* Game 2, Round 2 - History - Bad Business Decisions
Decca Records turned down the Beatles, and many publishers rejected
J.K. Rowling's manuscript about a boy wizard. Here are questions
about other truly bad business decisions over the years.
1. E.T. liked Reese's Pieces, and placing them in that blockbuster
movie did wonders for Hershey's bottom line. Which candy
did the filmmakers originally want Elliot to use to lure the
Extra-Terrestrial, but were turned down by that candy's maker?
2. Both NBC and CBS passed on this football broadcast idea, not
wanting to disrupt their prime-time schedules. ABC took
the chance, and this broadcast, starting in 1970, is now the
longest-running series on American TV. Name the broadcast.
3. In 1979, Bill Gates offered Microsoft to a Texas businessman
for a reported $60,000,000. Gates said no to the counter-offer
of $15,000,000. Name the businessman, who twice ran for US
president.
4. In 1876, Western Union was offered a patent for an invention
for what seems like a measly sum of $100,000. But the company
wasn't interested in what its president called an electrical
toy with no commercial possibilities. What was the device?
5. In 1999, the top two Internet search engines were Yahoo and
Excite. The founders of another search-engine company offered
to sell their firm to Excite for $750,000, but Excite said no.
Name the other company, which is worth a fair bit more now.
6. Even a billionaire like Rupert Murdoch isn't perfect all the
time. Murdoch's News Corp. bought a social-networking company
in 2005 -- 2 years after its launch -- for $580,000,000,
but sold it in 2011 for just $35,000,000. Name the company,
which lost the social networking war with Facebook.
7. In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to the founder of the
video game company they used to work for. They showed their
ex-boss a computer they built, called the Apple 1. Jobs and
Wozniak offered him a 1/3 stake in Apple Computer for $50,000,
but were turned down. Name *either* the company or its founder
who said no to that bargain.
8. Quaker Oats took a huge bath on a drink line in the mid-1990s.
Quaker bought the company from its New-York-based founders in
1993 for $1,700,000,000. But a series of marketing errors
took their toll, and Quaker sold it 4 years later for just
$300,000,000 -- a loss of $1,400,000,000. Name the drink
company, which was resold and is thriving again.
9. Another media company bought Time Warner in 2000 for
$165,000,000,000. But that merger became what one executive
called "the biggest mistake in corporate history." Name Time
Warner's partner in that disaster.
10. Which former video rental giant turned down a chance to buy
Netflix for $50,000,000 in 2000?
* Game 2, Round 3 - Literature - Last Lines of Books
In this round, we will give you the last line of a book and the
year of publication. Name the book.
1. "It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do,
you start missing everybody." (1951)
2. "He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness
and distance." (1818)
3. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.
It is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever
known." (1859)
4. "It occurred to me then that for the first time in as long
as I could remember, I had absolutely no desire to log back
into the OASIS." (2011)
5. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly
into the past." (1925)
6. "But I don't think us feel old at all. And us so happy.
Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt. Amen."
(1982)
7. "And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea."
(1938)>
8. "And it was still hot." (1963)>
9. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to
pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible
to say which was which." (1945)
10. "After all, tomorrow is another day." (1936)
* Game 2, Round 2 - History - Bad Business Decisions
1. E.T. liked Reese's Pieces, and placing them in that blockbuster
movie did wonders for Hershey's bottom line. Which candy
did the filmmakers originally want Elliot to use to lure the
Extra-Terrestrial, but were turned down by that candy's maker?
3. In 1979, Bill Gates offered Microsoft to a Texas businessman
for a reported $60,000,000. Gates said no to the counter-offer
of $15,000,000. Name the businessman, who twice ran for US
president.
4. In 1876, Western Union was offered a patent for an invention
for what seems like a measly sum of $100,000. But the company
wasn't interested in what its president called an electrical
toy with no commercial possibilities. What was the device?
5. In 1999, the top two Internet search engines were Yahoo and
Excite. The founders of another search-engine company offered
to sell their firm to Excite for $750,000, but Excite said no.
Name the other company, which is worth a fair bit more now.
6. Even a billionaire like Rupert Murdoch isn't perfect all the
time. Murdoch's News Corp. bought a social-networking company
in 2005 -- 2 years after its launch -- for $580,000,000,
but sold it in 2011 for just $35,000,000. Name the company,
which lost the social networking war with Facebook.
7. In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to the founder of the
video game company they used to work for. They showed their
ex-boss a computer they built, called the Apple 1. Jobs and
Wozniak offered him a 1/3 stake in Apple Computer for $50,000,
but were turned down. Name *either* the company or its founder
who said no to that bargain.
