Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20th March, 2021.

20th March, 2021.

It’s official: I’ve done a thing … !

A thing of great significance and joy: that will have implications for ALL HUMANITY!

OK: I’m possibly overcooking the significance, there.

All I’ve done — last night, with my main hard drive started running out of space — was shift my Photos library from my main drive, to my main external drive.

Granted?   It’s a change that I always feel nervous about making.

And granted, that means they won’t be backed up to my Time Machine back up drive*.

But?   Copies of the photos are still stored on iCloud.

And I have more space for photos.

~≈🖱≈~

That’s a thought: Facebook’s just thrown this advert at me.

‘Did you know why that … ?’

‘We have sat down with the person of a popular website …’

You’d think Facebook would provide a proofreader as part of its service!

Whoever wrote the text of that advert, needed one!

~≈🧑🏻‍💻≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18th October, 2020

18th October, 2020.

I’m wondering what on Earth happened, there.

I’m online.

You can tell, can’t you?

I was online, yesterday, as well.

Except, and just on the desktop computers I use?

I couldn’t get through to Facebook, yesterday.

View this post on Instagram

Desktop version of Facebook's down

A post shared by Paul Nikolas Nak Downie (@mrcuddy2977) on Oct 17, 2020 at 5:32am PDT

It’s back to normal, today, I should add.

Nope: I don’t know what happened, either!

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 5-6-2018

5th June, 2018.

I’ve a definite confession to make … I like some of Radio Four’s Monday night comedies.

One of the classics?

One of their classics, of course, is the ever listenable Just a Minute: fronted since 1967 by presenter, Nicolas Parsons.

He’s 94: which is one hell of a good innings

But … ?

For the first time in his fifty years presenting the show, he missed an episode: last night’s.

Which was a sombre affair, as a result.

I think I can understand that.

Nicolas being off is understandable: is is 94, after all.

But it’s mildly worrying to see.

~≈§≈~

There’s something else I’ve seen, that struck me.

The news from Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference: that Apple will be re-designing Safari, their browser, so that it will be able to block the various tracking tools used by — very specifically — Facebook.

With the recent row over Cambridge’s Analytica’s use of data from FB?

And with ongoing tracking by various advertisers?

That’s possibly a good move: in the original iPhone update, Apple refused to build in an ability to use the battery draining Flash.

And encouraging the uptake HTML5, with it’s more efficient use of power in doing the same job.

Personally?

I can’t help but think that — and the various upcoming parental controls — are a good thing.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-5-2018: Theft … !

9th May, 2018.

Yep, it’s officially Wednesday.

And ANOTHER day at work.

Where, thankfully?   The water’s back on.

Quite what switched it off?

I’m blowed if I know!

~≈§≈~

On other fronts … ?

I notice Facebook’s announced foreign funded ads in Ireland’s upcoming abortion poll AREN’T placed on the Irish branch of the site.

I get the feeling they’re treading carefully, wanting to make sure their complying with Irish electoral law, and using it as a chance to be visibly be doing something about inference in politics.

And doing it in Ireland as it’s a small country: and therefore easier to run an experiment like this, in.

Frankly?

Just on general principles, I welcome it.   From what I’ve seen, traditional media — TV, newspaper, radio — have to be very careful about how they report such things, and the adverts they display.

And can’t see why new media companies like Facebook be exempt: just because they’re new.

I look forward to the day the company introduces a similar policy in the UK.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 22-2-2017: Invasion … !

Hmmm … 

That’s something … 

I don‘t know about you: but I’m on Facebook.

Have been for years: it’s a useful tool for keeping in touch, and seeking what people are doing.

And the Messenger service is a useful free way of directly contacting people.

One thing that’s annoyed me about Facebook?   Is the way people will quite happily share Like farming scams — especially the ones featuring ill children — that say something like “Hit like and comment Amen, and FB will donate X amount to a fund.”

It annoys me that people could be such mugs!

Thankfully?

Facebook has managed to shut down a couple of accounts: ones that used this photo, along with a claim the pictured child had cancer..

The kid had chickenpox.

I’m thankful for Facebook’s actions.

But ALSO very aware of something else.

It won’t stop the practice.

After all, I can grab the needed photos, very easily.

And if I can do it?

So can you, Tom, Dick, Harry, and Mr Fraudster.

~≈Ê≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-8-2016

How closely do you follow the news?

I do, especially if it’s something that interests me: technology, for example, of things about my favourite TV shows, or films franchises.

Or if it’s about social media I use.

Something that’s floated across my timelines, recently?   Is Facebook’s on-going legal attempts to stop the Ad-Block Plus extension from working on the site.

