General Knowledge Quiz

[Calthrop]

Having cheated just a bit -- might it be Erich Kaestner?

 

[Peterthegreat]

That's the one. Probably best known for Emil and the Detectives.
Your turn to author the next question.

 

[Calthrop]

Dankeschoen; but -- your clue re kids' books: that made me think of "Emil and ..." -- if I'd ever known the name of Herr Kaestner as author, I'd long forgotten -- I Googled the book's title. Had had no notion whether the bloke was born in Dresden; or Skaisgirren, East Prussia (Russian since 1945) ! Don't feel that I merit setting next question -- open floor, please.

 

[DaleCooper]

Dankeschoen; but -- your clue re kids' books: that made me think of "Emil and ..." -- if I'd ever known the name of Herr Kaestner as author, I'd long forgotten -- I Googled the book's title. Had had no notion whether the bloke was born in Dresden; or Skaisgirren, East Prussia (Russian since 1945) ! Don't feel that I merit setting next question -- open floor, please.

Next question:

What is taphonomy?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I am somewhat fortunate to have come across this word in the research into the setting of my last question on prehistoric matters on this thread and it covers the study of the involved processes connected with fossilization.

 

[DaleCooper]

I am somewhat fortunate to have come across this word in the research into the setting of my last question on prehistoric matters on this thread and it covers the study of the involved processes connected with fossilization.

Correct, your turn...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

In what century was the Battle of the Five Forts fought, what was the area and which were the opposing sides.

I need all four queries answered.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

The only information I can supply, that might help others, is that Aotearoa (New Zealand) is the country, it was a Maori battle but as to the exact combatants I wouldn't know. Century wise we are probably back somewhere like the 16th.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The only information I can supply, that might help others, is that Aotearoa (New Zealand) is the country, it was a Maori battle but as to the exact combatants I wouldn't know. Century wise we are probably back somewhere like the 16th.

The 16th century is correct.

We still need the area of New Zealand and the names of the opposing sides.

 

[Calthrop]

Waikikamoukau province; the Toutaikouri and Ugivsadamuiua tribes (I'm being silly).

 

[DaleCooper]

Waikikamoukau province; the Toutaikouri and Ugivsadamuiua tribes (I'm being silly).

You're thinking of The Battle of the Four Fights.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

If it helps, the area in New Zealand was Kakahai.

 

[Calthrop]

If it helps, the area in New Zealand was Kakahai.

Is that where that renowned and highly-rare bird the Takahe [Notornis] is found?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is that where that renowned and highly-rare bird the Takahe [Notornis] is found?

A tad off-topic to the names of the two opponents we still seek, but as a matter of interest, whilst there are still living specimens of that bird in South Island, it was only in recent times that the birds in North Island became extinct.

 

[Calthrop]

Continuing off-topic re N.Z. avifauna (since I know nothing whatsoever about Maori history) -- my favourite therein, is the lovable but utterly absurd Kakapo (flightless owl / night, parrot) -- reckoned to be 200-odd of them if I have things rightly, still alive in the world, thanks to conservationists' devoted ministrations: Mr. Darwin would have pronounced this one, as totally for the chop.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Back on topic, two of the four items have been correctly named.....the century in which the event took place and the area of New Zealand.

We still need the names of the two warring tribes.

 

[DaleCooper]

We still need the names of the two warring tribes.

Mods and Rockers

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Mods and Rockers

I was not aware that Maori tribes had tribal names such as those above.

 

[Calthrop]

With the greatest of respect -- it would, I feel, seem somewhat clear: that no participant here save for yourself, knows the names of the divisions of the Maori people, involved here; and since Googling is by general consensus reckoned "not on" in this milieu -- there's nothing people can do, but come up with facetious "suggestions". I thus put forward -- that on the model of Byzantium very long ago, where -- over horse / chariot racing -- there was fanatical partisanship, and deadly (often literally) rivalry between supporters of the Blue, and Green, teams in the sport: the contendants in the Battle of the Five Whatsits, bore as names, the Maori words for "blue" and "green".

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

To draw this nightmare to an end, the two warring tribes were the Ngati Hotu and the Whanganui.

I have researched the days of the early New Zealand days of habitation in my very much younger days when I was at Manchester University in one of the societies there, as it seemed to offer much in the way of interest to me. The North and South islands offered totally different aspects of how plate tectonics can affect areas with volcanic activity prevalent in North Island.

It therefore behoves me to state...."Open Floor"

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Have to agree with @Calthrop . The last question that was asked didn't seem to be "General Knowledge". Possibly anything but!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Have to agree with @Calthrop . The last question that was asked didn't seem to be "General Knowledge". Possibly anything but! :ROLLEYES

Did you miss my last posting that stated "Open Floor" ?

Perhaps it might be better if I took a sabbatical from this thread, as it appears that I have annoyed some thread contributors.

 

[Gloster]

Did you miss my last posting that stated "Open Floor" ?

Perhaps it might be better if I took a sabbatical from this thread, as it appears that I have annoyed some thread contributors.

Please don’t take a sabbatical. We all misjudge the level of questions from time to, but that is inevitable unless you go down to the level of ‘What is the capital of France.’ You do provide some interesting questions.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

You do provide some interesting questions.

Indeed. However, the last four-part question was perhaps one which 99.99% of the general population would be unlikely to know the answer to. Is that then a good 'General Knowledge' question? Doubt it would ever be asked on the likes of 'University Challenge'.

 

[Calthrop]

I am here, totally with @Gloster and not with @Mcr Warrior. My post #33,859 was meant in affectionate jest. There are enormous numbers of questions posed in this ongoing General Knowledge thread, re answers to which I haven't the faintest inkling -- including, the great majority of anything to do with sport, pop / rock music, and films and TV and the personalities concerned therewith. @Xenophon PCDGS, your questions are to me, often wondrously and entertainingly weird, on a huge and eclectic variety of subjects -- fun, whether one knows or might know the answers, or "hasn't the foggiest". Please keep up the good work !

 

[OhNoAPacer]

The problem when you know something is the then difficulty of trying to not know it, or at least knowing it in such depth, so that you can set a question at the appropriate level for other people.

Xenophon has a wide and deep knowledge of many subjects so it is inevitable that from time to time his questions will be somewhat challenging.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Perhaps it might be better if I took a sabbatical from this thread, as it appears that I have annoyed some thread contributors.

Please don’t.

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Anyway as I actually, by luck, got the century, I will take it upon myself to set the next question.

In the sitcom Cheers what is Norm Peterson's first name?

 

[D6130]

Norm?

 

[OhNoAPacer]

Norm?

I know my questions don't have the depth or intellectual rigour of Xenophon but credit me with some level of intelligence

Norman is actually his second name.