Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Advice from Bill Gates: Focus on education - 04/06/2008 - MiamiHerald.com#recent_comm#recent_comm#recent_comm#recent_comm
Advice from Bill Gates: Focus on education - 04/06/2008 - MiamiHerald.com#recent_comm#recent_comm#recent_comm#recent_comm
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Andres,
I am glad you wrote about this issue. I hope some Latin American leaders wake up to this sad fact.
From someone who has been in both systems, I noticed two major differences at the High School level: reading and flexibility. In the U.S. children are encouraged to read book at a very young age. Also, "gifted" students are allowed to advance at a very young age. In Latin America, everyone is placed in the same boat. Many 11th graders in the U.S. are taking collegue level courses. Further, it is becoming more difficult to get admitted to top universities; making it very competitive to stand-out.
The biggest difference is at the college level. Harvard, Stanford, MIT, etc. attract not only the brightest from the U.S. but also the world. If you go to Kendall square (by MIT), you feel like you are in Asia. They invest their multi-billion dollar endowments on attracting the best professors and investing in research. Most recently, they are investing in attracting the brightest students from low income families. I recently attended a Harvard alumni luncheon at the Biltmore hotel to listen to Drew Faust (first new woman President). It was very interesting to listen to a Harvard alumn from the 1960's who said that he grew up in a small town and was fortunate to go Harvard. Today, he is very successful and "owes all to Harvard" -- obviously he contributes a lot. Although China and India may be trying to "catch up", it will take many generations to get back from the alumni. Unfortunately, in Latin America, most leaders talk about investing in education but few really do. I am not optimistic; therefore, many of the brightest students will continue to come and stay in the U.S.
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Andres,
I am glad you wrote about this issue. I hope some Latin American leaders wake up to this sad fact.
From someone who has been in both systems, I noticed two major differences at the High School level: reading and flexibility. In the U.S. children are encouraged to read book at a very young age. Also, "gifted" students are allowed to advance at a very young age. In Latin America, everyone is placed in the same boat. Many 11th graders in the U.S. are taking collegue level courses. Further, it is becoming more difficult to get admitted to top universities; making it very competitive to stand-out.
The biggest difference is at the college level. Harvard, Stanford, MIT, etc. attract not only the brightest from the U.S. but also the world. If you go to Kendall square (by MIT), you feel like you are in Asia. They invest their multi-billion dollar endowments on attracting the best professors and investing in research. Most recently, they are investing in attracting the brightest students from low income families. I recently attended a Harvard alumni luncheon at the Biltmore hotel to listen to Drew Faust (first new woman President). It was very interesting to listen to a Harvard alumn from the 1960's who said that he grew up in a small town and was fortunate to go Harvard. Today, he is very successful and "owes all to Harvard" -- obviously he contributes a lot. Although China and India may be trying to "catch up", it will take many generations to get back from the alumni. Unfortunately, in Latin America, most leaders talk about investing in education but few really do. I am not optimistic; therefore, many of the brightest students will continue to come and stay in the U.S.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Jews and Obama: Tolerating misinformation - Howard Salter - Politico.com
Jews and Obama: Tolerating misinformation - Howard Salter - Politico.com
I get these e-mails almost daily as well. I got into a big argument the other day with a neighbor who kept saying that Obama is a Muslim and hates all Jews. Unfortunately, most of my neighbors (older Jewish retired) seemed to believe the same. I yelled at her. He is not a Muslim, and if he were a Muslim what's the problem? She kept on going that he went to a Madrassa school. (I did some research, and Obama went to a school in Indonesia at age 11, where most students are Muslim but there are many Christians as well, and it is open to all faiths -- of course most Indonesians are Muslim so you would expect the school to have most Muslims. My elementary school was 99% Catholic, which did not make me Catholic. The big problem with all this propaganda is that it creates more hatred from many Jews against all Muslims and blacks. As a son of Holocaust survivor, who lectures students every week about how Jews were singled out and most did not care when they were sent to concentration camps, it hurts me to see Jews descriminating against Muslims and blacks. I am a big believer that racism is driven by ignorance and insecurity. Let's be honest. The issue for some Jews is that he is a for many a "schwartze". I am a big supporter of Obama, and I hope he wins. Do not tolerate racist remarks for the good of humanity.
Carlos Erban
I get these e-mails almost daily as well. I got into a big argument the other day with a neighbor who kept saying that Obama is a Muslim and hates all Jews. Unfortunately, most of my neighbors (older Jewish retired) seemed to believe the same. I yelled at her. He is not a Muslim, and if he were a Muslim what's the problem? She kept on going that he went to a Madrassa school. (I did some research, and Obama went to a school in Indonesia at age 11, where most students are Muslim but there are many Christians as well, and it is open to all faiths -- of course most Indonesians are Muslim so you would expect the school to have most Muslims. My elementary school was 99% Catholic, which did not make me Catholic. The big problem with all this propaganda is that it creates more hatred from many Jews against all Muslims and blacks. As a son of Holocaust survivor, who lectures students every week about how Jews were singled out and most did not care when they were sent to concentration camps, it hurts me to see Jews descriminating against Muslims and blacks. I am a big believer that racism is driven by ignorance and insecurity. Let's be honest. The issue for some Jews is that he is a for many a "schwartze". I am a big supporter of Obama, and I hope he wins. Do not tolerate racist remarks for the good of humanity.
Carlos Erban
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Grocers Tout 'Sales' Even as Prices Climb - WSJ.com
Grocers Tout 'Sales' Even as Prices Climb - WSJ.com
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Great article about Grocers defending vs. W-M in times of inflation
I am shocked how much cheaper branded food products are at W-M vs. grocery chains (check prices in the article); with inflation creeping up, shoppers are going more to W-M; therefore Chains need to defend with EM / loyalty programs!
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Great article about Grocers defending vs. W-M in times of inflation
I am shocked how much cheaper branded food products are at W-M vs. grocery chains (check prices in the article); with inflation creeping up, shoppers are going more to W-M; therefore Chains need to defend with EM / loyalty programs!
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