Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 29
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Which is the smallest--but not the least massive--of the gas giant planets of our Solar System? the gas giant planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Must be one of the latter two. I think that Uranus is smaller than Neptune.
2. What American most famously spoke the state motto of Virginia in achieving his claim to fame? Patrick Henry? He said give me liberty or give me death. Sounds like a good state motto. And he was a Virginian.
3. What comedian died on the set of his 1991 sitcom The Royal Family, because cast and crew members didn't realize that he was actually suffering a real heart attack and not just doing a "bit"? Is this Bobcat Goldthwaite? I think that John Ritter died from a heart attack. But it was not 21 years ago, he was on a different show (8 Simple Rules) and I would call him an actor, not a comedian.
4. In 2009 and 2010, the Social Security Administration's most common baby name for both boys and girls were both character names from the same young adult novels. What were the two names? Jacob and Bella
5. In what country did the genre of musical drama called Noh originate? Japan
6. Who tweets under the Twitter handle @shebop_aka_cyn? Cyndi Lauper?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. states and no others--though California is, in all likelihood, about to leave the list? Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Utah. Why would CA be likely to leave the list? What is going to change soon? This Q7 is a real puzzler.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What are the only two species of eagle that can be found in the U.S. and Canada? Bald eagles--did you get that one? But also the thinning-on-top-but-not-quite-bald-yet golden eagle. correct
2. From 1872 to 1874, Captain John Moresby mapped the coast of what island? Port Moresby is the largest city on the island of New Guinea. Captain Moresby claimed he was naming the port "after his father," but c'mon Captain Ego, who do you think you're fooling? I feel like a dope. I knew Papua New Guinea but did not recognize that the name of the stupid island is New Guinea!
3. What company was America's most profitable retailer in 2012, with almost twice the sales dollars per square foot as its nearest rival, Tiffany? Apple's stores are by far the most profitable retail spaces in all the land. Less so if you count the square footage of the dungeons underneath them where the pale slave children make the devices. makes sense now but this was not one of the retailers that I had considered. I am surprised to learn that there are 246 Apple stores in the US.
4. What director has used as settings for his films the palatial corner house at 111 Archer Avenue, the trenches and reefs around the Ping Islands, a luxury train crossing India, and a New England summer camp? The movies are The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, the Darjeeling Limited, and Moonrise Kingdom, so the director is (abrupt shift to slow motion, Kinks song begins) Wes Anderson. surprised and pleased to get this one correct
5. For what occasion would a poet pen an epithalamion? An epithalamion, or epithalamium, isn't the skin cancer it sounds like. It's a wedding ode. oh yes, the other life ceremony which might need a poem
6. The "Big Four" Fashion Weeks are held in New York, London, and what two continental European cities? Paris and Milan. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these TV characters? Gob Bluth on Arrested Development, Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere, Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, Stuart Markowitz on L.A. Law, Commander Sheridian on Babylon 5, Roger Sterling on Mad Men, Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, Jason Walton on The Waltons. The real-life wife of each of these actors also played the character's wife (or ex-wife, in a couple cases) on the show. correct!
1. Which is the smallest--but not the least massive--of the gas giant planets of our Solar System? the gas giant planets are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Must be one of the latter two. I think that Uranus is smaller than Neptune.
2. What American most famously spoke the state motto of Virginia in achieving his claim to fame? Patrick Henry? He said give me liberty or give me death. Sounds like a good state motto. And he was a Virginian.
3. What comedian died on the set of his 1991 sitcom The Royal Family, because cast and crew members didn't realize that he was actually suffering a real heart attack and not just doing a "bit"? Is this Bobcat Goldthwaite? I think that John Ritter died from a heart attack. But it was not 21 years ago, he was on a different show (8 Simple Rules) and I would call him an actor, not a comedian.
