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>> MSNBC.com >> >>Young Americans shaky on geographic smarts >>Study finds that many fare poorly at finding Louisiana >>and Iraq on a map >> >>The Associated Press >>Updated: 10:52 a.m. ET May 2, 2006 >> >> >>WASHINGTON - Despite the wall-to-wall coverage of the >>damage from Hurricane Katrina, nearly one-third of >>young Americans recently polled couldn’t locate >>Louisiana on a map and nearly half were unable to >>identify Mississippi. >> >>Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 fared even >>worse with foreign locations: six in 10 couldn’t find >>Iraq, according to a Roper poll conducted for National >>Geographic. >> >>“Geographic illiteracy impacts our economic >>well-being, our relationships with other nations and >>the environment, and isolates us from the world,” >>National Geographic president John Fahey said in >>announcing a program to help remedy the problem. It’s >>hoping to enlist businesses, nonprofit groups and >>educators in a bid to improve geographic literacy. >> >>Planned is a five-year, multimedia campaign called My >>Wonderful World that will target children 8 to 17. The >>goal is to motivate parents and educators to expand >>geographic offerings in school, at home and in their >>communities. >> >>They will have their task cut out for them, judging by >>the results of the survey of 510 people interviewed in >>December and January. >> >>Among the findings: >> >>One-third of respondents couldn’t pinpoint Louisiana >>on a map and 48 percent were unable to locate >>Mississippi. >>Fewer than three in 10 think it important to know the >>locations of countries in the news and just 14 percent >>believe speaking another language is a necessary >skill. >>Two-thirds didn’t know that the earthquake that killed >>70,000 people in October 2005 occurred in Pakistan. >>Six in 10 could not find Iraq on a map of the Middle >>East. >>While the outsourcing of jobs to India has been a >>major U.S. business story, 47 percent could not find >>the Indian subcontinent on a map of Asia. >>While Israeli-Palestinian strife has been in the news >>for the entire lives of the respondents, 75 percent >>were unable to locate Israel on a map of the Middle >>East. >>Nearly three-quarters incorrectly named English as the >>most widely spoken native language. >>Six in 10 did not know the border between North and >>South Korea is the most heavily fortified in the >>world. Thirty percent thought the most heavily >>fortified border was between the United States and >>Mexico. >> >>Joining in the effort to improve geographic knowledge >>will be the 4-H, American Federation of Teachers, Asia >>Society, Association of American Geographers, National >>Basketball Association, National Council of La Raza, >>National PTA, Smithsonian Institution and others. >> >>“Geography exposes children and adults to diverse >>cultures, different ideas and the exchange of >>knowledge from around the world,” said Anna Marie >>Weselak, president of the National PTA. “This campaign >>will help make sure our children get their geography — >>so they can become familiar with other cultures during >>their school years and move comfortably and >>confidently in a global economy as adults.” >> >> >> >>from the Brassman...Okay kids back to AHOLE >>TV...Survivor, Idol etc.... >> >>WE DERSERVE THE CRAPPY GOVERNMENT AND STATE OF AFFAIRS >>WE HAVE IF WE CAN'T FIND KANSAS ON A MAP!!!!!!!!!
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