Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20-8-2016

Hmmm … 

I’ve got to admit to having seen my shifts for next week.

I’m not complaining too much.

Not about the amount of hours.

But two ten hours shifts?

Is not necessarily my idea of something to look forward to!

If nothing else, though … ?

At least I put my CV into two alternative employers.

Which is something … 

~≈Ï≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Debbi† and Michelle‡ putting in their answers: with Olga and Debbe bagging ten out of ten, and with Australia’s finest battler, Michelle, on 7.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?   Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) A Spanish army was defeated by an Austrian one: on 20th August, 1710.   During the Battle of where: Barcelona, Granada or Saragossa?

Q2) The Voyager 1 probe was launched by NASA: on 20th August, 1975.   NASA launched the Voyager 2 probe on 20th August of which year?

Q3) Canada’s Supreme Court made a ruling: on 20th August, 1998.   The ruling meant which province couldn’t secede?

Q4) 20th August, 1890, saw the birth of horror writer, H. P. Lovecraft.   In which Rhode Island city?

Q5) Finally … Senegal declared itself independent of the Mali Federation: on 20th August of which year?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 19th August saw the Salmesbury Witches put on trial.   In which year: 1611, 1612 or 1613?

A1) 1612.

Q2) Salmesbury is in which English county: Derbyshire, Lancashire or Yorkshire?

A2) Lancashire.

Q3) Thomas Potts published his account of the trials of the time.   Which court position did he hold?

A3) Clerk of the Court.

Q4) The witches were accused of holding regular meetings.   What name is usually given to these kinds of meeting: shabbaths, sabbaths or sabbats?

A4) Sabbats.   (Although ‘sabbath’ is occasionally used.   ‘Shabbath’ is one of the more popular renderings of the Hebrew version of the word.)

Q5) The trials of the Salmesbury Witches were at the same Assizes as those of the Pendle Witches.   The main accused was who: Anathema Gadget, Alia Widget or Alizon Device?

A5) Alizon Device^.   (Indeed, Anathema Device — a main character in Gaiman and Pratchett’s Good Omens — is named for her: indeed, Agnes Nutter — another Good Omens character — takes her name from another of the Pendle Witches.   The name’s pronounced deVISE, with a soft s: as if she were ‘devising’ things.)

Q6) Were the Samlesbury Witches imprisoned, hung or acquitted?

A6) Acquitted.

Q7) These witch trials were influenced by England’s king, James 1st. His book on the subject was called what: the ‘Daemonologie’, the ‘Malleus Maleficarum’ or ‘Thou Shalt Not Suffer A Witch To Live’?

A7) The Daemonologie.   (The Malleus Maleficarum was a well-known 14th century book on witches.  The Thou Shall Not Suffer line is lifted from Exodus 22:18.)

Q8) 19th August also saw four people executed as a result of the Salem Witch trials.   In which year of the 1690s?

A8) 1692.

Q9) Salem is now called Danvers: and is in which US state: Massachusetts, Maryland or Rhode Island?

A9) Massachusetts.

Q10) Finally … Arthur Miller wrote THE play about the Salem Witch Trials.   What was it called?

A10) The Crucible.   (I was in my school’s production of this.   I played Francis Nurse, the only time the character’s been played by a short teenager with purple hair.   This WAS a few years ago …)

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“To the scientist there is the joy in pursuing truth which nearly counteracts the depressing revelations of truth.”

H. P. Lovecraft, August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937.

And, given it’s the 1812 Overture’s birthday … ?

Have a good day!

*        Oh, I now about the modern town of Salem, Olga^: if I’ve got it right, Danvers was — historically —  the original Salem village: where everything kicked off.   It’s on the borders of Salem, itself.   (I’m going to have to look that book, I think: once I’ve got everything else done … !)

†        Oh, thanks, Debbi^!   I can bookmark that for later!   (And Good Omens is a damn fine read.   In the BBC’s Big Read, a few years ago, Sir Terry always used to joke he’d got four and a half books onto the list: the half being Good Omens, written by him and Neil Gaiman.)

‡      Sorry about the score, Michelle^: I was feeling a LITTLE it on the strict side.   But, as you’ve mention magic on a plate?   Would some suitably witchy cupcakes do as a consolation prize … ?

^      Oh, the names are something of a hodgepodge: but Alizon Device was the genuine witch.   Anathema Device is from Good Omens, as is Agnes Nutter: the name’s lifted from witchcraft trails of the time.   And Alia is a bit of a nod to Frank Herbert.   Alia Atreides is a character in Herbert’s Dune series …