The Daily Teaser — 3-11-2013: LOOK OUT — Godzilla … !

Blimey, that’s a thing.

I have to confess to watching the news: every-so-often, at least.

Something that caught my eye, yesterday … ?

Was that Maidstone Prison had had a riot.

Which mildly shocked me.   There hasn’t been a major incident in a British prison for quite some time …  

Personally … ?   I can’t help but wonder what set that off!

And wonder if we’ll ever find out.

At any rate, let’s get a move on, shall we?

~≈Ê≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answer: along with thanking me for some help, she also scored six out of seven.

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

Q1) 3rd November saw the first Godzilla film released: in which Far Eastern country?

Q2) In which year of the 1950s … ?

Q3) Godzilla’s name in its native language — Gojira — is a portmanteau of that language’s word for ‘Gorilla’ and the word for what aquatic creature: whale, dolphin or octopus?

Q4) The original movie is what’s called a ‘kaiju’ movie.   Kaiju traslates into ‘strange … what’: flora, oil or creature … ?

Q5) Finally … The extinct Dakosaurus andiniensis was nicknamed Godzilla.   It’s an extinct relative of what: frogs, crocodiles, or Komodo dragons?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 2nd November saw the Morris Worm — the first computer worm to get mainstream media attention — released.   In which year of the 1980s … ?

A1) 1988.

Q2) More to the point, where was the worm released from: Johns Hopkins University, MIT, or Cornell … ?

A2) MIT.   (Morris worked and studied at Cornell: but arranged for the Worm to be released from MIT.)

Q3) The Worm was created by whom: Robert Morris, Johnny Morris or David Morris?

A3) Robert Tappan Morris.

Q4) The Worm is — or was — an early piece of malware.   What is malware short for … ?

A4) Malicious software.

Q5) Computer worms spread by reproducing themselves.  Which type of malware spreads by disguising itself as something innocent … ?

A5) A Trojan horse.

Q6) A worm is also an example of infectious malware.   What’s the other sort … ?

A6) A computer virus.

Q7) Finally … if I’ve gained remote access to your computer, without needing a password from you, that’s known as what: a front door, back door or trap door … ?

A7) A backdoor.

Enjoy those.

I’ll leave you with this thought from film critic, Roger Ebert …

“Going to see Godzilla at the Palais of the Cannes Film Festival is like attending a satanic ritual in St. Peter's Basilica.”

Roger Ebert.

And Blue Oyster Cult’s Godzilla … 

Oh … and this cameo from the man himself, back in the 80s … 

Have a good day … !

*        My pleasure, Debbi.   Oh, did the link to Spybot I sent you get through … ?   Only I’m using a new email client!

The Daily Teaser — 2-11-2013: The Morris Worm

You you, it seems VERY appropriate — given today’s Teaser’s theme — that I mention span emails.

Yep: I’ve had another one slip through BT’s filters.

One, again, that claimed to be from BT itself: indeed, seemingly from BT’s own billing email address, was addressed to ‘Dear Customer’, and included NONE of the account details I’d’ve expected to see.

And one whose links lead STRAIGHT to a phising site that my version of Safari was abled to flag up.

I think I and my fellow BT users should keep our collective eyes peeled: and use the BT supplied email address — abuse@bt.com —whenever something like this crops up.

And given that the address the spam is from … ?   I think BT should possibly doing some investigating, too.

Let’s get a move on … 

~≈†≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with letting know she thought yesterday’s joke, she also bagged five out of seven.

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

Q1) 2nd November saw the Morris Worm — the first computer worm to get mainstream media attention — released.   In which year of the 1980s … ?

Q2) More to the point, where was the worm released from: Johns Hopkins University, MIT, or Cornell … ?

Q3) The Worm was created by whom: Robert Morris, Johnny Morris or David Morris?

Q4) The Worm is — or was — an early piece of malware.   What is malware short for … ?

Q5) Computer worms spread by reproducing themselves.  Which type of malware spreads by disguising itself as something innocent … ?

Q6) A worm is also an example of infectious malware.   What’s the other sort … ?

Q7) Finally … if I’ve gained remote access to your computer, without needing a password from you, that’s known as what: a front door, back door or trap door … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 1st November is All Saint’s Day: according to the Roman Catholic Church, it’s a Holy Day Of What … ?

