The Daily Teaser - 27-10-2011

Hmmm …

Well …

Hmmmmm … … … !

You wondering, aren’t you … ?

I can tell, you know.

What’s actually provoked all that lot?

Is the simple fact that YouTube’s gone and changed its uploading interface.

Something you’ve probably guessed I see a lot of.

They’ve …

Well, they’s fancied it up a touch. And in so doing, made it look a lot nicer.

I like it, I really do.

I just wish YouTube had just … well … maybe warned people before-hand …

Hmmm …

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, lets …

»»•««

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi and a heartily welcomed back Nina putting their answers, with both ladies bagging 6 out of 6: including the notorious mouthful that was yesterday’s fourth question*.

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

Q1) 27th October, 1275, saw the first recorded mention of which Dutch city … ?

Q2) More to the point, which river terminates in the heart of that city … ?

Q3) 27th October, 1977, saw Liberal leader, Jeremy Thorpe, deny he‘d been involved in a plot to kill whom … ?

Q4) 27th October, 1986, saw the British government deregulate what … ?

Q5) 27th October, 1971, saw the Democratic Republic of the Congo change it’s name to what … ?

Q6) And finally … 27th October, 1961, saw the first launch of an Apollo rocket: from where … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 26th October, 1947, saw the Maharaja of where allow his state to join India … ?

A1) Kashmir.

Q2) 26th October, 1958, saw the first commercial of the Boeing 707: by which carrier … ?

A2) Pan American Airways.

Q3) More to the point, where was it going … ?

A3) Paris, France.

Q4) 26th October, 2001, saw the USA PATRIOT Act signed into US law: what does USA PATRIOT stand for … ?

A4) Uniting (and) Strengthening America (by) Providing Appropriate Tools Required (to) Intercept (and) Obstruct Terrorism. (Handy, it boils down to a nice couple of words … )

Q5) 26th October, 1979, saw the president of where, shot by his Chief of Intelligence … ?

A5) South Korea. (The shooter in question, Kim Jea Kyu, claims to have done this accidentally. Feel free to insert a comment … )

Q6) And finally … 26th October, 2000, saw the Phillips Report criticise the government for misleading the public about BSE and vCJD: what does vCJD stand for … ?

A6) Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease.

Enjoy those, everyone …

Now …

Is it me, or does harp-player, Southside Johnny look like a very young Steve Jobs … ?

* I personally get the feeling that the name of the USA PATRIOT Act is what’s called a backronym. In other words, the meaning was given to the acronym only AFTER it was made up …

The Daily Teaser - 26-10-2011

Hmmm …

I’ve GOT to confess, I’ve just spent a very frustrating half an hour!

Believe it or not … ?

Waiting for the version of Safari 5.1.1 to load up the half a dozen or so tabs I usually have open to write the Teasers, first thing in the morning.

Usually … ?

Usually, I’ve no problem recommending people give it a try: if nothing else, they get to see if they like it.

I’m also very aware that I’m VERY fond of the way it interacts with both Blogger, and most of my other favourite websites.

But unless Apple get’s it right … ?

I think I may follow this chap’s suggestion …

»»·««

Let‘s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, lets … !

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi — all on her ownsome, still, as it sounds like Nina’s STILL haring around after her recent leg injury — putting in her answers. AND managing to score 5 out of 5, along with writing thoughtfully about the Irish mob.

Lets 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 October, 1947, saw the Maharaja of where allow his state to join India … ?

Q2) 26th October, 1958, saw the first commercial of the Boeing 707: by which carrier … ?

Q3) More to the point, where was it going … ?

Q4) 26th October, 2001, saw the USA PATRIOT Act signed into US law: what does USA PATRIOT stand for … ?

Q5) 26th October, 1979, saw the president of where, shot by his Chief of Intelligence … ?

Q6) And finally … 26th October, 2000, saw the Phillips Report criticise the government for misleading the public about BSE and vCJD: what does vCJD stand for … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 25th October, 1944, saw the sinking of the USS Tang, as a result of a malfunctioning what: engine, torpedo or ballast tank … ?

A1) Torpedo.

Q2) 25th October, 1962, saw which country join the UN … ?

A2) Uganda.

Q3) 25th October, 1945, saw the island of Taiwan taken over by whom … ?

A3) The Republic of China.

Q4) 25th October, 1984, saw the European Union — or E. E. C as it was, then — give £1.8 million worth of aid which African country … ?

A4) Ethiopia.

Q5) And finally … 25th October, 2004, saw transactions in US dollars banned, where … ?

A5) In Cuba.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later …

The Daily Teaser - 25-10-2011

Right …

I’ll be frank, and confess I like getting up at 6:30, I really do.

But I’m also thinking that the nearer we get — here in the UK — to the clocks going back an hour, at the end of Daylight saving, the harder it gets.

Silly, I know.

But there we go …

Let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, let’s …

»»·««

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi — all on her ownsome, and hoping Nina’s OK — putting her score and bagging 6 out of 6.

Lets see how she, you and everyone else do with todays questions, shall we? Here they are, along with the ‘How To’ License and video …

Q1) 25th October, 1944, saw the sinking of the USS Tang, as a result of a malfunctioning what: engine, torpedo or ballast tank … ?

Q2) 25th October, 1962, saw which country join the UN … ?

Q3) 25th October, 1945, saw the island of Taiwan taken over by whom … ?

Q4) 25th October, 1984, saw the European Union — or E. E. C as it was, then — give £1.8 million worth of aid which African country … ?

Q5) And finally … 25th October, 2004, saw transactions in US dollars banned, where … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 24th October, 1945, saw the formal start of the United Nations: in which US city was the inauguration ceremony … ?

