Friday 31 May 2013

The Friday Question Set — 31-5-2013

Blimey, I’m sorry … !

No, really … !

I have to confess, this week’s Friday question set doesn’t have the links I’ve been trying to put in, for the past few weeks.

Usually, I do that on Thursdays.

Which I didn’t get a chance to, this week: I got treated to tickets to a matinee performance of Warhouse.

Still … I can’t complain, too much.

It IS a fantastic show!

At ANY rate … ?   Here’s this week’s Friday Question Set: covered by the usual Creative Commons License*.

Online 204
ROUND ONE:  GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) According to a survey in 2007, what North-eastern town was declared England’s noisiest?
A1) Newcastle.

Q2) In that same survey, which Devon town was named England’s quietist?
Q2) Torquay.

Q3) Which Doctor Who actor was the 1st guest on the 1st episode of Swop Swap?
A3) Tom Baker.

Q4) Dipsophobia is an unreasoning fear of what?
A4) Drinking.

Q5) Agar-agar is a type of gelatine made from what; – seaweed, algæ, or lichen?
A5) Seaweed.

Q6) What do you add to rum, to make grog?
A6) Water.

Q7) What device is used over a guitar’s fretboard, to raise the pitch of the strings?
A7) A capo.

Q8) What is another name for a ship’s load mark?
A8) Plimsoll Line.

Q9) Astrologically speaking, two of the three fire signs are LEO and ARIES.   Which is the third?
A9) Sagittarius.

Q10) On board ship, where would you find the Scuppers?
A10) On deck.   They’re the holes that allow water to run off.

ROUND TWO: FOOD AND DRINK

Q11) Which catchphrase of tv chef Jamie Oliver’s comes from a Sanskit word, meaning simply – and rather ironically – ‘…cooked’?
A11) Pukka.

Q12) With the aid of a civet’s digestive tract, Kopi Luwak sells for anything between 120 and 600 US dollars per pound making it the most expensive what in the world?
A12) Coffee.

Q13) What six letter name is given to the substance used as a setting agent in many jams and marmalades?
A13) Pectin

Q14) What type of food advertising was banned on January 1st, 2008?
A14) Junk food ads.

Q15) What sort of meat is used in the Greek dish Kleftiko?
A15) Lamb.

Q16) From which continent does Couscous originate?
A16) Africa.

Q17) What distinguishes Gruyere cheese from most other cheeses: holes, a wax coating or blue veins?
A17) Holes.

Q18) What general name is given to Indian food cooked in a clay oven?
A18) Tandoori.

Q19) What was the very first cargo to be regularly transported by train in Germany?
A19) Beer.

Q20) Pork from which European country was withdrawn in 2008?
A20) The Republic of Ireland.

ROUND THREE:  ALL THROUGH HISTORY.

Q21) Of which people was Atahualpa the last leader: the Inca, Aztec, or Toltec?
A21) The Incas.


Q22) Which battle of 1805 is sometimes referred to as The Battle of the Three Emperors: the Battle of Austerlitz, the Battle of Bunker Hill, or the Battle of Waterloo?
A22) Battle of Austerlitz.

Q23) Henry 8th got married in the Chapel Of The Observance Friars on June 11, 1509: to which of his wives?
A23) Catherine of Aragon

Q24) The Rye House Plot was a plot to kill which British monarch?
A24) Charles II.

Q25) Which delivery service operated in the USA from April 1860 to November 1861?
A25) The Pony Express.

Q26) Who is the oldest British Monarch to have ascended to the throne?
A26) William IV aged 64.

Q27) Who, according to the opening lines of the book of the same name, was born in York in 1632?
A27) Robinson Crusoe.   (Written by Daniel Dafoe.)

Q28) Who was the leader of France’s Vichy government during WWII?
A28) Marshal Henri Petain.

Q29) What name was given to the process of killing every tenth man in a mutinous Roman Legion?
A29) Decimation.

Q30) Which famous mutiny took place in 1789?
A30) The Mutiny on the Bounty.

ROUND FOUR: BLINDED WITH SCIENCE.

Q31) What part of your body would a trichologist be concerned with?
A31) Hair.

