Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9th February 2026.

9th February, 2026.

Right … it’s officially time for the Monday Morning Early Start!

Yes: I’m off to my weight management group!

I lost 600 grams last week.

Which isn’t much, but is a good thing: and hopefully, something that will be continued … !

~≈🥗≈~

Did I mention I do surveys?

I do surveys: for the Office of National Statistics.

It’s one of those arrangements where you earn points for each survey: and earn cash, once you have enough points.

Given the average amount you earn?

I’m one survey away from fifty pounds.

That next survey couldn’t come soon enough.

The sooner I can afford a new toaster, the better!

~≈🍞≈~

Yesterday … ?

Was the day of the USA’s Super Bowl: won by the … hang on … won by the Seattle Seahawks.

I’m not a sports fan: so didn’t follow it.

But am very aware that the US President complained about the half time show.

Apparently, the fact that Puerto Rican rapper, Bad Bunny, did his set in Spanish.

And, according to the President?

“Nobody understands a word this guy is saying”.

I think the President missed something, there.

No-one would’ve understood a word of it … 

Except the forty-one million or so US Spanish speakers: some fourteen percent of the USA’s population.

Ho … … … hum … !

~≈🇪🇸≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-2-2025 — Super Bowl 59

9th February, 2025: Super Bowl 59.

Right, it’s Sunday … !

And, in the background, Edward Stourton, is presenter Radio 4’s usual Sunday show.

Whilst I’m not especially religious?

It’s nice to have the thing on: and hear about some of the good religious groups are capable of.

~≈🙏≈~

I’m still working on a review: wouldn’t you know it?

Hopefully?

I’ll have that finished, by tonight.

All that’s needed?

Is a brief discussion of the state of blu-ray distribution!

Ho-hum!

~≈🎦≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9th February 2024.

9th February. 2024.

Yes: it’s Friday!

And, frankly?

I have little to do.

I might — possibly — end up watching something: but who knows!

Let’s move on, shall we?

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9th February 2023.

9th February, 2023.

Right … It’s Thursday.

And it’s a day that I’m expecting to be quiet.

Well … 

Barring a phone call from a physio-therapist.

Here’s hoping that goes well: especially given there’s one exercise I’m finding tough!

~≈®≈~

There’s a Tory MP called Lee Anderson: who’s just been named as Deputy Chair of Britain’s Conservative Party.

Staring a row with a BBC Nottingham presenter in the meantime.

Before being named to the role on Tuesday?

He gave an interview with The Spectator magazine: and came out in support of capital punishment.

The death sentence, in other words.

Apparently?   It’s “100% effective.”

As?   “Nobody has ever committed a crime after being executed.”

He says some will oppose it, on the grounds that their cases cannot be proved, one way or the other.

That modern phone cameras will capture a lot of evidence.

He also tells us “I don’t want to pay for these people.”

Which is fair enough.

But?   Speaking personally?

My own — limited — understanding how capital punishment in the US works, tell me prisoners on death row appeal, and appeal, and appeal the appeal if it goes against them.

And keep appealing until the very end.

And do so on the US equivalent of Legal Aid.

Making it cheaper to keep them alive.

I can only hope that — if that’s the case — that someone can point this out to Mr Anderson.

He’s a Tory: their supposed to like keeping public spending down.

~≈®≈~

Just as a last point … ?

I caught the first episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, last night.

I’m not going to be given it the review treatment.   I’ve enough on my plate already.

But … ?   It could well be worth your while: Lot 36 is an impressive opener.

~≈®≈~

Antlers — A Review

8th February, 2022.

Can I make a quick confession?

I’ve started writing this post on Tuesday, 8th February: hence the dateline at the top of the article.

And back when I only had an idea I wanted to sit in and watch a film: without necessarily having made up my mind about what I wanted to see.

Little Joe, Godzilla vs Kong, Last Night in Soho … ?

All look good.

However?

I’ve pretty much got my mind set on Antlers.

Purely because the trailer looks interesting.

By the time you read this, I will have written my review, recorded its video equivalent … 

And be able to tell you.

~≈Ÿ≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-2-2022: Rhode Island

9th February, 2022.

