Thursday, March 29, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 27
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The star of what current TV show is also one half of the musical duo She & Him? New Girl stars Zooey Deschanel who is the She side. The Him role is M. Ward.
2. What airplane first did essentially the same thing that the plane called Bockscar also did three days later? did the Wright brothers get the glory even if their plane was not the first flight?
3. In medieval fables, what kind of animal is Chanticleer? rooster
4. Of the forty performers who have won acting Oscars since 2002, who was the only one who didn't give an acceptance speech? I try to recall who won this year in case this is a current events question. But Meryl Streep, the guy from The Artist, Christopher Plummer and Octavia Spencer were all in attendance. Have to go further back. Was Rachel Weisz pregnant and not at the Oscars when she won?
5. What unit of computer memory contains one thousand gigabytes? I believe that this is a terabyte.
6. What nickname did William Calhoun use as one of the biggest pro wrestling stars of the 1950s and 1960s? Gorgeous George? I cannot think of any other wrestler names from that era
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these songs? "The Bad Touch" by the Bloodhound Gang, "Beautiful Day" by U2, "Born to Die" by Lana Del Rey, "Come Back to Me" by Janet Jackson, "Justify My Love" by Madonna, "Let's Make Love" by Faith Hill, "Nice & Slow" by Usher, "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor, "Say (All I Need)" by OneRepublic, "Someone Like You" by Adele. All music videos set in and around Paris.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What's the title male model's first name in the 2001 movie Zoolander? Derek! Otherwise the Derek Zoolander Center For Kids Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too would have to change its name. correct
2. Which bill makes up over 75% of the value of all circulating U.S. currency? $100-dollar bills. Thanks, international crime! it is all about the Benjamins. I guess it is not true that ATMs have put so many $20 bills into circulation that they dwarf other bills.
3. What ancient kingdom was ruled, at various times, by the Hyksos and the Ptolemys? Both were Egyptian dynasties. correct
4. Before 2010, Wataru Misaka, Raymond Townsend, Corey Gaines, Rex Walters, and Robert Swift were among the only Asian-Americans ever to do what? Before Jeremy Lin, they were the NBA's only Asian-Americans. correct
5. What kind of plants does a dendrologist study? "Dendron" is Greek for "tree." correct
6. Iguazu, Gocta, and Kaieteur are some of South America's most visited what? Waterfalls. This would have been a lot easier if I'd included Venezuela's Angel Falls, I guess. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these classic novels? Cat's Cradle, The English Patient, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Hobbit, Lord of the Flies, A Passage to India, Song of Solomon, Things Fall Apart, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island. All have scenes set in caves. I was going to include The Goonies but it turns out The Goonies wasn't based on a classic novel, like I had long believed. Live and learn. as always, it seems so evident once you see the answer
1. The star of what current TV show is also one half of the musical duo She & Him? New Girl stars Zooey Deschanel who is the She side. The Him role is M. Ward.
2. What airplane first did essentially the same thing that the plane called Bockscar also did three days later? did the Wright brothers get the glory even if their plane was not the first flight?
3. In medieval fables, what kind of animal is Chanticleer? rooster
4. Of the forty performers who have won acting Oscars since 2002, who was the only one who didn't give an acceptance speech? I try to recall who won this year in case this is a current events question. But Meryl Streep, the guy from The Artist, Christopher Plummer and Octavia Spencer were all in attendance. Have to go further back. Was Rachel Weisz pregnant and not at the Oscars when she won?
5. What unit of computer memory contains one thousand gigabytes? I believe that this is a terabyte.
6. What nickname did William Calhoun use as one of the biggest pro wrestling stars of the 1950s and 1960s? Gorgeous George? I cannot think of any other wrestler names from that era
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these songs? "The Bad Touch" by the Bloodhound Gang, "Beautiful Day" by U2, "Born to Die" by Lana Del Rey, "Come Back to Me" by Janet Jackson, "Justify My Love" by Madonna, "Let's Make Love" by Faith Hill, "Nice & Slow" by Usher, "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor, "Say (All I Need)" by OneRepublic, "Someone Like You" by Adele. All music videos set in and around Paris.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What's the title male model's first name in the 2001 movie Zoolander? Derek! Otherwise the Derek Zoolander Center For Kids Who Can't Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too would have to change its name. correct
2. Which bill makes up over 75% of the value of all circulating U.S. currency? $100-dollar bills. Thanks, international crime! it is all about the Benjamins. I guess it is not true that ATMs have put so many $20 bills into circulation that they dwarf other bills.
