General knowledge Q&A. Have a go at answering before you google!

[Jan]

Which member of the British Royal family was given, as one of his first names, one of the first names of the then current Unites States president, and what were the circumstances?

[B J]

Well, I can't think of any Baracks or Husseins in the Royal Family's new arrivals, so it must be a bit further back.
This is going to be tricky as the Royal Family don't tend to be satisfied with just one or two first names.

[Jan]

B J wrote: "Well, I can't think of any Baracks or Husseins in the Royal Family's new arrivals, so it must be a bit further back.
This is going to be tricky as the Royal Family don't tend to be satisfied with j..."

Goes back more towards the war.

[Jan]

Here's another question:
This review appeared in the magazine Field and Stream. What was the title and who was the author of the book?

"This account of an English gamekeeper's daily life is full of considerable interest to outdoor-minded readers, as it contains many passages on pheasant raising, the apprehension of poachers, ways to control vermin and other chores and duties of a professional gamekeeper. Unfortunately, one is obliged to wade through many passages of extraneous material in order to discover and savour these sidelights on the management of a Midland shooting estate."

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Lady Chatterley's Lover. D H Lawrence

[Jan]

Gingerlily - Elephant Philosopher wrote: "Lady Chatterley's Lover. D H Lawrence"

Correct - top of the class (but I think the gamekeeper gave it away :) )

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

I have read that before. Its very clever :)

[B J]

Charles was born in '48 when Harry S. Truman was President, but I don't think Harry is one of Charles' various names. Truman was followed by Eisenhower, who was Dwight David. Was he still President when Andrew was born and is David one of Andrew's names? Just floundering here - even if I got the name I have no idea about the why.

[B J]

Isn't Margaret's lad a David? He must have been born around the end of Eisenhower's Presidency.

[Jan]

The answer is ......

Prince Michael of Kent - Michael George Charles Franklin. His parents, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, became friendly with President Franklin D Roosevelt during the war, and when Prince Michael was born, asked the President to be one of the godparents, which he gladly accepted.

[Jan]

Whenever we finish singing in church we say "Amen". Why not "Awomen"?

You'll groan at this answer:)

[Jim]

Gingerlily - Elephant Philosopher wrote: "I have read that before. Its very clever :)"

Yes, I'd seen it before as well

[B J]

Jan wrote: "Whenever we finish singing in church we say "Amen". Why not "Awomen"?

You'll groan at this answer:)"

I feel a QI moment coming on, where I'm told that something I thought I knew is wrong - but I'll say it anyway. Amen is derived from the Hebrew word for 'so be it'.

[Jim]

That's what I thought as well

[Jan]

It's because we sing 'hymns' and not 'hers'. Groan, throw the rotten tomatoes.

[Patti (baconater)]

I'll get your coat. ;)

I've had wayyy too much Fast Show inflicted on me.

[B J]

Like it! Well, you did warn us. I should have known it wouldn't be long before the humour burst out.

[Richard]

B J wrote: "I feel a QI moment coming on..."

Speaking of QI moments, what’s the origin of the word "scarper", meaning to run away?

[Kath]

Isn't it rhyming slang? Scappa Flow - go.
Or a meringue?

[Marc]

Dic.com reporting it as Polari in origin.

Italian to flee 'scappare'

[Richard]

Kath wrote: "Isn't it rhyming slang? Scappa Flow - go.
Or a meringue?"

Sorry, but that would definitely earn you an "a-hooga, a-hooga!" from Stephen Fry.

[Marc]

Marc wrote: "Dic.com reporting it as Polari in origin.

Italian to flee 'scappare'"

Just realised I broke the rule implied by the title of this thread. Apologies

[Kath]

I always get a-hoogas on there!

[Richard]

Kath wrote: "I always get a-hoogas on there!"

It couldn't happen to a nicer person.

[Kath]

A-hehe-ga!

[Richard]

Marc wrote: "Marc wrote: "Dic.com reporting it as Polari in origin.

Italian to flee 'scappare'"

Just realised I broke the rule implied by the title of this thread. Apologies"

Tut, tut. Yes, it does indeed come from Italian, but it even predates Polari. Henry Mayhew mentions it in 1851 as an example of “Punch Talk”, the slang of the itinerant Italian Punch and Judy men. Parts of this were later incorporated into Polari. Scapa Flow didn’t enter public consciousness much before 1919; it wasn’t a naval base until the early 20th century.

Rhyming slang is quite prone to false etymologies. The term “barney” for a fight also goes back to the 19th century, so the supposed derivation from Barney Rubble = trouble is at best somewhat slightly suspect.

[Tim]

I would imagine Barney Rubble is a back-derivation from the 1960s. Barney meaning fight is certainly much older. The naughty g-thing suggests maybe stereotypical Irish (like Paddy means a commotion) from the 1800s.

[B J]

As GL made me think of Bertie Wooster earlier today, I'll throw this one in.
What is Bertie Wooster's middle name?

[Tim]

Had a bit of a Jeeves binge recently, so that's easy: Bertram Wilberforce Wooster. :)

[B J]

Spot on, Tim. I return to the Jeeves books from time to time. The gentle humour is a soothing balm.

[Jan]

What have the following in common?
Singapore
Zanzibar
Morocco
Bali
Rio
Hong Kong

(clue: 1940 - 1962)

[B J]

Sounds like Bob Hope films.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Yep, The Road to...

Funny, I always think of them as Bing Crosby films

[Jan]

Correct.

Does it show our age? :(

[B J]

I'll put my hand up to that.

[B J]

Located in a castle just outside Inverness is a business that makes unusual booze. It's reputed to have been Prince Albert's favourite tipple when staying at Balmoral.
What is it made from?

[Marc]

Satan's breast milk?

[B J]

I admire the way your mind works - but no.

[Marc]

B J wrote: "I admire the way your mind works - but no."

Gosh darn that's what Wikipedia said was the answer, oops my secret is out :-)

[B J]

Wiki probably also suggests fermented sporrans - but that isn't right either.

[Marc]

B J wrote: "Wiki probably also suggests fermented sporrans - but that isn't right either."

I think there were disambiguation issues with the sporrans

[B J]

Yes, it probably should have said 'fomented'.

[Vanessa (aka Dumbo)]

I must admit I was curious and looked it up. Didn't know you could make it from that. Not going to say what it is so as not to spoil it for others.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Tried it, don't like it!

[Tim]

girders.

Well, Irn Bru. But Irn Bru is made from girders...

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Irn Bru is unpleasant too. What redeems it is the fact it is a remarkably effective hangover cure.

[B J]

The Inverness booze is birch sap wine. I imagine it as having the same unpleasant resiny taste as retsina.
Somebody must like it as they make 15000 bottles a year

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

That's 15,000 people who try it for the first time every year...

...and then say, well I'm not buying that again!

[B J]

I'm really getting the impression that you're not a fan.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

In its favour, it is better than the fermented whey drink fallachan blaand (made by the chap who makes Lanark Blue cheese, which is lovely)