Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 8th March, 2018

8th March, 2018.

Yep: I’ve got falsies!

Teeth, that is.

Yeah … ok … 

That’s gone down like a lead ballon, shan’t it … ?

Forget I mentioned it … !

~≈§≈~

On other fronts … ?

On other fronts, I’ve had half an eye on the case of Sergei Skripal, the poisoned Russian double agent, living in Salisbury.

And … ?

Well, it’s been officially confirmed: that an unnamed nerve agent was used to poison him and his daughter.

Indeed, the diplomatic situation is being discussed on the Today programme as I speak.

It’s … 

I have to confess, I’m not sure how I feel about this.

Yes: it’s not a nice thing to have happened: ESPECIALLY not for Mr Skripal and his daughter.

It’s also something done — as far as anyone can tell, right now — at the behest of a foreign power.

Another unpleasant thing to take into account.

But possibly the worst thing to consider?

Is the fact MI6 seemed to have dropped the ball in looking after the chap.

One of ours got it wrong … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 8-3-2017

Hmmm … 

You’re possibly aware that I follow the technology news.

Aren’t you?

I do: so you know.

You’re possibly aware that I’ve been following the various court cases prosecuting people who sell what’s called ‘fully loaded’ Kodi boxes.

A Kodi box is an Android based media streaming box: that uses the open source Kodi software as its media player and manager.

Like other open source projects?   Kodi has a range of add-ons that boost its functionality.

Including ones that let you access pay to view and subscription content for free.

Most Kodi boxes won’t have those built in.   You have to add them, yourself.

Some sellers, however, are happy to sell you a ‘fully loaded’ box.

With the relevant iffy add-ons already installed.

A couple of days ago?   A couple of days ago, one such seller — Malcolm Mayes — was fined £250, 000 for selling ‘fully loaded’ boxes to pubs and clubs.

Personally?

I’m not too surprised about that.

My concern has been what’s it’s always been.   Not so much with the spread, or stopping of online piracy.

But what sort of implication this could have for the open source model: and — possibly — the computer science research.

After all, enabling researchers and others to develop software means — to me, at least — developing software that, occasionally, breaks the law.

Some sort of immunity from that — to enable researchers and developers to do their jobs — would seem to be in order.

~≈Ê≈~

On other fronts?

I mentioned, yesterday, that I’d done (subtitled) rips of series two of Mr Robot: that would play in vlc, MPEGStreamclip and on my AppleTV.

But not in Quicktime.

Despite being in Quicktime’s default format.

I’ve actually worked out that it was the subtitles that were causing the problems.   I’d hit the wrong buttons, when ripping: so that they’d stay hidden, until switched on.

Phew

~≈Ê≈~

The Daily Teaser — 13-5-2016: In Cars

Right … I’m back to work, today: on a long shift.

Frankly … ?

I am hoping to be able to take in my usual array of medications: specifically the one that helps my guts.

Although I’m starting to wonder how much help that actually IS … !

Some, at least: I’m ALSO thinking laying off the cola, and drinking more water, could be useful.

But, if I can make a confession?

It’s starting to get to me.

I like to think of myself as relatively tough.

But on-going stomach troubles?

These on-going stomach troubles are decidedly wearing!

~≈Ü≈~

The Daily Teaser — 21-1-2016: Monte Carlo or Bust

Ohh … but I’ve got a day off.

Although, frankly … ?

I’m thinking that I’ve given my mother my old Mac mini — most of my old friends will be saying “Oh, he’s rehomed ‘Bruce’” — then I’ve an extraneous laptop sitting around.

So long as I can get permission from my kid sister?   I’ll be wiping the hard drive, plonking Ubuntu OS on the thing, and selling it on.

Either privately, or to my local CeX.

We’ll have to see what happens, won’t we?

~≈∂≈~

Gary Numan, Jean Michel Jarre: A Musical Interlude

You know, I’ve got to admit, this one one of the few weeks where, happily, I had a little spare spending money.

So I’ve managed to treat meself to a couple of albums.

And just in case you hadn’t guessed?

It was a copy of one of Jean Michel Jarre’s recent albums — the 2003 Geometry of Love — and one of Gary Numan’s earlier albums: the iTunes version of the 30th Anniversary release of The Pleasure Principle.

The Pleasure Principle I think I’ve only actually heard once, since it was originally saw light of day, back in 1979, so it was fascinating to hear it, again.

And Jarre’s Geometry of Love I’ve not heard ’til I got it: it’s a touch more atonal than some othe earlier stuff of his I’ve got, but still worth catching.

But I think I should urge you to go get them, and make your own minds up.

Ley me know what you think, as and when you do.

Emails and Music

You know, if you hadn’t worked out I’m keen on mailing my local paper, I’d be very surprised.

Very surprised.

Especially after the fact that I managed to mail both the Brentwood Gazette, and the Brentwood Weekly News, last week.

Well …

The Gazette’s published the one I sent them.

Hopefully, I’ll get the one to the Weekly News as well … !

It’d be nice to see if I can pull off the double … !

But just so you know, here’s the ones I fired off last week.

And here’s the text of the one I sent to the Gazette, last night.

Dear Sir,

I’ve got to admit, I read the article about the deferment of the planned development on the former Highwood site with quite a bit of interest.

I was actually at that same meeting of Brentwood Council’s Planning Committee, the night the Saint James Road application got turned down: after all, I was the token objector, on the night.

And I’m wondering exactly what conditions on the Highwood site were proving to be a problem.

I’m willing to bet it’ll be the same problems as here on Rollason Way.

Inadequate parking.

A lack of play-space for the children in the area.

And not enough public transport for the locals who can’t drive

All I can do, now, is hope that the committee ignores some of the dafter edicts of central government — the coalition will have some, I think, as many as the last one — and insist that enough parking and playgrounds are included.

Unlike around here.

I also hope that — if Joanna Killian does accept a pay-cut — Brentwood council spends the money on a Compulsory Purchase Order.

That patch of ground in Saint James Road that now isn’t going to be flats, would make a nice small park for me and my neighbours.

I’ll admit, I’m hoping.

But I’m very sceptical.

Yours,

‹‹‹•›››

And just in case you were curious about what I was listening to, while I was writing that lot … ?

Well …

You can pick up Gary Numan’s first album, Replicas, from iTunes, and the assorted works of Alexander Blu from either his site, or from Jamendo. For free: it’s under a Creative Commons License: something I use for the Teasers and 60-question-sets.

Enjoy them.

Free music for professional licensing