The plug-in is widely used — including by myself — to keep annoying ads off web pages one visits.

So, while I can appreciate Facebook NOT liking it — advertising is how the site makes its money, after all — I, personally, intend to keep using AdBlock Plus.

Having grown up on broadcasts from the BBC — broadcasts uninterrupted by adverts — I value not seeing them.

I think that’s worth annoying Facebook.

~≈®≈~

The Daily Teaser — 4-2-2016

Right … 

I’ve got time off, today.

Frankly, where shifts are short, at the slower end of the year.

It’s all good: I’m using some of my excess holiday time to make up the proverbial hours.

At least at least, that way, I get to work on the Friday Question Set: AND more stuff for the Gazette.

If I’m REALLY lucky … ?

I might just get out of the house, long enough to give my shoes an airing … 

~≈Â≈~

The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 4-2-2015: Facebookin’ …

You know, I’ve got to admit: I’m thinking of getting a book out.

Of the library, I should add.

Once I’ve finished the ones I’m ALREADY reading: I’m partway through Assassin’s Quest, by Robin Hobb, so you know.

William Gibson’s The Peripheral is lined up, next.

Terry Pratchett’s A Slip Of The Keyboard lined up for after that.

I want to TRY and line up Invisible Me, by Old Peculiar regular, Debbi Mack, at some point: once I get a Kindle!   I can only hope Debbi’s doing print copies … !

The fact I’d LIKE to re-read Stephen Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant* — possibly the most psychologically murky of fantasy novels — has little to do with it!

There’s too many books: and too little time … !!!!¡!

~≈Ê≈~

An FB Workaround.

You know, I’ve got to ask, what on EARTH is all the fuss about … ?

No, really … ?

You see, what with one thing and another, there’s a lot of talk about online security, and about HTTPS versus HTTP.

Just in case you DIDN’T know, the former is a somewhat more secure version of the latter, and used by both Twitter and Facebook to improve their users online security.

Or partially used by Facebook, I should add.

You see, a lot of the time, when you use many of the games on FB, it’ll ask you if you want to switch off secure browsing.

You have to, in fact, to use the games concerned.

That’s not an out-and-out criticism, I should add: but it IS fiddly.

Especially when you consider that the secure browsing feature isn’t automatically turned back on, once you’ve finished playing the game.

There’s a work around, though.

Or a couple, I should add.

First off … ?

Logging OUT of Facebook, quitting your browser, then re-strarting it, and logging back in.

Those of us using a desktop or laptop can do it the easy way, of course.

Just go to the URL bar at the top of the browser windo. And in-between the ‘http’ and the ‘:’, type the letter ‘s’.

And press ‘Enter’, or the ‘Reload’ key combo.

There.

Wasn’t that easy … ?

I’m just hoping you notice the new Favicon for Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar, while you’re there …

Comantra Scam

You know …

I’m blowed if I can remember which Teaser I mentioned it in, but I’m pretty sure that I have.

But you’re probably very aware that I’ve writing about Comantra, before now.

The Bangladeshi based company — who seemingly have a couple of Bradford based numbers — gave a friend of mine a call — in July of last year — and tried gaining access to her computer.

They didn’t, thankfully.

But I’ve been keeping an eye open for this sort of thing, every since.

And have come across two stories in the Brentwood Gazette about people who’ve almost been caught out by this sort of scam — seemingly from the same call centre in Bangladesh — and from two friends who also told me they’ve had the same phone calls.

Now coming across five such stories — all from the same part of the world — got me keeping me eyes peeled, understandably.

And even finding out, through an old schoolfriend I’ve been in touch with, via Facebook, that the company concerned seems to be doing the same sort of thing to a bunch of Australians, only masquerading as ‘SupportOnClick’.

Hmmm …

Talk about going global … !

Hmmm …

Now, I’ve got to admit …

I though this is starting to smell more and more like a dead rat.

Again.

What got me … ?

Is the fact that whoever’s behind this seems to ALSO have at least two Facebook pages.

So I’ve got to admit, I’ve got cheeky.

Here’s the message I sent them through the social site.

Sir,

I writing to you having seen that your group has started both it’s own Facebook page and group, and it’s own blog.

Over the past few years, I’ve taken a keen — if amateur — interest in technology.

And, on a par with many, developed a basic awareness of good security practise, when it comes to computer use.

So I’m genuinely aware that some unscrupulous companies are very keen to use unsavoury techniques to gain control of people’s computers.

Including — seemingly — a call centre in Bengal, with a UK based number, claiming to act in your company’s behalf: and on the behalf of Support On Click in Australia.

