LearnedLeague 97 Match Day 19 Recap
A Match Day for 90s kids like me.
Match Day 19
1. Edible seaweeds of the genus Porphyra (and others of the genus Pyropia) are known in some parts of the world as laver, and in others as sloke, but in the United States they are referred to commonly by what Japanese name?
Pre-answer thoughts: While food/drink often isn’t my strongest subject in LL, sushi is one of my favorite foods, and it’s one we’ve tried to make (with various levels of success) at home as well. After attempting to make it and buying all the ingredients, I’m confident that edible seaweed is called nori.
Correct answer: Nori
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? 65%
Points assigned to opponent: 1
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 2
Current score: 2(1)-1(1)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 2
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 2
Current score: 2(1)-0(0)
Post-answer thoughts: Sushi is fun to make at home if you have a kit and all the ingredients, but it can be a time-consuming process, especially with preparing the rice, and requires some trial and error with combining a good mix of rice, fish, and veggies in the nori.
2. What two-word phrase completes the title of the following classic hip-hop album, and is also the name of the artist who recorded this breakthrough album in 1988? Life Is … _____
Pre-answer thoughts: While pop music is one of my best subjects, 80s hip-hop is unfortunately not my best area — I didn’t really get into rap until the late 90s, after the East coast/West coast rap battle was over. And I think I’m at a loss at who this rapper might be. I think Queen Latifah got her start in the late-80s — the phrase doesn’t really work, but that’s my best guess.
Correct answer: Too $hort
Was I correct? No.
How much of LL got it right? 20%
Points assigned to opponent: 2
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 1
Current score: 2(1)-1(1)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 1
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 2
Current score: 2(1)-1(1)
Post-answer thoughts: A rare pop music miss here for me. I’ve heard Too $hort’s name before — he’s been featured on a ton of different tracks and worked with so many big names — but I wouldn’t have come up with him here.
3. George Feeny, Richard Katimski, Will Schuester, Lydia Grant, Chuck Noblet, and Carrie Bliss are names of fictional television characters who held what occupation?
Pre-answer thoughts: The one that sticks out to me right away as a 90s kid is Mr. Feeny of Boy Meets World fame. But wait — was he the principal or a teacher though? I’m pretty sure Will Schuester was one of the teachers on Glee, right? In that case I’ll go with teacher.
Correct answer: Teacher
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? 58%
Points assigned to opponent: 2
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 2
Current score: 4(2)-1(1)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 0
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 0
Current score: 2(2)-1(2)
Post-answer thoughts: As for the other teachers: Richard Katimski was from My So-Called Life, Lydia Grant was from Fame, Chuck Noblet was an early Stephen Colbert character from Strangers with Candy, and Carrie Bliss was the teacher from the Saved by the Bell prequel called Good Morning Miss Bliss, which was set in Indianapolis, not Los Angeles.
4. What French word for "raw" or "unrefined" did French painter Jean Dubuffet pair with "art" to coin a term for a genre of art created by people without formal art training, in particular prisoners, individuals with mental illness, and those on the fringes of society in general?
Pre-answer thoughts: Ahh yes, the dreaded art question as I’ve called it before. I don’t think I’ve heard of this term before, so I’m just going to go with the second part of the question and guess “vagrant art.” Vagrant sounds vaguely French right?
Correct answer: Brut
Was I correct? No.
How much of LL got it right? 20%
Points assigned to opponent: 3
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 3
Current score: 4(2)-1(1)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 3
Was opponent correct? No.
Points assigned to me: 3
Current score: 2(2)-1(2)
Post-answer thoughts: I’m annoyed I missed this one in retrospect because Art Brut was the name of a band that my friends and I were obsessed with freshman year of college. Their first album was very funny and self-referential and I think we saw them perform twice in two months. They were one of many Brit-rock bands from that era that made an impact in the States, but they didn’t have the staying power of other British bands from that era like Arctic Monkeys or Muse.
5. What word is shared in the names of the largest known accumulation of coral on Earth; the basin in the Western United States between the Sierra Nevadas and Cascades to the west and the Wasatch Range and Colorado Plateau to the east; the largest lake entirely within Canada; and the largest island in Europe?
Pre-answer thoughts: I’m pretty sure the first one is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and the next one has to be the Great Basin, so I think “Great” is the describer for all of these.
Correct answer: Great
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? 77%
Points assigned to opponent: 0
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 0
Current score: 4(3)-1(2)
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 1
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 1
Current score: 3(3)-2(3)
Post-answer thoughts: The other two are Great Britain (largest island in Europe) and Great Bear Lake (largest lake in Canada).
6. The city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is sometimes nicknamed what "City"—after an animal, whose namesake brand's products were developed and produced there starting in the 1910s?
Pre-answer thoughts: I know Winston-Salem for two things — Wake Forest University, and a center of the U.S. tobacco industry. And the tobacco product I can think of with an animal in its name has to be Camel cigarettes, plus the alliteration of “Camel City” would make sense.
Correct answer: Camel
Was I correct? Yes.
How much of LL got it right? 61%
Points assigned to opponent: 1
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 1
Points assigned to Private Rundle opponent: 2
Was opponent correct? Yes.
Points assigned to me: 2
Post-answer thoughts: Another question where I can make a reference to my age — I remember seeing “Joe Camel” cigarette ads everywhere as a 90s kid, but thankfully they were phased out by the end of the decade.
Result: Win over CockayneE, 5(4)-2(3)
Current Standings in Rundle A Byzantium: 5-10-4 (26th of 30)
Private Rundle Result: Win over MayersS, 5(4)-4(4)
Current Standings in Private Rundle: 13-4-2 (2nd of 10)
Overall thoughts: What’s this you’re telling me, a two-game win streak? In Rundle A? Exciting news of course, but I’m still not out of the weeds in terms of relegation, and I’ve got only six more match days to get there.
We’ve got a long weekend on tap, so I’ll be back with my next recap on Wednesday!