Saturday 31 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 31-5-2014



How long have you been following my blog … ?

A while, I hope.

But, at any rate, if you have, you’ll know I live in a street in Brentwood called Rollason Way: a relatively recently built part of town.

Which has — in all the years I’ve lived here* — has never had enough parking for residents.

I’ve not double checked what the new carparks at the end of the street have done to the figures: but, at one point, we had ¾ of a parking space per resident.   (Some reports say more: they say ⅘ of a parking space.)

We’ve also got a lot of people — many of whom seem to be visitors to the area — who park on the pavement.

I’ve personally have always felt that’s hazardous.   And still do.   I feel it impedes emergency vehicle access to Rollason Way: something that will kill someone, at some point.

Part of the issue?   Is that Essex Council have not, as yet, taken control of Rollason Way.   Meaning that there’s no formal parking controls: nor any way of handing out parking tickets.

One (possibly) good thing?   Crest Nicholson, the company who built Rollason Way and the surrounding area, have hired a parking management company: and put up the (pictured) signs, emphasising the fines that will be handed out to owners of cars parking on the pavement.

Granted, I’ve not seen any one handing out tickets, yet: hopefully that won’t be long.

I can only hope the result will be the offending cars park somewhere else.

Rather than move a few inches, to park on the road!

That will make things seriously worse.

~≈Ê≈~

Friday 30 May 2014

The Friday Question Set — 30-5-2014


Hmm …

It’s got to be said, I really do get distracted, sometimes … !

No, really … !

I’ve managed — after seeing it briefly mentioned on Click — to pick up a pre-release version of MiniMetro.

A game that describes itself as a minimalistic subway layout game.

OK …

I’ll be blunt.

It’s a digital train-set!

And quite fun, with it!

~≈Œ≈~

The Daily Teaser — 90-5-2014: The Peasant’s Revolt

Hmmm … 

Looks like I’ve found a work-around, there.

In case you DIDN’T know it … ?   I’ve long been an advocate of ripping DVDs: copying and transcoding a dvd to a computer, so we can watch it on a computer, iPod, or other video player.

I’ve long used HandBrake* as my default ripper: but have ALSO used commercial app, RipIt.

RipIt offers a trial period: you get ten rips for free, after which you have to play.   I’ve found, though, that opening a new user account^ get’s around this.

That’ll do me me: until I can afford to buy it.

AND let’s me rip the rare DVDs that HandBrake can’t handle.

Useful!

~≈‰≈~

Thursday 29 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 29-5-2014: Mount Everest

Hmmm … 

That’s either very good … 

Or very bad … 

One or the other.

You see, the Job Centre is looking at making sure I go on a Mandatory Job placement.

OK … 

Not sure I’m keen on the idea, but there you go: we run into the word ‘mandatory’.

What did grab my attention, when I was told about it … ?

Was that the contract to run the thing … ?

Had been awarded to SEETEC: who’d also run the Work Programme I was on.

I was — understandably — not impressed when I was told the most unhelpful Quango in existence were back on my case.

It’s four weeks of work placement, at thirty hours a week.

How wrong can SEETEC get it?

I don’t know.

But the word that crosses my mind, here, is ‘very’ … 

~≈Â≈~

Wednesday 28 May 2014

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 28-5-2014: The Turing Test

Oh, now hang on: MORE Buffy … !

Sorry, sorry: I’ve been borrowing a friend’s box set of the complete Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Which is as much fun as it ever was.

Personally, though … ?

I’m just glad Google reacted the way it did to the name of the particular episode I’m watching.

No, really!

Typing in Doublemeat Palace could’ve had some more … um … 

Well … 

Um … unfortunate results.

~≈◊≈~

The Daily Teaser — 28-5-2014

Oh, yum … … … 

I have to admit, I’m literally just out of bed.

Have you ever felt as if bits of you are just about to drop off?

Or are going twang … ?

