The Daily Teaser and the Friday Question Set …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I’m feeling mildly pleased.

Seriously, I am.

I was in Brentwood Library*, during my lunch-hour yesterday, checking to see if more answers had been posted to yesterday’s Teaser.

They hadn’t.

At that point.

But after doing a random search for the blog, I managed to find out that I’d been cited … !

By someone!

Or, at least, by someone I’d never met!

Turns out that Debbi Mack — multiple blogger and crimewriter over in the States — had given me a mention after finding out about the death of John Barry, from this very blog.

Sad news, certainly.

But from where I’m standing, it’s nice to get a mention.

Thanking you Ms Mack.

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Lets get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, lets … !

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Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Mr Strict and Debbi putting in their answers: with Mr S bagging 5 out of 5, and Debbi bagging 5 — I’ had to doublecheck my references, by the way, Debbi — it also saw Mr Strict citing this link, as put of his answers.

Lets see how they — and you — do with today’s questions: here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and videoº …

Q1) 4th February, 1987, saw the death of which rather extravagant pianist … ?

Q2) 4th February, 1974, saw Patty Hearst kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army. Hearst’s kidnapping is considered a classic example of what: Stockholm Syndrome, Droitwich Disorder or Carolina Complex … ?

Q3) 4th February, 2004, saw who officially open Facebook … ?

Q4) 4th February, 1859, saw the discovery of the Codex Sinaiticus: in which African country?

Q5) And finally … 4th February, 1794, saw slavery abolished in which country … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 3rd February, 1960, saw Harold MacMillan make the famous ‘Winds of Change’ speech: in which African country was he, when he made that speech … ?

A1) South Africa. (Vaguely topical, when you consider the way the other end of the continent’s going.)

Q2) 3rd February, 1971, saw who shot in a drugs bust in Brooklyn … ?

Q2) Detective Frank Serpico. (When Al Pacino talked to Frank about the corruption he’s been investigating as part this incident, Al asked Frank why he’d started digging up the dirt: according to Detective Serpico’s Wikipedia entry, he replied “Well, Al, I don’t know. I guess I would have to say it would be because … if I didn’t, who would I be when I listened to a piece of music?”. He also prefers the term lamp lighters to whistle-blower.)

Q3) 3rd February, 1918, saw the Twin Peaks Tunnel in San Francisco, go into service as the world’s longest tunnel for what: cars, trains or trams … ?

A3) Trams: or streetcars, if you’re of an American persuasion. (Had to double check, there … )

Q4) 3rd February, 1958, saw the formal founding of the Benelux Economic Union: name any of the three countries involved in that union.

A4) Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Q5) And finally … 3rd February, 1809 saw the creation of the Illinois Territory: parts of which are now Illinois, eastern Minnesota, western Michigan … and which other US State … ?

A5) Wisconsin.

And, given that it’s Friday, and covered by the same Creative Commons License as everything else, is the Friday question set for struggling pub quiz masters …

Online 89: Copied from Hutton 147

ROUND ONE. GENERAL KNOWLDGE.

Q1) What’s the main ingredient of taramasalata?

A1) Cod’s roe. (Accept cod’s eggs.)

Q2) The word ‘Cenotaph’ means what: Empty tomb, empty grave or empty box?

Q2) ‘Empty Tomb’.

Q3) What’s the most common gas in our atmosphere?

A3) Nitrogen.

Q4) Who was the Oscar winning Swedish star of the films, Gaslight and Anastasia?

A4) Ingrid Bergman.

Q5) What colour is citrine?

A5) Yellow.

Q6) Who, according to Oscar Wilde, was the famous daughter of Herodias?

A6) Salome. (Pronounced SAL–om–ay.)

Q7) Which Welsh author author wrote The Corn is Green?

A7) Emlyn Williams.

Q8) What was the name of the American cartoonist who drew famously complicated machines?

A8) William Heath-Robinson.

Q9) In which year of the 1860’s were the lions added to the foot of Nelson’s column?

A9) 1867.

Q10) What’s the name of Mickey Mouse’s girlfriend?

A10) Minnie.

ROUND TWO. SCIENCE, NATURE & TECHNOLOGY.

Q11) “In a right angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum or the square of the other two sides.” Which Greek philosopher’s theorem is that?

A11) Pythagoras.

Q12) Pharos, in Egypt, is the site of the world’s first recognized what, lighthouse, tram or hospital?

A12) Lighthouse.

Q13) Charles Darrow invented Monopoly in which year of the 1930’s?

A13) 1933.

Q14) How many laws of Motion did Isaac Newton devise?

A14) 4.

Q15) What’s the atomic number of Gold?

A15) 79.

Q16) Where are the Phalange bones, the hands, the head or the feet?

A16) The Hands.

Q17) What fizzy gas is also known as E290?

A17) Carbon Dioxide.

