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A British man hilariously guessed what all 50 U.S. states are famous for without Googling

via Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious / Flickr

It's probably pretty hard for someone born outside of the United States to make sense of our country. It's large, has a diverse population, and its topography encompasses everything from low deserts to frozen Arctic climates to dense forests.

However, the United States is probably the most culturally dominant society in the world. People across the globe read our books, watch our movies, and listen to our music. So most people probably have a clearer concept of what life's like in our country then we do about them.

A British man that goes by the Twitter handle human_not_bees (Beës) tested his knowledge of the country across the pond by listing all of America's states and then saying what he thinks they're known for best. He claims he did so without Googling.

He was confident that he could get most of them right because U.S. culture is "pretty pervasive," he told Bored Panda. "We see enough of it that we learn these things from TV shows and movies. Also, you guys have some pretty cheesy TV that seems very willing to lean into the stereotypes of people and places, so really, you guys did this to yourselves," he added.

Here's his list. Do you think he got most of the states right?

To the best of my knowledge Alabama is famous for having their fingers crossed when they surrendered.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137753

To the best of my knowledge Arizona is famous for being where Satan vacations to get some heat.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137754

To the best of my knowledge California is famous for being where you can get wine and get exploited.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137755

To the best of my knowledge Connecticut is famous for where Bostonians stop for gas on the way to New York.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137755

It looks like this guy got Florida perfect. It's also the state where people in America say, "Oh God, this country." But let's not be too cruel to sunny Florida, it's also home to Disney World and was where "The Birdcage" was filmed. So it's not all that bad.

To the best of my knowledge Hawaii is a beautiful place that once had royalty and the deposed queen wrote a book.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137757

To the best of my knowledge Indiana is famous for being named as a 'fuck you' to the people who lived there to start with.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137758

To the best of my knowledge Kansas is famous for The Wizard Of Oz and it's been downhill ever since.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137758

To the best of my knowledge Louisiana is famous, I assume, because someone called Louise lived there and was cool.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137759

I'm a little surprised that Beës didn't know Louisiana is home to New Orleans one of the most culturally significant cities on planet Earth. It's the birthplace of jazz, poker, and Lil Wayne.

To the best of my knowledge Maryland is famous for being a theme park brimming with people called Mary.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137760

He's right about Maryland, even Americans have no idea what happens in Maryland.

To the best of my knowledge Michigan is famous for having a city that made enough cars that everyone could leave.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137760

To the best of my knowledge Mississippi is famous for a hillbilly river.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618137761

To the best of my knowledge Nebraska is famous for being flat which, guys, c'mon, that's not an achievement.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138919

To the best of my knowledge New Hampshire is famous for being nothing like actual Hampshire.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138920

Ahh, we get it. America borrowed a few geographical names from places in England. But who helped you beat the Nazis in World War II? Thought so.

To the best of my knowledge New Mexico is famous for being nothing like actual Mexico.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138920

The the best of my knowledge North Carolina is famous for inventing the phrase "Is Pepsi OK?"
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138921

To the best of my knowledge Ohio is famous for having at least one talented astrophysicist.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138922

Is this a Paul M. Sutter reference?

via Ohioana Library / Twitter

To the best of my knowledge Oklahoma is famous for a musical I haven't seen.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138923

To the best of my knowledge Pennsylvania is where the Amish live, and they're apparently just like our European Dutch people.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138923

To the best of my knowledge South Carolina is famous for getting merc'd by nature on the regular.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138924

To the best of my knowledge Tennessee is famous for saying "I do declare" and people fanning themselves on their porches.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138925

Yep.

To the best of my knowledge Texas is famous for big trucks and small dicks.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138925

To the best of my knowledge Vermont is famous for being the home of famed socialist and progressive politician Bernie Sanders.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138926

To the best of my knowledge Washington is famous for not being Washington DC which is elsewhere and not a state, but also not a town. I think Washington (this one) is where Frasier lives.
— human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs) (@human_not_bees (Be\u00ebs)) 1618138927

To the best of my knowledge Wyoming is just a big field with a buffalo in it.
— human_not_bees (Beës) (@human_not_bees) April 11, 2021

So how did he do? If he were American I'd give him a D+. But as a Brit, he has a pretty strong understanding of America. I wonder how many Americans would be able to do something similar with the U.K.? What's Wolverhampton best known for? How about Wyre Piddle? Giggleswick? Scranton on Themes?

