Alan Rock's Trivia Teasers

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-02-03T07:03:00.001-08:00

Questions:

1) Louis Armstrong's nickname is _________________.

2) On this date in 1690, what changed as far as type of currency used in the U.S.?

3) Roland Berrigan's nickname is ___________________.

Answers:

1) "Satchmo"

2) The first paper currency was issued.

3) "Bunny"

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-02-02T12:17:00.001-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1653 New Amsterdam was incorporated. New Amsterdam changed names; what do we know it as today?

2) Which former resident banned smoking in the White House?

3) On this date in 1936 the five charter members of the new Baseball Hall of Fame were announced at Cooperstown, New York. Who were they?

Answers:

1) New York City

2) Hillary Clinton

3) Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson and Walter Johnson.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-02-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1964 the first doll for boys (or "action figure") was introduced. What was the doll's name?

2) On this date in 1940 Frank Sinatra had his first recording session with the Tommy Dorsey Band. Who did Sinatra replace?

3) Who was Duke Ellington's most prolific collaborator?

Answers:

1) G.I. Joe

2) Jack Leonard

3) Billy Strayhorn

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-31T07:05:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1949 the first daytime television soap opera was broadcast on NBC. What was the show's name?

2) On this date in 1961 a chimpanzee became the first U.S. animal sent into space. What was the chimp's name?

3) Nolan Ryan turns 65 today. How many no-hitters did he pitch?

4) The Milky Way candy bar copied another candy bar's recipe. What candy bar was it?

Answers:

1) These Are My Children. The show's creator, Irna Phillips, went on to produce As the World Turns and The Guiding Light.

2) "Ham"

3) 7

4) It was copied from a candy bar that was made in Minneapolis in the 1920's called "Fat Emma."

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-30T07:55:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1958, The Yogi Bear Show debuted. Yogi first appeared in a "cameo" role on what other Hanna-Barbera cartoon show?

2) On this date in 1917, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band made what many consider to be the first jazz recording. What was the name of the song?

3) On this date in 1933, the first broadcast of The Lone Ranger aired in Detroit. On that first program what was the name of Tonto's horse?

4) On this date in 1936 the Boston Braves baseball team changed their name to what?

Answers:

1) Huckleberry Hound

2) "The Darktown Strutters Ball"\

3) "White Feller"

4) They became the "Boston Bees." The thinking was the name "Braves" had been responsible for their losing streak. After the first two years of success as the Bees, the team started losing consistently so they returned to being the Braves.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-27T07:08:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1976,the popular TV show Laverne and Shirley, debuted as a spin-off of what show?

2) On this date in 1785, the first state university in the U.S. was chartered. Which university was it?

Answers:

1) Happy Days

2) Dawgs were the first. UGA - the University of Georgia.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-26T06:50:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What is trumpeter Harry Edison's nickname?

2) This great tenor player is often called the "father of the saxophone." Who was he?

3) Who was the vibraphone player in the Modern Jazz Quartet?

Answers:

1) "Sweets"

2) Coleman Hawkins

3) Milt Jackson

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-25T07:23:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What is the largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered?

2) Who inaugurated U.S. transcontinental telephone service?

3) Who held the first presidential press conference to be broadcast live on radio and television?

Answers:

1) The Cullinan diamond at 3,106 carats is the largest gem-quality diamond ever discovered.

2) Alexander Graham Bell

3) President John F. Kennedy

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-24T07:21:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1908, Robert Baden Powell founded this organization.

2) The Department of Homeland Security was instituted on this date in 2003. Who served as their first director?

3) what instrument did jazz musician Gerry Mulligan play?

4) How many songs did the prolific Irving Berlin write in total?

Answers:

Answers:

1) England's Robert Baden-Powell organized the first Boy Scout troop.

2) Former Pennsylvania governor, Tom Ridge.

3) Baritone saxophone

4) He wrote more than 900 songs, 19 musicals, and the scores for 18 movies.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Today is "Cold, Cold, Cold Day." The coldest temperature ever recorded in the United States was at Prospect Creek Camp, Alaska on this date in 1971.

2) On this date in 1964, the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. What did it do?

3) This mini-series, based on the Alex Haley book of the same name, began on this date in 1977.

4) On this date in 1985, the first Heisman trophy winner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Who was he?

Answers:

1) Prospect Creek Camp reached a record 79.8 degrees below zero. Today they are reporting a balmy 8 degrees below zero.

2) It eliminated the poll tax.

3) Roots

4) O.J. Simpson

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Neil Armstrong was the first man to step foot on the moon, saying "That's one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind." Who was the second man to step foot on the moon?

2) On January 20, 1885, LaMarcus Thompson patented the first roller coaster at New York's Coney Island. What did he call it?

3) Actor Lorenzo Lamas is having a birthday today. He is the son of actor Fernando Lamas. Who was Lorenzo's mother?

4) Did you know that on January 20, 1929 the first full-length talking movie shot entirely outdoors was released? What was its title? By the way, Warner Baxter won an Oscar for his role in this film.

Answers:

1) Buzz Aldrin (born on January 20, 1920) was the second man to set foot on the moon.

2) The scenic railway.

3) Arlene Dahl.

4) In Old Arizona.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-19T10:56:00.001-08:00

Questions:

1) On January 19th, a presidential news conference was filmed for television for the first time, with the permission of which President?

2) Which jewel is considered most successful?

3) Which two U.S. cities are both known for producing some of the best thoroughbred horses in the world?

4) Which snack is most popular?

Answers:

1) President Eisenhower, on January 19, 1955.

2) The emerald (the birthstone for May) is perceived as a symbol of success. Even more than the diamond, this jewel has been a favorite of emperors and kings.

3) Ocala, Florida and Lexington, Kentucky.

4) Potato chips are the number 1 selling snack in the United States. Statistics show that they accompany lunch 32 percent of the time and dinner 18 percent of the time.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-18T06:58:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) This president said that 50 years would have to elapse before he and his administration could be properly judged.

2) Every president, except for one, has had both a library dedicated in their name and a published memoir. Who was the exception?

3) Ruth Lee Jones sang jazz and soul with equal ease and was successful in both genres. Her most famous hit was "What a Difference a Day Makes." We know her better as _____________________.

Answers:

1) Richard Nixon

2) John F. Kennedy has a library, but not a memoir.

3) Dinah Washington

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-17T06:45:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What was the first Civil Rights movement protest King participated in?

2) Which country is the second largest in terms of land?

3) These four states have capitals whose names begin with the same letter as their respective states.

