Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 23
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Name either of the two airlines that flew the Concorde from 1976 to 2003. British Airways. I believe Air France was the other.
2. What dot-com once operated an indie film distribution company called Red Envelope Entertainment? Red Envelope makes me think of NetFlix. However I do not think of NetFlix as a dot-com.
3. What do you add to rum to make a Cuba Libre? a ticket to America and a green card. Thank you! I'll be here all week. Hmm. I think it is sugar and something tart like lime juice.
4. What former senator and Secretary of War was officially made a U.S. citizen on October 17, 1978? would that be a US or foreign senator and Secretary of War? Was this done posthumously?
5. Inspired by the story in John 20:24-29, Caravaggio painted a 1602 masterpiece called "The Incredulity of" what figure? I like this question even if I don't know the answer. It would be knowable to Biblical scholars and (I hope) guessable by the rest of us. I wonder if this is "The Incredulity of Doubting Thomas."
6. What animal appears on both sides of the letter 'Q' in the band Queen's logo crest, representing John Deacon and Roger Taylor's astrological sign? Lions. Must be Leos.
7. What unusual distinction is represented by this list of countries, in this order? Luxembourg, Turkmenistan, Vatican City, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Malta, Iraq, Syria. I thought this might have something to do with Olympics, but I am quite sure that the Vatican does not have a team. Some old countries there which makes me think of something historical.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Painted Lady, Blue Morpho, and Mallow Skipper at all types of what? They're all butterflies. Well bust my buttons.
2. Who famously spent every Oscar night playing clarinet with the New Orleans Marching and Funeral Band at Michael's Pub? For many years, this gig was Woody Allen's excuse for skipping the Oscars. correct
3. The family on the TV show Party of Five was named for what author? R.I.P. J. D. Salinger.
4. What's the only bird represented in the Chinese zodiac? I think "rooster" is the polite way to say this. correct. My placemat at the Chinese place where I had lunch yesterday displayed the Chinese zodiac and said "c*ck."
5. Which Major League Baseball team is named for a law enforcement agency created in 1835? The Texas Rangers are 137 years younger than their cattle-rustler-ropin' namesakes. correct
6. Whose 1948 death was announced with this radio broadcast: "'Bapu,' as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more"? "Bapu" was Mahatma Gandhi's nickname in his native India. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Boogie Down Productions, Fairport Convention, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Motorhead, Juice Newton, Stacey Q, The Steve Miller Band, Styx. All are known for songs named for playing cards. For completists: "Jack of Spades," "Jack o'Diamonds," "Queen of Clubs," "Ace of Spades," "Queen of Hearts," "Two of Hearts," "The Joker," and "Queen of Spades." first Q7 I have answered correctly in quite a while.
1. Name either of the two airlines that flew the Concorde from 1976 to 2003. British Airways. I believe Air France was the other.
2. What dot-com once operated an indie film distribution company called Red Envelope Entertainment? Red Envelope makes me think of NetFlix. However I do not think of NetFlix as a dot-com.
3. What do you add to rum to make a Cuba Libre? a ticket to America and a green card. Thank you! I'll be here all week. Hmm. I think it is sugar and something tart like lime juice.
4. What former senator and Secretary of War was officially made a U.S. citizen on October 17, 1978? would that be a US or foreign senator and Secretary of War? Was this done posthumously?
5. Inspired by the story in John 20:24-29, Caravaggio painted a 1602 masterpiece called "The Incredulity of" what figure? I like this question even if I don't know the answer. It would be knowable to Biblical scholars and (I hope) guessable by the rest of us. I wonder if this is "The Incredulity of Doubting Thomas."
6. What animal appears on both sides of the letter 'Q' in the band Queen's logo crest, representing John Deacon and Roger Taylor's astrological sign? Lions. Must be Leos.
7. What unusual distinction is represented by this list of countries, in this order? Luxembourg, Turkmenistan, Vatican City, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Malta, Iraq, Syria. I thought this might have something to do with Olympics, but I am quite sure that the Vatican does not have a team. Some old countries there which makes me think of something historical.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Painted Lady, Blue Morpho, and Mallow Skipper at all types of what? They're all butterflies. Well bust my buttons.
