Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Last quiz of 2014

Wednesday, December 17, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: 2014: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Wednesday, December 24, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: CHRISTMAS EVE - NO QUIZ

Wednesday, December 31, 7:30pm
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9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: NEW YEAR'S EVE - NO QUIZ

Wednesday, January 7, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: 2015: THE YEAR IN REVIEW


Both subject matters in keeping with what's now tradition.  Everyone have a merry & happy everything.  The possibility exists that I'll be doing a second quiz in South Philly starting early next year.  Stay tuned.

Monday, December 8, 2014

Bring a date

Wednesday, December 10, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: FAMOUS COUPLES

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

???

Wednesday, December 3, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: FAMOUS MYSTERIES

I'm fighting off a cold.  Expect less than sharp quizmastering & don't lick the answer sheet.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Yes, Virginia, there is a Thanksgiving Eve quiz; there's also a 12 Steps Down annual party, and food drive

Wednesday, November 26, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: TURKEY

We'll be kicking off at 7:30 as usual but I'll be pushing the time of the quiz come in under the annual Thanksgiving Eve party beginning at 10pm.

Consider bringing canned & other non-perishable food items for the bar's holiday food drive, which runs through December 4.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

This time it's personal

Wednesday, November 19, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: WORLD WAR II

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Meta-trivia!

Wednesday, November 12, 7:30pm
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9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: TRIVIA ABOUT TRIVIA

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Longest... subject round title... ever

Wednesday, November 5, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: HISTORICAL STUFF THAT HAPPENED IN PREVIOUS NOVEMBERS

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

What was up with the blog + this week's theme

A lot of Widgets available to Blogger users were hijacked a couple of weeks ago to drive traffic toward a provider of blog services via a redirect of the entire blog.  As soon as the Widget loaded you were sent to the other site.  This seems a supremely stupid way to encourage business, but that's what they did.

It took about 10 seconds to research what was causing the problem, but I had to set aside some time to comb through the code in the Widgets to determine which was/were the problem one(s), and I didn't really have time for that until today.

This blog is supplemental to the quiz, and there's always still going to be a quiz unless I state the previous week or on here that there will not be.  And how often does that happen, maybe once or twice/year on Christmas or New Year's Eve..?  Even when I'm not in the city I get coverage otherwise.

For the record last week's subject was Architecture.


Wednesday, October 29, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: U.S. PRESIDENTS

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Expect at least 3 questions on the NFL domestic violence policy

Wednesday, October 15, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Calling all space cadets...

Wednesday, October 8, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: ASTRONOMY

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

October is Gay History Month

Wednesday, October 1, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: GAY RIGHTS & GAY ICONS

The quiz is battin' for the other team this week (unless that's your team, in which case the quiz bats for side for a change... you get the idea).  Reasonable people understand that people who shout quiz answers are the appropriate bashing targets.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

... and now for something completely different

Wednesday, September 24, 7:30pm
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9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: BRITISH COMEDY

Friday, September 19, 2014

Scotland says Scotland isn't a country

"The people of Scotland have spoken and it is a clear result. They have kept our country of four nations together and, like millions of other people, I am delighted." - British Prime Minister David Cameron, this morning

Long-time quiz participants and blog readers will remember that a few years back an argument raged on this blog and across a few other sites owing to objections to a simple quiz question I asked.

I asked in essence for Western European countries to be named.  One team answered the United Kingdom (which they incorrectly believed at once to be 'England') and then answered Scotland as well, expecting credit on the question twice.  They didn't get two correct answer credits for that, but one.  This immediately led to a campaign by one long-term quiz participant to prove me incorrect, and to force me to say that 'Scotland is a country.'

My consistent response has been that the UK is a country comprised of multiple nations.  (The prime minister of the UK stated this plainly today, but what the hell would he know?)  The former is a political designation for a politically independent state whereas the latter is more a sense of shared culture.  Thus we have the term nation-state, a designation for the fortunate overlap of both, a comparatively rare construct in the world.

