Staffordshire Hoard to Stay in Milands

The Staffordshire Hoard of Anglo Saxon gold is to stay in the Midlands after the £3.3 million was raised with the final amount coming from the National Memorial Heritage Fund! This is remarkable news for a remarkable find! Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent city councils and The Art Fund said they had jointly donated £500,000 and last month the fund received £50,000 from a mystery benefactor!

Your Wednesday questions are: -

1. Which ship spilled 240,000 barrels of oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska today in 1989?
   
   
2. What was the real name of escapologist Harry Houdini (right) who was born in Hungary today in 1874?
   
   
3. Which Tennessee Williams play debuted on Broadway today in 1955?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Iran; 2. Wet Wet Wet; 3. Wernher von Braun

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
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BlogDumps Top Sites Tuesday #52

So, BlogDumps Top Sites Tuesday celebrates it's first birthday - that's a great milestone - congratulations to Wolf & Trina! I discovered BlogDumps less that a year ago and I find the Tuesday meme to be fun, quite challenging (on occasion) and very informative as to how other people respond to the same question! This time last year I was in pretty much the same situation as I am now; essentially I'm in limbo until I find a job...or win the Lottery...similar chances of either at the moment! Maybe the next 52 weeks will be more productive (and memorable) - let's hope so! But I'll keep on quizzing whatever happens!

Your Tuesday questions are: -

1. Fifteen Royal Navy personnel were captured by forces from which country today in 2007?
   
   
2. Marti Pellow (right) was born today in 1965 and is the singer with which chart-topping Scottish pop group?
   
   
3. Who was born today in 1912 and led the development of the Saturn V booster rocket that launched the Apollo missions and Skylab?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Chico (Leonard); 2. Canada; 3. Andrew Lloyd Webber

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Come Join Top Sites Tuesday and be #1 on BlogDumps!
The purpose of this Meme is to encourage
Networking between bloggers to have fun while doing it!
Make sure to visit all the other participants and leave comments.
View More Top Sites Tuesday Participants on Technorati here.
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Boat of Plastic Bottles to Sail Pacific

A boat made from 12,000 plastic bottles has set sail from San Francisco bound for Sydney to highlight the issues of waste and pollution! The catamaran is called Plastiki and is skippered by environmentalist and banking heir David De Rothschild. Whilst this is a laudable endeavour, I do hope that the boat can survive such a journey...otherwise it will be adding to the problem!

Your Monday questions are: -

1. Who was the eldest of the Marx Brothers and was born today in 1887?
   
   
2. In which country was William Shatner (right) born today in 1931?
   
   
3. Which musical writer married singer Sarah Brightman on his 36th birthday today in 1984?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Otto von Bismarck; 2. Reverend W Awdry; 3. Adrian Chiles

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Google 'Find' SAS Headquarters

If you want to, you can now find where the British SAS has it's headquarters by using Google Street View! Apparently the entrance to the site has never been published on a map before. The local MP is concerned that it will encourage more terrorist attacks...but I don't think so...any self respecting terrorist would already have known where to go!

Your Sunday questions are: -

1. Who was appointed Chancellor of the German Empire today in 1871?
   
   
2. Who was the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine (right) that died today in 1997?
   
   
3. Which TV and Radio presenter was born today in 1967 and, in 2008, was the most watched person on British TV?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Franz Ferdinand; 2. Canada; 3. General Douglas MacArthur

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

NOT A Cultural Activity!

This story caught my eye today! The European Court of Justice has ruled that a Belgian Erotic Cinema owner must charge the full rate of Value Added Tax (21%), not the reduced level (6%) that applies to regular cinemas! Apparently it's not a cultural activity if it's done alone!

Your Saturday questions are: -

1. Alex Kapranos was born today in 1972 and is the guitarist and lead singer with which band?
   
   
2. Brian Mulroney (right) was born today in 1939 and was Prime Minister of which country from 1984 to 1993?
   
   
3. Which World War II General famously said, "I came out of Bataan and I shall return", today in 1942?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Sydney Harbour Bridge; 2. Robert Kennedy; 3. Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Midland Metro Extension

Just over 10 years after it was first opened, plans to extend the Midland Metro are set to be approved! The planned extension will link Snow Hill Station (the current Birmingham terminus) with New Street Station. Whilst this is good news, the Midland Metro is rather pitiful when compared to Manchester's Metrolink Tram system! Still any improvement is to be welcomed and the plans also include new rolling stock as well!

Your Friday questions are: -

1. Which bridge, linking Milsons Point and Millers Point, was opened today in 1932?
   
   
2. Assassin Sirhan Sirhan (right), who was born today in 1944, shot and killed which US Senator in 1968?
   
   
3. Which royal couple announced their separation today in 1992?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Queen Latifah; 2. Walk in Space; 3. Neville Chamberlain

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Prime Minister's 'Error'

Dear oh dear! Another politician is found out not telling the truth. And they wonder why we don't trust them and don't want to vote for any of them. This time Gordon Brown has been found out at the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War when he said that defence spending has risen in real terms every year under Labour, when in fact it hadn't! We shouldn't be too surprised, though, this is the same man that said the days of boom and bust were over...oops!!

Your Thursday questions are: -

1. Which American rapper, actress and singer was born Dana Elaine Owens today in 1970?
   
   
2. What was cosmonaut Alexei Leonov (right) the first man to do today in 1965?
   
   
3. Which British Prime Minister was born today in 1869 in Birmingham?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Bobby Jones; 2. "The Bold and the Beautiful"; 3. Rubber Band

Tiger to Return at US Masters

In a surprise move, Tiger Woods has announced his return to competitive golf at next month's US Masters at Augusta! For all of us who are golf fans this is great news, but whether his game will be up to the rigours of a Major as his first tournament back is yet to be seen! However, I do expect him to win the US Open (at Pebble Beach) and the Open (at St Andrews) later in the year!

Your Wednesday questions are: -

1. Which great amateur golfer and Major Champion was born today in 1902 in Atlanta?
   
   
2. Lesley-Anne Down (right) was born today in 1954 in London and plays Jacqueline Knight (formerly Payne and Marone) in which US TV soap opera?
   
   
3. Which common household/office item was patented in England by Stephen Perry today in 1845?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Liza Minelli; 2. Horace Rumpole (of the Bailey); 3. Peter, Paul & Mary

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

BlogDumps Top Sites Tuesday #51

This week's theme is St Patrick's Day. All I can muster is "Bah Humbug!" What's all the fuss about? There aren't St George's Day parades, similarly there are no worldwide over the top celebrations for St Andrew or St David! You can celebrate your Oirish roots (if you have any) as much as you like, just don't include me!!

Your Tuesday questions are: -

1. Who married American concert promoter David Gest today in 2002?
   
   
2. Leo McKern (right) was born today in 1920 and played which TV lawyer for many years?
   
   
3. Which group released the song "Puff the Magic Dragon" today in 1963 in America?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Julius Caesar; 2. Richard Burton; 3. H G Selfridge

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Come Join Top Sites Tuesday and be #1 on BlogDumps!
The purpose of this Meme is to encourage
Networking between bloggers to have fun while doing it!
Make sure to visit all the other participants and leave comments.
View More Top Sites Tuesday Participants on Technorati here.
See who Tweeted this Post!

No News On Sunday!

Yet again there was no news on Sunday...apart from the 'earth shattering' revelation that I played golf again...and won! I've also broken a superstition in the process as I'd never won at golf before whilst wearing a red shirt! That's another jinx busted!

Your Monday questions are: -

1. Who was assassinated in Rome today in 44BC?
   
   
2. Who married Elizabeth Taylor (right) in Montreal today in 1964?
   
   
3. What was the name of the US entrepreneur who opened Britain's first department store in London today in 1909?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Prince Albert; 2. Maurice Micklewhite; 3. Jasper Carrott

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Astronaut's Dismay at Obama Decision

Several astronauts who went the moon have criticised President Obama's decision to cancel the latest missions to return to the moon! It's not too surprising that they disagree with the decision, but I happen to agree with them!

Your Sunday questions are: -

1. Who is the ruler of Monaco that was born today in 1958?
   
   
2. What is the real name of Michael Caine (right) who was born today in 1933?
   
   
3. Which comedian was born Robert Davies today in 1945 in Birmingham?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin"; 2. U2; 3. Mars

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Atheist Convention in Melbourne

This weekend sees the largest gathering of Atheists in Australian history, in Melbourne. Presenters include Richard Dawkins and Philip Pullman. All 2,500 tickets sold out earlier in the year, but a religious event held at the same venue in December attracted three times as many delegates. I didn't realise that there was an international organisation of atheists, but the Atheist Alliance International was formed in 1991! (I suppose I thought that they were as organised as Anarchists!)

Your Saturday questions are: -

1. David Nobbs was born today in 1935 and wrote which TV comedy series starring Leonard Rossiter?
   
   
2. Adam Clayton (right) was born today in 1960 and is the bass guitarist with which band?
   
   
3. Astronomer Percival Lowell was born today in 1855 and believed there were canals on which planet in the Solar System?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. St Petersburg; 2. "Cabaret"; 3. Paul McCartney

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Thalidomide Mystery Finally Solved

After many years, scientists have solved the riddle as to why thalidomide gave rise to so many deformed babies. This means that scientists can now develop similar drugs with the benefits of thalidomide without the terrible side effects!

Your Friday questions are: -

1. Moscow took over as the capital of Russia from which city today in 1918?
   
   
2. Liza Minnelli (right) was born today in 1949 and won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in which 1972 musical film?
   
   
3. Who married Linda Eastman today in 1969?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Madrid; 2. Alfie Moon; 3. "Grandstand"

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

UN Review of Climate Change Panel

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked the world's science academies to review work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This follows on from the admission that there were factual errors in the latest report. However, the investigation will only look at the IPCC's procedures to ensure greater transparency in the future. Ban Ki-moon believe that the consensus is clear in indicating climate change is man made, but that more openness in the future would be beneficial! There will be no independent analysis of the data and assumptions used to come to this conclusion!

Your Thursday questions are: -

1. In which city did simultaneous explosions on rush hour trains kill 191 people today in 2004?
   
   
2. Actor and comedian Shane Richie (right) was born today in 1964 and played which character in the TV series "EastEnders"?
   
   
3. Helen Rollason was born today in 1956 and, in 1990, became the first woman to present which BBC TV sports programme?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Census; 2. Switzerland; 3. Alexander Graham Bell

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Plan to Control Japanese Knotweed

In an era when people are trying to eliminate introduced species (e.g culling of grey squirrels) the British authorities have given the go-ahead to introduce a Japanese insect to help eliminate/control Japanese Knotweed! I'm sure the researchers have done a thorough job, but I wonder how long it will be before we have to introduce something along the lines of, say the Cane Toad, to reduce the population of these new insects! I'm reminded of the song that starts, "There was on old woman who swallowed a fly" - where will it end?

Your Wednesday questions are: -

1. What was first conducted in Great Britain today in 1801 and has been carried out every ten years since (apart from 1941)?
   
   
2. In which country was FIFA President Sepp Blatter (right) born today in 1936?
   
   
3. Who said, "Mr Watson come here. I want to see you", today in 1876?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Martin Johnson; 2. Barbara Millicent Roberts; 3. Mickey Spillane

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

BlogDumps Top Sites Tuesday #50

It's Tuesday again and it's time for BlogDumps "Two Thoughts on a Tuesday"! Sandra Bullock has done it...she's completed an unprecedented double by winning the Razzie for Worst Actress and, next day, winning the Oscar for Best Actress! Which set me to thinking...how can one person be both the best and worst in their profession at the same time? Movies mystify me. How do great actors make bad films? How can great directors make absolute turkeys? How does a great script end up as a flop? Obviously even film makers don't know the answer to that, but it is a real mystery and Sandra Bullock's twin awards just set me to thinking...! So if anyone can shed any light on this conundrum please let me know...I'm sure Hollywood would pay us good money for it!

Your Tuesday questions are: -

1. Which Six Nations Grand Slam winning England captain was born today in 1970?
   
   
2. What is the full name of Barbie (right) who made her first appearance at the American Toy International Fair today in 1959?
   
   
3. Which author was born today in 1918 and created the character Mike Hammer?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Ronald Reagan; 2. Keane; 3. Queen Anne

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Come Join Top Sites Tuesday and be #1 on BlogDumps!
The purpose of this Meme is to encourage
Networking between bloggers to have fun while doing it!
Make sure to visit all the other participants and leave comments.
View More Top Sites Tuesday Participants on Technorati here.
See who Tweeted this Post!

Sandra Bullock Wins Razzie

Oscar nominated actress Sandra Bullock won the Worst Actress Razzie for her performance in "All About Steve" and turned up at the awards ceremony to accept her prize! Not since Halle Berry in 2005 has a big star turned up to collect their Golden Raspberry and Sandra Bullock made a very good speech treating the whole exercise for what it is...a bit of fun! Now here's hoping that she can capture an unprecedented double and win an Oscar in the same year for her role in "The Blind Side"!

Your Monday questions are: -

1. Who called the Soviet Union "an evil empire" today in 1983?
   
   
2. Tom Chaplin (right) was born today in 1979 and is the lead vocalist with which English band?
   
   
3. Who became Queen today in 1702 following the death of William III?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Wimbledon; 2. Anthony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon); 3. Salman Rushdie ("The Satanic Verses")

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Golf at Last!!

For the first time in almost THREE MONTHS, I played golf yesterday! Considering that I hadn't even touched my clubs in the intervening period I was amazed to end up with my best score since July last year! However, I still lost to Dave (2&1) who has had the same lay off as me (he had his best score since April last year!)!

Your Sunday questions are: -

1. Which was the only Grand Slam singles title not won by Ivan Lendl who was born today in 1960?
   
   
2. Who was born today in 1930 and married Princess Margaret (right) in May 1960?
   
   
3. Today in 1989, Iran and United Kingdom severed diplomatic relations after a row about whose novel?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Ghana; 2. Los Angeles Lakers; 3. Aspirin

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Dinosaur Extinction - Latest News!

Hot off the presses! Yes, it's been confirmed that the dinosaurs are extinct! Only 65 million years after the event, scientists have come to a consensus that an asteroid was to blame, slamming into Mexico at more than 20 times the speed of a bullet! This catastrophe also wiped out half of all species on Earth, but if it hadn't happened, Mankind wouldn't be here! This shows us two things that people today should heed; firstly that mass extinctions and climate change occur naturally...and the planet recovers; secondly, for all those who question Man's desire to go into space...this could happen to us and it is our prime duty to ensure the survival of our species and to do this we need another home (preferably several!) away from Earth and ultimately away from our solar system!

Your Saturday questions are: -

1. UK colonies Gold Coast and British Togoland became which country today in 1957?
   
   
2. Basketball player Shaquille O'Neal (right) was born today in 1978 and won three consecutive NBA Championships with which team?
   
   
3. Which pain relief brand name was established by Bayer today in 1899?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Spitfire; 2. Professor Henry Higgins; 3. The Proclaimers

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

How Safe is Flying?

It's a shame that I didn't discover these stories on a Tuesday for the regular BlogDumps meme! Two stories have appeared this week, the first one concerns a child who was apparently allowed to direct planes at New York's JFK airport and the second is about the Swedish pilot of a Corendon Airlines 737 who was arrested at Amsterdam because he wasn't qualified to fly passenger planes!

