Musings of a Dead Parrot

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What modern country was called the "jewel in the crown" of the British Empire? India
2. A month ago in Saitama, the last Japanese factory closed that was still producing what electronics product that debuted in 1979? Sony Walkman
3. The Freedonia Gazette was the longtime fan magazine devoted to what comedy team? Marx Brothers
4. Before 1913, the U.S. Department of Labor was a part of what other Cabinet-level department? Dept of Commerce?
5. The "Up Your Nose with a Rubber Hose" Game was a board game released in 1976 as a tie-in with what TV series? Welcome Back Kotter
6. What's the only currently married couple in which both partners have won all four events in tennis's Grand Slam? Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these birds, and no others? Bird of paradise, crane, crow, dove, eagle, peafowl, swan, and toucan. A guess - the male and female of the species have different names (e.g., cob vs. pen, peacock vs. peahen).

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Since Switzerland joined the United Nations in 2002, what has become the only nonmember "permanent observer" state of the U.N.? The Vatican is still not a U.N. member, but it likes to watch. I am never certain what term to use to accurately describe the Vatican. Is it a state?
2. What product has recently advertised itself by coining new words like "Peanutopolis," "Satisfectellent," and "Hungerectomy"? Remember those ugly new words in the Snickers font in their ads? Would you want to eat something that was "Satisfectellent"? Ugh. It's feculent AND repellent! correct
3. What major North American sports team is planning a 2012 move from its current city to New York City, which will make it the first team to play in Brooklyn since the Dodgers moved? The New Jersey Nets are planning on becoming the New York Nets soon. correct
4. What substance was once classified into a "yellow" variety, actually a fossil resin, and a "gray" variety, actually a precious oil from sperm whales? The ancients thought that ambergris was literally "gray amber," a darker version of regular yellow amber. The ancients may have figured out trigonometry and stuff, but sometimes they could be just as dumb as we are. I guess that amber is correct. But I also learned from this question that amber is not the same as ambergris.
5. The Los Angeles Police Department retired its badge number 714 to honor the 1982 death of what TV actor? Jack Webb wore badge 714 as Joe Friday on Dragnet. correct
6. The Greek island of Patmos is home to a much-visited cave in which, according to tradition, what religious figure once lived? The Book of Revelation was supposedly written on Patmos, by none other than St. John, the apostle. We went through a lot of religious figures in trying to guess an answer but St John was not one of the possibilities I thought of. Guess I needed more clues.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these music acts and no others? Jimmy Buffett, the Grateful Dead, B. B. King, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and now Pearl Jam? These are all the artists with their very own satellite radio station. Are there really Sirius or XM subscribers that want to hear 24 hours of Pearl Jam a day? Think how much weed you'd have to smoke to actually like the later albums. KMac got this. Was I misled in expecting to see Dylan on the list - http://www.xmradio.com/bobdylan/ ?