Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Extreme Ironing
I don't go looking for bizarre sports. They just make themselves known one way or the other. Today's find is Extreme Ironing. Basically, strap an ironing board onto your back and pack an iron and some wrinkled clothes. Go high and low, over and under the earth to a remote and hard to reach place. Then iron some shirts. Of course there is a world championship. You can see how the challenge would get one's competitive juices flowing.
Some additional wild pictures here.
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 25
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Which two 2008 U.S. presidential hopefuls each had a great-grandfather with five wives? Mitt Romney, definitely. Maybe Obama's great-grandfather also had multiple wives in Africa.
2. "Demerara" is the name for one brown type of what common substance? I recall from living in England that brown sugar is called demerra sugar there. I'll go with sugar.
3. What country's name and flag appear prominently on the Space Shuttle's mechanical arm? if you don't watch tv news like me, you probably are going to have to guess at this. It would not be an interesting question if the correct answer was USA. Possibilities - China, Japan, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Russia. I am thinking of countries that have aerospace expertise or manufacture aircraft. I'll guess Canada.
4. What Baseball Hall of Famer wrote the autobiography "Say Hey"? Willie Mays
5. In 1958 and 1978, respectively, what father-son duo won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series? 1978 sounds like it was late in the run of All In The Family, but I like the answer of Rob Reiner and Carl Reiner. Robert Alda and Alan Alda were father and son actors. But Alan Alda would not have been nominated as a supporting actor for MASH. I also don't think of Robert Alda as a tv comedy guy.
6. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands contain the southernmost point of what country? Never heard of either. I don't see any other clues in that question. How about South Africa.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? City Lights, Eraserhead, Flags of Our Fathers, Halloween, House of 1000 Corpses, Leaving Las Vegas, The Others, Spy Kids.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Most of the world's sand is composed of an oxide of what chemical element? Most sand is silica: tiny little bits of quartz, a.k.a. silicon dioxide. It's the most abundant material in the Earth's crust. correct
2. What #1 hit of 1974 includes references to nursery rhymes like "Hey Diddle Diddle" and "Little Boy Blue" in its chorus? Look! As an early Father's Day present, it's a "Cat's in the Cradle" question! Harry Chapin hit #1, fancy that. We miss you, Harry.
3. "Submitted for Your Approval" was the name of the 1995 American Masters documentary about what TV legend? That was a catchphrase of the late Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone. I guess they shortened the working title: "Submitted for Your Approval Through Clenched, Tobacco-Stained Teeth." correct
4. Whose teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, are included in the so-called Pali Canon? The Pali Canon is an early collection of Buddha's teachings. correct
5. In headline-speak, "laxers" are people who enjoy what athletic activity? Lacrosse--l + a + cross = lax, get it? Between the Virginia murder case and the Duke (non-)rape case, laxers have been getting a surprising amount of news play in recent years. correct
6. A leaf from what tree is depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Cannes, France? The city's symbol is a palm frond, which is why the annual film festival there (just concluded yesterday!) awards a Palm d'Or. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these brand names? Drano, Haagen-Dazs, Lancome, Nestle, Pokemon, and Ryka. I misspelled them all, since they all need a diacritic of some kind over one letter: a macron over the 'a' in Drano, the phony umlauts in Haagen-Dazs, a circumflex over the 'o' in Lancome, etc. Did I miss any good ones? correct
1. Which two 2008 U.S. presidential hopefuls each had a great-grandfather with five wives? Mitt Romney, definitely. Maybe Obama's great-grandfather also had multiple wives in Africa.
2. "Demerara" is the name for one brown type of what common substance? I recall from living in England that brown sugar is called demerra sugar there. I'll go with sugar.
3. What country's name and flag appear prominently on the Space Shuttle's mechanical arm? if you don't watch tv news like me, you probably are going to have to guess at this. It would not be an interesting question if the correct answer was USA. Possibilities - China, Japan, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Russia. I am thinking of countries that have aerospace expertise or manufacture aircraft. I'll guess Canada.
4. What Baseball Hall of Famer wrote the autobiography "Say Hey"? Willie Mays
5. In 1958 and 1978, respectively, what father-son duo won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series? 1978 sounds like it was late in the run of All In The Family, but I like the answer of Rob Reiner and Carl Reiner. Robert Alda and Alan Alda were father and son actors. But Alan Alda would not have been nominated as a supporting actor for MASH. I also don't think of Robert Alda as a tv comedy guy.
6. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands contain the southernmost point of what country? Never heard of either. I don't see any other clues in that question. How about South Africa.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? City Lights, Eraserhead, Flags of Our Fathers, Halloween, House of 1000 Corpses, Leaving Las Vegas, The Others, Spy Kids.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Most of the world's sand is composed of an oxide of what chemical element? Most sand is silica: tiny little bits of quartz, a.k.a. silicon dioxide. It's the most abundant material in the Earth's crust. correct
2. What #1 hit of 1974 includes references to nursery rhymes like "Hey Diddle Diddle" and "Little Boy Blue" in its chorus? Look! As an early Father's Day present, it's a "Cat's in the Cradle" question! Harry Chapin hit #1, fancy that. We miss you, Harry.
3. "Submitted for Your Approval" was the name of the 1995 American Masters documentary about what TV legend? That was a catchphrase of the late Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone. I guess they shortened the working title: "Submitted for Your Approval Through Clenched, Tobacco-Stained Teeth." correct
4. Whose teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, are included in the so-called Pali Canon? The Pali Canon is an early collection of Buddha's teachings. correct
5. In headline-speak, "laxers" are people who enjoy what athletic activity? Lacrosse--l + a + cross = lax, get it? Between the Virginia murder case and the Duke (non-)rape case, laxers have been getting a surprising amount of news play in recent years. correct
6. A leaf from what tree is depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Cannes, France? The city's symbol is a palm frond, which is why the annual film festival there (just concluded yesterday!) awards a Palm d'Or. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these brand names? Drano, Haagen-Dazs, Lancome, Nestle, Pokemon, and Ryka. I misspelled them all, since they all need a diacritic of some kind over one letter: a macron over the 'a' in Drano, the phony umlauts in Haagen-Dazs, a circumflex over the 'o' in Lancome, etc. Did I miss any good ones? correct
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 18
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Most of the world's sand is composed of an oxide of what chemical element? silicon
2. What #1 hit of 1974 includes references to nursery rhymes like "Hey Diddle Diddle" and "Little Boy Blue" in its chorus? can I interject that it is ridiculous to get questions about lyrics for 36 year old songs. Even a #1 hit becomes obscure when it is that old. 1974, geez. Elton John, The Eagles, Earth Wind & Fire. Barbra Streisand. Paul McCartney and Wings.
3. "Submitted for Your Approval" was the name of the 1995 American Masters documentary about what TV legend? Rod Serling
4. Whose teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, are included in the so-called Pali Canon? I think Buddha had Four Noble Truths. It was not Sarah Pali(n).
5. In headline-speak, "laxers" are people who enjoy what athletic activity? lacrosse, like harriers (runners) and keglers (bowlers)
6. A leaf from what tree is depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Cannes, France? The award is called the Palm D'Or, so how about a palm tree
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these brand names? Drano, Haagen-Dazs, Lancome, Nestle, Pokemon, and Ryka. One letter in each brand name has an accent mark of one kind or another - Lancôme, Häagen-Dazs, Rykä, Nestlé, etc.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Kindness of Strangers was the name of Donald Spoto's 1985 biography of what playwright? The title is taken from Blanche's famous last line in A Streetcar Named Desire, by Thomas Lanier Williams, aka Tennessee. correct
2. Last week, which NBA team prefixed the word "Los" before its name on its jerseys as a political gesture? Los Suns de Phoenix protestaban contra las nuevas leyes de inmigracion en el estado de Arizona. esta bien
3. What is the medical specialty of the cast of TV's "Dr. 90210"? They are plastic surgeons. Apparently you can make a pretty good living doing that in L.A., who knew? correct
4. In one week of early March, what website passed Google to become the web's most-visited domain for the first time? That week, Facebook changed its status to "beating Google" for the first time ever. I figured it was Facebook, Youtube or Twitter. Maybe if I had been playing this with a team they would have directed me to the correct answer.
5. The fighting in what war began with the 1854 Siege of Sevastapol? Sevastapol is the principal port city of the Crimea peninsula, in the Ukraine. This is the Crimean War. correct
6. A king-sized bed that's 84 inches across, not the usual 80, can be named for what U.S. state? That's a California king...a real one, not a figurative king of California like "Dr. 90210." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared only by these countries, listed in this order? The USSR, the United States, Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, Cuba, Mongolia, Romania, France, and 26 others? This is the order in which different nationalities first went into space. It seems the early Soviet space program was more interested in Warsaw Pact "diversity" than the U.S. was in similar cherry-picking from NATO. Do you think that, say, France and Britain are still annoyed that Mongolia had a man in space before they did? well done, Kmac
1. Most of the world's sand is composed of an oxide of what chemical element? silicon
2. What #1 hit of 1974 includes references to nursery rhymes like "Hey Diddle Diddle" and "Little Boy Blue" in its chorus? can I interject that it is ridiculous to get questions about lyrics for 36 year old songs. Even a #1 hit becomes obscure when it is that old. 1974, geez. Elton John, The Eagles, Earth Wind & Fire. Barbra Streisand. Paul McCartney and Wings.
3. "Submitted for Your Approval" was the name of the 1995 American Masters documentary about what TV legend? Rod Serling
4. Whose teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, are included in the so-called Pali Canon? I think Buddha had Four Noble Truths. It was not Sarah Pali(n).
5. In headline-speak, "laxers" are people who enjoy what athletic activity? lacrosse, like harriers (runners) and keglers (bowlers)
6. A leaf from what tree is depicted on the coat of arms of the city of Cannes, France? The award is called the Palm D'Or, so how about a palm tree
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these brand names? Drano, Haagen-Dazs, Lancome, Nestle, Pokemon, and Ryka. One letter in each brand name has an accent mark of one kind or another - Lancôme, Häagen-Dazs, Rykä, Nestlé, etc.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The Kindness of Strangers was the name of Donald Spoto's 1985 biography of what playwright? The title is taken from Blanche's famous last line in A Streetcar Named Desire, by Thomas Lanier Williams, aka Tennessee. correct
2. Last week, which NBA team prefixed the word "Los" before its name on its jerseys as a political gesture? Los Suns de Phoenix protestaban contra las nuevas leyes de inmigracion en el estado de Arizona. esta bien
3. What is the medical specialty of the cast of TV's "Dr. 90210"? They are plastic surgeons. Apparently you can make a pretty good living doing that in L.A., who knew? correct
4. In one week of early March, what website passed Google to become the web's most-visited domain for the first time? That week, Facebook changed its status to "beating Google" for the first time ever. I figured it was Facebook, Youtube or Twitter. Maybe if I had been playing this with a team they would have directed me to the correct answer.
5. The fighting in what war began with the 1854 Siege of Sevastapol? Sevastapol is the principal port city of the Crimea peninsula, in the Ukraine. This is the Crimean War. correct
6. A king-sized bed that's 84 inches across, not the usual 80, can be named for what U.S. state? That's a California king...a real one, not a figurative king of California like "Dr. 90210." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared only by these countries, listed in this order? The USSR, the United States, Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, Cuba, Mongolia, Romania, France, and 26 others? This is the order in which different nationalities first went into space. It seems the early Soviet space program was more interested in Warsaw Pact "diversity" than the U.S. was in similar cherry-picking from NATO. Do you think that, say, France and Britain are still annoyed that Mongolia had a man in space before they did? well done, Kmac
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 11
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The Kindness of Strangers was the name of Donald Spoto's 1985 biography of what playwright? Tennessee Williams
2. Last week, which NBA team prefixed the word "Los" before its name on its jerseys as a political gesture? Los Suns. Los Spurs discussed doing it as well.
3. What is the medical specialty of the cast of TV's "Dr. 90210"? 90210 --> Beverly Hills --> plastic surgeon
4. In one week of early March, what website passed Google to become the web's most-visited domain for the first time? I don't remember hearing this. Facebook? Youtube? Could not be Bing. How about Twitter.
5. The fighting in what war began with the 1854 Siege of Sevastapol? Crimean War
6. A king-sized bed that's 84 inches across, not the usual 80, can be named for what U.S. state? California King. this is the right way to ask a question of this type. Much more interesting than "how does a California king differ from a standard king."
7. What unusual distinction is shared only by these countries, listed in this order? The USSR, the United States, Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, Cuba, Mongolia, Romania, France, and 26 others? such fine company for the US! This would appear to be about communism, but that could be a red herring.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The new Johnny Depp-narrated film When You're Strange is a documentary about what band? "When you're strange" is a lyric from "People Are Strange," a hit for The Doors. correct
2. "Mr. Irrelevant" is the nickname given every April to the very last person to do what? Be chosen in the NFL Draft. Former Chiefs quarterback Bill Kenney is the only "Mr. Irrelevant" to make it to a Pro Bowl--most of these guys never even make a 53-man roster. correct
3. In 1852, who published a still-popular book of "Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition"? That was Dr. Peter Mark Roget, who redefined the word "thesaurus" to simplify his rather wordy subtitle. correct
4. What part of the brain was named in 1587 for its resemblance to a sea horse? The hippocampus, which helps us navigate and remember stuff. "Hippo-" is Greek for "horse"; you may recall that "hippopotamus" just means "river horse." correct
5. The Atlantic's 2006 list of the 100 most influential people in American history included two different Supreme Court justices with what last name? The longest-serving Chief Justice ever and the first African-American justice ever were both named "Marshall." correct
6. Malagasy is the national language of what country? Madagascar was called the Malagasy Republic from independence until 1975. Alex's facility with French once again serves him well.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers, and no others? Beatrice Arthur, Lucille Ball, Michael J. Fox, Susan Hampshire, Michael Learned, Mary Tyler Moore, Carroll O'Connor, James Spader, Barbara Stanwyck, Sela Ward, Robert Young. These are all the actors who have won Emmys (leading-role Emmys, though you didn't have to say so) for roles in two different series. James Spader is the only one on the list who won for the same role--eccentric attorney Alan Shore--on two different series (The Practice and Boston Legal). correct
1. The Kindness of Strangers was the name of Donald Spoto's 1985 biography of what playwright? Tennessee Williams
2. Last week, which NBA team prefixed the word "Los" before its name on its jerseys as a political gesture? Los Suns. Los Spurs discussed doing it as well.
