Mix Me Up No 4 Trivia Quiz

Answer: The removal of his bladder stone

Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) kept a detailed diary for a decade from 1660 to 1669 recording every day happenings and local life in Restoration England. It is considered by historians to be one of the most important primary sources for that period of history. Apart from his personal day to day entries, it records such events as his eyewitness accounts of the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. In 1667, the poor man, who had suffered from bladder stones for most of his life, decided he couldn't endure the pain any longer and would undertake the surgery - then carried out without anaesthesia and during which the patient usually fainted from the pain - to have the stone removed. Gentlemen, let me assure you, you do not need a description of what this operation entailed.

The operation was a success however, relatively speaking, and every year following this drastic procedure, Pepys celebrated it with a large banquet in his home, calling it, what else, the Stone Feast. He mentioned this feast every year from that time until his diary ceased. Here is an entry from same in the year 1664: "This being my solemn feast for my cutting of the stone, it being now, blessed be God! this day six years since the time; and I bless God I do in all respects find myself free from that disease or any signs of it, more than that upon the least cold I continue to have pain in making water, by gathering of wind and making costive, till which be removed I am at no ease, but without that I am very well. One evil more I have, which is that upon the least squeeze almost my cods begin to swell and come to great pain, which is very strange and troublesome to me, though upon the speedy applying of a poultice, it goes down again, and in two days I am well again".

Answer: To make their radio guided torpedoes harder to detect and jam

Hedy Lamarr (1913-2000) was a stunningly beautiful actress and was at the height of her popularity during the late 1930s and all of the 1940s. George Antheil (1900-1959) was a composer, author, inventor and an expert on female endocrinology. It was her interest in the latter that brought the two of them together, but because her former husband was a munitions making expert, their friendship soon developed into a joint technological interest. Sadly, this invention, which may have saved many lives in the second world war, was not utilised by the US military until the lead up to the 1962 Cuban Missile crisis.

It was then enhanced further over the following years and is used in modern technology spread spectrum communication equipment today. Insultingly, when Lamarr applied to join the National Inventors Council for her contribution to this invention, she was told she could help the war effort more by using her looks to sell war bonds instead.

She did indeed help the war effort in this regard, selling seven million dollars worth of bonds at just one function. Yet how much more, one wonders, could this woman have contributed to the world of technology if only they'd been able to see past her shade of lipstick.

Answer: Vegetable

It's rather a shame this nourishing winter vegetable, which is related to the beet, isn't seen around more. It was originally grown in the 18th century as a fodder food for animals. They thrived on it. It's just as beneficial for humans as well, if grown in well composted, aerated and well watered soil, and picked when it is young and fresh.

Its large fleshy roots and body are white or yellow. These can be boiled up like potatoes and served accordingly. Its leaves, which look a little like spinach, can be used in salads, or lightly cooked and eaten hot.

It has been known to make a very potent alcoholic drink as well. Given its unusual name however, heavy drinkers would probably avoid ordering "A glass of Mangelwurzel and a plate of pretzels, Cecil" because of the difficulty in pronouncing same whilst intoxicated.

Answer: Yes

Yes indeed. These cute little creatures belong to the family of animals known as macropods. This family includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree kangaroos and pademelons (very small and much plumper kangaroos). The tree kangaroo is native to New Guinea and the northern tropical areas of Australia.

It has the same big hind legs and tail of a kangaroo and with the same flat feet, which allow it to hop along the ground quickly, but rather clumsily. Its front legs are larger however and its face looks more like a possum rather than a roo.

In a tree, it's in its element and can move about swiftly and efficiently. It jumps from tree to tree, using its back legs as springboards, and has been known to jump as far as nine metres (30 feet) doing this. If it needs to get down to the ground, it can jump amazing distances from the tree to do so without hurting itself - 18 metres (60 feet) or more. Amazingly, this little creature never gets hopping mad. Now how could I resist saying that?

Answer: Paris Hilton

I'm sorry to say that remark has now been added to the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. Born in 1981, Paris is the great-granddaughter of Hilton Hotels founder, Conrad Hilton. After her troubled and troublesome teen years, this socialite actively sought publicity wherever she went, until she became a household name. From there she branched into a career of writing (for want of a better word) minor and supporting roles in various B grade films or television episodes, several TV series centred around non-existent stories, various scandals, failed relationships, law breaking, a stint in a county jail (ho hum), singing (such as it is), and creating several product lines which are now sold in thirty-countries.

These include an apparel line for chihuahuas.

Answer: They have molasses or maple syrup added to them

The history of Boston baked beans goes right back to the settling of America by Europeans. Native Americans in that area used to eat their baked beans with corn bread. When the first colonists arrived in that country in the 1620s, they borrowed these recipes from the Indians. By and by, the settlers added barley to the cornmeal used to make the bread, and brown bread was the result. Moving along to the 1700s, Boston was by that time exporting rum out of the country. Molasses is an ingredient in rum, and left over molasses wasn't wasted.

It was also added to the baked beans recipe to add extra flavour. Voila - Boston baked beans. Baked beans could be left on the stove overnight and were still hot on Sundays, giving hungry families a warm meal on the Sabbath without breaking any biblical restrictions on unnecessary work.

The humble Boston baked beans, with added molasses, and then the later bacon flavouring and pieces, continued to be a family meal staple in Massachusetts on weekends right up to the 1930s. Corn, brown bread and baked beans - a potent combination indeed. Perhaps Boston, instead of Chicago, should have been nicknamed the Windy City.

Answer: A cow

Big Bertha was also a large howitzer cannon used by Germany in World War One. The French had a similar one in the same war. There have been various makes of vehicles nicnamed Big Bertha as well, and fictional characters, plus a confidence trickster in America in the late 19th century century, and so on.

The Irish Big Bertha was born - when else - on St Patrick's Day in 1945. She lived to be 49 years old, an astonishing age for a cow, and during this time, gave birth to a total of 39 calves, both facts which earned her Guinness World Records. After she became a celebrity, she was taken around the country and exhibited at many fairs, where she raised $75,000 for various charities. Each year she also led the St Patrick's Day parade in the Irish town of Sneem. Because her appearances at these parades always made her nervous, her owner, Gerry Leary (I promise you I'm not pulling your leg) settled her down with a bucket of whiskey. Settled her down, is it? She probably staggered all the way through each parade, loudly mooing Irish ballads! Big Bertha died on New Year's Eve in 1993, and Gerry Leary had her stuffed (well and truly this time) and put on display at a farm in County Kerry. What a shame her name wasn't Mary. Then we could say that Gerry from Kerry stuffed Mary from Dairy.

Answer: A thickened hot alcoholic drink

Posset sets were popular gifts between the wealthy in the 16th century. They consisted of small containers to hold the ingredients, a small mixing bowl, a serving container to hold the finished product and cups and spoons from which to drink or eat it, depending on its thickness.

This rather delicious sounding drink was made from beaten eggs, wine, sugar and heated cream. It was usually served as the last dish of a meal, sometimes to encourage guests to make their way home. Today it's known as a syllabub.

It was also used as a remedy for various minor bouts of ill health, or to help one sleep. By the 18th century, it was being utilised in the cooking of a sauce to be served over cooked goose as well. Almost like today's white sauce - but without the kick - to save you making a goose of yourself.

Answer: Die

This peculiar ruling dates back to the days when dying inside a royal palace was looked upon very suspiciously. One wonders what the punishment was for breaking this law? After all, the deed had already been done. Other outdated and comical laws from the distant past include the illegality of putting a postage stamp of a ruling monarch upside down on a letter, and of entering the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour. Regarding the first of those two additional laws, such an act was considered treasonable. Oh but how disrespectful to stand the good queen on her regal head, sir! The second one was passed at a time when it was quite common for battles to take place in parliament. Technically today, as far as Queen Elizabeth is concerned, if she were at that worthy establishment for any official function, I suppose anyone dressed in armour could still really 'arm 'er.

Answer: It sounds exactly like maniacal laughter

We have four families of kookaburras that we know of in this country. The one most identified with the unusual laughing call is the laughing kookaburra. They weren't very original with names back then. You have no idea the number of Sandy Creeks we have in this country, for example. This beautiful and enchanting bird has a stocky little body, its main colouring is white, but with brown patches and stripes on various parts of its body. Occasionally it will have pale blue colouring on its normally brown feathers, and it has a VERY sharp beak. It's a meat eating bird and its diet includes insects, lizards, mice, and very famously, snakes. Some of these snakes are enormous and very venomous, but that doesn't deter the kookaburra. Down it swoops and finishes the snake off. I think the kookaburra is a true hero.

The most distinctive thing about this beautiful and unique bird is its laugh and the following description from wikipedia pretty well sums this up perfectly: "One bird starts with a low, hiccuping chuckle, then throws its head back in raucous laughter: often several others join in. If a rival tribe is within earshot and replies, the whole family soon gathers to fill the bush with ringing laughter. Hearing kookaburras in full voice is one of the most extraordinary experiences of the Australian bush, something even locals cannot ignore; some visitors, unless forewarned, may find their call startling". Early European settlers to this country found the call more than startling, however. The convicts in particular were terrified out of their wits, believing they had been transported to a place of torture and madness, where they were mocked at every turn by unseen apparitions. We born and bred hard-hearted Australians today find this most awfully amusing.