Steve Jobs: Chairman of the Board … !

Blimey …

THAT’S a bit …

Sudden … !

Now, I don’t know if you‘re anything of a technology fan, but I am.

Well …

More of a gadget fan, let’s put it that way.

And I’ll happily admit that I’m a Mac fan, been one for years, and intend to keep being, for as long as the budget holds out.

AHEM!

But at any rate … ?

At any rate, I’m as aware as any one of the influence of one particular member of Apple’s management team .

The Big Kahuna, himself, Steve Jobs.

Who announced, late last night … ?

That he was stepping down as Apple’s Chief Executive Officer, becoming Apple’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, and handing the CEO position to former Chief Operating Officer, Tim Cook.

I was … shocked, to say the least.

After all, Jobs has been, along with Bill Gates of Microsoft, one of computing’s most recognisable figures: and, as Apple’s public face since 1997, the spokesman for the company’s much vaunted kit*.

»»·««

So this kind of shocked me.

Shocked …

But didn’t exactly surprise me.

After all, his health has been notoriously iffy, for quite some time: and in a way that famously influences Apple’s share prices, whenever changes to it are announced.

But personally … ?

Well, I shocked — and mildly worried — to hear it …

But I’m thinking the company will still do well, despite Jobs’ absence from day-to-day running of the company.

He has, after all, made sure it’s in a VERY good position …

* Which I’ll happily admit, I’ve been recommending to people, ever since I got my first Mac, back in about 2002.

The Daily Teaser — 25-8-2011

Bleaugh … !

No, seriously, BLEAUGH … !

I’ve got to admit, for the past few months, I’ve liked to make sure I get up at 6•30.

Yes, I know, I’m job-hunting, at the moment.

So there’s no real need to.

But … ?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I like to get up early, if only to make sure I don’t lose the habit of getting up early, to go to work.

Strange, I know, but there we go.

Unfortunately … ?

I get the odd day when I don’t …

And absolutely hate it, when I do.

Like today …

I’m just thankful I’ve got Bruce, my Mac Mini, set to announce the time.

Him yelling “It’s Seven Hours” is what woke me up …

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Before things start sounding odd …

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Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi — all on her ownsome — putting in her answers: and bagging 5 out of 5.

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

Q1) 25th August, 1938, saw the birth of author, Frederick Forsyth: which of his novels is set during the First Gulf War … ?

Q2) 25th August, 1989, saw NASA’s Voyager 2 probe reach which Neptune: what’s the name of Neptune’s largest moon … ?

Q3) 25th August, 1944, saw the liberation of which French city … ?

Q4) 25th August, 1930, saw the birth of actor Sean Connery: in which 1964 Alfred Hitchcock film did he appear … ?

Q5) And finally … 25th August, 1609, saw Galileo Galilei demonstrate what to Venetian lawmakers … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 24th August, 1952, saw the birth of the second living poet to be published in the Penguin Classics series of paperbacks: who is he … ?

A1) Linton Kwesi Johnson.

Q2) 24th August, 1954, saw the suicide of Getúlio Vargas: where had he been president of … ?

Q2) Brazil.

Q3) 24th August, 1968, saw which country explode its first atomic bomb … ?

A3) France.

Q4) One year earlier, 24th August, 1967, saw two penguins from Chessington Zoo cooled off during a heatwave, by being taken to a local where … ?

A4) Ice rink.

Q5) And finally … 24th August, 1989, saw drug barons in Columbia declare war on whom … ?

A5) The Columbian government.

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

After I’ve left you with this extra, from Linton Kwesi Johnson …

Sir Terry’s Gone To Iceland

Which is possibly a bit of a strange title, I know.

But to be honest, there’s a method in my madness.

Or, at least a vague attempt a logic of some description.

(Says I, now my router’s stopped playing up … ! DRATTED thing … !)

At any rate … ?

Well, at any rate, I’ve got to admit, I actually went shopping this morning.

To one or two places, if you must know, but usually … ?

I usually go to the Brentwood branch of Iceland, at some point, as they usually do a nice range of cut price frozen food.

Well …

Niceish, let’s put it that way …

And Iceland, like many shops, does the occasional charity fundraising drive.

The one they’re doing at the mo caught my eye.

You’ve probably realised, by now, I’m a Terry Pratchett fan, and that I, like many of his fans, was devastated to hear of his Alzheimer’s Disease.

Especially in view of the fact my grandmother had died from the condition.

So I was rather pleased to see that my local Iceland …

Was having a charity fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Research.

Now, it’s not often I cough up cash for charity: and, frankly, I couldn’t even afford a strip of tickets for the raffle they were organising.

Which is a shame, the TV was rather impressive!

But at any rate … ?

I thought I’d mention it, here.

You’ve got ’til Friday, which is when they’re stopping it.

If you’ve some spare cash and would like to give to a good cause … ?

