This Is Only a TEST

It was a year of promise--Orange County’s credit rating bounced back--and perplexity: Just who put the Duchess of York in charge of crowd control at a Costa Mesa dinner benefit? It was a year that saw allegations of election fraud, indications of a municipal trash scandal in Orange and questions of whether a 300-pound pig made a suitable housemate in Anaheim.

In the spirit of inquiry and good cheer, we bring you the 11th Annual Times Orange County news trivia quiz, a review of a year when El Nino made believers out of skeptics and a generous donation to a Buena Park church helped introduce the homeless to emus.

COPS AND COURTS

1. Cut to the quick

Anaheim firefighters started with a dull kitchen knife and then switched to a serrated blade to cut this off a terrified 10-year-old’s arm after his mother made a frantic 911 call:

A. A Hoover upholstery vacuum attachment

B. A neighbor’s champion pit bull

C. A 65-pound African rock python

D. A 4-foot-long American alligator

(Answer: C)

2. He should have stuck to tevas

A suspected bank robber fleeing the Orange County Federal Credit Union with cash broke into an apartment to find a change of clothes. When police officers later spotted him, they grew suspicious because of his:

A. Purple suede Birkenstocks

B. Brand-new cross-training sneakers with sale tag attached

C. Pink fuzzy slippers

D. Teal mesh-top beach “aqua socks”

(Answer: C)

3. Talk Show Princess

Identical twins Sunny and Jeen Han went from high school co-valedictorians to defendant and victim in an Orange County courtroom. Now, Jeen Han (a.k.a. the “evil twin”) faces 25 years to life in prison after being convicted of plotting to murder her sister. Meanwhile, the so-called good twin made appearances on which of the following television programs?

A. “Geraldo Rivera”

B. “Leeza”

C. “‘Hard Copy”

D. All of the above

(Answer: D)

4. A piece of the bull

In June, Orange County Dist. Atty. Michael R. Capizzi dropped his 30-month criminal investigation of the $1.6-billion Orange County bankruptcy, and the role of investment giant Merrill Lynch & Co., in exchange for:

A. No-charge investment advice to the county through the year 2010

B. $30 million

C. $1.6 billion

D. Seed money for a new program at UC Irvine: “Finance for Public Administrators”

(Answer: B)

5. Hey, that’s my stolen property!

Put yourself in his position. Stopped for speeding and driving with a suspended license, Joseph Rincon had his car seized--along with a stolen television, stereo and microwave inside. Told that he’d have to appear at the police station to retrieve the property--authorities didn’t yet realize the goods were stolen--Rincon, according to police:

A) Hot-wired a red 1966 Mustang

B) Drew attention while driving it wildly in the Police Department’s parking lot

C) Insisted, when his story unraveled, that he had never been near the Mustang--even though he claimed the jacket lying inside

D) All of the above

(Answer: D)

ARTS AND LEISURE

6. Just a Girl?

There’s no doubt that Anaheim’s Gwen Stefani helped popularize bubbly ska-pop music. But the energetic singer is also credited with changing fashion for throngs of teenage girls. Which craze did the glamorous Stefani help jump-start?

A. Tight ponytails or tangled platinum hair held in place with tiny barrettes or skinny headbands

B. Exposed bra straps, navel-baring tank tops, low-slung striped track-and-field pants

C. Indian beauty marks--henna-painted hands and a red bindi forehead dot

D. All of the above

(Answer: D)

7. Soft landings ahead

A Styrofoam space station was part of a sprawling exhibition on a timely theme. What was its title and where was it?

A. “NASA Invents!” at the UC Irvine Art Gallery

B. “Are We Touched?,” a UFO-related show at the Huntington Beach Art Center

C. “New Uses for Packing Materials,” sponsored by the Styrofoam Assn. of America at the Anaheim Convention Center

D. It never happened

(Answer: B)

8. Up, up and away?

For which job is Pacific Symphony conductor Carl St.Clair among the finalists?

A. El Paso city commissioner of cultural affairs

B. Host of the popular “Breakfast With the Beatles” at radio station KCRW-FM

C. Rap music acquisitions director at Windham Hill Records

D. Music director of a symphony in Utah

(Answer: D)

9. Etiquette by Fergie

There was no holding back the Duchess of York during her May speech at a Costa Mesa dinner benefit. She chided a bunch of music lovers for:

A. Humming “God Save the Queen” while she spoke

B. Asking for her autograph as she dined--ever so lightly

C. Chattering during a piano recital by an 11-year-old musician

D. Hogging the dessert cart

(Answer: C)

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

10. Love amid the politics

Rhonda Carmony, the spouse of which prominent Orange County politician, pleaded guilty to election law violations this year?

