Quizology.Online

Tag: US president

  • Hawaii Five-0

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Official portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1959.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

    Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

    Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on 21 August 1959. Hawaii is an island state in the Pacific Ocean, consisting of 137 volcanic islands. It is the only US state not on the North American mainland and is known for its diverse culture, influenced by North American, East Asia and indigenous Hawaiian heritage. Hawaii’s economy, historically based on agriculture, has diversified to include tourism and military defence.

    Mona Lisa.
    Image Wikipedia

    Two

    Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

    Answer: The Louvre

    The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, who believed it should be returned to Italy. After keeping it for two years, Peruggia attempted to sell it and was caught, leading to the painting’s return to the Louvre in 1914.

    Count Basie, Blazing Saddles, 1974.
    Image

    Three

    Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who will, 70 years later, feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

    Answer: Count Basie

    Count Basie plays himself in Mel Brooks 1974 film Blazing Saddles. He and his orchestra play April in Paris in the middle of the desert as Bart (Cleavon Little) rides towards Rock Ridge to assume the post of sheriff.

    Princess Margaret, 1950.
    Image Wikipedia

    Four

    Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

    Answer: Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

    Princess Margaret, born in 1930, was the second daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York, who, following the abdication of Edward VIII, became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Known for her independent spirit, she famously renounced her engagement to Peter Townsend due to his divorce. A celebrated socialite, she was the Countess of Snowdon and had a glamorous lifestyle with notable romances. Margaret married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1978, marking the first royal divorce in 400 years.

    Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C., 1999.
    Image US Library of Congress via Wikipedia

    Five

    The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

    Answer: United Nations

    The ‘Allied Big Four’ (UK, US, USSR, Republic of China) formulated the new international organisation at the Dumbarton Oaks Conference in 1944. The Yalta Conference in 1945 and further negotiations with the Soviet Union resolved all issues.

  • Hawaii Five-0

    All the questions are related to today, August 21st.

    Flag of Hawaii.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    On August 21st, Hawaii was officially proclaimed the 50th US state. Can you name the president who made this proclamation?

    Two

    Where was the Mona Lisa stolen from on this day in 1911?

    Three

    Born 21 August 1904, an American musician who, 70 years later, will feature in a desert scene from Blazing Saddles. Who is he?

    Four

    Born on this day in 1930 at Glamis Castle, Scotland, this princess’s 1960 marriage would be the first royal wedding to be televised. Who is she?

    Five

    The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, opening on 21 August 1944, was instrumental in the founding of what?

    Good luck! I’ll post the answers later today.

  • Random Numbers | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    One

    It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking…

    The above quote is from the opening sentence of a dystopian novel published in 1949. Can you identify the missing number?

    Answer: Thirteen

    Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopian novel by George Orwell, examines the effects of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and truth manipulation. Set in a future where Airstrip One is part of Oceania, the story portrays a society under the control of Big Brother and the Party’s Thought Police. Winston Smith, a Party member, attempts to rebel against the oppressive regime but is eventually captured, tortured, and forced to betray Julia, ultimately submitting to Big Brother.

    Two

    If the Fibonacci sequence starts with F0 = 0 and F1 = 1, what is F13 equal to?

    Answer: 233

    The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers in which each number (Fibonacci number) is the sum of the two preceding numbers. The simplest is the series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc. In fiction they had a role to play in Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.

    F0F1F2F3F4F5F6F7
    011235813
    F8F9F10F11F12F13F14F15
    21345589144233377610

    Three

    What birthday does Bilbo celebrate near the beginning of the novel The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) and the 2001 film adaptation?

    Answer: 111th

    The beginning of the first chapter in the book begins quite lightly, following on from The Hobbit which is more of a children’s story than The Lord of the Rings. It begins with Bilbo Baggins celebrating his 111th (or eleventy first, as it is called) birthday, on the same day that Frodo celebrates his 33rd birthday. (His ‘coming of age’) At the birthday party, Bilbo disappears after his speech, to the surprise of all. Frodo later learns about the ring which he had used to make himself invisible, and also to some of its darker powers.
    — Tolkien Gateway

    Four

    In what year was Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States, born?