2. Who famously spent every Oscar night playing clarinet with the New Orleans Marching and Funeral Band at Michael's Pub? For many years, this gig was Woody Allen's excuse for skipping the Oscars. correct
3. The family on the TV show Party of Five was named for what author? R.I.P. J. D. Salinger.
4. What's the only bird represented in the Chinese zodiac? I think "rooster" is the polite way to say this. correct. My placemat at the Chinese place where I had lunch yesterday displayed the Chinese zodiac and said "c*ck."
5. Which Major League Baseball team is named for a law enforcement agency created in 1835? The Texas Rangers are 137 years younger than their cattle-rustler-ropin' namesakes. correct
6. Whose 1948 death was announced with this radio broadcast: "'Bapu,' as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more"? "Bapu" was Mahatma Gandhi's nickname in his native India. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Boogie Down Productions, Fairport Convention, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Motorhead, Juice Newton, Stacey Q, The Steve Miller Band, Styx. All are known for songs named for playing cards. For completists: "Jack of Spades," "Jack o'Diamonds," "Queen of Clubs," "Ace of Spades," "Queen of Hearts," "Two of Hearts," "The Joker," and "Queen of Spades." first Q7 I have answered correctly in quite a while.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Josephine and Ernest
A bit late for Valentine's Day, but here is a song of a perfectly matched couple by Dan Bern, a songwriter with a twisted and keen sense of humor. At least, it is a sense of humor that aligns with mine. A day isn't complete without a good laugh!
Josephine and Ernest
Josephine and Ernest
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 16
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The Painted Lady, Blue Morpho, and Mallow Skipper at all types of what? never heard of Blue Morpho or Mallow Skipper. The Painted Lady sounds like a carnival side show act. Mallow Skipper sounds like something nautical however. And they are all capitalized as proper nouns.
2. Who famously spent every Oscar night playing clarinet with the New Orleans Marching and Funeral Band at Michael's Pub? Woody Allen.
3. The family on the TV show Party of Five was named for what author? The only reason I have heard of this show is because Matthew Fox from Lost was on it. But I don't know anything about Party of Five. Probably not Shakespeare or Steinbeck. I will guess Dickens.
4. What's the only bird represented in the Chinese zodiac? emu, falcon, eagle, phoenix, seagull, robin, pelican, albatross, flamingo (The Year of the Flamingo), scissortail flycatcher. None of these seem right. What am I missing? Seems like it should be a water bird. Is there a crane in the zodiac? ---> Usually I am slow and inaccurate. But I think I just got it. Rooster.
5. Which Major League Baseball team is named for a law enforcement agency created in 1835? Texas Rangers. Saddle up!
6. Whose 1948 death was announced with this radio broadcast: "'Bapu,' as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more"? Mahatma Ghandi
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Boogie Down Productions, Fairport Convention, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Motorhead, Juice Newton, Stacey Q, The Steve Miller Band, Styx. Thanks to Stacey Q and Juice Newton, I think I have it. They all released songs with a title of a playing card - Jack of Spades, ?, Queen of Clubs, Ace of Spades, Queen of Hearts, Two of Hearts, The Joker (nice), Queen of Spades
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What's the only non-broadcast-network TV series ever to win an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series? HBO's Sex and the City won in 2001. Strangely, the eviscerated TBS rerun version of the series has yet to win any Emmys. The Larry Sanders Show was the first cable TV series to be nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. But it did not win.
2. The legendary predator called the "chupacabras" is named for its propensity to attack what kind of animal? "Chupacabras" is Spanish for "goat-sucker," since goat is reputedly the blood of choice for the non-existent beast. (I was hoping non-Spanish-speakers might remember words like "caprine" or "Capricorn" here.) I think some credit is due for sheep despite the provenance of the name. According to reports, chupacabras have killed lots and lots of sheep and relatively few goats.
3. Deuterium and tritium are isotopes of what element? These radioactive substances are forms of hydrogen. I am a science moron.
4. In what two neighboring U.S. states does the largest city have a name of the form "_____ City"? Oklahoma City and Kansas City are the cities involved: the states are Oklahoma and...not Kansas, but Missouri. correct
5. What part of the world was settled by Dutch farmers called "Boers"? Southern Africa, and their clashes with the British led to the Boer Wars of the last years of the 19th century. correct
6. In 2003, Cheerios created a limited-edition cereal brand called "43's" in honor of what retired sports legend? "Number 43" is NASCAR legend Richard Petty. Nah, I've never heard of him either. Our blue-state Cheerios were "Noam-O's," in honor of Noam Chomsky, that year. Did I actually say Earnhart? I know he is 3 while The King is 43. My mind must have been taken over by a chupacabra or affected by a flash sideways or something.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Alice in Wonderland (1951), Cabin in the Sky, Click, The Devil's Advocate, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Robot Monster, The Wizard of Oz, The Woman in the Window. Is there a worse movie cop-out than "It was all a dream?" Well, let me save you two hours of watching Click: these are all movies that never happened, because IT WAS ALL A DREAM! Good job, Kmac.
