Prescription Drug Ads

According to an article in Pharmacy & Therapeutics (2011) on "Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising" (DTCPA)

". . . The U.S. and ________ are the only countries that allow DTCPA that includes product claims. . . . however, Canada does allow ads that mention either the product or the indication, but not both. . . . "

a) 120 other countries
b) 24 other countries
c) 12 other countries
d) New Zealand


Source:P&T 2011
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3278148/

Answer: (d) New Zealand

Answer(s) and Source(s):
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Impaired Driving

According to the CDC (April 2013)

"In 2010, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics." "That's one percent of the __________ self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among U.S. adults each year."

"In 2010,  _______ people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for  . . .  ________ of all traffic-related deaths in the United States."

"Drugs other than alcohol (e.g., marijuana and cocaine) are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths. These other drugs are often used in combination with alcohol."

a) 112 thousand ; 1,279 ; (3%)
b) 1.12 million ; 2,557 ; (7%)
c) 11.2 million ; 5,114 ; (16%)
d) 112 million ; 10,228 ; (31%)


Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/Impaired_Driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html
Answer: (d) 112 million ; 10,228 ; (31%)
Answer(s) and Source(s):
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Food Safety & Pregnancy

DoctorzBlox / SmartzBlox Weekly Health Quiz

Food Safety & Pregnancy

According to the CDC (2013, "Food Safe and Pregnant: Tips for the Holidays and Beyond")

Which of the following "are some quick tips to help you make smarter food--and beverage--decisions"?

a) "Don’t share forks, cups, or food with young children. Wash your hands often when around children."
b) "Cook your meat and poultry until it’s well-done"
c) "Make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked"
d) a) "Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially when . . Touching raw meat, raw eggs or unwashed vegetables . . . Preparing food . . Before eating or drinking"
e) all of the above


Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/HolidayFoodSafety/index.html

Answer:
e) all of the above

Answer(s) and Source(s):
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Type 2 Diabetes Prevention

According to the CDC (2013)

"The vast majority of people living with prediabetes, though, do not even know they have it."
"79 million Americans—35% of adults aged 20 years and older—have prediabetes."

"Research shows that modest weight loss and regular physical activity can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by up to 58% in people with prediabetes."

"Modest weight loss means_____________, which is 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. Getting at least _____________ of physical activity, such as brisk walking, also is important."
a) 1% to 2% of body weight ; 30 minutes each weekb) 2% to 4% of body weight ; 60 minutes each week
c) 5% to 7% of body weight ; 150 minutes each week
d) 10% to 14% of body weight ; 300 minutes each week


Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/diabetesprevention/

Answer:
c) 5% to 7% of body weight ; 150 minutes each week

Measles

According to the CDC, (Dec 2013)

"Today, thanks to vaccines, very few children in the United States get measles. The number of people with measles has decreased by more than 99% since a measles vaccine was licensed in 1963."

"Complications from measles _________. They occur more commonly in children younger than 5 years old and adults 20 years of age or older. For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from the disease. . . . In 2008, there were about ___________ worldwide . . . "

"Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of getting infected with measles virus when they travel internationally."

a) are almost never serious ; 16 measles deaths
b) are almost never serious ; 164 measles deathsc) can be serious ; 1,640 measles deathsd) can be serious ; 164,000 measles deaths

Answer:
d) can be serious ; 164,000 measles deaths

Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/Measles/

HPV Vaccine for Boys

According to the CDC (2013),

"CDC recommends that you get your _______ vaccinated at _________ to prevent cancers caused by HPV."
a) girls ; 9 or 10
b) boys ; 11 or 12
c) boys and girls ; 11 or 12
d) sexually active boys and girls ; 13 or 14

Source:
CDC Nov 2013
http://www.cdc.gov/features/hpvvaccineboys/
Answer: (c) boys and girls ; 11 or 12  

Meningococcal Disease

In Nov. 2013, "the NJ Department of Health (NJDOH)" stated "The NJDOH  is aware of 8 cases of invasive meningococcal disease associated with Princeton University. NJDOH has considered this to be an outbreak of meningococcal disease . . . "

According to the NJDOH:

"You can help prevent the spread of illnesses by:"

a) "Avoid sharing utensils, water bottles or other items contaminated by saliva or respiratory secretions."
b) "Cleaning your hands. Washing your hands will help protect you against infections.  . . . You should clean your hands before eating."
c) "Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing."
d) "Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol intake."
e) all of the above


source:
http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/meningo/documents/meningococcal_faq.pdf
answer:
e) all of the above

"Meningococcal disease can be spread from person to person. The bacteria are spread by
exchanging respiratory and throat secretions like saliva (spit) during close (for example,
coughing or kissing) or lengthy contact, . . . "

Child Deaths in the U.S.

