TD 222: Worst. TD. Ever.

[StevenH]

I wanted to celebrate the end of the semester by writing and running another TD contest, so here it is: welcome to the 222nd edition of Think Different! This edition of the game will be a regular, general knowledge theme, with a few twists thrown in. There are 12 regular questions, 3 bonus questions, and 2 tiebreaker questions.

I am posting this a little early since I won't have much free time tomorrow, but as usual you still have until the following Monday to submit your answers.

The 12 Regular Questions
1. The number of points for a correct response to a question will be equal to the total number of people, including you, who give that same correct response. Your objective is to give the correct response to each question that you believe will be the least used by everyone else who enters the contest.
2. The number of points for an incorrect response to a question will be equal to the number of people who give the most popular answer (or one of the answers that is tied for the most popular) +5.
3. You may DROP one of the twelve regular questions, for a score of 0 points. Since the lowest cumulative score wins there is no good reason not to use your drop.
4. You have one additional lifeline: you may also SHEEP one of the twelve regular questions. This means that the number of points that you receive for that question will be equal to the total number of people, including you, who also sheep that question. Using your sheep is optional, but there is no bonus for not using it.

The 3 Bonus Questions
1. I have included 3 bonus questions that would be dream questions for me if I were playing a TD contest, but I feel are too hard or too niche to be regular TD questions. Instead of putting them at the end of the quiz I have placed them in the order that reflects how I plan to do the reveal.
2. Like with regular TD questions, you are only allowed one guess per question on the bonus questions.
3. A correct response to a bonus question will simply result in a one point deduction from your overall score.
4. You may answer as many or as few of the bonus questions as you would like, but there is no penalty for a clam or an incorrect guess to a bonus question, so guessing is encouraged.

The 2 Tiebreaker Questions
1. There are two tiebreaker questions, which I put before the last regular question since I want to save the reveal of the last regular question for very last.
2. You are required to answer BOTH tiebreaker questions, provided that you have answers to both.
3. Scoring for both tiebreaker questions works the same as for the 12 regular questions, but your scores on the tiebreaker questions will not change your overall numerical score; they will only have an impact on your final position on the leader board, provided that you do end up tied with at least one other player after the 12 regular questions and 3 bonus questions have been scored.
4. To avoid any confusion: yes, I purposely made the first tiebreaker question a hard question and the second tiebreaker question a very easy question.

Basic Rules
1. You may only submit your answers by private messaging them to me. Please do not post any of your answers in this thread.
2. You may only use what is already in your brain to answer the questions! Absolutely NO CHEATING is allowed! This includes but is not limited to searching the Internet, looking at a book, or asking another person for help. Everyone is welcome to enter this contest; all I ask in return for putting in the time to run it is that you play honestly.
3. Scoring is by addition, and the lowest cumulative score wins.
4. Ties will be broken in the following order: lowest score on tiebreaker question 1, lowest score on tiebreaker question 2, lowest multiplied score on the 11 regular questions that are answered, earliest entry received.
5. If you want to change any of your answers after you have submitted then you may do so, as long you give me your new answer(s) before the deadline and you haven’t purposely looked up the answer(s). However, if you do choose to change any of your answers then your spot in the order that the entries were received will be moved to reflect the timing of your new answer(s) being submitted to me. And this will apply to your most recent revised answer(s) if you send more than one correction to me. I don’t anticipate that any tiebreakers will get to the “time of entry received” point, but I still wanted to point this out.
6. You’re welcome to plead your case publicly or privately if you disagree with a ruling that I make, but I still reserve the right to accept, prompt, or ding any response to any of the questions. And if I have to prompt you for an answer(s) then your place in the order in which the entries were received will stay the same, but you are still responsible for sending me a new answer before the deadline at the risk of your original answer being ruled incorrect.
7. If you need a clarification then feel free to ask in this thread or by private messaging me, but if your question may potentially spoil any answers for any of the questions then please ask me via private message.
8. The deadline to submit your answers to me is Monday December 22, 2014, by 6:00 PM eastern. However, I will accept late entries as long as I receive them before I start the reveal.

Best of luck to everyone who enters! I hope that a good time will be had by all.

[StevenH]

1. In 2008, Comcast released a list of their picks for the top ten worst reality television show winners of all time. Because of the way that Comcast compiled the list there were actually more than ten people who made it onto the list, and the names of ten of the individuals who were picked are listed below. Pick* any one of the “bad” reality show winners who is listed below AND identify** the reality show that he or she won. *NOTE 1: For this question you must specify which of the ten names you are referring to with your response, and the person and the reality show that they won must match correctly. **NOTE 2: You do NOT have to specify which season or incarnation of the reality show was won by the person; I only need the name of the person (or their letter below) and the name of the television series.

a) Flo Pesenti
b) Ilan Hall
c) Jeffrey Sebelia
d) Kelly Perdew
e) Lukas Rossi
f) Mike “Boogie” Malin
g) Saleisha Stowers
h) Shayne Lamas
i) Taylor Hicks
j) Vecepia Towery

2. Give the name of a sculpture* that was created by Donatello (1386-1466), Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680), Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-1488), or Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571).** *NOTE 1: Sculptures that have the same title but were sculpted in different materials will count together as one response. **NOTE 2: You do NOT have to specify which sculptor you are referring to with your answer, and titles that were done by more than one of the four sculptors will count together as one response.

