Musings of a Dead Parrot

THIS WEEK'S QUIZ
1. Name one of the two U.S. states in which it's illegal to pump your own gas. I believe that neither Oregon nor New Jersey has self-service gas. When you have driven around all 48 continental states, your gas station experiences run together.
2. What medical procedure do the Germans call the kaiserschnitt, or "emperor's cut"? rhinoplasty? circumcision?
3. What peninsula makes up the mainland side of the city of Hong Kong? Macau? Is that a peninsula?
4. What TV show's theme song was called "The Fishin' Hole"? The Andy Griffith Show
5. Who's the only U.S. president ever sworn into office using a nickname?
6. What sports team's stars included Kelly Leak, Tanner Boyle, Amanda Whurlizer, and Ahmad Abdul-Rahim? and they were managed by whats-his-name Buttermaker. The Bad News Bears
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these literary works? Chocolat, The Color Purple, Going After Cacciato, The Iliad, The Maltese Falcon, The Old Man and the Sea, The Sheltering Sky, and The Woman Warrior.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Where do fulgurites come from? Fulgurites are these weird tubes of glass you get when lightning strikes sand. It's been pointed out that this is the third time that the nominal "science" question on the quiz has concerned lightning. I'm glad you noticed! This is my private salute to "Lightning Crashes," by the anthemic 90s alt-rock quintet Live. not even close
2. What city is divided into Thracian and Anatolian sides? Thrace = European Turkey, Anatolia = Asian Turkey. (Butterball = American Turkey.) So the city is Istanbul (was Constantinople). correct
3. In 1984, Ray Parker, Jr. lamented, "There aren't that many words that rhyme with" what word? Ghostbusters! correct
4. Who's the only player in the Baseball Hall of Fame whose last name is the first name of another Baseball Hall of Fame player? The intended answer was Steve Carlton (Fisk) but this question had more holes in it than the Marlins' infield. Other possibilities include Waite Hoyt (Wilhelm) and Negro Leaguer Pop Lloyd (Waner). correct
5. In September 1995, a broken laser pointer became the first object ever to do what? Sell on eBay--for $14.83, if the company's PR hype is to be believed. correct
6. Who used her maiden name, Duarte, when she starred in films like !Segundos Afuera! and La Cabalgata del Circo? Eva Peron. We did not accept "Madonna." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these people? George Carlin, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Loretta Lynn, Groucho Marx, Bill Murray, Jim Nabors, and Juliet Prowse? Each was the very first guest on a popular talk or variety show. Respectively: Saturday Night Live, Leno, Conan, Hee Haw, Carson, Letterman, Carol Burnett, and The Muppet Show.

I got 5 out of 7 last week. Must have been an easy week.

# posted by The O'Brien's Team @ 5:08 PM