Night 3: April 17th, 2006

Category 1: Current events
1. Which member of the US Cabinet is currently under fire in the press, with calls for his resignation coming from several retired generals?
A: >Donald Rumsfeld<
2. It’s tax day in the US! Is the federal income tax generally considered a progressive or regressive tax?
A: >Progressive (those with a higher income pay a higher tax)<
3. An outbreak of what disease, for which a vaccine is available, is currently spreading through the midwest?
A: >Mumps<
4. Multiple choice: Exxon CEO Lee Raymond’s tax return indicates that his “total compensation package” for 2005 was $190,915 a month, a week, a day or an hour?
A: >A day (for a total of $69.7 million)<
5. Who narrowly defeated Berlusconi to be announced as the new prime minister of Italy?
A: >Romano Prodi<

Category 2: Easter
1. Easter is a movable feast. In Western Christianity, it falls on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after what?
A: >The Vernal Equinox (first day of spring)<
2. What popular Easter treat’s ingredients include marshmallow, sugar, gelatin & carnauba?
A: >Peeps!<
3. What dice game is played as an Easter tradition in Norway?
A: >Yahtzee<
4. In the Czech Republic and Hungary, what do men traditionally do to women on the morning of Easter Monday?
A: >Whip them<
5. Easter Sunday marks the end of Lent. What is the name of the day on which Lent starts?
A: >Ash Wednesday<

Category 3: Ah-nold
1. Arnold was elected Governor of California in the 2003 recall election. What was the name of the governor who was recalled?
A: >Gray Davis<
2. In what movie did Arnold star with another future governor, Jesse Ventura?
A: >Predator<
3. How many Conan movies did Arnold star in?
A: >2 (Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer)<
4. In Total Recall, Arnold plays Douglas Quaid. Who plays his wife Lori?
A: >Sharon Stone<
5. In what year was Kindergarten Cop released?
A: >1990<

Category 4: Baseball
1. What movie contains the famous line, “Are you crying? There’s no crying in baseball!”
A: >A League of Their Own<
2. What sport has surpassed baseball in popularity in terms of television rankings?
A: >American football<
3. In what year did Jackie Robinson sign for the Brooklyn Dodgers?
A: >1947<
4. Last season, Ichiro Suzuki had the highest batting average of all Mariners who played at least 20 games. Who ranked second on the team?
A: >Raul Ibanez<
5. Prior to their move to Washington, DC, what were the Nationals previously known as?
A: >The Montreal Expos<

Category 5: Passover
1. What unleavened bread is a traditional symbol of Passover?
A: >Matzo<
2. Families traditionally gather on the first night of Passover for a special dinner called a what?
A: >Seder<
3. Outside of Israel, Passover ends at sundown on what date this year?
A: >April 20th<
4. What are firstborn males expected to do on (typically) the day prior to Passover to commemorate the salvation of the Israelite firstborns during the plague in ancient Egypt?
A: >Fast<
5. When the Holy Temple was standing, what animal was sacrificed and eaten during Passover?
A: >Lamb<

Category 6: The Number 12
1. There are 12 signs of the zodiac. If you were born on August 24th, what sign would you be?
A: >Virgo<
2. Jesus had 12 apostles. A gospel dating back to 300 AD written by which one was recently translated into English and released by the National Geographic Society?
A: >Judas<
3. There are 12 months in the year. After which two-faced Roman god is the first month named?
A: >Janus<
4. What beloved chef was born on August 15th, 1912 and died two days before her birthday in 2004?
A: >Julia Child<
5. “The Twelfth” is an annual protestant celebration falling on July 12th that commemorates the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. In what country did it originate?
A: >Ireland<

Category 7: Bad Predictions
1. Charles Duell said, in 1899, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” Where did he work?
A: >The US Patent Office<
2. In 1955, Variety magazine claimed, “It will be gone by June.” What were they talking about?
A: >Rock & roll<
3. Which Briton said, back in 1969, “It will be years – not in my time – before a woman will become Prime Minister.”
A: >Margaret Thatcher<
4. Back in 1861, Lt. Joseph Ives said, “Ours has been the first expedition, and doubtless the last, to visit this profitless locality.” What now-famous American site was he talking about?
A: >The Grand Canyon<
5. What future president, around 1820 while he was the governor of New York, wrote a letter reading, in part, “Dear Mr. President: The canal system of this country is being threatened by a new form of transportation known as 'railroads' ... As you may well know, Mr. President, 'railroad' carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by 'engines' which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.”
A: >Martin Van Buren<

Category 8: Songs from Top 10 Albums for the Week of April 20th, 1996
What is the name of the artist?
1. No Woman, No Cry
A: >The Fugees (from The Score; #3)<
2. Don’t Look Back In Anger
A: >Oasis (from (What’s The Story) Morning Glory; #8)<
3. Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart
A: >Stone Temple Pilots (from Tiny Music… Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop; #5)<
4. How Do U Want It?
A: >2Pac (from All Eyez On Me; #9)<
5. You Oughta Know
A: >Alanis Morissette (from Jagged Little Pill; #1)<


First place tonight was 29 points. Second place was 26 points. Congratulations and thanks to all the teams who played!