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B+

By lex, on February 20th, 2008

OK, with a score of 86.7% on this 60 question civil literacy test, your humble scribe is officially chastised, chastened and chap-fallen.

I so knew that FDR question though. Got rushed.

Now you go.

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February 20th, 2008 | Tags: , | Category: Politics and Culture

123 comments to B+

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  • lex
    February 22, 2008 at 10:29 am

    Chase her down at home.

    Meanwhile, one can’t help noticing that this is the longest comment thread in a month of Sundays. It appears all your correspondent needs to do is offer himself up as an intellectual biffing opportunity. The poor dear.

  • Joan of Argghh!
    February 22, 2008 at 10:54 am

    Well, if it’s okay with all the cool kids…

    Just remember everyone, John’s got more “h” than I, cuz he’s a helluva guy.

    I’m afraid I must bow to all the superior knowledge around here and stick around.

    Oops! Better not be doing any bowing, what with everyone wondering about my knickers!

    :o )

  • Miss Ladybug
    February 22, 2008 at 2:13 pm

    I got an 83.33. However, my browser locked up before I could really read any of the analysis of my wrong answers. Need to take it again and see what it says…

  • deebee
    February 22, 2008 at 2:21 pm

    Re TRibar // Feb 21, 2008 at 12:20 pm (comment 60), who correctly argues that an answer to quiz question 58 could be “increases the money supply”. Alas for TRibar, the quiz didn’t offer that option (option C was “a decrease in the supply of money”). In other words, the quiz failed to measure TRibar’s knowledge on this point.

    I captured 59/60 – but my score would probably have fallen 45/60 had the quiz been presented in an open-ended form rather than multiple choice. I missed question 35, because I believed that “manifest destiny” was part of the Monroe Doctrine. Doh! A quick lookup in wikipedia reveals that the Monroe Doctrine (1823) antedated the coinage (1845) of the phrase “manifest destiny” by more than two decades.

    I too was dismayed by the low quiz scores for college graduates reported for 2006 and 2007; but I suspect that, had a similar quiz been administered in decades past, the results would have been similar. Somehow, our Republic muddles through, despite a distressing ubiquity of civic ignorance, at least as measured quizzes like this one.

    The great Amrican philosopher Will Rogers had much to say on the subject of ignorance, and when pondering the discouraging results of the quiz we would be wise to bear in mind two of his insights:

    Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.

    An ignorant person is one who doesn’t know what you have just found out.

  • Kat-missouri
    February 22, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    56/60 to 93%

    Answers to Your Missed Questions:
    Question #1 – D. 1601-1700
    [why did I think Jamestown was at the end of the 1500's?]
    Question #14 – C. 1901-1925
    [er...guess I thought women got the vote in 1929, but that was the depression; 1921...duh]
    Question #36 – D. The authority of a legitimate sovereign. [dangit...I missed that one last time, too]
    Question #55 – E. increased for the lower and middle classes and increased most for the upper class. [average household income did not remain the same...duh]

  • HomefrontSix
    February 22, 2008 at 5:45 pm

    Everyone likes the chance to show off what they know. At least that’s my theory as to why this is such a long comment thread even though there is no hanky panky taking place here.

  • ChrisP
    February 22, 2008 at 6:27 pm

    Okay,
    I got 66.7%, but it’s late, and I’m seriously drunk. I am humbled by the other Lex-ions.
    Cheers!
    ChrisP

  • unkawill
    February 22, 2008 at 7:21 pm

    Well Y’all certainly answered my call to arms.
    It is not often that I score on the bottom of the curve. On.Anything.
    As a matter of fact, I can’t remember the last time.
    It is an honor and a privilege to be associated with such a fine group.

  • Skippy-san
    February 22, 2008 at 8:34 pm

    Greogry Kong,

    Point me to an Asia centric quiz and I will take it!

  • Maggie
    February 22, 2008 at 10:39 pm

    Why is it no surprise that Lex is the troublemaker behind my headache today? I fail to understand why the creators thought those economic questions were a good measure on a civics quiz. I understand that a basic knowledge of the economy is necessary for good government oversight, but Keynesian economic theory? WTF?

    Yes that’s right I am steamed! 56 out of 60 on a civics test? It was the stupid bond crap and Keynesian crap and that other theater ticket crap.

    Although it’s easier for me Joan, I can literally throw a rock and hit Plymouth Rock, so….

    Anyway, clearly you can see why I was looking forward to a “civics” quiz. What a bitter disappointment!

    el Duderino – You come to a Navy blog and miss Question #9? You need to read more about Decatur young man!

    Seriously, one surprise for me is how many here in our milblog world (here, the Castle) didn’t get **#53. National defense is considered a public good because: a resident can benefit from it without directly paying for it.
    After all, isn’t that just another way of saying “The US Military is at war….America is at the mall.”?

