Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14th August, 2021

14th August, 2021.

If you read yesterday’s teaser post?   You’ll have realised that there’d been a mass shooting in Plymouth: on Thursday.

The news was and is shocking.

As is another fact that’s emerged.

Apparently, the killer had his shotgun license withdrawn in December: his gun was seized at the same time.

Then given back in July, after going on an Anger Management course.

My cynical side … ?   Is telling me THAT worked … !

Less cynically?

I’m wondering what happened.

In hindsight — and I’ll admit it, hindsight is always twenty-twenty — it seems to have been a bad move … 

~≈👁≈~

Oh, just in case you’re a fellow Mac user … ?   One who’s using macOS Big Sur?

macOS Big Sur 11.5.2 is now available through the usual route: via System Preferences.

As Macworld points out, though?

The notification from Apple says nothing about what’s in the update: simply that it contains bug fixes.

And, right now?

Apple’s own website doesn’t list the update.

Quite what’s happening there?

I don’t know.

~≈≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Mum† and Debbi‡ and putting in their answers: with Olga scoring ten out of ten, Debbi on nine and Mum on eight.

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

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

Q1)        14th August, 1040, saw Duncan 1st of Scotland killed in battle: by forces loyal to MacBeth.   Duncan had been known as Duncan the what: Duncan the Bald, Diseased or Fat?

Q2)        The Falkland Islands were first sighted: on 14th August, 1592.   The Islands are some three hundred miles from the coast of where: Argentina, Chile or Peru?

Q3)        14th August, 1947, saw where become independent from the UK: India, Pakistan or Bangladesh?

Q4)        Midnight on 14th August, 1967, saw the Marine, &c., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 become law in the UK.   It made sending what to the UK, illegal: pirate radio broadcasts, mobile phone signals or mobile internet signals?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Cartoonist, Gary Larson, was born on 14th August, 1950.   He created which cartoon strip: Judge Dredd, Peanuts or The Far Side?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        13th August is International Left Hander’s Day.   Sinister is the word for left.   In which language: Mandarin, Latin or Greek?

A1)        Latin.   (The Wikipedia entry on handedness has reminded me that the word can also rendered as sinistra: Latin words have sex.   Which is nice …)

Q2)        In heraldry, a Bend Sinister — or Baton sinister — is a bar on a coat of arms.   It tells you the owner of the arms is what: left handed, illegitimate or has been disowned?

A2)        Is illegitimate.

Q3)        According to 2019 reports, left-handedness has genetic components: components that affect the cytoskeletons of human cells.   The cytoskeleton is usually compared to what: scaffolding, ladders or bricks?

A3)        Scaffolding.   Here’s the BBC report I lifted that from.

Q4)        If you’re hopeless at dancing — or football — you’re said to have two left … what

A4)        Feet.

Q5)        The Left Handed Man was a 1913 short film.   Directed by whom: D. W. Griffith, F. W. Murnau or Robbert Wiene.

A5)        D. W. Griffith.

Q6)        I publish the questions on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar under a Creative Commons license: licenses that let people reuse them, under certain conditions.   These licenses are also called Copy what licenses?   (It should be obvious.)

A6)        Copyleft.

Q7)        Moving on, slightly … actors, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, and Robert Sean Leonard, are all left handed.   All three have appeared in which US medical drama: ER, Grey’s Anatomy or House?

A7)        House. (Lisa Edelstein plays House’s boss, Dr Cuddy.   Omar Epps plays Dr Foreman, a member of Dr House’s team, and Robert Sean Leonard plays House’s best friend, Dr Wilson.)

Q8)        The late Rik Makall was left handed.   He played Drop Dead Fred in which 1991 film?

A8)        Strangely enough? Drop Dead Fred.   (I’ve never seen it: but grew up on the utterly anarchic The Young Ones)

Q9)        Actress, Emma Thompson is left handed.   She appeared in Tutti Frutti with which Scottish actor: David Tennent, Peter Capaldi or Robbie Coltrane?

A9)        Robbie Coltrane.

Q10)        Finally … ?   Writer, comedian, actress and presenter, Sue Perkins, is left handed.   She’s recently been named as the new chair of which radio show?

A10)        Just a Minute.

Here’s a thought … 

“My own benchmark for success was pretty basic — I just wanted to be able to pay my rent.   Beyond reaching that goal I really didn’t care much.”

Gary Larson, born 14th August, 1950.

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.

*        Oh, you’re right, Olga: she’s spot on!   The series immediately following Nicholas Parson’s death, they had a series of guest presenters: including her, and Gyles Brandreth.   She was perfect!

        And yes, Mayall died in 2014.   I was deeply saddened.   The Young Ones, and Saturday Live, were the comedy series, growing up: far more important, in a sense, than Monty Python.

†        Hello, Mum!

‡        Um!   Sorry, Debbi!   The next one’s on the 24th … !   (Oh … the BBC’s re-releasing The Web of Fear on the 16th: with an animated version of the missing episode.   Oh … and they’ve done an animated version of The Evil of the Daleks: the missing story was the first appearance of the Dalek Emperor and Deborah Watling as Victoria.)