The all-new geography quiz

[Eroica]

Landsat Island after the satellite that found it, Landsat 1.
:clap: Correct! It's off the east coast of Canada.

Landsat Island (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsat_Island)

[crosscountry]

thanks.


Name 3 or more countries that have 3 or more national languages.

[Arneb]

I'll stay close to home :) :

Belgium (Flemish, French, German)
Switzerland (German, French, Italian, Reto-Roman)
Luxemburg (German, French, and Luxemburgish).

[crosscountry]

I guess I should have asked for more. I was looking for India. I think they have 21 official languages.

Your turn!:clap:

[Arneb]

thanks, cross.

I visited a pop concert on Thursday with my colleagues. The rare case of a German pop musician having success with songs in German.

One of his songs is an hommage to his home town, starting off with

You are not a beauty...

Who is the singer, and about which German city is the song?

(I suggest the Germans here take a break from the quiz, because for them it would be all too easy :) ).

[crosscountry]

thanks, cross.

(I suggest the Germans here take a break from the quiz, because for them it would be all too easy :) ).


While I'm not German I will sit this one out.:whistle:

[hhEb09'1]

Are we limiting respondents to those who don't know the answer? :)

[crosscountry]

Are we limiting respondents to those who don't know the answer? :)

in that case we'll never move on. As soon as you know the answer it disqualifies you from answering.


maybe just those that didn't know before the question was asked.

[Arneb]

Come, come folks. I just said that for most Germans who have any idea of the German pop music scene the answer will be so blindingly obvious that it is not even a quiz question. We all know who directed "Star Wars", now don't we.

For the others, the answer will come up with a bit of digging, I am sure. The traces of this artist in the Internet should be copious.

[Arneb]

O.K., I seem to be drawing a blank.

The artist in question has gained some international recognition in a different field: He lobbyed for Africa awareness, globalisation skepticism etc. during the run-up to the last G8 summit.

[Eroica]

Herbert Grönemeyer?

[I just Googled "German popstar lobbied g8"... :)]

[Arneb]

Ra-hmm, can I have a full, two-part anwer please:

Hint: You are one fine Google pro :)

[Eroica]

Bochum? (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/4630_Bochum)

[Arneb]

And your turn! :clap:

[Eroica]

What country has a capital city named after a head of state?

[hhEb09'1]

What country has a capital city named after a head of state?Probably more than one, but what about the USA, Washington, DC.

[Arneb]

Indeed more than one; I'd venture Roma, after the first Roman king, Romulus, to be the oldest of the lot.

[crosscountry]

there are probably many like said. How can we narrow down the field?


which continent are you looking for?

[Eroica]

I should have said:

What country has a capital city named after a head of another state?

[hhEb09'1]

Monrovia, Liberia (time line (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/libhtml/liberia.html)), named after US President James Monroe

PS: Port Louis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Louis), Mauritius, was named after Louis XV

[Eroica]

Monrovia, Liberia (time line (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/libhtml/liberia.html)), named after US President James Monroe
:clap: Correct! That's the one I had in mind.



PS: Port Louis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Louis), Mauritius, was named after Louis XVBonus point! (New Zealand doesn't quite make it. Wellington was Prime Minister, but the monarch is the head of state.)

[hhEb09'1]

Weirdly, I just asked my daughters this question, and one immediately answered Liberia. I was a little surprised, and said, "and what is the capital?" She guessed "Lincoln?" :)

I'm not sure if we've answered this question before: What point of the solid Earth surface is closest to the center of the Earth?

[crosscountry]

would that be the north pole?

[Arneb]

Hmmm, long break and silence from hhEb. I suppose if "solid" includes the ocean floor, the answer is indeed the North pole (flattened elipsoid, opposite pole dominated by a large landmass above sea level etc.), and I read just this answer in some geography test on the web. The price would go to cross.

However, does "solid surface" also require the point to be on dry land? That would make it a lot different...:think:

[hhEb09'1]

North Pole is close enough :) I can't find my original reference, but I seem to remember that there was an ocean bottom effect that modified the answer a bit. O well, I'll look for it. Good going crosscountry, you're next.

[crosscountry]

if you took the northernmost and southernmost points in Europe (I mean latitude not actual points) and the westernmost and eastern most longitudes also of Europe, where would the middle of that square be?


(I realize it is not a square)

[Arneb]

Requests for clarification: 1 )Which do you consider to be Europe's Eatern boundary? 2) Which islands do count? Azores? Lampedusa? Canaries? Islands off the North of Norway etc.? Crete? Cyprus? Spitsbergen? Navaya Semlya?

[crosscountry]

continental Europe and the British Isles.

Also Urals are the eastern boundary, but now that you ask, both geographical and political Europe.



Aren't the Azores closer to the USA?

[Arneb]

Here is a first approximation, Portugal to Eastern Urals and Nordkap to Crete, taken from this map (http://www.fame-online.de/Bilder/Europakarte_02.gif): The crossing point of the two lines falls into North-Central Ukraine.

What do you think?

[crosscountry]

I have a different location in mind.

and also political Europe please.

