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Friday quiz
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Message 1.Â
Posted by Andrew Host (U1683626) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Morning all,
This will be the last one from me - a fuller announcement later this morning.
What prompted the USAAF to purchase a nondescript boggy field in North Carolina sometime after January 1961?
Many thanks
Andrew -
Message 2
Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Friday, 14th January 2011
I imagine they bought the field in Kitty Hawk where the Wright brothers made the first powered aeroplane flight.
Did I hear you right? Are you leaving us?
Or worse - is the board in terminal status????? -
Message 3
Posted by Andrew Host (U1683626) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Hi Nordmann,
No. Well they might have done but this wasn't it...
Yes.
and
No
-
Message 4
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Did something secret crash there?
Couldn't have been a UFO, as everyone would have heard of it, so I guess it was USAAF prototype plane. -
Message 5
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Friday, 14th January 2011
This sounds vaguely familiar from way back… were they secretly searching for the remains of one of their experimental flying devices…? Or dare I say a ufo. -
Message 6
Posted by Andrew Host (U1683626) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Hi 1507 George,
More along the right lines - though the immediate concern was more pressing than mere secrecy... -
Message 7
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Friday, 14th January 2011
...hmm, more pressing than just secrecy.
1961 - Cold War, nuclear arms race, missiles and all that.
How about a missile crashed there? Maybe it was released accidentally and they destroyed it, and that's where it crashed.
Pure guess work, like all good historians.
-
Message 8
Posted by Andrew Host (U1683626) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Hi 1507 George,
Very good guessing too! I think unless no-one else can come in with the exact answer in the next 5 mins I'll give it to you...
Cheers
Andrew -
Message 9
Posted by Andrew Host (U1683626) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Right - well - on the stength of your guesswork I'll let you have it. on 25th Jan 1961 a B-52 crash landed in North Carolina. It was carrying two thermonuclear bombs - one of which ejected before impact.
Most of the two bombs were recovered but some parts remained buried in the boggy land - unable to recover all of the radioactive material the USAAF instead purchased the field in order to prevent the more reckless kind of treasure-hunter and others from trying to dig up the remains!
Well done
Your go!
Andrew -
Message 10
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Hmm, I wasn't that close, but I'll happily ask another question
This person –
Was born in Edinburgh
Educated at University College in London, and the University of Munich
Was the youngest person in the UK ever to receive a D.Sc. degree
Wrote a controversial book called ‘Married Love’
Had a middle name of Carmichael
Almost accompanied Captain Scott on his ill fated trip to the South Pole
Was a paleobotanist by training
Was one of the first to support the idea of continental drift, and Pangaea
Supported the idea of Eugenics
Was a close friend of Thomas Hardy
Pioneered something which then and now is of immense benefit to mankind everywhere, helping over 20 million people in 2010
Was the curator of a museum in Dorset
Was good at almost everything he or she attempted. Sickening really!
Who was this person, and in what field what was the pioneering work which was so important? -
Message 11
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Friday, 14th January 2011
pitt rivers? -
Message 12
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Nope.
-
Message 13
Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Marie Stopes?
-
Message 14
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Yes, Marie Stopes it was. It took me longer to write that question than for the answer to appear!
Now there are over 500 Marie Stopes clinics offering family planning help in 42 countries.
I claim a personal interest here - when I was a student, I had a friend who lived in what had been the Stopes' family home in Edinburgh, although he didn't know it at that time. When I was helping to decorate this place, we found some things left by the family which revealed that the Stopes had lived there. There's now a blue plaque on the house.
Your go. -
Message 15
Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Keeping on the Stopes theme, then.
The leadership of which organisation could be said to connect one of Stopes's presumably more wanted pregnancies with a now 40 year old case of the heebie jeebies and a young woman's blues? -
Message 16
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Friday, 14th January 2011
any chance of another clue...?
-
Message 17
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Abortion was legalised forty years ago… ‘Mary Stopes International’ is to begin advertising on television offering what some determine as a legal service. It’s causing a huge ruckus in the anti-abortion groups and there’s talk that Tory MPs are already discussing a campaign to put a stop to it.
Yes I have researched it on various websites… but after waiting so long for a clue, 3 hours... or a response assumed the OP had gone off down the pub, and everyone else had lost interest. Sorry if I’ve broken the rules.
Kind regards bandick. -
Message 18
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Bandick, you may well be right.
I'm not sure that even with the answer in front of me I could say why it's right.
That question was a bit...obscure. -
Message 19
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Friday, 14th January 2011
Hi George…
I’m assuming ‘one of the more wanted pregnancies’ would be the birth of one of her organisations or clinics.
‘40 year old case of the ‘wotsits’’… could mean the forty years since abortion was legalised…
‘a young woman's blues’… wondering what the hell she’s going to do now she’s up the duff… let’s face it… it’s not often the poor girl sees more that a pair of heels rapidly disappearing into the distance.
