Post typos, corrections here!

[Kid Cobalt]

While looking at the almanac in a big book sort of place, I noticed that you had a question which I believe stated "what is the most populous country that drives on the left?"

Your answer was Japan, but India certainly is more populous--althought it might not have as many vehicles as Japan. And Indians definitely drive on the left side of the road.

[higgysgirl]

[quote="Ken Jennings"]If you think you see a typo or error of fact in Brainiac or The Trivia Almanac, post it here. That way I can keep em all together in one thread.[/quote] On page 17 of the Trivia Almanac under Covering your Ass I think it was Shrek the Third that the five little "dronkeys" were introduced. [color=violet][/color]

[Sequin]

On page 17 of the Trivia Almanac under Covering your Ass I think it was Shrek the Third that the five little "dronkeys" were introduced.

They appeared in the end credits of Shrek 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dronkey

[WhoisMark]

Feb. 4th - Hour Towns #3. Capside, ME - Dawson's Creek

The show was set in Massachusetts - a.k.a MA

[ScarletKnights]

The title should say 366 Days...

[Granny O'Doul]

Almanac, Jan 25, Cold Shoulders-- Who is the only eligible back-to-back MVP not enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame?

Dale Murphy is another.

[Ken Jennings]

Yep, see PhygLeGuy's post a few weeks back. Probably just an out-of-date reference there, sigh.

But I had Capeside right! It's MA in the MS! Call the M.E.

[bwouns]

8/13 - Smashed Hits

#9
Halle Berry + William Katt = Sony Pictures Animation
should be
Charlize Theron + William Katt = Sony Pictures Animation

[BobPierce]

While Frasier was a psychiatrist (MD), I believe Bob played a psychologist (PhD).

[porpoise spit]

September 28 - Wise Cracks
The answer to #7 is not an 1980s sitcom (it aired from 1974-79).

And being really anal retentive, August 10 - Even Better than the Real Thing
#8 and #9 should be switched so they're in alphabetical order.

Overall it's an impressive collection, though. Money well spent!

[Trivia Why's Guy]

The former New England Patriots hero kicker's last name is misspelled in the answer section without the middle 'I' (maybe because he left for Indianapolis, and they already have so many of them ).

--
Robert Jen, the Trivia Why's Guy (whysguy@triviawhys.com)
Trivia Why's books
Trivia Why's blog

[lvdzat]

Feb 19 - Factoid: Cracker Jacks begin including a prize in each box in 1913.

http://www.crackerjack.com/history.php

1912 "A Prize in Every Box" is introduced when toys are inserted into every package.

[polarea]

Enjoying the book immensely, glad I made the investment. Minor nitpick, but one of the playing surfaces in August 16: Sports, Illustrated is not really what I would consider a bird's eye view.

[Ken Jennings]

That's funny; I just noticed that too. Still, why couldn't a bird be flying above and to the side of a racquetball court?

These are all great catches, by the way.

[polarea]

Squash court, but yes, that's why it was a minor nitpick, not a major one. I think the term "bird's eye view" has taken on a more specific meaning than the literal "what a bird can see while flying" though.

[econgator]

Not so much a correction as an addition:

On the Feb 27th "People" quiz, you mention Lonely and give the answer as America. Correct, of course, but Styx also did a song called Lonely People on Paradise Theatre.

[Ken Jennings]

Yeah, I was joking about my eccentric personal defintion of "bird's eye views."

In re Styx: that song is probably the reason the quiz says "which band had hits." The America "Lonely People" hit #5 in the US. I don't think the Styx "Lonely People" was even a single. But I guess Styx fans might take my eccentric approach to "bird's eye view" and apply it to words like "hits," so...

[econgator]

In re Styx: that song is probably the reason the quiz says "which band had hits." The America "Lonely People" hit #5 in the US. I don't think the Styx "Lonely People" was even a single. But I guess Styx fans might take my eccentric approach to "bird's eye view" and apply it to words like "hits," so...

Fair enough. As you guessed, Styx's version never was released as a single.

