Sunday 13 December 2020

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-12-2020: First Sight

13th December, 2020.


Yes: it’s official.

I need a haircut!

Between one thing and another?   I’ve not actually had one for a couple of months.

Granted, my mother — and Old Peculiar regulars Debbi and Trevor — will tell you I’ve had my hair long, before now.

But, once you get used to it being shorter?

You do start to get twitchy if it’s beyond a certain length!

~≈Ê≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

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



The day also saw Trevorª leaving us a message.

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

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

Q1)        Abel Tasman was the first European to sight New Zealand.   On 13th December of which year of the 1640s?

Q2)        Tasman spotted what we now call New Zealand’s what: North Island or South Island?

Q3)        Tasman named New Zealand, Staten Landt: in honour of his country’s Parliament.   That country was what we now call what: Belgium, Luxembourg or the Netherlands?

Q4)        Which M are New Zealand’s native peoples?

Q5)        Finally … ?   What’s New Zealand’s capital city?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        12th December, 1915, saw the birth of Frank Sinatra.   He was known as Ol’ what Eyes?
A1)        Ol’ Blue Eyes.

Q2)        His debut album, The Voice of Frank Sinatra was released in which year of the 1940s?
A2)        1946.

Q3)        Sinatra played Frankie Machine in The Man with the Golden what?
A3)        The Man With the Golden Arm. (It’s supposed to be his best film.)

Q4)        Allegedly?   Sinatra was supposed to be involved with which mob: the Yakuza, the Mafia or the Vory v zakone?
A4)        The Mafia.   (The Yakuza are the Japanese mob: organised on similar lines to the US Mafia.   The Vory v zakone, the Thieves in Law, are Russian gangsters: at least, the very senior ones.)

Q5)        Finally … ?   His first number 1 record, You’ll Never Know, was recorded for Columbia Records. It reached number 1 in which year of the 1940s?
A5)        1943.   The Wikipedia entry about Frank’s discography listed it as reaching number Number one on the hot 100 in 1943: which has the answer I based this question on.   As everyone’s raised issues, here, I’m going to try and raise them on the main article’s talk pages.
Here’s a thought … 
“New Zealand is not a small country but a large village.”
Peter Jackson.
And a song …


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

Feel free to share today’s video Teaser.

Have a good day.




*        She’s never of Poirot, Olgaº¹!?   Or Miss Marple?   You’ve got your work cut out for you!   I think it’s time to dig up The Unicorn and The Wasp!   Which might interest her, if she’s seen Rogue One: Felicity Jones is in both.
As for Frank?   Interesting’s the word!   Rumour has it the Johnny Fontane character, in The Godfather?   Is based on Ol’ Blue Eyes.   Quite how true that is, I don’t know.
But the gig you caught?   Must have been something!

†        Hello, Mum¹!

‡        Fast ones, Debbi¹?   Moi?!   Perish the thought!   The phrase I’ve heard Mum use is ‘Pulling a flanker.’   Ahem!   (Oh, that photo I’ve shown Olga, that’s a little further down?   Have you any idea if that IS Vito Genovese?   The guy was … worryingly scary!)

^       Morning, Edith¹!   How IS the day?

ª        Yeah, I thought that might happen, Trevor¹: it’s something I’ll have to try and re-do … once Google let’s me embed video back into a post!   (That usually gets around the copyright restrictions.)

º        Actually, Olga?   There’s a famous photo of Frank with about a bunch of mobsters.   If I’ve got it right, the chap I’ve outlined is Vito Genovese.   If I’ve got it right, he literally was the Godfather!


¹        I know it’s a bit late … but I’m going to try and chase You’ll Never Know, up: at least leave a message on the relevant Talk pages.

6 comments:

Olga said...

Q1) 1642
Q2) South Island
Q3) The Netherlands
Q4) Māori
Q5) Wellington
I'm not sure you're right about the guy in the photo. Looking at some pictures it doesn't look like him (although I'm not sure of the year of the picture either, he died in 1969 and the picture looks later...). But yes, he had connections from pretty early on. In the documentary, they said that at first he used to say that they just went to watch him sing, and you had to be friendly with them. The documentary also said that Joe Kennedy had phoned Frankie when JFK was campaigning, telling him that they needed to win two states (I don't remember which ones, not the biggest, but probably swing states), and asked him to talk to people he knew... It seems he spoke to Santacana, who, of course, ended up sharing one of his lovers with JFK as well.
Actually, I've just checked, and he played at Westchester premium theatre, where the picture was taken, between 1976 and 77, the picture is from April 1976, and that's after Vito Genovese was already dead. No doubt he must have been somebody with mafia connections, but not the big man.
https://westchestermagazine.com/things-to-do/arts-culture/frank-sinatras-infamous-westchester-mob-photo/
I'll suggest the Unicorn and the Wasp, but I get the feeling she doesn't watch a lot of TV either (although I'm planning on giving her one of my books in English for Christmas. Curiosity to see what I write might help).

trev-v said...

A1 1642
A2 South Island
A3 The Netherlands
A4 Maori
A5 Wellington

Hair. I think I still have a little. My hair style is that of a medieval Monk. None on top but plenty round the sides.

Donna W said...

Not sure about the order :

1642
South island(sighting first)
Netherlands?? Named after
Maori (originals)
Wellington (cap city)

Freda said...

1 1643
2 South Island
3 Netherlands
4 Maori
5 Auckland

Debbi said...

I really couldn't say, Paul. I do know Sinatra had quite the reputation. It's like he lived a Martin Scorsese movie. :)

1. 1642
2. South Island
3. The Netherlands
4. the Maori
5. Wellington

Edith said...

1. 1643
2.South Island
3. Luxenberg
4. Mauri
5. Aukland

https://open.spotify.com/track/3PD98q7uNteVW3iG4UuezK?si=R7AvYUzeSBOL6bypjY1V-Q