A1) Obligation.  (Basically, if you’re a practicing Catholic you have to go to Mass, and do abstinence.)

Q2) The UK has four patron saints: one for each country of the UK.   Name one of those saints.

A2) Saint George, Saint Andrew, Saint Patrick and Saint David.

Q3) What’s the Jewish word for a saint … ?

A3) A tzadik.

Q4) What, in Islam, is the usual term for a saint … ?

A4) A wali.

Q5) Which denomination of christians call themselves Latter Day Saints … ?

A5) The Mormons.

Q6) Who’s the patron saint of the USA … ?

A6) Mary, as Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception.

Q7) Finally … in 2006, some clergy suggested who as alternative patron saint of England: Saint Alba, Saint Albion or Saint Alban … ?

A7) Saint Alban.

Enjoy those.

I’ll leave you with this observation …

“Our examination of computer viruses leads us to the conclusion that they are very close to what we might define as ‘artificial life.’ Rather than representing a scientific achievement, this probably represents a flaw in our definition.”

Gene Spafford, one of the first people to analyse the Morris Worm, writing in Artificial Life II, Studies in the Sciences of Complexity, vol. XII.

And with this tune about worms … 

Have a good day.

*        Glad you liked it, Debbi: and I’ll let her know, as soon as I see her … !

A BT Spam Warning

OK, SLIGHTLY weird experience, here.

I’m actually using my SPARE machine: a late 1990s vintage G4 Mac, running Tiger.

JUST in case you’re interested … !

Not that that’s why I’m writing.

I actually thought it best to let you now I’ve had a spam email.

Yes, I know, happens all the time.

But this one in particular … ?

Claimed to be from my broadband, BT provider.

Thankfully … ?   Well, thankfully, I’d made sure I’d kept my last BT billing mail: I’ve had one of these emails, before, and kept my genuine bill, so I had something to compare any more fakes to.

I’m ALSO thankful Safari has a rather good phising filter: which warned me that the link in the mail was a dodgy one.

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, I thought it best to put up a screen shot: just to let my fellow BT users know: “Keep Your Eyes Peeled … !”   And ALSO let you know, you can forward the spam to abuse@bt.com.

So you know.

The Friday Question Set — 1-11-2013

Oh, now that’s something … !

You remember me mentioning the big, Saint Jude’s Day Storm: Monday just gone … ?

Yeah, that storm.

In amongst all the destruction, one of the trees in the Bay Tree Centre — the set of shops halfway down Brentwood High Street — had gone over.

Not a pleasant sight, as the trees had been there a while.

But at least the tree surgeons had chopped it into bits.

They were seemingly back, today: back … and stripping the tree in question of any remaining damaged branches.

Oh, I realise that’s probably needed.   But it does seem a shame, somehow.

Oh, well.

Let’s move on, shall we?

~≈Â≈~

After all, today is Friday: which means it’s time for the Friday Question Set.

Here’s THIS week’s, covered by the usual Creative Commons License* …

Online 226

ROUND ONE. GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q1) What’s the approximate distance from London to Paris, in miles: 200, 300 or 400 miles?

A1) 200.   (Apparently, it’s 213.6 miles.)

Q2) What was the first top ten hit for The Cure?

Q2) Love Cats.

Q3) Trenton is the capital of which US state?

A3) New Jersey.

Q4) What’s the only English anagram of the word, ‘INTRODUCE’?

A4) ‘REDUCTION’.

Q5) Which shipping forecast area is immediately east of Shannon?

A5) Fastnet.

Q6) Anthophobia is a fear of what: flowers, chips or trees?

A6) Flowers. 

Q7) What word can go after ‘sea’ and before ‘Heart’?

A7) ‘Lion’ .

Q8) What is ⅓rd of 1, 200?

A8) 400.

Q9) Which Noël wrote Hay Fever?

A9) Noël Coward.

Q10) Where, on a standard computer keyboard, is the spacebar: top, bottom or middle?

A10) The bottom.

ROUND TWO. MUSIC AND LIGHTS.

Q11) Oxygene was a hit album for which French musician?

A11) Jean Michel Jarré.

Q12) Who was the only female American singer to have a million selling single, in the UK, during the 80s? (Extra point for the single.)

A12) Jennifer Rush. (The Power of Love.)

