You know what? I don't need this job after all.
March 16, 2015 3:43 PM Subscribe
110. What is a foot pound? A STOMP
111. Where do we get borax from? THE STORE
What do you mean I can stop there? I'm not even halfway through!
posted by not_on_display at 3:50 PM on March 16, 2015 [16 favorites]
111. Where do we get borax from? THE STORE
What do you mean I can stop there? I'm not even halfway through!
posted by not_on_display at 3:50 PM on March 16, 2015 [16 favorites]
Man I hate that Oatmeal comic. It would be nice to read something about Edison/Tesla without the inevitable "Tesla was Hardworking Jesus, Edison was Lazy Hitler" comments...
posted by Sangermaine at 3:51 PM on March 16, 2015 [34 favorites]
posted by Sangermaine at 3:51 PM on March 16, 2015 [34 favorites]
Any question anyone might have about whether the test is utter bullshit should be quickly dispelled by the official answers, which feature at least 3 or 4 "no one knows" or "someone might know, but it's sure not whoever's writing this test" answers. I don't think it was ever constructed with an idea that any real person would actually be able to answer more than a handful of questions without preparation. Also, 146 is a really incredibly dumb number of total questions to stop at. What, Mr. Edison couldn't bear to pad out this exercise with 4 more questions about the sources of various products or explanations of industrial processes?
My favorite part was actually a line in the answer to the question about figs which contains a throwaway description of Smyrna (uh, spoilers, I guess) that was accurate(-ish) at the time but completely inaccurate by the end of 1922, which is pretty incredible in its own way.
posted by Copronymus at 3:55 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
My favorite part was actually a line in the answer to the question about figs which contains a throwaway description of Smyrna (uh, spoilers, I guess) that was accurate(-ish) at the time but completely inaccurate by the end of 1922, which is pretty incredible in its own way.
posted by Copronymus at 3:55 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
79. What is felt?
For me, a general sense of dread.
posted by Ratio at 3:56 PM on March 16, 2015 [117 favorites]
For me, a general sense of dread.
posted by Ratio at 3:56 PM on March 16, 2015 [117 favorites]
It occurs to me that a score of 60% will get you a degree at most universities. I can't imagine you had to get these all right to get a job. It will show what areas you know, what areas you don't, how much you bullshit, how -well- you can bullshit, if your reasoning is sound when you don't know, etc.
posted by solarion at 3:57 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by solarion at 3:57 PM on March 16, 2015
Man I hate that Oatmeal comic. It would be nice to read something about Edison/Tesla without the inevitable "Tesla was Hardworking Jesus, Edison was Lazy Hitler" comments...
When the inevitable backlash-backlash comes, my jibe will still be there, calling Edison out as the legitimate asshole that he was. The elephants agree with me.
posted by leotrotsky at 3:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [16 favorites]
When the inevitable backlash-backlash comes, my jibe will still be there, calling Edison out as the legitimate asshole that he was. The elephants agree with me.
posted by leotrotsky at 3:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [16 favorites]
67. From where do we get dates?
For a while it was OKCupid. Maybe I should update my profile and get back on there.
posted by Ratio at 3:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [21 favorites]
For a while it was OKCupid. Maybe I should update my profile and get back on there.
posted by Ratio at 3:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [21 favorites]
What is coke?
From where do we get dates?
Well, this evening is starting to get interesting.
posted by poe at 3:59 PM on March 16, 2015 [30 favorites]
From where do we get dates?
Well, this evening is starting to get interesting.
posted by poe at 3:59 PM on March 16, 2015 [30 favorites]
What part of Germany do toys come from?
Alrighty then
posted by smidgen at 4:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
Alrighty then
posted by smidgen at 4:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
What whiners! If you don't know the weight of air in a room 20 by 30 by 10, then you don't deserve a job.
posted by QuietDesperation at 4:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by QuietDesperation at 4:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Where is Kenosha?
Wow, listening to all that Whaddya Know? finally came in handy.
posted by backseatpilot at 4:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [9 favorites]
Wow, listening to all that Whaddya Know? finally came in handy.
posted by backseatpilot at 4:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [9 favorites]
35. Who was the Emperor of Mexico when Cortez landed?
Mendoza!
posted by thelonius at 4:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Mendoza!
posted by thelonius at 4:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
There was a more evenhanded description of the Edison/Tesla feud in At Home by Bill Bryson. IIRC, Tesla was good at coming up with the basic technologies, but didn't really develop the standardization people would need to easily use them, while Edison did manage that kind of thing, such as designing sockets so homeowners could change bulbs rather than needing an electrician for the job. He was a businessman who got the tech to market, which is still very valuable.
That's not to say he wasn't ruthless and unethical at times in his business, but people aren't one dimensional beings. There's shades of gray, and I'd rather we learn about humans in history rather than oversimplified legends and scoundrels.
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:05 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
That's not to say he wasn't ruthless and unethical at times in his business, but people aren't one dimensional beings. There's shades of gray, and I'd rather we learn about humans in history rather than oversimplified legends and scoundrels.
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:05 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
111. Where do we get borax from? Ronald Reagan!
posted by sammyo at 4:06 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by sammyo at 4:06 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Where is Kenosha?
I'm impressed. I didn't realize that the mutant homeland and subsequent apocalypse was so well known in the early 20th century, I though the media censorship was pretty airtight.
Oh wait Kenosha
posted by leotrotsky at 4:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
I'm impressed. I didn't realize that the mutant homeland and subsequent apocalypse was so well known in the early 20th century, I though the media censorship was pretty airtight.
Oh wait Kenosha
posted by leotrotsky at 4:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
113. What star is it that has been recently measured and found to be of enormous size?
Hey, leave Alec Baldwin alone!
posted by Ratio at 4:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [10 favorites]
Hey, leave Alec Baldwin alone!
posted by Ratio at 4:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [10 favorites]
I wonder how many of these answers are still considered accurate.
posted by ckape at 4:09 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by ckape at 4:09 PM on March 16, 2015
20. Who was Hannibal?
Of all the questions that are nowadays going to get wildly different answers than originally intended, this one is probably my favorite.
posted by mstokes650 at 4:10 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
Of all the questions that are nowadays going to get wildly different answers than originally intended, this one is probably my favorite.
posted by mstokes650 at 4:10 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
I wonder how many of these answers are still considered accurate.
147. How many of these answers are still considered accurate?
posted by Ratio at 4:12 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
147. How many of these answers are still considered accurate?
posted by Ratio at 4:12 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
What whiners! If you don't know the weight of air in a room 20 by 30 by 10, then you don't deserve a job.
that's actually one of the simpler ones! Students in freshman chemistry solve variants on it all the time.
posted by kagredon at 4:13 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
that's actually one of the simpler ones! Students in freshman chemistry solve variants on it all the time.
posted by kagredon at 4:13 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you don't know the weight of air in a room 20 by 30 by 10, then you don't deserve a job.
The hard part of this question is the mental arithmetic to convert feet into cubic meters.
The SI density of air is about 1.2 kg per cubic meter, easy peasy.
Then you've got to covert back into pound(als), x2.2, then work that out in ounces so Edison can understand you.
And now you know why the Mars Climate Orbiter ended up as a fireball in the Martian sky.
posted by bonehead at 4:13 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
The hard part of this question is the mental arithmetic to convert feet into cubic meters.
The SI density of air is about 1.2 kg per cubic meter, easy peasy.
Then you've got to covert back into pound(als), x2.2, then work that out in ounces so Edison can understand you.
And now you know why the Mars Climate Orbiter ended up as a fireball in the Martian sky.
posted by bonehead at 4:13 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
that's actually one of the simpler ones!
Not without units it's not!
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:14 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
Not without units it's not!
posted by TwoWordReview at 4:14 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
Man I hate that Oatmeal comic. It would be nice to read something about Edison/Tesla without the inevitable "Tesla was Hardworking Jesus, Edison was Lazy Hitler" comments...
While The Oatmeal brought it to the masses, the nerd battle cry of "Tesla was the real genius!" has been around for a decent amount of time. I can remember feeling it was kinda cliche even when Musk's car company was announced.
posted by sideshow at 4:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
While The Oatmeal brought it to the masses, the nerd battle cry of "Tesla was the real genius!" has been around for a decent amount of time. I can remember feeling it was kinda cliche even when Musk's car company was announced.
posted by sideshow at 4:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
79. What is felt?
Not much since I started on my daily cocktail of cannabis and wellbutrin.
posted by Ratio at 4:17 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
Not much since I started on my daily cocktail of cannabis and wellbutrin.
posted by Ratio at 4:17 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
56. What is a caisson?
I'm not entirely sure, but I'm confident 'rolling along' is somehow involved.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:19 PM on March 16, 2015 [9 favorites]
I'm not entirely sure, but I'm confident 'rolling along' is somehow involved.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:19 PM on March 16, 2015 [9 favorites]
120. Where is Labrador?
Where are ya, boy? Here he is! HERE HE IS! WHO IS GOOD LABRADOR?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:21 PM on March 16, 2015 [40 favorites]
Where are ya, boy? Here he is! HERE HE IS! WHO IS GOOD LABRADOR?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:21 PM on March 16, 2015 [40 favorites]
leotrotsky: "The elephants agree with me."
