British High Speed Rail Line - Finally!

Only 66 years after Japan (Shinkansen), 50 years after France (TGV) and 40 years after Germany (ICE), Britain will finally have a high speed rail service that is projected to be opened in 2030! It's typical that the country which invented rail travel has fallen so far behind the rest of the world! Does anyone remember the titling trains fiasco of the 1970's/1980's? The APT system was pioneered here in the UK and, when it didn't work on it's first public running (for 3 days) the project was abandoned. Some aspects of the technology were sold to Pendolino and in 2002 Virgin Rail put its first Pendolino train into operation!

Your Thursday posers are: -

1. Chief Buthelezi was born today in 1928 and is a leader in which South African ethnic group?
   
   
2. Actress Sarah Chalke (right) was born today in 1976 and plays Dr Elliot Reid in which US TV sitcom?
   
   
3. The shortest war in history lasted just 38 minutes today in 1896. It was between the United Kingdom and which African island nation?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Michael Johnson; 2. Macedonia (Skopje); 3. Chris Pine

Joanna Lumley to Visit Nepal

Following her complete rout of the British Government over Gurkha rights, Joanna Lumley is flying out to Nepal and is expected to get a reception as though it was a state visit! It just goes to show that even in these cynical times if you have a just cause, passion and a definite plan you can force governments into U-turns!

Sunday's questions are: -

1. Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was born today in 1949 and bought which Premier League football club in 2007?
   
   
2. Actress Sandra Bullock (right) was born today in 1964 and starred as an undercover FBI agent at a beauty pageant in which 2000 film?

   
   
3. Which was the first African colony to gain freedom today in 1847?
   

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Louise Brown; 2. "The Golden Girls" ; 3. Barcelona

UK Losing 52 Pubs Per Week

This is very bad news - the English pub is one of our great cultural icons and should be preserved at all costs. With the recession following on so closely behind the smoking ban, pubs that haven't diversified into food are struggling to make ends meet. This means that many traditional village pubs and back street boozers cannot continue. This has resulted in a loss of about 24,000 jobs so far - imagine the reaction if a major manufacturer or financial institution closed with such a loss of jobs; but as it has been a trickle (now a torrent) there has been no government intervention!

Thursday's questions are: -

1. King Farouk was overthrown in a military coup in which African country today in 1952?
   
   
2. What is the real name of former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash (right) who was born today in 1965 in England?
   

   
   
3. Which couple married at Westminster Abbey today in 1986?
   

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Jean Charles de Menezes; 2. USA ; 3. Wiley Post