Trivia Tuesday: Geeks unite!

Don your pocket protectors and put the icing on your Episode IV commemorative cake — it’s Geek Pride Day!

Held on the anniversary of the theatrical debut of Star Wars: A New Hope, Geek Pride Day is a relatively new phenomenon that has been gaining momentum since its inception in 2006. This year, celebrations are planned around the world, including festivals in the U.S., Canada, Israel, France, Belgium and Romania. Fittingly, it shares the same day as two other science-fiction “holidays”: Towel Day (for fans of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Glorious 25th of May (for fans of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld).

So how exactly does one go about celebrating his/her inner geek? Wired.com suggests recognizing the five reasons to be proud of your geekiness , which may lead you to reciting the “Basic Rights and Responsibilities of Geeks.” Associated Content offers helpful party tips, such as competitive gaming, a local film festival or even Star Trek costumes.

Or perhaps you can recreate the very first Geek Pride Day celebration.

On May 25, 2006 in Madrid, Spain, 300 self-proclaimed geeks arranged themselves to form a human replica of a favorite video game character. What character was it?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: The series finale of Friends, which aired May 6, 2004, attracted 52.5 million viewers. Congrats to Megan for guessing correctly.

Trivia Tuesday: We interrupt this program

While our spirits have been dampened by a near-empty campus (not to mention the near-constant rain we've been receiving!), we still have many things for which to be grateful. Last weekend we celebrated life with an incredible group of teens from across the region and this week we've welcomed pastors and lay leaders to campus for a time of renewal. These are good days!

We have to admit, though, there's something else that makes this time of year so special: We love our TV finales. Yes, your dear Olivet bloggers are a bunch of TV junkies. From discussing the search for answers on LOST to cheering on Bret Michaels in Celebrity Apprentice, we take our TV (almost) as seriously as we take our work.

Many know that the 2010 Superbowl that pitted the New Orleans Saints against the Indianapolis Colts recently took the crown of "Most Watched Television Event" away from the 1983 series finale of M*A*S*H. But since many of you already know that, we'll ask a different question.

What was the most-watched TV show finale in the last decade?

Take a guess in the comments and check back next week for the answer.


Answer to last week's question: 3 seconds

Trivia Tuesday: National Barbeque Month

If you were to ask, "Which month is National Barbeque Month?" most folks would tend to go with July, since an Independence Day barbeque is almost as ubiquitous as a Thanksgiving Day turkey.

You might be surprised to discover that May is, in fact, National Barbeque Month. And when you consider what a cool month it is, I dont think that we can begrudge it its tasty title.

May heralds the imminence of summer. The weather warms consistently. Flowers come to full bloom. Pollen takes flight in all of its invisible and active forms — yet fails to dissuade most Northerners, long besieged by the cold winter months, from wanting to get out from under the shelter of their roofs. And really, what better approach to getting reacquainted with the great outdoors, neighbors, friends and family than the aroma of slowly grilled meat crusted with a sweet and spicy glaze?

While barbequing over a gas grill has many advantages — temperature control, convenience, etc. — its hard to argue that barbeque tastes a whole lot better (if done correctly) over charcoal.* Sadly, the art of charcoal grilling is fading in favor of the convenience of gas grills. But to those who abide by the sanctity and superiority of charcoal grilling, we offer this Trivia Tuesday question:

You know when the coals are hot enough to add the meat when you cant hold your hand over it for more than how many seconds?

Take a guess in the Comments section and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Answers to last week’s question: 1C, 2F, 3A, 4F, 5B, 6G, 7I, 8D, 9H, 10E. Kudos to Megan for her correct answers!

Trivia Tuesday: Colorful Commencement

The bleachers are up, and the commemorative program is off to the printers. It’s official: Graduation is just around the corner!

This year marks Olivet Nazarene University’s 97th annual Commencement ceremonies.

Though several things have changed over the years, the academic regalia remains largely unchanged. The Class of 2009 will don black robes and black caps — and colorful tassels that designate their specific academic field. The color of these tassels, which also appear on the trim of the hoods worn by master’s and doctoral graduates, are consistent with the colors worn at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

How well do you know your academic regalia? Match these colors with the appropriate academic fields listed below.