[bradfweir]

audrey hepburn also played a nun in robin and marian

[bradfweir]

butterfly is only swum first in an "individual" medley race. in the medley relay backstoke is first, since the swimmers start in the water and not on the blocks.

[Granny O'Doul]

The correct answers to #'s 2 and 3 of December 29's "Legend of the Follicles" are transposed.

Sorry for such a boring post.

[Ken Jennings]

The correct answers to #'s 2 and 3 of December 29's "Legend of the Follicles" are transposed.

Or maybe you just got both those questions wrong, happening to give the correct answer to each as the incorrect answer to the other! Did I just BLOW YOUR MIND?!

Oh, wait, never mind. Just checked and the answers are indeed switched. My bad.

[Guy Incognito]

Ken,

I'm not sure about the wording of this question from Brainiac - page 106:

"What future Yankees Hall of Famer was born the same day as Thomson's home run?"
Answer: Dave Winfield

There is no hard rule for this, but if you are going to call someone a Yankee, Dodger, Cowboy, Canadien, Laker, etc - you need to spend at least half of your career playing for that team - in my opinion.

Winfield spent 22 years in the major leagues and only spent 8 years and 20 games with the Yankees. He played for 6 different teams. I would not call him a Yankee. Personally, I might consider him a Padre, whom he spent his first 8 years with.

I would word the question as such: "What 1980's outfielder with the Yankees and Hall of Famer was born the same day as Thomson's home run?"

Otherwise, you go down the slippery slope into these types of "trick" questions:

What Cardinal running back is the all-time NFL rushing leader?
Emmit Smith
What Hall of Fame Seahawks running back won 4 Super Bowls and was the MVP of Super Bowl IX?
Franco Harris
What San Francisco 49er running back rushed for a record 2,003 yards back in 1973?
O.J. Simpson
What Hall of Fame San Diego Charger quarterback threw a record 47 straight games with a touchdown?
Johnny Unitas
What Los Angeles Rams quarterback famously guaranteed a win back in Super Bowl III?
Joe Namath

The other reason I don't like the question, as you wrote it, is because it falls in the categories of "Plain Vanilla Recall" and "Meaningless Coincidence".

[econgator]

Ken,

I'm not sure about the wording of this question from Brainiac - page 106:

"What future Yankees Hall of Famer was born the same day as Thomson's home run?"
Answer: Dave Winfield

There is no hard rule for this, but if you are going to call someone a Yankee, Dodger, Cowboy, Canadien, Laker, etc - you need to spend at least half of your career playing for that team - in my opinion.

Winfield spent 22 years in the major leagues and only spent 8 years and 20 games with the Yankees. He played for 6 different teams. I would not call him a Yankee. Personally, I might consider him a Padre, whom he spent his first 8 years with.

He did go into the Hall as a Padre, too.

[PhygLeGuy]

"What future Yankees Hall of Famer was born the same day as Thomson's home run?"
Answer: Dave Winfield

There is no hard rule for this, but if you are going to call someone a Yankee, Dodger, Cowboy, Canadien, Laker, etc - you need to spend at least half of your career playing for that team - in my opinion.

Over at the Hall’s web site, a search for Famers named “Winfield” (don’t forget to capitalize the ‘W’) returns a list that informs us that his Primary Team was the New York Yankees. They also show a color photograph of the man and a black and white photograph of his bronze plaque both sporting the “SD” logo. This would seem to provide book authors with a broad platform upon which to stand and be considered correct.

The other reason I don't like the question, as you wrote it, is because it falls in the categories of "Plain Vanilla Recall" ...

Disagree. Anyone who has made it past page 4 or 5 of A Child’s First Book of Baseball Trivia Questions is going to know the year of Thomson’s home run, and should be able to come up with a reasonable guess.

… and "Meaningless Coincidence".

Dave and/or his webmaster seem to think it’s worth mentioning. A modicum of googling suggests that the overwhelming majority of biographical narratives about Mr. Winfield mention this Meaningless Coincidence within the first five sentences. One could just as easily criticize the question on the grounds that “everyone knows that.” You can’t please everybody.