According to the CDC,
the leading cause of death for children 1-14 years of age in the United States (2010) was "unintentional injury."

"Unintentional MV Traffic" is the leading cause of "unintentional injury" deaths for all children 1-14.
Specifically for children 1-4 years old, the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths is:

a) "Unintentional Drowning"
b) "MV Traffic"
c) "Homicide Unspecified"
d) "Unintentional Fire/Burn"

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10LCID_All_Deaths_By_Age_Group_2010-a.pdf 
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10LCID_Unintentional_Deaths_2010-a.pdf 
http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/leadingcauses.html 

Answer: (a) "Unintentional Drowning"

Preventing Pneumonia

According to the CDC (2013)

"In 2010, 1.1 million people in the United States were hospitalized with pneumonia, and about 50,000 people died from the disease."

"Globally, pneumonia kills more than 1 million children younger than 5 years of age each year. This is greater than the number of deaths from any other infectious disease, such as HIV infection, malaria or tuberculosis. "

Which of the following "can also help prevent respiratory infections" or pneumonia?
a) "good hygiene practices  . . . washing your hands regularly, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (like doorknobs and countertops)"  
b) "coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve"
c) "vaccines in many cases"  d) "limiting exposure to cigarette smoke and treating and preventing conditions like diabetes."
e) all of the above

source:
"Pneumonia Can Be Prevented - Vaccines Can Help"  CDC Nov 2013
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pneumonia/

answer: e) all of the above

"Pneumonia can be prevented with vaccines in many cases. In the United States, there are several vaccines that prevent infection by bacteria or viruses that may cause pneumonia."
"Following good hygiene practices can also help prevent respiratory infections. This includes washing your hands regularly, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (like doorknobs and countertops), and coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into your elbow or sleeve.

"You can also reduce your risk of getting pneumonia by limiting exposure to cigarette smoke and treating and preventing conditions like diabetes."

Folic Acid

According to the CDC (Jan 2012),

"Every woman needs folic acid every day, whether she’s planning to get pregnant or not,  . . . "
"CDC urges women to take ____ of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before getting pregnant, to help prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine."  
(mcg = micrograms, mg = milligrams)
a) 100 mcg 
b) 400 mcg 
c) 100 mg 
d) 400 mg 


Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html


Answer;  b) 400 mcg 

Child Safety

According to the CDC (Sep 2011):
"Injuries are the leading cause of death for young people from birth through age 19.  . . . every year, 9.2 million babies, children, and teens are injured severely enough to need treatment in emergency departments . . .  $300 billion a year."
The CDC gives the following recommendations (among several others) to improve child safety:

Poisonings: "Put the poison control number, 1-800-222-1222, on or near every home telephone."
Drownings: "Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and get recertified every two years."
Burns: "Set your water heater's thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower."Road Traffic Injuries: "Transport children under ____ in the back seat of your vehicle."

a) age 3
b) age 5
c) age 13
d) age 15
Source:  http://www.cdc.gov/features/colormesafe/index.html  
Answer: c) age 13

Weekly Health Quiz: Colorectal Cancer

According to the CDC (Oct 2013)

"You should begin screening for colorectal cancer soon after turning 50, then keep getting screened regularly until the age of 75.  . . . Some people are at a higher risk than others for developing colorectal cancer. . .  If you think you may be at high risk for colorectal cancer, talk to your doctor about when and how often to get tested."
“Symptoms for colorectal cancer may include”

a) “Blood in or on the stool (bowel movement)”
b) “Stomach pain, aches, or cramps that do not go away”
c) “Losing weight and you don't know why”
d) all of the aboveSource: “March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month”
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/ColorectalAwareness/

Answer (d) all of the above

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Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

According to the CDC (Aug 2013)

"Whooping cough is very contagious and can cause serious illness―especially in babies too young to be fully vaccinated." "In the United States, the recommended whooping cough vaccine for children is called DTaP . . . protects children against three diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough. "

