Tag: Europe

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.

THX1138
Image Encyclopædia Britannica
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

THX1138
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

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

  1. THX 1138 (1971) was the directorial debut of which filmmaker, who was born on 14 May 1944?
    • George Lucas
    • Steven Spielberg
    • Robert Zemeckis
  2. 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
  3. On 14 May 1925, the novel Mrs Dalloway was published. Who was the author?
    • Virginia Plain
    • Virginia Rogers
    • Virginia Woolf
  4. John Eric Bartholomew was born today in 1926. Which comedian/actor is he better known as?
    • Eric Idle
    • Eric Morecambe
    • Eric Sykes
  5. 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.

Main St. to Westminster Abbey via the North Pole | Answers

Exile on Main St. Rolling Stones.
Image Pinterest.
  1. Exile on Main St., a double album was released on 12 May 1972 by…
    • Rolling Stones—Exile on Main St. is the Rolling Stones’ tenth studio album, released in 1972. The album, recorded in France and Los Angeles, features a mix of blues, rock and roll, swing, country and gospel influences. It is considered a pivotal hard rock album and is often regarded as the Rolling Stones’ best work.
      Norge airship.
      Image Wikipedia
  1. The first verified flight over the North Pole took place on this date in 1926. The flight was made in a…
    • Semirigid airship—The Norge, an Italian-built airship, completed the first verified flight to the North Pole on 12 May 1926. The expedition, led by Roald Amundsen and funded by Lincoln Ellsworth, was the first to fly over the polar ice cap between Europe and America.
      Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
      Portrait by Richard Stone
      Image Wikipedia
  2. On 12 May 1937, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned. George had been king since December 1936, following his brother Edward VIII’s abdication. Prior to Edward’s abdication, the new king and queen were known by what titles?
    • Duke and Duchess of York—George VI, born Albert, and titled Duke of York, became king after his brother Edward VIII abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson.. He led the UK through World War II, symbolising British determination. He died in 1952, his daughter becoming Queen Elizabeth II. His widowed consort, now styled Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, lived for a further 50 years.
      During the Berlin Airlift in 1948, U.S., British, and French planes delivered food and other goods to Berlin, which was blockaded by Soviet forces. In this photo, German children stand on a hillside and watch a U.S. plane fly overhead.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. On this day in 1949, the Soviet Union lifted its blockade of…
    • Berlin—The Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin in 1948–49, cutting off all land and water access. The Western Allies responded with the Berlin Airlift, supplying West Berlin by air for nearly a year until the Soviets lifted the blockade.
      Florence Nightingale, an angel of mercy. Crimean War: Florence Nightingale with her candle making the night round of the wards at Scutari hospital.
      Coloured mezzotint, c. 1855, by Tomkins after Butterworth.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Three English people are listed, but one was born while her parents were on an extended honeymoon in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Can you identify which one?
    • Florence Nightingale, nurse and social reformer—Florence Nightingale, an English social reformer and statistician, revolutionised modern nursing. During the Crimean War, she led a team of nurses in Scutari, Turkey, improving hospital conditions and reducing mortality rates. Her dedication, known as the “Lady with the Lamp,” earned her international acclaim and led to the establishment of the first scientifically based nursing schools.
Mission of Mercy: Florence Nightingale receiving the Wounded at Scutari.
(Jerry Barrett, 1857)
Image National Portrait Gallery, London/Wikipedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Nightingale_receiving_the_Wounded_at_Scutari_by_Jerry_BarrettFXD.jpg

Main St. to Westminster Abbey via the North Pole

George VI and Elizabeth, coronation portrait.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Exile on Main Street, a double album, was released on 12 May 1972 by…
    • Bob Dylan
    • Chicago
    • Rolling Stones
  1. The first verified flight over the North Pole took place on this date in 1926. The flight was made in a…
    • Fokker bi-plane
    • Hot air Balloon
    • Semirigid airship
  2. On 12 May 1937, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned. George had been king since December 1936, following his brother Edward VIII’s abdication. Prior to Edward’s abdication, the new king and queen were known by what titles?
    • Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh
    • Duke and Duchess of Sussex
    • Duke and Duchess of York
  3. On this day in 1949, the Soviet Union lifted its blockade of…
    • Baghdad
    • Baku
    • Berlin
  4. Of the three English people listed one was born while their parents were on an extended honeymoon in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Can you identify which one?
    • Edward Lear, poet and illustrator
    • Florence Nightingale, nurse and social reformer
    • Dante Gabriel Rossetti, poet and painter

