Tag: Europe

Here, there and everywhere | Answers

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

View SE from the top level of the Eiffel Tower: the Champ de Mars, with Montparnasse Tower in the distance. The École Militaire is one third down from the top of the picture.
Image Wikipedia (Mattgirling)
  1. On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
    • Champs de Mars, Paris—The Champ de Mars, a large public park in Paris, was originally a military parade ground. It hosted significant events during the French Revolution and later became a site for national expositions and world’s fairs.
      Coat of arms of Moravia.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
    • Moravia—Moravia, a historical region in the Czech Republic, was the centre of the medieval Great Moravian kingdom before becoming part of Bohemia in the 11th century. It later was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and then became part of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic.
      Puente Nuevo de Ronda.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
    • Spain—Ronda, a municipality in Málaga, Andalusia, is known for its cliffside location and deep canyon. It has a population of about 35,000 and is part of the Sierra de las Nieves National Park.
      The Grand Palace, Bangkok.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
    • Bangkok—The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, is a complex of buildings built in 1782 as the official residence of the Thai kings. It covers 2.4 million square feet and includes over 100 buildings, the most notable being the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
      Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
    • Edinburgh, Scotland—Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a city known for its historic Old Town and Neoclassical New Town, both designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city’s complex character, blending reserved exterior with warmth and gaiety, is reflected in its rich history, including religious conflicts, riots and the influence of its intellectual elite during the Neoclassical period of the 18th and 19th centuries. Edinburgh remains a major centre for finance, law, tourism, education and cultural affairs.

Here, there and everywhere

Eiffel Tower
Image Wikipedia

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 6 May.

  1. On 6 May 1889, the Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition, on the…
    • Champs de Mars, Paris
    • Champs de Neptune, Paris
    • Champs de Venus, Paris
  2. Sigmund Freud, a neurologist and psychoanalyst, was born in Freiberg in Mähren (now Příbor) on this day in 1856. His birthplace was in …
    • Carinthia
    • Galicia
    • Moravia
  3. Actor Orson Welles was born today in 1915. He passed away in Los Angeles, California, in 1985, and two years later his ashes were interred at the home of his long-time friend, bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, in Ronda…
    • Ecuador
    • Mexico
    • Spain
  4. Today in 1782, at the command of King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, construction began on the Grand Palace, the royal residence of the King of Siam. The palace was built in…
    • Amman
    • Bangkok
    • Colombo
  5. Tony Blair, British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was born 6 May 1953, in the city of …
    • Cardiff, Wales
    • Edinburgh, Scotland
    • London, England

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

To the Lighthouse | Answers

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

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf.
First edition cover – designed by Vanessa Bell.
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 5 May 1927, the novel To the Lighthouse was published. Who was the English author?
    • Virginia Woolf—Virginia Woolf’s 1927 novel, To the Lighthouse, follows the Ramsay family’s visits to the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The novel explores life through the perspectives of Mrs. Ramsay, Mr. Ramsay and their eight children.
      n A Japanese 10-meter diameter Mulberry paper balloon re-inflated at NAS Moffett Field, CA following its downing by a Navy aircraft about 30 miles west of Alturas, CA on January 10, 1945.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. On this day in 1945, six people picnicking in Oregon were killed in an attack by the Japanese. These were the only deaths by enemy action in the continental United States during World War II. How was the attack launched?
    • Japan launched Fu-Go high-explosive balloon bomb—Fu-Go was an incendiary balloon weapon deployed by Japan against the United States during World War II. The balloons, launched in Japan and carried by the jet stream, were intended to ignite forest fires and spread panic. On 5 May 1945, six civilians, including four boys and two women, were killed near Bly, Oregon, when they discovered a balloon bomb in Fremont National Forest. This was the only fatality from Axis action in the continental US during World War II.
      Adele.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Born today in 1988, this singer-songwriter has won 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Who is she?
    • Adele—Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, known as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter. Her albums, including 21 and 25, are among the best-selling of the 21st century, with 25 breaking first-week sales records in the UK and US. Adele has won numerous awards, including 16 Grammys and an Academy Award.
      Jonathan, the tortoise at Plantation House, Saint Helena, 2021.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Napoleon Bonaparte died on 5 May 1821, while in exile on the island of Saint Helena. Which is where?
    • South Atlantic Ocean—Napoleon I was exiled to St. Helena, a remote British overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, after his second abdication in 1815. He spent his final years in isolation at Longwood House, dying in 1821 from a stomach ulcer. On a cheerier note, Saint Helena is home to the world’s oldest land animal…

