Pope rings in new job with new ring

By Gary Clothier

Question: Who was the first pope of the Catholic Church to wear the fisherman's ring?

G.M., Peoria, Ill.

Answer: The ring of the fisherman is presented to each pope as part of his papal coronation. The ring is minted in gold with a bas-relief (projecting image) of St. Peter fishing from a boat, with the incoming pope's Latin name surrounding the image.

During the inaugural ceremony, the ring is placed on the third finger of the right hand of the incoming pope. At the time of the pope's death, the ring is crushed in a ceremony. When Pope Benedict XVI resigns on Feb. 28, his ring will be destroyed.

The first mention of the ring was in 1265 in a letter from Pope Clement IV to his nephew. The ring was used to seal papal documents in hot wax until 1842.

Question: I saw a drink recipe that calls for grenadine. I have heard of grenadine, but I have no idea what it is. Can you tell me?

F.D., Lafayette, Ind.

Answer: Grenadine is sweet, red, pomegranate-flavored syrup. It can be made from pomegranate juice or from other fruit concentrates, but the industry now relies on artificial flavors and high fructose corn syrup.

The name "grenadine" comes from the French word "grenade," which means "pomegranate." Grenadine is used in many drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, for flavor, color and sweetness.

Question: I enjoy Tom Selleck as crime fighter Jesse Stone in the made-for-TV movie series of the same name. At the end of "Jesse Stone: No Remorse," there was a note that the show was in memory of Robert. I don't recall the last name. Who is this person?

M.S.Z., Palm Springs, Fla.

Answer: The Robert in question is Robert Brown Parker, the novelist who created "Jesse Stone." Parker died Jan. 18, 2010, of a heart attack. He was 77.

The television series "Spenser: For Hire" was also based on one of Parker's characters.

Question: Many years ago, my husband and I visited Australia. A tour guide explained why Canberra was selected as the nation's capital, but I forgot why. I tried looking it up, but I had no luck. Do you know the reason?

G.T., Columbia, Mo.

Answer: In the late 19th century, Australians debated whether Sydney or Melbourne should be the capital. Canberra was a compromise between the two. The site of the new capital was agreed upon in 1908.

Question: One of my favorite ads during Super Bowl XLVII was the Chrysler commercial "Farmer." The voice sounded like Paul Harvey, but I think he's long gone. Who was it?

O.W., Macon, Ga.

Answer: That was one of my favorite commercials as well. The voice you heard was that of radio broadcaster Paul Harvey, who recorded "So God Made a Farmer" in 1978. Harvey died in 2009 at age 90.

Question: I am looking for a movie I watched in the late 1950s about Col. Tibbets and his aircraft, the Enola Gay. The lead actor in the film was Robert something. What is the name of this movie, and where can I get a copy? I think my kids and grandkids would like to see it.

B.T.S., via email

Answer: The movie is "Above and Beyond" (1952), starring Robert Taylor as Lt. Col. Paul W. Tibbets and Eleanor Parker as Lucy Tibbets. The film tells the story of the pilot of the Enola Gay -- the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan -- and his wife. It is available to buy or rent at Amazon.com.

Question: When the Shroud of Turin was put on display in Turin, Italy, an announcer used a term that applies to the study of the shroud. What is the term?

J.K.M., Oswego, N.Y.

Answer: "Sindonology" is the formal study of the Shroud of Turin. From the Gospel of Mark 15:46: "Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb." It is this linen cloth that many believe is the Shroud of Turin, the cloth bearing the image of a crucified man. The word "sindon" is Greek and refers to a fine and costly cloth that is used to wrap dead bodies.

Question: Does Bryton James, the actor who plays Devon Hamilton on "The Young and the Restless," have a hearing problem? The character he plays does.

T.L., Chattanooga, Tenn.

Answer: Bryton James was born Bryton McClure on Aug. 17, 1986. He became a successful child actor at age 2, when he booked his first commercial. As a 3-year-old, James won the role of Richie Crawford on "Family Matters."

On the soap opera "The Young and the Restless," James' character, Devon Hamilton, contracted meningitis as an 18-year-old, which led to his hearing loss. James does not have any hearing difficulties, but he did say in an interview it was hard to play the character since he does not have an inclination of how to act the part.

James has won a Daytime Emmy Award and an NAACP Image Award. He has appeared on "The Vampire Diaries" and "Hero Factory." He released a single, "Ooh, The Way I Feel About You" in 2000.

Question: Who played the roles of Nick and Honey in the movie "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

E.B., Torrance, Calif.

Answer: The 1966 film "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" starred Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as Martha and George. Nick was played by George Segal, and Sandy Dennis played Honey. Taylor and Dennis both won Oscars for their roles.

Question: In the days before TV, my brother and I enjoyed some wonderful radio programs. Some of these were "One Man's Family," "Vic and Sade," "Easy Money" and, of course, "Fibber McGee and Molly." Are any of these available for sale?

A.H., Eureka, Ill.

Answer: There is a website called Radio of Yesteryear that has all the programs you mentioned, plus many, many more. Visit originaloldradio.com to purchase CDs and MP3 downloads. If you do a Google search for "old-time radio shows," you can also find places where you can listen for free.

Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.