Totally Random Trivia: 2022

Answers to Friday, December 29, 2023

1. Quit While You’re Ahead: While there are many sources of renewable energy available, there are five that are, by far, the most commonly used in the United States. Name as many of these five renewable energy sources as you can for one point each. Zero total if you get any wrong.

Wind, Hydropower, Solar, Biomass (or Biofuel/Biodiesel), Geothermal

2. What product was being advertised in the 1972 commercial that popularized the phrase, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing”?

Alka-Seltzer

3. What critically acclaimed HBO series, which ran from 2002 to 2008, was set in the city of Baltimore?

“The Wire”

4. What common legal term is Latin for “under penalty”?

“Subpoena”

5. Today is December 29. Happy 51st birthday to actor Jude Law! In 2004, he portrayed what fictional author of “The Bad Beginning,” “The Reptile Room,” and “The Wide Window” in a film adaptation of those works?

Lemony Snicket
(In “Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events”)

Questions for
Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. What seven-letter word comes from the Swahili for “first,” as in “first fruits of the harvest”?

2. A playground parody claims that what seafaring character, first introduced in the comic strip “Thimble Theater” in 1929, “lives in a garbage can”?

3. In 1936, California’s Bay Bridge opened to traffic. The Bay Bridge connects which two California cities?

4. A book titled “Becoming” was the best selling book of 2018 — a record it broke in just 15 days. Who wrote it?

5. In 1964, Ford released its most successful model since the Model A in 1927. Name that car.

4. Michele Obama

5. Mustang

2.  Popeye the sailor man

3 San Francisco and Oakland

1. Kwanzaa

Answers to Tuesday, January 2, 2024

1. What seven-letter word comes from the Swahili for “first,” as in “first fruits of the harvest”?

Kwanzaa

2. A playground parody claims that what seafaring character, first introduced in the comic strip “Thimble Theater” in 1929, “lives in a garbage can”?

Popeye (the Sailor Man)

3. In 1936, California’s Bay Bridge opened to traffic. The Bay Bridge connects which two California cities?

San Francisco, Oakland

4. A book titled “Becoming” was the best selling book of 2018 — a record it broke in just 15 days. Who wrote it?

Michelle Obama

5. In 1964, Ford released its most successful model since the Model A in 1927. Name that car.

Mustang

Questions for
Wednesday, January 3, 20234

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. Actor Jimmie Walker is best known for his role as J.J. Evans on the ’70s sitcom “Good Times.” What was his catchphrase on that show?

2. The thymus glands and pancreas of a lamb sound like something you’d buy at a bakery. What are they called?

3. Ida Tarbell took on Standard Oil in 1904, publishing a negative exposé on its business practices. Her style of investigative journalism came to be known by what muddy nickname?

4. What 2009 movie featured Bill Murray playing a badger?

5. Walt Disney wanted to locate Disneyland in the same city in Los Angeles County where his studio was located. Disney is still headquartered there — as are Warner Bros., Cartoon Network Studios, and The CW. Name that city.

1. Dynamite! 

3. Muckraking 

5. Burbank

2.  Sweetbread 

4) The Fantastic Mr Fox

I almost blanked this one out, mostly because he was a BADGER!  

Answers to Wednesday, January 3, 2024

1. Actor Jimmie Walker is best known for his role as J.J. Evans on the ’70s sitcom “Good Times.” What was his catchphrase on that show?

“Dyn-o-mite”

2. The thymus glands and pancreas of a lamb sound like something you’d buy at a bakery. What are they called?

Sweetbreads

3. Ida Tarbell took on Standard Oil in 1904, publishing a negative exposé on its business practices. Her style of investigative journalism came to be known by what muddy nickname?

Muckraking

4. What 2009 movie featured Bill Murray playing a badger?

“Fantastic Mr. Fox”

5. Walt Disney wanted to locate Disneyland in the same city in Los Angeles County where his studio was located. Disney is still headquartered there — as are Warner Bros., Cartoon Network Studios, and The CW. Name that city.

Burbank

Questions for
Theme Thursday, January 4, 2024

This Round Is Not About the NBA: Nope, these questions are definitely not about NBA teams. But each answer will be the name of an NBA team!

Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. “Drift,” “surrounding,” and “trap” are three of the most common varieties of what hunting tool?

