Where the hell have you been?

Forgive this being off-topic, but whille researching something online, I came across this old Michael Moore quote from a British newspaper:

From what I can tell, this 92% figure comes from Michael Moore's ignorance. Most sources online say that 88% of Americans don't have a passport - a figure I still find hard to believe.

Perhaps people living in a huge country have less a need to travel abroad. Perhaps America, having such a diversity of cultures & climates satisfies its own wunderlust, or maybe there are issues with national isolation.

I often find goods and services online are available ONLY in the US. Are us Gaijins too much of a hassle to deal with? Is this down to licensing or Federal regulations?

Just for the fun of it - and for no other reason than general interest, could you possibly spare a few moments for a quick survey?:

1.Do you own a passport?

2. Which US States have you visited?

3. Have you been to Canada? Mexico?

4. Which other countries have you visited?

5. Which countries do you plan visiting?

Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

The name of the Australian Prime Minister.
The title of the French National Anthem.
The name of the currency used in South Africa
The names of three Indian cities
Where in Jerusalem you'd find the Wailing Wall and the Al Asqa mosque
The name of the cult group that attacked the Tokyo subway system
The meaning of the British slang word "pikey"

Thanks for your time.

what the fuck is this? SG has tests now? If i fail am i still allowed to be a member?

It's not a test and I'm not SG staff anyway.

I just find it interesting.

I know most people here disagree with me. Some people here have voodoo dolls of me, but please try to suspend your hostility.

I'll play:
1. Yes
2. Places I've spent at least a couple of days: NY, VT, NH, OH, CT, NJ, RI, MA, PA, ME, IL, VA, FL, SC, GA, MO, UT, CO, CA and OR. I've passed through plenty more, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.
3. Canada, yes. Mexico, no.
4. Britain (England and Scotland, not Wales or elsewhere), Russia, Italy, Vietnam, China, and Costa Rica, and most recently Israel and Jordan.

i am the very model of a modern Major-General. i have information vegetable, animal, and mineral. i know the Kings of England and i quote the facts historical from Marathon to Waterloo in order categorical. i am very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical. i understand equations, both the simple and quadratical. about binomial theorem, i'm teeming with a lot o' news. with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse. with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse. with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse. with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotepotenuse. I'm very good at integral and differential calculus. I know the scientific names of beings animalculous. In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General

i know our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's. i answer hard acrostics, i've a pretty taste for paradox. i quote in elegiacs all the crimes of Heliogabalus. in conics i can floor peculiarities parabolous. i can tell undoubted Raphaels from Gerard Dows and Zoffanies. i know the croaking chorus from the Frogs of Aristophanes. then i can hum a fugue of which i've heard the music's din afore. and whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense pinafore. and whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense pinafore. and whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense pinafore. and whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense pinapinafore. then i can write a washing bill in Babylonic cuneiform. and tell you ev'ry detail of Caractacus's uniform. in short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, i am the very model of a modern Major-General.

in fact, when i know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin", when i can tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a javelin, when such affairs as sorties and surprises i'm more wary at, and when i know precisely what is meant by "commissariat", when i have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery, when i know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery. in short, when i've a smattering of elemental strategy, you'll say a better Major-General had never sat a gee. you'll say a better Major-General had never sat a gee. you'll say a better Major-General had never sat a gee. you'll say a better Major-General had never sat a sat a gee. for my military knowledge, though i'm plucky and adventury, has only been brought down to the beginning of the century. but still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, i am the very model of a modern Major-General.

in short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, i am the very model of a modern Major-General.

I'm a bit provincial, but I do find that visiting other regions is a bit like visiting different countries. There are tremendous cultural differences between let's say rural South Carolina, Vermont, and Oregon. We all speak the same language and pay the same federal taxes, but we eat different food, listen to different music, use different colloquialisms, have different economies, etc. etc. Even though we speak different languages (at least some of the time), I think my area has a lot more in common with Quebec then it does with LA. Hell, I think we have more in common with Edinburgh. So, if wanderlust is simply the desire to experience what is different from what we are used to, then yeah, I don't think you ever really need to leave the U.S. to satisfy it.

I like to think of myself as cosmopolitan and receptive to most cultures.
I do, however, draw the line at operetta.

The word "ignorant" carries a stigma, however it is not analogous to stupidity.

It just means that one has yet to acquire knowledge about something.

I am ignorant of the capital of Vermont.

I appreciate you taking part.

I should do this myself.

