Gordon Brown Becomes Prime Minister in 2007
On this day in 2007, after serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1997 to 2007, British Labour Party politician Gordon Brown became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He succeeded Tony Blair, who had resigned after a decade in office. Brown's tenure as Prime Minister lasted until 2010, during which he faced the global financial crisis and the 2008 banking collapse.
True or False Quiz
Thanks to Pete for today's true or false questions! Test your knowledge with these statements:
- Bananas are technically berries — True
- A blue whale has a heart the size of a car — True
- 90% of humans live in the Northern Hemisphere — True (though the question says 'Atmosphere', it likely means Hemisphere)
- The first TV commercial ever was a car advert — False (it was for a watch)
- The Rolling Stones performed in 'Back to the Future 3' — False
- There are more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way — True
- Reindeers have red eyes — False (they have brown eyes, but some have red due to a condition)
- The horned lizard can shoot blood from its eyes as a defence mechanism — True
- If we removed every boat, ship and submarine from the oceans, the sea level would fall about 6 inches — False (it would be negligible)
- When a worker bee mates with a Queen bee its penis explodes — True
Cryptic Clues: Get a Job
All of the surnames are types of work. Can you identify these famous people?
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- In 1962, instead of slaving in a kitchen, this singer was Twistin’ the night away! — Chubby Checker (Checker as in checkerboard? Or maybe 'Twistin' the night away' suggests a dancer? Actually, the answer is likely 'Chubby Checker' but his surname is Checker, which is not a job. Alternatively, 'Twistin' the night away' could refer to 'Sam Cooke'? No. Let's think: 'Twistin' the night away' is a song by Sam Cooke, but his surname Cooke is a job (cook). So answer: Sam Cooke.
- A “green-fingered” actress who married Old Blue Eyes. — Mia Farrow (Farrow is a job? Farrow means a litter of pigs, not a job. Alternatively, 'green-fingered' means gardener, so maybe 'Gardner'? Ava Gardner married Frank Sinatra (Old Blue Eyes). So answer: Ava Gardner.
- A well-liked English boxer, not noted for his grammar – he certainly floored old Cassius when “‘e ‘it ‘im wiv ‘is ‘ammer!” — Henry Cooper (Cooper is a job: barrel maker). He fought Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) and knocked him down.
- As a machine-operator, would she have been simply the best? — Tina Turner (Turner is a job: lathe operator). 'Simply the Best' is her song.
- This ex-snooker player really had the game sewn-up when he potted the black to win World Championship in 1985. — Dennis Taylor (Taylor is a job: tailor, which sews). He won the 1985 World Snooker Championship.
- A famous children’s writer, she sounds like she would have been a natural snooker player! — Enid Blyton (Blyton sounds like 'blight on'? Not a job. Alternatively, 'Potter'? Beatrix Potter? She was a writer, and 'potter' is a job. But she is not a snooker player. Actually, 'snooker player' might refer to 'potting' balls, so a 'potter' would be good. So Beatrix Potter.
- Did he really “knead the dough” when he took on the role of the 4th Doctor Who? — Tom Baker (Baker is a job: baker kneads dough). He played the Fourth Doctor.
- This award-winning English actress sounds like she’s moonlighting delivering fossil fuel! — Judi Dench (Dench sounds like 'drench'? Not a job. Alternatively, 'Coal'? No. 'Oil'? Maybe 'Olivier'? Not. Could be 'Maggie Smith'? Smith is a job. But 'delivering fossil fuel' might be 'Coal' or 'Petrol'. Perhaps 'Petra'? No. Let's think: 'fuel' could be 'Gas' or 'Oil'. Actress with surname 'Gas'? No. 'Cole'? Like coal? Julie Andrews? Andrews is not a job. Actually, 'fossil fuel' could be 'Petrol' or 'Gasoline'. 'Petrol' sounds like 'Petra'? Not. Another: 'Oil' — 'O'Toole'? Peter O'Toole is male. 'Olivia de Havilland'? No. I think it's 'Dame Judi Dench' but Dench isn't a job. Maybe 'Meryl Streep'? Streep is not a job. Let's skip.
- His “Moonlight Serenade” was guaranteed to get you “In the mood” — Glenn Miller (Miller is a job: grinder of grain). He was a bandleader.
- A political leader who didn’t often raise the roof but could maybe have repaired it! — Margaret Thatcher (Thatcher is a job: roof thatcher). She was UK Prime Minister.
Answers for June 26
Here are the answers to the previous quiz:
- Containing over 40% of all mammals, which is the largest order of the class Mammalia? — Rodents (Rodentia)
- The 2015 novel entitled 'Trigger Mortis', written by Anthony Horowitz, features the further adventures of which character? — James Bond
- The monarchs of which country sat on the Peacock Throne? — Persia (Iran)
- What is the more common name for solid carbon dioxide? — Dry Ice
- In the TV series, what colour is Homer Simpson's car? — Pink
- According to the proverb, what should you do with sleeping dogs? — Let them lie
- Which King of England was responsible for the Domesday Book? — William I (the Conqueror)
- Which is the only country to be represented in the NATO phonetic alphabet? — India (for 'India')
- From whose garden did Peter Rabbit steal vegetables against the strict instruction from his mother? — Mr McGregor
- Who in World War II was known as 'The Forces Sweetheart'? — Vera Lynn
