Trivia People

On this date in 1986, the Australia Act of 1986 came into effect.

Here are some things you may not have known about Australia's independence from the United Kingdom.

The Australia Act of 1986 cut the last constitutional ties between Australia and the UK.

The process began in 1901 with the creation of the Dominion of Australia. Dominions were semi-independent, self-governing parts of the British Empire. Dominion status was somewhere between that of a colony and a full-fledged state. The first country to be called a dominion was Canada in 1867. Australia was second, followed by New Zealand and Newfoundland, which was then separate from Canada. The Union of South Africa became a dominion in 1910, followed by the Irish Free State in 1922.

Australia established a bicameral federal legislature, a high court and the office of Governor-General, who was the monarch's representative. The site of the federal capital was also set with a compromise between Melbourne and Sydney leading to the establishment of the new city of Canberra.

In 1931, the Statute of Westminster increased the independence of the dominions, cutting almost all ties between them and the UK. It provided that laws made by the British Parliament would only have an effect on a dominion at the request of that dominion. It also allowed the dominions to enact laws that were inconsistent with those of the UK. The statute applied automatically to Canada, the Irish Free State and the Union of South Africa. The other three dominions' parliaments needed to pass legislation to enact it.

Australia didn't enact the Statute of Westminster until 1942, after British forces were defeated in Singapore, and Australia needed to form its own alliance with the United States. The act was backdated to the beginning of World War II in 1939.

The Australia Act ended the last of the British Parliament's power to legislate in Australia. The British monarch, however continues to be the head of state in Australia. The High Court of Australia has established that March 3, 1986, marks the establishment of Australian independence.

Australia remains a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, along with many former British colonies.

Our question: What is the largest country by population that is eligible to be, but is not, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations?

Today is World Wildlife Day, Liberation Day in Bulgaria and Girl's Day in Japan.

It's unofficially World Day of Prayer, National Cold Cuts Day, and What If Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day.

It's the birthday of inventor Alexander Graham Bell, who was born in 1847; actress Jean Harlow, who was born in 1911; and athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who turns 55.

This week in 1986, the top song in the U.S. was "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister.

The No. 1 movie was "Pretty in Pink," while the novel "Lake Wobegon Days" by Garrison Keillor topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: What television series had the second-most-watched finale in the U.S.?

Our first correct answer was from Celia from Bermuda. We also had correct responses from Alex Thompson, Kevin Lazar and Tom, who didn't give his last name.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Act_1986

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

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Westminster_1931

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Westminster_Adoption_Act_1942

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_3

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

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-march-03

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=3&d=3&y=1986&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1986_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1986

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

On this date in 1933, the film "King Kong" premiered in New York.

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

"King Kong" is the tale of a wildlife filmmaker and his crew, who stumble upon an enormous gorilla-like ape on an uncharted island off of Indonesia.

The ape falls in love with the actress, Ann Darrow, played by Fay Wray. The ape is brought to New York City to be displayed, where he escapes and kidnaps Ann and climbs to the top of the Empire State Building.

At the time of production, there weren't many zoos with primate exhibits, so there was public demand to see the animals. Hollywood filled this need with several jungle-themed adventure movies, including "Tarzan," and "The Lost World" among others.

Among the actresses considered for the role of Ann Darrow were Dorothy Jordan, Jean Harlow and Ginger Rogers. Producers convinced Wray to take the role by promising to put her opposite the "tallest, darkest leading man in Hollywood," whom she took to mean Clark Gable, until she was shown a character design of King Kong.

Four models of Kong were built, two of them 18 inches tall, another 24 inches tall, and the last one made of lead and fur for the final scene in which the ape tumbles from the Empire State Building. A version of Kong's head was built for closeups, however it was completely out of scale with the other models and would indicate that Kong was up to 40-feet tall, rather than his intended 18-foot height.

Film historians have rejected accounts that some scenes were filmed with an actor in a gorilla suit.

