Thursday, April 28, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - April 26
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What much-in-the-news figure set a school high jump record at St. Andrew's School in her native Berkshire? Kate Middleton
2. Hepatic coma is a life-threatening medical condition caused by the failure of what organ? Liver?
3. Of the 4,100 or so ascents that have been made of Mount Everest, almost half were by climbers from what nation? US? or UK? Would think US because there are more climbers.
4. In 1991, what American actor founded a theater company in his Michigan hometown called "The Purple Rose"? The Purple Rose of Cairo starred Jeff Daniels. Maybe Jeff Daniels.
5. What TV show aired 95 times between September 14, 2009 and its high-profile cancellation on February 9, 2010? The Tonight Show starring Conan O'Brien
6. What's the more famous day job of Filipino congressman Manny Pacquiao? he is a boxing world champ. Not sure of the weight class.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these world cities? Beijing, Bern, Boston, Brussels, Havana, Lhasa, Manchester, Naples, Weimar. I think this might have something to do with dog breeds - Bernese mountain dog, Boston terrier, Havanese, Lhasa apso, weimaraner
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What's the only player position that has the same name in three of the four principal North American professional sports? If baseball teams only had a center, it would have been 4-for-4. correct
2. The word "surrender" entered English from which other language? French. Yes, this is a decades-old late-night-monologue joke masquerading as a trivia question. Your point? correct (with a hint from Alex who would know a bit about the French language)
3. How often does water flow underground, according to the Talking Heads, and will you ever feel this loved, according to Keith Urban? Both these songs are called "Once in a Lifetime." correct
4. What last name is shared by two of the actors who have played the Doctor on TV's Doctor Who? The Fourth and Sixth Doctors were both named Baker--Tom and Colin, respectively. When a Twelfth Doctor gets cast, I guess you could call them a Baker's dozen. ok
5. After the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, what did President Kennedy have installed in place of the White House bowling alley? There was no permanent "situation room" in the White House until 1961. Before then, the president had to go over to Wolf Blitzer's situation room in case of emergency. correct
6. The genetic bone disease pycnodysostosis is also called the "syndrome" of which French artist? This condition, which leads to unusually dense, brittle bones and short stature, was most famously suffered by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers? Adrienne Barbeau, Paul Bettany, Bud Cort, Jamie Lee Curtis, Wentworth Miller, Julianne Moore, Amy Poehler, Kevin Spacey, Robert Vaughn, Sigourney Weaver. Thanks to Tuesday Trivia veteran James Callan for suggesting this one: each actor has voiced a computer in the movies. (Respectively: The Thing, Iron Man, Electric Dreams, Escape from New York, Stealth, Eagle Eye, Monsters vs. Aliens, Moon, Demon Seed, and Wall-E.) meh. Haven't seen enough of the movies to know. If KJ had said Phil Hendrie, it would have been a big help. I know that he was INTELLIGENCE in Team America.
1. What much-in-the-news figure set a school high jump record at St. Andrew's School in her native Berkshire? Kate Middleton
2. Hepatic coma is a life-threatening medical condition caused by the failure of what organ? Liver?
3. Of the 4,100 or so ascents that have been made of Mount Everest, almost half were by climbers from what nation? US? or UK? Would think US because there are more climbers.
4. In 1991, what American actor founded a theater company in his Michigan hometown called "The Purple Rose"? The Purple Rose of Cairo starred Jeff Daniels. Maybe Jeff Daniels.
