Trivia People

A daily trivia show inspired by events that happened on each date, all in a minute (give or take).

571: Salad Dressing Names 02/28/2018

571: Salad Dressing Names 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 Island region of New York and Ontario in the St. Lawrence River. One story says the dressing was invented by a fisherman’s wife. Another says it was created at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York and named after the region where the hotel’s owner spent his summers. Another story says it was simply based on the already existing French dressing. Speaking of French dressing, it’s not French. The ketchup, probably should have given that one away. Same thing, ketchup and all, goes for Russian dressing. Italian dressing, which doesn’t feature ketchup, is an American version of the classic vinaigrette. Green goddess dressing, was likely created in San Francisco in the 1920s as a tribute to a play of the same name. Our question, how many islands make up the Thousand Islands? Today is National Science Day in the United States. Thursday is National Wedding Planning Day. Friday is Employee Appreciation Day. Saturday is National Mulled Wine Day, and Sunday is National Grammar Day. It’s the birthday of architect Frank Gehry, who turns 89; Thursday is the 91st birthday of entertainer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte. Saturday is the birthday of author Dr. Seuss, who was born in 1904; and Sunday is the 56th birthday of athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Now, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1967, the top song in the U.S. was “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees. The No. 1 movie of 1967 was “The Graduate,” while the novel “The Secret of Santa Vittoria” by Robert Crichton topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. Before the break we asked: What is the total number of islands in The Thousand Islands? The answer is 1,864. Now for the answer to last week’s question, which was: Which two Winter Olympic events debuted at the Summer Olympics? The answer is figure skating and ice hockey. The first person to submit a correct answer was Doug Button. This week’s question: What company manufactures Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing? 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 next week’s episode. Thanks for listening to the Trivia Minute, please rate the show on iTunes, or support it at triviapeople.com/support. For other details, visit triviapeople.com We'll talk to you next week. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Links Follow us on , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/6310935

570: WInter Olympics 02/20/2018

570: WInter Olympics 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 in East Asia, and the first of those to be held outside of Japan. Japan hosted the 1972 Winter Games in Sapporo and the 1998 games in Nagano. It’s the second time South Korea has hosted an Olympics, the first was the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul. It’s the first of three consecutive Olympics that will be held in Asia, with the 2020 Summer games scheduled for Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Olympics set for Beijing, which will become the first city to host the Summer and Winter Olympics. 2,914 athletes are competing, with 1,672 men and 1,242 women qualified. Six countries are making their Winter Olympics debut: Ecuador, Eritrea, Kosovo, Malaysia, Nigeria and Singapore. Ecuador, Eritrea, Kosovo and Singapore have each sent one athlete, while Malaysia has sent two and Nigeria has sent three. One country not officially represented is Russia, which was suspended following a doping controversy at the 2014 Olympics. Select Russian athletes are being allowed to compete under the Olympic Flag as Olympic Athletes from Russia. Our question: This was not the first time North and South Korea marched together during the opening ceremony. What other years, and in what cities did the Koreans march as one? Today is World Day of Social Justice, Wednesday is National Sticky Buns Day, Thursday is National Margarita Day, Friday is Diesel Engine Day, Saturday is International Sword Swallowers Day, and Sunday is National Clam Chowder Day Today is the birthday of actor Sidney Poitier, who is 91; and singer Kurt Cobain, who would have been 51. Singer Nina Simone would have turned 85 on Wednesday, which is also the 78th birthday of U.S. Representative and civil rights activist John Lewis. Thursday is the birthday of George Washington, who was born in 1732. Friday is the birthday of educator and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois, who was born in 1868. Sunday would have been the 75th birthday of musician George Harrison. Now, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1980, the top song in the U.S. was “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen. The No. 1 movie of 1980 was “The Empire Strikes Back,” while the novel “Princess Daisy” by Judith Krantz topped the New York Times Bestsellers list this week. Now for the answer to last week’s question, which was: What is the current initiation fee and annual dues for Club 33 at Disneyland? The answer is a reported $50,000 initiation fee and $15,000 yearly dues, although Disney doesn’t publicize either of those numbers. The first listener with a correct answer was Jim Cardillo. This week’s question: Which two Winter Olympic events debuted at the Summer Olympics? 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 next week’s episode. Thanks for listening to the Trivia Minute, please rate the show on iTunes, or support it at triviapeople.com/support. For other details, visit triviapeople.com We'll talk to you next week. Links Follow us on , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/6279921

569: Disneyland 02/12/2018

569: Disneyland 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 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. Links Follow us on , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/6248926

