July 30, 2009 question - Stupidist

Racism or Intellectualism?
Obama's "stupid" comments costing him; but why?
Barack Obama said that the police officers who arrested Harvard prof William Henry Gates acted "stupidly," a word he later wished he had calibrated differently.

Now the news is out that the way he handled his comments (and the comments about the comments about the comments) are costing him where it hurts a president most: his approval rating.

Most reactions seem to categorize this flap as a matter of racism. I see it as something different. Stupid is not just a bad word for kids to say anymore. Now the president can't even say it. If he had calibrated his thoughts as, "The police would have been wiser to approach matters differently," Obama probably would have been okay. But he called the police "stupid," and that will land anybody in time out.

Yeah, I think Obama's big mistake was offending stupid people. While that may be fun here at trivia, the White House isn't just supposed to defend Harvard professors. The Constitution begins, "We the people," not, "We the smart people."

Let's not use stupid as an insult any longer. Don't judge on mental might. Everybody has the potential to improve their intellect; even the prez.

Today's Question
History
What is the youngest school in the Ivy League?

Previous Answer
And the people who knew it
Karen M (the M stands for My Prince Better Be Tough) alone knew that the Grimm Brothers' princess didn't kiss the frog; she tossed him against the wall to transform him. Congrats! (And frogs, look elsewhere for a smooch.)

July 6, 2009 question - Gore '09

It's Pamplona Time.

Keep a close eye on your upper thigh.
The economy is wearing on the city of Pamplona and its annual running of the bulls.

Call me old school, but I'd rather be pinched by a recession than gored by a bull.

Today's Question
Literature
What Hemingway novel popularized the San Fermín festival in Pamplona?

Previous Answer
And the people who knew it
I'm a little disappointed in you for trusting me so much. I tried to tell you overtly that I would not be asking trick questions anymore . . . which is exactly what someone who is about to ask yet another trick question would say. Because there are no, zero, nada free-standing structures that reach higher than the Sears Tower antennas. By most classifications, antennae do not count in the "world's tallest" argument. Spires count, antennas don't. I can't pretend to understand it, but that's the way it is. So in my mind (where anyone is free to roam around, although I don't recommend it) the Sears tower is the world's tallest building. There are four structures that go higher than the top of the actual building, but those red and white feelers touch rarified air. So congrats to Sears, Willis, and all future names of Chicago's most altitudinous location!

June 29, 2009 question - Trivia Saves Lives

What's with the Dying?
Trivia was never meant to be an obit
Ed McMahon. Farrah Fawcett. Michael Jackson. Billy Mays. I guess the lesson here is, when I don't send Trivia, celebrities die. I'm on it.

Today's Question
History
Sir Frederick Treves, the physician famed for treating "Elephant Man" Joseph Merrick, was also the first to perform what surgical procedure?

Previous Answer
And the people who knew it
Dorothy Gale was the central character in The Wizard of Oz, although the Ozzians knew her by one name only, a la Madonna and Cher. Congrats to Jocelyn, John H (the H stands for Happy Birthday), Karen H (the H stands for Howling Winds Of Genius), Stephen K (the K stands for Knocked Out During House Relocation), and Karen M (the M stands for Emily), all of whom knew Dorothy long before she hit it big on the Yellow Brick Road. Your intellect blows me away.

May 8, 2009 question - Off with his head!

Drew the Short Straw
I really hope this doesn't delay his next wedding.
First of all, thanks to everyone who went outside yesterday and came back to tell me of the beauty you beholded. It certainly made my day better.
Second of all, raise your hand if your day didn't get just a little better when you heard about the arrest of Drew Peterson, the ex-cop with a marital record worthy of Henry VIII? Anyone . . . anyone? Bueller?

It's very tempting to ramble on about what a jerk this guy is, but it's Friday. So why not just silently savor the image of a crooked ex-cop spending the rest of his life surrounded by people who don't really like crooked ex-cops . . . ah, justice.

Today's Question
History
How many of Henry VIII's marriages ended in beheading?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Ladybugs eat aphids and mites and buggy little pests in general. Here's who knew:

Melinda
Karen H (the H stands for Have An Aphid)
Kyle
Konrad
Jessie
Karen M (the M stands for Mites Are Ready!)
Maridee
Steve J (the J stands for Juicy!)
NC (the N C stands for No Cheezburgers)

I'm so impressed, as is my son who supplied the question. Congrats!

