Games and gamers seen to be all the rage these days and I absolutely love it. I’ve been a computer gamer for more than twenty-five years and have enjoyed every minute of it. I became quite proficient at almost every gaming system I could find. This quiz will address everyone’s knowledge about games, so lets see how we do. The answers are listed below.
Which property represented as a railroad on the Monopoly gameboard was not actually a railroad?
What is the standard width of the bowling alley-gutters not included?
In what game do you find taws, bowlers, reelers, and monnies?
Fred Cox, former Minnesota Viking kicker, holds the patent on what athletic toy?
The popular board game did New Yorker Alfred Butta invent in 1931 and finally send to market in 1948?
What game featured ghosts named Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde?
How many bills does each player gets at the beginning of a game of Monopoly?
How did the French game known as hazards come to be called craps in the United States?
Where were the first outdoor miniature golf courses in the United States built?
In what sport is a battledore used?
ANSWERS
Short Line. It was really a bus company, 41 1/2 inches, Marbles, The Nerf ball, Scrabble, Pac-Man, 27, The game was introduced in New Orleans in 1813 by a Creole man named Johnny Crapaud and it later became known as “Craps”, On rooftops in New York City in 1926, In badminton, it’s the racket used to hit the shuttlecock.
I thought since it’s another gray, wet, and crappy day I’d get lazy and throw a collection of useless information your way. There’s no rhyme or reason just a whole lot of nonsensical facts.
Odd Newpaper Headlines
Miners Refuse to Work After Death
Stolen Painting Found by Tree
Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
Ridiculous Newspaper Classified Ads
For Sale: Two wire-mesh butchering gloves, one 5 finger, one 3 finger, pair $15.00.
I decided today to prove once and for all that this blog is fair in the things that it posts. I’m a sports fan when it comes to baseball (Pittsburg Pirates), and I’ve been accused on a couple of occasions that I’m biased towards the teams I like and not so much against the teams I dislike. I know that’s a shock for all of you since none of you would ever do things like that, but I do. Today I’m going to push back a little by telling you a story about one of the Pittsburgh Pirate’s more infamous players and how he earned that reputation. This post is all about Dock Ellis and his famous or infamous no-hitter.
Ellis was, as major league pitchers go, a bit of an odd duck. He wore hair curlers during pregame warm-ups, and according to the baseball records he only stopped when the commissioner of baseball demanded that he do so. In 1974, while pitching against the Cincinnati Reds he hoped to motivate his team by taking aim at the other team’s players – literally. In the first inning alone, he beaned three players (including Pete Rose) before throwing a pitch behind the Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench’s head, after which he was promptly removed from the game.
On July 12, 1970, the Pirates had just finished a two-game series in San Francisco and were enroute to San Diego. Since it wasn’t Ellise’s turn to pitch, he spent the day in Los Angeles with some friends, relaxing and dropping acid (LSD). Due to scheduling changes the Pirates had an unscheduled doubleheader in San Diego that afternoon when an extra game was added. Ellis was expected to take the mound and he rushed to catch a shuttle and make it to the ballpark just in time for his game. Through the nine innings he pitched, he struck out six batters, walked eight, but gave up no hits and won 2-0 (a rare and unusual no-hitter). The following quote was later offered up by Ellis in a book where celebrities tell their real-life stories of addiction and recovery. Here’s the quote.
“I can only remember bits and pieces of the game, I was psyched, I had a feeling of euphoria. I was zeroed in on the catcher’s glove, but I didn’t hit the glove too much. I remember hitting a couple of batters, and the bases were loaded two or three times. The ball was small sometimes, the ball was large sometimes, sometimes I saw the catcher, sometimes I didn’t. Sometimes, I tried to stare the batters down and throw while I was looking at them. I started having a crazy idea in the fourth inning that Richard Nixon was the home plate umpire, and once I thought I was pitching a baseball to Jimi Hendrix, who to me was holding a guitar and swinging it over the plate. They say I had about 3 or 4 fielding chances. I remember diving out of the way of the ball I thought was a line drive. I jumped, but the ball wasn’t hit hard and never reached me.”
Dock retired from Major league baseball after the 1979 season and turned over a new leaf. He became a drug addiction counselor and passed away in December of 2008 at the age of 63.
In this installment we’ll continue our journey through the huge crowds of people and make our way to visit the huge crowds of animals. I couldn’t possibly post all of the animal photos I took. The number and variety was amazing and the better-half made sure we saw each and every one of them. Here’s a montage:
‘Shave and a haircut.’