Which is/are true regarding Pertussis (whooping cough)  vaccinations (DTap and Tdap) and whooping cough?
a) "Anyone who comes in close contact with your baby, from older siblings and cousins to grandparents and caregivers, should be up-to-date with whooping cough vaccination."

b) "Only one dose of Tdap is recommended for most people 11 years and older."

c) "CDC recommends that all adults 19 years of age and older who didn't get Tdap as a preteen or teen should get one dose of Tdap."

d) "Currently, the only group that CDC recommends get more than one dose of this vaccine is pregnant women (each time they are pregnant)." (Tdap)

e) all of the above

Answer(s) and source(s)

(e) all of the above

CDC: Pertussishttp://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pertussis/

Breast Cancer

SmartzBlox / DoctorzBlox Weekly Health Quiz

According to the CDC (Aug 2013), which of the following (among several others) are risk factors for developing breast cancer?

a) "Not getting regular exercise."
b) "Drinking alcohol (more than one drink a day)."
c) "Being overweight (increases risk for breast cancer after menopause)."
d) "Long-term use of hormone-replacement therapy."
e) (b) and (d)
f) all of the above




Answer: (f) all of the above
Source: CDC 2013
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/risk_factors.htm

High Fructose Corn Syrup

SmartzBlox/DoctorzBlox Weekly Health Quiz   Oct 5, 2013

"Sugar" (Sucrose) and High Fructose Corn Syrup

Sucrose, or "table sugar" is a sugar disaccharide composed of equal amounts of glucose (aka dextrose or d-glucose) and fructose.

Therefore, common table "sugar" contains 50% fructose and 50% glucose.  Fructose makes up 70% of the sugars in apples and is the primary or majority sugar in many fruits. (1)

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contains the monosaccharides glucose and fructose in varying amounts depending on the formulation.
The common formulations of HFCS contain either
____ fructose (for baking) or
____ fructose (for soft drinks) (1,2)

a) 42% ; 55% (similar amounts to common "sugar")
b) 72% ; 85%
c) 85% ; 88%
d) 95% ; 98% (nearly twice the amount in "sugar")


Sources
(1) http://www.realfooduniversity.com/best-sweetener/
(2) http://nutrition.about.com/od/grainsandcereals/f/fructosesyrup.htm

Answer: (a) 42% ; 55% (similar amounts to common "sugar")(NOTE: this question is intended to convey some basic information but is not intended to imply that table sugar and HFCS are essentially the same in substance or necessarily have the same effects on the human body)

(c) 2013 zBlox.com / SmartzBlox / DoctorzBlox

Salt

DoctorzBlox / SmartzBlox Weekly Health Quiz - Sep 28, 2013
Sodium (Salt)

According to the CDC (2012)

"Americans eat on average about 3,300 mg of sodium a day. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting sodium to less than _____ mg a day, and about 6 out of 10 adults should further limit sodium to ____ mg a day."  In contrast, the American Heart Association (2011) gives a single recommendation for sodium (the lower of the two above numbers).

a) 1,800 ; 1,200
b) 2,300 ; 1,500
c) 2,500 ; 2,000
d) 3,000 ; 2,500

Answer: (b) 2,300 ; 1,500
AHA: "1,500 mg a day"

Sources:
"Where's the sodium? There's too much in many common foods" - Feb 2012
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/Sodium/

AHA (2011)
"1,500 mg a day"
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Sodium-Salt-or-Sodium-Chloride_UCM_303290_Article.jsp#mainContent

(c) 2013 SmartzBlox / zBlox.com

Kids and Violent Entertainment

DoctorzBlox / SmartzBlox Weekly Health Quiz:
Violent Entertainment and Aggression in Children

According to the American Psychological Association (2004):

"Psychological research confirms that violent video games ___________________."

a) surprisingly decrease acts of aggression in children.
b) do not increase children's aggression. 
c) cannot be linked to aggression due to the conflicting data.
d) can increase children's aggression, but that parents moderate the negative effects.

Answer:  
d) can increase children's aggression, but that parents moderate the negative effects.
Source:http://www.apa.org/research/action/games.aspx

(c) 2013 SmartzBlox / zBlox.com

Painkiller Overdoses

SmartzBlox / DoctorzBlox Weekly Health Quiz - Sep 14, 2013

According to the CDC’s "Prescription Painkiller Overdoses in the U.S." (Nov 2011/Feb 2012)

“Many more __________ die of overdoses from prescription painkillers.

