Now that I have attempted to dispel the fallacy of the miserable educational system in this country in last week's post I want to go on to counter another myth that seems to have infiltrated our psyche. The notion that the US doesn't produce anything anymore and that we are losing out to the Chinese is ridiculous. I hinted at this this in last week's blog but wanted to expand a little.
I suggest you watch Jim Cramer on Mad Money on CNBC to get a flavor of the number of companies that innovate and manufacture in this country. And, of course, employ a huge number of Americans. These companies are the gems of our nation and are often vilified by the liberals and the left. They compete all over the world with their products and services effectively and grow their profits and shareholder values. We should be so proud of our industry giants and not criticize their practices.
Just think of the industries that originate in the USA. We discover and sell a tremendous number of pharmaceuticals to the world which benefit humanity. We lead the world in biotechnology advances from artificial joints to catheters that open clogged arteries and robots that perform surgery. In technology, we produce chips, software, internet businesses that are used in the entire world. We manufacture beverages (coke and pepsi), diapers (P&G), cars (Ford), tractors (Caterpillar), airplanes (Boeing), weapons, energy exploration, etc. In entertainment our movies, sports and music are enjoyed the world over.
Facebook and google are well known examples of great companies that have started recently and have huge market caps. Apple is the greatest company in the world and continues to improve and innovate. And there are dozens of other less well known companies that are also innovating and growing in that sector and many others. The fallacy that we don't manufacture anything anymore is absolutely ridiculous. Our country is a wonderful incubator for innovation, discovery and creation of businesses that increase the wealth of our country and our citizens. The USA leads the world by far and will continue to outperform the world in advancing the standard of living of Americans and people all over the world.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Educational Excellence, USA Style
I just got back from a trip with my son visiting a college in St. Louis. There are some fallacies that are embedded in our psyche that should be dispelled. The notion that the educational system in this country is bad and that somehow it is inferior to those of other countries are ridiculous. We produce students through our system that can outcompete any other country. One can argue that on the average in the US kids perform poorly when compared to other nations. However if you look at the top tier of students, I believe, we prepare kids through our system with the skills and preparedness that exceeds any other on the planet. The combination of educational rigor with the desire for extracurricular pursuits and the stress of giving back to the community produce very well rounded individuals. They are prepared for a life of balance between work and play as well as between the attainment of wealth and charity.
The competition of getting into a top college is daunting. So many kids have excellent grades, SAT scores and varied extracurriculars. There are tens of thousands of kids who excel each year and are the future of our country. There is no doubt in my mind that this country will continue to be a world leader as long as we produce these young adults with the passion to excel in all pursuits. I would put up our top 5-10% of students any day against any other country's. It is not just the test scores though, that exemplify our top children but a intangible element that kids get by growing up in this country. The sense that anybody from any background can go as far as their talents will take them instills our students with passion and hope.
The other factor that drives our kids is competition. The competitive spirit that our kids feel in order to succeed is at the same time stressful but also drives them to overachieve. They feel pressure to score better on SAT, to take the most rigorous curricula and to expand their extracurricular activities to enhance their resumes. Competition breeds excellence and the undergraduate and graduate systems of admissions foster and promote this competition. The best rise to the top and the bar at the top continues to rise.
The future of the US is promising as our brightest children will certainly be world class business leaders, scientists, etc. Worldwide innovation will continue to be a primarily American phenomenon as it has been over our history. We are the engine of discovery for the world and the great advances that are certain to occur will be created in the US. We have nothing to worry about regarding China. They will take existing technology and produce it cheaper but the US is the epicenter of innovation in all fields. It is the way we educate and raise our kids versus their system of education and government. It is the way we reward that innovation that propels discovery and creation.
As I toured the campus listening to various students and as I watch my son competing against such outstanding candidates I kept returning to the same thought. I am so happy I don't have to go through the process now. It is so much more difficult now then when I was in school. I question whether I would be able to reach the same level now as before.
The beauty of our system is that at every level you can rise to the top regardless of your previous performance. There is always a chance to reinvent yourself to maximize your skill set. The only one who puts limits on your achievement is you. As is the case in so many other countries you are not pigeon holed into a specific life path depending on your genealogy, wealth, or score on a single test. I know my son will develop his skill set regardless of the school he goes to. I hope he has the fortitude to compete and excel, to accept failures as opportunities to learn and try again, and to live a life of balance.
