Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - July 27
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Acura is the luxury division of what major automaker? Honda
2. Which Lewis Carroll character is honored by fans one day a year: on June 10 in the U.K., and October 6 in America? 10/6 or 6/10. Is that a reference to the White Rabbit who was late? The Mad Hatter?
3. Most of the bats used in major league baseball games--over 60%--are manufactured in what U.S. state? Louisville Slugger --> Kentucky
4. What Russian statesman under Catherine the Great had a battleship named for him that was the site of a famous 1905 mutiny? so that is how the Potemkin got its name
5. What word is used for the four major divisions--frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal--of the brain's cerebral cortex? lobe? is that the word he is looking for?
6. Despite being part of Asia, what nation has been disallowed from the Asian Games since 1974 and has competed in the Eurovision song contest since 1973? can't be a Russian republic since they did not exist in 1974. Could be Turkey. But only half of Turkey is in Asia. What about Israel? Doesn't Israel compete in Eurovision?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Garth Brooks, Marlon Brando, Stephen Hawking, Le Duc Tho, Sinclair Lewis, Sinead O'Connor, John Singer Sargent, Jean-Paul Sartre. This seems to be pretty easy given the inclusion of Brando, O'Connor and Sartre. They all refused awards. Brooks - American Music Award. Le Duc Tho - Nobel Peace Prize. Hawking - knighthood. Sargent - knighthood. And so on.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The website for what 2010 film contained nothing but the image of an endlessly spinning toy top for the first four months of its on-line life? A few guesses of Toy Story 3 here...but only from people who have yet to see Inception, in which Leonardo DiCaprio's character is never without his trademark top. correct
2. What nation will be the site of the Winter Olympics for the first time in 2014, when the city of Sochi plays host? Sochi is in southern Russia, near the disputed Georgian border. correct
3. What word for an animal in family Talpidae is also a unit of measurement: 6.022 x 10 to the 23rd particles of some substance? The members of family Talpidae are all moles. Interestingly, our color "taupe" comes from the same root as Talpidae, and means "mole-colored." On second thought, the etymology of the word "taupe" probably can't be described with the word "interestingly." Never mind. correct
4. What novelist had hits with the recent sequels Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men? These are recent sequels to Wicked, a reimagining of Oz by Gregory Maguire. Who? A dead CS Lewis was a more intriguing answer.
5. What profession has appeared in more Monty Python sketches than any other, with 51 appearances to its credit? There's a policeman in a record 51 sketches. Actually, I have no idea if this true or not; I didn't count them myself. I'm choosing to believe the A&E release of Monty Python's Flying Circus on DVD. I request corroboration please. Or at least clarification. Is the inspector from the Hygiene Squad who confronts the owner of the Whizzo Chocolate Company considered a policeman?
6. Which modern country is, by treaty, the successor state to the defunct Ottoman Empire? Modern-day Turkey was the center of the historical Ottoman Empire. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these musical artists? Aaliyah, the Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Blur, Brooks & Dunn, Dave Matthews Band, Cole Porter, the Hives, Pink Floyd, Three Dog Night. All these artists are well-known for songs with opposite-pair titles. To wit: "Back and Forth," "Heroes and Villains," "Heaven and Hell," "Girls & Boys," "Lost and Found," "You and Me," "Night and Day," "Supply & Demand," "Us and Them," and "Black and White."
1. Acura is the luxury division of what major automaker? Honda
2. Which Lewis Carroll character is honored by fans one day a year: on June 10 in the U.K., and October 6 in America? 10/6 or 6/10. Is that a reference to the White Rabbit who was late? The Mad Hatter?
3. Most of the bats used in major league baseball games--over 60%--are manufactured in what U.S. state? Louisville Slugger --> Kentucky
4. What Russian statesman under Catherine the Great had a battleship named for him that was the site of a famous 1905 mutiny? so that is how the Potemkin got its name
5. What word is used for the four major divisions--frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal--of the brain's cerebral cortex? lobe? is that the word he is looking for?