[Arneb]

Would that mean "EU"'? And don't you consider Russia European? What about the Caucasian states? Or Ukraine, even. Also, you say, "continental Europe". But Cyprus is a sovereign state, and EU member. Why shouldn't it count?

By the way, there are a lot of cities boasting to be the "center of Europe". You just have to chose the borders to fit your preferred loca"tion. So we might continue guessing for quite some time.


As always, it's all in the definition.... :think:

[crosscountry]

ok

what is the center of geographical Europe? that includes Russia but no Islands
what is the center of political Europe - only the continental countries

(both include England and Ireland - but they don't contribute)

[Roy Batty]

(both include England and Ireland - but they don't contribute)
How can they not contribute? Do they not exist spatially?:)

[Eroica]

Brest, in Belarus (aka Brest-Litovsk)?

[crosscountry]

How can they not contribute? Do they not exist spatially?:)


I think what I mean is those islands are none of the farthest west/north/south/east points in Europe and to complete this answer one need use them. I know you're kidding.:lol:

[crosscountry]

Brest, in Belarus (aka Brest-Litovsk)?



much closer - and right country. of course we used different coordinates, but I ended up closer to Lithuiana than Poland. My Polish friend thinks Warsaw is the center of Europe, and it's close to that - geographically.


What about politically?

[crosscountry]

Brest, in Belarus (aka Brest-Litovsk)?


ok, since you were technically the closest, and the other question came after the fact you can have the next question


:clap:

[Eroica]

What notable landmark - worth seeing, if not actually worth going to see - was created by basaltic lava flows in the early Tertiary?

[hhEb09'1]

What notable landmark - worth seeing, if not actually worth going to see - was created by basaltic lava flows in the early Tertiary?That description seems to fit Devil's Tower (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devils_Tower_National_Monument). It's also worth climbing :)

[ciderman]

Good suggestion hhEb09'1, my guess though is the Giants Causeway Giant's Causeway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_Causeway), especially considering Eroica's location..
I can't help but wonder if there is a clue here;
worth seeing, if not actually worth going to see
Oh, hiya BAUTers, hope you all well. :)

[Eroica]

Good suggestion hhEb09'1, my guess though is the Giants Causeway Giant's Causeway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_Causeway), especially considering Eroica's location..
I can't help but wonder if there is a clue here;
:clap: Correct!



He [Samuel Johnson], I know not why, shewed upon all occasions an aversion to go to Ireland, where I proposed to him that we should make a tour:
JOHNSON: It is the last place where I should wish to travel.
BOSWELL: Should you not like to see Dublin, Sir?
JOHNSON: No, Sir! Dublin is only a worse capital.
BOSWELL: Is not the Giant's-Causeway worth seeing?
JOHNSON: Worth seeing? yes; but not worth going to see.

James Boswell, Life of Dr Samuel Johnson

[ciderman]

Yay! :)

Here's a silly one..
Name a range of submerged granitic hills/outcrops. If you're stuck then Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society may be of help. ;)

[crosscountry]

submerged outcrops????


water or under dirt outcrops?

[ciderman]

Sea water (but perhaps not during last glacial minimum..)

[Eroica]

Here's a silly one...
Silly, or Scilly?

Scilly Isles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scilly_Isles)

[hhEb09'1]

Silly, or Scilly?

Scilly Isles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scilly_Isles)Maybe, but I think the reference to the Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society (just the Royal Society?), might indicate the Archipel de la Société (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_Islands), the Society Islands, which also have a Scilly. I have no idea about the geological origin of either one.

[ciderman]

The Scilly Isles aren't (yet!;)) submerged, but you're getting very close there Eroica..
Clever thinking there hheb09'1 but the Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society clue is much simpler than that :)

[Eroica]

Seven Stones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Stones_reef)? I still don't get the FRAS allusion, though. :think:

[ciderman]

Actually you just have.... :)
Not the Seven Stones, but oh so close now.

[Eroica]

Haig Fras!

[ciderman]

Yes!

Mentioned briefly here; BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Proposed areas for marine conservation (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6453289.stm) Little info on net otherwise I'm afraid.. my hardcopy references are not with me :( but IIRC it's a quite extensive granite formation, rises well from the continental shelf & looks likely to have been dry land in the past.

Well done & your go Eroica :)

[Eroica]

What do the following places have in common?

Beijing
Severnaya Zemlya
The Negev Desert
Austria

[Glom]

What do the following places have in common?

Beijing
Severnaya Zemlya
The Negev Desert
Austria

Have they all been locations for top secret nuclear weapons programmes?

[Eroica]

Have they all been locations for top secret nuclear weapons programmes?
Not that I know!

[crosscountry]

What do the following places have in common?

Beijing
Severnaya Zemlya
The Negev Desert
Austria



They are all in "Eurasia"

[Eroica]

They are all in "Eurasia"
Not what I'm looking for!

[hhEb09'1]

D*ng, I was going to guess that they're all on Earth :)

[crosscountry]

probably too general.

[Eroica]

What do the following places have in common?

