Musings of a Dead Parrot

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The tiny town of Gibsland, Louisiana is home to the "Ambush Museum," commemorating the nearby deaths of what two people? Bonnie and Clyde
2. Which section of an orchestra typically sits in front, closest to the conductor? I recall the strings sitting right next to the conductor. That's where the concertmaster is, right?
3. The infamous "Order 66" was responsible for the near-total execution of what group? Does this refer to the Jews in Germany? I don't know Order 66.
4. The Sahara, the world's largest hot desert, is of course the largest desert in Africa. What desert is Africa's second largest? a guess - the Kalahari
5. David Wild's 2008 memoir He Is...I Say is about being a fan of what musician? I Am, I Said ---> Neil Diamond
6. What has happened recently if "lapilli" are falling out of the air? Lapilli (whatever they are) were thrown into the air. KJ seems to like questions about lightning so I will guess that lightning just flashed.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these athletes? Tommy Corcoran, Frankie Frisch, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Gretzky, Thierry Henry, Scott Skiles, Ozzie Smith, John Stockton. I think they all hold assist records. Skiles - most in a game. Stockton - most in a career. Corcoran - most assists in a 9 inning game. Smith - most in a career. Frisch - most in a season.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. True vanilla comes from a species of what flower? The vanilla plant is a Mexican orchid. correct
2. Which two numbers are usually spelled out in word form in the "countdown" leader before a film begins? NINE and SIX, presumably so as not to confuse anyway examining the frames upside-down. half correct
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? Sancious's mother lived on E Street, and he was an early keyboardist and guitar player for Springsteen's E Street Band. correct
4. What onetime Time and Sports Illustrated cover boy was buried in 2008 in a churchyard in Laugardaelir, Iceland? Iceland granted Bobby Fischer citizenship in 2005; he had defeated Boris Spassky there in 1972. Fischer was the island nation's very favorite Holocaust denier; so far they haven't offered citizenship to David Duke or Mel Gibson or anybody. correct
5. The "Saladin tithe" was an English tax levied to finance the third of nine what? Saladin led the Abuyyid dynasty at the time of the Crusades. correct
6. What comedian is starring in the current Broadway hit "You're Welcome, America"? That's Will Ferrell's (mostly) one-man show bidding farewell to his George W. Bush character. I think of comedian as someone doing standup. But I guess his time on SNL might qualify him as a comedian. I just don't think of him that way, but rather as a comic actor.
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. Each has an important character who's a little person--a midget or a dwarf. I read The Natural, but I do not recall an important character who was a little person.