Category Archives: America

American conservatives believe they live in a country whose general sensibility is far more conservative than that of the rest of the world. As a naturalized American, I persist in telling my friends they are wrong. America is a most radical, revolutionary, Jacobin-flavored place. The Yankees have won out.

Not in dispute is that Radical America failed the Libyan state (read “Libya, A War of The Womb“)! Failed Libya, as in supervised the removal of its leader and the ensconcing of forces of … you know the rest. Democracy.

Qaddafi kept migrants away from Europe’s shores. He, in fact, predicted that Europe’s demise would follow closely on his. (Read my “The Curse Of Col. Gadhafi“.)

European leadership has better, more conservative, instincts than America’s. The EU had adopted a ruthless system to repel migrants floating across the Mediterranean. They turn them over to “efficient and brutal” Libyan militia, euphemized as the Libyan Coast Guard. The End.

Now that the EU must collaborate with tough Libyan militia that rose after Gadhafi’s removal, to keep migrants away—US journos and pols are furious, retaliating big time. The confluence of American interests want to pry European borders wide-open. Trust me: Most of the American Deep State and phenotypical State at the pentagon (even Republicans) are firmly behind the radicals.

READ: “Europe’s border agency under fire for aiding Libya’s brutal migrant detentions
The E.U. pays for almost every aspect of Libya’s often lethal migrant detention system, an investigation found, including the boats that fire on migrant rafts.”

There goes European immigration enforcement, courtesy of the USA.

Math Ability: Is It The Kids Or The Method Of Teaching Them?

America, Conservatism, Education, Human Accomplishment, Intelligence, Kids, Race, Science

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To continue the math-related conversation begun in “U.S. Kids Can’t Read, Write Or Do Math, But Are No. 1 In Critical Race Theory,” here are more warnings from The Economist:

The writer says that, “Conservatives typically campaign for classical math: a focus on algorithms (a set of rules to be followed), memorizing (of times tables and algorithmic processes) and teacher-led instruction. Pupils in these classrooms focus on the basics, exploring concepts after obtaining traditional skills …”

“…Progressives,” he argues, “typically favor a conceptual approach to math based on problem-solving and gaining number-sense, with less emphasis on algorithms and memorizing.”

Irrespective, the achievement situation on the ground is as follows:

In 2018, American 15-year-olds ranked 25th in the OECD, a club of mostly rich countries. American adults ranked fourth-from-last in numeracy when compared with other rich countries. As many as 30% of American adults are comfortable only with simple maths: basic arithmetic, counting, sorting and similar tasks. American employers are desperate for science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills: nuclear engineers, software developers and machinists are in short supply. And while pupils’ maths scores are bad enough now, they could be getting worse. On the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a national exam, 13-year-old pupils’ scores dropped five points in 2020 compared with their peers’ in 2012. The status quo does not add up. But teachers and academics cannot agree on where to go next.

This is not purely about “the conceptual approach to math,” versus an emphasis on “algorithms and memorizing,” as the writer frames it.

However important, more than the methods of teaching math, American failures are about the kind of kids America has and the philosophy undergirding their education—a highly variegated population educated under the philosophy of egalitarianism. Not everyone can learn math, yet this is the premise of American education.

Yes, “highly ranked mathematical nations” such as Singapore, China and Japan have the best math in the world and are NOT teaching by progressive methodology.

But the East Asian nations are relatively homogeneous and have kids with the good potential (IQ). Although important, the statistically significant variance is to be found, I would wager, in the kind of population, more than in the method of teaching, however important.

I hate to say it, but as far as raw human capital goes, America is fast becoming a bit of a shithole.

MORE: “America’s maths wars:How teaching multiplication tables became another victim of the political divide.”

*Image credit

UPDATE II: Genghis Bush Destroyed A Country Or Two, Now Turns On His Countrymen

America, Bush, Homeland Security, Iraq, Middle East, Nationalism, Nationhood, Neoconservatism

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The Shrub, as George Bush was called during the heyday of his destructive powers—and having destroyed a country or two and caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan nationals—now turns on Americans. Proper:

… we have seen growing evidence that the dangers to our country can come not only across borders, but from violence that gathers within. There is little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home. But in their disdain for pluralism, in their disregard for human life, in their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit. And it is our continuing duty to confront them. …

In the words of Andrew Breitbart: “Fuck you. War.”

Reading for Patriots: “January 6 Committee: Menstrual America Vs. MAGA America,” or, “Trumpeting The Hardcore Libertarian Take On Jan. 6 Capitol Incident.”

UPDATE I: Genghis Bush (corrected the title) was talking about the January 6 Trumpsters or “the sixers,” as Musil Ken calls them. Not in a million years would I have imagined that any America Firster would misconstrue this evil man to be defending Robert E. Lee and the like. Our side is hopeless if someone thought thus.

UPDATE II: For heaven’s sake; when Genghis Bush laments the destruction of “national symbols,” he doesn’t mean confederate or other historic monuments; he means The State; Uncle Sam; The Ultimate Predator.

* Image courtesy of “The Spoof.”