Answers here
1. According to the book of Genesis, how many children does Eve have (that are mentioned), and what are their names? [one point for naming each child; half point for any partially correct answer]
2. (a) What popular 2008 animated feature film featured EVE as one of its main characters? (b) Who played Broadway star Margo Channing in the 1950 Oscar winner All About Eve? [half point each]
3. Who in 2005 became the main host for ABC-TV’s annual broadcast of the program formerly known as Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve? What year did Clark—who then became the in-studio anchor—first host the show (then on NBC)? [half point each; partial credit for getting part two within four years—deduct .1 for each year’s deviation]
4. (a) “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” is a rock-oriented instrumental medley of “Carol of the Bells” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by what group of musicians? (b) What standard holiday song, written by Frank Loesser and recorded by everyone from Diana Krall, Ella Fitzgerald, and Harry Connick Jr. to the Carpenters, Lee Ann Womack, and Clay Aiken, has a title ending in “…New Year’s Eve”?
5. The term “mitochondrial Eve” alludes specifically to what scientific hypothesis? [two key facts describe the hypothesis]
6. What does a day represent in astronomical terms? What other planet in Earth’s solar system has a day closest to that of Earth?
7. (a) “Lady Day” is a nickname for what singer? (b) “All Day” is a nickname for which player on the NFL’s Minnesota Viking?
8. What are the former names for the US holidays now known as Veterans Day and Memorial Day? [half point each; half point for getting both in the wrong order]
9. On what date was D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy, in World War II? What date does Pearl Harbor Day commemorate?
10. (a) To what does the term “day trader” usually refer? (b) To what does the term “salad days” usually refer?
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Ho, -ho, ho- [Quiz #23]
Answers here
1. “Heigh-Ho” is a song from which Walt Disney animated film? [half point]
2. Coho is a variety of what fish? [half point]
3. “HoJo” is a nickname for what chain of hotels and restaurants? [half point]
4. What European city has a fashionable district called Soho? From what does the similarly named SoHo district of New York City derive its name? [half point each]
5. What are Ho Hos made of, and what company makes them? [half point each]
6. Who is Wen Ho Lee, and of what was he accused in 1999 before being largely exonerated? [half point each]
7. What city was (under a different name) the capital of South Vietnam before Vietnam was reunited? [half point]
8. What city is the capital of the Australian island state of Tasmania? [half point]
9. What large lake lies on the border between California and Nevada? [half point]
10. Which 1819 novel by Sir Walter Scott, also adapted into an opera and a 1952 film, is set during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart at the end of the 12th century? What mythical hero is also a significant character in the novel? [half point each]
11. Which Hawaiian singer, who died in 2007 at the age of 76, was famed for his 1966 hit “Tiny Bubbles”? [first and last name] [half point]
12. What form of alternative medicine, whose principles were first defined by Samuel Hahnemann some 200 years ago, rests upon the tenet that using tiny quantities of substances, heavily diluted in water, can effectively treat illness while reducing toxicity? [half point]
13. Who has thus far hosted the Academy Awards the most times? [half point]
14. Whose name became a metaphor for the sort of “rags to riches” tales he wove in 19th-century novels with titles such as Bound to Rise; or, Up the Ladder? [half point]
15. What’s a hosanna or (hosannah)? [half point]
16. Which seminal punk band released the compilation Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: The Anthology in 1999, taking the title from the opening to one of their songs? [half point]
1. “Heigh-Ho” is a song from which Walt Disney animated film? [half point]
2. Coho is a variety of what fish? [half point]
3. “HoJo” is a nickname for what chain of hotels and restaurants? [half point]
4. What European city has a fashionable district called Soho? From what does the similarly named SoHo district of New York City derive its name? [half point each]
5. What are Ho Hos made of, and what company makes them? [half point each]
6. Who is Wen Ho Lee, and of what was he accused in 1999 before being largely exonerated? [half point each]
7. What city was (under a different name) the capital of South Vietnam before Vietnam was reunited? [half point]
8. What city is the capital of the Australian island state of Tasmania? [half point]
9. What large lake lies on the border between California and Nevada? [half point]
10. Which 1819 novel by Sir Walter Scott, also adapted into an opera and a 1952 film, is set during the reign of King Richard the Lionheart at the end of the 12th century? What mythical hero is also a significant character in the novel? [half point each]
11. Which Hawaiian singer, who died in 2007 at the age of 76, was famed for his 1966 hit “Tiny Bubbles”? [first and last name] [half point]
12. What form of alternative medicine, whose principles were first defined by Samuel Hahnemann some 200 years ago, rests upon the tenet that using tiny quantities of substances, heavily diluted in water, can effectively treat illness while reducing toxicity? [half point]
13. Who has thus far hosted the Academy Awards the most times? [half point]
14. Whose name became a metaphor for the sort of “rags to riches” tales he wove in 19th-century novels with titles such as Bound to Rise; or, Up the Ladder? [half point]
15. What’s a hosanna or (hosannah)? [half point]
16. Which seminal punk band released the compilation Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: The Anthology in 1999, taking the title from the opening to one of their songs? [half point]
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Ten Questions [Quiz #22]
Answers here
1. Leaving aside the one about bearing false witness against one’s neighbor, how many other of the Ten Commandments in the Hebrew and Christian Bible would generally subject a person to criminal penalties in the United States? Which ones? [half point each]
2. In relation to which sport was the phrase “hanging ten” coined to describe a maneuver?
3. In mathematics, the octal (base eight) number 10 is equivalent to what decimal (base ten) number?
4. Who played the role described by the title of Blake Edwards’s 1979 romantic comedy film 10, and who played the man obsessed with her? [half point each]
5. Who was the author of the nonfiction account Ten Days That Shook the World, and which event did it recount? [half point each]
6. For what is the address 10 Downing Street famous?
7. For what specific reason were Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ornitz, Adrian Scott, and Dalton Trumbo dubbed the Hollywood Ten?
8. In the most-frequently sung version of the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” what gift does the singer’s true love give on day ten?
9. Among the ten-codes used by law enforcement officials and citizens’ band radio users in North America, 10-4, meaning “affirmative” or “okay,” is best known. To what does 10-20 usually refer?
10. What are the dimensions of a standard #10 North American business envelope?
1. Leaving aside the one about bearing false witness against one’s neighbor, how many other of the Ten Commandments in the Hebrew and Christian Bible would generally subject a person to criminal penalties in the United States? Which ones? [half point each]
2. In relation to which sport was the phrase “hanging ten” coined to describe a maneuver?
3. In mathematics, the octal (base eight) number 10 is equivalent to what decimal (base ten) number?
4. Who played the role described by the title of Blake Edwards’s 1979 romantic comedy film 10, and who played the man obsessed with her? [half point each]
5. Who was the author of the nonfiction account Ten Days That Shook the World, and which event did it recount? [half point each]
6. For what is the address 10 Downing Street famous?
7. For what specific reason were Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ornitz, Adrian Scott, and Dalton Trumbo dubbed the Hollywood Ten?
8. In the most-frequently sung version of the carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” what gift does the singer’s true love give on day ten?
9. Among the ten-codes used by law enforcement officials and citizens’ band radio users in North America, 10-4, meaning “affirmative” or “okay,” is best known. To what does 10-20 usually refer?
10. What are the dimensions of a standard #10 North American business envelope?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sugar & Spice [Quiz #21]
Answers here
1. In a nursery rhyme dating from the 19th century, girls are said to be made of “sugar and spice and all things nice.” Of what are boys made?
2. Which country is the world’s leading sugarcane producer, with an annual output of about one-third of the 1.5 billion-ton worldwide figure?
3. In what city and stadium has college football’s Sugar Bowl been played in every year but one since 1976? [half point each]
4. What type of sugar is the primary ingredient in corn syrup? By which alternate name (also ending in the suffix “–ose”) does the food industry often refer to this sugar? [half point each]
5. Which 18th-century English poet wrote
Variety’s the very spice of life,
That gives it all its flavour.
as well as
I pity them greatly, but I must be mum,
For how could we do without sugar and rum?
6. By which one-word nicknames were the British pop stars Spice Girls—Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, and Melanie Chisholm—known individually? [fifth of a point each]
7. Which spice is…[half point each]
a) …the most common spice derived from tree bark?
b) … used to give yellow mustard its color, and one of the ingredients in curry powder?
c) …derived from the stigma of a species of crocus, mostly grown in Iran, and typically sold for $1000 a pound?
d) …chemically related (and similar in taste) to fennel and used to flavor ouzo, Sambuca, and absinthe?
