Quizology.Online

Author: Quizologist

  • Confused to Start With


    Nothing to do with today’s date just a selection of questions.

    Flag of the US
    Wikipedia
    1. Which one of the following can become a personification of the US government?
      • Clean Sue
      • Muscleman
      • Luc means
    2. Lonesome George, the last of his subspecies, died in 2012. His subspecies, now extinct, was named…
      • Niña Island tortoise
      • Pinta Island tortoise
      • Santa Maria Island tortoise
    3. The only Beatles song featuring just one Beatle was…
      • If I Fell
      • This Boy
      • Yesterday
    4. Heffalumps and Woozles appear in books by…
      • AA Milne
      • CS Lewis
      • JRR Tolkien
    5. One of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table; the son of Sir Lancelot du Lac and Lady Elaine of Corbenic; renowned for his gallantry and purity as the most perfect of all knights, is…
      • Bedivere
      • Galahad
      • Percival
    6. An irrational fear of the fictional Shelob is…
      • Arachnophobia
      • Emetophobia
      • Pogonophobia
    The Arming and Departure of the Knights,
    one of the Holy Grail tapestries, 1890s, figures by Edward Burne-Jones
    Wikipedia

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later.

  • Ups and Downs! | Answers

    E.V. Haughwout Building, 488-492 Broadway, New York City.
    Wikipedia
    1. Steam—The E.V. Haughwout Building, NYC installed the world’s first successful passenger elevator in 1857. The steam-powered hydraulic lift, designed by Elisha Graves Otis, was a novelty that attracted customers to the five storey department store.
    2. Akira Kurosawa—Akira Kurosawa, a Japanese filmmaker, directed 30 films over seven decades. His bold and dynamic style, influenced by Western cinema, earned him international acclaim. Notable works include Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Red Beard.
    3. President Ronald Reagan—The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), introduced by President Reagan in 1983, was a missile defence system designed to protect the US from Soviet ICBMs using various platforms. Known as “Star Wars,” it faced criticism for its technical feasibility and potential to destabilise the MAD doctrine and escalate the arms race. Although the programme ended in 1993, some elements were revived in 2019 by the Space Development Agency.
    4. Ben-Hur (1959)—Films with the most awards: Ben-Hur (1959), Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) each earned 11 Academy Awards. (Wikipedia)
    5. 2001—Mir, the first modular space station, was launched in 1986 and operated for 15 years. It served as a microgravity research laboratory for experiments in biology, physics, astronomy and more. Mir held records for the longest continuous human presence in space and the longest single human spaceflight until surpassed by the ISS.
    Mir’s re-entry into the atmosphere over Fiji, 2001.
    Satobs

  • Ups and Downs!

    Otis free-fall safety demonstration in 1853.
    Wikipedia

    All of the following relate to today, 23 March.

    1. On 23 March 1857 the first commercial elevator was installed in a New York City department store, it was powered by…
      • Steam
      • Electricity
      • Water
    2. Born today in 1910, a Japanese film director who according to Encyclopædia Britannica ‘won worldwide acclaim with subtle, brilliantly composed films, such as Rashōmon (1950) and
      Seven Samurai (1954), that combined Japanese historic themes with a Western sense of action and drama”; he was…
      • Yasujirō Ozu
      • Ishirō Honda
      • Akira Kurosawa
    3. On this date a nationwide television address in the US announced a space based defence system against nuclear attacks which came to be known as “Star Wars”; the address was made by…
      • President Jimmy Carter
      • President Ronald Reagan
      • President George HW Bush
    4. On this day in 1998 Titanic won 11 Academy Awards equalling the record set by…
      • All About Eve (1950)
      • Ben-Hur (1959)
      • The Godfather (1972)
    5. The space station Mir returned to Earth on 23 March. It had been launched by the Soviet space agency in 1986 with a design life expectancy of five years. In what year did it re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere?
      • 1991
      • 1996
      • 2001
    Approach view of the Mir Space Station viewed from Space Shuttle Endeavour during the STS-89 rendezvous. A Progress cargo ship is attached on the left, a Soyuz manned spacecraft attached on the right. Image ID: STS089-340-035
    NASA/Wikipedia

