In Other Words... Trivia Quiz

Answer: FORTRAN

FORTRAN is a computer programming language which is an acronym for Formula Translation. It was developed by John Backus and IBM, first appearing in 1957. It was originally used specifically for numeric and scientific computations, e.g., numerical weather predictions. FORTRAN was the pioneer which led to other programming languages such as BASIC.

Answer: COPD

COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which includes the lung problems of bronchitis and emphysema which block airflow and make it difficult to breathe. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. It can often be helped by medication like inhalers or oral steroids but, unfortunately, the damage cannot be reversed.

Answer: NCIS

NCIS is an initialism for the popular television show "Naval Criminal Investigative Service" which began airing in 2003. Mark Harmon plays the protagonist, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Gibbs and his agents investigate crimes against servicemen and servicewomen primarily in the Navy and Marine Corp. The crimes they deal with often involve murder, espionage and threats of terrorism.

Answer: TKO

Anyone who has ever been to a boxing match or watched a "Rocky" movie knows that the initialism TKO stands for Technical Knockout. A TKO differs from a knockout (KO) in that it is declared not by fight judges but by the referee or ring physician when they feel that a fighter cannot safely continue the match. At that point, no count is needed and the other fighter is declared the winner.

Answer: IBS

Where would we be without TV describing the dangers of IBS, i.e., Irritable Bowel Syndrome, telling us more than we want to know? IBS, also called spastic colon, is an intestinal disorder which causes stomach pain, constipation, bloating, gas and diarrhea (sounds like a Pepto Bismol commercial). While medication and change in diet can help, there really is no definitive cure.

Answer: BOLO

If you are a fan of crime shows, you may have heard them issue a BOLO alert which is short for 'Be On the Lookout'. The acronym BOLO is an all-points bulletin issued by law enforcement (police or military) trying to track down a major suspect of a serious crime, e.g., a kidnapping, terror threat or murder investigation.

Answer: SALT

Anyone able to remember back to the days when Ronald Reagan was president? If so, you might recall SALT (not the condiment or the film) which is an acronym for the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. It consisted of two rounds of negotiations between the United States and Russia about denuclearization. SALT I (1972) and SALT II (1979) led to the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

Answer: ADD

All of a sudden, in the 1980s, medicine turned its attention to hyperactivity in children, viewing it as a problem instead of just "kids being kids". ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder was born and later grew up to be ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Doctors posited that it was a biochemical imbalance preventing children from achieving their potential.

The result: Ritalin sales went through the roof.

Answer: SCUBA

We must credit French underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau (1910-1997) with the creation of the 'aqualung' in 1943. It was the precursor to SCUBA or Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, a term coined by Christian Lambertsen, an American diving medicine specialist. SCUBA gear opened the undersea world to millions who could now explore uncharted waters.

Answer: FLOTUS

Did you know that the first use of 'OTUS' as a suffix was way back in 1879 when the word SCOTUS was used in a book for telegraph operators? The acronym stood for the Supreme Court of the United States. The advent of the internet increased the use of acronyms like POTUS for President of the US and FLOTUS for the First Lady of the United States.

In the 1980s, it may have first been used as the Secret Service code name for Nancy Reagan.

Answer: SNAFU

A SNAFU is defined as a chaotic situation or a big mess. It is a military term from World War II which stands for Situation Normal, All Fouled Up (although I've cleaned up the "F" word to avoid an "X" rating). However, the original acronym was actually "Status Nominal: All F***** Up", with 'nominal' meaning the way something is supposed to be, but isn't, i.e., not real.

Answer: BOGO

If you've ever shopped in a store or seen an add on TV or the internet (that would probably be just about everyone over the age of three), then you've heard the term BOGO which translates to Buy One, Get One or, in many cases, where you don't have to buy one to get one, i.e., a 50% sale. There is also the more expensive sale where you can buy one and get the other for half off.

Answer: HOMES

Some acronyms are used as mnemonic devices, that is to help remember lists of things, e.g., ROY G BIV for the colors of the rainbow. HOMES is just such a memory aid to assist in remembering the five Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. You just have to remember that the Great Lakes provide 'homes' for many types of fish and birds, and the names will be at your fingertips.

Answer: REM

REM sleep is noticeable by Rapid Eye Movements, and is the portion of sleep when dreams occur. There are usually three to five periods of REM sleep per night, with intervals of one to two hours. The time elapsed during REM sleep can vary from five minutes to over an hour. With interrupted sleep and less REM sleep, our brains may retain more toxic proteins and may be at greater risk for diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Answer: SETI

In the early 1960s, post Roswell, a group of radio astronomers were looking for signs of the existence of sentient life in the universe through radio signals. In 1984, the SETI research institute was founded by Carl Sagan. SETI is an acronym for the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, and their mission is to explore and "explain the origin and nature of life in the universe".