The Trouble with Tests

We know it won't go anywhere...but this past weekend....some German conservatives came out and suggested that immigration ought to have a tool in the process that tests intelligence of the applicants....and you don't base your decision strictly on humanitarian concerns.

This isn't coming from the high levels of the government....but the localized levels (Peter Trapp who speaks for domestic plicy within the Berlin chapter of the CDU made the comment).

The suggestion will appeal to one third of the country...especially those who think immigration is now a problem that needs national attention. The question will be how you develop this test and market it to the public. Frankly....I suspect that the Greens will stand against any intelligence tests because it's just "unfair" (without much explanation beyond that).

Then you have to wonder from a 100,000 immigrant group in Germany today....how many might fail? Maybe 10,000? Maybe 50,000? You just don't know. The older the immigrant...the more likely chance of them failing (my own suspicion of this deal).

A few years ago, the German government decided that you had to take a test to become a German citizen. This involved one hundred questions about the country's history, government and culture.

I downloaded the test (in English) and proceeded to take it. I actually got 60 percent of the questions right....without any real study. Course, I read more than the average guy, and I had lived in Germany for a decade...so maybe some of this was common knowledge that I acquired.

I noted at some point that some German news folks tried this citizenship test on Germans on the street. Half of them had serious problems and probably weren't going to pass the test. I'm wondering if you gave this intelligence test first to Germans....might they also have problems in showing their own "remarkable" intelligence?

Just my humble two cents on the subject.

FlashForward

Most US TV shows don't make it in Germany as they are shown. There are exceptions...like the X-Files and Baywatch.

This past week...there was a shocker for German TV viewers...in that ABC's FlashForward was cancelled. German fans got upset. They actually were into the show and wanted it continued.

In fact....at least a dozen countries were getting into the show: Spain, England, Scotland, Italy, Russia, Germany, Portugal, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Turkey, Argentina, and Brazil.

The producers of the show are observing this massive call for FlashForward to continue. Some method will likely be devised...perhaps a German or British network backing the show...and then profiting off the video run's.