April 1, 2009 – Seeing red

The theme word for this quiz was red.

Round 1

1. Which two months have equinoxes?

2. According to the Association for Dressings & Sauces, what is America’s favorite salad dressing?

1. Caesar
2. Italian
3. Ranch
4. Thousand Island

3. What drink, commonly served with a stalk of celery, is composed of tomato juice and vodka?

4. Although named Ted in the movie, by what do we refer to the man who is responsible for keeping Curious George out of trouble?

5. On the US flag, are the more red stripes? Or white stripes?

6. Which state as a postal abbreviation consists only of vowels?

7. According to a Samuel Beckett play, Vladimir and Estragon spent two fruitless days awaiting whom?

8. Responsible for the National Cherry Blossom Festival (going on this week), what country donated 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, D.C. in 1912?

1. China
2. Japan
3. Russia
4. Taiwan

9. What TV program began with the words “Ladies and gentlemen: the story you are about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.”

10. Leftist revolutionary, and all around asshat, Che Guevara was captured and killed in which country?

Round 2

1. Andrew Carnegie donated millions of dollars to American libraries and schools. How did he make his fortune?

2. Who rules in a stratocracy?

3. Macedonia, Tunisia, and Iraq, among others, share a currency of the same name. What is it?

4. What cosmetics company is known to reward top members of their sales force with pink Cadillacs?

5. What online micro-blogging service was once advertised with the slogan “One could change the world with one hundred and forty characters”?

6. In soccer, what color card does a referee hold up to caution a player?

7. Twenty eight years ago Monday, Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley, Jr. Which actress was Hinckley trying to impress with his action?

8. What does a protractor measure?

9. What sea does the Suez Canal link to the Mediterranean Sea?

1. Adriatic Sea
2. Black Sea
3. Caspian Sea
4. Red Sea

10. According to the cartoon, who are Pipeye, Peepeye, Pupeye, and Poopeye?

Round 3

Round 3 this week was an audio round. The theme was songs covered by other bands. The idea was to play a cover, with a mind to name the song, the current artist, and the original artist. The list of songs were:

1. Jump; Aztec Camera; Van Halen

2. Big Yellow Taxi; Counting Crows; Joni Mitchell

3. Turn the Page; Metallica; Bob Seger

4. Proud Mary; Ike & Tina Turner; Creedence Clearwater Revival

5. American Pie; Madonna; Don McLean

6. Rocket Man; William Shatner; Elton John

7. Hurt; Johnny Cash; Nine Inch Nails

8. Stairway to Heaven; Dolly Parton; Led Zeppelin

9. All Along the Watchtower; Jimi Hendrix; Bob Dylan

10. Red, Red Wine; UB40; Neil Diamond

11. Sweet Child O Mine; Sheryl Crow; Guns N Roses

12. Live and Let Die; Guns N Roses; Wings

13. Hallelujah; Jeff Buckley; Leonard Cohen

Round 4

1. Who took over as anchor for the “CBS Evening News” after Walter Cronkite retired in 1981?

1. Tom Brokaw
2. Peter Jennings
3. Dan Rather
4. Barbara Walters

2. What bar is frequently inhabited by Peter, Quagmire, Cleveland, Joe, and Brian on the TV show Family Guy?

3. A light-year is a unit of measurement time, distance, or volume?

4. In a 1996 April Fool’s Day prank, a fast food restaurant chain caused an uproar when they claimed they had acquired what national symbol from the U.S. government?

5. Name the book and author of this 1818 horror classic: “You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings.”

6. On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray. In what city did the shooting take place?

7. Name the year: Ted Bundy is executed by the state of Florida; Rain Man won an Oscar for best picture; Tiananmen Square massacre; The Simpsons full length show premieres on Fox

8. What colors make up the Google logo?

9. In May 24, 2007, The Maldives became the first real embassy to open in what online virtual world?

10. Which comedian and actor, who died in 2004, was best known for his catchphrase “I don’t get no respect”?

Answers:

March 25, 2009 – Canabalism, anyone?

The theme word for this quiz was Alfred.

Round 1(61% correct)

1. For a point each, what are the 8 vegetables in a V-8?

2. What did B.B. King name his guitar?

3. What is a male witch called?

4. “Theirs not to reason why: Theirs but to do and die” comes from the poem The Charge of the Light Brigade, written by which English poet?

5. AIG has been making the news lately for their greed, stupidity, and total disdain for the American taxpayer. What does AIG stand for?

6. Which came first, the state of Wyoming or the University of Wyoming

7. Name the year: Apple Computer is incorporated; the Trans-Alaska pipeline delivers it’s first crude oil to Valdez; Son of Sam is captured; Elvis Dies;

8. Who is said to rule in a plutocracy?

9. Being touted as the nations largest vegetarian festival, what did they call the food fest hosted at the Seattle Center this last weekend?

