Scott F

WYSIWYG part deux | Answers

“Swalk” written on envelope in 1942.
Image Wikipedia

Often found written on the black of an envelope, what does S.W.A.L.K. mean? Sealed With A Loving Kiss—During World War II, postal acronyms were first used to convey messages between servicemen and their loved ones back home. These acronyms were often written on the back of envelopes.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) Logo.
Image CND
The initialism CND refers to which British peace organisation? Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament—The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament advocates for unilateral nuclear disarmament by the UK, international disarmament and stricter arms regulations. It opposes military action involving nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and the construction of nuclear power stations in the UK.

NATO Logo.
Image Wikipedia
The acronym NATO refers in full to the… North Atlantic Treaty Organisation—NATO is a military alliance of 32 member states, implementing the North Atlantic Treaty. It operates as a collective security system, defending member states against attacks.

The original Qantas Office, Longreach, Queensland.
Vintage photographic print, Sir Hudson Fysh papers, ca.1817-1974.
Image NSW Gov Archives / Wikipedia
The acronym Qantas derives from the name of a company founded in 1920. What was the company name that Qantas spells out? Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services—’Limited’, which was the final word in that original company name, does not form part of the acronym. Qantas is the flag carrier, the International airline of Australia, and the largest airline in Australia and Oceania; serving all seven continents from its hubs in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane. Founded in 1920, it is the oldest airline in the English-speaking world and operates over 60 domestic destinations.

A U.S. Navy Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King helicopter from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 15 (HS-15) Red Lions lowers its AN/AQS-13 sonar.
Image Wikipedia
The acronym SONAR means what? SOund Navigation And Ranging—Sonar, or sound navigation and ranging, uses sound waves to navigate, measure distances and detect objects underwater. It can be passive, listening for sounds, or active, emitting pulses and listening for echoes. The technique has a long history, dating back to Leonardo da Vinci in 1490.

“If you cause your ship to stop and place the head of a long tube in the water and place the outer extremity to your ear, you will hear ships at a great distance from you.”

— Leonardo da Vinci, 1490.
From Sonar in the Sea Services By Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired), April 2020. U.S. Naval Institute.

WYSIWYG part deux

Here are a few more questions about acronyms and initialisms. You don’t have multiple choices today; you need to provide your own answer. What words decipher these groups of initials?

Often found written on the black of an envelope, what does S.W.A.L.K. mean?
The initialism CND refers to which British peace organisation?
The acronym NATO refers in full to the…
The acronym Qantas derives from the name of a company founded in 1920. What was the company name that Qantas spells out?
The acronym SONAR means what?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

WYSIWYG | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

FLOTUS— First Lady Melania Trump’s Official White House Portrait.
Image Wikipedia

What seven words in computing does the post title WYSIWYG stand for?
- What You Sde Is What You Get—the Oxford English Dictionary defines WYSIWYG as “denoting the representation of text on-screen in a form exactly corresponding to its appearance on a printout.”
FLOTUS, seven letters which mean…
- First Lady of the United States, traditionally the president’s wife, serves as the White House hostess and has evolved to influence politics, social causes, and public opinion. Melania Trump is the current First Lady.
AWOL means…
- Absent without leave—With regard to military personnel, being absent from where one should be; missing from ones post but with no intention of deserting.
  
  NASA, official logo.
  Image NASA
NASA is the…
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration—NASA, established in 1958, is a US federal agency responsible for the country’s civil space programme, aeronautics research and space research. It has led numerous space exploration programmes, including the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle, and currently supports the International Space Station and the Artemis programme.
SCUBA means…
- Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus—Scuba, originally SCUBA, is any self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. It’s a source of breathing gas used for underwater diving, which the diver carries with them.

WYSIWYG

Here are a few questions about acronyms and initialisms. You don’t have multiple choices today; you need to provide your own answer. What words decipher these groups of initials?

What seven words in computing does the post title WYSIWYG stand for?
FLOTUS, seven letters which mean…
AWOL means…
NASA is the…
SCUBA means…

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

On top of the world | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

Baily’s beads. The effect is also called the diamond ring and is a feature of total and annular solar eclipses. As the Moon covers the Sun during a solar eclipse, the rugged topography of the lunar limb allows beads of sunlight to shine through in some places while not in others. Image Wikipedia

On 15 May 1836, Francis Baily observed a phenomenon, now known as Baily’s beads, during what event?
- Solar eclipse—During a solar eclipse, Baily’s beads, named after Francis Baily who observed them in 1836, occur when sunlight shines through the Moon’s uneven edge, creating a ring of light with beads. The diamond ring effect happens when only one or two beads remain.
On this day nylon stockings first became available for the general public in the United States. In what year did this take this take place?
- 1940—Nylon stockings were first made available to the general public, and American stores sold out within days.
  
  Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.
  Image Wikipedia
The mountaineer who conquered Mount Everest with Edmund Hillary was possibly born on 15 May 1914, what was he commonly known as?
- Sherpa Tenzing—Tenzing Norgay, a Nepali-Indian Sherpa mountaineer, along with Edmund Hillary, was the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. He was named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
  
  Mickey Mouse Plane Crazy.
  Image Wikipedia
Mickey Mouse’s debut was made today in 1928 with the premiere of what cartoon?
- Plane Crazy—Plane Crazy, the first Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse film, was originally a silent film released in 1928. After the success of Steamboat Willie, it was officially released as a sound cartoon in 1929. The plot sees Mickey trying to imitate Charles Lindbergh‘s flying achievements.
  
  Old Mormon Fort.
  Image Wikipedia
Las Vegas was founded on 15 May 1905. What historic site stands at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue?
- Old Mormon Fort—Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park contains the Old Mormon Fort, the first permanent structure built in Las Vegas. The fort, built in 1855, was a midpoint between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, later occupied by the U.S. Army and renamed Fort Baker.

On top of the world

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 15 May.

Looking north to Mount Everest.
Image Wikipedia

On 15 May 1836, Francis Baily observed a phenomenon, now known as Baily’s beads, during what event?
- Papal inauguration Mass
- Solar eclipse
- Swimming underwater in a coral lagoon
On this day, nylon stockings first became available for the general public in the United States. In what year did this take place?
- 1902
- 1921
- 1940
The mountaineer who conquered Mount Everest with Edmund Hillary was possibly born on 15 May 1914. What was he commonly known as?
- Sherpa Doqing
- Sherpa Laxing
- Sherpa Tenzing
Mickey Mouse’s debut was made today in 1928 with the premiere of what cartoon?
- House Mouse
- Monkey Business
- Plane Crazy
Las Vegas was founded on 15 May 1905. What historic site stands at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Washington Avenue?
- Old Baptist Mission
- Old Quaker Meeting House
- Old Mormon Fort

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

It might be possible that the world itself is without meaning. | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

THX 1138 (1971) was the directorial debut of which filmmaker, who was born on 14 May 1944?
- George Lucas—Warner Brothers–Seven Arts signed Lucas to direct a feature-length version of his student film, Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB, with Francis Ford Coppola executive-producing. The film, a grim fantasy about a robotised society, received respectful reviews but was not widely embraced.
  
  The ruins at Jamestown, Virginia, USA from: Robert Sears, A pictorial description of the United States (s.n., 1854), pg. 315. Google Books
  Image Wikipedia
On this day in 1607, the first English colony in North America was founded and named after England’s King James I. Who was the mother of the king?
- Mary, Queen of Scots—James VI and I, the only son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the first Stuart monarch. He ruled Scotland as James VI from 1567 and England and Ireland as James I from 1603 until his death in 1625. He advocated for a single parliament, sponsored the King James Version of the Bible and saw the start of English colonisation of the Americas.
  
  Virginia Woolf.
  Image Wikipedia
On 14 May 1925, the novel Mrs Dalloway was published. Who was the author?
- Virginia Woolf—Mrs Dalloway, a novel by Virginia Woolf, follows Clarissa Dalloway, an upper-class woman in post-WWI England, on a day as she prepares for a party. The novel explores time and social structure through Clarissa’s life and the party. The title of this post is from Mrs Dalloway.
  
  Eric Morecambe.
  Image Pinterest
John Eric Bartholomew was born today in 1926. Which comedian/actor is he better known as?
- Eric Morecambe—Eric Morecambe, born John Eric Bartholomew, was an English comedian known for his double act with Ernie Wise. The partnership lasted from 1941 until Morecambe’s death in 1984.
May 14, saw the beginning of the last witchcraft trial held in the United States. In what year did this take place?
- 1878—In 1878, Lucretia Brown accused Daniel Spofford of witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. The case, considered the last witchcraft trial in the US, was dismissed by the judge.

It might be possible that the world itself is without meaning.

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 14 May.

