Humor
Sunday Funday – What Happened Last Week?
Let’s do it again. Last week was kind of fun, so let’s see if we paid a little more attention this week. This was quite a week so there was lots to pay attention to. So here we go one more time.
1) The dominant event of the week was the bombs blasting at the Boston Marathon. How long has the Boston Marathon been run?
2) Someone slipped a little extra into a letter to Sen. Roger Wicker of Miss. this week. What was it?
3) Senator Ted Cruz of Texas voted not to give any relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. But he is having different thoughts now and wants federal aid to help what group of victims?
4) Based on recent planetary findings an estimate has been made that there are how many earth-like planets in the universe?
5) The CO2 reading in the atmosphere was taken in March. Within 5PPM (parts per million) what is the current CO2 PPM reading? (Hint: below 350PPM is the reading for climate safety)
6) This former beer baron resigned from the board of the NRA following the Senate vote Wednesday. Can you name him?
7) Senators representing what percentage of the US population voted for gun control measures Wednesday?
8) In a Texas case an older teacher is accused of fondling a black first grader. What is the teacher’s unique defense against this charge?
9) Iowa state senator Dennis Guth in giving a point of personal privilege speech compared the effect of gay marriage to the health effects of what?
10) This week New Zealand became the 13th nation to approve what?
11) This former Governor and now congressional candidate in South Carolina was caught breaking into his ex-wife’s house in February. Still half of his district will vote for him. Who has strayed from the old Appalachian Trail?
12) Governor Branstad claims over 70,000 jobs have been added in Iowa since his administration took over. Iowa Work Force Development claims the number is closer to 15,000. Who should we believe?
13) Iowa SoS Matt Schultz claimed in a speech last week that Democrats win by cheating. How many illegal voters have been exposed by his office so far?
14) Does Mr. Schultz have an opponent yet?
15) Steve King (the scary one, not the writer) is using the Boston Marathon bombing to beat on what current issue?
Bonus) If the final score is 54 – 46, who wins?
Man oh man, what a news week. This keeps up and I am going to need my cat to help me out on this blog. But he is a Republican. He seems to be quite selfish and doesn’t seem to care what happens to others as long as he gets what he wants.
But unlike him, I will give answers. You will not have to pay for them, as my cat has suggested.
1) It began in April, 1897. By my count that is 117 years total.
2) Some poisonous ricin. This is a highly toxic poison derived from the castor bean.
3) the explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. See it is different when it happens to you.
4) 100 billion. Or for the science geeks that is 10^11
5) 397.4 PPM, or way beyond the safety point
6) August Busch IV. He stated the NRA is not listening to its members.
7) 70% or @ 210 million. (source: Make It Plain radio show)
8) She claims she is racist and hates black people. A truly unique defense.
9) second hand smoke. He claimed that being around gays affected a person’s health
10) Marriage equality. Take New Zealand off Dennis Guth’s travel plans.
11) Mark Sanford.
12) trust the bean counters. A paltry 15,500. Last month Branstad said 1,600; IWD -5,500 – quite a difference.
13) pretty sure the number is 0.
14) Yes, Brad Anderson
15) Immigration reform. I think he wants to send those here less than 4 generations back to their old country.
BONUS) The team scoring 46 wins, according to Senate rules. It is sort of magic. Ever wonder why our kids can’t count?
Sunday Funday – I Read The News Today, Oh, Boy!
Many of you may have the same short memory problems I have been having recently. I can read something and 2 minutes later can’t remember a thing. So let’s see what you can remember that you most likely read last week and tucked someplace in that head of yours.
1) What old song was thrust into the top 5 for downloaded song due to the death of Margaret Thatcher?
2) What caused spontaneous parties to break out all over Britain last week?
3) Name of the town in Arkansas where Exxon’s pipe leaked a huge amount of oil?
4) In Obama’s proposed budget was the well-known chained CPI social security cuts. There were also cuts to Medicare and what other social safety net program?
5) “Celebrities die in 3s.” Which 3 famous people died within days of each other last week?
6) What state’s Republican Party chair was fired after she changed the locks on the party headquarters and left the state?
7) In an attempt at outreach where did Rand Paul go to make a speech?
8) Paul Ryan still wants to put SS into what?
