Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - June 28
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What NBA team was the last stop in the careers of both Pete Maravich and Shaquille O'Neal? Enough with the Shaq trivia please. KJ recently asked about the oldest active player in the NBA and now this. I think Shaq was a Celtic at the end of the season. But what do I know. I pay no attention to the NBA. Are the playoffs over yet?
2. What cancelled historical event, to have been led by Captain Richard F. Gordon, has lent its name to a They Might Be Giants album and an upcoming horror film? How could it be an historical event if it was cancelled? Maybe the Apollo program? Apollo 18? Would have been led by a Captain. The new Transformers movie is called Dark of the Moon. But I would not call Transformers a horror film.
3. In the U.S., what are selected via "voir dire"? Juries. This is eerily prescient. I report to court tomorrow for jury selection.
4. What large U.S. metropolitan area deposits 90% of its human burials in above-ground vaults, a higher percentage than any other world city? New Orleans
5. What involuntary movement of the orbicularis oculi muscle do adult humans perform over 15,000 times per day? blink
6. What TV and movie actor published the memoir Just One More Thing: Stories from My Life in 2006? the late Peter Falk. Serpentine!
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these historical figures? Julius Caesar, Thomas Chatterton, Cleopatra, James Cook, Lady Jane Grey, Leonardo da Vinci, Jean-Paul Marat, Montezuma, Horatio Nelson, Socrates. I know several of these folks to be left-handed. Others may have been portrayed in art works as left-handed.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What short-lived TV series titled almost half its episodes with rhyming pairs like "Beers and Weirs," "Tests and Breasts," and "Noshing and Moshing"? The title did it too: Freaks and Geeks. correct
2. The world "ball speed record," once held by jai alai, has since been reclaimed by players of what much more popular sport? Jai alai players can hurl the ball as fast as 188mph, but golf long drive champion Jason Zuback recently whacked a golf ball at 204mph, the current record. Take that weird Basque sports! my golf shots might not reach a speed that would get a ticket on an interstate
3. The drug levonorgestrel is marketed as "Plan B," under the assumption that "Plan A" is what? Plan B is an emergency (i.e. after-the-fact) contraceptive, so I guess Plan A would have been "regular birth control" or "a condom" or "staying home alone on a Saturday night and watching Cold Case reruns." correct
4. In the Bible, what kind of bird saved Elijah's life but was singularly unhelpful to Noah? Elijah in the wilderness was fed by ravens--the same kind of bird that just flew "to and fro" when Noah sent it out from the ark to see if the flood was over. correct
5. What now-independent island took its former name from the Portuguese for "beautiful island"? Taiwan. I guess "Formosa" means "beautifully formed," and isn't just a mimosa made with formaldehyde instead of champagne, as I once believed. this is a good question. Final Jeopardy worthy.
6. What rock frontman was born May 10, 1960--appropriately enough, just nine days after Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Russia? Powers was shot down in a U2 plane the same month Bono was born. By all accounts, this is just a coincidence. correct
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by all these movies? The Barefoot Contessa, The Brothers McMullen, Frankenstein (1931), Great Expectations (1946), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Night of the Living Dead, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Saving Private Ryan, Under the Volcano, Volver. These are all movies that begin in a cemetery. What other great cemetery first scenes did I miss? I guess you could also do a follow-up list of movies that END in cemeteries. Like The Third Man and Spider-Man, but not the third Spider-Man. How about this question - can I leave it in a cemetery?
1. What NBA team was the last stop in the careers of both Pete Maravich and Shaquille O'Neal? Enough with the Shaq trivia please. KJ recently asked about the oldest active player in the NBA and now this. I think Shaq was a Celtic at the end of the season. But what do I know. I pay no attention to the NBA. Are the playoffs over yet?
2. What cancelled historical event, to have been led by Captain Richard F. Gordon, has lent its name to a They Might Be Giants album and an upcoming horror film? How could it be an historical event if it was cancelled? Maybe the Apollo program? Apollo 18? Would have been led by a Captain. The new Transformers movie is called Dark of the Moon. But I would not call Transformers a horror film.
3. In the U.S., what are selected via "voir dire"? Juries. This is eerily prescient. I report to court tomorrow for jury selection.
4. What large U.S. metropolitan area deposits 90% of its human burials in above-ground vaults, a higher percentage than any other world city? New Orleans
5. What involuntary movement of the orbicularis oculi muscle do adult humans perform over 15,000 times per day? blink
6. What TV and movie actor published the memoir Just One More Thing: Stories from My Life in 2006? the late Peter Falk. Serpentine!
