Who was the Witch of Endor?
Contrary to popular belief the Witch of Endor was not a Star Wars character but rather an advisor to King Saul in the Bible to help converse with the deceased judge Samuel(1 Samuel 28). Interestingly, the origin of the word Endor is a circular well which was probably used to communicate with the dead since the deceased were thought to reside below the ground. It is rather interesting that Saul had rid the land of magicians and needed to go in disguise to talk the the witch of Endor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_of_Endor (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 23 24 by psnz
For what specific job was the Bullmastiff bred to do?
It was bred as a guard dog.
[quote]The Bullmastiff is an English breed of dog of mastiff type and large size, with a solid build and a short muzzle. It was developed as a guard dog in the nineteenth century by cross-breeding the English Mastiff with the now-extinct Old English Bulldog.[/quote]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullmastiff
Bullmastiffs were commonly used by gamekeepers who used the animals to protect against poaching. (psnz)
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Apr 23 24 by BigTriviaDawg
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Apr 23 24 by odo5435
What is the Japanese ukiyo-e art style?
Ukiyo-e art is beautiful wood block-style prints. Ukiyo-e translates into English as "pictures of the floating world" and refers to the district of Edo where the style became popular.
[quote] The ukiyo-e style was developed in 1765 and remained popular until the closing decades of the Meiji period (1868 – 1912). While only the wealthy could afford paintings by the artists of the day, ukiyo-e prints were enjoyed by a wide audience because they could be produced quite cheaply and in large numbers. [/quote]
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/japanese-woodblock-prints-ukiyo-e (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 22 24 by psnz
Which remarkable thing did Velma Thomas of West Virginia do for 17 hours?
Velma Thomas was in cardiac arrest for 17 hours and managed to survive the event.
Her near-death experience is sometimes also known as "Lazarus Syndrome."
In 2008, Velma Thomas' heart stopped, not once, but three times. She was taken to hospital with all the symptoms of a heart attack. With no measurable brain waves, Thomas was considered clinically dead.
After being disconnected from life support, she came back to life.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4923465&page=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus_syndrome (psnz)
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Apr 22 24 by BigTriviaDawg
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Apr 22 24 by psnz
Which ant was recently discovered in Pilbara Western Australia?
"Leptanilla voldemort."
It seems somewhat surprising that despite thousands of years of exploration, mankind is still discovering new species on earth.
This ant species is named after the Harry Potter villain. It seems that the ant has some things in common with its namesake.
The ant is pale in colour and has a slender build with a ghostly appearance. The ant also prefers to live in the shadows.
https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/article/2024/april/new-species-of-ant-found-pottering-under-the-pilbara (psnz)
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Apr 22 24 by BigTriviaDawg
What does the title of the film "Blood Diamond" (2006) refer to?
'Blood diamonds' are mined in rebel held areas of a country and the proceeds are used to purchase weapons and resources to militarily overthrow the legitimate government of the country where they are mined. This has caused significant hardship and deaths in the civilian populations of many of the countries where the practice exists.
When polished, the diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from legitimate gems and buyers are unaware of their provenance. Diamond dealers such as De Beers Consolidated Mines came under pressure from the U.N. to properly document the source of their stock purchases and (some say) the global trade has significantly decreased since the 1990s.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary the earliest use of the term was in 1999 in 'Press Release Foreign & Commonwealth Office.'
https://www.britannica.com/topic/blood-diamond
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/blood-diamond_n?tl=true
(odo5435)
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Apr 22 24 by Thesuperyoshi
Who was the first person to walk around the perimeter of the Australian mainland?
Technically no one has, as there are many remote sections with no paths or over private land that make a true walk around the perimeter almost impossible. However, from 1921 to 1924, a fellow by the name of Aidan de Brune did manage to follow a route reminiscent of the present day National Highway 1, which is the closest one can get to circumnavigating the country by road (the path he took is shown in the picture in the second link).
He departed from Sydney in an anticlockwise direction, stopping by all the major coastal ports on all four coasts, and walking about 16000km before returning to the same point 2.5 years later.
This wasn't his first rodeo, having earlier walked from Fremantle (Perth) on the west coast to Sydney on the east coast - a distance of about 4500km.
He also kept a diary detailing the distance walked and towns called-in at. He donated this to the State Library of New South Wales - I shall have to give this a look one day.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aidan_de_Brune#:~:text=Aidan%20de%20Brune%20(17%20July,of%20Australia%2C%20unaccompanied%20and%20unassisted.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/1b668ik/a_map_showing_the_route_that_aidan_de_brune_took/#lightbox (patrickk)
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Apr 21 24 by odo5435
What is the meaning of the Maori hill named Taumata near Porangahau?