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • To Boldly Go…to a Musical—Answers

    Montreal.
    Wikipedia
    1. Montreal, Quebec – William Shatner, a Canadian actor, is renowned for his prolific output and self-deprecating humour, which have solidified his place in North American pop culture. He is best known for his iconic role as Captain James T. Kirk in the science fiction television series Star Trek (1966–69) and several Star Trek films.
    2. Amerigo Vespucci—is best remembered for the place named after him. He believed Brazil was part of a new continent, inspiring Waldseemüller to name it “America”—the Latinised Amerigo—in 1507. This name became standard on maps of the New World.
      Ruins of the Great Dam of Marib, Yemen.
      Wikipedia
    3. Yemen—The Arab League, formed in Cairo in 1945 with seven members, is a regional organisation in the Arab world. It now has 22 members and its main goals are to strengthen relations, safeguard independence, and consider the affairs of Arab countries.
    4. 1934—The 1934 Masters Tournament, the first of its kind, was held at Augusta National Golf Club. Horton Smith won the event with a 284 (−4), one stroke ahead of Craig Wood.
    5. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat—the following quote is about Lloyd Webber and Rice’s collaboration: “The names of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice are, of course, forever bound together in musical theatre history, like those of Gilbert and Sullivan.”—Theatre critic Mark Shenton on the partnership of Lloyd Webber and Rice.
    Andrew Lloyd Webber.
    Wikipedia

  • To Boldly Go…to a Musical

    All of the following are about today’s date, 22 March, but in a variety of years.

    William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk.
    Wikipedia
    1. William Shatner was born today in 1931 in the Canadian city of…
      • Montreal, Quebec
      • Toronto, Ontario
      • Vancouver, British Columbia
    2. On this day in 1508, Ferdinand II of Aragon commissioned a new chief navigator of the Spanish Empire. Born in the Republic of Florence, he was…
      • Amerigo Vespucci
      • Vasco da Gama
      • Christopher Columbus.
    3. The Arab League was formed this day in Cairo by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan (now Jordan) and…
      • Tunisia
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Yemen
    4. The first Masters Tournament took place at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia on this date in…
      • 1934
      • 1938
      • 1941
    5. The 22nd March 1948 saw the birth of the English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is well known for his collaboration with Tim Rice. The first of their works to be performed publicly was…
      • Evita
      • Jesus Christ Superstar
      • Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
    Amerigo Vespucci. Wikipedia

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.

  • Historical Milestones and Cultural Icons: From Bach’s Birth to Twitter’s First Tweet—Answers

    Field of Battersea.
    A print caricaturing the Wellington–Winchilsea duel
    by William Heath.
    Wikipedia

    The answers to my earlier pot are shown in bold below.

    1. 1685—Johann Sebastian Bach, a German composer, blended northern and southern German styles in his early compositions. He composed numerous cantatas, including the St. John Passion, and is known for his mastery of counterpoint and harmonic organisation.
      Jack Dorsey, 2014.
      Wikipedia
    2. $2.9m—Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is a social networking service that allows users to share short text messages, images, and videos. It was created in 2006 and quickly grew to over 100 million users by 2012.
    3. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington—The Duke of Wellington and Lord Winchilsea engaged in a duel at Battersea Fields, with Wellington firing first and missing, and Winchilsea firing into the air. This act of deloping cleared Winchilsea of cowardice allegations, allowing him to apologise unconditionally. The duel was the second, and last, fought by a sitting Prime Minister following the 1798 Pitt–Tierney duel on Putney Heath.
    4. San Diego, California—San Diego Comic-Con, founded in 1970, is a multi-genre entertainment event showcasing comic books, science fiction/fantasy media, and pop culture. It is the largest convention of its kind, attracting over 130,000 attendees annually.
      Stanley, a newspaper reporter and tireless self-promoter, was hired by the New York Herald to find the missing Livingstone in 1871, winning himself wealth and reputation. Kalulu is in the backgound.
      Wikipedia
    5. 700 miles (1,125 km)—Stanley travelled to Zanzibar in March 1871, claiming to have outfitted an expedition with 192 porters, though his diaries suggest a smaller number. After facing challenges including the death of his horse and desertion of porters, he found David Livingstone in Ujiji, Tanzania, famously greeting him with “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”; this phrase was probably made up by Stanley after the event. Stanley joined Livingstone in exploring the region, later recounting his experiences in a book.
    Routes of Henry Morton Stanley.
    The Red route is the 1871-1872 is the expedition to find Livingstone.
    Wikipedia