__________ have the highest prescription painkiller overdose rates.

People in rural counties are about two times as likely to overdose on prescription painkillers as people in big cities.

_______ and American Indian or Alaska Natives are more likely to overdose on prescription painkillers.”

a) women than men ; Older teens ; Hispanics
b) men than women ; Middle-aged adults ; Whites
c) women than men ; Older teens ; Whites
d) men than women ; Middle-aged adults ; Blacks

Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitalSigns/PainkillerOverdoses/

Answer:  (b) men than women ; Middle-aged adults ; Whites

Substance Use and Disease

According to the World Heath Organization (2011, 2013):

Which of the following is the "leading risk factor" "for disease burden" in "the Americas," "the second largest in Europe" and "the world’s third largest risk factor for disease burden" which "results in 2.5 million deaths each year."

"Furthermore, 320 000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from _______-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group."

(Tobacco use is #6 of the "leading risk factors" when considering "disability-adjusted life years" but the WHO attributes more total deaths to tobacco: "Tobacco kills nearly 6 million people each year.")

a) alcohol
b) cocaine
c) opioid narcotic
d) methamphetamine

Source:
WHO Alcohol Fact Sheet, 2011
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs349/en/
WHO Tobacco Fact Sheet, 2013
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs339/en/index.html

Answer: (a) alcohol

Top Movies

12-29-2013

According to Box Office Mojo,  (as of Oct 2013), when "Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation*" the top 5 films in U.S. history are:
a) Avatar, Titanic, The Avengers, The Dark Knight, Star Wars Ep I: Phantom Menace ('99)
b) Titanic, Star Wars ('77), E.T., Jaws, The Dark Knight
c) Star Wars ('77), Gone with the Wind, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Doctor Zhivago
d) Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, Sound of Music, E.T., Titanic
e) Jaws, Titanic, The Ten Commandments, Snow White, Exorcist

Sources:
inflation adjusted: http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm

US gross unadjusted:
http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domestic.htm

World unadjusted:
http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/

Answer: (d) Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, Sound of Music, E.T., Titanic

Rank	Title (click to view)	Studio	Adjusted Gross	Unadjusted Gross	Year^
1	Gone with the Wind	MGM	$1,648,684,100	$198,676,459	1939^
2	Star Wars	Fox	$1,453,455,900	$460,998,007	1977^
3	The Sound of Music	Fox	$1,162,109,500	$158,671,368	1965
4	E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial	Uni.	$1,157,531,400	$435,110,554	1982^
5	Titanic	Par.	$1,105,471,700	$658,672,302	1997^
6	The Ten Commandments	Par.	$1,068,960,000	$65,500,000	1956
7	Jaws	Uni.	$1,045,123,200	$260,000,000	1975
8	Doctor Zhivago	MGM	$1,012,945,300	$111,721,910	1965
9	The Exorcist	WB	$902,489,200	$232,906,145	1973^
10	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	Dis.	$889,440,000	$184,925,486	1937^
	Unadjusted Gross:

Rank Title(click to view) Studio Lifetime Gross Year^ 1 Avatar Fox $760,507,625 2009^ 2 Titanic Par. $658,672,302 1997^ 3 Marvel's The Avengers BV $623,357,910 2012 4 The Dark Knight WB $534,858,444 2008^ 5 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

NFL Records

9-6-2013

According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, in 2012
Adrian Peterson (Vikings) ran for 2,097 rushing yards,
Peyton Manning (Broncos) threw for 4,659 yards
Drew Brees (Saints) threw 43 touchdowns
and Calvin Johnson (Lions) had 1,964 receiving yards.

Which players were the
1st: ______________ (i.e., the current all-time single season record holder)
2nd: _____________
7th: ______________ and
24th: _____________ players in NFL history to achieve theses feats in a single season.

a) Manning, Peterson, Johnson, Brees
b) Peterson, Manning, Brees, Johnson
c) Johnson, Peterson, Brees, Manning
d) Brees, Peterson, Manning, Johnson

Sources:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rec_yds_single_season.htm
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_td_single_season.htm
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rush_yds_single_season.htm
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_single_season.htm

Answer: (c) Johnson, Peterson, Brees, Manning

Top Movies

10-15-2013

According to Box Office Mojo,  (as of Oct 2013), when "Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation*" the top 5 films in U.S. history are:
a) Avatar, Titanic, The Avengers, The Dark Knight, Star Wars Ep I: Phantom Menace ('99)
b) Titanic, Star Wars ('77), E.T., Jaws, The Dark Knight
c) Star Wars ('77), Gone with the Wind, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Doctor Zhivago
d) Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, Sound of Music, E.T., Titanic
e) Jaws, Titanic, The Ten Commandments, Snow White, Exorcist

