Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 25
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. A bibliography lists books. An arachniography is a similar resource that lists what? perhaps like a spider web, it lists weblinks
2. What country observes National Sorry Day every May 26, to commemorate the mistreatment of its indigenous population that resulted in a "Stolen Generation" between 1909 and 1969? Australia
3. The American sporting goods company that pioneered fiberglass skis in 1961 shares its name with what mountain? K-2
4. The firm of McKim, Mead & White, which counted the celebrated Stanford White as one of its partners, led the world at the turn of the 20th century in what field? architecture
5. What, specifically, does an animal known as a "folivore" eat? iron? blood? blood sucking animals?
6. What video game franchise's installments are set in municipalities like Vice City, Liberty City, and San Andreas? Grand Theft Auto
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these pro sport head coaches or managers, and no others? Al Arbour, Red Auerbach, Toe Blake, Scotty Bowman, Hap Day, Punch Imlach, Phil Jackson, John Kundla, Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, John McCarthy, Casey Stengel, and Joe Torre. These are all coaches of very successful teams. I would say that they are the only coaches to have led their teams to 3 or more consecutive titles.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The parkway running along the eastern edge of Manhattan is named for Franklin Roosevelt. The one along most of the west side is officially named for which explorer? Because it runs along the Hudson River, you see, it's the Henry Hudson Parkway. correct
2. From 1989 to 1991, Michael Boatman (on China Beach) and Scott Bakula (on Quantum Leap) were both playing TV characters named for what writer? Sort of weird that, for two years, there were not one but two prime-time TV characters named for Samuel Beckett. ok. with another clue or two, this might be a good pub quiz question
3. A company called Element Six runs, in England, the world's largest facility for producing the synthetic type of what? Element 6 on the periodic table is carbon; this De Beers spin-off makes industrial diamonds. again, a clue would have helped. Synthetic carbon could take a number of different forms.
4. "Self-actualization" sits atop psychologist Abraham Maslow's influential 1943 pyramid, a hierarchy of what? His Hierarchy of Needs starts with physiological ones (food, water, uh, breathing) and goes all the way up to loftier goals like morality, creativity, and Amazon Prime. correct
5. In Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," what state is the singer from? He left his home in Georgia headed for the 'Frisco Bay. correct
6. You may have forgotten Ashley Dupre, but six years ago she was instrumental in the scandal that brought down what politician? She was the call girl that New York governor Eliot Spitzer liked to, uh, call. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these US cities, listed in order of decreasing population? New York City, Raleigh, Omaha, Honolulu, Cincinnati, New Haven. These are the only large cities where future U.S. presidents have been born! Respectively: Teddy Roosevelt, Andrew Johnson, Gerald Ford, Barack Obama, William Howard Taft, and George W. Bush. The other 37 were small-town kids, for the most part. I was nowhere close to the correct answer.
1. A bibliography lists books. An arachniography is a similar resource that lists what? perhaps like a spider web, it lists weblinks
2. What country observes National Sorry Day every May 26, to commemorate the mistreatment of its indigenous population that resulted in a "Stolen Generation" between 1909 and 1969? Australia
3. The American sporting goods company that pioneered fiberglass skis in 1961 shares its name with what mountain? K-2
4. The firm of McKim, Mead & White, which counted the celebrated Stanford White as one of its partners, led the world at the turn of the 20th century in what field? architecture
5. What, specifically, does an animal known as a "folivore" eat? iron? blood? blood sucking animals?
6. What video game franchise's installments are set in municipalities like Vice City, Liberty City, and San Andreas? Grand Theft Auto
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these pro sport head coaches or managers, and no others? Al Arbour, Red Auerbach, Toe Blake, Scotty Bowman, Hap Day, Punch Imlach, Phil Jackson, John Kundla, Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, John McCarthy, Casey Stengel, and Joe Torre. These are all coaches of very successful teams. I would say that they are the only coaches to have led their teams to 3 or more consecutive titles.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. The parkway running along the eastern edge of Manhattan is named for Franklin Roosevelt. The one along most of the west side is officially named for which explorer? Because it runs along the Hudson River, you see, it's the Henry Hudson Parkway. correct
2. From 1989 to 1991, Michael Boatman (on China Beach) and Scott Bakula (on Quantum Leap) were both playing TV characters named for what writer? Sort of weird that, for two years, there were not one but two prime-time TV characters named for Samuel Beckett. ok. with another clue or two, this might be a good pub quiz question
3. A company called Element Six runs, in England, the world's largest facility for producing the synthetic type of what? Element 6 on the periodic table is carbon; this De Beers spin-off makes industrial diamonds. again, a clue would have helped. Synthetic carbon could take a number of different forms.
