Looking Back
The first several questions were originally included on Cory’s Original Christmas Quiz back in 2008. How well do you remember?
1. In what city was Cory born? A. Syracuse, NY B. New York, New York C. Albany, New York D. Buffalo, New York E. Los Angeles, CA
2. In 1966, he moved to California and spent what Cory has described as the most formative years (10 of them) of his childhood. He lived with his 8 brothers & sisters here:
A. Culver Gardens Housing Center B. Mar Vista Gardens Housing Project C. Venice Beach Apartment Center D. L.A. Center Studio Village Homes E. Staples Center
3. For the first several days of his life, or at least the time he was in the hospital, what was his “called” name?
A. Joey B. Cory C. Eice Cherry D. Jonathon E. Bruce
4. As a kid, he dreamed of playing professional:
A. Basketball B. Football C. Baseball D. Surfing
5. In 1976, the Palka family drove to New York for a family reunion. They all drove back to Los Angeles, except Cory. He flew instead. Why?
A. Medical Issues B. Refused to be in same car as Tad who never showered for the whole two-week trip. C. To play in an All-Star Baseball Tournament D. School Spelling Bee, Summer Tournament E. He won airplane tickets in a contest
6. What significance does December 19, 1986, have?
A. Amanda was born (Niece) B. Neil Diamond Live in Concert at the Forum C. He graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy D. Both A & C E. All the Above
7. Cory went to Venice High School. What famous movie was filmed there one summer in 1978?
A. Sound of Music B. Grease C. The Jazz singer D. High School Musical E. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
8. Following Venice High School, Cory went to college. Where was his first stop?
A. West L.A. Junior College B. Sacramento State University C. USC D. Santa Monica City College E. None. He joined the Navy but got kicked out for being too tall
9. He held a job while at Sacramento State that he describes as the scariest job he has ever had. What was that job?
A. Paper boy- Sacramento Bee newspaper B. Nighttime Convenience Store Clerk- Quik Stop Market C. Shoplift Agent- Montgomery Ward Department Store D. None of the Above- he did not work E. All the above
10. As a kid, he was disgusted and heartbroken by many of the foods his mom made for dinner which he described as “bulk meals.” Which disgusted him the most?
A. Ham, Hox & Beans B. Weiner Casserole C. Pork Chops D. Sour Kraut and Liver E. All the Above.
11. Who in his family did he think was the smartest, brightest and most likely to succeed?
A. Himself B. Tad C. Tony D. Mark E. Mindy
12. Who does Cory credit for learning Spanish as a kid:
A. His friends at school B. Being an Altar Boy during Spanish Catholic Mass C. High School Spanish Teacher D. LAPD Academy Spanish Instructor E. All the Above
13. He lived with his brother for a period of time along the beach in Venice. Which brother?
A. Tony B. Johnny C. Glen D. Mark E. None of the Above.
14. What LAPD job did he NOT do?
A. DARE Officer B. Hollywood Vice Cop C. Police Sergeant D. Police Detective E. Internal Affairs Investigator
15. Cory went to grammar school at a Catholic School. Why did he go there?
A. He has no idea B. His Dad worked there as a janitor C. His Dad worked there as a teacher D. It was the only school in town E. He wanted to be a priest
16. While at the school, he did something that got him into big trouble. What was it? A. Brought a knife to school and was stabbed B. Broke the window of the convent where the nuns lived w/ a golf ball C. Wore the wrong jacket to school and it was taken away causing him great embarrassment. D. Both A&B&C E. None of the above, he never got in trouble. He made up the nonsense above
17. What was the most difficult period of Cory’s young life? A. Freshman in high school- Venice B. 9th Grader at Marina del Rey Jr. High School C. Freshman in College D. Junior year at Sacramento State University E. None of the above, he sailed along the whole way
18. What did he originally plan to do after graduating college? A. be a police officer B. be a fireman like his grandfather C. be a writer D. become a secret service agent
20. What does he describe as a significant event in his life that led to a career decision?
A. The landing of US Astronauts on the moon B. The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy C. The Attempted Assassination of Ronald Reagan D. The Space Shuttle Challenge explosion E. None of them
21. What is Cory always or mostly in pursuit of? A. going to places, games, events B. peace and quiet C. conflict, chaos and relationship challenges D. A & F E. simplicity F. B & E
22. Who would he say was the best musical concert he ever attended? A. Neil Diamond Live at the Greek- 1986 B. Bruce Springsteen at the Sports Arena- 2016 C. Seal at the Wiltern in Los Angeles- 1996 D. Eagles in Las Vegas, Nevada E. Neil Diamond at the Forum- 1999
23. For a couple of years while in college he used his mom’s car to go back & forth to school. What bothered him about that car?
