In the News
Who or what are the following and why have they been in the news?
1. Get Lucky
2. Menelik Watson
3. Sohel Rana
4. Andrew Cassidy
5. Gerard Butler
6. Down Hall Country House Hotel
7. Julio Diaz
8. Neonictinoids
9. Lee Bradley Brown
10. El Celler de Con Roca
11. Jason Collins
12. Abdelkadir el Janadi
Alex Wilson-Fletcher
13. Christian Benteke
14. Kim Little
15. Henning Berg
16. English Defence League
17. Allan Arbus
18. Fuentes Eufemio
19. Reginald D. Hunter
20. Philip Goodeve-Docker
21. James McCormick
22. Natalie Coleman
23. Chris Kelly
24. Viva Forever
25. Dan Llewellyn Hall
26. Joanne Chesimard
27. Jeff Hanneman
In Other News
1. IN the University League Table – Cambridge was 1st – Oxford 2nd. Which came third?
2. Who called UKIP ‘fruitcakes and closet racists’
3. Who won the awards for Best actor and Best Actress at the Oliviers?
4. Whose stolen red Chevrolet convertible has been found after 20 years?
5. Who won the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year?
6. Which cyclist won the Tour of Romandie?
7. Which were the first two teams relegated from the Premier League?
8. What was the score between Toulon and Saracens in the Heineken Cup?
9. What was the score between Man Utd and Arsenal?
10. Which world stadium was reopened after 3 years?
11. What was the score in the Heineken cup semi final between Clermont and Munster
12. City and Guilds test papers are being sent where to be marked?
13. Name both previous winners of both PFA and Young player of the Year awards in the same year
14. Which is the top UK restaurant in the world’s top 50?
15. Which group are sponsoring Rhwbina children’s rugby team in Cardiff?
16. Which city has Britain’s tastiest tap water?
17. What was the score in the Villas v. Sunderland match?
18. What announcement did Sir Bradley Wiggins make this week?
19. Which University won University Challenge?
20. Who was announced as the captain of the British and Irish Lions?
21. Who resigned as honorary FIFA president
22. What was the score in the Champions League semi final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund?
23. Who abdicated on 30th April?
24. Who is the new King of the Netherlands?
25. What is to be dried after 30 years of work?
26. How many representatives in the Lions squad do each of the home unions have?
27. Who said that he does not have an MP3 player?
28. Who has been charged with raping a girl in 1967?
29. Who is to face a retrial in a military court?
30. Former Hollywood actress passed away aged 91?
31. What was the score in the Bayern Munich v. Barcelona Heineken cup semi final?
32. Who announced his retirement from boxing?
33. Who met Ronnie O’ Sullivan in the semi final of the world snooker championship?
34. Which mountain is about to be named a world heritage site?
35. Who admitted indecent assault charges?
36. Which two fairy tales were named Britain’s favourite?
37. Star Wars is to be redubbed in which language?
38. How much did the plebgate bike fetch on ebay?
39. What was the score in the Chelsea v. Basle Europa League semi final?
40. What was the score in the Benfica v. Fenerbahce Europa League semi final?
41. How many local council seast were won by UKIP?
42. Which bomber is being raised from the Goodwin Sands?
Answers
Who or what are the following and why have they been in the news?
1. 1st UK number 1 for Daft Punk
2. Brit picked by Oakland Raiders
3. Owner of collapsed factory building in Bangladesh
4. 20 stone ‘Welsh Maradona’ Youtube sensation
5. 2nd trainer investigate for steroid use on horses
6. Hotel where a couple were found dead in the swimming pool
7. Knocked down Amir Khan before losing on points
8. Pesticide banned by EU in order to save bees
9. He passed away in police custody in Dubai
10. World’s top restaurant – Girona Spain
11. NBA star for Washington – 1st US sports star active in a major sport to come out as gay
12. Jailed for raping a 14 year old boy in the toilets in Debenhams, Manchester
13. Scored a hattrick for Villa against Sunderland
14. PFA Woman Player of the Year
15. Blackburn Rovers were ordered to pay him £2.25 million
16. Far right organization targeted by Islamist extremists
17. Played Major Freeman in MASH – passed away
18. Cycling ‘doping doctor’ received one year suspended sentence
19. Comedian slammed in media for using the N word at the PFA awards ceremony
20. Adventurer who died in a snowstorm in Greenland
21. Jailed for 10 years for selling fake bomb detectors
22. Masterchef Winner
23. Rapper – half of Kris Kross – passed away
24. Spice Girls Musical to close after 6 months
25. His portrait of the Queen has been compared to a Spitting Image puppet
26. First woman ever to feature on the FBI most Wanted list
27. Founder of the group Slayer who passed away
28. In Other News
1. London School of Economics
2. Kenneth Clarke
3. Luke Treadaway – Helen Mirren
4. Quentin Tarantino
5. Gareth Bale
6. Chris Froome
7. QPR and Reading
8. 24 - 12
9. 1 - 1
10. The Maracana – Rio de Janeiro
11. 16 - 10
12. India
13. Andy Gray and Christiano Ronaldo
14. Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner
15. Def Leppard
16. Coventry
17. 6 - 1
18. He announced that he wants to win the Tour de France again this year, not just the Giro d’Italia
19. Manchester
20. Sam Warburton
21. Joao Havelange
22. 2 – 0 (Borussia win 4 – 3 on aggregate)
23. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
24. Willem Alexander
25. The Mary Rose
26. 15 Welsh – 10 English – 9 Irish – 3 Scots
27. Keith Richards
28. William Roache
29. SAS Sniper Danny Nightingale
30. Deanna Durbin
31. 3 – 0 ( 7 – 0 ) on aggregate
32. Audley Harrison
33. Judd Trump
34. Mt. Fuji
35. Stuart Hall
36. Snow White and Cinderella
37. Navajo
38. £10,600
39. 3 – 1 ( 5 – 1 on aggregate)
40. 3 – 1
41. 136
42. Dornier Do17
Friday, 10 May 2013
Sunday, 5 May 2013
30 Quiz Experiences to Try Before You Die
Yes, I’m feeling a little bit better today, thanks for asking. Today is Phillippa, my eldest daughter’s 27th birthday, and so I’ve been surrounded by all of my family, and that’s working its usual magic. My head is clearer, and my chest feels a little better. I reflected a little on my post yesterday on the subject of 100 things to do before you die, and I’d like to offer you my 30 Quiz Experiences to Try before you Die. I invite you to see how many you’ve already done – and I’ll tell you about my own strike rate at the end.
Quiz Experiences to Try Before you Die (No particular Order)
1. Appear on a TV quiz
2. Complete the Big Four of appearences on University Challenge, Mastermind, Brain of Britain and Only Connect
3. Appear on Mastermind and go through a whole round without passing on a single question.
4. Persuade William G Stewart and Channel Four to resurrect Fifteen to One
5. Play in a pub quiz and have every single question right
6. Write and publish a quiz book
7. Meet Fred Housego
8. Play in a pub quiz on your own and win
9. Play in a quiz every night of the same week
10. Play in two pub quizzes on the same night
11. Write your own quiz blog
12. Take part in a charity quiz auction
13. Play on the same team as Phil Tufnell
14. Play in an event with more than 50 teams
15. Compile a pub quiz and be question master
16. Create an idea for a new quiz show
17. Create a new quiz board game
18. Argue with a question master
19. Have a Quiz Trophy named after you
20. Play in at least one Grand Prix event
21. Win a Quiz League
22. Join the committee of a Quiz League
23. Share a Quiz with friends or colleagues who don’t normally do quizzes
24. Play a game of The World According to Ubi
25. Tell someone off for cheating with their phone in a quiz.
26. Introduce someone to quizzing and watch them become a good quizzer in their own right
27. Play in a pub quiz in a different country outside the UK
28. Play in a quiz in a different language
29. Play in a team that has a genuinely funny AND original name
30. Come up with a perfect question
How did you get on? Are there any experiences which I didn’t put down that you would have included? I’m sure there must be. Right, here’s my own answers: -
1. Done it – including radio 18 shows in 8 different series.
2. No – haven’t done UC, and can’t see how it could happen. If there was any chance, though, they’d never have to ask me twice
3. Yes – in 2007 I only passed on my first SS round. For the rest of that series I answered every question, although not all correctly.
