It's the column for which you have been eagerly awaiting. I doubt that is true but I thought I'd at least try to seize your attention early on.
As I may have mentioned in passing, whilst casually whistling as is my nature, I have a YouTube channel on which I play live trivia based games on the weekends. Recently we celebrated the birthday of one of the participants with questions related to April 8, 1968.
That means that questions about April 8 of any year were in play and also any event in 1968, for two examples. I also threw in questions pertaining to his line of work, favorite hobbies and other jazz about his life. (FYI, this person's nickname online is Independent Outsider and I've reduced it to Indy or Indy Out. Just thought I should let you know why you might see “Indy” throughout this piece. This might serve as a digression as well thus killing two birds with one stone, as the saying goes.)
I'm going to follow my usual outline in terms of the numbering system and providing answers at the end. If I place one of these or more: * that means additional info will be given. Just a reminder that this won't be the most technically written piece so call off the grammar and sentence-structure law enforcement at this time please and thank you. Clearly, I can't ever share all of the questions I ask over a weekend as it generally adds up to about 80. This will give you a good sample of the game.
Let us now begin. One: This talented and entertaining group of athletes who performed various tricks with an object on a court formed in Chicago in 1926. A little over forty years later in 1968 they played their first official game in the city from which they took their name. Scooby, Shaggy and the gang hung with them back in the day.
Two: The 40th Academy Awards and baseball's opening day were both postponed in April of 1968 due to this event. Three: This gal known as “America's Sweetheart” was a co-founder of United Artists and a silent film star. She was born on April 8, 1893 and ended up being married to a famous Douglas.
Four: * On April 8, 1899 Martha Place became the first woman to have this happen to her. It SHOCKED most of the world but especially her when it unfolded.
Five: The Battle Flag of Northern ____________ is actually what many call the “Confederate Flag” but it was, in reality, associated with Robert E Lee's particular crew, so to speak. It is also the area in which our birthday boy was born. Six: Jones Beach State Park, Fire Island and Montauk Point State Park, are all found ON this which has been home to Indy and Lin since 1998. It's also a super potent iced tea which contains several shots of clear liquor, sweet and sour and is topped off with cola.
Seven: ** The highest is in Alma Co., the lowest is in Death Valley, CA, the coldest is on the North Slope of Alaska in Barrow and Wainwright and the hottest is in Death Valley CA. No matter what the elevation and stats, Indy has worked for this agency for over 20 years.
Eight: Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. Indeed, it is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and enables the man who wields it. Said this person who is heavily associated with April of 1968.
Nine: *** This was at the top of the charts in 1968. Jules was the original name in said song and was written to comfort John's son because of an impending divorce.
Ten: "Ring around the collar" was made famous in 1968 by this brand of laundry detergent that puts one in the mind of an instrument or action taken whilst preparing an omelet.
Eleven: In 1968, Charles Schulz resisted adding Franklin to the Peanuts comic strip because he thought it would be seen as condescending. After adding him his syndicate tried to force Schulz to remove him. Shultz said, "Either you print it just the way I draw it or I quit. How's that?" What was this controversy about? In other words, what was it about Franklin that led to this?
Twelve: Roosevelt Greer, nicknamed Rosie Greer is famous for his football career, acting and singing among other things. However, he was launched into the spotlight more so than usual in June of 1968 whilst working as a body guard. What event put him in the spotlight?
Thirteen: On April 8, 1994 this was outlawed or banned in all military work places including the Pentagon. Too bad they didn't outlaw wars but I guess this is more dangerous.
Fourteen: On April 8, 1991 this person who was the most well known in his profession at the time due to finishing first OFTEN, lost control of his car whilst driving under the influence resulting in his becoming a quadriplegic. Believe it or not, he sued Ford and was awarded a million dollars a few years later. His first name is associated with Bill Clinton's SLICK nickname and the last name is what Leprechauns do for a living.
Fifteen: On April 8, 1983 David Copperfield made this disappear leading to massive pearl clutching, ooing and awing. No worries as “the lady” reappeared shortly thereafter.
