"D" is for Data Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dominican Republic

Denmark is a peninsular country with many islands, essentially pointing from northern Europe to Scandinavia, with which it is traditionally associated. A portion of its arable land has been salvaged from the sea by a series of dikes. Its population (2004 estimated) of 5,413,392 live to an average age of 77.44 years, and virtually 100% of those over age 15 are literate. A constitutional monarchy with its capital at Copenhagen, this member of the European Union has a thriving economy; it is a net exporter of food, and has a balance of trade surplus (2004 figures). It is also famous as the land of the Vikings and windmills.

Djibouti had a 2004 estimated population of 466,900 and an average life expectancy of only 43.12 years. Lying between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia, until 1977 it was known as the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. The literacy rate for the over-15s is 67.9%. The capital city, also called Djibouti, houses two thirds of the total population; the country is a free trade zone for northeast Africa, but has little natural resources or industry.

Dominica, an island in the Caribbean, was the last to be colonized by Europe. Its indigenous people, the Caribs, were noted warriors. Its total area is 754 square kilometers, and is mostly mountainous. Its 69,278 people (2004 estimate) have an average life expectancy of 74.38 years, and 94% of those over age 15 are literate. Bananas are its main crop, while tourism suffers for lack of beaches and an international airport.

The Dominican Republic has a 2004 estimated population of 8,833,634. It covers two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, sharing the island with Haiti; Columbus found and claimed the island on his first voyage to the New World in 1492. The climate is tropical, the terrain is mountainous, and the island is a frequent target for hurricanes. It has a large tourist industry, as well as growing sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa and other crops.

Answer: Dancing Leprechaun

A Deauville Cocktail is 1/2 oz apple brandy, 1/2 oz brandy, 1/2 oz Triple Sec and the juice of 1/4 lemon.

A Diedru is 2 oz brandy in a glass then filled with lemonade (for Brits, that's lemon squash).

A Drunken Elf is 1 1/2 oz Green Creme de Menthe, 1 1/2 oz Cinnamon schnapps, 1 oz cream, 2 cups ice and 10 pieces cinnamon candy, all blended together and served in a frosted glass (sounds yummy, doesn't it...)

How in the world does one get a Scottish liqueur in a drink called a leprechaun?

Answer: Deadbeat

According to Amazon.com's editorial review site, ""D" is for Detective Kinsey Millhone, given $25,000 of stolen drug money by a drunkard named Daggett who then dies in a drowning. When she decides to deliver the money to Daggett's designee, a young man who was the sole survivor of an auto accident perpetrated by Daggett, Kinsey finds herself in a dilemma: too many "D's" are after the loot."

Sorry I had to quote, I haven't read the book yet!

Answer: Franz Doppler

Claude Debussy was born on 22 August 1862 in St.-Germain-en-Laye, France, and died on 25 March 1918 in Paris. Some of his best-loved works are "La Mer", "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune", the "Suite Bergamasque" and the opera "Pelleas et Melisande".

Ernst von Dohnanyi is famous for both his musical works and his grandson, Christoph, who was conductor and music director of the Cleveland Orchestra from 1984 to 2002. Ernst, born in 1877 in Hungary, was permanent conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra from 1919 to 1944 and became musical director of the Hungarian State Radio in 1931. He moved to the United States in 1949 and taught at Florida State University. He died in 1960.

Franz Doppler was born on 16 October 1821 in Lemberg (now Lwow), which was then in Austria but is now part of the Ukraine. He died on 27 July 1883 in Baden, Austria. Apart from composing, he was flutist and conductor of the ballet at the Vienna Court Opera. (He apparently is not related to Christian Andreas Doppler, born on 29 November 1803 in Salzburg, Austria, who proposed that light waves would shift to the red end of the spectrum with distance. This theory described all wave behaviour, which led to his name being ascribed to the effect caused by a siren racing along the street changing tone.) Franz Doppler was never in good health, and he died on 17 March 1853 in Venice, Italy.

Sem Dresden was born on 20 April 1881 in Amsterdam and died on 30 July 1957 in Den Haag, The Netherlands. His works include the "First Cello Sonata" (1916) and the "Sonata for Flute and Harp" (1918). According to www.leosmitstichting.nl, "Although it is generally considered that Dresden shifted from French to German influences, the transition for him was organic." He was Director of the Amsterdam Conservatory from 1924 to 1937, then in 1938 he became Director of the Royal Conservatory in the Hague. In 1940 he lost his position as he was Jewish. His wife was not Jewish, however, a fact which probably saved his life during the occupation by Hitler's Germany.

Answer: Gustave Dore

Degas was born in Paris in 1834 and died there in 1917. He worked in many media, preferring pastels, and is most famous for his paintings of ballerinas. Only one of his paintings was acquired by a museum in his lifetime, "The Cotton Exchange at New Orleans", painted on a visit to Louisiana, USA in 1872.

According to www.ibiblio.org, Dore's "work is characterized by a rather naive but highly spirited love of the grotesque and represents a commercialization of the Romantic taste for the bizarre." Dore was born in 1832 in Strasbourg, France, and died in 1883 in Paris. If you're not familiar with his works, don't start examining them just before bedtime, many would be great illustrations for nightmares!

Dosso Dossi was actually Giovanni di Niccolo de Luteri, born c 1490 (possibly 1479) in Italy and died in 1542. He was the principal court artist to dukes of Ferrara for approximately thirty years. According to his biography on the Getty museum website, www.getty.edu, Dosso's "pictures still defy precise explanation because of their complex themes and obscure allegorical programs." His work heavily featured landscapes, with "figures at ease in a landscape illuminated by a poetic, magical light."

