Oh, well … 
Britain came nineteenth in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Why am I not surprised … ?
Actually, no, I’m never surprised.   We are talking about a contest that — as far as I’m concerned — was really last musically relevant at some point in the 1980s.
What’s more … ?   The last time the UK won, we had to import Katrina and the Waves.
I mean … COME ON!!!!!!!!
Either way … ?
Either way, we got beaten by this year’s Romanian entry: possibly the only time Dracula’s turned up for the gig … 
~≈‡≈~
Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting up her answers.   With Andy* quickly looking in to tell us Sue was looking out for spoilers, yesterday ALSO saw Debbi† putting up this 
post: AND bagging five out of six.
 
Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s Commonwealth questions, shall we?
Q1)  19th May, 1649, saw England named as a Commonwealth, or republic, as a result of its Civil War.   Who was named as Lord Protector, or ruler … ?
Q2)  More to the point, what name was given to the Parliament that made the declaration: the Short, Long or Rump … ?
Q3)  For how long was England a Commonwealth: ten, eleven or twelve years … ?
Q4)  Who was the English King overthrown by the Lord Protector’s forces … ?
Q5)  During the Civil War that led up to the Commonwealth, what nickname was given to royal forces … ?
Q6)  Similarly, what nickname was given to the Parliamentary forces … ?
Q7)  And finally … The Lord Protector in Q1 was replaced by his son.   What was his son’s name … ?
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1)  18th May, 1948, saw the Legislative Yuan — its Parliament, in other words — of the Republic of China convene for the first time.   In which city … ?
A1)  Nanjiang, then under Taiwanese control.
Q2)  More to the point, what’s the Legislative Yuan’s nearest equivalent in the People’s Republic of China: the National People’s Congress or the State Council … ?
A2)  National People’s Congress.
Q3)  18th May, 2012, saw which well known website start trading on the US NASDAQ exchange … ?
A3)  Facebook.
Q4)  18th May, 1944, saw the fall of which Italian monastery … ?
A4)  Monte Cassino.
Q5)  More to the point, was this to Allied or Axis forces … ?
A5)  Allied.
Q6)  Finally … 18th May, 1964, saw running battles between gangs of Mods and Rockers: in which English seaside town … ?
A6)  Brighton.
Enjoy those, everyone.
I’ll leave you with this thought from England’s Lord Protector …
“I had rather have a plain, russet-coated Captain, that knows what he fights for, and loves what he knows, than that you call a Gentleman and is nothing else.”
Words of the Lord Protector.
And — as the band’s supposed to have been named after a Parliamentarian faction during the Civil War — I’ll leave you with this tune from the Levellers … 
Enjoy your day … 
*        Andy, I didn’t know if you and Sue saw it float past, but 
here’s‡ my write up … 
†        Glad to be able to help, Debbi! (Oh, by the way … ?  
Here’s‡ the write up on last nights episode: SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!)
‡        The 23rd of November, this year, can’t come soon enough … !
 
 
Thanks, Paul! :) I'll watch the episode later. I'm taking a short break from proofing to do the teaser early.
ReplyDelete1. Oliver Cromwell
2. Rump
3. 11
4. Charles I
5. the Grandees
6. the Roundheads
7. his son, Richard