Trivia Q&A: August 30

We had another full bar in for Trivia last night, with 17 teams taking part in all the festivities. We had one team who dominated the night, Our Naming Rights Are Still Available (our friends from DIMS were away on vacation), rolling up 54 points and winning the night easily. They were perfect in the last three rounds, and missed just two questions all night long. My congratulations to my old regulars on a terrific night. Second place went to What a Crowd! What a Turnout! with 41 points, and third place went to Trivia Newton-John with 39 points.

Best Team Name: I Want to Sox You Up

Current Events
1. TV personality Bill Nye (aka "The Science Guy") is suing what company, claiming they underpaid him by at least $9 million for his popular TV series?
2. Floyd Mayweather won the much-hyped boxing match over Conor McGregor in a TKO in what round last Saturday night?
3. Jay Thomas, a radio personality and actor, died last Thursday at the age of 69. On what 1990s sitcom did he win Emmy awards in a guest role in 1990 and 1991?
4. What Asian country's National Space Organization launched its first satellite, FORMOSAT-5, inot space last week?
5. Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins became the 28th player in baseball history to reach what home run milestone last Sunday?
6. What rapper won the 2017 Video of the Year at last Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards?
7. An historic Memphis movie theater banned showings of what classic 1939 film, calling it "racially insensitive", even after showing it for the last 34 years?

2000s Trivia
1. What female singer was awarded the title of "Top Radio Songs Artist" of the 2000s by Billboard magazine in 2009?
2. In 2008, the Republic of Kosovo gained its independence from what European country?
3. The 2000 Summer Olympics were held in what city in September of that year?
4. Daniel Pearl, the reporter who was murdered by Al-Qaeda in 2002, worked for what newspaper at the time of his death?
5. Philip Seymour Hoffman won the Best Actor Oscar in 2006 for what film?
6. In the decade of the 2000s, what TV show was the number one rated show four straight years, from 2005-08?
7. What punk band refused to attend their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2006, calling the Museum "a piss stain?"

The Q Train: True or False Trivia
1. Jupiter was the first planet discovered by a telescope.
2. Presidential retreat Camp David was named for Harry Truman's grandson.
3. French was once the official language of England for nearly 600 years.
4. Arizona is the US state with the most national parks.
5. The 1976 Winter Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria were originally going to be held in Denver.
6. New York City has over 500 miles of shoreline.
7. John D. Rockefeller was the first confirmed American billionaire.
8. The word "Sunday" does not appear in the Bible.
9. The secret society "Skull and Bones" operates at Harvard University.
10. The Us was the first country to grant women the right to vote.

General Knowledge
1. What ocean has over 45 percent of the world's water? ( 1 pt)
2. How many stripes are there on the current US flag? ( 1 pt)
3. Satriale's Pork Store was a popular hangout among characters in what 2000s TV series? ( 1 pt)
4. How many spikes are there in the Statue of Liberty's crown? ( 2 pt)
5. "The Magnificent Mile" is located in what US city? ( 2 pt)
6. What sport takes place in a velodrome? ( 2 pt)
7. Mount Erebus is an active volcano located on which continent? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. Which is the only one of the original 13 states that doesn't border the Atlantic Ocean? ( 3 points)
2. The Battle of Waterloo took place in 1815 in what present-day country? ( 4 points)
3. What fast-food chain got its name from an amusement park attraction briefly seen in the 1978 film "Grease?" ( 4 points)
4. Queen Victoria was the last British monarch of what House? ( 5 points)
5. What "Saturday Night Live" cast member left the show in 1994 after having been in a record 153 shows? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Disney; 2. ten; 3. "Murphy Brown;" 4. Taiwan; 5.50 in a season; 6. Kendrick Lamar; 7. "Gone With The Wind."

2000s Trivia
1. Beyonce; 2. Serbia; 3. Sydney; 4. Wall Street Journal; 5. "Capote;" 6. "American Idol;" 7. The Sex Pistols.

The Q Train: True or False Trivia
1. False, Uranus; 2. false, Dwight Eisenhower; 3. true; 4. false, California; 5. true; 6. true; 7. true; 8. true; 9. false, Yale; 10. false, New Zealand.

General Knowledge
1. Pacific Ocean; 2. thirteen; 3. "The Sopranos;" 4. seven; 5. Chicago; 6. cycling; 7. Antarctica.