Legs 11 | Answers

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

Statue of Constantine the Great in the Capitoline museums.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Where, on 11 May 330, was dedicated as the “New Rome”? Byzantium—Constantine the Great renamed Byzantium as “New Rome” in 330 CE, later changing it to Constantinople. The city, founded in 657 BCE, was officially renamed Istanbul in the 20th century.
    Rhinoceros. Salvador Dali.
    Image Wikipedia
  2. Which Spanish artist born today in 1904, at Figueras, Spain, also died there in 1989? Salvador Dali—Salvador Dalí was a Spanish surrealist artist known for his technical skill and striking, bizarre images. He joined the Surrealist group in 1929 and achieved commercial success in the United States in the 1940s. Dalí’s work influenced Surrealism, pop art and contemporary artists.
    Entrance to the German death camp Auschwitz I in Poland. The sign “Arbeit macht frei” translates as “Work makes you free”.
    Image Wikipedia
  3. Former senior Nazi official Adolf Eichmann was captured by Israeli intelligence agents on 11 May 1960. Near what capital city was he captured? Buenos Aires, Argentina—Otto Adolf Eichmann, a German-Austrian Nazi official, was a key organiser of the Holocaust. He participated in the Wannsee Conference, where the Final Solution was planned, and oversaw the mass deportation of Jews to extermination camps. After the war, he escaped to Argentina but was captured by Mossad in 1960 and tried in Israel, where he was convicted and executed.
    Gary Kasparov vs Deep Blue, IBM Computer
    Encyclopædia Britannica
  4. On this day in 1997, Garry Kasparov was defeated in the final game of a six-game chess match. Which computer defeated him? Deep Blue—Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, was the first to defeat a reigning world champion under regular time controls. It first played Garry Kasparov in 1996, losing the match, but won a rematch in 1997.
    Gordon Brown.
    Image Wikipedia
  5. 11 May 2010, saw the resignation of which British prime minister? Gordon Brown—James Gordon Brown, a British politician, served as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. Prior to this, he was Chancellor of the Exchequer under Tony Blair, overseeing significant economic reforms and the longest period of economic growth in British history. After leaving office, Brown continued to serve as an MP and later became a UN Special Envoy and WHO Ambassador.

Legs 11

Here are some questions related to today, 11 May.

Adolf Eichmann.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Where, on 11 May 330, was dedicated as the “New Rome”?
    • Avignon
    • Byzantium
    • Cordoba
  1. Which Spanish artist born today in 1904, at Figueras, Spain, also died there in 1989?
    • Salvador Dali
    • Francisco Goya
    • Pablo Picasso
  2. Former senior Nazi official Adolf Eichmann was captured by Israeli intelligence agents on 11 May 1960. Near what capital city was he captured?
    • Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Brasilia, Brazil
    • Santiago, Chile
  3. On this day in 1997, Garry Kasparov was defeated in the final game of a six-game chess match. Which computer defeated him?
    • Deep Blue
    • Deep Mind
    • Deep Thought
  4. 11 May 2010, saw the resignation of which British prime minister?
    • Gordon Brown
    • David Cameron
    • Tony Blair

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Miscellany | Answers

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

Bikini Atoll.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Bikini Atoll is in which island group?
    • Marshall Islands—Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands was used by the United States for atomic bomb testing from 1946 to 1958, contaminating the atoll and forcing the relocation of its 166 native inhabitants. Despite cleanup efforts, radiation levels remain too high for resettlement, though tourism is permitted.
      Bluetooth logo
      Image Wikipedia
  2. Which king is credited with the unification of Denmark?
    • Harald Bluetooth—ruled Denmark from c. 958 to c. 986, during which time he unified the various tribes, introduced Christianity and consolidated his power. His rule in Norway was brief, likely lasting only a few years in the 970s. The Bluetooth wireless specification would unite devices and so was named after Harald, who united the tribes of Denmark. The Bluetooth logo incorporates his initials, H and B, in Younger Futhark bind runes.
  3. The word “Pundit” comes from which language where it means “learned man”?
    • Sanskrit—A pundit is an expert who offers authoritative opinions on a particular subject area, typically through the mass media. The term originates from the Sanskrit word “pandit,” meaning “learned man,” and has historical roots in India, referring to scholars and advisors to the king.
      One of Princess Anne’s Reliant Scimitar GTE’s— she had eight apparently!
      Classicyorkshire.co.uk
  4. A Scimitar GTE sports car was given to Princess Anne by her parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as a 20th birthday present in 1970. Which British car manufacturer launched this model in 1968?
    • Reliant—a British company commonly known for their three-wheeled Robin produced this sports car from 1964 to 1986, during which time it evolved from a coupe to a sports estate and convertible. It featured a fibreglass body on a steel chassis and Ford engines. The Reliant Scimitar SE5, a sports estate hatchback, was designed in under a year and featured a new chassis, suspension, and fuel system. It was powered by a 3.0-litre Ford Essex engine and could reach over 120 mph. The SE5 was a success, with 4,311 units produced, and Princess Anne received one as a birthday present and reportedly owned eight or nine in total.
      Pipe-weed.
      Image lots.fandom.com
  5. Two of these are real plants and one fictional, what is the fictional one?
    • Pipe-weed—is a fictional strain of tobacco from JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth, with varieties such as Longbottom Leaf, Old Toby, Southern Star and Southlinch. In contrast, Polecat weed, also known as Symplocarpus foetidus or skunk cabbage, is a real low-growing plant found in eastern North American wetlands, characterised by its bruised leaves that emit a skunk-like odour. Additionally, Colic weed encompasses species like Aletris, Corydalis flavula and Dicentra.
Merry and Pippin smoking pipe-weed.
Image Pinterest

