OT: Test #512B

[wire chief]

14..Ronzoni ____ _____ means Ronzoni is..?

15..Acongratulatory phone call to Trump had Xi apoplectic. What and why so?

16..The nation in the north that borders both Afghanistan and Pakistan?

17..We have 15K, 28K, 35K 46K, 55K, or 70K centenarians in the US.

18..Explain circling the Kaaba.

19..Robert Mueller's new title and what is he charged to do?

20..Oncologist Wilson from HOUSE appeared once on BLACKLIST.

 

[wire chief]

21..Who famously criticized MURPHY BROWN for letting a character do what?

22..Link the old Funnies character SLUGGO with Sid Vicious.

23..Name 3 countries that all have the same 4 letter beginnings, __r_.

24.."Eternal Blue" is in the news. Why?

25..Yesterday Robert E. Lee left the stage. Explain.

Part B is in sections, cause sometime the site has a gremlin,
so Q20 should end with, "What was his opening act"?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

25. Removed the RE Lee statue in New Orleans, after previously removing statues for Jeff Davis, PGT Beauregard and one celebrating some white supremacists rioting. They don't know what they are doing with them, apparently, but obviously the first 3 (or parts of them) could end up in a museum setting. The other one I can't imagine.

 

[pinotbear]

15. I believe the phone call was from the leader of the "other China", which the US hasn't officially recognized since,... well, not sure, maybe Nixon...it's been a long time. Trump, of course, had no idea of the implications.
21. VP Dan Quayle criticized the fictional TV character for bearing a child out of wedlock. Quayle then referred to the lil' guy as a "cute potato", and, misspelled potato. "What a waste it is, to lose one's potato", he said, and, as a big fan of tater tots, I can commiserate.

 

[rbny1]

14. "Ronzoni buono soni means Ronzoni is good" (not sure of the spelling of buono soni). Alas, I'm showing my advanced age by remembering that ancient ad slogan.
19. Special prosecutor. Investigate allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the election.

 

[DriveLH]

22. Both had girlfriends named Nancy.

 

[SVCBeercats]

15.. The President of Taiwan made a congratulatory call to Pres. Trump. Simply taking the call acknowledged Taiwan as a “second and distinct China.” This flew in the face of the “China” one policy and placed doubt on China’s view of Taiwan as a wayward province which will be reacquired diplomatically or by force. Pres. Trump after his diplomatic faux pas reasserted the China one policy.

17.. I’ll guess 46K. Whatever is the actually number, I will bet Pareto’s principle applies and 80% of the centenarians are women.

18.. I think all Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once in their lives. At Mecca is this Kaaba (Thanks for the name). It is said to be the center of the world and believe this has been scientifically proven.

24.."Eternal Blue" is an NSA cyber weapon that is believe to be part of the latest computer virus, WannaCry ransomware. Per Symantec notice to Norton users there appears to be shared code between WannCry and the Lazarus tools. They never mentioned Eternal Blue as a source for the WannaCry code. This caper has been labelled Eternal Blue. Symantec has determined that this shared code is a form of SSL. It use 75 ciphers and the locked , to-date, cannot be unlocked. It also aids in spreading the virus. Appears no Norton protected MS-Windows systems have been breached. Automatic update application can be a very good thing.

 

[Bigboote]

14..Ronzoni sono buoni -- ronzoni is so good

15..Taiwan's president; Trump seemingly wavered on the one-China policy

16..Tibet/China

17..35k

19..Special counsel investigating Russia's role in the 2016 election.

21..Dan Quayle criticized Murphy Brown for having a baby out of wedlock

22..Both linked to girls named Nancy

24..The ransomware that's wreaking havoc world wide

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

18.. I think all Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia at least once in their lives. At Mecca is this Kaaba (Thanks for the name). It is said to be the center of the world and believe this has been scientifically proven.

Thanks, SVC, I drew a complete blank. That said, Herr Testmeister is probably not going to think your answer complete. I'll add to it, though probably not enough - while on their pilgrimage (Hadj) to Mecca, what they do is circle the Kaaba a specified number of times, which is the black draped "object" seen in photos. IIRC, it is a temple, of sorts, and entered only once per year. Among the (cornerstones?) parts of the building are some important stones, again trusting a weak memory, they include the stone that Jacob supposedly rested his head on when dreaming of angels coming and going. At least that's how I remember it from reading an article in a book on world religions.

 

[Rocket009]

23..United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates

 

[Bigboote]

23..United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates

The Chief has the r as the third letter, which I assume is significant. As with United, there are also at least three countries that begin with Saint.