9) Name of the Colorado governor who signed gun legislation?
10) Name of the Connecticut governor who signed gun legislation
11) Which senators have reached compromise and proposed legislation on gun control?
12) Which senator introduced a bill to break up “too big to fail banks?”
13) This guy promised that if Obama were re-elected, he would be dead or in jail by this spring. Who is breaking his promise as usual?
14) This group will begin grading elected officials on their gun control voting record. What is the group?
15) During the Thatcher regime, a member of the Irish Republican Army died from a hunger strike. Can you remember who that was? (1981)
16) What is the correct name of the current North Korean leader?
17) This rock star said this week that he is “F—ing embarrassed to be a Republican.”
18) What then could he do?
19) What state had a bill introduced into their House to designate a state religion?
20) This week one of the scientists (Robert Edwards) who helped create in vitro fertilization died. Can you remember the name of the first test tube baby?
Well, have you been paying attention?
Here we go! Hang on tight!
1) “Ding Dong The Witch is Dead” from the 1939 “Wizard of Oz” – up to #1 Saturday.
2) Spontaneous death parties that is. The death of Maggie Thatcher.
3) The Americana named town of Mayflower, Arkansas.
4) LIHEAP was cut also
5) Margaret Thatcher, Roger Ebert, Annette Funicello
6) Alaska
7) Howard University – it went about as well as you could imagine.
8) Wall Street
9) John Hickenlooper
10) Dan Malloy
11) Pat Toomey of Pa. and Joe Manchin of West Va.
12) Bernie Sanders
13) Ted Nugent (we are waiting, Ted)
14) Mayors Against Illegal Guns
15) Bobby Sands
16) Kim Jung Un (Kim is the family name)
17) Kid Rock
18) not sure – I don’t think we want him.
19) North Carolina
20) Louise Brown born 7/25/1978
Sunday Funday – Top TV shows of 1963
Here we go with another “50 years ago” quiz. But you shouldn’t have to be an old fogie like me to recognize the description of popular shows from the way back. Most of these live on in syndication or as references in jokes that continue to be popular. So step once more into the way-back machine with me and hang on.
1) In the ’60s tv networks were delivering a full schedule of daytime, prime time and Saturday morning fare. This morning show for kids featured a shaggy haired grandpa figure who lived in the treasure house and a farmer neighbor who always wore bib overalls. There were various other characters from the forest and in the treasure house. What was the name of this children’s show?
2) The highest rated night time show was a new offering that was really different in concept for TV at the time. Suppose you took a mountain man from the Ozarks and he gets rich when oil is discovered under his land. This was the premise for what show?
3) Vincent Edwards became a huge star as a brooding young doctor on this big ABC hit that began in 1961. In 1963 it weighed in as the number 7 ranked show. What was this huge doctor drama?
4) Saturday mornings included quite a mixed bag of shows. Cowboys, cartoons, some scholarly and this one young lady who had a lot fun with her puppet friends Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse and Hush Puppy. Who was this delightful puppeteer?
5) At the end of the Saturday morning schedule NBC had a program that was almost like being in school. Yep, if you watched this show you might actually learn some science from the title character. Who was this on-air scientist? (bonus: can you remember his real name?)
6) One of the most popular series in 1963 began long before TV as a radio show and continued someplace into the early 2000s. The premise was to record people’s immediate reactions to some mild practical jokes. Even today people will use their tag line in an unusual situation. What tag line did this TV show spawn?
7) Billed as the first animated prime time TV show, this show told the story of stone age families beset with modern day problems. Some folks believe this is the basis for creation science theories of men living with dinosaurs. What is the name of the title family?
8) In 1962, CBS dropped this Friday night standard for a new comedy called “Fair Exchange.” Viewers didn’t think it was a very fair exchange and wrote CBS en masse to demand a return of the Friday night standard. Called by one critic “Rod Serling’s little morality plays” what show was returned to the Friday night lineup by demand?
9) Back to Saturday morning. There were 2 cowboy shows on the schedule. One was a flying cowboy and the other was a singing cowboy who had made his fame in movies. Can you name these two shows?
10) The Master of the Macabre still had a weekly show on CBS. Known for many great films, who was this film director and host of a weekly anthology series?
11) Leading into the evening CBS and NBC had signature national news programs. Who were the hosts of these programs?
