1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,519 Speaker 1: Guess what mango? What's that? Will? So I was looking 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: up little American influences around the world, you know, like 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: how in Japan a hot dog is called a Hota 4 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 1: dog oo, but a corn dog is called an American 5 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,799 Speaker 1: dog oo. I love that. What else you got? Potlucks 6 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: are called American parties in the Netherlands, and one of 7 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 1: my favorites, brass knuckles, are referred to as an American 8 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: fist in France. But the thing I wanted to tell 9 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: you about was this little town in Brazil called Americana. 10 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: So basically, when the Confederacy lost the Civil War, about 11 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 1: twenty thousand Confederates fled to Brazil, where they established two colonies. 12 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: There was New Texas and Americana. But what's crazy is 13 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: that it still has this touch of America there. You 14 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: can spot rocking chairs on porches, families still speaking English 15 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: with a Southern drawl, and they still make sweet potato 16 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: pot This has all been passed down since the eighteen sixties, 17 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: that is yeah. But it got me wondering, if we 18 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: ever decided to leave America, what's the most non American 19 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: American place out there? Is it? Another country is a 20 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: US territory and what is it that makes America America? 21 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: I mean other than corn dogs. Of course, let's die 22 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: in hei their podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. 23 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 1: I'm Will Pearson and as always I'm joined by my 24 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: good friend man Geshot Ticketer, and today we're talking about 25 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: the most American places in the world, at least ones 26 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: that just so happened to be located outside the US. 27 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: That's right. We're gonna look at some foreign places that, 28 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: for one reason or another have a very distinct American feel. 29 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,560 Speaker 1: And we're also going to explore a few offshore territories 30 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: to see which parts of the States have rubbed off 31 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: on them and to help makes sense of these somewhat 32 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: mysterious locales. Will be talking with Doug mac author of 33 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: the book That Not Quite States of America Now. Doug 34 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: spend a year touring the US territories and came away 35 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: with all kinds of amazing information about the parts of 36 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: our own country that many of us tend to forget 37 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: even exists. I'm super excited to talk to him and 38 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: for a question today, we've also got a couple of 39 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: part Time Geniuses calling in from Washington, d C. We're 40 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: gonna hear their thoughts on living in a city that's 41 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 1: got quite a chip on his shoulder and thanks to 42 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: it's not quite status. Yeah, DC residents are not shy 43 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: about their frustration with the Federal District's lack of statehood. 44 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: I mean, for almost twenty years now, the motto on 45 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: their license plates has been taxation without representation. Compare that 46 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: to what most states put on their plates and you'll 47 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: get a sense of how heavily the whole not a 48 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: state thing weighs on them. I know. Most states use 49 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: the space to brag about their accomplishments, like Ohio's plate 50 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,679 Speaker 1: touts as the birthplace of aviation, and Utah uses the 51 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: plate to boast that they have the greatest snow on earth. 52 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: How did you Utah determine that it has the best 53 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: snow in the world. It seems pretty subjective. I mean, 54 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: who's to say there's is the greatest. I know, it's 55 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: funny because states get away with ridiculous statements like that 56 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: all the time, like Virginia is for lovers. Come on, now, 57 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: it was a very scientific study. So and it's the 58 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 1: same with Utah. Fact checkers have shown that it isn't 59 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: the driest or the fluffiest or the most abundant snow, 60 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: but they called their unique mixture of snow the best 61 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,640 Speaker 1: on Earth. Nut. When you try to think of a 62 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: country that's most like the United States, what comes to 63 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: mind first? Oh, it's got to be our neighbor to 64 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: the north, right exactly, or at least in theory. I mean, 65 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:23,239 Speaker 1: Canada is likely the place the average American would say 66 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,959 Speaker 1: they'd feel most at home. And that's partly because most 67 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: Americans have a really positive view of Canada. So last September, 68 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: a poll from NBC and The Wall Street Journal showed 69 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: that seventy percent of Americans surveyed viewed Canada favorably. Well, 70 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: only three percent had a negative view of Canada. And 71 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,119 Speaker 1: by the way, those were the highest ratings in the poll. 72 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: People like Canada more than any other person or entity 73 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: they were asked about. That's pretty incredible. But I mean, 74 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: I don't know who those three percent are, because I 75 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: can't imagine anyone actively dislike in Canada. Everyone knows they're 76 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: pretty much like the nicest people on Earth. Plus their 77 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: land of great comedy like Lorne Michaels and Antha be 78 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: of Kids in the Hall. That's right, I was gonna 79 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: say kids in the hall mainly just kids in the hall, right, 80 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: So what's not to like? But you know what's funny, 81 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: Remember how much love Canada got The night of the 82 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: two thousand and sixteen election. As the votes were talied, 83 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: there were all these reports about Canada's immigration side crashing 84 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 1: due to a stampede of less than enthused Americans. But 85 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: what's interesting is that it wasn't just a two thousand 86 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 1: sixteen phenomenon. Every election year, thousands of Americans on both 87 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: sides of the all threatened to jump ship to Canada 88 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: should the quote wrong candidate win. Yeah. Well, the underlying 89 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 1: thought is clearly that even if life in Canada isn't 90 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: the same as life in the US, it's close enough. Yeah, 91 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: hopping the boarder to Canada's apparently the plan be for 92 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: lots of Americans, or at least they pretend it is. 93 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: It's kind of a if things go south, I'll go 94 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: north mentality. But the reality is it's a whole lot 95 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: harder to immigrate to Canada than most people think. Even 96 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: if you have a job in Canada, even if you're 97 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: married to a Canadian, becoming a citizen can be time 98 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: consuming and requires a crazy amount of paperwork. But even 99 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 1: setting aside the faculty of becoming a citizen, there's still 100 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: the question of whether living in Canada would really feel 101 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: comparable to life here in the States. Is Canada all 102 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 1: that American? Really? I mean, don't get me wrong. There's 103 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: a great deal of crossover, but it's hardly a one 104 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: to one. Yeah, Canadian culture isn't too far from what 105 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: we find state side. And the food, for the most part, 106 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: isn't that exotic that they do have stuff like poutine 107 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: flavored potato chips and camel meat apparently. Yeah, I don't 108 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: think that sounds very American. Because we share the same continent, 109 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: our economies, environmental concerns are intertwined. But yeah, there would 110 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: definitely be some growing pains involved for American transplants. For example. 