Barbu's trivia contest #2

[barbu1977]

Answers by PM, results are on Friday.

Please do not use google or any other reference. The goal is to answer on the fly.

Geography
1. What is the capital of Australia (The Australian question for digger :D)

2. What country (or countries) is (are) on the island of Hispaniola?

History
3. After what Italian merchant and cartographer did America got it’s name?

4. Which German scientist who developed the A4 rockets (latter known as V2) was naturalized American is known as the Father of the American space program?

Science
5. Which Canadian Doctor’s work lead to the discovery of Insulin? He won the 1923 Nobel Prize with Jonh Macleod for that discovery.

6. The atomic number of oxygen is about half of it’s atomic weight. What is the atomic number of Oxygen?

Cinema and Music
7. For what two movies did Tom Hanks won two back-to-back Oscars for best actor?

8. What is the country of origin of Pianist and Composer Frederick Chopin?

Arts and literature
9. According to his Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, which one of his own ear (left or right) did Vincent van Gogh cut a part of? NOTE, Self-Portraits are done in mirror…

10. What revolutionary metal is used for the bullet/capsule in Jules Vernes From the Earth to the Moon?

Sports
11. In the game of curling, what is the maximum number of points that a team can score in one end?

12. What is the first city to host the Olympic games outside of the USA or Europe?

Edit: typo in question 5
Edit2: added "for best actor" in question 7

[romeothemonk]

Sent my answers in. These were significantly more challenging than I was used to, or maybe I am just a loser studying the wrong things.

I was dissapointed in only 1 cinema question.

[barbu1977]

Well, I tried to strech the field a little. I think some are easier and some are harder than the previous quizz, but appart from the insulin question (witch I start to think is way too hard for non-canadian trivian) I think the questions are fun and at least guessable.

For the cinema question, I could probably put 2 cinema and 2 music questions. Maybee next week. But since I'm not realy good in theese subject ist hard to pick many good trivia questions.

[Rik Meleet]

I could only remember 1 Tom Hanks' movie. After I send the answers in I remembered the 2nd (with a little help). Bummer.

And about question 5: Now you've corrected it, my answer cannot possibly be correct. Can I send in an updated answer ?

[barbu1977]

@Rik Of course. It's when I saw your answer that is figured out there must have been a problem.

[akots]

Answers sent during lunch break.

[Socrates]

Sent. One whole level higher than last week. [mischief] As a consequence, I answered many questions, perfectly knowing my answers are false.

[sz_matyas]

Answers sent. Wow, this makes me feel dumb for studying Chemical Engineering, I should be studying random trivia instead

[Ginger_Ale]

sent...

[Swingue]

answers sent,
hard questions among them

curious about how many people will fail the australia question :)

[bed_head7]

quote:Originally posted by Swingue

answers sent,
hard questions among them

curious about how many people will fail the australia question :)



I did.

[Darkness]

quote:Originally posted by romeothemonk

These were significantly more challenging than I was used to, or maybe I am just a loser studying the wrong things.



I actually thought these Q's were easier than the last ones.... Except the curling question of course... [crazyeye] I don't know a damn thing about curling...

[digger760]

Answers sent, can i google now to see if i did scored better than 2.

[Ville]

Sent

[Melifluous]

Also sent.

Apologies to Australians and Canadiens in advance [:p]

Curling rocks btw, like short mat bowls on ice ;)

[meli]

[killercane]

A poor performance, but my answers have been sent.

[Tubby Rower]

sent but feelings of inadiquacy (I know it's spelled wong) are overflowing from me.

EDIT: I paid attention to curling last olympics but I wonder if I paid enough. hmmm.

[Tubby Rower]

I just googled the questions and found out that I think that I only got 1 whole and 2 halves right. Does that give me two points?

[barbu1977]

For answering Big as the second movie, I'll give you the other half. ;)

I would have also given a full point for a The Money Pit and Splash combo :)

[Whomp]

Man am I stupid.

[ProPain]

sent my answers, put in some wild guesses. Proud to say that curling is a knowlegde gap for me [:p]

[barbu1977]

Thanks all.

I have 18 participants right now

[barbu1977]

The answers

Geography
1. What is the capital of Australia (The Australian question for digger :D)
Canberra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia
15/18, I tought I would have tricked more of you. Nice Going.

2. What country (or countries) is (are) on the island of Hispaniola?
Haiti and Dominican Republic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hispaniola
13/18 Felt generous and gave 1/2 pts who only gave Dominican Republic as correct answers

History
3. After what Italian merchant and cartographer did America got it’s name?
Amerigo Vespucci
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_vespucci

13.5/18 Again felt generous when I gave 1/2 point to whomp for Americus Giusepee. You just got the feeling he knows something about the answer. After all, he's my teamate a few MP games.