Sixteen: **** Prior to this amendment, which was ratified on April 8, 1913, senators were not elected by the people. Of which amendment do I speak?
Seventeen: ***** This American Pulitzer-winning reporter who exposed the My Lai Massacre and its cover-up (1969) while working for the New York Times and has recently reported on the Syria false flag scenario, shares a birthday with our dear Indy but he was born in 1937. He has also been very critical of how the media has simply run with the alleged Russia hacking saga without taking into consideration how the intelligence agencies have been proven to be untrustworthy in the past. His first name is the middle name of an actor who overdosed on heroin several years ago and the last name puts one in the mind of maybe a half of a PA original candy bar.
Eighteen: This SONG, which was being recorded during the same week that Robert Kennedy was killed, was a big hit for its across the pond creators. The original lyrics were to read, “I shouted out who killed Kennedy” but considering the update on the situation, the lead singer changed it to “I shouted out who killed the Kennedys.” Sympathy for the Devil Rolling Stones.
Nineteen: ****** The 1968 film, The Odd Couple, features a scene in a pool hall with something that was illegal in NYC at the time in the background. This must have been a shock to The WHO and Elton John who both sang about a wizard heavily associated with this object. Twenty: This character in the game of Clue was originally portrayed as an Asian femme fatale, but in 1996 her race was changed to Caucasian. (Indy's hobby is playing board games just in case that slipped by you.)
Answers: One: Harlem Globetrotters; Two: MLK assassination.
Three: Mary Pickford; Four: Executed in electric chair. * More info: The electric chair was designed to be less barbaric than hanging. It was first used in the execution of William Kemmler in 1890;
Five: Virginia.
Six: Long Island (Long Island Iced Tea – get it?)
Seven: Post Office, or Postal Service or USPS. More info: ** Most Unusual Delivery Method — Mule train delivery in AZ. Each mule carries about 130 pounds of mail, food, supplies and furniture down the 8-mile trail to the Havasupai Indians at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, averaging 4,000 pounds per day.
Eight: MLK.
Nine: Hey Jude. More info: *** "Hey Jude" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, during his parents' divorce.
Ten: Wisk Laundry Detergent;
Eleven: He was black.
Twelve: RFK murder.
Thirteen: Smoking.
Fourteen: Willie Shoemaker – (Willie—as in SLICK WILLIE Clinton and leprechauns are known for being shoemakers. Well I thought it was a clever clue, so there!)
Fifteen: Statue of Liberty.
Sixteen: **** 17th More info: The Seventeenth Amendment (Amendment XVII) to the United States Constitution established the popular election of United States Senators by the people of the states. The amendment supersedes Article I, §3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, under which senators were elected by state legislatures. It also alters the procedure for filling vacancies in the Senate, allowing for state legislatures to permit their governors to make temporary appointments until a special election can be held.
Seventeen: ***** Seymour (Sy) Hersh (Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Hershey candy bar of Hershey PA – get it?) A bit more info Hersh denounced news organizations as “crazy town” for their uncritical promotion of the pronouncements of the director of national intelligence and the CIA, given their track records of lying and misleading the public. “The way they behaved on the Russia stuff was outrageous...They were just so willing to believe stuff. And when the heads of intelligence give them that summary of the allegations, instead of attacking the CIA for doing that, which is what I would have done, they reported it as fact...” Hersh said during an interview with Jeremy Scaihill in 2017.
Eighteen: Sympathy for the Devil Rolling Stones.
Nineteen: ****** Pinball Machine. More info: From 1942 to 1976 pinball machines were illegal in New York City. They included one in this scene to convey that the pool hall was seedy and rather dangerous.
Twenty: Miss Scarlet
Well, that's all the room I have for this little slice of excitement. Don't worry about missing some of the answers.
My wish is that you will become filled to the brim with curiosity concerning some of the subjects covered here today and will then investigate for yourselves.
How was that for my best school teacher impersonation?
THE END
(Interstate Crosscheck; AIPAC; “War is a Racket” by General Smedley Butler)
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