IQ Trivia
1. Pennsylvania; 2. Belgium; 3. The Shake Shack; 4. House of Hanover; 5. Phil Hartman.

2000s Trivia On Tap Wednesday

Trivia will be happening on Wednesday night, August 30th at 8:30 PM, with "2000s Trivia" as the Special Category. It will be another round of seven questions about the first decade of this century in various subjects, such as music, movies, sports and more. The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia."

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"How many stripes are there on a current US flag?"

We've been getting some really large crowds for Trivia over the past few weeks, so I recommend you get in early to grab a prime seat or table. I look forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday for a great night of Trivia!

Trivia Q&A: August 23

The crowds keep growing for Wednesday Night Trivia, as we had 22 teams in last night. It was also another crowd that was loud and really into the Trivia. And Yours Truly goofed up another question in the General Knowledge round. (Of course Interpol is in France, not Switzerland.)  Our friends from DIMS, who have won Trivia Night more times than I can count, were not in last night, so it was anyone's game. We had four teams bunched within one point heading into IQ Trivia, but the team of The Mustangs ran the table with a perfect last round to win it all with 46 points. They were just a group of guys who didn't know it was Trivia Night, as they were in to wish a friend goodbye who was moving to Boston. They played and took the prize. Congrats to them.

Second place went to Ladies with 40 points, and Third Place went to Game of  Pwns (pronounced "Pones") with 37 points.

Best Team Name: Started At The Bottom, Still At The Bottom

Current Events
1. What female pop star shocked her fans last week by wiping her social media accounts clean, such as unfollowing all her Twitter followers and deleting all her Instagram posts?
2. Thousands of current and former students of what Pennsylvania university are petitioning the school to rescind an honorary university degree awarded to President Trump in 1988?
3. Naval researchers announced last Saturday that they found the wreckage of what lost WWII cruiser on the floor of the Pacific Ocean?
4. What celebrity, who has been out of the limelight for many years, said in a recently filed lawsuit that he did not leave the limelight to have a sex change operation?
5. An LA jury ordered what company to pay $417 million in damages to a woman who claimed in a lawsuit that the talc in baby powder caused ovarian cancer?
6. One person was killed and 25 were injured when an earthquake struck a popular tourist island called Ischia in what European country on Monday?
7. What pop/rock singer wore an enlarged Star of David on his lapel during an encore of his show last Monday night, a reference to his Jewish roots and denouncing far right extremists?

US States Trivia
1. The largest indoor shopping mall in the US is found in what state?
2. The College World Series is played every year in what midwestern state?
3. Which southern state has the oldest European settlement in North America?
4. What is the only US state to have the flags of six different nations fly over it?
5. The Wright Brothers, Paul Newman and Drew Carey were all born in what US state?
6. What state is bordered by eight other states, the most of any US state?
7. What state is the number one producer of tree "P"s, peanuts, pecans and peaches?

The Q Train: First Albums Trivia
1. 19 (2008)
2. The College Dropout (2004)
3. 39/Smooth (1990)
4. Dangerously In Love (2003)
5. The Fame (2008)
6. Sigh No More (2009)
7. Reasonable Doubt (1996)
8. Boy (1980)
9. Kill "Em All ( 1983)
10. Parachutes (2000)

General Knowledge
1. Which of the four major North American pro sports currently has the most number of teams? ( 1 pt)
2. Interpol is based in what European country? ( 1 pt)
3. What is the largest city in Alaska by population? ( 1 pt)
4. How many units have to be sold for an album to reach "gold" status? ( 2 pt)
5. What language contains the most words? ( 2 pt)
6. What shoe company shares its name with a type of antelope? ( 2 pt)
7. Although associated with Hawaii, what foreign country are macadamia nuts actually from? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. If you travel due east of New York City all the way to Europe, what country will you his first? ( 4 points)
2. The longest interstate highway in the US, I-90, is located between Seattle and what other major city? ( 4 points)
3. "Chasing Down the Dawn" is a 2000 memoir written by what female singer-songwriter? ( 4 points)
4. What female pop artist has had more number one songs in the US than any other individual artists in history? ( 3 points)
5. Benjamin Harrison is the only US president born in what midwestern state? ( 5 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Taylor Swift; 2. Lehigh; 3. USS Indianapolis; 4. Richard Simmons; 5. Johnson & Johnson; 6. Italy; 7. Billy Joel.

