The Daily Teaser, and the Friday Question set …

Well, trying to log in to Blogger, this morning was mildly annoying, to say the least.

Seemingly, Google — who run Blogger — were having some sort of server problem.

You know, if it wasn’t for the fact that they use a custom spin of Ubuntu Server, I’d be blaming Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, there. As it is, Johnny Briggs — Mike Baldwin, of “Coronation Street” — has been on the BBC breakfast show, this morning, telling us how he’s enjoying being a Silver Surfer. And complaining about using the Start Button to turn off his PC.

You can imagine what I was yelling at the screen, can’t you?

Can’t you, just!

Anyway, let’s move on, shall we?

Shall we?

Yes, let’s … !

I’ve got to admit, yesterday’s teaser was a three-way, 8 out of 8, tie, between Tim, his eldest, Rhiannon, both in Essex, and Andrea, over in Nevada.

Given that @starlingpoet’s Canadian, it’s nice to know I’ve something of an international audience! Give yourselves the proverbial Pat on the Back, folks!

Anyway, moving on, here’s today’s questions, along with the ‘How To’ …

Q1) Today in 2002, saw Chechen rebels take roughly 700 Russian hostages in a theatre; but in which Russian city?

Q2) Several centuries earlier, 23^rd October, 42 BC, saw Mark Anthony and Octavian Cæsar defeat who, at the Second Battle of Phillipi?

Q3) Forward, again; October 23^rd, 1915, saw the death of which English cricketer?

Q4) 23^rd October, 1992, saw Emperor Akhihito of Japan become the first Japanese Emperor to visit which country?

Q5) In 2001, October 23^rd saw the IRA begin what?

Q6) The same day in 2001 saw the release of which music player?

Q7) And finally, today in 1959 saw the birth of which American singer and comedian?

Here’s yesterday’s questions …

Q1) October 22^nd, 1966, saw which notorious double agent escape from HMP Wormwood Scrubs?

A1) George Blake.

Q2) 22^nd October, 1968, saw the birth of Field Artillery Cannon Crewman Orville Richard Burrell, of the 5^th Battalion, 10^th US Marines; he’s better known as which singer?

A2) Believe it or not, Shaggy. (And Not MC Hammer; he’s technically the Reverend Stanley Kirk Burrell.)

Q3) October 22^nd, 1836, saw Sam Houston inaugurated as President of which republic?

A3) The Republic of Texas.

Q4) 22^nd October, 1910, saw the sentencing of which murderous doctor?

A4) Dr Hawley Harvey Crippen.

Q5) More to the point, in which prison was that Dr eventually hanged?

A5) HMP Pentonville.

Q6) Today is the birthday — in 1938 — of actor, Derek Jacobi; which fictional medieval detective has he played?

A6) Brother Cadfæl.

Q7) Derek Jacobi shares his birthday — 22^nd October, 1938 — with which star of the “Back to the Future” films?

A7) Christopher Lloyd. (Dr Emmett ‘Doc’ Brown.)

Q8) And finally … Today in 1962 saw President Kennedy address USA TV viewers, warning them about nuclear missiles, where?

A8) Cuba.

And here’s the Friday Question Set, for those struggling quizmasters, out there, along with the Creative Commons License …

Round One. General Knowledge.

Q1) Scoville units measure what, the spiciness of sauces or the strength of liquors?

A1) The Spiciness of sauces.

Q2) Archbishop Desmond Tutu* is an avid fan of which scandalous ITV show?

A2) “Footballers Wives.”

Q3) Which John Mills film refers to an Egyptian city in its title?

A3) “Ice Cold In Alex.”

Q4) What is 5 cubed?

A4) 125.

Q5) What’s the only English anagram of the word CLERIC?

A5) Circle.

Q6) Which 90’s comedians had a hit with “The Stonk”?

A6) Hale and Pace.

Q7) How many pounds in a stone?

A7) 14.

Q8) Sidney Carton appears in which Dickens novel?

A8) “A Tale of Two Cities.”

Q9) Comedian Arthur Jefferson was better known how?

A9) Stan Laurel.

Q10) On a Monopoly board, what colour is Piccadilly?

A10) Yellow.

Round Two. Television.

Q11) In which year of the 50’s did the 1st televised weather forecast take place?

A11) 1954.

Q12) Who presents both “Newsnight,” and “University Challenge”?

A12) Jeremy Paxman.

Q13) Which comedian hosted a TV Madhouse?

A13) Russ Abbot.

Q14) What’s the profession of Hilary Jones?

A14) Doctor. (Accept GP.)

Q15) Which quiz show host was also a presenter of “Tiswas”?

