One day I asked my ex-wife “how long does the earth take to revolve around the sun”. She says “24 hours”. I said “Why dont you think about it for a while, and we talk again”. Later on, she’s adamant that its “24 hours”.
In another conversation, she says her primary school teacher told her there are people on mars around 1-foot high’.

No, I was the big idiot for marrying her. She was smart, she wanted a good deal of money when we divorced. People seem to use intelligence where it really matters

Astronomy.

Bring it on.

“We” were learning about the sun and such, and in the middle of class I realized that their teacher had taught them opposite for comets and asteroids. I managed to salvage their understanding a little bit….but come on. I can see something specific like the sequence of solar stages being perhaps stated incorrect, but something so basic….to someone who teaches this stuff? Comets are big rocks…asteroids are icy ‘rocks’? I am pretty sure that wither he was not paying attention or he missedit that his students got the wrong impression..but anyway.

Blew my mind. But at the end of class I had them talking comets and asteroids the correct way around.

Then came the meteor topic….and the students got it 100%. I was proud.

So, although the question was obviously easy and should not have been guessed wrong (la luna fame), it may not be the fault of himself directly – perhaps the fault was in the hand s of his elders?

And to that end I spent my winter holiday arguing the equinox egg issue with a man I know to be intelligent. Who had the BA book in his hands…IN HIS HANDS…and refused to believe. Although, he also called Dec 21 the winter equinox. So that says something….
Hmm..no real point here, just jammering away on topic.

Take care,
T

gravite autour de = revolves or turns around

Sorry, I’m “dictionary-anal retentive.”

If the question was phrased “What is revolving around the Earth?”, then I surmise more people would know the answer. Or not…

You’re being too kind. If you watch the videos I posted above, there are people who really are quite clueless about some space-related facts. In French or English this is pretty darn easy. Maybe the guy was SUPER nervous, but geesh someone told me today that my hair grows faster if cut on the full moon! She was serious.

Clearly more education is in order – for adults! I’ve always been a fan of using more astronomical language and events during weather reports on TV. While you’re talking about the hot day, mention a sunspot or something. Maybe if these things became part of our daily conversation people would remember more…and hence win more money. My co-worker has picked up on some stuff – it does work.

I debated some guy on the internet a long time ago who was convinced that not only was the Sun a planet, but the moon was too. The guy was also a huge proponent of the Planet X theory, not being willing to admit that the residuals in the orbits of outer planets had disappeared once space-based probes had taken more accurate measurements. Unfortunately, this was all back before I knew about Bad Astronomy, so I couldn’t just link here.

From Webster.com
cap·i·tal·ism: an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market

Nowhere is there anything about ripping people off or about stepping on someone else. Many companies prove that there are ways to make money without “fleecing” someone. Other far more morally bankrupt companies run roughshod over others.

Capitalism is not a moral system, it’s an economic one. Thus saying something is OK because of capitalism makes about as much sense as saying that Apollo drives the sun across the sky every day.

This guy… seriously, they should’ve given Saddam the 2000 bucks and hanged this idiot instead!

Which is my sarcastic way of dealing with how I feel after seeing the video, not how I really feel of course

Mind you, I had to explain to a friend once how the sun is not one of the planets. It’s unbelievable really.

Unless the audience was just really really pissed at the guy or wanted to mess with him and more than half the room went “Man he doesn’t deserve the money… Hey, let’s fool around with that guy!” After all, the game’s goal is to be knowledgeful.

But you know what? I find that unlikely. I think most were being honest.

In communism it is the other way around

I know that people really are that self serving, but deliberate sabotage of another is still something that I find morally reprehensible. It speaks very poorly of a people that they would crush anothers hope just for a chance to compete for money…

I’ve also heard that most non-American audiences sometimes answer wrong on purpose. I really hope that’s the case here!

At least his female friend (fiancee?) knew he was wrong.

My French is very rusty – anyone know what the host said afterwards to console the guy? I think he said something about the audience being split.

Whoda thunk it?

Of course, I don’t know which is worse, a mean audience or a stupid one.