Of all of the state capitals that have a Power 5 university, which one is the LEAST populous?
(East Lansing is not it)
Florida State / Tallahassee or Wisconsin / Madison would be my first two guesses.
Edit - Just thought of it....
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Which I think is correct. South Carolina / Columbia
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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1. Quit While You’re Ahead: If you write out the names of all the U.S. national parks, you’ll find the word “canyon” repeated more times than any other word besides “national” and “park.” Name as many of the parks in which “canyon” appears as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any wrong.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Kings Canyon
2. There is just one parasitic mammal in the world. What is it?
Vampire bat
3. Forest Whitaker, Sonny Chiba, and Tom Cruise have all played what type of warrior on screen?
Samurai
4. What fertilizer salesman bought an Indiana corn seed plant in 1951, where he developed thousands of hybrid seeds, including one that he dubbed “RedBow”?
Orville Redenbacher
5. Today is May 12. The current prime minister of the U.K. turns 43 today. Who is he?
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. If you call something “Cartesian,” you’re saying it relates to what 17th-century philosopher?
2. William Goldman adapted three Stephen King novels for the screen. His most famous adaptation was what 1990 film starring James Caan and Kathy Bates?
3. In what U.S. city were the shows “Ally McBeal,” “St. Elsewhere,” “The Practice,” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” all set?
4. With approximately 300 million native speakers, what language is the world’s most widely spoken among those that are customarily written right to left?
5. In 1999, Cher became the oldest female singer to have a Billboard No. 1 hit with a song that pioneered the use of auto-tune technology. Name that song.
1. If you call something “Cartesian,” you’re saying it relates to what 17th-century philosopher?
Rene Descartes
2. William Goldman adapted three Stephen King novels for the screen. His most famous adaptation was what 1990 film starring James Caan and Kathy Bates?
“Misery”
3. In what U.S. city were the shows “Ally McBeal,” “St. Elsewhere,” “The Practice,” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” all set?
Boston
4. With approximately 300 million native speakers, what language is the world’s most widely spoken among those that are customarily written right to left?
Arabic
5. In 1999, Cher became the oldest female singer to have a Billboard No. 1 hit with a song that pioneered the use of auto-tune technology. Name that song.
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. What former child actor, who has consistently ranked just below Shirley Temple on lists of “Best Child Actors,” fronted a comedy rock band called “The Pizza Underground” from 2013 to 2018?
2. The fermentation of the starch sugars in beer produces carbonation and what chemical compound, which coincidentally also constitutes up to 85 percent of a “flex fuel”?
3. What television show held the top ratings spot for more years than any other show, topping the Nielsen ratings for seven consecutive seasons between 2004 and 2011?
4. In 1485, the War of the Roses ended with the death of the last English king to die in battle. He was the final king of the House of York and his remains were discovered in 2012 under a parking lot. Who is he?
5. Gore Vidal claimed that Joanne Woodward faked an engagement to him in order to attract the attention of the man with whom she enjoyed 50 years of marriage. Name that actor and entrepreneur!
1. What former child actor, who has consistently ranked just below Shirley Temple on lists of “Best Child Actors,” fronted a comedy rock band called “The Pizza Underground” from 2013 to 2018?
Macaulay Culkin
2. The fermentation of the starch sugars in beer produces carbonation and what chemical compound, which coincidentally also constitutes up to 85 percent of a “flex fuel”?
Ethanol
3. What television show held the top ratings spot for more years than any other show, topping the Nielsen ratings for seven consecutive seasons between 2004 and 2011?
“American Idol”
4. In 1485, the War of the Roses ended with the death of the last English king to die in battle. He was the final king of the House of York and his remains were discovered in 2012 under a parking lot. Who is he?
Richard III
5. Gore Vidal claimed that Joanne Woodward faked an engagement to him in order to attract the attention of the man with whom she enjoyed 50 years of marriage. Name that actor and entrepreneur!
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. Several treaties formalizing wartime laws have been signed in what Dutch city, whose name is usually bilingual when said by English speakers?
2. What group of superheroes are the primary adversary of the supervillain Dr. Victor von Doom?
3. Eileithyia is the Greek goddess of childbirth. She was detained by Hera during the birth of Artemis and her twin brother, which caused their birth to take nine full days. Who is Artemis’ twin brother?
4. In 1987, an 18-month-old toddler fell down a well in Texas, and was rescued two days later. What did the media call her?