The competition of getting into a top college is daunting. So many kids have excellent grades, SAT scores and varied extracurriculars. There are tens of thousands of kids who excel each year and are the future of our country. There is no doubt in my mind that this country will continue to be a world leader as long as we produce these young adults with the passion to excel in all pursuits. I would put up our top 5-10% of students any day against any other country's. It is not just the test scores though, that exemplify our top children but a intangible element that kids get by growing up in this country. The sense that anybody from any background can go as far as their talents will take them instills our students with passion and hope.
The other factor that drives our kids is competition. The competitive spirit that our kids feel in order to succeed is at the same time stressful but also drives them to overachieve. They feel pressure to score better on SAT, to take the most rigorous curricula and to expand their extracurricular activities to enhance their resumes. Competition breeds excellence and the undergraduate and graduate systems of admissions foster and promote this competition. The best rise to the top and the bar at the top continues to rise.
The future of the US is promising as our brightest children will certainly be world class business leaders, scientists, etc. Worldwide innovation will continue to be a primarily American phenomenon as it has been over our history. We are the engine of discovery for the world and the great advances that are certain to occur will be created in the US. We have nothing to worry about regarding China. They will take existing technology and produce it cheaper but the US is the epicenter of innovation in all fields. It is the way we educate and raise our kids versus their system of education and government. It is the way we reward that innovation that propels discovery and creation.
As I toured the campus listening to various students and as I watch my son competing against such outstanding candidates I kept returning to the same thought. I am so happy I don't have to go through the process now. It is so much more difficult now then when I was in school. I question whether I would be able to reach the same level now as before.
The beauty of our system is that at every level you can rise to the top regardless of your previous performance. There is always a chance to reinvent yourself to maximize your skill set. The only one who puts limits on your achievement is you. As is the case in so many other countries you are not pigeon holed into a specific life path depending on your genealogy, wealth, or score on a single test. I know my son will develop his skill set regardless of the school he goes to. I hope he has the fortitude to compete and excel, to accept failures as opportunities to learn and try again, and to live a life of balance.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Am I Racist?
The other day I was in the operating room and was opining about the unrest in Egypt. I was criticizing BO because when the world's arch enemy Achmadinejad experienced an uprising by his people, the US government was nowhere to be found. Yet, when our ally, Mubarak, was presented with the identical dilemma BO was the first to demand his stepping down. Another example of treating the enemy favorably while treating friends harshly. I commented that BO either had an agenda that would explain these reactions or he was completely incompetent.
The problem was there was a black scrub nurse present at the time and afterward I felt uneasy having criticized the president while he was in the room. Was I being racially insensitive by criticizing our president with a black man in the room? Should I have considered his feelings before going off on BO? Why should I feel discomfort discussing my president in a room with a black man? I should say, he never said anything, smirked, or gave any indication that he disapproved. He performed his job professionally, as usual, without any indication of disagreement. Yes, this was all in my head but why did I feel this discomfort?
I tried to do a little role reversal and imagined what if the president was a Jewish man. If everybody in the room was black and I was the only Jewish guy would I feel bias if the doctor started going after this Jewish president's policies? I think the answer is that I would and thus I feel badly for having put this man through that situation. But it is an emotional response, since logic would dictate that anyone should have the freedom to comment on presidential policy regardless of their race or the race of others in the room.
In any case I think black people support BO for the same reason that Jewish people would support a Jewish president. Both situations are intellectually shortsighted but emotionally understandable. I would like to think that I would not support a Jewish candidate who had opposing views to my own but I have not been presented with that option. But the fact some people support candidates solely for their religion or color is racist and discriminatory even though it is a positive action. It is a candidates opinions and stance on policy that should guide voters.
So I criticized a black president in front of a black individual while i suspect he supports BO solely for the color of his skin. Who is the real racist?
The problem was there was a black scrub nurse present at the time and afterward I felt uneasy having criticized the president while he was in the room. Was I being racially insensitive by criticizing our president with a black man in the room? Should I have considered his feelings before going off on BO? Why should I feel discomfort discussing my president in a room with a black man? I should say, he never said anything, smirked, or gave any indication that he disapproved. He performed his job professionally, as usual, without any indication of disagreement. Yes, this was all in my head but why did I feel this discomfort?
I tried to do a little role reversal and imagined what if the president was a Jewish man. If everybody in the room was black and I was the only Jewish guy would I feel bias if the doctor started going after this Jewish president's policies? I think the answer is that I would and thus I feel badly for having put this man through that situation. But it is an emotional response, since logic would dictate that anyone should have the freedom to comment on presidential policy regardless of their race or the race of others in the room.