Q32) For most vertebrates, which organ produces Bile?
A32) The liver. (stored in the gallbladder).

Q33) What is the official unit used for measuring the depth of water?
A33) The metre.   (Not Fathom, as I am sure many would suggest; – the fathom is the old imperial measurement).

Q34) Deep Thought was an IBM-produced chess computer, named after the super computer in which famous work of fiction?
A34) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Q35) What was the name of Yuri Gagarin's space capsule; – Soyuz II, MIR, Sputnik II, or Vostok I?
A35) Vostock I.

Q36) What, in 1781, became the first new planet to be discovered since the ancient times?
A36) Uranus.

Q37) ENIAC was the worlds first digital what?
A37) Digital computer.    (It stood for Electronic Numerical Integrator And Calculator.)

Q38) In biology which word means ‘living together’: symbiosis, parasitic, or bipedal?
A38) Symbiosis.

Q39) Titan is the largest moon of which planet: Jupiter or Saturn?
A39) Saturn.

Q40) Which radioactive metal was discovered at Berkeley University in California in 1940 and named after one of the nine planets?
A40) Plutonium.

ROUND FIVE:  BY THE NUMBERS.

Q41) How many clubs made up the English Football League, when it was 1st formed?
A41) 12.

Q42) Excluding children’s books, how many discworld novels has Terry Pratchett written?
A42) 36.

Q43) Moving anticlockwise on a dartboard, what number is next to 11?
A43) 8.

Q44) How many days in two non–leap years?
A44) 730.

Q45) What’s the approximate distance from London to Paris, in miles?
A45) 200.

Q46) How many balls are used in a game of pool?
A46) 16.  (15 object balls, plus the cue ball.)

Q47) How many members are there in a water polo team?
A47) 7.

Q48) If a team at bridge wins a grand slam, how many tricks have they won?
A48) 13 tricks.

Q49) What are the odds of rolling a double 1, on two six sided dice; 1 in 36, 1 in 18, or 1 in 9?
A49) 1 in 36.   (Equal to 35 to one)

Q50) In pre-decimal money how many farthings were in a penny?
A50) Four.

ROUND SIX: GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) No, No, No was the debut single for which American girl band?
A51) Destiny’s Child.

Q52) Jack Ryan invented which doll?
A52) Barbie.

Q53) The Angel, in Venezuela, is the world’s highest what; water fall, cliff face, or inland sea?
A53) Waterfall.

Q54) The Cavy is better known as which rodent?
A54) The Guinea Pig.

Q55) What was the 1st decimal coin to be released in the UK?
A55) The 50p piece.

Q56) Harriet Quimby was the first woman to fly over what?
A56) The English Channel.

Q57) Mother Theresa was noted for her work with the poor of which country?
A57) India.

Q58) What would a mural be painted on?
A58) A wall.

Q59) What’s Britain’s largest species of predatory fish?
A59) The pike.

Q60) A sudden rush of snow down the side of a mountain is known as what?
A60) An avalanche.

Enjoy those!   I hope that help.














*        Regulars will know already: but for newcomers … all it means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.

The Daily Teaser — 31-5-2013


You know, I HAVE to admit, I went to see WarHorse, yesterday.

The play, I should add.

Quite an amazing thing to watch I should add.

The story’s one that immediately twangs the emotional guitar strings.

And the horse … ?

Phew … !

I know they’re puppets*: and quite beautiful ones at that, operated by three people at a time.

But, my word … !

You see those things on stage, you’re not watching puppets: you’re watching a pair of horses … 



Now … 

Let’s move on, shall we … ?