A15) Chris Tarrant.

Q16) Which Michael has been from “Pole to Pole”?

A16) Michael Palin.

Q17) Which Carol was the first presenter of the midweek lottery draw?

A17) Carol Smillie.

Q18) True or False: - The 2009 series of “Big Brother,” is its last series.

A18) False; it’s the penultimate.

Q19) Which Carol was the 1st woman to be seen on Channel 4?

A19) Carol Vorderman.

Q20) In which country was “The Sullivans,” set?

A20) Australia.

Round Three. At The Movies.

Q21) In which year of the 1880’s was the 1st cinema film shown?

A21) 1885.

Q22) The Lament Configuration features in which series of horror films?

A22) “Hellraiser.”

Q23) Which Attenborough brother is both an actor, and director?

A23) Richard Attenborough.

Q24) What type of hat was Charlie Chaplin’s trademark?

A24) A bowler hat.

Q25) Who separated from husband, Bruce Willis, in 1998?

A25) Demi Moore.

Q26) Which newspaper magnate bought 20th Century Fox, in 1985?

A26) Rupert Murdoch.

Q27) Who did Gary Oldman play, in the film, “Sid & Nancy”?

A27) Sid Vicious.

Q28) In rhyming slang, what is a ‘Gregory Peck’?

A28) A cheque. (Actually, that depends on the sources; it’s also a term for ‘neck’)

Q29) Jodie Foster’s real 1st name is what, Alicia or Elvira?

A29) Alicia.

Q30) Name the only James Bond star — star, as opposed to just actor! — to have been Welsh.

A30) Timothy Dalton.

Round Four. Sporting Chances.

Q31) Which sportsman was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento?

A31) Pele.

Q32) Dame Kelly Holmes is a former of what, the Army, or the Navy?

A32) The Army.

Q33) Which Ulsterman won his last Snooker World Championship in 1982?

A33) Alex Higgins.

Q34) What cricket umpire Dicky Bird’s real 1st name?

A34) Harold.

Q35) Who became the 1st black manager of a premiership football club, in 1996?

A35) Ruud Gullit.

Q36) Which 3-times Grand National winner died in 1995?

A36) Red Rum.

Q37) Barcelona won their 4th European Cup Winner’s Cup Final, in 1997: who was their manager?

A37) Bobby Robson.

Q38) Before becoming a major tennis star, in what sport was Fred Perry a major figure?

A38) Table Tennis.

Q39) Peter Shilton played his 1000th league game with which club?

A39) Leyton Orient.

Q40) What was the name of the board game launched by Terry Venables?

A40) “The Manager.”

Round 5. Science, Nature, and Technology.

Q41) The Sequoia takes its name from what, a Cherokee leader or a type of bear?

A41) A Cherokee leader.

Q42) What sort of plants are cryptograms?

A42) Ferns.

Q43) How do an anaconda’s victims die, by suffocation or poisoning?

A43) By suffocation.

Q44) What gas is present on Earth, and nowhere else in the Solar system?

A44) Oxygen.

Q45) What sort of pressure does a barometer measure?

A45) Air Pressure.

Q46) Which Bill founded Microsoft?

A46) Bill Gates. (OK, everybody SPIT!)

Q47) Coal is made of which element?

A47) Carbon.

Q48) Which Michael invented both the transformer and the dynamo?

A48) Michael Faraday.

Q49) What do the initials LCD stand for?

A49) Liquid Crystal Display.

Q50) In the which decade was colour TV 1st broadcast in the UK?

A50) The 60’s.

Round Six. General Knowledge.

Q51) In which US state would you find Cape Cod?

A51) Massachusetts.

Q52) Which two word phrase had its origins in extravagant fourtenth century headgear?

A52) Big Wig.

Q53) Which district of London has an art gallery, and a dog’s home?

A53) Battersea.

Q54) True or False: - During the Cold War, the USSR planned to invade Britain via Blackpool.

A54) True.

Q55) In which country is Entebbe Airport?

A55) Uganda.

Q56) What word can go before ‘puppet,’ and after ‘boxing’?

A56) Glove.

Q57) On a Monopoly board, what colour is the Angel, Islington?

A57) Light blue.

Q58) Barry Venison and Dean Saunders played for which Turkish team?

A58) Galataseray.

Q59) Which UK carmaker produced the Élan?

A59) Lotus.

Q60) Which town is the administrative centre, for Bedfordshire?

A60) Bedford.

And just in case you need a themed Halloween question set, you can have a look, here.

Enjoy that lot, folk’s; let’s see who can post up the answers, first!!