Originally posted by NemesioWhat should gas cost per gallon? I just paid 2.88. Are they gouging us 10 cent? 1 dollar? I can not find anywhere how much they are over charging. I pay 38.4 cents in tax, so figure 2.50/gal.
No, gas companies gouged the hell out of a tragic situation.
They're still gouging! They've had record profits in all the quarters following the inception of this
absurd war.
Nemesio
Surely someone must know, because everyone I talk to complains about being gouged at the pumps.
Originally posted by NemesioIt's a symptom of a lack of interest in the world around them and general ignorance.
Look, I'm a big supporter of a broad education, but seriously, how
important do you think it is for the rank-and-file pencil pusher to know
where Iraq is? If you live in Oregon, why should you care where Louisiana
is?
Why does geographic illiteracy impact the economic well-being of a
guy who repairs vacuum cleaners or who drives a bus or restocks t ...[text shortened]... except
if they value being a well-informed individual (which most people don't).
Nemesio
Interesting that many Americans spout that their country is the best in the world when they don't seem to know a lot about other countries.
Being a participant in a democracy makes geographic knowledge important, fair enough, knowing how long the nile is may not be that important, but knowing the rough geographic locations of countries, i.e., who Iraqs neighbours are, is Somalia anywhere near Zimbabwe etc. Having a knowledge of these things to hand (without having to whip out an atlas) allows the everyday individual to make judgement calls.
Economic ones too...
"Ok, Pakistan just had an earthquake, I'm just some guy who repairs computers, India is near Pakistan, will this affect the cost of my parts? "
One may not know the answer to the last question, but it's a pertinent one, and it never would have been asked if he hadn't known the geography.
Examples like this could easily be found for a lot of ordinary everyday situations. a basic knowledge of ones surroundings is important for both political and economic purposes. A pencil pushing bureaucrat should be worried about where he's going on holidays, where his retiremant fund is being invested and what events may affect that. It also doesn't take up that many neurons to have just a rough idea, I'm not suggesting detailed knowledge of every global capital.
if pluto's not a planet, then europe's not a continent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent
"The division of the landmass of Eurasia into the separate continents of Asia and Europe is an anomaly with no basis in physical geography. The separation is maintained for historical and cultural reasons. An alternative view is that Eurasia is a single continent, one of six continents in total. This view is held by some geographers and is preferred in Russia (which spans Asia and Europe).
"
Originally posted by zeeblebotFair enough, but does that affect the importance of knowing where the Ural mountains are? The 'cultural' border of the continent of Europe? Or where the heck is afghanistan, or Pakistan, what's this Kashmir place people keep talking about, etc. All of these are important things to know. Even here, without a basic knowledge of geography or at least he importance of it, you couldn't have posted that defending your point of view, a very important thing to be able to do no matter what your role in life.
if pluto's not a planet, then europe's not a continent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continent
"The division of the landmass of Eurasia into the separate continents of Asia and Europe is an anomaly with no basis in physical geography. The separation is maintained for historical and cultural reasons. An alternative view is that Eurasia is a single con ...[text shortened]... w is held by some geographers and is preferred in Russia (which spans Asia and Europe).
"
Originally posted by agryson??? as places to avoid? (except for the urals.)
Fair enough, but does that affect the importance of knowing where the Ural mountains are? The 'cultural' border of the continent of Europe? Or where the heck is afghanistan, or Pakistan, what's this Kashmir place people keep talking about, etc. All of these are important things to know. Even here, without a basic knowledge of geography or at least he importa ...[text shortened]... our point of view, a very important thing to be able to do no matter what your role in life.
Originally posted by Nemesiothere is nothing great about being an underachiever. you're saying that if people enjoy not knowing, it is ok. well it is not ok. it is not ok to walk into a room full of people talking and instantly feel dumb. you will say that information does not make a person smart. well, no, it doesn't, but what smart person would be content to be an ignorant rock?
Look, I'm a big supporter of a broad education, but seriously, how
important do you think it is for the rank-and-file pencil pusher to know
where Iraq is? If you live in Oregon, why should you care where Louisiana
is?
