Tag Archives: brain teaser

Trivia’s Facts and More (3/9)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

What do Oscar the Grouch, Alexander the Great, and Winnie the Pooh have in common?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

A subspecies of the brown bear, the grizzly bear is one of the largest and most dangerous bears in the United States.

Here are a few quick facts about the grizzly bear:

  • Standing Height:  6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 m)
  • Weight:  Mature male, 700-800 pounds; mature female, 300-400 pounds
  • Top Speed:  Approximately 30 mph
  • Average Lifespan:  25 years
  • Color:  Light tan to dark brown

Predominately living in mountainous and forested areas of the northwest U.S., western Canada, and Alaska, the grizzly bear is more dangerous to humans than sharks.  Since they are labeled as apex predators, they reside at the top of the food chain with no natural enemies.

Grizzly bears are omnivores, so their diet consists of plants and animals.  They eat a variety of berries, roots, fruits, and nuts.  They also feast on grubs, fish, small mammals, and even larger mammals such as bison and deer.

While males are solitary, females will stay with their cubs for 2-3 years.  The young cubs will learn much from their mother:  what berries to eat, how to hunt fish, and how to hunt prey.  Grizzly bears are one of the world’s most intelligent animals with an exceptional memory.

Mature males are easy to distinguish from other bears by their over-sized hump shoulder.  This mass of muscles is attached to the backbone, which gives grizzly bears superior strength for digging.  The strong front legs allow for amazing speed, which allows for catching prey, digging, and foraging.  Powerful front paws can bring down a large mammal with a single swat.

Grizzly bears spend the winter months in hibernation.  This time usually begins in October of November and runs for 4-6 months.  During hibernation, up to 30 percent of weight may be lost, and females will give birth to their cubs at this time.  Prior to hibernation, each adult’s appetite is characterized as a feeding frenzy (called hyperphagia).  During the 2-4 months before hibernation begins, mature bears will add three pounds of weight per day as they gain anywhere from 200-300 pounds.

top row:  male (notice the shoulder hump, mother with cubs, male standing.  Bottom row:  ferocious male, pair of males in combat.  (courtesy of pinterest)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

Their middle names . . . THE

Trivia’s Facts and More (3/2)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Built on a concrete slab, there is a one-story house where everything is yellow.  The walls are yellow.  The doors are yellow.  All of the furniture is yellow.  The house has yellow beds and a yellow sofa.  What color are the stairs?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Admitted to the American union on December 11, 1816, the “Hoosier State” of Indiana becomes the country’s 19th state.

Here are a few quick facts about Indiana:

  • Capital City:  Indianapolis
  • State Bird:  Cardinal
  • State Flower:  Peony
  • State Motto:  The Crossroads of America

The word “Indiana” in Latin means “Land of the Indians.”  Native Americans are the original inhabitants of this territory.  European culture arrives in 1673 when a French trading post is built on the Kankakee River.  In 1679, French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle claims the territory for King Louis XIV.

Indiana offers a treasure trove of places to visit.  They provide quite a variety of attractions for tourists coming to the “American Crossroads” state.

Indiana Dunes National Park is located along 15 miles of the southern shore of Lake Michigan.  Visitors are invited to walk in glacial sands that have been pulled up into nearly 250-foot tall dunes.  In addition to the dunes, hikers experience a thriving ecosystem featuring wetlands, prairies, and old-growth forests.

America’s greatest spectacle of auto racing offers drivers a chance to make history over Memorial Day weekend with the Indianapolis 500.  Since its inaugural race in 1911, racing fans have been coming to the speedway.  On race day, over 250,000 spectators make their way to the Brickyard.

Bedford is rightly called the “Limestone Capital of the World.”  The small city is surrounded by large limestone quarries.  Limestone from Bedford has found its way into prominent buildings around the United States, including the Empire State Building in New York City, and the Pentagon and National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Here are three more significant historical notes from Indiana:

  • The famous Raggedy Ann doll is created in 1915 by Indianapolis author and cartoonist, Johnny Gruelle.  Later on, he adds books, songs, and cartoons to the Raggedy Ann collection.
  • Wabash becomes the world’s first electrically lighted city on March 31, 1880.
  • Fort Wayne hosts America’s first professional baseball game on May 4, 1871.  By the way, Fort Wayne’s Kekiongas won 2-0.

from left to right:  from 1961, Indianapolis 500 speedway with its original bricks (the track is paved for 1962), portion of the limestone quarries near bedford. Indiana dunes national park along lake michigan, Original raggedy ann Stories (1918) written by Johnny Gruelle)  (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

There are no stairs–it’s a one-story house.

Trivia’s Facts and More (2/17)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

A king, a queen, and two twins all rest in a large room.  How are there no people in the room?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Many historians consider Abraham Lincoln to be the greatest of all Presidents of the United States.  The 16th President held the Union together during the American Civil War.

Here are a few quick facts about Abraham Lincoln:

  • Political party:  Republican (years earlier with the Whigs)
  • State represented:  Illinois (home in Springfield)
  • LIfespan:  1809-1865
  • Birthplace:  Hodgeville, Kentucky

America’s 16th President was self-educated and practiced law in his adult life.  He was the first President elected to two terms in office since Andrew Jackson was re-elected in 1832.  

Standing at a height of 6 feet, 4 inches, Lincoln was the tallest President.  One of his nicknames was “Honest Abe.”  This name was given to him after he repaid a debt that he owed.

At the height of the Civil War, Lincoln’s vision to end slavery in the United States was brought to fruition when his Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863.  Because of this event, Lincoln was also nicknamed “The Great Emancipator.”

When Lincoln was elected President in 1860, he was still clean-shaven.  Upon receiving a letter from 11-year old Grace Bedell from New York state, he decided to follow her suggestion to lengthen his whiskers.  Lincoln became the first President to wear a full beard.

Lincoln faced numerous setbacks during his life.  These only tempered his attitude and resolve for what would await him when he arrived at the White House in 1861.  Many of the southern states were already seceding from the Union before his inauguration.

A summary of some of Lincoln’s most notable setbacks follows.

1832:  Defeated in election to the Illinois state legislature

1833:  Village store purchased fails (bringing heavy debt to Lincoln and his partner)

1835:  His sweetheart, Ann Rutledge, died unexpectedly.  

1836:  Experienced a nervous breakdown

1843:  Defeated in nomination attempt to the U.S. House of Representatives

1854:  Defeated in election to the United States Senate

1858:  Defeated in election to the United States Senate

It’s ironic that Lincoln defeated his 1858 Senate opponent, Stephen A. Douglas, in the Presidential Election of 1860.

top row:  with full beard, lincoln as president.  clean-shaven lincoln before his election in 1860.  Middle row:  in the field, Lincoln meets with Union general george p. Mcclellan.  lincoln’s log cabin birthplace in Kentucky and Lincoln family home in Springfield, Illinois.  Bottom:  Lincoln’s tomb in Springfield.  (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

They are all beds.

Trivia’s Facts and More (2/10)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

How is “seven” different from the rest of the numbers between one and ten?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

A familiar indoor sound often comes from the tiny cricket.  There are about 900 species worldwide.

Here are a few quick facts about the cricket:

  • Size:  .5 to 1 inch (13-25 mm)
  • Color:  black, brown, reddish-brown, green
  • Diet:  any plant or animal matter
  • Life cycle:  females lay eggs singly in the ground or in rows in plant tissues

Resembling a grasshopper, the cricket possesses powerful hind legs, small wings, and a long, slender antennae.  They are nocturnal creatures, and they are gifted with acute hearing.  This is evident when a human tries to sneak up on a cricket.  Their ears are located on the knee of each front leg.