1. Meatless in Seattle
2. Spring Vegtival
3. VegFest
4. Veg-o-rama

10. On March 28, 1930, the city of Constantinople changed it name to what?

Round 2 (62% correct)

1. Which Swedish chemist and engineer is known secondarily for his invention of dynamite?

2. The United States has the most number of operable nuclear reactors with 104. Which European country generates the largest percentage of its electrical needs (77%) via nuclear power?

1. France
2. Italy
3. Norway
4. Portugal

3. How long was the SS Minnow supposed to be gone?

4. What Rachel Carson book about the dangers of insecticides was published in 1962?

5. 38 years ago tomorrow saw East Pakistan breaking away from Pakistan and forming it’s own country. By what name do we know it today?

6. What type of meat is used to make pastrami?

7. Who was the Gypsy girl loved by Quasimodo?

8. According to the Elvis Presley song, where do you find Heartbreak Hotel?

9. Name the book and the author:” A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.”

10. Bluto is the arch enemy of what animated character?

Round 3 (87% correct)

1. Who is Bruce Wayne’s butler?

2. Name the 6 living people in the game of Clue?

3. What is the name of the Alaskan mountain that is current belching smoke and covering the city of Anchorage with a layer of ash?

4. What is the more common name for a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate(aka saltpeter)?

5. From the Latin for put in safe keeping, what word is used to described a jury that has been placed in isolation?

6. Orange Pekoe is a variety of what beverage?

1. Coffee
2. Rum
3. Tea
4. Wine

7. What is the name of the island in Green Lake?

8. Olympic Airlines is the national airline of what country?

9. What TV show boldly went “where no man has gone before”?

10. What brand of beer is Homer Simpson famous for drinking?

Round 4 (81% correct)

1. For a point each, name the three major Axis powers of World War II

2. We know Doc Holiday as the gambler and gunslinger of the OK Corral fame. What was his actual profession?

3. Which actor has appeared in the most number of Alfred Hitchcock films, with an appearance in 37 of his 52 movies?

4. According to the famous Stephen Foster song from 1850, how long is the Camptown racetrack?

5. What was the name of Jerry Seinfeld’s postal carrier nemesis?

6. How many teats has a cow?

7. According to the nursery rhyme, who went to the cupboard to fetch her poor dog a bone?

8. The original Orient Express ran between Paris and what city?

9. If a cow is bovine and a horse equine, what is porcine?

10. Of what were Hypnos and Somnus, respectively, the Greek and Roman Gods?

Answers:

March 18, 2009 – Time to Duke it out…

The theme word for this quiz was Duke.

Round 1 (63% correct)

1. Name the movie: “Over? Did you say “over”? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!”

2. What world leader said, “How can anyone govern a nation that has 246 different kinds of cheese?”

3. “Like sands through the hourglass” is the opening to what long running NBC soap opera?

4. What was the name of the evil organization on TV’s “Get Smart”?

5. Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles are better known as which group who save the world before bedtime?

6. Which of the following was invented first?

1. Ball Point Pen
2. Safety pin
3. Sewing machine
4. Zipper

7. March 16, 1802 saw the founding of the United States Military Academy. By what name is it better known?

8. What country did the Roman’s call Hibernia?

9. What Louisiana asshat has had his runs for Louisiana Senate, US Senate, US House of Representatives, Governor, and 2 presidential runs (in 1988 and 1992) scuttled because he’s an unrepentant racist and former KKK grand wizard?

10. Which NASA mission first landed men on the moon in 1969?

Round 2 (71% correct)

1. Bollywood is the nickname for the Indian film industry. The film industry of which country is known as Lollywood?

1. Laos
2. Luxembourg
3. Pakistan
4. Portugal

2. Which cartoon featured a character that would “gladly pay you on Tuesday for a hamburger today”?

3. How many sheets of paper are there in a ream?

4. What is a leprechaun’s usual occupation?

5. March 21, 1963 saw the last inmate leave what famous federal prison, now a major tourist attraction?

6. Who lead the British forces that defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815?

7. Clark Kent reports for which newspaper?

8. The 2009 Itditarod sled race was completed this week. What two Alaskan cities are the starting and endpoints of the race?

9. Name the book and the author: “ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

10. In science fiction, whose arch-enemy is Ming the Merciless?

Round 3 (62% correct): This was a theme round. All of the answers in this round were TV/Movie dogs.

1. The first commercial jet airliner, predating the Boeing 707 by a good 8 years, was the DeHaviland DH.106. By what name was it more commonly known?

2. Roy Horn, of Sigfried and Roy fame, had his career cut short in 2003 when he was attacked by what?

3. The Three Bs of classical music are Bach, Brahms, and who?

4. Who did Time Magazine names as their first Person of the Century?

5. What is the name of the zombie like mascot of the British band Iron Maiden?

6. Which heavenly body was not included in the original Planets suite by Gustav Holst because it would not be discovered for another 14 years, which only caused a problem until 2006?

