Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 26th February 2024.

26th February, 2024.

Right … Shal-a-mal-a-bing-bong … ?

I’m up early: for my weight management course.

And wondering one thing.

Earworms, right?

We know what earworms are.

They’re songs that are stuck in our heads.

What’s the equivalent for a phrase?

The reason I ask … ?

Is that I’ve woken up with the phrase ‘Shal-a-mal-a-bing-bong’ banging through my head: after seeing Florence Pugh being interviewed … and confessing she though of Dune Pt 2 costar, Timothée Chalamet, as Timothée Chala Mala Bing Bong.

Beyond calling it an ‘adab’ — which Herbert’s original Dune novel defines as “… the demanding memory that comes upon you of itself”*— I don’t know what to call that.

I may have to turn it into a song … 

~≈∏≈~

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)        26th February is Saviours’ Day.   For whom: the Church of Scientology, the Nation of Islam or the Church of the SubGenius?

Q2)        26th February, 1966, saw the launch of the AS 201.   The launch was of the first what: space shuttle, X1 plane or Saturn rocket?

Q3)        According to scholars, the Nabonassar Era started on 26th February, 747BC: and is used as a reference date for many periods of history.   Nabonassar was a king of where: Babylon, Assyria or the Ptolemaic Empire?

Q4)        26th February, 2008, saw the New York Philharmonic play its first concert, where: Vietnam, Laos or North Korea?

Q5)        Finally … ?   The Articles of Confederation were signed on 26th February, 1778.   By which US state: Connecticut, Georgia, New Hampshire or Pennsylvania?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1)        George Harrison was born on 25th February, 1943.   He was a member of which iconic 1960s band?

A1)        The Beatles.

Q2)        He generally played what for the band: lead guitar, bass or drums?

A2)        Lead guitar.

Q3)        Ravi Shankar taught George to play what: sitar, mandolin or trombone?

A3)        Sitar.

Q4)        1971 saw George organising a charity concert.   For which country: Bangladesh, Ethiopia or Taiwan?

A4)        Bangladesh.   (If I recall Bob Geldof’s biography, correctly?   Geldof got a lot of useful advice about charity concerts from Harrison: on how to organise one, I should add.)

Q5)        Finally … ?   George provided funding for which Monty Python movie: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Life of Brian or Monty Python’s Meaning of Life??

A5)        Monty Python’s Life of Brian.

Here’s a thought …

“Behold, then, a new religion, a new society; upon this twofold foundation there must inevitably spring up a new poetry.”
Victor Hugo, 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885.

And some music …

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

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        That’s from the ‘Terminology’ section, p586, of my New English Library edition.

†        Oh, that he was, Olga!   I know he took a deep interest in Hindu spirituality, as well.   He donated one off his homes to the Hare Krishna movement: and produced their version of the Hara Krishna mantra.   That’s got to be one of the odder singles to hit the charts!

        Hmmm … Just as a thought on the app?   Can your slideshow app — PowerPoint, Presentations, what have you — export stuff as movies?   That may be useful: for making cheap bits of animation.   (That’s how I make the opening few seconds of each Teaser video.)

        I’m getting some interest for the laptop: although I think it’s going to take a while.   I did have one person, interested, yesterday morning.   I got mildly suspicious when they asked — specifically — for the email I use with my PayPal account: rather than the link or username.   Apparently?   ‘We have a PayPal business account that can’t use them’.   About an hour or two after they contacted me?   Their messages had vanished: as had their FB account.   I’ve changed my PayPay password: and two factor authentication on.

‡        Hello, Mum!

§        That’s perfectly OK, Debbi!   Although, mentioning ‘drag’?   Mentioning drag now means I’ve got “20th Century Fox” floating around my head: as WELL as ‘Shal-a-mal-a-bing-bong’.