Tag: entertainment

Hawaii Five-0

The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

Official portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959.
Image Wikipedia

One

On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 21 August 1959. Hawaii is an island state in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of 137 volcanic islands. It is the only US state not on the North American mainland and is known for its diverse culture, influenced by North American, East Asia and indigenous Hawaiian heritage. Hawaii’s economy, historically based on agriculture, has diversified to include tourism and military defence.

Mona Lisa.
Image Wikipedia

Two

Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

Answer: The Louvre

The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who believed it should be returned to Italy. After keeping it for two years, Peruggia attempted to sell it and was caught, leading to the painting’s return to the Louvre in 1914.

Count Basie, Blazing Saddles, 1974.
Image

Three

Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who will, 70 years later, feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

Answer: Count Basie

Count Basie plays himself in Mel Brooks 1974 film Blazing Saddles. He and his orchestra play April in Paris in the middle of the desert as Bart (Cleavon Little) rides towards Rock Ridge to assume the post of sheriff.

Princess Margaret, 1950.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

Answer: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

Princess Margaret, born in 1930, was the second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, who, following the abdication of Edward VIII, became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Known for her independent spirit, she famously renounced her engagement to Peter Townsend due to his divorce. A celebrated socialite, she was the Countess of Snowdon and had a glamorous lifestyle with notable romances. Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1978, marking the first royal divorce in 400 years.

Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C., 1999.
Image US Library of Congress via Wikipedia

Five

The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

Answer: United Nations

The ‘Allied Big Four’ (UK, US, USSR, Republic of China) formulated the new international organisation at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944. The Yalta Conference in 1945 and further negotiations with the Soviet Union resolved all issues.

Hawaii Five-0

All the questions are related to today, August 21st.

Flag of Hawaii.
Image Wikipedia

One

On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

Two

Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

Three

Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who, 70 years later, will feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

Four

Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

Five

The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

A Mars a Day—Answers

The Martian.
Image Disney

One

The 2015 Ridley Scott film The Martian starring Matt Damon was based on a novel of the same name by what American author?

— Answer: Andy Weir

The Martian, a 2015 sci-fi film directed by Ridley Scott, stars Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on Mars.

First Martian emerging from the cylinder that had fallen from the sky. Illustration by Henrique Alvim Corrêa for the 1906 edition.
Image Wikipedia

Two

What novel, and who was the author, featuring Mars or Martians also features Horsell Common, near Woking, Surrey?

— Answer: The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

H.G. Wells’ science fiction novel, The War of the Worlds, depicts an attempted Martian invasion of Earth. In 1938, Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of the novel caused widespread panic by presenting a Martian invasion as real news. The broadcast’s format and timing led to confusion among the public and outrage among the media.

Gulliver discovers Laputa, the flying island (illustration by J. J. Grandville). Image Wikipedia

Three

On Mars’s largest moon, Phobos, there is a regio, Laputa Regio, which is named after Swift’s Laputa because of his ‘prediction’ of the two then undiscovered Martian moons, which his Laputan astronomers had discovered
— Wikipedia

The above quote from Wikipedia refers to an area on Phobos, the largest Moon of Mars, which is named after the fictional ’Laputa’. From what literary work, first published in 1726, does ‘Laputa’ originate and who was the author of it?

— Answer: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Laputa, a flying island from Gulliver’s Travels, is controlled by the king of Balnibarbi using magnetic levitation.

Michael Rennie as Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951).
Image Wikipedia

Four

In the 2008 remake of the 1951 film, Keanu Reeves stars as Klaatu. Name the actor who portrayed Klaatu in the original 1951 version and the title of both films?

— Answer: Michael Rennie and The Day the Earth Stood Still

The Day the Earth Stood Still is a sci-fi film with two versions: the 1951 original about an alien and his robot delivering a message during the Cold War, and the 2008 remake starring Keanu Reeves as an alien tasked with saving Earth from environmental harm. Despite negative reviews, the 2008 film was financially successful, grossing over $233 million worldwide.

Five

Who wrote The Martian Chronicles (1950)?

— Answer: Ray Bradbury

The Martian Chronicles explores the consequences of technological advancement and militarism in a future America, addressing concerns about values and direction. It highlights issues like nuclear war, depopulation, racial oppression, and censorship.

