Ken Jennings Trivia Challenge

1. In the flagship version of the Angry Birds video game, players launch their birds at what type of animal?
A- Pigs
Seabow- I've never played it either, but I at least have seen the original graphics.

2. What two U.S. states each have 41.2% of their area covered by water, more by far than any other state of the union?
A- Rhode Island is over 40% for sure and I'd guess Michigan as the other. But does Hawi'i count since it is an island group?

3. Robotics professor Masahiro Mori coined what name for the unexpected dip in a graph of comfort level caused by simulated humans beginning to look more and more like real humans?
A- Droidaphobia?

4. What current TV show about the Braverman family is loosely based on a 1989 movie about the Buckman family?
No clue.

5. The Brazilian company Embraer is one of the world's largest manufacturers of what?
A- Sugar based ethanol?

6. Anzac Day every April commemorates the over 10,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives in what 1915 military campaign against the Ottoman Empire?
A- Not so up on WW1 history. I guess the Charge of the Light Brigade.

[Darth Credence]

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. In the flagship version of the Angry Birds video game, players launch their birds at what type of animal? Pigs

2. What two U.S. states each have 41.2% of their area covered by water, more by far than any other state of the union? I'll guess Minnesota (land of 10,000 lakes) and Florida for the Everglades

3. Robotics professor Masahiro Mori coined what name for the unexpected dip in a graph of comfort level caused by simulated humans beginning to look more and more like real humans? The Uncanny valley

4. What current TV show about the Braverman family is loosely based on a 1989 movie about the Buckman family? Parenthood

5. The Brazilian company Embraer is one of the world's largest manufacturers of what? Airplanes

6. Anzac Day every April commemorates the over 10,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives in what 1915 military campaign against the Ottoman Empire? No idea - sorry to our Australian and New Zealand posters!

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies, listed in this order? Rocky, Scary Movie 3, Coraline, They Won't Forget, Jaws, Stand By Me, Frequency, Where the Truth Lies, The Ice Storm, A Christmas Story. Holidays. The big fight in Rocky is on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King's birthday is coming up in Scary Movie, no idea for Caroline or They Won't Forget, Jaws is Memorial Day, Stand By Me was Labor Day (I guess Independence Day would have made this too obvious), don't know the next three, and the last one is clearly A Christmas Story. I think enough of them fall in line to make up for the ones I haven't seen.

I see Simply Madeline has the same theory - I cleared up one of her issues, and know nothing about the other. I think she may have Jaws correct, not me - I know it was the start of the summer tourist season, but I thought that was Memorial Day. Makes my aside about Independence Day a little foolish if she's right. Of course, it works a lot better assuming that They Won't forget revolves around Memorial Day, which would likely make Coraline around Easter. Of the other two, I have no idea which one is Halloween, because I can't seem to come up with another notable holiday between Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

[MacLloyd]

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS

1. In the flagship version of the Angry Birds video game, players launch their birds at what type of animal? Have you seen the little piggies, crawling in the dirt?

2. What two U.S. states each have 41.2% of their area covered by water, more by far than any other state of the union? Michigan and Hawaii. A couple New England states--Rhode Island and Massachusetts--are in third and fourth place, with 32% and 26% respectively.

3. Robotics professor Masahiro Mori coined what name for the unexpected dip in a graph of comfort level caused by simulated humans beginning to look more and more like real humans? When a CG-animated movie character or weird Japanese sex robot weirds you out with its almost-but-not-quite human affect, you are navigating the "uncanny valley."

4. What current TV show about the Braverman family is loosely based on a 1989 movie about the Buckman family? Ron Howard insists that all installments in the Parenthood franchise center around the B-something-man family.

5. The Brazilian company Embraer is one of the world's largest manufacturers of what? Embraer is short for "Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica," and it makes aircraft.

6. Anzac Day every April commemorates the over 10,000 Australian and New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives in what 1915 military campaign against the Ottoman Empire? Australia and New Zealand entered World War I at Gallipoli.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these movies, listed in this order? Rocky, Scary Movie 3, Coraline, They Won't Forget, Jaws, Stand By Me, Frequency, Where the Truth Lies, The Ice Storm, A Christmas Story. These movies are set around, respectively, the ten U.S. annual federal holidays. Rocky's match with Apollo Creed is slated for New Year's Day, Scary Movie 3 is set the week of Martin Luther King's birthday, and so on through Christmas.

[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.

