Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-5-2026 — 133

13th May, 2026: № 133.

Right … it’s officially Wednesday … !

Which means it’s getting nearer to payday.

I’m looking forward to that: I’m ok for most things, but being able to buy a can of Diet Coke would be nice.

~≈🥤≈~

I’ve also managed to update my Mac: from macOS 26·4·1 to macOS 26·5.

I don’t think I’ve noticed much that’s different.

But there HAS been a lot of bug fixes.

That’s unusual in my experience: macOS is usually fairly bug free.

I can only hope those fixes were minor … 

~≈🍎≈~

Just as a last thought … ?

I’ve found out how to access a USB stick plugged into my router: and access it from my computer.

I’ve got a sixteen gigabyte one plugged in, as I write.

You’ve noticed I said that it’s a sixteen gigabyte one?

It is: quite why my system is telling me the thing’s got two hundred or so megabytes free?

I don’t know: I’ll have to check that out … 

~≈🥖≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th May 2025.

13th May, 2025.

Right at the moment … ?

The Today programme’s Thought for the Day being delivered by Dr Paul Gooder: reminding us that body positivity can have an effect on mental health.

And that our bodies are nothing to be ashamed of.

Which is possibly timely.

And vaguely relevant.

I was at my weight management meeting, yesterday: and found I’d lost some three hundred grams.

About two thirds of a pound, so you know.

That’s all good.

~≈£≈~

Talking of which … ?

There’s been trials of weight loss drugs, recently.

A trial has been done, to compare two weight loss drugs: Mounjaro, and Wegovy/Ozempic.

It’s found that Mounjaro — the medication I use to help reduce my weight — is more effective than Wegovy, a variant of the medication I used to use.

And that famously was blighted by shortages.

I think that’s nice to know: whilst concerned it could lead to shortages.

I’m aware of something, though.

I’m aware the study sponsored by Eli Lily: the company that makes Mounjaro.

So, while the reported figures are interesting, I also think those figures are potentially biased.

That they are — effectively — a huge advert.

That the company has put its product on a par with toothpaste, or moisturiser: products whose adverts frequently contain the phrase ‘studies have shown,’ without telling you about those studies.

Frankly?

The reported figures are nice to know … 

But I’d be comfier if those studies had been done by independent researchers!

~≈🧑🏻‍🔬≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-5-2024 — Strontium Dog

13th May, 2024: Strontium Dog.

Yes: it’s Monday … and it’s not a bank holiday!

Basically?

That means I’m up early: to get to my weight management group.

Given last Monday was a bank holiday — which meant that week’s meeting was cancelled — I’m curious to see how I’ve done.

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th May 2023

13th May, 2023.

Arrrrghghghghghghghghgh!

I have earworm, again!

And, yes: it’s the Bangles’ ‘Going Down to Liverpool’, again.

Why?

Well, it’s a good tune … 

But it’s possibly the fact the BBC’s news channel hasn’t shut up about tonight’s Eurovision grand final … 

In Liverpool … !

~≈♬≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-5-2022: Stevie Wonder

13th May, 2022.

Right … I don’t know if I’ve done it right.

You’re wondering what I’m talking about, aren’t you … ?

I’m diabetic: and on a slew of medications.

Up until today?   That’s included Metformin, Aloglyptin and Dapagliflozin.   The last one’s also known as Forxiga: which is much more pronounceable!

I’ve now had — under medical advice — to stop using the Aloglyptin: as I’ve started using an injectable medication called Semaglutide: also called Ozempic.

Apparently, the two don’t work well, together.

I’ve also received instructions on how to use the thing: it’s an injection pen, similar to ones used for insulin.

Oh … and given a link to video instructions.

It’s powerful enough that I only need to take it once a week.

But?   I don’t like the look of the side effects.

And … ?

Well, I’ve never had to inject myself with anything, in my life.

I’m hoping like hell I’ve used it correctly!

~≈Ü≈~

In other news?

You’ll have realised I thoroughly enjoyed the Denis Villeneuve Dune Pt 1.

Yesterday saw an announcement.

Christopher Walken has been cast in Dune Pt 2: as Emperor Shaddam 4th, himself.

That’s a genius piece of casting!

Especially as Walken’s been known to dance around when worms get mentioned.

If you know, you know!

~≈Ü≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th May, 2021.

13th May, 2021.

Yes!

I’m officially undecided … 

Do I nip up to the High Street, to get some shopping?   Ot into Romford, to cash in a box set?

Either way?   I’m going to get wet.

It’s raining.

~≈§≈~

If you recall … ?

I’ve mentioned the Voter ID requirements introduced in the recent Queens Speech: and that there was a petition doing the rounds.

Something that’s now got over sixty-four thousand signatures.

If you’re in the UK, and looking to sign that petition, I’ve embedded it into the sidebar of the desktop version of Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.

Feel free to sign it.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-5-2020: The Royal Flying Corp

13th May, 2020.

You know, even in the midst of slightly eased Lockdown … ?

Stuff’s happening.

Although not much stuff on a personal level.

Job hunting … ?   Is not easy.

Especially when you see how many legitimate ‘work from home’ gigs want you to provide your own laptop.

That leaves me with mix feelings.

~≈⌘≈~

The other thing I know … ?

Is that scams are going on … 

You’ll possibly be aware I picked up a cheap USB stick, a few weeks ago.   One that had been sold to me as a two terabyte capacity stick, at a very good price: but turned out to be some 32gigabytes.

In other words, it had a storage capacity several hundred times smaller than advertised.

It seems that — possibly — I’m not the only one to be caught out by shopping scams.

It seems Google has, as well.

It seems a scam shopping site called MyTechDomestic managed to work it’s way up the Google advertising rankings.

