QoD - August 11, 2008

[T_Bone0806]

Bad thunderboomers yesterday were the likely culprit of my not having internet access. We had cable when I got home, but no internet. So these answers come late.

Spoiler

1-Flanders ("In Flanders Field..")
2-Isaac Asimov
3-Austria, Turkey
4-French?

[MarleysGh0st]

Bad thunderboomers yesterday were the likely culprit of my not having internet access. We had cable when I got home, but no internet. So these answers come late.

Not late at all, T-Bone! You officially had until noon today to post your answers. And, unofficially, until whenever after that I post the official answers and scores.

[MarleysGh0st]

ANSWERS

1. Antwerp is the capital of what Belgian province, in the fields of which "the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row"?

Flanders. The quote is from John McCrae's poem, In Flanders Fields.

2. This Russian-born American, who wrote or edited more than 500 books of science fiction and popular science, celebrated his birthday on January 2, 1920.

Isaac Asimov

"The date of my birth, as I celebrate it, was January 2, 1920. It could not have been later than that. It might, however, have been earlier. Allowing for the uncertainties of the times, of the lack of records, of the Jewish and Julian calendars, it might have been as early as October 4, 1919. There is, however, no way of finding out. My parents were always uncertain and it really doesn't matter. I celebrate January 2, 1920, so let it be."

-- Isaac Asimov, In Memory Yet Green

3. Germany was banned from the Games of the VII Olympiad, for its responsibility in starting World War I. Name two of the other four
nations that were also banned from these games.

Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey were on the "responsible" (i.e. losing) side of the war. Italy, Japan, Serbia and Russia were all among the allies that opposed them.

Did anyone notice that the formal name for the Antwerp Olympics were the "VII" Olympiad, while we're only gone through six days of our QoD? Although the 1916 Olympics were cancelled due to the war, they kept their Olympiad designator, as did the 1940 and 1944 games that were cancelled during World War II. So, while Beijing is hosting the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, they're only the XXVIth to actually be played!


4. Belgium is officially bi-lingual. The Walloons live in the region that primarily speaks which language?

French. The Flemish are Dutch-speaking. This linguistic difference is the cause of a good deal of political turmoil in Belgium. You may recall when then-incoming prime minister Yves Leterme was asked to recite the Belgian national anthem last year; he responded by singing the Marseillaise. Leterme resigned his office, last month.

Annie proved she had a greater depth of knowledge on this subject than I did, by answering Walloon. Wikipedia confirms that this is a distinct dialect of French spoken by some Walloons (though apparently not so many as in the past), so I've accepted the answer for full credit.

It's amazing, what can be learned at home school!


POINTS

Flanders and Isaac were no trouble for y'all. The Walloons were more of a 50/50 and the banned list was the only real challenge. I gave half credit on that one to those who got one of the choices right; some of you missed out on more because you forgot that Austria and Hungary had split up by 1920.

But still, over half of you got perfect scores, today. Obviously, if I were a question writer for WWTBAM, the show would go broke in no time!

I think I need to find some Wicked Weed-Out Questions!


andrewjackson = 10
Catfish = 10
Here's Fanny! = 10
jarnon = 10
jsuchard = 10
mrkelley23 = 10
Rexer25 = 10
SportsFan68 = 10
T_Bone0806 = 10
tanstaafl2 = 10
tlynn78 = 10
ulysses5019 = 10
wintergreen48 = 10
AnnieCamaro = 7
VAdame = 7
kroxquo = 6
megaaddict = 6
plasticene = 6
themanintheseersuckersuit = 6
Bob78164 = 5
Hambone = 5
frogman042 = 4
elwoodblues = 3
NellyLunatic1980 = 2
LookingForHumorPoints = 1.75 (Nearly full credit for Oz, since there was that scene with the poppies outside of town. The rest? Meh.)

I'll add these points to the Standings thread as soon as JBillyGirl posts the scores from the Weekend QoD.

Edited to correct the two of the scores from '9' to '7', since half credit for the third question should not count for the two point bonus. Sorry!

[andrewjackson]

Did anyone notice that the formal name for the Antwerp Olympics were the "VII" Olympiad, while we're only gone through six days of our QoD? Although the 1916 Olympics were cancelled due to the war, they kept their Olympiad designator, as did the 1940 and 1944 games that were cancelled during World War II. So, while Beijing is hosting the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, they're only the XXVIth to actually be played!

Technically they were the Games of the VII Olympiad. Olympiads are the four year period in which the games take place. It is not really accurate to call the Games themselves "the Olympiad" since that term describes the four year period. So even though there were no games in 1916, the VI Olympiad of four years still went by.

Notice that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver are styled the XXI Winter Olympic games. No "Olympiad" is specified. The Winter Games are named by how often they have been held.

[MarleysGh0st]

Did anyone notice that the formal name for the Antwerp Olympics were the "VII" Olympiad, while we're only gone through six days of our QoD? Although the 1916 Olympics were cancelled due to the war, they kept their Olympiad designator, as did the 1940 and 1944 games that were cancelled during World War II. So, while Beijing is hosting the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, they're only the XXVIth to actually be played!

Technically they were the Games of the VII Olympiad. Olympiads are the four year period in which the games take place. It is not really accurate to call the Games themselves "the Olympiad" since that term describes the four year period. So even though there were no games in 1916, the VI Olympiad of four years still went by.

Notice that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver are styled the XXI Winter Olympic games. No "Olympiad" is specified. The Winter Games are named by how often they have been held.

Thanks for that better explanation, AJ!