4. Which German scientist who developed the A4 rockets (latter known as V2) was naturalized American is known as the Father of the American space program?
Wernher von Braun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun

8/18
Many answered Oppenheimer, who was in the sicentist in charge of the atomic bomb. He was American.

Science
5. Which Canadian Doctor’s work lead to the discovery of Insulin? He won the 1923 Nobel Prize with Jonh Macleod for that discovery.
Frederick Banting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Banting

2/18 Congrats to Darkness and Akots who came up with the correct answer to my Canadiana question.

6. The atomic number of oxygen is about half of it’s atomic weight. What is the atomic number of Oxygen?

8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen
9/18 Probably too academic.

Cinema and Music
7. For what two movies did Tom Hanks won two back-to-back Oscars for best actor?
Philadelphia (1993) and Forest Gump (1994)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Hanks

11/18. 8 got it right, 6 scored 1/2 pts

8. What is the country of origin of Pianist and Composer Frederick Chopin?

Polland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Chopin
10/18

Arts and literature
9. According to his Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, which one of his own ear (left or right) did Vincent van Gogh cut a part of? NOTE, Self-Portraits are done in mirror…

Left
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gogh
http://www.vggallery.com/painting/main_se.htm
13/18

10. What revolutionary metal is used for the bullet/capsule in Jules Vernes From the Earth to the Moon?

Aluminium
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/julongun.htm
4/18 (Rik, PP, SZ_matyas, Meli) I realy thought I would have more correct answers on this one. But I realy liked the answers.
Some had nice guest like Titane (Krys, Tubby). Some had expensive tastes like Platinum (Bead_Head) and Silver (Digger). Whomp preffered the unexpensive and went with Tin. GA suggested Mercury (I would have loved to see that). Swinge stayed in the liquid Metal suggesting Liquid Steel. Finaly Romeo and KillerCane came up with the mythical Adamantium, seen in comic books and video games.

Sports
11. In the game of curling, what is the maximum number of points that a team can score in one end?
8
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling (Each of the 4 players on a team throws 2 stones. When all the 16 stones have been played, a stone in scoring position (in the circles) and closser to the center than any other opponent stone is worth 1 point for a maximum of 8. Scoring 8 (or even 6 or 7) is almost never seen in competitions)

1/18 Only Rik. Swinge outbid all of you with a nice 120.


12. What is the first city to host the Olympic games outside of the USA or Europe?
Melbourne (1956)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympics

5/18 Rik, Akots, Darkness, Ville and of course Digger got the second Aussie question of the day.


Final results for Trivia #2

Rik 9,5
Akots 9
Darkness 9
Ville 8
ProPain 8
SZ_matyas 6,5
beb_Head 6,5
krysztov 6
Romeo 6
GRS 4
Swingue 5,5
Kemal 5,5
Digger760 4
Meli 4
GingerAle 4
Whomp 4
KillerKane 3
TubbyRower 3

[barbu1977]

Results after 2 rounds

Akots 19
Rik 18,5
Ville 17
Darkness 16
krysztov 15
SZ_matyas 14,5
beb_Head7 13,5
Swingue 13,5
Romeo 13
Kemal 11,5
GRS 10
ProPain 8
Digger760 6
Meli 4
Ginger Ale 4
Whomp 4
KillerKane 3
TubbyRower 3

[Whomp]

I'm officially stupid and you European guys are smart. The brainiacs from the U.S. SZ matyas, Bedhead and Romeo will need to pick up us American slackers Tubby, Killercane, Ginger and myself.
Nice round to Akots, Rik and Darkness!

[Tubby Rower]

ouch... I'm last.

I officially am a twat [lol]

[barbu1977]

I do not think it has anything to do with being smart or stupid these questions are trivia wich in the end is ... trivial. Do you consider Cliff in Cheer's to be smart? Well he almost won on Jeopardy and Realy the king of useless trivia.

Another thing, I'm realy trying hard to get the questions as international as I can, from what I have been able to notice in quizz shows, that is not the strenght in America (although it's getting better than what it used to be.

Finaly, Akots, Rik are realy good at this.

[akots]

I think barbu hit it right on target. You put some more questions about US movies, US sports, US music, and US presidents, and I'm going to hit the bottom (don't know about Rik) while Tubby flows up the list.

[romeothemonk]

Congrats to Akots!!! [cheerl]

Anyway, I am not overly smart, I just have extremely fast reactions and memory recall. If you want me to sit and analyze, I am not really the guy for that. If you want quick response with relatively high accuracy, you will really have to work to find someone better than me.

Sz_matyas, my little bro, is more of an analytical think things through type of guy, and he beats me in stuff like trivial pursuit ~50% of the time and untimed chess like 90% of the time. Head to head timed trivia, I have a distinct advantage/ [coool]

In America, we have college bowl (www.collegebowl.com) (bedhead check this out dude). In 25 matches I have competed in with my brother on my team he has outscored me twice!! But when he outscores me, it is in a huge landslide.

