Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2025 — Bohemian Rhapsody

31st October, 2025: Bohemian Rhapsody.

Right … 

Have you heard the phrase, ‘segged off’?

Or ‘on the numbers’?

They’re obscure bits of prison slang: obscure enough that a quick Google search doesn’t find them.

But which tell you a prisoner has been segregated from other inmates, for their own protection.

The reason I mention this … ?

Is that, as a result of the Epstein Affair the former Duke of York has stripped of his titles: and is now, officially, Mr Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

The reason I mention it?

Is a belief I’ve formed, when I heard the news.

One I can summarise like this: if Mr Mountbatten-Windsor is successfully prosecuted for any sexual offences in relation to the late Ms Virginia Giuffre, or for anything else, then … ?

Other inmates would see him as a child abuser: and on a par with an imprisoned police officer.

To be honest?

I think the simple fact he’s an ex-prince will make him vulnerable: and put him on the numbers so fast he wouldn’t know what’s hit him.

~≈🚔≈~

Oh … did I mention I had a dream, last night … !

I had a dream last night!

The only thing I could tell you about it, for sure?

Is that: 

• The world was getting hotter.
• People were burning shops in Brentwood Hight Street down.

Quite what that was about, I don’t know!

~≈🔥≈~

Thankfully?

I’ve been paid, today.

Which means?

A little light shopping, a few Christmas presents … 

And, frankly, a set of (cheap) Venetian blinds.

Yes: I realise the expensive ones would be the better option.

But that would mean waiting for at least another three weeks.

You wouldn’t think I’m impatient, would you … ?

~≈🪟≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2024 — World Cities Day

31st October, 2024: World Cities Day.

Right … I’m officially not going to mention a new Apple product release.

Nope: I’ve had two days worth of boring you to death with it.

So I’m not going to mention the seriously upgraded MacBook Pros, MacBook Pros that come with a serious price tag, and serious specs.

Like Thunderbolt 5 ports on practically everything.

And upgraded RAM and hard-drives and screens.

Nor am I going to mention the tweaks made to the MacBook Airs: which now come with increased RAM.

Nope, I’m not going to … … … … 

Ooops!

~≈💻≈~

Ahem!

I have to say, though, those Airs are interesting to me: I’ve just enough cash left to buy one.

But I’m trying to keep hold of the money I’ve got.

I’m also put off by some of the design aspects.

I’m left handed: it’s part of what attracted me to the Mac desktops I’ve had.

The classic, one-button, Mac mice can be used left-handedly with a minimum of fiddling about in the settings.

You just put it on the other side of the keyboard.

So … ?

I like having the left hand side of my desk free, and clear, of obstructions.

However, the current MacBook line up has most of its ports on the left hand side of the machine.

If, like me, you have a lot of hubs and dongles that need connecting… ?

That doesn’t exactly leave you with space.

~≈💻≈~

Just as a last point … ?

I’ve now officially wiped an old external drive, one I was using as my Time Machine back-up.

As securely as possible: after all, someone could access my bank details from that drive.

Even though I’d done it in a way that was a compromise between security, and time taken, it was still an overnight job.

One that, thankfully, had finished by this morning.

I’m now setting up Time Machine with the new drive.

Hopefully?

That set up won’t take long.

Now … does anyone want a second hand, ten-terabyte external drive … ?

~≈💾≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2023 — Spookin’ Nevada

31st October, 2023: Spookin’ Nevada!

Right … 

It’s officially official: I’ve had my COVID 19 vaccination.

And went all the way to Shenfield for it.

It is, effectively, the closest place to my front door.

To be honest?

I got there an hour late: but, thankfully, the chemist was happy to oblige me.

Phew!

~≈Ÿ≈~

Oh … tomorrow is the 1st November: you’d guessed.

You’re also aware — if you’re a Dr Who fan in the UK — that all of the classic series, bar one story, is going to start showing on the BBC’s iPlayer Service.

From tomorrow.

There’s more!

It seems a spin off — Tales From The Tardis — is also going to air on the service.

And the franchise will be released under the ‘Whoniverse’ banner.

People are going to be busy!

~≈Ÿ≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2022 — Bring Out Your Dead.

31st October, 2022.

At some point, last week … ?

I told you that Apple — the company who made my computer — had released a new version of the operating system: and that I had to move my music library to an external hard drive, to make room for the thing.

The installer?   Was a lot smaller than I was expecting.