The film was also the first American talkie to have a feature-length score composed for it. Originally the studio, RKO, planned to reuse other music, but one of the producers paid $50,000 out of his own pocket. The studio later reimbursed him.

The film opened at Radio City Music Hall and RKO's Roxy theater across the street. The two theaters, which sat a combined capacity of almost 10,000, were sold out for all 10 shows each of the first four days, setting a record for attendance at an indoor event.

"King Kong" made a profit of $650,000 on its first run. It was rereleased in 1938, 1942, 1946, 1952 and 1956. Each rerelease was censored more than the previous version.

It was selected as the 43rd best movie of the 20th Century by the American Film Institute, and the fourth best fantasy film of the same period. Rotten Tomatoes ranks "King Kong" as the best horror movie and the 20th best film.

The film was remade in 1976, starring Jessica Lange as the female lead, and in 2005 with Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow. A rebooted version called "Kong: Skull Island" is set to be released on March 10.

Our question: In what country was Fay Wray born?

Today is Texas Independence Day and Air Force Day in Sri Lanka.

It's unofficially National Banana Cream Pie Day, and National Old Stuff Day.

It's the birthday of author Dr. Seuss, who was born in 1904; musician Lou Reed, who was born in 1942; and musician Karen Carpenter, who was born in 1950.

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

This week in 1990, the top song in the U.S. was "Escapade" by Janet Jackson.

The No. 1 movie was "Driving Miss Daisy," while the novel "Devices and Desires" by P.D. James topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: What television series had the second-most-watched finale in the U.S.?

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 tomorrow's episode.

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.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Kong_(1933_film)

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kong:_Skull_Island

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_2

https://www.checkiday.com/3/2/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-march-02

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=3&d=2&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1990_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

On this date in 1954, four Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire in the House of Representatives chamber in the United States Capitol building.

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

The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party was founded in the 1920s in an attempt to secure the island's independence from the United States. The U.S. had gained possession of Puerto Rico as part of the Treaty of Paris of 1898, which ended the Spanish-American War. The U.S. also acquired Guam, the Philippines and Cuba as part of the treaty. An amendment to the U.S. declaration of war prevented the U.S. from keeping Cuba.

The Puerto Rican nationalists argued that their island wasn't the property of Spain in the first place, so the Spanish couldn't give the island to the United States.

In 1950, Puerto Rico was made a "Free Associated State," meaning the people of Puerto Rico could elect their own governor and legislators in a manner similar to full-fledged American states. The U.S. government retained responsibility for defense and foreign relations. In October, the U.S. helped the Puerto Rican National Guard put down a nationalist uprising, which resulted in 28 fatalities. Two days later, two nationalists attempted to assassinate President Harry Truman in Washington, D.C. The attack was unsuccessful, but a White House police officer and one of the attackers were killed.

In 1952, 82 percent of Puerto Rican voters decided to accept the new status as a commonwealth. The only other option provided on the ballot was for maintaining direct American rule. Independence was not an option.

On March 1, 1954, Lolita Lebrón, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Irvin Flores and Andres Figueroa Cordero smuggled semi-automatic pistols into the visitors' gallery above the House of Representatives chamber in the U.S. Capitol. The group recited the Lord's Prayer, Lebrón stood up and shouted "¡Viva Puerto Rico Libre!" or "Long live a free Puerto Rico" and unfurled a Puerto Rican flag. The group then opened fire.

Five congressmen were shot: Alvin Bentley of Michigan, Clifford Davis of Tennessee, Ben F. Jensen of Iowa, George Hyde Fallon of Maryland and Kenneth A. Roberts of Alabama. Bentley was the most severely injured, having been shot in the chest. Lebrón said she fired her gun into the ceiling. It's reported that Figueroa Cordero's gun jammed. Cancel Miranda claimed to have fired most of the shots and injured all of the congressmen.

The nationalists were immediately arrested. After her arrest, Lebrón said, "I did not come to kill anyone, I came to die for Puerto Rico."