7. Which Bob had a backing band known as The Wailers?

8. Who is the first god that physicians swear by when reciting the classical version of the Hippocratic Oath?

1. Apollo
2. Ceres
3. Vulcan
4. Zeus

9. Born Claudia, by what nickname was the wife of President Lyndon Johnson better known?

10. What level of nobility (male) lies between Marquis and Royalty?

Round 4 (71% correct)

1. By what nickname is John Wayne more commonly known?

2. Peter Parker works for which newspaper?

3. What colors are the circles in the Mastercard logo?

4. What does the texting favorite IYKWIMAITYD stand for?

5. Arnold J. Rimmer, Dave Lister, The Cat, and Holly all travel on what ship in the tv series Red Dwarf?

6. Name the Jonas Brothers.

7. If I’ve just painted a fresco, what medium have I applied paint to?

8. The layer beneath the Earth’s crust is called the what?

9. If you had to guess (and you do), how many feet long is The Statue of Liberty’s index finger?

10. The Seattle P-I ceased publishing its print edition of the newspaper yesterday. In what year was it first printed?

Answers:

March 11, 2009 – We are the world

The theme word for this quiz was… world.

Round 1 (55% correct)

1. Who was the first female Attorney General of the United States, having been confirmed on this day in 1993?

2. What law allows employees to keep their health insurance after leaving a job?

3. We know him as Batman or The Dark Knight. What was his given name?

4. Monday saw the 50th anniversary of what iconic American toy, manufactured by Mattel?

5. An international baseball competition held every 4 years in which baseball players return to their home country to play, what does WBC stand for?

6. What constellation is also known as the Northern Cross?

1. Aquila
2. Cygnus
3. Lyra
4. Perseus

7. What is the common name of the childhood disease varicella?

8. Tuesday saw the 205th anniversary of the transfer of the Louisiana Purchase from France to the US. How many states did this territory ultimately become?

9. It’s girl scout cookie season! For a point each, name the flavors of cookies currently available.

10. Name the book and the author: “He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”

Round 2 (59% correct)

1. When the brothers split up the world, Zeus got the heavens and Hades, the netherworld. Who got the sea?

2. What is the name of the Mafia Don on the Simpsons?

3. “Mr Watson Come here I want to see you” was the first message sent through what medium?

4. The lyrics to what cartoon theme song include the lines: “I’m one tough Gazookus Which hates all Palookas Wot ain’t on the up and square. I biffs ’em and buffs ’em And always out roughs ’em But none of ’em gets nowhere. “

5. What war was known as “The War to End All Wars”?

6. The Mariners play their spring training baseball in Peoria, Arizona as part of the Cactus league. What do they call the group of teams who play in Florida?

7. Who led this year’s list of Worst Dressed as sponsored by that bastion of clear, concise thinking PETA?

8. Who is the all-time leading scorer in the National Hockey League?

1. Gordie Howe
2. Wayne Gretzky
3. Mario Lemieux
4. Maurice Richard

9. Real person or made up marketing name: Chef Boyardee?

10. 147 years ago Monday saw the battle of the first iron clad warships. For a point each, name them.

Round 3 (78% correct)

1. Who was the first U.S. President born west of the Mississippi River?

1. Calvin Coolidge
2. Warren Harding
3. Herbert Hoover
4. Woodrow Wilson

2. Which two witches were killed in The Wizard of Oz

3. What is the only day of the week named for a Roman god

4. Nowadays, if you’re going to tune in to wrestling on TV, you’ll probably end up watching WWE bouts. What does WWE stand for?

5. The United States and 61 other countries boycotted the 1980 summer Olympics in Moscow to protest the USSR’s invasion of what country?

6. What religious movement accepts the former emperor of Ethiopia as an incarnation of God?

7. Now known as The Democratic Republic of the Congo, in what African country was the 1974 Muhammed Ali and George Foremans fight, the Rumble in the Jungle?

8. What south pacific island is inhabited by mysterious carved figures known as the Moai?

9. The Pips where the backing singers for what “Empress of Soul”?

10. What element is added to copper to make brass?

Round 4 (54% correct)

1. Involving agents posing as Middle Eastern businessmen, what was the name of the FBI string operation, run from 1978 to 1980 that sent 1 congressman and four representatives to prison?

2. Which actor, born in Winterset, Iowa on May 26th, 1907, holds the record as the actor with the most leading parts at 142.

3. What cartoon character, with a brother named Castor, has measurements of a quite yummy 19-19-19?

4. Named for a Massachusetts governor, what term refers to redistricting that unfairly benefits a party during an election

5. What book, originally written by Norris and Ross McWhirter, was developed and sold to help settle bar bets?

6. What soda did the Coca-Cola Company introduce in 1979 to compete with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew?

7. What are the only two pieces that can move to open a chess game?

8. The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. What is the second largest hot desert in Africa with an area of about 360,000 square miles?

9. How many zeroes are in a googol?

10. In 1939, Ernest Wright wrote a 50,000 word novel called Gadsby. The novel is notable because the entire thing is written without using what common letter.

