The Armistice Day Teaser

Hmmm …

You know, I’ve think I’ve said this before, and I’ll probably say it again, but World War 1 — which Armistice Day marks — seems bonkers …

And quite a tragic one, at that.

After all, we can all point at World War 2 — or, at least, those of us who are children of the Allied victorsºª — and say we were fighting an evil regime. We can all probably come to a conclusion about the various Gulf Wars: even if they do boil down to “Well, it’s all abaht tha oil, innit?”

But WW1?

Possibly the most senseless war that happened? Four years of what was high-tech death on all fronts?

I’ll let other’s speak the words, I think, although today’s Teaser video is a touch different, itself.

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Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: and, along with quietly admitting she’ll try and throw in a link to one of my more arcane posts*, she also bagged six out of six.

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

Q1) 11th November, 1918, saw the end of World War 1, when Germany signed the Armistice: at what time in the morning … ?

Q2) More to the point, the Armistice was signed in a railway carriage, where … ?

Q3) The French equivalent of the Remembrance poppy — the Bleuet, or cornflower — is what colour?

Q4) More to the point, in which country did the wearing of commemorative poppies originate … ?

Q5) What’s the scientific name for this particular species of poppy … ?

Q6) Private George Lawrence Price is generally recognised as the last British Imperial soldier to die in World War 1: what country was he from … ?

Q7) 11th November, 1934, saw the Shrine of Remembrance opened in which Australian city … ?

Q8) 11th November also saw the Tomb Of the Unknown’s dedicated in the US: in which year … ?

Q9) 11th November 1918, saw which Emperor renounce his throne, as a result of World War 1?

Q10) And finally … Great Britain’s Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is in Westminster Abbey: where is it French equivalent … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 10th November, 1775, saw the founding of which part of the US armed forces: the Marine Corp, the Army or the USAF … ?

A1) The US Marine Corp.

Q2) 10th November, 2007, saw the ¿Por qué no te callas? incident take place: when King Juan Carlos I of Spain tell who to shut up … ?

A2) President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela.

Q3) 10th November, 1960, saw the first Penguin edition of what, completely sell out … ?

A3) Lady Chatterley’s Lover.

Q4) More to the point, how much did that edition cost?

A4) 3s 6d. (Three shillings and 6 pence, if you’re unfamiliar with the UK’s pre-decimal coinage: that’s 17½p in modern money, although I don’t know what it would be, in modern prices, although Amazon are charging this for the Wordsworth Classic Edition. In the UK, that is … )

Q5) 10 November, 1970, saw the Soviet Union launch the Lunokhod 1: where was this Rover going … ?

A5) The Moon.

Q6) And finally … 10th November, 1674, saw the Netherlands cede the New Netherlands to England: how is that colony’s most famous city know better known … ?

A6) New York. (Although most of New Amsterdam was on what’s NOW Manhattan Island …)

And, as it’s Friday, here’s the Friday question set for struggling pub quiz-masters: covered, as ever, by the Creative-Commons-License …

Online 128

ROUND ONE. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) In which decade were satellite pictures first broadcast across the Atlantic?

A1) The 1960’s

Q2) The police series, Bergerac was set on which Channel Island?

Q2) Jersey.

Q3) Helvetia is mentioned on stamps from which country: Switzerland, Greece or South Africa?

A3) Switzerland.

Q4) What colour is Paprika?

A4) Red.

Q5) Viagra was originally prescribed to do what: improve the circulation, improve the memory or prevent arthritis?

A5) Improve the circulation

Q6) Miss Anna Jarvis inaugurated which Day, in Philadelphia, in 1907: Mothers Day, Fathers Day or Be Nice to Your Boss Day?

A6) Mothers Day.

Q7) Which town was the site of the first public school for girls, Cheltenham or Rœdean?

A7) Cheltenham.

Q8) How was Prison Camp Oflag IVC better known, during World War Two?

A8) Colditz.

Q9) Which part of the body does a reflexologist deal with?

A9) The Feet.

Q10) Atom Heart Mother was the first chart topping album by which iconic British group: Pink Floyd, Queen, or Hawkwind?

A10) Pink Floyd.

ROUND TWO. AT THE MOVIES.

Q11) Fraser Heston played the baby Moses, in his father’s film about the biblical figure: who exactly is his father?

A11) Charlton Heston.

Q12) Which Sean played Harrison Ford’s father, in Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade?

A12) Sean Connery.

Q13) Which cowboy had a horse called Trigger?

A13) Roy Rogers.

Q14) In which country was Brigitte Bardot born?

A14) France.

Q15) What was named as Best British Film, at this years BAFTA’s?

A15) The Last King of Scotland.

Q16) Name either of the actors to have played Obi-Wan Kenobi, in the Star Wars franchise. (Two points for both.)

A16) Alec Guinness or Ewan McGregor

Q17) Which disease technically killed Rock Hudson: Pneumonia, the ’Flu or the Common Cold?

A17) Pneumonia. (It killed him, because of he had a collapsing immune system, due to AIDS)

Q18) What is Samuel Jackson’s middle initial?