  • Historical Milestones and Cultural Icons: From Bach’s Birth to Twitter’s First Tweet

    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Wikipedia

    All questions relate to today, 21 March.

    1. Johann Sebastian Bach, the composer of the Brandenburg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier, was born this day in…
      • 1685
      • 1745
      • 1815
    2. Twitter, now X, was founded today in 2006 and Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder, sent the first public tweet, “just setting up my twttr.” Fifteen years later Dorsey auctioned this tweet as a nonfungible token (NFT) with the proceeds going to charity. It was bought using ether cryptocurrency for the equivalent of…
      • $1.4m
      • $2.9m
      • $5.8m
    3. 21 March saw the last time a serving UK Prime Minister fought a duel. Who was the Prime Minister?
      • Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
      • William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
      • William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
    4. A Comic-Con held its inaugural event on this date in 1970 and is now described by Forbes magazine as being “the largest pop and culture festival in the world”: it is held in…
      • Red Rock, Arizona
      • San Diego, California
      • Las Vegas, Nevada
    5. Henry Morton Stanley set out to find Dr David Livingstone today in 1871. His expedition was successful, finding Livingstone after trekking through tropical forest for…
      • 300 miles (482 km)
      • 450 miles (725 km)
      • 700 miles (1,125 km)

    “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”, an illustration from Stanley’s 1872 book How I Found Livingstone. Wikipedia

  • Mysteries and Meanings: A Trivial Journey Through Alfa-Foxtrot—Answers

    Aardwolf at Buffalo Springs NP, Kenya
    Wikipedia
    1. A is for Aardwolf. African wild dog—is NOT an another name for the Aardwolf. The other two maanhaar-jackal and termite-eating hyena are such alternatives.
    2. B is for Bacchus. Dionysus—is the Greek god of wine making
    3. C is for the Chrysanthemum Throne. Naruhito—is the current emperor of Japan. In a metonymic sense, the “Chrysanthemum Throne” also rhetorically refers to the head of state and the Japanese monarchy itself.
    4. D is for Drouthy. Thirsty—the line “And drouthy neibors, neibors, meet;” translates to “And thirsty neighbours, neighbours meet;”
    5. E is for Elephant. Mahout—a mahout is a trainer, keeper or rider of an elephant. A howdah is related; it is a seat for carrying people on the back of an elephant or camel. Burlak was the occupation of a person who manually hauled river boats or barges in the Russian Empire.
    6. F is for the Fortingall Yew. Pontius Pilate—An article in the New York Times on 15 January 1899 explored the possibility of Pontius Pilate having Scottish origins. It suggested that during the period between the Romans’ initial and later invasions of Britain, Caesar Augustus sent envoys to establish relations with British and Caledonian chieftains, including Metellanus of Glen Lyon. A Roman envoy fathered a child with a Caledonian woman, who later returned to Rome with him and was raised as Pilate. Although there is no definitive record of Pilate’s birth or parentage, this story is as plausible as other theories suggesting he was born in Tarragona, Spain, or Forchheim, Germany. If true, Pilate would be one of many Scots who have historically achieved high positions in foreign empires.
    One trunk of the Fortingall Yew. The original size of the trunk is marked by the wooden poles.
    Wikipedia