‘Llamas, I’m not a big fan.’
‘Clean as a whistle.’
‘Huge !!!’
If the Fair were held a little closer to our home I suspect we’d spend multiple days just roaming around the animal barns. Attending the many events where animals are displayed for judging would easily take an entire day. We were a little pickier this year in what we attended but as always because of my better-half’s love of pigs we took these pictures.
‘One happy pig.’
‘Many happy piglets.’
It’s now approaching the noon hour and we made our way to a small grandstand to watch the skillet throwing contest. I’m a big fan because the contest is a tongue-in-cheek throwback to the good old days of farm shows. I’ve captured a number of entrants as they tossed their skillets into the air but the last one was the big winner of the day. She was also the returning champion from last year’s Fair and to be as kind as possible she was more than a little scary.
‘Going . . . .’
‘Going . . . .’
‘ Gone !!!!, The winner and still champion.’
I took a quick picture of this guy who was either bored to death or just plain exhausted. He was sitting on his four wheeler with hundreds of people walking by and was dead asleep.
I knew exactly how he felt because it was the same malady that struck me as I sat listening to this Country and Western group while my better-half wandered around on her own shopping for more Fair junk.
My final installment from the Fair will be posted in two days and will include a variety of random shots taken throughout the day. Lots of food stops shopping kiosks, and hours of people watching. Come back to visit.
My body is talking to me this morning and it isn’t all that happy. Fryeburg Fair Day has come and gone for another year leaving us walking wounded behind. I’m going to post our Fair Day over the next few days because I have a lot of photos I’d like to share which should help give you a real feel for the place. The ride to Fryeburg was uneventful but the closer we got to the fairgrounds the more the traffic increased as you can see.
Being the simple person that I am I thought I’d start our day at the main entrance to the fairgrounds. This is one of the few events where I don’t mind paying a $10.00 entry fee. It’s worth every penny of that $.80 an hour it’s costing me. That’s a good deal anytime.
Yesterday was a day of smells. Twelve hours of smelly crowds, really smelly animals, and the aroma of deep fried everything. If you ever wanted to deep-fry a particular item, you could find a booth selling it here at the Fair. There’s nothing like the smell of old and hot cooking grease at 8:30 in the morning.
‘You don’t see signs like this too much anymore.’
If you like crowds this is the place to be. I’ve been coming to this event for seven years and my better-half for almost fifteen. In our opinion the crowd today is the largest either of us have ever seen. The fact that it’s Woodsmen Day is probably part of the explanation. It’s the day for axe throwing, log rolling, tree climbing, and an assortment of other events for the wannabe lumberjack. If you like beards and flannel shirts this is where you need to be.
I’m not sure exactly sure just how large the fairground is but with all of the campgrounds surrounding the place it must cover at least 100 acres or so. That’s an uneducated guess so those of you from Fryeburg who may be reading this shouldn’t get your panties in a knot if it’s a little inaccurate. To put it simply, the place is huge !!!!!
We normally start our visit with the area set aside for the little kids. Pony rides and small merry-go-rounds right next door to Old McDonald’s petting zoo. The little ones seem to love getting in there for a little "hands on" with the baby animals.
‘They love milking the plastic cow.’
Before doing anything else we stopped for our traditional Fair Day breakfast meal. A large order of greasy French Fries, vinegar, and ketchup will certainly get the old heart started on these cool Fall mornings. Another hour or so of wandering around is next on our agenda before we head for the animal barns. My better-half waits all year to return here to visit all of her animal friends. I swear she must have been born a farmer in a previous life. My next posting will offer up an assortment of animal pictures and a few other interesting events like the skillet toss.
That’s it for today, installment two will post in 2 days and if you have an interest in farm animals, stop back to visit.
According to Socrates “an unexamined life is not worth living”. I agree with that to a point because there are times when looking back has truly restorative value. It clears the mind by allowing us to revisit simpler and sometimes happier times. The post that follows is me looking back and remembering how different things were not so long ago. I’m not saying they were always better but in some cases they definitely were. Read on and enjoy a short but detailed visit to my early childhood.
Way back…
I’m talking about hide and seek at dusk, sitting on the porch. Hot bread and butter, eating’ a super-dooper sandwich (Dagwood), Red light, Green light, 1 2 3.
