The Brackets!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

The Thursday Quiz XXXIV

The Thursday Quiz!

The Thursday Quiz is an "Is It or Isn't It" game. From the list of twelve items, your job is to determine whether each IS or ISN'T a true example of the week's category.

Remember always that the strength of the whole depends on the right and proper functioning of the parts:
No research, Googling, Wikiing, or use of reference books. The Thursday
Quiz is a POP quiz. Violators will find themselves on the cutting room floor.
This Week's Category was the fifth Thursday Quiz to be written, but has been kept on the back burner for its sheer obviousness.

American State Capitals

With apologies to the non-UnitedStatesians.....

1. Birmingham, Alabama
2. Boise, Idaho
3. Detroit, Michigan
4. Dover, Delaware
5. Flagstaff, Arizona
6. Helena, Montana
7. Jackson, Mississippi
8. Lincoln, South Dakota
9. Missoula, Montana
10. Portland, Oregon
11. Richmond, Virginia
12. Trenton, New Jersey

Submit your answers to the legislatures of the several states by posting them in the comments.

31 comments:

  1. 1 / isn't
    2 / is
    3 / isn't
    4 / is
    5 / isn't
    6 / is
    7 / is
    8 / isn't
    9 / isn't
    10 / isn't
    11 / is
    12 / is

    It would be fun to give an "is" to both # 6 and 9, but then I'd have to ask myself what "is" is.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What 'sheer obviousness'? I don't get it.

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  3. 1. isn't
    2. is
    3. is
    4. is
    5. isn't
    6. is
    7. is
    8. isn't
    9. isn't
    10. isn't
    11. is
    12. is

    How do I not KNOW these? My 5th grade teacher would be so disappointed.

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  4. But you wouldn't believe how many OTHER state's capitals I can name. Not helpful, here, I know.

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  5. @fingers: Its sheer obviousness as a choice of topic. State Capitals are widely associated in the American mind with the rote learning of pointless knowledge, so much so that I was afraid of stygmatizing the infant Thursday Quiz before it ever had a chance to get established.

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  6. So back in the day a friend had an Animaniacs CD which we listened to all the time in the car. In it Wakko sang a song about all the countries in the world (circa 1992), Yakko sang a song (to the tune of Turkey in the Straw) of all the states & their capitals. Dot sang a song called "I'm cute" - guess which one I memorized?

    1 - is
    2 - is
    3 - is not
    4 - is
    5 - is not
    6 - is
    7 - is not (why do I think Jackson is the capitol of Wyoming?)
    8 - is not (isn't Lincoln the capitol of Nebraska?)
    9 - is not - wait what kind of crazy talk is this putting Montana in twice???
    10 - is NOT
    11 - is
    12 - is

    "I'm cute, and it shows... with my little brown eyes and my cute button nose..."

    ReplyDelete
  7. Me too Karin !

    Albany, NY
    Olympia, WA
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Mount Peilliar, Vermont
    Sacramento, CA
    Nashville, TN

    ReplyDelete
  8. 1. false
    2. true
    3. false
    4. true
    5. false
    6. true
    7. true
    8. false
    9. false
    10. false
    11. true
    12. true

    ReplyDelete
  9. 1. no
    2. yes
    3. no
    4. yes
    5. no
    6. yes
    7. yes
    8. no
    9. no
    10. no
    11. yes
    12. yes

    Bear in mind that Mr. Cartophiliac got up early and forgot to turn off his alarm clock, thereby waking me up an hour earlier than normal :-)

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  10. 1y 2y 3n 4y 5n 6y 7y 8n 9n 10n 11y 12y

    wow. i actually feel pretty confident about my answers this morning. if i get these right, i'm calling mrs hamilton. she would be so proud of me. maybe. or just really creeped out that i'm calling her.

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  11. I should leave this to my less geographically-challenged nephew, but here goes:

    1. y
    2. y
    3. n
    4. y
    5. y
    6. y
    7. n
    8. n
    9. n
    10. n
    11. y
    12. n

    Nothing like a brief dip in the pool of humiliation to wake a person in the morning ...

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  12. As a teenager I met someone from a little town in West Virginia. I said I didn't know where the town was (dumb remark), and she said it was close to Charleston. I replied (how dumb could I get?) that I didn't know where that was either. Her archly delivered and humiliating reply was, "It's the capital." So I went home and memorized the state capitals. I re-learned them 3 years ago when we drove across country. Couldn't wait for you to post the list so I checked my own -- I missed Oregon and (more humiliation) Michigan, where I have lived on 4 separate occasions! One of them in Lansing!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. 1. No
    2. Yes
    3. No
    4. Yes
    5. Yes
    6. Yes
    7. Yes
    8. Yes
    9. No
    10. No
    11. Yes
    12 Yes

    Good Lord

    ReplyDelete
  14. 1 no
    2 yes
    3 no
    4 yes
    5 no
    6 yes
    7 yes
    8 no
    9 no
    10 no
    11 yes
    12 yes

    ReplyDelete
  15. 1. Yes
    2. Yes
    3. No
    4. No
    5. Yes
    6. Yes
    7. Yes
    8. No
    9. Yes
    10. No
    11. Yes
    12. Yes
    I don't think I did as well on this as my mom would have liked.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Um, and I put yes for both 6 and 9. Have I mentioned that all my physical and mental powers are engaged in mighty battle with some kind of micro-pseudo-organism? Please accept revised response: Helena is the capital of Montana. Missoula is not the capital of Montana. I know that for sure, really I do.

