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have a great flood myth or legend among almost all independent civilizations
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The going theory (last I read) involves research that points to the Black Sea having been much smaller and not connected to the Mediterranian Sea, and when the Ice Age ended the oceans had raised in level enough and broken away the land barrier to the Black Sea. This would have caused a huge raise in water level and enlarged the Black Sea, which was likely surrounded by coastal populations who had to ditch. They ditched in all directions, leading to the tales of "The Great Flood" being spread all over.
And in answer to Bill O'Rights question:
http://www.snopes.com/lost/fraction.htm
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13 August 1999
Jackson, MS -- Bolstered by the state of Kansas' recent measure removing the requirement for the teaching of evolution in public schools, yesterday afternoon the Mississippi legislature passed a bill eliminating fractions and decimal points from the mathematics curriculum of all public secondary schools in the state.
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I know it's unfair to lump all southern states together, but the common thread of degrading the knowledge that's passed on to children in school sticks out.