US States Trivia
1. Minnesota; 2. Nebraska; 3. Florida; 4. Texas; 5. Ohio; 6. Tennessee; 7. Georgia.

The Q Train: First Albums Trivia
1. Adele; 2. Kanye West; 3. Green Day; 4. Beyonce; 5. Lady Gaga; 6. Mumford & Sons; 7. Jay Z; 8. U2' 9. Metallica; 10. Coldplay.

General Knowledge
1. Football (32); 2. France; 3. Anchorage; 4. 500,000; 5. English (900,000); 6. Reebok; 7. Australia.

IQ Trivia
1. Portugal; 2. Boston; 3. Jewel; 4. Mariah Carey (18); 5. Indiana.

Pop Artists Debuts On Wednesday

Trivia will be happening this Wednesday night, August 23rd at 8:30 PM at Professor Thom's, with "US States Trivia" as the Special Category. It will be seven questions where every answer will be a different state in these United States. The Q Train lightning round will be "First Albums Trivia." I will give you the names of ten debut albums from current recording artists and the year they were originally released, and you have to tell me who the artists are.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Interpol is based in what European country?"

We've been getting some huge crowds the past few weeks, which is so great to see, and I thank you all for that. So I recommend you get in a bit early as to get a good seat or table. Hope to see many of you on Wednesday night!

How About "Tony Conigliaro Drive?"

Earlier this week, Red Sox owner John Henry talked about wanting to change the name of the street that Fenway Park is named after, Yawkey Way. The block was originally called Jersey Street, but was renamed in honor of longtime Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey in 1977, some months after he passed away from leukemia.

Yawkey was a complicated man, look most men who've owned baseball teams down through the years have been. He was born in South Carolina, and wasn't known for having any progressive racial views. It was well-known the Red Sox dragged their feet on integrating the team once the color barrier was lifted in 1947. (The Red Sox signed their first black player in 1950, an outfielder named Piper Davis. He isn't well-known, as the Red Sox never promoted him to majors, and he never reached the big leagues with anyone else.)

Yawkey's been called a racist by many, and might well have been. (A friend of mine many years ago did some research trying to find a "smoking gun" on Yawkey, some solid evidence of his racism "on the record." He really couldn't find it.) Yawkey had many cronies around who were well-known to be bigots. It is also well-known the Red Sox gave Jackie Robinson a tryout in 1945 that was little more than just window dressing, had a chance to sign Willie Mays in 1949, and passed on both. And there isn't any doubt that the fact the Sox passed on many great black players in this era hurt the team going forward.

OK, Yawkey wasn't on board with racial progress in baseball.

But let's not forget other facts about him that seem to be lost on most fans.

In 1932, the Red Sox were at their historic nadir. They were the worst team in baseball, and had their all-time worst season, finishing 43-111, 64 games behind the champion Yankees. Fenway Park was falling apart, and the team did not draw 200,000 fans that season. The team was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. There was no guarantee the Red Sox as a franchise was continue in Boston. They needed a savior. Enter Tom Yawkey.

Yawkey has just turned 30 years old and had just inherited millions of dollars from his uncle, who was his legal guardian. And he wanted to own a team. (He had actually been offered a 50% share in the Brooklyn Dodgers earlier, but declined it, as he wanted complete control of a team. Imagine how Dodgers history might be different had he accepted that.) He bought the Sox, imediately renovated Fenway Park, and set about making the Red Sox relevant again.

Yawkey's dream was a World Series title, but under his ownership of 43 years, the Sox won three AL titles, losing them all in seven games.

In 1953, the Braves moved out of Boston, leaving the city to the Red Sox, They also were the original supporters of the Jimmy Fund, helping children struck down by cancer. So the Red Sox filled that hole, and have done so ever since. Yawkey and his Yawkey Foundation have raised hundreds of millions for that worthy organization over six decades. There are many people still alive today who can thank the Yawkey Foundation for all their great work with the Jimmy Fund.

One thing I did notice many years ago was that once the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, it seemed like it was "open season" on Tom Yawkey's legacy. I saw many writers blasting him, especially the Red Sox' dubious racial history. As owner, of course, the buck stops with him. I think the anger over the Red Sox not winning the Series all those years was laid at the feet of Yawkey, whether true or not.

