Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-2-2026 — Brave New World (Ten Questions)

4th February, 2026: Brave New World.

Right then … it’s Wednesday … !

Which means — as my nephew, Jude, was over, last night … ? — that it’s time for another of his videos!

You’re officially making ‘YAY’ noises, aren’t you … ?

~≈⚽️≈~

The former BBC2 series, Mock the Week, has been revived: on its new channel, TLC.

In a new, extended, form.

I caught the repeated, first episode, last night.

It was an hour long: in part, due to the various ad breaks.

It’s still funny … but I don’t think the ad-breaks, or the extended run-time, appealed … !

~≈📢≈~

Which reminds me … 

There’s a few TV shows I want to watch, then review: including the last series of Stranger Things, and Star Trek: Star Fleet Academy.

That’s going to have to wait, though, I think: until after my piece on the Ralph Bakshi version of The Lord of the Rings.

Which should be today.

Here’s hoping!

~≈🧙‍♂️≈~

As a last thought … ?

I’ve now, officially, deactivated my X/Twitter account.

And, surprisingly?

It’s not because of Elon Musk, or his politics.

Granted, I didn’t — and don’t — like what I know of his beliefs: but they didn’t stop my enjoyment of X, as a site.

I’ve met someone nice people as a result of being on the thing.

No, what’s got me leaving?

I have, for some sixteen odd years, advertised both this blog, and my YouTube videos, on X.

Quite repetitively so, in fact.

And, in the past few weeks?

Had my account limited.

Because those posts have been seen as spam, and — ha! — inauthentic!

So, after a lot of thinking?

I’ve deactivated my X account.

After thirty days, after 4th March, 2026, anyone using my account, @Cuddy2977, isn’t going to be me.

Feel free to follow me on Facebook, Mastodon, Instagram and Bluesky.

~≈X≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4th February 2025.

4th February, 2025.

Ah … 

That’s handy … !

I’ve been transcoding a blu-ray copy of 1982 film, Bladerunner.

As you know, I use a mix of MakeMKV and Handbrake to turn a given blue-ray into a digital video I can then stream to my AppleTV 4k.

Software I’ve used to copy the versions of the film on the disc, to my computer, and then transcode.

Whilst I’ve been tinkering?

I’ve discovered that you can tweak the settings in the version of MakeMKV I have, to let VLC play a protected blu-ray, directly.

As all three apps are, effectively, free?

This means I can play optical discs on my computer, at no cost.

Without having to pay for expensive disc playing software, or a blu-ray player.

That’s handy … 

~≈📀≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-2-2024 — The Social Network

4th February, 2024: the Social Network.

Yep: it’s Sunday.

And I think I’d like to go back to bed: I had a comparatively late night, last night.

Dinner with the family finished late: although it DID give Bobby the cat a chance to explore the conservatory.

~≈Ç≈~

Remember, recently, that I bought a new web cam?   A Nolansend 4k camera?

One that had been advertised as capable of 4K recording?   But that turned out not to?

I was disappointed … but have kept the thing, as it’s, fundamentally, a good camera: just not completely as advertised.

Amazon’s done it’s usual thing: and assumed I’m interested in more 4k cameras.

And waved this Depstech-branded camera at me.

Which seems to have the same issue, according to the critical reviews.

On top of that, there’s at least one other Nolansend branded camera with at least one bad review, complaining about the same issue: that the given camera doesn’t do what the listing says it does.

I’ve been conned before now, by third party sellers on Amazon: conned into buying a USB stick with a far smaller capacity than claimed.

Frankly?

I’m wondering if these iffy cameras are a new, similar, trend.

~≈Ç≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4th February 2023.

4th February, 2023.

Right … it’s Saturday, 4th February: and a month away from my birthday.

It you want to buy me an expensive present, now is possibly the time!

Ahem!

On a more serious note?

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

It tells us how parliamentary candidate, Heidi Alexander, is concerned how recently introduced voter ID requirements — for ID that will be needed in May’s local elections — hasn’t been taken up.

I think she may have a point.

When the scheme originally announced, there were costs involved.

But the Voter Registration Certificate*, itself, is now free.

However?

If you can’t take a photo with your smart phone, you have to get a (charged for) passport photo.

THEN find some some way of sending it in.

The scheme is going to cause problems.

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4th February, 2022

4th February, 2022.

How on Earth does that happen … ?   How … ?

Waking up in the morning, half convinced that’s it’s the day after the day it actually is?

I was thinking it’s a Saturday.

Very aware that’s it’s actually a Friday: a day I’ve got another meeting, at another weight management program.

Right at the bottom end of London Road!

It’s a hell of a walk, I know that!

~≈Ç≈~

Oh, while I’m here … ?

Did I mention my nephew, Jude, is a YouTuber?

His channel’s here, if you’d like to subscribe.

The reason I mention it … ?

Is he’s done another video.   Feel free to hit Like, or Share!

~≈Ç≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-2-2021: World Cancer Day.

4th February, 2021.

It’s officially a Thursday … 

And … ?

I have to admit to a certain amount of boredom.

After all, this week’s seen a busy couple of days.

Still, there’s a possible upside: I had a meeting with my Work and Health case worker, yesterday.

There’s possibly a job available: working from home.

We’ll have to see how that goes.

I suspect I’m going to need to ask for a Windows based PC, at some point.

~≈👨🏻‍💻≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-2-2020: The Codex Sinaiticus

4th February, 2020

I have to admit: this is the first morning — for a while — that I’ve wanted to go back to bed!

Yep: I was up latest, last night.

Frankly?

I was watching another episode of For All Mankind, and the write-up took a little longer than I thought!

Hey HO!

~≈¥≈~

Ha … !

My birthday’s up in a few weeks.

Frankly?

All I want for it is a job: which is proving hard to find, at the moment.

Saying that … ?

I also wouldn’t mind a cheap laptop.

I can put Ubuntu on it, which would give me something to write about, and can at least do my Job hunting at Brentwood Library.

I’d get some exercise, it nothing else … 

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4th February, 2018

4th February, 2018.

You know, that’s something that caught my attention.

News.

News.

About Robert Wagner, the widower of the late Natalie Wood.

Just in case you didn’t know?

Wood was the Angelina Jolie of her day.   A beautiful, successful and very in demand actress, and the first person a director would want to phone, if he needed a competent actress … who’d also generate interest in the film.

Famously, and after completing her last film, Brainstorm, Wood died: after a not much talked about incident on Wagner’s yacht.

No-one’s talked about it, checked what happened, investigated it … 

Until recently.

When US police have named Wagner as a ‘person of interest’ in their investigation.

Personally?   And having seen Brainstorm, knowing the set was closed down whilst the studio financing it tried to claim the insurance money?   Having known about Wood’s death for a long time, knowing it was only ever lightly investigated?

Personally, I’de like to know what happened*.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-2-2017

Oh!

I found out, last night, that the woman that lives next door, and who’s been living in the same flats as me for almost a decade, is moving.

She’ll be moving on to a new place in a few weeks time.

OK, there’s been times we’ve violently disagreed.

But I’m saddened a friend and neighbour is moving away: whilst pleased she’s found somewhere new.

Of course, the other side to this?

The other side to this?

The other side to this … is who on Earth will be moving in.

Social housing can be a bit of a mixed bag.

Most of the neighbours are fine.

Some … ?

Have been nightmares.

I just hope we don’t get the latter.

~≈⤱≈~