Q13) Michael Jackson wrote, recorded and sang Thriller: who was that album’s producer?

A13) Quincy Jones.

Q14) Which two Beatles have, or had, children who share a birthday?   (Extra point for one of the kids, two points for both.   (Bonus points only if the parents are correctly named)

A14) Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr. (Stella McCartney and Zak Starkey)

Q15) Which former Radio 1 DJ has a son called Woody?

A15) Zoé Ball.

Q16) More to the point, who’s Woody’s father?

A16) Fatboy Slim.

Q17) Adolphe Sax invented which woodwind instrument?

A17) The Saxophone.   (The Saxophone has a reed mouthpiece, which is what makes it a woodwind instrument.   True brass instruments, like the Trumpet and didgeredoo, rely on the players lips.)

Q18) Celine Dion is a French–speaking native of which country?

A18) Canada.

Q19) Legend was the posthumous ‘best of’ album from which artist?

A19) Bob Marley.

Q20) Which Beatle got engaged in 2001?

A20) Sir Paul McCartney.

ROUND THREE. TIME AND SPACE.

Q21) The Plough, The Big Dipper, and the Saucepan are all names for which constellation?

A21) Ursa Majoris.

Q22) What term is used for a giant group of stars held together by gravity?

A22) A galaxy.

Q23) 1981 saw the launch of which distinctive spacecraft?

A23) The Space shuttle.

Q24) What can be either a Red Giant, or White Dwarf?

A24) A star.

Q25) What’s the largest planet in our solar system?

A25) Jupiter.

Q26) The Cydonia region of Mars famously contains what … ?

A26) The ‘Face’ of Mars.

Q27) Who was the longest serving presenter of The Sky at Night?

A27) Patrick Moore.

Q28) Quasi Stellar objects are also known as what?

A28) Quasars.

Q29) What, barring the Sun, is the nearest star to our Solar System?

A29) Proxima Centauri.

Q30) The Sidereal period is the time it takes for a planet to do what?

A30) Orbit the Sun.

ROUND FOUR. SPORTING CHANCES.

Q31) During the 1996 WBA heavyweight fight between Mike Tyson and Bruce Seldon, the Referee stopped the fight in which round?

A31) The first.

Q32) Llanelli signed former Rugby League player Scott Quinell from which club?

A32) Richmond.

Q33) The Juddmonte International Stakes is the principal race of the three day August meeting at which race track?

A33) York.

Q34) True or False: Viv Richards plays football for Antigua.

A34) True.

Q35) True or False: Stirling Moss only won the World Drivers’ Championship once.

A35) False. He never won it at all.

Q36) Which imposing British sportsman said “I’m cold & ruthless; – as far as I’m concerned, it’s kill, or be killed?”

A36) Tim Henman.

Q37) Which football team play at Millmoor?

A37) Rotherham United.

Q38) How many League sides did Trevor Brooking play for, during his career?

A38) One.

Q39) Which tennis player was known as Mr Nasty?

A39) Ilie Nastase.

Q40) How many goals did Jürgen Klinsman score, in the 1998 World Cup?

A40) Three.

ROUND FIVE. AT THE MOVIES.

Q41) Dancer was the title used for which British film, when it premiéred at the Cannes Film Festival?

A41) Billy Elliot.

Q42) Four Wedding & A Funeral got an Oscar nomination for what Best Film, Best Director, or Best Writer?

A42) Best Writer.

Q43) How many roles did Alec Guinness play in Kind Hearts and Coronets?

A43) Eight.

Q44) What was Anthony Hopkins role, in Bram Stoker’s Dracula?

A44) Van Helsing.

Q45) Which British star of Gandhi played Oscar Schindler’s Jewish accountant, in Schindler’s List?

A45) Ben Kingsley.

Q46) Which Emmerdale star appeared in The Great Gatsby, aged just six?

A46) Patsy Kensit. 

Q47) What was Roger Moore’s second film as James Bond?

A47) The Man With The Golden Gun.

Q48) Which star of Children of Men co–owns Langan’s Brasserie, in London? 

A48) Michael Caine.

Q49) This Sporting Life was the debut movie for which Labour MP?

A49) Glenda Jackson.

Q50) Who played Steven Ward, in Scandal?

A50) John Hurt.

ROUND SIX. GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) What was Radiohead’s first top ten single?