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these historical figures? Julius Caesar, Thomas Chatterton, Cleopatra, James Cook, Lady Jane Grey, Leonardo da Vinci, Jean-Paul Marat, Montezuma, Horatio Nelson, Socrates. I know several of these folks to be left-handed. Others may have been portrayed in art works as left-handed.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What short-lived TV series titled almost half its episodes with rhyming pairs like "Beers and Weirs," "Tests and Breasts," and "Noshing and Moshing"? The title did it too: Freaks and Geeks. correct
2. The world "ball speed record," once held by jai alai, has since been reclaimed by players of what much more popular sport? Jai alai players can hurl the ball as fast as 188mph, but golf long drive champion Jason Zuback recently whacked a golf ball at 204mph, the current record. Take that weird Basque sports! my golf shots might not reach a speed that would get a ticket on an interstate
3. The drug levonorgestrel is marketed as "Plan B," under the assumption that "Plan A" is what? Plan B is an emergency (i.e. after-the-fact) contraceptive, so I guess Plan A would have been "regular birth control" or "a condom" or "staying home alone on a Saturday night and watching Cold Case reruns." correct
4. In the Bible, what kind of bird saved Elijah's life but was singularly unhelpful to Noah? Elijah in the wilderness was fed by ravens--the same kind of bird that just flew "to and fro" when Noah sent it out from the ark to see if the flood was over. correct
5. What now-independent island took its former name from the Portuguese for "beautiful island"? Taiwan. I guess "Formosa" means "beautifully formed," and isn't just a mimosa made with formaldehyde instead of champagne, as I once believed. this is a good question. Final Jeopardy worthy.
6. What rock frontman was born May 10, 1960--appropriately enough, just nine days after Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Russia? Powers was shot down in a U2 plane the same month Bono was born. By all accounts, this is just a coincidence. correct
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by all these movies? The Barefoot Contessa, The Brothers McMullen, Frankenstein (1931), Great Expectations (1946), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Night of the Living Dead, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Saving Private Ryan, Under the Volcano, Volver. These are all movies that begin in a cemetery. What other great cemetery first scenes did I miss? I guess you could also do a follow-up list of movies that END in cemeteries. Like The Third Man and Spider-Man, but not the third Spider-Man. How about this question - can I leave it in a cemetery?
Friday, June 24, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - June 21
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What short-lived TV series titled almost half its episodes with rhyming pairs like "Beers and Weirs," "Tests and Breasts," and "Noshing and Moshing"? I think "rhyming pairs" is the important clue. Freaks and Geeks
2. The world "ball speed record," once held by jai alai, has since been reclaimed by players of what much more popular sport? tennis
3. The drug levonorgestrel is marketed as "Plan B," under the assumption that "Plan A" is what? contraception
4. In the Bible, what kind of bird saved Elijah's life but was singularly unhelpful to Noah? unhelpful to Noah? I think he sent a raven to look for dry land but the bird was unsuccessful
