Quik Tip
Powered by Conduit |
Internet Scavenger Hunt #10 Answers
Here are the answers to the tenth Internet Treasure Hunt, brought to you by WebLens Search Portal. For this and other Internet Scavenger Hunt questions, see the Hunt Index.
Which popular sitcom star's first big break came with the 1962 film The Sand Pebbles? Well there had to be a few giveaways, and this question was one of them. The popular sitcom star who got her first big break in the 1966 film "The Sand Pebbles" was, of course, Candace Bergen. Most of you answered this with no problem, despite my wrongly citing this as a 1962 film. Most people searched on the name of the film. Two readers reported using The Internet Movie Database, which is, by the way, an excellent resource for locating actor filmographies and the history of film in general.
What is the name of the deadly new flu strain that has been recently identified in Hong Kong and is spread to humans by chickens? The deadly new flu strain that has been receiving a lot of press lately is H5N1 influenza, which has already claimed several lives in Hong Kong. Scientists are working hard towards an inocculation, and the Net is a good place to keep track of their progress. Most people searched on the words "flu" or "influenza." Some added the word "deadly" or "Hong Kong."
Who illustrated Winnie the Pooh? It was a no-brainer to determine that E.H. Shepard illustrated the much-loved children's classic, Winnie The Pooh. I thought I might trip you up on the distinction between the illustrator and the author, A.A. Milne, but you were too smart for me. Most got around this easily by including the word "illustrator" in their search term.
What is Fluxus? Another freebie. Fluxus, as everyone correctly reported, is a "wry, post-Dada art movement that flourished in New York and Germany in the 1950's and 60's." It provided extremely easy to find on the Web and, in fact, there are many sites dedicated to this art form.
Who won the Academy Award for colour cinematography in 1962 and for what film? Several readers turned to The Internet Movie Database mentioned earlier to obtain the correct answer to this question. This tool enabled them to quickly determine that the 1962 Academy Award for colour cinematography went to Freddie Young, for the film "Lawrence of Arabia."
How many sharps are in the key of A#m? With the exception of one or two readers who have a musical foundation, almost everyone stumbled over this question. There are seven sharps in the key of A#m (A Sharp Minor). Several people confused this with the key of A Major, which has three sharps. While it's easy to find lots of pages on the Web about music theory, it's not necessarily easy to understand their contents! (There's a good explanation of the basics at http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/chord-formation.txt.)
What is a "Bimini Twist"? (Clue: it's not a dance!) Well, once again this exercise has demonstrated the amazing wealth of information to be found on the Web. I knew that a "Bimini Twist" was a type of knot used in fishing, but little did I know that it was also the name of a type of men's bathing suit! Since three readers reported this information, I allowed both answers. (I have also since been informed that it is the name of a restaurant in New York City!)
In 1959, the original Barbie doll sold for $3.00. How much might you expect to realize today for this doll in mint condition (ie. never removed from box)? I confess. I have one of them sitting in my hall closet - black ponytail, striped swimsuit and all! Yes, it's true ... the original 1959 Barbie doll - which cost the grand sum of $3.00 at the time - can command as much as $5,000 today in mint condition. Oh, how I wish I had left mine in her pristine cardboard box. Too bad her head's missing ...
How many books are in the B.C. Ministry of Health Library and how many new books are acquired each month by the library? This was another giveaway, although the question required careful reading. The Ministry of Health Library collection numbers about 15,000 books, with 75 new acquisitions per month. If you read my recent column on finding government information online, obtaining this answer was a snap. For those who missed it ... start at Yahoo, and select Regional/Countries/Canada/Provinces and Territories/British Columbia/Government/, or go directly to the B.C. Government page.
Everyone knows by now that Apple Computer Inc. announced a deal with Microsoft at a trade show last summer. Needless to say, it didn't make Apple fans happy. How many seconds of booing resulted? And finally, the question that caused all the grief ... According to the renowned Harpers' Index, there were 42 seconds of booing when Apple Computer announced its pending deal with Microsoft. This tidbit of trivia, however, eluded most readers. One determined soul spent 6 1/2 hours searching for this answer alone. Another scolded me for the vague wording of the question, arguing that it was unclear whether the booing at issue was continuous or intermittent, or both. (He observed that the audience booed throughout Steve Jobs' one hour speech at every mention of Microsoft or Bill Gates. He asserted that the only way to accurately answer this question was to listen to the speech in its entirety and time the booing.) This not only demonstrates the importance of careful word choice, it raises a valid concern about the legitimacy of the information to be found online (or in print). Since I felt that the aggrieved readers had a point, I eliminated this question entirely.