Monday, September 29, 2014

No Chicken or Egg Questions On Tuesday


Tuesday night, September 30th, Trivia Night at the Caledonia Scottish Pub will feature "Which Came First Trivia," as I will give you two events from recent history, and you have to tell me which one occurred first.(And no, "chicken" or "egg" will not be one of the questions.)

The Q Train lightning round will feature "1-2-3-4 Trivia." I will ask you ten questions, and each answer will be either the numbers 1,2,3 or 4.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Jakarta is the capital of what Asian country?"

We'll get going right around 8 PM tomorrow night. The Caledonia is on the Upper east Side of Manhattan, at 1609 2nd Avenue, between E. 83rd and 84th Streets. We keep growing and growing at our newest venue, and let's keep it that way! Hope to see many of you on Tuesday night.

Friday, September 26, 2014

A Memorable Night Last Night

No, not in New York. In Boston.

The future was on display as the Red Sox concluded their season series with Tampa Bay by whacking the Rays, 11-1. Allen Webster pitched seven solid innings for his fifth win of the season.

But it was the bats of Christian Vazquez and Rusney Castillo that caught the eyes of all who witnessed it at Fenway last night. Vazquez went 4-for-4 with a bomb of a home run and three RBI. This kid has star written all over him, as he thrown out 52% of all runners who have tried to steal off him, and has a definite presence behind the plate, even in his rookie season. He's been compared to Ivan Rodriguez, and not because they are both Puerto Rican. His bat has shown flashes of brillence, and if he hits enough, he'll be an All-Star for sure.

Castillo hit a three-run home run in the fourth, and it put the game out of reach in the 4th inning. He's only played a few games at the MLB level, but has shown some good instincts in the field and on the bases (as he scored from second on a wild pitch on Tuesday night).

The Sox rolled out seven rookies in the lineup last night, as they had on Tuesday. And they beat Tampa Bay convincingly in both contests. Both Vazquez and Castillo belted their first MLB home runs last night. It reminded me of the 2013 Sox with the power displays and the two-out hitting.

The date of September 25, 2014 maybe remembered for other reasons, but it will also be the night that both Christian Vazquez and Rusney Castillo went deep for the first time for the Red Sox.

Yes, the future was on display at Fenway last night. Bring it on.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Trivia Q&A: September 23

We had another fine turnout on Tuesday night at the Caledonia, with a full bar and another crowd really into the Trivia. The scores from "Three of Five Trivia" were higher than I expected, and I'll be bringing back that category on a semi-regular basis. We had a neck-and-neck fight to the finish between the top two teams, but the team of  Fade Into Bolivian (who also won Best Team Name) wound up on top, as the ran the table in IQ Trivia to finish with 55 points. Second place went to Don't Mind the Grey Matter with 43 points, and third went to Quiz Me Maybe with 32 points.

Current Events
1. What Oscar-nominated actor was named a "Messenger of Peace" by the UN last week in their fight against climate change?
2. John Rowland, ex-governor of which New England state, was found guilty on seven counts of corruption last Friday?
3. Apple sold a new record number of iPhones this past weekend, with the brand new iPhone release last Friday. How many iPhone 6 models were sold?
4. What Disney production reached a worldwide gross of over $6.2 billion recently, breaking the record once held by "Phantom of the Opera" for the highest box office of any work in entertainment history?
5. Pope Francis made his first visit to a European country as pope last weekend, to what neighboring nation with a Muslim majority?
6. What "Saturday Night Live" alumnus was chosen to be the show's new announcer, replacing the recently deceased Don Pardo?
7. NASA's space probe MAVEN, launched last November, entered what planet's orbit on Sunday to study its atmosphere?

Three of Five Trivia
1. Name 3 of the 5 smallest states in the US in population.
2. Name 3 of the last 5 teams to win the World Series.
3. Name 3 of the largest 5 cities in Canada by population.
4. Name 3 of the 5 largest countries in Europe in terms of land area.
5. Name 3 of the 5 most common surnames in the US.
6. Name 3 of the 5 most visited cities in the US by tourists.
7. Name 3 of the last 5 winners of the Oscar for Best Actor.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. One of every two Americans lives within 50 miles of where they were born.
2. Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen after his death.
3. When full grown, humans have 216 bones.
4. In the book "The Wizard of Oz," Dorothy wears silver and not ruby slippers.
5. Count Dracula was based on a real person.
6. John is the most common first name in the world.
7. Florida is larger in land area than the entire nation of Japan.
8. Our ears never stop growing until the day we die.
9. You must have a law degree to sit on the Supreme Court as a justice.
10. The tuxedo dinner jacket was named after a town in New York state.

