Quizology.Online

“There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge.”

— Bertrand Russell

Tag: politics

  • J’Accuse—Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Image Wikipedia
    J’Accuse. Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 22 August 1953, the maximum-security penal colony on Devil’s Island, which had operated for 100 years, was permanently closed. The subject of the front page article from L’Aurore (13 January 1898) was imprisoned on Devil’s Island. Who was the subject of Émile Zola’s J’Accuse and in which country is Devil’s Island located?

    Answer: Captain Alfred Dreyfus and French Guiana

    The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal in France from 1894 to 1906, centred around the wrongful conviction of Captain Alfred Dreyfus for treason. Despite evidence of his innocence, Dreyfus was convicted and imprisoned, sparking a national debate between Dreyfusards, who supported him, and anti-Dreyfusards, who condemned him. The affair highlighted issues of injustice and antisemitism in France.

    Two

    Edvard Munch, 1893, The Scream, oil, tempera and pastel on cardboard, 91 x 73 cm, National Gallery of Norway.
    Image Wikipedia

    On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?

    Answer: The Scream

    Edvard Munch’s 1893 painting The Scream depicts an agonised face and is considered an iconic representation of existential dread. Munch created multiple versions, including two paintings and two pastels, with one pastel version selling for a record price in 2012. The Scream has been stolen twice, in 1994 and 2004. In both cases, the perpetrators were eventually apprehended. The painting was recovered after a few months in 1994 and two years after the 2004 theft.

    Henry Kissinger, 1982.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Three

    On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?

    Answer: Richard Nixon

    Henry Kissinger, national security adviser and secretary of state (from 1973) under Nixon and Ford, significantly shaped US foreign policy from 1969-1976. He advanced détente with the Soviet Union, initiated SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks), opened relations with China, and played a crucial role in Vietnam War peace negotiations.

    The America, schooner yacht.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?

    Answer: Isle of Wight

    The America’s Cup, originally the R.Y.S. £100 Cup, was donated to the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) in 1857 and renamed after the winning yacht, America. The NYYC held the trophy for 132 years until 1983. The class of yachts used in the competition has evolved over time, from large yachts to smaller, more affordable classes, and currently features high-tech foiling catamarans.

    Richard III, Battle of Bosworth Field.
    From A Chronicle of England, B.C. 55-A.D. 1485 by James E. Doyle, 1864.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    Five

    A battle on 22 August 1485 was the last significant battle of England’s Wars of the Roses. What was the battle, and what king died during it?

    Answer: Battle of Bosworth Field and King Richard III

    The Battle of Bosworth, fought on 22 August 1485, was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses. Henry Tudor’s victory over Richard III marked the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. The exact location of the battle is disputed, with memorials erected at different sites.

  • J’Accuse

    All of these questions are related to today, August 22nd.

    J’Accuse.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On 22 August 1953, the maximum-security penal colony on Devil’s Island, which had operated for 100 years, was permanently closed. The subject of the front page article from L’Aurore (13 January 1898) was imprisoned on Devil’s Island. Who was the subject of Émile Zola’s J’Accuse and in which country is Devil’s Island located?

    Two

    On this date in 2004, a painting was stolen from the Munch Museum in Oslo, Norway. What painting?

    Three

    On 22 August, a U.S. President named Henry A. Kissinger as Secretary of State. Which president?

    Four

    In 1851, the yacht America (US) won what is considered the first America’s Cup. Around which island did the race take place?

    Five

    A battle on 22 August 1485 was the last significant battle of England’s Wars of the Roses. What was the battle, and what king died during it?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • What’s in a Name | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    One

    George Wendt as Norm Peterson. Image Cheers Fandom

    One of the regular characters in the television series Cheers has the first name Hilary. Who is that?

    Answer: Norm (Hilary Norman Peterson)

    Norm Peterson, a regular at Cheers, is known for his witty remarks and love of beer. His enormous tab at the bar is a running gag, with jokes about its size and his occasional attempts to pay it off. Despite his unemployment, Norm remains the bar’s best customer, receiving a complimentary beer on his birthday.

    Two

    George Clinton, Fourth Vice-President of the United States,
    Portrait by Ezra Ames, 1814.
    Image Wikipedia

    Born on 26 July 1739, the fourth vice president of the United States and the first governor of New York was…

    Answer: George Clinton

    George Clinton was an American soldier, statesman and Democratic-Republican. He served as the fourth vice president, first governor of New York, and holds the record for the second-longest gubernatorial tenure in U.S. history. He was also the first vice-president to die in office, and the first of two to hold office under two consecutive presidents, Thomas Jefferson (1805–1809) and James Madison (1809–1812).

