Trivia Quiz?

[phkrause]

18 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which American President banned Christmas trees in the White House?

Jimmy Carter Theodore Roosevelt Dwight D. Eisenhower Richard Nixon

Wow! Who knew?? I'm pretty sure it wasn't Carter!!

Answer: President Theodore Roosevelt, a famed outdoorsman and environmentalist, banned Christmas trees from the White House during his presidency. The president was against real Christmas trees because he feared they would lead to deforestation. Mind you, at the time Christmas trees were very controversial with environmentalists, and the cutting down and displaying of Christmas trees was viewed as a blatant example of deforestation due to unnecessary commercial causes. Roosevelt refused to display a Christmas tree in the White House, fearing that to do so would be sending the wrong message to the public. Roosevelt's action was intended to inspire Americans to just say no to Christmas trees.

[phkrause]

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

Clement Clarke Moore and Henry Livingston, Jr. Both Claim to Have Written What Christmas Classic?

"'Twas the Night Before Christmas" is probably the most famous Christmas poem out there. We just have no idea who wrote it. The story goes that Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem for his family, but never intended to publish it. When his maid submitted it to the local paper without his knowledge, he didn't take any credit because he felt it was so much worse than his other work. But eventually, after over a decade of acclaim, he came forward and took credit for the piece. There's only one problem. Henry Livingston, Jr.'s family claims he was telling them that same poem years before it ever hit the presses. Unfortunately, like all good pieces of evidence in a heated debate, their allegedly original paper version of the poem was destroyed in a fire. But he's got the backing of Vassar College's Donald Foster, a literary professor who says that based on the two authors' other works, the poem looks nothing like the stuff Moore has written and very much like the pieces penned by Livingston. So who actually wrote the Christmas classic? That's something we may never know.

 

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

When Was Christmas First Declared a Federal Holiday?

Christmas wasn't an official, take-a-day-off holiday in the United States until 1870. It was celebrated before then, but not widely. In fact, the first English settlers in Massachusetts banned its celebration - the Puritans were notorious spoilsports and didn't allow much fun in their lives. Christmas was only sporadically celebrated after the Revolutionary War, slowly gaining popularity over the nineteenth century.

 

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

How Did the NORAD Santa Tracker Tradition Start?

In 1955, the people at Sears printed an ad encouraging kids to call their hotline and tell Santa Claus what they wanted for Christmas. There was just one problem. They printed the wrong number. In fact, they printed the number of Continental Air Defense's Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup. As in, one of the guys you might call if America is under nuclear attack. At first, Shoup was annoyed. But then the Christmas spirit must have taken hold of him, because he started telling any kid who called what only an air defense director of operations could: Santa's coordinates as he made his way across the friendly skies. Over the years, it became a tradition. Kids could call in to a team of volunteers who would report back to them on where exactly Santa was. Nowadays, NORAD Santa Tracker has a website and a Twitter handle. It's not as personal a service as it once was, but a whole lot more kids can figure out how soon their gifts will be arriving.

 

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Do the Writers of "White Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" All Have in Common?

Check out pretty much any list of the most iconic Christmas songs and about half of them were written by Jewish people. Johnny Marks may be the most prolific, he wrote "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," and "A Holly Jolly Christmas." In addition to the songs listed above, you can also credit Jewish songwriters with "Silver Bells," "Let It Snow," "Santa Baby" and plenty more. So how do you explain this religious contradiction? According to Emmy Winner Michael Feinstein, "The Christmas songs that are popular are not about Jesus, but they're about sleigh bells and Santa and the trappings of Christmas." In other words, Christmas songs are really just about winter and family and being "Home for the Holidays." (Also written by a Jewish person).

 

18 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Was Santa Claus Removed from Forbes' List of the Richest Fictional Characters in 2006?

Every now and then, Forbes releases a list of fiction's richest characters. In 2013, Scrooge McDuck topped the rankings with an estimated net worth of 65.4 billion. But that's nothing compared to one of the list's previous number 1's: Santa Claus. As recently as 2005, his net worth was estimated at infinite. We're not totally sure how they calculated that number, but it's not bad for a guy who works one night a year. So why is St. Nick no longer on the list? Well, as Forbes put it in 2006, "We still estimate Claus' net worth as infinite, but we excluded him from this year's rankings after being bombarded by letters from outraged children insisting that Claus is 'real.' We don't claim to have settled the ongoing controversy concerning Claus' existence, but after taking into account the physical evidence - toys delivered, milk and cookies devoured - we felt it was safer to remove him from consideration." Apparently, even Forbes, one of the most adult publications on the planet, isn't fully ready to dismiss the possibility that maybe there is a Santa Claus.

