Quizology.Online

Tag: americas

  • Initial Diagnosis II — Answers

    Today’s answers are shown below.

    CNN Logo.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Another five sets of initials for you to flesh out.

    One

    What, in the American broadcasting industry, do the initials CNN stand for?

    Answer: Cable News Network.

    CNN, founded in 1980 by Ted Turner, is a 24-hour cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. As of December 2023, CNN had 68,974,000 subscribers in the United States and its programming airs globally through CNN International.

    Two

    What do the initials stand for in author J.R.R. Tolkien’s name?

    Answer: John Ronald Reuel.

    J.R.R. Tolkien, an English writer and philologist, authored The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He was a professor at Oxford and a devout Catholic.

    Three

    What names do the two Rs in American author George R.R. Martin’s name represent?

    Answer: Raymond Richard.

    George Raymond Richard Martin, who writes as George R.R. Martin, is an American author, screenwriter and television producer, best known for his epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, adapted into the award-winning television series Game of Thrones. He also contributed to the Wild Cards anthology series and the video game Elden Ring.

    Four

    Geographically in North America what is HOMES, and what does each letter represent?

    Answer: The Great Lakes; Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior.

    The Great Lakes — Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior — a group of five interconnected freshwater lakes on the Canada-US border, are the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total area. They formed around 14,000 years ago and have been a major source of transportation, migration, trade, and fishing.

    Five

    What words are represented by the letters in the abbreviation NASA?

    Answer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

    NASA, established in 1958, is the U.S. government agency responsible for the civil space program and aeronautics research. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., it operates ten field centres and leads various spaceflight programmes, including Artemis. NASA collaborates internationally and domestically, with a budget of $24.4 billion for fiscal year 2026.

  • Initial Diagnosis II

    CNN Logo.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Another five sets of initials for you to flesh out.

    One

    What, in the American broadcasting industry, do the initials CNN stand for?

    Two

    What do the initials stand for in author J.R.R. Tolkien’s name?

    Three

    What names do the two Rs in American author George R.R. Martin’s name represent?

    Four

    Geographically in North America what is HOMES, and what does each letter represent?

    Five

    What words are represented by the letters in the abbreviation NASA?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Bits and Bobs — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    All of these questions are related to today’s date, April 19th. They also all start with the letter ‘B’.

    Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    On 19 April 1999, in politics, what returned to Berlin for the first time in almost fifty years, and where had it returned from?

    Answers: Bundestag; Bonn.

    The first German Bundestag, the West German parliament, convened in Bonn on 7 September 1949. The Bundestag remained in Bonn until after reunification of Germany, when it returned to Berlin on 19 April 1999.

    Two

    In 1775, during the opening stages of a revolutionary war, a city was besieged for eleven months from April 19th. What city?

    Answer: Boston.

    The Siege of Boston (1775-1776) marked the start of the American Revolutionary War. American forces, led by George Washington, besieged the British Army in Boston, ultimately forcing their retreat to Nova Scotia after eleven months.

    Three

    Observed on April 19th, a celebratory day remembering an experiment where a chemist intentionally ingested LSD, documented it and then went home. What is the day called?

    Answer: Bicycle Day.

    On 19 April 1943, a few days after accidentally discovering LSD’s effects, which he believed had potential in psychiatry and neurology, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann intentionally ingested it and documented the first acid trip. After this experiment, he cycled home, leading to the observance of Bicycle Day, as Encyclopædia Britannica comments, ‘And now April 19 is observed as Bicycle Day—mostly by LSD enthusiasts, not cyclists’.

    Four

    A poet and playwright who died this day in 1824, first became a celebrity with the publication of the first two cantos of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage in 1812. Who is this poet?

    Answer: Byron.

    George Gordon Byron, a prominent British Romantic poet, is renowned for works like Don Juan and Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. He lived in Italy for seven years, befriending Percy Bysshe Shelley, and later joined the Greek War of Independence, becoming a folk hero before his death at 36. Byron, along with Shelley and Keats, was a major figure in the second generation of English Romantic writers and was a literary celebrity known for both his poetry and personality.

    Five

    IIn 2011, Fidel Castro resigned from Cuba’s Communist Party central committee. The following March, in his role as an elder statesman, Castro briefly met a visiting dignitary, the sixteenth of the name. Who was this dignitary?

    Answer: (Pope) Benedict XVI.

