Poster SNAFU

[Chunklets]

So one of the local colleges (names will not be named, to protect the innocent) is offering an evening Italian class this winter, and wished to have posters made to advertise it. The organizers of the course hired a graphic designer, who, as it turned out, was a bit deficient re: geography. The first draft of the poster came back with the words "VIVA ITALIA" written vertically up the side of... The Eiffel Tower. The draft was sent back with what I believe was a fairly terse e-mail.

[Raiser Blade]

At first I didn't get what was wrong. Then I figured it out and laughed. Silly french and their towers.

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

The Eiffel Tower is in France? Then what's that thing in Las Vegas, huh? Some kind of fake? I think not! :smallamused:

[Sigbru]

At first I didn't get what was wrong. Then I figured it out and laughed. Silly french and their towers.
I thought you had said "towels". Maybe I just need a bath

I don't see what's wrong, Italy is the capital of France after all

[Brickwall]

Clearly it was the Meiffel Tower, and you were just mistaken.

Cookie for the reference. :smallbiggrin:

[BlackStaticWolf]

I have to say... the poster should be used anyway.

Because it'd be hilarious.

[StupidFatHobbit]

Best poster I ever saw: something advertising a class called ACCOUNTING FOR WOMEN.

Someone had written underneath THERE'S NO ACCOUNTING FOR WOMEN.

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

Scrubbed.
Cookie for the reference. :smallbiggrin:
Edit, mine. :smalltongue:

[Rawhide]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6XVZBBcHU

[DraPrime]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6XVZBBcHU

I'm ashamed of my country.

[Raiser Blade]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6XVZBBcHU

I find this video inconclusive. I mean stupid people are everywhere! Not just america.

[DraPrime]

I find this video inconclusive. I mean stupid people are everywhere! Not just america.

Well there is texas one state that has a large concentration of idiots.

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6XVZBBcHU
I blame this on American's exposure to M.C. Escher. We've been topologically screwed ever since. :smalltongue:

[Brickwall]

Edit, mine. :smalltongue:

Here is your invisible cookie:

[Sigbru]

Nothing can beat this:

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u51/terrornova/1181061991795.jpg

[Raiser Blade]

@^ Stroll off topic much?

[StickMan]

Yea people don't know were things are. My girlfriend did not know were Iraq was and I almost had to dump her, what I'm a Geography minor if I was a Geography Major it would have been over right on the spot. Thats a joke by the way.

And after I watched that video I now hate my nation. Mount Rushmore for goodness sake its the American presidents why would that be in Australia.

[Maelstrom]

Yes, hate your nation because a TV show found a few gullible people off the street, and with some creative editing, made fools of them...great sentiments there. :smallfurious:

Now, as for the original post, that is pretty damn funny! As well as the video, very funny! :smallbiggrin:

[DraPrime]

Honestly I have to say that this is obviously unrealistic. They talked to a lot more people, but they just chose the ones with the dumbest responses. There were probably a lot more people who just said "Alright, just stop bull****ing me."

[Logic]

Honestly I have to say that this is obviously unrealistic. They talked to a lot more people, but they just chose the ones with the dumbest responses. There were probably a lot more people who just said "Alright, just stop bull****ing me."Just like the segment "Jaywalking" on the tonight show with Jay Leno.

[StickMan]

Yes, hate your nation because a TV show found a few gullible people off the street, and with some creative editing, made fools of them...great sentiments there. :smallfurious:


Well the over all thing was a joke but do your self a favor and walk up to people on the street and ask them wear Afghanistan is at. Do it on a college campus too or some were you think you would find smart people. You will be very sad at the end of the day. Most people can not find a nation in which we are deployed in. If you really want to learn how uninformed the average person is ask were Iraq is.

Ask people to list some 3 cities in England, France, Germany, and Italy or a few other large European nations odds are unless they have been there they will only know the capital.

This is not just me being cynical its comes from studying Geography and reading surveys about what people know about Geography. Now as I tend to think most people on this board are smarter than the average person I will not be surprised if the next 20 poster can list 3 cities in all the given nations and point to Iraq and Afghanistan on a map, so don't bother.

These things have nothing to do with finding gullible people, most people just don't know were things are outside their own little worlds.