(Just kidding. There is no such place as Scranton on Themes.)

From Your Site Articles

Democracy

Canada resettled more refugees than the U.S. for the first time. That's shameful and unconscionable, America.

The U.S. has slashed its refugee resettlement numbers by more than 75%.

UNHCR/YouTube

For the first time since 1980, the U.S. doesn't lead the world in refugee resettlement numbers.

The U.N. states, "A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so."

Refugees differ from asylum seekers in that refugees' claims have already been verified. Asylum seekers only gain refugee status after their asylum claims have been vetted and been determined to be legitimate. Refugees are the people we know can't go home.

The United States has a long history of refugee resettlement. Up until 2017, the U.S. resettled more refugees each year than the rest of the world combined.

Now, for the first time since the Refugee Act of 1980 was passed, we no longer lead the world in that category. In 2018, Canada settled more refugees than the U.S. by about 20%—28,000 resettlements to our 23,000. Canada, as a reminder, has one-tenth the population of the U.S. and its economy is about one-tenth the size of ours.

Per capita, Canada actually resettled more than ten times as many refugees as the U.S.—around 750 refugees per million residents to our 70 per million. Australia (510 per million), Sweden (493 per million) and Norway (465 per million) also had much higher per capita resettlement figures than the U.S.

This is not winning.

Despite a booming economy and dire global need, the U.S. has slashed its refugee resettlement numbers by more than 75% in the past three years.

Since 1975, the U.S. government's resettlement program has settled some 3 million refugees—that works out to an average of 75,000 per year.

Until recently, the lowest annual number resettled until recently was 2002, when around 27,000 refugees were admitted. (That was the year following 9/11, when the U.S. was understandably on super high security alert.)

Pew Research Center

In 2016, we welcomed 97,000. That number plummeted to 33,000 in 2017 and to 23,000 in 2018.

According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there are close to 26 million refugees right now—the largest number the world has ever seen—and half them are children. The U.S. resettlement of 23,000 accounts for less than .01 percent of the total number of people awaiting resettlement, who are living in overcrowded refugee camps or stuck in limbo in stopover countries.

Our current approach to refugees is embarrassing, and a shameful stain on our country's legacy. I mean, we welcomed more refugees immediately following the worst terror attack in history than we did last year. The need is greater than ever, our economy is booming, and yet we are closing our doors in the faces of desperate families who have nowhere to go.

Gross. We are better than this, America.

As a reminder, the data shows that refugees do not drain our resources, nor do they pose a threat to our safety.

The main reasons I see people argue against resettling more refugees are "We can't afford it," and "A terrorist might slip in." Neither of those arguments hold up, though.

Research shows that, even after accounting for the initial cost of getting them settled, refugees have a neutral-to-beneficial effect on the economy. In other words, over time they create more revenue than it costs to bring them in. Since immigrants in general tend to start more businesses than the average American-born citizen, refugees are actually more likely to add jobs and boost the economy.

Regarding safety, the refugee resettlement program is the longest, hardest, and least likely way to get into the United States. Most refugees don't get to choose their country of resettlement, and the ones who come to the U.S. are the most thoroughly vetted people to set foot in our country. You'd have to be a really dumb terrorist to try to slip in through the refugee resettlement program, which is why the chance of being killed in a terrorist attack by a refugee on U.S. soil is a whopping 1 in 3.64 billion.

There's no good reason for our refugee resettlement numbers to be slashed when there are more people in need than ever before. If the government really doesn't want to fund it, why don't they create a private refugee sponsor program like Canada has?

We can't offer a safe haven for everyone, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't help as many as we can—and we can definitely do a lot more than we are doing right now.

UNHCR's global trends in forced displacement – 2018 figureswww.youtube.com

From Your Site Articles

Great Britain vs. U.K.: What's the difference? Here's an easy breakdown.

If you're an American who's not so sure what the difference is between Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and England, you're not alone.