It's one of the great tragedies of the calendar that the real highlight of winter--the Christmas/New Year holidays--arrives when winter is just a week old. In other words, you're looking at twelve bleak weeks of anticlimax now.

Luckily, Tuesday Trivia will be here once a week to brighten your dark, lonely winter. We have just one more week to go in our latest ten-quiz challenge, which means one lucky player is just a week away from winning a signed copy of my new book Because I Said So! So keep an eye on the scoreboard at http://ken-jennings.com/messageboard...php?f=3&t=9373.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 return to James Bond, was a remake of what other 007 film?

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964?

3. Gumbo, New Orleans' NFL football mascot, is a dog of what large breed?

4. Economist Adam Smith's most influential work was 1776's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of" what?

5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays?

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon?

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Air Supply, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Hootie and the Blowfish, Ludacris, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Steely Dan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Yo La Tengo.

[MacLloyd]

1. Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 return to James Bond, was a remake of what other 007 film?

Thunderball

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964?

No idea

3. Gumbo, New Orleans' NFL football mascot, is a dog of what large breed?

St. Bernard

4. Economist Adam Smith's most influential work was 1776's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of" what?

The Wealth of Nations

5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays?

Suzanne Collins

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon?

Tornadoes

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Air Supply, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Hootie and the Blowfish, Ludacris, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Steely Dan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Yo La Tengo.

Wow, can't think of a thing!

MacLloyd

[chillas]

1. Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 return to James Bond, was a remake of what other 007 film?

Thunderball.

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964?

Cyprus.

3. Gumbo, New Orleans' NFL football mascot, is a dog of what large breed?

WAG - Saint Bernard?

4. Economist Adam Smith's most influential work was 1776's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of" what?

The Wealth of Nations.

5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays?

Suzanne Collins.

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon?

Based on the neames, I'm going to assume it was tornadoes.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Air Supply, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Hootie and the Blowfish, Ludacris, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Steely Dan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Yo La Tengo.

No idea.

[jwilson10]

7. I'm certain this can't be the actual answer but all the acts I am familiar with, have as many members as they do words in their names. But surely there'd be loads more like that right?

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by MacLloyd

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 return to James Bond, was a remake of what other 007 film?

Thunderball

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964?

Albania

3. Gumbo, New Orleans' NFL football mascot, is a dog of what large breed?

bichon frise

4. Economist Adam Smith's most influential work was 1776's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of" what?

The (common) Wealth of Nations

5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays?

George Orwell

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon?

Tornados

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Air Supply, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Hootie and the Blowfish, Ludacris, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Steely Dan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Yo La Tengo.

Hey, I've actually heard songs by all of these groups except Ludacris! Wow. They all have songs based on temperatures.

Seaboe

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964?

My inclination is to say Germany, because of the Berlin airlift. But I have no idea when that was, or whether it was technically "East Germany" at the time.
Maybe I should just say I don't know, and go away.

4. Economist Adam Smith's most influential work was 1776's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of" what?

The Wealth of Nations


5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays?

Know the books, don't know the author's name. tsk.

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon?

Tornadoes

[Floater]

1. Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 return to James Bond, was a remake of what other 007 film?

Thunderball

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964?

Cyprus

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon?

Tornadoes?

[Darth Credence]

1. Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 return to James Bond, was a remake of what other 007 film?Thunderball

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964? I will guess Malta

3. Gumbo, New Orleans' NFL football mascot, is a dog of what large breed? Guessing mastiff

4. Economist Adam Smith's most influential work was 1776's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of" what?Is that the full title of Wealth of Nations?

5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays?Suzanne Collins in the Hunger Games series

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon?I assume tornadoes, because of the scale

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Air Supply, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Hootie and the Blowfish, Ludacris, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Steely Dan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Yo La Tengo.

I've got nothing.

[Hero_Mike]

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Air Supply, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Hootie and the Blowfish, Ludacris, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Steely Dan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Yo La Tengo.

I thought it might have something to do with similar names among band members, until I saw a solo artist (Madonna) in the list. FWIW, "Air Supply" has one guy named "Russell" and the other with that surname, and NKOTB had two brothers.

[Don Enrico]

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964?

I should know that, but I don't. Cyprus?

5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays?

The author of Hunger Games, whatever her name is again.

[MacLloyd]

LAST WEEK'S ANSWERS

1. Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery's 1983 return to James Bond, was a remake of what other 007 film? The complicated rights situation behind Thunderball is the reason an independent production company could remake it in 1983. (Also the reason the "real" 007 movies can't use SPECTRE anymore.)

