Mystery Motif - Random Trivia Answers

• A1) David Dinkins. The Howard University and Brooklyn Law School graduate was sworn in on January 1, 1990.
• A2) Pennsylvania. Punxsutawney has been known for its shadow-seeking rodent since February 2, 1887.
• A3) Rodney King. An amateur videographer filmed the infamous confrontation on March 3. A year later, an innocent verdict on April 29 sparked the Rodney King riots.
• A4) Jim Clark. The Internet browser company, born on April 4, became better known later as Netscape Communications Corporation.
• A5) France. Mexico celebrates the occasion as the national holiday Cinco de Mayo (May 5). Note that this isn't the country's Independence Day, which is September 16.
• A6) Sirhan B. Sirhan. Kennedy had just given a speech at the Ambassador Hotel and died the following day, on June 6.
• A7) Samantha Smith. On July 7, she became "America's Youngest Ambassador" but died tragically in a plane crash only two years later.
• A8) Bhutan. The landlocked country celebrates its Independence Day each August 8.
• A9) Attica. The problems began on September 9, when some prisoners freed an inmate they believed was being tortured. Four days later State Troopers opened fire, leaving 29 inmates and 10 hostages dead.
• A10) Tokyo, Japan. The Olympic flame was lit on October 10 by Yoshinori Sakai, who was born in Hiroshima on the day the atomic bomb was exploded there (August 6, 1945).
• A11) South Korea. Pepero sticks (crunchy, chocolate-covered, cylindrical cookies) are exchanged on the country's Valentine's Day equivalent on November 11 (11/11 can be easily spelled out with Pepero sticks). [I learned this from the Korean Adoptee Bride whose wedding and banquet I attended; The cookies were given out as wedding favors.]
• A12) Calcutta (now spelled Kolkata). The British moved the capital on December 12 partly because of local unrest and partly because of the city's location.

All of these events occurred on the month and day matching the question number (1/1, 2/2, etc.), just like the day I posted the questions (5/5/07).