Survey Says NPR Listeners Least Uninformed, Fox Viewers Most, How Informed Are You?

According to a survey by Farleigh Dickenson University, of these nine questions, the Fox viewers could answer about 2, the NPR listeners about 3 and a half:

• To the best of your knowledge, have the opposition groups protesting in Egypt been successful in removing Hosni Mubarak?
• How about the opposition groups in Syria? Have they been successful in removing Bashar al-Assad?
• Some countries in Europe are deeply in debt, and have had to be bailed out by other countries. To the best of your knowledge, which country has had to spend the most money to bail out European countries?
• There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?
• Which party has the most seats in the House of Representatives right now?
• In December, House Republicans agreed to a short-term extension of a payroll tax cut, but only if President Obama agreed to do what?
• It took a long time to get the final results of the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates. In the end, who was declared the winner?
• How about the New Hampshire Primary? Which Republican won that race?
• According to official figures, about what percentage of Americans are currently unemployed?

How many can you? 

Comments

[Tman]

Alternative Title:

"NPR Listeners Pretty Much Just As Stupid As Fox Viewers"

[niobiumstudio]

Another title could be "Anyone who gets all their news from just one source is stupid"

[Proprietist]

I get most of my news from Reason, and I got all of them right.

[niobiumstudio]

Old news is old. This was on the Daily Show months ago...

[Brandon]

You know there is more than one survey on Earth, right?

[niobiumstudio]

No shit - but the press release for this study was released on May 3rd and the ACTUAL questions were asked back in February. So I say again, this is old news...

[niobiumstudio]

http://publicmind.fdu.edu/2012/confirmed/final.pdf

[sage]

Suki might get angry that someone else is playing thread nanny.

[robc]

It took a long time to get the final results of the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates. In the end, who was declared the winner?

I wonder if FDU knows the answer is Ron Paul.

[robc]

Actually, I dont think Iowa finishes up until June, so Im just guessing myself.

[kinnath]

Friday June 15, the four district conventions will reconvene and elect 12 delegates to the national convention. You can safely expect that most of those will be Paul supporters.

Saturday June 16, the state convention will occur. The nominating committee has already produced a slate of 13 people that includes Gov Brandstad, Sen Grassely, and 11 known Paul supporters.

The republican extablishment is desparately trying to figure out how to kill the nominated slate and introduce a new one on the 16th.

[Joe M]

So you're saying Paul could get upwards of 20 delegates in Iowa? I knew he was going to get a lot, but not that many.

[kinnath]

The rules committee has not published the rules for the state convention yet. But I would expect that the faction trying to submit an alternate slate of delegates will need to get a super-majority of delegates at the state convention to amend the convention rules to offer the alernate slate. So if the rules are followed, it seems extremely unlikely that the Paul delegates can be replaced.

The key phase is "if the rules are followed". A lot will depend upon who is elected chairman of the convention.

[kinnath]

It is fair to say that Santorum "won" the non-binding, straw-poll conducted on caucus night.

It is also fair to point out that Santorum has since left the race, and Ron Paul will take a majority of Iowa delegates to the national convention.

[robc]

The Iowa election is in June...Im not discussing dog and pony show.

[Rasilio]

Incorrect, in the form the question was asked the correct answer is Rick Santorum.

The question did not ask who won the most delegates to the Republican convention, it asked who was "declared the winner"

Very different questions.

[Ryan]

"Declared the winner" by whom? It looks like someone here just declared Ron Paul the winner, so I suppose they are correct after all.

[Episiarch]

Another fucktard TEAM-based study that actually says nothing. Yay.

Also, what Tman said.

[GILMORE]

What the shit? The post title says "Fox viewers Most [informed]", then in the first sentence, says they answered fewer questions...?

What does that make Reason readers?? MENSA? How the (@*$# could you actually pay attention to ANY news source and not know the answer to all these questions? Was the survey sample the audience of a WWF match?

[niobiumstudio]

Have you ever read the comments section on Fox or MSNBC or really anywhere? I am surprised the average was over 1 question right.

[Suthenboy]

You can read that stuff? Most of it is just gibberish to me. Please translate for me sometime. HuffPo, MSNBC, Fox, The Blaze, like the commenters there, I have no idea what 80% of them are trying to say.