Crickets are frequently found in plant undergrowth and sheltered areas.  House crickets are found indoors in homes, bakeries, and kitchens.

The pleasant chirp of a cricket comes from the male.  He raises his ribbed left forewing, then rubs it against the scraper on his right forewing.  The male’s calling  serenades an interested female with his courtship song.

Many consider it good luck to have a cricket living in a home near the hearth of the fireplace.

The use of the word “cricket” has found meanings in other parts of the human world.  The game of cricket is the second most popular sport in the world.  It revolves around a bat and ball game played between two teams of 11 players each.

One of American music’s iconic rock and roll bands in the late 1950s was the Crickets.  Buddy Holly was the lead singer with original members:  Jerry Allison, Joe Mauldin, and Niki Sullivan.

vertically on the left:  pair of crickets (notice the difference in color), game of cricket.  right:  buddy holly and the crickets.  (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

Seven has two syllables and the other numbers only have one syllable.

Trivia’s Facts and More (2/3)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

Put these statements in the correct order.

(A)   Thousands of children receive milk substitutes.

(B)   Milk drivers and plant employees go out on strike.

(C)   The milk workers’ union demands increased wages.

(D)   Milk employees go back to work.

(E)   Union members vote to ratify the new contract.

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

One of America’s most frequently spotted animals is the nocturnal bandit, commonly called a raccoon.  Raccoons are native to a large geographical area, which stretches from Canada to Panama.

Here are a few quick facts about the raccoon:

  • Body length:  2-3 feet (.6-.9 m)
  • Tail length:  14-19 inches (35-48 cm)
  • Weight:  approximately 20 pounds for mature adult
  • Diet:  fruit, insects, birds, frogs, small mammals
  • Lifespan:  2-5 years

As raccoons live throughout the United States, they are frequently found in woodlands, wetlands, forest, and towns.  Raccoons are many times considered pests as they search for food in a community’s garbage.

The name raccoon comes from the Algonquian word “aroughcun” which means “he who scratches with his hands.”  They are intelligent and curious; they also adapt well to most any living environment.

Raccoons possess hand-like claws, and they can usually open jars and doors with ease as well as grasping food.  In using their hands, raccoons turn, inspect, and wash food before eating.

The mask-like markings on a raccoon’s face help to reduce glare from light and allow for better night vision.  Their sharp claws and nibble paws allow them to expertly climb trees and other surfaces.  A group of raccoons is called a nursery, and the babies are called kits.

top left and moving clockwise:  pair of adults, CURIOUS babies, adult climbing tree, spotted at night, caught in a garbage dumpster.  (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

C  —  B  —  A  —  E  —  D

Trivia’s Facts and More (1/20)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

No matter how little or how much you use me, you always change my page every month.  What am I?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Admitted to the American Union on March 15, 1820, as the 23rd state of the United States, Maine offers nearly endless natural treasures.

Here are a few quick facts about the “Pine Tree State” of Maine:

  • Capital City:  Augusta (population 18,899)
  • Largest City:  Portland (population 66,645)
  • State Bird:  Chickadee
  • State Flower:  White pine cone with tassel
  • Motto:  Dirigo (I Direct)

Forested land covers more than 80 percent of Maine’s landscape.  The 12th smallest state in terms of land area (35,385 square miles) is one of the most rural of American states.  

Known for its lobster, the lengthy Atlantic coastline offers seemingly endless miles of ocean views.  The annual lobster harvest fills nearly 90 percent of the nation’s supply.

Maine is unique in a couple of ways compared to the other American states.  Being the only one in the country, its name is one syllable.  It also borders only one other state, New Hampshire.

Founded in 1916, Acadia National Park offers a look at the natural beauty of the region.  Maine is home to numerous lakes and rivers, and its many coastal islands house several lighthouses.  Besides Alaska, Maine provides a home to more moose than any other state.

Wild blueberries reign supreme in Maine.  There are more berries here than in other place on the planet.  Countless blueberry-inspired creations fill restaurant menus.

top left and moving clockwise:  acadia national park, field of wild blueberries, state capitol in augusta, state flower (white pine cone with tassel), cape elizabeth lighthouse.  (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

A calendar

Trivia’s Facts and More (1/13)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

I have keys but no locks.  You can enter but you can’t go outside.  I have space but no room.  What am I?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

James Buchanan, nicknamed “The Sage of Wheatland,” was the 15th President of the United States.  

Here are a few facts about President Buchanan:

  • Term of office:  1857-1861
  • Home state:  Pennsylvania
  • Lifespan:  April 23, 1791 to June 1, 1868
  • Political party:  Democratic
  • College attended:  Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania

As Buchanan’s term of office drew to a close in 1861, the powder keg of emotions between America’s North and South was nearing its implosion point.  Days before Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration, seven southern states seceded from the Union and formed the Confederate States of  America. 

Buchanan was morally opposed to slavery, but he felt it was protected by the U.S. Constitution.  As President, he tried, without success, to maintain peace between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the country.  His official Cabinet illustrated balance between these two opposing views.  He felt the issue of slavery should best be decided by the states.

Buchanan’s journey toward the Presidency included lengthy terms of office in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.  He served in diplomatic posts as well as Secretary of State.  

In the election of 1856, Buchanan ran as the “Save the Union” candidate.  Despite this campaign promise, the nation seemed headed toward a bloody conflict.  He did not seek re-election in 1860 because he had promised to only serve only one term (as stated in his Inaugural Address).

Buchanan was unmarried, and he has remained the only bachelor to serve a full-term as President.  Another bachelor, Grover Cleveland, was elected President in 1886, but he was married during his first year in office.

left:  portrait of president buchanan.  Right top:  buchanan and his cabinet.  right bottom:  wheatland, buchanan home in lancaster, pennsylvania.   (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

A keyboard.

Trivia’s Facts and More (1/6)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

What is special about these words:  job, polish, herb?  (Hint:  Each word has at least another pronunciation.)

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

A member of the beetle family, the venerable ladybugs are colorful and harmless.  Gardeners love them because they enjoy eating aphids.

Here are a few unique details about ladybugs:

  • Color:  Most commonly in the U.S. with shiny red body with black spots.
  • Description:  Small, round, winged beetle with black legs and antennae
  • Habitat:  Meadows, fields, and gardens
  • Diet:  Both larvae and adults eat aphids and other small insects

There are approximately 5,000 species of ladybugs worldwide.  Their Latin scientific name of Coccinellidae means little red sphere.  The seven-spotted ladybug is native to Europe, and it was brought to the United States in the mid-1900s to help farmers control aphid populations.

The life cycle of ladybugs begins with a female laying a cluster of 20-300 eggs on the underside of a leaf near an aphid colony.  Within a week, the eggs will hatch into larvae.  During the next 10-15 days, the larvae feed on aphids before moving into the pupal stage and later adulthood.

In many cultures, ladybugs are considered good luck.  In the Middle Ages, these beetles rid grapevines of insect pests.  To show their appreciation, farmers called them the “Beetle of Our Lady” in a reference to the Virgin Mary.  They are sometimes called ladybirds, lady beetles, and lucky bugs.

The usual lifespan for ladybugs is 2-3 years, and they must survive against numerous predators.  Birds are the number one foe, but they also must contend with frogs, wasps, spiders, and dragonflies.  In the winter, they hibernate in rotting logs and under rocks, as colonies numbering in the thousands.  

top row:  enlarged look at a ladybug, ladybug preparing for flight.  bottom row:  colony of ladybugs on a leaf, single ladybug feasting on an aphid, small insect at the top of a plant seems unaware of the hunter below.  (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

They are pronounced differently when the first letter is capitalized:  Job, Polish, Herb.

