Cool Zooms, Part X Trivia Quiz

Answer: Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat

Marie-Anne Charlotte de Corday d'Armont (27 July 1768 - 17 July 1793) was a woman of noble birth who took up the cause of the Girondists, a group of republican-minded politicians and followers who wanted an end to the monarchy. However, they did not support the growing violence and upheaval caused by the revolution, resulting in a split with the more aggressive Montagnards in the Jacobin movement. As part of the desperation in mid-1793, Corday assassinated Jean-Paul Marat who was a leading voice in the Jacobin movement and was calling for the destruction of the Girondists. Corday was executed by guillotine four days after the killing of Marat in his bath-tub. She admitted the crime and wrote to her father just prior to her death asking for understanding of her cause. The Girondists were destroyed as a political force during the Insurrection of 31 May - 2 June, 1793, which also marked the beginning of 'The Reign of Terror'.

Question from PR member MikeMaster99 who found this story a salient reminder of the myriad personal life and death experiences making up what popular history refers to as a single item. Perhaps our current situation may one day be viewed as another example?

Answer: Jethro Tull

The original Jethro Tull invented the seed drill in 1700, in England. It revolutionised sowing methods, replacing the unreliable and labour-intensive practice of scattering seed by hand.

The band, Jethro Tull, formed in the mid-1960s, named themselves after the inventor. Like many other bands of that era, there was a large turnover of members, but flautist and lead vocalist, Ian Anderson, has been there since the beginning. Their 1972 album 'Thick as a Brick' is considered a classic in the prog-rock genre.

There was a small clue in the question - did you notice it? 'Living in the Past' was one of their better-known singles, released in 1969.

Question written by ozzz2002, who cannot think of another band that used the flute so extensively.

Answer: Third person

In grammar, when you write in the third person, you are the outsider looking in, you are all knowing and you will use words like he, him or they. In a similar manner, in third person shooter (TPS) you are seeing your character on the screen. You are seeing yourself move and you are seeing yourself shoot. There is normally an on-screen cursor allowing your character to aim. In FPS you see only what your character's eyes see, however, in TPS, you are getting an "over the shoulder" view, and you get a better understanding of where your character sits in relation to the environment around them.

This question comes from Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who doesn't need a third person's help to shoot his mouth off.

Answer: English person

'Sassenach' is a Scottish Gaelic term for an English person, and, in a broader sense, "someone not from around here", i.e., an outlander. The Oxford English Dictionary dates its earliest written use from 1771, but Scots still use this word in a humorous way. In other Celtic languages - Irish, Welsh, Cornish and Breton - the words meaning "English" in reference variously to people, things, and/or the language itself derive from the Latin word 'Saxones'.

The term has recently been popularized by the television series 'Outlander', an historical fantasy drama based on the novel series by Diana Gabaldon. The first episode to air (August, 2014) was titled "Sassenach" wherein the character Claire Beauchamp Randall, an English nurse visiting Scotland on a postponed honeymoon, time-travels from 1945 to 1743. There she meets Highlander Jamie Fraser, a Jacobite partisan who ultimately fights at the Battle of Culloden (1746).

Well, we all know how that went! Yet Jamie and their romance survive and he continues to give her assurance in the course of their troubled journeys with such a loving tone: "Dinna fass yourself, Sassenach!"

Question submitted by Humanist whose maternal grandmother was Scots-Irish.

Answer: 19th

First predicted by Arab geographer Abdul-Fida (1273-1331) and confirmed by the Magellan-Elcano expedition (1519-1522), those who circumnavigate the earth accumulate a one-day offset to the local date. Finally, in October, 1884, 33 years after the prime meridian was first established by Sir George Airy at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the International Meridian Conference was convened in Washington, D.C., to fix "a common zero of longitude and standard of time reckoning throughout the world" as the standard for international use.

The International Date Line (IDL) itself is an imaginary line of demarcation that notes the change from one calendar day to the next. It passes through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the meridian of 180° longitude with deviation around various territories and island groups to accommodate the political and/or economic affiliations of the affected areas, subject to revision at their request.

Remember: Set your clocks forward twenty-four hours when crossing the IDL westward; when travelling eastward, back one day. Avoid unnecessary time-travel and its logical inconsistencies!

Question submitted by Humanist who is "timeless"!

