The Amazing Spider Man: Well, finally … !

You know, I have to admit, I’m giving Bruce — my aging 2007 era Mac Mini — something of a work-out at the moment.

Partly where I’m writing this post, of course.

And partly where I’ve got an extra Safari window open, watching a documentary I’d missed, last night.

Fascinating stuff about the Dark Ages, I should add.

But that’s not why I actually started this post off.

No.

I ACTUALLY started it to tell you about the movie I rented from iTunes, last night.

And I’m guessing you’ve possibly twigged it’s got a well known New York based character in it … 

Yep … You’ve guessed it, haven’t you … ?

I managed to the 2012 franchise reboot*, The Amazing Spider~Man.

And I actually think that amazing is a fairly good word to attach to the title …

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 28-11-2012

Well … It’s now officially Wednesday … !

I think.

Yes, it’s Wednesday, I’ve just checked my calendar.

And the BBC’s News channel … Has a lot of coverage of Government proposals to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol.

Whether that’ll do what it’s intended to, I really don’t know … !

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

~~~~~

After all, you’ve quite probably followed me here from the Brentwood Gazette, and want to see this week’s Gazette Teaser.

So … Without much further ado, here’s this week’s questions …

Q1) 28th November, 1814, saw ‘The Times’ being printing by automatic presses, for the first time.   What powered those presses: electricity, water-wheels or steam … ?

Q2) More to the point, what was ‘The Times’ called, when originally published … ?

Q3) Even more to the point, what was the name of the first London based newspaper … ?

Q4) Dating from 1665, what was the UK’s oldest newspaper: the Oxford Gazette, the Cambridge Journal or the Brighton Recorder … ?

Q5) Fleet Street — home of London”s newspaper industry for many years — was built over the top of which river … ?

Q6) Avvisi were the early Italian newsletters.   Apart from in Rome, in which Italian city state would you have found avvisi: Florence, Venice or Milan … ?

Q7) The word ‘Gazette’ comes to English — through French — from Italian: was it a pen, a purse or a coin … ?

Q8) Getting American, what — by circulation — is the largest US newspaper … ?

Q9) Which former Liberal Democrat MP famously — or possibly foolishly — became political columnist for the ‘Daily Sport’.

Q10) And finally … What’s the UK’s oldest broadsheet newspaper … ?

And here’s last week’s questions and answers: the links are, as ever, on the Gazette’s version of this page.

Questions.

Q1) 21st November is World Hello Day.   It was created to encourage peace, during the Yom Kippur War: which three countries fought the Yom Kippur War … ? 

Q2) How many people is one supposed to say ‘Hello’ to: 10, 20 or 30 … ?

Q3) According to the relevant website, people in how many countries observe World Hello Day: 180, 190 or 200 … ?

Q4) Which veteran rockers released a 1973 album, called ‘Hello’: Kiss, Status Quo or Canned Heat?

Q5) More to the point, what was the only single from that album to chart in the UK … ?

Q6) Willkommen is the German word for ‘welcome’: in which Liza Minelli musical is ‘Willkommen’ the opening song … ?

Q7) More to the point … which character sings the song … ?

Q8) Hello Magazine started in 1988: what’s the name of its Spanish parent magazine … ?

Q9) Who — in 1984 — had a UK No 1 with ‘Hello’ … ?

Q10) Finally … Hello AG is a charter airline operating from which European country … ?

Answers.

A1) Egypt, Syria and Israel.

A2) Ten.

A3) 180.

A4) Status Quo.   (STILL the finest purveyors of 12-bar boogie in the UK … )

A5) Caroline.

A6) Cabaret.   (Where even the girls are beautiful … )

A7) The Emcee.

A8) ¡Hola!.

A9) Lionel Richie.

A10) Switzerland.

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll leave you with a tune inspired by printer’s … 

And as I’ve mentioned this tune … 

The Daily Teaser — 28-11-2012

OK … 

NOW I’m annoyed … !   Remember I had a new washing machine delivered, yesterday … ?

As far as I can see, the motor that drove the drum ’round had finally blown: in part, I suspect, because of some flooding coming form the bottom of the machine.

So … I took delivery of the new washer, made sure every bit of pipework was correctly plumbed in, as far as I could, and then put in a load to figure out the various controls.

And immediately flooded the kitchen.

Imagine my surprise … 

Thankfully … ?   Thankfully, I’ve managed to give my landlords a call: I’ve got a feeling that the drainage system the machine’s connected to is at fault, which is their job.   Here’s hoping their can do something about it.

Let’s get moving on.