I believe that the rush now to rename Yawkey Way is just a knee jerk reaction to all that's going on with the taking down of the Confederate statues. The Sox managements obviously fears that the attention will shift over to them and the Yawkey name. So they are trying to beat them to the punch, and are now pushing to change the street name. (It's not as easy as it may appear, as the city of Boston owns the street and has control over its name. It will take open hearings to affect the change. But I will bet it WILL happen.)

I have no strong feelings either way on changing the name of the street. If they want to do it, fine. Street names change all the time. Henry suggested renaming it after David Ortiz, but the street at the end of Yawkey Way was just named for him earlier this year ("David Ortiz Drive"), and the bridge near Fenway was also just named for him, and justifiably so.

I would hope they would rename the block after Tony Conigliaro, a beloved native son of Boston whose career was cut short with that terrible injury he suffered and its aftermath 50 years ago. Carl Yastzemski would also be a great choice, as would Pedro Martinez as well. I saw on another site that someone suggested calling it "Jimmy Fund Way," as they would keep Yawkey's legacy alive in the name. Any one of them would make sense to me. (BTW, some have suggested Ted Williams, but Lansdowne Street was named "Ted Williams Way" many years ago.)

So, like many people who have walked this earth, Tom Yawkey was a complicated man, with many faults. But he wasn't without his good points, and the Red Sox have honored him down through the years, including naming Fenway's street after him. I'm sure that there are many fans who don't want to see the name changed, but it won't change history if the block changes its name.

Trivia Q&A: August 16

The crowds keeping increasing for Wednesday Night Trivia, as we had another 20 teams like last week. But the bar seemed to have more folks than last week, and everyone was really into it. (We even briefly halted the proceedings while the Red Sox rallied in the bottom of the ninth at Fenway for a 5-4 win. Very enjoyable!)

I read the other day that most millennials aren't big fans of Elvis Presley, and what happened at Trivia last night seemed to bear that out. We did Elvis Presley Trivia last night in honor of the 40th anniversary of the King's death yesterday, and the scores seemed to bear that out. They were lower than I would have thought, even with most being multiple choice questions.

Anyway, our friends from DIMS pulled out a two-point victory, getting 50 points and hard-fought win. (After the win, they told me that they will be away for the next two weeks, so we will definitely have a new champion next week.) Second place went to Anal Bum Cover with 48 points, and third place went to Fine People with 45 points.

Best Team Name: Guam With The Wind

Current Events
1. A federal judge dismissed a Colorado DJ's legal claim against what pop singer last Friday, saying the radio host failed to prove the singer set out to get him fired?
2. What cab;e channel offered a "bounty payment" of $250,000 to hackers behind a data breach at the network in a recent leaked email by the hackers?
3. What restaurant chain announced last week that they would be closing 135 locations this fiscal year, doubled the amount they previously estimated they would?
4. What pop singer announced last Saturday that he will be donating $1 million from his Michigan concert to those affected by the Flint water crisis?
5. What comedienne and TV host posted on Twitter last Friday calling for a military coup to overthrow President Trump?
6. What horror sequel film was the number one film in the US last week, grossing the same total ($35 million) as its original film did in 2014?
7. A co-creator and three producers of what hit TV series are suing the network over claims that they were cheated out of profits from the wildly successful show?

Elvis Presley Trivia
1. Which of these artists have had more US number one singles than Elvis Presley? a. The Beatles; b. Michael Jackson; c. Madonna; d. The Rolling Stones.
2. What was the name of Elvis' first film? a. Jailhouse Rock; b. King Creole; c. Love Me Tender; d. Kid Galahad.
3. What state was Elvis Presley born in? a. Louisiana; b. Mississippi; c. Tennessee; d. Alabama.
4. What was Elvis' rank in the Army when he left in 1960? a. private; b. corporal; c. sergeant; d. lieutenant.
5. What was Elvis' last number one single in the US in 1969? a. Suspicious Minds; b. Good Luck Charm; c. Surrender; d. Are You Lonesome Tonight?.
6. "Blue Suede Shoes", a big hit for Elvis, was written originally by what artist? a. Chuck Berry; b. Carl Perkins; c. Buddy Holly; d. Elvis Presley.
7. True or False: The Us National Archives most requested photo is one of Elvis meeting President Richard Nixon at the White House in 1970.