General Knowledge
1. Film classics "North By Northwest" and "Vertigo" were directed by whom? ( 1 pt)
2. What is the common nickname for nitrous oxide? ( 1 pt)
3. How many natural satellites does the planet Mercury have? ( 1 pt)
4. What 1960s rock star was also known as "The Lizard King?" ( 2 pt)
5. Who was the heaviest US president? ( 2 pt)
6. Which tennis grand slam title did Briton Andy Murray win in 2013? ( 2 pt)
7. The Apostle Islands in Lake Superior belong to which US state? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What current US state did General George A. Custer make his famous 1876 "last stand" in? (3 points)
2. A vicennial event occurs how many years apart? ( 5 points)
3. What type of dog was Scooby-Doo in the popular animated TV series? ( 4 points)
4. What is the tallest man-made monument in the US? ( 4 points)
5. In what South American country were legendary outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid supposedly killed in 1908? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Leonardo DiCaprio; 2. Connecticut; 3. 10 million; 4. "The Lion King:"; 5. Albania; 6. Darrell Hammond; 7. Mars.

Three of Five Trivia
1. Wyoming, Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska, South Dakota; 2. Red Sox, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, Phillies; 3. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary; 4. Ukraine, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany; 5. Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown, Jones; 6. New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco; 7. Matthew McConaughey, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jean Dujardin, Colin Firth, Jeff Bridges.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. True; 2. false, he was cremated; 3. false, 206 bones; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false, Muhammad; 7. false, Japan is three times larger; 8. true; 9. false; 10. true.

General Knowledge
1. Alfred Hitchcock; 2. laughing gas; 3. none; 4. Jim Morrison; 5. William Howard Taft; 6. Wimbledon; 7. Wisconsin.

IQ Trivia
1. Montana; 2. twenty; 3. Great Dane; 4. Gateway Arch; 5. Bolivia.

Monday, September 22, 2014

It's a Best 3 Out of 5 On Tuesday

Trivia Night at the Caledonia Scottish Pub on Tuesday, September 23rd will feature "Three of Five Trivia." I will ask you seven general knowledge questions, and each question you will have to name at least three out of five to get one point. If you get 4 of 5, you get an extra point, and if you get all five correct, you get two bonus points. So you can roll up points if you know your stuff. The questions will be like this: "Name 3 of the last 5 NBA champions." (That won't be a question I will ask tomorrow night, but you get the idea.)

BTW, you might be wondering why I have a picture of Derek Lowe celebrating in this post. That was when he saved the final game of the 2003 ALDS for the Red Sox against Oakland. So, the Red Sox won that series by taking "three of five." Sorry, that was the best I could do to find an appropriate photo for this post.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"What is the common nickname for nitrous oxide?"

We'll get going at 8 PM. The Caledonia is at 1609 2nd Avenue, between E. 83rd and 84th Streets. We've been getting some really good crowds as of late, so let's keep that momentum going. Hope to see many of you on Tuesday night!

Sunday, September 21, 2014

It's Still A Golden Age


There's just one week left in the 2014 baseball regular season, and it's been a season to forget for Red Sox fans, going from the top of the mountain into an extremely low valley.

But the Red Sox will still be called "Defending World Series Champions" until a new team is crowned at the end of October.

As we all know, the Sox have won three World Series championships over the past ten years. That is something to keep in mind through the end of this dark year. And especially remember those idiots in the media who kept reminding us before 2004 that the Sox had not won since 1918, going on about some "curse" they made up. The name currently escapes me.

That got me to thinking. How many teams' fans can say they have witnessed their club win the World Series three times? It's just handful, and I've done some digging on that subject.

Of the 30 MLB teams, no expansion club has won the Series three times. Just the Mets, Marlins and Blue Jays have won the Series twice, and the Royals, Angels and Diamondbacks have won it once. All the others are still seeking their first title.

