Tag: space

  • Miscellany II | Answers

    1. US President Jimmy Carter was a farmer, what type of farming was he involved in?
      • Peanut—Jimmy Carter, the first US president born in a hospital, grew up in Plains, Georgia, and later Archery. He attended the US Naval Academy, graduating in 1946, and served in the Navy until 1953, including a stint in the nuclear submarine programme. After his father’s death, Carter returned to Georgia to take over the family peanut business, facing challenges but eventually becoming successful.
        Amazon, which has the greatest discharge of any river, discharging into the Atlantic Ocean.
        Image NASA/Wikipedia
    2. What the second-largest river on earth by discharge?
      • Ganges—is second at 43,950 m$^3$/s following the Amazon’s 224,000| m$^3$/s. The Yangtze comes fifth with 31,900 m$^3$/s and the Mississippi tenth at 21,300 m$^3$/s.
        Tomb of Merlin, Forest of Paimpont (Brocéliande).
        Image Wikipedia
    3. Brittany’s Brocéliande Forest (aka Paimpont Forest) is the site of the tomb of which legendary magical figure?
      • Merlin—The forest of Brocéliande, first mentioned in Chrétien de Troyes’s Arthurian romance, is associated with Merlin and Morgan le Fay in later works. Its exact location is debated, with theories placing it in Brittany, specifically near Quintin or in Paimpont forest, with the latter being considered most likely.
        Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11, on Lunar Surface wearing an Omega Speedmaster.
        Image Wikipedia
    4. In 1969, the first wrist watch to be worn on the Moon was manufactured by…
      • Omega—Buzz Aldrin became the first person to wear a watch on the Moon, wearing the Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph. Although Neil Armstrong was the first to set foot on the Moon, he left his 105.012 Speedmaster inside the Lunar Module Eagle as a backup because the LM’s electronic timer had malfunctioned. Aldrin wore his Speedmaster, making it the first watch ever worn on the Moon.
        Marionette, is a puppet worked by strings.
        Image Pinterest.
    5. A person who’s actions are controlled by another could be described as a …
      • Quockerwodger—which is best described as follows:

        The term quockerwodger, although referring to a wooden toy figure which jerks its limbs about when pulled by a string, has been supplemented with a political meaning. A pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody else, is now often termed a quockerwodger.
        — John Camden Hotten. A Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words (1859)

  • Miscellany II

    Full Moon
    Image Wikipedia

    Here are a few questions which have no connections they are simply miscellany.

    1. US President Jimmy Carter was a farmer, what type of farming was he involved in?
      • Avocado
      • Peanut
      • Zucchini
    2. What the second-largest river on earth by discharge?
      • Ganges
      • Mississippi
      • Yangtze
    3. Brittany’s Brocéliande Forest (aka Paimpont Forest) is the site of the tomb of which legendary magical figure?
      • Circe
      • Merlin
      • Witch of Endor
    4. In 1969, the first wrist watch to be worn on the Moon was manufactured by…
      • Bulova
      • Omega
      • Rolex
    5. A person who’s actions are controlled by another could be described as a …
      • Quaalude
      • Quillaja
      • Quockerwodger
    Ancient Greek Terracotta dolls.
    National Archaeological Museum in Athens/Wikipedia

