Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-4-2017

Do you watch the news?

I do.

And caught the news that a Metro train in Saint Petersburg, in Russia — Vladimir Putin’s home town — has been hit by what’s described as a suicide bomber.

Yesterday.

My thoughts are going in all sorts of directions.

They’re with the families of those killed.

They’re thinking the driver of the bombed trained driving it to the nearest station … ?

Seems to have helped save lives, as it allowed emergency staff easier access to the injured.

And my thinking?

Has been shaped by what I know of history: things like the Beslan School siege, or the Moscow Theatre attack, or its actions during WW2.   I’ve come to the conclusion the one government and country that will react strongly to an attack is Russia.

My semi-serious line — that always made a former, Russian, neighbour laugh — is that attacking Russia is a good way of committing suicide.

Whoever claims responsibility for this?

Is in trouble.

~≈⇪≈~

In other news?

In other news, the BBC have released a second trailer for series ten of Dr Who.

Pay attention to the last few seconds to the thing.

We’ve been told Peter Capaldi leaves at Christmas.

Can I run this past you?   I think, much like the shift from Ecclestone to Tennant, the regeneration will take place in the last episode of season ten: with a flashback seen in the Christmas Special.   Effectively, Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth will ‘leave’ in the Special, having done his last performance in the tenth season.

Here’s another controversial thought?   We know the new series has seen romantic undertones between the Tenth Doctor and Rose.   And, arguably, there’s a lot of unresolved sexual tension between Matt’s Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, and Amy, Clara and River.

We know Bill is to be the first openly gay, full time, companion.

Those undertones won’t necessarily continue … if the new Doctor’s a man* …

~≈⇪≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga† and Debbi‡ putting in their answers: with both scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

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

Q1) 4th April, 1984, saw protestors evicted from Greenham Common.   The protestors were protesting the placing of what, at RAF Green Common: Trident missiles, Cruise missiles or Sarin Gas?

Q2) The US Congress formally adopted the US flag: on 4th April, 1818.   How many stars did that version of the flag have: 18, 20 or 22?

Q3) Nazi paramilitary group, the Schutzstaffel, were founded: on 4th April, 1925.   They were more commonly known as what?

Q4) In the US, the week commencing 4th April, 1964, saw the top five places of the Billboard Hot 100 occupied by one band.   Which band?

Q5) Finally … Netscape was founded: on 4th April, 1994.   Its best known product was a what: media player, web-browser or word processor?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) Edward was crowned as King of England: on 3rd April, 1043.   He was Edward the who: Confessor, Pretender or Tree?

A1) The Confessor.   (He frequently confessed to his Christian faith.   Rather than the Hatton Garden Heist, Great Train Robbery or death of Cock Robin.)

Q2) 3rd April, 1860, what which service make its first run: the Manchester to Darlington railway, the Pony Express or Orient Express?

A2) The Pony Express.

Q3) The first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was named: on 3rd April, 1922.   Who was he?

A3) Joseph Stalin.

Q4) Martin Cooper of Motorola, phoned Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs: on 3rd April, 1975.   The call was the first made by what?

A4) Mobile/cell phone.

Q5) Finally … News stories about 11.5 million, leaked, documents were published: on 3rd April, 2016.   The documents are known as the what papers?

A5) The Panama Papers.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“Saturday night is your big night. Everybody used to fry up fish and have one hell of a time. Find me playing till sunrise for 50 cents and a sandwich. And be glad of it. And they really liked the low-down blues.”

Muddy Waters, April 4, 1913  – April 30, 1983.

And this tune … 

Have a good day.

*        New Dr Who has always seen romantic undertones between Doctor and companion.   We see Rose and the 10th Doctor, we see the unresolved sexual tensions between the 11th Dr and Amy, Clara and River, we see the restrained older couple relationship between River and the Twelfth in Husbands of River Song.   We have, in Bill Potts, the shows first openly gay, full time companion.   I know many don’t accept my belief that a woman in the central role is a good thing: as would a black or ethnic minority actor.   But I feel that a woman as the Dr would be a good thing: and something I welcome.   A lesbian one?   Carrying on those romantic undertones?   Would also be welcome.

†        Hmmm … I know I’ve a few US coins sitting around, Olga: mostly as a result of my step-dad’s trips to the US a few years ago.   I don’t know that many coin collectors, myself: so couldn’t tell you how collectible they are.   Stamps go for huge amounts, though, I know that!   Especially the misprints.

‡        That’s sort of the impression I got, Debbi: but, apparently, it’s still out there.   Which sort of made it a valid question!   Did you know Britain’s got a new pound coin?   A twelve sided one that looks like a cross between a £2 coin and a thrupenny bit.   If you’ve still got some of the old round ones, from when you were over, you might be able to mug a coin collector with them …