5. What now-independent island took its former name from the Portuguese for "beautiful island"? Macau?
6. What rock frontman was born May 10, 1960--appropriately enough, just nine days after Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Russia? Francis Gary Powers flew the U2 spy plane --> Bono
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by all these movies? The Barefoot Contessa, The Brothers McMullen, Frankenstein (1931), Great Expectations (1946), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Night of the Living Dead, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Saving Private Ryan, Under the Volcano, Volver. I don't like questions about specific details of shows or books or movies. But I'll do some research and see if I can spot a pattern somewhere.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Which sea of the Pacific Ocean is home, appropriately enough, to the Great Barrier Reef? There is a surprising amount of coral in the Coral Sea. correct
2. The only two Vietnam films on the AFI list of the 100 greatest movies are both narrated by actors with what last name? Charlie Sheen's narration of Platoon was probably a bit of an homage to Martin Sheen's narration of Apocalypse Now. Promising young actor, Charlie Sheen...whatever happened to that guy? As a few readers pointed out, there's a goof in this question. The Deer Hunter, a very good Vietnam film, is on the AFI list as well, and I completely missed it. correct
3. In computer science, what does the letter 'C' stand for in both ASCII and BASIC? Both are _c_odes. correct
4. What TV channel has hired Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg as its "Chief Shark Officer" for 2011? "Shark Week" is, of course, a big part of the Discovery Channel brand. It's important to note that Samberg's office is largely ceremonial; he can still be overruled by their Executive Shark Officer and Shark-in-Chief. correct
5. What kind of seed is missing from "unseeded" rye breads? Well, technically, lots of seeds, I guess. Pumpkin seeds, mustard seeds, etc. But the PURPOSE of the term is to distinguish between caraway-laden rye bread and its caraway-free cousin. correct
6. How many consultations could you afford with Lucy Van Pelt ("Psychiatric help, the doctor is in") for the cost of just one with Encyclopedia Brown ("No case too small")? Encyclopedia Brown charged a quarter (absent expenses), Lucy just a nickel. So Idaville's smartest boy is five times pricier than his Peanuts equivalent. Some of this may be due to inflation, but I blame the Bugs Meany-related physical risks that Lucy never had to dealt with. A quarter. Encyclopedia Brown would charge at least a dollar if the stories were being kept current.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Charlie Chaplin, Dom DiMaggio, Marcel Dionne, Stephen Douglas, Hadrian, Fiorello LaGuardia, Bruce Lee, Annie Oakley, Edith Piaf, Martin Van Buren. All were nicknamed the "Little" something by fans and/or detractors. Specifically and respectively: the Little Tramp, the Little Professor, Little Beaver, the Little Giant, the Little Greek, the Little Flower, the Little Dragon, Little Miss Sure Shot, the Little Sparrow, and the Little Magician. I guess I could have added Napoleon or Kim Jones, but I thought they might be too easy. (Wait for it.) Particularly Li'l Kim. correct!
1. What short-lived TV series titled almost half its episodes with rhyming pairs like "Beers and Weirs," "Tests and Breasts," and "Noshing and Moshing"? I think "rhyming pairs" is the important clue. Freaks and Geeks
2. The world "ball speed record," once held by jai alai, has since been reclaimed by players of what much more popular sport? tennis
3. The drug levonorgestrel is marketed as "Plan B," under the assumption that "Plan A" is what? contraception
4. In the Bible, what kind of bird saved Elijah's life but was singularly unhelpful to Noah? unhelpful to Noah? I think he sent a raven to look for dry land but the bird was unsuccessful
5. What now-independent island took its former name from the Portuguese for "beautiful island"? Macau?
6. What rock frontman was born May 10, 1960--appropriately enough, just nine days after Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Russia? Francis Gary Powers flew the U2 spy plane --> Bono
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by all these movies? The Barefoot Contessa, The Brothers McMullen, Frankenstein (1931), Great Expectations (1946), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Night of the Living Dead, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Saving Private Ryan, Under the Volcano, Volver. I don't like questions about specific details of shows or books or movies. But I'll do some research and see if I can spot a pattern somewhere.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Which sea of the Pacific Ocean is home, appropriately enough, to the Great Barrier Reef? There is a surprising amount of coral in the Coral Sea. correct
2. The only two Vietnam films on the AFI list of the 100 greatest movies are both narrated by actors with what last name? Charlie Sheen's narration of Platoon was probably a bit of an homage to Martin Sheen's narration of Apocalypse Now. Promising young actor, Charlie Sheen...whatever happened to that guy? As a few readers pointed out, there's a goof in this question. The Deer Hunter, a very good Vietnam film, is on the AFI list as well, and I completely missed it. correct
3. In computer science, what does the letter 'C' stand for in both ASCII and BASIC? Both are _c_odes. correct
4. What TV channel has hired Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg as its "Chief Shark Officer" for 2011? "Shark Week" is, of course, a big part of the Discovery Channel brand. It's important to note that Samberg's office is largely ceremonial; he can still be overruled by their Executive Shark Officer and Shark-in-Chief. correct
5. What kind of seed is missing from "unseeded" rye breads? Well, technically, lots of seeds, I guess. Pumpkin seeds, mustard seeds, etc. But the PURPOSE of the term is to distinguish between caraway-laden rye bread and its caraway-free cousin. correct
