The Daily Teaser — 18-6-2013

You’ve probably worked out I like history, hadn’t you … ?

Oh, you hadn’t … ?   Pay attention at the back, there … !

At ANY rate, I’m fond of history: even if I’m no expert student of it.

One thing that does catch my attention is scientific history: childhood interest, what can I tell you?

So when the BBC does a documentary about the history of measurement — I’ve got episode two of Precision on, in the background — you can bet I’d be recording it, to watch later.

Fascinating stuff: did you know there’s a direct mathematical relationship between the amount of the amount of electricity going through a wire, and the amount of weight place on the tray hooked up to those wires … ?   The more the current the heavier the object.

Ever wondered how the weighing machines at your local supermarket work?   The ones at the till … ?   The ones they’ve just weighed your cabbages with … ?   Now you know … 

~≈Ω≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: along with getting four and a half out of five*, she also let us know she has a cartoons/animation board on Pinterest†.   It also saw Trevor putting up some of the speculation he’d encountered — during a long career programming — as to what IBM ACTUALLY stood for.

Let’s see how she — or possibly they — do with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 18th June, 1264, saw the first recorded meeting of which country’s Parliament … ?   

Q2) 18th June — in 1812 — saw the start of the War Of 1812: between the USA and where … ?   

Q3) 18th June, 1873, saw Susan B. Anthony fined $100: for attempting to do what … ?   

Q4) 18th June, 1830, saw France invade which North Africa country … ?   

Q5) And finally … 18th June, 1178, saw five Canterbury based monks observe the Giordano Bruno crater being formed: where is that crater … ?   

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 17th June, 1900, saw Allied and Japanese forces capture the Taku Forts: in the Chinese city of Tianjin.   During which Rebellion … ?

A1) The Boxer Rebellion.

Q2) Talking of which … 17th June, 1953: during an uprising, Soviet troops were  called into which East German city … ?

A2) East Berlin.

Q3) 17th June, 1967, saw which Far Eastern country announce it had successfully tested a thermonuclear weapon … ?

A3) The People’s Republic of China.

Q4) 17th June, 1980, saw the UK Government announce that US missiles would sited at two RAF bases in the UK.   Which RAF bases … ?

A4) RAF Greenham Common and RAF Molesworth.

Q5) And FINALLY … 17th June, 1944, saw which country declare independence … ?

A5) Iceland.

I’ll leave you with this point from Isabella Rossellini …

“I am much more radical in my beliefs than my products represent me to be.”

Isabella Rossellini, born 18 June 1952.

And with this tune from birthday boy, Paul McCartney … 

Enjoy your day … 

*        Actually, Debbi, it was RAF Greenham Common … 

†        I’ll have to check that out, at some point, Debbi!   Pinky And The Brain was one of the funniest things I saw on TV … !   (Apparently, Pinky’s supposed to be a cockney.   I’ll be tactful, Debbi, his accent’s not convincing … )

The Daily Teaser — 17-6-2013

Oh, now that was … um … 

Slightly unnerving, certainly.

Just so you know … ?   I had something of a nightmare, last night: or possibly this morning, it did seem to be in the run-up to waking up.

I’d moved back into my old bedsit in Ingrave Road: the bit that was disturbing was seeing how things had both changed, and simultaneously hadn’t.   If you follow me … ?

Now I think about it … ?   Slightly unnerving is possibly the right phrase.

Especially when it came down to the paintwork.

You really don’t want to ask …

Hmmm … Let’s move on, shall we?   Before you do … 

~≈¥≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers.   Along with bagging 4 out of 5, she also quietly admitted to picking up a lot from tv*.

Let’s see if that’s helps her — and you — with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 17th June, 1900, saw Allied and Japanese forces capture the Taku Forts: in the Chinese city of Tianjin.   During which Rebellion … ?

Q2) Talking of which … 17th June, 1953: during an uprising, Soviet troops were  called into which East German city … ?

Q3) 17th June, 1967, saw which Far Eastern country announce it had successfully tested a thermonuclear weapon … ?

Q4) 17th June, 1980, saw the UK Government announce that US missiles would sited at two RAF bases in the UK.   Which RAF bases … ?

Q5) And FINALLY … 17th June, 1944, saw which country declare independence … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 16th June, 1586, saw Mary Queen of Scots recognise who, as heir and successor … ?

A1) Phillip 2nd of Spain.

Q2) 16th June, 1955, saw Pope Pius 12th excommunicate which political figure … ?

A2) Juan Perón.