1. The Painted Lady, Blue Morpho, and Mallow Skipper at all types of what? never heard of Blue Morpho or Mallow Skipper. The Painted Lady sounds like a carnival side show act. Mallow Skipper sounds like something nautical however. And they are all capitalized as proper nouns.
2. Who famously spent every Oscar night playing clarinet with the New Orleans Marching and Funeral Band at Michael's Pub? Woody Allen.
3. The family on the TV show Party of Five was named for what author? The only reason I have heard of this show is because Matthew Fox from Lost was on it. But I don't know anything about Party of Five. Probably not Shakespeare or Steinbeck. I will guess Dickens.
4. What's the only bird represented in the Chinese zodiac? emu, falcon, eagle, phoenix, seagull, robin, pelican, albatross, flamingo (The Year of the Flamingo), scissortail flycatcher. None of these seem right. What am I missing? Seems like it should be a water bird. Is there a crane in the zodiac? ---> Usually I am slow and inaccurate. But I think I just got it. Rooster.
5. Which Major League Baseball team is named for a law enforcement agency created in 1835? Texas Rangers. Saddle up!
6. Whose 1948 death was announced with this radio broadcast: "'Bapu,' as we called him, the father of the nation, is no more"? Mahatma Ghandi
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Boogie Down Productions, Fairport Convention, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Motorhead, Juice Newton, Stacey Q, The Steve Miller Band, Styx. Thanks to Stacey Q and Juice Newton, I think I have it. They all released songs with a title of a playing card - Jack of Spades, ?, Queen of Clubs, Ace of Spades, Queen of Hearts, Two of Hearts, The Joker (nice), Queen of Spades
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What's the only non-broadcast-network TV series ever to win an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series? HBO's Sex and the City won in 2001. Strangely, the eviscerated TBS rerun version of the series has yet to win any Emmys. The Larry Sanders Show was the first cable TV series to be nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. But it did not win.
2. The legendary predator called the "chupacabras" is named for its propensity to attack what kind of animal? "Chupacabras" is Spanish for "goat-sucker," since goat is reputedly the blood of choice for the non-existent beast. (I was hoping non-Spanish-speakers might remember words like "caprine" or "Capricorn" here.) I think some credit is due for sheep despite the provenance of the name. According to reports, chupacabras have killed lots and lots of sheep and relatively few goats.
3. Deuterium and tritium are isotopes of what element? These radioactive substances are forms of hydrogen. I am a science moron.
4. In what two neighboring U.S. states does the largest city have a name of the form "_____ City"? Oklahoma City and Kansas City are the cities involved: the states are Oklahoma and...not Kansas, but Missouri. correct
5. What part of the world was settled by Dutch farmers called "Boers"? Southern Africa, and their clashes with the British led to the Boer Wars of the last years of the 19th century. correct
6. In 2003, Cheerios created a limited-edition cereal brand called "43's" in honor of what retired sports legend? "Number 43" is NASCAR legend Richard Petty. Nah, I've never heard of him either. Our blue-state Cheerios were "Noam-O's," in honor of Noam Chomsky, that year. Did I actually say Earnhart? I know he is 3 while The King is 43. My mind must have been taken over by a chupacabra or affected by a flash sideways or something.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Alice in Wonderland (1951), Cabin in the Sky, Click, The Devil's Advocate, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Robot Monster, The Wizard of Oz, The Woman in the Window. Is there a worse movie cop-out than "It was all a dream?" Well, let me save you two hours of watching Click: these are all movies that never happened, because IT WAS ALL A DREAM! Good job, Kmac.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 9
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What's the only non-broadcast-network TV series ever to win an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series? I think The Larry Sanders Show won an Emmy
2. The legendary predator called the "chupacabras" is named for its propensity to attack what kind of animal? sheep
3. Deuterium and tritium are isotopes of what element? tritium has one proton and two electrons. Hence an atomic number of two - helium
4. In what two neighboring U.S. states does the largest city have a name of the form "_____ City"? first thought is MO and KS. But I don't think Kansas City, KS is the largest in the state. I think Topeka and Wichita are bigger. Sioux City, IA is not as big as Des Moines. Rapid City may be the biggest in SD, but I cannot think of an adjoining state that works. MO and OK (Kansas City and Oklahoma City)?