During his recent trip to London, President Donald Trump showed he isn't exactly up to speed on the terminology either. In an interview with Piers Morgan, Trump was asked about the incentive for the United States to work out a trade agreement with the United Kingdom, Trump stumbled a bit:

"We would make a great deal with the United Kingdom because they have product that we like. I mean they have a lot of great product. They make phenomenal things, you know, and you have different names — you can say 'England,' you can say 'U.K.,' you can say 'United Kingdom' so many different — you know you have, you have so many different names — Great Britain. I always say: 'Which one do you prefer? Great Britain? You understand what I’m saying?'"

When Morgan stepped in to note that Great Britain and the U.K. weren't exactly the same, Trump said, "Right, yeah. You know I know, but a lot of people don't know that. But you have lots of different names."

A look at the British Isles.

He's probably right about that last part, and to be totally real, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Should you find yourself in a situation where that kind of knowledge is useful, here's a quick guide.

There's a lot of overlap between the British Isles, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. For instance, England is part of all three groups, and all that overlap can make it a little tricky to remember the distinctions. (Full disclosure: I wasn't personally up to speed on this until just a few years ago so don't feel bad if you're not either.)

The British Isles

The British Isles aren't a country or political alliance. This is just a geographic term used to describe England, Wales, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the small islands spread out along the coasts. There probably aren't too many contexts where you'll need to use this term, but it's good to know.

The British Isles.

The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state made up of four separate countries: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Until 1922, the Republic of Ireland was also part of the United Kingdom. London is the capital of the United Kingdom. The area's formal name is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Knowing this, it's pretty easy to guess what Great Britain is...

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Each of the four individual countries has its own flag.

From top left, clockwise: Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales.

But together, they're all represented under the Union Jack.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The flag combines elements of the English, Northern Irish, and Scottish flags. It's also known as the Union Jack.

Great Britain

Great Britain is the United Kingdom without Northern Ireland. It's made up of England, Wales, and Scotland. One way to remember the difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain is that the United Kingdom unites two separate islands, whereas Great Britain is all part of one basic landmass. It's important not to use Great Britain and the United Kingdom interchangeably for a number of political reasons.

Great Britain.

This all probably seems pretty silly, but these are questions that do come up from time to time. Now, odds are that none of us are ever going to find ourselves in the position of being the President of the United States asked in an interview about this, but you never really know when you'll end up in an "Oh man, what's the difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain?" pickle. For those moments, feel free to bookmark this page.

Family

Way more moms die having babies in the U.S. than in any other developed nation. Why?

The maternal death rate has dramatically decreased in recent decades worldwide. But in the U.S., it has risen more than 26%.

When people think of women dying during childbirth, they don't usually think of the United States. But according to a study published in 2016 in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the U.S. saw a 26.6% increase in pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths for women from 2000 to 2014. That's a sharp contrast to other developed nations — and even much of the developing world — where maternal death rates have plummeted.

The U.S. is the only developed country where maternal death rates have been rising. Photo via Jean-Sebastien Evrard/Getty Images.

The U.S. is one of only 13 countries where the maternal death rate is worse now than it was 25 years ago, according to journalist and professor Linda Villarosa, who has studied and written extensively about maternal mortality.

To put it bluntly: That's abysmal.

The U.S. is one of the world's wealthiest nations and spends the most on health care, which makes those statistics even worse.

As the only economically advanced nation not to guarantee health care to its citizens, perhaps it's not surprising that more moms die here than in other developed countries. Seems like a pretty simple equation really.

[rebelmouse-image 19534719 dam="1" original_size="600x428" caption="Image via Statista." expand=1]Image via Statista.

However, people in the U.S. spend an awful lot of money on health care to have that kind of outcome. In fact, Americans spend more per person than any other country — and not because they go to the doctor more. In the U.S., we use doctors less and are hospitalized less often than people in other countries yet we pay far more for our care. We pay more to birth babies here too — and yet the maternal outcomes are an embarrassment.

Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are especially high for black women.

Part of why the maternal mortality rate is higher than expected is due to racial disparities. For example, black women in the U.S. are three to four times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. And that's not purely an economic issue; even wealthy black women have higher rates of maternal mortality than white women.

[rebelmouse-image 19534720 dam="1" original_size="612x792" caption="Infographic via Maternal Health Task Force." expand=1]Infographic via Maternal Health Task Force.

