Tag: entertainment

  • From House Demolition to Dining Out—Answers

    Douglas Hydro.
    Wikipedia

    Below, in bold, are the answers to my earlier post.

    1. Douglas AdamsThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a renowned science fiction comedy series created by British writer Douglas Adams.
    2. Paranoid Android—Marvin the Paranoid Android. A robot endowed with a “brain the size of a planet” but cursed with chronic depression. Often providing dry, sardonic humour, Marvin’s character contrasts sharply with the other characters’ antics.
    3. Agrajag—A tragic figure who is continually reincarnated and inadvertently killed by Arthur Dent in various lifetimes, harbouring a grudge that adds a darkly comedic layer to the narrative.
    4. Eaten—The concept of an Ameglian Major Cow is that it genuinely desires to be consumed and satirises ethical debates around eating meat.
    5. Mattress—An inhabitant of the planet Squornshellous Zeta, Zem is a sentient, albeit somewhat dim-witted, swamp-dwelling mattress, showcasing Adams’ flair for the absurd.
    6. Ford Prefect-—Arthur’s eccentric friend who masquerades as an out-of-work actor but is actually an alien researcher for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who is here to write an entry for Earth for inclusion in the next edition of the guide. His quick wit and knowledge of the intergalactic landscape often prove invaluable.
    7. Infinite Improbability Drive—A revolutionary propulsion system aboard the Heart of Gold spaceship. It allows the craft to traverse vast interstellar distances instantaneously by passing through every conceivable point in the universe simultaneously. Its unpredictability leads to many of the series’ most absurd and humorous moments.
    8. Slartibartfast—A Magrathean planet designer passionate about crafting coastlines, notably Norway’s fjords. His calm, methodical approach adds depth to the exploration of cosmic mysteries.
    9. Arthur Dent—The quintessential everyman protagonist whose mundane life is upended when Earth is destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Arthur’s bewildered journey through space forms the heart of the narrative.
    10. Radio series—Initially debuting as a radio series on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it gained immense popularity, subsequently evolving into a series of novels, a television adaptation, stage shows, a text adventure game, and a feature film released in 2005.
  • From House Demolition to Dining Out

    Zaphod Beeblebrox.
    Wikipedia

    As the writer and creator of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was born on 12 March 1952, here are some questions on that subject; so from Agrajag to Zem, if you like.

    1. The creator and writer of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy was…
      • Douglas Adams
      • Terry Pratchett
      • Isaac Asimov
    2. The character Marvin is known as the…
      • Fraught Robot
      • Paranoid Android
      • Clot Bot
    3. Who, described as “a tragic and piteous creature”, is continually reincarnated and subsequently killed?
      • Agrajag
      • Annie
      • Almighty Bob
    4. The Ameglian Major Cow, which the main characters meet, has a desire to be…
      • Loved
      • Read poetry
      • Eaten
    5. Zem is an affable, yet stupid, swamp-dwelling…
      • Magician
      • Mattress
      • Mannequin
    6. Who, with an automobile-like name, is a main character?
      • Ford Prefect
      • Nissan Micra
      • Vauxhall Viva
    7. What is a type of drive powered the spacecraft Heart of Gold?
      • Infantile Tantrum Drive
      • Infinite Improbability Drive
      • Impractical Inability Drive
    8. This person is a Magrathean who is a designer of planets, his name is…
      • Vroomfondel
      • Slartibartfast
      • Majikthise
    9. The story opens on Earth in the home of…
      • Arthur Dent
      • Brian Bash
      • Charlie Scrape
    10. As what did The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy start out?
      • Novel
      • Radio series
      • Film

    Good luck! The answers will appear later today.

  • Prime Ministers, Vampires and Assassins—Answers

    The answers to the questions from earlier are in bold below.

    The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, PC, CC, OBC, QC, served as Canada’s 19th and first female Prime Minister in 1993
    Wikipedia
    1. Kim Campbell—Kim Campbell, born on 10 March 1947, in Port Alberni, British Columbia, became Canada’s first female prime minister in June 1993, serving until November. Educated at the University of British Columbia and the London School of Economics, she taught political science and practiced law before entering politics. Campbell served on Vancouver’s school board and in the British Columbia provincial legislature before joining federal politics. She held several ministerial roles, including justice minister and defence minister, before becoming prime minister. Her tenure ended with a significant electoral defeat. Post-politics, she was active in academia and international organisations. Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark  were consecutive prime ministers in New Zealand from 1997-1999 and 1999-2008 respectively. 
      Welcome to Sunnydale
      Wikipedia
    2. Sunnydale—Buffy Summers, portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar, is the “Slayer” destined to battle evil forces with enhanced powers like strength, agility, and precognition. Initially reluctant, she embraces her role with guidance from her Watcher, Rupert Giles, who provides supernatural insights and training. Buffy’s friends at Sunnydale High, Willow Rosenberg and Xander Harris, support her. Willow, an academic prodigy, evolves into a powerful witch and identifies as a lesbian. Xander, lacking supernatural abilities, offers comic relief. Buffy and Willow appear in all 144 episodes, while Xander is in 143.
      FBI wanted poster fugitive poster of James Earl Ray; the later convicted murderer of civil rights leader and anti-war activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
      Wikipedia
    3. James Earl Ray—James Earl Ray, born on March 10, 1928, in Alton, Illinois, was an American criminal who assassinated civil-rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Ray had a history of petty crimes and prison sentences, including escapes. After the assassination, he fled to Toronto, obtained a Canadian passport, and traveled to London and Lisbon. He was apprehended on June 8, 1968, at Heathrow Airport and extradited to the U.S. Ray pleaded guilty on his 41st birthday to King’s murder, receiving a 99-year sentence, but later recanted his confession, which was not accepted. He died on April 23, 1998, in Nashville, Tennessee. Lee Harvey Oswald, John F. Kennedy’s assassin, was born in New Orleans. Leon F. Czolgosz, who killed William McKinlay in 1901 was born in Detroit, Michigan.
    Martin Luther King, Jr.
    Wikipedia
  • Prime Ministers, Vampires and Assassins

    Flag of Canada.
    Wikipedia

    All these relate one way or another to 10 March. 

    1. Born on 10 March 1947 who, in June 1993, became the first woman to serve as Canadian prime minister?
      • Kim Campbell
      • Helen Clark
      • Jenny Shipley
      Buffy the Vampire Slayer logo
      Wikipedia
    2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer debuted on television on the 10 March 1997. What high school do Buffy, Willow and Xander attend
      • Sunnydale
      • Sunnyside
      • Sunnyvale
    3. Which 20th century assassin was born 10 March 1928 in Alton, Illinois?
      • Leon F. Czolgosz
      • Lee Harvey Oswald
      • James Earl Ray

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.

  • Hatches and Despatches—Answers

    The answers to the questions posted earlier are shown in bold.

