Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-4-2026 — Elizabeth 2nd (Ten Questions)

21st April, 2026: Elizabeth 2nd.

OK, I’ve done it!

I’ve sent back the camera* I bought from Amazon.

This one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GDY2T7B3

It didn’t, if you’ll excuse the innuendo, have a hole in the bottom.

A mount for a tripod, in other words.

Which means I couldn’t screw it to the tripods I already have, plonk it on my desk, and film myself.

Nor would the camera fit in the cradle at the top of my tripod: with the flip-up screen, the flip up screen that would let me monitor any recording, flipped up.

I’m left … 

Well, I honestly couldn’t tell you how I feel about this.

But it has been a learning experience.

It means that, should I choose to buy another camera, I’m going to know what to look for.

A hole in the bottom for a tripod mount: or a screen that flips out of the things side.

~≈📸≈~

Oh, about the only other thing I bought, recently?

Is a blu-ray copy of The Day of the Triffids: the 1981, BBC version.

A version that’s fairly authentic to Wyndham’s original text.

About my only complaint?

Is that the box-set is quite vanilla: featuring only the six broadcast episodes, an omnibus version of the story, and an eight minute featurette about the show’s restoration for this release.

I can only hope that — were this to get a 4k version — that extra features would be included.

~≈🫚≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20th April 2026

20th April, 2026.

Right then … it’s Monday … !

And … ?

I’m going to be feeling a bit rushed.

I’ve a Job Centre meeting at 13·30: by phone, with my case worker.

I’ve my usual weight management meeting, this morning: as I was up two hundred grams, last week, I’m hoping to have lost a few grams, this week.

And … ?

The camera that’s in the box I’m waving about in today’s introduction … ?

Has no screw for a tripod.

You know those standardised screw fittings, that lets you attach a camera to a tripod?

The fittings that should be on the bottom of a camera?

There isn’t one!

I hope the queue at the post office is short.

I’m feeling rushed … … … … … … !

~≈📷≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th April 2026.

19th April, 2026.

You know, Amazon can be odd, some times.

Or, at least, unexpected.

I was expecting some recently ordered bits and bobs to turn up, tomorrow.

It turns out they’ll be turning up, today.

At the risk of sounding clichéd … ?

Amazon moves in mysterious ways … … 

~≈📦≈~

I’ve been known to follow technology news, on and off.

And take an interest in Open source alternatives to paid-for software.

I’ve been using LibreOffice to organise my quiz questions for many years, as an example.

I’m also aware that many people government organisations, in many countries, don’t like using proprietary software.

Not necessarily because they object on cost grounds: although that’s a factor.

But they object to using Microsoft, Apple or Google, products not on price … but because those companies are foreign.

The three companies I’ve mentioned, as an example, are all American: so respond to American regulation and influence, first.

So many governments feel handing control of their IT systems to American companies, means handing control of their systems to a foreign power: and that using home grown software means keeping control.

Recent French moves to shift to a home grown operating system?

Is an example of this.

The point of my ranting?

Is twofold.

One?

The EU is sponsoring a project called Euro-Office, an open source productivity suite, in an effort to have software under EU control.

Two?

Why isn’t the British government doing something similar?

I don’t know.

But it’s not like Ubuntu, the British made, open source, operating system, hasn’t been around for years.

~≈🖥️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-4-2026 — The Name’s Bonds-Premium Bonds

18th April, 2026.

Right now?

Right now, it’s Saturday.

And the silly jokes I’ve uploaded seem to be doing well.

It’s also the day after I’ve put in an order for stuff from Amazon.

Including a cheap, 4k camera*: and a 2k copy of the 1981, BBC version of The Day of the Triffids.

I’m looking forward to the thing turning up: I’d love to see what the extra features, if there are any, are like.

~≈🥀≈~

You’re probably as aware as I am, that the 47th US president is a bit of a twit.

To put it mildly.

And also aware of the image he deleted from his social network: depicting him as a messianic, healer figure.

The image has been criticised: for looking a little too messianic, and crossing a line.

Of good taste, if nothing else.

I agree.

But also think a couple of things.

One?

Is that this image of the president, and others like it, looks a lot like some of the WW2 era Nazi propaganda, the sort designed to make Hitler look like a hero.

And second?

I grew up one Frank Herbert’s Dune novel: and came away from them convinced the writer didn’t like messiahs.

Or, at least, didn’t like the idea of politicians using religion to gain power.

Devout Republic that Herbert was?

I suspect he’d be spitting, on seeing these images of the President.

“When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way.”

From Dune, by Frank Herbert.

“Beneath the hero’s facade you will find a human being who makes human mistakes.   Enormous problems arise when human mistakes are made on the grand scale available to a superhero.”

From “Dune Genesis”, by Frank Herbert.

~≈🪱≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 17th April 2026.

16th April, 2026.

It’s official!

I’ve been paid!

That’s a good thing: it means I can pay off a few bills, and indulge my cravings for chocolate.

Suitably low sugar chocolate, obviously: diabetes is unforgiving, like that!

~≈🍫≈~

I’m left handed: you’d possibly worked that out, if you’ve been following me for a while.

I’m very aware there are some who put handedness on a pair with sexuality, and will make a negative moral judgement about you, based on one or the other*.

I’m also not a fan of terrorism: the idea of using violence in support of your cause.

I don’t think violence works, in persuading others your cause is just, and invites violent retaliation from your victims.

So … ?

So I welcome police probes into one group, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, who are claiming responsibly for several arson attacks.

It turns out, though, that their name translates as ‘The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand’.

OK: I’m maybe being a little paranoid, here, a little sensitive over nothing.

But their name tells me that — in amongst the antisemitism, and attacks on Jewish, and Israeli, targets — they’re prejudiced towards left-handers, like me.

I don’t think the group will be fire-bombing my flat: I think they’re more concerned with fire-bombing synagogues.

But that name feels like a personal attack.

~≈👎≈~