It get’s worse … !
Remember, yesterday, I highlighted the fact the USA’s National Security Agency was indulging in some wonderfully iffy behaviour … ?
Guess what … ! It sounds like GCHQ — the UK’s Government Communication Head Quarters — has been either making use of Prism information, or contributing.
I can but reiterate: I’m not impressed if the government of the US is peeking over my digital shoulder. I’m less impressed if an agency of my government is helping, thanking you very much … !
Right …
Let’s move on to today’s themed teaser: there’s an irony to that theme* …
~≈◊≈~
Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Mr Strict and Debbi putting in their answers. With Mr S bagging five out of five, and Debbi bagging four, the day also Debbi† telling us
this looked familiar, and Mr S confirming his serious Big Beast status by getting me to look at my answers‡ … !
Let}s see how they — and you — do with today’s themed questions, shall we?
Q1) 8th June saw the first publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four: in which year of the 1940s … ?
Q2) Who was it’s author … ?
Q3) In the novel, the UK has been renamed … what … ?
Q4) What’s the name of Nineteen Eighty-Four’s main character?
Q5) That hero is a member of what: the Inner or Outer Party … ?
Q6) Who’s the Leader of the Party … ?
Q7) The thrust of part of the story concerns our hero having a love affair with a woman called … what … ?
Q8) What’s the name of the fictional language created for the book … ?
Q9) What’s the name of the novel’s secret police … ?
Q10) Name any of the ministries featured in Nineteen Eighty-Four
Q11) Which year saw the release of the film version of Nineteen Eighty-Four, with John Hurt in the central role … ?
Q12) And finally … Nineteen Eighty-Four’s famous torture scene takes place in which room … ?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 7th June, 1099, saw the start of the Siege of Jerusalem: during which crusade … ?
A1) The First Crusade.
Q2) Was that Crusade ordered into action by Urban 2nd, Urban 3rd or Rural 9th … ?
A2) Urban 2nd.
Q3) It was ordered after Roman Catholic Europe received a call for help: from the Emperor of where … ?
A3) Byzantium. (Alexios 1 Komnenos, if you want precision.)
Q4) After this Crusade, what collectiv e name was given to the states founded in the Middle East, by the Crusaders … ?
A4) The Crusader States: and also as Outremer.
Q5) Finally: in the wake of this Crusade, Hugh de Payens founded which famed Crusading order of knights … ?
A5) The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, or Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Salomonici: Knights Templar, if you want to keep it simple …
I’ll leave you with this thought from O’Brien, one of the characters in Nineteen Eighty-Four …
“Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.”
O’Brien, in Nineteen Eighty-Four
And possibly the only logical choice for a song …
Be Seeing You … !
* Actually, can I make a confession, here … ? I’m rather pleased with today’s set of questions: it just rolled off my keyboard, so easily. If I was religious, I’d suspect divine inspiration: as I’m not … ? Possibly it’s better to say that whatever powers the minimal creativity I need to write the Teasers, was definitely on steroids, that day.
† What can I tell you, Debbi, the Middle East’s a mess … !
‡ I just had Outremer, Mr S, what CAN I tell you … ?
