JEOPARDY Archives - Page 14 of 20

Red Chuck Taylors (Five Photos, Five Stories #5)

When I was at the game show JEOPARDY! in 1998, I was wearing my red Chucks through the entire warmup.

I swore I told this story before, but I cannot find it.

For reasons that defy logical explanation, I have long had a grand affection for red Converse sneaker, the Chuck Taylor variety, preferably high tops. I have other colors, but I tend to favor the red ones.

Moreover, it’s the color that gets the most unsolicited, and usually positive, comments, usually along the lines of, “I wish I had the guts to wear them.”

Someone gave us a Christmas ornament some years back that looked like red Chucks.

When I was at the game show JEOPARDY! in 1998, I was wearing my red Chucks through the entire warm-up, then, got all tradition in changing into uncomfortable, relatively new shoes for the actual games. I was convinced that was a fatal error on my part. I might have fared better with the Chucks.

We bought our current house in May 2000, a week before our first wedding anniversary. I was in the backyard, removing some branches. Unfortunately, someone had thrown some used lumber in the pile, not immediately visible. I stepped on a nail, which went through my red Chucks.

I pulled the nail out, and hobbled what felt like an interminable distance to the front of the house, hopped up to the front porch, opened the front door, and yelled to my wife. She replied, “I’m upstairs!” I replied, “Come DOWN!”

She drove me to the urgent care place, 20 minutes before it closed. They numbed my foot, before removing little bits of my red Chuck Taylor sneakers from the hole in my foot.

I may have thrown them away after we got home.
***
Note: I have been nominated by my buddy Lisa over at Peripheral Perceptions to participate in the Five Photos, Five Stories meme, which simply says I should post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem or a short paragraph and each day nominate another blogger for the challenge.

The problem is that almost all my posts are stories and have pictures. So I’m cheating and writing only one new post. And I’m nominating YOU!

May rambling #1: Kings down

Ben E. King’s original version of Stand By Me was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.

Rumsfeld: Looting is transition to freedom.

11 Stupid Reasons White People Have Rioted.

These 10 Questions Can Mean Life Behind Bars.

US cited for police violence, racism in scathing UN review on human rights.

The History of ‘Thug’: “The surprisingly ancient and global etymology of a racially charged epithet.”

Why are we celebrating the beating of a black child?

So You’re About To Become A Minority…

Part of Michelle Obama’s revealing speech at Tuskegee. The whole thing. Plus the reaction from certain parties.

The NRA’s brazen shell game with donations.

Art Spiegelman: Je Suis Charlie —But I’m Not Pamela Geller. AFDI is “the anti-matter, Bizarro World, flipside, mirror-logic version of what Charlie Hebdo is about.”

Rating Last Week’s Craziness. What should we do when debunking just isn’t enough?

The 10 biggest lies you’ve been told about the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

There is no “Blue Wall” for the Democratic Presidential nominee in 2016.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: American students face a ridiculous amount of testing. Oliver explains how standardized tests impact school funding, the achievement gap, how often kids are expected to throw up.

Former Homeless Teen Cyndi Lauper Testifies Before Congress On Ending LGBT Youth Homelessness.

An open letter to pastors (A non-mom speaks about Mother’s Day). And, from last year, the holiday’s centennial: Its Surprisingly Dark History.

In case you missed it, Harriet Tubman was the selection of the Women On 20s voters. Now tell the President.

Judge Rules Man Fathered Only One Twin.

L’Wren as she was.

Dustbury on the passing of the lead Kingsman, Jack Ely, of Louie, Louie fame; and the wonderful Ben E. King. I’m SO pleased that King’s original version of Stand By Me was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”, only about a month before King’s death. As Mr. Frog noted, Ben E. King also performed Save the Last Dance for Me with the Drifters.

Then, unsurprisingly, the great bluesman Riley B. King, known as MB.B. King, died this week. From NPR: “He was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in ’87. He was so beloved that he received honorary degrees from the Berklee College of Music as well as Yale and Brown universities, among others.” Here’s an episode of Sanford and Son, featuring B.B. King.

SamuraiFrog remembers Michael Blake, author of Dances with Wolves.

The Mike Wallace Interview featuring Rod Serling (1959). Serling’s legacy lives on as his hometown of Binghamton, NY opens a museum exhibit in the Bundy Museum of History.

Grief is powerful. “Here are 6 lessons survivors learn from tragedy.”

There’s a Facebook graphic noting that, in the American way of writing dates, all of the days in this 10-day period are palindromes, e.g. 5/17/15, 5/18/15. It was also true in April 2014, March 2013, February 2012, January 2011. It was similarly true in 2001-2009, if you use the leading zero in the day field: 1/01/01. 2/01/02, et al.

