Trivia for today

[FreeLunch]

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August 2, 1939 ......... Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard wrote a letter to Pres. Roosevelt urging the government to expand research in the area of nuclear chain reactions which conceivably could lead to the development of an all powerful (atomic) bomb. They noted that Germany had already taken some initial steps along these lines.
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1) What was the name of the subsequent massive secret operation to develop the atomic bomb ?
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2) These two individuals held the initial patent for a nuclear reactor and later sold it to the U.S. government -- ____?____ and ____?____ .
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3) The atom bomb material was developed at two principal sites -- ____?____ and ____?____ .
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4) In 1945 Szilard circulated a petition among fellow nuclear scientists asking Pres. Truman to : ______ ?_______ .
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5) The material used for the first atomic bomb - Hiroshima - was _____ ? _______ .
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Super duper bonus question) The explosive blast over Hiroshima was equivalent to roughly ______ ? _______ thousand tons of TNT.

 

[lakelawyerheel]

(1) Manhattan Project
Don’t remember 2
(3) Oak Ridge and Hanford
(4) Not use the bomb
(5). Uranium was used in the Hiroshima bomb. Plutonium was the basis of the Nagasaki bomb

Hiroshima bomb was 25KT if I remember correctly

 

[FreeLunch]

(1) Manhattan Project
Don’t remember 2
(3) Oak Ridge and Hanford
(4) Not use the bomb
(5). Uranium was used in the Hiroshima bomb. Plutonium was the basis of the Nagasaki bomb

Hiroshima bomb was 25KT if I remember correctly

Eggselent !!


4 is not exactly what the petition recommended.

25KT is too high.

 

[lakelawyerheel]

Eggselent !!


4 is not exactly what the petition recommended.

25KT is too high.

I knew it was 15-25KT, just couldn’t remember which

The petition was to do a demonstration drop, but to me that is basically not using it

 

[Potomac]

May some related questions?

1. The plane (Bock's Car) that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki is on display where?
2. Part of the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima (Enola Gay) is on display where?
3. Nagasaki was the backup target on the day of the bombing. The primary target of _____ had too much cloud cover.
4. The original preferred planning target by the military for the atomic bomb was the city of ______.
5. The choice in #4 was overridden by senior government official _______, who did not want to see #4 destroyed.

A few years ago I reread Rhode's classic, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." Still reads well.

I recommend "Road to Surrender" by Evan Thomas from a couple years ago. He writes about #4 and #5, for example, and had content about what was going on inside the Japanese leadership that I had not known. If you think Japan was about to surrender before the bombs dropped or after the first bomb, think again. Or read the book.

 

[FreeLunch]

May some related questions?

1. The plane (Bock's Car) that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki is on display where?
2. Part of the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima (Enola Gay) is on display where?
3. Nagasaki was the backup target on the day of the bombing. The primary target of _____ had too much cloud cover.
4. The original preferred planning target by the military for the atomic bomb was the city of ______.
5. The choice in #4 was overridden by senior government official _______, who did not want to see #4 destroyed.

A few years ago I reread Rhode's classic, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." Still reads well.

I recommend "Road to Surrender" by Evan Thomas from a couple years ago. He writes about #4 and #5, for example, and had content about what was going on inside the Japanese leadership that I had not known. If you think Japan was about to surrender before the bombs dropped or after the first bomb, think again. Or read the book.

2). I’m pretty sure the Enola Gay - the whole plane - is in the Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport in Washington

I think Kyoto was a potential target that got scratched.

 

[lakelawyerheel]

May some related questions?

1. The plane (Bock's Car) that dropped the bomb on Nagasaki is on display where?
2. Part of the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima (Enola Gay) is on display where?
3. Nagasaki was the backup target on the day of the bombing. The primary target of _____ had too much cloud cover.
4. The original preferred planning target by the military for the atomic bomb was the city of ______.
5. The choice in #4 was overridden by senior government official _______, who did not want to see #4 destroyed.

A few years ago I reread Rhode's classic, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb." Still reads well.

I recommend "Road to Surrender" by Evan Thomas from a couple years ago. He writes about #4 and #5, for example, and had content about what was going on inside the Japanese leadership that I had not known. If you think Japan was about to surrender before the bombs dropped or after the first bomb, think again. Or read the book.

3: Primary target was Kokura
4: Kyoto
5: Secretary of War Henry Stimson

 

[Potomac]

3-5 are correct. Good work.

 

[FreeLunch]

To add a bit of color here .........

My dad was a physician in southern England during WWII. When the war in Europe ended his group made their way to the south coast of France. Within a few weeks they were put aboard a ship headed to the Philippines to be part of the medical corps caring for the 100,000s of casualties expected from an invasion of the Japanese mainland.