All of the wounded congressmen survived their injuries.

The four nationalists were convicted of attempted murder and conspiracy. Each of them except Cancel Miranda were given 76-year sentences. Cancel Miranda, who was considered to be the primary shooter, was sentenced to 85 years in prison and sent to Alcatraz.

Figueroa Cordero was released from prison in 1978, the others were pardoned in 1979.

Cancel Miranda is the only surviving participant of the plot. He's 86 years old and lives in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

Since 1967, there have been four referendums on the status of Puerto Rico. Maintaining the commonwealth and pursuing statehood have been the top vote getters. Another referendum is scheduled for June 11, 2017. The only options on the ballot will be statehood or independence/free association.

Our question: What are the names of the other three major islands in the Greater Antilles?

Today is Ash Wednesday, World Civil Defense Day, Independence Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Heroes' Day in Paraguay.

It's unofficially National Pig Day, National Fruit Compote Day, and World Math Day.

It's the birthday of bandleader Glenn Miller, who was born in 1904; musician Harry Belafonte, who is 90; and actor and director Ron Howard, who is 63.

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

This week in 1973, the top song in the U.S. was "Killing Me Softly With His Song" by Roberta Flack.

The No. 1 movie was "Walking Tall," while the novel "Jonathan Livingston Seagul" by Richard Bach topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

With as often as they're mentioned, Richard Bach and James Michener should be paying for advertising on this show.

Weekly question: What series had the second-most-watched finale on U.S. TV?

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.

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.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Capitol_shooting_incident_(1954)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rican_constitutional_referendum,_1952

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rican_status_referendum,_2017

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Paris_(1898)

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1

https://www.checkiday.com/3/1/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-march-01

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=3&d=1&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1973_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1972

On this date in 1983, the series finale of the television show "MASH" aired in the United States.

Here are some things you may not have known about the most-watched scripted television episode in American history.

The final episode of the series was called "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen." The comedy/drama ran for 11 seasons, eight years longer than the Korean War in which it was set.

The 2 1/2-hour episode begins with Hawkeye Pierce suffering from a nervous breakdown. During the episode he recovers and rejoins the 4077th as the news of a ceasefire reaches the camp. The rest of the episode deals with the characters saying goodbye to one another. It ends with Pierce on a helicopter seeing that his tentmate and fellow surgeon B.J. Hunnicutt, who had trouble saying farewell, had arranged a number of large number of stones to read "GOODBYE."

Because of the overwhelming interest in the episode, CBS was able change $450,000 for a 30-second commercial block, which was more expensive than time during the Super Bowl that year.

Almost 106 million people watched the episode, making it the most-watched television program in American television history.

The episode would have had even higher ratings, if not for a power outage in the San Francisco area which prevented many viewers from seeing the finale. It ran again three weeks later on the CBS affiliate in the Bay Area.

Eight Super Bowls have since eclipsed the "MASH" finale in terms of viewership, although it retains the record for scripted programming.

Determining a global record isn't easy. Some countries don't have reliable estimates for viewership.

The most-reliable numbers indicate that the global record for the most-watched television event was the first moon landing in 1969. It's estimated that 530 million people saw Neil Armstrong walk on the lunar surface. The 2006 FIFA World Cup Final audience was estimated to be about 260 million viewers. Over the course of two weeks, it is estimated that up to 5 billion people, about 70 percent of the world's population, watched some part of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Our question: What show had the longest run of seasons as the No. 1 show in the U.S.?

Today is Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday, marking the last day before the start of Lent.

It's unofficially International Pancake Day, which is related to Shrove Tuesday celebrations; National Science Day; and National Chocolate Souffle Day.

It's the birthday of gagster Bugsy Siegel, who was born in 1906; actor Zero Mostel, who was born in 1915; and race car driver Mario Andretti, who is 77.

This week in 1983, the top song in the U.S. was "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson.

The No. 1 movie was "Tootsie," while the novel "Space" by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Now for our weekly question: What series had the second-most-watched finale in the U.S.?