Early on I pointed out I was possessed of this knowledge in part because I attended college as a political science major (Comparative and Developmental Politics concentration at that, a branch which examines exactly these questions and serves little other purpose to humanity), and subsequently worked in the field at a UN-registered NGO as well as a contractor for the US Department of State.  This is really 101-level material, and the discussion I'd been hoping to have all along was one I find interesting, a conversation about when it's appropriate for the community of countries to recognize another.  We never got that far, what with a lot of nonsensical prevaricating and stamping of feet from the opposition.  It was far more important for some people to denigrate my education and character, here and on several other websites.  Some people need a hobby, or perhaps some good sex.

Beyond this, traffic was driven at me from members of the Scottish Nationalist Party and the community of Scotland.com (the URL of which is registered in Pennsylvania), who took offense at my plain statement of objective reality that Scotland used to be a country and then decided to drop that to be part (the founding UK acts literally read "Part") of a bigger country before 1710.  One might note, as I have several times, that they do not call themselves the Scottish Countryist Party.

I am a git and wanker and various North Sea troll words for holding a mirror up to reality.  Supposedly I'm anti-Scot.  The fact of the matter is that I never much gave the matter much thought one way or the other until involuntarily arguing with some Scots, who did not help their case.

Fortunately a couple SNP members have argued in my defense for the simple reason that they obviously desire(d) to be a country once more, and denying reality to a Yank wasn't, they reasoned, helping matters.

Comparing likes to likes, Scotland is a nation which has (had?) country aspirations.  It's in the category of Catalonia and Sicily, places with distinct languages, cultures, flags, etc., but limited political autonomy.  France is a country; the Bretons and Basques and other groups are nations.

After all the abuse I have to admit some Schadenfreude at the fact Jock couldn't get his shite together enough to rise up to the English wankers at the Battle of the Paper Ballot.  All this bluster about Westminster oppression and people couldn't be bothered to paint their faces blue and go make an X on a sheet of paper.  The referendum was a truly pathetic showing unless one wanted to prove that most people in Scotland feel tepidly British.

Consider that the SNP waited 3 years to hold a referendum - compare this to the one fucking week it took Crimea - in hopes of building support.  Consider that the voting age was lowered to 16 (a move I generally support; well done Scotland!) to help the Yes vote, considering the young tend to go Yes and the old, who the SNP hoped would die off for 3 years, tend No.

Some 97% of the population were eligible to vote.  Of those it appears 86% did.  (Already we have 14% of eligible voters not giving enough of a fuck about an independent Scotland to leave the couch.  Wallace would be proud!)  Of those it appears only 45% voted Yes.  Doing some rudimentary math, only 37.5% of the Scottish population, just 1 in 3 people 16 and older, have any interest in Scotland even becoming a country again, let alone think it already is.

The SNP should worry with those numbers about even maintaining a sense of nation.

Compare the Scottish referendum with those of Crimea, East Timor, South Sudan.  In those cases turn-out exceeded 90% and, even under the threat of violence, 85-98% of the populations voted for a split.  This was a fart in a teapot.

It would seem unsporting to say 'I told you so' when the wound is this fresh, but screw it, some people up in England's Hat are mean ... I told you so.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Prepare for this week's visual subject round by looking at all of things around you

Wednesday, September 17, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: VISUAL ROUND

It's been a little while.  We're due.

Monday, September 8, 2014

The quiz goes south of heaven

Wednesday, September 10, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: METAL

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Get immunized for this week's quiz

Wednesday, September 3, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round:SOUTHEAST ASIA

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Better than usual additional prizes this week

Wednesday, August 27, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: PHILADELPHIA

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Headin' west for this week's Subject round

Wednesday, August 20, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: COLORADO

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Robin Williams remembered round

Wednesday, August 13, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: ROBIN WILLIAMS

I rec'd a suggestion to do this and he was such a big entertainment figure for such a long time I think that it's a good idea.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Totally radical quiz

Wednesday, August 6, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: THE 1980s

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

This week's quiz is free to enter but $5 to leave

Early explorer in Deepest New Jersey
Wednesday, July 30, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round:NEW JERSEY

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Yes, there's a quiz tonight

Wednesday, July 23, 7:30pm
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: FICTIONAL LANDS FROM LITERATURE

Unless you see otherwise here there's a quiz every Wednesday night.  All I mean to do here is inform you of what the Subject round will be.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Monday, June 30, 2014

You get Quizmaster Johnny the next two weeks

Wednesday, July 2 & July 9, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: ???