The Q Train: Horror Film Trivia
1. Night of the Living Dead
2. Poltergeist
3. Halloween
4. Shutter Island
5. The Exorcist
6. Saw
7. Friday the 13th
8. The Blair Witch Project
9. Interview With a Vampire
10. Psycho

General Knowledge
1. Who wrote the novels "Carrie" and "Misery?" ( 1 pt)
2. Will.I.Am. is the singer and founder of what pop group? ( 1 pt)
3. Victoria is the capital of what Canadian province? ( 1 pt)
4. East Pakistan changed its name in 1971 to what name it is known as today? ( 2 pt)
5. Australia Day occurs every year during what month? ( 2 pt)
6. What rock band has won the most Grammy Awards in history? ( 2 pt)
7. What US state is the only one that borders just one other state? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. "La Gioconda" is another name for what famous painting? ( 4 points)
2. What US state has the largest Amish population as of 2015? ( 3 points)
3. "Despacito" is the first Spanish-language song to top the pop singles chart in the US since what 1996 hit song? ( 4 points)
4. A monument in what state claims to mark the geographic center of the contiguous 48 US states? ( 5 points)
5. After the White House, what is the second most visited residence (or house) in the US? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. Taylor Swift; 2. HBO; 3. Applebee's; 4. Bruno Mars; 5. Chelsea Handler; 6. "Annabelle: Creation;" 7. "The Walking Dead."

Elvis Presley Trivia
1.a; 2. c; 3. b; 4. c; 5. a; 6. b; 7. true.

The Q Train: Horror Film Trivia
1. 1960s (1968); 2. 1980s (1982); 3. 1970s (1978); 4. 2010s (2010); 5. 1970s (1973); 6. 2000s (2004); 7. 1980s (1980); 8. 1990s (1999); 9. 1990s (1994); 10. 1960s (1960).

General Knowledge
1. Stephen King; 2. Black Eyed Peas; 3. British Columbia; 4. Bangladesh; 5. January; 6. U2 (21); 7. Maine.

IQ Trivia
1. Mona Lisa; 2. Ohio; 3. "The Macarena"; 4. Kansas; 5. Graceland.

The King Is Special Tomorrow Night

Trivia will be happening at Professor Thom's this Wednesday night, August 16th at 8:30 PM, and the Special Category will be "Elvis Presley Trivia," in honor of the 40th anniversary of the King's passing on Wednesday. It will also be a multiple choice round as well. (Or as a teacher of mine at Brooklyn Tech used to say, "multiple guess.") The Q Train lightning round will be "Horror Movies Trivia." I will give you the names of ten famous horror films from down through the years until today, and you have to tell me what was the decade of its original release.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Will. I. Am is the singer and founder of what pop group?"

We have been getting bigger crowds as the weeks have progressed, so make sure you get in early enough to get a prime seat or table. Hope to see many of you on Wednesday night!

Trivia Q&A: August 9

We had a great night of Trivia on Wednesday night, as 20 teams turned out and it was lively all night. We had a close race throughout, and the top six teams were separated by just 6 points going into the final round. But the team of DIMS, who have won on many an occasion, pulled out a one-point win, getting a total of 49 points. (My apologies to everyone on the goof up with the Album of the Year Grammy question. It was another faulty source, and the Mighty Quinn regrets the error. It turns out that not only Taylor Swift won it twice, but Adele did, too. So everyone who answered with either answer got credit for it. I'll be more careful next time.)

Second place went to Team Kim Jong Poon with 48 points, and third place went to Terms and Conditions with 42 points.

Best Team Name: You Got My Cheese Quiz, Boy?

Current Events
1. New York Jets owner Woody Johnson was confirmed last week as the new ambassador to what European country?
2. Jim Justice, governor of what eastern US state, announced he was switching political parties, from Democrat to Republican?
3. What New England state became just the fourth state in the nation last week to make community college free?
4. What newly-released film overtook "Dunkirk" and grossed $19 million last week to become the number one film in the US?
5. What baseball star appeared as an extra on the TV series "Game of Thrones" last Sunday, as a soldier hurling a spear?
6. The producers of what TV series, which is being revived after 11 years, came under fire on social media after they announced the original final scenes were being ignored and the show will pursue a new direction?
7. The New York Knicks hired former Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson to a front office position earlier this week. Who is Robinson's famous brother-in-law?