6. Despite being part of Asia, what nation has been disallowed from the Asian Games since 1974 and has competed in the Eurovision song contest since 1973? can't be a Russian republic since they did not exist in 1974. Could be Turkey. But only half of Turkey is in Asia. What about Israel? Doesn't Israel compete in Eurovision?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Garth Brooks, Marlon Brando, Stephen Hawking, Le Duc Tho, Sinclair Lewis, Sinead O'Connor, John Singer Sargent, Jean-Paul Sartre. This seems to be pretty easy given the inclusion of Brando, O'Connor and Sartre. They all refused awards. Brooks - American Music Award. Le Duc Tho - Nobel Peace Prize. Hawking - knighthood. Sargent - knighthood. And so on.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The website for what 2010 film contained nothing but the image of an endlessly spinning toy top for the first four months of its on-line life? A few guesses of Toy Story 3 here...but only from people who have yet to see Inception, in which Leonardo DiCaprio's character is never without his trademark top. correct
2. What nation will be the site of the Winter Olympics for the first time in 2014, when the city of Sochi plays host? Sochi is in southern Russia, near the disputed Georgian border. correct
3. What word for an animal in family Talpidae is also a unit of measurement: 6.022 x 10 to the 23rd particles of some substance? The members of family Talpidae are all moles. Interestingly, our color "taupe" comes from the same root as Talpidae, and means "mole-colored." On second thought, the etymology of the word "taupe" probably can't be described with the word "interestingly." Never mind. correct
4. What novelist had hits with the recent sequels Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men? These are recent sequels to Wicked, a reimagining of Oz by Gregory Maguire. Who? A dead CS Lewis was a more intriguing answer.
5. What profession has appeared in more Monty Python sketches than any other, with 51 appearances to its credit? There's a policeman in a record 51 sketches. Actually, I have no idea if this true or not; I didn't count them myself. I'm choosing to believe the A&E release of Monty Python's Flying Circus on DVD. I request corroboration please. Or at least clarification. Is the inspector from the Hygiene Squad who confronts the owner of the Whizzo Chocolate Company considered a policeman?
6. Which modern country is, by treaty, the successor state to the defunct Ottoman Empire? Modern-day Turkey was the center of the historical Ottoman Empire. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these musical artists? Aaliyah, the Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Blur, Brooks & Dunn, Dave Matthews Band, Cole Porter, the Hives, Pink Floyd, Three Dog Night. All these artists are well-known for songs with opposite-pair titles. To wit: "Back and Forth," "Heroes and Villains," "Heaven and Hell," "Girls & Boys," "Lost and Found," "You and Me," "Night and Day," "Supply & Demand," "Us and Them," and "Black and White."
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - July 20
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The website for what 2010 film contained nothing but the image of an endlessly spinning toy top for the first four months of its on-line life? Inception. After watching it this weekend, one of my first thoughts was "Bad guys are always terrible shots." Another thought was don't let Dileep drive the bus.
2. What nation will be the site of the Winter Olympics for the first time in 2014, when the city of Sochi plays host? Russia
3. What word for an animal in family Talpidae is also a unit of measurement: 6.022 x 10 to the 23rd particles of some substance? mole
4. What novelist had hits with the recent sequels Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men? Is CS Lewis still writing? Otherwise, I don't know who is penning what appear to be sequels to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
5. What profession has appeared in more Monty Python sketches than any other, with 51 appearances to its credit? You mean somebody has inventoried this information? A lovely question. I can think of shopkeepers, religious figures, military men, policemen. But I think the most common profession would be newscaster/talk show host/announcer/tv personality.
"Hello. Tonight on 'Face the Press' we're going to examine two different views of contemporary things. On my left is the Minister for Home Affairs who is wearing a striking organza dress in pink tulle, with matching pearls and a diamante collar necklace. The shoes are in brushed pigskin with gold clasps, by Maxwell of Bond Street. The hair is by Roger, and the whole ensemble is crowned by a spectacular display of Christmas orchids. And on my right - putting the case against the Government - is a small patch of brown liquid..."
