Fixing some of these question problems

• From: fbush555 <no_reply_at_yahoogroups.com>
• Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 21:57:12 -0000
• Message-ID: <b77dno+f41r_at_...>

So let's stop bitching and set some standards. Right? I mean, there
are no variable value bonuses, FAQTP questions, and spelling tossups
in the circuit today because we all agreed not to permit them into the
tournaments we edited. No one is defending some of these usages, so I
think we should just agree to wipe them out.

The first sentence of a tossup should never be or contain one of the
following:

1) The main characters of a piece of fiction, identified by name or by
description
2) The opening line of a piece of fiction, or a description of the
opening scene
3) This  _COUNTRY OF BIRTH_ _PROFESSION_
4) This son of a _PROFESSION_
5) This person, who won the _NOBEL, PULITZER_ in _YEAR_
6) Born in _CITY/COUNTRY_ in _YEAR_

(Any that I forgot?)

Every editor of every question set should take heed and just get rid
of these leadins. Any editor who does not should be mercilessly
lambasted on this forum until the problem is gone. This should be
incorporated into question guidelines. New teams who submit questions
like these should be instructed that it's not appropriate for
college-level play.

There's a place for these clues, it's just further into the tossup.
(Except possibly for the "son of a PROFESSION" clue, which is just
lame IMO since it probably has little to do with the person being
asked about.)