Thursday, August 27, 2009
Sweat Like A Champion
Add this to the list of odd competitive sports that catch my eye - the thrilling World Sauna Championships!
A first person account from a UK reporter
Dramatic video of the men's finals
A first person account from a UK reporter
Dramatic video of the men's finals
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My most recent 15 seconds of fame
Stewart Mandel's College Football Mailbag August 26
I have a new nickname - Not That. As in (not that) Mark May. I kind of like it.
I have a new nickname - Not That. As in (not that) Mark May. I kind of like it.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - August 25
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Who might wear an alb, a surplice, and/or a chasuble? I don't know what a surplice or chasuble are, but cruciverbalists know that an alb is "priestly wear."
2. What was the first word in the titles of both the show that gave CBS its highest rated sitcom broadcast of 2005 AND the show that gave UPN its highest-rated sitcom broadcast of 2005? UPN had/has sitcoms? Who knew! I can't think of a UPN show that begins with Two (for the show with Charlie Sheen) so I'll say "Everyone." Everyone Loves Raymond and Everyone Hates Chris.
3. What historical practice took place along the so-called "Middle Passage"? isn't this the term for the slave ships that went from Africa to the US
4. The famous "gum trees" of Australia are actually what genus of tree? famous? what makes them famous? Have they ever starred in their own tv show? Had a #1 hit? KJ uses this type of adjective often to make the answers seem more mainstream, but often they are not. Is chicle a genus? But the question says gum trees of Australia. In Australia, I think of eucalyptus trees, banyon trees.
5. What hit musical is named after a product whose brand name, in the show, is "Ultra Clutch"? Brand name. Hmm. Could this be the show that is playing in LA now - Spamalot.
6. What country's largest islands are found in its Galapagos and Guayaquil provinces? Ecuador
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts, listed in this order? King Crimson, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Gang of Four, R.E.M., Joni Mitchell, Matt Bianco, Stone Temple Pilots. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Purple. Each recorded the album with a title corresponding to its place in the order given. This came easily after seeing that STP had an album called Purple. I already knew Blue and Green.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. "Jibbitz" fit into the holes in what once-faddish fashion item? Jibbitz are the holes in the toes of "Crocs," those once-ubiquitous foam clogs that no one over nine years old really wears anymore. correct
2. Who is the only woman on The Sporting News' recent list of the fifty greatest coaches in sports history? Pat Summitt of the Tennessee Lady Vols, who has more wins than any other coach in collegiate basketball history, man, woman, or other. correct
3. What actor played the husband of a woman named "Lisa" on his last three TV series: Sports Night, Six Feet Under, and Dirty Sexy Money? Peter Krause (that's KROW-zuh, not one syllable like the character on Benson), who in real life has never been married, to a Lisa or non-Lisa. correct
4. What's the most conductive metal, though copper is more commonly used in wiring for economic reasons? Silver conducts 8% better than copper, but also costs five times as much, which tends to discourage electricians. Not gold, not platinum. Nice job, Pamela
5. What iconic structure was renamed the "Willis Tower" on July 16, 2009? America's tallest skyscraper, the once-mighty Sears Tower, is now named for the Willis Group, the UK insurance broker now based there. Whatchu talkin' about, Willis Group? Isn't this why we fought the Revolutionary War? correct
6. "Reflections: The Definitive Performances 1964-1969" is a greatest hits DVD of what musical group? The DVD was named for "Reflections", a #2 single for Diana Ross and the Supremes. wrong Motown group
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these films? A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Full Metal Jacket, Jesus of Nazareth, Meet Dave, Nosferatu, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, The Silence of the Lambs, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? All feature a performance by an actor who never blinks--or at least tries his damnedest not to. Whether it's a vampire, a robot, a serial killer, or the Son of God, nothing makes for a riveting performance like an actor who refuses to blink! See also: Steve Forbes' 1996 presidential campaign. I don't understand this answer. Robot, ok. But vampires? Why don't they blink? Why doesn't Jesus blink? Don't Clarice and Hannibal blink?
1. Who might wear an alb, a surplice, and/or a chasuble? I don't know what a surplice or chasuble are, but cruciverbalists know that an alb is "priestly wear."
