Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 11-5-2026 — The Istanbul Convention

11th May, 2026: the Istanbul Convention.

Yes: it’s another Monday morning.

And the start of the last week before pay-day!

Which means … ?

Being thankful I’ve just enough change for me to get the bus uphill: to get to my weight management meeting.

But feeling slightly glum.

As I always do in this last few days before money goes in the bank.

Hopefully?

I’ll find out if I’ve lost weigh, today: that usually helps my mood.

~≈⚖️≈~

Just as a quick thought … ?

I’ve Meatloaf’s Bat out of Hell album on in the background.

After all this time?

It’s still one hell of an LP.

“You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth” has one of the funniest openings of any song I’ve heard.

~≈🦇≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-1-2024 — And We’re Out!

31st January, 2024: And We’re Out!

Yes: it’s now, officially, Wednesday: and the last day of January!

Is it just me … ?

Or is did that go past, fast?

Possibly.

I think the older we get, the quicker it seems to go.

Heigh-ho!

~≈💊≈~

If you’ve spent any time in the UK, you’re possibly aware of Comic Relief: the biannual BBC charity telethon.

The one fronted for so many years, by comedy icon, Sir Lenny Henry.

Sadly?

It seems this year’s show is to be Sir Lenny’s* last.

That’s sad: the man is one of the UK’s genuine icons, and possibly the charity’s leading organiser, and best advert.

~≈🎗️≈~

O, before I forget?

Jude’s posted another video!

~≈📽️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 2nd February, 2020

2nd February, 2020.

Yes: I have a quiet Sunday ahead, today.

Well, I say quiet … 

Frankly, it all depend on how noisy my washing machine gets!

It does make a racket … 

Which is why I didn’t switch it on, last night: it would’ve interrupted For All Mankind.

And why I’m not planning to clean anything when Dr Who’s on, tonight.

Ahem!

~≈†≈~

About Brexit?

You and I both know that — in 2014 — Scotland had an Independence referendum … one that saw Scotland decide to remain in the UK.

With the EU Referendum, in 2016?

The UK decided to leave: something I believe we are going to regret.

Especially when you consider the Scottish Nationalists — who now form the majority of Westminster MPs — have taken that as a mandate to hold a second Independence referendum.

As the 2016 referenda show a majority of Scots wanted to stay in the EU.

Frankly?

Given the money, I’d love to move to an independent Scotland, that was an EU member.

It’s about the only way I’d be able to remain an EU citizen.

Given that … ?

The fact former EU president, Donald Tusk, has announced he’s sympathetic to a second such referendum?

Sympathetic — with caveats — to Scotland joining the EU?

Given that, I think a second Scottish Independence referendum is a good thing.

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 31-1-2020: Leaving on a Jet Plane

31st January, 2020.

Right … let me put the in print … so to speak …

“The insularity of the English, their refusal to take foreigners seriously, is a folly that has to be paid for heavily from time to time.”
From ‘England, Your England’, The Lion and the Unicorn essay collection, by George Orwell.

I have to admit, I’ve been reading Orwell’s The Lion and the Unicorn over the past few days.

That quote?

That quote seemed both apt … … 

And relevant: given what we’re leaving, at eleven o’clock tonight.

We’re leaving the European Union.

And, speaking as a Remain voter?

I think we’re making the biggest mistake of our lives.

~≈Ü≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 29-3-2019: Leaving

29th March, 2019.

Yes: the guts are still acting up.

I’m … 

Frankly, not happy.

Usually?

The IBS I suffer with usually manages to flare up, rarely, these days.

But this particular incident?

Has been going on since Wednesday.

Frankly?

Glum seems to be the word … 

~≈§≈~

Brexit

Did I tell you that, back in  July, I voted in the referendum?

I did.

I voted Remain,  so you know: because I honestly believe staying in the EU to be the best decision.

I think the world knows what the overall result was, though.

My country voted to leave the EU.

What you may not know?

Is the campaigners have challenged the British government's position that to trigger the process of leaving is purely a government decision.

The High Court has ruled in the campaigners favour, today.

Effectively?

The Government must put triggering Article 50 - the process for leaving - to a parliamentary vote.

~≈%≈~

There's possibly a lot to say, there.

One quote I caught on the news?

Was from a campaigner who said this was about ‘ …process, not politics.’

