We're #11, We're #11...We're #11?

Have you been following and checking on the London 2012, Olympic Games medal count? I will bet that most Americans can receit daily the medal numbers of at least the top three countries. The accummulation of those coveted medallions serves as strong motivation when one understands that the cummulative worth of champion swimmer, Michael Phelps' 22 medals is aproximately a half-million dollars. You do the math...gold is valued at $25,000.00, silver at $15,000.00 and bronze at $10,000.00. The greatest athlete of his generation, Jim Thorpe had his medals taken away when it was discovered that he received a few dollars playing semi-pro baseball one summer. Of course most athletes will never 'sell' this prize and will readily state the obvious; the knowledge of being a premier performer in your sport is, as they say, 'priceless!'  All Nations embrace the exciting moment when they can pound upon their chest and proclaim superiority, which feeds their ethnocentric feelings of 'ours is best!' My dog can beat up your dog and my mother is prettier than your mother! Hooray for our side!

History suggest that we Americans don't cotton to being second best; we wish to be first. It was October 1957, when the Soviets launched an intercontinental ballistic missle, 'Sputnik' and the American people went into a panic mode! Our country began pouring monies into science and math school curriculum programs and making higher education loans and scholarships available to promising young students. Eleven years later, we watched with National pride as Neil Armstrong became the first man to step foot on the moon's surface. We were once again tops on earth and now the heavens! Hold high that oversized foam cushioned-hand with the index finger proclaiming #1. USA, USA, USA!

Not that anybody is watching or cares but the American education achievements, compared with other countries, finds the American students slipping fast. In one study the Red, White and Blue kids rank #11 and another investigative report places the American education scores at #31.

Okay gang, not too loudly on this one: USA, USA, USA.