Q3) 16th June, 2012, saw China launch its Shenzhou 9 craft: complete with three astronauts.   What’s the Chinese term for an astronaut … ?

A3) Depending on context, either yǔ háng yuán, (宇航员, “space navigating personnel”) for astronauts or cosmonauts — those from the US or Russian —, háng tiān yuán" (航天员, “space navigating personnel”), or taikonaut: used by the Xinhua News Agency, in its English language media.

Q4) 16th June, 1915, saw the founding of the Women’s Institute: which hymn is especially associavideoted with it … ?

A4) Jerusalem.

Q5) And finally … 16th June, 1911, saw the founding of the company that eventually became IBM.   What does IBM stand for … ?

A5) International Business Machines.

I’ll leave you with this thought from artist, M. C. Escher …

“It is human nature to want to exchange ideas, and I believe that, at bottom, every artist wants no more than to tell the world what he has to say.”

M. C. Escher 17 June 1898 – 27 March 1972

And — as today marks the birth of Igor Stravinsky — I’ll leave you with The Rite Of Spring.   It started a riot.   Lord knows what he’d make of the UK’s weather, rite† now …

Oh …

And as this turns been earwoming its way through my head …

*        Will do, Debbi … !   (Talking of educational TV: did I tell you that the BBC turned down Sesame Street … ?   Yes, I know that sounds mildly scandalous … but they were, and still are, concerned to keep British English as British as possible.   AND preferred the UK pronunciation of ‘Z’)

†        That’s a pun, in case you hadn’t noticed … 

The Daily Teaser — 16-6-2013

Blimey … 

It sounds like Turkey’s on the boil … !

I’ll be frank, I’ve got Radio 4 on, in the background: I think the older I get, the more appealing the BBC’s flagship talk radio station get.

Especially its news coverage.   They’ve just told us about how riot police have broken up the Gezi Park demonstrators.   Going by Radio 4’s news coverage — a touch more recent than the website’s — it seems to have triggered quite a lot of protest in various Turkish cities.

Personally … ?

I’d be a touch worried if I had relatives over there.

I can just be thankful I haven’t: and hope thinks calm down.

Let’s move on, shall we?

~≈Ì≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: and managing to bag 5 out of six.

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) 16th June, 1586, saw Mary Queen of Scots recognise who, as heir and successor … ?

Q2) 16th June, 1955, saw Pope Pius 12th excommunicate which political figure … ?

Q3) 16th June, 2012, saw China launch its Shenzhou 9 craft: complete with three astronauts.   What’s the Chinese term for an astronaut … ?

Q4) 16th June, 1915, saw the founding of the Women’s Institute: which hymn is especially associated with it … ?

Q5) And finally … 16th June, 1911, saw the founding of the company that eventually became IBM.   What does IBM stand for … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 15th Jun, 1215, saw the signing of the Magna Carta: by which English king … ?

A1) King John.

Q2) The Magna Carta was signed in Runnymeade: a meadow in which English county … ?

A2) Surrey.

Q3) King John would have used a seal to make the Magna Carta official: what was the one he used called … ?

A3) The Great Seal Of The Realm.

Q4) The inscription on his seal described John as King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine … and Count of where … ?

A4) Anjou.

Q5) What language was the Magna Carta written in: English, French or Latin … ?

A5) Latin.

Q6) Finally … How many Barons signed the Magna Carta … ?

A6) 25.

Enjoy those, folks.

I’ll leave you with this thought from the late Tupac Shakur …

“If your not cheering for me, for what I’m doing, don’t cheer for me. Don’t cheer cause you think I'm cute, you know what I’m saying, screw that. Cheer for me for what I’m doing, for what I stand for, and when I go to jail you should cheer louder.” 

Tupac Shakur June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996

And with this song from him … 

Have a good day … 

*        My pleasure, Debbi, I’m just glad I could be os some use.   (As was being glued to the TV version of M•A•S•H: that’s where I heard about about one handed piano pieces, belief it or not!      You see … ?   TV can be educational … !)

The Daily Teaser — 15-6-2013: The Great Charter

So that’s official, then: seemingly, Microsoft have made a version of Microsoft Office for the iPhone.

Or, at least, for those of us who have a Microsoft Office 365 subscription.

Which, being frank, isn’t necessarily an idea I’m convinced about: the idea of basically renting software: rather than paying a one off fee for it.

Either way, I can’t help but think there’s a couple of points that have got MS releasing the software.

