Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-9-2024 — El Lay

4th September, 2024: El Lay.

It’s officially Wednesday … which frankly … 

Means I’ve got the day free, having finished rendering a lot of videos!

I might just have to watch some TV in between everything else!

~≈¥≈~

As I’ve started writing this … ?

I’ve got the Today programme, Radio Four’s early morning current affairs programme, on in the background.

Do you remember hearing the news about the Grenfell Tower fire, back in 2017?

I certainly do: seeing the images of a burning tower block was one of the most shocking things I think I’d ever seen in my life.

Even now, it’s distressing to see.

What was shocking for me … ?

Was the fact I had a (thankfully) distant connection to it.

I worked for Pinnacle, at the time: the company handled out of hours emergency repair calls for various social landlords, including Kensington and Chelsea Council, the owners of Grenfell Tower*.

I knew the young woman who was on duty, that night: who handled the horde of emergency housing requests that started coming in.

Quite how Hayley coped, I don’t know.

But she ended up with Pinnacle’s equivalent of being mentioned in dispatches.

I can only hope that got her a pay rise, if nothing else.

At any rate, it was a shocking thing to see: this sort of thing is not supposed to happen in a civilised country.

If at all!

The reasons I mention all this … ?

Is relatively simple.

The Today programme tells us the inquiry is due to issue its report, today: at 11.00.

I can only hope that — given the deaths, injuries and trauma the fire caused — lessons can be learned, and future fires prevented.

We could do without another Grenfell.

~≈🏢≈~

Let’s move on.


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Mum†, Olga‡ and Debbi§ putting in their answers: with Olga and Debbi scoring five out of five, and Mum on four.

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

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

Q1)        Los Angeles was founded on 4th September as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula.   4th September of which year: 1780, 1781 or 1782?

Q2)        The Pueblo is now Los Angeles.   It’s also known as the City of what: angels, apostrophes or oysters?

Q3)        The city is in which US state: Alabama, California or Florida?

Q4)        The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels is in Los Angeles.   It’s which denomination of Church: Anglican, Roman Catholic or Greek Orthodox?

Q5)        Finally … ?   Los Angeles is going to host the 34th Summer Olympics.   When: 2024, 2028 or 2032?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        3rd September is Merchant Navy Day in the UK.   The Red Ensign flown by the Merchant Navy ships features which country’s flag?

A1)        The UK’s.

Q2)        The parts of the Ensign that aren’t that flag are what colour: red, white or blue?

A2)        Red.   The white ensign is used by Royal naval ships and bases.   The blue ensign is used by various government ships.

Q3)        Merchant navy ships are what: civilian, or military?

A3)        Civilian.

Q4)        The term, ‘merchant navy’ was first used for the service, by whom: George 4th, George 5th or George 6th?

A4)        George 5th.

Q5)        Finally … ?   The man in charge of a Merchant Navy ship is the ship’s … what?

A5)        Ship’s Captain.   (I should that — as far as I can tell — the term ‘captain’ is the preferred one: but the Wikipedia entries use it interchangeably with ‘master’.)

Here’s a thought …

“The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles.”

From The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan.

And music‖ …


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

Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        What made me realise that Grenfell was one of the buildings Pinnacle handled?   Was news that the nearby Trellick Tower had had a fire in one flat, a few months earlier, that Trellick was owned by the same council.   I recognised the name, ‘Trellick’, as ‘one of ours’, one of the ones Pinnacle had to handle

        What stopped the Trellick Tower fire spreading?   Was the fact it was a listed building: and had none of the inflammable cladding that contributed to the Grenfell fire.

†        Hello, Mum!

‡        You’re right, Olga¶: art and its creators, is one of those complicated issues.   And I’ve long since got used to the idea of separating the two.   Some of Michael Jackson’s work is pop genius, even if he, personally, had an iffy reputation.

        That said … ?   The recent revelations about Martin Bashir’s interview with Diana does make you wonder about his interview with Jackson.

        And I guess in your shoes … ?   I’d be livid about the David Mamet piece not getting issued!

§        ‘And here we go’?   Debbi, we’ve got your next Halloween costume!

¶        Olga, did you know Terry Pratchett was supposed to be Britain’s most lifted author?   I can understand that: the Harry Potter books are the size of breeze blocks.

‖        Given today’s subject?   We’re allowed to use Valley Speak at people.   “Oh, my GOD!”   “Gag me with a SPOON!!!!”   “BARF me OUT!!!!!!!!!”