Friday, 10 October 2025

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 10-10-2025 — World Porridge Day

10th October, 2025: World Porridge Day.


Right … it’s Friday: and I’m up early, again.

Yesterday?

I was up early, to go to what they used to call a Job Fair: a chance for employers to meet potential recruits.

I didn’t get much out of it, I think.

But get details of L&Q’s recruitment website: so I could set up an email alert.

So that’s something.

By contrast, I’m up early, today … because I’ve an optician’s appointment.

Yep: I’m picking up new spectacles.

Hopefully, I won’t need to return them at a later dat.

~≈🥸≈~

Peace has broken out in the Middle East.

As Israel’s cabinet approved the peace plan proposed by the US President.

Can I be honest|?

I feel deeply cynical about this.

As the Middle East has seen peace-plan after peace-plan, ceasefire after ceasefire, for way too long.

I fully expect this to last for ten minutes.

I also feel deeply cynical about the US president’s motive.

He’s made it perfectly clear he want’s a Nobel Peace Prize: saying as much at a recent speech at the UN.

As far as I’m concerned?

This means the president wants the prestige of a Nobel peace prize because:
  • He’s jealous: President Obama got one, so he wants one, too.
  • He wants one to make himself look good: rather than because he thinks peace in the Middle East is a good thing to achieve.
OK: I grant President Obama’s Nobel Prize got awarded in a suspiciously short amount of time.

But Obama wasn’t publicly embarrassing himself, and his country, by begging for it.

The current president?

Is.

Frankly?

I can only hope the Nobel Committee gives the gong to someone — anyone! — else.

~≈🏅≈~
Let’s move on.

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



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

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

Q1)        Charity, Mary’s Meals named 10th October as World Porridge Day.   The first World Porridge Day was celebrated in which year: 2007, 2009 or 2011?

Q2)        Scottish porridge is usually made out of what: oats, wheat or barley?

Q3)        Stirabout is a traditional porridge, usually eaten where: Scotland, Ireland, Wales or England?

Q4)        Polenta is a type of Porridge: usually made out of maize.   It comes from where: Italy, Spain or Romania?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Pease pudding is a type of savoury porridge.   It’s usually made with boiled what: legumes, tubers or brassicas?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        The Khmer Republic was proclaimed on 9th October, 1970.   The country was a US backed dictatorship that is now which Asian nation: Cambodia, Thailand or Vietnam?
A1)        Cambodia.

Q2)        9th October is World what Day: World Cheese Day, World Food Day, or World Post Day?
A2)        World Post Day.

Q3)        Hurricane Milton made landfall on 9th October, 2024: on the US island of Siesta Key.   The Key is in which US state?
A3)        Florida.

Q4)        During the Campaign of Danture, Portuguese troops were defeated on 9th October, 1594.   They were defeated by troops from what’s now where: Sri Lanka, Sicily or the Isle of Mann?
A4)        Sri Lanka.

Q5)        Finally … ?   Kepler’s Supernova was first spotted on the night of the 8th and 9th October, 1604.   It was spotted by whom: Johannes Kepler, John Flamsteed or Galileo Galilei?
A5)        Johannes Kepler.   I’m assuming people won’t get this wrong.   (With all due respect to Kepler and Flamsteed, you can sing about Galileo … )
Here’s a thought … 
“Nothing in this world is at it seems.   Except, possibly, porridge.”
Stephen Fry.
And opening credits …


The next ten question set is on 24th October: it’s about Zambia

Your comments will be published, tomorrow morning.

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

I’ve tried to avoid using AI in writing this quiz.

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.



*        Hello, Mum.

†        That issue with iTunes was never one I had with the thing, Olga.   Mind you, I suspect that’s because the Mac version worked better with macOS than it ever did with Windows.   The pair were both made by Apple, after all.   (It’s similar to iMovie and DaVinci Resolve, the two video editors I use.   iMovie, the Apple app, has a lot less features than DaVinci: but works a lot better, as Apple has optimised it for their OS.)
        Did you ever hear the phrase ‘TBR pile’, Olga?   The initialism means ‘To Be Read’: and it sounds like you have one as big as mine.   (We both have piles.   That’s possibly not the best phrase, is it?)


        Morning, Irene: how IS the day … ?   (OK, Johannesberg Kepler?)


§        Remind me to tell you about Have I Got News for You, Debbi: the original UK version.   They were due to have a Labour politician called Roy Hattersley on, one week.   When Hattersley cancelled at the last minute, he got replaced.   By a tub of lard.   He never lived it down … 

5 comments:

Nik Nak said...

As a last thought … ?

Serving time in prison is known as ‘porridge’ because of an old superstition.

If you don’t eat the porridge on the last day of a sentence, you’ll be back to finish it latter … 

Mum said...

1 2002
2 Oats
3 Wales
4 Italy
5 Legumes

Irene said...

I believe Johannesburg to be an old family name Paul....... bloody auto spell check .... another Gremlin. As a one would say ... heho !! 😃

1. 2009
2. Oats
3. Ireland
4. Italian
5. Legumes

Olga said...

Q1) 2009

Q2) oats

Q3) Ireland

Q4) Italy

Q5) legumes
Yes, I am sure that's true. Apple and Windows don't play well together.
My list to read, although mostly digital, is ginormous. One of the problems being that, as it is digital, you don't quite realise how big it is.
Yesterday I borrowed a physical book from the library, as I'm covering a book club on Tuesday, for the radio, and I thought I'd try to read some of the book, at least (I doubt I'll have time to read the whole of it).
I agree with you on the Trump front. I hope he is suitably disappointed, and he might have a fit when he realises the prize has gone to a Venezuelan woman, of all the possible recipients. Reading what the committee has written, it is evident that he will never be considered for it, because democracy, whatever he says, is not his strong point, and listening to others isn't either. Anybody who is eager to get the Nobel Peace Prize doesn't deserve it, in my opinion.
I'm also deeply doubtful about the peace agreement...

Debbi said...

Oi! Frightening thought there. :)

Hey, speaking of British slang, someone on Substack commented on my use of the phrase "cream crackered" in a post. They speculated that I might be from London. :)

I explained that I know a few Londoners, who've been kind enough to share this info with me. But I was so pleased! :)

1. 2009
2. oats
3. Ireland
4. Italy
5. legumes