Musings of a Dead Parrot

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  American Indian environmental activist Winona LaDuke is best-known for serving as the running mate of what presidential candidate during both of his two most successful campaigns?  Ralph Nader
2.  The original stadium used by baseball's New York Giants was first built to host what other sport?  football - Yankee Stadium
3.  The title of what mega-selling young adult novel by John Green is a nod to Cassius's claim in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar that humans are helpless "underlings" to cosmic fate?  no idea
4.  In physics, a collision between two objects in which no overall kinetic energy is lost is said to be "totally" what?  elastic
5.  Shona, Swahili, and Zulu are the most widely spoken languages of what branch of the Niger-Congo language family?  Bantu
6.  For what 2013 movie was Samantha Morton cast as the title character but then replaced--remarkably--AFTER principal photography was already complete?  "Her" (I just read this in the paper this weekend)
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these famous people?  Alexander the Great, Ludwig van Beethoven, Truman Capote, Charlie Chaplin, Che Guevara, Franz Haydn, Abraham Lincoln, Groucho Marx...and St. Nicholas himself.  Some of them were left-handed.  Cannot confirm others.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  The ceremonial "Airing of Grievances" and "Feats of Strength" are celebrated as part of what winter holiday?  As memorialized on Seinfeld in 1997, this is Festivus.  A Festivus...for the rest of us! correct
2.  On December 25, 1711, Parliament ordered a payment of 200 pounds as the final salary to what man, marking the completion of his most famous project?  Sir Christopher Wren was probably underpaid for his reconstruction of London's St. Paul's Cathedral.  correct
3.  In the movie It's a Wonderful Life, how much money does Uncle Billy accidentally lose for the Bailey Building & Loan on Christmas Eve?  I've probably seen this movie thirty times and couldn't have answered this.  Yes, in hindsight, this was probably a little bit hard.  The old drunk leaves $8,000 in Potter's newspaper at the end of the third act.  Essay question: what do you think the town's "job creator" does with all the extra money?  Probably creates more jobs.  I was within 25%
4.  A popular French Christmas carol asks Jeanette and Isabella to bring what?  A torch.  Or, in the original French, un flambeau.  I'm not sure what they do with it because this is one of those Christmas songs where I don't even know the second line.  bleah
5.  In December 1992, British engineer Neil Papworth sent the phrase "Merry Christmas" to his boss at a staff Christmas party.  This was the very first what ever sent?  The first text message ever.  It's Christmas, Neil.  Take a break.  correct
6.  Balsam, Fraser, and Noble, three of the most popular Christmas trees in America, are all varieties of what tree?  These are species of fir tree.  The Douglas fir often rounds out the top four on Christmas popularity lists, but that would have made the question pretty easy.  correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies?  An Education, Ghostbusters, The Living Daylights, Love in the Afternoon, Mona Lisa Smile, The Money Pit, Short Cuts, What Lies Beneath.  Each movie features a sexy cellist!  (Is there any other kind?)  Initially I had Truly Madly Deeply instead of The Money Pit, which would have made this a bit easier.  But (a) the cellist is Truly Madly Deeply is a not-particularly-sexy Dead Alan Rickman and (b) most importantly, my wife loves The Money Pit and lobbied hard for its inclusion.  No accounting for taste, I guess.   correct!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  The ceremonial "Airing of Grievances" and "Feats of Strength" are celebrated as part of what winter holiday?  Festivus
2.  On December 25, 1711, Parliament ordered a payment of 200 pounds as the final salary to what man, marking the completion of his most famous project?  Christopher Wren for St Pauls?
3.  In the movie It's a Wonderful Life, how much money does Uncle Billy accidentally lose for the Bailey Building & Loan on Christmas Eve? no idea.  $10,000?
4.  A popular French Christmas carol asks Jeanette and Isabella to bring what?  Alex might know this, but I do not.  Wine?  A baguette?  A cafe creme?
5.  In December 1992, British engineer Neil Papworth sent the phrase "Merry Christmas" to his boss at a staff Christmas party.  This was the very first what ever sent?  this was on Jeopardy recently - text message
6.  Balsam, Fraser, and Noble, three of the most popular Christmas trees in America, are all varieties of what tree?  fir tree
7.  What What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies?  An Education, Ghostbusters, The Living Daylights, Love in the Afternoon, Mona Lisa Smile, The Money Pit, Short Cuts, What Lies Beneath.  I think that a cello-playing character is a part of each movie

