Games

Answer: True

McDonald's left Iceland in October 2009 primarily due to the 2008 financial crisis, which caused the Icelandic króna to collapse and made the cost of importing ingredients, such as meat from Germany, prohibitively high. The franchise found it financially impossible to maintain profitability while relying on imports, prompting them to close all locations.

Key reasons for the absence of McDonald's in Iceland include:
Economic Collapse (2008): Following the economic crash, high import tariffs and a weak currency made importing necessary ingredients unsustainable.
High Costs: The cost of importing raw materials meant that to maintain profit margins, McDonald's would have had to make their products the most expensive in the world.

Local Alternatives & Preferences: Icelanders tend to prefer local, fresh food and support home-grown businesses. Following the departure of McDonald's, the restaurants were replaced by a local chain called Metro, which uses Icelandic beef.

The last McDonald's burger was sold in 2009 and famously remains on display in a museum setting.

Answer: True

You cannot name a child Harriet in Iceland because the name does not comply with strict Icelandic naming laws, which require names to conform to the country's language structure, alphabet, and grammar rules. "Harriet" fails to fit the required grammatical conjugation (declension) and uses a letter ('t') not in accordance with standard Icelandic spelling, forcing parents to choose from an approved registry.

Answer: False

Answer: True

Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America.
Bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. Belize also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. Part of the Caribbean region, Belize is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Commonwealth Caribbean, the historical British West Indies.

Answer: True

Belize was granted independence on September 21, 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation because of its longstanding territorial dispute, claiming that Belize belonged to Guatemala. After independence about 1,500 British troops remained in Belize to deter any possible Guatemalan incursions.

Answer: True

The Maya civilization spread into the area of Belize between 1500 BCE and 300 CE and flourished until about 1200. European contact began in 1502–1504 when Christopher Columbus sailed along the Gulf of Honduras. European exploration of the region began in the 16th century with the arrival of the Conquistadors, which claimed the territory for the Spanish Empire. Despite this, Spain did not establish a permanent settlement there, largely because the region offered little mineral wealth, its coast was difficult to colonize, and the conflicts with indigenous people. Over time, English settlers were allowed to establish themselves in the region, and after the Battle of St. George's Caye in 1798, Spain made no further attempt to expel them. The territory remained claimed by Spain until the collapse of Spanish rule in the region in 1821, after which competing claims were assumed chiefly by Guatemala, as reflected in the later Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute. The territory was formally designated the colony of British Honduras in 1862 and became a Crown colony in 1871. Belize achieved its independence from the United Kingdom on 21 September 1981. It is the only mainland Central American country which is a Commonwealth realm, with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state, represented by a governor-general.

Answer: True
The Republic of Madagascar, is an island country in the Indian Ocean that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands, lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's fourth-largest island, the second-largest island country, and the 46th-largest country overall.

Answer: True

Archeologists have estimated that the earliest settlers arrived in successive waves in outrigger canoes from South Borneo.

Possibly throughout the period between 350 BCE and 550 CE, these dates make Madagascar one of the most recent major landmasses on Earth to be settled by humans, predating the settlement of Iceland and New Zealand.[34] It has been proposed that Ma'anyan people were brought as laborers and slaves by Javan and Sumatran-Malays in their trading fleets to Madagascar.

Answer: True

Madagascar is classified as a least-developed country by the UN. Ecotourism and agriculture, paired with greater investments in education, health and private enterprise, are key elements of its development strategy. Despite substantial economic growth since the early 2000s, income disparities have widened, and quality of life remains low for the majority of the population. As of 2021, 68.4% of the population was considered to be multidimensionally poor.

Answer: True

Madagascar's GDP in 2015 was estimated at US$9.98 billion, with a per-capita GDP of $411.82. Approximately 69% of the population lived below the national poverty line threshold of one dollar per day; and according to the United Nations Development Programme, 68.4% of the population was multidimensionally poor as of 2021.

Answer: False

Ethiopia is recognized as the birthplace of Coffea arabica, where it grows wild in the southwestern highlands, specifically the Kaffa region. The 9th-century legend of Kaldi, a goat herder who observed his herd's energy after eating coffee cherries, is the famous origin story of coffee's discovery.

• Origins: Coffee originated in the ancient forests of Ethiopia. It is believed that the Oromo people first cultivated and consumed it, using it for energy.
• The Legend of Kaldi: A young goat herder noticed his goats became energetic after eating red coffee cherries. He shared this with a local monk, which led to the discovery of the stimulating drink.
• Spread: While discovered in Ethiopia, the practice of drinking brewed coffee spread through the Red Sea to Yemen by the 15th century, ultimately reaching the rest of the world.
• Cultivation & Flavor: Ethiopia remains one of the top producers of coffee, known for its high-altitude, shade-grown, and diverse varieties. Ethiopian coffees are known for being bright, fruity, floral, and acidic.
• Cultural Significance: Coffee is deeply woven into the fabric of Ethiopian life, culture, and economy. It is often prepared in a traditional ceremony that is central to social life.

Today, Ethiopia is the largest coffee producer in Africa and a top producer worldwide, celebrated for the high-quality Arabica beans that originate from its unique biodiversity.

Answer: False

Finland consumes the most coffee per capita in the world.

The World's 20 Biggest Coffee Drinkers in pounds per capita per year:

• Finland – 26.5 lbs.
• Norway – 21.8 lbs.
• Iceland – 19.8 lbs.
• Denmark – 19.18 lbs.
• Netherlands – 18.5 lbs.
• Sweden – 18 lbs.
• Switzerland – 17.4 lbs.
• Belgium – 14.9 lbs.

Answer: True

Irish coffee originated in 1943 at the Foynes Flying Boat terminal (now Shannon Airport) in County Limerick, Ireland. It was created by chef Joe Sheridan to warm up cold, stranded passengers, combining hot coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and cream.

Key Facts About the Origin:

• The Creator: Joe Sheridan, a chef at the airport restaurant, created the drink to comfort passengers on a delayed flight.
• The Origin Story: When asked if it was Brazilian coffee, Sheridan jokingly replied that it was "Irish coffee".
• The Journey to Fame: Travel writer Stanton Delaplane brought the recipe to the US, introducing it to the Buena Vista Café in San Francisco on November 10, 1952, after perfecting the cream-floating technique with owner Jack Koeppler.
• The Original Ingredients: The classic recipe consists of hot coffee, Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and lightly whipped cream.

Answer: False

The Americano stems from Italy.  During WW2, American soldiers found Italian espresso to too strong and would cut it with hot water.

Answer: True

Yes, black coffee is generally considered a healthy, antioxidant-rich beverage when consumed in moderation (3-5 cups daily).

Studies link regular consumption to a lower risk of chronic diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and cardiovascular disease. However, excessive intake or added sweeteners/creamers can negate these health benefits.

Key Health Considerations:

• Nutrient-Rich: Coffee contains antioxidants (chlorogenic acid) and essential nutrients like riboflavin (pantothenic acid)
• Disease Prevention: Regular intake is associated with reduced risks of liver disease, specific cancers, and depression.
• Optimal Timing: Consuming coffee before noon is associated with the highest reduction in mortality risk from cardiovascular disease.
• Moderation is Key: While 3-4 cups a day is generally safe for most adults (up to 400 mg of caffeine), excessive consumption can lead to anxiety, insomnia, and rapid heart rate.
• Considerations: Pregnant women should limit intake, and people with high anxiety or heart conditions may need to monitor their intake. Unfiltered coffee (e.g., French press) may slightly increase cholesterol levels.

Answer: False

The Río de la Plata is known for being the birthplace of tango, which is considered an emblem of Buenos Aires. The city considers itself the Tango World Capital, and as such hosts many related events

Tango is a partner dance and social Latin dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries from a combination of Argentine Milonga, Spanish-Cuban Habanera, and Uruguayan Candombe celebrations. It was frequently practiced in the brothels and bars of ports, where business owners employed bands to entertain their patrons. It then spread to the rest of the world. A number of variations of this dance currently exist around the world.

