Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30th June, 2019

30th June, 2019.

It’s official … I have a quiet day ahead of my.

Well … 

Barring Sunday dinner at my family’s place, tonight.

You can bet someone’s going to be noisy … 

~≈¥≈~

Something else I know, today … ?

Is that the temperature’s due to hit the 25 ºC mark, today.

Oh, and sunny.

I know perfectly well that’s not as hot as some bits of Europe.

But … ?

Well, I know I’m uncomfortable … !

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 29-6-2019: Muhammad Ahmad

29th June, 2019.

I’m right, aren’t I … ?

It is a touch moreish, isn’t it … ?

I’m on Quora, so you know: the website that lets you ask and answers questions.

And I have to admit, it makes for both riveting reading … and riveting writing.

Especially for those of us who like the chance to share our knowledge …

Or ‘show off,’ as my mother insists on calling it … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 28th June, 2019.

28th June, 2019.

I’m right, aren’t I … ?   Aren’t I right … ?

No, honestly, I’m right!

Apple’s share price got a dent … !

Maybe not a big one, but none the less, a dent.

Why?

Because Chief Design Officer, Jony Ive — the man behind the original PowerBook, the iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, practically anything with Apple’s logo on it, including the upcoming MacPro, along side the early versions, and the PowerMacs that preceded it — is leaving Apple.

And will be forming his own design company.

OK, granted, his new company’s main client will be Apple.

But that’s a hell of a blow for the company.

With possibly the only comparison?

Being the death of Steve Jobs … 

~≈§≈~

Good Omens — Series 1: Episode 3 — Hard Times — A Review

27th June, 2019.

Yes!

My kitchen sink is not making hideously horribly glugging noises.

As you. Possibly aware, I had an issue with it, last night.

Something seemed to be coming up the pipes.

Quite why, or how … ?

I’m still not sure.

But … ?



At least I’ve managed to report it to my landlord.

~≈Ç≈~

At any rate … ?



Unemployment means I have time on my hands.

Time enough to get snotty: if my AppleTV starts playing up at a crucial moment.

OK: I can reset everything by switching it off, pulling out the power cable, then plugging it back in again.

But it IS awkward … 

And thankfully, something I didn’t have to do, before sitting down with episode 3 of … Good Omens … 

~≈Ç≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 27th June, 2019

27th June, 2019.

Glug … 

Glug glug … 

Glugity glug, glug glug … 

Oh, and before I forget … ?

Bloop … bloop … bloop … bloop … bloop … 

Yes: it’s true … 

My kitchen sink decided to misbehave, last night.

It’s … well, it’s the second time it’s happened: and, last time … ?

The plumber told me it wasn’t an issue with the sink: but more than probably with the drains, and that he would put in for a drain cleaning.

Whether that’s happened?

I don’t know.

All I can tell you is that, last night, my sink was giving the Radiophonic Workshop a run for the money … 

~≈§≈~

Good Omens — Series 1: Episode 2 — The Book — A Review

26th June, 2019.



Yep: it’s a thing … 



I have a kitchen sink that’s misbehaving: and upsurged a couple of times, tonight.

And yes: I have managed to clean that sink.

And unblock the drain.

All to no avail.

I still get upsurging.



And … ?

On the advise of my landlord’s out of hours service?

It’s something I’m going to have to chase up in the morning.

I just hope it doesn’t get so bad, it floods the place.

At any rate … ?

At any rate, it’s another quiet night: which means another episode of … 

Good Omens … 


~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 26-6-2019: William 4th.

26th June, 2019

It’s true: I’m feeling mildly cynical.

Blame my age, maybe!

At any rate, the most exciting thing that’s happened since I’ve got up … ?

Is that Pages, Keynote and Numbers have been updated.

And you can now do all sorts of weird and wonderful things with the fonts: as Apple have added some font effects.

Frankly?

That looks … 

Well, they’ll make the Teaser videos look interesting.

And some very subdued ones may — may — make my CV look eye-catching.

