The American Spectator : News Quiz for Discerning American Spectator Readers

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News Quiz for Discerning American Spectator Readers

By Daniel Oliver on 5.5.10 @ 6:08AM

Identify the bogus item.

In this contest, readers are asked to identify the bogus news item. All three items are "reported" in similar style, from The American Spectator News Service. Two of them record actual events reported by other news outlets. (Certain telltale aspects of the real stories have been altered in order to prevent sneaky contestants from finding the items on the web.)

Item 1

TAS NEWS SERVICE, MADRID (APR. 15, 2010): Antonio Tajani, the European Union Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, has announced a new human right: taxpayer-subsidized vacations. "Traveling for tourism today is a right," Tajani said. "The way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life."

The pilot project, which is to begin in 2013, could cost up to half a billion dollars a year. Tajani said he believes that subsidizing holidays for seniors, the disabled, young adults, and poor families will build pride in European culture, prop up resorts in the off-season, and bring north and south closer.

A Tajani spokesman said, "Why should someone from the Mediterranean not be able to travel to Edinburgh in summer for a breath of cool, fresh air? Why should someone from Edinburgh not be able to travel to Greece in winter?"

In a related development, Greece reached an agreement with other euro-zone countries and the International Monetary Fund for a three-year, €110-billion ($146.5-billion) bailout. "We have no other choices and no time, so accessing the bailout is inevitable," Prime Minister George Papandreou said, vowing that his government won't "allow the country to become bankrupt."

Item 2

TAS NEWS SERVICE, NEW YORK (APR. 20, 2010): The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) today announced the election of the Islamic Republic of Iran to a four-year term on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The Commission is dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. The election of Iran to CSW came one week after the country withdrew its bid to join the UN Human Rights Council.

In related news, a respected Iranian cleric, Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, speaking on the record, said that "Many women who do not dress modestly…lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity, and spread adultery in society, which consequently increases earthquakes." The U.S. Geological Survey, an unbiased, multidisciplinary U.S.-government organization that focuses on geography, geology, and geospatial information, has offered no comment on the accuracy of Cleric Sedighi's statement.

Item 3

TAS NEWS SERVICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. (APR. 30, 2010): The Democratic-controlled Congress today reauthorized the Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides vouchers to poor students in the District of Columbia. The popular program, which was enacted by Republicans in 2004, provides scholarships of up to $7,500 a year to enable students to attend the school of their parents' choice. The per-pupil cost in the D.C. public schools is $14,400 on average, among the highest in the country.

Democratic Party Whip Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D., D.C.) worked tirelessly to reauthorize the program. Congress is thought to have been influenced by a recent U.S. Department of Education study that found that Opportunity Scholarship Program students are performing at higher academic levels than their peers who are not in the program, and are better off by virtually every important measure in their chosen schools. Teachers' unions concurred in the study's findings.

In a related development, President Obama has announced that he and Mrs. Obama are considering sending their two children to a yet-undisclosed Washington, D.C., public school next year. The two children currently attend the exclusive Sidwell Friends School in Washington, where the tuition is $29,000 a year.

About the Author

Daniel Oliver is a Senior Director of White House Writers Group in Washington, D.C. He served as Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission under President Ronald Reagan.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (49) | Leave a comment

db| 5.5.10 @ 6:33AM

That would be door number three.

SC Mike| 5.5.10 @ 6:34AM

Nice try, but the third one's bogus.

This quiz tells us all too much about the screwed up world we live in...

Tom in Michigan| 5.5.10 @ 6:56AM

"I'll choose door number three, Monty."

Sorry though, I had an advantage. My doctor, who is a Polish immigrant was berating the changes to the US health care system explaining she had come here after Poland liberated itself from the Soviets to escape exactly such a policy ("The custodian made more than me," she explained "because he was 'working class' and I, because I was educated was considered a 'social parasite.'"). "Now," she went on, "they will be receiving taxpayer-paid vacations." There's an "endorsement" of what's to come health-care wise if I ever heard one.

Also, repealing the voucher program in DC would run contrary to the Leftist pattern of exploiting the ones they "love." The voucher programs are hated by the Left because it allows their victims, those they "help" to escape the indoctrination of the public school system.

Finally, Iran's appointment to the CSW is perfectly predictable in the through-the-looking glass world of the UN kookocracy.

Give us some tough ones next time.

John W.| 5.5.10 @ 12:30PM

“… because I was educated was considered a 'social parasite.”

As a life long conservative of the libertarian disposition, I must point out that members of the self-styled “educated class” (Frank, Friedman, Dowd, Krugman, et nauseum cetera) in the US are, indeed, social parasites.

Purpleguy| 5.5.10 @ 9:56PM

Libertarian? Don't you mean Anarchist?

Smitty| 5.5.10 @ 11:02PM

No, Libertarians want limited government and respect for individual rights; things a Commie like you wouldn't understand. Pound sand, Marxist pig.

Tom in Michigan| 5.10.10 @ 9:24AM

You cannot compare real "social parasites" who are considered elites due to the perversions of our once-great nation and system to a really fine lady who contributed greatly in Poland and who contributes greatly today in her adopted nation who was considered a "social parasite" due to the perversions of the Commuist system. Surely you can see the difference?

JAY| 5.5.10 @ 7:33AM

If DC girls would wear burqas, Iran would pay for vouchers.

saleboter| 5.5.10 @ 7:52AM

Through the looking glass on all three. But #3 is the bogus one.

GW| 5.5.10 @ 1:06PM

Couldn't have said it any better myself. We live in Wonderland indeed.

J. Kelley| 5.5.10 @ 7:55AM

That would be number three. The Democrats did not look our for the downtroden in this case. The Teachers Union pulled the string on the poor Children here.

