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TRIVIA: NEWS QUIZ

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Compiled by Anna Cekola. Contributors: Mike Boehm, Alicia Di Rado, Zan Dubin, Steve Emmons, David Haldane, Martin Henderson, Rene Lynch, Tom McQueeney, Jodi Wilgoren

It’s been a year of baffling questions, but perhaps none has been more vexing than how one of the nation’s most affluent counties could end up in bankruptcy. Other issues also made the news during the past year. We explore them in depth here with The Times Orange County 8th Annual News Trivia Quiz. Don’t worry, a degree in accounting or expertise in derivatives and reverse repos isn’t necessary for this little exercise. High scorers can take pride in their wealth of information, one we hope will remain solvent for the coming year.

1. What were among the first budget casualties after Orange County declared bankruptcy? A. Kleenex was no longer provided at the Municipal Court building in Fullerton B. Janitors were laid off at a South County school district C. Christmas carolers did not sing at John Wayne Airport D. All of the above

2. Which item was not found in a fleeing O.J. Simpson’s white For d Bronco after he passed through Orange County with authorities in hot pursuit? A. A passport B. About $8,000 C. A fake beard and mustache D. A Spanish-English dictionary

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3. Anthony Maglica was ordered by a jury in a palimony trial to pay $84 million to a woman with whom he lived, worked and shared his name for more than 20 years. They made their fortune manufacturing: A. MagnaDoodles, children’s magnetic drawing boards B. Magnalite cookware C. Mag-Lite flashlights D. .357-Magnum revolvers

4. Which ride did Disneyland close, citing declining popularity and the need to shift workers to other attractions? A. Captain Eo B. Skyway C. Mad Tea Party D. PeopleMover

5. After months of contentious debate, voters in November cleared the way for what type of development at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, which is scheduled for closure in 1999? A. Disney’s historic theme park B. A maximum-security prison C. A commercial airport D. A new planned community to be called Pentagon Pointe

6. At Brea Olinda High School, guidance counselors tried to help students get into better colleges by: A. Bribing admissions officers B. Improperly changing computer records to help boost grade-point averages C. Writing application essays on their behalf D. Helping them cheat on the Scholastic Aptitude Test

7. Anna Famalaro, the mother of the handyman accused of killing 23-year-old Denise Huber and stashing her body in a freezer for three years, tried to raise money for her son’s defense by: A. Selling the exclusive rights to the story to Hollywood B. Painting houses C. Organizing a country club luncheon benefit D. Selling her son’s paint and tools at a makeshift garage sale

8. What book did some parents in Anaheim want removed from the high school reading list? A. The Bible B. “Catcher in the Rye” C. “Ordinary People” D. “Wifey”

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9. Heiress Joan Irvine Smith was so unhappy with her son’s choice of a bride that she: A. Refused to attend the wedding B. Promised to disown him, cutting him off from a multimillion-dollar fortune C. Early in the relationship, took her future daughter-in-law on an all-expense paid shopping trip to Rodeo Drive, complete with limousine, a la “Pretty Woman” D. All of the above

10. Marking an important symbolic victory for California’s efforts to keep businesses from leaving, which Orange County-based fast-food chain announced it would stay? A. Carl’s Jr. B. Taco Bell C. El Pollo Loco D. In-N-Out

11. Which exhibition boasted the sole record-breaking attendance figure for an Orange County cultural institution this past year? A. Laguna Art Museum’s exhibit of artwork crafted from the ruins of of the city’s firestorm B. Newport Harbor Art Museum’s exhibit showcasing leading American craft artists C. Fullerton Museum Center’s exhibit about pioneer electric guitar designer Leo Fender D. Bowers Museum of Cultural Art’s exhibit of seven decades of modern Mexican art

12. In a bogus confession to authorities, a transient said he started the devastating 1993 Laguna Beach firestorm because: A. He was unable to douse a campfire he had started to keep warm B. He wanted to conjure up a demon king named Gotam C. He was suffering from temporary insanity D. He accidentally dropped a match while smoking and drinking with friends

13. A teen-ager sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 1992 New Year’s Eve slaying of fellow student Stuart A. Tay said one of the following books influenced him to kill: A. “Helter Skelter,” by Vincent Bugliosi. B. “Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger. C. “The Stranger,” by Albert Camus. D. “Beyond Good and Evil,” by Friedrich Nietzsche.

