Candle in the Wind | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Joseph Merrick, c 1889. See #2 below.
Image Wikipedia

One

Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?

Answer: Los Angeles, California

Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was an American actress and model who became a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and early 1960s. Known for her ‘blonde bombshell’ characters, she starred in numerous successful films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot. Despite her success, Monroe’s personal life was troubled, and she died of a barbiturate overdose at the age of 36.

Two

Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?

Answer: John Hurt

Joseph Carey Merrick, known as ‘The Elephant Man’ was an English man born in 1862 who suffered from a rare disorder causing severe physical deformities, possibly Proteus syndrome. After being exhibited in freak shows, he lived at the London Hospital under the care of Sir Frederick Treves. There he became well-known in London society and received visits from prominent individuals. Merrick died at age 27 from accidental suffocation. A film The Elephant Man starring John Hurt as Merrick was made about his life.

Three

On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?

Answer: Atacama Desert

In 2010, a collapse at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile‘s Atacama Desert trapped 33 miners underground for 69 days. Despite the mine’s history of safety violations and geological instability, the miners were successfully rescued after a global effort involving multiple organisations and governments.

Four

On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?

Answer: Smoking Gun (tape)

The US Supreme Court ordered President Nixon to release tapes of conversations, including the ‘Smoking Gun’ tape, which revealed his involvement in the Watergate coverup. This led to the loss of his political support and imminent impeachment, prompting his resignation on August 8, 1974.

Five

Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?

Answer: Denmark

Vitus Bering, a Danish-born Russian explorer, led two expeditions exploring the north-eastern coast of Russia and the western coast of North America. He discovered the Bering Strait, proving that Asia and America were not connected by land. Bering died of scurvy on Bering Island in 1741, along with 28 of his men.

Candle in the Wind

One

Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?

Two

Three

On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?

Four

Five

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

We Have All the Time in the World | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

Burkina Faso, an African country, changed to that name on August 4, 1984. What was its name prior to that?

Answer: Republic of Upper Volta

This landlocked West African country, which had been a French colony, gained full independence in 1960 and changed its name to Burkina Faso on this day in 1984.

Two

On this day in 1944, following a tip from an informer the Gestapo search a warehouse and find and arrest Jewish diarist Anne Frank, her family, and four others. In what city was the warehouse located?

Answer: Amsterdam

Diarist Anne Frank (Annelies Marie Frank), a German-born Jewish girl, documented her life in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in a diary. After being arrested by the Gestapo and transported to concentration camps, Anne and her sister Margot died in Bergen-Belsen, likely from typhus. Her diary, published posthumously by her father Otto, became a global bestseller and a powerful testament to the Holocaust. The warehouse, offices and secret annex are now a museum, Anne Frank House.

Three

An actor born today in 1955, played Dan Truman, a NASA executive, in Armageddon (1998) and Davy Crockett in The Alamo (2004). Who is he?

Answer: Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, filmmaker, singer, and songwriter. He gained international attention for his work in Sling Blade and has since appeared in numerous films and television series, winning several awards including an Academy Award and Golden Globes. Thornton is also a musician, having released four solo albums and performing with the Boxmasters.

Four

The last Empress of India was born 4 August 1900 in England. What was here name, and her primary title between December 1936 and February 1952?

Answer: Elizabeth and Her Majesty the Queen

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, born on 4 August 1900, reigned as Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952, as the wife of King George VI. She held the title of Empress of India from 1936 until the dissolution of the British Raj on 15 August 1947. Following her husband’s passing, she was officially known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother to distinguish her from her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

Five

A man described by Encyclopædia Britannica as…

a prolifically gifted natural musician and the leading trumpeter in jazz history

…was born 4 august 1901. Almost seven decades later he sang We Have All the Time in the World in a Bond film. Who was he?