12) He couldn’t sing or dance or even act very well, but this man’s show was very popular. He helped launch the careers of luminaries like Carol Burnett, George Goebel, Don Knotts and Johnathan Winters. Can you name this variety show host?
13) Often thought of as the quintessential American family, we watched as the children grew from cute kids to adults in college. In 1963, the youngest of the two boys was one of the top rock and roll artists in the country. What was the name of this family sitcom?
14) Sunday night included this highly rated cowboy show. But instead of the usual “shoot ‘em up” cowboy show, this program revolved around a family of ranchers and their adventures on the Ponderosa. What was the name of this show?
15) Finally – Monday night was owned by CBS with a couple of game shows leading into a 3 half hour sitcoms. All of these shows were in the top 20. The last show in the group told the story of a small town sheriff and his family in the hills of North carolina. Can you name this idyllic show?
Whew – there was fine TV watching back then – maybe a little sacharine, but mostly harmless. To be hoest, I didn’t watch that much back then, but most of these programs are known by reputation if nothing else. So here we go with some dusty 50 year old answers.
1) Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan)
2) The Beverly Hillbillies
3) Ben Casey
4) Shari Lewis
5) Mr. Wizard (Don Herbert was his real name)
6) “Smile – You’re On Candid Camera”
7) The Flintstones
8) The Twilight Zone
9) Sky King ans Roy Rogers
10) Alfred Hitchcock
11) CBS- Walter Cronkite NBC – Chet Huntley and David Brinkley
12) Garry Moore
13) “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” The son was Rick Nelson.
14) Bonanza
15) The Andy Griffith Show.
Sunday Funday: Another Easter Quiz
Easter has many claims to fame depending on what religion you favor or if you favor no religion at all. Humans seem to have a feast day of some sort at or near the changing of the seasons. As the religions changed so did the beliefs around each of these quarterly feasts. Easter and Passover serve as the spring feasts. Some of the stories are based on lore of the people, some on who knows what?
So here we go: adjust that Easter bonnet and bite off a hunk o’ chocolate bunny and let’s see what you know
1) On any given year Easter can fall on any of how many different dates?
a) 4
b) 35
c) 21
d) 28
2) Eastern and Western Christian Churches use different calendars, hence Easter is often on different dates. What date will the Eastern Church celebrate Easter this year?
a) March 31st with the Western Church
b) April 28th
c) April 7th
d) May 5th
3) The pre-Easter season is known as Lent. Lent begins on what day?
a) Shrove Tuesday
b) Mardi Gras
c) Ash Wednesday
d) Good Friday
4) Decorating eggs as a sign of fertility in the spring has been around forever. Christianity adapted the egg as a symbol of Christ’s tomb around what time?
a) 1600
b) 200
c) 1800
d) 1900
5) Recently Bill O’Reilly claimed the “secular progressives” were waging a “war on Easter” and were attacking what Easter Icon?
a) the Easter bonnet
b) the Easter lilly
c) the Easter egg
d) the Easter rabbit
6) Palm Sunday was last week celebrating Jesus arrival into Jerusalem and was greeted by waving palm. What was the significance of palm?
a) Palm is a symbol of royalty and Christ was a king
b) Palm is a symbol of triumph – at the time Jesus was triumphant
c) Palm is a fruit tree and a sustainer of life.
d) Palm is a symbol of heavenly life
7) Easter 1916 gave birth to the Easter Rising. This was a rebellion in what country?
a) Russia, setting off the revolution
b) China, starting a revolt against capitalist oppression
c) Ireland, in response to oppressive British rule
d) Turkey, in a final push to end the Ottoman Empire
8) The garden where Jesus prayed with his disciples on the night before his arrest is called what?
a) Golgotha
b) Calvary
c) Gethsemane
d) Via Dolorosa
9) What does a rabbit have to do with Easter?
a) They are so cute and soft and fuzzy and spring is a feel good time
b) gardens are planted in spring which lures rabbits out after a long winter
c) rabbit manure has long been known to be an incredible fertilizer.
d) since the reproduce so rapidly they are a natural symbol of fertility.