We’ll see.

~≈§≈~

Just as a quick, and minor, piece of news … ?

Did you ever hear about the Raspberry Pi, the British made, single board computer: that’s started life as an educational tool?

Well, the fourth version’s been released: which will possibly add to the machine’s position as the UK’s best selling computer.

There’s something else.

One has been used to hack NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.

That … ?

Is what I call advertising … !

~≈§≈~

Good Omens — Series 1: Episode 1 — In The Beginning — A Review

25th June, 2019.

You know, there’s upsides and downsides, to life on the proverbial dole.

The length of time between interviews … the boredom …

It can leave you feeling … 

Mildly depressed, to say the least.

For me personally?

A couple of family deaths hasn’t helped.

Something I AM grateful for … ?

Is simply the amount of films and TV shows I’ve got access to: and the fact I can air my thoughts on what I see.

Yes: you’re right.

I’ve finally managed to access Good Omens: the series based on the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25th June, 2019.

25th June, 2019.

I have to say, right now … ?

It’s raining … 

And that matches my mood, perfectly: given the recent deaths in the family.

What can I tell you?

Except that funeral plans for my aunty seem … scant: even though they are pretty much what she wanted.

Closure … 

That’s a tricky one, here, I think.

~≈§≈~

The Kid Who Would Be King — A Review

24th June, 2019.

It’s got to be said … I think I’ve had a bad day, today.

With news, last night, about my Uncle Brian’s death … 

And news this morning, that my Aunty Bella had died.

Which was the death that really twanged:  it’s only a few months ago we’d seen him.

So it seemed … not to be quite so painful.

That’s me, speaking for myself.

Bella’s death, on the other hand … ?

Hurts.

It’s been a while since we’d seen her: and arranging time to go down to Kent, to do so … ?



Seemed to take forever.

There was always a wrong time.

Until, of course, it’s to late … 

~≈†≈~

That has left me … 

Well, flummoxed … is possibly the wrong word.

Shocked … ?

Glum … ?



Possibly the word needed here, is glum.

Certainly — for now — in need of a lift.

I’d done gloomy, last night.

And seriously fancied something light and fluffy.

Hmmm … 

Joe Cornish’s The Kid Who Would Be King seemed to be something that would fill a hole.

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 24th June, 2019.

24th June, 2019.

I think … 

Well, I think a lot of things.

Yesterday morning?

My Uncle Brian died.

He’d been poorly a while, so it wasn’t completely unexpected.

But still something of a blow.

This morning … ?

I got the equally sad news that my Aunty Bella died last night: after a head injury sustained during a fall.

I’m … 

Shocked: both were from an especially tough generation, one that lived through the Second World War.

I’m … 

Well, I’ve had a bad weekend.

I’m not grieving, just yet … 

Well, shocked … 

It’s been a bad weekend … 

~≈§≈~

Dark City — A Review

23rd June, 2019

Yes: it’s been one of those …

One of those days, today.

This morning … ?



My Uncle Brian died.

I’m … 

I also felt closer to Brian than I did my stepdad: as we lost contact, there.

So I’m … not grieving.

My mother, Brian’s sister, and my cousins, Dean and Mark, his children, will be.

I am feeling both depressed … 

And deeply thoughtful.



Thoughtful … 



But very aware there’s little I can do: until asked.

~≈¥≈~



The least that I could do for myself … ?



Was simply keep myself busy

Stuff around the house, job hunting … 

And tonight … ?

Catch a movie.

Frankly, I’ve had Alex Proyas’s Dark City in my collection for a while … 

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-6-2019: Sonic The Hedgehog

23rd June, 2019.

You know, I has very little in the way of cash, at the moment.

Very little.

So, when I spend some?

I expect the goods to work, to be of the best quality for the price … and to turn up on time.

I was due a pair of jogging bottoms, yesterday.

By 8.

Did they turn up?

Did they, heck … !

~≈§≈~

One thing I did hear, yesterday?

