Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - August 21st
THIS WEEK'S QUIZ
1. Who was arrested over thirty times during a famous campaign of "hatchetations"? In trying to learn what this word meant so I could at least guess, I uncovered the answer - Carrie Nation. Alone or accompanied by hymn-singing women, she would march into a saloon and proceed to sing, pray, hurl biblical-sounding vituperations, and smash the bar fixtures and stock with a hatchet.
2. What landlocked country has nevertheless won two America's Cups? Switzerland
3. In the book and movie, what is the actual nationality of the so-called "English" Patient? I think he was Canadian. No, dadgummit. Willem Dafoe is Canadian. Ralph Fiennes is Count Alamazsy or something like that. He is Hungarian. I knew that.
4. The name of what Baptist missionary is only remembered today because he was shot by Chinese communists near Xi'an in 1945? I did not know that this is the story of John Birch.
5. What does the "J." in "Homer J. Simpson" stand for? Jay or simply "J"
6. How old is ABBA's "Dancing Queen"? "young and sweet only 17"
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these vegetables? Eggplants, scallions, rutabagas, snow peas, summer squash, and zucchini. From my time in Paris, I know eggplant as aubergine. Zucchini is courgette. Scallions are often called spring onions. Could it be that each of these vegetables has two common names?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What world leader began his plan to take power after the 1989 Caracazo riots? Our pal Hugo Chavez of Venezuela--the Caracazo riots were, of course, in Caracas.
2. What play's Broadway opening was the occasion for a tie-in advertising promotion by Hormel Foods? Spamalot. For the promotion, one out of every 100 cans of Spam contained, for the first time ever, actual pork.
3. What are the "ten" being referred to when a surfer "hangs ten" on a wave? His or her ten toes (which "hang" off the edge of the board.)
4. Complete this film analogy: Before Sunset : Paris :: Before Sunrise : _____. The first movie is a long walk around Vienna, much as the second one is a long walk around Paris.
5. What was the last name of the seven Italian brothers whose company, in 1955, found a new household use for the agricultural pumps it was producing? Jacuzzi! very good question and a good hint. I did not get this one correct, but I like the question.
6. Who was the most famous client of British lawyer Jonathan Harker? Count Dracula. There's one client you don't want to have to "cross" examine. Thank you! Tip your waitress.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S states, and no others? Alaska, California, Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. These states have all been home, at some point in our nation's history, to the U.S.'s highest point. A measly 450-foot hill in Delaware had the title first, when that state ratified the Constitution, and then Pennsylvania,then Georgia, and so on up to Alaska today. This turned out to be even tougher than Ken planned. He said that maybe he should have left the states in chronological order as an added hint.
My score for last week - three out of seven - #s 1,2 and 3.
1. Who was arrested over thirty times during a famous campaign of "hatchetations"? In trying to learn what this word meant so I could at least guess, I uncovered the answer - Carrie Nation. Alone or accompanied by hymn-singing women, she would march into a saloon and proceed to sing, pray, hurl biblical-sounding vituperations, and smash the bar fixtures and stock with a hatchet.
2. What landlocked country has nevertheless won two America's Cups? Switzerland
3. In the book and movie, what is the actual nationality of the so-called "English" Patient? I think he was Canadian. No, dadgummit. Willem Dafoe is Canadian. Ralph Fiennes is Count Alamazsy or something like that. He is Hungarian. I knew that.
4. The name of what Baptist missionary is only remembered today because he was shot by Chinese communists near Xi'an in 1945? I did not know that this is the story of John Birch.
5. What does the "J." in "Homer J. Simpson" stand for? Jay or simply "J"
6. How old is ABBA's "Dancing Queen"? "young and sweet only 17"
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these vegetables? Eggplants, scallions, rutabagas, snow peas, summer squash, and zucchini. From my time in Paris, I know eggplant as aubergine. Zucchini is courgette. Scallions are often called spring onions. Could it be that each of these vegetables has two common names?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What world leader began his plan to take power after the 1989 Caracazo riots? Our pal Hugo Chavez of Venezuela--the Caracazo riots were, of course, in Caracas.
2. What play's Broadway opening was the occasion for a tie-in advertising promotion by Hormel Foods? Spamalot. For the promotion, one out of every 100 cans of Spam contained, for the first time ever, actual pork.
3. What are the "ten" being referred to when a surfer "hangs ten" on a wave? His or her ten toes (which "hang" off the edge of the board.)
4. Complete this film analogy: Before Sunset : Paris :: Before Sunrise : _____. The first movie is a long walk around Vienna, much as the second one is a long walk around Paris.
5. What was the last name of the seven Italian brothers whose company, in 1955, found a new household use for the agricultural pumps it was producing? Jacuzzi! very good question and a good hint. I did not get this one correct, but I like the question.
6. Who was the most famous client of British lawyer Jonathan Harker? Count Dracula. There's one client you don't want to have to "cross" examine. Thank you! Tip your waitress.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S states, and no others? Alaska, California, Delaware, Georgia, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. These states have all been home, at some point in our nation's history, to the U.S.'s highest point. A measly 450-foot hill in Delaware had the title first, when that state ratified the Constitution, and then Pennsylvania,then Georgia, and so on up to Alaska today. This turned out to be even tougher than Ken planned. He said that maybe he should have left the states in chronological order as an added hint.
My score for last week - three out of seven - #s 1,2 and 3.
