The Daily Teaser …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I’ve got the news on in the background.

Rather than, say Yesterday for example.

And one item that’s floated past me, last night, has been mentioned, again, in the headlines.

It seems that Eric ‘The Elephant’ Pickles — the Communities Secretary, and my local MP — has decided to close the Audit Commission, the body that examines government — and government bodies — books.

Now, I’ll happily admit to being no expert on these things.

Quite happily.

So I’m quite prepared to take Mr P’s word that getting local private companies and not-for-profit groups to do the relevant audits and efficiency studies may well be cheaper.

But can’t help but wonder if these companies will be covered by the UK’s Freedom of Information Act.

I’ve a nasty feeling that it’s not so much about the money, as hiding the evidence.

Gerrymandering, anyone … ?

Lets get moving on, shall we … ?

Before I start to sound like a latter day Ben Elton …

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Yesterday saw Trevor and Mr Strict going head-to-head in the Southpaw Teaser: it saw Trevor coming in first, with 9 out of 10, and Mr S narrowly trailing by one point, with 8 out of 10. And means I’m going to have to check what colour kit Howard Webb — southpaw and referee at this year’s World Cup Final — was wearing. And whether Nelson Mandela’s a leftie …

It also saw Trevor putting in some good quotes from Fidel Castro and Mr S putting in a good pair of relevant videos!

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we? Here they are, along with the ‘How To’ and License …

Q1) 14th August saw India gained independence from the British Empire: which other country also gained independence … ?

Q2) 14th August, 1900, saw an alliance of eight countries armed forces occupy which city … ?

Q3) More to the point, that multinational force were occupying that city, during … what?

Q4) 14th August, 1956, saw the death of playwright, Bertolt Brecht: which of his works centred on a character nicknamed Mack the Knife … ?

Q5) 14th august, 1974, saw the birth of US singer, Ana Lynch: better known as Ana Matronic. With which band is she a singer … ?

Q6) And finally … 14th August, 1885, saw the issuing of the first design to a Japanese inventor: that inventor, Hotta Zuisho, patented a type of what … ?


And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) Who was the first, recorded, left-handed president of the USA?


A1) James A. Garfield.

Q2) More to the point, who is the most recent left-handed President … ?

A2) President Barack Obama.

Q3) Which left-handed singer-songwriter was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta … ?

A3) Lady GaGa. (Given THAT lot was the name on her birth certificate, you can see why she chose ‘Lady GaGa’ … )

Q4) Name either of the two left-handed Italian artists — and rivals — who are contenders for the title of ‘Renaissance Man’

A4) Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, commonly referred to as just plain ol’ Michelangelo.

Q5) Which left-handed tennis player once famously — and very assertively — said “You can NOT be SERIOUS” … ?


A5) The Superbrat, himself, John McEnroe.

Q6) Which left-handed painter and draftsman was nicknamed “The Soul of Montmartre” … ?


A6) Henri de Toulouse Lautrec.

Q7) Which left-handed painter and mathematician carved a famous 1515 wood-cut of a rhinoceros … ?


A7) Albrecht Dürer.

Q8) Which famously black-clad figure was at the 2010 World Cup final … ?

A8) Referee, Howard Webb.

Q9) ‘Sinister’ is derived from the word ‘sinestra’, an ancient word for ‘left’: from which language does the word ‘sinestra’ come … ?

A9) Latin.

Q10) And finally … We all know that Babe Ruth, the world’s most famous Baseball player, was left handed: who played him in the 1948 film, The Babe Ruth Story?

A10) William Bendix.

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

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