The Value of Science and Mathematics

In the United States today, science and math classes are looked upon in a less than favorable light. In the early grades, kids that are interested in math and science are looked upon as "geeky" or "nerdy." These negative connotations are further emphasized by television shows that depict aforementioned students as small, puny, and forever picked on by the bullies. While these shows may seem harmless, a subtle prejudice is formed against these fields of study. Hard statistics back up this assertion. I don't know the exact numbers, but the percentage of college graduates with degrees in math or the sciences has been falling since around the '80s. Math and Science are no longer considered "cool" as they were during the '50s and '60s at the height of the space race. These days, more and more degrees in math or science are going to foreigners. However, there has been no better time to get into the math or science fields. Technological advancements in chemistry, biology, physics, and math have made these fields explode with demand. Starting salaries in these fields are fairly high as well; however, many of these positions are filled with people of Indian or East Asian decent. Many see these fields as too difficult to comprehend. For example, organic chemistry is often considered a "filter" course in college; a course designed to filter out the weaker and lazier students. And while this is an exceedingly difficult course, some think of it as impossible, just as some people thought putting a man on the moon was impossible. Americans need to wake up and realize that the only difference between them and the Asians that consistently beat them in average test scores and college attendance percentages is diligence and work ethic. History has proven that Americans can overcome the largest obstacles when we strive together and put our noses to the proverbial grindstone. Some consequences from a shift from American to foreign scientists and mathematicians will be that more and more companies will move their businesses to these foreign countries to take advantage of the high labor supply. Another consequence will be a lagging behind in technological advancement in the U.S. compared to other countries. These problems can be averted with a few actions both from the top and the bottom. At the top, President-elect Barack Obama can introduce legislation to increase funding for math and science departments in the K-12 public school system. Another piece of legislation that could be introduced, could be to give incentives to college graduates with math or science degrees. Some actions at the bottom would be to instill, at an early age in a child's life, a love for learning and reading. Some kid's shows are already doing this, like Dora the Explorer. Much work remains to be done, however, if we are to reverse the current trends, if we are to remain the as the world leader in military power, political power, and technolical power. But it is work that is by no means impossible; it is work that can be accomplished with American will power and work ethic remeniscent of World War II, just one of the many lessons, this current generation can learn from the Greatest Generation.

The Holiday Season

So I was at Walmart today hoping to get some cheap Halloween candy, but, instead, I was greeted by the familiar red and green of the holiday season. What has this world come to where Christmas themes are put out hardly a week after Halloween. Seriously, Walmart and all of the other department stores need to keep the Christmas stuff down until later in November. Seeing those decorations makes me excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but then I realize that they're both pretty far off, and I get depressed. Although I don't get as depressed as the 2nd week after Christmas when all the bowl games are over and school starts up again. That really is depressing. And what's more, right after Christmas, Valentine's Day decorations go up, and after that St. Patrick's Day and Easter. Will I ever get a break from some sort of seasonal attraction. But alas, that is not the purpose of this post.

The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year, as I'm sure is true of many people, second only to the summer time for several reasons. One, the food is absolutely amazing. Thanksgiving dinner might be the best meal of the year. Turkey and gravy, dressing, cranberry sauce, steamed oysters, shrimp cocktail, cheese and crackers, sweet potato suflett (spelling?), Sister Shebert yeast rolls, key lime pie, creamy and cold ice cream. You don't get much better than Thanksgiving dinner. Second, the entire family is always together for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The family is always good for lots of laughs and backyard games. Third, there is always tons of football going on during the holiday season except during the time in early December after the conference championships and the start of the bowl games. Fourth, presents, presents, presents. Need I say more? Fifth, the singing...Christmas songs are fantastic, and that's including carols, hymns, and more contemporary stuff too. I love the Christmas radio station that starts up in November and doesn't stop until after New Year's Day. Sixth but by no means the least important, Christmas is the time of celebrating the birth of Christ which, by itself, would make the holiday season incredible. It is a time when Christians remember when Christ humbled himself to come down to earth from his lofty seat in Heaven. I don't want to get too preachy, so I'll end my sermon right here.

In short, the holiday season is fantastic and is only beaten by summer time. If only the U.S. were in the Southern Hemisphere, then I could have both at the same time.

The Election and the Future

Well, the election is over and all of the tension and stress that go along with it. Even though Obama will be the 44th U.S. president, I, for one, am glad that this election is over. I have certainly had enough election coverage and analysis for a month or two, and at least now there is no uncertainty about what the future holds for this country as far as leadership goes. A few key points from the general election and the congressional election: McCain lost several key states that Bush won in 2004, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, and Colorado (there may be others, but I don't feel like checking the electoral map right now), and the GOP retains a 44 vote minority in the Senate. The first point should serve as a wake-up call to the GOP, that they cannot hold a usually red state to the most liberal presidentail candidate since Jimmy Carter. I should hope that the GOP will take a good, hard look at itself and construct a battle plan for the upcoming congress in January. The second point is important because it means that the GOP still has the power of the filibuster in the Senate. For those of you unfamilar with this term, a filibuster is stalling strategy used by senators to "kill" a bill in the Senate. A senator or a group of senators will talk on the floor of the Senate until the bill's proponents abandon it. In order to defeat a filibuster, sixty votes are needed. All of this is to say that while Democrats will control the presidency and both houses of Congress, they will not have complete control over Capitol Hill like the GOP in 1866 or the Democrats in 1936. Where do we go from here (I say we in the collective sense of conservatives)? We can take comfort in the forty-four member minority and hope that they can withstand pressures from above and below and hold out until the mid-term elections in 2010. By that time, Americans will hopefully have realized their mistake in electing a freshman senatory from Illinois to be the leader of the most powerful nation in the world and erode the Democratic majorities in Congress. All of that being said, I congradulate Sen. Obama for his victory, and am proud at the way race and cival rights have progressed in the past generation. As John McCain said tonight in his concession speech, we need to unite together and support the new president. That does not mean we necessarily have to agree with him, but God calls each and every one of his children to submit to the authority placed over us. And so I will support the future President Barak Obama, just as I have supported the troops fighting overseas. I am trusting in the sovereign might of our Lord and taking comfort in the knowledge that he is in control. I do not know what the next four years holds for me and this country, but I do know that God will work all things for his glory and his will. I will leave you with this thought, with God as our source of strength and our foundation, we, as Americans, can overcome any obstacle, ford any river, cross any valley, and climb any mountain. God has blessed this nation, and he will continue to bless it so long as its people remain faithful to him.