South African (Off-Topic) Quiz

[+Team Ginger]

Do you also consider it a "hole in one" when you thread a needle first time

 

With the new sewing machines, it does the threading for you... fancy hey!

Edited August 17, 2010 by Team Ginger

[+CapeDoc]

 

Ok, as a bit of fun...

 

If one could travel as fast as the fastest space craft ever launched so far (a solar probe called Helios 2),

how long would it take to get to the nearest star from the solar system? (Beta Proxima)

 

(There seems to be no technologically capable extra terrestrial life apart from ourselves in the solar system. That would infer that if the earth was being visited by "UFO"s that the nearest place they could come from would be the nearest star. So, it is interesting to see how long an "Alien" would take to get to our planet if they were using our technology)

[+Henzz]

Aliens with a GPS stuck to their UFO windscreens...

Now that is a disturbing thought..

[+the pooks]

No idea, but will take a shot. My guess the closest star is 4.5 light years away - but light travels quite fast - I'll put in a stab at 2000 years...

[+CapeDoc]

Nope,

I won't be strict, but that's far off the mark.

 

I wonder what an alien "GPS" would be called. Probably a U.P.D...a Universe Positioning Device!

[+Carbon Hunter]

About a million years?

[+malo mystery]

Precisely 295 years, 9 months, 17 days , 8 hours, 15 minutes, 43 seconds, excluding corrections depending on when leap years fall.

[+malo mystery]

Precisely 295 years, 9 months, 17 days , 8 hours, 15 minutes, 43 seconds, excluding corrections depending on when leap years fall.

[+malo mystery]

Precisely 295 years, 9 months, 17 days , 8 hours, 15 minutes, 43 seconds, excluding corrections depending on when leap years fall.

[+CapeDoc]

Still no close answers!

[+CapeDoc]

I'll give it to the closest of the next 3 answers....

[+Carbon Hunter]

OK - using Excel and some basic data - I get

 

86,453.96 years.

[+CapeDoc]

OK - using Excel and some basic data - I get

 

86,453.96 years.

Good guess.....IF you were using ion drive propulsion rather than gravitational assists.....the Helios 2 uses gravitational assistance (slingshots).

Helios 2

[+Carbon Hunter]

OK - using Excel and some basic data - I get

 

86,453.96 years.

Good guess.....IF you were using ion drive propulsion rather than gravitational assists.....the Helios 2 uses gravitational assistance (slingshots).

Helios 2

OK - i will take a guess at 100,000 years - as I used the maximum speed.

[besem]

I reckon about 50,000 years.

 

I've been out of the astronomy scene for a while - last time I heard the highest speed a spacecraft has reached is about 18km/s. At that speed, and ignoring slowing down effects of the sun's gravity, it'll take around 70,000 years. I presume the Helios is somewhat faster, and a gravity assist by Jupiter will do wonders for it.

[+CapeDoc]

Well, no one really got close.

The answer that my research gave was 19 000 years. This equates to about 600 generations of humans. And that is just the one way trip to the nearest star.

One has to then wonder why an alien would want to travel THAT kind of distance, visit earth, scare someone on a quiet highway/draw a crop circle/help an Egyptian with a pyramid/appear as a flashing light that scoots across the sky.... and the disappear with no trace!

As Bill Bryson puts it: Maybe their teenagers are out looking for a bit of fun!

 

We now have a race: Besem and the Pooks, whoever asks first gets the next question.

[besem]

I'll have a go an keep the topic astronomical.

 

On an average night, you can expect to see about 7 meteors (or shooting stars) per hour. Sometimes, however, earth passes through particle streams of higher density, resulting in so-called meteor showers (ranging from between 10 to 30 meteors per hour) and once in a while we'd hit a particularly dense patch, resulting in meteor storms (more than one meteor per minute, but often many more).

 

In 1999 I briefly witnessed a meteor storm at rates that approached 1000 meteors per hour. This famous storm seems to recur every 33 years or so - what is the name of the storm? If you can give me the constellation it emanates from, it'll suffice.

[+Carbon Hunter]

I know the Perseid meteor shower is just happened - a lot of press here about going into the desert to see it - as it is Ramadan too and a lot of people are moon spotting.

 

They also mentioned the more spectacular Leonid shower which is less frequent. So that's my guess.

[+Carbon Hunter]

duplicate

Edited August 19, 2010 by Carbon Hunter

[+DamhuisClan]

Some time ago I have created a spreadsheet, from approximate info from the internet which calculates the distance of various planets, and Proxima Centauri

to a scale

 

Example 1:

If the Sun is 5cm big (Size of tennis ball)

then the earth is 0.45 mm big (Grain of sand), at a distance of 5.21 meters

Proxima Centauri would then be 1433 km away.

 

Example 2:

If the Sun is 80cm big (Size of excersize ball)

then the earth is 7.3 mm big (marble?), at a distance of 83.3 meters

Proxima Centauri would then be 23 000 km away.

 

If anybody would like this spreadsheet let me know, and I'll forward off-list.

Edited August 19, 2010 by DamhuisClan

[besem]

I know the Perseid meteor shower is just happened - a lot of press here about going into the desert to see it - as it is Ramadan too and a lot of people are moon spotting.

 

They also mentioned the more spectacular Leonid shower which is less frequent. So that's my guess.

 

I saw the Perseids for the first time last year when I was in Holland, lying on a mattress on the roof of my apartment building. Clouds spoiled the fun a little, but it was still an impressive showing. Nothing like the Leonids, though - I am eagerly awaiting 2032 to see if the storm will recur! The leonid particles come from the comet Tempel-Tuttle which is a short-perdiod comet passing by the sun every 33 years or so, littering the earth's orbit with fresh new particles, which, hopefully, we'll hit in full force come 2032. The particle stream, I mean. Not the comet.

 

Take it away CH.

[+Carbon Hunter]

What makes Lake Assal record breaking - and were is it?

[besem]

What makes Lake Assal record breaking - and were is it?

 

Highest Altitude lake? No idea where it is... South America?

[+cincol]

What makes Lake Assal record breaking - and were is it?

 

It is a lake in a volcanic crater in Djibouti or Ethiopia that is below sea level. There is an EarthCache there that I read about that has been creating a bit of a "storm" on the EarthCache Forum recently as well. GCPAFJ Lac Assal, Really Deep See details of cache here

Edited August 19, 2010 by cincol

[+Team Ginger]

Read the listing details - wow really cool!

Edited August 19, 2010 by Team Ginger

[+Carbon Hunter]

OK - cincol - closest to answer - it is the LOWEST point in Africa - well below sea level.

You're it

[+cincol]

Let's have a sport question again.

 

John Smit played his 100th Test yesterday. Vistor Matfield will play his 100th next weekend. Who is the next most capped Springbok [currently still playing]? Bonus point - how many tests?

[+Carbon Hunter]

Bryan Habana?

[+Carbon Hunter]

above question qualified - (Bakkies and Os will not play again).

[+Henzz]

Springbok Rugby....

 

This is my topic...

 

Let's think now...

 

Bakkies Botha is on 68 or 69, but is suspended at the moment.

Bryan Habana is on 64.

And Juan Smith just behind on 63..

 

Give and take 1 or 2 either way for them all..

[+cincol]

Springbok Rugby....

 

This is my topic...

 

Let's think now...

 

Bakkies Botha is on 68 or 69, but is suspended at the moment.

Bryan Habana is on 64.

And Juan Smith just behind on 63..

 

Give and take 1 or 2 either way for them all..

 

@CH - Bakkies "Head Butt" Botha might well be suspended but he IS a contracted player!

 

@Henzz - you got it right - 68 test caps currently. Will he ever be selected to play again? I have my doubts.

[+Henzz]

O.K. Let's keep it Springbok related..

 

In terms of tests played the top 3 would be Percy Montgomerie (102), John Smit (100) and Victor Matfield (99).

 

If we define Springbok Careers in terms of time (i.e. Years and days) from 1st to last played tests, who would be the top 3?

 

Remember that the guys now play much more tests every year than what they used to in years gone by..

