Trivia People

For the foreseeable future, we'll be scaling back our episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We'll still bring you all the features that usually run in the second half of the show.

Today is Pi Day, in celebration of the mathematical constant pi, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

In several Asian countries, it's White Day, where men give gifts to women in a reversal of local Valentine's Day customs.

It's unofficially Learn About Butterflies Day, National Potato Chip Day, and National Save a Spider Day.

It's the birthday of scientist Albert Einstein, who was born in 1879; actor Michael Caine, who is 84; and actor Billy Crystal, who is 69.

This week in 1972, the top song in the U.S. was "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young.

The No. 1 movie was "What's Up, Doc?," while the novel "The Winds of War" by Herman Wouk topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: Pluto was originally the pet dog of which Disney character?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll have the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Thanks for listening to the Trivia Minute, please rate the show on iTunes, or support it at triviapeople.com/support. For other details, visit triviapeople.com

We'll be back with a full show tomorrow.

On this date in 1930, the dwarf planet Pluto was discovered.

Here are some things you may not have known about what was once considered the ninth planet in the solar system.

Although it wasn't discovered until 1930, astronomers had predicted in the late 19th century that something besides the newly discovered Neptune was disturbing the orbit of the seventh planet, Uranus. Between 1909 and 1930, there were 16 prediscovery observations of Pluto in which the observer didn't realize what was there.

Clyde Tombaugh, a 23-year-old astronomer was hired by the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, to lead the effort to find what was called "Planet X." He did this by comparing photographs of the night sky and looking for any undiscovered moving objects. On Feb. 18, 1930, Tombaugh discovered a moving object in pictures taken on January 23rd and 29th. Other photos confirmed the movement and the discovery was telegraphed to the Harvard Observatory on March 13.

The name Pluto was chosen from more than 1,000 suggestions. Pluto, after the mythological god of the underworld, was joined on the final short list of candidates by the names Minerva, after the goddess of wisdom, and Cronus, the son of Uranus and father of Zeus. The name Pluto was suggested by 11-year-old Venitia Burney, who had taken an interest in classical mythology.

After its discovery, Pluto was almost immediately seen as a disappointment. It was much smaller than it should have been. If it were the predicted Planet X, it should have been about seven times larger than Earth. In fact, at the time it was estimated to have a diameter of about 60 percent of that of the Earth. It also had an very elliptical orbit and was less reflective than anticipated. It was also determined that Pluto's orbit takes it inside that of Neptune periodically. A stable orbital ratio means that the two bodies will never collide.

Almost immediately, Pluto's status as a planet was called into question. The dimness and eccentric orbit were seen to be more like those of a comet or asteroid. A year later, other astronomers proposed that the new planet was not the cause of the orbital irregularities of Uranus, and that the discovery of Pluto was an accident.

Though the years, estimations of Pluto's size were revised downward. In 1948, it was believed to be 1/10 the size of the Earth. In 1976, the estimate was down to 1/100th. The 1978 discovery of its moon, Charon, further lowered the estimate to about 1/500th. The most recent estimate puts Pluto at 1/459th the size of Earth.

In 1992, new information from Voyager 2's flyby of Neptune allowed for more precise calculations of Neptune's effect on the orbit of Uranus, eliminating the need for a Planet X to explain any irregularity.

In 2006, the International Astronomical Union created an official definition of the term "planet." Pluto meets the first two conditions, which are orbiting the Sun and being massive enough to have its own gravity. It doesn't meet the third condition of clearing its orbital neighborhood of other objects. Instead of being classified as the ninth planet, Pluto is considered the largest and second most massive dwarf planet in the solar system.

Our question: Which came first, the discovery of the dwarf planet Pluto, or the naming of Disney character Pluto?

Today is the anniversary of the election of Pope Francis, and it's National Elephant Day in Thailand.

It's unofficially National Workplace Napping Day, National Jewel Day, and National Open an Umbrella Indoors Day.

It's the birthday of actor William H. Macy, who is 67; U2 bassist Adam Clayton, who is 57; and skier Mikaela Shiffrin, who is 22.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1999, the top song in the U.S. was "Believe" by Cher.

The No. 1 movie was "Analyze This," while the novel "The Testament" by John Grisham topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: Pluto was originally the pet dog of which Disney character?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll have the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planets_beyond_Neptune

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAU_definition_of_planet

http://www.space.com/18566-pluto-distance.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_13

https://www.checkiday.com/3/13/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-march-13

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=3&d=13&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1999_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1999

On this date in 1926, the first Book of the Month Club selection was published.

