Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Ken Jennings and Tuesday Trivia

When I posted about betting strategies in Final Jeopardy a little while back, a guy by the name of Andy Saunders left a couple of useful comments. After going to his blog, I noticed that he helps out Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings in a weekly trivia contest over email that he calls Tuesday Trivia. Well, I signed up and temporarily forgot about it, but it's Tuesday today so the email came through. Needless to say, I have nowhere near the trivia aptitude of Ken Jennings. Here are the questions, sent with the following disclaimer:

As with all good trivia, it would take you about 30 seconds to Google the answers to the first six questions above. So you're on the honor system here: no peeking, and only send in the answers you knew off the top of your head. Answers will appear in next week's mailing.

1. What Cincinnati rabbi opened his first matzo bakery in 1888, though his company didn't own a vineyard until the 1940s?

2. If you find yourself in "gen pop," where are you?

3. The specialized neurons in what part of your body come in two distinct types: cylindrical and flask-shaped?

4. What longtime PBS hit is currently hosted by The X-Files's Gillian Anderson?

5. In 1959, a British engineer led Jumbo from Montmelian, France, to her home at the Turin zoo, in an attempt to recreate the historical route taken by whom?

6. What body of water does the Jordan River end by flowing into?

7. Based on the unusual distinction they share, who's the only U.S. president who could be added to this list--and why? Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens, Mel Gibson, James Joyce, Lisa Kudrow, Justin Morneau, Samuel Morse, and James Whistler?

The seventh is designed to be the hardest to Google, though I think I've made headway by noting that not all of them have won the American League MVP. I knew #5 right off, and my brother should know #3, and I can guess at #1 and #6.

To sign up, go here and then down to the bottom left corner of the page to the red box.

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