3. What ancient kingdom was ruled, at various times, by the Hyksos and the Ptolemys? Both were Egyptian dynasties. correct
4. Before 2010, Wataru Misaka, Raymond Townsend, Corey Gaines, Rex Walters, and Robert Swift were among the only Asian-Americans ever to do what? Before Jeremy Lin, they were the NBA's only Asian-Americans. correct
5. What kind of plants does a dendrologist study? "Dendron" is Greek for "tree." correct
6. Iguazu, Gocta, and Kaieteur are some of South America's most visited what? Waterfalls. This would have been a lot easier if I'd included Venezuela's Angel Falls, I guess. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these classic novels? Cat's Cradle, The English Patient, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Hobbit, Lord of the Flies, A Passage to India, Song of Solomon, Things Fall Apart, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island. All have scenes set in caves. I was going to include The Goonies but it turns out The Goonies wasn't based on a classic novel, like I had long believed. Live and learn. as always, it seems so evident once you see the answer
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 20
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What's the title male model's first name in the 2001 movie Zoolander? Derek
2. Which bill makes up over 75% of the value of all circulating U.S. currency? $20 (a guess based on the frequency with which they are withdrawn from ATMs)
3. What ancient kingdom was ruled, at various times, by the Hyksos and the Ptolemys? Egypt
4. Before 2010, Wataru Misaka, Raymond Townsend, Corey Gaines, Rex Walters, and Robert Swift were among the only Asian-Americans ever to do what? I recognize Raymond Townsend, Corey Gaines and Rex Walters as the names of basketball players ---> Play in the NBA?
5. What kind of plants does a dendrologist study? trees?
6. Iguazu, Gocta, and Kaieteur are some of South America's most visited what? waterfalls
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these classic novels? Cat's Cradle, The English Patient, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Hobbit, Lord of the Flies, A Passage to India, Song of Solomon, Things Fall Apart, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island. Tom Sawyer, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Cat's in the Cradle - all songs based on a title of one of these works. Is that the common thread? Misty Mountain Hop ---> The Hobbit?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. George Eads and Paul Guilfoyle are the only actors that have survived as cast members during the entire 12-season run of what TV series? Eads and Guilfoyle are *still* on the original CSI, which (a lot of people don't remember this) was actually up against Dynasty and Little House on the Prairie. during its first season on CBS. Jorja Fox, if you were wondering, was just recurring for a few seasons, so she doesn't count. correct
2. Who published his Catechism of the Church of Geneva in 1542? If you only know one 16th-century religious reformer from Geneva, I hope it's John Calvin. At least for the purposes of getting this question right. shoot, I guessed the wrong John. I could only remember John Knox, not Calvin.
3. What common fashion accessory is made entirely of nacre? "Nacre" may sound gross, but it's just the scientific term for mother-of-pearl. Pearls are made from nacre. correct
4. What 1964 song's most memorable lyric was suggested by Bill Dees, who noticed that the singer always said "Mercy!" when he saw an attractive girl? "Mercy!" is apparently what Roy Orbison said whenever he saw a "Pretty Woman." knew that I had a brain freeze on an easy question
5. What U.S. state's unusual flag has a covered wagon and two boats on one side, and a beaver on the other? Oregon (the end of a namesake pioneer trail as well as the Beaver State) is the only state whose flag is different on its two sides. When it comes to national flags, Paraguay does the same thing. Overachievers. correct
6. What movie title character speaks his film's final line: "Mein Fuhrer! I can walk!" That's the last we hear from Dr. Strangelove. The movie ends somewhat abruptly there (with a montage of mushroom clouds) because Kubrick eventually rethought his original ending: a massive pie fight. True story. really tough. Additional clues would have helped.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these countries and no others? Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brunei, Burundi, Guyana, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Niger, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Sweden. I apologize in advance for this being a little more convoluted that usual. These are the countries whose names start with the same letters as their capitals...EXCEPT that I left out countries whose capitals were named for the country themselves (Algiers, Mexico City, Singapore, etc.) "and no others" . . . except for a few others. Not fair, KJ.
1. What's the title male model's first name in the 2001 movie Zoolander? Derek
2. Which bill makes up over 75% of the value of all circulating U.S. currency? $20 (a guess based on the frequency with which they are withdrawn from ATMs)
3. What ancient kingdom was ruled, at various times, by the Hyksos and the Ptolemys? Egypt
4. Before 2010, Wataru Misaka, Raymond Townsend, Corey Gaines, Rex Walters, and Robert Swift were among the only Asian-Americans ever to do what? I recognize Raymond Townsend, Corey Gaines and Rex Walters as the names of basketball players ---> Play in the NBA?
