The Daily Teaser …

You know, you can tell it’s getting near that time of year, can’t you … ?

Bless ’em, the BBC have just run an article …

On New Year’s Resolutions.

I think I personally … ?

Am resolved to be more something, and lose a touch of something else.

I don’t actually think it matter’s what, does it?

It’s the fact we make a resolution to do something that’s important.

That that I think it matters.

Apparently, something like 90% of us give them up, after a week …

Let’s move on, shall we … ?

Yes, lets … !

««•»»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Tim*, Kaiju and Trevor all putting in their answers. It saw Trevor bagging 5 out of 5, Kaiju bagging 3, and Tim scoring 2. On top of that, it also saw Trevor quoting both Andrew Johnson and Charles Goodyear, and Kaiju telling us some of the more … ahh … lurid stories about that drugs bust! (Chaps, remind me to dig up Rainy Day Women #12 & 35.)

Let’s see how they — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we … ? Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video …

Q1) 30th December, 1922, saw the establishment of which communist country … ?

Q2) 30th December, 1927, saw the opening of the first underground railway in Asia: but in which city was this … ?

Q3) More to the point, what was that tube line’s name … ?

Q4) 30th December, 1946, saw the birth of American singer/songwriter, Patti Smith: what was her biggest solo UK hit … ?

Q5) 30th December, 1916, saw the coronation of the last king of which East European country … ?

Q6) 30th December, 1996, saw the death of actor, Jack Nance: in which film did he play vacationing printer, Henry Spencer?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 29th December, 2000, saw Britain grind to a halt, after being covered by … what … ?

A1) Snow. (Again … )

Q2) 29th December, 19984, saw who win a landslide majority in the Indian General Election … ?

Q2) Rajiv Gandhi.

Q3) 29th December, 2003, saw the death of the last speaker of which Sami language … ?

A3) Akkala Sami. (Marja Sergina was the last known native speaker … )

Q4) 29th December, 1947, saw the birth of noted rock drummer, Cozy Powell: who played bass guitar on his one big solo hit, Dance with the Devil … ?

A4) Suzi Quartro.

Q5) And finally … 29th December, 1946, saw the birth of singer and actress, Marianne Faithfull: along with a rug, what else was she allegedly found with, during that notorious drugs bust …

A5) A Mars bar …

Enjoy those, everyone, I’ll catch you later …

*Welcome back, Tim: you’re up against a couple of the more formidable players … ! Oh, and about the Mars Bars … ? Faithfull says she was nowhere near it …

The Daily Teaser …

You know, I’ve got to confess, I make no apology for posting up another picture of me nephew.

Although if Ruth find’s out …

Ahem!

Oh, Alexandra, did I tell you, Ruth’s picked his middle name … ?

No … ?

It’s Paul.

Which was nice of her …

Ahem, again … !

But let’s get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, let’s … !!

«•»

Yesterday’s Teaser was another three-hander: it saw Trevor, AlexandraFunFit and Kaiju — who’s hopefully not having to deal with another Berserk explosion — all putting in their answers.

With both Kaiju and Alexandra passing on their best wishes — cheers, me dears, I’ll be passing them along — it saw Trevor bagging five out of five and quoting Keith Floyd, Alexandra bagging 2 out of 5 — her best for a while — and Kaiju bagging four: although I’ll try and double check that, meself, later.

Lets see how they — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we … ?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and (admittedly silent) video …

Q1) 29th December, 2000, saw Britain grind to a halt, after being covered by … what … ?

Q2) 29th December, 19984, saw who win a landslide majority in the Indian General Election … ?

Q3) 29th December, 2003, saw the death of the last speaker of which Sami language … ?

Q4) 29th December, 1947, saw the birth of noted rock drummer, Cozy Powell: who played bass guitar on his one big solo hit, Dance with the Devil … ?

Q5) And finally … 29th December, 1946, saw the birth of singer and actress, Marianne Faithfull: along with a rug, what else was she allegedly found with, during that notorious drugs bust … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 28th December, 1832, saw US vice-president John C. Calhoun become the first US vice-president to do what … ?