[Syka]

Students at University of Miami were asked to find Florida on a blank map.

Florida.

FLORIDA.

They were in the state, the state is hanging off the continent, and I think over half couldn't find it. o.o'

Cheers,
Syka

[averagejoe]

Well the over all thing was a joke but do your self a favor and walk up to people on the street and ask them wear Afghanistan is at. Do it on a college campus too or some were you think you would find smart people. You will be very sad at the end of the day. Most people can not find a nation in which we are deployed in. If you really want to learn how stupid the average person is ask were Iraq is.

Ask people to list some 3 cities in England, France, Germany, and Italy or a few other large European nations odds are unless they have been there they will only know the capital.

This is not just me being cynical its comes from studying Geography and reading surveys about what people know about Geography. Now as I tend to think most people on this board are smarter than the average person I will not be surprised if the next 20 poster can list 3 cities in all the given nations and point to Iraq and Afghanistan on a map, so don't bother.

These things have nothing to do with finding gullible people, most people just don't know were things are outside their own little worlds.

That doesn't make people stupid, though. I mean, I'd probably do better than most when geography, but I wouldn't say I know a lot, and I'm okay with that. I mean, as a math/physics double major, I could go onto the boards and say, "People in America are stupid-they don't even know how to take derivatives of polynomials." (Actually, if I had to guess, most people probably don't know basic algebra.) However, you know what most people say when they start to get defensive about not knowing math? They say, "Knowing it has no practical value," or some variant on that. It's the same with geography. It isn't taught extensively in schools, and it's only really relevant if you're going there, so most people have no reason to know where Afghanistan is. I mean, I do know where Afghanistan is, and the knowledge has never done me any good, except for maybe to shut up the sort of people who say, "Oh, yeah, well if you're so smart, point to Afghanistan on a map!" (Not directed at you, Stick, by the way, this has happened to me before.) I don't think people are stupid for not knowing the basic ideas behind Newton's second law; I think they'd be better for knowing it, but that's rather subjective, and I'm highly biased.

Also, I don't really think your test is entirely fair. I, for example, can only bring to mind two German cities, but I know that I know more German cities than that, I just have trouble bringing such things to mind. For example, I might not think to say, "Hamburg," or, "Berlin," but if someone mentioned, "Hamburg," then every time I'd be like, "Oh, yeah, that's a German city." Just something to consider; I'd fail this test not for want of geographical knowledge, but because of how I bring it to mind.

[StickMan]

OK stupid is a bad word choice. That really was in this case and I fully apologize. I've edited the word out of the post, and thank you for pointing out that jerk statement to me.

I'm just trying to point out that people don't know were things are.

[averagejoe]

OK stupid is a bad word choice. That really was in this case and I fully apologize. I've edited the word out of the post, and thank you for pointing out that jerk statement to me.

I'm just trying to point out that people don't know were things are.

Ah, well, this is quite true, people don't know where things are. (I don't even know where I am half the time. :smalleek: )

I'm inclined to blame the schools, even though they tend to be a catchall place to lay blame. I mean, geography outside of the US isn't really required (and I'm not even sure that geography inside the US still is.) Without school, most people aren't going to have any reason or motivation to study geography.

Edit: Above I was referring to the cirriculum in American schools, not the requirements of other countries. I read it again, and it seemed kind of ambiguous.

[Serpentine]

I find this video inconclusive. I mean stupid people are everywhere! Not just america.
Yes... but yours are funnier :smallbiggrin:
Okay, just to prove that they don't just mess with you lot, have a look at this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcBDBi5qzjc).

[Vaynor]

Students at University of Miami were asked to find Florida on a blank map.

Florida.

FLORIDA.

They were in the state, the state is hanging off the continent, and I think over half couldn't find it. o.o'

Cheers,
Syka

............:smallconfused:

I think that's about all I can manage to say.

[TSGames]

Well there are the northeast states that have a large concentration of idiots.

Statement error corrected for truth value.

[Artemician]

............:smallconfused:

I think that's about all I can manage to say.

I don't know where Florida is. Are you trying to tell me that I'm an idiot?

[TSGames]

I don't know where Florida is. Are you trying to tell me that I'm an idiot?