5. What kind of plants does a dendrologist study? trees?
6. Iguazu, Gocta, and Kaieteur are some of South America's most visited what? waterfalls
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these classic novels? Cat's Cradle, The English Patient, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Hobbit, Lord of the Flies, A Passage to India, Song of Solomon, Things Fall Apart, Tom Sawyer, Treasure Island. Tom Sawyer, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Cat's in the Cradle - all songs based on a title of one of these works. Is that the common thread? Misty Mountain Hop ---> The Hobbit?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. George Eads and Paul Guilfoyle are the only actors that have survived as cast members during the entire 12-season run of what TV series? Eads and Guilfoyle are *still* on the original CSI, which (a lot of people don't remember this) was actually up against Dynasty and Little House on the Prairie. during its first season on CBS. Jorja Fox, if you were wondering, was just recurring for a few seasons, so she doesn't count. correct
2. Who published his Catechism of the Church of Geneva in 1542? If you only know one 16th-century religious reformer from Geneva, I hope it's John Calvin. At least for the purposes of getting this question right. shoot, I guessed the wrong John. I could only remember John Knox, not Calvin.
3. What common fashion accessory is made entirely of nacre? "Nacre" may sound gross, but it's just the scientific term for mother-of-pearl. Pearls are made from nacre. correct
4. What 1964 song's most memorable lyric was suggested by Bill Dees, who noticed that the singer always said "Mercy!" when he saw an attractive girl? "Mercy!" is apparently what Roy Orbison said whenever he saw a "Pretty Woman." knew that I had a brain freeze on an easy question
5. What U.S. state's unusual flag has a covered wagon and two boats on one side, and a beaver on the other? Oregon (the end of a namesake pioneer trail as well as the Beaver State) is the only state whose flag is different on its two sides. When it comes to national flags, Paraguay does the same thing. Overachievers. correct
6. What movie title character speaks his film's final line: "Mein Fuhrer! I can walk!" That's the last we hear from Dr. Strangelove. The movie ends somewhat abruptly there (with a montage of mushroom clouds) because Kubrick eventually rethought his original ending: a massive pie fight. True story. really tough. Additional clues would have helped.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these countries and no others? Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brunei, Burundi, Guyana, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Niger, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Sweden. I apologize in advance for this being a little more convoluted that usual. These are the countries whose names start with the same letters as their capitals...EXCEPT that I left out countries whose capitals were named for the country themselves (Algiers, Mexico City, Singapore, etc.) "and no others" . . . except for a few others. Not fair, KJ.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 13
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. George Eads and Paul Guilfoyle are the only actors that have survived as case members during the entire 12-season run of what TV series? CSI (the Who Are You series)
2. Who published his Catechism of the Church of Geneva in 1542? Geneva was a focal point for the Reformation. I remember seeing a monument to John Knox when I was there. Could it be him?
3. What common fashion accessory is made entirely of nacre? crossworders associate nacre with pearls
4. What 1964 song's most memorable lyric was suggested by Bill Dees, who noticed that the singer always said "Mercy!" when he saw an attractive girl? This really has me perplexed. I should know this song, but it is not coming to me yet. A Beatles song? A Motown song? Wild Thing?
5. What U.S. state's unusual flag has a covered wagon and two boats on one side, and a beaver on the other? Oregon is the only double-sided flag as far as I know
6. What movie title character speaks his film's final line: "Mein Fuhrer! I can walk!" I have thought up and down about this. Is it a literal line? A thumb-your-nose comment? Is it something off the wall like Donald Duck in Nutziland? But a light bulb went off as I was typing this answer. Could it be The English Patient?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these countries and no others? Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brunei, Burundi, Guyana, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Niger, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Sweden. No idea. I generally struggle with questions about what countries have in common. I don't seem to be getting any better at them.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What cartoon character made his 1935 debut as the sidekick for a cat named Beans? This was the less-than-auspicious origin of Porky Pig. Get it, Pork and Beans? Good one, crudely-drawn early Merrie Melodies! Beans was the key clue. Alex picked up on this though I did not.
2. What mathematical construct has eigenvalues and a determinant? Those are just a few of the cool things you can do with matrixes. Er, matrices. For more fun matrix algebra ideas, consult your library! I may have known this at one time but I have not encountered a matrix in at least 30 years.