The name of this location is a contender for the longest placename in the world.
It is "Taumata whakatangi hangakoauau o tamatea turi pukakapiki maunga horo nuku pokai whenua kitanatahu" (often written without the spaces.)
The meaning translates as:[quote]"the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, known as 'landeater', played his flute to his loved one."[/quote]https://www.newzealand.com/nz/feature/the-longest-place-name-in-new-zealand/
This unassuming hill can be found in the Hawke Bay region of the North Island. Locally, it is just known as Taumata Hill. (psnz)
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Apr 21 24 by BigTriviaDawg
On her 81st birthday, what phrase did Dame Judi Dench have tattooed on her wrist?
She had the words "Carpe Diem" meaning seize the day which she says is her motto in life. The tattoo was a birthday gift from her daughter. Dench considered many options before settling on her favorite motto. Robin Williams's character John Keating would be proud!
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36673739 (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 21 24 by psnz
What title is used for the player picked last in the NFL draft?
Mr. Irrelevant! Sadly for these last picks they usually do not even see the field before being cut from the team. There are a few rare exceptions. Tyrone McGriff was selected last in 1980 by the Pittsburgh Steelers and was actually selected for the 1980 NFL All-Rookie Team. Of course that was over 40 years ago... There is however one remarkable recent Mr. Irrelevant: [quote] Brock Purdy, the 2022 designee, was propelled into the starting quarterback role for the San Francisco 49ers after injuries to the first- and second-string quarterbacks, Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. In his rookie season, Purdy became the only rookie quarterback to beat Tom Brady in a starting debut. Purdy became the first Mr. Irrelevant to complete a forward pass, a touchdown pass, and a rushing touchdown in the regular season. [/quote] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Irrelevant
So I guess there is always hope...
(BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 21 24 by psnz
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Apr 21 24 by BigTriviaDawg
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Apr 21 24 by odo5435
What was the result of a 2012 meeting between Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk and English broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough?
A television documentary film! Bjork's 8th studio album, "Biophilia" focuses on the nature of sound and singing. The documentary has a conversation between Sir David Attenborough and Bjork in exploring singing and nature. The critics had a mostly positive response to the documentary while regular audiences were a bit more lukewarm. Some claimed the documentary was a bit forced and awkward. I think the whole concept is compelling as I have great respect for both artists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Bj%C3%B6rk_Met_Attenborough (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 20 24 by psnz
What is the etymology of the word "nightmare"?
Evil spirits affecting men and horses in their sleep.
"Nightmare" is Anglo-Saxon in origin and dates to around the year 1300 C.E. The word is a compound of "night" (dark part of the day) and "mare" (night-goblin, incubus, succubus) in the sense of an evil spirit afflicting either men or horses as they slept, often with feelings of suffocation.
A few hundred years later and the succubus was lost, in favour of just those suffocating sensations.
By 1829 C.E., nightmare came to mean "any bad dream" or "distressing experience."
https://www.etymonline.com/word/nightmare (psnz)
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Apr 20 24 by BigTriviaDawg
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Apr 20 24 by psnz
Which dubious record does Roy Sullivan hold?
They called Roy Sullivan the "spark ranger." This park ranger was hit by lightning some seven times, and lived to tell the tales.
Guinness World records recognised Mr Sullivan (1912-1983) as having been struck by lightning more times than anyone else (and survived those seven events).
His death was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Sullivan (psnz)
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Apr 20 24 by BigTriviaDawg
In Chinese culture, why is it considered unlucky to give someone a watch as a gift?
In Chinese, the phrase "giving a clock" (sounds like in English - song jong) is extremely close to the Chinese phrase for 'attending a funeral ritual' (song zh?ng). Therefore it is bad luck to give a clock or watch as a gift in China.
Additionally, clocks and watches are a symbol for running out of time which is worrisome for elderly Chinese. Giving a clock or watch as a gift is considered the biggest faux pas in Chinese culture.
https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/things-not-give-chinese-new-year.htm (1nn1)
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Apr 20 24 by Thesuperyoshi
What is the largest company by revenue in Austria?
OMV (formerly abbreviation for Österreichische Mineralölverwaltung Aktiengesellschaft (English: Austrian Mineral Oil Administration Stock Company)) is an Austrian multinational integrated oil, gas and petrochemical comany.In the 2021 Forbes Global 2000 ranked as the 413th -largest public company in the world.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OMV
(pehinhota)
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Apr 20 24 by Thesuperyoshi
How does the traditional Spanish dish "Fideuá" differ from "Paella"?