About halfway across the Atlantic Ocean the loudspeaker goes off: "Now hear this. Now hear this. The destination of this vessel is now Hampton Roads, Virginia."

He said they threw everything they could get their hands on overboard --> sheets ... towels ... pillows ... pillow cases ... you name it.

When he was 90 years old he told me he could still picture the wake of the ship as it turned from heading south to the Panama Canal to west towards Hampton Roads.

 

[Potomac]

Looks like you are correct about the entire Enola Gay at Dulles. I was thinking of when it was only the front part.

 

[FreeLunch]

August 16, 1977 ....... Elvis Presley -- The King -- died at Graceland in Memphis, TN. Many people consider this the saddest day in American history.
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1) Who was Elvis' mother ?
2) What is the best selling Elvis song of all time ?
3) Elvis started to make it big by performing on a rival radio program to the Grand Ole Opry known as ____?_____ .
4) Elvis had a stillborn twin brother. What name did his parents give this infant ?
5) What was Elvis' connection to Pres. Franklin Roosevelt ?
6) Elvis' favorite snack was said to be ___?___ .
7) What did Pres. Nixon give Elvis when he visited The White House ?
Super duper bonus question) Elvis' first hit was "That's All Right". What was on the 'B' side of that single ?

 

[lakelawyerheel]

Nixon gave Elvis an honorary DEA badge which Elvis would try to officially use…a lot LOL

 

[lakelawyerheel]

Elvis’ mother was Gladys and his stillborn twin’s name was Jesse

 

[FreeLunch]

^^

 

[FreeLunch]

August 16, 1977 ....... Elvis Presley -- The King -- died at Graceland in Memphis, TN. Many people consider this the saddest day in American history.
.
View attachment 876850

.
1) Who was Elvis' mother ?
2) What is the best selling Elvis song of all time ?
3) Elvis started to make it big by performing on a rival radio program to the Grand Ole Opry known as ____?_____ .
4) Elvis had a stillborn twin brother. What name did his parents give this infant ?
5) What was Elvis' connection to Pres. Franklin Roosevelt ?
6) Elvis' favorite snack was said to be ___?___ .
7) What did Pres. Nixon give Elvis when he visited The White House ?
Super duper bonus question) Elvis' first hit was "That's All Right". What was on the 'B' side of that single ?

1) Gladys
2) It's Now or Never .......... (never would have guessed that)
3) Louisiana Hayride
4) Jesse
5) Elvis bought Roosevelt's yacht .... then donated it to St. Jude Children's Hospital ... who, in turn, sold it as a fundraiser
6) grilled or fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches
7) DEA badge
Super duper) Blue Moon of Kentucky

 

[lakelawyerheel]

1) Gladys
2) It's Now or Never .......... (never would have guessed that)
3) Louisiana Hayride
4) Jesse
5) Elvis bought Roosevelt's yacht .... then donated it to St. Jude Children's Hospital ... who, in turn, sold it as a fundraiser
6) grilled or fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches
7) DEA badge
Super duper) Blue Moon of Kentucky

It’s Now or Never is a great song….but his best-seller??? WOW. I wouldn’t have said that if you gave me 10 guesses

Had never heard the FDR yacht story. That’s great

 

[lakelawyerheel]

1) Gladys
2) It's Now or Never .......... (never would have guessed that)
3) Louisiana Hayride
4) Jesse
5) Elvis bought Roosevelt's yacht .... then donated it to St. Jude Children's Hospital ... who, in turn, sold it as a fundraiser
6) grilled or fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches
7) DEA badge
Super duper) Blue Moon of Kentucky

Elvis always kept that DEA badge on him and he would flash it to anybody and everybody and tell them he actually was a DEA agent

There’s a great Waylon Jennings story where the band was pulled from their bus for “further questioning” at the Canadian border. When they went in Waylon and the boys dropped a bunch of Deputy Sheriff badges on the border agents desk from all over Texas they had been gifted. They told the RMCP they were all law enforcement officers in addition to being a band. Knowing Waylon, there was at least a kilo of blow and more pills than a pharmacy on that bus, HA

 

[FreeLunch]

October 26, 1881 ........ Gunfight at the OK Corral

1) The infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral occurred in which city, state ?
2) Name the three Earp brothers ?
3) Why was Doc Holiday called "Doc" ?
4) The John Ford movie which popularized the story of the Gunfight was ____?____.
5) The gang fighting the Earp brothers was known as the ____?____ .
Super duper bonus question) The actual gun battle was not at the OK Corral. It was in an alley adjacent to ____?____.

 

[UNCatTech]

2). I’m pretty sure the Enola Gay - the whole plane - is in the Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport in Washington

I think Kyoto was a potential target that got scratched.

We hope...

Recent news about the Enola Gay concerns the U.S. Department of Defense's 2025 purge of content related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), which mistakenly flagged photos of the WWII bomber for removal

 

[UNCatTech]

Love the trivia threads.

Always learn something and I'm always impressed with the knowledge of those who participate.

 

[lakelawyerheel]

View attachment 972644


October 26, 1881 ........ Gunfight at the OK Corral

1) The infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral occurred in which city, state ?
2) Name the three Earp brothers ?
3) Why was Doc Holiday called "Doc" ?
4) The John Ford movie which popularized the story of the Gunfight was ____?____.
5) The gang fighting the Earp brothers was known as the ____?____ .
Super duper bonus question) The actual gun battle was not at the OK Corral. It was in an alley adjacent to ____?____.

1) Tombstone AZ
2) Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan
3) Doc Holiday was l, at one time, a dentist
4) don’t remember
5) the Cowboys

Super-duper: don’t remember other than in an alley nearby as you mentioned

 

[FreeLunch]

1) Tombstone AZ
2) Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan
3) Doc Holiday was l, at one time, a dentist
4) don’t remember
5) the Cowboys

Super-duper: don’t remember other than in an alley nearby as you mentioned

#4 -- movie was 'My Darling Clementine'.

Super -- Fly's Photographic Studio ....... doesn't have quite the same ring as 'OK Corral'.

 

[FreeLunch]

October 27, 1904 ......... The first New York City Subway Line opened.

Name the city that goes with the subway or rail systems noted here:

Underground
The 'L'
T
MARTA
Metro .. (2 METROs)
BART
LYNX
DART
Metrorail

 

[lakelawyerheel]

View attachment 974362


October 27, 1904 ......... The first New York City Subway Line opened.

Name the city that goes with the subway or rail systems noted here:

Underground
The 'L'
T
MARTA
Metro .. (2 METROs)
BART
LYNX
DART
Metrorail

I think the "L" is Chicago?

MARTA is Atlanta
METRO (one of them) is Washington DC?
BART is San Fran
I think DART is Dallas

Not sure about the rest

 

[Loyalheel]

Is the LYNX - Charlotte?
Metrorail is Miami

 

[lakelawyerheel]

Is the LYNX - Charlotte?
Metrorail is Miami

Oh goodness....LYNX IS Charlotte. Should have remembered that given how much I am in the city

 

[WeaponY]

T is Boston
Underground is London (?)

 

[FreeLunch]

The other - Metro - is Paris.
I believe you got all the rest.

 

[FreeLunch]

First college football game ...... November 6, 1869





1) Who were the opponents in the first college football game ?

2) Over the past 100 years -- name the top three (major) schools in terms of winning percentage.

3) Which university has the most Heisman Trophy winners ?

4) Which President "saved" college football ... and .. what notable reforms were implemented at the time to make the game safer ?

5) Who holds the UNC record in terms of career rushing yards ?

6) Who is credited for standardizing the rules in the early days of college football ?

Super duper bonus question) UNC is sometimes cited for inventing (?) the forward pass. What can you tell us about the circumstances behind that situation ?

 

[lakelawyerheel]

At one point I could have fired off the answer to pretty much everyone of these. But this morning my mind just isn't remembering right, LOL

 

[Loyalheel]

Just guesses

2. Notre Dame, USC and Alabama
3. USC

 

[FreeLunch]

Just guesses

2. Notre Dame, USC and Alabama
3. USC

USC - #1 in Heisman Trophies w 8

#2 -- is not quite right

 

[FreeLunch]

Times up ............

1) The first college football game - 1869 - was between Rutgers and Princeton (then known as the College of New Jersey).

2) Boise State (?) ......... Ohio St. .........'Bama ....... Oklahoma

3) USC - So Cal - most Heisman Trophy winners with 8.

4) Theodore Roosevelt could be deemed the 'savior' of college football. Back in 1905 -- college football came under great scrutiny due to a number of player deaths and all too frequent serious injuries. Roosevelt organized a committee to change the rules. Among the new rules they adopted to make the game somewhat safter --> legalized the forward pass ...... abolished the dangerous mass formations ........ created a neutral zone between offense and defense ... and .... doubled the first-down distance to 10 yards, to be gained in three downs.

5) Famous Amos Lawrence -- ~ 4,400 yards over his career.

6) Walter Camp

Super duper) The story goes that in 1895 John Heisman (as in Heisman Trophy) saw a UNC punter throw a forward pass to another player .... who then ran it for a 70 yards touchdown. This was illegal at the time. The referee supposedly didn't see the pass and thus allowed the TD. The forward pass wasn't legalized until around 10 years later as part of the reforms initiated by Pres. Roosevelt noted above. But this has gone down as the first pass in a football game.

 

[FreeLunch]

On a college sports message board we couldn't get many posters interested in college football history. I doubt we'll have very many interested in Russian history. But it's been a little hobby of mine over the years. So here we go.