6. Which modern country is, by treaty, the successor state to the defunct Ottoman Empire? Turkey
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these musical artists? Aaliyah, the Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Blur, Brooks & Dunn, Dave Matthews Band, Cole Porter, the Hives, Pink Floyd, Three Dog Night.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What U.S. president's first inaugural address produced the most famous maxim ever coined on "phobophobia"? A little knowledge of psychology (or etymology) will tell you that phobophobia is the fear of fear itself, famously warned against by Franklin Roosevelt in 1932. correct
2. The orange "smile" icon below the Amazon.com logo connects what two letters in the company's name? They have everything from "A" to "z," get it? Alex knew this. Nice
3. Chang and Eng Bunker died in North Carolina in 1874. In what modern-day country were they born, in 1811? Chang and Eng (or Eng and Chang...not sure how they decided on billing) were the original Siamese twins, born therefore in modern-day Thailand. correct
4. Who is the last surviving member of TV's four "Golden Girls"? Betty White is funnier than ever at 88. Unfortunately, Estelle Getty is also as funny as she ever was, and she's been dead for over two years. (I'm kidding, Estelle Getty fans!) correct
5. What Greek wrote the important treatise "On Floating Bodies," and supposedly discovered one important principle of buoyancy while taking a bath? Aristophanes supposedly yelled "Eureka!" after realizing that water displacement could be used to calculate volume. Actually, that probably never happened, but it's more interesting than any other water displacement story in history. I think KJ means Archimedes. I'm going to consider this correct unless KJ has uncovered evidence that someone else did Archimedes' work.
6. What musical star took her stage name from the word for "birch tree" in her native language? The Icelandic word for "birch" is "Bjork," apparently a not-uncommon name there. correct
7. What is the significance of these ten nations, listed in this order? Cuba, Syria, Slovenia, New Zealand, China, Australia, Tajikistan, Venezuela, Tuvalu, Dominica. Cuba has one star on its flag, Syria has two, Slovenia has three, and so on up until ten. Hugo Chavez added an eighth star to the Venezuelan flag in 2006, making this trivia question possible. Thanks, Hugo Chavez! Well done, Dave!
1. The website for what 2010 film contained nothing but the image of an endlessly spinning toy top for the first four months of its on-line life? Inception. After watching it this weekend, one of my first thoughts was "Bad guys are always terrible shots." Another thought was don't let Dileep drive the bus.
2. What nation will be the site of the Winter Olympics for the first time in 2014, when the city of Sochi plays host? Russia
3. What word for an animal in family Talpidae is also a unit of measurement: 6.022 x 10 to the 23rd particles of some substance? mole
4. What novelist had hits with the recent sequels Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men? Is CS Lewis still writing? Otherwise, I don't know who is penning what appear to be sequels to The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
5. What profession has appeared in more Monty Python sketches than any other, with 51 appearances to its credit? You mean somebody has inventoried this information? A lovely question. I can think of shopkeepers, religious figures, military men, policemen. But I think the most common profession would be newscaster/talk show host/announcer/tv personality.
"Hello. Tonight on 'Face the Press' we're going to examine two different views of contemporary things. On my left is the Minister for Home Affairs who is wearing a striking organza dress in pink tulle, with matching pearls and a diamante collar necklace. The shoes are in brushed pigskin with gold clasps, by Maxwell of Bond Street. The hair is by Roger, and the whole ensemble is crowned by a spectacular display of Christmas orchids. And on my right - putting the case against the Government - is a small patch of brown liquid..."
6. Which modern country is, by treaty, the successor state to the defunct Ottoman Empire? Turkey
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these musical artists? Aaliyah, the Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Blur, Brooks & Dunn, Dave Matthews Band, Cole Porter, the Hives, Pink Floyd, Three Dog Night.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What U.S. president's first inaugural address produced the most famous maxim ever coined on "phobophobia"? A little knowledge of psychology (or etymology) will tell you that phobophobia is the fear of fear itself, famously warned against by Franklin Roosevelt in 1932. correct
2. The orange "smile" icon below the Amazon.com logo connects what two letters in the company's name? They have everything from "A" to "z," get it? Alex knew this. Nice
3. Chang and Eng Bunker died in North Carolina in 1874. In what modern-day country were they born, in 1811? Chang and Eng (or Eng and Chang...not sure how they decided on billing) were the original Siamese twins, born therefore in modern-day Thailand. correct
4. Who is the last surviving member of TV's four "Golden Girls"? Betty White is funnier than ever at 88. Unfortunately, Estelle Getty is also as funny as she ever was, and she's been dead for over two years. (I'm kidding, Estelle Getty fans!) correct
5. What Greek wrote the important treatise "On Floating Bodies," and supposedly discovered one important principle of buoyancy while taking a bath? Aristophanes supposedly yelled "Eureka!" after realizing that water displacement could be used to calculate volume. Actually, that probably never happened, but it's more interesting than any other water displacement story in history. I think KJ means Archimedes. I'm going to consider this correct unless KJ has uncovered evidence that someone else did Archimedes' work.