But you never noticed... his electric junk...
posted by boo_radley at 4:21 PM on March 16, 2015
But you never noticed... his electric junk...
posted by boo_radley at 4:21 PM on March 16, 2015
127. What place is the greatest distance below sea level?
The earth's core?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:22 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
The earth's core?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:22 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
138. In what part of the world does it never rain?
Indoors?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:22 PM on March 16, 2015 [19 favorites]
Indoors?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:22 PM on March 16, 2015 [19 favorites]
Some bonehead posted: (spoiler, a bit more than 6 oz)
Yeah no, slipped thee orders of magnitude there: 480 lbs
posted by bonehead at 4:23 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
Yeah no, slipped thee orders of magnitude there: 480 lbs
posted by bonehead at 4:23 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
72. What is the speed of light?
That's easy. 1.
/physicistjoke
posted by Zalzidrax at 4:25 PM on March 16, 2015 [35 favorites]
That's easy. 1.
/physicistjoke
posted by Zalzidrax at 4:25 PM on March 16, 2015 [35 favorites]
29. Where does most of the coffee come from?
Coffee plants?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:25 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
Coffee plants?
posted by leotrotsky at 4:25 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
I think I could answer about half of these, which means if Edison was in a good mood I might have got a job from him, by the same token it explains why I'm basically unemployable in 2015.
posted by Divine_Wino at 4:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
posted by Divine_Wino at 4:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
Sangermaine: "Man I hate that Oatmeal comic. It would be nice to read something about Edison/Tesla without the inevitable "Tesla was Hardworking Jesus, Edison was Lazy Hitler" comments..."
147. Who is the handsomest inventor? (n.b. if says telsa, show door)
148. What do you like about his eyes? (depth, clarity, gemstone comparisons)
posted by boo_radley at 4:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
147. Who is the handsomest inventor? (n.b. if says telsa, show door)
148. What do you like about his eyes? (depth, clarity, gemstone comparisons)
posted by boo_radley at 4:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
25. Where did we get Louisiana from?
Okay. Trick question. The proper question would be "Who did we pay for Louisiana? "
posted by mule98J at 4:29 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
Okay. Trick question. The proper question would be "Who did we pay for Louisiana? "
posted by mule98J at 4:29 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
87. Name three principal alkalis.
that's easy
posted by Ratio at 4:29 PM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
that's easy
posted by Ratio at 4:29 PM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
That sure as heck ain't how they make window glass any more.
posted by GuyZero at 4:30 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by GuyZero at 4:30 PM on March 16, 2015
102. What is the price of 12 grains of gold?
United States Assay Office price, May 12, 1921, was 56.693 cents.
In case anyone else is curious, according to Google the current price for 12 grains of gold is ~$30.12. Which is actually less than I would've expected. However, if you're time-traveling back to 1921, definitely use this question to segue into talking about how, in fact, you'd love to get paid in grains of gold.
posted by mstokes650 at 4:31 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
United States Assay Office price, May 12, 1921, was 56.693 cents.
In case anyone else is curious, according to Google the current price for 12 grains of gold is ~$30.12. Which is actually less than I would've expected. However, if you're time-traveling back to 1921, definitely use this question to segue into talking about how, in fact, you'd love to get paid in grains of gold.
posted by mstokes650 at 4:31 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
While The Oatmeal brought it to the masses, the nerd battle cry of "Tesla was the real genius!" has been around for a decent amount of time.
Song and Emotion is one of my favorite results of that effort.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 4:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Song and Emotion is one of my favorite results of that effort.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 4:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
mule98J: "Okay. Trick question. The proper question would be "Who did we pay for Louisiana? ""
Or whom.
posted by Malory Archer at 4:35 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
Or whom.
posted by Malory Archer at 4:35 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
16. Where do we get prunes from?
Grandma's house and hamentashen.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:35 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
Grandma's house and hamentashen.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:35 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
6. What city in the United States leads in making laundry machines?
Washington?
posted by Ratio at 4:36 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
Washington?
posted by Ratio at 4:36 PM on March 16, 2015 [15 favorites]
7. What city is the fur centre of the United States?
Pittsburgh during Anthrocon.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:36 PM on March 16, 2015 [22 favorites]
Pittsburgh during Anthrocon.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:36 PM on March 16, 2015 [22 favorites]
Also, 146 is a really incredibly dumb number of total questions to stop at.
It's not a complete list. The left off several, including "Who put the ape in apricot?" and "Whadda they got that I ain't got?"
posted by The Bellman at 4:37 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
It's not a complete list. The left off several, including "Who put the ape in apricot?" and "Whadda they got that I ain't got?"
posted by The Bellman at 4:37 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
25. Where did we get Louisiana from?
YOUR MOM, EDISON.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:38 PM on March 16, 2015 [9 favorites]
YOUR MOM, EDISON.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:38 PM on March 16, 2015 [9 favorites]
What whiners! If you don't know the weight of air in a room 20 by 30 by 10, then you don't deserve a job.
Yeah, you aren't going to get a job in Edison's lab if you don't know what a foot pound is. And lots of them are trick questions, like 53 who invented printing. Answer: it depends on who you ask, but probably the Chinese.
There are so many BS stories about Edison, probably most of them were written by Edison. My grandfather once told me a story about how Edison once rejected a job applicant after taking him to dinner and seeing him salt his soup before he tasted it.
BTW can anyone get access to that stupid newspapers.com link that allegedly contains the answers as published back in the day?
posted by charlie don't surf at 4:39 PM on March 16, 2015
Yeah, you aren't going to get a job in Edison's lab if you don't know what a foot pound is. And lots of them are trick questions, like 53 who invented printing. Answer: it depends on who you ask, but probably the Chinese.
There are so many BS stories about Edison, probably most of them were written by Edison. My grandfather once told me a story about how Edison once rejected a job applicant after taking him to dinner and seeing him salt his soup before he tasted it.
BTW can anyone get access to that stupid newspapers.com link that allegedly contains the answers as published back in the day?
posted by charlie don't surf at 4:39 PM on March 16, 2015
charlie don't surf: "Answer: it depends on who you ask, but probably the Chinese."
I can just picture Edison penning some angry racist telegram to send back to you.
posted by boo_radley at 4:41 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I can just picture Edison penning some angry racist telegram to send back to you.
posted by boo_radley at 4:41 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
My grandfather once told me a story about how Edison once rejected a job applicant after taking him to dinner and seeing him salt his soup before he tasted it.
I have seen this story attributed to other actors, or just as a cautionary tale in general. It's just one of those things circulating out there, I think.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 4:50 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have seen this story attributed to other actors, or just as a cautionary tale in general. It's just one of those things circulating out there, I think.
posted by vibratory manner of working at 4:50 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
8. What country is the greatest textile producer?
U-S-A! U-S-A!
Oh, you mean, "Which country produces the greatest quantity of textiles?" Did you have to become a scientist because you failed English class?
59. What causes the tides?
YOUR MOM
61. What is coke?
Ask your mom's dealer.
63. Who reached the South Pole?
Like, ever? Or first?
80. What cereal is used in all parts of the world?
Cheerios.
84. Name three powerful poisons.
Cyanide, Belladonna, and YOUR BODY ODOR EDISON.
98. Who discovered how to vulcanize rubber?
Mr. Spock, DUH.
136. What ingredients are in the best white paint?
Like, for whiteness or for wear or for not poisoning people?
139. What was the approximate population of England, France, Germany and Russia before the war?
YOUR MOM.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:50 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
U-S-A! U-S-A!
Oh, you mean, "Which country produces the greatest quantity of textiles?" Did you have to become a scientist because you failed English class?
59. What causes the tides?
YOUR MOM
61. What is coke?
Ask your mom's dealer.
63. Who reached the South Pole?
Like, ever? Or first?
80. What cereal is used in all parts of the world?
Cheerios.
84. Name three powerful poisons.
Cyanide, Belladonna, and YOUR BODY ODOR EDISON.
98. Who discovered how to vulcanize rubber?
Mr. Spock, DUH.
136. What ingredients are in the best white paint?
Like, for whiteness or for wear or for not poisoning people?
139. What was the approximate population of England, France, Germany and Russia before the war?
YOUR MOM.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:50 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
My grandfather once told me a story about how Edison once rejected a job applicant after taking him to dinner and seeing him salt his soup before he tasted it.
My father told me the same story about IBM's hiring practice. Snopes says that it's been told about many companies.
posted by octothorpe at 4:54 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
My father told me the same story about IBM's hiring practice. Snopes says that it's been told about many companies.
posted by octothorpe at 4:54 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
There are so many BS stories about Edison, probably most of them were written by Edison. My grandfather once told me a story about how Edison once rejected a job applicant after taking him to dinner and seeing him salt his soup before he tasted it.
