Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

The Pacific Ocean area associated with enormous biological diversity is called the Coral Triangle.

This clip has some beautiful footage:



Today's Question:


Who is quoted as saying, "We are made of star stuff?"

Moby sang a similar lyric but I know this isn't what they're referring to :)  My guess is that it was either Carl Sagan or Einstein.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 31, 2011; http://youtu.be/9HciXbN5gA0; http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/coraltriangle/; http://www.moby.com/)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:
Emmitt Smith is the NFL's all-time leading rusher, and a heck of a dancer?

There's a handsome couple to put it mildly.

Today's Question:


All I know is it must include the Galapagos--I'd guess the Galapagos Triangle or the South Pacific Triangle but I don't really know this one.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 30, 2011; http://www.nfl.com/player/emmittsmith/2503017/profile; http://images.buddytv.com; http://static.zsl.org)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:
The first woman and first Latina to hold the post of U.S. Surgeon General was Antonia Novello.

Today's Question:


Not just for men: who is the NFL's all-time leading rusher, and a heckuva dancer?

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 29, 2011; http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/; http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/nov0bio-1; http://www.achievement.org/)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The five kingdoms that classify organisms are: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista, and Monera.

Today's Question:


Who was the first woman and first Hispanic to hold the post of U.S. Surgeon General?

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 28, 2011; http://waynesword.palomar.edu/trfeb98.htm; http://people.hsc.edu; http://waynesword.palomar.edu/trfeb98.htm)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

A turducken is eaten. It is a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck, which itself is stuffed into a deboned turkey.

Today's Question:


What are the five kingdoms currently used to classify living organisms?


I know of plant, animal and fungi but not where protists, viruses and bacteria fit in.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 27, 2011;

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/; http://www.gumbopages.com/food/poultry/turducken.html)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:
A peruke was worn. It was a men ‘s wig in the 17^th and 18 th centuries.

Today's Question:


Turducken: what do you do with it (eat/drink it, wear it, spend it or speak it)?


Sounds like a hat to me but I am strickly guessing.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 26, 2011; http://s2.hubimg.com/u/514761_f520.jpg; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/peruke)

Compiled by Otto and PatriciaLadensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


Ngultrum is spent. It is the currency of Bhutan.

Today's Question:


Peruke: what do you do with it (eat/drink it, wear it, spend it or speak it)?

Again, I have to pass. I hope this focus on vocabulary on a global scale passes soon :)


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 25, 2011; http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ngultrum; http://www.bhutan.gov.bt/government/index_new.php; http://www.ma-shops.com/)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:
Dari is spoken. It is a modern Persian dialect that is spoken primarily in Afghanistan though also in parts of Iran and Pakistan.



Today's Question:

Ngultrum: what do you do with it (eat/drink it, wear it, spend it or speak it)?


I have to pass on this one. :)


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 24, 2011; http://www.omniglot.com/writing/dari.htm; http://youtu.be/p9DlSChnOsQ; https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/af.html; https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html; https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

A miniver is worn. It is the unspotted white fur of a stoat.

Today's Question:


Dari: what do you do with it (eat/drink it, wear it, spend it or speak it)?


I don't know this answer but it sounds so much like a Sari that I want to say it's worn.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 23, 2011; http://www.itsnature.org/ground/mammals-land/stoat/; http://www.uksafari.com; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNbqvqf3-14&NR=1)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Shakespeare’s, "The Merry Wives of Windsor” are the mistresses Page and Ford.

Today's Question:


Miniver: what do you do with it (eat/drink it, wear it, spend it or speak it)?


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 22, 2011; http://shakespeare.mit.edu/; http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merrywives; http://www.mnartists.org)

Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Africa is the country that contains the most planted landmines.

Today's Question:


Who are "The Merry Wives of Windsor?" (Shakespeare)

I don't even have a decent guess on this one.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 21, 2011; http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/; http://www.icbl.org/index.php/Problem/Landmines/Arguments-for-a-Ban; http://fairfactsmedia.com/?p=7022; http://shakespeare.mit.edu/)


Compiled by Otto and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Grover Cleveland and Abraham Lincoln paid substitutes to fight in their places in the Civil War.

Today's Question:


Which continent is the most mined (with landmines)?


My guess would be Asia and it wouldn't surprise me if most were placed by the United States.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 20, 2011; http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/grovercleveland22; http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/abrahamlincoln; http://www.civilwar.com/)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

The name of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” was Antonio.