I don't think so... I think he's just shocked that people at a university in Miami, Florida could not find the state on a map.

[Serpentine]

Florida's that suspiciously phallic bit that sticks out down the bottom... right, isn't it?

[InaVegt]

I can find Florida on a map of the United States of America, and I've only been learned the capitol cities of the provinces of the Netherlands at school. You just gotta be open for learning things.

And yes, I wasn't even taught Washington is the capitol of the USA, many people I know do not even know.

[Morty]

I don't know where Florida is. Are you trying to tell me that I'm an idiot?

You don't live in Florida. I suck at geography, but I least I can point out region I live in on a blank map.
I once watched a film where people were signing petition for banning water, and other where they didn't know where France is or couldn't name a country beginning on U- and those were Americans. I'm preety sure Eiffel tower were there somewhere.

[Serpentine]

That would probably be CNNNN and/or Chaser's War On Everything. A couple of segments have already been posted.

[Artemis97]

Students at University of Miami were asked to find Florida on a blank map.

Florida.

FLORIDA.

They were in the state, the state is hanging off the continent, and I think over half couldn't find it. o.o'

Cheers,
Syka

*Crosses University of Miami off her list of schools* Well, there's one down.

That's just embarrassing for us Floridians. I mean, you kinda need to know where the state is, I don't think you could get around it, especially if you live here. I could forgive the students that come from out of the state or even out of the country, but for goodness sake you think they'd have figured out we're the one at the far south east that keeps getting hit by hurricanes. They must look at a weather map at some point, or are they all wondering why is it raining so hard all of the sudden? I'd say they're more concerned with the good surfing than the high winds. [/rant]

[wadledo]

You live in Florida?
*Shudder*
I could never live somewhere that warm.
Though the fact I cannot swim is a big plus *goes and stares at the 5 foot, 27 degree waves for a bit*

[reorith]

You live in Florida?
*Shudder*
I could never live somewhere that warm.
Though the fact I cannot swim is a big plus *goes and stares at the 5 foot, 27 degree waves for a bit*

27 degree waves you say?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

[wadledo]

27 degree waves you say?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU

What am I supposed to glean from that?
I was talking about fahrenheit, and swimming here is effectively like being bashed repeatedly with bags of ice, all over your body. Even in the summer.

[Attilargh]

I once watched a film where people were signing petition for banning water
You know, it's kinda easy to make the good ole' dihydrogen monoxide sound pretty damn scary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihydrogen_monoxide_hoax#Original_Web_appearance). :smalltongue:

[Syka]

I don't know where Florida is. Are you trying to tell me that I'm an idiot?

No, you don't live in and attend university in Florida, though. ;)

DnDestruction, I'm a chick. Hehe.

Yes, we're the suspciously phallic bit hanging off the bottom....I've made so many jokes about if New Jersey is the armpit of America that Florida must be the...ya know. :smallwink:

And what's wrong with Florida? I happen to love our weather. It's you who prefer to be peoplescicles for half the year that confuse me. Down here...You can wear tank tops and bathing suits for 11 months of the year. :smallbiggrin: I'm not even kidding...That was last year, and probably this one as well. I think we had a month combined total of 'cold' weather.

Cheers,
Syka

[StickMan]

Just wondering which university of Miami cause there is a University of Miami in Ohio, and just to make things worse its in Oxford Ohio.

Best pay attention to what school you get in to.
P1: I'm going to Oxford.
P2: Wow you got in to Oxford.
P1: No I got in to Miami
P2: Oh your going to school in Florida.
P1: No Ohio.

Miami University the most freaking confusing Uni in the world.

[averagejoe]

And what's wrong with Florida?

You're in every way worse than California. :smalltongue:

*spraypaints your alligator and runs*

[Raiser Blade]

Florida's that suspiciously phallic bit that sticks out down the bottom... right, isn't it?

Dang it! Serp i hereby award you my personal "everything is ruined forever" award. Now i can never look at a map of the U.S.A the same way ever again.
>_<

[Morty]

You know, it's kinda easy to make the good ole' dihydrogen monoxide sound pretty damn scary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihydrogen_monoxide_hoax#Original_Web_appearance). :smalltongue:

Yet noone asked what this "dihydrogen monoxide" is.