5. What part of the world was settled by Dutch farmers called "Boers"? South Africa
6. In 2003, Cheerios created a limited-edition cereal brand called "43's" in honor of what retired sports legend? Dale Earnhart
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Alice in Wonderland (1951), Cabin in the Sky, Click, The Devil's Advocate, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Robot Monster, The Wizard of Oz, The Woman in the Window.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. An expert in "areology" studies the minerals and landforms located where? "Ares" was the Greek analogue to Mars, the Roman god of war. Geology : Earth :: areology : Mars. correct
2. According to the song, when it's "Springtime for Hitler and Germany," it's winter for what other two countries? Winter for Poland and France! correct
3. The two longest-running African-American cast members on TV's Saturday Night Live both shared what pair of initials? Tim Meadows and Tracy Morgan are both "T.M."'s. correct
4. A recent study found that Pittsburgh, Tucson, Cincinnati, and Albuquerque are the four U.S. cities most likely to suffer what ignominious fate? Having their names misspelled. I'm sort of surprised that Pittsburgh is ahead of Cincinnati. Is it Harrisburg's fault? Pennsylvania needs better "final-h" consistency! not sure that "fate" is how one might describe a misspelling. But this is an interesting bit of trivia. I think this is the source study - http://www.epodunk.com/top10/misspelled/index.html
5. The march that Edward Elgar composed in 1901 for King Edward VII's coronation is today more closely associated with what kind of event? Elgar's famous march was the first march of "Pomp and Circumstance," now almost universally used for graduation ceremonies. We also would have accepted "Rando 'Macho Man' Savage walking toward the wrestling ring." correct
6. Birds produce lots of lots of "guano," a valuable natural resource. Name either of the two types of mammals whose droppings are also called "guano." Bat poop and seal poop are also called "guano." Apparently if you're a mammal, you have to fly or live in the ocean to make the guano cut. Bat guano is correct. But seal guano! Could be a good market opportunity there.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. presidents, and no others? Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, Buchanan, and Bush 41. These are all the presidents with diplomatic backgrounds--all were former ambassadors or overseas ministers. The 130-year gap between Buchanan and Bush (liaison to China and U.N. ambassador) is an interesting one. Will we ever again see a lifelong dull government functionary like GHWB in the White House? Maybe not, for better or for worse.
1. What's the only non-broadcast-network TV series ever to win an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series? I think The Larry Sanders Show won an Emmy
2. The legendary predator called the "chupacabras" is named for its propensity to attack what kind of animal? sheep
3. Deuterium and tritium are isotopes of what element? tritium has one proton and two electrons. Hence an atomic number of two - helium
4. In what two neighboring U.S. states does the largest city have a name of the form "_____ City"? first thought is MO and KS. But I don't think Kansas City, KS is the largest in the state. I think Topeka and Wichita are bigger. Sioux City, IA is not as big as Des Moines. Rapid City may be the biggest in SD, but I cannot think of an adjoining state that works. MO and OK (Kansas City and Oklahoma City)?