6. How many consultations could you afford with Lucy Van Pelt ("Psychiatric help, the doctor is in") for the cost of just one with Encyclopedia Brown ("No case too small")? Encyclopedia Brown charged a quarter (absent expenses), Lucy just a nickel. So Idaville's smartest boy is five times pricier than his Peanuts equivalent. Some of this may be due to inflation, but I blame the Bugs Meany-related physical risks that Lucy never had to dealt with. A quarter. Encyclopedia Brown would charge at least a dollar if the stories were being kept current.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Charlie Chaplin, Dom DiMaggio, Marcel Dionne, Stephen Douglas, Hadrian, Fiorello LaGuardia, Bruce Lee, Annie Oakley, Edith Piaf, Martin Van Buren. All were nicknamed the "Little" something by fans and/or detractors. Specifically and respectively: the Little Tramp, the Little Professor, Little Beaver, the Little Giant, the Little Greek, the Little Flower, the Little Dragon, Little Miss Sure Shot, the Little Sparrow, and the Little Magician. I guess I could have added Napoleon or Kim Jones, but I thought they might be too easy. (Wait for it.) Particularly Li'l Kim. correct!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - June 14
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Which sea of the Pacific Ocean is home, appropriately enough, to the Great Barrier Reef? Coral Sea
2. The only two Vietnam films on the AFI list of the 100 greatest movies are both narrated by actors with what last name? Sheen (Martin and Charlie)
3. In computer science, what does the letter 'C' stand for in both ASCII and BASIC? code. would not expect that it would be computing or computer
4. What TV channel has hired Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg as its "Chief Shark Officer" for 2011? Shark Week --> Discovery Channel
5. What kind of seed is missing from "unseeded" rye breads? carraway seeds
6. How many consultations could you afford with Lucy Van Pelt ("Psychiatric help, the doctor is in") for the cost of just one with Encyclopedia Brown ("No case too small")? Lucy charged a nickel (5 cents please). Encyclopedia Brown - a dollar? I'll say 20 sessions.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Charlie Chaplin, Dom DiMaggio, Marcel Dionne, Stephen Douglas, Hadrian, Fiorello LaGuardia, Bruce Lee, Annie Oakley, Edith Piaf, Martin Van Buren. Not very tough this week. "Little" nicknames - Little Tramp, Little Professor, Little Beaver, Little Giant, ? for Hadrian, Little Flower, Little Dragon, Little Sure Shot, Little Sparrow, Little Magician.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What U.S. city is represented by a professional baseball and football team each named for a different bird? Baltimore: Orioles and Ravens. Follow-up question for no credit: what city is represented by different birds in the NFL and NBA? correct; Toronto (raptors and bluejays)
2. The upcoming book Yossarian Slept Here is a memoir by the daughter of what American author? Yossarian is the lead character of Catch-22, by Joseph Heller. correct
3. The "nine-banded" is the most widespread species of what Western Hemisphere mammal, the only surviving member of order Cingulata? The nine-banded armadillo ranges from Uruguay up to Nebraska. And it's headed north! Look out New England. correct!
4. Who did the media nickname "Lady Lindy" in 1928? "Lindy" was Charles Lindbergh; once Amelia Earhart made it across the Atlantic, she was "Lady Lindy." correct
5. In the 2007 film Juno, what was the title character's phone shaped like? "Can you hold on a second? I'm on my hamburger phone. BECAUSE I'M SO PRECIOUS AND QUIRKY IN EVERY WAY." I really need to watch this movie
6. What mountain range lent its name to the highest mountain ranges in both Australia and New Zealand? The Southern Alps and the Australian Alps were both named for...the Appalachians. Wait, that can't be right. correct
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by these famous folks? Robert Evans, Frank Gifford, Dan Hicks, Les Moonves, Mike Nichols, Garry Trudeau, Alexandra Wentworth. All are or were married to TV morning show hosts--to wit, Phyllis George, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hannah Storm, Julie Chen, Diane Sawyer, Jane Pauley, and George Stephanopoulos. We also accepted some slightly vaguer answers, like "married to TV hosts," because we're nice like that. hey I was correct on a Q7! first one in a while
1. Which sea of the Pacific Ocean is home, appropriately enough, to the Great Barrier Reef? Coral Sea
2. The only two Vietnam films on the AFI list of the 100 greatest movies are both narrated by actors with what last name? Sheen (Martin and Charlie)
3. In computer science, what does the letter 'C' stand for in both ASCII and BASIC? code. would not expect that it would be computing or computer
4. What TV channel has hired Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg as its "Chief Shark Officer" for 2011? Shark Week --> Discovery Channel
5. What kind of seed is missing from "unseeded" rye breads? carraway seeds
6. How many consultations could you afford with Lucy Van Pelt ("Psychiatric help, the doctor is in") for the cost of just one with Encyclopedia Brown ("No case too small")? Lucy charged a nickel (5 cents please). Encyclopedia Brown - a dollar? I'll say 20 sessions.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Charlie Chaplin, Dom DiMaggio, Marcel Dionne, Stephen Douglas, Hadrian, Fiorello LaGuardia, Bruce Lee, Annie Oakley, Edith Piaf, Martin Van Buren. Not very tough this week. "Little" nicknames - Little Tramp, Little Professor, Little Beaver, Little Giant, ? for Hadrian, Little Flower, Little Dragon, Little Sure Shot, Little Sparrow, Little Magician.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What U.S. city is represented by a professional baseball and football team each named for a different bird? Baltimore: Orioles and Ravens. Follow-up question for no credit: what city is represented by different birds in the NFL and NBA? correct; Toronto (raptors and bluejays)
2. The upcoming book Yossarian Slept Here is a memoir by the daughter of what American author? Yossarian is the lead character of Catch-22, by Joseph Heller. correct
3. The "nine-banded" is the most widespread species of what Western Hemisphere mammal, the only surviving member of order Cingulata? The nine-banded armadillo ranges from Uruguay up to Nebraska. And it's headed north! Look out New England. correct!