[Syka]

Dang it! Serp i hereby award you my personal "everything is ruined forever" award. Now i can never look at a map of the U.S.A the same way ever again.
>_<

...you never realized the likeness?

And it's the University of Miami, as opposed to Miami University. :) I love confusing names. There is a Hollywood Florida.

Spray paint my Gator all ya want, you're still Gator Bait. :smallwink:

Cheers,
Syka

[Raiser Blade]

...you never realized the likeness?


Actually no. Although now i will never be able to not think of it as a phallic shape.

[averagejoe]

Spray paint my Gator all ya want, you're still Gator Bait. :smallwink:

Not this far west. :smallcool: Yep, you'd have to travel pretty far from here to find someplace so backwater that it has alligators. :smalltongue:

[MrEdwardNigma]

So one of the local colleges (names will be named, to protect the innocent) is offering an evening Italian class this winter, and wished to have posters made to advertise it. The organizers of the course hired a graphic designer, who, as it turned out, was a bit deficient re: geography. The first draft of the poster came back with the words "VIVA ITALIA" written vertically up the side of... The Eiffel Tower. The draft was sent back with what I believe was a fairly terse e-mail.

Silly guy. Everyone knows the Eiffel Tower is in Japan!
Seriously!

[Sisqui]

You know, it's kinda easy to make the good ole' dihydrogen monoxide sound pretty damn scary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihydrogen_monoxide_hoax#Original_Web_appearance). :smalltongue:

When I was in EMS we had a guy from the HAZMAT unit come in to do training and he tried to do one of those spiels about "dihydrogen monoxide" and how it kills X thousands of people a year but they don't ban it, blah blah blah. We lowly EMS types were, of course, supposed to fall for it hook, line and sinker. I piped up right at the beginning and said, "You mean water, right? (:smallamused: )" He was NOT amused. Then he tried trinitrotoluene (TNT). Man, it was just not his day, LOL.

EDIT: Also, there is much less need for Americans to learn European geography and vice versa. America takes up an area much larger than any individual European country, and quite frankly, so do some of our individual states. When I was in college, I had a professor who had a friend in England who wanted him to "Pop on over to California" to get him something. Unfortunately, the prof was in South Carolina- on the other side of the continent. Europeans should keep that in mind when it comes to American knowledge of geography from other parts of the world. Someone in France needs to know the basic geographical outlay of say, Spain or Germany, because they can travel there relatively easily. That is about the same as an American where I am knowing where Memphis is or something. But for me to know where Milan is is really kind of pointless unless I have the money to spring for a trans-Atlantic flight. And, well, if the prof in England didn't know how far apart SC and CA are, we Americans are obviously not the only ones deficient. Besides, I think if I actually were going to drop a few grand to fly over there I'd at least buy a map when I arrived. Problem solved. :smallamused:

[Logic]

I can find Florida on a map of the United States of America, and I've only been learned the capitol cities of the provinces of the Netherlands at school. You just gotta be open for learning things.

And yes, I wasn't even taught Washington is the capitol of the USA, many people I know do not even know.
Well, there are 2 Washingtons in the United States. The capital city (and the more famous one) which to most Americans, is identified as Washington D.C. (District of Columbia.) The other Washington, is one of the 50 states, and is the northwestern most state that is part of the "lower 48."

[Tarnag40k]

You're in every way worse than California. :smalltongue:

*spraypaints your alligator and runs*

yes because in Florida they have random smog test on the side of roads interupting peoples lives and have cops competing to get the most arrests and tickets written ****ing up peoples lives for no reason, because have of the stuff gets kicked out of court.


Mind you that if you ever get arrested and are found innocent, if you sign up for anything legal or put in an application for work you MUST still write down that you HAVE been arrested. Most employers will not even look at your application a second time if that box is checked.


Seriously you could not pay me enough to live in California, I had lived in Florida for twelve years and it's not that bad, the hurricane problem is mostly on the east coast and southern Florida. I for one lived in Inverness in Citrus county, which hasn't been hit by one since..'61?

Sorry I'm just very upset at laws of the peoples republic of California.

[averagejoe]

Hrm. Well, that got less lighthearted than it was meant to be.

Note to self: people don't like it when you talk about how great California is. Probably jealousy.

