Musings of a Dead Parrot

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  What word for an order of mammals is also a religious title for the highest-ranking bishop in some country or jurisdiction?  primate?
2.  The award-winning 2012 documentary The Act of Killing exposes the anti-communist purge in what Asian country following a failed 1965 coup?  Indonesia?
3.  In June 1990, En Vogue and Wilson Phillips had songs in the Billboard Top Ten at the same time that shared what title?  no idea; I don't know much about either of these performers
4.  What common culinary measure in the United States is equal to 16 tablespoons?  one cup
5.  The ATSF railway was so named because it linked two U.S. state capitals as well as what other small Kansas city?  Atchison  (which must link Topeka and Santa Fe)
6.  According to the famous first line of L.P. Hartley's novel The Go-Between, what "is a foreign country" where "they do things differently"?  never heard of this. Sports?
7.  What unusual distinction is most famously shared by these U.S. presidents?  George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Dwight Eisenhower, James Monroe, Richard Nixon, James K. Polk, Ronald Reagan, Harry Truman.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  What relic was holding an apple in its left hand when peasant Yorgos Kentrotas discovered it on a namesake Aegean island in 1820?  The Venus de Milo was found with fragments of its now-missing arms.   hmm.  did not know that Milo was an Aegean island
2.  On February 1, 2014, Adam Silver took a new job, replacing what man who had been in the post 30 years?  He's the new NBA commissioner, replacing David Stern and taking a much harder line on old racist billionaires.  correct
3.  What Navajo name is usually given to the ancient Pueblo people who built the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde?  They'r often called the Anasazi--those this name is now controversial among the Pueblo, since it's Navajo for "ancient enemy."  correct
4.  Jeff Richards and Taran Killam are the only actors to be cast members on both of two longtime rival TV shows.  What are the two shows?  They're the only two people to be players on both MadTV and Saturday Night Live.  1/2  correct.  Is MadTV still on?  Don't know that I have ever watched it.
5.  What was the home country of Grammy-winning musician and activist Miriam Makeba?  She campaigned against apartheid in South Africa.  correct
6.  Which of the 4 nucleobases in DNA was first extracted from Peruvian bird dropping?  Guanine is name for guano.  I'll never look at my nucleobases the same way again.  correct
7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these bands?  The Association, the Commodores, the Earls, Evanescence, the Grateful Dead, Incubus, Indigo Girls, OutKast, the Pixies, R.E.M.  They all (according to band lore, anyway) chose their name by random perusal of a dictionary.  really?  brutal

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  What relic was holding an apple in its left hand when peasant Yorgos Kentrotas discovered it on a namesake Aegean island in 1820?  something from Crete? holding a golden apple?
2.  On February 1, 2014, Adam Silver took a new job, replacing what man who had been in the post 30 years?  Silver replaced David Stern (NBA commissioner)
3.  What Navajo name is usually given to the ancient Pueblo people who built the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde?  Anasazi
4.  Jeff Richards and Taran Killam are the only actors to be cast members on both of two longtime rival TV shows.  What are the two shows?  I am pretty sure that SNL is one.  They have a rival?  Fridays?
5.  What was the home country of Grammy-winning musician and activist Miriam Makeba?  South Africa?
6.  Which of the 4 nucleobases in DNA was first extracted from Peruvian bird dropping?  guanine!
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by all these bands?  The Association, the Commodores, the Earls, Evanescence, the Grateful Dead, Incubus, Indigo Girls, OutKast, the Pixies, R.E.M. 

