A big congratulations to Couch Noodles for taking home the win.
And don't forget to mark your calendars for September 28 - in pen. PEN! See you nerds then. (Aww, look at my little rhyme)
AUGUST NERDS
ROUND 1: Potpourri
1) In 2010, what major internationl leader was officially given ranked status as a Hell's Angel by a unanimous vote of his nations 'high council' of bikers with the name 'Abaddon'?
2) In poker, what is the 'Dead Man's Hand'?
3) Composed by Wagner from around 1848 to 1874, these four epic operas are based loosely on the Norse sagas and are meant to be viewed consecutively over the course of several days. Together, Das Rheingold, Die Walkuerie, Siegfried, and Goetterdaemmerung are known as what?
4) Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria all border what landlocked country?
5) In song, who is Billy Ray? (HINT: Dusty)
6) January 8, 1835 was the only day in American history when the U.S. was completely free of what?
7) For a point each, what two publishing houses merged in 2013 to achieve 25% global book market share?
8) The original and eponymous service of a barber was concerned with what?
9) Chelsea Manning (formerly Bradley), was sentenced on Wednesday to 35 years for her part in the Wikileaks release of highly sensitive and classified documents. She shed light on war crimes committed in Iraq and probably had a hand in sparking the Arab Spring. She also severely strained diplomatic ties across the board. Under what act was she charged and found guilty?
10) What is the national animal of scotland (i.e. bald eagle, US)?
ROUND 2: The Dog Days of Summer
1) While Many presidents have had a first dog, there is only one whose loyal companion sits beside him at his presidential memorial in DC. You can visit the loyal pair at the Tidal Basin. For one point each: Name the president and his faithful dog.
2) What vessel did Charles Darwin take for his first 5-year voyage? Hint: He later published his journal from his time on the ship, making him a popular author.
3) This Broadway musical, which was recently revived, always uses a shelter dog to play the title character's loyal sidekick. Name the musical.
4) Canis Major, or the Great dog, is the constellation that follows its master Orion. The brightest star in this constellation appears in the dawn sky every August, arking the "dog" days of summer. Name the star.
5) Traditionally, Animal Planet features this sporting event while the NFL has its biggest day of the year. In addition to dogs, the event has also featured bunnies, chickens, cats, and pigs as cheerleaders.
6) What president is widely quoted as saying 'if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog' - but in reality, the quote is most likely from a fictional play about his life. Name the president.
7) This Shakespeare comedy is the only one to include a dog on stage. The play is commonly regarded as Shakespeare's weakest work, but the dog is noted as "the most scene-stealing non-speaking role int eh canon." Name the play.
8) The second day of what culture's New Year is considered to be the birthday of all dogs?
9) What English poet has a famous work titled Epitaph to a Dog? He always was a bit of a romantic.
10) True of False: All dogs are allowed inside Politics & Prose.
ROUND 3: VISUAL (Gunslingers of Past and Fiction)
ROUND 4: MUSIC (Blockbuster Hits)
1) As Time Goes By - Casablanca
2) Somewhere - West Side Story
3) Mrs. Robinson - The Graduate
4) Born to Be Wild - Easy Rider
5) Stayin' Alive - Saturday Night Fever
6) Rainbow Connection - The Muppet Movie
7) Up Where We Belong - An Officer and a Gentleman
8) Magic Dance - Labyrinth
9) My Heart Will Go On - Titanic
10) Lose Yourself - 8 Mile
ANSWERS
ROUND 1
1) Vladimir Putin (on July 24, 2010, Putin appeared at a bikers festival in Sevastopol riding a Harley-Davidson tricycle. The nickname, Abbadon, is influenced by Abadonna, the angel of death and destruction in Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita.)
2) A pair of aces and a Pair of 8s, all black (On August 2, 1876, famed law man, Wild Bill Hickok was assassinated while playing poker in Nuttal and Manns Saloon, in Deadwood, in the Black Hills, Dakota Territory. According to legend, Wild Bill was holding 'Aces over Eights' when he was shot. In 1979, he was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame.)
3) The Ring Cycle (A Full performance of The Rhein Gold, The Valkyrie, Seigfried, and the Twilight of the Gods takes 4 nights at the opera and a total playing time of around 15 hours, depending on pacing and excluding intermission. J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings shares elements with the Cycle - i.e. rings of power - but Tolkien himself denied being influenced by Wagner saying "both rings were round, and there the resemblance ceases.")
4) Hungary (Situated in the Carpathian Basin, Hungary is home to the largest thermal water cave system and second largest thermal lake in the world, the largest lake in Central Eruope, and the largest natural grasslands in Europe.)
5) A Preacher's Son (And when his daddy would visit he'd come along/When they gathered 'round and started talkin'/That's when Billy would take me walkin'...)
6) National Debt (Due in part to the efforts of President Jackson, the government paid off a debt that had been accruing since the Revolutionary War. It was a Thursday. The current debt is now more than $16 Trillion.)
7) Random House and Penguin (The combined companies, now called Penguin Random House, will control more than 25 percent of the book business, with more than 10,000 employees, 250 independent publishing imprints and about $3.9 Billion in annual revenues.)
8) Beards (From the Latin for beard.)
9) The Espionage Act (Enacted June 15, 1917, the Espionage Act originally prohibited any attempt to interfere with military operations, to support U.S. enemies during wartime, to promote insubordination in the military, or to interfere with military recruitment. Along with Manning, other offenders charged under the Espionage Act were Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Pentagon Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, and Edward Snowden.)
10) The Unicorn (The Unicorn has been used as a Scottish heraldic symbol since the 12th Century, when it was first used on an early form of the Scottish coat of arms by William I. In Celtic mythology, the unicorn of Scotland symbolized innocence, purity, and healing powers; it was a sign of masculinity and power. The heraldic unicorn is pictured as chained because, according to legend, a free unicorn was a dangerous beast.)
ROUND 2:
1) FDR & Fala
2) The Beagle
3) Annie
4) Sirius
5) Puppy Bowl
6) Harry Truman (Give 'em Hell, Harry)
7) Two Gentlemen of Verona
8) Chinese
9) Lord Byron
10) True
ROUND 3:
1) The Man with No Name
2) Devil Anse Hatfield
3) Yosemite Sam
4) Annie Oakley
5) The Lone Ranger
6) Wild Bill Hickok
7) Pancho Villa
8) Zoe Washburne
9) Calamity Jane
10) Wyatt Earp
No comments:
Post a Comment