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Agave | Tequila (Spanish ) is a regional specific name for a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, 65 km northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands (Los Altos) of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco. Although tequila is similar to mezcal, modern tequila differs somewhat in the method of its production, in the use of only blue agave plants, as well as in its regional specificity. | Native mostly to Mexico, what is the name of the blue cactus used to make Tequila? |
Jump ropes | Double Dutch is a game in which two long jump ropes turning in opposite directions are jumped by one or more players jumping simultaneously. It is popular worldwide. Competitions in double Dutch range from block parties to the world level. During the spring of 2009, double Dutch became a varsity sport in New York City public high schools. It has been fancifully debated whether double Dutch came over with the first Dutch settlers or appeared in the first half of the 1900s. | Double Dutch is a variation of what children's game? |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Sarajevo is the capital of the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its sub-entity, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as of the Sarajevo Canton. It is also the de jure capital of another entity, Republika Srpska. Each of these levels of government has their parliament or council, as well as judicial courts, in the city. In addition many foreign embassies are located in Sarajevo. | Sarajevo is the capital of what modern country? |
The human species | Misanthropy is the general hatred, distrust or contempt of the human species or human nature. A misanthrope or misanthropist is someone who holds such views or feelings. The word's origin is from the Greek words μῖσος (misos, "hatred") and ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos, "man, human"). The condition is often confused with asociality. | A misanthrope is characterized by the hatred of what? |
Chimpanzees | Dame Jane Morris Goodall, (; born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall, 3 April 1934), formerly Baroness Jane van Lawick-Goodall, is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 55-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and the Roots & Shoots program, and she has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues. She has served on the board of the Nonhuman Rights Project since its founding in 1996. | Dame Jane Goodall spent 45 years in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania studying what animals? |
Caviar | In Russian, there are different names for the species of sturgeon that live in various territories such as Beluga (Huso Huso), Sevruga (Acipenser stellatus) and Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus). The name Ossetra corresponds to the species Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, which is much smaller than Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), and has a firmer texture. In the territory of the Russian Federation dwells another type of sturgeon, Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser Baerii), which is farmed all over the world because it can adapt to a wider range of habitats. It begins to produce caviar faster than Acipenser gueldenstaedtii. | Beluga, Ossetra, Sterlet, and Sevruga are all types of what? |
Seinfeld | Seinfeld is an American sitcom that originally ran for nine seasons on NBC, from 1989 to 1998. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself. Set predominantly in an apartment building in Manhattan's Upper West Side in New York City (although taped entirely in Los Angeles), the show features a handful of Jerry's friends and acquaintances, particularly best friend George Costanza (Jason Alexander), former girlfriend Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and neighbor across the hall Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards). It is often described as being "a show about nothing", as many of its episodes are about the minutiae of daily life. | Lasting 9 seasons, from July 1989 to May 1998, what NBC show described itself as “a show about nothing”? |
Caught in the act | In flagrante delicto (Latin: "in blazing offence") or sometimes simply in flagrante (Latin: "in blazing") is a legal term used to indicate that a criminal has been caught in the act of committing an offence (compare ). The colloquial "caught in the act" or "caught red-handed" are English equivalents. | In flagrante delicto is a legal term meaning someone has been what? |
American League | The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major league status. It is sometimes called the Junior Circuit because it claimed Major League status for the 1901 season, 25 years after the formation of the National League (the "Senior Circuit"). | Although it has been around since 1901, which baseball league is known as the Junior Circuit? |
Paved with good intentions | The road to Hell is paved with good intentions is a proverb or aphorism. An alternative form is "Hell is full of good meanings, but Heaven is full of good works". | According to the proverb, the road to hell is what? |
Diamond ring | One of the squares on the Monopoly board game (U.S. edition) is labeled "luxury tax". While there is a picture of a sparkling diamond ring on the square, the only effect is that whoever lands on this square must pay $75.00 to the bank. | Forcing you to pay $75 to the bank, what is pictured on the Luxury Tax space on a standard Monopoly board? |
Peanuts | Mr. Goodbar is a candy bar containing common peanuts and chocolate, whose packaging is identifiable by its yellow background and red text. It is manufactured by The Hershey Company and was introduced in 1925. Although the Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar with Almonds had been produced since 1908, Milton Hershey initially did not want the Hershey brand name associated with a chocolate bar that contained peanuts, so it was introduced as being produced by the "Chocolate Sales Corporation" (a fictitious company name created by William Murrie). It is currently available both as an individual product and as one of the varieties of Hershey's Miniatures. | The Hershey's confection known as Mr. Goodbar is a mixture of chocolate and what other ingredient? |
Floyd | The last appearance of Floyd the Barber on The Andy Griffith Show was in the final episode of the seventh season. Howard McNear's health worsened and he was not able to return to the series for season eight, and he died less than a year later. To try to fill in his loss on the series, a new character named Emmett Clark (a fix-it man) was brought in. It was announced on the series that Floyd had retired because he had earned enough money. Emmett (played by veteran character actor Paul Hartman) moved his fix-it shop into Floyd's old barber shop location in Mayberry. | What was the name of the character who owned Mayberry's only barber shop on The Andy Griffith Show? |
Florida | On March 3, 1845, Florida became the 27th state to join the United States of America. The state was admitted as a slave state, although initially its population grew slowly. | Known as The Sunshine State, what was the 27th state to join the union on March 3, 1845? |
Aluminium | Bauxite, an aluminium ore, is the world's main source of aluminium. It consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO(OH)), mixed with the two iron oxides goethite and haematite, the clay mineral kaolinite and small amounts of anatase (TiO2) and ilmenite (FeTiO3 or FeO.TiO2). In 1821 the French geologist Pierre Berthier discovered bauxite near the village of Les Baux in Provence, southern France. In 1861, French chemist Henri Sainte-Claire Deville named the mineral "bauxite". | Which metal is extracted from the ore bauxite? |