May 5, 2009 question - Cinco de . . . um . . .

Down the Stretch They Come
And by "they" I mean society
I know it's Cinco de Mayo, but now that I'm half conscious, I want to talk about Dos de Mayo and the running of the Kentucky Derby. The most telling thing about that race was not the 21-hour drive the owner and his horse made from New Mexico (or the hobbled hissy fit he threw when asked about it for the twenty-first time after winning). It wasn't the 50-1 odds Mine That Bird overcame. It wasn't even the fact that the winning horse was in dead last 3/4 of the way through the race (or the fact that, after Kyle mockingly said he bet on that horse, I told him not to worry, he was going to do a Black Stallion and win this thing).

No, the very best part of the race, the part that summed up the improbability of it all, was the call Tom Durkin made once Mine That Bird opened up a three length lead--a lead he would more than double down the stretch. Yes, with about 100 yards left in the race, Durkin's call went like this:

"And out in front is . . . uh . . . "

Yeah, the reason he was searching for a name was the simple fact that the last time he had referenced that horse was in this sentence: "And behind the rest of them is Mine That Bird."

That's how unexpected and lightning fast his surge to victory was. I had to rewind it multiple times to verify that what I had just seen was really what my mind was assuming it was.

And it was. And it was hilariously awesome.

Today's Question
History
Prior to their defeat in the Battle of Puebla (on Cinco de Mayo) what was the last military battle the French Army had lost, almost 50 years prior?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Yes, you can see the Andromeda Galaxy with the naked eye. It's right . . . there. Here's who spotted it:

Heidi
Steve T (the T stands for Two Hundred Fifty Light Years Away, Making It One Of The Most Distant Objects Visible From Earth WTNE)
Robbie
Kyle
Charles
Steve J (the J stands for Just Wave So I Can See Where You Are)

Congratulations on your intergalactic genius.



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April 24, 2009 question - CHI-Jinx

Spoke Too Soon
My kind of losing streak
Since my celebratory email on Monday rejoicing in the glorious weekend of winning, my Chicago teams have won precisely one game. Thank God it's the weekend again (yes, I'm counting today as the weekend in the hopes that words that begin in W's conjure up some wins).

If you look on the bright side, of course, you'll realize that there's more to life than sports. If, however, sports is the best thing you've got going . . . well, I hope you've been rooting for someone other than Chicago. Yikes.

Happy Friday anyway.

Today's Question
History
What two countries were joined under the reign of the Jagiellon Dynasty?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Wow. Either I've asked this question before or you're all just really smart about your folksy guitar bands. Or both. Plenty of you knew that The Byrds were always fronted by Roger McGuinn. Here's who:

Heather M (the M stands for McGenius)
Larry
Steve T (the T stands for Turn, Turn, Turn)
Micaela
Jocelyn

Rock on with your Byrd-loving selves.

April 16, 2009 question - Get Lost

Lost
Come get found
Do you watch Lost? It's awesome, and it's only getting awesomer. And when the end of the season approaches (the end of the penultimate season, mind you) it tends to get even awesomerer.

And while I'm usually the one asking questions here, today I invite you to ask away with all your Lost-related inquiries, theories, and speculation. I will try to respond in due course, although I can't promise that I'll be able to answer your questions before I flash forward in time. We can also share theories in some kind of forum so as not to annoy the people who choose not to attain self-actualization through discussion of the coolest show of all time.

Today's Question
History
Who disappeared with Amelia Earhart (and no, I won't accept "her navigator" as an answer; I'm looking for a name)?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
The answer may not have been obvious, but it was obverse. Micaela, Steve T (the T stands for Tails, You Lose), and Konrad had no trouble making heads or tails of that answer. If Trivia nation had currency, their heads would be on the big bucks. Congratulations!

April 7, 2009 question - Go Cubs Go

We're Singing
Go, Cubs, Go
Okay, so I didn't jinx Opening Day. Cubs win 4-2. All is right with the world. But I can't go a whole season without mentioning the Cubs. Or could I? Have I been jinxing every season by talking about the Cubs? I guess we'll never know. Oh, no! Now I've jinxed them by insinuating that the Cubs will never win and thus be able to disprove my jinxing theory!