Or as if your eyeball are teetering on the edge of slowly falling out of their sockets?

And making an entertaining ‘splat’ noise as they hit the floor … ?

Yeah … yum … 

I hate mornings like this.   What’s makes it worse … ?

Is it’s not as if I had a late night … !

~≈‡≈~

Tuesday 27 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 27-5-2014: Saint Petersburg

You know, I think the phrase is “Uh-oh” … possibly … 

You see, I’ve just looked out of my window: and the BBC’s weather app seems to be as accurate as ever.

It’s been pissing down.

And looks like it’s going to keeping pissing down for the rest of the day.

And possibly for the rest of the week.

Now, my GP always encourages me to make sure I take a walk, every day.

And, bless her, always manages to hand out a meaningful look, if I don’t.

Saying that … ?

I don’t know she had this weather in mind … !

~≈Ç≈~

Monday 26 May 2014

Clive Barker’s Book Of Blood: A Review

26th May, 2014

Can I make a confession, here … ?

I’ve known of — although not read much by — Clive Barker, for some years.

Certainly for long enough to know the man is — if not prolific — then certainly someone who has fingers in pies.

Quite a few fingers.

In lots of pies.

Lots of different types of pies.

You know, like a forefinger in a strawberry pie: a pinky in a steak and kidney pie.

Maybe with a ring finger in some kind of quiche.

That’s sounding just a little ambiguous, isn’t it … ?

The guy covers quite a bit of creative territory, is what I’m trying to say … !

After all, the man who wrote The Books Of Blood, and Weaveworld is also the man who did the cover art for The Books Of Blood.

And directed the original film version of Hellraiser: from his own novella, The Hellbound Heart.

Probably wouldn’t surprise me if he did the costumes, background music, and make-up for Gone With The Wind, in his spare time, either.

But … !

But you take my point: Clive Barker’s a bit of a polymath.

Or gets bored easily.

One of the two.

~≈®≈~

The point I’m trying to make, here … ?

Is that Mr B’s noted for both creative writing: and creative projects that spin off from them.

You can’t blame a man for wanting to follow through on a project, can you … ?

At any rate … ?

At ANY rate, I’ll be honest: I’ve managed to squander a bit of cash on renting a film, tonight.


And yeah … Mr B had a hand in the production of this one.

As a producer, I should add … !

~≈®≈~

The Daily Teaser — 26-5-2014

OK … 

That I sort of expected … 

Just in case you didn’t know it, the UK’s taken part in this year’s European parliamentary election.

Are part of the world … ?

That now has one Labour MP, three Conservatives … and three UKIP† MEPs.

I Have to admit to being mildly disappointed the Greens didn’t get a seat, but they did rather well.

At any rate … ?

That’s that over and done with for a few more years.

Time to move on.

~≈Â≈~

Sunday 25 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 25-5-2014

Blimey … 

It’s actually looking rather nippy out!

No, really … !

Well, ok: nippy … for the end of May, in the southern parts of the UK.

Which is going to make things fun, today.

I’m due over my Mum’s, fairly early, to help clear an old shed.

Want to know what I think … ?

I think I’m going to possibly need a jumper … 

~≈Â≈~

Saturday 24 May 2014

A European Referendum: Some Thoughts

Can I make a confession, please?

If that's OK with you?

I believe I'm not racist.

No, stop laughing!

I honestly feel I have no issues with those of us who are of a different ethnic group to myself.

Whether my Afro-Caribbean or Asian neighbours would agree with me, there, is another matter: but I don't think they've any complaint on that front.

There's a reason I say this.

It's because I'm about to get very contentious, during this post: and tell you about something I'm thinking of doing, come next year's election. 

I'm also going to to tell you I have no problem with immigration to the UK.

I welcome it, believing it to have made the people of the UK stronger, as a whole.

I say this, because I'm VERY aware that my next statement will get many of my readers assuming - wrongly - that I have an issue with race or ethnicity, that I believe myself not to have.

