December 23, 2008 question

Most of your guesses reflect Al Gore's global warming projections (except for one guess that was somewhere around absolute zero). But Trevor definitely was very warm with his uber-frigid guess of -121 degrees, which is not a lot toastier than the correct answer of -128.6.

I will make no attempt at a segue between that and the next topic: fat free half & half. I have no idea what possessed me to do so, but I accidentally grabbed a quart of fat free half & half out of the refrigerator of my local grocer. My wife took great pleasure in pointing out that I had made a fat-free selection, something I never consciously do. Seriously. I don't even like fat free vegetables. But the idea of freeing the fat from something that is half milk (the lower fat half) and half cream (the luscious, flavorful, tubby half) just made no sense. Then I looked at the label, which leads me to today's question:

Fat free half & half is half skim milk and half what*?

(Contains less than 2% of a bunch of negligible ingredients)

December 22, 2008 question

Remember me? The last time we met I was asking you about shoes, and the answer was Asics. Only Steve J (the J stands for JELENK, GTO, And Onitsuka Were Just Meant To Be Together) knew that. Congratulations on making the most advanced trivia seem asic.

Okay, that wasn't even funny. You know what else isn't funny? This cold. It's been below zero (yes, Fahrenheit, Elena) for the last 36 hours or so. But it's not Antarctica cold. The question for you all is . . . what is Antarctica cold. Here's the question:

What is the lowest (natural) temperature recorded on this planet (at Vostok Station in 1983)?

December 15, 2008 question

It took me awhile, but the count is in . . . four of the last eight Illinois governors have faced federal charges for their misconduct, although some of them didn't face the music until after they were done governing. Here's who knew that Illinois is literally half bad:

Heather M (the M stands for Murder Is Justifiable)
Cindy
Heidi
Nancy K (the K stands for Kidnapping My Children At Your Own Peril)
Steve J (the J stands for Jaywalking Should Be Punishable By Taser)

Now on to today's news. An Iraqi journalist threw both his shoes at George W. Bush, and it wasn't in the generous spirit of Ghandi or anything. He was throwing shoes at the president of the United States. W handled it by joking . . . he should have flown off the handle. What happened to Don't Mess with Texas?

Yikes. Here's today's question:

What shoe company was formed when Onitsuka, GTO, and JELENK merged in 1977?

December 10, 2008 question

Rod Blagojevich was apparently doing everything wrong. The allegations of corruption run the gamut from auctioning the congressional seat vacated by the president elect to manipulating the sale of the Cubbies. Some FBI charges still sealed by federal order are rumored to accuse the Illinois governor of making the weather really suck lately. Tom Skilling was seen being questioned by federal investigators.

Bring on those Olympics. If the IOC thought their corruption wouldn't be welcome in Chicago, they were so wrong. Here's today's question:

Of the last 8 governors of Illinois, how many have NOT faced criminal federal charges?

And here's who knew that McCain was born in Panama:

Steven F (the F stands for Fanny Flip)
Larry
Charles
Karen H (the H stands for How 'Bout That Canal?)
Heather M (the M stands for Made In The USA)
Karen M (the M stands for Maybe Governors Aren't Always The Best Presidential Candidates)
Steve J (the J stands for Jumping Jehoshaphat)
Frislem
Rick
Van H (the H stands for Halen)

Congrats. For reals.

December 9, 2008 question

"Guantanamera" is the song in question about a girl from Guantanamo. Perhaps you remember it better from the SNL episode hosted by Patrick Swayze, who sung it as, "One Ton of Fan Mail." As it is, only H. E. (the H E stands for Hilarity Ensues) knew the answer. He knew the answer, I tell you know, I say, He knew the answer. And nobody else did . . . say Guantanamera.

And now we move on to the Supreme Court's dismissal of the case calling into question the natural-born citizenship of Barack Obama. Before we get to the trivial twist, I just have to say . . . the natural-born citizen qualification to be President of the United States is quite possibly the stupidest law this country has ever passed. Who the franny flip cares where you came out? If you are a citizen of the United States, you are a citizen of the United States. The Constitution is a fine document, but the founding fathers were temporarily on crack when they introduced that pearl of presidential putrescence. It is quintessential idiocy to isolate geographical location at the time of extraction from the birth canal as a stipulation of presidential eligibility. Neo-Nazis from New Zealand can have quintuplets while summering in Maine, all of whom can conceivably become president of the United States while an American military family who give birth to a daughter at a base in Hong Kong need a congressional injunction to grant their child citizenship of the natural-born kind? Pre. Pos. Ter. Ous.

And here's the twist: that case against Obama's citizenship also called into question the legality of John McCain's candidacy on the same grounds. Here's today's question:

In what country was former presidential hopeful John McCain born?

December 8, 2008 question

I love that the liberals are agitated about Obama's cabinet selections. I would say his biggest critics are the bloggers who secretly expected him to pick them to run America. Hellooooo . . . that's Dunkin's job. Here's today's question:

What popular song, penned in 1929, is all about a girl from Gitmo?

Oh, and here's who knew "Sleigh Ride," the answer to the last question I asked  . . . three weeks or so ago, it seems:

Frislem
Paul K (the K stands for Kilroy, No Wait, Leroy Was Here)
Nancy K (the K stands for King Wenceslas)
Robbie
H. E. (the H E stands for Happy Eating)
Jacqueline
Steve J (the J stands for Jingling, Ring Ting Tingling, Too)
Karen H (the H stands for Heck Yeah, I'll Be There On The Thirteenth)
Nancy K (the K stands for Knows All)
Norris

Belated congrats to the lot of you!

December 3, 2008 question

The Dems don't have a supermajority. Now we can filibuster . . . yay!

I won't, though. Promise. Here's who knew that A&W stands for Allen and Wright:

Kyle and Steven F (the F stands for Frothy Brew)

Way to know your roots, your beers, your initials, and all things brown and orange! Now here's today's question:

What Christmas song did Leroy Anderson make famous (although we'll judge by your responses whether it made him famous)?

December 1, 2008 question

No way is it December. No way. Seriously. I'm tempted to make this today's trivia question: "Is it December?" I would give credit to all who answered, "No way."

Last week, before the stuffing and the eating and the shopping and the terrible football, I asked how many spin-offs were born from All in the Family, and Mike and Nancy K (the K stands for Kids All Named Meathead) came the closest with their guess of five, all of which they named. There were actually seven:

Maude (featuring Maude), The Jeffersons (featuring George and Weezie), Archie Bunker's Place (featuring Archie), Gloria (featuring Gloria), 704 Hauser (featuring the Bunkers' house with new residents), Good Times (featuring Florida), and Checking In (featuring Florence).

I have to give special credit to Frislem, who said that Fresh Prince of Bel Air was a spin-off, since the Jeffersons wound up buying the Banks' house on the last episode. Excellent creativity.

Now, here's today's question, brought to you by my son, who asks:

What does A&W stand for?

November 25, 2008 question

This year, someone, somewhere is hurting. They're about to lose their home, and you can help . . . yourself! Take advantage of the bad economy, and act now!!!!

Home prices have fallen back four years in the last three months. That's faster than . . . it's faster than Dorothy's house came down in Oz--and just ask the Wicked Witch of the East, that was plenty fast. So . . . this is a rotten time to sell a house. But if you don't own a house, and you're about to move, rent an apartment, renew your lease, or make any other living decision that does not include buying a house . . . BUY A HOUSE! Do it now!

The winter is an excellent time to buy a house, because it's naturally a slow-selling market to begin with. But an economic winter is an even better time to buy. It is not entirely unlikely that you can buy a house for less per month than what you're about to pay in rent. So do it! Now! If you're wondering what to get your co-worker for Christmas . . . buy her a house! Seriously, it's worth a shot. At least take a look. There's no reason for us all to suffer! Okay, here's who knew that Garfield creator Jim Davis is the man behind the fur balls at Paws, Inc.:

Karen M (the M stands for Mondays Stink)
Karen H (the H stands for Hair Ball)
Neil
Kyle
Nancy K (the K stands for K-9 Hater)
Heidi

And here's today's spinoff question:

How many television series spun off of All in the Family (or spun off of its spin-offs)?

Bonus points if you can name them.

November 24, 2008 question

Fear not, trivia nation, no matter how bad the economic crisis may get, we will never run out of Mondays. How's that for looking on the bright side, huh?

Here's today's question:

The artist of what comic strip founded the company Paws, Inc.?

And here's who knew that tunnel connects Italy and Switzerland:

Charles
Karen M (the M stands for Munich Is Not In Switzerland)
Karen H (the H stands for Hopes The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Isn't A Supernova)

Great job, all of you. Or at least, the three of you.

November 21, 2008 question

It's hard to believe it's been more than 100 years since Einstein proposed his theory of relativity, the equation everybody knows and no one understands . . . until now. A team of scientists professes to have proven the groundbreaking theorem using a massive block of supercomputers and a fun little game they call chromodynamics. I don't pretend to understand it any more than I understand the economy, but as the Internets have explained it to me, only 5% of the mass of an atom comes from the actual particles that comprise its structure. The other 95% of the perceived mass comes from the energy that binds the subatomic particles together. Einstein's theory proposed that energy and mass were equivalent and somehow interchangeable (correct me if I'm wrong, please). People have bought the idea for a long time, but now it's undisputed, signed, sealed, delivered . . . it's yours.

I always wondered about this. I was taught that if an atom was enlarged to the size of a football field, the nucleus would be the size of a flea resting at the 50-yard line. I never understood how there could be that much empty space between the center of an atom and the electrons circling it. By that rationale, most of what we call solid matter would, in fact, be . . . nothing. But according to Einstein's theory and the ramifications of what I'm reading, as pathetically as I understand it, we are more energy than matter . . . more soul than substance, if you will. If the metaphysical implications don't get your brain working and wondering about the nature of our existence and the faultiness of humanistic and naturalistic thought, then I don't know what will. And doesn't the nerd in you wonder how long it can be, now that Einstein has been proved right, before George Lucas's theory of midichloreans is proved right as well?

FOR THOSE OF YOU SCROLLING DOWN PAST THE NONSENSE, STOP HERE. :)

Here's today's question:

What two countries are connected by the Simplon Tunnel that runs through the Alps?

And here's who knew that a barrel of oil is 42 gallons:

Karen M (the M stands for Me And Only Me)

Congrats!!

