#4135, aired 2002-07-19 | FAMOUS AMERICANS: "May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof" is from this man's 1800 prayer John Adams |
#4134, aired 2002-07-18 | AFRICAN COUNTRIES: This country of more than 100 million people is home to the Kanuri, Edo & Igbo ethnic groups Nigeria |
#4133, aired 2002-07-17 | CANADIAN SPORTS: Valued at $60,000, the Brier Tankard is the ultimate prize in this professional sport curling |
#4132, aired 2002-07-16 | CLASSIC MOVIES: A short feature called "Salzburg Sight & Sound" is included with the DVD 35th Anniversary Edition of this film The Sound of Music |
#4131, aired 2002-07-15 | U.S. STATES: It's the only state whose state bird has a major city in its name Maryland |
#4130, aired 2002-07-12 | ENGLISH LITERATURE: Literary history was shaped in 1905 when this female author moved from 22 Hyde Park to 46 Gordon Square Virginia Woolf |
#4129, aired 2002-07-11 | THE OSCARS: 1 of only 3 movies to be nominated for both Best Picture & Best Foreign Language Film in the same year (1 of) Life is Beautiful, Z, or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon |
#4128, aired 2002-07-10 | HISTORIC PEOPLE: He once said, "If I can make a deaf-mute talk, I can make metal talk" Alexander Graham Bell |
#4127, aired 2002-07-09 | AWARDS: Nominees in 2002 for these awards included Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Ann-Margret, George Carlin & Jimmy Carter the Grammys |
#4126, aired 2002-07-08 | AMERICAN HISTORY: When Washington took office on April 30, 1789, it was the largest state in area, covering what is now 3 states Virginia |
#4125, aired 2002-07-05 | 19th CENTURY PRESIDENTS: He was the first U.S. president who never had a vice president John Tyler |
#4124, aired 2002-07-04 | CONTEMPORARY WOMEN: According to the London Times she was England's highest-earning British woman in 2001, followed by Queen Elizabeth II J.K. Rowling |
#4123, aired 2002-07-03 | U.S. LANDMARKS: Opened in 1962, its paint included Astronaut White for the supports & Re-entry Red for the "halo" the Space Needle (in Seattle) |
#4122, aired 2002-07-02 | 1980s BUSINESS: In his job since 1984, this man has been called "the Prince who awakened Sleeping Beauty" Michael Eisner |
#4121, aired 2002-07-01 | FILMS OF THE 1930s: Parts of "I Pagliacci" & "Il trovatore" are performed in this 1935 comedy A Night at the Opera |
#4120, aired 2002-06-28 | THE OSCARS: 1 of only 3 pairs of mothers & daughters to receive Oscar nominations for their acting (1 of) Diane Ladd & Laura Dern, Goldie Hawn & Kate Hudson, or Judy Garland & Liza Minnelli |
#4119, aired 2002-06-27 | LITERARY HEROINES: This literary character was inspired by Delphine Delamare, whose adultery led to her 1848 suicide Madame Bovary |
#4118, aired 2002-06-26 | COUNTRY NAME ORIGINS: This country is named for the 5th century Germanic people who invaded it France (or England) |
#4117, aired 2002-06-25 | FIRST LADIES: She was the first woman to become First Lady who was born in the 20th century Jackie Kennedy |
#4116, aired 2002-06-24 | GOVERNMENT & ECONOMICS: Though a legal requirement in 49 states, it failed in the '90s as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution Balanced Budget Amendment |
#4115, aired 2002-06-21 | SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: The first Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year was this British athlete in 1954 (Roger) Bannister |
#4114, aired 2002-06-20 | THE EMMY AWARDS: It's the only prime time TV show--comedy or drama--to win the Emmy for Best Series 5 times Frasier |
#4113, aired 2002-06-19 | HISTORIC AMERICANS: On this man's death, FDR said, "All mankind are the beneficiaries of his discoveries in... agricultural chemistry" George Washington Carver |
#4112, aired 2002-06-18 | 19th CENTURY LITERARY CHARACTERS: This character was inspired by Adam Worth, who masterminded crimes including tunneling into a bank vault Professor Moriarty |
#4111, aired 2002-06-17 | LANGUAGES: Besides English & Spanish, 2 of the 4 other languages in which the U.S. census 2000 questionnaires were printed (2 of) Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog & Korean |
#4110, aired 2002-06-14 | COLLEGE FOOTBALL: His name was immortalized in 1936; he holds the record for head coaching at the most Division I or major schools--8 John Heisman |
#4109, aired 2002-06-13 | MEDICAL WORDS: After ether's first use in surgery, O.W. Holmes coined this word from the Greek for the condition it produced anesthesia |
