Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 24
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. True vanilla comes from a species of what flower? I think vanilla comes from a species of orchid.
2. Which two numbers are usually spelled out in word form in the "countdown" leader before a film begins? This question is bogus. I don't recall ever seeing a number spelled out in word form in a countdown. See this video . Since 9 and 10 are not included in the video, I will guess nine and ten.
3. What group was named for the address of David Sancious's mother's home in Belmar, New Jersey, where the band used to rehearse? It took about a minute of noodling on this, but I now recall that David Sancious was an early member of the E Street Band.
4. What onetime Time and Sports Illustrated cover boy was buried in 2008 in a churchyard in Laugardaelir, Iceland? Iceland --> Bobby Fisher
5. The "Saladin tithe" was an English tax levied to finance the third of nine what? Saladin --> crusades
6. What comedian is starring in the current Broadway hit "You're Welcome, America"? I have no idea. Is "you're welcome" a reference to Barack Obama (hence a black comedian)? A reference to Latinos (hence someone like George Lopez)? I'll take a guess - Chris Rock.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these novels? The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, Cat's Cradle, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Day of the Locust, The House of the Spirits, The Natural, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Year of Living Dangerously. no ideas here yet. I have only read The Natural. I know that The Day of the Locust includes a character named Homer Simpson. But nothing connects.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What two South American nations begin with the same letters as their respective capital cities? Brasilia, Brazil is presumably the easier one. The other is Georgetown, Guyana. Correct with a lucky guess on Guyana.
2. What hit 1994 documentary features cameo appearances by John Thompson, Mike Krzyzewski, and Rick Pitino, among others? Those were all influential NCAA basketball coaches of the era, so this is Hoop Dreams. correct
3. What do you tend to do in bright light if you have "Autosomal-dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst syndrome"? The whimsically named disorder is, you might have noticed, a "backronym" for ACHOO syndrome. ACHOO sufferers are the freakish 24% of humanity that sneezes in bright light. My name is Ken Jennings...and I have photic sneeze reflex. after the PAM question recently, I should have been looking for acronyms
4. What modern holiday is believed to be descended from the Roman festival of Lupercalia? Lupercalia was a mid-February fertility festival, so the answer here is...Presidents Day. No wait, Valentine's Day. correct
5. On TV, what "middle ground" "lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge"? The Twilight Zone, according to Rod Serling's second season intro. correct
6. Dan Simmons' new book Drood is based on the troubled last years of what writer? The Mystery of Edwin Drood was the unfinished last novel of Charles Dickens. correct
7. Based on the unusual distinction they all share, what baseball player could be added to this list of performers, and why? Benjamin Bratt, John Derek, Richard Gere, Peter Sellers, Charlie Sheen, Ringo Starr, and Robert Wagner. All these performers had (or have, in four cases) the enviable distinction of being married to "Bond girls." So the missing ballplayer is David Justice, the former Mr. Halle Berry. Robert Wagner is the only person who is also a brother-in-law of a Bond girl, a less enviable distinction which he happens to shares with Richard Harris, Stephen Baldwin, and...Timothy Leary! Halle Berry would have been a big help. I guess it also would have helped if I had seen a Bond movie since 1983.
1. True vanilla comes from a species of what flower? I think vanilla comes from a species of orchid.
2. Which two numbers are usually spelled out in word form in the "countdown" leader before a film begins? This question is bogus. I don't recall ever seeing a number spelled out in word form in a countdown. See this video . Since 9 and 10 are not included in the video, I will guess nine and ten.
3. What group was named for the address of David Sancious's mother's home in Belmar, New Jersey, where the band used to rehearse? It took about a minute of noodling on this, but I now recall that David Sancious was an early member of the E Street Band.
4. What onetime Time and Sports Illustrated cover boy was buried in 2008 in a churchyard in Laugardaelir, Iceland? Iceland --> Bobby Fisher
5. The "Saladin tithe" was an English tax levied to finance the third of nine what? Saladin --> crusades
6. What comedian is starring in the current Broadway hit "You're Welcome, America"? I have no idea. Is "you're welcome" a reference to Barack Obama (hence a black comedian)? A reference to Latinos (hence someone like George Lopez)? I'll take a guess - Chris Rock.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these novels? The Ballad of the Sad Cafe, Cat's Cradle, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Day of the Locust, The House of the Spirits, The Natural, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Year of Living Dangerously. no ideas here yet. I have only read The Natural. I know that The Day of the Locust includes a character named Homer Simpson. But nothing connects.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What two South American nations begin with the same letters as their respective capital cities? Brasilia, Brazil is presumably the easier one. The other is Georgetown, Guyana. Correct with a lucky guess on Guyana.