4. In 2009 and 2010, the Social Security Administration's most common baby name for both boys and girls were both character names from the same young adult novels. What were the two names? Jacob and Bella
5. In what country did the genre of musical drama called Noh originate? Japan
6. Who tweets under the Twitter handle @shebop_aka_cyn? Cyndi Lauper?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. states and no others--though California is, in all likelihood, about to leave the list? Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Utah. Why would CA be likely to leave the list? What is going to change soon? This Q7 is a real puzzler.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What are the only two species of eagle that can be found in the U.S. and Canada? Bald eagles--did you get that one? But also the thinning-on-top-but-not-quite-bald-yet golden eagle. correct
2. From 1872 to 1874, Captain John Moresby mapped the coast of what island? Port Moresby is the largest city on the island of New Guinea. Captain Moresby claimed he was naming the port "after his father," but c'mon Captain Ego, who do you think you're fooling? I feel like a dope. I knew Papua New Guinea but did not recognize that the name of the stupid island is New Guinea!
3. What company was America's most profitable retailer in 2012, with almost twice the sales dollars per square foot as its nearest rival, Tiffany? Apple's stores are by far the most profitable retail spaces in all the land. Less so if you count the square footage of the dungeons underneath them where the pale slave children make the devices. makes sense now but this was not one of the retailers that I had considered. I am surprised to learn that there are 246 Apple stores in the US.
4. What director has used as settings for his films the palatial corner house at 111 Archer Avenue, the trenches and reefs around the Ping Islands, a luxury train crossing India, and a New England summer camp? The movies are The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, the Darjeeling Limited, and Moonrise Kingdom, so the director is (abrupt shift to slow motion, Kinks song begins) Wes Anderson. surprised and pleased to get this one correct
5. For what occasion would a poet pen an epithalamion? An epithalamion, or epithalamium, isn't the skin cancer it sounds like. It's a wedding ode. oh yes, the other life ceremony which might need a poem
6. The "Big Four" Fashion Weeks are held in New York, London, and what two continental European cities? Paris and Milan. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these TV characters? Gob Bluth on Arrested Development, Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere, Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, Stuart Markowitz on L.A. Law, Commander Sheridian on Babylon 5, Roger Sterling on Mad Men, Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, Jason Walton on The Waltons. The real-life wife of each of these actors also played the character's wife (or ex-wife, in a couple cases) on the show. correct!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 22
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What are the only two species of eagle that can be found in the U.S. and Canada? bald and golden
2. From 1872 to 1874, Captain John Moresby mapped the coast of what island? Port Moresby is in Papua New Guinea. What island is that, Borneo?
3. What company was America's most profitable retailer in 2012, with almost twice the sales dollars per square foot as its nearest rival, Tiffany? Is it another high end retailer like Cartier? Or a store with incredibly high turnover in a relatively small space like Costco? I might answer Amazon because it has infinite sales per square foot - no stores! But I think that KJ is looking only at bricks and mortar companies. I'll go for Cartier.
4. What director has used as settings for his films the palatial corner house at 111 Archer Avenue, the trenches and reefs around the Ping Islands, a luxury train crossing India, and a New England summer camp? luxury train crossing India ---> Darjeeling Limited ---> Wes Anderson?
5. For what occasion would a poet pen an epithalamion? what a lovely Greek word, epithalamion. However I don't have a good sense of what it means. Maybe the same root as epitaph? a funeral?
6. The "Big Four" Fashion Weeks are held in New York, London, and what two continental European cities? Paris and Milan
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these TV characters? Gob Bluth on Arrested Development, Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere, Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, Stuart Markowitz on L.A. Law, Commander Sheridian on Babylon 5, Roger Sterling on Mad Men, Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, Jason Walton on The Waltons. The actors who portrayed them all appeared on the shows with their real live wives.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What German physicist proved the existence of electromagnetic waves in 1885, which explains why you can still see his name abbreviated on most radios? The standard "Hz" unit of frequency that's probably still marked on your radio dial is named for Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, who also invented the Hertz donut. correct
2. George Harrison and Madonna both wrote memorable lyrics about "living" where, a location where the Police also set a hit song? In the material world. correct
3. What U.S. city's regional magazine is called 5280? Denver is, famously, located at that elevation in feet. More or less. Boulder is higher but that's just the pot smoke. correct
4. In 1889, who wrote to his brother Theo, "The peony is Jeannin's, the hollyhock belongs to Quost, but the sunflower is mine in a way"? Vincent van Gogh, who had just painted his famous series of seven sunflower paintings. Van Gogh is often said to have sold only a single painting during his lifetime, but in 1987 one of the sunflower canvases sold at auction for a record $40 million. correct
5. Historically, the Germans used the term "left-handed" to refer to a morganatic what? A morganatic marriage was what European royalty used to call a marriage between people of unequal social station. (In a morganatic marriage, the bride and children don't have any claim to Daddy's stuff or title.) ok, never heard of this before
6. What famously happened to an Irish setter called Seamus in June of 1983? Seamus was the dog famously left on the roof of the family station wagon during Mitt Romney's family vacation. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Cold Mountain, Die Another Day, The Da Vinci Code, The Firm, Foul Play, Gummo, The Ninth Gate, The Princess Bride. Albinos! Albinos! Albinos! (We also accepted "evil albinos," even though that's sort of pigment-ist). correct
1. What are the only two species of eagle that can be found in the U.S. and Canada? bald and golden
2. From 1872 to 1874, Captain John Moresby mapped the coast of what island? Port Moresby is in Papua New Guinea. What island is that, Borneo?