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Day 111 | Answers

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

    Lupa Capitolina: she-wolf with Romulus and Remus.
    Image Wikipedia
    1. Where was traditionally founded on 21 April 753 BCE?
      • Rome—Archaeological evidence indicates that Rome originated from hilltop villages during the Bronze or Iron Age, while Roman myth attributes its founding to Romulus in 753 BC, who, with his twin, Remus, was raised by a she-wolf. Roman historians connected Rome to Troy through a fictional lineage of kings, culminating in Romulus and Remus, who established Rome after a fratricidal conflict. This narrative, a typical Mediterranean folktale, was adapted to account for Rome’s beginnings and tradition holds that April 21st marked the day Romulus began building Rome, making it the city’s dies natalis—birthday.
        John W. Young on the Moon during Apollo 16 mission jumping about 42 Centimeters high. Charles M. Duke Jr. took this picture. The LM Orion is on the left. April 21, 1972.
        Image NASA/Wikipedia
    2. The Lunar Lander Orion landed on the Moon’s surface today in 1972. This, the tenth crewed US Apollo mission, was which of these?
      • Apollo 16—the tenth crewed US Apollo mission, landed in the Descartes Highlands on the Moon. The crew, Commander John Young, Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke and Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly. Young and Duke spent 71 hours on the lunar surface, collecting samples and conducting moonwalks.
        Andrea McArdle, Reid Shelton and Sandy, 1977.
        Image Wikipedia
    3. The original Broadway production of Annie opened on this day in 1977. What is the musical based on?
      • Comic strip—is a musical based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie. It premiered on Broadway in 1977, winning seven Tony Awards and spawning numerous productions worldwide.
        Brasilia. Image Wikipedia
    4. What planned capital city, designed by a team including Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, was inaugurated today in 1960?
      • Brasilia, Brazil—Brasília, Brazil’s federal capital, was founded in 1960 and is known for its modernist architecture and unique urban planning. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
        The Surgeon’s Photo
        Image Wikipedia
    5. The Surgeon’s Photograph, published in the in the UK’s Daily Mail on 21 April 1934, is the most famous photo allegedly showing the…
      • Loch Ness monster—The Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, is a mythical creature said to inhabit Loch Ness in Scotland. Sightings of a large, long-necked creature have been reported since the 6th century, with the most famous account from 1933. Despite numerous alleged sightings and disputed evidence, the scientific community explains these as hoaxes, misidentifications, or wishful thinking.

    Day 111

    The post title Day 111: 21 April is the 111th day of 2025.

  • Day 111

    See #2. Lunar Module.
    Image Wikipedia

    All of these are questions based on today’s date, 21 April.

    1. Commemorated annually on the 21 April by the festival of the Parilia, where was traditionally founded on this day in 753 BCE?
      • Athens
      • Paris
      • Rome
    2. The Lunar Lander Orion landed on the Moon’s surface today in 1972. This, the tenth crewed US Apollo mission, was which of these?
      • Apollo 14
      • Apollo 15
      • Apollo 16
    3. The original Broadway production of Annie opened on this day in 1977. What is the musical based on?
      • Comic strip
      • Novel
      • German folk tale
    4. What planned capital city, designed by a team including Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, was inaugurated today in 1960?
      • Abuja, Nigeria
      • Brasilia, Brazil
      • Canberra, Australia
    5. The Surgeon’s Photograph, published in the UK’s Daily Mail on 21 April 1934, is the most famous photo allegedly showing the…
      • Bigfoot
      • Loch Ness monster
      • Yeti

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Spin, trials and unlucky 13 | Answers

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

    Martin Luther. Wikipedia
    1. The trial of Martin Luther over his teachings and efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church began on 17 April 1521 during the…
      • Diet of Worms—At an Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Emperor in the Imperial Free City of Worms, Martin Luther refused to recant his writings unless proven wrong by Scripture or reason, famously stating, “Here I stand; I can do no other.” The Diet declared Luther a heretic and banned his writings.
      Muttiah Muralitharan. Wikipedia
    2. On this day in 1972, Muttiah Muralitharan, cricketer, was born in…
      • Kandy—(Sri Lanka)—Muttiah Muralitharan, a Sri Lankan cricketer, is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He is the only bowler to take 800 Test wickets and over 530 One Day International (ODI) wickets. Muralitharan was a part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
      Henry Ian Cusick. Wikipedia
    3. Henry Ian Cusick, born today in 1967, who is best known for his role as Desmond Hume in Lost, is described in Wikipedia as…
      • Peruvian-Scottish—Henry Ian Cusick is a Peruvian-Scottish actor known for roles in Lost, The Gospel of John, Scandal, The 100, The Passage, and MacGyver.
      Apollo 13 crew: Commander, James A. Lovell Jr., Command Module pilot, John L. Swigert Jr., and Lunar Module pilot, Fred W. Haise Jr. Wikipedia
    4. The damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft returned to Earth safely today in 1970; the commander was…
      • James A. Lovell Jr.—Jim Lovell, a US astronaut, participated in the Gemini and Apollo space programmes. He commanded the Apollo 13 mission to the Moon in 1970, which faced a critical oxygen tank explosion but successfully returned to Earth. Apollo 13 was his fourth and final spaceflight.
    5. Anneli Jäätteenmäki took office on 17 April 2003 as the first female prime minister of…
      • Finland—
    Anneli Jäätteenmäki. Wikipedia
  • Spin, trials and unlucky 13