    Answer: 1946

    Donald Trump (born June 14, 1946, New York, New York, U.S.) is the 45th and 47th president of the United States (2017–21; 2025– ). Following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, Trump became only the second president to serve two nonconsecutive terms, the first being Grover Cleveland (1885–89; 1893–97). In January 2025, upon his sentencing without punishment for a felony conviction in 2024, Trump officially became the first convicted felon to be elected president. At age 78, Trump is the oldest person to win the office.
    — Encyclopædia Britannica

    Five

    Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian novel, Fahrenheit…, is missing a number from its title. What is it?

    Answer: 451

    Fahrenheit 451‘s title.
    The title page of the book explains the title as follows: Fahrenheit 451—The temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns…. On inquiring about the temperature at which paper would catch fire, Bradbury had been told that 451 °F (233 °C) was the autoignition temperature of paper. In various studies, scientists have placed the autoignition temperature at a range of temperatures between 424 and 475 °F (218 and 246 °C), depending on the type of paper.

    — Wikipedia

  • Random Numbers

    As the title suggests, here are some questions with numerical answers.

    One

    Leonardo Fibonacci.
    (Fibonacci), by Giovanni Paganucci, 1863, Camposanto di Pisa.)
    Image Hans-Peter Postel/Wikipedia

    It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking…

    The above quote is from the opening sentence of a dystopian novel published in 1949. Can you identify the missing number?

    Two

    If the Fibonacci sequence starts with F0 = 0 and F1 = 1, what is F13 equal to?

    Three

    What birthday does Bilbo celebrate near the beginning of both the 1954 novel The Fellowship of the Ring and the 2001 film adaptation?

    Four

    In what year was Donald J. Trump, the President of the United States, born?

    Five

    Ray Bradbury’s 1953 dystopian novel, Fahrenheit…, is missing a number from its title. What is it?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • Candle in the Wind | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Joseph Merrick, c 1889. See #2 below.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?

    Answer: Los Angeles, California

    Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, was an American actress and model who became a popular sex symbol in the 1950s and early 1960s. Known for her ‘blonde bombshell’ characters, she starred in numerous successful films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot. Despite her success, Monroe’s personal life was troubled, and she died of a barbiturate overdose at the age of 36.

    Two

    Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?

    Answer: John Hurt

    Joseph Carey Merrick, known as ‘The Elephant Man’ was an English man born in 1862 who suffered from a rare disorder causing severe physical deformities, possibly Proteus syndrome. After being exhibited in freak shows, he lived at the London Hospital under the care of Sir Frederick Treves. There he became well-known in London society and received visits from prominent individuals. Merrick died at age 27 from accidental suffocation. A film The Elephant Man starring John Hurt as Merrick was made about his life.

    Three

    On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?

    Answer: Atacama Desert

    In 2010, a collapse at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile‘s Atacama Desert trapped 33 miners underground for 69 days. Despite the mine’s history of safety violations and geological instability, the miners were successfully rescued after a global effort involving multiple organisations and governments.

    Four

    On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?

    Answer: Smoking Gun (tape)

    The US Supreme Court ordered President Nixon to release tapes of conversations, including the ‘Smoking Gun’ tape, which revealed his involvement in the Watergate coverup. This led to the loss of his political support and imminent impeachment, prompting his resignation on August 8, 1974.

    Five

    Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?

    Answer: Denmark

    Vitus Bering, a Danish-born Russian explorer, led two expeditions exploring the north-eastern coast of Russia and the western coast of North America. He discovered the Bering Strait, proving that Asia and America were not connected by land. Bering died of scurvy on Bering Island in 1741, along with 28 of his men.

  • Candle in the Wind

    Marilyn Monroe.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Marilyn Monroe was found dead on the morning of 5 August 1962 in her Los Angeles home. Where was she born?

    Two

    Joseph Merrick, born on 5 August 1862, was renowned for his severe physical deformities and was exhibited in freak shows for a period. A film about Merrick’s life was made by David Lynch in 1980. In this film, who portrayed Joseph Merrick?

    Three

    On 5 August 2010, thirty-three miners became trapped in a mine collapse for a prolonged period of time, attracting international attention. In what desert area was the mine situated?

