doctor who - In what ways can Daleks be killed?

In a 2005 episode the Doctor says that if the humans focus their fire around the eyepiece of a dalek then they should be able to incapacitate it:

The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home, but it's not indestructible. If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, the eyepiece. That's the weak spot.

_{-- Series 1 Episode 6, Dalek}

And we see this done in a later episode. However during the battle of Canary Wharf, at least fifty soldiers and at least twenty Cybermen all focus their fire on the Daleks, and some of the humans are wielding weapons that the Doctor modified and we see disabling Daleks earlier; however in that scene not a single Dalek even seems mildly interested in enemy weapons.

What is the word for someone who initiates group social interaction?

Icebreaker (or ice breaker)

An icebreaker is commonly considered to be a social device or method the relieve shyness and social tension at a gathering of people.

But I don't see any reason you can't use the term to refer to a person who has the role to do the same thing. That person is, by definition, using icebreaking devices to accomplish his objective.

This is backed up by the definitions in Urban Dictionary:

Icebreaker (definition #1) actually uses the term in a similar manner:

The person that shows you around when you're new to a community;
called the icebreaker because they usually help avoid awkwardness by
starting small-talk. Person 1: Who's that new girl? Person 2: I have
no idea. All I know is that Mary is playing icebreaker for her.

and similarly for Ice Breaker (definition #3)

Someone who breaks the awkward silence. Some one who mentions
something that has a lot of tension around it.

I don't think anyone would have any problem understanding what you mean if you said you had hired an icebreaker for your meeting or party (unless you live on the Beaufort Sea, maybe). They would probably be intrigued with the whole idea when they do understand.

Why does the Joker always use a knife?

In The Dark knight, except for when the Joker had to use big weapons for different reasons, we always saw him using a small knife.

Why does he prefer a knife?

Like we know Batman does not use any gun anytime because it is his own rule. Does Joker follow such a rule? I am not aware of the comic version though! If possible explain it in the scope of the movie, otherwise if there is any special reason according to comics, don't hesitate to share it!

single word requests - What do you call a person who refuses the love of another?

In terms of courtly love, you have:

• The lover (person in love)


• The beloved (object of the lover's affection)


• The courtier (the pursuer of the beloved; alt. term for a lover)

The lover or courtier would pursue the beloved, who would appear chaste in public but secretly swoon over the lover, and the two would profess their love in private. Most texts on courtly love also refer to the person "who scorns the lover's advances", but don't give this person (usually a woman) a title.

I am looking for a word that fits in this nomenclature to refer to this person (man or woman):

the scorner of the lover's love.

The word that I'm using is "shrew", but that doesn't quite fit the gender neutral requirement. As well, a shrew is just a bad-tempered woman, not necessarily someone who scorns love. I don't like "scold" for the same reason.

What word could fit in this sentence:

His love wants a living kiss, but she is a _______ who will never requite.

I am happy with a neologism if it fits.

Never Back Down relationship between Mr and Ryan McCarthy

I think it was supposed to provide background to the character Ryan McCarthy. He's so into fighting and being the best, as Max mentioned to Jake he said that Ryan's dad was psycho and had him in Karate since before he could crawl.

It shows why Ryan is so aggresive, so cocky, so focussed on winning. He takes out his frustrations that his father causes him to have on the people that he pounds on and humiliates in fights: Jake being the main one in the movie.

So basically Mr. McCarthy is a microcasm to Jake's training in MMA.

tolkien - The use of the word "gun" in The Hobbit

In-universe, the explanation is simple: The Hobbit was Tolkien's translation into English of the original material from Common Speech, since the plot device is that both The Hobbit and LOTR are the writings of Frodo and Bilbo, that he (Tolkien) had access to and translated.

The Common Speech, as the language of the Hobbits and their narratives, has inevitably been turned into modern English. In the process the difference between the varieties observable in the use of the Westron has been lessened. Some attempt has been made to represent these varieties by variations in the kind of English used ... (LOTR: The Return of the King, Appendix F, "II. On Translation")

As such, it's a common thing with the translators to employ idiomatic translations instead of literal - and as a linguist, Tolkien surely was familiar with translation techniques.

As other answers noted, both Tolkien himself, as well as his intended audience (English speaking people of 20th century) knew what "like drums and guns" sounded - probably a lot better than whatever idiom was used by Bilbo in the Common language. So, this is a very valid approach to the text.

Is Independence Day a comedy spoof?

I haven't seen it since I walked out of the theater disgusted in 1996, but I've recently been wondering if the movie Independence Day was intended to be a comedy.

I was 19 then, and I went to see Independence Day expecting a serious sci-fi-action movie. Perhaps I had been led on by the super-cool previews that showed the aliens blowing up key Earth landmarks. In any case, my fan-boy soul was pretty much crushed by the movie's sheer ridiculousness, including:

• when Will Smith punched an alien and then got excited about it


• how the plot hinged on a human computer being able to plug right in to the alien mainframe and upload "jollyroger.exe"


• the shameless product placement surrounding that human computer


• everything involving characters played by Brent Spiner and Randy Quaid

I don't remember too many details, but I do remember thoroughly despising the movie, cursing its makers, and casting a dismissive eye on the many people who gushed about how cool it was.

But did I miss something? Was Independence Day intended to be a comedy -- a spoof of the sci-fi-action genre? Maybe the moments that made me cringe were meant to make me laugh? Anything out there on this?