1. Light blue

2. Drab

3. Orange

4. Brown

5. Pink

6. Apricot

7. Sage Green

8. Golden Yellow

9. Citron

10. Scarlet

a. Engineering

b. Music

c. Education

d. Science

e. Theology

f. Business

g. Nursing

h. Social Work

i. Physical Education

j. Fine arts

Take a guess in the comments section, and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week's question: "Hurray! It's Morse Code Day!" Congrats to Megan on her awesome Morse Code translation skills.

Trivia Tuesday: Beep Beep Beeeeeeep Beep

Break out your telegraphs everybody. Today is national Morse Code Day!

Morse code, named after the painter-turned-inventor F.B. Morse, is a form of communication in which letters, numbers and symbols are communicated through a series of rhythmic sounds.

In the early part of the 20th Century, Morse code served as one of the primary ways to communicate time-sensitive information internationally, using telegraph lines, undersea cables and radio circuits.

Today, however, with the exception of some isolated aviators and amateur radio operators, few people can make sense of these messages encrypted as "dots" and "dashes" or "dits" and "dahs."

If you ARE among the few who can interpret Morse code, today is your opportunity to shine.

Translate this message into everyday English:

.... ..- .-. .-. .- -.-- / .. - / .. ... / -- --- .-. ... . / -.-. --- -.. . / -.. .- -.-

Take a guess in the comments section, and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: It takes just over 8 minutes for the sun’s rays to reach Earth. Congrats to Megan for guessing correctly!

Trivia Tuesday: Here comes the sun

Ah, the sun. The bringer of daylight, sunshine, warmth, and … radiation.

We don’t like to think of the sun, which is so crucial for life on earth, as a potential hazard, but we still know that it can be harmful to unprotected skin,

“Ah,” you think, “But I never burn, I just tan. The sun isn’t hurting me.” Or perhaps you think the time it will take to cause irreversible damage will be in several decades from now. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong on both counts.

The sun emits two kinds of UV (ultraviolet) rays: UVA and UVB, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. A good way to remember which is which? Think of the A in UVA as “aging,” because that’s what those rays do to your skin, and the B in UVB as “burning” since those are the rays that cause you to burn. And it doesn’t take much exposure to cause damage in the form of wrinkles, dryness, or even cancer.

A broad-spectrum sunscreen is the best way to protect your skin, since it protects from both kinds of UV rays. The sun is strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so especially during those hours, and throughout the summer months, be sure to put on sunscreen.

How long does it take for the sun’s rays to reach the earth?

Take a guess in the comments section and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: Salt.

Trivia Tuesday: Ice Cream

Ice cream has long been a favorite summer treat for many, although it has only become as common as it is in the past few hundred years.

Origins of the sweet treat go back to the Chinese King Tang, who combined ice and milk to make a special occasion concoction. The Roman emperor Nero also created a similar product with fruit almost 2,000 years ago, but historians tend to think the dessert as we know it today originated in China and made its way to Europe.

Making ice cream at home can be pretty easy and fun, especially if you do it with a friend. Making homemade ice cream can also be a good learning experience for kids, and if you follow this recipe for mint chocolate chip ice cream, it can be pretty easy:

Ingredients:
Ice cream maker
1/2 (250ml) pint milk
1/2 pint (250ml) double/heavy cream
3oz (75g) caster sugar
5oz (125g) plain chocolate (grated)
1 teaspoon peppermint essence
Two or three drops of green food coloring (optional)

Place the milk and sugar into a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Place the milk aside to cool. When cold, stir in the double/heavy cream and peppermint essence (and the green food coloring if you want to use it).

Transfer the complete mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze, following the manufacturer's instructions. Remember to add the grated chocolate as the ice cream begins to thicken!

What common cooking seasoning is added to the ice to help lower the temperature of the ingredients of ice cream as it is made?

Take a guess in the comments section and we'll post the correct answer next week.



Answer to last week's question: Royals Hall of Famer George Brett said, “If a tie is like kissing your sister, losing is like kissing you grandmother with her teeth out.”

Trivia Tuesday: Sore losers

One day into the baseball season, the Olivet campus is buzzing with excitement that our two favorite teams — the Cubs and the White Sox — are back on the field.

Of course, one team’s fans are thrilled with yesterday’s outcome while the other team’s enthusiasts are still in mourning. We won’t remind you who COMPLETELY CHOKED yesterday, lest ye ol’ Tiger Bytes bloggers develop a reputation for being biased toward the South Side.