KevBar| 5.5.10 @ 7:59AM

#3 is the winner.

EricTheRedVM| 5.5.10 @ 8:05AM

Hehe. I knew it was 3 even before the third paragraph, which was hilarious!

donserge| 5.5.10 @ 9:28AM

Just one more reason why I read the Spectator. You guys start my day off with hilarity. (#3)

Kris Lepine| 5.5.10 @ 10:00AM

What's really sad about the first 2 is they are true! And if we wait just a few more years and keep the dems in control of the country, we too will have tax funded, 6 week vacations like they do in Europe.

Let's see we're already ENTITLED to have other's pay for our: health care, housing, unemployment, money toward car purchases, money toward new appliance purchases, farm subsidies, ethanol subsidies, women with children get day care, medical, dental, eye care, housing, education. The list is endless with NO END IN SIGHT? Egad

Purpleguy| 5.5.10 @ 9:58PM

Your choice - Corporate Slaves or 6 weeks vacation ... which do you prefer?

Smitty| 5.5.10 @ 11:07PM

Better than being a slave to oppressive big government. Just look at the violence and destruction caused by the unions in Greece. Marxists have destroyed the Greek economy, now they're working on the rest of the country.

That's anarchy!!

That's what you Marxist union thugs have in mind here, right, commie?

Tom in Michigan| 5.10.10 @ 9:27AM

You're a slave when you choose to be; like when you buy into the government handout system. Do what I did. Get an education and form your own business and career.

Doorgunner| 5.5.10 @ 10:13AM

Door number three opens uspon a troll-free thread.

Why do Liberals hate the children?

Petronius| 5.5.10 @ 10:24AM

DG
Liberals Are Children: spiteful, vindictive, and snotty. And they want everybody to be and remain like them.

Alan Brooks| 5.5.10 @ 4:32PM

"Why do Liberals hate the children?"

Michael Jackson loved children-- so does Polanski.

Smitty| 5.5.10 @ 11:08PM

Both are/were liberals like you, Alan.

Brat Magursky| 5.5.10 @ 10:18AM

I think the US should adopt #1 with restrictions of course (1) one can only use publically funded transportation (2) Vacationers must visit at least 24 destinations within US before being allowed to travel outside the US (3) Vacations are limited to 4 family members at a time (cost control) (4) All vacations must be booked through OVAT (Office of Vacation and Travel) and (5) your OVAT pre approved destination will be based on your OWE score (Office of Wages and Earnings) the more you earn the better your destination options)ooops sorry nix that last one as that infers some type of reward for achievment ....sorry ....my merit based side of me rears its ugly head from time time my bad!!!

Petronius| 5.5.10 @ 10:19AM

Too bad TAS news missed this one.
U.S. Government Employees Thrift Savings Program will begin offering a selection of sector funds starting next fiscal year. The first will be large cap banks and financial services, real estate developers and builders, and energy and oil service stocks. The Office of Personnel Management is making the change based on projected losses for the Democrats in Congress in November. With the gavels pried from the claws of Frank, Waxman, Conyers, et.al. the present policy of war upon the private sector will be halted.

JamesD| 5.5.10 @ 10:30AM

Too obvious. Well, actually, since living in close proximity to the swamp, we pay attention to the local doin's.

JDL| 5.5.10 @ 10:31AM

You could have made it a little more difficult! This was way too easy.

Sue| 5.5.10 @ 10:41AM

Number 3 of course; I recognized Eleanor Norton's name. She was pushed on us by the liberal democrats in my area several years ago. We soundly rejected her and she was passed on to Washington. We rejected the next "liberal" offered up, Mike Ward, and he too was passed on to Washington. I only wish we had rejected Yarmuth.

Paul from SA| 5.5.10 @ 12:03PM

Too easy. Not funny.

Warren Jewell| 5.5.10 @ 1:51PM

Number 3 just glares with progressive concerns based on race.

Andrew Keirns| 5.5.10 @ 3:44PM

Women are required to wear burqas on government subsidized vacations, but cannot go to school, no matter who pays for it (the school or the burqa) ...

Doug Lee| 5.5.10 @ 3:46PM

Without looking at any of the comments, I thought "No. 3, hands down." Democrats don't give a flip about the quality of a child's education, they just want to make sure their union buddies are paid. And, parental choice is the very last thing that they want to see happen.

My Girl Friday| 5.5.10 @ 3:49PM

"Teacher's Unions concurred with the the study's findings," a dead giveaway. Democrats fight tirelessly to keep a program enacted by Republicans? Another dead giveaway. If only this news report were true, so many families and their children would once again find themselves free of state controlled, mind numbing indoctrination centers of lower learning.

cuban pete| 5.5.10 @ 4:01PM

Dick Durbin and "worked tirelessly" in the same sentence. Another dead giveaway.

RETIRED NAVY PERSON| 5.5.10 @ 3:53PM

This one was too easy. One and two have been in all the news. Of course the bogus #3 is the one that should have been.

cindy graham| 5.5.10 @ 4:06PM

Ditto, retired navy person. Those not keeping up with the news would think #1 because it is so ludicrously unbelievable.

David Flood| 5.5.10 @ 4:32PM

Of course its #3. If it was true, the White House and DemoGods would have been all over it for the PR and that did not happen.

xcon| 5.5.10 @ 4:48PM

My whole world is waiting behind door number three.

cuban pete | 5.5.10 @ 5:16PM

"I held up a sign that said "Kiss me I'm a baker and Monty I sure need the dough" And then I grabbed him by the throat until he called on me, 'caus my whole world lies waiting behind door number three.
Steve Goodman RIP