    On 19 April 2011, Castro resigned from the Communist Party central committee, thus stepping down as First Secretary. Raúl was selected as his successor. Now without any official role in the country’s government, he took on the role of an elder statesman. In late March 2012, Pope Benedict XVI visited Cuba for three days, during which time he briefly met with Castro despite the Pope’s vocal opposition to Cuba’s government.

    Bits and Bobs

    The title is simply another way of saying bits and pieces, an assortment. It was chosen as the title as all the answers begin with the letter B.

  • Bits and Bobs

    All of these questions are related to today’s date, April 19th. They also all start with the letter ‘B’.

    Brandenburg Gate, Berlin.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    On 19 April 1999, in politics, what returned to Berlin for the first time in almost fifty years, and where had it returned from?

    Two

    In 1775, during the opening stages of a revolutionary war, a city was besieged for eleven months from April 19th. What city?

    Three

    Observed on April 19th, a celebratory day remembering an experiment where a chemist intentionally ingested LSD, documented it and then went home. What is the day called?

    Four

    A poet and playwright who died this day in 1824, first became a celebrity with the publication of the first two cantos of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage in 1812. Who is this poet?

    Five

    IIn 2011, Fidel Castro resigned from Cuba’s Communist Party central committee. The following March, in his role as an elder statesman, Castro briefly met a visiting dignitary, the sixteenth of the name. Who was this dignitary?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Double Trouble — Answers

    Here are the answers for today’s questions.

    The first question today relates to the date, April 17th. The rest follows a theme but I’m not going to say what that theme is. 

    Martin Luther appearing before Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, at the Diet of Worms.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    On 17 April 1521, Martin Luther made his initial appearance at the Diet of Worms which eventually found him to be a heretic and enemy of the state. In what modern country is Worms?

    Answer: Germany.

    Martin Luther, a German priest and theologian, was a key figure in the Protestant Reformation. He challenged the Catholic Church’s teachings, particularly on indulgences and papal authority, and translated the Bible into German, making it more accessible to ordinary people. Luther’s beliefs, emphasising justification by faith alone and the authority of the Bible, laid the foundation for Lutheranism.

    Following on in the theme …

    Two

    Ben Ainslie is the most successful sailor in Olympic history. In what two classes did he win his four gold and one silver medal?

    Answer: Laser and Finn.

    Sir Charles Benedict Ainslie is a British competitive sailor and the most successful Olympian in sailing history. He is CEO of Athena Sports Group and a Patron of the 1851 Trust which supports young people in sailing and STEM education. 

    Three

    List the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle?

    Answer: Eggs, caterpillar larva, pupa and adult (or butterfly).

    Butterflies undergo complete metamorphosis through a four-stage life cycle like other holometabolous insects.  Winged adults lay eggs on plant leaves where their caterpillars, or larvae, will feed.  These caterpillars grow rapidly and eventually pupate in a chrysalis.  Once metamorphosis is complete the pupal skin splits revealing the adult butterfly which then climbs out, dries its wings and flies away.

    Four

    Name the planets in the solar system?

    Answer: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

    The Solar System, formed 4.6 billion years ago, consists of the Sun and orbiting bodies, including eight planets. The Sun, comprising 99.86% of the system’s mass, fuses hydrogen into helium, creating the heliosphere. The system also includes dwarf planets, small bodies like asteroids and comets, and natural satellites, or moons.

    Five

    Can you name the states between Louisiana and Ohio in an alphabetical list of US states?

    Answer: Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina and North Dakota.

    Sixteen states, eight with names starting with M and, eight with N.

    Double Trouble

    Today’s title refers to each question doubling the number of answers. Question one has only one answer which was obvious in the question and then number two asks for two answers. You had to work out that the remaining double each time so four, eight and finally sixteen for question five.

  • Double Trouble

    The first question today relates to the date, April 17th. The rest follows a theme but I’m not going to say what that theme is. 

    Martin Luther appearing before Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, at the Diet of Worms.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    One

    On 17 April 1521, Martin Luther made his initial appearance at the Diet of Worms which eventually found him to be a heretic and enemy of the state. In what modern country is Worms?

    Following on in the theme …

    Two

    Ben Ainslie is the most successful sailor in Olympic history. In what two classes did he win his four gold and one silver medal?

    Three

    List the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle?

    Four

    Name the planets in the solar system?