111 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: According to Canadian Business, buying stuff online is much more 112 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: of a challenge in Canada than it is in the US. 113 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 1: I like that you go straight to shopping as the 114 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: litmus test for whether it's a place feels truly American. 115 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: But okay, what makes e commerce worse in Canada is 116 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: that the spotty WiFi not exactly. In fact, Canadians are 117 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: more likely to have access to the Internet than residents 118 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: of any other G twenty nation, and that includes the US. 119 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 1: Canadian citizens have long since embraced the digital age, but 120 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 1: Canadian businesses are a totally different story. Fewer than half 121 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 1: of all Canadian companies have websites, much less the ability 122 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: to sell their products online. Well, that would definitely be 123 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: a route awakening for many Americans. And I think the 124 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: weather in Canada would be an even rude ruin. I 125 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: don't want to blow your mind here, Mango, but it 126 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 1: gets pretty chilly in Canada. Yeah, that's a good point. 127 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: There are parts of the US that experienced some freezing 128 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,799 Speaker 1: cold winters, but that's true of all of Canada. In fact, 129 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: Canada vised with Russia for the title of coldest country 130 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 1: in the world. The average daily annual temperature in the 131 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: Great White North of bombing twenty two degrees fahrenheit. Yikes. 132 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 1: Just thinking about that makes me I want to reach 133 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: for the firm of stat though. But I'm glad we're 134 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: touching on climate. That's one of the major points of 135 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: departure you're going to run into with any stand in 136 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,119 Speaker 1: for the States. Yeah, our location and the sheer size 137 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: of the continental US allows for a lot of diversity 138 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: in terms of geography and climate. That's an aspect of 139 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: life in America that's tough for a lot of regions 140 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: to match, even if they do have same day delivery 141 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: from Amazon. But I think the biggest obstacle in trying 142 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: to find another country that feels American is the history itself. 143 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: What do you mean by that, Well, a country's history 144 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: and the sense that it's shared by the people who 145 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: live there. That's a large part of what makes the 146 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: place feel like home. Countries like Canada and Australia have 147 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: similar histories of European colonization to that at the US. 148 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: That's maybe part of the reason they feel more American. 149 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: Does still, all the specifics of those histories and the 150 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: cultures they spurred are very different, and it's those kind 151 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: of details that really seem to help us identify ourselves 152 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: as Americans. Yeah, that sounds right to me. I mean, 153 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: imagine in America where the people didn't feel a swell 154 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: of pride when they spotted the Statue of Liberty or 155 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: feel a twinge of childhood nostalgia when they heard notes 156 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: from Yankee Doodle. Could you ever really say a place 157 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: like that felt American. Well, plenty of people wouldn't be 158 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: so lofty and describing what makes America America. I mean, 159 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 1: it's not for nothing that we have the largest economy 160 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: in the world. Americans like to spend money, and we 161 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: have tons of options for where to spend it. See, 162 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: it all comes back to shopping. It really isn't escapable. 163 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: I mean, look at fast food, for better or worse, 164 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: it's becomes synonymous with American culture. So any stand in 165 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: country worth its salt would have its fair share of 166 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: golden arches. Now, it's no surprise that the US leads 167 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: and the total number of McDonald's restaurants at about fourteen thousand, 168 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,239 Speaker 1: but there are a few countries that are gaining ground. China, 169 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: for instance, has around two thousand McDonald's, in Japan nearly 170 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: three thousand, who they're really catching off. In fact, US 171 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: sales now only account for about thirty one percent of 172 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: McDonald's total revenues, according to Investipedia. The rest comes from 173 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: countries that are fast adapting to American taste. And it's 174 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: not just burgers. The KFC chain has become ubiquitous in 175 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: Asian markets. Yeah, I get that. I mean KFC has 176 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: been steadily expanding in both Japan and China for the 177 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: past decade. China has even overtaken the US for a 178 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: number of total KFCs more than Oh wow, so as 179 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,079 Speaker 1: Kentucky Fried Chicken more Chinese than American. Now, well, it's 180 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: actually more Japanese. Oh really, how's that for one thing? 181 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: KFC's mascot, Colonel Sanders, is hugely popular in Japan. He's 182 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 1: emphasized in all the marketing, the employee uniforms, even in 183 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 1: his trademark below tie. They even have a Colonel mascot 184 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: costume with a big emoji style head for the customers 185 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: to take selfies. Right, it's a little bit creepy. I mean, 186 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,719 Speaker 1: he was also the founder, right, a real person. It's 187 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: sort of like if Disneyland had employees wearing big Walt 188 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: Disney mask prowling the park instead of Mickey Mouse. Thankfully, 189 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: that's something even the international Disney parks have avoided doing. 