4. Oh, I wish someone would
5. Three times in total, I think
6. Yes – all on the kindle
7. Look – I’d just really like to meet Fred Housego, ok? You know how important Mastermind is to me. So Fred, once again, if you do by any chance happen to read this, I’d love to have a pint and a chat – or just a chat if you’d prefer. Just drop me a line
8. Yes. I’ve never done it in the rugby club . . . yet
9. No – 5 in one week is my record
10. Yes – when they moved the Haywain quiz to early on Sunday evening.
11. Oh, er, let me think about that one
12. Great fun – GetConnected 2010-12
13. Yes – believe me what you see on TV with Tuffers is what you get.
14. Birmingham Mega Quiz. Mind you, not all of them – or even most of them – would have been serious quiz teams
15. Yes
16. Yes – leaving aside my April Fool “Count Your Beans” , my idea based on Bid a Note from Name that Tune has yet to be appreciated by any production company
17. No
18. Yes – despite what we all say they are NOT always right
19. Yes – on this Wednesday teams from Neath will be competing in the MayDay in Melin Annual quiz, to try to win the Dave Clark mastermind 2008 Trophy ( I kid you not)
20. Yes – and had I not been ill yesterday I might well have played in another
21. Yes – Port Talbot – Neath – Swansea – Morriston – South Wales Echo – Llandeilo - Bridgend
22. Yes – I served on the committee of the Neath Quiz League. Just before it folded.
23. Yes – every time I compile one for the club I share it during lunchtime with colleagues in work. They often ask me when they can have another one, believe it or not
24. Yes – it is the finest quiz ‘board’ game around, in my opinion.
25. Yes – Aberavon rugby club – ooh, it felt good.
26. No – a lot of people seem daunted by the amount of work involved in becoming good.
27. Yes – Spain
28. No, although I have read a quiz book in French – and enjoyed it
29. That one’s all in the ear of the behearer. I’ll be honest, I don’t think we ever progressed much beyond the level of Norfolk and Goode style witticisms
30. No, although I am a great admirer of other peoples’ good questions when I hear them. A great recycler of other people’s good questions too.
Quiz Experiences to Try Before you Die (No particular Order)
1. Appear on a TV quiz
2. Complete the Big Four of appearences on University Challenge, Mastermind, Brain of Britain and Only Connect
3. Appear on Mastermind and go through a whole round without passing on a single question.
4. Persuade William G Stewart and Channel Four to resurrect Fifteen to One
5. Play in a pub quiz and have every single question right
6. Write and publish a quiz book
7. Meet Fred Housego
8. Play in a pub quiz on your own and win
9. Play in a quiz every night of the same week
10. Play in two pub quizzes on the same night
11. Write your own quiz blog
12. Take part in a charity quiz auction
13. Play on the same team as Phil Tufnell
14. Play in an event with more than 50 teams
15. Compile a pub quiz and be question master
16. Create an idea for a new quiz show
17. Create a new quiz board game
18. Argue with a question master
19. Have a Quiz Trophy named after you
20. Play in at least one Grand Prix event
21. Win a Quiz League
22. Join the committee of a Quiz League
23. Share a Quiz with friends or colleagues who don’t normally do quizzes
24. Play a game of The World According to Ubi
25. Tell someone off for cheating with their phone in a quiz.
26. Introduce someone to quizzing and watch them become a good quizzer in their own right
27. Play in a pub quiz in a different country outside the UK
28. Play in a quiz in a different language
29. Play in a team that has a genuinely funny AND original name
30. Come up with a perfect question
How did you get on? Are there any experiences which I didn’t put down that you would have included? I’m sure there must be. Right, here’s my own answers: -
1. Done it – including radio 18 shows in 8 different series.
2. No – haven’t done UC, and can’t see how it could happen. If there was any chance, though, they’d never have to ask me twice
3. Yes – in 2007 I only passed on my first SS round. For the rest of that series I answered every question, although not all correctly.
4. Oh, I wish someone would
5. Three times in total, I think
6. Yes – all on the kindle
7. Look – I’d just really like to meet Fred Housego, ok? You know how important Mastermind is to me. So Fred, once again, if you do by any chance happen to read this, I’d love to have a pint and a chat – or just a chat if you’d prefer. Just drop me a line
8. Yes. I’ve never done it in the rugby club . . . yet
9. No – 5 in one week is my record
10. Yes – when they moved the Haywain quiz to early on Sunday evening.
11. Oh, er, let me think about that one
12. Great fun – GetConnected 2010-12
13. Yes – believe me what you see on TV with Tuffers is what you get.
14. Birmingham Mega Quiz. Mind you, not all of them – or even most of them – would have been serious quiz teams
15. Yes
16. Yes – leaving aside my April Fool “Count Your Beans” , my idea based on Bid a Note from Name that Tune has yet to be appreciated by any production company
17. No
18. Yes – despite what we all say they are NOT always right
19. Yes – on this Wednesday teams from Neath will be competing in the MayDay in Melin Annual quiz, to try to win the Dave Clark mastermind 2008 Trophy ( I kid you not)
20. Yes – and had I not been ill yesterday I might well have played in another
21. Yes – Port Talbot – Neath – Swansea – Morriston – South Wales Echo – Llandeilo - Bridgend
22. Yes – I served on the committee of the Neath Quiz League. Just before it folded.
23. Yes – every time I compile one for the club I share it during lunchtime with colleagues in work. They often ask me when they can have another one, believe it or not
24. Yes – it is the finest quiz ‘board’ game around, in my opinion.
25. Yes – Aberavon rugby club – ooh, it felt good.
26. No – a lot of people seem daunted by the amount of work involved in becoming good.
27. Yes – Spain
28. No, although I have read a quiz book in French – and enjoyed it
29. That one’s all in the ear of the behearer. I’ll be honest, I don’t think we ever progressed much beyond the level of Norfolk and Goode style witticisms
30. No, although I am a great admirer of other peoples’ good questions when I hear them. A great recycler of other people’s good questions too.
"How to Win TV Quizzes"
Over on Daniel’s Blog “The Quiz Addict” I saw an interview with CJ de Mooi, late of Eggheads. CJ has just published his book – “How to Win TV Quiz Shows”. I’ll be honest, I was interested to see what he has to say on the subject, so I bought it. I did think twice before starting to write this – after all you could say that it is in direct competition with my own “Be A Quiz Winner!”
Be A Quiz Winner!
But what the hell. Mine is a little more general – it does give advice about TV, but that’s only just one of the areas covered.
So what about CJ’s book? I’ll be completely objective, and say that I enjoyed it. CJ writes well. There are several amusing anecdotes in the book, and he is absolutely honest and unapologetic about his TV persona and his desire to do whatever it takes ( within the rules) to win any TV quiz show he took part in. In fact he would probably tell you that while it’s very nice of me to plug his book, it’s relatively stupid of me considering that I have a book of my own on the market which covers at least some of the same ground, judging by what he says about the attitude you should take towards the competition. Well, there we are, I was never planning to retire on the proceeds of the kindle books anyway.
All the advice in the book is first hand, and all of it is valuable. Would it necessarily help you to win TV quizzes? Maybe yes. Let me explain that. Let’s say that you’re someone who has never applied to be on a quiz show before. If you read and follow the advice in the book then I’ve no doubt that you’d greatly improve your chances of making it through the application and audition processes onto the show itself. So working on the principle that you’ve got to be on a show to actually win anything, to that extent it could definitely help you to win. Once you’re actually on the show, there are tips here to help you maximise your performance. If nothing else I’m sure that, like me, you’ll enjoy the sections about assessing your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, and about being the strong one who preys on the weak. As Harry S. Truman may or may not have said, “If you want a friend – get a dog.” What it won't do is increase your chances of winning by making you a better general knowledge quizzer, and to be fair CJ is quite open about this. He acknowledges that in order to improve your general knowledge, you have to work at it. So if you're one of those people who tend to say - "Hmm - it's not really my subject" whenever you're asked a question on History, Geography, Literature, Science, entertainment, Sport ( I could go on )"- well don't think for one minute that this, or any other book is going to be a panacea for what ails you. No book is. If you don't know anything, you ain't going to win a great deal.
I don’t think the book is available in print yet, but it’s available on your kindle right now, and it’s not a huge amount of money (although Be A Quiz Winner is a whole pound cheaper at the moment!). A good read for anyone who is either thinking about applying to be on a show, or who is generally interested in them anyway.
--------------------------------------------
Being English I’m not very good at being pushy. Still, just for once, I’ll make an exception. I don’t go on and on about my kindle books in the blog for the very good reason that I don’t want to start putting people off the blog. Still, I hope that I can be forgiven just this once reminding readers of the titles I have available out there at the moment. Currently : -
Be A Quiz Winner!
The Quiz Show Quiz Book
The Mythology Quiz Book
The Cryptic Quiz Book
The Pub Quiz Master Quiz Book
The Pub Quiz Master Quiz Book 2
The Pub Quiz Master Quiz Book 3
The Pub Quiz Player’s Quiz Book
The Connections Quiz Book
The Great TV Pub Quiz Book
The Ultimate Summer Olympic Quiz Book
The Ultimate English Literature Quiz Book
There are links to most of these on Amazon in my links section, but you can also find all of them on my Amazon Author Page – just click on the link below
Dave Clark Amazon Author Page
Be A Quiz Winner!
But what the hell. Mine is a little more general – it does give advice about TV, but that’s only just one of the areas covered.