    Five

    Can you name the states between Louisiana and Ohio in an alphabetical list of US states?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • Islands in the Stream — Answers

    Here are the answers to my earlier questions.

    See question three. Aerial view of the New York City metropolitan area.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns an island and is linked to today’s date, April 5th. The other questions aren’t date-related but continue the island theme including a wee bonus at the end.

    One

    On 5 April 1946, Soviet military forces ended their year-long occupation of what island in the Baltic Sea?

    Answer: Bornholm, Denmark.

    On 9 May 1945, Soviet forces captured Bornholm after German commander Gerhard von Kamptz refused to surrender, preferring the Western Allies. Soviet air raids destroyed over 800 houses and killed 10 civilians. The Soviet Union occupied Bornholm for 11 months post-World War II, despite its location east of the agreed East-West dividing line. Initially seen as a bargaining chip for Soviet influence in Denmark, the occupation aimed to secure Western goodwill and focus resources on the war with Japan and Eastern Europe’s reconstruction. The Soviets withdrew on 5 April 1946, reinforcing Denmark’s alignment with the west.

    Not date related anymore but continuing the island theme.

    Two

    Of what island nation is Antananarivo the capital city?

    Answer: Madagascar.

    Madagascar, the fourth largest island, is situated off the southeastern coast of Africa. Although close to Africa, its population, language, and culture are more akin to Indonesia, while its unique wildlife and vegetation differ significantly from the continent. As an island nation in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is celebrated for its unique biodiversity due to its long isolation. It gained independence from France in 1960 but has since faced political instability, transitioning through four republics. Despite economic growth, Madagascar remains a least-developed country with notable income disparities and a low quality of life for many.

    New York City’s Five Boroughs: 1. Manhattan; 2. Brooklyn; 3. Queens; 4. The Bronx and 5. Staten Island. JFK and La Guardia Airports are shown (brown) in lower and upper Queens.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    Three

    Brooklyn and Queens, two of New York’s five boroughs, are mainly located on what island? 

    Answer: Long Island.

    Brooklyn and Queens are both at the western end of Long Island. The Bronx is the only borough mostly on the mainland. The remaining boroughs are Manhattan, chiefly on Manhattan Island, and Staten Island.

    Four

    What two distinct islands are home to the Althing and the Tynwald, the oldest legislatures in the world?

    Answers: Iceland; Isle of Man.

    Guinness World Records describe the Althing and the Tynwald thus…

    The oldest recorded legislative body is the Icelandic Althing, founded in AD930. This body, which originally comprised 39 local chieftains at Thingvellir, was abolished in 1800 but restored by Denmark to a consultative status in 1843 and a legislative status in 1874. It is often cited as the oldest existing parliament. However, the legislative assembly with the oldest continuous history is the Isle of Man Tynwald, which may have its origins in the late ninth century and hence possibly pre-date the Althing.
    — Guinness World Records

    Sculptures cut from volcanic rock, Easter Island.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Five

    On what island are these sculptures located?

    Answer: Easter Island.

    Easter Island, a special territory of Chile in the eastern Pacific Ocean, is renowned for its nearly 1,000 moai statues created by the early Rapa Nui people. Originally called Rapa Nui, the island has a mixed population predominantly of Polynesian descent. In 1995, UNESCO named Easter Island a World Heritage Site, with much of the island protected within Rapa Nui National Park.

    Islands in the Stream

    Today’s post title managed to top the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 as well as several other national charts in 1983-84. What performer(s) achieved this success, and who wrote the song?

    Answer: Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton; (songwriters were) Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb.

    Islands in the Stream, a Bee Gees song recorded by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Country and Adult Contemporary charts. It was certified triple Platinum by the RIAA.

  • Islands in the Stream

    See question three. Aerial view of the New York City metropolitan area.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    The first question concerns an island and is linked to today’s date, April 5th. The other questions aren’t date-related but continue the island theme including a wee bonus at the end.

    One

    On 5 April 1946, Soviet military forces ended their year-long occupation of what island in the Baltic Sea?

    Not date related anymore but continuing the island theme.

    Two

    Of what island nation is Antananarivo the capital city?

    Three

    Brooklyn and Queens, two of New York’s five boroughs, are mainly located on what island? 

    Four

    What two distinct islands are home to the Althing and the Tynwald, the oldest legislatures in the world?