8. What object prominently features in the logo of Old Spice male grooming products?
9. Which classic science fiction novel, published in 1965 and set 20,000 years hence, revolves around a quest for a spice called melange, and who is the author? [half point each]
1. In a nursery rhyme dating from the 19th century, girls are said to be made of “sugar and spice and all things nice.” Of what are boys made?
2. Which country is the world’s leading sugarcane producer, with an annual output of about one-third of the 1.5 billion-ton worldwide figure?
3. In what city and stadium has college football’s Sugar Bowl been played in every year but one since 1976? [half point each]
4. What type of sugar is the primary ingredient in corn syrup? By which alternate name (also ending in the suffix “–ose”) does the food industry often refer to this sugar? [half point each]
5. Which 18th-century English poet wrote
Variety’s the very spice of life,
That gives it all its flavour.
as well as
I pity them greatly, but I must be mum,
For how could we do without sugar and rum?
6. By which one-word nicknames were the British pop stars Spice Girls—Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, and Melanie Chisholm—known individually? [fifth of a point each]
7. Which spice is…[half point each]
a) …the most common spice derived from tree bark?
b) … used to give yellow mustard its color, and one of the ingredients in curry powder?
c) …derived from the stigma of a species of crocus, mostly grown in Iran, and typically sold for $1000 a pound?
d) …chemically related (and similar in taste) to fennel and used to flavor ouzo, Sambuca, and absinthe?
8. What object prominently features in the logo of Old Spice male grooming products?
9. Which classic science fiction novel, published in 1965 and set 20,000 years hence, revolves around a quest for a spice called melange, and who is the author? [half point each]
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Asking “-ami” [Quiz #20]
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Attentat de Fieschi de 28 Juillet 1835 by Eugène Lami, 1845Answers here
1. Bon Ami is a company primarily known for making what product? What does “bon ami” mean in French? [half point each]
2. Receptors for umami (savory), one of the five basic tastes, are directly stimulated by what common food additive, also sold as the flavor enhancer Accent?
3. Salami is a type of sausage made from meat that has been fermented and undergone which preservation process that sometimes involves smoking?
4. What is a kissing gourami?
5. What the Japanese art of paper folding called?
6. What are tatami, and what are they used for?
7. What Sanskrit-derived title was adopted by Vivekananda, the man who introduced yoga to the United States, and is generally used to describe a spiritual or yoga master in the Hindu world?
8. In what US states are (a) University of Miami and (b) Miami University? [half point each]
9. The deadliest tsunami of recent years was the one formed due to the earthquake of December 26, 2004. In which ocean was the earthquake, and in which country did the majority of the 200,000+ deaths occur? [half point each]
10. For what is Haruki Murakami famous?
[bonus question] For what was Eugène Lami famous? [0 points]
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Turkey Day [Quiz #19]
Answers here
1. Who was the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey? [half point]
2.. What is Turkey’s capital as well as its second-largest city? [half point]
3. Who made news on November 21, 2008, by giving an interview after a turkey-pardoning ceremony in which a turkey could be seen being slaughtered on camera?
4. Wild Turkey is a Kentucky-bottled brand of which corn-derived subcategory of alcoholic beverage?
5. In bowling, what is a turkey?
6. To what does the phrase “cold turkey” usually refer? [half point]
7. What does it mean to (figuratively) “talk turkey”? [half point]
8. Which Founding Father criticized the choice of the bald eagle as United States national bird by later writing (in 1784) that “the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage….”
9. In a famous 1978 episode of which sitcom does an advertising stunt go horribly wrong, leading its mastermind to remark, “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”
10. What’s that fleshy thing that hangs down below the beak of a turkey and similar birds called?
11. To what part(s) of a turkey (or other fowl) does the culinary term “giblets” refer?
12. What traditional folk tune is being played in this video clip?
1. Who was the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey? [half point]
2.. What is Turkey’s capital as well as its second-largest city? [half point]
3. Who made news on November 21, 2008, by giving an interview after a turkey-pardoning ceremony in which a turkey could be seen being slaughtered on camera?
4. Wild Turkey is a Kentucky-bottled brand of which corn-derived subcategory of alcoholic beverage?
5. In bowling, what is a turkey?
6. To what does the phrase “cold turkey” usually refer? [half point]
7. What does it mean to (figuratively) “talk turkey”? [half point]
8. Which Founding Father criticized the choice of the bald eagle as United States national bird by later writing (in 1784) that “the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage….”
9. In a famous 1978 episode of which sitcom does an advertising stunt go horribly wrong, leading its mastermind to remark, “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”
10. What’s that fleshy thing that hangs down below the beak of a turkey and similar birds called?
11. To what part(s) of a turkey (or other fowl) does the culinary term “giblets” refer?
12. What traditional folk tune is being played in this video clip?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Adam’s Birthday Quiz [Quiz #18]
Answers here
1. On November 20, 1966, which Harold Prince-directed musical, starring Jill Haworth, Bert Convy, Lotte Lenya, and Joel Grey and set in prewar Berlin, opened (following 21 previews) on Broadway?
2. On November 20, 1967, at 11 AM, the Census Clock at the United States Department of the Census ticked past what population milestone?
3. On November 20, 1969, which soccer great scored his 1000th goal for the Santos team?
4. On November 20, 1974, against which decades-old monopoly did the United States Department of Justice initiated an antitrust suit, leading to its breakup on January 1, 1984?
5. On November 20, 1975, which dictator died after 36 years as head of state? Which now-democratic country did he rule? [half point each]
6. On November 20, 1983, which telemovie drew a record audience of nearly 100 million US viewers on ABC? Which Kansas city was the primary setting? [half point each]
7. On November 20, 1985, which later-ubiquitous computer program was first publicly released (to little fanfare)?
8. On November 20, 1989, which country’s capital saw a crowd estimated at half a million people protest against the communist government during what became known as the Velvet Revolution?
9. On November 20, 2003, which celebrity was arrested 20 years to the day after becoming the first person to receive two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (the earlier star being as a group member)?
10. US Vice President-elect Joseph Biden celebrates a birthday on November 20. In what even-numbered year was he born, and who was the Vice President at the time?
1. On November 20, 1966, which Harold Prince-directed musical, starring Jill Haworth, Bert Convy, Lotte Lenya, and Joel Grey and set in prewar Berlin, opened (following 21 previews) on Broadway?
2. On November 20, 1967, at 11 AM, the Census Clock at the United States Department of the Census ticked past what population milestone?
3. On November 20, 1969, which soccer great scored his 1000th goal for the Santos team?
4. On November 20, 1974, against which decades-old monopoly did the United States Department of Justice initiated an antitrust suit, leading to its breakup on January 1, 1984?
5. On November 20, 1975, which dictator died after 36 years as head of state? Which now-democratic country did he rule? [half point each]
6. On November 20, 1983, which telemovie drew a record audience of nearly 100 million US viewers on ABC? Which Kansas city was the primary setting? [half point each]
7. On November 20, 1985, which later-ubiquitous computer program was first publicly released (to little fanfare)?
8. On November 20, 1989, which country’s capital saw a crowd estimated at half a million people protest against the communist government during what became known as the Velvet Revolution?
9. On November 20, 2003, which celebrity was arrested 20 years to the day after becoming the first person to receive two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (the earlier star being as a group member)?
10. US Vice President-elect Joseph Biden celebrates a birthday on November 20. In what even-numbered year was he born, and who was the Vice President at the time?
Adam’s Birthday Quiz [#18]
1. On November 20,1966, which Harold Prince-directed musical, starring Jill Haworth, Bert Convy, Lotte Lenya, and Joel Grey and set in prewar Berlin, opened (following 21 previews) on Broadway?
2. On November 20, 1967, at 11 AM, the Census Clock at the United States Department of the Census ticked past what population milestone?
3. On November 20, 1969, which soccer great scored his 1000th goal for the Santos team?
4. On November 20, 1974, against which decades-old monopoly did the United States Department of Justice initiated an antitrust suit, leading to its breakup on January 1, 1984?
5. On November 20, 1975, which dictator died after 36 years as head of state? Which now-democratic country did he rule? [half point each]
6. On November 20, 1983, which telemovie drew a record audience of nearly 100 million US viewers on ABC-TV? Which Kansas city was the primary setting? [half point each]
7. Which later-ubiquitous computer program was first publicly released (to little fanfare) on November 20, 1985?
8. On November 20, 1989, which country’s capital saw a crowd estimated at half a million people protest against the communist government during what became known as the Velvet Revolution?
9. On November 20, 2003, which celebrity was arrested 20 years to the day after becoming the first person to receive two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (the earlier star being as a group member)?