2. What was the first word in the titles of both the show that gave CBS its highest rated sitcom broadcast of 2005 AND the show that gave UPN its highest-rated sitcom broadcast of 2005? UPN had/has sitcoms? Who knew! I can't think of a UPN show that begins with Two (for the show with Charlie Sheen) so I'll say "Everyone." Everyone Loves Raymond and Everyone Hates Chris.
3. What historical practice took place along the so-called "Middle Passage"? isn't this the term for the slave ships that went from Africa to the US
4. The famous "gum trees" of Australia are actually what genus of tree? famous? what makes them famous? Have they ever starred in their own tv show? Had a #1 hit? KJ uses this type of adjective often to make the answers seem more mainstream, but often they are not. Is chicle a genus? But the question says gum trees of Australia. In Australia, I think of eucalyptus trees, banyon trees.
5. What hit musical is named after a product whose brand name, in the show, is "Ultra Clutch"? Brand name. Hmm. Could this be the show that is playing in LA now - Spamalot.
6. What country's largest islands are found in its Galapagos and Guayaquil provinces? Ecuador
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts, listed in this order? King Crimson, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Gang of Four, R.E.M., Joni Mitchell, Matt Bianco, Stone Temple Pilots. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Purple. Each recorded the album with a title corresponding to its place in the order given. This came easily after seeing that STP had an album called Purple. I already knew Blue and Green.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. "Jibbitz" fit into the holes in what once-faddish fashion item? Jibbitz are the holes in the toes of "Crocs," those once-ubiquitous foam clogs that no one over nine years old really wears anymore. correct
2. Who is the only woman on The Sporting News' recent list of the fifty greatest coaches in sports history? Pat Summitt of the Tennessee Lady Vols, who has more wins than any other coach in collegiate basketball history, man, woman, or other. correct
3. What actor played the husband of a woman named "Lisa" on his last three TV series: Sports Night, Six Feet Under, and Dirty Sexy Money? Peter Krause (that's KROW-zuh, not one syllable like the character on Benson), who in real life has never been married, to a Lisa or non-Lisa. correct
4. What's the most conductive metal, though copper is more commonly used in wiring for economic reasons? Silver conducts 8% better than copper, but also costs five times as much, which tends to discourage electricians. Not gold, not platinum. Nice job, Pamela
5. What iconic structure was renamed the "Willis Tower" on July 16, 2009? America's tallest skyscraper, the once-mighty Sears Tower, is now named for the Willis Group, the UK insurance broker now based there. Whatchu talkin' about, Willis Group? Isn't this why we fought the Revolutionary War? correct
6. "Reflections: The Definitive Performances 1964-1969" is a greatest hits DVD of what musical group? The DVD was named for "Reflections", a #2 single for Diana Ross and the Supremes. wrong Motown group
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these films? A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Full Metal Jacket, Jesus of Nazareth, Meet Dave, Nosferatu, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, The Silence of the Lambs, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? All feature a performance by an actor who never blinks--or at least tries his damnedest not to. Whether it's a vampire, a robot, a serial killer, or the Son of God, nothing makes for a riveting performance like an actor who refuses to blink! See also: Steve Forbes' 1996 presidential campaign. I don't understand this answer. Robot, ok. But vampires? Why don't they blink? Why doesn't Jesus blink? Don't Clarice and Hannibal blink?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - August 18
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. "Jibbitz" fit into the holes in what once-faddish fashion item? holes --> Crocs
2. Who is the only woman on The Sporting News' recent list of the fifty greatest coaches in sports history? Pat Head Summitt, women's b'ball coach at Tennessee
3. What actor played the husband of a woman named "Lisa" on his last three TV series: Sports Night, Six Feet Under, and Dirty Sexy Money? I did not recall that he was married in Sports Night, but it has to be Peter Krause. He starred in all three series.
4. What's the most conductive metal, though copper is more commonly used in wiring for economic reasons? We had this recently at O'Briens. I think it is gold.
5. What iconic structure was renamed the "Willis Tower" on July 16, 2009? I think we had this at O'Briens too. The Sears Tower.