    Bryan Cranston, Comic-Con, San Diego, 2012
    Wikipedia
    1. Bryan Cranston—Bryan Lee Cranston is an acclaimed American actor renowned for his roles as Walter White in Breaking Bad and Hal in Malcolm in the Middle. He has won six Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards and two Golden Globes, with nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA. Cranston’s Breaking Bad performance earned him four Emmys and a Golden Globe, and he also won for Outstanding Drama Series as a producer. On stage, he won a Tony for All the Way and another for Network. Notable films include Trumbo, Saving Private Ryan, and Godzilla.
      Sir Edwin Landseer
      By Francis Grant.
      National Portrait Gallery
      Wikipedia
    2. Edwin Landseer—Landseer, born in London to engraver John Landseer and Jane Potts, was a prodigious artist recognised early on. He studied under his father and Benjamin Robert Haydon, who encouraged dissections to understand animal anatomy. Landseer’s association with the Royal Academy began at 13, exhibiting as an “Honorary Exhibitor,” becoming an Associate at 24, and an Academician in 1831. He was acquainted with Charles Robert Leslie and visited Scotland in 1824, which influenced him. In 1823, he painted Georgiana Russell, Duchess of Bedford, with whom he had an affair. Knighted in 1850, he declined the Royal Academy Presidency in 1866. Suffering from mental health issues, he was declared insane in 1872.
      Crossing of the Strait of Dover by Blanchard and Jefferies, 1785.
      Wikipedia
    3. Jean-Pierre Blanchard—Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753–1809) was a French inventor and pioneer of gas balloon flight. He achieved fame with a hydrogen balloon flight in Paris in 1784 and later crossed the English Channel in 1785, earning praise from Louis XVI. Blanchard toured Europe, demonstrating balloons and parachutes, using the latter for a successful escape in 1793. In 1792, he conducted the first balloon flight in the Americas, observed by President George Washington. Blanchard married Sophie Blanchard in 1804 and died of a heart attack in 1808. His widow continued balloon demonstrations until her accidental death.
      Rachel Weisz
      Wikipedia
    4. Rachel Weisz—Rachel Weisz is an acclaimed English actress known for her roles in both independent films and blockbusters. She began her career in the early 1990s, gaining recognition with her film debut in Death Machine (1994) and winning a Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Design for Living. Her breakthrough came with The Mummy series (1999-2001). Weisz won an Academy Award for The Constant Gardener (2005) and a Laurence Olivier Award for A Streetcar Named Desire (2009). She continued to excel in films like The Bourne Legacy (2012) and The Favourite (2018),winning a BAFTA for the latter.
      Viv Richards
      Wikipedia
    5. Viv Richards—Sir Vivian Richards is a retired Antiguan cricketer celebrated as one of the greatest batsmen ever. Representing the West Indies from 1974 to 1991, he was pivotal in their 1975 and 1979 World Cup victories and a runner-up in 1983. Richards made his Test debut in 1974 and scored 8,540 runs in 121 matches, becoming the West Indies’ leading run-scorer. Despite eye surgery in 1984, he continued to excel. Knighted in 1999, he was named a Cricketer of the Century by Wisden in 2000 and inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.
      Ranulph Fiennes at the Celebrating Captain Scott’s Legacy: 100 Years of Discovery and Diplomacy in Antarctica event in London.
      Wikipedia
    6. Ranulph Fiennes—Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is a renowned British explorer, writer and poet, holding several endurance records. He served in the British Army for eight years, including counter-insurgency work in Oman. Fiennes is celebrated for being the first to visit both the North and South Poles by surface means and the first to cross Antarctica on foot. In 2009, at 65, he summited Mount Everest. Recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1984 as the world’s greatest living explorer, he has authored numerous books on his adventures and explorers like Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton.
      Maurice Ravel
      Wikipedia
    7. Maurice Ravel—Maurice Ravel was a distinguished French composer, pianist, and conductor, often associated with Impressionism alongside Claude Debussy, though both distanced themselves from the label. His work gained international acclaim in the 1920s and 1930s, earning him the title of France’s greatest living composer. Ravel’s compositions are celebrated for their intricate harmonies and innovative orchestration, exemplified in Boléro (1928) and his arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (1922). Despite facing bias at the Paris Conservatoire, he developed a unique style blending modernism, baroque, neoclassicism and jazz, known for its clarity and experimentation.
      Amanda Gorman steps to the podium to recite her inaugural poem, “The Hill We Climb,” during the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremony in Washington, Jan. 20, 2021.
      (DOD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II)
      Wikipedia
    8. Amanda Gorman—Amanda Gorman is an American poet, activist and model known for addressing issues like oppression, feminism, race, and marginalisation. She was the first National Youth Poet Laureate and published The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough in 2015. Gorman gained global fame in 2021 for her poem The Hill We Climb at Joe Biden’s inauguration, leading to best-selling books and a management contract. She was featured in Time magazine’s 100 Next list and became the first poet to perform at the Super Bowl, delivering Chorus of the Captains at Super Bowl LV.
      Ivan Lendl, 1984.
      Wikipedia
    9. Ivan Lendl—Ivan Lendl is a Czech-American former professional tennis player and coach, celebrated as one of the greatest in the sport. He held the world No. 1 ranking for 270 weeks and won 94 singles titles, including eight majors. Lendl is the only player with a match-winning percentage over 90% in five different years and leads head-to-head against rivals Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. Known as the ‘Father Of Modern Tennis’, he pioneered aggressive baseline power tennis. Post-retirement, he coached Andy Murray to three major titles and a world No. 1 ranking.
    10. Stanley Kubrick—Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999) was an acclaimed American filmmaker known for his meticulous attention to detail, innovative cinematography and dark humour. Born in New York City, he developed an early interest in literature, photography, and film, teaching himself filmmaking after high school. Kubrick’s notable works include The Killing, Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. He moved to England in 1961, where he maintained artistic control over his films, often using groundbreaking techniques. Kubrick’s legacy includes numerous award nominations and critical acclaim.
    Production photo of director Stanley Kubrick (left, seated) and actor Tony Curtis (right) on the set of the 1960 film Spartacus.
    Wikipedia
  • Hatches and Despatches

