-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Re: MAPS-L: Avoid 'geographical embarassment'
Date:   Thu, 18 May 2006 02:12:51 -0700
From:   Dr. Virginia R. Hetrick <[log in to unmask]>
To:     Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>



Actually, the other way to avoid geographical embarassment is to be sure
you know all the state capitals when you're on your way to your Ph.D.
exam.  A year after I moved to the University of Florida, I finished my
dissertation and was headed for Seattle for my defense.  Eastern
Airlines (remember them? ;-) was having contests on their flights and
the prize was a set of  lithographs of all the planes Eastern had ever
flown.  The question that night was, "Name the state capitals that begin
with A?"  A second question I always add is, "And, how many of them are
capitals of states which have a saltwater shoreline on a body of water
with a name starting with A?"

The only two people on the plane that got all of them right were me and
a 12 year old kid. Can you imagine what would have happened if I'd had
to explain to Dick Morrill, John Sherman, Bill Beyers, and other faculty
on my committee that I couldn't name the state capitals beginning with
the letter A?  ;-)

Have a chuckle because this weekend we'll be celebrating the 50th
anniversary of Dick's joining the University of Washington family along
with the other space cadets who started spreading the word of the
quantitative revolution in geography AND, we're going to party like it's
1956.  ;-)

Have a great weekend everybody!

virginia

--
\ /     Virginia R. Hetrick, here in sunny California
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