Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th November 2025.

13th November, 2025.

Yep: I’ve got Radio Four’s Today programme on.

And, yes, the show’s reporting an interesting historical note.

According to an upcoming programme on Channel Four, DNA testing has been what’s left of Adolf Hitler.

Apparently, he had a condition that meant he was more likely to have various neurological conditions.

And an undescended testicle.

If true?

It means we can start singing Colonel Bogey … … 

~≈⚽️≈~

Apple — the computer company — seems to generate rumours.

One of the latest?

Is that it’s supposed to be releasing a low end, budget, MacBook: with an A-series system-on-a-chip.

I wouldn’t expect to be able to afford such a thing: even if it is Apple’s budget option.

But … ?

A body can dream.

After all, it would be nice to own a mobile Mac … and be an improvement on the iPhone sock … 

~≈🍎≈~

As a last thought … ?

There’s a magazine called MacWorld doing the round: it’s been available for many years.

And … ?

One of their infomercial pieces floated across my timeline, a couple of days ago.

Apparently?

You can, with their help, get a dollar-denominated copy of Microsoft Office at just under sixty dollars ($60).

About forty-five pounds (£45), in real money.

Personally?

I’d be turning that down, even if I had the cash.

There’s more than enough free software around, software that opens MS Office files, to make spending the money a stupid move.

~≈❖≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-11-2024 — Bloody Sunday

13th November, 2024: Bloody Sunday.

Right … I think I’ve got that sorted.

Late on Monday, I got an email from Brentwood Council: telling me I owed £417 in council tax.

When — as far as I knew — it had been paid in May.

So?

Wrote a suitably snotty letter.

And, yesterday;

• Went to Brentwood Library.
• Printed the letter out,
• Printed out copies of the bills,
• Printed out a copy of my Personal Independence Payment award letter,
• Stapled them all together,

And took them in to Brentwood Council.

Where the receptionist happily accepted the package.

Who, after as polite an inquiry as I could manage, told me two things.

• That there’d been a change of circumstances form sent out: which I don’t remember getting.
• I needed to fill in the online Council Tax Reduction — Working Age form: so my details were up to date.

That latter job … ?

Took about ten minutes.

Or, at least, ten minutes … on top of how ever long printing everything out and lugging it to Brentwood Council, took.

Ho — if you’ll excuse the phrase — hum!

~≈🪙≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th November 2023.

13th November, 2023.

Yes: I’m officially up early, today.

I’m also back at my weight management course.

Rather than a pointless trip to Basildon!

Heigh … ho … !

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th November 2022.

13th November, 2022.

Yep: it’s a Sunday,

Remembrance Sunday, if we’re counting.

Frankly?

I’m expecting it to be quiet: bar, maybe, putting the Remembrance Day service on.

It is, after all, the King’s first time — as King — to lay a wreathe.

We’ll have to see.

~≈¥≈~

Just so you know … ?

I’ve done another written, and video, review.   Of another episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds: the episode called The Elysian Kingdom.

It’s rather good.

Even if the way Celia Rose Gooding draped all over a throne had me thinking about Tim Curry!

~≈¥≈~

News … news, news, news, news, news!

You keep an eye on it, don’t you?

You’ll probably, then, that Twitter has recently been bought by multi millionaire, Elon Musk.

And that he’s proposed starting charging for the blue tick: the blue tick that shows a user is who they say they are.

I think we can say one thing.

The payment scheme has back fired.

As various scammers have flocked to the site: pretending to be genuine accounts.

It’s lead to suspension of various fake accounts.

And the halting of the blue tick subscription scheme.

I have to ask: who wants to find Elon, and say ‘I told you so’ … ?

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th November, 2021

13th November, 2021.

Yes: it’s official.

One?   Britney’s free.

Which is completely irrelevant to me, and my life, however important it may for her.

I just wish the Today programme would shut up about it!

~≈†≈~

Two?   It’s grim — ish — out.

Which is nice.

Not!

I’ve going to be looking in to a shop in Shenfield: repair a hand-me-down phone that’s going to be used as a Christmas present.

Here’s hoping that can be done quickly … 

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-11-2020: Makin’ Whoopi … !

13th November, 2020.

It’s official the case: I’ve not installed the macOS Big Sur update.

Yet.

Frankly, it went live through the macOS software update system, late, last night.

Alongside updates for Pages, Keynote, Numbers, GarageBand and iMovie.

I’ll have to leave those until after installing Big Sur.

Either way?

Doing them today or tomorrow may be a good idea.

~≈Ü≈~

As a thought?

Very few people will be weeping, today: when they find out that serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe — otherwise known as the Yorkshire Ripper — has died, this morning.

The man killed thirteen women, over a five year period: and inflicted a large dose of terror, along the way.

I can remember hearing about the murders, when I was at school.

There was fear, terror … and a large dose of relief, when he was caught.

The relief at his capture went with a certain amount of anger at the various police forces inability to catch the man.

Just as an example of that?

One of his victims* was found with a new five pound note in her purse: a five pound note that could have been traced from the Royal Mint, to the Bank of England, to main banks, then main branch banks, then local branches … then to the payroll departments of the employers those banks served.   A suspect would’ve been on that payroll list.

You’d assume police would want to trace that fiver, wouldn’t you?