5. What part of the world was settled by Dutch farmers called "Boers"? South Africa
6. In 2003, Cheerios created a limited-edition cereal brand called "43's" in honor of what retired sports legend? Dale Earnhart
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Alice in Wonderland (1951), Cabin in the Sky, Click, The Devil's Advocate, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Robot Monster, The Wizard of Oz, The Woman in the Window.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. An expert in "areology" studies the minerals and landforms located where? "Ares" was the Greek analogue to Mars, the Roman god of war. Geology : Earth :: areology : Mars. correct
2. According to the song, when it's "Springtime for Hitler and Germany," it's winter for what other two countries? Winter for Poland and France! correct
3. The two longest-running African-American cast members on TV's Saturday Night Live both shared what pair of initials? Tim Meadows and Tracy Morgan are both "T.M."'s. correct
4. A recent study found that Pittsburgh, Tucson, Cincinnati, and Albuquerque are the four U.S. cities most likely to suffer what ignominious fate? Having their names misspelled. I'm sort of surprised that Pittsburgh is ahead of Cincinnati. Is it Harrisburg's fault? Pennsylvania needs better "final-h" consistency! not sure that "fate" is how one might describe a misspelling. But this is an interesting bit of trivia. I think this is the source study - http://www.epodunk.com/top10/misspelled/index.html
5. The march that Edward Elgar composed in 1901 for King Edward VII's coronation is today more closely associated with what kind of event? Elgar's famous march was the first march of "Pomp and Circumstance," now almost universally used for graduation ceremonies. We also would have accepted "Rando 'Macho Man' Savage walking toward the wrestling ring." correct
6. Birds produce lots of lots of "guano," a valuable natural resource. Name either of the two types of mammals whose droppings are also called "guano." Bat poop and seal poop are also called "guano." Apparently if you're a mammal, you have to fly or live in the ocean to make the guano cut. Bat guano is correct. But seal guano! Could be a good market opportunity there.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. presidents, and no others? Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, Buchanan, and Bush 41. These are all the presidents with diplomatic backgrounds--all were former ambassadors or overseas ministers. The 130-year gap between Buchanan and Bush (liaison to China and U.N. ambassador) is an interesting one. Will we ever again see a lifelong dull government functionary like GHWB in the White House? Maybe not, for better or for worse.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - February 2
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. An expert in "areology" studies the minerals and landforms located where? a guess - Mars (isn't Ares the Greek god of war just as Mars was the Roman god of war?)
2. According to the song, when it's "Springtime for Hitler and Germany," it's winter for what other two countries? Poland and France
3. The two longest-running African-American cast members on TV's Saturday Night Live both shared what pair of initials? TM - Tracy Morgan and Tim Meadows
4. A recent study found that Pittsburgh, Tucson, Cincinnati, and Albuquerque are the four U.S. cities most likely to suffer what ignominious fate? ignominious means shameful, disgraceful, dishonorable. what would be a shameful fate - go bankrupt?
5. The march that Edward Elgar composed in 1901 for King Edward VII's coronation is today more closely associated with what kind of event? graduation ceremonies
6. Birds produce lots of lots of "guano," a valuable natural resource. Name either of the two types of mammals whose droppings are also called "guano." bats, definitely. what else?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. presidents, and no others? Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, Buchanan, and Bush 41.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. "Meerschaum" and "corncob" are two popular types of what item? Pipes. One is more Sherlock Holmes, the other is more Huck Finn. Both make you look AWESOME! (Kids: don't smoke, even if it looks awesome.) correct
2. Whose last book was Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium, which became a posthumous science bestseller in 1997? Wow, Carl Sagan really embraced that whole "billlllions and billlllions" thing. Do you think he knew Carson was just making fun of him? correct
3. Who is the first Barbadian ever to win a Grammy Award? Fun fact: every single time the word "Barbadian" has ever appeared in Entertainment Weekly magazine, it's been a reference to Caribbean pop chanteuse Rihanna. I would probably do better on this quiz if I read EW. KJ seems to draw regularly from there.
4. What's the name of the official magazine of Canada's National History Society, to be renamed "Canada's History" in March because spam filters tend to block the current title? Turns out it's a lot harder than it used to be to send out bulk mail promoting a magazine called "The Beaver." Don't laugh! Someday "bald eagle" will inevitably become some kind of homoerotic sexual euphemism and then it'll be Canada's turn to snicker AT US! Jerry Mathers' royalties for DVDs of his old tv show probably also are affected.
5. In 1957, at Runnymede, Surrey, the American Bar Association erected a monument to commemorate what? That's where the Magna Carta, a milestone in our modern conception of law, was signed in 1215. No idea why the ABA wanted to commemorate the, uh, 742nd anniversary of that event, but hey, who understands lawyers? correct
6. What figure from Greek myth is the namesake of a popular Internet radio service as well as the setting of the film Avatar? Have you heard of this new movie Avatar? With giant blue people or something. Anyway, the planet is called Pandora. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these teams in the four major North American professional sports, listed in this order? Detroit Lions, Texas Rangers, New Orleans Saints, Washington Nationals, L.A. Clippers, Phoenix Coyotes, Denver Nuggets, Seattle Mariners, New Orleans Hornets, San Jose Sharks. I'm no sports expert, but this seemed like an unusually easy Question Seven, especially this past week (if you're a bandwagon Saints fan). These are the teams that have never appeared in their sport's current championship game or series, ordered by the length of that drought. In just a couple weeks, the Saints can proudly scratch themselves on this list!
