Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-4-2020: Ravi Shankar

7th April, 2020.

I think I’m going to have something of a rant, here.

Ish … 

We know Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been taken into intensive care at Saint Thomas Hospital: as a way of staving off the the Corona Virus.

Good luck to him.

I hope he doesn’t die: the country could do with out a leadership election at a time like this.

But … ?

For starters, the man could have observed the social distancing rules he himself was promoting: far better than he actually did.

Secondly?

I can’t help but notice the amount of supportive comments — comments bordering on hero worship — the man’s getting.

Literal, hero worship.

That is not something I’m comfortable with.

That amount of reverence is not a good thing.

I’m sort of with Frank Herbert, here.   Religious reverence for a political figure — which, for me, is what this appears to be — is distinctly unwise: as it hands a lot of power to a human.

We have, not a PM, but a messiah.

We have a hero.

Who the hell wants that?

“No more terrible disaster could befall your people than for them to fall into the hands of a Hero.”
Frank Herbert, Dune.

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7th April, 2019.

7th April, 2019.

You’re probably aware I’m a Mac fan, aren’t you … ?

One who’s had a Mac for quite some time, and one who’s had trouble with iMovie: after some updates.

Thankfully?

Those seem to have been solved: after more recent updates.

I know have a functioning version of iMovie.

In fact … ?   And as I asked in today’s intro … ?

I think the intro in last night’s post — about Westworld —was just a bit … 

Overdone … !

If you can let me know … ?

~≈§≈~

Oh, that’s a thought … 

I’ve always taken an interest in the history of Bletchley Park: the code breaking centre that was vital to the Allied success in World War Two.

It seems reconstruction of the Heath Robinson machine — the machine used to decrypt high level messages — has now been completed.

I visited the National Museum of Computing, with friends, many years ago: where we saw it displayed.

Frankly?

The fact it’s now in action?   Means I’d love to see it again!

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 7-4-2017

You know, I was going to open by telling you I’d watched The Girl With All the Gifts, last night.

Fantastic little film, I should add.

If I’ve understood what I’ve been told by friends who’ve served in the army?   British military doctrine holds that one should only use one — one — bullet per enemy soldier.

You only need one bullet, if you’re doing your job properly.

And it’s cheaper in ammo.

Then?

When I’ve woken up, this morning, and switched on the radio.

I’m aware that, a few days ago, the Syrian government ordered a chemical weapons on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, a few days ago.

In response, the US has launched a missile attack last night: on the airfield they say launched the chemical attack.   With, I should add, the support of the UK and Australian governments.

Right now?

I’m a mix of emotions.

I’m as horrified as any of us, seeing children killed in the initial attack.

As they have been in many such actions, before now.

To an extent?   I can understand a US president wanting to take action as a result.

If my nephew, Jude, was in that crowd of children hit in the attack?

Well … 

On the other hand?

I’m very aware I’m not the US president.

That some people’s actions have serious repercussions.

9/11 had repercussions.

That chemical attack has brought down reprisals from the US.

I fell the response from the US Government, its military attack?

Could be as world changing as 9/11‡.

~≈®≈~

The Daily Teaser — 12-12-2012

Blast.

And — quite probably — Damn … !

Remember me saying, in yesterday’s Teaser, that I had an interview?

Would you believe it, I missed the bloomin’ bus!   I’m annoyed: and think I might just have to have a word with the bus company that runs the various routes, around town.

One possible upside … ?   Is that I DID manage to get in touch with the company that’s recruiting: who are still interested in in interviewing me.

I hope they do.   Having seen the job-spec, I’m actually a fairly good match.

Here’s hoping … !

~~~~~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with mentioning one or two other ideas she’s had for promoting the Sam McRae series, she also bagged 6 out of 6.

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) 12th December, 1911, saw Calcutta replaced as capital of India: by which city … ?

Q2) That city is the second most populous in India: what’s the most populated … ?

Q3) More to the point, the city in Q1 has been in existence since when: the 4th, 5th or 6th Century BC … ?

Q4) Moving on … 12th December, 1992, saw which member of the Royal Family remarry … ?

Q5) 12th December, 627, saw the Battle of where: Thermopylae, Nineveh or Thebes … ?

Q6) 12th December, 1963, saw which African nation declare its independence from the UK … ?

Q7) 12th December, 1901, saw Guglielmo Marconi make his first transatlantic radio transatlantic radio broadcast.   Marconi’s Law said that the broadcast distance of a signal equalled the square of the height of what … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 11th December, 1936, saw Edward 8th abdicate: where had he been Emperor of … ?

A1) India.

Q2) More to the point, Edward 8th was replaced by his younger brother: who’s the current Queen’s late father.   What name did he take the throne as … ?

A2) George 6th.

Q3) Moving on …  11th December, 1962, saw the death of Arthur Lucas: one of the two last person to be judicially executed in which Commonwealth country … ?

A3) Canada.

Q4) What was the name of the other person to be so executed … ?

A4) Ronald Turpin.

Q5) 11th December, 2005, saw a large fire start at the Buncefield Oil Depot.   In which English county is that depot … ?

A5) Hertfordshire.

Q6) And finally … 11th December, 2001, saw which country join the World Trade Organisation … ?

A6) The People’s Republic of China.

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll leave you with this quote from the artist Edvard Munch …

“No longer shall I paint interiors with men reading and women knitting. I will paint living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love.”

Edvard Munch 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944

And with both this tune form thew MC5, as a nod to their late lead singer, Rob Tyner.

Additionally, considering I’ve just received news of the death of sitarist, Ravi Shankar, also with this … 

*        Good thought, actually, Debbi.   Hmmm … You know I usually put stuff in the Old Peculiar’s sidebar?   That’s usually bits of copyable Java code even techno-innocents like us can copy and paste into place!   I’d believe a lot of places have something like it available … …