4. Who did the media nickname "Lady Lindy" in 1928? "Lindy" was Charles Lindbergh; once Amelia Earhart made it across the Atlantic, she was "Lady Lindy." correct
5. In the 2007 film Juno, what was the title character's phone shaped like? "Can you hold on a second? I'm on my hamburger phone. BECAUSE I'M SO PRECIOUS AND QUIRKY IN EVERY WAY." I really need to watch this movie
6. What mountain range lent its name to the highest mountain ranges in both Australia and New Zealand? The Southern Alps and the Australian Alps were both named for...the Appalachians. Wait, that can't be right. correct
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by these famous folks? Robert Evans, Frank Gifford, Dan Hicks, Les Moonves, Mike Nichols, Garry Trudeau, Alexandra Wentworth. All are or were married to TV morning show hosts--to wit, Phyllis George, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hannah Storm, Julie Chen, Diane Sawyer, Jane Pauley, and George Stephanopoulos. We also accepted some slightly vaguer answers, like "married to TV hosts," because we're nice like that. hey I was correct on a Q7! first one in a while
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - June 7
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What U.S. city is represented by a professional baseball and football team each named for a different bird? Baltimore (Orioles and Ravens)
2. The upcoming book Yossarian Slept Here is a memoir by the daughter of what American author? Joseph Heller
3. The "nine-banded" is the most widespread species of what Western Hemisphere mammal, the only surviving member of order Cingulata? banded makes me think of birds or reptiles. What mammal would be banded? armadillo?
4. Who did the media nickname "Lady Lindy" in 1928? Amelia Earhart? Nellie Bly?
5. In the 2007 film Juno, what was the title character's phone shaped like? no idea
6. What mountain range lent its name to the highest mountain ranges in both Australia and New Zealand? Alps
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by these famous folks? Robert Evans, Frank Gifford, Dan Hicks, Les Moonves, Mike Nichols, Garry Trudeau, Alexandra Wentworth. All spouses are newscasters or media personalities. All morning show hosts, I believe. Phyllis George, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hannah Storm, Julie Chen, Diane Sawyer, Jane Pauley, George Stephanopolous.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What annual late-summer event is sometimes referred to using three punctuation marks--close parenthesis, apostrophe, open parenthesis--which resemble its famous symbol? I guess )'( looks a little like the titular effigy at Burning Man. If, you know, you're TOTALLY high. I guess I am not totally high.
2. According to the title of a 2006 film, what follows "the pledge" and "the turn"? Those are the three parts of a magic trick, according to The Prestige. I didn't know until recently that these aren't actual magic terms, just made-up ones for the story. um, ok
3. What are the two largest--and closest--members of the "Local Group"? The Local Group is part of your address: it's the galactic cluster where we live. At the center of it are the Milky Way and its nearest neigbor, the Andromeda Galaxy. Interesting factoid. Glad to learn that I live in the Local Group. Should I update my address?
