Pick n' Mix: Part NINE Trivia Quiz

Answer: United States

The Cardiff Giant was "discovered" in 1869 in Cardiff, New York. A 10 foot (3 m) figure, it was reported to be a "petrified man" although it was not. The Cardiff Giant was concocted by cigar maker and get-rich-quick enthusiast, George Hull. Hull was an atheist and found himself in an argument during a business trip to Iowa with some Christians about the Bible, and whether giants had ever walked the Earth. Hull was inspired by this argument, and decided to create a fake giant himself in order to prove how easy it would be to fool people.

Hull made the "giant" out of a five-ton block of gypsum he had ordered, sent it to a stone cutter who agreed to keep the secret and buried it in a pit. Workmen were hired to dig the pit in Cardiff, New York, with rumours spread by Hull about a "petrified man" and news began to spread with people coming from far to see the so called discovery. They wedged the hoax under roots to give the illusion that it had been buried for hundreds of years. Hull rubbed the giant with acid to make it look ancient, weathered and vintage in colour, and even slammed pins into the gypsum's surface to give the illusion of human skin pores. He spent almost $3,000 on his creation.

The hoax got so out of hand that P. T. Barnum offered $50,000 for what he thought was a genuine giant. The hoax did not fool everyone however, with several geologists at the time proclaiming that the giant was a statue, with notable Yale geologist, Othniel Charles Marsh, declaring it "of very recent origin, and a most decided humbug." By 1870 the giant was subject to mockery, and correct accusations of fakery. Hull had made over $20,000 from his fakery by this time however, and tried to cash in on his new found way of money making, burying a fake 7-foot-tall giant with a tail in Colorado. He died in 1902, and was reportedly still proud of tricking the world albeit briefly. The "giant" is now an exhibit in the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown, New York.

Answer: Reblochon

Reblochon is made from raw cow's milk. The cheese gets its name from the French word "reblocher" which means "to pinch a cow's udder again," the cheese being named for the milk that is held back after the first pinching of the cow's udder. There was a tax in 14th century France that taxed farmers according to the amount of milk their herds produced. As a tax dodge, farmers would not fully milk their cows until their landowner had measured the yield.

Since 2004, the traditional way of making reblochon with raw milk has created export problems for this cheese and the USA, as have the French cheeses, Bleu de Gex and Vacherin Mont d'Or. The FDA has an aging requirement for raw-milk cheeses consisting of 60 days. Because of this rule, reblochon has been attempted to be made with pasteurized milk, which regular consumers of the cheese certainly notice in regards to the difference in taste, branding it "flat" or "bitter" as opposed to flavoursome. There have been reports of some French cheese connoisseurs being so disgusted with what imitates reblochon in the USA, that they assert they will "simply have to go to Europe." Despite this, America remains firm in its refusal to allow traditional reblochon into the country, citing fears about biological weapons, listeria and other various pathogens.

Answer: Javelin

Tessa Sanderson is a Jamaican-born British woman, born in 1956. She and her family moved to England when she was five years old, and she became the first black British woman to be awarded with an Olympic gold medal. Athletic from a young age, Sanderson won the javelin event of the English Schools' Athletics Championships when she only only 16, in 1972.

She won the gold medal during the 1984 Summer Olympics' women's javelin throw, breaking the Olympic record at the time with her 69.56 m (228 ft 2+1⁄2 in) throw.

Answer: Judo

Kanō Jigorō Shihan (1860 - 1938) was a Japanese athlete who learned jujitsu at aged 17 from Fukuda Hachinosuke, a master of the Tenjin Shinyo-ryu style of the art. Aged 21, Kanō Jigorō took what he learned from each style of jujitsu and combined them into his own style, judo. He travelled to Europe in 1889 for the purpose of spreading judo beyond Japan. During the journey to Europe by sea, a man on the ship began to mock Jigorō, who threw him down but simultaneously placed his hand under the man's head to prevent him from being injured. This demonstrates how judo combined practical fighting styles with compassion to an enemy.