4) Which part of the human body has the greatest concentration of bones?

Answers:

1) Montgomery Bus Boycott

2) Canada is the second largest - Russia is the largest.

3) The four states with capitals starting with the same first letter as their states are Dover, Delaware, Honolulu, Hawaii, Indianapolis, Indiana and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

4) Of the 206 bones in the average adult body, 106 are in the hands and feet (54 are in the hands, 52 in the feet).

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-16T06:36:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) This bestseller by Peter Benchley, published this date in 1974, made everyone skittish about wading too far into the surf. What was the book?

2) What was the name of the famous Harlem nightclub where the Duke Ellington Orchestra played for years?

3) The 18th Amendment to the Constitution went into effect this date in 1920. It was repealed in 1933. Also known as the Volstead Act, what did this amendment do?

4) This tenor saxophonist first came to fame in Count Basie's Big Band. Who was he?

Answers:

1) Jaws

2) The Cotton Club

3) The National Prohibition Act

4) Lester Young

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Musca domestica has been a nuisance to everyone at one time or another. What is its common name?

2) What was the first foreign conflict for the U.S. military?

3) What determines the date of the Chinese New Year?

Answers:

1) Musca domestica is the Latin designation for the common housefly.

2) The Tripoli or Barbary Wars (1800 - 1815). The conflict was precipitated by acts of piracy.

3) After the winter solstice, the Chinese New Year begins at the date of the second new moon.

Alan Rock's Post!

2012-01-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What does "auld lang syne" actually mean?

2) On this date in 1951, Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement from the Yankees. He had two lesser known brothers who also played in the Majors. Who were they?

3) Marvin Middlemark invented this device that used to be used to help television reception. What was it?

Answers:

1) Literally translated, "auld lang syne" in English would be "old long since." In context idiomaticatically, it means "long, long ago," "days gone by," or "old times." The song's lyric, "for auld lang syne" is meant to indicate happy thoughts of the the past, "for old times' sake."

2) Vince and Dom

3) He invented the dipole antenna, familiar as "rabbit ears."

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) The classic 1970's jazz staple "Birdland" became a hit for the vocal ensemble, Manhattan Transfer. The group that composed the tune and first recorded it had a hit as well with their instrumental version. Who were they?

2) The jazz group, Fourplay scored a hit in 1991 with a cover of the Marvin Gaye tune, "After the Dance." Their keyboardist charted in the 70's with his theme for the show Taxi. Who was he?

3) On this date in 1946, the first general assembly of the United Nations convened. In what city was the meeting held?

Answers:

1) Weather Report

2) Bob James

3) London

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1987, actor Arthur Lake died. He played this character in some 27 movies, a TV show and radio program.

2) What decade saw Bebop emerge?

3) Dizzy and Bird were prime innovators of the Bebop movement. We know Dizzy Gillespie. Who was "Bird"?

4) Instrumental in style, this is a wordless, improvisational vocal solo is known as what?

Answers:

1) He played Dagwood Bumstead in the Blondie movies, created from the comic strip.

2) The 1940's.

3) Charlie Parker was "Bird."

4) "Vocalese."

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Today is Wheel of Fortune Day, marking the debut of The Wheel in 1975. Since 1981the show has been hosted by Pat Sajak and assisted by Vanna White. Who were the first host and letter turner?

2) This lovely lady is a wonderful pianist in addition to being one of today's greatest female jazz vocalists. Who is this lady, who's married to singer Elvis Costello?

3) This female singer was one of the great vocalists of the swing era, as a regular at the famous Cotton Club and with Duke Ellington's band. Who was she?

4) This bop artist with the bass voice was born and died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Who was this singer/bandleader known as Mr. B?

Answers:

1) Chuck Woolery was the original host, with letter-turner Susan Stafford.

2) Diana Krall.

3) Ivie Anderson who, sadly, passed away in 1949 having recorded very little solo work. Whenever her name comes up in jazz interviews and documentaries, those who knew her all say she was a real class act. Her numbers with Ellington, such as "Stormy Weather" and "It Don't Mean A Thing," are classics.

4) Billy Eckstine, with hits including "Jelly Jelly" and "Everything I Have Is Yours." But my favorite is his version of "Laura." Man, this guy could sing!

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-05T07:50:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Scat singing is a form of jazz vocalization where nonsense syllables are substituted for either words or instrument notes. Ella Fitzgerald was often called the "Queen of Scat." Who was referred to as the "King of Scat"?

2) On January 5, 1961, the TV comedy Mr. Ed, starring a talking horse, debuted in syndication. In the fall it moved to CBS. Alan Young starred as Wilbur Post, and Connie Hines as his wife Carol. Who was the voice of Mr. Ed?

3) As hard as it is to believe, this drummer first performed professionally at the age of 18 months on the vaudeville stage. By 13, he was the leader of his own band. He entered into the Big Band era by drumming for Tommy Dorsey and Harry James, among others. He traveled successfully with his own big band even after the genre declined in popularity. Who was this percussionist?

4) Who was the first female governor in U.S. history?

Answers:

1) Mel Torme.

2) Allan "Rocky" Lane was the voice of Mr. Ed.

3) Buddy Rich.

4) Nellie T. Ross succeeded her late husband as governor of Wyoming on January 5, 1925, becoming the first female governor in U.S. history.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Who are the only two U.S. presidents buried in Arlington National Cemetery?

2) Harrisonburg, Virginia has a large state university named for which U.S. president?

3) They say the largest living thing on earth is a 275-foot sequoia tree in California, named for which Civil War general?

4) Williamsburg, Virginia was named in honor of whom?

Answers:

1) William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy.

2) James Madison.

3) William Sherman.

4) William III, king of England at the time.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-03T07:02:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) In which world religion would a swami normally be a teacher?

2) Where is the MICEX-RTS stock exchange based?

3) In humans, about what percentage of lean body mass is water?

Answers:

1) Hinduism.

2) Russia.

3) 70 percent.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2012-01-02T06:56:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) The presidential act to reduce the 70 mph speed limit to 55 mph was signed by which U.S. President on January 2?

2) How old was Bobby Fisher when he won the U.S. Chess Championship on January 2, 1960?

3) On January 2, 1953, The Life of Riley debuts on NBC for the second time. Who played the title character, Chester A. Riley?

4) On January 2, 1888, Marvin Chester Stone of Washington D.C. patents his invention. What did he invent?

Answers:

1) Richard Nixon signed the act, intended to save fuel in response to the 1973 oil crisis. The act was repealed in 1995.

