Cream of the Crop | Answers

The Dirty Mac.
Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Mitch Mitchell and Keith Richards performing in the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968.
(Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg in the foreground.)
Wikipedia

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below..

  1. The Dirty Mac—The Dirty Mac, a supergroup featuring John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Mitch Mitchell, performed Yer Blues and Whole Lotta Yoko on The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968. The special, featuring other notable acts, was not released until 1996.
  2. Jodie Foster—On 30 March 1981, John Hinckley Jr. shot and wounded US President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C. Reagan underwent emergency surgery and recovered, while White House press secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and D.C. police officer Thomas Delahanty were also injured. Driven by erotomania and an obsession with Jodie Foster, Hinckley attempted to assassinate the President to impress her. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and spent time in a psychiatric hospital until 2016, when he was released to the care of his mother and under supervision. He was granted an unconditional release in 2022.
    Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia.
    Wikipedia
  3. Alexander II—In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million. The purchase, negotiated by Secretary of State William H. Seward, was ratified by the Senate in May and became effective in October. Despite initial scepticism, Alaska became a state in 1959.
    Glamis Castle.
    Wikipedia
  4. Glamis Castle—Glamis Castle, in Angus, Scotland, is the ancestral home of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. It has been the Lyon family residence since the 14th century, and it holds significant historical importance as the childhood home of Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, better known as Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Notably, it was also the birthplace of her youngest daughter, Princess Margaret in 1930.
  5. Berwick-upon-Tweed—a border town between England and Scotland, changed hands 13 times before being surrendered to England in 1482. Its ramparts, originally built by Edward I and rebuilt by Elizabeth I, are in good repair.
19th-century engraving of Berwick Castle by William Miller after J. M. W. Turner, with Berwick Old Bridge from 1624 in the background.
Wikipedia

Cream of the Crop

Eric Clapton.
Wikipedia

All of the following have a connection to today, 30 March.

  1. On this day in 1945, British rock musician Eric Clapton was born. In 1968, Clapton appeared in a temporary supergroup with John Lennon. Which of the following was the name of the supergroup?
    • The Dirty Mac
    • The Dirty Look
    • The Dirty Laundry
  2. On this day in 1981, President Ronald Reagan was the victim of a failed assassination attempt by John Hinckley, Jr. An obsession with whom was the motivation behind Hinckley’s attack on the President?
    • Carrie Fisher
    • Jane Fonda
    • Jodie Foster
  3. William H. Seward, the Secretary of State under U.S. President Andrew Johnson, signed the Alaska Purchase on 30th March. This treaty ceded Russian North America to the United States. Who was the Russian Tsar at the time of the purchase?
    • Alexander II
    • Catherine II
    • Nicholas II
  4. Today in 2025, Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, passed away in her sleep at Windsor at the age of 101. She was the queen consort of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1936 to 1952 and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II. Where was her childhood home and the birthplace of her second daughter, Princess Margaret?
    • Edinburgh Castle
    • Glamis Castle
    • Eilean Donan Castle
  5. On this day in 1296, England’s King Edward I sacked a town that had changed hands over a dozen times from the 12th to the 15th century. Which town was it?
    • Carlisle
    • Kelso
    • Berwick-upon-Tweed
Edward I of England.
Wikipedia

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

March 29th Mind Benders: Fart Powder to Firsts in the White House! | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.

Jo Nesbø.
Wikipedia
  1. Jo Nesbø—a Norwegian author and musician, is best known for his crime novels featuring Inspector Harry Hole. He has also written children’s books, including Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder and a retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
    Map of Newfoundland by Vincenzo Coronelli, 1692.
    Library of Congress/Wikipedia
  2. Newfoundland—The British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada were united as the new Dominion of Canada. At the same time, the Province of Canada was split into Ontario and Quebec. Newfoundland did not become a Canadian province until 31 March 1949.
    John Major, 1993. Wikipedia
  3. John Major—a British politician, served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997, leading the Conservative Party and overseeing the UK’s negotiations over the Maastricht Treaty. Despite an economic recovery, his government faced unpopularity and lost the 1997 general election to the Labour Party. His father had been a circus performer and music hall entertainer.
    A terracotta general.
    Wikipedia
  4. 210–209 BCE—The Terracotta Army, a collection of life-size sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, was discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong County, China. The figures, dating from the late 200s BCE, include warriors, chariots, and horses, and are estimated to number over 8,000.
  5. John Tyler—Born on 29 March 1790, John Tyler served as President from 1841 to 1845, taking office upon the death of President William Henry Harrison. Tragically, First Lady Letitia Tyler became the first president’s wife to die in the White House. In 1844, Tyler made history by marrying Julia Gardiner, becoming the first president to marry while in office.
John Tyler.
Wikipedia

March 29th Mind Benders: Fart Powder to Firsts in the White House!

Terracotta Army.
Wikipedia

All of the following are connected to today’s date, 29 March.