190 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: But it does get me thinking, could Disney theme parks 191 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,719 Speaker 1: be some of the most American places in the world. Well, 192 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,439 Speaker 1: you might be onto something there. Last year, Branding Magazine 193 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: pulled nearly five thousand people between sixteen and sixty five. 194 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 1: They asked them to evaluate the patriotism of two hundred 195 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:36,839 Speaker 1: and forty eight U S brands. Any idea who was 196 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:38,680 Speaker 1: at the top of the list. I'm gonna go on 197 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 1: a limb here and say Disney. That's right. In fact, 198 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: nine percent associated the Disney brand with US patriotism. Yeah, 199 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: a steady exposure to American brands and entertainment has gone 200 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: a long way toward making other parts of the world 201 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: feel a little more American, for better for worse. In fact, 202 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: that's even true of our own offshore territories, which are 203 00:09:57,040 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 1: their own unique mixes of island native and modern American CA. 204 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 1: Very true. But before we get into the strange, not 205 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: at all straightforward world of US territories, what do you 206 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: say we check in with our DC residents for an 207 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: all American quiz. Let's do it. So, who do we 208 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:18,959 Speaker 1: have on the line today? Mango? We have Drake and 209 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 1: Don who are both DC residents, and in a strange coincidence, 210 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: both of them have traveled to nearly all fifty states. 211 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,079 Speaker 1: Oh wow, yeah, So let's start with you. Well, you've 212 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,839 Speaker 1: been to forty nine states, is that right? That's right? 213 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 1: So which one is missing on the list? I have 214 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: not been to North Dakota yet. To North Dako is 215 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 1: gonna say Hawaii or Alaska. So what do you have 216 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: against North Dakota. Well, uh, if you think about everything 217 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: that's cool to visit in the Dakotas, whether it's Rushmore 218 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: or Deadwood or Rapid City, that's all South Dakota. All 219 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 1: of our North Dakota listeners are going to be so 220 00:10:54,760 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: angry after hearing this could get definitely yeah yeah, all right, 221 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: Well that's still pretty impressive. And don I think you've 222 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: been to what is it? Yes? All right? And what's 223 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: missing on your list? So what's missing is Wyoming and 224 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: Alaska has somebody that has visited North Dakota. You haven't 225 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 1: lived until you've had dinner in bis parks like that? 226 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: All right? Well, actually, Drake, you're also in the process 227 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 1: of striking off another list, and that is visiting every 228 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: Major League baseball park in America. Now, how many of 229 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: you hit at this point as of a few days ago? Wow? Okay, 230 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: all right? Twenty six out of how many are there? Thirty? Okay? Okay, 231 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: well done? All right, Well, let's get to it. We've 232 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: got two d C residents here to play a game 233 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: and what's the game called mango. It's a little quiz 234 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 1: called d C or not d C. All right, so 235 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: we'll read a statement about Washington d C. If you 236 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: think it's true, you'll say d C. If you think 237 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,479 Speaker 1: it's false, you'll say not d C. Not that confusing, 238 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: all right, So you'll be working as a team. We 239 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: thought DC residents need to stick together and all of 240 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: their anger over not being a state, So we're gonna 241 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: let you collaborate, you guys, ready, that's good, All right, 242 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: let's do it. Question number one, It wasn't until nineteen 243 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: sixty one that DC residents got the right to vote 244 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: in presidential elections d C or not d C. I'm 245 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: not sure the date, but that sounds right. What do 246 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: you think, don Uh, I don't know why it would 247 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: have been nineteen sixty I'm gonna go not d C. Actually, 248 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: I think I think we've been able to vote presidential longer. 249 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 1: He's deferring. He's such a gentleman, but unfortunately is Dent 250 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: them the right? Yeah, and they first exercised that right 251 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: in the nineteen elections. So Don was actually thinking along 252 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 1: the right lines of like, why would it be nineteen 253 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: sixty one? When it wasn't exercised until sixty four. So 254 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: I think we should give him half a point for 255 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: like putting that reasoning together. So let's let's do that. 256 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 1: So just like DC is half that's right, that's right, 257 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: all right? Not not even all right? Question number two. 258 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,559 Speaker 1: Underneath DC there's a semi secret metro line that runs 259 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: congressmen and staffers between the office buildings. That is true, 260 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: all right, absolutely, yep. What's it called. It's called a 261 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: Capital Subway system and it makes over two runs a day. Wow. Okay, alright, 262 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:22,959 Speaker 1: so they have one and a half points so far. 263 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: Let's see what happens next. Question number three. When Nixon 264 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: accepted the gift of two pandas to DC's national Zoo, 265 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: he returned the favor by sending them a pair of 266 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: r C A speakers and a collection of Danny K 267 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 1: records d C or not DC. It's just dumb enough 268 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: that it might be true. I don't know. That sounds 269 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: like it. That sounds like a tacky, tacky American thing 270 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: to do. Who is it, Danny? Kay? Yeah? Is that 271 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,439 Speaker 1: not the jam you were listening to before you just 272 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: turned off the eight track? I'm gonna go d it's 273 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 1: actually not d C. Nixon actually sent them a gift 274 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: that was way tack here a pair of muskox named 275 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: Milton and Matilda, and according to the New York Times, 276 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 1: they weren't exactly quality cattle. Milton in particular was complaining 277 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 1: of post nasal drip, a cough, and his hair seemed 278 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: to be falling out on arrival. What a sweet gift. Okay, alright, 279 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: I sensed the stormback. They've got three questions left, alright, 280 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: Question number four. While Washington, d C. Isn't a state, 281 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: it does have a listed state flower, the American Beauty 282 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: Rose d C or not DC. You know what it sounds. 