Sources:
inflation adjusted: http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm

US gross unadjusted:
http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/domestic.htm

World unadjusted:
http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/

Answer: (d) Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, Sound of Music, E.T., Titanic

Rank	Title (click to view)	Studio	Adjusted Gross	Unadjusted Gross	Year^
1	Gone with the Wind	MGM	$1,648,684,100	$198,676,459	1939^
2	Star Wars	Fox	$1,453,455,900	$460,998,007	1977^
3	The Sound of Music	Fox	$1,162,109,500	$158,671,368	1965
4	E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial	Uni.	$1,157,531,400	$435,110,554	1982^
5	Titanic	Par.	$1,105,471,700	$658,672,302	1997^
6	The Ten Commandments	Par.	$1,068,960,000	$65,500,000	1956
7	Jaws	Uni.	$1,045,123,200	$260,000,000	1975
8	Doctor Zhivago	MGM	$1,012,945,300	$111,721,910	1965
9	The Exorcist	WB	$902,489,200	$232,906,145	1973^
10	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	Dis.	$889,440,000	$184,925,486	1937^
	Unadjusted Gross:

Rank Title(click to view) Studio Lifetime Gross Year^ 1 Avatar Fox $760,507,625 2009^ 2 Titanic Par. $658,672,302 1997^ 3 Marvel's The Avengers BV $623,357,910 2012 4 The Dark Knight WB $534,858,444 2008^ 5 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

World's Nuclear Weapons

12-16-2013

According to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS.org),
as of 2013, 9 countries have nuclear weapons.

Other than the U.S., U.K, Russia, China and India, the remaining countries with nuclear weapons are

a) France, Germany, Japan, Italy
b) France, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel
c) South Korea, North Korea, Israel, Iran
d) Germany, Japan, South Korea, North Korea
e) Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel

Source:
http://www.fas.org/programs/ssp/nukes/nuclearweapons/nukestatus.html
Answer:
b) France, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel

Energy: Top Oil Producers

11-1-2013


Each of the world's top three oil producers dominate oil production so much that they produce more than TWICE that of the number four country. The #1 and #2 countries are close to tied, each producing over 11 million barrels/day)

According to the EIA, the two "Top World Oil Producers" in 2012 were: 

a) Saudi Arabia and Iran   

b) Saudi Arabia and Russia  
c) China and Iran  
d) Saudi Arabia and United States      
e) Russia and China
f) Canada and Iran  

Bonus questions:  
Which were #3 and #4?
Which were #5 and #6?

Source: http://205.254.135.7/countries/  

Answers: 
1 & 2 (d) Saudi Arabia and United States
3 & 4: (e)
5 & 6: (f)
7 & 8: UAE, Iraq
9 & 10: Mexico, Kuwait

NFL MVP

1-6-2014

SmartzBlox NFL Quiz

Associated Press (AP) NFL MVP Award

Which is (are) true regarding the AP NFL MVP award?

(Note this is not a "team" MVP award but a league MVP award.  Team players vote for their team's  MVP).

a) In the 2012 season, Calvin Johnson broke Jerry Rice's single season receiving yards record (a new NFL record) but received no first place votes.*

b) In the 2009 season, Chris Johnson "broke the single-season yards from scrimmage record"** which included over 2,000 yards rushing.  Johnson did not receive any first place votes for the AP NFL MVP.

c) For the 2009 season, Drew Brees was #1 in passer rating, #1 in completion percentage (NFL record), #1 in TDs,  #2 in yards per game, #3 in yards per attempt but came in a distant second in MVP votes to the QB with the #6 passer rating who did not lead the league or surpass Brees in any of these categories. The winner did have 112 more yards (57 more attempts) but did not lead the league or his conference in passing yards.***

d) As of the completion of the 2012 season, no wide receiver has won the award. ****

e) all of the above


Sources:

*
http://nfl.si.com/2012/12/22/calvin-johnson-breaks-jerry-rices-record-for-single-season-receiving-yards/
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1513276-nfl-mvp-2013-winner-voting-results-and-reaction

**
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/09/no-mvp-votes-for-chris-johnson/

***
(this is the official NFL passer rating not the useless ESPN QBR)
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/passing.htm