November 20, 2008 question

It's not too early to start Christmas shopping--no one waits until after Thanksgiving anymore. And here's the perfect idea for a stocking stuffer: a barrel of oil. Yup, you can get one for under $50 if you know where to shop. Nothing says, "I love you," quite like a hearty barrel filled to the brim with thick & rich light sweet crude. It's the lowest price in over three years!

So . . . yeah. Here's today's question:

According to standard U.S. measurement, a barrel of oil is equal to how many gallons?

And here's who knew that Bernie's employees walked his carcass around all weekend:

Jessie
Julia
Charles
Frislem
Paul C (the C stands for Carcass Walks On The Beach)
Karen M (the M stands for Mortician Fun)
Kyle
Mike K (the K stands for Knows It Because He Loves It)

Yeah. It's a proud day for you.

November 19, 2008 question

There have been reports circulating that the hunt for Osama bin Laden is going to require a seance. Some people believe that his beard appears dyed in his latest video. Now, I don't know if the originators of such rumors got the word dyed confused with died or if they just thought that a living, breathing Osama would never dye his beard. But something tells me, the hunt will continue without the use of a medium . . . a shovel, maybe, but not a medium. Okay, here's today's question:

In the movie, Weekend at Bernie's, the lead characters Richard and Larry are Bernie's:

A) Employees
B) Friends
C) Nephews
D) Sons
E) Students

Yes, that's right, another question you all hope you don't know. Here's who did know that the word of the day in our last question was a poisonous tree:

Amy, Diannalee, Stephanie, Charles, Frislem, Karen H (the H stands for Hot Apple Pies From McDonald's Can Also Kill You).

You rule.

November 17, 2008 question

A few rhetorical questions before we get to the real one:

If a tree falls in the forest, and no one's around to hear it, does it really make a sound?
If a UPS truck runs over the dry-erase-board guy from the commercials, and no one's around to see it, would that really be so bad?
If the aforementioned unpleasantness happened in a busy street, and nobody did anything to help him, would the surrounding passersby be any less guilty than the neighboring trees that stood idly by while their forestial friend turned to timber?

Oh, and a long overdue shout out to Charles, Frislem, Melinda, and Karen H (the H stands for How Can You Not Love The UPS Guy?) all knew that Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin. Although it was his wife who discovered it was really good on Salami. Okay, here's today's question:

What is a Manchineel?

A) An electrically charged water snake
B) A line of plush monkey-like toys made in the Philippines
C) A poisonous tree with fruit resembling apples
D) A member of the failed Cuban revolutionary group, headed by Fidel Castro, that staged a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks in 1953
E) A made-up word meant to mess with you on a Monday

November 13, 2008 question

No one has a germier workspace than teachers. The guy who discovered penicillin worked with fewer germs. Seriously. Schools are germ factories, which is the single biggest proponent for public schooling over home schooling. People who home school are depriving their children of the education of immunization. It's like boot camp for germ fighting. Makes 'em tough. Puts hair on their chest. Prepares them to face any disease known to man. Studies have shown that 9 out of 10 patients afflicted with rare or undiagnosed diseases were home schooled as children. It's true.

I mean, it's not. But it could be. Here's who knew: Melinda, Heidi, and Nancy K (the K stands for Knows Firsthand).

You've probably already guessed what today's question is, even if you don't know the answer. Here it is:

Who discovered penicillin? 

November 12, 2008 question

It's Veterans Day. I mean, it's not today, but that's how you spell it, and here's who knew:

Elena
Charles
Melinda
Maridee
Kyle
Jocelyn
Steve J (the J stands for Just Thinks Apostrophes Should Stay Out Of The Military)
Frislem

I'm so proud to be a Trivialite alongside all of you. Now, on to more icky things. Here's today's question:

People from what profession sit at the germiest workspaces of all, according to a University of Arizona study revealing that these people work among six times more germs than do people in any other category?

November 11, 2008 question

Just saw Greta VanWhatserface interview Sarah Palin and was a little disgusted to see over 5 minutes spent on clothes. Then the next 5 minutes were spent on her knowledge of 5th grade Social Studies. It seemed incredibly ironic to me that a journalist for Fox News--or anyone in cable news for that matter-- would be questioning Sarah Palin about why ridiculous stories become overblown in the media as a gigantic BREAKING NEWS: GOV PALIN SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT graphic gets plastered on the screen. Gee, I don't know, why has the media become so sensationalist? Tune in for our exclusive, life-or-death, no-holds-barred investigative report uncovering the most shocking details in this devastatingly destructive trend in popular culture--DON'T GO AWAY!!!

So I propose a boycott of all electronic news outlets. Read your newspaper in the morning, throw it away, and get on with your day. Who's with me?!? No one? Okay. Here's today's question:

What spelling of today's holiday is correct and officially recognized by the U.S. government:

A) Veteran's Day
B) Veterans' Day
C) Veterans Day
D) None of the Above
E) All of the Above

Oh, and I mustn't forget Thursday's champ, Karen M (the M stands for Massachusetts) for knowing the commonwealth's first governor was John Hancock (I would have also accepted Herbie Hancock). Woo hoo to you!

November 6, 2008 question

MSNBC has yet to declare a winner in North Carolina in the presidential race. Obama leads by a mere 14,053 votes, with all precincts reporting. That's only a 0.3% edge, and since the ballots are being counted by Doug the dyslexic Democrat and Rita the rolling-eyed Republican, a final verdict isn't expected anytime soon. Over at CNN, by the way, the juries are still out in Missouri as well . . . Show Me my eye.

Anyway, the only person who knew was Heather M (the M stands for Maybe It Helped That I Live In North Carolina, Maybe It Didn't). Congrats!

Now I'll just get to the question. Here you go:

Who was the first governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts?

November 5, 2008 question

Last night, we witnessed the beginning of a new era, something I never thought would be possible in my lifetime. Last night was a landmark, a watershed, a milestone . . . I can't find the words.

Last night our country rose up as one and decided that we were no longer going to accept the mistakes of our past as the inevitability of our future. Last night we spoke in one voice, "Never again will we bow to at the altar of pretense and mindless tradition." Last night, America spoke, and the verdict rang loud and clear as the Liberty Bell . . . before it cracked. Last night we declared, perhaps for the first time, as the United States of America:

We will not use the words "an historic" ever again. Yes, that's right. Tears were rolling down my eyes as I heard commentator after commentator, pundit after pundit, leader after leader loudly and proudly saying phrases like, "a historic moment," "a historic achievement," and "a historic event" again and again. The most pretentious, inexplicable little n in all of English usage has fallen off the map for good. I believe that America has decided it is time for change. Our united voice has said with unprecedented clarity that "an historic" is a stupid, stupid phrase.

It is a historic moment in the world of grammar, and I, for one, am overcome with joy. But let us remain vigilant. If you hear someone saying the "an" word in what should be a historic context, don't let their articlely incorrect speech go unchecked. Pounce. Lash out. Glare. Glower. Tsk. Tell them, "It's a new day, buster. We say, 'a historic,' now!" Then turn on your heel and march off in a grammatically superior huff.

Oh, and yesterday, the answer was Obama. Don't worry, I checked Google before I asked the question. Today, there are about 50 million additional Obama results, but it was Obama in a landslide yesterday morning anyway. Here's who knew (or defied the urge to suspect me of tricking them):

Jessie
Charles
Steve T (the T stands for Tsk)
Paul C (the C stands for Change We Can Spell)
Jocelyn
Heidi
Maridee

As for today's question, here it is:

According to MSNBC dot com (as of 9:30 am, ET), what is the only state yet to be declared for either candidate in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election?

November 4, 2008 question

I voted. Our polling place uses scan-tron forms. There was a line of about 100 or so people. They had three polling booths set up in the Liberty Township Firehouse where I voted. Three polling booths. Two fire trucks. And a partridge in a pear tree.

I do believe America needs a change, and I have no doubts that change is coming this evening. That change, of course, is the fact that the negative campaign ads will stop airing. For now, at least. It's been hard to get through a commercial break without the feeling that America, my state, and my locality are all doomed. Thank heaven for DVR. And now, today's question:

Which name yields more Google results: Obama or McCain?

Yes, that's right, it's a Google search election. Oh, and may I not forget last week's answer! The Dunkin' Donut with the least fat is Gingerbread, and only Karen H (the H stands for How Could Something So Delicious Have Only 4 Grams Of Fat?) knew the answer. Congratulations, you're the First Lady of low-fat donuts!

October 30, 2008 question

Nostradamus correctly predicted his death . . . pretty much the day it happened. He told his nurse she wouldn't find him alive the next day, and he was right. Kinda made it tough to gloat, though. Trevor and Kyle knew that he was dead right. Way to go, guys! You actually can gloat.

Now today I'll just say that I had an interesting time with my son last night as we flipped back and forth between Deal or No Deal and the World Series. You haven't watched DOND unless you've watched it with my son, because he cheers at everything anybody cheers about . . . and they cheer for everything on that show. Last night was crazy, though, because this lady won it all at precisely the same time the Phillies recorded the final out. So we were watching this lady play a game and go absolutely berserk when she finally won a million dollars while we also watched a bunch of millionaires turn into exploding dervishes of jubilation when they finally won a game. And I'm sure they all felt like their lives had been changed forever.

Crazy world. It's amazing what happens to people the moment when they get what they desperately want. And speaking of things I desperately want, here's today's question:

What Dunkin' Donuts donut has the least amount of fat?

A) Apple Crumb
B) Blueberry Cake
C) Chocolate Glazed
D) Gingerbread
E) Jelly Filled
F) Powdered Cake

October 29, 2008 question

We knew Game 6 of the World Series was going to be delayed a few minutes by Obama. We didn't know Game 6 would be delayed probably 2 days by Game 5, which is being delayed 2 days by rain . . . and a few minutes by Obama. Yes, tonight is Obama TV night, and you might as well watch to get familiar with your next president. Now, don't be dismayed by my predicting the result this early. No, be shocked and impressed that I guaranteed it well over a year ago, even before he won Iowa.

And speaking of predictions, I had a strong feeling that these people would know yesterday's answer, which was Wyoming:

Heather M (the M stands for Manchurian Candidate)
H. E. (the H E stands for Holy Electorates)
Jacqueline
Trevor
Charles
Steve J (the J stands for Jazz Hands)
Karen M (the M stands for My States Are Blue . . . Is There Something I Can Take For That?)

