Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map.

[Satty]

"I personally believe... that U.S. Americans are unable to do so... because...

"Uh... some people out there in our nation don't have maps...

"And... uh... I believe that our education, like such as in South Africa and... uh... the Iraq, everywhere, like, such as...

"And I believe that they should...

"Our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S... uh...

"Or, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries...

"So we will be able to build up our future... for our [children]."

[Intrepidation]

I'm shocked and yet not surprised, we as a society are just that stupid.

[Camino LS6]

Stupidity is a far worse epidemic than obesity. :AH-HA_wink:

[Nick]

It is said that 76.3% of statistics are made up on the spot.

But it should be noted that 60% of the time, it works. Every time.

[Satty]

I'm just secretly in love with Miss South Carolina. Unbelievable stupidity is a turn-on.

Edited April 19, 2009 by Satty

[ocnblu]

That's what she said.

[Croc]

Stupidity is a far worse epidemic than obesity. :AH-HA_wink:

Agreed. But both are pretty dire...

[ocnblu]

I don't think they're dire at all. I think they're terrible!

[gmcbob]

This doesn't surprise me at all.

Believe it or not, I've always been a huge fan of geography and maps in general. I remember being one of the very few kids in 5th or 6th grade who could lable all 50 states on a map of the United States.

Edited April 19, 2009 by gmcbob

[mustang84]

This doesn't surprise me at all.

Believe it or not, I've always been a huge fan of geography and maps in general. I remember being one of the very few kids in 5th or 6th grade who could lable all 50 states on a map of the United States.

When I was a kid, I used to draw the United States with all the borders and could even place at least 3 major cities in each state on the map. I used to look at road atlases all the time on family vacations and could do it all from memory.

[Satty]

I once got bored during geography and tried listing all 50 states. I got 49 and was stumped on number 50. Turned out I forgot New Jersey.

[Justin Bimmer]

It's easy to forget New Jersey

[Camino LS6]

It's easy to forget New Jersey

...if you're lucky.

[K.C.]

Wow, thats terrible if its actually true. Sheesh.

[Satty]

[Camino LS6]

Wow.

Total box of rocks.

...in a nice wrapper.

[SAmadei]

When I was a kid, I used to draw the United States with all the borders and could even place at least 3 major cities in each state on the map. I used to look at road atlases all the time on family vacations and could do it all from memory.

There needs to be a name for this disorder, as I've suffered from being a map fiend, like you, all my life. Its scary the map knowledge I have of places I have not visited... so nonetheless, the idea that people can't pick the US on a map is not a surprise to me.

Has anyone here heard Howard Stern's "Do you want to be a hundredaire?" He took people off the street and offered them a $100 to answer simple questions like... how many minutes in an hour? The duds he had couldn't answer them. Pathetic... but they can still vote!

[Intrepidation]

I just tried to list them now. Got to 49 and couldn't remember Delaware.

[Casket Demon]

Wow.

Total box of rocks.

...in a nice wrapper.

She was nervous, I'm sure if asked she could tell us all what the square root of an isaucesolees triangle is.

Edited April 19, 2009 by Casket Demon

[ocnblu]

Wow, this is just like Eharmony.

[balthazar]

Would love to see a similar poll for all other nations, and the results. No doubt plenty of shocking numbers there. Of course- that'll never happen; what's the point? : 'all Americans are so hopelessly stupid no one will even come close; why bother'. More despicable, destructive, demeaning, self-hating, worthless "news". I've heard this VERY SAME POLL QUESTION repeated I don't know how many times in the last 20 years.

What's amazing is the blind eye turned toward the very subject matter taught in schools... and the people behind those decisions, pushing hard to amend. Hardcore PCers thump & wail to teach PC topics like... Oh, I dunno- Muslim history, squeezing out American history, so this news is small wonder. The history books commonly used are a travesty. The education system needs more flushing than the political system.

My son is in school learning frickin' Latin, the Greatest of the Dead Languages, and it's not remotely close in time to 1950 !! Does he spend even 1 week on money managament & fiscal responsibility, you know; something that everyone has to deal with for most of their entire lives ????? Nope. Idiotic... but we must make amends, starting with the children.

Edited April 19, 2009 by balthazar

[Satty]

The only people I've ever known who have to take Latin are pre-med and med students. I haven't figured that one out.

[Camino LS6]

The only people I've ever known who have to take Latin are pre-med and med students. I haven't figured that one out.

It was a standard elective in my junior and senior high schools.

[Justin Bimmer]

I remember that Epic Fail. It made national news.

[Intrepidation]

No worries, stupidity knows know national boundaries. Like that woman in Europe who killed by WOT her car in a fit of road rage until the spinning wheels caught fire and burned her alive while she was still pissed off at someone.