A51) Creep.

Q52) In the USA, the Stanley Cup is awarded in which sport?

A52) Ice hockey.

Q53) There are 6,080 feet in a nautical what?

A53) A nautical mile.

Q54) What name was given to the home of the Norse gods?

A54) There’s two, strictly speaking: Asgard and Vanaheimr, depending on which set of Norse gods you were talking about.

Q55) On radio, what did the A stand for, in ITMA? (Bonus point for the full title).

A55) Again. (It’s That Man, Again.)

Q56) Which musical instrument did the late Karen Carpenter play?

A56) The Drums.

Q57) In snooker, how many reds are left on the table after five of them have been potted?

A57) Ten. (10.)

Q58) How many cards are there in a pack Tarot cards: sixty-eight, seventy-eight or eighty-eight?

A58) Seventy-eight.

Q59) How many edges does a cube have: ten, twelve or fourteen?

A59) Twelve.

Q60) Prior to the Calendar Act of 1750, on what date was New Years Day?

A60) 25th March.

Enjoy those: I hope they help!

*        Regulars will know already, but for newcomers … all it means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.   A link back to the site would be appreciated.

The Daily Teaser — 1/11/2013: All Saints Day

You know, I’ve got to admit to feeling tired.

I’ve an interesting reason for that, though: the film I caught, last night.

The Finnish made, Evil Rising.

Which, it HAS to be said, is quite interesting.   AND only cost £1·48 to rent.

So no complaints, there, then: and … ?   Well, to be frank, I’d suggest catching it.   The sauna at the heart of the film can only be described as ‘creepy’.

With that said … ?   Let’s get a move on.

~≈®≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with letting us known she’d seen The Exorcist several times, and that she’d also considered changing her name to Regan‡, ALSO bagged ten out of ten.

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) 1st November is All Saint’s Day: according to the Roman Catholic Church, it’s a Holy Day Of What … ?

Q2) The UK has four patron saints: one for each country of the UK.   Name one of those saints.

Q3) What’s the Jewish word for a saint … ?

Q4) What, in Islam, is the usual term for a saint … ?

Q5) Which denomination of christians call themselves Latter Day Saints … ?

Q6) Who’s the patron saint of the USA … ?

Q7) Finally … in 2006, some clergy suggested who as alternative patron saint of England: Saint Alba, Saint Albion or Saint Alban … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) Which country celebrates The Day of The Dead, in place of Halloween?

A1) Mexico.

Q2) In Scotland, what vegetable is a Jack O’Lantern traditionally made from?

A2) A Turnip.

Q3) According to the saying, what exactly is “…9 parts of the law”?

A3) Possession.

Q4) Parts of which hit album was used as a theme for The Exorcist … ?

A4) Tubular Bells.

Q5) Which iconic British rock star appeared in vampire movie, The Hunger?

A5) David Bowie.

Q6) Which of that artist’s albums featured a song called Scary Monsters?

A6) Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps).

Q7) What — in Jewish folklore — is the name of the monstrous creature made of clay … ?

A7) A Golem.

Q8) What ghostly Wagnerian ship is said to sail the seven seas?

A8) The Flying Dutchman.

Q9) Which former US president is said to haunt the White House?

A9) Abraham Lincoln.

Q10) And finally … what name is given to an apprentice printer … ?

A10) A printer’s devil.

Enjoy those.

I’ll leave you with this observation …

“When I feed the hungry, they call me a saint. When I ask why people are hungry, they call me a Communist.”

Hélder Câmara.

And with Never, Ever: think about it … !

Have a good day.

*        Did you know The Exorcist was banned over here, Debbi: for quite some time, as well.   I think THAT scene had it placed on James Ferman’s† ‘Over My Dead Body’ List for almost three decades.

†        He was the longest serving head of the British Board Of Film Classification, Debbi, the organisation that hands out film ratings in the UK: he famously refused ratings to The Exorcist, and several others, and was fairly strict on cutting scenes that — in other parts of the world — barely got noticed.   (Ferman would’ve probably burnt Baise Moi, as soon as it was released)

‡        Actually, Debbi, there’s an old joke that’s bee around for years, if you want to offend a Republican.   “What have the USA and McDonalds got in common?”   “They’ve both been run by a clown called Ronald … ” Um …