Oh, and also speaking of predicting, here's today's question:

What did Nostradamus correctly predict on July 1, 1566?

October 28, 2008 question

Chris Farley was the original voice of Shrek . . . which seems to make a lot more physiological sense than the brogue of Mike Myers. Kyle and Karen H (the H stands for Haggis) both knew that and will receive one hot cup of jack squat courtesy of Matt Foley.

On to today's question from the annals of history. Did you know that the Constitution prohibits electors in the Electoral College from voting for a president and vice president from their own state (i.e. electors from New Hampshire can vote for a presidential candidate from New Hampshire or a vice presidential candidate from New Hampshire, but not both)? It's true. And the issue arose in the 2000 election because up until right before the election, Dick Cheney resided in Dallas (the same state as W). If Cheney's residency had remained in Texas, electors from the Lone Star State could not have voted for him as vice president. Weird, huh? Here's the official question:

To what state did Dick Cheney switch his legal residency and voter registration prior to the 2000 election?

October 27, 2008 question

Sorry for leaving you in trivia limbo for nearly a week. I'm sure that must have been hard on your back. I'm not sure I'm completely recovered from the torrent of profanity hurled in my direction the last time I asked a question. Elena, Neil, Steven F (the F stands for Flimn Flamn), Jessie, Karen H (the H stands for Helmn), Karen M (the M stands for Mnemonic), and Nancy K (the K stands for Keeps On Saying Damn) all knew at least five words ending in mn, but I give special credit to Andrew for his poetic list (solemn, column, hymn, limn, damn!) and Kristin for correctly answering without cussing at me (column, hymn, autumn, condemn, solemn). Way to go, all of you, and . . . same to you!

Now, I just thought I would note that Saturday Night Live continues to hook me in, even though it's never all that funny. I mean, it has its moments, but I can't remember the last time it was Chris Farley funny. Here's today's question:

What animated character did Chris Farley record the voice for, only to be replaced posthumously?

October 21, 2008 question

Mr. Blackwell spent most of his life telling people what outfits he wouldn't be caught dead in. Now he's been caught. Here's who knew:

Jacqueline
Heather M (the M stands for MAH-velous)
Steve J (the J stands for Jazz Hands)

Okay, it's that time of year. The colors are changing. The ballots are dropping. The chads are hanging. Here's some autumn trivia for you:

According to a bunch of dictionaries, there are at least fifteen words in the English language ending in mn; name five of them.

October 20, 2008 question

A team of Japanese researchers have found footprints they believe confirm the existence of the Yeti. The footprints are about eight inches long and look just like human footprints. Wait . . . eight inches? Yeah, uh huh, that's right. They say the Yeti, Bigfoot's Himalayan Dopplegaenger, wears a boy's size 1 shoe. He doesn't wear shoes, but if he did he'd buy them from Kids 'r' Us.

I don't know. To me, that doesn't sound like evidence of the Yeti. That sounds like evidence of shoeless kids in the Tibetan wilderness.

Here's today's question:

By what name was the now deceased Richard Sylvan Selzer more popularly known?


And speaking of names, here's who knew that John McCain gets called John Sidney McCain III when he gets in trouble with his mommy:

Kristin
Karen M (the M stands for McCain IV)
Karen H (the H stands for How Could She Have Called Him Momma's Boy In His Bio Video At The GOP Convention?)

Congrats, the lot of you.

October 17, 2008 question

Ironically enough, the words printed repeatedly in the border of the $5 bill are . . .
FIVE DOLLARS.

Karen M (the M stands for Money, Money, Money, Money . . . MOney) was the sole winner and will receive a crisp new five dollar bill (upon receipt of $5 shipping and handling charge).

And now, on to the worst line from Wednesday night's presidential debate finale, courtesy of John McCain:

"If you wanted to run against Bush, you should have done it four years ago."

That may have been a good zinger if McCain himself hadn't lost to Bush eight years ago. And not speaking of zingers, here's today's McCain trivia:

What is John McCain's middle name?

October 15, 2008 question

The chemists of old are today's FDA. Here's who knew:

Andrew
H. E. (the H E stands for Healthful Enough)
Karen M (the M stands for Magnesium)
Nancy K (the K stands for Potassium)
Heidi

And now, a question sure to rattle Obama (at least as sure as anything McCain could dish out tonight, short of calling him Osama):

What words are microprinted repeatedly in the borders of the latest $5 bill series?

October 14, 2008 question

Apparently the manic depressive stock market fluctuates based on the number of people who get trivia right. Here's who knew that Columbus Day is Canadian Thanksgiving, or as they call it in Canada, Thanksgiving:

Paul C (the C stands for Canadian Plymouth Rock)
Maridee
Jessie
Karen M (the M stands for Mayflower, Eh?)
Steve T (the T stands for Toques Are Way Better Than Buckle Hats)
Jocelyn
Charles
Heidi
Jean
Stephanie
Steve J (the J stands for Just As Thankful, If Not More, Than Portugal)

So congratulations to you all on your bountiful trivia harvest. May you fare just as well today, even though it might be a trick question (or maybe it's not):

What government agency began in the mid 1800s as The Division of Chemistry?

October 13, 2008 question

Maridee and Konrad knew that "One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish," is not the opening line to One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Most of it, in fact, is not about fish, but instead focuses on the funny things you'll find everywhere.

And after a long Columbus Day weekend, that rushing noise we all hear is the sound of no one caring. So I'll move directly into today's question:

In most of the US, the second Monday in October is observed as Columbus Day; Berkely, California, calls it Indigenous People's Day; Hawaii celebrates Discoverer's Day; the Virgin Islands call it Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands Friendship Day; and a good chunk of Latin America dub it Dia de la Raza; what does Canada celebrate on the second Monday in October?

October 10, 2008 question

Opus, a large-snouted penguin, has a poster of Chilly Willy, the small-beaked pengo, on his bedroom wall. No one knew that one, so I give full trivia credit to . . . the Cubs. And whether you're happy that the Cubs finally won something or you're upset that you just lost to them, bear in mind that it's trivia, where not mattering is the name of the game.

The game in Wall Street is a bit more weighty. Again, I know nothing about economics, but it seems to me like a forest fire. For the health of the environment, excess simply has to burn off in order for the woodland plant and wildlife to sustain itself. And so must the economy. High-priced stocks must burn away like so much arid brush until the system is rejuvenated. Of course, sometimes those wildfires get a bit out of control and burn up the entire West Coast until the government sprays a trillion dollars on it to smother the flames. I guess we'll have to see how long the blazes rage on.

But I still wonder . . . if this Grinch of an economy gobbles itself up by Christmas, and we can't afford the gobs of presents and decorations and whozzits and whatsits or even the roast beast, and all we're left with is a big circle of Who's in Whoville . . . will we still join hands and sing in loving harmony, or is that just a bunch of Seussian crap we buy into because it rhymes? Here's today's question:

What Dr. Seuss book begins with the line, "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere"?

October 9, 2008 question

I'm back on my feet again. Gonna walk down this street again. And you'll all look at me again, and you'll see that I'm strong.

And, yeah, when you're using Michael Bolton quotes as motivation, you know you've broken through rock bottom to enter the smoldering inferno that is the earth's mantel.

Yes, the Cubs devastating collapse took its toll on me, and it just happened to coincide with a bout of unpleasant migraine action. No trivia for a week? It's unheard of. It's wrong. It's worse than 100 years without a World Series Championship (please forgive the hyperbole . . . Michael Bolton is boosting my spirits, and I still love the Cubs; what do you want from me, reality?).

Let's just move on to trivia, shall we? Here's the question:

In Berkely Breathed's now retiring comic strip, Opus, the featured penguin has a poster of what cartoon character on his bedroom wall?

October 2, 2008 question

Sorry, I've been out of the trivia office for a couple of days. I have nothing to say about anything. Here's today's question:

Where are Broca's area and Wernicke's area located?

Oh, and here's who knew that zero World Series champions have called Wrigley home (it was opened in 1914, six years after the last Cubs title):

Heidi
Charles
Steve J (the J stands for Just J)

Congratulations. Whoopee.

September 29, 2008 question

Perhaps I've seemed a bit glib over the past week or so, but make no mistake: this is unequivocally the most important contest in the history of my lifetime or any of our lifetimes. As November advances upon us, the winner will be decided as we watch--and you must decide whom you will support. Will you stand beside the victor or will you vainly applaud a loser? Can hope finally bubble from within to emerge as something more than just empty promises and silly aspirations? Is it possible that after years of failure, our nation can grasp true prosperity? Quite simply, can we win?

Yes we can! A lot of people are talking about change, but there is only one change that matters, and we must carry that banner of change forward. Now is the time we must all join together. We are all red states. We are all blue states. We are red and blue states. We are . . . Cubs Nation.

That's right, the Cubs playoff run begins onWednesday. Anything short of a World Series championship will be considered a failure. Join with me in a chorus of billions united as one. We're singing, "Go, Cubs, go . . ."

Oh, yeah, a question. Here it is:

How many World Series Champions have called Wrigley Field home?

Oh, yeah, and an answer. The most popular game show in the world is Wheel of Fortune. Here's who knew:

Julia
Paul C (the C stands for C)
Stephanie
Karen H (the H stands for H)
Karen M (the M stands for M . . . No, Vanna, That's A W . . . There You Go, Good Girl.)

We're on Alltop

Alltop categorizes blogs. All the top blogs, I guess you could say. Of the people dedicated to wasting their time asking about and responding to trivial matters, I guess we're among the top ones. Of course, if it's all the top ones, that might extend all the way to the middle or even the bottom. But still, we're not buried, and that says something.

Congratulations. We're all sell-outs.

September 26, 2008 question

Whoo hoo. WaMu was seized by the FDIC and sold to JP Morgan Chase. I'm pretty sure there are only about three banks left in America. I'm a little concerned about that. At the same time, I'm a little entertained by the way the media reported the bipartisan bailout deal to be done . . . and then to not be done. Again, I don't know anything about this stuff, but here's another way that helps me feel like I do:

We're playing Deal or No Deal. The contestant is the financial sector. The case they chose is full of mortgage securities, although based on the look of disgust on Howie's face, I'm guessing it might be full of something else too. Howie Mandel is George Bush, trying to get a deal done and reminding everyone that their lives could be saved if they make the right call and abjectly ruined if they don't. The  U.S. government is the banker, except he's really generous.  As Howie is telling us, "Okay, there are only two cases left. One has one penny, the other has five dollars. And the banker is offering you . . . $700 billion to buy that case." The Republicans are the family members who are never satisfied: "Don't take that deal, are you crazy? That's an insult." The Democrats are the wife, who just covers her eyes, sighs a couple of hundred times, almost starts to cry, and then finally blurts out, "You have to take this deal. Are you insane?" Oh, and let's not forget the media, the models just standing on the stage trying to look pretty as they either smile with glee at what might be good news, or wince apologetically when the contestant loses big money . . . but not really knowing anything about what's in the cases until it's too late.