4. What did Pope Urban II begin with his famous sermon at the 1095 Council of Clermont? He called for a serious of counter-productive, costly military campaigns to take back Jerusalem from the Turks. In other words: the Crusades. correct
5. What amusement park ride lent its name, during the 1980s, to a Dire Straits single and a Springsteen album? Tunnel of Love. Do they even have Tunnels of Love anymore? I think they might only exist in movies and TV, like gorilla suits and (see below) architects. correct
6. What poem's last word is "outgrabe"? "And the mome raths outgrabe," whatever that means, according to the first and last stanzas of Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? According to Jim, The Brady Bunch, Clarissa Explains It All, Family Ties, Fraggle Rock, How I Met Your Mother, The Invaders, The O.C., Once and Again, One Day at a Time. Each show has an architect character. I think architects are, like, ten times more common on TV than in real life. Even if you don't count the fake ones, like Art Vandelay. I knew that Mike Brady was an architect, but I would never have guessed that. Good one, Kmac!
1. What U.S. city is represented by a professional baseball and football team each named for a different bird? Baltimore (Orioles and Ravens)
2. The upcoming book Yossarian Slept Here is a memoir by the daughter of what American author? Joseph Heller
3. The "nine-banded" is the most widespread species of what Western Hemisphere mammal, the only surviving member of order Cingulata? banded makes me think of birds or reptiles. What mammal would be banded? armadillo?
4. Who did the media nickname "Lady Lindy" in 1928? Amelia Earhart? Nellie Bly?
5. In the 2007 film Juno, what was the title character's phone shaped like? no idea
6. What mountain range lent its name to the highest mountain ranges in both Australia and New Zealand? Alps
7. What unusual (and fairly specific) distinction is shared by these famous folks? Robert Evans, Frank Gifford, Dan Hicks, Les Moonves, Mike Nichols, Garry Trudeau, Alexandra Wentworth. All spouses are newscasters or media personalities. All morning show hosts, I believe. Phyllis George, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hannah Storm, Julie Chen, Diane Sawyer, Jane Pauley, George Stephanopolous.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What annual late-summer event is sometimes referred to using three punctuation marks--close parenthesis, apostrophe, open parenthesis--which resemble its famous symbol? I guess )'( looks a little like the titular effigy at Burning Man. If, you know, you're TOTALLY high. I guess I am not totally high.
2. According to the title of a 2006 film, what follows "the pledge" and "the turn"? Those are the three parts of a magic trick, according to The Prestige. I didn't know until recently that these aren't actual magic terms, just made-up ones for the story. um, ok
3. What are the two largest--and closest--members of the "Local Group"? The Local Group is part of your address: it's the galactic cluster where we live. At the center of it are the Milky Way and its nearest neigbor, the Andromeda Galaxy. Interesting factoid. Glad to learn that I live in the Local Group. Should I update my address?
4. What did Pope Urban II begin with his famous sermon at the 1095 Council of Clermont? He called for a serious of counter-productive, costly military campaigns to take back Jerusalem from the Turks. In other words: the Crusades. correct
5. What amusement park ride lent its name, during the 1980s, to a Dire Straits single and a Springsteen album? Tunnel of Love. Do they even have Tunnels of Love anymore? I think they might only exist in movies and TV, like gorilla suits and (see below) architects. correct
6. What poem's last word is "outgrabe"? "And the mome raths outgrabe," whatever that means, according to the first and last stanzas of Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? According to Jim, The Brady Bunch, Clarissa Explains It All, Family Ties, Fraggle Rock, How I Met Your Mother, The Invaders, The O.C., Once and Again, One Day at a Time. Each show has an architect character. I think architects are, like, ten times more common on TV than in real life. Even if you don't count the fake ones, like Art Vandelay. I knew that Mike Brady was an architect, but I would never have guessed that. Good one, Kmac!
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 31
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What annual late-summer event is sometimes referred to using three punctuation marks--close parenthesis, apostrophe, open parenthesis--which resemble its famous symbol? This is what KJ described - )'(. Late summer makes me think of an event in September. A sporting event? US Open tennis?
2. According to the title of a 2006 film, what follows "the pledge" and "the turn"? I have no idea what this refers to.
3. What are the two largest--and closest--members of the "Local Group"? I have no idea what this refers to.
4. What did Pope Urban II begin with his famous sermon at the 1095 Council of Clermont? the Crusades? This seems too early to be the Inquisition.
