February 22 2008

Yesterday, I posted a list of ten questions that you can have fun with at parties by offering free drinks to anyone who can answer them correctly.  My assumption is that any takers will have to buy you drinks if they get the answers wrong.  I'm not trying to encourage alcoholism, so the drinks in question can be fruit juice or soda water, if you prefer.  Anyway, here are the questions again and the answers.

1. What was the first name of the famous Dutch painter Rembrandt?

Rembrandt was his first name.  His complete name was Rembrandt van Rijn.

2. The nonsense word teralbay is fomed by rearrangement of the letters from what English word?

The English word is betrayal.

3. How many aircraft from the United States Air Force were flown during World War 2?

None.  The USAF wasn't formed until 1947, two years after the war.  American pilots who fought in The Big One flew with the US Navy, the US Marines or the US Army Air Corps.

4. What was The Enigma Machine?

The Enigma Machine was a box filled with gears that drove wheels on which were printed numbers and alphabetic letters.  These devices were used by the German forces during World War 2 to generate cryptographic keys that were used to communicate with U-Boats and other Nazi bases.  Though primitive by modern standards, Enigma was very advanced for its time and it took British Intelligence a great deal of effort to crack its secrets.

5. What territory did the United States try unsuccessfully to annex during The War of 1812?

Canada.  America was at war with Britain and Canada was then still a part of the British Empire.

6. Who said, "Never before in the course of human events has so much been owed by so many to so few."?

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.  He was praising the gallant efforts of the Royal Air Force against the Nazi Luftwaffe during The Battle of Britain.

7. In which countries is it legal for a man to marry his own widow?

None. If a man has a widow, he can't marry anybody. He's dead.

8. After whom is the country of "America" named?

America is named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

9. To what drug was the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes addicted?

Cocaine.

10. In what part of France was "French Toast" invented?

"French toast" is actually a Belgian invention.

So, how many did you get right?  If you scored more than 2 or 3 correct, then you're pretty sharp.  Do you find questions of this kind to be interesting? If so, let me know.

George

P.S. For some free short fiction, go to: www.checkmatefiction.com