The Daily Teaser — 28-07-2012

Whooooooah … 

But I feel exhausted … !

As you can possibly imagine, I had a bit of a late night, last.

Along with most of the country.

Watching the 2012 Olympic Games — the Games of the 30th Olympiad — being officially opened.

And … 

Well, I’m none too sure if Danny Boyle’s an artistic genius who’s created a show that’s going to be remembered,

But it was certainly something to see.

ESPECIALLY a certain James Bond escorting the new Bond Girl to the show.

THAT was eye-opening, I know that … !

And the climax, when the cauldron was light … was rather good, too … 

Now … Let’s move on, shall we … ?

Before I start burbling … 

««·»»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Trevor* and Debbi putting in their answers.   With both scoring 10 out of 10, it saw Trevor telling us he had the UK’s flag hanging out of his window, and Debbiª telling us her and her partner’s decision to live in Maryland was dictated by price as much as anything else.

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

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

Q1) 28th July, 2005, saw the Provisional IRA announce it was ending its armed campaign: what does IRA stand for … ?

Q2) 28th July, 1993, saw which principality join the UN: Andorra, Liechtenstein or Monaco … ?

Q3) 28th July, 1965, saw President Johnson commit 50, 000 US troops to the conflict in which nation … ?

Q4) 28th July, 2001, saw Ian Thorpe become the first swimmer to win how many Gold medals at a World Championships?

Q5) And finally … 28th July, 1914, saw the Austro-Hungarian Empire declare was on which small country … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 27th July, 2012, sees the opening of this years Olympic Games: which country’s team leads the parade of athletes at that ceremony … ?   

A1) Greece’s.

Q2) Where will Team GB be, in that parade … ?   

A2) Last: that’s the usual placing for the host nation.

Q3) The artistic director of this year’s opening ceremony has been told to shorten it, over concerns about what … ?   

A3) Public transport.

Q4) More to the point, who is that director … ?   

A4) Danny Boyle.

Q5) On which date was the last Summer Olympic opening ceremony … ?   

A5) 8th August, 2008.   Mostly where 8 is considered a lucky number many East Asian countries.

Q6) More to the point, in which Chinese city was that … ?   

A6) Beijing.

Q7) More to the point, whereabouts did Team GB come in the 2008 Summer Olympic medal table … ?   

A7) 4th: with a total of 47 medals.

Q8) Name either year London previously hosted the Summer Olympics.   

A8) 1908 and 1948.

Q9) More to the point … the 2012 Olympics are the Games of which Olympiad: the 28th, 29th or 30th … ?   

A9) The 30th.

Q10) And finally … what’s the only city to have hosted the Summer Olympics, three times … ?   

A10) As of today … Just London …

Enjoy those, everyone.

Given it’s the late Carmen Dragon’s birthday, I’ll leave you with some of the soundtrack from Invasion of the Bodysnatchersº … 

And a quote from Beatrix Potter, JUST as a complete contrast …

“I remember I used to half believe and wholly play with fairies when I was a child. What heaven can be more real than to retain the spirit-world of childhood, tempered and balanced by knowledge and common-sense … ”

Beatrix Potter    28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943

Oh … 

And that got played at last night’s ceremony.

You have to wonder, when you hear a certain Mr Lydon’s phrasing, exactly how far Danny Boyle had his tongue stuck in his cheek … 

*        Depends on the circumstances, Trevor, surely … ?   It’s usually only a Jack if it’s on a ship … 

ª        I can imagine, Debbi: when I was younger, I’d’ve loved to live in London, but really couldn’t afford it …

º        Oh, that’s the tune I mentioned, Friday, Debbi … 

The Friday Question Set — 27-07-2012

Did you ever get a tune playing around your head … ?

No … ?

I do, frankly.

And sometimes, the musical choices my subconscious throws at me is … 

Well, bloody baffling, to be frank … !

Ever see Star Trek First Contact … ?   There’s a song in there called Ooby Dooby that’s been banging around my head for the past half hour: turns out it’s an old Roy Orbison tune that’s been covered by everybody.

And it’s banging around my, as I try and get a question set written.

Actually … ?

Let’s get those up, before I give my hind-brain a poke, shall we … ?

‹‹†››

Yes, it’s Friday, isn’t it … ?

