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Ask Mr. Know-It-All By Gary Lee Clothier
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Q: Was actress Halle Berry really named after a department store? -- T.L., Alamosa, Colo.
A: Yes, she really was. The actress, born Maria Halle Berry, was named after the Halle building, a landmark in her hometown, Cleveland. The building housed the Halle Brothers Co. department store. It is now an office building. In the 1990s, it was the fictional setting for the Winfred-Louder department store on "The Drew Carey Show."
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SUPER BOWL TRIVIA: The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most Super Bowl wins at six.
The longest Super Bowl winning streak is two in a row, which has been achieved by eight teams.
Q: During the medieval period, many women wore a cloth that covered their heads. The material wrapped around the head and chin. What is this garment called? -- O.D., Ames, Iowa
A: The headpiece is called a "wimple," and it was popular in medieval Europe. At one time, it was believed inappropriate for a married woman to show her hair.
Wimples are still worn today by nuns who wear the traditional habit. Wearing a wimple observes a passage in the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 11:5: "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven."
SUPER BOWL TRIVIA: According to the National Chicken Council, Americans inhale 1.25 billion wings on Super Bowl Sunday.
Jerry Rice holds the record for most career Super Bowl points, with 48 spread across four Super Bowls with San Francisco and Oakland.
Q: You're suddenly overcome by an urge to dance. Is there a clinical name for this uncontrollable urge? -- I.N.L., Bedford, Ind.
A: It is called "tarantism." The disorder was prevalent in southern Italy from the 15th to the 17th centuries and popularly attributed to the bite of a Mediterranean black widow spider.
SUPER BOWL TRIVIA: The longest field goal in Super Bowl history was a 54-yarder kicked by Buffalo's Steve Christie in 1994 against Dallas.
Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 featured 12 combined fumbles between Buffalo (eight) and Dallas (four).
Q: What is the Latin word for "kiss"? -- W.K., Manchester, N.H.
A: Ancient Romans had three words for kissing: "basium," "osculum" and "suavium." Each represented a different kind of kiss, though "osculum" is the oldest and most commonly used.
SUPER BOWL TRIVIA: In one of the least desirable Super Bowl records, Oakland's Rich Gannon tossed a record five interceptions in 2003 against Tampa Bay. On the other hand, Oakland defensive back Rod Martin holds the Super Bowl record for most interceptions caught, with three in 1981 against Philadelphia.
Q: Let's say I live in the tropics, and I decide to grow bananas. How many pounds will I get per acre? -- O.N.R., Ocala, Fla.
A: You can expect to grow anywhere from 10,000 to 16,000 pounds per acre.
SUPER BOWL TRIVIA: San Francisco scored the most points in a Super Bowl, with 55 in 1990 against Denver. Miami scored the fewest points, with three in 1972 against Dallas.
Tickets to Super Bowl I cost between $6 and $12. Current face value for Super Bowl tickets is between $600 and $1,200.
Q: What was Dizzy Gillespie's real name? -- H.B.V., Warren, Pa.
A: John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was born Oct. 21, 1917, in Cheraw, S.C. His innovative trumpet playing made him a founding father of modern jazz and an inventor of bebop. Gillespie died of pancreatic cancer in Englewood, N.J., in 1993.
SUPER BOWL TRIVIA: The next three Super Bowls will be held in New Orleans (2013); East Rutherford, N.J. (2014); and Glendale, Ariz. (2015).
The San Francisco 49ers are the only team to appear in multiple Super Bowls without losing -- they are 5-0. The Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills are both 0-4 in the Super Bowl.
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© 2011, Gary Clothier DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL UCLICK
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Arnold Ahlert | ||||||||||||
