General Knowledge Quiz

[Mcr Warrior]

Julius Caesar?

 

[Calthrop]

I fear not -- incident concerned, was a great deal later in history.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This wouldn't be Thomas Austin, who introduced rabbits to Australia would it...?

 

[Calthrop]

No -- the happening was about as far from Australia, as would be geographically possible.

 

[Gloster]

No -- the happening was about as far from Australia, as would be geographically possible.

Which has caused me to look up where the antipode of Australia is. The exact opposite of Australia would have it lying in mid-Atlantic between the Azores and Bermuda.

 

[DaleCooper]

Thanks.

Which prominent and "famously ferocious" historical figure was once involved in an embarrassing -- and a little disquieting -- situation, which featured a very large number of rabbits?

Is this similar to the Tom Cruise/gerbil affair?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Is this similar to the Tom Cruise/gerbil affair?

I thought that was Richard Gere?

EDIT -It was https://www.mtv.com/news/6kcykn/richard-gere-gerbil

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Marquis de Sade?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

DELETED REPEAT

 

[Calthrop]

No -- the happening was about as far from Australia, as would be geographically possible.

I was being un-technical -- with Aus. being reckoned by us Western European layperson-types, as the Antipodes ...

ETA sorry -- attempted response to @Gloster's post #23,915


Other responders -- the incident was a totally "pure" one: nothing inter-species, or indeed in any way, sexual ...

 

[DaleCooper]

I thought that was Richard Gere?

EDIT -It was https://www.mtv.com/news/6kcykn/richard-gere-gerbil

Oops! I must apologise to Tom next time I see him.

 

[DaleCooper]

I was being un-technical -- with Aus. being reckoned by us Western European layperson-types, as the Antipodes ...

Other responders -- the incident was a totally "pure" one: nothing inter-species, or indeed in any way, sexual ...

King Arthur encountered a very dangerous rabbit according to the film.

 

[Calthrop]

King Arthur encountered a very dangerous rabbit according to the film.

I'm not a fan of that Python person -- but anyway, no: the historical bod concerned, definitely and indubitably existed.

 

[Neo9320]

Guesses from here on in:
Churchill?

 

[Calthrop]

Sorry -- not Churchill.

 

[DaleCooper]

This must be the time when Joseph Stalin owned a pet shop and all the rabbits escaped.

 

[Calthrop]

This must be the time when Joseph Stalin owned a pet shop and all the rabbits escaped.

Alas, no. It seems to me that most historical tyrants had at least one or two endearing features -- but Stalin, none I've ever heard of -- certainly not a fondness for pets. (There are some who believe in all seriousness, that that guy was an alien -- and a hostile one.)

 

[Loppylugs]

Warren Mitchell?

 

[Calthrop]

Warren Mitchell?

Good idea (Warren); but, no. The "answer man" is somebody who in the main, would not be suspected to have any concern whatever, with rabbits -- either directly, or wordplay-wise. The incident involved, was a total one-off.

 

[Gloster]

One of Chas ‘n Dave?

 

[SteveM70]

Three random historical figures:

Lord Nelson

Napoleon

Hitler

 

[DaleCooper]

Good idea (Warren); but, no. The "answer man" is somebody who in the main, would not be suspected to have any concern whatever, with rabbits -- either directly, or wordplay-wise. The incident involved, was a total one-off.

David Lynch?

 

[Gloster]

William III, or was that a mole’s hole, rather than a rabbit warren?

 

[Calthrop]

@SteveM70 offers Lord Nelson / Napoleon / Hitler. Eliminating-tactics re historical villains, bound in the end to bear fruit: Napoleon is indeed the man.

The story: in July 1807, to mark a recent success in Europe, Napoleon decreed that a rabbit-hunt -- with accompanying refreshments and fun -- should take place near Paris; various of his military top brass, invited. All happened as planned; until it came about that the rabbits -- many hundreds of them -- did not, as anticipated, run away from the guns; but bounded en masse, eagerly towards the humans. Allegedly, some of them swarmed up folks' -- including Napoleon's -- legs, and started climbing up their jackets. The sheer numbers were overwhelming: the invitees fled towards their coaches -- rabbit horde followed, including dividing into two wings on each side of the fleeing humans; some, reportedly, even leaping into the Emperor's coach. (Presumably in the circumstances, opening fire to the max on the creatures was -- with muzzle-loading single-shot firearms -- not a solution.) The party set off back to Paris, discomfited -- the occasion, a definite "flop".

It turned out that Napoleon's chief-of-staff Berthier -- not well-versed in this kind of stuff -- had: instead of going for wild rabbits, wary of humans and "programmed" to flee -- got his underlings to buy in huge quantity, tame rabbits from local farmers; and let them out at the venue. The rabbits, being tame, figured "humans = food", and swarmed toward the shooting party, instead of away.


@SteveM70: your turn to set about the furry vermin. Be merciless !

 

[Calthrop]

One of Chas ‘n Dave?

David Lynch?

@Gloster (1); and @DaleCooper -- Feared that Oi lives under a rock, midears -- Oi've no idea what 'ee be on about ...

William III, or was that a mole’s hole, rather than a rabbit warren?

Indeed -- the little gentleman in black velvet: Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver & Co., not involved there.

 

[Gloster]

@SteveM70 offers Lord Nelson / Napoleon / Hitler. Eliminating-tactics re historical villains, bound in the end to bear fruit: Napoleon is indeed the man.

The story: in July 1807, to mark a recent success in Europe, Napoleon decreed that a rabbit-hunt -- with accompanying refreshments and fun -- should take place near Paris; various of his military top brass, invited. All happened as planned; until it came about that the rabbits -- many hundreds of them -- did not, as anticipated, run away from the guns; but bounded en masse, eagerly towards the humans. Allegedly, some of them swarmed up folks' -- including Napoleon's -- legs, and started climbing up their jackets. The sheer numbers were overwhelming: the invitees fled towards their coaches -- rabbit horde followed, including dividing into two wings on each side of the fleeing humans; some, reportedly, even leaping into the Emperor's coach. (Presumably in the circumstances, opening fire to the max on the creatures was -- with muzzle-loading single-shot firearms -- not a solution.) The party set off back to Paris, discomfited -- the occasion, a definite "flop".

It turned out that Napoleon's chief-of-staff Berthier -- not well-versed in this kind of stuff -- had: instead of going for wild rabbits, wary of humans and "programmed" to flee -- got his underlings to buy in huge quantity, tame rabbits from local farmers; and let them out at the venue. The rabbits, being tame, figured "humans = food", and swarmed toward the shooting party, instead of away.


@SteveM70: your turn to set about the furry vermin. Be merciless !

So that is why he so often seems to be pictured with his hand inside his jacket/waistcoat. A real flop-sy.

 

[Calthrop]

So that is why he so often seems to be pictured with his hand inside his jacket/waistcoat. A real flop-sy.

Would all make a fine story for Dandelion, in Watership Down, to tell -- "those Men give us a dreadful time; but just occasionally, we put one over on them ..."

 

[SteveM70]

Arthur Wood (1875 - 1953) was an English composer and conductor. What’s his best known composition?

 

[Gloster]

Barwick Green?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Barwick Green?

Otherwise known as "The Archers" theme tune? (Which the comedian Billy Connolly once famously suggested would make a good replacement British National Anthem).