6. "Reflections: The Definitive Performances 1964-1969" is a greatest hits DVD of what musical group? I would not expect this to be the Beatles. They stopped performing publicly long before 1969. Given that KJ likes to ask topical questions, it could be the Jackson 5.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these films? A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Full Metal Jacket, Jesus of Nazareth, Meet Dave, Nosferatu, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, The Silence of the Lambs, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? research needed
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Crab and the Horsehead are famous examples of what kind of astronomical feature? They're nebulas. Or is it nebulae? Anyway, the only nebula I know is the one at the end of The Wrath of Khan, so we're way out of my league here. correct
2. The new film Tony Manero is about a Chilean man who idolizes the main character of what 1970s movie classic? Tony Manero is the Travolta character in Saturday Night Fever. "I work a long time on my hair, and you hit it!" correct
3. Where would you see a thimble, a hat, a dog, a wheelbarrow, and a battleship that are all about the same size? Those are some of the pieces on a Monopoly board. Battleship got its own game...why not Wheelbarrow or Thimble? correct
4. In the 1840 "retour des cendres," what object was returned to Paris from the Atlantic island of St. Helena? "Retour des cendres" means "return of the ashes," in this case the remains of Napoleon Bonaparte. I assume the Little Corporal was even littler at this point. correct
5. What pre-1957 name for an African nation is shared by the second largest city in Queensland, Australia? Ghana was once called the Gold Coast, which is still the name of the popular Australian tourist destination. Gold Coast is the name of a city? I thought it was the name of a region.
6. In Greek myth, who led the quest to find the wool of the winged ram Chrysomallos? That wool is better known as the Golden Fleece, so the answer is Jason, who planned to knit the world's most FABULOUS sweater once he found it. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? Hill Street Blues, Hunter, In the Heat of the Night, Julia, Little House on the Prairie, My Two Dads, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Webster. All these shows featured former NFL players in the cast. Some of them were better actors than football players (Ed Marinaro, Carl Weathers); others...not so much. The less said about Merlin Olsen's acting range, the better. correct. Yay! I got a Q7
1. "Jibbitz" fit into the holes in what once-faddish fashion item? holes --> Crocs
2. Who is the only woman on The Sporting News' recent list of the fifty greatest coaches in sports history? Pat Head Summitt, women's b'ball coach at Tennessee
3. What actor played the husband of a woman named "Lisa" on his last three TV series: Sports Night, Six Feet Under, and Dirty Sexy Money? I did not recall that he was married in Sports Night, but it has to be Peter Krause. He starred in all three series.
4. What's the most conductive metal, though copper is more commonly used in wiring for economic reasons? We had this recently at O'Briens. I think it is gold.
5. What iconic structure was renamed the "Willis Tower" on July 16, 2009? I think we had this at O'Briens too. The Sears Tower.
6. "Reflections: The Definitive Performances 1964-1969" is a greatest hits DVD of what musical group? I would not expect this to be the Beatles. They stopped performing publicly long before 1969. Given that KJ likes to ask topical questions, it could be the Jackson 5.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these films? A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, Full Metal Jacket, Jesus of Nazareth, Meet Dave, Nosferatu, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, The Silence of the Lambs, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? research needed
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Crab and the Horsehead are famous examples of what kind of astronomical feature? They're nebulas. Or is it nebulae? Anyway, the only nebula I know is the one at the end of The Wrath of Khan, so we're way out of my league here. correct
2. The new film Tony Manero is about a Chilean man who idolizes the main character of what 1970s movie classic? Tony Manero is the Travolta character in Saturday Night Fever. "I work a long time on my hair, and you hit it!" correct
3. Where would you see a thimble, a hat, a dog, a wheelbarrow, and a battleship that are all about the same size? Those are some of the pieces on a Monopoly board. Battleship got its own game...why not Wheelbarrow or Thimble? correct
4. In the 1840 "retour des cendres," what object was returned to Paris from the Atlantic island of St. Helena? "Retour des cendres" means "return of the ashes," in this case the remains of Napoleon Bonaparte. I assume the Little Corporal was even littler at this point. correct
5. What pre-1957 name for an African nation is shared by the second largest city in Queensland, Australia? Ghana was once called the Gold Coast, which is still the name of the popular Australian tourist destination. Gold Coast is the name of a city? I thought it was the name of a region.