A. the color of the car- “maroon” B. the interior color- “yellow” C. the license plate: “MSPALKA” D. the money he never had for gas E. the pink dice hanging from the mirror
24. As early as the 6th grade he worked odd jobs. What was his first job? A. sold flowers along the roadside on weekends B. sold oranges along the roadside on weekends C. janitorial assistant during summer and winter vacation at his catholic school. D. newspaper route
25. He met your Mom is what city? A. El Segundo B. El Paso C. Orange County D. Santa Monica E. Thousand Oaks
26. He asked your mom to be married in what month? A. November B. December C. February D. October E. September
27. What was one of the joys of his early marriage years? A. building all the kids toy sets, furniture B. going to Disneyland C. watching Chad play high School football on Friday Nights D. rocking the babies to sleep in the rocker E. changing diapers while rocking to sounds of Baby Einstein
28. What would surprise others if you told them he had a appreciation for? A. spaghetti B. the Lakers C. music D. shoes E. red wine
29. All being said, Cory is most happy with the simplicity of? A. soup and a sandwich B. covers and a pillow C. shoes and socks D. A&B E. None of the above since “APPLE” is not mentioned
30. Who does he credit for coming up with the original idea to create the garage into a “bonus room” in 1996?
A. Billy Ridge B. Mom C. Himself D. Dean E. Chad
31. Originally the garage was made into a bonus room using only the 3rd car area of the garage. Who does he credit for encouraging him to make the large 2 car garage into ONE HUGE Bonus Room?
A. Mom B. Glen C. Tony D. Chad E. All the above
32. Why did he go to church on Saturday nights when he was a teenager and before he married from September through late January every year?
A. Single girls went to church on Saturday nights B. He had to work every Sunday C. NFL Games were on Sunday mornings D. His favorite priest preached on Saturday nights E. He like nighttime church
The following Questions are about Music…
33. What Neil Diamond song would Cory say is his favorite?
1. Sweet Caroline 2. You Don’t Bring Me Flowers 3. Hello Again 4. Dry Your Eyes 5. Knackleferg
34. Cory loves the creative ingenuity of a Neil Diamond Christmas song that includes the following lyrics: “Let’s raise a Christmas Toast of Red Red Wine, We’ll even sing Sweet Caroline while the whole world sings along…”
A. Cherry Cherry Christmas B. You Make Me Feel Like Christmas C. Christmastime D. Deck Neil Diamond’s Hallway E. Christmas Dream
35. No doubt. Cory’s favorite song of ALL TIME is:
A. Born to Run B. Wrecking Ball C. Land of Hope and Dreams D. Under the Mistletoe by Justin Beiber E. Stolen Car
36. This song Cory would say was a Top 3 Neil Diamond Song of his.
A. Beautiful Noise B. Evermore C. Nevermore D. Cherry Cherry E. Be
37. Another ND song that is a Top 5 for Cory is:
A. Laura B. Caroline C. Suzanne D. Carmelita E. Desiree
38. What is the unique thing about the song he is referring to in Question No. 37?
A. It was the only song Diamond ever won a Grammy Award for? B. It received an Academy Award Nomination but did not win C. It is a bootleg song never released D. It was a “cover” song E. This is the stupidest question so far…
39. Cory really loved the most recent Bruce Springsteen Tour and marveled at the quality of the performance. Bruce played an entire album from beginning to end. What was the name of the Album?
A. Darkness on the Edge of Town B. Wrecking Ball C. Land of Hope and Dreams D. The River E. The Beach
40. The Song Dry Your eyes was written by Neil Diamond and is solely about?
A. In response to the Brooklyn Dodgers moving to Los Angeles B. In response to the loss of his first wife who left him for Burt Reynolds C. In response to the death of Martin Luther King D. In response to his writing of Sweet Caroline. He knew he had a winner on his hands and cried so much his kid said Dad, “Dry Your Eyes. Stop Crying.” With that he quickly came up with Dry Your Eyes.
41. Cory favorite Christmas song was a childhood favorite and remains today. The song “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano. What one word describes why he loves the song even to this day. Cory would also say that the word is the origin of many of his own successes.
A. Love B. Rhythm C. Spanish Cool D. Momentum E. Splendor
42. Cory’s sure despise, hatred and dislike for the following Christmas song is worthy of him checking into therapy. What is that song?