2) 16.

3) William Bendix.

4) Drinking straw.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) In the song, "Jingle Bells," one of the verses mentions this person as being seated "next to me a day or two ago." Who was it?

2) What did "Frosty the Snowman" do when the magic hat was placed on his head?

3) In "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" what item do Janice and Jen both want?

4) What did "my true love give to me" on the 11th day of Christmas?

Answers:

1) Miss Fanny Bright

2) He began to dance around

3) dolls that will talk and go for a walk

4) 11 pipers piping

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) In The Polar Express, what is "the first gift of Christmas"?

2) What is the name of the rabbit in Frosty the Snowman?

3) Lucy charged this much for a psychiatric session.

Answers:

1) A bell from Santa's sleigh

2) Hocus Pocus (he had a magic hat)

3) 5 cents

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-19T07:11:00.001-08:00

Questions:

1) In A Christmas Story, what gift did Ralphie's mom give his dad?

2) What was Ralphie's little brother's name?

3) Who wrote and performed the music for A Charlie Brown Christmas?

4) What was the name of George Bailey's guardian angel (It's a Wonderful Life)?

Answers:

1) a bowling ball

2) Randy

3) Vince Guarladi

4) Clarence Oddbody

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) In the movie, A Christmas Story, Ralphie asked Santa for the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun he was obsessed with. What did Santa have to say about this request?

2) In A Christmas Story, what was Ralphie's favorite radio show?

3) Children often leave a plate out on Christmas Eve with Santa's favorite snack. What is it?

4) One foggy Christmas Eve, Santa needed helping guiding his sleigh. To whom did he turn for help?

Answers:

1) Santa told Ralphie the same thing everyone else had told him: "You'll shoot your eye out!"

2) Little Orphan Annie

3) Milk and cookies

4) Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-15T06:55:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What was the name of Ebeneezer Scrooge's deceased business partner?

2) How many times does Santa check his "naughty" and "nice" list?

3) What was Tiny Tim's father's name?

4) According to the song, how many reindeer pull Santa's sleigh on a clear night?

Answers:

1) Jacob Marley

2) twice

3) Bob Cratchit

4) 8 (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen)

Alan Rock's Trivia

2011-12-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) In the song "Winter Wonderland," who do we pretend the snowman is?

2) Robert May wrote a poem that was illustrated for a Montgomery Ward Christmas pamphlet in 1939. Eight years later John Marks composed music for the poem. Can you name that poem?

3) In the movie Miracle on 34th Street, a man is on trial for claiming to be Santa Claus. What convinces the judge to rule in the man's favor?

4) What famed cartoonist's drawing became the most popular image of St. Nicholas?

Answers:

1) Parson Brown

2) "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

3) The U.S. Postal Service delivers mail to him.

4) German-born artist Thomas Nast created the most common Santa Claus image.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-13T07:58:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What did Frosty the Snowman have for a nose?

2) How many gifts would you receive in total, if you got all the gifts described in "The Twelve Days of Christmas"?

3) In A Charlie Brown Christmas, the characters are engaged in this winter activity in the opening scene.

4) What was the name of Charles Dickens' classic Christmas story?

Answers:

1) a button

2) 364 presents

3) ice skating

4) A Christmas Carol

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Which two of Santa's reindeer have names starting with the letter, "C"?

2) What animal served as the Grinch's reindeer?

3) What Christmas carol has the singers demanding "figgy pudding"?

4) This cartoon, based on a newspaper editorial, won an Emmy award.

Answers:

1) Comet and Cupid

2) His dog.

3) "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

4) Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus."

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What was the gift my true love sent on the sixth day of Christmas?

2) What "Saturday Evening Post" artist was known for his whimsical pictures of Santa Claus?

3) Which reindeer is never mentioned in "The Night Before Christmas"?

Answers:

1) Six geese a-laying.

2) Norman Rockwell.

3) Rudolph.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Can you name the three reindeer whose names begin with "D"?

2) In It's a Wonderful Life, how did Clarence cleverly save George's life?

3) What was Rudolph's punishment for his red nose?

Answers:

1) Dasher, Donner, and Dancer.

2) He jumped into the river first.

3) He could not play in reindeer games.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Which character in It's a Wonderful Life lost $8000?

2) In Frosty the Snowman, a washed-up magician was looking for his magic hat. What was his name?

3) Who tells you she's in town by "tap, tap, tapping at your windowpane"?

4) What was Scrooge's first name?

Answers:

1) Uncle Billy

2) Professor Hinkle

3) Suzy Snowflake

4) Ebenezer

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-06T08:39:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) In the 1964 Christmas classic Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, what did Rudolph's elf friend, Hermey want to be?

2) In the "Twelve Days of Christmas," how many drummers are drumming?

3) In what country are outdoor barbecues a traditional part of the Christmas holiday?

4) What physical defect made Dr. Seuss's Grinch so mean?

Answers:

1) Hermey wanted to be a dentist.

2) There were 12 drummers.

3) Australia

4) His heart was two sizes too small.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-05T07:07:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) The real Saint Nicholas was born in what country?

2) Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created as a promotion for what department store?

3) In A Charlie Brown Christmas, which character builds a gray snowman?

4) The first known time anyone in the U.S. drank eggnog was when?

Answers:

1) Turkey. He was born some time around 280, A.D. in Patara, which is near the modern city of Myra. The legend about him is that he gave away his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside seeking out and helping the sick and impoverished.

2) Montgomery Ward

3) Pigpen

4) According to the historical accounts of Captain John Smith, the first eggnog made in the U.S. was consumed in his Jamestown settlement in 1607. Nog was a variation of "grog," which refers to any drink made with rum.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Who narrated the 1966 television special "How the Grinch Stole Christmas?"

2) Which sport has what's called a "sin bin"?

3) She was born on this day in 1981. Raised in Kentwood, Loisiana, when she was 9 she competed at the state level in this sport.

Answers:

1) Boris Karloff

2) The "sin bin" is a slang term for hockey's penalty box.

3) Britney competed at the state level in gymnastics.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-12-01T11:58:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Bette Midler was born on this date in 1945. In 1992 she won an Emmy for her guest appearance on this show.

2) Christmas Island is located in which ocean?

3) The first telephone in the White House was installed on this date in 1878. The first call was from a storm window salesman. Who was president at the time?

4) Where is the world's roller skating museum located?

Answers:

1) She appeared on the Johnny Carson's final episode of The Tonight Show. She sang "One for My Baby, and One More for the Road" to him, causing him to get tearful - a sweet moment.