    I am…

    See question 10. Poster for the film Spartacus (1960)
    Wikipedia

    Ten questions about people who were either born or sadly died on the 7 March—each answer will follow these two words: “I am…”

    Question 1. The second man to walk on the Moon.
    Wikipedia
    1. Born today in 1956 in Los Angeles, California, I played the second man to walk on the moon in From the Earth to the Moon (1998). I did voice work on the animated series Family GuyRobot Chicken and SuperMansion. I am…
      • Bryan Cranston
      • Patrick Warburton
      • Hulk Hogan
        Question 2. Monarch of the Glen.
        Wikipedia
    2. Born 7 March 1802, I am British painter and sculptor best known for my paintings of animals such as the Monarch of the Glen (above). I am…
      • Frank Knight
      • Edwin Landseer
      • Langford Monroe
    3. Died today in 1809. I am a French balloonist who, with the American physician John Jeffries, made the first aerial crossing of the English Channel. I am…
      • Jean Pierre Alfred Nadal
      • Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier
      • Jean-Pierre Blanchard
    4. Born today in 1970, I am an actor and appeared as as Evelyn Carnahan in the Hollywood action films The Mummy (1999) and its sequel. I was Tessa Abbott-Quayle in the 2005 film adaptation of John le Carré’s The Constant Gardener. I am…
      • Abigail Cruttenden
      • Olivia d’Abo
      • Rachel Weisz
    5. Born this day in 1952, I am a West Indian cricketer described by Encyclopædia Britannica as “arguably the finest batsman of his generation”. I am…
    6. Born today in 1944, I am a British adventurer and explorer who, as part of the Transglobe Expedition circumnavigated the world via the North and South Pole. I also ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven consecutive days. I am…
      • Benedict Allen
      • Ranulph Fiennes
      • Gino Watkins
        Question 7. Jayne Torville and Christopher Dean, Dancing on Ice, 2011
        Wikipedia
    7. Born 7 March 1875, I am a composer probably best known for
      Boléro (1928) which gained new popular following after featuring in the film 10 (1979) and the 1984 Olympics when used by ice-dancers Torvill and Dean. I am…
      • Antonín Dvořák
      • Maurice Ravel
      • John Philip Sousa
    8. Born this in 1998, I am a poet and activist who gained international fame when I read my poem The Hill We Climb at Joe Biden’s 2021 presidential inauguration. I am…
      • Amanda Gorman
      • Amanda Grayson
      • Amanda Hunsaker
    9. Born today in 1960, I’m a former American tennis player of Czech descent who was very successful in the 1980s and early 1990s. As a right-hander, I was known for my powerful forehand. I won eight Grand Slam titles, including three consecutive US Open championships from 1985 to 1987. I am…
      • Goran Ivanišević
      • Ivan Lendl
      • Ilie Năstase
    10. Died this day in 1999 in England. In 1960, I took over direction of Spartacus, the slave revolt epic set in Ancient Rome; I am also known for my Odyssey. I am…
      • David Lean
      • Stanley Kubrick
      • Otto Preminger

    The births and deaths used in my Hatches and Despatches post were all listed in Encyclopædia Britannica’s Biographies on This Day in History: March 7.

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.

