2000
SOURCE: OECD
Reading literacy (most recent) by country
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 Finland: 546
#2 Canada: 534
#3 New Zealand: 529
#4 Australia: 528
#5 Ireland: 527
#6 Korea, South: 525
#7 United Kingdom: 523
#8 Japan: 522
#9 Sweden: 516
#10 Belgium: 507
#11 Iceland: 507
#12 Austria: 507
#13 Norway: 505
#14 France: 505
#15 United States: 504
#16 Denmark: 497
#17 Switzerland: 494
#18 Spain: 493
#19 Czech Republic: 492
#20 Italy: 487
#21 Germany: 484
#22 Hungary: 480
#23 Poland: 479
#24 Greece: 474
#25 Portugal: 470
#26 Luxembourg: 441
#27 Mexico: 422
Weighted average: 499.9
DEFINITION: Reading literacy mean value of performance scale (15 years old, 2000)
SOURCE: OECD
Scientific literacy (most recent) by country
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 Korea, South: 552
#2 Japan: 550
#3 Finland: 538
#4 United Kingdom: 532
#5 Canada: 529
#6 New Zealand: 528
#7 Australia: 528
#8 Austria: 519
#9 Ireland: 513
#10 Sweden: 512
#11 Czech Republic: 511
#12 Norway: 500
#13 France: 500
#14 United States: 499
#15 Belgium: 496
#16 Iceland: 496
#17 Switzerland: 496
#18 Hungary: 496
#19 Spain: 491
#20 Germany: 487
#21 Poland: 483
#22 Denmark: 481
#23 Italy: 478
#24 Greece: 461
#25 Portugal: 459
#26 Luxembourg: 443
#27 Mexico: 422
Weighted average: 500.0
DEFINITION: Scientific literacy mean value of performance scale 15 years old (2000)
SOURCE: OECD
Universities > Top 10 (most recent) by country
Showing latest available data. Rank Countries Amount (top to bottom)
#1 United States: 7
#2 United Kingdom: 2
#3 France: 1
Total: 10
Weighted average: 3.3
jog on
May 30th, 2008 at 1:51 pmduc
China? It doesn’t surprise me that they aren’t even ranked. Not to say they are not intelligent, but for the most part, their education system must suck. Once they get to the U.S. universities, they tend to do well I imagine.
Not surprised with the strong showing by the Scandanavians. My wife is from Finnish/German ethnicity. She is intelligent and well-read.
Very attractive, with brains and a strong work ethic–perfecto.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:04 pmA’dawgg,
Kudo’s to you.
You would think that about China, but the are very strict in trying to instill copius education. I guess in the rice patty things are not the same. I’m sure they’ll make the list soon.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:24 pmDuc,
Since I have Scandanavian decent I feel good about those stats.
May 30th, 2008 at 2:30 pmAs an American, I would have liked to think we faired off better than we did.
Peace
Since I have Scandanavian decent (sic) I feel good about those stats.
Luckily, there was no “spelling” list.
_________________
Dawg — the homogenous Western countries are going to do best, of course, that’s simple demography. The important point is that the majority of the smartest people in the world still come here to make the world a better place, and a buck.
Thus far.
__________
May 30th, 2008 at 5:31 pmGW:
Hey, the Bush “No Moron Left Behind” policy will not show results until 2010. Just wait until then when we declare victory on the war on ignorance.
Oh wait, that would be Jan 20, 2009.
May 31st, 2008 at 5:57 pmNo child left behind is such a liberal act. The GOP doesn’t support increased spending on education, everytime the government gets involved they screw things up…
May 31st, 2008 at 7:29 pmOh correction, the GOP DIDNT… apparently they do now.
Fucking new aged “neo” conservatives are moderately liberals just like “Metrosexuals” are moderately gay, same story, new name..
You got me jake..I thought it was funny…no?
May 31st, 2008 at 10:33 pmZen,
May 31st, 2008 at 10:34 pmLOL…can’t wait to see the results!
Nice call GOP
May 31st, 2008 at 10:34 pm