August 20, 2008 – Aloha

This theme word this week was Hawaii.

Round 1 (48% correct)

1. Often accompanied by his dog Snowy, what popular Belgian comic strip character celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2004?

2. What legendary star went by the nicknames “The Chairman of the Board”, “The Voice”, or “The King of Crooners”, among others?

3. Paris is known as the City of Lights. What city is known as the Eternal City?

4. Which of the following is not an event at this years summer Olympics?

1. BMX Bike
2. Croquet
3. Trampoline
4. Yachting

5. What TV program popularized the phrase “Book ’em, Danno”?

6. An alloy referred to as an “amalgam” must always contain which metal?

7. What does a farrier do?

8. “I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee” is part of the chorus of what popular folk song?

9. On this date in 1975, the Viking 1 Orbiter was launched. What planet was the final destination of the probe?

10. How long, to the nearest 30 seconds, does it take the light from the sun to reach the Earth?

Round 2 (49% correct)

1. In diner lingo, what is referred to when Rosie the waitress orders bullets?

2. What’s the name of the pitchman hawking Shamwow! on tv late at night?

3. Forty-nine years ago tomorrow, this state was admitted to the union as the 50th state.

4. For a point each, name the book and the author: “Howard Roark laughed.”

5. What does NASCAR stand for?

6. Name the U.S. president known for having a sign on his desk that said: “The Buck Stops Here.”

1. Dwight Eisenhower
2. Woodrow Wilson
3. Franklin Roosevelt
4. Harry Truman

7. Which country has hosted the summer Olympic games more than any other (with 4)?

8. In how many films did James Dean star in before his untimely death in 1955? Bonus points if you can name them

9. What is the name of the Dukes of Hazzards car?

10. What radio host are dittoheads fans of?

Round 3 (53% correct)

1. Keanu (as in Keanu Reeves) means “Cool Mountain Breeze” in what language?

2. Michael Phelps recently broke the record for most number of gold medals at one Olympics. He also holds the record for the most number of gold medals. What is that number?

3. We used to know it as Dutch Guiana. By what name is it known now?

4. Of the top mystery films as voted by AFI in their 10 top 10 list recently released, how many were by Alfred Hitchcock?

5. At what city did Bugs Bunny always belatedly realize, “I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at…”?

6. What anniversary is celebrated with a semisesquicentennial?

7. What railroad joined the Central Pacific at Promontory Point in Utah in 1869, completing America’s first transcontinental railroad?

1. Great Western
2. Union Pacific
3. Santa Fe
4. Baltimore & Ohio

8. If ‘little boys’ are made from ‘snips and snails and puppy-dogs tails’, what are ‘little girls’ made from?

9. What product was advertised as “a little dab’ll do ya”?

10. How many items are there in a ‘gross’?

Round 4 (50% correct)

1. When it comes to mortgages, what does ARM stand for?

2. What does the internet acronym IIRC mean?

3. What alcohol is added to pineapple juice and lime juice to make a Matador?

4. Which state leads the nation in the consumption of Spam, going so far that even McDonalds offers it on the menu?

5. What was the name of the balsa raft on which Thor Heyerdahl sailed from Peru to prove that Polynesia could have been settle by people from South America?

6. Who has a greater chance of dying? A 65-year-old man? or a 70-year-old woman

7. Which Food of the Gods is said to bestow immortality?

8. A deficiency in what vitamin causes rickets?

9. What does the Wiki in Wikipedia mean?

10. Which was the first space shuttle to be launched?

Answers:

August 13, 2008 – China syndrome

The theme word for this quiz was China

Round 1 (60% correct)

1. Including the sacred law of the pack, cub scouting borrows many of it’s themes from what Rudyard Kipling novel?

2. Which monument is the tallest?

1. The Statue of Liberty (including the base)
2. The Gateway Arch
3. The Washington Monument
4. The Space Needle

3. In the game of Monopoly, what are the ways you can get out of jail?

4. Tenochtitlan (ta-notch-tee-tlahn) was the capital of which civilization?

5. Who is the only Oscar to win an Oscar?

1. Oscar Peterson
2. Oscar de la Renta
3. Oscar Wilde
4. Oscar Hammerstein II

6. How many Troy ounces are in a pound of gold (a Troy pound)?

7. What country was known as the Khmer Republic from 1970 to 1975 and Kampuchea from 1976 to 1989?

8. In which sport did the U.S. win the first of it’s gold medals?

9. One of the earliest medical procedure, phlebotomy is the systematic removal of what?

10. Who was the 3rd country to send a man into space (after the US and USSR)?

Round 2 (40% correct)

