The Daily Teaser — 13-4-2016

Ye gods, I’m tired!

I’ve got an early start, today.

So, of course, I’m up early: to try and squeeze out both today’s Teaser, and this week’s Weekly Teaser for the Gazette.

And, wouldn’t you know it … ?

I couldn’t sleep a wink, last night!

Isn’t that ALWAYS the way … ?

~≈Ÿ≈~

On the upside?

On the upside, this morning I’ve noticed — whilst uploading today’s Teaser video to YouTube — that there’s a new Penny Dreadful trailer up and running.

Personally?

I’m looking forward to it airing on 3rd May: the series is turning into something of a favourite.

I just hope I get time to catch it.

~≈Ÿ≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga* and Debbi† putting in their answers: with both scoring ten out of ten.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 13th April, 1958, saw Van Cliburn win the first International Tchaikovsky Competition.   The competition is for what: chess players, classical musicians or painters?

Q2) 13th April, 1964, saw Sidney Poitier become the first African-American to win a Best Actor Oscar.   For which film?

Q3) Which country declared itself a republic, on 13th April, 1848: Bulgaria, Hungary or Romania?

Q4) 13th April, 1976, saw the US Treasury introduce a $2 bill.   Which US president is pictured on the bill?

Q5) Finally … Chicago was flooded on the 13th April.   Of which year: 1990, 1992 or 1994?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 12th April saw the first person to travel into space, do so by orbiting the Earth.   What was his name?

A1) Yuri Gagarin.

Q2) He did so on 12th April.   Of which year of the 1960s?

A2) 1961.

Q3) Our hero travelled in the Vostok what: 1, 2 or 3?

A3) Vostok 1.   (The word, itself, means ‘East,’ or ‘Orient.’)

Q4) At the moment of launch, the spaceman used the phrase, “Poyekhali.”   The phrase means what: “Let’s boogie,” “Let’s go,” or “Engage”?

A4) “Let’s go”.

Q5) Our hero was put into space by whom: the USA, UK or USSR?

A5) The USSR.

Q6) That country would’ve called our hero a what: astronaut, taikonaut or cosmonaut?

A6) Cosmonaut.   (Although, much like the word ‘taikonaut,’ it’s an anglicized version of the relevant word, in the original Russian.)

Q7) That first orbit around Earth took how long: 88, 98 or 108 minutes?

A7) 108 minutes.

Q8) Our hero was a Major in his country’s what: army, navy or air-force?

A8) Airforce.

Q9) The major and his craft were launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.   The Cosmodrome is in what’s now which country?

A9) Kazakhstan.   (Indeed, the current Russian Space agency’s lease is valid until 2050.   And what Yuri, himself, would’ve known as Launchpad № 1, is now called Gagarin’s Start.)

Q10) Finally … when he eventually landed, the Major landed just outside a small town called what: Marx, Lenin or Engels?

A10) Engels.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“I never engaged in these idiotic pamphlet-dropping exercises. They only served two purposes really - they gave the German defences endless practice in getting ready for it, and apart from that they supplied a considerable quantity of toilet paper to the Germans.”

Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris, 13 April 1892 – 5 April 1984, head of the RAF’s Bomber Command, during WW2.

And — as it’s Jimmy Destri’s birthday — this tune … 

Have a good day!

*        Yep, you’re right about the card, Olga: it really wouldn’t surprise me!   And as for what people said to Major Gagarin?   According to his Wikiquote page, one of the people who saw him land is said to have said “Can it be that you have come from outer space?”: he’s supposed to have replied, “As a matter of fact, I have!”   What CAN I tell you? :D

†        What CAN I tell you, Debbi?   Apart from the fact I couldn’t resist the subject … !?   At ANY rate, there’s another long one, tomorrow: although it’s a bit of  literate one!