Thirding vibratory manner of working: I've always heard that exact same story applied to Ford, with the added detail that he took all prospective FMC executives to the canteen for this test after the interview. I guess tycoon apocrypha can be somewhat interchangeable.
posted by Chichibio at 4:56 PM on March 16, 2015
Thirding vibratory manner of working: I've always heard that exact same story applied to Ford, with the added detail that he took all prospective FMC executives to the canteen for this test after the interview. I guess tycoon apocrypha can be somewhat interchangeable.
posted by Chichibio at 4:56 PM on March 16, 2015
147. Who put the bomp in the bomp bomp bomp ba bomp?
148. Who put the ram in the ram a lam a ding dong?
posted by Pater Aletheias at 4:57 PM on March 16, 2015 [11 favorites]
148. Who put the ram in the ram a lam a ding dong?
posted by Pater Aletheias at 4:57 PM on March 16, 2015 [11 favorites]
Why would you hire someone who craves salt? They've obviously been sweating. There's no room for blue-collar workers in the upper tiers.
posted by Phssthpok at 4:59 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Phssthpok at 4:59 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Arrrgh! I studied a list of generals!
posted by srboisvert at 5:07 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by srboisvert at 5:07 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Woe to the man whose life experience in early 20th C. America had taught him that restaurant soup is consistently bland; so many doors were closed to him.
posted by anazgnos at 5:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [17 favorites]
posted by anazgnos at 5:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [17 favorites]
49.What state has the largest amethyst mines?
Doing Bhang with Indiana Jones, snooping ensues.
posted by clavdivs at 5:09 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Doing Bhang with Indiana Jones, snooping ensues.
posted by clavdivs at 5:09 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
What has a lot of salt? The ocean. What's near the ocean? Italy. What's in Italy? The Papacy.
Someone reaching for the salt is a filthy Catholic and deserves no proper job.
posted by Sangermaine at 5:12 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
Someone reaching for the salt is a filthy Catholic and deserves no proper job.
posted by Sangermaine at 5:12 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
149. A woodchuck, given access to an unspecified yet vast supply of wood, would manipulate said wood in such a way as to confirm ir had been chucked in what capacity?
posted by vrakatar at 5:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by vrakatar at 5:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
I am a fish
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 5:19 PM on March 16, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 5:19 PM on March 16, 2015 [8 favorites]
You know, it occurs to me that picking your employees based upon a test made up of random unrelated trivia is a terrible idea. It's going to heavily select for people straight out of school and generalists, and against people with experience in the field and specialists. So if you'd rather pick a guy who can still remember trivia from his high school geography class over a seasoned expert with ten years of experience in the field, I guess it would be perfect.
posted by Mitrovarr at 5:21 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Mitrovarr at 5:21 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Who was Pizarro?
Well that's easy, you see when a scientist was demonstrating his duplication ray to Superboy, he kicked the machine, and ... wow I suck at history.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:24 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Well that's easy, you see when a scientist was demonstrating his duplication ray to Superboy, he kicked the machine, and ... wow I suck at history.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:24 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
150. How is babby formed?
posted by evidenceofabsence at 5:25 PM on March 16, 2015 [24 favorites]
posted by evidenceofabsence at 5:25 PM on March 16, 2015 [24 favorites]
The best German porcelain is made in Meissen, not Dresden.
posted by brujita at 5:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by brujita at 5:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
That would be a fun interview question. I'd love to hear someone do the whole “they need to do way instain mother" answer as a monologue.
posted by Sangermaine at 5:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Sangermaine at 5:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
Sangermaine: " It would be nice to read something about Edison/Tesla without the inevitable "Tesla was Hardworking Jesus, Edison was Lazy Hitler" comments..."
Well, we also have the Edison the elephant electrocuter vs. Tesla the pigeon obsessive.
Also, compare as we dare, the first SAT from 1926. Some parts are reasonable but other parts are just bonkers. It's like people didn't really make a distinction between aptitude test and pub trivia.
posted by mhum at 5:36 PM on March 16, 2015
Well, we also have the Edison the elephant electrocuter vs. Tesla the pigeon obsessive.
Also, compare as we dare, the first SAT from 1926. Some parts are reasonable but other parts are just bonkers. It's like people didn't really make a distinction between aptitude test and pub trivia.
posted by mhum at 5:36 PM on March 16, 2015
32. Where was Napoleon born?
Preston, Idaho
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:38 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Preston, Idaho
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:38 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
151. Fucking magnets, how do they work?
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:40 PM on March 16, 2015 [18 favorites]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:40 PM on March 16, 2015 [18 favorites]
Where is Kenosha?
Where Chicagoans go to buy their New Glarus cases?
posted by toddforbid at 5:42 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
Where Chicagoans go to buy their New Glarus cases?
posted by toddforbid at 5:42 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
So if you'd rather pick a guy who can still remember trivia from his high school geography class over a seasoned expert with ten years of experience in the field, I guess it would be perfect.
This test was for college graduates who presumably had already been tested at a high level.
It might be interesting to compare it to the 1912 Bullitt County 8th Grade Exam as it appeared previously on MeFi. The students who took this test would have been about the right age to graduate from college and take Edison's exam. Interestingly, Edison is one of the answers on this test.
I posted this test on the bulletin board at my old job in educational testing, everyone was fascinated. I don't think the site had published answers yet. But these are contemporary guesses at the answers, the real answer key apparently was lost.
posted by charlie don't surf at 5:48 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
This test was for college graduates who presumably had already been tested at a high level.
It might be interesting to compare it to the 1912 Bullitt County 8th Grade Exam as it appeared previously on MeFi. The students who took this test would have been about the right age to graduate from college and take Edison's exam. Interestingly, Edison is one of the answers on this test.
I posted this test on the bulletin board at my old job in educational testing, everyone was fascinated. I don't think the site had published answers yet. But these are contemporary guesses at the answers, the real answer key apparently was lost.
posted by charlie don't surf at 5:48 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
83. Name three principal acids?
LSD-25
don't take the brown acid
Hawaiian Baby Woodrose extract but not really
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:53 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:53 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
152. What is best in life?
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:53 PM on March 16, 2015 [14 favorites]
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:53 PM on March 16, 2015 [14 favorites]
I just have to say -- we're only up to question 25, but so far my husband is killing this test. It's exactly the sort of trivia he tends to know -- random historical people, geography and politics.
posted by peacheater at 6:00 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by peacheater at 6:00 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
BTW can anyone get access to that stupid newspapers.com link that allegedly contains the answers as published back in the day?
Here you go:
First page, with all the answers.
Second page, with more discussion.
posted by ymgve at 6:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Here you go:
First page, with all the answers.
Second page, with more discussion.
posted by ymgve at 6:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Tesla got hired by answering every question with, "Is it Ghostbusters 2?"
While technically incorrect, that answer invented several valuable technologies, like movies, proton packs, sequels, and Bill Murray.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
While technically incorrect, that answer invented several valuable technologies, like movies, proton packs, sequels, and Bill Murray.
posted by mccarty.tim at 6:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
105. Of what is glass made?
Pseudoephedrine
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:05 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
Pseudoephedrine
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:05 PM on March 16, 2015 [13 favorites]
Do you like me? [] Yes [] Yes
posted by maxwelton at 6:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by maxwelton at 6:08 PM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
When I was in grade school I read a book on Tesla for a project and was blown away by how cool he was and how unjustly obscure he was. Tesla was my personal hero for years and I wrote at least one college application essay on him. Then some time in the last five to ten years of the Internet Tesla blew the fuck up - like a man struck by a high voltage discharge - to the point that he can't be my "personal" hero anymore. At least he's getting his posthumous credit finally.
Anyway while the "Tesla was the greatest genius of all time, Edison did nothing" narrative is clearly not true, it is true that Edison treated Tesla pretty badly, not to mention various tame or domesticated animals.
posted by atoxyl at 6:09 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
Anyway while the "Tesla was the greatest genius of all time, Edison did nothing" narrative is clearly not true, it is true that Edison treated Tesla pretty badly, not to mention various tame or domesticated animals.
posted by atoxyl at 6:09 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
If I'm charitable to myself and give myself half points for partial answers, and "close but not fully exact", I came up with something like 44-47?
I'd love to see Ken Jenning's take on it. Or anybody who's like super smart. I think I did fairly well.
The whole "what region produces the most X" is a bit silly and should really not count for much, but I suppose if you're dealing with inventing shit, you might want to know where to get shit, especially in those days.
posted by symbioid at 6:10 PM on March 16, 2015
I'd love to see Ken Jenning's take on it. Or anybody who's like super smart. I think I did fairly well.