Haven’t a clue about the leadership reference.
I agree the clue was very obscure… but it would have been handy and proper for the question setter to check the progress or lack of it. It’s only when I realised I may have been the only one participating that I began to Google it.
Let’s face it… it was nine hours ago the question was posted, and seven hours ago I asked for another clue… and still no word from the setter.
I look forwards to these quizzes, it’s very seldom I manage to make a contribution… maybe it was just thought I wasn’t worth bothering with.
What did you make of it… and thanks for at least taking the trouble to reply.
Kind regards bandick. -
Message 20
Posted by Temperance (U14455940) on Saturday, 15th January 2011
Hi Bandick,
It's a stinker all right, but Nordmann's questions always are!
I'm assuming 'one of the more wanted pregnancies' would be the birth of one of her organisations or clinics. Â
I thought that too, but could it also refer to her own son, Harry Stopes Roe? He is a vice-president of the British Humanist Association, an organisation which has always campaigned for *impartial* information on abortion to be available (especially in schools).
There was a judgement in the European Court of Human Rights recently - that Ireland's antiquated abortion laws violated the rights of three Irish women who sought terminations in England. Could that be the 40 year old heebiejeebies?
PS Cheating after midnight on Fridays becomes "research". -
Message 21
Posted by an ex-nordmann - it has ceased to exist (U3472955) on Saturday, 15th January 2011
Very close Temperance. In fact so close you can most definitely take the baton!
Harry Stopes-Roe is a vice-president of the BHA, as you said. Almost 40 years ago its president was one George Melly, whose 2 year office coincided with the release of his popular album "Son Of Nuts" (featuring such tracks as "Heebie Jeebies" and "Young Woman's Blues").
Over to you (to bandick's undoubted relief) ... -
Message 22
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Saturday, 15th January 2011
Go for it Temp.
-
Message 23
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Saturday, 15th January 2011
Hi temps…
I don’t mind stinkers… if I don’t know the answer, I don’t mind, I’m no great academic and I hope I don’t give the impression I’m trying to be something I’m not. I’ll just do the old 60s thing, 'drop out' and enjoy watching the progress of others. I also appreciate what you say that Nordmann’s questions always stinkers. He’s certainly a very learned chap; and I always enjoy reading his stuff, I can’t say I always understand it… but I think I learn a little from it… especially the way in which he gets his point across. An admiral quality and very clever.
That said… as much as it’s not right (to maintain the spirit of the quiz) to check out something in a book or Google it, I don’t think its right (I don’t know how others feel) to set a question as obscure as yesterdays… and then abandon it. What does that do for the true spirit of the quiz… it just make it a shambles and a complete waste of time. Even after 3 hours, and then asking for another clue… and I bet I wasn’t alone in wanting or needing one, on the other hand I may well have been, as I got the distinct impression I was the only sucker playing the game… there was nothing forthcoming, not another word all night. Perhaps it would help if another unwritten rule of the quiz would be that if you’re unable to take an active part… then it would be better for the others to abstain. Yesterday the quiz was killed off stone dead at about 15:00hrs… I think that ‘bad form’ no matter how academically gifted you are.
Right… enough said, probably too much.
I take comfort that you <" I'm assuming 'one of the more wanted pregnancies' would be the birth of one of her organisations or clinics. " > thought that too.
On the question of her son… I wondered too, but somewhere in the land of Google I’d read that she disinherited him when he married ‘a myopic woman’ fearful that the condition would manifest in any offspring.
Oh gosh temps… now I’m getting really confused… the trouble is I flit about so much in Google I can never find my way back to some of the stuff that later on you find is useful.
I’ve very likely got this wrong… her son married the myopic woman, who was related to Barnes Wallis? And it’s thru that line that we get the inclusion of the ‘Roe’ surname? So who is Harry Stopes Roe… Is that her son that’s adopted part of his wife’s name, that’s not that common is it… or is Harry Stopes Roe her grandson…?
I wrote the son out of the equation due to her earlier disowning him… but I can see now you have a much clearer view on the subject… as for your Irish theme… these three women are certainly not the only ones keeping the Irish ferries in business. When I worked for Irish shipping, the lads all knew there was a constant stream of girls coming over for abortions. As for the heebie-jeebies clue… I’d say you’ve cracked it, but it would have been nice to have known that yesterday afternoon/early evening… or at least got some feedback.
I like that… methinks I’ll stick to that and pass on the quizzes…
Kind regards and thank you… bandick. -
Message 24
Posted by Temperance (U14455940) on Saturday, 15th January 2011
Hi Bandick,
You've ruined my question! I was going to ask why Marie Sopes was anxious to keep her eye on the ball (or bomb)!
