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...
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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...
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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...
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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
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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,...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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_outlineI 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 was too small, and Disney eventually purchased a 160-acre site in Anaheim, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles.
- Construction of the park began one year and one day before the park opened on July 17, 1955. The construction also led the state of California to add two additional lanes to the interstate highway that was under construction nearby.
- Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, the centerpiece of the park, was not inspired by the film of the same name. The castle, which is one of the park’s original attractions, predates the film by about four years. It’s 77 feet tall and was inspired largely by Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany.
- The park originally featured five themed areas called Main Street, USA, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. In 1957, an area called Holidayland opened. It featured a circus and a baseball field. It closed in 1961. New Orleans Square was added in 1966, Bear Country, which is now known as Critter Country, opened in 1972, and Mickey’s Toontown debuted in 1993. A new area called Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is under construction and is scheduled to open in 2019.
- In its early years, Disneyland was closed on Mondays and Tuesday in the off-season. This schedule was coordinated with the nearby Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park, which was closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays to make sure at least one park was open every day.
Our question: What is the name of the exclusive VIP lounge located in New Orleans Square?
Today is Paul Bunyan Day, Tuesday is Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday. Wednesday is Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. Thursday is National Hippopotamus Day. Friday is National Almond Day, Saturday is National Public Science Day, and Sunday is Drink Wine Day.
Today is the birthday of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin.
Tuesday is the 95th birthday of the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound, Chuck Yeager.
The rest of the week: Wednesday: Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein turns 74; Susan B. Anthony was born 198 years ago Thursday; Actor LeVar Burton turns 59 on Friday; Michael Jordan turns 55 on Saturday, while writer Toni Morrison turns 87.
Now, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.
This week in 1959, the top song in the U.S. was “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price.
The No. 1 movie of 1959 was “Ben Hur,” while the novel “Doctor Zhivago” by Boris Pasternak topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.
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