Here it is, Wombatlings -- today's pointless puzzle, formulated to distract you from unpleasantly meaningful work:
Frank Gusenberg, Pete Gusenberg, James Clark, Adam Heyer, Al Weinshank, and Reinhardt Schwimmer all had something in common, something connected to a wall of bricks, left over from a demolished warehouse, which was bought in 1967 by a Canadian businessman and later reconstructed in the men's room of his establishment, the "Banjo Palace."
What connects these men and the bricks in this wall?
The first correct answer posted to comments wins a copy of Sun-Tzu's Art of War (perfect for Valentine's Day!). Remember that Googling, phoning the NY Public Library's Reference Desk, or asking the weird kid who's so damn QUIET all the time are all forbidden behaviors. One guess per comment, but you may comment as often as you wish.
Posted by BT at February 14, 2003 09:51 AMThey all performed improv in front of that wall as "Gusenberg Soup."
Posted by: teenidol on February 14, 2003 09:55 AMAs a Chikagoan, I recuse myself on this lovely holiday.
Posted by: boxjam on February 14, 2003 10:21 AMThey were all killed in front of that wall in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre?
Posted by: teenidol on February 14, 2003 10:39 AMLook at him go! Look at little Derwin go!
Posted by: Scott on February 14, 2003 10:42 AMAm I being set up here?
Posted by: teenidol on February 14, 2003 10:45 AMThey were dressed in one huge cow suit and started the Great Chicago Fire.
Posted by: teenidol on February 14, 2003 10:51 AMSpelling it "Chikago" is my new way of sticking it to "the Man."
Only I'm going to start calling him "The Myn."
Posted by: boxjam on February 14, 2003 11:06 AMLittle Derwin takes it -- as Sun Tzu says "In the morning, the ch'i of the army is ardent." Well, done, Teenidol -- keep sticking it to the Myn!
For some weirdness associated with the answer (the St. Valentine's Day massacre, not the cow suit part), check out the following:
http://members.fortunecity.com/moran9/id15.htm
Posted by: BT on February 14, 2003 11:52 AMDurn it! I've only now been able to tune into the quiz because my new boss is a tool and has to explain things to me like "marketing is nice!" for hours at a time.
Anyway, what lil durwin said. he's so smart.
Hey! Who Dot's Chicago?
Posted by: bootsy on February 14, 2003 12:15 PMIs it OK to Google Little Derwin now?
How high's the water, Momma?
Posted by: teenidol on February 14, 2003 03:28 PMAll former members of Pink Floyd?
Posted by: DC on February 20, 2003 02:38 PMDid I ever tell you about the time I dreamed I went to Syd Barrett's house? I remember it was evening, just at the hour when the sun is disappearing. He lived in a large, white, somewhat ordinary two-story house in a nondescript community just outside of some city, possibly London, but in my dream it didn't seem strange that I might be in England. I don't remember why I was visiting him; in fact, as I stood on the porch of his house, after knocking I grew nervous, and gazed around the darkening, silent suburb, realizing that I didn't know the man and that I couldn't think of what had brought me there.
There was a row of small glass panes running up one side of the door, from the level of one's feet to one's head, and as I turned back to the door I saw, filling the row of windows, a giant version of the image from this album cover:
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?userid=513WVP9YZW&wrk=66847
The face grew and grew, blotting out all else. I screamed and seemed to fall into its terrifying gullet, until I woke.
I know...wrong band.
Posted by: BT on February 20, 2003 02:53 PMI have a couple of really stunning rock star dreams, featuring Bob Dylan and the Replacements, respectively. I keep meaning to set up a "Rock Star Dreams" website to compile this sort of thing. The thing is that my new motto is "it's on my list," which is pretty much what I tell people at work when they come to ask me about shit they asked me to do.
Does anyone know how one expresses "it's on my list" in Latin?
If anyone has a shorter list and wants to put said website together, I'd happily submit my dreams. Which are, as I've said, stunning. Have you ever been nearly killed by Bob Dylan attaching a torpedo to a hang glider, then awakened to find Bob cryptically commenting on the matter by your bedside?
I thought not.
Posted by: Scott on February 20, 2003 07:52 PM