From the little I’ve read?   That’s because there’s a lot of features that are exclusive to Apple Silicon machine: and not included in the Intel Mac version of the OS.

That’s disappointing: one or two sound interesting.

But that possibly accounts for the size difference between the Monterey installer, and its Ventura equivalent.   (Twelve gigabytes, versus just shy of four for Ventura.)

There’s also the fact that System Settings — the new version of System Preferences — is very different: Preferences was a nice set of icons: System Settings a complicated list.

That’s going to take some getting used to.

The immediate visual upside?

Is the wall paper.

Believe it or not … ?

I find it easy on the eye.

Frankly?

We’re going to have to see how Ventura goes.

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2021: Halloween

31st October, 2021.

Yes: it’s officially official.

It’s so officially official, the government’s got web pages about it.

Yes: the clocks have gone back, and I’ve had an extra hour’s sleep.

Which is handy.

I saw Dune on Friday: which is fantastic, I should add.

But, boy!   The post and video reviews took a while.

I just hope I get a comment on the video version … !

~≈🏜≈~

Oh, JUST ad a quick thought, as today sees the start of the new series of Dr Who … ?

Bookies, William Hill are offering 9/4 on Lydia West to be cast as the 14th Doctor.

Whether that’s worth your time, I don’t know.

~≈📺≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2020: Halloween

31st November, 2020.

Right … it’s official … I have another earworm doing the rounds!

I’ve got Little Big’s Go Bananas being through my head!

Why?

I don’t know.

If I knew that, I’d know why a Russian band sang in Spanglish.   Or singing about Bananaman!

~≈†≈~

Just so you know … ?

I’m working on another piece for PhoenixFM: this time, about crime.

In between watching and TV, writing Teasers, I should say.

I’m going to hang the thing on the rough sleeper I had on my doorstep, a couple of weeks ago.

I’ got in touch with the police officer handling the case, actually: just to follow that up.

Apparently, he’s not managed to track the guy down: although he has identified him.

The sooner he does, the happier I’ll be.

~≈†≈~

On top of all THAT … ?

I’m expecting a phone call on Tuesday.

As you may or may not know, I’m thinking of doing an European Computer Driving License course: just to refresh my skills.

But don’t have a Windows based pc the course insists on.

Thankfully?

It seems my landlords have a Digital Futures have a scheme that will loan me a laptop.

Here’a hoping it goes well!.

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2019: Halloween.

31st October, 2019.

Yes: I’ve finally had my boiler  … looked at!

As you may or may not know?

My boiler’s having issues: giving out lukewarm water, rather than hot water.

According to the engineer who turned up, yesterday?

One main issue?   Is simply that what he called the back plate is — much like an old kettle — covered in limescale.

Which is what’s causing the problem, apparently.

The engineer’s told me he’d be recommending both repair or replacement: whatever was more economic.

And that I’d have to give my landlord’s a call, to finalise that.

Hmmm … 

I thinking one thing is certain.

This is going to take a while … 

~≈ß≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2018: Halloween

31st Halloween, 2018.

Nope: I think I’m not a good ghost.

Frankly?

Having a sheet over my head, whilst going ‘Wooooooooooooooo’ is possibly right … 

Although the chief qualification — being dead — is not me.

Thankfully!

At ANY rate … ?

I’ve a day off, tomorrow: which means I can catch a scary movie … 

Unless I do turn into a ghost, between now and then!

~≈§≈~

As a brief aside … ?

I noticed this piece on the BBC’s news site, yesterday.

Apparently, one worker at the US Geological Survey has a bad habit of visiting pornographic websites.

Quite a few of which can infect the machine he’d’ve used with various forms of malicious software.

And some of which … ?   He’d saved to his phone, and an unauthorised USB stick.

I’m thinking a couple of things: I know the company I work for blocks a lot of porn sites.

Partly to stop staff getting — ahem — distracted.

And partly because many of these sites represent a security risk.

But I’m wondering … why the USGS’s IT section … hasn’t blacklisted as many of those sites has possible … 

Yeah … 

Go figure … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-10-2016: Halloween

There’s an ALMOST slip!

I’m just listening to the news: on Radio 4.

And the newsreader’s just almost described a man accused of murdering four people, as ‘plead not guilty due to demonic possession.’

But managed to correct himself, and use the phrase, ‘dimished responsibility,’ instead.

It’s a shame, really.