Mars
Image NASA

A Mars a Day

This is the first photograph ever taken on the surface of Mars. It was obtained by NASA’s Viking 1 minutes after the spacecraft landed July 20, 1976.
Image NASA/JPL-Caltech

Viking 1, a robotic US spacecraft, was launched on 20 August 1975 and successfully landed on Mars in 1976, where it operated for over six years. Today, the questions are all related to Mars in fiction.

One

The 2015 Ridley Scott film The Martian starring Matt Damon was based on a novel of the same name by what American author?

Two

What novel, and who was the author, featuring Mars or Martians also features Horsell Common, near Woking, Surrey?

Three

On Mars’s largest moon, Phobos, there is a regio, Laputa Regio, which is named after …’s Laputa because of his ‘prediction’ of the two then undiscovered Martian moons, which his Laputan astronomers had discovered
— Wikipedia

The above quote from Wikipedia refers to an area on Phobos, the largest Moon of Mars, which is named after the fictional ’Laputa’. From what literary work, first published in 1726, does ‘Laputa’ originate and who was the author of it?

Four

In the 2008 remake of a 1951 film, Keanu Reeves stars as Klaatu. Name the actor who portrayed Klaatu in the original 1951 version and the title of both films?

Five

Who wrote The Martian Chronicles (1950)?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

Googly—Answers

One

A search engine launched in 1996 was named after a fictional character created by English author PG Wodehouse. This character first appeared in print in 1915 and made his last appearance in Wodehouse’s last novel in 1974. Who is this character?

— Answer: Jeeves

Jeeves, a fictional valet created by PG Wodehouse, is renowned for his competence and has become synonymous with the role of a manservant. He serves the wealthy Bertie Wooster and occasionally fills in as a butler.

AskJeeves, a search engine founded in 1996, has since evolved into ask.com.

Two

A company based in Quebec City, Canada own desktop search software which runs on Microsoft Windows. Its name, when only one word is used, is almost that of an astronomer who was born in East Prussia in 1473. What is the one word name of the search software?

— Answer: Copernic

Copernic, founded in 1996, is a leading desktop and enterprise search provider. Acquired by Harris Computer Corporation in 2010, Copernic continues to develop innovative search solutions. The astronomer mentioned was Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543).

Three

A fictional character with the middle name Muriel was one of the lead characters in an American sitcom which ran from 1994 until 2004. This characters surname is what a search engine lainched in 2014 is commonly known as. What is the search engine?

— Answer: Bing

Chandler Muriel Bing, played by Matthew Perry, was a character in the TV show Friends. Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, offers web, video, image, and map search services. Launched in 2009, it introduced features like search suggestions and related searches. As of April 2024, Bing holds a 3.64% global market share, ranking second behind Google.

Four

Founded in 1994, a web portal and search engine has a name that means ‘rude, unsophisticated, uncouth’. A 1726 satire, written by an Anglo-Irish clergyman, is the origin of this meaning of the company name. What is the common two-word title of the satire, and who was the clergyman-novelist?

— Answer: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

The web portal etc is Yahoo. The word ‘yahoo’ is a backronym for ‘Yet Another Hierarchically Organized Oracle’ or ‘Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle’. Founders Filo and Yang chose the name because they liked the slang definition of a ‘yahoo’ as ‘rude, unsophisticated, uncouth’.
Yahoos, in Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, are filthy, unpleasant creatures representing materialism and ignorant elitism. The term ‘yahoo’, which was coined by Swift, can now be defined as ‘a crude, brutish person’. By the way, the full name of Gulliver’s Travels is Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships.

Five

… Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the … Foundation and its subsidiary, the … Corporation.
— Wikipedia

The above description of the web browser Firefox is from Wikipedia. What one name has been omitted three times from the quote?

— Answer: Mozilla

Firefox, originally named Phoenix, was created as a standalone browser to replace the Mozilla Suite. After several name changes due to trademark issues, it was officially released as Mozilla Firefox in 2004. The browser gained popularity for its features like tabbed browsing and an extension mechanism, and underwent significant improvements with the Quantum project in 2017 to enhance performance and modernise its architecture.

