Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 22-12-2019: Solstice

22nd December, 2019.

Yep: it’s Sunday.

A quiet Sunday … where I’m betting the shops are going to be jammed.

And the streets extremely damp.

Right at the moment … ?

At the moment, south east England isn’t having a heat wave or wildfires.

Quite the reverse.

~≈Œ≈~

Can I make a confession … ?

I’m in one or two Terry Pratchett groups, over on Facebook.

And, inevitably — as we’re talking about J. K. Rowling’s comment about transgender women — we get … language.

No, not THAT kind of language.

We get meaningless acronyms.   Or, at least, acronyms we’ve never heard before, and would appreciate an explanation of.

The one that got me bothered?   TERF.   Apparently, it’s stands for Trans-Exclusionary-Radical-Feminist.

Granted, I realise that text messaging by phone encourages acronyms.

As do character restricted services like Twitter.

But … ?

On something like Facebook, or in a news article, essay, or even in a blog post, like this?

I’d appreciate an explanation of whatever it is you’re talking about.

~≈Œ≈~

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) 22nd December, 2019, is this year’s Winter Solstice, in the Northern hemisphere.   It’s what: the shortest day of the year, or the longest day of the year?

Q2) It’s also what: the shortest night of the year, or the longest night of the year?

Q3) To many pagans, the Winter solstice is know as which Y?

Q4) Yaldā Night is the Solstice Festival, marked, where: Iran, Iraq or India?

Q5) Finally … ?   A solstice marks the longest day or night of the year.   What name is given to the days when the days and nights are of equal length?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 21st December, 968AD, saw the birth of Japanese noble, Minamoto no Yorinobu.   Was he a ninja, samurai or daimyō?

A1) A samurai, one of Japan’s ancient warriors.   (The ninja were guerrillas for hire, a daimyō, one of ancient Japan’s feudal lords.)

Q2) 21st December, 1804, saw the birth of politician, Benjamin Disraeli.   What was the highest political office he reached?

A2) Prime Minister.

Q3) 21st December is the feast day of which of the Apostles?

A3) Saint Thomas.

Q4) 21st December, 1962, saw the UK agree to buy Polaris from the US.   Polaris is what: a nuclear missile system, a computer network or a range of automatic rifles?

A4) A nuclear missile system.

Q5) Finally?   21st December, 1915, saw the birth of Werner von Trapp.   He and his family were the inspiration for which musical movie?

A5) The Sound of Music.

Here’s a thought …

“The Christians stole the winter solstice from the pagans, and capitalism stole it from the Christians.”

George Monbiot.

And a song …

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        I have to admit, Olga, I like having the two screens.   Having the references on half of one screen, the teasers I’m writing on the other, and a spreadsheet full of quiz questions on a second?   Don’t half help!   To the point where I’d love a third monitor … !   OK: I’ll be keeping my eyes open for you.   Now … Live surgery … ?

†        I noticed, Debbi!   Why IS the USA good at building nuclear weapons?   No idea.   But some of the spin off technology’s supposed to be interesting.   I’ll have to try and found out what that technology was!