2) Christmas Island is in the Indian Ocean.

3) Rutherford B. Hayes

4) Lincoln, Nebraska

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Today is the anniversary of Mark Twain's birthday. On one of the Star Trek series of television shows, "Mark Twain" met the crew. Which show was it?

2) This European set sail in 1778 and was the first European to visit Hawaii.

3) In colonial America, people in this profession were called upon to make flags.

4) What is Africa's longest river?

1) Star Trek: The Next Generation

2) Captain James Cook

3) Upholsterers

4) The Nile is longest; it is 4,160 miles in length.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Who was Duke Ellington's first and long-time drummer?

2) How much did Lucy charge for her psychiatric sessions?

3) In whose band did Dizzy Gillespie play?

4) When is Canada Day celebrated?

Answers:

1) Sonny Greer

2) Five cents

3) Cab Calloway

4) July 1st is now known as Canada Day; prior to 1982, it was called Dominion Day.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-28T07:05:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Singer Tom Jones Woodward was born in Pontypridd, South Wales. What other famous person hailed from that same small village?

2) John Lennon maintained that the greatest rock-n-roll record ever made was what?

3) On this date in 1929, the Cardinals, then in Chicago (now in AZ), defeated the Chicago Bears 40 - 6. Their fullback was responsible for all 40 points. Who was he?

4) The Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act was a bill in the U.S. Congress that enacted the National Maximum Speed Law. States had to agree to the limit if they wanted federal funding for highway repair. This uniform speed limit was signed into law by which president? Which president mandated a federal speed limit of 55 mph and which president ended the 55 mph limit?

Answers:

1) Richard Burton

2) Jerry Lee Lewis's "Whole Lotta Shakin.'"

3) Ernie Nevers

4) Nixon signed into law the 55 mph limit out of safety and fuel economy concerns; Clinton ended the 55 mph limit on this date in 1995.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-25T05:46:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) The largest cereal maker is Kellogg's. Who is the second largest cereal maker?

2) Which Constitutional Amendment promises a speedy public trial?

3) Glenn Miller had a regular gig in the mid 1930's playing in what band?

4) The Glenn Miller Orchestra received its first gold record with this song February 2, 1942.

Answers:

1) General Mills

2) The 6th Amendment promises a speedy public trial

3) He played in the Dorsey Brothers band during that period.

4)"Chattanooga Choo Choo"

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-24T05:39:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) In what year did the first American Thanksgiving celebration take place?

2) Where was the first American Thanksgiving celebration held?

3) How many pilgrims were on board the Mayflower?
4) How long did the first American Thanksgiving celebration last?

5) Which beverage was brought along on the Mayflower?
6) Approximately how many feathers does a mature turkey have?

Answers:

1) 1621

2) Plymouth, MA

3) 102

4) 3 days (complete with games and food)

5) beer

6) 3,500

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-23T07:08:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) William H. Bonney was born on this date in 1859. If his given name doesn't ring a bell, perhaps you remember his nickname.

2) This movie star's given name was Archibald Leach.

3) On this date in 1942, FDR signed into law the creation of SPARS. What was it?

Answers:

1) Billy the Kid

2) Cary Grant

3) SPARS was the U.S. Coast Guard Women's Reserve. The acronym stood for the Latin "Semper Paratus" and its English translation: "Always Ready." This service, as well as similar women's divisions of other armed forces, was created to free up men from stateside duty in order to fight overseas.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What is a caper?

2) What state consumes the most turkey?

3) Butterball recommends that a turkey should thaw for how long for every 4 pounds?

4) Eisenhower won both his elections handily, facing the same opponent for both elections. Who was his opponent?

Answers:

1) A caper is the unopened flower of the bush Capparis Spinosa, which grows mainly in southern France, Itlay and Algeria as well as California.

2) California

3) Thaw the turkey one day for every 4 pounds.

4) Adlai Stevenson

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-21T07:35:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1980, a TV show ended its season with a famous cliffhanger. What was the cliffhanger and the show?

2) On this day in 1934, this teenager, dressed in borrowed clothes, won the Amateur Night award at New York's Apollo Theater, beginning a very successful career.

3) Which U.S. president was the first to travel in a submerged submarine?

4) Goldie Hawn had a job at the 1964 World's Fair; what was it?

Answers:

1) The show was Dallas, and the season ended with the lead character having been shot. It wasn't revealed until the first episode of the following season who had shot him. All summer the headlines asked, "Who Shot J.R.?"

2) Ella Fitzgerald

3) Harry Truman

4) Ms. Hawn had a job as a dancer in a chorus line. This led to her go-go gig with Laugh-In, where her comedic talents emerged, leading to her film career.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Who wanted the wild turkey to be designated as the U.S. national bird?

2) In what year was a turkey first issued a "presidential pardon"?

3) Marlon Brando patented two innovations for use with a musical instrument. Which instrument?

Answers:

1) Benjamin Franklin

2) 1947

3) Drum (specifically, the conga drum)

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) This president established the third Thursday in November as the national day to celebrate Thanksgiving.

2) Being acquitted of treason and escaping prosecution for murder were not enough to deter this Vice President from his goal to establish a North American kingdom over which he would rule as emperor.

3) Which domesticated animal is distantly related to the hyena?

4) Which tenor sax man often played with Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Smith?

Answers:

1) Franklin D. Roosevelt

2) Aaron Burr

3) Hyenas belong to a family of their own, hyaenidae, but they are more closely related to cats than they are dogs.

4) Stanley Turrentine

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Which cartoon character was the first to be made into a Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloon?

2) Which president established Thanksgiving as a national holiday?

3) Macy's put on its Thanksgiving Day parade for the first time in what year?

Answers:

1) Felix the Cat

2) Abraham Lincoln

3) 1924

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Cats walk by moving their front and hind legs, first on side, then the other. Only two other species do the same. What are they?

2)The average dog makes about 10 different vocal sounds. How many, on average, can a cat make?

3) The world's first streetcar began operating on this date in 1832 in what city?

4) Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber composed this long-running musical in the early 80's.

Answers:

1) Camels and giraffes

2) A cat is able to make about 100 distinct sounds.

3) New York. The street car was pulled by horses.

4) Cats, which was named after T.S. Eliot's book, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Which New Testament verse is the briefest sentence in the Bible?

2) Which state was first to ratify the Constitution?

3) This land mammal is born underwater and grows to be 8,000 pounds.

4) In what year did the Little League Baseball World Series begin?

Answers:

1) John 11:35 - "Jesus wept."