Answers:

March 4, 2009 – Who else?

The theme for this quiz was Who.

Round 1 (70% correct)

1. Radio stations west of the Mississippi start with the letter K. What do they start with in the East?

2. Which “Peanuts” character always carries a security blanket?

3. Who lead the Indians at the Battle of Little Big Horn?

4. We hear it frequently in the news, but what does IED stand for?

5. The moral of what Dr. Seuss book, made into a 2008 movie, is “a person’s a person no matter how small”?

6. Which president’s policy was “speak softly and carry a big stick”?

7. Known as the Poet of the Piano, what Romantic Polish composer was born on March 1, 1810?

8. Chosen as one of 13 celebrities on the latest Dancing With The Stars, this singer’s hits included “Vacation, ” “Head Over Heels, “and “We Got The Beat.”

9. Which of the following is not a real book in the “for dummies” series?

1. Beekeeping for Dummies
2. Computer Solitaire for Dummies
3. Pope John Paul II for Dummies
4. Sex for Dummies

10. Rhinotillexis is the medical term for what action?

Round 2 (85% correct)

1. What are the 6 official documental languages of the UN?

2. Which planet is also known as The Morning Star?

3. Which TV Time Lord, who made his debut in 1963, calls the planet Gallifrey home?

4. The soft drink known as “Pepsi Twist” combines the original cola with the flavor of:

1. Cherry
2. Lemon
3. Lime
4. Vanilla

5. Found on his doorstep, what name did Popeye bestow upon his “boy-kid”?

6. What is the name of Bart’s best friend in The Simpsons?

7. Local asshat and all around pussy Jason Mesnick made his final choice on the 13th season of TV’s The Bachelor. When all was said and done, who did he end up with? Molly? Or Melissa?

8. Name the book and the author: “You don’t know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t no matter.”

9. If you are masticating, what are you doing?

10. What popular mouthwash, introduced in 1879, was first marketed as a floor cleaner and a cure for gonorrhea?

Round 3 (79% correct)

This was an audio round. Using the list of 100 top guitar solos as determined by Guitar World (http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm), the object was to identify the song only from the solo. A point was given each for the song name, the band name, and the guitarist. The year given is the year the song was released.

1. (1971) Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page

2. (1980) Crazy Train, Ozzy Ozbourne, Randy Rhoads

3. (1971) Won’t Get Fooled Again, The Who, Pete Townsend

4. (1992) November Rain, Guns n’ Roses, Slash

5. (1974) Freebird, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allen Collins

6. (1976) Hotel California, Eagles, Don Felder/Joe Walsh

7. (1979) Comfortably Numb, Pink Floyd, David Gilmore

8. (1991) Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana, Kurt Cobain

9. (1979) Sultans of Swing, Dire Straits, Mark Knopfler

10. (1975) Walk This Way, Aerosmith, Joe Perry

11. (1983) Beat It, Michael Jackson, Eddie Van Halen

12. (1958) Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry, Chuck Berry

Round 4 (81% correct)

1. What are the most common 2 colors to be affected by color blindness?

2. Known as the basics of information gathering for police and reports, name the interrogative words that are known as the Five W’s.

3. Name the year: Czechoslovakia became Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Janet Reno becomes the first female Attorney General, the World Wide Web is born, and John Wayne Bobbit learns to pee sitting down?

4. Speaking of the Peanuts, which composer, whose last words were reportedly “I will hear in heaven”, was idolized by Schroeder?

5. In the world of email, what does the abbreviation BCC stand for?

6. The territory of Idaho, formed on this day in 1863, later was divided up into what 3 states?

7. This date in 1789 saw the admission of the 14th state to the Union. What state was it?

8. In 1878, Chase & Sanborn marketed the first canned what?

1. Coffee
2. Oil
3. Soup
4. Tuna

9. What type of animal is a Rhodesian Ridgeback?

10. A musical note is lowered by a flat, but what is it raised by?

Answers:

February 25, 2009 – Time to channel our inner Tom Jones

The theme word for this quiz was Lady.

Round 1 (66% correct)

1. Which Sesame Street character calls a trash can his home?

2. In what 80s arcade game were you armed with a lance and mounted upon an ostrich or a stork?

3. Midnight Cowboy was the only x-rated Oscar Best Picture winner. What was the only G-rated movie to win (in 1968)?

4. Heath Ledger is not the first to win an Academy Award after dying. That honor belongs to Peter Finch, who starred as television anchorman Howard Beale in what 1976 movie?

5. What was the name of the cruise liner in the 70s TV series The Love Boat?

6. What is the name of the patient in the board game Operation?

1. Cavity Sam
2. Cut Up Charlie
3. Nick
4. Patient Pete

7. What type of alcohol are Manhattans, Rob Roys, and Mint Juleps made with?

8. According to legend, who bestowed the sword Excalibur on the young King Arthur (there was no stone involved, in case you’re wondering)?