Paella is a tremendous amount of fun to make. The main ingredient in paella is rice mixed with seafood and saffron. Fideua uses thin noodles instead of rice but also has seafood and other ingredients. Both use a large flat pan to cook the ingredients. They are first cooked on the stovetop to give them a golden brown and then cooked in the oven to complete cooking. I can only imaging that Fideua is a delicious as paella!
https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/barcelona/2021/fideua/ (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 19 24 by psnz
How long was the Pony Express in operation?
Just 18 months, between April of 1860 and October of 1861. The Pony Express used relays of horse-mounted riders.
This express mail service was the US's East-West connection, operating between Missouri and California. The time taken for messages to travel this route was about 10 days. Despite operating for such a short time, the Pony Express became an icon of the Old West.
Both the first transcontinental telegraph (est. October 24, 1861) and the poor financial status of the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company were responsible for the service's demise.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Express (psnz)
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Apr 19 24 by BigTriviaDawg
At about 9,000 years of age, what is the oldest work in the Louvre museum?
The oldest display is a Neolithic statue from Ain Ghazal in Jordan. So far these statues are the oldest known representation of the human form. Of the 15 statues discovered at Ain Ghazal they all have wide open eyes and a few even have two heads!
https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/mythical-paris-a894
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CA%BFAin_Ghazal_statues (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 19 24 by psnz
Is it possible to substitute baking soda for baking powder and if so how?
Even though baking powder and baking soda are different substances, yes, it is possible to substitute each for the other.
Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3. It's also called sodium hyrdogen carbonate and bicarbonate of soda.
Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar and cornstarch.
To sustitute baking powder for baking soda, triple the amount of baking powder.
To substitute baking soda for baking powder, divide the amount required by four and then add twice that amount of cream of tartar.
https://www.armandhammer.com/articles/baking-soda-vs-baking-powder (psnz)
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Apr 19 24 by BigTriviaDawg
Who has composed more symphonies than any other person? With how many symphonies are they credited?
Leif Segerstam is currently sitting at an incredible 371 symphonies and counting - he's still alive and composing more (age 80 as of the writing of this question). However, many of his works may not qualify as symphonies in the traditional sense as they are single-movement compositions which could more properly be called symphonic poems (similar to those written by Liszt).
For classical composers using the full symphonic form of three or more movements, the answer would be Joseph Haydn, who clocks in at 106 to 108 symphonies: 104 numbered and two extras discovered in the early 20th century were written for full orchestra and are complete. Two further works are sometimes counted as symphonies for him: One symphony that only has one surviving movement and one "sinfonia" piece for two string and two wind instruments which should more properly be considered a sonata.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leif_Segerstam
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_symphonies_by_Joseph_Haydn (WesleyCrusher)
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Apr 19 24 by odo5435
In the context of the Eurovision Song Contest, why is September 1st the start of the "New Eurovision Year"?
According to the Eurovision rules, September 1st is the start of a new year. This rule states that any song that is released after and first performed after September 1st qualifies to keep things fair. However, this is not a hard fast rule. If a song is played first but does not appear to gain an advantage the judges may allow it to qualify for the year. This is also true for a song that has been released on Spotify and had zero traction but suddenly gets discovered. The judges may allow it to also qualify even if it was written and released before September 1st.
[quote] The songs (lyrics and music compositions) submitted to represent the country of each Participating Broadcaster's country in the ESC must be original and must not have been released and/or publicly performed in part or in full before 1 September 2023 (the "Release Date").
In case the song submitted has been made available to the public, for example, but not limited to, on online video platforms, social networks or (semi-) publicly accessible databanks and/or performed publicly, for example but not limited to during concerts, prior to the Release Date the Participating Broadcaster must inform the ESC Executive Supervisor, who shall have authority to evaluate whether the song remains eligible for participation in the Contest.
In particular, the ESC Executive Supervisor shall assess whether such disclosure prior to the Release Date is likely to give to the song an advantage in the Contest vis-à-vis the other participating songs.
The ESC Executive Supervisor shall have authority to authorise or deny participation of a song which may have been available to the public as described above. The ESC Executive Supervisor shall consult the Reference Group in case of doubt. [/quote]
https://escinsight.com/2023/09/04/the-problem-with-september-1st/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest
https://eurovision.tv/about/rules
(BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 18 24 by Thesuperyoshi
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Apr 19 24 by gtho4
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Apr 18 24 by Thesuperyoshi
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Apr 18 24 by pcole42
What are "The Five Civilized Tribes" of Oklahoma?