#4108, aired 2002-06-12 | FANTASY FILMS: This 1990 Tim Burton film was advertised with the line "His story will touch you, even though he can't" Edward Scissorhands |
#4107, aired 2002-06-11 | GEOGRAPHIC PHRASES: This common term originated in the early 1500s with the book "De Rebus Oceanicis et Novo Orbe" the New World |
#4106, aired 2002-06-10 | THE PRESIDENCY: He was the last president to take the oath of office from someone other than the Chief Justice of the U.S. Lyndon Johnson |
#4105, aired 2002-06-07 | ACTORS & ROLE: In a 2001 film Jon Voight played this man; in a 2002 TV movie, so did John Turturro Howard Cosell |
#4104, aired 2002-06-06 | COMMON BONDS: All the correct responses in the category "THIS'LL KILL YA!" are integral to this, introduced in the 1940s Clue |
#4103, aired 2002-06-05 | EUROPE: Among countries entirely within Europe, this nation has the highest percentage of Muslims Albania |
#4102, aired 2002-06-04 | ORGANIZATIONS: "Music Man" composer Meredith Willson wrote the song "Banners And Bonnets" for this organization the Salvation Army |
#4101, aired 2002-06-03 | FRANCE: Of France's 22 official regions, this one extends the farthest west Brittany |
#4100, aired 2002-05-31 | TOYS & GAMES: One face of the icosahedron, a 20-sided figure inside this, says "yes" Magic 8-Ball |
#4099, aired 2002-05-30 | INTERNATIONAL SPORTS: It's the only country to host the Summer Olympics in November & December Australia |
#4098, aired 2002-05-29 | LITERATURE & GEOGRAPHY: Zhongdian County in Southwest China has renamed itself after this fabled land from a 1933 book Shangri-La |
#4097, aired 2002-05-28 | POLITICAL LONGEVITY: 2 of the 4 U.S. senators elected to their seventh consecutive terms in the 1990s (2 of) Strom Thurmond, Ted Kennedy, Daniel Inouye & Robert Byrd |
#4096, aired 2002-05-27 | TV HISTORY: The 1979 sequel to this miniseries is set in Henning, Tennessee, beginning in 1882 Roots |
#4095, aired 2002-05-24 | HIGH PLACES: Rising to over 14,000 feet, the highest paved road in North America is found in this U.S. state Colorado |
#4094, aired 2002-05-23 | ISRAEL: They are the 2 Arab countries in which Israel currently has embassies Egypt & Jordan |
#4093, aired 2002-05-22 | RENAISSANCE AUTHORS: In the 16th century he wrote, "Whoever wishes to found a state…must start with assuming that all men are bad…" Machiavelli |
#4092, aired 2002-05-21 | NEWSMAKERS: In May 2001 he said, "Vermont has always been known for its independence" Jim Jeffords |
#4091, aired 2002-05-20 | RULERS: Mikhail Speransky & Aleksey Arakcheyev were advisors to this opponent of Napoleon Tsar Alexander I |
#4090, aired 2002-05-17 | FICTIONAL CHARACTERS: In a popular '90s bestseller, this hero replaces Roger Durling as President of the United States Jack Ryan |
#4089, aired 2002-05-16 | MILITARY UNITS: This 100-member unit still wears uniforms originally designed by Michelangelo in the 16th century Swiss Guard |
#4087, aired 2002-05-14 | VICE PRESIDENTS: He was the only vice president to be elected to, & serve, 2 full terms as president Thomas Jefferson |
#4086, aired 2002-05-13 | WORD HISTORIES: In old philosophy this 12-letter word referred to a fifth substance, superior to earth, air, fire or water quintessence |
#4085, aired 2002-05-10 | KNOWLEDGE BY THE NUMBERS: Number of males who served as British PM in the 1990s plus Oscars won by Tom Hanks plus protons in a helium nucleus 6 (2 + 2 + 2) |
#4084, aired 2002-05-09 | PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING BOOKS: One of its title studies is Sen. Edmund Ross' 1868 vote against convicting President Andrew Johnson Profiles in Courage |
#4083, aired 2002-05-08 | IN THE DICTIONARY: In his dictionary, Samuel Johnson self-effacingly defined this job title in part as "a harmless drudge" lexicographer |
#4082, aired 2002-05-07 | THE OSCARS: The 2 Best Picture nominees for 1983 that featured astronaut characters The Right Stuff & Terms of Endearment |
#4081, aired 2002-05-06 | U.S. CITIES: Founded in 1758, it's named for a British prime minister who was a noted defender of the American Colonists Pittsburgh |
#4080, aired 2002-05-03 | FAMOUS SHIPS: In 1999 the wreck of this ship known for its historic 1912 rescue effort was discovered 120 miles off England the Carpathia |
#4079, aired 2002-05-02 | 2001 NEWS: In 2001 the zinc industry was up in arms over Rep. Jim Kolbe's bill calling for the phasing out of these pennies |
#4078, aired 2002-05-01 | ESPIONAGE: He was born in India; his father worked for the British government & he was nicknamed for a Kipling character Kim Philby |