3. India has 29 states. Identify a city that serves as the administrative capital* of any one of India’s 29 states. *NOTE: There may be more than one correct answer for each state, and cities that serve as the capitals of the same state will be counted as separate correct responses.

4. Give the title of a short story, novella, or novel that Thomas Pynchon has written.


Bonus 1: Give the title* of any of the stories that appears in the original 2006 version of Tucker Max’s New York Times Best Selling book I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell. *NOTE: I will be lenient on exact titles and I will even accept just a description of what happened in the story, as long as you’re specific enough with the details.


5. Remember when a low-fat diet was still a thing? Subway currently has 8 sandwiches on its menu that are advertised as 6-inch subs that have 6 grams of fat or less when they are served without cheese in their standard 6-inch versions. Identify* 1 of the 8 Subway sandwiches that, according to Subway’s website, has 6 grams of fat or less when it is served in its standard 6-inch version. *NOTE: For this question you don’t necessarily have to give the exact name of the sandwich as it appears on Subway’s menu; I will accept a more generic name or description of each sandwich by its main ingredient(s) on a case by case basis.

6.Listed in the Google Drive document below are the formulas for seven rules that can be used to find the first derivative of a mathematical expression. Give the common name* for any one of the seven rules that is illustrated in the Google Drive document below AND indicate the letter of the option that you’re referring to with your answer, as they have to match correctly. *NOTE: There may be more than one correct name that can be used for each option, but alternate names for the same option will be scored together.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6bnPx ... sp=sharing

7. Identify* one of the eight economists who wrote one of the works that is listed below. *NOTE: You do NOT have to specify which choice you are referring to with your response.

a) Capitalism and Freedom (1962)
b) The Affluent Society (1958)
c) The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions (1899)
d) Principles of Economics (1890)
e) The High Price of Bullion, a Proof of the Depreciation of Bank Notes (1810)
f) The Condition of the Working Class in England (1844)
g) The Road to Serfdom (1944)
h) The Wealth of Nations (1776)

8. Name a battle that was fought as part of the Napoleonic Wars between 1798 and 1815, inclusive.


Bonus 2: Identify a battle that was fought as part of the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War.


9. No StevenH TD would be complete without an NBA or MLB question, so here is an MLB question: the Mitchell Report, which was released in 2007, was an investigation into the possible use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs by Major League Baseball players. There were a total of 89 active or retired Major League Baseball players who were named in the report. Identify 1 of the 89 Major League Baseball players who was named in the Mitchell Report.

10. Egypt’s New Kingdom period, which covered the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties and lasted from roughly 1550 BC-1069 BC, is often referred to as the period of the “Egyptian Empire.” Name a Pharaoh* who ruled during Egypt’s New Kingdom period. *NOTE: Make sure that you include a number with the name, where appropriate.

11. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains are considered the “Big 4” of the grunge bands who emerged during the 1980s and early 1990s. Name someone who is or was a member of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, or Alice in Chains.


Bonus 3: Listed below are six pairs of albums that were recorded by six music artists who are more or less considered to be “indie.” Select* one of the options below and identify the indie band or singer that recorded that pair of albums. *NOTE: For this question you MUST identify which option you are referring to with your response, and it has to match with the correct artist.

a) Castaways and Cutouts (2002) and Picaresque (2005)
b) Slanted and Enchanted (1992) and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)
c) Gallowsbird’s Bark (2003) and Blueberry Boat (2004)
d) 12 (1995) and Neon Golden (2002)
e) Take Offs and Landings (2001) and The Execution of All Things (2002)
f) Either/Or (1997) and Figure 8 (2000)


Tiebreaker 1: Name one of the novels that is considered to be one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese Literature.


Tiebreaker 2: Name one of the four U.S. states that is part of the Four Corners Monument.


12. How Green Was My Valley winning the Academy Award for Outstanding Motion Picture at the 1941 Academy Awards (held in 1942) and Forrest Gump winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 1994 Academy Awards (held in 1995) are often considered to be two of the worst choices for the “Best Picture” Oscar winner in the history of the Academy Awards. Name 1 of the 13 films that was nominated for but lost the “Best Picture” Academy Award to either How Green Was My Valley or Forrest Gump.

[StevenH]

Entrants--32
geolawyerman
econgator
MarkBarrett
gamawire
mujason
Peggles
goforthetie
lieph82
Tpmorrison
Creed Bratton

Lampy
goatman
Holocene Hero
mennoknight
ElendilPickle
dott888
tjconn728
Woppy T
sethmoko
dnbguy

ihavejeoprosy
Woof
whatisbishkek
Blue Lion
CheezeWhiz
TheyCallMeMrKid
jkbrat
ThreeIfByAir
bleezy
lpmastor

Tigershark
Randy G

[Tpmorrison]

Forrest Gump winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 1994 Academy Awards (held in 1995) (is) often considered to be (one) of the worst choices for the “Best Picture” Oscar winner in the history of the Academy Awards

In what universe is this true???