Chocolate milk, lunch tickets, penny candy in a brown paper bag. Hopscotch, butterscotch, Double-Dutch, jacks, kickball, and dodge ball. Mother, May I? Hula Hoops, Sunflower Seeds, jawbreakers, blow pops, Mary Janes, and running through the sprinklers. The smell of the sun and licking salty lips.
Wait……
Watching lightening bugs in a jar, playing slingshot and Red Rover. When around the corner seemed far away, and going downtown seemed like going somewhere.
Bedtime, Climbing trees. A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers. Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, sitting on the curb, jumping down the steps, jumping on the bed, and pillow fights.
Being tickled to death, running till you were out of breath. Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt. Being tired from playing …. Remember that?
I’m not finished just yet…
What about the girl that had the big bubbly hand writing? Licking the beaters when your mother made a cake. When there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds & PF Flyers), and the only time you wore them at school, was for “gym.”
When nobody owned a purebred dog. When a quarter was a decent allowance, and another quarter a huge bonus. When you’d reach into a muddy gutter for a penny. When girls neither dated nor kissed until late high school, if then. When your mom wore nylons that came in two pieces.
When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, for free. And you didn’t pay for air, and, you got trading stamps to boot! When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box.
When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.
Not done yet . . .
When all of your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done, everyday. When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed…and did! When being sent to the principal’s office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home. Having a weapon in school, meant being caught with a slingshot. When nearly everyone’s mom was at home when the kids got there.
Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn’t because of drive-by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Disapproval of our parents and grandparents was a much bigger threat!
Decisions were made by going “eeny-meeny-miney-mo.” Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, “do over!” “Race issue” meant arguing about who ran the fastest. Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in “Monopoly.”
Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening. It wasn’t odd to have two or three “best” friends. Being old, referred to anyone over 20. The net on a tennis court was the perfect height to play volleyball and rules didn’t matter. It was unbelievable that dodge ball wasn’t an Olympic event.
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties. It was magic when dad would “remove” his thumb. Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.
We’re still in the freezer here in Maine like a lot of other places around the country. It’s another stay in, stay warm, and stay at home nite for sure. I have a few things I need to get done today including a general cleanup of the house since we’re having guests for dinner tonight.
Shish-kabobs are on the menu so a little marinating is required for the meat and blah . . blah . . blah. That sounds almost as boring to me as it must to you. I spent a few morning hours on the computer answering emails and visiting some of my favorite blogs. It’s amazing the amount of diversity that can be found on WordPress. If I’m not disciplined I can spend hours just roaming around randomly reading everything in sight.
I also need to log a little X-box time today to calm my nerves and relax a bit. Our guests this evening are serious gamers who take no prisoners in any activity they participate in and I assume the X-box will be involved.
My better-half arrived from work in mid-afternoon and began a flurry of activity before the guests arrived. As always I did my part by cracking open a bottle of Chardonnay to assist me in my supervisory capacity. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it and I’m always first in line.
The guests arrived right on time and before I realized it we were on the X-box for a raucous darts tournament. I did my best to win but it just wasn’t meant to be. I was beaten like the proverbial rented mule and in damn short order by my better-half. Don’t you just hate people who spend all of their time telling you how bad they are at something and then proceed to kick your ass? It’s like rubbing salt into the wounds as far as I’m concerned. It was a disappointing way to start the evenings activities but I’m not demoralized just yet.
The dinner was excellent but for me it was just an minor annoyance before the Hearts games began. Playing Hearts with these guests can be a little like armed combat. We take no prisoners and offer no mercy whatsoever. We’ve played Hearts with them for years and the competition is as fierce now as it was the first nite we played. For a change I managed to prevail with a decisive win and was exceptionally kind in my victory offering no smartass wise cracks or fake sympathy to the losers. It’s always great to win and a big hooray for me.
More snacks and drinks then it’s back to the freaking X-box for a round of fun yet vicious bowling. I should have stopped while I was ahead because I was crushed without mercy. Well, at least I won something tonight.
These game nights are a great deal of fun and it’s something we’ve always enjoyed. They’re especially nice during cold snaps like this where going out is problematic. Staying in and sharing a few relaxing hours with friends is as good as it gets. It wasn’t a late night which then gave us some quiet time to relax a little before heading to bed. I think the kitchen cleanup will have to wait until tomorrow because I’m suffering from a real lack of interest.
Check the doors and locks, turn on the electric blanket, and snuggle in for a few chapters of my new book. Tomorrow is another day.