So what about CJ’s book? I’ll be completely objective, and say that I enjoyed it. CJ writes well. There are several amusing anecdotes in the book, and he is absolutely honest and unapologetic about his TV persona and his desire to do whatever it takes ( within the rules) to win any TV quiz show he took part in. In fact he would probably tell you that while it’s very nice of me to plug his book, it’s relatively stupid of me considering that I have a book of my own on the market which covers at least some of the same ground, judging by what he says about the attitude you should take towards the competition. Well, there we are, I was never planning to retire on the proceeds of the kindle books anyway.
All the advice in the book is first hand, and all of it is valuable. Would it necessarily help you to win TV quizzes? Maybe yes. Let me explain that. Let’s say that you’re someone who has never applied to be on a quiz show before. If you read and follow the advice in the book then I’ve no doubt that you’d greatly improve your chances of making it through the application and audition processes onto the show itself. So working on the principle that you’ve got to be on a show to actually win anything, to that extent it could definitely help you to win. Once you’re actually on the show, there are tips here to help you maximise your performance. If nothing else I’m sure that, like me, you’ll enjoy the sections about assessing your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, and about being the strong one who preys on the weak. As Harry S. Truman may or may not have said, “If you want a friend – get a dog.” What it won't do is increase your chances of winning by making you a better general knowledge quizzer, and to be fair CJ is quite open about this. He acknowledges that in order to improve your general knowledge, you have to work at it. So if you're one of those people who tend to say - "Hmm - it's not really my subject" whenever you're asked a question on History, Geography, Literature, Science, entertainment, Sport ( I could go on )"- well don't think for one minute that this, or any other book is going to be a panacea for what ails you. No book is. If you don't know anything, you ain't going to win a great deal.
I don’t think the book is available in print yet, but it’s available on your kindle right now, and it’s not a huge amount of money (although Be A Quiz Winner is a whole pound cheaper at the moment!). A good read for anyone who is either thinking about applying to be on a show, or who is generally interested in them anyway.
--------------------------------------------
Being English I’m not very good at being pushy. Still, just for once, I’ll make an exception. I don’t go on and on about my kindle books in the blog for the very good reason that I don’t want to start putting people off the blog. Still, I hope that I can be forgiven just this once reminding readers of the titles I have available out there at the moment. Currently : -
The Quiz Show Quiz Book
The Mythology Quiz Book
The Cryptic Quiz Book
The Pub Quiz Master Quiz Book
The Pub Quiz Master Quiz Book 2
The Pub Quiz Master Quiz Book 3
The Pub Quiz Player’s Quiz Book
The Connections Quiz Book
The Great TV Pub Quiz Book
The Ultimate Summer Olympic Quiz Book
The Ultimate English Literature Quiz Book
There are links to most of these on Amazon in my links section, but you can also find all of them on my Amazon Author Page – just click on the link below
Dave Clark Amazon Author Page
Saturday, 4 May 2013
In The News
In the News
Who or what are the following and why have they been in the news?
1. Get Lucky
2. Menelik Watson
3. Sohel Rana
4. Andrew Cassidy
5. Gerard Butler
6. Down Hall Country House Hotel
7. Julio Diaz
8. Neonictinoids
9. Lee Bradley Brown
10. El Celler de Con Roca
11. Jason Collins
12. Abdelkadir el Janadi
Alex Wilson-Fletcher
13. Christian Benteke
14. Kim Little
15. Henning Berg
16. English Defence League
17. Allan Arbus
18. Fuentes Eufemio
19. Reginald D. Hunter
20. Philip Goodeve-Docker
21. James McCormick
22. Natalie Coleman
23. Chris Kelly
24. Viva Forever
25. Dan Llewellyn Hall
26. Joanne Chesimard
27. Jeff Hanneman
In Other News
1. IN the University League Table – Cambridge was 1st – Oxford 2nd. Which came third?
2. Who called UKIP ‘fruitcakes and closet racists’
3. Who won the awards for Best actor and Best Actress at the Oliviers?
4. Whose stolen red Chevrolet convertible has been found after 20 years?
5. Who won the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year?
6. Which cyclist won the Tour of Romandie?
7. Which were the first two teams relegated from the Premier League?
8. What was the score between Toulon and Saracens in the Heineken Cup?
9. What was the score between Man Utd and Arsenal?
10. Which world stadium was reopened after 3 years?
11. What was the score in the Heineken cup semi final between Clermont and Munster
12. City and Guilds test papers are being sent where to be marked?
13. Name both previous winners of both PFA and Young player of the Year awards in the same year
14. Which is the top UK restaurant in the world’s top 50?
15. Which group are sponsoring Rhwbina children’s rugby team in Cardiff?
16. Which city has Britain’s tastiest tap water?
17. What was the score in the Villas v. Sunderland match?
18. What announcement did Sir Bradley Wiggins make this week?
19. Which University won University Challenge?
20. Who was announced as the captain of the British and Irish Lions?
21. Who resigned as honorary FIFA president
22. What was the score in the Champions League semi final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund?
23. Who abdicated on 30th April?
24. Who is the new King of the Netherlands?
25. What is to be dried after 30 years of work?
26. How many representatives in the Lions squad do each of the home unions have?
27. Who said that he does not have an MP3 player?
28. Who has been charged with raping a girl in 1967?
29. Who is to face a retrial in a military court?
30. Former Hollywood actress passed away aged 91?
31. What was the score in the Bayern Munich v. Barcelona Heineken cup semi final?
32. Who announced his retirement from boxing?
33. Who met Ronnie O’ Sullivan in the semi final of the world snooker championship?
34. Which mountain is about to be named a world heritage site?
35. Who admitted indecent assault charges?
36. Which two fairy tales were named Britain’s favourite?
37. Star Wars is to be redubbed in which language?
38. How much did the plebgate bike fetch on ebay?
39. What was the score in the Chelsea v. Basle Europa League semi final?
40. What was the score in the Benfica v. Fenerbahce Europa League semi final?
41. How many local council seast were won by UKIP?
42. Which bomber is being raised from the Goodwin Sands?
Who or what are the following and why have they been in the news?
1. Get Lucky
2. Menelik Watson
3. Sohel Rana
4. Andrew Cassidy
5. Gerard Butler
6. Down Hall Country House Hotel
7. Julio Diaz
8. Neonictinoids
9. Lee Bradley Brown
10. El Celler de Con Roca
11. Jason Collins
12. Abdelkadir el Janadi
Alex Wilson-Fletcher
13. Christian Benteke
14. Kim Little
15. Henning Berg
16. English Defence League
17. Allan Arbus
18. Fuentes Eufemio
19. Reginald D. Hunter
20. Philip Goodeve-Docker
21. James McCormick
22. Natalie Coleman
23. Chris Kelly
24. Viva Forever
25. Dan Llewellyn Hall
26. Joanne Chesimard
27. Jeff Hanneman
In Other News
1. IN the University League Table – Cambridge was 1st – Oxford 2nd. Which came third?
2. Who called UKIP ‘fruitcakes and closet racists’
3. Who won the awards for Best actor and Best Actress at the Oliviers?
4. Whose stolen red Chevrolet convertible has been found after 20 years?
5. Who won the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year?
6. Which cyclist won the Tour of Romandie?
7. Which were the first two teams relegated from the Premier League?
8. What was the score between Toulon and Saracens in the Heineken Cup?
9. What was the score between Man Utd and Arsenal?
10. Which world stadium was reopened after 3 years?
11. What was the score in the Heineken cup semi final between Clermont and Munster
12. City and Guilds test papers are being sent where to be marked?
13. Name both previous winners of both PFA and Young player of the Year awards in the same year
14. Which is the top UK restaurant in the world’s top 50?
15. Which group are sponsoring Rhwbina children’s rugby team in Cardiff?
16. Which city has Britain’s tastiest tap water?
17. What was the score in the Villas v. Sunderland match?
18. What announcement did Sir Bradley Wiggins make this week?
19. Which University won University Challenge?
20. Who was announced as the captain of the British and Irish Lions?
21. Who resigned as honorary FIFA president
22. What was the score in the Champions League semi final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund?
23. Who abdicated on 30th April?
24. Who is the new King of the Netherlands?
25. What is to be dried after 30 years of work?
26. How many representatives in the Lions squad do each of the home unions have?
27. Who said that he does not have an MP3 player?
28. Who has been charged with raping a girl in 1967?
29. Who is to face a retrial in a military court?
30. Former Hollywood actress passed away aged 91?
31. What was the score in the Bayern Munich v. Barcelona Heineken cup semi final?
32. Who announced his retirement from boxing?
33. Who met Ronnie O’ Sullivan in the semi final of the world snooker championship?
34. Which mountain is about to be named a world heritage site?
35. Who admitted indecent assault charges?
36. Which two fairy tales were named Britain’s favourite?
37. Star Wars is to be redubbed in which language?
38. How much did the plebgate bike fetch on ebay?
39. What was the score in the Chelsea v. Basle Europa League semi final?
40. What was the score in the Benfica v. Fenerbahce Europa League semi final?
41. How many local council seast were won by UKIP?
42. Which bomber is being raised from the Goodwin Sands?
Answers to News Questions
In the news
Who or what are the following and why have they been in the news?