The whole "what region produces the most X" is a bit silly and should really not count for much, but I suppose if you're dealing with inventing shit, you might want to know where to get shit, especially in those days.
posted by symbioid at 6:10 PM on March 16, 2015
Sangermaine: "Man I hate that Oatmeal comic. It would be nice to read something about Edison/Tesla without the inevitable "Tesla was Hardworking Jesus, Edison was Lazy Hitler" comments..."
And Hitler was Hardworking Hitler, and Jesus was Lazy Jesus (I mean... COME ON YOU'RE A DEITY, RAISING PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD IS ALL YOU GOT?)
posted by symbioid at 6:11 PM on March 16, 2015
And Hitler was Hardworking Hitler, and Jesus was Lazy Jesus (I mean... COME ON YOU'RE A DEITY, RAISING PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD IS ALL YOU GOT?)
posted by symbioid at 6:11 PM on March 16, 2015
This is the comment where I humblebrag about how high my score was while dismissing the test as meaningless.
posted by jason's_planet at 6:14 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by jason's_planet at 6:14 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
mstokes650: "20. Who was Hannibal?
Of all the questions that are nowadays going to get wildly different answers than originally intended, this one is probably my favorite."
*biting cigar* "I love it when a test answer comes together."
posted by symbioid at 6:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [16 favorites]
Of all the questions that are nowadays going to get wildly different answers than originally intended, this one is probably my favorite."
*biting cigar* "I love it when a test answer comes together."
posted by symbioid at 6:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [16 favorites]
153. Describe a time in your life where you had to make a decision.
posted by oceanjesse at 6:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by oceanjesse at 6:15 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
154. Who allowed the canines to exit the enclosure they were contained in?
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:20 PM on March 16, 2015 [19 favorites]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:20 PM on March 16, 2015 [19 favorites]
mstokes650: "... if you're time-traveling back to 1921, definitely use this question to segue into talking about how, in fact, you'd love to get paid in grains of gold."
Well - grains of white gold. It goes in quite handy with that whole "coke" question. And according to wikipedia it was 1922 that the clampdown on cocaine quantity REALLY began (so - just in the nick of time!)
posted by symbioid at 6:21 PM on March 16, 2015
Well - grains of white gold. It goes in quite handy with that whole "coke" question. And according to wikipedia it was 1922 that the clampdown on cocaine quantity REALLY began (so - just in the nick of time!)
posted by symbioid at 6:21 PM on March 16, 2015
oceanjesse: "153. Describe a time in your life where you had to make a decision."
"Ok, so the scene, it's like - I'm sitting here, with you, right? And I'm asked to describe a time in my life where I had to make a decision, so I'm thinking like - ok, should I answer this question? Do I decide to answer it? Or do I decide not to? And I'm not sure, really if I should answer this question, really."
posted by symbioid at 6:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
"Ok, so the scene, it's like - I'm sitting here, with you, right? And I'm asked to describe a time in my life where I had to make a decision, so I'm thinking like - ok, should I answer this question? Do I decide to answer it? Or do I decide not to? And I'm not sure, really if I should answer this question, really."
posted by symbioid at 6:32 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
74. Where are condors found?
In the sky! And in nests!
posted by percor at 6:36 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
In the sky! And in nests!
posted by percor at 6:36 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
128. What are axe handles made of?
I feel like this is a trick question.
posted by percor at 6:44 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
I feel like this is a trick question.
posted by percor at 6:44 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
128. What are axe handles made of?
I feel like this is a trick question.
Heh, I had the exact same response...
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:47 PM on March 16, 2015
I feel like this is a trick question.
Heh, I had the exact same response...
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:47 PM on March 16, 2015
20. Who was Hannibal?
Rest of the interview postponed as the interviewer is referred to Tumblr and the various longing looks of same towards Will Graham.
posted by Sequence at 6:47 PM on March 16, 2015
Rest of the interview postponed as the interviewer is referred to Tumblr and the various longing looks of same towards Will Graham.
posted by Sequence at 6:47 PM on March 16, 2015
155. Why aren't you helping the turtle?
posted by blurker at 6:53 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
posted by blurker at 6:53 PM on March 16, 2015 [12 favorites]
156. Is this the real life?
157. Is this just fantasy?
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:56 PM on March 16, 2015 [8 favorites]
157. Is this just fantasy?
posted by Hairy Lobster at 6:56 PM on March 16, 2015 [8 favorites]
Worth noting:
History, geography and science were all taught by catechism back before Edison was running around discovering things that Tesla had discovered. These questions remind me irresistibly of those catechisms which you were expected to memorize and repeat back without any error whatsoever. Back in the early 1800's you might have to stand up in the one room school house and get grilled by your teacher along similar lines:
"Who was Leonidas?"
"The principal commander of the Phoenician Army at the Battle of Thermopylae wherein the Persians suffered their ultimate defeat at the hands of the inferior Phoenician naval force."
"Wrong, try again, Who was Leonidas?"
"The principal commander of the Assyrian Army at the Battle of Thermopylae wherein the Persians suffered their ultimate defeat at the hands of the inferior Assyrian naval force?"
"Wrong. The correct answer is: The principal commander of the Assyrian Army at the Battle of Thermopylae wherein the Persians suffered their ultimate defeat at the hands of the numerically inferior Assyrian naval force. See that you have word perfect tomorrow or I will expect to see the passage in question written out in your best penmanship 100 times."
Pupil sits down, subdued and next pupil steels his or herself to answer the next question in the list:
"Who was Hannibal?"
"The principal serial killer in the Academy Award winning horror-thriller cinematographic production, Silence of the Lambs, directed by the eminent director Steven Spielberg and released in the year 2005."
Often the students were made to display their abilities in memorization for the entire community who came out twice a year on prize-giving day at the end of the semester when the pupils were promoted to the next grade up or not as the case might be. The top prize for the top student was likely to be an Instructive and Amusing Book designed to Improve and Educate. Everyone else got certificates, ribbons, picture cards or the strap, depending on their performance.
Another very similar variant of the History Catechism was the spelling bee.
Also, this tradition is the historical antecedent of the game show.
The most frightening thing about this whole practice was that content at this level was directed at pupils who were in the last grade at school - Grade Three. In order to graduate from Grade Three in the 1800's you had to be able to calculate compound interest on a mortgage at a variable interest rate, in your head.
Edison was really not asking too much, if you know the context these questions originated from.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [20 favorites]
History, geography and science were all taught by catechism back before Edison was running around discovering things that Tesla had discovered. These questions remind me irresistibly of those catechisms which you were expected to memorize and repeat back without any error whatsoever. Back in the early 1800's you might have to stand up in the one room school house and get grilled by your teacher along similar lines:
"Who was Leonidas?"
"The principal commander of the Phoenician Army at the Battle of Thermopylae wherein the Persians suffered their ultimate defeat at the hands of the inferior Phoenician naval force."
"Wrong, try again, Who was Leonidas?"
"The principal commander of the Assyrian Army at the Battle of Thermopylae wherein the Persians suffered their ultimate defeat at the hands of the inferior Assyrian naval force?"
"Wrong. The correct answer is: The principal commander of the Assyrian Army at the Battle of Thermopylae wherein the Persians suffered their ultimate defeat at the hands of the numerically inferior Assyrian naval force. See that you have word perfect tomorrow or I will expect to see the passage in question written out in your best penmanship 100 times."
Pupil sits down, subdued and next pupil steels his or herself to answer the next question in the list:
"Who was Hannibal?"
"The principal serial killer in the Academy Award winning horror-thriller cinematographic production, Silence of the Lambs, directed by the eminent director Steven Spielberg and released in the year 2005."
Often the students were made to display their abilities in memorization for the entire community who came out twice a year on prize-giving day at the end of the semester when the pupils were promoted to the next grade up or not as the case might be. The top prize for the top student was likely to be an Instructive and Amusing Book designed to Improve and Educate. Everyone else got certificates, ribbons, picture cards or the strap, depending on their performance.
Another very similar variant of the History Catechism was the spelling bee.
Also, this tradition is the historical antecedent of the game show.
The most frightening thing about this whole practice was that content at this level was directed at pupils who were in the last grade at school - Grade Three. In order to graduate from Grade Three in the 1800's you had to be able to calculate compound interest on a mortgage at a variable interest rate, in your head.
Edison was really not asking too much, if you know the context these questions originated from.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [20 favorites]
The unusual hiring practices of giant, innovative American technology companies have become the stuff of modern myth
Not just American. I've been obsessed with the legends of Michelin corporate testing (many of them actually true) for a long time.
it occurs to me that picking your employees based upon a test made up of random unrelated trivia is a terrible idea.
