In sport, where were the Games of the XXX Olympiad held?
Answer: London, United Kingdom
The 2012 Summer Olympics, held in London, featured 10,518 athletes from 206 countries. The United States topped the medal table, while Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian. The Games were praised for their organisation and the opening ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle.
Two
For what film did James Cagney win the Best Actor Oscar in 1942?
Answer: Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy is a 1942 biographical musical drama film about George M. Cohan, starring James Cagney. The film was a major hit, winning three Academy Awards, and was later selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Three
In what country did the artist Pablo Picasso die?
Answer: France
Pablo Picasso, a Spanish artist, was a leading figure in 20th-century art. He co-founded the Cubist movement, invented constructed sculpture and collage, and explored various styles throughout his 76-year career. Picasso’s most famous works include Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Guernica.
Four
What sporting organisation does the abbreviation WPBSA stand for?
Answer: World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), headquartered in Bristol, England, governs professional snooker and English billiards. It devises rules, promotes global development, enforces conduct regulations, combats corruption, and supports various related organisations.
Five
An 1831 novel’s major characters include the following: Claude Frollo — the Archdeacon; Pierre Gringoire — a struggling poet; Phoebus de Chateaupers — the Captain of the King’s Archers. What novel, and who was its author?
Answer: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (French title: Notre-Dame de Paris); Victor Hugo
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, was published in 1831. The novel, set in 15th-century Paris, focusses on the story of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Claude Frollo. Hugo championed historical preservation, particularly of Gothic architecture, through this work.
Omnium Gatherum
The post title —
Definition of omnium gatherum in English:
omnium gatherum NOUN
A collection of miscellaneous people or things:
‘an omnium gatherum of anecdotes’
Origin
Early 16th century: mock Latin, from Latin omnium ‘of all’ and gather + the Latin suffix –um.
In sport, where were the Games of the XXX Olympiad held?
Two
For what film did James Cagney win the Best Actor Oscar in 1942?
Three
In what country did the artist Pablo Picasso die?
Four
What sporting organisation does the abbreviation WPBSA stand for?
Five
An 1831 novel’s major characters include the following: Claude Frollo — the Archdeacon; Pierre Gringoire — a struggling poet; Phoebus de Chateaupers — the Captain of the King’s Archers. What novel, and who was its author?
Some astrologers believed that a 1997 planetary alignment with the Sun and Moon, which had not occurred since 1475, indicated the beginning of a new age. What age?
In 1229, Pope Gregory IX first mentioned the town of Aboa in his bull; Aboa is the Latin name of Turku. This date is increasingly considered the founding of Turku. In what modern country is Turku?
Answer: Finland
Turku, Finland’s oldest city, is the regional capital of Southwest Finland. With a population of approximately 207,000, it is the country’s third-most populous urban area. Turku, a bilingual municipality, is a significant business and cultural centre, known for its rich history, vibrant food scene, and as a major port city.
Three
In 1957, American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison sold the rights to his disc to the Wham-O toy company. What did they later rename it?
Answer: Frisbee
A frisbee, also known as a flying disc, is a gliding toy used for recreational and competitive throwing and catching. It is typically made of plastic and has a pronounced lip, allowing it to fly with reduced drag and increased lift.
Four
In 1998, which corporation announced the creation of Mozilla, a free software community?
Answer: Netscape Communications Corporation
Netscape announced its Communicator browser software would be free and open-source in 1998, leading to the creation of the Mozilla project. Initially a technology provider, Mozilla later focused on developing independent applications like Firefox and Thunderbird, and expanded into mobile platforms and other projects.
Five
In 1977, the television miniseries Roots debuted in the United States. The series was an adaptation of whose best-selling novel, and what was that novel’s full title?
Answer: Alex Haley
Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley’s novel, Roots: The Saga of an American Family. The series, which aired on ABC, received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including nine Primetime Emmy Awards. It was followed by a sequel, Roots: The Next Generations, and a remake commissioned by the History Channel in 2016.
Some astrologers believed that a 1997 planetary alignment with the Sun and Moon, which had not occurred since 1475, indicated the beginning of a new age. What age?
Two
In 1229, Pope Gregory IX first mentioned the town of Aboa in his bull; Aboa is the Latin name of Turku. This date is increasingly considered the founding of Turku. In what modern country is Turku?
