Why am I finding it harder to learn the US states than the countries of the world?

[Locut0s]

Seriously I've got every country and all their capitals down to about 95% most of the time but I'm struggling on the 50 states! This is embarrassing. I guess it's cause I have some preconceived notions of where some of the states are that aren't right. Oh well I'll have them down pat soon. Next onto the major rivers and mountains of the world then the US capitals.

Geography is fun
I'm just doing this for entertainment. I'm going to see how much shit I can memorize and keep memorized. Actually when reading or listening to the news it's actually really nice to be able to say "hay I actually know where Harare Zimbabwe is!

I recommend Setarra if you want to learn geography for fun:

http://www.wartoft.nu/software/seterra/

Update: OK I've got them now. I'm now working on the list of all US presidents. Got the first 12 down so far.

OK I've got all the US presidents now. That is I know the order in which they all served, I don't know the dates.

What else should I memorize?

 

[Colt45]

some states are less diverse i guess? mixup.. something

 

[guyver01]

I recommend Setarra if you want to learn geography for fun

i recommend The Animaniacs if you want to learn all the US Capitals.

Google: Wakko State Capitals

 

[BoomerD]

Don't feel badly about this. 95% of Americans can't name the 15 Canuckistanian states or their capitals either.

 

[Locut0s]

some states are less diverse i guess? mixup.. something

I think it's partly because I find them bland lol. That and as shapes there is little to distinguish one from another, especially in the mid west. I use the shapes and locations of countries as an aid for memorizing. I also make up stupid little mnemonics. For some reason Montana kept screwing my up for a while, fuck you Montana!

 

[Colt45]

montana is big and cold

 

[Locut0s]

i recommend The Animaniacs if you want to learn all the US Capitals.

Google: Wakko State Capitals

And the countries of the world :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dglc0MdJy8A

A little out of date now. Kampuchea now being Cambodia and Yugoslavia no longer existing, Zaire is now The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 

[Locut0s]

montana is big and cold

I just remember it as the one that fucks me up then I go. Oh yeah I know where you are!!

 

[eits]

marked for educational freeware

 

[Colt45]

yugoslavia turned to 6 countries... soviet union to.. uh.. 14? 15?

 

[techs]

There's a reason they're called the "flyover states"

 

[brblx]

Don't feel badly about this. 95% of Americans can't name the 15 Canuckistanian states or their capitals either.

95% of americans can't name all 50 states, i would wager.

hell, i probably couldn't. i'd forget minnesota. i always forget minnesota.

 

[SunSamurai]

Because countries are big and important. I doubt you know 50 countries and their capitals however.

 

[Locut0s]

yugoslavia turned to 6 countries... soviet union to.. uh.. 14? 15?

Let's see off the top of my head I'm not 100% sure which of these were and were not part of what but here's my best guess:

Yugoslavia - Serbia,Bosnia Herzegovina,Slovenia,Montenegro,Croatia (can't think what the 6th would be don't think it's Albania)

USSR - Russia,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan,
Tajikistan,Afganistan,Esotnia,Latvia,Lithuania,Belarus,Ukraine (not sure about Bulgaria).

 

[Locut0s]

Because countries are big and important. I doubt you know 50 countries and their capitals however.

I probably know close to 170 or more by now. I hate all the small island nations in the south pacific. But I guess there isn't a way for you to test me

 

[Colt45]

95% of americans can't name all 50 states, i would wager.

hell, i probably couldn't. i'd forget minnesota. i always forget minnesota.

the M states screw me up with abbreviations.. MN, MO, MI, MS, MT, MA, MD, ME

needs 3/4 characters.

 

[Colt45]

Let's see off the top of my head I'm not 100% sure which of these were and were not part of what but here's my best guess:

Yugoslavia - Serbia,Bosnia Herzegovina,Slovenia,Montenegro,Croatia (can't think what the 6th would be don't think it's Albania)

USSR - Russia,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan,
Tajikistan,Afganistan,Esotnia,Latvia,Lithuania,Belarus,Ukraine (not sure about Bulgaria).

for YU: +macedonia
USSR: -afgan, +Georgia, +Armenia +azerbaijan(sp?), +moldova,

 

[Locut0s]

for YU: +macedonia
USSR: -afgan, +Georgia, +Armenia +azerbaijan(sp?), +moldova,

Ah right those 3 fuckers in the middle between Asia and Europe. Georgia(Tsibili), Armenia(Yarensomething), Azerbaijan(Baku I think). I should have known Afghanistan wasn't part of the USSR. The USSR waged a long bloody war with them.

 

[Colt45]

armenia has yerevan.. there are jokes about "radio yerevan".. maybe they'll help you remember.. or something

makedonija has Skopje

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Does it really matter when it just takes two seconds to look it up online?

 

[Locut0s]

armenia has yerevan.. there are jokes about "radio yerevan".. maybe they'll help you remember.. or something

makedonija has Skopje

My fav 2 capital for pronunciation are:

Slovenia - Ljubjliana
Burkina Faso - Ouagoduaguo

No sure about the spelling of these.

 

[Locut0s]

armenia has yerevan.. there are jokes about "radio yerevan".. maybe they'll help you remember.. or something

makedonija has Skopje

My fav 2 countries for capital pronounciation are:

Slovenia - Ljubljana
Burkina Fasso - Ouagoduoguo or however you spell it.

 

[Locut0s]

Does it really matter when it just takes two seconds to look it up online?

No but it's fun. I'm not doing it for anything but entertainment. I'm going to see how much shit I can memorize and keep memorized. Actually when reading or listening to the news it's actually really nice to be able to say "hay I actually know where Harare Zimbabwe is! Like I said it's just for fun, maybe I'll be on Jeopardy p0wning your asses one day haha LOL.

 

[Colt45]

My fav 2 capital for pronunciation are:

Slovenia - Ljubjliana
Burkina Faso - Ouagoduaguo

No sure about the spelling of these.

Ljubljana...
Lj is like.. the l sound in "billion" kind of a lyuh sound..

so... lyublyana. I've been there a few times :awe:

 

[Locut0s]

Update: OK I've got them now. I'm now working on the list of all US presidents. Got the first 12 down so far.