10) What composer wrote the Easter standard “Easter Bonnet?”
a) George Gershwin
b) Irving Berlin
c) Jerome Kern
d) Cole Porter
Bonus!) Who chewed the ear off the chocolate rabbit I was saving?
a) the cats – it’s always the cats!
b) Daughter #1 during her last (and I mean last) visit
c) My mother-in-law
d) the mrs. – she really has a sweet tooth.
Hope this was a broad enough Easter quiz to totally confuse everyone. That is my goal. Now where was that darned chocolate bunny? Damn! I think it is gone!
The answers are about to rise from the grave of my brain:
1) b) 35 day. (first sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox until the next full moon.) Or something like that
2) d) May 5th – the Eastern church uses the Julian calendar while the Western church uses the Gregorian
3) c) Ash Wednesday – OK who missed this one?
4) a) @1610 so 1600 is the answer
5) d) the Easter rabbit. Seriously folks
6) b) Palm has long been a symbol of triumph (think of the crown on Julius Caeser’s head)
7) c) Ireland
8) c) Gethsemane is translated “oil press”
9) d) please tell me everyone got that one
10) b) another of those Irving Berlin songs
BONUS!) d) continuing a long tradition – and she always blames it on the cats.
Tags: Sunday Funday: 50 Years Ago Today
1963 was the year that the threads that were holding society together started to get frayed. In the US it was still pre British music invasion and we were still only ‘advising’ in Viet Nam. So we will reach back to March of 1963 to see what was popping.
So let’s see if you can remember (or had Mom and Dad tell you) about that wonderful year 1963.
1) A young man is arrested in Phoenix, Ariz. He makes statements to the police that lead to his conviction. He sues claiming he was never advised of his constitutional rights. Three years later the SCOTUS agrees and police now advise people using a warning named after this young man. His name was:
a) Clarence Gideon
b) William Douglas
c) Pedro Ramirez
d) Ernesto Miranda
2) This up and coming heavy weight boxer almost saw what would be a historic career end when he barely outpointed Doug Jones on March 13th. Whose career barely survived that fight?
a) Joe Frazier
b) George Foreman
c) Cassius Clay (later Muhammed Ali)
d) Sugar Ray Robinson
3) On March 21, one of America’s most well-known institutions closed. It is now a tourist attraction. What is this place?
a) The Bijou theater where John Dillinger was shot.
b) The school where evolution was taught leading to the Scopes Monkey Trial
c) Alcatraz
d) Fort Laramie
4) March 22, 1963 this rock group released their first album in Britain. This group is …?
a) the Rolling Stones
b) The Beatles
c) The Kinks
d) The Dave Clark 5
5) The beginnings of a major scandal brews in Canada when Defence Minister John Profumo claims he was not involved with what woman?
a) Christine Keeler
b) Donna Rice
c) Evelyn Nesbitt
d) Fanne Foxe
6) In a decision announced on March 18, the SCOTUS ruled that
a) Police must have a search warrant before entering a private residence
b) Evidence obtained from an illegal search can not be presented in court
c) a person can not be forced to testify against him or her self
d) all defendants must be represented by counsel in court
7) On March 5th what major country music star dies in an airplane crash?
a) Jayne Mansfield
b) Dinah Shore
c) Patsy Cline
d) Skeeter Davis
8) The top rated TV show of the 1962-1963 TV season is
a) The Bevely Hillbillies
b) The Lucy Show
c) The Red Skelton Show
d) Candid Camera
9) The 1962 – 1963 late night line up saw what up & coming comedian take over the Tonight Show?
a) Steve Allen
b) Jack Paar
c) Johnny Carson
d) Joey Bishop
10) The week of March 24th this song took over as #1 and stayed at the top for a month. What was it?
a) “Telstar” by the Tornadoes
b) “He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons
c) “Dominique” by the Singing Nun
d) “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles
Fifty years?? Hope that cake I put in the oven back then is done. Time surely goes by fast, doesn’t it? Well I guess it is time for some answers!
1) d) Ernesto Miranda. The case would make it to the SCOTUS in 1966. And that old liberal Warren court said people needed to be advised of their rights.
2) c) Cassius Clay aka Muhammed Ali nearly had his career stunted by Doug Jones.