5. What game, sometimes known as “Beirut” or “six-cup,” is also a recurring segment on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” that has featured such guests as Serena Williams, Betty White, and Jessica Alba?
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Answers to Wednesday, May 17, 2023 1. Several treaties formalizing wartime laws have been signed in what Dutch city, whose name is usually bilingual when said by English speakers?
The Hague (the Dutch name is Den Haag, which means “the hedge”)
2. What group of superheroes are the primary adversary of the supervillain Dr. Victor von Doom?
The Fantastic Four
3. Eileithyia is the Greek goddess of childbirth. She was detained by Hera during the birth of Artemis and her twin brother, which caused their birth to take nine full days. Who is Artemis’ twin brother?
Apollo
4. In 1987, an 18-month-old toddler fell down a well in Texas, and was rescued two days later. What did the media call her?
Baby Jessica
5. What game, sometimes known as “Beirut” or “six-cup,” is also a recurring segment on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” that has featured such guests as Serena Williams, Betty White, and Jessica Alba?
Better Naming Through Chemistry: I’m going to give you a chemical that features sodium. Each “answer” is the common household name of that chemical. For example: If I said “Sodium Borate,” you would answer, “Borax.”
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Answers to Thursday, May 18, 2023 Better Naming Through Chemistry: I’m going to give you a chemical that features sodium. Each “answer” is the common household name of that chemical. For example: If I said “Sodium Borate,” you would answer, “Borax.”
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in Monday’s email.
1. Quit While You’re Ahead: World War I began as a conflict between three countries known as the Triple Entente, and three countries known as the Triple Alliance. Name as many of those six countries as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any wrong.
2. What woman was given the American Public Transportation Association’s first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 1997?
3. Before she won worldwide acclaim for her portrayal of Sally Albright in 1989, she played Betsy Stewart on “As the World Turns.” Who is she?
4. In the musical “RENT,” Mimi and Roger take a drug called AZT. What condition were they both treating?
5. Today is May 19. Born on this day in 1944, 7-foot-3 actor Peter Mayhew portrayed what fictional character from 1977 until 2015, when he was replaced by a Finnish basketball player named Joonas Suotamo?
1: Britain, France, Russia (Entente) vs Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (Alliance) Italy decided to stay Neutral.
It's time to play The Feud!
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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1: Britain, France, Russia (Entente) vs Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy (Alliance) Italy decided to stay Neutral.
It's time to play The Feud!
The greatest family feud in recorded history.
King George V and his cousin on his Mother's Side: Tsar Nicholas II, vs George's cousin on his Father's side: Kaiser Wilhelm.
And that's just the most obvious one, given how inter-married all of the royal families were/are.
EDIT: Swapped the references around. Queen Victoria was Grandmother to both King George and Kaiser Wilhelm, but George's link to Tsar Nicholas was on his Mother's side. And if you go back a couple more generations, they link up again anyway.
Answers to Friday, May 19, 2023 1. Quit While You’re Ahead: World War I began as a conflict between three countries known as the Triple Entente, and three countries known as the Triple Alliance. Name as many of those six countries as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any wrong.
France, Russia, The United Kingdom (Entente); Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy (Alliance)
2. What woman was given the American Public Transportation Association’s first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 1997?
Rosa Parks
3. Before she won worldwide acclaim for her portrayal of Sally Albright in 1989, she played Betsy Stewart on “As the World Turns.” Who is she?
Meg Ryan (Sally Albright is from “When Harry Met Sally”)
4. In the musical “RENT,” Mimi and Roger take a drug called AZT. What condition were they both treating?
HIV (AZT delays the development of HIV into AIDS)
5. Today is May 19. Born on this day in 1944, 7-foot-3 actor Peter Mayhew portrayed what fictional character from 1977 until 2015, when he was replaced by a Finnish basketball player named Joonas Suotamo?
Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email.
1. Lauren Bacall was nicknamed “Baby” by her first husband. Who was he?
2. The so-called “Boy Mayor of Cleveland” was 31 years old when he was elected in 1979, making him, at that time, the youngest mayor of a major U.S. city. He later ran for president twice, in 2004 and 2008. What is his name?
3. The Academy Awards category “Best Short Film - Live Action” was two categories until 1957. It was split into One-BLANK and Two-BLANK films. What four-letter word fills those blanks?
4. A grand total of 91 popes, including the first pope, are interred at the site of what famous Vatican City church?
5. The six main characters in the early Disney cartoons are known as the “Sensational Six.” Two of those six characters share their names with Roman deities. Name either of them.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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