The Daily Teaser — 24-12-2013: All About Christmas Eve

You know, in amongst the storms that are affecting southern England’s transport — and taken the life of at least one person — I’ve just noticed a piece of good news.

Or good, from where I’m sitting.

Computer pioneer, Alan Turing, has been officially pardoned by the Queen.

Personally … ?   My first thought was simple: “AT LAST … !”

I’ve always felt that not pardoning the man who shaped the modern world by designing the computer … was on hell of an injustice.

Thankfully, with this news … ?   We can say exactly that: that it was an injustice, and one that has now been corrected.

Now all that’s needed … ?   Is maybe a medal for his war work.

Here’s hoping!

~≈Ω≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: and, along with letting me know she’d enjoyed yesterday’s tune, also scored five out of five.

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

Q1) 24th December sees the traditional Nine Lessons and Carols broadcast by the BBC.   From which Cambridge College: Christ’s, King’s or Queen’s … ?

Q2) On Christmas Eve, many Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries have a Midnight Mass called Misa de Gallo: or Mass of the … what … ?

Q3) Christmas Eve is on the 24th December: All Hallow’s Eve is on which date … ?

Q4) Eve Harrington is a character in which 1950 film … ?

Q5) More to the point, Evey Hammond turns up in which 2005 film … ?

Q6) Living between 140000 and 200000 years ago, what name is given to humanity’s most ancient common female ancestor … ?

Q7) Finally … in which book of the Bible does Eve appear … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 23rd December, 1986, saw a plane called Voyager land at Edwards Airforce Base, in California.   The plane was the first to make a round-the-world trip without what: launching, refueling or landing … ?

A1) Ground or aerial refueling.

Q2) 23rd December, 1823, saw the debut of the poem, ’Twas The Night Before Christmas.   Name any of the reindeer mentioned in the poem … 

A2) Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen.

Q3) 23rd December, 1972, saw an earthquake hit the Central American city of Managua.   In which country is Managua … ?

A3) Nicaragua.

Q4) 23rd December, 1947, saw Bell Labs demonstrate the first transistor.   What did the transistor replace: the vacuum tube, the silicon chip or the lightbulb?

A4) The vacuum tube: or valve, as it’s known, here in the UK.

Q5) Finally … 23rd December, 1933, saw the birth of the current Emperor of Japan.   What’s his name … ?

A5) Akihito.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart … filled it, too, with melody that would last forever.”

Bess Streeter Aldrich.

And with Martha’s Harbour, by All About Eve … 

*        You can’t go far wrong with Chet Baker, Debbi!   (Oh … about question 2 … ?   I’ll let you have that: but you do know Rudolph wasn’t in A Visit From Saint Nicholas … ?   He first cropped up in 1939.)