planetdan

Thursday, August 24, 2006 :::

Whaaaa?

I came across this online quiz today that dared to question whether I was as smart as an eighth grader or something like that. Of course I thought I had to prove myself, so I fired up the quiz with self-righteous confidence... and I totally flunked on the very first question. Apparently there are more than four oceans now. Everything I ever learned from Trivial Pursuit is totally blowing up in my face:

Where the hell was I in 2000 that I missed the addition on an entire ocean? The Southern? WTF? Am I the only one who let that one slip by? So we lost planet Pluto today, but we gained an ocean?

I feel dumb.

::: posted by dan at 3:50 PM :: [ link ] :: (10) comments

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10 previous comments:

Okay, so I had to look this up, because it wasn't an answer on Jeopardy!, and therefore, I doubted its authenticity. This one, Dan, appears to be strange but TRUE. See Wikipedia's info on the Southern Ocean below:

The Southern Ocean, also known as the South Polar Ocean (and formerly the Antarctic Ocean), is the body of water encircling the continent of Antarctica. It is the world's fourth largest ocean and the latest to be defined, having been accepted by a decision of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 2000, though the term has long been traditional among mariners. This change reflects the recent findings in oceanography of the importance of ocean currents.

Of the 68 member nations, 28 responded to the IHO's survey in 2000, and all responding members except Argentina agreed to define a new ocean. The name Southern Ocean was selected with 18 votes, beating the alternative Antarctic Ocean. Half of the votes were cast for ending the ocean at the imaginary 60 degrees south line of latitude, with the other 14 votes cast for other definitions as far north as 35 degrees south.

Other sources such as the National Geographic Society continue to show the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans as extending to Antarctica.

By

Amy K., at 12:42 PM

i read about pluto last night, i'm almost sad... I love how we're still making the 9 1/2 year trip out there though, thats cool. 9 1/2 years though, geez.

By

the other sarah, at 4:49 PM

A new ocean? Why does the redefinition of Pluto make news for weeks and a new ocean escapes the national consciousness for six whole years! Just because there isn't a handy mnemonic for remembering the oceans...

By the criteria of the quiz I took (the AOL back-to-school one), I'm betting that most of the nation's eighth-graders couldn't pass the eighth grade. Minor Shakespeare characters? Members of Congress? Supercontinents other than Pangaea? Let's say it again: Whaaa?

By

Jess, at 10:31 PM

"The Southern Ocean"???
That's pretty much the lamest name ever. If your'e gonna create a new freaking ocean, at least get creative with the naming...

By

Anonymous, at 11:14 PM

I teach Geography. My yr7 students can name and locate the Southern Ocean. ('Course, we are in Australia, so it's a little more relevant to us than it is to you North American types)

By

alivicwil, at 5:27 AM

I was unaware there were four oceans...

see you could be much worse off...

by the way, I was kidding I knew there was four
atlantic
pacific
indian
artic
I too was unaware of this Southern ocean???

By

Stacy, at 12:09 AM

They ought to just call it the Antarctic Ocean so the world will know that global warming has killed yet another vast stretch of iceland. How fucked up is THAT? And Pluto??? How sad. Now I'm going tohave to teach my son the planets minus the "pies" part of My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizza ______. Damn it ALL!!

By

Anonymous, at 9:32 AM

um....anonymous guy?...you DID name 9 planets there...MVEMJSUNP....that's 9...
where the heck are you getting a 10th planet for "pies"??

It would be My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine _____.

Maybe you should let someone ELSE teach your son astronomy...and maybe Math.

By

Anonymous, at 10:31 AM

When I was a young school age child in the early-to-mid 1970's, I learned there were five oceans - Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Antarctic. Then, somewhere in middle school or junior high, we were told that the Antarctic Ocean was not an ocean because oceans are bordered by landmasses. They do not surround a landmass. Now, I hear that it is, indeed, an ocean (albeit with a different name?). Now Pluto's not a planet. And, my boyfriend who is from South America, tells me that all of America is one continent, not two as I've always learned. What's with these scientists? No wonder our children are completely retarded when it comes to geography and astronomy. No one knows what the heck is correct! Sheesh!

By

Anonymous, at 12:53 PM

Don't call it sea Argentina! Andrew Lloyd Weather.

By

Anonymous, at 8:25 AM

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