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  How many bytes are there in a petabyte?  A gigabyte is a billion, a terabyte is a trillion, and a petabyte is what comes next.  It's a quadrillion bytes, or one followed by fifteen zeroes.  off by 3
2.  What are the only two neighboring countries in the world that start with the same letter AND whose capital cities begin with the same letter?  (Two different letters, one for the nations and one for the capitals.)  Hard question!  If it came to you, you should feel very good about yourself: Ethiopia and Eritrea begin with the same letter, and so do their respective capitals, Addis Ababa and Asmara.  Depending on how you alphabetize the Republic of Congo, it's also a possibility (Brazzaville and Bangui, Central African Republic) so we accepted that pair as well.  really tough
3.  An antimacassar is a cloth usually placed on the back of what?  It's one of those hair-grease-absorbing doilies sometimes seen atop chairs and sofas.  Divans.  Settees.  That's what I'm talking about.  did not know this had a name
4.  What first breed of beef cattle ever developed in the U.S. was named in honor of its forebears, cattle imported from India beginning in 1854?  Brahman bulls got their name due to their Indian heritage.  correct
5.  The fictional European republic of Zubrowka was the setting for a 2014 Ralph Fiennes film about an establishment named for what real European city?  The Grand Budapest Hotel is named for Budapest, but apparently located nowhere near it.  correct
6.  What surname is shared by these celebrity brothers: Skip, a sportswriter and ESPN analyst, and Rick, a Chicago restaurateur?  Skip and Rick Bayless, both TV stars in their own little worlds, have almost no relationship today.  correct
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these world countries and no others?  Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg (sometimes), Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey?  These are all the nations whose people go by a demonym that end with "-ish": the Danish, Finish, British, Irish, Luxembourgish (apparently?) and so on.  good one!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  How many bytes are there in a petabyte?  terabyte is 10 to the 9th power.  I think petabyte is 10 to the 12th power.
2.  What are the only two neighboring countries in the world that start with the same letter AND whose capital cities begin with the same letter?  (Two different letters, one for the nations and one for the capitals.)  this is really tough. First you have to think of adjacent countries with the same first letter like Bolivia and Brazil, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Iraq and Iran, Latvia and Lithuania.  But none of them have capitals that begin with the same letter.
3.  An antimacassar is a cloth usually placed on the back of what?  anitmacassar sounds like something used in the Catholic Church.  Is this something that is worn by a priest?
4.  What first breed of beef cattle ever developed in the U.S. was named in honor of its forebears, cattle imported from India beginning in 1854?  brahma?
5.  The fictional European republic of Zubrowka was the setting for a 2014 Ralph Fiennes film about an establishment named for what real European city?  Budapest (Grand Budapest Hotel)
6.  What surname is shared by these celebrity brothers: Skip, a sportswriter and ESPN analyst, and Rick, a Chicago restaurateur?  Bayless
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these world countries and no others?  Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg (sometimes), Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey?  Only European countries and Luxembourg (sometimes).  This is very cryptic.  Since it is World Cup, Wimbledon and Tour de France season, I might think of something related to sports.  Or the EU.  But I cannot find a pattern.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  The World Cup has been won three times--in 1954, 1974, and 1990--by a country that doesn't exist anymore.  What country?  West Germany no longer exists.  Well, it does, of course.  It's just been reunified with its less sociopolitically successful counterpart.  correct
2.  Joel Elias Spingarn, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Julian Bond, and Roslyn Brock have all chaired what organization?  They've all led the NAACP.  Spingarn did so despite the handicap of being white.  correct
3.  Winners of what TV channel's annual awards show receive a kaleidoscope shaped like an orange blimp?  That's what a Kids' Choice award looks like, given by Nickelodeon. I was in the ball park
4.  What longest-running American syndicated comic strip takes its name from a German word meaning "the wail of a cat"?  The Katzenjammer Kids are apparently now in their 117th year, despite the fact that no one has read it since 1940.  correct
5.  Half of all surviving monuments in Egypt were built by what New Kingdom pharaoh, the second of his name?  Ramesses the Great was pretty big on himself, even by the descended-from-the-sun-god standard of ancient Egyptian pharaohs. correct
6.  The three axes of flight dynamics are pitch, roll, and what third kind of rotation, to the right or the left?  Rotation of an airplane around the vertical axis--which you often don't want, hot tip--is called yaw.  I have heard of yaw but did not recognize it as axial rotation
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by all these wars?  The American Revolution, the Crimean War, the Napoleonic Wars, the Seven Years' War, the Spanish-American War.  Each was finally ended by a Treaty of Paris.  Paris is to peace treaties as Brooklyn is to zines.  correct!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  The World Cup has been won three times--in 1954, 1974, and 1990--by a country that doesn't exist anymore.  What country?  West Germany
2.  Joel Elias Spingarn, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Julian Bond, and Roslyn Brock have all chaired what organization?  NAACP
3.  Winners of what TV channel's annual awards show receive a kaleidoscope shaped like an orange blimp?  Nickelodeon?  What other channels have an annual awards show?  I can think of ESPN, MTV, TV Land.
4.  What longest-running American syndicated comic strip takes its name from a German word meaning "the wail of a cat"?  The Katzenjammer Kids
5.  Half of all surviving monuments in Egypt were built by what New Kingdom pharaoh, the second of his name?  Rameses II?
6.  The three axes of flight dynamics are pitch, roll, and what third kind of rotation, to the right or the left?   pitch would be rotation around the y-axis, roll would be rotation around the z-axis.  What would be left or right rotation around the x-axis?  Horizontal rotation?
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by all these wars?  The American Revolution, the Crimean War, the Napoleonic Wars, the Seven Years' War, the Spanish-American War.  I am going to make a guess without doing any secondary research because I think I know this one.  All of these wars ended with a Treaty of Paris.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  Founded in 1966, RIF is the largest and oldest literacy nonprofit in the U.S.  What do the initials RIF stand for?  Reading Is Fundamental!  Extra credit for answering with this cool capitalization: Reading Is FUNdamental!  correct
2.  Comedian Jack Benny was actually a skilled musician on what instrument, which he often made a gag of playing badly in his act?  He was a very good violinist pretending to be a very bad violinist.  correct
3.  In cruciform Gothic cathedrals, the long bar of the cross, or "nave," is crossed at right angles by what shorter part of the church, forming two wings?  The transept.  correct
4.  Today, there are four Pacific nations that were granted their independence by the United States.  Name any two of them.  The Philippines, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau wer all administered by the U.S. immediately before gaining sovereignty.  correct!
5.  What platinum-selling West Coast rapper is also the featured artist on Robin Thicke's "Give It 2 U," Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive," and Alicia Keys's "It's On Again"?  Kendrick Lamar, or K.Dot as we call him in Compton.  no way I was getting this one
6.  Piranhas are native to which continent?  The piranha is a South American fish.  If you are literally anywhere else right now, you are pretty safe.  (From piranhas.)  correct
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows?  Airwolf, Battlestar Galactica (2004), Days of Our Lives, Game of Thrones, Lost, Mad Men, Oz, Pushing Daisies, Twin Peaks, The Walking Dead.  Each has a character with only one eye/who wears an eyepatch.  Weird how most of these are within the last 5-10 years.  We are obviously living in a Golden Age of TV Eyepatches.  Did I miss any old ones?  I thought that a cartoon like Danger Mouse or Space Angel would give away the game.  I had forgotten about Nadine on Twin Peaks and also Mikhail Bakunin on Lost.  Maybe eye patches have lost their uniqueness if no one notices.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  Founded in 1966, RIF is the largest and oldest literacy nonprofit in the U.S.  What do the initials RIF stand for?  Reading Is Fundamental
2.  Comedian Jack Benny was actually a skilled musician on what instrument, which he often made a gag of playing badly in his act?  violin
3.  In cruciform Gothic cathedrals, the long bar of the cross, or "nave," is crossed at right angles by what shorter part of the church, forming two wings?  transept?
4.  Today, there are four Pacific nations that were granted their independence by the United States.  Name any two of them. The Philippines and one other.  The Marshall Islands?  I don't think Guam counts.  I think it is still a US territory.
5.  What platinum-selling West Coast rapper is also the featured artist on Robin Thicke's "Give It 2 U," Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive," and Alicia Keys's "It's On Again"?  Snoop Dogg?
6.  Piranhas are native to which continent?  South America
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these TV shows?  Airwolf, Battlestar Galactica (2004), Days of Our Lives, Game of Thrones, Lost, Mad Men, Oz, Pushing Daisies, Twin Peaks, The Walking Dead.  Some quality shows here.  I have looked at actors, character names, opening credits.  Nothing clicking yet.


LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  The new book by French economist Thomas Piketty recalls the title of an 1867 text as it considers the implications of what "in the Twenty-First Century"?  Piketty's best-seller is Capital in the Twenty-First Century, an obvious callback to Karl Marx's Das Kapital.  Which is why I haven't read it yet, waiting to "binge-read" the full series NO SPOILERS PLEASE.  I said "Capitalism" not "Capital" which probably would not be considered a correct answer on Jeopardy
2.  The 1st and 4th top-grossing romantic comedies of the 1990s--one released in 1990 and the other in 1999--both starred what pair of leads?  The 1990 hit was Pretty Woman and the 1999 one was Runaway Bride, so the leads are, of course, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.  Did anybody bite on Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan?  Sorry.  I sort of knew that might happen. correct
3.  What are you shopping for if you've bought russets, fingerlings, and Yukon Golds?  Those are three of the most common varieties of potatoes, aka "taters," aka "spuds," aka "dirt limes," aka "Irish bagels."  correct
4.  What country was Mohammed Mossadegh leading in 1953 when U.S and British intelligence organized his ouster?  Iran.  This led to the Shah which led to the Islamic Revolution so yay "containment."  correct
5.  No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993.  What's the only Canadian team to make it to the finals twice since then, though they've never won the Cup in their franchise history?  The Vancouver Canucks lost to the Rangers in 1994 (big riots in Vancouver!) and the Bruins in 2011 (even bigger riots in Vancouver!) correct 
6.  Of the digits 0 through 9, which is by far the last to make its first appearance in a decimal expansion of pi?  The digits 1-9 all appear within the first 13 decimal places...but you won't find a 0 until the 32nd digit!  This one goes out to all the weirdos who memorized pi as kids for some reason.  correct! and who are you calling a weirdo, KJ?
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these biblical figures?  Abel, Cain, Jehoshaphat, Joshua, Samuel, and Seth.  They each had a parent with a palindromic name (variously Eve, Asa, Nun and Hannah).  Tough one.  Bible palindromes.  I just felt like that was what the people wanted.
that was a tough one