2. What hit 1994 documentary features cameo appearances by John Thompson, Mike Krzyzewski, and Rick Pitino, among others? Those were all influential NCAA basketball coaches of the era, so this is Hoop Dreams. correct
3. What do you tend to do in bright light if you have "Autosomal-dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst syndrome"? The whimsically named disorder is, you might have noticed, a "backronym" for ACHOO syndrome. ACHOO sufferers are the freakish 24% of humanity that sneezes in bright light. My name is Ken Jennings...and I have photic sneeze reflex. after the PAM question recently, I should have been looking for acronyms
4. What modern holiday is believed to be descended from the Roman festival of Lupercalia? Lupercalia was a mid-February fertility festival, so the answer here is...Presidents Day. No wait, Valentine's Day. correct
5. On TV, what "middle ground" "lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge"? The Twilight Zone, according to Rod Serling's second season intro. correct
6. Dan Simmons' new book Drood is based on the troubled last years of what writer? The Mystery of Edwin Drood was the unfinished last novel of Charles Dickens. correct
7. Based on the unusual distinction they all share, what baseball player could be added to this list of performers, and why? Benjamin Bratt, John Derek, Richard Gere, Peter Sellers, Charlie Sheen, Ringo Starr, and Robert Wagner. All these performers had (or have, in four cases) the enviable distinction of being married to "Bond girls." So the missing ballplayer is David Justice, the former Mr. Halle Berry. Robert Wagner is the only person who is also a brother-in-law of a Bond girl, a less enviable distinction which he happens to shares with Richard Harris, Stephen Baldwin, and...Timothy Leary! Halle Berry would have been a big help. I guess it also would have helped if I had seen a Bond movie since 1983.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Hug a microbe today
I think this is hysterical - Giant Microbe Plush Toys
Imagine having a plush toy of an athlete's foot microbe! Or halitosis, or mad cow or salmonella or syphilis. I wonder how much business they did around Valentine's Day?
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 17
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What two South American nations begin with the same letters as their respective capital cities? Brasil and Brasilia. The other one does not come as easily. Not Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay or Bolivia. Must be one of the three countries in the northeast that no one pays attention to. What are they - Guyana, French Guyana, Suriname? A guess has 1/3 chance of being right, but that is better than cheating and using an atlas. I seem to recall that Cayenne is a city in Suriname. That gets me to 50-50. I'll guess Guyana.
2. What hit 1994 documentary features cameo appearances by John Thompson, Mike Krzyzewski, and Rick Pitino, among others? A classic. Hoop Dreams.
3. What do you tend to do in bright light if you have "Autosomal-dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst syndrome"? is this something as simple as "shade your eyes"?
4. What modern holiday is believed to be descended from the Roman festival of Lupercalia? since this is around the time of Valentine's Day, I'll guess that. I know from Final Jeopardy two weeks ago (which everyone missed!) that Valentine's Day is based on a Roman celebration.
5. On TV, what "middle ground" "lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge"? sounds like that might be The Twilight Zone. I can hear Rod Serling saying something like that.
6. Dan Simmons' new book Drood is based on the troubled last years of what writer? Drood --> Edwin Drood --> Charles Dickens
7. Based on the unusual distinction they all share, what baseball player could be added to this list of performers, and why? Benjamin Bratt, John Derek, Richard Gere, Peter Sellers, Charlie Sheen, Ringo Starr, and Robert Wagner. First, I have to identify the unusual distinction that they all share. Nothing is really evident. How many of them have taken performance enhancing drugs?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The "Magyar Agar" dog breed is also called the "greyhound" of what nation? The Magyars are natives of Hungary, so the Magyar Agar is the Hungarian greyhound. I read too much into this question and overthought it. I certainly had the Hungarian part, but I was thinking he was looking for a different breed.
