Musings of a Dead Parrot

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