The Misplaced General Knowledge Quiz Vol.8

Answer: Three

These are the three transport tunnels that were under the river Mersey at the end of the 20th century. One rail tunnel and two road tunnels.

The Mersey railway tunnel between Birkenhead and Liverpool was opened in 1886 by the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII.

The Queensway road tunnel between Birkenhead and Liverpool was opened in 1934 by George V.

The Kingsway road tunnel between Wallasey and Liverpool was opened in 1971 by Elizabeth II.

Question submitted by shipyardbernie

Answer: Carrie

On August 1, 1912, Carrie married widower David N. Swanzey, who had two children, Mary and Harold. David Swanzey is known for naming Mount Rushmore, and his son Harold helped carve it. His name can be found on the walls of the monument.

Carrie died of complications from diabetes in Keystone, South Dakota on June 2, 1946, at aged 75.

Question submitted by kennell

Answer: Using mules to bring books to Kentucky

The Pack Horse Library Project was developed by the WPA during the depression in order to provide books to rural, mountainous, Kentucky. It ran from 1935-1943 and eventually served over 50,000 families and over 150 rural schools. It was carried out by local women who used horses, mules, boats and even walked in order to deliver the books and magazines to families who otherwise would not have access to them.

The women were paid $28 a month and often covered hundreds of miles in all kinds of weather. They also repaired damaged books. When books or magazines became too damaged to fix they would often use what they could to create binders of stories, poems, recipes and quilting or knitting patterns. Local women would often add their favorite recipes or patterns to the binders.

Question submitted by dekeaunt

Answer: Vittore Carpaccio

Giuseppe Cipriani, who founded Harry's Bar in Venice, came up with the dish of raw beef served with Parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. There was a show of Carpaccio on at the time and the painter's wonderful red hues reminded Giuseppe of raw beef. He also invented the cocktail Bellini, named after another local painter's pinks.

Harry's Bar was one of Ernest Hemingway's favourite haunts when he was in town, although whether he ate much there is debatable.

The red herrings all involve raw meat or fish. In one version of Sashimi, known as Ikizukuri, not only is the fish raw but still alive. Holy mackerel!

Question submitted by player thula2.

Answer: You Better Run

"You Better Run" was a minor hit for Pat Benatar in 1981 and was the second song on the newly formed MTV. The first song was of course, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles. "You Better Run" was written by Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere, of the Young Rascals who had a top twenty hit with their original version in 1966.

Question submitted by Desimac

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan was never Vice President, he was elected President in 1980 beating incumbent President Jimmy Carter.

Harry S. Truman was Vice President to Franklin D. Roosevelt January 20 1945 - April 12 1945.

Richard M. Nixon was Vice President to Dwight D, Eisenhower January 20 1953 - January 20 1961.

George H. W. Bush was Vice President to Ronald Reagan January 20 1981 - January 20 1989.

Question submitted by shipyardbernie

Answer: Black Sabbath

The group had to change their name from Earth as there was another group called that, and apparently bassist Geezer Butler suggested the name. He'd seen the film advertised at a local cinema and cogitated why people pay good money to get scared, which led to the group writing scarier-sounding material. If that wasn't the birth of heavy metal, it was certainly a seminal moment.

The film is a portmanteau of three stories introduced by Karloff. He also stars in the second segment called 'The Wurdulak', a tale of vampirism. Personally, the first tale called 'The Telephone' is my favourite. Mario Bava was a master of the giallo genre and the short length helps maintain the tension no end. The third tale, 'The Drop of Water', also benefits from its shortness and is genuinely creepy.

About the red herrings - Steppenwolf took their name from Herman Hesse's classic 1927 novel of that name, Uriah Heep took theirs from a Charles Dickens character, and Led Zeppelin is an adulteration of lead balloon from the idiom 'go down like a lead balloon'.

Question submitted by player thula2.

Answer: Blue skin

Methemoglobinemia has two types, acquired and congenital. Acquired can be caused by reactions to food or medicine, by a heart condition or an obstruction of the airway; these result in a decrease of oxygen in the blood. Congenital methemoglobinemia happens when two people, who each have a recessive gene for the condition, have a child together. Each child they have has a 25% chance of having the condition.

The condition causes a decrease in an enzyme that helps the blood carry oxygen or the inability of the blood to release the oxygen. The lack of oxygen in the blood causes it to be brown and gives a blue appearance to the skin. It can be treated with different medicines, including methylene blue, but the treatments are temporary and can have serious side effects.

Extra fingers and/or toes is called Polydactyly.

Absence of hair on the body and head is called Alopecia Universalis.

I made up heart shaped rash on the arms.

Question submitted by dekeaunt

Answer: Ian Stewart

Ian Stewart was a keyboard player and was with the Stones from their early beginnings. Andrew Loog Oldham, who became the Stones' manager, suggested Stewart did not fit the onstage image of the group so he stepped back and became their road manager.

He was inducted to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the other members of the Rolling Stones. In his biography Keith Richards wrote of Ian Stewart "Without his knowledge and organisation, we'd be nowhere".

Question submitted by Desimac

Answer: Belgium

All of the alternative countries have many well known mineral water locations, but the name spa originated from the town of Spa in Belgium; the town was known as Aquae Spadanae in Roman times.

Germany has WiesBaden, the UK has Bath, Harrogate and many others, and Spain has Alange. Through the ages, "taking the waters" was a fashionable occupation of the wealthy, and was deemed to restore health.

Question submitted by GeorgieFame