Taking a Break -- We Shall Return! 05/15/2017

567: Trivia Minute Update: May 5, 2017 05/05/2017

Trivia Minute Update: May 4, 2017 05/04/2017

Trivia Minute Update: May 3, 2017 05/03/2017

Trivia Minute Update: May 2, 2017 05/02/2017

Trivia Minute Update: May 1, 2017 05/01/2017

Trivia Minute Update: April 28, 2017 04/28/2017

Trivia Minute Update: April 26, 2017 04/26/2017

Trivia Minute Update: April 25, 2017 04/25/2017

Trivia Minute Update: April 21, 2017 04/21/2017

Trivia Minute Update: April 18, 2017 04/18/2017

No Show 04/14/2017

1992: Disney Opens Euro Disneyland 04/12/2017

1992: Disney Opens Euro Disneyland On this date in 1992, The Walt Disney Company opened Euro Disneyland. Here are some things you may not have known about Disney parks. Walt Disney originally wanted to build a theme park in Burbank, California, near his studios. Because of the limited size of the property, Disney chose instead to buy 160 acres of orange grove in Anaheim, about 30 miles south of Burbank. Initially, Disney planned to call the park “Disneylandia.” Construction of Disneyland began in 1954 and the park opened the following year. When it opened, Disneyland had five distinct lands: Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street USA. The original park has been expanded many times with the additions of New Orleans Square in 1966; Bear Country, which is now called Critter Country, in 1972; Mickey’s Toontown in 1993, and Star Wars Land, which is under construction and is set to open in 2019. A separate park, Disney’s California Adventure, opened in 2001. The centerpiece of Disneyland is Sleeping Beauty’s castle. More than 650 million people have visited Disneyland since it opened. In 2013 alone, more than 16 million people visited. The Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 near Orlando, Florida. In 1982, the permanent World’s Fair known as Epcot opened. It was followed by Disney-MGM Studios and Typhoon Lagoon in 1989, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998. More than 20 million people visited the Magic Kingdom in 2015. The centerpiece of the Magic Kingdom is Cinderella’s Castle. Tokyo Disney Resort, originally called Tokyo Disneyland, opened in 1983. It was the first Disney theme park built outside of the United States. It’s the second most popular of the resorts, seeing about 17 million visitors per year. It’s centerpiece is also Cinderella’s Castle. Euro Disneyland, now known as Disneyland Park, is located on the outskirts of Paris. Initially, it was not a financial success. But it now welcomes about 13 million visitors per year. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort followed in 2005, and Shanghai Disney Resort opened in 2016. Our question: What did the acronym EPCOT originally stand for? Today is Children’s Day in Bolivia, National Redemption Day in Liberia, and Halifax Day in North Carolina. It’s unofficially National Licorice Day, National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, and National Only Child Day. It’s the birthday of author Beverly Cleary, who is 101, TV show host David Letterman, who is 70; and actress Claire Danes, who turns 38. This week in 1992, the top song in the U.S. was “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams. The No. 1 movie was “Sleepwalkers,” while the novel “The Pelican Brief” by John Grisham topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. Weekly question: What is the nickname of the bell that surpassed Big Ben as the largest bell in Great Britain? 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 , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: Sources /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/5258795

