Trashademics

Durham_Devil · Tue, 23 Oct 2001 18:10:59 -0700

CAVEAT: I wasn't at COTKU. I will not comment on
the exact questions there. This is a general topic.
It may not relate to COTKU. This should not diminish
the value of the discussion I am attempting to
start.

SET-UP: From Nathan...

"I'm not exaggerating--a
tossup containing an academic answer but with no genuine
clues and a trash giveaway is not an academic
tossup."

Now, discounting the "no genuine clues" part (which is
subjective anyway), what constitutes, or should constitute,
an academic tossup? Is it a crime to include a trash
reference in the giveaway? I mean, if something has become
known through popular culture to a greater degree than
it has been known through common history, and you've
had your chance to get it on all academic knowledge,
why NOT throw the teams a bone? An example off the
top of my head...

"...for ten points, name
this ship famous for a disaster which claimed the
lives of John Jacob Astor and Charles Guggenheim, but
not Leonardo DiCaprio."

In all likelihood,
we've mentioned 1912 and Southampton before this,
likely not included the word "iceberg", and definitely
discussed the engineering flaws which led to the sinking. I
mean, after throwing out enough academic clues, does it
hurt to offer a "pity clue" of sorts at the
end?

Let me try a better one (enters question writing
mode):

"Vasari praised him for his versatility, saying that he
set his hand to everything, which is true, as his
media have included wood and bronze. Born in 1386, his
religious sculptures include Mary Magdalene, David in the
Bargello, and St. George, although his favorite subject was
the Madonna, one sculpture of whom is considered a
prime example of the art style schiacciato. For ten
points, name this Italian forefather of sculpture who
also did Madonna of the Clouds and whose 1466 death
predates the birth of any of the other three Ninja Turtle
namesakes."

(Answer: Donatello)

Now, ignoring the fact that the
academic clues are probably all out of order (I'm not an
art guy, and I needed a quick example), is there
really a problem with that last clue, especially in
light of the fact that the Turtles probably made
Donatello more well-known to mainstream than he'd ever be
otherwise? Or is there no place for "trashademics" in an
academic competition, as the ACF rules have stated on at
least one occasion (I've seen the statement "we have no
problem with trash, so long as it is in a trash
tournament" somewhere on an ACF website; furthermore, I
believe the Michigan Memorandum states that trashy
giveaways should not be used)?

Discuss.

Andy
G.