Initially, it was just one of the many dances, but it soon became popular throughout society, as theatres and street barrel organs spread it from the suburbs to the working-class slums, which were packed with hundreds of thousands of European immigrants.

When the Tango began to spread internationally around 1900, cultural norms were generally conservative, and so tango dancing was widely regarded as extremely sexual and inappropriate for public display. This led to a phenomenon of culture shock. Additionally, the combination of African, Native American and European cultural influences in tango was new and unusual to most of the Western world.
On August 31, 2009, UNESCO approved a joint proposal by Argentina and Uruguay to include the Tango in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

Answer: True

Buenos Aires features the Rio de la Plata, the world's widest river.
The city lies in the pampa region, with the exception of some areas such as the Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve, the Boca Juniors' "sports city", Jorge Newbery Airport, the Puerto Madero neighborhood and the main port itself; these were all built on reclaimed land along the coasts.

Answer: True

Buenos Aires is declared the "World's Capital of Theater,” showing everything from

musicals to ballet, comedy to circuses, orchestral concerts and Tango events.

Answer: True

Football (soccer) is the most popular spots pastime among the city's citizens, as Buenos Aires, featuring no fewer than 24 professional teams, has the highest concentration of teams of any city in the world, with many of its teams playing in the major league. The best-known rivalry is the one between Boca Juniors and River Plate, the match is better known as Superclásico. Watching a match between these two teams was deemed one of the "50 sporting things you must do before you die" by The Observer.
Diego Maradona (born October 30, 1960, Lanus, Buenos Aires, Argentina-died November 25, 2020, Tigre, Buenos Aires) was an Argentine football (soccer) player who is generally regarded as the top footballer of the 1980s and one of the greatest of all time. Renowned for his ability to control the ball and create scoring opportunities for himself and others, he led club teams to championships in Argentina, Italy, and Spain, and he starred on the Argentine national team that won the 1986 World Cup.

Answer: True

The Dirty War is the name used by Argentina's military junta or civic-military dictatorship. of Argentina (Spanish: dictadura cívico-militar de Argentina) for the period of state-sponsored violence from 1974 to 1983. During this campaign, military and security forces and death squads in the form of the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance (AAA, or Triple A) hunted down any political dissidents and anyone believed to be associated with socialism, communism, left-wing Peronism, or the Montoneros movement.
It is estimated that between 22,000 and 30,000 people were killed or disappeared, many of whom were impossible to formally document; however, Argentine military intelligence at the time estimated that 22,000 people had been murdered or disappeared by 1978. The primary targets were communist guerrillas and sympathizers but also included students, militants, trade unionists, writers, journalists, artists and any citizens suspected of being left-wing activists who were thought to be a political or ideological threat to the junta. According to human rights organizations, the victims included 1,900 and 3,000 Jews, between 5-12% of those targeted despite Argentinian Jews comprising only 1% of the population. The killings were committed by the Junta in an attempt to fully silence social and political opposition.
Protests during Argentina's Dirty War were led by courageous human rights groups, most notably the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, who defied the military junta by marching weekly in Buenos Aires to demand the whereabouts of their "disappeared" children, friends and loved ones. These, alongside other protests, challenged state terrorism, rape, torture, and widespread human rights violations, laying the groundwork for the eventual return to democracy.

Answer: False

Milan is the regional capital of Lombardy in northern Italy. Located in Lombardy, Milan is situated in the north-western section of the Po Valley, approximately halfway between the river Po to the south and the foothills of the Alps with the great lakes (Como, Maggiore, and Lugano) to the north, the Ticino river to the west and the Adda to the east. The city's land is flat and the elevation is relatively low; its highest point is 400 ft above sea level. Milan is also the capital of Lombardy, one of the twenty regions of Italy. Lombardy is by far the most populated region of Italy, with more than ten million inhabitants, almost one sixth of the national total.

Answer: True
Milan's wider metropolitan area is the largest in Italy and the fourth-largest in the European Union, with an estimated population of 6.1 million. Milan is considered Italy's economic capital, and its metropolitan area accounts for about 20% of the country's GDP.

Answer: False

Milan is a major international tourist destination, being one of the most visited cities in the world, ranked second in Italy after ROME, fifth in Europe and sixteenth in the world. The city also has numerous hotels, including the ultra-luxurious Town House Galleria, which is the world's first seven-star hotel according to Société Générale de Surveillance.

Answer: True

Like most cities in Italy, Milan has developed its own local culinary tradition, which, as it is typical for North Italian cuisines, uses more frequently rice than pasta, butter than vegetable oil and features almost no tomato or fish. Milanese traditional dishes include cotoletta alla milanese, a breaded veal (pork and turkey can be used) cutlet pan-fried in butter (similar to Viennese Wiener Schnitzel). Other typical dishes are cassoeula (stewed pork rib chops and sausage with Savoy cabbage), ossobuco (braised veal shank served with a condiment called gremolata), risotto alla milanese (with saffron and beef marrow), busecca (stewed tripe with beans), mondeghili (meatballs made with leftover meat fried in butter) and brasato (stewed beef or pork with wine and potatoes).

Answer: True

The city hosts La Scala opera house, widely considered one of the world's most prestigious, with a 200-year history of premieres of major operas, such as Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi in 1842, La Gioconda by Amilcare Ponchielli, Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini in 1904, Turandot by Puccini in 1926, and more recently Teneke, by Fabio Vacchi in 2007.

Answer: False

Her father was English, and her mother, Baroness Ella van Heemstra, was Dutch, making her lineage a blend of English, Dutch, and Austrian/German heritage through her paternal grandparents.

Answer: True

Hepburn said she wept when she saw Dutch-Jewish children placed in Nazi cattle trains. Her half-brother was sent to a Nazi labor camp.

Answer:  False

Hepburn won an Oscar for her first starring role in the 1953 film, Roman Holiday. Directed by William Wyler, Audrey plays a runaway princess incognito. Her co-star, Gregory Peck, is a down-on-his-luck reporter who pretends he doesn’t know who she really is, hoping for a big payday with the world aghast with “Where is the Princess.”

The script was written by Dalton Trumbo and John Dighton, though with Trumbo on the Hollywood blacklist, he did not receive a credit, and Ian McLellan Hunter fron

ted for him. Trumbo's name was reinstated when the film was released on DVD in 2003,

Answer:  False

The novella was by Truman Capote, who expressed disappointment with Hepburn cast as Holly Golightly - a naïve, excentric – out to land a millionaire. He had envisioned Tuesday Weld or Marilyn Monroe, actors less glamorous.

Answer:  False

Audrey Hepburn is buried in the cemetery in Tolochenaz, Switzerland, a village near Morges where she lived for the last 30 years of her life.

Her grave is marked by a simple, well-kept stone cross and is a modest resting place surrounded by flowers, reflecting her wish for simplicity.

Answer: True

German y is widely considered one of the world's most industrialized nations, consistently ranking #1 for industrial competitiveness (manufacturing) by UNIDO, leading Europe in industrial output, and known globally for its high-tech manufacturing, especially in automotive, machinery, and chemicals, despite challenges like energy costs.

Answer: False

Oktoberfest is the world's largest Volksfest ("people's festival"). It combines a beer festival with a fun fair and is held annually in Munich on the Theresienwiese from mid-September to the first Sunday in October.

The event draws around seven million visitors each year. In 2023, attendance reached a record 7.2 million. Visitors consumed approximately 7.4 million litres of beer. The festival features amusement rides, games, food stalls, and traditional Bavarian dishes.

The first Oktoberfest was held on October 12, 1810 to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.

