BY DAVE PRICE
Daily Post Editor
With the new year beginning, many newspapers are taking a look back at 2018’s biggest news stories. But instead of repeating the news you’ve already read, I thought it would be interesting to see what you remember from 2018. How many of these questions you can answer? The strangest answers, in many cases, are the correct ones.
1. The “Digital DNA” sculpture, a large egg made from electronic parts, was removed by the city of Palo Alto from Lytton Plaza in front of Pizza My Heart. Who proudly put the egg on display after it was removed?
a. Google
b. Harvard
c. Yale
d. City of San Francisco
2. The price of what Palo Alto “infrastructure” project jumped from $57 million to $92 million last year?
a. Council chambers remodel
b. City Hall seismic retrofit
c. The citywide roundabout project
d. The new police station at 250 Sherman Ave.
3. How many protesters were arrested when conservative commentator Ann Coulter spoke in Mountain View on March 13?
a. 50
b. 5
c. None, and only one protester was seen by a Post reporter
d. None, she canceled the speech at the last minute
4. Why have the track guards disappeared?
a. Fewer suicides
b. The city replaced them with cameras and sensors
c. Labor issues
d. They’re hidden in bushes near the crossings
5. What controversial proposal was killed by Palo Alto City Council’s Finance Committee in May only to be revived after the November council election?
a. Roundabouts every block on Middlefield Road.
b. Allowing restaurants to sell dog meat.
c. A $2 million upgrade of the council chambers.
d. Ending free parking for city employees downtown.
6. Stanford Athletic Director Bernard Muir issued an apology this month for what?
a. Running back Bryce Love’s decision to skip the Sun Bowl.
b. A drawing of the Stanford tree flipping the bird and pointing a gun on a whiteboard at the Nebraska mascot in a locker room.
c. Not paying football players.
d. David Shaw’s haircut.
7. While some Mountain View residents are living paycheck to paycheck, and taxes are going up, the city racked up a massive surplus for the budget year ending on June 30. How big was the surplus?
a. $10 million
b. $15 million
c. $20 million
d. $95 million
8. Who was the local billionaire who offered to give Menlo Park $35 million to build a new main library only to withdraw the offer when the project was delayed until 2019 after an open-meetings violation by former Councilwoman Kirsten Keith?
a. Mark Zuckerberg
b. Sergey Brin
c. John Arrillaga
d. Elon Musk
9. The mural by this locally born actor was painted over at Palo Alto High School after he was accused by several women of sexual misconduct.
a. James Franco
b. Kevin Spacey
c. Louis C.K.
d. Bill Cosby
10. The Oasis, a beloved Menlo Park burgers and pizza joint, closed on March 7. Why did it close?
a. Parking complaints
b. The business and landlord couldn’t reach a deal on a new lease
c. The beer shortage
d. Repeated smoking violations caused by the pizza oven
11. City Council has declared what date as “Palo Alto Day”?
a. April 1
b. April 9
c. April 15
d. April 20, 4:20 day
12. In April, a local family that adopted a pot-bellied piglet turned the animal into the Humane Society in Burlingame. Why did they surrender Lola?
a. She grew too large for their home
b. Neighbors didn’t like the smell
c. Airlines denied their attempt to use Lola as an emotional support animal
d. She made them long for bacon, ribs and pork chops
13. The Palo Alto Unified School District had three superintendents in 2018. Who were they?
a. Kevin Skelly, Max McGee and Don Austin
b. Don Phillips, Ken Dauber, Don Austin
c. Mary Francis Callan, Kevin Skelly, Kim Diorio
d. Max McGee, Karen Hendricks (interim), Don Austin
14. What new business on El Camino Real in North Fair Oaks riled up residents?
a. Hanky Panky II
b. MAGA hat store
c. Pink Pantherz Espresso
d. A combination payday loan, vaping and adult book store
15. What perk did city employees in Los Altos get last August?
a. Their office Muzak was replaced with hip-hop and rap songs
b. They were given every other Friday off
c. No-questions-asked workers comp claims
d. Permission to hang up on residents who make complaints
16. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors were so concerned about this product sold by Elon Musk that they banned it in the county.
a. Teslas
b. Flamethrowers
c. Reusable rockets
d. Solar cells
17. Palo Alto professor Christine Blasey Ford first brought her allegations of sexual misconduct to this local politician, who forwarded them on to Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
a. Joe Simitian
b. Liz Kniss
c. Anna Eshoo
d. Jackie Speier
18. FBI agents raided a business in the Rancho Shopping Center in December. What kind of business attracted the federal agents?
a. A Mexican restaurant
b. A crafts store
c. A second-hand clothing store
d. A lice removal salon
19. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg repeatedly apologized for not protecting the personal information of Americans during an appearance before a Congressional committee in April. He was ridiculed on social media for using what during his appearance?
a. A four-inch cushion or booster seat
b. A Col. Klink-type monocle
c. A giant Facebook thumb
d. Green eyeshades
20. What Silicon Valley landmark was removed from the side of Highway 101 in Redwood City this year?
a. The Junipero Serra statue
b. A Bob’s Big Boy statue
c. Circle Star Theater sign
d. The Ampex sign
The answers
1. b — Harvard
2. d — The new police station at 250 Sherman Ave.
3. c — None, and only one protester was seen by a Post reporter.
4. b — The city replaced them with cameras and sensors.
5. c —A $2 million upgrade of the Council Chambers.
6. b — A drawing of the Stanford tree flipping the bird and pointing a gun on a whiteboard at the Nebraska mascot in a locker room.
7. d — $95 million
8. c — John Arrillaga
9. a — James Franco
10. b — The business and landlord couldn’t reach a deal on a new lease.
11. b — April 9
12. a — She grew too large for their home.
13. d — Max McGee, Karen Hendricks (interim), Don Austin.
14. c —Pink Pantherz Espresso
15. b — They were given every other Friday off.
16. b — Flamethrowers
17. c — Anna Eshoo
18. d — A lice removal salon
19. a — A four-inch cushion or booster seat
20. d — The Ampex sign
