This morning I explained the religion vs. science debate in the USA to Wakana. She was amused, incredulous, and shocked. She could not understand how a nation that ranks so high in the world could have such a ridiculous attitude. She could not understand why an idea so ludicrous as creation could carry so much weight in the modern world.

Then I told her that the president of the United States of America, the man who calls himself the leader of the free world, believes in creationism, and she just pitied me.

I recently read that the performance of US math and science middle school students ranked below that of 38 other countries and that advanced students in math and physics student ranked dead last among students in 30 other countries. Since 1990 the number of bachelor's degrees in engineering has declined by 8% and in math the decline has been 20%. In the USA 32% of students graduate with degrees in science and engineering. In China the figure is 59%!

Recently I've been watching the ill fated TV series Firefly. The unstated assumption in that series is that the future is based on a Chinese superiority. The characters occasionaly use Chinese epithets and signs are in English and Chinese, mainland Chinese according to Wakana.

I guess the producer knew what he was doing.

Wakana's pity hurts.