I don't know how this is going to turn out, but I'm sure the ratings are bonkers. Here's today's question:

What is the most popular game show in the world?

And a big congrats to Stephanie who knew that Lex Luthor was born in Metropolis (the Suicide Slums district, to be exact). In other carnations of the villain, he grew up with Clark in Smallville or his city of birth was undisclosed. Who knew? Oh, yeah, Stephanie. Great job!

September 25, 2008 question

Okay, this is where it gets really tough for me. I'm not an economics major. I didn't particularly grasp economics in high school. I am not good with money. I do not like it when insurance people or salesmen or bankers start explaining economic principles to me. Maybe it's because I'd rather spend money than save it. Maybe it's because I prefer slugging percentage and batting average to the Dow Jones Industrial average. Maybe it's because the whole process seems to work just a little better than astrology.

But as economically challenged as I am, I really don't like what I'm hearing about the government buying the very securities at the epicenter of the American financial Big One from the very people who created them in the hopes that the problem market will eventually just go away. I feel like Superman is buying Lex Luthor's overstocked Kryptonite for $700 billion. My big three questions (finally put into a theme I can feel comfortable with) are: 1) Where is Superman ever going to find someone interested in buying some Kryptonite for $700 billion? 2) How is the Kryptonite not going to kill Superman? 3) What is Lex Luthor going to do with the money?

Alas, beyond that, I'm quite sure I can't come up with an economics question, so that means we're left with:

In the 1986 recreation of the character, what city/town was Lex Luthor's birthplace?

Also, congratulations to these criminally genius brains who knew ectotherms are cold-blooded: Karen M (the M stands for Megalomaniac), Larry, Heidi, Nancy K (the K stands for Krypton), and Karen H (the H stands for Hairless Villain).

September 23, 2008 question

So Sarah Palin's email got hacked into . . . big deal. It hasn't been that hard to catch the guy who did it. The lead suspect is David Kernell, the son of a Tennessee Democrat, but the guy wasn't responding to any of the AP's phone calls or emails. So they emailed Sarah Palin to ask how she thought Kernell may have accessed her files, and the reply came back, "Dude, it wasn't me."

Of course, I guess we also know one other difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull: a pit bull knows better than to pick an obvious password like "VPHottie."

Oh, and . . . has anyone seen Joe Biden? Obama may as well have chosen Mr. Invisible as his running mate, because A) I can't remember the last time I saw him or heard from him via any media outlet, and B) the vague recollection I do have is so fuzzy, I don't think I'd recognize the guy unless he was wearing a giant "Look at me! I'm irrelevant!" button. If I knew Obama had the power to make his VP disappear, I would have lobbied a lot harder for him to pick Ryan Seacrest.

But on to trivia. Here's today's question:

What scientifically outdated term for classifying animals has since been replaced by the word ectothermic?

And here are yesterday's winners, who knew that the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on yesterday's date back in 18whatever:

Julia
Andrew
Charles
Nancy K (the K stands for Kudos To Lincoln)
Stephanie
Kyle
Heidi

Nice job. Best rhyming official document name ever. Sure, Magna Carta has a ring to it, but it's not quite a rhyme, is it?

September 22, 2008 question

Finally, the Trivia Olympiad is over. And I have to say, I was impressed with your Cubs World Series knowledge. Here are the answers to the multiple questions:

They won in 1908 (worth 5 points).
They beat the Detroit Tigers (worth 10 points).
They won in 5 games (worth 5 points).
Johnny Evers scored the winning run in the first inning of game 5 (worth 20 points).
They won game 5 by the score of 2-0 (worth 10 points).

Karen H (the H stands for How 'Bout This Year) and Stephanie both knew 20 points worth of questions. Nancy K, Heidi, and Lee got 15 apiece. Heather M got 5, and Robbie got himself ten (with a few bonus points for answering 2008 from the future). So, the final medal results for Sports & Leisure are:

Karen H: Gold (45)
Jocelyn, Heidi, Nancy K: Silver (30)
No bronzes, but a whole bunch of worthy competitors are looking up at the winners with disdain cloaked in mock admiration. Congratulations to all of you. Now, on to today's normal (thank goodness) trivia question:

The handwritten final draft of what document, issued on this date in 1862, was destroyed in the Chicago Fire nine years later?

September 19, 2008 question

You wouldn't expect me to award a ton of points for a mere 50/50 question, but when you're the only person to get a 50/50 question correct, extra points are well deserved. And that's why Jocelyn, the only one of you who knew that light beer does in fact have less alcohol than regular beer (which may explain why she's so sharp), receives 30 points for her stellar achievement. I'll also give 10-proof bonus points to Paul C and Steve J for knowing that regular beer generally is 5% alcohol by volume. So, as we approach the final question in the Sports & Leisure category (and the final question in the Trivia Olympiad), here are the standings:

Jocelyn: 30
Karen H: 25
Kyle: 23
Andrew: 20
Paul C: 17
Heidi and Nancy K: 15
Steve J: 10
Steve T, Larry, Mike K, Cindy, and Robbie: 7
H. E. and Mathias: 3

Now, it's still anybody's game, because this is a monster question that could earn you up to 50 points. Here it is, in all its multi-pronged glory:

The last time the Cubs won the World Series . . .
1. What year was it?
2. Who did the Cubs defeat in the World Series?
3. How many games were required to decide the Series?
4. Who scored the winning run for the Cubs in the deciding game?
5. What was the final score in the deciding game?

September 18, 2008 question

The Tampa Bay Rays (at the time, the Devil Rays) lost 96 games in 2007, which Kyle knew on the dot. The lowest guess was 73 (and nobody guessed any higher than 96), so Kyle gets 23 points. Karen H was just one off and will get 18 points. Andrew gets himself 13 points, and Heidi and Nancy K walk away with 8 points apiece. Here are the standings:

Karen H: 25
Kyle: 23
Andrew: 20
Heidi and Nancy K: 15
Steve T, Paul C, Larry, Mike K, Cindy, and Robbie: 7
H. E. and Mathias: 3

Now, here's today's Sports and Leisure Trivia Olympiad question (with an emphasis on the leisure):

Does light beer have less alcohol than regular beer?

Bonus: According to a study of 100 of the most popular brews, what is the average percentage of alcohol by volume in regular beer sold in the United States?

September 17, 2008 question

People are searching for Britney Spears. That's what the Guinness Book of World Records says, anyway, naming her the Most Searched Person in 2008. This boggles my mind . . . not that people are interested in Britney, but that any searching whatsoever was required to feed their curiosity. Searching for Britney online is like searching for stink in a county fair port-o-potty.

But facts are facts, so let's move on to them. The last Cubs no-hitter was thrown by Carlos Zambrano on Sunday, which Steve T (the T stands for Too Easy), Paul C (the C stands for Captain Carlos), Larry, Andrew, Mike K (the K stands for Strikeout), Nancy K (the K stands for King Z), Cindy, Karen H (the H stands for Hitless Wonders), Heidi, and Robbie. They get 7 points for scoring that touchdown, while H. E. and Mathias tack on a field goal by naming the previous Cub to throw a no hitter, Milt Pappas. So there are a lot of you with seven, a couple of you with three, and a wide-open opportunity right now to rack up more points. Here's today's question:

The AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays have won 89 games this year; how many did they LOSE in the 2007 season?

September 16, 2008 question

Attention all physicists: if it is fame within the ranks of this daily trivia group that you seek, you may want to take up another career. Only three people ventured a guess at past Nobel Prize laureates in physics, and just two of them correctly guessed, and just one man was successfully named: Albert Einstein. No Curies? No Enrico Fermi? No Max Planck? You can find the complete list here. Oh well, it certainly makes tabulating the medal points a bit easier. Here's how the podium looks after Robbie and Karen H (the H stands for Hideki Yukawa, 1949) earned themselves .72 points apiece with their recall:

Gold: Karen H, Pi + 1.72 (4.86, etc.)
Silver: Mike K, Pi + 1 (4.14, etc.)
Bronze: Robbie, Pi + .72 (3.86, etc.)

So, congrats, science and nature is over, Trivia Olympiadically speaking. So here's the first in the final category, Sports & Leisure:

Who was the last Chicago Cub to throw a no-hitter?

September 12, 2008 question

What can grow up to 62 feet tall and has that Latin name I gave you and am too lazy to look back at? A cactus. And here's who knew and received Pi points: Robbie, Mike K (the K stands for Knows His Cacti), and Karen H (the H stands for Hurts Sitting On A 62-Footer, Don't It?).

So now we have quite a contest in the Science and Nature portion of our never-ending Trivia Olympiad, don't we? For those who aren't keeping track via henna tattoos on their forearms, here's where we stand:

Mike K and Karen H: Pi + 1 (approx. 4.14)
Robbie: Pi (3.14, etc., etc.)
Karen M: 2.5
Paul C, Heidi: 1

And it's anyone's contest, because you can rack up a lot of points on this one. Here it is:

Who has won the Nobel Prize in Physics?

(You'll get .72 points for each correct answer without missing, so list your answers in the order you are most confident in. You could list every winner ever, but if their names come after an incorrect guess, you'll get no points. Got it? Yippee!)

September 11, 2008 question

Lithium has it rough. It's the 3rd element on the periodic table, but nobody seems to remember much beyond Hydrogen and Helium and before Oxygen and Carbon. No wonder he was so excited (because today, he found his friend, it was in his head . . . lame Nirvana reference, sorry). Well, Lithium is still solid at room temperature, regardless of who notices it. And yesterday, that who was Karen M (the M stands for Manganese). She earned 1.5 points to pull ahead of the 1-pointers.