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  17. I used to know them all...
    1 - yes
    2 - yes
    3 - no
    4 - yes
    5 - no
    6 - yes
    7 - yes
    8 - yes
    9 - no
    10 - yes
    11 - yes
    12 - yes

    ReplyDelete
  18. 1. No
    2. Yes
    3. Yes
    4. No
    5. No
    6. Yes
    7. Yes
    8. Yes
    9. Yes
    10.No
    11.Yes
    12. Yes

    I have bad memories of doing this in the 6th grade, where we had to spell state and capital correctly otherwise you would have to move back one chair . . . I struggled.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Ignorance, show thyself:

    1. God I was just there and didn't even pay attention to what the capitol of the state was. I guess it had a capitolly vibe. I'll say yes.
    2. yes.
    3. no.
    4. no.
    5. no.
    6. yes
    7. yes
    8. no.
    9. no.
    10. no.
    11. yes.
    12. no.

    ReplyDelete
  20. and I freaking spelled it wrong. damn. harsh.

    ReplyDelete
  21. 1. No. In Alabama it's always hot and summery
    The capital there is called Montgomery - no

    2. Idaho's empty, it's not noisy

    3. No. Michigan's great lakes can make a man sing
    with pride in the capital of Lansing

    4. Delaware's so thin you can step over

    5. No. Arizona's so hot, everyone wears V-necks
    The capital city is called Phoenix

    6. Montana, to recluses, some land is sellin'-a.

    7. The Mississippi's mighty river is one you can bask in

    8. No. South Dakota has Black Hills, Mount Rushmore's there
    Its capital is the French for rock, Pierre

    9. No, see #6

    10. No. Gays in Oregon, the OCA tried to nail 'em
    But they voted down Prop 9 in the capital, Salem

    11. Jefferson Davis would be stunned / To learn that VA's capital is still...

    12. New jersey pollution, they can't put a dent in.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I think 2 and 6 are the only right ones, but I'm geographically challenged. My saving grace is I'm not American.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Chance, you're very clever. :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. 1. isn't
    2. is
    3. isn't
    4. isn't
    5. isn't
    6. is
    7. is
    8. is
    9. isn't
    10. isn't
    11. is
    12. is

    ReplyDelete
  25. Having grown up in the "Queen City of the Rockies"*, I"m happy to see most everyone knows the capital of Montana.

    * latest slogan sure beats the last one, for which they even had a contest: Have a Helena Day!

    ReplyDelete
  26. OK! First let me say that virtually all of you did better than I would have. I would have got nine. But I'm allowed to look, so I know the following:

    1. Birmingham, Alabama: NO. I guess it's Montgomery.

    2. Boise, Idaho: Yes.

    3. Detroit, Michigan: NO. Lansing.

    4. Dover, Delaware: Yes.

    5. Flagstaff, Arizona: NO. I really thought it was for some reason, but I guess it's Phoenix.

    6. Helena, Montana: Yes.

    7. Jackson, Mississippi: Yes.

    8. Lincoln, South Dakota: NO! Lincoln, Nebraska. Pierre, South Dakota.

    9. Missoula, Montana: NO. Helena.

    10. Portland, Oregon, and sloe gin fizz. NO. Salem

    11. Richmond, Virginia: Yes.

    12. Trenton, New Jersey: Yes.

    ReplyDelete
  27. You had to be perfect to get the bling this week, and the first person to the scene was karmasartre. He's taking home the TQXXXIV Gold Star, his second and seventh TQ Star overall.

    Cartophiliac came next, claiming his first Silver. That's his sixth Star.

    La Gringissima takes the Blue Star, her first.

    Two Greens this week, one to Mrs.5000 and one to Chance. With this star, Mrs.5000 pulls to within two Stars of Rex Parker on the all-time total TQ chart.

    ReplyDelete
  28. If I can ace a quiz, rest assured that I will read it too late.

    ReplyDelete
  29. @Karin: Well, you know almost all of them, actually...

    @Rebel: What are these "Animaniacs" you speak of?

    Also, Montpellier, Vermont, is the coolest little town in the world. Just throwing that in.

    @La Gringissma: The early bird gets the Blue Star!

    @d: You missed Alabama. But I think you should give ol' Mrs. Hamilton a call anyway. Report back!

    @Elizabeth: For the record, it appears that your nephew whupped ya.

    @jovali: Thank you for missing Oregon. I was hoping somebody would, so I could get all huffy.

    @Nichim: Even if you didn't win a Star, we're impressed just that you took to the field instead of calling in sick. Fight that organism!

    @Calico: IT'S SALEM!!! : )

    @Chance: Far out.

    @Morgan: Welcome to the Quiz, sir!

    @mags: "Helena Day." Awesome!

    @mhwitt: You snooze, you lose! The next train is on Monday....

    ReplyDelete
  30. i know. it actually popped into my head later in the day that alabama's capitol was montgomery.

    you don't know the animainiacs? steven spielberg produced cartoon? it's where pinky and the brain came from? netflix it.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Salem - oh yeah... (I remember now - you know when you see it in a list - everything appears to be plausible.)

    When I was in grade school & we had to learn that list...
    I had a grandmother in Mass. & one in Md. I was convinced that the capitals have to be Boston & Baltimore (It is Annapolis in Maryland) because (Get the 5th grade logic) the states both started with an "M" so that capitals both had to start with a "B.")

    ReplyDelete

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