Ken Jennings trivia challenge

[MacLloyd]

1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012?

Gotta be Larry Hagman (RIP) and the recent revival of Dallas

2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two?

WAG - Asia???

3. In physics, what's the name of the parabola-like curve formed by a chain hanging suspended by both ends?

Ah, memories of Physics 101 - Catenary (sp?)

4. In 2000, English composer Colin Matthews took advantage of scientific progress to compose a new eighth movement to what 1916 orchestral piece?

WAG - The Planets???

5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"?

Never heard of it.

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860?

WAG (I am having a lot of these today) - It was delivered by the Pony Express (first time or something)

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green.

I need to think about this. Something is nagging at the back of my mind, but I can't put my finger on it. I am familiar with Centerfold, Good Vibrations, Helter Skelter, Love Shack, Suspicious Minds and Turn! Turn! Turn!, but I can't figure out what they have in common.

ETA: As soon as I posted this, SM had put her finger on what was in the back of my mind! Well done Simply Madeline!

MacLloyd

[Floater]

2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two?

Asia

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860?

The first to be delivered by train from the East coast?

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green.

For once I know several of them, but I fail to see what they have in common.

[damian]

1. Larry Hagman (RIP)
2. Asia (the middle East)
3. Catenary
4. Don't know
5. Porn?
6. Don't know
7. Centerfold, The Look and Good Vibrations all have Na Na Nas or La La Las as a verse.

[Stan The Man]

5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"?

Baseball - No wonder MacLloyd didn't get it.

[chillas]

1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012?

Guessing Larry Hagman?

2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two?

Asia.

3. In physics, what's the name of the parabola-like curve formed by a chain hanging suspended by both ends?

Catenary.

4. In 2000, English composer Colin Matthews took advantage of scientific progress to compose a new eighth movement to what 1916 orchestral piece?

"Planets."

5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"?

Baseball, specifically batting.

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860?

It was delivered by Pony Express.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green.

No idea.

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

1. Larry Hagman
2. Guessing Asia, or else Africa. Yeah, probably Africa.
3. Concatenation?
4. Holst's, The Planets?
5. Butchering?

ETA: I see I got the root word in number 3, but not the exact term.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by MacLloyd

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012?

Larry Hagman

2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two?

Africa

3. In physics, what's the name of the parabola-like curve formed by a chain hanging suspended by both ends?

anti-parabola

4. In 2000, English composer Colin Matthews took advantage of scientific progress to compose a new eighth movement to what 1916 orchestral piece?

The Planets

5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"?

mowing the lawn

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860?

It was the first piece of mail delivered by the Pony Express.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green.

All mention angels.

Seaboe

[musicgeek]

1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012? Larry Hagman (as J.R. Ewing)

2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two? Africa?

3. In physics, what's the name of the parabola-like curve formed by a chain hanging suspended by both ends? Probably should know this, but don't.

4. In 2000, English composer Colin Matthews took advantage of scientific progress to compose a new eighth movement to what 1916 orchestral piece?
Holst's symphony "The Planets"?

5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"? Sounds like a vaudeville buck-and-wing dance move to me, but I'm pretty sure it's not.

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860? I'll go with The Pony Express as well.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green.
As others have mentioned - a period of silence within the song (A "caesura" if you want to be all fancy about it.)

[Don Enrico]

1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012?

The late Larry Hackman (as J.R. in Dallas)?

2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two?

Guessing: Asia

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860?

First newspaper to be delivered after the earthquake?

[erwins]

My guess for 6 (I think others have already gotten all of the other ones) is that it was delivered by trans-continental railroad. It is a guess though--Pony Express might well be right.

ETA: Now that I think about it, I think the trans-continental railroad was completed after the civil war. So nevermind.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by Don Enrico

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860?

First newspaper to be delivered after the earthquake?

You're about 45 years off--the earthquake was in 1906.

Originally Posted by erwins

ETA: Now that I think about it, I think the trans-continental railroad was completed after the civil war. So nevermind.

