Political Trivia

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JackDodge @ Feb 28 2007, 10:10 AM) [snapback]397906[/snapback]</div>

Good grief! That isn't trivia, it's a hard goddamn history exam! I'm not even sure it makes sense: the defense secretary's chiefs of staff number at least five, one for each branch of the service. Perhaps you meant who were Ford's defense secretary and chief of staff, respectively? That's a tad easier, more in the trivia line: our pleasant friends in the present administration (well, one now FORMER member of the administration) - Cheney and Rumsfeld. Or the other way round.

Who coined the word "McGuffin" - and what IS a "McGuffin"?

Mark Baird
Alameda CA

 

McGuffin....hmm I could cheat and Google it, but I won't. I know it has something to do with mystery writing.



Ps. Wasn't the themesong a Fleetwood Mac song (Dont' Stop Thinkin about Tomorrow"?)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AuntBee @ Mar 1 2007, 12:25 AM) [snapback]398291[/snapback]</div>

Ooh! I know that one without even using Google, cinema buff that I am - Alfred Hitchcock used to to describe something that was pivotal to a plot, but it in itself was unimportant (example: the briefcase in "Pulp Fiction").

"Don't Stop Thinkin' 'bout Tomorrow" was Bill Clinton's campaign song.

I thought the Republican song was "Everybody Wants To Rule the World"

 

Man, this thread needs a boost!

Here's an easy one (no fair peeking at your atlas):

Ten countries on the planet currently have four letter names, and have had these names for at least a century (so Siam doesn't qualify since it no longer exists as a country) - name them.

 

And you guys thought my Major System challenge was hard.... SHEEESH!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Mar 1 2007, 03:33 PM) [snapback]398669[/snapback]</div>

I'm gonna try not to cheat...

Laos
Peru
Fiji (Is it a country?)

And that's it. That's all I've got. Anyone else with the other seven? (Even though I'm not sure that this counts as political trivia. More like geographical.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(livelychick @ Mar 1 2007, 07:19 PM) [snapback]398853[/snapback]</div>

All I could come up with are

Iraq
Iran

 

Yes, Fiji is one of the 10.

I lied - this is NOT an easy puzzle. I only got 7 when I was given it, and only one person I know of got all 10 (which amazed everybody!)

MB

 

Oman
Chad
Iran
Iraq
Peru
Cuba
Fiji
Guam
Laos
Mali
Niue
Togo

Does USSR count?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Mar 1 2007, 08:56 PM) [snapback]398893[/snapback]</div>

I propose scrapping the "political" qualification here and throwing it open to all topics. I just noticed the "political" in the thread's title & realized I'd led it astray - so my apologies. But I think it might help it get some legs.

Mark Baird
Alameda CA

 

I was only kidding about the USSR. And yes, Guam doesn't count because it's an American territory, and Niue is only an island in Polynesia. Is it up to me now to propose another challenge?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Mar 1 2007, 09:24 PM) [snapback]398910[/snapback]</div>

Yes. But in the meantime...

54 40 or fight (and no googling!)

 

OK, no googling.

54 40 is a geographical reference, relating to establishing the US/Canada border.

Next question: What's the significance of the Arctic Circle? What's different North and South of that latitude?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rufaro @ Mar 1 2007, 11:39 PM) [snapback]398954[/snapback]</div>

I actually remember that one from history class. It may be the only thing I remember from that class.

But Hyo beat me to it.

Okay, here's one, since it doesn't say it has to be U.S. political trivia:

As always, no fair googling:

Name the two men who held the title of Emperor of Mexico.

 

I could maybe pick one of the names from a multiple choice question by vaguely remembering "Max from Mex". Otherwise, ya got me.

How's your geographical trivia, Daniel? (See the question above about the Arctic Circle.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Mar 3 2007, 10:19 AM) [snapback]399528[/snapback]</div>

On the polar side of the Arctic circles, the sun never sets during the summer, and never rises during winter.

More geography: You have a shovel. You start digging straight down from anywhere on the North American continent. Continuing your dig through the earth's center and all the way through to the opposite side, what's the percentage likelihood you'll emerge onto dry land? (No, where all the dirt gets put is not part of the question).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 3 2007, 01:32 PM) [snapback]399533[/snapback]</div>

I do believe this is a trick question. The obvious one is Maxamillian (I'm not sure if I spelled that correctly, but in order to I'd need to use Google which I'm not going to do), who was already pointed out. The other one: Napoleon, back when France claimed Mexico as their own?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airportkid @ Mar 3 2007, 11:24 AM) [snapback]399552[/snapback]</div>

Not quite.

Opposite the polar side of the arctic circle, the sun sets every night and rises every day, at least briefly. On the polar side of the artic circle there is at least one night when the sun does not set. and at least one day when it does not rise. The closer you approach to the pole, the more nights there are when the sun does not set, and the more days there are when it does not rise. Only at the poles does your description apply.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Mar 3 2007, 12:35 PM) [snapback]399577[/snapback]</div>

Not a trick question. Maximilian (Maximiliano to the Mexicans) is correct, and is the better known of the two. He was installed by Napoleon, but it was Maximilian, not Napoleon, who was emperor. There is another, at a different period of Mexico's history.

Repeat: No fair searching the internet.