How much do you love trivia? I am consumed by it. I have a desire to learn every tiny, miniscule factoid there is.

I can remember the shoe size of Abraham Lincoln but not my parents' birthdays enough in advance to get a card in the mail so it arrives on time.

I've been doing this all morning: http://encarta.msn.com/quiz

It's fun. Try it.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Answers

I'm a little disappointed in myself for only getting 7 out of ten on the College Bowl trivia. And disappointed in Encarta for not including a Watergate trivia quiz- I happen to know the type of liquor bottle Virgilio Gonzalez peed into while trapped in a conference room closet on a pre-breakin casing of the Watergate, for pete's sake.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I took the language one and the verbal one and aced them, and then bombed the geography one, as I expected.

That's what happens when your 9th grade geography teacher keeps whiskey in her globe.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I will once again go on record as saying I Do. Not. Lose. at Trivial Pursuit. Also that the new Genus version is much, much easier than the original.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I'm dumb.

Except when it comes to movie quotes. I did "pretty good," even though all of the movies were from 1984 or before.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I will once again go on record as saying I Do. Not. Lose. at Trivial Pursuit. Also that the new Genus version is much, much easier than the original.

You shut up, Mike.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Mike, that's only because you've never played me.

And each Genus gets easier and easier. Stupid dumbing down of America.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Or maybe it is easier because it covers stuff we lived through.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

No, it's easier because it's stupid. Actual Genus IV question: This two word music genre is also known as rap.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

It's especially easy if you're playing someone who doesn't know the answers.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Hannah,

Many have made similar boasts, only to lose ingloriously.

Bring it.

Mike

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Oh, Mike. Are you sure you're up for such a challenge? Easy to make such a boast from DC.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

You're assuming it would even be a challenge, which is your first mistake.

And yeah, it's easy to make a boast. But not because I'm in D.C. Rather, it's because I haven't lost in so long that I don't even consider defeat a possibility.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Naked hannah... listen. Listen to your Al, here. You're late to the game.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

It is indeed easier because it's stupid. I won on a dumb-ass question like, "acetaminophen is the scientific name for the active ingredient in what over-the-counter painkiller?" It's embarrassing to win on a question like that.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I'm pretty proud of my T.P. record but, damn, Mike, your bluster knows no boundaries!

I think he wins because he knows all those sports questions from the 1920s.

"Who played right field for the Yankees in the third game of the 1924 World Series?" and that kind of stuff that only my grandfather and Mike know.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

You know, I am proud of my record as well. I can only recall two losses, as a matter of fact. One to my friend Tito, when I lost on ethical grounds because I refused to be party to her strategy of harassment and decided to let it be called a draw rather than subject myself further to her taunting, and one to someone else.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Hey, talking smack is one of the prime benefits of any competition, isn't it?

Nice try in the attempt to trip me up, but the Washington Senators were the AL representative in the 1924 World Series and won their only championship. New York was, however, represented by the NL's Giants.

And in Game 3, Sam Rice started in right field for the Senators, and Ross Youngs for the Giants. But I had to look that part up.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Nice try in the attempt to trip me up, but the Washington Senators were the AL representative in the 1924 World Series and won their only championship. New York was, however, represented by the NL's Giants.

Oh, Mike. Sweet, sweet Mike.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I will once again go on record as saying I Do. Not. Lose. at Trivial Pursuit

Mike, remember that we didn't have a chance to play when I was in DC.

Genus IV is like special ed Trivial Pursuit. I have boxes of cards from the original TP, though. When I was little, I actually read them all and put them in numerical order. Because that's the kind of kid I was.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

My brother and I used to play the original edition so often that we had the honor rule ... if one of us knew a certain question only because we'd memorized it from a previous game, it didn't count.

T, you'd be a formidible foe. I'd still win, but I would definitely take the precaution of not drinking to excess while the game was in progress.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

OK, I've has enough of this.

Mike, if and when you ever come to Atlanta, we will have the World Series of TP. Me, you, Teri and Allison. The last one living, wins.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Oh, but MOC, I think both the Chrises will need to participate. See, my Chris (I only say "my" for clarification purposes) is mighty competitive. In fact, his screen saver used to read, "KILL! KILL! KILL!"

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Um, don't for a second think y'all are leaving me out of this. Even if I have to participate by teleconference.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Sounds good to me. But I don't know how much I trust y'all. I'm thinking the three Georgians might agree in advance to rig the questions.