    Three

    Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
    Image Wikipedia

    Best known for an achievement with Norgay in 1953, he later became New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Nepal. What is his first and last name, and where did the 1953 achievement take place?

    Answer: Edmund Hillary, Mount Everest

    Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer, who with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first confirmed climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. He later served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and Ambassador to Nepal, and founded the Himalayan Trust to assist the Sherpa people.

    Four

    Clint Eastwood, 2010.
    Image Wikipedia

    Elected in 1986, this well-known entertainment figure served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, for a two-year term. Can you identify this individual?

    Answer: Clint Eastwood (Clinton Eastwood)

    Clint Eastwood is an American actor and film director known for his roles in Westerns and action films. He served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California from 1986 to 1988 and has received numerous awards, including four Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.

    Five

    Hilary Mantel, 2020.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    The author of the historical novel The Mirror & the Light, the concluding instalment in a trilogy and the author’s final novel published during their lifetime, is who?

    Answer: Hilary Mantel

    Hilary Mantel was a British writer known for historical fiction, personal memoirs, and short stories. She won the Booker Prize twice for the first and second novels in her Cromwell trilogy, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, and sold over 5 million copies.

  • What’s in a Name

    Hilary Clinton, 2003.
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    On July 26, 2016, Hillary Clinton was officially nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate. Today’s questions revolve around people named Hillary, Hilary, or Clinton, whether as a first or last name.

    One

    Cheers logo.
    Image Wikipedia

    One of the regular characters in the television series Cheers has the first name Hilary. Who is that?

    Two

    Born on 26 July 1739, the fourth vice president of the United States and the first governor of New York was…

    Three

    Best known for an achievement with Norgay in 1953, he later became New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Nepal. What is his first and last name, and where did the 1953 achievement take place?

    Four

    Elected in 1986, this well-known entertainment figure served as the mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, for a two-year term. Can you identify this individual?

    Five

    The author of the historical novel The Mirror & the Light, the concluding instalment in a trilogy and the author’s final novel published during their lifetime, is who?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Last to First | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Space shuttle Atlantis (STS-135) touches down at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, completing the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program.
    July 21, 2011, Cape Canaveral, Florida.
    Image (NASA/Bill Ingalls)/Wikipedia

    One

    On July 21, 2011, the Space Shuttle program concluded with the landing of a shuttle at NASA’s Cape Canaveral. Which shuttle made this landing, marking the end of the Space Shuttle program?

    Answer: Atlantis

    From the first launch on April 12, 1981 to the final landing on July 21, 2011, NASA’s space shuttle fleet flew 135 missions, helped construct the International Space Station and inspired generations. 
    NASA’s space shuttle fleet began setting records with its first launch on April 12, 1981 and continued to set high marks of achievement and endurance through 30 years of missions. Starting with Columbia and continuing with Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour, the spacecraft has carried people into orbit repeatedly, launched, recovered and repaired satellites, conducted cutting-edge research and built the largest structure in space, the International Space Station. The final space shuttle mission, STS-135, ended July 21, 2011 when Atlantis rolled to a stop at its home port, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    – NASA

    Lyndon B. Johnson at the LBJ ranch, 1972.
    Image LBJ Library

    Two

    On this date in 2024, President Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the presidential election. Prior to this announcement, who was the most recent sitting United States president to decline to seek reelection?

    Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson

    On March 31, 1968, President Johnson delivered a national address that made three significant announcements: he had recently ordered substantial reductions in the bombing campaign against North Vietnam, he was requesting peace negotiations, and he would neither seek nor accept his party’s nomination for re-election.

    JK Rowling, 2010.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    What was the title of the final book in the Harry Potter series, released on July 21, 2007?

    Answer: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

    Harry Potter, a fictional boy wizard created by British author J.K. Rowling, is the subject of seven immensely popular novels (1997–2007) and eight films (2001–11). His coming-of-age exploits were further adapted into a play and a book of its script in 2016.

    Four

    Today in 1954, the Geneva Accords divided what country along the 17th parallel?

    Answer: Vietnam

    The Geneva Accords, signed in 1954, divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel, establishing a cease-fire and calling for troop withdrawals. The Accords also stipulated all-Vietnamese elections by 1956 to reunify the country, though the U.S. and South Vietnam withheld approval.