10. US Vice President-elect Joseph Biden celebrates a birthday on November 20. In what even-numbered year was he born, and who was the Vice President at the time?
2. On November 20, 1967, at 11 AM, the Census Clock at the United States Department of the Census ticked past what population milestone?
3. On November 20, 1969, which soccer great scored his 1000th goal for the Santos team?
4. On November 20, 1974, against which decades-old monopoly did the United States Department of Justice initiated an antitrust suit, leading to its breakup on January 1, 1984?
5. On November 20, 1975, which dictator died after 36 years as head of state? Which now-democratic country did he rule? [half point each]
6. On November 20, 1983, which telemovie drew a record audience of nearly 100 million US viewers on ABC-TV? Which Kansas city was the primary setting? [half point each]
7. Which later-ubiquitous computer program was first publicly released (to little fanfare) on November 20, 1985?
8. On November 20, 1989, which country’s capital saw a crowd estimated at half a million people protest against the communist government during what became known as the Velvet Revolution?
9. On November 20, 2003, which celebrity was arrested 20 years to the day after becoming the first person to receive two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (the earlier star being as a group member)?
10. US Vice President-elect Joseph Biden celebrates a birthday on November 20. In what even-numbered year was he born, and who was the Vice President at the time?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Fake Questions [Quiz #17]
Answers here1. What substance was commonly used as fake blood in black-and-white movies, notably in the 1960 Psycho?
2. What supernatural ability has Israeli-born entertainer Uri Geller most notably faked having since the late 1960s?
3. What crystalline material has been the most widely used source of fake (synthetic) diamonds since first being commercially produced in 1976?
4. To what does the term “fake book,” sometimes spelled as “fakebook,” usually refer?
5. In 1953, the supposed fossil remains of an early human, collected in 1912 in England, was exposed as a fake, actually composed of an orangutan jawbone and a modern human skull. What name was given to this famous archeological hoax?
6. What did Janet Cooke, Stephen Glass, and Jayson Blair famously fake?
7. Founded in 1986 and found online since 1996, which “fake news” publication presents such headlines as “Necrophiliac’s Prison Release Sparks Outrage Among Area Corpses” (10/16/96), “Archaeological Dig Uncovers Ancient Race of Skeleton People” (12/29/04), and “Black Man Given Nation’s Worst Job” (11/5/08)?
8. Which famous anti-Semitic tract, discussing a purported Jewish plot to achieve world domination, has been published in various forms since 1903 despite having been repeatedly exposed as a fake? Which famous American businessman sponsored the printing of 500,000 copies in 1920? [half point each]
9. Which German pop duo was forced to both return its Grammy award and refund money to American record buyers after their album’s vocals were revealed to be the work of studio singers, not the supposed members? What were the first names of the two fake front men? [half point each]
10. What name is used to describe a fake coin used to fool vending machines?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Going to the Polls [Quiz #16]
1. In which decade did the United States outlaw the poll tax via the 24th Amendment to the Constitution, which barred the use of taxes or fees as a precondition for voting?
2. How many college football and basketball teams are included in the AP and Harris polls most widely used to rate NCAA Division I teams? Who votes in the poll? [half point each]
3. What is a straw poll?
4. What is a “push poll”?
5. What feature do polled sheep and cattle lack?
6. Which television game show has panels of five related contestants attempting to predict the most popular answers to survey questions? How many people are polled for each question?
7. In Gallup polls taken in December of 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, which two women were named most often by Americans as the most admired?
[The questions read: “What woman that you have heard or read about, living today in any part of the world, do you admire most? And who is your second choice?” (The first and second choices were combined. The most popular response for 2002–2006, none, is excluded.)] [half point each]
8. In recent Gallup polls of Americans, which had the most support—legalizing gay marriage, legalizing doctor-assisted suicide, or banning the use of handguns by ordinary citizens? Which had the least? [half point each]
[The questions read:
“When a person has a disease that cannot be cured and is living in severe pain, do you think doctors should or should not be allowed by law to assist the patient to commit suicide if the patient requests it?” (asked May 2007)
“Do you think marriages between same-sex couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?” (asked May 2008)
“Do you think there should or should not be a law that would ban the possession of handguns, except by the police and other authorized persons?” (asked October 2008)]
9. In recent Gallup polls, did more Americans believe in haunted houses, astrology, or creationism (i.e., that God created humans in their present form)? Which did the fewest believe in? [half point each]
[The questions read:
“For each of the following items I am going to read you, please tell me whether it is something you believe in, something you're not sure about, or something you don’t believe in. How about…” (asked June 2005)
“Which of the following statements comes closest to your views on the origin and development of human beings—1) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process, 2) Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process, 3) God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so?” (asked May 2008, with choices 1 and 3 alternated)]
10. In recent Gallup polls, which of the following views did not receive the support of a majority of Americans?
a) The United States should “establish a national healthcare system funded by the government, similar to the ones in Canada and Europe.”
[Asked in September 2007 as “Please tell me whether you would favor or oppose each of the following as a way of reforming the U.S. healthcare system. How about…”]
b) Upper-income people are paying too little in taxes.
[Asked in April 2008 as “As I read off some different groups, please tell me if you think they are paying their FAIR share in federal taxes, paying too MUCH or paying too LITTLE? First, how about A. Lower-income people; B. middle-income people; C. higher income people”; choices A and C were rotated]
c) Immigration levels should be decreased.
[Asked in June 2008 as “In your view, should immigration be kept at its present level, increased or decreased?”]
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Trick or treat [Quiz #15]
Answers here
1. What does the term “trick” refer to in card games such as bridge and pinochle? What is another game in which tricks are used? [half point each]
2. What does the term “hat trick” usually signify, and to which sport did the term originally pertain in the 1800s? [half point each]
3. Which famous figure was dubbed “Tricky Dick” by one of his detractors in 1950?
4. Which rock band hit it big with the 1979 Live at Budokan album and songs such as “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me,” and “Dream Police,” and which “hot” song gave the band its biggest (and only #1) hit in 1988? [half point each]
5. Which popular animal TV segment debuted on a short-lived NBC morning show in 1980, and who was the show’s host (who found greater success in a different time slot)? [half point each]
6. According to the Kellogg’s web site, what two ingredients other than Rice Krispies are used to make Rice Krispies Treats?
7. What type of product is Tahitian Treat? [half point]
8. To what does the phrase “Dutch treat” refer? [half point]
9. Which actor won acclaim for his 1981 role in the movie Prince of the City and also starred in the 2002–2006 WB series Everwood?
10. Which medical condition are benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin and isotretinoin frequently used to treat?
11. Which radio host unintentionally “tricked” thousands of listeners, with an October 30, 1938, broadcast, into believing that a Martian invasion was taking place, and which H. G. Wells novel was being adapted during that broadcast seventy years ago ? [half point each]
1. What does the term “trick” refer to in card games such as bridge and pinochle? What is another game in which tricks are used? [half point each]
2. What does the term “hat trick” usually signify, and to which sport did the term originally pertain in the 1800s? [half point each]
3. Which famous figure was dubbed “Tricky Dick” by one of his detractors in 1950?
4. Which rock band hit it big with the 1979 Live at Budokan album and songs such as “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me,” and “Dream Police,” and which “hot” song gave the band its biggest (and only #1) hit in 1988? [half point each]
5. Which popular animal TV segment debuted on a short-lived NBC morning show in 1980, and who was the show’s host (who found greater success in a different time slot)? [half point each]
6. According to the Kellogg’s web site, what two ingredients other than Rice Krispies are used to make Rice Krispies Treats?
7. What type of product is Tahitian Treat? [half point]
8. To what does the phrase “Dutch treat” refer? [half point]
9. Which actor won acclaim for his 1981 role in the movie Prince of the City and also starred in the 2002–2006 WB series Everwood?
10. Which medical condition are benzoyl peroxide, tretinoin and isotretinoin frequently used to treat?
11. Which radio host unintentionally “tricked” thousands of listeners, with an October 30, 1938, broadcast, into believing that a Martian invasion was taking place, and which H. G. Wells novel was being adapted during that broadcast seventy years ago ? [half point each]
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Some Series Questions [Quiz #14]
Answers here
1. The New York Yankees have won baseball’s World Series a record 26 times since the first modern series was held in 1903. As of today, which team has won the second most, 10.
2. The Fibonacci series is an infinite sequence of numbers beginning with 0 and 1. How are the following numbers in the series determined, and what, therefore, would the next five numbers be?
