Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12th March, 2018.

12th March, 2018.

I have to admit, I was never that much of a fan of Ken Dodd.

But?   It’s sad to hear that Britain’s last variety star has gone.

Frankly?

I was never much of a fan of either the man, or the form.

It, and he, never appealed.

I think that’s my lose.

With Dodd’s death?

I’ll no longer have the chance to see what made him special … 

~≈§≈~

Something occurred to me, yesterday.

Money.

I’ve used all sorts of software, over the years.

And, where appropriate?   I’ve used free, open source, software as a mainstay.

Firefox gets updated well past other browsers, from what I’ve seen.

Media player, vlc?   Can handle everything that’s thrown at it.

Then there’s things like OpenOffice.org, and its various spin-offs: LibreOffice and NeoOffice are the two I’ve used.

They can handle most Microsoft Office files.

I’ve also heard the argument many give me: that they need Word, Excel or PowerPoint for work.

But have pick up the impression that actually, we don’t.

We just need something that can open and save as, Word, Excel or PowerPoint files.

With that in mind, I actually went and had at Microsoft’s website for MS Office: just to check up their prices.

It’s £59·99 to £79·99 for a years worth of Office 365 subscription: compared to something like GoogleDocs, for free!   (Which, strictly, isn’t an app: nor, necessarily, open source.)

Microsoft also charge £119·99 for the downloadable Office app: compared to LibreOffice or OpenOffice: capable of doing the same jobs … for free.

Just as an extra question, today, especially for those readers who’ve never come across the idea of legitimate, free of charge, software?

How much do you want to pay?

~≈§≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga* and Debbi† putting in their answers: with both scoring five out of five.

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

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

Q1) 12th March, 1938, saw Nazi Germany occupy where?

Q2) 12th March, 1984, saw the start of a strike, in the UK: by whom?

Q3) The president of a notorious US union was convicted on bribery charges, on 12th March, 1964:  earning an eight year sentence in the process.   Who was that union leader?

Q4) More to the point?   What union did he lead?

Q5) Finally … what soft drink was sold for the first time, on 12th March, 1894: Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola or Dr Pepper?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 11th March is the feast day of Saint Eulogius of Córdoba.   The saint lived in Córdoba, when it was what: a Roman republic, Muslim emirate or Christian monarchy?

A1) A Muslim Emirate: the Emirate of Córdoba, to be precise.

Q2) 11th March, 1955, saw the death off Sir Alexander Fleming.   Fleming was responded for discovering which drug?

A2) Penicillin.

Q3) 11th March is Moshoeshoe Day.   The day marks a noted former ruler of which African nation … ?

A3) Lesotho.

Q4) 11th March, 1932, saw the birth of Nigel Lawson.   What was the highest post he held, in the UK’s Cabinet?

A4) The Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Q5) Finally … 11th March, 1932, saw the birth of Harold Wilson.   What was the highest post he held, in the UK’s Government?

A5) Prime Minister.

Here’s a thought …

“They used to have clauses and contracts where you can’t get bad publicity or you’d get fired. But now bad publicity is good publicity. I just keep working and don’t think about it much.”

Liza Minelli, born 12th March, 1946.

And a tune or two‡ … 

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day!

*        Amazing to see the origins about band names, Olga: apparently, Frankie Goes To Hollywood took their name from a Frank Sinatra tour poster!   At ANY rate, see you when you’re back in!

†        It’s worth a look, I think, Debbi: although it’s far from perfect.   (They changed the Navigators, I know that: in the original novel, they’re very human looking.   Lynch turned them into giant mutant tadpoles.   Mind you, Herbert liked what Lynch had done and changed them in the later novels …)

‡        I saw Liza interviewed a few years ago: by Alan Cummings.   Apparently?   The chair was nailed there.   Go watch that clip: the damn thing doesn’t move an inch!