1. Alisher Usmanov
2. John Cherry
3. To Be Loved
4. Giorgio Napolitano
5. Branislav Ivanovic
6. Tsegaye Kebede
7. Prisgah Jeptoo
8. Michael White
9. Parsons School of Design – New York city
10. Mark Davis
11. DNP
12. Eric Toth
13. James McCormick
14. Chris Gayle
15. The Look of Love
16. Danny Cohen
17. Sarah Stevenson
18. Caxirola
19. Enrico Letta
20. Duncan Larcombe
21. Jo Johnson MP
22. Moulton Paddocks
23. Caroline Banana
24. Robert Milkins
25. Marcus Wareing
26. Irfan Naseer
In Other News
1. What was the score in the Spurs v. Man City match?
2. What happened to panda Tian Tian in Edinburgh last year?
3. Who defeated Nadal in the final of the Monte carlo Masters?
4. Who won the SPL?
5. What was the score in the Liverpool v. Chelsea match?
6. Which team won the Championship after having qualified for the Premier League the previous week?
7. Who were the top 3 in the Bahrain GP?
8. Which Brit was 4th in the Bahrain GP?
9. Poor harvests have halted the production of which breakfast cereal?
10. GB lost a play off for the world group in the Fed Cup to which team?
11. what was the score in the Man Utd. v. Aston Villa match?
12. How many League titles has Sir Alex Ferguson won with Man Utd.?
13. Which Hollywood actress was arrested for disorderly conduct?
14. Which film topped the Time Out poll of the most romantic films of all time?
15. Who was controversially overlooked for the position of the chairman of Sport England?
16. ITV were criticized for excessively promoting what on the Alan Titchmarsh show?
17. Who last week offered to pay just a quarter of his trial costs?
18. The search for whom was officially called off last week?
19. Which two teams will contest the University Challenge final on Monday?
20. Who said GCSE Maths is too easy after sitting the paper and getting A*?
21. Which European country’s parliament gave its final approval to the Gay marriage bill?
22. How many of Mahmood al Zarroni’s horses tested positive for steroids?
23. The government appeal was rejected over what?
24. Ritchie Havens who passed away last week was famously the first act on what or where?
25. Lushan was hit by an earthquake last week – in which country?
26. what was the score in the Bayern Munich v. Barcelona European Champions League semi final? 27. Which large union is balloting members about a strike? 28. Who was re-arrested over sexual allegations last week?
29. A factory supplying which retailer collapsed in Bangladesh last week?
30. Which car topped a UK motorists satisfaction poll last week?
31. Who announced that they will split after a farewell tour in December
32. Which Hollywood actor announced he was taking part in the £1 a day food challenge?
33. How many games has Luis Suarez been suspended for ?
34. Last week which welsh legend was added to the British and Irish Lions coaching team?
35. What was the score in the Borussia Dortmund v. Real Madrid Champions League match?
36. Which D Day beach has been omitted from a French D Day tourism campaign?
37. The US Justice Deartment have launched legal proceedings against which sportsman?
38. A UN peacekeeping force has been approved for which African country?
39. Which has been voted Britain’s best University for Quality of Life?
40. On whose tour bus were drugs found in Sweden?
41. What was the score in the Europa League match between Chelsea and Basle?
42. What punishment was handed to Mahmood al Zarooni ?
43. Which rugby player suffered only minor injuries after being hit by a bus during a pub crawl?
44. who was charged by the CPS on 11 counts of Indecent assault?
45. Who will feature on the new £5 note?
Answers>
Who or what are the following, and why have they been in the news?
1. Named as Britain’s Richest man
2. Conservative local councillor dismissed from party for racist statements
3. New album by Michael Bublé
4. Re elected as president of Italy
5. Player bitten by Luis Suarez
6. Won man’s race in London marathon
7. Won women’s race in London Marathon
8. Knocked Mark Williams out of world snooker championship
9. John Galliano has been hired to teach some classes there
10. He knocked John Higgins out of the world snooker championship
11. Banned weight loss drug taken by Sarah Houston who sadly passed away
12. The FBI’s most wanted since Osama Bin Laden, arrested in Nicaragua
13. Man found guilty of selling fake bomb detectors
14. Hit the fastest century in history in 30 balls
15. Film starring Steve Coogan as ‘King of Soho’ Paul Raymond
16. New BBC Director of Television
17. Announced her retirement from Taekwondo
18. The new percussion instrument for the 2016 FIFA world cup, set to be the ‘new vuvuzela’
19. Has been asked by president of Italy to form a government
20. The Sun’s Royal editor who has been charged with paying public officials
21. Brother of Boris – Cameron’s new Head of Policy
22. Mahmood Al Zarooni’s training yard, closed by Sheikh Mohammed
23. Deal or No Deal winner who did not declare her winnings found guilty of benefit fraud
24. He knocked Neil Robertson out of the world snooker championships
25. Chef who joined the judging panel for Masterchef semi finals, attracting attention through very sharp comments
26. Leader of Birmingham Terrorist cell, jailed for life.
In Other news
1. 3 - 1
2. She was artificially inseminated
3. Novak Djokovic
4. Celtic
5. 2 - 2
6. Cardiff City
7. Vettel – 1, Raikkonen – 2, Grosjean - 3
8. Paul di Resta
9. Weetabix Minis and Oatibix
10. Argentina
11. 3 - 0
12. 13
13. Reece Witherspoon
14. Brief Encounter
15. Tanni Grey Thompson
16. Patsy Kensit on Weightwatchers
17. Chris Huhne
18. April Jones
19. University College London and Manchester
20. Dara O’Briain
21. France
22. 11
23. Abu Qatada deportation
24. Woodstock festival
25. CHina
26. 4 - 0
27. Postal workers union
28. Freddie Starr
29. Primark
30. Skoda Yeti
31. JLS
32. Ben Affleck
33. 10 games
34. Neil Jenkins
35. 4 - 1
36. Sword Beach
37. Lance Armstrong
38. Mali
39. University of East Anglia
40. Justin Beiber
41. 2 - 1
42. He was banned for 8 years
43. Danny Cipriani
44. Max Clifford
45. Winston Churchill
Who or what are the following and why have they been in the news?
1. Alisher Usmanov
2. John Cherry
3. To Be Loved
4. Giorgio Napolitano
5. Branislav Ivanovic
6. Tsegaye Kebede
7. Prisgah Jeptoo
8. Michael White
9. Parsons School of Design – New York city
10. Mark Davis
11. DNP
12. Eric Toth
13. James McCormick
14. Chris Gayle
15. The Look of Love
16. Danny Cohen
17. Sarah Stevenson
18. Caxirola
19. Enrico Letta
20. Duncan Larcombe
21. Jo Johnson MP
22. Moulton Paddocks
23. Caroline Banana
24. Robert Milkins
25. Marcus Wareing
26. Irfan Naseer
In Other News
1. What was the score in the Spurs v. Man City match?
2. What happened to panda Tian Tian in Edinburgh last year?
3. Who defeated Nadal in the final of the Monte carlo Masters?
4. Who won the SPL?
5. What was the score in the Liverpool v. Chelsea match?
6. Which team won the Championship after having qualified for the Premier League the previous week?
7. Who were the top 3 in the Bahrain GP?
8. Which Brit was 4th in the Bahrain GP?
9. Poor harvests have halted the production of which breakfast cereal?
10. GB lost a play off for the world group in the Fed Cup to which team?
11. what was the score in the Man Utd. v. Aston Villa match?
12. How many League titles has Sir Alex Ferguson won with Man Utd.?
13. Which Hollywood actress was arrested for disorderly conduct?
14. Which film topped the Time Out poll of the most romantic films of all time?
15. Who was controversially overlooked for the position of the chairman of Sport England?
16. ITV were criticized for excessively promoting what on the Alan Titchmarsh show?
17. Who last week offered to pay just a quarter of his trial costs?
18. The search for whom was officially called off last week?
19. Which two teams will contest the University Challenge final on Monday?
20. Who said GCSE Maths is too easy after sitting the paper and getting A*?
21. Which European country’s parliament gave its final approval to the Gay marriage bill?
22. How many of Mahmood al Zarroni’s horses tested positive for steroids?
23. The government appeal was rejected over what?
24. Ritchie Havens who passed away last week was famously the first act on what or where?
25. Lushan was hit by an earthquake last week – in which country?
26. what was the score in the Bayern Munich v. Barcelona European Champions League semi final? 27. Which large union is balloting members about a strike? 28. Who was re-arrested over sexual allegations last week?