      The oldest known living terrestrial animal is Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea hololissa), originally from the Seychelles but now a long-time resident of the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena. He is believed to have been born c. 1832, thus making him 192 years old in 2024. Guinness World Records

  5. On 5th May, rebel barons in England renounced their allegiance to King John, a pivotal event leading to the Magna Carta. In which year did this occur?
    • 1215—During the 12th century, English kings issued charters promising liberties and good government to nobles and clergy. However, King John, facing challenges from his nephew and France, did not issue a general charter upon his accession. This, coupled with increased taxes and conflicts with the church, led to baronial unrest and demands for a formal grant of liberties.
King John of England, 1167-1216.
Illuminated manuscript, De Rege Johanne, 1300-1400.
MS Cott. Claud DII, folio 116, British Library.
Image Wikipedia

To the Lighthouse

Tower of Hercules, an ancient Roman lighthouse in A Coruña, Spain
Image Wikipedia

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 5 May.

  1. On 5 May 1927, the novel To the Lighthouse was published. Who was the English author?
    • Hazel Adair
    • Margaret Jepson
    • Virginia Woolf
  2. On this day in 1945, six people picnicking in Oregon were killed in an attack by the Japanese. These were the only deaths by enemy action in the continental United States during World War II. How was the attack launched?
    • Carrier_launched Aichi D3A dive-bomber
    • Gunfire from a surfaced I-15 submarine‘s deck gun
    • Japan launched Fu-Go high-explosive balloon bomb
  3. Born today in 1988, this singer-songwriter has won 16 Grammy Awards, 12 Brit Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Who is she?
    • Adele
    • Shura
    • Rhianna (Kenny)
  4. Napoleon Bonaparte died on 5 May 1821, while in exile on the island of Saint Helena. Which is where?
    • Mediterranean Sea
    • North Atlantic Ocean
    • South Atlantic Ocean
  5. On 5th May, rebel barons in England renounced their allegiance to King John, a pivotal event leading to the Magna Carta. In which year did this occur?
    • 1015
    • 1215
    • 1415

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

True or false | Answers

Below are the questions from earlier today with the correct answers shown in bold.

Anne Boleyn.
Image Wikipedia
  1. Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on 2 May 1536. True or false, one of the charges she faced was witchcraft.
    • TRUE—Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on charges of adultery, incest, treason and witchcraft.
      Baron Manfred von Richthofen. Image Wikipedia
      Oberleutnant Hermann Göring, the final Kommandeur of Jagdgeschwader I. Image Wikipedia
  2. Manfred, Baron von Richthofen, born on 2 May 1892, became Germany’s top fighter ace in World War I until he was killed in action. True or false, he was eventually succeeded as commander of his fighter group by future Nazi leader Hermann Göring.
    • TRUE—Manfred von Richthofen, aka Baron von Richthofen or the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot during World War I. He is considered the ace-of-aces of the war and officially credited with 80 air combat victories. Hermann Göring, himself a veteran World War I fighter pilot ace, served as the last commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG I), the fighter wing—Flying Circus—once led by Manfred von Richthofen. In the above photo Göring is holding a walking stick (the Geschwader-Stock) passed down from von Richthofen.
      A BOAC de Havilland Comet jet airliner, en route to Johannesburg from London, breaks its journey at Entebbe Airport, Uganda. 1952
      Image Wikipedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/BOAC_Comet_1952_Entebbe.jpg
  3. On this day in 1952, the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers took place. True or false, this flight was from Seattle, Washington to Washington DC.
    • FALSE—The de Havilland DH.106 Comet, the world’s first commercial jet airliner, entered service in 1952 with a flight from London, England to Johannesburg, South Africa. However, within a year, three Comets were lost in catastrophic mid-flight accidents.
      Catherine the Great.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was born today in 1729. True or false, she was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
    • TRUE—Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, was born in Prussia in the Holy Roman Empire. She oversaw a cultural and scientific renaissance, expanding the empire through conquest and diplomacy. Her reign, marked by Enlightenment ideals, saw the founding of new cities, universities, and theatres, as well as the colonisation of Alaska and the annexation of the Crimean Khanate. Despite her modernising efforts, serfdom persisted, leading to rebellions.
      James VI and I.
      (James VI of Scotland and I of England)
      Image Wikipedia
  5. The King James Version of the Bible was first published on 2 May; True or false, the year of this first publication was1661.
    • FALSE—The King James Version, commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611, is an Early Modern English translation of the Christian Bible. It is considered one of the most important books in English culture and a driving force in shaping the English-speaking world.

True of false

Jadstaffel 11: The Red Barons Squadron
Image Wikipedia

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 2 May.

  1. Anne Boleyn was arrested and imprisoned on 2 May 1536. True or false, one of the charges she faced was witchcraft.
  2. Manfred, Baron von Richthofen, born on 2 May 1892, became Germany’s top fighter ace in World War I until he was killed in action. True or false, he was eventually succeeded as commander of his fighter group by future Nazi leader Hermann Göring.
  3. On this day in 1952, the first jetliner flight with fare-paying passengers took place. True or false, this flight was from Seattle, Washington to Washington DC.
  4. Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, was born today in 1729. True or false, she was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
  5. The King James Version of the Bible was first published on 2 May; True or false, the year of this first publication was 1661.

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Game of thrones

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

Queen Juliana.
4 September 1948 — 30 April 1980.
Image Wikipedia
Queen Beatrix.
30 April 1980 — 30 April 2013.
Image Wikipedia
King Willem-Alexander.
30 April 2013 — incumbent.
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 30 April 2013, Willem-Alexander became king of the Netherlands after his mother’s abdication. Who was his mother?
    • Beatrix—see #2 below.
  2. Willem—Alexander’s mother (see question 1) had became queen on 30 April 1980, on the abdication of her mother. Who was the Dutch queen who abdicated in 1980?
    • Juliana—Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 to 1980, managed the decolonisation of the Dutch East Indies and Suriname before abdicating in favour of her daughter Beatrix in 1980. Juliana passed away in 2004 at the age of 94. Beatrix, born in 1938, reigned from 1980 to 2013, during which time the Netherlands experienced significant changes in its Caribbean territories, including Aruba’s secession and the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. She abdicated in favour of her son, Willem-Alexander, in 2013.
      King Carl XVI Gustaf.
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus, who was born on 30 April 1946, has been king of where since 1973?
    • Sweden—Carl XVI Gustaf, born in 1946, is the longest-reigning King of Sweden, having ascended to the throne in 1973. He married Silvia Sommerlath in 1976 and has three children: Victoria, Carl Philip and Madeleine
      King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. Today in 1492, Christopher Columbus was given his commission of exploration. Which monarchs issued this commission?
    • King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile—After Ferdinand and Isabella conquered Granada they initially believed Columbus’s proposal to sail westwards to the Indies implausible but Ferdinand convinced Isabella to support Columbus’s voyage, promising him titles, revenues and commercial interests in the new lands he might discover.
      Wives of Henry VIII.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. Nothing to do with the date. England’s Henry VIII and how many of his wives were related by a single common ancestor?
    • Henry VIII plus six of his wives—were descended from Edward I of England. Henry VIII, born on 28 June 1491, reigned as King of England from 1509 to 1547. Known for his six marriages, he sought to annul his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon, leading to the English Reformation. Declaring himself Supreme Head of the Church of England, he dissolved convents and monasteries, resulting in excommunication. Legal attempts failed, with Cardinal Campeggio thwarting a trial in 1529, leading to Wolsey’s downfall. Thomas More, opposing the divorce, succeeded Wolsey but couldn’t resolve the issue. Thomas Cromwell emerged in 1532, orchestrating the church’s separation from Rome, allowing Henry to marry Anne Boleyn and have his first marriage annulled.

Game of thrones

Here are a few questions (most of) which are related to today’s date, 30 April.