Ones | In gambling in general and the game of Craps in particular, snake eyes is the outcome of rolling the dice in a game and getting only one pip on each die. The pair of pips resembles a pair of eyes, which is appended to the term 'snake' because of the long-standing association of this word with treachery and betrayal. The dictionary of etymology traces that use of the term back to 1929, although it may be traced all the way back to the ancient Roman dice games, where 'Dogs' represented two ones. They referred to this as "the dog throw". In modern parlance, it refers to such a roll in any game involving dice. | In the game of craps, if one rolls snake eyes, what numbers appear on the dice? |
Wimbledon | The Grand Slam tournaments, also called majors, are the four most important annual tennis events. They offer the most ranking points, prize money, public and media attention, the greatest strength and size of field, and greater number of "best of" sets for men. The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January, the French Open in May and June, Wimbledon in June and July, and the US Open in August and September. Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks. The Australian and United States tournaments are played on hard courts, the French on clay, and Wimbledon on grass. Wimbledon is the oldest, founded in 1877, followed by the US in 1881, the French in 1891, and the Australian in 1905. However, of these four, only Wimbledon was a major before 1924/25, the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments. | The oldest of the grand slam tennis tournaments, what is the only one still played on grass? |
Leslie Lynch King Jr. | Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th President of the United States from 1974 to 1977. Prior to this he was the 40th Vice President of the United States, serving from 1973 until President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974. He was the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment, following the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew on October 10, 1973. Becoming president upon Richard Nixon's departure on August 9, 1974, he claimed the distinction as the first and to date the only person to have served as both Vice President and President of the United States without being elected to either office. As he was appointed to fill a vacancy and then succeeded to the presidency, Ford also earned the distinction of being the only person in American history to neither begin nor finish either a presidential or vice presidential term on the date of a regularly-scheduled inauguration. Before ascending to the vice presidency, Ford served 25 years as Representative from Michigan's 5th congressional district, the final 9 of them as the House Minority Leader. | Which US President, born Leslie Lynch King on July 14, 1913, was the longest lived US President at 93 years, 165 days? |
Nicaragua | The FSLN overthrew Anastasio Somoza Debayle in 1979, ending the Somoza dynasty, and established a revolutionary government in its place. Following their seizure of power, the Sandinistas ruled Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, first as part of a Junta of National Reconstruction. Following the resignation of centrist members from this Junta, the FSLN took exclusive power in March 1981. They instituted a policy of mass literacy, devoted significant resources to health care, and promoted gender equality. A militia, known as the Contras was formed in 1981 to overthrow the Sandinista government and was funded and trained by the US Central Intelligence Agency. In 1984 elections were held but were boycotted by some opposition parties. The FSLN won the majority of the votes, and those who opposed the Sandinistas won approximately a third of the seats. The civil war between the Contras and the government continued until 1989. After revising the constitution in 1987 and after years of fighting the Contras the FSLN lost what many consider the first truly democratic election in 1990 to Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, but retained a plurality of seats in the legislature. | In what country did the Sandinista National Liberation Front overthrow the Somoza regime in 1979? |
Gianni Versace | Andrew Phillip Cunanan (August 31, 1969 – July 23, 1997) was an American serial killer who murdered at least five people, including fashion designer Gianni Versace, during a three-month period in 1997. On June 12, 1997, Cunanan became the 449th fugitive to be listed by the FBI on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. The killing spree ended with Cunanan's suicide. He was 27 years old. | What famed fashion designer was gunned down outside his Miami home by certified asshat Andrew Cunanan on July 15, 1997? |
13 | * a grand slam, or successful contract to win all 13 tricks, earns a bonus of 1000 points if not vulnerable and 1500 points if vulnerable. | If a team at contract bridge wins a grand slam, how many tricks have they won? |
McDonald's | Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003, during which he ate only McDonald's food. The film documents this lifestyle's drastic effect on Spurlock's physical and psychological well-being, and explores the fast food industry's corporate influence, including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit. | While filming the documentary Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock ate at what fast food restaurant exclusively for 30 days? |
Polio | The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. It was founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to combat polio. It has since taken up promoting general health for pregnant women and babies. | The March of Dimes was originally started to raise money to combat what disease? |
221B Baker Street | Sherlock Holmes is a fictional private detective created by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Known as a "consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for a proficiency with observation, forensic science, and logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic, which he employs when investigating cases for a wide variety of clients, including Scotland Yard. First appearing in print in 1887 (in A Study in Scarlet), the character's popularity became widespread with the first series of short stories in The Strand Magazine, beginning with "A Scandal in Bohemia" in 1891; additional tales appeared from then to 1927, eventually totalling four novels and 56 short stories. All but one are set in the Victorian or Edwardian periods, taking place between about 1880 to 1914. Most are narrated by the character of Holmes's friend and biographer Dr. Watson, who usually accompanies Holmes during his investigations and often shares quarters with him at the address of 221B Baker Street, London, where many of the stories begin. | At what address did fictional detective Sherlock Holmes live/work with Dr. Watson? |
M&M's | They originally had the slogan "They melt in your mouth, not in your hands", featuring in 1980s British advertisements, the same slogan used in the UK for Treets in the 1960s, and for M&M's in the US and UK up to the 1990s. | What "melts in your mouth, not in your hands?" |
Washington, D.C | The United States Congress was established upon ratification of the United States Constitution and formally began on March 4, 1789. New York City remained home to Congress until July 1790, when the Residence Act was passed to pave the way for a permanent capital. The decision to locate the capital was contentious, but Alexander Hamilton helped broker a compromise in which the federal government would take on war debt incurred during the American Revolutionary War, in exchange for support from northern states for locating the capital along the Potomac River. As part of the legislation, Philadelphia was chosen as a temporary capital for ten years (until December 1800), until the nation's capital in Washington, D.C. would be ready. | Signed on July 16, 1790, the Residence Act established what as the US Capitol? |