6. What musical star took her stage name from the word for "birch tree" in her native language? The Icelandic word for "birch" is "Bjork," apparently a not-uncommon name there. correct
7. What is the significance of these ten nations, listed in this order? Cuba, Syria, Slovenia, New Zealand, China, Australia, Tajikistan, Venezuela, Tuvalu, Dominica. Cuba has one star on its flag, Syria has two, Slovenia has three, and so on up until ten. Hugo Chavez added an eighth star to the Venezuelan flag in 2006, making this trivia question possible. Thanks, Hugo Chavez! Well done, Dave!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - July 13
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What U.S. president's first inaugural address produced the most famous maxim ever coined on "phobophobia"? Phobophobia --> fear of fears --> FDR
2. The orange "smile" icon below the Amazon.com logo connects what two letters in the company's name? The picture that I have in my mind has a smile reaching from the first A to c in com.
3. Chang and Eng Bunker died in North Carolina in 1874. In what modern-day country were they born, in 1811? Siamese twins --> Thailand today
4. Who is the last surviving member of TV's four "Golden Girls"? Betty White
5. What Greek wrote the important treatise "On Floating Bodies," and supposedly discovered one important principle of buoyancy while taking a bath? Archimedes. Eureka!
6. What musical star took her stage name from the word for "birch tree" in her native language? Bjork?
7. What is the significance of these ten nations, listed in this order? Cuba, Syria, Slovenia, New Zealand, China, Australia, Tajikistan, Venezuela, Tuvalu, Dominica.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Lisbeth Salander is well-known for having what tattooed on her shoulder? She's that "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" you've heard so much about. (Assuming you're a fan of Swedish crime novels.) correct
2. Who was the only person ever civilly executed by the State of Israel? Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, hanged in 1962, was Israel's one and only use of capital punishment. correct
3. What #1 hit rock ballad of 1973 was used, without permission, as the theme of the Christian Democratic Union Party during their successful 2005 German election campaign? The Rolling Stones were never asked about Angela Merkel's appropriation of their song "Angie." I wonder if Helen Reddy would have let her use "Angie Baby." Angie hit #1? I don't remember that from listening to Casey Kasem in 1973.
4. "A Piece of Work" is the subtitle of a new documentary about what comedienne? Joan Rivers--the title is a pun referring to Rivers's personality AND her oft-tinkered-with face. I was at the movies last night to see a different film and noticed a title that looked familiar. Then I remembered KJTT and realized that Joan Rivers was the correct answer.
5. What process are you performing if you're filling up canopic jars? Canopic jars held the organs of Egyptian mummies, so you're probably performing some kind of mummification or ritual burial. Or I guess you could have stolen some canopic jars from a museum and used them for your own fiendish purposes--putting up summer preserves, maybe. correct
6. Which two Bay Area professional sports teams started out decades ago as Philadelphia sports teams? The Oakland A's and the Golden State Warriors were once the Philadelphia Athletics and Philadelphia Warriors, respectively. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV series? Baretta, Fantasy Island, L.A. Law, Nip/Tuck, Peter Gunn, Picket Fences, The Prisoner, Seinfeld, Twin Peaks, The Wild Wild West. All these shows featured a little person (or "midget," in the case of the older, non-PC ones) in a recurring role. KMac hits the mark again. But I do not remember the little person(s) on LA Law and Seinfeld.
1. What U.S. president's first inaugural address produced the most famous maxim ever coined on "phobophobia"? Phobophobia --> fear of fears --> FDR
2. The orange "smile" icon below the Amazon.com logo connects what two letters in the company's name? The picture that I have in my mind has a smile reaching from the first A to c in com.
3. Chang and Eng Bunker died in North Carolina in 1874. In what modern-day country were they born, in 1811? Siamese twins --> Thailand today
4. Who is the last surviving member of TV's four "Golden Girls"? Betty White
5. What Greek wrote the important treatise "On Floating Bodies," and supposedly discovered one important principle of buoyancy while taking a bath? Archimedes. Eureka!