Willem-Alexander
Image Wikipedia
  1. On 30 April 2013, Willem-Alexander became king of the Netherlands after his mother’s abdication. Who was his mother? Annie—Beatrix—Catharina
  2. Willem-Alexander’s mother (see question 1) had became queen on 30 April 1980, on the abdication of her mother. Who was the Dutch queen who abdicated in 1980? Jasmijn—Jolanda—Juliana
  3. Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus, who was born on 30 April 1946, has been king of where since 1973? Denmark—Belgium—Sweden
  4. Today in 1492, Christopher Columbus was given his commission of exploration. Which monarchs issued this commission? King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile—Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Empress Eleanor of Portugal—King Manuel I the fortunate and Queen Isabella of Aragon
    Henry VIII.
    Image Wikipedia
  5. Nothing to do with the date. England’s Henry VIII and how many of his wives were related by a single common ancestor? Henry VIII plus two of his wives—Henry VIII plus four of his wives—Henry VIII plus six of his wives

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

From Springfield to the Führerbunker | Answers

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

Marshal Matt Dillon, Gunsmoke.
Image Wikipedia
  1. The Simpsons aired its 636th episode on 29 April 2018, becoming the longest-running scripted prime-time show in the US. What show had held the record until then?
    • Gunsmoke—The Simpsons, created by Matt Groening, became the longest-running American scripted primetime television series in 2009–2010 and surpassed Gunsmoke as the show with the most episodes in 2018. It is also the highest-ranking animated series on TV Time’s top 50 most followed shows. The show, which centres on the dysfunctional Simpson family in the fictional town of Springfield, has significantly influenced popular culture by introducing catchphrases and expanding into comic books, video games and a feature film.
      Jeanne d’Arc at the Siege of Orléans by Jules Eugène Lenepveu, painted 1886–
      1890.
      Image Wikipedia
  2. On today’s date in 1429, Joan of Arc and her troops relieved what besieged city?
    • Orléans—The siege of Orléans, a crucial event in the Hundred Years’ War, began with English forces under Thomas de Montacute, earl of Salisbury, attempting to capture the French city. Following Salisbury’s death, William de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, took over the siege. However, the arrival of Joan of Arc in April 1429 forced the English to abandon the siege, marking a turning point that allowed the French to regain momentum and recapture lost territories.
      Obersalzberg- Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun with dogs (German Shepherd Dog “Blondi”?) at the Berghof, 1942
      Image Wikipedia
  3. Who did Adolf Hitler marry on 29 April 1945?
    • Eva Braun—In April 1945, Eva Braun defied Hitler’s orders to join him in Berlin, determined to remain with him until the end. In recognition of her loyalty, Hitler married her in a civil ceremony in the Chancellery bunker on April 29. The following day, as the situation in Berlin worsened, both Hitler and Braun committed suicide. Hitler either poisoned or shot himself, and Braun took poison. Their bodies were subsequently burned.
      Captain James Cook
      Portrait by William Hodges.
      Image Wikipedia
  4. On this date in 1770, which explorer arrived in and named Botany Bay in Australia?
    • James Cook—Endeavour continued northwards along the coastline, keeping the land in sight. As Cook charted and named landmarks, the crew made their first landfall on the continent on 29 April at a beach now known as Silver Beach on Botany Bay (Kamay Botany Bay National Park).
      Jerry Seinfeld, Late Show 2019.
      Image Wikipedia
  5. Jerry Seinfeld, the star of the TV show Seinfeld, was born on April 29, 1954. Where was he born?
    • Brooklyn, New York, NY—Jerry Seinfeld, an American comedian, actor, writer and producer from Brooklyn, New York, is renowned for his observational humour. He rose to fame with the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, which he co-created with Larry David and starred in from 1989 to 1998. The show became a landmark in American popular culture and a cultural phenomenon, showcasing Seinfeld’s unique comedic style. Since then, he has created and produced several other series and films.

From Springfield to the Führerbunker

Here are a few questions which are related to today’s date, 29 April.

Joan of Arc
Image Wikipedia
  1. The Simpsons aired its 636th episode on 29 April 2018, becoming the longest-running scripted prime-time show in the US. What show had held the record until then?
    • Family Guy
    • Grey’s Anatomy
    • Gunsmoke
  2. On today’s date in 1429, Joan of Arc and her troops relieved what besieged city?
    • Orléans
    • Reims
    • Tours
  3. Who did Adolf Hitler marry on 29 April 1945?
    • Eva Braun
    • Elke Grün
    • Ella Schwarz
  4. On this date in 1770, which explorer arrived in and named Botany Bay in Australia?
    • James Cook
    • Willem Janszoon
    • Abel Tasman
  5. Jerry Seinfeld, the star of the TV show Seinfeld, was born on April 29, 1954. Where was he born?
    • Bethesda, Maryland
    • Indianapolis, Indiana
    • Brooklyn, New York

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.