Beijing
Severnaya Zemlya
The Negev Desert
Austria

This property is also shared by the following places:

Sussex
Nanjing

[hhEb09'1]

Wow, except for Austria, they all have a letter combination XYX :)

[Eroica]

Wow, except for Austria, they all have a letter combination XYX :)Getting warm! It's the names rather than the locations which are significant. :think:

[hhEb09'1]

Getting warm! It's the names rather than the locations which are significant. Maybe both? the four in the original list have a direction in their name (North, East, South, West), probably derived from their location?

[Eroica]

Maybe both? the four in the original list have a direction in their name (North, East, South, West), probably derived from their location?
:clap: Correct!

Beijing is Chinese for Northern Capital
Severnaya Zemyla is Russian for Northern Land
Negev is Hebrew for South
Austria is Latinized from Österreich, German for Eastern Empire
Sussex = South Saxons
Nanjing = Southern Capital

[hhEb09'1]

Thank you!

Which reminds me, in the USA, why do we have the states North and South Dakota, and North and South Carolina, but not West Virginia and East Virginia? (I think I know why we don't have Old Hampshire, Old Jersey, Old Mexico, and Old York--they're in other countries :) )

[crosscountry]

is that your question?


Virginia was already established and the official name was locked in when West Virginia seceded.

[hhEb09'1]

You're up! :)

[crosscountry]

ok. well, got a meeting with a professor in 4 minutes. gotta run - I'll think of something in the mean time.

[crosscountry]

OK,


This part of my home state is known for being very flat and carries a Spanish name.

What is it?

[hhEb09'1]

This part of my home state is known for being very flat and carries a Spanish name.Gotta be the Llano Estacado, right?

[crosscountry]

right! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llano_Estacado)

[hhEb09'1]

I've walked by, never stopped. :)

Part of the name of a place in the USA, what goes in the blank:
http://www.mensware.us/where.jpg

[pghnative]

This one's easily Googled: Fort Laramie, Wyoming

[hhEb09'1]

This one's easily Googled: Fort Laramie, WyomingYes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Laramie%2C_Wyoming), I was surprised, after I wrote the question, then checked it:

Welcome to Fort Laramie. Population: 250 Good People and 6 Soreheads. (http://www.postcardsfrom.com/travt/travt-wy.html)
Also:
Howard, Colorado: Home of 1201 nice people and a few old soreheads (http://www.questwest.blogspot.com/
)
and, possibly the original:
Welcome to Vinita, home of 7539 good people and a few soreheads
(http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,853999,00.html
)

You're up!

[pghnative]

The following countries share a subtle, and assuredly unheralded, feature that members of this forum might notice if they were searching through geography websites:

Hungary
Mongolia
Romania

What is that feature?

Hint# 1: If I had selected the Kazakhstan, El Salvador and Yemen, the answer might be "NASA"

[toejam]

Overtone singing is a common feature of folk songs in all three?

(all are ex-communist ruled -- not too subtle)

[pghnative]

(all are ex-communist ruled -- not too subtle)too general of an answer. Besides, it doesn't fit any of the hints. (In addition to the overt hint, there is a key hint in the original question.)

Hint 2: Louisiana would fit into the first grouping. Maryland and Indiana would fit into the "NASA" group.

Hint 3: e.e. cummings

[tdvance]

The following countries share a subtle, and assuredly unheralded, feature that members of this forum might notice if they were searching through geography websites:

Hungary
Mongolia
Romania

What is that feature?

Hint# 1: If I had selected the Kazakhstan, El Salvador and Yemen, the answer might be "NASA"


"TUBA"

Todd

[hhEb09'1]

"TUBA"You know what? as soon as I saw that answer, I knew you were right, but I have no idea why

[pghnative]

"TUBA"Technically correct, though an anagram of your answer was what I was looking for.

[hhEb09'1]

Technically correct, though an anagram of your answer was what I was looking for.BAUT of course, but it's tdvance's ball--I still don't know what's going on

[toejam]

"TUBA"

Todd

What TUBA? Why? When? Where else? To whom? etc etc

Somebody explain
And ask another question?

[tdvance]

a hint for Tuba/Baut is -- e.e. cummings is frequently spelled with no capital letters.

So--in 2002, it had the highest overall crime rate in the world, with about 90% of crimes unsolved. In 2006, it had the lowest murder rate in the world. Which country is this?

Todd

[pghnative]

What TUBA? Why? When? Where else? To whom? etc etc

Somebody explain


As tdvance said, Hint # 3 (e.e. cummings) was intended to get you to think about the capitals of the mentioned countries. The capitals of the asked countries (plus Louisiana) all have the letters B, A, U, and T in them. Obviously those letters can spell "Tuba", which is why I knew td was right, but the "feature that members of this forum might notice if they were searching through geography websites" is that those letters spell out our forum name.

Forgive me if the question was way too obscure --- I had hoped that the hints would make the question an interesting riddle.

[crosscountry]

a hint for Tuba/Baut is -- e.e. cummings is frequently spelled with no capital letters.

So--in 2002, it had the highest overall crime rate in the world, with about 90% of crimes unsolved. In 2006, it had the lowest murder rate in the world. Which country is this?

