Mark Twain is famous for having said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.”
Well, just to prove you can have a bit of fun with statistics have a look at this set of nonsense that came to me in an email a while ago.
They are a complete reversal of the usual figures which continually highlight the increasing world population and the problems that will cause in the future.
These numbers look at the world if it was scaled down to just one hundred people.
It might make you think or it might not.
But it is a new way of looking at population statistics, so I hope you enjoy them anyway.
No, sorry, no points if you said it was Quiz Day, even though you are right.
Twenty more challenging questions for you to ponder over.
So get a pot of coffee going and try you hand at these.
As usual, if you get stuck, you can find the answers waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down below, but please NO cheating!
Enjoy and good luck.
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Q. 1: You’ve heard of tasers, you’ve probably seen videos of them on TV or YouTube, but what do the letters ‘T-A-S-E-R’ stand for?
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Q. 2: Out of the 40,000 men who served on U-boats during World War II, approximately how many returned safely?
a) 100% b) 75% c) 50% d) 25% e) 15%
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Q. 3: When did the Cold War end?
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Q. 4: On which side of a venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening between the slats?
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Q. 5: To which country do the Galapagos Islands belong?
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Q. 6: What member of Britain’s Royal Family was assassinated whilst sailing from Mullaghmore in Ireland in 1979?
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Q. 7: Harry Potter is a very famous and successful series of seven fantasy novels, who wrote them?
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Q. 8: Does a merry-go-round turn clockwise or counter-clockwise?
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Q. 9: Which popular dried fruit is named after a port city in Greece?
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Q. 10: Currently the highest priced painting in the world with a sales price equivalent to something in the region of $300 million, ‘The Card Players’ was painted by whom?
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Q. 11: The old name for this island country stems from the Latin word for beautiful, what is it called today?
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Q. 12: Complete the title of each of the following Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales. (And yes, you get a point for each correct answer.)
a) The Red ….. b) The Emperor’s … ……. C) The Steadfast … …….
d) The Princess And … … and, e) The Wild …..
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Q. 13: Some wills are strange, which very famous man left his wife his second best bed?
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Q. 14: It’s the name of a dessert, the largest city in North Carolina, USA, and the wife of King George III – what is it?
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Q. 15: Which of the following was NOT the name of a Chinese dynasty?
a) Qing b) Xin c) Ming d) Jin e) Ching or, e) Tang
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Q. 16: What huge sporting tournament begins June 14th this year?
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Q. 17: Who was the first US President to have electricity in the White House?
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Q. 18: What are very small clouds that look like they have been broken off of bigger clouds called?
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Q. 19: He was the mythical founder of the city of Rome and the slayer of his twin brother. His name was also used for a war-like race of aliens in the series Star Trek. What was his name? (And a bonus point on offer if you can also correctly name his twin brother.)
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Q. 20: It was the end of Napoleon’s career and the start of ABBA’s, what was it?
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ANSWERS
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Q. 1: You’ve heard of tasers, you’ve probably seen videos of them on TV or YouTube, but what do the letters ‘T-A-S-E-R’ stand for?
A. 1: ‘Taser’ – Stands for ‘Thomas A Swift Electric Rifle’.
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Q. 2: Out of the 40,000 men who served on U-boats during World War II, approximately how many returned safely?
a) 100% b) 75% c) 50% d) 25% e) 15%
A. 2: The correct answer is d) 25%. Out of the 40,000 men who served on U-boats during WWII, only approximately 10,000 returned safely.
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Q. 3: When did the Cold War end?
A. 3: This year (2014) is the 25th anniversary of the end of the Cold War, so take a point if you said ‘1989’.
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Q. 4: On which side of a venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening between the slats?
A. 4: It’s on the left.
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Q. 5: To which country do the Galapagos Islands belong?
A. 5: Ecuador.
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Q. 6: What member of Britain’s Royal Family was assassinated whilst sailing from Mullaghmore in Ireland in 1979?
A. 6: Earl Mountbatten.
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Q. 7: Harry Potter is a very famous and successful series of seven fantasy novels, who wrote them?
A. 7: The Harry Potter series was written by the British author J. K. Rowling.
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Q. 8: Does a merry-go-round turn clockwise or counter-clockwise?
A. 8: Counter-clockwise.
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Q. 9: Which popular dried fruit is named after a port city in Greece?
A. 9: Corinthians (after the port city Corinth).
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Q. 10: Currently the highest priced painting in the world with a sales price equivalent to something in the region of $300 million, ‘The Card Players’ was painted by whom?
A. 10: Paul Cézanne.
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Q. 11: The old name for this island country stems from the Latin word for beautiful, what is it called today?
A. 11: The old name was ‘Formosa’, but the island nation is now known as Taiwan or officially the Republic of China.
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Q. 12: Complete the title of each of the following Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales. (And yes, you get a point for each correct answer.)
a) The Red ….. b) The Emperor’s … ……. C) The Steadfast … …….
d) The Princess And … … and, e) The Wild …..