1869, IIRC.

Seaboe

[MacLloyd]

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS

1. Which 1980 Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor was playing the same role on TV more than three decades later in 2012? The late, great Larry Hagman (may his eyebrows ever increase) played J. R. Ewing off and on for almost 35 years.

2. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were spread across three continents. Which continent was home to more wonders than the other two? Two were in Egypt (Africa) and two in Greece (Europe and nearby islands) but the other three--the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus--were all in Asia.

3. In physics, what's the name of the parabola-like curve formed by a chain hanging suspended by both ends? That's a catenary. Fun fact: the Gateway Arch in St. Louis is an upside-down catenary.

4. In 2000, English composer Colin Matthews took advantage of scientific progress to compose a new eighth movement to what 1916 orchestral piece? Matthews added a "Pluto" movement to Holst's The Planets, which the composer had ended with "Neptune." (Earth doesn't get its own movement, so there are just seven.) His timing was lousy, though. Pluto was demoted just six years later.

5. In what activity might you try to employ a "Baltimore chop"? Baseball. A "Baltimore chop," perfected by the Orioles during the dead-ball era, is an attempt to get to first base via a high-bouncing infield hit.

6. What was historic about the copy of the St. Joseph Gazette delivered to San Francisco on April 14, 1860? That was the only newspaper in the first Pony Express delivery, which connected St. Joseph to San Francisco for 18 months in 1860-61.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these songs? "Centerfold" by the J. Geils Band, "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Hard to Explain" by the Strokes, "Helter Skelter" by the Beatles, "I Am the Resurrection" by Stone Roses, "The Look" by Roxette, "Love Shack" by the B-52s, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley, "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by the Byrds, "Under tha Influence (Follow Me)" by Cee-Lo Green. They all have "fake-out" endings or codas--that is, the song stops and then unexpectedly starts again. I guess it's only "unexpected" the first time you hear it. Fool me twice, J. Geils Band, shame on me.

[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 to Tuesday Trivia!

As you'll notice, this week's questions are all on the theme of parents and children, and that's not a coincidence. It's what I'm told is a clever cross-promotional "synergy" with my latest book: BECAUSE I SAID SO!: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MYTHS, TALES, & WARNINGS EVERY GENERATION PASSES DOWN TO ITS KIDS. The new book examines 125 classics parenting cliches (running with scissors, swallowing gum, cracking your knuckles) and as a totally unbiased observer, I think it's a pretty great holiday gift for parents, kids, and former kids alike.

BECAUSE I SAID SO! comes out today! Here are some ways to read it:
http://books.simonandschuster.net/bu...ther-retailers

And here are some "book trailer" videos that reveal shocking behind-the-scenes secrets on how I wrote it:
http://www.youtube.com/user/BecauseISaidSoBook/videos

You could take home a signed copy of BECAUSE I SAID SO! by winning our new ten-week quiz contest. The standings are at http://ken-jennings.com/messageboard...php?f=3&t=9373 .

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. Which U.S. state was almost called "New Wales" but was instead named not for its founder, but for his military hero father of the same name?

2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"?

3. What first name was shared by one of Bill Cosby's friends on Fat Albert and one of his kids on The Cosby Show?

4. What two careers for children ARE approved in the country classic, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"?

5. Who was the only Queen of England or Great Britain ever to be succeeded on the throne by her own child?

6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry?

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies? Hell's Angels, Mary Poppins, Nanook of the North, Nosferatu, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Prince and the Showgirl, Psycho, Salt of the Earth.

[MacLloyd]

1. Which U.S. state was almost called "New Wales" but was instead named not for its founder, but for his military hero father of the same name?

The only thing I can think of is Pennsylvania.

2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"?

Gallileo

3. What first name was shared by one of Bill Cosby's friends on Fat Albert and one of his kids on The Cosby Show?

Hey, hey, hey, it's Rudy!