Answer: False

Kings of the Road ("In The Course of Time") is a 1976 German road film directed by Wim Wenders. It was the third part of Wenders' "Road Movie trilogy" which included Alice in the Cities (1974) and The Wrong Move (1975). It was the unanimous winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival.

Answer:  False

Pennsylvania has the largest German-American population in the U.S., with roughly 2.8 to 3.3 million people claiming German ancestry, making up nearly a quarter of the state's residents, stemming from significant 17th and 18th-century immigration that established deep cultural roots still seen today in places like Lancaster, Berks, and Lehigh counties.

Answer:  False

No single person invented bratwurst; it emerged in Germany, with origins debated between regions like Thuringia and Franconia, featuring the earliest mention in Nuremberg in 1313 and a 1269 Thuringian recipe, evolving from using meat scraps ("brat") to avoid waste ("wurst").

Answer: True

With recent estimates, Japan's population is near 122.8 million (early 2026), though it's experiencing a steady decline, with figures dropping from peaks around 128 million in 2008-2010, with projections suggesting further decrease due to low birth rates. It remains one of the world's most populous nations, ranking around 12th globally.

Answer: False

Monaco consistently ranks as the country with the highest life expectancy, often around 87-89 years, followed closely by wealthy Asian territories like Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, and European microstates like San Marino, with factors like good healthcare, diet, and living standards contributing to longevity.

In Japan, recent data shows women living to around 87.13 years and men to about 81.09 years, reflecting strong healthcare, diet (plant-based, fish), lifestyle (walking, moderation), and social cohesion, though future trends face challenges from Westernized diets.

Answer. True

Japan was largely closed to the world from the 1630s until 1853.

Under the Tokugawa Shogunate's sakoku (locked country) policy, which banned most foreigners from entry and Japanese citizens from leaving, limiting foreign trade to a small Dutch and Chinese presence in Nagasaki to preserve control and suppress Christianity. This period of over 200 years ended when U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's "Black Ships" forced Japan to open for trade.

Answer: True

Japanese woodblocks refer to the woodblock prints (ukiyo-e), a traditional art form where images are carved into wooden blocks, inked, and pressed onto paper to create multiple copies, popular for depicting scenes of everyday life, landscapes, and actors during Japan's Edo period (1603-1868). This complex process involved specialized artists, carvers, and printers, using water-based inks and distinct registration marks for colorful prints, resulting in iconic artworks like Hokusai's The Great Wave.

How They're Made (The Ukiyo-e Process)

Design: An artist draws the image, often on thin paper, which is then glued face-down onto a wooden block (usually cherry wood).

Carving: A skilled carver uses chisels to carve away wood, leaving the design in relief (raised), creating a master block for the lines.

Color Blocks: For multi-colored prints, separate blocks are carved for each color, with special registration marks (ki-zuri) to align them perfectly.

Printing: A printer applies water-based pigments (not oil-based like in the West) to the inked block, places paper over it, and uses a baren (a smooth pad) to rub and transfer the image.

Tokyo Story, 1953

Answer: False

Tokyo Story is a 1953 Japanese drama film directed by Yasujiro Ozu and starring Chishu Ryu and Chieko Higashiyama, about an aging couple who travel to Tokyo to visit their grown children.

Upon release, it did not immediately gain international recognition and was considered "too Japanese" to be marketable by Japanese film exporters. It was screened in 1957 in London, where it won the inaugural Sutherland Trophy the following year, and received praise from U.S. film critics after a 1972 screening in New York City.

Tokyo Story is widely regarded as Ozu's magnum opus and one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. It was voted the greatest film of all time in the 2012 edition of a poll of film directors by Sight and Sound magazine.

In Irish (or Gaelic) Christmas is 'Nollaig', Santa Claus is known as 'San Nioclás' (Saint Nicholas) or 'Daidí na Nollag' (Father Christmas) and Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Nollaig Shona Dhuit'.

Of course it's true.

Would we ever lie to you?