WEEK OF MAY 26, 2008
Word of the week: "syzygy," pronounced "SIZZ-a-gee." A spelling-bee favorite, it is an astronomy term for the alignment of three celestial objects. Oddly, the word can also refer to any pair of related things, either similar or opposite. Derived from the Greek for "union," it is a distant cousin of the word "yoke," and the shortest word we know that has three Y's.
More on congressional siblings: The www.senate.gov page we mentioned in a recent Bit lists over 25 sets of simultaneously serving senator/congressman siblings. These include three trios: the Fessendens (1860s), the Findlays and the Johnsons (both 1820s). There are two current Senate/House siblings: the Levins of Michigan and the Salazars of Colorado.
Mark my word: There was a little something missing from the statue of Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame infielder Ernie Banks when it was unveiled at Wrigley Field last month. Banks' famous quote, "Let's Play Two," reflecting his enthusiasm for the game, was engraved without the apostrophe. The missing mark has since been added. (Thanks to Doug Lyons of Scarsdale, N.Y.)
What was Life like 50 years ago? The magazine's May 1958 covers included former child star Margaret O'Brien (then 21 years old) and a photo of Vice President Nixon's car being attacked by rioters in Venezuela. Our favorite ads: Post Grape-Nuts as a cure for "Mid-Morning Letdown," the "automatic wash-and-wear suit" made from DuPont Dacron polyester, and the two-page article "Should Your Child Be a Scientist?" by physicist Edward Teller, sponsored by New York Life.
Hello, Goodbye update: Thanks to Larry Wirick of Pittsburg, Calif., for letting us know that the Vietnamese word "chao" can mean both "hello" and "goodbye." With all the Vietnam vets out there, he thought someone else would have written in about it. Nope, Larry, no one else did.
According to the recently published Washington/Lafayette biography, "Adopted Son," the Marquis de Lafayette was the designer of the tricolor French national flag. Its colors were the ones he previously chose for the uniform of the French National Guard militias under his command during the French Revolution -- red, white and blue, which were "borrowed" from the new flag of the United States.
Small-town celebrity birthplace of the week: Diamond, in southwestern Missouri (current population about 800). Botanist/educator George Washington Carver was born there in 1864. The nearby city of Joplin is the birthplace of a bunch of celebs, including writer Langston Hughes, pro golfer Hale Irwin and actor Dennis Weaver.
The venerable Sporting News has published an annual baseball record book for about 100 years. In an ominous sign for the future of sports reference publishing, for the past two years, it has been published in a Web-only edition that anyone can access free of charge. The newest edition's URL is www.sportingnews.com/books/baseball/2008baseballrecordbook/.
The first song performed by a British artist or group to reach No. 1 on Billboard's pop charts in the rock era wasn't by the Beatles. It was Acker Bilk's instrumental "Stranger on the Shore" in May 1962. Were the Beatles next? Nope. Second was the Tornados' instrumental "Telstar" seven months later. The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was next, in February 1964. (Thanks to Ken Clark of Kent., Wash.)
Weird Wide Web: Visit www.dontclick.it for a demonstration by the Institute for Interactive Research of how a website can be navigated by moving your mouse, rather than by clicking it. The site features a history of graphical user interfaces and welcomes e-mail feedback. It can be sent at the site (clicklessly, of course) by hitting enter.
TRIVIA
1) If were close enough (and brave enough) to shave the fur off a tiger, what color would you find its skin to be?
A) White
B) Orange
C) Black
D) Striped
2) The first American novel to sell over one million copies was written by:
A) Harriet Beecher Stowe
B) Mark Twain
C) Zane Grey
D) Louisa May Alcott
3) What occupation would be most concerned with items that include cakes, dragon eggs, salutes, palm trees and willows?
A) Pastry chef
B) Fireworks technician
C) Landscape architect
D) Newspaper editor
4) During what month of the year is Earth farthest from the sun?
A) January
B) April
C) July
D) October
5) The name of what world nation literally means "venerable, resplendent land?"
A) Thailand
B) Zimbabwe
C) Sri Lanka
D) Mexico
ANSWERS
1) Underneath a tiger's striped fur is striped skin.
2) The first American novel to sell over 1 million copies was Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
3) Cakes, dragon eggs, salutes, palm trees and willows are all varieties of fireworks.
4) Earth is farthest from the sun each year in early July.
5) The name of Sri Lanka literally means "venerable, resplendent land" in Sanskrit.
STAN'S WEEKLY TRIVIA CHALLENGE CONTEST NO. 87
Who was the only U.S. president for whom English was a second language?
HOW TO WIN: Send your answer, with your full name and address, either by e-mail to TriviaBits@gmail.com, or on a postcard to Stan Newman's Trivia Challenge No. 87, P.O. Box 69, Massapequa Park, NY 11762. Only one submission per person, please. Answers must be received within seven days of publication. One winner will be chosen at random from all correct entries, who will receive a copy of Stan's new book "15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia," courtesy of Random House. Answer and winner will be announced in a future issue.
ANSWER TO TRIVIA CHALLENGE CONTEST NO. 80
In 2004, Kelsey Grammer tied the record of James Arness and Milburn Stone (both of "Gunsmoke") by portraying the same fictional character on primetime television for 20 years: psychiatrist Frasier Crane on "Cheers" and "Frasier." Winner: Sue Steis of Kittanning, Pa.
Stanley Newman is the editor of the Newsday Crossword and author/editor of more than 125 books on crosswords, word games and trivia, including "15,003 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia" (Random House). To find out more about Stanley Newman visit StanXwords.com, or e-mail him at StanTrivia@aol.com.
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