9. According to an Oscar Wilde novel, who remains eternally youthful while his painted portrait ages?

10. When it comes to rating movies, what does MPAA stand for?

Round 2 (54% correct)

1. 58 years ago tomorrow, which constitutional amendment, which limits the number of terms a president may serve, was ratified by the requisite number of states?

2. Name the book and the author of this 1928 book that wasn’t legally published in the US until 1959: ‘Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically.’

3. What item of clothing does the turtle sport in the Turtle Wax logo?

1. Bow tie
2. Sneakers
3. Scarf
4. Top hat

4. Due to metal rationing during WWII, what were the Oscar statues made of during the war years?

5. Founded in Seattle in 1907, this company began life as the American Messenger Company. Who do we know it as today?

6. Who said “A woman drove me to drink and I didn’t even have the decency to thank her.”

7. In internet slang, what does NSFW stand for?

8. Name the instruments that make up the woodwind section of an orchestra

9. At the end of every episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Robin Leach wished the viewer champagne wishes and what kind of dreams?

10. According to the comic books, Superman fights for Truth, Justice, and what?

Round 3 (39% correct)

1. The Bermuda Triangle touches Bermuda, Florida and where?

2. According to the fairy tale Cinderella, what vegetable gets turned into the carriage?

3. Monday marked the anniversary of the raising of the flag by US Marines on the island of Iowa Jima (a photo that won a Pulitzer prize) during WWII. What was the name of the mountain on which the flag was raised?

4. The Clintons have continued their habit of causing all good around them to die. The cat that ruled the White House died after an 18 year run. By what name was he know?

5. Which is less intelligent, an idiot, a moron, or an imbecile?

6. How many suitcases are used on the US TV show Deal or No Deal

7. Who holds the record for the most number of Oscars awarded (with 26) and nominations (with 59)?

8. Who was the original Peeping Tom looking at?

9. Tomorrow sees the celebration of the birth of one Wild West legend William Frederick Cody, born in 1846 near Le Claire, Iowa. By what name is he better known?

10. Which is the only sequel of a Best Picture Oscar-winning film to have also won Best Picture Oscar (in 1974)?

Round 4 (49% correct)

1. What country has the somewhat unfortunate internet domain extension .bs?

2. What is the name of the heroine in the Tomb Raider series of video games and movies?

3. Which part of the human body has the most bones? The hand? Or the foot (not counting the sesamoid bones)?

4. The Great Depression, most often thought of as starting with the Black Tuesday stock market crash, lasted how long in the US?

5. Barak Obama has reportedly finally chosen the new First Dog. What breed did he select?

1. Beagle
2. Chocolate Lab
3. Golden Retriever
4. Portuguese Water Dog

6. The March of Dimes was originally started to raise money to combat what disease?

7. What 8 Oscar winning movie musical of 1964, based on a story by George Bernard Shaw, tells the tale of Eliza Doolittle?

8. According to the Stars Wars universe, who is Luke Skywalker’s younger sister?

9. How many different flavors of Tabasco sauce are available? And a bonus point for each one you can name.

10. The movie Apocalypse Now is a loose adaptation of what Joseph Conrad novella?

Answers:

February 18, 2009 – Start spreading the news…

I’m leaving today.  I want to be a part of it – New York, New York.  The theme for this quiz was, obviously, New York

Round 1 (64% correct)

1. Feb 22, 1980 saw one of the greatest upsets in modern sports, the Miracle on Ice, as the US beat the USSR 4-3 in hockey. Who did the US beat to win the gold medal?

2. John D. Rockefeller, the world’s first billionaire, accumulated the bulk of his fortune as owner of what company?

1. U.S. Steel
2. Standard Oil
3. British Petroleum
4. Central Railroad

3. What is panophobia or pantophobia?

4. In what year was the Apple Macintosh first released?

5. True or False: The city of Cleveland, OH was named after President Grover Cleveland?

6. Conan O’Brien is hosting his final episode of Late Night on Friday, after a 15 year run. Who is taking over for him starting March 2?

7. Do the words flammable and inflammable have the same or opposite meaning?

8. George Washington, the father of our country, was born on this date in 1732. In what city was his inauguration in 1789?

9. As suggested by its name, what was the seventh month of the Roman calendar until 46 BC?

10. What is a camel’s hump made of? Water, fat or muscle?

Round 2 (51% correct)

1. In 2000, a terrorist attack in Yemen blew a huge hole in which U.S. Navy destroyer?

2. According to the rules of ascendancy, who takes over in the case that both the president and vice president are incapacitated?

3. Which company advertises itself as “the company you keep”?

4. What hotel/motel chain adopted its name based on its original room rate?

1. Four Seasons
2. Super 8
3. Motel 6
4. La Quinta

5. Now designated a National Historic Landmark, what estate did George Washington call home?

6. The ships Grand Turk, Friendship, Wesley, Salem, Birmingham, and Hamilton have all appeared on the packaging for what brand?

