“And the signs say the words of the prophets 

Are written on the subway walls

And tenement halls 

And echo in the dwell of silence”

Those are some of the words that introduced many of us to the poetry and the song writing talent of Paul Simon nearly 60 years back. He and partner Art Garfunkel treated us to words of wisdom, words of wonder, words of questioning and exploration, words of love and sometimes words of whimsy. 

After splitting with Garfunkel, Paul Simon continued on still gracing us with great poetry set to music. The Paul Simon song book is large. Most of us have a song of Simon’s that really speaks to us from the profoundness of “Sounds of Silence” to the solitude of “I am a Rock” to the exploration of “America” to the whimsy of “59th Street Bridge Song” to the great music of “You Can Call Me Al.” 

Let us not forget his story songs such as “The Boxer” or “Late In The Evening” or “Me and Julio.” Happy Birthday, Paul Simon and thank you for the music.

A) Some people no doubt had withdrawal symptoms when what internet giant took a pause last Monday?

B) October 10, 1973. What high ranking politician resigned from office, signaling coming trouble for the administration in power?

C) Who replaced the resigned politician in the previous question?

D) Four former close associates of the former president have been subpoenaed by the January 6th committee. The former president advised these associates to do what?

E) As Iowa’s governor Reynolds cavorts with other Republican governors at the Mexican border, what is Iowa’s rate of Covid cases averaging daily?

F) A leak of over 12 million files that laid bare the hidden wealth, secret dealings, and corruption of hundreds of world leaders, billionaires, public officials, celebrities, and others Sunday is known as what?

G) In an outcome that was of little surprise to anyone, the Iowa legislature dealt with the proposed redistricting by doing what?

H) Proof of Covid vaccination will be required in what major American city for indoor shopping and major outdoor events?

I) Late last week, Chinese war planes flew sorties over what nearby nation?

J) The World Health Organization announced its approval for the widespread use of the first vaccine for what disease?

K) Which US state was identified as one of the world’s premiere tax havens on a par with places like the Cayman Islands in a leak of files Sunday?

L) US senators voted to extend the debt ceiling to what date in December?

M) As of 2019, what is the self-described Hispanic population of the US?

N) What was the name of Paul Simon’s girlfriend during his and Art’s first trip to England in the early ’60s?

O) What song did this girl inspire that Paul wrote on a train trip back to see her?

P) An oil spill due to a cracked pipeline spoiled some coastline in what state?

Q) Frances Haugen became a household name last week when she became a whistle blower against what company?

R) What elderly TV and movie star will be the oldest space tourist when he takes a ride on a Blue Origin rocket Tuesday?

S) As SCOTUS started its new term, which justice participated from home due to having Covid?

T) The winning ticket for a $700 million Powerball jackpot was purchased in what state?

U) BONUS: When Simon and Garfunkel first hit the music scene, what did they call themselves?

Billionaires don’t want to pay taxes because not paying for things is how they became billionaires.– Middle Age Riot

Answers:

A) Facebook

B) VP Spiro Agnew

C) Gerald Ford

D) Ignore the subpoenas (this is from the “we are a nation of laws” party)

E) over a thousand a day

F) Pandora Papers

G) voting it down on a party line vote. Here comes the gerrymandering!

H) Los Angeles

I) Taiwan

J) Malaria

K) South Dakota. This was revealed in the leak of the Pandora Papers

L) December 3rd. Merry Christmas!

M) 60.6 million or @18.5% of the population

N) Kathy Chitty. He inspired such songs as Kathy’s Song and America

O) She was also the inspiration for Homeward Bound that Simon wrote in a railway station getting ready to head back to Chitty

P) California – Huntington Beach specifically

Q) Facebook. (Ms. Haugen is a native of Iowa City and attended West High School)

R)  William Shatner who is 90 and is best known for playing Star Trek’s Captain Kirk (mythically born in Riverside, Ia.)

S) Brett Kavanaugh

T) California

U) BONUS: Tom and Jerry

If Merrick Garland feels that disrupted school board meetings merit an urgent FBI response, wait until he hears about what happened on January 6th. – Jeff Tiedrich