A. Assemblyman Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove)

B. Former County Supervisor Roger R. Stanton

C. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach)

D. Assemblyman Scott Baugh (R--Huntington Beach)

(Answer: C)

11. One man’s garbage is another’s gold

Probing a municipal trash scandal, investigators were shocked to hear a paving contractor relate how he regularly received checks from a recycling executive, cashed them at a bar and then stashed thousands of dollars belonging to the city of Orange in:

A. A Little Mermaid lunch pail

B. A Garth Brooks CD collection

C. His boots

D. A videotape case for “It’s a Wonderful Life”

(Answer: C)

12. Faint praise, indeed

County Supervisor Todd Spitzer is one of County Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier’s harshest critics. In asking his colleagues to discipline the CEO, he said she:

A. “Exudes an arrogance of power”

B. “Is no John Kennedy”

C. “Never met a tax she didn’t like”

D. “Gives bureaucracy a bad name”

(Answer: A)

13. What color is his parachute?

When former Orange County prosecutor Ravi Mehta was asked to resign from the state Fair Political Practices Commission after criticizing the campaign reform law his agency was charged with enforcing, he:

A. Joined a political watchdog group seeking to tighten campaign laws

B. Mulled running for governor

C. Secured a special prosecutor’s job from the city of Anaheim, charging $250 an hour plus unlimited expenses to review such material as Visa bill itemization on campaign reports

D. All of the above

(Answer: C)

EDUCATION AND HISTORY

14. Red sea rising?

The normally obscure Orange County Board of Education made headlines as conservative trustees complained about rampant liberal and socialist agendas in the schools. Controversy over the board’s rejection of a $3,000 contract with one agency almost derailed a major state grant. The contract was for:

A. A “school to work” program aimed at employing underage garment workers and championed by President Clinton

B. Planned Parenthood seminars encouraging safe sex and contraception use

C. A film seen as advocating gay-only school newspapers, debate teams and marching bands

D. A contemporary arts course featuring music of rappers Ice-T and Snoop Doggy Dogg

(Answer: B)

15. Smithsonian West in Newport Beach?

The Irvine Co. reported it excavated a prehistoric site above Newport Bay to make way for a gated community called Harbor Cove. In addition to Native American remains, other items found included:

A. Debris from a 1930s Boy Scout Jamboree

B. Stone balls similar to ones found in the Great Basin

C. Stone pieces similar to 9,000-year-old dart points found near Quito, Ecuador

D. Mysterious beads made from a kind of volcanic stone until now found only in a spot called “Daisy Cave” in the Channel Islands

(Answer: B)

16. Careful with the threads

Santa Ana’s elementary and middle-school children were expected to don blue and white uniforms this year in a policy considered the strictest in Orange County because:

A. It is the only districtwide dress code and also applies to teachers’ clothing

B. Those who don’t comply must wear school-supplied gym clothes to class

C. Students not wearing their uniforms will be suspended for one day

D. Boys must wear ties and girls must wear knee-length skirts

(Answer: A)

17. Believe it or not

An antiquities broker displayed what he called “the find of the century” at a news conference hosted by Chapman University officials. But his claim was unconfirmed by scientific peer review. What was purportedly on display?

A. A copy of William Shakespeare’s sonnets, inscribed “Darlene, Thou Art my Juliet.” (Shakespeare’s wife was named Anne Hathaway.)

B. A papyrus scroll recounting the reign of the Egyptian king Tutankhamen

C. Fossilized eggs containing embryonic dinosaurs found in China

D. A 9,200-year-old human skull with Caucasoid features said to come from Bolsa Chica

(Answer: C)

ENVIRONMENT

18. If life’s a beach, do you deserve a refund?

An Orange County jury determined what a tanker’s owner should pay the public for lost beach use caused by the devastating 1990 American Trader oil spill. The jury concluded that a day at the beach is worth:

A. $2,055.23

B. $13.19

C. The $6 parking fee

D An amount varying per beach depending on popularity, surf conditions and towel placement

(Answer: B)

19. Recommended bedtime reading

In one of the year’s most important rulings on the El Toro Airport debate, San Diego Superior Court Judge Judith McConnell ruled that the county’s environmental impact report was:

A. A example of a thorough, incisive document that was particularly sensitive to the environment

B. A flawed report that failed to answer questions on the traffic and pollution issues

C. An engaging read that was not long enough and should have an additional 300 pages--plus pictures, for the public’s reading pleasure

D. An incomplete document that must now be reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(Answer: B)

20. Vanishing act

An October wildfire blackened canyons in eastern Orange County, burning through the former home of a resident not seen there in 30 years:

A. A rare butterfly named the Quino checkerspot, which is named after a missionary and eats plantain

B. A tiny gray rodent called the Pacific pocket mouse, now believed to live in only a handful of spots on earth

C. The rare California least tern, a gray-white bird that has fallen prey to hawks and burrowing owls

D. A reclusive pacifist who disappeared from his cabin in 1968 and is said to live today in Canada

(Answer: A)

SPORTS

21. You’d rather have a hot dog?

Which of the following items will not be featured beyond the outfield fences when the Angels play host to the New York Yankees on April 1 in newly renovated Anaheim Stadium?