Aztec | The archaeological record shows that after the fall of Teotihuacan that marked the beginning of the epi-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology around 600 AD, the cult of the feathered serpent spread to the new religious and political centers in central Mexico, centers such as Xochicalco, Cacaxtla and Cholula. Feathered serpent iconography is prominent at all of these sites. Cholula is known to have remained the most important center of worship to Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec/Nahua version of the feathered serpent deity, in the post-classic period. | Which Mesoamerican culture worshipped the feathered serpent known as Quetzalcoatl? |
Downstage | Likewise, the meaning of "front" and "back" would be unclear because they depend on perspective. Instead, the term "upstage" is used to denote the part of the stage furthest from the audience or to motion away from the audience, while "downstage" denotes the portion of the stage closest to the audience or to motion in that direction. These terms were common in older theatres, which gave the audience a better view of the action by inclining the floor (known as a raked stage), so upstage actually was at a higher elevation than downstage. | In theater terminology, which part of a stage is closest to the audience: upstage or downstage? |
Red | Vermilion (sometimes spelled vermillion ) is a brilliant red or scarlet pigment originally made from the powdered mineral cinnabar, and is also the name of the resulting color. It was widely used in the art and decoration of Ancient Rome, in the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, in the paintings of the Renaissance, as sindoor in India, and in the art and lacquerware of China. | Obtained from the ore cinnabar, vermilion is a shade of what color? |
Magic carpet | "A Whole New World" is a song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is a ballad between the primary characters Aladdin and Jasmine about the new world they are going to discover together while riding on Aladdin's magic carpet. The original version was sung by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga during the film. They also performed the song in their characters at the 65th Academy Awards, where it won Academy Award for Best Original Song as well as the first and only Disney song to win a Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2014, Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed performed the song as Aladdin and Jasmine in the film's Broadway adaptation. | The Oscar winning song "A Whole New World" accompanies Aladdin and Jasmine when they explore the world atop of what? |
Grizzly bear | The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos ssp.) less commonly called the silvertip bear, is any North American morphological form or subspecies of brown bear, including the mainland grizzly (Ursus arctos horribilis), Kodiak bear (U. a. middendorffi), peninsular grizzly (U. a. gyas), and the recently extinct California grizzly (U. a. californicus†)Schwartz, C. C., Miller, S. D. and Haroldson, M. A. (2003). [http://www.gsseser.com/RMAteachers/Grizzly_Chapter.pdf "Grizzly bear"]. pp. 556–586 in G. A. Feldhamer, B. C. Thompson and J. A. Chapman, eds. Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. and Mexican grizzly bear (U. a. nelsoni†). Scientists do not use the name grizzly bear but call it the North American brown bear. (See brown bear for a discussion of brown bears outside of North America). It should not be confused with the black grizzly or Ussuri brown bear (U. a. lasiotus) which is another giant brown bear inhabiting Russia, Northern China, and Korea. | What is ursus arctos horribilis commonly known as? |
Jesse James | Famous train robbers include Bill Miner, Jesse James, and Butch Cassidy. Jesse James is mistakenly thought to have completed the first successful train robbery in the American West when on July 21, 1873 the James-Younger Gang took US $3,000 from a Rock Island Railroad train after derailing it southwest of the town of Adair, Iowa. However, the first peacetime train robbery in the United States actually occurred on October 6, 1866, when robbers boarded the Ohio & Mississippi train shortly after it left Seymour, Indiana. They broke into one safe and tipped the other off the train before jumping off. The Pinkerton National Detective Agency later traced the crime to the Reno Gang. There was one earlier train robbery in May 1865, but because it was committed by armed guerrillas and occurred shortly after the end of the Civil War, it is not considered to be the first peacetime train robbery in the United States. Some sources say that the May 1865 robbery took place at a water siding while the train was stopped taking on water. | What famous outlaw committed the Wild West's first train robbery on July 21, 1873 in Adair, Iowa? |
Jelly beans | Jelly Belly Candy Company, formerly known as Herman Goelitz Candy Company and Goelitz Confectionery Company, manufactures Jelly Belly jelly beans and other candy. The company is based in Fairfield, California, with a second manufacturing facility in North Chicago, Illinois and a distribution center in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. In October 2008 the company opened a manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand where it produces confectionery for the international market. | Produced by the The Herman Goelitz Candy Company, Jelly Bellys, a favorite of Ronald Reagan, are what type of candy? |
Shelbyville | Shelbyville is Springfield's neighbor and rival city. It was founded in 1796 by Shelbyville Manhattan, who advocated cousin marriage among his followers, causing a split between himself and Jebediah Springfield. An intense rivalry between the two cities continues today, especially in the sixth season episode "Lemon of Troy", in which Shelbyville residents steal a prized lemon tree from Springfield. In several episodes, "Lemon of Troy" in particular, it is suggested that Shelbyville is to an extent a parallel version of Springfield. Shelbyville is also the city where Luann van Houten grew up. It also has at least one McDonald's restaurant, a Speed-E-Mart, Joe's Tavern and a school. Per "Last Exit to Springfield", Shelbyville was at least briefly called "Morganville" during Abe Simpson's youth. According to The Simpsons Movie, Shelbyville is west of Springfield. It is the home of the button fly. | What neighboring city is the chief rival of The Simpson's home town of Springfield? |
Green | There is a green pocket numbered 0 (zero). In American roulette, there is a second green pocket marked 00. Pocket number order on the roulette wheel adheres to the following clockwise sequence in most casinos: | What color are the 0 (and potentially 00) spots on a roulette wheel? |
Bird | The GEICO company has created a series of television ads that are built around proverbs, such as "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush", and "The pen is mightier than the sword", "Pigs may fly/When pigs fly", "If a tree falls in the forest...", and "Words can never hurt you". Doritos made a commercial based on the proverb, "When pigs fly." | According to the proverb, a what in your hand is worth two in your bush? |
Franklin D. Roosevelt | The New Deal was a series of social liberal programs enacted in the United States between 1933 and 1938, and a few that came later. They included both laws passed by Congress as well as presidential executive orders during the first term (1933–1937) of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were in response to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians refer to as the "3 Rs," Relief, Recovery, and Reform: relief for the unemployed and poor, recovery of the economy to normal levels, and reform of the financial system to prevent a repeat depression. | Which U.S. president introduced an economic recovery plan popularly known as The New Deal? |