3) c) Alcatraz
4) b) The Beatles – the album was rushed because of their popularity and was “Please Please Me”
5) a) Christine Keeler – tough question
6) d) In Gideon V Wainwright SCOTUS ruled that all defendants must be represented by counsel
7) c) Patsy Cline was killed on March 5, 1963
8) a) Yep – The Beverly Hillbillies
9) c) Johnny Carson started his long run in October 1962
10) b) we were still in the pre-Beatles stage and “He’s So Fine” spent a month on top of the charts
Note: On the same day as the Gideon decision the SCOTUS also issued the “one man, one vote” decision.
Note2: March 22 was the 50th anniversary of Dick Cheney’s first deferment.
Sunday Funday – St. Patrick’s Day Edition
Whether you are Catholic, Christian or none of the above, in the United States on March 17th every one becomes some version of Irish. And once again as has been true for the past 4 years Americans will be led in celebration by their jolly Irish President, Brrrrrak O’Bama. We shake the bushes every year for questions relating to Ireland for St. Patty’s Day. Let us try one more time and see what falls out.
1) Irish peoples are often also called “Celtic.” However Celts were not originally from Ireland. Where did the Celts originate from?
a) Africa
b) Scandanavia area
c) mediterranean basin
d) central Europe
2) Patrick was not born in Ireland itself, but was brought into Ireland as a slave from what current country?
a) England
b) Wales
c) Scotland
d) France
3) One of the great stories about Saint Patrick is that he drove the snakes from Ireland. Is this story truth or myth?
a) truth – he did drive the snakes from Ireland
b) Myth – he did not drive the snakes from ireland
4) Patrick was said to use the Shamrock to illustrate one of his teachings. What teaching was that?
a) The relation of man to government and man to God
b) The God trinity
c) The hierarchy of the Church at that time.
d) The history of religion up to that time.
5) March 17th is a celebratory island in a period of solemnity in the Christian churches. What is this period of solemnity called?
a) Advent
b) Pentecost
c) Mardi Gras
d) Lent
6) How is St. Patrick’s Day treated as a holiday in the US?
a) It is a federal holiday and federal workers are givn the day off
b) It is not a government holiday, but is a holy day of obligation for Catholics
c) it is neither a governmental nor church holiday. It is simply an undeclared day for fun
d) It varies as a governmental holiday from state to state, but is a holy day of obligation for the Catholic church.
7) There was a great migration from Ireland to the US in the middle of the 19th century. What was the driver for this migration?
a) the great cabbage famine of 1842
b) Locust infestation 1845
c) Invasion of Ireland by the British 1845
d) the great potato famine of 1845
8) The Easter Rising of 1916 was fought mostly in what area?
a) Belfast and surrounding area
b) Dublin and surrounding area
c) Londonderry and surrounding area
d) County Cork
9) In Irish stories and song, who are referred to as the Orange?
a) The Catholics
b) the Protestants
c) those living in Southern Ireland
d) the landed class
10) By percentage, what is the most Irish large city in the US?
a) Chicago, Illinois
b) Cincinnati, Ohio
c) New York City, N.Y.
d) Boston, Mass.
You know, I bet you got one right. That is enough to deserve a green beer or two.
Concerning question 10, the city with the highest percentage Irish population of any size is Butte, Montana followed by Ocean City N.J. and Corinth, Miss. That last one really surprised me.
And now some ANSWERS:
1) d) central Europe
2) c) Scotland
3) b) myth – most believe the snakes were never there
4) b) the trinity
5) d) Lent
6) c) neither governmental holiday nor church holy day
7) d) the great potato famine
8) b) Dublin
9) b) the Protestants
10) d) Boston, Mass. note: this was large cities. Boston has ~ 20%
Sunday Funday – Susan B. Anthony Edition
How terribly short sighted of me. Susan B. Anthony would be considered by many to be the original Feminist. Since her birthday is February 15th and the death date is March 13th this seems like a good time to ask a few questions about the woman who plowed some of the early ground to plant the seeds of feminism. This is also our daughter’s birthday. She is a fine example of what a strong woman should be.
So here are some questions on Susan B. Anthony and possibly one or two about other noted feminists.