1. What card game, played with only 24 cards, features a left and right bower?

2. True or false: Betsy Ross (of flag fame) has been memorialized in a Pez dispenser?

3. In what hobby would you purl?

4. August 14th is known as VJ Day. What does VJ stand for?

5. A favorite of Otto von Bismarck, what type of alcohol is poured on top of Guinness stout to make a Black Velvet?

6. There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and what?

7. Where does English rank in the 2005 estimates of the most spoken languages in the world?

8. In a stained glass window, which metal is traditionally used to separate the different pieces of glass?

9. For which U.S. President was the lake formed by the Grand Coulee Dam named?

1. Calvin Coolidge
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt
3. George Washington
4. Harry Truman

10. Mount Everest is on the border between what two countries?

Round 3 (52% correct)

1. What are nonmagical offspring of wizards called in the Harry Potter universe?

2. Which of the following is not one of the answers an official Magic 8-Ball can give?

1. The answer is uncertain
2. Better not tell you now
3. Cannot predict now
4. Reply hazy, try again

3. Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun describes what?

4. What is the second largest city in Iraq?

5. For what Glorious Nation did Borat make benefit for in the 2006 film?

6. Saturday marks the 120th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Edward Lawrence, whose life was chronicled in the autobiography Seven Pillars of Wisdom. By what name do we better know him as?

7. Who was “Everybody’s Favorite Game Show Host” on Sesame Street?

8. Which U.S. President has adorned the face of a U.S. coin for the longest time?

9. If a medical condition is pulmonary, what part of the body does it affect?

10. As of this morning, which country leads the 2008 Olympics in winning Gold medals?

Round 4 (82% correct)

1. What company makes the official NBA basketball?

1. Nike
2. Rawlings
3. Spalding
4. Wilson

2. Name the 4 original flavors of Jell-O

3. A sinophile has a strong interest in the culture of what country?

4. Which major Flintstone’s character was originally excluded from Bayer’s Flintstone Chewable Vitamins?

5. Which instrument traditionally plays the note that an orchestra tunes to?

6. What is the only word that the title character speaks in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”?

7. A parody of the cabbage patch dolls, what series of collectible cards featured characters such as Potty Scotty, Snotty Sarah, and Upchuck?

8. Which cartoon character made the phrase “I tawt I taw a puddy tat” famous?

9. What cow, with it’s distinctive black and white markings, is responsible for producing over 90% of the US milk supply?

10. For a point each, name the book and the author. “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”

Answers:

August 6, 2008 – Sailors delight

A tougher quiz than anticipated. These questions did tend to be a bit more esoteric than intended. Also, the audio round was harder than expected. I guess not every one grew up having to watch PBS…

Tonight’s theme word was Red.

Round 1 (47% correct)

1. A single dot in Morse Code represents what letter of the English alphabet?

2. Pregnant and nursing mothers should avoid eating fish such as Tuna due to high levels of what?

3. For a point each, name the book and the author: “Captain First Rank Marko Ramius of the Soviet Navy was dressed for the Arctic conditions normal to the Northern submarine base at Polyarnyy.”

4. Which of the following is not a nickname for one of Franz Joseph Haydn’s symphonies?

1. Philosopher
2. Russian
3. Surprise
4. Toy

5. Who undid the Gordian Knot, a feat said to await the future king of Asia?

6. How many schools in the Ivy League?

7. In what country is Monte Carlo located?

8. What injury led to Jamie Sommers becoming the Bionic Woman in the original 1970’s series?

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

10. Which Presidential candidate had a birthday on Monday?

Round 2 – The Olympics round! (50% correct)

1. Where were the first Olympic games held hosted by the United States.

2. Plus or minus 2 days, how many days are the 2008 Olympics scheduled to be held?

3. True or False: Pistol Dueling was once an Olympic sport?

4. What are the only two countries that have participated in every Modern Olympics?

5. What does the Olympic Motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” mean?

6. What 5 colors are represented in the Olympics flag?

7. Which modern Olympic event was created to simulate the experiences of a cavalry soldier stuck behind enemy lines?

8. How many gold medals did swimmer Mark Spitz win at the 1972 Olympics to set a record that still stands?

9. What was the first team sport added to the modern Olympics?

1. Basketball
2. Team handball
3. Volleyball
4. Water polo

10. Which country will march last in this years Olympic Opening Ceremony?

Round 3 – Audio round (35% correct). This week’s audio round was themes from BBC shows that have appeared on PBS. I’d play a portion of the theme, and the teams were to guess the name of the show. All of these shows have appeared on PBS at some time or another.

