On 25-9-2009 1:30, Neeum Zawan wrote:
>     In many technical areas (except perhaps engineering), the US has 
> been consistently behind those and other countries for most of the 20th 
> century.
> 
>     Yet it doesn't hurt the country much.


That is because it is freeloading on other countries investments in 
education. For technical areas they have to import most of the PhD 
students from countries that still have an adequate education system. Or 
they simply import them after graduation. Even the ones that are 
homegrown are mainly from asian stock, from families that are not long 
enough in the US to have abandoned the idea that you have to study to 
get a good job. When they have been in the US for one or two generations 
they have found out that in stead of doing something productive or 
something that requires you to use your brain, it is easier to study law 
or something similar. Then you don't have to worry about getting your 
grade and you earn more than when working as a technician or craftsman.

OK, I admit, that is somewhat of a generalization.

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