Dear Friends of the Pub Quiz,
Happy belated Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoyed the break with family and friends, and that you were able to stay away from malls. Longtime friend to the Pub Quiz (and terrific high-end consignment store) Haute Again benefited from a “Cash Mob” that occurred at the store on Saturday during “Small Business Saturday.” My wife Kate and I supported a small business by stopping by de Vere’s Irish Pub Saturday night for a meal and a beverage. On Thanksgiving Day Kate tried to explain to her parents why she appreciates the food and décor at de Vere’s Irish Pub, even though she would never be found in a typical “bar,” in Davis or anywhere else. It might be that the staff at de Vere’s are so friendly and attentive, or it might be that the sort of seedy characters that would dissuade Kate from entering a bar gravitate to other establishments (or maybe to other cities). Me, of course I’ll follow Kate to any location she chooses.
That said, I have been thinking about additional ways of throwing around my considerable weight and influence, just as Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has recently decreed he should be able to do. Morsi has claimed that his power grab is only temporary, while some of the protesters in Tahrir Square are arguing that there’s a new Pharaoh in town. Kate pointed out that she doesn’t imagine that she and the children would abide any power grab of my own, domestically, so instead I will try out some new rules at the Pub Quiz. Tell me what you think of these:
Rule 7: All-female a cappella singers during halftime.
Rule 8: If Dr. Andy is a little chilly during the Pub Quiz, participants must provide scarves.
Rule 9: More tofu.
Rule 10: During the noisy introduction to the Pub Quiz, participants should applaud inappropriately between sentences, the way I inadvertently do between movements of a symphony.
Rule 11: Bottomless Guinness.
And finally,
Rule 12: If during halftime Dr. Andy asks a team if they have any questions, no one should respond, “Yes. What are the answers?”
I’ll be (mildly) curious to know if you think these new powers are warranted. Meanwhile, expect questions on tonight’s quiz about new pharaohs, food and drink (x2), internet video, water, characters named Wanda, geese, ticks without tocks, films that (refreshingly) are not sequels, platinum debut albums, NBA players, assassins, islands, 60s TV shows, gorillas and squirrels, the Wizard of Oz, statesmen with multiple Z’s in their names, words that start with the letters ACC, globes, Indian delicacies, 50 year olds who some consider still to be cool, shabby clams, people named Mary, slow news weeks, football, longtime dowagers, people named Stanley, first authors, heat, and Shakespeare.
It’s been such a pleasure to see the Pub filled up by 6:30 on a Monday night. If you and your team plan to join us this evening, leave extra time. See you tonight!
Your Quizmaster
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Here are five questions from last week’s quiz:
- Mottos and Slogans. What Finnish multinational communications and information technology corporation uses as its slogan the phrase “Connecting People”?
- World Employers. The largest employer in the world, with 3.23 million employees, was also the largest single consumer of energy in the United States in 2006. Headquartered in Virginia, name the largest employer in the world.
- Food and Drink. Which of the following snacks is being released in a new caffeinated version? Cracker Jacks, Jiffy Pop Popcorn, Reeses Pieces, Triscuits.
- Four for Four. Which two of the following Steve Martin films were released in 2003? Bringing Down the House, Cheaper by the Dozen, Father of the Bride II, LA Story.
- Pop Culture – Music. “Diamonds” is the name of the hit single by the recording artist who has achieved a total of eleven number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the youngest solo artist to achieve the feat. What is her name? Hint: She’s two years older than Taylor Swift.