283 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: It sounds to me like it's probably right. Yeah, you're right, 284 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: d Here we go. Two questions left. The first Showbiz 285 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: Pizza opened in Washington, d C. In ninety. Vice President 286 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: George Bush joined Spain's ambassador to cut the ribbon at 287 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 1: the opening ceremony. D C or not DC? Where does 288 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 1: this stuff come from history books? Or not? That's true? 289 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: All right? I think I think Don should probably agree 290 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: with you. Let's see correct, all right? To finish up 291 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: strong for the big prize, here we go, Question number six. 292 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: Spiked Dog callers were invented in Washington, d C. By 293 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: famed dog breeder Gareth Winchester to make his Bassett hounds 294 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: look more intimidating. D C or not DC, I'm going now, 295 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: I'm going correct. Who is Gareth Winchester? We don't just 296 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 1: say that name of Well, okay, so how did these 297 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: guys done. Our contestant's got a stunning four point five 298 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: out of five. So not only will they get the 299 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: note to their mom or boss from us sing their praises, 300 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: but we're also sending them a vintage Republican Congressional cookbook 301 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: filled with delicious American recipes fans of any political party 302 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: can enjoy. So congratulations Don and Drake. Thanks for joining 303 00:15:53,640 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: us on Part Time Genius. A right, thank you, guys. 304 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius and we're talking about 305 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: the most American places in the world. So mango, we've 306 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: been focusing on places that somehow feel American despite being 307 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: outside of the United States. But before the break, you've 308 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: touched on the topic of u S territories. Yeah, the 309 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: territories are like these incredible scattered American gems that are 310 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: sadly overlooked by most of US. Puerto Rico is the 311 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: most famous by far of the five inhabited US territories, 312 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: the other four being the US Virgin Islands, which is 313 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,600 Speaker 1: also in the Caribbean, plus American Samoa, Guam, and the 314 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific. They're also about a 315 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 1: dozen uninhabited islands that also technically count as American soil. 316 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: All right, so there are five of them. That is 317 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: not something I could have told you before. And I 318 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: feel like we need a way to commit them to memory. 319 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: And you know how much I likenemonic devices, mango. Can 320 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: we just take a minute to come up with a 321 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: good way to remember all five. That's a great idea. Yeah, okay, 322 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: So we go by population size from largest to smallest. 323 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 1: That gives US Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, 324 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: in Northern Mariana Islands pg u a n I was 325 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 1: kind of hoping it would make a word thereself. All right, Well, 326 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: let's think about this then. How about let's see p 327 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: g u a piguan. That's not a word, all right, 328 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:30,640 Speaker 1: Pancakes grow under a nice tree, and nice trees one word, 329 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: by the way, said, don't call me out on that 330 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: pancakes grow under a nice tree. That's how you remember. 331 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: Oh that's good. Or maybe pickles get ugly after man. 332 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 1: I was gonna say knife thing, but that's supposed to 333 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 1: the k or gnawing, which social g Stefid's silent less. 334 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: How about pickles get ugly after negotiations. Negotiations, Yeah, negotiations 335 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 1: will wear anyone down. I was going to suggest neglect there. Yeah, 336 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: if the negotiation is just fun here to picture and 337 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: easier to remember. All right, good point. Okay, I think 338 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,239 Speaker 1: we both nailed it, but we know our listeners are 339 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: smarter than we are, So let's make this a kind 340 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: come up with a better mnemonic for how to remember 341 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: the five U S territories and will award our favorite 342 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,959 Speaker 1: three with part Time Genius t shirts. Just send your 343 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: entries along with your mailing address to part Time Genius 344 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 1: at how stuff Works dot com, or you can find 345 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: us on Facebook or Twitter. I can't wait to hear 346 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: from them. Okay, back to the territories. Okay, we should 347 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: note that we're following Doug max lead on this by 348 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: kind of broadly grouping them all together as territories, but 349 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 1: the logistics are a little more nuanced than that. Right, 350 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 1: A territory can either be organized or unorganized, and also 351 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 1: incorporated or unincorporated. And then there are Puerto Rico and 352 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:45,959 Speaker 1: the Northern Mariana Islands, which are officially commonwealth rather than territories. 353 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: It's all maybe a little too nuanced for us to 354 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: get into here. Yeah, I know. They're all these distinctions 355 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: that are used to describe the extent to which the 356 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 1: Constitution and federal laws applies, well as whether a place 357 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: is fully considered part of the U s. It's it's 358 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: actually kind of a big mess. You can really tell 359 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: that the territories were required without any solid long term 360 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: plan for them. I mean, all but nineteen of the 361 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: current fifty states started out as US territories, but that 362 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: path to statehood has never seemed like a serious option 363 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: for places like Guam in the Virgin Islands, right, Which 364 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 1: isn't to say that the US claimed and without any 365 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: rhyme or reason. Though, Yeah, why do we start grabbing 366 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: up offshore territories anyway? I know America was young, scrappy 367 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: and hungary to borrow a phrase from Hamilton's, but we're 368 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: looking for ways to assert ourselves as a full blown 369 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: empire in the eyes of the rest of the world. 370 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,160 Speaker 1: But that seems, I don't know, sort of impractical. Well, 371 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: we definitely did want that seat at the big boy table, 372 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: and expanding the country's boundaries certainly got us closer to 373 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: that goal. But there was actually a more practical reason too. 374 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,679 Speaker 1: And you're gonna like this one, but back in the 375 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: early eighteen hundreds, our farming game wasn't so strong yet 376 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:50,680 Speaker 1: Here in the States. We were producing tons and tons 377 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 1: of tobacco and cotton, but at the expense of the soil, 378 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 1: which was fast losing all of its nutrients. Yeah, I 379 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: guess George Washington Carver was still quite a few years off, 380 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 1: so crop rotation wouldn't have be and in vogue at 381 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: the time. That's right, while we were exhausting the soil, 382 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: and since industrialization was still a ways off, it was 383 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: becoming a very big problem for our fledgling economy. So 384 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: what's a young growing nation to do but start mining 385 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: bird poop from the barren islands off its short Wait, 386 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: that's why we have this territory, well many of them. Yeah, 387 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,439 Speaker 1: these remote islands had been flyover spots for seabirds for 388 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: thousands of years. All those years of daily deposits allowed 389 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: for some pretty hefty build ups of atria rich fertilizer. 