Why does geographic illiteracy impact the economic well-being of a
guy who repairs vacuum cleaners or who drives a bus or restocks t ...[text shortened]... except
if they value being a well-informed individual (which most people don't).
Nemesio
so you see, smart people are also educated. a savage hunting with spears in the amazonian jungle with an iq of 160 isn't of much use(except to the comunity he serves)
we are not drones designed to perform a specific task, we are sentient beings striving for knowledge. we go to work because we have to but that doesn't mean that it is ok that in our spare time we watch wrestling or soaps on tv instead of reading a freakin book and get some education
Originally posted by Zahlanzibut how far do you take it..? when is a lack of knowledge in a subject considered by you to be ignorant....? for example, can you name all of shakespeare's plays; could you recognise all nine of beethoven's symphonies..? could you name me three renaissance artists..? if not, this could be considered ignorance by a lot of people
there is nothing great about being an underachiever. you're saying that if people enjoy not knowing, it is ok. well it is not ok. it is not ok to walk into a room full of people talking and instantly feel dumb. you will say that information does not make a person smart. well, no, it doesn't, but what smart person would be content to be an ignorant rock?
...[text shortened]... e we watch wrestling or soaps on tv instead of reading a freakin book and get some education
Originally posted by agrysoni'm wavering. i like geography and travel, but as hobbies. most people have not need for them. if they every need to know, they can study up.
Fair enough, but does that affect the importance of knowing where the Ural mountains are? The 'cultural' border of the continent of Europe? Or where the heck is afghanistan, or Pakistan, what's this Kashmir place people keep talking about, etc. All of these are important things to know. Even here, without a basic knowledge of geography or at least he importa ...[text shortened]... our point of view, a very important thing to be able to do no matter what your role in life.
much or even most of the time spent is school could considered to be wasted, if the students do not use the knowledge after school. the percentage of world population that will never cross the Urals has got to be in the high 90's.
maybe this is a contributing cause to the creation of the underclass.
Originally posted by mrstabbyWe're talking about kids. What are people that age thinking about? Drinking, getting a job, moving out, discovering being an adult isn't what they thought it would be, finding out banks prefer you to have money before you write checks, landlords want to be paid regularly, cooking for yourself is more work than dorm food or mom's, etc. Ask them in sixth grade, when they learn those things for the first time. They can tell you where those places are, but 6-10 years later those brain cells have been sublet for other information.
It's a symptom of a lack of interest in the world around them and general ignorance.
Interesting that many Americans spout that their country is the best in the world when they don't seem to know a lot about other countries.
Originally posted by zeeblebotIt's not just about travel, it's about hearing of a major event, and being able to judge its effect on your life. My example of the computer technician, all he does is fix computers, by your logic, he doesn't need to know about geography for his everyday life, but if for instance, he heard of a tsunami or sars outbreak or something in say, indonesia, by having just a basic point at a map knowledge, he can see that that's going to effect the cost of harddrives and graphics cards for instance, which would have an effect on his supply line, and pricing structure if his business is to get through it.
i'm wavering. i like geography and travel, but as hobbies. most people have not need for them. if they every need to know, they can study up.
much or even most of the time spent is school could considered to be wasted, if the students do not use the knowledge after school. the percentage of world population that will never cross the Urals has got to be in the high 90's.
maybe this is a contributing cause to the creation of the underclass.
It's a globalised world, where an event in another part of it can and does have repercussions for the average individual.
Because of that, it is important that they have an operable knowledge of that globe.
I stress once more that they don't need to be able to list off silly facts about rainfall (though that can be handy too), but at least be able to point out India on a map of Asia.
1 edit
Originally posted by lepomisAre you denying that oil companies have posted record profits in the
What should gas cost per gallon? I just paid 2.88. Are they gouging us 10 cent? 1 dollar? I can not find anywhere how much they are over charging. I pay 38.4 cents in tax, so figure 2.50/gal.
Surely someone must know, because everyone I talk to complains about being gouged at the pumps.
past 10 or so quarters?
If you don't deny it, then how do you explain the increase in net profit
percentage over the expected increase in gross revenue?
Nemesio