That leaves the "original" 16 teams. All but three of them have won the World Series three times in their franchise histories: Phillies, Indians, and Cubs have each won it twice. That leaves 13 teams that have won it three times. Here are those teams, with the years they won their last three titles:

Red Sox: 2013-2007-2004
Yankees: 2009-2000-1999
Cardinals: 2011-2006-1982
Reds: 1990-1976-1975
A's: 1989-1974-1973
Orioles: 1983-1970-1966
Dodgers: 1988-1981-1965
Pirates: 1979-1971-1960
Giants: 2012-2010-1954
Tigers: 1984-1968-1945
Twins: 1991-1987-1924
Braves: 1995-1958-1914
White Sox: 2005-1917-1906

So as you can see by this list, only three teams have won it all three times in this last generation. And as you go beyond that, only those folks in middle age can say they've seen the Reds through the Pirates take three titles, and I'm safely betting that fans of the Twins (when they were the Senators in Washington), Braves (when they were in Boston and Milwaukee) and White Sox haven't seen it happen a trio of times, unless they've hit the century mark and beyond in age.

So savor this past decade, Red Sox fans. It is a golden age, and we may never see something like that happen again in our lifetimes.

But, you never know...

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Trivia Q&A: September 16

The crowds keep turning out for our Trivia Night.

We had the largest crowd so far in our short history at the Caledonia on Tuesday night: 11 teams came out for the festivities. We had a loud and enthusiastic one as well. The team of Quizzy Mac Quizzerson won the night, getting 42 points and the victory. We had a great three-team race heading into the final round, and they had the lead and held, getting 4 of 5 correct.

Second place went to Now That I Have an iPhone, Is That a Cheating Device? with 39 points, and third went to Dylan's Crew with 34 points.

Best Team Name: Norfolk and Chance

Current Events
1. US News and World Report selected which Ivy League school as its top university for the second straight year for 2015?
2. What rock band released its newest album for free to all 500 million iTunes customers last week?
3. Guinness World Records confirmed last week that what rock band became the first musical act to play on all seven continents, as they recently did a gig in Antarctica?
4. What billionaire has pledged $50 million to fight the ebola outbreak in Africa, his foundation's largest ever donation toward a humanitarian cause?
5. An Arkansas judge was fired last weekend after he leaked confidential information about an adoption involving what Oscar-winning actress in 2012?
6. What late night talk show host dared the classic rock band The Eagles to sue him for playing their music on his show, as the band does not allow TV shows to play their songs?
7. American Matthew Miller was sentenced to six years hard labor for entering what country illegally and for being a "spy" for the US?

New York City Trivia
1. Which NYC bridge was renamed in honor of former mayor Ed Koch in 2011?
2. Who is the only US president born in New York City?
3. What NYC art museum was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright?
4. What is the official residence of NYC's mayor called?
5. Which of the NYC boroughs is the largest in area?
6. The most stolen honorary street sign in NYC is named in honor of what NY-born rock star, who died in 2001?
7. What Manhattan street is nicknamed "Swing Street?"

Lead Singers Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Robert Smith
2. Natalie Maines
3. Lindsay Buckingham
4. Dave Grohl
5. Billie Joe Armstrong
6. Belinda Carlisle
7. Philip Bailey
8. Brian Johnson
9. Donald Fagen
10. Bret Michaels

General Knowledge
1. What ocean has over 45 percent of the world's water? ( 1 pt)
2. In which hand does the Statue of Liberty hold a torch? ( 1 pt)
3. What year did the Berlin Wall begin construction? ( 1 pt)
4. Satriale's Pork Store was a popular hangout among characters in what 2000s TV series? ( 2 pt)
5. What musical genre has the most radio stations in the US, with just over 2100? ( 2 pt)
6. What teen idol wrote the lyrics to Frank Sinatra's his song "My Way?" ( 2 pt)
7. What director won an Oscar for directing the 1991 film "The Silence of the Lambs?" ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What planet was discovered by William Herschel on March 13, 1781? ( 4 points)
2. The Battle of Waterloo took place in 1815 in what present-day country? ( 3 points)
3. What MLB team was the first team to move to another city in the 20th century, in 1952? ( 5 points)
4. "Maybellene" was the first hit record for what rock'n'roll immortal in 1955? ( 4 points)
5. Lord Greystoke was the true identity of what legendary fictional character? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Princeton; 2. U2; 3. Metallica; 4. Bill Gates; 5. Charlize Theron; 6. David Letterman; 7. North Korea.

