loader from loading.io

Presidential Vetoes: Because I Said So

Trivia People

Release Date: 04/05/2017

571: Salad Dressing Names show art 571: Salad Dressing Names

Trivia People

Let’s start with salad, specifically salad dressing, even more specifically salad dressing names. We’ll start with the king of salad dressings in the United States: ranch. Ranch dressing was first created in 1954 by Steve Henson, who owned a dude ranch called Hidden Valley Ranch, near Santa Barbara, California. His customers liked the dressing so much that Henson started selling packets of dried mix so they could have it at home. Bottled, prepared ranch dressing was introduced in 1983. Thousand Island dressing’s origin story is not as clear, although it’s name refers to the Thousand...

info_outline
570: WInter Olympics show art 570: WInter Olympics

Trivia People

Today is the 14th day of competition at the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Here are a few things you might not have known about these Olympics and the Olympic Winter Games in general. Ninety-two nations are competing in 102 events in 15 sports during the 19-day competition. The host South Koreans marched with their counterparts from North Korea under a unified Korean flag during the opening ceremony. The two countries combined to field a unified women’s ice hockey team, but otherwise participated separately. This is the third time the Winter Olympics have been held...

info_outline
569: Disneyland show art 569: Disneyland

Trivia People

I hope you’re asking yourself, where has this guy been for the past eight months? Well, my wife and I moved from Yakima, Washington, to Los Angeles in a so-far successful attempt to avoid winter. Also, I’ve recently started a new job, because unlike other podcasters, we’re not rolling in Blue Apron or SquareSpace money yet.  So, inspired by my new-ish surroundings, here are five things you may not have known about Disneyland: Walt Disney originally wanted to build an amusement park next to his studios in Burbank, California, north of downtown Los Angeles. However, the proposed site...

info_outline
Taking a Break -- We Shall Return! show art Taking a Break -- We Shall Return!

Trivia People

To my listeners: I hope you've noticed there has been a lack of "Trivia Minute" podcasts lately. I have quite a few exciting and positive things going on in my life right now, so I've had to put the podcast on the back burner until things settle down (likely sometime this autumn). My promise: The show will return, so please stay subscribed using whichever podcast service you use. Keep an eye on this space for updates. Thank you for listening! -- Marcus P.S.: All 550-plus episodes will also remain available on

info_outline
567: Trivia Minute Update: May 5, 2017 show art 567: Trivia Minute Update: May 5, 2017

Trivia People

We’ll start off with a question: What nation did Mexican forces defeat in the Battle of Puebla, which is marked by Cinco de Mayo celebrations? We’ll have the answer later in the show. Today is Cinco de Mayo, which is celebrated more in the United States than it is in Mexico. It’s also Children’s Day in Japan and South Korea and Constitution Day in Kyrgyzstan. It’s unofficially International Midwives’ Day, Cartoonists Day, and International Tuba Day. It’s the birthday of chef James Beard, who was born in 1903; actor Michael Palin, who is 74, and singer Adele, who is 29. Now,...

info_outline
Trivia Minute Update: May 4, 2017 show art Trivia Minute Update: May 4, 2017

Trivia People

We’ll start off with a question: What was the only crime gangster Al Capone was ever convicted of? We’ll have the answer later in the show. Today is International Firefighters Day, Youth Day in Fiji, and Restoration of Independence Day in Latvia. It’s unofficially Star Wars Day, National Day of Prayer and National Orange Juice Day. It’s the birthday of actress Audrey Hepburn, who was born in 1929; actor Will Arnett, who is 47; and golfer Rory McIlroy, who is 28. Now, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1961, the top song in the U.S. was “Runaway” by Del...

info_outline
Trivia Minute Update: May 3, 2017 show art Trivia Minute Update: May 3, 2017

Trivia People

We’ll start off with a question: Who was the owner of the Dodgers when they moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles? We’ll have the answer later in the show. Today is World Press Freedom Day, Constitution Day in Poland, and Constitution Memorial Day in Japan. It’s Public Radio Day, Wordsmith Day, and National Raspberry Popover Day. It’s the birthday of singer and actor Bing Crosby, who was born in 1903; musician James Brown, who was born in 1933; and magician Doug Henning, who was born in 1947. Now, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1981, the top song in the U.S....

info_outline
Trivia Minute Update: May 2, 2017 show art Trivia Minute Update: May 2, 2017