5. What TV show aired 95 times between September 14, 2009 and its high-profile cancellation on February 9, 2010? The Tonight Show starring Conan O'Brien
6. What's the more famous day job of Filipino congressman Manny Pacquiao? he is a boxing world champ. Not sure of the weight class.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these world cities? Beijing, Bern, Boston, Brussels, Havana, Lhasa, Manchester, Naples, Weimar. I think this might have something to do with dog breeds - Bernese mountain dog, Boston terrier, Havanese, Lhasa apso, weimaraner
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What's the only player position that has the same name in three of the four principal North American professional sports? If baseball teams only had a center, it would have been 4-for-4. correct
2. The word "surrender" entered English from which other language? French. Yes, this is a decades-old late-night-monologue joke masquerading as a trivia question. Your point? correct (with a hint from Alex who would know a bit about the French language)
3. How often does water flow underground, according to the Talking Heads, and will you ever feel this loved, according to Keith Urban? Both these songs are called "Once in a Lifetime." correct
4. What last name is shared by two of the actors who have played the Doctor on TV's Doctor Who? The Fourth and Sixth Doctors were both named Baker--Tom and Colin, respectively. When a Twelfth Doctor gets cast, I guess you could call them a Baker's dozen. ok
5. After the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, what did President Kennedy have installed in place of the White House bowling alley? There was no permanent "situation room" in the White House until 1961. Before then, the president had to go over to Wolf Blitzer's situation room in case of emergency. correct
6. The genetic bone disease pycnodysostosis is also called the "syndrome" of which French artist? This condition, which leads to unusually dense, brittle bones and short stature, was most famously suffered by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers? Adrienne Barbeau, Paul Bettany, Bud Cort, Jamie Lee Curtis, Wentworth Miller, Julianne Moore, Amy Poehler, Kevin Spacey, Robert Vaughn, Sigourney Weaver. Thanks to Tuesday Trivia veteran James Callan for suggesting this one: each actor has voiced a computer in the movies. (Respectively: The Thing, Iron Man, Electric Dreams, Escape from New York, Stealth, Eagle Eye, Monsters vs. Aliens, Moon, Demon Seed, and Wall-E.) meh. Haven't seen enough of the movies to know. If KJ had said Phil Hendrie, it would have been a big help. I know that he was INTELLIGENCE in Team America.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuiesday Trivia - April 19
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What's the only player position that has the same name in three of the four principal North American professional sports? center (no center in baseball however)
2. The word "surrender" entered English from which other language? I work with a guy named Surendra. Could surrender come from Hindi?
3. How often does water flow underground, according to the Talking Heads, and will you ever feel this loved, according to Keith Urban? Same as it ever was - once in a lifetime
4. What last name is shared by two of the actors who have played the Doctor on TV's Doctor Who? no idea. I could not even tell you one actor who has been Dr Who
5. After the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, what did President Kennedy have installed in place of the White House bowling alley? a guess - the White House situation room
6. The genetic bone disease pycnodysostosis is also called the "syndrome" of which French artist? Henri Toulouse Lautrec
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers? Adrienne Barbeau, Paul Bettany, Bud Cort, Jamie Lee Curtis, Wentworth Miller, Julianne Moore, Amy Poehler, Kevin Spacey, Robert Vaughn, Sigourney Weaver.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What current TV hit has the same title as its original 1970s version, except that the final character has been changed from a letter to a numeral? There's a subtle difference between Hawaii Five-O and Hawaii Five-0. In some fonts. Alex, I think you asked this question near the start of the new tv season when I still remembered that 5-0 was a tv show.
2. As doctors measure (using intra-articular space), what is the largest joint in the human body? The knee is your biggest joint, unless you rolled them REALLY BIG in college. would like to see comparison of joint size - knee vs. ankle vs. hip, etc. to get a sense of comparative size
3. Two world nations border 14 neighbors each. What third country borders *both* of those nations--and no others? China and Russia are the most-neighbored nations on Earth, and Mongolia is sandwiched between them. correct
4. What was originally called the "Pluto platter" when it was first sold in 1955? You know what, "Pluto platter" is actually a better name than "Frisbee." There, I said it. correct
5. What kind of animal did the witch Circe turn Odysseus's crew into? Have you seen the little piggies, crawling in the dirt? kine, swine, ovine. All those farm animals sometimes run together for me
6. Who's the longest-ago major-party U.S. presidential candidate still living? Boy am I glad George McGovern didn't die this week! He's both the oldest and longest-ago U.S. presidential candidate. Older than Carter, older than Bush, older than anybody. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones," Cream's "White Room," Kermit the Frog's "It's Not Easy Being Green," Alanis Morissette's "Hand in My Pocket," Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," Radiohead's "Karma Police," Simon and Garfunkel's "America," Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner." None of them rhyme! Not even once, as far I as could tell. Boy, it was hard putting together a list of these that wasn't entirely 90s college radio. Apparently the early 90s was a Golden Age of unrhyming rock songs. I Write The Songs would not have fit here. Still I had a hard time recognizing the pattern.
1. What's the only player position that has the same name in three of the four principal North American professional sports? center (no center in baseball however)
2. The word "surrender" entered English from which other language? I work with a guy named Surendra. Could surrender come from Hindi?