3. Which still-airing American program is the longest-running television series in the history of broadcasting? Which soap opera has aired even longer, counting its earliest incarnation as a radio series, and is the longest-running dramatic show?
4. Which series of bestselling novels concluded in 2008 with the publication of the fourth novel, Breaking Dawn? Who is the author? [half point each]
5. What does word “series” (followed by a year) indicate on US paper currency?
6. In reference to electrical flow, what is a series circuit, and what type of circuit is its opposite?
7. For each of the following series, identify what the series is [half point] and fill in the missing item or items [half point]. In order to claim the first half point, describe the order of items rather than just what the items have in common. [For example, “Domino’s pizza flavors” could not be a correct answer, but “Domino’s pizza flavors from most to least popular” could be. An ellipsis (…) indicates that some elements of the series are not shown.
a. _____, He, Li, Be, B, C, N, O…
b. …Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, _____, _____
c. denial; anger; _____; depression; acceptance [provide both the name of the series and the person most associated with it]
d. …Pierre Trudeau; John Turner; Brian Mulroney; Kim Campbell; Jean Chrétien; Paul Martin; _____
1. The New York Yankees have won baseball’s World Series a record 26 times since the first modern series was held in 1903. As of today, which team has won the second most, 10.
2. The Fibonacci series is an infinite sequence of numbers beginning with 0 and 1. How are the following numbers in the series determined, and what, therefore, would the next five numbers be?
3. Which still-airing American program is the longest-running television series in the history of broadcasting? Which soap opera has aired even longer, counting its earliest incarnation as a radio series, and is the longest-running dramatic show?
4. Which series of bestselling novels concluded in 2008 with the publication of the fourth novel, Breaking Dawn? Who is the author? [half point each]
5. What does word “series” (followed by a year) indicate on US paper currency?
6. In reference to electrical flow, what is a series circuit, and what type of circuit is its opposite?
7. For each of the following series, identify what the series is [half point] and fill in the missing item or items [half point]. In order to claim the first half point, describe the order of items rather than just what the items have in common. [For example, “Domino’s pizza flavors” could not be a correct answer, but “Domino’s pizza flavors from most to least popular” could be. An ellipsis (…) indicates that some elements of the series are not shown.
a. _____, He, Li, Be, B, C, N, O…
b. …Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, _____, _____
c. denial; anger; _____; depression; acceptance [provide both the name of the series and the person most associated with it]
d. …Pierre Trudeau; John Turner; Brian Mulroney; Kim Campbell; Jean Chrétien; Paul Martin; _____
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Around the Sun [Quiz #13]
Answers here
1. Which mercury-based preservative (first developed by Eli Lilly) was until recently commonly used in vaccines? What disorder do thousands of US lawsuits most frequently accuse it of causing, despite many scientific studies to the contrary? [half point each]
2. The sculpture known as Venus de Milo, shown below, is a product of which ancient culture? Which museum currently displays it?
3. The Good Earth was a 1931 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by which American author? In which country does the novel takes place? [half point each]
4. What’s the premise of the 2006–2007 British TV series Life on Mars as well as its US remake, which premiered in October 2008? [provide both the occupation of the main character and his general dilemma]
5. Which early video game is pictured below? What pioneering company produced the game? [half point each]
6. Jupiter is the name of a city of 50,000 in a US state and the nickname of a famous composer’s 41st symphony. Name the state and the composer. [half point each]
7. Over what realm did ancient Romans recognize Saturn as the god, and what annual feast commemorated the dedication of his temple? [half point each]
8. The planet Uranus has five large moons that were discovered between 1787 and 1948; Titania, Oberon, Umbriel, Ariel, and Miranda. Each of these names, as well as those of the nearly two dozen smaller moons discovered since 1985, are taken from works by which two prominent English writers? [half point each]
9. The Neptunes are two men; for what are they best known?
10. Pluto was generally considered a planet until 2006; what did the International Astronomical Union then vote to reclassify it (as well as four other celestial bodies) as?
1. Which mercury-based preservative (first developed by Eli Lilly) was until recently commonly used in vaccines? What disorder do thousands of US lawsuits most frequently accuse it of causing, despite many scientific studies to the contrary? [half point each]
2. The sculpture known as Venus de Milo, shown below, is a product of which ancient culture? Which museum currently displays it?
3. The Good Earth was a 1931 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by which American author? In which country does the novel takes place? [half point each]4. What’s the premise of the 2006–2007 British TV series Life on Mars as well as its US remake, which premiered in October 2008? [provide both the occupation of the main character and his general dilemma]
5. Which early video game is pictured below? What pioneering company produced the game? [half point each]
6. Jupiter is the name of a city of 50,000 in a US state and the nickname of a famous composer’s 41st symphony. Name the state and the composer. [half point each]
7. Over what realm did ancient Romans recognize Saturn as the god, and what annual feast commemorated the dedication of his temple? [half point each]
8. The planet Uranus has five large moons that were discovered between 1787 and 1948; Titania, Oberon, Umbriel, Ariel, and Miranda. Each of these names, as well as those of the nearly two dozen smaller moons discovered since 1985, are taken from works by which two prominent English writers? [half point each]
9. The Neptunes are two men; for what are they best known?
10. Pluto was generally considered a planet until 2006; what did the International Astronomical Union then vote to reclassify it (as well as four other celestial bodies) as?
Thursday, October 9, 2008
A Day of Atonement [Quiz #12]
Answers here
1. Who wrote the 2001 novel Atonement, on which the 2007 movie was based?
2. Minister Louis Farrakan called for “sober, disciplined, committed, dedicated, inspired black men to meet in Washington on a day of atonement.” What was this event known as, and in what year did it take place? [half point each]
3. Perhaps the most famous act of atonement of the Middle Ages was performed by King Henry II of England, whose penance including a beating by 80 monks with birch twigs. Whose murder in 1170 had he incited? [half point each for the victim's name and title]
4. The Roman Catholic sacrament of penance involves both confession and an act of contrition. What adjective is used to describe sins such as murder and adultery, and what adjective describes less serious sins? [half point each]
5. In a classic French novel, Jean Valjean, released after 19 years in prison, steals silver from a bishop. The bishop confirms Jean’s false alibi (that it was a gift) but exacts a promise of atonement. Jean spends the rest of the novel atoning for his crime by becoming an honest man. What is the novel, and who is the author?
6. For what action did the United States government atone by passing the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (and a 1992 amendment) appropriating reparations of $20,000 for each of what turned out to be over 80,000 surviving victims?
7. A surprising amount of atoning has come from gaffe-prone politicians. These examples come from the 2008 US presidential campaign. [half point each]
(a) Who apologized to Republican primary candidate Mitt Romney in December 2007 for a New York Times Magazine article in which he asked, “Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?”
(b) Who apologized for saying that Barack Obama was “talking down to black people,” and adding “I want to cut his nuts off,” during a July Fox News interview when he thought his microphone was off.
(c) What word had Obama advisor Samantha Power used to describe Hillary Clinton in March, leading to apologies by both Obama and Power and to Power’s departure from Obama’s presidential campaign?
(d) For what false claim involving a 1996 trip to Bosnia did Hillary Clinton apologize for making in April?
8. Match these “atonal” song titles with the artist and year the song was a top ten Billboard hit. One song title applies to two artists. [one point for matching all five artists, half a point for matching three or four]
(a) Brenda Lee [1960]; (b) John Denver [1975]; (c) Elton John [1976]; (d) Chicago [1982] (e) Timbaland featuring OneRepublic (2007)
(1) “Apologize” (2) “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” (3) “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (4) “I'm Sorry”
9. What two Japanese terms are also used in English to describe the act of ritual suicide by disembowelment, originally reserved for samurai, that was sometimes done as an act of atonement for serious offenses? [half point each]
1. Who wrote the 2001 novel Atonement, on which the 2007 movie was based?
2. Minister Louis Farrakan called for “sober, disciplined, committed, dedicated, inspired black men to meet in Washington on a day of atonement.” What was this event known as, and in what year did it take place? [half point each]
3. Perhaps the most famous act of atonement of the Middle Ages was performed by King Henry II of England, whose penance including a beating by 80 monks with birch twigs. Whose murder in 1170 had he incited? [half point each for the victim's name and title]
4. The Roman Catholic sacrament of penance involves both confession and an act of contrition. What adjective is used to describe sins such as murder and adultery, and what adjective describes less serious sins? [half point each]
5. In a classic French novel, Jean Valjean, released after 19 years in prison, steals silver from a bishop. The bishop confirms Jean’s false alibi (that it was a gift) but exacts a promise of atonement. Jean spends the rest of the novel atoning for his crime by becoming an honest man. What is the novel, and who is the author?