[Camino LS6]

No worries, stupidity knows know national boundaries. Like that woman in Europe who killed by WOT her car in a fit of road rage until the spinning wheels caught fire and burned her alive while she was still pissed off at someone.

That was really twisted.

[cletus8269]

all kidding aside it is a terrible fact. The truth in my opinion is the dumbing down of America. I dont know about other states but i know down here in south carolina they had a problem that was getting out of hand. In order for certain grants and other assistance programs the schools had to be in a specific pass/fail ratio. Instead of focusing efforts on the kids that needed extra attention, how about we just lower the bar a little so more pass. wonderful theory because now there are people slipping under the radar that need that extra help and dont realize it until after they have walked the platform gotten the diploma and are now trying to take a college entrance exam that they just realized they arent prepared for.

and fwiw, i never expect nobel peace prize winners from beauty queens... squeezing into all that garb and doing all they do to make it deprives the brain of vital oxygen levels... obviously.

Edited April 19, 2009 by cletus8269

[Intrepidation]

That was really twisted.

Indeed...the gerbil in her head must have like blown up or the rubber band that connects the wheel broke.

[ShadowDog]

She was nervous, I'm sure if asked she could tell us all what the square root of an isaucesolees triangle is.

I already know her answer and it would be 42... because, like, that's the ultimate and universal answer to, like, everything? ...and, like, because it's always said so on, like, T.V. shows?

[Intrepidation]

I hate it when every other word out of a person's mouth (usually girls) is "like".

[§carlet §wordfish]

I hate hate it when every other word out of a person's mouth (usually girls) is "like".

"Like" and "Uh" are convenient filler words when you're trying to think of what to say. I find it preferable to having a second or two pause while speaking.

[Paolino]

WHOAH... wow. Just wow.

I think the host was trying to not laugh.

[Intrepidation]

"Like" and "Uh" are convenient filler words when you're trying to think of what to say. I find it preferable to having a second or two pause while speaking.

Not when the sentence goes like thus: "...and like, I was like, totally like, you know, going shopping, and like, when I like, got there, like I like, forgot like, my money, like, it's such like, a pain, like, you know?"

Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

[FloydHendershot]

Where's Germany?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...all-peters2.jpg

http://www.thirteen.org/bucky/dymap.html

[Z-06]

The only people I've ever known who have to take Latin are pre-med and med students. I haven't figured that one out.

Because of all the diseases and conditions are in Latin.

I guess you guys gotta see

then.

[Satty]

True, but just about everything a lawyer deal with is in Latin, yet Mizzou Law doesn't require Latin.

[Camino LS6]

I use Latin all of the time, botanical nomenclature is always in Latin.

I never studied it as a language, but I need it if I want to communicate precisely in my field.

[Z-06]

True, but just about everything a lawyer deal with is in Latin, yet Mizzou Law doesn't require Latin.

Lawyers need not know anything other than manipulating the system.

[Intrepidation]

Lawyers need not know anything other than manipulating the system.

QFT

[Satty]

They also have to know how to use big words to confuse less educated people.

[Z-06]

They also have to know how to use big words to confuse less educated people.

You can always make one like supercallafragilisticespialladocias.

[K.C.]

I hate hate it when every other word out of a person's mouth (usually girls) is "like".

True that! My daughter tried that stuff on for size. She stopped it quickly when she asked for, "like 20 bucks to go to the movies" and I handed her 20 monopoly dollars. She said, that's not like, $20 real dollars." I said, "Yes it is, its just like a real $20 dollars, but its not the real thing because you wanted "like "the real thing, so there ya go."

She hasn't done it since.

[Satty]

I invent words all the time. Usually portmanteau words created when I rush my words together.

[Intrepidation]

Look to that this for inspiration :

[Z-06]

LIKE TOTALLY!!!

[K.C.]

Like some others are the board, I like maps. I studied them alot in primary and secondary schools. When I was in high school, I had geography classes offered to me. Since No Child Left Behind and their brillliant idea of test scores dictating which districts get money by "achievement" on standardized test scores, only three core subjects in school (math, science, language arts/reading) get tested in many states. School disricts stopped offering Geography classes and deemphasized other social studies classes because they are not tests. With that, learning the importance of maps has is not deemed important anymore.

. . . . . . . . . . . . and without geography, you are nowhere.

[Intrepidation]

Find Nowhere on the map.

[K.C.]

I think its Delaware or New Jersey.

[Robert Hall]

I've always been a map fan...loved studying the Rand McNally when my folks were planning vacations. I've long been interested in maps, globes, atlases and cartography in general..things like the path of rivers, state and country borders, etc. I took geography in high school, one of my electives.

In the modern era, I love studying Google Maps and Google Earth.

[K.C.]

Google Earth is really cool. I can spend hours on it.