6. What musical star took her stage name from the word for "birch tree" in her native language? Bjork?
7. What is the significance of these ten nations, listed in this order? Cuba, Syria, Slovenia, New Zealand, China, Australia, Tajikistan, Venezuela, Tuvalu, Dominica.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Lisbeth Salander is well-known for having what tattooed on her shoulder? She's that "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" you've heard so much about. (Assuming you're a fan of Swedish crime novels.) correct
2. Who was the only person ever civilly executed by the State of Israel? Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, hanged in 1962, was Israel's one and only use of capital punishment. correct
3. What #1 hit rock ballad of 1973 was used, without permission, as the theme of the Christian Democratic Union Party during their successful 2005 German election campaign? The Rolling Stones were never asked about Angela Merkel's appropriation of their song "Angie." I wonder if Helen Reddy would have let her use "Angie Baby." Angie hit #1? I don't remember that from listening to Casey Kasem in 1973.
4. "A Piece of Work" is the subtitle of a new documentary about what comedienne? Joan Rivers--the title is a pun referring to Rivers's personality AND her oft-tinkered-with face. I was at the movies last night to see a different film and noticed a title that looked familiar. Then I remembered KJTT and realized that Joan Rivers was the correct answer.
5. What process are you performing if you're filling up canopic jars? Canopic jars held the organs of Egyptian mummies, so you're probably performing some kind of mummification or ritual burial. Or I guess you could have stolen some canopic jars from a museum and used them for your own fiendish purposes--putting up summer preserves, maybe. correct
6. Which two Bay Area professional sports teams started out decades ago as Philadelphia sports teams? The Oakland A's and the Golden State Warriors were once the Philadelphia Athletics and Philadelphia Warriors, respectively. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV series? Baretta, Fantasy Island, L.A. Law, Nip/Tuck, Peter Gunn, Picket Fences, The Prisoner, Seinfeld, Twin Peaks, The Wild Wild West. All these shows featured a little person (or "midget," in the case of the older, non-PC ones) in a recurring role. KMac hits the mark again. But I do not remember the little person(s) on LA Law and Seinfeld.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
4th of July musical tribute
I am two days late, but wanted to post one of my favorite American tunes. It is called American Tune. Not a song to which one will launch fireworks. Just a lovely, honest statement about resiliency (tired, battered, confused, forsaken, misused, with shattered dreams. But I'm all right) without being treacly sweet. In addition, it may be the finest use of the phrase "bon vivant" by a songwriter.
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - July 6
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Lisbeth Salander is well-known for having what tattooed on her shoulder? Is this a character from Stieg Larson's novel? Is she the girl with the dragon tattoo?
2. Who was the only person ever civilly executed by the State of Israel? I can think of two candidates - Adolph Eichmann and the guy who assassinated Shimon Peres. I'll go with Eichmann.
3. What #1 hit rock ballad of 1973 was used, without permission, as the theme of the Christian Democratic Union Party during their successful 2005 German election campaign? Rock ballad from 1973? geez, give us a clue to help guess. What would appeal to a German Christian Democratic Union Party member? Stairway to Heaven?
4. "A Piece of Work" is the subtitle of a new documentary about what comedienne? Is this a catchphrase? If so, I don't recognize to whom it belongs. Of the comediennes I can think of, this sounds like Roseanne Barr. I can hear her saying something like that.
5. What process are you performing if you're filling up canopic jars? you see canopic jars at the Getty Villa. I think they were used in Egyptian burials. So you would be preparing to bury someone.
6. Which two Bay Area professional sports teams started out decades ago as Philadelphia sports teams? Oakland (nee Philadelphia by way of Kansas City) A's. Golden State (nee Philadelphia) Warriors.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV series? Baretta, Fantasy Island, L.A. Law, Nip/Tuck, Peter Gunn, Picket Fences, The Prisoner, Seinfeld, Twin Peaks, The Wild Wild West.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What musical instrument is also called the "lepatata" in the Tswana and Sesotho languages? In other South African languages, it called a vuvuzela, which is Zulu for "BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!" correct
2. Bret Easton Ellis's first novel and its recent sequel are both named for works by what singer-songwriter? The two books are Less Than Zero and Imperial Bedrooms, but Elvis Costello doesn't see a cent. correct
3. In what part of his body would you find a man's cervix? Guys, you didn't know you had a cervix? What about "cervical vertebrae," does that ring a bell? Your cervix is the back of your neck--in fact, the female cervix is so named only because it's the "neck," so to speak, of the uterus. this question misled me. I took it to mean that a man had a cervix in a place where a woman did not. Turned out that women just have two cervices.