Why is that? According to Villarosa, "an inescapable atmosphere of societal and systemic racism can create a kind of toxic physiological stress, resulting in conditions — including hypertension and pre-eclampsia — that lead directly to higher rates of infant and maternal death" for black women. Combine that with studies showing implicit racial bias in health care — such as dismissing legitimate concerns and symptoms voiced by black mothers — and it appears that much of the maternal mortality problem comes down to the effects of racism.

The good news: Some states have dramatically reversed those numbers.

While the statistics are depressing, there is hope — even within our current system. Some states have tackled this issue by forming Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), which review every maternal death to determine cause and assess whether it could have been prevented. Data from these committees have shown that more than half of maternal deaths are preventable.

Image via Eric Feferburg/Getty Images.

California shows how successful MMRCs can be at saving lives. California formed its MMRC in 2006 when maternal deaths in the state were on the rise. As they discovered the most common, preventable reasons moms were dying, they created interventions to specifically address them. Since then, California has reduced its maternal mortality rate by more than 55% — at 4.5 per 100,000 live births, it is now far lower than the national average.

There's no reason the U.S. maternal mortality rate should keep climbing. While we can't save every mother's life, we can and should do all we can to try.

Stephen Colbert asked fans to share examples of American greatness. They delivered.

While on vacation for the Fourth of July, late-night host Stephen Colbert invited his followers to share their "brush with #AmericanGreatness."

"American greatness" was never defined, but Colbert shared his visit to the home of renowned poet and writer Carl Sandburg in North Carolina to kick things off.

— (@)

From sea to shining sea, thousands of fans replied to Colbert, sharing their holiday plans and examples of American greatness.

Users shared all kinds of landmarks, food, photos of their loved ones, natural wonders, and more worth celebrating on America's birthday. Here are just some of the tweets from the awe-inspiring list.

Whether you're in a big, bustling city or a small, quiet town...

— (@)

...you are never far from American greatness.

— (@)

There were crystal clear waters...

— (@)

...and breathtaking views.

— (@)

Some celebrated with their patriotic kiddos.

— (@)

Some shared greatness with the next generation, charged to build and protect it.

— (@)

Lots of people took in America's rich history and culture museums...

— (@)

...and stunning historical markers.

— (@)

These are the places where dreams take shape...

— (@)

...and take flight.

— (@)

To say nothing of this giant ice cream cone, which is great in its own kind of way.

(And perfect for ice cream month!)

— (@)

Others preferred to get outdoors to take in some of nature's bounty.

— (@)

And celebrate the wide open spaces that make this country so beautiful.

— (@)

Not everyone has the weekend off, but like these hardworking folks, greatness doesn't take a vacation.

— (@)

But it wouldn't be America's birthday without barbecue...

— (@)

...sweet, sweet, barbecue.

— (@)

Or fireworks. Can't forget fireworks.

— (@)

But ultimately, American greatness is in each and every one of us.

Those who work hard, compromise, believe in better, and support people who need it. That's a promise we can all live up to. We must.

This post was updated 12/12/2017.

Heroes

With Trump out of the Paris climate deal, France looks to poach top researchers.

Last week, President Donald Trump announced he will withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord. Other world leaders are not hesitating to capitalize on that decision.

The day before Trump's announcement to leave the international commitment to fight climate change, French President Emmanuel Macron trolled Trump, retooling the U.S. president's campaign catchphrase in a speech, encouraging everyone to "Make Our Planet Great Again."

— (@)

This week, Macron doubled down on the sentiment and launched a website to help those passionate about climate change research emigrate to France.

And what's the address to this digital one-stop shop for those looking to move to France?

www.MakeOurPlanetGreatAgain.fr.

[rebelmouse-image 19527066 dam="1" original_size="400x222" caption="Oh snap! GIF via "The Maury Show."" expand=1]Oh snap! GIF via "The Maury Show."

The site serves as a clearing house for information about education, work, and research opportunities as well as links to the necessary applications and documents one would need to emigrate to France.

For those unsure if France is right for them or overwhelmed by the daunting process of emigration, users can describe where they're from and the work or research they do and receive information appropriate to their situation. There are different pages for students, researchers, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs.

While this particular call to acton is not limited to Americans, Macron has previously invited American scientists to continue their research in France.