Was an article on the Today programme, that introduced us to a champ called Andrew Ashe.

Mr Ashe’s company has won a prestigious prize for for a tablet, running open source software, that kids with little computer literacy could play with.

And learn with.

As I understood it from that piece?

They went with the open source, independent, operating system: as they didn’t want those kids habits being tracked by the likes of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and whoever else.

Good for them!

~≈§≈~

Level 16 — A Review

22nd June, 2019.

It has to be said: Amazon’s a funny bugger.

No, wait, let me be fair, there.



Third party sellers on Amazon are funny buggers.

I ordered — with a little help — some new jogging bottoms.

Mine are getting a little worn.

The things were supposed to be here, by 8pm, today.



Guess what … ?



They’re a no-show.

I’m thinking Amazon third-party sellers … can be a mixed bag … 

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 22-6-2019: Jo Cox.

22nd June, 2019.

I have to admit, I’m a little obsessive, sometimes.

And … ?

Usually don’t start watching a film or TV show, after 8·30.

I have to admit, that’s a rule I broke, last night … 

Starting on the 2018 film, Prospect.

I just could not concentrate!

And gave up after about twenty minutes: which is rather hard on the thing, as it does look an interestingly watch.

Hmmm … 

I think I may just have another go … 

At a another date … 

~≈§≈~

Do you remember that — a while ago, now — the government were due to introduce age checks to access pornography?

Something that’s possibly easy to get around, if you have a copy of TorBrowser.

Well … it seems the (delayed) introduction, moved from last April, to 15th July, this year … ?

Is being delayed, again: to some point, six months from now.

Personally?

At one point, ICANN, the organisation that runs the ’Net, were trying to introduce a Top Level Domain name — the three letter extension at the end of a website’s link, things like .gov, .com or .org — were trying to push through a top level domain — xxx  — specifically for porn sites.

It didn’t work.

The adult entertainment industry objected.

Forcing ICANN to make it voluntary.

That’s a shame: setting up parental controls would have been easier if it had been involuntary.

And the government’s job.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-6-2019: Go Skateboarding Day

21st June, 2019.

Yes: it’s true: I’ve had my nephew, Jude, over, two days in a row.

And … ?

I think we can say he doesn’t like the chicken strips from Dominos.

I’ll give him credit for trying, though: usually, it’s tricky to persuade him to try something new.

At ANY rate … ?

He’s learnt something new … 

How to do picture-in-picture shots in iMovie … 

I think he definitely needs a Mac!

~≈§≈~

Just as an extra point?

You’ll know that I’m a fan of the late Sir Terry Pratchett: have been since reading The Colour of Magic, in the mid 1980s.

So I’m looking forward to seeing the TV version of Good Omens, as and when.

But I’ve found out something that tickled me.

It seems a group of evangelical Christians in the US are objecting to the series.

And have started petitioning Netflix to get the thing cancelled.

They’ve told Netflix that — in showing an angel and a demon being friendly, and working to prevent the Apocalypse  — the series is Satanic.

That it “makes light of Truth, Error, Good and Evil, and destroys the barriers of horror that society still has for the devil.”

Netflix haven’t replied, yet.

Because of the petition’s major issue.

The show’s made by Amazon … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20-6-2019: World Refugee Day.

20th June, 2019.

Yes: I’m officially off to the job centre, this morning: feeling a touch … 

Thoughtful, let’s put it that way.

After all, the most recent inter I had — the one I turned up late to — arranged a second interview for the 26th … 

And then, a few days ago, cancelled.

Admittedly, cancelled: with the promise they’d be in touch with a new date.

I’m sceptical: I’ve heard that a few times.

At ANY rate … ?

I’d need to discuss the fare money that the Job Centre lent me.

With the amount of money coming in, this month?

I need to find out if — and how much — I need to repay.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th June, 2019

19th June, 2019.

Right … it’s officially official: I’m going to be looking after my nephew, this afternoon.

Which should be fun.