1. Fawlty Towers

2. Black Adder

3. Red Dwarf

4. Benny Hill

5. Blake’s Seven

6. Avengers

7. Monty Python’s Flying Circus

8. Foyle’s War

9. Eastenders

10. Doctor Who

11. Coupling

12. All Creatures Great and Small

Round 4 (33% correct)

1. What battleship was sunk in Havana, Cuba to start the Spanish-American War in 1898?

2. The Blue Angels are the Navy’s aerial demonstration team. What is the name of the Air Forces Air Demonstration Squadron?

3. Caving to pressure brought by schoolteachers and children, Crayola crayon changed the name of what color to Chestnut in 1999?

1. Burnt Sienna
2. Indian red
3. Clay red
4. Flesh

4. What does the letter ‘A’ stand for in the first novel in Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone detective series?

5. What is the address of the White House in Washington D.C.?

6. Which is longer? Tour de France or the Iditarod?

7. What country was formerly known as New Holland

8. What frontiersman was shot to death on August 2, 1876 in Deadwood, while holding the infamous “Dead Man’s” poker hand?

9. What was Don Diego De La Vega’s secret identity?

10. Which country was previously called Abyssinia?

Answers:

July 23, 2008 – Sweet as a peach

The theme for this quiz was Georgia.

Round 1 (76% correct)

1. What one city must a movie play in to be eligible for an Oscar?

2. In which city is the Sears Tower, which was the tallest in the world from 1974 until 1998?

3. True or false: In 1891, British seaman James Bartley survived 2 days in a whales stomach after being swallowed alive during a whale hunt, and then lived another 35 years to tell about it.

4. What does “CPR” stand for in medical emergencies?

5. Which of the following cereals is NOT produced by Post?

1. Alpha-Bits
2. Cap’n Crunch
3. Grape Nuts
4. Honeycomb

6. What unit of measure was once defined as the length of three grains of barley laid end to end?

7. What animated character spent his time trying to: “Get moose and squirrel”?

8. What landlocked country has managed to win the Americas cup twice?

9. During the civil war, Sherman’s March to the Sea began in Atlanta and ended with the capture of what port city?

10. What was the number of the mobile hospital unit on TV’s M*A*S*H?

Round 2 (41% correct)

1. Who said: “I’m the president of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli”?

2. Who was Pinocchio’s creator and father?

3. What is the current rate of inflation in Zimbabwe? +- 10%

4. What southeastern state was the last to return to the Union after the Civil War.

5. For what magazine did Hugh Hefner serve as circulation manager while he was raising money to launch Playboy?

1. Children’s Activities magazine
2. Mad magazine
3. National Geographic magazine
4. True Crime magazine

6. What does “SPF” mean on sunscreen containers?

7. What’s the only New England state without a seacoast?

8. Which of the five senses is sharpened by a radial keratotomy?

9. According to the Civil War era song of the same name, how will we all feel “when Johnny comes marching home again”?

10. The Scopes Monkey trial was completed on July 21, 1925 and John Scopes found guilty. How much was he fined?

Round 3 (53% correct)

1. What house is the second most visited American home in the United States–outdrawn only by the White House?

2. What cartoonist has had three insect species named after him?

3. What 20th-century conflict was dubbed the “forgotten war” despite 54,246 U.S. deaths?

4. In the Tour de France who wears the polka dot jersey?

5. The loose skin hanging from the neck of a chicken is known as a:

1. Comb
2. Wattle
3. Talon
4. Gizzard

6. For a point each, 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.”

7. How many Chance squares are there on a standard Monopoly board?

8. “She kissed the hairbrush / by mistake. She though it was / her husband Jake.” or “Within this vale / Of toil / And sin / Your head grows bald / But not your chin” are examples of the signs used to advertise what product?

