Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-7-2026 — Argentina

9th July, 2026: Argentina.

It’s official: I’ve uploaded a video!

But you’ve possibly guessed that.

And possibly already noticed that uploading a video to tell you I’ve uploaded a video seems a little recursive.

For want of a better word!

At any rate?

I caught the first episode of For All Mankind’s new series: and thought I should tell you about it!

~≈👨‍🚀≈~

Oh … the BBC’s new site released this article, a few days ago: telling us many companies are renting out robots, and questioning what use the robots are.

It’s mostly entertainment ones getting rented out, it seems: ones doing tasks that are easy to program.

That’s not necessarily caught my attention, though.

The simple fact that companies are renting out robots is what caught me.

Why?

Because renting out electronics is an old idea: Brentwood had a branch of Radio Rentals, after all.

That’s not the first thing I thought of, though.

No.

I thought of Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot.

That’s the first place I saw the idea … !

~≈🤖≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9th July, 2025.

9th July, 2025.

Right … I had free time, yesterday: as the workmen I was expecting couldn’t make it.

In exchange?   And as a result of the phone appointment I had with a locus GP at my surgery?

I had to head into town to chat to my doctor in person.

As a result?

I had to wee into a pot: so the doctor could check my urine,

Apparently, that’s OK.

I am also going to have to poo in a pot: so I can post off a stool sample.

The older I get … ?

The more life turns yummy!

~≈💩≈~

Did I mention I’ve been watching various episodes of Max Headroom?

The US series, rather than the original British show.

The thing can be surprising.

A few nights ago, I saw Robert O’Reilly — who Star Trek fans will remember as Gowron, the Klingon Chancellor — turn up in the first season, as a media savvy terrorist.

It was the eyeball thing he does: it’s very distinctive … !

But he wasn’t the last Star Trek alumni to crop up in Max Headroom.

Rosalind Chao — Keiko O’Brian — turned up in last night’s episode: playing a junior journalist.

You know, actor spotting could be a new game!

~≈📺≈~

On a related note … ?

That particular episode, Deities, was very good: and saw Edison Carter and the team investigating a dubious church: one that’s offering a dubious form of resurrection in return for a lot of money.

And manage to kidnap Max, in an effort to steal the technology that powers him.

Or, at least, turn him into a televangelist!

It’s well worth a watch.

For no other reason than this: the earlier scenes, the ones with Rosalind Chao, manage to convincingly present Edison and the team as a group of journalists, discussing the stories they’re going to chase.

That’s quite something!

~≈📰≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9 July, 2024.

9th July, 2024.

Right: it’s now Tuesday!

Which means … I’m staying for a lot of the day.

Apart from when I go out, later.

Yes: I’ve got my usual diabetic foot check, this afternoon.

Heigh ho!

~≈ß≈~

Do you follow the Star Trek franchise, at all?

I do.

So I, like others, know the franchise is made by the various arms of multi-media giant, Paramount.

I’m always very aware the company’s recently announced it will be merging with SkyDance.

Quite what that means for the Star Trek franchise?

I don’t know: but would be interested to find out.

~≈ß≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-7-2023 — The African Union.

9th July, 2023: The African Union.

It’s official: we were supposed to get thunderstorms, yesterday.

But didn’t!

We got about ten minutes of light drizzle, instead: after a day that was very muggy.

Hopefully?

We’ll get a real storm, today.

~≈⚡️≈~

Oh … I’ve caught another episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds.

In case you’re interested … ?

The review’s here;

~≈🖖≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-7-2022 — Hadrian’s Rule

9th July, 2022.

Yes: it’s Saturday.

A day of dancing, jollity, and generalised stuff.

Personally?

I’m planning on going shopping: I like bread.

Oh, and cornflakes.

And possibly … ?

I might just have to see about a new dustpan and brush: miner seem to …

No … wait … I’ve found it.

NOW all I need to worry about is a new backpack!

Mine’s getting a bit ratty!

~≈Á≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-8-2021: Tom Hanks.

9th July, 2021.

Right then … it’s a Friday.

So, inevitably, I’ll doing my Follow Friday’s on Twitter, later.

Just as inevitably?

I’ve another meeting: or, at least, Zoom lesson on my course.

Which reminds me, I’ll have to do another section of the associated Health and Safety Course!

Busy, busy, busy!

~≈fi≈~

Do you follow the Technology news?

I do: or, at least I try to … if I can understand it!

At any rate?   Something I noticed, this morning, is Sainsbury’s big decision: to stop selling CDs and DVDs.

Basically … ?   Because people are shifting from optical media, to subscribing to streaming services like Netflix and Apple Music.

That’s … 

Well, I’ve mixed feelings about it.

On the one hand … ?   I’ve bought from iTunes, and listen to Spotify as much as anyone.

And rented movies from various VOD services.

On the other hand … ?

There are times when buying the CD is cheaper than buying the album from iTunes: or the thing’s not on Spotify.

The same applies to DVDs.

It’s … 

Well, it’s sad.

But there you go … 

~≈fi≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-7-2020: Freddie Jones

9th July, 2020.

Yep: it’s a definite.

I’ve got Radio 4 on.

“And … ?” I hear you ask …

The Today programme is discussing Brexit … and, of course, Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s plan to give businesses a £1000 bonus … for each furloughed worker they’s retained by January, 2021.

Which is a good move.

But … ?

Well, I can see the big flaw, from over here.

It give businesses an incentive to retain furloughed staff.

But no incentives to hire someone like me.

It’s probably going to win Mr Sunak some votes.

It won’t give him mine.

~≈Ñ≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9th July, 2019.

9th July, 2019.

Right, I’ve got a new toy.