[+cincol]

O.K. Let's keep it Springbok related..

 

In terms of tests played the top 3 would be Percy Montgomerie (102), John Smit (100) and Victor Matfield (99).

 

If we define Springbok Careers in terms of time (i.e. Years and days) from 1st to last played tests, who would be the top 3?

 

Remember that the guys now play much more tests every year than what they used to in years gone by..

 

In the 1890's Heatly and Powell both played for 13 years followed by Monty who played for 11.

 

[source: IRB Hall of Fame & sarugby.net]

[+Carbon Hunter]

Well Os du Randt was in the 95 team and played again in 2008 - so that puts him at least 13 years too.

 

Naas Botha also played his last test in 92/93 and his first in the 80's?

 

And I'd go with someone like Philip Nel too

 

that's my 3

[+Henzz]

I see Cincol and Carbon Hunter knows their Springbok stuff..

 

In the 1890's Heatly and Powell both played for 13 years

 

Well Os du Randt was in the 95 team and played again in 2008 - so that puts him at least 13 years too.

 

Naas Botha also played his last test in 92/93 and his first in the 80's?

 

Os retired at one stage, and was asked to return to Rugby by Jake White.

He holds the record at 13 years, 12 days

Spot on with Naas Botha (2nd) who played from 1980 to 1992 12 years, 202 days

Third is .....

Heatly was 4th and Powell was 5th, both of them playing just over 12 years..

 

O.K. I think you guys were onto this one very quickly, so one of you will pull Danie Gerber's name out of the hat for 3rd spot at any moment..

 

I'll give it to Carbon Hunter for getting the top 2...

Take it away CH.

 

P.S. I'll check your reference out Cincol..

The site I pretty much memorized is Genslin

[+Carbon Hunter]

Ok - my guesses coming in correct took me by surprise. I thought big boet had the nod on me

 

What are the common denominator with these cities (it IS a South African question)?

 

Alexandria, Egypt

Baku, Azerbaijan

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Leeds, United Kingdom,

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Guangzhou, China[28]

Nantes, France

Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium

Bremen, Bremen, Germany

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Le Port, Reunion Island, France

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Oran, Algeria

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Eilat, Israel

Maracaibo, Venezuela

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

[+tomtwogates]

They all have street names with a South African connection?

[+Discombob]

They are all twinned to South African cities?

[+Carbon Hunter]

They are all twinned to South African cities?

Got the idea - but which SA city?

[besem]

They are all twinned to South African cities?

Got the idea - but which SA city?

 

Gah, I should know this. I studied in Bremen for 3 months and recalled hearing about Bremen's Twin in SA. Let's go for Kimberley.

[+Carbon Hunter]

I did my national service basics in Kimberley - nope - not Kimberley

[+cincol]

eThekweni? [Durbs by de Sea]

[+Carbon Hunter]

eThekweni? [Durbs by de Sea]

Yep - Durbs by the sea it is - all yours

[+cincol]

Here is one about a Durbs boykie then.

 

2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the 1986 Springbok's "Flour Bomb" Tour to New Zealand - captained by Wynand Claasens. How many tests did he play?

[+Henzz]

If I remember right Wynand was one of those small group of players that was captain in all the tests that they played.. It was not too many.. 6??

[+DamhuisClan]

Wasnt it Hansie?

[+Carbon Hunter]

I think he also captained the home Lions tour (and he also missed one of those)? so I'll go for 8

[+cincol]

If I remember right Wynand was one of those small group of players that was captain in all the tests that they played.. It was not too many.. 6??

 

Here we start the guessing game!

[+Henzz]

I acted a bit like Bakkies, and played outside the rules..

So I earned myself a red card for checking the answer...

I'll watch from the sidelines while the others zero in on the right answer...

[+cincol]

I acted a bit like Bakkies, and played outside the rules..

So I earned myself a red card for checking the answer...

I'll watch from the sidelines while the others zero in on the right answer...

 

Henzz - the rules are "as long as you don't Google the answer". I often consult my books or magazines or dictionaries for answers - just don't Google!