Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2025 — The Big, Fat Review of 2025.

31st December, 2025: the Review of 2025.

I never thought I’d have to announce the death of a regular commentor on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.

But I did, a few weeks ago: whenever I announced the death of Trevor Veail.

As bad tempered and snotty as he could be, some times?

He was an early supporter of both this blog, the live quizzes it was designed to promote, and the questions it was supposed to give away.

His death?

Was sad: and he, himself, will be missed.

The reason I mention this … ?

Is twofold.

His (private) cremation is happening as we speak.

And a memorial site has been set up in his memory, a memorial site you can find, here: 

https://trevorveail.muchloved.com

Feel free to leave a message, there.

~≈✝≈~

One thing I do know … ?

Is that Trevor was a fellow Dr Who fan.

I don’t know if he saw my reviews: but I still have distinct memories chewing over who the Dalek voice was, in the trailer for “The Parting of the Ways”.

But … ?

I’m pretty sure he’d be happy to hear the classic series is being re-released on bluray … and capable of being copied … 

~≈🧑🏼‍⚕️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2024 — The Big Fat Review of 2024.

31st December, 2024: the Big Fat Review of 2024.

Right … it’s 31st December, 2024: and the last day of the year.

And … ?

Well, for a start, I’m going to say “Happy New Year” to anyone reading this.

In the exception that it’ll be 2025 by the time you read it!

~≈📅≈~

On top of that … ?

I’m very aware that I’ve had my most recent set of blood tests: and thankful I had lots of water to drink.

I hadn’t had enough, the last time I went in for testing: so the phlebotomist couldn’t get any blood out of me.

I have an appointment with my GP in a couple of weeks: hopefully, those all important sugar levels are down!

~≈🍩≈~

Just as a final thought … ?

I’ve long advocated ripping — copying and transcoding —  DVD and Blu-ray Discs.

For a variety of reasons.

You get a digital copy of the disc you can stream to streaming boxes, one that’s not going to vanish from Netflix/iTunes/Amazon Prime, and you’ve backed up your property.

And — if need be — you can sell that disc to offset the cost of purchase.

I’ve also long told friends that you can use a mix of MakeMKV and HandBrake to do this.

I also use MetaZ: to add thumbnails and metadata.

Yes: the legal situation on this is iffy … 

But it’s both doable, and shouldn’t cause problems: if done purely for personal use.

And also nice to see no less a person than tech blogger, Linus Sebastian, advocating the same process.

I’m just a little disappointed the channel’s taken my comment down.

Maybe mentioning how you can stream the results of the process to an AppleTV 4k wasn’t a good idea … 

~≈📺≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2023 — The Big Fat Review of the Year.

31st December, 2023: The Big Fat Review of the Year.

Just as a thought … ?

Can someone remind me to not upload to iCloud … when I’m trying to upload files to YouTube?

I’ve extra iCloud storage: that I’m now using to store large files on.

Or, at least, I’m in the process of upload large amounts of files on.

Or to, I should say!

At any rate, I’m uploading files to my iCloud storage.

And upload today’s Teaser video to YouTube.

The latter — as, I suspect, a result of the former! — is taking its time!

You have to love bandwidth issues, don’t you … ?

~≈👨🏻‍💻≈~

As you know … ?

I’ve had a lot of help, just recently: both in attempting to fix my old iMac.

And in acquiring a new one.

So … ?

I thought I’d show you what I’ve bought with your money.

And let you know I have it hooked up to a 24” Benq monitor over HDMI, two external hard drives*, a blu-ray drive, a webcam and a pair of speakers.

With the drives, webcam and speakers hooked up via a couple of hubs.

I hope that’s interesting: and suggests possible set-ups for others.

~≈👨🏻‍💻≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2022 — The Big Fat Review of 2022.

31st January, 2022: The Big Fat Review of the Year.

Right … it’s officially New Years Eve: enjoy the party, if that’s how you’re marking it.

But stay safe: I’d to see a reader get hurt in some way.

Personally?

I might just watch a film.

I’m not sure, yet: but have plenty of choice, if I do.

~≈🍿≈~

In other news … ?

I’m thankful Google Lens exists, I really am!

I mentioned, yesterday, that the batteries were going on my thermostat: something that made me seriously anxious!

Anxious enough to get in touch with my landlords: to see what they could go.

Before they booked up a repair — it would have been non-urgent, and take time to go through — they offered to get an engineer to phone: to talk me through the replacement.

I happily agreed: after letting them know my phone numbers!

He phoned at 14:00.

Some hours after I’d found the instructional video on YouTube: by taking a photo of the thing, and searching for it in Google Lens.