I like a fun snark as much as the next person, but we really need to restore some historical context here. There was nothing like modern management culture at this time. The very idea of "management," as a profession, had yet to be fully developed. That doesn't even get underway until the '50s. So how do you, as a hiring entity, tell someone who's curious, inquisitive, wide-ranging, inventive, and knowledgeable from all the other kids whose parents funded their way through college, before there was anything as meritocratic as a GI Bill? This test strikes me as not a bad way, and maybe one that would lead to interesting further conversations. I am far from laughing at it, as a hiring strategy, given the times. Most people got hired at this time because they were a likely-looking lad from a good family with all the right boxes checked. Asking them for a content-knowledge test on such disparate subjects probably did a great job separating people with a mind from those who were simply following orders.
128. What are axe handles made of?
I feel like this is a trick question.
I haven't looked at the answers yet, but again, I'll suggest that it's a contemporary prejudice that makes us think the answer is "wood." This question came in a wooden world, and there were distinctions between woods. I'm going to guess "ash," because I may have read it somewhere, and because it was also used for oars and other tool handles because the grain resisted warping.
posted by Miko at 7:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
Not just American. I've been obsessed with the legends of Michelin corporate testing (many of them actually true) for a long time.
it occurs to me that picking your employees based upon a test made up of random unrelated trivia is a terrible idea.
I like a fun snark as much as the next person, but we really need to restore some historical context here. There was nothing like modern management culture at this time. The very idea of "management," as a profession, had yet to be fully developed. That doesn't even get underway until the '50s. So how do you, as a hiring entity, tell someone who's curious, inquisitive, wide-ranging, inventive, and knowledgeable from all the other kids whose parents funded their way through college, before there was anything as meritocratic as a GI Bill? This test strikes me as not a bad way, and maybe one that would lead to interesting further conversations. I am far from laughing at it, as a hiring strategy, given the times. Most people got hired at this time because they were a likely-looking lad from a good family with all the right boxes checked. Asking them for a content-knowledge test on such disparate subjects probably did a great job separating people with a mind from those who were simply following orders.
128. What are axe handles made of?
I feel like this is a trick question.
I haven't looked at the answers yet, but again, I'll suggest that it's a contemporary prejudice that makes us think the answer is "wood." This question came in a wooden world, and there were distinctions between woods. I'm going to guess "ash," because I may have read it somewhere, and because it was also used for oars and other tool handles because the grain resisted warping.
posted by Miko at 7:01 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
I just have to say -- we're only up to question 25, but so far my husband is killing this test. It's exactly the sort of trivia he tends to know -- random historical people, geography and politics.
We just finished the whole thing, and he got 75 questions right. He's very very strong on international personages, science stuff and international geography and hated all the questions about where various products originate from, particularly in the US.
posted by peacheater at 7:02 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
We just finished the whole thing, and he got 75 questions right. He's very very strong on international personages, science stuff and international geography and hated all the questions about where various products originate from, particularly in the US.
posted by peacheater at 7:02 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
You know, Edison was an asshole. In spite of having little to do with the invention of the movie camera, he tried to charge everyone a fee to make and distribute films. (Hollywood was formed as an outlaw site to get around Edison's East Coast influence.) Cecil B. DeMille was convinced Edison hired the mob (Black Hand) to shoot up his Hollywood home because he tried getting around the fee.
And this is only one example. Nowadays, people who try to rehabilitate his character seem to think he accomplished a lot more than he did in his big science invention studio. He did two or three great things and then spent most of his time stifling others.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:03 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
And this is only one example. Nowadays, people who try to rehabilitate his character seem to think he accomplished a lot more than he did in his big science invention studio. He did two or three great things and then spent most of his time stifling others.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:03 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
159. Should I stay or should I go?
posted by vrakatar at 7:03 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by vrakatar at 7:03 PM on March 16, 2015 [5 favorites]
128. What are axe handles made of?
I feel like this is a trick question.
I suspect the correct answer is "Hickory" or possibly "Ash". This seems relatively more relevant to me than most of the questions; remember, this is in the early days of plastics, so knowing the properties of various kinds of woods is a useful bit of material science if you're going to work for an inventor, in the same way I would expect someone working for a similar concern today to know the difference between PVC, ABS, polypropylene and so on.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 7:17 PM on March 16, 2015
I feel like this is a trick question.
I suspect the correct answer is "Hickory" or possibly "Ash". This seems relatively more relevant to me than most of the questions; remember, this is in the early days of plastics, so knowing the properties of various kinds of woods is a useful bit of material science if you're going to work for an inventor, in the same way I would expect someone working for a similar concern today to know the difference between PVC, ABS, polypropylene and so on.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 7:17 PM on March 16, 2015
"The whole "what region produces the most X" is a bit silly and should really not count for much"
I had to memorize the three principal exports of all 20 Italian regions, and the Vatican, in Italian, for a college Italian class in the late 90s. It was .. sort of random, but I actually learned a lot about Italy's economy and geography?
Also pretty much every third comment I make at MetaFilter is informing you all that Illinois is the world's leasing producer of pumpkins, horseradish, indicted governors, ethanol, ceramics scientists, and awesomeness.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:18 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
I had to memorize the three principal exports of all 20 Italian regions, and the Vatican, in Italian, for a college Italian class in the late 90s. It was .. sort of random, but I actually learned a lot about Italy's economy and geography?
Also pretty much every third comment I make at MetaFilter is informing you all that Illinois is the world's leasing producer of pumpkins, horseradish, indicted governors, ethanol, ceramics scientists, and awesomeness.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:18 PM on March 16, 2015 [7 favorites]
leotrotsky: The elephants agree with me.
While Edison did apparently electrocute many types of animals to try to discredit AC, it seems an elephant was never one of them.
posted by traveler_ at 7:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
While Edison did apparently electrocute many types of animals to try to discredit AC, it seems an elephant was never one of them.
posted by traveler_ at 7:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
2. What city and country produce the finest china?
But come on - that is now and has ever been Jingdezhen, China.
BUT, so wrong! Eli Whitney did not exactly "invent" the cotton gin. He created a less labor-intensive, more mechanical design, and took out a patent.
143. What city on the Atlantic seaboard is the greatest pottery centre?
TRENTON MAKES THE WORLD TAKES
Now I'm reading the commentary in the newspaper articles. Historically, here's the interesting nub: "I have been very much interested in the stir which Mr. Edison has kicked up regarding the ignorance of college men." I think the test design indicates a world in which most people seeking executive positions still had a classical (read: useless) education. Latin, Greek, logic, rhetoric. Either that, or a farming/vocational education at a land-grant school. And here's Edison, saying he's interested in someone with, dare I say it, a liberal arts education - something in its nascency. Another letter in the commentary, a little further down, says: "The questions are a fair test of a broad and liberal education, and they have doubtless served the purpose intended, viz., to discover, through this medium, as far as practicable, men who on account of their wide information, acquired reasoning power or intelligence, would be best fitted to fill executive positions in the Edison plant." I think I kinda nailed it in my estimation of how a test like this sat within the larger zeitgeist: like him or don't, Edison was a changemaker, challenging the inadequacy of higher education for preparing people to take on the new jobs being produced in an emerging tech economy.
posted by Miko at 7:28 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
But come on - that is now and has ever been Jingdezhen, China.
BUT, so wrong! Eli Whitney did not exactly "invent" the cotton gin. He created a less labor-intensive, more mechanical design, and took out a patent.
143. What city on the Atlantic seaboard is the greatest pottery centre?
TRENTON MAKES THE WORLD TAKES
Now I'm reading the commentary in the newspaper articles. Historically, here's the interesting nub: "I have been very much interested in the stir which Mr. Edison has kicked up regarding the ignorance of college men." I think the test design indicates a world in which most people seeking executive positions still had a classical (read: useless) education. Latin, Greek, logic, rhetoric. Either that, or a farming/vocational education at a land-grant school. And here's Edison, saying he's interested in someone with, dare I say it, a liberal arts education - something in its nascency. Another letter in the commentary, a little further down, says: "The questions are a fair test of a broad and liberal education, and they have doubtless served the purpose intended, viz., to discover, through this medium, as far as practicable, men who on account of their wide information, acquired reasoning power or intelligence, would be best fitted to fill executive positions in the Edison plant." I think I kinda nailed it in my estimation of how a test like this sat within the larger zeitgeist: like him or don't, Edison was a changemaker, challenging the inadequacy of higher education for preparing people to take on the new jobs being produced in an emerging tech economy.
posted by Miko at 7:28 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
160. What is your name?
161. what is your quest?
posted by vrakatar at 7:30 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
161. what is your quest?
posted by vrakatar at 7:30 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
162. Shall we play a game?
posted by aaronetc at 7:37 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by aaronetc at 7:37 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
First page, with all the answers.
