Two Fridays from now, we will reconvene in the evening in Minneapolis for the fifth installment of the
NN Chairman's Quiz Time. I am delighted that we are being sponsored this year by
the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which does phenomenal work on helping Democrats in state legislative races and on gerrymandering issues across the country.
The exact time and location will be announced soon. Those who've attended before need little explanation as to why this has become a seminal annual event, but I'll do it anyway because ... because.
Chairman's Quiz Time is a trivia contest in the British tradition to allow teams of 4-8 to test their knowledge of current events, popular culture and American history in a fast-paced, fun format during which large amounts of unhealthy food, adult beverages and the like are expected to be ordered.
The event will consist on multiple themed rounds of trivia questions of increasing difficulty to test the teams' knowledge of fundamental and arcane facts. The use of PDAs and other assistance is strictly forbidden. Past rounds have included such themes as "Marbury or Madison," "Movies of Las Vegas," "Pennsylvania Polka," "Who's the Boss?" and "Better Know A District." All past quizzes can be found here.
Teams can organize on whatever basis they choose -- preferred websites, regions of the country, "hey, do you need an extra member for your team?" -- and we'll try to help you form teams onsite for unaffiliated participants to break the ice.
Prizes will be awarded for the winning teams. They may be shiny. They may be autographed. More importantly is the title of "Biggest Nerds In The Blogosphere," a title held by the DK frontpagers (as Sea Org) in two of the past three years -- a groverclevelandian reign interrupted in 2009 by the Open Left crew.
We'll register teams on-site only, but you should feel free to start organizing and preparing now. To start, here's one of my favorite past rounds: Who was President when each of these events took place?
1. John Glenn piloted the first American manned orbital mission.
2. Via They Might Be Giants:
In four short years he met his every goal
He seized the whole Southwest from Mexico
Made sure the tariffs fell
And made the English sell
The Oregon territory
He built an independent Treasury
Having done all this he sought no second term
But precious few have mourned the passing of...
3. The World Columbian Exposition – a/k/a the Chicago’s World Fair where the book The Devil and the White City was set and Frederick Pabst’s beer won the Blue Ribbon– was opened to the public.
4. Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.
5. Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs begin selling the Apple I computer.
6. The Supreme Court noted that one could criminalize the shouting of “FIRE!” in a crowded theater . . . assuming there was no actual fire, of course.
7. The ANZUS Treaty is signed, binding Australia, New Zealand and the United States in issues of mutual defense.
8. Former President Herbert Hoover died.
9. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton establish the National Woman’s Suffrage Association, leading the fight to grant women the right to vote.
10. Florida became a state.
11. The Sherman Antitrust Act was signed into law.
12. The last Presidential cows, Mooly Wooly and Pauline Wayne, lived and grazed on the White House lawn.