A. 12: The five answers are a) The Red SHOES b) The Emperor’s NEW CLOTHES
c) The Steadfast TIN SOLDIER d) The Princess And THE PEA e) The Wild SWANS
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Q. 13: Some wills are strange, which very famous man left his wife his second best bed?
A. 13: There was a clue in the question, the answer is Will Shakespeare.
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Q. 14: It’s the name of a dessert, the largest city in North Carolina, USA, and the wife of King George III – what is it?
A. 14: Charlotte.
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Q. 15: Which of the following was NOT the name of a Chinese dynasty?
a) Qing b) Xin c) Ming d) Jin e) Ching or, e) Tang
A. 15: They are all the names of Chinese dynasties except for e) Ching which I just made up! Take a point if you answered e).
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Q. 16: What huge sporting tournament begins June 14th this year?
A. 16: The football (soccer) World Cup.
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Q. 17: Who was the first US President to have electricity in the White House?
A. 17: Benjamin Harrison was the first president to have electricity in the White House. However, he was so scared of getting electrocuted that he would never touch the light switches himself.
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Q. 18: What are very small clouds that look like they have been broken off of bigger clouds called?
A. 18: Very small clouds that look like they have been broken off of bigger clouds are called ‘scuds’.
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Q. 19: He was the mythical founder of the city of Rome and the slayer of his twin brother. His name was also used for a war-like race of aliens in the series Star Trek. What was his name? (And a bonus point on offer if you can also correctly name his twin brother.)
A. 19: His name was ‘Romulus’. His twin brother’s name was ‘Remus’.
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Q. 20: It was the end of Napoleon’s career and the start of ABBA’s, what was it?
Middle of the month, start of the week – call it what you like….
It’s a quiz!
A few difficult ones this week and one of two easy as well.
And if you get stuck the answers can be found waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down below, but please NO cheating!
Enjoy and good luck.
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Q. 1: What is the sum of the numbers on a roulette wheel? (And don’t forget the double zero!)
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Q. 2: What is the only borough of New York City that is not an island (or part of an island)?
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Q. 3: From famous movies like ‘Goldfinger’ it is well known that the United States government keeps its supply of gold at Fort Knox, but where does it keep its supply of silver?
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Q. 4: What does the ‘D’ in ‘D-Day’ stand for?
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Q. 5: Which state of the United States of America is bordered by more states than any other?
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Q. 6: What is the white part of your fingernail is called?
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Q. 7: What is the oldest still active Parliament in the world?
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Q. 8: On a standard traffic light, what color is on the bottom?
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Q. 9: In the epic movie ‘Gone With The Wind’, what is the name of the genteel family that owns the ‘Twelve Oaks’ plantation?
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Q. 10: What is the name of the highest waterfall in the world and in which country can it be found. (A point for each correct answer.)
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Q. 11: In which hand is the Statue of Liberty’s torch?
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Q. 12: What is the only European capital city not situated on a river?
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Q. 13: Which Disney movie released in 1942 was about a little fawn?
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Q. 14: With a recorded temperature of about 134 degrees Fahrenheit or nearly 57 degrees Celsius what part of the United States holds the title of ‘the hottest place on Earth’? (A point for the name of the place and the state in which it is located.)
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Q. 15: Without looking at your phone, what two numbers on the dial don’t have letters by them?
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Q. 16: Which 2007 movie, the third in a series, was the most expensive Hollywood film ever made? (A bonus point if you know the approximate cost.)
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Q. 17: Which country in the world generates the most electricity from hydroelectric power? (A point for the name of the country and a bonus point for the approximate percentage of electricity generated in this way.)
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Q. 18: In what 1999 movie did Sean Connery star alongside Mrs Douglas?
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Q. 19: How many holes does a Chinese checkerboard have?
a) 64 b) 81 c) 121 d) 144
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Q. 20: About whom did Roberta Flack write the well known song “Killing Me Softly”?
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ANSWERS
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Q. 1: What is the sum of the numbers on a roulette wheel? (And don’t forget the double zero!)
A. 1: The sum of the numbers on a roulette wheel is 666 and of course the double zero makes no difference at all to the total.
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Q. 2: What is the only borough of New York City that is not an island (or part of an island)?
A. 2: The only borough of New York City that isn’t an island (or part of an island) is the Bronx.
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Q. 3: From famous movies like ‘Goldfinger’ it is well known that the United States government keeps its supply of gold at Fort Knox, but where does it keep its supply of silver?
A. 3: The United States government keeps its supply of silver at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY.
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Q. 4: What does the ‘D’ in ‘D-Day’ stand for?
A. 4: The ‘D’ in ‘D-Day’ stands for ‘Day’, in other words, “Day-Day”
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Q. 5: Which state of the United States of America is bordered by more states than any other?
A. 5: Tennessee is bordered by more states than any other, by eight states, which are Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.