6. For what action did the United States government atone by passing the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (and a 1992 amendment) appropriating reparations of $20,000 for each of what turned out to be over 80,000 surviving victims?
7. A surprising amount of atoning has come from gaffe-prone politicians. These examples come from the 2008 US presidential campaign. [half point each]
(a) Who apologized to Republican primary candidate Mitt Romney in December 2007 for a New York Times Magazine article in which he asked, “Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?”
(b) Who apologized for saying that Barack Obama was “talking down to black people,” and adding “I want to cut his nuts off,” during a July Fox News interview when he thought his microphone was off.
(c) What word had Obama advisor Samantha Power used to describe Hillary Clinton in March, leading to apologies by both Obama and Power and to Power’s departure from Obama’s presidential campaign?
(d) For what false claim involving a 1996 trip to Bosnia did Hillary Clinton apologize for making in April?
8. Match these “atonal” song titles with the artist and year the song was a top ten Billboard hit. One song title applies to two artists. [one point for matching all five artists, half a point for matching three or four]
(a) Brenda Lee [1960]; (b) John Denver [1975]; (c) Elton John [1976]; (d) Chicago [1982] (e) Timbaland featuring OneRepublic (2007)
(1) “Apologize” (2) “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” (3) “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (4) “I'm Sorry”
9. What two Japanese terms are also used in English to describe the act of ritual suicide by disembowelment, originally reserved for samurai, that was sometimes done as an act of atonement for serious offenses? [half point each]
Thursday, October 2, 2008
October Fest [Quiz #11]
Answers here
1. There is one United States federal holiday in October. What is it, and on what date does the federal holiday fall in 2008? [half point each]
2. The Hunt for Red October is the 1984 debut novel (later turned into a film) by which former insurance agent? What does “Red October” refer to in the novel and movie?
3. “October Revolution” usually refers to events in which country? In what year did these events occur?
4. Which sports figure is frequently referred to as Mr. October? During which decade did he earn this nickname? [half point each]
5. How many days does the German Oktoberfest traditionally last? Which city held the first festival in 1810 and continues to host the largest celebration? [half point each]
6. Whose poem “October,” excerpted below, appears in his debut collection A Boy’s Will (1913)?
O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call…
7. In US politics, to what does the term “October surprise” refer?
8. Which two signs of the Zodiac are associated with the month of October? [half point each]
9. Why is October, the tenth month, called by a name that comes from the Greek word meaning “eight”?
10. Since the 1980s, October has been designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What is the primary symbol used to promote awareness of the issue, and what, according to the NBCAM organization’s website, is its focus? [half point each]
1. There is one United States federal holiday in October. What is it, and on what date does the federal holiday fall in 2008? [half point each]
2. The Hunt for Red October is the 1984 debut novel (later turned into a film) by which former insurance agent? What does “Red October” refer to in the novel and movie?
3. “October Revolution” usually refers to events in which country? In what year did these events occur?
4. Which sports figure is frequently referred to as Mr. October? During which decade did he earn this nickname? [half point each]
5. How many days does the German Oktoberfest traditionally last? Which city held the first festival in 1810 and continues to host the largest celebration? [half point each]
6. Whose poem “October,” excerpted below, appears in his debut collection A Boy’s Will (1913)?
O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call…
7. In US politics, to what does the term “October surprise” refer?
8. Which two signs of the Zodiac are associated with the month of October? [half point each]
9. Why is October, the tenth month, called by a name that comes from the Greek word meaning “eight”?
10. Since the 1980s, October has been designated as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What is the primary symbol used to promote awareness of the issue, and what, according to the NBCAM organization’s website, is its focus? [half point each]
Friday, September 26, 2008
Sweet Things [Quiz #10]
Answers here
1. Sweetness is one of the five basic tastes for which humans have receptors. What are the others? [half point for getting three, full point for getting all four]
2. What country, producing about 30 million tons a year, was the world’s leading sugar producer in 2007, just beating second-place India?
3. Which pop superstars united on the 1996 duet “One Sweet Day,” which, despite being called “melisma throwing up a pound of Splenda into the face of schmaltz” by Entertainment Weekly writer Michael Slezak, continues as of 2008 to hold the record for the most weeks (16) atop Billboard’s Hot 100?
4. Which artificial sweetener held a near monopoly on the US market from its introduction in 1957 until the early 1980s? Name both the brand name and its primary ingredient. [half point each]
5. What pastime is sometimes referred to as the “sweet science”?
6. What is the name of the Sweet 16-like party held by girls celebrating their 15th birthdays in Mexico and some other Latin American countries?
7. Place the following sweets in order of when they were first marketed, earliest to latest. [half a point if one is out of order, full point if all are in the correct order]
(a) Hershey bar; (b) SweeTarts (c) Reese's Pieces (d) Red Hots (e) Life Savers
8. What typically replaces ordinary sugar (sucrose) as a sweetener in commercially processed soft drinks and other foods in the United States and Canada? Why, aside from geographic farming patterns, is this not the case in most other countries? [half point each]
9. What series of teenage-oriented novels ended in 2003 with the publication of the 152nd book, Sweet 18?
10. Swee’Pea was a character in which comic and cartoon series?
1. Sweetness is one of the five basic tastes for which humans have receptors. What are the others? [half point for getting three, full point for getting all four]
2. What country, producing about 30 million tons a year, was the world’s leading sugar producer in 2007, just beating second-place India?
3. Which pop superstars united on the 1996 duet “One Sweet Day,” which, despite being called “melisma throwing up a pound of Splenda into the face of schmaltz” by Entertainment Weekly writer Michael Slezak, continues as of 2008 to hold the record for the most weeks (16) atop Billboard’s Hot 100?
4. Which artificial sweetener held a near monopoly on the US market from its introduction in 1957 until the early 1980s? Name both the brand name and its primary ingredient. [half point each]
5. What pastime is sometimes referred to as the “sweet science”?
6. What is the name of the Sweet 16-like party held by girls celebrating their 15th birthdays in Mexico and some other Latin American countries?
7. Place the following sweets in order of when they were first marketed, earliest to latest. [half a point if one is out of order, full point if all are in the correct order]
(a) Hershey bar; (b) SweeTarts (c) Reese's Pieces (d) Red Hots (e) Life Savers
8. What typically replaces ordinary sugar (sucrose) as a sweetener in commercially processed soft drinks and other foods in the United States and Canada? Why, aside from geographic farming patterns, is this not the case in most other countries? [half point each]
9. What series of teenage-oriented novels ended in 2003 with the publication of the 152nd book, Sweet 18?
10. Swee’Pea was a character in which comic and cartoon series?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
“Perfect” Questions [Quiz #9]
Answers here
1. In bowling, what is a perfect score, and how many consecutive strikes must a player roll to achieve it?
2. In mathematics, what is a perfect number?
3 What Romanian gymnast became the first to score a perfect 10, a feat she repeated six times, at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal?
4. In music, what is perfect (or absolute) pitch?
5. What currently constitutes a perfect score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)? What is it on the rival ACT test? [half point each]
6. Which classic comedy film ends with a character, upon learning that his girlfriend is actually a man, uttering the immortal line “Well, nobody’s perfect.”
7. Fill in the blanks:
Coincidentally, as of this date, both the longest-running off-Broadway play and the longest-running play in New York City history fit today’s theme. The first, I Love You, You’re Perfect, _____, is a comedic musical that opened in 1996 and had its 5000th performance in July 2008. The second, Perfect _____, opened in 1987 off-Broadway and, having later moved to Broadway, has played over 8700 times with the same lead actress (Catherine Russell, who’s missed only four performances in that time). [half point each]
8. In economics, what does the phrase “perfect competition” refer to in describing a market? [Name at least two characteristics of such a market for full credit.]
9. Using the verb “to finish,” provide an example of past perfect, present perfect, and future perfect grammatical tenses. [full point for getting all three, half point for getting one or two]
10. Which famous document begins with the phrase, “We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…,” and what year was that document created? [half point each]
1. In bowling, what is a perfect score, and how many consecutive strikes must a player roll to achieve it?
2. In mathematics, what is a perfect number?
3 What Romanian gymnast became the first to score a perfect 10, a feat she repeated six times, at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal?
4. In music, what is perfect (or absolute) pitch?
5. What currently constitutes a perfect score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)? What is it on the rival ACT test? [half point each]
6. Which classic comedy film ends with a character, upon learning that his girlfriend is actually a man, uttering the immortal line “Well, nobody’s perfect.”