At any rate, the thrill of experiencing a win — whether you’re actually on the field or simply cheering from the stands— is pure rapture. Losing, on the other hand, is unequivocally torturous.

What great Kansas City hitter and third baseman once said, "If a tie is like kissing your sister, losing is like kissing your grandmother with her teeth out."?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: Mount Denali. Congrats to thepianist86 for correctly answering! Go celebrate with a big scoop of Denali!

Trivia Tuesday: Best deal ever

On this day in 1867, the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia for a grand total of $7,200,000 — less than two cents an acre.

You may remember that Alaska became an organized territory in 1912 and the 49th U.S. state on January 3, 1959.

But what don’t you know about the Last Frontier?

• Its other state nickname is “The Land of the Midnight Sun”

• While it is easily the largest state, twice the size of the next largest state (Texas), it is the least densely populated

• Almost half of its residents live in or near the metropolitan area of Anchorage

• It has 34,000 miles of shoreline, thanks to its plethora of islands

• Juneau, the state capital, is unlike any other capital because it is not connected to any road system and must be accessed by car ferry

• Alaska is only 60 miles further from Tokyo, Japan, than it is from New York City

Alaska is also home to the tallest mountain in North America, and this mountain has an ice cream brand named after it. What mountain is it?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week's question: The rose is the most popular flower sold by florists.

Trivia Tuesday: Spring is in bloom

The bright sun, a prevalence of people wearing shorts, and the sniffles of those with seasonal allergies can only mean one thing: Spring is in the air. But even if you do have allergies, it’s hard to complain about the sunshine and bright colors starting to crop up.

One of the best parts of spring is the emergence of flowers. Tulips and daffodils, heathers and hyacinths, agapanthus and zinnias; flowers of every shape with every size and color of petals burst out in bloom. Many of us won’t be able to resist picking a few or buying some at a local store to brighten our tables.

In Victorian times, different flowers were given different meanings. For example, the aster (a daisy-like flower that grows on a bush) means “contentment.” Even different colors of the same flower mean different things: Carnations that are pink mean gratitude, and those that are white mean remembrance. Be careful to whom you give striped carnations, though — the stripes mean “refusal.”

If you wanted to brighten a friend’s day, try a bouquet of zinnias (thoughts of friends), cosmos (peaceful) or gardenias (joy).

Q: Giving bouquets of flowers has been a common practice for centuries. The most popular flower that florists sell is also the official flower of England. What is it?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week's question: The Bible, which has sold at least 2.5 billion copies and up to 6 billion copies. The next high-selling book has only sold between 800 and 900 million copies.

Trivia Tuesday: Classic reading

On this date in 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic book The Scarlet Letter was published.

One of the first mass-produced American novels, it is considered Hawthorne’s greatest work and a huge turning point on the road to American literature. The first mass printing of The Scarlet Letter produced 2,500 copies and sold out within ten days. Since then, the books produced in that initial run have been multiplied many times over. You're sure to find a copy at your local library.

If The Scarlet Letter is not exactly your cup of tea, there are plenty of other classic and contemporary alternatives for you to choose from. Reading has many benefits for people of all ages, including boosting your vocabulary, concentration, focus and memory. It’s also a great way to escape, as books have a way of transporting you into another time, place, and person’s life.

Of all the books you might consider reading, what is the best-selling book of all time?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week's question: The first celebrity to join the Barbie doll family was British fashion model Twiggy in 1967.

Trivia Tuesday: American Fashionista

Today marks the 51st birthday of an American icon: Barbie.

On March 9, 1959, Mattel’s darling made her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York wearing a simple, black and white striped swimsuit and a pony tail.

Barbie, whose full name is “Barbie Millicent Roberts,” has an incredibly impressive résumé. She’s a college graduate (1964) and has sparkled in more than 80 different careers, including paleontologist, astronaut, rock star and presidential candidate. She’s also served in all four branches of the military.

In spite of this, it’s her stunning looks and chic fashion choices that have made Barbie most famous. She’s worn more than a billion pairs of shoes in her lifetime, and more than 100 new additions to her wardrobe are introduced annually.

It’s fitting, therefore, that the first celebrity to join the Barbie family was a supermodel.

In 1967, what supermodel became the first celebrity to have a Barbie doll modeled after her?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: This year, the Girl Scouts added a new cookie named “Thank You Berry Munch.” It is made with cranberries and white chocolate.

Trivia Tuesday: Crazy for Cookies!