Although, frankly?

I’m going to have to see if we can’t watch something else on Youtube.

I don’t know about you, there’s only some much Slogoman and Jelly a body can take … !

Which reminds me … 

I’ll have to ask Ruth — Jude’s mother/my youngest sister — if we can connect her phone to my Mac.

We had trouble getting a video off of it: despite the fact Huawei’s connection software seemed to install itself.

Hmmm … 

~≈†≈~

El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time — Series 3: Episode 13 — Entre dos tiempos/Between two times — A Review

18th June, 2019

Yep: it’s been one of those days.

One where a piece of kit had to be returned to Basildon Hospital.

Kit that is supposed to check my blood oxygen levels: but that I found incredibly uncomfortably to wear.

The nasal cannula wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

The machinery that it was attached to?

That made me look like a wannabe Borg … ?

And was supposed to stay on overnight … ?

Well … 



That didn’t last long.

At any rate, I’ve taken the kit back to Basildon Hospital, today, and tried highlighting I have an issue.

Hopefully?



We can see what happens.

~≈Í≈~

At any rate … ?



I’m back home, unencumbered by stuff!

Home: and listening to Japan’s Tin Drum LP.

There’s time when ambient rain suits my mood.



Tonight … ?



The album that introduced the world to Ghosts* seems the thing.

That … ?



And a TV show.

Yes, you’re right.

The last episode of El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time

third series … 


It’s a gig and a half … 

~≈Í≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th June, 2019

18th June, 2019.

Hmm … 

I think I’m going to have to redo that overnight test.

I have iffy lungs: and had a test, last week: to check my blood-oxygen levels, overnight.

Which was inconclusive.

So I had to put up another bit of kit, yesterday: to do a more thorough test.

The basic of it: in this photo?

Got strapped onto me at the hospital: leaving me to install the cannulas — the plastic tubes that get inserted into the nose — once I went to bed.

I have to admit, I felt like a pre-op Cyberman, going home.

And have to ALSO admit … I think I have a problem.

The whole idea of the kit is to check while your blood oxygen, while you’re asleep.

Which I couldn’t do.

I couldn’t get off: couldn’t do it.

Ended up angrily taking this mass of wiring off, WAY too early.

I think I’m going to have to see about alternatives … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 17th June, 2019.

17th June, 2019

Wouldn’t you know it … ?

I have to go back to hospital!

Remember, a week or two ago, I had to go to Basildon Hospital: to pick up a gadget to test my overnight blood oxygen levels?

The results?

Were inconclusive … !

So … I have to go back: to get another bit of kick, and do another overnight test … 

~≈§≈~

In the mean time … ?

I can get good and buried: into a TV show!

Although, right now, Game of Thrones has finished: and I’m going to be watching the last episode of the incredible El Ministerio del Tiempo.

Frankly?   I’m hoping the Game of Thrones prequel goes through: although I think it’s a shame the Benioff and Weiss planned Confederate didn’t.   I can appreciate it wasn’t a popular idea: but still think it sounded like an interesting story to tell.

I’m also looking forward to the last El Ministerio del Tiempo.

Yes, it’s the last of the current series.

But there is talk of a fourth.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

~≈§≈~

El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time — Series 3: Episode 12 — Contratiempos/Setbacks — A Review

16th June, 2019.

I have to confess two things.

Firstly?

I’ve got Spotify’s Ambient rain playlist on, at the moment.

It’s … 

Well, with a window open, it’s relaxing.

And not quite as distracting as having Radio Four on.

Strange, I know.

But true.

~≈†≈~

The other confession?



A week or two ago, I had to go into Basildon Hospital: to pick up a gadget I had to wear, overnight, to monitor my blood oxygen levels.

Apparently?

The tests were inconclusive: and I have to do it all over again.

Yep: once more to sunny Basildon, twice in a row.

Ho … 

Hum … !



The annoying thing is that I’ve had no letter confirming the appointment.



I’m going to be on the phone, tomorrow.