    Sirimavo Bandaranaike.
    Image Wikipedia

    Five

    On 21 July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike made history as the world’s first female prime minister in which country?

    Answer: Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)

    Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world’s first female prime minister, served three terms in Sri Lanka. She carried on her assassinated husband’s socialist policies, promoting Buddhism and Sinhalese culture. However, she encountered economic crisis and defeat in 1965. She subsequently returned to serve two more terms as prime minister (1970–77, 1994–2000).

  • Last to First

    Five questions today, each requiring a single answer without multiple choices or additional hints.

    A space shuttle lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning the final mission of the Space Shuttle program.
    Image NASA.

    One

    On July 21, 2011, the Space Shuttle program concluded with the landing of a shuttle at NASA’s Cape Canaveral. Which shuttle made this landing, marking the end of the Space Shuttle program?

    Two

    On this date in 2024, President Joe Biden announced his decision to withdraw from the presidential election. Prior to this announcement, who was the most recent sitting United States president to decline to seek reelection?

    Three

    What was the title of the final book in the Harry Potter series, released on July 21, 2007?

    Four

    Today in 1954 the Geneva Accords divided what country along the 17th parallel?

    Five

    On 21 July 1960, Sirimavo Bandaranaike made history as the world’s first female prime minister in which country?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Mrs Bond | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Diana Rigg and George Lazenby. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The actress who played Countess Teresa ‘Tracy’ di Vicenzo in the Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was born 20 July 1938. Who was she?

    • Diana Rigg
    • Jill St. John
    • Shirley Eaton

    Answer: Diana Rigg

    Dame Enid Rigg was an English actress known for roles in The Avengers, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, and Game of Thrones. She won a Tony Award for her role in Medea and received numerous accolades for her contributions to drama.

    All three were Bond Girls with Jill St John appearing as Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever and Shirley Eaton as Jill Masterson in Goldfinger.

    Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was born 20 July 1919. In what city was he born?

    • Auckland, New Zealand
    • Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
    • Canberra, Australia

    Answer: Auckland, New Zealand

    In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay of the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest using the South Col route. The news of their success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.

    Claus von Stauffenberg.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer, is most renowned for his unsuccessful attempt on 20 July 1944, to assassinate Adolf Hitler. At which of Hitler’s headquarters was this attempt executed?

    • Felsennest, (Rocky Eyrie), Bad Münstereifel
    • Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest), above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
    • Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia

    Answer: Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia

    On 20 July 1944, German resistance members, led by Claus von Stauffenberg, attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime. The assassination attempt failed, and the subsequent coup d’état, codenamed ‘Operation Valkyrie’, was quickly suppressed by the Nazi regime, resulting in the execution of many conspirators including von Stauffenberg.

    Václav Havel.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    On 20 July 1992, Václav Havel resigned as president of…

    • Albania
    • Bulgaria
    • Czechoslovakia

    Answer: Czechoslovakia

    In 1990, Czechoslovakia held its first free elections in 44 years, resulting in a victory for Civic Forum and Public Against Violence. Despite increasing tensions and the Slovak Declaration of Independence, Václav Havel supported the retention of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic and resigned as president in 1992. When the Czech Republic was created as one of two successor states, Havel successfully stood for election as its first president on 26 January 1993.

    Aldrin next to the Passive Seismic Experiment Package with the Lunar Module Eagle in the background. Image Wikipedia

    Five

    On July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin (Buzz Aldrin) landed on the Moon in the Lunar Module Eagle. How long did they remain on the Moon between the Eagle’s landing and the ascent stage’s departure for their return journey?

    • 21 hours and 36 minutes
    • 24 hours and 3 minutes
    • 32 hours and 28 minutes

    Answer: 21 hours and 36 minutes

    On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the Moon’s surface in the Eagle lunar module. During the descent, they encountered programme alarms and navigated through a boulder-strewn area. Armstrong successfully landed Eagle with only 216 pounds of fuel remaining, signalling to Mission Control, ‘Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed’.

    After a longer-than-expected preparation period, Armstrong became the first human to step onto the Moon’s surface, famously declaring, ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’.

    Armstrong and Aldrin deployed scientific instruments, collected rock samples, and planted a flag on the Moon and left behind memorial items, including a message disk with goodwill statements from world leaders. After a 21 hours and 36 minutes, they safely lifted off in the LM ascent stage to rejoin Michael Collins in lunar orbit.

  • Mrs Bond

    Today, we have another selection of multiple-choice questions.

    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The actress who played Countess Teresa ‘Tracy’ di Vicenzo in the Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) was born 20 July 1938. Who was she?