Trivia Minute Update: April 11, 2017 04/11/2017

Big Ben: The Story Behind the Bell 04/10/2017

Big Ben: The Story Behind the Bell On this date in 1858, the bell known as Big Ben was cast in London. Here are some things you may not have known about Big Ben. The nickname Big Ben refers to the bell only. The clock is called the Great Clock, while the tower is named Elizabeth Tower. The namesake of the bell is disputed. It may have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was in charge of the installation of the bell, or it might have been named after the English heavyweight boxing champion Benjamin Caunt. The bell weighs 13 1/2 tons. It’s 7 feet, 6 inches tall and 9 feet in diameter. It’s not the original bell intended for the clock tower. The first bell, which was slightly heavier than its successor, cracked during testing before it was installed. The replacement bell cracked in September 1859, as the hammer used to strike it was heavier than the bell was designed for. For three years, the bell was out of commission, and the hours were signaled using the lowest of the accompanying quarter bells. The quarter bells, as their name would indicate are sounded at the quarter-hour. There are four of them, which play G-sharp, F-sharp, E, and B. The chime melody they play is known as the Westminster Quarters, and is widely played by clocks around the world. The melody, while made famous at Westminster, originated at the church of St. Mary the Great in Cambridge. The tower leans about 9 inches to the northwest because of settling and construction of underground train lines beneath it. The clock is 23 feet in diameter and the face contains 312 pieces of opal glass. The clock uses a double three-legged gravity escapement, which helps maintain the clock’s famous accuracy. Part of this is a small stack of old pennies which sit atop the pendulum. The coins move the pendulum’s center of mass slightly higher, which increases the rate at which the clock runs. Each penny changes the speed by 0.4 seconds per day. In August 2015, it was discovered that the clock was running 7 seconds fast, so a few of the pennies were removed to correct the error. In 2012, the tower, which never had a name, was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee. Our question: How many years as monarch does a Diamond Jubilee celebrate ? Today is International Siblings Day. It’s also Safety Pin Day, National Farm Animals Day, and Golfer’s Day. It’s the birthday of actor Omar Sharif, who was born in 1932; football coach and announcer John Madden, who is 81; and actor Steven Seagal, who is 65. It’s also my mom’s birthday. Happy birthday, Mom. Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1984, the top song in the U.S. was “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins. The No. 1 movie was “Police Academy,” while the novel “The Aquitaine Progression” by Robert Ludlum topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. Weekly question: What is the nickname of the bell that surpassed Big Ben as the largest bell in Great Britain? 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. Now here’s how you can get a free Trivia Minute T-shirt. All you have to do is write a review on iTunes and then email your iTunes user name to . Three reviewers picked at random will win a Trivia Minute T-shirt. The contest ends on April 30. We’ll announce the winners on May 1. Because of shipping costs, the contest is only open to listeners in the U.S. and Canada. Reviews are the easiest way you can support the show. It helps increase our exposure on iTunes, which leads to more robust community of listeners. So head to iTunes and review the show today, then send us an email at . Links Follow us on , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: Sources /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/5252052

Answering This Week's Question 04/07/2017

Presidential Vetoes: Because I Said So 04/05/2017

Presidential Vetoes: Because I Said So 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 , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/5238121

Trivia Minute Update: April 4, 2017 04/04/2017

1860: Pony Express Begins Operations 04/03/2017

1860: Pony Express Begins Operations On this date in 1860, the Pony Express began operations. Here are some things you may not have known about the Old West mail service. After the discovery of gold in 1849 and the admission of California as a state in 1850, a faster way to deliver transcontinental mail was needed. At the time, mail could take up to a month to travel from coast to coast. The Pony Express was founded with the goal of cutting that time to 10 days between St. Joseph, Missouri and San Francisco, California. The goal was thought impossible by many. The Pony Express system involved a series of horseback riders traveling relatively short distances at high speeds. When the system started it employed 120 riders on 400 horses going between 184 stations manned by more than 400 support personnel. The identity of the first rider is in dispute. Depending on the source it was either Billy Richardson or Johnny Fry who departed St. Joseph, Missouri. The first run took 11 days to reach San Francisco. The cost to send a letter via the Pony Express was originally five dollars per half ounce. The equivalent of about $120 per half ounce today. Gradually, as telegraph service expanded across the country, The Pony Express route was shortened. News of Abraham Lincoln’s election as president of the United States in 1860 was able to be transmitted to the West Coast in just seven days, thanks to the Pony Express and the expansion of telegraph service to Fort Kearny, Nebraska. Less than a year after service started, the route ran from Salt Lake City to Sacramento, spanning the final gap in telegraph service. The service ceased on October 26, 1861, two days after the first transcontinental telegraph line was completed at Salt Lake City. The operation never made money, losing $110,000 over the course of the 19-month run. Our question, what’s the fastest speed recorded by a horse? Today is unofficially National Chocolate Mousse Day, National Sweet Potato Day, and Armenian Appreciation Day. It’s the birthday of actress Doris Day, who is 95; astronaut Gus Grissom, who was born in 1926; and singer Wayne Newton, who is 75. Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1973, the top song in the U.S. was “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” by Vicki Lawrence. The No. 1 movie was “Charlotte’s Web,” while the novel “The Odessa File” by Frederick Forsyth topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. 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 , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/5230533