(Quick note here: I just noticed that the order above might be slightly off, in that the Rangers would be ahead of the Lions if you start counting with Super Bowl I in 1967, as I had intended. The Lions are only in first if you count back to 1958, the beginning of their NFL championship drought. Or maybe I should have left them off altogether since they appeared in five NFL championship games in the pre-Super Bowl era.) Correct, but if it is supposed to be all teams/franchises that have never appeared in a championship game, there are some missing - Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, Houston Texans, (new) Cleveland Browns (among others). These are the teams that have never appeared and have been waiting the longest.
1. An expert in "areology" studies the minerals and landforms located where? a guess - Mars (isn't Ares the Greek god of war just as Mars was the Roman god of war?)
2. According to the song, when it's "Springtime for Hitler and Germany," it's winter for what other two countries? Poland and France
3. The two longest-running African-American cast members on TV's Saturday Night Live both shared what pair of initials? TM - Tracy Morgan and Tim Meadows
4. A recent study found that Pittsburgh, Tucson, Cincinnati, and Albuquerque are the four U.S. cities most likely to suffer what ignominious fate? ignominious means shameful, disgraceful, dishonorable. what would be a shameful fate - go bankrupt?
5. The march that Edward Elgar composed in 1901 for King Edward VII's coronation is today more closely associated with what kind of event? graduation ceremonies
6. Birds produce lots of lots of "guano," a valuable natural resource. Name either of the two types of mammals whose droppings are also called "guano." bats, definitely. what else?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. presidents, and no others? Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, Buchanan, and Bush 41.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. "Meerschaum" and "corncob" are two popular types of what item? Pipes. One is more Sherlock Holmes, the other is more Huck Finn. Both make you look AWESOME! (Kids: don't smoke, even if it looks awesome.) correct
2. Whose last book was Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium, which became a posthumous science bestseller in 1997? Wow, Carl Sagan really embraced that whole "billlllions and billlllions" thing. Do you think he knew Carson was just making fun of him? correct
3. Who is the first Barbadian ever to win a Grammy Award? Fun fact: every single time the word "Barbadian" has ever appeared in Entertainment Weekly magazine, it's been a reference to Caribbean pop chanteuse Rihanna. I would probably do better on this quiz if I read EW. KJ seems to draw regularly from there.
4. What's the name of the official magazine of Canada's National History Society, to be renamed "Canada's History" in March because spam filters tend to block the current title? Turns out it's a lot harder than it used to be to send out bulk mail promoting a magazine called "The Beaver." Don't laugh! Someday "bald eagle" will inevitably become some kind of homoerotic sexual euphemism and then it'll be Canada's turn to snicker AT US! Jerry Mathers' royalties for DVDs of his old tv show probably also are affected.
5. In 1957, at Runnymede, Surrey, the American Bar Association erected a monument to commemorate what? That's where the Magna Carta, a milestone in our modern conception of law, was signed in 1215. No idea why the ABA wanted to commemorate the, uh, 742nd anniversary of that event, but hey, who understands lawyers? correct
6. What figure from Greek myth is the namesake of a popular Internet radio service as well as the setting of the film Avatar? Have you heard of this new movie Avatar? With giant blue people or something. Anyway, the planet is called Pandora. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these teams in the four major North American professional sports, listed in this order? Detroit Lions, Texas Rangers, New Orleans Saints, Washington Nationals, L.A. Clippers, Phoenix Coyotes, Denver Nuggets, Seattle Mariners, New Orleans Hornets, San Jose Sharks. I'm no sports expert, but this seemed like an unusually easy Question Seven, especially this past week (if you're a bandwagon Saints fan). These are the teams that have never appeared in their sport's current championship game or series, ordered by the length of that drought. In just a couple weeks, the Saints can proudly scratch themselves on this list!
(Quick note here: I just noticed that the order above might be slightly off, in that the Rangers would be ahead of the Lions if you start counting with Super Bowl I in 1967, as I had intended. The Lions are only in first if you count back to 1958, the beginning of their NFL championship drought. Or maybe I should have left them off altogether since they appeared in five NFL championship games in the pre-Super Bowl era.) Correct, but if it is supposed to be all teams/franchises that have never appeared in a championship game, there are some missing - Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets, Houston Texans, (new) Cleveland Browns (among others). These are the teams that have never appeared and have been waiting the longest.