The brain | Inflammation of the meninges may lead to abnormalities of the cranial nerves, a group of nerves arising from the brain stem that supply the head and neck area and which control, among other functions, eye movement, facial muscles, and hearing. Visual symptoms and hearing loss may persist after an episode of meningitis. Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or its blood vessels (cerebral vasculitis), as well as the formation of blood clots in the veins (cerebral venous thrombosis), may all lead to weakness, loss of sensation, or abnormal movement or function of the part of the body supplied by the affected area of the brain. | What part of the body does meningitis affect? |
Marvin | "Paranoid Android" is a song by the English alternative rock band Radiohead from on their third album OK Computer (1997). The darkly humourous lyrics were written primarily by singer Thom Yorke following an unpleasant experience in a Los Angeles bar. The song is more than six minutes long and contains four distinct sections. "Paranoid Android" takes its name from Marvin the Paranoid Android of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. | What was the name of the paranoid android in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy? |
Sacha Baron Cohen | Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (or simply Borat) is a 2006 British-American mockumentary comedy film. The film was written and produced by British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen who also plays the title character, Borat Sagdiyev, a fictitious Kazakh journalist travelling through the United States recording real-life interactions with Americans. The film was directed by Larry Charles and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Much of the film features unscripted vignettes of Borat interviewing and interacting with Americans, who believe he is a foreigner with little or no understanding of American customs. It is the second of three films built around Baron Cohen's characters from Da Ali G Show (2000–04): the first, Ali G Indahouse, was released in 2002, and featured a cameo by Borat, and the third, Brüno, was released in 2009. The film is produced by Baron Cohen's production company, Four By Two Productions ("Four By Two" is Cockney rhyming slang for "Jew"). | What is the name of the British comedian behind the characters Bruno and Borat? |
Microsoft | “Where do you want to go today?” was the title of Microsoft’s 2nd global image advertising campaign. The broadcast, print and outdoor advertising campaign was launched in November 1994 through the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, the firm best known for its work on behalf of Nike, Inc.. The campaign, which The New York Times described as taking “a winsome, humanistic approach to demystifying technology”, had Microsoft spending $100 million through July 1995, of which $25 million would be spent during the holiday shopping season ending in December 1994.Eliott, Stuart. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res | "Where do you want to go today?" was the advertising slogan for what company in the 1990s? |
Lake Mead | The changes in water flow and use caused by Hoover Dam's construction and operation have had a large impact on the Colorado River Delta. The construction of the dam has been credited as causing the decline of this estuarine ecosystem. For six years after the construction of the dam, while Lake Mead filled, virtually no water reached the mouth of the river. The delta's estuary, which once had a freshwater-saltwater mixing zone stretching 40 mi south of the river's mouth, was turned into an inverse estuary where the level of salinity was higher close to the river's mouth. | What lake was formed by the construction of Hoover Dam? |
An elephant | A mahout is an elephant rider, trainer, or keeper. Usually, a mahout starts as a boy in the family profession when he is assigned an elephant early in its life. They remain bonded to each other throughout their lives. | What does a mahout keep or ride? |
I Love You | In 1983, Wonder performed the song "Stay Gold", the theme to Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptation of S. E. Hinton's novel The Outsiders. Wonder wrote the lyrics. In 1983, he scheduled an album to be entitled People Work, Human Play. The album never surfaced and instead 1984 saw the release of Wonder's soundtrack album for The Woman in Red. The lead single, "I Just Called to Say I Love You", was a No. 1 pop and R&B hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom, where it was placed 13th in the list of best-selling singles in the UK published in 2002. It went on to win an Academy award for best song in 1985. Wonder accepted the award in the name of Nelson Mandela and was subsequently banned from all South African radio by the Government of South Africa. The album also featured a guest appearance by Dionne Warwick, singing the duet "It's You" with Stevie and a few songs of her own. The following year's In Square Circle featured the No. 1 pop hit "Part-Time Lover". The album also has a Top 10 Hit with "Go Home." It also featured the ballad "Overjoyed", which was originally written for Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants", but did not make the album. He performed "Overjoyed" on Saturday Night Live when he was the host. He was also featured in Chaka Khan's cover of Prince's "I Feel For You", alongside Melle Mel, playing his signature harmonica. In roughly the same period he was also featured on harmonica on Eurythmics' single, "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" and Elton John's "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues". | What did Stevie Wonder just call to say in 1984? |
University of Oxford | The Rhodes Scholarship, named for the British mining magnate and South African politician Cecil John Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for non-British students to study at the University of Oxford. The award is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious scholarships. Established in 1902, it was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, inspiring creation of other awards like the Kennedy Scholarship for British nationals, the Fulbright Program for citizens of over 150 countries, the Marshall Scholarship for Americans, and more recently the international Gates Scholarship at Cambridge University , the Weidenfeld and Hoffman scholarship and leadership programme and two programs in China (namely, the Yenching Scholarship and Schwarzman Scholarship). | A Rhodes Scholarship allows a student to do postgraduate work at which school? |
Limerick | A limerick is a form of poetry in five-line, predominantly Anapaest| meter with a strict rhyme scheme (AABBA), which is sometimes obscene with humorous intent. The third and fourth lines are usually shorter than the other three. The following example is a limerick of unknown origin: | Often with obscene or risque intent, what poetry uses a strict AABBA rhyme scheme? |
Checkmate | The term checkmate is, according to the Barnhart Etymological Dictionary, an alteration of the Farsi phrase "shāh māt" () which means, literally, "the King is helpless". Others maintain that it means "the King is dead", as chess reached Europe via the Islamic world, and Arabic māta () means "died" or "is dead". However, in the Pashto language (an Afghan language), the word māt () still exists, meaning "destroyed, broken". | What word derives from the Persian phrase, "Shah Mat" meaning the king is helpless? |
