Q: How many Americans recycle cans, bottles, or paper: (a) 66%; (b) 76%; or (c) 86%?
     A: 76% (Vitality magazine).

     Quote: "Conservatives are the ones who insist on facing the future butt first." - Contemporary Comedy

    Q: To help avoid injury, should you lift weights: (a) in the morning; (b) in the afternoon; or (c) in the evening?
    A: In the morning. Neck and lower back muscles are more fatigued later in the day (Vitality magazine).

     Q: Was the carol "Silent Night" first sung accompanied by guitar in the church at Oberndorf, Austria, because: (a) the organist was sick; (b) writer Joseph Mohr preferred the guitar; or (c) mice had gnawed through the organ and ruined it?
    A: The organ was unplayable, thanks to the mice.

    Q: When visiting Finland, does Saint Nicholas park his sleigh and ride: (a) a donkey named Elvis; (b) a goat named Ukko; or (c) a reindeer named Rudolph?
    A: A goat named Ukko. Ukko is a straw goat, but a very strong straw goat.

    Wisdom: When we become as dependent on God as was a baby in a barn, we will receive our King and the joy He wants to give us.

    Q: In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbukk, a small figurine of a goat. Is it usually made of: (a) straw; (b) candy; or (c) gingerbread?
    A: Straw.

    Fun Fact: Christmas was once a moveable feast celebrated many different times during the year. In the 4th century Pope Julius I chose December 25 to coincide with pagan winter rituals, hoping to replace the pagan festival with Christmas    Q: While reading, did Abraham Lincoln always: (a) tilt the book and his head to the right; (b) move his lips; or (c) keep one eye closed?
    A: Always read while moving his lips.

    Fun Fact: During World War II it was necessary to mail Christmas gifts early for the troops in Europe. Merchants joined the effort to encourage customers to shop and mail early, and the protracted Christmas shopping season was born.

    Q: How many death sentences did Texas courts uphold in the 1990s for defendants whose lawyers slept during their trials: (a) none; (b) three; or (c) six?
    A: Three (Harper's Index).

    Fun Fact: When they met their future spouse, 86% of men say it was love at first sight. Only 41% of women felt that way.

    Q: Is the average number of different drug prescriptions filled each year by an American over age 74: (a) six; (b) eight; or (c) 12?
    A: 12, according to the American Association of Retired Persons.

   Q: Did the blazer jacket get its name from: (a) an American pioneer; (b) a ship; or (c) a fire department softball team?
    A: A ship, the HMS Blazer. The captain ordered blue jackets for all crew members and the idea caught on.

    Q: Your candle is warped. Should you: (a) stop burning it at both ends; (b) keep it in the freezer; or (c) soak it in warm water until it's soft, then gently reshape it, and dunk it in cold water?
    A: Tightwad Living magazine swears by #c.

    Quote: "It's one of life's great unanswered questions: Why do people who flunked their driver's test always take the freeway?" - Contemporary Comedy

    Q: In Omaha, was it once illegal in church to: (a) sleep; (b) sneeze; or (c) get up and leave?
    A: Both sneezing and burping were prohibited by law.

    Q: Which Continental Basketball Association team leads the league in merchandise sales: (a) the Fort Wayne Fury; (b) the Sioux Falls Skyforce; or (c) the Idaho Stampede?
    A: The Idaho Stampede.

    Fun Fact: Early settlers in one Michigan community opened a dictionary and chose the first word on the page as the name for their town. Colon, Michigan 49040, population 1,224.

     Q: According to research published in the journal Nature, people with chonically cold feet may have trouble going to sleep unless they: (a) whine about how cold their feet are; (b) sleep with their feet under the dog; or (c) wear socks to bed?
     A: Wear socks to bed. Warming the feet dilates the blood vessels, which helps us go to sleep. Folks with average feet don't need socks; those with cold feet do.

    Wisdom: "When I have learned to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now.... When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased." - C.S. Lewis, on this day in 1952.

    Q: To deliver their wish to the spirits, do some North American Indian tribes believe they should whisper it to: (a) the wind; (b) an eagle; or (c) a butterfly?
    A: Catch a butterfly, whisper the wish to it, and release it (Nature magazine).

    Quote: "You know you're flying friendly skies when you notice the happy face on your airsick bag." - Contemporary Comedy 

    Q: You suffer from choreomania. Are you: (a) obsessed with chorus girls; (b) unable to stop dancing; or (c) unable to stop throwing apple cores at others?
    A: You can't stop dancing.

    Fertility Fact: Mulitiple births, twins, triplets, or more, occur in half of the women who take fertility drugs (University of Washington Health Sciences, Seattle)

    Q: Your windshield wipers are dying young. Should you clean them with: (a) blue cheese dressing; (b) Vaseline; or (c) alcohol?
    A: Alcohol cleansing will help them wipe longer (Vitality magazine).

