WEEK OF DECEMBER 1
Word of the week: "snow," specifically the Eskimo words for "snow." The idea that Eskimos have dozens of words for snow reflects the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis that language is shaped by our experience of the world. Actually, Eskimo languages tend to be polysynthetic, which basically means you can mix and match new words to your heart's content. In other words, the Eskimo snow theory is pretty much urban legend.
Godchildren: Steven Spielberg's children aren't Hollywood celebrities yet, but two of his godchildren are, namely Drew Barrymore and Gwyneth Paltrow. He even gave Barrymore her start with a role in "ET: The Extra Terrestrial." And in turn, Barrymore is godmother to Frances Bean Cobain, daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love.
World's worst soccer: In 2002, when the world's top soccer teams were in Asia competing for the World Cup, the two worst teams played in the Other Final. Bhutan and Montserrat, FIFA's lowest-ranking teams at the time, battled it out at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan. We won't give it away the results, but check out a documentary called "The Other Final."
Speaking of soccer: Many of the world's national soccer squads have adopted colorful nicknames. For example, Jamaica's team is called the Reggae Boyz, and the Soca Warriors play for Trinidad and Tobago. Over in Africa, they cheer for the Indomitable Lions in Cameroon and the Lions of Teranga in Senegal. The Dutch team is known as Clockwork Orange, for their jerseys' color and for their precision passing.
Acronym Redundancy: Bob Selman of Danville, Calif., notes that the A in "IRA account" originally stood for "arrangement," so it doesn't count. Out of curiosity, we tracked down the Roth IRA. Who the heck was Roth? He turns out to be William Roth, a Republican congressman from Delaware, known for campaigning with his Saint Bernard.
Exciting and new: Andy Warhol set sail once on "The Love Boat," filming an appearance in March 1985. Other odd guest spots include Stephen Hawking as a holographic version of himself on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and Thomas Pynchon showing up on "The Simpsons" (with a bag over his cartoon head). What are some of your favorite weirdo guest spots? Write in and let us know.
Eponym of the week: fruit merchant Joseph A. Campbell, who founded a company in 1869 to produce canned vegetables, tomatoes and soups. Soup became the company's main line in the early 20th century, after a nephew of one of Campbell's partners invented a commercially viable means of condensing soup -- by removing half of the water in it.
Baa, baa, running sheep: In Pamplona, Spain, they have a Running of the Bulls. In New Zealand, they have a Running of the Sheep, in Te Kuiti, a rural farming town north of Wellington. First held in 2004, the idea was to have the sheep race through the streets. Instead, they sort of milled around, confused. On the bright side, nobody was gored.
Hardware for Bob: Bob Dylan's trophy case must be starting to sag. He's won nearly a dozen Grammy Awards, of course, but he also took home an Oscar for "Things Have Changed," from the movie "Wonder Boys." And in 2008, he earned a special citation from the Pulitzer people for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture."
Yuri's Night: Coincidentally, April 12 is a big day for both the U.S. and Russian space programs. On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first man launched into space. And 20 years later, to the day, NASA launched Columbia, the first space shuttle. Today, Yuri's Night is celebrated with parties around the world.
TRIVIA
1) Made in the Douro Valley, how did port wine get its name?
A) It is from the Italian for "sweet"
B) It is from Porto, Portugal
C) It was on the left side of ship plate settings
D) It was preferred by sailors on leave
2) A hamburger chain called McDavid fought off McDonald's trademark lawyers in what country?
A) Canada
B) Israel
C) New Zealand
D) Thailand
3) You get a car! And you get a car! What car did everyone in Oprah's audience get on Sept. 13, 2004, only to be socked with huge tax bills later?
A) Aston Martin DB7
B) Dodge Neon
C) Pontiac G6
D) Toyota Corolla
4) According to the book "Seasons of the Arctic," how many seasons are observed by the Inuit in the Arctic?
A) 2
B) 4
C) 6
D) 8
5) Which of these French wines is not named for the town or region where it originated?
A) Cabernet
B) Champagne
C) Beaujolais
D) Bordeaux
ANSWERS
1) Port wine is named for Porto, Portugal.
2) A burger chain called McDavid, located in Israel, was sued by McDonald's.
3) Oprah gave away Pontiac G6s to everyone in one of her studio audiences.
4) The Inuit's names for their six seasons roughly translate as: anticipation of spring, spring, summer, autumn, small winter and full winter.
5) Cabernet is named for the red grape from which it is made. Champagne, Beaujolais and Bordeaux are named for the French town or region where they originated.
PAUL'S WEEKLY TRIVIA CHALLENGE CONTEST NO. 114
Her brother has often been nominated for Oscars for directing. But she got an Oscar nod for co-writing a Tom Hanks movie. Who?
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 Paul's Trivia Challenge No. 114, 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. 107
Movie tough guy George Raft appeared in both the first ("Night After Night" in 1932) and last ("Sextette" in 1978) films of Mae West. Winner: Chad Bila of Saginaw, Mich.