Answer: Gallagher

Noel Gallagher's full quote was: "(Liam's) the angriest man you'll ever meet. He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup." Noel has a reputation for witty but cutting remarks and the disputes between the siblings are well documented, both being known for their abrasive and outspoken demeanour. The Gallaghers were born in Manchester, England, and the band Oasis was formed there in 1991. Liam formed the band with three friends and Noel joined as the fifth member playing lead guitar and vocals. Oasis enjoyed considerable success until they broke up in 2009.

The question was ladled out by Phoenix Rising's VegemiteKid.

Answer: Catriona

'Catriona', published in 1893, continues the story of David Balfour, the hero of 'Kidnapped' (1886) and picks up at the exact date and time 'Kidnapped' concluded. While trying to prove the innocence of James Stewart in the Appin murder, an attempt that ultimately failed, David meets Catriona MacGregor Drummond, the supposed grand daughter of Rob Roy MacGregor, who becomes David's major love interest. They travel to Holland and in a series of misunderstandings they part but are eventually reunited, married and raise a family in Scotland.

From PR member MikeMaster99 who married into the McGregor clan, but has yet to visit Scotland. Hopefully some time very soon when circumstances allow!

Answer: True

A Type I error is one that rejects a true null hypothesis. Let's illustrate this with an example; in a court room a man is considered innocent until he's proven guilty. That is the null hypothesis. Now, let's say that he truly is innocent, but the facts are presented in such a way that he's found to be guilty. That is a false positive and/or a Type I error.

The Type II error is where we have a false null hypothesis and we fail to throw it out or reject it. Let us venture back into that court room... what we have done now is that we have a man who is truly guilty but he is acquitted.

To continue this example, especially for very serious crimes with major penalties applied, there is a need to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty. This is trying to minimize the Type I error, however, this necessarily increases the chance of a Type II error (a guilty person walks free). Statistical inference is heavily focused on the interplay of Type I and Type II errors and which is more important.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who never makes misteaks.

Answer: They are actually the same legume

Perhaps surprisingly, a pea is actually a bean: the main difference between the two is that peas are characterized by their hollow stems while beans possess more solid stems. It is easier to consider both as legumes.
The terms chickpea and garbanzo bean both refer to a plant in the legume family with the name Cicer arietinum. Chickpeas have been eaten in the Middle East for at least 5000 years. The Romans called them "Cicers" which the French modernised to "pois chiche" which in turn when they reached Britain they became "Chich-pease" which was the precursor of the modern name.
Garbanzo beans can be traced back to Spain in 1759 but the derivation is uncertain. One theory is that "garbanzo" was derived from the Old Spanish "arvanco," which has a similar sound. Another is that the word was borrowed from the neighbouring Basque region - "garbantzu" which literally translates as "dry seed". Anywhere Spanish speakers and English speakers live in proximity to each other, the two words chickpea and garbanzo bean are interchangeable and synonymous.

This question was cooked up by Phoenix Rising team member 1nn1 who has eaten his share of chickpeas in his time but had to go to Barcelona to eat his first garbanzo bean!

Answer: Theremin

The theremin is an electronic musical instrument that was invented by Leon Theremin, a Russian scientist. It was a by-product of Soviet research on proximity sensors. The instrument has two antennas, one for controlling pitch and the other for controlling volume. Moving one's hands closer to or away from the antennas produces musical notes. The theremin enjoyed brief popularity in the years after World War II, however it was soon overshadowed by newer electronic instruments that were easier to play. Recently, interest in the theremin has been rekindled among enthusiasts. Concert composers have incorporated the theremin into their work and the theremin has also been used by The Rolling Stones on their albums "Between the Buttons" and "Their Satanic Majesties Request".

The hun is a traditional Korean flute that is made of ceramic.

The serpent is a wind instrument made of wood that was used from the 1600s to the 1800s in Europe.

The taus is a string instrument from India that is shaped like a peacock and may be made with peacock parts such as the feathers or the bill. It is also called Mayuri Veena; "mayur" is the Hindi word for "peacock".

This question was transmitted by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

Answer: Photography

Ansel Easton Adams was born in San Francisco, CA in 1902. He was best known for his incredible black-and-white landscape photography of the American West. He was a member of the Sierra Club, a group dedicated to participation in outdoor activities, especially in the mountains, and the preservation of these environments. His photography brought iconic images of places like the Yosemite and Grand Tetons National Parks into the public consciousness.