Demonic possession would’ve been entirely appropriate

Especially when you consider the date … 

~≈É≈~

Oooh … OOOOH … !

Halloween …

I am some rather strange — but fond — memories of Halloween …

Way back in the day, when I first started running pub quizzes — the original run, at The Hutton — I had a hell of a good time.

Seriously, it really does wonders for you social life.

I met quite a few wonderful people, over the years; some of whom I’m still in touch with, some of whom I’m not.

But one thing’s shaped my experience of writing quizzes.

Getting hold of themed quizzes.

I was, in those very early days, on a very limited budget. It’s part of the reason why I bang on about open source software so much. Software that’s legally available, easily useable and free, is quite an eye catching thing.

But something else was a problem, as well …

Getting hold of questions.

That was sort of solvable.

There’s plenty of quiz question book’s available at your local Waterstones, for starters; I know for starter’s, that Carlton Publishing’s ‘Best Pub Quiz’ series are very handy, and generally — generally — fairly accurate.

Keeping track of games shows helps, as well.

But, of course, they don’t necessarily have themed questions.

You know, Valentine’s Night, Saint George’s Day, what have you.

And the many and various quiz question companies, online and off, charge somewhat higher prices for there themed question set’s than the regular ones.

Including Halloween …

So scrounging up a set of Halloween Questions was always a problem, whilst I was getting going.

I’m bloody pleased at how I managed, actually; remind me to show that first Halloween quiz, at some point!

But that’s kind of my point, though …

There’s never enough free stuff around!

So with that in mind, I’ve actually written a Halloween quiz, for those QM’s out there, who are on a budget.

Or just need a Halloween quiz, in a hurry.

All I ask, is all I’ve ever really wanted on this front; credit where credit is due, and you follow the terms of the Creative Commons License that any of the quizzes come with; all you do is tell people where you got the questions, and pass them on with the same license.

So, here we go …

Halloween 2009!

ROUND ONE: – SCARY MONSTERS AND SUPER BEASTS.

Q1) What name is given to the shape-shifting foxes of Japanese folklore?

A1) Kitsune.

Q2) Which Celtic creatures sing eerie laments after a death in the family?

Q2) Banshees.

Q3) Which mythical dragon has no wings: Japanese or Welsh?

A3) Japanese.

Q4) Zombies come from which Carribean island?

A4) Haiti.

Q5) Batrachaphobia is a fear of what: frogs or bats?

A5) Frogs.   Ok, strictly it’s a fear of reptiles and amphibians, but bats don’t EXACTLY count …

Q6) The Vampire Bat comes from which American continent: North, South, or Central?

A6) South.

Q7) What name is given to a person or animal, that eats the flesh of one of its own kind?

A7) A cannibal.

Q8) The female of which species of spider kills her mate?

A8) The Black Widow.

Q9) In Greek mythology, what nine headed monster was killed by Hercules: the Hydra, the Hydroid or the Hyderabad?

A9) The Hydra.

Q10) Which mythical bird is said to rise from its own ashes?

A10) The Phoenix.

ROUND TWO: BLOOD SOAKED POPCORN.

Q11) In the original version of the film, Pyscho, what is Norman Bates’ hobby?

A11) Taxidermy. (Stuffing things: make of that what you will …)

Q12) Who directed that version?

A12) Alfred Hitchcock.

Q13) In which film does Peter Cushing come back from the dead on Saint Valentine’s Day?

A13) Tales From The Crypt.

Q14) In which year of the 90s was the film version of Silence of the Lambs, released?

A14) 1991

Q15) Which English actor played the monster, in the 1930s film version of Frankenstein?

A15) Boris Karloff.

Q16) Linda Blair starred in which movie about a possessed child?

A16) The Exorcist.

Q17) In the film, Halloween, what’s the name of the masked serial killer who is the film’s main villain?

A17) Michæl Myers. (Half a point for just Michæl.)

Q18) In the original film version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who played Buffy?

A18) Kristy Swanson.

Q19) In hit film Death Becomes Her, which star played the male lead?

A19) Bruce Willis.

Q20) Who played Keanu Reeves’ devilish boss, in The Devils’ Advocate?

A20) Al Pacino.

ROUND THREE: – MUSIC AND LIGHTS.

Q21) Godley and Cream’s first hit, Under Your Thumb, was all about a man who meets a ghost where: on a train, on a plane or in a car?

A21) A train.