Q-Tip Trivia
1. Which of these countries were officially neutral during WWII? a. Switzerland; b. Ireland; c. Canada; d. Greece.
2. Which of these films was Morgan Freeman nominated for an Oscar? a. Unforgiven; b. The Shawshank Redemption; c. Driving Miss Daisy; d. Invictus.
3. Which of the following celebrities died while in their 30s? a. Elvis Presley; b. Marilyn Monroe; c. Kurt Cobain; d. River Phoenix.
4. Which of these rock groups was Eric Clapton once part of? a. Buffalo Springfield; b. Cream; c. Traffic; d. Blind Faith.
5. Which of these 2000s films won the Oscar for Best Picture? a. There Will Be Blood; b. Brokeback Mountain; c. Mystic River; d. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
6. Which of these 20th century US presidents were once also vice-president? a. FDR; b. Woodrow Wilson; c. Richard Nixon; d. Herbert Hoover.
7. Which of these NFL teams have won the Super Bowl at least three times? a. New York Giants; b. Pittsburgh Steelers; c. Dallas Cowboys; d. Denver Broncos.

The Q Train: Name That Sport
1. Giancarlo Stanton
2. Sergio Garcia
3. Alex Ovechkin
4. Diana Taurasi
5. Clint Dempsey
6. Garbine Muguruza
7. Takuma Sato
8. Bode Miller
9. J.J. Watt
10. Fererica Pellegrini

General Knowledge
1. The original "smile" icon below the Amazon.com logo connects what two letters in the company's name? ( 1 pt)
2. What film in the initial Star Wars trilogy did Jabba the Hut make its first appearance? ( 1 pt)
3. In the comic strip "Peanuts", what is the usually posted price of "Psychiatric Help" at Lucy's booth? (1 pt)
4. Acura is the luxury division of what automaker? ( 2 pt)
5. What is the second most common surname in the US after Smith? ( 2 pt)
6. What is the largest Mediterranean island, both in terms of area and population? ( 2 pt)
7. 60% of all the bats used in MLB games are manufactured in what US state? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What the only name shared by one of the Original Care Bears and Disney's original Seven Dwarfs? ( 4 points)
2. Helle Thorning-Schmidt was the first female prime minister of what country? (4 points)
3. Ras Hafun, the easternmost point of Africa, is found in what country? ( 5 points)
4. Who is the only woman to win the Album of the Year Grammy award twice? ( 3 points)
5. What hip hop artist recorded a rap single with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin called "Rocket Experience" in 2009? ( 4 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. United Kingdom; 2. West Virginia; 3. Rhode Island; 4. "The Dark Tower;" 5. Noah Syndergaard; 6. "Will & Grace;" 7. Barack Obama.

Q-Tip Trivia
1. a, b; 2. b, c, d; 3. b; 4. b, d; 5. none; 6. c; 7. all.

The Q Train: Name That Sport
1. Baseball; 2. golf; 3. hockey; 4. basketball; 5. soccer; 6. tennis; 7. auto racing; 8. skiing; 9. football; 10. swimming.

General Knowledge
1. A&Z; 2. "Return of the Jedi;" 3. five cents; 4. Honda; 5. Johnson; 6. Sicily; 7. Kentucky.

IQ Trivia
1. Grumpy; 2. Denmark; 3. Somalia; 4. Taylor Swift and Adele; 5. Snoop Dogg.

Know Your Sports Stars This Wednesday

Trivia will be happening at Professor Thom's this Wednesday night, August 9th at 8:30 PM, with "Q-Tip Trivia" as the Special Category. I will ask you seven general knowledge questions, and each will have four choices. You can pick as many of the four as you think are correct, and will get a point for each one that is right. (And you'll get one point if the correct answer is "none.") However, if you give any incorrect answers, that will negate any right answers for that question and you will get no points for that question. So you have to be careful.

The Q Train lightning round will be "Name That Sport Trivia." I will give you the names of ten current stars from all different sports and you have to tell me what sport they play. Every answer will be a different sport.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"In the comic strip "Peanuts", what is the usually posted price of "Psychiatric Help" at Lucy's booth?"

I look forward to seeing many of you for a great night of Trivia Q&A this coming Wednesday night!

Trivia Q&A: August 2

Trivia returned from a one-week vacation last night, with a really good turnout of 15 teams. We had a three-team horse race going into IQ Trivia, with the each team separated by one point. But the team of DIMS emerged victorious, winning the night with 48 points. Congratulations to them on another well-earned victory.

Second place went to We Didn't Have Mooch Time to Come Up With a Team Name finished second with 42 points (and also won Best Team Name), and third place went to Now Available with 40 points.