Let’s get moving on to the questions, shall we?   Here they are, along with the covering Creative Commons License … 

Online 161   

ROUND ONE.   GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.   

Q1) In the initials CBE, what does the C stand for?   

A1) Commander.

Q2) Is France ahead of, or behind, Greenwich Mean Time?   

Q2) Ahead of.

Q3) In cockney rhyming slang, what are ‘ … plates of meat’?   

A3) Feet.

Q4) Susan Tully appeared in EastEnders: but in which children’s tv show did she make her first UK tv appearance?   

A4) Grange Hill.

Q5) L. S. Lowry painted matchstick men, & matchstick cats & dogs: but what did either the L, or the S stand for?  (Two points for both.)   

A5) Laurence Steven.

Q6) Which abbreviation means … and so on?   

A6) Etc.

Q7) Which type of five-line poem shares its name with a town in Ireland?   

A7) A limerick.

Q8) According to the proverb, there’s no smoke without … what?   

A8) Fire.

Q9) Who preceded Tony Blair as Leader of the Labour Party?   

A9) John Smith.

Q10) How is Shirley Crabtree better known?   

A10) Big Daddy.

ROUND TWO.   SOAP & FLANNEL.   

Q11) Characters from which TV soap went to the ’98 World Cup Final?   

A11) EastEnders.

Q12) Which southern hemisphere country did Kathy go to, when she left Albert Square?   

A12) South Africa.

Q13) Gillian Taylforth’s sister, Kim, joined the cast of which northern soap?   

A13) Brookside.

Q14) In which US soap did Bobby come back from the dead?   

A14) Dallas.

Q15) Which soap character started life as Alma Sedgewick?   

A15) Alma Baldwin.

Q16) In EastEnders, did Sharon marry Grant or Phil Mitchell?   

A16) Grant.

Q17) Who played Beth Jordache?   

A17) Anna Friel.

Q18) Who presented You’ve Been Framed, before Harry Hill?   

A18) Jonathon Wilkes.

Q19) The Battersby family feature in which UK soap?   

A19) Coronation Street.

Q20) In which US soap did the Colby family feature?   

A20) Dynasty.

ROUND THREE.   AT THE MOVIES.   

Q21) Which great movie dancer is on the cover of Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band?   

A21) Fred Astaire.

Q22) Jane and Peter are the children of which screen great?   

A22) Henry Fonda.

Q23) Which actress had a long relationship with Spencer Tracey?   

A23) Katherine Hepburn.

Q24) Which British movie star was born Maurice Micklewhite?   

A24) Michael Caine.

Q25) In which film does Tom Conti play Pauline Collins’ lover?   

A25) Shirley Valentine.

Q26) Diana Fluck was the real name of who?   

A26) Diana Dors.

Q27) You Sexy Thing, by Hot Chocolate, featured heavily in which 90s British movie?   

A27) The Full Monty.

Q28) In which country of the UK was Robert Carlyle born?   

A28) Scotland.

Q29) Stephen Fry wrote, directed and starred in a film about which playwright and author?   

A29) Oscar Wilde.

Q30) Which Vietnam veteran directed Platoon?   

A30) Oliver Stone.

ROUND FOUR.   HOBBIES AND LEISURE.   

Q31) In which game do you have to draw the meaning of a word?   

A31) Pictionary.

Q32) Which gourd is also the name of a sport?   

A32) Squash.

Q33) Aran wool is traditionally what colour?   

A33) Cream.

Q34) In billiards, how many balls are used?   

A34) Three.

Q35) In which sport would you wear either blades or quads?   

A35) Roller-skating.

Q36) Which London museum is named after a pair of royal cousins?   

A36) The Victoria and Albert Museum.

Q37) In which sport would you be using a sabre or foil?   

A37) Fencing.

Q38) Gary Gygax invented which game?   

A38) Dungeons & Dragons.

Q39) Which Lancashire resort has a Pleasure Beach?   

A39) Blackpool.

Q40) In Snooker, what colour is the cue ball?   

A40) White.

ROUND FIVE.   PEOPLE & PLACES.   

Q41) Name one of the two spies who defected to the USSR, in 1951?   

A41) Guy Burgess, & Donald McLean.

Q42) Carlos Menem is a former president of which South American country?   

A42) Argentina.

Q43) Who was the last British Governor General of India?   