Answer: Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong, a highly influential American jazz trumpeter and vocalist, was born in New Orleans and rose to prominence in the 1920s. He shifted jazz’s focus from collective improvisation to solo performance and became an international icon by the 1950s. We Have All the Time in the World” was featured on the soundtrack of the James Bondfilm _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

We Have All the Time in the World

These are all linked by today’s date, August 4th.

One

Burkina Faso, an African country, changed to that name on August 4, 1984. What was its name prior to that?

Two

Three

An actor born today in 1955, played Dan Truman, a NASA executive, in Armageddon (1998) and Davy Crockett in The Alamo (2004). Who is he?

Four

The last Empress of India was born 4 August 1900 in England. What was her name, and her primary title between December 1936 and February 1952?

Five

A man described by Encyclopædia Britannica as…

a prolifically gifted natural musician and the leading trumpeter in jazz history

…was born 4 August 1901. Almost seven decades later he sang We Have All the Time in the World in a Bond film. Who was he?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

All at Sea | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

The Alboran Sea is the westernmost part of what larger sea?

Answer: Mediterranean Sea

The Alboran Sea, the westernmost part of the Mediterranean, stretches between Spain and North Africa, connecting to the Atlantic via the Strait of Gibraltar.

Two

The Diomede Islands are located in what strait between Alaska, the United States, and Siberia, Russia?

Answer: Bering Strait

The Diomede Islands, located in the Bering Strait, are the northernmost islands in the Pacific Ocean. The two islands are only 2.4 miles (3.8 km) apart but due to the International Date Line, Big Diomede (Russia) is 21 hours ahead of Little Diomede (US), earning them the nicknames ‘Tomorrow Island’ and ‘Yesterday Island’.

Three

Te Moana-o-Raukawa separates North and South Islands in New Zealand. By what English name is it known?

Answer: Cook Strait

Cook Strait, separating New Zealand’s North and South Islands, connects the Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean. Regular ferry services operate between Picton and Wellington across what has been described as “one of the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world”.

Four

Greenland and Iceland are separated by what strait?

Answer: Denmark Strait

The Denmark Strait connects the Greenland Sea, an extension of the Arctic Ocean, to the Irminger Sea, a part of the Atlantic Ocean.

Five

This tidal strait or estuary separates Brooklyn and Queens (on Long Island) from Manhattan Island, and The Bronx (on the North American mainland). What is it called?

Answer: East River

The East River, despite its name it’s not a river but a saltwater tidal estuary or strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end separating Brooklyn and Queens (on Long Island) from Manhattan Island, and The Bronx (on North American mainland).

All at Sea

One

The Alboran Sea is the westernmost part of what larger sea?

Two

The Diomede Islands are located in what strait between Alaska, the United States, and Siberia, Russia?

Three

Te Moana-o-Raukawa separates North and South Islands in New Zealand. By what English name is it known?

Four

Greenland and Iceland are separated by what strait?

Five

This tidal strait or estuary separates Brooklyn and Queens (on Long Island) from Manhattan Island, and The Bronx (on the North American mainland). What is it called?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

What did you do in the war? | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Lt. (jg) John F. Kennedy aboard the *PT-109*, Tulagi, Solomon Islands, South Pacific, 1943.
Image Wikipedia

One

Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd?

Answer: John F. Kennedy

On patrol the night of August 1–2, 1943, his boat was struck in the inky darkness by a Japanese destroyer. Two crew members died in the fiery collision, but eleven, one badly injured, clung to the hull until morning. Despite his own injuries, Kennedy managed to get all of them to shore and then secure their rescue, six days later, with the help of native islanders friendly to the Allies. For his courage and leadership, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart.

– The White House Historical Association

Two

Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna this Austrian-American actress later sued Warner Brothers ‘for almost using her name’ in Blazing Saddles. During World War II, she co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes. Who is she?

Answer: Hedy Lamarr

During World War II, Hedy Lamarr co-invented a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes using spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology. However, this technology wasn’t used operationally until after the war. In 1974, Lamarr sued Warner Bros. for $10 million over the use of her name in the film Blazing Saddles which featured the character ‘Hedley Lamarr’. The case settled out of court for an apology.