Here are some things you might not have known about it.

The Book of the Month Club was founded by Harry Scherman in New York. Scherman had earlier success selling a collection of 30 leather-bound books for just under $3. Over the course of five years, he sold more than 40 million copies.

The club was started as a way to introduce new books to readers. Scherman saw the club as a way to become a tastemaker or what he called a "standard brand." This would lead to people buying whichever books were selected, based on the trust they had in the club.

The first selection was "Lolly WIllowes; or The Loving Huntsman" by Sylvia Townsend Warner. It was sent out to the club's 4,000 subscribers.

One of the club's selections in the first year was "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway. In its 10th year, the club selected a then-unknown novel by Margaret Mitchell called "Gone With The Wind." Partly as a result of that selection, "Gone with the Wind" would go on to be made into the highest-grossing film of all time, when adjusted for inflation. The book finished second to the Bible as the most popular book in the United States in a 2014 poll.

After 20 years, the club had more than a half a million subscribers.

In 1951, the club sent out its 100 millionth book, which was a copy of "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger.

In its early days, the club worked as a negative response system. Similar to later record and CD clubs, members had the option to decline a month's selection, but they would receive the selection automatically if they didn't respond. It now operates as a box subscription service. Memberships are sold based on a set number of months.

Our question: The novel "The Sun Also Rises" is set largely in what country?

Today is Harriet Tubman Day and National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the United States.

It's unofficially International Bagpipe Day, Landline Telephone Day, and National Blueberry Popover Day.

It's the birthday of actor Chuck Norris, who is 77; actor Jon Hamm, who is 46; and singer Carrie Underwood, who is 34.

This week in 1984, the top song in the U.S. was "Jump" by Van Halen.

The No. 1 movie was "Footloose," while the novel "Pet Sematary" by Stephen King topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Now for our weekly question: For which book, later turned into a movie, did James Michener win the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for fiction?

The answer and correct respondents are in today's podcast.

Thanks to RaidersFan1975 for the five-star review on iTunes.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

Sources

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-book-of-the-month-club-selection-is-published

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_the_Month_Club

https://www.bookofthemonth.com/our-story

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lolly_Willowes

https://parade.com/286409/viannguyen/new-poll-reveals-americans-10-favorite-books-of-all-time/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sun_Also_Rises

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_10

https://www.checkiday.com/3/10/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-march-10

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=3&d=10&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1984_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1984

Today is Teachers' Day in Lebanon.

It's unofficially False Teeth Day, Barbie Day, and National Meatball Day.

It's the birthday of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who was born in 1934; actor Raul Julia, who was born in 1940; and actress Juliette Binoche, who is 53.

This week in 1967, the top song in the U.S. was "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" by The Supremes.

The No. 1 movie was "Hurry Sundown," while the novel "The Secret of Santa Vittoria" by Robert Crichton topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Now for our weekly question: For which book, later turned into a movie, did James Michener win the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for fiction?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll have the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

Today is International Women’s Day.

It’s unofficially National Proofreading Day, National Peanut Cluster Day, and Registered Dietitian Day.

It’s the birthday of actor and musician Mickey Dolenz, who is 72; actor Freddie Prinze Jr., who is 41; and football player Hines Ward, who is also 41.

We’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1993, the top song in the U.S. was “Informer” by Snow.

The No. 1 movie was “Falling Down,” while the novel “The Bridges of Madison County” by Robert James Waller topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: For which book, later turned into a movie, did James Michener win the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for fiction?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we’ll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner’s wall … at triviapeople.com. We’ll have the correct answer on Friday’s episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

On this date in 1985, the charity song "We Are The World" was released.

Here are some things you may not have known about it.

More than a million people died as a result of a widespread famine in Ethiopia between 1983 and 1985, in the midst of more than two decades of insurrection and civil war.

In response to this, musician Bob Geldof organized a supergroup of mostly British and Irish musicians called Band Aid to record a charity single called "Do They Know It's Christmas."

The song ended up raising 8 million pounds in the first year.

Inspired by the success, Harry Belafonte decided to organize an American version.

Calling the group USA For Africa, the USA standing for United Support of Artists, the group would raise money for African famine relief and to fight hunger in the United States. Belafonte called on entertainment manager Ken Kragen, whose clients included Lionel Richie and Kenny Rogers. Stevie Wonder was the third artist to join up.

