The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

Ivor Biggun

They don't know as they can't read the map

buad hai

Why would they need to locate it on a map when they're already there?

Ivor Biggun

So they could let family know where they're hiding, in case they want to be found.

Narachon

There is a funny Youtube video of Miss Teen South Carolina, Lauren Caitlin Upton's super funny infamous moment at the recent Miss USA pageant last Friday night.

But here is the transcript of that scene during her Q & A interview section after she made it to made it to the final five contestants, regarding what she thought and what could be done about recent stats that show 1/5th of American students can't point to the US on a world map...

Incredible enough, After the interview, she made third runner up!

The question to her by Actress Aimee Teagarden was:

" Recent polls have shown that a fifth of Americans can't locate the U.S. on a world map. Why do you think this is?"


Lauren Caitlin Upton replied:

"I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh, some people out there in our nation don't have maps, and, uh, I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and, uh, the Iraq everywhere like, such as and I believe that they should, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., er, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future for our children".



This is the LINK to the funny Youtube video of her pageant interview question ( which is subtitled! ), You guys in Thailand can now see it , since the Youtube ban has been lifted ( for now... ).


I was totally unaware of the map shortage here in "U.S. America"! And I guess we also have to help South Africa, "The Iraq", and those "Asian Countries" find US on a map!



Yes, I know, I'm well aware that it was a "Beauty" pageant, and not an IQ pageant, but still, as a proud "U.S. American" I have to say that....This is pretty emabrassing!

__________________
"Mistakes were made"....

chinthee

There is an absolutely hilarious clip on youtube with Jimmy Kimmel who disects the speech on a big blackboard. too funny to watch, if I get time I'll post the link.

Thetyim

^

MilkandCookies - Kimmel Explains Miss Teen South Carolina Speech

thaibook

I want to know what you all think about this. Yes, it is embarassing listening to her answer and how she responded. Do you think it was right to publish it all over the news - stories on CNN, Fox, etc. etc.? Taking a bit too far - shes just a teenager. I have been in front of a huge TV before and it's not easy to speak naturally with that machine staring at you. Not only that - but who else could answer questions when millions are watching you live, your standing in high heels and in a bikini? (Hope not that many of you have tried that except for the women here)...

kerux

All this map talk and this beauty from South Carolina reminds me of a joke by that bitch Roseanne Barr.

"Men can read maps better than women.
Cause only the male mind could conceive of one inch equals a hundred miles."

blackgang

Kerux, If I might, Why do you think that Rosanne Barr is a BITCH, I think she is a funny fuker.
Not someone I would like to have in bed, I would prefer Miss Teen S.Carolina for that, but still funny.

Ban Saray

My sister went on an education exchange to the USA about 20 years ago, they did not know where Australia was, and could not conceive the idea that it was bigger than Texas, let alone USA complete.
Did some time with the yanks in the army, unbelievably stupid. back then you quickly understood why so many of them died needlessly. They were just stupid.

blackgang

But like has been said before, There is enough diversity in the USA that some people have no interest in outside issues or places, I am from a small town in the logging and ranching area of Central/Eastern Oregon and a lot of friends have never left there but only to go into the service and then return, never to leave again, my father was one of them, he was first to volunteer for the Army in 1942, went and came home in 45 and never left again.
I left when I was 15 and only went back to live when there was a couple of good earth fill dam jobs going on close.
If there is everything you want at home, why leave.
But some of us are born fiddle footed and we just roam around the world all of our lives, I have been moving now for damn near 60 years, steady.
But because I am the roaming kind, far be it from me to bad mouth a man if he has found what makes him happy just because I never have found it and I damn sure ain't that jealous of him to make bad remarks or call him STUPID.

stroller

Gotta agree, these silly maps are getting tiresome, lack of geography is a serious issue, not an opportunity for America-bashing.

Why the ignorance? Something wrong with the curriculum or are people just not interested, as quite a lot of other folks worldwide?

Marmite the Dog

^^ Good post BG.

(Did someone steal your password?)

Jet Gorgon

Ya, nice post, BG.
I get the same in the hamlet near my folks' home. The people there think Japan, China, HK and Thailand are al the same place. They laugh if you miss the sneak turnoff by the crik and don't know where Sanders homestead road is. International news is snippets about disasters. They don't care. In their minds, what happens in the Middle East, for example, ain't gonna affect their crops or stop the square dance next Saturday night. They wanna know what the local MP is gonna do about the road repair and the funding for the elementary school. Everything outside their sphere of living is just 15 seconds of entertainment.

kerux

I agree, Barr is funny. And I also agree, wouldn't want to be in the same bed with her.

I think I'm confusing her with Rosie O'Donnell?

kerux

Good post BG. The States is a huge country with many interesting and beautiful places to see.

However, that is no excuse for the ignorance of the rest of the world so many Americans possess.

I had a friend who after finding out I had moved to Thailand - email me asking me if I wasn't "afraid of being eaten up?" I wasn't sure what he meant. I found out he was referring to my being eaten by tigers. I had to assure him I didn't ride to work on an elephant either.

The ignorance of most Americans of any place other than the States is inexcusable, especially since they allow their government to interfere in just about every country on the planet, not to mention establish over 700 military bases.

They need to wise up - quickly.

blackgang

Not truly so.
Some figure that you have to pay taxes no matter what, once you give politicians the power to take your money, they never reduce the amount but always increase it every chance they get, you have to pay so why worry about where they piss off the money.
Watching the international news just makes you realize that global warming or another ice age makes no difference and we ain't gonna be on this planet to many more years, so why sweat the nickel dime shit.

And yes you have got Barr confused with the flaming Dyke Rosie.

FatBoyEric

The Germans are stupid as well. The Mayor of Berlin doesn't know when WW2 started Berlin mayor unaware when World War II started, News, Germany, Expatica

And a study by Die Welt showed that half if all Germans < 24 don't know what the holocaust was http://www.manilatimes.net/national/...50424opi6.html


Personally I like the Americans. they make the English appear intelligent.

nedwalk

i was there in 87..my god how thick they were..no mate not austria australia..south of the equator..and then have to explain what that was...mind you love their motorcycles

chinthee

You know all this talk about how ethnocentric Americans are (or thick or stupid) makes me laugh. Thais are exactly the same. You find this anyplace where the locals don't think they need anybody or anyplace else.

Don't mistake this for stupidity. The US is not the world's only hyperpower by chance. A lot of its success stems from its Anglo-Saxon common law and cultural background.

Most of the US bashing stems from either jealousy, envy, disagreement with policies, or having met a very small percentage of the 300 million people and making rash judgments based on old stereotypes.

Just like everyone thinks all Aussies wrastle crockodiles.