It’ll be true next June: 6/10/16 et al., then starting 7/10/17, 8/10/18, 9/10/19, 1/20/21, 2/20/22, 3/20/23, 4/20/24, 5/20/25, 6/20/26, 7/20/27, 8/20/28, and 9/20/29. Then not again until 2101, so prepare your memes now.

Frontier Town: yeah, I visited there a long time ago.

David Kalish: The incredible adventures of my wife’s nose.

Mark Evanier’s 60th birthday, starring his mother. And Ken Levine’s mom gets him a writing gig.

Let it Beep, Apple Computers! And Beep Beep by the Playmates.

Tammy Wynette’s greatest Top Pop success. (It’s NOT Stand By Your Man.)

Omnified G and Turning the Corner and We want our nickel back.

SamuraiFrog ranks Weird Al: 90-81 and 80-71.

Paved in Robbie Williams platinum.

No, beards are no more filthy and dangerous than everything else.

The many MGM logo lions.

JEOPARDY!: Louis Virtel’s one regret after losing (and snapping) on the show. Why Ken Jennings’s Streak Is Nearly Impossible To Break; almost certainly true. Plus 6 Inside Facts; these are totally true.

Nurses from the Opening Credits of MASH, the TV show.

Muppets: a whole lot of stuff, including Orson Welles.

GOOGLE WATCH (me)

Arthur and his blog and Facebook and breaking technology. Something like that.

ADD does the A to Z. So does Monsieur Frog.

Dustbury would LIKE to wear sunscreen. Plus a Stevie Wonderesque medley.

Chuck Miller writes the Best of our TU Community Blogs every Thursday. My posts have been on the list occasionally, but for May 7, my post about Kent State was the READ FIRST.

J is for Office JEOPARDY! #3

I’ve been participating in an e-mail version of JEOPARDY!, the TV game show that has been on the air in its current incarnation for over 30 years. Earlier versions makes the run more like four decades.

There has been some interdepartmental game of the TV show Jeopardy going on around here. I was invited to join by this guy, not in my department but in my building, who told the organizer “Alex” that I’m really smart; thanks for the pressure. I wonder if “Alex” knows I was was once on the real JEOPARDY?

Here are some of the rules.
* All the answers and questions come from the Jeopardy Desk calendar of the current date.
* Don’t cheat. NO looking at the desk calendar, NO looking up the answer anywhere (i.e. internet, dictionary, etc), NO discussing or giving it away with anyone.
* The Answer must be in the form of a question or you will lose points
* Only those with positive points can play Final Jeopardy.

I won the first round, and tied for first the last round, so maybe I was feeling a tad cocky. BTW, no real money changes hands.

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: Theater Lingo
The Jeopardy game answer is: To be “Born in” one of these suitcases means you’re born into an acting family.

My first instinct was to say in a trunk, but I wasn’t sure, so I passed.

Six people got it right, two got it wrong, 11, including me, passed.

What is a trunk?

Nuts, didn’t trust my instincts.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $400 and the category is: Hey, Sailor!
The Jeopardy game answer is: On September 20,1519, this Portuguese navigator headed West on a trip around the world.

Not only did I know this straight off, I knew he didn’t make it, but died in 1521. Talk about your useless trivia.

Who is Ferdinand Magellan?

There’s a five-way tie for 1st place, and I’m in a three-way tie for 7th place.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: Hey, Sailor!
The Jeopardy game answer is: He served at the Civil War Battle of New Orleans before becoming a naval hero of the Spanish-American War.

My first guess was David Farragut, who fought in the Gulf of Mexico during the Civil War. Fortunately, I wasn’t confident enough to guess, and a good thing: Farragut died in 1870, long before the 1898 war.

Who is (Admiral) George Dewey?

The leader has $1600, and I’m in a three-way tie for 6th, still with $400.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: Notable Places
The Jeopardy game answer is: Two battles near this “Springs” city of upstate New York are often called the turning point of the American revolution.

This should have been a gimme for everyone, for this was only 30 miles from here!

What is Saratoga (Springs)?

The leader has $2200, and I’m in a three-way tie for 6th with $1000.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $400 and the category is: Title Role Playing
The Jeopardy game answer is: Dr. Strangelove

I have actually never seen this 1964 film – for shame! – but feel I ought to. Seen a lot of clips, though, and knew right away.

Who is Peter Sellers?

The leader has $2600, and I’m in a two-way tie for 5th with $1400.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: Title Role Playing
The Jeopardy game answer is: The Great Gatsby (2013)

Never saw the movie, but I remember reading that one actor had good roles in two films that year, the other being The Wolf of Wall Street, which I ALSO did not see.

Who is Leonardo DiCaprio?

I have $2600, still tied for 4th.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $200 and the category is: Words & Their Meanings
The Jeopardy game answer is: This is the indentation on the bottom of a wine bottle, or a kick on fourth down in football.