14. What is the name of the Orange County punk rock band whose hit album, “Smash,” sold more than 4 million copies worldwide during 1994? A. Offspring B. Green Day C. Social Distortion D. The New Monkees

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15. Which of these pop stars did not command a top ticket price of at least $100 for Orange County performances during 1994? A. Barbra Streisand B. The Eagles C. Bette Midler D. Elton John

16. The Board of Supervisors declared Orange County a disaster area following the Northridge earthquake, in part to make whom or what eligible for state and federal relief: A. Hundreds of residents left homeless who set up camps in Mile Square Regional Park B. San Juan Capistrano, to patch cracks at the mission C. Anaheim, to repair the toppled Sony Jumbotron at the stadium D. Commuters who lost jobs because they couldn’t get to work on quake-damaged freeways

17. Which city is not involved in the bidding war over the Los Angeles Rams? A. Baltimore B. Sacramento C. St. Louis D. Anaheim

18. The California Learning Assessment System, the state’s revolutionary new standardized test, was canceled by Gov. Pete Wilson this year after: A. Discrepancies were discovered in the scoring system B. A string of lawsuits was filed saying the exams violated parents’ privacy C. Citizens expressed outrage at controversial reading selections D. All of the above

19. Of the 42,000 who lined up to file past former President Nixon’s closed casket to pay their respects, who was the first to be turned away because of time constraints, prompting authorities to disperse the remaining crowd? A. A Coast Guard veteran who had ridden 170 miles on his motorcycle B. A 10-year-old Lakewood girl who had written her fifth-grade history report on Nixon C. A Yorba Linda sanitation worker who had just finished his street-cleaning shift D. A Dana Point woman whose parents had once worked as a gardener at Nixon’s home in San Clemente

20. Why did the U.S. Postal Service delay issuance of a memorial stamp bearing a smiling portrait of Nixon? A. A survey to decide if the portrait should feature a young or older Nixon took more time than expected B. A protest from the House Post Office Committee over issuing a stamp for the only President to have resigned caused months of heated negotiations C. There was uncertainty over the expected rise in first-class postage rates D. Officials considered issuing fewer stamp designs because many are abandoning the post office in favor of electronic mail

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21. Hamburger magnate Carl N. Karcher announced in October that he would be returning to what cherished role in the company he founded more than half a century ago? A. Television pitchman for the Carl’s Jr. chain B. Chairman of the company C. Taste consultant for new recipes D. All of the above

22. Brea-Olinda High School won the State Division III girls’ basketball title, 54-44, over San Jose Archbishop Mitty. How many consecutive state titles has Brea won? A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five

23. Orange County Assemblyman Mickey Conroy, inspired by the caning of an American juvenile offender in Singapore, proposed that youths convicted of which crime should be whacked as many as 10 times with a wooden paddle? A. Truancy B. Graffiti C. Shoplifting D. Skateboarding on public sidewalks

24. Ten parachuting Elvis impersonators known as the Flying Elvi made quite a splash at Knotts Berry Farm when they fell on all but which of the following: A. A park visitor whose posterior was slightly bruised B. The park’s Cloud Nine Ballroom C. A reflecting pond D. Their landing target, a large white mark

25. The Chapman University football team was revived in 1994 after a long hiatus. Who occupied the White House the last time the university had an NCAA football team? A. Calvin Coolidge B. Herbert C. Hoover C. Franklin D. Roosevelt D. Harry S Truman

