A couple of decades ago I went to a health-care symposium and learned the shocking truth that United States was not doing well in infant survival. The reason is that we actually are two countries, partly first world, high tech; partly third world, with people living in a endless, despairing poverty. Any national score we get in such rankings can't help but reflect the fact that millions of Americans are in terrible shape in lifestyle and education. It's criminal that we don't do more and that so many better-off folks are absolutely cavalier about the way many of our fellows live. -- Joe On Wednesday, December 4, 2013 6:54 PM, Wiggins Patrick <paw@getbeehive.net> wrote: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/57215739-68/average-students-education-sh... Discouraging. But I have to wonder where we're going wrong. I do 35 to 40 physics and astronomy related outreach visits to elementary schools for the U every year and the kids certainly seem interested in STEM subjects. 'Course, then I go to local eateries and interact with the wait staff only to find just the opposite. Frustrating. Sometimes I feel like the next voice we hear coming from the Moon or the first voice coming from Mars will be speaking Mandarin... But then considering we're also 20somethingth in infant mortality and healthy life expectancy I guess we have lots to worry about. patrick Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".