Word of the Week - 7-28-2008

Word of the Week
GROK
Pronunciation: \ˈgrawk\
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: coined by Robert A. Heinlein died 1988 American author
Date: 1961
: to understand profoundly and intuitively

Interesting Fact
Captain William Newton "Bill" Lancaster was a pioneering British aviator.

Lancaster emigrated to Australia as a child prior to WWI. In 1916, he joined first the Australian Army and later the Australian Flying Corps. He remained in Britain after the war and joined the Royal Air Force, marrying in 1919 and serving in India during the 1920s. He was promoted to flying officer from pilot officer on 30 April 1921.

In 1927, Lancaster transferred to the RAF Reserve and decided to make a name for himself by flying from England to Australia. He made this flight in the Avro Avian Red Rose, accompanied by Australian Jessie "Chubbie" Miller, who helped finance the flight. It was at the time one of the longest flights made in such a small aircraft—although they were overtaken en route by Bert Hinkler in another Avian—and the first England-Australia flight by a woman. A huge crowd greeted them on arrival in Darwin, and on their subsequent tour around Australia.

In 1928 Lancaster and Miller moved to the United States, where Lancaster made a living selling British aero engines, and Miller became an aviator in her own right, competing in the famous "Powder Puff Derby" of 1929.

In 1932, Lancaster had been in Mexico looking for work. At the same time, Haden Clarke, a male American writer, had been living in Lancaster and Miller's Florida home in order to assist Miller's writing of her autobiography. Clarke and Miller had developed a relationship in Lancaster's absence, and Clarke convinced Miller to leave Lancaster and marry him instead. Upon receipt of this news, Lancaster returned promptly to Florida. On 20 April, Clarke was killed by a gunshot wound to the head. Despite the facts that the gun was Lancaster's, and that he admitted forging suicide notes found at the scene (one addressed to Lancaster and another to Miller), forensic evidence provided by the prosecution was confusing to the jury. Additionally, even though Lancaster and Miller had disolved their romance and partnership, Miller spoke in Lancaster's defense.
Lancaster was acquitted of murder in just short of 5 hours deliberation.

After the trial, Lancaster and Miller returned to England. Broke and friendless, Lancaster decided to attempt the hotly-contested England to South Africa speed record. Purchasing the Avro Avian Southern Cross Minor from Charles Kingsford Smith, he departed England on 11 April 1933. As the Avian was considerably slower than other aircraft of the time, Lancaster would have to make very short stops and get very little sleep to have any hope of achieving the record. Having got lost several times and being well behind his intended time, Lancaster departed from Reggane on the evening of the 12 April to make a night crossing of the Sahara. The Avian's engine failed after less than an hour's flying, and he crash-landed in the desert. Searches—by aircraft in the south, and a car from Reggane—were unsuccessful, and he died eight days later, on 20 April 1933. His final message, written on a fuel card on the morning of the 20th, was "So the beginning of the eighth day has dawned. It is still cool. I have no water. I am waiting patiently. Come soon please. Fever wracked me last night. Hope you get my full log. Bill"

The crash site was discovered by French troops on 12 February 1962. Lancaster's body had been mummified, and his diary and personal effects had survived intact. The diary was returned to Miller, who allowed it to be published. The wreck of the Southern Cross Minor was recovered in 1975. It now resides in the Queensland Museum in Brisbane.


Trivial Pursuit
Here are this week’s questions:
Global View (Geography):
What Manhattan institution at Broadway and 80th street5 is hailed as the world’s best-stocked deli?

Entertainment:
What punk’s days gabbing “Gabba gabba hey” were silenced by cancer in 2001?

News:
What Speaker of the House defined himself as “Teacher of the Rules of Civilization” in notes released by the Ethics Committee?

Written Word:
What singer titled a slim volume of essays, poetry and sketches Chasing Down the Dream?

Life and Science:
What animals puffed crack-laced cigarettes for R.J. Reynolds in 1989, as part of tests to develop a safer cigarette – baboons, cats, or rats?

Games and Sports:
What team’s announcer Rodger Brulotte coined the home run call: “Bonsoir, elle est partie”?


Here are last week’s answers:
The category this week is Classic:
Which Monty Python member traditonally said “And now for something completely different” ? A
John Cleese
Eric Idle
Terry Jones
Michael Palin
Graham Chapman

Who voiced Charlie on Charlie’s Angels? John Forsythe

Who shot J.R. on Dallas? Kristen Shepard

Who (influenced by BOB) killed Laura Palmer on Twin Peaks? Leland Palmer

Did Scully give birth to a boy or a girl on Season 8 of The X-Files? boy

Who was the first host of the Tonight Show? Steve Allen

On Batman, a button to access the Batcave was hidden in a bust of which famous literary figure? William Shakespeare

Who guest starred as alcoholic Uncle Ned on Family Ties? Tom Hanks

Match the show with its spin off:
Barney Miller 13 - Fish
All in the Family 12 - Maude
Maude 11 – Good Times
Murder, She Wrote 15 - The Law & Harry McGraw
The X-Files 3 – The Lone Gunmen
The Carol Burnett Show 9 - Mama’s Family
Who’s The Boss? 10 - Living Dolls
Happy Days 2 – Mork and Mindy
Soap 6 - Benson
Cheers 14 – The Tortellis
Diff’rent Strokes 5 – The Facts of Life
M*A*S*H 1 – Trapper John MD
21 Jump Street 8 - Booker
Party of Five 7 – Time of Your Life
The Mary Tyler Moore Show 4 - Phyllis

1. Trapper John, MD
2. Mork & Mindy
3. The Lone Gunmen
4. Phyllis
5. The Facts of Life
6. Benson
7. Time of Your Life
8. Booker
9. Mama’s Family
10. Living Dolls
11. Good Times
12. Maude
13. Fish
14. The Tortellis
15. The Law & Harry McGraw