Q22) Director, John Landis, directed the video for which Michael Jackson song?

A22) Thriller.

Q23) Which Ghanaian Reggae star claims to have once been cursed by a witch doctor?

A23) Eddie Grant.

Q24) The Exorcist used which Mike Oldfield album, in its soundtrack?

A24) Tubular Bells.

Q25) What spooky song was the 2nd Number 1 for The Specials?

A25) Ghost Town.

Q26) Which band had a hit with Grimly Fiendish?

A26) The Damned.

Q27) What was the name of Siouxsie Sioux’s backing band?

A27) The Banshee’s.

Q28) Which 80s Goth band released Bela Lugosi’s Dead?

A28) Bauhaus.

Q29) What was the only hit for Bobby Picket and the Crypt-kickers?

A29) The Monster Mash.

Q30) Which member of The Doors claimed to have once dated a witch?

A30) Jim Morrison.

ROUND FOUR: – BLOOD SOAKED PAGES … !

Q31) Who, with Hansel, was lured into the wicked witch’s gingerbread house?

A31) Gretel.

Q32) In which fairy tale does an evil witch feed a poisoned apple to the heroine?

A32) Snow White.

Q33) The film Pyscho, is based on a book by which author?

A33) Robert Bloch.

Q34) Who wrote famed horror short story, The Call of Cthulu?

A34) H. P. Lovecraft.

Q35) Name Stephen King’s second novel.

A35) Salems Lot.

Q36) The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is about which American town’s witchhunt?

A36) Salem

Q37) “Eye of newt, toe of frog”, is part of the witches chant in which of Shakespeare’s play?

A37) Macbeth.

Q38) According to Bram Stoker, Count Dracula’s castle is located in which Romanian province?

A38) Transylvania.

Q39) What was the title of James Herbert’s 1st novel?

A39) The Rats.

Q40) Who wrote the classic ghost story The Signal-Man?

A40) Charles Dickens.

ROUND FIVE: – I SEE DEAD PEOPLE!!

Q41) Patrick McGoohan died in 2009: what iconic sixties series was he the star, and co-creator of?

A41) “The Prisoner

Q42) Which late actor connects the late film and tv star, Patrick McGoohan to the equally late barrister, and playwright, Sir John Mortimer?

A42) Leo McKern; – who played Mortimer’s creation, Rumpole of the Bailey, for many years, and a recurring character, in cult McGoohan series, The Prisoner.

Q43) Which arty children’s TV presenter died, in 2009?

A43) Tony Hart

Q44) Which children’s TV series logo did the presenter in Q43) originally design?

A44) Blue Peter’s

Q45) Which former EastEnders actress died of cancer, this year?

A45) Wendy Richards

Q46) Conedy actress Diane Holland died this year; – in which sitcom did she play a dance instructor?

A46) Hi-De-Hi.

Q47) Estelle Bennett died, this year, at the age of 67; – which sixties girl band was she a member of?

A47) The Ronettes.

Q48) Sharat Sardana died, this year; – for which award winning comedy was he a writer?

A48) Goodness Gracious Me.

Q49) The author of The Witches of Eastwich died in 2009; – what was his name?

A49) John Updike

Q50) Natasha Richardson died this year; – in which Chekov play did she make her West End debút?

A50) The Seagull.

ROUND SIX: – GRUESOME IGNORANCE.

Q51) Which part did former child star Jackie Coogan play in the TV series, The Addams Family?

A51) Uncle Fester

Q52) Ponerology is the study of what?

A52) Evil. (Well, social injustices, strictly, but … )

Q53) According to an ancient superstition, albatrosses are the reincarnated souls’ of drowned what: sailors, soldiers or spies?

A53) Sailors.

Q54) Who was England’s Witchfinder General?

A54) Matthew Hopkins.

Q55) In which English county did the Pendle Witches terrify their neighbours?

A55) Lancashire.

Q56) Halloween is derived from which Celtic festival?

A56) Samhain.

Q57) The Vade Retro Satana was — during the Middle Ages — the official name for which Roman Catholic ritual?

A57) The Rite Of Exorcism.

Q58) In what day is Halloween usually celebrated in Finland?

A58) November the 1st..

Q59) What is the name of the ghost ship, doomed to sail the seven seas forever?

A59) The Flying Dutchman

Q60) In which part of the British Isles is Halloween known as ‘Pookie Night’?

A60) Ireland.

Enjoy that, folks!