Trivia Quiz?

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Sinatra Song Being Sung During Karaoke Has Been Tied to So Many Deaths It's Actually Banned in the Philippines?

Apparently, enough people in the Philippines have been killed while singing or soon after singing Sinatra's "My Way" that it's actually banned in a lot of bars there. Since 2000, the number is at least half a dozen. There are different theories about why it happens so often, including the possibility that it's just a statistical anomaly in a country where karaoke is ubiquitous. The Telegraph once wrote an article about it in which they gave examples of the numerous killings, "In one fatal case Romy Baligula, 29, was shot dead in the city of San Mateoin 2007. He was halfway through My Way when a security guard shouted that he was out of tune. He carried on regardless and the guard shot him in the chest with a revolver." Which, we're guessing is not what Baligula would have chosen to have happen if he had it his way.

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

The Improvised Skat at the End of "Strangers in the Night" Served as the Inspiration for Naming What Cartoon Character?

Frank Sinatra once called his ditty "Strangers in the Night" "the worst ****ing song I've ever heard." But a whole generation of youngsters should count themselves glad he made it.

Mysteries Five was the original name for a series focused on five people in a band who solved mysteries between concerts. But after feedback came in that the show was too scary, the creators decided to ditch the band thing and focus the program on the dog character and that of his bumbling friend. As for the dog's name, they decided to change it from their original choice of Too Much and go with a name inspired by the skating Sinatra did at the end of his song. And so Sinatra crooning "Scooby dooby doo" gave birth to one of TV's most famous dogs.

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Is It True That Sinatra Almost Died at Birth?

Weighing in at 13.5 pounds, Sinatra was a very big baby. His size and weight made the birth a difficult one. In the account of Sinatra's birth at the website maintained by the Sinatra family, it's reported that the newborn almost died the day he was born. In the process of trying to remove the infant from his mother, a petite woman less than 5 feet tall, the doctor used forceps that ripped and scarred the baby's ear, cheek, and neck and punctured one of his eardrums. When the newborn was finally pulled free of his mother, he wasn't breathing. However, "his grandmother Rose, an experienced midwife, grabbed him from the doctor and held him under cold running water until he gasped his first breath and cried out. Francis Albert Sinatra entered the world fighting for his life -- and he won."

 

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Was Frank Sinatra Buried with a Roll of Dimes in his Pocket?

In 1963, Frank Sinatra's son, Frank Jr., was kidnapped at gunpoint, then held ransom for $240,000. How famous and connected was Sinatra at the time? He got offers of help from both Attorney General Robert Kennedy and prominent organized crime leader Sam Giancana. Due to a demand from the kidnappers that he only call them from payphones, he started carrying a roll of dimes with him at all times.  Eventually, Sinatra's son was recovered and the men responsible were thrown in prison, but Sinatra kept carrying those coins with him everywhere he went out of habit. So in honor of the acquired quirk, his loved ones made sure he was buried with a roll of dimes in his pocket when he died. Sure it may be a bit strange, but hey, he's Frank Sinatra. He did it his way.  

[phkrause]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which film won Frank Sinatra an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor?

Guys and Dolls High Society From Here to Eternity The Man with the Golden Arm

From here to Eternity??

Answer: Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century, would have turned 101 years old today. In 1954 Sinatra appeared in the critically acclaimed film "From Here to Eternity" for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Sinatra left behind a massive catalog of work that includes iconic tunes like "Love and Marriage," "Strangers in the Night," "My Way" and "New York, New York." He died on May 14, 1998 in Los Angeles, California.

[phkrause]

Which U.S. President was the head cheerleader for his high school?

Barack Obama George W. Bush Bill Clinton John F. Kennedy

[phkrause]

Go for the Dubya with This George W. Bush Trivia Challenge

On December 13th, 2000, George W. Bush claimed the presidency of the United States. See how much you know about our nation's 43rd president with these trivia questions...

People First Learned about What Hobby of Bush's When His Sister's E-Mail Was Hacked in 2013?

