News Quiz

No. 187: “Photo Fun”

I give the caption, you briefly describe the Associated Press photo: “Protesting the export of trash by New York to Pennsylvania, demonstrators gathered outside a hotel in Harrisburg, Pa., yesterday to assail Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who was inside at a Republican dinner.”

by noon ET Tuesday to e-mail your answer to newsquiz@slate.com.

Thursday’s question (No. 186)–” ‘s Cool”:

Joining a national trend, the superintendent of schools in West Greenwich, R.I., ordered these turned off during the day. What?

“Moral compasses.”–Jennifer Miller

“Those lunchroom slot machines that the gambling industry had such high hopes for.”–Jay Majors

“Really big pagers, set on ‘vibrate.’ “–Dianne Carter

“The students’ libidos, as per the instructions of Wendy Shalit.”–Greg Narver (Darren Thorneycroft, Carrie Rickey, Colleen Werthmann, Charlie Glassenberg, Aaron Schatz, Brad Spencer, and Chris Thomas had similar answers.)

“The natural spark of joy within young people.”–Daniel Radosh (similarly, David Finkle, Gabriel Nelson [grade 6], Charles Star, David Ballard, Judith Spencer, Andrew Milner, Daniel Krause, and Marshall Efron [Sponsored today by Pedigree Dog Food. “Recommended by top breeders.”])

Click for more responses.

Randy’s Wrap-Up

The atmosphere is soul-deadening, the young are armed and bored, their elders are armed and feeble, and everyone is in a constant state of sexual arousal. Life aboard ship is tough; no wonder Navy recruiters have trouble meeting their staffing goals. Coincidentally, this is also the state of our schools, according to News Quiz participants. Although a few of you target drug-dealing students, by far the predominant attack is directed at unimaginative teachers, stuffy administrators, and private companies exploiting a captive audience of children. I’ve never felt prouder to be associated with a group of strangers identifiable only by their (no doubt spurious) e-mail addresses.

Effervescent Answer

Soda machines are turned off during school hours.

“In health classes, we’re teaching students one thing about nutrition,” says Superintendent Robert Hicks, “and they leave those classes and go to the lunchroom, and we’re promoting candy and soda sales. We should live our words better.”

The kids can still buy cookies, chips, and ice cream at the school snack bar; federal law does not ban their lunch hour sale at schools receiving food aid.

Many school districts, short of revenue, have made deals with soft drink companies. Average consumption is 868 cans a year for teen-age boys, 600 cans for girls. Both Florida and Oregon have begun restricting soda machines.

Last Week’s Shooting Percentages Extra

Friday, New York Knicks vs. Orlando Magic

(season opener)

Shots taken: 74. Shots made: 35. Percentage: 47.

Thursday, New York Police Department vs. Amadou Diallo (unarmed 22-year-old West African with no police record)

Shots taken: 41. Shots made: 19. Percentage: 46.

Race Results

Top target: Spirit-crushing pedagogy.

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