****
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/baseball/archive/2008/11/why_cant_a_wide.shtml

Answer:  (e) all of the above

Greatest Pro QBs

2-1-2014

SportzBlox/ SmartzBlox / zBlox Quiz: Pro Football's Greatest QBs  http://www.zblox.mobi/

Which U.S. professional football quarterback (as of 1/1/2014)

- appeared in 10 consecutive pro football LEAGUE championship/title games (winning 7)*

- had a career 84.7% win record*

- holds the record of 9.0 yards per pass attempt**  (Aaron Rodgers is number 3 with 8.2)

- has a career high 109.2 single season passer rating which remains the 13th best all-time (tied with Kurt Warner's best year) in 78 years of records on over 1,000 QB seasons since 1936***

(109.2 beats the best years of Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Joe Thiesman, Phillip Rivers, Tony Romo, Phil Simms, Robert Griffin III, Roger Staubach, Dan Fouts, Fran Tarkenton, Brian Griese, Colin Kapernick, Ben Roethlisberger, Donovan McNabb, Russell Wilson, Jim Kelly, Troy Aikman, Matt Schaub, Carson Palmer, Matthew Stafford, Bernie Kosar, Brian Sipe, Eli Manning, Boomer Esiason, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham and 100's of other QBs)***


a) Johnny Unitas
b) Otto Graham
c) Joe Montana
d) John Elway
e) none of the above ; this has never been done

Answer:  (b) Otto Graham

Sources:

* http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/26/4436561/top-12-nfl-quarterbacks-of-all.html
** http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_per_att_career.htm
*** http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_single_season.htm

copyright 2014 zBlox www.zBlox.com

Answer: (b) Otto Graham

Operation Northwoods

3-13-2014

A now "UNCLASSIFIED" March 13, 1962 memorandum prepared by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff for the Secretary of Defense outlined Operation "Northwoods."

Operation Northwoods detailed "PRETEXTS TO JUSTIFY US MILITARY INTERVENTION IN CUBA." and included which of the following deceptions and acts of violence to be carried out by U.S. officials and the U.S. military?

a) "We could sink a boatlaod of Cubans enroute to Florida (real or simulated)."  (p 9)

b) "We could blow up a US ship in Guantanamo Bay and blame Cuba."  (p 8)

c)  "We could foster attempts on lives of Cuban refugees in the United States . . . "  (p 9) ; "We could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even in Washington."  (p 8)

e) "Highjacking attempts against civil air and surface craft should appear  . . . condoned by the government of Cuba."  (p 10)

f) all of the above

Answer: (f) all of the above

Sources:  GWU
http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/northwoods.pdf

ABC
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92662

World History: After 9/11

3-6-2014

According to a report by the BBC (2006, and also reported elsewhere):

"In the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US,  . . .

In ______ , vast crowds turned out on the streets and held candlelit vigils for the victims.
Sixty-thousand spectators respected a minute's silence at ________ football stadium."

a) the U.S. ; the Dallas Cowboys'

b) Canada ; the Toronto Argonauts'

c) Iran ; Tehran's

d) the UK ; Manchester United's

e) none of the above


Answer:  (c) Iran ; Tehran's

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5377914.stm

copyright zBlox 2014

NATO

5-5-2014

WonkzBlox Quiz / SmartzBlox Quiz from www.zBlox.com

NATO

Acoording to NATO (May 2014), "NATO is an Alliance that consists of __ independent member countries."

NATO stands for _________________.  Member countries include: _________________.


a) 7 ;
North American Treaty Organization ;
US, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica
b) 14 ;
Nordic Alliance Treaty Organization ;
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden
c) 28 ;
North Atlantic Treaty Organization ;
US, Germany, Spain, Turkey
d) 56 ;
North Atlantic Treaty Organization ;
UK, Mexico, Ireland , India

Source:
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/nato_countries.htm

Answer:
c) 28 ;
North Atlantic Treaty Organization ;
US, Germany, Spain, Turkey

Answer and source: SmartzBlox
www.zBlox.mobi / www.zBlox.net

TV Ratings Records

5-20-2014

According to Nielsen ratings, over 105 million* people watched the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983.