Superstition is such an unbecoming ubiquity.

Today's Question
Baseball . . . yes, BASEBALL!
To what did the Cleveland Bluebirds change their team name in 1902 after Nap Lajoie became the team's biggest star?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Hippos have 36 teeth, but the handful of really big ones catch your attention. And I want to thank you all for guessing so generally wide of the mark in both directions, which made crowning a winner a mathematical achievement. But, if my tallies are to be believed (and Jessie would be inclined to say they are not, since I overlooked her, yesterday) Diannalee is today's winner. Congratulotamus.

April 1, 2009 question: But Seriously

If I Could Just Get Serious for a Moment
. . . but I can't.
The news just ain't doing it for me today. There's sports stuff to talk about. Or Idol. But overall this day just feels so boring. Maybe it's because Obama left the country and took our mojo with him. I just haven't been this far from Barack since he took office, and I just don't know what to do with myself.

I guess I'll just sit here and cry. Or . . . I could just take comfort in knowing that there doesn't necessarily need to be anything to be distracted from in order for trivia to be a pleasant distraction. So I'll just let the crickets chirp for awhile, and then I'll get on to the question.

Cricket.

Today's Question
Cricket
In what year was the inaugural Cricket World Cup held?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Before he was posthumously doling out awards bearing his name, Joseph Pulitzer fought in the American Civil War and did his fair share of newspaper work. Karen H (the H stands for Honor In Reporting) and Heather M (the M stands for Mudslinging Yellow Journalists) both knew, given some time to think about it. You are both awarded the Pulitzer Prize of Trivia. Kudos.

March 30, 2009 question

Yes or Nolympics
Your answers
On Friday I asked for your input on the pros and cons of seeing the Olympics come to Chicago. Thanks to everybody who enlightened me while making my decision as the official PWANS (Person With Absolutely No Say) all the more difficult. Here are your responses:
 
The Pros

    * When Michael Phelps exhales, the smoke will be lost in the wind. (Kyle)
    * I won't have to travel far to see it. (Charles . . . and me)
    * I will definitely come and definitely impose on all of my Chicagoland family members and try to go see an Olympic event or two. The coming and the imposing are definite. The actual attending of the Olympics is still at a try and see status. (Heidi)
    * It might get the 3rd airport opened. (Heather M)

The Cons

    * The cost and hassle has overshadowed any benefit of the Games to the city for every host city that is not in an authoritarian state. Like Chicago needs more costs and hassles. (Heather M)
    * The Democrats cannot pull off the Olympics (even though, unfortunately, they can sometimes pull off the presidential elections). (Elena)
    * I despise sports and the coming together of nations and Chicago and Olympic Villages. No, wait, I love all those things except maybe not the Olympic Village, but I could tolerate the Olympic Village for the coming and imposing and trying to see. (Heidi)
    * The tendency of constructing temporary stadiums; support of Chicago (or any city) hosting the Olympics is contingent on constructions that provide a permanent benefit to schools or universities in Chicago (Charles)
    * It would be yet another distraction for the Chicago Bears quarterback.

So thanks, everybody, for your thoughtful and/or humorous insights. I will submit them to the IOC for their immediate disposal perusal.
 
Today's Question
People whose last name starts with "P"
What U.S. Civil War veteran went on to buy the St. Louis Post and the St. Louis Dispatch and eventually merged them into the St. Louis Post-Dispatch?
 
Friday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Of dimes, quarters, and half dollars, which one's cents weigh the most? It's a tie. A half dollar weighs exactly the same as two quarters or five dimes. Who knew?
Well . . . nobody. But now you all do, and isn't that what counts?

March 20, 2009 question

First Guest
Obama goes to Hollywood

Last night, Jay's first guest was the First Guest. For the first time in history, the sitting president of the United States was sitting in the late night talkshow couch. I don't know if it makes me happy, confused, irritated, or what. I guess it's just proof positive that we're living in a new day, in which the pres doesn't mind filling out brackets and hanging out with Leno. It kind of feels like one of those phases when your boss decides to get really involved with your work. You know, to break the distance between management and labor.

Sure he's cool, but he's still the boss. And now I don't feel comfortable--even Kevin was in a suit. I mean, you can laugh, but not too loud. And you have to act like you're so happy he's there, but really you just wish Reese Witherspoon would come back, and he would go back to his Oval Office and leave you all alone to play Minesweeper and talk about fashion.
 
