The Daily Teaser — 25-1-2013: About A Bard …

Hmmm … 

Now, I’m going to be frank, here: my sleeping patterns are going a bit weird,  right now.

Well, weird, for me.   I had a nice early night, last night — even to the point of watching a documentary, this morning, that I recorded last night — and, of course, this morning … 

I’ve slept through my alarm.

Oh, well … At least I wasn’t too late.   This way, I get to enjoy the horror stories about the Antarctic that the documentary covers … 

Let’s move on, shall we … ?

~~~~~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbiº putting in her answers: along with being impressed with the videos I’d posted for her, and being nominated by @soolebop* as a potential lifeline for the US edition of Who Want’s To Be A Millionaire, ALSO bagged 4 out of 6.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 25th January, 1759, saw the birth of Scotland’s much loved poet,  Robert Burns.   He’s also know as the Bard of where: Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire or Fife … ?

Q2) His first poem, Once I lov’d a Bonnie Lass, was inspired by a coworker called what: Amelia Pond, Nelly Kilpatrick or Elspeth MacDonald … ?

Q3) In an STV poll in 2009, Burns was named as the The Greatest Scot: narrowly beating whom … ?

Q4) Which John Steinbeck novel takes its name from a Robert Burns poem … ?

Q5) More to the point … which poem … ?

Q6) And finally … what was the first country to issue memorial Burns stamps … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 24th January, 1961, saw playwright, Arthur Miller divorce his wife: who was she … ?

A1) Marilyn Monroe.

Q2) More to the point, which of his plays won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in 1949 … ?

A2) Death Of A Salesman.

Q3) Equally to the point, his late, ex-wife was credited as the Girl in which of her films … ?

A3) The Seven Year Itch.

Q4) 24th January, 76 AD, saw the birth of which Roman Emperor: Hadrian, Vespasian or Constantine … ?

A4) Hadrian.

Q5) 24th January, 1984, saw Apple introduce the Macintosh: who was the then company chairman … ?

A5) Steve Jobs.

Q6) And finally … 24th January, 41 AD, saw the assassination of Emperor Caligula: who played him in classic TV series, I, Claudius … ?

A6) John Hurt.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll leave you with this line from Burns’ Will Ye Go an’ Marry Katie? … 

“Beauty’s of a fading nature


Has a season and is gone!”Robert Burns: from Will Ye Go An’ Marry Katie?, 1764

And with this sung version of one of his better known poems … 

*        Yeah, we’ve got Millionaire, @Soolebop: point of fact, it was a UK company that invented the show: in fact, I think the US version hired Regis Philbin because he comes over a lot like Chris Tarrant, the UK presenter … 

@cuddy2977 I need @debbimack as one of my life lines on the show "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire"... u know that show? they have that there?
— soolebop (@soolebop) January 24, 2013

º        Actually, Debbi: I’m pretty sure the rest of Wyrd Sisters is posted to YouTube: you can probably watch it there, if not on US tv.  You probably also want to catch Going Postalª, as well.   They’ve got the Ankh Morpork City Watch to a tee!

ª        It’s also got Charles Dance as Lord Havelock Vetinari†: which was inspired casting … !

†        Vetinari’s a genuine benevolent dictator.   Unless you’re a  mime artist.

The Daily Teaser — 24-1-2013

You know, I think I’ve an issue.

Not a serious one, I should add.

No: it’s just I’m finding the iPod edition of Tetris a bit addictive.

Still, it could be worse: there’s a lot of nastier stuff out there to be addicted to … !

Let’s get moving on, shall we?

Yes. let’s …

««†»»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: as well as putting up a post on identity, and telling us how impressed she was by Terry Pratchett, she also managed to bag 10 out of 10*.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with todays questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 24th January, 1961, saw playwright, Arthur Miller divorce his wife: who was she … ?

Q2) More to the point, which of his plays won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in 1949 … ?

Q3) Equally to the point, his late, ex-wife was credited as the Girl in which of her films … ?

Q4) 24th January, 76 AD, saw the birth of which Roman Emperor: Hadrian, Vespasian or Constantine … ?

Q5) 24th January, 1984, saw Apple introduce the Macintosh: who was the then company chairman … ?

Q6) And finally … 24th January, 41 AD, saw the assassination of Emperor Caligula: who played him in classic TV series, I, Claudius … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 23rd January, 1986 saw the first members inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   Name any of the first performers to be honoured.

A1) Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Elvis Presley.   (Now, breath … !).

Q2) How many years after releasing a first record can someone be inducted into the Hall of Fame: 20 years, 25 years or 30 years … ?

A2) 25 years.

Q3) The Hall of Fame Ahmet Ertegun Award honours non-performers who’ve made a contribution to rock and roll.   It’s named after Ahmet Ertegun, who founded WHICH record company … ?

A3) Atlantic Records..

Q4) More to the point, which DJ was the first winner of that award: John Peel, Alan Freed or Wolfman Jack … ?

A4) Alan Freed.

Q5) Which of those first inductees had a UK hit with Maybellene … ?

A5) Chuck Berry.

Q6) Which of those inductees is — technically — the Reverend Richard Wayne Penniman … ?

A6) The noticeably flamboyant Little Richard.

Q7) More to the point, which of the Reverend’s songs opens with ‘A Wop Bop A Loo Bop, a Wop Bam Boom’ … ?

A7) Tutti Frutti.

Q8) Name either of the English bands that have the most songs listed — at 8, apiece — on the Hall Of Fame’s ‘Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll’ … ?

A8) The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Q9) In which year of the 1990s did Bob Marley become the first Reggæ artist to be inducted into the Hall of Fame … ?

A9) 1994.

Q10) The Sex Pistols refused to show up when they were inducted into the Hall Of Fame: in which year was this … ?

A10) 2006.

As it’s Neil Diamond’s birthday, today … ?   I’ll leave you with this … 

And this quote from the late Ernest Borgnine …

“I got a job immediately after leaving high school; I was lucky - three dollars a week and all I could eat, working on a vegetable truck.”

Ernest Borgnine January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012

*        I have to admit, Debbi, that lot — including the video and quote — are actually a leftover Gazette set: I managed to get meself double booked, so to speak … !   Oh … And there’s a couple of Terry Pratchett related videos: the first one’s a bit rude, the second’s from the animated version of Wyrd Sisters that was on tv, a few years ago …

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 23-1-2013: The Shadow of the Gun

Hmmm … 

Again with Wednesday … !

Although it has to be said: I am rather flattered by getting stopped in the street by assorted Gazette readers, who are being flattering, or rueful.

Like the chap who stopped me on Warley Hill, today: admitting he’d missed the question about Frank Bruno, over Christmas.

Oh … And the woman, a few days ago, who was VERY flattering about my letter writing … !

I wish I could find her card … !

At any rate … ?   I’ll worry about that, a touch later, I think: because, of course, today is Wednesday: which means — obviously — that it’s time for the Gazette’s Weekly Teaser.

You can, of course, read it and ant relevant links, on the Gazette’s site: you’ll find that here … 

So, without much ado, here’s this weeks questions …

Q1) 23rd January, 1570, saw the first assassination by gun.   The target was James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray.   Which Scottish King was he the regent for: James 4th, James 5th or James 6th?

Q2) That Scottish king was also known as which English king … ?

Q3) How many US presidents have been assassinated … ?

Q4) Name one of those presidents … 

Q5) Which of those presidents was in office, during the US Civil War … ?

Q6) Which Russian revolutionary leader was assassinated — with an icepick — in Mexico?

Q7) Which famous Roman was assassinated by his friend, Brutus, and the subject of a play by William Shakespeare?

Q8) The third Roman Emperor was the first to be definitely assassinated.   Was he Tiberius, Caligula or Claudius?

Q9) Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a Serb nationalist on 28th June, 1914: this triggered which war … ?

Q10) And finally … Jean Bastien-Thiry and his fellow members of the OAS attempted to assassinate which French leader?

And here’s last week’s questions and answers …

Questions.

Q1) 16th January, 1919, saw the US Senate pass the law that banned alcohol.   In which year did this go into effect: 1920, 1921 or 1922 …    

Q2) More to the point, which amendment to the US constitution actually banned booze: the 17th, 18th or 19th … ?   

Q3) Which Amendment — in 1933 — eventually repealed Prohibition: the 19th, 20th or 21st … ?   