4. "Self-actualization" sits atop psychologist Abraham Maslow's influential 1943 pyramid, a hierarchy of what? His Hierarchy of Needs starts with physiological ones (food, water, uh, breathing) and goes all the way up to loftier goals like morality, creativity, and Amazon Prime. correct
5. In Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," what state is the singer from? He left his home in Georgia headed for the 'Frisco Bay. correct
6. You may have forgotten Ashley Dupre, but six years ago she was instrumental in the scandal that brought down what politician? She was the call girl that New York governor Eliot Spitzer liked to, uh, call. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these US cities, listed in order of decreasing population? New York City, Raleigh, Omaha, Honolulu, Cincinnati, New Haven. These are the only large cities where future U.S. presidents have been born! Respectively: Teddy Roosevelt, Andrew Johnson, Gerald Ford, Barack Obama, William Howard Taft, and George W. Bush. The other 37 were small-town kids, for the most part. I was nowhere close to the correct answer.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 18
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. The parkway running along the eastern edge of Manhattan is named for Franklin Roosevelt. The one along most of the west side is officially named for which explorer? I have driven on the Henry Hudson Parkway (and across the Henry Hudson Bridge that leads into Manhattan) many times
2. From 1989 to 1991, Michael Boatman (on China Beach) and Scott Bakula (on Quantum Leap) were both playing TV characters named for what writer? no idea. Would need more clues about the writer since I did not watch either show.
3. A company called Element Six runs, in England, the world's largest facility for producing the synthetic type of what? carbon has atomic number 6. Synthetic products based on carbon. Synthetic life forms like dolls? Synthetic fuels?
4. "Self-actualization" sits atop psychologist Abraham Maslow's influential 1943 pyramid, a hierarchy of what? needs
5. In Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," what state is the singer from? I left my home in Georgia, headed for Frisco Bay
6. You may have forgotten Ashley Dupre, but six years ago she was instrumental in the scandal that brought down what politician? Eliot Spitzer?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these US cities, listed in order of decreasing population? New York City, Raleigh, Omaha, Honolulu, Cincinnati, New Haven. this is cryptic. I have not found a good entry point for this eclectic group of cities. Do they all have something in common, like the same nickname? or are they the largest cities with hospitals named (fill in the blank)?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What famed race horse was named in honor of his sire, Hard Tack? Hardtack is a kind of cracker eaten by sailors at sea, so it wasn't too much of a stretch to name his foal Seabiscuit. correct
2. Carolyn Hax and Amy Dickinson are modern descendants of the famed Friedman twins, in that they also write what? Advice columns. Esther and Pauline Friedman were better known by the reassuringly Gentile names "Ann Landers" and "Dear Abby." correct
3. In a complete insect metamorphosis, what state comes between the larva and the imago? The pupa. ("Imago" is just a word for the adult phase of an insect.) correct
4. In what 2008 movie does the protagonist say, "What I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career"? Liam Neeson in every preview to Taken, and in the movie Taken, and in everyone doing a dumb parody of Taken. correct
5. What food item, of which 4.8 billion are consumed every year, comes in four shapes, called the bell, the ball, the boot, and the bone? Did you ever notice that there are only four shapes of Chicken McNugget? How does McDonald's get all its chickens to look exactly the same like that? Truly we live in an amazing time. no, I had not noticed since Reagan may have been president the last time I ate at McDonalds
6. The elephant appears on the coat of arms of two African nations. One is Swaziland; what, unsurprisingly, is the other? The elephant provides the ivory in the coat of arms of the Cote d'Ivoire, or Ivory Coast. Turns out there's another correct answer here: I somehow overlooked the two black elephants on the Republic of the Congo's emblem. But if you put "Republic of the Congo," either you truly have the memory of an elephant...or, come on, you peeked. good job deciphering the clue, Alex
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Tim Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Stephen Fry, Merle Haggard, O. Henry, Don King, Tony Sirico, Mark Wahlberg. Each of these accomplished men served jail time before they were famous. Tim Allen was a coke dealer. Just though you might want to know. correct. This one was pretty easy.
1. The parkway running along the eastern edge of Manhattan is named for Franklin Roosevelt. The one along most of the west side is officially named for which explorer? I have driven on the Henry Hudson Parkway (and across the Henry Hudson Bridge that leads into Manhattan) many times
2. From 1989 to 1991, Michael Boatman (on China Beach) and Scott Bakula (on Quantum Leap) were both playing TV characters named for what writer? no idea. Would need more clues about the writer since I did not watch either show.
