WEEK OF AUGUST 11, 2008
Word of the week: "unitard." Derived from "uni" plus "leotard," it is a one-piece leotard with full-length stockings, aka "bodysuit." It may or may not have long sleeves. Unitards are worn by acrobats, equestrian vaulters and comic-book superheroes such as Superman.
"Burning" question: Having made online purchases of new foreign-made music CDs on occasion, we've noticed that they're often not shrink-wrapped in plastic, as is the custom in the U.S. Being the questioning sort, we wonder why this is -- a matter of cost, of technology, something we haven't thought of? If you can help, please let us know.
Our recent Bit about Phyllis Diller's onetime association with jazz great Dizzy Gillespie prompted Mark Morelli of San Ramon, Calif., to let us know about Ms. Diller's lesser-known, quite serious musical background. She studied piano at a Chicago music conservatory for three years, and after she became famous for her comedy, appeared as a piano soloist with over 100 symphony orchestras in the U.S. and Canada.
Good old quotable Ben Franklin, by his own admission, was the originator of less than 10 percent of the sayings attributed to him through their appearances in his "Poor Richard's Almanack." Franklin asked rhetorically in his 1747 Almanack, "Why then should I give my readers bad lines of my own, when good ones of other people's are so plenty?"
Forty percent of all species of mammals on the planet are rodents, which include mice, squirrels, gophers, beavers, hamsters and chinchillas, but not (the dialogue of Bugs Bunny cartoons notwithstanding) rabbits. Rodents' two incisors, in their upper and lower jaws, are continuously growing. They're worn down by their constant gnawing on wood and food.
Japanese-born pitcher Tomo Ohka had an unenviable career batting average of .130 in 200 career at-bats in the major leagues from 1999 through Aug. 23, 2006. Always a righty (pitching and batting), Ohka decided to bat left-handed for the first time on Aug. 24. He had two hits in the game and drove in four runs. (Thanks to Doug Lyons of Scarsdale, N.Y.)
Eponym of the week: The Kliegl brothers: John H. and Anton T., who founded the Universal Electric Stage Lighting Company in 1896. Around 1911, they invented what came to be known as Klieg lights, used extensively on movie sets. They're intensely powerful carbon arc lamps that permit film directors to "turn night into day."
Devoted fans of the sitcom "M.A.S.H" will remember that surgeon B.J. Hunnicutt (portrayed by Mike Farrell) was named for his parents Bea and Jay. We recently discovered a similar real-life naming. The first name of actor and football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen is a combination of his parents' first names: Merle and Lynn.
Many trivia fans know that the Canary Islands got their name not from the birds, but from the fierce dogs that once roamed there ("canis" is Latin for "dog"). But it's not nearly as well known (we think) that the birds got their name from the islands, from which they were introduced to England as caged birds about 450 years ago. Canaries as first found in the Canaries were green in color.
"Cash Cab" update: Thanks to all who wrote (with obviously sharper eyesight than your humble trivia author), to let us know how "Cash Cab" driver/host Ben Bailey reads the questions while he keeps his eyes on the road. The answer? He doesn't. He has an earphone in the ear that faces away from the camera, which feeds him the questions. More on the show in a future column.
TRIVIA
1) Marie Antoinette, the wife of King Louis XVI, is one of the best-remembered personalities of the French Revolutionary era. In what country was she born?
A) Poland
B) France
C) The Netherlands
D) Austria
2) The total number of pages in the U.S. hardcover editions of the seven Harry Potter novels of J.K. Rowling is approximately:
A) 2,100
B) 3,100
C) 4,100
D) 5,100
3) 19th century philanthropist Ezra Cornell co-founded the Ivy League university named for him in 1865. Cornell earned his fortune as a business associate of what famous American?
A) John D. Rockefeller
B) Thomas Edison
C) Samuel Morse
D) U.S. Grant
4) Words starting with what letter of the alphabet take up the most pages of English dictionaries?
A) A
B) C
C) R
D) S
5) What is typically added to bags of potato chips these days to increase their shelf life?
A) Nitrogen
B) Water
C) Sugar
D) Charcoal
ANSWERS
1) Marie Antoinette was born an archduchess of Austria, in Vienna.
2) The total number of pages in the U.S. hardcover editions of the seven Harry Potter novels of J.K. Rowling is 4,126.
3) Cornell University co-founder Ezra Cornell earned his fortune in the telegraph business, as an associate of Samuel Morse.
4) Words starting with the letter S take up about 11 percent of standard English dictionaries, whether they’re unabridged or college-size.
5) Previous answer: Nitrogen gas is typically added to bags of potato chips these days, because it has been shown to slow the growth of bacteria that can spoil food.
STAN'S WEEKLY TRIVIA CHALLENGE CONTEST NO. 98
What is the only U.S. state capital that is not the seat of the county in which it's located?
HOW TO WIN: Send your answer, with your full name and address, either by e-mail to TriviaBits@gmail.com, or on a postcard to Stan Newman's Trivia Challenge No. 98, P.O. Box 69, Massapequa Park, NY 11762. Only one submission per person, please. Answers must be received within seven days of publication. One winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries, who will receive a copy of Stan's new book "15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia," courtesy of Random House. Answer and winner will be announced in a future issue.
ANSWER TO TRIVIA CHALLENGE CONTEST NO. 91
On April 25, 1999, a monument to New York Yankee great Joe DiMaggio was dedicated in Yankee Stadium. At the ceremony, Paul Simon performed his song "Mrs. Robinson," which includes the lyric, "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio." Winner: Steve Hamilton of Amarillo, Texas.
Stanley Newman is the editor of the Newsday Crossword and author/editor of more than 125 books on crosswords, word games and trivia, including "15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia" (Random House). To find out more about Stanley Newman visit StanXwords.com, or e-mail him at StanTrivia@aol.com.
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