Ken Jennings trivia challenge

[Stan The Man]

Originally Posted by GenYus234

Can't be. The Arizona Cardinals ... and they aren't on the list.

Isn't the Cardinals Stadium retractable? There'd be many more stadia on the list if he included retractable roofs. Cowboys for one.

[GenYus234]

It is. But that would be a pretty precise definition. Also, do the Houston Astros still play in a domed stadium?

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by MacLloyd

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. What specific object appears in the best-known paintings of both Jasper Johns and Emmanuel Leutze?

a bicycle

2. The 1961 jazz recording First Time! is a collaboration between what two legendary jazz pianists and bandleaders with aristocratic nicknames?

Duke Ellington & Count Basie

3. What city, once called Leopoldville, is on pace to surpass Paris as the world's largest French-speaking city by 2020?

Some place in what was once the Belgian Congo

4. The premise of the TV show Smash is a Broadway musical based on the life of what woman?

Dorothy Parker (who was often smashed)

5. What unit of measurement is defined as 2,240 pounds in its "long" variety?

Ton

6. Who was famously arrested, at least initially, for the murder of a police officer named J. D. Tippit?

Malcolm X

7. What distinction is shared by these NFL and Major League Baseball teams, and no others? The Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams, and Tampa Bay Rays?

Can't even think of an amusing guess.

Seaboe

[erwins]

Originally Posted by GenYus234

It is. But that would be a pretty precise definition. Also, do the Houston Astros still play in a domed stadium?

I believe it is that very precise definition--there are other stadia with retractable roofs that aren't on the list, but the teams that are on the list play in non-retractable domes. I don't find that to be a weird distinction because it makes the teams have to always play "indoors" rather than just playing indoors when there's bad weather. It's distinctly different from having a retractable roof. There's only one team on the list that I'm not positive about, which is Atlanta, but I'm pretty sure they play in a dome. If anyone can confirm that, then I'll be entirely positive about the answer. And no, the Astros don't play in the Astrodome anymore. They haven't for about 10 years or so.

[Dr. Dave]

Atlanta Falcons play in the Georgia Dome.

Re- the Rays. Tropicana Field is a dome?

[erwins]

Yup--I've been to games there. "The Trop" has ground rules for when a ball hits the roof supports or catwalks.

[MacLloyd]

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS

1. What specific object appears in the best-known paintings of both Jasper Johns and Emmanuel Leutze? Leutze's most famous painting was Washington Crossing the Delaware; Johns's is a classic of pop art called Flag. So American flags then.

2. The 1961 jazz recording First Time! is a collaboration between what two legendary jazz pianists and bandleaders with aristocratic nicknames? Duke Ellington (not actually a duke) and Count Basie (not actually a count).

3. What city, once called Leopoldville, is on pace to surpass Paris as the world's largest French-speaking city by 2020? Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

4. The premise of the TV show Smash is a Broadway musical based on the life of what woman? The aspiring actresses in the show's first season were vying for the role of Marilyn Monroe. BUT WITH SONGS.

5. What unit of measurement is defined as 2,240 pounds in its "long" variety? That's a "long" ton, the "Imperial" version often in the U.K. Our 2000-pound American ton is the "short" one.

6. Who was famously arrested, at least initially, for the murder of a police officer named J. D. Tippit? Tippit was the Dallas police officer killed in 1963 when he approached the then-fugitive Lee Harvey Oswald. When Oswald was arrested 45 minutes later in a nearby movie theater, he was initially booked for Tippit's murder, not JFK's.

7. What distinction is shared by these NFL and Major League Baseball teams, and no others? The Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams, and Tampa Bay Rays? These are all the pro outdoor-sport teams that still play in a domed stadium--no retractable-roof, straight-up indoors all the time.

[MacLloyd]

Per Ken Jennings' request, the trivia challenge discussed on this message board has the number seven question delayed by one week. This is to avoid easy googling of the question which is designed to foil those who would "cheat". If you know the current number seven question, please do not discuss it here.

The Rules of the Thread
1. If you use the thread to help you get answers, do not submit those answers to the official game.
2. No googling until Sunday. No looking anything up anywhere (and posting it) before Sunday. No checking an article in a magazine you read last week. No checking some old notebook from college. No wikipedia. Not even snopes.com. No checking anything, anywhere - until Sunday. Only information that is stored in your brain, or in the brains of your non-snopester friends and family. But you can't use your family members as a work-around to looking up the information yourself.
3. If you google, don't post that information to the thread until Sunday. Not even as confirmation of the guesses of other posters. Someone else might still know the information on their own.
4. No guess is stupid, throw it out there.
5. No Hinting. If you have a guess or a reasonable belief that you have the right answer, post it. If you are attempting to use hinting as a work-around to the no posting googled answers rule, don't.

And remember, this is an exhibition, not a competition, so please... no wagering.