Karen M: 2.5 points
Paul C, Mike K, Karen H, Heidi: 1 point

So here's today's super-tough Science and Nature question (worth Pi points):

Pachycereus pringlei, which can grow as tall as 62 feet, is the tallest species of what?

September 10, 2008 question

Whew . . . I guess I must be suffering from my own version of Odine's Curse. When I go to sleep, I stop sending trivia questions. In actuality, a person so afflicted stops breathing when they sleep, but not in the traditional sleep apnea sense. For someone with this disorder, breathing is no longer involuntary. That is, if you forget to breathe, you die. Crazy, huh? Anyway, here's who knew:

Paul C (the C stands for Choking On Forgetfulness)
Mike K (the K stands for Knock It, Even If You Haven't Tried It)
Karen M (the M stands for Memory Lapse Equals Suffocation)
Heidi
Karen H (the H stands for Hold Your Breath . . . Not That I Have To Remind You)

So you all have one point. Here's a 1.5 point question:

What is the first element (i.e. the one with the lowest atomic number) on the periodic table that is a solid at room temperature (standard temperature and pressure for you engineers . . . and sure, go ahead and correct my word choice)?

September 8, 2008 question

By some miracle of mental recall or random fortuitous selection, Steve T (the T stands for Totally Mental Recall) knew that Gerald Ford referred to Doonesbury as one of the most informative vessels of insider Washington revelations. Amazing, and it earns Steve 2 billion points. Frislem knew after receiving a clue (that it was a comic strip in question), and receives 7 million points. So the final point tally and medal list goes like this:

Steve T: 2 billion points (Gold)
Frislem: 7,000,005 points (Silver)
Jessie: 5 points (Bronze)
Karen H: 3 points (4 years of angst-ridden determination)

Now here's the first question in the Science and Nature portion of the Trivia Olympiad:

When a man afflicted with the medical disorder Odine's Curse falls asleep, he stops doing what?

September 5, 2008 question

Jessie and Frislem knew, without any multiple choice suggestions, that Idina Menzel won a Tony for her performance as Elphaba when Wicked hit Broadway in 2004. So they both earn 5 points. The rest of you just sneer at them indignantly, for which I award you no points but I sympathize. The Arts and Literature category in the Trivia Olympiad is a lot like gymnastics. You aren't supposed to like your competitors, you're just supposed to fake hug and Euro-cheek-kiss them as you imagine them dislocating their kneecaps on their next routines. So, here are the standings:

Frislem: 5
Jessie: 5
Elena: 3
Karen H: 3

And here's the final question for which I will award points somewhat arbitrarily based on how close I think you are, whether you seem confident in your answer, and the degree to which I feel like being nice at the time:

Gerald Ford once said that the only three vehicles for to keep the people informed about the goings on in Washington were the electronic media, the print media, and what?

If you need a hint, let me know. It might cost you a tenth of a point . . . or six, but it'll be better than nothing, right?

September 4, 2008 question

Most of you had the wrong Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. It was Donatello who put sculpture on the map in the Renaissance. Only Elena and Karen H (the H stands for How Can You Sculpt With A Bow Staff And Only Three Fingers?) knew the answer. That puts them in the lead at three points each. Here's your chance to catch up, a Tony-award-winning 5-pointer:

Who is the only person to win a Tony award for his/her performance in Wicked?

(If you'd like a shot at the two-point multiple choice version of this question, just ask, and I'll send it to you.)

September 2, 2008 question

I sent this out yesterday, but to the best of my knowledge, the only person to receive it was me. Let's try again . . .

Well, well, well, we certainly have had a busy little news weekend, haven't we? The announcement of the vice presidential candidates are now behind us (and, unfortunately, no one in our trivia group correctly guessed either Joe Biden or Sarah Palin . . . which, given your collective genius, is not a really good sign for the candidates). We had a liberal make a conservative pick while the more conservative went unconventional, ensuring that this election would have a historic result. We'll either have the first black president or the first female vice president . . . or the first third party president.

And speaking of unconventional, that's exactly what the GOP is, thanks to Gustav. I have to say, after seeing a video of a Focus on the Family guru cockily telling conservatives to pray for torrential rain during Barack Obama's speech, I find it pretty hilarious that a hurricane near New Orleans is managing to rain out the Republican National Convention in Minnesota!

That wasn't the way it was back in 1980 when Ronald Reagan was taking over the convention at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, a fact known only by Kyle. That peerless knowledge gave him 10 points and an easy victory in the History Event of the Trivia Olympiad. Here are the medal earners:

Kyle: 15 points (Gold)
Charles: 8 points (Silver)
Frislem and Steven F: 5 points (Bronze)

So, now it's time for Arts & Literature. Here's question number one, a three-pointer:

What artist's most celebrated work is his bronze David, considered to be the first major creation of Renaissance sculpture?

August 2. 9, 2008 question

I didn't watch or listen to Obama's speech last night. I read it. I know he's an extraordinary speaker who always puts on a good show. But I wanted to look at nothing more than the words. What the words revealed is a politician with a revolutionary approach. He's already displayed his savvy in the YouTube generation, knowing that he's never speaking to a room full of people and always addressing the virtual world. He stayed true to his brilliant track record of producing his speeches like television shows that segue seamlessly into the nightly news. And last night he and his scribes crafted a speech that was delivered from the Democratic Convention in the midst of his most ardent supporters but was intended for everyone else.

He wasn't talking to people wearing his buttons. He was talking to people who were either undecided or opposed to him. That's the difference between Obama and every other politician I've ever paid any attention to. The rest of the lot play politics like Monopoly. They build on their own property, then sit and wait for people to come to their turf and empty out their pockets. Obama plays politics like RISK, continually advancing into enemy territory until he has conquered the entire world, or at least until he's gained a prominent foothold in Kamchatka.

And he's really, really good. I'm still not saying I'd vote for him, but I am saying that he's really, really good at what he does. And I also don't think the pollsters have any idea how to gauge how well he's doing. Just my thought for the day.

As for yesterday, Kyle, Steven F (the F stands for Fly The W Flag High), and Charles (in a 3-point effort since he didn't specify which war) knew that World War II put a halt to the Cubs' first shot at installing lights. Yup, they were actually going to be pioneers of the night baseball era, but they took the light towers intended for Wrigley and donated them to the war effort after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. That's why this was a History question and not Sports.

Now the standings are as follows:

Charles: 8
Frislem: 5
Kyle: 5
Steven F: 5

And here it is, the final question in the History Event:

Where was the 1980 GOP Convention held? (3 points if you know the state only, 5 points if you know the city and state, and 10 points if you know the venue, city, and state)

August 28, 2008 question

Hey, trivia's back. And according to radiometric dating, it's been 36 million years since the last question. I mean, I don't know exactly what brings on this short rant, but radiometric dating in all its forms has to be the most rancid hoax in the history of time (which, according to the hoaxers themselves, has to be about 7 gajillion years). There is absolutely no reason to believe that any of the dating methods employed by scientists (the stupidest smart people in the world) are anything more than glorified old wives' tales. So, yeah, it's been awhile since I sent a trivia question out, but it hasn't been THAT long.

Moving on, here's who knew that the Qing Dynasty was close on the heels of the Mings: Charles and Islem/Frank (I'm never sure which one is acing these questions . . . I might just go all Entertainment Tonight and call them Frislem). I'll award both winners five points for that, which make them neck and neck in the running for the History gold in the Trivia Olympiad. Here's today's question:

What delayed the Cubs' original attempt to play games under the lights in Wrigley Field?

August 22, 2008 gold medal question

Kristin Shepard shot J.R., as Paul C (the C stands for Callous Rhymes With Dallas), Karen H (the H stands for Hagman Hater), and Karen M (the M stands for Make My Day) all knew. Kyle also astutely (and correctly) pointed out that technically the shooting never took place, since a later episode revealed that the entire plot had been a dream. But since it's hard for me to say that what happens in a dream within a TV show is any less real than the nondreamy occurrences, I'll give full credit to both answers. So five points to everybody, which brings our entertainment scoreboard to this:

Karen H: 10
Islem: 7
Karen M: 7
Heidi: 6
Nancy K: 6
Steve T: 6
Paul C: 5
Kyle: 5
Charles: 2
Amy: 1
Cindy: 1
Steve J: 1

So, here it is, the gold medal question:

Beginning from the award presented this year, what films have won the Academy Award for Best Picture? I'll award one point for each correct answer in succession without mistake or omission. So, if you don't remember this year's award winner, you'll get no points, even if you can name every other Oscar-winning film in history. If you cheat, however, I will know, and I will send a 13-year-old Chinese gymnast to end you. Good luck.

August 20, 2008 question

Okay, so it's been about a week since you got your last question, and I'm just so terribly sorry. The stories of suffering have been pouring in. One of you spent an entire morning of meetings thinking about nothing but the actual topics of those meetings. A woman in Baltimore was forced to actually listen to what Regis and Kelly were saying. Three children in Akron, Ohio, were stranded at the movies until police found their mother repeatedly pressing the "check mail" button in the hopes the question might finally arrive. It's all my fault, and I apologize.

I can never hope to make up for this. I can only try to move on. So let's finish out the Entertainment portion of the Trivia Olympiad and award some medals. Here are the male and female artists who've racked up the most Grammys in a single night: Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, Beyonce, and Lauren Hill. Here's how the points were awarded:

Heidi and Islem: 6 points
Karen H (the H stands for Holla Back): 4 points
Charles and Karen M (the M stands for Money): 2 points
Nancy K (the K stands for King Of Pop), Cindy, and Steve T (the T stands for Tito Santana): 1 point

Here are the standings:

Islem: 7
Nancy K: 6
Steve T: 6
Karen H: 5
Charles: 2
Karen M: 2
Amy: 1
Cindy: 1
Steve J: 1

And here's the next question, a classic five-pointer:

Who shot J. R.?

August 14, 2008 question

Daniel Day-Lewis has been in only 8 movies since My Left Foot gave him an Oscar-winning breakthrough. He just decided he didn't really want to breakthrough all that much, averaging one movie every two years since then. Your guesses were generally very close, as Steve T (the T stands for The Last Mohican) and Nancy K (the K stands for Kafka) were within one year and earned themselves five points each and Islem racked up one point in a third-place effort. So here are the standings after two questions:

Nancy K: 5
Steve T: 5
Amy: 1
Islem: 1
Karen H: 1
Steve J: 1

And here are two questions that will help you catch up (or put some distance between you and your competition):

1. What two men share the record for most Grammy wins in a single night by a solo artist (8)?

2. What five women share the record for most Grammy wins in a single night by a female solo artist (5)?

August 13, 2008 question

In the spirit of international gymnastics, yesterday's question was delayed due to an extensive deliberation among the judges. But after much debate I can officially give credit to Amy, Karen H (the H stands for How Long Does It Take To Add Two Numbers?), and Steve J (the J stands for Judge My Eye), who all knew the longest running drama in TV history is Guiding Light. Of course, according to your answers, no one has ever watched the show, so I don't know how it's managed to stay on the air so long.

