Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6th March, 2021.

6th March, 2021.

I’ve got to admit, there’s one minor upside to lockdown.

The simple fact there’s a lot less traffic outside my window.

Which means I get to hear birdsong.

OK … it’s mostly a bird’s way of saying “Get off my bush!!”

But it’s still nice to hear!

~≈🕊≈~

Did I mention I’ve been watching The Strange World of Gurney Slade: the famously odd piece of TV from the early 1960s, starring Anthony Newley.

It’s worth a watch.

If — from no other reason, for a UK sci-fi fan — than to catch some of the recognisable faces!

And voices, now I think of it.

I caught episode three, last night.

John Bennett turns up as Napoleon.

Yes, before you ask: John Bennett of Li H’Sen Chang/The Talons of Weng Chiang fame.

John Bennett as Napoleon.

John Bennett as Li H’Sen Chang.

And yes: that IS Fenella Fielding, the voice of the Village in The Prisoner, being a flirtatious cow.

The Village Voice

Caroline the Cow

And yes: the Girl at the Airfield in episode two is Anneka Wills: Polly, in Dr Who.

Polly

Girl at the Airfield

What can I tell you?

Except I’m expecting Bernie Winters to turn up … 

Minus Schnorbitz, obviously … 

~≈🕶≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Trevor†, Mum‡, Edith^ and Debbiª, putting in their answers: with Trevor and Mum on five out of five, Olga and Debbi on four and Edith on one.

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

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

Q1)        6th March, 1964, saw Constantine 2nd start his reign: as the last king of which European country?

Q2)        6th March, 1984, saw the start of of a UK strike by whom: coal miners, steelworkers or train drivers?

Q3)        6th March, 1974, saw the end of a UK strike by whom: coal miners, steelworkers or train drivers?

Q4)        6th March is the Day of the Dude: a celebration in Dudeism.   The faux religion is inspired by a Jeff Bridges character in which film: True Grit, Starman or The Big Lebowski?

Q5)        Finally … ?   6th March is the feast day of Saint Colette of Corbie.   Her major shrine is in which European country: Andorra, Belgium or France?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        The ZX81 computer was released in the UK: forty years ago, today.   In other words, on 5th March of which year?

A1)        1981.

Q2)        It had how much RAM, or memory: one, two or three kilobytes?

A2)        One kilobytes.   (That’s roughly a one thousand letter, plaintext document.)

Q3)        You could boost the RAM with a very wobbly plug in module.   Up to how much: 16, 48 or 64 kilobytes?

A3)        16 kilobytes.   (A friend had one: as I recall, blu-tack was involved.)

Q4)        Programmes for the ZX81 were stored on what: punch card, cassette tape or CD?

A4)        Cassette tape.

Q5)        Finally … ?   To see what you were doing on a ZX81, you plugged it into what: a monitor, mobile phone or TV set?

A5)        A TV set.

Here’s a thought …

“The tumbling of tumbleweeds is all that exists and may exist;

The rug is only a fabrication which ties the room together.”

From The Dude De Ching.

What?

And a song by Alan Davies…

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

Feel free to share today’s video Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        I hate cassettes, Olga!   You could guarantee at least one would get tangled up in the machine!   It was traumatic if you were loading a game, up!   And I had a Spectrum, myself: granted, my first mobile phone was more powerful, but it was quite a machine!

Good luck setting the new machine up.   Hmmm … I don’t know if there’s a Windows equivalent to Migration Assistant, but it might be worth looking for!   (Oh, this is the Thunderbolt logo.   JUST in case!)

And lord, but your uncle sounds tough!

†        Oh, I don’t know that they were necessary toys, Trevor.   I know ate least three IT guys my age who got a start on them, or the Spectrum.   And I wrote a programme for the Spectrum: and character generator for Tunnels and Trolls.

‡        Hello, Mum!   (Oh: do you remember Bernie Winters, Mum?   He crops up in an episode or two fo Gurney Slade.)

^        Oh, my LORD, Billy Joel!   Thanks Edith, he’s a marvel!   And, boy, River of Dreams has harmonies!

ª        Glad I got that right, Debbi!   :D   Ohh … I’m planning to watch the next episode, tonight: assuming the goulash doesn’t take too long!