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Where Knowledge Junkies Get Their Fix
Sometimes, a city will grow so large that some neighboring town will glom on by plopping “East” or perhaps “North” in front of its name in an attempt to cash in. (Do you hear me, East Lansing?)
Here’s a quiz about ten real and fictional American cities. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to mark each city’s name with the proper prefix: North, East, South or West. Sorry, Upper Sandusky, this leaves you out.
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Hey. Loved the quiz I got 8 out of 10, missed the Nick Nolte question and the East Rutherford one.
So one thing that’s always bothered my friends and I about the song, “Don’t Stop Believin’” is that they refer to South Detroit. There is no area of Detroit (I’m from Detroit) that’s referred to as such. Sure, geographically there is a South Detroit, but we call that Downriver. I know, I’m splitting hairs but it’s always bothered me. haha.
posted by Mattie on 9-22-2007 at 3:56 am
80%! I surprised myself on that one.
posted by Miss Cellania on 9-22-2007 at 6:33 am
100% I went to West Palm Beach this summer – that area has too many ‘Palm Beach’ place names…crazy. I also went to North Little Rock a few years ago for work. Never thought that knowing Journey lyrics would do more than rot my brain…
posted by Jennifer on 9-22-2007 at 7:48 am
And what of West St. Paul, Minnesota which is south and east of St. Paul but west of South St. Paul?
posted by Pragmatic Cynic on 9-22-2007 at 10:33 am
I did pretty terrible, 3/10. But you have succeeded in getting the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song stuck in my head. Way to go!
posted by Janel on 9-22-2007 at 2:49 pm
Interestingly, the opposite sometimes happens also. A few years back, the town of East Detroit, Michigan voted to change it’s name to Eastpointe in order to disassociate itself from it’s urban ghostland neighbor of Detroit.
posted by Michael on 9-23-2007 at 7:30 am
Only 5 out of 10, but at least I got #3 right . . . and since I lived there (it’s not as crime ridden as ppl believe) for a year, I should get it right!
posted by Meagan on 9-23-2007 at 9:43 am
Wouldn’t “South” Detroit be Windsor, Ontario, Canada?
posted by Mary Okragly on 9-23-2007 at 4:49 pm
Yay! 7/10.
& I was told that I suck at geography. I proved you all wrong! :)
posted by Meliza on 9-23-2007 at 11:53 pm
7/10
The pop culture references were easiest. Except Lucy? West Jamestown? Have no idea what that is from, but I am a youngster.
posted by Tim on 9-24-2007 at 7:26 am
70 percent.
For #9, it looks like “South Palm Beach” should also be a correct answer. I’m not sure whether “North Palm Beach” would be a correct answer, as it appears to be at a latitude barely above Grand Bahama.
Probably TMI for most readers, but I grew up in Palm Beach County, and South Palm Beach and North Palm Beach are real place names. West Palm Beach is the biggest of the “Palm Beaches,” though.
posted by Ken on 9-24-2007 at 2:16 pm
I got an 80!!!
When I was 8, I lived in West Des Moines, Iowa.
posted by Beth on 9-25-2007 at 1:11 am
80%..not bad for 3 guesses.
posted by jdb on 9-28-2007 at 6:42 am