Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers blog

 They’re funny, they’re politically astute, and they’re ridiculously yellow. Best of all they are probably one of the most loved families on TV. Well, now the Simpsons have stepped out onto their yellow carpet and hit the big screen. This is sure to get many fans excited on Answers, and also give everyone a chance to learn about our favourite Springfield residents.

They may only have gained fame in the cinema recently, but The Simpsons have obviously been entertaining us from our TV screens since many years, as St Jimmy found out when he asked exactly when they’d arrived on British TV. This fame is well deserved though, as they manage to make audiences of all ages laugh. Whether it’s Homer’s famous ‘Doh!’, Bart’s mischievous antics or Maggie’s silent presence, we all have a favourite moment. These favourite moments were shared on Answers when a user set out to find the most amusing quote from the cartoon.

Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart and Maggie – they all get credit for being great, but let’s not forget that it’s real people providing the voices for each Simpson. Which actor provides the voices for the most characters though?

Witty dialogues and original voices bring life into the animation but it wouldn’t be complete without cool effects. When one Answerer wondered how these impressive effects are achieved, another user explained that “the animators started to use computer programs to make the special animated effects”. So, technology lets the producers create great scenes, but how did people produce animation before computers were there to help?

With animated films on the increase, we’re lucky to enough to enjoy the company of characters like Shrek, Nemo, Roger Rabbit and this week, The Simpsons. So, watch them, love them, and if you have any more unanswered questions about them, just ask Answers.

– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team

 Have you come across a question which made you think “Wow that is so interesting”? We have, many times. That’s because as well as allowing wannabe scientists to ponder about the mysterious aspects of space or help eager chefs look for a mouth watering recipe, Answers has also been home to many weird and wonderful questions. The ones which instantly make you think, ponder, or simply smile.

For example, have you ever thought about why we can’t tickle ourselves? And isn’t it funny why one person yawning sets off a wave of yawns with other people too? Our body does other strange things too, which users like Angel Kiss have asked about. She wanted to know why we get hiccups. Similarly, Moonbeam was curious to know why we blink.

As well as our own odd behaviours, we seem to be asking a lot about animals. Since they can’t explain to us why they do the things they do, we can only ask each other, just like an answerer did when he asked why penguin’s feet don’t freeze. They waddle along on the ice all day, so it is quite fascinating to know how they avoid frostbite.

Like these penguins, birds must have some sort of super power too, otherwise why is that they don’t get electrocuted while perching happily on wires? If that wasn’t interesting enough for you, then maybe you’d like to find out how spiders manage to avoid sticking to their own webs. And on that sticky note, why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

Looking at these questions, it seems that Answers users really are a curious bunch. Unfortunately, this isn’t always a good thing – after all, curiosity killed the cat. But luckily, we’re not cats, we’re inquisitive people who continue to ask which biscuit will survive the most dunks in tea, or just how those blue are red stripes are put into white toothpaste.

These are just a selection of the quirky things that Answerers have asked, but there are many more out there. So if you’ve ever asked or seen a question which you think definitely had the ‘wow’ factor, leave a comment and let us know about it. After all, the Answer’s community is all about learning, discovering and sharing.

– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team

 Not so long ago, we were celebrating English Wine Week on Answers, with Matt Skinner asking “How can we encourage people to give English wine a chance?” Well, whether it’s English or not, we know one user who doesn’t need to be told twice about the qualities of wine. That’s why this week we’re raising our glasses to Edward Mainwaring-Burton, who, like Matt Skinner, is a professional sommelier and has impressed us all with his expertise in the Beers, Wines & Spirits category.

By being interested in and working in the catering industry since the age of 14, our featured user has managed to delve deep enough into the drinking world to ensure that no wine question is too difficult for him to face. Whether an answerer has been looking for the best wine from 1982, or the best winery to visit in France, our drinks guru has pointed them in the right direction.

Knowing which wine, champagne or beer to drink is one thing, but understanding their terminology is something not everyone pays attention to. One user was wondering what ‘SSS Malt distilling’ referred to, and as expected, our pro knew.

One of the most important aspects of wine drinking is understanding when a wine has matured and is just right to consume. Edward Mainwaring-Burton cleared this up for a user wondering about the perfect age. Similarly, Danski wasn’t sure exactly when a wine can be called ‘vintage’. Our wine master replied with a simple answer saying that a bottle marked ‘vintage’ denotes that “at least 85% of the juice fermented to produce that bottle was from grapes harvested in that particular year.”

As all wine-buffs will know, there is even an art to opening and pouring a bottle of champagne. Edward Mainwaring-Burton has definitely mastered this art as he explains: “a good sommelier should be able to pour a magnum (double-bottle) with one hand, holding the bottle at the base. For the slightly larger formats, one is allowed to use the second hand to stabilise and support the bottle…”

If Edward Mainwaring-Burton’s selection of answers hasn’t quenched your thirst, you may want to check out Pontac’s contribution to answers. He is another user who truly knows his rose from his reserve.

When speaking of his career, Edward Mainwaring-Burton says “I see myself as the modern answer to the traditional view of the sommelier as a snooty, snobby wine-buff. I like to try to bring this ‘old-fashioned’ skill and knowledge to young people through my approach and attitude.” Answering questions is surely one more way to bring out and share your skill. Thank you for all your input to Answers Edward Mainwaring-Burton, and congratulations on being this week’s featured user.

– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team

 Long gone are the days when most Brits were happy to pack their bucket and spade, and head to an English seaside resort for their yearly holiday. It’s hard to believe that a little over 30 years ago, most people had their main holiday in the UK. These days, we think nothing of catching a flight abroad for a summer break, seeking adventure as well as relaxation.

Luckily for you, World of Answers has been trawling sun spots, checking out all the different destinations perfect for trips between the end of July and September, the traditional holiday season for families.

Going back to Bulgaria is first on the agenda. You may remember we mentioned the Balkan nation when giving you the low-down on winter sports a few months ago. Bulgaria is rapidly becoming a major tourist haven for summer sun because it can be quite a low-cost destination.

There are lots of flights on budget airlines, according to Tom G. “Wizz Air operates flights from London Luton…to the capital Sofia and the tourist resort of Bourgas. Also there are two airlines that operate from London Heathrow (LHR) to Sofia – British Airways and Hemus Airways.” The aptly named resort of Sunny Beach seems to live up to its name and is one of the many popular tourist spots says avid traveler Turkeyinfo. And she should know, she’s been back to Sunny Beach almost a dozen times!

“I must say it gets better every time I go, there is plenty to do and the people are very friendly,” she enthuses. “The food in the hotels, especially evening meals are awful but there are many restaurants that do fabulous food… A good restaurant called The White House is a must and it is cheap.”

There’s nothing like tips from people who know the country, John_l_k reckons he knows where you should go to avoid the crowds: “I would recommend Sozopol. It’s about 25 miles south of Burgas, has a fine ‘old’ town, and some great sandy beaches to the south. Another plus is the fact that the majority of the tourists are actually Bulgarians.”

If the world is your oyster, maybe it’s time to think long haul? If you’ve got two weeks or longer to spend, there are some amazing experiences to be had. It is low season for much of Asia and India meaning that although flights cost more than countries closer to home, your money will usually go much further when you get there. It’s the height of the wet season in Thailand but a better bet if you’re looking to save the pennies like Pamela O, might be Goa, renowned for it’s many beaches. The south Indian state does get rain at this time providing respite from the heat but could make for a great beach-hopping holiday as a way of dodging the showers.

As Valda54 explains: “As its out of season the accommodation is really cheap for basic room, no more than £4 pound per day, might be less. Hotels are a bit dearer, but not much… It’s not raining all the time and still very warm.”

Other potential destinations for this time of year include Hawaii where taraloha recommends the once-in-a-lifetime trip to the active volcano found on the also aptly named Big Island. “The lava has been flowing since 1983 and it’s really incredible to walk right out to it and see it right in front of you!” And that’s just one of a host of activities that the largest of Hawaii’s islands has to offer; “Punalu’u Black Sand Beach is amazing too. Lots of turtles… Rainbow Falls – on Hilo side…Ahalanui hot springs… Really, really neat place! Heated by underground lava tubes.”

Finally, a brief tip… As we know in Britain, summer is festival season and it doesn’t just have to be about the music. Every August, the town of Buñol, Spain hosts a far messier event than Glastonbury, La Tomatina, which culminates in possibly the world’s largest tomato fight! PhilipL has braved the fun frenzied food fight and warns, “Go with friends, or be careful of the locals…” Tomato throwing lasts just an hour so don’t be late!

Hope we’ve given you some inspiration on trips you could take. To research your holiday plans and get more tips from the avid travellers, why not consult the Answers community?

– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team

Prepare yourself to be hit with a massive Potter summer… Yes, the boy wizard is back and not just once, but twice. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth movie, hits cinemas across the country from July 12; then, if you haven’t had enough, the seventh and final instalment of the J.K. Rowling’s series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be on bookstore shelves on July 21. After a long wait, the Potter fans will finally have their fair share of magic. But if you don’t like him, it’s going to be a long, long summer.

The European premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix took place on July 3 in London’s Leicester Square, where organisers recreated the atmosphere of the Ministry of Magic. Hundreds of thrilled fans were there, waiting in the rain for a chance to see Daniel Radcliffe and his co-stars Emma Watson and Rupert Grint on the red carpet. JK Rowling herself made a rare public appearance for what is already acknowledged to be the best and the darkest movie of the series so far.

Since there’s the two-segment lag between the movie and the book, some of you might need a refresher prior to seeing the new flick. Here are some essential points to recall when you head into the cinema:

• Harry won the Triwizard tournament, but at the expense of seeing Cedric Diggory murdered.
• Voldemort was resurrected through some powerful dark magic, with some of his Death Eaters returning to his side.
• After Voldemort’s restoration, he tried once again to kill Harry, but in this generation’s version of the classic “Ghostbusters” line, “don’t cross the streams”, their wands connected in a mysterious fashion that we later learned from Dumbledore is called Priori Incantatem.
• The Mad-Eye Moody we knew from Goblet of Fire was actually Barty Crouch, Jr., transformed through polyjuice potion.His soul is sucked out by Dementors before he gives his confession to the Ministry of Magic and confirms that Voldemort has returned.
• Sirius Black, Harry’s godfather, is still on the run, but in close contact with Harry and Dumbledore.Fred and George Weasley are always up to no good, to hilarious measure.
• Harry is being a true teenager at last, as it seems that the object of his affections, Cho Chang has a crush on him too.
• Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are continuously at each other’s throats, signalling a growing sexual tension between them.

If you think of other plot points that would be important to remember before seeing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, feel free to add your comments and share your views on the subject with the Answers community

Also, don’t forget to check out the Potter feature on Yahoo! Movies for interviews, trailers and great info.

– Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers team