Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - January 27
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. GM has been the top-selling automaker in the U.S. for 77 years, until it was surpassed last quarter by what company? Toyota
2. What phenomenon was the "Foucault pendulum" invented to demonstrate? doesn't it help to show the rotation of the earth. I think that Fionnula Flanagan was using a Foucault pendulum in last week's episode of Lost. That has nothing to do with the question or my answer, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
3. The final actor to play the street urchin Gavroche in Broadway's Les Miserables is now the youngest member of what band? a guess - the Jonas Brothers
4. What hit 2008 film was based on the Commonwealth Writers' Prize-nominated novel Q and A? Slumdog Millionaire
5. Who are the only two *consecutive* U.S. vice presidents to each serve full eight-year terms? the two most recent veeps - Gore and Cheney
6. What kitchen brand, patented in 1957, was named because it was originally the product of inventor Arthur Meyerhoff? was he from Austria, hence Osterizer?
7. What is the significance of the order of this list of world nations? Monaco, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tuvalu, Jordan, Nauru, Congo (Kinshasa), Slovenia, Togo, Iraq, Belgium . . . that seems random. I checked the order of the parade of nations at the Olympics which was based on the Chinese characters in the names. Not that.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who returned to the screen for the first time in 21 years to star in the Milos Forman film Ragtime? James Cagney, see, who hadn't been seen on screen since 1961's One, Two, Three, see? Ragtime would be Cagney's last film. rats - I had the wrong ganster
2. In order to use it, what would you do to a joss stick? Light it on fire; joss sticks are a type of incense. you learn something everyday. I thought they were called incense sticks
3. What disease was the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation created to treat? The Georgia spa was turned into a hydrotherapy clinic for polio sufferers by no less than Franklin D. Roosevelt. correct
4. What country banned the latest Guns N' Roses album in late November 2008? The AP reports that the People's Republic of China didn't care much for the long-awaited album's title--Chinese Democracy--or its political lyrics. correct
5. What number is used in journalism to mark the end of a wire service story? The number is "-30-"...which was also, appropriately, the title for the last episode of HBO's The Wire. No, there's not going to be a weekly The Wire question from now on. amazingly, I guessed correctly
6. Which of the four major North American sports organizations currently includes the most teams? The NBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball each have 30 teams. The National Football League has 32 to choose from...and yet, somehow, Arizona's still going to the Super Bowl. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these television shows? The Andy Griffith Show, Arrested Development, Californication, Ed Edd and Eddy, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Lassie, The Smurfs. Only the first two feature Ron Howard...but all eight have theme songs that feature whistling. Smurf along with me! correct. I consider 5 out of 7 to be pretty good.
1. GM has been the top-selling automaker in the U.S. for 77 years, until it was surpassed last quarter by what company? Toyota
2. What phenomenon was the "Foucault pendulum" invented to demonstrate? doesn't it help to show the rotation of the earth. I think that Fionnula Flanagan was using a Foucault pendulum in last week's episode of Lost. That has nothing to do with the question or my answer, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
3. The final actor to play the street urchin Gavroche in Broadway's Les Miserables is now the youngest member of what band? a guess - the Jonas Brothers
4. What hit 2008 film was based on the Commonwealth Writers' Prize-nominated novel Q and A? Slumdog Millionaire
5. Who are the only two *consecutive* U.S. vice presidents to each serve full eight-year terms? the two most recent veeps - Gore and Cheney
6. What kitchen brand, patented in 1957, was named because it was originally the product of inventor Arthur Meyerhoff? was he from Austria, hence Osterizer?
7. What is the significance of the order of this list of world nations? Monaco, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tuvalu, Jordan, Nauru, Congo (Kinshasa), Slovenia, Togo, Iraq, Belgium . . . that seems random. I checked the order of the parade of nations at the Olympics which was based on the Chinese characters in the names. Not that.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who returned to the screen for the first time in 21 years to star in the Milos Forman film Ragtime? James Cagney, see, who hadn't been seen on screen since 1961's One, Two, Three, see? Ragtime would be Cagney's last film. rats - I had the wrong ganster
2. In order to use it, what would you do to a joss stick? Light it on fire; joss sticks are a type of incense. you learn something everyday. I thought they were called incense sticks
3. What disease was the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation created to treat? The Georgia spa was turned into a hydrotherapy clinic for polio sufferers by no less than Franklin D. Roosevelt. correct
4. What country banned the latest Guns N' Roses album in late November 2008? The AP reports that the People's Republic of China didn't care much for the long-awaited album's title--Chinese Democracy--or its political lyrics. correct
5. What number is used in journalism to mark the end of a wire service story? The number is "-30-"...which was also, appropriately, the title for the last episode of HBO's The Wire. No, there's not going to be a weekly The Wire question from now on. amazingly, I guessed correctly
6. Which of the four major North American sports organizations currently includes the most teams? The NBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball each have 30 teams. The National Football League has 32 to choose from...and yet, somehow, Arizona's still going to the Super Bowl. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these television shows? The Andy Griffith Show, Arrested Development, Californication, Ed Edd and Eddy, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Lassie, The Smurfs. Only the first two feature Ron Howard...but all eight have theme songs that feature whistling. Smurf along with me! correct. I consider 5 out of 7 to be pretty good.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Tribute to the Bush Presidency
The Daily Show yesterday offered their homage to the crew that made the last 8 years so successful for The Daily Show.
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - January 20 (Inauguration Day!)
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Who returned to the screen for the first time in 21 years to star in the Milos Forman film Ragtime? I believe this was Edward G Robinson
2. In order to use it, what would you do to a joss stick? turn on the power? I don't know what a joss stick is
3. What disease was the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation created to treat? Warm Springs --> FDR--> polio
4. What country banned the latest Guns N' Roses album in late November 2008? China
5. What number is used in journalism to mark the end of a wire service story? I have heard this one time but really don't remember. 13? 30? 40? I'll guess 30.
6. Which of the four major North American sports organizations currently includes the most teams? MLB - 30; NFL - 32; NBA - I think about 30; NHL - less than 32. I'll say NFL
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these television shows? The Andy Griffith Show, Arrested Development, Californication, Ed Edd and Eddy, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Lassie, The Smurfs. Again, the internet is your friend. I think they all had theme songs that featured whistling.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who lives at the famous address 24 Sussex Drive? The Prime Minister of Canada resides at this iconic Ottawa address. As of last Sunday night, that was Stephen Harper, but who knows if that'll have changed by the time you read this Tuesday morning. That nutty parliamentary system! I would not consider this address "famous" unless you live in Canada
2. What TV show has produced soundtrack albums like 2008's Beyond Hamsterdam, and has a cast that includes Grammy-winning musicians Steve Earle and Method Man? HBO's late, great The Wire spawned two soundtrack albums in its final season. The game is the game, yo. correct
3. What's the result of raising any positive or negative number to the zero-th power? Any number to the zero (except zero itself) gives you one, weird as it sounds. Math is hard! correct
4. What did Alexei Pajitnov develop on an Elektronika 60 in 1985, though he never saw a penny because the Soviet Academy of Sciences onwed the rights? Pajitnov never got a kopek out of his baby Tetris...though I'm sure he's done just fine since then on various post-Soviet follow-ups. Is this the floating puzzle piece game?
5. What's the only U.S. state whose entire southern border is formed by a namesake river? Ohio. correct
6. What futuristic premise was first portrayed on film in the 1972 James Earl Jones vehicle The Man? The Man's high concept is an African-American president--just 36 years ahead of schedule. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these works of literature? Bless Me Ultima, "The Dead," Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Far from the Madding Crowd, Fences, Go Tell It on the Mountain, The Man Who Was Thursday, and--sort of--The Satanic Verses? They all have a main character named Gabriel...except for The Satanic Verses, whose protagonist is named "Gibreel," the Arabic equivalent. correct. I think 5 out of 7 right is pretty good.
1. Who returned to the screen for the first time in 21 years to star in the Milos Forman film Ragtime? I believe this was Edward G Robinson
2. In order to use it, what would you do to a joss stick? turn on the power? I don't know what a joss stick is
3. What disease was the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation created to treat? Warm Springs --> FDR--> polio
4. What country banned the latest Guns N' Roses album in late November 2008? China
5. What number is used in journalism to mark the end of a wire service story? I have heard this one time but really don't remember. 13? 30? 40? I'll guess 30.
6. Which of the four major North American sports organizations currently includes the most teams? MLB - 30; NFL - 32; NBA - I think about 30; NHL - less than 32. I'll say NFL
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these television shows? The Andy Griffith Show, Arrested Development, Californication, Ed Edd and Eddy, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Lassie, The Smurfs. Again, the internet is your friend. I think they all had theme songs that featured whistling.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who lives at the famous address 24 Sussex Drive? The Prime Minister of Canada resides at this iconic Ottawa address. As of last Sunday night, that was Stephen Harper, but who knows if that'll have changed by the time you read this Tuesday morning. That nutty parliamentary system! I would not consider this address "famous" unless you live in Canada
2. What TV show has produced soundtrack albums like 2008's Beyond Hamsterdam, and has a cast that includes Grammy-winning musicians Steve Earle and Method Man? HBO's late, great The Wire spawned two soundtrack albums in its final season. The game is the game, yo. correct
3. What's the result of raising any positive or negative number to the zero-th power? Any number to the zero (except zero itself) gives you one, weird as it sounds. Math is hard! correct
4. What did Alexei Pajitnov develop on an Elektronika 60 in 1985, though he never saw a penny because the Soviet Academy of Sciences onwed the rights? Pajitnov never got a kopek out of his baby Tetris...though I'm sure he's done just fine since then on various post-Soviet follow-ups. Is this the floating puzzle piece game?
5. What's the only U.S. state whose entire southern border is formed by a namesake river? Ohio. correct
6. What futuristic premise was first portrayed on film in the 1972 James Earl Jones vehicle The Man? The Man's high concept is an African-American president--just 36 years ahead of schedule. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these works of literature? Bless Me Ultima, "The Dead," Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Far from the Madding Crowd, Fences, Go Tell It on the Mountain, The Man Who Was Thursday, and--sort of--The Satanic Verses? They all have a main character named Gabriel...except for The Satanic Verses, whose protagonist is named "Gibreel," the Arabic equivalent. correct. I think 5 out of 7 right is pretty good.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - January 13
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Who lives at the famous address 24 Sussex Drive? I note that the question is written in present tense. Is this Barack Obama's current address in Chicago?
2. What TV show has produced soundtrack albums like 2008's Beyond Hamsterdam, and has a cast that includes Grammy-winning musicians Steve Earle and Method Man? I know this because I am such a big Steve Earle fan. The Wire.
3. What's the result of raising any positive or negative number to the zero-th power? it becomes equal to 1
4. What did Alexei Pajitnov develop on an Elektronika 60 in 1985, though he never saw a penny because the Soviet Academy of Sciences owned the rights? perhaps a video game of some type? If so, I have no idea. 1985 was too late for Pacman. I only know Atari or Japanese video games.
5. What's the only U.S. state whose entire southern border is formed by a namesake river? sounds like Ohio to me
6. What futuristic premise was first portrayed on film in the 1972 James Earl Jones vehicle The Man? a black man becoming president of the US
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these works of literature? Bless Me Ultima, "The Dead," Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Far from the Madding Crowd, Fences, Go Tell It on the Mountain, The Man Who Was Thursday, and--sort of--The Satanic Verses? If you have to know anything about these works, I'm out. I have not read a single one. But thanks to wikipedia plot descriptions, I learned that each has a character named Gabriel.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Followers of the "Quiverfull" movement believe in having many what? Children--it's an Evangelical Christian reference to Psalm 127. (Watching the 18-child Duggar family on TV might convince you that these folks have been, uh, a little overzealous in their reading of Psalm 127, but we encourage you, as always, not to take family-planning advice from a weekly trivia quiz. Please consult your doctor.) nope
2. What 1980 drum machine from Roland has been immortalized in the title of Kanye West's latest album? The TR-808 is namechecked in the title of Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak--even though the Roland product never included any of that creepy pitch-correction software that Kanye is so into now. I guess so
3. "Wild Bill" Donovan is known as the "father" of what U.S. government agency? The Central Intelligence Agency--Bill Donovan led the Office of Strategic Services, a CIA precursor, during World War II. 0 for 3
4. Until 1987, Goodyear blimps were always named in honor of the winners of what sports event? All the American-based blimps were named for America's Cup-winning yachts until the Sprit of Akron broke the tradition in 1987. that is counter-intuitive
5. What's the only country in the world that bans women from driving? Saudi Arabia. hooray! one correct this week
6. What disease takes its name from the same Greek root as a type of coal, for the coal-black lesions it produces? "Anthrax" and "anthracite" share the same root. Do you think Scott Ian knows this? who is Scott Ian?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these celebrities? Saffron Burrows, David Denby, Carrie Fisher, Jonathan Larson, Steve Martin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Busta Rhymes, and Rudolph Valentino. Each had a spouse or partner leave them to, uh, bat for the other team--that is, begin a same-sex relationship shortly thereafter. But I bet Steve Martin doesn't still think of Anne Heche as "the one that got away." Ken, where did this question come from? I am glad that I don't know a single spouse you are talking about here.
1. Who lives at the famous address 24 Sussex Drive? I note that the question is written in present tense. Is this Barack Obama's current address in Chicago?
2. What TV show has produced soundtrack albums like 2008's Beyond Hamsterdam, and has a cast that includes Grammy-winning musicians Steve Earle and Method Man? I know this because I am such a big Steve Earle fan. The Wire.