7. Neapolitan ice cream is made of what three flavors of ice cream?

8. During WWII, who was the German counterpart to Tokyo Rose?

9. Who, according to the nursery rhyme, had an army of 10,000 men?

10. Which McDonalds sandwich offering was served in a novel compartmentalized polystyrene container to “Keep the hot side hot, and the cool side cool?”

Round 3 (67% correct)

1. The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse represent pestilence, famine, death, and what?

2. Located in Memphis, TN, what is the name of Elvis Presley’s estate, now a major tourist attraction?

3. The Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway, opened in 1913, connected San Francisco to what east coast city?

4. What disorder is being described by the following DSM-IV diagnosis?

1. Deliberate and purposeful fire setting on more than one occasion.
2. Tension or affective arousal before the act.
3. Fascination with, interest in, curiosity about, or attraction to fire and its situational contexts.
4. Pleasure, gratification, or relief when setting fires, or when witnessing or participating in their aftermath.
5. The fire setting is not done for monetary gain
6. The fire setting is not better accounted for by Conduct Disorder, a Manic Episode, or Antisocial Personality Disorder.

5. For what agency does Maxwell Smart work on the most awesome of all TV shows, Get Smart?

6. The Mariners have been attempting to lure Ken Griffey, Jr. back to Seattle. What position did he play when he was last with the Mariners?

7. Four states have capital cities named after US Presidents. Which of these states has a capital named for a president born on Feb 12^th?

8. Name the book from the first line: ‘It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen’.

9. In the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, which character was looking for a brain?

10. Name the year: Columbine, Windows 98 is released, Napster is born, Lance Armstrong wins his first Tour de France, and we got to line up to watch Fight Club or The Matrix in the theatres.

Bonus: All of the answers in this quiz have a hidden theme. What is it?

Round 4 (70% correct)

1. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is a retelling of the Wizard of Oz by one Gregory Maguire. His follow up book Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a retelling of what tale?

2. It began life as New Amsterdam, founded by the Dutch in 1625. What name do we know this North American city as today?

3. Which drink is often referred to as `The Green Fairy`?

4. How many golden stars appear in the circle on the blue background of the flag of the European Union?

5. What traditionally did a fletcher make?

6. Jon Stewart hosted last years Oscar ceremonies (the 80th). Who is scheduled to host the 81st Academy Awards next Sunday?

7. What unit of heat is required to raise 1 gm of water by one degree Celsius?

8. We all know that big ol’ loveable loser and major hypocrite as Al Gore. What is the Al short for?

9. Last printed in 1934, what president’s image appeared on the $500 bill?

1. William McKinley
2. Grover Cleveland
3. James Madison
4. Woodrow Wilson

10. Today marks the 7th anniversary of the death of journalist Daniel Pearl, killed by Islamic terrorists. For which newspaper did he work?

Answers:

February 11, 2009 – We’re all friends of Bill here…

The theme for this quiz was William.

Round 1 (57% correct)

1. What is the minimum age requirement for becoming a U.S. senator?

2. Which of Robin Hood’s Merry Men was he forced to fight with quarterstaffs on a narrow bridge?

3. The University of Washington announced yesterday that they have picked their new mascot to replace Spirit, who was forced to retire due to a shoulder injury. What name was bestowed upon the new puppy?

4. Which city’s zoo has more animals than any other?

1. Berlin
2. London
3. Pretoria
4. San Diego

5. In the game of Jacks, how many prongs are there on each jack?

6. In the NFL, they play for the Lombardi trophy. What trophy do they play for in the Canadian Football League?

7. Who was the Egyptian sun god and chief deity?

8. Who is believed to order the hit on 7 members of the “Bugs” Moran gang on Feb 14, 1929, in what became known as the St. Valentines Day Massacre?

9. Name the book and the author from first line of this 1984 winner of the sci-fi triple crown (Nebula Award, Philip K. Dick Award, and Hugo Award): ‘The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.’

10. On which river does Washington DC stand?

Round 2 (47% correct)

1. What classic arcade game featured row upon row of pixilated space aliens relentlessly advancing down the screen?

2. Daughter of Inspector Fenwick, who is the girlfriend of the Canadian hero Dudley Do-Right?

3. Used primarily in musical instrument strings, from what animal is cat gut obtained?

4. What does the S&P stand for in the S&P 500 stock market index?

5. Which of the following was NOT a category in this years Grammy awards?

1. Best Hawaiian Music
2. Best Polka Album
3. Best Video Game Soundtrack
4. Best Zydeco Music

6. What is the current yearly salary of our President, Barak Obama?

7. Which of the four professional sports leagues (the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB) has the most number of teams?

8. What sport competes in a building known as a velodrome?

9. The HMS Bounty is famous mostly for a mutiny lead by one Mr. Christian. Who was the captain whom Fletcher sent overboard?