Well …

The Daily Teaser — 24-8-2011

You know, I’m thinking several things, this morning …

No, seriously …

I mean, for starters … ?

I’m going to do some shopping, with the little actual cash I’ve got.

That’s not too bad: I can usually get a few things, cheaply enough.

What’s got me mildly concerned … ?

Is the good old British weather.

There was absolute, rock-solid, drizzle, yesterday.

Not exactly what I’d call good shopping weather, I know that much …

Oh, well …

I’m thinking that’s something I’m going to have to correct, today.

Go shopping, that is.

I’ll probably just have to make sure I’m wearing a raincoat …

Lets get moving on, shall we … ?

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Yesterday’s Teaser saw Kaiju, Debbi and East Fife Lyn* all putting in their answers, and ALL scoring 5 out of 6. Paris and Fountainebleu, eh … ?

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

Q1) 24th August, 1952, saw the birth of the second living poet to be published in the Penguin Classics series of paperbacks: who is he … ?

Q2) 24th August, 1954, saw the suicide of Getúlio Vargas: where had he been president of … ?

Q3) 24th August, 1968, saw which country explode its first atomic bomb … ?

Q4) One year earlier, 24th August, 1967, saw two penguins from Chessington Zoo cooled off during a heatwave, by being taken to a local where … ?

Q5) And finally … 24th August, 1989, saw drug barons in Columbia declare war on whom … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 23rd August, 1650, saw Colonel George Monck found Monck’s Regiment of Foot, the oldest continuously active regiment in the British Army: how is it now known … ?

A1) Her Majesty’s Coldstream Regiment of Foot: or just The Coldstream Guard.

Q2) More to the point, which Guards regiment has served the Crown for longer … ?

Q2) The Grenadier Guards.

Q3) 23rd August, 1975, saw a successful Communist coup in which East Asian country … ?

A3) Laos.

Q4) 9 years earlier, 23rd August, 1966, saw the Lunar 1 Orbiter take the first photo of what, from orbit … ?

A4) Earth.

Q5) According to UNESCO, 23rd August is the International Day for the Remembrance of what … ?

A5) The Slave trade, and it’s abolition.

Q6) And finally … 23rd August, 1944, saw the liberation — during World War 2 — of which French town?

A6) Marseille.

Enjoy those, everyone: and as it’s Stephen Fry’s birthday, I’ll leave you with this …

* Who’s right in the middle of the high season, at the moment: Lyn, how is the weather up there … ? Please tell me it’s not drizzling … !

The Daily Teaser — 23-8-2011

You know, I’ve got to make a confession, here.

I think, like many of us, I’ve been following the news from Libya.

Maybe not with interest, but certainly paying attention.

And given the way my mind works … ?

Well, I know it’s trivialising a very messy real-world piece of news, but I’ve had Orwell’s classic, Animal Farm, possibly one of the 20th Century’s best books in English, floating around my head.

My only excuse … ?

Is that Mr Orwell certainly had his eye on the proverbial ball.

And I can’t help but paraphrase the book, given the circumstances, by mentally imaging a senior rebel saying “We don’t want Gaddafi to come back!”

Despite the fact they’ve not actually found him …

Lets move on, shall we … ?

Yes …

»»·««

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Alexandra and Debbi putting in their answers: and saw Big Beast, Debbi inching ahead by a point — with 3/5 — over Resident Mirth Merchant, Alexandra’s score of 2.

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

Q1) 23rd August, 1650, saw Colonel George Monck found Monck’s Regiment of Foot, the oldest continuously active regiment in the British Army: how is it now known … ?

Q2) More to the point, which Guards regiment has served the Crown for longer … ?

Q3) 23rd August, 1975, saw a successful Communist coup in which East Asian country … ?

Q4) 9 years earlier, 23rd August, 1966, saw the Lunar 1 Orbiter take the first photo of what, from orbit … ?

Q5) According to UNESCO, 23rd August is the International Day for the Remembrance of what … ?

Q6) And finally … 23rd August, 1944, saw the liberation — during World War 2 — of which French town?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 22nd August, 1639, saw the founding of the city of Madras, or Chenai, as it now is. By whom … ?

A1) The British East India Company.

Q2) 22nd August, 1978, saw the death of Jomo Kenyatta, in his home in Mombasa: where was he the first president of … ?

Q2) Kenya.

Q3) 22nd August, 1848, saw the USA annex what’s now which US state … ?

A3) New Mexico.

Q4) 22nd August, 1485, saw the Battle of Bosworth Field and the death of Richard 2nd: this was the penultimate battle of which war … ?

A4) The War of the Roses.

Q5) And finally … 22nd August, 1791, saw the start of the world’s only successful slave revolution: in what’s now which country … ?

A5) Haiti.

Enjoy those, everyone.

Now, if you’ll excuse me … ? I’m going to dig up some Orwell …