[econgator]

Forrest Gump winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 1994 Academy Awards (held in 1995) (is) often considered to be (one) of the worst choices for the “Best Picture” Oscar winner in the history of the Academy Awards

In what universe is this true???

Considering what these two were up against (which obviously can't be mentioned), most every one of them.

[Tpmorrison]

Forrest Gump winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 1994 Academy Awards (held in 1995) (is) often considered to be (one) of the worst choices for the “Best Picture” Oscar winner in the history of the Academy Awards

In what universe is this true???

Considering what these two were up against (which obviously can't be mentioned), most every one of them.

I understand How Green Was My Valley. I also understand that Forrest Gump had some great competition (there are certainly some other excellent films from '94 that deserved it as well). But to say that Forrest Gump, ranked 71st on the AFI list of Top 100 movies ever, is "often considered to be one of the worst choices" for Best Picture seems a bit far-fetched.

[StevenH]

, ranked 71st on the AFI list of Top 100 movies ever, is "often considered to be one of the worst choices" for Best Picture seems a bit far-fetched.

If you do a Google search for "worst choices for Oscar winners" you will see that it is one of the ones that is most frequently mentioned. It's all a matter of opinion--just like with How Green Was My Valley--but they are two of the most frequently mentioned as the least deserving Best Picture winners, relative to their competition.

I also considered using Rocky and Driving Miss Daisy. Maybe someone could use those in a future TD

[Turd Ferguson]

Forrest Gump winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 1994 Academy Awards (held in 1995) (is) often considered to be (one) of the worst choices for the “Best Picture” Oscar winner in the history of the Academy Awards

In what universe is this true???

Considering what these two were up against (which obviously can't be mentioned), most every one of them.

I understand How Green Was My Valley. I also understand that Forrest Gump had some great competition (there are certainly some other excellent films from '94 that deserved it as well). But to say that Forrest Gump, ranked 71st on the AFI list of Top 100 movies ever, is "often considered to be one of the worst choices" for Best Picture seems a bit far-fetched.

"Worst choice" does not mean "worst movie to win". It means that the choice of it *over its competition* was the worst "decision" made.

It's not (in isolation) a judgement of the quality of the movie, but rather a judgment of the quality of the movie compared with the other movies of the year (probably specifically of the other movies nominated)

[Vanya]

"Worst choice" does not mean "worst movie to win".

In my universe, that's exactly what it means.

[Category 13]

Seems like I remember Alex Trebek once stating that How Green Was My Valley was his favorite movie of all time.
Perhaps this is a well known fact around here.

[TheyCallMeMrKid]

Worst. TD. Ever.

Agreed.

(Because I don't think I can answer more than 2 or 3 of these questions.)

[bleezy]

I came across a more obscure answer to number 7 reading this week's Economist, about 30 minutes after I submitted my answer. I might have sheeped that question. Boy this one was hard.

[Caboom]

I came across a more obscure answer to number 7 reading this week's Economist, about 30 minutes after I submitted my answer. I might have sheeped that question. Boy this one was hard.

You're allowed to change your answer if you haven't done intentional research.

[StevenH]

I came across a more obscure answer to number 7 reading this week's Economist, about 30 minutes after I submitted my answer. I might have sheeped that question. Boy this one was hard.

You're allowed to change your answer if you haven't done intentional research.

This is correct, but remember that you will be moved to the back of the line for entry order.

[Creed Bratton]

I think this is by far the hardest TD I've participated in (setting aside the ones I skipped because I simply didn't know anything about the subject area).

[RandyG]

BuMp

[BobF]

Worst. TD. Ever.

Agreed.

(Because I don't think I can answer more than 2 or 3 of these questions.)

You and me both. Maybe we should do a team entry for those of us who can only answer a few.

[Category 13]

Worst. TD. Ever.

Agreed.
(Because I don't think I can answer more than 2 or 3 of these questions.)

You and me both. Maybe we should do a team entry for those of us who can only answer a few.

Me three.
I'll take questions (1), (9)

[TheyCallMeMrKid]

Worst. TD. Ever.

Agreed.
(Because I don't think I can answer more than 2 or 3 of these questions.)

You and me both. Maybe we should do a team entry for those of us who can only answer a few.

Me three.
I'll take questions (1), (9)

Well, this isn't going to work if we all want to answer the same questions!

[BobF]

Worst. TD. Ever.

Agreed.
(Because I don't think I can answer more than 2 or 3 of these questions.)

You and me both. Maybe we should do a team entry for those of us who can only answer a few.

Me three.
I'll take questions (1), (9)

Well, this isn't going to work if we all want to answer the same questions!

Yeah, those two were my first choices as well. But I know 7, 8 and 11 and can make a reasonable guess at 3, 4.