May 6, 2009 – And the only thing that he could play

The theme word for this quiz was hill.

Round 1

1. May 10, 1940 saw the German invasion of the countries commonly called Benelux. For a point each, what countries are we talking about?

2. May 7th is officially known as VE day. What does VE stand for?

3. True or false: Both male and female kangaroos have pouches?

4. May 7, 1915 saw the sinking of what Cunard liner by German U-Boat U20, the aftermath of which helped hasten the US entry into WWI?

5. As part of an attempt to stave off bankruptcy, which brand did General Motors announce it was axing by the end of 2010?

6. What NYC thoroughfare is synonymous with the financial center of America?

7. Who rules in a pornocracy?

8. At what Cuban battlefield did Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders attain fame, fortune, and glory during the Spanish American War?

9. Which city in Iraq is best known as Saddam Hussein’s birthplace?

1. Baghdad
2. Basra
3. Mosul
4. Tikrit

10. A Supreme Court justice announced that he will be stepping down at the end of the term. Which judge was it?

Round 2

1. A 50 to 1 long shot, which horse won the Kentucky Derby this year?

1. Flying Private
2. General Quarters
3. Mine That Bird
4. Mr. Hot Stuff

2. What does the 4th Amendment to the US Constitution protect against?

3. What is the name of the longest running children’s program on US TV?

4. What is the only crime explicitly defined in the Constitution of the United States?

5. Name the book and the author: “Early in the spring of 1750, in the village of Juffure, four days upriver from the coast of The Gambia, West Africa, a manchild was born to Omoro and Binta Kinte.”

6. Former football star, representative, cabinet secretary, and vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp died last week.  For whose failed presidential bid was he the running mate?

7. What color was the period that followed Picasso’s Blue Period?

8. What was the name of Gumby’s red pony friend?

9. Where were Jack and Jill going in the nursery rhyme to fetch a pail of water?

10. “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce. Special orders don’t upset us” was an advertising slogan for what company?

Round 3

Round 3 was an audio round this week. I played the theme songs (thanks to http://www.televisiontunes.com) to the following TV shows that all ran during the 1980s. The themes all were related in some way, which was a bonus point. And the relationship was the composer, Mike Post.

1. Hill Street Blues

2. White Shadow

3. A-Team

4. Wiseguy

5. Doogie Howser

6. Riptide

7. Hunter

8. Hardcastle and McCormick

9. Rockford Files

10. Magnum P.I.

11. LA Law

Round 4

1. May 10, 1893 saw the Supreme Court of the US weigh in on whether the tomato is a vegetable or a fruit.  Which one did they decide?

2. What main metal did the U.S. use to mint pennies during World War II when copper was needed for bullets?

1. Aluminum
2. Steel
3. Tin
4. Zinc

3. What common name was given to cemeteries in the Old West that was the final resting place of many a gun fighter and card sharp?

4. During prohibition, people who smuggled booze by land were called bootleggers.  What were they called if they smuggled it by sea?

5. How long is a score?

6. What is the name of the band that backs up The Boss, Bruce Springsteen?

7. Whose sidekick was named Dr. John H. Watson?

8. In what year did Congress officially establish Mothers day as the second Sunday in May?

9. Name the states that have a physical border with Mexico

10. The plaintive words, “Oh, the humanity!”, broadcast by Herbert Morrison on WLS radio, was part of the description of what disaster, resulting in the death of 36 people, that happened on May 6, 1937 in Lakehurst, NJ?

Answers:

Round 1

1. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg

2. Victory in Europe

3. False

4. Lusitania

5. Pontiac

6. Wall Street

7. Harlots

8. Battle of San Juan Hill/Battle of Kettle Hill depending on how precise you want to be

9. (D) Tikrit

10. David Souter

Round 2

1. (C) Mine That Bird

2. Unreasonable search and seizure

3. Sesame Street

4. Treason

5. Roots, by Alex Haley

6. Bob Dole

7. Rose

8. Pokey

9. Up the hill

10. Burger King

Round 4

1. Vegetable (for purposes of tariffs)

2. (B) Steel

3. Boot Hill

4. Rum-running

5. 20 years

6. E-Street Band

7. Sherlock Holmes

8. 1914

9. California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas

10. Hindeburg disaster