Miscellany

Here are some questions with no link to anything other than general miscellany.

Scimitar GTE.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Bikini Atoll is in which island group?
    • Marshall Islands
    • Solomon Islands
    • Wallis and Futuna Islands
  2. Which king is credited with the unification of Denmark?
    • Harald Greycloak
    • Harald Bluetooth
    • Sweyn Forkbeard
  3. The word “Pundit” comes from which language where it means “learned man”?
    • Mesopotamian
    • Egyptian
    • Sanskrit
  4. A Scimitar GTE sports car was given to Princess Anne by her parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as a 20th birthday present in 1970. Which British car manufacturer had launched this model in 1968 ?
    • Jaguar
    • Lotus
    • Reliant
  5. Two of these are real plants and one fictional, what is the fictional one?
    • Pipe-weed
    • Colic weed
    • Polecat weed

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

The Cult of… What? | Answers

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

Portrait of Maximilien de Robespierre, c. 1790.
Anonymous, Musée Carnavalet, Paris.
Image Wikipedia
  1. 1. On 7 May 1794, the Cult of the Supreme Being was introduced by …
    • Maximilien Robespierre—a French lawyer and statesman, was a prominent figure in the French Revolution. He advocated for universal male suffrage, abolition of the slave trade, and other progressive policies. Robespierre, a Deist, disapproved of the anti-Christian movement and advocated for a civic religion centred around the Supreme Being.
      Mary, Queen of Scots.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. The burning of Edinburgh by an English army on this day in 1544, was the first action in the…
    • Rough wooing—Henry VIII’s final years saw wars in France and Scotland, including the Rough Wooing, a brutal conflict aimed at breaking the Auld Alliance and forcing a marriage alliance between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Edward, Prince of Wales.
      Honda Ishirō at the National Museum of Nature and Science, in Tokyo, during the filming of Frankenstein Conquers the World.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. The Japanese film director best known for his Godzilla movies was born 7 May 1911, in Asahi, Yamagata, Japan. He was…
    • Honda Ishirō—a Japanese filmmaker, directed Godzilla and its sequels, sparking Japan’s kaijū eiga craze. After directing over 40 films, he returned to assisting Akira Kurosawa.
      Official portrait of President Juan Domingo Perón accompanied with the First Lady, María Eva Duarte de Perón, ”Evita”, 1948.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. María Eva Duarte was born today in 1919, who did she become better known as…
    • Evita—Eva Perón, or Evita, was an Argentine politician, activist, actress and philanthropist who served as First Lady from 1946 until her death in 1952. She championed women’s suffrage, founded the Female Peronist Party, and ran the Ministries of Labour and Health.
      “Our submarine boats in the harbour”
      (German caption), 1914.
      U-20, which sank RMS Lusitania, is second from left in front row.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. On 7 May 1915, a German submarine sank a British ocean liner. The sinking resulted in the loss of 1,198 lives and played a part in the entry of the United States into World War I. The ocean liner was the…
    • Lusitania—The sinking of the British ocean liner Lusitania by a German U-boat in 1915, killing 1,198 people including 128 Americans, increased American support for entering World War I.
RMS Lusitania, New York.
Image Wikipedia

The Cult of… What?

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 7 May.

Godzilla in Godzilla, 1954
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 7 May 1794, the Cult of the Supreme Being was introduced by …
    • Cardinal Richelieu
    • Maximilien Robespierre
    • Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  2. The burning of Edinburgh by an English army on this day in 1544, was the first action in the…
    • Harsh courting
    • Rough wooing
    • Tough pursuing
  3. The Japanese film director best known for his Godzilla movies was born 7 May 1911, in Asahi, Yamagata, Japan. He was…
    • Honda Ishirō
    • Nissán Kenji
    • Toyota Masaki
  4. María Eva Duarte was born today in 1919, who did she become better known as…
    • Annie
    • Evita
    • May
  5. On 7 May 1915, a German submarine sank a British ocean liner. The sinking resulted in the loss of 1,198 lives and played a part in the entry of the United States into World War I. The ocean liner was the …
    • Aquitania
    • Lusitania
    • Mauretania

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.