3. How often does water flow underground, according to the Talking Heads, and will you ever feel this loved, according to Keith Urban? Same as it ever was - once in a lifetime
4. What last name is shared by two of the actors who have played the Doctor on TV's Doctor Who? no idea. I could not even tell you one actor who has been Dr Who
5. After the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, what did President Kennedy have installed in place of the White House bowling alley? a guess - the White House situation room
6. The genetic bone disease pycnodysostosis is also called the "syndrome" of which French artist? Henri Toulouse Lautrec
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these performers? Adrienne Barbeau, Paul Bettany, Bud Cort, Jamie Lee Curtis, Wentworth Miller, Julianne Moore, Amy Poehler, Kevin Spacey, Robert Vaughn, Sigourney Weaver.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What current TV hit has the same title as its original 1970s version, except that the final character has been changed from a letter to a numeral? There's a subtle difference between Hawaii Five-O and Hawaii Five-0. In some fonts. Alex, I think you asked this question near the start of the new tv season when I still remembered that 5-0 was a tv show.
2. As doctors measure (using intra-articular space), what is the largest joint in the human body? The knee is your biggest joint, unless you rolled them REALLY BIG in college. would like to see comparison of joint size - knee vs. ankle vs. hip, etc. to get a sense of comparative size
3. Two world nations border 14 neighbors each. What third country borders *both* of those nations--and no others? China and Russia are the most-neighbored nations on Earth, and Mongolia is sandwiched between them. correct
4. What was originally called the "Pluto platter" when it was first sold in 1955? You know what, "Pluto platter" is actually a better name than "Frisbee." There, I said it. correct
5. What kind of animal did the witch Circe turn Odysseus's crew into? Have you seen the little piggies, crawling in the dirt? kine, swine, ovine. All those farm animals sometimes run together for me
6. Who's the longest-ago major-party U.S. presidential candidate still living? Boy am I glad George McGovern didn't die this week! He's both the oldest and longest-ago U.S. presidential candidate. Older than Carter, older than Bush, older than anybody. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones," Cream's "White Room," Kermit the Frog's "It's Not Easy Being Green," Alanis Morissette's "Hand in My Pocket," Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," Radiohead's "Karma Police," Simon and Garfunkel's "America," Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner." None of them rhyme! Not even once, as far I as could tell. Boy, it was hard putting together a list of these that wasn't entirely 90s college radio. Apparently the early 90s was a Golden Age of unrhyming rock songs. I Write The Songs would not have fit here. Still I had a hard time recognizing the pattern.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - April 12
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What current TV hit has the same title as its original 1970s version, except that the final character has been changed from a letter to a numeral? what tv show is a remake of something from the 1970s? All I can recall from the 1970s are Norman Lear comedies, Garry Marshall comedies and MTM and its spinoffs.
2. As doctors measure (using intra-articular space), what is the largest joint in the human body? hip?
3. Two world nations border 14 neighbors each. What third country borders *both* of those nations--and no others? Mongolia
4. What was originally called the "Pluto platter" when it was first sold in 1955? frisbee
5. What kind of animal did the witch Circe turn Odysseus's crew into? sheep
6. Who's the longest-ago major-party U.S. presidential candidate still living? I think that George McGovern is still alive. He is over 90.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones," Cream's "White Room," Kermit the Frog's "It's Not Easy Being Green," Alanis Morissette's "Hand in My Pocket," Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," Radiohead's "Karma Police," Simon and Garfunkel's "America," Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner."
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Thanks to her recent TV success, who has her first Top Ten hit in eight years with "On the Floor"? Replacing S-Co on American Idol was a canny career move for J-Lo. correct
2. U.S. consumption of what vegetable doubled in the 1990s, thanks to the 1986 debut of its "baby" variety? Baby carrots were a windfall for the carrot industry, even after a scandalized America discovered that baby carrots are just adult carrots shaved down with some kind of carrot lathe. correct
3. What 2011 buzzword also names a 1969 Paul Newman racing movie, a 1981 Santana single, and a best-selling Jack Welch management book from 2005? WINNING! If you routinely answer every question on this quiz "WINNING!" (I'm looking at you, Charlie Sheen!) you finally got one right this week. winning? not me
4. On May 8, 1657, who refused the British crown? That was Oliver Cromwell--within a few years he was missing the part of his body on which he would have worn said crown, so it turned out to be mostly moot. coincidentally, this came up as an answer on Jeopardy tonight
5. What sporting event was first held in 1967, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American purchase of its territory? The Senate bought Alaska from the Russians in 1867--this is the Iditarod dogsled race. correct
6. By one common definition, what number is a "whole number" but not a "counting number"? The whole numbers are often said to start at zero, but the counting numbers start with one. The TV show NUMB3RS, on other hand, often started with a suspiciously math-themed crime. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these literary figures? Frankie Addams (The Member of the Wedding), Amir (The Kite Runner), Benjamin (Genesis), Cathy Linton (Wuthering Heights), Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride), Smerdyakov (The Brothers Karamazov), Snow White, Oliver Twist, Voldemort (Harry Potter), the Wicked Witch of the East (Wicked). All these characters' mothers died in childbirth with them. The list of real famous names with the same sad medical incident in their pasts is quite short, so this must always have been more common on the page than in real life. correct
1. What current TV hit has the same title as its original 1970s version, except that the final character has been changed from a letter to a numeral? what tv show is a remake of something from the 1970s? All I can recall from the 1970s are Norman Lear comedies, Garry Marshall comedies and MTM and its spinoffs.