It's okay, Mr. President. You don't have to be cool. Just, you know, save the economy or whatever and let us have our space. Boundaries, sir. Boundaries.
   
Today's Question
History

Who was the first U.S. president to appear on TV?
   
Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it

The most productive day of the week is Tuesday, although I suppose a better question would have been, What is the second most productive day of the week? Because almost no one guessed Monday. But here's who knew that Tuesday was number 1:
 
Nancy K (the K stands for Keeping Busy)
Steve T (the T stands for Tuesdays Stink)
H. E. (the H E stands for Hurrying Everyday)
Steven F (the F stands for Fridays Are My Days)
Charles
Jessie
Elena
Karen M (the M stands for Mondays Are Fun Days)
Heidi
Heather M (the M stands for My Favorite Day Is Today!)
Jacqueline
 
I guess this new format makes everyone really sharp . . . or the questions really dull. Great work, regardless! 

March 18, 2009 question

So I caught a little bit of Jimmy Fallon on Late Night last night. Wow, was he not funny. It's very odd, because I know he's done stand up and been pretty good AND he was funny behind the Weekend Update desk. I'm sure he'd be much better if he had Tina Fey beside him through every monologue. I'll give him time, but right now he looks like the class clown in solitary confinement up there. I'm guessing Conan took his writers with him. He told one joke that bombed so bad, I seriously thought the sound went out on my TV for a second.

But there were three people in the live trivia audience who didn't miss the humor in yesterday's question: according to Irish folklore, the unluckiest color was green. Legend has it that the faeries loved that color and would kidnap anyone (particularly the little folk) wearing too much of it. That explains why the Leprechauns wear green . . . everyone else just has an abduction fix, apparently. Here's who knew:

Kyle
Karen M (the M stands for Make My Day, Little Man)
Karen H (the H stands for Haggis . . . Sure, It's Scottish, But So Was
St. Patrick)

Congratulations on spotting my shenanigans. Alrighty, on to today's question. Here it be:

What is the world's oldest existing monarchy?

AND . . . a bonus:

Who is the monarch who rules it?

AND . . . a $20 bonus:

Fill out your brackets at the link below for your chance to win a $20 Starbucks gift card.

Join Now!

The League ID # is 123496 and the password is: bucks

March 17, 2009 question

Here are the seven countries with claims on Antarctic territories:

United Kingdom
New Zealand
France
Norway
Australia
Chile
Argentina

The most anybody got was . . . hold on, let me check . . . five, by Karen H (the H stands for How You Like Me Now?). That's quite impressive. I'd also like to point out that the only country above that no one guessed was Argentina. Don't cry for them.

Instead, let's move on to St. Patrick's day. Here's today's question:

According to Irish folklore, what color was considered unlucky due to the belief that the Good People (faeries) would abduct people adorned in the unfortunate hue?

NOTE:
* If you're interested in winning a $20 Starbucks giftcard by showing off your selection skills in the NCAA tourney, venture over here and join the Bracket Bucks challenge.
http://adamheatherkellogg.blogspot.com/2009/03/bracket-bucks.html

March 12, 2009 question

W didn't wiggle it's way into the alphabet until the Middle Ages, but J and U didn't declare their respective independence from I and V until after the Renaissance, when the enlightened finally acknowledged that J and U are letters too. Seriously, that's what they yelled at the protests and wrote on their picket signs: "J AND U ARE LETTERS TOO!!!" Very controversial. A few people knew one of those, no one knew both, but Elena did couple W with J, which, if you think about it, is twice as correct as U.

Moving away from the alphabet now (finally), here's today's challenge:

Name a word that has its letters arranged in reverse alphabetical order.

(Examples: if, red; also, I lied. The moving away from the alphabet is merely an optical illusion, since we're moving backwards . . . almost like a lexical moonwalk, if you will.)

March 11, 2009 question

The little letters are minuscule, and the big ones are majuscule (even though my spell checker wants to change it back to minuscule). Only multilingual wiz kids Elena and Konrad knew that nugget of trivial infinitesimality, for which they deserve infinite praise. Well, maybe just barely finite praise. No matter. They'll have a chance to extend the glory if they can get this one right:

What two letters of the English alphabet were last to be added to the Latin alphabet from which they came?