  1. Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder, originally published in 2007, was the first children’s book by which author whose birthday it is today?
    • Henning Mankell
    • Jo Nesbø
    • Dag Solstad
  2. On this day in 1867, the British North America Act united colonies in a new Dominion of Canada. Which of these was NOT included in this new Dominion?
    • Newfoundland
    • Nova Scotia
    • New Brunswick
  3. A former British prime minister who was born this day, wrote a book about the history of cricket, More Than a Game: The Story of Cricket’s Early Years and another about music hall, My Old Man: A Personal History of Music Hall. Who is this prime minister?
    • John Major
    • Tony Blair
    • Gordon Brown
  4. The Terracotta Army, a collection of life-size sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, was discovered in 1974 by local farmers in Lintong County, China. The figures date from when?
    • 210–209 BCE
    • 406–407 CE
    • 1153–1154 CE
  5. A US President born on this day holds the distinction of being connected to two firsts during his tenure in office. Tragically, his wife became the first First Lady to pass away within the White House walls. A few years later, he made history as the first president to marry while in office. Can you identify this president?
    • John Tyler
    • James Buchanan
    • Millard Fillmore
Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder,
Front cover (cropped).

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Quirky Queries: A Journey Through Art, History and Curiosities | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.

Ecstasy of St Teresa.
Wikipedia
  1. Bernini—Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, depicting Teresa of Ávila’s mystical experience is in the Cornaro Chapel in Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome. The chapel was commissioned by Federigo Cardinal Cornaro and St. Teresa is surrounded by sculptures of the cardinal and his family. Teresa of Ávila was born 28 March 1515.
    Istanbul.
    Wikipedia
  2. Istanbul—Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, was the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Located on a peninsula between Europe and Asia, it has been a strategic city for over 2,500 years. The city’s name evolved from Byzantium to Constantinople, and finally to Istanbul in 1930.
    Virginia Woolf. Wikipedia
  3. Virginia Woolf—Virginia Woolf, an English writer, is known for her novels, essays, and letters. Her works, including Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, influenced the genre through their non-linear narrative.
    Three Mile Island on the Susquehanna
    River.
    Wikipedia
  4. Susquehanna River—The Three Mile Island accident near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1979 was the most serious nuclear power accident in US history. A valve malfunction caused a partial core meltdown, but fortunately, radioactive gases did not pose a threat to the surrounding population.
  5. Spanish Civil War—The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was a conflict between the Nationalists, supported by Italy and Germany, and the Republicans, aided by the Soviet Union and International Brigades. The Nationalists, led by General Francisco Franco, emerged victorious, establishing a dictatorship that lasted until his death in 1975.
General Francisco Franco.
Wikipedia

Quirky Queries: A Journey Through Art, History and Curiosities

All of today’s questions relate to 28 March.

Ecstasy of St Teresa
Wikipedia
  1. The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, shown above, is in the Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome. Whose work is the sculpture?
    • Bernini
    • Donatello
    • Michelangelo
  2. This city, dating back to c657 BCE, underwent name changes under the Romans in the 4th century and again in 1930. Can you name it?
    • Baghdad
    • Istanbul
    • Sofia
  3. This author, who passed away on this day in 1941, is best known for her novels Mrs. Dalloway (1925) and To the Lighthouse (1927). Who is she?
    • Rebecca West
    • Katherine Mansfield
    • Virginia Woolf
  4. The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant experienced an accident on 28 March 1979 that resulted in radioactive leakage. On what river does the plant stand?
    • Atchafalaya River
    • Susquehanna River
    • Willamette River
  5. On this day in 1939, General Franco, the leader of the Nationalist forces during a civil war, captured his nation’s capital city. This was one of the last events before he declared victory. What civil war?
    • Austrian Civil War
    • Greek Civil War
    • Spanish Civil War

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Three Mile Island nuclear generating station, 1979.
Wikipedia

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How II | Answers

Here are the answers to my earlier post.

Calvin Coolidge.
Wikipedia
  1. Calvin Coolidge—was US President on the 26 March 1925. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th US President, served from 1923 to 1929. He is known for his small-government conservatism, taciturn personality, and support for racial equality. Coolidge oversaw economic growth during the “Roaring Twenties” but is criticised for failing to address economic inequality and for his potential role in the Great Depression.
  2. World War I—The First Battle of Gaza, fought on 26 March 1917, was a British defeat during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I. The British Desert Column, nearing capture of Gaza, withdrew due to darkness and Ottoman reinforcements.
  3. 2000—Vladimir Putin, a former KGB officer, has served as President of Russia since 2012, with previous terms from 2000 to 2008. His rule has been marked by economic growth, military conflicts, authoritarian tendencies, and human rights violations. Putin’s actions have led to international sanctions and a war crimes warrant.
    Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat with U.S. president Jimmy Carter at Camp David in September 1978.
    Wikipedia
  4. Camp David, Maryland—the Camp David Accord was reached the previous September (1978) when President Carter hosted Egypt’s President Sadat and Israel’s Prime Minister Begin at his Maryland retreat.
  5. They believed a spacecraft was arriving to take them as immortal extraterrestrials to a better place
  6. 16-years

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How II

Kremlin, Moscow.
Wikipedia

All of the following relate to today’s date, 26 March.