Judo was recognised and performed at the Tokyo Olympics of 1964. Women's competition in judo was introduced to the Olympics in the Seoul Olympics of 1988, and was established in the official programme in Barcelona of 1992.

Answer: Kirk Alyn

Kirk Alyn (1910-1999) starred in the 1948 film "Superman" which had 15 episodes, and its sequel in 1950, "Atom Man vs. Superman", alongside Lyle Talbot who played Superman's nemesis, Lex Luthor. Alyn started his career as a vaudeville singer and dancer before moving to Hollywood in the 1940s, before serving in the US Navy during the Second World War. He would later act in the 1978 film "Superman: The Movie" however there he played Sam Lane, Lois Lane's father. His final movie would be the horror film, "Scalps" released in 1983.

Kirk Alyn died in Texas in 1999, aged 88, of Alzheimer's.

Answer: Iowa

Known for wearing a variety of horror movie-esque masks during their live performances and television interviews, Slipknot were established in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1995. Their second album is named for the state they were formed in, released in 2001. The album was generally well received in the metal community, and displays some of Slipknot's most evered songs, such as "My Plague," "The Heretic Anthem" and "Left Behind."

Answer: Paul III

"Pope Paul III and His Grandsons" is an oil painting featuring Paul III and his grandsons, Alessandro Farnese and Ottavio Farnese. Born Alessandro Farnese, Paul III was head of the Catholic Church from 1534 until he died in 1549. He was not a pious man and wanted the papal power to boost his own family's affluence. He spent church funds on artwork for his own personal enjoyment and fathered several illegitimate children. In the painting, his grandson Alessandro is depicted in traditional cardinal garb, and his other grandson, Ottavio, kneeling. The painting explores the themes of ageing and succession, and it was apt to have his grandsons displayed next to him, as Paul III was regularly accused of nepotism during his time as pope.

Titian had painted Paul III on his own years before, named "Portrait of Pope Paul III."

Answer: Algeria

Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1937 - 2021) was President of Algeria between 1999-2019. He had the support of the Algerian military when he first ran for the presidency and although he won just over 80% of the vote, his rivals disputed the legitimacy of the election. His rule however did not end well, with protests rising throughout Algeria between 2010-2012, the catalyst being the rising price of food, living conditions of Algeria, the corruption of the country and freedom of speech issues. People were self-immolating in front of government buildings.

Not adept in reading the room (or able to, but did not care), Bouteflika edited the Algerian constitution to make it legal for him to run for a fourth term as president, after the protests. However, it was after he proclaimed to run for a fifth term in 2019 that the protests started again. He resigned in 2019 and died aged 84 of cardiac arrest. He is buried in Algiers.

Answer: Aidan of Lindisfarne

Aidan of Lindisfarne (590-651 AD) was an Irish monk who is generally purported to have spread Christianity across Northumbria (what is now north-east England and areas of Scotland) and converted the Anglo-Saxons there. A cathedral was built on what is now Lindisfarne Island (or Holy Island) and Aiden was the first bishop there. Before Aiden's mission to Northumbria, paganism was spreading at a faster rate than Christianity, and he felt he had to spread the word of his religion. His approach was peaceful, spending his time walking from one English town to the next, chatting to those he came across as Christianity as opposed to conquering by force. He also gained a good name for himself with his charitable contributions to the community, taking interest in the lives of those he came across and generally helping others. Saint Aiden's college, a part of the University of Durham, is named after him.

The island of Lindisfarne is situated close to England's border with Scotland and measures around 3.0 miles (5 km) east to west, and around 1.5 miles (2.5 km) north to south. It is not completely straightforward to travel to, with signs on the English coast warning those interested in the island to check the tide levels, the weather etc. The causeway is closed during bad weather conditions. However, despite these clear warnings the coast guard in the area report having to rescue around one car a month that has tried to travel to the island at an unwise time.

