Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2017: Halloween … !

Did you know how tired I fell, today?

Well … 

Tired … ish … 

But that’s what happens when you finish work at ten, get home at eleven … 

Then stay up ’til half twelve, writing about the episode of Star Trek: Discovery I’d stayed up late to watch.

Nice episode, actually: Anthony Rapp, as Paul Stamets, plays a big part in a story that loops around until a neatly done conclusion.

Although?

My cynical side is looking at the revelations about his encounter with Kevin Spacey, back in the 1980s: and thinking it’s very convenient timing, given you have a series to promote.

That’s my cynical side*.

My more public side?   Is thinking that the Hollywood Harassment scandal, the claims put forward in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein affair?

Is a good thing.

It means that — hopefully — there’ll be something of a culture change … 

~≈§≈~

On other fronts … ?

On other fronts, I’ve actually managed to find an NHS dentist in town.

And made an appointment for tomorrow: to have a tooth removed.

As it turns out?

There’s a certain amount of help available for those of us getting on one or two state benefits.

I don’t think I’ll be getting false teeth.

But can get a bad tooth out.

Something I know I’m looking forward too!

~≈§≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Mr Strict†, Olga‡ and Debbi^ putting in their answers: with all three 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) 31st October is Halloween.   Halloween is celebrated as Hop-tu-Naa: on which three legged British Isle?

Q2) It’s called Allantide: in which English county?

Q3) What fruit got handed out as a gift, on Allantide?

Q4) Halloween is ALSO known as All Hallow’s … what?

Q5) Many celebrate the day by abstaining from what: meat, vegetables or wine?

Q6) Moving on, slightly?   Halloween parts one and two are episodes of the first season of which horrific, American series?

Q7) The Lutz family move into a fictional version of 112, Ocean Avenue.   In which horror film?

Q8) Michael Myers is the central character in which film franchise?

Q9) Julia, Rory, Frank and Kirsty, all appear in which Clive Barker novella?   (The novella: not the film version of the story, that’s got a different name.)

Q10) Finally … which mystery writer wrote Hallowe’en Party?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) Father Jerzy Popieluszko was found dead: on 30th October, 1984.   He was a prominent supporter of which Polish union?

A1) Solidarity.

Q2) 30th October is the feast day of Saint Marcellus the Centurion.   He’s also known as Marcellus of where: Tangier, Madrid or Paris?

A2) Tangier.

Q3) The UK’s house of Lords admitted women members for the first time: on 30th October, of which year?

A3) 1957.

Q4) Jessica Hynes was born: on 30th October, 1972.   Name either one of the two series in which she plays Siobhan Sharpe.

A4) Twenty Twelve or W1A.

Q5) Finally … John J. Loud was granted a patent: on 30th October, 1888.   For what?

A5) The ballpoint pen.

Here’s a thought …

“I do love horror movies, but I’m not the kind of guy who would dress up as a ghoul for Halloween. I might go as a member of the Blue Man Group.”

Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Here’s the themes for Halloween, Psycho and The Omen: possibly some of The scariest music made …





Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Happy Halloween.

*        It’s just hit me.   Kevin Spacey’s been named as a perpetrator.   What if Tom Cruise gets named … ?

†        That’s a thought, Mr S, I keep meaning to put your blog in the sidebar … !

‡        You never know until they happen, sometimes, Olga, do you?   All I can do is keep walking up and down Warley Hill, and eating well!   On other fronts?   I’m just grateful there’s help available: it means I can at least get the basics — including x-rays — done at a reasonably good price.   And free for a lot of it.   (The producer did the hyena impression?   Given what’s happening in Hollywood, these days, there’s possibly a comment …)

^        Very different, Debbi!   It lifts a couple of names — Drs Alfred Lanning and Susan Calvinª — and the Three Laws, but that’s about it.   You can ALSO argue it totally changes the meaning of I, Robot.   The book argues that technology isn’t something to be scared of: various characters, Lanning included, keep muttering about “… that damn Frankenstein complexº.”   The film … ?   Basically says technology’s, AI in particular, is something to be scared of.

ª        Dr Calvin is possibly one of the strongest characters in science fiction or fantasy.

º        From what I’ve understood Asimov reasons for creating the Three Laws correctly?   Was that robot stories, when he started, had the same sort of plot.  

• Man builds robot.
• Robot goes mad and kills people.

OR …

• Man builds robot.
• Robot goes mad and tries to take over the world.

Guess which plot the Will Smith films uses … ?