Everyone knows the five seasons: summer, autumn, winter, spring, and Girl Scout Cookie season.

Who doesn’t love the chocolaty mint crunch of Thin Mints? Or the strange concoction of coconut, caramel, and chocolate in Caramel deLites? Or how about Do-Si-Does? Or Tagalongs? Mmm … we’re getting hungry just thinking about it.

Girl Scout Cookies have been around since 1917 when scouts made their own cookies and sold them door-to-door as fundraisers.

In the mid-1930’s, the national Girl Scout organization began licensing commercial bakers to mass bake the cookies for the girls to sell. Over the next decade, almost 30 commercial bakers were licensed to make “Girl Scout Cookies.”

What a sad existence it must have been in the 1940s when Girl Scouts stopped selling cookies due to rationing and sold calendars instead! But all was well again when cookie baking resumed after World War II ended.

Finally, in 1978, the Girl Scouts first featured the cookies we now know and love. The national organization allowed only a few bakers to create the cookies and gave them guidelines for recipes, packaging and box decorations. Since then, not much has changed, although a few new cookies have been introduced over the years.

This year, a new cookie was introduced into the Girl Scout Cookie family. What is it called?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Anwer to last week's question: 16 nations competed in the first Winter Olympic Games, held in Chamonix, France in 1924.

Trivia Tuesday: Olympic Games

Today is Day 12 of the XXI Olympic Winter Games, and with only six days remaining, the U.S. is doing pretty well on the medal count.

Every four years, fans around the globe who typically care nothing about skiing, who wouldn’t know what channel to find the luge on, and who wouldn’t be caught dead watching men in spandex dance around on ice, tune in to root for their home country.

There’s something about watching the medal count, hearing the familiar Olympic theme, and especially learning the stories of the individual athletes. There are stories of athletes with local roots, like Evan Lysacek from Naperville, Ill., who won the gold medal in men’s figure skating just a few days ago. Or inspirational stories, like Alex Bilodeau, who was told by his brother with cerebral palsy to keep skiing, and then he became the first Canadian to win a gold medal at an Olympics held on their home soil.

At the end of the day, it’s not about whether the U.S. won the most gold medals, or who beat the Russian favorites. It’s about the stories of athletes and their families, about inspiration. It’s about the realization that for a few weeks every few years, we can put aside our differences and compete in unity at the Olympic Games.

How many nations competed in the first Winter Olympic Games, held in Chamonix, France in 1924?

Take a guess in the "Comments" section, and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week's question: : Ash Wednesday always occurs 46 days before Easter. This is because it is 40 days, not including Sundays.

Trivia Tuesday: Ash Wednesday

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday when millions of Christians around the world will be marking their foreheads with ashes as a sign of repentance.

Ash Wednesday has biblical origins, as it was common for Israelites to cover their heads with ashes when they were in a period of mourning or repentance. The ceremony wasn’t used widely by Christians until the sixth century, during the papacy of Gregory the Great in Rome, when ashes were used on the sick and infirm. Ashes weren’t used symbolically for the beginning of Lent until the end of the eleventh century when Pope Urban II suggested this practice.

Today, both Catholic and Protestant Christians from various denominations — including some within the Church of the Nazarene — participate by marking their foreheads with ash. Many people who celebrate Ash Wednesday also celebrate Lent by fasting any number of things they feel too dependent on, such as coffee, soda, chocolate, meat or even modern distractions like Facebook.

Ash Wednesday itself is a moveable feast, since it occurs a specific number of days before Easter. Since Easter falls on a different date each year, Ash Wednesday can be as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.

How many days before Easter does Ash Wednesday occur, and why the odd number?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we'll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week's question: B. Liver. In As You Like It, Rosalind promises to cure the lovesick Oliver, saying that her ministering will wash his “liver as clean as a sound sheep’s heart, that there shall not be one spot of love in’t”.

Trivia Tuesday: I heart Valentine’s

It’s nearly Valentine’s Day, and love is in the air!

Experts tell us that approximately 1 billion Valentines will be exchanged this year — making February 14 the second largest card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas. An overwhelming majority of these cards, whether hand-made or store-bought, will carry a common design element: hearts.

Similarly, our friends at NECCO will provide millions of lovers a bite-sized vehicle for sweet, thoughtful wishes in 13 characters or less, using — you guessed it — hearts.

While we associate love with the “heart,” that hasn’t always been the case.