New York City Trivia
1. Queensborough (59th Street); 2. Theodore Roosevelt; 3. Guggenheim; 4. Gracie Mansion; 5. Queens; 6. Joey Ramone; 7. 52nd Street.

Lead Singers Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. The Cure; 2. The Dixie Chicks; 3. Fleetwood Mac; 4. Foo Fighters; 5. Green Day; 6. The Go-Gos; 7. Earth, Wind & Fire; 8. AC/DC; 9. Steely Dan; 10. Poison.

General Knowledge
1. Pacific; 2. right; 3. 1961; 4. "The Sopranos;" 5. Country; 6. Paul Anka; 7. Jonathan Demme.

IQ Trivia
1. Uranus; 2. Belgium; 3. Boston Braves; 4. Chuck Berry; 5. Tarzan.

Monday, September 15, 2014

We've Now Been New York For 3 1/2 Centuries


Tomorrow night at The Caledonia Scottish Pub, the Special Category for Tuesday Night Trivia will be "New York City Trivia," seven questions about our beloved Big Apple. Last week was the 350th anniversary of the renaming of our town from New Amsterdam to New York, so why not celebrate that fact with a whole category on Trivia Night?

The Q Train lightning round will be "Lead Singers Trivia." I will give you the names of ten famous lead singers of rock and pop groups over the years, and you tell me what group I'm talking about.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"What ocean has over 45 percent of the world's water?"

We get rolling at 8 PM. The Caledonia is located at 1609 2nd Avenue, between E. 83rd and 84th Streets. Remember it is $50 in gift certificates to the winners, $20 to second place, and a free round of shots to third. I hope you can make it out for another great night of Trivia Q&A tomorrow night!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Always and Forever Family

As many of you who read my blog know, September 11th is the most sacred day of the year for me. It is a day that America was attacked on her shore by terrorists, and nearly 3,000 innocent people lost their lives. And it was personal for me, as my dear friend Joyce Carpeneto was one of those souls.

I have honored her here on this site every year since I started this blog back in 2006. I will be at the ceremonies at the World Trade Center site on Thursday for the 13th straight year. There simply isn't any other place I could be on this day but there.

Every year, all of the names of the 9/11 victims are read during the morning's ceremonies. Loved ones of the lost, first responders, workers at the rebuilding of the site and many others have been readers. This year it will once again by the families of the victims who will do the readings.

The 9/11 Memorial and Museum holds a lottery in August to determine who will do the readings. Almost on a lark I entered my name in the lottery, not really thinking it would be picked. But on August 19th, I was notified that I my name was picked to be a reader. It was literally a dream come true. It is something my dear friend Deborah and I have always wanted to do to honor Joyce and all the victims.

But I received a call later in the day from another person from the Museum, asking me to call them back. I did the following morning, and I was told that since Joyce and I were NOT blood relatives, I was not going to be allowed to do the reading, as it wouldn't be fair to those families who lost out. I certainly wasn't going to pretend I was her brother or cousin, as I could never in any good conscience do a lie like that. I said we were dear friends, and that is true.

Basically, "dear friends" don't count.

I understood their reasoning, and I have to admit that they were rather nice about it and not at all obnoxious. I was not upset or angry about it. Just disappointed. Friends of the victims have always been looked over in the ceremonies, and that is a shame.

I will see the loved ones reading the names on Thursday, and it will make me sad that I wasn't allowed to do it. Joyce and I may not have been related, but she will forever be family to me. Always.

Here are the previous tributes I have done in Joyce's memory:
2006: Forever Missed. And Forever Loved.
2007: Never Forget. Ever.
2008: We Can Be The Ones Who Remember
2009: The Most Sacred Of All Days
2010: 3000
2011: Ten Years After
2012: 11 Years
2013: No Other Place In The World I Could Be Today

May God bless Joyce and every other person who died on September 11, 2001.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Trivia Q&A: September 9

We had another great turnout for Trivia on Tuesday night, the bar just about full, and it's really nice to see some returning folks as well as some new people in as well.

