Saturday 8 June 2013

The Daily Teaser — 8-6-2013: Nineteen-Eighty-Four

It get’s worse … !

Remember, yesterday, I highlighted the fact the USA’s National Security Agency was indulging in some wonderfully iffy behaviour … ?

Guess what … !   It sounds like GCHQ — the UK’s Government Communication Head Quarters — has been either making use of Prism information, or contributing.

I can but reiterate: I’m not impressed if the government of the US is peeking over my digital shoulder.   I’m less impressed if an agency of my government is helping, thanking you very much … !

Right … 

Let’s move on to today’s themed teaser: there’s an irony to that theme* … 

~≈◊≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Mr Strict and Debbi putting in their answers.   With Mr S bagging five out of five, and Debbi bagging four, the day also Debbi† telling us this looked familiar, and Mr S confirming his serious Big Beast status by getting me to look at my answers‡ … !

Let}s see how they — and you — do with today’s themed questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 8th June saw the first publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four: in which year of the 1940s … ?
Q2) Who was it’s author … ?
Q3) In the novel, the UK has been renamed … what … ?
Q4) What’s the name of Nineteen Eighty-Four’s main character?
Q5) That hero is a member of what: the Inner or Outer Party … ?
Q6) Who’s the Leader of the Party … ?
Q7) The thrust of part of the story concerns our hero having a love affair with a woman called … what … ?
Q8) What’s the name of the fictional language created for the book … ?
Q9) What’s the name of the novel’s secret police … ?
Q10) Name any of the ministries featured in Nineteen Eighty-Four
Q11) Which year saw the release of the film version of Nineteen Eighty-Four, with John Hurt in the central role … ?
Q12) And finally … Nineteen Eighty-Four’s famous torture scene takes place in which room … ?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 7th June, 1099, saw the start of the Siege of Jerusalem: during which crusade … ?
A1) The First Crusade.
Q2) Was that Crusade ordered into action by Urban 2nd, Urban 3rd or Rural 9th … ?
A2) Urban 2nd.
Q3) It was ordered after Roman Catholic Europe received a call for help:  from the Emperor of where … ?
A3) Byzantium.   (Alexios 1 Komnenos, if you want precision.)
Q4) After this Crusade, what collectiv    e name was given to the states founded in the Middle East, by the Crusaders … ?
A4) The Crusader States: and also as Outremer.
Q5) Finally: in the wake of this Crusade, Hugh de Payens founded which famed Crusading order of knights … ?
A5) The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, or  Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici: Knights Templar, if you want to keep it simple …
I’ll leave you with this thought from O’Brien, one of the characters in Nineteen Eighty-Four
“Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.”
O’Brien, in Nineteen Eighty-Four
And possibly the only logical choice for a song … 


Be Seeing You … !














*        Actually, can I make a confession, here … ?   I’m rather pleased with today’s set of questions: it just rolled off my keyboard, so easily.  If I was religious, I’d suspect divine inspiration: as I’m not … ?   Possibly it’s better to say that whatever powers the minimal creativity I need to write the Teasers, was definitely on steroids, that day.

†        What can I tell you, Debbi, the Middle East’s a mess … !

‡        I just had Outremer, Mr S, what CAN I tell you … ?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Right, Paul! :D

1. 1949
2. George Orwell
3. Airstrip One
4. Winston Smith
5. Outer Party
6. no clue
7. Julia
8. Newspeak
9. the Thought Police
10. Ministry of Love
11. 1984
12. Room 101

Count your blessings!

I did type these all out, BTW. With my pinkie and my good hand. How about that! :)

Can you see me now? :)