"There it is folks. Something else to worry about if you forget about the Polar Bears drowning on the melting icecaps. It was a wake call to me once again on how crappy our government educations schools have become. 2025 is getting closer folks. Soon we will be counting the months."
Okay Bird. You have had some goofy titles for your articles in the past, but this one might take the cake. What the heck is STEMing? And what the Sam Hill is "Q" Day? Fair questions, both of them. So I will start out this article with some definition. STEM as many of us know who have had school age kids as of late, stands for educating students who have the aptitude in science, technology, engineering and math. It is at the other end of the education spectrum from STEP, which stands for school to employment program or secondary technical education program.
Okay - no big deal. Those two programs have been around for a while. But this "Q" Day - that was a new one for me. It is something we all need to become much more aware of. Get smart on it. It could be a world changer, and it is right around the corner.
Quantum computing. The bright shiny thing for the techno geeks. It is coming, and "Q" Day may be as early as 2025. Actually, IBM has a quantum computer in the field right now. And IBM is not the only company chasing this rabbit. Whomever invents the quantum computer which meets all the metrics of this fearsome super computer, could rule the world.
Why? What is the big deal about yet another computer? Because this one will change everything. It is so much faster, has so many more capabilities, it will be able to crack every encrypted code in the world - including block chain (goodbye crypto). If we are the ones who reach "Q" Day first, it gives us a chance. If it is China or Russia, big trouble could be looming prior to 2030.
In a very short period of time, quantum computing has gone from theoretical to reality. Not all of it, but some of it. How whiz bang could this be? Some computer scientists think we will be able to establish "pocket of time" within the quantum computer. In other words, it will stop time. Not for long - a small fraction of a second. But with a computer this powerful, this fast, that is an eternity.
One of the radio shows had a scientist on the other day, discussing this issue. The first thing he said was a "DUH"! He told the host our education system is a mess. Teaching for yesterday instead of tomorrow. Tell that to "Lazy Man" Walz! We are nowhere near ready for the future. We should be pushing the STEM Program (for those who have the aptitude) like crazy. We need more software engineers, computer engineers, math geeks. And we need them yesterday.
There it is folks. Something else to worry about if you forget about the Polar Bears drowning on the melting icecaps. It was a wake call to me once again on how crappy our government educations schools have become. 2025 is getting closer folks. Soon we will be counting the months.
Timmy (pronounced "Dummy") Warz (pronounced "Warts") aside, I too fear this may soon become the Stupid State of America--and I don't mean just Minnestupid but at least some of the United States, devolved into a unitary nation with one national (not federal) law for all (except, of course, the aristocracy)--to which it feels natural to add:
ReplyDeleteOne law to find them.
One law to bring them all and in ignorance bind them.
In the land of DC where the tyrants lie.
Which way we can or should take out of this isn't yet clear, but this much I'll say: I refuse to live there.
As an electrical engineer, let me explain one HUGE reason for the lack of talent and interest in entering STEM professions: H1B visas. Engineering is one of THE most difficult majors in college, but doesn't pay like it in the field. It's good, but hard to justify the blood, sweat, and tears of college when you watch the business and pre-law majors partying their way through school toward jobs that are a lot easier and pay a lot better. Then enter the H1B's... importing people from 3rd world countries with dubious college credentials to flood the labor market and drive wages down. H1B's (the program, not the participants) are morally reprehensible; it is the white collar version of slavery. These people are the true "dreamers", coming here with skills and a work ethic, but also constantly under threat of having their sponsorship taken away. They have a choice to work for below-rate pay here, go get shipped back home earn far less. And as long as they take the logical option, us American-born dolts who were dumb enough to get into these fields get to live with the same artificially depressed wage rates. That another example of Trump being crazy like a fox... Think about this the next time you hear him rage against H1B abuse. He knows EXACTLY what is going on and its long term damage to the US.
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