A. Feed the World, It’s Christmas Time- Multi Artists B. Happy Holidays- Barry Manilow C. There is No Place Like Home for the Holidays- Bing Crosby D. Joy to the World- Prince E. The Christmas Song- Johnny Mathis
The Following Questions are about the LAPD
43. When Cory introduced the first Christmas Quiz, what was his assignment in the LAPD at that time?
A. Hollywood Division Police Captain B. 77th Street Police Captain C. Adjutant to Deputy Chief, Operations Valley Bureau D. Hollywood Vice Investigator E. Lt. Occupy LA Undercover Task Force/ Central Division
44. What is the most difficult task as a police captain according to Cory?
A. COMPSTAT B. Dealing with politicians C. Dealing with Cops who call in Sick and have poor work Attendance D. Firing an officer at a disciplinary hearing E. Managing Crime
45. How many Different Cars has Cory had as a captain?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 E. 5
46. As of now, what Month and Year will most likely be Cory’s final working day in the LAPD?
A. February 2021 B. January 2021 C. December 2020 D. November 2020 E. August 2025
47. Who was the President of the United States when Cory started with the LAPD in 1986?
A. Nixon B. Ford C. Clinton D. George Bush Sr E. George Bush F. Ronald Regan
48. How many suspension or disciplinary days had Cory taken in his 30 year career?
A. 2 B. 5 C. 10 D. 22 E. None
49. What misconduct did he commit to become suspended? A. Neglect of Duty- Lost an Arrestee’s Wallet B. Traffic Collision- He was at Fault C. Gambling on Duty- NFL games with Mark Green D. Took a Drunk Mexican to a park to let him “sleep it off” in lieu of arresting him E. Shined his high beemed flashlight into a car of a naked couple and laugh yelled “Seriously? In this neighborhood. There is a catholic church a block away. You are a sinner.”
The following Questions are about Grandma Max. My time with her has become some of my “most favorite time” in recent memory.
50. The following two words sum up the beauty of my time with Max.
A. Rest and Relaxation B. Eat and Drink C. Sleep and Dream D. Peace and Quiet E. Sing and Dance F. 51. Max has been to an NFL Game. In fact she took her kids to a Los Angeles Rams game back in the day at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Who sang the National Anthem at that Game?
A. Yep. Neil Diamond B. Elvis Presely. The only game Elvis is known to sing a National Anthem C. Andy Williams- D. Donnie and Marie Osmond E. Johnny Mathis
52. What Starbucks drink do I get Max when I visit?
A. Grande Iced Coffee-Two Pumps Mocha, Splash of 2% milk B. Grande Cinnamon Dolce Latte C. Tall Green Tee Lemonade Sweetened D. Caramel Frappuccino with Whip Cream E. Hot Chocolate- Tall NO Whip Cream
53. What candy does Max always have when I visit her?
A. Mike & Ike’s B. Sugar Babies/ Snickers C. Chico Sticks/ Gum D. Tootsie Rolls/ PayDay E. Three Musketeers
54. What does Cory think is Max’s most incredible gift?
A. Forgiveness B. Acceptance C. Lavishes Praise on him D. Listens always E. Jokes. Always telling dirty jokes.
55. What does Cory always and ONLY put on a hot dog?
A. Ketchup/ Relish B. Mustard/ Onions C. Ketchup/ Onions/ Mustard D. Only Relish E. Black Pepper/ Honey Mustard/
56. What drives Cory crazy? Flabbergasts him?
A. Leaving Lights on when NOT in a room B. Removing an iPhone Charger from locations where he puts them with a label affixed that says “Do Not remove.” C. Leaving the back screen door open, with the sliding glass door closed. D. Not winding up the Vacuum Cleaner cords E. Not using a coaster F. A & F G. B & C
57. On Dec 19, 1986 Cory graduated from the LAPD Police Academy. He was notified that his Division of assignment was:
Note- The original Division was changed 72 hours later to West Valley Division due to a personnel shortage at West Valley.
A. Central Division B. Newton Division C. 77th St. Division D. West LA Division E. Topanga Division
58. As a child, Cory was overly traumatized when his father did what?
A. Beat him (which he often did) B. Yelled at him (which he often did) C. Made him kneel in popcorn kernels as a form of punishment D. On Dec 26, was drunk and took down the decorations on the Christmas Tree and broke the decorations and ruined the tree E. Introduced him to his first cigarette
59. As a kid, Cory along with his family ALWAYS went to what Christmas Service?
A. Midnight Mass B. Christmas Morning Mass C. Christmas Eve Mass D. Didn’t go at any Mass over Christmas E. None of the Above
60. As a kid Cory was
A. An Altar Boy B. In the Church Choir C. On the School Assembly prep Team D. On the Flag Football Team E. All the Above
61. The first football jersey Cory ever can remember wearing was from what NFL team?
A. Rams B. Cowboys C. Saints D. Eagles E. Patriots
62. What does Cory think was likely the most difficult experience of 2016?
A. Cole failing his first chance at driving B. 77th St Police Captain C. Watching Catherine and Cassidy in pain as Oliver went to Heaven D. Dodgers losing Cubs in NLCS E. All the Above
63. Cassidy’s State Championship High Jump of 5’9 will forever be one the greatest moments of Cory’s life and is easily his highlight of 2016. (The journey to be a State Champ is truly unbelievable.) What was Cory’s reaction upon seeing Cassidy make Palka history?
A. He took as many pictures as fast as he could for as long as he could B. He screamed and shouted like a proud Dad C. He cried like he had not cried in years D. He smiled, took pictures and was filled with humility E. None of the above. He was getting a Hot Dog at the concession stand and actually missed the jump.
64. The night prior to the State Champ record, Cassidy qualified during prelims. Cory took her back to the hotel and she had only one demand of him. What was it?
A. Find a “Bowl of Heaven” Store B. Drive thru “In and Our Burger” C. Fill the Hotel Bath Tub with buckets and buckets of ice D. Fill the Hotel Room with Cold air due to heat of Fresno E. Show her the pictures of her qualifying jump
65. Where restaurant did Cory and Catherine eat at just prior to his asking her to wed?
A. El Pollo Loco B. Killer Shrimp in Marina Del Rey C. Acapulco Mexican Restaurant D. Titos Tacos E. Cheesecake Factory
66. On what Holiday did Cory first meet Chad for the very first time?
A. Halloween B. 4th of July C. New Years Day D. Super Bowl Sunday Party at Rory’s E. Christmas day
67. What sport did Chad play mostly when Cory was dating Catherine?
A. Ice Hockey B. Roller Hockey C. Baseball D. Football E. Male Cheerleader for Oak Park Braves
68. Cory just had a knee operation. On what knee was operated?
A. Left Knee B. Right Knee C. Left Elbow D. Right Elbow E. Neither. He had foot surgery.
69. In the last 6 months, Cory has fallen in love with coffee from where?
A. McDonalds B. Starbucks C. Coffee Tea and Beans D. His LAPD Office Coffeemaker E. None of above. He never drinks coffee
70. For years Cory would always get the following from Starbucks (but has stopped about 6 months ago).
A. Gingerbread loaf B. Birthday Cake Pop C. Blueberry Muffin D. Chocolate Chip cookie
71. What does Cory look so forward to doing each Sunday AM?
A. Reading paper B. Watching NFL football C. Getting Cole and he donuts D. Getting his nails cleaned E. Watching Sunrise with Max
72. Cory would love if Cole did the following:
A. Grew taller than he B. Graduated from college C. Joined the military D. Made his bed more often E. All the above
73. What has surprised Cory in a way that he never saw it coming?
A. Being a granddad B. Having such a loving, caring daughter in law in Alina C. Chad & Alina moving so often and buying cars at an alarming pace D. Chad still on Cory’s iPhone ATT plan E. None of above. F. All the Above
74. Who does Cory think is the greatest Los Angeles Dodger pitcher of All Time. Remember Cory has been following Dodger Baseball since 1968.
A. Vin Scully B. Bob Welch C. Don Drysdale D. Sandy Koufax E. Clayton Kershaw
75. In his 20’s Cory was hospitalized with a serious bout of food poisoning. He spent several days in the hospital. What restaurant did he sue for serving him bad food.
A. Tito’s Taco’s B. Shakey’s Pizza Parlor C. El Pollo Loco D. Chipotle E. Burger King
76. Did Cory win the lawsuit?
A. Yes B. No
77. What was Cory’s most difficult experience at 77th St.
A. The long drive B. The lack of good restaurants C. The having to stop to use the bathroom because the drive was so long D. The overwhelming daily lack of appreciation for his hard work E. The constant murders F. Sleeping in his office
78. If Cory could order his perfect pizza. What would have on it?
A. Mushrooms/ Tomatoes B. Canadian Bacon/ Pineapple C. Pepperoni’s/ Sausage D. Black Pepper/ Mustard E. Cheese only
79. Cory has been to some of the greatest sporting events/ games ever and if he never went to another, he would have seen enough. What was his greatest of them all if you asked him?
A. Cowboys/ Bills Super Bowl B. Dodgers/ Yankees World Series in 1977 C. Patriots/ Jets Butt Fumble Game on Thanksgiving Night D. Yankees/ Braves World Series in NYC with Billy Ridge E. USC/ Michigan Rose Bowl with Cole
80. Recently Cory audited the shoes closet downstairs and separated shoes by owner. He even filmed the count and show you proof. Which family member had the least amount of shoes in the closet?