1) Part of the reason that Anthony became educated and believed what she did believe was because of her family’s religion. What religion was that?
a) Mormon
b) Catholicism
c) Church of England
d) Quakers
2) Which movement was Anthony’s earliest involvement in social movements?
a) abolition
b) temperance
c) suffrage
d) education
3) Not being allowed to speak at a __________ meeting caused Anthony to start her own branch
a) abolition
b) temperance
c) suffrage
d) education
4) This other famous women’s leader of the time joined Anthony in starting the aforementioned branch, thus forming a lifelong friendship.
a) Abby McFarland
b) Mother Jones
c) Elizabeth Cady Stanton
d) Harriet Beecher Stowe
5) In the late 1860s Anthony began publishing a weekly journal of women’s rights. The name of this journal was:
a) Women’s Rights
b) Equality
c) The Revolution
d) Human Rights
6) In 1872, Anthony was arrested for the crime of _________ as a woman and later put on trial.
a) owning property
b) seeking office
c) drinking in public
d) voting
7) In 1869, Anthony once more joined with her friend mentioned in question #4 to start:
a) The Women’s Christian Temperance Union
b) The National American Woman Suffrage Association
c) The National Labor Union
d) The Journal of American Rights
8) Oddly, one of Anthony’s goals has yet to be met in the US. That goal is:
a) An equal rights amendment
b) equal pay for equal work
c) intergrated labor unions
d) woman president
9) Friends Anthony made in the abolitionist and equal rights movements included:
a) Lucretia Mott
b) Frederick Douglass
c) William Lloyd Garrison
d) all of the above
10) Susan B. Anthony died March 13, 1906. How much longer would women have to wait to get the vote?
a) 10 years
b) 14 years
c) 18 years
d) 22 years
I bow my head with great respect to Ms. Anthony. The founders started a country before all the work was done. So people like Susan B. Anthony, Abe Lincoln, Martin Luther King and John Lewis have had to step up and help turn the US into a finished product. Every day there are men and women working their butts off to bring the rights of democracy to all. Sadly, st the same time we have folks like Terry Branstad and Matt Schultz trying to stop them.
I bow to all of you who have taken part in anti-war marches or civil rights movements in your lifetimes. While some lead, those of us who join in deserve a hand also.
And now, some answers on Ms. Anthony:
1) d) Anthony was raised a Quaker. Later in life she slowly turned to agnosticism
2) a) in her teens, Anthony was gathering petitions for the abolition of slavery
3) b) Anthony was not allowed to speak at a state temperance meeting because she was a woman.
4) c) Anthony became lifelong friends with Elizabeth Cady Stanton as they formed their own branch of a temperance group.
5) c) The Revolution a publication that fought for rightd for women – truly revolutionary
6) d) voting. She was fined $100 but still ahs not paid it.
7) b) Anthony and Stanton began the NAWSA with Stanton as president.
8) b) equal pay – although Obama is working on it.
9) d) all of the above
10) b) 14 years later in 1920.
Sunday Funday – Iowa Girls Basketball History
Well, that time of year comes once again. On a Friday evening, I climb into my PJs and the next thing I know is that the TV is on and I am watch some basketball tournament is flickering right before my eyes. Yep, it is the high holy days of basketball once more. Beginning with the fun of the Iowa Girls tournament on to the Final Four which will be played in some football stadium once again.
For those new to Iowa – and by new I mean less than 30 years – let me try to explain what Iowa Girls basketball once was. It was a quirky game where there were actually two half court 3-on-3 games going at once. Noted Iowa wit, Donald Kaul, had famous on-going hate affair with the game. There was never anything like anywhere else.
So for all you old-timers out there, here are some questions about the one and only Iowa six-on-six girl’s basketball.
1) In the 6-on-6 game a team would consist of:
a) 3 shooters and 3 guarders
b) 3 offenders and 3 defenders
c) 3 forwards and 3 guards
d) 2 centers, 2 forwards and 2 guards
2) One quirky rule in the 6-on-6 game was:
a) the two dribble then shoot or pass rule.
b) the no shot inside the lane rule
c) the 3 foot guard buffer rule (must leave 3 feet between you and the person you guard)
d) the 40 point rule (fall behind 40 points and lose)
3) What major network sports show tried to buy the rights to broadcast the IGHSAU tournament?
a) CBS Saturday!
