I'm guessing if she had been wildly unstable, it wouldn't have gotten to that meeting, but I don't know how academia works -- if you're on the tenure track, do you automatically stay there?

From what I've seen, most people who are hired in a tenure-track job will stay in that job until tenure review, unless they do something really horrible.

in the "wouldn't Americans already know that?"

This.

In news of people are stupid, I barely stopped a woman from backing her car over a blind man tonight on the way home from work. Jesus.

in the "wouldn't Americans already know that?"

This.

BWAHAHAHAHAAHAH! Oh, that's good. I needed that.

Seriously, though, my mom told someone she was Canadian and got complimented on her english. The existence of provinces at all would be a stretch, let alone what they are or the numbers.

DC people: anybody know what the snow situation on the roads is in the area around National Airport? Someone I know is driving in tomorrow and staying at a hotel near there and wants to know what to expect.

Yeah, sorry, I'm relatively Canada-aware, and I couldn't have told you there are 10 provinces off-hand.

Does that include Nunavut? See? I've heard of Nunavut!

Seriously, though, my mom told someone she was Canadian and got complimented on her english.

This actually happened to me in New York this fall in a shop. The sales lady complimented me on having no accent. I bought a purse from her anyway.

I do know that generally Americans are ignorant of Canada. (One comedian did a whole comedy special on it. [link] It's just surprising that they're laying it out at such akindergarten level.

Does that include Nunavut? See? I've heard of Nunavut!

It's one of three territories... they're extra to the provinces.

I'm pretty sure there are some Americans who don't know we have 50 states.