Macron made an appeal in February, before he was elected president, encouraging Americans to consider working in France in the wake of Trump's skepticism about climate change.

GIF via Tristan Oliver/YouTube.

With the launch of the site, it's clear Macron is standing by his campaign promise and looking around the globe for top talent, no matter whose toes he may step on.

And his offer to researchers isn't just lip service; there are funding opportunities to back it up.

After successfully submitting project proposals and other relevant documents, senior and junior researchers may be eligible for a four-year grant covering their salary, staff and student salaries, and work expenses, up to 1.5 million euros.

That may be a difficult offer to turn down, especially as America's local and federal governments grapple with potential budget cuts, especially for climate related research.

A NASA flight crew member works inside a NASA Operation IceBridge DC-8 research airplane. NASA's Operation IceBridge has been studying how polar ice has evolved over the past eight years. Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images.

Macron and 193 other world leaders have committed to getting serious about climate change.

Trump's efforts to put politics over the planet will not stop climate change or the people working to solve it.

No matter our countries of origin, this is a global problem that will require global solutions. Kudos to Macron and other world leaders who are giving this issue the time, attention, and resources it deserves.

— (@)

Lawyers' Committee

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights

Young Brits just showed the world why showing up to vote matters.

While Americans sat enthralled in front of their TV screens on June 8, watching James Comey testify in front of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, shocking general election results began trickling in from across the pond.

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May. Photo by Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images.

About two months ago, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May called for a general election this summer in hopes of expanding the majority held by her Conservative Party (the Tories) in Parliament. Most Brits thought she'd succeed.

But as ballots were being counted last night, her hopes faded — and fast.

While there was no decisive winner walking away from the contest — May's party only won a plurality — the Tories lost a handful of seats and its majority in Parliament, bucking most election predictions in a dramatic fashion. The Tories' losses mean there is no majority party at the moment, resulting in a messy hung Parliament. May might not be prime minister much longer.

So ... what happened, exactly?

Young. People. Voted.

Official election tallies are still being counted, with many reports relying on surveys and exit polling to read into the behaviors of U.K. voters. But early data is pointing toward at least one significant factor: determined young people.

— (@)

Early estimates suggest roughly 72% of young people aged 18-24 voted, according to NBC News. This marks a sizable uptick since the "Brexit" vote last summer and a massive increase from the 2015 elections, when just 43% of that demographic turned out.

To May's dismay, the vast majority of young people voted for her chief political opponent, left-leaning Jeremy Corbyn.

Corbyn — the leader of the Labour Party, who wanted the U.K. to remain in the European Union — sold voters on the promises of raising taxes on the wealthy, avoiding military interventions in foreign countries, and restoring "politics for the people."

Jeremy Corbyn, the new favorite to be the next prime minister. Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images.

"My friends were physically cheering in the streets," Craig McDonald, a 25-year-old who voted in favor of the Labour Party, told Bloomberg. "I was loving it."

Depending on how the hung Parliament shakes out, Corbyn could be the country's next prime minister.

There are many differences between elections in the U.K. and the U.S., but certain similarities between the electorates and political climates in both countries could be a cause of concern for President Donald Trump and the GOP.

Photo by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images.

Some are dubbing the U.K.'s election results the "revenge of the youth." And certain signs are painting a similar picture state-side ahead of the midterm elections next fall.

Trump's approval rating is historically poor (no matter which way you slice it), but it's even more dismal among younger Americans. People across many demographics are unhappy with the president's agenda, but young people (and women) have taken on particularly important roles in the resistance.

In a special House election in Georgia, Democrat Jon Ossoff is polling surprisingly well in a historically red district over Republican Karen Handel with just two weeks to go before voters hit the ballot box. Ossoff's chances of winning — bolstered by enthusiasm among young people — is being closely watched from Washington as a test of the anti-Trump movement in battleground (and even deep red) regions of the country.

Will young Americans make the difference in the 2018 midterms?

Jon Ossoff with his supporters in Georgia. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

The U.K. and U.S. are different countries, of course, with various factors playing important roles in shaping voters' opinions of who should represent them in office.

But if young people's thirst for change in the U.K. reflects the attitudes and determination of young Americans in 2018, next year may shape up to be quite the headache for the man in the White House right now.