In any case I think black people support BO for the same reason that Jewish people would support a Jewish president. Both situations are intellectually shortsighted but emotionally understandable. I would like to think that I would not support a Jewish candidate who had opposing views to my own but I have not been presented with that option. But the fact some people support candidates solely for their religion or color is racist and discriminatory even though it is a positive action. It is a candidates opinions and stance on policy that should guide voters.
So I criticized a black president in front of a black individual while i suspect he supports BO solely for the color of his skin. Who is the real racist?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Ski Trip
I was away last week skiing and I thought I would be able to upload the blog but I couldn't so I skipped the week. Anyway, I have to report that I had a wonderful time skiing with my son. I haven't skied in 3 years and forgot how much fun it is and how exhilarating it is to ski down the slopes. It is a great family vacation and hopefully will do a yearly ski vacation. The last few years we did sun vacations and they were fun but I think skiing beats the sun. Definitely much healthier as long as one doesn't get injured. My son was in ski school all day and I skied alone but I met several people and of course this fed ideas for the blog.
I met three people in particular that demonstrate a point. I took a lesson the first day and the instructor was a fifty something year old man who told me he teaches skiing in the winters and goes sailing in the summers. I asked him how he manages to support himself and he told me he retired from a job and now is able to ski and sail. I jokingly responded that he must have worked for the government to get such a great package to which he said he taught seventh grade for 20 years.
The next guy I met on a chair lift going up the mountain and usually a conversation is started out of courtesy. It was about noon and he told me he had to leave after the next run. I asked him why he was leaving on such a beautiful day and he responded that he had to go back to work. He told me he was a school bus driver and after dropping the kids off at school in the morning comes out to ski for a few hours and then returns to work to bring the kids home.
The last woman I also met on the lift. She is a school teacher who was off that day because school was canceled due to a snow day. So the school could not be opened due to snow but she was able to drive to the slopes, no problem.
So I think the point has been made. Public employees, those that work for the taxpayer, have better retirement packages, better work hours, and easier work demands than those of us that pay their salaries. It is an insane upside down world that this has been allowed to develop. I don't blame these fellow skiers but the irresponsible criminal politicians that let the unions dictate unsustainable benefits. Fortunately, the tide is turning and these ridiculous contracts are going to be renegotiated.
P.S. Just wanted to comment on the Egyptian uprising. I just blogged a couple of weeks ago about the results of overpopulation. This perfectly demonstrates what happens when resources are limited and population explodes. Egypt has a very high birth rate and a limited water source as well limited wealth. Many people live in poverty and there are not enough jobs for all people. The young people are rising up because food prices have risen and future prospects are dim. This will continue and spread wherever population growth outpaces available resources. Popular uprisings, violence, extremism, and desperate measures will surely increase.
I met three people in particular that demonstrate a point. I took a lesson the first day and the instructor was a fifty something year old man who told me he teaches skiing in the winters and goes sailing in the summers. I asked him how he manages to support himself and he told me he retired from a job and now is able to ski and sail. I jokingly responded that he must have worked for the government to get such a great package to which he said he taught seventh grade for 20 years.
The next guy I met on a chair lift going up the mountain and usually a conversation is started out of courtesy. It was about noon and he told me he had to leave after the next run. I asked him why he was leaving on such a beautiful day and he responded that he had to go back to work. He told me he was a school bus driver and after dropping the kids off at school in the morning comes out to ski for a few hours and then returns to work to bring the kids home.
The last woman I also met on the lift. She is a school teacher who was off that day because school was canceled due to a snow day. So the school could not be opened due to snow but she was able to drive to the slopes, no problem.
So I think the point has been made. Public employees, those that work for the taxpayer, have better retirement packages, better work hours, and easier work demands than those of us that pay their salaries. It is an insane upside down world that this has been allowed to develop. I don't blame these fellow skiers but the irresponsible criminal politicians that let the unions dictate unsustainable benefits. Fortunately, the tide is turning and these ridiculous contracts are going to be renegotiated.
P.S. Just wanted to comment on the Egyptian uprising. I just blogged a couple of weeks ago about the results of overpopulation. This perfectly demonstrates what happens when resources are limited and population explodes. Egypt has a very high birth rate and a limited water source as well limited wealth. Many people live in poverty and there are not enough jobs for all people. The young people are rising up because food prices have risen and future prospects are dim. This will continue and spread wherever population growth outpaces available resources. Popular uprisings, violence, extremism, and desperate measures will surely increase.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
