Transcript 5/15/2009 - James Booker (carryover contestant)

[BBTranscriptTeam]

Guest host Samantha Harris, co-host of "Dancing with the Stars"

James Booker
Port Arthur, TX
Business consultant

Topic Tree:
- Two By Two
- General Lee
- All Together Now
- Veeps
- The Shape of Things
- This Day in History
- Island Living
- TV Theme Songs
- The Sports Section
- Science Fair
- Diner Lingo
- Nerds of Film
- Vessels
- Big Words
- Around the House

Samantha says that everyone this week has won at least $25,000 and now it's James' turn. James donated a kidney to his mother and wants to buy her a house because of all the hurricane destruction in Texas. James hasn't taken a week off in a long time; he's been in NYC before but never had the opportunity to see the sights.

James has his ATE, DD and PAF lifelines remaining. Today's expert is $250K winner and author Howard Johnson.

$25000 - In the country where it took place, what historic event is widely known as "the June 4th Incident"?
A - invasion of South Korea
B - Tienamen Square crackdown
C - Hiroshima bombing
D - fall of Saigon

James is sure he doesn't know this so he decides to Phone a Friend, stopping the clock with 14 seconds remaining. On his PAF list are Jameson from Houston, TX; Janet from San Antonio, TX; and Naysha in Baton Rouge, LA. James opts to call his sister Janet because she has a lot of general knowledge.

PAF results

James begins by saying, "The 'June 4th incident' - what is it"? and then gives the choices. Janet is sure it's Tienamen Square. James makes her answer his final answer.

Spoiler

B - Tienamen Square crackdown (10)

$50000 - Which of these mathematical terms best describes the trajectory path of a fly ball?
A - parabola
B - dihedral
C - frustrum
D - torus

James agonizes over this one, and finally, with 13 seconds left, he decides to Ask the Expert.

ATE results

Howard's initial response to the question is "Oh, boy." He says he just tutored his son in algebra and they did some graphs. He doesn't know what a dihedral or the frustrum or the torus is, but he knows a parabola goes like this (he makes a gesture with his hand). He tells James to use his brain for what it's worth - he wants it back when James is done.

James goes with Howard's answer.

Spoiler

A - parabola (9)

Samantha says that James is the first contestant she's had who has won $50K.

commercial break

The first thing James is going to do after leaving the studio is to have a big meal once he figures out where he wants to go, then have a good night's rest.

$100000 - Thought to be the only American Indian ever to hold the office of U.S. vice president, Charles Curtis served under whom?
A - Woodrow Wilson
B - Harry Truman
C - Theodore Roosevelt
D - Herbert Hoover

James wishes he had his PAF back because his sister has been reading about presidents and vice presidents to his nieces. He ponders the question and with 8 seconds left he decides to take his $50K and walk away.

Spoiler

D - Herbert Hoover ()

[NellyLunatic1980]

$25K: In the comfort of my room, I said Tiananmen. In the HS, though, I would've gotten confirmation from my PAF.

$50000 - Which of these mathematical terms best describes the trajectory path of a fly ball?
A - parabola
B - dihedral
C - frustrum
D - torus

This is a $50,000 question?! This question is overvalued. I do seem to recall a certain BB getting a parabola question at a lower level on PTBAM.

$100K: I can easily eliminate Truman (Kentuckian Alben Barkley) and Wilson (Thomas "Five-Cent Cigar" Marshall). Pretty sure that Roosevelt's VP was Fairbanks. Again, I got the right answer from my own seat. In the HS, I probably would've Double Dipped on TR and Hoover.

[Estonut]

$50000 - Which of these mathematical terms best describes the trajectory path of a fly ball?
A - parabola
B - dihedral
C - frustrum
D - torus

This is a $50,000 question?! This question is overvalued. I do seem to recall a certain BB getting a parabola question at a lower level on PTBAM.

The trajectories of MOST fly balls are NOT parabolic. You could have eliminated the other 3 choices with certainty, leaving parabola as "best describes?"

[earendel]

Guest host Samantha Harris, co-host of "Dancing with the Stars"

James Booker
Port Arthur, TX
Business consultant

$25000 - In the country where it took place, what historic event is widely known as "the June 4th Incident"?
A - invasion of South Korea
B - Tienamen Square crackdown
C - Hiroshima bombing
D - fall of Saigon

James is sure he doesn't know this so he decides to Phone a Friend, stopping the clock with 14 seconds remaining. On his PAF list are Jameson from Houston, TX; Janet from San Antonio, TX; and Naysha in Baton Rouge, LA. James opts to call his sister Janet because she has a lot of general knowledge.

PAF results

James begins by saying, "The 'June 4th incident' - what is it"? and then gives the choices. Janet is sure it's Tienamen Square. James makes her answer his final answer.

Spoiler

B - Tienamen Square crackdown (10)

Hiroshima was bombed in August 1945; Saigon fell in April 1975. I can't remember when the Korean War began, so it's time to DD with A and B as my choices. FWIW elwing knew the answer right away.

$50000 - Which of these mathematical terms best describes the trajectory path of a fly ball?
A - parabola
B - dihedral
C - frustrum
D - torus

James agonizes over this one, and finally, with 13 seconds left, he decides to Ask the Expert.

ATE results

Howard's initial response to the question is "Oh, boy." He says he just tutored his son in algebra and they did some graphs. He doesn't know what a dihedral or the frustrum or the torus is, but he knows a parabola goes like this (he makes a gesture with his hand). He tells James to use his brain for what it's worth - he wants it back when James is done.

James goes with Howard's answer.

Spoiler

A - parabola (9)

This was a no-brainer. Howard's gesture was a pretty good depiction of a parabola.

$100000 - Thought to be the only American Indian ever to hold the office of U.S. vice president, Charles Curtis served under whom?
A - Woodrow Wilson
B - Harry Truman
C - Theodore Roosevelt
D - Herbert Hoover

James wishes he had his PAF back because his sister has been reading about presidents and vice presidents to his nieces. He ponders the question and with 8 seconds left he decides to take his $50K and walk away.

Spoiler

D - Herbert Hoover ()

Another fairly easy one for those who study lists of presidents. I'd be going for $250K with three lifelines still available.