OK - what or who links a town in Ontario,Canada, Marie Stopes's dreadful love poetry, a not very sweet sister and a Duchess who was definitely too rich and too thin? -
Message 25
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Saturday, 15th January 2011
Hi Temps… I hope this is nothing to do with you:
Well now… ahem… I’m stumped. Following to the letter your remark that after midnight on Friday is ‘research’… it has made not the slightest… trawling thru the web for her love poetry, she seemed to have had some ‘affection’ for Lord Alfred Douglas… so I’ve spent an age reading up on him… ahem again… and what a nasty piece.
Your ‘Duchess who was definitely too rich and too thin’… I think that’s Wallis Simpson… only because when I was bored out of my scull yesterday, I looked up famous quotes… famous people etc, looking for quiz questions really... I’m pretty sure that was in amongst them… but I can’t get anywhere with it… neeeed mooore cluuues.
Is anyone else having a go at this…?
Regards bandick.
Ps yup had a re-read on Henry Stopes-Roe… her son, not grandson… from her second husband… it’s a case of ‘a little information is dangerous’.
I made a right pigs ear out of it. -
Message 26
Posted by Temperance (U14455940) on Saturday, 15th January 2011
Ladies Only Travelling Cello Society? Good grief, most definitely not me - sounds like something Sugar Kane Kowalczyk was a member of!
Wallis Simpson - the rich and thin duchess - now that *is* correct. -
Message 27
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Marie Stopes' dreadful love poetry...
Didn't she send some to Adolf Hitler? -
Message 28
Posted by Temperance (U14455940) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Well I never - thought the quiz was quite dead for this week!
Yes, she did. You are very warm. So who was the famous and not very sweet sister? What did she have in common with Marie Stopes and Wallis Simpson, and how is she linked to the town in Canada?
It's symbolic.
Adolf Hitler is actually the link I was looking for, but can you - or anyone else - explain a bit more? -
Message 29
Posted by somewhatsilly (U14315357) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
I'd guessed the Mitford connection but had to google for the Canada bit.
Well blow me down, that's a staggering coincidence, I'll not spoil it for anyone else who wants to do likewise. -
Message 30
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Hi temps… is your clue… ‘It's symbolic’… meant literally…? -
Message 31
Posted by George1507 (U2607963) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
I think there's a Windsor in Canada, and Wallis Simpson was the Duchess of Windsor.
How we get to Hitler and the Mitfords I don't know. -
Message 32
Posted by Temperance (U14455940) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Hi Bandick,
Yes and no. I suppose the Mitfords thought it a "lucky and auspicious" place - all those gold mines there, you know. But Ferval is right - the coincidence is staggering.
I would now put a smiley smiley, but I don't like these new emoticons. And may I take this opportunity of advising all posters against injudicious use of that HORRIBLE drum roll thing. Just looking at it makes me feel quite murderous.
SST. -
Message 33
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Hi George… There is also a town in Canada with the name of Adolf’s reviled symbol. -
Message 34
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
oops sorry temps... must have cross posted. -
Message 35
Posted by Temperance (U14455940) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Correct! Swastika in Ontario.
But what's the Mitford connection? -
Message 36
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
One of the Mitford sisters, I can’t remember her name, the one conceived in Swastika where her father owned a gold mine, became infatuated with Adolf and left home for Germany, where she inveigled her way into his inner circle. I think she persuaded another of her sisters to join her, and both where entertained lavishly by him. -
Message 37
Posted by Temperance (U14455940) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Unity Mitford was indeed a huge fan of Hitler - as were Wallis Simpson and Marie Stopes. As George said, MS actually sent him some love poetry.
Seems incredible, but yes, Unity was conceived in Swastika of all places!
Very nearly quiz day again - but remember no googling allowed on Fridays until after midnight, Bandick! -
Message 38
Posted by bandick (U14360315) on Wednesday, 19th January 2011
Hi temps… as an aside… I had my monthly visit from the mobile library yesterday and ordered the two books you recommend for my recent research on scaffolding:
Ian Mortimer's "The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England":
William Golding’s "The Spire".
Unfortunately, the librarian informed me they are suspending the service as from July, and as I live a few hundred yards outside the limits of their ‘rounds’… so I'm on the chop list. I’m a bit peeved about that as whether I live in or outside the limit… I haven’t been able to go outside since mid November, but never mind… it’s all part of the governments cuts.
The librarians not too happy either, it means he’ll be redundant. When I asked what he’ll do i.e. what did he do before… scaffolder he replied, a long time ago. He’s given me a few leads already where he had to go to a college in Norfolk to qualify, but is also surprised how little info there is… and has now become very interested himself.
I’ve drawn complete blanks with the woodland trust etc and all the others I’ve tried for help. Never mind it can go on the back boiler for a time, and join the others.
King regards bandick.
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