A43) Lord Louis Mountbatten.

Q44) Hannibal crossed the Alps on which animal?   

A44) An elephant.

Q45) Who was the first Roman Catholic president of the USA?   

A45) John F. Kennedy.

Q46) In which part of the East End did Jack the Ripper kill his victims?   

A46) Whitechapel.

Q47) Golda Meir was the first female PM of which middle-eastern country?   

A47) Israel.

Q48) Tung Chee-Hwa became chief executive of which former colony, in 1997?   

A48) Hong Kong.

Q49) My Lai was the site of a famous massacre in which country?   

A49) Vietnam.

Q50) The Bomb Plot of 1944 failed to kill which dictator?   

A50) Adolf Hitler.

ROUND SIX.   GENERAL IGNORANCE.   

Q51) Ikebana is the Japanese art of what, flower arranging, paper folding or heraldry?   

A51) Flower arranging.

Q52) Cryptography is the study of what?   

A52) Codes and cyphers.

Q53) Eton Public School is in which English county?   

A53) Berkshire.

Q54) Which animated movie about a Russian princess, featured the voices of Meg Ryan and John Cusack?   

A54) Anastasia.

Q55) Who’s the patron saint of France, St. Denis, St. Jean D’Arc or St. Germaine?   

A55) Saint Denis.

Q56) In British India, what was a Punka Wallah: a fan operator, a tea boy or a head footman?   

A56) A Fan operator.

Q57) Lonsdale belts are awarded to champions in which sport?   

A57) Boxing.

Q58) Malpensa International airport is in which European country?   

A58) Italy

Q59) Singer, Mary O’Brien died in 1997: how was she better known?   

A59) Dusty Springfield.

Q60) In the word MODEM, ‘MO’ is short Modulator: what is the DEM short for?   

A60) Demodulator.

Enjoy those, everyone.

Now … 

I was saying about tunes … 

BBC News - Valve boss Gabe Newell calls Windows 8 a 'catastrophe'

BBC News - Valve boss Gabe Newell calls Windows 8 a 'catastrophe'

Hmmm …

Now, I’ve got to admit, I, I saw the linked piece, this morning, when I opened my proverbial mail.

Seemingly, Gabe Newell of Valve Software has publicly stated he thinks that the upcoming Windows 8 operating system will be a “catastrophe”.

You can probably imagine what I make of that, can’t you … ?

But at any rate, from reading the article, it seems Mr Newell seems to be griping about Microsoft’s plans for a Windows 8 App Store.

I know it sounds daft, I’ve been using a Mac, now for some years, and know both how awkward it is finding software for it: and how handy the Mac App Store is.

I’m also very aware that, although Apple have tightened security for Mountain Lion, I’m also aware one has a certain amount of choice over exactly what software gets onto your system.

You can pic and choose, and DON’T — on the Mac — have to go through the Store.

But there‘s one thing I HAVE noticed in that article.

That Microsoft is — in addition to adopting an App Store model for Windows 8 — is ALSO copying Apple’s price structure.

In other words, if you’re a developer wanting to sell your wares through Microsoft’s shopfront: you’ll get charged 30% of the gross.

I think that’s what’s getting the complaint … 

The Olympic Teaser — 27-07-2012

You know, I HAVE to admit, I’ll happily admit to doing especially designed poster, as and when the need arises.

You’ve probably noticed, haven’t you … ?

Today, of course, isn’t different.

Except, of course, I couldn’t actually make my mind up about which version to use.

Wouldn’t you know it … ?

But that’s nothing new, though.   I mean, it’s not like the London games could make their mind up, either …

Let’s move on, shall we … ?

Yes, let’s …

««∞»»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi — all on her ownsome — putting in her answers: and, along with telling us Washington’s planning department can be as daft as anyone else’s*.

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) 27th July, 2012, sees the opening of this years Olympic Games: which country’s team leads the parade of athletes at that ceremony … ?

Q2) Where will Team GB be, in that parade … ?

Q3) The artistic director of this year’s opening ceremony has been told to shorten it, over concerns about what … ?

Q4) More to the point, who is that director … ?

Q5) On which date was the last Summer Olympic opening ceremony … ?

Q6) More to the point, in which Chinese city was that … ?

Q7) More to the point, whereabouts did Team GB come in the 2008 Summer Olympic medal table … ?