    Four

    On this day in 1974, President Richard Nixon released subpoenaed tapes after being ordered to do so by the US Supreme Court. One tape, recorded on 23 June 1972, clearly showed the president’s connection to the Watergate burglaries from shortly after they occurred. This tape is known by what two-word term?

    Five

    Vitus Bering, born on 5 August 1681, led two Russian expeditions to explore the northeast Russian coast and the western coast of North America. Despite being an officer in the Russian Navy, in what country was he born?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • What did you do in the war? | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown below.

    Lt. (jg) John F. Kennedy aboard the PT-109, Tulagi, Solomon Islands, South Pacific, 1943.
    Image Wikipedia

    One

    Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd?

    Answer: John F. Kennedy

    On patrol the night of August 1–2, 1943, his boat was struck in the inky darkness by a Japanese destroyer. Two crew members died in the fiery collision, but eleven, one badly injured, clung to the hull until morning. Despite his own injuries, Kennedy managed to get all of them to shore and then secure their rescue, six days later, with the help of native islanders friendly to the Allies. For his courage and leadership, Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and a Purple Heart. 

    – The White House Historical Association

    Two

    Hedy Lamarr, 1944.
    Image Wikipedia

    Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna this Austrian-American actress later sued Warner Brothers ‘for almost using her name’ in Blazing Saddles. During World War II, she co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes. Who is she?

    Answer: Hedy Lamarr

    During World War II, Hedy Lamarr co-invented a radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes using spread spectrum and frequency hopping technology. However, this technology wasn’t used operationally until after the war. In 1974, Lamarr sued Warner Bros. for $10 million over the use of her name in the film Blazing Saddles which featured the character ‘Hedley Lamarr’. The case settled out of court for an apology.

    Three


    Drawing by Nicholas Volpe after Guinness won an Oscar in 1957 for his role in The Bridge on the River Kwai.
    Image Wikipedia

    During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?

    Answer: Alec Guinness

    Sir Alec Guinness played Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. During the Allied invasion of Sicily Guinness commanded a Landing Craft. Later, in the eastern Mediterranean theatre, he ferried supplies and agents to the Yugoslav partisans.

    Four

    Christopher Lee at the Women’s World Awards 2009 in Vienna, Austria. Image Wikipedia

    At one time, he was known as Scaramanga, famous for his love of gold. However, later in life, his colour changed to white, fittingly, as Saruman the Wise. This title was appropriate considering his time in Royal Air Force Intelligence during World War II. Who is he?

    Answer: Christopher Lee

    Christopher Lee was Scaramanga in the Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun and Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
    After volunteering for the Finnish Army during the Winter War, Lee joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. His flying career was cut short due to optic nerve issues, leading him to intelligence work in North Africa and Italy. After the war, Lee worked with the Central Registry of War Criminals and Security Suspects, tracking down Nazi war criminals.

    Five

    Official Navy portrait of Paul Newman, 1944-45.
    Image Wikipedia

    John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?

    Answer: Paul Newman

    Paul Newman was a police officer named Murphy who was stationed at Fort Apache: The Bronx. He was previously Butch Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He served in the US Navy during World War II, initially as a radioman and tail gunner, later qualifying as a turret gunner in an Avenger torpedo bomber. His unit was assigned to the USS Bunker Hill, but he and his crew were grounded due to a pilot’s earache, missing a kamikaze attack that killed several hundred crewmen.

  • What did you do in the war?

    At 02:27 on 2 August 1943, the US Navy’s PT-109 was cut in two by a Japanese destroyer.

    Today’s questions focus on individuals who gained recognition in other fields but had roles in World War II.

    One

    Which future president of the United States was in command of PT-109 when the incident described above occurred on August 2nd, 1943.

    Two

    Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in 1914 in Vienna this Austrian-American actress later sued Warner Brothers ‘for almost using her name’ in Blazing Saddles. During World War II, she co-invented a radio guidance system for torpedoes. Who is she?

    Three

    During the 1943 invasion of Sicily, an actor who once portrayed a wartime bridge builder in Asia and played a forceful character in Star Wars commanded a landing craft. Who was this actor?

    Four

    At one time, he was known as Scaramanga, famous for his love of gold. However, later in life, his colour changed to white, fittingly, as Saruman the Wise. This title was appropriate considering his time in Royal Air Force Intelligence during World War II. Who is he?