2. As doctors measure (using intra-articular space), what is the largest joint in the human body? hip?
3. Two world nations border 14 neighbors each. What third country borders *both* of those nations--and no others? Mongolia
4. What was originally called the "Pluto platter" when it was first sold in 1955? frisbee
5. What kind of animal did the witch Circe turn Odysseus's crew into? sheep
6. Who's the longest-ago major-party U.S. presidential candidate still living? I think that George McGovern is still alive. He is over 90.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones," Cream's "White Room," Kermit the Frog's "It's Not Easy Being Green," Alanis Morissette's "Hand in My Pocket," Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," Radiohead's "Karma Police," Simon and Garfunkel's "America," Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner."
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Thanks to her recent TV success, who has her first Top Ten hit in eight years with "On the Floor"? Replacing S-Co on American Idol was a canny career move for J-Lo. correct
2. U.S. consumption of what vegetable doubled in the 1990s, thanks to the 1986 debut of its "baby" variety? Baby carrots were a windfall for the carrot industry, even after a scandalized America discovered that baby carrots are just adult carrots shaved down with some kind of carrot lathe. correct
3. What 2011 buzzword also names a 1969 Paul Newman racing movie, a 1981 Santana single, and a best-selling Jack Welch management book from 2005? WINNING! If you routinely answer every question on this quiz "WINNING!" (I'm looking at you, Charlie Sheen!) you finally got one right this week. winning? not me
4. On May 8, 1657, who refused the British crown? That was Oliver Cromwell--within a few years he was missing the part of his body on which he would have worn said crown, so it turned out to be mostly moot. coincidentally, this came up as an answer on Jeopardy tonight
5. What sporting event was first held in 1967, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American purchase of its territory? The Senate bought Alaska from the Russians in 1867--this is the Iditarod dogsled race. correct
6. By one common definition, what number is a "whole number" but not a "counting number"? The whole numbers are often said to start at zero, but the counting numbers start with one. The TV show NUMB3RS, on other hand, often started with a suspiciously math-themed crime. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these literary figures? Frankie Addams (The Member of the Wedding), Amir (The Kite Runner), Benjamin (Genesis), Cathy Linton (Wuthering Heights), Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride), Smerdyakov (The Brothers Karamazov), Snow White, Oliver Twist, Voldemort (Harry Potter), the Wicked Witch of the East (Wicked). All these characters' mothers died in childbirth with them. The list of real famous names with the same sad medical incident in their pasts is quite short, so this must always have been more common on the page than in real life. correct
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesdat Trivia - April 5
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Thanks to her recent TV success, who has her first Top Ten hit in eight years with "On the Floor"? wracked my brain thinking of recent TV success. KJ sometimes defines "recently" to mean within the last 5 years. Maybe Gwyneth Paltrow on Glee? Has Britney Spears been on tv? Then I thought of JLo
2. U.S. consumption of what vegetable doubled in the 1990s, thanks to the 1986 debut of its "baby" variety? carrot
3. What 2011 buzzword also names a 1969 Paul Newman racing movie, a 1981 Santana single, and a best-selling Jack Welch management book from 2005? buzzwords - tea party, shut down, tsumani. None of those sound like a racing movie, single or best selling management book.
4. On May 8, 1657, who refused the British crown? David Beckham. Other than smart answers, I have no idea.
5. What sporting event was first held in 1967, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American purchase of its territory? 1867 - Alaska. Iditarod.
