Friday, December 07, 2012
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - December 4
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Which U.S. state was almost called "New Wales" but was instead named not for its founder, but for his military hero father of the same name? Pennsylvania?
2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"? Galileo
3. What first name was shared by one of Bill Cosby's friends on Fat Albert and one of his kids on The Cosby Show? Rudy!
4. What two careers for children ARE approved in the country classic, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"? don't let em play guitars or let em drive trucks. Make be doctors and lawyers and such. Doctors and lawyers.
5. Who was the only Queen of England or Great Britain ever to be succeeded on the throne by her own child? There have been very few Queens who reigned. Mary, Elizabeth I, Victoria, Lady Jane Grey, Elizabeth II. My guess is Victoria.
6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry? Samwise Gamgee
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies? Hell's Angels, Mary Poppins, Nanook of the North, Nosferatu, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Prince and the Showgirl, Psycho, Salt of the Earth. I have only seen one of these (Mary Poppins) and that was long long ago. But research does reveal what may be a common thread - other movies were made that revolved in whole or in part around the making of these movies. Example - the current release Hitchcock is about the making of Psycho. Last year's My Week With Marilyn centered around the making of The Prince and the Showgirl.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012? The late, great Larry Hagman (may his eyebrows ever increase) played J. R. Ewing off and on for almost 35 years. correct
2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two? Two were in Egypt (Africa) and two in Greece (Europe and nearby islands) but the other three--the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus--were all in Asia. shoot, the two I could not recall were both in Asia
3. In physics, what's the name of the parabola-like curve formed by a chain hanging suspended by both ends? That's a catenary. Fun fact: the Gateway Arch in St. Louis is an upside-down catenary. in all of my high school and college physics, I don't think that I ever heard of a catenary
4. In 2000, English composer Colin Matthews took advantage of scientific progress to compose a new eighth movement to what 1916 orchestral piece? Matthews added a "Pluto" movement to Holst's The Planets, which the composer had ended with "Neptune." (Earth doesn't get its own movement, so there are just seven.) His timing was lousy, though. Pluto was demoted just six years later. an interesting question but it was a complete red herring to mention that the 8th movement was composed in 2000 when Pluto was discovered in 1930
5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"? Baseball. A "Baltimore chop," perfected by the Orioles during the dead-ball era, is an attempt to get to first base via a high-bouncing infield hit. correct
6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860? That was the only newspaper in the first Pony Express delivery, which connected St. Joseph to San Francisco for 18 months in 1860-61. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green. They all have "fake-out" endings or codas--that is, the song stops and then unexpectedly starts again. I guess it's only "unexpected" the first time you hear it. Fool me twice, J. Geils Band, shame on me.
1. Which U.S. state was almost called "New Wales" but was instead named not for its founder, but for his military hero father of the same name? Pennsylvania?
2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"? Galileo
3. What first name was shared by one of Bill Cosby's friends on Fat Albert and one of his kids on The Cosby Show? Rudy!
4. What two careers for children ARE approved in the country classic, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"? don't let em play guitars or let em drive trucks. Make be doctors and lawyers and such. Doctors and lawyers.
5. Who was the only Queen of England or Great Britain ever to be succeeded on the throne by her own child? There have been very few Queens who reigned. Mary, Elizabeth I, Victoria, Lady Jane Grey, Elizabeth II. My guess is Victoria.
6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry? Samwise Gamgee
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies? Hell's Angels, Mary Poppins, Nanook of the North, Nosferatu, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Prince and the Showgirl, Psycho, Salt of the Earth. I have only seen one of these (Mary Poppins) and that was long long ago. But research does reveal what may be a common thread - other movies were made that revolved in whole or in part around the making of these movies. Example - the current release Hitchcock is about the making of Psycho. Last year's My Week With Marilyn centered around the making of The Prince and the Showgirl.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012? The late, great Larry Hagman (may his eyebrows ever increase) played J. R. Ewing off and on for almost 35 years. correct
2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two? Two were in Egypt (Africa) and two in Greece (Europe and nearby islands) but the other three--the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus--were all in Asia. shoot, the two I could not recall were both in Asia
3. In physics, what's the name of the parabola-like curve formed by a chain hanging suspended by both ends? That's a catenary. Fun fact: the Gateway Arch in St. Louis is an upside-down catenary. in all of my high school and college physics, I don't think that I ever heard of a catenary
4. In 2000, English composer Colin Matthews took advantage of scientific progress to compose a new eighth movement to what 1916 orchestral piece? Matthews added a "Pluto" movement to Holst's The Planets, which the composer had ended with "Neptune." (Earth doesn't get its own movement, so there are just seven.) His timing was lousy, though. Pluto was demoted just six years later. an interesting question but it was a complete red herring to mention that the 8th movement was composed in 2000 when Pluto was discovered in 1930
5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"? Baseball. A "Baltimore chop," perfected by the Orioles during the dead-ball era, is an attempt to get to first base via a high-bouncing infield hit. correct
6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860? That was the only newspaper in the first Pony Express delivery, which connected St. Joseph to San Francisco for 18 months in 1860-61. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green. They all have "fake-out" endings or codas--that is, the song stops and then unexpectedly starts again. I guess it's only "unexpected" the first time you hear it. Fool me twice, J. Geils Band, shame on me.
