Your Average American Doing Geography

And a few sexist remarks to boot.

Is this a famous person?

[Hat Tip: Hilde Knustad!]

And now, let's see how YOU do under pressure:

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McCain to American Citizens: If you oppose me, you will be ticketed, removed, charged, and treated like a common criminal. If you simply shut up and listen, you can stay. [hat tip: Dogon Village] But wait, there's more: Hat tip Umlud
You must watch this to the end. "Just because you were born here, doesn't make you an American...." (The good news is that the racist haters are even more hateful than the hateful racists. As needed.) Hey, don't forget to Hit This Poll! [Hat Tip: Boris Milicevic]

That is Kellie Pickler of American Idol fame. I get the feeling she could be acting dumb for the show. But you never know, high school kids can't even find the US on a map never mind Hungary.

I doubt very much that she is acting. As the teacher of a supposedly college-level geography course, I have experienced the following:
*Students who do not know even approximately where Washington, D.C. is (and who do not know it is different from Washington state)
*Students who, when asked to draw the equator on a map of the world, draw it running from the North Pole to the South Pole (this has even occurred on a take-home exam)
*Students who do not know that the sun appears to rise in the east because the Earth is rotating, not because the sun is moving
*Students who cannot locate Siberia in an atlas, but who (and this is my personal favorite) look for it in Africa, because "Siberia" rhymes with "Liberia" so they must be near each other
Given that all of these students are high school graduates, I have concluded that either there is something in the water here that makes people stupid, or our education system is failing miserably. I use a water filter, just in case...

Doyle, how the heck would they even know where to find Liberia? Seems like it would be the opposite- they'd be searching for Liberia near Siberia- in Australia, of course! Duh!

And, I can't see the video here at work, but if that is indeed Kellie Pickler, then yes, she is indeed an idiot.

I love how the grade school kids are smirking at her.

By Virgil Samms (not verified) on 13 May 2008 #permalink

I was smirkning too, but probably for other reasons...

By the real cmf (not verified) on 13 May 2008 #permalink

Gaak. Teh st00pid. It BUUUURRRRRRNNNZZZZZ! MAKE IT STO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-OP!!!!1!!eleventyeleven!!!

As if hearing Kent Hovind "debating" [EPOCH FAIL! interrobangs x 666] on the Infidel Guy show (OK, I'm a little backed up on my podcasts, so sue me) wasn't torture enough ("knowing your enemy" is a good idea in principle, but oh! the PAAAAAAIIIIINNN!!!11!!!), here's this idiot pseudocelebrity making a fool of herself on "Are You Smarter..."

As for Jeff Foxworthy's �μ77$#!+, that's about par for the course. Calling him an @$$#073 would be an insult to colo-rectal cancers everywhere. Around here we treat him like we treat G-Dub-the-Shrub whenever he pops up on TV - we get out our Nerf dart guns and shoot him on sight.

[American Idol? I'm sonot going there. I couldn't even take listening to one lousy commercial for it. You've never seen anyone make such a fast dive for the mute button on the remote!]

�!+�# �!+�# �!+�#. ��@â like this infuriates me. Pass the Advil. I'll take 4. And a half bottle of Pepto Bismol while you're at it.

p.s. How about some decent video quality and maybe a pink tutu on the bear? He was almost impossible to see in the crowd even when I was looking for him - he pretty much blended in with the players in black. But I give my 55-year-old eyes at least half credit for half-noticing a flash of something moving off to the left the first time through.

By themadlolscientist (not verified) on 13 May 2008 #permalink

Oooooooooh, I'm lovin' what your font did to all my nasty quasi-1337 dirty words! They're even better than what I actually typed! :-)

By themadlolscientist (not verified) on 13 May 2008 #permalink

I'm British and who cares whether or not Americans are good or bad at geography. But what I can tell you is that there isn't another country on this planet that can compare with the USA for scenery. All the Americans that I've met when visiting the US have been extremely friendly and hospitable, far more so than any other country I've ever been to, and that is a FACT.

By Elwyn Richards (not verified) on 29 Aug 2010 #permalink