26. Santa Ana police raised controversy by manufacturing what substance to use for drug stings? A. Crack cocaine B. Ecstasy C. LSD D. Crystal methamphetamine

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27. Five Ocean View High School drill team members unsuspectedly ingested LSD concealed in what substance? A. Scratch-and-sniff Mickey Mouse stickers B. Bazooka chewing gum C. Ice cream bars D. Eye drops

28. What is UC Irvine Chancellor Laurel L. Wilkening’s goal for UCI by 2000? A. Moving the campus into the ranks of the top 50 research universities B. Boasting the nation’s top neurosciences department C. Creating an on-campus hospital facility D. Bagging the “Peter the Anteater” mascot in favor of a more intimidating image

29. What mouse almost threatened a proposed multimillion-dollar real estate development in South County? A. Mickey Mouse B. Field mouse carrying the hantavirus C. Pacific pocket mouse D. Chocolate mousse

30. What endangered bird was chased off its own island by the intrusion of a host of unfriendly fellow birds? A. Donald Duck B. California gnatcatcher C. California least tern D. California left turn

31. Which defunct 1960s group was resurrected by teen-agers at a Huntington Beach high school? A. The Yippies B. Congress of Racial Equality C. Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee D. Students for a Democratic Society

32. The day after Republicans swept the Congress, what did Rep. Dana Rohrabacher say he was going to do to celebrate? A. Go to Disneyland B. Go surfing C. Join Rep. Robert K. Dornan on a special edition of “Rush Limbaugh” D. Attend a barbecue at Newt Gingrich’s home

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33. The overwhelming majority of local school boards and city councils took what position on Proposition 187, which places restrictions on public services to illegal immigrants and had its birthplace in Orange County? A. Endorsed it B. Condemned it C. Took no position on it D. Supported a less restrictive measure proposed by national political leaders

34. Hughes Aircraft Co., which announced in September the largest plant closure in Orange County, manufactured which of these during its 37 years in Fullerton? A. Air-defense systems B. Anti-submarine systems C. Battlefield radar D. All of the above

35. Price-cutter Southwest Airlines marked its much-anticipated arrival at John Wayne Airport by offering: A. Free pogs and slammers to children flying with parents B. Complimentary travelers tote bags C. A $69 one-way fare to any California destination D. Full meal service

36. Where did the U.S. soccer team practice for the World Cup? A. Anaheim Stadium B. The Pond of Anaheim C. The U.S. National Training Center in Mission Viejo D. UC Irvine athletic fields

37. A second grand jury was seated for the first time in county history as part of which probe? A. An investigation into a lawyer with a lucrative county contract who provided chauffeur-driven limousine rides for two judges and a supervisor B. “Operation Roundup,” a massive undercover narcotics crackdown in one of Santa Ana’s most troubled neighborhoods C. The arrest of Edward Patrick Morgan, a paroled rapist charged with murdering and sexually assaulting a young woman outside an Orange nightclub D. Alleged security violations in the county investment pool

38. Which was among the reasons cited by the Walt Disney Co. for delaying the proposed $3-billion theme park and resort next to Disneyland? A. Impending arrival of killer bees B. Slow sales of Mighty Duck gear because of the hockey lockout C. The need to get $1 billion in public works and other improvements in place D. The county’s tarnished image from bankruptcy

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39. Months before Orange County filed for bankruptcy, as officials prepared one of its rosier budgets in recent memory, who said: “I think we had a pretty successful year, no matter what anybody else says.” A. Former County Treasurer/Tax Collector Bob Citron B. Chapman University President James Doti in releasing an economic forecasting report C. Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas F. Riley D. A student from a group of high schoolers who had come to observe the budget hearings as part of a civics project

40. Approximately how many round trips could you make between the county Hall of Administration and New York’s Wall Street if you were to lay down a dollar bill for each of the $2.02 billion lost in the county’s investment pool? A. 13 B. 34 C. 108 D. 187