March 31, 2017: Still Under the Weather 03/31/2017

March 30, 2017: Trivia Minute Update 03/30/2017

1806: America's First Highway 03/29/2017

1806: America's First Highway On this date in in 1806, the first major improved highway in the United States was authorized. Here are some things you might not know about The National Road. The National Road began in 1751 as the Braddock Road, which ran from Fort Cumberland, Maryland, which is navigable limit of the Potomac River, to Fort Duquesne at the site of modern-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson authorized construction of a road between the Potomac and Ohio River at what is now Wheeling, West Virginia. Construction began in 1811 and the road reached Wheeling in 1818. Private toll roads were constructed connecting the eastern terminus to Baltimore, while in 1820, Congress approved extending the road to St. Louis on the Mississippi River. However the road never reached St. Louis, as Congressional-funded road building stopped in 1839. The western terminus of the road ended up at Vandalia, Illinois. Construction and maintenance was transferred to the states. Virginia built the Wheeling Suspension Bridge in 1849, which was at the time the world’s longest bridge at 1,010 feet between towers. It is the oldest vehicular suspension bridge still in use in the United States. The National Road eventually became part of the National Old Trails Road, which extended from New York City to San Francisco. In 1927, the road was designated as U.S. Highway 40. Most of its route is now paralleled by Interstate 70. Our question: Name the current state capitals The National Road ran through? Today is Youth Day in Taiwan and Boganda Day in Central African Republic. It’s unofficially Manatee Appreciation Day, National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day and National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day. It’s the birthday of comedian and writer Eric Idle, who is 74; basketball legend Walt Frazier, who is 72; and actress Amy Sedaris, who is 56. Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1989, the top song in the U.S. was “Eternal Flame” by The Bangles. The No. 1 movie was “Fletch Lives,” while the novel “The Satanic Verses” by Salman Rushdie topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. Weekly question: When did Pan Am go out of business? 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 , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: Sources /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/5213870

March 28, 2017: Trivia Minute Update 03/28/2017

1977: Tenerife Airport Disaster 03/27/2017

1977: Tenerife Airport Disaster On this date in 1977, 583 people died in the deadliest accident in aviation history. Here are some things you may not have known about the Tenerife Airport Disaster. KLM Flight 4805 from Amsterdam, and Pan Am Flight 1736 from Los Angeles via New York, were both traveling to Gran Canaria Airport at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. A bomb explosion at Gran Canaria Airport forced five large airliners, including the two 747s, to be diverted to the smaller Los Rodeos Airport on the island of Tenerife. As the airport was not equipped to handle so many large aircraft, the taxiway was blocked by parked jets, which forced the use of the runway as a taxiway. During the time the planes were parked, a dense fog had rolled in, greatly reducing visibility. The passengers from the KLM flight were taken to the terminal while the plane was refueled. One passenger who lived on the island decided to go directly home and didn’t re-board the plane. The airport on Gran Canaria reopened and the KLM flight was sent to the end of the runway to wait for clearance to takeoff. The Pan Am plane followed onto the runway after being told to take an earlier exit back onto the taxiway. The fog was so thick that the controller in the tower couldn’t see the runway or the planes on it. The pilots couldn’t see each other either. The airport did not have ground radar at the time, so the only way to keep track of the planes was by voice on radio. English is the international language of aviation. With a Dutch crew on the KLM flight, an American crew on the Pan-Am and Spanish controllers in the tower, chances for miscommunication were rife in the already difficult conditions. The KLM crew mistook the controller’s command to lineup for departure with clearance for takeoff and throttled up. The Pan Am crew was still taxiing down the runway, having missed their intended and poorly marked taxiway. While the KLM 747 was coming up to takeoff speed, the tower instructed the Pan Am crew to report when they were clear of the runway. The KLM flight engineer heard this and asked his captain if the Pan Am was clear. The KLM captain said “Oh, yes,” and continued with the takeoff. The Pan Am crew suddenly saw the KLM landing lights approaching at takeoff speed, and turned hard left toward the grass to try to avert a collision. The KLM crew saw the Pan Am at about the same time and pulled up hard in an effort to climb over the Pan Am. This resulted in the KLM dragging its tail for 72 feet. The nose gear of the KLM cleared the Pan Am, but the engines, lower fuselage and the main landing gear tore through the Pan Am jet almost directly above the wing. The KLM jet remained airborne momentarily, but stalled, rolled sharply and hit the ground about 500 feet past the collision. Its full load of fuel caught fire immediately. Both planes were destroyed. All 234 passengers and 14 crew members on the KLM flight died, as did 326 passengers and nine crew members on the Pan Am jet. 54 passengers and seven crew from the Pan Am flight survived, including the the flight deck crew. Investigators determined that the main cause of the collision was the KLM taking off without clearance. Other major factors included the weather and radio interference, while the use of non-standard language, the Pan Am jet missing the intended exit, and the overcrowding of the airport were contributing, but not critical factors. As a result of the accident, several changes were made to international airline regulations. Flight crews are now required to read back instructions from the controllers, rather than just acknowledging them. The words “take off” are only used after clearance has been given, “departure” is used before clearance. Cockpit procedures were also changed to allow the flight deck crew to raise concerns in the event of a misunderstanding. The Spanish government also installed ground radar at the airport after the collision. The Pan Am 747 involved in the collision was historic in its own right. It took the first commercial flight by a 747 on January 22, 1970. It was also the first 747 to be hijacked, when a flight from New York to Puerto Rico was forced to land in Cuba. Our question: What type of animal are the Canary Islands named after? Today is International Whiskey Day, World Theatre Day, and Armed Forces Day in Myanmar. It’s unofficially Quirky Country Music Song Titles Day, National Paella Day, and National Joe Day. It’s the birthday of musician Sarah Vaughan, who was born in 1924; filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, who is 54; and singer Mariah Carey, who is 47. Because we’ve recently featured 1977, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 1969, the top song in the U.S. was “Dizzy” by Tommy Roe. The No. 1 movie was “Charro!,” while the novel “Portnoy’s Complaint” by Philip Roth topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. Weekly question: When did Pan Am go out of business? 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 , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: Sources /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/5206309

