Community supports Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley at Trivia Bee Saturday

Question 1: Which 1960s sci-fi cartoon predicted flat-screen TV's, robotic sweepers, video calls, and tanning lamps?

(Find all answers at the end of this article)

Fox Valley community members had an otherworldly blast Saturday while supporting Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley's 16th annual fundraiser, the "Bee Me Up, Scotty" Trivia Bee for Literacy.

Thirty-five teams of three contestants each competed for prizes at a price of $400 per table. Organizational donors gave as much as $1,000 or more in cash or in kind to Literacy Volunteers Fox Valley, including Altrusa International of Fox Valley, the Kane County Chronicle, Q Center, and UPS. More sponsors included Berkshire Hathaway Starck Real Estate, Zonta Club of St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia, and St. Charles Bank and Trust.

2. In which Disney film did "When You Wish Upon a Star" win an academy award for Best Original Song?

The silent auction featured numerous donations from individuals and organizations alike. Donations included a Kane County Cougars VIP Suite and 20 tickets, donated by the Kane County Cougars, a sterling silver Josephine white enamel with fleur de lis ring donated by State Street Jewelers in Geneva, a private shopping party for 12 donated by the Jeans and Cute Top Shop including wine, hors d'oeuvres, personal denim fittings, styling assistance, 10-percent off all party purchases, two $25 gift certificates, a scarf, necklace, earrings, and bracelet.

3. Which Frank Sinatra favorite was the first song played from the lunar surface?

Talk of "tribbles" was much in the air at the bee. Four teams even sported these names: the Tatooine Tribble Trio (American Association of University Women), The Furry Tribbles (Batavia Rotary Club), A Tribble Threat (Geneva Chamber of Commerce sponsored by UPS), and Troubled Tribbles (Rotary Club of Geneva).

In Star Trek's second season a space trader gave Uhura a charming, purring ball of fluff known as a tribble, and Uhura took it back to the Enterprise. But tribbles are born pregnant, and the more they eat … and they eat constantly … the more they multiply. Soon the starship was overrun by the furry creatures. Helpfully, a Klingon agent's true identity was exposed when Kirk discovered that tribbles squeak whenever Klingons are near. Scotty rid the Enterprise of the troublesome fluffballs by beaming them aboard a departing Klingon ship where, as he told Kirk, " … they'll be no tribble at all."

4. Inspired by the "Star Trek" communicator, which manufacturer created the MicroTAC, which was the first flip phone in 1989?

Trivia bee prizes included: third place - pairs of tickets donated by Classic Cinemas; second place - ice cream cake certificates donated by the St. Charles Dairy Queen; first place - pairs of tickets to a performance of the winners' choice donated by Fox Valley Repertory, caps donated by Liz Prignano, and trophies donated by Doc Morgan Inc.

5. Now brought on all NASA flights, which sticky three-layered cloth made it possible to jury-rig a carbon dioxide removal system so that Apollo 13 could complete its mission after an oxygen tank explosion?

Winning first place in the bee, the team To Boldly Know What No Team Has Known Before (Nameplate and Panel Technology of Carol Stream) with Tom Barrows, Chris Denault, and Suzanne Rubey scored a total of 44 points. The Can't See de Trees because of DeForrest (Elgin Community College) team of Bill Demaree, Ryan Kerr, and Scott Vaszilly took second place.

A tiebreaker question was asked to determine the third place winner: Which nations have successfully launched orbital satellites? The Factitious Appearance of Precision (Geneva Public Library sponsored by Friends of the Geneva Public Library) team of Dennis Winters, Hallie Koontz, and Andre Bukowski took third place.

The Great Exspocktations (Hosanna! Lutheran Church) were awarded Best Team Name. The Data Divas (Altrusa International of Fox Valley) were awarded Best Team Spirit for their notable attire which included feathered boas. The 50/50 raffle winner was Ashley Sloboda.

Other pesky trivia questions entertained by the tenacious teams:

6. Sojourner, Opportunity, Spirit, and Curiosity are names given to which planetary exploration devices?

7. In the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still," to whom was the phrase "Klaatu Barada Nikto" addressed?

8. Sirius, the Dog Star, is found in which constellation?

9. An Einstein-Rosen bridge was the original name for a shortcut connecting distant regions of space-time, and is now called what?

10. Despite his wishes to be cremated, which Boston Red Sox player remains cryogenically frozen?

Tiebreaker Question - Which nations have successfully launched orbital satellites?

Answers to questions:

1. "The Jetsons"

2. "Pinocchio"

3. "Fly Me to the Moon"

4. Motorola

5. Duct tape

6. Mars rovers

7. The robot Gort

8. Canis Majoris

9. A wormhole

10. Ted Williams

Tiebreaker: Soviet Union/Russia (both), United States, France, Japan, China, India, Israel, Ukraine, Iran, and North Korea.