I received this test from a friend recently but wasn’t completely happy with the way it was formatted. I added a number of questions and kept the number of answer choices to just four instead of the five or six in the original version. Do you consider yourself a true “Baby Boomer”? Here’s your chance to prove it. Get a paper and pencil handy to record your answers because if you’re a true “Boomer” you won’t be able to remember them anyway. Here are 25 relatively easy questions which you should be able to answer and which the younger generations may have some difficulty with. And no cheating!
1. What’s the quicker picker-upper?
A. Maxwell House Coffee
B. Bounty paper towels
C. United Airlines
D. None of the above.
2. What builds strong bodies 12 ways?
A. Flintstone vitamins
B. Wonder Bread
C. Milk
D. Cod Liver Oil3. Before he was Muhammed Ali, he was…
A. Sugar Ray Robinson
B. Rudolph Valentino
C. Fabian
D. Cassius Clay
4. Look ma….. No cavities! A. Pepsodent
A. Pepsodent
B. Crest
C. Ipana
D. Johnson’s Tooth Powder
5. Pogo, the comic strip character said, ‘We have met the enemy and…..
A. It’s you.
B. He is us.
C. He’s really me and you.
D. He surrendered.
6. Good night, David . . .
A. Good night, Chet
B. Good night, Irene
C. Good night, Gracie
D. Good night, Steve
7. You’ll wonder where the yellow went…
A. When you use Tide.
B. When you clean your tub.
C. If you buy a soft water tank.
D. When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.
8. Before he was the Skipper’s Little Buddy, Bob Denver was Dobie’s friend…
A. Randy Goodman
B. Steve Reeves…
C. Maynard G. Krebs.
D. Corky B. Dorkus
9. Sometimes you feel like a nut — sometimes you don’t.
A. Snickers
B. Milky Way
C. Almond Joy & Mounds
D. $1000 Dollar Bar
10. Liar, liar…
A. On the wire.
B. Jump up higher.
C. Pants on fire.
D. Join the choir
11. Meanwhile, back in Metropolis, Superman fights a never ending battle
for truth, justice and….
A. Lois Lane.
B. World peace.
C. Red tights.
D. The American way.
12. Hey kids! What time is it?
A. It’s time for Yogi Bear
B. It’s Howdy Doody Time
C. It’s time for Romper Room
D. The Mighty Mouse Hour
13. Lions and tigers and bears..! …
A. Oh, no
B. Gee whiz
C. I’m scared
D. Oh my
14. It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!
A. Old Spice
B. Chiffon Margarine
C. Vitalis Hair Tonic
D. Top Brass
15. Bob Dylan advised us never to trust anyone….
A. Over 40.
B. Wearing a uniform.
C. Over 30.
D. You don’t know.
16. NFL quarterback who appeared in a television commercial wearing women’s pantyhose…
A. Kenny Stabler
B. Joe Namath
C. Roger Staubach
D. Steve Young
17. Brylcream…
A. Smear it on.
B. Tame that cowlick.
C. It’s a dream.
D. A little dab’ll do ya.
18. Where’s the beef?
A. Burger King
B. McDonalds
C. Jack in the Box
D. Wendy’s
19. I found my thrill…
A. In Blueberry muffins.
B. Down at the mill.
C. With a man named Bill.
D. On Blueberry Hill.
20. Before Robin Williams, Peter Pan was played by…
A. Mary Martin.
B. Doris Day.
C. Errol Flynn.
D. Sally Fields.
21. Name the Beatles…
A. John, Steve, George, Ringo
B. John, Paul, Stacey, Ringo
C. Jay, Paul, George, Ringo
D. John, Paul, George, Ringo
22. I wonder, wonder, who.
A. Was it you?
B. Who wrote the book of love?
C. Who I am?
D. Really loved you.
23. I’m strong to the finish…
A. Cause I eats my broccoli.
B. Cause I eats me spinach.
C. And don’t you forget it.
D. Cause Olive Oyl loves me.
24. When it’s least expected, you’re elected, you’re the star today.
A. Smile, you’re on Star Search.
B. Smile, we’re watching you.
C. Smile, you’re on Candid Camera.
D. Smile, you’re on TV.
25. What do M & M’s do?
A. Make your tummy happy.
B. Melt in your mouth, not in your pocket..
C. Melt your heart.
D. Melt in your mouth, not in your hand.
Well, how do you think you did? I’ll post all of the answers in the next day or so and you can check your scores. Not to brag but I answered correct on all but one question on my first try so I’m now an officially verified “Boomer”. Have fun with it.
everyuselessthing.com 