My polite response, there?

Is an old term, similar to ‘bullocks.’

Of  course it's about politics.

Any time people disagree, it’s about politics.

My own personal view, though?

Is that Theresa May’s government could’ve moved much faster on leaving the Union.

As much as I’d rather we stayed … 

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-6-2016

You know, I don’t think I’ve seen a day like it.

You’ll know I live in the UK: and that my country has voted to leave the UK.

The reaction to, that I’ve seen?

Is … 

Deeply angry … 

Understandably.

I’ve had half an eye on social media.   There’s some angry mutterings on Twitter: but I must say, I’ve only following so many people in the UK,

Facebook, on the other hand?

Facebook, where I’m following or friends with more of my fellow Brits, I’m seeing a lot of anger.

A lot of anger.

I don’t think Brentwood, England and the UK, is having a civil war.   Wars, as many have point out, usually aren’t civil.

But, after seeing quite a few people openly complaining about those who’ve voted Leave, on the streets of Brentwood?

I’m thinking it’s a close-run thing.

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 24-6-2016

That’s … 

You know, I’m sorely tempted to say ‘That’s torn it.’

But those words seem just a little bit too glib, to describe what’s been announced.

So you know?

The UK has voted to leave the EU.

With 51.9% of those who voted — a 72% turnout — voting to leave, and 48.1% voting remain.   Going by the figures?   England and Wales mostly voted Leave, with Scotland, Northern Ireland and London mostly voting Remain.

We have two years to negotiate leaving: under Article 50 of the relevant treaty.

Given the currency’s going berserk as we speak?   And many businesses not yet saying what they’re going to do?   And much of the EU’s governing bodies not yet announcing how they’re going to react?

Those negotiators better be good.

~≈®≈~

Prime Minister, David Cameron, has just spoken.

And has announced that he will be standing down as Britain’s PM, and Conservative party leader.   And that a new leader will be chosen, by the time of the Party conference in October.

That new leader will then be put in place as PM: and in the position of Prime Minister, for the rest of this Parliament.   AND in charge of the Leave Negotiations.

That — as much as the Referendum’s result — is unsurprising.

But, speaking personally?   Much as I’m NO Conservative voter, I have to give the PM credit: for taking the BIGGEST political punt of a lifetime.

~≈®≈~

As a final thought?

Phew!

As a final thought, I voted remain.   As far as I understand it — from the media coverage of her death — Jo Cox MP, was killed, in part, because she was a Remain campaigner.

I voted Remain, in part, because I felt I would be supporting her killer, in voting Leave.   Although it was a close-run thing.   One or two people who’d commented on Facebook, made comments about those planning to vote Leave, I personally found deeply offensive: and almost had me voting Leave, in sympathy.

But voted Remain, as a way of sticking up two fingers to Jo Cox’s killer.

That was one part.

There’s a few others.   One?   Simply that at least one of my regular commentors — Olga — is a Spanish national living in the UK: and I’d hate to see her being unwelcome, purely because Britain had left the EU.

The other?

My family is bizarre.   But, basically, my step-father — and father of my two sisters, Anna and Ruth, and long since divorced from my mother — has properties in Spain.

Often?   Ruth, Anna and Jude holiday there.

The fact we’ve now decided to leave?   Means my nephews’s holiday in a beautiful part of the world are now — in all probability — far more difficult to arrange.

Has Britain blown it?

Quite probably.

I can only hope we figure SOMETHING out!

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-6-2016

Today … 

It’s raining.

It’s raining, on the morning after some of rather BIG thunderstorms.

It’s also raining — here in the south-east of the UK — on the morning of the vote.

The vote.

The vote on whether Britain’s should remain a member of the European Union.

Quite frankly?

I’m still fairly undecided.

On the one hand?   I know voting Leave will annoy the hell out of Brentwood’s local MP, Eric Pickles.

Annoying a Tory?   The mildly rebellious teenager in me would be happily pleased to do so.

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, I’m tempted to vote remain: after the death of MP, Jo Cox,

I know the case is still sub-judice. 

But I get the impression — from the media coverage of her death, at the time of her death — that her killer murdered her, in part, because she’d help many refugees.

And partly because she’d been a member of the Remain campaign,

Personally?   My emotional instinct is to vote leave: not because the Leave campaign is making an issue of controlling migration, but because Britain gains more sovereignty as a result.