So now that I've confirmed it's not a weird OCR/scanning issue, what on Earth does "484 86-1000 pounds" mean as the answer to how much the roomful of air weighs? Is it just weird notation? Units I'm not familiar with?
posted by Copronymus at 7:45 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
So now that I've confirmed it's not a weird OCR/scanning issue, what on Earth does "484 86-1000 pounds" mean as the answer to how much the roomful of air weighs? Is it just weird notation? Units I'm not familiar with?
posted by Copronymus at 7:45 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
I suspect a typo, but it might be "48 and 486/1000 pounds"? That's fairly close to the correct answer.
posted by mark k at 7:56 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by mark k at 7:56 PM on March 16, 2015
484 lbs + 86/1000th of a lb.
posted by caution live frogs at 7:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by caution live frogs at 7:58 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
[Oops . . . live frogs is right, I dropped a zero when I did the math. There goes my job as an Edison wage slave . . . ]
posted by mark k at 8:00 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by mark k at 8:00 PM on March 16, 2015
163. Is this Sparta?
posted by Hairy Lobster at 8:02 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 8:02 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Eyebrows McGee: "
Also pretty much every third comment I make at MetaFilter is informing you all that Illinois is the world's leasing producer of pumpkins, horseradish, indicted governors, ethanol, ceramics scientists, and awesomeness."
Don't forget the high grade silica and radium watches.
posted by boo_radley at 8:02 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Hickory. They still are.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 8:06 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 8:06 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
TIL: there is such a thing as "tree kangaroos" and they're fucking adorable
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:18 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:18 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Not the Vipukirves Lever Axe. That one's got a birch handle.
posted by Hairy Lobster at 8:26 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by Hairy Lobster at 8:26 PM on March 16, 2015
6. What city in the United States leads in making laundry machines?
Juarez!
posted by dr_dank at 9:00 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
Juarez!
posted by dr_dank at 9:00 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
484 lbs + 86/1000th of a lb.
That makes sense but is still kind of bonkers in terms of both the expectation (that you'd calculate this out to the 3rd decimal place) and the formatting (although maybe there's not a better way to communicate fractions like that in 20s-era newsprint typography), so it's actually kind of perfect for this. Thanks for figuring that out.
posted by Copronymus at 9:00 PM on March 16, 2015
That makes sense but is still kind of bonkers in terms of both the expectation (that you'd calculate this out to the 3rd decimal place) and the formatting (although maybe there's not a better way to communicate fractions like that in 20s-era newsprint typography), so it's actually kind of perfect for this. Thanks for figuring that out.
posted by Copronymus at 9:00 PM on March 16, 2015
So if you'd rather pick a guy who can still remember trivia from his high school geography class over a seasoned expert with ten years of experience in the field, I guess it would be perfect.
Fortunately, we've made such progress in just under a hundred years, that now we know that only things that will be directly relevant to one's job are worth learning in school, and anything else is a waste of the taxpayer's money.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:19 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
Fortunately, we've made such progress in just under a hundred years, that now we know that only things that will be directly relevant to one's job are worth learning in school, and anything else is a waste of the taxpayer's money.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 9:19 PM on March 16, 2015 [4 favorites]
164. Salutations. Am I the individual you seek?
posted by univac at 10:26 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by univac at 10:26 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
151. Fucking magnets, how do they does that work?
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:40 PM on March 16 [3 favorites +] [!]
FTFY
posted by univac at 10:28 PM on March 16, 2015
posted by Hairy Lobster at 5:40 PM on March 16 [3 favorites +] [!]
FTFY
posted by univac at 10:28 PM on March 16, 2015
maxwelton: "Do you like me? [] Yes [] Yes"
b. Do you LIKE me like me? [] Yes [] Yes
c. Do you REALLY LIKE me like me? [] Yes [] Yes
posted by Samizdata at 11:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
b. Do you LIKE me like me? [] Yes [] Yes
c. Do you REALLY LIKE me like me? [] Yes [] Yes
posted by Samizdata at 11:04 PM on March 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
symbioid: "Sangermaine: "Man I hate that Oatmeal comic. It would be nice to read something about Edison/Tesla without the inevitable "Tesla was Hardworking Jesus, Edison was Lazy Hitler" comments..."
And Hitler was Hardworking Hitler, and Jesus was Lazy Jesus (I mean... COME ON YOU'RE A DEITY, RAISING PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD IS ALL YOU GOT?)"
Water to wine? (But, did he walk on the water BEFORE turning it to wine?)
posted by Samizdata at 11:05 PM on March 16, 2015
And Hitler was Hardworking Hitler, and Jesus was Lazy Jesus (I mean... COME ON YOU'RE A DEITY, RAISING PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD IS ALL YOU GOT?)"
Water to wine? (But, did he walk on the water BEFORE turning it to wine?)
posted by Samizdata at 11:05 PM on March 16, 2015
165. Describe, in single words, only the good things that come into your mind about your mother.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:06 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:06 PM on March 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
166. War: What is it good for?
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:07 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:07 PM on March 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
"Who was Hannibal?"
"The principal serial killer in the Academy Award winning horror-thriller cinematographic production, Silence of the Lambs, directed by the eminent director Steven Spielberg and released in the year 2005."
Uh, I'm pretty sure the answer is:
"The principal serial killer in the Academy Award winning horror-thriller cinematographic production, Silence of the Lambs, directed by the eminent director Jonathan Demme and released in the year 1991."
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:14 PM on March 16, 2015 [8 favorites]
"The principal serial killer in the Academy Award winning horror-thriller cinematographic production, Silence of the Lambs, directed by the eminent director Steven Spielberg and released in the year 2005."
Uh, I'm pretty sure the answer is:
"The principal serial killer in the Academy Award winning horror-thriller cinematographic production, Silence of the Lambs, directed by the eminent director Jonathan Demme and released in the year 1991."
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:14 PM on March 16, 2015 [8 favorites]
167. What is your greatest weakness?
168. Where do you see yourself in five years?
posted by mazola at 11:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
168. Where do you see yourself in five years?
posted by mazola at 11:27 PM on March 16, 2015 [6 favorites]
86. Who discovered the X-ray?
answer provided: Roentgen, a German, in 1895
Hee-hee. Take that Tesla.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:34 AM on March 17, 2015
answer provided: Roentgen, a German, in 1895
Hee-hee. Take that Tesla.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:34 AM on March 17, 2015
93. What is the weight of air in a room 20 by 30 by 10?
With farts or without?
snicker snicker snicker.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:03 AM on March 17, 2015
With farts or without?
snicker snicker snicker.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:03 AM on March 17, 2015
This makes Jeopardy make so much more sense.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 2:30 AM on March 17, 2015
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 2:30 AM on March 17, 2015
American white ash is used principally for nonstriking tool handles, oars, baseball bats, and other sporting and athletic goods.
(My understanding of this is that when it breaks, it breaks cleanly, so you don't end up with a hand full of splinters, but I haven't verified this.)
The major use for high quality hickory is for tool handles, which require high shock resistance. It is also used for ladder rungs, athletic goods, agricultural implements, dowels, gymnasium apparatuses, poles, and furniture. Lower grade hickory is not suitable for the special uses of high quality hickory because of knottiness or other growth features and low density. However, the lower grade is useful for pallets and similar items. Hickory sawdust, chips, and some solid wood are used to flavor meat by smoking.
source: Characteristics and Availability of Commercially Important Woods by Regis B. Miller Chapter 1 (pdf).
posted by you must supply a verb at 2:59 AM on March 17, 2015
(My understanding of this is that when it breaks, it breaks cleanly, so you don't end up with a hand full of splinters, but I haven't verified this.)
The major use for high quality hickory is for tool handles, which require high shock resistance. It is also used for ladder rungs, athletic goods, agricultural implements, dowels, gymnasium apparatuses, poles, and furniture. Lower grade hickory is not suitable for the special uses of high quality hickory because of knottiness or other growth features and low density. However, the lower grade is useful for pallets and similar items. Hickory sawdust, chips, and some solid wood are used to flavor meat by smoking.
source: Characteristics and Availability of Commercially Important Woods by Regis B. Miller Chapter 1 (pdf).
posted by you must supply a verb at 2:59 AM on March 17, 2015
If Edison really wanted to sort the wheat from the chaff he'd have asked why manhole covers are round and for a pseudo code implementation of FizzBang.
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:43 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:43 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
FizzBang? Damn, I'd never get a job; I only know how to implement FizzBuzz.
posted by octothorpe at 4:56 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by octothorpe at 4:56 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Edison: white man of anachronistic understandings. His knowledge of the European countries bordering other European countries is unparalleled.
posted by clvrmnky at 5:17 AM on March 17, 2015
posted by clvrmnky at 5:17 AM on March 17, 2015
169. Describe in single words only the good things that come into your mind about your mother.
posted by DreamerFi at 5:42 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by DreamerFi at 5:42 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
177. A/S/L?
posted by b33j at 5:45 AM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by b33j at 5:45 AM on March 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'm with you on The Oatmeal taking all the fun out of pro-Tesla crackpotism (it's okay if you know you're being a crackpot, right?). That said, it's high time that we get rid of the image of the light bulb as a single iconic "all we needed was for someone to realise we needed light bulbs" trope.