As of Oct 13, 2013 an episode of ___________________
"was the highest-rated hour of cable television ever with  . . .  ______ million viewers."**

a) The Walking Dead ; 16.11  
b) Breaking Bad ; 32.22
c) Mad Men ; 64.44
d) Game of Thrones ; 128.88




copyright zBlox 2014

Answer: (a) The Walking Dead ; 16.11  

Sources:
**
http://www.forbes.com/sites/allenstjohn/2014/03/30/the-most-watched-hour-ever-why-the-walking-dead-season-finale-will-break-a-ratings-record/

*
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/02/saints-super-bowl-win-is-.html

Retirement Savings

5-25-2014
The U.S. yearly "median household income" was "$51,100 in 2011."** 

If you save $500 per month ($6,000/yr) with a 5% annual rate of return on investments*  from age 20 to 65, how much money will you have?

$6,000 is just 12 percent of a $50,000/yr income or 6% of a $100,000/yr income.

a) $125,000 +
b) $250,000 +
c) $500,000 +
d) $1.0 million +

*Note: The question states a "5% annual rate of return on investments" not "interest." This is a conservative estimate for a 45 year span on investments. No adjustments are made for inflation or for taxes.  Use the compound daily, monthly or quarterly option on the calculator to determine the value.

use one of these savings calculators to find the answer:
http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/compound-savings-calculator-tool.aspx

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/savings-goal-calculator-tool.aspx

"Compound Annual Growth Rate (Annualized Return)" historical calculator
http://www.moneychimp.com/features/market_cagr.htm

ANSWER: (d) $1.0 million + (when "compunded monthly" to determine value)

(c) 2013/2014 zBlox  / SmartzBlox / SavingzBlox

NFL MVP

Thursday, January 16, 2014

NFL MVP

SmartzBlox NFL Quiz

Associated Press (AP) NFL MVP Award

Which is (are) true regarding the AP NFL MVP award?

(Note this is not a "team" MVP award but a league MVP award.  Team players vote for their team's  MVP).

a) In the 2012 season, Calvin Johnson broke Jerry Rice's single season receiving yards record (a new NFL record) but received no first place votes.*

b) In the 2009 season, Chris Johnson "broke the single-season yards from scrimmage record"** which included over 2,000 yards rushing.  Johnson did not receive any first place votes for the AP NFL MVP.

c) For the 2009 season, Drew Brees was #1 in passer rating, #1 in completion percentage (NFL record), #1 in TDs,  #2 in yards per game, #3 in yards per attempt but came in a distant second in MVP votes to the QB with the #6 passer rating who did not lead the league or surpass Brees in any of these categories. The winner did have 112 more yards (57 more attempts) but did not lead the league or his conference in passing yards.***

d) As of the completion of the 2012 season, no wide receiver has won the award. ****

e) all of the above


Sources:

*
http://nfl.si.com/2012/12/22/calvin-johnson-breaks-jerry-rices-record-for-single-season-receiving-yards/
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1513276-nfl-mvp-2013-winner-voting-results-and-reaction

**
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/09/no-mvp-votes-for-chris-johnson/

***
(this is the official NFL passer rating not the useless ESPN QBR)
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2009/passing.htm

****
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/baseball/archive/2008/11/why_cant_a_wide.shtml

Answer:  (e) all of the above

U.S. Federal Spending

According to the Concord Coalition (using Treasury stats),  how much did the U.S. "Federal Government" spend for

"Health," ______
"Social Security" _____  and
"Defense" ______ 

in fiscal year 2012?
(numbers rounded to the nearest 100 billion)

a) $800 billion ; $400 billion ; $400 billion
b) $400 billion ; $800 billion ; $400 billion
c) $400 billion ; $400 billion ; $700 billion
d) $800 billion ; $800 billion ; $700 billion

Source: http://www.concordcoalition.org/federal-government-spending
Answer: d) $800 billion ; $800 billion ; $700 billion

(c) 2013 zBlox.com / SmartzBlox (TM)

NFL Dominating Receivers and Defenses

Breaking Sports Myths
NFL Trivia: Dominating Receivers and Defense

In 2007 which NFL team had both the league's leading receiver (1,510 yards) and the league's top defense (fewest points allowed; 16.4 pts/game)?

a) Green Bay Packers 13-3* (Greg Jennings)
b) New England Patriots 16-0* (Randy Moss)
c) Indianapolis Colts 13-3* (Reggie Wayne)
d) Dallas Cowboys 13-3* (Terrell Owens)

* = regular season records

(HINT: it wasn't the Patriots)

Sources:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rec_yds_year_by_year.htm

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?archive=true&conference=null&role=OPP&offensiveStatisticCategory=null&defensiveStatisticCategory=SCORING&season=2007&seasonType=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=false&Submit=Go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_NFL_season

qbs

http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1927975-where-does-peyton-mannings-2013-season-rank-among-best-ever

At the end of the 2013 NFL reguar season, Peyton Manning set the NFL record for most TDs in a regular season (55) beating Tom Brady's prior record of 50.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_td_single_season.htm

Following some controversy Manning was granted the record for most regular season passing yards  (    ) beating Drew Brees; record of     by one yard.
 http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_single_season.htm.

