The Always Problematic Monday Quiz

Several people including Mark Witteman, highest-rating male dork in the L&TM5K community, correctly identified the states of the Confederacy thus:

1. Arkansas -- is
2. Florida -- is
3. Illinois -- isn't
4. Maryland -- isn't
5. West Virginia -- isn't

However, Mark studied History in college, which is kind of cheating.

But then my dawg MyDogIsChelsea made the excellent point that Wouldn't the correct answer be that none of them are states of the confederacy? Maybe some of them were, but no longer. So maybe she wins.

On the other hand, both Rebel and Jennifer invoked the excellent concept "Go Ducks!" which is a highly persuasive sentiment.

But then, my older brother -- who did not technically participate in the Monday quiz, but who did once look at my blog and comment favorably that "you've got a glib sort of deal going on there" -- emailed this afternoon to offer me a spare ticket to the Arizona State game this weekend, so maybe HE wins.

Just kidding, of course.

Really, the most impressive achievement of the day was from Chance, who successfully identified my obscure Tom Waits quotation, which is from the spoken introduction to (I believe) "Train Song" on the Big Time album:

A lot of people come up to me and they say, 'Tom, is it possible for a woman to get pregnant without intercourse?' And my answer is always the same. I say, 'Well, listen. We're gonna have to go all the way back to the Civil War.' Apparently, a stray bullet actually pierced the testicle of a Union soldier, and then lodged itself in the ovaries of an eighteen year old girl, who was actually a hundred feet from him at the time. Well, the baby was fine. She was very happy, guilt free and... Of course, the soldier was a little pissed off. When you think about it, it's actually a FORM of intercourse, but... not for everyone. Those who love action maybe.

This is why, whenever I'm asked a question that is going to require a lengthy answer, I always say "to answer that question, we're going to have to go all the way back to the Civil War." No one ever gets what I'm talking about, but I'm never one to let a little thing like that spoil my fun.


What I'm Saying Is...

Friends, the Monday Quiz isn't really working. It's too much like the Thursday Quiz, except with only five questions it can't work up a proper head of steam. And it's hard to get the difficulty level right. I keep forgetting it's supposed to be easy, because it's much more fun to throw curveballs, and people feel bad when they get thumped by an "easy" quiz.

So, starting next week, the Monday Quiz will have an all-new format. Don't let the anticipation ruin your weekend or anything, but there you go.

Meanwhile, the executives here at L&TM5K have "greenlighted" a second "season" of the Thursday Quiz, and have ordered ten more episodes. So, if you enjoy difficult pop quizzes, you're in luck. If you don't, well, it won't hurt my feelings.