3. What is the medical specialty of the cast of TV's "Dr. 90210"? 90210 --> Beverly Hills --> plastic surgeon
4. In one week of early March, what website passed Google to become the web's most-visited domain for the first time? I don't remember hearing this. Facebook? Youtube? Could not be Bing. How about Twitter.
5. The fighting in what war began with the 1854 Siege of Sevastapol? Crimean War
6. A king-sized bed that's 84 inches across, not the usual 80, can be named for what U.S. state? California King. this is the right way to ask a question of this type. Much more interesting than "how does a California king differ from a standard king."
7. What unusual distinction is shared only by these countries, listed in this order? The USSR, the United States, Czechoslovakia, Poland, East Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, Cuba, Mongolia, Romania, France, and 26 others? such fine company for the US! This would appear to be about communism, but that could be a red herring.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The new Johnny Depp-narrated film When You're Strange is a documentary about what band? "When you're strange" is a lyric from "People Are Strange," a hit for The Doors. correct
2. "Mr. Irrelevant" is the nickname given every April to the very last person to do what? Be chosen in the NFL Draft. Former Chiefs quarterback Bill Kenney is the only "Mr. Irrelevant" to make it to a Pro Bowl--most of these guys never even make a 53-man roster. correct
3. In 1852, who published a still-popular book of "Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition"? That was Dr. Peter Mark Roget, who redefined the word "thesaurus" to simplify his rather wordy subtitle. correct
4. What part of the brain was named in 1587 for its resemblance to a sea horse? The hippocampus, which helps us navigate and remember stuff. "Hippo-" is Greek for "horse"; you may recall that "hippopotamus" just means "river horse." correct
5. The Atlantic's 2006 list of the 100 most influential people in American history included two different Supreme Court justices with what last name? The longest-serving Chief Justice ever and the first African-American justice ever were both named "Marshall." correct
6. Malagasy is the national language of what country? Madagascar was called the Malagasy Republic from independence until 1975. Alex's facility with French once again serves him well.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers, and no others? Beatrice Arthur, Lucille Ball, Michael J. Fox, Susan Hampshire, Michael Learned, Mary Tyler Moore, Carroll O'Connor, James Spader, Barbara Stanwyck, Sela Ward, Robert Young. These are all the actors who have won Emmys (leading-role Emmys, though you didn't have to say so) for roles in two different series. James Spader is the only one on the list who won for the same role--eccentric attorney Alan Shore--on two different series (The Practice and Boston Legal). correct
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 4
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The new Johnny Depp-narrated film When You're Strange is a documentary about what band? The Doors
2. "Mr. Irrelevant" is the nickname given every April to the very last person to do what? be drafted by the NFL
3. In 1852, who published a still-popular book of "Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition"? Roget. The title sounds like a synonym for thesaurus.