Yes≤ it’s officially official: I managed to catch a movies, last night.

The 2021 horror film, Antlers.

Which is … interesting.

But I’ll let you know, more, later.

~≈Ó≈~

I’ve not drunk for years: and tend to feel a lot better for it.

But tend to keep an eye on the industry.

Especially when interesting bits of news happen, however trivial.

It seems that, recently, The Macallan, one of the Scottish distillers?

Has released a limited edition of single malts that date back to World War Two: and retailing for some £92,000.

You’re welcome to buy me a bottle.

No: I don’t drink.

But I’d love to sell it on, on Ebay!

~≈🥃≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser 9-2-2021: Halley’s Comet …

9th February, 2021.

Something you’ll notice, if you watch my intro video the whole way through?   Is the ending.

Yes: that’s taken from the main door of the building.

That’s pretty nasty for around here!

~≈❄️≈~

You’ve worked out I’m not working, at the moment: haven’t you?

And that I’m getting a UK benefit called Universal Credit: and, as such?   I — like everyone else on the benefit — am getting an extra twenty pounds a week, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

That benefit, however?   Is due to end in March.

There’s been complaints about that, over the past few weeks.

I’ve felt the planned one-off payments aren’t a good alternative, that marking the £20 uplift is better, and that it should be made permanent.

Most recently from the Work and Pensions Secretary, Therese Coffey.

Today, however?   We see that the Commons Work and Pensions committee agrees with her.

Sort of.

They’ve insisted that the uplift should remain in place for at least another year.

I’m say it again: I would prefer it to be permanent.

But another year would be a good thing.

~≈£≈~

The US Senate is doing more work, today: towards impeaching former US president, Donald Trump.

Good thing too: encouraging your supporters to storm Congress seems slightly naughty, to say the least.

About the only thing I’ll give the former president?

Is authorising Project Artemis: a planned US moon shot.

My only concern, when President Biden was elected?   Was whether he’d cancel that.

After all, President Obama — Joe Biden had been Obama’s Vice President — had cut NASA’s funding: and been heavily criticised for doing so by no less than Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon.

Thankfully?

President Biden has decided to keep funding the project.

I’m glad to hear it.

The USA used to be a space leader.

With the United Arab Emirates heading for Mars*, it needs to catch up.

~≈🚀≈~

Doctor Who — Series 12: Episode 7 — Can You Hear Me? — A Review

9th February, 2020.

Right … 

JUST so you know?

My name’s Paul: and I live in the United Kingdom.

And?

Right at the moment, it’s 20:14 … 

And Storm Ciara is still … blowing.

To the point where the video I caught this morning is possibly seriously out of date.

It’s been breezy, in other words!

Breezy enough that the BBC transmitters went down this morning!

Personally … ?

I’m thankful that didn’t happen this evening!

~≈¥≈~

At any rate, I felt I should tell you two things.

For starters?

I’ve got Marley’s* Exodus album on in the background.

You have to put a classic on, sometimes, don’t you?

The other thing?

I’ve seen tonight’s episode of Doctor Who.

And I’m thinking Can You Hear Me? has quite an atmosphere!

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-2-2019: Tail Gunner Joe’s Big Mission …

9th February, 2019.

Yes: I’m going to have to send that movie back to Amazon.

It looks fantastic … but frankly?

I’m blowed if I can get the subtitle to work.

Frankly?   The film was made by Germans, written by Germans, stars Germans, and consequently?   Is in German, a language I don’t actually read?

Yes, I know it’s a silent movie.

It’s still all in German: the intertitle cards, at least.

It’s going back.

~≈§≈~

On other fronts … ?

On other fronts, my new glasses are due in.

On a day when the weather’s looking nasty.

Don’t you just love that?

Either way?

I’m looking forward to picking them up.

Although I’m worried that one pair — the ones I’ll be using everyday, including when I record videos for Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar — make me look like Harry Potter.

I can only hope someone mentions Ponder Stibbons, at some point … 

~≈§≈~

Just as a LAST thought … ?

There’s more updates available to macOS: now described as a ‘supplemental update for macOS 10.14.3’.