~~~~~

Yesterday’s saw Debbi* — all on her ownsome — putting her answers: along with a few more details about her partners mothers health situation, AND bagged 6 out of 6.

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

Q1) 28th November, 1925, saw the initial broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry, in the US.   But in which US state … ?

Q2) More to the point, it was originally broadcast as the WSM … what … ?

Q3) Moving on … 28th November, 1987, saw the birth of which former Dr Who girl … ?

Q4) 28th November, 1660, saw the original founding of the Royal Society.   Its current HQ is in which part of London: St James’, St James’ Park or Piccadilly … ?

Q5) 28th November, 1958, saw Gabon, Chad and the Republic of the Congo become autonomous parts of which country’s empire … ?

Q6) And finally … 28th November, 1943, saw the Tehran conference of Allied Leaders take place.   Name any of the three leaders, there …

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 27th November, 1990, saw Britain’s Conservative party — effectively — pick Britain’s new Prime Minister: who was he … ?

A1) John Major.

Q2) Which government post had he held until then … ?

A2) Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Q3) More to the point, who did he replace as PM … ?

A3) Margaret Thatcher.

Q4) More to the point, who’s considered to be the first PM … ?

A4) Sir Robert Walpole.

Q5) Who’s the current British PM … ?

A5) David Cameron, MP.

Q6) And finally … what’s the name of the PM’s official country house … ?

A6) Chequers.

Enjoy those, everyone.

As today sees the birthday of Berry Gordy, I’ll leave you with Jackie Wilson tune, Reet Petite, which was co-written by Gordy, back in the 50s.

And with this quote from the man, himself …

“Without The Miracles, Motown would not be the Motown it is today”

Berry Gordy Jr, born November 28, 1929

*        Oh, that’s an ideal solution, Debbi: something like that would be great.   (Hopefully, any company running that sort of scheme would keep the number of companions to a minimum: familiarity is VERY important from the little I know.)   (Oh, re the scene … ?   Have a look out for Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister on YouTube: it was one of THE comedy series.   To the point where the the Nigel Hawthorne’s character, Sir Humphrey, got used as a nickname for senior civil servants.)

The Daily Teaser — 27-11-2012: Parliamentary Trouble

Well, it’s official.

Today’s the day I take delivery of my new washing machine!

Which is going to make for a fascinating day.

Although — debatably — not as fascinating as Sunday: which is when I disconnected my old one.

Or yesterday: when I suddenly realised I was going to potentially need a fuse.

Just in case … !

Let’s get moving on, shall we?

Let … !

~~~~~

Yesterday’s Teaser both Debbi, AND a welcomed back Trevor putting in their answers: with both scoring 5 out of 6*, it also saw Debbi filling us in on Rick’s motherº.

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

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

Q1) 27th November, 1990, saw Britain’s Conservative party — effectively — pick Britain’s new Prime Minister: who was he … ?

Q2) Which government post had he held until then … ?

Q3) More to the point, who did he replace as PM … ?

Q4) More to the point, who’s considered to be the first PM … ?

Q5) Who’s the current British PM … ?

Q6) And finally … what’s the name of the PM’s official country house … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 26th November, 1778, saw the first Europeans visit Maui: who led that expedition … ?

A1) Captain James Cook.

Q2) More to the point, in which chain of islands is Maui … ?

A2) The Hawaiian Islands.

Q3) Who served as the main ship’s master, on that voyage … ?

A3) William Bligh.   Yes, THAT William Bligh: “This is mutiny, Mister Christian, MUTINY … !”

Q4) Moving on … 26th November, 1953, saw the House Of Lords vote to allow commercial television in the UK: how is that first resulting station generally known … ?

A4) ITV.

Q5) 26th November, 1977, saw part of that commercial network highjacked by someone calling themselves what: Vrillon, Gillon or Ashteron … ?

A5) Actually, all three: at least, going by the Wikipedia entry.

Q6) And finally … 26th November, 1998, saw Tony Blair become the first  British PM, to address the parliament of the Republic of Ireland: what’s that parliament’s name … in Irish … ?

A6) The Tithe an Oireachtas.

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll leave you with this quote from the (fictional) Sir Jim Hacker …

“The three articles of Civil Service faith: it takes longer to do things quickly, it’s more expensive to do them cheaply and it’s more democratic to do them in secret.”

Paul Eddingtonª as (fictional) former PM, Sir Jim Hacker, in Yes, Prime Minister.

And here’s the Yes, Prime Minister theme tune.

Along with an entertaining thought about the press … 

*        Going by the Wikipedia entry, guys, all three names got used: although Vrillon is the generally accepted one …

º        Hmmm … Debbi, I don’t know if it’s of any help, but has Rick thought of also asking about some form of monitoring service … ?   Strikes me THAT’S going to be useful, at some point … ?

ª        He crops up as Cobb, in The Prisoner, Debbi: just in case the name’s ringin a bell or two.

The Daily Teaser — 26-11-2013

Oh, now that’s a shame … 

But also not entirely unexpected.   It seems that Merlin is coming to an end, at the conclusion of the current series.

Like I say, that’s a shame.   The cast, crew and writers have been entertaining people for the past five: and — to my way of thinking — done VERY well at it.

I can only hope the last episodes of the series make as much of a bang as the last episode of Blakes’ 7.

That any budget spent on the series by the BBC is spent on a series that’s equally as goodª.

And that cast and crew are equally as successful in the future.

Now, with that said … ?   Let’s get moving on.

‹‹·››

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: along with telling us one of her more recent posts is covers and extends an earlier one,  also bagging a debatable — very debatable — 6 out of 7*.

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) 26th November, 1778, saw the first Europeans visit Maui: who led that expedition … ?

Q2) More to the point, in which chain of islands is Maui … ?

Q3) Who served as the main ship’s master, on that voyage … ?

Q4) Moving on … 26th November, 1953, saw the House Of Lords vote to allow commercial television in the UK: how is that first resulting station generally known … ?

Q5) 26th November, 1977, saw part of that commercial network highjacked by someone calling themselves what: Vrillon, Gillon or Ashteron … ?

Q6) And finally … 26th November, 1998, saw Tony Blair become the first  British PM, to address the parliament of the Republic of Ireland: what’s that parliament’s name … in Irish … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 25th November, 571 BC, saw Servius Tullius celebrate his victory over the Etruscans.   Where was Tullius king of: Rome, Egypt or China … ?

A1) Ancient Rome..

Q2) 25th November, 1998, saw the government of which country collapse … ?

A2) Turkey.

Q3) 25th November, 1975, saw Suriname gain independence: from where … ?

A3) The Netherlands.

Q4) More to the point, how was Suriname — semi-officially — referred to, until 1954 … ?

A4) Dutch Guiana.

Q5) 25th November, 1963, saw President Kennedy laid to rest, in Washington: which President represented France, at that funeral … ?

A5) Charles De Gaulle.

Q6) And finally … 25th November, 1947, saw the blacklisting of the original Hollywood Ten: what were they blacklisted for … ?

A6) Communists.

Enjoy those, everyone.

As it’s Brotherhood of Man singer Martin Lee’s birthday, I’ll leave you with their big hit.

With this quote from AA co-founder, Bill W …

“There is however, a vast amount of fun about it all.  I suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness and levity.  But just underneath there is deadly seriousness.”William Griffith Wilson, also known as Bill W.

Oh … 

As the Rolling Stones have started their 50th anniversary tour, I’ll leave you with this take on Start Me Upº … 

*        You know, I THINK I owe you an apology about that, Debbi: I really could’ve phrased that last question differently/better … !   Oh, almost forgot, did Rick find any of the information handy … ?   I know’s he’s mentioned he’ll be looking up Aricept … 

º        Trust me, it’s VERY silly … !

ª        And one that’s hopefully another science fiction or fantasy series: although I realise that the BBC may chose NOT to do so.