    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Five

    On what island are these sculptures located?

    Islands in the Stream

    Today’s post title managed to top the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 as well as several other national charts in 1983-84. What performer(s) achieved this success, and who wrote the song?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

  • 1 GB of Storage for Free — Answers

    Here are the answers to the questions posted earlier.

    These questions are all related to today, April 1st.

    See question three. Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Established in 1999, Nunavut, at 135,000 square miles of land (350,000 square km), is the World’s fifth-largest country subdivision. 

    1. Of what country is Nunavut a subdivision?
    2. What, to the nearest ten thousand, is the population of Nunavut?

    Answers

    1. Canada

    2. 40,000

    Nunavut, established in 1999, is the largest and northernmost Canadian territory, created for Inuit self-government. It covers a significant portion of Northern Canada and the Arctic Archipelago, making it the fifth-largest country subdivision globally. With a population of 36,858, it is the least densely populated major subdivision in the world.

    Two

    Gmail was launched on this day, in what year did this happen?

    Answer: 2004.

    Gmail, created by Paul Buchheit, was launched in 2004 and opened to the public in 2007, is the world’s largest email service with 1.8 billion users. It offers 15GB of free storage, supports large attachments, and integrates with Google Drive. The service is accessible from any internet-enabled device and features conversation view, integrated chat, and was briefly integrated with the social networking application Buzz.

    Three

    Josef von Sternberg’s Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) was released in Germany, and the classic film made Marlene Dietrich a star. What was Dietrich’s character name, as billed, in this film?

    Answer: Lola Lola.

    The Blue Angel (1930) is a German musical comedy-drama directed by Josef von Sternberg, featuring Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings, and Kurt Gerron. Based on Heinrich Mann’s novel Professor Unrat, it tells the tragic story of a professor’s downfall into madness due to his obsession with nightclub singer Lola Lola, played by Dietrich in her breakthrough role. This film introduced her iconic song, Falling in Love Again. Filmed in both German and English, the English version was initially lost but rediscovered and screened in 2009. The German version is preferred for its length and superior pronunciation.

    Four

    The Apple Computer Company, now Apple Inc., was founded in 1976, who were the three people who co-founded it?

    Answer: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne.

    Apple Inc., founded in 1976 and headquartered in Cupertino, California, is a leading American multinational technology company renowned for its innovative consumer electronics, software, and online services. Known for its user-centric design and marketplace ecosystem, Apple revolutionised the technology sector with products like personal computers, smartphones and tablets. After nearly going bankrupt in the 1990s, the company returned to profitability under Steve Jobs’ leadership, introducing iconic products such as the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. Today, Apple is the world’s largest company by market capitalisation and a major player in the PC, tablet, and mobile phone markets.

    Five

    In 1977, who had a U.S. number 1 and U.K. top ten hit with Got to Give It Up from the album Live at the London Palladium?

    Answer: Marvin Gaye.

    Marvin Gaye, an American soul singer-songwriter-producer, was a cultural icon and one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time. He began his career with Motown Records, achieving success with hits like I Heard It Through the Grapevine and duets with Tammi Terrell. Gaye’s groundbreaking album What’s Going On showcased his musical individuality and social commentary, paving the way for other artists to take control of their music. He later produced his own albums, significantly influencing 1970s soul music and R&B sub-genres. Tragically, Gaye was shot and killed by his father on 1 April 1984.

    1 GB of storage for free

    The post title refers to Google offering users 1 GB of space, compared to the 2 to 4 MB that was the standard at the time.

  • 1 GB of Storage for Free

    These questions are all related to today, April 1st.

    See question three. Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel.
    Image Wikimedia Commons

    One

    Established in 1999, Nunavut, at 135,000 square miles of land (350,000 square km), is the World’s fifth-largest country subdivision. 

    1. Of what country is Nunavut a subdivision?
    2. What, to the nearest ten thousand, is the population of Nunavut?

    Two

    Gmail was launched on this day, in what year did this happen?

    Three

    Josef von Sternberg’s Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) was released in Germany, and the classic film made Marlene Dietrich a star. What was Dietrich’s character name, as billed, in this film?

    Four

    The Apple Computer Company, now Apple Inc., was founded in 1976, who were the three people who co-founded it?

    Five

    In 1977, who had a U.S. number 1 and U.K. top ten hit with Got to Give It Up from the album Live at the London Palladium?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.