So I'll just have to win on my first turn and not give y'all a chance.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

...snore....

Y'all sure are a bunch of big talking jags. Mike, as always, coming on strong with the taunting.

You play your little game. I'll be at Chick-Fil-A.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

See, Al is trying to hide her desire to smackdown all-comers to the TP gameboard, but we all know she is seething with the competetive spirit.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I don't care as long as she brings the Chick-Fil-A.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

How much do I love trivia? I love trivia so much that I actually tried out for Jeopardy when I was 17.

I love trivia so much that I leave work early on Mondays to get a good table at Mother Egan's Irish Pub for their weekly live "Quiz Night" game.

I love trivia so much that I know the etymological origin of "sabotage" and "Luddite" - yes, Teri, I'm looking at you!

Y'all just let me know when the smackdown is - I will drive to Georgia.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

p.s. Chris, you are pure evil. I haven't left Encarta since you posted the link.

8 out of 10 each on the Word Detectives. 16 out of 16 on Spelling. Going back for more. Getting quite ridiculous.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Bar trivia?! Pfffht.

As for my talking smack ... as Baseball Hall-of-Famer Dizzy Dean once said, "If you can do it, it ain't braggin'." And I, my friends, can do it.

Also, despite her threats I got two dollars that says Allison will not be able to resist the trivia challenge, even for Chick-Fil-A.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Oh really? Phfft this, without Googling (and no cell phones are allowed in the bar while the game is on, either - and you only have two minutes to answer each one, and the first place team gets their whole night's tab paid, and qualifies for the finals?) - Who was the first U.S. president born in the 20th century?

To what was the title of Michael Moore's documentary "The Big One" referring?

What was the final score of the 1998 World Cup finals between France and Brazil?

What was the first registered trademark in the UK?

What was the traditional color for brides' dresses in ancient Rome?

What rodeo cowboy has the highest-recorded earnings?

What team formerly played in the venue known as Sick Stadium?

In which state are the Lumberjack World Championships held?

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

But aren't most bar trivia games mulitple choice?

Then again, last time I played bar trivia I was beaten repeatedly. All the old guys took my money. (MOC, I'm looking at you.)

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I also assume that, at the bar, these are all multiple-choice questions. But never mind.

1.)Kennedy

2.) I don't know. But Moore's not exactly my favorite person ever, so I don't keep track.

3.) I think it was 3-0, France. But one of the Brazilian stars had a seizure before the game or something, and didn't play well.

4.) No idea.

5.) Red?

6.) I have to admit, this is one sports question I have no idea on. Rodeo isn't too big in Washington.

7.) The much-beloved and much-missed Seattle Pilots, who Jim Bouton made famous in Ball Four

8.) Wisconsin. That's on the air every night nowadays on ESPN.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

I like bar trivia. I get to show off my vast knowledge of Irish authors and history in general.

If anyone knows of a bar in Atlanta where I can get my tab paid for by playing trivia PLEASE TELL ME! I will be there every night and invite all of you along.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

And wasn't The Big One about the American motor industry, particularly it's decline and it's effect on Pontiac, Michigan?

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

these are not multiple choice! They are hard as shite. You have an answer sheet that you have to fill in, and then the Samuel Adams girls come around and pick them up.

Can I just say - Mike, you are my dream trivia teammate. And you own a tux? Damn... I feel a Luuuuuurv Connection.

1) Kennedy. We changed it to Johnson at the last minute, because we couldn't remember how old he was when Kennedy was shot, but we knew Kennedy was mid-40's.

2) Supposedly the U.S. They had convinced the town they were bringing in a plant or something. I kept getting it confused with "Roger and Me," and the only girl who did see it couldn't remember.

3) It was 3-0, France.

4) The red triangle of Bass Brewery

5) Yellow. We guessed black and screwed this one.

6) I don't even remember this answer, but we got it wrong and rodeo is big here.

7) We put Seattle but not the team because we were fudging. But we got credit.

8) Wisconsin. The rest of my team wanted Washington or Oregon, and I was all, "y'all, I just watched the Women's Log Rolling Championships on ESPN2 last week. If it's not Wisconsin I'll buy all your drinks." Till the answers were read, they were talking some smack but they shut up after that.

Those were just the questions I could remember off the bat. There are 8 rounds of 10 questions, every Monday night. The closest I've come so far is last week, when we got fourth place (top three teams qualify for the finals). There are about 40 teams every week.