I'm going away for about a week but that week is falling in such a way as I'm miss two quizzes.  My trusted understudy Quizmaster Johnny - a member of the team that's scored the highest score in my quiz's history at any venue - is filling in.  Play nice.

Have fun, enjoy your holiday & I'll see you later in the month.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Screw you guys, I'm goin' to a quiz

Wednesday, June 25, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round:TV CARTOON SIT-COMS

And don't think you're completely out of the woods yet on soccer stuff.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Resistance is futile

Wednesday, June 18, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: FUTBOL

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

The quiz returns

Wednesday, June 11, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: PARIS

The savvy quizzer is alerted that the title of the subject round is to be interpreted broadly.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

No quiz this week owing to Beer Week

Wednesday, June 4, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.


No quiz this week owing to Beer Week event.  We'll be back next week.  And you can of course still show up at 12 Steps... have some beer!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Your leather-bound subject round

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 7:30pm 
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9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: BOOKS

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

This week's subject is subtitled

Wednesday, May 21, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: FOREIGN FILM

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Name's the Same this week

Wednesday, May 14, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: NAME'S THE SAME

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Flyers Game 7, so... no quiz

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.

NO QUIZ, SORRY FOLKS

We might cancel are cancelling quiz tonight owing to Flyers-Rangers Game 7.  Since when have hockey playoff games been scheduled on consecutive nights?!  That's the last thing I expected otherwise I'd have been more on top of this, enjoy the game!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Biggus Quizzus

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: LATIN PHRASES

"I used to know a little Latin... then she moved..."

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Chow down on this week's quiz

Wednesday, April 16, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round:  FOOD

I know last week I told some folks there's be a Seinfeld round seeing as I promised one previously.  Here's the thing: I already delivered that on January 28, which I somehow forgot when discussing same.  I'm not going to have two Seinfeld rounds that close to each other, but I will have another one in the not too distant future.

Food seems rather more universal.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Guesstimate round once again this week

Wednesday, April 9, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round:  GUESSTIMATES

Again... same rules as about a month ago.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

'70s & baseball in this week's quiz!

Wednesday, April 2, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round:THE 1970s / BASEBALL

The Subject round will be the '70s, the Boolean round in honor of the start of baseball season will be about baseball.  I figure giving you a 50% shot at a whole round of sports Qs is fair play.



Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Famous quotations in this week's quiz

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: FAMOUS QUOTATIONS

I'll give you the quotation & perhaps a bit of background, you give me the attributed speaker or writer.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Visual round this week; study everything you can see

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: VISUAL ROUND

Haven't had one in a bit; Happy Spring!

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Quizzo-con is in session

Wednesday, March 12, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: SCI-FI

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Educated guesses all the way in this week's subject round

Wednesday, March 5, 2014 7:30pm 
12 Steps Down 
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: GUESSTIMATES

Something a little different this week - every one of the 10 subject round Qs will have a numeric answer.  In each case only the team closest to the correct answer - higher or lower, doesn't matter - will get all 4 points.  Should be interesting results, and really the most one team can gain on any other is 40 points, which is the same as every other week.  If you like it we'll do it again, and if you hate it... I might do it again anyway.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Destroy this post after reading

Wednesday, February 25, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: SPY TV & MOVIES

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Bring a lesser, dependent friend along to the quiz

Wednesday, February 19, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: SIDEKICKS

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

C-eh N-eh D-eh

Wednesday, February 12, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: CANADA

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Conquer the world in this week's quiz

Wednesday, February 5, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: GEOGRAPHY

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

The quiz about nothing

Wednesday, January 29, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: SEINFELD

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Neither rain nor sleet nor snow will stop tonight's quiz

Wednesday, January 22, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: PUNK

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Up and atom!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: PHYSICS & CHEMISTRY

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

First quiz of 2014!

Welcome to the future.  As per tradition this week's Subject Round is about 2014.  Having a drink won't keep nature from murdering you this week, but it might dull the pain some.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014
7:30pm  
12 Steps Down  
9th & Christian Sts.
Subject Round: 2014: THE YEAR IN REVIEW