Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-11-2023 — World Diabetes Day.

14th November, 2023: World Diabetes Day.

Right … it’s now Tuesday … and I have a heavy sense of Deja Vu.

You’ll remember former Prime Minister, David Cameron?

The Tory PM who put the country through the referendum that saw us leaving the European Union?

In possibly the biggest cock-up of his career.

You’d think that — after his resignation, and being replaced as an MP? — he’d not want to get involved with politics again.

He didn’t.

Until yesterday.

When the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, appointed him to a seat in the House of Lords, and then as Foreign Secretary.

Beyond calling him Ricochet Dave?

I have to admit to being mildly concerned.

He’s an MP, a Member of Parliament: in the sense that he’s now a life peer, and member of the House of Lords.

But not a MP, not a member of the House of Commons, as his boss, PM Rishi Sunak.

That means that — as Foreign Secretary — he can’t enter the House of Commons, where his boss, the PM, and his fellow cabinet members sit.

He won’t face questions from the House, nor the opposition.

It’s been done before: Lord Carington, Mrs Thatcher’s Foreign Secretary, was a member of the Lords.

Quite how that works, I don’t know.

In one sense?

It’s a good thing for the current PM: he gets an experienced cabinet member, with an international reputation.

And who can offer advise on the job of Prime Minister.

That he can fire at any time.

On the down side?

Cameron is not accountable to the House of Commons*: nor can he be voted out of office.

That’s concerning.

~≈X≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga†, Mum‡ and Debbi§ putting in their answers: with everyone 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)        14th November is World Diabetes Day.   Gestational Diabetes occurs when you’re what: pregnant, overweigh or tired?

Q2)        Diabetic retinopathy — a complication of diabetes — damages what: your eyes, lungs or hands?

Q3)        Diabetic neuropathy is caused by Diabetes.   Damage to what: the nerves, blood vessels or lungs?

Q4)        Polyuria is one sign of diabetes.   It means you do a lot of what: urinating, sleeping or defecating?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Diabetes is a disease of the what: endocrine system, lymphatic system or central nervous system?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        13th November is the feast day of Saint Homobonus.   He’s the patron saint of whom: shoemakers, cheese-wrights or farmers?

A1)        Shoemakers.

Q2)        13th November saw the release of Disney film, Fantasia.   In which year of the 1940s?

A2)        1940.

Q3)        Xavier Suárez was first sworn in as Mayor of Miami: on 13th November, 1985.   He was next sworn in, in which year of the 1990s?

A3)        1997.

Q4)        13th November, 1994, saw which country join the EU: Sweden, the UK or Estonia?

A4)        Sweden.

Q5)        Finally … ?   4 World Trade Center opened on 13th November, 2013.   It’s in which US city?

A5)        New York.

Here’s a quote …

“Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin, or the cells of the body becoming unresponsive to the hormone’s effects.”

From the Wikipedia entry on Diabetes.

And a song by a diabetic … 

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

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        The House of Lords occasionally gets referred to as the ‘House of Peers’.   I don’t like the term: they’re no peers of mine!

†        Cheers, Olga: I can re-word that question in my database!   And I THINK I need more world literature in my collection!

        The meeting went well enough: I’ve lost about 400 grams, which is good for me.

‡        Hello, Mum!

§        It made my street interesting, Debbi: you should’ve seen the trees over the road … !