Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 11-12-2020: The Number Eleven

11th December, 2020

I think I can safely say I’m … not annoyed, as such.

But a little twitted off.

I was due a visit from an engineer: to do a gas safety check on my boiler.

Between 8 And six, so you know.

He didn’t turn up.

What makes it worse … ?

The contractors he worked for confirmed it with an SMS message … … … at ten to six.

Talk about your last minute!

~≈fl≈~

Oh, right now … ?

It’s 8:18 … and I’ve just had a phone call … from someone claiming to be from Amazon.

I did my usual thing: demanding to know where the gibbon I’d ordered had gone, and no, I didn’t have a smart phone, laptop, desktop or tablet.

They rang off.

I can’t think why.

~≈fl≈~

As a thought on the streaming fronts?

Disney have announced they’re going to release some upcoming films on their Disney+ service: in addition to additional Star Wars and Marvel material.

I know many cinema chains won’t like that.

Unfortunately?

And given the ongoing COVID-19 situation?

And, as much as I’d love to see a film in a cinema in town: or elsewhere?

I think we’re going to see more streaming only films.

~≈fl≈~

As a final though, before I move on to the action?

It looks the UK will come out of the current EU trade negotiations with no deal.

At least, that’s what Prime Minister Boris Johnson — the man who claimed to have an oven ready deal — told us yesterday.

Frankly?

I’m not surprised: having felt, over the past few years, that that’s how things could go.

Personally?   I voted Remain: am deeply saddened — and incredibly bloody angry — the country voted Leave.

I don’t know about long term: but if we do get a No Deal deal, we’re going to be seeing short term prices hikes on food, utilities, and many others things.

Hikes I know I — on my money — can’t afford.

Angry?   Yes.

Thank you, leave voters: you’ve ruined our lives, and will be costing us a fortune.

~≈fl≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Trevor†, Mum‡, Edith^ and Debbiª putting in their answers: with Olga, Trevor Debbi and Mum scoring four out of five, and Edith on four on three.

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

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

Q1)        It’s the 11th. Is eleven (11) odd or even?

Q2)        Eleven (11) is a prime number.   What’s the next highest prime number?

Q3)        What’s eleven (11) in binary?

Q4)        What’s eleven squared? (11²)

Q5)        Who lives in Number 11, Downing Street?

Q6)        True or false: during a rugby league match, each team fields eleven players.

Q7)        Blue Poles — also known as Number 11, 1952 — is a drippy painting by whom: Leonardo da Vinci, Roy Lichtenstein or Jackson Pollock?

Q8)        An ace can be counted as one, or eleven.   In which card game: Poker, Gin Rummy or Blackjack?

Q9)        The character, Eleven, appears in Stranger Things.   Who plays Eleven?

Q10)        Finally … ?   Who, in Dr Who, played the Eleventh Doctor?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        10th December, 1948, saw the United Nations adopt what: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Convention against Torture or the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

A1)        The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Q2)        The Encyclopædia Britannica was first published: on 10th December, 1768.   In which English city?

A2)        None of them: it was original published in Edinburgh, in Scotland.

Q3)        Melvil Dewey was born on 10th December, 1851.   His classification system is usually used where: restaurants, libraries or cheese shops?

A3)        Libraries.

Q4)        10th December, 1985, saw the birth of actress, Raven-Symoné.   She played Olivia in which sitcom … ?

A4)        The Cosby Show.

Q5)        Finally … ?   Countess Ada Lovelace was born on 10th December, 1815.   She’s considered to have written the world’s first what: science fiction novel, computer programme or weaving pattern?

A5)        Computer programme.   (To be strict, it was an algorithm: a set of instructions for a computer.   Quite what the difference is, I don’t know.)

Here’s a thought …

“I wear a fez now, fezzes are cool.”

The Eleventh Doctor.

And a playlist¹ …

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

Feel free to share today’s video Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        Delayed isn’t the half of it, Olgaº!   Ten to six, they told me that wouldn’t be able to make it!  Oy vey!   At least it sounds like things are moving on at your end!

(Bit of geekery for you, here: I’m getting the hang of the line break tag.   You’re getting excited, aren’t you … ?)

†        The important question, Trevorº?   Is ‘Is it REALLY your delight on a shiny night?’   Because there’s creams available, just in case!   Actually, the version I used was from The Lincolnshire Poacher Numbers Stations.   I think MI6 shut it down at the turn of the century … 

(Hope you’d care to join us, today: as it’s numbers …)

‡        Hello, Mumº!

^        Sounds like fun, Edithº!   (Oh, you might want to see if it’s got an HDMI port: you can plug it into a TV, that way.)

ª        Fingers, hey?   Is it just me, Debbiº, or did Fat Sam, in Bugsy Malone, have a henchmen called Fingers?   No, that was Knuckles, wasn’t it … ?

º        About question two, yesterday?   Sorry to mark everyone down … but?   Yes, it was first published in Edinburgh.   But the actual answer, if you read the question, was ‘None of them.’   Edinburgh’s in Scotland …

¹        As a point?   I remember that Nine Below Zero tune from an episode of The Young Ones.   There’s a Spinal Tap song … because their knobs go all the way up to eleven.