Trivia People

Two programmers work on the ENIAC. (U.S. Army Photo via Columbia University)

On this date in 1946, ENIAC, one of the first electronic computers was dedicated.

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

ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer. It was designed to calculate artillery firing tables for the U.S. Army's Ballistic Research laboratory.

It was literally a computer. It could solve numerical problems, which were usually done by people, who were also called computers.

Design and construction began in 1943 at the University of Pennsylvania's Moore School of Electrical Engineering under the codename "Project PX." It was 1,000 times faster than electro-mechanical computers of the day, and 2,400 times after than a human.

ENIAC contained more than 17,000 vacuum tubes, 7,200 crystal diodes, 1,500 relays, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors and 5 million hand-soldered joints. It weighed 27 tons and occupied 1,800 square feet.

It used punched cards for input and output, and initially had no memory.

A group of six women were ENIAC's original primary programmers. Kay McNulty, Betty Jennings, Betty Snyder, Marlyn Wescoff, Fran Bilas and Ruth Lichterman were responsible for inputting programs and debugging problems by crawling inside the machine to find bad solder joints and bad tubes.

ENIAC was decommissioned in 1955.

Our question: What is the most used operating system today?

Today is Flag Day in Canada, Statehood Day in Serbia, and Total Defense Day in Singapore.

It's unofficially National Gumdrop Day and National Hippo Day.

It's the birthday of women's rights activist Susan B. Anthony, who was born in 1820; explorer Ernest Shackleton, who was born in 1874; and comedian Chris Farley, who was born in 1964.

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 "Blinded By The Light" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

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

Before the break we asked: What is the most used operating system today?

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 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/ENIAC

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punched_card_input/output

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15

https://www.checkiday.com/2/15/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-15

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

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 2005, YouTube was founded.

Here are some things you might not have known about the video-sharing site.

It was created by three former PayPal employees named Chad Hurley, Steve Chen and Jawed Karim.

The three differ on their inspiration for starting the company. Karim said it was because he couldn't find video online of Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction during halftime of the 2004 Super Bowl or of the Indian Ocean tsunami later that year. Hurley and Chen say the original idea was for a video version of a dating site.

The first YouTube video was called "Me at the Zoo" featuring Karim at the San Diego Zoo. It's still available on the site. The site was made available to the public in a beta form in May 2005, and was officially launched on Dec. 15, 2005.

The first video to hit 1 million views was a Nike commercial featuring soccer star Ronaldinho in November 2005. By July 2006, the company said more than 65,000 videos were being uploaded every day, and videos were viewed more than 100 million times a day. In 2007 it was estimated that YouTube consumed as much bandwidth as the entire internet in 2000.

In October 2006, YouTube was purchased by Google for $1.36 billion in Google stock.

As of 2016, there were more than 1 billion YouTube users, with several hundred million using the site everyday.

47 videos have amassed more than 1 billion views, with "Gangnam Style" by Psy topping the list with 2.762 billion views.

Our question: What artist has the honor of having the most disliked video on YouTube?

Today is Valentine's Day, and Statehood Day in Oregon and Arizona.

It's unofficially National Ferris Wheel Day, National Organ Donor Day, and National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day.

It's the birthday of comedian Jack Benny, who was born in 1894; actress Florence Henderson, who was born in 1934; and actor and dancer Gregory Hines, who was born in 1946.

This week in 2005, the top song in the U.S. was "Let Me Love You" by Mario.

The No. 1 movie was "Hitch," while the novel "The Broker" by John Grisham 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 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/YouTube

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

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

https://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_14

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-14

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=14&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2005_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_2005

On this date in 1981, more than two miles of streets in Louisville, Kentucky, were destroyed by a sewer explosion.

Here are some things you might not have known about the incident.

A Ralston Purina soybean processing plant suffered a massive leak of hexane, which was used as a solvent to extract soybean oil. Hexane is a highly flammable chemical that is a component of gasoline.

The hexane entered the city's sewer and gradually spread through the system, just waiting for a spark.

At 5:16 a.m., a car near the intersection of 12th and Hill streets ignited sewer gases, triggering a series of explosions near the University of Louisville.

Police officers in a helicopter said the blasts resembled a military bombing run.

More than two miles of sewer lines were destroyed, and nearby homes and businesses were heavily damaged. Water lines to other homes and businesses were cut, leaving some residents without water for weeks.

No one was killed in the explosions. Ralston Purina paid $18 million to the Louisville sewer district and almost $9 million to the more than 16,000 plaintiffs who suffered damages. The company admitted releasing hexane, but denied negligence.

Our question: Louisville serves as the worldwide air hub for what package delivery company?

Today is World Radio Day, and Children's Day in Myanmar.

It's unofficially Clean Out Your Computer Day, National Tortellini Day, and Oatmeal Monday.

It's the birthday of the first person to break the sound barrier, Chuck Yeager, who is 94; Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is 70; and musician Peter Gabriel, who is 67.

This week in 1981, the top song in the U.S. was "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang.

The No. 1 movie was "Fort Apache, The Bronx," while the novel "The Covenant" by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Before the break we asked: Louisville serves as the worldwide air hub for what package delivery company?

The answer is UPS.

Now for our 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 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/Louisville_sewer_explosions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisville,_Kentucky

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_13

https://www.checkiday.com/2/13/2017

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1981_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1981

On this date in 1942, the first gold record was awarded to Glenn Miller and his Orchestra.

Here are some things you may not have known about certification of record sales.

The record given to Miller was from his record company, RCA Victor, to celebrate the sales of 1.2 million copies of the single "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Other gold records awarded by companies were to Elvis Presley in 1956 after selling 1 million copies of his single "Don't Be Cruel." A year later RCA Victor game Harry Belafonte a gold record for selling 1 million copies of his album "Calypso."

These awards were not official, however. The Recording Industry of America introduced its gold record program for singles and albums in 1958. The official program required a record to sell at lease $1 million in retail sales. The sales numbers were restricted to U.S.-based labels and did not include exports.

The first RIAA-certified gold single was "Catch a Falling Star" by Perry Como. The first album to hit gold was the soundtrack from "Oklahoma!"

In 1976, the certification changed to add the platinum record for sales of 1 million or more copies. The gold record level was changed to 500,000 copies. The first platinum single was Johnnie Taylor's "Disco Lady," while the first album was "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly.

In 1999, the Diamond certification was introduced for records that have sold more than 10 million copies.

According to the RIAA, the first record to be certified Diamond was "Can't Slow Down" by Lionel Richie.

Our question: What is the second-best selling album in the United States behind "Thriller" by Michael Jackson?

Today is unofficially Umbrella Day, National Cream Cheese Brownie Day, and National Flannel Day.

It's the birthday of actor Lon Chaney Jr., who was born in 1902; film director Alexander Payne, who is 56; and actress Elizabeth Banks, who is 43.

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

This week in 1970, the top song in the U.S. was "Thank You (Fallettin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)" by Sly and the Family Stone.

The No. 1 movie was "MASH," while the novel "The French Lieutenant's Woman" by John Fowles topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

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/Music_recording_sales_certification

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums_in_the_United_States

https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=top_tallies&ttt=DA&col=certified_units

https://www.checkiday.com/02/10/2017

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

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=9&y=1960&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1970_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1970

On this date in 1942, year-round Daylight Saving Time was reinstated in the United States during World War II.

Here are some things you may not have known about Daylight saving time.

It was not originally proposed by Benjamin Franklin. Despite his enthusiasm for working in the early morning, most of the world did not keep precise schedules in his day.

The rise of railroads and the telegraph required standardizing the time, so trains could stay on schedule, and most importantly, not collide with each other. Before the standardization of time, each city and its vicinity had its own timezone, usually based local solar noon, the time when the sun was at its highest in the sky.

Daylight saving time was first proposed in 1895 by New Zealander George Hudson, who was an amateur entomologist who wanted more sunlight later in the day to catch insects. Independently, in 1905 William Willett proposed a similar plan to help him be able to finish his round of golf before dark. The first Daylight Saving bill was introduced in Parliament in 1908, but nothing came of it.

In 1916, Germany and Austria began using daylight time to help conserve coal during World War I. Most countries of the world soon followed suit. Following World War I, Daylight Saving Time was repealed despite the veto of President Woodrow Wilson. Until World War II, there was no national law in the U.S. regarding Daylight Savings.

Beginning on February 9, 1942, and lasting until September 30, 1945, the United States reinstated Daylight Time year round, calling it War Time. At the time the thinking was that residential lighting was a primary use of electricity. So, if the sun was still shining at a nominally later hour, less energy would be used by lights. It is now estimated that there is little to negative energy savings caused by Daylight Time.

Among those who benefit from Daylight Time are retailers and golf courses. In 1984, it was estimated that 7-Eleven stores would make an additional $30 million a year with a seven-week extension of Daylight Time. In 1999, a study estimated that Daylight Time increased leisure spending in the European Union by about 3 percent.

Among those who are generally against Daylight time are farmers, parents and those whose hours are set by the sun. Television networks, drive-in and indoor movie theaters are also negatively affected by the plethora of options that a later sunset provides.

Daylight Time shifts are associated with increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, and the effects on sleep schedules can last for several weeks.

In 1967, the United States reinstated Daylight Time, although individual states were allowed to exempt themselves. Arizona and Michigan were the first to do so. In 1974, the U.S. instituted year-round Daylight Time as a response to the oil embargo, however the experiment was cut short after complaints arose about children leaving for school in the dark.

In 2005, the current second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November schedule was adopted. The states and territories that don't observe Daylight Time are Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Our question: What is the only state with territory in the Mountain Time Zone that also has a Pacific Ocean coastline?

Today is unofficially Chocolate Day, National Bagel Day, and National Toothache Day.

It's the birthday of musician Carole King, who is 75; author Alice Walker, who is 73; and actor Tom Hiddleston, who is 36.

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

This week in 1975, the top song in the U.S. was "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt.

The No. 1 movie was "The Towering Inferno," while the novel "Something Happened" by Joseph Heller topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: What country did the world's longest-reigning monarch rule over?

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 tomorrowDay'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/February_9

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hudson_(entomologist)

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

https://www.checkiday.com/02/09/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-09

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=9&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1975_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

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

On this date in 1971, trading began on the NASDAQ stock market.

Here are some things you may not have known about what is now the second-largest stock exchange in the world.

Originally, NASDAQ was an acronym that stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations."

It was the first electronic stock market, but served only a quotation system, and didn't provide a way to perform electronic trades. Its implementation helped lower the spread between the bid price and the asking price, which made it unpopular with brokers, who made a lot of money taking advantage of the spread.

Eventually most of the major trades that had been executed over the counter were being made using the NASDAQ market. As late as 1987, the NASDAQ was commonly used as an index for over-the-counter stocks.

The exchange made a special effort to focus on technology companies, and became the trading home of Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, and Oracle among others.

In 1996, the NASDAQ became the first stock exchange to launch a website. Since its founding, the NASDAQ has an annualized growth rate of 9.18 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has a growth rate of 7.02 percent. Since the end of the Great Recession in 2009, the NASDAQ index is up by a rate of 15.95 percent.

Our question: Where was the first stock exchange in the United States?

Today is unofficially Boy Scouts Day, National Kite Flying Day, and National Molasses Bar Day.

It's the birthday of writer Jules Verne, who was born in 1828; chemist Demitri Mendeleyev, who was born in 1834; and actor James Dean, who was born in 1931.

This week in 1971, the top song in the U.S. was "One Bad Apple" by The Osmonds.

The No. 1 movie was "Love Story," while the novel it was based on by Erich Segal topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: What country did the world's longest-reigning monarch rule over?

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.

Sources

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

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/03/business/company-news-an-erratic-quarter-for-stock-markets.html

http://business.nasdaq.com/discover/nasdaq-story/our-heritage

https://www.measuringworth.com/DJIA_SP_NASDAQ/result.php

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

https://www.checkiday.com/02/08/2017

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-february-08

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=7&y=1971&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1971_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1971

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

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

Apropos of nothing, we're going bananas today.