One that has made repeated claims to act on Microsoft’s behalf, that uses potentially unethical sales techniques, and manages to gain remote access to peoples computer by trickery.

I’d like to ask a few questions if your company is aware of this. I’d also like to know if this call centre is genuinely acting for your company.

If it is, are you intending to retrain any staff, so that they sell you products in a more ethical way.

If it isn’t, what are your company intending to do about it.

Please feel free to reply, through Facebook.

That way, I can happily tell people about your intentions through my blog.

Yours,

If I get any sort of reply … ?

I’ll let you know …

Look Out … Fraudster’s About

You know, I’ve got to admit, I’ve known some bright women, in my time, I really have …

And bright women, I’ve noticed, tend to be able to smell rats, from a mile off …

Remember Kelly? And the Comantra scam she managed to avoid, a while back … ?

Well, I’ve had another old friend — Maggie — who’s also a former boss get in touch about a chap she’s been introduced to on Facebook, called James Paul.

By another person called Carol Iannella.

From what Maggie told me, the Chief’s* always on the lookout for good causes to promote, as she’s always keen to be helpful: and, seemingly, Carol had been helped out by Mr Paul to the tune of some $30, 000 worth of wedge.

James Paul managed to befriend Maggie, and get chatting her about the work he does.

And asked for her email address …

Maggie was … cautious.

Ex-pub-landlady that she is, part of her automatically does ‘DING’ whenever large sums of cash get a mention.

And goes into overdrive when someone does something like what James Paul does next.

Asked for her email address …

And the associated password …

She immediately did two things.

Messaged me for a second opinion.

And confessed she was smelling a three-week-old, extremely dead rat.

As, while James Paul was pestering her for her login details, she’d down a search on FB for Carol Iannella …

And found Ms Iannella has at least three accounts with differing details, but exactly the same profile picture.

Old campaigner that I am … ?

And never being able to resist the Chief, when she needed a hand … ?

IMMEDIATELY started writing this post, with one aim in mind.

To suggest that, if you’re contacted by either of these two … ?

You block them.

AND report them to Facebook.

I’m thinking that James Paul and Carol Iannella are up to no good.

* Chief is the nickname Maggie ended up with, when she was in charge of the White Horse, back in the day, before it got turned into The Sugar Hut.

Facebook: Have I just Been Hacked … ?

Hmmm …

Well, ok, I’m blowed if I have been hacked … !

But I have just had this rather annoying message come up, when I’ve just tried to log in to my Facebook account.

Hmmm …

A quick search on Goole tells me …

Well …

Not a lot, actually …

That’s …

Frustrating, to say the least … !

A Tune, or two … !

Bless her, a little while back, Debbi mention the amount of new and different music she’d been introduced to, as a result of blogging.

I think I know what she means!

Bless, I’ve just been chatting to Patrice — someone I know through Facebook — about all sorts of things.

As a result … ?

Well, as a result, Frank Zappa’s Valley Girl got a mention.

Patrice, bless her, was surprised!

By the fact it really was possibly the only Zappa tune I’d heard!

And managed to introduce me to this one he did on the US version of Saturday Night Live, a few years ago.

Now I don’t know if it was done in the same studio as this …

But both are great tunes!

»»•««

Oh, just had a dig around on YouTube, by the way.

Exactly how diverse did Zappa get … ?

This is one of his …

As is the Musique Concreté sound-track for this cough-drop commercial … !

And I always thought Terry Pratchett was prolific … !

The Social Network: Blood, Guts and obscure Terminal commands, under Linux …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I think that I, Movie Night Adrian and Kevin D managed to get together for a film, last night.

Actually, no, there’s no actual thinking about it.

We definitely got together for a film, last night.

What I meant to say, was that we got together for a film that got something of a mixed reaction.

Definitely mixed …

»»•««

The film, last night … ?

Was the recently released DVD and Oscar nominee, the David Fincher directed The Social Network: which covers the early years of the social networking site, Facebook, and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, as played by Jesse Eisenberg*.

The opening scene of The Social Network sees Zuckerberg being dumped by the young woman he’s dating.

And, by way of revenge … ?

Posting up a rather unflattering post on his personal blog, on LiveJournal.

And hacking into the university’s student directory to create Facemash, the precursor to his better known site. The one he originally called thefacebook.com.

And the one that, initially … ? Saw him getting sued to billy-oh by rivals claiming he’d stolen their ideas.

And by one of Facebook’s co-founders for being kicked off the corporate board.

»»•««

Now, I’ll be honest, here.