3. What company was America's most profitable retailer in 2012, with almost twice the sales dollars per square foot as its nearest rival, Tiffany? Is it another high end retailer like Cartier? Or a store with incredibly high turnover in a relatively small space like Costco? I might answer Amazon because it has infinite sales per square foot - no stores! But I think that KJ is looking only at bricks and mortar companies. I'll go for Cartier.
4. What director has used as settings for his films the palatial corner house at 111 Archer Avenue, the trenches and reefs around the Ping Islands, a luxury train crossing India, and a New England summer camp? luxury train crossing India ---> Darjeeling Limited ---> Wes Anderson?
5. For what occasion would a poet pen an epithalamion? what a lovely Greek word, epithalamion. However I don't have a good sense of what it means. Maybe the same root as epitaph? a funeral?
6. The "Big Four" Fashion Weeks are held in New York, London, and what two continental European cities? Paris and Milan
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these TV characters? Gob Bluth on Arrested Development, Dr. Mark Craig on St. Elsewhere, Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, Stuart Markowitz on L.A. Law, Commander Sheridian on Babylon 5, Roger Sterling on Mad Men, Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, Jason Walton on The Waltons. The actors who portrayed them all appeared on the shows with their real live wives.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What German physicist proved the existence of electromagnetic waves in 1885, which explains why you can still see his name abbreviated on most radios? The standard "Hz" unit of frequency that's probably still marked on your radio dial is named for Heinrich Rudolf Hertz, who also invented the Hertz donut. correct
2. George Harrison and Madonna both wrote memorable lyrics about "living" where, a location where the Police also set a hit song? In the material world. correct
3. What U.S. city's regional magazine is called 5280? Denver is, famously, located at that elevation in feet. More or less. Boulder is higher but that's just the pot smoke. correct
4. In 1889, who wrote to his brother Theo, "The peony is Jeannin's, the hollyhock belongs to Quost, but the sunflower is mine in a way"? Vincent van Gogh, who had just painted his famous series of seven sunflower paintings. Van Gogh is often said to have sold only a single painting during his lifetime, but in 1987 one of the sunflower canvases sold at auction for a record $40 million. correct
5. Historically, the Germans used the term "left-handed" to refer to a morganatic what? A morganatic marriage was what European royalty used to call a marriage between people of unequal social station. (In a morganatic marriage, the bride and children don't have any claim to Daddy's stuff or title.) ok, never heard of this before
6. What famously happened to an Irish setter called Seamus in June of 1983? Seamus was the dog famously left on the roof of the family station wagon during Mitt Romney's family vacation. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Cold Mountain, Die Another Day, The Da Vinci Code, The Firm, Foul Play, Gummo, The Ninth Gate, The Princess Bride. Albinos! Albinos! Albinos! (We also accepted "evil albinos," even though that's sort of pigment-ist). correct
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 15
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What German physicist proved the existence of electromagnetic waves in 1885, which explains why you can still see his name abbreviated on most radios? Hertz
2. George Harrison and Madonna both wrote memorable lyrics about "living" where, a location where the Police also set a hit song? Living in the Material World
3. What U.S. city's regional magazine is called 5280? the Mile High City, Denver
4. In 1889, who wrote to his brother Theo, "The peony is Jeannin's, the hollyhock belongs to Quost, but the sunflower is mine in a way"? Theo's brother, Vincent Van Gogh
5. Historically, the Germans used the term "left-handed" to refer to a morganatic what? clearly the key clue is the definition of morganatic which I do not know. Does it derive from Morgana who was King Arthur's evil sister? Do the Germans use the term "left-handed" in English? Or German?