#4077, aired 2002-04-30 | INTERNATIONAL FILM DIRECTORS: This director of an Oscar-winning film is fighting to preserve Angel Island, site of a former immigration station in S.F. Bay Ang Lee |
#4076, aired 2002-04-29 | SOUTHERN WRITERS: He said, "My own little postage stamp of native soil was worth writing about... I would never... exhaust it" William Faulkner |
#4075, aired 2002-04-26 | BIG RIVERS: Besides the Mississippi & its tributaries, 2 of 4 rivers in the 48 contiguous states that are over 1,000 miles long (2 of) Colorado, Rio Grande, Columbia, or Snake |
#4074, aired 2002-04-25 | THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME: One of the 2 birds honored with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame (1 of) Big Bird or Woody Woodpecker |
#4073, aired 2002-04-24 | RECENT HISTORY: In 1993 this country of over 35 million people had 2 official languages; now it has 11 South Africa |
#4072, aired 2002-04-23 | SHAKESPEAREAN GEOGRAPHY: Of the 6 locations mentioned in titles of Shakespeare's plays, this one is the only one in England Windsor |
#4071, aired 2002-04-22 | OSCAR HOSTS: The 2 "Saturday Night Live" regular cast members who have hosted the Academy Awards telecast Billy Crystal & Chevy Chase |
#4070, aired 2002-04-19 | COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD: Alphabetically, it's the first country on the alphabetically first continent Algeria |
#4069, aired 2002-04-18 | PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: Other than FDR, he's the only man to appear as President or VP on a major party ticket in 4 straight elections George Herbert Walker Bush |
#4068, aired 2002-04-17 | U.S. STATE CAPITALS: This state capital is farthest away from any other state capital Honolulu |
#4067, aired 2002-04-16 | 5-LETTER WORDS: In 1898 the word "telephone" made its debut in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, as did this related word hello |
#4066, aired 2002-04-15 | AMERICANA: Appropriately, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial was unveiled by this playwright Arthur Miller |
#4065, aired 2002-04-12 | RELIGIOUS PLACES: A bullet that struck Pope John Paul II was placed in the crown of a statue of the Virgin Mary in this Iberian village Fatima |
#4064, aired 2002-04-11 | THE NFL: They're the only 2 NFL teams to currently share a home stadium the New York Jets & the New York Giants |
#4063, aired 2002-04-10 | MOVIE DIRECTORS: Appropriately, the last name of this current director means "characterized by abject fear" Wes Craven |
#4062, aired 2002-04-09 | QUEENS: Of Henry VIII's wives, the 2 who were not English Anne of Cleves & Catherine of Aragon |
#4061, aired 2002-04-08 | THE MOVIES: Later a Broadway show, this 1988 comedy was the first movie directed by a woman to earn $100 million Big |
#4060, aired 2002-04-05 | AUTHORS: Like one of his most famous heroines, he died at a train station in 1910 Tolstoy |
#4059, aired 2002-04-04 | AMERICAN BUSINESS: 5 beekeepers near this Iowa city formed a honey co-op in 1921; they named it for the city, but later respelled it Sioux City |
#4058, aired 2002-04-03 | U.S. PRESIDENTS: One of only 2 U.S. presidents to be outlived by their fathers (1 of) John F Kennedy or Warren G. Harding |
#4057, aired 2002-04-02 | WORLD GEOGRAPHY: The only 2 South American countries with both an Atlantic & a Pacific coast Chile & Colombia |
#4056, aired 2002-04-01 | U.S. STAMPS: At the end of October 2001 Lance Burton & Tony Curtis unveiled the new stamp honoring this man Harry Houdini |
#4055, aired 2002-03-29 | RECENT FILMS: The May 2001 premiere of this film was held aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis Pearl Harbor |
#4054, aired 2002-03-28 | NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS: Before the 1962 Peace Prize, this chemist won a 1948 Presidential Medal for developing armor-piercing shells Linus Pauling |
#4053, aired 2002-03-27 | IN THE BOOKSTORE: Editor Otto Penzler dubbed his 2001 lineup of baseball mysteries this after a nickname given a 1927 lineup Murderers' Row |
#4052, aired 2002-03-26 | FOOD & DRINK: From a flowering plant, the Aztecs used it as a chocolate enhancer & the Spanish called it this, meaning "pod" vanilla |
#4051, aired 2002-03-25 | 1950s FICTION: One of the most influential books of our time, this 1,100-page novel was originally called "The Strike" Atlas Shrugged |
#4050, aired 2002-03-22 | FROM THE LATIN: Derived from the Latin for "to walk", this word is often printed backwards to be seen in rear-view mirrors ambulance |
