It was a rather mellow night on Tuesday, with the Labor Day weekend having just finished, so we had 15 teams in for Trivia. What I expected as we begin September.
We had some good numbers for Democratic Party Trivia, and also for General Knowledge. The top three were separated by five points heading into IQ Trivia, but it was rendered moot when the team in first, Once More Into The Breech, was the only team that got all five correct and wound up with a six point win, having gotten 53 points. Congratulations to Emily, Pian & Co. on their first win in a while.
Second place went to Proud Graduates of the Russell Crowe Kayaking School with 47 points, and third place went to Hey! My Uncle Ted Got Invited Onstage at the Republican Convention (they also got Best Team Name) with 45 points.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT NEXT WEEK: We will be having Trivia next week on Wednesday, September 12th at 8 PM. We originally had moved it to Monday, but Wednesday was a better day to have it next week, and at a special time. I will be at the Remembrance at the 9 /11 Memorial on Tuesday, so we will move Trivia Night just for next week. We will return to Tuesday night on September 18th at 9 PM.
Current Events
1. The NBA's Los Angeles Lakers recently announced that they will unveil a statue of what legendary player at the Staples Center during the upcoming season?
2. A national emergency was declared in the African nation of Sierra Leone last week after 300 people died from an outbreak of what disease?
3. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Michael Douglas is set to portray what 20th century American leader in an upcoming film?
4. What Oscar-winning actor got lost while kayaking in the waters off Long Island Sound last Saturday and was assisted back to LI by the US Coast Guard?
5. What female country singer voluntarily entered a 30-day program to treat her anxiety and stress problems this past week?
6. What major US city is bracing for a possible teachers strike on September 10th if no agreement is reached by that date?
7. What former number one American tennis player announced he will retire from the sport when the US Open concludes this week?
Democratic Party Trivia
1. Who was the first Democratic president of the 20th century?
2. Which Democratic senator, who has served his western US state for 49 years, is currently the longest serving senator?
3. Which Democrat succeeded George Pataki as New York state's governor?
4. What former US senator is the only Democrat to lose both a presidential and vice-presidential election?
5. Who was the first Democratic president to be impeached?
6. John Glenn, the former astronaut and Democratic senator, represented what midwest state?
7. What eastern US state was the only one that Democrat George McGovern won in his 1972 presidential defeat to Richard Nixon?
True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. There are approximately 6800 languages in the world.
2. The first sailing boats were built in China.
3. Singing in the shower can actually help lower your cholesterol.
4. Men are four times more likely to be struck by lightning than women.
5. Pope John Paul II was once named an "Honorary Harlem Globetrotter."
6. The sun is about 10,000 times larger than the earth.
7. Rice paper has no rice in it.
8. Toenails grow faster than fingernails.
9. "Q" is the least used letter in the English alphabet.
10. There are about 50,000 earthquakes in the world every year.
General Knowledge
1. How many countries border Australia? ( 1 pt)
2. What NBA team did Larry Bird go on to coach after leaving the Boston Celtics? ( 1 pt)
3. The earth's atmosphere is composed of 78% of what element? ( 1 pt)
4. The Azore Islands belong to what European country? ( 2 pt)
5. What military base includes the hangar that is the home of Air Force One? ( 2 pt)
6. The ABC Islands are located in what body of water? ( 2 pt)
7. An antiemetic is a drug that is effective against what common problem? ( 3 pt)
IQ Trivia
1. What color robes are worn by the Dalai Lama and all Tibetan Buddhist Monks? ( 4 points)
2. In what US state is the Crater of Diamonds State Park, where people can mine for diamonds and keep what they find? ( 5 points)
3. "The Jesus Tablet" is a nickname for what? ( 3 points)
4. Willis Carrier was an engineer who is credited for inventing what modern appliance? ( 4 points)
5. Steven Spielberg refused to accept a salary for directing what film? ( 4 points)
Answers
Current Events
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; 2. cholera; 3. Ronald Reagan; 4. Russell Crowe; 5. LeAnn Rimes; 6. Chicago; 7. Andy Roddick.
Democratic Party Trivia
1. Woodrow Wilson; 2. Daniel Inouye; 3. Eliot Spitzer; 4. Walter Mondale; 5. Andrew Johnson; 6. Ohio; 7. Massachusetts.
True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. true; 2. false, Egypt; 3. false; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false, 330,000 times larger; 7. true; 8. false, fingernails grow 4 times faster; 9. true; 10. true.
General Knowledge
1. none; 2. Indiana Pacers; 3. nitrogen; 4. Portugal; 5. Andrews AFB; 6. Caribbean Sea; 7. vomiting and nausea.
IQ Trivia
1. maroon (I also accepted "red" and "saffron"); 2. Arkansas; 3. iPad; 4. air conditioning; 5. "Schindler's List."