Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 17-5-2017: The New York Stock Exchange

Blimey … 

I like a good book, every now and again.

Terry Pratchett’s a perennial favourite.

So is Iain M Banks.

So, when a medical company funded by entrepreneur, Elon Musk, came up with what looks like an Iain M Banks inspired neural lace — a device that, in Banks’ Culture novels, lets characters hook up to computerised devices — I was … unsurprised.

But thinking it’ll be Minds, next.

Then … ?

Then ARM announced it was making chips that could be inserted into a living human brain: mostly to help people with spinal damage move various body parts.

Lord knows what any other applications are.

Or implications.

After all, we’ve recently had a large spate of ransomware.   There’s also discussion of security problems with the Internet of things.

My point?   Is that we’re getting nearer to a a cyberpunk future: complete with Intrusion Countermeasure electronics, capable of killing a person.

I have to ask … 

Did anyone mention this to William Gibson?

~≈Á≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saws Debbi* putting in her answers: scoring five out of five in the process.   It also saw co-worker, Elizabeth†, trying her hand: also scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) The New York Stock Exchange was founded: on 17th May of which year?

Q2) The Exchange’s main trading floor is in which New York Street?

Q3) The Exchange is sometimes known as the Big … what?

Q4) When trading on the Exchange’s floor, trades take place in what’s called an open … what?

Q5) The opening and closing of trade is usually signal by the ringing of what?

Q6) The New York Stock Exchange is generally considered the world’s largest: by market capitalization.   What’s the next largest?

Q7) Thirty companies on the Exchange — including Apple, Goldman Sachs and Wal-Mart — are listed on the Dow … what?

Q8) A bull market is one where the Stock Exchange’s prices are what: rising or falling?

Q9) A bear market is one where the Stock Exchange’s prices are what: rising or falling?

Q10) Finally, and famously?   The New York Stock Exchange’s best known collapse was named after the street the Exchange is on.   And took place, when: 1927, 1928 or 1929?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) Mary, Queen of Scots, fled Scotland: on 16th May, 1568.   She fled to which country of the UK?

A1) England.

Q2) The May 16th Notice was released on 16th May, 1966: by the Chinese Communist Party.   It kickstarted what: the Great Leap forward, the Cultural Revolution or the Great Firewall of China?

A2) The Cultural Revolution.

Q3) John Prescott, MP, punched a protestor who’d egged him: on 16th May, 2001.   Which government post did Mr Prescott hold?

A3) Deputy Prime Minister.

Q4) Theodore Maiman switched on the first optical laser: on 16th May, 1960.   That first laser had a red coloured beam.   Because it used a what, to focus the light: a synthetic ruby, a synthetic sapphire or a synthetic emerald?

A4) A synthetic ruby.

Q5) Henry Fonda was born: on 16th May, 1905.   In one of his last roles, he played Norman Thayer, Jr.   In which film?

A5) On Golden Pond.

I’ll leave you with a thought …

“The U.S. stock market was now a class system, rooted in speed, of haves and have-nots. The haves paid for nanoseconds; the have-nots had no idea that a nanosecond had value. The haves enjoyed a perfect view of the market; the have-nots never saw the market at all. What had once been the world’s most public, most democratic, financial market had become, in spirit, something like a private viewing of a stolen work of art.”

Michael Lewis.

(You try feeding ‘New York Stock Exchange,’ and ‘quotes,’ into Google: see what you get!)

And a tune … 

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrows teaser.

Have a good day.

*        Scary seems to sum it up, Debbi!   I keep looking at the suits and thinking there’s Cyberman AND Dalek references in there.    The little monitor things on the suits reminded me of Dalek eyestalks:  with the spacesuits ability to spread the virus reminding me of Cybermen.   Go figure … !

†        Cheers for looking in Liz … !   There’s a How To, if that’s any help …