A18) L.

Q19) In the film, The Wizard of Oz, which character — CHARACTER — sang Somewhere Over The Rainbow?

A19) Dorothy.

Q20) Which Juliette won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, for her part in The English Patient?

A20) Juliette Binoche.

ROUND THREE. WORLD TOUR.

Q21) Gran Canaria is in which group of islands?

A21) The Canaries.

Q22) What word describes the beach were the Queen Mary was docked for many years?

A22) Long: they were at Long Beach, California, for many years.

Q23) Los Angeles suffers a severe smog problem due to its high percentage of what?

A23) Cars.

Q24) What type of waterway is at Suez?

A24) A canal.

Q25) Aborigines are from which Commonwealth country?

A25) Australia.

Q26) Quebec is the French speaking part of which American country?

A26) Canada.

Q27) On which continent is Swahili spoken?

A27) Africa.

Q28) How are the Inuit better known?

A28) Eskimos.

Q29) In Spanish, it’s the Rio de las Amazonas: what is it in English?

A29) The Amazon.

Q30) During the 60’s, what name did Zimbabwe have?

A30) Rhodesia.

ROUND FOUR. RICH AND FAMOUS.

Q31) Chad Varah founded which charity: the Samaritans, Oxfam or the British Heart Foundation?

A31) The Samaritans.

Q32) The Queen’s residence at Balmoral is on which Scottish river, the Dee or the Tweed?

A32) The Dee.

Q33) Which Princess is nearest to the UK throne?

A33) Princess Beatrice.

Q34) Who, during the 90’s, was the only Irish winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature: Seamus Heaney, James Joyce or Patrick O’Malley?

A34) Seamus Heaney

Q35) Milvina Dean was the youngest survivor of which shipping disaster?

A35) The Titanic.

Q36) What type of radio did Trevor Bayliss invent: clockwork, digital or transistor?

A36) Clockwork.

Q37) Athina Roussel inherited millions, on her grandfather’s death: in which industry did he make those millions?

A37) Shipping: he was Aristotle Onassis.

Q38) Sam Walton founded which US chain of supermarkets?

A38) Wal-Mart.

Q39) Which rock star’s child inherited jut under £80 million, on their father’s death: Frances Cobain, Lisa Marie Presley or Sean Lennon?

A39) Lisa Marie Presley.

Q40) Which Australian super model was dubbed The Body?

A40) Elle MacPherson.

ROUND FIVE. TECHNOLOGY & INDUSTRY.

Q41) Which company did Steve Jobs leave, before setting up NeXT, Inc?

A41) Apple

Q42) Akio Morita, & Masaru Ikuba set up which company?

A42) Sony

Q43) Which motor manufacturer made the first non-stop double crossing of the English Channel, by plane?

A43) Charles Rolls.

Q44) Which supermarket chain introduced the ‘George’ fashion label?

A44) Asda.

Q45) Chris Evans company famously bought Virgin Radio; – what was its name?

A45) Ginger Productions.

Q46) Sir Clive Sinclair famously introduced the Sinclair C5 electric bicycle: what type of motor did he use to build the prototype?

A46) Washing machine.

Q47) Sir Henry Tate, the man who set up the Tate Gallery, made his money from what?

A47) Sugar.

Q48) Which chain of cinema’s did Sir Richard Branson buy, in 1995?

A48) MGM.

Q49) What vehicle did Cammell Laird manufacture: ships, planes or trains?

A49) Ships.

Q50) Which British chain store announced it was closing all it’s European stores, in April, 2001?

A50) Marks and Spensers.

ROUND SIX. GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) Victor Emmanuel was the first king of which European country?

A51) Italy.

Q52) Leander is the world’s oldest club: but which sport is it dedicated to?

A52) Rowing.

Q53) In which year of the 1970’s did John Lennon perform his last live concert?

A53) 1972.

Q54) Michæl Fagan hit the headlines when he broke into where?

A54) Buckingham Palace. (He famously asked the Queen for a light.)

Q55) Thriller writer Salvatore Lombino is better known how?

A55) Thriller writer Ed McBain.

Q56) Phillip Blaiberg was the second person to do what: pilot a space shuttle, go over the Niagara Falls in a barrel or fly a hot air balloon?

A56) Pilot a space shuttle.

Q57) Richard 2nd is said to have popularised the use of which everyday item: the handkerchief, the cruet set or the chip pan?

A57) The Hanky.

Q58) The Lev is the currency of where: Bulgaria, Romania, or Poland?

A58) Bulgaria.

Q59) Raoul Capablanca found fame playing which game?

A59) Chess.

Q60) In sayings, how many lives has a cat supposed to have?

A60) Nine.

Enjoy those, everyone.

One more thing … ?

Remember …

* Thanks for that, Debbi, that’s very much appreciated!

º I know Nina will make the very valid point that her home country of Finland, had a rough time of it.

ª James Naughtie, one of the presenters of Radio 4’s Today show, has just underlined it: by reminding listeners that — here in the UK — there are no more surviving veterans from the Great War, to take part in Sunday’s Remembrance service at the Cenotaph.