The Daily Teaser …

Ooh …

According to the news, Gordon Brown’s going on a banana diet, in the run-up to a potential Election, this year.

Which is …

Interesting …

Possibly the most pointless piece of news I’ve ever seen, but interesting …

Actually, no, it’s not: not interesting at all.

But I never thought I’d see the day that the BBC Breakfast news turn into Hello magazine.

Haircuts, bananas, and straightening up of the tie.

Deary, deary, me …

Lets move on, shall we?

Yeeeeeeees …

To quote Jeremy Paxman …

•••••

Yesterday’s teaser saw Simon — just Simon, bless him — wind up with 6 out of 6, and the Official First-In-Clap!

Let’s see how he — and everyone else — does with today’s set: here they are, along with the ‘How To’ and License …

Q1) 9^th February, 1822, saw the Dominican Republic invaded by which nation?

Q2) 9^th February, 1966, saw Minister for Technology, Frank Cousins, announce that what was to be built at Dounreay, in Scotland?

Q3) A few years earlier, on 9^th February, saw who accuse the US Department of State of being full of communists?

Q4) 9^th February, 1979, saw Nottingham Forest F. C. make a record by buying the first £1, 000, 000 player: who was that player?

Q5) And finally … 9^th February, 1900, saw the establishment of which Tennis tournament?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 8^th February, 1692, saw Reverent John Hale claim that two local girls were suffering from ‘bewitchment’: in which Massachusetts town?

A1) Salem.

Q2) 8^th February, 1865: the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution — that formally abolished slavery, in the US — was rejected, today. By which US state?

A2) Delaware.

Q3) 8^th of February, 1994, saw police announce the suspicious death of which late MP?

A3) Stephen Milligan. (The only definite thing we can say about his death is what the Coroner’s report said: that he was found with a black bin-liner over his head, a length of electrical wire around his neck, and wearing stockings and a rather nice lacy pair of suspenders. The stories about the amphetamine laced tangerine, the Mars bar, the Russian hooker, nine bananas and a vacuum cleaner, proved to be unfounded. Senseless waste of human life, really … )

Q4) 8^th February, 1867, saw the Ausgleich: this helped create the monarchy of which European Empire?

A4) The Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Q5) 8^th February, 2007, saw the death of which American model, widow and entertainer?

A5) Anna Nicole Smith.

Q6) And finally: 8^th February, 1915, saw the premiere of which controversial D. W. Griffith film?

A6) The Birth of A Nation.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later.