6. In Greek myth, who led the quest to find the wool of the winged ram Chrysomallos? That wool is better known as the Golden Fleece, so the answer is Jason, who planned to knit the world's most FABULOUS sweater once he found it. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? Hill Street Blues, Hunter, In the Heat of the Night, Julia, Little House on the Prairie, My Two Dads, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Webster. All these shows featured former NFL players in the cast. Some of them were better actors than football players (Ed Marinaro, Carl Weathers); others...not so much. The less said about Merlin Olsen's acting range, the better. correct. Yay! I got a Q7
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - August 11
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The Crab and the Horsehead are famous examples of what kind of astronomical feature? nebula
2. The new film Tony Manero is about a Chilean man who idolizes the main character of what 1970s movie classic? Saturday Night Fever. I am assuming the Tony Manero stance as I write this.
3. Where would you see a thimble, a hat, a dog, a wheelbarrow, and a battleship that are all about the same size? are those the tokens used in a game of Monopoly
4. In the 1840 "retour des cendres," what object was returned to Paris from the Atlantic island of St. Helena? St. Helena --> Napoleon. Napoleon's body or some part of his body
5. What pre-1957 name for an African nation is shared by the second largest city in Queensland, Australia? I think Queensland is the east/northeast coast of Australia. Brisbane is the biggest city. Second biggest? No idea. Tanganyika? Zanzibar?
6. In Greek myth, who led the quest to find the wool of the winged ram Chrysomallos? Jason was on a quest for the golden fleece
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? Hill Street Blues, Hunter, In the Heat of the Night, Julia, Little House on the Prairie, My Two Dads, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Webster. I can see one thread - former athletes turned actor. Michael Warren, Merlin Olsen, Alex Karras, Fred Dryer. Wikipedia helped me with the rest. Carl Weathers played football briefly for the Raiders and was in In The Heat of the Night. Fred Williamson was in Julia. Dick Butkus was on My Two Dads. Bob Golic was on Saved By The Bell.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who was the only one of the Spice Girls to be named for an actual spice? Posh, Scary, Sporty, and Baby are four spices that have never been in my kitchen. But Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell qualifies. as much as I like gingerbread, I should have thought of this
2. What famed European and Nobel laureate spent the last forty years of his life in the city of Lambarene, Gabon? Albert Schweitzer's namesake clinic still sees patients and performs malaria research in this small Gabonese city. correct
3. What is the (innocuous) f-word referred to in the title of Gordon Ramsay's hit TV series The F Word? Ramsay is a (famously profane) TV chef; the f-word is "food." correct
4. What are the only two U.S. states never to have a battleship named after them? The navy hasn't commissioned a battleship since World War II, so obviously Alaska and Hawaii (states only since 1959) missed the party. correct
5. Harold Schonberg's classic book The Lives of the Great Composers includes chapters on two different classical composers with what same last name? Richard and Johann Strauss (no relation). why isn't PDQ Bach deserving of a chapter in The Lives of the Great Composers?
6. What director's first movie was the independent 1968 short film Amblin'? Amblin Entertainment, with a bicycle-across-the-moon logo that still makes Neil Diamond a little bit weepy, is the production company of Steven Spielberg, who named it after his first commercially released film. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these teams in the four major North American professional sports, and (as far as I can tell) no others? The Buffalo Sabres, the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Rockets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs? Each of these teams is currently coached (or "managed," baseball fans) by someone who used to play for the team as well. Yeah, this was pretty hard, but I thought there were a few high-profile ex-players here, like Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox and Lindy Ruff of the Sabres, that might make this gettable. Not one of the areas that I researched. I thought it might be history in a playoff series (since no NFL teams). Or a player with a unique name. Lindy Ruff and Ozzie Guillen are high profile ex-players? Wayne Gretzky would be high profile.
1. The Crab and the Horsehead are famous examples of what kind of astronomical feature? nebula
2. The new film Tony Manero is about a Chilean man who idolizes the main character of what 1970s movie classic? Saturday Night Fever. I am assuming the Tony Manero stance as I write this.
3. Where would you see a thimble, a hat, a dog, a wheelbarrow, and a battleship that are all about the same size? are those the tokens used in a game of Monopoly
4. In the 1840 "retour des cendres," what object was returned to Paris from the Atlantic island of St. Helena? St. Helena --> Napoleon. Napoleon's body or some part of his body
5. What pre-1957 name for an African nation is shared by the second largest city in Queensland, Australia? I think Queensland is the east/northeast coast of Australia. Brisbane is the biggest city. Second biggest? No idea. Tanganyika? Zanzibar?
