The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Who said it?
Oh Baby
Ranked Choice
Modern Science
100
An infamous highway planner whose name adorns both a state park and a causeway on Long Island 
Robert Moses
100
"I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died." (August 14, 2026)
Luigi Mangione
100
Anxious about his new baby brother Dil, Tommy Pickles and his toddler friends try to return him to the hospital using a makeshift Reptar wagon but get lost in a dangerous forest in this movie.
The Rugrats Movie
100
Population: Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Phoenix (AZ)
1. Chicago (2,746,388)
2. Phoenix (1,608,139)
3. Boston (675,647)
100
The CEO of OpenAI
Sam Altman
200
Coined by Jane Jacobs in her 1961 book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, this urban planning concept suggests that city streets are safer and more vibrant when pedestrians, residents, and shopkeepers naturally observe public spaces from the sidewalk and windows
"Eyes on the street"
200
"What I really appreciate about the president is the meeting that we had focused not on places of disagreement, of which there are many, [but instead] focused on the shared purpose that we have in serving New Yorkers" (November 21, 2025)
Zohran MamdaniZohran Mamdani
200
This is widely understood to be the least common birth date in the United States (other than February 29).
December 25
200
Surface area: Great Salt Lake, Lake Eerie, Lake Ontario
1. Great Salt Lake
2. Lake Ontario
3. Lake Eerie
200
The parasite responsible for a recent multi-state outbreak of intestinal infections
Cyclosporaisis
300
Cayley and Greg just bought a 2-story, 2,400 gross square foot house on a 17,400 SF lot. What is the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of their property?
2,400 GSF /17,400 SF = 0.14 FAR
(FAR is a common metric used in municipal zoning codes to regulate development)
300
“Before I say thanks to god, I'm going to say, ICE out. We're not savages, we're not animals, we are humans and we are Americans.” (February 1, 2026)
Bad Bunny
300
The U.S. is one of a few countries without a paid parental leave policy. Instead, new parents that meet certain conditions can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid time under this 1993 federal law.
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
300
Scoville units: Anaheim, serrano, habanero
1. Habanero (100,000–350,000)
2. Serrano (10,000 to 25,000)
3. Anaheim (500 to 2,500)
300
A class of prescription medications that mimic a natural gut hormone to help control blood sugar and reduce appetite (acronym NOT accepted)
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
400
Funded by HUD and administered locally by public housing agencies, this program helps low-income households pay for housing in the private market through the use of subsidy vouchers
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, formerly known as Section 8
400
"I don't want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this any more'." (February 24, 2026)
Timothee Chalamet
(Remember when he was cute? </3)
400
The extraction of eggs to be frozen and/or used in IVF occurs during this phase of the menstrual cycle, when one's ovaries house immature eggs.
The follicular phase
400
Sodium content (in mg): 1 Big Mac, 1 Lemon Lime Liquid IV Hydration Multiplier stick, 1 packet of Top Ramen Chicken
1. Ramen Packet (1,590 mg)
2. Big Mac (1,060 mg)
3. Liquid IV (500 mg)
400
A potentially life-threatening allergic condition triggered by a sugar molecule found in mammals, most commonly contracted through the bite of a lone star tick
Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS)
500
A high-capacity, bus-based type of public transit system that's designed to deliver fast, comfortable, and reliable service similar to a light rail or subway, but at a lower cost and with greater flexibility.
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
(Bogotá, Colombia has a particularly famous BRT system)
500
"I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do." (July 12, 2026)
Mitch McConnell
500
A boycott against this company was launched in the U.S. in 1977, in part to protest their aggressive marketing of infant formulas as a "more nutritious" substitute for breast milk, particularly in underdeveloped countries.
Nestlé
500
Age at death: Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan
1. Ronald Reagan (93 years)
2. Thomas Jefferson (82 years)
3. Theodore Roosevelt (60 years)
500
The primary semiconducting material used to make computer chips
Silicon