General Knowledge Quiz

[randyrippley]

Do Ascension, St Helena & Tristan da Cunha count? And are they one country or three?
If just one, then the answer is presumably four, along with Portugal (Madeira), Madagascar and Cape Verde.
Of course historically you'd have Zanzibar as well, now part of Tanzania

 

[yoyothehobo]

Two? Madagascar and Cape Verde Islands.

These two were 2 of the 6 correct. Just noticed there was a weird automerge thad had put no to this.

 

[yoyothehobo]

Do Ascension, St Helena & Tristan da Cunha count? And are they one country or three?
If just one, then the answer is presumably four, along with Portugal (Madeira), Madagascar and Cape Verde.
Of course historically you'd have Zanzibar as well, now part of Tanzania

Nope, they do not count.

The countries are sovereign states in their own right.

So far two have been identified in Madagascar and cape verde.

 

[Calthrop]

Is Mauritius classed as "Africa"?

 

[yoyothehobo]

Is Mauritius classed as "Africa"?

It is for this. It is in the "group" of 54 african countries in the tiebreaker above.

Still more out there though.

 

[Fermiboson]

It is for this. It is in the "group" of 54 african countries in the tiebreaker above.

Still more out there though.

Comoros?

 

[yoyothehobo]

Comoros?

ANother one ticked off

 

[Fermiboson]

ANother one ticked off

Sao Tome and Principe and Seychelles. Fairly confident that’s it.

 

[randyrippley]

It is for this. It is in the "group" of 54 african countries in the tiebreaker above.

Still more out there though.

Just looking at that list, there's a lot of nonsense in it.
For instance it defines
Cyprus = Asia/Pacific
But Australia / New Zealand / USA / Canada / Israel all as "Western European and other"

 

[yoyothehobo]

Sao Tome and Principe and Seychelles. Fairly confident that’s it.

Thats the last of them, you got the most correct, so you may pose the next question

 

[yoyothehobo]

Just looking at that list, there's a lot of nonsense in it.
For instance it defines
Cyprus = Asia/Pacific
But Australia / New Zealand / USA / Canada / Israel all as "Western European and other"

Not seen any list with those on.

Everything i have looked at has the same 54 (or 55 if you include western sahara) countries listed as African

 

[randyrippley]

Not seen any list with those on.

Everything i have looked at has the same 54 (or 55 if you include western sahara) countries listed as African

I was looking at this list https://www.un.org/dgacm/en/content/regional-groups
That lists 54 African countries as you say, but the point I was trying to make is that other parts of the list is full of nonsense, so it's not impossible the African section is inventive....
Whatever, it's not worth diverting the thread over. Sorry

 

[xotGD]

Chagos Islands

 

[Fermiboson]

Thats the last of them, you got the most correct, so you may pose the next question

Thank you.

What is the Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day and on what day of the lunar calendar does it take place? Bonus points if you can explain the legend behind the day.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I think we are due a clue please? Or the answer.

 

[Fermiboson]

The answer, I suppose.

The day occurs on July 7th of the lunar calendar (sometimes referred to as the "seven-seven festival"). The origin of the festival comes from a legend involving the stars of Altair and Vega being separated by the sky god, one of whom was Vega's father, and the two stars being allowed only to meet every year on the allotted date.

What happens now?

 

[DaleCooper]

The answer, I suppose.

The day occurs on July 7th of the lunar calendar (sometimes referred to as the "seven-seven festival"). The origin of the festival comes from a legend involving the stars of Altair and Vega being separated by the sky god, one of whom was Vega's father, and the two stars being allowed only to meet every year on the allotted date.

What happens now?

I would suggest open floor...

 

[Fermiboson]

I'm fine with open floor.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'll take it - and it'll be an easy one.

Sticking with those two stars, Vega and Altair - with which third star would you popularly associate them?

 

[DaleCooper]

I'll take it - and it'll be an easy one.

Sticking with those two stars, Vega and Altair - with which third star would you popularly associate them?

Proxima Centauri

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Proxima Centauri

Not that one I'm afraid.

 

[yoyothehobo]

Deneb?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Deneb?

You beat me to it. Part of the summer triangle I believe.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Deneb?

That's the one...

...and for the reason the next reply quoted.

You may peer through the telescope to see what the next question we need to examine is.

 

[yoyothehobo]

What appeared in a cornfield in mexico in 1943 and a wheatfield in japan in 1944.

Bonus for names.

 

[DaleCooper]

What appeared in a cornfield in mexico in 1943 and a wheatfield in japan in 1944.

Bonus for names.

Meteorites

 

[yoyothehobo]

Meteorites

Nope, not the answer i am looking for

 

[Gloster]

Crop circles?

 

[yoyothehobo]

Crop circles?

Nope

 

[Peter Mugridge]

This is a long shot, but Mexico 1943 rings a bell.

Volcanoes?

I recall reading a story about a Mexican farmer who found a very small vent just inches high spitting ash in a field which developed into a full scale volcano, but I cannot remember the year.