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