9. What is the name of the strait that separates Vancouver Island from the rest of Canada

10. In what country did Disney open its first theme park on foreign soil in 1983?

Round 4 (64% correct)

1. What might “Loose Lips” do, according to a popular World War II slogan?

2. How did Batman disguise the lever that opened the secret panel hiding the bat slides he and Robin used to get to the bat cave?

3. What is the large pack of bike riders in a race such as the Tour de France called?

4. James Frey gained notoriety for finally admitting he fabricated sections of what 2003 memoir?

5. What southern city is famous for its “Beale Street Blues”?

6. In which city was the 1996 Olympics held?

7. What comic pair starred in such films as The Road to Morocco, The Road to Rio & The Road to Singapore?

8. What auto manufacturer introduced a luxury model known as the Imperial in 1926?

1. Chrysler
2. Lincoln
3. Studebaker
4. Cadillac

9. On the New York Stock Exchange, what company has the stock symbol BUD?

10. Who’s been Saturday Night Live’s most frequent host?

Answers:

July 16, 2008 – Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte

This weeks theme question was Charlotte.

Round 1 (53% correct)

1. In trapshooting, what word is traditionally yelled to call for a target?

2. Who was the first president to have his face on a one dollar coin?

3. In what city does the NFL’s Carolina Panthers play?

4. For which fake show did Rob Petrie write on the Dick Van Dyke Show?

5. What guest villain did Vincent Price portray on TV’s Batman?

1. A.Egghead
2. B.Bookworm
3. C.Mad Hatter
4. D.False Face

6. Beriberi is caused by a deficiency in what vitamin?

7. What is the name of the metal hoop through which your wooden balls must pass in a rousing good game of croquet?

8. The thoroughly discredited practice of studying the bumps and fissures on the skull to determine the personality traits of a person was known as what?

9. Who fought monsters including King Kong, Monster Zero, and the Smog Monster?

10. Whose political career was impacted by the death of Mary Jo Kopechne?

Round 2 (52% correct)

1. Name the 3 Bronte sisters, writers all, of the 1840’s and 1850’s.

2. In Iran, under Islamic law, the majority of men and women condemned to die by stoning have committed what crime?

3. What is the name of Dennis the Menace’s dog?

4. What does a funambulist do?

1. Collect Stamps
2. Edit Trivia Quizzes
3. Tightrope Walker
4. Operate carnival rides

5. For better or worse, the nuclear age was born on this day in 1945 when the first atomic bomb was detonated at what site in the New Mexico desert?

6. In 1954, Roger Bannister became the first person to do what in under 4 minutes?

7. What are kept in an apiary?

8. The HD-DVD format wars were fought between Toshiba and whom?

9. What was the name of the legendary city of gold, which inspired the Spanish conquest of South and Central America?

10. What country spans a record 11 time zones?

Round 3 (73% correct)

1. Who was the famous widow of the oil billionaire J Howard Marshall?

2. What does an anemometer measure?

3. What ingredient is added to wine to make port?

4. Which of the following has not been voted People Magazines Sexiest Man Alive?

1. Brad Pitt
2. Nick Nolte
3. Bruce Willis
4. Sean Connery

5. What was Bob Marley’s backing band called?

6. As of the year 2000, this E.B. White book was the best selling children’s paperback book of all times.

7. For a point each name the book (and the author) “The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day.”

8. To the delight of children everywhere, this amusement park was opened on this day in 1955 in Anaheim, CA.

9. If being illiterate is being unable to understand written words, what is an innumerate person unable to understand?

10. Named for the then Secretary of State, what plan did the US initiate in 1947 to rebuild Europe?

Round 4 (55% correct)

1. On this date in 1969, the first manned space mission to the moon was launched. Aboard what rocket did the astronauts ride?