Current Events
1. Ram Nath Kovind was recently elected president of what Asian country?
2. What magazine caused a stir last week when it put Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on its cover with the title, "Why Can't He Be Our President?"
3. Rocker Alice Cooper said last week that he recently discovered a print from what artist that he bought over 40 years ago, and could be worth millions of dollars?
4. What website entrepreneur briefly overtook Bill Gates last week as the "World's Richest Person", with a net worth of $90.5 billion, but slipped back to second the next day?
5. Apple last week announced that they were discontinuing what two types of iPods?
6. What baseball legend was accused of statutory rape in a court document filed on Monday, as the now-grown woman claims to have had a sexual relationship with him in the 1970s when she was 15?
7. Los Angeles reached an agreement to host the 2028 Summer Olympics with what other city, which host the Olympics in 2024?

1980s Trivia
1. "Bleach" was the first album released by what rock band in 1989?
2. "The Simpsons" first appeared on a series of cartoon shorts in 1987 on what TV show?
3. In 1982, Great Britain clashed with what country over the Falkland Islands?
4. What R&B legend was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987?
5. What Super Bowl championship team had a rap hit in the 1980s called "The Super Bowl Shuffle?"
6. When the Fox network debuted in October 1986, who hosted their first show called "The Late Show?"
7. Name 2 of the 5 highest grossing films in the US in 1980s.

The Q Train: Total Acting Oscars Trivia
1. Jack Nicholson
2. Diane Keaton
3. Clint Eastwood
4. Sally Field
5. Denzel Washington
6. Glenn Close
7. Cate Blanchett
8. Daniel Day-Lewis
9. Al Pacino
10. Harrison Ford

General Knowledge
1. "Granny Smith" is a popular type of what fruit? ( 1 pt)
2. Dolly, the first successfully cloned mammal, was what kind of animal? ( 1 pt)
3. Who won a Best Support Actor Oscar for the film "Goodfellas?" ( 1 pt)
4. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 affected what country? ( 2 pt)
5. What US president was known as "The Great Communicator?" (2 pt)
6. What US city was the first to host the Olympic Games? ( 2 pt)
7. How many acres are in a square mile? ( 3 pt)

IQ Trivia
1. What are the two national languages of India? ( 4 points)
2. "Firelight" was a 1964 science fiction film marking the theatrical film directing debut of what Oscar-winning director? ( 4 points)
3. The World Health Organization said that the world's most polluted city in 2016 was found in what African country? ( 5 points)
4. What future Oscar-winning actor had a recurring role as Ned Donnelly on the 1980s sitcom "Family Ties?" ( 4 points)
5. What veteran entertainer is credited by Guinness World Records with logging the most hours ever on US television? ( 3 points)

Answers
Current Events
1. India; 2. Rolling Stone; 3. Andy Warhol; 4. Jeff Bezos; 5. Nano and Shuffle; 6. Pete Rose; 7. Paris.

1980s Trivia
1. Nirvana; 2. "The Tracey Ullman Show;" 3. Argentina; 4. Aretha Franklin; 5. Chicago Bears; 6. Joan Rivers; 7. ET, Return of the Jedi, The Empire Strikes Back, Batman, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The Q Train: Total Acting Oscars Trivia
1. three; 2. one; 3. none; 4. two; 5. two; 6. none; 7. two; 8. three; 9. one; 10. none.

General Knowledge
1. Apples; 2. sheep; 3. Joe Pesci; 4. Northern Ireland; 5. Ronald Reagan; 6. St. Louis (1904); 7. 640.

IQ Trivia
1. English and Hindi; 2. Steven Spielberg; 3. Nigeria (Omitsha); 4. Tom Hanks; 5. Regis Philbin.

Trivia Returns From Vacation Wednesday

Trivia returns to Professor Thom's on Wednesday night, August 2nd at 8:30 PM, with "1980s Trivia" as the special category. It will be seven questions on that decade in pop culture, sports, history, etc. The Q Train lightning round will be "Total Acting Oscars Trivia." I will give you the names of ten current actors and actresses and you have to tell me how many total acting Academy Awards they have won in their careers. (Directing and writing Oscars don't count.)

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
"Granny Smith is a popular type of what fruit?"

Looking forward to seeing many of you on Wednesday night, after the one-week layoff. It will be good to be back again asking Trivia Q&A again on Wednesday. See you then!