Canny lass

Well .... I didn't hear any apologies when he decided that only women should give birth.

Are we sitting comfortably? Then let's begin .... 1. Which former pop-star owned the company that made The Life of Brian and had a one line part in a crowd scene? 2. What can be upside down, ginger or Dundee? 3. Which country hosted the summer Olympics in 1932? 4. What occupation is involved with stretchers and headers? 5. On which river does Amsterdam stand? 6. What is the millionth of a metre called? 7. Who is the prime minister of France? 8. What sort of drink is pekoe? 9. Who had a pet chimp called Chee Chee? 10. Which Bridge on the River Thames has a central portion that can be raised to allow ships into London? 11. Which sports commentator talked of an ‘up and under’ and an ‘early bath’? 12. What is a dirndl? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. The first advert on Radio Luxembourg was for a laxative. Answers on Thursday as usual.

Why did God create Eve? He created Adam, stood back, serveyed his work, scratched his head and said: I'm sure I can do better than this!

Answers to last week's quiz: 1. Hard-Black 2. Nation shall speak peace unto nation 3. Ireland 4. 1903 5. Barbarossa 6. 70 7. The Mantle 8. Mole 9. Sandringham 10. Cabbage 11. Gregor Mendel 12. A poached egg New quiz tomorrow!

Here we go ..... 1. What does the symbol HB stand for on a pencil? 2. What is the motto of the BBC? 3. England’s best ever win at football was 13-0. Who were they playing? 4. In which year were cars first required to be registered? 5. In WW2, what was the codename given by Hitler to the German invasion of Russia? 6. How many years are celebrated with a platinum anniversary? 7. What is the layer of rock immediately under the crust of the Earth called? 8. Which animal lives in a ‘citadel’? 9. What is the name of the Queen’s residence in Norfolk? 10. Brassica Oleracea is better known as what? 11. Who discovered the basic laws of genetics while analysing peas in a monastery garden? 12. What does a Buck Rarebit have that a Welsh Rarebit does not? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. Japanese women wear padded underwear to make their bottoms appear more rounded. ... and you never know just when you might need that morsel of knowledge!

Answers to last week's quiz: 1. Ronnie Corbett 2. Oysters 3. Carbon 4. Greenland 5. Archers, outlaws 6. *HMS Coventry 7. Drosometer 8. ** Reliant 9. ***Shogun 10. China 11. Jim Kerr 12. Icelandic *Q6 HMS Coventry and HMS Sheffield are both frigates, and both were launched at Swan Hunter, Wallsend in 1986 – HMS Sheffield, March, 26 and HMS Coventry, a few weeks later April 08. However, the launch of HMS Sheffield was no secret. It was launched by Mrs. Susan Stanley, wife of the then Armed Forces Minister while HMS Coventry slipped quietly into the River Tyne without ceremony. **Q8 I can’t find anybody called Li who is 102 years old Sophie Avouris, April 2020 Arthur Seidman Feb 2019 (no longer 102) Madeleine Turpan 102 Sept 2014 (no longer 102) *** Q9 Shogun was the word I was looking for, a loan from Japanese clothed in the English alphabet. but the Japanese 将軍 (shogun) is also acceptable, being the shortened form of 征夷大将軍 (seiitaishogun) meaning Commander in Chief (of the expeditionary force against the barbarians). Naturally, I can accept even 軍事指導者 also meaning ‘military leader. New quiz tomorrow - without Japanese!

I thought I had posted! I've made a note to say I have and another to remind me to post the answers on Thursday. Don't know what's gone wrong but here it is again: 1. Which comedian, as a schoolboy, had a trial for Heart of Midlothian FC but wasn’t tall enough? 2. What type of creatures are “Whitstable natives”? 3. Fullerenes, discovered in 1985, were a new form of which element? 4. Which island, situated in the Arctic Ocean, is the largest in the world? 5. Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough and William of Cloudesley were all famous what? 6. Which frigate was launched secretly in 1986 in Wallsend to replace a ship lost in the Falklands? 7. What instrument is used to measure dew? 8. Which car manufacturer had the Kitten, Rebel and Sabre models? 9. Which Japanese word translates as ‘leader of the army’? 10. Which country was the first to use paper banknotes? 11. Who is the lead singer with Simple Minds? 12. Identify the language used in the following sentence: Dómarinn hefur alltaf rétt fyrrir sér. I’ll bet you didn’t know …. The Russian postal service will not deliver letters containing chewing gum. Bonus question: How do they know what’s in the envelope?

A lovely idea! Great initiative on your part, Malcolm.

If you can find an ajudicator that has Donald Trump's acceptance then I have no objections. Nominations, on a postage stamp, in the official nominations box please.

... I didn't specify an "artificial" tree either!