March 6, 2009 question

It's cranky Friday.

Watchmen is coming out tonight, and it's got everybody talking, even me. Here's what I'm saying, "Not gonna see it. Ever. Thpbt!"

Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend. I will celebrate by holding my breath for an entire hour beginning at 2 AM on Sunday and ending at 3 AM that morning. After I'm done, I will thumb my nose at the entire universe in disgust.

Grrr. Here's today's question:

From May 9 to May 23 in 1965, what two adjacent cities suddenly became separated by an hour?

And here's who knew that the Sun is like a Vitamin D machine:

Larry
Heather M (the M stands for Maybe I Should Just Go Back To Bed)
Elena
Nancy K (the K stands for Kill Me. Kill Me Now.)
Konrad
Melinda
Maridee
Kyle
Karen H (the H stands for How Are You, Really?)
Steve J (the J stands for Jump, Jive, And Wail)
Karen M (the M stands for Maybe Just Wail)
Heidi

Yay for you all. Woo. Hoo.

February 27, 2009 question

It isn't that I want you to fail; I love coming across a correct answer in the trivia inbox. But when a multiple choice question yields a singular winner . . . I'm pretty happy. So is Jessie, because she and she alone recalled that Shane Stant, otherwise known as "Who?" wielded the club that failed to put Nancy Kerrigan out of commission. Shawn Eckhardt was Tonya Harding's bodyguard. Jeff Gillooly was her husband and the mastermind of the dumbest operation in the history of sports. Tonya Harding was the one who almost strangled the world with her boot lace. And Jeff Stone was . . . also Jeff Gillooly. He changed his name, because A) the notoriety of the incident completely prevented him from having any chance of a peaceful private life, and B) his name was Jeff Gillooly. Congratulations, Jessie! The competition is nowhere to be seen! Hey . . . what did you do? Why? Why? WHY?!?

Um, okay, time for a nice, peaceful Friday question. Here goes nothin':

What sport did England see played for the first time at Lord's Cricket Ground on this date in 1874?

February 25, 2009 question

Sorry about the mass trivia confusion on Monday and into Tuesday. I gave the email machine a swift kick, and it seems to be doing alright now. You be the judge.

Anyway, here's the scoop on odd couples: Oscar Madison shacked up with Felix Unger in The Odd Couple, a story that created a formula for an entire genre: the not-really-buddies buddy movie. Tommy Boy, Twins, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, and the entire Lethal Weapon series all owe their success to Felix and Oscar . . . although, I'm pretty sure none of them ever won an Oscar. Here's who knew:

Karen M (the M stands for Madison Actually Drafted The Monroe Doctrine)
Karen H (the H stands for Huh?)
Stephen K (the K stands for Knock The Monroe Doctrine At Your Peril)
Heidi
Steven F (the F stands for Frazzle Razzle)
Larry
Steve J (the J stands for Just Kidding, Okay?!)
Nancy K (the K stands for Knock It Off, You Seven!)

Anyway . . . President Obama addressed the nation last night. I missed it, but I heard the rumblings. I no longer feel the need to watch the Pres on TV because he emails me like twice a day. Ugh. Like I have time for that. I have more important things to deal with, Mr. President . . . it's called trivia. Here's today's question, in honor (sort of) of the 15th anniversary of Nancy Kerrigan's silver medal performance at the 1994 Winter Olympics:

Who clubbed Nancy Kerrigan's knee at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, just over a month before the Olympic Games?

A. Shawn Eckhardt
B. Jeff Gillooly
C. Tonya Harding
D. Shane Stant
E. Jeff Stone

February 16, 2009 question

You've waited long enough. Yes, river otters do have webbed feet, as my son learned from Diego. Here's who else may have been watching:

Nancy K (the K stands for Kotters Do Not Have Webbed Feet, But They Do Have Welcome Backs)
Cindy
Diannalee
Paul C (the C stands for City Otters Don't Have Webbed Feet Either, But They Otter)
Steve J (the J stands for Jungle Otters Have No Feet At All)
Karen M (the M stands for Maybe We Should Skip The Jokes And Just Go Straight To The Next Question)

Done. Here it is, in honor of Presidents Day:

What food company was founded in 1906 by an Italian immigrant named Amedeo Obici?