2. Who was Lord Greystoke?

3. Actor William Hartnell was the first to portray this doctor?

4. Meaning The Truth in Russian, what was the name of the state newspaper of the Soviet Union?

5. Dayana Mendoza of which South American country was crowned Miss Universe 2008?

1. Brazil
2. Chile
3. Peru
4. Venezuela

6. The running of the bulls is a week long festival in what Spanish town?

7. Which metal is extracted from Bauxite?

8. Of the 4 female leads on Sex and the City, who is the only one to have been married more than once?

9. Who rules in an ochlocracy?

10. A standard billiards table is 9 feet long. How wide is it?

Answers

July 9, 2008 – Movin’ on up

This quiz introduced the idea of having a word repeated in at least one answer in every round. A bonus point was offered at the end of the quiz for anyone who could remember the word. For this round, that word was… Jefferson

Round 1 (58% correct)

1. Architect of the Red Scare, Senator Joseph McCarthy represented what state?

2. The pregnant man in Bend, Or, Thomas Beatie , recently gave birth. Did he have a boy? or a girl?

3. In Iraq, are there more Sunni Muslims or more Shiite Muslims?

4. Judge Roy Bean loved to refer to himself as “the law west of …” what river?

1. the Mississippi
2. the Pecos
3. the Rio Grande
4. the Colorado

5. Supreme Court justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Stephen Bryer were appointed during what president’s term?

6. If someone’s job description describes them as a roughneck, on what do they work?

7. If I’ve just committed Mariticide, whom have I killed?

8. What product was Michael Jackson filming a commercial for when he suffered 2nd degree burns on his head after his hair caught fire?

9. What NFL city calls itself Titletown, USA?

10. What singer was affectionately known as Old Blue Eyes?

Round 2 (45% correct)

1. Who was the first president to have his face on a one dollar coin?

2. In 1954, Roger Bannister became the first person to do what in under 4 minutes?

3. Name the 4 presidents depicted on Mount Rushmore

4. Who was the famous widow of the oil billionaire J Howard Marshall?

5. Actor William Hartnell was the first to portray this doctor?

6. Whose political career was impacted by the death of Mary Jo Kopechne?

7. A standard billiards table is 9 feet long. How wide is it?

8. Which of the following cereals is NOT produced by Post?

1. Alpha-Bits
2. Cap’n Crunch
3. Grape Nuts
4. Honeycomb

9. What country spans a record 11 time zones?

10. Named for the Secretary of State, what plan did the US initiate in 1947 to rebuild Europe?

Round 3 – Audio round (64% correct)

For this round, a portion of the following tv show themes were played for the teams to identify

1. Moonlighting

2. MacGyver

3. Dallas

4. Greatest American Hero

5 – The Jeffersons

6. Newhart

7. Magnum PI

8. Knots Landing

9. Dynasty

10. Growing Pains

Round 4 (31% correct)

1. A rabbit punch is a blow to what part of the body?

1. Kidney
2. Groin
3. Stomach
4. Neck

2. Who was the 3rd president of the US?

3. Name the book (and the author): “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

4. What rank did Elvis Presley hold when he was discharged from the army in 1960?

5. Which actress, singer, dancer and #1 World War II pin-up girl had her legs insured for $1,000,000 each?

6. 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?

7. If a cow is bovine and a cat is feline, what is a fox?

8. What superhero, who spent his life disguised as a humble shoeshine boy, was secretly in love with Sweet Polly Purebread?

9. In books, what does ISBN stand for?

10. What is the edition of a morning newspaper published the night before called?

Answers:

June 25, 2008

Round 1 (58% correct)

1. What band is playing music for nickels in Creedence Clearwater Revival’s hit “Down on the Corner”?

2. What Panamanian strong man was overthrown by Operation Just Cause in 1983?

3. First introduced in Whiz Comics #2 in 1939, which superhero who used the secret identity Billy Batson?

4. In the world of personal fashion, what are Madonnas, Madisons, Monroes, Christinas and Prince Alberts?

5. In the Peanuts comic strip, what does Charlie Brown’s father do for a living?

1. Barber
2. Teacher
3. Grocer
4. Plumber

6. In The Planets Suite by Gustav Holst, which of the eight planets of the solar system was represented by a piece called The Mystic?

7. Sherpas and Ghurkas are native to which country?

8. What two Caribbean nations occupy the second largest island in the Antilles, Hispanola?

9. Who stood against Bill Clinton for the 1996 election cycle?

10. Which book begins: “Where’s Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.”

Round 2 (60% correct)

1. When George Carlin pulled out his seven dirty words on stage in 1972, in which Midwest city was he arrested (and subsequently acquitted) on obscenity charges?