29. A factory supplying which retailer collapsed in Bangladesh last week?
30. Which car topped a UK motorists satisfaction poll last week?
31. Who announced that they will split after a farewell tour in December
32. Which Hollywood actor announced he was taking part in the £1 a day food challenge?
33. How many games has Luis Suarez been suspended for ?
34. Last week which welsh legend was added to the British and Irish Lions coaching team?
35. What was the score in the Borussia Dortmund v. Real Madrid Champions League match?
36. Which D Day beach has been omitted from a French D Day tourism campaign?
37. The US Justice Deartment have launched legal proceedings against which sportsman?
38. A UN peacekeeping force has been approved for which African country?
39. Which has been voted Britain’s best University for Quality of Life?
40. On whose tour bus were drugs found in Sweden?
41. What was the score in the Europa League match between Chelsea and Basle?
42. What punishment was handed to Mahmood al Zarooni ?
43. Which rugby player suffered only minor injuries after being hit by a bus during a pub crawl?
44. who was charged by the CPS on 11 counts of Indecent assault?
45. Who will feature on the new £5 note?
Answers>
Who or what are the following, and why have they been in the news?
1. Named as Britain’s Richest man
2. Conservative local councillor dismissed from party for racist statements
3. New album by Michael Bublé
4. Re elected as president of Italy
5. Player bitten by Luis Suarez
6. Won man’s race in London marathon
7. Won women’s race in London Marathon
8. Knocked Mark Williams out of world snooker championship
9. John Galliano has been hired to teach some classes there
10. He knocked John Higgins out of the world snooker championship
11. Banned weight loss drug taken by Sarah Houston who sadly passed away
12. The FBI’s most wanted since Osama Bin Laden, arrested in Nicaragua
13. Man found guilty of selling fake bomb detectors
14. Hit the fastest century in history in 30 balls
15. Film starring Steve Coogan as ‘King of Soho’ Paul Raymond
16. New BBC Director of Television
17. Announced her retirement from Taekwondo
18. The new percussion instrument for the 2016 FIFA world cup, set to be the ‘new vuvuzela’
19. Has been asked by president of Italy to form a government
20. The Sun’s Royal editor who has been charged with paying public officials
21. Brother of Boris – Cameron’s new Head of Policy
22. Mahmood Al Zarooni’s training yard, closed by Sheikh Mohammed
23. Deal or No Deal winner who did not declare her winnings found guilty of benefit fraud
24. He knocked Neil Robertson out of the world snooker championships
25. Chef who joined the judging panel for Masterchef semi finals, attracting attention through very sharp comments
26. Leader of Birmingham Terrorist cell, jailed for life.
In Other news
1. 3 - 1
2. She was artificially inseminated
3. Novak Djokovic
4. Celtic
5. 2 - 2
6. Cardiff City
7. Vettel – 1, Raikkonen – 2, Grosjean - 3
8. Paul di Resta
9. Weetabix Minis and Oatibix
10. Argentina
11. 3 - 0
12. 13
13. Reece Witherspoon
14. Brief Encounter
15. Tanni Grey Thompson
16. Patsy Kensit on Weightwatchers
17. Chris Huhne
18. April Jones
19. University College London and Manchester
20. Dara O’Briain
21. France
22. 11
23. Abu Qatada deportation
24. Woodstock festival
25. CHina
26. 4 - 0
27. Postal workers union
28. Freddie Starr
29. Primark
30. Skoda Yeti
31. JLS
32. Ben Affleck
33. 10 games
34. Neil Jenkins
35. 4 - 1
36. Sword Beach
37. Lance Armstrong
38. Mali
39. University of East Anglia
40. Justin Beiber
41. 2 - 1
42. He was banned for 8 years
43. Danny Cipriani
44. Max Clifford
45. Winston Churchill
100 things to do before you die quiz
I’m not asking for sympathy. Well, not really. I’m sitting here in bed, with my laptop, feeling very sorry for myself. Being as Wednesday was the First Day of Summer, my annual winter cold, showing a sense of irony, has decided to finally put in an appearance. Mary’s taking three of the girls to London on a shopping trip today – (wild horses wouldn’t drag me, before you ask) – and so they needed taking to Swansea to catch the Mega Bus at 4:30 this morning. So there you are. I’m knackered, I’m ill, and I’m feeling sad. Yesterday I learned that a dear friend from University, with whom I lost contact many years ago, passed away about 18 months ago. Even though we’d had no contact for well over two decades I can confidently say that the world is a sadder and worse place without her in it.
I’m not a great one for taking online ‘quizzes’ but in my current mood I thought it might be interesting to try one of these = How Many of the 100 Things to Do Before you Die Have you Actually done ? – in an attempt to count my blessings, and try to look on the bright side. So this is the result: -
1. Attend at least one major sporting event:
(Yes – 1983 FA Cup Final Replay)
2. Throw a huge party and invite every one of your friends.(Nope – too miserly)
3. Swim with a dolphin.(No – still can’t swim)
4. Skydive.(Not quite, but I have gone paragliding – loved it.)
5. Have your portrait painted.(No, although I have drawn a self portrait)
6. Learn to speak a foreign language and make sure you use it.
(Yes – French used on school trips – a little Spanish used at the Mother in Law’s – a little Icelandic – never used)
7. Go skinny-dipping at midnight in the South of France.(love to say yes – but no.)
8. Watch the launch of the space shuttle.(No, and it ain’t gonna happen now)
9. Spend a whole day eating junk food without feeling guilty.(See above)
10. Be an extra in a film.
(Done it. Last Days of Pompeii – 1983- long story)
11. Tell someone the story of your life, sparing no details.(No – very boring anyway)
12. Make love on a forest floor.(No)
13. Make love on a train.
(Erm – can I skip the question please?)
14. Learn to rollerblade.
(Yes, I’m rather good too)
15. Own a room with a view.
(Yes – although it is a view of Port Talbot Steelworks)
16. Brew your own beer.
(Yes, back in the late 80s. Heaven knows why, I’m virtually teetotal.)
17. Learn how to take a compliment.(Umm – still struggling there, I think)
18. Buy a round-the-world air ticket and a rucksack, and run away.(no)
19. Grow a beard and leave it for at least a month.
( Yes – witness my early Noughties ill advised David Brent period)
20. Give your mother a dozen red roses and tell her you love her.
(Yes)
21. Be a member of the audience in a TV show.
(Yes, several , but appeared on shows more times than I’ve been in the audience)
22. Put your name down to be a passenger on the first tourist shuttle to the moon.(Yeah, sure, next time I have a few million dollars to spare I will)
23. Send a message in a bottle.
(Yes. Still waiting for a reply)
24. Ride a camel into the desert.(Done it in Whipsnade Zoo. Does that count?)
25. Get to know your neighbors.
(Yes – although more in the last house, to be honest)
26. Plant a tree.
(yes)
27. Learn not to say yes when you really mean no.(No, and probably never will)
28. Write a fan letter to your all-time favorite hero or heroine.(No. )
29. Visit the House of Commons to see how Parliament really works (No – despite being a Londoner by birth)
30. Learn to ballroom dance properly.(No – two left feet and one left brain)
31. Eat jellied eels from a stall in London.
(Yes – waste of time. Disgusting)
32. Be the boss.(no)
33. Fall deeply in love -- helplessly and unconditionally.
(Yes)
34. Ride the Trans-Siberian Express across Asia. (no, but I’d love to)
35. Sit on a jury.(Not quite. was called up for service, but never got into the court room to see a case)
36. Write the novel you know you have inside you.
(It’s called “Ermine Stone and the Iron Spider” and it’s available on your kindle)
37. Go to Walden Pond and read Thoreau while drifting in a canoe.(Where the hell is Walden Pond?)
38. Stay out all night dancing and go to work the next day without having gone home (just once).
(Yes, but there wasn’t much dancing involved thank God)
39. Drink beer at Oktoberfest in Munich.(Nein!)
40. Be someone's mentor.
(Yes)
41. Shower in a waterfall.(no)
42. Ask for a raise.
(Yes – from a temp agency in Ealing Broadway in 1986. I didn’t get it)
43. Learn to play a musical instrument with some degree of skill.(No)
44. Teach someone illiterate to read.
(yes)
45. Be one of the first to take a flight on the new Airbus A380.(no)
46. Spend a night in a haunted house -- by yourself.(Not by myself – and I’m not sensitive enough to have seen the ghost. Shame)
47. Write down your personal mission statement, follow it, and revise it from time to time.(No)
48. See a lunar eclipse.
(yes)
49. Spend New Year's in an exotic location.
(Alicante count?)
