Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 2nd December, 2018

2nd December, 2018.

Yep, it’s a wet Sunday morning: and frankly?

I’m at a loss for something to do … 

Well … 

I’ll possibly need to empty my bins at some point.

As well as do half a ton of stuff around the flat.

And … well … hang around … !

~≈§≈~

Saying that … ?

I have this bad habit of floating around the BBC’s news pages.

And couldn’t help but notice a couple of items.

First up … ?

It seems NHK, the national broadcaster of Japan, has announced its new 8K TV channel.

In other words, its new EXTREMELY high definition TV channel.

Not that everyone in Japan has the kit to watch it: for one thing, the sets need four HDMI cables to carry the signal.

But those who do will be able to watch a broadcast of 2001: A Space Odyssey in seriously stunning definition.

~≈§≈~

The other thing I noticed?

Apparently, a schoolboy in Burnham-on-Crouch managed to log onto a teacher’s laptop, copy a lot of confidential pupil data and share it with his friends.

Apparently, the school concerned has taken action to recover the data, and warn affected pupils and parents.

Now, I know I’m as guilty as anyone: of not locking my screen when I’m at home, or when I was at work.

Not that I get that many visitors … but most wouldn’t go anywhere near my desktop if I wasn’t in the room.   

Not that anyone I worked with, in my last job, would look at whatever computer I was working with.

But I’m very aware that screen locking — switching on a screen saver, and making sure  it can’t be turned off without a password — is good, basic practise.

So I’m not wondering how this has happened.

I’m convinced the teacher has been away from his desk, left his screen unlocked … 

And, somewhere in the class room?

Kids have been kids … 

~≈§≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga* and Debbi† putting in their answers: with both scoring four‡ 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) 2nd December, 1954, saw the US Senate vote to censure … whom?

Q2) 2nd December, 1852, saw President Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte declare himself Emperor of the French.   What regnal name — name and number, in other words — did he use, as Emperor?

Q3) Missionary, Charles Studd, was born on 2nd December, 1860.   What sport did he play?

Q4) 2nd December, 1988, saw the first woman elected as Prime Minister of an Islamic Republic: when who was voted in as PM of Pakistan … ?

Q5) Finally … ?   Actress Lucy Liu was born on 2nd December, 1968.   In which series does she play Dr Joan Watson?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 1st December is World’s AIDS Day.   The disease has its origins in what was the Belgian … what?

A1) Belgian Congo.   (It’s now the Democratic Republic of the Congo)

Q2) The HIV 1 form of HIV — the virus that causes AIDS — is said to have its origins in what: chimps, lemurs or oran utans?

A2) Chimps.   (The relevant virus is called Simian immunodeficiency virus.   HIV 1 is said to have its origins in forms that infect chimps and gorillas.)

Q3) The virus transferred from animals to humans: in a process called what?

A3) Zoonosis.

Q4) What’s the name of the 1985 play — by Larry Kramer — about the 1981 outbreak of AIDS in the US?

A4) The Normal Heart.

Q5) Finally … ?   A treatment has been developed that seems to prevent people catching AIDS.   What’s it called?

A5) Pre-exposure prophylaxis: also known as PrEP‡.

Here’s a thought …

“You have to look out for becoming trapped in a place where people want to see you all the time doing one thing.”

Lucy Liu, born 2nd December, 1968.

And a song …

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

Have a good day.

*        It’s not too bad, Olga: it’s got a better processor than my desktop!   Pretty good for the price.   It’s another Chinese phone.   But it cost a bit more than the one it replaced.   That was thirty pounds worth of French phone, in March … and had a shorter useable life than the one it replaced.   It’s always the way: we get what we pay for.   My ten year old MacPro?   Is still going strong!   (I’ve never actually seen The Normal Heart: but it’s powerful stuff.   James Marster, Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer?   He’s done a version, I know that.)

†        Yes, it’s on Netflix, Debbi: although I don’t know if you have access to it.   $7·99 a month, I’m told.   It’s really worth a go: I’ve found it very reminiscent of Torchwood.

‡        Hmmm … I’m thinking I could have phrased that question more precisely!