  • Bombshell Birthdays, Trashy Climbers and Hockey Hooligans!—Answers

    Jean Harlow.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. Jean Harlow—Jean Harlow, born Harlean Carpenter in 1911, was the quintessential blonde bombshell of Hollywood’s golden age. Rising to fame during the 1930s, she captivated audiences with her vivacious personality, striking platinum hair, and undeniable talent. Harlow’s career was marked by standout performances in films like Hell’s Angels and Red Dust, where she showcased her comedic timing and magnetic screen presence. Despite her glamorous image, she was known for her down-to-earth nature and warmth. Tragically, Harlow’s life was cut short at the age of 26 due to kidney failure, but her legacy as a pioneering Hollywood icon endures.
      Looking north to Mount Everest.
      Image Wikipedia
    2. 8 kg (17.6 lb)—Nepal’s tourism authority announced a new rule requiring climbers of Mount Everest to return with 8kg (17.6lb) of trash more than they produced during their ascent. This measure aims to address the estimated 50 tons of discarded items left on the mountain.
      Alexander Graham Bell, c1914-1919.
      Image Wikipedia
    3. Edinburgh, Scotland—Alexander Graham Bell, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, was an American inventor and scientist celebrated for his revolutionary contributions to communication. He invented the telephone in 1876 and the phonograph in 1886. Bell’s inventive genius is showcased by 18 patents in his name and 12 shared with collaborators. His patents include 14 for the telephone and telegraph, four for the photophone, one for the phonograph, five for aerial vehicles, four for hydroairplanes, and two for selenium cells. Bell’s work transformed the world by enhancing communication methods.
      Flag, which flew over Fort McHenry following the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812, is said to have inspired Francis Scott Key.
      Image Wikipedia
    4. 1931—The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States, penned by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812. Key, an American lawyer, wrote the lyrics after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, during the Battle of Baltimore. Captivated by the sight of the American flag, the Star-Spangled Banner, still flying over the fort at dawn, he poetically immortalised the resilience and spirit of the American people. The anthem’s stirring words and vivid imagery have since become a symbol of national pride. In 1931, the United States Congress officially designated it as the national anthem.
      Composite photo of 1893 hockey game at the Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal; photo in collection of McCord Museum.
      Image Wikipedia
    5. Montreal—The first recorded public indoor ice hockey game, played in Montreal’s Victoria Skating Rink in 1875, involved two teams of McGill University students. The game’s reputation for violence was already evident as shown by The Daily British Whig of Kingston, Ontario, which reported, the match was marked by “shins and heads being battered, benches smashed, and lady spectators fleeing in confusion.” The McGill University Hockey Club, the first organised team, was formed in 1877; it codified the rules of the game and limited the number of players on each side to nine.
  • Bombshell Birthdays, Trashy Climbers and Hockey Hooligans!

    Marilyn Monroe, 1954.
    Image Wikipedia

    All of the following are connected to 3 March.

    1. An actress born on 3 March 1911 was, according to Encyclopædia Britannica, the original ‘blonde bombshell’; who was she?
      • Jean Harlow
      • Fay Wray
      • Mae West
      Everest Base Camp.
      Image Wikipedia
    2. On this day in 2014, Nepal implemented a system requiring climbers of Mount Everest to return ___ of trash more than they produced during their ascent and descent. Which of these is missing from the previous sentence?
      • 4 kg (8.8 lb)
      • 6 kg (13.2 lb)
      • 8 kg (17.6 lb)
    3. Alexander Graham Bell, inventor and scientist, best known for the invention of the telephone, was born on 3 March 1847. Where was he born?
      • Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada
      • Edinburgh, Scotland
      • Isle of Skye, Scotland
      Flag, which flew over Fort McHenry following the Battle of Baltimore in the War of 1812, is said to have inspired Francis Scott Key.
      Image Wikipedia
    4. The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, was officially adopted by an act of Congress as the official national anthem of the United States on this day in…
      • 1853
      • 1892
      • 1931
    5. The first recorded public indoor ice hockey game took place today in 1875. It was played in the Canadian city of…
      • Montreal
      • Quebec
      • Vancouver

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later today.

  • From Monarch Mishaps to Cosmic Capers! (with some grave robbing in between.)—Answers

    Queen Victoria receiving the news of her accession to the throne, 1837.
    [Image Wikipedia]

    The answers to today’s earlier post about a few events from 2 March are shown in bold below.

