The Daily Teaser, and the Friday Question set …

You know, I’ve got the BBC’s News channel on in the background at the moment.

And it’s just had a fascinating piece on synchrotrons.

Which grabbed my attention, certainly: I never knew we in the UK had any particle accelerators … !

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yesterday’s teaser saw Trevor and Kaiju both scoring 5 out of 5, with Trevor putting in some interesting to read quotes from Robert ‘Bank Of England*’ Maxwell and Kaiju reminding us that Barry Morse’s character in Space: 1999 — Professor Victor Bergmanº— had an artificial heart. Which was certainly the first time I can remember the concept mentioned, anywhere.

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we … ? Here they are, along with the ‘How To’ and License …

Q1) 11th June saw the founding of the committee that drafted the US Declaration of Independence: which member is generally creditted with being one of the US’s first wine growers … ?

Q2) 11th June, 1987, saw the political party led by who, win its third term as UK government?

Q3) 11th June, 1979, saw the death of film icon, Marion Morrison: how was he better known … ?

Q4) More to the point name either of the films that actor played Marshal Reuben J. ‘Rooster’ Cogburn.

Q5) 11th June, 1998, saw the UN declare an official famine in which African country … ?

Q6) And finally … That same day, 11th June, 1998, saw the death of which best-selling British author … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 10th June, 1918, saw the birth of Anglo-Canadian actor, Barry Morse: in which live-action Gerry Anderson series did he appear … ?

A1) Space: 1999.

Q2) 10th June, 1752, saw who demonstrate the electrical nature of lightening, by flying a kite?

A2) Benjamin Franklin. (Obscure bit of trivia for our American cousins: in some parts of London and the south-east of England, ‘flying a kite’ is a slang term for writing a cheque. Which could get you some funny looks, if you didn’t know that … )

Q3) 10th June, 1935, saw the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous: in which US state … ?

A3) Ohio. (The city of Akron, to be precise, home town of Devo. It was also very tempting to say ‘Name the founding members of AA’: but that’s kind of self defeating … )

Q4) 10th June, 2002, saw the first direct electronic communication between human nervous systems: Kevin Warwick, one of the men who carried out the research, is the Professor of Cybernetics at which British university … ?

A4) The University of Reading.

Q5) 10th June, 1986, saw the conviction of the only person tried for the Brighton Bombings of 1984: what was his name … ?

A5) Patrick Joseph Magee.

And here — as it’s Friday — is the Friday-Question-Set, for struggling Pub quiz-masters: covered, as ever, by the same Creative Commons License as the Teaser …

Online 57

ROUND ONE. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) Newsnight presenter, Jeremy Paxman is a fan of which punk band?

A1) The Clash.

Q2) How old was Steve Jobs when he co-developed the first Apple computer?

A2) 21.

Q3) In cricket, what does the B stand for, in the term LBW?

A3) Before.

Q4) Which was built first, the Eiffel tower, or the Empire State Building?

A4) The Eiffel Tower.

Q5) In 1998, who was named Footballer of the Year?

A5) Dennis Bergkamp.

Q6) Which Sharon starred in Basic Instinct, & Total Recall?

A6) Sharon Stone.

Q7) If you multiply the length of a rectangle by its width, what do you get?

A7) The area.

Q8) Which of the following is bought by the bunch, grapes, pears or plums?

A8) Grapes.

Q9) If the first of day the month is a Thursday, what's the 8th day going to be?

A9) Thursday.

Q10) Standing on the deck of a ship, and facing forward, what side of the ship is starboard?

A10) The right-hand side.

ROUND TWO. MUSIC AND LIGHTS.

Q11) Both Anastacia & Kylie Minogue have both suffered which form of cancer?

A11) Breast cancer.

Q12) Which Bob Dylan song did the late robin Cook pick as one of his Desert Island Discs?

A12) Hey, Mr Tambourine Man.

Q13) Which girl band had the most consecutive Xmas number 1’s?

A13) The Spice Girls.

Q14) Peaches & Fifi Trixiebelle are the two eldest daughters of which Irish rocker?

A14) Bob Geldof.

Q15) Glenn Miller, Aaliyah, and Buddy Holly all died in what sort of crash?

A15) Plane crash.

Q16) In which year of the 70's did the first Glastonbury Festival take place?

A16) 1970.

Q17) Dante Terrell Smith is the real name of which Hitch­hiking rapper?

A17) Mos Def.

Q18) Midge Ure, Franz Ferdinand, & Del Amitri are all from which country of the UK?

