Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - August 18
THIS WEEK'S QUIZ
1. How many holes are there in a regular Ritz cracker? I think the pattern is 2-3-2, so I will guess 7.
2. What American played on an Olympic gold medal-winning team in 1984 and 1988, and then returned to win another gold in a *different* team sport in 1996? Because of the dates, it could be a winter olympics team in 84 and 88 (though probably not since I can't think of a team gold winner). So let's assume summer team sports. Could be a man or woman. Team sports include basketball, softball, water polo, volleyball, baseball, soccer, team handball. I guess equestrian is a team event, isn't it? There is also team archery, team shooting, etc. But the US wins gold medals in few team sports. The list should be short of the gold medal winners in 1984 and 88. All you have is volleyball. Didn't the US finish 3rd in 1988? That's why they brought in the pros. I think this is a trick question because Karch Kiraly went from indoor volleyball in 84 and 88 to beach volleyball in 96.
3. Officials with a "franking" privilege are allowed to do what at no charge? send mail
4. What 1978 hit was inspired by band member Randy Jones showing songwriter Jacques Morali around a favorite NYC hangout, the McBurney Building on 23rd Street? Y-M-C-A
5. What's the common name for Onopordum acanthium, the national flower of Scotland? I see the thistle on a lot of emblems. I'll guess thistle.
6. Who achieved financial independence in the 1970s by making hundreds of prints of his famous photograph Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico? Ansel Adams
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers? David Cross, Johnny Depp, Kelsey Grammer, Greg Kinnear, Janet Leigh, Cillian Murphy, William Shatner, Billy Bob Thornton.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. In 2006, who released the album An Other Cup, his first pop album since he changed his name in 1978? Cat Stevens a.k.a. Yusuf Islam, who left his music career behind when he became Muslim. correct
2. What war is commonly divided into the Edwardian, Caroline, and Lancastrian phases? The Hundred Years' War. There was also the lesser-known opening phase of the war--Operation: Longbow Storm. correct
3. What scientific theory holds that the universe is made of one-dimensional objects vibrating in 10- or 26-dimensional spacetime? String theory. According to Silly String theory, on the other hand, the universe is made up of hilarious novelty paste vibrating in a 3-dimensional can. correct
4. Baseball's Baltimore Orioles have retired uniform numbers 5, 20, and 42--all for players with what same last name? Not the Ripkens--somehow I didn't even think of that as a likely guess. Those were the jerseys of Brooks, Frank, and Jackie Robinson. No relation. correct
5. What comes in four types: Classic, Touch, Shuffle, and Nano? Easiest Tuesday Trivia question ever? Maybe. These are models of iPod. correct
6. What famed literary estate has been portrayed on screen twice by Yorkshire's Castle Howard, once in a 1981 mini-series and once in a 2008 film? Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead, recently re-revisited in a not-very-good movie. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these letters of the alphabet, and no others? C, J, M, O, R, and V. In the NATO phonetic alphabet, these are all the letters represented by given names: Charlie, Juliet, Mike, Oscar, Romeo, and Victor, respectively. correct! My first perfect week. Must have been unusally easy.
1. How many holes are there in a regular Ritz cracker? I think the pattern is 2-3-2, so I will guess 7.
2. What American played on an Olympic gold medal-winning team in 1984 and 1988, and then returned to win another gold in a *different* team sport in 1996? Because of the dates, it could be a winter olympics team in 84 and 88 (though probably not since I can't think of a team gold winner). So let's assume summer team sports. Could be a man or woman. Team sports include basketball, softball, water polo, volleyball, baseball, soccer, team handball. I guess equestrian is a team event, isn't it? There is also team archery, team shooting, etc. But the US wins gold medals in few team sports. The list should be short of the gold medal winners in 1984 and 88. All you have is volleyball. Didn't the US finish 3rd in 1988? That's why they brought in the pros. I think this is a trick question because Karch Kiraly went from indoor volleyball in 84 and 88 to beach volleyball in 96.
3. Officials with a "franking" privilege are allowed to do what at no charge? send mail
4. What 1978 hit was inspired by band member Randy Jones showing songwriter Jacques Morali around a favorite NYC hangout, the McBurney Building on 23rd Street? Y-M-C-A
5. What's the common name for Onopordum acanthium, the national flower of Scotland? I see the thistle on a lot of emblems. I'll guess thistle.
6. Who achieved financial independence in the 1970s by making hundreds of prints of his famous photograph Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico? Ansel Adams
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers? David Cross, Johnny Depp, Kelsey Grammer, Greg Kinnear, Janet Leigh, Cillian Murphy, William Shatner, Billy Bob Thornton.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. In 2006, who released the album An Other Cup, his first pop album since he changed his name in 1978? Cat Stevens a.k.a. Yusuf Islam, who left his music career behind when he became Muslim. correct
2. What war is commonly divided into the Edwardian, Caroline, and Lancastrian phases? The Hundred Years' War. There was also the lesser-known opening phase of the war--Operation: Longbow Storm. correct
3. What scientific theory holds that the universe is made of one-dimensional objects vibrating in 10- or 26-dimensional spacetime? String theory. According to Silly String theory, on the other hand, the universe is made up of hilarious novelty paste vibrating in a 3-dimensional can. correct
4. Baseball's Baltimore Orioles have retired uniform numbers 5, 20, and 42--all for players with what same last name? Not the Ripkens--somehow I didn't even think of that as a likely guess. Those were the jerseys of Brooks, Frank, and Jackie Robinson. No relation. correct
5. What comes in four types: Classic, Touch, Shuffle, and Nano? Easiest Tuesday Trivia question ever? Maybe. These are models of iPod. correct
6. What famed literary estate has been portrayed on screen twice by Yorkshire's Castle Howard, once in a 1981 mini-series and once in a 2008 film? Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead, recently re-revisited in a not-very-good movie. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these letters of the alphabet, and no others? C, J, M, O, R, and V. In the NATO phonetic alphabet, these are all the letters represented by given names: Charlie, Juliet, Mike, Oscar, Romeo, and Victor, respectively. correct! My first perfect week. Must have been unusally easy.