50. Get passionate about a cause and spend time helping it, instead of just thinking about it.
(yes)
51. Experience weightlessness.(no)
52. Sing a great song in front of an audience.
(Yes – although the word ‘sing’ is stretching it a bit)
53. Ask someone you've only just met to go on a date.
(Yes – Mary. We’ve been married for almost 27 years so I think it worked)
54. Drive across America from coast to coast.(No – I would LOVE to)
55. Make a complete and utter fool of yourself.
(Are you kidding? Just watch my appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire)
56. Own one very expensive but absolutely wonderful business suit.(no)
57. Write your will.(No. I should do. )
58. Sleep under the stars.
(Yes. I watched a wonderful meteor shower then fell asleep on the beach by Rhodes Old Town)
59. Take a ride on the highest roller coaster in the country.(No. Could do – it wouldn’t bother me, but just haven’t)
60. Learn how to complain effectively -- and do it!(Ah – the fact is that I am VERY good at complaining in writing – and absolute pants at doing it face to face)
61. Go wild in Rio during Carnival.( No – but wouldn’t mind)
62. Spend a whole day reading a great novel.
(Yes – umpteen times)
63. Forgive your parents.
(Yes. Nothing to forgive Mum for, and made my peace with Dad before he died. Long story. Move on please)
64. Learn to juggle with three balls.(Infuriatingly, no. I just cannot master it)
65. Drive the Autobahn.(nein)
66. Find a job you love.(No, not yet)
67. Spend Christmas on the beach drinking pina coladas.(no)
68. Overcome your fear of failure.(Why? Fear can drive you on to achievement sometimes.)
69. Raft through the Grand Canyon.( Not happening. Can’t swim)
70. Donate money and put your name on something: a college scholarship, a bench in the park.(No)
71. Buy your own house and then spend time making it into exactly what you want.
(Half done. Bought the house, but that took all our money and so we can’t afford to make it exactly how we want)
72. Grow a garden.(No. Alan Tichmarsh I’m not.)
73. Spend three months getting your body into optimum shape.(No. Good one that. Never gonna happen)
74. Drive a convertible with the top down and music blaring.
(Yes. Good fun)
75. Accept yourself for who you are.(Yes)
76. Learn to use a microphone and give a speech in public.
(Yes)
77. Scuba dive off Australia's Great Barrier Reef.(No, and it ain’t gonna happen neither)
78. Go up in a hot-air balloon.(No, but it’s on the list)
79. Attend one really huge rock concert.
(Yes – Pink Floyd – The Wall – 1981)
80. Kiss someone you've just met on a blind date.
(Yes – blush! There was a second date too, but we left it there by mutual consent)
81. Be able to handle: your tax forms, Jehovah's Witnesses, your banker, telephone solicitors.(No)
82. Give to a charity -- anonymously.
(yes)
83. Lose more money than you can afford at roulette in Vegas.(I can tell you now that’s never gonna happen)
84. Let someone feed you peeled, seedless grapes.(Diabetic , so it ain’t happening now)
85. Kiss the Blarney stone and develop the gift of gab.(no)
86. Fart in a crowded space.
(Pass. Move on)
87. Make love on the kitchen floor.
(see above)
88. Go deep sea fishing and eat your catch.(no)
89. Create your own web site.
(Yes - see the link to My Quiz Pages)
90. Visit the Holy Land.(no – would love to)
91. Make yourself spend a half-day at a concentration camp and swear never to forget.(See above)
92. Run to the top of the Statue of Liberty.(No – walking was enough for me)
93. Create your Family Tree.
(Yes – great fun)
94. Catch a ball in the stands of a major league baseball stadium.(No, and not going to happen neither)
95. Make a hole-in-one.(no)
96. Ski a double-black diamond run.(no)
97. Learn to bartend.
(Yes – Harrow Leisure Centre bar – New Year’s Eve 1983)
98. Run a marathon.(No , but I have run charity 10ks)
99. Look into your child's eyes, see yourself, and smile.
(Yes, and I am so lucky to have had 5 children to do it with)
100. Reflect on your greatest weakness, and realize how it is your greatest strength.(No – sounds too much like psychobabble to me)
Hmm – done about 2/5 of them. I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be good, bad or indifferent.
Well, I have three quizzes to write this weekend, so I think that I’ll just leave these little reflections there. Have a great weekend, and please make the best of all the opportunities that are available to you.
I’m not a great one for taking online ‘quizzes’ but in my current mood I thought it might be interesting to try one of these = How Many of the 100 Things to Do Before you Die Have you Actually done ? – in an attempt to count my blessings, and try to look on the bright side. So this is the result: -
1. Attend at least one major sporting event:
(Yes – 1983 FA Cup Final Replay)
2. Throw a huge party and invite every one of your friends.(Nope – too miserly)
3. Swim with a dolphin.(No – still can’t swim)
4. Skydive.(Not quite, but I have gone paragliding – loved it.)
5. Have your portrait painted.(No, although I have drawn a self portrait)
6. Learn to speak a foreign language and make sure you use it.
(Yes – French used on school trips – a little Spanish used at the Mother in Law’s – a little Icelandic – never used)
7. Go skinny-dipping at midnight in the South of France.(love to say yes – but no.)
8. Watch the launch of the space shuttle.(No, and it ain’t gonna happen now)
9. Spend a whole day eating junk food without feeling guilty.(See above)
10. Be an extra in a film.
(Done it. Last Days of Pompeii – 1983- long story)
11. Tell someone the story of your life, sparing no details.(No – very boring anyway)
12. Make love on a forest floor.(No)
13. Make love on a train.
(Erm – can I skip the question please?)
14. Learn to rollerblade.
(Yes, I’m rather good too)
15. Own a room with a view.
(Yes – although it is a view of Port Talbot Steelworks)
16. Brew your own beer.
(Yes, back in the late 80s. Heaven knows why, I’m virtually teetotal.)
17. Learn how to take a compliment.(Umm – still struggling there, I think)
18. Buy a round-the-world air ticket and a rucksack, and run away.(no)
19. Grow a beard and leave it for at least a month.
( Yes – witness my early Noughties ill advised David Brent period)
20. Give your mother a dozen red roses and tell her you love her.
(Yes)
21. Be a member of the audience in a TV show.
(Yes, several , but appeared on shows more times than I’ve been in the audience)
22. Put your name down to be a passenger on the first tourist shuttle to the moon.(Yeah, sure, next time I have a few million dollars to spare I will)
23. Send a message in a bottle.
(Yes. Still waiting for a reply)
24. Ride a camel into the desert.(Done it in Whipsnade Zoo. Does that count?)
25. Get to know your neighbors.
(Yes – although more in the last house, to be honest)
26. Plant a tree.
(yes)
27. Learn not to say yes when you really mean no.(No, and probably never will)
28. Write a fan letter to your all-time favorite hero or heroine.(No. )
29. Visit the House of Commons to see how Parliament really works (No – despite being a Londoner by birth)
30. Learn to ballroom dance properly.(No – two left feet and one left brain)
31. Eat jellied eels from a stall in London.
(Yes – waste of time. Disgusting)
32. Be the boss.(no)
33. Fall deeply in love -- helplessly and unconditionally.
(Yes)
34. Ride the Trans-Siberian Express across Asia. (no, but I’d love to)
35. Sit on a jury.(Not quite. was called up for service, but never got into the court room to see a case)
36. Write the novel you know you have inside you.
(It’s called “Ermine Stone and the Iron Spider” and it’s available on your kindle)
37. Go to Walden Pond and read Thoreau while drifting in a canoe.(Where the hell is Walden Pond?)
38. Stay out all night dancing and go to work the next day without having gone home (just once).
(Yes, but there wasn’t much dancing involved thank God)
39. Drink beer at Oktoberfest in Munich.(Nein!)
40. Be someone's mentor.
(Yes)
41. Shower in a waterfall.(no)
42. Ask for a raise.
(Yes – from a temp agency in Ealing Broadway in 1986. I didn’t get it)
43. Learn to play a musical instrument with some degree of skill.(No)
44. Teach someone illiterate to read.
(yes)
45. Be one of the first to take a flight on the new Airbus A380.(no)
46. Spend a night in a haunted house -- by yourself.(Not by myself – and I’m not sensitive enough to have seen the ghost. Shame)
47. Write down your personal mission statement, follow it, and revise it from time to time.(No)
48. See a lunar eclipse.
(yes)
49. Spend New Year's in an exotic location.
(Alicante count?)