2. Anthony was Goose. Val was Iceman. Who was Tom?

3. What animal shares its name with an official decree issued by the pope?

4. What word can be used to refer to a leafy vegetable in Britain, a fictional raccoon, or a villainous anime team?

5. “The transfer of energy between systems, caused by the changing kinetic energy of particles within those systems.” That is the scientific definition of… what?

2. Maverick

5. Thunder? nope

3.  Bull

4. Rocket

5. Heat

1: Nets

1. Nets?

Answers to Thursday, January 4, 2024

This Round Is Not About the NBA: Nope, these questions are definitely not about NBA teams. But each answer will be the name of an NBA team!

1. “Drift,” “surrounding,” and “trap” are three of the most common varieties of what hunting tool?

Net

2. Anthony was Goose. Val was Iceman. Who was Tom?

Maverick
(from “Top Gun”)

3. What animal shares its name with an official decree issued by the pope?

Bull
(it’s called a “papal bull”)

4. What word can be used to refer to a leafy vegetable in Britain, a fictional raccoon, or a villainous anime team?

Rocket
(arugula is known as rocket in the U.K.; Marvel’s Rocket Raccoon; Team Rocket from “Pokémon”)

5. “The transfer of energy between systems, caused by the changing kinetic energy of particles within those systems.” That is the scientific definition of… what?

Heat

Questions for
Friday, January 5, 2024

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in Monday’s email. 

1. Quit While You’re Ahead: A global conglomerate by the name of TJX Companies operates five retail chain stores in the U.S. Name as many of them as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.

2. A 2004 NBA game was called off with 45 seconds left on the clock, due to a bench-clearing brawl later dubbed the “Malice at the Palace.” That game took place at the Palace of Auburn Hills, a suburb of what Midwestern city?

3. The author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” had the given name Lyman. What was his surname?

4. The Martinsville Speedway and the Richmond Raceway are two NASCAR venues located in which U.S. state?

5. Today is January 5. On this day in 2005, astronomers discovered “2003 UB313,” a celestial body that was, at the time, thought to be larger than Pluto. Its discovery prompted discord among the scientific community that ultimately led to Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet. By what name is 2003 UB313 known today?

2.  Detroit 

4. Virginia 

2. Detroit, MI

3. Baum

4: Virginia

1. TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Homegoods, Sierra & ????

5 Eris

Answers to Friday, January 5, 2024

1. Quit While You’re Ahead: A global conglomerate by the name of TJX Companies operates five retail chain stores in the U.S. Name as many of them as you can for one point each. Zero points total if you get any incorrect.

HomeGoods, Homesense, Marshalls, Sierra, T.J. Maxx

2. A 2004 NBA game was called off with 45 seconds left on the clock, due to a bench-clearing brawl later dubbed the “Malice at the Palace.” That game took place at the Palace of Auburn Hills, a suburb of what Midwestern city?

Detroit

3. The author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” had the given name “Lyman.” What was his surname?

Baum
(L. Frank Baum)

4. The Martinsville Speedway and the Richmond Raceway are two NASCAR venues located in which U.S. state?

Virginia

5. Today is January 5. On this day in 2005, astronomers discovered “2003 UB313,” a celestial body that was, at the time, thought to be larger than Pluto. Its discovery prompted discord among the scientific community that ultimately led to Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet. By what name is 2003 UB313 known today?

Eris
(named after the Greek goddess of discord)

Questions for
Monday, January 8, 2024

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. In the context of technology and computers, CPU stands for “Central BLANK Unit.” Fill in the blank.

2. In 1994, French archaeologists discovered pieces of which Wonder of the Ancient World in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt?

3. “Clueless” was directed by Amy Heckerling. The first movie she directed was also a high school movie. It came out in 1982 and was written by Cameron Crowe. Name that movie.

4. The last animal of its species is called an “endling.” One of the world’s most famous endlings was Lonesome George, who died in 2012. What kind of animal was he?

5. What “Star Trek” character has been portrayed by James Doohan, Simon Pegg, and Martin Quinn?

1 Proccessing

5 Montgomery Scott

3.  Fast Times At Ridgemont High

4. Giant tortoise

2) the Lighthouse of Alexandria 

Posted by: @mnnavy

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4. Giant tortoise

Although now reading the question closer you’re right, they ask what kind, not sub-species.  I’m too analytical.  But still, poor guy.