That’s AMERICAN football.
I think EVERYONE knew this.

What is a punt?
***

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: Words & Their Meanings
The Jeopardy game answer is: As well as a summary or account, it can mean an explosive noise, as from a rifle.

I got this straight away.

What is a report?

Leader with $4600; I’m in a three-way tie for 3rd with $3400.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: “Aire” Time
The Jeopardy game answer is: The Physiocrats, 18th Century French Economists, were in favor of this, the government staying out of economic affairs.

I wonder if “Alex” penalized for misspelling, since “aire” is in the clue?

The question to Friday’s answer was: What is Laissez-Faire?

A new leader at $4800, and I’m in a tie for 2nd with $4600.

That was the last question before the Final Jeopardy. Based on this category, we wager with the amount of money you have, but we don’t know the question.

The Final Jeopardy Category is: Annual Events

I bet it all, because the person I’m tied with will bet it all, based on previous experience.

The next day:

Your answer to this category is: Forefathers Day, December 21, celebrates the 1620 landing here.

Really? I suspect EVERYONE will get this right.

What is Plymouth Rock?

Sure enough, the winner had $9498, with me tied for second at $9200.
***
From the REAL JEOPARDY!
What’s it like to be one of the Jeopardy! clue writers?

The episode of March 12, 2015 was just awful. And very lonely for one contestant.

ABC Wednesday – Round 16

Office JEOPARDY! #2

19 folks, including FOUR from my office, playing this round of near-daily questions arriving in our e-mail. Key rule is that you can’t look up the answer.

See how you would have done.

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: Political Lingo
The Jeopardy game answer is: An 1868 definition of this term: “Men traveling with little luggage and less character” to profit from the situation.

Hitting my strong suit for an old poli sci major!

What is a carpetbagger?

Nine-way tie for first.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1000 and the category is: Political Lingo
The Jeopardy game answer is: Calling someone who favors talk over military action this bird dates from the Cuban Missile Crisis.

“Alex” added: “I have no clue if this answer was written correctly. Perhaps it will make sense to some of you. I was totally lost on it. It is written verbatim from the calendar.”

It IS awkwardly phrased, but I got it. I associate the term more with Vietnam.

What is a dove?

Five-way tie for first, with FOUR coming from my office!
***

Today’s Answer is worth $400 and the category is: She Married Him
The Jeopardy game answer is: Ben Affleck.

I’m not really up on celebrity marriages, but Affleck was recently on the news recently, profiled for one of his causes, and it mentioned his wife.

Who is Jennifer Garner?

Still a five-way tie at $2000, with one at $1400 and two at $1000.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: She Married Him
The Jeopardy game answer is: William H. Macy

I never would have gotten this one on the actual TV show. I could visualize her, but spent five minutes saying to myself, “What the heck is the name of that blonde woman on Desperate Housewives?” I saw her on the TV show Sports Night and in the movie Transamerica, too. Finally, the light bulb lit up.

Who is Felicity Huffman?

A three-way tie for 1st place at $3200; all librarians! Two at $2200, 1 each at $2000 and $1800, 2 at $1600.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1000 and the category is: The Hardy Boys
The Jeopardy game answer is: General Hugh Hardy was a 1980s commanding officer of this huge marine base near San Diego.

One of my sisters lives in San Diego, so I’d better get this right! BTW, the categories are often misleading; this has no relation to the Hardy book series.

What is Camp Pendleton?

STILL a three-way tie for 1st place at $4200; all librarians! One each at $3200, $3000, $2800, and $2600.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $200 and the category is: Same first & Last Letter
The Jeopardy game answer is: An invisible emanation, or an intangible quality.

Didn’t know straight off, but started thinking of words that start and end with A and got it.

What is an aura?

Now a two-way tie for 1st, another librarian and me, with the other librarian at $4000. Someone at $3200, and another of my colleagues at $3000. Our office rules!
***

Today’s Answer is worth $600 and the category is: Same first & Last Letter
The Jeopardy game answer is: A noble gas, atomic number 10.

The fact that I had recently written about inert gases, helped as I noted all of them, except helium, end with N. What starts and ends with N? That made it easy for me.

What is neon?

Rankings stay relatively the same.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1000 and the category is: Same first & Last Letter
The Jeopardy game answer is: Edible fruit matter, or lurid “fiction”.

I’d seen the film. But the e-mailed question was stuck in my spam folder for hours. Glad I found it.

What is pulp?

Pretty easy for all the leaders.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $400 and the category is: Ranks & Titles
The Jeopardy game answer is: There is nothing like this term for a female Knight or the wife of a Lord.

One might see Lord and decide on Lady, and I considered it briefly. Bur sometimes the answer is in the clue. “There is nothing like…” lead me to the correct response.

What is a dame?

For your listening pleasure: There Is Nothin’ Like a Dame from the film South Pacific.

