KesterTester 43 - So where is 'here'? And what is the story behind this somewhat strange declaration, on a private home - and on a photo taken in 2007? - Updated with results of KT42
A bit of a Balkan Tester this week & a History Lesson Combined. (You can't complain you don't get your money's worth on this website :) )
Fame and Global Celebrity status await the lucky winner, to be drawn out of the black woolly EU-approved tester hat in a week or so's time - answers please via the website message service or email.
Now, one reason for posting this today, a little bit early, is because the four VIPs that form the puzzle on last week's tester - KT42 - seem to have really stumped folks - with just a few correct answers for one VIP only (and not the one that I thought people would identify first and foremost).
So, absolute soft heart that I am, I've added some more clues in the hope that it may jog a few memories/brain cells. Please take a look for those on last week's post - but not before you've worked out why here 'was' Jugoslavija - even if today it isn't! :)
UPDATE: Results of KesterTester 42 – Three Politicians and a Pop Star Well, even after giving you some of the best giveaway clues in the history of mankind, this proved decidedly difficult for most, although a few made brave, if floundering, attempts. Jerry Taylor was the first victim, writing in soon after posting: “Not a scooby as to who they are, but I’ll have a go at trying to find out!”
(But he didn't :) Jerry, what kept you back?)
A few of our American readers did identify their compatriot, including Frank Hegedus, who swooped in with: “Lower left is Dan Quayle, George the First's Vice President. Best remembered for his gaffes and spelling mistakes. But he was good-looking.”
John Cantwell chipped in here too: "Bottom left is former US veep Dan Quayle. (As to his alleged dull-wittedness: https://www.quora.com/Why-does-everyone-think-Dan-Quayle-is-unintelligent) The singer looks vaguely familiar. The other two, no idea." The singer, who I thought would be the easy one, was decidedly deceptive. Alex Faludy, no doubt his head swirling from his sudden rise to stardom from his success the previous week, stormed in here: “That chap top right is Sting - a good Wallsend [Newcastle] Catholic boy.” Alan Sutton was equally sure about the man at the microphone. “The obvious one is Frank Zappa, Budapesti Bucsu, Bye-Bye Sasha and all that. I was there.” Well, he can't be both Frank and Sting … so there's a bit of a mystery. Credit to Alan, however, who had a crack at the lady present. “The Irish one could be Mary Robinson. The others, who knows? Who'd want to be a Scot?” So far, so wibbly wobbly.
However, it gives me great pleasure to announce the best of the bunch – not perfect, but a worthy winner, all the way from Oregon, on the wet west coast of the USA - David McCall - a noted former Budapest-based ex-pat and regular contestant but one who's number has never come out of the black woolly hat.
His first email went: “Hey Kester,
I was and remain stumped, but will give you my 75% shot:
Upper left is Mary Robinson [former President] of Ireland.
Upper right is Rob (sic) Stewart. What pastel color was his jacket? Maybe pink?
Lower right is that famous C student Dan Quayle, who as VP was great security for President Bush Sr (no would want to assassinate him for fear of thrusting DQ into the seat!).
But alas, the German minister has me stumped!"
But David is not one to rest when a puzzle is to be solved, and after international consultations, he came back with a second attempt.
“I had dinner with a German friend last night, who could not figure out who that German minister is/was either. You stumped us both!”
“But she did point out to me that I probably need to change my opinion on the color of Stewart's jacket. It's true that he was quite famous for wearing pink jackets at that time, but he was not one of the Miami Vice-style pastel, but rather closer to a hot pink. Since the B/W photo appears lighter (like a pastel), it is likely that he was wearing his yellow/gold jacket for this photo op.”
Not bad, David – three out of four! And it was indeed a (rather horrible) yellow jacket Rod wore that night in Budapest. At least for the first part of the show, I think I left early. (I was a fan of Rod before he became famous with Maggie May in the summer of 71. For me, it was mostly downhill for him after that.)
As for the German, I thought he'd be difficult, but not for a fellow country 'Frau', as he was a big hitter. And, given the sleuthing power in here, I was surprised nobody guessed it might be a foreign minister - the guy was a serious player in the 1990s under Kohl.
So you can tell your friend it is none other than Klaus Kinkel, leader of the German Free Democrats, who also served as Vice-Chancellor, Justice Minister and President of the Federal Intelligence Service – at least according to his Wikipedia page.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Kinkel
Congratulations, David – I just hope you can handle the fame! (And what about the Jugoslavija pic above?)
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