美国国家公共电台 NPR Mis-Direction

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST: 

Next, our contestants 2 will have to deal with the world's worst GPS, but first let's check in with them. Kirsten Lenthe, you are trying to visit all 50 states. So where in the process are you?

KIRSTEN LENTHE: I believe, at last count, 34.

EISENBERG: Thirty-four? OK. Do you have an order in mind?

LENTHE: Well, I'm going to Hawaii for Thanksgiving, so that's going to be my next one.

EISENBERG: Oh, nice.

LENTHE: I'm planning on - I mean, I'd like to end with Alaska, but I think there are going to be a couple of states that are kind of hard to squeeze in there in the mean time.

EISENBERG: Now, are you going to Hawaii for Thanksgiving just because that is something you would do, or, you know, when you're planning - I don't know - a trip, are you specifically looking at getting in a new state based on your goal?

LENTHE: So Hawaii will be my mom's last state, so we're going for her to celebrate being done 50 states for her. And she's bringing the whole family along.

EISENBERG: No way. That's so - all right, so it's genetic 3?

LENTHE: Yeah.

EISENBERG: Interesting. Very good. Now, Owen Moorhead, as a park ranger 4, have you ever saved an animal?

OWEN MOORHEAD: Yeah, yeah. I've actually saved a few animals. That's probably the most rewarding part of my job...

EISENBERG: Yeah.

MOORHEAD: ...Because I prefer animals to people.

EISENBERG: Yeah, OK.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: Do you have a - is there a memorable 5 animal-saving moment in your life that you can share with us?

MOORHEAD: You know, they're all memorable in their own way. The most satisfying was when I rescued a baby possum that had fallen off of a cliff. Its left eye was, like, hanging out of its head, and it was just curled up on the ground. I was so worried. I was bawling 6 all the way to the wildlife rescue place, but they got it, and they took care of it. I think they still have the shirt that I used to wrap it in, actually.

JONATHAN COULTON: That is a very memorable story.

EISENBERG: Kirsten and Owen, we've got a trivia game for you called Mis-Direction. Here, we are going to imagine what would happen if a computer virus attacked your GPS and made it even dumber. All you have to do is figure out what national landmark 7 the GPS is trying to help you get to. Owen, you won the last game, so win this and you're going right to the final round. Kirsten, you need to win this or you'll be forced to find your way through the world with nothing but a diving rod. Here we go. Walk away from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Elysees. Enter the glass pyramid. You have arrived at your destination.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Kirsten.

LENTHE: The Louvre?

EISENBERG: Yes, indeed, the Louvre. Have you been?

LENTHE: Never been to France.

EISENBERG: Never been to France? You've been all over the States. The next thing you have to do is go to all the countries, right? Is that your plan?

LENTHE: Easy task.

EISENBERG: No problem. All right, here's your next clue. Walk along the River Thames times until you see the clock from "National Lampoon's European Vacation." Your destination is the church from "The Da Vinci Code."

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Owen.

MOORHEAD: Westminster Abbey.

EISENBERG: Yes, indeed. I like the pop culture GPS.

COULTON: Yeah, this GPS has a lot of attitude, and it's got its own idea about things. I like it.

EISENBERG: It's watched "National Lampoon's European Vacation." Not every GPS can say that. Here's your next clue. Drive south over the Harbour Bridge. Your destination is on the left. It's the building that looks like a bunch of white sails. It's the only Australian building you recognise.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Owen.

MOORHEAD: Sydney Opera House.

EISENBERG: Yes, that is correct. Proceed up the Acropolis past the Greek ruins. Stop at the rectangular temple with dozens of columns.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Kirsten.

LENTHE: The partheon (ph)?

EISENBERG: Oh, yeah. We'll give it to. It's Parthenon. This is your last clue. From the legislative 8 building in Queen's Park, proceed south toward Lake Ontario. Turn right next to Blue Jay stadium. Your destination is a tall, thin spire 9 with a bulge 10 on it.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

EISENBERG: Owen.

MOORHEAD: Is it the CN Tower?

EISENBERG: That is the CN Tower. Have you been there?

MOORHEAD: No, I actually have never been anywhere in Canada.

EISENBERG: Canada has a lot of parks, Owen.

MOORHEAD: I've heard. I've heard. They look really cool.

EISENBERG: (Laughter).

COULTON: Wait, I have a - I have a question for the Canadian.

EISENBERG: Yeah?

COULTON: What does CN stand for?

EISENBERG: Canadian National - based on the railroad. Puzzle guru Art Chung, how did our contestants do?

ART CHUNG: They both did great in this game. Congratulations to Owen. You've won both games, and you're moving on to the final round.

EISENBERG: It's settled. Our finalists are Mary and Owen, and they're going to face off in the final round at the end of the show. And if your TPS - that's trivia positioning system - always directs you to the right answers, let it steer 11 you over to amatickets.org to become a contestant 1. Coming up, the Force is with us in the form of Pablo Hidalgo, Lucasfilm's keeper of all "Star Wars" knowledge. Do stick around, or do not. There is no try. I'm Ophira Eisenberg, and you're listening to ASK ME ANOTHER from NPR.