Quincy Jones was brought on to co-produce the song, and he convinced Michael Jackson to join the effort.

Jackson, Richie and Wonder were initially assigned songwriting duties, but Wonder had to drop out because of time constraints. Jackson and Richie spent a week working together on the song. The duo completed writing the song the night before recording was scheduled to begin.

On the night of Jan. 22, Jackson, Richie, Wonder and Jones recorded a vocal guide of the song to send to the artists who would be participating in the full recording session about a week later.

At about 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 28, musicians began gathering at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood. The final version was completed at about 8 a.m.

The song was released on March 7, and went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after two weeks, becoming the second song after "Let It Be" by The Beatles to his No. 1 so quickly.

The song topped Billboard's Adult Contemporary, R&B and Dance charts as well. It hit No. 27 on the Mainstream Rock chart and 76 on the Country Singles chart.

A videotape of the recording session ended up being the ninth best-selling home video of the year.

The song also topped the charts in 15 other countries, and was the year-end No. 1 hit in Australia and New Zealand.

Since its release, the song has raised more than $63 million for USA For Africa's humanitarian fund.

Our question: Who was the only singer on "We Are The World" who also played an instrument on the track?

Today is Teachers' Day in Albania.

It's unofficially National Sportsmanship Day, National Cereal Day, and Peace Corps Day.

It's the birthday of Janet Guthrie, the first woman to race in the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500, who turns 79; actress and comedian Wanda Sykes, who is 53; and actress Jenna Fischer, who is 43.

This week in 1985, the top song in the U.S. was "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon.

The No. 1 movie was "Beverly Hills Cop," while the novel "If Tomorrow Comes" by Sidney Sheldon topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: For which book, later turned into a movie, did James Michener win the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for fiction?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll have the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_the_World

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_They_Know_It%27s_Christmas

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983%E2%80%931985_famine_in_Ethiopia

https://www.checkiday.com/3/7/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-march-07

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=3&d=7&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1985_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

On this date in 1899, Bayer registered the name “Aspirin” as a trademark.

Here are some things you might not have known about aspirin.

Aspirin is also known as acetylsalicylic acid. People have been using willow and myrtle trees, both rich in salicylate for thousands of years to treat pain and fever.

Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in the same class as ibuprofen and naproxen. It’s a pain reliever, fever reducer and it fights inflammation. It works by suppressing the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes. Prostaglandins are involved in the transmission of pain information, modulation of the thermostat in the brain and inflammation. Thromboxanes are responsible for the gathering of platelets that cause blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks.

It proved difficult and wasteful to extract salicylic acid from plants, but in 1860 Hermann Kolbe figured out how to synthisize it. The synthesized drug had many of the positive effects of aspirin, but had negatives including weakening of the heart, gastric irritation and an intense bitter taste.

In 1897, Bayer chemist Felix Hoffmann began working on how to make salicylic acid less irritating. It’s thought he began his research because his father had suffered from the side effects of sodium salicylate used to treat rheumatism. Using existing research, he discovered a better method for creating acetylsalicylic acid. Bayer would credit Hoffman as the inventor of aspirin, when in reality he refined the process of making it.

Testing of what would become known as aspirin was delayed by company bureaucracy. It would have to wait even longer because Bayer’s testing department was busy testing diacetylmorphine, which would be become better known as heroin. The name heroin is a reference to the quote “heroic” feelings it gave the testers. Eventually aspirin was tested and was found to have few of the side effects of its predecessors.

When it came time to name the drug, there were two final options: aspirin and euspirin. Aspirin was derived from its chemical name in German: Acetylspirsäure. Euspirin had a similar origin, but included the prefix eu- meaning good, as in euphemism.

Aspirin was originally sold in powder form. However, this made it difficult to prevent competitors from making confusingly similar products. So Bayer began pressing aspirin into standardized tablets.

During World War I, Bayer had its American assets seized, including its name and logo. It was purchased by Sterling Products, Inc.

After World War II, aspirin lost market share to new drugs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. In the 1980s when both new drugs were available over the counter, aspirin had a small portion of the pain reliever market. It was hurt even further by the link of aspirin consumption by children to Reye’s Syndrome, a potentially fatal disease. Soon after, aspirin’s effectiveness at reducing heart attacks was brought to light and the drug regained its place as the top-selling pain reliever in the U.S.