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Q. 6: What is the white part of your fingernail is called?
A. 6: The white part of your fingernail is called the ‘lunula’.
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Q. 7: What is the oldest still active Parliament in the world?
A. 7: The Parliament of Iceland is the oldest still active parliament in the world. It was established in 930.
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Q. 8: On a standard traffic light, what color is on the bottom?
A. 8: Green.
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Q. 9: In the epic movie ‘Gone With The Wind’, what is the name of the genteel family that owns the ‘Twelve Oaks’ plantation?
A. 9: They are the Wilkes family, Leslie Howard starring as ‘Ashley Wilkes’.
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Q. 10: What is the name of the highest waterfall in the world and in which country can it be found. (A point for each correct answer.)
A. 10: The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in Venezuela. It is so high that water will sometimes evaporate before hitting the ground.
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Q. 11: In which hand is the Statue of Liberty’s torch?
A. 11: In her right hand.
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Q. 12: What is the only European capital city not situated on a river?
A. 12: The Spanish capital Madrid is the only European capital city not situated on a river.
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Q. 13: Which Disney movie released in 1942 was about a little fawn?
A. 13: Bambi.
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Q. 14: With a recorded temperature of about 134 degrees Fahrenheit or nearly 57 degrees Celsius what part of the United States holds the title of ‘the hottest place on Earth’? (A point for the name of the place and the state in which it is located.)
A. 14: Death Valley in California holds the title of ‘the hottest place on Earth’.
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Q. 15: Without looking at your phone, what two numbers on the dial don’t have letters by them?
A. 15: 1 and 0. (Did you look?)
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Q. 16: Which 2007 movie, the third in a series, was the most expensive Hollywood film ever made? (A bonus point if you know the approximate cost.)
A. 16: Costing an estimated $300 million, it was ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean, At The World’s End’.
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Q. 17: Which country in the world generates the most electricity from hydroelectric power? (A point for the name of the country and a bonus point for the approximate percentage of electricity generated in this way.)
A. 17: Norway gets 98-99% of its electricity from hydroelectric power, more than any other country.
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Q. 18: In what 1999 movie did Sean Connery star alongside Mrs Douglas?
A. 18: The movie was ‘Entrapment’, Mrs Douglas is better known as Catherina Zeta-Jones.
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Q. 19: How many holes does a Chinese checkerboard have?
a) 64 b) 81 c) 121 d) 144
A. 19: Answer c), a Chinese checkerboard has 121 holes.
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Q. 20: About whom did Roberta Flack write the well known song “Killing Me Softly”?
A. 20: Roberta Flack wrote “Killing Me Softly” about singer Don McLean.
It has been a bit if a theme now for a while on Tuesdays to present some silly questions asked by the general public. Today we have a selection of questions that cruisers on cruises have asked of cruise crews.
Apparently you can have enough money for a cruise and still be dumb!
It really is a good job that they don’t make people walk the plank any more.
Enjoy!
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“Do you make your own electricity on board?”
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“Why can’t I get cable stations?”
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“Are you the Captain?” (Asked of crew who are clearly not the Captain)
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“Do you actually live on this ship?”
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“Do these stairs go up or down?”
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“Does the crew sleep on board?”
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“Could you call the captain to stop the waves? I am getting seasick.”
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“I just saw the Captain in the dining room. Who is steering the ship?”
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“Is the water in the toilets salty or fresh?”
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“What time does the midnight buffet start?”
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“What do you do with the ice sculptures after they melt?”
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“Can you get these chips on land?” (Referring to casino chips)
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“Why is it so windy outside?” (On a cruise liner traveling 30 miles per hour at the time)
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“I see them!” (The inevitable response from a member of the crowd whenever a casino dealer on a cruise liner played a favorite joke — pointing out “penguins” on a “little piece of ice” during a cruise through Bermuda)
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“So what is the elevation here?” (On an Alaskan cruise)
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“Why can’t I find a USPC post box in town?” (In Ocho Rios, Jamaica)
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“I want to change cabins! I paid good money for this cruise, and all I can see is a rusted crane in the harbor!” (Asked before leaving port)
Like this time last week this is a test that isn’t a test. Just a series of questions that will hopefully make you think and make you smile. Although you don’t hear them asked very often, if at all, some of the questions are quite reasonable.
If you find you can answer any or all of them, then well done.
As usual, enjoy.
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
What disease did cured ham actually have?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why is it that people say they ‘slept like a baby’ when babies wake up like every two hours?
If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?
Why are you ‘IN’ a movie, but you’re ‘ON’ TV?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They’re going to see you naked anyway.
Why is ‘bra’ singular and ‘panties’ plural?
Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?
Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane ?
If the professor on Gilligan’s Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can’t he fix a hole in a boat?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They’re both dogs!
If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME stuff, why didn’t he just buy dinner?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Why do they call it an asteroid when it’s outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it’s in your ass?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
Do the ‘Alphabet song’ and ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’ have the same tune?
