Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-5-2025 — The Warsaw Pact

14th May, 2025: the Warsaw Pact.

Peter Sullivan was released from prison, yesterday.

He’d spent thirty-eight years inside: after being wrongly convicted of the murder of Dianne Sindall.

My sympathies go to Ms Sindall’s family: as this means her killer has not been found.

My sympathies are also with Mr Sullivan.

Getting out of prison after that length of time, into a world that’s changed so radically from the one he knew when sentenced … is going to be strange … 

Personally?

I think compensation is due to Peter Sullivan: as should be paid as soon as possible.

And that government — of whatever stripe — should work to make sure mistakes like this don’t happen again.

~≈🪙≈~

A few weeks ago, I put in for extra financial help: from a fund run by Southend Council.

They’ve run a scheme that hands out pre-paid debit cards for some years.

I’ve now, thankfully, had the letter that tells me I’ve been granted one: and how much cash will be on it.

I’ve had the letter … but not the card, and its associated PIN number.

The sooner that gets here, the better!

~≈🪙≈~

The Daily Teaser — 14-5-2015: The Warsaw Pact

Hmmm … 

It’s — officially — Thursday.

Obviously … !

That means several things.

The first … ?   Or biggest, I should say?

Is simply that today — for me, at any rate — is the fact it’s a day, for me.

Meaning I can get stuff done around my flat, get some Teasers written: along with lining up some more Friday Question Sets.

Oh … And try to not get distracted by Star Defender … !

Ho HUM … !!

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 14-5-2013

Finally … !

I’ve managed to finish it … !

I’ve got to admit, I has something of a busy weekend, on Saturday and Sunday.

To the point where I feeling a touch frustrated about not finishing the write-up I’d started on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey*.

Well … I’ve finally managed to finish it: and feel vaguely pleased with it.   Although there’s always things you miss, and kick yourself for.

At any rate, let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, let’s … !

~≈†≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Debbi† and Terrence‡ putting in their answers: with Debbi letting us know she’ll be checking out some William Gibson, and Terrence offering up a little puzzle of his own, it saw Debbi bagging 5 out of 6 and Terrence bagging 6.

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s themed questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 14th May, 1955, saw many country’s sign the Warsaw Pact.   In which country is Warsaw … ?

Q2) More to the point, on which river does Warsaw stand … ?

Q3) How may countries signed the Warsaw Pact … ?

Q4) Name one of them.

Q5) In which Warsaw Pact country did English comedian, Norman Wisdom, gain a huge cult following … ?

Q6) And finally … what name was given to the confrontation between the Warsaw Pact countries and the West … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 13th May, 1958, saw Velcro registered as a trademark.   Velcro’s inventor had been inspired by the seeds of which plant: burdock, dandelion or daisies … ?

A1) Burdock.

Q2) More to the point, which European country was that inventor from … ?

A2) Switzerland.

Q3) Moving on … 13th May, 1981, saw Mehmet Ali Ağca attempt to shoot whom … ?

A3) Pope John Paul 2nd.

Q4) May 4th, 1994, saw Johnny Carson make his last TV appearance: on which TV programme?

A4) The Tonight Show With David Letterman.

Q5) 13th May, 1787, saw Captain Arthur Phillips leave Portsmouth, with what later became known as the First Fleet.   To which country were they heading … ?

A5) Australia.

Q6) And finally … 13th May, 1880, saw Thomas Edison make his first tests of an electric railway.   What was the name of his New Jersey base … ?

A6) Menlo Park.   (There’s even a couple of OS X fonts named after it.)

I’ll leave you with this thought from Nicolae Ceauşescu …

“There can be no justification to admit, in any way, the use of armed forced to intervene in the internal affairs of a Warsaw Treaty Organization member country.”

Nicolae Ceauşescu, 26 January 1918 – 25 December 1989

And with a version of Blue Monday with some novel video … 

Enjoy your day … 

*        I have to say, I was impressed with Richard Armitage, the chap playing Thorin Oakenshield.

†        Go for it, Debbi!   (I’d suggest either Burning Chrome, his early short story collection, or Neuromancer: that’s the story that kick-started his career, and won him the Hugo, and the Nebula awards for Best Book.   And it has to be said, it’s got some murky characters, including the Finnº: and they’re just the good guys!)

‡        Oh, easy-peasy, Terrence: the coder is Mark Zuckerburg, obviously, and the French King was Louis 13th: who, if I’ve read my sources correctly, assassinated the previous king, in order to bag the job.   Going TOTALLY off topic … ?   You’re right, that was a fantastic pair of sax solos: although I always liked the one in Hazel O’Connor’s Will You.   (Didn’t I read that the Mar-keys eventuaslly became Booker T and the MGs … ?   I’m fairly sure I did)

º        Who’s a fence and techie for hire: he’s mildly agoraphobic, which means he charges a fortune …