1.Do you own a passport? Yes

2. Which US States have you visited? IN, IL, DC, VA, MD, NY, AZ, CA

3. Have you been to Canada? Mexico? no & no

4. Which other countries have you visited? France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, USA, Japan, Israel

5. Which countries do you plan visiting? US (in a few weeks)

Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

The name of the Australian Prime Minister.
no
The title of the French National Anthem.
yes - but I can't spell it
The name of the currency used in South Africa.
yes
The names of three Indian cities
just about
Where in Jerusalem you'd find the Wailing Wall and the Al Asqa mosque
only the English word for it
The name of the cult group that attacked the Tokyo subway system
yes
The meaning of the British slang word "pikey"
all too well

No, I know. What I meant was, I consider myself a generally well-informed guy. There are places in the world that I know absolutely nothing about, sure. The continent of Africa for instance. But at the same time I can tell you the history of the Han Dynasty, locate Bhutan on a map, and give you a pretty detailed picture of what life in a post-Soviet Russian village is like. I know I'm not stupid. I just don't accept the notion that I (or anyone else) is ignorant simply because it's possible to stump them with very specific questions about places they have nothing to do with. Of course I am ignorant of many things, but I wouldn't call myself an ignorant person. (who would, I suppose?) What I disagree with is the premise of the following video, even though it's pretty funny and there's an awful lot of ignorance going on:

isn't Burlington the capital of Vermont? hehe

1. passport- yes
2. US states visited- NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, DE, VI, NC, MA, FL, TX
3. Canada- yes, Mexico, no
4. other countries visited- Ireland, England, Turkey
5. countries plan on visiting- Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Jamaica, Egypt, Greece, Germany, Mexico, Japan, China, Thailand, and many more... (mind you, these are places I'd like to go... at the moment I can barely afford to go upstate)

Unfortunately, I am ignorant of the answers to the rest of your questions. the only city i can think of in India for some reason is Calcutta. But i know the capitals of places like Turkey, and Thailand. That's gotta count for something. and i know what "minge" means! haha

1. Passport- yes

2. US states visited-Abso-fucking-lutely all of them

3. Canada- yes countless times, Mexico, yes, 13? times

4. Other countries visited - England/Ireland/Scotland/France/Spain/Austria/Italy/Switzerland/Monaco/Andorra/Vatican/
Hungary/Romania/Guatemala/Belize/Morocco/Bonaire/Venezuela/Cayman

5. Countries plan on visiting- All of em'
Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

6. The name of the Australian Prime Minister.
Yes, conservative ass

7. The title of the French National Anthem.
Yes

8. The name of the currency used in South Africa.
Yes, there is a corporation (semi-evil) in the us that uses the same name

9. The names of three Indian cities
Yes

10. Where in Jerusalem you'd find the Wailing Wall and the Al Asqa mosque
Yes

11. The name of the cult group that attacked the Tokyo subway system
Yes, but I can't spell it's anglicized version

12. The meaning of the British slang word "pikey"
No, ya tosser

My parents are given all credit for my wanderlust and knowledge of the world. I had been to the lower 48 by the time I was 10.

Damn, that was arrogant.

1.Do you own a passport?
Yes.

2. Which US States have you visited?
Lived in Maryland, and now Louisiana. I've been to Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Arizona, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Florida... I think that's it. There are several more that I'd like to visit, particularly Washington and Oregon, but I am lacking in funds at the moment.

3. Have you been to Canada? Mexico?
I've been on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. I'd very much like to make an extensive tour of Canada, but again my funds are lacking. I've not been to Mexico, my parents, my brother and my sister all have, multiple times. I don't really have any desire to visit there because it's too bloody hot for my tastes.

4. Which other countries have you visited?
England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Isle of Man, France, Germany, and Spain. I almost went to Russia, but the person I was planning on visiting died.

5. Which countries do you plan visiting?
Norway, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, Japan, Canada.

Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

The name of the Australian Prime Minister.
No.

The title of the French National Anthem.
No.

The name of the currency used in South Africa
No.

The names of three Indian cities
New Delhi
Bombay
Calcutta

Where in Jerusalem you'd find the Wailing Wall and the Al Asqa mosque
No.

The name of the cult group that attacked the Tokyo subway system
At the time that it happened I probably did. It's been more than ten years, hasn't it? I believe it translates as 'The Shining Path' or something like that. I should also note that I majored in Japanese language and culture at college, and there wasn't much (if any) discussion of this, so I don't think this question is a really fair. Like I said, it happened so long ago that I don't think many people, US citizens or otherwise would be likely to remember the information.

The meaning of the British slang word "pikey"
No. I am curious though. I consider myself an Angliophile, and fairly well-versed in British vernacular, but I've never heard that one.

I'd travel a lot too if I had government provided health care and higher education.

South African currency is called Wal-Marts?

No wait... Haliburtons?

...

Oh wait, you said semi evil.

+1

OK, I'll play.

1.Do you own a passport? Yes, just got my first one

2. Which US States have you visited? From north to south: ME, VT, NH, MA, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, AZ, NV.

3. Have you been to Canada? Mexico? Canada, yes, Toronto, Niagra-on-the-Lake, Montreal. Mexico, not yet.

4. Which other countries have you visited? None yet.

5. Which countries do you plan visiting? Costa Rica, Jamaica, Ecuador, GB, RU, and as many EU countries as I can. Oh, and Japan.

Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

The name of the Australian Prime Minister: Howard?
The title of the French National Anthem: Nope.
The name of the currency used in South Africa: Probably not kruggerands.
The names of three Indian cities: Mumbai, New Delhi, Bhopal
Where in Jerusalem you'd find the Wailing Wall and the Al Asqa mosque: Nope
The name of the cult group that attacked the Tokyo subway system: I used to know this
The meaning of the British slang word "pikey": Nope

I'll play

1.Do you own a passport?
Yes


2. Which US States have you visited?
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, Florida, California, Washington

3. Have you been to Canada? Mexico?
Mexico

4. Which other countries have you visited?
No

5. Which countries do you plan visiting?
Canada, Ireland, The UK

Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

The name of the Australian Prime Minister.
No

The title of the French National Anthem.
No

The name of the currency used in South Africa
No

The names of three Indian cities
Delhi..uh...NEW Delhi...and....no

Where in Jerusalem you'd find the Wailing Wall and the Al Asqa mosque
I don't know

The name of the cult group that attacked the Tokyo subway system
I don't know

The meaning of the British slang word "pikey"
I'm pretty sure it's along the lines of a gypsy, or other type of rural drifter.

1 yes
2 Most of the continental US
3 Yes, both Mexico and Canada
4 Spain, England
5 All of them

I know all the other answers except for your silly slang.

1.Do you own a passport? - Yes

2. Which US States have you visited? - All except AK, CA, HI

3. Have you been to Canada? Mexico? Yes (not often enough) and no respectively

4. Which other countries have you visited? - Dominican Republic often

5. Which countries do you plan visiting? - Italy & France for the wife while I want Tunisia & Morocco and we both want Spain, Argentina, Chile, and a few Caribbean islands

Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

why do you care if Americans understand the meaning of the word Pikey ?

alright. If i fail this test, i better still have a membership.

1. Yes. It's out of date, if i actually need to travel out of the country i am pretty sure i would have to have it updated.

2. 48 out of 50. I have not been to Alaska or Hawaii. (I have been "through" a lot of states, not necessarily staying for any length of time.)

3. Canada? Yes Mexico? Yes

4. Other Countries visited? no

5. Other countries i want to visit? If i had an unlimited travel budget, i would be all over Europe, japan, Africa, pretty much any country i have read about. Mostly just to further educate myself.

I don't know any of the answers you asked off the top of my head. If i wanted to fake it, it would take me approximately 7 minutes to find all the answers via google. I know i have read about them numerous times, i have just never put them to memory. This is going to sound extremely selfish, but beyond answering them in a quiz, i really have no use for them otherwise in my daily life.

Intelligence and Ignorance are relative. Being well versed on world politics and world news might interest some people. I don't find it very interesting because anymore the media seems to only report the "bad" things other governments, or the horrible terror related news. (Austria is the perfect example, i am assuming that something besides a man trapping his daughter in his basement for all her life and repeatedly raping her have happened there but we'll never hear about it). If i were to believe only what i heard from our media sources, i would never want to leave the country. I live in my tiny little bubble because it keeps me sane. A person like Michael Moore could probably skool me on things like world politics, that's what he takes interest in. I could probably skool Michael Moore on things like electronics that's what i take interest in.

So basically while some people have a high-intelligence in certain things, they may have little or no knowledge of other things. It doesn't make them ignorant, it just makes them not knowledgeable of that subject.

1.Passport? Yeah
2. Texas, California, Wisconsin, Nevada, Florida, Colorado, Utah, Arizona
3. Canada? No--- Mexico, went driving down there briefly
4. France, Italy, England, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Japan
5. Ireland, Scotland, China, and Egypt. Some places above I want to revist.

1.Do you own a passport? Yes.

2. Which US States have you visited? Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Florida, Wyoming, Georgia, Maryland, Colorado, DC, Virginia, California, Utah. I think that's it. I'll have Nevada in a few weeks.

3. Have you been to Canada? Mexico? Canada, yes, technically; I canoed across a lake at the top of Minnesota and got out on the Canadian side, then canoed back. Never been to Mexico.

4. Which other countries have you visited? Guatemala, the Netherlands, Spain, the Dominican Republic.

5. Which countries do you plan visiting? Ireland. Spain again, but different parts this time.

Also - would you know the following information off the top of your head?

The name of the Australian Prime Minister: Yes, I believe.

The title of the French National Anthem: No.
The name of the currency used in South Africa: No.
The names of three Indian cities: Yes. And I knew them before EVERYONE POSTED THEIR ANSWERS IN THIS THREAD.

Where in Jerusalem you'd find the Wailing Wall and the Al Asqa mosque: I think so.

The name of the cult group that attacked the Tokyo subway system: No.
The meaning of the British slang word "pikey": I never have any idea what the hell you Brits are saying. Of course I don't know this.

the quiz answers (and thanks to all who participated)

1. Kevin Rudd
2. La Marseillaise
3. The Rand
4. Most people got Delhi, Calcutta and Bombay / Mumbai
5. Temple Mount
6. Aum Shinrikyo (which translated roughly as "Universe Faith Teachings")
7. A Pikey is a gypsy, but the word is more broadly applied to British urban / suburban rednecks.