Trivia #4

1. What U.S. government agency had a 320-foot-long ladder—the longest in the world—built for its use in the late 1990s?

The U.S. Coast Guard. Its “debarkation ladder,” which can be rolled up for storage, is intended for emergencies, when a ship’s passengers and crew have to climb down to life rafts from the upper decks.

2. In what annual sports competition is the winning trophy called the Claret Jug?

Golf’s British Open Championship. The trophy, more formally known as the Golf Champion Trophy, is widely referred to as the Claret Jug because that’s what it is. The jug was introduced at the Open in 1873, when it replaced the previous prize, the Challenge Belt.

3. What automobile part has an inertia reel?

A seat belt. The inertia reel permits the wearer free movement, but locks on impact or when there’s a sudden jolt.

4. What animal migrates to Texas annually to participate in the largest gathering of mammals in the world?

The bat—the Mexican free-tailed bat. Every spring, tens of millions of them descend on Bracken Cave, near San Antonio, to spend the summer, give birth, and raise their young.

5. In what film classic did Isabel Sanford, who portrayed Weezie on the TV sitcom The Jeffersons, make her Hollywood debut?

"Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner." Sanford played Tillie, the outspoken maid, in the 1967 movie.

6. When did the New York Stock Exchange close for 4 1/2 months—the longest shutdown in its history?

In 1914, as war raged in Europe and stocks prices plunged and financial markets around the world suspended operations. The NYSE was closed from July 31st through December 12th.

7. A photo of which Sesame Street character appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1970?

Big Bird, on November 23, 1970. The headline that ran with the photo read “Sesame Street: TV’s Gift to Children.”

8. When it comes to American shoes, what woman’s size is the equivalent of a man’s size 8?

American women’s shoes are numbered 1 1/2 sizes higher than men’s shoes of the same length, so it would be 9 1/2.

9. In the 1993 romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle", where was the climactic scene on the observation deck of the Empire State Building filmed?

In an abandoned airplane hangar at the former Naval Reserve Air Station at Sand Point in Seattle, Washington. The observation deck was re-created—slightly larger than life-size—in the hangar, with a huge photo of Manhattan’s famous skyline serving as the background.

10. What country has the tallest people?

The Netherlands, where the average man is about 6 feet 1 and the average woman is about 5 feet 7. In the U.S., the averages are men, 5 feet 9 1/2, and women, just over 5 feet 4.

(from Page-A-Day Calendars)