Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-6-2017

I don’t suppose you’ve got a few grand going begging?

Spare kidney?

Gold bars?

Something like that … ?

Just to help a hard working blogger?

Only I’ve JUST seen Apple’s new hi-spec iMacPro.

And, yes: you’re right.

I want one of them puppies!

Just imagine how fast it’d do a Handbrake encode!

~≈Ÿ≈~

On something of a low note?

I was coming home from work, last.

As you do.

And noticed a couple of patrolling policemen: grabbing themselves a takeaway curry.

One thing I noticed?

They were both armed.

With Tasers.

OK, I know there’s a reason to see armed officers on the streets of the UK.

I know Tasers aren’t the heavy weaponry you’d see on the streets of New York or Chicago.

But armed police?

In Chelmsford, of all places?

I can only quote you one of Terry Pratchett’s best know character, Sam Vimes: in Jingo

With slightly different emphasis*?

“A watchman is a civilian.”

~≈Ÿ≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga† and Debbi‡ putting in their answers: with both scoring ten out of ten.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 7th June, 1929, saw Italy’s parliament ratify the Lateran Treaty.   The treaty formally created what: the Italian presidency, Vatican City or the Bank of Italy?

Q2) 7th June, 2015, saw the death of actor, Christopher Lee.   Which Chinese villain did he play, in a series of 1960s films?

Q3) 7th June, 1899, saw Temperance campaigner, Carrie Nation, begin her crusade.   By destroying bars with what: dynamite, a hatchet or leaflets?

Q4) Mount Pinatubo erupted: on 7th June, 1991.   The volcano is where: the Philippines, New Zealand or Japan?

Q5) Finally … 7th June, 1965, saw the US Supreme Court hand down it decision: on Griswold v. Connecticut.   The decision effectively legalized what: marijuana use, contraception or tax fraud?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 6th June is UN Russian Language Day.   The date was chosen as it marks the birth of the man regarded as the father of Russian literature.   Who was that writer?

A1) Alexander Pushkin.

Q2) Russian is one of six official languages of the United Nations.   Name one of the others.

A2) Arabic, Chinese, English, French or Spanish.

Q3) The Russian Alphabet has how many letters: 32, 33 or 34?

A3) 33.

Q4) That alphabet is called the what Alphabet: Latin, Cyrillic or Turkic?

A4) Cyrillic.

Q5) What’s the most frequently used letter in Russian?

A5) The Cyrillic O.

Q6) Russian is an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan … and where else?

A6) Kyrgyzstan.

Q7) Nadsat is a made up language: based on a mixture of Russian and English.   It’s spoken in which Anthony Burgess novel?

A7) A Clockwork Orange.

Q8) The Izvestia newspaper was published in Russian.   The name, Izvestia, means what?

A8) It transliterates as ‘delivered messages’: but is usually translated as News, or reports.

Q9) Mikhail Gorbachev made one Russian ‘G’ famous.   Which ‘G’?

A9) Glasnost.   (If you want it in Cyrillic?   It’s гла́сность.)

Q10) Finally … What’s the one Russian word you’re likely to find in a screwdriver?

A10) Vodka.   (A screwdriver is a good old fashioned vodka and orange.)

Here’s a tune … 

And a thought …

“Anyway, as I keep telling everyone, you can’t blame me for looking like this on purpose.”

Anna Kournikova, born 7th June, 1981.

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        As I write?   I realise there’s a lot of Pratchett fans completing the phrase: “A watchman is a civilian, you inbred streak of piss.”   Ahem … !

†        Well, it’s holding up SO far, Olga^.   Hopefully, it won’t fall over.   Unlike British Airways!   (Apparently?   Someone pulled out the wrong plug …)

†        Hmmm … sounds like it’s based on a true story, Debbi^: I don’t know if the series rings any bells for me, but I know Russia’s had sleepers lurking in the US, before now.   Then there was the (non-sleeping) Rosenbergs.

^        Drat!   Olga, Debbi, you both got the Screwdriver question: just as I was going for cunning!   Just as a point of trivia, though?   We know a screwdriver is a vodka and orange.   We know a Harvey Wallbanger is a screwdriver with added Galliano.   But did I mention the Long Sloe Comfortable Screw, Up against a Wall?   (One place I worked at, I offered to give them away for free: if you could ask for them without laughing … we ran out of sloe gin …)