Three
In 1957, American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison sold the rights to his disc to the Wham-O toy company. What did they later rename it?
Four
In 1998, which corporation announced the creation of Mozilla, a free software community?
Five
In 1977, the television miniseries Roots debuted in the United States. The series was an adaptation of whose best-selling novel, and what was that novel’s full title?
Truth is always strange, stranger than fiction. Image Quoteslyfe
Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.
Today’s questions not only relate to January 22nd, they are also all about quotes. The first two questions are multiple choice, while the remainder are not.
One
Today’s post title is ‘Truth is always strange, stranger than fiction’. The person, born today in 1788, who originated this saying, was whom?
Lord Byron
Mark Twain
Rudyard Kipling
Answer: Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
‘T is strange,—but true; for Truth is always strange—
Stranger than fiction: if it could be told,
How much would novels gain by the exchange!
— Lord Byron: Don Juan (1819)
Mark Twain is also associated with this phrase, but it was originated by Byron.
Two
Which science fiction author wrote ‘How does one hate a country, or love one?’?
Isaac Asimov
Philip K. Dick
Ursula K. Le Guin
Answer: Ursula K. Le Guin
How does one hate a country, or love one? Tibe talks about it; I lack the trick of it. I know people, I know towns, farms, hills and rivers and rocks, I know how the sun at sunset in autumn falls on the side of a certain plowland in the hills; but what is the sense of giving a boundary to all that, of giving it a name and ceasing to love where the name ceases to apply? What is love of one’s country; is it hate of one’s uncountry? Then it’s not a good thing. Is it simply self-love? That’s a good thing, but one mustn’t make a virtue of it, or a profession… Insofar as I love life, I love the hills of the Domain of Estre, but that sort of love does not have a boundary-line of hate. And beyond that, I am ignorant, I hope.
On this day in 2004, Wikiquote had this as its Quote of the Day: ‘I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.’ Whose words are being quoted?
Answer: Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams, English author and humourist, created The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a radio comedy that became a successful book series and was adapted into various media. He also wrote Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, and contributed to Doctor Who and Monty Python’s Flying Circus.
Four
What king, who had previously said, ‘I don’t mind praying to the Eternal Father, but I must be the only man in the country afflicted with an eternal mother,’ ascended the British throne on this day in 1901, and who was his mother?
Answer: King Edward VII; Queen Victoria
The quote was a joke referring to his mother’s famously long reign of almost 64 years. Queen Victoria died in 1901, and Edward succeeded to the throne at the age of sixty.
Five
A 1960 song which was written by a singer-songwriter born today in 1931 includes these lines: ‘All day long they work so hard / Till the sun is goin’ down.’ Who is the singer-songwriter and what is the song?
Answer: Sam Cooke; Chain Gang
All day long they work so hard Till the sun is goin’ down. Working on the highways and byways And wearing, wearing a frown. You hear them moanin’ their lives away. Then you hear somebody say: “That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang. That’s the sound of the men working on the chain gang.”
Truth is always strange, stranger than fiction. Image Quoteslyfe
Today’s questions not only relate to January 22nd, they are also all about quotes. The first two questions are multiple choice, while the remainder are not.
One
Today’s post title is ‘Truth is always strange, stranger than fiction’. The person, born today in 1788, who originated this saying, was whom?
Lord Byron
Mark Twain
Rudyard Kipling
Two
Which science fiction author wrote ‘How does one hate a country, or love one?’?
Isaac Asimov
Philip K. Dick
Ursula K. Le Guin
Three
On this day in 2004, Wikiquote had this as its Quote of the Day: ‘I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.’ Whose words are being quoted?
Four
What king, who had previously said, ‘I don’t mind praying to the Eternal Father, but I must be the only man in the country afflicted with an eternal mother,’ ascended the British throne on this day in 1901, and who was his mother?
Five
A 1960 song which was written by a singer-songwriter born today in 1931 includes these lines: ‘All day long they work so hard / Till the sun is goin’ down.’ Who is the singer-songwriter and what is the song?
What actor is pictured above, and what film is the picture taken from?
Answers: Cary Grant; North by Northwest
See after question two for some additional trivia.
Two
Where was the above actor born on this day in 1904, and what was his birth name?