[phkrause]

17 hours ago, phkrause said:

What is the most popular meal for Christmas in Japan?

Applebee's KFC TGI Fridays Arby's

Probably KFC!!!! LOL

Answer: In Japan, it’s a tradition for people to celebrate Christmas with Kentucky Fried Chicken. Christmas isn’t a national holiday in Japan, yet a bucket of “Christmas Chicken” is the go-to meal on Christmas. It’s so popular, you must order two months in advance or face standing in long lines to get your Christmas fried chicken. About 3.6 million Japanese families mark every Dec. 25 with fried chicken from KFC each year. Apparently, during Christmas in Japan, KFC receives not only more customers than on any other day, but also, more than the total number of their customers in half a year!

ps:LOL because at Christmas when most stores etc. are closed, at least in the USofA, most Jews that eat out go for Chinese food.

[phkrause]

Which rock star was born Farrokh Bulsara?

A. Steven Tyler
B. Freddie Mercury
C. Elton John
D. John Lydon

I don't think its either Tyler or John, not sure who John Lydon is, so I'm gonna guess Mercury!!

[phkrause]

Caroll Spinney, who turns 83 today, is famous for voicing Big Bird and which other character on Sesame Street?

Kermit the Frog Elmo Oscar the Grouch Cookie Monster

How about Oscar the Grouch??

[phkrause]

Trivia Questions About a Fateful Day for Two Presidents

Harry S. Truman and Gerald R. Ford both died on December 26th, but 34 years apart. Let's see what you know about these two former presidents.

How Did They Die?

What Accomplishments Did They Make While in Office?

What Did They Have in Common?

[phkrause]

Who opened the the Flamingo Hotel & Casino on this day in 1946?

Al Capone Frank Sinatra Merv Griffin Bugsy Siegel

[phkrause]

On 12/26/2016 at 4:37 PM, phkrause said:

Which rock star was born Farrokh Bulsara?

A. Steven Tyler
B. Freddie Mercury
C. Elton John
D. John Lydon

I don't think its either Tyler or John, not sure who John Lydon is, so I'm gonna guess Mercury!!

B. Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar (present-day Tanzania) as Farrokh Bulsara.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

On 12/26/2016 at 5:15 PM, phkrause said:

Caroll Spinney, who turns 83 today, is famous for voicing Big Bird and which other character on Sesame Street?

Kermit the Frog Elmo Oscar the Grouch Cookie Monster

How about Oscar the Grouch??

Answer: Caroll Spinney is a puppeteer most famous for playing Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street since 1969. Spinney joined Sesame Street for the inaugural season in 1969. Spinney has won four Daytime Emmy Awards for his portrayals on the series and two Grammy Awards for his related recordings. In a Washington Times article, Spinney said that even though performing Big Bird is physically demanding work, he has no intention of stopping, saying, "I can't imagine willingly walking away from Big Bird and Oscar."

[phkrause]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

How Did They Die?

On December 5th, 1972, President Harry Truman was admitted to a Kansas City hospital with lung congestion due to pneumonia. The medical technology during that time lacked the proper medications to treat this disease. He developed complications including collapsing cardiovascular systems and organ failure. His body was too weak to fight his failing body parts, and 21 days after being admitted to the hospital, President Truman passed away.

34 years later, President Gerald Ford died at his home in Rancho Mirage, California. He had been in and out of the hospital since January 2006, most recently at Eisenhower Medical Center in October. The causes of his death were listed as arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease and cardiac arrest. With his death, at the age of 93 years and 165 days, Ford surpassed Ronald Reagan as the oldest living president by just over a month.

 

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Accomplishments Did They Make While in Office?

Harry Truman was a busy man in his two terms. He brought America through a post-war recession and started the racial integration of the U.S. military. Truman recognized the new nation of Israel upon its declaration and assisted in the founding of the United Nations. His most famous accomplishment was his use of the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki forcing the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Gerald Ford, with only two-plus years in office, officially ended U.S. troop involvement in the Vietnam War. In 1975, to establish special education in the United States, he signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. In a controversial move, Ford granted President Richard Nixon a presidential pardon for his participation in the Watergate Scandal.