If we could do a MATH+1 Forum team, we'd get our tab paid every week.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

"4) The red triangle of Bass Brewery"

Oh, good Lord. Like I don't hear the Bass radio ads saying that every few of days on the way to work. I just made that one way too complicated.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Yep. Kinda like we did with the 20th century president.

We had to have a team moratorium on "but what about...?", because we will get the right answer, then change it to the wrong one right before we hand the sheet in.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Actually, wedding attire in ancient Rome was saffon - the fabric got its golden hue from being dyed with the coveted spice.

Three years of high school Latin has to be worth something, you know.

And Pineapple, what's bad is that I can't hear that Beastie Boys song without thinking of little wooden shoes.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

And Chris - what bar in Atlanta DOESN'T have trivia at least one night a week? Shall we try it out next week? Actually, I think even the Righteous Room has trivia. And did you know that the Vortex (the one in Midtown, not the one with the giant skull) has Simpson's trivia? It's true.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

My guess for the rodeo question is Donnie Gay. Do I win some Sam Adams?????

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Hey yall:

Not to be a newcomer dork, and probably no one cares, but I think The Big One refers to the US...if I recall correctly. Michael Moore says on the radio that he thinks the US should just call itself The Big One, because that's what everyone else calls it secretly. Some sort of an ironic anti-globalization something, I guess.

Other than that, I have no other bits of trivia wisdom for you, much to my sorrow. Except maybe one: what's the hard outer shell on a beetle (order Coleoptera) called?

--Chiara

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2001

Chris and T: Don't go where I used to play (the Wing Factory on Roswell Road). They lost their liquor license in April, and, being complete and utter jags, apparently have yet to get it back. When/if I move back down I'm hoping to find a place closer to the east side of town, since The Smoker is currently encouraging me to (!!!) buy a little house in Norcross (when the time comes, of course) and our team is fairly evenly split between Gwinnett County and Smyrna.

(It's three in the morning on Sunday and I'm at work. Hence the incoherence.)

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2001

Chiara - isn't it the carapace? And, you were right on Michael Moore, btw. The US is the answer they gave us last week.

I am getting SO fired up! Monday = Quiz Night at the pub! I just know we are going to get into the finals tonight.

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2001

The last time I played bar trivia we were spanked by the local barflies, because they re-ran the same questions and they knew the answers by heart.

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2001

That's just mean, Naked Hannah. Of course, I thought it was funny when Suzanne Sugarbaker memorized the Trivial Pursuit cards in that episode of Designing Women. Maybe it's the scale of her achievement that appeals to me, whereas the idea of a bunch of barflies memorizing Quizzo questions to pull a fast one over actual smart people seems nasty & cruel.

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2001

Oh, it was so lame. I mean, I'm a speedreader, but they didn't even have to READ the question. They just put in C or B as soon as the question came up.

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2001

Pineapple: Almost. When you go to the bar tonight and they ask you that question, it's actually "elytra." Elytra is a fancy word that means carapace. You are bound to win with that extremely important fact.

-- Anonymous, August 13, 2001

That's a bunch of sad whores who memorized the Quizzo answers. Don't they need to get home and feed their kids or something?

One of my great joys in life is spanking my husband's ass at Jeopardy every night. (It's the College Jeopardy Championships this week.) Do y'all* know how good I feel about myself when I know the Final Jeopardy question??? I was never very good at the old, hard trivial pursuit though. I couldn't even get the pie wedges in the little circle right.

* That's my required-in-five-posts "y'all." ;)

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

No finals. We sucked ass. It was so ugly. Our final score was 34 out of 80. The winning team had 52.

so now, in order to entice you to come help, I am going to sing to the MATH+1 Forumites a song, to the tune of Loggins and Messina's (or Jackopierce or David Allan Coe, depending on your taste) "Please Come to Boston."

Please come to Austin
For the Quiz Night
I've been playin' with my friends
And they aren't very smart You can stay in my guest room if you want to
As long as we make the finals, you'll be in my heart.
Please come to Austin,
Don't you know, it's your IQ I need.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

damn! I hate the "no edit"ness. That lyric formatting is all biffed - sorry.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

And MATH said...

Ramblin' girl, why don't you settle down?

Austin ain't your kind of town.

They ain't seen trivia gods like us, so far.

Take a plane to the East, and we'll dominate the bar.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001