Answers: Bristol, England, United Kingdom; Archibald Leach (or Archibald Alexander Leach)
Cary Grant, born Archibald Alexander Leach in Bristol, England, was a British-born American film actor celebrated for his debonair style and talent in romantic comedies. He gained fame in the 1930s and 1940s, starring in a variety of classic films, including screwball comedies, action-adventures, and suspense thrillers. Grant frequently collaborated with Alfred Hitchcock and received two Academy Award nominations along with an honorary Oscar, though he never won a competitive Oscar for acting. He retired from acting in 1966 and passed away in 1986.
The ‘Where were they born’ theme continues with the following questions.
Three
Where was Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland born?
Answer: Britain (or Roman Britain)
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is credited with bringing Christianity to the country in the 5th century. Born in Roman Britain, he was enslaved in Ireland at 16 but later escaped and returned to spread Christianity. Known for his missionary work and writings, St. Patrick’s legacy is celebrated annually on St. Patrick’s Day, 17 March.
Four
Where was Angus Young, the only continuous member of the hard rock band AC/DC, born?
Answer: Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
Angus Young, born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1955, is best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of AC/DC. He emigrated to Australia with his family in 1963 and grew up in Sydney, where he developed his musical talents and later became a self-taught guitarist. Young’s early life in Scotland, his family’s musical background, and his move to Australia all played a significant role in shaping his career as a musician.
Five
Where was Christopher Columbus born, between August and October 1451?
Answer: Genoa (Republic of Genoa)
Christopher Columbus, a Genoese explorer from the Republic of Genoa, completed four Spanish-sponsored voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. His expeditions, beginning in 1492, opened the way for European exploration and colonisation of the Americas, though his legacy is now viewed more critically due to the impact on indigenous populations.
In what decade did the television comedy Happy Days premiere in the United States?
Answer: 1970s
Happy Days, a popular American sitcom that aired from 1974 to 1984, depicted an idealised view of 1950s and 60s America. The show’s most memorable character, Fonzie, became a pop culture icon, leading to several spin-off shows and launching the careers of its stars.
Two
The first national public museum in the world, opened in 1759, boasts a collection of over eight million artefacts. What museum?
Answer: British Museum
The British Museum was founded in 1753 and opened its doors in 1759. It was the first national museum to cover all fields of human knowledge, open to visitors from across the world.
Enlightenment ideals and values – critical scrutiny of all assumptions, open debate, scientific research, progress and tolerance – have marked the Museum since its foundation.
The Museum is driven by an insatiable curiosity for the world, a deep belief in objects as reliable witnesses and documents of human history, sound research, as well as the desire to expand and share knowledge. — British Museum
Three
The 2016 film Sully, starring Tom Hanks as Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger III, depicts his remarkable landing of a crippled aircraft in a river. Which river did the aircraft land in, and who directed the film?
Answer: Hudson River; Clint Eastwood
On 15 January 2009, US Airways flight 1549, an Airbus A320, made an emergency landing in the Hudson River after both engines were damaged by a flock of geese shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport. Captain Chesley Sullenberger successfully ditched the plane, resulting in no fatalities but five serious injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded Sullenberger’s decision to land in the river was appropriate.
Four
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on this date in 1929 and dying at the age of 39 in 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, this American religious leader became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Who was this?
Answer: Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent American civil rights activist and Baptist minister who led the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. He advocated for civil rights for people of colour through nonviolent resistance, achieving significant legislative gains like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal. Martin Luther King Day is observed on the third Monday in January and a memorial dedicated to him stands in the National Mall, Washington, DC.
Five
In 2001, Wikipedia saw its debut. The free Internet-based encyclopaedia was initially launched as a feature of Nupedia prior to being relaunched as an independent entity a few days later. Who were the two founders?
Answer: Jimmy Wales; Larry Sanger
Wikipedia, launched in 2001 as a complement to the expert-written Nupedia, quickly grew into the largest encyclopedia ever assembled. While initially experiencing rapid growth, the English Wikipedia’s growth rate in terms of new articles and editors peaked around 2007 and has since stabilised after a period of decline. Despite concerns about a decline in active editors and page views, Wikipedia remains a widely used and influential resource.
Brace for Impact
The title refers to Captain Sullenberger’s announcement to his passengers in the final approach of flight 1549 to the Hudson River, ‘This is the captain. Brace for impact.’
