The Daily Teaser — 7-1-2014: In Distress

Well, that went … well … 

I think I mentioned, yesterday, that I was up early, to get to the Work Programme I have to attend.

The penultimate one I have to go to, I should add.

Just so you know, if you’re unemployed in the UK — for a certain amount of time — you have to attend a government sponsored Work Programme for two years, or until they help you find a job.

They’ve not managed to find me anything.

SEETEC, the company that runs the programme I attend, pays my bus fare for me: £6 a trip, for two years, for a total of £624 over the course of the time.   All paid for by you, the taxpayer.

Given I think they won’t find me anything, by next week … ?

I have yo say, I think the government’s Work Programme has wasted £624 on me, that could’ve been better spent elsewhere.

Go figure!

~≈Ê≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with letting us know that both the film and TV versions of M·A·S·H were equally as good, ALSO scoring six out of six.

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

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

Q1) 7th January, 1904 — 110 years ago, today — saw the introduction of which radio distress signal … ?

Q2) It was introduced by a branch of which wireless company … ?

Q3) That signal was replaced — in 1908 — by which better known distress signal … ?

Q4) The radio operator of which Royal Mail Ship alternated between both signals, when it sank in 1912?

Q5) One form of audio distress signal, is to make a continuous blast: with what type of horn … ?

Q6) Voice distress message, Mayday comes from which language … ?

Q7) When making a Mayday call, how many times do you have to use the term … ?

Q8) One old fashioned form of distress signal is to put a knot in a flag, and fly it how … ?

Q9) In the Alps, traditional distress calls involve repeating a signal, how many times a minute?

Q10) Finally … the modern set of seaborne distress protocols is the ‘Global Maritime Distress and Safety …’ what … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 6th January, 1066, saw the coronation of the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.   Who was he … ?

A1) Harold Godwinson: also known as Harold 2nd.

Q2) That king was killed fighting Norman invaders of England: at which Battle … ?

A2) The Battle Of Hastings.

Q3) 6th January, 1912, saw Alfred Wegener present his now famous — and initially controversial — theory.   WHICH theory … ?

A3) That of Continental Drift.

Q4) That same date — 6th January, 1912 — saw New Mexico admitted to the US.   Was it the 45th, 46th or 47th state to be admitted … ?

A4) The 47th.

Q5) 6th January, 1978, saw the Crown Of Saint Stephen returned to its native country: which European country WAS it returned to?

A5) Hungary.   (It’d been held in the US, after WW2)

Q6) Finally … 6th January, 1946, saw the birth of singer/songwriter, Syd Barrett: which 60s era band was he a founder of … ?

A6) Pink Floyd.

I’ll leave you with this observation from an back episode of Red Dwarf …

“Mayday, Mayday! I wonder why they call it ‘Mayday’? It’s only a bank holiday. Why not ‘Shrove Tuesday’, or ‘Ascension Sunday’? Ascension Sunday, Ascension Sunday! 2nd Wednesday after Pentecost, 2nd Wednesday after Pentecost!”

Chris Barrie, as Arnold Rimmer, in Red Dwarf.

And with this tune … 

Enjoy your day … 

*        You know, I’m seriously going to have to sit down with the movie, as well, Debbi: it SHOULD be on iTunes.   (Actually, talking of the TV series … ?   Corporal Klinger always springs to mind, for me: after all, in the midst of all the lunacy of war, you’ve got a bloke in a frock.   Oh, and BIG earrings …) 

The Daily Teaser — 1-5-2013: May Day, May Day, May Day … !

Wouldn’t you know it … ?

I’ve got an engineer due over, today.

One from BT, I should add.

They’re my internet service provider and are offering a freebie upgrade to their faster cable connection.

Which would be nice.   So long as it doesn’t cost any extra.

Here’s hoping.   If nothing else, my connection’s still live: and helping me with the potential cabin fever by offering up More, More, More, by Carmel.

Which has been ear-worming it’s way through my mind all morning … 

Let’s move on … 

(—·—)

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with thanking me for linking to a post of hers, she also managed to score five out of five.

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) 1st May is May Day.   In which year of the 1920s does the phrase May Day have its origins as a distress signal … ?

Q2) From which French phrase does the distress signal, May Day, come … ?

Q3) More to the point, what does the phrase mean in English … ?

Q4) The May Day signal is used by both maritime and aeronautical radio operators, usually on VHF frequencies.   What does VHF stand for … ?

Q5) One can also use the Morse Code distress signal, SOS, as flashes of light or sound.   Those dots and dashes are short for what … ?

Q6) One can indicate distress by flying one’s national flag upside down.   With flags like the UK’s or Japan’s, you have to fly them upside down, after putting what in them … ?

Q7) Finally … what colour of distress flare is usually used at sea … ?

And here’s yesterday’s Walpurgis Night questions: hopefully, these’ll interested @TerrenceMyles, over on Twitter …

Q1) 30th April is Walpurgis Night, in many parts of Europe.  Which Devonshire saint is it named after … ?

A1) St Walpurga.

Q2) Brocken Mountain — in Germany — sees who gather for a festival on Walpurgis Night … ?

A2) Witches.

Q3) Which composer wrote Die erste Walpurgisnacht — The First Walpurgis Night —  in 1831: Felix Mendelssohn, Ludwig van Beethoven or Johann Ludwig Krebs … ?

A3) Felix Mendelssohn.

Q4) Which American ‘Z’ wrote a short story called Walpurgisnacht … ?

A4) Roger Zelazny.

Q5) And finally … which well known Black Sabbath song was originally called Walpurgis … ?

A5) War Pigs.

I’ll leave you with this line from Night Terrors …

“George sent a message — a distress call, if you like — Whatever is inside that cupboard is so terrible so powerful, that it amplified the fears of an ordinary little boy across all the barriers of time and space.”

The Doctor, from Night Terrors.

And with possibly the only matching song I could think of that fit today’s theme … 

Happy May Day: don’t strain any May Poles … !

*        My pleasure, Debbi, anytime … !   Oh, remember me saying about the 3rd of May … ?   Managed to get the video done, last night.   Done, dusted and suitably polished.