Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19-10-2024 — The First Battle of Ypres

19th October, 2024: The First Battle of Ypres.

It’s official: I’ve had bits delivered.

Including a stand for my TV: which is nice.

It means I can see the screen my coffee table.

I’ve also had a sofa from Wayfair delivered: by Evri.

They had told me the thing was going to turn up between 19:00 and 21:00.

So, of course, I headed the Romford branch of CeX: to sell off my old AppleTV 4k and old eight terabyte external drive.

I got on the train by 12:30 … which is when I got a text message from Evri telling me they were coming between twelve and two, 12:00 and 14:00.

They left it outside the building, when they couldn’t get in.

Outside the building.

I’m not happy.

Granted, I was out.

But … ?

A few seconds work — pressing the Trade button on the doorbell panel —would’ve got the driver in, and dropping the thing at my door!

Ho-hum!

~≈🚛≈~

Just as a bit of politics?

Apparently, Tim Cook — the CEO of Apple — has complained about Apple’s EU tax case.

To no less a person than Donald Trump.

At least, that’s what Donald Trump said in an interview, yesterday.

According to various news reports … ?

Apple has ‘ … declined to comment.’

Their usual policy on this things looks sensible, under the circumstances … !

~≈🍏≈~

Let’s move on.


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

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

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

Q1)        19th October saw the start of the First Battle of Ypres.   In which year: 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917 or 1918?

Q2)        During which war?

Q3)        Ypres is in which European country?

Q4)        The British forces were allied with forces from France and Belgium.   Which country were they fighting?

Q5)        Finally … ?   The Battle ended on the 22nd of which month: October, November or December?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        The USA took possession of Alaska: on 18th October, 1867.   After buying it from where: Russia, China or Japan?

A1)        Russia.

Q2)        Protests started in Santiago: on 18th October, 2019.   Santiago is the capital of which South American country … ?

A2)        Chile.

Q3)        Lotte Lenya was born on 18th October, 1898.   She played Rosa Klebb in which James Bond movie: From Russia with Love, Dr No or Goldfinger?

A3)        From Russia with Love.   (She has shoes to die for!)

Q4)        The funeral of Carlo Gambino was held on 18th October, 1976.   He was one head of the Mafia groups in New York, the ones known as the Five … whats?

A4)        Five Families.

Q5)        Finally … ?   18th October is the Day of Restoration of the Independence … of where: Armenia, Azerbaijan or Georgia?

A5)        Azerbaijan.

Here’s a thought …

“Warfare between mass armies, equipped with the weapons of the Industrial Revolution and its later developments, proved to be indecisive, because field fortifications neutralised many classes of offensive weapon.”

From the Wikipedia entry on the Battle.

A ’toon …

And a bit of doggerel I remember from years ago§ … …


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

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        External drives are an eternal problem, Olga: I’m trying to make sure I can back up this new external drive, and I don’t know if the Time Machine app is recognising the new one.   Heigh ho!

        Well … the music collection seems to be coming along: but — wouldn’t you know it? — the album art isn’t being recognised!   Argghhh!   About the only upside to the situation is that the old drive — and Apple TV — went for a reasonable price.

†        Hello, Mum!

‡        Very true, Debbi!   Although there’s way too many good take outs near me!

        (Normally I’d say Kleb was wearing killer heels: but they were flat … … )

§        First time I saw that bit of poetry … was in a review of a book with the same title: it was a short story collection, themed around Carmen’s ghost …