~≈†≈~

The one consolation, in all this … ?

Is that with videos prepped, jobhunting done, and no laundry needing doing?

It was time to catch some TV.

Yes: time for more of El Ministerio del Tiempo/The Ministry of Time third series.

I’ve been missing Alonso and the gang … !

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 16-6-2019: The Wicked Weed

16th June, 2019.

Yep: I do bedtime reading … 

Which possibly isn’t surprising, all things considered.

You’ve possibly worked out I like a good book, by now.

And, last night … ?

I managed to get started on Micheal Moorcock’s Mother London.

Two chapters in … ?

It’s looking good.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 15-6-2019: The Bombing

15th June, 2019.

Yep: it’s officially official … 

Huawei are having more issues.

After Samsung’s folding phone was withdrawn, Huawei announced that they were suspending the release of theirs: as it was having problems.

They’ve ALSO cancelled the launch of their upcoming hi-end Windows laptop: partly over chip supply problems, and partly because Microsoft won’t necessarily supply versions the operating system.

How Huawei resolves that?

I don’t know about the chips: but they’ve patented a new phone OS, already!

They might well put that on the laptop: there’s plenty of hybrids around that show it can be done.

We’ll have to see … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14th June, 2019

14th June, 2019.

Yes: it’s official.

I’ve been watching Game of Thrones, series eight.

The series isn’t something I’ve reviewed: plenty of others have done that.

But I did manage to watch episode 3, last night: The Long Night.

The one people complained was too dark?   At least, badly lit?

Yeah, that one.

I can see what they mean: it’s decidedly … you know … arty … !

I’ll tell you something else, too.

It don’t half go on!

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th June, 2019.

13th June, 2019.

Right … 

It’s officially true: I can sleep through a bomb going off.

Well, ok, maybe not: that’s me doing some … you know … exaggeration … 

I actually had enough cash, yesterday, to get a bus up to town: which is when a neighbour — Wally, bless him, taking the same bus — told me about the drug raid that had taken place.

A little bit close to home.

In the building next to mine.

I took that with a pinch of salt.

Let’s say I’m a sceptic, shall we?

Then I got home, and had a chance to look both at the local news, and the BBC’s teletext service.

Which I immediately cross referenced with the BBC’s news site.

Yep.   There’d been a raid.   In the building next door.

I think I know one or two of the eight arrested parties.   At least to say ‘Hello’ to.   Which is worrying … 

… 

Drug raids: we’ve had a few, over the years.

I’m personally, thankful it’s not another murder … 

~≈§≈~

Oh, just as a quick thought … ?

Before I go anywhere else?

I’ve been doing a little bed-time reading, over the past few weeks: and finished Ward Moore’s Bring the Jubilee.

It’s a fascinating read: with a twisty ending when the main character realises exactly who’s been killed in the key chapter.

About my only complaint?   Was that the edition I read really could’ve been proof-read, correctly.

There was a serious lack of apostrophes* … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 12th June, 2019.

12th June, 2019

You’ll excuse the language, I hope.

But … ?

Bugger!

I got the interview late, yesterday.

The trains took longer, and the venues was further from the station, than I thought.

Thankfully … ?   The recruiters have agreed to re-schedule the interview: for the 26th.

Assuming, of course, that I can get the funding for the ticket … 

~≈§≈~

Before I move on … ?

Can I make a confession?

I’m getting rather hooked on Quora.com.

It’s a website that’s been going for a while: and lets you ask questions, and answer others.

I have to admit, I like it: it let’s me pass on information, without necessarily getting interrupted.

Like it … ?

I love it … !

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 11-6-2019: The Limelight Department.

11th June, 2019.

Yes: I’m off to an interview, today.

And … ?

I have to admit to nerves: and to the usual feeling that going would be pointless.

Hopefully, though?   I’ll be able to overcome that … and carry out the interview, with some success.

Possibly successful.

I’m always aware that these things aren’t guaranteed … 

~≈§≈~