#4049, aired 2002-03-21 | ASIAN CITIES: The name of this Afghan city is a local variation of the name of the man who conquered the region in 329 B.C. Kandahar |
#4048, aired 2002-03-20 | FAMOUS AMERICANS: The most requested photo in the history of the National Archives is of the 1970 meeting of these 2 men Richard Nixon & Elvis Presley |
#4047, aired 2002-03-19 | ARTISTS: The tapestries in Israel's Knesset were designed by this artist born in Russia in 1887 Marc Chagall |
#4046, aired 2002-03-18 | CELEBRITIES: He describes himself as "Cablinasian", a hybrid of Caucasian, Black, American Indian & Asian Tiger Woods |
#4045, aired 2002-03-15 | FAMILIAR PHRASES: The phrase "to turn a blind eye" is said to have been inspired by a 19th century naval incident involving this man Admiral Lord Nelson |
#4044, aired 2002-03-14 | RECENT FILMS: The name of this character means "fear" in Yiddish Shrek |
#4043, aired 2002-03-13 | POPULAR SONG: The lyrics to a song that went to No. 1 on the sales charts in Oct. 2001 were written by this 19th c. American Francis Scott Key |
#4042, aired 2002-03-12 | WORLD CAPITALS: Other than Washington, D.C., it's the only world capital named for an American Monrovia, Liberia |
#4041, aired 2002-03-11 | ARCHITECTURE & SOCIETY: The tiered steeple of St. Bride's Church in London inspired the traditional form of this festive item a wedding cake |
#4040, aired 2002-03-08 | BRITISH LITERARY CHARACTERS: Originally called Sherringford Hope, his final last name came from his creator's favorite American poet Sherlock Holmes |
#4039, aired 2002-03-07 | MUSICAL THEATER: "Il Muto" & "Don Juan Triumphant" are shows within this show that premiered on Broadway in 1988 The Phantom of the Opera |
#4038, aired 2002-03-06 | TELEVISION: The characters Adam, Eric & Joseph were much younger on the 2001 PAX prequel to this '60s series Bonanza |
#4037, aired 2002-03-05 | CABINET POSITIONS: This original cabinet post created in 1789 didn't get an accompanying department until 1870 the Attorney General |
#4036, aired 2002-03-04 | U.S. PRESIDENTS: His last will & testament named the Warm Springs Foundation as the beneficiary of insurance policies totaling $560,000 Franklin Roosevelt |
#4035, aired 2002-03-01 | THE MOVIES: Federal Express founder Fred Smith made a special cameo appearance in this 2000 film Cast Away |
#4034, aired 2002-02-28 | TV & LITERATURE: "The Fugitive" was based in part on this 1862 novel in which a detective relentlessly pursues the fugitive hero Les Misérables |
#4033, aired 2002-02-27 | THE CIVIL WAR: This Tennessean was the only U.S. Senator from a seceded state to remain loyal to the Union Andrew Johnson |
#4032, aired 2002-02-26 | 19th CENTURY INVENTIONS: Peter Roget's new device for performing mechanically the involution & evolution of numbers the slide rule |
#4031, aired 2002-02-25 | CLASSICAL MUSIC: This orchestral instrument is the first one heard in Stravinsky's "Orpheus" & the second heard in Liszt's "Orpheus" the harp |
#4030, aired 2002-02-22 | SPORTS TEAMS: This pro sports team has 3 official mascots: Edgar, Allan & Poe Baltimore Ravens |
#4029, aired 2002-02-21 | FAMOUS NAMES: The son of an art teacher, he became vice president of the Swiss Psychoanalytic Society in 1919 Hermann Rorschach |
#4028, aired 2002-02-20 | 2000 FILMS: This film was partly inspired by Jean-Leon Gerome's painting "Pollice Verso" or "Thumbs Down" Gladiator |
#4027, aired 2002-02-19 | FOOD SUPERSTITIONS: Sold on Good Friday, they were once used as charms against evil & were said to last without getting moldy hot cross buns |
#4026, aired 2002-02-18 | TRANSPORTATION: In 2001 Germany began regular passenger service on one of these, named for a German, for the 1st time since 1937 zeppelin |
#4025, aired 2002-02-15 | 20th CENTURY BRITISH NOVELS: The phrase that's the title of this novel comes from the translation of the Hebrew word Beelzebub Lord of the Flies |
#4024, aired 2002-02-14 | AMERICAN HISTORY: German officer Johann Rall led this group when they were defeated in battle in December 1776 the Hessians |
#4023, aired 2002-02-13 | STATE CAPITALS: This least populous state capital falls alphabetically immediately after Alabama's Montpelier, Vermont |
#4022, aired 2002-02-12 | WORD & PHRASE ORIGINS: Don Hoefler, a reporter for Electronic News, is credited with coining this name for an area south of San Francisco Silicon Valley |
