Neither in Tartan nor in Scotland

[Java]

Perhaps I exaggerated a bit. I live in a small mountain town, where a large percentage of adults never finished high school. They are a bit sheltered up here, and the difference between Scotland and Ireland is lost on them. Sometimes I forget that they don't represent a fair cross section of Americans. By the way, I think New Mexico is down on the bottom, towards the left somewhere..........

(Just kidding, I was raised in the south west)

[sailortats]

Isn't New Mexico that area right next to Maine?

[mookien]

Thanks guys. It must be crammed in between Arizona and California someplace. Ron (Riverkilt) will know.

[Java]

I would like to formally appologize for accidently hijacking this thread.............

[creagdhubh]

Sadly, my experience has been that many Americans either don't know what the kilt is at all, or don't equate it with Scotland at all. By far the most common question I get when kilted is "are you Irish?"

*** (Sigh)

[EagleJCS]

Alex, Maybe the tourists thought you were wearing an English kilt since it wasn't tartan?


Mookien, NM is between AZ (to the west) & TX (to the east) on the southern border of the US/northern border of Mexico. Its northern border is CO.

I agree with the general consensus that most of the US population does not know geography (outside of their immediate locale - even then some have trouble). Part of that may have to do with a change in focus in education - 'teaching to the test' is one phrase I have heard (meaning teachers are focusing on the content of the standardised tests which rate the students' progress, thereby trying to improve the students' performance on the test).

[unixken]

Often even when asking for the uniquely shaped ones (Florida, Maine, Michigan, Texas...)!

Wyoming and Colorado are the only two states that share a common shape (square.) The other 48 are all "uniquely shaped." ;)

[Mike in Dayton]

Sadly, my experience has been that many Americans either don't know what the kilt is at all, or don't equate it with Scotland at all. By far the most common question I get when kilted is "are you Irish?"

I get the same thing. I was thinking this was more of a local thing as all the Celtic festivals around here are sponsored by Irish organizations. You tend to see kilts at those now. So outside of a parade that is the only place most people see a kilt. I am tempted to answer that question "no I am Japanese" and let them walk away scratching their head.

Mike

[Mike in Dayton]

Darn colonist are a pesky bunch when they have a Kodak in hand.

We try our best to be a pesky lot.

[fcgeil]

Wyoming and Colorado are the only two states that share a common shape (square.) The other 48 are all "uniquely shaped." ;)

Okay, the "easy to recognize" shapes...