7. Fill in the blanks:
Coincidentally, as of this date, both the longest-running off-Broadway play and the longest-running play in New York City history fit today’s theme. The first, I Love You, You’re Perfect, _____, is a comedic musical that opened in 1996 and had its 5000th performance in July 2008. The second, Perfect _____, opened in 1987 off-Broadway and, having later moved to Broadway, has played over 8700 times with the same lead actress (Catherine Russell, who’s missed only four performances in that time). [half point each]
8. In economics, what does the phrase “perfect competition” refer to in describing a market? [Name at least two characteristics of such a market for full credit.]
9. Using the verb “to finish,” provide an example of past perfect, present perfect, and future perfect grammatical tenses. [full point for getting all three, half point for getting one or two]
10. Which famous document begins with the phrase, “We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…,” and what year was that document created? [half point each]
Sunday, September 14, 2008
“Small” Questions [Quiz #8]
Answers here
1. Let’s Get Small was the 1977 debut album by what stand-up comic, later to become a popular movie actor?
2. Complete this sentence:
A human small intestine is typically about six _____ (inches; feet; yards*) long, approximately _____ (a quarter; half; equivalent to; twice; four times) the length of the large intestine. [half a point each]
*or (15 cm/1.83 m/5.49 m)
3. What country is the world’s smallest independent nation as measured by both area and population?
4. For what purpose did songwriters Richard and Roger Sherman write the oft-sung “It’s a Small World”?
5. Which English doctor introduced the use of cowpox as a vaccination against smallpox in 1796?
6. What’s the name for the elementary particles that make up the protons and neutrons in an atom?
7. Which automobile introduced the influential “Think Small” series of advertisements in 1959? [name the make and model]
8. A nanosecond is what fraction of a second?
9. Who sang these big hits about small things? [half point each]
1. Let’s Get Small was the 1977 debut album by what stand-up comic, later to become a popular movie actor?
2. Complete this sentence:
A human small intestine is typically about six _____ (inches; feet; yards*) long, approximately _____ (a quarter; half; equivalent to; twice; four times) the length of the large intestine. [half a point each]
*or (15 cm/1.83 m/5.49 m)
3. What country is the world’s smallest independent nation as measured by both area and population?
4. For what purpose did songwriters Richard and Roger Sherman write the oft-sung “It’s a Small World”?
5. Which English doctor introduced the use of cowpox as a vaccination against smallpox in 1796?
6. What’s the name for the elementary particles that make up the protons and neutrons in an atom?
7. Which automobile introduced the influential “Think Small” series of advertisements in 1959? [name the make and model]
8. A nanosecond is what fraction of a second?
9. Who sang these big hits about small things? [half point each]
(a) “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning” (1955)
(b) “Small Town” (1985)
(c) “All the Small Things” (1999 as an album track, or 2000 as a single)
(d) “So Small” (2007)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Giant Questions [Quiz #7]
Answers here
1. This Giant was born in France in 1946 and died there in 1993. Standing at over seven feet tall, he achieved fame in the world of professional wrestling as well as in Hollywood, where he may be best remembered for his role in The Princess Bride. Who was he?
2. This giant is one of the few animals that typically outlives humans. One of them named Harriet died in 2006, aged 176, in Australia, having been transported from the Galápagos shortly after Charles Darwin’s voyage there. The largest population of them today, well over 100,000, is in islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. Name this species.
3. This giant is said to be the world’s largest by volume, though not quite the tallest. One example, the General Sherman, found in the Sierra Nevada, stands at 84 meters (275 feet) high with a diameter of up to 12 meters (39 feet) at ground level. Name this species. [half a point, and another half for spelling it correctly]
4. This American giant, who died August 13, 2008, at age 53, reached over 7 feet, 7 inches tall. Recognized as the world’s tallest woman by the Guinness Book of World Records, she was the subject of a documentary as well as a song by New Zealand band Split Enz. Who was she?
5. This giant was the mythical lumberjack in many a tall tale dating back to the early years of the 20th century. His companion is a big blue ox. Name the giant and the ox. [half point each]
6. This Giant, known as the Say Hey Kid, swatted 660 home runs in a Major League baseball career that spanned the years 1951–1973. Name this Giant, and name the two cities where he played his home games. [half point each]
7. This Giant was ten feet (three meters) tall and made of stone. Named for the place (in New York state) that it was uncovered in 1869, it was thought to be either a petrified man or an ancient statue. Despite being revealed within months as a hoax, it and a replica created for P.T. Barnum continued to draw paying crowds for some time afterward.
8. This giant’s very name became synonymous with huge. He and his son Pantagruel are the subjects of five satirical 16th-century novels by François Rabelais, and his name was used for, among other things, a Marvel Comics villain and a creature in the video game Half Life. [must provide the exact name to get full credit]
9. These are things with giant in the name. Name them. [half a point each]
(a) 1956 film featuring the final performance by James Dean
(b) classic John Coltrane album
(c) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune, for example
(d) General Mills-owned food company whose mascot is jolly and says “ho ho ho” yet isn’t Santa.
1. This Giant was born in France in 1946 and died there in 1993. Standing at over seven feet tall, he achieved fame in the world of professional wrestling as well as in Hollywood, where he may be best remembered for his role in The Princess Bride. Who was he?
2. This giant is one of the few animals that typically outlives humans. One of them named Harriet died in 2006, aged 176, in Australia, having been transported from the Galápagos shortly after Charles Darwin’s voyage there. The largest population of them today, well over 100,000, is in islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. Name this species.
3. This giant is said to be the world’s largest by volume, though not quite the tallest. One example, the General Sherman, found in the Sierra Nevada, stands at 84 meters (275 feet) high with a diameter of up to 12 meters (39 feet) at ground level. Name this species. [half a point, and another half for spelling it correctly]
4. This American giant, who died August 13, 2008, at age 53, reached over 7 feet, 7 inches tall. Recognized as the world’s tallest woman by the Guinness Book of World Records, she was the subject of a documentary as well as a song by New Zealand band Split Enz. Who was she?
5. This giant was the mythical lumberjack in many a tall tale dating back to the early years of the 20th century. His companion is a big blue ox. Name the giant and the ox. [half point each]
6. This Giant, known as the Say Hey Kid, swatted 660 home runs in a Major League baseball career that spanned the years 1951–1973. Name this Giant, and name the two cities where he played his home games. [half point each]
7. This Giant was ten feet (three meters) tall and made of stone. Named for the place (in New York state) that it was uncovered in 1869, it was thought to be either a petrified man or an ancient statue. Despite being revealed within months as a hoax, it and a replica created for P.T. Barnum continued to draw paying crowds for some time afterward.
8. This giant’s very name became synonymous with huge. He and his son Pantagruel are the subjects of five satirical 16th-century novels by François Rabelais, and his name was used for, among other things, a Marvel Comics villain and a creature in the video game Half Life. [must provide the exact name to get full credit]
9. These are things with giant in the name. Name them. [half a point each]
(a) 1956 film featuring the final performance by James Dean
(b) classic John Coltrane album
(c) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune, for example
(d) General Mills-owned food company whose mascot is jolly and says “ho ho ho” yet isn’t Santa.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
9/11 Questions [Quiz #6]
Each question refers to an event that occurred on September 11 in the given year. Fill in the blanks. Answers here
1. In 1847, the song “Oh! Susanna” by _____ was first performed at a saloon in Pittsburgh.
2. In 1857, the Mountain Meadows Massacre resulted in the deaths of 120 people at the hands of _____.
3. In 1926, an assassination attempt on future Italian dictator _____ failed.
4. In 1960, American runner _____ won her third gold medal at the Olympics in _____, anchoring the 4 x 100 relay team after winning the 100 and 200 meters on her own. [half point each]
5. In 1973, a CIA-backed coup in _____ toppled the democratically elected Salvadore Allende and installed _____, who would rule for 17 years, but later be indicted for crimes committed during his dictatorship.
6. In 1978, US President Jimmy Carter, President Anwar Sadat of _____, and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel, met at _____ and agreed on a peace deal. [half point each; second answer must be a specific place (not a country)]
7. In 1985, Pete Rose broke the Major League baseball record for _____, previously held by _____, that had stood for over 60 years. [half point each]
8. In 1990, US President George Bush introduced the term “New World Order” in threatening to use military force against the nation of ____.
9. In 1998, independent counsel _____ sent a report to Congress accusing US President Bill Clinton of 11 possible impeachable offenses.
10. In 2007, ____, testifying for a second day before Congress, recommended returning American troop levels in Iraq to the pre-surge level of 130,000 by the summer of 2008.
