Friday 16 November 2012

The Daily Teaser — 16-11-2012

Hmmm … 

think that went down well.

I have to admit, I wrote yesterday’s Teaser last Tuesday, when the US elections were on: which is partly what gave me the idea.

Well, that and yesterday’s election for Britain’s first Police and Crime Commissionersª.

I have to admit, I voted, eventually.   That was after something of a battle: to be frank, I really wasn’t convinced this particular election was worth the effort.

Going by the BBC coverage, it seems a lot of people felt much the same: it’s sounds like these elections have had the lowest turnout for any election since the 90s!

Let’s get moving on, shall we?   Before I turn into Ben Elton, and say something satirical … !

»»·««

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with thanking me for both commenting and reposting/tweeting one of hers posts, she also managed to bag 4† out of 5º.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s questions.

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

Q1) According to the UN, 16th November is the International Day for what … ?
Q2) More to the point, in which year of the 1990s was the first of these days … ?
Q3) 16th November, 1938, saw the first synthesis of the drug, LSD.   Who was the chemist that first made it … ?
Q4) More to the point, what type of patient did Dr Humphrey Osmond claim to have successfully treated with LSD, in the 1950s?
Q5) 16th November, 1945, saw saw Operation Paperclip admit 88 German scientist and engineers to the US.   To help with which US program … ?
Q6) And finally … 16th November, 1992, saw a metal detectorist discover a Roman horde: in which English county … ?
And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 15th November, 2012 sees England and Wales elect Police Criminal Commissioners: except in London.   Who fills the role in London … ?   A1) Technically, the London Mayor: although current mayor,  Boris Johnson,  has put an appointed deputy mayor into the job.
Q2) More to the point, name either of the police forces in London.   A2) The Metropolitan Police Service, who handle the Greater London are, and the City of London Police, who handle the city, itself.   (The red bit of this map is the City Police patch: anything in that fetching shade of pink … is the Met … )
Q3) Which building has one of those two police forces announced it’s planning to sell … ?   A3) New Scotland Yard.   (Does anyone NEED a second hand Police HQ … ?   Anyone … ?   No … ?   Not surprising: would you … ?)
Q4) Which government department has overall responsibility for the UK’s police … ?   A4) None.   The Home Office does, in England and Wales, the Scottish Government, does in Scotland and the Northern Ireland Executive does, in Northern Ireland.   (As from April 2012, that is, and after EXTENSIVE negotiations … ) 
Q5) And finally … what piece of police equipment was traditionally made from a mix of cork, felt and leather … ?   A5) A policeman’s helmet.
Enjoy those, everyone.

As it’s the late Hubert Sumlin’s birthday, today, I’ll leave you with this piece from him … 


And with this quote from Tiberius …
“Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere.”   “A good shepherd shears his sheep, he doesn’t flay them”.   Emperor Tiberius,  16 November 42 BC – 16 March 37 AD



















*        Always glad to help, Debbi!   And I’m looking forward to see what Sam get’s up to next … !

º        Actually, Debbi, how DID that set go down … ?   I’ve a few more themed teasers in the offing: I think the ones I’m writing to the Gazette are proving inspirational, in getting my creative juices going … !

†        It all boil’s down to who’s in charge of what, Debbi: in England and Wales, you’re right, it’s the Home Office.   But in Scotland and Northern Ireland … 

ª        You notice their Police and Crime Commissioners … ?   You can see the formal meetings, can’t you: there’s a big table.   The Commissioners at the head of it, the police reps down one side, with the gangsters down the other.   I can just see the Commissioner turning around and saying, in a very posh voice, “Big Jim, the blagging last Tuesday: what on EARTH went wrong …?”   And Jim obviously — with a definite South London accent — saying “Weeeeelllll, it’s like this, Guv … ”

1 comment:

Debbi said...

That last part makes you sound like you have the makings of a crime writer in you, Paul! :)

You ought to give a go. Of course, my sister will tell you it's too much work. And she's right. It's a lot of work to learn to write well.

I put more of the first draft of the new novel on Random and Sundry Things. I never usually do this, but I figured it might pique people's interest in the series, maybe. I hope. :)

1. Tolerance
2. 1995
3. Albert Hofmann
4. alcoholics
5. rocketry or the rocket science program
6. Suffolk