Phoenix Rising member mike32768 is from the American East, but pictured himself in the American West once. Once.

Answer: An early TV camera component

'Emmy' would be more appropriately named 'Immy', as it is named after the image orthicon nicknamed Immy. The image orthicon is a camera tube used in television.

The Emmy Awards are made by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences which was formed in 1946. The first Emmys were presented in 1949. In that year only six awards were made. Only members of the academy may vote for the awards, and members vote only within their own discipline.

Question by Phoenix Rising member lg549 who was not awarded an Emmy, or any other award, for her one and only (brief) appearance on television back in 1973.

Answer: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" first found life as a two part serial in Rolling Stone magazine. The story follows a journalist named Raoul Duke who ventures to Las Vegas with his attorney friend, Dr Gonzo, to write an article on the "Mint 400" desert race. The pair descend into a realm of illicit drug use which destroys any chance of them completing their original assignment. However, through the haze of their hallucinations and musings they manage to deliver a commentary on the disappearance of the "American Dream" and that the counterculture revolution of the 1960s had amounted to little more than a "city of greed".

"Hell's Angels" is Thompson's debut work and was published in 1967. The other two works are by J.P. Donleavy.

This question was penned by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who's still peddling his bozo journalism but nobody's buying it.

Answer: Objectively written material

William Joseph (Bill) Cardoso (1937-2006) was an American journalist and editor, credited with coining the phrase "Gonzo Journalism". Cardoso was friends with fellow-journalist and author Hunter Stockton Thompson (1937-2005) and labelled one of Thompson's 1970 articles, "pure Gonzo Journalism".

According to Cardoso, "gonzo" was slang for the last man standing after a lengthy drinking session. There are many other suggested derivations, most leading back to "ganso" (Spanish) and "gans" (German), words for "dolt" or "goose". In Italian "gonzo" means "simpleton" or "crazy". The "Muppet Show" character "Gonzo" appears to be some indeterminate avian species and is later revealed to be an alien from space: certainly, his frequent eccentric performances are those of a crazy simpleton.

Thompson considered that the traditional "objective" style of journalism was a myth and that it was more important to "tell it like it is". Accordingly, he popularised Gonzo Journalism by instigating events and then reporting action as if he were part of it, blended fact and fiction and indulged in drug-fueled erratic behaviours. Thompson preferred to call it "outlaw journalism".

Rising Phoenix's psnz did not initiate this [expletive deleted] question and avoided using first-person narrative in its presentation.

Answer: A variety of glazed pottery

"Majolica" can refer to one of two types of pottery. Beginning in the 15th century, glazed earthenware produced in Italy was known as "maiolica", later anglicised to "majolica". An undercoat of tin glazing was applied to the product, creating a white background for painting. Colour was applied using metallic oxides and after firing, this produced a lustre that was characteristic of maiolica. Initially "maiolica" referred strictly to earthenware that had lustre but later, the term encompassed all ceramics made in Italy.

The second type of pottery also called majolica is that produced during the Victorian era by a simpler process. The coloured lead glazes were applied directly to the wares before they were fired and this allowed mass production of inexpensive, brightly coloured, durable earthenware.

This question was fired by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

Answer: George V

In March 1901, two months after Federation, the naval forces of the various Australian colonies merged together to form the Commonwealth Naval Forces. Despite Australia now being a separate country, the Imperial realm in England still had a lot of influence and there was debate over the operations of the fledgling fleet. Eventually it was decided that the navy would be run autonomously and responsible for local defence, but would assist the British Admiralty if needed. In 1911, King George V granted the title 'Royal Australian Navy' to the service, three years before WWI began and the fleet was placed under control of the Admiralty. George V reigned from 1910 until his death in 1936.

Phoenix Rising crew member leith90 took command and manoeuvered this question into the convoy.

Answer: Snooker

The Summer Olympic Games (Jeux Olympiques d'Été) were held 23 times between 1900 and 2000 with three planned events being cancelled due to World Wars: Berlin (1916), Tokyo (1940) and London (1944). Cue sports (Billiards, Snooker and Pool) have never been part of the Summer Olympic Games.