In what other organ was love thought to “reside” during the days of Shakespeare?

A. Kidneys
B. Liver
C. Pancreas
D. Spleen

Take a guess in the comments section and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: Much to the chagrin of Punxsutawney residents, “Groundhog Day” was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois

Trivia Tuesday: Groundhogs Day

Put on your wool socks, and throw another log on the fire. At 7:25 a.m. (Eastern) this morning, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Olivetians everywhere: prepare for six more weeks of winter.

Though we groan at his prediction, we can’t help but give ol’ Phil mad props for the fame he’s garnered over the years.

Punxsutawney Phil has been a guest in the White House, was once featured on the on the Oprah Winfrey show, and his predictions have been simulcast on the Jumbo Tron in New York’s Times Square. Perhaps most famously, he played a starring role in the 1993 comedy “Groundhog Day.”

Phil’s fellow Punxsutawney residents, on the other hand, have not been so fortunate. In fact, they might have even been a little perturbed when the Bill Murray classic was filmed in an alternate location.

What Illinois city was the locale for the filming of “Groundhog Day?”

Take a guess in the comments section, and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: Behind June, August is the second most popular wedding month. Third, fourth and fifth are May, July and September.

Trivia Tuesday: Wedded bliss

Calling all married couples! This Friday night, Olivet Nazarene University and Marriage Inc. invite you to Chalfant Hall for a Celebration of Marriage.

One of the first hurdles in building a successful marriage is surviving the wedding itself.

Weddings are a huge industry in the United States, with an estimated $72 billion spent on nuptials every year. The average wedding budget is somewhere in the neighborhood of $28,000, and the average bride will spend a whopping $1,075 on her gown. Yikes! Perhaps there is some wisdom in eloping.

Roughly 2.4 million American couples are married every year, or an average of 44,230 every weekend. Of these, 10.8 percent take place in June, making it the most popular wedding month.

Statistically speaking, what is the second most popular month in which to get married?

Take a guess in the comments section and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: The “Harlem Globetrotters” had their first public performance in Harlem, New York at Intermediate School 201 in 1969 — some 42 years and 9,500 games after the team was established.

Trivia Tuesday: Harlem Globetrotters

Come one, come all! Tomorrow night, Olivet’s McHie Arena will host the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.

Though today they are known for routines filled will hilarious mischief and impressive tricks, the Harlem Globetrotters were first established to be a competitive basketball team.

In 1926, a 5’3” British immigrant named Abe Saperstein recruited five black ballplayers from the Chicago slums to play two games per week at the Savoy Ballroom on Chicago’s South Side.

At that time, African Americans were barred from playing professional ball, and so when the Savoy Ballroom was eventually shut down, the team was left without a home to play. So they took to the road, traveling practically anywhere to challenge anyone willing play them.

Hoping to increase their credibility, and to denote their complexions, Saperstein redubbed the team the “Harlem Globetrotters,” though they had never stepped foot outside of the U.S. — or ever been to Harlem!

In fact, it wasn’t for several years — and more than 9,500 games — that the Harlem Globetrotters made their first public appearance in Harlem, New York. In what year did this take place?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: Since intercollegiate men’s basketball was established in 1966, Olivet has only had two head coaches: C.W. Ward and one of his star players, Ralph Hodge.

Trivia Tuesday: Big man on campus

Congratulations to Coach Ralph Hodge, who this past Saturday coached his 1000th career game as collegiate men’s basketball head coach — all at Olivet!

With 622 wins, Coach Hodge ranks ninth in wins among all active college men’s basketball coaches. His teams have won 11 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season titles and five CCAC Tournament Championships. He has 14 NAIA Division I National Tournament appearances, earning 12 wins. During those trips, he has taken three teams to the Sweet Sixteen, three teams to the Elite Eight, and in 2000 he led the Tigers to the Final Four.

Frankly, it’s hard to remember a time when Coach Hodge wasn’t involved in Tiger basketball. Of the 1,260 men’s basketball games played since 1966 (when the sport was first established at ONU) Hodge has participated in 1,155 as a player, grad assistant, or coach.

Besides Ralph Hodge, how many people have served as head men’s basketball coach for Olivet?

Take a guess in the comments section, and we’ll post the correct answer next week.

Answer to last week’s question: D. In Italy, they have a tradition of wearing red underwear on New Year's Day to encourage good luck in the coming year.