Firstly, the fact that Apple have announced an iCloud version of its iWorks suite that will work on Mac and PC: that will happily work in Safari, Chrome and Internet Explorer: the fact the desktop of iWorks based version’s a LOT cheaper than than the MS equivalent will have a certain amount of sway, there, I think.

There’s ALSO the fact that the experts have said the reason Microsoft have quibbled — up until now — is that they don’t like the fact they would’ve had to pay Apple’s usual thirty percent fee, to go through Apple’s App Store.

Which mean’s they’ve either come to some sort of agreement … or decided seventy percent of the take is better than nothing … 

Either way … ?   Time to move on, I think … 

~≈Â≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: along with giving Yours Truly a mention — here* — and bagging six out of six.

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

Q1) 15th Jun, 1215, saw the signing of the Magna Carta: by which English king … ?

Q2) The Magna Carta was signed in Runnymeade: a meadow in which English county … ?

Q3) King John would have used a seal to make the Magna Carta official: what was the one he used called … ?

Q4) The inscription on his seal described John as King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine … and Count of where … ?

Q5) What language was the Magna Carta written in: English, French or Latin … ?

Q6) Finally … How many Barons signed the Magna Carta … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 14th June, 1822, saw Charles Babbage propose an early calculating machine: what was it called … ?

A1) The Difference Engine .

Q2) To which Royal Society did he propose it… ?

A2) The Royal Astronomical Society.

Q3) Babbage gave what name to the follow-up machine … ?

A3) The Analytic Engine.   (It’s considered the early computer)

Q4) Ada, Countess Lovelace, is considered one of the first computer programmers, as she developed an algorithm for this second machine.   Which poet’s daughter was she … ?

A4) George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron: known to many as Lord Byron.

Q5) Where would you find the Babbage Crater: the Moon, Mars or Venus … ?

A5) The Moon.

Q6) And finally … William Gibson co-wrote a science fiction novel named for Babbage’s machine.   With whom did he write it … ?

A6) Bruce Sterling.

Enjoy those: I’ll leave you with this clause from the Magna Carta …

“NO Freeman shall be taken or imprisoned, or be disseised of his Freehold, or Liberties, or free Customs, or be outlawed, or exiled, or any other wise destroyed; nor will We not pass upon him, nor condemn him, but by lawful judgment of his Peers, or by the Law of the land.”

From the Magna Carta.

And with the Spring Song, by an appropriately named band … 

Enjoy your day … 

*        Oh, bless you, Debbi!   And cheers for the mention … !   (And, yes, it’s good you went for writing: but did you know there’s a few one handed piano pieces — and players — around … ?   Not many, as far as I know, but a few.)

Gran Torino: NICE … !

You know, I have to say, I do know how to procrastinate, sometimes, when it comes to a write up.

Really … !

Not by much, though.   After all, it’s only last night I saw the movie I wanted to talk about.

But I have to admit: apart from heading up to the my GPs to pick up a prescription, I have been faffing about, quite a bit … !

At any rate … ?

At ANY rate, I managed to catch a film last night: something I’d had in my collection for some time: but never actually got around to watching.

The 22008, Clint Eastwood directed and produced film, Gran Torino … 

~≈∏≈~

Set in modern-day Detroit, Gran Torino sees Eastwood as Walt Kowalski: a Korean War vet who — much like Michael Caine’s Harry Brown — is an older man who’s world is one he’s finding increasing not to his taste.

With gangs and an increasing number of ethnic minorities populating his area, the fact that the film opens with Walt’s wife’s funeral?   Isn’t something that has helped his mood …

It’s when a young Hmong neighbour — Thao, played by Bee Vang — attempts to steal Walt’s prized Gran Torino* as part of a botched gang initiation — and Walt sees off the various gang members — that things start getting interesting … 

Especially when the rest of the neighbours start leaving ‘Thank You’ gifts on the doorstep.

~≈∏≈~

Now, I’ve GOT to admit, I thoroughly enjoyed Gran Torino although I’m not usually a fan of coming-of-age dramas.

Saying that … ?

Saying that, I have to admit, I also had Judge Dredd floating around my mind: mostly as I’ve read one or two interviews in mind, the the comic book character’s creators modelled him — in part — on Sylvester Stallone and Clint Eastwood.

Where I read that, I’m blowed if I can remember: but I had Carl Urban’s performance as the Judge in mind, as he put me in mind of Eastwood in Gran Torino.

There’s only on big difference.

Despite the ending Gran Torino’s, which sees the death of Eastwood’s character, Gran Torino has a fantastic sense of humour.

And you can’t say that about every film.

Gran Torino   
★★★★

*        The car’s where the film gets its name.