 

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Did They Have in Common?

Presidents Truman and Ford had similarities. They were both from the Midwest, Truman from Missouri and Ford from Nebraska. Their wives shared the same first name, Elizabeth, although Mrs. Truman was known as Bess and Mrs. Ford as Betty. They both were masons. They also were two of the few presidents being left-handed, with Truman holding a slight edge in given the title of ambidextrous.

A notable similarity was that both men became president by elevation from the VP slot. On April 12, 1945, Vice President Truman was inaugurated into the office after the death of Franklin Roosevelt, who had served 12 years. Vice President Ford was inaugurated on August 9, 1974, when Richard Nixon resigned the Presidency one year seven months into his second term.

Truman went on to win a term on his own in 1948, while Ford was defeated in his attempt to be elected by Jimmy Carter in 1976. Still today, Ford is the only person to hold the offices of both president and vice president, and not be elected to either.

President Truman and President Ford also shared the date of December 26, the day of their passing. President Truman is buried in the courtyard of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. President Ford rests on the grounds of the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

[phkrause]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

Who opened the the Flamingo Hotel & Casino on this day in 1946?

Al Capone Frank Sinatra Merv Griffin Bugsy Siegel

Answer: On December 26, 1946, mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel opened The Pink Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Bugsy Siegel is often credited as being one of the founders of modern Las Vegas as a gambling and resort destination, thanks in part to his role in founding the Flamingo. Siegel named the casino after his girlfriend Virginia Hill, whose nickname was “The Flamingo” because of her red hair and long legs. Surviving a series of name and ownership changes, the hotel is known today as The Flamingo Las Vegas, owned and operated by Harrah’s Entertainment.

[phkrause]

Which outdoor sport uses a small ball called a jack?

A. Croquet
B. Cricket
C. Golf
D. Bocce

Bocce

[phkrause]

Which is the only bird that can fly backward?

Hummingbird Northern Mockingbird Blue Jay Red-tailed Hawk

Hummingbirds

[phkrause]

Kick Up Your Heels With Some Radio City Music Hall Trivia

On December 27, 1932, Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City.  Try your luck with these trivia questions about one of the most unique locations in the country...

Why Was This Extravaganza Built in the Middle of the Great Depression?

Why Is the Structure Named Radio City When Live Shows and Films Are Shown There?

What Was the First Event at the New Music Hall?

How Did Radio City Music Hall's Design Affect National Security?

[phkrause]

Where is the Great Sphinx located?

Athens Luxor Giza Cairo

Well I know one thing for sure, its not in Athens!! Definitely one of the other three places though! How about Giza!!

[phkrause]

22 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which outdoor sport uses a small ball called a jack?

A. Croquet
B. Cricket
C. Golf
D. Bocce

Bocce

D. Bocce

Bocce ball begins when one player throws the jack into a designated zone. The next players then try to knock the jack out of the zone by bowling their own balls.

Source: various web sites.

[phkrause]

21 hours ago, phkrause said:

Which is the only bird that can fly backward?

Hummingbird Northern Mockingbird Blue Jay Red-tailed Hawk

Hummingbirds

Answer: Hummingbirds fly backwards, and they are the only birds capable of doing so. The hummingbird has a unique muscle and wing structure that gives them a level of flight control unlike any other bird. Like a helicopter, the hummingbird can hover, fly right to left, left to right, diagonal, forwards, and even backwards. You may notice that their wings move so quickly that they are just a blur. This blurred effect is a result of their wings flapping between 15 to 100 times per second to maintain the kind of agility to allow them to fly backwards.

[phkrause]

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Was This Extravaganza Built in the Middle of the Great Depression?

Radio City Music Hall opened in 1932, right in the heart of the Great Depression. You would think this would be a terrible time to show such material excess, but it turned out to be the perfect time because of its accessibility. Enter the idea of making an opulent center for people who normally couldn't afford opulent things.

John D. Rockefeller Jr., who held a long-term lease on the land, went ahead with plans to build a commercial center based on the idea that it would be a center that everyone could enjoy, regardless of economic status or means. He pulled out all the stops, adding the main stage's trademark gold curtain and a huge seating area, the largest indoor theater in the world. Both the main commercial center, Rockefeller Center, and the Hall turned out to be a wonderful diversion from the dreariness of the Depression, similar to how Busby Berkeley musical fantasies attracted the attention of movie-goers during those years.

