Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 15th May, 2020.

15th May, 2020.

It’s official the case … 

I’ve finished reading a book.

Ian Fleming’s Live and Let Die: the second of his James Bond novels, and the one that features Mr Big* as the villain.

The thing sees Bond trying to foil Mr Big’s gold smuggling operation: gold coin smuggled out of the Caribbean in fish tanks holding poisonous fish.

It’s a good little thriller: although I have to admit, I don’t know that’s it’s aged as well as it could.

The word ‘negro’ cropped up in places where I’d’ve expected to see something else, something more relevant to the scene: ‘thug,’ say, ‘musician,’ or ‘boatman.’

Something a little more relevant to the context, and a little less inflammatory!

‘Negro’ is, I think, an ugly word: and, at least, mildly insulting to any of Fleming’s black readers.

Possibly the book could be edited a little, to cater to a modern audience: I really couldn’t tell you.

It’s interesting … but … 

~≈Ω≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga†, Trevor‡ and Debbi^ putting in their answers: with all three 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) 15th May, 1918, saw the end of a Civil war … where?   Finland, Greece or Holland?

Q2) The Third Communist International was dissolved, on 15th May, 1943: by the then leader of the Soviet Union.   Who was that leader: Lenin, Stalin or Khrushchev?

Q3) Édith Cresson became her country’s first female Prime Minister: on 15th May, 1991.   Which country was that?

Q4) 15th May is the feast day of Saint Isidore the Labourer.   He’s the patron saint of whom: fisherman, farmers or cheese-wrights?

Q5) Finally … ?   The National Woman Suffrage Association was founded on 15th May, 1869.   In which US city?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

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

A1) 1878.

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

A2) Salem.

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

A3) Christian Scientist.

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

A4) Mesmerism: also call animal magnetism.   (The founder of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy, called this sort of thing malicious animal magnetism, or mind crime!)

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

A5) He dismissed it.   (Sensible man … )

Here’s a thought …

“Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal.”

L. Frank Baum, May 15, 1856 – May 6, 1919.

And a song …

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

Have a good day.

*        The film’s version of the character’s a stock gangster.   I think Fleming based the novel’s version of the character — down to Big using a fetish of Baron Samedi, the voudun guardian of cemeteries — loosely on François ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier: who would have been Haitian health minister, and — before taking power in 1957 — a noted opponent of the then Haitian government.

†        Ah HA!   Ad agencies are the other ones, Olga!   Funny old thing, I saw an ad, recently: with a woman watching a webinar on an iMac.   Which wasn’t plugged in!   Ad agencies can be really daft!

‡        There’s a Salem in Oregon, Trevor?   Mind you, practically every US state has a town called Denton!

^        As soon as I get the chance, I will, Debbi!   I’ve only got another nine to put together … !   (Was it me, or was His Honour Judge Horace Grey, sensible?)