I may get in trouble for this one, but with limited time, it’s either this or nothing today. And it is ostensibly related to biblical places. Published at Arutz-7, this feature is entitled “Do You Know Your Geography of Israel?” You can take the test by identifying the locations of thirteen photos.
UPDATE 9/6: I regret posting this “quiz.” I was first intrigued by a “geography quiz” of Israel and then surprised at the “answer.” I posted it more for amusement value than as a declaration in support of certain “truths.” I have no knowledge that the claim of this quiz is accurate and no interest in promoting it as accurate (even if it is). But this was certainly not clear in my original posting.
Deleting this post would halt my continued perpetuation of this “story,” but it would not provide the opportunity for the clarification that I am making now. For some specifics of the problems with this “story,” see Tom’s second comment below.
3 thoughts on “Geography Quiz”
I thought something was fishy when they talked about winning answers making you a "tour guide." No tour guide goes to Gaza!
Why would you get in trouble? Hey, it's the internet, man — that big, wacky, wonderful world of ideas! It's just disconcerting that you would resonate to this kind of cynical, skewed political joke from Arutz-7, Israel Nationalistic News.
If anyone is TRULY interested in the situation in Gaza (and not meanspirited blather), the information is out there. You might start with some of the people on the ground who are dealing every day with the (non-existent) humanitarian problems there:
http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_special_focus_2010_08_19_english.pdf
And, If anyone does not know what "Arutz-7" actually is – a source which features so prominently here – you owe it to yourself to find out (I know, it's Wikipedia, but it's the best I can do): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arutz_Sheva
I suspect this comment will never see the light of day — Still, miracles do happen.
TOM POWERS / Jerusalem
Arutz Sheva's "Geography Quiz" and associated commentary turn out to be a cynical hoax. Why am I not surprised? Amira Hass of Haaretz, who is intimately familiar with Gaza, writes in their 06 SEP issue:
"For more than a week, an e-mail containing pictures of fancy buildings in Gaza has been making the rounds. The aim is to show that there is construction and prosperity in Gaza, as if to say, "What are they complaining about?"
Allow me three comments: Most, if not all, the buildings in the pictures were built and photographed before Hamas gained control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007 (and when Israel still allowed cement in ). How can we know? For example, in one photo, a statue of the Unknown Soldier stands at the end of Omar al-Mukhtar Boulevard, which Hamas has removed.
Second, all the buildings are in the Rimal quarter. Drawing conclusions about the Gaza Strip from that neighborhood is like drawing conclusions about all of Israel from Herzliya Pituah [think: Palm Beach or Belaire -tp].
Third, in some of the pictures, the sea can be seen – fishing boats and people enjoying themselves. So what exactly is annoying the senders of the e-mails here? I don't understand…"
http://tinyurl.com/3ajd5sw
TOM POWERS / Jerusalem