A1) Resign his office.

Q2) 28th December, 1976, saw the death of American blues musician, Freddie King: what was his biggest US hit … ?

Q2) Hide Away: reaching No. 29, in 1961. (Saying that, Kaiju bagged a point by answering with I’m Tore Down: both songs placed at 5, in the relevant week’s R and B chart …)

Q3) 28th December, 1912, saw the first city trams used in which US city … ?

A3) San Francisco.

Q4) 28th December, 1795, saw the start of construction of Yonge Street, which had been the longest street on Earth: in which Canadian city was its construction started … ?

A4) Toronto. Looks like I’ve found a Richmond Hill reference , for those still following this …

Q5) And finally … 28th December, 1993, saw HM Customs and Excise seize £70, 0000, 000 worth of cocaine: the first that British investigators had linked to which criminal organisation … ?

A5) The Mafia.

Enjoy those, everyone.

Now, if you’ll excuse me … ? I think I’m going to put a slideshow together …

The Daily Teaser …

Hey-ho!

Back to work we go … !

Yep, it’s me first day back at work after the holidays, and I’m looking forward to it.

In part … ?

Because — hopefully — we’re having the long delayed family Christmas dinner, afterwards … !

And opening the pressies … !

Ahem … !

Oh, granted, me and Anna — the elder, and very non pregnant of my two sisters — opened one or two of them.

But we thought we should wait for Ruth and little Jude to get back, to open most of them …

Just to be polite …

Lets get moving on, shall we … ?

Yes, lets … !

««•»»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor, Suzie* and Kaiju all putting in their answers. With all of them scoring five out of 5, it also saw Trevor putting in quotes from Marlene Dietrich, and Suzie mentioning a pub in Lewes called The Snowdrop.

Lets see how they — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we? Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video …

Q1) 28th December, 1832, saw US vice-president John C. Calhoun become the first US vice-president to do what … ?

Q2) 28th December, 1976, saw the death of American blues musician, Freddie King: what was his biggest US hit … ?

Q3) 28th December, 1912, saw the first city trams used in which US city … ?

Q4) 28th December, 1795, saw the start of construction of Yonge Street, which had been the longest street on Earth: in which Canadian city was its construction started … ?

Q5) And finally … 28th December, 1993, saw HM Customs and Excise seize £70, 0000, 000 worth of cocaine: the first that British investigators had linked to which criminal organisation … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 27th December, 1836, saw England’s worst avalanche take place: near which Sussex town … ?

A1) Lewes.

Q2) 27th December, 1879 saw the birth of Kent born actor, Sydney Greenstreet: in which 1941 film did he play Kasper Gutman … ?

Q2) The Maltese Falcon.

Q3) 27th December, 1571, saw the birth of astronomer, Johannes Kepler: during his career, he was an assistant to which Danish astronomer and mathematician … ?

A3) Tycho Brahe.

Q4) Coincidently, and many years later, 27th December, 1822, saw the birth of which French microbiologist … ?

A4) Louis Pasteur.

Q5) And finally … 27th December, 1901, saw the birth of German born actress, Marlene Dietrich: in which year of the 1930s did she become a US citizen … ?

A5) 1939.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later …

* Welcome back!

The Daily Teaser …

Bleugh …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I feel awful, this morning.

Well …

Comparatively awful.

Well …

No more awful than usual.

Just tired.

Which is dealable with, once I’ve finished the large cuppa I’ve got sitting next to me on the table.

The weird thing is that, while I’ve got the day off … ?

I know what I’m going to be doing.

Writing more teasers.

I’ve a lot of catching up to do … !

Lets get moving on, shall we … ?

«•»

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor — bless ’im — putting in his answers. Along with scoring 7 out of 7, he also put in quotes from Heinrich Schliemann and Howard Hawks.

Lets see how he — and you — do with today’s questions, shall we? Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video …

Q1) 27th December, 1836, saw England’s worst avalanche take place: near which Sussex town … ?

Q2) 27th December, 1879 saw the birth of Kent born actor, Sydney Greenstreet: in which 1941 film did he play Kasper Gutman … ?

