The Daily Teaser — 9-2-2015

Now, that is STILL annoying … 

Were you following the TV series, Gotham, when Channel Five showed the first ten episodes?

Fantastically good stuff, I should stress at this point.   It’s entertaining, has added to the Batman mythos, and has one of the the screen villain: in the shape of Robin Lord Taylor, as the Penguin.

But … ?

Once again, we get to a Monday: the day of the week that Channel Five’s showing it.

And, again, the show isn’t on.

Now, I know it’s not Five’s fault.   I know it’s down to whatever channel show the series in the US.   Gotham, like other US series, is on mid-season hiatus: used by US TV channels to boost a series’ ratings, and any associated advertising revenue.

Personally … ?   Personally, I don’t care.   I’ve always found such breaks to be extremely annoying.

Frankly … ?   Frankly, it’s a similar break was the only reason I stopped watching Agents of SHIELD.

As fine as THAT was … ?   That break was a major turn off, and stopped me watching†.

That isn’t something I want to do with Gotham.

But I’m getting to the point where I’m thinking that — if the second half of the series doesn’t kick start in another week or two — I’ll not bother watching.

Nor watch other, new, US sf serials.

That gap?

Is unacceptable.

~≈Ÿ≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: and scoring five out of six.

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

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

Q1) 9th February, 1900, saw the very first Davis Cup held.   The Cup is contested between male players of which sport: Tennis, Golf or Darts?

Q2) What’s the women’s equivalent of the Davis Cup: the Ryder Cup, Fed Cup or the Gordon Bennett Trophy?

Q3) 9th February, 1959, saw the first R7 become operational: Russia’s first ICBM.   The ICBM is an Intercontinental Ballistic what?

Q4) 9th February, 1950, saw Senator Joseph McCarthy accuse 200 members of staff of being Communists: in a speech in Ohio.   The staff concerned were workers in which US department?

Q5) 9th February, 1830, saw the birth of Abdulaziz: the 32rd Sultan of which empire?

Q6) Finally … 9th February, 1986, saw the last appearance — to those of us on Earth — of Halley’s comet.   It’s next due, when: 2060, 2061 or 2062?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 8th February, 1952, saw Princess Elizabeth declare herself Queen, head of the Commonwealth and Defender of the Faith.   Officially, the Royal Family are the House of what?

A1) Windsor.

Q2) What personal surname do members of her family use?

A2) Mountbatten Windsor.

Q3) 8th February, 1950, saw East Germany set up its secret police: or Stasi.   The Stasi’s full name — in English — was the Ministry of State … what?

A3) Security.

Q4) 8th February, 1996, was the date of the online collaborative event, 24 Hours In Cyberspace.   Who — in a 1982 short story — applied the Cyberspace to computer networks?

A4) William Gibson.   (He’s since criticised the word as having ‘no real semantic meaning, even for me, as I saw it emerge on the page.’)

Q5) 15 people were killed in a hotel fire in Medina: on 8th February, 2014.   Medina is in which Middle Eastern country?

A5) Saudi Arabia.

Q6) Finally … 8th February, 1924, saw the State of Nevada carry out the first US execution: in what?

A6) A Gas chamber.

I’ll leave you with this thought …

“Before God I’m worth 35 dollars a week. Before the motion picture industry I’m worth anything you can get.”

Ronald Colman, 9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958.

And this tune … 

Enjoy your day.

*        Very true, Debbi: I don’t think you’d find anyone odder than a blogger … ! :D   Oh, about yesterday’s second question?   She uses Windsor, yes: the question was actually about her descendants, Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward.   At least, their kids.   The non-royal ones are Mountbatten-Windsors.   Although Charles and Camilla use it, as well.   (Although, for military purposes?   Both William and Harry use ‘Wales’ as a surname.   They’re odd: and technically inbred, as well.)

†        I’ve grown up in the UK: where such breaks have never — historically — happened.   And live in a world where the availability of DVD/Blu-ray box sets mean we can watch a series in one go.   My message to US TV companies?   Shown them in one go.   Or Make Shorter Serials.