We had a great two-team race to the finish, with the team of Ribald and Beautiful finishing in the winner's circle with 41 points. They were neck and neck with Awww Geee Quiz, Man! and they finished in second with 36 points. Third place went to Griffin's II with 27 points.

Congrats to Matt, Monica and their friends on the victory.

Best Team Name: Ray Rice's Team (And One Kissed the Elevator Floor)

Current Events
1. What Broadway show recently played its 7,000th performance, making it the fourth-longest running show ever on Broadway?
2. John Holdzkom, a relief pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, became the first MLB player to be originally from what Pacific country?
3. Robert McDonnell, former governor of what US state, was convicted on corruption charges last Thursday?
4. A panel of federal judges ruled last Thursday that a same-sex marriage ban in two Midwest states was unconstitutional. Name 1 of the 2 states.
5. Guinness World Records confirmed recently that a 2013 single "Rap God" by what rap star has the most words, over 1500, in any hit single in history?
6. What retired NBA superstar applied last week to a South Florida town to become a reserve police officer?
7. Bruce Levenson, owner of what NBA team, announced he will sell his team after he self-reported a racially-charged email he sent out in 2012 criticizing the team's fans?

Joan Rivers Trivia
1. What 1970s PBS children's TV show was Joan Rivers a narrator of a popular animated feature within the show?
2. For what network did Joan Rivers host her first late-night talk show, called "The Late Show?"
3. True or False: Joan Rivers was once nominated for a Tony Award.
4. In 1978, Joan Rivers wrote and directed a film called "Rabbit Test", which starred what comic actor as the world's first pregnant man?
5. Joan Rivers received the Hasty Pudding Award as "Woman of the Year" in 1984 from what famous university?
6. How old was Joan Rivers at the time of her death last Thursday?
7. In the mid-1990s, Joan Rivers and her daughter Melissa began hosting the pre-awards shows for the Oscars and Golden Globes on what cable TV network?
BONUS: 8. In the 1987 hit single "Elvis Is Everywhere", there is a lyric in the song that goes, "Elvis is in Joan Rivers, but he's trying to get out, man!" Who recorded the song?

Who's Older Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Paul McCartney or Keith Richards
2. Matt Damon or Ben Affleck
3. Queen Elizabeth or Mel Brooks
4. Michael J. Fox or Barack Obama
5. Al Pacino or Robert DeNiro
6. Cindy Crawford or Mariano Rivera
7. Meryl Streep or Helen Mirren
8. Bill Clinton or Al Gore
9. Adele or Lady Gaga
10. Jay Leno or David Letterman

General Knowledge
1. The slavery issue split what state into two parts during the Civil War? ( 1 pt)
2. In what year did Charles Lindbergh complete his solo Transatlantic flight? ( 1 pt)
3. "Quadrophenia" was a rock opera created by what band? ( 1 pt)
4. Mount Etna is a volcano located on what Mediterranean island? ( 2 pt)
5. What river serves as the border between the states of Indiana and Kentucky? ( 2 pt)
6. Who was the first 19th century US vice-president to become president? ( 2 pt)
7. Most paper starts burning at what Fahrenheit temperature? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. "The Rain In Spain" is a famous song from what 1964 film? ( 3 points)
2. The tallest building in the European Union, The Shard, standing at just over 1,000 feet, is found in what city? ( 4 points)
3. The United States' five highest mountains east of the Mississippi are all located, at least in part, in what state? ( 4 points)
4. What two 20th century US presidents did Robin Williams portray in two different films near the end of his career? ( 4 points)
5. What American statesman was removed from the Half Dollar when John F. Kennedy was added to it in 1964? ( 5 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. "The Lion King;" 2. New Zealand; 3. Virginia; 4. Indiana and Wisconsin; 5. Eminem; 6. Shaquille O'Neal; 7. Atlanta Hawks.

Joan Rivers Trivia
1. "The Electric Company;" 2. Fox; 3. true; 4. Billy Crystal; 5. Harvard; 6. eighty-one; 7. E!; 8. Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper.

Who's Older Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. McCartney (72-71); 2. Damon (44-42); 3. Queen (2 months older, both 88); 4. Fox (2 months older, both 53); 5. Pacino (74-70); 6. Crawford (49-45); 7. Mirren (69-65); 8. Clinton (68-66); 9. Gaga (28-26); 10. Letterman (67-64).

