Maine Moves South

Winner: Driver Shea

Tonight marked the return of Mistress Daphne, mellowed by her time carousing with the Caribou in Alaska. The Driver, also returning to the game after a 3 week absence, pulled off an unexpected win. He edged out JJ, FrankC, and Pluto.

We were all glad to see him, especially because he brought back some goodies from our 50th state. He served us some line caught sockeye salmon, which he made into a fine dip, and some “interesting” Caribou sausage. We asked him if he had been able to see Russia, but apparently he can’t see as far as Sarah.

We had a good sized crowd who joined in celebrating Bea’s birthday (she ain’t saying) with a great Chocolate Ganache cake from Copenhagen, courtesy of FrankC. Hopefully we got the day right. We learned tonight the clocks in Russia had been off an hour for 61 years!

Good Question!: In the contiental U.S which state has the northernmost point?

Choices: Maine  –  North Dakota  –  Oregon  –  Minnesota

Answer: Minnesota

Fooled a lot of us. What happened, did they move Maine?

But here’s the numbers for the northernmost points in each of the 4 states:

MN 49.2N            

ND 49.0N

ME 47.5N

OR 46.2N

Maps of the 48 states that are displayed in a non-cylindrical projection (i.e. curved lines of latitude) can give the impression that the state of Maine extends further north than it actually does. The northernmost point in Maine is at approximately 47.46 degrees North latitude. This line of latitude passes through the southern suburbs of Seattle. From there, it is approximately 100 miles (160 km) north to the 49th parallel. 

A wide swath of land within the 48 states (encompassing portions of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota) is therefore further north than any place in Maine. 

Included in this area are such places as Spokane, Washington; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; Great Falls, Montana; Minot and Grand Forks, North Dakota; and Bemidji, Minnesota. Even Isle Royale and parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (such as the Keweenaw Peninsula) are further north than anywhere in Maine.

In honor of the Driver’s win (and recent trip) and Minnesota’s Northerness, here’s a fine song by Johnny Horton “North to Alaska”

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Madonna Video Fest

Winner: Droppin’

With both Darin and Daphne away on holiday, Pluto volunteered to serve as moderator tonight. Quelle difference! He congratulated players with an “Atta Boy!”, and a pat on the back when they got a question right; and consoled them with a hug when they missed one. Pluto allowed players time to think, to talk among themselves, and even permittted bathroom breaks. What a pleasant change of pace from the mean Mistress Daphne.

Tonight, in the games final rounds, winner Droppin’ was almost overtaken by newcomer Rhys , who has shown these past few weeks that she will be a competitive player. Frankee, a newly minted college graduate, joined us tonight along with his dad, FrankC and a table of players. Bea was the best at that table tonight, once again beating FrankC.

We learned some important stuff tonight, none more important than the fact that sperm can remain active for 2-5 days. So be careful out there!

Good Question!:
What Madonna music video was banned from MTV for being too racy?

Choices: Vogue  –  Justify My Love  –  Like  a Virgin  –  Erotica

Answer: Justify My Love

Not a lot of Madonna fans here and no one answered this one correctly.

I’m going to include all 4 videos so you can make your own judgment. Besides it’s probably better than watching the Muts try to play baseball.

First is “Justify My Love”,  followed by Vogue, Like  a Virgin, and Erotica.

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Apollo and the Grumman Eagle

Winners: Butch and Pluto (with Tiffany, our hostess)

Tonight’s crowd was SRO, all looking forward to a quiz that was supposed to be for 4th and 5th graders. Yeah, right! Leading the pack of 22 players, was Butch, a first time player and winner. If he hadn’t changed his answer on the last question he would have been the sole winner. Instead, he finished tied with Pluto.

Some of us know Butch as one of the stars of the LI Senior Softball league. Pluto, on the other hand, made every ground ball an adventure and was definitely not one of the stars in that league. Tonight we learned again that Devil’s Tower was the first US National Monument. A useful fact to remember – for some reason this question re-appears every few months.

Good Question:
A few days after his birth, this Greek God killed a dragon named Python.

Choices:   Apollo  –  Zeus  –  Poseidon  –  Triton

Answer: Apollo

Apollo was the great Olympian god of prophecy and oracles, healing, plague and disease, music, song and poetry, archery, and the protection of the young. All of which made him a busy god.

Four days after his birth, Apollo killed the dragon Python, who lived in Delphi beside the Castalian Spring. This was the spring which emitted vapors that caused the oracle at Delphi to give her prophecies. Hera, jealous wife of Zeus, had sent the serpent to hunt Apollo’s pregnant mother Leto to her death. To protect his mother, baby Apollo begged Hephaestus for a bow and arrows. After receiving them, Apollo cornered Python in the sacred cave at Delphi, and that was the end of Python.

Other famous myths of Apollo include:

▪ The slaying of the giant Tityos who attempted to carry off the god’s mother Leto;

▪ His music contest with the satyr Marsyas, who lost and was flayed alive;

▪ The murder of the Kyklopes, who had forged the lightning bolt used to destroy his son Asklepios;

All of which shows you shouldn’t mess with Apollo.  Also:

▪ His love for the youth Hyakinthos who was killed by a discus throw and then he was transformed into a flower;

▪ His love for the nymph Daphne who fled from him and was transformed into a laurel tree;

▪ His love for Koronis who was slain by Artemis for her infidelity;

Seems this god went both ways, and the list of his consorts and children exceeds 60! And we think online dating is dangerous.

BTW, he is also alleged to have brought plague to the Greeks and helped Paris slay Achilles in the Trojan War. Apollo aided Paris in the killing of Achilles by guiding the arrow of his bow into Achilles’ heel. One interpretation of his motive is that it was in revenge for Achilles’ sacrilege in murdering Troilus, the god’s own son by Hecuba, on the very altar of the god’s own temple. Not a good idea.

Let’s not forget that Apollo was the name of the American Space program that landed men on the moon. Let us also remember that the LEM (lunar excursion module) which actually landed men on the moon was built right here on LI at the Grumman Corporation in Bethpage. If you want to relive those tense moments on July 20, 1969, as the Grumman Eagle headed in for man’s first landing on another planet, try this:

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