Chemical plume near SLC. National Guard called

[DFW]

60. I can imagine

But my daughter experienced repression of a different kind in school here. German schools are very Darwinian, and attempt to eliminate those kids perceived by their standards to be the "weakest." They attempt to determine very early who will be the next Angela Merkel and who will be the next cashier at the local bakery. My daughter is anything but stupid, but she was shy, and that was taken for a lack of academic prowess. Aggressive "pick me!" types are preferred, and her teachers told us so in so many words. "Sie meldet sich nicht oft genug."

After obtaining her "Abitur" here in Germany, she begged to go to college in the USA. She said she had had enough of being told what a mediocre student she was. We said she could apply, but couldn't do more than that.

Four years later, she was calling me up from America and asking what the word "valedictorian" meant, and why did it mean she had to give a speech in front of 3000 people?