[930addict]

This problem is more serious than just not having math skills. The lack of math skills is a symptom. The root of the problem threatens our nations existence as a major player on the world stage. While our kids play Nintendo and wonder what games they’re going to buy next, kids of developing nations like South Korea, India and even China are hitting the books to improve their chance at success in their newfound development boom. Our kids are not dumb they’re just complacent. Why should our kids study hard when everything is given to them? Such actions foster a sense of unhealthy entitlement. Our kids are just not hungry enough anymore to go out and make something of themselves.

Industry knows this. IBM and other big name companies has setup shop in Bangalore India. IBM has hired nearly 30,000 employees. Masters and PhD candidates are readily available there. Countries like S. Korea, Japan, and China have similar stories. Even the PhD’s we do have are not staying here because of the stagnant technology. A very high percentage of PhD’s awarded here in the US are being pulled to other countries because U.S. companies are not developing cutting edge technologies anymore. In 1990 our high tech exports was $56 billion dollars, now our high tech exports is -$26 billion dollars. Why? Our infrastructure is already established. It is not cost effective for U.S. companies to switch to, say, smart visa cards that are so popular in Europe and Asia. High speed Internet over cell phones has been available in Europe for quite some time but here it is just starting to make an appearance. In South Korea, 60% of all households get their TV signal from broadband Internet connections. Necessity is the mother of invention. If we don’t need a new credit card system, a new cellular infrastructure, a new broadcast technology or to go to the moon, then what are supposed to invent? I know there’s always something but think about it. Our nation does have it all – thus the complacency.

Combine that with our education system that is greatly lacking, to put it mildly, and this is what you end up with - kids that can't count change at McDonalds.