Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-5-2020: Bell, Book and Tower …

31st May, 2020.

It’s an official Sunday … and frankly?

My part of the world is quiet, right now.

Thankfully.

I know there’s parts of the world that aren’t.

I’ve had half an eye on the US: where some cities are seeing serious protest — and serious riots — after the death in police custody, of a man called George Floyd.

The reaction reminds me of the London riots, a few years back.

Which erupted after the death of Mark Duggan.

I couldn’t tell you how to stop them.

Although — in a move reminiscent of the Kent State shootings — have been called up.

I’ll give President Trump credit for throwing presidential weight behind recent US efforts in manned space flight: recent Democrat presidents have seriously ignored the only thing I’ve felt can honestly be called the American Dream.

But a couple things possibly spring to mind, here.

The poem, Whitey on the Moon.

I think space travel is a good thing: but can appreciate many won’t be focused on it.

Then there’s President Trump’s own comments about sending troops in.

That idea … ?

American troops shooting American civilians?

I have questions.

Not least this: has anyone told the President about the Peterloo Massacre … ?

Because sending in the troops could seriously backfire.

~≈↑≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

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

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

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

Q1) The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster started keeping time: on 31st May, 1859.   It houses which bell?

Q2) How many clock faces does the tower have?

Q3) How many bells does the tower have?

Q4) The biggest of those bells was possibly named after Sir Benjamin Hall.   He was a what: Judge, MP or boxer?

Q5) Alternatively, the biggest of those bells was possibly named after Benjamin Caunt.   He was a what: Judge, MP or boxer?

Q6) The big bell was the biggest in the British Isles.   Until a bigger one was hung, where: Saint Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey or Saint Pancras’s Old Church?

Q7) The Tower is at the northern end of the Palace.   It’s therefore nearer to what: the House of Commons or the House of Lords?

Q8) The Clock has what: X’s, F’s or Z’s?

Q9) Renovations on the Tower started in 2017.   When are they due to finish: 2020, 2021 or 2022?

Q10) Finally … ?   The Tower’s called what?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 30th May is the feast day of Joan of Arc.   She’s the patron saint of France.   And who else: prisoners, sword makers or butchers?

A1) Prisoners.

Q2) What’s the French version of her name?

A2) Jeanne d’Arc.

Q3) She’s also the patron saint of martyrs.   In other words, a person who’s died for their what: technological possessions, religious beliefs or philosophical ideas?

A3) Religious beliefs.

Q4) She’s traditionally depicted with what: a badger, a bonnet or sword?

A4) Sword.   (The video for this teaser … was a clue!)

Q5) Famously, Joan helped lift the Siege of where?

A5) Orléans.

Q6) The Siege was during which war: the Six Day War, the One Hundred Years War or the War of the Roses?

A6) The One Hundred Years War.

Q7) Joan claimed to have received visions of which Archangel?

A7) Michael.

Q8) She was burnt to death after being tried in Rouen: and died on 30th May of which year: 1430, 1431 or 1432?

A8) 1431.

Q9) Which of Shakespeare’s plays does Joan appear in?

A9) Henry 6th, Pt 1.

Q10) Finally?   The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc was directed by Luc Besson.   Who played Joan, in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc: Eva Green, Audrey Tautou or Milla Jovovich?

A10) Milla Jovovich.

Here’s a thought …

“The Clock Tower was designed by Augustus Pugin and built after his death.”

From the Wikipedia entry about the Palace of Westminster.

And a video …

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

Have a good day.

*        Actually, a Zoom/Facebook live stream should be easy, Olga: it should just be a case of having the Zoom app, and the relevant FB page, open at the same time.   I think you should be able to have a split screen on Windows, yes?   After that it’s juggling buttons‡!

Now you mention it?   You can add a sound file to Keynote^ files: although I could never work out how to keep them in place when exporting the file to an mp4: it’s why I started using iMovie.   And, from what I’ve seen?   Exporting Word, Pages, Keynote or PowerPoint files with embedded videos to a .pdf

?   Just turns the videos into a photo at best.   (.pdf files were originally designed to be printed out: so there’s not much video support.)

I have loved OMD for years!   Architecture and Morality was — along side New Musik’s From A to B — one of the first LPs I ever bought.   There’s been a couple of recent ones, as well: you’ll love English Electric, especially if Dazzle Ships was a favourite.   Oh, Atomic Ranch was done on a Mac …  (There’s an arcane joke.   OMD changed their name from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,  to OMITD.   Then they lost it … )

†        Marketing … or name dropping, Debbi … ?   But thank you!   😆   And congratulations!

I’ve never read them … but would it be worth your while checking Louis L’Amour out?   I suspect he may be as dated as some of the original Fleming Bond novels, but …

Annie Oakley as a sleuth?   Sounds right up your street: I’ve still got Deep Six in my reading pile, so you know!   Talking of women in the Old West, did you ever see Deadwood?   Calamity Jane could blister paint.   I think Shakespeare would have been happy knocking out Marvel Movies: sequel and sequel and sequel …

The Hundred Years War was misnamed: it lasted 116 years!

Did I ever mention an LP called From A to B?   The best known song’s called Living By Numbers: apparently, the lead singer was a fan of some weird 1960s series …

‡        I use the split screen when I’m recoding videos: Quicktime’s one one side, and Pages — the script — on the other.  So long as I remember which side I’m on, I’m laughing … !

^        It’s the Mac equivalent to PowerPoint.   Ever see a Steve Jobs presentation?   Keynote was designed for him to do speeches.