Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-6-2022 — World Blood Donor Day

14th June, 2022.

Right … finally I think I have a direction to go in.

You’ll remember I’m trying to get extra financial help: and had the Mandatory Reconsideration — after a Work Capacity Assessment — turned down.

I’m trying to find out how to appeal that: at a tribunal.

After a phone call, yesterday?   And, as it turns out, reading the wrong bit of a letter?!

It seems I have to apply online.

It looks like I’m going to be staring at a screen, today!

~≈Â≈~

Which I sort of figured out.

I know for a fact I’m getting my next call from the Job Centre, today: at 10:30.

We’ll have to see what my case worker says about the appeal.

~≈Â≈~

It seems Google have software.

We all knew that, didn’t we?

More specifically?   They’re the company behind the Language Model for Dialogue Applications, or LAMDA.

It’s supposed to be able to hold conversations: much better ones than Siri or Alexa.

Yesterday, news broke.

According to Google engineer, Blake Lemoine, the thing’s sentient.

Self aware, in other words.

Alive, if want to put it that way.

I honestly couldn’t tell you if it is, or isn’t.

But if it is?   Alive, self aware, capable of interacting with the world, and with people?

Then there’s an old line from William Gibson’s Neuromancer that springs to mind*.

“… it ain’t no way human …”

~≈Â≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga*, Mum† and Debbi‡ putting in their answers: with everyone 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)        14th June is World Blood Donor Day.   It was first marked in which year: 2004, 2005 or 2006?

Q2)        In England, blood donation is organised by an arm of the what: NHS, HM Customs and Revenue or HM Prison Service?

Q3)        Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and plasma.   Which of them carries oxygen?

Q4)        Human blood is red.   Horseshoe crab blood is what: blue, green or yellow?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Blood cells are produced in what: the lungs, bone marrow or bladder?

Yesterday’s answers are in today’s video.

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        13th June, 1898, saw the formation of the Yukon Territory.   In which North American country?

A1)        Canada.

Q2)        The Yukon is one of three territories in the country.   Name one of the other two.

A2)        The Northwest Territory or Nunavut.

Q3)        The Yukon has two official languages. English is one.   What’s the other: French, German or Spanish?

A3)        French.

Q4)        There’s many Native American tribes in the Yukon.   They’re usually called what: aboriginals, First Nations or Maori?

A4)        First Nations.

Q5)        Finally … ?   What’s the Yukon’s only city: Teslin, Watson Lake or Whitehorse?

A5)        Whitehorse.

Here’s a thought … 

“That’s very nearly an armful!”

From The Blood Donor, episode of Hancock’s Half Hour.

And a comedy …

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

The quizmaster’s decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        Jaffa cakes are definitely cakes, Olga.   They go hard when they’re stale!   And that tribunal agreed.   Mind you, the Wikipedia entry says they’re cake-like biscuits.   And an entry on the Talk section says they’re tarts!

†        Hello, Mum!

‡        It’s been a while since I bought it, Debbi.   It started as a weekly, published by Marvel, would you believe?   It’s now a monthly.   The Iron Legion, City of The Damned and Abslom Dark Dalek Killer were very readable.   And written by Pat Mills and John Wagner, the guys behind 2000AD and Judge Dredd.

        External drives are like book shelves: you can’t have too many!   I think there’s some cheap ones on Amazon.   And Walmart, if that’s any help!   (I’ll try and keep my eyes peeled for that edition of Crime Café!)