The AnswerBank Articles

How are electoral constituencies worked out

A. It's all decided by the Parliamentary Boundary Commission, a government department. Regular reviews are made to ensure the constituencies contain about the same number of voters. There are four01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

What happened in the Lindbergh kidnapping

A. It's a sad tale.Thanks to James for the question. The 20-month-old son of Charles Lindbergh, the heroic American aviator, was found dead in woods, on 12 May 1932. On 1 March, he had been01:00 Mon 28th May 2001

Is there a new picture of Shakespeare

Shakespeae portrait as featured in Canada's Globe and Mail, 11th May 2001A. Yes. Or rather, no - it's an old one (if it is a picture of the Bard at all). Does that make it crystal clear Q. No.01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

Do flat earth societies still exist

A. Yes, although believers in this theory have suffered a terrible blow recently with the death of the American Charles Johnson, president of the International Flat Earth Society Q. But they01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

What's a Mormon smile

Joseph Smith, Founder of the Church of Jesus and the Latter-day SaintsA. Their vest. Thanks to DOUBRIS for the question. Q. Vest A. Yup. All Mormons - members of the Church of Jesus and the01:00 Mon 21st May 2001

Tell me about the Bob Kerrey scandal

A. Bob Kerrey - a former senator, governor of Nebraska, and war hero - has admitted leading a disastrous mission in Vietnam in which 21 civilians were killed. Kerrey, often mentioned as a potential01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

Why was the Crystal Palace built

A. To house the Great Exhibition, which opened 150 years ago on 1 May. The show was the chance for Great Britain, the Empire and its commerce to show off its greatness to the rest of the world. 01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

What's so special about Margate

A. Aha. You've obviously been taken in by the recommendation of soon-to-be-nicked great train robber Ronnie Biggs. Q. Oh yes. He's prepared to have his collar felt just to have a pint of bitter in01:00 Mon 14th May 2001

I read that George W Bush is being likened to Eisenhower. True

A. The claims are made because neither man seems a thrusting intellectual. Both have been mocked for their inability to speak a coherent sentence. Both have been called lazy. Q. Is that it A. 01:00 Mon 07th May 2001

Who was Eliot Ness

A. The Untouchable. Why do you ask Q. There's a reference to him in a song by Dr Dre. A. Indeed. But he's probably more famous from books, TV and a film starring Kevin Costner. Q. Tell me01:00 Mon 07th May 2001

Who was Monty's double

A. Ah! You mean the man featured in the film I Was Monty's Double. Q. Yes. That was all hogwash, wasn't it A. No. All true. The double in question was Lieut M E Clifton James. He was at his01:00 Mon 07th May 2001

Are there any recordings of Joyce Grenfell, or did she write any books

A. The question comes from modge. Comeleon answered: 'The Beeb does a couple of audio tapes. Requests the Pleasure is autobiographic and is ISBN 0563 226 064. She wrote letters and this01:00 Mon 30th Apr 2001

What are ancient lights

A. Around London there are quite a few signs, often above pubs, which read: 'Ancient Lights'. What does this mean asks peter.griff. Modge gave a comprehensive answer, but let me elucidate. Ancient01:00 Mon 30th Apr 2001

Tell me about secret underground London.

A. Interesting question from peter.griff. He writes: 'One often hears about a secret subterranean London, whose existence is known only to a handful of people. Are there really government01:00 Mon 30th Apr 2001

What's all this about King Arthur being a Russian

A. Aha. You've read the latest twist in a long saga. Arthur, King of the Britons, is often claimed by the Welsh and Scottish as their own. Some say he was Roman. Many say he never existed. But the01:00 Fri 20th Apr 2001

Can you tell me which people make up Tony Blair's cabinet

A. Here's the list of the key players: Tony Blair MP - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service John Prescott MP - Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State01:00 Wed 18th Apr 2001

What is the story of Stonehenge

A. Sloth asked the question and Tophat gave the answer: There is, of course, much more... Q. Go on, then. A. Stonehenge is, arguably, Britain's greatest national icon, greater than beefeaters,01:00 Mon 23rd Apr 2001

What can you tell me about Pompeii

A. The question has come from Deiter, who's considering a visit. It's an ancient Roman city, south-east of Naples that was buried by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD. Q. And when was it founded 01:00 Mon 16th Apr 2001

How did Lord Hartwell lose his newspaper empire

A. Lord Hartwell, born Michael Berry, was proprietor of The Daily Telegraph from 1954 to 1985. He died on 2 April 2001, aged 89. The short answer, to James's question, is that he failed to modernise01:00 Mon 16th Apr 2001

What do you have on Ella Wheeler Wilcox

A. She was an American unconventional poet and journalist. Thanks to pdmsr for the question. Q. When did she live A. Born Wisconsin, 5 November, 1850, died Connecticut, 30 October, 1919. The01:00 Mon 16th Apr 2001