Todd



Is this per capita?


I'd say Canada has one of the lowest per capita.


or Singapore.

[tdvance]

yes, per capita, but not Canada or Singapore. It is one whose answer can be reasoned out, though (i.e a bit of a twist, but not a "trick" in that the data IS real).

[crosscountry]

yes, per capita, but not Canada or Singapore. It is one whose answer can be reasoned out, though (i.e a bit of a twist, but not a "trick" in that the data IS real).


after a little looking it seems Iceland has a 0.0 murder rate per 100,000 residents.

That's low!

[tdvance]

That is low, but that isn't what i have in mind. There is a good reason for the country's crime stats. Perhaps it helps to know that most of the crimes are committed by visitors from other countries? And yes, the murder rate of this country is 0.

Todd

[crosscountry]

sounds like you're going for something like the Vatican.


or maybe Liechtenstein.

[pghnative]

Perhaps it helps to know that most of the crimes are committed by visitors from other countries?
Are you saying that the crimes in 2002 were from visitors? Or just the (non murder) crimes in 2006?

Is the country in a state of war, such that murders are not classified as such, thereby giving an artificial low murder rate?

Or maybe I'm on the wrong track --- perhaps there was an event in 2002 that brought a lot of visitors? (World Cup was in S. Korea --- hard to imagine that being the source of most of S. Korea's crime, but maybe so. Olympics were in US, so that certainly isn't correct. Is MIR considered a country? That was still in orbit in 2002, wasn't it?)

[/mindless rambling]

[tdvance]

Cross Country got it right, with Vatican.

The specific years given were because, those where the references I found, and they were also "red herrings" of a sort--the crimes stats are the case most years--the Vatican has not had a murder since 1998, and most crimes are of the pickpocketing sort, by and against visitors, and a typical year has more crimes than citizens (of which there are something like 500) of the country, giving it a crime rate of more than 100%.

Some other stats: approximately 90% of the crimes in the Vatican are unsolved, as you would expect with the above additional knowledge.

Todd

[toejam]

Cross Country needs to post question.

[crosscountry]

oh man - been busy moving and planning a trip. Gotta be out of the house in less than 6 hours. Very hectic!




What is the smallest (population) nations capital?

[pghnative]

oh man - been busy moving and planning a trip. Gotta be out of the house in less than 6 hours. Very hectic!




What is the smallest (population) nations capital?Isn't this the same answer as just before? (ie, Vatican City (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004379.html))

[crosscountry]

technically yes - but I'm looking for a different place.




to clarify, because when you find it you'll want a clarification; there is a city smaller with all the makings and buildings of a capital, but this in conjunction with surrounding villages is technically the capital. I'm looking for this one place.

[pghnative]

So is it the capital, or the nation itself, that is smallest in population?

[crosscountry]

capital. this "city" is part of a community - and the community is technically the capital even though all of the municipal buildings are in this place I'm looking for.

[toejam]

San Marino?

If you include British Overseas Territories as individual countries then it's Adamstown on Pitcairn Islands. Population of "city" and of the whole Territory is 48. Yes, FORTY-EIGHT. PERIOD (or FULL-STOP). END OF STORY.

[crosscountry]

Tuvalu - Vaiaku village, Funafuti province is the place I was looking for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaiaku

I have absolutely no time to play anymore because I am travelling, so

pghnative gets the next question

[pghnative]

Name the European river that goes through the most countries. Hint: it's not the longest European river.

[Arneb]

I'll name the Danube: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania - eight in all. Can't see any Euorpean river topping this.

My problem: I learned that the Danube is the longest river in Europe...

[pghnative]

I'll name the Danube: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania - eight in all. Can't see any Euorpean river topping this.

My problem: I learned that the Danube is the longest river in Europe...
Danube was what I was looking for. This link (http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eurivcn.htm) names the Volga as being the longest river --- maybe the difference is whether all (any) of the Volga is in Europe vs Asia.

Either way, your up!

[Arneb]

Danube was what I was looking for. This link (http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/eurivcn.htm) names the Volga as being the longest river --- maybe the difference is whether all (any) of the Volga is in Europe vs Asia.

Funny - Neither I nor the teachers who told me about the Danube seemed to take the Volga into consideration. Shame on us, but maybe we can be forgiven for having a blind eye towards the other side of the Iron Curtain during these years.

Hmmm, water. Yes. Quick one:

Name the biggest lake exclusively on German territory!

[Eroica]

Müritz See?

[Arneb]

Correct - although it's just Müritz (die Müritz, to be exact). I don't know why the usual "See" is missing.

Your turn, Eroica - and sorry for the delay. I was busy moving during the last days...

[Eroica]

The Mediterranean is generally a tideless sea - but not entirely. The name of what tidal region of the Mediterranean is used in English to describe inconstancy or a changeable and unpredictable situation?

[hhEb09'1]

Here's a nice map of Mediterranean tide ranges (http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/question.php?number=627), with one bright spot down by Tunisia.