    • Diana Rigg
    • Jill St. John
    • Shirley Eaton

    Two

    Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was born 20 July 1919. In what city was he born?

    • Auckland, New Zealand
    • Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
    • Canberra, Australia

    Three

    Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer, is most renowned for his unsuccessful attempt on 20 July 1944, to assassinate Adolf Hitler. At which of Hitler’s headquarters was this attempt executed?

    • Felsennest, (Rocky Eyrie), Bad Münstereifel
    • Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest), above Obersalzberg near Berchtesgaden, Bavaria
    • Wolfsschanze (Wolf’s Lair), East Prussia

    Four

    On 20 July 1992, Václav Havel resigned as president of…

    • Albania
    • Bulgaria
    • Czechoslovakia

    Five

    On July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin (Buzz) landed on the Moon in the Lunar Module Eagle. How long did they remain on the Moon between the Eagle’s landing and the ascent stage’s departure for their return journey?

    • 21 hours and 36 minutes
    • 24 hours and 3 minutes
    • 32 hours and 28 minutes

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Crossing the pond | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    Live Aid, John F Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The Live Aid concerts were held on Saturday, 13 July 1985 in the UK and the USA. In which two stadiums were these concerts held?

    Answer: Wembley Stadium, London and John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia

    Live Aid, a benefit concert for the Ethiopian famine, was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium and John F. Kennedy Stadium on 13 July 1985. The event, organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, was broadcast to an estimated 1.9 billion people in 150 nations.

    British dirigible R.34 at Mineola, Long Island, N.Y. 6 July 1919.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    R.34 became the first aircraft to make a return transatlantic flight. What seven letter word best describes R.34?

    Answer:

    R.34, the first aircraft of any type to carry passengers across the Atlantic. Flying from RAF East Fortune in Scotland R.34 completed the first east-west aerial crossing in 108 hours, arriving in Mineola, Long Island on 6 July 1919. On arrival, and to assist the ground crew, Major E. M. Pritchard jumped by parachute and so became the first person to reach American soil by air from Europe. The return journey to RNAS Pulham took 75 hours.

    Football used in the 1930 World Cup Final on display at the National Football Museum, Preston. Due to a dispute between the teams, two balls were used in the final, one in each half. This ball, chosen by the Uruguayan team, was used in the second half.
    Image Wikipedia

    Three

    Today, in 1930, the inaugural FIFA World Cup began in Uruguay. Thirteen teams participated in the competition. Can you name as many of the four European teams that took part?

    Answer: Belgium, France, Romania and Yugoslavia

    The 1930 FIFA World Cup, the inaugural tournament, was held in Uruguay to celebrate the country’s centenary and its Olympic football victory. Thirteen teams participated, with Uruguay defeating Argentina in the final to become the first World Cup champions.

    Ronald reagan and George HW Bush. Image Wikipedia

    Four

    On this day, Vice President George HW Bush became the Acting President for the day while the President was undergoing surgery. Who was the President?

    Answer:

    President Reagan temporarily transferred power to Vice President Bush for about eight hours while undergoing surgery. Reagan sent a letter to the President pro tem of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, transferring Presidential power to Bush. Reagan reclaimed his authority after the surgery, signing another letter in the presence of his chief of staff, counsel and surgeon.

    Five

    The Dartmouth workshop, widely considered as the first conference on artificial intelligence, was held during the summer of…

    • 1956
    • 1961
    • 1965

    Answer:

    The Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence in 1956, organised by John McCarthy, is considered the founding of AI as a field. The workshop, which brought together experts in computing and cognitive science, hypothesised that machines could simulate human intelligence and learning. The term “AI” was coined during this conference.

  • Crossing the pond

    Today a mixture of questions, some of which entail crossing the Atlantic.

    Pink Floyd at Live Aid, London.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    The Live Aid concerts were held on Saturday, 13 July 1985 in the UK and the USA. In which two stadiums were these concerts held?

    Two

    R.34 became the first aircraft to make a return transatlantic flight. What seven letter word best describes R.34?

    Three

    Today, in 1930, the inaugural FIFA World Cup began in Uruguay. Thirteen teams participated in the competition. Can you name as many of the four European teams that took part?

    Four

    On this day, Vice President George HW Bush became the Acting President for the day while the President was undergoing surgery. Who was the President?

    Five

    The Dartmouth workshop, widely considered as the first conference on artificial intelligence, was held during the summer of…

    • 1956
    • 1961
    • 1965

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.