1. In 1847, the song “Oh! Susanna” by _____ was first performed at a saloon in Pittsburgh.
2. In 1857, the Mountain Meadows Massacre resulted in the deaths of 120 people at the hands of _____.
3. In 1926, an assassination attempt on future Italian dictator _____ failed.
4. In 1960, American runner _____ won her third gold medal at the Olympics in _____, anchoring the 4 x 100 relay team after winning the 100 and 200 meters on her own. [half point each]
5. In 1973, a CIA-backed coup in _____ toppled the democratically elected Salvadore Allende and installed _____, who would rule for 17 years, but later be indicted for crimes committed during his dictatorship.
6. In 1978, US President Jimmy Carter, President Anwar Sadat of _____, and Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel, met at _____ and agreed on a peace deal. [half point each; second answer must be a specific place (not a country)]
7. In 1985, Pete Rose broke the Major League baseball record for _____, previously held by _____, that had stood for over 60 years. [half point each]
8. In 1990, US President George Bush introduced the term “New World Order” in threatening to use military force against the nation of ____.
9. In 1998, independent counsel _____ sent a report to Congress accusing US President Bill Clinton of 11 possible impeachable offenses.
10. In 2007, ____, testifying for a second day before Congress, recommended returning American troop levels in Iraq to the pre-surge level of 130,000 by the summer of 2008.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Pepper/Hamilton Questions [Quiz #5]
Answers here [also can be found by highlighting the area below each question]
1. The law firm of Pepper Hamilton was founded (and headed for the next 60 years) by Penn alumnus George Wharton Pepper in what year?
a) 1845 b) 1860 c) 1875 d) 1890
(d)
2. Pepper Hamilton made news in 2005 by successfully co-representing the plaintiffs in Kitzmiller v. Dover School District. In that case, the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania barred the teaching of what doctrine in Dover public schools?
intelligent design; half a point if you said "creationism."
3. In 2008, Pepper Hamilton represented a Philadelphia news anchor, who wound up pleading guilty to one felony charge? Who was the anchor, and what was he accused of? [half point each]
Larry Mendte; he was accused of repeatedly accessing his former co-anchor Alycia Lane's e-mail accounts with a stolen password.
4. Hamilton is the name of several cities around the world, the largest being one of about half a million people in what Canadian province?
Ontario
5. How did Alexander Hamilton, founding father and first US Secretary of the Treasury, die, and who else was to blame? [half point each]
He was shot in a duel by Aaron Burr, the sitting vice president.
6. Alexander Hamilton appears on which U.S. banknote?
The ten-dollar bill
7. Said to be a mix of 23 flavors, what drink was patented in 1885, served to a national audience at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, lost its period in 1950, has a cherry vanilla variety, and is now among the top ten carbonated soft drinks in the US?
Dr Pepper
8. Which of the following statements about pepper (the spice) is incorrect?
(a) Both black and white pepper are typically made from berries of the same plant, piper nigrum, the difference being in the degree of ripening and the method of preparation.
(b) Pepper was used as a spice in India from about the fifth century; European explorers brought it to other parts of the world.
(c) Americans consume roughly four ounces of pepper a year, grown domestically or imported from countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and Brazil.
(d) Pepper spray, of the kind used for riot control or personal protection, is not made from the plant that is used to make black pepper.
c. Pepper has been in use at least 4000 years in India, and was also in use in Europe and Asia in ancient times, although it is true that European explorers helped to spread its use further.
9. Match these famous Peppers/Hamiltons with their descriptions: [half point each]
(a) Art Pepper
(b) Claude Pepper
(c) Scott Hamilton
(d) George Hamilton
(1) US figure skater
(2) Longtime US Senate and House member from Florida known for his advocacy on behalf of the elderly
(3) jazz saxophonist
(4) actor and tanning aficionado
(a) 3; (b) 2; (c) 1; (d) 4
1. The law firm of Pepper Hamilton was founded (and headed for the next 60 years) by Penn alumnus George Wharton Pepper in what year?
a) 1845 b) 1860 c) 1875 d) 1890
(d)
2. Pepper Hamilton made news in 2005 by successfully co-representing the plaintiffs in Kitzmiller v. Dover School District. In that case, the US District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania barred the teaching of what doctrine in Dover public schools?
intelligent design; half a point if you said "creationism."
3. In 2008, Pepper Hamilton represented a Philadelphia news anchor, who wound up pleading guilty to one felony charge? Who was the anchor, and what was he accused of? [half point each]
Larry Mendte; he was accused of repeatedly accessing his former co-anchor Alycia Lane's e-mail accounts with a stolen password.
4. Hamilton is the name of several cities around the world, the largest being one of about half a million people in what Canadian province?
Ontario
5. How did Alexander Hamilton, founding father and first US Secretary of the Treasury, die, and who else was to blame? [half point each]
He was shot in a duel by Aaron Burr, the sitting vice president.
6. Alexander Hamilton appears on which U.S. banknote?
The ten-dollar bill
7. Said to be a mix of 23 flavors, what drink was patented in 1885, served to a national audience at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, lost its period in 1950, has a cherry vanilla variety, and is now among the top ten carbonated soft drinks in the US?
Dr Pepper
8. Which of the following statements about pepper (the spice) is incorrect?
(a) Both black and white pepper are typically made from berries of the same plant, piper nigrum, the difference being in the degree of ripening and the method of preparation.
(b) Pepper was used as a spice in India from about the fifth century; European explorers brought it to other parts of the world.
(c) Americans consume roughly four ounces of pepper a year, grown domestically or imported from countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia, India, and Brazil.
(d) Pepper spray, of the kind used for riot control or personal protection, is not made from the plant that is used to make black pepper.
c. Pepper has been in use at least 4000 years in India, and was also in use in Europe and Asia in ancient times, although it is true that European explorers helped to spread its use further.
9. Match these famous Peppers/Hamiltons with their descriptions: [half point each]
(a) Art Pepper
(b) Claude Pepper
(c) Scott Hamilton
(d) George Hamilton
(1) US figure skater
(2) Longtime US Senate and House member from Florida known for his advocacy on behalf of the elderly
(3) jazz saxophonist
(4) actor and tanning aficionado
(a) 3; (b) 2; (c) 1; (d) 4
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Eli/Lilly Questions [Quiz #4]
Use cursor to highlight the line below each question, or use link, to see answers.
1. Chemist Eli Lilly founded the eponymous pharmaceutical company in:
a) 1876 b) 1896 c) 1916 d) 1936
a) 1876
2. In 1953, the US Central Intelligence Agency gave Eli Lilly a $400,000 grant to supply what chemical substance? What did the CIA use it for? [half point each]
LSD; mind-control experiments
3. Eli Lilly made news in August 2008 when it agreed to purchase what controversial product line from what chemical giant? [half point each]
Polisac, including the articificial hormone rBGH to boost milk production in cows, purchased from Monsanto.
4. “Eli” is a nickname for a student of which college or university? Where does the nickname come from? [half point each]
Yale; the nickname comes from benefactor and namesake Elihu Yale.
5. Who invented the cotton gin? What is a cotton gin? [half point each]
Eli Whitney; a cotton gin is a machine that separates the cottonseed from the fiber surrounding it.
6. Match the person with the description: [half point each; one number doesn’t match any letter]
(a) Eli Manning
(b) Eli Wallach
(c) Eli Sunday
(d) Eli Stone
(1) title character of ABC lawyer show
(2) NFL quarterback
(3) preacher character in the movie There Will be Blood
(4) Actor in movies like The Magnificent Seven, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and Nuts who continues to act into his 90s.
(5) architect who designed the Burj Dubai, set to become the world’s tallest building
(a)(2); (b)(4); (c)(3); (d)(1)
7. Match the person with the description: [half point each; one number doesn’t match any letter]
(a) Evangeline Lilly
(b) Lilly Ledbetter
(c) Kristine Lilly
(d) Lilly Truscott
(1) losing plaintiff in a sex-discrimination case and speaker at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
(2) fictional character Hannah Montana's best friend, aka Lola
(3) actress on TV's Lost
(4) president of Argentina since 2005
(5) captain of US women's national soccer team
(a)(3); (b)(1); (c)(5); (d)(2)
8. Lille is a city of over 200,0000 people in what country?
France
1. Chemist Eli Lilly founded the eponymous pharmaceutical company in:
a) 1876 b) 1896 c) 1916 d) 1936
a) 1876
2. In 1953, the US Central Intelligence Agency gave Eli Lilly a $400,000 grant to supply what chemical substance? What did the CIA use it for? [half point each]
LSD; mind-control experiments
3. Eli Lilly made news in August 2008 when it agreed to purchase what controversial product line from what chemical giant? [half point each]
Polisac, including the articificial hormone rBGH to boost milk production in cows, purchased from Monsanto.