Seemingly, it’s the macOS patch for the FaceTime bug that’s been recently revealed.

I’m glad to see it.

I’m also slightly worried: as the last update made iMovie had to use … 

Oy vey … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9th February, 2018

9th February, 2018.

No, really … 

I seriously want to go back to bed.

Frankly?

I am knackered: and blaming the trains for that.

Last night … ?

The 22:26 from Chelmsford was delayed by roughly five minutes.

Which had a knock on effect: I missed the 22:44 from Shenfield.

By about two minutes: wouldn’t you know it?

Which meant next train was — theoretically? — was the  22:59.

Which got altered at the very last minutes: as a driver went AWOL.

Which meant I ended up getting the 22 whatever it was … 

And getting home by half eleven: getting to bed about half an later than usual.

Right now … 

Well, needs must, and all … 

But, BOY, that duvet looks comfy!

~≈§≈~

Mr Robot — Series 1 Episodes 5 and 6 — eps1.4_3xpl0its.wmv and eps1.5_br4ve-trave1er.asf

9th February, 2017.

It has to be said … 

Sometimes, there’s nothing like some music to help an evening go with … 

Well, if not a bang … then certainly a … 

A … 

Non-bang … 

If that make’s any sense?

At any rate, as I type?   I have some music on.

Brian Eno’s Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror, so you know.

OK, my listening habits?

Possibly aren’t something that’s going to grab you.

The fact is, I wanted to add a little local colour to what could have been an otherwise boring introduction.

That, at heart?

I’ve been watching the first series of Mr Robot, over the past few weeks.

And caught another two episodes, tonight.

~≈⇧≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-2-2017

Hmmm … 

You know I try and keep my eyes on the technology news, don’t you?

And I’m someone with an Apple TV, and no DVD player.   So I follow the news about streaming boxes with interest.

Especially about Kodi boxes.

Just so you know, a Kodi* box is a media streaming box: one that usually runs a version of Android: and usually runs Kodi as the default media player/manager software.

Kodi, like a lot os open source software?   Can be modified: with add-ons.   Mostly ones that let you play some of the odder file types, or play games: what have you.

SOME of which can let you access paid for contact — Netflix or Amazon Prime, say, or subscriber sports channels — for free.

Most of us could add these to a Kodi box: but would probably find it just a little too fiddley.

However, someone sellers?   Sell what are known as fully-loaded Kodi boxes: ones with the dodgier add ons already installed.

Some of those sellers?   Were raided by various northern police forces, yesterday: working with the trade-body the tries to prevent copy-right violations.

Personally?   I’m a little concerned.

Not so much by the raid: nor by the fact people are buying stuff that let’s them break the law.

I think copyright piracy is going to happen in many different ways.   And where we were talking about peer to peer sharing, a few months ago, and Kodi boxes, now, we’re going to be talking about something else, in a year or so’s time.

What worries me, between the raid, and the court case?

Is how this affects add-ons.

Frankly?   I know many bits of software — open or closed source, free or otherwise — relies on add-ons.   You’re probably using an ad-blocker and a Flash player in your web-browser, am very aware some media players use add-ons to play some of the odder file types, and know there’s a lot of add-ons for Microsoft Office.

My concern is this.

I’m not worried about copy-right theft: the raids and court case won’t stop that, nor stop companies working to prevent it.

I’m concerned how this will after the legal use and development of add-ons.

I like Ad-block Plus.   I’d rather not lose it and others, in a botched attempt to ban the ones that let you watch football for free.

~≈↑≈~

The Daily Teaser — 9-2-2016

Oh … 

Nice … !

You’ve probably worked out I’m a fan of writer, Terry Pratchett.   One upset by his death, and the Alzheimer’s that was a contributing factor in it, but one who treasures the collection of work by the man: still sitting on my shelves.

At any rate … ?   I’ve got up, this morning, and done my usual thing: making a cuppa, cleaning my teeth … and quickly checking the BBC news site, before opening up a new post, here.

One thing caught my eye.

The news that Salisbury Council have approved plans for a statue of Terry Pratchett.

Personally … ?

I think that’s entirely appropriate.

~≈®≈~