1. Chicago
2. Detroit
3. Milwaukee
4. Minneapolis

2. If a trio has three member, a quartet 4, and a septet five, what do you call a group with 9 members?

3. What is the minimum age one must be to be eligible to be elected President?

4. On this day in 1975, Mozambique gained it’s independence from what European country?

5. Name the movie: “He’s not the Messiah. He’s a very naughty boy!”

6. How many dots are used in each letter in the Braille system?

7. Name the 2 non profits founded by Jesse Jackson

8. What actor did a few one-armed push-ups when accepting his Best Supporting Actor Oscar?

1. Kirk Douglas
2. Jack Palance
3. Tommy Lee Jones
4. Harvey Keitel

9. In which town did the gunfight at the OK Corral take place?

10. In honor of George Orwell’s birthday (born today in 1903), who is the main character of the novel “1984”?

Round 3 (60% correct)

1. What does the phrase “Five finger discount” refer to?

2. Which extinct relative of the elephant had varieties including Woolly, Pygmy, Jeffersonian, and Imperial?

3. What publishing sweepstakes company employed Ed McMahon as its’ spokesperson?

4. Operating from April 1860 to October 1861, its’ name was “The Central Overland California & Pike’s Peak Express Company”. By what name is it more commonly known as?

5. What is the shoemakers model of the human foot called?

6. Which was discovered (and named) first? Uranus? Or Uranium?

7. What classic children’s novel features a two-headed creature called a pushmi-pullyu?

1. Pippi Longstocking
2. The Wizard of Oz
3. Alice in Wonderland
4. Dr. Dolittle

8. The charity March of Dimes was founded to raise money to combat what disease?

9. Who led the mutiny on HMS Bounty?

10. If I’ve committed Sororicide, whom have I killed?

Round 4 (81% correct)

1. What was the name of the ranch that was home to the Cartwright family?

2. In which organ of the body is insulin produced?

3. Name the members of the Rat Pack.

4. What number does Tommy Tutone dial to reach Jenny?

5. As of 2005, what country leads the world in green coffee production?

1. Colombia
2. Ethiopia
3. Brazil
4. Mexico

6. In the Barry Manilow song “Copacabana”, who was the Show Girl?

7. Meaning Lightning War, what combined armed tactic did the Germans employ to great success to start World War II?

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

9. Patented by it’s inventor in 1916, what type of bed folds from the wall?

10. What was the name of Fred Flintstone’s boss?

Answers

June 18, 2008

Round 1 (63% correct)

1. In the “Odd ways to die” category, true or false, 21 people were killed in Boston in January 1919, by a wave of free running molasses?

2. Which of the following was NOT a catch-phrase of Maxwell Smart on TV’s Get Smart!?

1. Sorry about that, Chief.
2. Missed me by *that* much!
3. …and loving it!
4. 4:59, almost quitting time!

3. In boxing, what does TKO stand for?

4. According to The Sound of Music, which is the first of “My Favorite Things”?

5. Popular a s a vacation spot, which islands in the Atlantic Ocean were named after dogs?

6. Who was the actor that played Robin opposite Adam West on the 1960’s Batman series?

7. What are America’s only moving National Historic landmarks?

8. According to a study just released, Seattle’s traffic ranked in the top 10 in terms of congestion. Where exactly did it rank?

9. How many books in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy?

10. According to the 1973 motion picture, what was “Soylent Green”?

Round 2 (83% correct)

1. What was the number of Maxwell Smart’s love interest in the original Get Smart!?

2. On the Brady Bunch, what was the name of Alice’s boyfriend and what did he do for a living?

3. In blackjack, what is a tie between the player and the dealer called?

4. For a point each, who penned The Communist Manifesto?

5. What 2 days of the year have no scheduled professional sports games?

6. What color is the semi-precious stone, lapis lazuli?

7. What is the name of the funeral home that is central to HBO’s hit series “Six Feet Under”?

1. Eternal Rest
2. Fisher & Sons
3. Greenwood Lawn
4. Shady Pines

8. What device did Max often demand to use to have secret communications with the Chief, in spite of the fact that it never worked?

9. On this day in 1983, she became the first American woman in space?

10. Running continuously since November 6th, 1947, what is the longest running television show in worldwide broadcasting history?

