Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-7-2025 — Live Aid.

17th July, 2025: Live Aid.

It’s officially official: I’ve had a haircut.

And?

I’m feeling a lot less shaggy.

And a lot less sweaty, as well.

That … ?

Is something to be grateful for, I think.

~≈💈≈~

I’ve ALSO managed to buy a copy of Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency.

It’s a potted history of GCHQ, the UK’s signal intelligence body.

It should be a fascinating read.

But?

The thing’s the size of a breeze block.

It’s going to take a while … !

~≈📚≈~

I have to admit, I’ve caught another episode of Max Headroom: one called “Whacketts”.

It’s an episode that sees viewers literally hooked on a TV show called Whacketts: as a result of an addictive signal buried beneath the Whacketts game show.

It’s not quite the same.

But it, and the “Blipverts” episode, the episode that saw obese people explode after watching a certain type of TV advert, reminded me of the “Dennō Senshi Porygon” episode of the Pokemon TV show.

A mix of the Japanese TV system’s frequency, and one scene’s flickering animation … caused about six hundred children in Japan to have everything from intense migraines to convulsions.

The clip gives me a headache, I know that!

My point?

Is simply this.

Sometimes, science fiction can be a little too near the knuckle … !

~≈😵‍💫≈~

Let’s move on.


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Mum†, Irene‡ and Debbi§ putting in their answers: with everyone scoring five out of five.


Let’s see how everyone does with today’s Live Aid-themed questions, shall we?

Here it is, along with the How To, License and video.

Q1)        The original Live Aid concert took place: on 13th July, 1985.   On which day of the week: Friday, Saturday or Sunday?

Q2)        The concert raised money: to aid which African nation?

Q3)        The concert was set up after the release of a charity single by Band Aid: a single that raised money for the same cause.   What was the single called: “We Are The World”, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” or “The Stonk”?

Q4)        Which band re-united for the concert: the Beatles, the Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin?

Q5)        Finally … ?   The British end of the concert finished at 21:57.   With which song: “We Are The World”, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” or “The Stonk”?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        The Bisbee Deportation occurred: on 12th July, 1917.   The event was a kidnapping of 1,300 striking whoms: sailors, miners or steel workers?

A1)        Miners.

Q2)        Bisbee, strike, and kidnappings, were in which US state?

A2)        Arizona.

Q3)        12th July is the national day of Kiribati.   It’s in which ocean: the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean or the Indian Ocean?

A3)        The Pacific Ocean.

Q4)        4th March, 2025, saw the United Nations pass a resolution.   One that declared 12th July to be the International Day of what: hope, healing or heritage?

A4)        Hope.   (I’ve linked to the English language version of the relevant document, there.   At the time of writing, there’s no associated webpage.   Hopefully — ha! — one will be active by next year: doing a hope themed set would be nice.)

Q5)        Finally … ?   12th July, 1470, saw the end of the Battle of Negroponte, when the defending castle was eventually captured.   By an army from where: the Chinese Empire, the Ottoman Empire to the Byzantine Empire?

A5)        The Ottoman Empire.

Here’s a thought …

“An estimated audience of 1.9 billion people in 150 nations watched the live broadcast, nearly 40 percent of the world population.”

From the Wikipedia entry on the concert.

And a clue …

The next ten question set is on Tuesday: it’s about the Northwest Territories.

Comments will be published, tomorrow morning.

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

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        You mean the Penfield Mood Organ, Olga: this thing?   I can see what you mean about destroying jobs … but I have a feeling someone would form Mood Organ Anonymous not long after the thing went on sale!   There’d still be jobs for mental health workers: at least for 12-step specialists.   Now, did I point you at my comments about the Max Headroom episode … ?

        It’s a popular SF idea: I believe Iain M. Banks has used something similar in his Culture¶ novels.   Members of the Culture have surgically implanted glands, glands that feed a variety of mood altering substances into their systems.

        Oh, Banks’ novel also had something called a neural lace, a brain/computer interface.   Elon’s been working on something similar for years …

†        Hello, Mum!

‡        You’re not wrong, there, Irene: there’s bullies, everywhere.   (I avoid mentioning the current US President!)

§        That’s a very wise thought, Debbi¹!   Oh, have you got umbrellas?   Old fashioned, rain, umbrellas?   There were a few people floating around town, yesterday, with umbrellas.   To keep the sun off, rather than the rain.   There’s possibly a comment or two, there, but it’s too hot, already …

        Oh, the Village Shop does this: I’m blowed if I’m spending THAT much!

¶        I always think, Olga, that Star Trek’s Federation, and Banks’ Culture, have similarities and differences.   They’re both post-scarcity civilisations that have solved all their problems.   But where the Federation wants to spread Truth, Justice and the American Way, the Culture … wants to have a party.   And its invited three planets, two space stations and a dog.

¹        Oh, they do craft beers, as well, Debbi.   Now they tell me … !   (IPA is short for Indian Pale Ale, so you know.   It was originally made for export to British Troops in India.)