The engineer got a polite thank you … 

~≈♨️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-20: The 2020 Review of the Year of Diseased Pariahs!

31st December, 2020.

Can you do me a huge favour?

Please?

Remind me to look up the government’s Cold Weather payment’s, at some point.

I should be eligible, I think.

Frankly?

Any extra help that comes is welcome.

It’s bloody cold!

~≈Ê≈~

Oh, I’m listening to Radio Four’s Today programme, at the mo.

Today’s guest editor, Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin, has commissioned a number of articles about Ubuntu: the South African belief in showing humanity to others.

Frankly, I’m hoping they mention the operating system* named for it.

But I’m not getting my hopes up!

~≈Ê≈~

Oh … just as a final thought … ?

My Amazon delivery’s here.

One?   I’ve been looking forward to getting those tongs!

Two?   I had to give the delivery driver a password!

~≈Ê≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2019: The 2019 Review of the Year

31st December, 2019.

It’s the last day of the year.

And … ?

And I forgot to look in on my GP surgery, yesterday.

My stomach is definitely twanging.

Hopefully?

It won’t last long: yesterday was a LOT better than Sunday, let’s put it that way.

And helped that I spent a lot of time sitting down: that seems to reduce the cramps.

~≈¥≈~

That’s helpful to know.

As I’m going to be sitting down a lot, today.

As my sisters are taking me to see Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, today.

Here’s hoping the final Star Wars film is as good a the trailer.

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2018: Review of 2018

31st January, 2018.

It’s New Year’s Eve: and frankly?

Frankly, I’m not actually going to be celebrating.

I’ve not really got the cash to go out: and the pubs around here have this bad habit of only letting you it … 

If you’ve paid for a ticket.

OK, I don’t drink: and haven’t done for years.

But that still strikes me as a bit cheeky: even though, as a former barman, I’m very aware it’s a handy way of filtering known  problem drinkers out of the premises.

Personally?   I’ll possibly have an early night, now I’ve got the next few weeks of teas videos done.

But there’s three things.

1. Have a happy new year.


2. Be careful, and drink responsibly.


3. If you end up dancing on tables?   Burn the negatives!

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-12-2017: Review of the Year, 2017

Oh, good grief: bloody Amazon … !

I’ve had a few things on order from them, over the past few weeks.

And, for at least three of the past few weeks?

For at least three of the past few weeks, I’ve been out when Amazon have delivered.

I’ve had standing orders left with Amazon: if I’m not in, they’re supposed to deliver to one of my neighbours.

That’s been in place ever since about 2013: not long after I’ve started using the service.

And, for the last few weeks … ?   They’ve left deliveries, some quite high value … on the doorstep.

Including the one that was delivered yesterday.   It was left there, AGAIN.

Despite my having made sure I filled in the forms at the check out, telling them where to leave them.

And … ? AND … !

AND … despite the fact I’d phoned them, on the day I’d placed my order, to make sure they had the address … !

I am seriously thinking I should start shopping at Ebay.

I’d probably still get similar delivery problems.

But at least I’d get a few Nectar points!

~≈§≈~

There’s something else I wanted to mention.

Something I saw on the BBC’s website was this piece.

Apparently?   Some online gamers were recently feuding in the US.

As part of that feud, some gamers have turned to a prank called ‘swatting.’   In other word, phoning the nearest (famously armed) local US police, telling them there’s a major gun crime going on at their rival’s address, then sitting back and grinning when the SWAT team turns up on the rival’s doorstep.

Except in this case?

The police were given — and turned up at — the wrong address.

And shot dead the innocent owner of the house, when he answered the door.

Personally?

I don’t like the idea of armed police, where-ever they are.

But can’t fault the SWAT team in this case, for doing what they’re trained to do, even though it’s ended in a tragedy: indeed, I think the UK police have armed response units that would’ve reacted the same way, in the same circumstances.

I CAN, however, heavily criticise the idiots who put in that original ‘prank’ — Ha! — call.

It saw an innocent man killed.

That’s not funny.

~≈§≈~

The Daily Teaser — 31-12-2015: The Review of 2015

It’s the last day of the year.

Obviously!

It’s the last day of the year: and frankly … ?

Well, I’m not TOO worried about seeing in the new year.

Frankly, I’d rather be in bed.

On the other hand … ?

On the OTHER hand hand, I’ve got a day off.

And as my employees usually pay everyone on Friday — a bank holiday — they’ve decided to pay us early.

Today, in other words.

To be honest … ?   I might just start a savings account.

Assuming my bank’s online savings account is easy to open.

Saving money I’m hopeless at doing: it might just pay me, for once …

~≈Â≈~