10. What is a nutless Almond Joy called?

Round 3 (62% correct)

1. “War is Hell” is a quote famously attributed to what Civil War Union general, who marched his way to the sea?

2. Vermont has the least populated state capital. What state has the most populated state capital with a population of over 1.5 million?

3. Half of the duo that exposed the Watergate cover-up that ultimately brought down the Nixon presidency, Carl Bernstein worked for which newspaper?

4. Of the entertainers/magicians Penn & Teller, which one doesn’t talk?

5. Last seen alive leaving the Machus Red Fox Restaurant in Michigan, Jimmy Hoffa was the long time leader of what labor union?

6. Saturday sees the 150 anniversary of the State of Oregon joining the Union. Which became a state first? Washington? Or Oregon?

7. George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. invented what engineering marvel for the 1893 exposition in Chicago in the hopes of creating something as impressive as the Eifel Tower?

8. Born on July 5, 1996 and living for 6 1/2 years, Dolly was the first successfully cloned mammal. What type of animal was she?

9. Beginning life as the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation, what company is sometimes called Big Blue?

10. In 1779, Captain James Cook was stabbed to death by natives of the Sandwich Islands. By what name do we know the Sandwich Islands today?

Bonus: What do all of the above questions have in common?

Round 4 (63% correct)

1. The mask worn by Michael Meyers in the movie Halloween was based on the likeness of what famous Canadian actor?

2. A staple of modern life, the ATM is as ubiquitous as telephone poles. What does ATM stand for?

3. It began life as BankAmericard in 1958. In 1976, it was rebranded as what credit card that now controls 44% of the US credit card market?

4. Which TV show is responsible for a new Sweethearts Conversation Heart this year?

1. American Idol
2. Deal or No Deal
3. Drawn Together
4. Top Chef

5. Ron Sims recently announced he was in line for what position in President Obama’s government?

6. This Friday is a Friday the 13th. What is the next month to have a Friday the 13th?

7. Name the 5 surnames that have been shared by more than one president?

8. According to the nursery rhyme, for whom did Baa Baa Black Sheep have his 3rd bag of wool?

9. Trademarked by McDonalds in the 90s, what gluttonous verb did Meriam-Webster add to their dictionary in 2006?

10. Not content just to steal the county’s best and brightest, which Seattle official did Barak Obama tab to be the nations new drug czar?

Answers:

February 4, 2009 – Lucy! I’m home!

The theme word for this quiz was Lucy.

Round 1 (78% correct)

1. What is the name of the anthropologically significant skeleton currently on display at the Pacific Science Center, perhaps its only stop on an expected 6 year tour of the United States?

2. In what city does Romeo woo Juliet?

3. In the zoological hierarchy, which classification is the most general?

1. Family
2. Genus
3. Kingdom
4. Phylum

4. For a point each, name the two people who appeared on the first postage stamps issued by the United States, in 1847.

5. The Mozambique Channel separates which large island from the mainland?

6. What kind of star is our sun?

7. Who sang the national anthem at this years Super Bowl?

8. Name the book and the author: ‘Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.’

9 According to Punxsutawney Phil, are we due for an early spring? Or 6 more weeks of winter?

10. Harold Angstrom is the protagonist in a series of 5 books by what recently deceased multiple Pulitzer prize winning author?

Round 2 (68% correct)

1. Members of the group known as prosimians, those delightful little primates known as lemurs are native only to what country?

2. Who was the only US president to marry his cousin?

3. Alan Shepard became the first man to golf where?

4. In which country is the fabled city of Timbuktu?

1. Mali
2. Nepal
3. Peru
4. Tunisia

5. In the United States, an album that sells 500,000 copies goes gold and 1,000,000 copies goes platinum. How many copies need to be sold to attain diamond status?

6. In the game of Monopoly, how much is a player awarded for drawing the Community Chest card that announces, “you have just won second prize in a beauty contest”?

7. What is Indiana Jones’ real first name?

8. Home to Phil, the most famous groundhog in the world, in what state is Punxsutawney?

9. The Motorola DynaTAC was the first mobile phone to receive FCC acceptance (and the first to make a commercial call). In what year was it released?

10. 5 facts. For this question, the goal was to name the 1950’s TV character from the clues given. 5 points were given for getting it after the first fact, 4 points after the second, etc. No points were given for an incorrect answer at any time.

• Born Aug. 6, 1921 in West Jamestown, N.Y
• Debuted in the radio series “My Favorite Husband” before making the switch to CBS in 1957
• Best friend is Ethel Mertz.
• Real life husband Desi starred as the characters husband on the show.
• Starred everyone’s favorite redhead, Lucille Ball

Round 3 (70% correct)

Round 3 this week was an audio round. These were the audio track for movie trailers. All of the movies are those that are currently playing at local theatres. (ed: this was rather well received, but note that the audio tracks are upwards of 2 minutes long)

1. Wendy and Lucy

2. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

3. Slumdog Millionaire

4. Defiance

5. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

6. The Wrestler

7. Revolutionary Road

8. Taken

9. The Reader

10. The Uninvited

Round 4 (67% correct)

1. Which Carthaginian general led his army across the Alps with a contingent of elephants?

2. Feb 3, 1959 is known as the Day the Music died, following a small plane crash in a field near Clear Lake, Iowa. For a point each, name the people on the plane who perished.

