Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-2-2026 — Ramadan

18th February, 2026: Ramadan.

Right … I’ve officially got to pick some forms up!

I’m diabetic, if you didn’t know: so have to have quarterly blood tests, to check my blood sugar levels.

Hopefully?

Hopefully, when the test results come in, they will have gone better than my recent weigh-in … !

~≈🩸≈~

I’m something of a Mac fan: you’ve probably already worked that out, haven’t you … ?

So … ?

I am very aware there’s rumours about up-and-coming Apple products.

Including rumours of a lightweight MacBook, one with 8gb of RAM, a 256gb SSD, an A-series chip, and a funky case.

I’m … 

Yes: of course I’m interested to see if the rumoured machine will turn up.

And yes, I think it will be a very good on-the-go machine.

But I can’t help but think it’s a little underpowered for the current version of the operating system.

And also remember that Steve Jobs, when he rejoined Apple in the late 1990s, immediately cut a lot of poorly selling product lines.

Would this machine be one of the ones he cut?

~≈🍏≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-2-2025 — The Gambia

18th February, 2025: Gambia.

It’s official: I’ve lost weight … !

Not much: some two hundred grams.

But enough to keep me pleased.

Now all I need to do … ?

Is keep at it!

~≈⚖️≈~

My wrist hurts.

Oh, at least, the left hand side of the bone in my arm that connects to the wrist.

It’s not painfully painful … but it’s certainly noticeable.

Especially as a pain in my left arm gives me issues … as it would to anyone left-handed.

Heigh … ho!

~≈💅🏿≈~

I don’t think it’s been posted to the BBC’s news sites, as yet.

But … ?

I’ve got the Today programme on, in the background

Who’ve told us of another chapter in the on-going post office scandal.

As you probably know, many sub-postmasters — franchisees — have been wrongfully convicted of various shades of fraud and theft: after faults developed in the Horizon IT systems Fujitsu built for the Post Office.

Developed … and hidden.

Going by today’s news?

The Post Office has renewed Fujitsu’s contract: until October 2026.

I know building, testing, then releasing, these large scale systems takes time.

I know that as well as you do.

But … ?

Extending Fujitsu’s contract, because — as I suspect — the Post Office hasn’t planned for a replacement, years ago … ?

Is just plain stupid.

~≈💻≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-2-2024 — the Number 49

18th February, 2024: The Number 49.

Yes: it’s Sunday.

And … ?

The day after I’ve done some checking.

I got hold of an extra external drive, recently: and wanted to make sure it could be read by a Windows-based PC.

So … ?

I made sure of it, by plugging it into one of the computers in Brentwood Library.

The computer read it: and the data showed up.

Frankly?

I’m thankful!

~≈ß≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th February 2023.

18th February, 2023.

I was expecting a plumber, yesterday.

Partly … ?   To fix a dripping tap: and partly to sort out my bathtub.

He’d turn up between eight am and five PM, I was told.

Ha!

Did he turn up?

Did he, heck!

It looks like I’m going to have to get in touch with my landlords, again!

~≈🏠≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th February, 2022.

18th February, 2022.

For those of us in south eastern England?

Well … I’m imaging it’s windy where you are: if it’s anywhere like where I am.

Frankly?

We’re being gently caressed by Storm Eunice.

And, yes: I’m going for irony, when I say ‘gently.’

As I write, there’s quite a bit of wind, howling past my window.

Which is going to make lunch interesting.

I’ve got my nephew, Jude, over, today.

Ruth — his mother, my sister — has offered to fund lunch.

Going to the nearest shop, to buy it … ?

Is going to be fun.

~≈⛈≈~

Actually, talking of Jude … ?

He was over, yesterday.

And … ?

Well, don’t ask how many times we re-took the “But that’s not it,” bit!

~≈🏁≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th February, 2021.

18th February, 2021.

Right … remember I had an optician’s appointment, a couple of weeks ago?

I’ve got new spectacles: and getting another pair, next week.

As a result of the test, though?   My optometrist I had what she called a dilution test: just to check inside my eyes.

That’s my appointment, today.

And also why I’ve got the sunglasses: things have a tendency to be blindingly bright!