50. Get passionate about a cause and spend time helping it, instead of just thinking about it.
(yes)
51. Experience weightlessness.(no)
52. Sing a great song in front of an audience.
(Yes – although the word ‘sing’ is stretching it a bit)
53. Ask someone you've only just met to go on a date.
(Yes – Mary. We’ve been married for almost 27 years so I think it worked)
54. Drive across America from coast to coast.(No – I would LOVE to)
55. Make a complete and utter fool of yourself.
(Are you kidding? Just watch my appearance on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire)
56. Own one very expensive but absolutely wonderful business suit.(no)
57. Write your will.(No. I should do. )
58. Sleep under the stars.
(Yes. I watched a wonderful meteor shower then fell asleep on the beach by Rhodes Old Town)
59. Take a ride on the highest roller coaster in the country.(No. Could do – it wouldn’t bother me, but just haven’t)
60. Learn how to complain effectively -- and do it!(Ah – the fact is that I am VERY good at complaining in writing – and absolute pants at doing it face to face)
61. Go wild in Rio during Carnival.( No – but wouldn’t mind)
62. Spend a whole day reading a great novel.
(Yes – umpteen times)
63. Forgive your parents.
(Yes. Nothing to forgive Mum for, and made my peace with Dad before he died. Long story. Move on please)
64. Learn to juggle with three balls.(Infuriatingly, no. I just cannot master it)
65. Drive the Autobahn.(nein)
66. Find a job you love.(No, not yet)
67. Spend Christmas on the beach drinking pina coladas.(no)
68. Overcome your fear of failure.(Why? Fear can drive you on to achievement sometimes.)
69. Raft through the Grand Canyon.( Not happening. Can’t swim)
70. Donate money and put your name on something: a college scholarship, a bench in the park.(No)
71. Buy your own house and then spend time making it into exactly what you want.
(Half done. Bought the house, but that took all our money and so we can’t afford to make it exactly how we want)
72. Grow a garden.(No. Alan Tichmarsh I’m not.)
73. Spend three months getting your body into optimum shape.(No. Good one that. Never gonna happen)
74. Drive a convertible with the top down and music blaring.
(Yes. Good fun)
75. Accept yourself for who you are.(Yes)
76. Learn to use a microphone and give a speech in public.
(Yes)
77. Scuba dive off Australia's Great Barrier Reef.(No, and it ain’t gonna happen neither)
78. Go up in a hot-air balloon.(No, but it’s on the list)
79. Attend one really huge rock concert.
(Yes – Pink Floyd – The Wall – 1981)
80. Kiss someone you've just met on a blind date.
(Yes – blush! There was a second date too, but we left it there by mutual consent)
81. Be able to handle: your tax forms, Jehovah's Witnesses, your banker, telephone solicitors.(No)
82. Give to a charity -- anonymously.
(yes)
83. Lose more money than you can afford at roulette in Vegas.(I can tell you now that’s never gonna happen)
84. Let someone feed you peeled, seedless grapes.(Diabetic , so it ain’t happening now)
85. Kiss the Blarney stone and develop the gift of gab.(no)
86. Fart in a crowded space.
(Pass. Move on)
87. Make love on the kitchen floor.
(see above)
88. Go deep sea fishing and eat your catch.(no)
89. Create your own web site.
(Yes - see the link to My Quiz Pages)
90. Visit the Holy Land.(no – would love to)
91. Make yourself spend a half-day at a concentration camp and swear never to forget.(See above)
92. Run to the top of the Statue of Liberty.(No – walking was enough for me)
93. Create your Family Tree.
(Yes – great fun)
94. Catch a ball in the stands of a major league baseball stadium.(No, and not going to happen neither)
95. Make a hole-in-one.(no)
96. Ski a double-black diamond run.(no)
97. Learn to bartend.
(Yes – Harrow Leisure Centre bar – New Year’s Eve 1983)
98. Run a marathon.(No , but I have run charity 10ks)
99. Look into your child's eyes, see yourself, and smile.
(Yes, and I am so lucky to have had 5 children to do it with)
100. Reflect on your greatest weakness, and realize how it is your greatest strength.(No – sounds too much like psychobabble to me)
Hmm – done about 2/5 of them. I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be good, bad or indifferent.
Well, I have three quizzes to write this weekend, so I think that I’ll just leave these little reflections there. Have a great weekend, and please make the best of all the opportunities that are available to you.
Friday, 3 May 2013
University Challenge - Grand Final 2013
The last two teams in this year’s competition, then, were UCL and Manchester. UCL , consisting of Adam Papaphilippopoulos, Tom Tyszczuk-Smith, Tom Parton and Simon Dennis had been picked as potential winners since the earliest stages of the competition. Manchester, on the other hand, David Brice, Adam Barr, Debbie Brown and Richard Gilbert, had flirted with disaster in the first round, winning on the last question, and then again in the quarter, where they lost one of their matches. To UCL no less.
I’m sure that someone will be able to tell me whether we’ve ever had this situation before, of a team who have already been beaten by another team meeting that same team in the Grand Final. I know that it certainly came into the equation when many people – me included – were reflecting on the relative chances of both UCL and Manchester. The fact is that in their quarter final match, UCL beat Manchester. UCL beat the only other team to reach the semi finals unbeaten, New College Oxford, in their semi. So it’s fair to say that they were the favourites going into the match. However, Manchester have an awesome record in this competition over the last few years, and you’re never going to make money by betting against them . . .
David Brice struck for Manchester on the first starter, but neither team took Thomas More’s “Utopia” for the first starter. Perhaps a few nerves there. Simon Dennis buzzed in too early before More’s name was mentioned and lost 5. The second starter saw David Brice in early with the Laws of thermodynamics. This brought up a set of bonuses on Dickens’ opinions of tourist attractions in Rome. Now, last week we saw Manchester beat Bangor by winning the buzzer race, while they only managed a modest bonus conversion rate. They took two of their first two now, which they would surely need to do to give themselves a good chance of carrying back the trophy to the Manchester cabinet. A nice UC special followed, asking teams to add together the number of letters in the surname of the Prime Minister who came to power in the 1945 General Election with the number of letters in his two successors. David Brice worked out that Attlee – 6, Churchill -9 and Eden – 4 add up to 19. Bonuses on cycling again saw them take two, to give them a lead of 40 against -5.Adam Papaphilippopoulos opened UCL’s account with a speculative punt that various rivers throughout Britain were called the Avon. Right enough. ( It’s from welsh – afon – which means river). Geology saw UCL, like Manchester before them, take two out of three. Game on. The picture starter was word cloud showing the most popular words in the works of an English poet. It was that man David Brice again who nipped in for Manchester to supply the correct answer of Milton. Three more word clouds based on major poets appeared. I should be Ok on these, but I really struggled. I took TS Eliot, but that was me done. Same for Manchester. Tom Tyzsczuk-Smith buzzed in too early on the next starter before the point of the question became clear. This was a wonderful little cryptic one which gave clues to unfold the headline – Man Bites Dog. You won’t get a question quite like that anywhere else. Bonuses on herbs didn’t bring much joy, only the last one – being that carminatives relieve flatulence – bringing points. Still, this took us nicely up to the 10 minute mark, and Manchester had taken a good lead with 70 to 10.
Something mathematical about P and N and K allowed Tom Parton to put me out of my misery by giving the answer of proof by induction. British Prime Ministers promised much but UCL were unable to convert. I think they had a d’oh moment when they missed out on Spencer Perceval. Tom Parton knew that if a question contained the words ‘outer’ and ‘asian country’ then you would never be far wrong if you buzzed in with the answer Mongolia. The bonuses were on literature and alcohol. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t get them, but UCL managed one. The music starter followed with a wee snatch of Smetana, and it was the impressive Tom Parton who buzzed in first for it. Three bonuses followed, with pieces of classical music, and the team being asked for the country that had inspired each. Am I the only person who has a mental picture of Eric Morecambe grabbing Andre Previn by the lapels every time I hear that bit of the Grieg Piano Concerto? I guessed that the next would be Sibelius’ Finlandia, and the last was clearly Chopin , so Poland. UCL managed that, but not the first two. David Brice, whose buzzer finger was turbocharged in this contest of contests again won the race to give the name of Kuiper of the Kuiper Belt fame. Another UC special set of bonuses followed, this time on two word terms that sound like a combination of an educational establishment and a common surname, which sound as if they could be Roger Tilling announcements – eg – Newcastle Brown. How clever is that? Kudos to the setter who came up with that one for the final. Brilliant work. Tom Tyszczuk-Smith was the first in to say that Pilot fish swim alongside the jaws of sharks, and this earned a set on Non Euclidean Geometry. was it me, or did I see the team make a whispered groan? Amazingly there was one of these I could get, when it related the question to Dostoevsky’s last novel – which I guessed was The Brothers Karamazov.UCL were only 15 behind now. The gap widened though, when Debbie Brown buzzed in first to say that the substance in the question was silk. The bonuses which followed on opera only saw them take one. Richard Gilbert took his time to answer that Glasnost and Perestroika are terms associated with Mikhail Gorbachev, and earned the customary JP rebuke for doing so. US State Capitals were not by any stretch of the imagination easy, and the two that Manchester managed increased the gap to 55.Adam Barr won the next starter on probability. Manchester fans, scenting a famous victory, began to cheer. Bonuses on chemistry brought 10 more points. For the second picture starter we saw an exceedingly good photo of Mr. Kipling. Adam Papaphilippopoulos couldn’t get it, so skipper Richard Gilbert nipped in with the correct answer. I liked the bonuses, of Kipling’s pictures to illustrate his own Just So Stories. I had two, but Manchester didn’t add to their score. Amazingly David Brice lost 5 points on the next starter – Manchester could afford it, and he was unable to say which month Shakespeare called “Well Appareled”. UCL couldn’t say it was April either.