9. Another media company bought Time Warner in 2000 for
$165,000,000,000. But that merger became what one executive
called "the biggest mistake in corporate history." Name Time
Warner's partner in that disaster.
* Game 2, Round 3 - Literature - Last Lines of Books
2. "He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness
and distance." (1818)
9. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to
pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible
to say which was which." (1945)
* Game 2, Round 2 - History - Bad Business Decisions
Decca Records turned down the Beatles, and many publishers rejected
J.K. Rowling's manuscript about a boy wizard. Here are questions
about other truly bad business decisions over the years.
1. E.T. liked Reese's Pieces, and placing them in that blockbuster
movie did wonders for Hershey's bottom line. Which candy
did the filmmakers originally want Elliot to use to lure the
Extra-Terrestrial, but were turned down by that candy's maker?
2. Both NBC and CBS passed on this football broadcast idea, not
wanting to disrupt their prime-time schedules. ABC took
the chance, and this broadcast, starting in 1970, is now the
longest-running series on American TV. Name the broadcast.
3. In 1979, Bill Gates offered Microsoft to a Texas businessman
for a reported $60,000,000. Gates said no to the counter-offer
of $15,000,000. Name the businessman, who twice ran for US
president.
4. In 1876, Western Union was offered a patent for an invention
for what seems like a measly sum of $100,000. But the company
wasn't interested in what its president called an electrical
toy with no commercial possibilities. What was the device?
5. In 1999, the top two Internet search engines were Yahoo and
Excite. The founders of another search-engine company offered
to sell their firm to Excite for $750,000, but Excite said no.
Name the other company, which is worth a fair bit more now.
6. Even a billionaire like Rupert Murdoch isn't perfect all the
time. Murdoch's News Corp. bought a social-networking company
in 2005 -- 2 years after its launch -- for $580,000,000,
but sold it in 2011 for just $35,000,000. Name the company,
which lost the social networking war with Facebook.
7. In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to the founder of the
video game company they used to work for. They showed their
ex-boss a computer they built, called the Apple 1. Jobs and
Wozniak offered him a 1/3 stake in Apple Computer for $50,000,
but were turned down. Name *either* the company or its founder
who said no to that bargain.
8. Quaker Oats took a huge bath on a drink line in the mid-1990s.
Quaker bought the company from its New-York-based founders in
1993 for $1,700,000,000. But a series of marketing errors
took their toll, and Quaker sold it 4 years later for just
$300,000,000 -- a loss of $1,400,000,000. Name the drink
company, which was resold and is thriving again.
9. Another media company bought Time Warner in 2000 for
$165,000,000,000. But that merger became what one executive
called "the biggest mistake in corporate history." Name Time
Warner's partner in that disaster.
10. Which former video rental giant turned down a chance to buy
Netflix for $50,000,000 in 2000?
* Game 2, Round 3 - Literature - Last Lines of Books
In this round, we will give you the last line of a book and the
year of publication. Name the book.
1. "It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do,
you start missing everybody." (1951)
2. "He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness
and distance." (1818)
3. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.
It is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever
known." (1859)
4. "It occurred to me then that for the first time in as long
as I could remember, I had absolutely no desire to log back
into the OASIS." (2011)
5. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly
into the past." (1925)
6. "But I don't think us feel old at all. And us so happy.
Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt. Amen."
(1982)
7. "And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea."
(1938)
8. "And it was still hot." (1963)
9. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to
pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible
to say which was which." (1945)
10. "After all, tomorrow is another day." (1936)
Good afternoon,
[Can anybody play? This is my first time reading this newsgroup.]
These questions were written to be asked in Toronto on 2024-05-13,
and should be interpreted accordingly... For further information
please see my 2024-08-30 companion posting on "Questions from the
Canadian Inquisition (QFTCI*)".
* Game 2, Round 2 - History - Bad Business Decisions
Decca Records turned down the Beatles, and many publishers rejected
J.K. Rowling's manuscript about a boy wizard. Here are questions
about other truly bad business decisions over the years.
1. E.T. liked Reese's Pieces, and placing them in that blockbuster
movie did wonders for Hershey's bottom line. Which candy
did the filmmakers originally want Elliot to use to lure the
Extra-Terrestrial, but were turned down by that candy's maker?
2. Both NBC and CBS passed on this football broadcast idea, not
wanting to disrupt their prime-time schedules. ABC took
the chance, and this broadcast, starting in 1970, is now the
longest-running series on American TV. Name the broadcast.