3. What is the anatomical name for the tobogganing sport re-introduced to the Winter Olympics in 2012? Skeleton is back. correct
4. The "Trail of Tears" created by the Indian Removal Act of 1830 ended in what is now which U.S. state? The "Indian Territory" of the 19th century is now the eastern part of the great state of Oklahoma. correct
5. What now-world-famous woman was born in north London in May 1988 to a teenaged single mother named Penny Adkins? Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, better known just as Adele. If any recipient of this email is the man who hurt her, know that I am coming for you. correct
6. In additional to the title alias, what French literary character also goes by Lord Wilmore, Sinbad the Sailor, Abbe Busoni, and Monsieur Zaccone? Edmond Dantes' most successful alias during his long struggle for revenge was "The Count of Monte Cristo." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? About a Boy, All About Eve, Citizen Kane, Election, Goodfellas, Hannah and Her Sisters, Sin City, The Thin Red Line. These are all movies with multiple narrators, lots and lots of narrators, umpteen narrators. Really, I could have replaced The Thin Red Line with "pretty much any Terrence Malick movie" but I didn't want to give away the game. I still believe that my answer that the screenplay for each was written or co-written by the director is correct. Seems like an unusual distinction to me.
1. George Eads and Paul Guilfoyle are the only actors that have survived as case members during the entire 12-season run of what TV series? CSI (the Who Are You series)
2. Who published his Catechism of the Church of Geneva in 1542? Geneva was a focal point for the Reformation. I remember seeing a monument to John Knox when I was there. Could it be him?
3. What common fashion accessory is made entirely of nacre? crossworders associate nacre with pearls
4. What 1964 song's most memorable lyric was suggested by Bill Dees, who noticed that the singer always said "Mercy!" when he saw an attractive girl? This really has me perplexed. I should know this song, but it is not coming to me yet. A Beatles song? A Motown song? Wild Thing?
5. What U.S. state's unusual flag has a covered wagon and two boats on one side, and a beaver on the other? Oregon is the only double-sided flag as far as I know
6. What movie title character speaks his film's final line: "Mein Fuhrer! I can walk!" I have thought up and down about this. Is it a literal line? A thumb-your-nose comment? Is it something off the wall like Donald Duck in Nutziland? But a light bulb went off as I was typing this answer. Could it be The English Patient?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these countries and no others? Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brunei, Burundi, Guyana, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Niger, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Sweden. No idea. I generally struggle with questions about what countries have in common. I don't seem to be getting any better at them.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What cartoon character made his 1935 debut as the sidekick for a cat named Beans? This was the less-than-auspicious origin of Porky Pig. Get it, Pork and Beans? Good one, crudely-drawn early Merrie Melodies! Beans was the key clue. Alex picked up on this though I did not.
2. What mathematical construct has eigenvalues and a determinant? Those are just a few of the cool things you can do with matrixes. Er, matrices. For more fun matrix algebra ideas, consult your library! I may have known this at one time but I have not encountered a matrix in at least 30 years.
3. What is the anatomical name for the tobogganing sport re-introduced to the Winter Olympics in 2012? Skeleton is back. correct
4. The "Trail of Tears" created by the Indian Removal Act of 1830 ended in what is now which U.S. state? The "Indian Territory" of the 19th century is now the eastern part of the great state of Oklahoma. correct
5. What now-world-famous woman was born in north London in May 1988 to a teenaged single mother named Penny Adkins? Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, better known just as Adele. If any recipient of this email is the man who hurt her, know that I am coming for you. correct
6. In additional to the title alias, what French literary character also goes by Lord Wilmore, Sinbad the Sailor, Abbe Busoni, and Monsieur Zaccone? Edmond Dantes' most successful alias during his long struggle for revenge was "The Count of Monte Cristo." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? About a Boy, All About Eve, Citizen Kane, Election, Goodfellas, Hannah and Her Sisters, Sin City, The Thin Red Line. These are all movies with multiple narrators, lots and lots of narrators, umpteen narrators. Really, I could have replaced The Thin Red Line with "pretty much any Terrence Malick movie" but I didn't want to give away the game. I still believe that my answer that the screenplay for each was written or co-written by the director is correct. Seems like an unusual distinction to me.
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 6
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What cartoon character made his 1935 debut as the sidekick for a cat named Beans? Is this Jerry before Tom entered the picture?
2. What mathematical construct has eigenvalues and a determinant? If we were answering as a team, I would look to Alex for help. Exponents?
3. What is the anatomical name for the tobogganing sport re-introduced to the Winter Olympics in 2012? skeleton
4. The "Trail of Tears" created by the Indian Removal Act of 1830 ended in what is now which U.S. state? Oklahoma. If you are ever in Tahlequah, visit the Trail of Tears exhibit.
5. What now-world-famous woman was born in north London in May 1988 to a teenaged single mother named Penny Adkins? Adele?