3. A company called Element Six runs, in England, the world's largest facility for producing the synthetic type of what? carbon has atomic number 6. Synthetic products based on carbon. Synthetic life forms like dolls? Synthetic fuels?
4. "Self-actualization" sits atop psychologist Abraham Maslow's influential 1943 pyramid, a hierarchy of what? needs
5. In Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," what state is the singer from? I left my home in Georgia, headed for Frisco Bay
6. You may have forgotten Ashley Dupre, but six years ago she was instrumental in the scandal that brought down what politician? Eliot Spitzer?
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these US cities, listed in order of decreasing population? New York City, Raleigh, Omaha, Honolulu, Cincinnati, New Haven. this is cryptic. I have not found a good entry point for this eclectic group of cities. Do they all have something in common, like the same nickname? or are they the largest cities with hospitals named (fill in the blank)?
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What famed race horse was named in honor of his sire, Hard Tack? Hardtack is a kind of cracker eaten by sailors at sea, so it wasn't too much of a stretch to name his foal Seabiscuit. correct
2. Carolyn Hax and Amy Dickinson are modern descendants of the famed Friedman twins, in that they also write what? Advice columns. Esther and Pauline Friedman were better known by the reassuringly Gentile names "Ann Landers" and "Dear Abby." correct
3. In a complete insect metamorphosis, what state comes between the larva and the imago? The pupa. ("Imago" is just a word for the adult phase of an insect.) correct
4. In what 2008 movie does the protagonist say, "What I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career"? Liam Neeson in every preview to Taken, and in the movie Taken, and in everyone doing a dumb parody of Taken. correct
5. What food item, of which 4.8 billion are consumed every year, comes in four shapes, called the bell, the ball, the boot, and the bone? Did you ever notice that there are only four shapes of Chicken McNugget? How does McDonald's get all its chickens to look exactly the same like that? Truly we live in an amazing time. no, I had not noticed since Reagan may have been president the last time I ate at McDonalds
6. The elephant appears on the coat of arms of two African nations. One is Swaziland; what, unsurprisingly, is the other? The elephant provides the ivory in the coat of arms of the Cote d'Ivoire, or Ivory Coast. Turns out there's another correct answer here: I somehow overlooked the two black elephants on the Republic of the Congo's emblem. But if you put "Republic of the Congo," either you truly have the memory of an elephant...or, come on, you peeked. good job deciphering the clue, Alex
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Tim Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Stephen Fry, Merle Haggard, O. Henry, Don King, Tony Sirico, Mark Wahlberg. Each of these accomplished men served jail time before they were famous. Tim Allen was a coke dealer. Just though you might want to know. correct. This one was pretty easy.
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 11
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. What famed race horse was named in honor of his sire, Hard Tack? Sea Biscuit
2. Carolyn Hax and Amy Dickinson are modern descendants of the famed Friedman twins, in that they also write what? advice columns
3. In a complete insect metamorphosis, what state comes between the larva and the imago? pupa?
4. In what 2008 movie does the protagonist say, "What I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career"? Taken. Too bad Liam Neeson was not on the Singapore Airlines plane.
5. What food item, of which 4.8 billion are consumed every year, comes in four shapes, called the bell, the ball, the boot, and the bone? I am thinking of a snack food, something like Cheetos
6. The elephant appears on the coat of arms of two African nations. One is Swaziland; what, unsurprisingly, is the other? Zimbabwe?
7. What What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Tim Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Stephen Fry, Merle Haggard, O. Henry, Don King, Tony Sirico, Mark Wahlberg. I believe each has served time in prison
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Despite the fact that they come from South America, the rodent also called the cavy is better known by the name of what African country? For reasons that no one's too clear on, the South American guinea pig is named for a country over 4,000 miles away. correct
2. The boy band One Direction leapt to fame after finishing third on what British reality show in 2010? They were on the hit British forerunner of Simon Cowell's American non-hit, The X Factor. correct
3. What was the only U.S. state with no National Park Service unit until 2013, when a new National Monument was created around the Old New Castle Courthouse and along Brandywine Creek? Delaware was, for many years, the only state without a Park Service destination, on the silly grounds that there is nothing at all interesting to see there. correct
4. Whose nemeses included the Trinity Killer, the Brain Surgeon, the Ice Truck Killer, and the Doomsday Killer? These are among Dexter Morgan's serial killer rivals on the recently (and non-optimally) concluded Showtime series Dexter. correct!