    Apollo 13 mission insignia. Wikipedia
    1. The trial of Martin Luther over his teachings and efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church began on 17 April 1521 during the…
      • Diet of Weeds
      • Diet of Woods
      • Diet of Worms
    2. On this day in 1972, Muttiah Muralitharan, cricketer, was born in…
      • Bonbon
      • Kandy
      • Toffey
    3. Henry Ian Cusick, born today in 1967, who is best known for his role as Desmond Hume in Lost, is described in Wikipedia as…
      • Argentinian-Welsh
      • Chilean-Irish
      • Peruvian-Scottish
    4. The damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft returned to Earth safely today in 1970; the commander was…
      • Fred W. Haise Jr.
      • John “Jack” L. Swigert Jr.
      • James A. Lovell Jr.
    5. Anneli Jäätteenmäki took office on 17 April 2003 as the first female prime minister of…
      • Fiji
      • Finland
      • France

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today

  • An A to Z Cornucopia of Trivia. Part I | Answers

    Some trivia related to the letters A to E.

    Melvyn Bragg (Official photo of Lord Bragg), 2018. Winner of the Bad Sex in Fiction Award 1993 for A Time to Dance. See question 2. Wikipedia
    1. (A) AardvarkThe Raccoons is a Canadian animated series about Bert, Ralph and Melissa Raccoon, who thwart the schemes of Cyril Sneer, an industrialist aardvark, to destroy their forest home. The series ran from 1985 to 1992 and was created by Kevin Gillis.
    2. (B) Bad Sex in Fiction awardThe Literary Review has presented the Bad Sex in Fiction Award annually since 1993 to the author of the worst sex scene description in a novel. The award, established by Rhoda Koenig and Auberon Waugh, aims to discourage crude and tasteless sexual descriptions in modern novels.
      Colossus of Rhodes. Wikipedia
    3. (C) Colossus—One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the Greek sun god Helios, was erected in 280 BCE to celebrate Rhodes’ successful defence against Demetrius I of Macedon. Standing at 33 metres tall, it was the tallest statue in the ancient world until it collapsed in an earthquake in 226 BCE.
      Dylan Thomas, 1952. Wikipedia
    4. (D) Dylan ThomasDo not go gentle into that good night is a villanelle* by Dylan Thomas, written in 1947 and published in 1951. The poem, about resisting death, entered the public domain in 2024.
      *Villanelle is a pastoral or lyrical poem of nineteen lines, with only two rhymes throughout, and some lines repeated (Oxford English Dictionary).
    5. (E) Europa—The Galilean moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, are Jupiter’s four largest moons. Discovered by Galileo in 1610, they were the first objects found to orbit a planet other than Earth, challenging the geocentric Ptolemaic world system. Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system, surpassing Mercury in size. Europa is the smallest of the four Galilean moons.
    Europa. Wikipedia
  • An A to Z Cornucopia of Trivia. Part I

    Some trivia related to the letters A to E.

