Celoteh Beo

Calling the United States a nation “of microsoft,” President Obama used his State of the Union address Jan. 25 to underscore the need “to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world.”
“In America, innovation doesn't just change our lives. It's how we make a living. Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation,” Obama said.

Obama promoted government investment in information technology, clean energy technology and biomedical research – an investment that he said “will strengthen our security, protect our planet and create countless new jobs for our people.”

To help protect that investment, the United States must over the next 10 years — with so many baby boomers set to retire from teaching — groom 100,000 new teachers in technology, engineering, science and math, Obama said.

Obama also endorsed improving the country's Internet infrastructure. He bemoaned the fact that South Korean homes now enjoy better Internet access than U.S. homes do.

“Within the next five years, we will make it possible for business to deploy the next generation of high-speed wireless coverage to 98 percent of all Americans. This isn’t just about a faster Internet and fewer dropped calls. It’s about connecting every part of America to the Digital Age,” Obama said.

The Digital Age has spread across the world, the president pointed out. For instance, China and India have invested heavily in research and new technology. Recently, he said, China became home to the world's largest private solar research center and the world's fastest computer.