3. In 1979, Bill Gates offered Microsoft to a Texas businessman
for a reported $60,000,000. Gates said no to the counter-offer
of $15,000,000. Name the businessman, who twice ran for US
president.
4. In 1876, Western Union was offered a patent for an invention
for what seems like a measly sum of $100,000. But the company
wasn't interested in what its president called an electrical
toy with no commercial possibilities. What was the device?
5. In 1999, the top two Internet search engines were Yahoo and
Excite. The founders of another search-engine company offered
to sell their firm to Excite for $750,000, but Excite said no.
Name the other company, which is worth a fair bit more now.
6. Even a billionaire like Rupert Murdoch isn't perfect all the
time. Murdoch's News Corp. bought a social-networking company
in 2005 -- 2 years after its launch -- for $580,000,000,
but sold it in 2011 for just $35,000,000. Name the company,
which lost the social networking war with Facebook.
7. In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to the founder of the
video game company they used to work for. They showed their
ex-boss a computer they built, called the Apple 1. Jobs and
Wozniak offered him a 1/3 stake in Apple Computer for $50,000,
but were turned down. Name *either* the company or its founder
who said no to that bargain.
8. Quaker Oats took a huge bath on a drink line in the mid-1990s.
Quaker bought the company from its New-York-based founders in
1993 for $1,700,000,000. But a series of marketing errors
took their toll, and Quaker sold it 4 years later for just
$300,000,000 -- a loss of $1,400,000,000. Name the drink
company, which was resold and is thriving again.
9. Another media company bought Time Warner in 2000 for
$165,000,000,000. But that merger became what one executive
called "the biggest mistake in corporate history." Name Time
Warner's partner in that disaster.
10. Which former video rental giant turned down a chance to buy
Netflix for $50,000,000 in 2000?
* Game 2, Round 3 - Literature - Last Lines of Books
In this round, we will give you the last line of a book and the
year of publication. Name the book.
1. "It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do,
you start missing everybody." (1951)
2. "He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness
and distance." (1818)
3. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.
It is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever
known." (1859)
4. "It occurred to me then that for the first time in as long
as I could remember, I had absolutely no desire to log back
into the OASIS." (2011)
5. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly
into the past." (1925)
6. "But I don't think us feel old at all. And us so happy.
Matter of fact, I think this the youngest us ever felt. Amen."
(1982)
7. "And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea."
(1938)
8. "And it was still hot." (1963)
9. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to
pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible
to say which was which." (1945)
10. "After all, tomorrow is another day." (1936)
Mark Brader:
2. Both NBC and CBS passed on this football broadcast idea, not
wanting to disrupt their prime-time schedules. ABC took
the chance, and this broadcast, starting in 1970, is now the
longest-running series on American TV. Name the broadcast.
"Monday Night Football". 4 for Dan Tilque, Joshua, Dan Blum,
and Gregg.
Joshua says the "longest-running" claim is wrong. I have not
looked into it.
...this broadcast, starting in 1970, is now the
longest-running series on American TV.
"Monday Night Football"...
Joshua says the "longest-running" claim is wrong. I have not
looked into it.
For clarity, the longest-running series on American television is "Meet
the Press". It's been on the air since 1947... Even among prime-time
shows, "60 Minutes" has been on the air longer than "Monday Night Football"...
* Game 2, Round 2 - History - Bad Business Decisions
Decca Records turned down the Beatles, and many publishers rejected
J.K. Rowling's manuscript about a boy wizard. Here are questions
about other truly bad business decisions over the years.
1. E.T. liked Reese's Pieces, and placing them in that blockbuster
movie did wonders for Hershey's bottom line. Which candy
did the filmmakers originally want Elliot to use to lure the
Extra-Terrestrial, but were turned down by that candy's maker?
2. Both NBC and CBS passed on this football broadcast idea, not
wanting to disrupt their prime-time schedules. ABC took
the chance, and this broadcast, starting in 1970, is now the
longest-running series on American TV. Name the broadcast.
3. In 1979, Bill Gates offered Microsoft to a Texas businessman
for a reported $60,000,000. Gates said no to the counter-offer
of $15,000,000. Name the businessman, who twice ran for US
president.
4. In 1876, Western Union was offered a patent for an invention
for what seems like a measly sum of $100,000. But the company
wasn't interested in what its president called an electrical
toy with no commercial possibilities. What was the device?
5. In 1999, the top two Internet search engines were Yahoo and
Excite. The founders of another search-engine company offered
to sell their firm to Excite for $750,000, but Excite said no.