Q4) One of the US states that voted for repeal — Utah — is home to a famously sober church: which church … ?   

Q5) The Code of Hammurabi is the earliest law code that mention beer and beer parlours: is it Ancient Egyptian, Ancient Greek or Ancient Babylonian … ?   

Q6) How many gallons are there in a Hogshead: 45, 54 or 63 gallons … ?   

Q7) The amount of alcohol in alcoholic drinks is shown by its ABV: the higher the ABV, the stronger it is.   But what does ABV stand for … ?   

Q8) Who — famously — had a 2006 hit with ‘Rehab’ … ?   

Q9) On the same sort of musical lines, which band had 1979 hit with ‘Milk and Alcohol’?   

Q10) And finally … which brand of lager is — informally — known as ‘wifebeater’ … ?   

Answers.   

A1) 1920.   

A2) The 18th.   

A3) The 21st.   

A4) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.   Or Mormons, if you prefer less of a mouthful!   

A5) Ancient Babylonian.   

A6) 54 gallons.   

A7) Alcohol By Volume.   

A8) Amy Winehouse.   

A9) Dr Feelgood.   

A10) Stella Artois. 

Enjoy those, everyone.

Have a good day … 

The Daily Teaser — 23-1-2013: The Rock ’n’ Roll Hall Of Fame …

Now, that’s slightly odd.

I have to admit, I had a bit of a late night, last night.

Watching Berberian Sound Studio, if you must know: thoroughly recommended, I should add.

The weird bit … ?   Is that I got what for me is a comparatively late night.

But still feel fairly good, this morning.

I guess those Levothyroxine pills are working … !

Hmmm … Let’s get moving on, shall we?

Yes, let’s … !

««•»»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: along with letting us know she’d like to met John Lydon*, she also managed to bag 5 out of 5.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 23rd January, 1986 saw the first members inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   Name any of the first performers to be honoured.

Q2) How many years after releasing a first record can someone be inducted into the Hall of Fame: 20 years, 25 years or 30 years … ?

Q3) The Hall of Fame Ahmet Ertegun Award honours non-performers who’ve made a contribution to rock and roll.   It’s named after Ahmet Ertegun, who founded WHICH record company … ?

Q4) More to the point, which DJ was the first winner of that award: John Peel, Alan Freed or Wolfman Jack … ?

Q5) Which of those first inductees had a UK hit with Maybellene … ?

Q6) Which of those inductees is — technically — the Reverend Richard Wayne Penniman … ?

Q7) More to the point, which of the Reverend’s songs opens with ‘A Wop Bop A Loo Bop, a Wop Bam Boom’ … ?

Q8) Name either of the English bands that have the most songs listed — at 8, apiece — on the Hall Of Fame’s ‘Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll’ … ?

Q9) In which year of the 1990s did Bob Marley become the first Reggæ artist to be inducted into the Hall of Fame … ?

Q10) The Sex Pistols refused to show up when they were inducted into the Hall Of Fame: in which year was this … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 22nd January, 1901, saw the death of Queen Victoria: how many years was she on the throne: 62, 63 or 64 … ?

A1) 63.

Q2) More to the point, in which year was she named Empress of India … ?

A2) 1876.

Q3) Equally to the point, who succeeded her, as the UK’s monarch … ?

A3) Edward 7th..

Q4) To which dynasty did Victoria belong: Windsor, Sax-Coburg-Gotha or Hanover … ?

A4) Hanover.

Q5) And finally … How many children did Victoria have … ?

A5) 9.

I’ll leave you with this quote from John Lennon …

“If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.”

John Lennon.

And, given that some have claimed it as the first rock and roll record, ever, it would be a sin to not include The Fat Man: as recorded by a certain well known performer … 

Enjoy the day … 

*        I can understand that, Debbi!   I wouldn’t say no, meself!   Actually … I saw this interview with Terry Pratchett, a few years ago: I wouldn’t’ve minded sitting in on this … 

Berberian Sound Studio: Blimey, there goes my ratings … !

Just as an additional extra thought for the start of this post … ?   I thought I should mention that Toby Jones, the main star of Berberian Sound Studio has bagged the Best Actor gong in this years Evening Standard Awards.   Please bear that in  mind … 

Blimey … 

Or perhaps, in line with something the Toby Jones character in the film I’ve seen tonight, has said, “Strike a light” …  !

Mmmmm … 

Yes, I’ve just spent a little more cash on an iTunes rental: in this case, the Peter Strickland directed, Berberian Sound Studio.

And I’m thinking I want you to tell me it’s as odd as I think it is …