6. What famously happened to an Irish setter called Seamus in June of 1983? I graduated from college in June, 1983. Seamus was not involved. Was Seamus the Romney dog who rode on top of the family car when they went on vacation?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Cold Mountain, Die Another Day, The Da Vinci Code, The Firm, Foul Play, Gummo, The Ninth Gate, The Princess Bride. Da Vinci Code, Foul Play, Princess Bride all has characters who are albinos. A check of others on the list seems to confirm that this looks like a reasonable answer.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Which Greek letter is the mathematical symbol for summation? In 1755, mathematician Leonhard Euler first used a capital "sigma" to indicate a sum--presumably because the German word for sum starts with an 's', just like it does in English. correct
2. When it launched in 1996, what free Internet service capitalized the all consonants in its name, to emphasized that it used the web as a platform? Hotmail was original HoTMaiL--HTML, get it? now I get it. A bit chagrined that it did not come to me. A good question.
3. What U.S. metro area, one of the five largest in the country, never had a professional baseball team named for it until this season? The Florida Marlins, as part of their new deal with their home city, renamed themselves the Miami Marlins during the offseason. correct
4. Whose death prompted French economist Jacques Turgot to say, "He seized the lightning from heaven and the scepter from the tyrants"? Well, he actually said "Eripuit caelo fulmen, sceptrumque tyrannis," Latin being real popular then and all. He was eulogizing that famous lightning-and-scepter-grabber Benjamin Franklin. another gettable question that I did not get. But I like it nonetheless. Would be an excellent Final Jeopardy question.
5. Of all the world nations completely surrounded by another nation, what's the only one not found in Europe? Vatican City and San Marino are in Europe, but the third one is the African enclave state of Lesotho, entirely surrounded by South Africa. correct
6. NBC's pilot called Mockingbird Lane is a reboot of what 1960s comedy? 1313 Mockingbird Lane was where The Munsters lived. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these products? Boeing 737, Campbell's tomato soup, Coca-Cola, DiGiorno Pizza, ESPN, French's Mustard, iPod, Lay's potato chips, Range Rover, Sara Lee cheesecake. These brands all come (or have come, at least) in "Classic" varieties. correct
1. What German physicist proved the existence of electromagnetic waves in 1885, which explains why you can still see his name abbreviated on most radios? Hertz
2. George Harrison and Madonna both wrote memorable lyrics about "living" where, a location where the Police also set a hit song? Living in the Material World
3. What U.S. city's regional magazine is called 5280? the Mile High City, Denver
4. In 1889, who wrote to his brother Theo, "The peony is Jeannin's, the hollyhock belongs to Quost, but the sunflower is mine in a way"? Theo's brother, Vincent Van Gogh
5. Historically, the Germans used the term "left-handed" to refer to a morganatic what? clearly the key clue is the definition of morganatic which I do not know. Does it derive from Morgana who was King Arthur's evil sister? Do the Germans use the term "left-handed" in English? Or German?
6. What famously happened to an Irish setter called Seamus in June of 1983? I graduated from college in June, 1983. Seamus was not involved. Was Seamus the Romney dog who rode on top of the family car when they went on vacation?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Cold Mountain, Die Another Day, The Da Vinci Code, The Firm, Foul Play, Gummo, The Ninth Gate, The Princess Bride. Da Vinci Code, Foul Play, Princess Bride all has characters who are albinos. A check of others on the list seems to confirm that this looks like a reasonable answer.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Which Greek letter is the mathematical symbol for summation? In 1755, mathematician Leonhard Euler first used a capital "sigma" to indicate a sum--presumably because the German word for sum starts with an 's', just like it does in English. correct
2. When it launched in 1996, what free Internet service capitalized the all consonants in its name, to emphasized that it used the web as a platform? Hotmail was original HoTMaiL--HTML, get it? now I get it. A bit chagrined that it did not come to me. A good question.