5. What amusement park ride lent its name, during the 1980s, to a Dire Straits single and a Springsteen album? Tunnel of Love
6. What poem's last word is "outgrabe"? Jabberwocky
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? According to Jim, The Brady Bunch, Clarissa Explains It All, Family Ties, Fraggle Rock, How I Met Your Mother, The Invaders, The O.C., Once and Again, One Day at a Time.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What can be made Montreal-style (with egg and poached in honey-water) or New York-style (preferably using Brookyln water, supposedly superior)? Those are two varieties of bagel. I've never had the Montreal kind but...egg? Really? correct
2. Last fall, Reggie Bush became the first person in history to voluntarily return what? His Heisman, as a result of an NCAA investigation into his eligibility. Also, some overdue library books. correct
3. To streamline meetings at his local church, what American general published an influential 1876 book on parliamentary procedure? Nobody remembers Brigadier General Henry Robert's bravery in combat, but everyone loves his Rules of Order! I like this question. A good one.
4. What 2011 film features a doubles match against two tennis players portrayed, in cameos, by former SNL cast members Melanie Hutsell and Nancy Carell? Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph are also SNL vets, of course--the movie is Bridesmaids. correct
5. What name is shared, coincidentally, by Canada's equivalent of the Grammy Awards, and by the beach that Canadian forces took on D-Day? They're both called Juno. What is up with you and Juno, Canada? Still jealous that we got Alaska? correct
6. Green Lantern's power ring has historically been vulnerable to objects of what color? Yellow, which wouldn't be so bad except that all his enemies knew about it, so they were always attacking him with giant lemons and stuff. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets would be his least favorite college team. And every team from Pittsburgh.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these nations and no others? Albania, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Zambia, and probably Zimbabwe. Those are all the countries with an eagle on their flags. (The Zimbabwe flag has an 11th-century statue of a bird that's probably based on an eagle.) I just checked and the "Team Zissou" flag from Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic doesn't have an eagle, in case you were wondering. But it does have an octopus.
1. What annual late-summer event is sometimes referred to using three punctuation marks--close parenthesis, apostrophe, open parenthesis--which resemble its famous symbol? This is what KJ described - )'(. Late summer makes me think of an event in September. A sporting event? US Open tennis?
2. According to the title of a 2006 film, what follows "the pledge" and "the turn"? I have no idea what this refers to.
3. What are the two largest--and closest--members of the "Local Group"? I have no idea what this refers to.
4. What did Pope Urban II begin with his famous sermon at the 1095 Council of Clermont? the Crusades? This seems too early to be the Inquisition.
5. What amusement park ride lent its name, during the 1980s, to a Dire Straits single and a Springsteen album? Tunnel of Love
6. What poem's last word is "outgrabe"? Jabberwocky
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows? According to Jim, The Brady Bunch, Clarissa Explains It All, Family Ties, Fraggle Rock, How I Met Your Mother, The Invaders, The O.C., Once and Again, One Day at a Time.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What can be made Montreal-style (with egg and poached in honey-water) or New York-style (preferably using Brookyln water, supposedly superior)? Those are two varieties of bagel. I've never had the Montreal kind but...egg? Really? correct
2. Last fall, Reggie Bush became the first person in history to voluntarily return what? His Heisman, as a result of an NCAA investigation into his eligibility. Also, some overdue library books. correct
3. To streamline meetings at his local church, what American general published an influential 1876 book on parliamentary procedure? Nobody remembers Brigadier General Henry Robert's bravery in combat, but everyone loves his Rules of Order! I like this question. A good one.
4. What 2011 film features a doubles match against two tennis players portrayed, in cameos, by former SNL cast members Melanie Hutsell and Nancy Carell? Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph are also SNL vets, of course--the movie is Bridesmaids. correct
5. What name is shared, coincidentally, by Canada's equivalent of the Grammy Awards, and by the beach that Canadian forces took on D-Day? They're both called Juno. What is up with you and Juno, Canada? Still jealous that we got Alaska? correct
6. Green Lantern's power ring has historically been vulnerable to objects of what color? Yellow, which wouldn't be so bad except that all his enemies knew about it, so they were always attacking him with giant lemons and stuff. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets would be his least favorite college team. And every team from Pittsburgh.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these nations and no others? Albania, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Zambia, and probably Zimbabwe. Those are all the countries with an eagle on their flags. (The Zimbabwe flag has an 11th-century statue of a bird that's probably based on an eagle.) I just checked and the "Team Zissou" flag from Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic doesn't have an eagle, in case you were wondering. But it does have an octopus.