THX 1138 (1971) was the directorial debut of which filmmaker, who was born on 14 May 1944?
- George Lucas
- Steven Spielberg
- Robert Zemeckis
On this day in 1607, the first English colony in North America was founded and named after England’s King James I. Who was the mother of the king?
- Mary I of England
- Mary of Guise
- Mary, Queen of Scots
On 14 May 1925, the novel Mrs Dalloway was published. Who was the author?
- Virginia Plain
- Virginia Rogers
- Virginia Woolf
John Eric Bartholomew was born today in 1926. Which comedian/actor is he better known as?
- Eric Idle
- Eric Morecambe
- Eric Sykes
May 14, saw the beginning of the last witchcraft trial held in the United States. In what year did this take place?
- 1778
- 1828
- 1878

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

It might be possible that the world itself is without meaning.

Terrible Twos | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below. I have included the question simply for your information.

Pratchett’s *Night Watch* at the top and Rembrandt’s *The Night Watch* below.
Image Pinterest

Willem van Ruytenburch, dressed in yellow, is depicted in a 1642 Rembrandt painting titled similarly to a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. What two words which form the novel’s title are also present in the painting’s title?
- Night Watch—Rembrandt’s The Night Watch depicts a civic guard company, while Terry Pratchett’s novel follows Sir Samuel Vimes and the Ankh-Morpork City Watch.
  
  Jane Seymour, 1994.
  Image Wikipedia
  
  Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife.
  Image Wikipedia
One was the Bond girl Solitaire, and the other was Henry VIII’s third wife. What was their shared name, first and last?
- Jane Seymour—Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife, died of postnatal complications after giving birth to Edward VI. Jane Seymour, born Joyce Frankenberg, is a British actress known for roles in film and television. A Bond girl, she played psychic Solitaire in Live and Let Die (1973).
  
  Nutcracker (Nucifraga_caryocatactes).
  Image Wikipedia
  
  First performance of The Nutcracker in Mariinsky Theatre
  Image Wikipedia
What crow is also the name of a Tchaikovsky ballet?
- Nutcracker—The nutcracker genus, Nucifraga, comprises four species of passerine birds in the Corvidae family. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1892 ballet, The Nutcracker, is based on Alexandre Dumas’s short story and features a nutcracker doll. The ballet’s score, particularly its use of the celesta, has become famous and is widely performed.
  
  Purdey shotgun.
  Image Purdey.com
  
  Purdey (Joanna Lumley).
  Image Pinterest
What name links a London gunmaker, which is over 200-years old, and a character in The New Avengers, a British television series from the 1970s?
- Purdey—James Purdey & Sons, a British gunmaker based in London, specialises in high-end bespoke sporting shotguns and rifles. The company holds Royal Warrants of appointment as gun and rifle makers to the British and other European royal families. Purdey, played by Joanna Lumley, was a spy working for British Intelligence in The New Avengers, a British television series in the seventies.
  
  Snoopy vs. The Red Baron.
  Image Wikipedia
  
  Snoopy as a zero gravity indicator.
  Image Peanuts/NASA
The Royal Guardsmen’s song “_ vs. the Red Baron” peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1966. The fictional character missing from the song title became a mascot for aerospace safety in 1969 and has often since been associated with NASA. Can you name the character?
- Snoopy—The Royal Guardsmen are an American band with several snoopy related hits. Snoopy has been associated with NASA since the Apollo era, inspiring generations to dream big about space exploration. During Artemis I, Snoopy will serve as the zero-gravity indicator, symbolising the journey to the Moon. This partnership continues to promote STEM education and excitement about space exploration. (Snoopy/NASA)

Terrible twos

Today’s trivia features a variety of questions without multiple-choice options, requiring you to come up with the answers yourself.

Mrs Henry VIII, the third.
Image Wikipedia

Willem van Ruytenburch, dressed in yellow, is depicted in a 1642 Rembrandt painting titled similarly to a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett. What two words, which form the novel’s title, are also present in the painting’s title?
One was the Bond girl Solitaire, and the other was Henry VIII’s third wife. What was their shared name, first and last?
What crow is also the name of a Tchaikovsky ballet?
What name links a London gunmaker, which is over 200-years old, and a character in The New Avengers, a British television series from the 1970s?
The Royal Guardsmen’s song “_ vs. the Red Baron” peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1966. The fictional character missing from the song title became a mascot for aerospace safety in 1969 and has often since been associated with NASA. Can you name the character?