Today's Question:


Which two U.S. Presidents paid a substitute to fight in his place in the Civil War?


I don't know this answer but am surprised and intrigued by the question.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 19, 2011; http://shakespeare.mit.edu/; http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant; http://www.civilwar.com/; http://www.watson.org/~leigh/shakespeare.jpg)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack with Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The loudest sound ever heard (190 decibels) is believed to have been the explosion of Krakatoa.

Today's Question:


What is the name of (Shakespeare's) "The Merchant of Venice?"


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 18, 2011; http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,847769,00.html; http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/Krakatau.html; shakespeare.mit.edu; http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/merchant)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme is meant to prevent the sale of blood diamonds.



Today's Question:


What is believed to have been the loudest sound ever heard?


(Based on, Mr Bernazza, my 6th grade teacher's description) I believe the answer is the explosion of the volcano, Krakatoa.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 17; http://www.globalwitness.org/campaigns/conflict/conflict-diamonds/kimberley-process; http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/business-and-human-rights/oil-gas-and-mining-industries/conflict-diamonds; http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bKbUgVSFbY4)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


In Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale," the character who exits "pursued by a bear" is killed and eaten.

Today's Question:


What commodity is the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme meant to prevent the sale of? (Looking for a two-word answer)


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 16, 2011; http://www.shakespeare-online.com/; http://shakespeare.mit.edu/winters_tale/full.html; http://adidav9.blogspot.com/2010/08/exit-pursued-by-bear.html; http://youtu.be/GVfyjbJBgqc)


Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The battle at Shiloh occurred in Tennessee and it was a Union victory.

Today's Question:


In Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale," what happens to the character who exits "pursued by a bear?"

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 15, 2011; http://www.nps.gov/shil/index.htm; http://www.civilwar.org/resources/union-victory-at-the-battle.html; http://www.military-times.co.uk/; shakespeare.mit.edu; http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/images/theatre/winters-tale3.jpg)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

The peacock and peahen are the male and female of the peafowl, respectively.

Here the peacock is wooing the peahen.

Today's Question:


Indicate whether this Civil War battle was a victory for the Union or the Confederacy, and the state where it battle took place: Shiloh.


I have no conscious recall of this information but think Shiloh took place in Mississippi and was a Union victory.
(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 14, 2011; http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/14/; http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2304/2166137862_bd8a0c1e9d.jpg;
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1861.html)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Look here!

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Arthur C. Clarke said, "It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value."

Today's Question:

Give the specific names for the male and female of the peafowl.


Seems clear the answers are peacock and peahen--I think.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 13, 2011; http://www.clarkefoundation.org/acc/biography.php; http://www.peafowl.org/ARTICLES/14/)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

What does The "CSI" acronym AFIS stands for Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

Today's Question:


Who said, "It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value."


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 12, 2011; http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/; http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/Automated-Fingerprint-Identification-System)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

The Shakespearen character Ariel (from the Tempest) is a name that is Hebrew for "lion of God."

Ian Holm as the Tempest in 1963

Today's Question:


What does the "CSI" acronym AFIS stand for?

I like crime shows. AFIS stands for Automated Fingerprinting Indentification Service.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 11,2011; http://shakespeare.mit.edu; http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/tempest/summary.html; http://ianholm.homestead.com; http://ianholm.homestead.com/fan_page.html; http://www.umbc.edu/tele/canton/STUDENTPROJ/May.A/patterns.gif; http://www.necam.com/ids/afis/)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Please sign up on the left if you'd like trivia in your inbox once a day. Thanks, Trish

Yesterday's Answer:


The sheep is the animal source of the fiber merino.

And there I thought they were referring to dietary fiber :)


Today's Question:


Which Shakespeare character has a name that is Hebrew for "lion of God?"


I do not know this answer.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 10, 2011; http://ocw.usu.edu; http://www.morehousefarm.com/; http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033; http://shakespeare.mit.edu/)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

The battle of Chickamauga (the last major Confederate victory) took place in Georgia and was won by the Confederacy.

Today's Question:

Name the animal that is the source of the fiber merino.


I don't know this one but I find it intriguing that there's an animal source of fiber.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 9, 2011; http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/ga004.htm; http://www.sonofthesouth.net; http://www.moc.org/site/PageServer)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

A shamrock symbolizes the Trinity in Christian art.