390 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,199 Speaker 1: I'm not kidding, and that's what American farmers needed. So 391 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 1: Congress passed the Guano Islands Act in eighteen fifty six, 392 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: and we started calling DIBs on all the unclaimed islands 393 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: we could find. That is practical and kind of gross, yeah, 394 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: but it also doesn't explain why we've continued to hold 395 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: onto these territories. I mean, we aren't exactly hard up 396 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: for fertilizer anymore, and my friends in the guano mining 397 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 1: industry tell me the work has dropped off significantly over 398 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 1: the past two hundred years or so. I get that 399 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: nations aren't chomping at the bit to give up land. 400 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: There's only so much of it in the world, after all, 401 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: But there has to be more to it. I think 402 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 1: it has a lot to do with what the US 403 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: got an addition to copious mounds of bird poop. When 404 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: a nation claims territory, it doesn't just get land itself. 405 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: It gains possession as the surrounding waters for miles and 406 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: miles in all directions. That means Carte Blanc access to 407 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:18,800 Speaker 1: fishing and undersea minerals and shipping lanes. Well, not to 408 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: mention the opportunity for tourism. That's big business for the 409 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: territories today, one of the reasons they feel so American 410 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:27,159 Speaker 1: in some ways, even though their official status is a 411 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: little shaky. Yeah, that was one of the things that 412 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: jumped out to me while reading Doug max book. A 413 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 1: few of the U. S territories are total tourist magnets, 414 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: but it isn't always the people you'd expect to be visiting. 415 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: Like take the Virgin Islands for example. Unlike the Guanda 416 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:42,719 Speaker 1: Rich Islands, the U S spot d s from Denmark 417 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,399 Speaker 1: in the early nineteenth century. Today, Dane's flocked to the 418 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 1: US Virgin Islands to get a taste of their country's 419 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: colonial history. In fact, there's a weird dichotomy on the 420 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: islands and that Danish tourists largely visit for the historical 421 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:58,360 Speaker 1: attractions like museums and tours of old forts, while American 422 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: tourists visit mainly for the beach is in the duty 423 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: free shopping. Well, we have established that Americans love shops, 424 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 1: but it's a little sad to hear Americans mostly think 425 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: of the territories as Beachfront mall right, and in some 426 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 1: cases they're not so much shopping destinations for Americans as 427 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 1: they are for international tourists who want to feel American. 428 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 1: You're thinking of Guam, I'm guessing exactly. Aside for the 429 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 1: local population, Guam is almost entirely made up of Navy 430 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 1: and Air Force personnel and an endless dream of tourists 431 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: from Russia, China, Japan, even Korea, And for the sake 432 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: of survival, the people from Guam have really had to 433 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: cater to this foreign crowd. There's this great part in 434 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: Doug max book where he describes visiting Guam and running 435 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: across an outback steakhouse, and it's just this really surreal 436 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,400 Speaker 1: moment where he's outside the States looking at this Australian 437 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 1: themed US chain restaurant with a big glowing sign that 438 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:51,440 Speaker 1: reads America's favorite steakhouse in Japanese. It was the steakhouse 439 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 1: was in Japanese. That's great. That reminds me of how 440 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: perhaps Blue Ribbon was rebranded in China for luxury markets 441 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: and sold for like eighty dollars of bottle because not 442 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 1: only was it American, but it won a Blue ribbon, 443 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,400 Speaker 1: and yet Zima Gould can't get any international love despite 444 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: having that golden the title. I'm not sure that's what 445 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: the gold stood for. But of all the territories, Guam 446 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: really stands out for catering to a particular breed of tourists, 447 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 1: those who want to experience all the cliche excess of 448 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,360 Speaker 1: US culture without actually visiting the States. And I mean 449 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: it sounds like those visitors get exactly what they're after. 450 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: Just listen to Duck's description of one of Guam's shopping districts. 451 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,240 Speaker 1: If you're so inclined, in the course of a single afternoon, 452 00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: you can rent a canary yellow Chevy Mustang or a 453 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:37,639 Speaker 1: Harley Davidson, dress up like a cowboy and fire machine 454 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: gun at wild West Frontier Village, et a burger at 455 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: the Root sixty six Pub and Club by a bulk 456 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:45,879 Speaker 1: size bag of your favorite beef turkey from the dedicated 457 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: section at the Souvenir Shop, and pose with the Statue 458 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: of Liberty with a baseball field in the background, before 459 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 1: ending the day with a Las Vegas style magic show 460 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: replete with white tigers and dancing show girls with feathery 461 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 1: head dresses. That just makes me feel patriotic. Yeah, that 462 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,199 Speaker 1: really does sound like America, or maybe just Vegas. But 463 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,199 Speaker 1: the territories do have places that are purposefully set up 464 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 1: to feel like mainland America. But what about the people 465 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: who lived there. I know that, with some exceptions, they 466 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: are American citizens, but do they seem like Americans right? Well, 467 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: we know they've got the shopping thing down path, but 468 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: maybe we should also take a look at the aspects 469 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,919 Speaker 1: of history and culture that we talked about earlier. I 470 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: think those will really be deciding factors for what territories 471 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: can be considered places that truly feel American. But before 472 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 1: we get into that, let's break for a quiz. So, 473 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: our guest today is the author of this terrific book 474 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 1: we're discussing the not Quite States of America. After realizing 475 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: just how little he knew about the United States territories, 476 