6. In additional to the title alias, what French literary character also goes by Lord Wilmore, Sinbad the Sailor, Abbe Busoni, and Monsieur Zaccone? The Count of Monte Cristo?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? About a Boy, All About Eve, Citizen Kane, Election, Goodfellas, Hannah and Her Sisters, Sin City, The Thin Red Line. The screenplay for each was written or co-written by the director. Is that what he is looking for?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What southern stew takes its name for the Bantu word for "okra"? Okra is called "ki ngombo" in much of Africa, which is why the vegetable and the stew you make from it can both be called gumbo. correct
2. Dr. Jill Biden and Dr. Bill Cosby both earned their doctorates in what field? They're both doctors of education, as you knew if you remembered the "Dr. William H. Cosby, Ed.D." credit at the end of every Huxtable adventure. correct
3. "Escape," the biggest hit for singer-songwriter Rupert Holmes, is better known by the name of what mixed drink? Do you like pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain, and early '80s AM radio? correct
4. The symbol on what country's national flag is two congruent blue equilateral triangles, overlapping each other? That sounds complicated, but I promise it's really just a Star of David. The flag is Israel's. I was trying to think of what overlapping triangles would look like. I needed to flip one upside down. I should have been drawing on paper to work this one out.
5. What state is the setting for the TV shows Community, Dynasty, and Everwood? All are (well, were, in most cases) set in the great state of Colorado. I'm not sure if you can continue the alphabetical list long enough to get to Mork and Mindy or South Park. correct
6. Where does a pyroclastic flow come from? Someone who's just eaten at Taco Bell lol! Ah, I'm only playin, Taco Bell. Pyroclastic flow is the sometimes-fatal gas cloud that emerges from a volcano. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these U.S. political figures? Jeb Bush, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich, Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and Jim Webb. All are married to foreign-born spouses. (Only Trump's arrived via international mail, however.) Did I miss any others? I wanted a couple more for this question and came up short. correct
1. What cartoon character made his 1935 debut as the sidekick for a cat named Beans? Is this Jerry before Tom entered the picture?
2. What mathematical construct has eigenvalues and a determinant? If we were answering as a team, I would look to Alex for help. Exponents?
3. What is the anatomical name for the tobogganing sport re-introduced to the Winter Olympics in 2012? skeleton
4. The "Trail of Tears" created by the Indian Removal Act of 1830 ended in what is now which U.S. state? Oklahoma. If you are ever in Tahlequah, visit the Trail of Tears exhibit.
5. What now-world-famous woman was born in north London in May 1988 to a teenaged single mother named Penny Adkins? Adele?
6. In additional to the title alias, what French literary character also goes by Lord Wilmore, Sinbad the Sailor, Abbe Busoni, and Monsieur Zaccone? The Count of Monte Cristo?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? About a Boy, All About Eve, Citizen Kane, Election, Goodfellas, Hannah and Her Sisters, Sin City, The Thin Red Line. The screenplay for each was written or co-written by the director. Is that what he is looking for?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What southern stew takes its name for the Bantu word for "okra"? Okra is called "ki ngombo" in much of Africa, which is why the vegetable and the stew you make from it can both be called gumbo. correct
2. Dr. Jill Biden and Dr. Bill Cosby both earned their doctorates in what field? They're both doctors of education, as you knew if you remembered the "Dr. William H. Cosby, Ed.D." credit at the end of every Huxtable adventure. correct
3. "Escape," the biggest hit for singer-songwriter Rupert Holmes, is better known by the name of what mixed drink? Do you like pina coladas, and getting caught in the rain, and early '80s AM radio? correct
4. The symbol on what country's national flag is two congruent blue equilateral triangles, overlapping each other? That sounds complicated, but I promise it's really just a Star of David. The flag is Israel's. I was trying to think of what overlapping triangles would look like. I needed to flip one upside down. I should have been drawing on paper to work this one out.
5. What state is the setting for the TV shows Community, Dynasty, and Everwood? All are (well, were, in most cases) set in the great state of Colorado. I'm not sure if you can continue the alphabetical list long enough to get to Mork and Mindy or South Park. correct
6. Where does a pyroclastic flow come from? Someone who's just eaten at Taco Bell lol! Ah, I'm only playin, Taco Bell. Pyroclastic flow is the sometimes-fatal gas cloud that emerges from a volcano. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these U.S. political figures? Jeb Bush, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich, Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and Jim Webb. All are married to foreign-born spouses. (Only Trump's arrived via international mail, however.) Did I miss any others? I wanted a couple more for this question and came up short. correct