2. What's the only member of today's European Union ever to have a U.N. peacekeeping mission sent there, in 1964? The ongoing dispute over Cyprus means the United Nations has maintained a buffer zone there for almost fifty years.

3. Gumbo, New Orleans' NFL football mascot, is a dog of what large breed? Because they're the Saints, they're represented by a Saint Bernard.

4. Economist Adam Smith's most influential work was 1776's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of" what? That's the full name of Smith's influential treatise The Wealth of Nations.

5. What author created genetically altered species like tracker jackers and jabberjays? My ten-year-old tells me that these are among the sci-fi accoutrements of the Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins.

6. Ted Fujita and Allen Pearson are best known for studying what weather phenomenon? The Fujita-Pearson scale is used to measure the intensity of tornadoes.

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these musical acts? Air Supply, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Goo Goo Dolls, Grand Funk Railroad, Hootie and the Blowfish, Ludacris, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Steely Dan, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Yo La Tengo. I'm not sure if this is very stupid or just slightly stupid. These bands all have the same number of members as they do words in their names. Air Supply's a duo, Grand Funk Railroad's a trio, there were five New Kids on the Block, and so on.

[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.

This is the 340th installment of Tuesday Trivia, the nation's favorite weekly seven-question email trivia quiz. When this week's papers are graded, one lucky winner of our lately ten-week challenge will be receiving a signed copy of my book BECAUSE I SAID SO! Details and scoreboard are at http://ken-jennings.com/messageboard...php?f=3&t=9373 .

If you don't win but are still hoping for a signed copy, I'm on a book tour beginning this week, starting with Denver, L.A., and Portland. Come say hi. Say the magic code phrase "Tuesday Trivia" to get a free cheek-kiss or unwrapped Jolly Rancher I just found in my blazer pocket. Your choice! More details are available at http://ken-jennings.com/appearances.html .

But I know you came for the trivia, not the irritating self-promotion. Aaaaaand here's the trivia.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTIONS

1. The American writers Thomas Bulfinch and Edith Hamilton are best known for their definitive works on what subject?

2. "The Jean Genie" was, appropriately enough given its title, the first single off of what 1973 David Bowie album?

3. What western U.S. state can claim to border seven other U.S. states?

4. Which American sports team added the word "leg" to its official name during the McCarthy-era 1950s?

5. About 97% of human rabies deaths worldwide were cases transmitted from what animal?

6. What modern country was, about 2200 years ago, the center of one of the world's largest powers, the Maurya Empire?

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous folks? Prince Albert, Tsar Alexander III, King Fahd, Flaubert, Vasco da Gama, Gandhi, Ed Koch, Huey Long, George Washington, Walt Whitman.

[MacLloyd]

1. The American writers Thomas Bulfinch and Edith Hamilton are best known for their definitive works on what subject?

Mythology

2. "The Jean Genie" was, appropriately enough given its title, the first single off of what 1973 David Bowie album?

Aladdin Sane

3. What western U.S. state can claim to border seven other U.S. states?

Colorado

4. Which American sports team added the word "leg" to its official name during the McCarthy-era 1950s?

I would guess the Cincinnati Reds

5. About 97% of human rabies deaths worldwide were cases transmitted from what animal?

WAG - Dogs

6. What modern country was, about 2200 years ago, the center of one of the world's largest powers, the Maurya Empire?

Never heard of the Maurya Empire, so ... don't know

7. What unusual distinction is shared by these famous folks? Prince Albert, Tsar Alexander III, King Fahd, Flaubert, Vasco da Gama, Gandhi, Ed Koch, Huey Long, George Washington, Walt Whitman.

No idea at all.

MacLloyd

[Nick Theodorakis]

6. What modern country was, about 2200 years ago, the center of one of the world's largest powers, the Maurya Empire?

I think it's India.

Nick

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

1. Mythology
4. Cincinnati Reds

[musicgeek]

1. The American writers Thomas Bulfinch and Edith Hamilton are best known for their definitive works on what subject?
Mythology

2. "The Jean Genie" was, appropriately enough given its title, the first single off of what 1973 David Bowie album?
Gotta be Aladdin Sane


4. Which American sports team added the word "leg" to its official name during the McCarthy-era 1950s?
The Cincinnati Reds

Those are the only ones I'm pretty sure of this week; I can guess at some others.

[Steve]

7) They all have bridges named for them.