Q3) 27th December, 1571, saw the birth of astronomer, Johannes Kepler: during his career, he was an assistant to which Danish astronomer and mathematician … ?

Q4) Coincidently, and many years later, 27th December, 1822, saw the birth of which French microbiologist … ?

Q5) And finally … 27th December, 1901, saw the birth of German born actress, Marlene Dietrich: in which year of the 1930s did she become a US citizen … ?

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 26th December — Boxing Day, in other words — is a public holiday in only one Province of Canada: which province … ?

A1) Ontario.

Q2) 26th December is also the Feast of Saint Stephen, in Western churches: when do Eastern churches celebrate it … ?

Q2) 27th December.

Q3) How is Boxing Day known in South Africa … ?

A3) The Day of Good Will.

Q4) 26th December, 1970, saw the death of British Olympic medallist, Lillian Board: in which Olympics did she win a silver medal in the 400 metres … ?

A4) The 1968 Mexico Olympics.

Q5) 26th December, 1974, saw the death of American comedian, Benjamin Kubelsky: how was he better known … ?

A5) Jack Benny.

Q6) 26th December, 1893, saw the birth of Mao Zedong: how is the pocket-sized edition of Quotations from Chairman Mao better known in the West … ?

A6) The Little Red Book: and occasionally as Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book.

Q7) And finally … 26th December, 1870, saw the completion of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel: through which mountain range does this tunnel run … ?

A7) The Alps.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you all later …

The Dr Who Christmas Carol: I’ve been Thinking

You know, I’ve got to admit that, granted it wasn’t me that gave birth this morning.

But, by heck, hanging around and waiting was exhausting enough.

I’ve got to admit, me Mum and Anna, the older of my two sister’s all went to visit Ruth, and her son — my new nephew — this afternoon.

Definitely an experience.

«•»

You can’t tell I’ve never had kids, can you … ?

Ahem … !

At any rate, that’s not what I meant to tell you about.

Well …

Sort of …

Hmmm … Am I making any kind of coherent sonce … sex … sense … ?

Possibly not …

At any rate, I meant to put a few more thought’s down, about this year’s Christmas episode of Dr Who, called A Christmas Carol.

That’s assuming I’m coherent enough …

«•»

Now, I’m also assuming you’ve seen A Christmas Carol … ?

Base loosely on the Charles Dickens novel of the same name, it opens with Amy and Rory trapped on a space liner that’s heading at a rapid rate of knots towards a nearby planet whose chief city — Sardicktown — is ruled by Kazran Sardick, played incrediably well, by Michæl Gambon.

Sardick dominates the world he lives on by the simple fact that he controls the weather: it’s the machinery designed by his father — Elliot Sardick, also played by Michæl Gambon — that keeps the bad weather, and the native fish, away from the human population.

On top of that … ?

At the start of the episode … ? We see that Sardick really isn’t a pleasant piece of work …

But as it progresses … ?

As it progresses, we see the 11th Doctor working his charm — as both Moffat’s version of the tale’s Ghost of Christmas Past and Christmas Yet To Come — and showing Sardick how things can be re-written.

It takes a lot of doing.

And a bit of jiggery-pokery.

And not just from the Dr, either. Writer, Stephen Moffat, has managed — as he did with Blink — to twist the tale to come up with a slightly different take on ‘Yet To Come’: one that proves he’s possibly one of the few — if not the only — writer to get the point that Dr Who is a show that features time-travel.

«•»

Now, I’m going to be frank, here.

Now of the 11th’s Doctor’s episodes have grabbed me in quite the same way as the Tennant/Davies era’s did.

However, I do know that, over the course of Season 5, Matt Smith has begun to impressed me, especially as season 5 progressed and finished.

Granted, A Christmas Carol didn’t explain the phone call the Dr receives at the end of The Big Bang.

But I believe it shows the 11th Doctor’s era to be improving …

And that Moffat, Smith and co as on a par with anything that’s gone before.

And that what’s to come next … ?

Is looking like it’s shaped up well … !