America is Doomed.....
OK, I don't mean that in the sense “...if Bush is re-elected..”
No, this goes deeper than the election.....
Yesterday, I saw an “Washington Power Players“ Edition of Jeopardy (It may have been a re-run from earlier in the season). The players were Tim Russert (Host of NBC's Meet the Press), Christie Todd-Whitman (Fmr Governor of NJ & Fmr Secry of the EPA), and Tavis Smiley (Host of NPR's Tavis Smiley show).
The Final Jeopardy question was (paraphrased) “How many US Senators were there in 1958?“
Now, there are two Senators from each state, and presently, we have 50 states. Hence, we currently have 100 Senators.
So, all one has to do to answer this, is to remember that Alaska & Hawaii became states in 1959, which means in 1958, we had two fewer states, which means 4 fewer Senators, and then sunbstract 4 from 100 to get 96. That's it!
All three got it wrong!
Has mathematics education in the US declined so badly that the simple equation “100 - 4 = 96“ eludes three prominent and seemly intelligent people?