"America is not the greatest country in the world anymore."

Pretty dismal assessment, right? Well, that's the take-away from HBO's brand-new series The Newsroom, where Jeff Bridges's curmudgeonly character has a breakdown during a panel at Northwestern University, and says precisely that (complete with a number of expletives, so be forewarned). Take it away, Jeff:

Some pretty compelling, sobering facts there. What happened? Or more to the point, how can we get back on track? I'm certainly not an expert in the educational realm...not a teacher, not a policy wonk, not an administrator. My only claim is as a spelling coach over the past year. But this concerns me. And not because of some "rah-rah-we're-number-1" sentiment.

Well, okay...maybe a little bit. Who wouldn't want to be #1? Especially since we have been there before. I remember back in the early 1990s, when evidence was beginning to mount that American children and teenagers were starting to slip in academic performance, beginning to be outdone, primarily by Asians. Since that time, at least one source indicates that much of eastern Asia and Europe has passed us by now.

But more important than a chest-thumping sentiment is this fact...one that has always been true, but which grows truer and more urgent each day: We need to be as well-educated as possible in subjects that will help us address the challenges that we face every day. And a country that has been as blessed with natural resources, a relatively intelligent population, and a history of ambition and industry as ours should be regularly contributing a lion's share of well-educated, well-prepared children, teenagers, and adults to address these challenges.

I'm sure there are more well-researched, more inspiring words to read than this platitude, but there's my sentiment.

"y = mx + b" and teaching

I've been trying to brush up on some algebra from years past. It's amazing, the little things you forget when you don't use them on a daily basis. For example, the equation to determine the slope of a line? I remembered y = mx + b, but that doesn't necessarily help, especially if you don't know what in the world b is. (The y-intercept...where a line crosses the y axis.) Suddenly, upon hearing "rise over run," it all came back. It would be amusing to be a tutor for algebra and not know basics like this. Then again, who knows? Students might actually benefit from having to explain things to me. Teaching a topic really requires that you know exactly what you're talking about.

Singular vs. plural; "is" vs. "are"

Our compatriots across the pond, the British and Irish, have many wonderful aspects to their language, not least of which is their multitude of accents. You've got the light lilt of southern England, the bouncy and jovial Cockney, the proper Queen's English, and the deeper Scottish and Irish brogues, to name a few. I love 'em all.

I have less love for some aspects of their grammar, on the other hand. In particular, I take issue with their use of the plural form of the verb "to be" in reference to a singular entity. Here's how it pans out.

When referring to, for example, football teams, the British headlines will read "Manchester defeat Leeds 2-1 in a fiercely-fought match." It's as if Manchester is a plural. To my mind, Manchester defeats Leeds. Manchester is a singular entity, regardless of whether we're talking about the city, or more precisely, the football team. If you want to use a plural correctly, then refer to a plural entity. Say "The players of Manchester defeat the players of Leeds."

Unfortunately, from what I gather, this would be a futile and uphill battle, were I to undertake such a battle abroad. But I have seen evidence of this inconsistency stateside, and I will oppose it. (Said our hero, shaking his fist at the universe.) Rolling Stone (the magazine) often uses this improper construction when discussing bands. "R.E.M. Begin Work on New Album," the headline will read, for example. It just doesn't make sense to me.

Spelling Bees and demographics

I'm potentially treading on thin ice here. Any discussion of superiority of race or nationality in one area or another is a lightning rod for controversy and flaming. So I will do my best to be sensitive, yet forthright.

It is no secret that Indians are dominating spelling bees nowadays. At the national level, the past five winners have all been Indian. Since 1985, when Balu Natarajan became the first Indian winner of the NSB, there have been 12 winners, 10 of whom have won since 1999. And at this year's bee, the top three spellers were all Indian. It really does beg the question: why?

I've been searching the Hexco website today. Hexco is a company that specializes in providing support and "educational tools for the serious student." The company originally specialized in just the spelling bee (I used their products back in my bee days), but has grown to include geography bees, computer education, and a litany of other subjects. And I found out, for the first time, all about the North South Foundation, which sponsors multiple competitions, including their own spelling bees. I recently found out about the South Asian Spelling Bee, also. Both cater exclusively to Indians.