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.

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

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_28

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbye,_Farewell_and_Amen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M*A*S*H_(TV_series)

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

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

https://www.checkiday.com/2/28/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-28

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1983_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1983

On this date in 1942, anti-aircraft guns blazed over the city of Los Angeles during what was eventually determined to be a false alarm.

Here are some things you might not have known about "The Battle of Los Angeles."

The United States was three months into its involvement in World War II following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

California was especially on edge, as the night before a Japanese submarine opened fire on an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California.

Air raid sirens began sounding in Los Angeles County on the night of February 24. Air raid wardens were summoned to their positions and at 3:16 a.m., the 37th Coast Artillery Brigade began firing its .50 caliber machine guns and 12.8-pound anti-aircraft shells at the reported invading aircraft.

The anti-aircraft fire continued for almost an hour. More than 1,400 shells were fired. The all-clear was given at 7:21 a.m.

Five people died as an indirect result of the chaos. Three people died in car accidents, and two others died of heart attacks. Many buildings and vehicles were damaged.

The next day, the Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox, held a news conference blaming the entire incident on anxiety and "war nerves." Some news outlets suspected a coverup. Other people suspected UFOs.

In 1983, the U.S. Office of Air Force History said the Battle of Los Angeles was triggered by a stray weather balloon along with war anxiety.

Following the war, the Japanese said they did not have any planes in the area.

Our question: Who directed the movie "1941" that was loosely based on the Battle of Los Angeles?

Today is Independence Day in Estonia, Flag Day in Mexico, and Engineer's Day in Iran.

It's unofficially World Bartender Day, National Tortilla Chip Day, and National Trading Card Day.

It's the birthday of artist Winslow Homer, who was born in 1836; Admiral Chester Nimitz, who was born in 1885; and Apple founder Steve Jobs, who was born in 1955.

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

This week in 1997, the top song in the U.S. was "Wannabe" by The Spice Girls.

The No. 1 movie was "The Empire Strikes Back (Special Edition)," while the novel "Hornet's Nest" by Patricia Cornwell topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Thanks to Ned_Starks_Bastards for the five-star review on iTunes. If you haven't rated the show yet, head over there and help us out. You can also support the show on Patreon at triviapeople.com/support.

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_24

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1941_(film)

https://www.checkiday.com/2/24/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-24

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1997_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1997

On this date in 1886, Charles Martin Hall used an economical method to produce aluminum for the first time.

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

Aluminum is the third most common element in the Earth's crust, and the most common metal. Aluminum compounds occur naturally, and have been used in clay pottery for thousands of years. However aluminum proved difficult to isolate because of its high affinity for oxygen. Metallic aluminum never occurs in nature.

In the first half of the 19th century, scientists made strides in isolating aluminum, but the process remained difficult. At the time, aluminum was a semiprecious metal with a price comparable to silver. It was so highly regarded that a six-pound pyramid of aluminum was used as the tip of the Washington Monument, which was completed in 1884.

Charles Martin Hall was born in 1863 in Ohio. While attending Oberlin College, he attended a lecture on aluminum. The professor, Frank Fanning Jewett, touted the possibilities of the metal as a material and as a way for the person who commercialized the production to make a fortune.

Over the course of the next three years, Hall, along with his sister Julia Brainerd Hall, conducted experiments but found no success.

In 1886, using a system in which an electrical current is passed through molten aluminum oxide dissolved in cryolite, Hall discovered several small accumulations of shiny metal at the bottom of crucible. He took them to Professor Jewett, who confirmed it was aluminum.

At almost the same time in France, Paul Heroult made the same discovery. The process is now known as the Hall-Heroult process.

Hall was awarded the U.S. patent for the process and went on to form the Aluminum Company of America, which became Alcoa.

Just as Jewett predicted, Hall became wealthy by his discovery. He served as a trustee of Oberlin College, which erected a statue of him, fittingly made of aluminum. Because of its light weight, the statue was frequently stolen as a student prank. It's now glued to a large granite block inside a science building on campus.

