Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 17th November, 2024.

17th November, 2024.

You have to ask — or, at least, I have to ask — what exactly qualifies as carbon neutral … ?

Oh, I know, I know: it means balancing out the carbon dioxide generated when you make something, by … ah … planting trees.

Sequestering carbon*.

Hugging whales.

What have you.

As you’re possibly also aware?

Apple’s released a slew of new products: including a new generation of Mac minis.

One of which I’ve ordered.

A model that’s got sixteen gigabytes of RAM, a one terabyte SSD†, and one of Apple’s whizzy new M4 processors‡.

A model I’m very aware is — the last time I look at the tracking information — in Hong Kong, and due to get to me by Friday: via Stansted.

Apple tells us these models are the first carbon neutral ones they’ve ever made.

At least, they do: in this ad.

Quite — given how my one was built in Shenzhen, and being shipped from Hong Kong, via Stansted Airport — how my one is ‘carbon neutral’, I really don’t know!

~≈💾≈~

Let’s move on.


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Mum§, Olga¶ 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)        17th November is the (Roman Catholic) feast day of Saint Hilda of where: Whitby, Tadcaster or Skipton?

Q2)        Denver was founded on 17th November, 1858.   Denver’s in which US State?

Q3)        Mary 1st dies on 17th November, 1558, and succeeded by Elizabeth 1st.   Which cocktail shares a name with Mary?

Q4)        The Russian Social Democratic Labour Party split into two groups: on 17th November, 1903.     One group became known as the Mensheviks.   What was the other group called?

Q5)        Finally … ?   17th November, 1986, saw the crew of Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 1628 spot what: UFO, or flying pig?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        16th November, 2009, saw the death of actor, Edward Woodward.   He played Lt. Harry Morant in which film: The Wicker Man, Breaker Morant or Wet Job?

A1)        Breaker Morant.

Q2)        The Sound of Music made its Broadway debut on 16th November.   Of which year of the 1950s?

A2)        1959.

Q3)        16th November, 1990, saw a noted German band stripped of a Grammy award: as they were found to have mimed their hits.   Which German band: Kraftwerk, Milli Vanilli or Rammstein?

A3)        Milli Vanilli.

Q4)        According to the United Nations, 16th November is the International Day for what: Tolerance, Typing or Tastiness?

A4)        Tolerance.

Q5)        Finally … ?   The Arecibo Message was broadcast to outer space: on 16th November, 1974.   From a telescope, where: Puerto Rico, Jamaica or Saint Kitts?

A5)        Puerto Rico.

Here’s a thought …

“Flame out the living words of the dead

Written-in-red.”

From “Written-in-Red” by Voltairine de Cleyre, 17 November 1866 – 20 June 1912.

A song …

And an earworm …

And another earworm!

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

Tomorrow’s quiz is a ten-question set about writer, Alan Moore.

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        Whatever that actually means!

†        That’s the Simple English Wikipedia entry on SSD’s.   It seems very informal, rather than simple.   That’a possibly just me!

‡        I’m assuming that — given my current model is capable of 4k editing and rendering — whether this new model is capable of the 8K equivalent.   Not that I have the wherewithal to find out!

§        Hello, Mum!

¶        It’s one hell of a tune to have as an earworm, Olga!   (The one thing that caught my attention?   Is that Rita Morena performs the original version of the song: then goes on to perform in the remake!)

        To be frank … ?   The chair’s good … but  stool would help … !

^        It’s the best use of sampling I think I’ve ever heard, Debbi: it genuinely uses a non-musical noise as a set of notes.   I think that’s behind what they used to call ‘found sound’, or ‘musique concret.’   Delia Derbyshire was a fan of the latter, if that’s any help!