3. What U.S. metro area, one of the five largest in the country, never had a professional baseball team named for it until this season? The Florida Marlins, as part of their new deal with their home city, renamed themselves the Miami Marlins during the offseason. correct
4. Whose death prompted French economist Jacques Turgot to say, "He seized the lightning from heaven and the scepter from the tyrants"? Well, he actually said "Eripuit caelo fulmen, sceptrumque tyrannis," Latin being real popular then and all. He was eulogizing that famous lightning-and-scepter-grabber Benjamin Franklin. another gettable question that I did not get. But I like it nonetheless. Would be an excellent Final Jeopardy question.
5. Of all the world nations completely surrounded by another nation, what's the only one not found in Europe? Vatican City and San Marino are in Europe, but the third one is the African enclave state of Lesotho, entirely surrounded by South Africa. correct
6. NBC's pilot called Mockingbird Lane is a reboot of what 1960s comedy? 1313 Mockingbird Lane was where The Munsters lived. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these products? Boeing 737, Campbell's tomato soup, Coca-Cola, DiGiorno Pizza, ESPN, French's Mustard, iPod, Lay's potato chips, Range Rover, Sara Lee cheesecake. These brands all come (or have come, at least) in "Classic" varieties. correct
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 8
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Which Greek letter is the mathematical symbol for summation? sigma
2. When it launched in 1996, what free Internet service capitalized all the consonants in its name, to emphasize that it used the web as a platform? free internet service? like Napster or Skype? what about eBay? that might have launched around 1996
3. What U.S. metro area, one of the five largest in the country, never had a professional baseball team named for it until this season? Miami
4. Whose death prompted French economist Jacques Turgot to say, "He seized the lightning from heaven and the scepter from the tyrants"? Napoleon?
5. Of all the world nations completely surrounded by another nation, what's the only one not found in Europe? nation? as in one country completely enclosed by another? what about Lesotho?
6. NBC's pilot called Mockingbird Lane is a reboot of what 1960s comedy? 1313 Mockingbird Lane --> The Munsters.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these products? Boeing 737, Campbell's tomato soup, Coca-Cola, DiGiorno Pizza, ESPN, French's Mustard, iPod, Lay's potato chips, Range Rover, Sara Lee cheesecake. Not too hard this week. All have varieties or brands that are Classic
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. In 1978, what became the second U.S. state to legalize some casino gambling? New Jersey, but it only allowed casinos in one city: Atlantic City. A few readers pointed out that the news article I relied on here got the date wrong: the first New Jersey casino opened in 1978, but the gambling referendum had passed two years earlier, in 1976. correct
2. What two cash crops lent their names to the iconic "Our Gang" characters played by Billie Thomas and Carl Switzer, respectively? They were Buckwheat and Alfalfa. There was also an Allen "Farina" Hoskins, incidentally. I don't really understand this short-lived 1930s fad of naming adorable street urchins after agricultural products. correct (after help from Jocelyn)
3. The African nation of Burkina Faso is drained by the Red, Black, and White tributaries of what river? Burkina Faso is the former "Upper Volta," since the Volta River system drains much of its area. an excellent question for the National Geography Bee which is this weekend in DC
4. In his song "Ransom," who raps, "I'm the same yellow boy that used to play up on Degrassi, / Can pocket 20,000 to be anywhere they ask me"? Of all the hip-hop stars who used to be regulars on Canada's beloved Degrassi teen drama franchise, Drake is far and away my favorite. bleah
5. Bauxite ore is our main source of what metal? Almost all the world's aluminum comes from bauxite. correct
6. According to poet John Greenleaf Whittier, "of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are" what four words? It might have been. Sigh. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these songs? Young MC's "Bust a Move," Led Zeppelin's "Houses of the Holy", Marvin Gaye's "It Takes Two," David Bowie's "Life on Mars?", Usher's "Trading Places," the Everlys' "Wake Up Little Susie," Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." These songs were all played at my wedding. In that order. That's right, our spotlight dance was "Bust a Move." Also, they all mention a trip to the movies. I feel like I probably missed some good songs with movie theaters in the lyrics...can you help? correct
1. Which Greek letter is the mathematical symbol for summation? sigma
2. When it launched in 1996, what free Internet service capitalized all the consonants in its name, to emphasize that it used the web as a platform? free internet service? like Napster or Skype? what about eBay? that might have launched around 1996
3. What U.S. metro area, one of the five largest in the country, never had a professional baseball team named for it until this season? Miami
4. Whose death prompted French economist Jacques Turgot to say, "He seized the lightning from heaven and the scepter from the tyrants"? Napoleon?