Fill in the Blank: In High School, Bush Was the Head _________.

President Bush Banned People from Wearing What in the Oval Office?

In 2004, Who Sued President Bush Over the Navy's Use of Sonar?

[phkrause]

George W. Bush is the only President to hold which type of degree?

A.A. M.B.A. Ph.D. D.D.S.

[phkrause]

On 12/13/2016 at 8:00 PM, phkrause said:

Which U.S. President was the head cheerleader for his high school?

Barack Obama George W. Bush Bill Clinton John F. Kennedy

Answer: Although male cheerleaders are the minority today, there was a time when they were the vast majority. President George W. Bush attended high school at the Phillips Academy, a boarding school in Andover, Massachusetts, where he played baseball, and during his senior year was the head cheerleader. He attended Yale University from 1964 to 1968, where he continued his cheerleading career, served as the president of his fraternity, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Other famous male cheerleaders include Jack Lemmon, Jimmy Stewart, Michael Douglas, Steve Martin, and Samuel L. Jackson.

[phkrause]

On 12/13/2016 at 8:31 PM, phkrause said:

People First Learned about What Hobby of Bush's When His Sister's E-Mail Was Hacked in 2013?

Since leaving the White House, George W. Bush has spent a lot of his time painting. Everything from dogs to still lifes to other world leaders like Vladimir Putin. We first discovered this newfound hobby when his sister Dorothy's e-mail account got hacked, revealing self-portraits of the president in the shower and in the bathtub, which we have to say, if we were to share some of our work with our sister is probably not the piece we would choose. If you want to see Bush's artwork, swing by his presidential library next April. They'll be on display.

 

On 12/13/2016 at 8:31 PM, phkrause said:

Fill in the Blank: In High School, Bush Was the Head _________.

Growing up, Bush was actively involved in his school. He played baseball, he organized skits at assembly and, oh yeah, he was a cheerleader. His career spanned high school and college, but his most notable time carrying pom poms - or more likely, carrying girls who were carrying pom poms - came at boarding school in Andover, Massachusetts, where he was head cheerleader.

 

On 12/13/2016 at 8:31 PM, phkrause said:

President Bush Banned People from Wearing What in the Oval Office?

When Bush assumed the presidency, he felt the dress code had gotten a bit lax. So he instituted a new rule: No jeans in the oval office. Though not everyone had to adhere. When Bono visited the then-president, he did it in black jeans. Hey, the president has rules, but the guy is still Bono.

 

On 12/13/2016 at 8:31 PM, phkrause said:

In 2004, Who Sued President Bush Over the Navy's Use of Sonar?

In 2004, George W. Bush became the first sitting president to be sued by all the whales, dolphins and porpoises of the world. Actually, we should say we're pretty sure he was the first. Records on mass animal lawsuits are a bit fuzzy prior to 1900.

Lanny Sinkin launched a class action suit on behalf of those three animals (dubbed the Cetacean Community by Sinkin) against Bush and Donald Rumsfeld for presiding over a Navy that used sonar technologies potentially harmful to all three species. Sankin's case drew plenty of legal debate, but not about the president's guilt; rather about whether or not he was even allowed to bring a lawsuit on behalf of a fleet of animals in the first place.

Ultimately, Judge William A. Fletcher ruled in favor of Bush and Rumsfeld in an 18-page opinion, because apparently, even ridiculously obvious cases require almost 20 pages worth of decision. Said Fletcher, "If Congress and the President intended to take the extraordinary step of authorizing animals as well as people and legal entities to sue, they could, and should, have said so plainly."

[phkrause]

On 12/13/2016 at 8:52 PM, phkrause said:

George W. Bush is the only President to hold which type of degree?

A.A. M.B.A. Ph.D. D.D.S.

Answer: President George W. Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut. He received a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University in 1968, and then served as an F-102 fighter pilot in the Texas Air National Guard. After his Guard duty, George W. Bush continued his education, enrolling at Harvard Business School, where he earned a Masters of Business Administration degree in 1975. President George W. Bush is the only president to have earned an M.B.A. degree. Mission Accomplished!