~≈Ω≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: along with putting up this post†, also bagging five out of six.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?   Here they Are, along with the ‘How To’, license‡ and video … 

Q1) 31st May, 1911, saw the launch of the RMS Titanic.   Which city was she built in … ?
Q2) 31st May, 1985: in light of the Heysel Stadium Disaster, two days earlier, the FA ban English teams from playing where … ?
Q3) 31st May, 1921, saw race riots in the US city of Tulsa.   In which US state is Tulsa … ?
Q4) 31st May, 1973, saw the US Senate vote to stop bombing where … ?
Q5) And finally … 31st May, 1998, saw Geri Halliwell leave The Spice Girls.   What was the first post-Geri Spice Girls single … ?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 30th May saw the attempted assassination of Queen Victoria.   In which year of the 1840s … ?
A1) 1842.
Q2) On which London road: Constitution Hill, Pall Mall or Hyde Park Corner … ?
A2) Constitution Hill.
Q3) 30th May, 1899, saw which female outlaw hold up a stage coach in Arizona: Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed ‘Belle’ Starr, Pearl Hart or Martha Jane ‘Calamity Jane’ Canary … ?
A3) Pearl Hart.
Q4) 30th May, 1972, saw the Angry Brigade go on trial in the UK.   How many bombings had they committed: 5, 15 or 25?
A4) 25.
Q5) 30th May, 1925, saw the Shanghai Municipal Police shoot thirteen protestors to death.   Shanghai is now in which country … ?
A5) China.   (Or the People’s Republic of China, if you’re being precise.)
Q6) And finally … 30th May, 2012, saw Charles Taylor given a fifty year sentence for his part in Sierra Leone’s Civil War.   Where had he been president of … ?
A6) Liberia.
I’ll leave you with this thought from from Terry Waite …
“Freeing hostages is like putting up a stage set, which you do with the captors, agreeing on each piece as you slowly put it together; then you leave an exit through which both the captor and the captive can walk with sincerity and dignity.”
Terry Waite, born 31 May 1939
And with a bit of folk … 


Enjoy your day … 













*        Operated and designed by a South African company called Handspring.

†        Oh, I like that post, Debbi! :D (Oh, just in case you’re interested, Debbi, Warhorse is playing Baltimore, in February, 2014: I’d really suggest tickets are in order … !)

‡        Regulars will know already: but for newcomers … all it means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.   If you’d like to back to here, as well, that would be nice … 

Thursday 30 May 2013

WarHorse: Now That’s Emotional … !


You know, it HAS to be said, I’ve had quite the afternoon, today.

No, really … !


Bless, it was my mother’s birthday, just recently.

And as an extra treat … ?

Anna and ruth, my two sisters, decided to organise a cheap an cheerful afternoon out.

Well …


Cheapish: we ARE talking London, after-all …

Hmmm … 

At ANY rate, they managed to treat us all to a family afternoon out: to a matinee performance of Warhorse, at the New London Theatre.

~≈‡≈~

Set during World War 1, and based on the Michael Morpurgo novel of the same name, Warhorse tells the story of Joey — a young colt originally wanted as a draft horse — and his owner: a young farm boy called Arthur Narracott.

And follows they tale as Joey from his taming and training as a plough-horse: and eventually selling to the British Army … 

And his surviving the brutal madness of World War One, after having his rider — Major Nicholls — shot off him, in a charge at a machine gun nest.

~≈‡≈~

Now, I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed this, I really did.

The show is riveting, and kept me in my seat for some 160 minutes.

What’s more … ?

What’s more it’s a show whose stars — the puppet horses you’ve heard so much about —  are the most watchable things in it.

Can I suggest you go see this show … ?

It will repay you …

The Daily Teaser — 30-5-2013

Hmmm … 

Looks like I’m going to have to work fast, this morning.

Believe it or not, I’ve got a bit of a family do. today.

We’re all off to see the musical, Warhorse, today.

Which I’ll probably try and write about: but we’ll have to see.

At any rate … ?

Let’s move on, shall we … ?

~≈Ω≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: along with letting us know she’s finished editing Identity Crisis†, she also bagged five out of six*.

