Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - December 29
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. In a nod to his middle name, what American general was affectionately nicknamed "Cump" by his men? Guess I need to watch more History Channel to keep up with KJ. Cump. Cumpston? Was this the middle name for Patton?
2. The Billboard Catalog Chart ranks the sale of albums that aren't new releases. During 2009, what two acts each had an unprecedented nine of the top ten albums on a weekly chart? The Beatles and Michael Jackson
3. Who is now the only man currently hosting one of the three major U.S. network prime time newscasts? Brian Williams on NBC
4. What Persian poet is best known for a thousand "ruba'i" stanzas he wrote around 1100 AD? Omar Khay'yam. It was his rubiyat.
5. Seventeen of the twenty most attended sports or entertainment events in the world are held by what organization? The IOC does not sponsor enough events to seem like a reasonable answer. I would say FIFA. But NCAA football games draw huge crowds too. Still, I understand that soccer stadiums in South America are even bigger than Michigan Stadium. What about the entertainment part of the question? The U2 concert at the Rose Bowl for example was epic in size. But it was not put on by a specific organization.
6. What part of the body can be replaced using gingival grafts? gingivitis is a gum disease. Gum grafts?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. states, and no others? Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Virginia? I have looked at a lot of different angles but nothing is catching so far. I wonder if it is some detailed item like none have a county or city named Lincoln. Inclusion of Alaska and Hawaii has me leaning that way.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. How many ghosts visit Ebenezer Scrooge during his fateful night in Dickens' A Christmas Carol? I guess I was sneakily hoping you would forget Marley's ghost and say three. Nope, four in total. Marley counts. correct
2. Which of Santa's eight reindeer shares his name with two failed TV sitcoms? Remember "Cupid"? With Jeremy Piven, and then, uh, that Cuban-Italian guy from Third Watch? Yeah, me neither. correct
3. What city, and future industrial center, did Moravian settlers found on the banks of the Lehigh River on Christmas Eve, 1741? That's how Bethlehem, PA got its name. I'm not sure if the rock band Nazareth formed on Christmas Eve as well, but I sure hope so. correct
4. What has a Nun, a Gimel, a Hei, and a Shin on its four sides? A dreidel, or possibly someone dressed like a dreidel, or a giant dreidel balloon in some alternate universe where all the Macy's parade balloons are Hanukkah-themed. correct
5. What Christmas carol is used to ironic effect in the Simon and Garfunkel song "7 O'Clock News"? The song is actually called "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night." Not exactly SUBTLE political satire, but, hey, it was a simpler time. correct
6. According to the New Testament, which of the substances brought by the Magi to the infant Jesus was also present at Jesus' crucifixion and burial? There was no gold and frankincense on hand, but myrrh, whatever myrrh is, was anciently used to anoint dead bodies. As usual, I guessed wrong between two alternatives.
7. What more specific distinction is shared by these holiday-set favorites? All That Heaven Allows, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Story, Christmas with the Kranks, Lethal Weapon, Surviving Christmas, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, When Harry Met Sally. All these Christmas classics have a scene where someone buys a Christmas tree. Yep, even Mel Gibson tries to buy a tree at that crooked tree lot before he busts that drug dude in the first Lethal Weapon. yuk. A stinker of a Q7.
1. In a nod to his middle name, what American general was affectionately nicknamed "Cump" by his men? Guess I need to watch more History Channel to keep up with KJ. Cump. Cumpston? Was this the middle name for Patton?
2. The Billboard Catalog Chart ranks the sale of albums that aren't new releases. During 2009, what two acts each had an unprecedented nine of the top ten albums on a weekly chart? The Beatles and Michael Jackson
3. Who is now the only man currently hosting one of the three major U.S. network prime time newscasts? Brian Williams on NBC
4. What Persian poet is best known for a thousand "ruba'i" stanzas he wrote around 1100 AD? Omar Khay'yam. It was his rubiyat.
5. Seventeen of the twenty most attended sports or entertainment events in the world are held by what organization? The IOC does not sponsor enough events to seem like a reasonable answer. I would say FIFA. But NCAA football games draw huge crowds too. Still, I understand that soccer stadiums in South America are even bigger than Michigan Stadium. What about the entertainment part of the question? The U2 concert at the Rose Bowl for example was epic in size. But it was not put on by a specific organization.
6. What part of the body can be replaced using gingival grafts? gingivitis is a gum disease. Gum grafts?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. states, and no others? Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Virginia? I have looked at a lot of different angles but nothing is catching so far. I wonder if it is some detailed item like none have a county or city named Lincoln. Inclusion of Alaska and Hawaii has me leaning that way.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. How many ghosts visit Ebenezer Scrooge during his fateful night in Dickens' A Christmas Carol? I guess I was sneakily hoping you would forget Marley's ghost and say three. Nope, four in total. Marley counts. correct
2. Which of Santa's eight reindeer shares his name with two failed TV sitcoms? Remember "Cupid"? With Jeremy Piven, and then, uh, that Cuban-Italian guy from Third Watch? Yeah, me neither. correct
3. What city, and future industrial center, did Moravian settlers found on the banks of the Lehigh River on Christmas Eve, 1741? That's how Bethlehem, PA got its name. I'm not sure if the rock band Nazareth formed on Christmas Eve as well, but I sure hope so. correct
4. What has a Nun, a Gimel, a Hei, and a Shin on its four sides? A dreidel, or possibly someone dressed like a dreidel, or a giant dreidel balloon in some alternate universe where all the Macy's parade balloons are Hanukkah-themed. correct
5. What Christmas carol is used to ironic effect in the Simon and Garfunkel song "7 O'Clock News"? The song is actually called "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night." Not exactly SUBTLE political satire, but, hey, it was a simpler time. correct
6. According to the New Testament, which of the substances brought by the Magi to the infant Jesus was also present at Jesus' crucifixion and burial? There was no gold and frankincense on hand, but myrrh, whatever myrrh is, was anciently used to anoint dead bodies. As usual, I guessed wrong between two alternatives.
7. What more specific distinction is shared by these holiday-set favorites? All That Heaven Allows, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Story, Christmas with the Kranks, Lethal Weapon, Surviving Christmas, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, When Harry Met Sally. All these Christmas classics have a scene where someone buys a Christmas tree. Yep, even Mel Gibson tries to buy a tree at that crooked tree lot before he busts that drug dude in the first Lethal Weapon. yuk. A stinker of a Q7.