5. Of all the world nations completely surrounded by another nation, what's the only one not found in Europe? nation? as in one country completely enclosed by another? what about Lesotho?
6. NBC's pilot called Mockingbird Lane is a reboot of what 1960s comedy? 1313 Mockingbird Lane --> The Munsters.
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these products? Boeing 737, Campbell's tomato soup, Coca-Cola, DiGiorno Pizza, ESPN, French's Mustard, iPod, Lay's potato chips, Range Rover, Sara Lee cheesecake. Not too hard this week. All have varieties or brands that are Classic
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. In 1978, what became the second U.S. state to legalize some casino gambling? New Jersey, but it only allowed casinos in one city: Atlantic City. A few readers pointed out that the news article I relied on here got the date wrong: the first New Jersey casino opened in 1978, but the gambling referendum had passed two years earlier, in 1976. correct
2. What two cash crops lent their names to the iconic "Our Gang" characters played by Billie Thomas and Carl Switzer, respectively? They were Buckwheat and Alfalfa. There was also an Allen "Farina" Hoskins, incidentally. I don't really understand this short-lived 1930s fad of naming adorable street urchins after agricultural products. correct (after help from Jocelyn)
3. The African nation of Burkina Faso is drained by the Red, Black, and White tributaries of what river? Burkina Faso is the former "Upper Volta," since the Volta River system drains much of its area. an excellent question for the National Geography Bee which is this weekend in DC
4. In his song "Ransom," who raps, "I'm the same yellow boy that used to play up on Degrassi, / Can pocket 20,000 to be anywhere they ask me"? Of all the hip-hop stars who used to be regulars on Canada's beloved Degrassi teen drama franchise, Drake is far and away my favorite. bleah
5. Bauxite ore is our main source of what metal? Almost all the world's aluminum comes from bauxite. correct
6. According to poet John Greenleaf Whittier, "of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are" what four words? It might have been. Sigh. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these songs? Young MC's "Bust a Move," Led Zeppelin's "Houses of the Holy", Marvin Gaye's "It Takes Two," David Bowie's "Life on Mars?", Usher's "Trading Places," the Everlys' "Wake Up Little Susie," Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." These songs were all played at my wedding. In that order. That's right, our spotlight dance was "Bust a Move." Also, they all mention a trip to the movies. I feel like I probably missed some good songs with movie theaters in the lyrics...can you help? correct
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - May 1
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. In 1978, what became the second U.S. state to legalize some casino gambling? New Jersey
2. What two cash crops lent their names to the iconic "Our Gang" characters played by Billie Thomas and Carl Switzer, respectively? alfalfa and ??
3. The African nation of Burkina Faso is drained by the Red, Black, and White tributaries of what river? I know of the Blue and White Niles. But Burkina Faso is further west. Zambezi?
4. In his song "Ransom," who raps, "I'm the same yellow boy that used to play up on Degrassi, / Can pocket 20,000 to be anywhere they ask me"? Lord help me, a rap lyrics question. I'm listening to Ray Wylie Hubbard, Alabama Shakes and Jack White right now. How about a question about some blues-driven American rock and roll one time? I'll guess Kanye West.