Welcome back, my Tuesday Trivia friends. I love and appreciate all of you, except that one weird friend of yours that you talked into signing up. But you! You're the best.

If you hunger for more Ken Jennings trivia during your non-Tuesday week, you're in luck because I've been unusually productive lately! I did a live trivia night for a Seattle arts-and-music festival a week ago, and you can now play along virtually at http://ken-jennings.com/blog/archives/3959 . Plus there's my Friday news quiz on Slate.com, and who could forget "Kennections," the hilariously named quiz that appears in Parade magazine every weekend and couple times a week on their website. Look, there's a new one now at http://parade.com/kennections .

But now, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the grandfather of them all...Tuesday Trivia. (Crowd goes nuts, house lights cut out.)

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?

3. Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer have started more games for what NFL team than any other quarterbacks?

4. What children's snack is called "barbe a papa" in France--"father's beard"?

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?

6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

[MacLloyd]

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?

The Ball Point Pen

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?

Oxygen

3. Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer have started more games for what NFL team than any other quarterbacks?

Sports question... need I say more?

4. What children's snack is called "barbe a papa" in France--"father's beard"?

Cotton Candy, at least that's what we call it around here.

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?

WAG - Kyoto???

6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?

No idea, though I probably should know.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

Must disqualify myself this week... saw the answer.

MacLloyd

[Floater]

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?

Ballpoint pens

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?

Kyoto

[erwins]

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?

Ball point pens

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?

silica?

3. Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer have started more games for what NFL team than any other quarterbacks?

Cincinnati Bengals

4. What children's snack is called "barbe a papa" in France--"father's beard"?

Cotton candy

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?

Kyoto

6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?

No idea

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Graduate both have red convertibles in them...can't think of anything else off hand.

[UEL]

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?

I am guessing when I say "yoyo"

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?

I think I know this one. Silica.

3. Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer have started more games for what NFL team than any other quarterbacks?

I know one of them once played for the Bengals.

4. What children's snack is called "barbe a papa" in France--"father's beard"?

Ice cream? Gets on your face like a beard.

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?

Just guessing this because it it only one of 4 Japanese cities I can name off the top of my head. Kyoto.

6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?

Greece from the Euro. I do know that one.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

I've only seen two of them. I have no clue. Perhaps wrecking a Ferrari in the film (Ferris Bueller and Fast and Furious did, I'm certain)

[Don Enrico]

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?

I'm guessing iron (Fe).


6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?

Greece would leave the Euro-zone, returning to a Greek-only currency.

[GenYus234]

[Seaboe]
7. All of them involved fights with giant steampunk samurai mecha?

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

1. Ball Point Pens
2. I should know this.
3. I have no reason to know this.
4. Cotton Candy
5. WAG: Oh, never mind. I don't even have a WAG.
6. Greece
7. I saw the answer and have to keep my mouth shut.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by MacLloyd

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?

Ballpoint pens

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?

Dirt. Oh, wait, that's not an element.

3. Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer have started more games for what NFL team than any other quarterbacks?

The Cowboys, wherever they are now.

4. What children's snack is called "barbe a papa" in France--"father's beard"?

shredded wheat

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?

Kyoto

6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?

Greece

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

They all show the hero with his shirt off (how should I know? I've only seen one of them all the way through). ETA: Thank you GenYus, I'm flattered.

Seaboe

[Mateus]

Originally Posted by MacLloyd

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

I've seen most of these; they all end on a bus.

[chillas]

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?

Ballpoint pens.

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?

Oxygen.

3. Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer have started more games for what NFL team than any other quarterbacks?

Bengals.

4. What children's snack is called "barbe a papa" in France--"father's beard"?

Based on the name, I'm going to guess cotton candy.

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?

I want to say that's Kyoto, but I'm shaky on that answer.

6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?

Greece from the Eurozone.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

No idea.

[musicgeek]

Originally Posted by MacLloyd

1. The Reynolds Rocket, released in 1945, and the Parker Jotter, which has since sold 750 million, were two of the first American versions of what newly invented item?
WAG - a ball-point pen?

2. What is both the most abundant element in the earth's crust and the third most common element by mass in the universe?
Carbon?

3. Ken Anderson, Boomer Esiason, and Carson Palmer have started more games for what NFL team than any other quarterbacks?
No idea, really - 49ers?

4. What children's snack is called "barbe a papa" in France--"father's beard"?
I think that's Cotton Candy/Candyfloss

5. What city was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years, ending in 1869?
Kyoto?

6. The possibility of a "Grexit" is much in the business news in 2012. Who or what would exit in a "Grexit"?
Greece, from the Eurozone

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

Hmm... looking for the common thread here.

[damian]

7. What unusual distinction is shared by all these movies? Fast & Furious, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ghost World, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Pariah, Pumping Iron, Sucker Punch.

Originally Posted by Mateus

I've seen most of these; they all end on a bus.

Mad Max 2 could also have been included.