2) Delaware

3) Hippotamus

4) 1947.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) Which president issued the first Veteran's Day Proclamation?

2) Which individuals does Veteran's Day honor?

3) Veteran's Day in other countries is known by other names such as ____________ and ___________.

4)Which president said, "...to care for him [veteran] who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and orphan."

Answers:

1) Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill in 1954.

2) All who have served in the U.S. military in times of war and peace.

3) Armistice Day and Remembrance Day are used in the UK and commonwealth countrries.

4) Abraham Lincoln

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) How many of Elvis's hits did he write?

2) Whose picture is on the $2 bill?

3) What breed of dog has the sharpest eyesight?

Answers:

1) None - Elvis's fame was before Dylan ushered in the era of the singer-songwriter.

2) Thomas Jefferson

3) Greyhounds have the sharpest eyesight.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-09T07:55:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What are the three most populous cities in the world?

2) Which three countries are the most populated?

3) Which six states established the CSA at a meeting in Montgomery, February 4, 1861?

4) Which U.S. library has the highest number of volumes?

Answers:

1) Shanghai (17.8M), Karachi (12.9M) and Istanbul (12.9M)

2) China (1.3B), India (1.2B) and the United States (312M)

3) Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina.

4) The Library of Congress, with more than 147 million items.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) What has always been the theme song for the Glenn Miller Orchestra?

2) What was trumpeter Harry Edison's nickname?

3) Who was the Modern Jazz Quartet's vibraphone player?

4) Who is often thought of as the "father of jazz saxophone"?

Answers:

1) "Moonlight Serenade"

2) "Sweets"

3) Milt Jackson

4) Coleman Hawkins

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-07T10:40:00.000-08:00

Questions:

1) This city was founded in 1820 and was a leading manufacturer of home furniture until the 1960s. It remains a major manufacturer of office furniture and is commonly referred to as "Furniture City."

2) This famous author once said this of Huckleberry Finn: "All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since."

3) The first English settlers to set foot in America did so at this tourist destination.

4) This river basin contains evidence of the earliest known human culture in Europe.

Answers:

1) Grand Rapids, MI

2) Ernest Hemingway

3) Virginia Beach, VA

4) The Danube

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-04T07:51:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) In what year did women win the right to vote in the U.S.?

2) Losing this item in 1951 made Thelonious Monk's life extremely problematic. What was it?

3) On this date in 1957, the same six songs topped both the pop and R&B charts. What were they?

Answers:

1) In 1920 the nineteenth amendment to the constitution was passed, granting women the right to vote.

2) He lost his cabaret card as a result of being charged with possession of narcotics. In New York the cabaret card permitted musicians to play wherever alcohol was served.

3)
1) Elvis - "Jailhouse Rock"
2) Everly Bros. - "Wake Up, Little Susie"
3) Sam Cooke - "You Send Me"
4) The Rays - "Silhouettes"
5) Ricky Nelson - "Be-Bop Baby"
6) Jimmie Rodgers - "Honeycomb"

Alan Rock's Trivia

2011-11-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Name the traditional wedding anniversary gifts given for the 25th and 50th years.

2) Can you name the National Football League teams that faced off in the first Super Bowl in 1967? Who won?

3) Jazz can be hot or cool. One of the first to define "cool" jazz was this piano virtuoso. Noted mostly as a big band leader, he greatly influenced jazz by his less frantic approach to the genre. And what could be cooler than a "Snowfall"? Miles Davis was one of his admirers. What was his name?

Answers:

1) The 25th anniversary gift is silver, and the 50th is gold.

2) The Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 35 to 10 in Los Angeles.

3) Claude Thornhill. Thornhill worked as a band musician for most of the 1930s with such notables as Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Paul Whiteman. As a studio musician, he worked with Andre Kostelanetz on his studio recording arrangements. It was not until about 1940 that he created his own big band. But his was different in that he sought a new sound. He included French horns and a tuba. He also had a choir of six clarinets that played in unison. Thornhill's piano styling flourished among the brass. His band was interrupted by WWII, but reorganized afterward. "Snowfall" was his theme song and most noted recording.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) What's the difference between a nook and a cranny?

2) Which is the oldest letter in the Phoenician alphabet?

3) This tenor saxophonist was key to moving the bop genre forward.

4) In 1847, the first US postage stamps were sold. Whose images were on the 5 and 10-cent stamps?

Answers:

1) A nook is a corner and a cranny is a crack.

2) The letter, "O." It dates back to 1300 BC.

3) Sonny Rollins

4) Ben Franklin was on the 5-cent stamp and Washington's was on the 10-cent stamp.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-11-01T13:17:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) Set to the tune of a once-popular British drinking song, this tune was inspired by an 1814 poem, called "The Defence of Fort McHenry."

2) Who are, to date, the top three best-selling recording artists?

3) This alto/soprano saxophone player achieved fame in the 70s with his jazz/pop ensemble, Spyro Gyra.

Answers:

1) "The Star-Spangled Banner."

2) The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.

3) Jay Breckenstein

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-31T11:39:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) This cable channel was created for the express purpose of showing music videos.

2) This stocky actor and former fighter pilot starred in TV's Cannon and Jake and the Fatman. Before his television career took hold, he worked in radio, starting in the 1930s. But it was the role he voiced from 1952 - 1961 that was his longest-running role. What was it?

3) Charles Ginsburg was head of the team that invented this entertainment device.

4) Who was the original host of Jeopardy?

Answers:

1) MTV

2) Conrad’s longest-running role was that of U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon on the radio western Gunsmoke, which aired on CBS radio from 1952 to 1961.

When the golden age of radio was over, Conrad could be heard delivering the urgent narration for Jay Ward’s classic Bullwinkle Show.

3) The VCR

4) Art Fleming hosted the show from 1964-1975, then again from 1978-1979 when the show returned to television.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) What retailer was the first to guarantee satisfaction?

2) How many feathers are there in a shuttlecock (used in badminton)?

3) How frequently, according to astronomers' estimates, is a new star is born?

Answers:

1) Montgomery Ward introduced a satisfaction-guaranteed promise back in 1874.

2) Exactly 16. The best shuttles use feathers from a goose's left wing.

3) Every 18 days a new star forms in our galaxy.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Which coffee was the first to be sold in sealed tin cans?

2) On this date in 1792, the first cornerstone of the White House was laid. Who was the first presidential family to live in the White House?

3) On this date in 1958, the last Big Band style song to appear on the Billboard charts peaked at #7. What was the song?

Answers:

1) Chase and Sanborn

2) President John Adams and his family were the first to move in to the White House.

3) Tommy Dorsey Orchestra's recording of the Tea for Two Cha Cha Cha

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) The kilt originated what country?

2) In a deck of playing cards, which king has no facial hair?

3) What term is commonly applied to the mainstream jazz of the 1930s and '40s?

Answers:

1) Kilts are famously associated with Scotland, but they originated in France.

2) The King of Hearts

3) Swing

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Saturday Night Live premiered on this date in 1975. Who was the guest host?

2) This powerful lobbying organization was founded by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus in 1958.

3) This organization claims to be the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world.

Answers:

1) George Carlin. Janis Ian and Billy Preston were the musical guests.

2) AARP: the American Association of Retired Persons

3) Freemasons. Freemasons date back to the late 16th century.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) According to Men's Health magazine, 69% of men surveyed considered themselves to be fit. What percent of men actually are physically fir?

2) As of 2010, only 5 jazz musicians have been featured on the cover of Time. Who are they?

3) What was the biggest selling single for The Platters?

Answers:

1) Only 13%

2) Thelonius Monk, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis and Dave Brubeck.

3) "The Great Pretender."

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) The art of bonsai originated in what country?

2) For boxers, what is the difference between standard boxing gloves and golden gloves?

3) Who was known as the "March King" and led the U.S. Marine Band?

Answers:

1) China

2) Regular gloves weigh 8 ounces and golden gloves weigh 10 ounces.

3) John Philip Sousa

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-06T08:09:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) The Blackhawk Night Club was a legendary jazz mecca from 1949 - 1963. What city was it in?

2) These 7 states are named for various royalty.

3) How did the tradition of trick-or-treat start?

4) What city was the first to have paved streets?

Answers:

1) San Francisco

2) Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, both Carolinas and both Virginias

3) The tradition of going from door to door receiving food already existed in Britain and Ireland, in the form of souling, where children and poor people would sing and say prayers for the dead in return for cakes.[1] Guising — children disguised in costumes going from door to door for food and coins — also predates trick or treat, and is recorded in Scotland at Halloween in 1895, where masqueraders in disguise carrying lanterns made out of scooped out turnips, visit homes to be rewarded with cakes, fruit and money.[2] While going from door to door in disguise has remained popular among Scots and Irish, the North American custom of saying "trick or treat" has recently become common. The activity is prevalent in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and northwestern and central Mexico. In the latter, this practice is called calaverita (Spanish for "little skull"), and instead of "trick or treat", the children ask ¿me da mi calaverita? ("can you give me my little skull?"); where a calaverita is a small skull made of sugar or chocolate.

4) Rome

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) This member of Monty Python's Flying Circus was born on this date in 1943.

2) Which university was the first to award athletic scholarships to women?

3) He was the the first American in outer space.

4) What rolle did Ann B. Davis play on The Brady Bunch?

Answers:

1) Michael Palin

2) University of Miami was the first to do so, in keeping with the passage of Title IX.

3) Alan Shepard was - for only 15 minutes, on May 5, 1961.

4) Ann B. Davis played the lovable maid, Alice. She had previously been "Schultzy" on Love That Bob with Bob Cummings and played Miss Wilson on the John Forsythe Show.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) What country holds the record for highest recorded temperature?

2) Where was the coldest temperature recorded?

3) In the United States, which snack is the most popular?

Answers:

1) Libya was recorded as having reached 136 degrees Fahrenheit.

2) Vostok Station, Antarctica got down to -128.6 F.

3) The ever-popular potato chip is America's favorite.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-10-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) What is the oldest breed of canine in the United States?

2) Which breed of dog is said to be the smartest?

3) What breed of dog bites humans more frequently than other breeds?

4) It was common at one time for dogs to sleep under the covers with their humans. What was the reason for this?

Answers:

1) Foxhound

2) Border Collie

3) German Shepherds

4) So any bugs in the bed would be attracted to the dog and leave the humans alone.

Alan Rock's Trivia

2011-09-30T08:23:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) FDR offered the "New Deal" as his presidential program. That followed the program offered by President Theodore Roosevelt, which was called what?

2) This legendary tenor sax player from New Jersey played with Art Blakey, Maynard Ferguson and Miles Davis before co-founding the seminal fusion group Weather Report. Who was he?

3) Name the three states that are connected to Yellowstone National Park.

Answers:

1) Square Deal.

2) Wayne Shorter! While a member of Miles Davis' band, he composed many of the group's tunes, including "Nefertiti," "ESP," "Footprints" and "Prince of Darkness." In addition to his legendary work with Weather Report, Shorter was also a much sought-after session man, and contributed much of the great sax work on Steely Dan's magnum opus album, "Aja."

3) Yellowstone National Park touches on Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) This singer is the only singer to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2)This company is credited with having created the first coin-operated video game.

3) Who played Billy Holiday in the 1972 film, Lady Sings the Blues?

Answers:

1) Gene Autry

2) Atari

3) Diana Ross

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-27T07:31:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) In 1963 this singer recorded with John Coltrane. He was the only singer Coltrane thought was worthwhile working with.

2) This landmark is recognized the world over as a symbol of freedom and democracy.

3) This 1964 presidential candidate's logo was "element"ary. What was it?

Answers:

1) Johnny Hartman

2) The Statue of Liberty

3) Au H2O was seen on stickers, buttons and even license plates. They are the periodic table of elements' symbols for gold and water - Goldwater.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) What percentage of pumpkins is water?

2) In September 1939, Warsaw fell to Nazi invaders. As a final act of defiance, this composer's music was broadcast continuously on Warsaw radio.

3) The Eastern Cottonwood is the fastest growing tree. How much does it grow in one month?

4) What is Florida's official state flower?

Answers:

1) 90%

2) Frederic Chopin

3) 2.5'

4) The orange blossom was so designated in 1909.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Which planet of our solar system was found not to be a legitimate planet and was thus demoted?

2) "God helps those who help themselves." This saying comes from ___________.

3) Who was the youngest man to serve as President of the U.S.?

Answers:

1) Pluto

2) If you said the Bible, you and the rest of the 75% of Americans who think that are wrong! The saying comes from Ben Franklin. http://harpers.org/archive/2005/08/0080695

3) Though he was not elected (assuming the presidency in the wake of McKinley's assassination), Theodore Roosevelt was 42 at the time he was sworn in. John F. Kennedy was the youngest, at 43, to be elected to the presidency.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Which country consumes the most wine per household?

2) This was the only person to have been recognized in the College Basketball Hall of Fame for his achievements and contributions as both a player and a coach.

3) Which country was the first to manufacture rubber bands?

Answers:

1) Denmark wins with 93%, followed by France with 85% of households consuming wine.

2) John Wooden

3) Rubber bands were first manufactured in England in 1845 by Perry and Co. of London.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) This U.S. Cabinet member was shot and wounded in his home at the same time Lincoln was assassinated at the Ford Theater.

2) Which continent is the largest in size?

3) Two countries in the world are listed as less than one square mile each in size. Which are they?

4) Which National Park is the oldest?

Answers:

1) Secretary of State, William H. Seward

2) Asia, with nearly 12,000,000 square miles.

3) Vatican City and Monaco.

4) Founded in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's oldest park to be designated as a National Park.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) In what year did Congress declare the fourth of July a national holiday?

2) Representing the women who shored up the manpower deficit caused by World War II, this fictional assembly line worker's image was frequently shown, smiling confidently, with her sleeve rolled up. What was her nickname?

3) The comic book arm of this company started in 1939 as Timely Publications and was later known as Atlas Comics. Now they go by what name?

Answers:

1) 1870

2) Rosie the Riveter

3) Marvel Comics / Marvel Publishing, Inc.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-19T07:24:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) This country was the first to invent paper money. The practice dates back to the 9th century.

2) Oreo cookies have been America's most popular cookie since their introduction in 1912. How many varieties of Oreo cookies are there, not counting seasonal varieties or frozen treats?

3) What three currencies are the most traded currencies on the foreign exchange market?

Answers:

1) China

2) Nine continuous varieties, including original, mini, chocolate creme, chocolate creme minis, reduced fat, double stuf, fudge-covered, fudge mint-covered, and peanut butter and chocolate.

3) The U.S. dollar, the euro and the yen

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1620, the Mayflower left Plymouth, England bound for America. How many pilgrims were on the Mayflower?

2) On this date in 1630, the village of Shawmutt, Massachusetts changed its name to what?

3) On this date in 1953, the first movie filmed in wide-screen Cinemascope premiered at the Roxy Theater in New York. What was the name of the film?

4) How large is the mouth on the Statue of Liberty?

Answers:

1) 102

2) Boston

3) The Robe

4) The mouth is 3 feet wide

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) On this day in 1971, this environmental organization was founded.

2) Danny Kaye starred in The Five Pennies, which was a film about the life of what jazz cornet player?

3)During the Vietnam War, what did director Oliver Stone do?

4) Who composed the song, "Misty"?

Answers:

1) Greenpeace was founded.

2) Eugene "Red" Nichols

3) For his service in the army, Stone was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart with the Oak Leaf Cluster.

4) Erroll Garner

Alan Rock's Trivia

2011-09-14T08:51:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) In 1937, the Count Basie Band featured two singers: Jimmy Rushing and who else?

2) Who was the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court who resigned from the court (to run for governor of New York)?

3) In the late 1930's, who led the house band at the Savoy in Harlem?

4) Water particles that freeze once they hit the ground are called what?

Answers:

1) Billie Holiday, who was ousted from the band after a year on the road with them. Rumor has it that John Hammond forced her out.

2) John Jay.

3) Chick Webb, whose hard-swinging band introduced the first lady of song to the world -- Ella Fitzgerald.

4) Freezing rain!

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-13T06:48:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) According to Forbes Magazine in 2008, what was the most visited tourist destination in the U.S.?

2)One of the most famous jazz recordings of all time was Kind of Blue. Who was the famous trumpet player who made the album?

3) What was trumpet player Harry Edison's nickname?

4) Which state is the only one that does not have a national park?

Answers:

1) Times Square

2) Miles Davis

3) "Sweets"

4) Delaware

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Who scored the winning in the 1999 World Cup?

2) Under what pseudonym did Agatha Christie write romance novels?

3) Married to John Dankworth, this "dame" was born in London and is a renowned jazz singer. Who is she?

4) What year did the WNBA debut?

Answers:

1) Brandy Chastain

2) Mary Westmacott

3) Cleo Laine. For her contributions to music, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1979.

4) 1996

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) The elephant is the heaviest land animal. Which land animal is the second heaviest?

2) When was the first computer program created and published?

3) Which American city claims to be the richest in history? It has retained many of its original buildings,using them as historical memorials to early America.

Answers:

1) The hippopotamus

2) Ada Byron published the first computer programs in 1843. She based them on Jacquard's punch-card idea. The programs were used on the first general-purpose mechanical digital computer, Charles Babbage's invention.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-08T07:10:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1935, this famous singer started off his career as part of The Hoboken Four, appearing on the Major Bowes Amateur Hour.

2) The expression, "lightning never strikes twice" is meant to indicate that the odds of something happening in the same way again are slim. Does lightning ever strike twice?

3) This jazz guitarist is credited as being the father of jazz guitar, bringing guitar from the background rhythm section to the forefront with his groundbreaking solos. Who is he?

Answers:

1) Frank Sinatra. He debuted on the show at the tender age of 19.

2) Actually lightning strikes twice a lot, especially in high locations. The Empire State Building, for example, is struck about 25 times a year.

3) Charlie Christian. He died in 1941 at the age of 25.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-07T10:00:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) Which country produces the most cork?

2) This singer was born Ruth Lee Jones and she grew up to perform jazz, R&B and pop with equal ease. Her biggest hit was "What a Difference a Day Makes." What name did she adopt for her performing career?

3) ESPN made its debut on this date in 1979. What do the letters ESPN stand for?

4) Which country produces the ripest olives?

Answers:

1) Portugal

2) Dinah Washington

3) the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-06T07:10:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) The U.S. experiences what percentage of the world's tornadoes?

2) Assuming you're average, how much of your brain is water?

3) Which snack is the most popular?

4) According to the National Safety Council, on average, how many Americans will be killed by a drunk driver in the next hour?

5) Which TV game show is a variation of Hangman?

6) Jazz musicians began integrating rock elements into their music in the late 60s, creating what kind of jazz genre?

7) What jazz style was made popular by performers like Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan and Lee Konitz?

Answers:

1) 75%

2) 80%

3) Potato chips are the number one selling snack, accompanying lunch 32% of the time and dinner 18% of the time.

4) Two Americans are killed every hour. Drunk drivers injure another 30 people every hour.

5) Wheel of Fortune

6) Fusion

7) Cool Jazz.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) On this date in 1963, who anchored the first half-hour newscast on network television?

