Subject: Today's Destination - Kenya
Posted by: dippo
Date: Jun 17 10
Today's quiz was a bit of a change from the others we've seen. I thought the theme was Geography, but today it was all about the history of the country.
After taking the quiz, I'm still no wiser about the country, the climate, the culture, or exactly where in Asia I would find Kenya!
Posted by: dippo
Date: Jun 17 10
Today's quiz was a bit of a change from the others we've seen. I thought the theme was Geography, but today it was all about the history of the country.
After taking the quiz, I'm still no wiser about the country, the climate, the culture, or exactly where in Asia I would find Kenya!
39 replies. On page 1 of 2 pages. 1 2
BxBarracuda 
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I wouldn't look for Kenya in Asia, I would look for it in Africa. I have followed Stu's group quizzes on Kenya and have found them more then interesting and filled with interesting facts on the country. Whether it be Geography, History or anything else specific to a Country, I think it fits the theme and gives insight to the country and it's people. Reply #1. Jun 17 10, 8:50 AM |
spidersghost43
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Well you won't find it in Asia. It's in Afica Reply #2. Jun 17 10, 8:50 AM |
| spidersghost43
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Im a little slow it seems Reply #3. Jun 17 10, 8:50 AM |
George95
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I noticed the title of the quiz is "Kenya-The Road to Independence 2.0". This tells me two things a) It's about the history and the journey to independence. b) It's version 2. Couldn't we have #1? This quiz is in the African history section. Here are quizzes on Kenya in the geography section. http://www.funtrivia.com/ql.cfm?cat=10517 Reply #4. Jun 17 10, 3:28 PM |
Starlord
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I may give this quiz a miss even if it means having to go all the way round again, it's an awful quiz so much waffle that you have to read through in order to find the actual question. Reply #5. Jun 17 10, 4:27 PM |
| BxBarracuda
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I do believe the highest rated quiz related to tha country is the one which gets chosen for the Bus Ride. Is there wrong information in it? There have been some quizzes from the Bus Ride that have had information that was tough to digest, but it was factual and you can't argue with that. Reply #6. Jun 17 10, 5:05 PM |
looney_tunes
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I love quizzes with interesting background stuff! Simple one-sentence questions with quickly-googled or wikied answers are not nearly as interesting as questions that make you think about them. It doesn't feel like waffle to me. So there you go - different sorts of quizzes will attract and please different sorts of people! I think this quiz actually does give you a lot of insight into the country and people, if you take the time to reflect on the consequences of these historical events on contemporary issues - not just in Kenya, but in a number of other African countries. I am happy to take History quizzes as we tour the world, as well as Geography and World quizzes. My greatest source of dissatisfaction is the number of quizzes in Geography which are actually focused on the culture, and should be in World. But then, a number of them have been about 50-50, so it's hard to decide where they belong, bless their split-personality little hearts. Reply #7. Jun 17 10, 5:14 PM |
abechstein
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I really, really liked the Kenya quiz. I was able to take it without using an outside website -- not because I knew a lot about Kenya, but because the questions were written well enough so as to lead a careful reader (with some African history knowledge) to the correct answer, without making the answers painfully obvious. A consequence of reading closely is that I learned a lot of information in a way that it will probably stick with me. This isn't to say that I have a problem with quizzes that require a little "outside reading"; that usually leads me to learning a lot more about the country in question, but not directly from the quiz. Frankly, I'm getting a little weary of quizzes which have bare-bones questions on population, highest mountain, date of independence, and such, without any real context or truly interesting information. This quiz was a breath of fresh air for me, and I hope there are more like it in the future. By the way, this quiz was the second of three in a series, not the second version (though I can certainly see why one might think so, just by looking at the title). Reply #8. Jun 17 10, 5:45 PM |
stuthehistoryguy
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Thanks to BX, Looney, and abechstein for their kind words. The other comments in this thread do cast some light on why the ratings were so low today, in spite of the gratuitious sex and violence in this quiz. I think a lot of folks on the bus ride just want to get in, get the points for the badge, and get out. Not one thing wrong with that, but that wasn’t the reason I wrote the quiz. It was in the top 200 going into today; it may not even have sunnies by Monday :( Oh, well—at least parts 1 and 3 are still highly rated ;) Reply #9. Jun 17 10, 6:12 PM |
Janass