November 7, 1917 .......... The Bolsheviks -- led by Lenin and Trotsky -- overthrow the Provisional government .... which ultimately led to the Communist reign over the Soviet Union.





1) Even though this event occurred on November 7, 1917 -- it is commonly referred to as the ____?____ .

2) Who was the leader of the Provisional government ?

3) What ultimately happened to Leon Trotsky ?

4) Remember Doctor Zhivago -- the Bolshevik takeover of the Russian government led to several years of Civil War between the ____?____ and the ____?____ .

5) The revolution / takeover here wasn't centered in Moscow. The city where these events took place has been known under two names: ____?____ ... and ... ____?____ .

Super duper bonus question) Roughly how many .. ( what ### range) ... citizens of the Soviet Union were intentionally executed by the Soviet government itself in a series of Lenin / Stalin purges ... or ... died by starvation stemming from the Soviet collectivization of agriculture.

 

[lakelawyerheel]

On a college sports message board we couldn't get many posters interested in college football history. I doubt we'll have very many interested in Russian history. But it's been a little hobby of mine over the years. So here we go.

November 7, 1917 .......... The Bolsheviks -- led by Lenin and Trotsky -- overthrow the Provisional government .... which ultimately led to the Communist reign over the Soviet Union.

View attachment 992455



1) Even though this event occurred on November 7, 1917 -- it is commonly referred to as the ____?____ .

2) Who was the leader of the Provisional government ?

3) What ultimately happened to Leon Trotsky ?

4) Remember Doctor Zhivago -- the Bolshevik takeover of the Russian government led to several years of Civil War between the ____?____ and the ____?____ .

5) The revolution / takeover here wasn't centered in Moscow. The city where these events took place has been known under two names: ____?____ ... and ... ____?____ .

Super duper bonus question) Roughly how many .. ( what ### range) ... citizens of the Soviet Union were intentionally executed by the Soviet government itself in a series of Lenin / Stalin purges ... or ... died by starvation stemming from the Soviet collectivization of agriculture.

#1. October Revolution

#3. Assissinated in Mexico by order of Stalin

#4. White Army (imperialists and nationalists) Red Army (communists)

#5 St Petersburg (Imperial Capital) that became Leningrad and post USSR back to St Petersburg. The overthrow of the Winter Palace was the defining moment

super duper: 7 million?

 

[FreeLunch]

#1. October Revolution

#3. Assissinated in Mexico by order of Stalin

#4. White Army (imperialists and nationalists) Red Army (communists)

#5 St Petersburg (Imperial Capital) that became Leningrad and post USSR back to St Petersburg. The overthrow of the Winter Palace was the defining moment

super duper: 7 million?

1 …. 3 ….. 5 —

I should have noted 3 names. …. St. Petersburg — Petrograd —- Leningrad — back to St. Petersburg

7 million is way low

 

[lakelawyerheel]

1 …. 3 ….. 5 —

I should have noted 3 names. …. St. Petersburg — Petrograd —- Leningrad — back to St. Petersburg

7 million is way low

I forgot about St Petersburg being briefly known as Petrograd

20 million for the super duper. I know that is the WW2 estimate but it seems like that may be the answer here as well

 

[FreeLunch]

Kudos to lakelawyerheel for his answers here.

1) October Revolution -- at the time Russia still use the old Julian calendar which pegged this date as October 26. Hence -- the October Revolution. The calendar the West was using back then and we use today is the Gregorian calendar. The date according to the Gregorian calendar was November 7.

2) Alexander Kerensky

3) We might add that Trotsky was beaten in the head with an ice axe.

Super duper) The numbers I've most often seen are 25 - 35 million. We might note that similar statistics -- citizens killed in some fashion at the hands of their own government -- would likely be somewhat higher under Mao in China. These Commies were some brutal people.

 

[FreeLunch]

November 22, 1963 ....... Kennedy assassination in Dallas.







1) Kennedy's trip to Dallas was part of an effort to mend the fences between two rival political factions within the Texas Democratic Party as they entered the 1964 election. Who were the leaders of the two sides ?

2) Oswald carried a package to work with him on this day. What did he claim was in the package ?

3) Who (what individual) supposedly came up with the "Magic Bullet" theory ?

4) Why did Ruby go to downtown Dallas on Sunday morning ? Note -- this put him near the Dallas Police headquarters when Oswald was being moved to the regular county jail.

5) One of the first and most important books challenging the Warren Commission conclusion that Oswald was the sole assassin was "Rush to Judgement" by ____?_____ .


Super duper bonus question) In 1979 the House Committee on Assassinations gave some credence to the notion that there may have been a second gunman in Dealey Plaza. What was the basis of their conclusion ?

 

[Potomac]

2. Doesn't everybody take curtain rods to work?