What I do know is we have a three-way tie for first in the Entertainment event of the Trivia Olympiad. Here's today's question, and I'll award five points for whoever is closest, three to the second closest, and one point to the third closest guesser:

How many movies has Daniel Day-Lewis appeared in since his Oscar-winning performance in My Left Foot (1989)? (Note: My Left Foot would not be included in the total.)

August 11, 2008 question

Say what you want about the air quality, but there's something in the
water in Beijing. It seems that a new world record is being set with
every heat of every round of every swimming event. Now, the optimistic
side of me loves the fact that the American men's 4x100-meter freestyle
relay team completed the most amazing comeback in the comeback world
since L.L. Cool J told us not to call his comeback a comeback. I was
whooping and hollering right along with those four musclebound marine
mammals as they rubbed their smash-prediction-defying victory in the
turned-up noses of the French.

But they beat the world record by almost four seconds. In a race that
runs just over three minutes, that's a full two-percent shift. Keep in
mind, the old World Record was not yet a day old. Five, count 'em, FIVE
of the eight teams in the race beat the previous world record. I'm not
saying the Americans are cheaters. I'm saying everyone is a bunch of
cheaters. There is still not test for Human Growth Hormone. But I'd say
the stopwatch is a pretty good indicator.

Alright, enough of this grumbling. It's time for the jubilation of the
second Trivia Olympiad event: Entertainment. Here's today's question:

What is the longest-running soap opera (and the longest-running drama,
period) in television history?

August 8, 2008 answer - Geography Medal Presentation

Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Iran all border the Caspian Sea (which, by the way, is also considered the largest lake in the world). No one knew them all, but Elena and Karen M (the M stands for Maldives Is Close) knew four while Paul K, Charles, and Karen H all guessed three correctly. So the final tally in the Geography event of the inaugural Trivia Olympiad is . . .

Karen M: 9 . . . GOLD
Charles: 7 . . . SILVER
Paul K: 6 . . . BRONZE
Karen H: 5
Elena: 5 . . . tied for a very impressive, yet altogether disappointing fourth place finish. Well done, all of you.!

And sorry if any of you were planning an evening response, but as the opening ceremonies of the Olympics unfold before your eyes, complete with maps of each country as they are named, I thought it would be imperative to announce the results as soon as possible.

August 8, 2008

Here we are, the final day of the biggest (and only) event in Trivia Olympiad history. As the opening ceremonies are already opened, it's time to wrap up Geography. And while the people in Beijing already know how this event turns out, for all of us in the Western Hemisphere the result is still in doubt.

Yesterday, a lot of you racked up a point by knowing that the equator is longer than all those lines of longitude that connect the poles. Charles, Elena, Paul K (the K stands for Kentucky), Andrew, Konrad, Heather M (the M stands for Make That Latitude), Heidi, Karen M (the M stands for Money In Geography), Nancy K (the K stands for Kwater, E.), Steve J (the J stands for Jeograffiti) all got the question right, leaving the standings like this:

Karen M: 5
Charles: 4
Paul K: 3
Karen H: 2
Steve J: 2
Heather M: 2
Heidi: 2
Mathias: 1
Maridee: 1
Elena: 1
Andrew: 1
Konrad: 1
Nancy K: 1

Here's the tape-delayed question:

What 5 countries border the Caspian Sea?
(Note: Yes, you will get a point for every country you correctly name, but guessing MORE than 5 countries will result in a deduction.)

August 7, 2008 question

Favre.

Brett Favre is back. Back in the NFL, but donning non-Green Bay green for the first time in his career. He's a Jet, now, and let me tell you, when you're a Jet, you're a Jet till the end. But when you're in Darfur, the only neighboring countries you have to turn to are Libya, Central African Republic, and Chad. (Not a smooth transition, I know, but neither is the one from Green Bay to New York, so I'm giving myself a break, okay?)

Here's who knew yesterday's answer, followed by the number of correct countries they named and the points they earned as a result:

Heather M (the M stands for Make It There), 1
Karen M (the M stands for Make It Anywhere), 3
Charles, 2

So the standings now, with two days left to make it back into the running for a medal, look like this:

Trivia Olympiad--Geography
Karen M: 4
Charles: 3
Paul K: 2
Karen H: 2
Steve J: 1
Mathias: 1
Heidi: 1
Maridee: 1
Heather M: 1

Whew, baby! It's getting tight! The suspense is killing me. Please, end my pain by answering this question:

Which is longer, the circumference of the earth at the equator or its circumference at the poles?
A. The equator is longer.
B. The circumference at the poles is longer.
C. They're both the same.
D. The earth is flat, silly.

August 6, 2008 question

Australia is the smallest continent. I thought more people would guess Antarctica, which is actually the third smallest. But Europe is actually the second smallest, and here's who knew:

Mathias
Karen H (the H stands for Has A Slight Lead Now)
Heidi
Maridee
Paul K (the K stands for Knows His Oceania From His Australasia)

So the standings in the Geography event at the Trivia Olympiad are as follows:

Trivia Olympiad--Geography
Paul K: 2
Karen H: 2
Karen M: 1
Charles: 1
Steve J: 1
Mathias: 1
Heidi: 1
Maridee: 1

Ah, like the continual saga of Brett Favre vs. the Packers, this competition is impossible to call at this point. Let's see if today's question puts any more distance between the for reals and the for pretends. Here it is:

What are the three countries bordering Darfur, the troubled region in western Sudan?

August 5, 2008 question

I forgot to mention: hair and belly buttons. Those were the two most popular answers for Friday's question, but the winner, by a hair, was hair. Dolphins are born with hair, but if falls off relatively quickly and they spend the rest of their lives bald as bald can be. Andy, Heidi, and Karen H (the H stands for Hair Falling Out Saves Them A Lot Of Shaving) all knew that.

As for yesterday's question, the Yangtze River is the longest in China (and in Asia, for that matter), followed by the Yellow. Here's who knew, pulling ahead in the Geography event here at the Trivia Olympiad: Paul K (the K stands for Korean Judge Took Off Half A Point Just For Kicks), Karen M (the M stands for Medal Round), Charles, Karen H (the H stands for Heading To The Podium) and Steve J (the J stands for Jump All You Want, But This Is Table Tennis). So here are the standings as we head into the next heat:

Trivia Olympiad--Geography
Paul K: 1
Karen M: 1
Charles: 1
Karen H: 1
Steve J: 1

On to today's question:

Of the seven continents, what is the second smallest in total area?

August 4, 2008 question

I thought it was funny when McCain's camp produced a commercial accusing
Obama of being nothing more than a celebrity and comparing him to
Britney Spears and Paris Hilton*. But the commercial itself is nowhere
near as funny as the reaction from one of McCain's supporters: Kathy
Hilton. Yeah, apparently donors to your campaign don't appreciate it
when you use their daughter's name as an insult. I'll try to remember
that the next time I run for president.

But the competition at the forefront (or tail end, actually) of this
week isn't the one between two men (one as popular as Paris Hilton, the
other as old as Paris, France). No, the Olympics are getting ready and
getting set to go. So today will begin the first Trivia Olympiad!
Starting now, the points count, the medals are real**, and the glory
lasts forever. Here's the first question of the first event, Geography:

What is the longest river in China?

*Funny, not because it was accurate, but because it's ludicrous. Obama
is nowhere near as famous as Britney.

**Not really

August 1, 2008 question

B-lieve it or not, orangutan really is pronounced uh-rang-uh-tang. That's the first pronunciation listed by our friends at Webs, followed by uh-rang-guh-tang, uh-rang-uh-tan, and uh-rang-guh-tan. And when you find yourself asking, "Who cares?" you know you're in trivialand. Welcome.

Now it's Friday, so it's time for a question about a fun-loving animal that is fun to watch as well. For our last "stuff I learned at Brookfield Zoo" question, we turn our pint-sized noses to the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin. Here's the question:

What are dolphins born with, only to lose it for good a few months after birth?

And, of course, here's the list of tangy trivia top-tier tree trekkers:

Steve J (the J stands for Just Give Me Tang)
Kyle
Elena
Charles
Karen H (the H stands for Hot Dang)
Heather M (the M stands for Mustang)
Heidi

Congrats to you all.

July 31, 2008 question

The man of the forest is the orangutan. Yeah, that's right, the "orang" in his name has nothing to do with his color. It's just the Malay word for man. Of course, the Malay people are typically very round and juicy, so you can draw your own conclusions. But I'll allow no such flexibility on today's question, which branches off of yesterday's in a "rhymes with orang" kind of way. Here's the question:

According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, the primary pronunciation of orangutan rhymes with:

A) Tan
B) Tang
C) Ton

And orange-flavored kudos to Andrew, Heather M (the M stands for Malay Is My Fourth Language), Karen M (the M stands for Misty Gorillas), and Charles for knowing all about the sometimes orange, sometimes reddish, and sometimes maroon orangutan.

July 30, 2008 question

An Andean Condor can fly three (and a half) miles high (or about 18,000 feet). That is really high. If you're not a condor, you don't want to be caught alive that high (being caught dead there would be fine . . . I mean, you're already dead, what's gonna happen?).

Anyway, I think I have a question or two left from my visit to the zoo, so let's see who really reigns supreme in the animal trivia kingdom:

What animal's name is derived from the Malay word for "man of the forest"?

Oh, and I can't forget to give credit to those who knew the condor's altitudinous limits:

Frank
Andrew
Heidi

Your brains are soaring. . . . You, um, might want to get that checked.

July 29, 2008 question

The only mammal parasite is the Vampire Bat, although Karen H pointed out that in some cases a conjoined twin is classified as parasitic. But since that doesn't really span an entire species of mammal, I'll give sole credit to Andrew, who really knows his bloodsuckers.

