courtesy of Ken Jennings

[mshray]

They're all sung by muppets?  Wait -- that's only true on "It's Not Easy Being Green" and "Mr. Jones" .   

According to Mr. Jennings, there are no rhymes in the lyrics.  Pretty good one, methinks.

[RGMike]

They're all sung by muppets?  Wait -- that's only true on "It's Not Easy Being Green" and "Mr. Jones" .   

According to Mr. Jennings, there are no rhymes in the lyrics.  Pretty good one, methinks.

Wow. Kudos, Mr J.

[mshray]

About a month ago Ken Jennings was in Oakland for a book signing of his latest, Maphead, which is about just what you think it is.  Being a total maphead myself & a bit of a KJ fan in general, I went (along with Gabriel, my 10 yr old).  After the requisite excerpt reading and Q&A, Ken asked the crowd of 50+ if they'd care to have an impromptu geography quiz, and of course we all said yes.  He had a bag of Smarties candies, and whoever called out the correct answer would have one lobbed in their direction.  I got one right and just as Gabriel came back from the kid's book area he sees Ken throwing something at me, and he was like WTF!?.  Then I got three more right and Gabriel said he had enough candy, so I should save one for his brother Adrian.  After a few minutes of this KJ identified the three people who'd answered the most correctly, which included yours truly, and we had a regular Jeopardy style quiz with the prize being a free copy of his book.  I took the early lead, but then it ended in a tie, and since I had already bought my copy the other guy got the freebie. 

We then got in line for the signing, and Gabriel asked him a geography question (what two states are tied for sharing borders with the most other states, and how many do they border?) which he got correct* pretty quickly.  I then asked him one that was patterned on his weekly Question 7, and today it appeared in his weekly mailing(!):

7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. states and no others--though California is, in all likelihood, about to leave the list?  Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Utah.

Anybody?

*the answer to Gabriel's question is Missouri & Tennessee, which in addition to bordering each other, touch 7 other states for a total of 8.

[Big Fingers McGee]

7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these U.S. states and no others--though California is, in all likelihood, about to leave the list?  Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Utah.

I'm suspecting the "CA is about to leave this list" should give it away, but I'm without a clue as to what.

What two states border each other but do not have a direct road connection?

[mshray]

wow, sorry for not answering this many months ago. 

States with NBA teams in their capitals, since the Kings are very likely to relocate to Seattle, my former & Ken's current hometowns.

[mshray]

Hey gang,

Been quite a while since I had a good one of these to contruibute, but how about this one:

Question 7.  What unusual distinction is shared by all these musical acts?  Aerosmith, Big Star, Depeche Mode, The Doobie Brothers, Genesis, Green Day, George Michael, Carrie Underwood, Kanye West, Wilco.

[dischead]

What two states border each other but do not have a direct road connection?

Without checking, my first guess would be Delaware and New Jersey -- maybe their shared
border is in the Delaware River?  If not, perhaps a similar situation along the Mississippi or
the Great Lakes?

[Big Fingers McGee]

What two states border each other but do not have a direct road connection?

Without checking, my first guess would be Delaware and New Jersey -- maybe their shared
border is in the Delaware River?  If not, perhaps a similar situation along the Mississippi or
the Great Lakes?

Delaware & New Jersey have but one direct road connection, I-295, which as you allude to above, crosses the Delaware River.

Kentucky & Missouri

[mshray]

No...it has to do with songs in their respective catalogues.

[mshray]

Ok, final hint...think song titles, and think this might have been more appropriate *next* week.

[RGMike]

Ok, final hint...think song titles, and think this might have been more appropriate *next* week.

Jesus in the titles?  (if so, he forgot ZZ Top)

[urth]

Ok, final hint...think song titles, and think this might have been more appropriate *next* week.

Jesus in the titles?  (if so, he forgot ZZ Top)

I think you might be onto something there. I can think of "Jesus" songs by several of those artists just off the top of my head. Interesting that he chose the Doobie Brothers rather than the Byrds, who did that particular Jesus song originally. And Wilco has two (Jesus Etc. and Christ for President).

[mshray]

That was it, sorry it took me so long to confirm.

[mshray]

Here's a new question 7 from Ken Jennings that is music related:

7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these hit songs?  "As Tears Go By," "Boom Clap," "Celebration," "Chiquitita," "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Heroes," "I'll Never Break Your Heart," "Ring of Fire," "She Loves You," "Shock the Monkey."

(I won't get the answer until next Tuesday, just so you know)

[urth]

Here's a new question 7 from Ken Jennings that is music related:

7.  What unusual distinction is shared by these hit songs?  "As Tears Go By," "Boom Clap," "Celebration," "Chiquitita," "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Heroes," "I'll Never Break Your Heart," "Ring of Fire," "She Loves You," "Shock the Monkey."

(I won't get the answer until next Tuesday, just so you know)

I think I have this one -- each of the songs was recorded in a non-English language by the original artist. I know that Heroes, She Loves You and Shock The Monkey were all recorded in German (as was I Want to Hold Your Hand, which Jennings doesn't mention). And a quick web search reveals that several of the others have been as well (Ring of Fire in Spanish, As Tears Go By in Italian, and De Do Do Do etc. in Spanish and Japanese).