    1. Eight—On March 2, 1882, Roderick Maclean, a poet who had apparently been offended by Queen Victoria’s rejection of one of his poems, attempted to assassinate her as her carriage departed Windsor railway station. Gordon Chesney Wilson and another Eton College student struck him with their umbrellas until a policeman intervened and escorted him away. Notably, there were eight attempts to assassinate Victoria, with two separate attempts by the same person. In 1842, while riding in a carriage along The Mall in London, Queen Victoria was shot at by John Francis, but the gun failed to discharge. Francis managed to escape, but the following day, Victoria deliberately drove the same route, albeit faster and with a larger escort, in an attempt to lure Francis into a second attempt and capture him in the act. As anticipated, Francis fired at her, but he was apprehended by plainclothes policemen and subsequently convicted of high treason. His death sentence was commuted to transportation for life.
      Publicity poster for King Kong, 1933.
      [Image Wikipedia]
    2. King Kong—The landmark monster movie King Kong had its world premiere. In addition to pioneering special effects by Willis O’Brien, it was the first significant feature film to star an animated character. The film’s final lines were Police Lieutenant: “Well, Denham, the airplanes got him.” Carl Denham responded: “Oh no, it wasn’t the airplanes. It was beauty that killed the beast.”
      British Airways Concorde G-BOAC, 1986.
      [Image Wikipedia]
    3. Toulouse, France—Concorde was a supersonic airliner developed by the United Kingdom and France, first flying on 2 March 1969. Known for its sleek design and ability to fly at twice the speed of sound, it significantly reduced transatlantic flight times. However, high development costs, environmental concerns like sonic booms, and high operating costs limited its use to transoceanic flights. Only 20 aircraft were built, operated by Air France and British Airways, with service starting in 1976. Despite initial routes to destinations like Bahrain, Rio de Janeiro, Washington, D.C., and New York City, financial losses and competition from subsonic airliners led to route cuts, with New York City becoming the only regular destination. A fatal crash on 25 July 2000, resulting in 113 deaths, led to a temporary grounding. Concorde was retired in 2003, with most aircraft preserved in museums. The program was a significant European cooperative venture but never achieved financial profitability.
      Charlie Chaplin’s grave in Corsier-sur-Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland.
      [Image Wikipedia]
    4. Vaud, Switzerland—In March 1978, Oona Chaplin was informed by police that her husband Charlie Chaplin’s grave in Switzerland had been disturbed and his body stolen. The film star, who had died just months earlier, was taken by two thieves, Roman Wardas and Gantscho Ganev, who demanded a ransom of $600,000, threatening the Chaplins’ children. Oona dismissed the ransom as absurd. The police effectively tracked the thieves, leading to their capture in May. Wardas and Ganev, driven by desperation, had hidden Chaplin’s body in a cornfield. They expressed regret for their crime, which Oona forgave, even exchanging letters with them. Wardas was imprisoned for four years, while Ganev received an 18-month suspended sentence. Charlie Chaplin was reburied with a concrete vault to deter further theft. Though a 2014 film revived interest in the odd incident, his grave has remained undisturbed since.
    5. Czech—Vladimír Remek, the first Czechoslovak in space, is also considered the first EU astronaut. He served in the European Parliament and as Czech Ambassador to Russia.
    Charlie Chaplin, The Tramp, 1915.
    [Image Wikipedia]
  • From Monarch Mishaps to Cosmic Capers! (with some grave robbing in between.)

    All the events referred to are related to 2 March.

    Queen Victoria
    [Image Wikipedia]
    1. On March 2, 1872, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. During her reign, how many such attempts were made on her life?
      • Four
      • Six
      • Eight
    2. Which film, which premiered on this day in the early 20th century, ended with the line “It was Beauty that killed the Beast”?
      • Frankenstein
      • King Kong
      • The Island of Dr. Moreau 
    3. On this day in 1969, the first test flight of the supersonic Concorde took place at…
      • Bristol, England
      • Prestwick, Scotland
      • Toulouse, France.

      Screenshot of Charlie Chaplin in Kid Auto Races at Venice, (1914)
      [Image Wikipedia]
    4. Overnight from the 1st to the 2nd of March, 1978, the coffin of the comic actor Charlie Chaplin, containing his body, was stolen from his grave in…
      • California, USA
      • Vaud, Switzerland
      • Cornwall, England.
    5. On 2 March 1978, an astronaut or cosmonaut made history by becoming the first person of neither American nor Russian nationality to travel in space. What nationality was he?
      • Chinese
      • Canadian
      • Czech

    Good luck, the answers will be posted later today.