I'm thinking of voting for UKIP, at the next General election.


~≈∏≈~

The Daily Teaser — 24-5-2014

Right, I think we can say it’s definite, then.

Dr Who series 8, the first with Peter Capaldi as the 12th Doctor … 

Starts in August.

The reason we know this … ?

Is the fact that the BBC released a Teaser trailer to YouTube, last night.

Here … 


You notice, of course, it doesn’t say when in August … ?

I’m betting, though, it’ll be one of the last two Saturdays: the 23rd or 30th, giving us an season end in mid to late November.

Just enough time to get excited for Christmas … 

~≈¢≈~

Friday 23 May 2014

Dr Who Series 8: The Teaser Trailer … 

OK … 

I think we can safely say it’s official.

We are nearer a broadcast date for Series 8 of Dr Who.

Or, at least, we are: going by the teaser trailer that the BBC have just released to YouTube.

It’ll be August.

When in August, it doesn’t say, but I’m guessing late August: one of the last two Saturdays, that month.

At any rate … ?

Here … 

The Friday Question Set — 23-4-2014

Hmmm … 

Well, I think I can safely say I didn’t get it.

Drat … 

Just in case you DIDN’T know … ?

I had an interview yesterday: and got told I’d be contacted, today, if successful.

I’ve not been contacted: yet.

Frankly, I’m not holding out much hope.

Even though there’s an hour or so, before most shops close … 

~≈fi≈~

The Daily Teaser — 23-5-2014

You know … if I get a call, today, I think I’d’ve got lucky.

Possibly.

You see, I had an interview, yesterday: with a key-cutter called Timpsons.

Who make a point of recruiting people who, like me, have something of a colourful history.

OK, granted, I’m not good at cutting keys.

But … 

Well, I’m keeping my fingers crossed I bag a job with them.

It’d would certainly be nice to earn a living … 

~≈Ù≈~

Thursday 22 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 22-5-2014: Pakku Pakku … !

Well, it’s official.

I’ve added a Paypal ‘Donate’ button to the blog: anything you want to add would be VERY appreciated.

And I’m in a bit of a rush.

I’ve got an interview, today: in Ilford, so you know, for a key-cutters called Timpsons.

Here’s hoping I can find the place.

~≈Â≈~

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Banning Operating Systems

Hmmm …

That’s something … 

You’ve possibly noticed that — outside of the Daily Teasers, and other associated bits and bobs — I’ve not written much, here.

Job-hunting’s getting more frantic, if you follow me.

At ANY rate, I do try and post up about all sorts of things: as and when they catch my eyes.

One news item did, today.

The one on the BBC’s news site — here — that tells us China has banned Windows.

Let me try an be accurate, there.

The Chinese government has banned government departments and offices from using desktops, laptops and tablets running Windows 8, the current and newest version of Microsoft’s operating system.

Mostly, it seems many Chinese government computer are running various versions of Windows XP: which Microsoft have ended security support for.

China are, appreciably, loath to replace XP with an operating system that leaves them reliant on foreign companies for security updates and fixes.

~≈Ê≈~

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 21-5-2014

Well, it’s officially official.

I’ve now Monetised My Blog … !

OK, OK, I can see the look on your face: I’m using management-speak … !

What I’m trying to say … ?

Is that I’ve added a Paypal Donate button to the sidebar of Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.

If you like what you’ve seen of what I’m doing … ?

Click the button.

~≈ß≈~

At any rate, today is Wednesday.

Regular readers will realise — sorry! — that this mean’s it’s time for the Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser.