General Knowledge
1. Virginia; 2. 1927; 3. The Who; 4. Sicily; 5. Ohio; 6. John Adams; 7. 451 degrees.

IQ Trivia
1. "My Fair Lady;" 2. London; 3. North Carolina; 4. Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower; 5. Benjamin Franklin.

Monday, September 08, 2014

We Remember Comedy's Queen On Tuesday


On Tuesday night, the Special category for Trivia at the Caledonia Scottish Pub will be "Joan Rivers Trivia," seven questions about the legendary comedian who died in New York last Thursday. The Q Train lightning round will be "Who's Older Trivia." I will give you ten sets of current celebrities and you have to tell me which is the older of the two.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"In what year did Charles Lindbergh complete his solo Transatlantic flight?"

We get started at 8 PM tomorrow night. The Caledonia is located at 1609 2nd Avenue, between E. 83rd and 84th Streets. We had some great turnouts over the last few weeks, so let's keep them going!

Saturday, September 06, 2014

No Cuban Missile Crisis Here

Do you think the Oakland A's would like to have Yoenis Cespedes back?

The Cuban slugger went 4-for-6 last night in leading the Red Sox to an improbable 9-8 win over the Blue Jays at Fenway last night. He drove in two runs, including the last on a single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning to cap a three-run rally, after the Sox gave up two in the top of the 10th.

That win sure felt like it was out of the 2013 playbook, didn't it?

Cespedes has been terrific in a Red Sox uniform. 4 HRs, 26 RBI, .297 average and .790 OPS. His former team, the Oakland A's have really been struggling lately, having lost 7 of 8, and are really having a hard time scoring runs. While Jon Lester has been great in Oakland, they are missing Cespedes' bat badly.

The Sox are now 62-79 in this lost 2014 season. At least last night's comeback win (the Sox came from behind three times) brought back some fond memories of last year's bunch, and maybe a glimmer of what lies ahead in 2015.

Wednesday, September 03, 2014

The Future On Center Stage

Well, you take the victories any way you can get them.

The Red Sox are currently in the middle of a 10-game road trip through three of their AL East rivals. This looked like a disaster in the making, as they just came off a brutal 2-9 homestand.

But this has gone better than expected, as they took 2 of 3 in Toronto, and split a four-game wrap-around series in St. Pete. And they opened a three-game series in the Bronx last night with a convincing 9-4 win over New York.

The Sox had their hitting shoes on last night, as Xander Bogaerts busted out of his months-long slump with four hits, including a home run. He came up just a triple short of the cycle.

Mookie Betts continues to impress, belting his 4th home run, and had three hits. (More and more it looks like Jackie Bradley Jr. may have a new address next season if Betts keeps this going.) Yoenis Cespedes had three hits, and needed just a home run for the cycle. He showed off his impressive speed in the ninth with a standup triple.

Joe Kelly pitched 6 2/3 gutty innings, allowing three runs. He walked four (including allowing a bases loaded one) but got his first Red Sox win.

Sure, the season is long gone. But it was fun to see the Red Sox future on display last night, especially taking down the fading Yankees.

I'll be with the BLOHARDS tomorrow at the Yale Club, doing Red Sox trivia and giving away prizes. Always a fun time, no matter where the Sox are in the standings.

Trivia Q&A: September 2

We had yet another fine turnout at The Caledonia Scottish Pub on Tuesday night, as the bar was filled and the crowd was really into the Trivia. I really appreciate all of you who have turned out and made Trivia Night at the Caledonia a continuing success.

We had an unusual event occur during Trivia Night. All seven teams had the exact same place from the second round until the final round. The team that led all night, All Good Things Must Come To An End, wound up winning by getting 3 of 5 correct in IQ Trivia and getting 42 points and winning by 7 points. Nice job by Pian and her friends winning on their return after a short absence of a few weeks.

Second place went to A Name So Nice, A Name So Nice with 35 points, and third place went to Dumbo On Xanax with 29 points.

