Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-4-2022: The City of Angels

4th April, 2022.

It’s Monday: and frankly?

The start of a busy week.

I’ve an Zoom job interview, today, a couple of in person interviews Thursday and Friday, Nephew sitting on Wednesday … of, and a couple of phone calls.

The cheapest way of doing that?

Is by mobile.   Given the signal situation?

I’m going to have to go out of that.

Wouldn’t you know it?   It’s raining.

Yum.

~≈☎️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 3-4-2022: Uncle Joe Stalin.

3rd April, 2022.

Right … 

It’s going to be a quiet Sunday: bar, possibly, lunchtime.

When I’m expecting my nephew.

I’m fully expecting a video, at some point … !

~≈Ÿ≈~

I’m just listening to this week’s edition of Tech Tent: the BBC World Service’s technology show.

Apparently, the Ukraine’s now legalised malicious hacking: presumably, on the condition that it’s against the country’s enemies.

The show describes this as unprecedented.

I’m going to disagree.

As I know perfectly well that officially approved criminals, acting against an enemy state, arguably have  a name.

Privateer.

~≈Ÿ≈~

Star Trek Discovery — Series 4 Episode 2 — Anomaly — A Review

1st April, 2022.

Right … it’s Friday, 1st April, 2022.

Which is nice to know.

I’ve got the TV switched off.

Partly?   So it’s not distracting.

But partly?   So I can hear my vegetables doing.

Yep: I’m doing dinner, again

Once I’ve had it?

I’ll be watching Anomaly, the second episode of Star Trek Discovery’s fourth series: and telling you About it, by tomorrow night.

You can let me know what you thought, then!

~≈🚀≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 2-4-2022: Haile Selassie.

2nd April, 2022.

Hmmm … 

It’s got to be said, April’s prices rises … ?

Aren’t necessarily good.

Frankly?

I’d maybe have my heating on for a few minutes after I get up: at least, in April.

The rises … ?   Couldn’t have come at a worse time, from where I’m sitting.

They’ve turned up … just when there’s a cold snap.

Yum!

~≈🥶≈~

I’m not gay, so you know.

I am left handed: and, like many of us, will have heard of, or known, people who’ve been forced to use their right hands by assorted school teachers, over the years.

I know at least two.

I can also remember at least one school teacher at primary school repeatedly asking ‘Wouldn’t you find it easier in your other hand?’

So … ?   I don’t like the idea of forced conversions.

From left to right, or gay to straight: that’s equally as wrong, I feel.

As you may or may not know?   There’s a thing called conversation therapy: that aims to turn gay people straight.

It’s usually performed by various right-of-centre churches, usually seen as unsuccessful, and usually seen as both unscientific and unethical.

The little I know of forcing people to change handedness tells me there’s an increased chance of someone developing a stutter as a result: of minor neurological damage.

So I wonder if there’s similar damage being done by conversion therapy: on top of any psychological damage it may do.

At ANY rate … ?

Yesterday, the Government decided to introduce legislation to ban conversion therapy.   Then changed their mind, and decided not to.

Then, after a back bench and opposition backlash?

Decided to introduce the withdrawn legislation, banning the practise in the process.

At least … the legislation bans using conversion therapy on gay, lesbian and bisexual people … but not transgender people.

Which is another argument waiting to happen.

The flip flopping leaves me thinking this;

1. Including transgender people in the bill obviously has caused back stage arguments.   Whether we’re pro- or anti- transgender rights, it’s a famously controversial subject.
2. The bill’s not perfect: but is a start on outlawing an odious practise.
3. The Government is worse than wrong: it’s indecisive.

I’m probably not the only person to think an indecisive is the worst form of government going.

~≈🩴≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 1st April, 2022: The Month of April.

1st April, 2022.

Right … 

It’s April 1st: and technically, the start of a new month.

It’s also the day utility prices start to rise.

Frankly?   I’m looking at rises that are difficult: but could offset, were I working.

I’d be out of the flat, part of the day: so heating, lighting and optional appliances — the TV, the computer — wouldn’t be on.

Right now?   Things are going to be difficult: I’m in for a longer part of the day, so using more resources.

So?   I’m trying to write this with radiators turned down, and extraneous lights turned off.

I’m very aware there’s only so much a body can do.   My bathroom, for example?   Has no external windows: so I need to turn the light off and on, as and when.

There’s a cold snap on: so I’m not saving money by having the heating off, regardless of radiator settings.

~≈🥶≈~

There’s stuff I can do: although I don’t know how much help that will be.

I’m … 

Well … 

Not panicking.

But certainly concerned.

I’m also — wouldn’t you know it — wondering who to blame.

Or be annoyed at.

Remember me mentioning the twenty pound uplift Universal Credit claimants like me got, at the height of the COVID 19 pandemic?

That was very useful: it gave me enough money to cover my bills, and eat.

And, occasionally, a treat: a DVD, a blu-ray, a book.

Then it got removed.   It should have been made permanent: when it was removed, people were predicting a rise in the cost of living.

At it’s removal, things got tougher.   And with the expectation that things will get rougher.

The cost of living trends, and the Government’s removal of the cap on energy prices over the past few months?   A cost the Government has been aware of for months, that’s been known about for months, that’s been predicted to be bad even without the Ukrainian War factored in, for months?

And the Government’s refusal to increase benefits in line with current inflation, will leave me, and many like me, with serious issues.

As will their refusal to freeze the National Insurance raise, in last week’s Budget.   That will leave many working families with issues.

The Governmentº may be saving money with these things.

But it’s is not helping.

~≈☹️≈~