The Daily Teaser and Friday Question Set — 30-12-2011

Good lord …

I’ve got to admit, I’ve got Radio 4 on, at the moment.

And one bit of news caught me eye.

Or ear, I should say.

It seems that — according to papers released by the government — that the former PM, Margaret Thatcher, gave serious thought to arming the police, during the riots of the early 1980s.

And what’s more … ?

Were looking at sending in the army, as well … !

Thank the LORD it didn’t come to that!

Then, and now …

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, let’s …

««•»»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: and, along with telling me not to worry about tidying up*, also managed to bag 6 out of 6.

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 December, 1922, saw the formation of which country … ?

Q2) Two years later, 30th December, 1024, saw Edwin Hubble announce the existence of what … ?

Q3) 30th December, 1948, saw the opening of which Cole Porter musical?

Q4) 30th December, 1916, saw King Charles 4th crowned as the last king of where … ?

Q5) And finally … 30th December, 1971, saw 60, 000 Iranians expelled from which country … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) In an effort to stop a virulent strain of ’Flu, 29th December, 1997, saw Hong Kong start a cull of which bird?

A1) The domestic chicken.

Q2) 29th December, 1975, saw the UK introduce legislation to end what: sexual discrimination, racial discrimination or homophobic discrimination?

A2) Sexual discrimination.

Q3) 29th December, 1845, saw what admitted as the 28th US State … ?

A3) Texas.

Q4) What had that state been, until then … ?

A4) The independent Republic of Texas. (Apparently, noted Texas Boogie specialists, ZZ Top, still get snotty about it …)

Q5) 29th December, 1986, saw the death of former British PM, Harold MacMillan: what was his nickname … ?

A5) Super Mac.

Q6) And finally … 29th December, 1940, was the date of the air-raid on London dubbed the Second Great Fire Of London: in which year was the first … ?

A6) 1666.

And here — as it’s Friday — is the 60 question set for struggling pub quiz-masters: covered as ever, by the usual License …

Online 133: Copied from Hutton 196

ROUND ONE. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) What do Australians refer to as a ‘dunny’?

A1) The toilet

Q2) Who, in 1997, became the youngest golfer to win the US Masters?

Q2) Tiger Woods

Q3) In which children’s show was the Soup Dragon a character?

A3) The Clangers.

Q4) In text messaging, what do the initials FWIW stand for?

A4) For What It’s Worth.

Q5) Who wrote the Whitney Houston hit, I Will Always Love You?

A5) Dolly Parton.

Q6) Which oil tanker hit a reef in the Prince William Sound, in 1988?

A6) The Exxon Valdez.

Q7) What town in Guyana was the site of the deaths of 913 members of the People’s Temple, in 1978?

A7) Jonestown.

Q8) True or false: Oxygen is the largest component of the Earth’s atmosphere.

A8) False. It’s actually Nitrogen.

Q9) By what name was the US Air force’s B52 better known?

A9) The Superfortress.

Q10) Who was the Brown Bomber?

A10) Boxer Joe Louis.

ROUND TWO. MUSICAL MAYHEM.

Q11) Berlin’s Take My Breathe Away became a hit, after featuring in which Tom Cruise action film?

A11) Top Gun.

Q12) Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes’ one hit, Up Where We Belong, was the theme tune to which Richard Gere film?

A12) An Officer & A Gentleman.

Q13) Which suspender–clad musical heroine sings the line “When I go, I’m Going Like Elsie”? (Bonus point for the musical movie.)

A13) Sally Bowles. (Cabaret, in the musical, Cabaret)

Q14) The Cell Block Tango is a song from which musical?

A14) Chicago.

Q15) Baz Lurhman’s directorial debut was with which movie about Australian dancers?

A15) Strictly Ballroom.

Q16) In Baz Lurman’s version of Romeo & Juliet, a very stoned Mercutio breaks into a rendition of which disco classic?

A16) Young Hearts Run Free.

Q17) Which song provides the soundtrack to Patrick Swayze, & Jennifer Gray’s triumphant last dance, in Dirty Dancing?

A17) Time of My Life.

Q18) In the 2002 version of Chicago, who played Mama Morten?

A18) Queen Latifah.

Q19) “It’s Just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right.” What dance have I just told you, partially, how to do?

A19) The Timewarp (From The Rocky Horror Picture Show.)

Q20) Which gangster actor tap danced up walls, in his role as George Cohen, in the 1942 film, Yankee Doodle Dandy?

A20) James Cagney.

ROUND THREE. PRAISE BE.

Q21) The priests of which Indian religion are known as Brahmans?

A21) Hinduism.

Q22) The Adi Granth is the holy book of which Indian religion?

A22) Sikhism.

Q23) Which Swiss city was the centre of 16th century Calvinism?

A23) Geneva.

Q24) The Tripitaka are the scriptures of which religion, Buddhism, Hinduism or Jainism?

A24) Buddhism.

Q25) Followers of which world religion are required to pray five times a day?

A25) Islam.

Q26) Kislev, Tammuz and Iyyar, are months in which calendar: Jewish, Islamic, or Buddhist?

A26) Jewish.

Q27) Which Seattle based band took its name from the Buddhist equivalent to Heaven? (Bonus point for naming the lead singer.)

A27) Nirvana. (Kurt Cobain.)

Q28) In 1649, Alexander Ross produced the first English translation of which holy book?

A28) The Qu’ran.

Q29) Parsees are followers of which religions, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism?

A29) Zoroastrianism.

Q30) The New Christian Mission, founded by William Booth, in 1865, is now known as what?

A30) The Salvation Army.

ROUND FOUR. SPORTING CHANCES.

Q31) In which sport would you use a niblick?

A31) Golf. (It’s an old Scottish term for a golf club.)

Q32) Who enjoyed Olympic success on Goodwill?

A32) Princess Anne.

Q33) Dennis Compton advertised Brylcreem, on TV: name either of the sports he played. (Two points for both.)

A33) Cricket ad Football.

Q34) Who, in 1955, scored the first 147 break, in snooker?

A34) Joe Davis.

Q35) Which Olympic gymnast got a perfect score, in 1976?

A35) Nadia Comeneci.

Q36) In which year of the 90’s were there no Grand National winners?

A36) 1993.

Q37) How many Formula One World Championships did Stirling Moss win?

A37) None.

Q38) What’s the maximum score in Ten Pin Bowling?

A38) 300.

Q39) How long does an American Football match last for?

A39) An hour.

Q40) In which sport would you perform an Eskimo Roll?

A40) Canoeing. (Accept Kayaking. But not Eskimo Shoving: there’s no such sport. Besides, REAL eskimo’s prefer being called Inuit.)

ROUND FIVE. BLINDED WITH SCIENCE.

Q41) What’s the only planet in the Solar System not named after a classical god?

A41) The Earth.

Q42) What alloy is produced by combining copper & tin?

A42) Bronze.

Q43) What was the name of the Lunar module that Neil Armstrong made his first steps on the moon?

A43) The Eagle.

Q44) Which English scientist discovered Oxygen?

A44) Joseph Priestley.

Q45) Standard analogue television pictures are made up of dots in three colours. One is blue: name either of the others. (Two points for both.)

A45) Red and green.

Q46) Which video format was launched in the 1970’s, and was eventually eclipsed by VHS?

A46) Betamax.

Q47) In the nuclear industry, water made with deuterium oxide is known as what?

A47) Heavy Water. (Deuterium is version of hydrogen with an extra neutron. Anything made with it, rather than the ‘normal’ version will, likewise, be heavier than normal.)

Q48) What did Hiram Stevens Maxim invent, in 1883?

A48) The machine gun.

Q49) True or False: Krypton is a real element.

A49) True.

Q50) US Patent number 174, 465, registered in February, 1876, is is considered to be the most valuable ever registered. What communications does it relate to?

A50) The telephone.

ROUND SIX. GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) Which hymn provided a hit for both Judy Garland, & the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards?

A51) Amazing Grace.

Q52) In which novel does Nick Garraway act as narrator?

A52) The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Q53) True or false: Giraffes cannot cough.

A53) True.

Q54) What’s the collective name for a group of porpoises?

A54) A school.

Q55) What song provided Elvis Presley with his first UK number 1?

A55) All Shook Up.

Q56) Which racehorse won the Grand National, in 1977?

A56) Red Rum.

Q57) Who joined Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo as part of the Three Tenors?

A57) José Carreras.

Q58) Who succeeded Sir Thomas Fairfax, as head of the New Model Army, in 1650?

A58) Oliver Cromwell.

Q59) Graphology is the study of what?

A59) Handwriting.

Q60) What name is given to a chicken fillet envelope filled with garlic butter?

A60) Chicken Kiev.

Enjoy those, everyone. I’ll leave you with Marvin, I Love Youº. After all, it’s only been floating around my head, all morning …

* Trust me, Debbi, I’m going to have to: one bolt of lightening across the top of my oven and things start evolving … !

º Strange, but true, I always get a bit choked up by that one, LORD knows why …