I just love trivia. My strengths are Hollywood, pop culture, sports, and dead white guy (Western Europe & U.S.) history.
My weaknesses is in cultural diversity and classical anything. (Truely and Verily I doth suck at Shakespeare (Cough Hack writer Cough))

Long post sorry. I love this comp.

[Rik Meleet]

This has not much to do with intelligence. I am blessed (or cursed) with a brain that can store useless trivia quiet well. Combine that with an interest-span that is very broad and there's your explanation for my score.
Get to Knowledge (like the Canadian Insuline doctor or the Oxygen-number) type of questions and I am gone. But keep it on Trivia and I'll be competitive.

[barbu1977]

Well, I believe that the canadian insulin doctor is trivia. Hard, but trivia.

I agree that the oxygen question was not very good. In science it's preaty hard to pick trivia that is not to academic.

[bed_head7]

Berkeley does not seem to have a College Bowl program yet, and I do not care enough to initiate one, though I certainly might join were it already in place.

I used to watch Jeopardy a lot with my mom, and similar to a few of the others here, I have higher than average recall rate of random stuff. In high school, I participated in the Academic Decathlon, and as a freshman and sophomore participating in the toughest group, I actually did quite well. I think I was top ten in overall score against mostly seniors in my sophomore year, and was first place in Literature and third place in Math and Music or Art (can't remember which, ironically enough). Unfortunately, I don't seem to have spent enough time watching movies and sports, as those two categories are doing me the most damage in this competition.

[akots]

quote:Originally posted by Rik Meleet
... I am blessed (or cursed) with a brain that can store useless trivia quiet well. ...


I think it is more of a curse. Sometimes, I fell like my brain is a junkyard stuffed with absolutely useless information. Like Latin names of various plants and insects which I studied during first year in the University. Also, often I have trouble trying to extract that knowledge out of the said junkyard, especially when I need it for work or for life. Trivia types somehow get extracted more easily which is very annoying.

[bed_head7]

By the way, is there interest from anyone in a second one of these? I personally feel like one a week is not enough, so maybe if I set one up on a slightly different schedule, like maybe posting questions on Fridays and answers on Mondays instead or something? It would also be interesting to see how people fare differently with different quiz makers. I know my score at least would improve.

[akots]

Sounds interesting. It takes me typically 2-3 minutes to get through barbu's trivia and about 10 minutes to type it out, no big deal imho. I don't spend like hours thinking about it.

[barbu1977]

If someone else is interested, go ahead. I will certainly not make 2 of those a week as it takes alot of time to compose the questions, double check the aswers, compile the results...

Next week, i'm thinking about posting the answers on wendesday night. with this, there might be more talk about the different answers than friday since things are more quiet on friday around here this time of week.

EDIT, BTW, for next week, I've split the music and cinema categories and created a "Simpson's" category.

[Socrates]

My goal is to know everything about the Ancient Times. :D If only I could know all about the Greeks and stuff... :)

I think I'm quite good at this in geography, not bad in history (though this time I sucked), good in science, but pretty bad in arts and culture, and so-so in sports. I pwn many people around me at Trivial Pursuit.

[killercane]

Damn, dead last. Only one place to go from there. Tubby and I will be back. Mark my words.

[bed_head7]

Well, I got two yesses and two non responses, so I will post a quiz sometime later this evening.

[Whomp]

I'm in for any and all trivia regardless of my brain wave activity.
The game I totally dominate is scrabble. My sister and financee' both have elite U.S. educations and I crush them.

[romeothemonk]

Sweet, More Trivia.

Note to self, "Partner with Whomp and try and get onto the show Lingo."

[sz_matyas]

Fortunetly if you make an educated guess and it's right it still counts. I mean how many metals were just starting to be mass produced in the late 1800's (having just read something on how aluminum is produced helped as well). Still guess I know relatively little outside of history, geography, science and to some extent news it gets heard to show up those pesky European folks, but does cover four categories in trivial pursuit.

Must study international sports and stop watching so much baseball. Pathetic on the sports scores being from a country obsessed with sports. On the other hand trivia beats the heck out of research.

[ProPain]

The aluminium was a wild guess for me. Basically I just tried to imagine what would be 'revolutionary new' in Jules Vernes time. Alu seemed a likely candidate. I've read the book when I was in elementary school, but couldnt remember the metal from that time....

Like Rik, my brain tends to store all kinds of useless info you never need except in this sort of quizes.

[Darkness]

I don't think this has anything to do with intelligence. For some strange reason I tend to be really, really good at remembering useless trivia. For the most part my memory tends to be quite bad. I regularly forget things that my girlfriend tells me within the hour, but useless trivia stay in my brain quite long... [crazyeye]

BTW, the only reason I was able to come up with Fred Banting's name, is that my Pharmacology professor used Bantings work as an example during his lectures and the name kinda stuck. Another useless piece of information added to the set... ;)