The Daily Teaser:8-5-11

Hmmm …

I’ve got to admit, I was up rather late, last night.

Nattering with an old friend on Facebook, would you believe!

Amazing how distracted one can get …

Actually, that’s still true, this morning.

I’ve literally switched off the TV, as Charlie Stayt and Susanna Reid, the two presenters of the BBC Breakfast news, were getting distracting.

Especially with the coverage of Osama bin Laden’s home movies … !

He’s dead …

Definitely dead …

And I’m pretty certain the rest of the planet most be getting a touch bored with it, by now.

I know I am … !

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

»»•««

Yes, I think we should …

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi*, bless her, putting in her answers: and bagging 6 out of 6. Let’s see how she — and you — does with today’s questions, shall we … ?

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

Q1) 8th May, 1980, saw the World Health Organisation announce the eradication of smallpox: which British scientist is credited with developing the first vaccine for smallpox … ?

Q2) Four year’s later, 8th May, 1984, saw the official opening of the Thames Flood Barrier: who officially opened it … ?

Q3) More to the point, how many times was it used, during the 1980s … ?

Q4) Also in the year, 8th May, 1984 saw the Soviet Union announce it would be boycotting what … ?

Q5) 8th May, 1450, saw a popular revolt — started by Jack Cade — begin in which English county … ?

Q6) More to the point, who was king at the time … ?

Q7) And finally … 8th May, 2000, saw the press preview of the Tate Modern gallery: this is housed in which former power station … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 7th May, 1718, saw the founding of New Orleans: what’s the name of the city’s oldest central district … ?

A1) The French Quarter.

Q2) More to the point, what does that district’s French name translate into English as … ?

Q2) Old Square. (Or Vieux Carré, in the original French.)

Q3) 7th May, 1986, saw Canadian, Patrick Morrow become the first person to climb all seven of the Seven Peaks, the world’s highest mountains: name any of the seven he climbed.

A3) Mount McKinley in North America [1977] , Aconcagua in South America [1981], Mount Everest in Asia [1982], Elbrus in Europe [1983] , Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa [1983] , Vinson Massif in Antarctica [1985], and Puncak Jaya in Oceania [1986].

Q4) 7th May, 2008, saw who sworn in as President of Russia … ?

A4) Dmitri Medvedev.

Q5) 7th May, 1956, saw the UK’s health minister reject calls for a smoking ban, on the ground the health effects were “unproven”: what was that minister’s name … ?

A5) Robin H. Turton.

Q6) And finally … 7th May, 1946, saw the founding of Sony: but under what name … ?

A6) Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering. (Or Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo, if you’re feeling Japanese … )

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

* And it’s my pleasure, Debbi: I’m just looking forward to the day I can pick up one of them from the library …