Playground Squares XI: And here we go again!

[The Bushranger]

I shall Contest!

[Lady Serpentine]

I'll take a square, I suppose.

Though if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you let me know when you assemble the board, so that I can send you a link to the image I'd like to be used for me, since I don't actually have it yet.

[Lex-Kat]

I don't mind. Looks like it may be a while, since no one is coming out of the woodwork to be Squares. Don't they know... It's Hip to be Square?

I would make a link to Huey, but I can't access YouTube at work.

[Penguinator]

I referenced that song the first time I was a square.

[Grue Bait]

I'll square, I suppose.

[Indurain]

Lex, I'm glad you reminded me about this game in JC.

If you've still got room, sign me up for a square!!

[Lex-Kat]

You're welcome. Sorry I forgot to update the board with your name, as you asked me to two weeks ago.

Now if we could only get one more square, life would be good.

[Tychris1]

Erm, I guess I'll request a square or something.

[Lex-Kat]

A note for those who have never played before, or it's been a long time:

1. Contestants choose a Square and Category.
2. I ask the corresponding question in thread.
3. I then PM the Square being questioned letting them know they've been asked a question and giving them the answer in a Spoiler.
4. The Square then answers the questions, either truthfully or with a lie.
5. The Contestant decides whether he believes the answer or not.
6. NOTE: The Contestant is asked to not use any outside resources aside from his own knowledge to decide whether the answer is correct or not. No internet, no asking your family or friends, no using your printed edition of encyclopedias. Thank you.
7. If he's right, he gets the spot, if he's wrong, his opponent gets the spot, with an exception.
8. Exception: If being wrong would give the opponent the win, no one gets the spot, and play continues.
9. The first to get three in a row, either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, wins.
10. If no one gets three in a row, the winner is he who gets five squares. But as long as there is a chance to get three in a row, play continues.

Welcome to the History Edition!

The Contestant who chooses a Sqaure and Category first... goes first.

Spoiler

Show

1. Brazil
2. Canada
3. China
4. Egypt
5. Ethiopia
6. France
7. Germany
8. Japan
9. Liberia
10. Mexico
11. Spain
12. United Kingdom
13. United States

{table=head]

The Bushranger|vs.|Billtodamax
||

B

||

B

[/table]

{table=head]

Play

|

Ground

|

Squares

|

|

|

Mangosta71

|

C'Nor

|

Penguinator

|

|

|

Elemental

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Tychris1

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The Fiery Tower

|

|

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Helgraf

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Grue Bait

|

Indurain

[/table]

[The Bushranger]

C'nor! Tell me about the rain in Spain!

[Lex-Kat]

Spain is known for many things. The Spanish fleet, the Spanish Inquisition, It's many explorers of the "New World", it's beautiful Flaminco Dancers, and for Bullfighting. Which is what the question will be about.

The exact beginnings of Bullfighting has been lost to history. It may have started in Knossos, where the fresco of a man leapiong over a bull was found; or it may have begun with the Romans, substituting Gladiator fighting with human vs. animal fights.

But no matter how or when it started, modern Bullfighting (whether you like it or hate it) can be traced almost completely to one man, Francisco Romero. Before Fransisco, Bullfighting was done by royalty, on horseback, delivering the fatal blow with a spear. But in 1726, Francisco asked that he be allowed to face the bull alone, and on foot. He introduced the use of the Muleta (the cloak) and Estoque (the sword) as part of the act, and after a few short years, the Matador on foot replaced the Royal on horseback as the prefered way of fighting.

But even his style is not like what you see today. In the 1920s, one man changed Bullfighting to the dangerous artform you see today. Because he was unable to leap and run as his contemporaries of the time, this man stood firm and made the bull run around him, leading to many injuries and gores.

C'Nor, name the man considered as the "Greatest Matador of All Time".

[Lady Serpentine]

*Awakes after forty-two hours, as from a pleasant sleep (with a cookie for whoever gets the reference)*

Juan Belmonte, I believe.

[The Bushranger]

And I shall agree with this assessment. Ole!

[Lex-Kat]

The History Edition!

Spoiler

Show

Ding! Ding! Ding!
You were correct to agree. If you wish to read more....

Billtodamax, please choose a Category and Square.

Spoiler

Show

1. Brazil
2. Canada
3. China
4. Egypt
5. Ethiopia
6. France
7. Germany
8. Japan
9. Liberia
10. Mexico
11. United Kingdom
12. United States
13. Spain

{table=head]

The Bushranger|vs.|Billtodamax
||

B

||

B

[/table]

{table=head]

Play

|

Ground

|

Squares

|

B

|

|

Mangosta71

|

C'Nor

|

Penguinator

|

|

|

Elemental

|

Tychris1

|

The Fiery Tower

|

|

|

Helgraf

|

Grue Bait

|

Indurain

[/table]

[billtodamax]

Penguinator! Germany! Let's go!

