Mr. Write's Page

The Questions…

1. The widest field of vision among birds belongs to what small, long-billed species?

2. When the First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia in 1774 to protest British rule, the colony of Georgia did not send delegates to the meeting. Why not?

3. Nachos were invented in 1943 by a Mexican maître d’ who needed to come up with a quick snack for a group of special guests. Why are they called nachos?

4. When the messaging service Twitter was created in 2006, the founders chose “Twitter” after deciding to reject a more popular first choice. What name was rejected?

5. Why did a California biologist sue Disney Studios over the 1994 film The Lion King?

The Answers…

1. The American woodcock. Because of its pointy head and high-set eyes, it can see 360 degrees from front to back and 180 degrees up and down without moving its head. The woodcock lives in inland forests, but is related to the sandpiper and other shorebirds.

2. In 1774, the Creek Nation was on the warpath (because the colonists were systematically killing Indians and stealing their land). Georgia needed the help of British troops to defend the frontier, and formally complaining about the British seemed imprudent.

3. The maître d’ was Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya. One of the guests dubbed the dish Nacho’s Especiales, and the name evolved from there.

4. “Twitch.”

5. The biologist claimed the film’s negative portrayal of the spotted hyena was unfairly disparaging and defamed the character of hyenas. The lawsuit was tossed out.