April 9, 2009 question - ECNMZNG

ECNMZNG
Frm hr n t ts cnsnnts nly (nd smtms y)

In these troubled economic times, I find it extremely hard to make jokes about our current situation. I'm tempted to joke about changing the national anthem to the theme from Sanford & Son (bonus points if you can remember the name of the song and its composer; we covered this, people) . . . but that would be uncouth. I want to make light of the possibility that the government's last $1.5 trillion check just bounced, and AIG is ticked . . . but that, too, would be noticeably void of couth. I feel compelled to point out that we're so poor, Sally Struthers is asking Ethiopian kids to quit their coffee and adopt us . . . alas, if couth were money, that joke would be America.

So I decided that just this once, making fun of the situation is not the answer. Today, I'm gonna make a difference. Today, I'm going to do my part to trim the fat, tighten the belt (which is so much easier after the fat trimming), and start conserving.

Effective the next paragraph. I'm no longer using vowels.

Thnk bt t: n Whl f Frtn, y mak mny by gssng cnsnnts, bt y py mny t gss vwls. W cn't ffrd t b drppng $200 vry tm w nd vwl, s thts th nd f ll my vwl sg.

Okay, that ain't working. I guess insensitive attempts at humor will have to be my only contribution to the stimuli.

Today's Question
World Records
In 1992, The Guinness Book of World Records credited Vanna White with the honor of being the person who most frequently did what on television?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Jon Heder may have sprung to stardom as Napoleon, but he was paid a mere $1,000 to be that star. I think he's been fairly compensated since. By Nancy K's (the K stands for $1K Seems A Bit Steep) estimation, he got double what he deserved. Her answer of $500 was the closest of anyone. As her prize, I'm breaking out some Dynamite dance moves in her honor. Way to go.

April 8, 2009 question - Napoleonic Dynasty

Overboard
What else would you expect from American Idol?
In baseball, you expect extra innings every once in awhile.So of course I wasn't bothered by the extended nature of the Cubs game last night (although I was less than ecstatic about the loss). But in programmed television, the rules are different. They're supposed to end on time. American Idol has achieved a new low in their regular practice of breaking that rule.

Last night's final contestant, Adam Lambert, gave his entire performance after the DVR window. That is to say, he began his performance after the standard three-minute grace period most DVRs record even after the scheduled conclusion of a show. So the people who didn't watch the male version of Cher live last night most likely missed out on his typically must-see performance.

It's unforgivable, inexcusable, and reprehensible. Yet, the world still spins. I'll try to recover.

Today's Question
Entertainment
How much money was actor Jon Heder originally paid to play the title role in Napoleon Dynamite? (Closest guess wins.)

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Nap Lajoie actually became the namesake for his team, changing the Cleveland Bluebirds to the Cleveland Naps. Norris and Karen H (the H stands for How Lucky His Parents Named Him Napoleon Instead Of Richard) both knew that eponymous trivia about the team now known as the Indians.

Congratulations! You both win one free nap. Lajoie it!

And that just may be the worst joke ever. You're welcome.

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 6, 2009 question - Shining a Light in My Eyes

Somebody Turn That Thing Off
It's too early for sunlight
Monday morning is an interrogation. Monday steals us from the arms of our loving parents, Saturday and Sunday, and locks us in a cold, bare room with nothing but an irritating light that shines as bright as the sun. Because it is the sun.

What do they want to know? What's so important that Monday had to bring me in on trumped up charges of "having work to do," whatever that means? Spare me the torture, Monday. I'll tell you whatever you want to know.

Just take me back home to the weekend. You always do. Why must you keep returning? Go, Monday. Go steal someone else's children.

Stranger danger. Stranger danger!

Today's Question
Animal Kingdom
How many teeth does an adult hippo have?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Google is worth 8 points, but the Y and H in Yahoo give it a whopping 11 Scrabbleriffic tallies. Here's who knew:
Charles (who actually knew the exact point totals)
Maridee
Frislem
Diannalee
Steve T (the T stands for One Point)
Micaela
Nancy K (the K stands for Five Points)

Well done, all of you. May all your word scores be tripled and all your Q words be plentiful.

April 3, 2009 question - Cutleriffic

It's Friday, I'm in Love
. . . with Jay Cutler
It's April 3. That's supposed to be the time I attempt to get the trivia world all excited about baseball and spring and baseball and flowers and baseball and the Cubs and the Cubs and baseball. But instead the Bears are monopolizing the part of my brain that fantasizes about sporting championships. The Bears now have a quarterback that people generally consider to be good.

Yes, he's been accused of being a whiner. True, he has diabetes management issues. And indeed, he has Blagojevichian hair. But still, he's a legitimate quarterback on a team that hasn't had one since the leather-helmet days. AND they added an all-pro offensive lineman from THE Ohio State University. That's right, we have a quarterback and an emphatic definite article. If that's not reason to celebrate than I don't know . . . no, wait . . . then you don't know what is.

However, since knowing what constitutes celebratory motivation makes for a pretty lame trivia question, I'll move on.

Today's Question
Games
Which search-engine title yields a higher Scrabble score: Yahoo or Google? (without bonus squares)

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it
Do you want to know? "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," was the A-side (do they call them A-sides?) to "Hey Tonight," both of which were rhapsodized by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Here's who knew:

Frislem
Steve T (the T stands for Tonight . . . Hey!)
Jocelyn
Robbie
Kyle

Congrats, way to go, you're the Obama-diggity.

April 2, 2009 question - Fools Rush Away

What, You're Too Good for April Fools?
Seriously, what's up with that, trivia dude?

Why didn't I pull some kind of trivial April Fools joke? I'll tell you why. Because I may play it silly every once in awhile. Maybe I lay on the sarcasm here and there. I have been known, on occasion, to play tricks and pranks and other assorted high jinks on my very own trivia family (yes, you are all like second cousins and thrice-removed half aunts and uncles to me . . . and, yes, even those of you who are my real-life siblings). So how could I complain about a lack of any relevant inspiration from the current events of the day when the most obvious calendrical muse was staring me right in the face (or at the very least the profile) the entire time?

Because, my friends, trivia may be a lot of things, but it is not the stuff of fools. For the sake of my personal integrity, nay, the sake of trivial integrity, I refused to base an entire day's rant around an observation that derives its very nature from the lack of knowledge. Trivia is the constant search for knowledge, however far removed from the land of the practical. I will not, and I pray none of you will either, compromise that for the sake of a thematic intro.

Also, I totally forgot.

Today's Question
Music

What immortal musical question was asked on the 1971 single that had "Hey Tonight" as its B-side?

Yesterday's Answer
And the people who knew it

The first Cricket World Cup was played in 1975 and I was genuinely impressed at how close almost all of your guesses were, given the sport's long history. But I'm most impressed by Kyle and Charles who got it exactly right. So on their behalf, I offer up this bonus trivia tidbit. When an umpire makes a call on the basepaths in baseball, his choices are essentially out or safe. In cricket, the options are out or not out. Awesome.

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.