The stupid question of the day award...

[Forevryoung]

Goes tooooooo the girl who asked:

Is Mexico part of the United States????

Now, before someone asks if this was an elementary or middle school geography class I will let everyone know that this was in an Upper Level Finance class (all Juniors and Seniors) in a high ranking university. We were going over tax laws and after some of us stopped snickering, the Professor reminded us that Canada AND Mexico are NOT part of the U.S. but Alaska, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are. When did that happen?

 

[SetzKitten]

I used to live in New Mexico and it's amazing how many people think it isn't a state. One CM I spoke to when I was making reservations thought Canada was the 50th state.

 

[Viking]

... NOT part of the U.S. but Alaska, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are. When did that happen?

Sorry, but only a part of the Virgins belongs to the USA, there's also the B.V.I. - the BRITISH Virgin Islands.

 

[NMAmy]

I used to live in New Mexico and it's amazing how many people think it isn't a state. One CM I spoke to when I was making reservations thought Canada was the 50th state.

I lived in Farmington, Setzkitten, for many years. I worked for a bank that took over a portfolio of loans from all around the country and I would get questions like, "Do I have to pay my bill in pesos?" and one snippy woman told me, "Well, I don't know how you do things in YOUR country, but in the U.S. we do it this way." I also used to have problems when ordering things and the customer service reps would tell me that it cost extra to deliver to a foreign country.

 

[Art Vandalay]

Sorry, but only a part of the Virgins belongs to the USA, there's also the B.V.I. - the BRITISH Virgin Islands.

I would note that the British don't seem too clear on that either. A boss of mine in London once thought I was trying to take his islands by suggesting there were US and British Virgin Islands

 

[eyeoreismyhero]

From the number of illegal immigrants in our town you'd think Mexico was part of the US!

 

[LadyyRedd]

A guy I work with didn't realize that Canada and Mexico border the US until college because every time he ever saw a map of the US, it was JUST the US on the map.

Kimya

 

[LisaNJ25]

From the number of illegal immigrants in our town you'd think Mexico was part of the US!

Same here.... is it easier to get a licence in NC? They all seem to have plates from there.

 

[S. C.]

Goes tooooooo the girl who asked:

Is Mexico part of the United States????

Now, before someone asks if this was an elementary or middle school geography class I will let everyone know that this was in an Upper Level Finance class (all Juniors and Seniors) in a high ranking university. We were going over tax laws and after some of us stopped snickering, the Professor reminded us that Canada AND Mexico are NOT part of the U.S. but Alaska, Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are. When did that happen?

 

[SeattleRedBear]

I lived in Farmington, Setzkitten, for many years. I worked for a bank that took over a portfolio of loans from all around the country and I would get questions like, "Do I have to pay my bill in pesos?" and one snippy woman told me, "Well, I don't know how you do things in YOUR country, but in the U.S. we do it this way." I also used to have problems when ordering things and the customer service reps would tell me that it cost extra to deliver to a foreign country.

I'm so pathetic! When I read this, my first thought is "Where's Setzkitten?" I know it's not a state but what does it have to do with pesos? Is it a territory somehwere south??

 

[doxdogy]

Don't feel so pathetic! That was my first thought too.

I'm so pathetic! When I read this, my first thought is "Where's Setzkitten?" I know it's not a state but what does it have to do with pesos? Is it a territory somehwere south??

 

[SeattleRedBear]

Don't feel so pathetic! That was my first thought too.

Oh, good. I'm glad I'm not the only one!

 

[Caropooh]

Don't feel so pathetic! That was my first thought too.

Add me to that group!

I had a woman in my training class for the airlines once, that thought Mexico was also part of the US! She was in her early 50's, lived here all her life and had even worked as a flight attendent when she was younger. We all did our best not to snicker when she asked that!

 

[MouseWorshipin]

I don't know. I heard this one today:

"What is Adolf Hitler?"


This from the same girl who said:

"Isn't Cleveland in Chicago?"

"Where is China?" (looking at a map of the United States - yup, she thought it was a state!)
"There are many African-Americans in Africa."

 

[Disney Gator]

I know public schools are bad, but I can't understand how people don't know these things. What makes the situation worse is that teachers in public schools who are supposed to be teaching these things don't know it themselves. I think people who are going to be teaching geography, history, etc. need to actually major in these subjects in college instead of "education". Chances are the teacher who teaches geography or history to your kids only took one or two survey courses on the subject in college. Scary.

 

[Tazicket]

My Dad is a CSR for a finance company and actually had someone ask him if the banks would be closed in England for the Fourth of July..... He just told them probably not, since the Brits might still be a little touchy over that whole war for independence thing...

 

[HaleyB]

My Dad is a CSR for a finance company and actually had someone ask him if the banks would be closed in England for the Fourth of July..... He just told them probably not, since the Brits might still be a little touchy over that whole war for independence thing...

 

[HaleyB]

I have to admit, that when I moved to Canada the expression "South of the border" went right over my head. I thought it was strange people were talking about Mexico so much,

 

[SeattleRedBear]

I have to admit, that when I moved to Canada the expression "South of the border" went right over my head. I thought it was strange people were talking about Mexico so much,

Oh, you mean the Pacific Northwest!

 

[NMAmy]

I'm so pathetic! When I read this, my first thought is "Where's Setzkitten?" I know it's not a state but what does it have to do with pesos? Is it a territory somehwere south??

Oh, no, it was just me typing too quickly. Setzkitten was the poster that I quoted. I was talking directly to that person. She/he lived in New Mexico and I should have said--Setzkitten, I lived in Farmington. When I put the name after the city I lived in, that's what got confusing!

Sorry about that. I lived in New Mexico and people thought it was not part of the United States.