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 1: he set off on a globe hopping quest, covering more 477 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,920 Speaker 1: than thirty thousand miles to see them all, and he's 478 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 1: here for us to ask him questions about every single 479 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: one of those miles. Doug mac Welcome to Part time Genius. Hi, 480 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: thanks for having me. So tell us how this book 481 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 1: idea came about and how long it took to make 482 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: it happen. I mean, thirty thousand miles is no short 483 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 1: track to to see all of these places. It's certainly not. UM. 484 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 1: So I have a degree, bachelor's degree in American studies. UM. 485 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: But in four years of study, we never even once 486 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 1: talked about the US territories. You know. We talked about 487 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: history and and politics and literature and all this stuff 488 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: about the States, though specifically right. Um. And then just 489 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,880 Speaker 1: a few years ago, UM, I was with my wife 490 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 1: on a Saturday morning and she collects all the state quarters, 491 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,440 Speaker 1: and she was putting a new quarter in her portfolio, 492 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 1: and uh, she kind of said late, looking on, there 493 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: are these quarters for the for the territories, and went, 494 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: oh right, we have territories, um, which is kind of 495 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: the response I get to every from everyone when I 496 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: say able book with territories. It's oh right, territories. That's 497 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 1: that's the thing. Um. And so that sort of sparked 498 00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: this idea thought, you know, this is this is supposed 499 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:03,360 Speaker 1: to be area of expertise, right, American studies, UM, all 500 00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: this history, and did a little bit googling. I thought, 501 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 1: you know, this is these are really interesting places I 502 00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,919 Speaker 1: should go see them myself. UM. And and no one 503 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 1: had really written this book before, which is another thing 504 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: that you were about as a writer, is has anyone 505 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: already written this um? And turns out the answer is no. 506 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: And so was was your travel to any one of 507 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:26,199 Speaker 1: these places more surprising than others? Yeah? So all of 508 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 1: the territories have a really interesting combination of what we 509 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: would think of as sort of like familiar American culture um. 510 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 1: And then and then their own region, right, So like 511 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: the US Virgin Islands. One of the very first things 512 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: that I saw as we're driving in from the airport 513 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: was there's a big baseball stadium with a big poster 514 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:47,959 Speaker 1: saying they're going to be some major league stars appearing 515 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,199 Speaker 1: in a couple of weeks. Um. You know, you kind 516 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: of expect that as in part of the USA. But 517 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: then a couple of blocks away was a big cricket 518 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,479 Speaker 1: ground um and the use Origin Islands are part of 519 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 1: the West Indies crick team, which is one of the 520 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,479 Speaker 1: most successful cricket teams in the world. Um. And so 521 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 1: you don't think of any part of the USA as 522 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: being you know, a cricket hotbed much less being both 523 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: a popular spot for baseball and for cricket, and so 524 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: there are a lot of things like that across the 525 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:19,439 Speaker 1: territories where um, you know, there is something familiar and 526 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: then something completely differently. Now you you write a little 527 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,159 Speaker 1: bit about um, you know they're thinking and the various 528 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: territories on the possibility of statehood, but in general, were 529 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: you surprised at the feelings from place to place on 530 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: on the idea of of achieving statehood. Yeah, well I was. 531 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 1: I was surprised by sort of the level of complexity 532 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: on that because there's no caught and dried answer, right so, 533 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: and and it varies from place to place. You know, 534 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico certainly has has the biggest debate, met a 535 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: lot of people who were very strongly in favor of 536 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: becoming independent nation. They want nothing to do with the USA. UM. 537 00:27:57,160 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: Plenty of other people want to become a state. And 538 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,199 Speaker 1: you know, certainly they have the population and then everything 539 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: that you know, they would fit right in. Um, I 540 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 1: think they would be about twenty ninth or so um 541 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 1: population wise. So yeah, it's it's it's really complicated, and 542 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 1: it's all it's always changing as well. So for example, 543 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: Guam right now has an independence moving movement that's starting 544 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: to get to pick up some steam. Um. But again, 545 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: even there, do you still have some people who wanted 546 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 1: to keep things the same and you have some people 547 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: who who want state hit. So um, there's there's not 548 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: really an easy answer there. Yeah. Now, which of these 549 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: territories would you say, if you had to pick one 550 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:34,520 Speaker 1: to say is the most American? What would you say? 551 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: Possibly Guam they have the world's largest kmart. Um. Yeah. 552 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: I took a tour of the island with with a 553 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 1: military Veterans motorcycle club. Um and um they have amazing barbecue. 554 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: That's that's very much their own, their own thing. Um 555 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: with a particular marinee that's it's kind of unique to 556 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: to the Mariana Islands and Guam um and um. Man 557 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,720 Speaker 1: just really felt felt familiar in American to me, but 558 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: also like it had some of these uh cultural differences 559 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:11,680 Speaker 1: that that I don't get certainly where I live in Minneapolis, 560 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: But that too felt very American right that there, that 561 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: there's all these different people and traditions contributing to this 562 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: broader story of the U. S A. All right, well, 563 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 1: um mango, what game are we playing with Doug today? 564 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: Because Doug wrote the not quite States of America. We're 565 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: saddling him with a game called the not Quite Brilliant Quiz. 566 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: All right, so we've scoured newspapers and media headlines for 567 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:38,400 Speaker 1: the phrase not quite something, and we want you to 568 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: fill in the blank. But to help you out, we'll 569 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: give you a rhyming clue as well. This is one 570 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: of more and more complicated games. So no pressure, Yeah, 571 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: no pressure at all. But are you Are you ready 572 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 1: to play? Doug? I think so? Okay, here we go. 573 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 1: All right, so question number one. I'll give you the 574 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 1: clue first, the answer rhymes with an abbreviation for corporation. 