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For those of us with firewalls would someone care ot transpose?
Pounding at a thick stone wall won't move it, sometimes, you need to step back to see the way around.
Varun Khanna
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Originally posted by Angela Poynton: For those of us with firewalls would someone care ot transpose?
Host Mario Lopez asked, �Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can�t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?�
Miss South Carolina answered, �I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uhmmm, some people out there in our nation don�t have maps and uh, I believe that our, I, education like such as uh, South Africa, and uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, uhhh, our education over here in the US should help the US, uh, should help South Africa, it should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future, for us.� [ August 28, 2007: Message edited by: Varun Khanna ]
Host Mario Lopez asked, �Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can�t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?�
Miss South Carolina answered, �I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uhmmm, some people out there in our nation don�t have maps and uh, I believe that our, I, education like such as uh, South Africa, and uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, uhhh, our education over here in the US should help the US, uh, should help South Africa, it should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future, for us.�
Didn't make any sense... Was she declared the Miss Teen 2007 after this answer..?Were the other contestant's even worse..?
Helping hands are much better than the praying lips
Angela Poynton
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Originally posted by Varun Khanna:
Host Mario Lopez asked, �Recent polls have shown a fifth of Americans can�t locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?�
Miss South Carolina answered, �I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uhmmm, some people out there in our nation don�t have maps and uh, I believe that our, I, education like such as uh, South Africa, and uh, the Iraq, everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, uhhh, our education over here in the US should help the US, uh, should help South Africa, it should help the Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future, for us.�
[ August 28, 2007: Message edited by: Varun Khanna ]
Sometimes ... I lose all faith in humanity ... this is one of those moments. *sighs*
Having done live television myself (okay, more like corporate wide live feed), it is incredibly nerve racking. Even so, I still can't imagine how it would be like on live TV to such a large audience. And in the youtube era, where all the mistakes are repeated over and over again.
I think it is safe to say that this answer is her exception, and not her norm in answering questions...
For a change, I'd like to see an "Mrs Retired Mathematician" show where the contestants compete by solving complex problems. The winner would then be asked to show her boobs.
Originally posted by Angela Poynton: For those of us with firewalls would someone care ot transpose?
It looks like you took care of that already, but thanks to Varun for the transcription! Poor girl. I think it was a case of nerves ... combined with a stunning ignorance of geography and current events of course.
I agree with Henry. I've been in plays. My exact words were written for me. I had spent weeks learning them, practicing them, reciting them... we'd do speed throughs where you sit at a table and run through the show as fast as possible...
when you get in front of 750 people, with the lights on you, and everyone is looking at you, you forget.
To have to come up with an answer on the fly, to a random question, with that many people watching, knowing that everything you say is being recorded, and being only 18(?)... i'd say it's a little stressful. I bet more than a few folks here would make some pretty stupid gaffs like she did if they were in the same situation.
Further, I think the "Be Nice" rule should apply even to people who will most likely never come here. [ August 28, 2007: Message edited by: Fred Rosenberger ]
Never ascribe to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
John Smith
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Granted, speaking to a large group of people can be intimidating. However, what's wrong with the "I don't have the faintest idea" or "I am not a politician" answer when asked a question about the state of American education of the meaning of life?
[John Smith]: what's wrong with the "I don't have the faintest idea" or "I am not a politician" answer when asked a question about the state of American education of the meaning of life?
Granted, that would have been better than what she did answer. But in general it's probably a very poor strategy for a pageant competition. They're being scored on how well they answer, and declining to answer would pretty much guarantee a low score, I think.
Here is a longer clip that gives a little more context. I wonder if it added to her stress level that she went first.
"Geography is not reading, and it's not math, and so it's not being taught anymore at the primary school level. Such is the legacy of the 'No Child Left Behind' act. With luck, in 2008 we'll begin the long process of digging ourselves out of the hole we've sunk into over the last seven years."
OK, without thinking, I pressed "Reply" and tried to answer the question. I didn't plan that answer; that's just what came out. Personally, I'd argue it's more or less the right answer, but that's of course debatable.