Edison hired teams of workers who laboured tirelessly trying out different materials, and plenty of other companies were competing. The use of tungsten wasn't Edison's idea, and it wasn't an A-Ha moment. It was the product of industrial R&D on a vast scale. So damn your cartoon thought-bubble light bulbs. And damn the incandescent bulb in 2015!
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 5:54 AM on March 17, 2015
Edison hired teams of workers who laboured tirelessly trying out different materials, and plenty of other companies were competing. The use of tungsten wasn't Edison's idea, and it wasn't an A-Ha moment. It was the product of industrial R&D on a vast scale. So damn your cartoon thought-bubble light bulbs. And damn the incandescent bulb in 2015!
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 5:54 AM on March 17, 2015
178. Are we human?
179. Are we dancer?
posted by Bunny Boneyology at 6:09 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
179. Are we dancer?
posted by Bunny Boneyology at 6:09 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
The chief criticism of Edison's questionnaire was that he placed too much emphasis on the remember of particulars and too little on the ability to reason and to make researches. Mr. Edison denies that this criticism is valid. He contends that if a man cannot remember things well in general he cannot remember where to turn for them and how to look them up quickly and effectively. The man who tries to substitute a research method for a memory cannot act decisively and safely in an emergency, according to the inventor.
Even in the case of minor executives, their inability to remember has cost him as much as $5,000 per lapse of memory, according to Mr. Edison.
"It costs too much to learn whether a man is a good executive by trying him out on the job," said Mr. Edison. He decided. therefore, on a preliminary test, so that mistakes would not cost a few hundred or thousand dollars apiece.
A few years back I was chatting with a colleague about the reliance on smartphones that seemed pervasive and that so much focus was on the method of research rather than both the method and the content. As a result I asked him how he would find out about a given topic. He answered a trip to the library, and doing formal research, and indicated a few key things he would be exploring to find the answer. I asked a younger colleague, and he had a general answer from Wikipedia in about 5 minutes.
TLDR version of what I just wrote: I'm pretty sure that if you were on your smart phone while working for T. Edison, that he would shove it up your butt.
posted by Nanukthedog at 6:39 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Even in the case of minor executives, their inability to remember has cost him as much as $5,000 per lapse of memory, according to Mr. Edison.
"It costs too much to learn whether a man is a good executive by trying him out on the job," said Mr. Edison. He decided. therefore, on a preliminary test, so that mistakes would not cost a few hundred or thousand dollars apiece.
A few years back I was chatting with a colleague about the reliance on smartphones that seemed pervasive and that so much focus was on the method of research rather than both the method and the content. As a result I asked him how he would find out about a given topic. He answered a trip to the library, and doing formal research, and indicated a few key things he would be exploring to find the answer. I asked a younger colleague, and he had a general answer from Wikipedia in about 5 minutes.
TLDR version of what I just wrote: I'm pretty sure that if you were on your smart phone while working for T. Edison, that he would shove it up your butt.
posted by Nanukthedog at 6:39 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
I figure I should tell my favorite Edison anecdote. I don't remember where I heard it, but it's implausible enough and specific enough to ring true. I hope it really is. According to the legend, Edison hired a new lab technician, and as a simple beginner's task, he gave the man a box of hand-blown glass light bulbs, just the empty bulbs, and asked him to measure the volume of each tube.
So the tech looks at a bulb, observes that it's basically a sphere attached to a cylinder, that's easy to calculate. But it's more like an oblate spheroid, with a curved transition to a cylinder, that's a little less easy. He can use a calipers to measure the diameter of the spheroid, but he can only estimate the central axis since the endpoint of the calipers would have to go through the neck of the bulb. Well this isn't going to be accurate enough.
He considered more deeply, this is an irregular curve, rotated around a central axis. He can graph the curve, using calipers to measure the exterior diameter of the tube at regular intervals. With a little calculus, he can derive a "solid of revolution" and get a pretty good measure of the volume of the bulb. But technically that's the exterior volume. To be more accurate, the calipers can give him an estimate of the average thickness of the glass wall, he can use that to generate a more accurate curve of the interior of the bulb.
About this time, Edison comes roaring into the lab, yelling at the man, "What's the hell's taking so long?" The tech starts to show Edison his calculations, thinking he will be impressed. Edison gets red in the face, picks up the bulb that the tech was measuring, takes it to a faucet, fills it with water, then pours it into a graduated cylinder. Then he sets it down on the table and storms out of the lab without saying another word.
This is the classic form of an anecdote about Edison, the genius of simple thinking outwitting smart thinking. But I will tell you about a real embodiment of that idea.
The genius of the light bulb is not the bulb, but the base and the socket. It's called the Edison Screw. It has a subtle quality that may not be obvious. The screw engages before the electric contacts go live. If you are replacing a bulb and the socket is live because someone forgot to turn off the switch, you do not want the bulb to suddenly light up while you're screwing it in, so it gets hot and you drop it. That is impossible with the Edison Screw. The screw engages first, holding the bulb in place so it cannot drop out of the socket, and the electric contact only completes the circuit when the bulb is finally in place.
posted by charlie don't surf at 8:40 AM on March 17, 2015 [9 favorites]
So the tech looks at a bulb, observes that it's basically a sphere attached to a cylinder, that's easy to calculate. But it's more like an oblate spheroid, with a curved transition to a cylinder, that's a little less easy. He can use a calipers to measure the diameter of the spheroid, but he can only estimate the central axis since the endpoint of the calipers would have to go through the neck of the bulb. Well this isn't going to be accurate enough.
He considered more deeply, this is an irregular curve, rotated around a central axis. He can graph the curve, using calipers to measure the exterior diameter of the tube at regular intervals. With a little calculus, he can derive a "solid of revolution" and get a pretty good measure of the volume of the bulb. But technically that's the exterior volume. To be more accurate, the calipers can give him an estimate of the average thickness of the glass wall, he can use that to generate a more accurate curve of the interior of the bulb.
About this time, Edison comes roaring into the lab, yelling at the man, "What's the hell's taking so long?" The tech starts to show Edison his calculations, thinking he will be impressed. Edison gets red in the face, picks up the bulb that the tech was measuring, takes it to a faucet, fills it with water, then pours it into a graduated cylinder. Then he sets it down on the table and storms out of the lab without saying another word.
This is the classic form of an anecdote about Edison, the genius of simple thinking outwitting smart thinking. But I will tell you about a real embodiment of that idea.
The genius of the light bulb is not the bulb, but the base and the socket. It's called the Edison Screw. It has a subtle quality that may not be obvious. The screw engages before the electric contacts go live. If you are replacing a bulb and the socket is live because someone forgot to turn off the switch, you do not want the bulb to suddenly light up while you're screwing it in, so it gets hot and you drop it. That is impossible with the Edison Screw. The screw engages first, holding the bulb in place so it cannot drop out of the socket, and the electric contact only completes the circuit when the bulb is finally in place.
posted by charlie don't surf at 8:40 AM on March 17, 2015 [9 favorites]
I'm fascinated by how many of the questions seemed ambiguous to me, but apparently were intended to have a single "right" answer.
Like 127: What place is the greatest distance below sea level?
Did he mean "place" as in dry land only, or did "place" also include under water locations? Does he mean worldwide, or in the USA only, I ask that because so many of his questions seemed very US-centric.
Or 97: Where do we get sulphur from?
Does he mean in general (mines, volcanoes, etc) or which states in the USA produced sulfur (I also wonder, was sulphur the standard spelling back then, or was Edison using his own eccentric spelling?) or which nations the US imported it from, or what?
Or 121: Who wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
Does he mean the words? The music? Or both?
Or 141: Where do we get quicksilver from?
Does he mean which ore is most commonly mined to extract mercury? Or does he mean where does that ore come from? Or does he mean something completely different?
posted by sotonohito at 8:46 AM on March 17, 2015
Like 127: What place is the greatest distance below sea level?
Did he mean "place" as in dry land only, or did "place" also include under water locations? Does he mean worldwide, or in the USA only, I ask that because so many of his questions seemed very US-centric.
Or 97: Where do we get sulphur from?
Does he mean in general (mines, volcanoes, etc) or which states in the USA produced sulfur (I also wonder, was sulphur the standard spelling back then, or was Edison using his own eccentric spelling?) or which nations the US imported it from, or what?
Or 121: Who wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
Does he mean the words? The music? Or both?
Or 141: Where do we get quicksilver from?
Does he mean which ore is most commonly mined to extract mercury? Or does he mean where does that ore come from? Or does he mean something completely different?
posted by sotonohito at 8:46 AM on March 17, 2015
111. Where do we get borax from?
Kazakhstan
posted by JenThePro at 9:12 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Kazakhstan
posted by JenThePro at 9:12 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
180. What would Tesla say about you?
posted by mazola at 9:13 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mazola at 9:13 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm fascinated by how many of the questions seemed ambiguous to me, but apparently were intended to have a single "right" answer.
So the modern variant of this is the infamous "design a house" interview question. The question may be ambiguous on purpose to see if the candidate has the good sense to ask intelligent clarifying questions.
