The Daily Teaser — 18-12-2013: Project SCORE

Good Lord, Ronnie Biggs has died … !

Yes, I know: some of my international readers won’t necessarily have heard of the man.

But back in 1963, Biggs — along with 15 other people — carried out the Great Train Robbery.

Then, after being caught and gaoled, managed to escape from HMP Wandsworth in 1965: eventually landing up in Brazil.

And managing to stay there, until returning in 2001, immediately being re-gaoled.

The man was controversial: depending on who you asked, he was EITHER a audacious but loveable rogue who committed a audacious crime, which included pinching £2, 600, 000*, and knocking the driver of the train unconscious.

OR he was a vicious murdering thug who committed a audacious crime, which included pinching £2, 600, 000, and responsible for the death of the train driver, after one gang member knocked him unconscious.

Either way, it’s very convenient timing for the BBC: their two part drama about the robbery — A Copper’s Tale and A Robber’s Tale — starts tonight.

Convenient timing: and one HELL of an advert … !

With all THAT said … ?   Let’s get a move on … !

~≈Ï≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi† putting her answers: along with telling us she’d LOVED Ian McShane in Deadwood also scored eight out of eight.

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

Q1) 18th December, 1958, saw the launch of Project SCORE: the world’s first communications … what … ?

Q2) ‘SCORE’ stood for Signal Communications by  Orbital RElay … what … ?

Q3) Which of the two Cold War nations launched Project SCORE: the USA or the USSR … ?

Q4) What of that country’s agency’s launched Project SCORE: its Army, Navy or Space Agency … ?

Q5) Finally, Project SCORE was launched on what kind of rocket: an Atlas, Apollo or Aardvark … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 17th December saw the orders given, closing Project Blue Book: an investigation into UFOs.   What does UFO stand for … ?

A1) Unidentified Flying Object.

Q2) In which year was this … ?

A2) 1969.

Q3) Who carried out Project Blue Book: the US Air Force, the US Army Aviation Branch or the US Naval Air Force … ?

A3) The US Air Force.

Q4) In which year of the 1950s was the project opened … ?

A4) 1952.

Q5) The Project gets a mention in which David Lynch produced TV series?

A5) Twin Peaks.

Q6) By the time it closed, Project Blue Book concluded UFOs were no threat to US national … what?

A6) Security.

Q7) It also concluded that UFOs weren’t controlled by what … ?

A7) Intelligent Extraterrestrial life forms.

Q8) Finally … businessman Kenneth Arnold made the first, widely reported, UFO sighting, in which year of the 1940s?

A8) 1947.

I’ll leave you with this message …

“This is the President of the United States speaking. Through the marvels of scientific advance, my voice is coming to you via a satellite circling in outer space. My message is a simple one: Through this unique means I convey to you and all mankind, America's wish for peace on Earth and goodwill toward men everywhere.”

The (taped) message recorded by President Dwight Eisenhower, broadcast from SCORE.

And with this tune … 

Have a good day.

*        At the time, this was Britain’s largest robbery.   (Oh, Debbi, if you’ve ever heard the Sex Pistols tune, No One Is Innocent, that’s Ronnie doing the singing … !)

†        Oh, VERY appropriately named, Debbi!   and get this: the real-world Swearengen was EVEN NASTIER … !   (Oh, and according to his obituary, he died of a ‘massive head wound’.   Now, HOW could he have got that … !)