Googly

19 August 2004…
The search engine company Google Inc. raised $1.66 billion in its initial public offering; in an unusual move, the shares were sold in a public auction intended to put the average investor on an equal footing with financial industry professionals. 
— Encyclopædia Britannica

As you’ll see above on 19 August 2004, Google had its initial public offering. Today’s questions are about other tech entities.

One

A search engine launched in 1996 was named after a fictional character created by English author PG Wodehouse. This character first appeared in print in 1915 and made his last appearance in Wodehouse’s last novel in 1974. Who is this character?

Two

A company based in Quebec City, Canada own desktop search software which runs on Microsoft Windows. Its name, when only one word is used, is almost that of an astronomer who was born in East Prussia in 1473. What is the one word name of the search software?

Three

A fictional character with the middle name Muriel was one of the lead characters in an American sitcom which ran from 1994 until 2004. This characters surname is what a search engine lainched in 2014 is commonly known as. What is the search engine?

Four

Founded in 1994, a web portal and search engine has a name that means ‘rude, unsophisticated, uncouth’. A 1726 satire, written by an Anglo-Irish clergyman, is the origin of this meaning of the company name. What is the common two-word title of the satire, and who was the clergyman-novelist?

Five

… Firefox, or simply Firefox, is a free and open-source web browser developed by the … Foundation and its subsidiary, the … Corporation.
— Wikipedia

The above description of the web browser Firefox is from Wikipedia. What one name has been omitted three times from the quote?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

Where on Earth—Answers

Ross’s Antarctic expedition.
HMS Erebus and Terror in the Antarctic by John Wilson Carmichael.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 16 August 1923, the UK named the Ross Dependency. On what continent is the Ross Dependency?

— Answer: Antarctica

The Ross Dependency, claimed by New Zealand, is a region of Antarctica defined by specific longitudes and latitude. While New Zealand’s claim is recognised by a few countries, the 1961 Antarctic Treaty holds all claims in abeyance. The Dependency, named after Sir James Clark Ross, includes the Ross Sea, Ross Ice Shelf, and several islands.

Two

Born in 1888, a military strategist and archaeological scholar also authored Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Who is he, and what by-name is he commonly known?

— Answer: T.E. Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia

T.E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, was a British Army officer, archaeologist, and writer. He gained fame for his role in the Arab Revolt during the First World War and his subsequent work with Emir Faisal. Lawrence published his autobiography, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and later served in the Army and RAF before his death in a motorcycle accident in 1935. His life was dramatised in the 1962 film Lawrence Of Arabia.

1834 portrait of James Buchanan at age 42–43 by Jacob Eichholtz.
Image Wikipedia

Three

On 16 August 1858, a new transatlantic telegraph cable was inaugurated. The inaugural event involved an exchange of greetings between the Heads of State of the United Kingdom and the United States. Who were these two Heads of State?

— Answer: Queen Victoria and President James Buchanan

The Atlantic Telegraph Company, led by Cyrus West Field, constructed the first transatlantic telegraph cable. On that day, the first official telegram to cross two continents was a congratulatory letter from Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom to President James Buchanan of the United States. Despite initial success, the cable’s poor signal quality and subsequent destruction after three weeks undermined confidence and delayed restoration efforts.

Madonna, 2020.
Image Wikipedia

Four

Madonna, the singer and actress, celebrates her birthday on August 16th. In which city and state was she born?

— Answer: Bay City, Michigan

Madonna, the ‘Queen of Pop’, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress. She is the best-selling female recording artist of all time, with numerous accolades including seven Grammy Awards and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Madonna is also a successful businesswoman, philanthropist and advocate for gender equality and LGBT rights.

Richard Wagner, 1871.
Image Wikipedia

Five

On this day in 1876, Richard Wagner’s penultimate opera in his Ring cycle premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. What was the name of the opera?

— Answer: Siegfried

Siegfried is the third of Richard Wagner’s four epic music dramas, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung). It premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, marking the first complete performance of the cycle.

