"Charts & Graphs" at Lapham's Quarterly
April 27, 2010 7:21 PM Subscribe
Each issue of Lapham's Quarterly (previously) has original and whimsical info-laden "Charts & Graphs". 76 of them are online (click "previous" to move forward).
4. WWI-era IQ test.
13. Laws on the books in the US
14. Last words
18. Crime Pays
26. Lonely Hearts
46. Forbes Cost of Living
56. Finanical cost of US wars
etc..
4. WWI-era IQ test.
13. Laws on the books in the US
14. Last words
18. Crime Pays
26. Lonely Hearts
46. Forbes Cost of Living
56. Finanical cost of US wars
etc..
Wow, shirts were actually a pretty good investment.
posted by chairface at 10:13 PM on April 27, 2010
posted by chairface at 10:13 PM on April 27, 2010
Not as good as the Harper Index, but still pretty awesome!
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 11:35 PM on April 27, 2010
posted by Schlimmbesserung at 11:35 PM on April 27, 2010
I'm having trouble believing that even in 1914 it could have been considered a matter of general intelligence to know what models of car were air-cooled.
posted by DU at 5:10 AM on April 28, 2010
posted by DU at 5:10 AM on April 28, 2010
It feels very underdeveloped to me; most of the lists are brief and provoke feelings of "meh" rather than "wow". For example, the list of books banned in the 1980s is comprised of 5 books. Really? Only 5 books were banned in 10 years? I would guess this to be a sampling of the true list.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:33 AM on April 28, 2010
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:33 AM on April 28, 2010
Looks like God hates America (and he's not too fond of Canada or Australia either).
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:48 AM on April 28, 2010
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:48 AM on April 28, 2010
I'm having trouble believing that even in 1914 it could have been considered a matter of general intelligence to know what models of car were air-cooled.
This was for the army, bear in mind. I'm guessing this was not so much to get general IQ as to figure out what to do with the recruit. Knowing car stuff in 1917 is much like knowing, say, computer hardware stuff today. The military needs mechanics, they aren't yet thick on the ground, you know what air cooling is, you're a candidate for the motor pool.
Lapham is a good writer
I've argued otherwise. Pity, as he can have interesting things to say.
posted by IndigoJones at 9:00 AM on April 28, 2010
This was for the army, bear in mind. I'm guessing this was not so much to get general IQ as to figure out what to do with the recruit. Knowing car stuff in 1917 is much like knowing, say, computer hardware stuff today. The military needs mechanics, they aren't yet thick on the ground, you know what air cooling is, you're a candidate for the motor pool.
Lapham is a good writer
I've argued otherwise. Pity, as he can have interesting things to say.
posted by IndigoJones at 9:00 AM on April 28, 2010
Yeah, Lapham can ladle in the purple. But I'm not a hater, so when I feel like I need a breather, I put it down and pet the dog for a moment and wade back in, because, as IndigoJones says there is sure to be something interesting in there, ideawise, and probably something interesting phrasewise (phraseworthy?) and more than one reason to crack open the dictionary, which is always rewarding.
posted by notyou at 9:29 AM on April 28, 2010
posted by notyou at 9:29 AM on April 28, 2010
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posted by mreleganza at 7:55 PM on April 27, 2010