575 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: The answer rhymes with an abbreviation for corporation, all right. 576 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: And in Atlanta Journal Constitution story headlined speeding man had 577 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: alien doll passenger. The driver clocked in at eighty four 578 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: miles per hour or not quite blank speed? Yes, yes, 579 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: one for one? Okay, clue for number two. This answer 580 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 1: rhymes with the title of a Monty Python Broadway musical. Okay, 581 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 1: the question is the New Yorker titled a movie about 582 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 1: a Jackie. Oh wanna be not quite blank? Oh that's right, 583 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: Camelot right, yeah, And it rhymes with spam a lot. 584 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 1: Well done, two for two. Alright, question number three, there's 585 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: two left. Here we go. The clue is this answer 586 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 1: rhymes with how you describe a monkey named George in 587 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 1: a city a m car review the paper called a 588 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: new automobile fast but not quite blank furious. Yeah, it's curious. 589 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 1: I'll thank my my toddler daughter in her book collection. Alright, 590 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: last one here, This answer rhymes with spam gurglar, which 591 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 1: isn't a word that makes sense. Okay. The question is 592 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 1: a New Jersey radio station referred to a man who 593 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 1: tried to rob a Burger King as not quite blank. Uh, 594 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 1: it's probably not Ronald McDonald. That will be a hamburgler. Yes, 595 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: well don alright, so how did Doug you mango? So 596 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: Doug one incredible four four, which wins our hard earned admiration, 597 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 1: which is also known as our number one best not 598 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: quite Prize. Alright, congratulations Doug, and thanks so much for 599 00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: being on part time genius. I hope all of you 600 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,480 Speaker 1: will check out not quite states dot com to find 601 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: out about Doug's book tour. On August first, he'll be 602 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 1: in New York. August second, he'll be in Boston. But 603 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: you can see on the website for his other stops. 604 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: Safe Travels Doug, and thanks a lot for writing a 605 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: great book. Yeah, thanks for having to appreciate it. So 606 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: we were talking about all the things that make the 607 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: not quite states of America feel like the real thing. 608 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 1: So what's the scoop on the local Well, I think 609 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: one of the main similarities to people's state side is 610 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: that people in the territories have this really strong sense 611 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:37,600 Speaker 1: of sharing the load. There are these really tightly knit 612 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 1: communities of families and friends that look out for one 613 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,680 Speaker 1: another despite having to constantly compete for resources. In some cases, 614 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: this is especially true of American Samoa, which is one 615 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: of the less developed, not as touristy territories. American Samoa 616 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 1: is an interesting case, and it is the only inhabited 617 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 1: territory that's neither incorporated nor organized. It's actually the least 618 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: American territory in a legal sense. But on the other hand, 619 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:02,840 Speaker 1: the locals have a culture that closely mirrors part of 620 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: the mainland lifestyle. And what do you think about Well, 621 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: for one thing, American Samoans love football, and they're really 622 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:10,600 Speaker 1: good at it too. American football, of course, so Christian 623 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 1: missionaries introduced the locals to rugby a long time ago, 624 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 1: so when American television brought the NFL to the region, 625 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 1: many players made the switch from a European pastime to 626 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 1: a more American one. In fact, there were twenty eight 627 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: NFL players of American Samoan descent at the start of 628 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:28,560 Speaker 1: the two thousand fifteen two thousand and sixteen season. They've 629 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,200 Speaker 1: really taken to it, and that's awesome. I've also heard 630 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 1: their avid web surfers because the internet speeds are crazy fast. 631 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: They're like faster than they are here on the mainland. 632 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: Oh and another really telling fact about American Samoa is 633 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 1: its military enlistment rate. It is pretty high, isn't it 634 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: the highest? I mean, American Samoa has the greatest enlistment 635 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: rate and casualty rate of any U S territory or state. Wow, 636 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: that is incredible. Yeah. And the craziest part is that 637 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: the American Samoans are only considered American nationals, not full citizens. 638 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,640 Speaker 1: So they are fighting and all too often dying for 639 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 1: a that doesn't even recognize them as its citizens, which 640 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: is kind of heartbreaking. Yeah, that is heartbreaking, especially when 641 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 1: you consider how strong the sense of patriotism is they're like, 642 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 1: apart from a shared love of football and fast food. 643 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 1: By the way, there are two McDonald's on the island. 644 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 1: The people that really take pride in being American. But 645 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,240 Speaker 1: what's the difference between being a national and a citizen. 646 00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 1: It's confusing, So I'm gonna quote Columbia law professor Christina 647 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:26,840 Speaker 1: Duffy Ponza here. Congress originally refused to give the inhabitants 648 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:29,880 Speaker 1: of the new territories citizenship, but the court decided that 649 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:33,319 Speaker 1: they weren't quite foreigners either. Eventually, the State Department came 650 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,400 Speaker 1: up with the label nationals, and while simons chose to 651 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,880 Speaker 1: stay nationals at some point to protect their cultural identity, 652 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: it also meant they can't get civil service jobs in 653 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:45,920 Speaker 1: the US, or vote here, or help their families immigrate, 654 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 1: even if they've served in the military. But on the 655 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 1: other hand, clearly there's a sense of shared history and 656 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 1: the territories that makes them feel more connected. Unlike somewhere 657 00:34:54,680 --> 00:34:58,760 Speaker 1: like Canada or Australia, which have broad similarities to US 658 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 1: and a bit of crossover. The territories are active parts 659 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 1: of American history. They were the sites of some key 660 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:07,319 Speaker 1: battles in many of our wars, including Saipan in the 661 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: Northern Mariana Islands, which was the bloodiest twentieth century battleground 662 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: anywhere in the US, and today they still serve as 663 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 