    Seven Wonders of the World. Wikipedia
    1. (A) An animated television series which began in the 1980s featured Cyril Sneer. Which of these best describes Cyril?
      • Aardvark
      • Ass
      • Anaconda
    2. (B) The following works of literature won what award in the year indicated. 1993: Melvyn Bragg, A Time to Dance; 2007: Norman Mailer, The Castle in the Forest and 2019: Didier Decoin, The Office of Gardens and Ponds and John Harvey, Pax?
      • Bad Sex in Fiction award
      • Balint Balassi Memorial Sword Award
      • Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year
    3. (C) Complete this: the ___ of Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?
      • Colosseum
      • Colossus
      • Colostrum
    4. (D) Which poet wrote the line: “Do not go gentle into that good night”?
      • DH Lawrence
      • Dorothy Parker
      • Dylan Thomas
    5. (E) The smallest of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter is named what?
      • Eirene
      • Epimetheus
      • Europa
    Jupiter. Wikipedia

    Good luck! The answers will be posted later

  • Masters to Mars | Answers

    This note was issued on 14 July 2005, the opening day of the Open Golf Championship at St Andrews, and celebrated the remarkable career of Jack Nicklaus, who won the Open three times, including twice at St Andrews. It was the first British banknote to feature a living non-royal person. Wikipedia
    1. Six—Nicklaus won six Masters, the last being in 1986. Nicknamed “the Golden Bear”, he won 117 professional tournaments, including a record 18 major championships, and is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. This note was issued on 14 July 2005, the opening day of the Open Golf Championship at St Andrews, and celebrated the remarkable career of Jack Nicklaus, who won the Open three times, including twice at St Andrews. It was the first British banknote to feature a living non-royal person.
      Mars Odyssey Patch. Wikipedia
    2. 24 October 2001—The Mars Odyssey orbiter, launched in 2001, studies water, ice, geology, and radiation on Mars and acts as a communication relay. The mission was planned to last 32 months but has been expanded by more than 20 years and is expected to end later in 2025.
    3. Geneva, Switzerland—The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that coordinates international public health responses. Established in 1948, the WHO promotes health and safety, provides technical assistance, sets international health standards, and advocates for universal health care coverage. The organisation is governed by the World Health Assembly and funded primarily by member states and private donors.
      Francis Ford Coppola. Wikipedia
    4. Francis Ford Coppola—an American filmmaker known for his work in the New Hollywood movement. He is celebrated for directing films like The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now and The Conversation, which have earned him numerous awards and accolades.
    5. Albania—Italy invaded Albania in 1939, leading to the creation of an Italian protectorate and the exile of King Zog. During World War II, Italy’s ambitions for Greater Albania, encompassing Albanian-majority regions, were realised until Nazi Germany took control in 1943. Albanian partisans liberated it from Nazi occupation in 1944.
    King Zog. Wikipedia
  • Masters to Mars

    All of the events below happened today, 7 April, in various years.

    Artist’s rendering, from NASA, of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, in mission configuration. Wikipedia
    1. Jack Nicklaus won his first Masters tournament on 7 April 1963 at the age of 23; how many Masters titles did he win during his career?
      • Four
      • Five
      • Six
    2. The Mars Odyssey spacecraft was launched today in 2001. When did it reach Mars orbit?
      • 15 July 2001
      • 24 October 2001
      • 1 February 2002
    3. On this day in 1948, the World Health Organization, a specialised agency of the UN, was formally established. Where is it based?
      • Geneva, Switzerland
      • New York, US
      • Vienna, Austria
    4. Born today in 1939, who directed the 1979 film Apocalypse Now?
      • Francis Ford Coppola
      • Wolfgang Petersen
      • Martin Scorsese
    5. On 7 April 1939, Benito Mussolini made ___ a protectorate, forcing King Zog I into exile and replacing him with King Victor Emmanuel II. What missing country completes this sentence?
      • Abyssinia
      • Albania
      • Armenia
    WHO Logo. Wikipedia

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.