 

[VAUConnFan]

14. Ronzoni sono buoni means Ronzoni is so good.
15. President-elect Trump called the Taiwan president and discussed a one China policy that was not in line with over 40 years of us-China foreign policy.
16. Iran
17. 28K
18. When Muslims' make their pilgrimage to Mecca, the ritual starts with a counterclockwise circling of The Kaaba.
19. Special Counsel - charged with independently investigating Russian collusion in the 2016 election and all illegal activity that results from the investigation.
21. Vice President Dan Quayle criticized Murphy Brown for having a baby out of wedlock.
23. Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turkistan
25. The statue of Lee in New Orleans is among those being razed in the cover of darkness.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

The Chief has the r as the third letter, which I assume is significant. As with United, there are also at least three countries that begin with Saint.

Also South.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

25. The statue of Lee in New Orleans is among those being razed in the cover of darkness.

Actually, that one went during the day, I believe. 3 at night, one in the day after prior announcement.

 

[huskyrob1]

16) China, might be Tajikistan also but I'll go with China.

17) 70k

 

[k9fanatic]

16. Tajikistan
17. 46K
19. Special Prosecutor to investigate Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election and Trump's campaign possible involvement.
21. Dan Quayle criticized Murphy Brown for having a child out of wedlock.
25. New Orleans took down his statue.

 

[wire chief]

14..Poor rbny, still befuddled. This time with his Italian, and to think this is the guy knows all those opera titles.
Big & VAUC save the day with their love of Spaghetti-Os.

15..Pinot starts a knowledgeable foursome.

16..Oh, husky, equivocation leaves you out. Hands together for K9.

17..But then husky redeems himself right here. What a boatload of centenarians we have.

18..Yeah, Knights is correct that the answer was not enough for your fussbudget Meister, for it lacks the "circling' aspect.

19.. Rbny headlines a foursome looking into misdeeds. No, not that the foursome misdeeded. Oh, never mind.

20..OK, you are will not get this will you? He infected a subway car with a fatal disease.

21..Another foursome---we'll make Pinot the baton twirler here.

22..Drive & Big, up on the Nancies...or should it be Nancys? Spellcheck rejects both.

23..Gotta appoint Big as Associate Testmeister for taking Rocket to task for trying to sneak through his choices. You're the guy who cuts in line, aren't you, Rocket? We can't have that.
VAUC on the right track, but Turki(e)stan only exists today as a desert region. For the 3rd, think of a 2-island Caribbean place to vacation and hide money.

24..I will underscore SVC's response for pointing out the NSA connection.

25..New Orleans deciding not to be a backward-facing city any more. The Knights Quartet.

Finish Q23.

 

[Bigboote]

16..Oh, husky, equivocation leaves you out. Hands together for K9.

I hope that was a typo and you meant hands together for big. I just looked at Wikipedia and several maps, and Pakistan doesn't border Tajikistan. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan border Tibet/China.

 

[VAUConnFan]

23. Turks and Caicos

 

[huskyrob1]

I hope that was a typo and you meant hands together for big. I just looked at Wikipedia and several maps, and Pakistan doesn't border Tajikistan. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan border Tibet/China.

Thank you very much Bigboote, I checked too and I was right, it's China. I think Cardinal Sheen is wrong. Nobody's perfect. Lol

 

[SVCBeercats]

I hope that was a typo and you meant hands together for big. I just looked at Wikipedia and several maps, and Pakistan doesn't border Tajikistan. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan border Tibet/China.

It most assuredly is not Tajikistan. I don't see how Tibet borders Afghanistan at all. Not even close. China borders on Pakistan's northeast section on the north and east. China just touches an east-northeast finger of Afghanistan. I am looking at Google maps. Frankly. asking a question concerning borders in this part of the world is iffy at best, since one encounters terms such as "no defined boundary" and "line of control."

 

[Bigboote]

Humble apologies -- SVC is right, my bad thinking Tibet went that far west. It's different parts of China; shoulda gone for the simple.

That was quite a brief reign as assistant testmeister.

 

[huskyrob1]

Humble apologies -- SVC is right, my bad thinking Tibet went that far west. It's different parts of China.

Who said anything about Tibet? I originally said in the test that China borders Afghanistan and never mentioned Tibet. I think what happened was that when you were defending my answer to the Cardinal, you just assumed incorrectly that the part of China that bordered Afghanistan was Tibet, so you typed "China/Tibet".

 

[Bigboote]

Who said anything about Tibet? I originally said in the test that China borders Afghanistan and never mentioned Tibet. I think what happened was that when you were defending my answer to the Cardinal, you just assumed incorrectly that the part of China that bordered Afghanistan was Tibet, so you typed "China/Tibet".

I had said China/Tibet in my original answer -- never meant to imply that you had.

 

[huskyrob1]

I had said China/Tibet in my original answer -- never meant to imply that you had.

I don't think, you specifically, implied anything. No worries.