It's hard to be a woman

You cannot be serious.

This is wonderful - but I don't think being a woman has a lot to do with it. I'd guess G Bush would have produced a similar response. Sheesh.

Do they let her operate machinery eg a car?

quote:

but I don't think being a woman has a lot to do with it. I'd guess G Bush would have produced a similar response.

Indeed.

Would the average European be able to correctly identify, say, American states? Probably not. And a couple of the previous responses do not demonstrate a massive intelligence either.......

Nigel

quote:

Would the average European be able to correctly identify, say, American states? Probably not.

Probably true of a lot of Americans too

Andy - who is currently too close to the New Hampshire border for comfort

quote:

Originally posted by hungryhalibut:
Would the average European be able to correctly identify, say, American states?

Oh come on, anyone with any kind of brain and a half way decent education should know that Budapest is the capital of Hungary. That bird's damn stupid, but, you know, I'm sure she makes up for it in other ways.

EW

Well here is the chance to find out about placing states.
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/states_experiment_drag-...ed_State15s_500.html

It gets easier the more you get but you can change the difficulty level.

Have fun.

Hans.

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:

quote:

Originally posted by hungryhalibut:
Would the average European be able to correctly identify, say, American states?

Oh come on, anyone with any kind of brain and a half way decent education should know that Budapest is the capital of Hungary. That bird's damn stupid, but, you know, I'm sure she makes up for it in other ways.

EW

Do you really think so? At the risk of insulting our Hungarian friends I'd ask why on earth you'd expect your typical small town American to know anything whatsoever about Hungary. The US is such a massive place it's a big enough job to keep up with American geography never mind know the capital city of every other minor country.

I agree she seems pretty dim but not just because she didn't know that Budapest is the capital of Hungary.

Is France a country?

quote:

Originally posted by Deane F:
Is France a country?

And what was wrong with Old Zealand?

quote:

Originally posted by TomK:
The US is such a massive place it's a big enough job to keep up with American geography never mind know the capital city of every other minor country.

Nonetheless she'd heard of Turkey...! Like, you know, wow!

I'd still give her one though.

Me too.

quote:

Originally posted by Deane F:
Is France a country?

No, just a large tract of empty space that Hungarians have to cross before they reach the UK.

Chaps

I was once in a shopping Mall in San Diego and the shop assistant had never heard of Teneriffe.

Most Americans have a skimpy knowledge of what is outside the states. I once read a figure, that if you exclude servicemen, only 6% of Americans have actually been outside of the American continent.

Regards

Mick

I was asked for my previous address when I registered for my US Driver's Licence at the Californian DMV (the US equivalent of DVLC). The woman behind the desk then asked me where Scotland was. I invited her to guess and she said "British Columbia?" with a puzzled look on her face. I learned very quickly over there that Scotland was an even smaller country than I'd thought.

Continuing on the Scotland theme , when I went to School in the US at the age of 14 I was complimented on how 'remarkably fluent for a foreigner' my English was

Ian
PS this is all good fun, but we shouldn't be too smug about our own educational norms which are no great shakes either.

quote:

I was once in a shopping Mall in San Diego and the shop assistant had never heard of Teneriffe.

What do you mean to say Americans don't go on holiday there?

quote:

Originally posted by Ian G.:
Continuing on the Scotland theme , when I went to School in the US at the age of 14 I was complimented on how 'remarkably fluent for a foreigner' my English was

Ian
PS this is all good fun, but we shouldn't be too smug about our own educational norms which are no great shakes either.

You're right Ian. Check this out.
I've been asked many daft questions over there, such as "Do you have television?", "Do you have cars?", and "Do you have carpets?". A swarthy Irish friend was often complimented on his English, to which he would put on his best Manuel accent and reply "I learn it from a book".

quote:

PS this is all good fun, but we shouldn't be too smug about our own educational norms which are no great shakes either

How true - I expect most of us Brits could name a fair few American states but as for where they are on a map of USA? I'd be struggling beyond California, Texas & Florida.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:

quote:

I was once in a shopping Mall in San Diego and the shop assistant had never heard of Teneriffe.

What do you mean to say Americans don't go on holiday there?

Well, the Americans don't really have to leave their country to go on holiday - they have pretty much every climate/facility/destination under the sun.
When I was living in Denmark, I met a well-qualified engineer in the States, and he was convinced that Denmark was on the Mediterranean, and the Pope lives there.

But I could forgive that blonde - in fact, I'd forgive her anything

But I wouldn't use the verb 'nob'. Damn, that's torn it.

On a couple of occasions I have been asked by Americans what our native language is in England

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Chaps

I was once in a shopping Mall in San Diego and the shop assistant had never heard of Teneriffe.

Most Americans have a skimpy knowledge of what is outside the states. I once read a figure, that if you exclude servicemen, only 6% of Americans have actually been outside of the American continent.

Regards

Mick

While we're on the subject of questionable geographical knowledge, I'll point out that there's no such thing as "the American continent".

Jay

Ok ... what is it ?

Also I presume you are American, have you ever visited any other continent.

Regards

Mick

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:
Jay

Ok ... what is it ?

Also I presume you are American, have you ever visited any other continent.

Regards

Mick

Well, the seven continent system is what's taught in virtually all English-speaking countries (such as the one where you reside and were presumably educated). Under that system, there's a North American continent and a South American continent, the two of which together constitute what's loosely referred to as "the Americas". There's a site known as wikipedia that may be useful to you in the future for such questions.

I've been to all continents except Antarctica. Your point?

(BTW, I'm pretty sure there's no island called "Teneriffe", either.)

Jay

In the UK, we refer to it as America for the country and the American Continent for the whole lot.

BTW, one never uses Wikipedia without an element of risk.

You are obviously one of the 6% and good on you for that. I gather that this was not as a member of the armed services.

Regards

Mick