Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 5-4-2025 — First Contact Day.

5th April, 2025: First Contact Day.

It’s officially official: I am not complaining … 

Yet.

As you know, I've — and many others — have had issues with blu-ray copying app, MakeMKV: after Apple issued an iffy update.

The makers have now issued an update.

An update that will hopefully resolve the issues.

Although I am very aware there’s been at least one report on the relevant forum thread: saying they are still having issues.

We will have to see.

~≈👩🏽‍💻≈~

That update tells me a few things,

My more panicky side … ?

Tells me that buying a refurbished Windows laptop as an extra, back-up, machine — ha! — would be helpful.

Something that I could do … except that my less panicky side has told me that a little patience would be cheaper.

What will I do, if this update doesn’t help?

Bar reminding myself patience is a virtue?

I have no idea … !

~≈🃏≈~

One minor thing I know?

Is that — from what I had seen of affordable laptops? — was that eBay did or do plenty of refurbished ones.

At around the £75 mark: about €88, or $96.

That — to me — seems a reasonable price on the money I have.

I also know — courtesy of a news report from the BBC, today — that Nintendo have released their new Switch 2 console for pre-order.

Along side the newly updated version Super Mario Kart.

Which — in the UK, at any rate — they’re offering at £74·99.

To me?

That seems a hell of a lot!

Especially as you can get a refurbished laptop for that money.

You can get the various limited-edition, classic Dr Who boxsets for a lot less.

Even some of the games for my nephew’s PlayStation 5 are less!

I’ll be honest, if that were a movie on blu-ray?

For £75, I’d be expecting all the versions available in 4k, please a shed-load of extras … and a signed photo of Terry Pratchett!*

~≈🃏≈~

Let’s move on.


Yesterday’s Teaser saw Mum†, Olga‡, Irene§ and Debbi¶ putting in their answers: with everyone scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s five questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video.

Q1)        5th April is First Contact Day.   For whom: Dr Who fans, Star Trek fans or Star Wars fans?

Q2)        It marks the (fictional) day humans met whom: Daleks, Vulcans or Wookies?

Q3)        It was introduced in which film: Dr Who and the Daleks, Star Trek: First Contact or Star Wars Episode Four: A New Hope?

Q4)        The (fictional) aliens humans meet have what: sink plungers, pointy ears or fur?

Q5)        Finally … ?   The (fictional) aliens humans meet, are from where: Skaro, Vulcan or Kashyyyk?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1)        4th April is NATO Day.   NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty … what?

A1)        Organisation.

Q2)        The day marks the signing of the relevant treaty.   In which year of the 1940s?

A2)        1949.

Q3)        NATO has how many member nations: 16, 32 or 64?

A3)        32.

Q4)        Most of the member nations are where: Europe, North America or Africa?

A4)        Europe.

Q5)        Finally … ?   And at the time of writing (Feb 2025)… ?   Is Ukraine a member of NATO?

A5)        No.

Here’s a thought …

“First Contact Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on April 5 …”.

From the Wikipedia entry on the day … 

And a cheesy song about aliens¹ …

The next ten question set will be on 9th April: it’s about Paul Robeson.


To stop your answers being copied, they will be published tomorrow morning.



Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.



Decisions about scores are final.

Thank you for coming: have a good day.

*        As an example?   I bought the collectors edition blu-ray of Blade Runner, a while back.   All five alternative version of the thing, plus extras, for ~£56.   That was reasonable, I felt.   The sellers are now charging £190!

†        Hello, Mum … !

‡        It sounds like the developers behind MakeMKV have updated the thing, Olga: hopefully, it’ll work!

        I’ll keep my fingers crossed for the broadcast, Olga.   Has everyone at the station in a WhatsApp group?   That can be helpful, co-ordinating things, I think.

§        Morning, Irene: cheers for the card!

¶        What can I tell you, Debbi?   Except “Marvin I Love You” always makes me tearful … !

¹        I first saw the video for “Calling Occupants …” some twenty years after Karen Carpenter died from complications from anorexia.

        I was shocked by how skinny she looked … … …