Name the running back who fumbled the ball right after the Vikes blocked Ray Guys first blocked punt in the Super Bowl

It was Oscar Reed

Posted by: @gopher6

↑

Name the running back who fumbled the ball right after the Vikes blocked Ray Guys first blocked punt in the Super Bowl

Answers to Monday, January 8, 2024

1. In the context of technology and computers, CPU stands for “Central BLANK Unit.” Fill in the blank.

Processing

2. In 1994, French archaeologists discovered pieces of which Wonder of the Ancient World in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt?

Lighthouse of Alexandria

3. “Clueless” was directed by Amy Heckerling. The first movie she directed was also a high school movie. It came out in 1982 and was written by Cameron Crowe. Name that movie.

“Fast Times at Ridgemont High”

4. The last animal of its species is called an “endling.” One of the world’s most famous endlings was Lonesome George, who died in 2012. What kind of animal was he?

Tortoise
(specifically, a Pinta Island tortoise)

5. What “Star Trek” character has been portrayed by James Doohan, Simon Pegg, and Martin Quinn?

Scotty (Montgomery Scott)

Questions for
Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. What Japanese city’s name means “capital city”? Hint: It isn’t the capital of Japan, but it is an anagram of it.

2. What author partially based the character Long John Silver on a friend named William Henley, a surly poet who had lost a leg to tuberculosis?

3. What singer — who released the best-selling studio album ever by a solo female artist in 1997 — temporarily lost her voice after contracting Lyme Disease in 2003, leading to a 15-year gap between albums?

4. The 19th president had a wife whose teetotaling ways earned her the nickname “Lemonade Lucy.” That president’s middle name was “Birchard.” What was his first name?

5. In 1997, Intel, Ericsson, Nokia, and IBM entered a joint research venture, which they named in honor of 10th-century Danish king Harald Gormsson. What was Harald’s nickname?

1,  Kyoto 

5: Bluetooth

2. Robert Louis Stevenson

3. Shania Twain

4. Rutherford B. Hayes

Answers to Tuesday, January 9, 2024

1. What Japanese city’s name means “capital city”? Hint: It isn’t the capital of Japan, but it is an anagram of it.

Kyoto

2. What author partially based the character Long John Silver on a friend named William Henley, a surly poet who had lost a leg to tuberculosis?

Robert Louis Stevenson
(“Treasure Island”)

3. What singer — who released the best-selling studio album ever by a solo female artist in 1997 — temporarily lost her voice after contracting Lyme Disease in 2003, leading to a 15-year gap between albums?

Shania Twain

4. The 19th president had a wife whose teetotaling ways earned her the nickname “Lemonade Lucy.” That president’s middle name was “Birchard.” What was his first name?

Rutherford (B. Hayes)

5. In 1997, Intel, Ericsson, Nokia, and IBM entered a joint research venture, which they named in honor of 10th-century Danish king Harald Gormsson. What was Harald’s nickname?

Bluetooth

Questions for
Wednesday, January 10, 20234

Five questions to wake up your noodle. Answers in tomorrow’s email. 

1. What “Dirty Dancing” actor joined Chris Farley as a prospective Chippendale’s dancer in a 1990 “Saturday Night Live” skit?

2. What school — named after a governor of the East India Company’s Fort St. George — was founded in 1701 to train Connecticut students in theology and sacred languages?

3. “Z: The Beginning of Everything” is an Amazon television series based on a 2013 novel titled “Z.” They both tell the true story of what Jazz Age figure?

4. The holy Indian city of Varanasi is known as the “City of Temples,” and is visited by more than 1 million pilgrims every year. On what river is that city located?

5. Many web and app-based mapping services use a variation of a map projection that was developed by a Flemish cartographer in 1569. Name that map projection.

2.  Yale

4.  Ganges 

5 Mercator 

1.Patrick Swayze

3. Zelda Fitzgerald

Posted by: @steve-mn

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5 Mercator 

the worst projection 😆

Posted by: @matt

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Posted by: @steve-mn

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5 Mercator 

the worst projection 😆

Worst Projection?  Not. Even. Close.

May I present the Hotine Oblique:

and the Cassini: