Internet Problems 1

As I was browsing the Internet I suddenly lost connection! A call to the good people at Virgin Media identified my modem as the probable cause. As it was installed in 2001 I could probably do with a new one! But I'll have to wait until Thursday!

Your Wednesday questions are: -

1. Which singer married actress Patsy Kensit today in 1997?
   
   
2. Actor James Garner (right) was born today in 1928 and played which character on TV from 1974 to 1980?

   
   
3. Which volcano erupted today in 1906 and devastated Naples?
   

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Myleene Klass; 2. North Pole; 3. Richard I

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"

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BlogDumps Top Sites Tuesday #54

It's "Two Thoughts on a Tuesday" at BlogDumps again...and again I'm clean out! I've just got back from an enjoyable (if somewhat chilly!) canal trip to Stratford-upon-Avon. And now I'm going straight out again to sample the delights of a couple (or more!) Birmingham pubs before paying a visit to the Best Indian Restaurant in Birmingham - the Raj Doot. So I've no time to think of new themes...nor to even contribute much to this one!!

Your Tuesday questions are: -

1. Which former member of the pop group Hear'Say was born today in 1978 in Norfolk?
   
   
2. US explorer Robert Peary (right) was allegedly the first person to reach where today in 1909?
   

   
   
3. Which King Of England died whilst besieging a castle in France today in 1199?
   

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Gene Pitney; 2. Sir Humphrey Appleby; 3. James Callaghan

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!

Back Home

Today we'll be at Lowsonford for lunch at the Fleur-de-Lys pub-cum-restaurant. Hopefully it won't live down to the appalling customer service we witnessed last year (and in previous visits!) Then onwards (and upwards) to our home mooring at Lapworth. If we get back in time we'll probably spend the evening exploring the delights of Birmingham (and maybe sample the cuisine of the Raj Doot!)!

Your Monday questions are: -

1. Which American singer died suddenly, aged 66, in Cardiff today in 2006?
   
   
2. What role in "Yes, Minister" was played by Nigel Hawthorne (right) who was born today in 1929?
   
   
3. Who became Prime Minister today in 1976?
   

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Memphis, Tennessee; 2. Beyoncé; 3. United Kingdom

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Uphill to Wooton Wawen

Easter Sunday in Stratford is very busy when the weather is nice. It will be interesting to see how the new theatre is shaping up. breakfast and lunch will be taken in the historic town and then we'll set off back and probably spend the evening in the Navigation Inn in Wooton Wawen. This is a spectacular stretch of canal passing over the Edstone Aqueduct and then the Wooton Wawen Aqueduct over the main Stratford to Birmingham road!

Your Easter Sunday questions are: -

1. In which city was Martin Luther King assassinated today in 1968?
   
   
2. Who married hip hop rapper Jay-Z (right) today in 2008?
   
   
3. In which country was The Kennel Club founded today in 1873?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Jesse James; 2. Niles Crane; 3. Helmut Kohl

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Onwards to Stratford-upon-Avon

Today we'll be lunching in Wilmcote (home of Mary Arden's House), probably in The Mason's Arms, but possibly in the Mary Arden Hotel. Then we'll be tackling the Wilmcote flight of eleven locks as we continue out descent to Stratford. Maybe you'll find the good ship Emma Jane in Bancroft Basin...or maybe it'll be full and we'll be moored somewhere else!

Your Saturday questions are: -

1. Which American outlaw was shot and killed by Robert Ford today in 1882?
   
   
2. Actor David Hyde-Pierce (right) was born today in 1959 and played which character in the long-running sitcom "Frasier"?
   
   
   
3. Which former German Chancellor was born in Ludwigshafen today in 1930?
   

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Falklands (Malvinas); 2. Australia; 3. London

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Aweigh Anchor...Again!

It's Good Friday again and I'm on my way to Stratford-upon-Avon on board our narrowboat Emma Jane! There's the possibility of a Jumbo Cod at the Navigation Inn for lunch and for the evening will we be staying at the Crabmill in Preston Bagot or will we move on to Henley-in-Arden for the evening?

Your Good Friday questions are: -

1. Which islands were invaded by Argentina today in 1982?
   
   
2. In which country was three-time Formula 1 World Champion Sir Jack Brabham (right) born today in 1926?
   
   
   
3. In which city was the first Panda Crossing, forerunner to the Pelican Crossing, launched today in 1962?
   

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Royal Air Force; 2. Piano; 3. David Gower

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

2012 Olympic Monument

Turner Prize winning artist Anish Kapoor's design has been chosen as the monument that will grace the 2012 Olympics in London. Named the ArcelorMittal Orbit it will be 115 metres tall - that's 22 m taller than the Statue of Liberty! To me it looks to be a striking and original piece of art that will hopefully be around for as long as the Eiffel Tower!

Your Thursday questions are: -

1. Which of the British armed forces was formed today in 1918?
   
   
2. What musical instrument was played by Sergei Rachmaninov (right) who was born today in 1873?
   
   
   
3. Which Sky Sports commentator and former England cricket captain was born today in 1957?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Germany (Kingdom of Hanover); 2. Carla Tortelli; 3. Eiffel Tower

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Problem Solved...Maybe!!

Well, I found the solution to yesterday's problem/moan...I've reverted back to the old method of editing/uploading. I only hope that this is kept available for the foreseeable future!

Your Wednesday questions are: -

1. In which country was chemist and inventor Robert Bunsen born today in 1811?
   
   
   
2. Actress Rhea Perlman (right) was born today in 1948 and played which character in the sitcom "Cheers"?
   
   
   
3. Which building, then the tallest structure in the world, was inaugurated today in 1889?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Charlie Brown; 2. Switzerland; 3. Rolf Harris

My book "The Easy Quiz Master"

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

BlogDumps Top Sites Tuesday #53

This week we're back to "Two Thoughts on a Tuesday" and usually I don't even have one! Anyway, my first thought (or moan) is directed at Google Blogger. They've changed the layout of the page for uploading blogs and certain features (which I found very useful!) have disappeared! The most annoying is that I now can't resize the pictures to the size I like best. Previously pictures could be resized to any size; I like small pictures as they are just a minor part of my quiz. But now there are only five sizes available and what you see is the smallest of them! The spell checker has also disappeared! Why is it that all too often change does not necessarily happen for the better? Oh well, Here are the questions to cheer you up!

Your Tuesday questions are: -

1. Which cartoon character hit his first home run today in 1996?
   
   
2. Canadian singer Celine Dion (right) was born today in 1968 and won the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest representing which country?
   
   
3. Who was born today in 1930 and has the catchphrase "Can you tell what it is yet"?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. John Major; 2. Cuba; 3. Mercury

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!

Mini Food Portions?

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) wants producers to make smaller portions of unhealthy snacks and to reduce the saturated fat in their biscuits, cakes and chocolates by 10%! I don't quite see how this will help...I'm technically obese and if portions are too small (for me) I just buy two of them! (I also don't buy products where I think there is too much in the package - e.g. a 'Grab Bag' of crisps or a Jumbo bar of Cadbury's chocolate!) More nanny state nonsense as far as I can see! 

Your Monday questions are: -

1. Which former British Prime Minister was born today in 1943?
   
   
2. Heavyweight boxer Teofilo Stevenson (right) won three consecutive Olympic gold medals and was born today in 1952, in which country?
   
   
3. Spacecraft Mariner 10 sent the first close up pictures of which planet today in 1974?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Ankara; 2. India; 3. Neil Kinnock

My book "The Easy Quiz Master" 

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

Birmingham's Cube in Trouble

I'm surprised that this sort of thing hasn't happened more often. On Friday it was announced that the company building 'The Cube' in Birmingham had gone into administration! Now the administrators are saying that they will pay the sub-contractors and have asked them to turn up for work on Monday and carry on! It is an ambitious project and I hope it can be salvaged to become a great asset to Birmingham when the economic upturn arrives! (Believe it or not the Empire State Building went through very difficult times in the beginning in a similar recession! Opened in 1931, it didn't make a profit until 1950!)!

Your Sunday questions are: -

1. Which Turkish city changed its name from Angora today in 1930?
   
   
2. Former England cricket captain Nasser Hussein (right) was born today in 1968 in which country?
   
   
3. Which former leader of the Labour Party was born in Tredegar today in 1942?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Tenerife; 2. Black-Eyed Peas; 3. Crimean War

My book "The Easy Quiz Master" 

is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

USA and Russia Reduce Nuclear Weapons Arsenal

Barack Obama has announced that agreement has been reached with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev to reduce their collective nuclear arsenals by 30%. Now this still leaves enough warheads to wipe us all out several times over, but it's still a good move in the right direction!

Your Saturday questions are: -

1. Where did two Jumbo jets collide today in 1987 killing 583 people?
   
   
2. Fergie (right) was born today in 1975 and is the female vocalist with which chart-topping group?
   
   
3. Britain and France declared war on Russia today in 1854 signalling the start of which conflict?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Guardian Angels; 2. Elizabeth Swann; 3. "A Shropshire Lad"

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

Deforestation Slows Down

The rate of worldwide deforestation has slowed over the past decade and this has been helped by China planting more trees (UN Report here)! Hopefully in the coming decades there will be net forestation to replace some of the trees lost over the past few years!

Your Friday questions are: -

1. Curtis Sliwa was born today in 1956 in New York and founded which organisation for combating crime?
   

   
   
2. Actress Keira Knightley (right) was born today in 1985 and played which character in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films?
   
   
3. Poet A E Houseman was born today in 1895 and is best known for which cycle of poems?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Private Frazer; 2. Ukrainian; 3. Jim Lovell

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

Meat and Global Warming

The statistic that 18% of greenhouse gas emissions come from meat production is to be revisited by the UN. If it is correct, meat production contributes more than transport to the emissions of greenhouse gases. This 'fact' has been latched onto by the vegetarian lobby who want to make us give up meat and save the planet at the same time! Even the author of the original report believes that the methodology used wasn't as correct as it could have been! Oh well, I'm off for a burger now!!

Your Thursday questions are: -

1. Actor John Laurie was born today in 1897 and played which character in the TV sitcom "Dad's Army"?
   

   
   
2. What nationality is World Heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko (right) who was born today in 1976?
   
   
3. Who was born today in 1928 and was the Commander of Apollo 13?

Yesterday's Answers: 1. Exxon Valdez; 2. Ehrich Weiss; 3. "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

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

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"
is available NOW from Amazon and Lulu.

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.
See who Tweeted this Post!

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.