2. What Best Picture-winning film has intertitles dividing it up into chapters like "The Players," "The Set-Up," "The Hook," "The Tale," "The Wire," and "The Shut-Out"? The final intertitle is the name of the film as well: "The Sting." correct
3. Name two of the three current U.S. Cabinet departments that have never been headed by a woman. The Secretaries of Defense and Treasury have always been male; so has the most recent Cabinet addition, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. correct
4. What French artist painted "Fatata te Miti," "La Orana Maria," and "Hini Tefatou"? The Tahitian names might have tipped you off that this was Paul Gauguin, buried today in his adopted home of Polynesia. correct
5. What city is home to the B & O Railroad Museum, on the site of America's oldest railroad complex? The 'B' in B & O is for Baltimore, where the railroad originated. correct
6. What U.S. fast food chain has 28 million of its trademark antenna balls in circulation? This was a toughie in those parts of the Midwest and Northeast that happen to be free from the plague of Jack-in-the Box. Still, I thought this was a fair question no matter where you live; after all, people travel a lot nowadays, and those damn antenna balls are *everywhere*. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Aeroplane" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd, "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens, "Happy Christmas (War Is Over") by John and Yoko, "I'm a Thug" by Trick Daddy, "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown, "2080" by Yeasayer, "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner. All feature backing vocals by a children's chorus. Yes, there are lots of other possibilities; these particular songs were chosen to make the question harder to Google. However, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is *not* on the list; that's apparently the London Bach Choir opening that song, adults all. good get, Alex
1. What two South American nations begin with the same letters as their respective capital cities? Brasil and Brasilia. The other one does not come as easily. Not Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay or Bolivia. Must be one of the three countries in the northeast that no one pays attention to. What are they - Guyana, French Guyana, Suriname? A guess has 1/3 chance of being right, but that is better than cheating and using an atlas. I seem to recall that Cayenne is a city in Suriname. That gets me to 50-50. I'll guess Guyana.
2. What hit 1994 documentary features cameo appearances by John Thompson, Mike Krzyzewski, and Rick Pitino, among others? A classic. Hoop Dreams.
3. What do you tend to do in bright light if you have "Autosomal-dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst syndrome"? is this something as simple as "shade your eyes"?
4. What modern holiday is believed to be descended from the Roman festival of Lupercalia? since this is around the time of Valentine's Day, I'll guess that. I know from Final Jeopardy two weeks ago (which everyone missed!) that Valentine's Day is based on a Roman celebration.
5. On TV, what "middle ground" "lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge"? sounds like that might be The Twilight Zone. I can hear Rod Serling saying something like that.
6. Dan Simmons' new book Drood is based on the troubled last years of what writer? Drood --> Edwin Drood --> Charles Dickens
7. Based on the unusual distinction they all share, what baseball player could be added to this list of performers, and why? Benjamin Bratt, John Derek, Richard Gere, Peter Sellers, Charlie Sheen, Ringo Starr, and Robert Wagner. First, I have to identify the unusual distinction that they all share. Nothing is really evident. How many of them have taken performance enhancing drugs?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The "Magyar Agar" dog breed is also called the "greyhound" of what nation? The Magyars are natives of Hungary, so the Magyar Agar is the Hungarian greyhound. I read too much into this question and overthought it. I certainly had the Hungarian part, but I was thinking he was looking for a different breed.
2. What Best Picture-winning film has intertitles dividing it up into chapters like "The Players," "The Set-Up," "The Hook," "The Tale," "The Wire," and "The Shut-Out"? The final intertitle is the name of the film as well: "The Sting." correct
3. Name two of the three current U.S. Cabinet departments that have never been headed by a woman. The Secretaries of Defense and Treasury have always been male; so has the most recent Cabinet addition, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. correct
4. What French artist painted "Fatata te Miti," "La Orana Maria," and "Hini Tefatou"? The Tahitian names might have tipped you off that this was Paul Gauguin, buried today in his adopted home of Polynesia. correct
5. What city is home to the B & O Railroad Museum, on the site of America's oldest railroad complex? The 'B' in B & O is for Baltimore, where the railroad originated. correct
6. What U.S. fast food chain has 28 million of its trademark antenna balls in circulation? This was a toughie in those parts of the Midwest and Northeast that happen to be free from the plague of Jack-in-the Box. Still, I thought this was a fair question no matter where you live; after all, people travel a lot nowadays, and those damn antenna balls are *everywhere*. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Aeroplane" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd, "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens, "Happy Christmas (War Is Over") by John and Yoko, "I'm a Thug" by Trick Daddy, "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown, "2080" by Yeasayer, "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner. All feature backing vocals by a children's chorus. Yes, there are lots of other possibilities; these particular songs were chosen to make the question harder to Google. However, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is *not* on the list; that's apparently the London Bach Choir opening that song, adults all. good get, Alex
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 10
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The "Magyar Agar" dog breed is also called the "greyhound" of what nation? definitely a Hungarian breed of dog. I think that sheep dogs are Hungarian.
2. What Best Picture-winning film has intertitles dividing it up into chapters like "The Players," "The Set-Up," "The Hook," "The Tale," "The Wire," and "The Shut-Out"? I know this one well. It's one of my favorites. The Sting.
3. Name two of the three current U.S. Cabinet departments that have never been headed by a woman. Veterans Affairs, Defense.
4. What French artist painted "Fatata te Miti," "La Orana Maria," and "Hini Tefatou"? Those titles sound Polynesian which makes me thing of Gaughin
5. What city is home to the B & O Railroad Museum, on the site of America's oldest railroad complex? B&O = Baltimore and Ohio, so I guess Baltimore
6. What U.S. fast food chain has 28 million of its trademark antenna balls in circulation? Jack in the Box
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Aeroplane" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd, "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens, "Happy Christmas (War Is Over") by John and Yoko, "I'm a Thug" by Trick Daddy, "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown, "2080" by Yeasayer, "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner. Initial research shows that several were released in two or more parts. I think they were multi-part songs.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What two George Michael-written hit songs could have a number "7" appended to their titles to make the names of capsules of Mercury space missions? "Freedom" and "Faith," both Top Five hits, were the names of Mercury capsules. Alan Shepard flew in Freedom 7, and Gordo Cooper in Faith 7. If I ever get chosen for NASA, my capsule will be either Monkey 7 or Careless Whisper 7. I honestly can't decide. 1/2 credit. I did not recall the Freedom song.
2. Where would you most often see the Greek letters iota, chi, theta, upsilon, and sigma side by side? Inside a Jesus fish! This spells the Greek word ICHTHYS, which early Christians used as an acrostic for Jesus' name. (We also accepted "on a car bumper" and all manner of other Christian bling.) correct
3. Hong Kong is one of two "special administrative regions" of China. What is the other? Nearby Macau, the Indian casino of Asia. correct
4. What NFL star got his nickname from his mother, from the speed with which he drank his milk as a child? Adam "Pacman" Jones...though I think it's an odd story. Pac-Man didn't drink rapidly. He *ate power pellets* rapidly. Whole different thing. How can you call this guy a star? He has never played in a Pro Bowl or been All Pro. It would have been more accurate to ask "What troubled NFL player who like to make it rain got his nickname . . . "
5. Now that Pluto's been demoted, what's the smallest planet of the solar system? Mercury is by far the smallest, roughly half the mass of Mars. correct
6. Geraldine Brooks' Pulitzer-winning 2006 novel March is narrated by the absentee father from what classic novel? The March sisters headlined Little Women. correct! A lucky guess.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these Muppets? The Amazing Mumford, Barkley, Floyd, Dr. Bunson Honeydew, Janice, Pops the Doorman, Sully, the Swedish Chef, and Zoot. These are all the Muppets with...no eyes! I know, creepy. In most cases, I guess they COULD have had eyes--they were just always obscured by eyebrows, eyelids, shades, fur, etc. Only Bunson Honeydown is completely and proudly eyeless. Freakshow. Question for further discussion: should Scooter count? He had eyes...but only painted on his glasses, not actually behind them!!! correct
1. The "Magyar Agar" dog breed is also called the "greyhound" of what nation? definitely a Hungarian breed of dog. I think that sheep dogs are Hungarian.
2. What Best Picture-winning film has intertitles dividing it up into chapters like "The Players," "The Set-Up," "The Hook," "The Tale," "The Wire," and "The Shut-Out"? I know this one well. It's one of my favorites. The Sting.
3. Name two of the three current U.S. Cabinet departments that have never been headed by a woman. Veterans Affairs, Defense.