4. “Eli” is a nickname for a student of which college or university? Where does the nickname come from? [half point each]
Yale; the nickname comes from benefactor and namesake Elihu Yale.
5. Who invented the cotton gin? What is a cotton gin? [half point each]
Eli Whitney; a cotton gin is a machine that separates the cottonseed from the fiber surrounding it.
6. Match the person with the description: [half point each; one number doesn’t match any letter]
(a) Eli Manning
(b) Eli Wallach
(c) Eli Sunday
(d) Eli Stone
(1) title character of ABC lawyer show
(2) NFL quarterback
(3) preacher character in the movie There Will be Blood
(4) Actor in movies like The Magnificent Seven, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and Nuts who continues to act into his 90s.
(5) architect who designed the Burj Dubai, set to become the world’s tallest building
(a)(2); (b)(4); (c)(3); (d)(1)
7. Match the person with the description: [half point each; one number doesn’t match any letter]
(a) Evangeline Lilly
(b) Lilly Ledbetter
(c) Kristine Lilly
(d) Lilly Truscott
(1) losing plaintiff in a sex-discrimination case and speaker at the 2008 Democratic National Convention
(2) fictional character Hannah Montana's best friend, aka Lola
(3) actress on TV's Lost
(4) president of Argentina since 2005
(5) captain of US women's national soccer team
(a)(3); (b)(1); (c)(5); (d)(2)
8. Lille is a city of over 200,0000 people in what country?
France
Monday, June 30, 2008
My movie-themed crossword puzzle
Click the puzzle to enlarge and print it. I have posted the answer backdated to 1/1/2007 so that it will appear as the earliest (bottom) entry in the blog. Click the link above or search for “puzzle answers” to find that entry.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Emmy Awards
Following in the footsteps of Katherine Heigl and Lindsay Lohan, I have decided to withdraw myself from consideration for this year’s Emmies.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
A Fish Story
The shark painstakingly crawled up the wall and then, inevitably, fell back. Fins were woefully inadequate for the task. Furthermore, she realized, the hoped-for lungs had simply not materialized, and the lack of air was becoming uncomfortably apparent. She knew now, writhing on the ground, that she had completely misunderstood the lecture on the theory of evolution.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
My answer to “When did disco die?” as posted on Wiki Answers
Although the backlash against disco gained momentum in 1978 with the success of Saturday Night Fever, there were still many successful disco songs over the next couple of years. July 12, 1979, was Disco Demolition Night at a Chicago White Sox game, and represented this backlash at its height. Fewer disco songs were being played on the radio by then, but disco sort of held on for another year so that Donna Summer's “On the Radio” was a hit in January 1980, Lipps, Inc.’s “Funkytown” was a worldwide smash in the spring, Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You” topped the US charts in February, and “Upside Down” by Diana Ross did the same as late as September. Ross’s follow-up single, “I’m Coming Out,” was also a big hit.
However, that was about the last hurrah. Groups like Chic, Boney M (popular in Europe), and the Village People had already declined in popularity. Donna Summer’s next hit was "The Wanderer,” which was in a different style. Until newer dance music like Michael Jackson's Thriller-era hits and early Madonna took hold, there were far fewer dance-oriented pop hits in the early 1980s as compared with 1978-1979. The biggest dance hits of 1981 were songs such as Blondie's “Rapture” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” that weren’t disco, although Kool & the Gang's “Celebration” (#1 in February 1981) was sort of a bridge between disco and newer dance sounds, as was the Commodores hit “Lady You Bring Me Up.” The band Change (featuring Luther Vandross) had R&B hits that still sounded like disco into 1982; Earth, Wind, and Fire’s 1982 smash “Let's Groove” is funky disco, and even 1983's “Fall in Love with Me” has much of the same sound, but with a harder edge. Some people would make a case for even-later songs such as Kool and The Gang's “Fresh” (1985), but the production on these lacks the lushness of pure disco.
The disco sound was absorbed into newer dance sounds, especially house music, and it has recently made a comeback with songs by Madonna (“Hung Up”), Kylie Minogue, and other singers, though less so in the US than elsewhere. However, the original disco genre was almost completely dead by 1981, and certainly did not survive 1983.
However, that was about the last hurrah. Groups like Chic, Boney M (popular in Europe), and the Village People had already declined in popularity. Donna Summer’s next hit was "The Wanderer,” which was in a different style. Until newer dance music like Michael Jackson's Thriller-era hits and early Madonna took hold, there were far fewer dance-oriented pop hits in the early 1980s as compared with 1978-1979. The biggest dance hits of 1981 were songs such as Blondie's “Rapture” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” that weren’t disco, although Kool & the Gang's “Celebration” (#1 in February 1981) was sort of a bridge between disco and newer dance sounds, as was the Commodores hit “Lady You Bring Me Up.” The band Change (featuring Luther Vandross) had R&B hits that still sounded like disco into 1982; Earth, Wind, and Fire’s 1982 smash “Let's Groove” is funky disco, and even 1983's “Fall in Love with Me” has much of the same sound, but with a harder edge. Some people would make a case for even-later songs such as Kool and The Gang's “Fresh” (1985), but the production on these lacks the lushness of pure disco.
The disco sound was absorbed into newer dance sounds, especially house music, and it has recently made a comeback with songs by Madonna (“Hung Up”), Kylie Minogue, and other singers, though less so in the US than elsewhere. However, the original disco genre was almost completely dead by 1981, and certainly did not survive 1983.
My answer to "When did disco die?" on Wiki Answers
Although the backlash against disco gained momentum in 1978 with the success of Saturday Night Fever, there were still many successful disco songs over the next couple of years. July 12, 1979, was Disco Demolition Night at a Chicago White Sox game, and represented this backlash at its height. Fewer disco songs were being played on the radio by then, but disco sort of held on for another year so that Donna Summer's “On the Radio” was a hit in January 1980, Lipps, Inc.’s “Funkytown” was a worldwide smash in the spring, Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You” topped the US charts in February, and “Upside Down” by Diana Ross did the same as late as September. Ross’s follow-up single, “I’m Coming Out,” was also a big hit.
However, that was about the last hurrah. Groups like Chic, Boney M (popular in Europe), and the Village People declined in popularity. Donna Summer’s next hit was "The Wanderer,” which was in a different style. Until newer dance music like Michael Jackson's Thriller-era hits and early Madonna took hold, there were far fewer dance-oriented pop hits in the early 1980s as compared with 1978-1979. The biggest dance hits of 1981 were songs such as Blondie's “Rapture” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” that weren’t disco, although Kool & the Gang's “Celebration” (#1 in February 1981) was sort of a bridge between disco and newer dance sounds, as was the Commodores hit “Lady You Bring Me Up.” The band Change (featuring Luther Vandross) had R&B hits that still sounded like disco into 1982; Earth, Wind, and Fire’s 1982 smash “Let's Groove” is funky disco, and even 1983's “Fall in Love with Me” has much of the same sound, but with a harder edge. Some people would make a case for even-later songs such as Kool and The Gang's “Fresh” (1985), but the production on these lacks the lushness of pure disco.
However, that was about the last hurrah. Groups like Chic, Boney M (popular in Europe), and the Village People declined in popularity. Donna Summer’s next hit was "The Wanderer,” which was in a different style. Until newer dance music like Michael Jackson's Thriller-era hits and early Madonna took hold, there were far fewer dance-oriented pop hits in the early 1980s as compared with 1978-1979. The biggest dance hits of 1981 were songs such as Blondie's “Rapture” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” that weren’t disco, although Kool & the Gang's “Celebration” (#1 in February 1981) was sort of a bridge between disco and newer dance sounds, as was the Commodores hit “Lady You Bring Me Up.” The band Change (featuring Luther Vandross) had R&B hits that still sounded like disco into 1982; Earth, Wind, and Fire’s 1982 smash “Let's Groove” is funky disco, and even 1983's “Fall in Love with Me” has much of the same sound, but with a harder edge. Some people would make a case for even-later songs such as Kool and The Gang's “Fresh” (1985), but the production on these lacks the lushness of pure disco.
The disco sound was absorbed into newer dance sounds, especially house music, and it has recently made a comeback with songs by Madonna (“Hung Up”), Kylie Minogue, and other singers, though less so in the US than elsewhere. However, the original disco genre was almost completely dead by 1981, and certainly did not survive 1983.
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