[niobiumstudio]

Occasionally I get really happy when I see an article on Fox up on Google News about something Obama fucked up (quite a few) and skip right to the comments. Some of them are down right hilarious. Of course 95% are gibberish and stupid, but every once and a while you get a golden nugget of pure, unadulterated, raging lunatic/racist/asshole. It makes it worth while.

[Episiarch]

DON'T TALK SHIT ABOUT PRO WRESTLING

And it's WWE. What are you, a Fox watcher or something, you idiot?

[Pro Libertate]

It surprised me when the wrestling organization conceded to the World Wildlife Federation. You'd think they'd have employed the killer elbow or something to win that dispute.

[hotsy totsy]

That's the World Peace elbow!

[Episiarch]

They tried to pull a Superfly off the top rope but pandas are stronger than you think.

[Pro Libertate]

Jimmy "Superfly" Snooka? He could take out a panda, easy.

[GILMORE]

That's spelled "Idjit"

[Res Publica Americana]

It struck me that way, too. Does knowing the answers to those questions mean you're informed? Because that would be a really, really sad benchmark.

[John]

Most of them are just stupid. I forgot who won the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries the day after they happened.

[Pro Libertate]

I forgot those were states.

[Res Publica Americana]

It really is wholly worthless bullshit. "Why did the chicken cross the road?" might as well have been one of the questions.

[Mensan]

"What does that make Reason readers?? MENSA?"

Yes.

[Brandon]

Why is Mensa in all caps? It's like that in all their publications and emails, too. But it's not an acronym.

[Mensan]

It's not. It's in all caps on the cover of Mensa Bulletin, but so is bulletin, so I'm pretty sure that's just the cover design.

[Pip]

"Why is Mensa in all caps?"

I could explain it to you all day long, but even then, you'd never understand.

[protefeed]

"Why is Mensa in all caps?"

Because hats are passe, and bareheaded is totally not hipster enough.

[GILMORE]

FOOLS!! BECAUSE I YELL A LOT!!! HA HA HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[Brandon]

Survey Says NPR Listeners Least *Uninformed*, Fox Viewers Most, How Informed Are You?

May want to work on the reading comprehension if you can't even parse the title accurately. Are you a FOX NEWS viewer?

[GILMORE]

May want to work on the reading comprehension

PPptt. I'm too busy conducting fourier transforms with my big toe to bother with your clumsy human print-language! If you're not telepathic yet, you might as well crawl back up the trees. Now excuse me, I need to get back to rigging the stock market.

[Sudden]

I always suspected you were Mark Zuckerberg.

[Paul.]

How the (@*$# could you actually pay attention to ANY news source and not know the answer to all these questions?

Because if you've been listening to NPR lately, they've been doing a multi-multi-multi part series on what family life is like when grownup kids move back home. Something that was a hot news topic in the early 90s. Everything old is new again.

Or their daily updates on obesity. Daily.

[robc]

There was exactly one generation in American in which multigeneration homes was not the norm.

[Res Publica Americana]

At least most of those people could probably tell you how many states there are in the Union, unlike Barack I Obama.

[Pro Libertate]

Forty-six. Along with four commonwealths, a district, and various territories and possessions. Oh, and Canada.

[Tman]

Canada isn't a state silly! It's one of those commonwealth thingies, like Puerto Rico or New Jersey.

[Res Publica Americana]

The Commonwealth of America's Dunce Cap, right?

[Res Publica Americana]

Don't be ridiculous. Barack I wouldn't know that some states contain the word "Commonwealth" in their names, or that DC isn't actually a city, or what the fuck American Samoa or Guam are. He's too busy trying really hard to defeat obstructionist Republithugs in order that his it's-really-going-to-happen drug war de-escalation has a chance to take place. Don't be so DEMANDING!

[Pro Libertate]

If I were a megalomaniacal dunderhead who stumbled by chance into the presidency and who made that error, I'd annex seven new territories during my administration and make them into states before I left office. Or maybe force some big states to split. Either way, I come in with 50; I leave with 57.