3. The bark of which tree is used to make Aspirin?

4. Pittsburgh now has won a record 6 Super Bowls. What team leads the league in Super Bowl appearances?

5. What African country did the American Colonization Society found in 1821 as a haven for freed American slaves?

1. Algeria
2. Gambia
3. Liberia
4. Mauritania

6. For a point each, name the only 2 non-presidents to be represented on currently produced U.S. bills?

7. Following a tradition started by Jim Kelly in 1997, both Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and MVP Santonio Holmes announced they were going where?

8. Honored at the Super Bowl was the crew of Flight 1549, for their work in rescuing all of the passengers from the plane that landed in the Hudson River last month. For what airline where they employed?

9. For a point each, name the four Pevensie children in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

10. Due to its significance in the production of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper, which African island is still nicknamed ‘The Spice Island’?

Answers:

January 28, 2009 – At least we’re not eating crap…

The theme word for this week was Beetle.  Never pass up the opportunity to insert a dung beetle reference…

Round 1 (41% correct)

1. What is the longest running Broadway show in history, having opened 21 years ago Monday?

2. What is the process called that converts a solid directly to a gas without passing through the liquid phase?

3. What is the name of the NBA team that calls Verizon Center in Washington D.C. home?

4. According to the 1991 Right Said Fred hit, which of the following is he NOT too sexy for?

1. His shirt
2. His cat
3. Your party
4. His shoes

5. Which group of insects has the largest number of known species, with about 350,000 species (25% of all life forms on earth, 40% of all insects)?

6. Last week saw the release of nominations for the Oscars. More importantly, we got to see the nominees for this years Razzie awards. Which film leads the field of nominees with 7 nominations?

7. This week in history saw the loss of two NASA space shuttles, the Challenger and the Columbia. Which was lost first, in 1986?

8. With an internal angle of 156 degrees, how many sides does the polygon known as a pentadecagon have?

9. Who was the Roman goddess of Wisdom?

10. A bibliophile collects books, a numismatist collects money. What household item is a helixophile interested in?

Round 2 (91% correct)

1. What kind of car is Herbie from the classic 1969 movie The Love Bug?

2. The University of California at Santa Cruz has a rather unusual name for their sports teams. What is it?

1. Diving Ducks
2. Squids
3. Banana Slugs
4. Panda Bears

3. Known mostly for their red fezzes and tiny cars, the Shriners are a charitable offshoot of what fraternal organization?

4. In what number Superbowl did Seattle face the Steelers?

5. After 77 years, GM has lost the global sales crown, following an 11% drop in business. What car maker is now #1?

6. In the world of diner lingo, what do I get if Alice the waitress brings me “sinkers and suds”?

7. What flavor is the clear liqueur Triple Sec?

8. Name the states that have active volcanoes?

9. Who was Poopdeck Pappy’s most famous son?

10. What is the main ingredient used to make a Thai satay sauce?

Round 3 (40% correct)

1. The UNHCR is the United Nations agency mandated to protect what?

2. All of the days of the working week are named after Norse gods, except one. Which one isn’t?

3. Leaving a white glove with an embroidered P, what thief in the Pink Panther series of films was known as Sir Charles Lytton in his non-thief life?

4. What African nation was formerly known as Northern Rhodesia?

1. Zaire
2. Zimbabwe
3. Zambia
4. Senegal

5. The iconic Seattle outdoor sculpture known as the Troll is clutching what under his left claw?

6. Who won the very first Superbowl ever played? A bonus point if you can tell me where it was played.

7. Today is the anniversary of the opening of Dick’s Drive-In. In what year did they open?

8. January 26th, 1915 saw the creation of the United States Coast Guard. Under what federal department does the Coast Guard operate?

9. Which country has taken its name from a line of Latitude?

10. Meaning “little book” in Italian, what is the term for the text of an opera?

Round 4 (75% correct)

1. In Botticelli’s famous painting, ‘The Birth of Venus’, what is Venus standing on?

2. The Galapagos Islands are part of what country?

3. The Quarrymen included the nucleus of what “moderately famous” English rock band?

4. Battling laryngitis as well as 51 other contestants, Katie Stam of what state was crowned Miss America?

5. Name the book and the author: ‘Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer’s wife.’

6. Who is the current president of Cuba?

7. Which bacteria which causes food poisoning (particularly among poultry) was named after the veterinarian who was the first to identify it?

8. What plant does the spice Saffron come from?

9. Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub. According to the nursery rhyme, what was the profession of those gentlemen?

10. What country has the brilliant domain extension .iq?