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GnosticWarrior
Hermit
Registered: 03/11/07
Posts: 241
Loc: Oahu, Hawaii
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Is This A Real Problem In America?
#6938990 - 05/19/07 02:42 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Just saw this article and wondered if Americans should be worried? I'm not really into math of that kind of level. The hardest problems I use math for is figuring out one missing variable in financial calculations. I think as long as these foreign workers are working for U.S. companies everything is okay and our companies and economy will continue to profit from their work as long as we offer freedom and creativity?
Quote:
The numbers have dwindled again, though, and the problem appears to be starting in grade school. About 40 percent of U.S. high school seniors fail to perform at the basic level in math, according to a recent federal study.
As Americans fall behind, employers across all industries struggle to find workers elsewhere. The government provides 65,000 H1-B visas for foreign professionals every budget year; the quota for fiscal year 2007 was reached well before the year started on Oct. 1, 2006.
Simons recently spoke to the AP about math education's importance on America's competitiveness in the job market.
What does the workforce at Renaissance say about Americans' skill sets?
Simons: The workforce at Renaissance reflects the paucity of trained Americans ... They're Chinese, they're Japanese, they're French, they're German, they're Icelandic, they're Russian, they're Polish -- I think have 20 countries represented.
Once in a while an American walks through the door, and we grab him if he's good, but fewer and fewer such folks are coming through the door.
We have, as a nation, been saved by H1 visas to bring people in ... and by sending out work to be done in India that had previously been done here. And India's not the only one capitalizing on our lack of trained people in America.
That can only go on for so long. India will get more wealthy ... and there will be jobs for those people back at home. Our supply is going to diminish and we'll be stuck.
I'm a big believer in immigration, but we shouldn't be dependent on immigration in our most sensitive, highly leveraged areas.
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mikebart101
Bromden
Registered: 08/01/06
Posts: 619
Loc: New England
Last seen: 11 years, 7 months
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Re: Is This A Real Problem In America? [Re: GnosticWarrior]
#6939010 - 05/19/07 02:54 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Of course I don't care. As an American all I'm concerned with is what I wear, drive, and how big my TV is.
I love how fucking stupid we are. Its a strange sense of patriotism.
-------------------- So we finish the eighteenth and he's gonna stiff me. And I say, "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know." And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.
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supra
computerEnthusiast
Registered: 10/26/03
Posts: 6,446
Loc: TEXAS
Last seen: 12 years, 11 months
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Re: Is This A Real Problem In America? [Re: GnosticWarrior]
#6939238 - 05/19/07 04:12 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Makes sense to me, at the university i attend, with about 6000-7000 students, only graduated 4, yes 4, mathematics majors in 2006, 5 about a week ago...pretty bad.
peace
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phi1618
old hand
Registered: 02/14/04
Posts: 4,102
Last seen: 13 years, 10 months
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Re: Is This A Real Problem In America? [Re: GnosticWarrior]
#6939338 - 05/19/07 04:53 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Good article. Jim Simmons is the CEO of Renaissance Technologies, and the highest payed CEO in the world - last year, his salary and bonuses added up to 1.7 billion dollars. He used (20+ years ago) to be head of the math department at SUNY Stony Brook.
I don't think Americans realize the demand for people who are good at math - technology and finance both have 6-figure entry level jobs waiting for graduates skilled in mathematics.
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GnosticWarrior
Hermit
Registered: 03/11/07
Posts: 241
Loc: Oahu, Hawaii
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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Re: Is This A Real Problem In America? [Re: phi1618]
#6939917 - 05/19/07 07:35 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Not to make excuses but I guess Mathematics is a hard field to master. A bright fellow like Charlie Munger had once considered majoring in that field but had instead opted to go into law. His reason being that he did not have the skills to be exceptional.
The book "Fortune's Formula" Explains how Mathematicians and Scientists were using their skills to make money in gambling and the stock markets. Most beyond my comprehension but a good read none the less.
I think competition and globalization will keep America in check. We might not have the highest avg. scores but I think we are home to the people who hold the record. I hope it stays this way.
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WhiskeyClone
Not here
Registered: 06/25/01
Posts: 16,509
Loc: Longitudinal Center of Canada ...
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Re: Is This A Real Problem In America? [Re: GnosticWarrior]
#6940328 - 05/19/07 09:45 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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That's because studying math yields no instant gratification.
-------------------- Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it. ~ R.W. Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
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RuNE
bomberman
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Posts: 2,331
Loc: tartarus
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Re: Is This A Real Problem In America? [Re: WhiskeyClone]
#6944863 - 05/20/07 10:40 PM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
WhiskeyClone said: That's because studying math yields no instant gratification.
I came to Canada when I was in my 3rd grade. I was amazed at the level of..... i dont know.... simplicity. In 3rd grade the students didnt study. We sat in a circle and listened to the teacher read from a book about pirates. We had 'spelling bees'.
In europe, by grade 3, we had to memorize 4-6 verse poems by heart, and we got graded on them (with the 2nd hardest language in the world, its not easy). Math was, you know, hard.
Sad to say, i conformed to the education here. It was just too comfortable.
-------------------- ~Happy sailing~
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SymmetryGroup8
It's about theFLOW!
Registered: 02/25/07
Posts: 506
Last seen: 16 years, 2 months
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Re: Is This A Real Problem In America? [Re: RuNE]
#6945495 - 05/21/07 01:07 AM (16 years, 10 months ago) |
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Psst, there are HOT HOT HOT CHICKS at the math department!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOR REAL!
We also give away LSD for free on the 15th!!!
-------------------- Be like water my friend!
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