6. In Greek myth, who led the quest to find the wool of the winged ram Chrysomallos? Jason was on a quest for the golden fleece
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? Hill Street Blues, Hunter, In the Heat of the Night, Julia, Little House on the Prairie, My Two Dads, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Webster. I can see one thread - former athletes turned actor. Michael Warren, Merlin Olsen, Alex Karras, Fred Dryer. Wikipedia helped me with the rest. Carl Weathers played football briefly for the Raiders and was in In The Heat of the Night. Fred Williamson was in Julia. Dick Butkus was on My Two Dads. Bob Golic was on Saved By The Bell.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who was the only one of the Spice Girls to be named for an actual spice? Posh, Scary, Sporty, and Baby are four spices that have never been in my kitchen. But Geri "Ginger Spice" Halliwell qualifies. as much as I like gingerbread, I should have thought of this
2. What famed European and Nobel laureate spent the last forty years of his life in the city of Lambarene, Gabon? Albert Schweitzer's namesake clinic still sees patients and performs malaria research in this small Gabonese city. correct
3. What is the (innocuous) f-word referred to in the title of Gordon Ramsay's hit TV series The F Word? Ramsay is a (famously profane) TV chef; the f-word is "food." correct
4. What are the only two U.S. states never to have a battleship named after them? The navy hasn't commissioned a battleship since World War II, so obviously Alaska and Hawaii (states only since 1959) missed the party. correct
5. Harold Schonberg's classic book The Lives of the Great Composers includes chapters on two different classical composers with what same last name? Richard and Johann Strauss (no relation). why isn't PDQ Bach deserving of a chapter in The Lives of the Great Composers?
6. What director's first movie was the independent 1968 short film Amblin'? Amblin Entertainment, with a bicycle-across-the-moon logo that still makes Neil Diamond a little bit weepy, is the production company of Steven Spielberg, who named it after his first commercially released film. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these teams in the four major North American professional sports, and (as far as I can tell) no others? The Buffalo Sabres, the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Rockets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs? Each of these teams is currently coached (or "managed," baseball fans) by someone who used to play for the team as well. Yeah, this was pretty hard, but I thought there were a few high-profile ex-players here, like Ozzie Guillen of the White Sox and Lindy Ruff of the Sabres, that might make this gettable. Not one of the areas that I researched. I thought it might be history in a playoff series (since no NFL teams). Or a player with a unique name. Lindy Ruff and Ozzie Guillen are high profile ex-players? Wayne Gretzky would be high profile.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - August 4
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Who was the only one of the Spice Girls to be named for an actual spice? Another one of those questions that might be asked at the Quiz where I hand the paper to someone else. Not an area that gets any attention from me. I recall Posh and Scary. Was there a Nutmeg, Clove, Mace Spice? Cumin, Oregano, Basil? How about Cinnamon Spice
2. What famed European and Nobel laureate spent the last forty years of his life in the city of Lambarene, Gabon? Albert Schweitzer
3. What is the (innocuous) f-word referred to in the title of Gordon Ramsay's hit TV series The F Word? could this be as simple as "food"
4. What are the only two U.S. states never to have a battleship named after them? now this is trivia. I have no idea but I will take a guess - Alaska and Hawaii.
5. Harold Schonberg's classic book The Lives of the Great Composers includes chapters on two different classical composers with what same last name? another guess - Bach
6. What director's first movie was the independent 1968 short film Amblin'? I believe that the logo for Amblin Entertainment is a kid riding a bike with ET. Steven Spielberg
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these teams in the four major North American professional sports, and (as far as I can tell) no others? The Buffalo Sabres, the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Rockets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs? this one is going to take some research
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. All but one of the six U.S. coins in circulation are primarily made of what metal? Ironically, the penny is now the only U.S. coin *not* mostly made of copper. (It's almost entirely zinc.) I would have thought that the mint was using a cheaper metal.
