Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - "Where's Louisiana?"--Nat'l Geo poll

maleficent · 05-02-2006, 10:16 AM

A story I have never forgotten, that is so absurd that it should be an urban legend, but it's not... When the Olympics were being held in Atlanta... a resident of the US State of New Mexico had called the ticket line to get tickets, and he was told that he had to call his nation's olympic committee.. the man explained that new mexico was indeed a state, the ticket taker, replied new mexico/old mexico it doesn't matter you still ahve to go thru your nation's olympic committee... Yup a customer service person didn't quite know the 50 states...

People not knowing bubkis about geography is not a new phenomenom.. . Tha Atlanta Olympics were in '96...

I will admit to being incredibly geographically challenged... for a number of years I was convinced that New Hampshire was landlocked (i couldn't quite explain Portsmouth but that's not the point... i used to get the positioning confused with vermont...)

Depending on where you go in this country, speaking english is skill enough... the local television station in New Hampshire is running a 5 part special on how to speak New Hampshirese... Umm.. that's gonna take 5 episodes???

Taking the quiz - I guess I'm a stooopid American...
I didn't think the questions were that hard, but I managed only an 80 percent...

Outside of Georgians - who knew that georgia had more landmass than Florida...
And Minnesotan should be proud to know thatthey are home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River..

05-02-2006, 10:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	A story I have never forgotten, that is so absurd that it should be an urban legend, but it's not... When the Olympics were being held in Atlanta... a resident of the US State of New Mexico had called the ticket line to get tickets, and he was told that he had to call his nation's olympic committee.. the man explained that new mexico was indeed a state, the ticket taker, replied new mexico/old mexico it doesn't matter you still ahve to go thru your nation's olympic committee... Yup a customer service person didn't quite know the 50 states... People not knowing bubkis about geography is not a new phenomenom.. . Tha Atlanta Olympics were in '96... I will admit to being incredibly geographically challenged... for a number of years I was convinced that New Hampshire was landlocked (i couldn't quite explain Portsmouth but that's not the point... i used to get the positioning confused with vermont...) Depending on where you go in this country, speaking english is skill enough... the local television station in New Hampshire is running a 5 part special on how to speak New Hampshirese... Umm.. that's gonna take 5 episodes??? Taking the quiz - I guess I'm a stooopid American... I didn't think the questions were that hard, but I managed only an 80 percent... Outside of Georgians - who knew that georgia had more landmass than Florida... And Minnesotan should be proud to know thatthey are home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River.. __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less. Last edited by maleficent; 05-02-2006 at 10:29 AM..