At this point, I've just begun to explore this area, but suffice it to say that both of these institutions are catered to prepare Indian students for academic excellence. And aside from spelling bees, it is no accident that Indians are known for excelling in math, science, medicine, and yes...to bring up a stereotype, information technology. But I think that some stereotypes exist for a reason, and it's no quirk that Indians are exceedingly common in the IT world.

Back to spelling bees: if Indians place such emphasis on academic excellence, it makes you wonder: why not other demographics? I have no answer at this time. But I bet it has a lot to do with discipline, hard work, setting goals...really, no magic elixir, I'm sure. But the foundation for excellence is also placed in there.

It's interesting to note that in the history of the spelling bee, only one person of predominantly non-Indian Asian descent has won: Wendy Guey, in 1995. Interesting, because non-Indian Asians are also known for academic excellence, particularly in the realms of math, science, and -- perhaps moreso than Indians -- music. Again, why not spelling?

Jamaica, also, has traditionally been extremely competitive at the national level; although there has only been one Jamaican winner (Jody-Anne Maxwell, in 1998), this doesn't negate the fact that Jamaicans often are among the top spellers year in and year out. But they have an extremely dedicated coach who puts them through rigorous training; I had the pleasure of meeting him at this year's bee.

Is there a Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, written by an Indian, waiting to be published somewhere? Have priorities shifted for Americans of Caucasian descent?

Wisdom from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I watched this first of the Harry Potter movies last night. It's a wonderful movie, particularly for nerds like me. Through it, you live vicariously through a kid who has lived in dreary conditions for years, only to suddenly be swept up to a magical land where he is appreciated, even revered. But he has done nothing up to this point to earn any of it. He is told that he is an amazing wizard, and has been given, free of charge, the tools with which to create himself accordingly. And on a much more mundane level, he wanders through Diagon Alley with Hagrid, basically doing his back-to-school shopping. But for what other school do you require a pewter pot, an owl, and a wand? Magic suffuses this movie, and I'm not just talking about potions, herbology, or flying on the Nimbus 2000.

Along the way, he discovers, among other things, the Mirror of Erised. He sees his deceased parents in there, whom he has never known, beaming at him with pride and love. Understandably, it stirs his heart, and he begins to spend hours in front of the mirror. Perhaps days later, Professor Dumbledore finds him there, and tells him this about the mirror:

It shows us the deepest and most desperate desires of our hearts.
Remember this, Harry: This mirror gives us neither knowledge, nor truth. Men have wasted away in front of it, even gone mad.
It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live.
That is why tomorrow, it will be moved to a new home. And I must ask you not to go looking for it again.

Keep in mind that Dumbledore is talking about the Mirror of Erised. (Spell that last word backwards.)

For me, I must admit that the internet is a kind of addiction. I spend hours on it. It is my own Mirror of Erised. And I need to use it judiciously, to further my own goals, and not to get lost in my dreams.

Lightning vs. lightening

lightning (n): the flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity from one cloud to another or from a cloud to the earth; also : the discharge itself.

lightening (n): a sense of decreased weight and abdominal tension felt by a pregnant woman on descent of the fetus into the pelvic cavity prior to labor.

I've seen far too many people (particularly on Facebook) use the word "lightening" to describe what happens during a lightning storm. PSA: please use "lightning" unless you happen to be an obstetrician, doula, or midwife describing what will happen during the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Cello Suite No. 1, Prelude - J.S. Bach

I'm a great fan of classical music. Actually, let me amend that. I'm a great fan of baroque music. Around the age of 11, I discovered how comforting and calming it can be, and how conducive it is to a great study atmosphere. Of course, there's a world of difference between, say, Tchaikovsky's boisterous 1812 Overture or Rossini's wild William Tell Overture (neither of which are baroque, of course), and calmer pieces like this.

Simply put, aside from the frequent ability for baroque music to create an ideal study atmosphere, it just puts one at ease. Give this a listen and see if it doesn't calm you down.