General Knowledge Quiz

[Oswyntail]

When the first European voyagers first landed on Navarino Island, what was the aspect that amazed them the most when they explored the area?

As one who read Thucydides Bk 4 for "O" level, your question was utterly baffling:cry: Now I have learnt something

 

[Golghar]

Yes, Paul, I read your PM with interest. This time I am not setting a philatelic question but a numismatic one:

Which country in the Euro area has not issued issued its own coins until now but will start doing so in July next year?

@Oswyntail
The "European voyagers" made it clear that Pylos/Navarino wasn't being referred to but modern Greeks often don't include thier own country when they say "Europe".

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Latvia ?

 

[Golghar]

Latvia is scheduled to join the Euro zone in 2014 but this hasn't been confirmed yet. Here's a hint: the country I am referring to has been a member of the Euro area since its inception.

 

[Seacook]

Luxembourg?

 

[Golghar]

Luxembourg has been issuing its own Euro coins since 2002, i.e. right from the start of the Euro.
Another hint: Till 2001 this country used the currencies of both its neighbouring countries.

 

[oddiesjack]

Andorra?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

San Marino...Vatican City...Monaco

Are these three "special cases" in the Eurozone area ?

 

[Golghar]

Andorra?

Yes! Over to you now!

The two currency situation should have given the game away to a philatetist who collects European stamps as Andorra had parallel issues in French and Spanish currency till both France and Spain introduced the Euro in 2002.
The three countries (states, entities?) named by Paul are "special" insofar as they are each granted a quota by their respective host national banks (France for Monaco and Italy for the other two) limiting the amount of currency they are allowed to mint in any year. These coins seem to go straight to coin dealers and cannot be purchased at their face-value at banks (as San Marino coins could be in the days of the Lira - in fact they were in circulation all over Italy). I suspect this is going to be the case too when the Andorran coins are issued.

 

[oddiesjack]

Aren't those countries surrounded by only one other country though?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
According to the official record, for how long was the Wright Brothers' plane actually airborne during their first flight in 1903?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

About 12 seconds fully airborne ?

 

[oddiesjack]

Aye, over to you...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Philately...without the pictures for this one

Which was the first country to issue Postage Due stamps.

 

[Golghar]

France

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Once again, you are correct.

Please set the next one.

 

[Golghar]

The UK was the first country to issue postage stamps. Which was the second? For full marks I should like to have the name of the entity that actually issued the stamps and not the name of the country whose stamps it now uses.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Brazil(Bulls eyes issue)...in 1843 ? ...(Not a very inspired guess)..

 

[Golghar]

Well, no! Someone else beat them to it by three months. There is a hint in the question. Brazil still issues its own postage stamps. I am talking about an entity that is part of a larger one whose stamps it now uses.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Further research outside the scope of inspired guesses now takes over....Adhesive postage stamps were issued on 1st February 1842 in New York City by City Despatch Post, which later that year became part of the postal service of the United States of America.

 

[Golghar]

I suppose you are right. In fact I wasn't thinking of the New York City Despatch Post stamp but of the Zurich stamps issued on March 1st 1843, three months before the "bull's eye".

.
Well, over to you, Paul!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Since I may be away from the forum for much of tomorrow as plans stand at the present time, I will declare....OPEN FLOOR

 

[Ivo]

Might I claim the floor?

Where does the name "Tesco" come from?

 

[EM2]

Founder Jack COhen bought a shipment of tea from T.E. Stockwell, and combined their initials with the start of his surname.

 

[Meridian richard]

From the owner Jack Cohen and his supplier TE Stockdale

Had this in a quiz a couple of weeks ago (didn't know it at the time)

 

[Ivo]

Remind me to try something harder next time. (Richard - note it's Stockwell, not Stockdale.)

West Ham Man gets the floor.

 

[EM2]

The Rover P6 (also known as the Rover 2000) was designed with an unusual front suspension set-up. This was to leave as much space as possible in the engine bay.
For what reason?

 

[deltic1989]

The Rover P6 (also known as the Rover 2000) was designed with an unusual front suspension set-up. This was to leave as much space as possible in the engine bay.
For what reason?

So that Rover could fit a Jet (gas turbine) engine.

 

[EM2]

That's the right answer.
Having successfully installed gas turbines into a number of experimental cars (JET1 being the most well-known), they had high hopes of making this an option for regular passenger cars.
They did fit a gas turbine into a P6 shell, this being the Rover T4, but fuel economy and cost put paid to the project.

 

[deltic1989]

Credit for that answer must go to my Dad (a former P6 owner) .

I will set one of my usual musical questions.
Please give the next line of the song plus the title and artist.

" when we said we were gonna move to Vegas"?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

"I remember the look her mother gave us"

The Rock Show

Blink 182.....Was it Mark Hoppus on vocals ?