4. What two careers for children ARE approved in the country classic, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"?

"Let them be doctors and lawyers and such!"

5. Who was the only Queen of England or Great Britain ever to be succeeded on the throne by her own child?

Victoria

6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry?

Samwise Gamgee

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies? Hell's Angels, Mary Poppins, Nanook of the North, Nosferatu, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Prince and the Showgirl, Psycho, Salt of the Earth.

That I have seen them all (no that can't be it, I haven't seen Salt of the Earth).

MacLloyd

[Floater]

1. Which U.S. state was almost called "New Wales" but was instead named not for its founder, but for his military hero father of the same name?

Pennsylvania?

2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"?

Galileo Galilei

5. Who was the only Queen of England or Great Britain ever to be succeeded on the throne by her own child?

Mary, queen of Scots

6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry?

Samwise Gamgee

[chillas]

1. Which U.S. state was almost called "New Wales" but was instead named not for its founder, but for his military hero father of the same name?

Pennsylvania.

2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"?

Galileo Galilei.

3. What first name was shared by one of Bill Cosby's friends on Fat Albert and one of his kids on The Cosby Show?

Rudy.

4. What two careers for children ARE approved in the country classic, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"?

Doctors and lawyers.

5. Who was the only Queen of England or Great Britain ever to be succeeded on the throne by her own child?

Queen Victoria was succeeded by her son, who was an Edward, though I forget which.

6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry?

I would hazard a guess that this is Samwise Gamgee.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies? Hell's Angels, Mary Poppins, Nanook of the North, Nosferatu, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Prince and the Showgirl, Psycho, Salt of the Earth.

Thinking...

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

Lots of WAGs this week. 3 & 4 are good, though.

1. Pennsylvania?
2. Gallileo?
3. Rudy
4. Doctors and lawyers and such
5. Victoria??
6. Frodo Baggins??

ETA: Dang, Ken. Now I've got that song stuck in my head and I just got it out again last week.

"Them that don't know him don't like him, and them that do sometimes don't know how to take him. He ain't wrong, he's just differ'nt, but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right."

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by MacLloyd

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. Which U.S. state was almost called "New Wales" but was instead named not for its founder, but for his military hero father of the same name?

Pennsylvania

2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"?

Da Vinci

3. What first name was shared by one of Bill Cosby's friends on Fat Albert and one of his kids on The Cosby Show?

Rudy (which isn't right, but isn't it the name of that youngest girl, whose name started with an R? It's hard because I never saw the show)

4. What two careers for children ARE approved in the country classic, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"?

cops and robbers

5. Who was the only Queen of England or Great Britain ever to be succeeded on the throne by her own child?

Victoria

6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry?

Wilbur the pig (from Charlotte's Web)

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies? Hell's Angels, Mary Poppins, Nanook of the North, Nosferatu, Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Prince and the Showgirl, Psycho, Salt of the Earth.

Interesting list. I've seen three (MP, N, P9) and heard of three others (NN, PS & Ps). I can't think of what they have in common.

ETA: Floater, she was never queen of Great Britain

Seaboe

[Hero_Mike]

3. What first name was shared by one of Bill Cosby's friends on Fat Albert and one of his kids on The Cosby Show?

It is definitely Rudy. Fat Albert's friends were, IIRC, Dumb Donald, Mushmouth, Weird Harold, Bucky, Bill, Russell, and Rudy. "Bill" was Bill Cosby himself, and "Russell" was his brother, who seemed to always be wearing a winter coat.

[Don Enrico]

2. Albert Einstein called what man, born at Pisa in 1564, the "father of modern science"?

Probably Leonardo da Vinci?

6. What literary character returned home to have thirteen children, including Elanor, Pippin, Rose, Hamfast, and Merry?

That's Sam Gamdschi (spelling?), Frodo's friend from LOTR. ETA: After seeing others' answers, I realise that they changed the name in the German translation to something that would be spoken like the English original.