ANSWERS
1. Amsterdam was one of the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company, which established trading posts throughout the world. One of these was at Batavia, which is now known as what Asian capital city?
Jakarta, Indonesia. Djakarta is a legitimate, if obsolete, spelling and not just a symptom of this sudden obsession with Djibouti.
2. In 1928, Herbert Hoover defeated what four-time governor of New York (and first Roman Catholic Irish-American major party candidate) in the presidential election?
Al Smith. The Al Smith Dinner, in New York City, is still a regular stop on the presidential campaign trail.
3. What Dutch artist became known for his abstract, geometrical paintings such as this "Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue"?
Piet Mondrian. As I said yesterday, I don't understand modern art. I particularly don't understand how Mondrian made a whole series of these paintings. Change the spacing of the lines, color in a rectangle here and there, and it all means something different from the other paintings?
4. At the 1928 Olympics, Johnny Weissmuller won two gold medals in swimming. He would go on to fame as Tarzan, in movies based on the books by what author?
Edgar Rice Burroughs.
POINTS
Everyone knew Edgar, but each of the other questions tripped up a few people. A third of you still got perfect scores, though, so I'm trying harder to adjust the bell curve today!
wintergreen48 = 10
Here's Fanny! = 10
ulysses5019 = 10
AnnieCamaro = 10
Hambone = 10
andrewjackson = 10
kroxquo = 10
TheConfessor = 10
themanintheseersuckersuit = 6
mrkelley23 = 6
jarnon = 6
plasticene = 6
elwoodblues = 6
tlynn78 = 6
tanstaafl2 = 4
T_Bone0806 = 4
NellyLunatic1980 = 4
Catfish = 4
megaaddict = 4
jsuchard = 4
SportsFan68 = 4
Rexer25 = 2
frogman042 = 2
LookingForHumorPoints = 1.618 (I know I'm a tough audience, but you're just not making me laugh, LHFP. I gave you the golden ratio for your shout-out to Vandal. But don't think I'll always be so generous for a gratuitous shout-out!)
I'll update the Standings thread as soon as JBillyGirl posts the scores from the Weekend QoD.