Hall died in 1914 at the age of 51.

Aluminum became the first metal to come into widespread use since iron in prehistory, and it's the most widely used non-ferrous metal. Almost 59 million metric tons of aluminum were produced in 2016.

If you're not located in North America, you're probably annoyed by my pronunciation of aluminum. In the rest of the English-speaking world, the metal is referred to as aluminium. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first word used to refer to the element was alumium. The man who discovered aluminum used the now-North American word, but it was rejected by the British in favor of a construction similar to other then-newly discovered elements like potassium, sodium and magnesium.

Our question: What country produces the most aluminum today?

Today is National Day in Brunei.

It's unofficially National Chili Day, Play Tennis Day and National Banana Bread Day.

It's the birthday of composer George Handel, who was born in 1685; civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois, who was born in 1868; and comedian Aziz Ansari, who turns 34.

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

This week in 1977, the top song in the U.S. was "New Kid in Town" by The Eagles.

The No. 1 movie was "Rocky," while the novel "Trinity" by Leon Uris topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: Who is the most prolific inventor, in terms of total number of patents?

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 tomorrow's episode.

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_23

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

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

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

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

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/aluminumprocess.html

http://www.world-aluminium.org/statistics/#histogram

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

https://www.checkiday.com/2/23/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-23

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=23&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1977_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1977

On this date in 1959, Lee Petty won the first Daytona 500.

Here are some things you may not have known about stock car racing's crown jewel.

The Daytona 500 is the direct descendant of earlier races held on the Daytona Beach Road Course. Stock car races were held on a stretch of Daytona Beach and an adjacent stretch of highway. The first stock car race held on the course took place in 1936.

NASCAR, the stock car sanctioning body, was formed in 1948, and its top series included races on the beach course until 1958. Five years prior to the final beach race, Bill France Sr., the founder of NASCAR, began planning a paved 2 1/2-mile superspeedway called Daytona International Speedway.

Construction began in 1957, on the high-banked oval. The banking proved to be a construction hurdle, as normal paving equipment couldn't stand upright on the 31-degree turns. The track's architect, Charles Moneypenny, designed a system that anchored the equipment from the top of the banking. He later patented the method.

The first race drew 42,000 fans to the new facility, where they saw Lee Petty beat Johnny Beauchamp in a photo finish that wasn't decided for three days.

The Daytona 500 wasn't the first 500-mile NASCAR race. The first Southern 500 was held in Darlington, South Carolina, in 1950.

1974 saw the only time the Daytona 500 was not a true 500-mile race. As a result of the oil embargo, the race was shortened to 450 miles. Officials did this by symbolically starting the race on the 21st lap.

Lee Petty's son, Richard Petty, would go on to win the race a record seven times between 1964 and 1981. 11 drivers have won the race more than once. Chevrolet is the winningest manufacturer with 23 victories, ahead of Ford with 14 victories.

The youngest driver to win the Daytona 500 was Trevor Bayne, who was 20 years and one day old in 2011. The oldest was Bobby Allison, who won it in 1988 at 50 years and 73 days.

Our question: Who is the only driver born outside the United States to win the Daytona 500?

Today is Independence Day in Saint Lucia.

It's unofficially Be Humble Day, Walking the Dog Day, and Margarita Day.

It's the birthday of George Washington, who was born in 1732; founder of the Boy Scouts Robert Baden-Powell, who was born in 1857; and basketball legend Julius Erving, who is 67.

This week in 1959, the top song in the U.S. was "Stagger Lee" by Lloyd Price.

The top grossing film was was "Ben-Hur," while the novel "Doctor Zhivago" by Boris Pasternak topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: Who is the most prolific inventor, in terms of total number of patents?

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.

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_22

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytona_500

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytona_500_history

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

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bojangles%27_Southern_500

https://www.checkiday.com/2/22/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-22

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1959_in_film

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=22&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1959

On this date in 1947, Edwin Land demonstrated the first instant camera.

Here are some things you may not have known about the Polaroid Land Camera.

Edwin Land was born in 1909 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. After one year of studying chemistry at Harvard, he dropped out to move to New York and work on his own. While in New York, he invented an inexpensive way of polarizing light for sunglasses and scientific work. He did this despite not having a laboratory of his own by sneaking into Columbia University late at night and doing his reading in the New York Public Library.

After inventing the polarizing film, which he called Polaroid film, he returned to Harvard. Land, however, wasn't motivated by earning a degree, he was interested in solving problems. His wife would get him to answer homework answers, write it up, and turn it in so he wouldn't fail the course.

He left Harvard again to start a new company with his physics instructor George Wheelwright. The company, called the Polaroid Corporation, worked to commercialize Land's previous invention and find new uses for it. This included jukebox displays, 3D glass and photographic filters.

In 1947, Land demonstrated his instant camera, which he called the Land Camera. The original camera used a process called diffusion transfer to move dyes from a negative image to a positive image using a reagent. The negative would be exposed inside the camera, then aligned with a positive sheet and squeezed through rollers with a chemical between the layers that would develop the image. After a minute, the back of the camera was opened and the positive could be peeled away from the negative.

The first commercial batch of the Land Camera went on sale for Christmas in 1948. 60 cameras were manufactured, 57 of them sold at the Jordan Marsh department store in Boston. All 57 of the cameras sold out on the first day. They cost $89.75 each.

Land was driven in his research. He took few breaks and had to be reminded to eat. He had teams of assistants working with him that would rotate in and out through the day. It was said that he wore the same clothes for 18 straight days while focused on overcoming a problem with one of his inventions.

Eventually, Land and Polaroid improved on the developing process, which had fewer steps and worked faster. The 1 millionth Polaroid camera was sold in 1956. Color film was introduced in 1963. In 1978, Polaroid introduced an instant color motion picture system, just as videotape-based systems were debuting. Polaroid's entry was not a success.

Land retired as CEO of Polaroid in 1980. He died in 1991 at the age of 82. Over his lifetime, he amassed 535 patents.

In 2001, Polaroid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company name survives today, but it stopped making instant cameras in 2007 and stopped making film in 2009.

Our question: Who was hired as Polaroid's first film consultant in 1949?

Today is Armed Forces Day in South Africa and the Birthday of King Harald V in Norway.

It's unofficially Single Tasking Day, and National Sticky Bun Day.

It's the birthday of civil rights leader and U.S. Congressman John Lewis, who is 77; actor Alan Rickman, who was born in 1946; and writer David Foster Wallace, who was born in 1962.

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

This week in 1972, the top song in the U.S. was "Without You" by Harry Nilsson.

The No. 1 movie was "Cabaret," while the novel "The Winds of War" by Herman Wouk topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: What's the name of the most prolific inventor, in terms of total number of patents?

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.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_21

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_H._Land

https://www.bu.edu/prc/forms/polatimeline.pdf

https://www.checkiday.com/2/21/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-21

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1972_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1972

On this date in 1966, Brian Wilson began recording what would come to be the Beach Boys single "Good Vibrations."

Here are some things you may not have known about the song.

"Good Vibrations" was recorded while the Beach Boys were working on their album "Pet Sounds." At some point, the song was intended to appear on the album, but was later held back as Brian Wilson continued to work on it.

The recording and production of "Good Vibrations" took seven months and cost an estimated $50,000 to $75,000, making it the most expensive single ever made up to that time. The entire "Pet Sounds" album had cost $70,000, which was an unusually high cost for an album at the time.

Wilson worked on individual portions of the song, and spliced them together later. It's believed that more than 90 hours of tape were used in more than a dozen sessions while recording the 3 minute, 35-second song.

While Wilson was the driving force behind the song, the lyrics were written by his bandmate, and sometimes rival, Mike Love.