A18) Scotland.

Q19) Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, and Mariah Carey have all sung at which American sporting event?

A19) The Superbowl.

Q20) Baby Spice, Emma Bunton, is a fan of which London football team?

A20) Tottenham.

ROUND THREE. LONDON TOWN.

Q21) What was the Roman name for London?

A21) Londinium.

Q22) Which fictional character lived at 221b Baker Street?

A22) Sherlock Holmes.

Q23) Which shopping street runs between Marble Arch & Centre Point?

A23) Oxford Street.

Q24) What’s the nearest tube station to Harrods?

A24) Knightsbridge.

Q25) Who, officially, lives at 11, Downing Street?

A25) The Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Q26) NW1 is the postcode for which north London borough?

A26) Camden town.

Q27) At which road junction would you find the statue of Eros?

A27) Piccadilly circus.

Q28) Which audible London tourist attractions weighs 12 tons?

A28) Big Ben.

Q29) In Only Fools & Horses London borough do Del & Rodney live in?

A29) Peckham.

Q30) As of June, 2004, who was the MP for the constituency of West Ham? (Extra point for naming the party.)

A30) The late Tony Banks, MP. (Labour.)

ROUND FOUR. IN THE WILD.

Q31) What type of animals are kept in an aviary?

A31) Birds.

Q32) What is a natterjack, a frog or a toad?

A32) A toad.

Q33) What’s the term used for a camel with only one hump?

A33) Dromedary.

Q34) Arachnid’s are better known as which insect-like creature?

A34) Spiders. (And scorpions, of course … )

Q35) The wallaby, kangaroo and Wombat, are all what kind of mammal?

A35) Marsupial.

Q36) The orang-utan is what, a monkey or an ape?

A36) An ape.

Q37) The slaughter of which sea creature was finally banned in 1985?

A37) Whales.

Q38) Amber is the fossilised sap of which tree?

A38) The pine.

Q39) What does a tadpole turn into?

A39) A frog.

Q40) What’s a baby swan called?

A40) A cygnet.

ROUND FIVE. AT THE MOVIES.

Q41) Aladdin was the 1st Disney film to feature a totally computer generated character. Which character was it?

A41) The Magic Carpet.

Q42) Who was Ginger Rogers’ most famous dancing partner?

A42) Fred Astaire.

Q43) Which Gregory won an Oscar for his appearance, in To Kill A Mockingbird?

A43) Gregory Peck.

Q44) Who played the title role in Citizen Kane?

A44) Orson Welles.

Q45) Which ex-­movie star became Governor of California?

A45) Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Q46) What’s the sub­title of the most recently released episode of Star Wars?

A46) Revenge of the Sith.

Q47) In When Harry Met Sally, name either of the 2 leading actors. (Extra point for naming both.)

A47) Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.

Q48) Name either of the actors who played the main character in either the 2001 remake or the 60s original of Planet of the Apes.

A48) Charlton Heston in the 60s, Mark Walhberg, in 2001.

Q49) Hit Kevin Costner film, The Bodyguard co­-starred which singer?

A49) Whitney Houston.

Q50) In the recent non­musical version of Doctor Doolittle, who plays Doctor Doolittle?

A50) Eddie Murphy.

ROUND SIX. TELEVISION.

Q51) The League of Gentlemen is set in the the fictional village of Royston Vasey: Royston Vasey is the real name of which rather rude stand up comedian?

A51) Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown.

Q52) Which TV show, and recent movie, featured a car called the General Lee?

A52) The Dukes Of Hazzard.

Q53) Which game show featured Jim Davidson, Larry Grayson, & Bruce Forsyth as its presenters?

A53) The Generation Game.

Q54) Which sporting quiz show connects David Vine, and Sue Barker?

A54) A Question Of Sport.

Q55) Bamber Gasgoigne was the original presenter of which quiz?

A55) University Challenge.

Q56) Edina & her daughter, Saffron, appear in which comedy?

A56) Absolutely Fabulous.

Q57) John Steed & Emma Peel were better known as what?

A57) The Avengers.

Q58) James Gandolfini plays the main character in which US gangster series?

A58) The Sopranos.

Q59) Which newsreader became notorious for flashing her legs, on The Morecambe & Wise Show?

A59) Angela Rippon.

Q60) In which cowboy series did Clint Eastwood first make his name?

A60) Rawhide.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later!

* Go read the quotes!

º Actually, that’s not the only first that Space:1999 mentioned. Character, David Kano was the first character I can remember being quoted as having a cybernetic link to a computer.