Sleep | In Greek mythology, Hypnos (; , "sleep") is the personification of sleep; the Roman equivalent is known as Somnus. | Hypnos and Somnus were, respectively, the Greek and Roman gods of what? |
Aerosmith | During Perry's early years he formed a band with Tom Hamilton called The Jam Band. Steven Tyler, Joe, Tom, Brad Whitford and Joey Kramer eventually joined and the band became Aerosmith. While initially dismissed as The Rolling Stones knock-offs, the band came into its own during the mid-1970s with a string of hit records. Chief among these successes were Toys in the Attic (1975) and Rocks (1976), thanks largely to the prevalence of free-form, album-oriented FM radio. The group also managed hit singles on the radio with songs like "Dream On", "Same Old Song and Dance", "Sweet Emotion", "Walk This Way", "Back in the Saddle", and "Last Child". | 1970 - Steven Tyler, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford |
Israel | The Negev covers more than half of Israel, over some 13,000 km² (4,700 sq mi) or at least 55% of the country's land area. It forms an inverted triangle shape whose western side is contiguous with the desert of the Sinai Peninsula, and whose eastern border is the Arabah valley. The Negev has a number of interesting cultural and geological features. Among the latter are three enormous, craterlike makhteshim (box canyons), which are unique to the region; Makhtesh Ramon, Makhtesh Gadol, and Makhtesh Katan. | In what country would you find the 4,700 square-mile Negev Desert? |
French 75 | The recipe took its now-classic form in Here’s How, by Judge Jr. (1927), consisting of gin, sugar, lemon juice, and champagne. This recipe was republished with the embellished name French 75 in The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930). Some later cocktail books use Cognac instead of gin, such as The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David Embury. | Named for a field piece, what is the name of the cocktail consisting of gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar? |
Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms | "The Three Bs" is an English-language phrase derived from an expression coined by Peter Cornelius in 1854, which added Hector Berlioz as the third B to occupy the heights already occupied by Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven. Later in the century, the famous conductor Hans von Bülow would substitute Johannes Brahms for Berlioz. The phrase is generally used in discussions of classical music to refer to the supposed primacy of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms in the field. | What three titans of classical music are collectively known as the Three Bs? |
Bill Haley | Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band, founded in 1952 and continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band, also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets (and variations thereof), was the earliest group of white musicians to bring rock and roll to the attention of America and the rest of the world. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group placed nine singles in the Top 20, one of those a number one and three more in the Top Ten. | Which 1950's legends backing band was known as The Comets (or His Comets)? |
Second Lady of the United States | The Second Lady of the United States is an informal title for the wife of the Vice President of the United States, coined in contrast to the First Lady (who is almost always the wife of the president). The term "Second Lady" may have been first used by Jennie Tuttle Hobart to refer to herself, later fell out of favor, but was revived in the 1980s. During the 1990s the title was again abandoned, in favor of "wife of the Vice-President", but was later resurrected during the administration of Barack Obama. | By what title is the vice president's wife commonly known? |
Captain Jack Sparrow | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 American fantasy swashbuckler film based on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disney theme parks. It was directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer. The story follows pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) as they rescue the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) from the cursed crew of the Black Pearl, captained by Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), who become undead skeletons at night. | Who is captain of the Black Pearl in Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise? |
Turkey | *Turkey: Three strikes in a row during a single bowling game. | In bowling, what bird's name is given to three successive strikes? |
Bugs Bunny | A Wild Hare (re-released as The Wild Hare) is a 1940 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies animated short film. It was produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions, directed by Tex Avery, and written by Rich Hogan. It was originally released on July 27, 1940. A Wild Hare is considered by most film historians to be the first "official" Bugs Bunny cartoon. | Which cartoon character was introduced on July 27, 1940 in the short "A Wild Hare"? |
Parsec | The light-year is most often used when expressing distances to stars and other distances on a galactic scale, especially in non-specialist and popular science publications. The unit usually used in professional astrometry is the parsec (symbol: pc, approximately 3.26 light-years; the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one second of arc). | What unit of measurement is equal to 3.26 light years? |
IN GOD WE TRUST | In the 1950s the Red Scare prompted conservatives to distinguish the United States from the Soviet Union, which promoted state atheism. The 84th Congress passed a joint resolution "declaring IN GOD WE TRUST the national motto of the United States." The law was signed by President Eisenhower on July 30, 1956. The United States Code at , now states: "'In God we trust' is the national motto." | July 30, 1956 saw the adoption of what phrase as the official motto of the United States? |
Son of Sam | David Richard Berkowitz (born Richard David Falco; June 1, 1953), also known as the Son of Sam and the .44 Caliber Killer, is an American serial killer convicted of a series of shooting attacks that began in New York City in the summer of 1976, perpetrated with a .44 caliber Bulldog revolver. He killed six victims and wounded seven others by July 1977. As the toll mounted, Berkowitz eluded a massive police manhunt while leaving brazen letters that mocked the police and promised further crimes, highly publicized in the press. He terrorized New York and achieved worldwide notoriety. | Serial killer David Berkowitz, who terrorized New York City from 1975 to 1976, was known in the press by what name? |
Long John Silver | * Long John Silver: The cook on the voyage to Treasure Island. Silver is the secret ringleader of the pirate band. His physical and emotional strength is impressive. Silver is deceitful and disloyal, greedy and visceral, and does not care about human relations. Yet he is always kind toward Jim and genuinely fond of the boy. Silver is a powerful mixture of charisma and self-destructiveness, individualism and recklessness. The one-legged Silver was based in part on Stevenson's friend and mentor William Ernest Henley. | Who was the pirate leader in the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson? |
Baloo | "The Bare Necessities" is a song, written by Terry Gilkyson, from the animated 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book, sung by Phil Harris as Baloo and Bruce Reitherman as Mowgli. Originally, it was written for an earlier draft of the movie that was never produced. The Sherman Brothers, who wrote the other songs of the film, kept this as the only song used from the previous version. A reprise of the song was sung by Sebastian Cabot as Bagheera and Phil Harris as Baloo at the end of the film. Van Dyke Parks worked on the arrangement, which was his first paid gig after moving to California. The song was also sung by Louis Armstrong. In 1967, "The Bare Necessities" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. A hip-hop version of the song performed by Lou Rawls was used as the theme song for Jungle Cubs. | In the 1967 Disney movie The Jungle Book, who taught Mowgli The Bare Necessities? |