Trivia People

We’ll start off with a question: The maiden flight of the De Havilland Comet, the first jet airliner, traveled between which two cities? We’ll have the answer later in the show. Today is Flag Day in Poland, National Education Day in Indonesia, and Teachers’ Day in Iran. It’s unofficially National Play Your Ukulele Day, International Scurvy Awareness Day and World Asthma Day. It’s the birthday of Catherine the Great, who was born in 1729; singer Engelbert Humperdinck, who is 81; and soccer star David Beckham, who is 42. Now, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week...

info_outline
Trivia Minute Update: May 1, 2017 show art Trivia Minute Update: May 1, 2017

Trivia People

Our T-shirt giveaway came to an end on Sunday. We only had one entry from Doug Barbeau, who wins a Trivia Minute T-Shirt. Thanks, Doug. We’ll start off with a question: Which two of the contiguous 48 states are not served by Amtrak rail service? Today is Constitution Day in Argentina, Latvia and the Marshall Islands. It’s International Workers’ Day, and it’s May Day. It’s unofficially Frequent Flyer Day, National Chocolate Parfait Day, and School Principals’ Day. It’s the birthday of author Joseph Heller, who was born in 1923; musician Judy Collins, who is 78; and film director...

info_outline
Trivia Minute Update: April 28, 2017 show art Trivia Minute Update: April 28, 2017

Trivia People

Today's trivia question: Who was the captain of the HMS Bounty? Today is International Workplace Safety Day, National Heroes Day in Barbados, and National Day of Mourning in Canada. It’s unofficially National Cubicle Day, National Superhero Day, and National Blueberry Pie Day. It’s the birthday of author Harper Lee, who was born in 1926; Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, who is 57; and actress Penelope Cruz, who is 43. Now, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1986, the top song in the U.S. was “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer. The No. 1 movie was...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

On this date in 1792, George Washington used his presidential veto power for the first time.

Here are a few things you may not have known about the veto.

The history of the veto, which means “I forbid” in Latin, can be traced to the Roman Empire. Roman consuls had to act unanimously, so one essentially held veto power over the other, while tribunes held veto power over the Roman Senate. 

In the British-based Westminster system of government, the power of the veto is held by the monarch. All legislation passed by parliament must receive Royal Assent to become law. If the monarch doesn’t approve, the bill doesn’t become law. However, the last time Royal Assent was withheld in Great Britain was when Queen Anne vetoed the Scottish Militia Bill of 1708. The governors general of Commonwealth counties hold veto power in their realms as the representative of the monarch. The power has never been used in Australia or in Canada.

Other counties, obviously, have different systems. In countries like Iceland and Latvia, if the president refuses to sign a bill, it is put to a national referendum. Many other countries, such as France and Italy, allow the executive to ask the legislature to reconsider the bill, after which it becomes law regardless of whether it is signed. Other countries, like Poland, allow the president to refer a bill to the judiciary to determine its constitutionality.

In the United States, all federal legislation must pass the House of Representatives and the Senate and be presented to the president for his or her signature. The president can sign the bill — making it law — or veto the bill. If the bill is vetoed, the House and Senate may override the veto with a two-thirds majority in each house. A bill can also become law if the president fails to sign it within 10 days. However, if the 10-day period expires with Congress adjourned, the bill fails to become law. This is known as a pocket veto.

There has been a total of 2,571 vetoes since Washington’s first in 1792. Seven presidents — John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore and James A. Garfield — didn’t veto any legislation during their time in office. Franklin Pierce had the largest percentage of vetoes overridden with 56 percent of his nine vetoes overturned. The largest number of presidential vetoes overridden by Congress were the 15 of Andrew Johnson. Harry Truman and Gerald Ford had 12 vetoes overridden. 

The president who issued the most vetoes was Franklin Roosevelt, who vetoed 635 pieces of legislation. Only nine of those vetoes were overturned. Since Roosevelt’s time in office, the number of vetoes has fallen dramatically. Richard Nixon vetoed 43 bills, Jimmy Carter vetoed 31, while George W. Bush and Barack Obama vetoed 12 each. Donald Trump has yet to veto any legislation.

It’s unofficially National Deep Dish Pizza Day and National Carmel Day, after eating all of that, you’ll be happy to know it’s also National Walking Day.

It’s the birthday of educator and civil rights activist Booker T. Washington, who was born in 1856; actress Bette Davis, who was born in 1908; and actor Gregory Peck, who was born in 1916.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1981, the top song in the U.S. was “Kiss on My List” by Hall and Oates.

The No. 1 movie was “Nighthawks,” while the novel “The Covenant” by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. 

Weekly question: Now for our weekly question: What is the second fastest land mammal?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we’ll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner’s wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll have the correct answer on Friday’s episode.

Links

Follow us on TwitterFacebook or our website.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9 

Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m