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  The new book by French economist Thomas Piketty recalls the title of an 1867 text as it considers the implications of what "in the Twenty-First Century"?   Capitalism?
2.  The 1st and 4th top-grossing romantic comedies of the 1990s--one released in 1990 and the other in 1999--both starred what pair of leads?  1990 has to be Pretty Woman.  Julia Roberts and Richard Gere?
3.  What are you shopping for if you've bought russets, fingerlings, and Yukon Golds?  potatoes
4.  What country was Mohammed Mossadegh leading in 1953 when U.S and British intelligence organized his ouster?  Iran
5.  No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993.  What's the only Canadian team to make it to the finals twice since then, though they've never won the Cup in their franchise history?  Vancouver Canucks
6.  Of the digits 0 through 9, which is by far the last to make its first appearance in a decimal expansion of pi?  3.1415926.  7,8 or 0?  I'll guess 0
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these biblical figures?  Abel, Cain, Jehoshaphat, Joshua, Samuel, and Seth.  Samuel appeared as a ghost in the Old Testament.  Did these spirits all appear in the Bible?

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  What novelist is the subject of 1999's biography Mary Poppins, She Wrote?  PL Travers.  The Australian bio became an American hit last year when the Disney movie Saving Mr. Banks was SORT OF based on it.   correct
2.  In 2013, who did the Evening Standard place atop their list of London's 1,000 most powerful people, even though he only became eligible in July?  Prince George is more powerful than the mayor of London, even if he can't control his bowel movements.  correct
3.  "One nation, two systems," was the constitutional principle unveiled in 1984 to allow for self-government in certain regions of what country?  That was China's slogan to allow for the re-integration of ultra-capitalist Hong Kong and Macao into a Communist power.  tricky
4.  Rob Halford, with his famed four-octave vocal range, is best known for fronting what rock band since 1969 (aside from a hiatus during the 1990s)?  Rob Halford is the screamer behind Judas Priest.  don't think that I could identify any Judas Priest songs
5.  In 2010, what automaker rolled out its first ever series production electric car, the Leaf?  Nissan.  And it is one ugly car.  Not a trivia fact, just an observation.  correct
6.  What mythical creature appeared in the production logo at the end of the quiz show Jeopardy! from 1984 to 1994?  The symbol for Merv Griffin Enterprises was--go figure-- a griffin.  correct
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these movies?  The Age of Innocence, Anchorman 2, Moonrise Kingdom, Pete's Dragon, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Shutter Island, Take This Waltz, The Ring.  Each features a lighthouse as an important plot point.  Feel free to use this list and hold a Lighthouse Film Festival this summer.  Project it on the side of a lighthouse.  See if I care.  I had no basis for guessing since I had only seen one of the movies.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  What novelist is the subject of 1999's biography Mary Poppins, She Wrote? PL Travers
2.  In 2013, who did the Evening Standard place atop their list of London's 1,000 most powerful people, even though he only became eligible in July?  Prince George
3.  "One nation, two systems," was the constitutional principle unveiled in 1984 to allow for self-government in certain regions of what country?  South Africa
4.  Rob Halford, with his famed four-octave vocal range, is best known for fronting what rock band since 1969 (aside from a hiatus during the 1990s)?  Don't think I know who Rob Halford is.  And I am flummoxed to think of bands that have been active since 1969 except for the Stones.  Is that name an alias for someone like Iggy Pop?  The Stooges?
5.  In 2010, what automaker rolled out its first ever series production electric car, the Leaf?  Nissan
6.  What mythical creature appeared in the production logo at the end of the quiz show Jeopardy! from 1984 to 1994?  a griffin for Merv Griffin
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these movies?  The Age of Innocence, Anchorman 2, Moonrise Kingdom, Pete's Dragon, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Shutter Island, Take This Waltz, The Ring.  No idea.  Of these, I have only seen Moonrise Kingdom.

