Lookin' good, baby! Two new quizzes, yeah!

Make love to the camera, baby! Yeah! You're a tiger, a wild wild tiger!!! And you have to attend the upcoming quizzes and roar, baby! Let out that feral trivia howl! Give it to me! You're fierce, baby! Groovy!!!


Tuesday, July 31st, 9pm
Ray's Happy Birthday Bar
1200 E. Passyunk Ave. (near 9th & Federal Sts.)
Subject Round: SUMMER


Wednesday, Aug. 1st, 9pm
Dirty Frank's
13th & Pine Sts.
Subject Round: FIRST-EVER CROSSWORD ROUND

Other Guatemala photos for your infotainment

I took these shots in 2005. The first is a sidewalk piercing stand for Guatemala's small metalhead community:Next, we have the sure sign of a clean public bathroom: a stray dog.

Guatemala is well-known for its system of independently owned reject American school buses which serve as national transport, repainted with religious and mudflap girl imagery.

Anti-child sexploitation mural in Guatemala City; Gary Glitter take note!


Saturday night Catholic procession in La Antigua, perhaps the most quaint little city in this hemisphere.

Off to Guatemala!

I'm headed to Guatemala for a couple of weeks, necessitating the deputized quizmasters as described below.

My girlfriend and I will be hitting Mayan ruins, a volcanic beach with sea turtles, "The Most Beautiful Lake in the World," the fetid pit that is Guatemala City, and the remarkable Sunday market at Chichicastenango. We'll be visting with Maximon, "the drinking and smoking saint" of the highlands, and likely a bar or two.

It'll be my third time in this small but action-packed country, and I look forward to it. If you ever get the opportunity, by all means visit, it's one of the more interesting places in the hemisphere. Photos by me.

Deputies stepping in for two weeks - the skinny

Even dashing, brilliant quizmasters need a break sometimes. Not to fear, gentle pub quiz patron! Deputy Quizmasters have been sworn in. They've also received briefings, physicals and vaccinations. "We have Top Men working on the problem!" (I have requested that the each keep their one bullet buttoned in their respective shirt pockets...)

Deputy Dave will be handling the Ray's quiz. He's a seasoned quiz veteran and champion and will be writing his own material, in my format. Be nice to him.

Deputy Jim will be handling the Frank's quiz, and using reserve quizzes I have written for just such an event. Be nicer to him than you would be to me. Be warned he has a sharp tongue and is larger than me. He has a 00-series license and will kill if necessary.

The schedule for the quizzes is as follows:

Tuesday, July 10th, 9pm (Chris)
Ray's Happy Birthday Bar
1200 E. Passyunk Ave. (near 9th & Federal Sts.)
Subject Round: COMEDY FILMS

Wednesday, July 11th, 9pm (Chris)
Dirty Frank's
13th & Pine Sts.
Subject Round: ILLEGAL DRUGS

Tuesday, July 17th, 9pm (Dave)
Ray's Happy Birthday Bar
1200 E. Passyunk Ave. (near 9th & Federal Sts.)
Subject Round: ???

Wednesday, July 18th, 9pm (Jim)
Dirty Frank's
13th & Pine Sts.
Subject Round: ASIA

Tuesday, July 24th, 9pm (Dave)
Ray's Happy Birthday Bar
1200 E. Passyunk Ave. (near 9th & Federal Sts.)
Subject Round: ???

Wednesday, July 25th, 9pm (Jim)
Dirty Frank's
13th & Pine Sts.
Subject Round: BASEBALL

Me again thereafter.

That is all. Thank you.

Answers to last week's Secret Theme rounds

Ray's:
The theme was British prime ministers; their names as parts of component answers (which are sometimes titles) in italics.

1) What US president earned a political science doctorate from Johns Hopkins University? This wasn't an honorary degree, but one earned long before he was president. Woodrow Wilson

2) Which Australian city hosted the Summer Olympic games in 1956? Melbourne

3) What US city has the nicknames "Stumptown," "Bridgetown," and "City of Roses?" Portland

4) What chocolate-covered toffee bar was first manufactured in Robinson, IL in 1928 (still made today)? Heath

5) According to the Bible (or Torah), what land lies west of Nod? Eden

6) What variety of tea is flavored with the rind of the Bergamot orange? Earl Grey

7) What CBS sit-com starring Gerald McRaney ran 1989-1993? Major Dad

8) What character did Diana Rigg play on the classic British spy show The Avengers? Emma Peel

9) What American actor played Jack Ryan in the 1990 film The Hunt for Red October? Alec Baldwin

10) What Pennsylvania university was founded back in 1787 and was the site of the discovery of the structure of Vitamin C in 1932? University of Pittsburgh ( a.k.a. Pitt)

Frank's:

The theme was Summer Olympics host cities.

1) By what nickname did Iva Toguri Aquino become infamous? Tokyo Rose; she was fully acquitted and pardoned by the by.