Here’s this week’s, covered by the usual Creative Commons License*
Q1) 21st May was the date the late Harold Camping predict that the Rapture, and Judgement Day, would take place.   In which year?
Q2) In which month of that year did Camping claim the End of the World would happen: September, October or November … ?
Q3) He’d previously claimed the End of the World would happen in which year of the 1990s?
Q4) The Rapture is when God’s Chosen are taken where … ?
Q5) According to the Book of Revelation, the battle at the end of the world, will take place where: Armageddon, Armandhammer or Armaglaswegian … ?
Q6) That Last battle is associated with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Conquest — or Pestilence — is on a white horse, War is on a red horse, Famine on a black horse: who’s on the Pale Horse … ?
Q7) Those marked with the Number of the Beast will — according to some — be cursed by God, at the End of the World: what IS the Number of the Beast … ?
Q8) Which band had a 1982 hit with ‘The Number Of The Beast’?
Q9) Which 1976 film, and its 2006 remake, see the Antichrist being born to the US Ambassador to the UK … ?
Q10) Finally … which US band had a 1987 hit with ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)’?
Here’s last week’s questions and answers …
Questions.
Q1) 14th May, 1955, saw many country’s sign the Warsaw Pact.   In which country is Warsaw … ?
Q2) More to the point, on which river does Warsaw stand … ?
Q3) How may countries signed the Warsaw Pact … ?
Q4) Name one of them.
Q5) How many days did the conference take: two, three or four?
Q6) The countries who signed the Pact, all followed version of which political belief: Anarchism, Communism or socialism? 
Q7) The Warsaw Pact’s enemies were the US led NATO countries: what does NATO stand for … ?
Q8) What name was given to the confrontation between the Warsaw Pact countries and the West … ?
Q9) In which Warsaw Pact country did English comedian, Norman Wisdom, gain a huge cult following?
Q10) Finally … in which year of the 1990s was the Warsaw Pact dissolved?
Answers.
A1) Poland.
A2) The Vistula.
A3) Eight (8).
A4) The People’s Republic of Albania, the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, the German Democratic Republic or East Germany, the People’s Republic of Hungary, the People’s Republic of Poland, the People’s Republic of Romania and, of course, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR.
A5) Three (3).
A6) Communism.   (Now, why do I get the feeling readers will be arguing the respective definitions of Communism and Socialism?)
A7) North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
A8) The Cold War.
A9) Albania.
A10) 1991.
As a final thought … ?

We’ll add this to the doomy mix, shall we?


Catch you later … !








All that means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.   A link back to the site — and to the Gazette’s, if that’s where you’ve found these — would be appreciated.

The Daily Teaser — 21-5-2014: At The Graveside … 

Oh … 

Bother … !

Bother … blast … and other bad words start with B … !

I’m coming down with a summertime cold … !

Or, at least, a decidedly blocked nose.

I hate that.

No, really.  It didn’t bother me too much, back when I smoked.

I’ll be frank: back then a lot of it was self-inflicted!

Now, though … ?   I’d rather NOT have lungs, chest and nasal passages that feel like half a ton of chopped liver.

Thanking you for listening … !

~≈Ê≈~

Tuesday 20 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 20-5-2014

Oh, but it’s getting EXCITING … !

Did I tell you I’ve been borrowing a copy of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer — series by series — off an old friend … ?

I’m on Series Five: and getting toward’s the end, I should add.

With the Scoobies being chased by Glory, AND the Knights of Byzantium.

With Joyce dead, Tara mad and Giles seriously injured.

And with no-one knowing Ben’s little secret … ?

Exciting … ?

You bet!

~≈Í≈~

Monday 19 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 19-5-2014: Malcolm

You know, I love a good TV series, I really do.

No, really … !

And I have to admit to having borrowed copies of the Buffy The Vampire Slayer boxed sets.

Personally, I happen to think Series Five — the one with Glorificus — is possibly the best one Joss Whedon and co. made.

Yes, I know there’s two more left after Series Five.

But series five, throwing Buffy against the ultimate in villains — her own mother’s tragic death from a brain aneurysm — made it possibly one of the most riveting bits of TV.

And the highlight of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

~≈Â≈~

Sunday 18 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 18-5-2014

You know, I know it’s a repeat.