#4021, aired 2002-02-11 | LIFE SCIENCE: As they become visible when stained, they were named this from the Greek for "color" & "body" chromosomes |
#4020, aired 2002-02-08 | U.S. GOVERNMENT: Its seal includes the motto "Fidelity, bravery, integrity" the Federal Bureau of Investigation |
#4019, aired 2002-02-07 | FIRST LADIES: She was First Lady of the U.S. longer than any other woman Eleanor Roosevelt |
#4018, aired 2002-02-06 | CITIES: Founded in 1565, it is the oldest continually occupied European settlement in the continental United States St. Augustine, Florida |
#4017, aired 2002-02-05 | FADS: A '50s fad still popular today, this toy was inspired by a Connecticut bakery's pie tins frisbee |
#4016, aired 2002-02-04 | ANNUAL EVENTS: It passes near Fenway Park & in the 1990s in the men's open division it was won by Kenyans 9 times the Boston Marathon |
#4015, aired 2002-02-01 | AMERICAN COMPOSERS: Rachmaninoff & Heifetz watched Paul Whiteman conduct the 1924 premiere of a milestone work by this composer Gershwin |
#4014, aired 2002-01-31 | ATHLETES: He was an Olympian, played pro baseball for the Reds & was a charter member of pro football's Hall of Fame (Jim) Thorpe |
#4013, aired 2002-01-30 | '90s BESTSELLERS: This novel grew out of a series of personal columns that first ran in the Independent of London Bridget Jones's Diary |
#4012, aired 2002-01-29 | FAMOUS AMERICANS: The international airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan is named for this man who moved to the city from Nebraska as a child Gerald Ford |
#4011, aired 2002-01-28 | THE CABINET: 1 of 2 presidents, other than FDR, to have 4 or more attorneys general during their terms in office (1 of) Richard Nixon & Ulysses S. Grant |
#4010, aired 2002-01-25 | WORLD LEADERS: Born into a royal family of the Thembu people & expected to become a chief, he became a president in 1994 Nelson Mandela |
#4009, aired 2002-01-24 | WORLD OF SPORTS: Events using this item include maximum time aloft & William Tell, where you knock an apple off your own head boomerang |
#4008, aired 2002-01-23 | BUSINESS NAMES: In 1795 he received the first official permit from the King of Spain to produce tequila commercially Jose Cuervo |
#4007, aired 2002-01-22 | FIRST LADIES: 1 of 2 first ladies buried at Arlington National Cemetery (1 of) Jackie Kennedy & Mrs. Taft |
#4006, aired 2002-01-21 | PEOPLE ON THE MAP: Tourist spots in the Asian city named for this man include Notre Dame Cathedral & Reunification Hall Ho Chi Minh |
#4005, aired 2002-01-18 | THE ELEMENTS: The first known discoverer of an element, Hennig Brand, found this solid in 1669 & had Europe aglow with excitement phosphorus |
#4004, aired 2002-01-17 | MILITARY MATTERS: Completed by the British in 1906, its name means "fear nothing" & it made all others of its kind obsolete HMS Dreadnought |
#4003, aired 2002-01-16 | THE 50 STATES: The 2 states whose names each contain 3 sets of double letters; they border each other Mississippi & Tennessee |
#4002, aired 2002-01-15 | ARTISTS: Marie von Goethem, a student of the Ballet de l'Opera, was the model for his most famous sculpture (Edgar) Degas |
#4001, aired 2002-01-14 | AWARDS: This food company sponsors the "Very Best in Youth" award Nestlé's |
#4000, aired 2002-01-11 | INVENTORS: Summarizing the dawn of a new era, he came up with the slogan, "You press the button, we do the rest" George Eastman |
#3999, aired 2002-01-10 | PAST PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES: Each fall the Archdiocese of New York sponsors a major fund-raising dinner named for him Al Smith |
#3998, aired 2002-01-09 | 1950s TELEVISION: According to the L.A. Times, he quipped, "How many stories should you tell about two people in an apartment?" Jackie Gleason |
#3997, aired 2002-01-08 | PLAYWRIGHTS: King Louis XIV was the godfather of this playwright's first child, born in 1664 Molière |
#3996, aired 2002-01-07 | ORGANIZATIONS: In 2001 a fight over these initials pitted the panda against The Rock WWF |
#3995, aired 2002-01-04 | 19th CENTURY PRESIDENTS: Other than FDR, he's the only Democrat to receive his party's nomination in 3 straight elections Grover Cleveland |
#3994, aired 2002-01-03 | FAMILIAR PHARASES: This 2-word term entered the English language after a pilot reported seeing 9 of them near Mt. Rainier in June 1947 flying saucers |
#3993, aired 2002-01-02 | 1970s GAMES: Of this ground-breaking game, its creator said, "We knew a square ball wasn't cool" but "It was all we could do" Pong |