The following year, in his  th season, Manning broke Bret Favre's record with 510 TDs in week 6 of the season.

At this point how many other of these records did Peyton Manning hold?

a) single season QB rating

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_single_season.htm
Aaron Rodgers

b) career QB rating
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_rating_career.htm
Aaron Rodgers

c) career passing completion percentage
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_perc_career.htm
Tie (Drew Brees , Chad Pennington)

d) single season passing completion percentage
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_cmp_perc_single_season.htm
Drew Brees

e) most post season appearances

f) most post season wins

h) most Super Bowl (or league championship) appearances

i) most Super Bowl / league championship wins

l) career passing yards
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_career.htm
Bret Favre

c) single season net yards/pass
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_adj_yds_per_att_single_season.htm
Nik Foles

m) career net yards/pass
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_adj_net_yds_per_att_career.htm
Aaron Rodgers

Rock Feuds and Racism? Lynyrd Skynyrd, Neil Young, George Wallace, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter

3-23-14

Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" remains one of the most debated and controversial songs in rock for the many interpretations regarding the band's feelings towards Neil Young (who wrote songs critical of white southern racism) and the once Confederate flag waving band's views on race.  See below for a more detailed background to the controversies.  Some saw the song as support for segregationist Alabama governor George Wallace.

The song's meanings and intentions remain disputed and controversial.

Which of the follwing is true?

a) Lynyrd's Skynyrd's lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt is wearing a t-shirt with Neil Young's image on the cover of Skynyrd's last LP, "Street Survivors." *7  Both performers reported to be a friend and admirer of the other.*3 / *6

b) Neil Young wrote three songs (which were not used) for Lynyrd Skynyrd to use on their "Street Survivors" LP.*1

c)  Neil Young performed a medley of his song "Alabama" and "Sweet Home Alabama" after the plane crash deaths of Ronnie Van Zandt and 2 other members of Lynyrd Skynyrd.*4

d) In 1976, Lynyrd Skynyrd supported presidential candidate, Jimmy Carter who ran opposed by Alabama governor and segregationist, George Wallace for the Democratic nomination.  In a filmed concert version of the song in 1976, the lyrics "Yea, yea Montgomery's got the answer"  were changed to "Yeah, Mr. Carter got the answer." *5

e) all of the above


ANSWER: (e)BACKGROUND:
In 1974, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the southern rockband from Florida released the hit song "Sweet Home Alabama" off of their second album ("Second Helping").

Known for their use of the Confederate flag as the band's symbol early in it's career* (it was later re-adopted by the re-formed version of the band until it was later banned again by the band), the song has often been interpretted as much more than an anthem of southern pride.

Many have claimed that its obvious push back on Canadian born Neil Young and his songs "Southern Man" and "Alabama" along with other lyrics are markers of a hostile feud with Young and that the song is a brazen and proud ode to racism.  The Neil Young songs were critiques of the history of southern white racism.  The "feud" has been reported as both bitter by some and as a mear playful knock on a friend by others.

There are many interpretations of the seemingly contradictory lyrics which also allude to the then governor of Alabama (staunch segregationist George Wallace) who failed in his attempt to reach the White House and Nixon's Watergate scandal.  The comment about Wallace is preceded by "love" but followed by a chant of "boo"s.


SOURCES:

*1http://tinyurl.com/pstroj4
*2
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/lynyrdskynyrd/sweethomealabama.html

*3
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/neil-young-vs-lynyrd-skynyrd-nastiest-rock-feuds/

*4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCd43ntfxB0

*5
 at time 4:04
http://youtu.be/ueGAdM0o6Cc?t=4m

*6
http://tinyurl.com/lgwspmc

*7
http://thrasherswheat.org/jammin/lynyrd.htm

Copyright 2014 zBlox