[Sisqui]

Hrm. Well, that got less lighthearted than it was meant to be.

Note to self: people don't like it when you talk about how great California is. Probably jealousy.

Then I'll talk about the South instead. That REALLY gets people riled up :smallwink:

PS- people in the South don't count Florida- those people are all from New York :smallbiggrin:

[Vaynor]

yes because in Florida they have random smog test on the side of roads interupting peoples lives and have cops competing to get the most arrests and tickets written ****ing up peoples lives for no reason, because have of the stuff gets kicked out of court.


Mind you that if you ever get arrested and are found innocent, if you sign up for anything legal or put in an application for work you MUST still write down that you HAVE been arrested. Most employers will not even look at your application a second time if that box is checked.


Seriously you could not pay me enough to live in California, I had lived in Florida for twelve years and it's not that bad, the hurricane problem is mostly on the east coast and southern Florida. I for one lived in Inverness in Citrus county, which hasn't been hit by one since..'61?

Sorry I'm just very upset at laws of the peoples republic of California.

That's incredibly biased. I have never ever seen a roadside smog test and I've lived my whole life in California. You would probably have much more problems with these than most people, as you avatar and sig have cars in them.I believe the cop thing was only in one city. I live in a great area, with great schools, and almost no crime whatsoever. Don't generalize an entire state, a large one at that, by a few small areas.

All said, I do not agree that Florida is worse than Cali, I've only been to Florida once to go meet up with relatives for New Years, and it seemed like a nice place, just as good as Cali. Only problem I had with Florida is the guy at Quiznos put a crapload of mayonnaise on my sandwich. :smallmad:


Hrm. Well, that got less lighthearted than it was meant to be.

Note to self: people don't like it when you talk about how great California is. Probably jealousy.

Definitely. :smallwink:

[averagejoe]

Then I'll talk about the South instead. That REALLY gets people riled up :smallwink:

PS- people in the South don't count Florida- those people are all from New York :smallbiggrin:

Go ahead and do that. We don't mind. That is, if you think you have time between lynchmobbing and marrying your brother. (Yeah, I went there. :smallbiggrin: )

Regional stereotypes, FTW!

[Sisqui]

Go ahead and do that. We don't mind. That is, if you think you have time between lynchmobbing and marrying your brother. (Yeah, I went there. :smallbiggrin: )

Regional stereotypes, FTW!

You forgot gun-running and bootlegging and Bible-thumping, but as you are from Cal-i-for-nee-aye-a I'll forgive you. I can only expect so much from a denizen of the left coast:smalltongue:

[averagejoe]

You forgot gun-running and bootlegging and Bible-thumping, but as you are from Cal-i-for-nee-aye-a I'll forgive you. I can only expect so much from a denizen of the left coast:smalltongue:

What can I say? It's the product of education and civilization. :smalltongue:

(Left coast. hehehe)

[Sisqui]

What can I say? It's the product of education and civilization. :smalltongue:

(Left coast. hehehe)

Stubbornness and prolific, indiscriminate inbreeding beats that sissy stuff any time! Southern redneck FTW! Actually, though, I'm pretty sure the South actually IS the most stereotyped region of the US.

[TSGames]

No, you don't live in and attend university in Florida, though. ;)

DnDestruction, I'm a chick. Hehe.


Whoops, sorry 'bout that. Guess I need to be a little more observant...

[averagejoe]

Stubbornness and prolific, indiscriminate inbreeding beats that sissy stuff any time! Southern redneck FTW! Actually, though, I'm pretty sure the South actually IS the most stereotyped region of the US.

"Sissy stuff?" Is that what you people call the ability to read? :smallwink: (Although, perhaps making this point in text on a forum is self-defeating. Nonetheless, I stand by what I said.)

But, yeah, the south probably is the most stereotyped.

[Tarnag40k]

That's incredibly biased. I have never ever seen a roadside smog test and I've lived my whole life in California. You would probably have much more problems with these than most people, as you avatar and sig have cars in them.I believe the cop thing was only in one city. I live in a great area, with great schools, and almost no crime whatsoever. Don't generalize an entire state, a large one at that, by a few small areas.

