General Knowledge Quiz

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Hello All, we have a new quiz from Heinz57 for you all :

This is a General Knowledge quiz about anything and everything. The rules are simple: the person with the correct answer to the preceding question will post the next, and so on.... And remember, no Googling - that would be cheating!

The Quizmasters would also like people to make sure that questions are sensible and have a simple answer - so an answer like Italy or carrots or Mt Everest might be good, but a question like "What is the GDP of Egypt?" can only lead to headaches.

If a question is answered correctly and accepted by the question setter, but then no new question is set within one day (twenty-four hours) by the successful contestant, on expiry of this period, the floor will open for any member to set a new question.

So, here's the first question from Heinz57...

In 1803, what did the USA purchase from France for $11,250,000?

Over to you.

 

[dzug2]

Louisana?

 

[OxtedL]

Wikipedia says that that's correct.

Do you have a new question?

 

[dzug2]

Wikipedia says that that's correct.

Do you have a new question?

Yes - give me a few minutes
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There's a recent book called the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

The title is rather older though - what is the origin?

 

[Seacook]

Yes - give me a few minutes
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There's a recent book called the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

The title is rather older though - what is the origin?

It's from the Sherlock Holmes short story "Silver Blaze". The curious incident was that the dog did nothing, indicating that the perpetrator was familiar.

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What is a struldbrug, and who invented the term?

 

[dzug2]

correct - your go

 

[Heinz57]

Louisana?

Sorry yeah, it was Louisiana. Well done!

The Louisiana purchase took place in 1803 when the US purchased the Louisiana terratory, which consisted at the time of around 15 of the present day states.
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What is a struldbrug, and who invented the term?

Ahh yes. They're from Gulliver's Travels arn't they? Which was written by Jonathan Swift.

Open floor

 

[Crossover]

I'll grab the open floor.

Where can you find Stott Hall Farm and why is it well known?

 

[dzug2]

I'll grab the open floor.

Where can you find Stott Hall Farm and why is it well known?

It's in the middle of the M62 somehere oop north

 

[Seacook]

Ahh yes. They're from Gulliver's Travels arn't they? Which was written by Jonathan Swift.

Yes. Struldbrugs were immortal but subject to the effects of aging, so they suffered from all sorts of disabilities but never actually died.

 

[EM2]

Stott Hall Farm is between J22 and J23 of the M62 and bypassed either side by the eastbound and westbound carriageways of the motorway

 

[Crossover]

It's in the middle of the M62 somehere oop north

Stott Hall Farm is between J22 and J23 of the M62 and bypassed either side by the eastbound and westbound carriageways of the motorway

Correct - it is the farmhouse in the middle of the M62 between J22 and J23 - well known because it is in the middle of the M62 :P

 

[dzug2]

EM2 gave the fuller answer so should take the floor

 

[clagmonster]

Ah yes. I think the story is that the owner refused to sell up, and somehow there wasn't a compulsory purchase order (he somehow manged to win a case in order to prevent the builders getting one).

 

[Johnuk123]

Ah yes. I think the story is that the owner refused to sell up, and somehow there wasn't a compulsory purchase order (he somehow manged to win a case in order to prevent the builders getting one).

The story about the owner of Stott Hall Farm (Ken Wild) refusing to move is a myth.

When the motorway was built it was impossible for geological reasons to put both carriageways side by side so they split them.

 

[clagmonster]

Do I lose 10 QI points for that then. I did wonder how somebody would manage to overcome a compulsary purchase order.

 

[Heinz57]

The story about the owner of Stott Hall Farm (Ken Wild) refusing to move is a myth.

When the motorway was built it was impossible for geological reasons to put both carriageways side by side so they split them.

Ahh is that what Scott Hall Farm is? I've heard about the house, and seen it. But I didn't know thats what it was.

Imagine if the owner decided to move house. Selling it should be interesting

Whos got the floor by the way?

 

[dzug2]

Either me or EM2 - I posted first but he gave a fuller answer

If it's me then open floor

 

[EM2]

Sorry, chaps. Work got in the way
OK...

Why is the distance for the marathon now set at 26 miles 385 yards?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Sorry, chaps. Work got in the way
OK...

Why is the distance for the marathon now set at 26 miles 385 yards?

The 1908 Olympic Games were, as now, held in London and reports at the time stated that the British royal family wanted the length of the race to be extended, in order that the marathon race could finish directly in front of the viewing box that was used by the royal family. It is said that the new distance would be retained for all future Olympic Games after that.

 

[Crossover]

The story about the owner of Stott Hall Farm (Ken Wild) refusing to move is a myth.

When the motorway was built it was impossible for geological reasons to put both carriageways side by side so they split them.

Indeed it is...as I have seen somewhere, a compulsary purchase order is just that...compulsary.
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Imagine if the owner decided to move house. Selling it should be interesting

"Period farmhouse with stunning views of the Pennines and set right in the very heart of the M62, offering stunning views of this too"

 

[EM2]

Paul is pretty much right.
It is the distance from Windsor Castle to the Royal Box at White City Stadium. There was however still some heated debate before it was officially adopted as the standard distance.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If that last answer of mine seems approved....

What was the eventual reform of the British postal system that commenced in 1837 finally saw a new method of pre-payment for the service, rather than the pre-existing system of payment on delivery, that was introduced on 1st May 1840 ?

 

[ainsworth74]

The introduction of stamps and the penny post?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The introduction of stamps and the penny post?

You are most correct....you now set the next one.

 

[ainsworth74]

Okay how about this:

Something topical, whilst Michael Phelps has the most Olympic medals of any athlete in the history of the games, what is the name of the most decorated female athlete?

Could be a bit tricky this one so I'm happy to provide clues if needed (I've probably jinxed it by saying that ).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Being born in 1945 gives me somewhat of an advantage here, but the person that I remember from my early teens was a female USSR gymnast. However, all I can remember was that her first name was Larisa and when she retired as a competitor, she became one of their national coaches.

However, I cannot name her surname nor the total number of medals that she eventually amassed.

 

[ainsworth74]

I'm going to give it to you as you have the first name, nationality and sport, so as far as I'm concerned that's close enough. But, for the sake of completeness her name was Larisa Latynina and she won 18 medals in her Olympic career.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Let us now go back in time some 1350 years or so and there was a meeting held in the North-East area of England that had reached a decision of final clarification over a method of time dating,

What was the name of the event and where was this held, what year was it and what was the decision reached.

 

[clagmonster]

Would this be the Senate of Whitby, at which a decision was made regarding the date of Easter (it is something along the lines of the fourth Sunday after a certain full moon).