Eponym of the week: Revolutionary War brigadier general Francis Nash. Born in Virginia, he became an attorney in North Carolina, and commanded the First North Carolina Regiment at the Battle of Brandywine in 1777. The city of Nashville, Tenn., was named for him; the state was once part of North Carolina.

There are three "degrees of separation" between Tom Mix (filmdom's first cowboy megastar) and Tom Cruise. Mix was in "Rustlers' Roundup" (1933) with Noah Beery, Jr., who was in "Little Fauss and Big Halsy" (1970) with Robert Redford, who was in last year's "Lions for Lambs" with Cruise.

What nation is the world's leading grower of coffee beans?
A) Columbia
B) Brazil
C) Italy
D) Kenya

Previous answer: The world's largest thermometer is located near Death Valley, in Baker, Calif. Its 134-foot height honors the 134-degree temperature recorded in Death Valley in 1913.

TRIVIA FANS: Send the trivia questions you've always wanted answered, or original TriviaBits ideas of your own, with your full name and hometown, to Stan Newman at StanTrivia@aol.com or on a postcard to P.O. Box 69, Massapequa Park, NY 11762.

COPYRIGHT 2008 STANLEY NEWMAN
DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE