Trick or treatise?

This Halloween (C8), David Morrison of Springwood can do no other: “Years ago, I started calling 31st October ‘Martin Luther Day’ honouring the momentous historical event that occurred at that date in 1517. At Halloween, I put on an academic hat and provide chocolate for our young visitors. I get repeat customers every year, and they all seem to love the little printed summary of Martin Luther’s deeds, or the chocolate, or both.”

Speaking of chocolate, Coral Button of North Epping is “relieved to learn that bad weather in the cocoa bean producing countries, Ivory Coast et al, is the cause in the astronomical rise in chocolate prices. And here I’ve been thinking it was just the usual bastardry of the supermarket cartel.”

“Following on from Meri Will (C8), it sounds like Moses may have invented the protein shake,” posits Nick Walker of Suffolk Park.

“I just purchased a packet of two tap washers,” announces Don Leayr of Albury. “Among the benefits of said replacement parts, such as diameter, copper for durability, suits hot and cold water, was the fact that they are ‘Ideal for families of all ages’. I can’t imagine the fun that all-age families would have with this item!”

For Warren Howlett of Blackheath, Friday morning’s online reportage of Australia’s defeat in South Africa and in particular “a cricket journalist’s vibrant reporting, would probably fit well into John Howard’s idea of a citizenship test for migrants: ‘But finally, in the second over after tea, Boland’s marathon vigil was over, with Wiaan Mulder … producing a jagging peach to have the brave nightwatchman bowled through the gate … for a new Test best of 40’.
A) Name the sport.
B) Translate the highlighted passage.”

“I still have my father’s pocket-sized ‘Concise Circular Slide Rule’ (C8) with the instructions,” says Lynne Haylock of East Killara. “It’s only about 8cm in diameter and was made in Japan and probably bought in the 1950s or ’60s. To quote ‘an ideal gift for friends and business associates’.”

“Why doesn’t a bull shark have horns?” Fair question, John Swanton of Coogee.

“I empathise with Pasquale Vartuli’s experience in the exam room (C8),” offers Dorset Sutton of Neutral Bay. “When studying Accounting 1, I struggled with debits and credits. My secret was ‘credits near the window’ and ‘debits near the door’. Alas, the exam room didn’t have windows, and I failed Accounting 1.”