Another post under the beating-the-grass-where-a-dead-horse-used-to-be category:

Still think your schools don't completely suck? Still think the problem is every other school system in the country, except yours? Really? Go read this, and this. Still think your schools are ok? Still think your kids are learning anything useful? Then check yourself into a psych ward, because you are a danger to yourself and your children.

"The American boy who got the highest score told me: 'I'm shocked, 'cause it just shows how advanced they [Belgian high school students] are compared to us.'"

Yea, dude, I'm sure it is "shocking" to realize you have wasted the last twelve years of your life because you just got beat down by someone that you've been told your whole life was inferior to you. I'd start working on those rickshaw-pulling skills.

In more boring news, our internet connection is a dead stick. It doesn't matter if I dial into work or either of my two ISP's, either you can't connect at all, the connection runs 28K or slower, or you get a 50K+ connection which drops after a few minutes. People we talk to on the phone complain about static and low volume. Last time, I said I was done with Verizon; I should have stuck with that. I know I can get high-speed service through Alltel. I will need an external antenna for the cell phone, and I will have to move my computer upstairs, but right now, my options are somewhat limited. Rural Mexico has high-speed internet, and I have to put up with this crap.

Later.