2) On this date in 1923, the movie The Hunchback of Notre Dame was released in the U.S. Who was the star?

3) This president delivered his inaugural address without using the word "I" once?

4) The Renaissance began in which country?

Answers:

1) Walter Cronkite, when he interviewed President Kennedy.

2) Lon Chaney

3) Theodore Roosevelt

4) Italy

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-09-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) This remarkable discovery on the ocean floor happened on this date in 1985. What was found?

2) What was the motivation for Seuss's book Green Eggs and Ham?

3) For her role in this film, Lily Tomlin was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. What was the role and film?

Answers:

1) The wreck of the Titanic was found.

2) His editor dared him to write a book using fewer than 50 words.

3) Tomlin played Linnea Reese in the 1975 Robert Altman film, Nashville.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-31T07:29:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Richard Gere's first three major film roles were all turned down by what actor?

2) Peggy Lee was nominated for an Oscar for what film?

3) What did President Hoover do with his salary?

4) What was the world's first airline?

Answers:

1) John Travolta turned down the lead roles in Days of Heaven, American Gigolo, and An Officer and a Gentleman before they were offered to Gere.

2) Lee appeared in Pete Kelly's Blues, in a role which garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

3) During his entire 47 years in government, Herbert Hoover turned over each of his federal salary checks to charity. He had become independently wealthy before entering politics.

4) DELAG, an acronym from German: Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-Aktiengesellschaft ("German Airship Travel Corporation") was the world's first airline to use an aircraft (a Zeppelin rigid airship) in revenue service. It was founded on November 16, 1909 with government assistance, and operated airships manufactured by Zeppelin Corporation. Its headquarters were in Frankfurt.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) What is the most popular game in Las Vegas?

2) What popular Christmas flower was named for an American ambassador to Mexico?

3) What Hollywood club is famous for its roasts of celebrities?

4) What beloved writer of songs about the South hardly ever visited the region?

Answers:

1) Black Jack.

2) The Poinsettia, named after Joel Poinsett.

3) The Friars Club.

4) Stephen Foster from Pennsylvania.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter were the leader and co-leader of Weather Report, which they formed in 1970. They are also alums of what jazz great who was one of the first to play jazz fusion?

2) Which jewel is perceived as a symbol of success?

3) What is the name of the city that was planned and partly laid out by Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer, in the late 1700s? And, after whom was the city named?

4) The jazz group Fourplay scored a hit in 1991 with El Debarge singing lead on a cover of Marvin Gaye's song "After the Dance" -- Nathan East on bass, Harvey Mason, Jr. on drums, and Lee Ritenour on guitar. Who was the keyboardist making up the final piece of the group? Here's a clue: He scored a hit with a song named "Angela," also known as the theme to the T.V. show "Taxi."

Answers:

1) Miles Davis. Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter worked with Miles Davis in the late 1960s. They formed Weather Report in 1970 and disbanded in 1987. Sadly, Joe Zawinul passed away on September 11, 2007.

2) The birthstone for May, the emerald, is perceived as a symbol of success. Even more than the diamond, this jewel has been a favorite of emperors and kings.

3) Washington, D.C., which was named after our first president, George Washington -- the district was named after Christopher Columbus.

4) Bob James. Fourplay was formed in 1991; however, the members first played together on Bob James' 1990 effort "Grand Piano Canyon." Lee Ritenour left the group in 1997 and was replaced by Larry Carlton. Larry Carlton left in 2010 and was replaced by present guitarist Jeff Golub.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) The first woman to be nominated for Vice President by a major U.S. political party was born on August 26, 1935. Who?

2) During the rise of the bebop era, who was the house pianist at Minton's Playhouse?

3) Dr. Lee DeForest was born on August 26, 1873. He invented something that all of you listening [to my show] today can be thankful for. What?

4) Who was the girl singer in Gene Krupa's band?

Answers:

1) Geraldine Ferraro.

2) Thelonious Monk.

3) The 3-element vacuum tube, making possible all of our wonderful electronic technology -- radio... television... radar traps... One of Dr. DeForest's early inventions was stolen by his competitor's spies, so he planted trees outside the windows of his laboratory -- so the spies couldn't see DeForest for the trees.

4) Anita O'Day.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-25T07:38:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Actor Sean Connery was born August 25, 1930. How many James Bond films did he star in? Can you name them?

2) In Great Britain on August 25, 1972, computerized axial tomography was introduced. We know it better as what?

3) In 1939, Lina Medina became the youngest mother on record. How old was she?

Answers:

1) 7 -- in order from most recent to earliest film:

Never Say Never Again (1983)
Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
You Only Live Twice (1967)
Thunderball (1965)
Goldfinger (1964)
From Russia With Love (1963)
Dr. No (1962)

2) CAT scan

3) 5 years old

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) Prior to his presidential service, George H.W. Bush served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Which president appointed him to the CIA?

2) What United States park and tourist destination is 95 percent water?

3) How many commercials are aimed at kids?

4) Who was regarded as the "James Dean of Jazz" in the 1950s?

Answers:

1) President Gerald Ford.

2) Biscayne National Park.

3) According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are 20,000 television commercials made each year that are aimed exclusively at children. Of these, 7,000 are for sugared breakfast cereals.

4) Chet Baker.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-23T07:18:00.001-07:00

Questions:

1) Who was the first musician to put together a jazz trio of piano, guitar, and bass?

2) Which blood type is the most rare?

3) On radio in the 1940s, was Captain Midnight's mechanic (a) Aristotle Jones, (b)Ichabod Mudd, or (c) Jet Jackson?

4) Wes Montgomery taught himself to play the guitar while still a teenager, and developed an interesting playing style. What was unique about his self-taught style?

Answers:

1) Nat King Cole.

2) Type O is the most common blood type in the world. Type AB is the rarest. There is also a subtype called A-H, but to date only three people in the world are known to have it.

3) Ichabod "Icky" Mudd. Aristotle Jones was the Captain's scientific adviser.

4) He played with his thumb.

Alan Rock's Trivia!

2011-08-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

Questions:

1) In the comic strip Blondie, what is the husband's name?

2) Which two U.S. cities are both known for producing some of the best thoroughbred horses in the world?

3) The first English settlers to set foot in America landed at the tip of what city on April 29, 1607? This city is a popular tourist destination.

4) In the comic strip B.C., what are the talking clams used for?

Answers:

1) Dagwood.

2) Lexington, Kentucky and Ocala, Florida.

3) Virginia Beach, Virginia.

4) Money.