Musings of a Dead Parrot

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Manuel Quezon was a founding father and early president of what nation? Quezon makes me think of the Philippines
2. The novels Gadsby: Champion of Youth (1939, Ernest Vincent Wright) and La Disparition (Georges Perec, 1969) are notable for not containing a single what? I would guess either the letter "e" or the word "the." But since Perec probably wrote in French, I'll guess no "e"s.
3. Duncan Zowie Jones, the director of the new film Moon, is the son of what musician? He is the son of the other David Jones, aka David Bowie.
4. What part of your car contains a solution of about 35% sulfuric acid? car battery
5. Who was left off the fan-voted All-Star roster this season, ending his Major League-leading streak of 11 straight All-Star Games? sounds like Manny Ramirez
6. What animal is the mascot for a Klondike Bar? polar bear. when they are gone, will the package have to be redesigned?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these Disney animated films, and (in my best judgment) no others? Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, The Great Mouse Detective, The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, Up.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. After their Olympic successes, Bob Beamon, Bruce Jenner, and Carl Lewis were all drafted, as publicity stunts, by teams in which pro sports organization? Weirdly, all three Olympic heroes were immediately drafted into the NBA. None ever played a single game, of course. I bet Bruce Jenner shoots like a girl. (Is "shoots like a girl" offensive? I mean, "shoots like a player of either gender with terrible form.") I did not think that NFL seemed correct, but I had no idea which other league to guess.
2. Paul Simon has yet to comment on the recently-announced retirement of "64" and "64 Professional," the last two products marketed using what brand? Mama Eastman finally took his Kodachrome away. correct
3. What author's first novel begins, "The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning"? That's the first sentence of Casino Royale, the first novel of James Bond creator Ian Fleming. correct
4. What's the home state of rapper Tramar Dillard, of "Right Round" fame? Tramar Dillard is better known as Flo Rida, and is actually a native of the Sunshine State. I think the next rapper question that I answer correctly will be my first
5. Who's the only person ever to twice assume temporary presidency of the U.S. under the 25th Amendment? Dick Cheney is the Colonoscopy President, having been granted temporary executive powers twice for bowel exams. The American Cancer Society currently recommends colonscopies every ten years for men over fifty only, so Joe Biden may never get a chance to usurp Cheney's colonic record. why was the 25th amendment not invoked when Reagan was shot?
6. What Central American country's name is believed to mean "surrounded by water"? That's presumably where we get the "agua" in "Nicaragua," though the rest of the name is a little vaguer and may come from a local chief named Nicarao. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? J. J. Abrams, Roseanne Barr, Bono, Stephen Colbert, Tom Ford, Nick Hornby, Heidi Klum, Monica Lewinsky, Maria Sharapova, Kanye West. All of these folks, most recently Stephen Colbert for Newsweek, have participated in the newly popular stunt of "guest editing" periodicals. I'm still waiting for that phone call, Road & Track! I guess I had heard about J.J. Abrams doing Wired and Colbert doing Newsweek. The others - completely unknown to me. However KJ's use of "recently" is not precise. Some of the guest editing happened 10-15 years ago. J.J. Abrams (Wired - 2009); Stephen Colbert (Newsweek - 2009); Rosanne Barr (New Yorker - 1995); Bono (Vanity Fair – 2007); Tom Ford (Vanity Fair – 2006); Nick Hornby (Time Out – 2005); Heidi Klum (Vogue – 2009); Monica Lewinsky (Marie Claire – 1999); Maria Sharapova (ESPN Magazine – 2009); Kanye West (Complex – 2007)