This one tripped up a few people, but not the librarians.
I remained tied for the lead at $6400, with a third librarian at $6000. Two at $4800, one at $4200.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $1200 and the category is: Ranks & Titles
The Jeopardy game answer is: John Busby’s call to Christian service led him from youth leader to national commander of this “army”.

Christian “army”? The quotes suggest it’s part of the answer, and I took the educated guess.

What is the Salvation Army?

Interesting: one librarian didn’t answer this. So FINALLY, alone in first place with $7600, but the other two right behind me at $7200 and $6400, not to mention a couple others at $6000, it’s going to be anyone’s match.
***

Today’s Answer is worth $200 and the category is: The Animal Kingdom
The Jeopardy game answer is: During a chase, these cats take about 3½ strides per second, though the sprints only last about 300 yards.

There’s is no real incentive to answer this. If the second place person gets it right, and I get it wrong, I lose the lead. But the idea of getting every question right is too appealing. So I pick the fastest land mammal. And after the fact, I discover it’s the last question before Final Jeopardy.

What is a cheetah?
***
I go into Final JEOPARDY with a $200 lead, $7800 to $7600. The Final Jeopardy Category is: Characters Who Became Words, which the librarians agree we will either know right away, or not at all. I wager $7400; if I get it right, and the 2nd place person bets it all and gets it right, we will be tied for the win. Or I crash and burn.

Today’s Final JEOPARDY! answer in the category Characters Who Became Words
This money lending character from a 1596 play now refers to any heartless or demanding creditor.

The time frame suggests Shakespeare, and the clue sends me to the character from The Merchant of Venice. But if it’s what I think it is, it’s generally considered an ethnic slur.

Still: Who is Shylock?

Correct! And the person, only $200 behind me, DID bet it all, so we ended up in a tie, at $15,200. That person thanked me for pulling “an Arthur Chu”, referring to this episode of the real game show, in which the “compliance analyst, voiceover artist, and blogger from Broadview Heights, Ohio,” who ended up as 2014 Tournament of Champions 1st runner-up for Season 30, played for the tie rather than the win.

I got all the questions right THIS time. Next round, not nearly so fortunate…

Hack attack!

Given the fact that I had, and still have, no interest in seeing the SONY picture The Interview, I am nevertheless saddened to see its theatrical release scuttled. As you probably heard, the film is about a couple of “tabloid TV show” journalists…

When they discover that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is a fan of the show, they land an interview with him in an attempt to legitimize themselves as journalists. As Dave and Aaron prepare to travel to Pyongyang, their plans change when the CIA recruits them, perhaps the two least-qualified men imaginable, to assassinate Kim.

SONY pictures’ computers have been hacked by cyberbullies believed to be tied to North Korea. Or maybe not. A load of internal data was released – more anon – but the most serious action was a threat that suggested people stay away from the theaters showing the film, lest some Sept. 11, 2001-type attack befall them.

The riffraff on the Internet who think that SONY created the threat as a way to boost buzz for the Interview I find odd The conspiracy theorists are tiresome; it spent $30 million on the film, and tens of millions on the promotion. In any case, the alert got several of the largest movie theater chains to decide not to show the film, scheduled to open on Christmas Day. SONY then decided to pull the film from release.

Naturally, the politicians have weighed in. Mitt Romney, the once and perhaps future Presidential nominee suggests that SONY stream it for free. The incumbent, Barack Obama, suggested that we continue to go to the movies, and told SONY that it made a mistake shelving the flick.

A small part of me is actually thinking that the hoary cliche, We’re letting the terrorists win, seems appropriate here. As the George Clooney petition, which NO one in Hollywood signed, there’s a lot of cowardice in Tinsel Town. On the other hand, as Mark Evanier noted: “We cancel airline flights if there’s even a vague threat. We evacuate buildings if there are suspicious packages. In a sense, the terrorists/hackers have already won this one.”

Some of the data breaches of SONY have turned out to be everything from merely embarrassing to so problematic that lawsuits are threatened; it has been very costly for the company, both fiscally and on a trust level. Some of the issues revealed:
Salaries
The script for an upcoming James Bond film
Tom Hanks used to check-in hotels under the name Johnny Madrid.
Alex Trebek considered quitting JEOPARDY! over a recent Kids’ Week kerfuffle
*Denzel Washington blacklist?

The journalism website Poynter has addressed the ethics of hacked email and otherwise ill-gotten information. It suggests:
Do additional reporting to verify the details. You must be sure it is accurate before you pass it along
Avoid distortion and instead ensure appropriate tone. This means watching your headlines, adjectives, and all the other details that give a particular piece of information a certain tone. When you add flavor to information, it needs to be appropriate.
*Add context, by seeking additional input or rebuttal from the relevant stakeholders. Context makes information more accurate.