Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - December 27
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What's the American version of the 1997 Swedish TV hit Expedition Robinson called? sounds like Survivor
2. What type of dog, encompassing 28 different breeds, was so named because it was bred to burrow in the earth? Terrier (digging in the terroir)?
3. What length of time is the life of a current U.S. patent, as well as the span of a marriage celebrating the "china anniversary"? 17 years?
4. The Marco Polo Club is the appropriately named frequent-flyer program of what Hong Kong-based airline? Cathay Pacific
5. What 1969 musical title figure is told he's "really made the grade, and the papers want to know whose shirts you wear"? Tommy?
6. What modern-day nation was once ruled by Merovingians and Carolingians? Lots of guessing this week. France?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these entertaining people? Roy Acuff, Melvin Belli, Clark Gable, Benny Goodman, Michael Jackson, Steve McQueen, Roy Rogers, Mack Sennett? Q7 is easier than the other questions this week. They are all King of one thing or another. Country Music, Torts, Hollywood, Swing, Pop, Cool, the Cowboys, Comedy
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What South African region takes its name from the fact that Vasco da Gama first sighted it on December 25, 1497? This is the province of Natal, whose name ("birth") is the Portuguese word for Christmas. correct
2. What traditional holiday item often includes a succade made of citron? "Succade" is candied fruit--citron peel is often used to make those suspiciously radioactive-looking yellow and red and green chunks in your fruitcake. I think that the next fruitcake I eat will be my first
3. In 1906, what American author wrote, "In a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest"? This is the penultimate line of "The Gift of the Magi," by O. Henry. correct
4. How many candles are there in a Kwanzaa kinara? Seven! Here's how to remember: "Kwanzaa" has one letter fewer than "Hanukkah." But then you half to remember how to spell Kwanzaa and Hanukkah without the extra 'C' and... can't really say much about this bit of arcana
5. Dr. Christmas Jones, a nuclear physicist who wears a D-cup, is a "Bond girl" from which 007 film? She was played by Denise Richards (a real life nuclear physicist!) in The World Is Not Enough. Yeah, I know, all those Brosnan ones run together for me too. a real life nuclear physicist? I don't think so. Not much of an actress either. This role won her the Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress.
6. In the Roman calendar, December 25 was Brumalia. What's the scientific name for the occasion marked by Brumalia? "Bruma" means "short," and Brumalia marked the shortest day of the year. We call it the winter solstice. (By "we" I mean owners of New Age bookstores.) correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these Christmas-y songs? "The Christmas Song," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Silver Bells," "White Christmas" and, in part, "Sleigh Ride" and "Winter Wonderland"? These are all Christmas songs by Jewish composers! Gotta give the market what it wants, I guess. In the case of the last two, I was only able to confirm the Jewish-ness of one member of the two-man songwriting team. Christmas Time In Hell and Mr. Hankey The Christmas Poo were also written by a Jewish composer
1. What's the American version of the 1997 Swedish TV hit Expedition Robinson called? sounds like Survivor
2. What type of dog, encompassing 28 different breeds, was so named because it was bred to burrow in the earth? Terrier (digging in the terroir)?
3. What length of time is the life of a current U.S. patent, as well as the span of a marriage celebrating the "china anniversary"? 17 years?
4. The Marco Polo Club is the appropriately named frequent-flyer program of what Hong Kong-based airline? Cathay Pacific
5. What 1969 musical title figure is told he's "really made the grade, and the papers want to know whose shirts you wear"? Tommy?
6. What modern-day nation was once ruled by Merovingians and Carolingians? Lots of guessing this week. France?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these entertaining people? Roy Acuff, Melvin Belli, Clark Gable, Benny Goodman, Michael Jackson, Steve McQueen, Roy Rogers, Mack Sennett? Q7 is easier than the other questions this week. They are all King of one thing or another. Country Music, Torts, Hollywood, Swing, Pop, Cool, the Cowboys, Comedy
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What South African region takes its name from the fact that Vasco da Gama first sighted it on December 25, 1497? This is the province of Natal, whose name ("birth") is the Portuguese word for Christmas. correct
2. What traditional holiday item often includes a succade made of citron? "Succade" is candied fruit--citron peel is often used to make those suspiciously radioactive-looking yellow and red and green chunks in your fruitcake. I think that the next fruitcake I eat will be my first
3. In 1906, what American author wrote, "In a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest"? This is the penultimate line of "The Gift of the Magi," by O. Henry. correct
4. How many candles are there in a Kwanzaa kinara? Seven! Here's how to remember: "Kwanzaa" has one letter fewer than "Hanukkah." But then you half to remember how to spell Kwanzaa and Hanukkah without the extra 'C' and... can't really say much about this bit of arcana
5. Dr. Christmas Jones, a nuclear physicist who wears a D-cup, is a "Bond girl" from which 007 film? She was played by Denise Richards (a real life nuclear physicist!) in The World Is Not Enough. Yeah, I know, all those Brosnan ones run together for me too. a real life nuclear physicist? I don't think so. Not much of an actress either. This role won her the Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress.
6. In the Roman calendar, December 25 was Brumalia. What's the scientific name for the occasion marked by Brumalia? "Bruma" means "short," and Brumalia marked the shortest day of the year. We call it the winter solstice. (By "we" I mean owners of New Age bookstores.) correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these Christmas-y songs? "The Christmas Song," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Silver Bells," "White Christmas" and, in part, "Sleigh Ride" and "Winter Wonderland"? These are all Christmas songs by Jewish composers! Gotta give the market what it wants, I guess. In the case of the last two, I was only able to confirm the Jewish-ness of one member of the two-man songwriting team. Christmas Time In Hell and Mr. Hankey The Christmas Poo were also written by a Jewish composer