Round 3 (63% correct)

1. The Thousand Islands (for which the salad dressing is named) are located in what body of water?

1. St. Lawrence River
2. Lake Ontario
3. Niagara River
4. Long Island Sound

2. Brass is an alloy of what 2 metals?

3. According to former CEO Charles Wilson, “What’s good for the country is good for this company, and vice versa

4. On the Simpsons, what is the name of the rival town that Springfield loves to hate?

5. Popular as a vacation spot, which islands in the Atlantic ocean were named after dogs?

6. Where is Max Smart’s main secret telephone hidden?

7. What color are Viagra tablets?

8. Which Native American attacked George Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn?

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

10. Jessica Simpson recently raised the ire of PETA, who denounced her as a stupid girl, by wearing a t-shirt that said what?

Round 4 (62% correct)

1. What was the name of the cruise ship seized by hijackers in the Mediterranean in 1985, resulting in the death of American Leon Klinghoffer?

2. Who rides in the Mystery Machine along with Scooby-Doo? (And no including Scrappy!)

3. What city is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the McKinley National Memorial, the William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, and the First Ladies National Historic Site?

4. With what song did ABBA win the 1974 Eurovision competition, launching them on their way to stardom?

5. What European country is also known as the Hellenic republic?

6. What fell on Chicken Little’s head, causing him to believe the sky was falling?

7. What organization does Maxwell Smart work for?

8. Born Eric Arthur Blair, this author’s work includes the semi-autobiographical work Down and Out in Paris and London?

9. In the nursery rhyme “The Farmer in the Dell,” what does the child take?

1. A Nurse
2. The Cat
3. A Book
4. His Time

10. Name the movie: “They’re six-year olds. How much trouble can they be? On second thoughts, take the gun.”

Answers

June 11, 2008

Round 1

1. Which famous bodybuilder advertised his ability to transform a “97 pound weakling” into a muscle man?

2. True or False: Actor Adam West (of Batman fame) is the son of actress Mae West?

3. Which of the following is NOT a toy that has appeared in the Pixar Toy Story series of movies?

1. Mrs. Potato Head
2. Sit and Spin
3. Magic Eight Ball
4. Barrel of Monkeys

4. What was the oil tanker which ran aground on Bligh Reef in 1989, spilling crude oil into Prince William Sound, off the south coast of Alaska?

5. Which bird was believed to hold the souls of drowned sailors?

6. What volcano was responsible for burying Pompeii

7. On this date in 1963, this governor of Alabama stood in the doorway a the University of Alabama auditorium in an attempt to stop desegregation?

8. What English author lived in the Jamaican estate Goldeneye?

9. Why was the 1989 World Series between the Oakland As and San Francisco Giants cancelled?

10. Which liqueur is mixed with scotch whiskey to make a Rusty Nail cocktail?

Round 2

1. The Shriners are an offshoot of what secretive fraternal organization?

2. Which franchise has spawned more offshoots? Law and Order? Or CSI?

3. Jazz musician Jelly Roll Morton played which instrument?

1. Saxophone
2. Clarinet
3. Piano
4. Guitar

4. Along what fault line did the 1989 San Francisco earthquake occur?

5. Which tropic is north of the equator? Tropic of Cancer? or Tropic of Capricorn?

6. Which band will be featured in the next version of Guitar Hero, slated for release on June 29?

7. We’ve all heard the prank of calling a store to ask the clerk if he has “Prince Albert in a can”. What type of product is Prince Albert?

8. What former speechwriter hosted a game show where you could win his money?

9. Ricardo Montalban used to extol the comfort of fine Corinthian leather when advertising what Chrysler car?

10. Abraham Lincoln was president of the Union during the civil war – who was the president of the Confederate States?

Round 3

1. According to the Greeks, who stole fire and gave it to the mortals?

2. As of April, 2008, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, what is the total amount of money raised and spent by all the candidates for president?

1. 150 million
2. 550 million
3. 750 million
4. 950 million

3. The CIA was the successor to the OSS. Who was the successor to the OGPU?

4. Traditionally, a deck of how many cards is used when playing Euchre?

5. How many stars are there on the Chinese flag?

6. What color of a single rainbow is on the inside of the rainbow’s arc, given the generally defined seven-color rainbow?