Its seems to be falsely advertising several expensive hi-tech devices at discount prices … 

And falsely advertising where it’s based, as well.

And fooled Google in the process.

There’s always one, isn’t there … ?

~≈⌘≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th May, 2019

13th May, 2019.

Yes, it’s true.

It’s a quiet day, today: where I’ll be thumb twiddling and tidying up … 

Oh, and making videos.

Talking of which … ?   If you watch the Intro Video, you’ll hear Jude, my nephew, leaving us all a comment.

I’ll have to have a word with Ruth: to see if that’s OK … 

~≈§≈~

Hmmm … 

The BBC’s news pages remind us that Sweden dropped rape charges against Julian Assange, a few years ago.

But is now considering reviving the charges.

I think the merits of the case are … not for me to speculate on.

Although, when Assange originally hid in the Ecuadorian Embassy, I felt he had a certain amount of justification.

At the time, the UK wouldn’t extradite someone to the US, if they would face a death sentence — as Assange did for the various documents he had publicised on Wikileaks — but Sweden would.

That’s something I still feel is possibly the case: although ten years is a long time, a time that can change a lot.  I still think the US associated extradition case?   Is in retaliation for the Wikileaks’ publication of US documents.

Rather than the interests of justice.

Either way?

I’m aware of one thing.

Assange has gone on the record as saying he “does not consent” too being extradited to the US.

Does not consent.

My personally thinking?   Reaction … ?   What have you?

Is Tough.

If you’ve done anything that looks like a crime, facing a court case isn’t a choice: it’s something you have to do.

Consent — about facing court — doesn’t enter into it.

~≈§≈~

American Horror Story — Series 5: Hotel — Episode 10 and 11: ‘She Gets Revenge’ and ‘Battle Royale’

13th May, 2018.

Yes: it’s a Sunday … AND a day off … 

And just a little worrying that, on top of laundry, I’ve managed to catch an afternoon snooze.

Of quite a bit more time than I was expecting to get.

Possibly a bad thing.

Or possibly just something that’s telling me I need more sleep than I’m actually getting.

Hmmm … 

The money being what it is, right now?   Means I’m looking at the ‘heating or eating’ question more frequently than I’d’ve expected, back when I started my current job.

I get help: from both family, and the government.

But still … it’s not a good place to be in … 

Given that … ?



Well, sleeping a lot seems inconsequential.

Relatively speaking.

I DO know, though, that a day off?   Is a good time to be doing any extra sleeping.

AND, whilst I’m awake?

To be catching up wit more TV.

Yep: I’ve seen two more episodes of American Horror Story’s fifth series, Hotel.

Yes: I think we’re coming to a climax … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-5-2018: The First Fleet.

13th May, 2018.

Yep: yesterday’s Teaser saw me giving Israeli Eurovision entry — Toy, by Netta — a mention.

Mostly because it was cheerfully upbeat … and featured Netta’s chicken impression.

I have to admit, I thought it might well.    As well as the LAST surprise oddity I saw on the contest: the Finnish winer from a few years ago, Lordi.

If you’re going to go over the top?   Chicken impressions, or dressing up as orcs, seems to be a winner.

The UK could possibly do with a hint, there.

Hairy protestors getting involved does NOT seem to help: although you have to give SuRie credit for grace under glitter covered fire. … !

We ended up 24th: out of 26 …

Thinking about it?

He might have helped … 

~≈†≈~

Just as a minor point?

I don’t know about you, but series killer always used to fascinate me, when I was younger.

I think that was probably a result of interest in Jack the Ripper.

One that caught my eye was Dennis Nilsen: by his own admission, and up unto then?   Britain’s most prolific serial killer.

He died yesterday, at the age of seventy-two.

Quite how I feel about it, I don’t know.

But think the families of his victims will be glad to hear it.

Frankly?

I can’t say I blame them.

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-5-2017

Bloody hell … !

Have you been following the news?

If you have, you’ll have seen the news that quite a lot of NHS Trusts have been hit by a major ransomware attack.

That, so far, has affected systems in ninety-nine different counties.

There’s a story behind it.

It seems the code the attack used?   Was based on an exploit released by a group calling itself the Shadow Brokers: and that was originally written or developed by the USA’s National Security Agency.

And one that Microsoft issued a patch for, in March.

The problems seem to have affected PCs running versions of Windows from Vista, up to Windows 8.1, that HADN’T had the software updated: and machines running Windows XP, that hadn’t been replaced and couldn’t deal with the update, anyway.

There’s possibly a lot to say about this.

I think one of the reasons this has happened?

Is simply the fact that a cash strapped NHS hasn’t been able — or has chosen not  — to update older machines with a lot of propriety software.

On grounds of cost.   

Which, of course, means it’s going to be spending a fortune.   Either on paying the ransom to free up a LOT of data, or on doing the IT dog-work to restore a lot of data from back-ups.

That’s possibly something any one who gets into government, after June 8th, will need to look at doing.

I’m ALSO thinking that the virus is just affecting Windows based PCs.

Mac fan that I am, part of me is cynically pointing out this is a good reason for large organisations to buy Apple, instead of PCs.

Realistically?   I have to admit Microsoft aren’t at fault, here: they have, after all, done their bit and got the various security updates out.

Equally as realistically?   I believe the attacks show that, yes, large organisations need a bit more diversity in the computers they used.

Companies that make business software need to make versions for as many different operating systems as possible: so large organisations can chose whatever operating systems they prefer, whether Windows, MacOS or a Linux distro.

And that IT departments, AND home users?    Need to make sure they have back-ups in place.

And keep their systems updated*.

~≈Â≈~