They didn’t … 

I know this was Britain’s first modern serial killer case, that the police had no idea what they were doing with such a case … 

But you’d think they’d’ve twigged that … 

~≈Ü≈~

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

13th November, 2019.

Right … 

Remember me saying that my boiler was due to be repaired, yesterday?

HA!

I got a phone call, yesterday morning: from the contractors.

Apparently, the engineer had gone through the notes: and decided the job would take too long for the available time.

So it’s been rebooked … for Friday afternoon.

Ho … hum … !

~≈†≈~

JUST as a thought … ?

The earworm of the morning is the Associates album tune, Arrogance Give Him Up, from the Sulk LP.

Why I’ve got the bloody thing flapping around my head … ?

I honestly couldn’t tell you!

~≈†≈~

As a final thought … ?

Going by the figures I’ve got access to, I’ve earned another fiver on Youtube.

They still won’t pay me, yet, but it’s nice to see!

~≈†≈~

John Carpenter’s The Fog: A Review

13th November, 2018.

I’m … 

Officially job hunting … 

You couldn’t possibly tell, could you … ?

Especially as I told you in this morning’s Daily Teaser.

Either way, I’m job hunting: and the full implications are sinking in.

I’m doing to be doing nothing productive, bar looking for work for however long that takes.

And have good old fashioned money worries.

After all, my next benefit payment will be in a few days time: but is a reduced Universal Credit payment, based on the hours I had been doing.

It’s only the month afterwards — the day before Christmas Eve — that I get whatever the first full payment is.

Something tells me I have financial problems.

My PayPal ‘TipJar’ is in the side bar, if you want to help!

~≈§≈~

At ANY rate … ?

I am officially a body with nothing to do, today.

Beyond wondering around like a forlorn leaf, blown mournfully in the autumnal breezes that can afflict a man’s soul at this time of year.

Come the evening?   I could sit around, sounding pretentious.

Or, of course, catch a movie … 

I caught a movie: one that’s been sitting in the collection for a while.

Yes, you’ve guessed it, haven’t you … ?

John Carpenter’s The Fog … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th November, 2018

13th November, 2018.

News, news news, news … 

News … !

You’ve possibly seen it coming: as have I.

But I’ve been laid off from work.

And, before you ask?

I was a temp worker, there: with all the rule differences that implies.

I’m ALSO wondering … 

Well, all sorts of things.

Frankly, I was at the company — an out-sourcing firm called Pinnacle — for some 2 years: long enough, were I a permanent member of staff, to qualify for redundancy.

Not that I was made redundant.

That’s the other thing.

I was there for two years: and never offered a permanent contract.

When everyone who started after me?

Was … 

OK, I was told my calls per hour weren’t up to snuff: something I had my doubts about.

I feel that — with recent changes to the actual phone software? — that it was improving.

What CAN I tell you … ?

Apart from the fact I’m now job hunting: and will be heading for the job centre, later, to sort out any benefits.

~≈§≈~

Just as a last news thing?

You’ll have possibly read about the death of Marvel creator, Stan Lee, yesterday.

Which I found saddening.

Although, to be brutally honest, I was never a huge fan of Stan’s work: influential though I know it was.

Personally?

I felt the death — also yesterday — of Douglas Rain — the voice of 2001: A Space Odyssey’s Hal 9000 — more keenly.

The man voiced an icon.

Either way?

Either way, the loss of both is sad: and my thoughts, and condolences, go to both men’s families.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13th November, 2017

Hmmm … 

Radio Four’s Today programme has just told me UK’s intelligence chiefs have against using anti-virus software.

To be specific, against using anti-virus software from Kaspersky Labs.

There are worries the company has too many links to the Kremlin: or, at least, to it’s intelligence agency.

I couldn’t tell you.

I AM surprised about the fuss being made about it.

I have a personal belief: that, while the FBI, and other law enforcement bodies are concerned about the encryption involved with apps like WhatsApp, and Apple’s Messages, US intelligence agencies will have equally friendly relationships with various US software makers.

And bagging whatever help, information and cooperation they can.

In other words, doing the exact same thing.

Let’s face it: you’re reading this in a version of Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge or Firefox.

All bits of US software.

Who’s looking at your browser history?

~≈Ê≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 13-11-2016

Ye gods … 

I’ve literally just just got up: and am ready to get ready for work.

After getting this post up.

So — of course — I’m feeling a bit ropey.   After all, I got to bed at 12, last night.

After finishing work at ten.

I’m … 

Not complaining.

Really … 

After all, I’ve got a job I basically enjoy: and feel, in a small way, that I’m contributing to to people’s well being.

But, BOY … 

Doing some good makes your eyeballs twang … 

~≈Á≈~

Just as an extra thought … ?

As an extra though, it’s Remembrance Sunday: the day Britain traditionally holds many memorials for those lost: in the First World War, and in later conflicts.

Someone I know on Facebook made an interesting point.

That he objects to those lost in WW1 being described as “they made the ultimate sacrifice.”

His point?

Was that the phrase seemed to imply they had a choice.

And that, given the huge social pressure at the start of the war, and the conscription introduce in the latter half, he didn’t think they did.

I think he makes a very good, if simple, point.

Those men didn’t necessarily make a sacrifice.

They were sacrificed.

Bit of a different spin …

~≈Á≈~