Three

Drawing by Nicholas Volpe after Guinness won an Oscar in 1957 for his role in *The Bridge on the River Kwai*.
Image Wikipedia

During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?

Answer: Alec Guinness

Sir Alec Guinness played Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. During the Allied invasion of Sicily Guinness commanded a Landing Craft. Later, in the eastern Mediterranean theatre, he ferried supplies and agents to the Yugoslav partisans.

Four

Christopher Lee at the Women’s World Awards 2009 in Vienna, Austria. Image Wikipedia

At one time, he was known as Scaramanga, famous for his love of gold. However, later in life, his colour changed to white, fittingly, as Saruman the Wise. This title was appropriate considering his time in Royal Air Force Intelligence during World War II. Who is he?

Answer: Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee was Scaramanga in the Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun and Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
After volunteering for the Finnish Army during the Winter War, Lee joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. His flying career was cut short due to optic nerve issues, leading him to intelligence work in North Africa and Italy. After the war, Lee worked with the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, tracking down Nazi war criminals.

Five

Official Navy portrait of Paul Newman, 1944-45.
Image Wikipedia

John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?

Answer: Paul Newman

Paul Newman was a police officer named Murphy who was stationed at Fort Apache: The Bronx. He was previously Butch Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He served in the US Navy during World War II, initially as a radioman and tail gunner, later qualifying as a turret gunner in an Avenger torpedo bomber. His unit was assigned to the USS Bunker Hill, but he and his crew were grounded due to a pilot’s earache, missing a kamikaze attack that killed several hundred crewmen.

What did you do in the war?

At 02:27 on 2 August 1943, the US Navy’s PT-109 was cut in two by a Japanese destroyer.

Today’s questions focus on individuals who gained recognition in other fields but had roles in World War II.

One

Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd, 1943.

Two

Three

During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?

Four

Five

John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

First of many | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

One

What is the name of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy series mentioned above?

Answer: A Song of Ice and Fire

George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is a high fantasy series. The series, originally planned as a trilogy, has five published volumes with two more planned.

Two

The first appearance of the detective duo Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson is in an 1887 novel. Which one?

Answer: A Study in Scarlet

A Study in Scarlet is an 1887 detective novel by Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The novel, the first in the Holmes canon, follows the duo’s investigation of a murder, with Holmes describing the case as his “study in scarlet”.

Three

Killing Floor and Die Trying are books one and two in publication order of what book series?

Answer: Jack Reacher

The Jack Reacher series, written by Lee Child, follows the adventures of a former US Army major turned drifter. The series, which includes 29 books and a short story collection, has been adapted into films and a television series.

Four

What book series was at one point described as ‘a trilogy in five parts’?

Answer: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series is described as a ‘trilogy in five parts’. Some US editions humorously acknowledges the series’ evolving title saying,

…the book that gives a whole new meaning to the word ‘trilogy’.

Five

A seven-book series begins with a novel whose title hints at a cat, a sorcerer, and a closet. What is the series?

Answer: The Chronicles of Narnia

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of seven fantasy novels by C.S. Lewis, set in the fictional realm of Narnia. The first book in the series is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The series follows the adventures of children transported to Narnia, where they are sometimes called upon by Aslan, a great, majestic talking lion, to protect the land from evil.

First of many

Questions

August 1986 George RR Martin published A Game of Thrones, the first instalment of a fantasy series. Today’s questions are all about literary series.

One

What is the name of George R.R. Martin’s fantasy series mentioned above?

Two

The first appearance of the detective duo Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson is in an 1887 novel. Which one?

Three

Killing Floor and Die Trying are books one and two in publication order of what book series?

Four

What book series was at one point described as ‘a trilogy in five parts’?

Five

A seven-book series begins with a novel whose title hints at a cat, a sorcerer, and a closet. What is the series?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.