5. Bauxite ore is our main source of what metal? aluminum
6. According to poet John Greenleaf Whittier, "of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are" what four words? "what might have been"
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these songs? Young MC's "Bust a Move," Led Zeppelin's "Houses of the Holy", Marvin Gaye's "It Takes Two," David Bowie's "Life on Mars?", Usher's "Trading Places," the Everlys' "Wake Up Little Susie," Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." each of the lyrics has a reference to going to the movies or watching a movie
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who would traditionally wear a chador? A Muslim woman--more specifically an Iranian one--who observes the head-covering dress code called hijab. correct
2. Charles J. Shields' recent biography And So It Goes is about the life of what American author? "And so it goes" is a repeated refrain in the novel Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut. Poo-tee-weet? correct
3. TV's Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olsen recently purchased a pub in what U.S. city? These two stars of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia now own a bar in the show's titular city. (But it's not "Paddy's Pub." It's Mac's Olde Towne Tavern.) correct
4. The current U.S. president and vice president both have the same number of letters in their last name: "Obama" and "Biden." Who was vice president the last time this happened? Spiro Agnew, vice president to Richard Nixon. "Nixon" is more points in Scrabble, however. correct
5. The NBA's Lloyd Free and Ron Artest both added what word to their names when they legally changed them? World B. Free was probably a better exemplar of world freedom than Metta World Peace has been of World Peace. correct
6. Because of their disklike shape, what are thrombocytes more commonly called? They're the platelets that help your blood clot. (Sorry if that's a sore spot, hemophiliacs. Geez, you guys bruise easy.) gosh after all the time I asked about my Mom's platelet count when she was being treated I did not know that they are also called thrombocytes
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Henry Adams, Jackson Browne, Henry Fonda, Katherine Graham, Fritz Haber, Courtney Love, Joan Rivers, Dr. Seuss, Percy Shelley, Joseph Stalin. Each of these people lost a spouse to suicide. That's a real cheery Question Seven, right? Don't worry, this week's one isn't about anything terrible. correct
1. In 1978, what became the second U.S. state to legalize some casino gambling? New Jersey
2. What two cash crops lent their names to the iconic "Our Gang" characters played by Billie Thomas and Carl Switzer, respectively? alfalfa and ??
3. The African nation of Burkina Faso is drained by the Red, Black, and White tributaries of what river? I know of the Blue and White Niles. But Burkina Faso is further west. Zambezi?
4. In his song "Ransom," who raps, "I'm the same yellow boy that used to play up on Degrassi, / Can pocket 20,000 to be anywhere they ask me"? Lord help me, a rap lyrics question. I'm listening to Ray Wylie Hubbard, Alabama Shakes and Jack White right now. How about a question about some blues-driven American rock and roll one time? I'll guess Kanye West.
5. Bauxite ore is our main source of what metal? aluminum
6. According to poet John Greenleaf Whittier, "of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are" what four words? "what might have been"
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these songs? Young MC's "Bust a Move," Led Zeppelin's "Houses of the Holy", Marvin Gaye's "It Takes Two," David Bowie's "Life on Mars?", Usher's "Trading Places," the Everlys' "Wake Up Little Susie," Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know." each of the lyrics has a reference to going to the movies or watching a movie
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Who would traditionally wear a chador? A Muslim woman--more specifically an Iranian one--who observes the head-covering dress code called hijab. correct
2. Charles J. Shields' recent biography And So It Goes is about the life of what American author? "And so it goes" is a repeated refrain in the novel Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut. Poo-tee-weet? correct
3. TV's Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olsen recently purchased a pub in what U.S. city? These two stars of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia now own a bar in the show's titular city. (But it's not "Paddy's Pub." It's Mac's Olde Towne Tavern.) correct
4. The current U.S. president and vice president both have the same number of letters in their last name: "Obama" and "Biden." Who was vice president the last time this happened? Spiro Agnew, vice president to Richard Nixon. "Nixon" is more points in Scrabble, however. correct
5. The NBA's Lloyd Free and Ron Artest both added what word to their names when they legally changed them? World B. Free was probably a better exemplar of world freedom than Metta World Peace has been of World Peace. correct
6. Because of their disklike shape, what are thrombocytes more commonly called? They're the platelets that help your blood clot. (Sorry if that's a sore spot, hemophiliacs. Geez, you guys bruise easy.) gosh after all the time I asked about my Mom's platelet count when she was being treated I did not know that they are also called thrombocytes
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Henry Adams, Jackson Browne, Henry Fonda, Katherine Graham, Fritz Haber, Courtney Love, Joan Rivers, Dr. Seuss, Percy Shelley, Joseph Stalin. Each of these people lost a spouse to suicide. That's a real cheery Question Seven, right? Don't worry, this week's one isn't about anything terrible. correct
