Special Sub-Topic: V is for Valerie Click Here To Play: V is for Valerie

Starting with Valerie; what is the generally accepted meaning of this name?

Healthy and strong. Although I have never claimed to be a saint, there is one with my name. St Valerie of Limoges refused to marry a pagan, so he had her decapitated. Not to let him get away this, the lady is reputed to have picked her head up from the ground and handed it to her confessor.

What word is believed to come from the German word for water and the Greek word for oil, with "ine" added to make it sound scientific?

Vaseline. Vaseline is the most famous brand of petroleum jelly. Robert Chesebrough visited the oil fields and learned of a bi-product known to the workers as rod wax. He extracted the usable product and patented it in 1872. The name Vaseline supposedly comes from the words wasser (German for water) and elaion (Greek for oil).

Which winning female name is also the name of a plum, an Australian state and a long-lived queen?

Victoria. The Victoria plum is an English variety that was discovered in Sussex and named after Queen Victoria. It was further developed in Sweden where it became popular in the latter part of the 19th century.

In which "V" car does James Bond drive across the Ice in "Die Another Day"?

Aston Martin Vanquish. As usual, James Bond was being chased by the bad guy who had got his hands on the Bond girl, this time in Iceland. "Die Another Day" is a great film with so many twists and turns and was Pierce Brosnan's last outing as the hero. James Bond has driven lots of cars in his 50 years on film, but my little Corsa would not fit the bill really.

Which companion of William Brown, often threatened to, "Thcream and thcream 'till I'm thick"?

Violet Elizabeth Bott. "Just William" by Richmal Crompton, was published in 1922. It was the first in a series of almost forty books, written in a much more innocent age. William, aged eleven, only tolerated Violet Elizabeth to prevent her from carrying out her threat. He much preferred getting into adventures with Ginger, Henry and Douglas, his gang that they called the Outlaws.

Which evening prayer starts; "O God, come to my aid. O Lord, make haste to help me."?

Vespers. Vesper, is taken from both Latin and Greek and means evening. It is part of many different Christian denominations.

Which V actor was born on January 29, 1913?

Victor Mature. Victor Mature started his film career as a fur wearing caveman in "One Million B.C." A most versatile actor, Mature was equally at home in musicals, action films and comedies. After a break due to contractual problems, he resurfaced to parody his earlier roles, saying that really he was a golfer and acting was just a way to make money. He died in 1999. Vin Diesel was born in 1967. The film director, Vincent Minnelli, was born in 1903. Rock star Vincent Furnier, better known as Alice Cooper, was born in 1948.

Which of the following is a real dinosaur and not just a product of my imagination?

velociraptor. It is believed that the velociraptor existed more than seventy million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. Fossil remains have been found in Mongolia.

By what name is Publius Vergilius Maro usually known?

Virgil. Virgil is thought of as one of Rome's greatest poets. "The Aeneid" is considered to be a national epic of ancient Rome. Several other works are attributed to him, based upon his style of writing, but as he lived in the century preceding the birth of Christ, it is not possible to say for certain.

What term is used when speaking of a fox?

vulpine. Vulpes vulpes is the Latin name for the red fox. These beautiful animals have adapted to living in the modern world. I just wish that they could learn how to cross the road properly.