Attention local news junkies, cubicle dwellers, flacks, geeks, and shut-ins: Here are ten questions to test your knowledge of the past week’s Bay Area news. To get the answers, scroll way, way down.
1. What brand of peanut butter was still selling in some East Bay stores last week, even after it was recalled due to a salmonella outbreak?
2. Police issued an arrest warrant late last week for a young man who attacked an elderly Nobel Laureate in San Francisco. Name the victim.
3. Albany Pool, according to an article in the Tribune, holds a monthly event in which patrons can do what while soaking in the pool?
4. What type of East Bay communities tend to have higher rates of teenage drug and alcohol abuse, according to data from a state Healthy Kids Survey of high school juniors?
5. What did a Haight-Ashbury resident discover in his apartment upon returning home from an extended vacation this week?
6. Staffers for one East Bay city have recommended that the city not get involved in hosting or sponsoring a community forum on the Iraq war “due to the sensitive and polarizing nature of the topic at the local level.” Name the city.
7. The tree-sitters in the oak grove at Cal’s Memorial Stadium unveiled a new argument this week as to why the grove shouldn’t be cleared to make way for a modern athletic training facility. What is it?
8. In a lawsuit filed this week, what did medical-marijuana advocates accuse the federal Department of Health and Human Services of lying about?
9. Darrell Steinberg, a Democratic State Senator out of Sacto, has introduced a bill proposing that a new category of people be protected by hate crime laws. Who does the bill aim to protect?
10. Tens of thousands of professors employed by the Cal State University system are threatening a massive strike at the end of March. What is the sticking point in their contract negotiations?
KEEP SCROLLING…
Answers to Friday News Quiz
1. What brand of peanut butter was still selling in some East Bay stores last week, even after it was recalled due to a salmonella outbreak?
Peter Pan. Wouldn’t touch that junk anyway.
2. Police issued an arrest warrant late last week for a young man who attacked an elderly Nobel Laureate in San Francisco. Name the victim.
Famed Nazi-hunter Elie Weisel.
3. Albany Pool, according to an article in the Tribune, holds a monthly event in which patrons can do what while soaking in the pool?
Watch movies. The watery film series kicked off Friday before last with Jaws.
4. What type of East Bay communities tend to have higher rates of teenage drug and alcohol abuse, according to data from a state Healthy Kids Survey of high school juniors?
The affluent ones. Hey, it’s tough to be rich.
5. What did a Haight-Ashbury resident discover in his apartment upon returning home from an extended vacation this week?
A corpse, naked and handcuffed. Welcome home, pal!
6. Staffers for one East Bay city have recommended that the city not get involved in hosting or sponsoring a community forum on the Iraq war “due to the sensitive and polarizing nature of the topic at the local level.” Name the city.
Pleasanton. Guess they want to keep it pleasant.
7. The tree-sitters in the oak grove at Cal’s Memorial Stadium unveiled a new argument this week as to why the grove shouldn’t be cleared to make way for a modern athletic training facility. What is it?
That the site might be an Indian burial ground, based on the discovery of a partial human skeleton of unknown origin during a site survey in the 1920s.
8. In a lawsuit filed this week, what did medical-marijuana advocates accuse the federal Department of Health and Human Services of lying about?
The feds still publicly claim pot has no accepted medical use, despite scientific studies to the contrary. Those bureaucrats are hitting the bong too much.
9. Darrell Steinberg, a Democratic State Senator out of Sacto, has introduced a bill proposing that a new category of people be protected by hate crime laws. Who does the bill aim to protect?
The homeless. Steinberg’s legislation was motivated by reports of increased beatings and abuse of homeless people by thrill-seeking teens.
10. Tens of thousands of professors employed by the Cal State University system are threatening a massive strike at the end of March. What is the sticking point in their contract negotiations?
Pay. Their union wants a 25 percent hike over four years. According to a MediaNews report, Cal State says it has offered a 24 percent pay increase, but union reps dispute that, noting contingencies in the university’s offer that would limit the raise to 14 percent. They also say that CSU employees are paid 18 percent less than their peers nationwide.
Good! Now it’s time to rate yourself…
Number of Correct Answers
8-10: Needs more time with family.
5-7: Goes home and blogs.
2-4: Gets the news from KCBS.
0-1: How did you even find us?
Want to contribute a question to next week’s news quiz? Submissions should relate to Bay Area (preferably East Bay) news and events from Saturday, Feb. 24 through Friday, March 2. Send ’em to this guy: Michael Mechanic. Put “Quiz Question” in the subject line.