Here are some things you may not have known about the second most popular fresh fruit in America.

Bananas are technically berries which grow on large herbaceous plants, not trees. Herbs differ from trees in that they have no persistent woody stem above ground.

The species of banana that is most popular today is native to Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia, and was likely first domesticated in Papua New Guinea.

Until the 1950s a variety called Gros Michel or "Big Mike" was the only type consumed in the United States until it was largely killed off by a fungus called Panama disease. The fungus caused shortages of bananas for most of the first half of the 20th century. One notable cultural reference to these shortages is the song "Yes! We Have No Bananas," which was released in 1923.

Banana companies were left scrambling to find a variety that was resistant to Panama disease, could ship and keep well and was acceptable to the banana-buying public. The variety they picked was the Cavendish group. Cavendish includes the dwarf Cavendish and the grand nain, which is the variety Chiquita grows. Bananas reproduce asexually, meaning that all the plants are genetically identical, which prevents the evolution of disease resistance. A new form of Panama fungus has developed which is infecting Cavendish. The new disease has yet to reach Latin America, but has wiped out crops in Southeast Asia, and may spell the end of the variety as a commercial crop.

Bananas and apples have been trading off the top spot on the list of most popular fresh fruit in the United States. In 2014, the average person consumed 11.6 pounds of fresh apples and 11.3 pounds of fresh bananas. Grapes, strawberries and watermelon round out the Top 5.

Our question: If you include fresh, frozen, canned, dried and juice, what is the most popular fruit in the United States?

Today is Independence Day in Grenada.

It's unofficially Ballet Day, National Fettuccine Alfredo Day, and Send a Card to a Friend Day.

It's the birthday of writer Charles Dickens, who was born in 1812; writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, who was born in 1867; and comedian Chris Rock, who is 52.

Because our topic doesn't have a specific year associated with it, we'll pick a year at random.

This week in 1965, the top song in the U.S. was "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by The Righteous Brothers.

The No. 1 movie was "My Fair Lady," while the novel "Herzog" by Saul Bellow topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: What country did the world's longest-reigning monarch rule over?

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

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

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

Sources

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/charts/40066_foodavailability_fig04png/food-availability_fig04.png?v=42654

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_7

https://www.checkiday.com/02/07/2017

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

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=7&y=1940&o=

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1965_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Fiction_Best_Sellers_of_1965

On this date in 1952, Elizabeth II became queen regnant of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms when her father, George VI, died.

Here are some things you may not have known about Queen Elizabeth II.

She was born by cesarean section on April 21, 1926, at her maternal grandfather's home in Mayfair, London. Her full name, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, is in honor of her mother, her paternal great grandmother, and her paternal grandmother, respectively. Early, she had difficulty pronouncing her name and called herself "Lilibet," which is what her immediate family ended up calling her. As a child she was described as being responsible, organized, sensible and well-behaved.

In 1952, Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, were beginning a tour of Australia and New Zealand with a stop in Kenya. They were staying in a treehouse at Treetops Hotel, near Mount Kenya, when George VI died at Sandringham House in Norfolk. She didn't get the news until the next day. She chose to retain the name Elizabeth as her regnal name, and the royal party returned home to the UK.

On the advice of Winston Churchill and Queen Mary, it was decided that instead of a new royal house bearing Philip's name of Mountbatten, the house would continue as the House of Windsor. Philip responded that "I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children." Following Churchill's resignation and Mary's death, it was decided the last name of Mountbatten-Windsor would be given to all male descendants without royal titles.

Mary died about two months before Elizabeth's June 2, 1953, coronation at Westminster Abbey. That ceremony was the first to be televised, with the exception of the anointing and communion portions.

Here are some quick facts about Elizabeth II:

In 1991, Elizabeth became the first British monarch to address a joint session of the United States Congress.

In 2015, she became the longest reigning British monarch and the world's longest reigning queen regnant and female head of state in history. In October 2016, she became the longest currently reigning monarch and head of state following the death of the King of Thailand.