#3992, aired 2002-01-01 | CLASSIC TV CHARACTERS: In a real ceremony in 2001, the Marines promoted this character to Lance Cpl. after he was a private for over 30 years Gomer Pyle |
#3991, aired 2001-12-31 | LAW HISTORY: In 1964 he was the prosecutor of Jack Ruby; in 1973 he was the defendant in a landmark Supreme Court case Wade |
#3990, aired 2001-12-28 | TRADITIONS: NORAD's annual tracking of his flight progress goes back to 1955 & now has a website Santa Claus |
#3989, aired 2001-12-27 | STATE SYMBOLS: Appropriately, the mayflower is the official flower of this state Massachusetts |
#3988, aired 2001-12-26 | ANIMALS: Scientists named an anticoagulant found in the saliva of a species of this animal "draculin" (vampire) bat |
#3987, aired 2001-12-25 | NATURE: The symbol seen here represents this animal's foundation, headquartered in Australia koala |
#3986, aired 2001-12-24 | LANDMARKS: This California structure whose official color is international orange is one of the 7 Wonders of the Modern World Golden Gate Bridge |
#3985, aired 2001-12-21 | CHRISTMAS SONGS: The song you're hearing right now was written originally in this language:
"...Tender and mild /
Sleep in heavenly peace /
Sleep in heavenly peace..." German |
#3984, aired 2001-12-20 | MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS: This 2000 film was the first drama to have an authorized Led Zeppelin tune on its soundtrack Almost Famous |
#3983, aired 2001-12-19 | STATE NICKNAME ORIGINS: One popular story is that men of this state fought so stalwartly it seemed their feet were stuck to the ground North Carolina |
#3982, aired 2001-12-18 | COLONIAL TRADE: The Dutch traded New York to the British for a tiny island producing this, now mainly used at Christmastime nutmeg |
#3981, aired 2001-12-17 | AWARDS: In 2001 the Pritzker Prize, architecture's most prestigious, was presented at this historic home in the U.S. Monticello |
#3980, aired 2001-12-14 | BIRDS: This North American bird is known scientifically as Mimus polyglottos mockingbird |
#3979, aired 2001-12-13 | U.S. PRESIDENTS & VICE PRESIDENTS: He's the only man elected vice president twice & elected president twice Richard Nixon |
#3978, aired 2001-12-12 | TV SPIN-OFFS: One of the 2 hourlong dramas spun off from popular half-hour sitcoms in the 1970s Lou Grant or Trapper John, M.D. |
#3977, aired 2001-12-11 | ENTERTAINERS: Interviewed on "60 Minutes" in 2001, he said, "It's been one of my lifelong jobs... to make the world laugh at Adolf Hitler" Mel Brooks |
#3976, aired 2001-12-10 | THE OSCARS: One of 4 men nominated twice for playing the same character (1 of) Bing Crosby, Paul Newman, Al Pacino & Peter O'Toole |
#3975, aired 2001-12-07 | COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD: This independent nation is the only Hindu kingdom in the world Nepal |
#3974, aired 2001-12-06 | BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY: Engineers Jerry Yang & David Filo chose this name for their company in 1994; it's what each considered himself Yahoo! |
#3973, aired 2001-12-05 | HISTORIC HEROES: This man born in 1783 is considered the national hero of 5 different countries Simon Bolivar |
#3972, aired 2001-12-04 | CLIMATE TERMS: From the Latin for "restraint", these zones extend 900 miles north & south of the tropics temperate zones |
#3971, aired 2001-12-03 | FICTIONAL PLACES: The creator of this Minnesota town says its name is Ojibwa for "Place where we waited all day for you in the rain" Lake Wobegon |
#3970, aired 2001-11-30 | BESTSELLING AUTHORS: One of the world's bestselling novelists, he created TV's "I Dream of Jeannie" Sidney Sheldon |
#3969, aired 2001-11-29 | ARTISTS: Christopher Buckley called his book on the life and work of this artist "Blossoms and Bones" Georgia O'Keeffe |
#3968, aired 2001-11-28 | ACTRESSES: In 1999 Liz Smith quoted her as saying, "I look at the Empire State Building and I feel like it belongs to me" Fay Wray |
#3967, aired 2001-11-27 | SIGNS & SYMBOLS: To boost morale between 2 merging insurance companies, it was designed & put on a pin in 1963 by Harvey Ball the smiley face |
#3966, aired 2001-11-26 | WORLD CITIES: This capital city of 13 million located at 55.5 degrees north latitude is the most populous city in Europe Moscow |
#3965, aired 2001-11-23 | ANCIENT ROMANS: According to tradition, he was descended from the clan of the Pontii & killed himself in 39 A.D. Pontius Pilate |
#3964, aired 2001-11-22 | FADS: Invented by Dan Robbins, this product was first sold in the 1950s with the slogan "Every Man a Rembrandt" Paint by Numbers |
