Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th May 2024.

19th May, 2024.

Right then: it’s officially Sunday!

Which means … I’m definitely feeling my age!

But … ?

At least I got the reviews of “Boom” done.

I hope everyone likes my work … 

And had as much fun with the episode as I did!

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th May, 2021.

19th May, 2021.

Remember, on Monday, I’d had a Zoom interview scheduled?

One interrupted by some sort of technical problem?

One that got rearranged for yesterday … ?

It didn’t go ahead.

The thing seems to have been cancelled: at their end.

And without a word to me, to say it would be cancelled.

Frankly?   I think that’s a little unprofessional: and sent a — hopefully polite — email to say so, and that I would withdraw my application.

If the company — Purified Air, they’re called — treats people like that at the interview stage, what are they like to work for … ?

~≈¥≈~

It’s officially official: I’ve got a hospital appointment on Friday.

For a somewhat invasive procedure.

One I’m hoping won’t take too long: but suspect will take a while.

But … ?

It’s one I know I have to fast for, AND take a powerful laxative in order to work.

I’m not looking forward to it: but, given it can rule out some quite serious conditions … ?

It needs doing.

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 28-12-2020: Denzel

28th December, 2020.

Yep: it’s now, official, Bank Holiday Monday: the public we get, when Boxing Day’s on a Saturday or Sunday.

I’m expecting it to be quiet: as, after all, buses are running on a Sunday service, trains aren’t running … 

And an Amazon delivery I’m expecting will turn up on Thursday, rather than Wednesday.

Which means one things, as the order includes a set of long tongs.

It means I’ll be boil washing my undies on Friday!

~≈⇧≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19-5-2020: No Sell Out!

19th May, 2020.

Right … 

I had an eyesore, this morning: Newcleus’ Jam on Revenge: The Wikki Wikki Song, banging through my head, this morning.

Possibly the only way to get rid of the thing?

Is to play it to you … 

Or to listen to today’s song.

Which I am: I’ll play it to you, at the end of the post, if that’s OK … ?

~≈†≈~

Just as a quick thought?

It seems hackers have tried hijacking several academic supercomputers: the ones used for things like weather, climate, and economic modelling.

It seems the hackers are trying to hijack them, so they can use them for bit coin mining.

From the very little I know?

That’s possibly like using a 30 kiloton nuclear bomb to crack a nut.

Something like a render farm may be more appropriate.

It’d be using a fourteen pound sledge hammer, instead of a bomb …

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th May, 2018

19th May, 2018.

Yes: I’m back at work for ten.

And frankly?   Can’t believe I’m going to be there until seven o’clock, tonight.

I’m quite possibly going to go back to bed, once I get home.

And not worry too much that I’ve missed the wedding.

~≈§≈~

On other fronts?

I note that there’s been another school shooting in the USA.

And can’t help but think one thing … 

That these crimes seem to be getting more frequent … and monotonously so … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19-5-2017

That’s a worry.

I’m something of a Mac fan.

Part of the appeal?   Is simply the fact the Mac platform is rarely hit by malicious software.

The recent ransomware attack that hit many Windows machines?

Would have slid off my Mac.

There’s been a few though.   I can still remember the Inqtana, a few years ago: ad that was a relatively innocuous proof-of-concept virus.

There’s been a few more serious ones doing the rounds.

A while ago, Transmission, the BitTorrent client, had issues: when a spiked version of the application was issued … from Transmission’s own sites.

Something similar’s recently happened: with popular video transcoder, HandBrake: someone’s sneaked a spiked copy of the installer onto one of HandBrake’s own mirrors, that installs a back door, allowing passwords to be harvested from one’s Mac.

I’ve made sure my system’s OK: there’s no trace of the malware, here.

I’ve also quietly advised others to do likewise, if they’ve downloaded HandBrake during the relevant period.

But I can’t help but think a few things.

The one thing I notice from the HandBrake and Transmission attacks?

Is that the attacks happened in a similar way.

In other words, the infected installers were sneaked onto the app’s legitimate download sites.

People were tricked into downloading them, because they thought they were the legitimate apps.

I think we are going to have to be more careful about downloading things: even from the genuine sites.

I ALSO think app developers are going to need to hike up their security, in order to stop this sort of thing.

Or, at least, keep it to a bare minimum.

I also think the trick’s going to catch on.

Next time?

Some-one could well be downloading a spiked copy of Microsoft’s Office suite: from Microsoft’s own site.

Nasty idea, that …

~≈∑≈~