A. Cole B. Cory C. Cassidy D. Mom
81. Who had the most shoes in the closet with 37 PAIRS?
A. Cole E. Cory F. Cassidy G. Mom
82. Surprisingly, he also did a “most gloves” audit? Who took that crown?
A. Cole B. Cory C. Cassidy D. Mom
83. In the end, Cory would describe himself as a:
A. Loner B. Extrovert C. Funny guy D. Very Serious E. Always seeking new friends
84. Hate the following:
A. Pickles B. Tomatoes C. Olives D. Peppers E. Mayo
85. How many NON-Sunday NFL games has Cory been to? Remember most NFL games are on Sunday’s?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Four E. None. They play only on Sunday’s
86. In 1986, Cory graduated from the LAPD. But, what does he consider as perhaps the greatest personal accomplishment of his life?
A. USC Master’s Degree B. Spacejam Film Appearance C. FBI National Academy graduate D. Being a police captain E. Being recognized by Los Angeles City Council as leader of “Occupy LA Undercover Operation”
87. What childhood event led Cory to love signage, marquees, branding?
A. Dodger Stadium lights, signs B. Hollywood Christmas parade lights, signs C. Little League Baseball Opening Day Banners D. His Dad had a job hanging banners in parking lots and Cory would decorate his bedroom with the extra’s. E. Farrah Fawcett poster
88. Cory’s Dad was out of work at times and pick up odd jobs to make some money. Cory used to go with him to those jobs. They included?
A. Roofer B. Christmas Tree Lot Overnight Security C. Nightclub Bouncer D. Electrician E. Both A&B F. Both C&D
89. What does Cory think the best name for a dog would be?
A. Staubach B. Gretzky C. Bruuuce D. Lucky E. LA Boofer
90. What is one thing Cory would love do before he dies?
A. Jump from plane B. Run with the bulls C. Hit a half court shot and win a contest in front of sold out Staples D. Surf E. Own an El Pollo Loco
91. What does Cory do each year on Christmas Eve day that reminds him of his mom and Christmas?
A. Plays Christmas Music B. Says a Prayer C. Finds his way to a supermarket D. Go to Church E. Drink Eggnog
92. What does Cory wish for more than anything in this family?
A. Kids who Make $$ and stop asking for $$ B. Peace and Harmony Amongst Ourselves C. Respect and Compassion for Each Other D. That we become Cheer Leaders for one another E. That we HONOR one another and celebrate our existence
93. Cory has worked at LAPD Hollywood several times over the past 30 years. How many times exactly?
A. 4 B. 3 C. 2 D. 1 E. 6
94. When Cory first met Catherine she truly cared about something so deeply meaningful to Cory. What was that?
A. His obsession to clean and organize B. His acting career C. His body build, his physical specimen presence of a MAN. D. His love for trains E. His love for spaghetti
95. When Cory met Catherine and visited her home at Christmastime, what did he find so awkward?
A. Her tree had purple tree decorations B. Her house was decorated in purple trim C. She never let him in her home. He had to look from the porch D. He had never dated a girl who actually owned anything, let alone a home? E. She had a Menorah candle burning and said she had married a Jewish fellow and was wearing a Neil Diamond in Concert T-Shirt
96. Another odd thing that Cory could not understand when she dated Catherine was?
A. She was always late B. She let him in her home but she always made his wait downstairs while she got ready. C. She acted as she had little to no interest in Cory D. She called him Aiden several times by mistake
97. How many valid girlfriends did Cory have in High School?
A. None B. One C. Two D. Three E. Four
98. How many valid girlfriends did Cory have in College
A. None (that explains things.) B. One C. Two D. Three E. Four
99. What amazes Cory to this day about Cole?
A. He has actually grown to 6’5 + B. He reminds Cory of Paul McCartney C. He has yet to drink a single can of cola while Cory had consumed thousands by his 19th Birthday. D. All the Above
100. What was Cory’s first and lasting impression of Catherine during their first and second round of dating?
A. “Seriously. We had to meet at Denny’s cause you were being stalked by some guy.” B. Why would she be dating Billy Ridge and me at the same time? C. This girl needs a watch. D. I’m way over my head with this girl; she is out of my league.
Bonus Question! Worth 2 Points
Q. One of Cory’s Top 5 ND Tunes is a Song Called:
A. Carmelita’s Eyes B. Morningside C. Coldwater Morning D. Cante’ Libre E. Headed for the Future