Tenon | The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at an angle of 90°. In its basic form it is both simple and strong. Although there are many joint variations, the basic mortise and tenon comprises two components: the mortise hole and the tenon tongue. The tenon, formed on the end of a member generally referred to as a rail, is inserted into a square or rectangular hole cut into the corresponding member. The tenon is cut to fit the mortise hole exactly and usually has shoulders that seat when the joint fully enters the mortise hole. The joint may be glued, pinned, or wedged to lock it in place. | In woodworking joints, what do you insert into your mortise? |
Christopher Columbus | On August 3, 1492, the Pinta, Niña, and Santa María sailed from Palos. On board were Christopher Columbus and the Pinzón Brothers, who were natives of Palos. Palos is also the site of the Rábida Monastery where Columbus consulted with the Franciscans about his plans for organizing an expedition of discovery. The three ships landed in America on October 12, 1492. The Santa María foundered in American waters, but the other two ships returned to Palos on March 15, 1493. | On Aug 3, 1492, who set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, in a carrack and two caravels, on his way to Asia? |
Ernie | J.J. Keebler was the "" original head elf in 1969 and was featured in a classroom film about how animated commercials are made, "Show and Sell", with J.J.'s voice done by Alan Reed Sr. Ernie Keebler became "head elf" in 1970. White-haired Ernie wears a green jacket, a white shirt with a yellow tie, a red vest, and floppy shoes. | Who has been the “head” elf in the Keebler Cookie Tree since 1970? |
MTV | *Five clues about the song have appeared on the American quiz show Jeopardy!: "On August 1, 1981 this channel aired its first video, titled "Video Killed the Radio Star"" on 25 May 1998, "On Aug. 1, 1981 MTV aired its first video, this one by the Buggles" on 18 November 1998, "In a hit by the Buggles, it's what "killed the radio star"" on 4 September 2002, "Killer of "the radio star" in a Buggles song" on 13 June 2011, and "On Aug. 1, 1981 this channel debuted with a video by The Buggles; the channel is still around, but not so much into videos" on 1 August 2013. | "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles, was the first video aired on what cable channel on Aug 1, 1981? |
Malaria | The female mosquito of the genus carries (see Plasmodium). Worldwide, malaria is a leading cause of premature mortality, particularly in children under the age of five, with an estimated 207 million cases and more than half a million deaths in 2012, according to the World Malaria Report 2013 published by WHO. | According to the World Health Organization, what is the leading mosquito-borne disease in the world? |
Hiroshima | The Enola Gay is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named for Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets, who selected the aircraft while it was still on the assembly line. On 6 August 1945, during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb. The bomb, code-named "Little Boy", was targeted at the city of Hiroshima, Japan, and caused unprecedented destruction. Enola Gay participated in the second atomic attack as the weather reconnaissance aircraft for the primary target of Kokura. Clouds and drifting smoke resulted in a secondary target, Nagasaki, being bombed instead. | August 6, 1945 saw the US bomber Enola Gay drop the first atomic bomb on what Japanese city? |
First World War | "The war to end war" (sometimes called "The war to end all wars") was a term for the First World War of 1914—1918. Originally idealistic, it is now used mainly sardonically. | Begining the end of July, what war was known as The War to End All Wars? |
Wisconsin | In December 1847, a second constitutional convention was called. This convention resulted in a new, more moderate state constitution that Wisconsinites approved in a March 1848 referendum, enabling Wisconsin to become the 30th state on May 29, 1848. Wisconsin was the last state entirely east of the Mississippi River (and by extension the last state formed entirely from territory assigned to the U.S. in the 1783 Treaty of Paris) to be admitted to the Union. | Known as The Badger State or America's Dairyland, what was the 30th state to join the Union on May 29, 1848? |
Air traffic controllers | On August 5, following the PATCO workers' refusal to return to work, Reagan fired the 11,345 striking air traffic controllers who had ignored the order, and banned them from federal service for life. In the wake of the strike and mass firings, the FAA was faced with the task of hiring and training enough controllers to replace those that had been fired, a hard problem to fix as, at the time, it took three years in normal conditions to train a new controller. They were replaced initially with nonparticipating controllers, supervisors, staff personnel, some nonrated personnel, and in some cases by controllers transferred temporarily from other facilities. Some military controllers were also used until replacements could be trained. The FAA had initially claimed that staffing levels would be restored within two years; however, it would take closer to ten years before the overall staffing levels returned to normal. PATCO was decertified from its right to represent workers by the Federal Labor Relations Authority on October 22, 1981. The decision was appealed. | On August 5, 1981, Ronald Reagan fired 11,359 striking members of what profession over their refusal to return to work? |
Sink ships | Some of these posters contained the most well known slogans of the war and many were depicted by propaganda artist Cyril Kenneth Bird. Other slogans used for this type of poster were “loose talk costs lives”, "loose lips sink ships", “Another careless word, another wooden cross”, and “bits of careless talk are pieced together by the enemy”. Stories also emphasized an anti-rumor theme, as when one woman advised another not to talk with a man about her war job, because the woman he is dating is untrustworthy and might be an enemy agent. | According to the WWII propaganda poster, what might loose lips do? |
Tom Petty | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. In 1976, the band's original lineup was Tom Petty as the lead singer and guitar player, Mike Campbell as the lead guitarist, Ron Blair on bass, Stan Lynch on drums, and Benmont Tench on keyboards. The band has largely maintained this lineup, with a few exceptions. In 1981, Blair, who was tired of the touring lifestyle, left the band. Blair's replacement, Howie Epstein, was with the band for the next twenty years. Blair returned to the Heartbreakers in 2002, the year before Epstein's death. In 1994, Steve Ferrone replaced Lynch. | What singer/songwriter's backup band is known as the Heartbreakers? |
General Electric | "We Bring Good Things to Life" was an advertising slogan used by General Electric between 1979 and 2003. It was designed by the advertising firm BBDO led by project manager Richard Costello, who would later go on to become head of advertising at General Electric. The slogan was designed to highlight the diversity of the products and services the company offered. The slogan, after its many appearances in GE advertising, was responsible for increased popularity and a new image for the company. | What company advertises "We bring good things to life."? |
