The Quintessential Quiz Book. What is a merkin? WTF?
Published by Becky S October 13th, 2004 in arts, wtf?
Paperbacks $1, hardcovers $2. I’m not really supposed to be buying books right now, but who can resist such an offer? Once again, the Book Corner, a used bookstore run by the Friends of the Free Library, had a sidewalk sale that totally messed up my plans for a very productive Saturday.
Alas, I didn’t find the copy of the Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise Plans for Physical Fitness that I so callously dismissed at the last sale. However, I did pick up The Quintessential Quiz Book: Little-known Oddities of Fact and Fiction by Norman G. Hickman (copyright 1979).
So here are the best quiz questions.
- What is a merkin?
- What song should Max Raabe cover next?
- Who was Xanthippe?
- Translate the following into correct, simple English: Solar bodies tend to exhibit, with respect to and from the viewpoint of their satellites, an apparent orientality of anabasis.
- After the ladies have withdrawn from the dinner table, to which direction should the gentlemen pass the port?
Click below for the answers.
Suckah! Anyone who posts some correct answers will have a chance to win a special Good Grief! prize, like maybe a tomato from Ken Klein’s supermarket or some salty cookies or a book from my living room.
And I know that I can’t win my own prize, but I want to go on record and say that Max Raabe should cover Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”
Well, a merkin is a pubic wig, and the port should be passed towards me, as I am, of course, to the left.
I don’t know any of the other answers, but my wish for number two would probably have to be Devo’s Mongoloid.
Max Raabe should cover Tim O’Riordan’s “The Langer” because that would give both performers increased stature in the alternative cult music scene in Europe.
Gentlemen pass their port to the left. That’s what the batman at RAF Cranwell told me several years ago. If you find a leaded bottle of port coming from your right, remember not to ever let its bottom touch the linen tablecloth. (You discover these things when living in the Old Country.)
Answers:
2. From some strange reason this morning when I woke up I had Max signing MC Hammer’s “To Legit to Quit” in my head. It was strangely melodious.
4. Stuff in the sky rises in the east and sets in the west.
2. I want them to do a cover of “Hey Ya.”
3. Xanthippe was Socrates, uh, shrewish wife.
2. Nine Inch Nail’s “Closer”
5. Trick Question! Obviously, the port is passed by your butler OR your butler’s valet.
Ooh, some great and correct answers! Over the weekend, I’ll put everyone’s name into my Powerpuff Girls hat and pick a lucky winner!
Maybe for the next mix of the week, I can compile the Max Raabe cover suggestions.
Also, I wonder if badpenny actually knew what a merkin is without using Google.
found your blog. I love your photos of Glacier park. I grew up very close to there. I love the rainbows. I am homesick!
Thanks
Shelly
I actually learnt the merkin word when I was in high school from a book of fairly obscure terms. I think Pearl Jam also released an album called merkin ball some time later, which made me feel special because I was in on the joke, even if I wasn’t.
It was also from this book that I learned the meaning of callipygian. There was also a disturbing illustration of a “metal rod with balls or brushes attached that is inserted through a perforation in the penis.” Unfortunately, I do not remember the word for that definition.
The passing of the port was just a guess, based on the assumption that it was too obvious to pass the port any direction but starboard.
I did look up Xanthippe at m-w.com, but I couldn’t find it in my heart to… you know, whatever.
Badpenny, you have a very, uh, impressive vocabulary.
Butlers and batmen are too low order to handle the port for the mess. The vice president of the mess or the mess steward presents the port to the table. A drinks steward hovers behind the chairs where the port is passed. I’ll challenge the quiz book’s authenticity if the port is said to pass any other direction from one’s right hand to the left hand of the recipient.
This is an important mark of high culture and should not be diluted by pulp fiction quiz books so let us know the “answers” to the questions. I am losing sleep because of it.
Ok, ok! Badpenny is correct. The merkin is a pubic hairpiece. More at the Straight DopeThis wasn’t a question from the book, of course–I was just curious.Yoko got this one. Xanthippe was the wife of Socrates. According to Wikipedia, “After one particular quarrel, she was supposed to have emptied a chamber pot on Socrates’s head, causing him to remark, ‘After thunder there generally falls rain.’”Bernard (the Beat is back) gets this one.Badpenny and Bernie have the same answer as the book–port goes to the left (sorry Dave; having a trick question is a great idea, though). The book didn’t elaborate further, so thanks, Bernie for the details. This ritual is pretty interesting, but frankly, I’m glad the ladies leave the room for it.I hope that Bernie can now be well-rested for the weekend. I will announce the winner and the prize on Monday.
Becky,
Feel free to keep MC Hammer’s “To Legit to Quit” out of the next mix of the week. PLEASE!!!