And maybe Gibraltar, but I don't think that's associated with inconsistency :)

[Eroica]

No, not Gibraltar - and I don't think that map will be of much help in answering this question.

[Arneb]

The Strait of Messina is a "dire strait" with strong and unpredicatable tidal currents, even though the actual amplitude may be low.

The English adjective pertaining to this situation may "charybdic", which I found in some English texts with a meaning of "difficult", "unpredictable", "insecure", "hard to manage". The connection between the two is that the two ends of the Strait of Messina are thought to be the Scylla and Charybdis of Homer's (no, not that Homer) Odyssee (no, not that Odyssee). :)

[Eroica]

No, not Messina either.

[Eroica]

Hint: I think it was Plato who first used this name figuratively... :think:

[toejam]

protean?

But Proteus was a god, not a part of Club Med.... :)

[Eroica]

No, not protean.

It can be found to the east of Greece.

[pghnative]

Hmm... scrolling around maps east of Greece, I come across the Turkish coast town of "Finike", which presumably is pronounced similar to "finicky".

But this seems unlikely to be correct, since "finicky" really doesn't mean "inconstancy".

[Eroica]

Turkey is too far east. I'm looking for a location to the east of the Greek mainland.... :think:

[toejam]

Sporadic?

[Eroica]

No, still too far east! The mainland forms one side of this tidal channel.

[Arneb]

Chalkis on the Strait of Euripus comes to mind, between the mainland and Euboia. It has strong tidal currents and fits your geographic bill, although I don't know about the linguistic nexus. The Plato reference to the Euripus Strait tides, however, is there (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euripus_Strait). Euriptic? Euripic? Euripean? Hmmmm.

Somehow, I like my Strait of Messina and and the charybdic Charybdis better for an answer. :)

[Eroica]

Chalkis on the Strait of Euripus comes to mind, between the mainland and Euboia. It has strong tidal currents and fits your geographic bill, although I don't know about the linguistic nexus. The Plato reference to the Euripus Strait tides, however, is there (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euripus_Strait). Euriptic? Euripic? Euripean? Hmmmm.
:clap: Correct!

Webster's Unabridged defines its figurative use as: a condition of rapid or dangerous fluctuation.

I just came across this use recently while reading Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France:

The provision of this establishment..should not fluctuate with the Euripus of funds and actions.

[Arneb]

Well, it was about time, after all. We were slow about this one.

Something happened about two billion years ago on this planet which cannot, will not ever happen nowadays anymore.
What, why, and where.

[toejam]

Aerobic cellular respiration first developed? Because photosynthesis producing oxygen in the atmosphere began about a billion years before that. In the oceans. (In both cases.)

[Arneb]

Very nice idea, but not the one I'm thinking of - I admit a lot happened two billion years ago, so I may have been a bit vague.

The event is geologic in nature. It was episodic, coincidental, and had no profound consequences on the future history of the planet (I think; I wasn't there :) ).

[Arneb]

Hmmm, hint time. The event would be physically impossible now if not brought about by some kind of human intervention. The laws of physics (and some incidental property of the Earth) would prevent it from happening today.

[toejam]

That mystifies things further! :)

[Arneb]

You mean the information content of my hints is, um, decaying? :)

[Arneb]

Hmmm, I had hoped this thing to be a radiating success. Instead, I am having to enrich this quiz with hints. Well, things will get going eventually (Though they might not if we wait too long :whistle: ).

Sorry for the decay, erm, delay, by the way. I was busy watching the reactions to Bayreuth's new Parsifal enactment.

[ciderman]

hmm, how about a natural nucear reactor?
& was this the source ? - http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap021016.html :)

[Arneb]

I'll drink to that one! ;)


Once again, you've saved me, ciderman. I look forward to your next pitch.

[ciderman]

Well the hints were coming thick & heavy.. :) but very interesting goings on, a google on natural nuclear reactor is quite informative.
Hmm, it's getting hard to maintain standards here..ok,
Which appropriately named island was used for sounding rocket launches in the sixties & seventies?

[hhEb09'1]

Which appropriately named island was used for sounding rocket launches in the sixties & seventies?Wallops Island? The name is suggestive but I'm not sure why it's appropriate. :) (http://www.spacetoday.org/Rockets/Spaceports/LaunchSites.html)

[ciderman]

Heh, no, not that one, but nice idea :)

[hhEb09'1]

Ah, Ascension Island (http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4401/app-b.htm)

[ciderman]

That's the one!
Take it away hhEb09'1 :clap:

[hhEb09'1]

Oops, sorry, I got distracted by the Astronomy Challenge (http://www.bautforum.com/astronomy/64198-5th-annual-astronomy-challenge.html).

What is the country which has the second-most area of land below sea level in Europe?

[Paracelsus]

I'd say either Iceland or Denmark.

[hhEb09'1]

This list (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_on_land_with_elevations_below_sea_l evel) of places worldwide with land below sea level does not include Iceland but I guess there could be some dispute when it comes to ice-covered lands. For instance, the list has a note about Antarctica (it's not in the list), which says that the below sea level land would be covered by the sea, if the ice were to melt.