He says, with a certain of irony.

I’ve a few, actually.

Including a game controller for my Apple TV.   Which — during though boring patches during a wet afternoon? — make Sonic the Hedgehog a joy.

The other toy?

The one I went to Basildon Hospital for?

Is a CPAP machine.

It’s seems part of the reason I have trouble sleep, is simply the weight: which affects my breathing at night.

So have to hook myself up to this gadget — via an associated face mask — over night.

My first use?   Was last night.

It’s just a shame I forgot to turn the blasted thing on … !

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-7-2018: Anyone for …

9th July, 2018.

Yep: it’s Monday, it’s a Monday morning … 

And the quiet patch that was the slow news weekend?

Has been broken.

Yep: we’ve got Thai junior football teams getting dug out of holes, we’ve got at least one pro-Brexit government minister handing in his resignation* … 

And a death in Amesbury.

You possibly remember that Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia, were poisoned, in March: with a nerve agent called Novichok.

A poison that’s usually only made by government labs: and one apparently only made in Russia.

An English couple — Dawn Sturgess, and Charlie Rowley — were poisoned by the same nerve agent, at the end of June.

Apparently?   After picking up something that contained it.

Current thinking?

1. Is, apparently, that the Skripals were poisoned with it.
2. That the nerve agent was disguised in an innocent looking container.
3. That the container was left somewhere where someone could find it.
4. It got found by Sturgess and Rowley: who believed it was an interesting looking, but innocent, container.

Dawn Sturgess died this morning, after being exposed to the poison.

Now … 

Outside of any Health and Safety implications† — which seems a pretty pointless argument, when you’re talking about chemical weapons! — I’m assuming the Russian who did this was more worried about getting out of the UK, or being caught, than anything else.

At any rate?

Someone who wasn’t involved with spying on Russia, who didn’t work for the KGB, or MI6, or any other intelligence agency, got killed.

Because someone wanted a Russian double agent dead.

Even if we call Dawn Sturgess’s death ‘collateral damage’?

There’s possibly a good argument for calling it murder.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-7-2017

You know, a horrible thought’s occurred.

Famously?

A few weeks ago, Grenfell Tower went up in flames.

With lives being lost in the immediate fire, the burials  will probably starting soon.

Once the infighting stops?   The enquiry will start.

~≈Ÿ≈~

In all that?

I’m thinking of the money.

There’s at least three tower block in Brentwood: Masefield Court, Gibraltar House, and Drake House.

And I’m wondering how much it would cost Brentwood Council to make sure the three buildings have adequate fire protection.

Just as people are commenting on the costs of Grenfall Tower’s protection.

I’m blowed if I know: but think at least checks should be made.

Even if those checks tell the residents of the three blocks that the buildings aren’t safe, and that changes need to be made?

I have a nasty suspicious those checks and changes … ?

Will be cheaper than any compensation demanded in the event of a fire.

Yes, I know perfectly well that sounds cynical: and possibly offensive.

But let’s be frank, here.

Sometimes the money’s the one thing that will get people in power moving.

~≈Ÿ≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-7-2016

Oh … 

BOY … !

Did I mention I did a long shift, yesterday?

I had a long shift, yesterday!

And right now?

Feel like going back to bed.

Ha!

Yeah … that’ll let me catch up.

Especially as I have to go shopping, today!

I’ll have to worry about sleep, AFTER I’ve bough food.

Now … 

Can someone remind me to get some wheat-free muesli … ?

~≈Ù≈~

Torchwood Series 3 — Children of Earth — Day Four — A Review: … Oh My God!!

9th July, 2009

Good GOD … !

I really hope that Lois Habiba is being prepped up as a replacement.

They’ve killed Ianto …

My god’s, they’ve killed Ianto!

Ianto!

And Clement McDonald — this season’s tortured soul — has been killed off, as well! After the life that character’s had, you think a happy ending would be nice!

I don’t think I’ve seen this sort of death rate in a TV science fiction series, since the days of Blake’s 7, I really haven’t.

And that’s at the climax of the penultimate episode; one that’s been more gruesome, more horrific, than the rest of a gruesome series put together.

I also know that, over the course of these episodes, I’ve been frantically texting Cara, an old friend and workmate from my day’s working the bar at the Hutton.

Who — and I’m hoping she won’t mind me saying so — something of a Geekboy’s Poster Girl. Bright, utterly gorgeous, and a rabid Buffy, Doctor Who, and Torchwood fan. (She’s a footie fan as well, but nobody’s perfect! And at, she is 5’11” in her bare feet … I’ve got this thing about gorgeous, tall women, football fans or otherwise!!!)

My point is that we’ve been frantically texting each other, tonight; in sheer disbelief.

Tonight’s episode is moving the plot along at a rapid rate.

What got myself and Cara was a scene about half way through; set in Cabinet Office Briefing Room A, or COBRA, it sees the PM, and the Cabinet discussing what to do about the 456’s demand that the people of Earth hand over 10% of the world’s children. And pretty ruthlessly, at that.

 The cabinet concludes — coldly, mercilessly and quite horribly clinically — that they’ll hand over the children from the bottom 10% of Britain’s schools.

This from an episode that opens with Jack being confronted by Clement and Ianto, about the original 1965 Incident. Which was an emotional one to watch, and gave both character’s some — if not all — of the resolutions they may have needed.

But at, ultimately, the deepest cost someone — anyone — involved with Torchwood can pay.

It’s also an episode that ends with the Cabinet selling out humanity to the 456 …

By seemingly deciding to go with its plans; for what would be the most serious of crimes, in anyone’s book …

Stay tuned, folks.

Day Five will be gruesome …

And big.