All said, I do not agree that Florida is worse than Cali, I've only been to Florida once to go meet up with relatives for New Years, and it seemed like a nice place, just as good as Cali. Only problem I had with Florida is the guy at Quiznos put a crapload of mayonnaise on my sandwich. :smallmad:



Definitely. :smallwink:

Your right, I don't. I wouldn't want to live in a state where I can get a fixit ticket for having a different exhaust even though it is way below decible levels, or for having a car that seems lowered, or get pulled over 3 times a day because i'm in a sport compact. It's just preference, I'm into cars myself, and even though there is a huge aftermarket scene in california, the stupid laws that follow the scene because a few politicians that know nothing about cars and the few street racing idiots have ruined it enough for me to not want to live there.

After being there several times and having a few friends that moved there get pulled over numerous times while with them, I can faithfully say I'm glad about where I live. But then again that was in Socal, I'm going to assume that you must live in Nor cal, correct?


Oh and yes, We did come across one of those mobile smog test sights. A minivan, 80's silverado, and a mid 90's ford explorer in front of us we're allowed to go past, Nick in his (stock) Evolution? No of course the Turbo 4 cylinder 4 door has to go wait 20 minutes to test while two vehicle that are notorous for smog emissions, can go by freely. They exist your just lucky.

[Syka]

I'll have you know I'm a born and bred Floridian. My mom spent her childhood here too. ;) Most people might be transplants, but by god, I'm at least 50% Southerner, more at times. Y'all and a'int are staples of my vocabulary. I like life slow and my tea sweet. Got the whole southern hospitality thing goin' on, and every now and again out comes a southern accent.

I'm actually highly interested in meeting my boyfriends moms family. They're from Georgia, and very much a Southern family. I have a feeling I'm going to pick up an accent like there's no tomorrow, and will thus endure endless teasing from the Boy. :smalleek:

Cheers,
Syka

[averagejoe]

YoBut then again that was in Socal, I'm going to assume that you must live in Nor cal, correct?

Oooohhhhh. That explains a lot. Yes, sothern California is a desolate wasteland unfit for habitation, devoid of all semblance of civilization. The only good thing about it is there's so much desert separating it from everywhere else.

[Jack Squat]

I'm actually highly interested in meeting my boyfriends moms family. They're from Georgia, and very much a Southern family. I have a feeling I'm going to pick up an accent like there's no tomorrow, and will thus endure endless teasing from the Boy. :smalleek:

heh...our first year down here, my little brother picked up an accent from his 3rd grade teacher. We forced him to get rid of it every day for a couple weeks before he stopped accidentally speaking with an accent.

[Tarnag40k]

Yeah the only thing i understand that they share besides boundries are car thefts:eek:

Seriously, I know three people who all got their cars stolen there wthin one month of eachother and never found (a 97' 240sx, a '94 integra type R, and a Datsun 510)

also nicks Evo was broken into and stolen right infront of him, luckly he called the cops and him and his girlfriend followed in her car...

the westcoast scares me.

[averagejoe]

the westcoast scares me.

Really? I thought that everyone else thought of us as wusses.

I don't know if the car thefts are as bad as all that. Offhand I can think of three or four people who have had their cars stolen, and both were found in good condition. Heck, my dad had his car stolen, and they found it a block away. they didn't even check the trunk, and he didn't lose more than $25 overall.

Still, that's just me. I try to avoid driving as much as possible.

[StickMan]

Hey just be glad your stereo type is more than:
Person: Your from central Ohio?
Me: Yes, Columbus area.
Person: OSU Football?
Me: Is that a question?
Person: What I hear all all people from central Ohio are crazy OSU fans... So?
Me: Well yea but.....

That is annoying people think if your from Central Ohio that your a crazy Ohio State University football fan, or a farmer or both. I'm not a farmer, yes I do live near a farm but I also live out side a suburb outside the city its the same every were in the United States.

and I'm a crazy OSU fan, what I go to the school. They teach you two things at orientation OSU rocks and KILL ALL MICHIGAN FANS. I mean um... study hard and don't further OSU stereotypes that are miss leading.

[Tarnag40k]

I didn't mean in like I'm gonna get killed or muged scarred, just it's a weird kinda scary.