7. If I’m riding in a houdah, on what animal am I seated?

8. What is the cost of a first class stamp?

9. What is Prince Charles’ last name?

10. What do the 4 H’s in 4-H stand for?

Round 4

1. How many balls are rolled in a perfect game in bowling?

2. What is the name of the musical based on the songs of ABBA?

3. How long was the Skipper expecting to be out?

4. The sale of which company’s stock got Martha Stewart sent to jail?

5. Which TV network was “Proud as a Peacock”?

6. What is the offspring of a male lion and a tigress called?

7. What is the name of the family doctor in The Simpsons cartoon show?

8. What company was the first to sell prepared baby food in glass jars?

1. Gerber
2. Heinz
3. Beech Nut
4. Carnation

9. Barak Obama, the apparent Democratic presidential nominee, was born in which state?

10. What was the shape of the original Chia pet?

Answers

May 21, 2008

Round 1 (48% correct)

1. What is the longest running theatrical movie release of all times?

2. Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness this year, moving him one race away from winning the Triple Crown. What was the last year when a horse won the triple crown (horse was Affirmed)?

3. On which river is Niagara Falls?

4. From which sit-com was Mork and Mindy a spin off?

5. L Ron Hubbard was the founder of which organization/cult?

6. We know it as Myanmar today. By what name was it known before 1989?

7. Who is the most famous character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs?

8. Who was Captain America’s sidekick during World War II?

1. Flag Boy
2. Union Jack
3. Bucky
4. Sergeant Slaughter

9. On this date in 1927, Charles Lindbergh became the first pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Where did he land?

10. Exactly 5 years to the day later, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

Round 2 (38% correct)

1. What became the first state admitted to the union after the original 13 colonies?

2. Ray Harroun won the first Indianapolis 5000 in 1911. What was his average speed?

1. 12.8 MPH
2. 25.4 MPH
3. 53.8 MPH
4. 74.6 MPH

3. Which country revolted against its communist government and soviet alliance in October 1956, resulting in occupation by Soviet tanks?

4. Established by the Spanish in 1565, what is America’s oldest continuously inhabited city?

5. What was Lucy’s last name on I Love Lucy?

6. Which drink, made from mint, bourbon, sugar and water, is traditionally served at the Kentucky derby?

7. As Dorothy taps her heels together 3 times and prepares to return to Kansas at the end of “The Wizard of Oz” what does she repeatedly say?

8. For what annual competition are cub scouts given a block of wood, 4 wheels and 4 nails?

9. Inventor Robert Fulton was best known for inventing what?

10. At a duration of less than 45 minutes, this 1896 war between Great Britain and this African island nation in 1896 is the short war in recorded history.

Round 3 (47% correct)

1. The ESRB provides ratings for what?

2. In `The Scarlet Letter,` what was the Scarlet Letter and what did it stand for?

3. What is the name of the family in the TV series Married with Children?

4. Which of Marge’s sisters has the hots for Edna Krabappel?

5. The first census of 1790 showed a population of what?

1. 800,000
2. 3.9 million
3. 13.5 million
4. 25.7 million
5. 50.5 million

6. The phrase ‘Big Five’ refers to which five African animals said to be most dangerous to hunt?

7. An obsession with which actress lead John Hinkley to think assassinating Ronald Reagan would be a good idea…

8. Which series of books tell the story of Precious Ramotswe, a Botswana woman who becomes a private detective to help others and to make Botswana a better place?

9. Oil is measured and sold in barrels. How many gallons in a barrel of oil?

10. The longest river in the world is the Nile. The second longest is the Amazon. The third longest is what?

Round 4 (37% correct)

1. What is the common name of the warning police officers give to arrestees that include phrases such as “You have the right to remain silent” and ” You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning.”?

2. A sesquicentennial celebrates how many years?

3. What pseudonym is used by motion picture directors who wish to be disassociated from a completed film?

4. Who was the creative force behind the Star Trek series?

5. According to historic traditions if witches ride broomsticks, what do warlocks ride?

6. Which companies advertises it “gets the red out”?

7. During this week in 1940, the evacuation of 340,000 allied troops, known as Operation Dynamo, was accomplished from what French port city?

8. Many scientists believe the continents once formed a single land mass called what?

9. According to UNESCO, who is the world’s most translated individual author?

1. Shakespeare
2. Agatha Christie
3. Ernest Hemingway
4. John Grisham

10. Speaking of UNESCO, what does it stand for?

Answers