Q8) Name either year London previously hosted the Summer Olympics.

Q9) More to the point … the 2012 Olympics are the Games of which Olympiad: the 28th, 29th or 30th … ?

Q10) And finally … what’s the only city to have hosted the Summer Olympics, three times … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 26th July, 1847, saw settlers in which country declare independence … ?   A1) Liberia.

Q2) 26th July, 1891, saw France annex which island … ?   A2) Tahiti.

Q3) More to the point, which famous French painter stayed on that island, in the 1890s?   A3) Paul Gauguin.

Q4) 26th July, 1956, saw Egypt nationalize what … ?   A4) The Suez Canal.

Q5) More to the point, this was to provide funding for which project … ?   A5) The Aswan High Dam.

Q6) 26th July, 1963, saw which Yugoslav town hit by an earthquake … ?   A6) Skopje.

Q7) And finally … 26th July, 1944, saw the first what hit the UK … ?   A7) V2 rocket.

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll leave you with Aaron Copland’s original Fanfare for the Common Man, which I always think sounds Olympic … 

Oh … 

And this from the Mock the Week team … 

Hope, if you can’t access the BBC’s own page, you should be able to got to the same footage on YouTube … 

Oh …  The BBC News channel’s shown us a few preview clips of the Opening Ceremony: one of the songs to be used is this old chestnut … 

Going by the news reports … ?   You, me and a billion other viewers are probably wondering what the HELL those dancers are doing … 

*        Oh, trust me, Debbie: Saint James Road, remember … ?

The Daily Teaser — 26-07-2012

I have to admit, RIGHT at the moment, I’ve got a documentary on, called A History of Art In Three Colours.

With the first episode being about … wait for it! … Gold …

I have to admit, it’s got some eye-popping artworks in it.

AND a brief history of Alexander the Strong’s habit of kidnapping alchemists.

Well, yeah, they DID offer unlimited gold.

Or, at least, you could spend unlimited amounts of gold on them.

And this is before we mention Benvenuto Cellini, and his salt cellar … !

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Before I start dribbling …

‹‹†››

Yesterday’s Teaser saw both Debbi and Trevor putting in their answers: with both bagging 6 out of 6 — Oldham’s part of Manchester, so you know, Debbi — it also saw Trevor* mentioning that the Olympic soccer started yesterday, and Debbiª mentioning that her and Rick, her husband, had noticed the amount of coverage Olympic security issues had generated.

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we?   Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, license and video … 

Q1) 26th July, 1847, saw settlers in which country declare independence … ?

Q2) 26th July, 1891, saw France annex which island … ?

Q3) More to the point, which famous French painter stayed on that island, in the 1890s?

Q4) 26th July, 1956, saw Egypt nationalize what … ?

Q5) More to the point, this was to provide funding for which project … ?

Q6) 26th July, 1963, saw which Yugoslav town hit by an earthquake … ?

Q7) And finally … 26th July, 1944, saw the first what hit the UK … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 25th July, 1978, saw the birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first test tube baby: in which city?   A1) Manchester.

Q2) 25th July, 306 AD, saw who named as Roman Emperor … ?   A2) Constantine 1st.

Q3) 25th July, 1797, saw who lose his right arm in a failed attempt at conquest … ?   A3) Lord Horatio Nelson.

Q4) More to the point, in a failed attempt to conquer which Spanish island … ?   A4) Tenerife.

Q5) 25th July, 1869, saw Japanese lords return land to the Japanese Emperor: during the period known as the … what … restoration … ?   A5) The Meiji Restoration.

Q6) And finally … 25th July, 1969, saw who plead guilty of leaving the scene of a crime, after a rather notorious car crash … ?   A6) Senator Edward Kennedy.

Enjoy those, everyone.

As it’s Darlene Love’s birthday, I’ll leave you with a tune from her time with the Crystals … 

And a quote from the one and only GBS …

“I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capability to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age.”George Bernard Shaw, 26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950

*        Actually, Trevor, I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that that’ll lead to a Curling moment … 

ª        What’s basically happened, Debbi, is that G4S — the security firm who were supposed to supply security staff for the games’ venues — didn’t have enough people lined up for the games.   Hence the amount of troops and police brought in as replacements.   ‘National disgrace’ and ‘They’ve had seven years’ are just two of the phrases …