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
