Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-12-2016

Hmmm … 

I’ve just had a quick look at the BBC’s News pages.

Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid has floated the idea that civil servants should swear an oath to uphold British values.

Hmmm … 

Right now?   Right now, I’m wondering which ones he’d include.

He speaks of democracy and freedom of speech.

But cynically think there’s plenty of others he wouldn’t include.

You know the ones.

Selling stuff to make HUGE amounts of cash: regardless of the damage the objects are doing.   The Opium Wars were basically a huge squabble launched when Imperial China refused to let the UK sell its citizens lots of opium.

Anti-semitisism and racism are others: there was a hell of a lot of support for Nazi Germany in Britain, before the war started.   And a lot of hate crime still being reported.

Oh, and anti-catholic sentiment: what on Earth is Bonfire Night all about?

British Values.

You have to love a wooly phrase … 

~≈Â≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

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

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

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

Q1) Kellingley Colliery closed: on 18th December, 2015.   The colliery was Britain’s last deep what: coal mine, tin mine or bear pit?

Q2) New Jersey became the third US state to ratify the US Constitution: on 18th December, 1787.   Name any one of the three US states that border New Jersey …

Q3) Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker was first performed on 18th December, 1892.   One of it’s most famous parts is the Dance of the Sugar Plum … what?

Q4) Epimetheus was discovered by Richard Walker: on 18th December, 1966.   Epimetheus is a moon of which planet?

Q5) 18th December, 1913, saw the birth of science fiction writer, Alfred Bester.   Which of his novels won the very first Hugo award, back in 1953?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) Diplomatic relations were re-established: on 17th December, 2014.   Between the USA and where … ?

A1) Cuba.

Q2) Six people were killed, on 17th December, 1983: when an IRA bomb went off near which London department store?

A2) Harrods.

Q3) The US Air Force closed Project Blue Book: on 17th December, 1969.   The Project was the air force’s investigation … into what?

A3) UFOs.

Q4) 17th December, 1989, saw Fernando Collor de Mello win the first democratic presidential election: for President of where?

A4) Brazil.

Q5) Finally … Harold Holt disappeared whilst swimming: on 17th December, 1967.   He disappeared whilst serving as Australian … what?

A5) Prime Minister.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“It is almost impossible to have a baseless snobbish opinion of the General Theory of Relativity.”

Michael Moorcock, born 18th December, 1939.

And this video … 

Have a good day.

*        I’ve a funny feeling, Olga‡, that this attack was a mix of stress: and some slightly iffy bread!   It always amazes me what my stomach will react too!   (Oh, if you’re confident about using something like Handbrake, using it to put a DVD on a stick is handy!)

†        Debbi‡, I’ve one word: facepalm … !   (On a totally different note?   Michael Moorcock, possibly Britain’s most influential Fantasy author since Tolkien, has done a Dr Who spin-off novel, called The Coming of the Terraphiles?   I’m going to have to try getting back into it.)

‡        Oh, I’ve done something a little different for today’s Teaser video.   That’s me, reading out the questions …