I guess my illustration of a four leaf clover wasn't quite appropriate--that's a heathen for you.


Today's Question:


Indicate whether this Civil War battle was a victory for the Union or the Confederacy, and the state where the battle took place: Chickamauga.

Can't say I've even heard of this battle.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 8, 2011; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/shamrock; http://carm.org/what-trinity; http://whycatholicsdothat.com/what-is-the-trinity/; http://www.civilwar.com/; www.oldgloryprints.com)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

Under Article Two of the Constitution, the three principal qualifications to be eligible for election as the President of the United States are: be at least 35 years old, be born in the United States, and to have lived in the United States for 14 or more years.

I read this too quickly yesterday (face reddens) and gave my answer about requirements for voting.


Today's Question:



What does a shamrock symbolize in Christian art?

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 7, 2011; http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A2Sec1.html; http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html; http://www.chrl.org/)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

In Celsius degrees, if the subtrahend is normal body temperature and the minuend is absolute zero, the difference between the numbers is -310. (-273 - 37 = -310)


Today's Question:


Under Article Two of the Constitution, what are the three principal qualifications to be eligible for election as President of the United States?

I don't know this one. I know that intelligence tests, taxes, and possibly land ownership were required at one point by racist predessecors to keep black people from voting but I think that came after the main document was written, with abolition, and I think that was only in some southern states. I believe though that initially one had to be 18 or some other age and male, but those are also guesses.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 6th, 2011; http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/zero/; http://www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html; http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/the-constitution)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


El-Hajj Malik El-Shabbazz is better known as Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little).

Today's Question:


In Celsius degrees, if the subtrahend is normal body temperature and the minuend is absolute zero, what is the difference? (Round answer to whole numbers)


---I don't know the fahrenheit to celsius conversion, offhand, and would only be guessing that absolute zero is -459+ in fahrenheit degrees so I need to pass on this one.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 5th, 2011; http://www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/malcolm.htm; http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmalcolmX.htm; http://www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/malcolm_gallery.htm; http://www.merriam-webster.com; http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/absolute_zero.htm; http://www.mathsisfun.com/temperature-conversion.html)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:

"Romeo and Juliet" is the Shakespearean play that features the following lesser-known characters: Count Paris, Nurse, Escalus.

Today's Question:


By what name is El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz better known?


I do not consciously know the answer to this question but Malcolm X immediately came to mind and I've learned that a seemingly instinctual answer like that is usually correct for me. We'll see tomorrow.



(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 4, 2011; http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/full.html; http://absoluteshakespeare.com/; http://romeoandjuliet1234.wordpress.com/)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question...

Yesterday's Answer:

The literary form of Alice Walker 's novel "The Color Purple" is epistolary.

Today's Question:


Name Shakespeare's play that features the following lesser-known characters: Count Paris, Nurse, Escalus.

Except for Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, and Midsummer Night's Dream any answer I give regarding Shakespeare is a random guess--however, though Romeo and Juliet is the one I least remember I am pretty certain certain Count Paris and hence the others are from that work.

(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 3, 2011; www.alicewalkersgarden.com; http://www.fanpix.net/gallery/alice-walker-pictures.htm; http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/purple/; http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epistolary; http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/)


Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


The battle at Gettysburg was a union victory and Gettysburg is located in Pennsylvania.

Today's Question:


What is the literary form of Alice Walker's novel "The Color Purple?"


I do not know this answer. I wasn't sure what exactly a literary form is. The above link goes to a list--there are a large variety of them.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 2, 2011; http://www.gettysbg.com/battle.shtml; http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/?p=4239; http://www.gettysbg.com/; http://alicewalkersgarden.com/; http://sparkcharts.sparknotes.com/lit/literaryterms/section4.php)

Compiled by Otto Ladensack for Patricia Ladensack

Yesterday's Answer, Today's Question

Yesterday's Answer:


A gladiator known as a "retiarius" (fisherman type) used a net, trident, and dagger as his preferred weapons.

Today's Question:



Indicate whether this Civil War battle was a victory for the Union or the Confederacy, and the state where the battle took place: Gettysburg.


(Sources: American Mensa, email transmission, August 1, 2011; http://www.landauer.us/rome/log/?p=81; http://www.historyplace.com/civilwar/)


Compiled by Otto Ladensack and Patricia Ladensack