The Five Civilized Tribes of Oklahoma are the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks (Muscogees) and Seminoles. These tribes were so named ("Civilized") because of their ties to American setters' culture and economy. They are the five major Indian nations of the southeastern United States, and descendants live primarily in Oklahoma.
[quote]In the 21st century, this term has been criticized by some scholars for its ethnocentric assumptions by Anglo-Americans of what they considered civilized, but representatives of these tribes continue to meet regularly on a quarterly basis in their Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes.[/quote]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Civilized_Tribes (psnz)
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Apr 18 24 by BigTriviaDawg
Darwin's fox is native to which country?
Chile! The fox can be found on the mainland coast and Chiloé Island. Darwin first encountered the fox in 1834 and believed it to be a subspecies of the South American gray fox, however, it since has been established as its own species. They are critically endangered due to their small population of under 300 mature individuals and the tiny zone of habitat. About 90% live on the island of Chiloé. Unfortunately, like for most animals, human impacts create the biggest challenge for the fox's future.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin%27s_fox (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 18 24 by psnz
Established in 1872, what is the world's oldest national park?
Yellowstone became the first Federally protected park on 1 March 1872.
[quote] One of the most imaginative and uniquely American responses to the endangered wilderness was the invention of the national park system. In 1864, the State of California reserved Yosemite as a parkland. The federal government followed shortly afterward. Early trappers and army explorers had been profoundly impressed by the upper reaches of the Yellowstone River, a region called Colter’s Hell.
Ferdinand Hayden surveyed the area in 1871. Upon his return to the East, he mounted a campaign to promote, but also to protect, the natural wonders he had seen. He quickly wrote a well-received article for Scribner’s Monthly that included fellow expedition member Thomas Moran’s illustrations. He provided Charles Bierstadt, brother to the artist and a leading manufacturer of stereographic cards, with copies of William Jackson’s expedition photographs. He lobbied members of Congress by presenting them with an album of Jackson’s Yellowstone photographs. He was supported in his effort by Jay Cooke, the railroad magnate who anticipated increased tourist ridership on his lines serving the Yellowstone area.
On March 1, 1872, Congress passed into law the act creating Yellowstone “a public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” [/quote]
https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/act-establishing-yellowstone-national-park (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 18 24 by psnz
About how many pieces of artwork are on display at one time at the Louvre Museum?
It can be as many as 35,000: wow! It'd take a fair length of time to view all those!
In 2019, the Louvre's collection size numbered some 615,797 items.
[quote]more than 60,600 m2 (652,000 sq ft) dedicated to the permanent collection[/quote]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre
The size of the collection and area involved make the Louvre the world's largest museum. (psnz)
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Apr 18 24 by BigTriviaDawg
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Apr 18 24 by pcole42
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Apr 18 24 by pehinhota
Why was the 1980s sometimes dubbed "The Lost Decade"?
It is called the Lost Decade in Latin America because it was a period of declining incomes, rampant unemployment, and little to no growth, even negative growth..
See https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/latin-american-debt-crisis
(gracious1)
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Apr 17 24 by Chavs
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Apr 17 24 by Thesuperyoshi
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Apr 16 24 by BigTriviaDawg
What extreme and overwhelming fear does a person with catoptrophobia have?
Someone with catoptrophobia has a fear of mirrors! While it may seem easy enough to avoid mirrors the objects do play an important part in life. People with extreme catoptrophobia will not or can not drive a car.
https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/mental-health/the-different-types-of-phobias/ (BigTriviaDawg)
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Apr 16 24 by psnz
Where might you find a Pink See-Through Fantasia?
Given that we're not talking apparel here, but rather a sea cucumber, the Celebes Sea would be the best bet.
[quote]"Enypniastes" is a genus of deep-sea sea cucumber. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species "Enypniastes eximia." Due to its unique appearance, the species has been dubbed the headless chicken fish, headless chicken monster, and the Spanish dancer. It is also known as the swimming sea cucumber, and some are called the pink see-through fantasia.[/quote]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enypniastes
[quote]...the pink see-through fantasia is a sea cucumber, found about 1.5 miles deep into the Celebes Sea in the western Pacific, east of Borneo.[/quote]https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/g210/strange-sea-animals-2/
The Wiki article mentions that these animals are found around the globe, living in the "Benthic Zone." This is the area towards the bottom of a body of water. (psnz)
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Apr 16 24 by BigTriviaDawg
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