#3963, aired 2001-11-21 | WORLD GEOGRAPHY: It's the only island whose territory makes up parts of 3 different independent nations Borneo (Malaysia, Indonesia & Brunei) |
#3962, aired 2001-11-20 | CITY NAME ORIGINS: In 1517 the Portuguese modified the name of a port city of western Ceylon in honor of this man Christopher Columbus |
#3961, aired 2001-11-19 | AMERICAN LITERATURE: John Steinbeck originally called this 1937 short novel "Something That Happened" Of Mice and Men |
#3960, aired 2001-11-16 | SPORTS MARKETING: Tiger Woods' 22-page booklet "The Making of a Champion" came free on one million boxes of this product Wheaties |
#3959, aired 2001-11-15 | YOUNG STARS: In the past 3 years she's played film roles based on Shakespeare's Katharina, Ophelia & Desdemona Julia Stiles |
#3958, aired 2001-11-14 | THE INTERNET: This search engine was co-founded by Sergey Brin, a math major who chose the name to imply a vast reach Google |
#3957, aired 2001-11-13 | FIRST LADIES: First & last names of the 2 First Ladies who each had a husband & son serve as president Abigail Adams & Barbara Bush |
#3956, aired 2001-11-12 | THE EARLY 20th CENTURY: A 1904 issue of Popular Science Monthly reported their success in North Carolina the previous year the Wright Brothers |
#3955, aired 2001-11-09 | STATE CAPITALS: Of the 4 state capitals named for U.S. presidents, it's the one that's farthest south Jackson, Mississippi |
#3954, aired 2001-11-08 | THE UNIVERSE: It's the body that's about 1 1/4 light-seconds from Earth the Moon |
#3953, aired 2001-11-07 | LEGENDARY CHARACTERS: Led by Nicholas, a German boy, the Children's Crusade of 1212 may have been the inspiration for this character The Pied Piper (of Hamelin) |
#3952, aired 2001-11-06 | FICTIONAL CHARACTERS: Character from an 18th century tale who felt "above an hundred arrows discharged on my left hand" Gulliver |
#3951, aired 2001-11-05 | ROYALTY: The king of this Asian country is known as the "Possessor of the 24 Golden Umbrellas" Thailand |
#3950, aired 2001-11-02 | U.S. PRESIDENTS: Washington was the one who added these 4 words to the presidential oath; they're not in the Constitution "So Help Me God" |
#3949, aired 2001-11-01 | AMERICAN LITERATURE: "The Mute" was the working title of this 1940 novel by a female author The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (by Carson McCullers) |
#3948, aired 2001-10-31 | WORDS IN POETRY: The 2 "oo" 4-letter words in the poem inscribed in the base of the Statue of Liberty poor & door |
#3947, aired 2001-10-30 | COLLECTIBLES: When he moved into the White House, George W. Bush brought some of his over 150 autographed ones of these baseballs |
#3946, aired 2001-10-29 | HISTORIC GEOGRAPHY: Upon this nation's independence in 1903, it was "moved" from one continent to another Panama |
#3945, aired 2001-10-26 | '90s MOVIES: It was based on the true story of the 4 Niland brothers of Tonawanda, New York Saving Private Ryan |
#3944, aired 2001-10-25 | 7-LETTER WORDS: It's from the Greek for "a place for watching" theater |
#3943, aired 2001-10-24 | SPORTS ON TV: The highest-rated sports program in TV history, other than a Super Bowl, took place on February 23, 1994, in this sport ladies' figure skating |
#3942, aired 2001-10-23 | BUSINESS & INDUSTRY: These 2 companies whose products complement each other are the only 2 that have ever topped the Fortune 500 General Motors & Exxon |
#3941, aired 2001-10-22 | INTERNATIONAL COASTLINES: It's the only country bordering the Caspian Sea that was not a member of the Soviet Union Iran |
#3940, aired 2001-10-19 | MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM NAMES: This team received its name after an 1890 incident in which it "stole" away an important player from another team Pittsburgh Pirates |
#3939, aired 2001-10-18 | ORGANIZATIONS: This organization is headquartered at 1776 D Street, NW Washington, D.C. Daughters of the American Revolution |
#3938, aired 2001-10-17 | MUSIC & THE MOVIES: The soundtrack of this 1992 film is the bestselling movie soundtrack of the 1990s The Bodyguard |
#3937, aired 2001-10-16 | USA: Now part of a national recreation area, it was once referred to as "Uncle Sam's Devil's Island" Alcatraz Island |
#3936, aired 2001-10-15 | SCIENCE NEWS: It's the reason that airlines altered many of their transpacific flight plans on March 23, 2001 the Mir space station crashing down to Earth |
#3935, aired 2001-10-12 | THE VOCAL ARTS: Alessandro Moreschi, who died in 1922, was the last renowned member of this operatic category of voice the Castrati |