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  In 1980, Peoria, Illinois resident Susan Goodman Komen died of what (specific) disease?  The namesake nonprofit founded by Komen's family, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is America's best-funded breast cancer organization.  correct
2.  "Royals," the debut single from Lorde, makes her the first solo artist from what country to score a Billboard number one?  Lorde was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand.  correct
3.  The title character of Jhumpa Lahiri's novel The Namesake is named for what Russian author of Dead Souls and "The Overcoat"?  The protagonist of The Namesake has been saddled with the not-especially-Indian-sounding name of "Gogol."  my total guess was correct!
4.  Earthquake detection works by detecting longitudinal seismic waves traveling at the speed of sound, which are labeled with what letter of the alphabet?  An earthquake's P-waves, or "primary waves," are felt first.  The secondary S-waves are transverse waves, and travel slower. correct
5.  What TV title character had a succession of owners between 1954 and 1974, including Jeff Miller, Timmy Martin, and Corey Stuart?  Those were the three accident-prone owners of the brave collie Lassie.  correct
6.  What's the only European country that still issues a currency called the franc?  Switzerland and Liechtenstein both still use the same currency: the Swiss franc. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these companies?  Amazon, Amway, Apple, CafePress, Disney, Google, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard, Mattel, Microsoft, Oakley, Yankee Candle.   These companies all trace their origins back to a garage. correct!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  In 1980, Peoria, Illinois resident Susan Goodman Komen died of what (specific) disease?  breast cancer
2.  "Royals," the debut single from Lorde, makes her the first solo artist from what country to score a Billboard number one?  is Lorde a Kiwi - New Zealand?
3.  The title character of Jhumpa Lahiri's novel The Namesake is named for what Russian author of Dead Souls and "The Overcoat"?  a total guess - Gogol
4.  Earthquake detection works by detecting longitudinal seismic waves traveling at the speed of sound, which are labeled with what letter of the alphabet?  I think they are called p waves
5.  What TV title character had a succession of owners between 1954 and 1974, including Jeff Miller, Timmy Martin, and Corey Stuart?  Lassie
6.  What's the only European country that still issues a currency called the franc?  Switzerland
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by all these companies?  Amazon, Amway, Apple, CafePress, Disney, Google, Harley-Davidson, Hewlett-Packard, Mattel, Microsoft, Oakley, Yankee Candle.  All have entrepreneurial roots.  Were they started in a garage?

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  The Dolomite mountain range is located in the northeastern part of what country?  Dolemite is an awesome blaxploitation movie.  The Dolomites, however, are in Italy.  correct
2.  Shea Weber, currently the National Hockey League's highest paid player, plays for what franchise, the first to join the NHL during the league's late-'90s expansion?  Weber is currently in his ninth season with the Nashville Predators.  wrong, but Minnesota Wild was a reasonable guess
3.  Wrecking Crew, Blue Note, and Lucky Dan are the three racehorses whose finishes lead to the title twist in what Oscar-winning 1973 movie?  The title con in The Sting centers around racetrack betting.  correct
4.  What famed Spaniard was assassinated by political rivals in 1541 and buried in the Lima Cathedral?  Francisco Pizarro may have conquered the Inca, but THE CURSE OF THE INCA made sure that he never left Peru!  Just assuming there was a curse.  Probably, right?  hey, dopus, read the question!  Lima should have led me to Pizarro if I had just taken the time to go beyond "famous Spaniard, 1541"
5.  Elements like silicon and arsenic that don't share all the properties of metals or nonmetals are classified by what name?  They are metalloids.  Like Korn, I guess?  have I heard of metalloids before?  not sure
6.  What fashion item did Mary Quant introduce in her "Youthquake" line of September 1965, naming it for her favorite British car?  Quant loved the Mini, and her signature invention, which epitomized '60s fashion in swinging London, was the mini-skirt.  correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these European cities?  Amsterdam, Angouleme, Bedford, Granada, London, Orleans, Plymouth, Stockholm, Toledo, York.  All these cities were the namesakes of "New" colonies or settlements in the America: New Amsterdam, Nueva Granada, New Orleans, and so forth.  correct!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  The Dolomite mountain range is located in the northeastern part of what country?  Italy
2.  Shea Weber, currently the National Hockey League's highest paid player, plays for what franchise, the first to join the NHL during the league's late-'90s expansion?  what were some of those expansion teams?  Florida, Tampa, Nashville.  Phoenix, Dallas and Carolina were not expansion teams, they were relocations.  How about the Minnesota Wild.
3.  Wrecking Crew, Blue Note, and Lucky Dan are the three racehorses whose finishes lead to the title twist in what Oscar-winning 1973 movie?  The Sting
4.  What famed Spaniard was assassinated by political rivals in 1541 and buried in the Lima Cathedral?  Cervantes
5.  Elements like silicon and arsenic that don't share all the properties of metals or nonmetals are classified by what name?  transition metals
6.  What fashion item did Mary Quant introduce in her "Youthquake" line of September 1965, naming it for her favorite British car?  miniskirt?
7.  What What unusual distinction is shared by all these European cities?  Amsterdam, Angouleme, Bedford, Granada, London, Orleans, Plymouth, Stockholm, Toledo, York.  Did each of them have a New city named for it in the US or Canada?

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  Who's the only recurring character on TV's The Simpsons always drawn with five fingers on each hand, rather than the usual four?  In all nine episodes where He appears, God has one extra finger.  (So does Jesus, though He appears less often.) correct
2.  What porous mineral, often used with soil for gardens or potted plants, gets its name from the Latin for "to breed worms"?  Vermiculite is that stuff you see in potting mixes.  never heard of vermiculite, but vermicelli means little worms, doesn't it?
3.  Republican senator Benjamin Wade was already selecting his Cabinet when he learned he would not be acceding to the U.S. presidency after all.  Which president would he have replaced?  Andrew Johnson, who faced impeachment in 1867.  It's often said that Johnson's acquittal in the Senate was in large part due to senators who didn't want to see Benjamin Wade, a Radical Republican and president pro tempore of the Senate, assume the presidency.  correct
4.  Huarache sandals came to America from what country?  Huaraches were immortalized in "Surfing U.S.A." just a few years after arriving from Mexico.  meh
5.  What musician's first daughter, Tulip Victoria, was born in 1971 to his wife "Miss Vicki"?  Ukulele-strumming oddball Tiny Tim named his daughter after his biggest hit, "Tiptoe Through the Tulips."  correct
6.  Followers of the Rastafari movement fly the flag used by what nation before 1974?  Rastafarians worship Haile Selassie, emperor of Ethiopia until 1974.  shoot, figured it had to be Jamaica or Ethiopia
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these writers?  Emily Bronte, Robert Browning, Anthony Burgess, Robert Cormier, Alexander Pushkin, David Rakoff, Vikram Seth, Derek Walcott.  Each wrote a verse novel, a novel-length work written in poetry, not prose.  It's an unusual form, but some of these verse novels (Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, Walcott's Omeros, Seth's The Golden Gate) are great stuff.  ok

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  Who's the only recurring character on TV's The Simpsons always drawn with five fingers on each hand, rather than the usual four?  God
2.  What porous mineral, often used with soil for gardens or potted plants, gets its name from the Latin for "to breed worms"?  peat?  but that is not a mineral
3.  Republican senator Benjamin Wade was already selecting his Cabinet when he learned he would not be acceding to the U.S. presidency after all.  Which president would he have replaced?  Andrew Johnson?  Was Wade the president pro tem of the Senate while Johnson was going through impeachment proceedings?
4.  Huarache sandals came to America from what country?  Peru?
5.  What musician's first daughter, Tulip Victoria, was born in 1971 to his wife "Miss Vicki"?  Tiny Tim
6.  Followers of the Rastafari movement fly the flag used by what nation before 1974?  red, yellow, green - are those colors in Jamaica's flag?
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by all these writers?  Emily Bronte, Robert Browning, Anthony Burgess, Robert Cormier, Alexander Pushkin, David Rakoff, Vikram Seth, Derek Walcott.  Research has not revealed anything close to a common thread.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  The smallest bone and muscle in the human body are both found where?  The stapes, or stirrup bone, is just 4mm long and is stabilized by a similarly tiny muscle called the stapedius.  Both are found in the inner ear.  correct
2.  Surprisingly, the second most destructive earthquake in world history did not take place along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," but struck what country on January 12, 2010?  Over three million people were affected by the 2010 earthquake that struck just west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  correct
3.  The world's largest restaurant company is not McDonald's, but the PepsiCo spin-out Yum! Brands, which operates what three large global fast food chains?  Yum! owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, which explains why sometimes two or even all of these restaurants are found amalgamated under one stomach-churning roof.  Pizza Hut - doh!  Or more appropriately - dough!
4.  The fact that some West African frogs will spontaneously undergo gender transition in same-sex environments is a major plot point in what 1993 movie?  This explains how an all-female population of cloned dinosaurs begins reproducing in the novel and movie of Jurassic Park.  ok
5.  Probate courts administer what type of legal documents?  Contested wills go to probate.  correct
6.  Ronaiah Tuiasosopo became famous this year for his unusual friendship with whom?  Tuiasosopo is the man who fell so hard for his family friend Manti Te'o that he pretended to be a woman named Lennay Kekua to woo the Notre Dame linebacker.  correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these occupations, among (less prominently) others?  Attorney, census worker, college student, emergency rescuer, fighter pilot, grocery clerk, hockey player, novelist, talent agent, tennis pro.  These are the most notable of the forty-odd jobs tried out by Snoopy, in his rich fantasy life as documented over fifty years of Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.  Here's the World Famous Trivia Email Writer bidding you farewell for another week.  I was right that it was a literary character, but I was thinking of someone like Walter Mitty.