The Left Hander’s Day Teaser — 13-08-2012

Bleugh … !

Lordy, but I’m glad the Olympics doesn’t happen that often.

No, really.

I am as proud as hell of what my country’s achieved: I think we’ve pulled off something of a coup, in organising this year’s summer Olympics.

Including the spectacular Opening and Closing ceremonies.

I think I can possibly it does make one feel proud to be British.

I can only add two things.

One, that the UK’s four national football teams — England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales — could possibly learn a thing or two.

And two … 

Didn’t Eric Idle do well … ?

Now … 

Let’s get moving on, shall we?   It’s Left Handers Day, and as an out and proud southpaw, I like marking the day … 

‹‹·››

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: and, along with mentioning David Pogue* — the planet’s favourite technology writer — also bagging 6 out of 6ª.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s Left-hander’s Day questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 13th August is Lefthander’s Day: what’s the Latin word for left … ?

Q2) More to the point, where would you find the Val Sinestra, or Left Valley: the Italian Alps, French Alps or Swiss Alps … ?

Q3) More to the point, on a left handed pair of scissors, which digit operates the cutting — or bottom — blade … ?

Q4) According to popular myth, southpaw has it’s origins in one of two sports: name either.

Q5) Which English reggae band famously had quite a few left-handers, in its classic line-up … ?

Q6) Which famously camp left hander once made a notoriously outrageous remark about Norman Lamont … ?

Q7) And finally … which left handed US tennis player once famously said “You CANNOT be serious” … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 12th August is the traditional start for the Grouse hunting season, in the UK:  exactly what species of Grouse is usually hunted … ?

A1) The Red Grouse.

Q2) More to the point, what’s the name of the old, Narrow Gauge, railway line that transported hunting parties to the relevant parts of Scotland.

A2) The Duchal Moor line.

Q3) 12th August, 1981, saw the release of the IBM PC: what does IBM stand for … ?

A3) International Business Machines.   (As originally released, the PC didn’t have a mouse: that came along with the release of the original Mac. )

Q4) 12th August, 1851, saw Isaac Singer patent his sewing machine.   His first patent, in 1839, was for what: a gramophone, a rock drilling machine or a stamp perforator … ?

A4) A rock drilling machine.

Q5) 12th August, 1964, saw the escape of which of the Great Train Robbers … ?

A5) Charlie Wilson.

Q6) And finally … 12th August, 1964, saw which country banned from the Olympic Games … ?

A6) South Africa.

Enjoy those, everyone.

Have a good Left-Hander’s Day.

Here’s a relevant quote from Ursula K. LeGuin …

“Light is the left hand of darkness and darkness the right hand of light”

From The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K LeGuin.

And here’s a song or two.   See if you can spot the lefties … 

*        Whose OS X Missing Manual’s have been on my bookshelves for years … !

ª        Well, it wasn’t so much months, Debbi, as … um … days … Technically, their version of the solar year was either 365 or 360 days long: along with the 260 day ritual calendar.   Why do it easy, when you can do it arse backwards … ?