b) ABc Wide World of Sports
c) NBC The Sporting Life
d) Fox Focus on Sports
4) The culture around the girls’ game was due in part to the fact that:
a) every girl on the team had to play a minimum number of minutes
b) Parents only were allowed at games
c) Girls basketball was played mostly in the large schools
d) Girls basketball was played mostly in small farming towns
5) The first Iowa girls basketball game was played about what year?
a) 1910
b) 1924
c) 1898
d) 1933
6) The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union formed and held its first tournament in
a) 1910
b) 1926
c) 1932
d) 1946
7) Let’s talk about some of the players. This girl was drafted in the NBA draft in 1969, the only woman ever drafted by the NBA.
a) Lynn Lorenzen
b) Jeanette Olsen
c) Denise Long
d) Katie Abrahamson
8) 6 player basketball slowly gave way to 5 player basketball. When did the 5 player game start in Iowa?
a) 1978
b) 1984
c) 1989
d) 1993
9) The highest scorer in 6 girl basketball came from the small town of Ventura as the 6 player game was slowly giving way to the 5 girl game. Who was she?
a) Denise Long
b) Lynn Lorenzen
c) Jeanette Olsen
d) Lisa Brinkmeyer
10) the final 6 player Iowa girls basketball tournament took place in what year?
a) 1984
b) 1987
c) 1993
d) 2001
For those of you who remember there was nothing like the 6 player game. Not only the games, but the small town atmosphere, the weather that seemed to show up every March and of course some of the diminutive names the girls teams were saddled with. My favorites included the Cattlefeederettes and the Bullettes (better than Cow, I guess.)
You shot, did you score? Let’s see!
1) c) 3 forwards, 3 guards
2) a) the 2 dribble rule. Strangely the girls could cover a lot of room in 2 dribbles
3) b) ABC Wide World Of Sports wanted to show the tournament throughout the country, but the IGHSAU feared losing control of the tourney
4) d) the 6 player game was almost totally played in small farming towns which would shut down if their team went to state
5) c) around 1898
6) b) 1926 with Hampton as the champion
7) c) Denise Long. She was the highest scorer at that time
8) b) 1984
9) b) Lynn Lorenzen
10) c) 1993 with Hubbard-Radcliff as the final champion.
Well time to warm up the TV. BTW – during the height of the 6 player game over 70% of Iowa girls were involved in playing basketball. Much of this was before the school consolidations. So in many small towns, every girls played on the team.
Sunday Funday – Mississippi Joins The Union Edition
Slavery has finally been outlawed in Mississippi. Let the party begin. Only 148 years after most of the rest of the country. The Constitution is hard to amend. We don’t want our basic rules to be changed willy-nilly and we also do not want them to be very narrow in focus. So it would make sense that few amendments have been proposed and fewer have been passed.
So here is a little quiz concerning amendments that are in the constitution, some that haven’t made it and a couple of questions about the process. Here we go:
1) Amendments can originate in two ways. One is to be proposed in Congress. The other is:
a) by a vote of 2/3rds of the state legislatures.
b) by favorable votes in 2/3rds of state conventions
c) by favorable votes of 2/3rds of state governors
d) by a national convention called by congress on request by 2/3rds of the states
2) Ratification of a proposed amendment takes place by
a) approval of 2/3rds of state legislatures
b) approval of half of state legislatures
c) approval of 3/4ths of state legislatures
d) approval of 4/5ths of state legislatures
3) Another method of ratification is
a) by 3/4ths of state conventions called by the legislatures
b) by 2/3rds of state governors
c) by a 2/3rds vote of the amendment college as selected by various state legislatures
d) by conventions in each state called by the 2 major parties
4) The first ten amendments to the Constitution are collectively known as
a) The bill of attainder
b) the clarifying amendments
c) the bill of rights
d) the articles of confederation
5) The original proposed first amendment did not deal with speech or press, but with
a) limiting the power of corporations
b) limiting the number of people a representative could represent
c) limiting the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
d) ending slavery
6) The 13th, 14th and 15th amendments are known collectively as (the)
a) reconstruction amendments
b) Lincoln’s amendments
c) anti-slavery amendments
d) northern amendments
7) Is a presidential signature needed for an amendment to become effective?
a) yes
b) no
8) Only one amendment has been negated by another amendment. Can you name the two amendments in question?
a) the 8th and the 15th
b) the 10th and the 14th
c) the 9th and the 28th
d) the 18th and the 21st
9) How long can a proposed amendment exist in a proposed state before it must be ratified or not?
a) 10 years
b) A century
c) Congress may place a time limit on an individual amendment; else there is no limit
d) there is no limit
10) A curiosity among proposed amendments, the Corwin amendment, preserved what institution?
a) white men only voting
b) slavery
c) African-Americans as 3/5ths of a person
d) state nullification
In case you missed it last week, Mississippi took the final step of ratification and told someone that they had actually ratified the 13th amendment back in 1995. If you take away the first 10 amendments, the constitution has been amended 17 times or about once every 13 years. That seems about right.
The one I find curious is that the Equal Rights Amendment was never ratified. And there is one on the horizon to negate the Citizen’s United ruling. If officially proposed, ratification could be quite interesting.
Answers? Ratify something first! er—- sure
1) d) by congress or by national convention which has never been used
2) c) 3/4ths of the states or 38 states
3) a) again the number 3/4ths
4) c) the bill of rights
5) b) actually the current 1st amendment was proposed #3. the current 27th amendment was originally #2
6) a) reconstruction amendments
7) b) no
8) d) the 21st ending alcohol prohibition negated the 18th which created prohibition
9) c) there are 6 non-ratified proposed amendments. 2 have limited dates and are considered dead. The 27th amendment took 74,003 days between proposal and ratification.
10) b) preserved slavery. Proposed in 1861 and still in a proposed state this amendment tried to stop the march to war. The amendment was even signed by Abraham Lincoln and ratified by Ohio, Maryland and Illinois. Then war broke out.
The Equal rights amendment still needs ratification by 3 states. But it had a time limit so it is questionable whether it can still be ratified. Also one state (Tennessee, I believe) rescinded their ratification. Another constitutional question
Sunday Funday – President’s Day Edition
One of my favorite trivia subjects are the Presidents. As a group we know a lot about them and their little quirks. And often the larger than life people that have become president have some larger than life foibles and facts about them. So here we go with yet one more set of questions on those folks that we never seem to lose interest in.
1) Beside the two well known February Presidential birthday boys, what two other presidents were born in February?
2) Beside Herbert Hoover, what two presidents spent a portion of their young lives in Iowa?
3) This President, discussing his child, said “I can either be president, or I can watch (child). I can’t do both.”
4) Many of the Presidents have been related to other Presidents or distinguished people. What Presdient is related to a former Vice-President?
5) This President hated music, all music. Which president was that?
6) This president and his wife both spoke Chinese and would often use it for private conversations when others were present. Any idea who it was?
7) He hated cats. In retirement he would shoot at any that came near his premises. Wow – who was this mean old man?
8) “Hail to the Chief” was written specifically for him. Any idea who or why it was?
9) Smart and ambidextrous, this President was said to be able to write Greek with one hand and Latin with the other at the same time! Any Idea who it was?
10) This President had electric lights put in the White House, but so feared electrocution that he made the staff turn the lights on. Who was willing to sacrifice the help to get some light?
So what two Presidents were born in Kentucky? Why the two that served simultaneously, Abe Lincoln and Jeff Davis. But only one really counts. If you haven’t seen Lincoln, this viewer highly recommends it.
And now, some stately answers:
1) Ronald Reagan (Feb. 6th) William Henry Harrison (Feb. 9th)
2) Ronald Reagan (as a broadcaster for WHO radio) and Richard Nixon (as a naval lieutenant in WWII in Ottumwa)
3) Teddy Roosevelt. His daughter (Alice) was a handful and a half. As an adult she was a constant source of parties and quotes. Alice Roosevelt Longworth’s most famous quote was “if you can’t say something nice about someone, come sit by me.”
4) Barack Obama. Surely you remember that he and Dick Cheney are 8th cousins.
5) U.S. Grant – I know not why.
6) Herbert Hoover. He was an engineer in China as a young man and wife Lou Henry accompanied him.
7) Out in Gettysburg, General Eisenhower would take up arms against the enemy – cats!
8) James Madison, who was so short his entrance was often missed. So he was welcomed with music written for him.
9) James Garfield – former classics teacher and general. He had a broad range.
10) Benjamin Harrison.
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