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  What color is the bullseye in the middle of a competitive archery target?  The rings go, from outermost to innermost: white, black, blue, red, yellow.  Yellow is the bullseye.  The Target logo has been lying to you.  curses!
2.  What large lake on the border of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is named for the emperor who founded a 4th-century Roman dynasty?  Lake Constance is the third largest lake in central Europe.  Konstanz, Germany, on its shores, was named for the founder of Rome's Constantinian dynasty.  Don't know that I have ever heard of Lake Constance.  But as I re-read the question, I realize that I was thinking of lakes on the wrong Swiss border.
3.  "Ionization" is the name of the phase transition in which matter in what phase changes to matter in what other phase?  Ionization is what happens when a gas turns into a plasma.
4.  What musical acronym was used for the U.S. government program set up in 2009 to help "underwater" homeowners avoid foreclosure?  The Home Affordable Refinance Program was better known as HARP.  yay, I got one right
5.  Who died of a heart attack on November 29, 1924, leaving a work named Turandot unfinished?  Turandot was the last opera of Giacomo Puccini.  correct
6.  In China, oolong is a type of what?  Oolong, made by oxidizing the leaves, is a traditional Chinese tea.  correct
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these holidays and observances, and no others?  New Year's Day, Valentine's Day, the vernal equinox, Halloween, Thanksgiving (arguably), and Christmas.  These are all the celebrations that the caller is NOT observing, by his own admission, in Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You."  I have no idea if anyone got this Question Seven right, but at least it cracked me up at the time.  Didn't crack me up and other subscribers may have had the same reaction.  I regret the time I invested to answer this question.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS
1.  What color is the bullseye in the middle of a competitive archery target?  this gets asked regularly at trivia nights and I still do not remember for sure.  Red?
2.  What large lake on the border of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is named for the emperor who founded a 4th-century Roman dynasty?  Lake Como?  Lake Lugano?  I'll go with Lake Lugano
3.  "Ionization" is the name of the phase transition in which matter in what phase changes to matter in what other phase?  solid to liquid?  or liquid to gas?  I seem to recall that ionization energy is the energy required to move an electron from one orbital to another.  But that does not seem relevant here.  I'll guess liquid to gas.
4.  What musical acronym was used for the U.S. government program set up in 2009 to help "underwater" homeowners avoid foreclosure?  I don't remember this.  HARP?
5.  Who died of a heart attack on November 29, 1924, leaving a work named Turandot unfinished?  Puccini?
6.  In China, oolong is a type of what?  tea.  It is tea everywhere else too, isn't it?
7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these holidays and observances, and no others?  New Year's Day, Valentine's Day, the vernal equinox, Halloween, Thanksgiving (arguably), and Christmas.  Is this a popular culture question?  Movies about holidays?  #1 songs?  or something about the dates and how they appear on a digital display?

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS
1.  What country's current president, Michael Martelly, became famous there in the 1990s as Sweet Micky, a popular "compas" musician?  Compas is the national music of Haiti.  KJ misspelled the president's name.  It is Michel, not Michael.  I certainly would have guessed differently had I known the true name.
2.  What television actor, best known for a 1960s role, released his own fragrance line last year, "Eau My"?  George Takei never said "Oh, my" as Sulu on Star Trek, but it's become his Howard Stern Show catchphrase.  This phrase has not yet entered my cultural consciousness.  I don't watch or listen to Howard Stern.
3.  What word for a halogen salt can also refer to a boring cliche, because it was once a common ingredient in sedatives?  Potassium bromide was once used as a sedative, so "bromides" today are expressions so trite they'll put your audience to sleep.  correct
4.  Or, gules, vert, and purpure are among the colors used in what art form and field of study?  Heraldry has its own colors, called "tincture."  Or is golden, gules is red, vert is green, and purpure is purple.  I only wanted 2 see U laughing in the purpure rain.  heraldry?  bleah question
5.  The chorus of Mack Rice's biggest hit song, later made famous by Wilson Pickett, incidentally includes the name of what future astronaut?  The chorus of "Mustang Sally" repeats the phrase "Ride, Sally, Ride," accidentally name-checking the future astronaut.  correct
6.  What best-selling 2012 novel begins with the disappearance of Amy Dunne from her new hometown, North Carthage, Missouri?  Amy is the title missing person in Gillian Flynn's mega-selling thriller Gone Girl, soon to be a major motion picture. never heard of the book or the author.

7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these famous people?  Eubie Blake, Gordon Brown, Tim Daly, Langston Hughes, Hugh Laurie, Paul McCartney, Tim McCarver, David Niven, Dan Quayle, Strom Thurmond.  Each went by his middle name, because his real first name was "James."  Probably the only time you'll ever see Tim Daly and Langston Hughes's names together.  correct!