Answering This Week's Question 03/24/2017

An All-New Abbreviated Thursday Show! 03/23/2017

1894: The First Stanley Cup Playoff 03/22/2017

1894: The First Stanley Cup Playoff On this date in 1894, the first Stanley Cup playoff game was held. Here are a few things you may not have known about the oldest trophy in North American professional team sports. The cup was commissioned as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup by Lord Stanley of Preston, who was then the governor general of Canada. It was awarded for the first time in 1893 to the Montreal Hockey Club based on league standings, not on a playoff victory. As a challenge cup, the team which won the cup the previous year was allowed to defend it the next season if it won its league’s regular-season title. In 1904, the Ottawa Hockey Club was challenged by a squad of miners from Dawson City in the Yukon Territory. The Dawson team was known as the Klondikers and the Nuggets, and traveled to Ottawa by foot, bicycle, dogsled, narrow-gauge railway, steamship and train. Two days after arriving in the capital, they lost the first game 9-2. Three days later, Ottawa won the second game 23-2, with Frank McGee scoring 14 goals, including eight consecutive goals over the course of nine minutes. No team from west of Winnipeg won the Cup during the challenge era. The first true West Coast team to play for the Cup was the Victoria Aristocrats in 1914. During the challenge era, the most successful club was the Ottawa Hockey Club with 17 successful challenges or defenses of the Cup. In 1914, it was determined that the Stanley Cup would go to the winner of a series between the champions of the National Hockey Association and the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. This led to the inclusion of American teams, as the PCHA had teams in Seattle and Portland. The trustees of the Cup announced that the trophy would no longer be awarded to the best team in Canada, but to the best team in the world. Which, apparently, at the time consisted of Canada and the states of Washington and Oregon. The Seattle Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup in 1917. They played for the Cup again in 1919 and 1920. The 1919 series was canceled when it was tied at two games apiece after an influenza outbreak decimated the Montreal team. Montreal’s coach attempted to forfeit the series to Seattle, but the Seattle coach wouldn’t accept it. The trophy was not awarded that year. Since 1927, the Stanley Cup has been exclusively the championship trophy for the National Hockey League. The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup a record 24 times since 1915. The Cup was not awarded in 2005 as the result of a labor dispute. As a result, in 2006 a settlement was reached which would allow non-NHL teams to challenge for the Stanley Cup if the NHL doesn’t operate for a season. The cup itself is the bowl that makes up the top 7 inches of the nearly 3-foot tall trophy. The rest of the trophy is made up of rings that are engraved with the names of the players and executives from the winning team. Once a ring is filled with names, the oldest remaining ring is removed and kept at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Our question: Which player’s name is engraved on the Stanley Cup a record 11 times? Today is the earliest day on which Easter Sunday can fall, April 25 is the latest. It’s World Water Day and Emancipation Day in Puerto Rico. It’s unofficially As Young As You Feel Day, National Sing Out Day, and National Goof Off Day. It’s the birthday of songwriter Stephen Sondheim, who is 87; actor William Shatner, who is 86; and songwriter Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is 69. Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random. This week in 2001, the top song in the U.S. was “Butterfly” by Crazy Town. The No. 1 movie was “Exit Wounds,” while the novel “A Painted House” by John Grisham topped the New York Times Bestsellers list. Weekly question: How much per acre did the United States pay for Alaska in 1867? 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 , or our Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Subscribe on iOS: Subscribe on Android: Sources /episode/index/show/triviapeople/id/5192475

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