But the important thing is that I produced a rational answer to the question. What would that answer do to her chances of becoming "Miss Teen USA?" Somehow, I don't think it would have helped any!
So, all you smart guys: I dare you. Press "Reply" now and see what comes out. I can't think of an answer that would impress a panel of beauty-pageant judges, frankly.
So, all you smart guys: I dare you. Press "Reply" now and see what comes out
"We pay grown men many millions of dollars to play games while the rest of us sit on our butts in Strato-loungers and watch them. But we pay teachers squat. Why the hell do you think we're raising a generation of morons?"
They'd probably hook me off the stage. [ August 28, 2007: Message edited by: Bear Bibeault ]
Out of the 185 countries, the top 3 are Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan. The bottom 3 are Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, and Ethiopia. The United States ended up in the top 20. We are not as stupid as we seem or sound.
What I think is really the case with geography is that the distribution on the "IQ graph" is not normal. It has fat tails and low mean. That is, we have a lot of people who can't point to the US on the world map, but we also have a lot of people who can draw the world map with all the major cities with their eyes closed.
Since moving back to the United States (eight weeks ago), I have experienced a curious tendency towards "if it is not in the US it doesn't count". Not from people, generally, but from certain institutions.
But I wouldn't have the first clue as to how to answer that question, and even less so if I were under pressure.
"by requiring all students to stay in school, you are pulling a teachers valuable time away from teaching, and making them spend more time being cops, referees, and parole officers. While every student has the RIGHT to an education, you can't cram one down their throats. Sudents who repeatedly prove they do not want to be in school should be given other opportunities. Further, the apathy of many parents towards their childrens education is criminal. When you have a parent teacher night, and out of 150 students, 4 parents show up, a significant part of the blame needs to be on the older generation."
I taught 7 and 8th grade at an inner city school. I had at least one child in every class who was there because that was his, or her, PAROLE ASSIGNMENT. "go to school every day". Note that they were not held accountable for their behavior in school - they just had to be phycically present. You tell me how to motivate that kid to learn Algebra.
I had 2-3 young women, in 7th and 8th grade, who had kids of their own. How do I convice her to learn how to plot points on a graph?
I had seventh graders who could solve linear equations. Sitting right next to them was a kid who couldn't add 4.3 and 17.2, because they didn't know they had to line up the decimal point.
I had a father who when called to discuss his child's behavior said, in front of 3 teacher, the counselor, and the vice principal, that if we had any more problems with his son, he would "beat the loving s*** out of him". This was after saying "He was living with his mother, and she coulndn't deal with him any more. I didn't want him, but she put him on a bus and sent him here, and now I'm stuck with him." Oh, and did i mention his 7th grade son was sitting RIGHT NEXT TO HIM? with parents like that, what do we really expect from this child? [ August 28, 2007: Message edited by: Fred Rosenberger ]
Out of the 185 countries, the top 3 are Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan.
I'm in Japan now: and I have to agree, they're very bright people. I wonder if it's the written language? Maybe being trained to deal with all that complexity makes the brain more comfortable with detail?
Originally posted by Fred Rosenberger: When did Hong Kong become a country?
Hong Kong, while technically not a country, certainly seems like one. It has it's own legal system and laws, police force, money, immigration system, etc.
I think the old "looks like a duck", "quack like a duck", etc. rule should apply here.
After seeing more coverage of this, I have to agree that is was just a stumble under pressure and should not be construed as a real answer. She reportedly misunderstood the question and lost her train of thought while responding.
I still think this makes important points, although maybe it was double-inadvertently. (She didn't mean to give that response, and the response doesn't directly say anything about "geoignorance" or the dismal state of American education. Nevertheless, it's hard to not hear those messages.) [ August 29, 2007: Message edited by: marc weber ]
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Was she declared the Miss Teen 2007 after this answer..?Were the other contestant's even worse..? 
Poor girl. I think it was a case of nerves ... combined with a stunning ignorance of geography and current events of course.
