The Friday Question Set — 14-12-2012

Bloody hell … 

I’ve got to admit, I’m writing this, right now, as the BBC news channel is reporting that a man has gone to a local elementary school — roughly equivalent to a UK junior school — and shot 27 people.

18 of them are children.

The shooter is reportedly dead, by his own hand.

Glad to hear it.

He’d’ve had a whale* of a time, in prison, had word got out a child killer was being held there.

I have to admit. my thoughts go to those in Sandy Hook who’ve lost loved ones, there.   And I have to ask a question I always ask myself.

When will America modify its gun laws?   It strikes me this type of shootings are usually done by people who legally own weapons.

~~~~~~

At any rate, while I’m shaking my head about this … ?

Let me get the Friday Question set posted for you: here it is, along with the Creative Commons License.

Online 182

ROUND ONE.   GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) If something gets described as ‘Lupine’, what animal is it being compared to?   

A1) A wolf.

Q2) A plutocracy is a country ruled by whom: the wealthy, the old or amusing cartoon dogs?   

Q2) The wealthy.

Q3) The shortest day of the year is in December: on what date, in December?   

A3) December the 21st.

Q4) Who’s the current Poet Laureate?   

A4) Carol Anne Duffy.

Q5) How much can you inherit in Monopoly, according to the Community Chest Card?   

A5) £100.00

Q6) In the Morecambe Bay tragedy of February, 2004, what nationality were the immigrant workers?   

A6) Chinese.

Q7) Which lord reported on the Brixton Riots of 1981?   

A7) Lord Scarman.

Q8) Androphobia is the fear of who?   

A8) Men.

Q9) If it’s 12 Noon GMT, what time is it in Panama City?   

A9) 7am.

Q10) In the 1997 Formula 1 Arrows team, who was Pedro Diniz’s team mate?   

A10) Damon Hill.

ROUND TWO.   THE 1950’s.   

Q11) Who seized power in Cuba on 1st January 1959?   

A11) Fidel Castro.

Q12) What was Genevieve in the 1953 film of the same name?   

A12) A veteran car.

Q13) Whose refusal to give up her seat led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, and the civil rights movement of Dr Martin Luther King?   

A13) Rosa Parks.

Q14) Which magazine was founded by Hugh Hefner in 1953?   

A14) Playboy.

Q15) In which African country were the Mau-Mau active in the 1950s?   

A15) Kenya.

Q16) What name came to be applied to the youth of 1950s America, as described in the books of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs?   

A16) The Beat Generation.

Q17) Who scored an FA Cup hat trick during the so-called ‘Matthews Final’ of 1953?   

A17) Stan Mortensen.

Q18) How did controversial US artist Jackson Pollock die in 1956?   

A18) In a car crash.

Q19) Which working-class cartoon character made his first appearance in the Daily Mirror in 1957?   

A19) Andy Cap

Q20) Which Rock & Roll icon wrote Blue Suede Shoes in 1956?  (Bonus point for telling us the name of the B-Side!)   

A20) Carl Perkins.

ROUND THREE.   ROUND BRITAIN.   

Q21) Land of my Fathers is a traditional song in which part of the UK.   

A21) Wales.

Q22) What is Britain’s longest tunnel?   

A22) The Severn Tunnel.

Q23) Speaker’s Corner is on the Corner of where?   

A23) Hyde Park.

Q24) The Old Bailey is on the site of which former prison?   

A24) Newgate.

Q25) Which TV presenter, & former Page 3 model is Swindon’s most famous export?   

A25) Melinda Messenger.

Q26) Which gorge shares its name with a type of cheese?   

A26) Cheddar.

Q27) In which Scottish city would you be, if you were on a clockwork orange?   (Bonus for telling us what it is.)   

A27) Glasgow.  (It’s a nickname for the Glasgow underground trains.)

Q28) What sort of London institution is Bart’s?   

A28) A hospital.

Q29) An Aberdonian is a native of which country of the UK?   (Bonus point for telling us the city)   

A29) Scotland.   (Aberdeen.)

Q30) Is Holy Island off the east or west coast of England?   

A30) East.   (It’s also known as Lindisfarne.)

ROUND FOUR.   MUSIC AND LIGHTS.   

Q31) Which wartime British comedienne adopted Sally as a signature tune?   

A31) Gracie Fields.

Q32) Who had hits with Army of Me and It’s Oh So Quiet?   (Bonus point for the surname!)   

A32) Bjork.   (Gudmundsdöttir)

Q33) At whose trial did journalist Martin Bashir give evidence in 2005?   

A33) Michael Jackson’s.

Q34) In which opera does Figaro pursue Rosina?   

A34) The Barber of Seville.

Q35) Which song on the Abbey Road album by the Beatles was sung by Ringo Starr?   

A35) Octopus’s Garden.

Q36) Which founder-member of Pink Floyd died in 2006?   

A36) Syd Barrett.

Q37) Who released an album called Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player?   

A37) Elton John.

Q38) For what television programme was That’s Living Alright the theme tune?   

A38) Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

Q39) What is the stage name of Sir Harry Webb?   

A39) Cliff Richard. 

Q40) Kerry Katona found fame in which all-girl band?   

A40) Atomic Kitten.

ROUND FIVE.   TV DINNERS.   

Q41) Erotica was the daughter of Ludicrus & Ammonia.   But in which Frankie Howard comedy series?   

A41) Up, Pompeii.

Q42) In the original series of Blackadder, which comedian played Richard 3rd?   

A42) Peter Cook.

Q43) The Rockford Files famously opened with what, a piece of music, an answerphone message or the sound of footsteps?   

A43) An answerphone message.

Q44) In the TV series, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, how many slayers had there been?   (Bonus point if you can any of them that weren’t the title character!)   

A44) Three.      Buffy, Kendra, and Faith

Q45) Jeux Sans Frontières was the international version of It’s a Knockout.   Which now altered European country has won it the most times?   

A45) West Germany.   (Four times, all told.)

Q46) Which detective series starred Pam Ferris & Felicity Kendal?   

A46) Rosemary & Thyme.

Q47) Saffron & Bubble appeared in which sitcom?   

A47) Absolutely Fabulous.

Q48) Whose catchphrase is “I Don’t Believe It”?   

A48) Victor Meldrew’s.

Q49) Which member of the Simpson family is a vegetarian?   

A49) Lisa.

Q50) What BBC series is devoted to celebrities family trees?   

A50) Who Do You Think You Are?

ROUND SIX.   GENERAL IGNORANCE.   

Q51) What is the main ingredient of Hummus?   

A51) Chick peas.

Q52) Which Greco-Roman hero killed the Nemean Lion?   

A52) Hercules.   (Heracles was the Greek version of the name.)

Q53) Amethyst is the birthstone for which month of the year?   

A53) February.

Q54) Which rodent’s home is a Drey?

A54) A squirrel’s.

Q55) The Highlander, Prius and Tundra, are all made by which car company?   

A55) Toyota.

Q56) What does a Cooper make?   

A56) Barrels.

Q57) Who succeeded Sir Thomas Fairfax, as head of the New Model Army, in 1650?   

A57) Oliver Cromwell

Q58) Graphology is the study of what?   

A58) Handwriting.

Q59) True or false: Giraffes cannot cough.   

A59) True.

Q60) What’s the collective name for a group of porpoises: a pod, a herd, or a school?   

A60) It’s all three!

Enjoy.

*        Please feel free to read that line in as heavily ironic tone as possible.