Speaking of bloodsuckers . . . geez, I could put just about anybody here and really deliver a knockout insult. But I'm going to refrain, because I'm really not that vindictive of a person. Some of you may be wondering that as you've seen your name accidentally left off of the trivia winners list when you KNOW you got the answer correct. Well, let me assure you: I didn't mean to withhold credit from you. And even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. I'm not that upfront of a person, either. Be that as it may (and believe me, it may) here's today's zoo question:

How many miles high can an Andean Condor fly?

July 28, 2008 question

I'm not sure why I worded the question as I did, but as a result of the confusion, I'll accept 0 or 1 month as a right answer for Friday's question. Adolf and Eva were married for about a day until self-inflicted death parted them.  Here's who knew it wouldn't last:

Heather M (the M stands for Matrimony Has Never Been So Unholy)
Elena
Mike K (the K stands for Knot Not Tied Very Long)
Karen M (the M stands for Marriage Made In . . . A Bunker Way, Way Down There)

And on that cheery note, we segue seamlessly into the trivial world of stuff I learned on my trip to the zoo. Here's the first in what promises to be a very short series of questions:

What is the only mammal considered to be a parasite?

July 25, 2008 question

Man, I can't sneak anything past you. Here's who knew that the mystery couple was Archie and Jughead:

Paul C (the C stands for Cutting Room Floor)
Heather M (the M stands for Maybe Betty)
Andrew
Karen M (the M stands for Maybe Veronica)
Steve T (the T stands for Teenage Wasteland)
Micaela
Mathias
Jacqueline
Karen H (the H stands for Hey, Meathead)
Charles

Today's duo is slightly less comedic. Here it is:

For how many months were Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun married?

July 24, 2008 question

Ken Carson and Barbie Roberts became just friends in 2004 shortly before Aussie/Cali surfer dude Blaine shot the curl into the world of plastic leggie doll-o-dramas. Islem, Kristin, and . . . Kyle? knew that tidbit about Ken. You should be proud.

Really. Don't be ashamed. Not at all.

. . . Anyway, before the next gruesome twosome question, I just thought I'd take a moment to ask this political sidebar question: Why is Barack Obama already acting like he's president? Here's my political sidebar answer: because, setting aside whatever feelings anyone may have about his politics or his stances on the issues or the favorable media bias, the guy is good. It's gonna be real hard for John McCain to beat Obama in this battle between Scottish and Irish. Obama is convincingly playing the part of president, and John McCain is convincingly playing the part of Bob Dole.

Please don't interpret this as endorsement (and don't interpret that as a denouncement), but I've said it before and I'll say it again: Barack Obama is the next president of the United States. Here's today's question:

What are the more popular names of Archibald Andrews and Forsythe Pendleton Jones III?

July 22, 2008 question

Dick Grayson was the first Robin. Anybody could have told you that. And by "anybody," I mean:

Paul C (the C stands for Caped Crusader And Star Of The Dark Knight)
Islem
Robbie

Well done, dynamic . . . trio. Unfortunately, we have no time to celebrate your glory (or the fact that Paul C really is in the new Batman movie and is therefore linked to Kevin Bacon by two degrees--Paul C was in The Dark Knight with Gary Oldman; Gary Oldman was in Murder in the First with Kevin Bacon). No, we have to react to the story that Mattel won their case against the makers of Bratz, since the designer who created these darling Barbie-trouncers was a Mattel employee at the time the dollz were dreamed up. So, here it is, in honor of the victors, the next question in the series of famous duos:

What is the last name of Barbie's ex-boyfriend Ken?

July 18, 2008 question

I will tell you the name of the pitcher in "Who's on First?" . . . Tomorrow. Why don't you tell us now? I just did. When? Just now. Well tell us again! Okay, Tomorrow. Don't tell us tomorrow! Why not, you just asked me to? We just want to know the name of the pitcher, so tel us today! That's the catcher. Who's the catcher? No, Who's on first.

And so on. Here's who knew:

Islem
Paul C (the C stands for Catching Today, Pitching Tomorrow)
Kyle

Way to sift through the confusing pronouns! Of course, today you'll have to solve the trivia mystery Batman style as we go from comedic duos to the Dynamic Duo. Here's the question:

What was the true identity of Batman's first Robin sidekick?

July 17, 2008 question

Stanley or Stan Laurel is the massively challenged (i.e. skinny) member of the Laurel & (Oliver) Hardy comedy team. Congratulations on another fine trivia performance from:

Maridee
Konrad
Paul C (the C stands for Chum)
Larry
Kyle
Karen M (the M stands for Make 'Em Laugh)
Heather M (the M stands for Make 'Em Breakfast)
Steve J (the J stands for Jazzy Jeff)
Andrew
Charles
Karen H (the H stands for Humorous Not Humongous)

Wow. That's a whole lot of smarts. Let's see who can maintain trivial supremacy as we move to yet another comedic duo. Here's the question:

In the Abbott & Costello routine "Who's on First?" what was the name of the pitcher? I mean, What was the name of the second baseman, but who was the pitcher? No, wait, Who was the first baseman. I don't know . . . THIRD BASE. Anyway, fill in the blank. The pitcher's name was ________?

July 16, 2008 question

I'm so sorry to keep you waiting for the lung-draining answer to Friday's question. The past couple mornings have been rough . . . who gets a cold in the middle of July?

Anyway, that's not important. What is important, nay, crucial, nay, trivial is that I give a threshing floor full of credit to Konrad, Maridee, Charles, Heidi, Karen M (the M stands for Mucho Longo Waito) and Karen H stands for Hors D'oeuvre Des Fibres) for knowing that bran is the fibrous hard outer shell of cereal grains. I'm sure they also knew that the germ is the tasty fiber-free part.

But we're moving on. Instead of taking time to bask in the glow of trivial correctness, you want to challenge yourself once again, I'm sure, to new levels of brain activity and pointless recall. So here you go, the first in a series of famous duo trivia questions:

In the Laurel and Hardy comedy team, what was the first name of the skinny one?

July 11, 2008 question

After his first term as governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton lost the 1980 gubernatorial election to Frank D. White, only to reclaim his spot in the Governor's Mansion by winning the 1982 runoff and spending the next 10 years in that spot before moving into a bigger house. (And after he left office, Mike Huckabee became the Lt. Governor, then the Governor four years later.)

Steve J (the J stands for Just For The Record, Heidi, Bill Actually Won The Election To Become The Next Ronald McDonald) was the only winner and is currently moving his things into the Trivia Mansion. Hopefully he'll have time to answer this question:

What is bran? Seriously, what is it?

July 10, 2008 question

Hillary Clinton was 45 when she became First Lady of the United States, but she was 31 when she first became First Lady . . . of Arkansas. And since everyone's guesses ranged from 41 to 43, I don't know whether to give credit to people closer to 45 or closer to 31. As a result, no credit! That's right. I'm hurt that as a group you have tossed Ms. Clinton to the side of the road and forgotten all about her illustrious history as a lawmaker and mover & shaker in Arkansas. You're all in time out.



Okay. Time out's over. I hope you've learned your lesson, cuz here comes some more Clintonian trivia:

What was the last election that Bill Clinton lost?

July 9, 2008 question

Dana Torres is 41 and still one of the best swimmers in the world. By way of comparison, here's today's question:

How old was Hillary Clinton when she first became First Lady?

And here's who knew about Dana's age:

H. E. (H E stands for How Elderly?)
Kristin
Julia
Jacqueline
Kyle
Steve J (the J stands for Joints Ache)
Karen M (the M stands for Making History)
Dana
Paul K (the K stands for Kicking, Still)
Heather M (the M stands for Man, I Feel Like A Woman)

Way to go. I said, WAY TO GO!

July 8, 2008 question

The theme to Sanford and Son was written and composed by Quincy Jones, the guy with more Grammy's on his shelves than anyone else in history. Islem was the only one to get it right, although I'll give partial credit to Karen H (the H stands for How Can I Not Give Credit For Somebody Quincy?).

Well, the Summer Olympics is just one month away, and I'm finding myself extremely excited for it. This is the first time son #1 will be old enough to really understand what is going on, and I think he'll absolutely eat it up. It should be a slightly better influence on him than American Gladiators is. My only fear is that his favorite event will be javelin or the hammer throw.

So now I have a few topics for possible trivia questions . . . but I'm finally settled on this one:

How old is Dana Torres, slated to become the oldest American swimmer ever to compete in the Olympics?

July 7, 2008 question

Garfield died a few months after he was shot. His shooter, Charles Guiteau, died the following July. Here's who knew:

Steve T (the T stands for The Fourth Rocks)
Kyle
Nancy K (the K stands for Kid Rock)

Now, on to today's trivia, which was revealed to me as by a dream. Except it wasn't a dream, it was the closing credits to Hancock. Here's the question:

Who wrote and performed, "Streetbeater," also known as the theme to Sanford and Son, also known as the greatest wordless song ever?

July 3, 2008 question

James A. Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau (but he swears it was in self defense), and here's who knew:

Matthias
Islem
Kyle
Karen M (the M stands for Marley Lover)

President Garfield is a wellspring of trivial abundance, so I can't stop with just one question. Here's the next one:

Who died first: President Garfield or the man who shot him?

July 2, 2008 question

Cobalt has the blues, since no one knew his number was 27. Nestled there between iron and nickel, nobody pays much attention to cobalt. Poor cobalt.

Well, since nobody knew the science question, we'll have to move on to history. Here it goes, summer school students:

Who did Charles J. Guiteau shoot at a train station on this date in 1881?

July 1, 2008 question

Whoa! Just got back from being abducted by aliens. They made me build a swing set. By the end of it, I would have preferred the usual probe regimen, but abductees can't be choosers, as the saying goes. The saying is less popular here on earth, but trust me, on the mother ship you get tired of hearing it.

Anyway, here's who knew that sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) mixed with acids of various sorts creates a little something something me and Martha S. like to call baking powder:

Islem
Karen H (the H stands for How Do You Know Martha?)
Karen M (the M stands for My Stylist Was Her Cell Mate)
Heidi

While we're on the subject of household chemistry, here's another question about the elements, as we in trivia are accustomed to covering periodically:

What is number 27 on the Periodic Table of the Elements?

June 26, 2008 question

We apologize for the delay. We are experiencing technical difficulties. Okay, technically, I'm experiencing mental difficulties, but since I used the word technical, doesn't that automatically qualify as a technical difficulty? Technically?