It may just be a bad question. These things were not so scientific back then.
posted by GuyZero at 9:38 AM on March 17, 2015
So the modern variant of this is the infamous "design a house" interview question. The question may be ambiguous on purpose to see if the candidate has the good sense to ask intelligent clarifying questions.
It may just be a bad question. These things were not so scientific back then.
posted by GuyZero at 9:38 AM on March 17, 2015
I ask that because so many of his questions seemed very US-centric.
Well, H1B Visas were much harder to come by at the time.
posted by DigDoug at 9:42 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Well, H1B Visas were much harder to come by at the time.
posted by DigDoug at 9:42 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm a little surprised that caisson and coke(in the coal sense) would be unusual knowledge for people in 2015.
GuyZero: "That sure as heck ain't how they make window glass any more."
Ya, I couldn't remember when float glass was developed.
posted by Mitheral at 9:49 AM on March 17, 2015
GuyZero: "That sure as heck ain't how they make window glass any more."
Ya, I couldn't remember when float glass was developed.
posted by Mitheral at 9:49 AM on March 17, 2015
147. Are we not men?
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:52 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercecupcake at 9:52 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
181. What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?
posted by mazola at 10:00 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mazola at 10:00 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
1. Feeling all pleased with myself as I remembered Andorra, and I knew that Belgium and Luxembourg border France while the Netherlands do not...only to look at the answer and realize I had forgotten Monaco.
Felt so deeply ashamed that I could not bring myself to attempt the other 145 questions.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:31 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Felt so deeply ashamed that I could not bring myself to attempt the other 145 questions.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:31 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Ya, I couldn't remember when float glass was developed.
Apparently the process was invented before 1900 but didn't become commercially effective until 1960! Wow. That sure would have blown Edison's mind.
posted by GuyZero at 10:54 AM on March 17, 2015
Apparently the process was invented before 1900 but didn't become commercially effective until 1960! Wow. That sure would have blown Edison's mind.
posted by GuyZero at 10:54 AM on March 17, 2015
182. What do you want? What do you really, really want?
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:11 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Hairy Lobster at 11:11 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
183. How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:19 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 11:19 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
184. What can change the nature of a man?
posted by mrgoat at 11:29 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by mrgoat at 11:29 AM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
and I knew that Belgium and Luxembourg border France while the Netherlands do not
Actually...
The Netherlands does border France ... in the Caribbean! Sint Maarten/Saint Martin.
posted by MartinWisse at 11:42 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
Actually...
The Netherlands does border France ... in the Caribbean! Sint Maarten/Saint Martin.
posted by MartinWisse at 11:42 AM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Netherlands does border France ... in the Caribbean! Sint Maarten/Saint Martin.
But Saint Martin was colonial until 1946, and given that we're to determine what the answers were in 1921, I'm assuming colonies didn't "count"... otherwise, not only the Netherlands, but also Brazil would have to have been included in the answer.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:13 PM on March 17, 2015
But Saint Martin was colonial until 1946, and given that we're to determine what the answers were in 1921, I'm assuming colonies didn't "count"... otherwise, not only the Netherlands, but also Brazil would have to have been included in the answer.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 12:13 PM on March 17, 2015
180. Do you know where you're going to?
181. Do you like the things that life is showing you?
182. Where are you going to?
183. Do you know?
posted by little mouth at 1:20 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
181. Do you like the things that life is showing you?
182. Where are you going to?
183. Do you know?
posted by little mouth at 1:20 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
And this is what life was like before Google.
----
posted by mazola at 1:25 PM on March 17, 2015
----
108. What country makes the best optical lenses and what city?Gah! I was sure it was 'Jena'! >:("A catch question. The city of Jena in Germany, formerly produced the best lenses, but recently the Bureau of Standards in Washington has turned out lenses excelled by none." — Dr. George F. Kunz of Tiffany & Co.
posted by mazola at 1:25 PM on March 17, 2015
130. Why is a Fahrenheit thermometer called Fahrenheit?
Because 'banana daiquiri' was already taken?
posted by mazola at 1:27 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
Because 'banana daiquiri' was already taken?
posted by mazola at 1:27 PM on March 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I'm fascinated by how many of the questions seemed ambiguous to me, but apparently were intended to have a single "right" answer.
While I admittedly have absolutely no idea how this thing was evaluated, relatively few of the provided answers are of the One Right Answer variety. Several indicate that the correct answer is one of several options or even currently unknown. In the Star Spangled Banner question you listed, both Francis Scott Key and the guy who wrote the music are mentioned in the answer. Did you need to include both in your answer? That and a lot of how useful this test actually was comes down to how it was administered and evaluated, which is true of any standardized test but probably comes through even more clearly in something so anachronistic.
posted by Copronymus at 2:19 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
While I admittedly have absolutely no idea how this thing was evaluated, relatively few of the provided answers are of the One Right Answer variety. Several indicate that the correct answer is one of several options or even currently unknown. In the Star Spangled Banner question you listed, both Francis Scott Key and the guy who wrote the music are mentioned in the answer. Did you need to include both in your answer? That and a lot of how useful this test actually was comes down to how it was administered and evaluated, which is true of any standardized test but probably comes through even more clearly in something so anachronistic.
posted by Copronymus at 2:19 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
184. Why is the rum gone?
posted by dywypi at 2:20 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by dywypi at 2:20 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
185. Come here often?
And with that, Edison invented the sexual harassment suit.
posted by Shadan7 at 5:36 PM on March 17, 2015
And with that, Edison invented the sexual harassment suit.
posted by Shadan7 at 5:36 PM on March 17, 2015
191. How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
posted by Mister Moofoo at 7:21 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister Moofoo at 7:21 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
197. Why do birds sing so gay?
198. Do you love me now that I can dance?
posted by h00py at 7:46 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
198. Do you love me now that I can dance?
posted by h00py at 7:46 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
199. Where'd all the dip go?
200. Is there any more red wine?
posted by h00py at 7:47 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
200. Is there any more red wine?
posted by h00py at 7:47 PM on March 17, 2015 [1 favorite]
If Edison really wanted to sort the wheat from the chaff he'd have asked why manhole covers are round
I first heard that question from Martin Gardner, so of course it's a trick. Maybe it's widely known, Gardner's answer seems pretty obscure. What do you think the answer is?
posted by charlie don't surf at 8:32 PM on March 17, 2015
I first heard that question from Martin Gardner, so of course it's a trick. Maybe it's widely known, Gardner's answer seems pretty obscure. What do you think the answer is?
posted by charlie don't surf at 8:32 PM on March 17, 2015
I am so totally going to create the Mefi list of questions IQ info graphic poster using the contributions above. It'll go viral. And you'll all get pissed with me for copyright issues.
posted by b33j at 4:13 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by b33j at 4:13 AM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
I am so totally going to create the Mefi list of questions IQ info graphic poster using the contributions above. It'll go viral. And you'll all get pissed with me for copyright issues.
and we'll all die penniless and alone while you cackle your way to wealth on the back of an elephant that you'll then electrocute?
posted by kagredon at 8:37 AM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
and we'll all die penniless and alone while you cackle your way to wealth on the back of an elephant that you'll then electrocute?
posted by kagredon at 8:37 AM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
201] Do we know where we're goin' and do we know where we've been?
202] Is the following postulate true? "No matter where you go, there you are..."
And I offer my contributions to said poster under a Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International CC license.
And, I want a copy of the poster.
And maybe a pony.
posted by Samizdata at 7:05 PM on March 18, 2015
202] Is the following postulate true? "No matter where you go, there you are..."
And I offer my contributions to said poster under a Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International CC license.
And, I want a copy of the poster.
And maybe a pony.
posted by Samizdata at 7:05 PM on March 18, 2015
What do you think the answer is?
Is it really that obscure? I ran across it as a teen.
posted by Miko at 9:36 PM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is it really that obscure? I ran across it as a teen.
posted by Miko at 9:36 PM on March 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh dammit, I wrote that. I hope you first heard that answer from Gardner, not me.
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:26 PM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:26 PM on March 18, 2015 [2 favorites]
Ha! I'm pretty sure I did. I used to subscribe to Games Magazine as a nerdy kid, and the manhole cover disucssion was one of my dad's favorite bits of trivia. But I also read Cecil obsessively for a long time, though not the message boards.
posted by Miko at 10:21 AM on March 19, 2015
posted by Miko at 10:21 AM on March 19, 2015
203. How did these people get their cats wedged into their scanners?
204. Why?
posted by univac at 9:52 AM on March 21, 2015 [4 favorites]
204. Why?
posted by univac at 9:52 AM on March 21, 2015 [4 favorites]
205. Do you like lobster?
206. What color are your lederhosen?
posted by ocherdraco at 9:02 PM on March 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
206. What color are your lederhosen?
posted by ocherdraco at 9:02 PM on March 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
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