6. By one common definition, what number is a "whole number" but not a "counting number"? Zero?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these literary figures? Frankie Addams (The Member of the Wedding), Amir (The Kite Runner), Benjamin (Genesis), Cathy Linton (Wuthering Heights), Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride), Smerdyakov (The Brothers Karamazov), Snow White, Oliver Twist, Voldemort (Harry Potter), the Wicked Witch of the East (Wicked). Mother dies in childbirth?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What hobby are you enjoying if you're using a fixer bath solution of sodium thiosulfate to remove excess quantities of silver halide? You're a photographer...who for some reason hasn't gone digital yet but still prefers tinkering in a darkroom. correct
2. What two classic American "muscle cars" both debuted in 1964 and were both named for types of horses? The Mustang is a horse, of course, of course--and so is a Charger. correct
3. Income tax day in the U.S. will be delayed this year because the District of Columbia, on April 15, has a legal holiday celebrating the 139th anniversary of what event? This question suggested by my tax preparer--no kidding. The unfortunate math error was mine and not hers. D.C. celebrates Emancipation Day every April, but this year is the 149th anniversary of President Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, not the 139th. correct
4. Who is the only member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to have died while still legally a minor? When Ritchie "La Bamba" Valens died in the same tragic 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, he was, amazingly, only seventeen years old. correct
5. Of what early Saturday Night Live performers did writer Michael O'Donoghue famously sniff, "I won't write for felt"? The Muppets were regular performers on the first season of SNL--and credited above the show's human regulars. correct
6. What is South America's smallest Spanish-speaking nation, both in area and population? Uruguay is larger than Guyana and Suriname--but natives of those countries speak British and Dutch, respectively. not correct. Bolivia is much bigger than I thought.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. presidents, and no others? Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant, McKinley, F.D.R., and Nixon? This was meant to be an easy one--presidents that had more than one vice president. I inadvertently made it a little harder by leaving off Grover Cleveland--though I guess you could rationalize that Cleveland officially counts as two different presidents (22nd and 24th!), each of which only had one vice president. And if you buy that explanation, I have this theory about how the Emancipation Proclamation *really* took effect not in 1862 but in 1872... Alex got this even with KJ's (acknowledged) mistake.
1. Thanks to her recent TV success, who has her first Top Ten hit in eight years with "On the Floor"? wracked my brain thinking of recent TV success. KJ sometimes defines "recently" to mean within the last 5 years. Maybe Gwyneth Paltrow on Glee? Has Britney Spears been on tv? Then I thought of JLo
2. U.S. consumption of what vegetable doubled in the 1990s, thanks to the 1986 debut of its "baby" variety? carrot
3. What 2011 buzzword also names a 1969 Paul Newman racing movie, a 1981 Santana single, and a best-selling Jack Welch management book from 2005? buzzwords - tea party, shut down, tsumani. None of those sound like a racing movie, single or best selling management book.
4. On May 8, 1657, who refused the British crown? David Beckham. Other than smart answers, I have no idea.
5. What sporting event was first held in 1967, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the American purchase of its territory? 1867 - Alaska. Iditarod.
6. By one common definition, what number is a "whole number" but not a "counting number"? Zero?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these literary figures? Frankie Addams (The Member of the Wedding), Amir (The Kite Runner), Benjamin (Genesis), Cathy Linton (Wuthering Heights), Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride), Smerdyakov (The Brothers Karamazov), Snow White, Oliver Twist, Voldemort (Harry Potter), the Wicked Witch of the East (Wicked). Mother dies in childbirth?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What hobby are you enjoying if you're using a fixer bath solution of sodium thiosulfate to remove excess quantities of silver halide? You're a photographer...who for some reason hasn't gone digital yet but still prefers tinkering in a darkroom. correct
2. What two classic American "muscle cars" both debuted in 1964 and were both named for types of horses? The Mustang is a horse, of course, of course--and so is a Charger. correct
3. Income tax day in the U.S. will be delayed this year because the District of Columbia, on April 15, has a legal holiday celebrating the 139th anniversary of what event? This question suggested by my tax preparer--no kidding. The unfortunate math error was mine and not hers. D.C. celebrates Emancipation Day every April, but this year is the 149th anniversary of President Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, not the 139th. correct
4. Who is the only member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to have died while still legally a minor? When Ritchie "La Bamba" Valens died in the same tragic 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, he was, amazingly, only seventeen years old. correct
5. Of what early Saturday Night Live performers did writer Michael O'Donoghue famously sniff, "I won't write for felt"? The Muppets were regular performers on the first season of SNL--and credited above the show's human regulars. correct
6. What is South America's smallest Spanish-speaking nation, both in area and population? Uruguay is larger than Guyana and Suriname--but natives of those countries speak British and Dutch, respectively. not correct. Bolivia is much bigger than I thought.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. presidents, and no others? Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant, McKinley, F.D.R., and Nixon? This was meant to be an easy one--presidents that had more than one vice president. I inadvertently made it a little harder by leaving off Grover Cleveland--though I guess you could rationalize that Cleveland officially counts as two different presidents (22nd and 24th!), each of which only had one vice president. And if you buy that explanation, I have this theory about how the Emancipation Proclamation *really* took effect not in 1862 but in 1872... Alex got this even with KJ's (acknowledged) mistake.