Anyway, here's who knew that I have to wake up much earlier in the morning to sneak a Fibonacci number by them:

Paul K (the K stands for Killing Me Softly With His Sequence)
Trevor
Andrew
Charles
Nancy K (the K stands for Knows That No One Was Actually Named Fibonacci)
Heidi
Matt
and maybe Kyle, but I'm not sure.

Now here's today's also-easy-if-you-were-paying-attention-in-junior-high trivia question:

What common household substance is created when sodium bicarbonate is mixed with tartaric acid and calcium aluminum phosphate?

June 24, 2008 question

Bono got away with a 3-bomb, and here's who knew:

Islem
Kyle
Heather M (the M stands for Maybe They Let It Slide Because, Hey, It's Bono)
Karen M (the M stands for . . . Well, You'll Have To Ask Larry. He Knew All Seven.)

Alright, here we are. Tuesday. Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday. You know what the funny thing about Tuesday is? Nothing. Tuesday isn't funny. It's Tuesday. It doesn't even have a funny nickname. No "hump day," no "manic Monday," and no "Thank God it's Tuesday." Nobody thanks anybody that it's Tuesday. Sure, there's a Super Tuesday every four years. Woo flipping hoo. We just have to face it. It's Tuesday, and there's nothing we can do about it. Here's today's question:

What is the lowest positive integer that is NOT a Fibonacci number?

June 23, 2008 question

Elmo first appeared on Sesame Street in 1984. Heidi had the closest guess at 1987. Way to go, Heidi. Elmo loves you! (He gave a menacing scowl to the rest of you, or at least as close as his perpetually smiling muppet face can come to scowling.)

George Carlin died. I'll always remember him as Rufus, the time-traveling Sherpa who guided Bill & Ted on their excellent adventure. My son associates him exclusively as the voice of Fillmore. Other people know him only as the first host of Saturday Night Live or the originator of the list of "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," which is probably the most popular list no one knows. I mean, you can guess at what the words are, but most people never hear the list. Since the masses only know what they learn on television, they don't hear the comedy routine, they only hear countless references to its existence and the Supreme Court hearing that followed its broadcast.

That being said . . . or not said, here's today's question:

In a 2003 Golden Globes acceptance speech, what celebrity uttered number three on Carlin's list of "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" without any FCC fines being levied whatsoever? (And don't let the number three fool you . . . it's the big one.)

June 19, 2008 question

Trick after trick after trick. As Steve T (the T stands for Tricky, Tricky, Tricky) and Heidi both knew, there are no states without interstates, even though Alaska and Hawaii (and even Puerto Rico) can't really fulfill the inter- part of interstate literally. But the A-1, A-2, etc. highways and the H-1, H-2, etc. byways are still considered part of the national interstate system. Go figure.

Alright, done figuring? Good. It's time to think about some important issues affecting our fellow humans. Today's trivia is a two-parter. The first part is essay:

From a moral standpoint, what is the difference between gang violence and war?

Don't ask why that popped into my head on the morning bike ride. I'm not allowed to tell. Feel free to blow off that question and continue directly to this more straightforward question:

In what year did Elmo first appear on Sesame Street?

June 18, 2008 question

Indiana has the most interstate highways per square mile. If you've ever driven very far at all, you've gone through Indiana. New York to California? Yeah, you're going through Indiana. Ohio to Illinois? Good luck avoiding Indiana. Paris to Moscow? Straight through the heart of Gary is by far the best way. Trivia newcomer Kyle was the only one who knew that one. Way to go!

Now, inspired by some of your guesses, here is today's trivia question:

What U.S. states do not have interstate highways?

June 17, 2008 question

No no, no no no no, no no no no, no no no no limits! Yes, I do think that's the weirdest way I've ever introduced an answer, but it's still the answer. There is no maximum to the number of strikeouts a pitcher can throw in a game because not every strike out necessarily yields an out. If the catcher fails to catch the third strike before it touches the ground (be it a swinging third strike or a called third strike) and either first base is unoccupied or there are two outs in the inning, the batter may advance to first unless he is tagged out or thrown out before reaching first base. That's just one of the great things about baseball. Theoretically, it could go on forever . . . just like this answer. Here is the list of people whose knowledge has no limits either:

Charles
Steve J (the J stands for Just Five Outs Remaining)
Nancy K (the K stands for Strikeout, Even If No Out Is Recorded)
Robbie
Heidi

Fantastic. Here's today's question:

What state has the most miles of interstate highway per square mile?

June 16, 2008 question

Friday the 13th is apparently a statistically lucky day, according to the Dutch study reporting that fewer accidents occur on Friday the 13th than on other Fridays. Here's who either knew or just got lucky:

Steve J (the J stands for Jinxed)
Konrad
Robbie

Now for today's tomato-free, organic, unspoiled, homegrown, salmonellaless trivia question:

What is the maximum number of strikeouts a pitcher can throw in a regulation nine-inning baseball game?

June 13, 2008 question

Millimeter waves are infrared rays. I'm surprised you didn't know that! Oh, wait. You did, if you are one of these people:

Charles
Elena
Micaela
Steve J (the J stands for Just Another Ray)
Steve T (the T stands for The Incredible Hulk)

Gamma rays are infrared, too, even though they make Bruce (or David) Banner go all green. They also can make topaz change from white to blue. Go figure.

Anyway, today is Friday the 13th, which means things are supposed to turn less lucky. Or unlucky. Or bad lucky. I don't know, I'm not that superstitious (knock on wood). Here's today's (cross your fingers) completely unjinxable trivia question:

According to a recent Dutch study, do more or less accidents occur on Friday the 13th's compared to Fridays that fall on any other date?

June 12, 2008 question

In Greek mythology, Hermes created the lyre . . . he was also considered the god of liars, believe it or not. Paul C (the C stands for Cheating, Lying Thief) and Islem knew that one. I should also give a shout out to my sisters Heidi and Kristin from whom I've withheld credit because of some unresolved conflict in my subconscious . . . here's your shout. Aaaaargh.

That's exactly the sound some passengers (and perhaps some security personnel) will be emitting as their bodies are scanned by the new see-through security machines being installed in airports across the country. What I love about this one is the fact that, although every inch of their bodies will be visible through the millimeter-wave scanners, people are supposed to be consoled by the fact that their faces will be blurred out. I'm sure more than one passenger will be overheard saying, "Well, I'm sure they could see the Benjamin-Franklin-shaped birthmark on my upper thigh and that unfortunate unspeakable rash . . . but at least he couldn't see my face." Or . . . "Hey, Honey, you've got some broccoli stuck in your teeth." "Really?! Oh, good thing they blur out your face on the scanner. That would have been embarrassing." Other reasons to feel better about the scans: pictures of your naked body will not be saved, printed, or posted to the Internet, AND, if you'd rather not be part of the all-nude airline revue, you can always choose the pat-down instead.

So in honor or dishonor of the Patriot Act peep show, here's today's question:

Are millimeter waves considered ultra-violet waves or infrared waves? (Hint: yes, one of those options is indeed correct . . . the answer isn't "No.")

June 11, 2008 question

It was Michael Dukakis (as played by Sam Waterston) who said that George (H W) Bush was in danger of becoming the Joe Isuzu of American politics. Yes, yes. He's the one politician who exaggerated, misled, and lied. Becoming known as the pathological liar of Washington is about as hard as becoming the floozy of Las Vegas . . . or the nerd at MIT . . . or the no-talent female starlet with issues. Maybe we could start a petition requesting that no politician can publicly accuse another of lying. It could be the "Yeah, we know, he lied, move on and tell us a better one" petition.

Here's yet another trivia question of compromised integrity:

According to Greek mythology, what god created the lyre?

June 10, 2008 question

A new study shows that drinking more than two cups of coffee a day can kill up to 10 billion brain cells . . . yes, that's billion. And, yes, those were brain cells. For the sake of comparison, inhaling the exhaust from an H2 for an hour kills 2 billion brain cells. Being electrocuted and clinically dead for 10 minutes and then being revived by paddles kills 3 billion brain cells. And watching the full season of The Great American Dog kills 6 billion brain cells.

In response to this study, I've decided to stop cold turkey. Yes, that's right, I will stop paying attention to studies. Oh, I'll keep drinking coffee, that's for certain . . . especially since I'm lying about the study. Okay, I'll also stop making up fake studies and delivering manufactured diatribes about how indignant I am about their ludicrousness. I'm sorry. I need help. Here's today's pathologically lying question:

Who quipped in a presidential debate that George Bush was the Joe Isuzu of American politics?

June 9, 2008 question

Well, this is one of those days when I couldn't award any trivia prizes
if I wanted to. I'm sure it will make the glory all the sweeter if and
when your vice president nomination predictions come true. I know mine
won't. When Rudy G. was a strong front runner for the Republican
presidential ticket, I predicted Obama would win the Dem side and choose
John McCain as his running mate. Probably won't happen, now. It would be
a crafty move on the part of the candidates, but I don't know if it's
100% allowed . . . it's at least frowned upon.

Anyway, today's question is a lot like Friday's, except it's the
opposite . . . just not the total opposite. More like a tail to Obama's
head . . . or a head to Obama's tail, you know, it's best if I just ask
the question:

Who will John McCain choose as a running mate in the 2008 presidential
election?

June 6, 2008 question

Richard Scarry is pronounced "scary," so the people who answered A) Berry (where the Canadian Andy Griffith lives) were right on. Here they are:

Jessie
Kristin
Larry
Andy
Robbie
Nancy K (the K stands for Kids Books Rock)

Big props to all y'all. I had no idea until I looked it up. Now today's question is a little different, because none of us can really know the answer just yet. Still, I think it ought to be pretty fun in the light of Obama and Clinton meeting privately to discuss . . . well, maybe to discuss the answer to this question:

Who will be Barack Obama's running mate in the 2008 presidential election?

June 5, 2008 question

So . . . I'm totally a bad person, and everyone was half right. Both Rocky and Bullwinkle have the names Bullwinkle J. Moose and Rocket J. Squirrel printed on their birth certificates . . . irrespectively. I waited an extra day to see if anyone would catch on to the zero hints I gave, but no one did. We gotta get somebody back on the board! Here's today's question:

Today is author and illustrator Richard Scarry's birthday . . . what does his last name rhyme with?
A. Berry
B. Hurry
C. Starry
D. Zoo