  • Mysteries and Meanings: A Trivial Journey Through Alfa-Foxtrot

    Chrysanthemum
    Wikipedia
    1. A is for Aardwolf. Which of these is NOT an alternative name for an aardwolf?
      • African wild dog
      • Maanhaar-jackal
      • Termite-eating hyena
    2. B is for Bacchus. Commonly known as Bacchus by the Greeks—a name later adopted by the Romans—for a frenzy he is said to induce called baccheia, who is the Greek god of wine-making?
      • Dionysus
      • Marsyas
      • Uranus
    3. C is for the Chrysanthemum Throne. Who currently sits on the Chrysanthemum Throne?
      • Akihito
      • Fumihito
      • Naruhito
    4. D is for Drouthy. What does the word “drouthy” mean in this line from Robert Burns’s Tam o’Shanter? “And drouthy neibors, neibors, meet;”
      • Testy
      • Thirsty
      • Trusty
    5. E is for Elephant. Which of these is a trainer, keeper or rider of an elephant?
      • Burlak
      • Howdah
      • Mahout
    6. F is for the Fortingall Yew. Estimates place the age of this tree in Perthshire, Scotland between 2,000 and 5,000 years. Which biblical figure does local legend say was born in its shadow?
      • Andrew the Apostle
      • Herod Agrippa
      • Pontius Pilate
    Fortingall Yew
    Wikipedia

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.

  • Measure for Measure—Answers

    The answers to the questions asked in my earlier post are shown, in bold, below.

    Grains of barley
    Wikipedia
    1. Wheat or barleycorn—Grain (abbreviation gr.), the smallest unit of weight in the troy and avoirdupois systems; originally, the weight was equivalent to that of a grain of corn.
      Surveyor’s chain.
      Gunter’s chain photographed at Campus Martius Museum/Wikipedia
    2. Chain—The chain, a unit of length equal to 66 feet, is used in both the US customary and Imperial unit systems. It is subdivided into 100 links and has been used since the early 17th century in England. The UK used 80 chains to the mile, but Scotland and Ireland used longer chains until 1824. India uses metric chains of 20 metres.
    3. Rod—which is a measure of length equal to a quarter of a chain or 5.5 yards (approximately 5.029 m).  Also called perch or pole, it was especially used for measuring land.
      Illustration of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua)
      Wikipedia
    4. Carob seed—The carat (ct) is a unit of mass equal to 200 mg, used to measure gemstones and pearls. The current definition, adopted in 1907, is divisible into 100 points of 2 mg. Carob seeds, historically used to measure jewellery due to their believed consistent mass, actually vary in mass like other seeds.
      A woodcut of Noah’s Ark from Anton Koberger’s German Bible
      University of Edinburgh Image Collections/Wikipedia
    5. 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high—Genesis 6:14–16 King James Bible reads, 
      • “14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 
      • 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 
      • 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.”
      Snow leopard
      Wikipedia
    6. Snow leopard—which is also known as the Ounce. The Old French word “once,” originally intended for the Eurasian lynx, is the source of the Latin name “uncia” and the English word “ounce”. An ounce is also a unit of weight equal to 437.5 grains or 1/16 pound (28.35 grams) avoirdupois. Another unit is 480 grains, which is 1/12 pound (31.1 grams) troy or apothecaries’ weight.
      The Nippur cubit-rod.
      Archeological Museum of Istanbul, Turkey/Wikipedia
    7. Euphrates—The Nippur cubit, one of the oldest known units of length, dates back to 2650 BCE. A copper bar standard for this Sumerian unit was discovered in Nippur, on the banks of the Euphrates, and is housed in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
      Nautilus’s route through the Atlantic. Wikipedia
      Nautilus’s route through the Pacific.Wikipedia
    8. Jules Verne—Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas is a science fiction adventure novel by Jules Verne. It was originally serialised in a French periodical and later published in a deluxe edition with illustrations.
    9. Grain—The grain, based on barley weight, is the only unit equal across troy, avoirdupois, and apothecaries’ systems. It was the fundamental unit of the pre-1527 English weight system, Tower weight, based on wheat grain, was defined as exactly 45⁄64 (≈+3⁄4) of the troy “barley” grain.
    10. AU—Astronomical unit, defined as exactly equal to 149,597,870,700 m (92,955,807.3 miles) and effectively equal to the average, or mean, distance between the Earth and the Sun.
    1 Astronomical Unit.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech