Unutterably Silly Quiz

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I think that they are all landlocked?

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

Join the club - I did that a while ago.

If it's not that they are landlocked, I have no idea what the countries have in common.

Originally Posted by orlok

Well done, from just four! Over to you.

Errm....referee!

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Errm....referee!

I'm on a roll at the moment...

Yes, over to you Bilbo, with my apologies.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I've always had the impression that most state capitals aren't the largest/most well known city in the state. Is that true? If so, why?

The use of "queen city" originated in NC! Charlotte, the largest city in NC, was named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who had become queen consort of British King George III the year before the city's founding. Hence, also, the naming of Mecklenburg county in NC! The usage of "queen city" for the largest non-capital city presumably derived from this nickname.

As to the choice of state capitals .... in the larger states/territories of the USA, capital cities were chosen for their geographical location, rather than their population size, so that the capitals would be fairly centrally located for all residents, since most governmental functions were located there. Or, another way to look at it, the capital city would be equally inconvenient for all state residents, who would theoretically have to travel a roughly equal distance to reach it.

For NC, and other states with a long axis, the capital city was chosen to be roughly in the middle of the state on the E-W axis. Which now basically means that if you live in the capital, you have to drive half the state to get to either the beach or the mountains.

End of trivia injection!

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by orlok

I'm on a roll at the moment...

Yes, over to you Bilbo, with my apologies.

No problem. It's easily done.

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

The use of "queen city" originated in NC! Charlotte, the largest city in NC, was named in honor of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who had become queen consort of British King George III the year before the city's founding. Hence, also, the naming of Mecklenburg county in NC! The usage of "queen city" for the largest non-capital city presumably derived from this nickname.

As to the choice of state capitals .... in the larger states/territories of the USA, capital cities were chosen for their geographical location, rather than their population size, so that the capitals would be fairly centrally located for all residents, since most governmental functions were located there. Or, another way to look at it, the capital city would be equally inconvenient for all state residents, who would theoretically have to travel a roughly equal distance to reach it.

For NC, and other states with a long axis, the capital city was chosen to be roughly in the middle of the state on the E-W axis. Which now basically means that if you live in the capital, you have to drive half the state to get to either the beach or the mountains.

End of trivia injection!

Thanks Pooh! Now I know.

[Bilbo1967]

Some random general knowledge questions then:

1. What do Bridget Bishop, Martha Carrier and Mary Eastey have in common?
2. What five animals are collectively referred to as the Big Five game animals in Africa?
3. What is the world's tallest man made structure?
4. Who sang the lines, ""I may be hungry but I sure ain't weird" and "White hat on a pumpkin, you know there's something"? (Bonus points for naming the two songs).
5. What is the collective noun for a group of crocodiles?

Good luck!

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

Some random general knowledge questions then:

1. What do Bridget Bishop, Martha Carrier and Mary Eastey have in common?
2. What five animals are collectively referred to as the Big Five game animals in Africa?
3. What is the world's tallest man made structure?
4. Who sang the lines, ""I may be hungry but I sure ain't weird" and "White hat on a pumpkin, you know there's something"? (Bonus points for naming the two songs).
5. What is the collective noun for a group of crocodiles?

Good luck!

Gosh! Too difficult?

[orlok]

2. What five animals are collectively referred to as the Big Five game animals in Africa? Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Cheetah, Buffalo?
3. What is the world's tallest man made structure? Burj Khalifa in Dubai (had to look up spelling)
5. What is the collective noun for a group of crocodiles? Crash?

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by orlok

2. What five animals are collectively referred to as the Big Five game animals in Africa? Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Cheetah, Buffalo?
3. What is the world's tallest man made structure? Burj Khalifa in Dubai (had to look up spelling)
5. What is the collective noun for a group of crocodiles? Crash?

2. All bar cheetah correct.
3. Correct
5. No.

[orlok]

2. What five animals are collectively referred to as the Big Five game animals in Africa? Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo, Hippopotamus?
5. Collection of crocodiles?

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by orlok

2. What five animals are collectively referred to as the Big Five game animals in Africa? Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo, Hippopotamus?
5. Collection of crocodiles?

Not hippopotamous either, I'm afraid.

[orlok]

Rhino?

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by orlok

Rhino?

That's the fella!

[Daithi]

Originally Posted by orlok

Rhino?

You beat me to it.

[issybird]

1. They were witches, or thought to be. Mary Eastey was one of the Salem Mass. witches; I don't recognize the other names so I don't know if they're also from Salem or not.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by issybird

1. They were witches, or thought to be. Mary Eastey was one of the Salem Mass. witches; I don't recognize the other names so I don't know if they're also from Salem or not.

Correct. They were all executed in Salem in 1692 as witches.