~≈🕶≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th February. 2020.

18th February, 2020.

Right then … 

THAT seemed to work.

As you know, and as far as I know … ?

I’m in line to get a cheap laptop for my birthday.

And thinking of putting the open source operating system, Ubuntu, on the thing.

To that end, I’ve been eyeing ways of making an installer: out of a disk image, and a USB stick.

Which HAD proved difficult.

At least with the copy of balenaEtcher I have.

So I used the Terminal commands on Ubuntu’s page.

Which didn’t work: as the files I had weren’t gzipped* files.

I did frantic hunting.

And eventually got a suggested set of Terminal instructions from Quora.

To cut a long story short?

The process seems to have worked: as, when I plug the stick brought up the macOS dialogue that asks what to do with an un-initialised USB stick.

Usually, it should show up either with that warning … or one that tells me it has no mountable file system.

Which means?

All I need to do now, is check whether this is now an Ubuntu installer on a PC.

Looks like I’m walking to the library … 

~≈¥≈~

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

18th February, 2019.

Yes: it’s true … 

I might well be jobhunting … but the world goes on, out there.

There’s been ongoing concern about Huawei.

With many counties in the English speaking world banning use of its products.

However?

There’s been another report, today: from the National Cyber Security Centre.

Who say any risks from Huawei’s kit are manageable … 

Personally?

Well … what can I tell you?

I’m no engineer.

But the fact BT, Vodaphone and others have expressed doubts should count for something.

~≈§≈~

Personally … ?

I’ve always felt that keeping an eye on some American companies products — Microsoft, Apple and Google’s operating systems, mostly — would be a good idea.

Most operating systems will be sending various amounts of data back to base: so that they can ‘improve your user experience.’

But there’s long been suspicions there’s more going on … 

So, in that sense … ?

The news that Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee feel Facebook and other social media sites should be more heavily regulated: partly to prevent a repeat of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, AND to stop repeats of Molly Russell’s death.

Is a good thing … 

But seems to ignore that telemetry issue.

And whether any data collected by Microsoft, Apple and Google would be handed to the US government.

To me, it seems mildly hypocritical to heavily monitor Chinese infrastructure companies … but not American ones … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th February, 2018

18th February, 2018.

Well, yes: it’s going to be interesting!

For starters?

My birthday present turns up early.

Which means I’m going to have some über-geeky fun, setting the thing up …

It’ll possible take a while.

But I’m re-assured that I can at least migrate stuff over from my Time Machine backup drive.

Hopefully?

I’ll ALSO be able to transfer the two spare internal drives.

I’d HATE to lose my media library, after all!

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-2-2017

Did anyone catch Donald Trump’s big news conference on Thursday?

I caught some of it.

And have to admit, I turned over.   But occasionally went back, to see if he’d stopped.

I’m not a fan of politics.

But, usually?   I’ve noticed politicians usually try to say something: even if it’s something you couldn’t vote for.

I’m also very aware the man has won an election: and therefore can be said to be the legitimate leader of the US.

But that Thursday conference?

It struck me that that was a press conference: something usually done when you’ve got something to tell people.

Except … 

Well, it struck me that all Donald Trump had to say was “Hilary cheated.”

Despite the fact he won.

And “You guys are all lying about me!!!!!”

Which strikes me as sensible: accusing a room full of journalists of being liars, seems a good way of getting them to cooperate.   (That’s on top of getting your facts wrong: in front of a room full of internet connections.)

Oh, and “This administration is going well!!!!!!!!!”

This, despite the already reported back news his presidency faces: things like the travel ban being overturned, the delays in getting administration jobs posted, and various aides handing him free adverts.

Personally?

I think the rally he’s planning to hold, today, is planned to appeal directly to his electorate.   And got me think ‘Nuremberg rally,’ the minute I heard of it.

It’s all show: masking little, or unpalatable, content.

I’m also thinking something else.

That Trmup is vaguely reminding me of George W Bush: who I only ever took seriously, after the 9/11 attacks.

Trump could possibly do his presidency a favour.   If he has to face — and react well to — his own version of 9/11.

I just hope so-called Islamic State have more sense.

~≈fi≈~