Alaska part of Canada
November 15, 2003 7:19 AM   Subscribe

While you were sleeping: Alaska became part of Canada, and Vancouver Island sunk into the ocean. This according to the lobby floor of the CBC building. It may be time for those guys - and all of us - to reexamine our geographic literacy.
posted by PrinceValium (19 comments total)
 
To quote the article, the map is "not representative of Canada, per se."
posted by crazy finger at 7:40 AM on November 15, 2003


Some of the results from the geographic literacy survey are pretty amazing, like 1 in 5 people being albe to locate Sweden. Also, why aren't each of the self-locations 100%? There is usually only one option on the right continent...
posted by copmuter at 8:05 AM on November 15, 2003


It's not a map - it's art, y'see. And they're not going to change it: "You wouldn't go back to Picasso and say add another nose over here on this piece."
posted by Guy Smiley at 8:16 AM on November 15, 2003


But without an accurate lobby map, how can I sail around the Horn and bring back untold riches from the Orient?

Movie directors screw up physics, floor designers screw up geography: it's all part of humanity's death-spiral into the idiot-savantism of over-specialization.
posted by cardboard at 8:41 AM on November 15, 2003


Alaska became part of Canada, and Vancouver Island sunk into the ocean.

Rather, Vancouver Island became Vancouver Peninsula and the Queen Charlottes sank into the ocean.
posted by teg at 9:08 AM on November 15, 2003


Re. the National Geographic survey, it was interesting that countries could score less than 20% for the multiple choice questions, which would be the random outcome. (e.g. I think 16% of US students knew were Sweden was). Which must mean not only that they can not identify Sweden, but that they must really think it's somewhere else.

it's all part of humanity's death-spiral into the idiot-savantism of over-specialization.

Or, of thinking you're specialised, when you're not.
posted by carter at 9:10 AM on November 15, 2003


But without an accurate lobby map, how can I sail around the Horn
and bring back untold riches from the Orient?


That's easy. Head for Guanahani before it becomes Watling Island.
Before you turn home, rename the spot San Salvador.

Your friends will be so impressed with you, they'll forget all about China.
posted by Smart Dalek at 9:13 AM on November 15, 2003


Also, why aren't each of the self-locations 100%? There is usually only one option on the right continent...

Because I suspect that as much as anything else, what you're seeing is not just a measure of understanding of geography, but of geography, literacy and apathy. It seems rather more likely that 11% of Americans deliberately failed to answer that question or couldn't understand it than that 11% of Americans don't know where the United States is.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:29 AM on November 15, 2003


I think this clearly shows Canada's nefarious plans for invading and annexing Alaska, no doubt for it's sweet, sweet oil.
posted by moonbiter at 9:36 AM on November 15, 2003


You mean Canada is NOT part of the United States? That will be news to a lot of folks down here....
posted by Durwood at 9:39 AM on November 15, 2003


Some of the identifications I was only able to get because they didn't clump the possible answers together geographically. I knew roughly where Sweden is, but which is Sweden and which is Norway I still couldn't tell you. I know roughly where Afganistan is and that it's landlocked. I'm lucky that, while I wasn't sure where in South America Argentina was, I knew it wasn't Brazil. The only question I know I got wrong was the one about which religion had the most followers world-wide. I figured Christianity at second or third, with either Buddhism or Islam in the top spot. A silly error in rhetrospect.

Anyway, let's hear it for The CIA World Factbook!
posted by wobh at 9:59 AM on November 15, 2003


"rhetrospect"?!?!
posted by wobh at 10:07 AM on November 15, 2003


I can't wait to go all neo-Church Lady "Well, aren't you specialized."

I think this clearly shows Canada's nefarious plans for invading and annexing Alaska, no doubt for it's sweet, sweet oil.

There is no need to annex Alaska. The fuel will come right to us via the pipeline.

Gov. Frank Murkowski and the state's congressional delegation are pushing to win congressional support for federal tax incentives to encourage construction of a $20 billion gas pipeline into Canada. It's a smart move, van Meurs said.

Remember, you are either with us or you control an oil reserver or pipeline or you are against us!

I think the reason many americans can't find sweden is because their primary exposure to swedes is the bikini team.
posted by srboisvert at 10:54 AM on November 15, 2003


For those of us far too broke to travel, why should we care where Sweden is? :)
posted by LouReedsSon at 12:34 PM on November 15, 2003


Swedish. Bikini. Team.
Any other questions?
posted by elwoodwiles at 1:03 PM on November 15, 2003


If it's not worth doing right, it's not worth doing at all. Would it kill someone to take the 3 minutes to open an atlas and at least give a real map something more than a cursory glance? This isn't a work of art, it's a work of fiction.

Also, I am all for invading Alaska. We're planning to utilize the RCAF Snowbirds with their remarkable and entertaining flying stunts to impress and distract the locals while we send in the beavers.
posted by antifreez_ at 4:05 PM on November 15, 2003


Might as well give Alaska to Canada... and give Hawaii back to the Hawaiians. I mean, 90 percent of infographic maps supposedly representing the United States snubs 'em. (Sea to shining sea indeed.)
posted by pzarquon at 8:55 PM on November 15, 2003


A great excuse for a fuck up Mr. Art Tallis, Morguard Corporation's general manager for Ottawa. Call it art. That's Canadian art, damnit!

I wanna see the receipt from the "artist". WoooHa! Maybe it's a subsidiary of Morguard Corporation? My bet is it's his son or daughter. I call 6 degrees!
posted by alicesshoe at 7:41 AM on November 16, 2003


Note that there is nothing the CBC can do about this short of threatening to break their lease (and maybe broadcast what ignorant fools the owners are). They just rent 4 floors of the building and do not control the lobby.
posted by Mitheral at 12:47 PM on November 17, 2003


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