[Res Publica Americana]

Don't worry, dude -- Barack I might yet have four more years to put down those neo-Confederate insurrectionists in Texas and Nevada and stuff. It'll give him an excuse to partition the states.

[Pro Libertate]

Well, let's see. Florida could be cut in half. There's one. California into thirds. There's two. Texas also into thirds. There's two more. Make Chicago and New York City into two states, and you're done!

[Brett L]

I'm in as long as Florida al Sur gets Orlando but leaves us Tampa/St. Pete.

[Pro Libertate]

I'd be okay just cutting off South Florida, except, to make things screwy, Florida (South Florida can get a new fucking name) keeps the Keys.

[protefeed]

Nah, a TEAM BLUE partisan would never split Texas into multiple states, and thus create more Red state senators.

And making Chicago and NYC into their own states would likely have the effect of adding 4 more Red state senators.

[Peter L]

While we are chopping up states, We should make Michigan's Upper Peninsula a separate state, call it Superior. Capital in Marquette.

[Tulpa the White]

You're right, South Dakota needs competition for the title of most depressing state.

[Rasilio]

I thought Guam tipped over and sank into the ocean?

[T]

Disaster was narrowly averted by defense cutbacks.

[T o n y]

Doesn't the fact that you morons always trot this 57 state thing out (which has been thoroughly explained) as evidence of Obama's stupidity kind of prove the opposite? I mean, if he were an idiot, you'd think you could come up with more examples. And if you were smart, you think you could come up with some of your own instead of bahbahing the same lame bullshit coming from the typing fingers of every Drudge zombie retard.

[tarran]

No Tony, we just like laughing at the petulant narcissist you worship.

We like laughing at him, in part, because it drives morons like you into a frenzy.

Your misery amuses us.

[T o n y]

My misery is only a result of the vast stupidity of my countrymen and the negative effects it will have on my life.

Examples abound, but being worried about the most powerful man in the world's narcissism is a good one.

[tarran]

Again, Tony, I'm not worried about Obama. I'm laughing at him. I am also laughing at fools like you who are in his thrall; you guys are pathetic losers who daren't think for themselves.

You know what you are? You're exactly like the socon agressively shouting "If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough for me!" at a PTA meeting.

You'll go through life unable to understand why things don't seem to work, unable to see what is clear to people around you, that your ignorance, selfishness and jealousy have crippled you and made you nothing more than a useful fool to be exploited.

[T o n y]

All this because I support universal healthcare?

You really think, among the peoples of the civilized world, bucktoothed militia members, Christian evangelicals, and Ron Paul fanatics are the smart ones?

I don't worship Obama. I fear Republicans. I fear that they will destroy education standards faster than the people will realize how thoroughly they're being hosed by them. Democrats could be, and possibly are, among the most useless creatures on earth, but they're not actively trying to loot my country and destroy the planet.

[Anacreon]

Which education standards do you fear might be destroyed? The one that promotes leftist political inculcation, is self-esteem based, union-backed, with too many administrators, educational system that has presided over an enormous drop in quality compared to the rest of the world? Let those buck-toothed crazies have at it, they can't make it any worse. Perhaps they might want a silly word about intelligent design in there, but they might also suggest math, English and hard science are better core subjects than social studies about how America has wronged everyone.

[Res Publica Americana]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T73phKWYHTc

Here.

Also, you fucking idiot, you don't need to be a speaker to do the job of president well. I hate his fucking guts because he's a petty tyrant and a degenerate, not because he messes up speeches or provides shitty answers to questions reporters ask him.

[Mensan]

I think the significant finding isn't that NPR listeners are less uninformed than Fox viewers; it's that they're both utterly pathetically ignorant.
Fox = 24% correct
NPR = 39% correct
Reason (n = me) = 89% correct
I wasn't positive about who spend the most bailing out Europe.

[Brandon]

I assumed Germany. If that's not right, I'm at 89 too.

[Mensan]

I assumed Germany too, but the Fed has spent a lot of money on it too. Then there's the whole thing about whether or not spending by the Fed counts as spending by the U.S. I just assumed I was wrong, because I didn't want to look it up.