To be honest the game was over once Debbie Brown correctly supplied the answer Flibbertigibbet for the next starter. This and bonuses on classic terms and their anagrams, of which they answered 2 gave them a lead of 175 to 75. Adam Papaphilippopoulos narrowed the gap slightly, taking Roth and Rothko for the next starter. Bonuses on Jon Ronson brought UCL to three figures. Neither team knew MLD – Median Lethal Dose. Tom Tyszczuk-Smith knew the sinuses for the next starter. Bonuses on the solar system followed and narrowed the gap to 50 points. Two full sets – but was there time for these? It was immaterial since David Brice capped a splendid performance by answering that it is Oregon that is almost the same size as the UK. Pace names in Turkish. 2 were taken. Tom Parton, himself a fine performer on the buzzer in this contest knew that there are 6 carbon atoms in a benzene ring. Bonus on shipping forecast areas brought 10 more points, but the gong sounded before the third could be asked. Cue wild cheers from the Manchester home support, as they had run our worthy winners by 140 to 190.
Many congratulations to both teams for their performances throughout the series. UCL? Nothing to explain really. We’ve all had the experience of when it’s just not our night, and the questions don’t run for us. Nothing you can do about it except take it on the chin, and applaud the victors. As for Manchester, a terrific performance. Very well done. And also a thank you to the production team, who have provided us all with hours of such great quiz entertainment. Thank you very much.
Jeremy Paxman watch
We all know that JP is always on his best behaviour in the final. Still, it was nice to see him have a wee chuckle at the answer that carminatives relieve flatulence. I always kind of suspected that he might just be a lover of a decent fart gag.
The great man also liked the ‘Roger Tilling announcement ‘ bonuses, allowing himself a little chuckle over them.
Interesting fact That I Didn’t Already Know Of The Week
The term ‘whiskey fictions’ has been applied to some of the work of Graham Greene
I’m sure that someone will be able to tell me whether we’ve ever had this situation before, of a team who have already been beaten by another team meeting that same team in the Grand Final. I know that it certainly came into the equation when many people – me included – were reflecting on the relative chances of both UCL and Manchester. The fact is that in their quarter final match, UCL beat Manchester. UCL beat the only other team to reach the semi finals unbeaten, New College Oxford, in their semi. So it’s fair to say that they were the favourites going into the match. However, Manchester have an awesome record in this competition over the last few years, and you’re never going to make money by betting against them . . .
David Brice struck for Manchester on the first starter, but neither team took Thomas More’s “Utopia” for the first starter. Perhaps a few nerves there. Simon Dennis buzzed in too early before More’s name was mentioned and lost 5. The second starter saw David Brice in early with the Laws of thermodynamics. This brought up a set of bonuses on Dickens’ opinions of tourist attractions in Rome. Now, last week we saw Manchester beat Bangor by winning the buzzer race, while they only managed a modest bonus conversion rate. They took two of their first two now, which they would surely need to do to give themselves a good chance of carrying back the trophy to the Manchester cabinet. A nice UC special followed, asking teams to add together the number of letters in the surname of the Prime Minister who came to power in the 1945 General Election with the number of letters in his two successors. David Brice worked out that Attlee – 6, Churchill -9 and Eden – 4 add up to 19. Bonuses on cycling again saw them take two, to give them a lead of 40 against -5.Adam Papaphilippopoulos opened UCL’s account with a speculative punt that various rivers throughout Britain were called the Avon. Right enough. ( It’s from welsh – afon – which means river). Geology saw UCL, like Manchester before them, take two out of three. Game on. The picture starter was word cloud showing the most popular words in the works of an English poet. It was that man David Brice again who nipped in for Manchester to supply the correct answer of Milton. Three more word clouds based on major poets appeared. I should be Ok on these, but I really struggled. I took TS Eliot, but that was me done. Same for Manchester. Tom Tyzsczuk-Smith buzzed in too early on the next starter before the point of the question became clear. This was a wonderful little cryptic one which gave clues to unfold the headline – Man Bites Dog. You won’t get a question quite like that anywhere else. Bonuses on herbs didn’t bring much joy, only the last one – being that carminatives relieve flatulence – bringing points. Still, this took us nicely up to the 10 minute mark, and Manchester had taken a good lead with 70 to 10.
Something mathematical about P and N and K allowed Tom Parton to put me out of my misery by giving the answer of proof by induction. British Prime Ministers promised much but UCL were unable to convert. I think they had a d’oh moment when they missed out on Spencer Perceval. Tom Parton knew that if a question contained the words ‘outer’ and ‘asian country’ then you would never be far wrong if you buzzed in with the answer Mongolia. The bonuses were on literature and alcohol. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t get them, but UCL managed one. The music starter followed with a wee snatch of Smetana, and it was the impressive Tom Parton who buzzed in first for it. Three bonuses followed, with pieces of classical music, and the team being asked for the country that had inspired each. Am I the only person who has a mental picture of Eric Morecambe grabbing Andre Previn by the lapels every time I hear that bit of the Grieg Piano Concerto? I guessed that the next would be Sibelius’ Finlandia, and the last was clearly Chopin , so Poland. UCL managed that, but not the first two. David Brice, whose buzzer finger was turbocharged in this contest of contests again won the race to give the name of Kuiper of the Kuiper Belt fame. Another UC special set of bonuses followed, this time on two word terms that sound like a combination of an educational establishment and a common surname, which sound as if they could be Roger Tilling announcements – eg – Newcastle Brown. How clever is that? Kudos to the setter who came up with that one for the final. Brilliant work. Tom Tyszczuk-Smith was the first in to say that Pilot fish swim alongside the jaws of sharks, and this earned a set on Non Euclidean Geometry. was it me, or did I see the team make a whispered groan? Amazingly there was one of these I could get, when it related the question to Dostoevsky’s last novel – which I guessed was The Brothers Karamazov.UCL were only 15 behind now. The gap widened though, when Debbie Brown buzzed in first to say that the substance in the question was silk. The bonuses which followed on opera only saw them take one. Richard Gilbert took his time to answer that Glasnost and Perestroika are terms associated with Mikhail Gorbachev, and earned the customary JP rebuke for doing so. US State Capitals were not by any stretch of the imagination easy, and the two that Manchester managed increased the gap to 55.Adam Barr won the next starter on probability. Manchester fans, scenting a famous victory, began to cheer. Bonuses on chemistry brought 10 more points. For the second picture starter we saw an exceedingly good photo of Mr. Kipling. Adam Papaphilippopoulos couldn’t get it, so skipper Richard Gilbert nipped in with the correct answer. I liked the bonuses, of Kipling’s pictures to illustrate his own Just So Stories. I had two, but Manchester didn’t add to their score. Amazingly David Brice lost 5 points on the next starter – Manchester could afford it, and he was unable to say which month Shakespeare called “Well Appareled”. UCL couldn’t say it was April either.
To be honest the game was over once Debbie Brown correctly supplied the answer Flibbertigibbet for the next starter. This and bonuses on classic terms and their anagrams, of which they answered 2 gave them a lead of 175 to 75. Adam Papaphilippopoulos narrowed the gap slightly, taking Roth and Rothko for the next starter. Bonuses on Jon Ronson brought UCL to three figures. Neither team knew MLD – Median Lethal Dose. Tom Tyszczuk-Smith knew the sinuses for the next starter. Bonuses on the solar system followed and narrowed the gap to 50 points. Two full sets – but was there time for these? It was immaterial since David Brice capped a splendid performance by answering that it is Oregon that is almost the same size as the UK. Pace names in Turkish. 2 were taken. Tom Parton, himself a fine performer on the buzzer in this contest knew that there are 6 carbon atoms in a benzene ring. Bonus on shipping forecast areas brought 10 more points, but the gong sounded before the third could be asked. Cue wild cheers from the Manchester home support, as they had run our worthy winners by 140 to 190.
Many congratulations to both teams for their performances throughout the series. UCL? Nothing to explain really. We’ve all had the experience of when it’s just not our night, and the questions don’t run for us. Nothing you can do about it except take it on the chin, and applaud the victors. As for Manchester, a terrific performance. Very well done. And also a thank you to the production team, who have provided us all with hours of such great quiz entertainment. Thank you very much.
Jeremy Paxman watch
We all know that JP is always on his best behaviour in the final. Still, it was nice to see him have a wee chuckle at the answer that carminatives relieve flatulence. I always kind of suspected that he might just be a lover of a decent fart gag.
The great man also liked the ‘Roger Tilling announcement ‘ bonuses, allowing himself a little chuckle over them.
Interesting fact That I Didn’t Already Know Of The Week
The term ‘whiskey fictions’ has been applied to some of the work of Graham Greene
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