# Trivia Dominoes: Play Off the Last Bit of Trivia **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [February 4, 2010, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657 "2010-02-04T08:12:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1838
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36749 "2017-11-27T20:43:16Z")
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. New York Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia, in his capacity as then-Director of the Office of Civilian Defense created the CAP with Administrative Order 9, signed by LaGuardia on 1 December 1941 and published 8 December 1941, Just in time for WWII. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36750 "2017-11-27T21:55:24Z")
Among pilots, LaGuardia airport is referred to as “USS LaGuardia”, because the runways are short and surrounded by water, giving the feel of landing on an aircraft carrier. A landing can also provide an excellent view of Rikers Island, New York City’s main jail complex, and one of the world’s largest correctional institutions and mental institutions. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36751 "2017-11-27T22:19:52Z")
The prefix USS stands for United States Ship — e.g., the USS _whatchaMaCallit_. When a ship is decommissioned, the USS is to be dropped, although many use “Ex-USS”, e.g. the Ex-USS _whatchaMaCallit_. Prior to commissioning the ship may be called the PCU _whatchaMaCallit_, where PCU is Pre-Commissioning Unit. But it is commonly simply called the _whatchaMaCallit_. Before 1907 there was no standard way to use a ship’s name. But then President Theodore Roosevelt issued Executive Order 549 on 8 January 1907 stating that all US Navy ships were to be referred to as “The name of such vessel, preceded by the words, United States Ship, or the letters U.S.S., and by no other words or letters”. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36752 "2017-11-28T09:14:32Z")
Whatchamacallit is the third album by Shellac drummer Todd Trainer’s Brick Layer Cake solo project. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36753 "2017-11-28T11:44:03Z")
Saint Louis Athletica was an American professional soccer club that was based in Fenton, Missouri. They played two seasons for Women’s Professional Soccer, in 2009 ans 2010. Led by players Lori Chalupny, Hope **Solo** , and Tina Ellertson, the Athletica played in one playoff game, losing to Sky Blue FC of Piscataway, New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36754 "2017-11-28T14:11:28Z")
In 1970, the Dutch rock band Shocking **Blue** took the 1969 song “Venus” to number one in nine countries and in 1986, the British female pop group Bananarama returned the song to number one in seven countries. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36755 "2017-11-28T14:20:54Z")
One day on the planet Venus is longer than one year there. Due to the slow rotation on its axis, it takes 243 Earth-days for Venus to complete one rotation. The orbit of the planet around the sun takes 225 Earth-days – making the year shorter than the day. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36756 "2017-11-28T15:07:03Z")
Tennis player Venus Williams, now 37 years old, stands 6’ 1” tall, a height that surely helps her game. In February 2002, Venus Williams became the first African American woman to be ranked #1 in tennis’ Open Era — a time beginning in 1968 because commercial pressures and rumors of some previous amateurs had been taking money under the table, which began the abandonment of the distinction between pros and amateurs. In the open era, all players could compete in all tournaments, and top players were then able to make their living from tennis. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36757 "2017-11-28T15:24:54Z")
Temperatures on the surface of the planet Venus average 462 °C (863 °F), and the atmospheric pressure is ninety times that of Earth. Tennis has never been played there. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36758 "2017-11-28T15:31:13Z")
On December 15, 1970 an unmanned Soviet spacecraft, Venera 7, landed on Venus. It was the first spacecraft to land on another planet. Russia has launched at least 16 space probes toward Venus as part of the Venera series beginning in 1961. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36759 "2017-11-28T16:14:01Z")
Amor Towles’s critically-praised novel _A Gentleman in Moscow_ is about the long house arrest of a Russian aristocrat in a fancy hotel, as ordered by a Soviet revolutionary tribunal in 1922. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36760 "2017-11-28T16:38:33Z")
[The Sea of Moscow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_Moscoviense) is one of the few maria on the far side of the Moon. It was named after the first images of the far side were returned by Luna 3. However, today only the name Mare Moscoviense is recognized by the IAU and in current use. The names of maria generally call up psychic states of mind, with a few exceptions. When Mare Moscoviense was discovered, and the name was proposed by the Soviet Union, it was only accepted by the International Astronomical Union with the justification that Moscow is a state of mind. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36761 "2017-11-28T16:50:58Z")
“New York State of Mind” is a song written by Billy Joel which initially appeared on the album Turnstiles in 1976. Although it was never a hit song and was never released as a single, it has become a fan favorite. Joel wrote the song after returning to the East Coast from Los Angeles, where he had spent the previous three years. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36762 "2017-11-28T22:32:21Z")
Billy Joel’s first #1 song, _It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me_, peaked in Jul 1980. His other #1 songs are _We Didn’t Start the Fire_, Dec 1989, and _Tell Her About It_, Sep 1983. Other Billy Joel favorites include _She’s Got a Way_ that peaked at #23 in Jan 1982, _Don’t Ask Me Why_ at #19 in Sep 1980, _She’s Always a Woman_ at #17 in Oct 1978, _An Innocent Man_ at #10 in Feb 1984, and _Just the Way You Are_ at #3 in Feb 1978. His signature song, _Piano Man_, peaked at #25 in Apr 1974. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36763 "2017-11-29T01:29:58Z")
During World War II, the Steinway piano factory in Queens, New York City, received orders from the Allied Armies to build wooden gliders to convey troops behind enemy lines. Steinway could make few normal pianos, but built 2,436 special models called the Victory Vertical or G.I. Piano. It was a small piano, painted olive drab, gray, or blue, that four men could lift, and was designed to be carried aboard ships or dropped by parachute from an airplane to bring music to the soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36764 "2017-11-29T02:24:58Z")
The Steinway company never made motorcycles. Unlike Japan’s Yamaha, which makes both grand pianos and motorcycles. I always wondered what would happen if cycler showed up in Deadwood on a Steinway chopper, or if anyone would play Carnegie Hall on a Harley Davidson grand piano. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36765 "2017-11-29T13:32:39Z")
Kaman Music Corporation was the result of helicopter manufacturer Kaman Corporation founder Charles Kaman’s interest in guitars. Besides his intermeshing-rotor choppers, Kaman developed the composite-material round-back Ovation guitar, used and popularized by the late Glen Campbell. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36766 "2017-11-29T13:43:47Z")
Author Jack London (1876-1918) was one of the first writers to become a worldwide celebrity and earn a large fortune from writing. His most famous works include _The Call of the Wild_ and _White Fang_, both set in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896-1899. London was born in San Francisco, and he died in **Glen** Ellen CA. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36767 "2017-11-29T14:21:01Z")
Jesus Christ Superstar premiered on Broadway in 1971, The next Andrew Lloyd Webber show not to premiere in London’s West End but on Broadway was School of Rock in 2015. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/36768 "2017-11-29T14:35:08Z")
_Schoolhouse Rock!_ is an American TV series of animated musical educational short films (and later, videos) that aired during the Saturday morning children’s programming on ABC. It originated in 1973 with “_Three is a Magic Number_”. It first aired on 03 Feb 1973. Comment: if they waited just one more month, “_Three is a Magic Number_” would have debuted on 3/3/73. Magic! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=1837) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=1839)