Q18) Algology is the study of what, seaweed, algae or both?

A18) Both.

Q19) What name is given to a badger’s home?

A19) A sett.

Q20) A cruciverbalist studies what?

A20) Crossword puzzles.

ROUND THREE. WORLD TOUR.

Q21) What’s the capital of Afghanistan?

A21) Kabul.

Q22) Name either of the two languages spoken in Belorussia. (Two points for both.)

A22) Russian or Belorussian.

Q23) True or False: Great Britain is a member of OPEC.

A23) False.

Q24) Which state of the USA is known as the ‘Sunflower State’?

A24) Kansas.

Q25) True or False: Robert The Bruce was the second Scottish king to be called Robert.

A25) False. He was actually Robert the 1st.

Q26) Apia is the capital of which island kingdom: Samoa or St. Lucia?

A26) Samoa.

Q27) According to the Chinese calendar, 2011 is the year of the what?

A27) Rabbit.

Q28) Thermidor and Fructidor were months in which country’s Revolutionary Calendar?

A28) France.

Q29) The First and Second Boer War took place in which African country?

A29) South Africa.

Q30) Bratislava is the capital of which east European country?

A30) Slovakia.

ROUND FOUR. AT THE MOVIES.

Q31) Which British Actor won an Oscar for his appearance in Hannah and Her Sisters?

A31) Michael Caine.

Q32) Which Buffy: The Vampire Slayer star appeared in horror film, The Grudge?

A32) Sarah Michelle Geller.

Q33) Which actor connects Some Like it Hot, to The Odd Couple?

A33) Jack Lemmon.

Q34) Which member of the Hepburn family has received a record twelve Oscar nominations?

A34) Katherine Hepburn.

Q35) Who played the adult Peter Pan, in Hook?

A35) Robin Williams.

Q36) Who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for their role in the 1986 film, The Colour Purple?

A36) Oprah Winfrey. (I’d expect howls of protest for this. If you don’t get them, you’re doing something wrong …)

Q37) Which American actress married her seventh husband in Michael Jackson’s garden?

A37) Elizabeth Taylor.

Q38) And which Welsh movie star did she marry twice?

A38) Richard Burton.

Q39) Anthony Hopkins appeared in The World’s Fastest … what?

A39) Indian.

Q40) For which film did Jodie Forster get her first Oscar?

A40) The Accused. (That scene at the end is seriously uncomfortable to watch. But I’m thinking that’s the point.)

ROUND FIVE. FOOD & DRINK.

Q41) A batavia is a variety of which vegetable?

A41) The lettuce.

Q42) The major Napoleonic battle of 1800 saw the invention of which chicken dish?

A42) Chicken Marengo. (Don’t ask what Napoleon did to the chef who got it wrong!)

Q43) A rhyton was a drinking vessel in the shape of what, a ram’s horn, a cow’s udder or a sailing boat?

A43) A ram’s horn.

Q44) Parmesan cheese and Parma ham both come from which European country?

A44) Italy.

Q45) The Kirin Brewery is based in which East Asian country?

A45) Japan.

Q46) On the subject of breweries, which country is the home of Anhauser Busch?

A46) The USA.

Q47) A bottle of white wine sold at Christies, in 1985, for £105, 000. Which former US president had signed it?

A47) Thomas Jefferson.

Q48) E200 to E229 act as what, when used in food?

A48) Preservatives.

Q49) Which fast food chain opened its first UK branch in London, in 1954, Wimpy, Pizza Hut or McDonalds?

A49) Wimpy.

Q50) The French town of Les Bouillens is famous for which brand of mineral water?

A50) Perrier.

ROUND SIX. GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) Which fashion designer was responsible for the ‘New Look’?

A51) Christian Dior.

Q52) What name is given to the prosecution of a public official, by the state legislature?

A52) Impeachment.

Q53) Which famous American invented the Lightening Conductor?

A53) Benjamin Franklin.

Q54) Born in Austria, in 1856, died in 1939, and famous as the father of Psycho–analysis. Who am I talking about?

A54) Sigmund Freud.

Q55) What’s the name of the US national Anthem?

A55) The Star Spangled Banner.

Q56) Name the capital of Ethiopia.

A56) Addis Ababa.

Q57) Which metal has the chemical symbol, Pb?

A57) Lead.

Q58) Lieutenant Pinkerton is one of the main characters in which opera, Madame Butterfly, Fidelio or Lakmé?

A58) Madame Butterfly.

Q59) The Pied Piper got rid of the rats, and the children, in the small town of Hamlin. In which European country is Hamlin?

A59) Germany.

Q60) Which invention began its life as an aid for the deaf?

A60) The telephone.

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

* As you know — probably from a post or two on here — every library in Essex uses Windoze based PCs. And it’s a horrible experience. But you’d probably guessed I’d say that …

º Actually, little bit of caution with that link: it’s a touch … disturbing …