Trivia Tool

While doing a crossword puzzle, I learned that the University of Idaho is located in the city called Moscow. I’m not sure if there is a connection with the Russian capital, but one would make sense in a way. In the Gem State, you don’t have to go far to find the ingredient in vodka.

Although their names are almost identical, actress Eva Longoria and Arizona third baseman Evan Longoria are not related.

When its Spanish part is translated to English, the team name “The Los Angeles Angels” becomes “The The Angels Angels.”

I highly recommend the Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader books. They are all about trivia, but most of the trivia is that which you can discuss with others. Much of it comes in amusing stories and anecdotes, so you can pass them along to friends and acquaintances without sounding like you’re reading Snapple caps. Although, a Snapple-esque trivia tidbit can be found at the bottom of each page.

I hate sounding like a shill, but I recommend you buy these books and not borrow them. After all,  you know where they’ve been.

While educating myself on Grammy winners for Record of the Year, I learned that the first one was “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” by Domenico Modugno. This won back in 1959. Seeing the non-English title, I just had to Google a translation, for I learn better and more importantly remember better with songs. The title is Italian for “In the blue, painted blue”, and “Volare” means “to fly.” Thus, the painted blue is the sky.

I have heard this version before, but I am more familiar with covers by Dean Martin and Bobby Rydell, two Italians who are really Dino Paul Crocetti and Robert Louis Ridarelli respectively.

Source: https://www.aussievision.net/post/the-story-and-legacy-of-nel-blu-dipinto-di-blu-volare

The Netflix movie Extraction (2020) takes place in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Today my Spanish word of the day was “el castillo de arena,” which is Spanish for sandcastle. I learned that arena means sand. Of course, in English usage, the word is more associated with Madison Square Garden and the Staples Center.  What’s the connection?

The connection goes back to ancient Rome. Amphitheaters such as the Colossuem were the entertainment centers during that time. People went there to see gladiators fight. With fights, came spilled blood, gallons of it, and the gladiators would slip and fall. Show producers covered the grounds with sand to absorb all the blood. The Latin word for sand is arena.

That’s funny. They didn’t want gladiators to slip and fall, but they were okay with them killing each other.

History of Arena and Other Sports

Amazon Studios, please don’t sue me for using this photo.

Last night I watched the film Troop Zero (2019) starring McKenna Grace, Viola Davis, and Jim Gaffigan. It is a good movie about scouts. Christmas Flint, the protagonist, wants her voice to get on the Voyager Golden Record. For you Gen Zers, a record is a circular disk that contains sounds and music. This Voyager record was for alien life to hear.

The Voyager record was a 12-inch, gold-plated, copper disk that contained various sounds that encapsulated the diversity of life and culture on earth. Sounds included children’s greetings in various languages, music from artists such as Beethoven and Chuck Berry and nature sounds such as whale songs. Twin probes Voyager I and Voyager 2 each got a copy of the record for their interstellar missions. The probes were launched in 1977, and their voyages continue to this day.

Celebrity scientist Carl Sagan was instrumental in this project. In fact, his son’s voice is on the record. Sagan narrated the popular science miniseries Cosmos (1980). You may have the seen the sequel hosted by Neil Degrasse Tyson.

This record in space may remind you of another movie.

The sci-fi comedy Pixels (2015) has its own take on the Voyager Golden Record. During the 80s, a time capsule is launched into space. The capsule contains a video of the present culture, which includes arcade games. Aliens find it and interpret it as a declaration of war. In response, they send creatures with video game designs to attack Earth. Adam Sandler and his friends must use their gaming skills to defeat the space invaders.

Again, please don’t sue me for this photo.

On this day in 1815, Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo. While surrendering, he uttered “Waterloo, couldn’t escape if I wanted to.” JK. Bad gag, I know.

You probably heard the ABBA song “Waterloo”, either on the radio or in movies such as Mamma Mia (2008) and The Martian (2015). So you had to hear the part that goes “My my/ At Waterloo Napoleon did surrender.” The Swedish supergroup threw in some history for you.

To meet your Waterloo means to be defeated by a force that’s too strong for you. This action is the theme of song that also has the title “Waterloo”, but it is sung by Stonewall Jackson, who is not to be confused with the Confederate general. Jackson mentions the tiny Corsican general, but he also mentions first man Adam and Tom Dooley, so you learn an oh so tiny bit of history and folklore.

Recently, 11-year-old Gui Khury became the first person to do a 1080 on his skateboard. Watch below.

The Brazilian skater completed three turns after flying off a vertical ramp.

So why is this amazing move called a 1080? It’s mathematical my friend. A circle has 360 degrees, so 3 x 360 degrees = 1080 degrees.

A 1080 isn’t the only skateboard trick with a number name. When a skater turns a full two circles after jumping off a ramp, that skater is performing a 720 (2 x 360). Here’s the legendary Tony Hawk performing this feat.

Here’s Mr. Hawk doing another trick called a 900. How many turns do you think he will make?

If you answered 2 1/2, you are right.  If you divide 900 by 360, yet get the quotient 2 1/2. You might’ve noticed that half a turn is 180 degrees.

Thus, if you can do ollies and shuvits, then you should know your multiples of 360 and 180.