3. What's the result of raising any positive or negative number to the zero-th power? it becomes equal to 1
4. What did Alexei Pajitnov develop on an Elektronika 60 in 1985, though he never saw a penny because the Soviet Academy of Sciences owned the rights? perhaps a video game of some type? If so, I have no idea. 1985 was too late for Pacman. I only know Atari or Japanese video games.
5. What's the only U.S. state whose entire southern border is formed by a namesake river? sounds like Ohio to me
6. What futuristic premise was first portrayed on film in the 1972 James Earl Jones vehicle The Man? a black man becoming president of the US
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these works of literature? Bless Me Ultima, "The Dead," Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Far from the Madding Crowd, Fences, Go Tell It on the Mountain, The Man Who Was Thursday, and--sort of--The Satanic Verses? If you have to know anything about these works, I'm out. I have not read a single one. But thanks to wikipedia plot descriptions, I learned that each has a character named Gabriel.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Followers of the "Quiverfull" movement believe in having many what? Children--it's an Evangelical Christian reference to Psalm 127. (Watching the 18-child Duggar family on TV might convince you that these folks have been, uh, a little overzealous in their reading of Psalm 127, but we encourage you, as always, not to take family-planning advice from a weekly trivia quiz. Please consult your doctor.) nope
2. What 1980 drum machine from Roland has been immortalized in the title of Kanye West's latest album? The TR-808 is namechecked in the title of Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak--even though the Roland product never included any of that creepy pitch-correction software that Kanye is so into now. I guess so
3. "Wild Bill" Donovan is known as the "father" of what U.S. government agency? The Central Intelligence Agency--Bill Donovan led the Office of Strategic Services, a CIA precursor, during World War II. 0 for 3
4. Until 1987, Goodyear blimps were always named in honor of the winners of what sports event? All the American-based blimps were named for America's Cup-winning yachts until the Sprit of Akron broke the tradition in 1987. that is counter-intuitive
5. What's the only country in the world that bans women from driving? Saudi Arabia. hooray! one correct this week
6. What disease takes its name from the same Greek root as a type of coal, for the coal-black lesions it produces? "Anthrax" and "anthracite" share the same root. Do you think Scott Ian knows this? who is Scott Ian?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these celebrities? Saffron Burrows, David Denby, Carrie Fisher, Jonathan Larson, Steve Martin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Busta Rhymes, and Rudolph Valentino. Each had a spouse or partner leave them to, uh, bat for the other team--that is, begin a same-sex relationship shortly thereafter. But I bet Steve Martin doesn't still think of Anne Heche as "the one that got away." Ken, where did this question come from? I am glad that I don't know a single spouse you are talking about here.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - January 6
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Followers of the "Quiverfull" movement believe in having many what? arrows. apples. gravy. very small rocks.
2. What 1980 drum machine from Roland has been immortalized in the title of Kanye West's latest album? I am helpless on anything related to Kanye West except "George Bush doesn't like black people."
3. "Wild Bill" Donovan is known as the "father" of what U.S. government agency? I have no idea which means guessing. But there are a lot of agencies to choose from - EPA, FDA, Park Service, CIA, FAA, etc. "Wild Bill" sounds like an outdoorsman or a military guy. What about the Secret Service? Maybe KJ is thinking of the upcoming inauguration.
4. Until 1987, Goodyear blimps were always named in honor of the winners of what sports event? Goodyear makes tires, so shouldn't this be the Indy 500?
5. What's the only country in the world that bans women from driving? sounds like something Saudi Arabia would do
6. What disease takes its name from the same Greek root as a type of coal, for the coal-black lesions it produces? what is the medical term for black lung?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these celebrities? Saffron Burrows, David Denby, Carrie Fisher, Jonathan Larson, Steve Martin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Busta Rhymes, and Rudolph Valentino. I got nothing by looking at the bios for these folks. Maybe their last names are significant? Update - after lots of searches working on some connection between the last names, I think I have something. Pottery or porcelain. I found Phillips pottery, Fisher porcelain, Denby pottery, Valentino porcelain, Larson porcelain. That's enough for me.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Orchestras tune up to the sound of an oboe playing what note? It's an A...440 Hz, to be precise, though orchestras tend to vary between 438 and 445, in practice. I am not a band guy nor did I ever attend band camp.
