Science/Techno Babble Random, Random

[JazzNU]

How much math/chemistry/physics did you get in HS? I recall that my college buddies had not gotten as much as I had, hence my statement. But I guess I stand corrected.

Science is typically biology, chemistry, and physics with middle school/junior high years focusing on a mix before the more focused high school years. Math is usually algebra I, geometry, algebra 2 (typically incorporating trigonometry), and pre-calculus. Things can change somewhat if you're on an advanced track and that can depend on your school to a large extent. Math was always my best subject so personally, I had algebra in 8th grade, geometry in 9th, trig in 10th, calculus AB in 11th and calculus BC in 12th. The AB and BC Calculus titles correspond with AP credit designations. Some schools offer a stats class or an AP Stats class as well.

I was definitely not an outlier in terms of HS classes taken amongst fellow students in college. Many high schools follow a college prep model, so the coursework is fairly standardized.

[mmmm8]

In Latvia (maybe in Switzerland too) there is an unrealistic expectation that straight after university you'll be earning similar to your parents. Not happening unless you come from a poor family.

As for South America there is poor education and lack of ambition. I think that's why Asian immigrants in US and EU tend to do better.

What is that assumption based on? This has not been my experience working with or knowing people from South America.

No data, just that in my profession (both in US and Switzerland) South Americans are very rare there as Indians and Chinese very common. It says nothing at all about high school education.

Maybe in some other profession it's different. I didn't mean to imply that people down there are stupid.

I think you may have a point around STEM, at least in terms of theory and tech (I think for applied science like engineering or medicine, there is not so much of a gap). It is likely to be lack of opportunity post-graduation that puts people into other fields. But for social sciences and liberal arts, I think the educational system (at least higher education) is on par, on average across LatAm and I've found colleagues from there to be more ambitious and engaged, if anything.

[mmmm8]

As a S. American.
I can guarantee that my HS education was far better than anything in the USA (I would not know about Europe). For example, we get (got?) math from 1st grade in ELEMENTARY school. I got set theory by 4th grade (elementary), and my nephew (recently graduated from HS) was dealing with polynomials in what would be the equivalent of sophomore year.
In HS, in sophomore, junior and senior years math, physics and chemistry were mandatory in my age, and at least math and physics still are (in Venezuela). If you are inclined for the humanities you will get all the art and literature that you want, and more. I had to read, before graduating, at least one book each from Garcia Marquez, Vargas Llosas, Sabato, Cortazar and at least the Venezuelan classics (authors you would not know about). For the arts, I was versed in the Rennaissance, the Gothic and modern art well before finishing HS. Plus music.
Our universities produce fine professionals; sure, we may not be at the cutting edge of space technology but the foundations are solid. My nephew, once again as an example, is studying engineering, and currently dealing with AutoCAD. It seems the curriculum is thorough.
And about our lack of ambition: people with no ambition do not cross the entire central American isthmus, on foot, to reach the USA, if they have no ambitions. Sure, there is poor education in that it is not accessible to everybody and it fluctuates wildly, but it is not as if our people cannot learn. As much as I speak poorly of Vennieland and S. America, I will not go that far.

And people here are not expecting to get the salary of a 15 year professional straight out of college. What they are asking for is more than the $350/MONTH that is an average introduction salary here (Colombia, it is worse in Vennieland). That is what the young people are asking for.

I will say, with a Venezuelan partner, that the school curriculum he went through was shockingly low on exposure to world literature. And from your list above seems like that was your experience as well in the general education system - not if you specialize in humanities. And I'm not even sure he'd had to read from all the Latin American authors you listed, which to be honest is just four non-Venezuelan authors, and I had read three of the ones you listed in (a private) high school in the US.

I'm not sure how much hard science he got but in general doesn't have many other gaps beyond the literature and I'm sure had more exposure to other things I didn't in the US or Russia.

[mmmm8]

How much math/chemistry/physics did you get in HS? I recall that my college buddies had not gotten as much as I had, hence my statement. But I guess I stand corrected.

Science is typically biology, chemistry, and physics with middle school/junior high years focusing on a mix before the more focused high school years. Math is usually algebra I, geometry, algebra 2 (typically incorporating trigonometry), and pre-calculus. Things can change somewhat if you're on an advanced track and that can depend on your school to a large extent. Math was always my best subject so personally, I had algebra in 8th grade, geometry in 9th, trig in 10th, calculus AB in 11th and calculus BC in 12th. The AB and BC Calculus titles correspond with AP credit designations. Some schools offer a stats class or an AP Stats class as well.

I was definitely not an outlier in terms of HS classes taken amongst fellow students in college. Many high schools follow a college prep model, so the coursework is fairly standardized.

When I moved from Russia to Texas in 7th grade, the subjects were mostly the same (except Texas history), but to be honest the level was a couple years behind. Like, we had studied algebra and geometry maybe in 5th grade and I was in Honors Math doing very basic math; in Computers, we were playing SIMS whereas in Russia we were learning programming skills. I think it will definitely vary by school district in the US though and also I went to a very good public school in Russia. I had also had biology, chemistry, and physics as ongoing individual subjects when I left in 7th grade, and it was back to general basic "Science" in Texas.

[ti-amie]

[Deuce]

To further the discussion about what technology - and cell phones in particular - have brought to civilization (and, by extension, what 'social media' and the internet have brought), I offer this below...

A warning to those who are determined to ignore unpleasant facts and ugly truths which burst the pretty 'rose coloured glasses' illusion that these things have brought largely positive elements to us: Clicking on the link below will be a waste of your time if you are not open to broadening your perspective...

The Teen Mental Health Epidemic Began Around 2012 (and is thus linked to kids having the internet - and 'social media' - available 24/7)...

.

[Owendonovan]

It took a while, but I got my husband to cut back on the social media. I dumped all mine a few years back, I didn't need to be reminded every 2 seconds how awful politicians are and how ignorant people with ignorant opinions about almost everything were being celebrated. I was never on twitter, and with the clown that owns it now, he's just a step below tiny, so that's an easy pass for me. Adults don't seem to want to really address the mental health crisis, it reflects poorly on them.

[Suliso]

FAA has granted SpaceX the launch license and the very first flight from Boca Chica is now scheduled for Monday April 17th between 5:30 and 2 pm local time. This could change spaceflight history. Hopefully I can find a free moment to watch. There will be a webcast of course. Starship is the biggest rocket to ever fly (up to 150 t to low earth orbit) and the only fully reusable orbital class vehicle. Assuming it works as advertised of course!

[Suliso]

Now I'm reading that they go for 7 am to 9:30 am launch window.

[ponchi101]

Worth watching. Maybe the start of a new era.

[ti-amie]

I already follow them on Mastodon. Seems Elmo wants them to pay.

[Suliso]

[Owendonovan]

He's making twitter less and less "necessary" for many folks. Fine with me, he/it is toxic.

[Suliso]

A malfunctioning second stage valve leads to a scrub of today's launch attempt. They'll be back to try again in 3-4 days (min 48 h)

[ti-amie]

You can tell how serious the bleeding is at his app when you see the same trending topics two or three days in a row, outdated "news" being recycled, porn hidden under "other replies" and racist, sexist replies being pushed over other replies. Not to mention the three in the morning infomercial "ads" that have to be blocked two or three times.

As I've said before it's still clunky to repost Mastodon media. It's a one step process at Elmo's but two step at Mastodon. Also, most of Tennis Twitter is still on "Twitter".

Anyway one less phallic symbol circling our planet.