4. What French artist painted "Fatata te Miti," "La Orana Maria," and "Hini Tefatou"? Those titles sound Polynesian which makes me thing of Gaughin
5. What city is home to the B & O Railroad Museum, on the site of America's oldest railroad complex? B&O = Baltimore and Ohio, so I guess Baltimore
6. What U.S. fast food chain has 28 million of its trademark antenna balls in circulation? Jack in the Box
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Aeroplane" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd, "Everything Is Beautiful" by Ray Stevens, "Happy Christmas (War Is Over") by John and Yoko, "I'm a Thug" by Trick Daddy, "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" by James Brown, "2080" by Yeasayer, "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner. Initial research shows that several were released in two or more parts. I think they were multi-part songs.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What two George Michael-written hit songs could have a number "7" appended to their titles to make the names of capsules of Mercury space missions? "Freedom" and "Faith," both Top Five hits, were the names of Mercury capsules. Alan Shepard flew in Freedom 7, and Gordo Cooper in Faith 7. If I ever get chosen for NASA, my capsule will be either Monkey 7 or Careless Whisper 7. I honestly can't decide. 1/2 credit. I did not recall the Freedom song.
2. Where would you most often see the Greek letters iota, chi, theta, upsilon, and sigma side by side? Inside a Jesus fish! This spells the Greek word ICHTHYS, which early Christians used as an acrostic for Jesus' name. (We also accepted "on a car bumper" and all manner of other Christian bling.) correct
3. Hong Kong is one of two "special administrative regions" of China. What is the other? Nearby Macau, the Indian casino of Asia. correct
4. What NFL star got his nickname from his mother, from the speed with which he drank his milk as a child? Adam "Pacman" Jones...though I think it's an odd story. Pac-Man didn't drink rapidly. He *ate power pellets* rapidly. Whole different thing. How can you call this guy a star? He has never played in a Pro Bowl or been All Pro. It would have been more accurate to ask "What troubled NFL player who like to make it rain got his nickname . . . "
5. Now that Pluto's been demoted, what's the smallest planet of the solar system? Mercury is by far the smallest, roughly half the mass of Mars. correct
6. Geraldine Brooks' Pulitzer-winning 2006 novel March is narrated by the absentee father from what classic novel? The March sisters headlined Little Women. correct! A lucky guess.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these Muppets? The Amazing Mumford, Barkley, Floyd, Dr. Bunson Honeydew, Janice, Pops the Doorman, Sully, the Swedish Chef, and Zoot. These are all the Muppets with...no eyes! I know, creepy. In most cases, I guess they COULD have had eyes--they were just always obscured by eyebrows, eyelids, shades, fur, etc. Only Bunson Honeydown is completely and proudly eyeless. Freakshow. Question for further discussion: should Scooter count? He had eyes...but only painted on his glasses, not actually behind them!!! correct
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Chappelle's Show - The Racial Draft
File this one under Things I Liked and Then Sent To My Friends.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 3
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What two George Michael-written hit songs could have a number "7" appended to their titles to make the names of capsules of Mercury space missions? Faith is probably one of them. I can only think of one other George Michael song - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.
2. Where would you most often see the Greek letters iota, chi, theta, upsilon, and sigma side by side? I think those are the letters that you see inside a fish representing Jesus. There are five Greek letters. Can't think where else you would see five Greek letters side by side.
3. Hong Kong is one of two "special administrative regions" of China. What is the other? Macau? Is that what allows them to have all those casinos?
4. What NFL star got his nickname from his mother, from the speed with which he drank his milk as a child? In general, NFL players don't have great nicknames. Walter "Sweetness" Payton. Ickey Woods. The Frig. David "Deacon" Jones. Rod "He Hate Me" Smart. Boomer Esiason. Who am I missing? Of these, Ickey Woods fits the best.
5. Now that Pluto's been demoted, what's the smallest planet of the solar system? has to be Mercury or Venus. I think Mercury is smaller.
