Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 26th May, 2025.

26th May, 2025.

Right … I managed to get up early, today: on a day I didn’t need to.

It’s a bank holiday: so there’s no weight management group, today.

It’s back, next week.

So that gives me something to look forward to.

~≈⚖️≈~

Some eight years ago … ?

I bought a 4k copy of “Twice Upon a Time”: Peter Capaldi’s last episode in the role of Dr Who.

It was one of the BBC’s early, and few, 4k bluray releases.

But could never rip it with MakeMKV, my default disc-copying software.

I’m not sure why.

More recently?

And in the wake of updates to MakeMKV, and its hashkey database?

I bought another copy: and managed to copy it.

I’m thankful to the team at MakeMKV: the software updates, and updates to the hash keys, the decryption keys, have worked a miracle!

~≈📀≈~

Technology is a possibly funny thing.

It seems one piece of AI software, Claude Opus 4, is fairly advanced.

And potentially capable of blackmail: or, at least, begging for mercy.

Another, an experimental app designed by the makers of ChatGPT, has apparently rewritten its own code: so it can’t be switched off.

Despite appearances, I don’t think we have anything to worry about: I think we have a media panic caused by the Frankenstein Complex.

I don’t think we’re going to get killed in our beds.

At least, not by AI-powered, monster thermostats.

~≈🤖≈~

Let’s move on.


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Mum*, Olga†, Debbi‡ and Irene putting in their answers: with Olga, Mum and Debbi scoring five out of five, and Irene on four.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s [insert number here] question set, shall we?

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

Q1)        26th May, 2022, saw the death of Andy ‘Fletch’ Fletcher. He’d been a founder member of which band: the Eurythmics, Depeche Mode or Erasure?

Q2)        26th May is the feast day of Saint Lambert of Vence.   Where is Vence: Spain, France or Italy

Q3)        Napoléon Bonaparte is crowned as King of Italy: on 26th May, 1805.   In which Italian city: Rome, Turin or Milan?

Q4)        Protests began in Minneapolis: on 26th May, 2020.   Over the death of whom: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor or Rodney King?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Italy’s cabinet resigned: on 26th May, 1981.   In a scandal over a corrupt what: masonic lodge, monastery or nunnery?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        Tubular Bells was released on 25th May.   Of which year of the 1970s?

A1)        1973.

Q2)        By whom: Mike Oldfield, Sally Oldfield or Pete Oldfield?

A2)        Mike Oldfield.   (There’s a quiz about Mike Oldfield, here … )

Q3)        How old was the artist, when he recorded it: 19, 20 or 21?

A3)        19.

Q4)        The cover of Tubular Bells featured on a series of stamps in 2010.   Which Blur LP was also in that set?

A4)        Parklife.

Q5)        Finally … ?   Tubular Bells was the first LP to be released on Virgin Records.   Who founded Virgin: Ahmet Ertegun, Richard Branson or Chris Blackwell?

A5)        Richard Branson.   (I know he has a reputation for being a fluffy, tree-hugging, bunny.   But suspect that, in the boardroom, he makes Elon Musk, Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos look pleasant … )

Here’s a thought …

“Really! This might be Roumania!”

Queen Mary of Teck, 26 May 1867 – 24 March 1953.

And music composed by William Bolcom …

The next ten question set is on Wednesday: it’s about the first Old Firm derby!

Comments and answers will be published tomorrow morning.

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

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        Hello, Mum!

†        It could’ve been the busy weekend, Olga: that might have scared them off.

‡        Gary Oldman … ?   Oh, yeah: he played Sid in Sid and Nancy, didn’t he?   I keep meaning to watch that … ?

        At any rate?   I get the impression Branson won’t be complaining about the Pistols, Debbi.   From the little I know, Tubular Bells and Never Mind the Bollocks were Virgin’s biggest selling albums.

§        Morning, Irene: how is the day … ?   (Oh, you put Parkside, yesterday: the correct answer was Parklife.)