Best Team Name: Takin' Care of Quizness

Current Events
1. At the Primetime Emmy Awards last week, the comedy series "Modern Family" won for Best Comedy Series, tying the record for consecutive years winning the award. How many years has it won?
2. What fast-food chain announced it will buy the Canadian restaurant chain Tim Hortons, in what many believe is just so the company can relocate to Canada and pay less US income tax?
3. Police in Omaha, NE accidentally shot and killed a sound supervisor from what reality series as they were answering a call about a robbery last week?
4. 71 people were killed recently when a series of landslides hit what Asian country?
5. What rap/hip hop artist plead no contest to a 2012 felony drug charge last week but will face no jail time?
6. What rock superstar will release his first book this coming November, a children's book based on his 2009 song called "Outlaw Pete?"
7. What rock star is no longer actively seeking to buy the NFL Buffalo Bills team, as he and his Canadian sports owners group recently parted ways?

September 2nd Trivia
1. On this day in 1945, WWII officially ended in the Pacific when Japan signed the surrender aboard what American battleship?
2. In 1901, what US vice-president uttered the famous phrase for the first time, "Speak softly and carry a big stick?"
3. In 1945, Vietnam declared their independence from what European nation?
4. On this date in 1996, what pop superstar had his 12th and final solo number one song with "You Are Not Alone?"
5. In 2013, a new eastern span of what American bridge was opened to traffic, making it the world's widest bridge?
6. Terry Bradshaw, NFL Hall of Fame QB, was born on this day in 1948. How many Super Bowl titles did he lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to?
7. Dr. Christiaan Barnard, who performed the world's first successful human heart transplant, died on this day in 2001. In what country did he perform the surgery?

Colleges and Universities Trivia ("The Q Train") (Name the state)
1. Carnegie Mellon
2. Dartmouth
3. Morehouse
4. Oral Roberts
5. The Citadel
6. Rice
7. Marshall
8. Air Force Academy
9. Gonzaga
10. Johns Hopkins

General Knowledge
1. How many stripes are there on a flag of the United States? ( 1 pt)
2. Where would one find the pectoral muscles in the human body? ( 1 pt)
3. What is the name for an adult female sheep? ( 1 pt)
4. In your car, what instrument measures the distance traveled? ( 2 pt)
5. What actor won an Oscar for Best Actor for the 2006 film "The King of Scotland?" ( 2 pt)
6. What was the name of Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner? ( 2 pt)
7. How many cards are there in a standard tarot deck? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What fast food chain got its name from an amusement park attraction briefly seen in the 1978 film "Grease?" ( 4 points)
2. A statue of what famous statesman stands with one foot on US soil and other on British Embassy grounds in Washington DC? ( 3 points)
3. In 1993, what central African nation became a landlocked country, when territory it controlled became an independent country? ( 4 points)
4. Santa Rosa, Black Amber and Long John are all varieties of what fruit? ( 5 points)
5. How many current US senators are Democrats? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Five; 2. Burger King; 3. "Cops;" 4. Japan; 5. CeeLo Green; 6. Bruce Springsteen; 7. Jon Bon Jovi.

September 2nd Trivia
1. USS Missouri; 2. Theodore Roosevelt; 3. France; 4. Michael Jackson; 5. San Francisco Bay Bridge; 6. four; 7. South Africa.

Colleges and Universities Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. PA; 2. NH; 3. GA; 4. OK; 5. SC; 6. TX; 7. WV; 8. CO; 9. WA; 10. MD.

General Knowledge
1. Thirteen; 2. chest; 3. ewe; 4. odometer; 5. Forest Whitaker; 6. Jacob Marley; 7. seventy-eight.

IQ Trivia
1. The Shake Shack; 2. Winston Churchill; 3. Ethiopia; 4. plum; 5. fifty-three.

Monday, September 01, 2014

As School Is Back In Session


Tomorrow night, Trivia Night at The Caledonia Scottish Pub returns with "September 2nd Trivia," seven questions connected to that date in history. The Q Train lightning round will be "Colleges and Universities Trivia." In honor of the return of the school year, I will give you the names of ten well-known institutions of higher learning in the United States, and you will tell me what state it is located in. (Obviously, it won't include colleges like Florida State or Oklahoma.)

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"How many stripes are there on the flag of the United States?"

We get going right around 8 PM. The Caledonia is located at 1609 Second Avenue on the Upper East Side, between E. 83rd and 84th Streets. We had some really good crowds in August, so let's keep the good momentum going as we head into the fall. Hope to see you tomorrow night for a great night of Trivia!