#3934, aired 2001-10-11 | U.S. COLLEGES: Its original home was built in 1829 as an arsenal to defend against slave insurrections The Citadel (the Military College of South Carolina) |
#3933, aired 2001-10-10 | FOOD & DRINK: A statue in the town of Epernay, France honors this blind French monk Dom Perignon (credited with inventing champagne) |
#3932, aired 2001-10-09 | WOMEN AUTHORS: In 1935 she sent a telegram to a Macmillan editor: "Please send manuscript back I've changed my mind" Margaret Mitchell ("Gone with the Wind") |
#3931, aired 2001-10-08 | RELIGION: Among the 854 people the Russian Orthodox Church canonized in 2000 was this czar who was buried in St. Petersburg in 1998 Nicholas II |
#3930, aired 2001-10-05 | 20th CENTURY WOMEN: Ushers at her 2001 funeral included Bill Gates, Barbara Walters, Jim Lehrer & Bob Woodward Katharine Graham (publisher of The Washington Post) |
#3929, aired 2001-10-04 | EXPLORATION: In February 1962 he said, "The sunset was beautiful. It went down very rapidly" John Glenn |
#3928, aired 2001-10-03 | TRANSPORTATION: The 3 bases for these in the U.S. are at Pompano Beach, Fla., Carson, Calif. & Suffield, Oh., just east of Akron the Goodyear Blimps |
#3927, aired 2001-10-02 | SPORTS STARS: A July 2001 newspaper ad from the U.S. Postal Service congratulating this man read "Un, Deux, Trois!" Lance Armstrong |
#3926, aired 2001-10-01 | WORLD LEADERS: In April 2001 Kevin Costner screened his film "Thirteen Days" for this man, a key player in the events portrayed Fidel Castro |
#3925, aired 2001-09-28 | THE INTERNET: With a catalog of 28 million items including books, CDs & audiobooks, it's the world's largest online shop Amazon.com |
#3924, aired 2001-09-27 | FAMOUS BUILDINGS: Unlike today, 75 years ago you could walk unannounced into this now 132-room home & shake its occupant's hand the White House |
#3923, aired 2001-09-26 | IT'S ABOUT TIME: Scientists added an extra one of these to December 31, 1998, giving it 86,401; we hope you made good use of it a second |
#3922, aired 2001-09-25 | POP MUSIC: Selling over 12 million copies, this singer's 1999 album is the bestselling album by a teenage solo artist Britney Spears |
#3921, aired 2001-09-24 | U.S. GEOGRAPHY: It's the only U.S. state that touches 2 oceans Alaska |
#3920, aired 2001-09-21 | THE ACADEMY AWARDS: He was nominated for Best Director twice in the same year, the first so honored since Michael Curtiz for 1938 Steven Soderbergh |
#3919, aired 2001-09-20 | ON THE MAP: 2 of the 3 countries classified as extending across 2 continents (2 of) Turkey, Russia, or Egypt |
#3918, aired 2001-09-19 | EUROPEAN PRINCESSES: On July 20, 1999 she gave birth to her fourth child, Princess Alexandra of Hanover Princess Caroline of Monaco |
#3917, aired 2001-09-18 | THE STOCK EXCHANGE: With over 20,000 stores worldwide, it began trading on the NYSE in July 2000 under the symbol SE 7-Eleven |
#3916, aired 2001-09-17 | FAMOUS PHRASES: This expression comes from a 1956 novel about Frank Skeffington's final run for mayor "the last hurrah" |
#3915, aired 2001-09-14 | ASTRONOMER'S DICTIONARY: This word comes from a Greek phrase meaning "circle of animals" zodiac |
#3914, aired 2001-09-13 | FILM DIRECTORS: In his 1929 film "Die Frau im Mond", or "Woman in the Moon", he originated the rocket countdown Fritz Lang |
#3913, aired 2001-09-12 | ORGANIZATIONS: Linda Collins's tetanus antitoxin allergy led her parents to found this emergency information service MedicAlert |
#3912, aired 2001-09-11 | VOLCANOS: Of the U.S. states with active volcanos, this state is farthest south Hawaii |
#3911, aired 2001-09-10 | FAMOUS PEOPLE: In 2001, she produced & hosted the Travel Channel's "Secrets of San Simeon" Patty Hearst |
#3910, aired 2001-09-07 | ZOOLOGY: Animal species that's the subject of the longest consecutive study of any group of wild animals, 40 years chimpanzees |
#3909, aired 2001-09-06 | HISTORIC NAMES: In 1978, Congress restored U.S. citizenship to this man seen here Jefferson Davis |
#3908, aired 2001-09-05 | 19th CENTURY AUTHORS: D.H. Lawrence called him "an adventurer into the vaults and...
horrible underground passages of the human soul" Edgar Allan Poe |
#3907, aired 2001-09-04 | NATIONAL ANTHEMS: "Land Of Two Rivers" is the anthem of this country whose history goes back thousands of years Iraq |
#3906, aired 2001-09-03 | AUTOMOTIVE HISTORY: This Ford with a name from Native American myth was the first model to be Motor Trend Car of the Year the Thunderbird |