But while I’m writing this … ?

While I’m writing this, I’ve got a documentary on — part of the BBC’s Horizon series — about the Drake Equation*.

Which, if you DIDN’T know, is an equation that predicts the amount of intelligent life in the universe: intelligent life that’s communicating, however incidentally.

It’s a fascinating watch.

Does it answer any questions?

Well, no.   But it has explained things nicely, I think.

Does it tell us exactly how many civilisations are out there … ?

Well no: it doesn’t do that, either.

But, when you think about it … ?    It doesn’t stop us speculating.

Which is is what science fiction’s for … 

~≈Â≈~

Saturday 17 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 17-5-2014

Wouldn’t you just bloody know it … ?

Wouldn’t you just … ?

I’ve gone and dropped my iPod, again: and the screen’s gone and disconnected itself … !

That’s a serious pain, as it’s a repair fee I can’t afford, this time around.

Which is a SERIOUS pain … because, after seeing a taped documentary about it, from last night, I wanted to track a copy of The Doors’ LA Woman.

Oh, and Doctor John’s Gris Gris.

Drat.

And double drat … !

~≈®≈~

Friday 16 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 16-5-2014

Blimey … 

I have to admit, I like TV.

I like TV shows.

The occasional documentary, as well.

It’s ok, it’s not like I make a habit of it!

At ANY rate, I managed to record episode 1 of Tyger Takes On, last night.


And I have to admit, that’s an eye-opener!

Yeah … eyeopener … THAT’S the phrase … !

Let’s get a move on, shall we?

~≈Ê≈~

Thursday 15 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 15-5-2014: In The Shadow Of The Gun … 

You know, I’m thinking I’m going to have to gently retire Bruce, my aging Mac mini.

I think the overheating he suffers — especially after using Flash-intensive games — is getting a bit nasty.

OK, granted, I’m going to need about £500 to get a replacement.

Tricky, given my income!

Still: hopefully I can gently think of SOMETHING!

Even if it’s only installing a Donate button!

With that said … ?

Let’s get a move on … 

~≈Á≈~

Wednesday 14 May 2014

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 14-5-2014: The Warsaw Pact

Oh, now, that’s sad … !

I’m assuming you follow the news, yes … ?

You can’t — in the UK, at any rate — have missed campaigner, Stephen Sutton: the young man was was dying of terminal bowel cancer, but had managed to raise a considerable amount of money for the Teenage Cancer Trust, in the mean time.

You notice I say was dying … ?

Tragically, the sad news has just come through that he died, today.

At 19.

19 … !

What on Earth can one say — to a parent or anyone else — about such a death … ?

Well, apart from offering my condolences to his parents and family.

And, while I’ll admit to being skint … ?

The one thing I can do, is point you at the Teenage Cancer Trust’s page.

You can donate there: and to them, through this link.

The Teenage Cancer Trust’s Make A Donation Page.

I hope you agree, that’s a worthwhile cause.

~≈¿≈~

The Daily Teaser — 14-5-2014: The Vaccination Boogie

You know, I think that’s a possibly shame: and I’m aware I’ve said this before.

But the US remake of The Tomorrow People — screened on Wednesday’s, on E4 — has been cancelled.

Which is a shame, as I was enjoying that.

On the up-side, though … ?

I have a habit of recording stuff‡, and keeping digital copies of stuff I’d like to keep: until such time as I can replace with DVDs or digital copies from iTunes.

And TEND to do that with series that stick around for a while.

The Tomorrow People being cancelled … ?   Means I can free up some space on my external drive … 

And hopefully replace it with some fresher — and mature — genre TV.

Right … let’s get a move on … 

~≈Â≈~

Tuesday 13 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 13-5-2014

Hmmm … 

Have you been following the story about the kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria … ?

I can’t help but think the kidnappings are the militants equivalent to to the Warrington Bombings: which generated bad publicity — to say the least — for the Provisional IRA.