Cricket was only ever held once, at the 1900 Paris games. After a couple of withdrawals, there were only two club teams competing. The Devon and Somerset Warriors won a two-day match against the French Athletic Club and England remains the Olympic Cricket Champion.

As with Cricket, Croquet was only part of the 1900 Games. France, with nine of the ten competitors in three different events, won all seven medals available.

Tug of War was a Track and Field team sport for men, held in 1900, 1904 (St Louis), 1908 (London), 1912 (Stockholm) and 1920 (Antwerp). After 1920, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) felt that the games had too many sports and too many competitors, so 34 sports were discontinued, including Tug of War.

In the history of the Olympic Games, there have been some rather strange "sports". The Swimming Obstacle Race over 200m was part of the 1900 Games. Pistol Duelling was held in 1912, though fortunately no one was shot as competitors fired at mannequins bearing targets. In Live Pigeon Shooting (1900), the birds did not fare so well, with some 300 being killed.

Between 1912 and 1948, art competitions were also part of the Olympic Games and medals were awarded in architecture, literature, music, painting and sculpture. Controversies about artists being professionals and not amateurs saw these cultural contests being abandoned in 1954.

Rising Phoenix's psnz wrote this question's information in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

Answer: Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro

The highest mountain in each of the continents and the respective heights are: Everest (Asia) 8850m; Aconcagua (South America) 6962m; Denali (North America) 6190m; Kilimanjaro (Africa) 5895m; Elbrus (Europe) 5642m; Vinson (Massif) (Antarctica) 4892m and Kosciuszko (Australia) 2228m.

Whilst Mt Aconcagua is in the Andes, the longest mountain chain on earth, Mt Everest is in the Himalayas which includes over fifty mountains exceeding 7,200 m (23,600 ft) in elevation, and ten of the fourteen 8,000-metre peaks.

This mountainous question was scaled by Phoenix Rising team member 1nn1 who has managed to climb one of the seven, thank you very much, and is now prepared to sit on his laurels.

Answer: Lesotho

Lesotho is a mountainous country surrounded entirely by South Africa, and the only independent country in the world whose elevation is completely above 1,000 m (3,281 ft). At 1,400 m (4,593 ft), its lowest point at the confluence of the Orange and Makhaleng rivers is the highest of any other nation. The next highest low point is 950 m (3,117 ft) at the Ruzizi River in Rwanda.

Andorra's Gran Valira river bottoms out at 840 m (2,756 ft) putting the country in third in terms of highest low points. Mongolia's lowest point is the lake Hoh Nuur at 518 m (1,699 ft) earning it sixth place. Nepal's minimum elevation is 59 m (194 ft) at the village development committee (similar to municipality) of Mukhiyapatti Musharniya, putting it out of the top thirty for highest low points.

Phoenix Rising member JCSon wonders if he will hit his life's lowest high point in 2020.

Answer: Ethics

Often hailed as the "father of modern philosophy", Descartes is considered one of the most prominent philosophers in the history of Western philosophy. He published "Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One's Reason and of Seeking Truth in the Sciences" in 1637 and "Meditations on First Philosophy, in which the existence of God and the immortality of the soul are demonstrated" in 1641. The former laid out his methodological framework and the latter applied his methodology to fundamental philosophical questions. "Principles of Philosophy", published in 1644, was essentially a synthesis of these two earlier works.

Some of his critics have charged that Descartes focused excessively on metaphysics (the nature of first principles or ultimate reality) and epistemology (the nature of knowledge) to the exclusion of ethics (the nature of morals and personal values). While it is true that Descartes did not write extensively on nor devote much attention to ethics, he did develop a provisional moral code and clearly accorded ethics a privileged place within his philosophical system. Indeed, the uppermost branch of his tree of philosophy was "the highest and most perfect moral system, which presupposes a complete knowledge of the other sciences and is the ultimate level of wisdom". Perhaps he felt that he could not develop a robust ethical philosophy without first attaining a complete knowledge of the other sciences (foundational philosophies).

"Ethics, Demonstrated in Geometrical Order" (known more commonly as the "Ethics") was authored by Baruch Spinoza and published posthumously in 1677. It was written in part to address Spinoza's concerns with Descartes' central thesis.

Phoenix Rising's JCSon thought about this question, therefore it is.