    On the bright side, I did parlay my poor performance on the economic questions into a committment by John of Argghhh! to pay for the first round of drinks at the next MilBlog Conference. Out of pity to be sure, but whatever. Speaking of the MilBlog conference, that reminds me, Snake Eater, *I* do wear knickers. Just ask previous MilBlog attendees.

    HF6 – If you think there’s no hanky panky here, you haven’t read alllll the comments.

    FbL – I’m feelin’ ya! My head hurt too.

    MTH – If you could have stopped looking at the girls in civics class, you wouldn’t be MTH…..and what fun would that be?

    Skippy – I saw Gregory Kong’s challenge and thought “Where’s Skippy?” and there you were.

  • Snake Eater
    February 23, 2008 at 6:19 am

    Joan of A, Great decision… and here I thought you were some overweening, ivory tower, Smith wanna-bee… boy how wrong could I be.

    That said… I offer below my view on the commentariat around here to guide you as you start your great adventure:

    1. The Lex Babes are, like Ceasear’s wife, above reproach they are also excessively bright and should be trusted in all matters.

    2. The Army types, especially those of the SF and DAT pursuation, are truly noble beings in their manner and bearing and true blue defenders of the American way.They never lie, snark, cheat or steal nor tolerate anyone who does. Be guided by their example in all things.

    3. The Navy types …well what can I say..a divergent and truculent group of braggarts indeed … especially the Air Service types ( Lex & crew) called “Airdales” The Airdales think the sun shines out their a** and never tire of telling you so… so forewarned is forearmed. As for the Marines…fine warriors indeed the fact of which they never tire of telling you about whether you ask or not…they actually think the Navy exists solely to provide them ocean going transport …which fact … truth be told…does have some merit.
    4. And finally the Air Force… seldom , if ever, heard from around here…referred to as “Zoomies” “the Air/Chair Farce they get no respect from this group. Their defense usually falls to me which I willingly take up… after all they used to be part of the Army in the way way back and a certain familial connection still exists.

    So there you have it…in all it’s wonder…I hope its of some help… Best (ICSFTH)

  • HomefrontSix
    February 23, 2008 at 11:04 am

    *goes back to re-read the comments per Maggie’s instructions

  • Justthisguy
    February 23, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    Hey, Snake, what about the weird outliers, like <a href=”http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Asperger%27s_syndrome”me? Oh, and I acutally do have Professor Grandin’s dimensioned drawings for the squeezebox on my hard drive. A Naval Aviation Perseveration is a good thing, and it rhymes, too.

  • Justthisguy
    February 23, 2008 at 3:58 pm

    Sorry, that shoud have been : Hey, Snake, what about the weird outliers, like me? Oh, and I actually do have Professor Grandin’s dimensioned drawings for the squeezebox on my hard drive. A Naval Aviation Perseveration is a good thing, and it rhymes, too.

    Sorry, am suffering from the Budweiser effect.

  • Justthisguy
    February 23, 2008 at 4:05 pm

    Or,

    What shall we do with the drunken aspie?
    What shall we do with the drunken aspie?
    Earl-eye in the eve-ning?

    Hic! (and haec, and hoc)

  • badbob
    February 24, 2008 at 5:29 am

    Good advice above Snake Emeritus.

    The K.I.S.S principle (someone’s razor?) with special emphasis on that second “S”!

    b2

  • Alan Briley, RN
    February 24, 2008 at 5:06 pm

    You answered 58 out of 60 correctly — 96.67 %
    Average score for this quiz during February: 70.7%
    Average score since September 18, 2007: 70.7%

    Just a dumb 11B2P, 82nd ABN grunt…

  • Gregory Kong
    February 24, 2008 at 5:34 pm

    Hey, guys, if there isn’t another one around, just call me Greg, OK? Only my mother calls me by my full name, and every single time I know I’m in deep doodoo.

    http://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz10292130d68.html

    10 Questions, and so easy I think everyone can play that one.

    http://www.triv.net/html/Users3/u8937.htm

    Here’s a fun one, but very Central-ish

    http://goasia.about.com/library/weekly/aahistorytesta.htm

    An even easier one

    You know, give me some time to construct a real tough one, and let me get back to you.

  • lex
    February 28, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    9 out of ten on your first, Greg. The second was a little irritating, since it made me go back over, and over again.

    Only 60% on the last.

  • Joan of Argghh!
    February 28, 2008 at 2:39 pm

    But Snake E, dear, what about Coasties?

    :o )

  • OBloody Hell
    March 5, 2008 at 12:54 am

    91.67

    Missed five, and, looking at them, went with the wrong one of the two I’d narrowed it down to.

  • Curtis
    August 13, 2009 at 3:43 am

    You all are now invited to happy hour this Friday at Zacolos at 1530 in Old Town, San Diego, CA. Anybody with an 86% or better on the quiz will get free parking if they get there before 1530! We’ll be on the patio!

    Anybody who needs help with transportation should contact me at curtis.whalen@navy.mil

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