Trivia’s Facts and More (12/23)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

I’m a plant seen at Christmas that people hang above.  And then they stand beneath me, and kiss someone they love.  What am I?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

With Christmas just around the corner, many Americans have followed familiar traditions of the season.

A few delightful sightings from Christmases past have included:

  • Threading popcorn on a string
  • Making gingerbread houses
  • Drinking eggnog
  • Writing Christmas cards to family and friends.

One of my cherished Christmas memories was from my childhood when our family was selected to fill in as characters for a live nativity scene at our church on Christmas Eve.  My three brothers and myself played the shepherds while our parents stood in for Mary and Joseph.  Perhaps some of you have a favorite Christmas memory.

Over the years, members of my family and yours truly have enjoyed these traditions:

  • Decorating the tree (does anyone remember using tinsel?)
  • Baking cookies (my mother turned her sons into expert kitchen assistants)
  • Writing letters to Santa
  • Touring streets filled with outdoor lights and decorations
  • Watching Christmas films (“It’s a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas”)
  • Singing Christmas carols
  • Spending time with family
  • Exchanging gifts with family and close friends
  • Wearing Christmas sweaters and ties

Nestled in the Lehigh Valley of eastern Pennsylvania, a small town was christened to be called Bethlehem on Christmas Eve in 1741.  Since 1937, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has been recognized as Christmas City USA.

Over the years, many families have hung Christmas stockings in their homes.  This practice has followed a long-standing tradition, first written about in the poem, “A Visit From St. Nicholas.”  The poem was crafted by Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), and many have recognized its updated title of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”  Initially, the poem was published anonymously in 1823 in a Troy, New York newspaper.  Finally in 1837, Moore stepped forward to take credit for writing this beloved poem.

You are invited to share some of your Christmas memories and traditions.  Merry Christmas to one and all.

starting left and clockwise: stockings hung from the mantel with care, live nativity scene, Christmas city usa, traditional christmas tree DECORATED with tinsel, and sheet music with a familiar christmas carol. (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

Mistletoe

Trivia’s Facts and More (12/16)

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This informative post will be published on Saturday in place of my regular one.  You are invited to participate with the opening question.

Brain Teaser Question

What word contains 26 letters but only has three syllables?

(answer found at the end of this post)

Featured Facts

Many of America’s animals have cousins who are found in other parts of the world.  This is the case with the badger.

Here are some interesting facts about the American badger:

  • Height/Weight:  at the shoulder, 12 inches (30 cm), 15-30 pounds
  • Lifespan:  around 10 years
  • Habitat:  open plains, prairies, and grasslands
  • Diet:  small mammals (such as mice, gophers, rabbits), earthworms, insects, roots, grasses, and fruit

A badger’s appearance is characterized by stripped faces and thick bodies.  The length of an adult is usually between 2 and 3 feet (.6 to .9 m).  A group of them is called a clan or cete.  The youngsters are named cubs or pups, while the adult males are called boars and females as sows.

Badgers are known for their fierce bite.  Their lower jaw has the ability to clamp down securely and tightly.  Designed for digging, their front paws feature long, sharp claws, which can dig quickly when searching for prey hiding underground.

A badger’s home consists of underground burrows (called setts or dens).  The tunnels may run up to 10 feet below the ground’s surface, and some may exceed 30 feet in length.  There is room for sleeping, storing food, and giving birth.

Badgers are nocturnal hunters, and they generally live as solitary creatures.  They face a variety of predators, such as wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, and even eagles and hawks.  Most will prey upon their small cubs in open areas, away from the much safer den.  In addition, man has bred his own predator–the Dachshund.  Used particularly in Europe, their name translates from the German language as “badger dog.”

starting left and clockwise: at the den’s entrance, a badger defends it against several dachshunds.  a single badger surveying the scene from his den.  a pair of badgers.  (photographs courtesy of pinterest.)

 

Answer to Brain Teaser Question

The alphabet