A. A picnic area with barbecue pit

B. A concession stand selling peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

C. An 18-hole, baseball-themed miniature golf course

D. A landscaped display with rocks and waterfalls

(Answer: C)

22. High Noon at Williamsport

The team from South Mission Viejo won its first four games at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., in August. A team from which of the following countries rallied from a three-run deficit in the final inning to beat South Mission Viejo in the title game?

A. Korea

B. Mexico

C. Japan

D. Puerto Rico

(Answer: B)

23. Ducks do it. Almost

It took them four seasons, but the Mighty Ducks finally qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs. After being eliminated by the eventual champions, the Detroit Red Wings, which of the following occurred?

A. Anaheim’s superstar Paul Kariya was voted the NHL’s Most Valuable Player

B. The Mighty Ducks moved their minor league hockey affiliate to Tokyo

C. Teemu Selanne threatened to lead a boycott of Disneyland if line-mate Kariya wasn’t signed to a new contract

D. Ron Wilson, the only coach in franchise history, was let go

(Answer: D.)

WORK AND THE ECONOMY

24. It looked good on paper

UC Irvine’s annual survey of local business executives last January found them to be more upbeat about the general economy and their companies’ fortunes than they’d been in years. As a result, many top executives:

A. Erased Orange County’s reputation for tight-fisted giving with record contributions to charities

B. Gave workers big raises and boosted their benefits

C. Received huge performance bonuses and stock option packages from grateful boards of directors

D. Quit their jobs, gave away their money and went to live with a guru in New Mexico

(Answer: C)

25. If they build it, will we come?

The long-moribund housing market bounced back in 1997. Orange County builders scrambled to pull new home construction permits while sales of existing homes hit the highest level in five years. Which did not happen as a result?

A. Builders tempered the urge for maximum profit, recognized that not everyone can afford a mansion, and began to build as many middle-income units as $400,000 tract homes

B. Realtors began trading in their recession-era Corollas for post-recovery Caddies

C. Anxious buyers began camping out at new housing developments in South County, intent on getting their dream homes

D. Because of a lack of available houses for sale to meet the demand of buyers, condominium sales enjoyed a resurgence

(Answer: A)

26. Power lunch or soccer?

Workers in Orange County are generally happy with their careers and their families, a recent Times Orange County Poll found. How did most employed mothers say they were doing at balancing work versus home, compared with the national average?

A. Better than the national norm

B. Not as well as the national norm

C. Too exhausted to reply to the question

D. Could not be reached at phone number, fax number, pager number or e-mail address

(Answer: A)

POTPOURRI

27. The gnomes are out in front

Sometimes the best hiding place is in plain sight. What did 72-year-old Marianne Barnes of Anaheim hide in her side yard for five years?

A. Affidavits alleging a conspiracy to oust Bob Dornan from Congress

B. A 300-pound pig

C. Broccoli

D. The remains of Jimmy Hoffa, Judge Crater and Amelia Earhart

(Answer: B)

28. What would Walt think?

A popular Web site revealed some Disneyland activities that the park typically doesn’t promote in its brochures. Photos apparently purloined from the Magic Kingdom and sent into cyberspace showed:

A. Women revealing their breasts on the Splash Mountain ride

B. Preteens shoplifting Mickey Mouse ears

C. Guests skinny-dipping beneath water-spouting fake elephants in the Jungle Cruise ride

D. Teenage drug dealers selling LSD to annual pass holders only steps from Sleeping Beauty’s Castle

(Answer: A)

29. ‘Tis better to give

In the holiday spirit, a Santa Margarita businessman made a generous donation to a Buena Park church for its annual dinner for the homeless and needy. The donation was:

A. 200 rock Cornish game hens

B. 400 pounds of Starbucks coffee beans

C. 600 pounds of emu meat

D. A $5,000 gift certificate to Bristol Farms

(Answer: C)

30. Merge left, keep right, lanes closed, traffic jammed

Orange County earned a dubious distinction when the Guinness Book of Records designated it as home to the world’s most complex highway interchange, namely the notorious Orange Crush. Which of the following gave the Orange Crush a race for its money?

A. Macaroni Exchange near Arlington, Texas

B. Spaghetti Junction near Birmingham, England

C. Grapevine near Gorman, Calif.

D. The Can of Worms outside Rochester, N.Y.

(Answer: B)

This quiz was compiled by the Times Orange County editorial staff and written by Schoch.