[Groovus Maximus]

PDF for a poll taken in NJ, administered by Farley Dickenson Uni.

[Paul.]

Here's how I answered:

? To the best of your knowledge, have the opposition groups protesting in Egypt been successful in removing Hosni Mubarak?

No, they have essentially the same thing. But with more Islam.

? How about the opposition groups in Syria? Have they been successful in removing Bashar al-Assad?

No. But with more Islam.

? Some countries in Europe are deeply in debt, and have had to be bailed out by other countries. To the best of your knowledge, which country has had to spend the most money to bail out European countries?

Germany

? There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

To keep them from Nuking the Joos.

? Which party has the most seats in the House of Representatives right now?

Not libertarians.

? In December, House Republicans agreed to a short-term extension of a payroll tax cut, but only if President Obama agreed to do what?

What he does best.

? It took a long time to get the final results of the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates. In the end, who was declared the winner?

Not libertarians. But Santorum by a nose.

? How about the New Hampshire Primary? Which Republican won that race?

Stopped paying attention. Don't remember, don't care.

? According to official figures, about what percentage of Americans are currently unemployed?

More than they said would be if they didn't do Tarp and Stimulus.

[joshua corning]

I am the low end. How the hell am I supposed to remember who won what primary.

Also i have no idea what economic sanctions against Iran are supposed to do. Stop the nuclear program maybe? Unless the intent of the sanctions is to empower the tyrants in Iran over the freedoms of rest of the people my guess is it won't work.

...

But yeah I guessed Germany as well.

[Emmerson Biggins]

There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

give the statist quo politicians the ability to say "But We tried Diplomacy!", if they decide Iran is the right spot for the Next War?

I wonder if they'd give me credit for that answer.

[hotsy totsy]

Hmmm, I thought that was actually a rhetorical question.

[Mensan]

"... statist quo politicians ..."

Was that intentional? Either way, it's awesome.

[Emmerson Biggins]

It was actually. I'm going to make an effort to start using it more.

I think it's especially good as a disparaging adverb to describe the media. "Statist Quo Media" describes my gripe much better than "Mainstream Media" or "Liberal Media".

[Emmerson Biggins]

fuck. adjective.

[joshua corning]

statist quo politicians

Isn't that redundant?

[Groovus Maximus]

"... statist quo politicians ..."

Was that intentional? Either way, it's awesome.

Agreed. I'm so stealing this, BTW. Proper credit will be given, EB.

[Emmerson Biggins]

I don't think I actually made it up. But I'll happily take credit for it anyways.

I was watching/yelling at Andersoon Cooper the other day and he wasn't really being a left wing douche bag. He was just being a completely gullible big government mouth piece and I remembered the phrase, from a few months back.

[Fist of Etiquette]

? To the best of your knowledge, have the opposition groups protesting in Egypt been successful in removing Hosni Mubarak?

Someone was.

? How about the opposition groups in Syria? Have they been successful in removing Bashar al-Assad?

Hillary's working on it.

? Some countries in Europe are deeply in debt, and have had to be bailed out by other countries. To the best of your knowledge, which country has had to spend the most money to bail out European countries?

The one that takes the month of August off, Schweinhund.

? There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

Make our leaders look tough without having to commit troops or air strikes.

[Fist of Etiquette]

? Which party has the most seats in the House of Representatives right now?

The one that's going to squander its chance for fiscal change.

? In December, House Republicans agreed to a short-term extension of a payroll tax cut, but only if President Obama agreed to do what?

Bow before them like they're a foreign monarch.

? It took a long time to get the final results of the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates. In the end, who was declared the winner?

Pope Benny One-Six.

? How about the New Hampshire Primary? Which Republican won that race?

There weren't any running.

? According to official figures, about what percentage of Americans are currently unemployed?

Uh, how close are we to the November election?

[JW]

? How about the New Hampshire Primary? Which Republican won that race?

They are presuming that everyone gives a shit about who won a Coke and Pepsi primary.

[RC]

Hey! What about me? I'm gathering delegates at the caucuses. Just shake me before you open me up in Tampa and I'll win the nomination!

[Mike M.]

There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

Talks? There have already have been sanctions against Iran in place for a while now.