As of 2015, it was estimated that Queen Elizabeth's estate is valued at about 340 million pounds, making her the 302nd richest person in the U.K.

Despite widespread criticism of the British monarchy as a system of government, Elizabeth remains personally popular. Some polls show she has favorability ratings as high as 90 percent.

In 2016, a story revealed Elizabeth's still quick wit. She was walking near her 50,000-acre private estate of Balmoral in Scotland, dressed in tweeds and a headscarf, when a group of American tourists approached her and her bodyguard. The tourists, not recognizing her, asked if she lived in the area. She replied that she had a house nearby. One of the tourists supposedly asked her if she had ever met the queen. She replied truthfully, "No, but he has," gesturing to the bodyguard.

Our question: How are Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle different from other British royal residences?

Today is Waitangi Day, commemorating the founding of New Zealand; and International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation Day.

It's unofficially National Frozen Yogurt Day, and Pay-A-Compliment Day.

It's the birthday of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who was born in 1911; musician Bob Marley, who was born in 1945; and musician Rick Astley, who is 51.

This week in 1991, the top song in the U.S. was "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" by C+C Music Factory.

The No. 1 movie was "Home Alone," while the novel "Cold Fire" by Dean Koontz topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Weekly question: What country did the world's longest-reigning monarch rule over?

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.

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

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

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_6

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

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

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

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

http://www.inquisitr.com/3013003/queen-elizabeth-would-you-recognize-her-if-you-met-her-these-american-tourists-didnt-and-now-the-story-is-out/

http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/19/the-queen-went-undercover-and-fooled-tourists-at-balmoral-5826352/

https://www.checkiday.com/02/06/2017

http://www.bobborst.com/popculture/numberonesongs/?chart=us&m=2&d=6&y=1940&o=

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

Today is unofficially National Wedding Ring Day in the United States.

Here are some things you may not have known about wedding rings.

Experts believe the tradition of exchanging rings during a wedding dates back to ancient Egypt. Evidence shows braided rings of hemp and reeds were exchanged by marrying couples. Ancient Egyptians saw the circle as a symbol of eternity and rings signified the unending love between the bride and groom. The tradition of wearing the wedding ring on the ring finger of the left hand also began with the Egyptians. They believed the finger had a special vein that connected directly to the heart, called the Vena amoris. Despite the lasting tradition, there is no special vein in the ring finger; all fingers have a similar vein structure.

After Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 BC, the tradition migrated to ancient Greece and Rome. Originally it was part of a dowry, it was later part of a pledge of fidelity. The exchange of rings became part of the Christian wedding ceremony in the middle ages in Europe.

The history of the engagement ring can only be traced back to ancient Rome. The first documented use of a diamond ring to signify engagement was by Archduke Maximillian of Austria upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.

In Central and Eastern Europe, it is common for an engagement ring to be worn on the left ring finger, while a wedding ring is worn on the right hand.

In most of the western world, wedding and engagement rings have traditionally been worn by women only.

The double-ring ceremony became popular in the United States only after World War II. In the 1920s, only 15 percent of weddings featured rings for both bride and groom, while in the 1940s, the number climbed above 80 percent. During the Great Depression, the price of diamonds collapsed, leading the De Beers Company to begin its first marketing push. In 1947, the company began using the slogan "A Diamond is Forever."

Our question: What was the average cost of an engagement ring in 2016?

Today is Heroes' Day in Mozambique and Veterans Day in Thailand.

In addition to National Wedding Ring Day, it's unofficially Bubble Gum Day, National Carrot Cake Day, and American Painters Day.

It's the birthday of writer Gertrude Stein, who was born in 1874; author James Michener, who was born in 1907; and actor Nathan Lane, who is 61.

Because our topic doesn't have a specific year associated with it, we'll pick a year at random.

This week in 1992, the top song in the U.S. was "I'm Too Sexy" by Right Said Fred.

The No. 1 movie was "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle," while the novel "Hideaway" by Dean Koontz topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

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Yes. This is a re-run of last year’s episode.

It seemed appropriate.

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