Abridged Too Far Trivia Quiz

Answer: DSM

If you are a psychologist or psychiatrist, the DSM will be familiar to you. It stands for the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders". The book was first published in 1952 by the American Psychiatric Association, and is the standard for classification of disorders for mental health practitioners in the United States.

Answer: PCP

Phencyclidine hydrochloride or PCP was developed in the 1950s to be used as an intravenous anesthetic. It is a white crystalline power which dissolves in water or alcohol and has a bitter taste. Its usage can cause numbness, anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia, violent hostility, psychosis and even death. The drug, nicknamed angel dust, was discontinued in 1965 and is now illegal.

Answer: MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is caused by bacteria creating various infections in human beings. MRSA can cause a variety of problems, from skin infections and sepsis to pneumonia and bloodstream diseases. The difficulty is that the bacteria have become particularly resistant to commonly used and powerful antibiotics. More people are now checking into hospitals with MRSA than with HIV and influenza combined!*

*per "The Atlantic" magazine

Answer: PSI

PSI stands for pounds (or pound-force) per square inch. It is a unit of pressure or the stress a gas or liquid exerts on the walls of its container. It is also called PSIG which stands for pounds per square inch gauge. I could give you mathematical equations using this concept but, if you understood it, you would have to explain it to me. If you are not a mathematician or rocket scientist, suffice it to say you could use this to help measure the air in your tires, e.g., auto tire overpressure = 32 psig, for bikes it is 65 psig.
Oh, and an NFL football is between 12.5 and 13.5 psig.

Answer: ESPN

If you subscribe to cable channels, you may be receiving ESPN, i.e., the Sports Channel, a 24 hour broadband sports network which provides all manner of sports, all the time. The acronym stands for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network which began airing in 1979, but the full name was dropped in 1985, leaving the new name (ESPN) and a new logo.

The channel is a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company and the Hearst Corporation.

Answer: DVM

Not to be confused with the DMV (where there is usually a much longer waiting line), DVM stands for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or a vet. To become a vet, there is extensive training in comparative biology and medicine, including clinical disciplines like cardiology, behavior, dentistry and, of course, anatomy. It also helps to have a love of animals.

Answer: FDIC

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was established by FDR as part of the Banking Act of 1933. It is an independent agency to help provide economic stability and prevent a "run on the bank" like those that happened during the Depression years when the banks were unable to cover their customer's funds. Remember when Mr. Potter foreclosed on George Bailey's loan in "It's a Wonderful Life"? The FDIC now insures each depositor up to $250,000.

Answer: MSRP

How often have you seen the acronym MSRP? Is it a disease; is it a drug? No, it's simply the manufacturer's suggested retail price, sometimes referred to as the RRP or recommended retail price. You will often see this list price on car stickers and even on the products given away on games shows.

This figure is to help standardize the prices across different locations. Many businesses will actually sell at or below this price, while others will only give the discount at a sale or closeout.

Answer: WWF

WWF could stand for the World Wrestling Foundation, but then I didn't give that as a choice. I took the high road and went with the World Wildlife Fund, a non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1961 to help conserve nature and reduce threats to endangered species.

In 1985, the name was broadened to The World Wide Fund for Nature, but its goal is still to provide a planet on which we can all live together in harmony. And its logo is still that cute panda!

Answer: MDMA

OK, are you ready? MDMA stands for methylenedioxymethamphedamine. It is a synthetic psychoactive drug known as 'ecstasy' or Molly (slang for molecular). You may find it at the club scene being used as a recreational drug to promote euphoria and heightened sensations.

Unfortunately, it can also lead to addiction, memory loss, paranoia, sweating, rapid heartbeat, depression and fatigue. The drug is illegal in all countries of the world under a United Nations agreement.