The Daily Teaser — 15-5-2012

Hmmm … 

There’s a thing … 

I’ll be frank, I do like to try and keep my eye on technology news: usually trying to understand it, as well as I can.

And literally just noticed this piece on the BBC’s news site, about a Russian company’s new piece of software designed to block torrent downloads.

You can see why the Hmmm, can’t you … ?   While Microsoft and others will be happy to either fund or promote it, I can’t help but think that — given a short time — SOMEONE would’ve come up with a work-around.

Which I’m thinking should be a factor in influencing film studios to make their online offerings a touch cheaper and easier to access: after all, that’ll encourage folk to do these things legally.

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?   Before I start ranting … 

‹‹•››

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi — all on her ownsome — putting in her answers: and, along with being rather impressed with the word bonzer*, also bagging 6 out of 6.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?   Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, license and video … 

Q1) 15th May, 1836, saw the first observation of what: Baily’s Beads, Barney’s Blobs or Dewhurst’s Droplet’s … ?

Q2) More to the point, what was this during: a tornado, a meteor shower, or an eclipse … ?

Q3) 15th May, 1941, saw the first flight of a British jet plane: who was the engine’s designer … ?

Q4) 15th May, 1718, saw James Puckle patent the world’s first machine gun: which sub-machine gun was informally known as the Chicago Piano … ?

Q5) 15th May, 1918, saw the end of which country’s civil war … ?

Q6) And finally … 15th May, 1252, saw Pope Innocent 4th issue the Bull that allowed the Inquisition to torture who: blasphemers, heretics or unbelievers … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 14th May, 1973, saw NASA launch Skylab: in which year did it return to Earth … ?

A1) 1979.

Q2) More to the point, Skylab remains crashed roughly 250 miles south east of the Western Australian capital: what’s its name … ?

A2) Perth.

Q3) As a final Skylab question … why DID the Shire of Esperence, in Australia, fine NASA A$400 … ?

A3) Littering: NASA had been dumping huge chunks of space station all over the place … 

Q4) 14th May, 1913, saw the Governor of New York approve the Charter for which charitable foundation … ?

A4) The Rockefeller Foundation.

Q5) 14th May, 1796, saw Edward Jenner administer the first Smallpox vaccination: bacteria from which disease formed the basis of the vaccine … ?

A5) Cowpox.

Q6) And finally … 14th May, 1925, saw which of Virginia Woolf’s novel’s published … ?

A6) Mrs Dalloway.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later.

Once we’ve celebrated Mike Oldfield’s birthday by folk dancing to Portsmouth.

Oh, hell, here’s Moonlight Shadow … 

Oh … 

And BEFORE I forget … !

Ahem … !

Oh … And as I’ve mentioned them, did I tell you I didn’t expect toª … 

*        Oh, I don’t know if the internet’s to blame, there, Debbi: I do know the UK’s screened half a tonº of Australian soaps over the past twenty years … 

º        That one’s English, by the way: I’m hoping Mr S will be able to fill us in on the South African equivalent at some point … 

ª        This is, I should, one of the few on-screen appearances from Terry Gilliam: playing the almost quiet Cardinal Fang.