 

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

Why Is the Structure Named Radio City When Live Shows and Films Are Shown There?

The name for the Hall derives from the first tenant to occupy space at the hall, the Radio Corporation of America, or RCA. At the time, RCA oversaw a mix of businesses, from wireless communications -- it had started as division of General Electric meant to ensure wireless technology remained in the United States -- to broadcasting to technology development. This is the same RCA that became known for TVs and radios in the ensuing years. RCA also ran the National Broadcasting Company, or NBC, which still has studios in the Rockefeller Complex. RCA also ran the RKO studios, a major movie company at the time. RCA was a partner in building the Hall itself, thus the use of "Radio" in the theater's name.

 

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

What Was the First Event at the New Music Hall?

Technically, an opening-night gala was the first event. A huge show featuring Ray Bolger, the gala itself was -- not that successful. The Daily News called it a "three-star show in a four-star theatre." However, the reviewer was enamored of the theater itself, gushing over the beautiful colors and large space.

As for the first show that the public could attend as Rockefeller had intended, that honor falls to a film, The Bitter Tea of General Yen. The film premiered at the Hall on January 11, 1933. The famous Christmas special performed by the Rockettes didn't premiere at Radio City Music Hall until December 1933.

 

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

How Did Radio City Music Hall's Design Affect National Security?

Radio City Music Hall was meant to be huge, have huge stage shows, and basically be so amazing that everyone would love it. This sort of act does not get done by magic. The Hall has a giant hydraulic elevator system that allows managers and stagehands to move instruments, animals, performers, and set pieces. The elevator system's hydraulics were so efficient and strong that the U.S. military used the same type of system for aircraft carrier construction. But that meant that the elevator system was now a matter of national security, and during World War II, the theater supposedly had government guards watching over the elevators in the basement to protect the technology.

[phkrause]

19 hours ago, phkrause said:

Where is the Great Sphinx located?

Athens Luxor Giza Cairo

Well I know one thing for sure, its not in Athens!! Definitely one of the other three places though! How about Giza!!

Answer: Great Sphinx of Giza is the oldest and largest known statue in the world built from a single piece of limestone. It stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. The statue takes the form of a reclining lion with a human head. The statue facing west to east measures 238 feet long, 66.3 feet high and 62.6 feet wide. The site comprises of the Sphinx, a causeway, Pyramid, Sphinx temple and other temples. The face of the Sphinx is generally believed to represent the Pharaoh Khafre.

[phkrause]

What is the traditional puffy white chef's hat actually called?

A. Blanquette
B. Toque
C. Fugue
D. Toscana

hahaha! I actually recall hearing or seeing something about this some time ago. I think "Toque" is the answer!!

[phkrause]

Carrie Fisher was once married to which famous person?

Paul Simon Harrison Ford Chevy Chase Warren Beatty

[phkrause]

Do You Pledge to Answer These Trivia Questions?

The Pledge of Allegiance was officially recognized by Congress on December 28, 1945. What do you know about this salute to our nation's flag?

Who Wrote the Pledge of Allegiance?

Why Do We Place Our Hand Over Our Heart?

Who Is Michael Newdow and What Does He Have to Do with the Pledge?

[phkrause]

Who is Carrie Fisher's famous mother?

Liza Minnelli Shirley MacLaine Elizabeth Taylor Debbie Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds of course!

[phkrause]

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

Carrie Fisher was once married to which famous person?

Paul Simon Harrison Ford Chevy Chase Warren Beatty

Paul Simon!!

Answer: Carrie Fisher became a cultural icon after starring as Princess Leia in the Star Wars films. Fisher was married for a short time to songwriter Paul Simon. They were married for nearly a year in the mid '80s, and continued to date even after their 1984 divorce. During their marriage, she appeared in Simon’s music video for the song “Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War”. Simon’s song “Hearts and Bones” is about their relationship. Fisher died yesterday, just days after suffering a heart attack. #MayTheForceBeWithHer.

[phkrause]

20 hours ago, phkrause said:

What is the traditional puffy white chef's hat actually called?

A. Blanquette
B. Toque
C. Fugue
D. Toscana

hahaha! I actually recall hearing or seeing something about this some time ago. I think "Toque" is the answer!!

B. Toque

Take a toque -- the toque blanc (French for "white hat" is the name for that signature chef hat.

Source: various web sites.