PS: it does say that that list is incomplete

[Arneb]

I'd venture France, for the Rhone delta (the country with the largest area being the Netherlands, right?).

[toejam]

Russia. With its part of the PeriCaspian Depression, the greater part of which is in Khazakstan..

[toejam]

What was I thinking.

The answer is NETHERLANDS. (Russia being the country with the biggest area of land below sea level.)

[KaiYeves]

Where is the only place in the world that two UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located next to each other? (It's a state)

[toejam]

Where is the only place in the world that two UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located next to each other? (It's a state)

Hold on KY. We have to answer hh...etc's question correctly first, & have him/her tell us to carry on.

[KaiYeves]

Sorry, getting ahead of myself. And it's just Kai, not KY.
By the way, the answer is Queensland, Australia.

[crosscountry]

are we still looking for an answer?

[Arneb]

I suppose we are. I PMed hhEb for the solution to his question.

[Edit: Sigh. PM quota exceeded...)

[hhEb09'1]

& have him/her tell us to carry on.him

To tell you the truth, I wasn't thinking about Russia in the original question, but now that I've got into it, I'm having trouble finding hard information about actual area. My original answer was to be Poland, behind the Netherlands, but now I'm not sure of even that.

I'm going to let toejam have it (eh, how many times have I said that?). Sorry about the PM Arneb

[toejam]

OK


This is easy.

Country with second-largest number of airports in the world?

[Arneb]

Canada, at 954.

[toejam]

No. (as far as I know) Not the answer I'm looking for. Where the devil are our 954 airports anyway?

[Arneb]

Hmmm, hint?

[toejam]

S of Canada

[crosscountry]

Brazil?

*edit to say I didn't go for the US so someone else get in there and do it.

[toejam]

Right Xcountry. So you're on for the next question...

(I blundered accross this fact here:

http://www.mariogiordani.com/brazil-the-beauty-you-dont-normally-see/

Hope it's reliable)

[crosscountry]

thanks.

the VIN of my truck is

1GCCS195218161075

where and when was it made?

[hhEb09'1]

thanks.

the VIN of my truck is

1GCCS195218161075

where and when was it made?Shreveport LA in 2000?

2001 Chevrolet S10 Base /LS /LS Xtreme
http://www.autoinsurancetips.com/decoding-your-vin
http://www.nastyz28.com/decode.html

[crosscountry]

oops.

Looks good to me. Your turn.

[hhEb09'1]

oops.Oops? (http://www.theseriouscomedysite.com/showreview.php?r_id=160), what do you mean, oops? I know what I mean when I say oops. :)

Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of the launch of the world's first artificial satellite. From where was it launched?

[suntrack2]

Sputnik was the first artifical satellite which was launch on 4th oct. 1957.

:)
http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/secrets-of-sputnik-emerge-50-years-later/20071001145509990001

The first US lady astronaut went to space in which shuttle ? Her name ?

[crosscountry]

Sputnik was the first artifical satellite which was launch on 4th oct. 1957.

:)
http://news.aol.com/story/ar/_a/secrets-of-sputnik-emerge-50-years-later/20071001145509990001

The first US lady astronomer went to space in which shuttle ? Her name ?

I think you should fully answer the question (you didn't answer it at all) and receive positive feedback from the asker before asking a new question.


and I think you meant astronaut.



Oops? (http://www.theseriouscomedysite.com/showreview.php?r_id=160), what do you mean, oops? I know what I mean when I say oops. :)

Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of the launch of the world's first artificial satellite. From where was it launched?

I was wrong and had to correct myself. did it before anyone saw I think.

[suntrack2]

Who is the first US lady astronaut? and who was the first lady astronaut in the world?

[hhEb09'1]

Who is the first US lady astronaut? and who was the first lady astronaut in the world?As crosscountry mentioned, your answer wasn't sufficient. The question was, "From where was Sputnik launched?" (this is a geography quiz after all :) )

[suntrack2]

well, hheb09'1 I got it. From Baikanoor cosmodrome,(USSR) the sputnik was lauched in the space.

[hhEb09'1]

well, hheb09'1 I got it. From Baikanoor cosmodrome,(USSR) the sputnik was lauched in the space.There is no more USSR, and Baikonur Cosmodrome is not in Russia (some people say Baikonur Cosmodrome is not near Baikonur!). I'm looking for the country.

[toejam]

Khazakstan. It was in the USSR at the time Sputnik was launched. Suntrak2 was right.

[hhEb09'1]

Khazakstan. It was in the USSR at the time Sputnik was launched. Suntrak2 was right.Khazakstan is what I was looking for. You may defer to suntrack2 if you wish.

[Arneb]

I'll expand on this a little - maybe hhEb will be content with this:

As hhEb09'1 said: Some don't consider Baikonur to be at Baikonur, and they are right, in a way: The "experimental area number 5" (NIIP-5 is the Russian abbreviation) was erected close to the railway station of Tyura-Tam, in the Ksyl-Orda oblast in the then Kazakh SSR, today Kazakhstan. Sputnik-1 was launched from here.

To confuse the Americans, Sputnik was said to have been launched from Baikonur, a mining town 300 km to the North that had nothing to do with launching rockets at all. U2-reconnaissance flights quickly corrected that false lead.

The name Baikonur stuck, although the West used Tyura-Tam for some years. The earstwhile city of Tyura-Tam was officially named Baikonur by decree of the now Kasakh government in 1995. In the meantime, it had had a number of names: Desyatka, Sarya, Leninski, Swesdograd, and Leninsk.

suntrack2, the first woman in space was Valentina Tereshkova, on Wostok 6, launched 14 June, 1963. The first US female astronaut was Sally Ride, on STS-7 (Challenger), launched June 24, 1983 - But I agree with the others that you should answer a question correctly, and confirmed correct by the asker, before taking your turn.

So, hhEb09'1, whose turn is it?

[Edit: Ah, I see, it's toejam's turn. Your post arrived while I was composing mine. Sorry]

[toejam]

I defer to suntrack2, but he must ask a geographic question, not historical. :)

[toejam]

Well, he's not here so here goes.

Apart from the area around Almeria, Spain, where IN EUROPE is there a desert where you can ride a camel &, with luck, see a mirage?

[crosscountry]

Sicily?

[jimbo]

Apart from the area around Almeria, there also is the Bledowska Desert in Poland.
you can see mirages there and they do offer camel rides.

[toejam]

Right-on JIMBO. Sorry about late reply. Was away.

Your turn to pose a question.

[toejam]

Waiting for JIMBO's like waiting for Godot. And no way to PM or Email him.
Anyone else wants to go-go?

[chrissy]

permit me TJ if i can:

name the largest lake,its cotinent and size in sq km?

[crosscountry]

salty or fresh?


Caspian Sea at 143,200 square miles (370,886 km2). Asia

North America's Lake Superior at 31,700 mi2 (82,103 km2).


Lake Vostok, Antartica, not sure. but that one is smaller.

[chrissy]

that is correct crosscountry, the caspian sea ,asia at 380,000 sq km thought it would be easy to answer that question your turn

[crosscountry]

another easy one for you.

name what you see in this coin and of course from where it is.

http://photos.crosscountryadventures.us/albums/userpics/10001/quiz_question.jpg

[crosscountry]

I'm going to add a little more to the question. It is too easy to google search.


give the denomination of the coin, and what is in the center of the opposite side.


Thanks.

[chrissy]

it is a czech koruna 50kc around 1993 and on the back there is a czech lion

[chrissy]

and the translation of mater urbium is "mother of towns" just in case you want that bit of info added

[chrissy]

lion is rampant to add on to the other answers

[crosscountry]

another easy one for you.

name what you see in this coin and of course from where it is.

!

[chrissy]

sorry crosscountry to busy with the second part of your question.

i think that it is prague, the charles bridge over the river vltava and i think that the cathedral is of st.vitus, pragues new town and charles university

[crosscountry]

That's what I think too.


Your turn again.

[KaiYeves]

and the translation of mater urbium is "mother of towns"
First year Latin, but that was still nice of you.

[chrissy]

in which country do they say Dumela (doo-mail-a) for hello
Go siame (ho-see-ah-may) for goodbye
and what is its highest point in meters?







TO KAIYEVES: your welcome

[toejam]

Botswana?

Highest = Dikomu Di Kai = 1088 meters

[chrissy]

that is correct tj your go.









been busy reading my messege

[toejam]

Which lake has the largest fresh-water VOLUME in the world?

[chrissy]

think i did that one already ?

[crosscountry]

I think the Caspian Sea is salty.



North America's Lake Superior?

[chrissy]

then it must be : lake superior at 31,820 sq miles

[chrissy]

or if we are talking subglacial; lake vostok in antarctica @15,690 km2 and fresh water too

[chrissy]

most fresh water VOLUME in a lake must be LAKE BAIKAL in russia @ 5,520 mi3, 23,000km3 ?

[toejam]

Right the third time: Baikal.

Your turn.

[chrissy]

phew!

easy one for you all: which country has mountains that cover two thirds of its land and the only flat land is at the border and around the coast? and also name the mountains?

[crosscountry]

Nepal?


Himalayas?

oops, no coast.

Switzerland also has no coast


Japan has no border,


still thinking

[chrissy]

nope non of the above

[toejam]

Norway

Scandinavian Mountains

[chrissy]

nope try again

[toejam]

Chile

Andes

[chrissy]

nope try again

[pghnative]

Don't know if its mountanous, but Portugal has one border and a coast, so seems to fit the implied hints.

[crosscountry]

many countries fit that criteria.


maybe India? Himalayas again?

[chrissy]

nope, will give a clue, europe

[crosscountry]

Norway

[chrissy]

nope................. try a little south south westerly!

[toejam]

oh,oh

[toejam]

Sudden capital inspiration :)

WALES

Mountains:

Snowdonia in North, Brecon Beacons in South, these two joined by Cambrian Mountains in mid-Wales.

Right ?

[chrissy]

you are right tj your go ! sorry crosscountry you tried

[crosscountry]

I did try.


Actually I was in Wales back in June. We rode the motorcycles all over. Should have occured to me.

[chrissy]

dont worry crosscountry you beat me at some, i didnt make it that easy, should have gave land mass as a clue

[toejam]

Give the names of the biggest & second biggest islands in the world which are entirely surrounded by freshwater. And name the "freshwaters", all their English names.

[chrissy]

i think i have got one of them the largest fresh water lake island must bemanitoulin island in canada/lake huron and the translation for manitoulin island is: spirit island
is that one right tj?

[toejam]

OK as far as it goes. Manitoulin is biggest, spirit island is right, it is in lake Huron, but the waters aroumd the island have two other English names.
If you get the second biggest will give you the two names unless some other Canadian gives you them first. :)

[chrissy]

not sure on this one so here goes tj:
is the second largest fresh water island............................................ ....... olkhon island on the baikal lake in russia? dont know the english translation for it

[toejam]

Right...
Don't know the translation either, did not mean to ask for that in my query.
Anyway "olkha" means an alder (tree), something like an aspen, so maybe there's something in that...

The names of other waters around Manitoulin, all part of Lake Huron are, North Channel in the (surprise) North, and Georgian Bay in the SE.

Congrats. Your turn.

[chrissy]

ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh im clever for a geordie!


this one might be easy i think it is. which desert air contains the least moisture and the rain is almost unknown there and where is it?

[crosscountry]

The Atacama desert in Chile

[filrabat]

What subtle but significant feature (hundreds of km long) of North America is a failed rift zone?

[chrissy]

nope..........................and nope

[Sean Clayden]

New Madrid

[chrissy]

nope

[Sean Clayden]

Erg Chebbi Morroco

[Sean Clayden]

Antarctica (clever but also stupid)

[toejam]

Gobi Desert in China?

[filrabat]

New Madrid

I'll let you have it Sean, but for complete credit, it should be "New Madrid Fault"

[chrissy]

well done sean antarctica your go

[crosscountry]

Sean wins them both.


filrabat- you have to wait your turn to ask a question.

[chrissy]

Sean wins them both.


filrabat- you have to wait your turn to ask a question.

?
no just the one answer to the question !

[crosscountry]

he answered filrabat's question too.

[chrissy]

filrabat shouldnt have asked a question til the answer was correct otherwise this can be very confusing to people

[crosscountry]

that's what I said

[chrissy]

that's what I said

should gang up on him cheeky so-n-so he is

[filrabat]

My apologies to all. I didn't read those posts thoroughly enough. Chalk it up to unjustified impulsiveness.

[chrissy]

My apologies to all. I didn't read those posts thoroughly enough. Chalk it up to unjustified impulsiveness.

to keen, you were confusing me!

[toejam]

and me. Guess it's up to sean C.

[Sean Clayden]

Where at what is the worlds largest natural lake ?

[crosscountry]

we've had that question many times already.



The largest lake in the world by surface area is the Caspian Sea. With a surface area of 394,299 km², it has a surface area greater than the next six largest lakes combined.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake

[chrissy]

Where at what is the worlds largest natural lake ?

agree crosscountry i think i asked that one too! to keen again me thinks! you know your right take a chance and ask a question for us before they close this one down ppppppllllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaass ssssssseeeeeeeee!

[Eroica]

What happened to Winston Churchill, or did I just imagine that?

[toejam]

What happened to Winston Churchill, or did I just imagine that?

That's a GEOGRAPHY question? If so, I pass.

[Eroica]

That's a GEOGRAPHY question? If so, I pass.
When Sean Clayden posed his latest question, I received an email noitifying me that Sean Clayden has just posted the following message:

"Where unusually was Winston Churchill born?"

I suspect he changed it before any else noticed. :whistle:

[chrissy]

What happened to Winston Churchill, or did I just imagine that?

he died in 1965 didnt he?

[Sean Clayden]

The most amazing thing about winston churchill is where he was acually born ?

[Sean Clayden]

Where is the earths largest natural crater ?

[toejam]

The most amazing thing about winston churchill is where he was acually born ?

Blenheim Palace

[toejam]

Where is the earths largest natural crater ?

Off the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico?

[Sean Clayden]

No (winston chirchill was born in a ladies toilet whilst his mother attended a dance in oxford uk)

[toejam]

No (winston chirchill was born in a ladies toilet whilst his mother attended a dance in oxford uk)

Wikipedia:

Churchill was born two months premature in a bedroom in Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire on 30 November 1874.[2] He arrived eight months after his parents' hasty marriage.[3] He had one brother, John Strange Spencer-Churchill.

[Sean Clayden]

Thats what they might tell you ! Lol

[hhEb09'1]

What subtle but significant feature (hundreds of km long) of North America is a failed rift zone?There's more than one answer to this, I think, maybe better answers. The New Madrid fault isn't very subtle, there are thousands of recorded earthquakes. The triassic rift basin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark_Group) which stretches across North Carolina is also a failed rift zone, and is much more quiet.

[Sean Clayden]

Off the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico?

Correct, there is another if you put the continents back together but has not been classified.