Jan.19

electoral-vote.com

Dem 51

   

GOP 49

I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: Split Second

We've had a number of e-mails in the past couple of weeks about the exact rules that govern our weekly headline theme game. It's really quite simple; whatever the theme is, it's found only in the words that appear to the right of the colon. So, for example, "Split," "Second" and "Split Second" are fair game as potential clues to this week's theme, but "I Read the News Today, Oh Boy" is not. Also, we do not make a game out of any item where people died. In those cases (such as the item on Texas above), there will be no colon, and thus no words to the right of the colon.

Here are the answers for last week, courtesy of J.N. in Zionsville, IA:

The theme this week is how I learned to stop worrying and love Trump, er... the bomb.

1. The Day After: A TV movie about the aftermath of a nuclear war.
2. Last Best Chance: A documentary-style film focused on preventing nuclear terrorism.
3. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: While less overtly about nuclear threats, it's a film about a game show host who claims to be a CIA assassin taking out America's enemies.
4. The Man Who Saved the World: Documentary about a Soviet officer whose actions are credited with helping prevent a nuclear war.
5. Edge of Darkness: A television mini-series only vaguely about nuclear threats but drenched in the sweat of Cold War political thrillers.
6. Duck and Cover: A civil defense film about nuclear preparedness during the Cold War.
7. The World Is Not Enough: James Bond saves the world for the 19th time in a plot to control the world's oil supply, but also, you know, preventing a nuclear bomb.

Thanks, J.N.! To round it out, Split Second is a 1953 film about convicts who take up residence in a ghost town that is scheduled to be used for nuclear tests.

Here are the first 25 readers to get it right (note that we accepted either "nuclear weapons" or "Cold War" as answers):

1. A.S. In Fairfax, VA
2. D.L. in Uslar, Germany
3. B.W. in Phoenix, AZ
4. B.M. in Chico, CA
5. K.G.W. in Lafayette, IN
6. L.D. in Bedford MA
7. D.W.B. in Waynesville, NC
8. R.H. in West Grove, PA
9. S.G. in Durham, NC
10. I.G. in New York City, NY
11. J.S. in Germantown, OH
12. K.H. in Golden, CO
13. S.K. in Drexel Hill, PA
14. M.A. in Park Ridge, IL
15. J.L. in Walnut Creek, CA
16. M.W. in Boston, MA
17. K.Y. in Morgantown, WV
18. G.M.K. in Mishawaka, IN
19. N.H. in London, England, UK
20. J.N. in Zionsville
21. M.S. in Canton, NY
22. M.Z. in Sharon, MA
23. C.W. in Hamilton, NY
24. F.W. in Franklin, WV
25. M.B. in Albany, NY

We had a number of people who wondered about Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. In the movie, Chuck Barris implies that he spied on the Russians. He also jokes that Merv Griffin has his own nuclear stockpile.

This week's theme is also in the category of entertainment. As to a hint, we'll say that there's one basic cable channel that would be particularly helpful in sussing the theme out. If you have a guess, send it to comments@electoral-vote.com with the subject line "January 19 Headlines." (Z)