Name the other company, which is worth a fair bit more now.
6. Even a billionaire like Rupert Murdoch isn't perfect all the
time. Murdoch's News Corp. bought a social-networking company
in 2005 -- 2 years after its launch -- for $580,000,000,
but sold it in 2011 for just $35,000,000. Name the company,
which lost the social networking war with Facebook.
7. In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to the founder of the
video game company they used to work for. They showed their
ex-boss a computer they built, called the Apple 1. Jobs and
Wozniak offered him a 1/3 stake in Apple Computer for $50,000,
but were turned down. Name *either* the company or its founder
who said no to that bargain.
8. Quaker Oats took a huge bath on a drink line in the mid-1990s.
Quaker bought the company from its New-York-based founders in
1993 for $1,700,000,000. But a series of marketing errors
took their toll, and Quaker sold it 4 years later for just
$300,000,000 -- a loss of $1,400,000,000. Name the drink
company, which was resold and is thriving again.
9. Another media company bought Time Warner in 2000 for
$165,000,000,000. But that merger became what one executive
called "the biggest mistake in corporate history." Name Time
Warner's partner in that disaster.
10. Which former video rental giant turned down a chance to buy
Netflix for $50,000,000 in 2000?
* Game 2, Round 3 - Literature - Last Lines of Books
In this round, we will give you the last line of a book and the
year of publication. Name the book.
1. "It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do,
you start missing everybody." (1951)
2. "He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness
and distance." (1818)
3. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.
It is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever
known." (1859)
5. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly
into the past." (1925)
9. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to
pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible
to say which was which." (1945)
10. "After all, tomorrow is another day." (1936)
* Game 2, Round 2 - History - Bad Business Decisions
1. E.T. liked Reese's Pieces, and placing them in that blockbuster
movie did wonders for Hershey's bottom line. Which candy
did the filmmakers originally want Elliot to use to lure the
Extra-Terrestrial, but were turned down by that candy's maker?
2. Both NBC and CBS passed on this football broadcast idea, not
wanting to disrupt their prime-time schedules. ABC took
the chance, and this broadcast, starting in 1970, is now the
longest-running series on American TV. Name the broadcast.
3. In 1979, Bill Gates offered Microsoft to a Texas businessman
for a reported $60,000,000. Gates said no to the counter-offer
of $15,000,000. Name the businessman, who twice ran for US
president.
4. In 1876, Western Union was offered a patent for an invention
for what seems like a measly sum of $100,000. But the company
wasn't interested in what its president called an electrical
toy with no commercial possibilities. What was the device?
5. In 1999, the top two Internet search engines were Yahoo and
Excite. The founders of another search-engine company offered
to sell their firm to Excite for $750,000, but Excite said no.
Name the other company, which is worth a fair bit more now.
6. Even a billionaire like Rupert Murdoch isn't perfect all the
time. Murdoch's News Corp. bought a social-networking company
in 2005 -- 2 years after its launch -- for $580,000,000,
but sold it in 2011 for just $35,000,000. Name the company,
which lost the social networking war with Facebook.
7. In 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak went to the founder of the
video game company they used to work for. They showed their
ex-boss a computer they built, called the Apple 1. Jobs and
Wozniak offered him a 1/3 stake in Apple Computer for $50,000,
but were turned down. Name *either* the company or its founder
who said no to that bargain.
8. Quaker Oats took a huge bath on a drink line in the mid-1990s.
Quaker bought the company from its New-York-based founders in
1993 for $1,700,000,000. But a series of marketing errors
took their toll, and Quaker sold it 4 years later for just
$300,000,000 -- a loss of $1,400,000,000. Name the drink
company, which was resold and is thriving again.
9. Another media company bought Time Warner in 2000 for
$165,000,000,000. But that merger became what one executive
called "the biggest mistake in corporate history." Name Time
Warner's partner in that disaster.
10. Which former video rental giant turned down a chance to buy
Netflix for $50,000,000 in 2000?
* Game 2, Round 3 - Literature - Last Lines of Books
2. "He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness
and distance." (1818)
3. "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.
It is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever
known." (1859)
4. "It occurred to me then that for the first time in as long
as I could remember, I had absolutely no desire to log back
into the OASIS." (2011)
5. "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly
into the past." (1925)
7. "And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea."
(1938)
8. "And it was still hot." (1963)
9. "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to
pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible
to say which was which." (1945)
10. "After all, tomorrow is another day." (1936)
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