The inspiration for the narrative bit of this recap began, like many of them do, with a bonus question: How many times has the U.S. gone to DEFCON 3?
To answer that question, I visited a well I frequent often, George Washington University's National Security Archive. The short answer is three — during the Yom Kippur War, Operation Paul Bunyan (a tree-trimming incident in the Korean Korean Demilitarized Zone), and after the Sept. 11 attacks — but the longer answer is one hell of a rabbit hole. Ready to descend?
If you've ever wondered how the United States Strategic Air Command would execute armageddon-scale nuclear strikes, a SAC checklist declassified in 2019 provides step-by-step instructions in terrifying detail. And while the actual DEFCON, or defense readiness condition, level is not made public, now-declassified RAND summaries lay out the history of the 1959 Joint Chiefs of Staff memorandum that created the readiness conditions the U.S. still, ostensibly, uses to this day.
Included in each of the linked pieces above are scores of previously top secret histories, memos, analyses, incident summaries, and diplomatic cables that provide incredible insight into one of the most closely held secret procedures in human history. Docs for days. Do enjoy.
On a far less apocalyptic note, tonight's recap: In a rather tough Round 1, the Cog Lugs managed to best Cat Poo by a single point. The same two teams ended Round 2 in an eight-point head-to-head, but the Lugs were able to pull off the tie-breaker, sending Cat Poo back to the sandbox, where they landed upright and easily took Round 3. Another tie-breaker in Round 4, and a solo Tom stole one out from Nic and the Cages. Boogeymen The Baba Yagas wiped the floor with everyone in Round 5 until, out of nowhere, Gery showed up to easily take Round 6.
With 12 teams total competing, and the weather starting to look a little nicer, I think we're in store for serious spring. Congratulations to all of the week's winners:
Do not forget to keep checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and right here at pgtrivia.com for bonus point opportunities, #didyouknow spectacularness and more.