    Five

    John Joseph Vincent Murphy III, an officer at Fort Apache, had previously been Butch. In real life, he served as an airborne turret gunner in the US Navy. Who is he?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.

  • It Goes to Show | Answers

    The answers to my earlier post are shown highlighted below.

    One

    Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and Clara Bow in Wings (1927).
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    The above picture is a still from the 1927 film Wings, the first to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It features Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and an actress known as the ‘It’ girl. Can you identify who this actress, born 29 July 1905, is?

    Answer: Clara Bow

    Clara Bow, known as ‘The It Girl’, was a prominent American actress during the silent film era and talkies. She retired from acting in 1933 after marrying and having two children.

    Two

    Culzean Castle.
    Image Daily Record

    Beginning the 25 July 2025, United States President Donald Trump stayed at his Turnberry Resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Interestingly, another US President was gifted an apartment in Culzean Castle, just a short drive from Turnberry. Who was this other president?

    Answer: Dwight D. Eisenhower

    In 1945, the Marquess of Ailsa gifted Culzean Castle to the National Trust for Scotland, offering the top floor to General Eisenhower as a token of appreciation for his role in World War II. Eisenhower visited the castle four times, including once as President, and affectionately called it his ‘Scottish White House’.

    Dwight D. Eisenhower played Turnberry in 1959 while still president of the USA. Image BBC

    Three

    Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, beginning STS-135, the final mission of the Space Shuttle program.
    Image NASA.

    On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?

    Answer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

    In response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1, President Eisenhower signed legislation in 1958 to establish NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), separating the US military and civil spaceflight programmes. NASA, succeeding NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), has led most of America’s space exploration programmes, including the Apollo missions and the Space Shuttle.

    Four

    The track of the Armada around Britain.
    Robert Adams, Augustine Rythe, 1590.
    Image National Maritime Museum, London/Wikipedia

    On July 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada was sighted off the southern coast of England. Which Spanish monarch dispatched the fleet, and the overthrow of what English monarch was the objective of the Spanish invasion?

    Answer: King Philip II (of Spain) and Queen Elizabeth I (of England)

    The Spanish Armada, sent by King Philip II in 1588 to invade England and reinstate Catholicism, was commanded by Alonso de Guzmán and sailed from Lisbon. Despite reaching Calais, the Armada was defeated by the English fleet, which relied on artillery and faster ships. The Armada suffered losses from fire ships and the Battle of Gravelines, forcing it to retreat around Scotland and Ireland. The long and treacherous voyage back to Spain resulted in the loss of most of the Armada, with only 60 ships returning.

    Five

    Gandalf proves that Frodo’s Ring is the One Ring by throwing it into Frodo’s fireplace, revealing the hidden text of the Rhyme of the Rings. The Fellowship of the Ring.
    Image Wikipedia

    On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?

    ANSWER: 1950s (1954)

    The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, set in Middle-earth. The story follows the quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron, uniting a diverse group of characters including hobbits, a wizard, men, an elf, and a dwarf. The work, initially published in three volumes between 29 July 1954 and 20 October 1955, has become a literary classic, influencing the fantasy genre and inspiring numerous adaptations.

  • It Goes to Show

    Today’s questions have a link to the 29 July.

    One

    Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and ? in Wings (1927).
    Image Encyclopædia Britannica

    The above picture is a still from the 1927 film Wings, the first to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. It features Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers and an actress known as the ‘It’ girl. Can you identify who this actress, born 29 July 1905, is?

    Two

    Beginning the 25 July 2025, United States President Donald Trump stayed at his Turnberry Resort in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Interestingly, another US President was gifted an apartment in Culzean Castle, just a short drive from Turnberry. Who was this other president?

    Three

    On this day in 1958, NASA was established in the United States. What four words are represented by the letters in the NASA abbreviation?

    Four

    On July 29, 1588, the Spanish Armada was sighted off the southern coast of England. Which Spanish monarch dispatched the fleet, and the overthrow of what English monarch was the objective of the Spanish invasion?

    Five

    On 29 July, the first part of J.R.R Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings was published. In which decade did this occur?

    Good luck! I will post the answers later today.