2. What remarkable win-loss record was shared by both Twins pitcher Terry Felton and the 2008 Detroit Lions? Felton was 0-16 lifetime for the Twins--just like the hapless Lions were this season. correct
3. What word appears in the titles of *both* the Pulitzer-winning plays of author Thornton Wilder? Well, Wilder wrote Our Town, so if you knew that, you had a 50-50 shot. His other Pulitzer winner was his crazy geologic-epoch-hopping The Skin of Our Teeth. correct
4. What scientist's 1859 work most famously supplanted the popular 19th-century theory of Lamarckism? Lamarckism, a widely accepted theory of how organisms evolve, turned out to be mostly bunk. It was quickly supplanted by the natural selection theory of Charles Darwin. correct
5. What TV network uses the new slogan "Chime In"? NBC, whose famous trio of chimes (G3, E4, Middle C) was the first audio signature ever trademarked in the U.S. correct
6. Hundreds of thousands of orders have poured in for the Ducati Model 271, a model of what made famous last month by Muntader al-Zaidi? The 271 is a model of black leather oxford from Istanbul--it's the model of shoe that was thrown at President Bush in Iraq last month. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these films? Face/Off, Mary Poppins, La Ronde, Ronin, Ruggles of Red Gap, The Spanish Prisoner, The Sting, and Strangers on the Train. All feature a scene with a merry-go-round or carousel...and I just noticed now that I mis-typed the name of Strangers on a Train, one of my favorite Hitchcock movies. Criss cross! Alex's memory was much better than mine on this one. I had no recollection of carousel scenes in The Sting or The Spanish Prisoner.
1. Followers of the "Quiverfull" movement believe in having many what? arrows. apples. gravy. very small rocks.
2. What 1980 drum machine from Roland has been immortalized in the title of Kanye West's latest album? I am helpless on anything related to Kanye West except "George Bush doesn't like black people."
3. "Wild Bill" Donovan is known as the "father" of what U.S. government agency? I have no idea which means guessing. But there are a lot of agencies to choose from - EPA, FDA, Park Service, CIA, FAA, etc. "Wild Bill" sounds like an outdoorsman or a military guy. What about the Secret Service? Maybe KJ is thinking of the upcoming inauguration.
4. Until 1987, Goodyear blimps were always named in honor of the winners of what sports event? Goodyear makes tires, so shouldn't this be the Indy 500?
5. What's the only country in the world that bans women from driving? sounds like something Saudi Arabia would do
6. What disease takes its name from the same Greek root as a type of coal, for the coal-black lesions it produces? what is the medical term for black lung?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these celebrities? Saffron Burrows, David Denby, Carrie Fisher, Jonathan Larson, Steve Martin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Busta Rhymes, and Rudolph Valentino. I got nothing by looking at the bios for these folks. Maybe their last names are significant? Update - after lots of searches working on some connection between the last names, I think I have something. Pottery or porcelain. I found Phillips pottery, Fisher porcelain, Denby pottery, Valentino porcelain, Larson porcelain. That's enough for me.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Orchestras tune up to the sound of an oboe playing what note? It's an A...440 Hz, to be precise, though orchestras tend to vary between 438 and 445, in practice. I am not a band guy nor did I ever attend band camp.
2. What remarkable win-loss record was shared by both Twins pitcher Terry Felton and the 2008 Detroit Lions? Felton was 0-16 lifetime for the Twins--just like the hapless Lions were this season. correct
3. What word appears in the titles of *both* the Pulitzer-winning plays of author Thornton Wilder? Well, Wilder wrote Our Town, so if you knew that, you had a 50-50 shot. His other Pulitzer winner was his crazy geologic-epoch-hopping The Skin of Our Teeth. correct
4. What scientist's 1859 work most famously supplanted the popular 19th-century theory of Lamarckism? Lamarckism, a widely accepted theory of how organisms evolve, turned out to be mostly bunk. It was quickly supplanted by the natural selection theory of Charles Darwin. correct
5. What TV network uses the new slogan "Chime In"? NBC, whose famous trio of chimes (G3, E4, Middle C) was the first audio signature ever trademarked in the U.S. correct
6. Hundreds of thousands of orders have poured in for the Ducati Model 271, a model of what made famous last month by Muntader al-Zaidi? The 271 is a model of black leather oxford from Istanbul--it's the model of shoe that was thrown at President Bush in Iraq last month. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these films? Face/Off, Mary Poppins, La Ronde, Ronin, Ruggles of Red Gap, The Spanish Prisoner, The Sting, and Strangers on the Train. All feature a scene with a merry-go-round or carousel...and I just noticed now that I mis-typed the name of Strangers on a Train, one of my favorite Hitchcock movies. Criss cross! Alex's memory was much better than mine on this one. I had no recollection of carousel scenes in The Sting or The Spanish Prisoner.