  1. Who was the president of the United States of America 100 years ago today, 26 March 1925?
    • Warren G. Harding
    • Calvin Coolidge
    • Herbert Hoover
  2. What conflict saw the First Battle of Gaza take place on this date?
    • The Six Day War
    • World War I
    • World War II
  3. When was Vladimir Putin, a Russian intelligence officer and politician, elected president of Russia for the first time.
    • 2000
    • 2004
    • 2006
  4. Where did talks, mediated by US President Jimmy Carter, between Menachem Begin, the Israeli Prime Minister, and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt take place? These talks led to an historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt that was signed on 26 March 1979.
    • Camp David, Maryland
    • Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
    • Plains, Georgia
  5. Why did these members of Heaven’s Gate kill themselves? On 26 March 1997 the bodies of 39 members of Heaven’s Gate were found after a mass suicide.
    • They believed they alone would be reincarnated as gods in an earthly paradise
    • They believed a spacecraft was arriving to take them as immortal extraterrestrials to a better place
    • They believed they had to poison themselves to meet Jesus
  6. How long had this interlude lasted? After a hiatus, the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who made a triumphant return to television with a new episode in which Christopher Eccleston reprised the iconic role of the Doctor.
    • 6-years
    • 10-years
    • 16-years

Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

Tardis
Wikipedia

Historical Milestones and Cultural Icons: From Bach’s Birth to Twitter’s First Tweet—Answers

Field of Battersea.
A print caricaturing the Wellington–Winchilsea duel
by William Heath.
Wikipedia

The answers to my earlier pot are shown in bold below.

  1. 1685—Johann Sebastian Bach, a German composer, blended northern and southern German styles in his early compositions. He composed numerous cantatas, including the St. John Passion, and is known for his mastery of counterpoint and harmonic organisation.
    Jack Dorsey, 2014.
    Wikipedia
  2. $2.9m—Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is a social networking service that allows users to share short text messages, images, and videos. It was created in 2006 and quickly grew to over 100 million users by 2012.
  3. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington—The Duke of Wellington and Lord Winchilsea engaged in a duel at Battersea Fields, with Wellington firing first and missing, and Winchilsea firing into the air. This act of deloping cleared Winchilsea of cowardice allegations, allowing him to apologise unconditionally. The duel was the second, and last, fought by a sitting Prime Minister following the 1798 Pitt–Tierney duel on Putney Heath.
  4. San Diego, California—San Diego Comic-Con, founded in 1970, is a multi-genre entertainment event showcasing comic books, science fiction/fantasy media, and pop culture. It is the largest convention of its kind, attracting over 130,000 attendees annually.
    Stanley, a newspaper reporter and tireless self-promoter, was hired by the New York Herald to find the missing Livingstone in 1871, winning himself wealth and reputation. Kalulu is in the backgound.
    Wikipedia
  5. 700 miles (1,125 km)—Stanley travelled to Zanzibar in March 1871, claiming to have outfitted an expedition with 192 porters, though his diaries suggest a smaller number. After facing challenges including the death of his horse and desertion of porters, he found David Livingstone in Ujiji, Tanzania, famously greeting him with “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”; this phrase was probably made up by Stanley after the event. Stanley joined Livingstone in exploring the region, later recounting his experiences in a book.
Routes of Henry Morton Stanley.
The Red route is the 1871-1872 is the expedition to find Livingstone.
Wikipedia

Historical Milestones and Cultural Icons: From Bach’s Birth to Twitter’s First Tweet

Johann Sebastian Bach
Wikipedia

All questions relate to today, 21 March.

  1. Johann Sebastian Bach, the composer of the Brandenburg Concertos and The Well-Tempered Clavier, was born this day in…
    • 1685
    • 1745
    • 1815
  2. Twitter, now X, was founded today in 2006 and Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder, sent the first public tweet, “just setting up my twttr.” Fifteen years later Dorsey auctioned this tweet as a nonfungible token (NFT) with the proceeds going to charity. It was bought using ether cryptocurrency for the equivalent of…
    • $1.4m
    • $2.9m
    • $5.8m
  3. 21 March saw the last time a serving UK Prime Minister fought a duel. Who was the Prime Minister?
    • Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
    • William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
    • William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
  4. A Comic-Con held its inaugural event on this date in 1970 and is now described by Forbes magazine as being “the largest pop and culture festival in the world”: it is held in…
    • Red Rock, Arizona
    • San Diego, California
    • Las Vegas, Nevada
  5. Henry Morton Stanley set out to find Dr David Livingstone today in 1871. His expedition was successful, finding Livingstone after trekking through tropical forest for…
    • 300 miles (482 km)
    • 450 miles (725 km)
    • 700 miles (1,125 km)

“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”, an illustration from Stanley’s 1872 book How I Found Livingstone. Wikipedia