1762 Poodle Noodle

Let's talk national security. It's so much a foregone conclusion that it may even be a fivegone conclusion that we need math and science students to grow up and invent and maintain the technology to keep the US ahead of the rest of the world economically.
It's our savvy and innovation that's got us this far. Not to mention our desire to make money off the deal.
We can't blame the schools for not turning out smart graduates. Our schools are the envy of the world. That's why so many foreign nationals go to them and then go back and improve their own countries.
But American students don't seem to do as well. Better fed. More technology to play with at an early age. Access to the interweb. Why don't they shine?
I think I found the answer in a bumper sticker I saw the other day. It said: "My poodle is smarter than your honor student."
No, it's not because this person's poodle is actually smarter than American kids. It's because American culture despises smart people. Look around you. We think eggheads are suspect. We actually call them eggheads. Nerds. Dorks.
Anti-intellectualism is at the core of our national being. For every "my poodle" bumper sticker there are a hundred others. Here's a few I found on the web, "My pit bull is smarter than your honor student." "My daughter can outfish your honor student." "My kid kicked your honor student's ass." And the particularly disturbing, "My marine can pick off you honor student at 500 yards."
So what kid would want to be labeled as smart? A school counselor once told me it's okay to brag about your kid's throwing arm but better not to say anything about his brain.
Let's hope poodles can invent a cheaper energy source than oil.
That bumper sticker was on a hummer.
America, ya gotta love it.