Answers to last week's quiz: 1. Double Bass 2. Darjeeling 3. Bill Haley and his Comets 4. Silver 5. Swimming 6. Nectarine 7. 300 8. Blue 9. Exodus 10. Ash 11. Aardvark 12. Robert Peel Question 10: Come on you guys! You may still believe in Santa Clause but a plastic Christmas tree isn't a REAL tree!! New quiz tomorrow!

... well, I hope I got it right!

Happy Birthday Eggy and thanks for all the work you do on our fantastic photo gallery. It's very much appreciated by this ex-pat!

Ready, steady, GO! 1. Which is the largest instrument in the string section of an orchestra? 2. Which tea is known as ‘the champagne of teas’? 3. Who had a hit single in 1955 with Rock Around the cCock? 4. Which metal is the best conductor of heat and electricity? 5. In which sport would you use a trudgen? 6. John Rivers and Lord Napier are types of what? 7. In a game of tenpin bowling, if a person starts by throwing 12 consecutive strikes, what would their score be? 8. What colour is a giraffe’s tongue? 9. In which book of the Bible are the Ten Commandments set out for the first time? 10. What tree can be green, black, white or blue? 11. What is the first animal listed in an English dictionary? 12. Who was the first Conservative prime minister? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. King Zog of Albania smoked more than 100 cigarettes a day. Answers on Thursday next week, as usual.

Answers to last week's quiz: 1. Callaghan 2. Hertfordshire 3. Carbon 4. Frog 5. Marmalade sandwiches 6. Sweden 7. Yachting 8. Red 9. Statue of Zeus 10. Norwich City 11. Nancy Astor 12. In the ear New quiz tomorrow!

Still nothing showing on my laptop, where I am always logged in! However, It shows on both my tablet and my mobile, where I am never logged in.

Still hasn't shown up on my laptop! There's probably a logical explanation but it's beyond the limits of my digital competence.

This is strange! A couple of hours ago Bot News posted an article on the site about the effect of Covid restrictions on a local couple's wedding. I can see it on my mobile but not here.

Must just be me then!

I hope you found it, Andy - and if you didn't have a great day anyway!

Get your thinking caps on! 1. What was the surname of the character played by Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry films? 2. In which English county is Welwyn Garden City? 3. What is the principal chemical found in diamonds? 4. What name is given to the indentation on a brick which holds the mortar? 5. What was the favourite food of Paddington Bear? 6. Which of these countries does NOT drive on the left: New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Cyprus? 7. In which sport would you compete for the America’s Cup? 8. What colour is the spot in the middle of the Japanese flag? 9. Which of the Seven Wonders of the World was created by the sculptor Phidias about 430BC? 10. Which football club is nicknamed The Canaries? 11. Who was the first British woman to take a seat in the House of Commons? 12. Where would you find cerumen in the human body? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. Bagpipes were played in Persia, Egypt and Greece long before the Scots adopted them from the Romans. Answers on Thursday, next week.

Answers to last week's quiz: 1. Vacuum cleaner 2. 33 - 1 3. Illie Nastase 4. Anti-freeze 5. 1988 6. Piccadily 7. Channel Islands 8. US Civil War 1861 - 1865 9. Honeysuckle or Woodbine 10. Dunstan 11. River Tay 12. Hydrophobia Re question 6: The Swedish Monopoly board doesn't have a Waterworks, or so I,ve been informed by one of the grandchildren. I did a quick google and apparently it was removed about 15 years ago when the board was revised. My own, English version of the game is well over 30 years old and next to the Waterworks in a CLOCKWISE direction is Piccadily. My apologies if the English version has also changed the placement of Piccadily. New quiz tomorrow.

This morning at breakfast I read an excellent article from our News bot here on site. I did this on my mobile phone. The article , Public health boss' plea as Covid-19 'spreading like wildfire' in Northumberland is well worth a read and still available on my phone. However, it doesn't appear here on my lap top when I log in. Is it just me or have we a problem? PS It should appear just before Eggy's last post on Humford

A couple of questions: Did you have a great grandmother called Catherine? Did your grandparents or great grandparents have any connections with Scotland? Do you recognise any of the following names: Annie, Patrick, Gilbert, Margaret?

Time to keep the grey cell in trim! 1. Which household appliance was patented by Cecil Booth in 1901? 2. In bookmaker’s slang what odds are denoted by ‘double carpet’ 3. Who did Bjorn Borg defeat in 1976 to win his first Wimbledon singles title? 4. What is the more common name of the chemical Ethylene Glycol? 5. In what year were dog licences abolished in Britain? 6. On a Monopoly board, which property clockwise is situated after the Water Works? 7. In which part of the British Isles would you find bailiwicks? 8. In which war was the battle of Gettysburg? 9. By what name is the plant Lonicera better known? 10. Which Archbishop of Canterbury seized the devil’s nose in a pair of red-hot tongs? 11. What is the longest river in Scotland? 12. What is the medical name for Rabies? I’ll bet you didn’t know …. In 1877 a wealthy widow promised Russian composer Tchaikovsky a generous annual allowance – on condition that they never met. Answers on Thursday, as usual!