The Daily Teaser — 13-5-2014

Hmmm … 

Have you been following the story about the kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria … ?

I can’t help but think the kidnappings are the militants equivalent to to the Warrington Bombings: which generated bad publicity — to say the least — for the Provisional IRA.

There’s ALSO the fact that yesterday, the Boko Haram leader issued a video in which he offered to exchange the schoolgirls for imprisoned militants.

Granted, the BBC journalist, John Simpson, has a point: this could well be the start of some sort of negotiated release.

All to the good.

Personally, though … ?   I couldn’t help but notice that the group claims many of the girls had converted to Islam.

Outside of any discussion we wish to have about Stockholm Syndrome … ?

I can’t help but notice the hijab-clad girls in that video: with armed men standing over them.

And remember that one of the few verses I know from the Qur’an is verse 256 of the Al-Baqara sura: which opens with one of the most famous lines from Islam’s holy book.

“There shall be no compulsion in religion.”

An armed gunman … ?

Well, I don’t think armed gunmen counts as “No Compulsion” …

~≈‡≈~

Right, rant over, let’s move on … !

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: and scoring eight out of ten.

Let‘s see how she — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 13th May, 1952, saw the first opening of the Rajya Sabha: the Upper House of which country’s Parliament?

Q2) 13th May, 1787, saw Captain Arthur Phillips — and the Fleet he led — leave Portsmouth: bound for a Penal colony in what’s now which country … ?

Q3) More to the point, the Fleet landed in which Bay … ?

Q4) 13th May, 1888, saw Brazil pass the law that banned what … ?

Q5) Finally … 13th May, 1937, saw the birth of inventor, Trevor Bayliss: famed for inventing a wind-up … what … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 12th May, 1942, saw the birth of singer/song-writer, actor and artist, Ian Dury.   With which band did he come to national prominence … ?

A1) Ian Dury and the Blockheads.

Q2) What was the name of the band he formed in the very early 1970s … ?

A2) Kilburn and the High Roads.

Q3) More to the point, what was the name of his first band’s first album … ?

A3) Handsome.

Q4) Which Ian Dury album is usually said to be the first by he and his second band: despite their not being credited on it … ?

A4) New Boots and Panties.

Q5) What was the name of Dury — and company’s — first UK Top Ten single … ?

A5) What A Waste.

Q6) One Ian Dury song — The Busman’s Prayer — includes the line “For Thine is the Kingston, the Purley and the Crawley, 
For Esher and Esher.   
Crouch End.”   What is The Busman’s Prayer a parody version of?

A6) The Lord’s Prayer.

Q7) What was the last album Ian Dury released during his lifetime … ?

A7) Mr Love Pants.

Q8) Dury famously turned down the chance to write the lyrics for which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical … ?

A8) Cats.   (Richard Stilgoe got the job, eventually.)

Q9) Barney Bubbles designed the cover for Dury album, Do It, Yourself.   The cover famously consisted of different types of what … ?

A9) Wallpaper.

Q10) Finally … what was Ian Dury and company’s one UK Number 1 … ?

A10) Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick.

Given it’s singer/songwriter, Alison Goldfrapp ’s birthday … ?

We’ll have this tune …  

And this quote …

“My favorite form is the short story. From an aesthetics stand point you really have to pare down to the bone. You can’t write a throw-away scene.”

Roger Zelazny May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995.

Have a good day … 

*        Oh, I’m with you, Debbi.   Ian Dury was an artistic genius, though: a bit of a touchy artistic genius …