4. What part of the brain was named in 1587 for its resemblance to a sea horse? hippocampus
5. The Atlantic's 2006 list of the 100 most influential people in American history included two different Supreme Court justices with what last name? Marshall - John and Thurgood
6. Malagasy is the national language of what country? this is definitely one I should know. A good final Jeopardy question. However if I ever knew it, I have forgotten now. Malagasy makes me think of the Malay Peninsula. Malaysia? Indonesia?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers, and no others? Beatrice Arthur, Lucille Ball, Michael J. Fox, Susan Hampshire, Michael Learned, Mary Tyler Moore, Carroll O'Connor, James Spader, Barbara Stanwyck, Sela Ward, Robert Young. This group makes me think it is something to do with their tv roles. Susan Hampshire is particularly interesting since she has done almost no US tv. One thing I notice - each has won acting Emmys for at least two different series.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Last week, what state became the first in the U.S. to honor an official "State Microbe," Lactococcus lactis? As you might guess from its name, Lactococcus lactis is invaluable in making cheese, which is why Wisconsin ("America's Dairyland") loves it above all other germs. correct
2. Who was the last NBA Rookie of the Year to have entered the league straight out of high school? LeBron James did it in 2004. New NBA rules make it impossible to go straight from high school to the pros without sitting out a year first, so this may never happen again. correct
3. During its first season, what TV comedy include the names "De Fazio" and "Feeney" in its main title screen? ABC initially felt the need for Laverne De Fazio and Shirley Feeney to go by their full names. But now we're on a first-name basis. correct
4. What are you doing in between the hypnagogic state and the hypnopompic state? These are the scientific terms for "falling asleep" and "waking up." In between you're sleeping. If you're also snoring/walking/robbing banks, please see a sleep therapist. correct
5. The second highest mountain in Africa is located in, and shares its name with, which nation? Mount Kenya--which, incidentally, is where Princess Elizabeth happened to be in 1952 when she acceded to the British throne. correct
6. What history-changing event happened eight miles off Kinsale, Ireland on May 7, 1915? That's where the Lusitania was sunk by U-boat torpedo. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these pop songs? "Complete Control" by the Clash, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen, "God" by the Plastic Ono Band, "How Many More Times" by Led Zeppelin, "In My Head" by No Doubt, "In My Tree" by Pearl Jam, "Paintwork" by The Fall, "Strange" by R.E.M. All these songs mention the lead singer's first name in the lyrics--which is pretty unusual when not coming from a hip-hop group. Did I miss any better examples? I'm pretty sure I did. Shoot me an email if you can think of any. good get, Dave
1. The new Johnny Depp-narrated film When You're Strange is a documentary about what band? The Doors
2. "Mr. Irrelevant" is the nickname given every April to the very last person to do what? be drafted by the NFL
3. In 1852, who published a still-popular book of "Words and Phrases Classified and Arranged so as to Facilitate the Expression of Ideas and Assist in Literary Composition"? Roget. The title sounds like a synonym for thesaurus.
4. What part of the brain was named in 1587 for its resemblance to a sea horse? hippocampus
5. The Atlantic's 2006 list of the 100 most influential people in American history included two different Supreme Court justices with what last name? Marshall - John and Thurgood
6. Malagasy is the national language of what country? this is definitely one I should know. A good final Jeopardy question. However if I ever knew it, I have forgotten now. Malagasy makes me think of the Malay Peninsula. Malaysia? Indonesia?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers, and no others? Beatrice Arthur, Lucille Ball, Michael J. Fox, Susan Hampshire, Michael Learned, Mary Tyler Moore, Carroll O'Connor, James Spader, Barbara Stanwyck, Sela Ward, Robert Young. This group makes me think it is something to do with their tv roles. Susan Hampshire is particularly interesting since she has done almost no US tv. One thing I notice - each has won acting Emmys for at least two different series.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Last week, what state became the first in the U.S. to honor an official "State Microbe," Lactococcus lactis? As you might guess from its name, Lactococcus lactis is invaluable in making cheese, which is why Wisconsin ("America's Dairyland") loves it above all other germs. correct
2. Who was the last NBA Rookie of the Year to have entered the league straight out of high school? LeBron James did it in 2004. New NBA rules make it impossible to go straight from high school to the pros without sitting out a year first, so this may never happen again. correct
3. During its first season, what TV comedy include the names "De Fazio" and "Feeney" in its main title screen? ABC initially felt the need for Laverne De Fazio and Shirley Feeney to go by their full names. But now we're on a first-name basis. correct
4. What are you doing in between the hypnagogic state and the hypnopompic state? These are the scientific terms for "falling asleep" and "waking up." In between you're sleeping. If you're also snoring/walking/robbing banks, please see a sleep therapist. correct
5. The second highest mountain in Africa is located in, and shares its name with, which nation? Mount Kenya--which, incidentally, is where Princess Elizabeth happened to be in 1952 when she acceded to the British throne. correct
6. What history-changing event happened eight miles off Kinsale, Ireland on May 7, 1915? That's where the Lusitania was sunk by U-boat torpedo. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these pop songs? "Complete Control" by the Clash, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen, "God" by the Plastic Ono Band, "How Many More Times" by Led Zeppelin, "In My Head" by No Doubt, "In My Tree" by Pearl Jam, "Paintwork" by The Fall, "Strange" by R.E.M. All these songs mention the lead singer's first name in the lyrics--which is pretty unusual when not coming from a hip-hop group. Did I miss any better examples? I'm pretty sure I did. Shoot me an email if you can think of any. good get, Dave