There’s ALSO the fact that yesterday, the Boko Haram leader issued a video in which he offered to exchange the schoolgirls for imprisoned militants.

Granted, the BBC journalist, John Simpson, has a point: this could well be the start of some sort of negotiated release.

All to the good.

Personally, though … ?   I couldn’t help but notice that the group claims many of the girls had converted to Islam.

Outside of any discussion we wish to have about Stockholm Syndrome … ?

I can’t help but notice the hijab-clad girls in that video: with armed men standing over them.

And remember that one of the few verses I know from the Qur’an is verse 256 of the Al-Baqara sura: which opens with one of the most famous lines from Islam’s holy book.
“There shall be no compulsion in religion.”
An armed gunman … ?

Well, I don’t think armed gunmen counts as “No Compulsion” …

~≈‡≈~

Monday 12 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 12-5-2014: Ian Dury …

Hmmm … 

You know, that’s … possibly … quite strange.

You remember, a couple of days ago, I said about the problems I had, using YouTube, in Safari?

Basically, I could upload, via Safari version 5, but not use any of a given page’s buttons.   On top of that, the Comments section of the page was refusing to load, properly: preventing me accessing Share section of a given page.

Well … 

The last time I checked with Safari … YouTube had got the buttons to work.

That’s good.

They’ve got HALF the problems solved … 

Now, I want to ask Google and YouTube — along with everyone on the Forum threads I’ve seen — what on EARTH is going on: and when this problem will be fixed.

One or two suggestions — that seem to come from Google/YouTube staffers — that users upgrade to Mavericks, have gone down like lead balloons.

Including with me.

Get a move on, Google.   My aging G4 can handle YouTube: seemingly, your hard-working engineers are preventing my newer Mini from doing the same!

~≈Ê≈~

Sunday 11 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 11-5-2014: Coalition

Oh, now I thought that would happen … !

You may or may not know it, but this time of year usually means ONE big TV event.

The Eurovision Song Contest: the pan-European contest that has been doing its thing, since 1956.

The live Grand Final is quite a big event: and something that has to be seen to be believed.

As are some of the winners.

The Finnish winners, a few years ago — rock band, Lordi —were one such.

Dressing up as a bunch of demons, complete with fully functioning bat wings, was going to get attention.

This year’s winner … ?

Was Austrian drag artist, Conchita Wurst, with the song Rise Like A Phœnix.


Go, her … !

As a thought, though?   Obviously, this is a good thing for the LBGT community.

I think that — and the extensive booing the Russian entry got — is going to irritate the hell out of Vladimir Putin … !

That’s a good thing … !

~≈Â≈~

Saturday 10 May 2014

The Daily Teaser — 10-5-2014: I Spy For The FBI …

Hmmm … 

It has to be said, I have the radio on, at the moment: Radio 4 is — in my humble opinion — possibly the most civilised thing to have on in the morning.

They’ve just had Thought For The Day on: five minutes of a … well, a thought, from a religious personage.

Fascinating one, this morning, from a journalist from The Tablet, talking about about how the believers amongst focus on God — obviously — and forgetting or ignoring the devil.

And using both The Exorcist and The Godfather, as metaphors.

I think I got her point: without managing to catch the speaker’s name.

And also walking away thinking it’s been an age since I’ve seen The Godfather.

I might just see if I have a copy.   It means I can avoid the dread event that is … Eurovision … !

~≈í≈~

Friday 9 May 2014

The Friday Question Set — 9-5-2014

Well, that’s THAT lot done … !

Well, written … !

OK, OK, you’re possibly sitting thinking “What’s Done … ?” in a mildly confused way, aren’t you … ?

I’ve just finished next months Gazette Teasers written.

With a certain amount of pride and polish, it has to be said.

All I have to do now … ?

Is format the things and I’m done for the proverbial month!

~≈∑≈~