Posted by Josh Rosenau on September 23, 2008 A poll on the national economy found literally no one who thinks that the national economy is getting better. 0%
Of course, they didn’t poll John McCain, who is so out of it that he thinks the economy is pretty strong.
Bear in mind here that 25% of Americans think the sun orbits the earth.
Dude, your blog now has fuck all to do with Kansas. It’s time to change the name!
How about “Thoughts From Rosenauas”?
And seasons are caused by the earth being closer to or farther from the sun. I was actually told that by someone I had obviously overestimated in intelligence. I guess that elliptical orbit around us makes the difference!
Physio: then it wouldn’t be TfK! Come up with a good backronym and I’ll rename. My current favorite is “Tertiary follows Cretaceous,” which is funny to geologists and no one else.
Well, that clinches it. So much for my futile hope you could get 8-20% of Americans to say anything out of sheer confusion.
No confusion here. Economy in crapper. Move along.
The second poll you mention is from 1999, but things haven’t changed. Here’s some data from 2006 (quoting from one of my posts):
The statistics at ‘Science and Engineering Indicators 2008′ ( http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind08/ ) are disturbing. Here are some sample questions, and the percentage of correct answers (1864 adults, in 2006):
45% – Lasers work by focusing sound waves. (False)
56% – Antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria. (False)
76% – Does the Earth go around the Sun, or does the Sun go around the Earth? (Earth around Sun)
55% – How long does it take for the Earth to go around the Sun: one day, one month, or one year? (One year)
I’m not even going to get into the evolutionary or cosmological questions.
Joshua Rosenau spends his days defending the teaching of evolution at the National Center for Science Education. He is formerly a doctoral candidate at the University of Kansas, in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. When not battling creationists or modeling species ranges, he writes about developments in progressive politics and the sciences.
The opinions expressed here are his own, do not reflect the official position of NCSE. Indeed, older posts may no longer reflect his own official position.
September 23, 2008
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