    Q: You are a single man who is interested in a particular single woman. When you approach her, she puts her hands in her pockets. Does this mean: (a) she may try to pay you to leave her alone; (b) she has low hand-esteem; or (c) she's not interested?
    A: The old hands-in-the-pockets ploy is one of many non-verbal rejection signals women have. Others include crossing their arms or legs, glancing up, or looking at their nails (Dr. Monica Moore, associate professor of behavior and social sciences, Webster University, St. Louis).

    Q: Is the dirtiest skin surface on the average human: (a) the face; (b) the feet; or (c) the belly button?
    A: The face, because it's exposed and drools.

    Fat Fact: The average bagel is equal to four slices of bread. (Mayo Clinic)

     Q: Does the tattoo on comedian Janeane Garofalo’s arm say: (a) "Don’t sing;" (b) "Take a deep breath;" or (c) "Think."
     A: "Think."

     Quote: "Autumn is a time of change, when the autumn leaves turn from green to gold, and your Christmas watch turns from gold to green." - Contemporary Comedy

     Q: Was the last year that neither a Dole nor a Bush appeared on the Republican presidential ticket: (a) 1976; (b) 1972; or (c) 1968?
     A: 1972 (Harper’s Index).

     Fun Fact: According to the History Channel, a tonic made from tomatoes was popular in the late 1800s for curing diarrhea. This tonic is still around today and is called "Ketchup."

     Q: To prevent stress-related illnesses, how much unstructured downtime should school-age children get each day: (a) at least 20 minutes; (b) at least 40 minutes; or (c) at least 60 minutes?
     A: At least 20 minutes (Parents magazine).

     Fun Fact: According to Nabisco, if every Oreo cookie eaten in a year was dunked, cows would have to produce an extra 42.2 million gallons of milk to accommodate the extra dunkers.

     Q: Will a new rifle being developed in Oak Ridge, Tennessee: (a) shoot only animals that are running; (b) fire bullets at varying speeds; or (c) fire only when the licensed owner pulls the trigger?
     A: This rifle, to be ready in mid-2000, will fire bullets at varying speeds. New gun powder will allow the rifle to be adjusted to fire bullets that stun, disable, or destroy.

     Q: According to German research published in the British Medical Journal, babies are less likely to grow into fat children if they: (a) have a photo of Richard Simmons in their crib; (b) are breast-fed exclusively; or (c) are bottle-fed exclusively?
     A: The study of 9,357 children found that the longer babies were breast-fed exclusively before being switched to formula or food, the lower their chances of starting school overweight.

     Quote: "Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle." - Bob Hope

    Q: Was Claudian Schiffer’s 1990 modeling debut memorable because: (a) her shoe came off; (b) a strap broke; or (c) she tripped?
     A: She tripped.

    Fun Fact: During a game, Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap and changed it for a fresh one every two innings.

     Q: Your delicate gold and silver necklaces get all tangled in your jewelry box. Should you: (a) get a separate jewelry box for each necklace; (b) hang each necklace over a doorknob; or (c) run each necklace through a drinking straw, then fasten the catch?
     A: Family Circle magazine suggests #c.

      Quote: "To heck with quick energy, why can’t somebody produce a breakfast cereal that slows kids down?" - Contemporary Comedy

     Q: Is wrestler Hulk Hogan’s real name: (a) Bubba Eugene; (b) Bo Gene; or (c) Terry Gene?
     A: Terry Gene Bollea.

     Wisdom: A real sense of humor is what makes you laugh when someone takes your best joke and improves it.

     Q: In high school, did Deion Sanders play: (a) quarterback; (b) wide receiver; or (c) runningback?
     A: Left-handed option quarterback.

     Fun Fact: The celebrated German writer Johann Goethe could only write when he had an apple rotting in his desk drawer.

     Q: You suffer from ballistophobia. Do you have a morbid fear of: (a) your soccer ball exploding; (b) swallowing a ping pong ball; or (c) missiles?
     A: You’re afraid of missiles.

     Quote: "I do clean up a little. If company’s coming, I’ll wipe the lipstick off the milk container. Comb the soap." - Elayne Boosler

     Q: Can algae-fighting copper compounds in pools cause swimmers’ hair to turn: (a) green; (b) orange; or (c) purple?
     A: Green (Women’s Sports & Fitness magazine).

     Quote: "My dog not only can roll over and play dead, he can roll back and forth and play lawn sprinkler." - Contemporary Comedy

    Q: According to the American Medical Association, is the median annual personal income for U.S. doctors: (a) $146,000; (b) $166,000; or (c) $186,000?
     A: $166,000. Median income means half the doctors make less, half make more. The median work week is 48 hours.

     Wisdom: Not all the news that’s fit to print is fit to read.

     Q: In 1982, was Jose Canseco drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the: (a) first round; (b) 8th round; or (c) 15th round of the draft?
     A: Jose was a 15th round draft choice. Four years later he was Rookie of the Year in the American League.

     Quote: "Remember when you were considered an environmentalist when you didn’t throw junk out of the car window? I sure do miss that happier, simpler time." - Paula Poundstone.