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Good heavens, I took this quiz, before I read these remarks. It was a learning experience. I disagree about the lack of Geography in it. The majority of the quizzes we take, all have history in them. This is an excellent quiz and I learned a lot about the subject. Stu, you write wonderful, thought provoking quizzes that I thoroughly enjoy. Thank you for taking the time and effort to compose these gems! Reply #10. Jun 17 10, 6:30 PM |
| Janass
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I am still so shocked at this rudeness sent the way of one of FT's best quiz masters. I would like to point out that the complainants, like myself have not written any quizzes. I would like to apologize to Stu for the insensitivity shown above. However, it was shown that the majority really enjoyed it. Sincerely, Janis Reply #11. Jun 17 10, 6:45 PM |
| stuthehistoryguy
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Thanks, Janass, but no apology necessary. They've got a right. When you write, you put yourself out there. You take the good with the bad. If anything, I'm glad they put their point of view out there so I know. Reply #12. Jun 17 10, 6:50 PM |
| BxBarracuda
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Anytime Stu, keep all your quizzes coming. Just to be safe, no questions about the Bronx Burning though, lol. Reply #13. Jun 17 10, 9:32 PM |
| stuthehistoryguy
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Sad part is that would be one heck of a quiz. When in doubt, pick Chris Chambliss. Reply #14. Jun 17 10, 9:47 PM |
| BxBarracuda
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I was a Nettles fan myself, until I stopped rooting for the local team. Though I don't think I have heard, or ever will hear, a more entertaining team of announcers then Rizzuto, Messer and White. Reply #15. Jun 17 10, 10:00 PM |
janetgool
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Aside from generally being a fan of Stu's quizzes, I find it a lot more interesting to learn something about the culture and history of a country than its highest and lowest point and what the average temperature is in October. Reply #16. Jun 18 10, 2:54 AM |
dsimpy
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I agree totally with abechstein. I SO enjoyed this quiz - and it's the first Bus Ride quiz I haven't used external sources for at all. Not because it was too simple, but the questions were interestingly phrased to make it possible to guess right if you'd a smattering of knowledge about Kenya and colonialism. The two things I really liked were (a) that it was opinionated, in that it was clear where stuthehistoryguy stood on things (wouldn't want that in all quizzes, but it made a nice change here), and (b) it said and taught a lot about the colonial process (as someone living in one of Britain's last colonies that resonates with me). As a result Kenya so much more sticks in my mind today than most of the Bus Ride quizzes do the following day. I think stuthehistoryguy's right that you have to take the criticism when you put yourself out there with quizzes - so take this on the chin, stu - your quiz rocked! Reply #17. Jun 18 10, 4:29 AM |
dippo
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Maybe I should make a few things clear - or maybe some posters should actually read the thread. I did not criticise Stu's quiz. I queried the selection of it for the Bus Ride, as all the other quizzes in that tournament have been primarily about the geography, climate, economy, and demographics of the countries selected; this quiz was about a specific period period in the country's history, and factors leading to independence. I don't feel I was rude; perhaps Janass would like to explain what was so objectionable. I wasn't aware that I had to have written quizzes to be able to query the selection of a quiz for a particluar caategory. Should I also offer to return my Quiz Rater badge, since that clearly means that I am also not in a position to rate quizzes? I did realise that Kenya is in Africa. With hindsight, I suppose I should have added 'just kidding' to cater for those who may have been confused. Reply #18. Jun 18 10, 4:51 AM |
| looney_tunes
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It's true that many of the quizzes have a Geography focus, but in asking authors to write new quizzes to replace some of the less interesting quizzes originally available, Terry specifically said that any approach was fine, as long as the quiz was focused on the country and/or its people. Looking at the replacements that have been supplied (se the Bus Ride Renewal thread in the Author Chat Lounge, where writers post their candidates), I think you will notice an increasing variety in the future. Reply #19. Jun 18 10, 5:22 AM |
| stuthehistoryguy
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LOL, disimpy--thanks for picking up on my natural bias. Truth be told, pretty much all of the scholarly work on Kenyan history has a similar slant, so it's rather hard to get away from. Even an imperial apologist like Niall Ferguson would probably put a similar spin on it--his major critique of anti-imperialist discourse is that it fails to address how much WORSE it could get; if you've read about Germany's time in Namibia, you've got to admit he has a point. Still and all, with books like Caroline Elkins' "Imperial Reckoning" and David Anderson's "Histories of the Hanged" dominating recent publications, there's going to be a slant. It also bears mentioning that I first wrote these when working on a paper about how Kenyans accused the British of being vampires, so there's a certain slant inherent there as well ;) Reply #20. Jun 18 10, 5:34 AM |
39 replies. On page 1 of 2 pages. 1 2
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