Albrecht Durer was born in Nurnburg, Germany, in 1471. He is often considered to be the greatest German Renaissance artist. He is famous for his altarpieces, portraits (and self-portraits) and copper engravings. He was particularly known for his illustrations, but there is no evidence of his having visited Britain. "His woodcuts, such as the Apocalypse series (1498), retain a more Gothic flavour than the rest of his work." (www.ibiblio.org)

Answer: Delphinus

Delphinus is "The Dolphin". Its alpha star, Sualocin, is "Nicolaus" spelled backwards, and it is sometimes also known as Scalovin or Svalocin. It is a spectral type B9IV star. Its beta star, Rotanev, is "Venator" spelled backwards. Someone must have been hitting the hard stuff while sitting at that telescope....

Dorado translates to "The Swordfish" or "The Goldfish", but was actually named after the Mahi-Mahi by Johann Bayer in 1603. It was previously known as Xiphias (Greek for "swordfish"). The constellation contains part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy close to our own Milky Way.

Draco is one of the better-known constellations; it is named "The Dragon" for its sinuous, draconic appearance in the sky. Its alpha star, Thuban, was the pole star some 4000 years ago.

Don't ask about Ducarda, I just made that one up as my reference site (www.astro.wisc.edu) only listed three constellations starting with "d"...

Answer: Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is long associated with firemen. I'm not sure why, other than it's one way to find a fire plug/hydrant! A dog with great endurance, this fellow is particularly well known for his coat, a smooth, short coat with many spots. This breed is very old, and its origins are a matter of dispute. According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, "In 1700 a dog known as the Bengal pointer, similar to the Dalmatian, existed in England, calling into question the Dalmatians Yugoslavian origin. Some claim the Dalmatian is a Croatian breed..."

The Dandie is a little dog, low to the ground, with double coat and a silky topknot. He comes in two colours, pepper or mustard. The Dandie Dinmont was probably developed from the Scotch Terrier (not the Scottish Terrier, the former is now extinct) and the Skye Terrier. It apparently originated in the border area between England and Scotland. "Raised mainly by gypsies and used by farmers to kill vermin, the Dandie Dinmont was named after the character in the famous novel "Guy Mannering" by Sir Walter Scott back in the 1800's." (www.dogbreeedinfo.com)

The Doberman is essentially a guard dog who is fiercely loyal to his family. Developed by a German tax collector, Louis Dobermann, to protect him when travelling through some less law-abiding areas, "It was developed in Germany in the 1860's, presumably by crossing among German Pinschers with Rottweilers, Beauceron, Pinschers, Greyhounds and English Greyhound to create the sleek and highly intelligent Doberman Pinscher." (www.dogbreedinfo.com)

The Dutch Smoushond looks like it definitely had a bad hair day! This yellow fellow is smallish (about 14-17" tall) and a voracious ratter. Almost pushed to extinction, the breed has made a comeback, but is not well known outside the Netherlands. Its origins are unknown.

Answer: Depater

The Decimer, or Dozener, was elected to represent householders on a street at the Court.

The Dempster (also known as Deemer, Deemster or Demster) was a judge, particularly in the Isle of Man or Channel Islands.

The Depater refined precious metals. One may have required some of the gold to pay fines, but otherwise, no connection with the law.

The Domesman was a judge. The Wycliffe Bible mentions him in Matthew 27:11: "And Jhesus stood bifor the domesman; and the iustice axide him, and seide, Art thou king of Jewis?" and 27:19: "And while he sat for domesman, his wijf sente to hym, and seide, No thing to thee and to that iust man; for Y haue suffrid this dai many thingis for hym, bi a visioun."

Answer: dragonette

The Dotted Butterfly, Chaetodon semion, is a yellow fish with yellow spots and black markings from the western pacific. It is a rare fish, living in lagoons and coral-rich areas. Unlike some butterflyfish, it does not do well in an aquarium.

The Domino Damsel, Dascyllus trimaculatus, is a feisty little fellow who is often found in salt-water aquariums. During courtship, the males make a chirping sound to attract the females. Its name comes from its appearance: when young it has three white spots (they fade as the fish ages). This fish does not do well in a mixed aquarium as it will attack other fish, including its own progeny.

The Dwarf Lion Fish, Dendrochirus brachypterus, is a smaller version of the Lion Fish. Its beautiful spines are venomous. It prefers sandy bottoms of lagoons or bays, often 'hanging out' with sponges. It gets along quite well with other lion fish - and other breeds, as long as they aren't so small the lion fish would regard them as a snack.

The Dragonette (Synchiropus splendidus), also called the Blue Mandarin, is a striking fish with complex colour patterns which recall ancient Chinese dress. It lives in shallow waters and lagoons, but hides in coral. Male Dragonettes are territorial, and will fight other dragonettes.

Answer: Oxeye

The Oxeye Daisy, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, is a member of the sunflower family. This European native flowers from June to August, in wasteland, meadows, pastures and roadsides.

The Barberton daisy is another name for the Gerbera daisy.

The Daisy Fleabane, Erigeron annuus, looks like the Oxeye daisy after meeting a shredder. It blooms from June to October. Its name derives from the old belief that it would ward off fleas.

The Gerbera daisy, Gerbera jamesonii, always looks to me like someone just dipped it in a pot of bright paint. This South African native flourishes both indoors and out in warmer climates.