Answer: Jainism

Kshamavani or "Forgiveness Day" is celebrated on different days of the year, depending on the branch of Jainism practising. The two main sects of Jainism are the Śvētāmbara and the Digambara. The Śvētāmbara celebrate Kshamavani on the last day of the Paryushana (or "Das Lakshana") festival, usually celebrated between August and September, in which Jains fast and meditate and pray. There are however no concrete rules for the festival, encouraging the individual to do what they are physically and mentally capable of. The Digambara celebrate Kshamavani celebrate on the first day of the month of Ashvin, the seventh month of the Jain and Hindu lunar calendar.

On Kshamavani the Jains ask for forgiveness for their faults and mistakes, and forgive the mistakes and faults of others, whether they are Jain or not. In Jainism, forgiveness is one of the most revered virtues. "Micchāmi dukkaḍaṃ. Micchāmi dukkaḍaṃ" is a common saying and prayer in Jainism, from a Prakrit dialect, which means "may all the evil that has been done be fruitless."

Answer: Italy

On Aprill 11, 1991, the 1,095 feet (334 m) long MT Haven became the cause of one of the worst incidents of pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship was built in 1973 in Cadiz, Spain and was originally called the "Amoco Milford Haven." The oil tanker mainly served to ship oil from the Middle East to various parts of the world. In 1991 there was an explosion on the ship that killed five of the ship's crew members instantly. Winds dragged the flames towards the stern, and within half an hour of the initial explosion, another explosion occurred. This caused the anchor chain to snap, and more explosions later took place. This caused the bow and the deck to break, culminating in the ship breaking in half and sinking off the coast of Genoa, Italy. The damage to the hull resulted in between 35,000 - 50,000 tons of heavy crude oil being released into the Mediterranean.

Although the authorities were quick to respond, MT Haven being miles away from the coast made the fire difficult to fight. The wreck burned for three days before finally sinking.

Answer: Wye

Flowing for around 155 miles (250 km), the River Wye is the fourth longest river in Britain. For a considerable amount of its course, it forms part of the England/Wales border. The Wye's source is located within the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains in Wales, Pumlumon. Although it flows through several towns, Hereford is the only city located on the River Wye. The Wye is known for its salmon, however pollution from surrounding farms has caused the river considerable problems.

Hereford is located around 15 miles (25 km) east from England's border with Wales. Cider production company, H.P Bulmer (now owned by Heineken) was established in Hereford in 1887, and is mainly known for two ciders, Bulmers and Strongbow. In 2010, H.P Bulmer was estimated to produce 65% of the UK's cider annually. English pop singer, Ellie Goulding, was born in Hereford.

Answer: Filippo Brunelleschi

Filippo Brunelleschi was born in Florence, Italy in 1377. He worked on the dome of the cathedral which was started in 1420, and completed in 1436. Brunelleschi died ten years after the dome's completion in 1446. He constructed two domes, with one placed within the other and this model spread in construction, such as the Les Invalides of Paris and the Capitol Building in Washington, U.S.A.

Answer: Plane accident

The Sknyliv air show disaster remains among the deadliest air show accidents in recorded history. It was an event to celebrate the Ukrainian Air Force's 14th Air Corps 60th anniversary. Over 10,000 people were in the crowd. A Ukrainian Air Force Sukhoi Su-27 was piloted by Volodymyr Toponar, who was performing a rolling manoeuvre at low altitude, at a low trajectory. The left wing of the plane clipped the ground. Both Toponar and his co-pilot, Yuriy Yegorov, realised they had lost control of the plane, and ejected themselves. The plane continued its trajectory and crashed into a stationary Ilyushin Il-76 plane, before rolling into the crowd. Twenty-eight of those killed were children, and over 500 people were injured.

For negligence, Volodymyr Toponar received 14 years in prison, and Yuriy Yegorov received 8 years. Toponar however insisted that the accident was due to an incorrect flight plan and technical issues. Yegorov had his sentence reduced to 3 years after Viktor Yushchenko, former President of Ukraine, decreased it.

Answer: Oberon

Oberon is the second-largest moon of Uranus, second only to Triton. Oberon is the ninth largest moon in the Solar System, and was discovered in 1787 by William Herschel, who also discovered one of Neptune's other large moons, Titania, the same day. The name "Oberon" comes from the name of the king of the fairies from William Shakespeare's play, "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Oberon is the second darkest of Neptune's main moons, second only in darkness to Umbriel.

Mommur Chasma is the largest canyon (a long, deep depression in space terms) on Oberon, and was first photographed in 1986 by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. It is named after the home of Oberon in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Hamlet is the largest crater on Oberon, with a diameter of just over 125 miles (200 km). It was also first photographed by Voyager 2 in 1986.

Answer: Barnum Brown

Barnum Brown (1873-1963) was an American palaeontologist who was tasked by the American Museum of Natural History to look for fossils across the country. It was in Montana in 1902 that he unearthed the first documented remnants of a Tyrannosaurs rex. He used controlled explosions of TNT to blast away rocks hiding fossils, a practice which may seem strange and counterproductive today, but was standard practice in this era. Brown would find a more complete T-rex skeleton six years after his initial discovery, and spent his life searching the world for fossils, from the USA, to India, to the jungles of Guatemala.

The Tyrannosaurus rex lived in what is now the western portion of North America, and the island continent of Laramidia (an area which stretched from what constitutes present-day Alaska to Mexico).

Answer: Chalchiuhtlicue

Chalchiuhtlicue ("She of the Jade Skirt") is the Aztec goddess of rivers, seas, storms and baptism. She was popular as a goddess during the time of the Spanish conquest of the Americas, and is related to the Aztec water goddess, Chalchiuhtlatonal. Chalchiuhtlicue is recorded as being either the wife or the sister of Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain, depending on the source.

Chalchiuhtlicue was a groundwater deity, whereas Tlaloc was more related to the water from the skies. Chalchiuhtlicue was the mother of Tecciztecatl, a male deity of the Moon. Like most other Aztec water deities, Chalchiuhtlicue is associated with serpents. Her mythology includes her once eating both the Sun and the Moon. She is also a deity of women and children, said to protect them.

Answer: Cleveland

Lake Erie is the eleventh largest lake by surface area in the world. It is the southernmost of America's five Great Lakes, and also the least deep of them. It is around 210 feet (65 m) at its maximum depth. It is situated on the border between the USA and Canada. Its main source of water is the Detroit River, and it drains via the Niagra River into Lake Ontario. Compared to the other Great Lakes, it has a large number of freshwater fish living in it, and by 2010, 12,000 water snakes were recorded to be living on the lake. Similar to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, Lake Erie is purported to have a creature called "Bessie" or "the Monster of Lake Erie."

Cleveland is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. It is located on the south of Lake Erie, and is home to the Cleveland Orchestra, one of the most respected orchestras in the USA, part of the "Big Five" of the country's revered orchestras.

Answer: Chawanmushi

Unlike many egg custard dishes worldwide, Chawanmushi is cooked to have a savory taste and is often eaten as a meal rather than a dessert. It is traditionally made with shiitake mushrooms and shrimp, mixed with soya sauce and ginko.

Answer: One

The flag of Arizona is divided into two horizontal halves, the bottom is blue, the same colour that features on the US flag. The top half consists of 13 red and yellow rays to represent the original 13 colonies of the USA. The arrangement of the rays represent a setting sun, due to Arizona being a state in the west.

The red and yellow colours of the rays represent the Spanish flags which were waved when they arrived in Arizona in 1540. There is a large copper coloured star in the centre of the flag, used because Arizona is the largest copper producing state of the USA.