Now, to me, the first one isn't too bad because the child's father was there supervising him, so not much was likely to have gone wrong. Still a disciplinary matter, but less likely to have resulted in disaster! The second instance is so much more worrying especially when it was revealed that he'd been flying jets for 13 years and he'd only ever had a licence to fly small planes (now expired)! The forged documents he used must have been very good or the checks were very poor. Let's hope there aren't any more similar instances waiting to be found!

Your Friday questions are: -

1. Which World War II fighter plane made its maiden flight today in 1936?
   
   
2. Actor Rex Harrison (right) was born today in 1913 and won a Tony Award (1957) and an Oscar (1965) for his portrayal of which character?
   
   
3. Twins Charlie and Craig Reed were born in Scotland today in 1962 and are better known by what name?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Charlie Chaplin; 2. Xylophone; 3. Shakin' Stevens

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Teeth Grinding on the Increase

It would appear that more and more people are suffering from Bruxism (that's the posh name for grinding teeth while asleep!) This article helps explain a lot more about this affliction, that I have suffered from for many years...fortunately with not too many adverse effects (so far)!

Your Thursday questions are: -

1. Which silent movie star was knighted by the Queen today in 1975?
   
   
2. Astronomer Sir Patrick Moore (right) was born today in 1923 and played which musical instrument at the 1981 Royal Variety Performance?
   
   
3. Who was born today in 1948 and had his first UK number one hit in 1981 with "This Ole House"?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Alexander Graham Bell; 2. Queen Elizabeth I (Queenie); 3. "Carmen"

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Tetley's Ale to be Brewed in Wolverhampton - Shock!

Although I'm not a bitter drinker (Carling lager is my tipple) I'm always sad when almost 200 years of history falls by the wayside as Tetley's cask ales are to be brewed outside of Yorkshire for the first time since 1822! To some, the news that they are to be brewed by Marston's will sound good, but this news will be soured when they realise that they are being moved to Wolverhampton, the home of Banks's beer! (For those not in the know; Marston's has the reputation of producing some of the finest cask ales in Britain...Banks's has a somewhat lesser reputation!)

Your Wednesday questions are: -

1. Who was born today in 1847 in Edinburgh and is credited with the invention of the telephone?
   
   
2. What role in "Blackadder II" was played by Miranda Richardson (right) who was born today in 1958?
   
   
3. Which famous Bizet opera premièred in Paris today in 1875?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Nick Leeson; 2. Czech; 3. Kurt Weill

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Man Flu, Swine Flu or a Cold?

I'll take option 3, please! I've gone through most of the winter without catching anything, yet here we are just into Spring and I've got a cold! Sore throat, runny nose and a few aches and pains - oh the joys of getting older!! Still, a good night's sleep should sort it out...or I'll have to resort to drinking it into submission!

Your Tuesday questions are: -

1. Who was arrested today in 1995 for his role in the collapse of Barings Bank?
   
   
2. What nationality is Vladimir Remek (right) who was the first non-Soviet and non-American in space today in 1978 on board Soyuz 28?
   
   
3. Who was born in Germany today in 1900 and wrote the music for "The Threepenny Opera"?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Salem, Massachusetts; 2. Israel; 3. Yellowstone

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Another Record for "Blue Peter"

"Blue Peter" presenter Helen Skelton has completed her 2010 mile adventure kayaking down the Amazon in aid of Sport Relief! She is the first woman to have paddled the length of the river and has broken two world records (to be verified) for the longest solo journey by kayak and the greatest distance covered in 24 hours by a woman in a kayak! This is a phenomenal achievement and hopefully will raise thousands of pounds for such a worthwhile cause as Sport Relief!

Your Monday questions are: -

1. Where did infamous witch trials begin today in 1692?
   
   
2. Politician Yitzhak Rabin (right) was born today in 1922 and was Prime Minister of which country at the time of his assassination in 1995?
   
   
3. What is the name of the world's first National Park that was created in the USA today in 1872?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. India; 2. Italy; 3. Louise Woodward

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.