Written over twenty-six years, from 1848 to 1874. The Ring cycle comprises:

  • Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold)
  • Die Walküre (The Valkyrie)
  • Siegfried
  • Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)

Where on Earth

One

On 16 August 1923, the UK named the Ross Dependency. On what continent is the Ross Dependency?

Two

Born in 1888, a military strategist and archaeological scholar also authored Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Who is he, and what by-name is he commonly known?

Three

On 16 August 1858, a new transatlantic telegraph cable was inaugurated. The inaugural event involved an exchange of greetings between the Heads of State of the United Kingdom and the United States. Who were these two Heads of State?

Four

Madonna, the singer and actress, celebrates her birthday on August 16th. In which city and state was she born?

Five

On this day in 1876, Richard Wagner’s penultimate opera in his Ring cycle premiered at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus. What was the name of the opera?

Double, double toil and trouble—Answers

Macbeth and Banquo meeting the witches on the heath by
Théodore Chassériau (1819–1856).
Image Wikipedia

One

On 14 August, King Duncan I of Scotland was killed in battle by his cousin, Macbeth, who then succeeded him. This event occurred in the what century?

 — Answer: 11th century

Unlike the ‘King Duncan’ of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. After his grandfather Malcolm’s death on 25 November 1034, Duncan succeeded him as king without apparent opposition. In August 1040, Duncan led an army into Moray, Macbeth’s domain, and was killed in action at the Battle of Bothnagowan.

Two

In the 1995 made-for-television movie, Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Sophie, a young Prussian princess who marries an immature future Tsar. The film’s title is what Sophie eventually becomes known as. What is the film’s title?

 — Answer: Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great, reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, modernised the country, expanded its territory, and fostered a cultural renaissance. Despite her Enlightenment ideals, serfdom persisted, leading to rebellions. Catherine’s reign saw the founding of cities, universities, and theatres, and the establishment of Russia as a great power.

The Lion in Winter (1968)
Image The MovieDB

Three

Katharine Hepburn won the best actress Oscar for her role as Henry II’s queen in this 1968 film. What was the film and what was the queen’s name?

 — Answer: The Lion in Winter and Eleanor of Aquitaine

The play is set at Christmas 1183 at Henry II of England’s castle in Chinon, France. It follows the power struggles between Henry, his wife Eleanor, their sons, and the King of France, Philip II Augustus.

Four

In this 2023 film, Catherine Walker plays an Archduchess of Austria who becomes the French Queen, while Vanessa Kirby is an Empress Consort and first wife of the title character. What is the film?

 — Answer: *Napoleon *

Ridley Scott’s 2023 film Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby, depicts the French leader’s rise to power and his relationship with Joséphine. The film received mixed reviews, praised for its battle sequences and performances but criticised for its pacing and historical accuracy.

W.E. film poster (2011).Image Sens Critique

Five 

Madonna’s 2011 film W.E. is a historical romance involving what 20th-century royal couple?

 — Answer: King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson (who became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor)

Edward VIII’s relationship with Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American, caused a constitutional crisis. Despite attempts to find a solution, including a morganatic marriage, the Church of England and most politicians opposed the union. Edward chose to abdicate the throne on 11 December 1936, prioritising his love for Simpson over his royal duties.

Double, double toil and trouble

The first question is related to today’s date, August 14th. It is about two monarchs who featured prominently in a work by William Shakespeare. The other questions are also about real monarchs who have been portrayed in fiction.

The first page of Shakespeare’s Macbeth from the First Folio.
Image Wikipedia

One

On 14 August, King Duncan I of Scotland was killed in battle by his cousin, Macbeth, who then succeeded him. This death and succession occurred in the what century?

Two

In the 1995 made-for-television movie, Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Sophie, a young Prussian princess who marries an immature future Tsar. The film’s title is what Sophie eventually becomes known as. What is the film’s title?

Three

Katharine Hepburn won the best actress Oscar for her role as Henry II’s queen in this 1968 film. What was the film and what was the queen’s name?

Four

In this 2023 film, Catherine Walker plays an Archduchess of Austria who becomes the French Queen, while Vanessa Kirby is an Empress Consort and first wife of the title character. What is the film?

Five 

Madonna’s 2011 film W.E. is a historical romance involving what 20th-century royal couple?

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.