5. According to the Chinese zodiac, we are currently in the year of what animal? 2014 is the year of the horse. If you eat at a lot of Chinese buffets, or your age is a multiple of twelve this year, congrats on getting this one right! not correct
6. What did ancient Greek city-states call their central gathering places, a word mostly used today in reference to people who *dislike* public spaces? Modern cities don't really have an "agora" like Greek ones did. We just have agoraphobes. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts, in this order? ABBA, Queen, Billy Joel, the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Green Day, the Shirelles, Patsy Cline. Each had their music re-purposed as a "jukebox musical"--a stage musical whose score is drawn from a pop artist, like Mamma Mia! (ABBA) or Jersey Boys (the Four Seasons). Fun thought experiment: imagine the sad, cookie-cutter "jukebox musical" they will be staging about your favorite band in a decade or two! correct
1. What famed race horse was named in honor of his sire, Hard Tack? Sea Biscuit
2. Carolyn Hax and Amy Dickinson are modern descendants of the famed Friedman twins, in that they also write what? advice columns
3. In a complete insect metamorphosis, what state comes between the larva and the imago? pupa?
4. In what 2008 movie does the protagonist say, "What I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career"? Taken. Too bad Liam Neeson was not on the Singapore Airlines plane.
5. What food item, of which 4.8 billion are consumed every year, comes in four shapes, called the bell, the ball, the boot, and the bone? I am thinking of a snack food, something like Cheetos
6. The elephant appears on the coat of arms of two African nations. One is Swaziland; what, unsurprisingly, is the other? Zimbabwe?
7. What What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people? Tim Allen, Charles S. Dutton, Stephen Fry, Merle Haggard, O. Henry, Don King, Tony Sirico, Mark Wahlberg. I believe each has served time in prison
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. Despite the fact that they come from South America, the rodent also called the cavy is better known by the name of what African country? For reasons that no one's too clear on, the South American guinea pig is named for a country over 4,000 miles away. correct
2. The boy band One Direction leapt to fame after finishing third on what British reality show in 2010? They were on the hit British forerunner of Simon Cowell's American non-hit, The X Factor. correct
3. What was the only U.S. state with no National Park Service unit until 2013, when a new National Monument was created around the Old New Castle Courthouse and along Brandywine Creek? Delaware was, for many years, the only state without a Park Service destination, on the silly grounds that there is nothing at all interesting to see there. correct
4. Whose nemeses included the Trinity Killer, the Brain Surgeon, the Ice Truck Killer, and the Doomsday Killer? These are among Dexter Morgan's serial killer rivals on the recently (and non-optimally) concluded Showtime series Dexter. correct!
5. According to the Chinese zodiac, we are currently in the year of what animal? 2014 is the year of the horse. If you eat at a lot of Chinese buffets, or your age is a multiple of twelve this year, congrats on getting this one right! not correct
6. What did ancient Greek city-states call their central gathering places, a word mostly used today in reference to people who *dislike* public spaces? Modern cities don't really have an "agora" like Greek ones did. We just have agoraphobes. correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts, in this order? ABBA, Queen, Billy Joel, the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Green Day, the Shirelles, Patsy Cline. Each had their music re-purposed as a "jukebox musical"--a stage musical whose score is drawn from a pop artist, like Mamma Mia! (ABBA) or Jersey Boys (the Four Seasons). Fun thought experiment: imagine the sad, cookie-cutter "jukebox musical" they will be staging about your favorite band in a decade or two! correct
Friday, March 07, 2014
Ken Jennings Tuesday Trivia - March 4
THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1. Despite the fact that they come from South America, the rodent also called the cavy is better known by the name of what African country? is this the guinea pig?
2. The boy band One Direction leapt to fame after finishing third on what British reality show in 2010? The X-Factor? Britain's Got Talent? I'll guess The X-Factor.
3. What was the only U.S. state with no National Park Service unit until 2013, when a new National Monument was created around the Old New Castle Courthouse and along Brandywine Creek? Delaware
4. Whose nemeses included the Trinity Killer, the Brain Surgeon, the Ice Truck Killer, and the Doomsday Killer? Dexter?
5. According to the Chinese zodiac, we are currently in the year of what animal? I don't think it is the year of the snake, ox or rat. Year of the Dog?
