# 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:** 1943
**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:** [May 30, 2018, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38849 "2018-05-30T19:46:45Z")
One furlong per fortnight is very nearly 1 centimeter per minute (to within 1 part in 400). The speed of light may be expressed as being roughly 1,802,624,000,000 furlongs per fortnight. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38850 "2018-05-30T19:53:02Z")
Using the [FFF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FFF_system)(furlong/firkin/fortnight) system of measurements, the firkin is the unit of mass. One microfortnight is equal to 1.2096 seconds. This has become a joke in computer science because in the VMS operating system, the TIMEPROMPTWAIT variable, which holds the time the system will wait for an operator to set the correct date and time at boot if it realizes that the current value is bogus, is set in microfortnights. This is because the computer uses a loop instead of the internal clock which has not been activated yet to run the timer. ---
**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:** [May 30, 2018, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38851 "2018-05-30T20:30:24Z")
The smoot is a unit of linear measurement first devised as a joke by Massachusetts Insititute of Technology students: [Smoot - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot) ---
**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:** [May 30, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38852 "2018-05-30T20:33:32Z")
The word ‘Google’ is a play on the word ‘Googol’, which was coined by Milton Sirotta, nine-year-old nephew of U.S. mathematician Edward Kasner in 1938, to refer to the number represented by 1 followed by one hundred zeros. Although accepted to be coincidental, the name has also been interpreted as being the result of the merging of the words ‘go’ and ‘ogle’ ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38853 "2018-05-30T20:51:12Z")
“The War of the Worlds” was performed on Sunday, October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker Orson Welles, the episode was an adaptation of H. G. Wells’ novel _The War of the Worlds_. It became famous for allegedly causing mass panic, although the scale of the panic is disputed as the program had relatively few listeners. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38854 "2018-05-31T00:23:19Z")
**Orson** Scott Card is an American novelist, critic, public speaker, essayist, and columnist. He is best known for his Science Fiction novels _Ender’s Game"_ and it’s sequel _Speaker for the Dead_. Both books won the Hugo and Nebula awards (the top two annual awards in Science Fiction) for best novel, making Card the only author to win both science fiction’s top U.S. prizes in consecutive years. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38855 "2018-05-31T00:43:00Z")
Novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald’s full name was Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald. He was named after his famous second cousin (three times removed) on his father’s side, Francis Scott Key, but was always known as plain Scott Fitzgerald. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38856 "2018-05-31T02:14:16Z")
The Middle Keys and Lower Keys in Florida’s Keys are connected by the Seven Mile Bridge, which runs from Knight’s Key in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. It was built from 1978 to 1982 and replaced the previous bridge that crosses Pigeon Key. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38857 "2018-05-31T04:40:12Z")
To keep terrorists from bringing an atomic bomb onto the mainland, U.S. Marine Corps Harrier jets blow up a bridge leading from Key West in the James Cameron-directed action comedy _True Lies_. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38858 "2018-05-31T05:02:35Z")
Clan Cameron of the Highlands of Scotland had one of the most ferocious war-cries. Translated from Gaelic, it is “Sons Of The Hounds, Come Hither And Get Flesh”. The cry threatened the enemy that the Camerons would feed their flesh to their hounds, and summoned the clansmen (hunting, as hounds) to come and kill. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38859 "2018-05-31T06:56:48Z")
In WWII, the Cameron Highlanders were the last battalions that wore the kilt in battle, due to the purposeful delaying of orders by commanding officers in the battalions (no one wanted to give up the kilt) and a surprise attack by the Germans (successfully repelled). For this they earned the nickname of ‘Ladies from Hell’. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38860 "2018-05-31T13:19:18Z")
Despite beating out the predicted favorite Wicked for the 2003 Best Musical Tony Award, Avenue Q did not have a European production until Cameron Mackintosh saw the Canadian production brought it to London’s West End at the Noël Coward Theatre in 2006. The production ran 1,179 performances through March 2009, then reopened in June 2009 at the Gielgud Theatre. After a further 327 performances, the show moved in March 2010 to the Wyndham’s Theatre, where it closed on October 30, 2010 after a five-year run. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38861 "2018-05-31T13:29:16Z")
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother was a close friend of British playwright and _bon vivant_ Noël Coward. Once, upon leaving a gala movie premiere, she noticed Coward, who was a closeted gay man, eyeing the Household Cavalry soldiers in full dress uniform lining the grand staircase of the theater. “They count them before they put them away for the night, Noël,” she is said to have murmured. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38862 "2018-05-31T14:35:49Z")
“_O Sacred Head, Now Wounded_” is a Christian Passion hymn based on a Latin text written during the Middle Ages. Paul Gerhardt wrote a German version which is known by its incipit, “_O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden_”. It’s tune formed the basis of Paul Simon’s 1973 song, “_American Tune_”, whose first verse goes… (Paul Simon) > [@](#): > > \*Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken > And many times confused > Yes, and often felt forsaken > And certainly misused > But I’m all right, I’m all right > I’m just weary to my bones > Still, you don’t expect to be > Bright and bon _ **vivant** _ > So far away from home, so far away from home > \* ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38863 "2018-05-31T14:54:06Z")
The Invictus Games, for wounded veterans, sponsored by Prince Harry, were named for the poem “Invictus”, in which William Ernest Henley faced the prospect of a leg amputation. One of its best-known lines is “My head is bloody, but unbowed”. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38864 "2018-05-31T15:01:38Z")
Prince Harry’s new wife, Meghan Markle, is the first-ever Duchess of Sussex. The only previous Duke of Sussex, a younger son of King George III, married twice, but neither marriage was approved by his father, so neither wife was given the title. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38865 "2018-05-31T16:36:37Z")
[Wilson Markle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Markle) (born September 2, 1938) is a Canadian engineer who invented the film colorization process in 1970. His first company, Image Transform, colored pictures from the Apollo space program to make a full-color television presentation for NASA. His method used computers to assign predetermined colors to shades of gray in each scene. In 1983, he founded Colorization Inc., which was co-owned by Hal Roach Studios and International HRS Industries. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38866 "2018-05-31T17:14:55Z")
Although there are over 4600 species of cock **roach** , only about 30 are associated with human habitat, and only four species are well-known as pests. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38867 "2018-05-31T17:28:32Z")
Carl Payne is best known for his role as Cole Brown on the FOX sitcom \*Martin \*and his recurring role as Theo Huxtable’s best friend Cockroach on the NBC sitcom _The Cosby Show_. ---
**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:** [May 31, 2018, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/38868 "2018-05-31T17:51:10Z")
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is the only member of the U.S. Senate to be married to a Pulitzer Prize-winner; his wife is syndicated columnist Connie Schultz. She has also written two nonfiction books, and her first novel will probably be released early next year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=1942) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=1944)