But I’m ALSO sympathetic to the family of Jo Cox.

And think if her murderer killed, in part, in support of Leave?

I think voting Remain is a good way of showing my sympathies.

~≈É≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-6-2016

Hmmm … 

I don’t know if you follow the news, but I mentioned that the deadline to register to vote in the EU Referendum was midnight on Tuesday: a couple of days ago, now.

Tuesday came and went: as did the deadline.

As did the news — yesterday — that the website had crashed, overloaded by people trying to register at the last minute.

Effectively, it was a jammed switchboard: there was more people trying to phone in, than phones for them to phone in on.

To remedy that?

The deadline’s been extended: with support from both the Government, and from the Electoral Commission.

I tend to think that’s a good thing: the more people vote, the better.

I do know electoral law is a complicated thing: and that legal challenges, on the grounds of Gerrymandering are on-going.

~≈◊≈~

I can’t help but think a couple of things.

Frankly, I think a lot of people could have registered for the referendum a LOT earlier than they did.   That could well have saved a lot of trouble.

I’m ALSO think a couple of other things.

For starters, I think whoever runs the website for the government should maybe have foreseen this happening: and made provision to increase the bandwidth in anticipation of a last minute rush.

I’m also thinking this.   There’s legal challenges already going ahead against the extension.

I think the government, working with the relevant bodies, should modify UK law.   I think we need to have something in place, before the next general elction or referendum, that allows a similar extension the next time something like this happens.

Technology being what it is, I’m sure this will happen again.

~≈◊≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-6-2016

Ever so slowly … ?

Slowly, but ever so frequently …

I am yawning: enough to make me worry that my head’s going to drop off.

Yep … 

I’m up early, again.

And this time … ?

This time, it’s because I have to catch a bus to Basildon: to get to a hospital appoint, at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital, for an ultrasound on my kidneys.

I’m concerned: not so much by the ultrasound scan.

But more by the bus journey.   If I’ve got that correct, I need to get the #9 to Basildon Town centre, then get the #100 to the hospital, itself.

I’m concerned.

I’ve been to Basildon, and look forward to the trip: but have never gone beyond the town centre.

I just hope I can find the blessed place!

~≈†≈~

Now, JUST as a final point?

I’m in the UK: as you may have realised.

In a couple of weeks time, we in the UK will be voting whether or not to remain in the EU: possibly the most important vote in a generation.

I will — point blank — refuse to tell you how to vote.

I’ve still not made my mind up, myself.

But know this.

If you haven’t registered to vote, by tomorrow, you won’t be able to vote in the referendum on the 23rd.

You can register online, here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

I’d hate to see Britain make the wrong choice … 

Because of a low turn-out.

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 18-4-2016

Hmmm … 

Come the 23rd June?

Come the 23rd June, there’s going to be an EU referendum in the UK.

Personally?

I am still not sure which way to vote: even now, as the date grows nearer.

But … ?

The news has come in, today, that the Treasury has said Britain’s economy would contract by some six per cent.

Now I couldn’t tell you.

But — and despite what Chancellor George Osbourne has said in the interview he’s giving to Radio Four’s Today programme — I can’t help think that is is the Government coming down on the side of the Remain campaign.

Potentially breaking the Electoral Commission rules on the referendum in the process.

Pros and cons aside, I think this is — much like the government-issued leaflet, issued just before the start of the referendum campaign — somewhat unfair to the Leave campaign.

And I’m tempted to vote leave as a result.

~≈Ê≈~

The Daily Teaser — 21-2-2016

It’s official.

We now have a referendum lined up.

Just in case you didn’t know?   Yesterday say the Prime Minister announce that — after protracted negotiations about reforms that define the UK’s position in the EU — the UK would be holding a referendum on whether to leave the organisation.

Or to stay in.

On the 23rd of June, this year.

Had a referendum happened twenty years ago?

I would have voted to leave.

Now … ?

I’ll happily admit, I’ve no idea how I’ll be voting: and will probably only finally decide in the voting booth.

I do know this much.

I’d heard arguments — most from those of a pro-Europe stance — that EU membership is a good thing: and that a referendum is unneeded.

I’d disagree.

I think a referendum — whatever it’s outcome — is needed.

This is such an important decision, that we — you and me — must have our say.

~≈Á≈~