[phkrause]

What was the occasion for the first ticker tape parade?

New York Yankees World Series Roosevelt's return from safari Statue of Liberty's dedication Lindbergh's transatlantic flight

Statue of Liberty's dedication!!

[phkrause]

See If You Can Foretell This Nostradamus Trivia

December 14th, 1503, marked the birth of Nostradamus. See how much you know about the famed prognosticator with a few trivia questions.

Nostradamus (Allegedly) Predicted the Death of Henry II, Who Died Doing What?

Nostradamus is Often Credited With Predicting What 1945 Events?

After What 2001 Event Did The Internet Falsely Attribute a Prediction to Nostradamus From an Essay about How Foolhardy It Was to Apply His Predictions to Anything?

Nostradamus' Contemporaries Said He Wasn't Very Good at What?

[phkrause]

On this day in 2008, George W. Bush ducked when an Iraqi journalist threw what at his head?

Shoe Tomato Camera Banana

What else but a shoe!!! I can still remember that as if it was yesterday.

[phkrause]

9 hours ago, phkrause said:

What was the occasion for the first ticker tape parade?

New York Yankees World Series Roosevelt's return from safari Statue of Liberty's dedication Lindbergh's transatlantic flight

Statue of Liberty's dedication!!

Answer: The first ticker-tape parade was in 1886, marking the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. On October 28, 1886, as the parade in honor of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty marched up Broadway, employees spontaneously threw ticker tape out of their office windows to join in the celebration, giving the tradition its name. This unusual way to celebrate was inspired by the stock ticker, a machine that that tracked stock information. When Wall Street realized that throwing these ribbons of paper out of the window was a fun way to celebrate, a tradition was born. Since 1886, New York City has thrown more than 200 ticker-tape parades honoring a wide range of groups and individuals.

[phkrause]

9 hours ago, phkrause said:

Nostradamus (Allegedly) Predicted the Death of Henry II, Who Died Doing What?

To say Nostradamus always got things right is to frequently give him the benefit of the doubt. For example, here's one that people have often applied to the death of John F. Kennedy Jr.

"The year 1999 seven months
From the sky will come the great King of Terror.
To resuscitate the great king of the Mongols. Before and after Mars reigns by good luck."

Which got right that something would happen in July, 1999 from the sky, but then really falls apart when you get into the whole King of Terror and Mongols part. But others seem uncannily accurate. Take this one:

"The young lion will overcome the older one,
On the field of combat in a single battle;
He will pierce his eyes through a golden cage,
Two wounds made one, then he dies a cruel death."

In hindsight, it seems like an apt description of how King Henry II died jousting the younger Comte de Montgomery (both even wore lions on their shield!) The latter won when his lance broke the king's visor, causing the splintering pieces to hit Henry in the eye and brain. The two wounds slowly killed the king over the next ten days in an undeniably cruel death. Now that's a good prediction.

9 hours ago, phkrause said:

Nostradamus is Often Credited With Predicting What 1945 Events?

Nostradamus is often credited with predicting the bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki with this quatrain:

"Near the gates and within two cities
There will be scourges the like of which was never seen,
Famine within plague, people put out by steel,
Crying to the great immortal God for relief."

Which wasn't his only World War II prediction. This one is often applied to the rise of Hitler:

"From the depths of the West of Europe,
A young child will be born of poor people,
He who by his tongue will seduce a great troop;
His fame will increase towards the realm of the East."

 

10 hours ago, phkrause said:

After What 2001 Event Did The Internet Falsely Attribute a Prediction to Nostradamus From an Essay about How Foolhardy It Was to Apply His Predictions to Anything?