A1) Washington DC.

Q2) More to the point, who’s the current UN Secretary General of the UN?

A2) Ban Ki-moon.

Q3) 24th October, 1949, saw the laying of the cornerstone of the UN’s head-quarters: in which city is that HQ?

A3) New York

Q4) Moving on … 24th October, 2003, saw the last flight of Concorde: that flight landed at which airport … ?

A4) Heathrow.

Q5) 24th October, 1901, saw Annie Edson Taylor become the first person to survive going over the Niagara Falls … in a what … ?

A5) Barrel.

Q6) And finally … 24th October, 1933, the birth of which notorious pair of twins … ?

A6) Ronnie and Reggie Kray.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later …

The Daily Teaser - 24-10-2011

Hmmm …

You know, I don’t know what’s grabbing my attention more, at the moment.

The fact there’s been a rather large earthquake in Turkey*.

Or the fact that PM David Cameron is facing the biggest parliamentary revolt.

Or the fact that the Today programme has just interviewed musician, Thomas Dolby, who has a new album out.

And as a side issue … ?

Invented the synthesiser software in Nokia mobile phones.

There we go …

At least we know who to blame for the really irritating ringtones.

»»·««

Lets move on, shall we … ?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: and, along with being equally amazed about Wang Mang, also bagging a (debatableº) 5 out of 6.

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

Q1) 24th October, 1945, saw the formal start of the United Nations: in which US city was the inauguration ceremony … ?

Q2) More to the point, who’s the current UN Secretary General of the UN?

Q3) 24th October, 1949, saw the laying of the cornerstone of the UN’s head-quarters: in which city is that HQ?

Q4) Moving on … 24th October, 2003, saw the last flight of Concorde: that flight landed at which airport … ?

Q5) 24th October, 1901, saw Annie Edson Taylor become the first person to survive going over the Niagara Falls … in a what … ?

Q6) And finally … 24th October, 1933, the birth of which notorious pair of twins … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 23rd October, 2001, saw the first introduction of the Apple iPod: but was the maximum capacity 5, 10 or 20 gigabytes … ?

A1) 10 Gigabytes.

Q2) On that same date — 23rd October, 2001 — saw who begin decommissioning weapons?

A2) The Provisional IRA.

Q3) 23rd October, 1958, saw the debut of the Smurfs. What’s the word for ‘Smurf’, in the version of French used in Belgium … ?

A3) Les Schtroumpfª. (The Wikipedia entry on Smurfs says “The Smurfs’ community generally takes the form of a cooperative, sharing, and kind environment based on the principle that each Smurf has something he or she is good at, and thus contributes it to Smurf society as he or she can. In return, each Smurf appears to be given their necessities of life, from housing and clothes to food without using any money in exchange.” The tree-hugging, Commie Subversives … ! We’re gonna Round ’em up … !)

Q4) More to the point, who directed the 2011 The Smurfs movie … ?

A4) Raja Gosnell.

Q5) 23rd October, 1157, saw the Battle of Grathe Heath: the last battle of which country’s Civil War … ?

A5) Denmark.

Q6) And finally … 23rd October, 1739, saw the start of The War Of Jenkins’ Ear: between Great Britain and where … ?

A6) Spain.

Enjoy those, everyone. I’ll leave you with Francisco Tárrega’s Gran Vals. Bars 13 to 16 … ? Trust me, you’ll know them …

* Seemingly, quite a LOT of people have camped out, overnight, amidst subzero temperatures. And that’s that’s just the Conservative backbenchers, what the Lib-Dem and Labour rebels are doing …

º It all hinges on whether you go with the maximum capacity, on introduction, or the maximum capacity: which is what I went with …

ª Yeah, that was right: and it had me worried, as well.

Merlin Episode 4 Series 4: Aithusa.

You know, I think I really am starting to get old, I really am.

Either, that, or Merlin really is starting to get shown well past my bedtime … !

At ANY rate … ?

I meant to tell you about last night’s fourth episode of Merlin — Aithusa — last night, after the episode had actually finished.

But my eyeballs felt too much like knot-holes.

You know, maybe getting my eyes checked might not actually hurt …

»»·««

At any rate … ?

At any rate, let’s talk about Aithusa, shall we?

Aithusa sees Gaius contacted by an Julius Borden, an old pupil: and one who needs Gaius’ help to gain access to the vaults of Camelot.

Borden’s not actually interested in loot. He’s interested in just one thing that’s kept there: the third part of a magical key — called a triskelion — that he already has two-thirds of.

Borden has plans: he knows perfectly well that possession of the complete key allows him access to the Ancient Tomb of Ashkanar and it’s most important contents.

Not Ashkanar’s body.

But the last remaining dragon’s egg.

Given that Merlin is watching both the exchange between Gaius and Julius? And that — as we know — Merlin is the last Dragon lord … ?

Well …

We can probably see what’s coming, can’t we … ?

And it’s not just that Julius and Merlin have different motives in seeking the egg out, either.

»»·««

Suffice to say that the good guys —Merlin, in this specific case —win through to claim the dragon’s egg.

And find out — from the Great Dragon, Kilgharrah — that the only way a dragon’s egg may hatch is if a dragon lord names it …

»»·««

Now … I’ll quite happily admit, I’m still enjoying series 4 of Merlin.

And believe it or not, Aithusa is — of the four episodes, so far — the lightest to date: although in any of the earlier series it would’ve had quite an ambiguous tone.

Ambiguous …

But with something of an upbeat finish.

Which is something I know I’ve been wondering about.

I used to love Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders novels and have to ask …

Where exactly did Merlin’s producer’s get the idea of a white dragon … ?