6. Geraldine Brooks' Pulitzer-winning 2006 novel March is narrated by the absentee father from what classic novel? Does March refer to the March sisters in Little Women? I have not read it to know if the father is absentee or not. Maybe Middlemarch?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these Muppets? The Amazing Mumford, Barkley, Floyd, Dr. Bunson Honeydew, Janice, Pops the Doorman, Sully, the Swedish Chef, and Zoot. I have to look at the pictures of them. But one thing that strikes me is that you cannot see their eyes.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
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 finally passed General Motors, which passed Ford way back in 1932. correct
2. What phenomenon was the "Foucault pendulum" invented to demonstrate? Foucault's pendulum was so tall that its swinging actually changed direction with the rotation of the Earth. correct
3. The final actor to play the street urchin Gavroche in Broadway's Les Miserables is now the youngest member of what band? Nick Jonas, the youngest of the Jonas Brothers, is a Broadway veteran (or so I hear...it turns out I'm not a 13-year-old girl, so I had to look this one up). correct! a lucky guess
4. What hit 2008 film was based on the Commonwealth Writers' Prize-nominated novel Q and A? Slumdog Millionaire, about the questions and answers on a game show. The Jeopardy! version would have been called A and Q. correct
5. Who are the only two *consecutive* U.S. vice presidents to each serve full eight-year terms? Al Gore and Dick Cheney. I've been sitting on this one for about a year, not wanting to run it until I was sure Cheney would make it. Seeing him stealing Uncle Billy's $8,000 from the Bailey Building & Loan at the inauguration reminded me I could finally use it. correct
6. What kitchen brand, patented in 1957, was named because it was originally the product of inventor Arthur Meyerhoff? PAM cooking spray--the name is an acronym for _P_roduct of _A_rthur _M_eyerhoff, even though some guy named Leon Rubin was apparently the original inventor. I guess "PLR cooking spray" doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. groan!
1. What two George Michael-written hit songs could have a number "7" appended to their titles to make the names of capsules of Mercury space missions? Faith is probably one of them. I can only think of one other George Michael song - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.
2. Where would you most often see the Greek letters iota, chi, theta, upsilon, and sigma side by side? I think those are the letters that you see inside a fish representing Jesus. There are five Greek letters. Can't think where else you would see five Greek letters side by side.
3. Hong Kong is one of two "special administrative regions" of China. What is the other? Macau? Is that what allows them to have all those casinos?
4. What NFL star got his nickname from his mother, from the speed with which he drank his milk as a child? In general, NFL players don't have great nicknames. Walter "Sweetness" Payton. Ickey Woods. The Frig. David "Deacon" Jones. Rod "He Hate Me" Smart. Boomer Esiason. Who am I missing? Of these, Ickey Woods fits the best.
5. Now that Pluto's been demoted, what's the smallest planet of the solar system? has to be Mercury or Venus. I think Mercury is smaller.
6. Geraldine Brooks' Pulitzer-winning 2006 novel March is narrated by the absentee father from what classic novel? Does March refer to the March sisters in Little Women? I have not read it to know if the father is absentee or not. Maybe Middlemarch?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these Muppets? The Amazing Mumford, Barkley, Floyd, Dr. Bunson Honeydew, Janice, Pops the Doorman, Sully, the Swedish Chef, and Zoot. I have to look at the pictures of them. But one thing that strikes me is that you cannot see their eyes.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
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 finally passed General Motors, which passed Ford way back in 1932. correct
2. What phenomenon was the "Foucault pendulum" invented to demonstrate? Foucault's pendulum was so tall that its swinging actually changed direction with the rotation of the Earth. correct
3. The final actor to play the street urchin Gavroche in Broadway's Les Miserables is now the youngest member of what band? Nick Jonas, the youngest of the Jonas Brothers, is a Broadway veteran (or so I hear...it turns out I'm not a 13-year-old girl, so I had to look this one up). correct! a lucky guess
4. What hit 2008 film was based on the Commonwealth Writers' Prize-nominated novel Q and A? Slumdog Millionaire, about the questions and answers on a game show. The Jeopardy! version would have been called A and Q. correct
5. Who are the only two *consecutive* U.S. vice presidents to each serve full eight-year terms? Al Gore and Dick Cheney. I've been sitting on this one for about a year, not wanting to run it until I was sure Cheney would make it. Seeing him stealing Uncle Billy's $8,000 from the Bailey Building & Loan at the inauguration reminded me I could finally use it. correct
6. What kitchen brand, patented in 1957, was named because it was originally the product of inventor Arthur Meyerhoff? PAM cooking spray--the name is an acronym for _P_roduct of _A_rthur _M_eyerhoff, even though some guy named Leon Rubin was apparently the original inventor. I guess "PLR cooking spray" doesn't exactly trip off the tongue. groan!