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

Q1) 30th May saw the attempted assassination of Queen Victoria.   In which year of the 1840s … ?
Q2) On which London road: Constitution Hill, Pall Mall or Hyde Park Corner … ?
Q3) 30th May, 1899, saw which female outlaw hold up a stage coach in Arizona: Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed ‘Belle’ Starr, Pearl Hart or Martha Jane ‘Calamity Jane’ Canary … ?
Q4) 30th May, 1972, saw the Angry Brigade go on trial in the UK.   How many bombings had they committed: 5, 15 or 25?
Q5) 30th May, 1925, saw the Shanghai Municipal Police shoot thirteen protestors to death.   Shanghai is now in which country … ?
Q6) And finally … 30th May, 2012, saw Charles Taylor given a fifty year sentence for his part in Sierra Leone’s Civil War.   Where had he been president of … ?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 29th May, 1453, saw the fall of Byzantium, after a 53 day siege.   It had been besieged by forces from which Empire … ?
A1) The Ottoman Empire.
Q2) Byzantium is now known as which city … ?
A2) Istanbul.
Q3) In which modern country is it in?
A3) Turkey.
Q4) Byzantium was also known as Constantinopolis, in honour of its founder: which Emperor was he … ?
A4) Constantine 1st: also known as Constantine the Great.
Q5) Byzantium was one of the capitals of which empire?
A5) The  Roman Empire.
Q6) And finally … Which church still refers to the city as Constantinople … ?
A6) The Eastern Orthodox Church: who refer to the Patriarch as His Most Divine All-Holiness, the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch.   (The current holder is Bartholomew 1st, who’s regarded as a successor to Saint Andrew.)
Given it’s Benny Goodman’s birthday, today, let’s all head off on a Jazz Holiday … 


And, in Memory of the late Mel Blanc, leave you with one of his better known lines …
“That’s All, Folks”
Mel Blanc, May 30, 1908 – July 10, 1989


Enjoy the day … 















*        Oh, you’re right, Debbi: it was the Byzantine capital, obviously.   But was also one of two Roman Imperial capitals, during the Eastern Roman Empire period … 

†        I’m betting you’re pleased about that … ! :D

Wednesday 29 May 2013

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 29-5-2013

Well, FINALLY  … !

I did it!

AT LAST … !

Sorry, sorry, I’m getting slightly distracted, there: but — thanks to a few retro designers on the the iOS App Store — I’ve managed to get through Marble Hill Zone 2 on the original Sonic The Hedgehog.

It’s only taken me twenty years.

Yeah … 

You REALLY didn’t want to hear me say that, did you … ?

Ahem … !

At ANY rate, today’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for the Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser.

Here’s this week’s questions: covered by the usual Creative Commons License* …
Q1) 29th May, 1953, saw Hillary and Norgay complete their climb of Mount Everest: name either of the countries Mount Everest is in.
Q2) More to the point, HALF of Mount Everest is in what used to be where … ?
Q3) Which Commonwealth country did Edmund Hillary come from … ?
Q4) Similarly, which country was Mr Norgay from … ?
Q5) What was his first name … ?
Q6) Which ethnic group did he belong to … ?
Q7) How high is Everest: 27,029 ft, 29,029 ft or 31,029 ft … ?
Q8) What’s the Tibetan name for Mount Everest … ?
Q9) Most of the mountain’s native names translate as Holy what: father, mother or child … ?
Q10) And finally … in which mountain range is Mount Everest … ?
And here’s last week’s questions and answers: links to answers are on the Gazette’s two sites.
Questions.
Q1) 22nd May, 1980, saw the release of the original Pac-man.   By which Japanese electronics company … ?
Q2) Toru Iwatani, the game’s designer, partly based Pacman on a Japanese character for what part of the face … ?
Q3) He also drew inspiration from which foodstuff … ?
Q4) What’s the Japanese version of the game called: Pakkuman, Pakkulaman or Pakkula … ?
Q5) Pac-man’s enemies — the four ghosts who always chased him — were known as Shadow, Speedy, Bashful and Pokey.   Give us any of their nicknames … ?
Q6) What colour did they turn, when Pacman ate a PowerPill?
Q7) In the original US version of the game — the version we would’ve seen, here in the UK — eating one of the pellets would score how many points: five, ten or fifteen … ?
Q8) How many points did you need to score, to gain an extra life … ?
Q9) What was the furthest level you could reach, in ‘Pac-man’: 254, 255 or 256 … ?
Q10) And FINALLY … ?   What was the name of the sequel to ‘Pac-man’ … ?
Answers.
A1) Namco.
A2) The mouth.
A3) Pizza.
A4) Pakkuman.
A5) Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde.
A6) Dark blue.
A7) Ten points.
A8) 10, 000.
A9) 255.
A10) ‘Ms Pac-Man’.
Enjoy those.   I’ll catch you later.
