As far as newengland it goes like this

1. Everyone loves lobster
2. Loves the Red Soxs and Patriots
3. Thinks there from Chicago
4. some how ether speaks with a Bostonian or Canadian accent
5.Are liberal?

of course my town is the complete opposite except for #2, it's like northern hickville.

[Vaynor]

But then again that was in Socal, I'm going to assume that you must live in Nor cal, correct?


Oooohhhhh. That explains a lot. Yes, sothern California is a desolate wasteland unfit for habitation, devoid of all semblance of civilization. The only good thing about it is there's so much desert separating it from everywhere else.

...

Actually I do live in SoCal. I live about an hour from LA.

Also Tarnag, it seems like you're hating California because you had to wait twenty minutes for a smog test. That and other car laws, which both seem like pretty silly reasons to hate an entire state.

[Raiser Blade]

Oooohhhhh. That explains a lot. Yes, sothern California is a desolate wasteland unfit for habitation, devoid of all semblance of civilization. The only good thing about it is there's so much desert separating it from everywhere else.

Heeeey:smallannoyed: I live in socal.

[FdL]

I know where Florida is. And I'm from Argentina ¬_¬


That doesn't make people stupid, though. I mean, I'd probably do better than most when geography, but I wouldn't say I know a lot, and I'm okay with that. I mean, as a math/physics double major, I could go onto the boards and say, "People in America are stupid-they don't even know how to take derivatives of polynomials." (Actually, if I had to guess, most people probably don't know basic algebra.) However, you know what most people say when they start to get defensive about not knowing math? They say, "Knowing it has no practical value," or some variant on that. It's the same with geography. It isn't taught extensively in schools, and it's only really relevant if you're going there, so most people have no reason to know where Afghanistan is. I mean, I do know where Afghanistan is, and the knowledge has never done me any good, except for maybe to shut up the sort of people who say, "Oh, yeah, well if you're so smart, point to Afghanistan on a map!" (Not directed at you, Stick, by the way, this has happened to me before.) I don't think people are stupid for not knowing the basic ideas behind Newton's second law; I think they'd be better for knowing it, but that's rather subjective, and I'm highly biased.


Well, I think geography has a different importance than maths or physics. It teaches you where you stand in the world. It teaches you that you're not the center of the universe, that there's other countriesand places where there are people who may live and think differently than you. Personally I think that's very important.

And knowing that is not just trivia. I mean, no one needs to have an extensive geographical knowledge. But it's part of your culture as a person.

As to the way you explain your point of view, averagejoe, it reminds me of how in my work I come upon a lot of young health professionals, doctors, who are pretty un-cultured. They can't write properly, they don't know crap outside their specialty. I mean, clearly there are many cases in which a professional education in a field doesn't equate with a proper education. At least I can speak about my country, you tell me if it's the same with other places.

I think an university education should provide more than just a hyper-specialized and myopic collection of facts and procedures. I think it can make better thinkers, let alone better persons that way.

[averagejoe]

...

Actually I do live in SoCal. I live about an hour from LA.

I have family that lives about an hour from LA. And some that lives in LA. In fact, pretty much all of my mother's family lives scattered about SoCal. My parents grew up in San Bernardino. So, you see, when I call it a wasteland, I know what I'm talking about. :smallbiggrin:


Well, I think geography has a different importance than maths or physics. It teaches you where you stand in the world. It teaches you that you're not the center of the universe, that there's other countriesand places where there are people who may live and think differently than you. Personally I think that's very important.

And knowing that is not just trivia. I mean, no one needs to have an extensive geographical knowledge. But it's part of your culture as a person.

As to the way you explain your point of view, averagejoe, it reminds me of how in my work I come upon a lot of young health professionals, doctors, who are pretty un-cultured. They can't write properly, they don't know crap outside their specialty. I mean, clearly there are many cases in which a professional education in a field doesn't equate with a proper education. At least I can speak about my country, you tell me if it's the same with other places.

I think an university education should provide more than just a hyper-specialized and myopic collection of facts and procedures. I think it can make better thinkers, let alone better persons that way.

