Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-5-2020: What Witchery is This … ?

14th May, 2020.

It’s got to be said, the UK is partly easing life under lockdown.

You can now visit one friend, in a park … if you’re standing two metres apart.

Going on that, I think easing the thing’s going to take a long time!

~≈¥≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor*, Olga† and Debbi‡ putting in their answers.

I’ve given three player five out of five, after Olga pointed out I got my dates wrong: the RFC was actually founded on 13th April!

Cheers, Olga!

That’s what happen’s when Lockdown gets a BIT much!

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

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

Q1) The last witchcraft trial in the US started on 14th May of which year?

Q2) The trail was held — appropriately — in which Massachusetts city?

Q3) The accuser was a woman called Lucretia Brown.   Ms Brown was a what: Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Scientist or Latter Day Saint?

Q4) Daniel Spofford, the accused, was accused of using what: Mesmerism, Telepathy or psychometry?

Q5) Finally?   The presiding Judge, Horace Gray, did what to the case: refer it upwards, send it for appeal, or dismiss it?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 13th April saw the formation of the Royal Flying Corp, the predecessor to the Royal Air Force.   In which year?

A1) 1912.   (Arrrggghhh!)

Q2) On of the Corp’s jobs, during World War One, was what: photo reconnaissance, weather updates or satellite launching?

A2) Photo reconnaissance.

Q3) RFC pilots usually held which rank: Sergeant Major, Cadet or Lieutenant?

A3) Lieutenant.   (The British pronunciation is LEF-ten-ant: the US one, LU-ten-ant.)

Q4) By March, 1918, the Corps had how many squadrons: 149, 150 or 151?

A4) 149.   № 149 Squadron, itself, was initially based in Yapton: and disbanded in 1956.

Q5) Finally?   The Royal Air Force was formed in 1918, when the RFC joined with the RNAS.   The RNAS was the Royal what Air Service?

A5) Royal Naval Air Service.

Here’s a thought …

“By 1918, it was considered the last witchcraft trial held in the United States.”

The Wikipedia entry on the case.

And possibly the oddest music video ever made …

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

Have a good day.

*        You know, that’s not surprising, somehow, Trevor.   Some of the staff from Warley Hospital used to drink at the Essex Arms, when I worked there: they could go some, I know that.   More than many of the musicians that played there.   I don’t think Warley Hospital’s death rate was on a par with an intensive care unit.   But, from what I could gather, deaths from suicide were hard for staff to deal with.   (I seem to recall a bit of urban legend about the classes of people who were heavy drinkers.   Medical staff were at the top of the list.   Actors and musicians were second.   Anyone in the hospitality trade would be in third … purely because it’s right in front of us …)

†        Cheers for the correction, Olga!   As one of Terry Pratchett’s odder character’s would say?   ‘Bugrit!’   As for El Ministerio … ?   Arrrggghhh!   It’s frustrating!   I’m not seeing a thing, here!   But at least I know my suspicions were right: Elizabeth 1st makes an appearance!   I’m wondering if Lope de Vega turns up: that’s about his era, if I’ve got my timelines right!   And have they managed to persuade Pedro Almodóvar to play himself?   Hang on, Macs in a general office?   That’s unusual: the little I know they get used is in company print shops, design studios, and media places^.  Prints shops usually love them, because they have bundled colour grading apps Windows doesn’t even bother with.   The once I’ve seen them in an office — at an interview I had — I was immediately suspicious.   I’m a huge fan of the Mac platform: but very aware most businesses wouldn’t go near them on cost grounds.   And don’t get me started on SEO … it took me a year to work out what it stood for!   As for cyber-safety?   The most the jobs I’d seen, did, was insist you use a cabled connection.   (Not seen him, yet … but …)

‡        Oh, TELL me about it, Debbi!   I’d love a copy, as it seems you can layer more video together, than you can with iMovie.   I’ll survive, though!   Oh, Olga’s saying about her friend with the trivia book, reminds me! I got your email: I’m going to try and sit down with Dead Ends once I’ve got the edits done.   I’ve got the last half of the month’s videos to do.   Hopefully, I’ve got the dates right … !

^        In point of fact, the new Mac Pro tower you may have seen?   Is aimed at the likes of Pixar, Disney, Sony, et al: the companies doing incredibly intense 4k and 8k video production, where it takes a few days to render ten minutes of film!   The thing’s supposed to make that job very fast.