[Emmerson Biggins]

In December, House Republicans agreed to a short-term extension of a payroll tax cut, but only if President Obama agreed to do what

I googled this. I still can't figure out what the sticking point was. I don't really think there was a single point of contention.

This is a shitty question to test well-informed-ness

[NoVAHockey]

I thought GOP wanted a 1-year extension and caved and/or agreed to the short-term deal to make the issue go away.

[Mensan]

Wasn't it in exchange for Obama agreeing to approve the Keystone pipeline, which, of course, he reneged on?

[niobiumstudio]

I'm pretty sure their only sticking point was paying for it. All the articles I read about it just talked about paying for it - which they eventually just let pass without paying for it.

[Mensan]

Originally the Repubs wanted matching spending cuts, but gave up on those and agreed to a short extension in December in exchange for the pipeline concession. Then in February they demanded cuts again, but than settled for nothing, and agreed to another extension without any concessions from Obama. According to the left, the first case is the republicans being unreasonable, and the second is bipartisan compromise. At least that's how I remember it, but I could be completely wrong.

[niobiumstudio]

Sounds about right.

[NoVAHockey]

that sounds right. but needs more "hostage taking"

[Emmerson Biggins]

It took a long time to get the final results of the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates. In the end, who was declared the winner?

This one, I'd like to turn around back on the askers:

What do you mean by "win"?

And the only correct answer is "receive at least a plurality of votes from that state at the nominating convention". If your answer was something else you should stop pretending to that you are qualified to deliver "news". You are part of the problem, and you suck.

[T]

There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

I'll be honest. I have no idea what the sanctions are supoosed to do.

[niobiumstudio]

Get them to stop the nuclear programs. They don't want them to enrich uranium to 20% or higher. And, instead of having "talks" to come to that end, they simply started assassinating their nuclear scientists.

[niobiumstudio]

If my sarcasm meter is off today, very sorry!

[Pip]

9 of 9

BTW PBS aired a great libertarian promoting show last night

Civilization-West-Rest-Niall-Ferguson

Ferguson visits 11 countries to examine six attributes that he argues led to world dominance by Western Civilization: Competition, Science, Modern Medicine, Democracy, Consumerism, and the Work Ethic

You can watch it here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/civili.....-and-rest/

[T o n y]

Pretty sure I know the answer to every question. I get my news from as many places as possible, and watch FOX on weekends when there's nothing else on and my forehead is in need of a few good smacks.

FOX News is Republican party propaganda first and foremost, in case anyone was unaware. This isn't the first study to basically demonstrate that watching it makes you dumber. The salient, scary point is that it's in the Republican party's interest for people to be dumber.

[Res Publica Americana]

Does anything serve to refresh the tree of liberty quite so effectively as the putrid blood of a progressive slavemaker, Tony?

[T o n y]

Could you sound any more like Adolph Hitler?

[Emmerson Biggins]

He could be a vegetarian.

[Groovus Maximus]

The irony, she's lost upon thee and piteously laughs in your direction, Tony.

[Res Publica Americana]

Progressive slavemakers are often retarded, so don't be too hard on the kid.

[Groovus Maximus]

I don't care. And Tony is not, by definition, retarded. He's just flat out an evil, entitled, vile little shitbag who wants The United Kingdom of America.

I would drop an anvil on him if I could, NAP notwithstanding.

[Res Publica Americana]

Yeah, I wasn't going for the clinical definition. Don't worry. I'm sure mom's basement provides Tony with a very stimulating environment for self-enrichment, so he's sure to realize that his convictions are fundamentally immoral sooner or later, right?

[joshua corning]

I'm sure mom's basement provides Tony

No you are thinking of Shrike.

Tony is gay...so he probably has a job and a nice apartment...

....and lots of hot fag hags which he refused to share with us, so yeah he is pure evil.

[Res Publica Americana]

Could you be any more unknowledgeable, pinko?

You still haven't answered my question. Does anything serve to refresh the tree of liberty quite so effectively as the putrid blood of a progressive slavemaker?

1,000 words by Monday.

[T o n y]

I don't speak the language of the white supremacist movement, so I have no idea.