Many have argued that Nostradamus' predictions work roughly like the astrology section in your newspaper: They speak in vague enough generalizations that you could apply anything to what you read. One student from Brock University in Canada felt so strongly that he wrote an essay in 1997 about it and gave an example of his own prediction that was so vague it could describe numerous events:

"In the City of God there will be a great thunder,
Two brothers torn apart by Chaos,
while the fortress endures,
the great leader will succumb,"

A prediction which, a few years later, was applied to a major event: September 11th. People immediately credited the prediction to Nostradamus himself because, ya know, internet, and ignored the fact that the original prediction was a parody of how easy it is to make vague predictions that could then retroactively be fit to things. Over the next few weeks and months, the prediction acquired new lines and was rewritten because, again, internet.

 

10 hours ago, phkrause said:

Nostradamus' Contemporaries Said He Wasn't Very Good at What?

Nostradamus published "The Prophecies" back in 1555 and even then drew plenty of heat. A guy named Laurens Videl published a pamphlet taking Nostradamus to task and writing, "I can say with complete confidence that of true astrology you understand less than nothing, as is evident not merely to the learned, but to learners in astrology too, as your works amply demonstrate, you who cannot calculate the least movement of any heavenly body whatever."

However, not everyone thought he didn't know what he was doing in the prognostication game. His almanacs predicting weather behavior were pretty popular and ultimately earned him an invite from the Queen of France to run horoscopes for her kids. So even back in 1555, there were people who were convinced of his powers and others who thought it was all bogus. Who could've predicted that several centuries later, he'd be in the exact same place?

[phkrause]

10 hours ago, phkrause said:

On this day in 2008, George W. Bush ducked when an Iraqi journalist threw what at his head?

Shoe Tomato Camera Banana

What else but a shoe!!! I can still remember that as if it was yesterday.

Answer: On December 14, 2008, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, an Iraqi broadcast journalist shouted "This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog" and threw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a Baghdad press conference. Al-Zaidi was sentenced to three years in prison for assaulting a foreign head of state during an official visit. The sentence was later reduced to one year. Al-Zaidi's shoeing inspired many similar incidents of political protest around the world.

[phkrause]

Which U.S. president turned down several National Football League team offers?

A. Ronald Reagan
B. Gerald Ford
C. Bill Clinton
D. Richard Nixon

Would you believe B. Gerald Ford

 

[phkrause]

When James Naismith invented basketball, the sport involved throwing a soccer ball into what?

Milk Crate Peach Basket Inner Tube Picnic Basket

My pick is Peach Basket!!

[phkrause]

It's Your Right to Answer These Bill of Rights Trivia Questions

On December 15, 1791, the first 10 amendments of the Bill of Rights were ratified by the original colonies. Try answering these trivia questions about one of the United States' most treasured documents.

What Was the Initial Reception of the Bill of Rights?

Which Amendment Took the Longest Time to Be Made Official?

Which State Created a Bill of Rights First?

Which States Were Surprisingly Late to the Party?

[phkrause]

Who is the primary author of the Bill of Rights?

Thomas Jefferson Alexander Hamilton Benjamin Franklin James Madison

[phkrause]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which U.S. president turned down several National Football League team offers?

A. Ronald Reagan
B. Gerald Ford
C. Bill Clinton
D. Richard Nixon

Would you believe B. Gerald Ford

 

B. Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford, who played college football at the University of Michigan, turned down offers to play for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, instead opting to coach for Yale while he attended law school.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

When James Naismith invented basketball, the sport involved throwing a soccer ball into what?

Milk Crate Peach Basket Inner Tube Picnic Basket

My pick is Peach Basket!!

Answer: On December 15th, 1891 at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, James Naismith unveiled a new game called basketball. The game was played nine-on-nine, there was a jump ball held after every basket scored, and there was no dribbling. The first games employed peach baskets for hoops, so a stepladder was needed to retrieve the ball after each "basket" or point scored; this proved inefficient, so the bottom of the basket was later removed, allowing the balls to be poked out with a long dowel each time. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards.

[phkrause]

18 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was the Initial Reception of the Bill of Rights?

Despite the Bill of Rights' reputation today, it wasn't very well respected when it was first introduced. The idea originated with George Mason, a founding father who voiced something that concerned many anti-Federalists (who preferred individual rights over the centralized government proposed in the Constitution) -- the potential centralization and abuse of power by the new American government based on the Constitution. To counter this worry, Mason proposed adding a list of rights to help reassure the public that the new country would continue to be free and democratic.

The idea of a list or bill of rights didn't catch on that easily. People were confused, thinking the rights listed would be interpreted as the only rights people had, for example. The list was treated as pointless by many in the government. Eventually, though, both sides made a compromise: Mason and other anti-Federalists would support the Constitution if the Bill of Rights was created and ratified quickly.

 

18 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which Amendment Took the Longest Time to Be Made Official?

When the Bill of Rights was first created in draft form, it contained 12 proposed amendments. Two of them were not ratified; one of these two had to do with pay raises for Congress. The amendment stated that any new pay raises wouldn't go into effect until the next congressional session started, kind of like waiting until the first of the month for your new pay rate to go into effect at work. This amendment was initially passed in 1789 but not ratified, meaning not enough of the states agreed that it should be law.

However, in 1982, a student at the University of Texas discovered that the amendment was still considered to be pending. The student, Gregory Watson, began writing letters to state legislatures to have them ratify the amendment. Finally, 10 years later in 1992, the amendment was ratified and became the 27th Amendment. We hope Watson got a high grade on the term paper that led to all of this.

 

18 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which State Created a Bill of Rights First?

George Mason wasn't exactly winging it when he suggested creating a bill of rights for the Constitution. In 1776, Mason had proposed the Virginia Declaration of Rights, a list stating the rights afforded people in Virginia, such as (maybe you've heard this one before) freedom of the press. This declaration was welcomed; it passed unanimously. Much of the language used in the declaration mirrors that found in the nationwide Bill of Rights and the Constitution, although the order of the rights and the subjects of some of them are different.

 

18 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which States Were Surprisingly Late to the Party?

You'd think each state would want to ratify the Bill of Rights as quickly as possible, such as right after officially becoming a state. That... did not happen. Georgia, Connecticut, and Massachusetts withheld ratification of the Bill of Rights for decades. This might not have been on purpose; officially, all that's really known is that the states never sent word of ratification or rejection. This lack of information didn't stop the government from declaring the Bill of Rights ratified in its basic, 10-amendment form. The three states finally fixed this problem in 1939, voting for a long-overdue ratification.

[phkrause]

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who is the primary author of the Bill of Rights?

Thomas Jefferson Alexander Hamilton Benjamin Franklin James Madison

Answer: The first 10 amendments to the Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Written by James Madison in response to calls from several states for greater constitutional protection for individual liberties, the Bill of Rights lists specific prohibitions on governmental power. James Madison is noted for drafting the first ten amendments to the Constitution, and thus is known also as the "Father of the Bill of Rights". He is also hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

[phkrause]

Which successful rock band has the most songs to hit number two on the Billboard chart - without ever having a number-one hit?

A. Creedence Clearwater Revival
B. Blue Oyster Cult
C. The Doors
D. Fleetwood Mac

My guess is CCR, because if I'm not mistaken both the Doors and Fleetwood Mac have had number 1s!! Not sure about Blue Oyster Cult!!

 

[phkrause]

Which iconic event in American history took place on this day in 1773?

Boston Tea Party Louisiana Purchase The Battle of the Alamo Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Boston Tea Party??

[phkrause]

4 Trivia Questions about the Boston Tea Party

On December 16, 1773, colonists tossed 342 crates of tea overboard in what would come to be known as the Boston Tea Party. So try your luck with these trivia questions.

What Was the Tea Party Protesting?

$1 Million Worth of Tea

What Problem Did the Colonists Notice the Next Day Concerning Their Attempts to Destroy All That Tea?

What Similar Revolutionary Act Happened Three Months after the Boston Tea Party?