The lead vocals on the song were sung by Carl Wilson, Brian's brother and the band's lead guitarist.

The song was described by Wilson and the band's publicist Derek Taylor as a "pocket symphony," for its episodic nature and otherwise complex musical structure.

Perhaps the most notable feature of the song is the presence of the electro-Theremin. The electronic instrument, which was frequently used in science-fiction and horror films, was rarely used in popular music at the time. Its use in "Good Vibrations" and other Beach Boys songs led to a shortage of the instruments. It also led Soviet authorities to exile the inventor of the instrument, Leon Theremin.

When the song was released, it was hailed as one of the finest pop songs of all time. It was the Beach Boys' first million-selling single and their third of four No. 1 singles in the United States.

Our question … it's more of a command, really: Name one of the other three No. 1 hits by The Beach Boys.

Today is unofficially National Cabbage Day, National Woman's Heart Day, and National Cafe au Lait Day.

It's the birthday of football legend Jim Brown, who is 81; basketball legend Michael Jordan, who turns 54; musician Billie Joe Armstrong, who is 45.

This week in 1966, the top song in the U.S. was "Lightnin' Strikes" by Lou Christie.

The No. 1 movie was "Doctor Zhivago," while the novel "The Source" by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro-Theremin

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

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

https://www.checkiday.com/2/17/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1966_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1966

On this date in 2006, the last American mobile army surgical hospital was deactivated.

Here are some things you may not have known about MASH units.

The inspiration for MASH units came during World War II. At the time, the U.S. military used a system that required injured troops to be transported long distances to receive surgical treatment. MASH units allowed surgical intervention to happen much closer to the front lines, helping to save many lives.

Casualties were first treated by buddies or by unit medics. If they needed further help, they were sent to a battalion aid station to be stabilized. From battalion aid, patients were sent to MASH units. The system was very effective. Injured troops who made it alive to a MASH unit during the Korean War had a 97.5 percent chance of survival. During World War II, the rate was 96 percent, and in World War I, it was 92 percent.

One of the hallmarks of the MASH unit was the triage system. The system allows doctors and nurses to establish a patient's condition and prioritize them, getting the most severely injured into surgery as quickly as possible.

Patients received one of four tags denoting their condition. Red was for those in the most urgent need of treatment; yellow was for patients that weren't in immediate danger, but needed treatment; green tags were for patients who weren't completely disabled by their injuries; black tags were for patients who were deceased or had no chance of surviving.

MASH units also served in Vietnam, the Gulf War and the Iraq War. The last MASH unit in South Korea was deactivated in 1997. Several cast members from the television series "M*A*S*H" attended the deactivation ceremony. The television show was based on the 1970 movie of the same name. Both were based on the 1968 novel "MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors."

One of the more notable difference between real-life MASH units and those of television is the size of the unit. Real MASH units were about twice the size of the one depicted in the television series.

The last MASH unit, the 212th, served its last deployment in Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake in Kashmir. The U.S. State Department bought the unit's tents and equipment from the Department of Defense and donated it to the Pakistani military.

The MASH unit was replaced with combat support hospitals, and forward surgical teams.

Our question: Which two regular cast members of "M*A*S*H" served in the U.S. Army in Korea following the Korean War?

Today is unofficially National Almond Day, and National Innovation Day.

It's the birthday of actor LaVar Burton, who is 60; actor and rapper Ice-I, who is 59; and tennis player John McEnroe, who is 58.

Because we featured a year from the mid-2000s earlier this week, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1982, the top song in the U.S. was "Centerfold" by The J. Geils Band.

The No. 1 movie was "On Golden Pond," while the novel "The Hotel New Hampshire" by John Irving topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: In what city was UPS founded?

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 tomorrow's episode.

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

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_army_surgical_hospital_(US)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M*A*S*H_(TV_series)

https://www.checkiday.com/2/16/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-16

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1982_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1982

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us& m=2&d=16&y=1982&o=