[tarran]

Tony, you're a progressive. You guys are the heart of the white supremacist movement.

It you weren't such an ignorant savage, you would know that.

[T o n y]

I don't think a more succinct example of the type of "knowledge" gained from watching FOX News has appeared here. Bravo! Star student at Glenn Beck U we have here.

[joshua corning]

Yeah it was fox news that found the link between the Democrats and the KKK...

Keep on believing that buddy.

[Paul.]

According to the survay, NPR makes you almost as dumb. But with more Banjo music on weekends.

[niobiumstudio]

Way less entertaining too. On Fox you get screaming nuts and awesome rageahol. NPR is just relaxing, boring ass conversation about 90% irrelevant shit. And of course the Banjo and Fundraisers..

[T o n y]

Yes that is the totally nonpartisan, disinterested spin of reason magazine. Maybe they're defending Stossel's honor?

[Groovus Maximus]

As Pip was fond of saying, "Go suck a diseased cock, Tony."

Show me one, one, lefty, commie, proggie smut rag that is totally non-partisan, and entirely disinterested and detached, bereft of "spin". Oops, you can't.

I unequivocally hate you, Tony.

[tarran]

Grrovus.

You realize Tony hates you, right?

You're leaving the country.

You won't be his slave giving him the treatments he has a "right" to anymore.

With a little bit of creativity, you could keep all the money you earn out of uncle sam's coffers. And then they won't be used to murder the lesser brown races. Tony hates you for that too.

Tony's selfishness can't bear the thought of people not doing what he wants for him.

[T o n y]

Totally? Probably none. Doesn't change the fact that watching FOX makes you dumber than if you consume no news at all.

As for Reason, the readership seems awfully informed about a bunch of bullshit.

[triclops]

your logic is bulletproof and your assertions are airtight.

when you do finally off yourself, please shoot yourself in the chest, so that we may preserve your brain for science. i want to understand the pathology that is desperate, unwavering trollism.

[joshua corning]

As for Reason, the readership seems awfully informed about a bunch of bullshit.

I can name the entire linage of the Tygarian dynasty from Aegon to Jon Snow and Rhaego and quote verbatim every line of Max Payne 3.

What are you calling bullshit?

[Killazontherun]

Thanks a fucking lot, T o n y for driving the doctors away. We really owe you for that one.

[CE]

We need more cowbell.

[Paul.]

According to the survay

Tee hee.

[oncogenesis]

derp

[Zeb]

The salient, scary point is that it's in the Republican party's interest for people to be dumber.

You're probably right, but the same applies to the Democratic party. As with most advertising, political advertising is mostly effective on people who don't think too well and are not very engaged.

[CE]

There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

So, being familiar with the ruling parties' wish/rationalization/pipe dream = "being informed"?

[protefeed]

My answers:

? To the best of your knowledge, have the opposition groups protesting in Egypt been successful in removing Hosni Mubarak?

They removed Hosni Mubarak. You would have to be mighty generous to call the resulting clusterfuck a "success".

? How about the opposition groups in Syria? Have they been successful in removing Bashar al-Assad?

No. But with more Islam.

? Some countries in Europe are deeply in debt, and have had to be bailed out by other countries. To the best of your knowledge, which country has had to spend the most money to bail out European countries?

None of them. No one had to spend money bailing out those countries. That was a bad idea.

? There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

To keep politicians from publicly acknowledging that they really don't have any control over the situation in Iran?

? Which party has the most seats in the House of Representatives right now?

The Republicrats. Or the Demolicans. I can't keep track.

[protefeed]

? In December, House Republicans agreed to a short-term extension of a payroll tax cut, but only if President Obama agreed to do what?

Make another promise he intends to renege on if at all possible?

? It took a long time to get the final results of the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates. In the end, who was declared the winner?

Depends on how you define "end" and "winner", and who the declarer was, and whether that person grasped the concept of "a statistical dead heat in a beauty contest that didn't affect the actual thing that mattered, i.e. delegates to the national GOP convention"

? How about the New Hampshire Primary? Which Republican won that race?

With one exception, they all seemed like losers to me.

? According to official figures, about what percentage of Americans are currently unemployed?