In 1994, Bayer purchased Sterling Products and regained use of its name, logo and products in the United States.

Our question: What year was heroin made illegal in the United States?

 

Today is Independence Day in Ghana.

It’s unofficially Dentist’s Day, National Oreo Cookie Day, and National Frozen Food Day.

It’s the birthday of illustrator Will Eisner, who was born in 1917; author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who was born in 1927; and basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, who turns 45.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1979, the top song in the U.S. was “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.

The No. 1 movie was “The Deer Hunter,” while the novel “Chesapeake” by our man James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: For which book, later turned into a movie,

On this date in 1899, Bayer registered the name "Aspirin" as a trademark.

Here are some things you might not have known about aspirin.

Aspirin is also known as acetylsalicylic acid. People have been using willow and myrtle trees, both rich in salicylate for thousands of years to treat pain and fever.

Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in the same class as ibuprofen and naproxen. It's a pain reliever, fever reducer and it fights inflammation. It works by suppressing the production of prostaglandins and thromboxanes. Prostaglandins are involved in the transmission of pain information, modulation of the thermostat in the brain and inflammation. Thromboxanes are responsible for the gathering of platelets that cause blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks.

It proved difficult and wasteful to extract salicylic acid from plants, but in 1860 Hermann Kolbe figured out how to synthisize it. The synthesized drug had many of the positive effects of aspirin, but had negatives including weakening of the heart, gastric irritation and an intense bitter taste.

In 1897, Bayer chemist Felix Hoffmann began working on how to make salicylic acid less irritating. It's thought he began his research because his father had suffered from the side effects of sodium salicylate used to treat rheumatism. Using existing research, he discovered a better method for creating acetylsalicylic acid. Bayer would credit Hoffman as the inventor of aspirin, when in reality he refined the process of making it.

Testing of what would become known as aspirin was delayed by company bureaucracy. It would have to wait even longer because Bayer's testing department was busy testing diacetylmorphine, which would be become better known as heroin. The name heroin is a reference to the quote "heroic" feelings it gave the testers. Eventually aspirin was tested and was found to have few of the side effects of its predecessors.

When it came time to name the drug, there were two final options: aspirin and euspirin. Aspirin was derived from its chemical name in German: Acetylspirsäure. Euspirin had a similar origin, but included the prefix eu- meaning good, as in euphemism.

Aspirin was originally sold in powder form. However, this made it difficult to prevent competitors from making confusingly similar products. So Bayer began pressing aspirin into standardized tablets.

During World War I, Bayer had its American assets seized, including its name and logo. It was purchased by Sterling Products, Inc.

After World War II, aspirin lost market share to new drugs like acetaminophen and ibuprofen. In the 1980s when both new drugs were available over the counter, aspirin had a small portion of the pain reliever market. It was hurt even further by the link of aspirin consumption by children to Reye's Syndrome, a potentially fatal disease. Soon after, aspirin's effectiveness at reducing heart attacks was brought to light and the drug regained its place as the top-selling pain reliever in the U.S.

In 1994, Bayer purchased Sterling Products and regained use of its name, logo and products in the United States.

Our question: What year was heroin made illegal in the United States?

Today is Independence Day in Ghana.

It's unofficially Dentist's Day, National Oreo Cookie Day, and National Frozen Food Day.

It's the birthday of illustrator Will Eisner, who was born in 1917; author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who was born in 1927; and basketball player Shaquille O'Neal, who turns 45.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1979, the top song in the U.S. was "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor.

The No. 1 movie was "The Deer Hunter," while the novel "Chesapeake" by our man James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: For which book, later turned into a movie, did James Michener win the 1948 Pulitzer Prize for fiction?

Submit your answer at triviapeople.com/test and we'll add the name of the person with the first correct answer to our winner's wall … at triviapeople.com. We'll have the correct answer on Friday's episode.

Links

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or our website.

Also, if you're enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Subscribe on iOS: http://apple.co/1H2paH9

Subscribe on Android: http://bit.ly/2bQnk3m

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspirin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_aspirin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulmonary_aspiration

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonsteroidal_anti-inflammatory_drug

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COX-2_inhibitor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipyretic

http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/heroin-timeline.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Heroin_Act_of_1924

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_6

https://www.checkiday.com/3/6/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-march-06

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=3&d=6&y=1979&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1979_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States