20 Questions Tuesday: 142 - Geography

First off let me apologize about not posting yesterday. The 2 ½ of you who read my blog were probably wondering, “Hey, what up wit dat?” Okay I think you should stop speaking in slang in your head. No good can come of that. Anyway… we had a bad baby last night who did not want to go to sleep. Cut to SRH rocking a baby from 11 to 12:30 after Wifey gave it go earlier. Bad baby.

Secondly, let’s get the ball rolling for this week’s 20 Questions Tuesday topic, Geography. Thanks this week go to Popo, ACW, Belsum, John P, and Some Other Guy.

On to the Questions:
1. Why when I tell people that I graduated with degree in geography do they assume I will be the ultimate trivia team mate and think I know where EVERYTHING is? AND know all the countries/states/capitals/physical features/etc…? It is ANNOYING!
I think people don’t realize that there is more to the study of geography than the memorization of places, because that is what they studied in there intro geography classes. For those of you wondering geography is the study of how memorized places interact with each other.

2. Why do they always give me an almost disgusted face when I tell them that I don’t know any of that? It is kind of like twisting that knife in my back… just to make sure they make me feel even more stupid for getting the degree in it?
I think that face is because they know they wasted a trivia spot on you. Really, it is all because you are letting them down in a crucial moment... You disgust me

3. Should I have majored in business instead?
Probably

4. Why GEO-graphy and not TERRA-graphy?
Terra sounds too much like “terror” and no one wants to study Terrorgraphy… Honestly, I am not sure why geo got the nod over terra except (if I had to hazard a guess) “geo-“ means “earth” as in “landmass” and “terra-“ means “earth” as in “dirt.”

5. Early maps were all honked up – why didn’t they use LANDSAT to get them right?
Good use of the technical term “Honked.” The first of the LANDSAT series of satellites was not launched until 1972. If you know of an egregious map foul committed post 1972, you have a case.

6. Did you ever study the map Long John Silver’s had on their walls when waiting to order? Pretty cool maps BTW
You had to wait in line at Long John Silvers? I have never had to do that in my life.

7. What is your favorite region, one you would go back to first if you had the chance?
I love the Rocky Mountains. Any chance I get to go there is a good thing.

8. How did the conversation go when it was first theorized that Appalachia was the same mountain range as he Scottish Highlands?
Look there are Hill-jacks in West Virginia and in Scotland… I think they may be related. You can hear both the hill-jack twang and a Scottish burr saying, “Are you chewing on rocks or fighting with me. Either way you’re losing teeth.”

9. Who named Pangaea and what other names were in the running that didn’t make the cut?
One person did not come up with the term “Pangaea.” That is clearly the result of group think at its finest. Other names in the running were Omniterrus, Geouniversus, and Englebert Humperdink. Let's be clear though, this is more of a geology question than a geography question.

10. Why are “whiteys” called “Caucasians?” I’m not Asian or Russian
Because of the fairer skin of the barbarous tribes found north of the Mediterranean Sea and west of the Caucus Mountains. Personally I am found of Caucazoidal.

11. For that matter, why does Europe get to be a continent when clearly it is part of Asia?
Because Europeans first made the list of continents and if there is one thing the Euros can do it is be self-important. Let's be clear though, we do that better. If the US were around when continents were being named there wouldn't be any of this North America/South America crap, it would be America, and then numbers for the other continents.

12. The Vikings and the Chinese came to North America long before the Spanish and the Italians did. Why didn’t they stay?
The Vikings tried but those damn Screelings pushed them off of Newfoundland. I am not sure what was up with the Chinese. I guess at the time they were not feeling very expansionist.

13. What is the weirdest geographic name/location you have ever visited?
Shortest city name in the US: Op, Alabama.

14. What are your GPS Coordinates right now?
I am only giving details to the minute… I am afraid of missiles. 40° 01’ N, 83° 00’ W

15. What are my GPS Coorinates right now? If you answer correctly I am adding an extra layer of Reynold’s Wrap!!
I am guessing that you are at 45° 47’ N, 108° 30’ at the moment. I could dial it in a bit closer than that, but I am sure you are afraid of missiles as well.

16. Shouldn’t the government run a “cash for clunker” globe program? I have some seriously out-dated orbs collecting dust.
They would run out of money for that program too. And what would the government want to do with all those globes with Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Burma, and Zaire?

17. Can Little Man point out the great state of Ohio on a map? With parents like you, I would imagine he is quite the worldly fellow.
He can usually pick out Ohio.

18. What the hell is geo-caching?
Orienteering without the difficulty.

19. How many states have you been to?
33

20. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
I am going to need some clues, but my bet is Paris, France.


To Recap:
I have been using the word “carapace” a bunch lately
As in: What is that on Q’s chin?
It appears to be half a bug carapace.
Still no job prospects
I am hungry
Little Man named tonight’s dinner “I Like That”
Wifey thinks that name is quite appropriate
Listening to the dulcet tones of me typing on Wifey’s dying laptop while she is typing on her new MacBook and Q is lightly snoring
Ah Tuesday nights…