2) What composer was responsible for such musicals as "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Easter Parade?" Irving Berlin

3) What was the name of the 1980 debut album by American punk band X? Los Angeles

4) What college town gave us The B-52s and R.E.M.? Athens, Georgia

5) What song by Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango hit Top 10 in the American pop charts in 1972, and is considered by some to be one of the first disco songs? "Soul Makossa"; homonym for Seoul

6) What classic 1944 movie musical featured Judy Garland as Esther Smith? Meet Me in St. Louis

7) What's the top (if not only) tourist attraction of Lake Havasu City, Arizona? London Bridge

8) What 1984 film starred Robin Williams as Vladimir Ivanov? Moscow on the Hudson

9) What large American city was founded in the 1830s as a railroad terminal, and therefore initially called Terminus? Atlanta

10) Who won the Best Actor Oscar for the 1963 film Lillies of the Field? Sidney Poitier, homonym for Sydney

This week's Secret Theme rounds

Ray's:

1) What US president earned a political science doctorate from Johns Hopkins University? This wasn't an honorary degree, but one earned long before he was president.

2) Which Australian city hosted the Summer Olympic games in 1956?

3) What US city has the nicknames "Stumptown," "Bridgetown," and "City of Roses?"

4) What chocolate-covered toffee bar was first manufactured in Robinson, IL in 1928 (still made today)?

5) According to the Bible (or Torah), what land lies west of Nod?

6) What variety of tea is flavored with the rind of the Bergamot orange?

7) What CBS sit-com starring Gerald McRaney ran 1989-1993?

8) What character did Diana Rigg play on the classic British spy show The Avengers?

9) What American actor played Jack Ryan in the 1990 film The Hunt for Red October?

10) What Pennsylvania university was founded back in 1787 and was the site of the discovery of the structure of Vitamin C in 1932?

... and what Secret Theme links the 10 answers?

Frank's:

1) By what nickname did Iva Toguri Aquino become infamous?

2) What composer was responsible for such musicals as "Annie Get Your Gun" and "Easter Parade?"

3) What was the name of the 1980 debut album by American punk band X?

4) What college town gave us The B-52s and R.E.M.?

5) What song by Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango hit Top 10 in the American pop charts in 1972, and is considered by some to be one of the first disco songs?

6) What classic 1944 movie musical featured Judy Garland as Esther Smith?

7) What's the top (if not only) tourist attraction of Lake Havasu City, Arizona?

8) What 1984 film starred Robin Williams as Vladimir Ivanov?

9) What large American city was founded in the 1830s as a railroad terminal, and therefore initially called Terminus?

10) Who won the Best Actor Oscar for the 1963 film Lillies of the Field?

... and what Secret Theme links the 10 answers?

Looking forward to the coming week...

Tuesday, July 10th
Ray's Happy Birthday Bar
1200 E. Passyunk Ave. (near 9th & Federal Sts.)
Subject Round: COMEDY FILMS

Wednesday, July 11th
Dirty Frank's
13th & Pine Sts.
Subject Round: ILLEGAL DRUGS

Group W wins Frank's shoot-out, regains title

Group W, who appear at left (every time I try and get a clear photo, something strange happens to the lens!), are back in the driver's seat at Frank's, having staved off two strong contenders in a hard quiz. W was the only team to earn even partial credit for the Secret Theme. Props to newcomers LAW 81 for getting 8 of 10 in the tricky Americanismania Subject round, a group of 10 patriotic questions for the Fourth. There were multiple lead changes in the contest, which is what I like to see.

Thanks to everyone who came out. braving the thunderstorms and choosing the quiz over Hall & Oates plus fireworks!

Your scores follow. Unfortunately these are out of a possible 206 instead of 212, as two miscreants shouted answers directly after I reminded people not to, just to be asses. I work too hard on writing the questions and marketing the quiz to have jackholes crap upon it, which is why that behavior gets such harsh response.

This week I actually told people not to shout answers in three languages (English about 12 times) only to have an answer shouted immediately thereafter. My only regrets are that everyone has to be exposed to small number of asses who delight in ruining our fun, and that ignorance itself is not immediately physically painful to the ignorant.

Beautiful Gold: Group W 153
So-So Silver: Rosemary, Lily & the Jack of Hearts 137
Shameful, Shameful Bronze: LAW 81 129

Also-rans:

Slaughterfest 2007 101
Chrevallee 75
Denise & Michelle 73
I Have Terrets [sic] 65

During the quiz I suggested that "terrets" might be the progeny of Terrell Owens and a ferret. "Someone get that mammal a contract!"

Controversial win at Ray's

The team called Hall & Oates Are the Greatest Duo of All Time won a controversial, low-scoring affair at Ray's on Tuesday, At issue was the team's size, which grew throughout the night. I've always maintained that team size is no larger than 6, but these guys grew gradually and I really should have said something at some point before things got out of hand.

The team was one person at the beginning of the first round, friends showed up and it was 3 by the end of the round, 5 after two rounds and so forth until metastasis set in and half of the room was on one team by the end of the sixth round. The full usual prize was not awarded as a result, and second place finishers and sometimes Ray's champs Johnny Gloryhole may have some prize coming as a result. My apologies to all involved. From now on I announce a team limit of 6 and stick to it; I simply haven't been lucky enough to get teams that large at either venue in the past.Kudos to Peacock Vampires for having the best Unreasonably Difficult round with the smallest team! The Last Place Prize this week was a book on how to do cowboy rope tricks. What you do with that is your business ...

Scores:

Beautiful Gold: Hall & Oates Are the Greatest Duo of All Time 125
So-So Silver: Johnny Gloryhole 102
Shameful, Shameful Bronze: Dildo Baggins & The Indigo Boys 96

Also-rans:

Peacock Vampires 91
Kisses for Kittens 81

Answers to last week's Secret Theme rounds

Ray's:

The theme is current US Senators...

1) What comic actor was born Jason Scott Greenspan in 1959? Jason Alexander

2) What world-famous fictional character was named after a real-life American ornithologist who wrote Birds of the West Indies? James Bond

3) Which Simon & Garfunkel song contains the line In the quiet of the railway station, runnin' scared? "The Boxer"

4) What comic actor was featured as a character in the contraversial 2003 video game Postal? Gary Coleman

5) What agribusiness giant was founded as the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1901? Dole

6) What's the lowest comissioned officer rank in both the US Navy and US Coast Guard? Ensign

7) Who starred in the semi-autobiographical 1986 film Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling? Richard Pryor

8) Who founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870? John D. Rockefeller

9) What retired NFL star won the Heisman Trophy in 1988, the NFL MVP in 1997 and went to 10 Pro Bowls with the same team? Barry Sanders

10) What building stands at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC? The White House; believe it or not Rhode Island currently has a Senator with the surname "Whitehouse!"

Frank's:

The theme is mascots of Big 10 Conference schools...

1) What comic book character is the superhero alter ego of James Howlett? Wolverine

2) What M*A*S*H character was played by both Donald Sutherland and Alan Alda? Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce

3) What 1986 film stars Gene Hackman as a basketball coach? Hoosiers

4) What ancient Greek city-state was also known as Laconia or Lacadaemon? Sparta

5) What character did actor-turned-congressman Fred Grandy play on The Love Boat? Gopher (Minnesota's Golden Gophers)

6) What term is used for strikes not officially authorized by a union? Wildcat

7) Which US state is named after the Algonquin word for "warriors"? Illinois (Illini)

8) What international fraternal organization was formed by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones in 1917? Lions (as in Nittany Lions of Penn State)

9) What's the generic term for any beer cocktail consisting of a beer and shot, consumed either together or seperately? Boilermaker

10) In the Harry Potter books, what mammal is the mascot of Hufflepuff House? Badger

There are, incidentally, 11 teams currently in the Big 10 with talk of expansion to 12. I suppose the math professors would call this a "very large value for 10."

Last week's Secret Theme questions

Last week the Ray's Secret Theme was only the second one ever that no team figured out. Can you guess the theme? The three top teams at Frank's nailed their respective Secret Theme, which was quite impressive as I thought that was a tough one.

Ray's:

1) What comic actor was born Jason Scott Greenspan in 1959?
2) What world-famous fictional character was named after a real-life American ornithologist who wrote Birds of the West Indies?
3) Which Simon & Garfunkel song contains the line In the quiet of the railway station, runnin' scared?
4) What comic actor was featured as a character in the contraversial 2003 video game Postal?
5) What agribusiness giant was founded as the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1901?
6) What's the lowest comissioned officer rank in both the US Navy and US Coast Guard?
7) Who starred in the semi-autobiographical 1986 film Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling?
8) Who founded the Standard Oil Company in 1870?
9) What retired NFL star won the Heisman Trophy in 1988, the NFL MVP in 1997 and went to 10 Pro Bowls with the same team?
10) What building stands at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC?

... and what theme links the 10 answers?

Frank's:

1) What comic book character is the superhero alter ego of James Howlett?
2) What M*A*S*H character was played by both Donald Sutherland and Alan Alda?
3) What 1986 film stars Gene Hackman as a basketball coach?
4) What ancient Greek city-state was also known as Laconia or Lacadaemon?
5) What character did actor-turned-congressman Fred Grandy play on The Love Boat?
6) What term is used for strikes not officially authorized by a union?
7) Which US state is named after the Algonquin word for "warriors"?
8) What international fraternal organization was formed by Chicago businessman Melvin Jones in 1917?
9) What's the generic term for any beer cocktail consisting of a beer and shot, consumed either together or seperately?
10) In the Harry Potter books, what mammal is the mascot of Hufflepuff House?

... and what theme links the 10 answers?