*        Regulars will know already: but for newcomers, out there … all it means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.   A link back here would be nice, too.

The Daily Teaser — 29-5-2013: The Fall Of Byzantium

Well, well, well: sounds like technology moves on.

I’m listening to Radio 4’s Today programme, again: and have to admit, it’s as fascinating as ever.

Including the piece that’s just gone past me.

About film projectionists.   Seemingly, Britain now officially has no 35mm film projectors in operation: Britain’s cinemas are now all digital.

Normally, I’d be asking if that’s a good or bad thing.   To be frank, though … ?   It’s really just a thing.

But I bet that — given a few years — there’s going to be a few retro-art-houses that’ll specialise in good old fashioned film … !

Right … Let’s move on … 

~≈Â≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers.

Along with quietly admitting she’s had a rough week*, she ALSO managed to bag six out of six.

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

Q1) 29th May, 1453, saw the fall of Byzantium, after a 53 day siege.   It had been besieged by forces from which Empire … ?
Q2) Byzantium is now known as which city … ?
Q3) In which modern country is it in?
Q4) Byzantium was also known as Constantinopolis, in honour of its founder: which Emperor was he … ?
Q5) Byzantium was one of the capitals of which empire?
Q6) And finally … Which church still refers to the city as Constantinople … ?
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 28th May, 1936, saw Alan Turing release the paper that defined the computer: it’s commonly known as ‘On Computable …’ what …?
A1) Numbers.
Q2) How did Turing refer to computers: as universal, global or ubiquitous machines … ?
A2) A Universal machine.
Q3) During World War 2, Turing worked at the Government Code and Cypher School, in Bletchley Park.   In which English county is Bletchley Park … ?
A3) Buckinghamshire.
Q4) Bletchley Park is also the home of Britain’s National Museum Of Computing.   The Museum opened in which year … ?
A4) 2007.
Q5) Modern computers are all said to be Turing what: total, complete, or entire … ?
A5) Complete.
Q6) And finally … Turing eventually committed suicide by eating a poisoned  what …?
A6) Apple.
I’ll leave you with this thought …
“I shall not return to Constantinople until I have conquered Egypt!”
Ahmed Djemal.
And — while I realise Byzantine church music isn’t everyone’s thing — with this … 


Enjoy the day … !







*        I can imagine, Debbi, I can imagine!   There’s an upside, though, Debbi: the only way, from here, is up!

Tuesday 28 May 2013

The Daily Teaser — 28-5-2013: Alan Turing

You know, I have to admit, I’m listening to to a documentary I recorded last night: the first episode of the new series of Mastertapes.

This opening episode … ?   Features  Wilko Johnson*, founder member and original singer-songwriter for Dr Feelgood, discussing their debut album, Down By The Jetty.

The band were possibly the one band that had the biggest influence on Britain’s punk movement of the 1970s.

Hmmm … You know, I mite just have to see if that’s available on iTunes.   I always think it’s important to have one definitive album in one’s collection.

Hmmm … Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

~≈†≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting her answers in: along with putting up this post, she also bagged five out of six†.