2. "Pon Farr," "Red Shirt," and "Tiberius" are the first in a new line of fragrances inspired by what? Finally, Star Trek perfume. I thought the "Eugenics Wars" of the late 1990s were going to wipe out the wimpier edge of humanity...and now we're helping them smell better so they can reproduce? What would Khan say? (WWKS?) correct
3. What kind of animal shares title billing in an ancient fable with Androcles? Androcles is the guy who pulled the thorn out of the lion's foot, thus teaching antiquity an important lesson: if you are going to be thrown to lions, try to arrange to be thrown to the one who will remember an earlier chance meeting and random act of kindness! So many lives have been saved by following this great advice. correct
4. Who died in April 1947 at his sprawling estate of Fair Lane? Ford Motor Company named its Fairlane cars (and therefore a TOTALLY CLASSIC Andrew Dice Clay film) after its founder, Henry Ford's, Dearborn estate. correct
5. What is surrounded by the Ross, Weddell, Bellingshausen, and Davis Seas? Antarctica. Also the Amundsen Sea, but that seemed a little easy. correct
6. What word did M. Night Shyamalan drop from the title of his next movie to avoid confusion with James Cameron's next movie? The Cameron movie is called Avatar. The Shyamalan movie is an adaptation of the Avatar TV show, but it WON'T be called Avatar. Confused yet? correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical artists? The Beatles, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, No Doubt, OutKast, Paul and Paula, Pink Floyd, Plain White T's, Hank Williams. I hoped this would be a fizzy, refreshing rest for your overheated brain during the dog days of summer: these were all bands with "Hey" hits ("Hey Jude," "Hey Joe," "Hey Baby," etc.) But don't get cocky. This week's Question Seven is a real piece of work. correct
1. Who was the only one of the Spice Girls to be named for an actual spice? Another one of those questions that might be asked at the Quiz where I hand the paper to someone else. Not an area that gets any attention from me. I recall Posh and Scary. Was there a Nutmeg, Clove, Mace Spice? Cumin, Oregano, Basil? How about Cinnamon Spice
2. What famed European and Nobel laureate spent the last forty years of his life in the city of Lambarene, Gabon? Albert Schweitzer
3. What is the (innocuous) f-word referred to in the title of Gordon Ramsay's hit TV series The F Word? could this be as simple as "food"
4. What are the only two U.S. states never to have a battleship named after them? now this is trivia. I have no idea but I will take a guess - Alaska and Hawaii.
5. Harold Schonberg's classic book The Lives of the Great Composers includes chapters on two different classical composers with what same last name? another guess - Bach
6. What director's first movie was the independent 1968 short film Amblin'? I believe that the logo for Amblin Entertainment is a kid riding a bike with ET. Steven Spielberg
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these teams in the four major North American professional sports, and (as far as I can tell) no others? The Buffalo Sabres, the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Rockets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Yankees, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs? this one is going to take some research
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. All but one of the six U.S. coins in circulation are primarily made of what metal? Ironically, the penny is now the only U.S. coin *not* mostly made of copper. (It's almost entirely zinc.) I would have thought that the mint was using a cheaper metal.
2. "Pon Farr," "Red Shirt," and "Tiberius" are the first in a new line of fragrances inspired by what? Finally, Star Trek perfume. I thought the "Eugenics Wars" of the late 1990s were going to wipe out the wimpier edge of humanity...and now we're helping them smell better so they can reproduce? What would Khan say? (WWKS?) correct
3. What kind of animal shares title billing in an ancient fable with Androcles? Androcles is the guy who pulled the thorn out of the lion's foot, thus teaching antiquity an important lesson: if you are going to be thrown to lions, try to arrange to be thrown to the one who will remember an earlier chance meeting and random act of kindness! So many lives have been saved by following this great advice. correct
4. Who died in April 1947 at his sprawling estate of Fair Lane? Ford Motor Company named its Fairlane cars (and therefore a TOTALLY CLASSIC Andrew Dice Clay film) after its founder, Henry Ford's, Dearborn estate. correct
5. What is surrounded by the Ross, Weddell, Bellingshausen, and Davis Seas? Antarctica. Also the Amundsen Sea, but that seemed a little easy. correct
6. What word did M. Night Shyamalan drop from the title of his next movie to avoid confusion with James Cameron's next movie? The Cameron movie is called Avatar. The Shyamalan movie is an adaptation of the Avatar TV show, but it WON'T be called Avatar. Confused yet? correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical artists? The Beatles, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, No Doubt, OutKast, Paul and Paula, Pink Floyd, Plain White T's, Hank Williams. I hoped this would be a fizzy, refreshing rest for your overheated brain during the dog days of summer: these were all bands with "Hey" hits ("Hey Jude," "Hey Joe," "Hey Baby," etc.) But don't get cocky. This week's Question Seven is a real piece of work. correct