435 | The Apportionment Act of 1911 (, ) was an apportionment bill passed by the United States Congress on August 8, 1911. The law set the number of members of the United States House of Representatives at 435, effective with the 63rd Congress on March 4, 1913. This number included a provision for the addition of one seat each for Arizona and New Mexico when they became states. | Public Law 62-5, which was passed on August 8, 1911 set the membership of the House of Representatives to what number? |
Wyoming | Grand Teton National Park is located in the northwestern region of the U.S. state of Wyoming. To the north the park is bordered by the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, which is administered by Grand Teton National Park. The scenic highway with the same name passes from the southern boundary of Grand Teton National Park to West Thumb in Yellowstone National Park. Grand Teton National Park covers approximately 310000 acre, while the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway includes 23700 acre. Most of the Jackson Hole valley and virtually all the major mountain peaks of the Teton Range are within the park. The Jedediah Smith Wilderness of Caribou-Targhee National Forest lies along the western boundary and includes the western slopes of the Teton Range. To the northeast and east lie the Teton Wilderness and Gros Ventre Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest. The National Elk Refuge is to the southeast, and migrating herds of elk winter there. Privately owned land borders the park to the south and southwest. Grand Teton National Park, along with Yellowstone National Park, surrounding National Forests and related protected areas constitute the 18000000 acre (28000 sqmi) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem spans across portions of three states and is one of the largest intact mid-latitude ecosystems remaining on Earth. By road, Grand Teton National Park is 290 mi from Salt Lake City, Utah and 550 mi from Denver, Colorado. | In which U.S. state is Grand Teton National Park located? |
Grace Kelly | After a year-long courtship described as containing "a good deal of rational appraisal on both sides" (The Times, 7 April 2005, page 59), Prince Rainier married Oscar-winning American actress Grace Kelly (1929–1982) in 1956. The ceremonies in Monaco were on 18 April 1956 (civil) and 19 April 1956 (religious). Their children are: | What American actress became Princess of Monaco following her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier? |
Nike | Air Jordan is a brand of basketball footwear and athletic clothing produced by Nike, Inc. and endorsed and created for Chicago Bulls basketball player Michael Jordan. The original Air Jordan I sneaker, produced for Jordan in 1984, were released to the public in 1985. The shoes were designed for Nike by Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield and Bruce Kilgore. | Air Jordan, first introduced in 1985, are a brand of shoes made by what shoe company? |
Spike | Spike appeared most frequently in the strip. His appearance is similar to that of Snoopy, but he is substantially thinner, has a perpetually sleepy look, and sports a long, droopy mustache and a fedora. He sometimes wears Mickey Mouse shoes which were a gift from Mickey Mouse. He is called Snoopy's older brother during the first story in which he appears. Spike lives alone in the desert near Needles, California, only occasionally interacting with the principal characters in the strip, generally in visiting Snoopy. His friends are mostly inanimate saguaro cacti. As the closest saguaro cacti to Needles are found in the Whipple Mountains Wilderness, it seems that Spike lives somewhere in this area. In 1991's Snoopy's Reunion, Spike's home was a huge hollow saguaro in which he kept books and his fiddle. Spike is named after Charles Schulz's childhood dog. | In the Peanuts comic strip, which of Snoopy's brothers wears a fedora and lives in the California desert? |
1 | DVDs in Hispanophone Latin America and Mexico use both the region 1 and region 4 codes. | What is the DVD region code for the US? |
Australia | By convention, "continents are understood to be large, continuous, discrete masses of land, ideally separated by expanses of water." Many of the seven most commonly recognized continents identified by convention are not discrete landmasses separated completely by water. The criterion "large" leads to arbitrary classification: Greenland, with a surface area of 2166086 sqkm is considered the world's largest island, while Australia, at 7617930 sqkm is deemed the smallest continent. | Which of the seven is the smallest (in area) continent? |
U.S. Department of Agriculture | The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people living in the U.S. It is a federal aid program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), though benefits are distributed by each U.S. state's Division of Social Services or Children and Family Services. | Which US government department oversees the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as Food Stamps? |
Nagasaki | "Fat Man" was the codename for the type of atomic bomb that was detonated over the Japanese city of Nagasaki by the United States on 9 August 1945. It was the second of the only two nuclear weapons ever used in warfare, the first being Little Boy, and its detonation marked the third-ever man-made nuclear explosion in history. It was built by scientists and engineers at Los Alamos Laboratory using plutonium from the Hanford Site and dropped from the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bockscar. For the Fat Man mission, Bockscar was piloted by Major Charles W. Sweeney. | The B-29 Bockscar dropped the second atomic bomb on what Japanese city on August 9, 1945? |
Washington Territory | The growing populace of Oregon Territory north of the Columbia River formally requested a new territory, which was granted by the U.S. government in 1853. The boundary of Washington Territory initially extended farther east than the present state's, including what is now the Idaho Panhandle and parts of western Montana, and picked up more land to the southeast that was left behind when Oregon was admitted as a state. The creation of Idaho Territory in 1863 established the final eastern border. A Washington State constitution was drafted and ratified in 1878, but it was never officially adopted. Although never approved by Congress, the 1878 constitution is an important historical document which shows the political thinking of the time. It was used extensively during the drafting of Washington State's 1889 constitution, the one and only official Constitution of the State of Washington. Washington became the 42nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889. | November 11, 1889 saw the great state of Washington formed from what territory? |
Friday the 13th | The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: "triskaidekaphobia"; and on analogy to this the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning "Friday"), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning "thirteen"). | Paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia is the fear of what? |
Dean Martin | The 1960s version of the group included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. Marilyn Monroe, Angie Dickinson, Juliet Prowse, Buddy Greco, and Shirley MacLaine were often referred to as the "Rat Pack Mascots". Comedian Corbett Monica also worked as the frequent opening act for Frank Sinatra - later including Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. - and played Larry Corbett, manager and friend, to Joey Bishop’s character on “The Joey Bishop show” from 1963-1965. | Who's missing: Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop |
14 | A fortnight is a unit of time equal to 14 days (2 weeks). The word derives from the , meaning "". | How many days in a fortnight? |