Way fewer than any real-world measure of actual unemployment not gathered by government employees trying to hide the obvious clusterfuck of mass unemployment, using statistical tricks and redefinitions.

Using the approved official answers, I guess I'm an ignoramus who went 0 for 9.

[Xilano]

I thought the point of the sanctions against Iran was to shove them further into a corner until they become desperate enough to engage in some sort of kinetic military action so that we can go all self-defensive on them in a completely justifiable and necessary use of force.

[Ken Shultz]

This survey may purport to show that Fox viewers are more uninformed, but what it really just shows is that Fox viewers are more Republican.

In other words, I think this survey was biased in a fundamental way. Because being a Republican isn't about what you know--it's about being proud of what you don't know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDA9NbPAK8o

[joshua corning]

The bear should have eaten Beaker half way through the video....

The Muppets have lost its magic.

[Azathoth!!]

GM linked to a breakdown of the What country paid most in this question--"Some countries in Europe are deeply in debt, and have had to be bailed out by other countries. To the best of your knowledge, which country has had to spend the most money to bail out European countries?"

The party numbers indicate that more Republicans got it right.

I'd like to find out the party breakdown on other questions.

[buntpunt]

These guys really know whats going on dude.

http://www.Privacy-Geeks.tk

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

The sanctions are supposed to hurt the Iranian economy. Duh.

[jghbmt]

Posted a response to the survey here- http://intelligenceuncensored......tupid-as-f

Would love feedback, comments, etc.

[Matt N]

9 questions can be used to accurately judge how informed a person is? The only way that could be true is for a very narrow definition of "informed." I suspect if the definition -- and thus the selection of questions -- were moved two degrees to the right, so to speak, the results would have come out slightly differently.

The only thing this survey shows is how bias so seamlessly and effortlessly slips into academic work.

Sometimes it is purely accidental, sometimes intentional. Other times it is semi-intentional...

I once had a professor, who was trying to impress upon us undergrads how difficult doing a study was, by telling us about a study her colleague was working on -- that it "took eight years for her to get it to show what she was trying to show...." Semi-intentional.

I have no doubt that the professor in question thought she was doing absolutely stand-up work, but it's hard to get less scientific and more biased than that, without doing it explicitly intentionally.

[Hazel Meade]

Without peeking ...

? To the best of your knowledge, have the opposition groups protesting in Egypt been successful in removing Hosni Mubarak?

Yes.

? How about the opposition groups in Syria? Have they been successful in removing Bashar al-Assad?

No.

? Some countries in Europe are deeply in debt, and have had to be bailed out by other countries. To the best of your knowledge, which country has had to spend the most money to bail out European countries?

Germany.

? There have been increasing talks about economic sanctions against Iran. What are these sanctions supposed to do?

Stop Iran's nuclear program.

? Which party has the most seats in the House of Representatives right now?

Republican.

? In December, House Republicans agreed to a short-term extension of a payroll tax cut, but only if President Obama agreed to do what?

Make a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline.

? It took a long time to get the final results of the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates. In the end, who was declared the winner?

Rick Santorum

? How about the New Hampshire Primary? Which Republican won that race?

Uhh..... don't remember.

? According to official figures, about what percentage of Americans are currently unemployed?

8.1 % ?

What's my score?

[Diomasach]

Interesting, nowhere in this article or the associated link can I find what the "correct" answers are. I would be very interested to know.

For example, what is the answer to #3? Germany, who has pumped the most taxpayer dollars into it? France, whose banks have suffered the worst exposure? Or the bond holders (China and the US) who have seen their bonds default and lost half their investment?

#4? What are the sanctions supposed to do again? Piss off Iran? Make the Spineless Apologizer-In-Chief look tough? Because as far as I can tell that's about all they are going to do.

#6? Extending the current tax rates? Forcing an Administration decision on Keystone XL? The supposed "grand bargain" automatic budget cuts? Which is it?

How about #9? Is it the happy, sunny, rainbows and unicorns 8.1% that the White House keeps talking about? Is it the BLS number of 11.6% (also an "official number" from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics)? Well, which is it? The White House's "official" number or the US Bureau of Labor Statistics "official" number?