1: strategic outposts for the military, healthing as monitor potential threats 664 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:19,880 Speaker 1: from overseas well. That's a great point. So mainland Americans 665 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:22,680 Speaker 1: have a tendency to overlook their connection to the territories, 666 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:25,360 Speaker 1: but the people who live there could never be accused 667 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: of ignoring American identity. I mean, with few exceptions, there 668 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,279 Speaker 1: isn't even a major push for independence or autonomy within 669 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:35,360 Speaker 1: the territories. Most seemed perfectly content, proud even to maintain 670 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,000 Speaker 1: their connection to the US, even if it hasn't treated 671 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 1: them completely fairly in the past. That's right. Puerto Rico 672 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 1: definitely stands the best chance of achieving statehood and seems 673 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:46,440 Speaker 1: the most eager to do so, but even that's uncertain 674 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,080 Speaker 1: and not likely to happen anytime soon. There are a 675 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:52,400 Speaker 1: few factors on its side, though, specifically the population and 676 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 1: the sheer size of its land mass. It's much bigger 677 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,680 Speaker 1: than the other territories, and it's actually larger than Delaware 678 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,600 Speaker 1: and Rhode Island as well. It's also home over three 679 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,480 Speaker 1: point five million people, which is ten times the population 680 00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 1: of all the other territories put together. Wow. Yeah, And 681 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 1: the size alone helps lend an American feel to Puerto Rico. 682 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: Like we mentioned earlier, the mainland US is big, which 683 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,280 Speaker 1: gives it a lot of diversity in terms of climate 684 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:17,520 Speaker 1: and geography. Puerto Rico is the only territory that's big 685 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 1: enough to have entire sections that look and feel completely 686 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 1: differently from one another, complete with their own local vibes 687 00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:27,520 Speaker 1: and cultural quirk. That definitely helps Puerto Rico feel more American. 688 00:36:27,960 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: And while I hate to steer us back to shopping, 689 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:32,399 Speaker 1: I really want to mention that Puerto Rico is home 690 00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:34,879 Speaker 1: to just about every American brand you can think of, 691 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: including Macaroni Grille, Costco, Sands Club, Cheesecake Factory, even at 692 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 1: the first Macy's department store outside the Conno US. Wow. 693 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:46,279 Speaker 1: So another taste of the American experience for tourists, right. Well, 694 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: that's the thing. Doug Max suggests that unlike Guam or 695 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,880 Speaker 1: some of the other more crossly commercial parts of the territories, 696 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:55,640 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico feels extra American because those are the locals taste, 697 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 1: not the tourists. That is interesting. I know it tells 698 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 1: us that the reason Puerto Rico was home to the 699 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:03,520 Speaker 1: highest concentration of walmarts in the world is not because 700 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:06,759 Speaker 1: it's trying to appeal to outsiders with American taste. It's 701 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:09,600 Speaker 1: because they're trying to peel to Americans, or, in other words, 702 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: to themselves. I like that. Still the most American places 703 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:17,479 Speaker 1: in the world, So those are in America. Is that cheating? Well, 704 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:19,879 Speaker 1: it's something we could all probably stand to remember more 705 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 1: often until we can easily rattle off the territories and 706 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 1: their capitals like we do for states. I'm going to 707 00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 1: have to give us a pass. But one case where 708 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:30,839 Speaker 1: cheating is never tolerated, the part time genius backed off. 709 00:37:30,920 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 1: What do you say? Well, all right, bring it on. 710 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:46,799 Speaker 1: H So. Shoichi Yokoi, a Japanese sergeant during World War Two, 711 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:49,160 Speaker 1: was stationed in Guam when the war ended. The only 712 00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 1: problem he didn't know the war ended and hidden the 713 00:37:51,719 --> 00:37:55,120 Speaker 1: Jungles for nearly twenty eight years. He survived on a 714 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: diet of frogs, rats, and other small animals. So what 715 00:37:58,080 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 1: happened when he was finally found by a couple of 716 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 1: hunters in nineteen seventy two, he was allowed to return 717 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 1: to Japan and live out the rest of his life 718 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 1: as a celebrity. So what are some of the most 719 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:10,799 Speaker 1: American places in the States? Going by name alone, there 720 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:13,240 Speaker 1: are quite a few cities worthy of the title, including 721 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:17,560 Speaker 1: three named Independence, two named Freedom, and a whopping nine 722 00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:20,520 Speaker 1: named Liberty, not to mention the ones that crib directly 723 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:23,880 Speaker 1: from the country's names, such as American Fork, Utah, American 724 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:27,719 Speaker 1: Falls City, Idaho, and American Canyon, California. Do you know 725 00:38:27,760 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 1: in two thousand thirteen, Samoa Air started a very un 726 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 1: American policy where they started charging people airfare based on 727 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 1: their weight. Well, their weight and their luggage is weight. 728 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 1: And when people were furious about it, they just countered, well, 729 00:38:40,239 --> 00:38:43,880 Speaker 1: you'll pay less for your kids. So, according to Thrillist, 730 00:38:43,880 --> 00:38:47,640 Speaker 1: in the mcguro neighborhood of Tokyo, aspiring Japanese cow pokes 731 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:50,319 Speaker 1: and stetson and wranglers line dance to the sound of 732 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:54,440 Speaker 1: Brad Paisley at the Little Texas Honky tonk Bar. You 733 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:56,640 Speaker 1: know what a sucker I am for wranglers and honkey 734 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 1: talk bar. I know you are, so I hate to 735 00:38:58,840 --> 00:39:00,080 Speaker 1: say it, but I've got to give it to you 736 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:02,640 Speaker 1: for this episode. Well, I'm thrilled to have won this week, 737 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:04,880 Speaker 1: but I don't have to be the only one. Listeners, 738 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:08,680 Speaker 1: remember to send your submissions for our Territoriesnemonic contest. There 739 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:10,719 Speaker 1: are big prizes on the line. And that's it for 740 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:13,320 Speaker 1: today's episode of Part Time Genius. Thanks so much for listening. 741 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. Part Time Genius is a production 742 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:37,400 Speaker 1: of how stuff works and wouldn't be possible without several 743 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,960 Speaker 1: brilliant people who do the important things we couldn't even 744 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:43,279 Speaker 1: begin to understand. Christa McNeil does the editing thing. Noel 745 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:45,360 Speaker 1: Brown made the theme song and does the MIXI mixy 746 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:49,000 Speaker 1: sound thing. Jerry Rowland does the exact producer thing. Gabe 747 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: Bluesier is our lead researcher, with support from the Research 748 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:54,719 Speaker 1: Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown and Lucas Adams and 749 00:39:54,719 --> 00:39:57,000 Speaker 1: Eve Jeff Cook gets the show to your ears. Good job, 750 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:01,400 Speaker 1: eves Se