[Indurain]

*is curious if either of the contestants know which country he's from*

[Penguinator]

Oy, Germany. I hope this is recent...

[Lex-Kat]

Ignore the deleted question. I didn't like it much anyway. For those who saw it.....

Spoiler

Show

The answer was Otto I.

And so a new question must be asked. This one begins before a dark period of German History, or some may consider just as dark, not sure. But anyway....

The Autobahn was concieved of during the Weimer Republic, the government that was in place before the Nazi's took over. It was a grand idea, creating one stable roadway that would stretch across the country, connecting it's people. Not only would this roadway help support the flagging economy with better transportation of goods, but it would also put people to work, helping to give the people a sense of accomplishment.

Sadly, the going was slow at the beginning, due to the bad economy and a severe lack of political support. The first, and possibly only, stretch of road completed by the Weimer's was opened in 1931, two years before the Nazi's took over.

Currently known as Bundesautobahn 555 (Federal Motorway 555), this stretch of the Autobahn wasn't officially recognized as part of it until what year?

[Penguinator]

Sorry, it occurred to me that I'd better answer here. No other activity here for the day, sorry.

Let's see, Autobahn... Haven't heard of it, I'm afraid. But I would guess that it would take a few years for the stretch to be recognized, what with the war on. About a decade, perhaps. Let's make it a baker's dozen, 'cause I like baking. The Autobahn was recognized as a part of the Federal Motorway in 1958.

[billtodamax]

Disagree! Penguinator looks too shifty.

[Helgraf]

*is curious if either of the contestants know which country he's from*

Trogland, dude. It's right there in your avatar blargh box.

[Lex-Kat]

The History Edition!

Spoiler

Show

BzzZZZzzztt!!
Nope. Sorry, but it was in 1958 that that particular roadway between Cologne and Bonn gained official status. Read more.

Bushranger, please choose a Category and Square.

Spoiler

Show

1. Brazil
2. Canada
3. China
4. Egypt
5. Ethiopia
6. France
7. Japan
8. Liberia
9. Mexico
10. United Kingdom
11. United States
12. Germany
13. Spain

{table=head]

The Bushranger|vs.|Billtodamax
||

B

||

B

[/table]

{table=head]

Play

|

Ground

|

Squares

|

B

|

B

|

Mangosta71

|

C'Nor

|

Penguinator

|

|

|

Elemental

|

Tychris1

|

The Fiery Tower

|

|

|

Helgraf

|

Grue Bait

|

Indurain

[/table]

[The Bushranger]

Indurain! What do you know about Brazil's aircraft carrier and nuclear submarine program!

[Penguinator]

Disagree! Penguinator looks too shifty.

Then why ask me in the first place?

[Indurain]

Indurain! What do you know about Brazil's aircraft carrier and nuclear submarine program!

I know one of my favourite mods is from there.

You were off by just one space...Canada, I could do. Brazil...well, now I get to have fun and play with your mind.

[mangosta71]

To be fair, you would have played with his mind even if he'd picked Canada for your question.

[Lex-Kat]

Brazil! Famous for its beaches, Rio de Janeiro, soccer, Amazon rain forests, and a certain wax job.

Maybe not surprisingly, they have the the largest military in Latin America, including the only aircraft carrier south of the U.S. border. Who knew?

But since The Bushranger seems awfully familiar with that, we'll avoid their Navy completely. Instead, we'll talk about Portugal. Yes Portugal, who claimed the land in 1500, and began colonization in 1532.

In 1815, João Maria José Francisco Xavier de Paula Luís António Domingos Rafael (( My goodness, what a long name!)) elevated Brazil from a Colony to a Kingdom, and then uniting Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves into a united transatlantic Kingdom.

But João was only Prince Regent of Portugal, while his mother, Maria I of Portugal, was incappacitated. What was the reason for Maria's inability to rule her beloved country?

[The Bushranger]

Well, Argentina had a carrier up until a few years ago. But it kinda...rusted away. The Brazilian Navy is buying nuclear-powered submarines from France these days too.

But on to...The Question! (He goes through everyone's trash.)

[billtodamax]

Then why ask me in the first place?

Well the theory was that I'd get an easy square by disagreeing. I didn't expect the double bluff.

[Indurain]

She was busy watching the Euro Cup. *rimshot*

No, honestly she just went batspit insane!