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

Q1) 28th May, 1936, saw Alan Turing release the paper that defined the computer: it’s commonly known as ‘On Computable …’ what …?
Q2) How did Turing refer to computers: as universal, global or ubiquitous machines … ?
Q3) During World War 2, Turing worked at the Government Code and Cypher School, in Bletchley Park.   In which English county is Bletchley Park … ?
Q4) Bletchley Park is also the home of Britain’s National Museum Of Computing.   The Museum opened in which year … ?
Q5) Modern computers are all said to be Turing what: total, complete, or entire … ?
Q6) And finally … Turing eventually committed suicide by eating a poisoned  what …?
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 
Q1) 27th May, 1995, saw which actor paralysed from the neck down, after a horse riding accident in Virginia … ?
A1) Christopher Reeve.
Q2) 27th May, 1937, saw the Golden Gate Bridge open to pedestrian traffic.   In which US state is the Golden Gate Bridge … ?
A2) California.
Q3) More to the point, the northern end of the Bridge is in which US city … ?
A3) San Francisco.
Q4) 27th May, 1934, saw the birth of which famously contentious science fiction writer … ?
A4) Harlan Ellison.
Q5) 27th May, 1968, saw which Canadian city become the first to host an official National League Baseball team … ?
A5) Montreal.
Q6) And finally … 27th May, 1919, saw the ending of the world’s first transatlantic flight: in which Portuguese city … ?
A6) Lisbon.
I’ll leave you with this quote from I’ll leave you with this thought from Dr Turing, himself …
“A man provided with paper, pencil, and rubber, and subject to strict discipline, is in effect a universal machine.”
Alan Turing.
With this tune from Kraftwerk … 


Oh, and as I’ve mention Wilko and the guys … ?

Here … 















*        I actually saw Johnson playing at the Essex Arms, when I worked there: back when he was touring with Salvator Ramundo and occasional Blockhead Norman Watt-Roy.   Watt-Roy could make you weep, as a bassist: I always watched him play, with despair, thinking I’d never be that good at something.   Wilko, on the other hand … ?   Inspirational: I watched, thinking “I could do that … ”

†        Hmmm … Don’t know if I needed THAT much detail, Debbi! :D

Monday 27 May 2013

The Daily Teaser — 27-5-2013

Hmmm … 

So, hang on, Eric Schmidt, of Google, is confused the media debate about large companies tax payments … ?

I don’t see why he should be: especially given the times we’re living in,

After all, given the fact that bankers have had a hard time of it, as a result of perceived greed and huge bonuses, I think anyone else should be on guard..

He does, whoever, have a good point about governments being equally culpable: they, after all, are the ones who set taxes.

And I’ll be frank, if I may … ?   I’m just surprised that the government — ok, granted, the Coalition is having internal arguments about all sorts of things — hasn’t decided to seriously lower the Corporate tax rate to something like one per-cent.

Just a thought … 

~≈∞≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with quietly admitting she’s making all the small changes on the proof copy of the new edition of Identity Crisis, she also managed to bag  six out of six.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video … 

Q1) 27th May, 1995, saw which actor paralysed from the neck down, after a horse riding accident in Virginia … ?
Q2) 27th May, 1937, saw the Golden Gate Bridge open to pedestrian traffic.   In which US state is the Golden Gate Bridge … ?
Q3) More to the point, the northern end of the Bridge is in which US city … ?
Q4) 27th May, 1934, saw the birth of which famously contentious science fiction writer … ?
Q5) 27th May, 1968, saw which Canadian city become the first to host an official National League Baseball team … ?
Q6) And finally … 27th May, 1919, saw the ending of the world’s first transatlantic flight: in which Portuguese city … ?
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 26th May saw the original publication of Bram Stoker’s Dracula: in which year of the 1890s?
A1) 1897.
Q2) Which famous actor was Stoker the manager for … ?
A2) Henry Irving.   (Sir Henry’s felt, by some, to be the inspiration for Dracula.)
Q3) What’s the name of the solicitor who first meets Dracula, in the early stages of the novel … ?
A3) Jonathan Harker.
Q4) Who plays Dracula in the 1958 Hammer version of the novel … ?
A4) Who else … ? Christopher Lee.
Q5) In Dracula, the Count arrives in England, in which English town … ?
A5) Whitby.
Q6) And finally … What’s the name of the real-world figure that Stoker named his villain after … ?
A6) Vlad 3rd Draculea of Wallachia.   (Also known as Vlad Țepeș and as Vlad the Impaler.)
I’ll leave you with this thought from Heston Blumenthal† …
“Being branded number one restaurant in the world is actually very humbling.”
Heston Blumenthal, born 27th May, 1966.
Given today is Siouxsie Sioux’s birthday … ?

Here … 




Oh … 

And … 


Have a good day … !












*        Keep at it, Debbi!   Polish always helps … !

†        I’m not really experimental, food wise.   But Snail Porridge … ?