Trivia Quiz Answers

1. D: all fell victim to the bankruptcy

2. D: there was no Spanish-English dictionary in the getaway vehicle

3. C: Maglica is president of Mag Instrument Inc., the Ontario-based maker of the Mag-Lite flashlights

4. B: The Skyway, which shuttled millions of visitors since 1956, made its last run in November between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland

5. C: Passage of Measure A mandated the county earmark 2,000 acres of the 4,700-acre base for a commercial airport

6. B: Counselors changed computer records

7. D: Famalaro sold her son’s paint and tools

8. C: Some parents objected to “Ordinary People”

9. D: All of the above. Smith bought her future daughter-in-law new clothes, did not attend the wedding and promised to disown her son

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10. B: Taco Bell said it would keep its headquarters in Irvine

11. C: “Five Decades of Fender: The Sound Heard Around the World” brought 12,500 visitors to the Fullerton Museum Center, besting by 900 the attendance at the center’s 1991 “Titanic” show about the doomed ocean liner

12. B: The transient wanted to conjure up a demon king named Gotam

13. C: Robert Chan said he read “The Stranger” about nine months before killing Tay and determined that “everything was meaningless and nothing matters because we are all going to die”

14. A: Offspring made it big

15. D: Elton John had the cheapest tickets

16. C: Anaheim officials said the city could not afford to pay $3 million to $4 million to repair the scoreboard, the only serious quake damage suffered in the county

17. B: Anaheim is trying to keep the Rams from moving to St. Louis or Baltimore

18. D: All of the above. There were scoring discrepancies, lawsuits and objections

19. B: The 10-year-old girl and her family just missed gaining admittance to view Nixon’s casket

20. C: The stamp would have been issued on the President’s Jan. 9 birthday, but officials delayed printing until approval of the expected rate increase from 29 cents to 32 cents

21. A: When Karcher lost his job as chairman last year, he also lost his job as pitchman But he returned as chairman emeritus and this year got his sales job back, starting with a pitch for the Anaheim-based chain’s guacamole bacon cheeseburger

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22. C: Brea-Olinda boasts four consecutive state titles

23. B: Conroy’s proposal to paddle youthful graffiti vandals, ultimately rejected by a deeply divided Assembly committee, received national publicity

24. B: Braving gusty winds and a limited landing area, two Elvi hit their mark, one hit the visitor (who declared that she still loved the King), two landed in the pond and the rest landed safely in other parts of the park

25. C: Franklin D. Roosevelt was in office when Chapman last played football

26. A: Santa Ana police made crack cocaine

27. B: The drug was concealed in chewing gum

28. A: Wilkening wants to make the campus a top-50 research institution

29. C: The endangered Pacific pocket mouse inhabits the Dana Point Headlands

30. C: The least tern was disturbed by other birds

31. D: Students for a Democratic Society was resurrected

32. B: Rohrabacher celebrated the Republican wave with an afternoon of surfing

33. C: Most school boards and city councils decided not to join the controversy and declined to take any position on Proposition 187

34. D: All of the above. Hughes has manufactured air defense and anti-submarine systems, as well as battlefield radar

35. C: Southwest offered reduced fares

36. C: The soccer team practiced in Mission Viejo

37. B: A second grand jury was seated for “Operation Roundup”

38. C: Disney wanted to get public works commitments

39. A: The former treasurer-tax collector said the county was in good shape

40. B: The $1 bills laid end to end would make the round trip 34.23 times, based on the estimate of 2,794 miles between Orange County and New York

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Compiled by Anna Cekola. Contributors: Mike Boehm, Alicia Di Rado, Zan Dubin, David Haldane, Martin Henderson, Rene Lynch, Jim Newton and Jodi Wilgoren.

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More Trivia: * Test your knowledge of 1994 Orange County events even further by taking the TimesLine interactive quiz. Call 808-8463 and press * 1994.

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