Oh, I quite agree. I actually try to learn from as many different subjects as I can and still graduate, and take time to teach myself things outside my chosen field of study, like drawing or religion. it's just that geography holds little interest to me, and that doesn't make me stupid. I actually do know quite a bit more geography than most people do, but that's mostly because I have a good memory and pay attention. I believe that all knowledge is worth having for its own sake, but not knowing something hardly makes one stupid.

However, I don't buy that learning geography teaches one's place in the world, and I've always been slightly suspicious of anyone claiming that there's some sort of inherant importance attached to my culture.

However, I was being a little derisive when I said that "learning it has no practical advantage," and was mostly just playing off the fact that nearly every single person not going into a strongly math related field has said that at least once, in order to illustrate my point, so I really didn't mean it like you seem to think I did. It's just that the thing about learning geography is that, in the end, all you do is memorize facts, which is uninteresting to me, especially in this age of information where internets and atlases make anything that's purely fact accessable in about ten seconds. I feel the same way about some aspects of math and physics-I generally don't bother to memorize things that take ten seconds to look up. However, the difference is that math and physics go deeper than that. Memorizing facts is boring. Solving problems is invigorating.

[Totally Guy]

I think we all need a geography lesson.

Nations of the world (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=NC1qkLn6IRI)

Edit: It's a little out of date, it still has yugoslavia.

And for the states... USA state placer game (http://www.subliminalmessages.com/vip39.htm)

As a Briton I scored 84% 39miles average error in 292 seconds on my first try.

[Sisqui]

"Sissy stuff?" Is that what you people call the ability to read? :smallwink: (Although, perhaps making this point in text on a forum is self-defeating. Nonetheless, I stand by what I said.)


Does take a bit of the sting out of it, doesn't it? :smalltongue:


I feel the same way about some aspects of math and physics-I generally don't bother to memorize things that take ten seconds to look up.

Didn't Einstein say something to that effect? Don't bother memorizing what you can look up in a book?



As far as newengland it goes like this

1. Everyone loves lobster
2. Loves the Red Soxs and Patriots
3. Thinks there from Chicago
4. some how ether speaks with a Bostonian or Canadian accent
5.Are liberal?

Got to add this:
6. Thinks all Southerners are both stupid and racist.

I don't know if they all actually do think about us that way, but most people down here think that they do. And I'd have to admit I've heard a lot of people from that area say things like that. And yeah, we can't tell your accents apart either. Then again, most people think all Southern accents are from either Gone With the Wind or Deliverance. There is actually quite a lot of variety. :smallbiggrin:

[averagejoe]

Didn't Einstein say something to that effect? Don't bother memorizing what you can look up in a book?

Possibly. I know Feynman said it, but I can't say whether Einstein did or didn't.

[Sisqui]

Possibly. I know Feynman said it, but I can't say whether Einstein did or didn't.

That's probably it. I was too lazy to go look it up. :smallredface:

But, honestly, as far as geography is concerned, that is what maps are for. If you really need to know where something is you'll buy a map or google it. The students from FL should have been able to find it on the map though. That kinda fits my definition of "needs to know" :smalleek:

[wadledo]

As far as newengland it goes like this

1. Everyone loves lobster
2. Loves the Red Soxs and Patriots
3. Thinks their from Chicago
4. some how ether speaks with a Bostonian or Canadian accent
5. Are liberal?



Got to add this:
6. Thinks all Southerners are both stupid and racist.

^my favorite teacher is from Georgia.:smallannoyed:

7. Can sail or just look busy on a boat.
8. Can survive in the woods for weeks on end with nothing but a tooth brush, dental floss and 4 helicopters.:smallwink:

[Sisqui]

^my favorite teacher is from Georgia.:smallannoyed:


I meant that in the South that is image of the "stereotypical Northerner." We were talking about stereotypes after all. I wasn't saying the stereotype was true. And don't take offense so easily. I didn't get annoyed at the "marry your brother" thing because I know the comment was tongue-in-cheek and that that really is an image a lot of people have of the South. :smallsmile:

[Tarnag40k]

^my favorite teacher is from Georgia.:smallannoyed:

7. Can sail or just look busy on a boat.
8. Can survive in the woods for weeks on end with nothing but a tooth brush, dental floss and 4 helicopters.:smallwink:

I know people who can survive for years with just a .308 winchester and about 100 rounds, or atleast they think they can.