4. What nation joined the "Group of Seven" in 1997 to form the G8? Russia is the newest member, which means it still has to serve coffee to all the others at meetings. Don't rub it in, Canada and Italy! correct
5. Who was the only Olympian god in Greek mythology to have the same name as his Roman counterpart? No matter where you go, Apollo is Apollo is Apollo. Otherwise, Apollo Creed would have had to box under a different name in Rome. As I suspected, the Jeopardy guys knew this.
6. What legendary American entertainer merged his business with that of rival James Bailey in 1881? P. T. Barnum at least got to keep his name first on the company letterhead. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these legendary writers? Maxwell Anderson, Raymond Chandler, Ed McBain, Dorothy Parker, Robert Sherwood, John Steinbeck, Thornton Wilder. It's odd how many first-rate literary minds of the century (Steinbeck, Wilder, Dorothy Parker) also wrote screenplays for Alfred Hitchcock, perhaps the least writer-friendly director in the annals of Hollywood. correct!
1. Lisbeth Salander is well-known for having what tattooed on her shoulder? Is this a character from Stieg Larson's novel? Is she the girl with the dragon tattoo?
2. Who was the only person ever civilly executed by the State of Israel? I can think of two candidates - Adolph Eichmann and the guy who assassinated Shimon Peres. I'll go with Eichmann.
3. What #1 hit rock ballad of 1973 was used, without permission, as the theme of the Christian Democratic Union Party during their successful 2005 German election campaign? Rock ballad from 1973? geez, give us a clue to help guess. What would appeal to a German Christian Democratic Union Party member? Stairway to Heaven?
4. "A Piece of Work" is the subtitle of a new documentary about what comedienne? Is this a catchphrase? If so, I don't recognize to whom it belongs. Of the comediennes I can think of, this sounds like Roseanne Barr. I can hear her saying something like that.
5. What process are you performing if you're filling up canopic jars? you see canopic jars at the Getty Villa. I think they were used in Egyptian burials. So you would be preparing to bury someone.
6. Which two Bay Area professional sports teams started out decades ago as Philadelphia sports teams? Oakland (nee Philadelphia by way of Kansas City) A's. Golden State (nee Philadelphia) Warriors.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV series? Baretta, Fantasy Island, L.A. Law, Nip/Tuck, Peter Gunn, Picket Fences, The Prisoner, Seinfeld, Twin Peaks, The Wild Wild West.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What musical instrument is also called the "lepatata" in the Tswana and Sesotho languages? In other South African languages, it called a vuvuzela, which is Zulu for "BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!" correct
2. Bret Easton Ellis's first novel and its recent sequel are both named for works by what singer-songwriter? The two books are Less Than Zero and Imperial Bedrooms, but Elvis Costello doesn't see a cent. correct
3. In what part of his body would you find a man's cervix? Guys, you didn't know you had a cervix? What about "cervical vertebrae," does that ring a bell? Your cervix is the back of your neck--in fact, the female cervix is so named only because it's the "neck," so to speak, of the uterus. this question misled me. I took it to mean that a man had a cervix in a place where a woman did not. Turned out that women just have two cervices.
4. What nation joined the "Group of Seven" in 1997 to form the G8? Russia is the newest member, which means it still has to serve coffee to all the others at meetings. Don't rub it in, Canada and Italy! correct
5. Who was the only Olympian god in Greek mythology to have the same name as his Roman counterpart? No matter where you go, Apollo is Apollo is Apollo. Otherwise, Apollo Creed would have had to box under a different name in Rome. As I suspected, the Jeopardy guys knew this.
6. What legendary American entertainer merged his business with that of rival James Bailey in 1881? P. T. Barnum at least got to keep his name first on the company letterhead. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these legendary writers? Maxwell Anderson, Raymond Chandler, Ed McBain, Dorothy Parker, Robert Sherwood, John Steinbeck, Thornton Wilder. It's odd how many first-rate literary minds of the century (Steinbeck, Wilder, Dorothy Parker) also wrote screenplays for Alfred Hitchcock, perhaps the least writer-friendly director in the annals of Hollywood. correct!