Delta | Hartsfield–Jackson is the primary hub of Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, and Delta Air Lines partner, ExpressJet and is a focus city for low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. With just over 1,000 flights a day, the Delta Air Lines hub is the world's largest hub. Delta Air Lines flew 75.4% of the airport's passengers in February 2016, Southwest flew 9.23%, and American Airlines flew 2.49%. In addition to hosting Delta Air Lines corporate headquarters, Hartsfield–Jackson is also the home of Delta's Technical Operations Center, which is the airline's primary maintenance, repair and overhaul arm. The airport has international service to North America, South America, Central America, Europe, Asia and Africa. As an international gateway to the United States, Hartsfield–Jackson ranks sixth. | What airline, the world’s largest, uses Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport as its’ US hub? |
Elvis Presley | Thomas Andrew "Colonel Tom" Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 – January 21, 1997) was a Dutch-born American talent manager, best known as the manager of Elvis Presley. His management of Presley defined the role of masterminding talent management, which involved every facet of the client's life and was seen as central to the success of Presley's career. | Colonel Tom Parker, the Colonel being an honorary title only, made his mark managing what entertainer? |
Missouri | The state's capital is Jefferson City. The land that is now Missouri was acquired from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase and became known as the Missouri Territory. Part of this territory was admitted into the union as the 24th state on August 10, 1821. | On August 10, 1821, this state, known as the Show Me State, was admitted to the Union as #24? |
Alcohol | The Eighteenth Amendment (Amendment XVIII) of the United States Constitution effectively established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the United States by declaring the production, transport, and sale of alcohol (though not the consumption or private possession) illegal. The separate Volstead Act set down methods for enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, and defined which "intoxicating liquors" were prohibited, and which were excluded from prohibition (e.g., for medical and religious purposes). The Amendment was the first to set a time delay before it would take effect following ratification, and the first to set a time limit for its ratification by the states. Its ratification was certified on January 16, 1919, with the amendment taking effect on January 16, 1920. | Ratified on January 29, 1919, the 18th amendment to the US Constitution regulates the sale of what? |
Q and Z | In an English-language set, the game contains 100 tiles, 98 of which are marked with a letter and a point value ranging from 1 to 10. The number of points of each lettered tile is based on the letter's frequency in standard English writing; commonly used letters such as vowels are worth one point, while less common letters score higher, with Q and Z each worth 10 points. The game also has two blank tiles that are unmarked and carry no point value. The blank tiles can be used as substitutes for any letter; once laid on the board, however, the choice is fixed. Other language sets use different letter set distributions with different point values. | The highest scoring tiles, what two letters are worth 10 points each in a game of Scrabble? |
Egg | Frittata is an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta. The word frittata is Italian and roughly translates to "fried". | What is the main food ingredient of a frittata? |
The Blue Angels | The Blue Angels is the United States Navy's flight demonstration squadron, with aviators from the Navy and Marines. The Blue Angels team was formed in 1946, making it the second oldest formal flying aerobatic team (under the same name) in the world, after the French Patrouille de France formed in 1931. The Blue Angels' six demonstration pilots fly the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, typically in more than 70 shows at 34 locations throughout the United States each year, where they still employ many of the same practices and techniques used in their aerial displays in 1946. An estimated 11 million spectators view the squadron during air shows each full year. The Blue Angels also visit more than 50,000 people in a standard show season (March through November) in schools and hospitals. Since 1946, the Blue Angels have flown for more than 260 million spectators. | What is the more common name for the US Navy's aerial demonstration team? |
Spilt milk | * It is no use crying over spilt milk | According to the proverb, it's no use crying over what? |
Farad | The farad (symbol: F) is the SI derived unit of electrical capacitance, the ability of a body to store an electrical charge. It is named after the English physicist Michael Faraday. | What is the SI unit of measurement for capacitance (defined as the ability of a body to store an electrical charge)? |
Gold | At the industry level, in 1958 the Recording Industry Association of America introduced its gold record award program for records of any kind, albums or singles, which achieved one million dollars in retail sales. These sales were restricted to U.S.-based record companies and did not include exports to other countries. For albums in 1968, this would mean shipping approximately 250,000 units; for singles the number would be higher due to their lower retail price. The platinum certification was introduced in 1976 for the sale of one million units, album or single, with the gold certification redefined to mean sales of 500,000 units, album or single. No album was certified platinum prior to this year. For instance, the recording by Van Cliburn of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto from 1958 would eventually be awarded a platinum citation, but this would not happen for another two decades after its release. In 1999, the diamond certification was introduced for sales of ten million units. | The Recording Industry Association of America awards what certification for an album that sells 500,000 copies? |
Minnesota | Minnesota (; locally ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Minnesota was admitted as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858, created from the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory. The name comes from the Dakota word for "clear blue water". Owing to its large number of lakes, the state is informally known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes". Its official motto is L'Étoile du Nord (French: Star of the North). | Known as North Star State, among several others, what was the 32nd state to join the Union on May 11, 1858? |
Basil | The introduction of basil, the main ingredient of modern pesto, occurred in more recent times and is first documented only in the mid-19th century, when gastronomist Giovanni Battista Ratto published his book La Cuciniera Genovese in 1863: | Which herb is usually used as the main ingredient in traditional pesto? |
Gold | Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from ) and the atomic number 79. In its purest form, it is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements, and is solid under standard conditions. The metal therefore occurs often in free elemental (native) form, as nuggets or grains, in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. It occurs in a solid solution series with the native element silver (as electrum) and also naturally alloyed with copper and palladium. Less commonly, it occurs in minerals as gold compounds, often with tellurium (gold tellurides). | With an atomic number of 79, what elements symbol Au comes from the Latin aurum? |
Subsets and Splits