I, personally was rather taken with The Social Network, although I felt maybe the Oscar nominations were … … were pushing things, a touch.

On the other hand … ?

It’s a competently done, very well put together film: one that presents the commercial and technical side of the internet business — and the unpleasant side to the people involved in the industry — in a way that’s very watchable and very accessible.

And much more so than, say Pirates of Silicon Valley, the docu-drama from a few years back that covered the early history of — and rivalry between — Apple and Microsoft heads Steve Jobs and Bill Gates.

Saying that … ?

Saying that I do know that, whilst I was impressed with The Social Network, and that Kevin D enjoyed it, I’m also aware that — former network administrator that he is — Adrian wasn’t as stunned.

Bear that in mind, when I tell you what I thought of it.

The Social Network.

Keeper ★★★☆

* Who I, Adrian and Kevin last saw in the Thursday night movie, Zombieland.

News For Alzheimer’s Sufferers … With a few less important Bits

I’ve got to admit, I thought I’d best post up some news I’ve picked up from the BBC, today.

As you’re probably aware, some years ago saw the death of a much loved grandmother.

From complications of Alzheimer’s, so you know.

So, given that, and the fact I’m something of Terry Pratchett fan, I tend to follow news about both Alzheimer’s Disease and the various debates about Assisted Death.

Scary stuff, that last one.

But, at any rate, one good thing for any currant or future sufferers of the condition … ?

Is that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence — or NICE for short — has finally U-turned, and approved the general release of drugs — including Aricept — for use in the early stages of the condition.

Damn good news, that …

|»•«|

But before I sign off … ?

Before I sign off, I’ll leave you with a video …

ComBom, FaceBook and Hackers: Sounds familiar …

Do you remember, a few months back, I told you about the attempt — by someone appearing to be a Republican think-tank — to log-in to my Google mail account … ?

Looks like I’m not the only person to have something similar happen.

Bless him, it looks like ComBom — of Life, Dr Who & ComBom fame — had a bit of a temporary problem, trying to log into his FB account.

Someone — unknown — tried logging into his Facebook account, earlier today, I’m thinking …

Well …

Lot’s of things.

Including wondering if he’s had a visit from that same think-tank.

Or someone with the same name as him has tried logging into it.

Or whether something more sinister’s afoot.

Especially since many public user Facebook detail’s have been posted to many sites.

Including Pirate Bay, I should add … !

But given that — according to the email I got from Yahoo, earlier today — Kevin D’s email address is a forgery that’s mass sending spam, I really want to know what’s happening … !

‹‹‹~›››

Panic Button, Red Alert, There’s A Welsh Opera Singer From Somewhere Else …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I’ve been itching to post something since …

Since …

Well …

Since this morning, to be frank.

But to be perfectly frank, I’ve had something of a god’s-awful-day, today!

It’s a long story, trust me!

But there was a couple of thing’s I happened to notice, this morning.

Well, one thing.

Well one thing that I saw on the news, things morning … !

If you follow me … ?

I’m assuming you have and that I’m making sense?

At any rate, one thing that I happened to see — several times, actually — on the BBC news channel, this morning, was the news that Facebook had finally decided that, yes, they would at least make a nod towards the calls for a CEOP ‘Panic button’, by installing an application that would take you through to the CEOP site.

Which could be good … !

At least, if it helps keep kids safer online*.

‹‹‹~›››

Something else I happened to notice, whilst I was floating around, was a news item in the BBC Wale section: basically, it looks like Mr Moffat and Co. have decided to announce their guest stars.

Welsh opera diva, Katherine Jenkins, and Harry Potter star and acting heavyweight, Michæl Gambon.

Given that this is going to be Amy and Rory’s honeymoon, this could be a little bit odder than the “three’s a crowd” a certain someone else had to put up with.

‹‹‹~›››

One last thing … !

Now, it’s been a while since I’ve mentioned Alan Turing.

And I’ll still happily admit that I, along with many others, still feel that the British Government are to be held up as international disgraces for not giving Dr Turing a medal, however posthumously.

Which is probably a whole other post.

Several, in fact.

One or two of which I know I’ve done, already, but that’s another story.

At any rate, I was just having a dig around on YouTube, and found a clip from a play that had originally been on BBC 2, many years ago, about Dr Turing.

With know less a light than Derek Jacobi as Turing himself.

Give this a watch, it’s an amazing thing to see.

‹‹‹Ω›››

* Although I can’t help but notice that the CEOP browser toolkit doesn’t include a version for Safari. Which makes both CEOP and Apple look bad, to my mind.