6. What did ancient Greek city-states call their central gathering places, a word mostly used today in reference to people who *dislike* public spaces? agorae (from which we get agoraphobia)
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts, in this order? ABBA, Queen, Billy Joel, the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Green Day, the Shirelles, Patsy Cline. ABBA --> Mamma Mia. Franki Valli --> Jersey Boys. Green Day --> American Idiot. This has something to do with musicals featuring the works of these artists appearing on Broadway.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What October 26, 1881 event took place not at the celebrated livery stable, but six doors down at the vacant lot by Camillus Fry's photography studio? The Gunfight at the OK Corral was actually the Gunfight Near the OK Corral. doh! I should remember that the Great Chicago Fire was 1871 not 1881
2. 2013's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the first movie with a female protagonist to top the annual U.S. box office charts in forty years. What 1973 megahit (with a male title character, interestingly) was the last to do so? The Exorcist was the last woman-led box office champ. Even Titanic gave top billing to Leo. correct
3. What Jewish rabbinic text is made up of the Mishnah and the Gemara? Those are the two parts of the Talmud. ah yes, the other sacred Jewish text
4. What ten-year NBA veteran and current Houston Rocket has led the league in rebounds five of the last six seasons? Center Dwight Howard, late of the Magic and the Lakers, has won five out of six rebounding titles. He's currently in fourth place this season, though. correct
5. Males of many species, including ours, are heterogametic, meaning they have what sex chromosome not found in females? Men have a Y chromosome. When it comes to average American salary, this is apparently worth 23% more than an Y chromosome. correct
6. "Gorod," sometimes shortened as "grad," is a Russian word meaning what? "City," as you may have noticed in place names like "Nizhny Novgorod" or "Stalingrad." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these countries, listed in this order? Turkey, Germany, Spain, South Korea, France, South Korea, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Switzerland, China. These were the runner-up countries in the last 11 IOC votes to host the Winter Olympics. Thanks again to longtime subscriber Greg McFarlane for suggested this very timely (and very hard!) Question Seven. correct!!
1. Despite the fact that they come from South America, the rodent also called the cavy is better known by the name of what African country? is this the guinea pig?
2. The boy band One Direction leapt to fame after finishing third on what British reality show in 2010? The X-Factor? Britain's Got Talent? I'll guess The X-Factor.
3. What was the only U.S. state with no National Park Service unit until 2013, when a new National Monument was created around the Old New Castle Courthouse and along Brandywine Creek? Delaware
4. Whose nemeses included the Trinity Killer, the Brain Surgeon, the Ice Truck Killer, and the Doomsday Killer? Dexter?
5. According to the Chinese zodiac, we are currently in the year of what animal? I don't think it is the year of the snake, ox or rat. Year of the Dog?
6. What did ancient Greek city-states call their central gathering places, a word mostly used today in reference to people who *dislike* public spaces? agorae (from which we get agoraphobia)
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts, in this order? ABBA, Queen, Billy Joel, the Bee Gees, the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Green Day, the Shirelles, Patsy Cline. ABBA --> Mamma Mia. Franki Valli --> Jersey Boys. Green Day --> American Idiot. This has something to do with musicals featuring the works of these artists appearing on Broadway.
LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1. What October 26, 1881 event took place not at the celebrated livery stable, but six doors down at the vacant lot by Camillus Fry's photography studio? The Gunfight at the OK Corral was actually the Gunfight Near the OK Corral. doh! I should remember that the Great Chicago Fire was 1871 not 1881
2. 2013's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was the first movie with a female protagonist to top the annual U.S. box office charts in forty years. What 1973 megahit (with a male title character, interestingly) was the last to do so? The Exorcist was the last woman-led box office champ. Even Titanic gave top billing to Leo. correct
3. What Jewish rabbinic text is made up of the Mishnah and the Gemara? Those are the two parts of the Talmud. ah yes, the other sacred Jewish text
4. What ten-year NBA veteran and current Houston Rocket has led the league in rebounds five of the last six seasons? Center Dwight Howard, late of the Magic and the Lakers, has won five out of six rebounding titles. He's currently in fourth place this season, though. correct
5. Males of many species, including ours, are heterogametic, meaning they have what sex chromosome not found in females? Men have a Y chromosome. When it comes to average American salary, this is apparently worth 23% more than an Y chromosome. correct
6. "Gorod," sometimes shortened as "grad," is a Russian word meaning what? "City," as you may have noticed in place names like "Nizhny Novgorod" or "Stalingrad." correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by these countries, listed in this order? Turkey, Germany, Spain, South Korea, France, South Korea, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Switzerland, China. These were the runner-up countries in the last 11 IOC votes to host the Winter Olympics. Thanks again to longtime subscriber Greg McFarlane for suggested this very timely (and very hard!) Question Seven. correct!!
