Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-4-2026 — The Name’s Bonds-Premium Bonds

18th April, 2026.

Right now?

Right now, it’s Saturday.

And the silly jokes I’ve uploaded seem to be doing well.

It’s also the day after I’ve put in an order for stuff from Amazon.

Including a cheap, 4k camera*: and a 2k copy of the 1981, BBC version of The Day of the Triffids.

I’m looking forward to the thing turning up: I’d love to see what the extra features, if there are any, are like.

~≈🥀≈~

You’re probably as aware as I am, that the 47th US president is a bit of a twit.

To put it mildly.

And also aware of the image he deleted from his social network: depicting him as a messianic, healer figure.

The image has been criticised: for looking a little too messianic, and crossing a line.

Of good taste, if nothing else.

I agree.

But also think a couple of things.

One?

Is that this image of the president, and others like it, looks a lot like some of the WW2 era Nazi propaganda, the sort designed to make Hitler look like a hero.

And second?

I grew up one Frank Herbert’s Dune novel: and came away from them convinced the writer didn’t like messiahs.

Or, at least, didn’t like the idea of politicians using religion to gain power.

Devout Republic that Herbert was?

I suspect he’d be spitting, on seeing these images of the President.

“When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way.”

From Dune, by Frank Herbert.

“Beneath the hero’s facade you will find a human being who makes human mistakes.   Enormous problems arise when human mistakes are made on the grand scale available to a superhero.”

From “Dune Genesis”, by Frank Herbert.

~≈🪱≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-3-2025 — My Name Is Michael Caine

14th March, 2025: Michael Caine.

Yay!

It’s Friday … !

Which means we can do our best impression of a bunch of happy munchkins.

On a more serious note … ?

I’m very aware of the UK’s National Health Service.

I, like most of the country, rely on the service to stay healthy: and have family working in a local surgery.

So … ?

Yesterday’s announcement from the Prime Minister, that he was going to abolish NHS England — the arm’s-length body that runs the English branch off the NHS — and take the organisation back under central government control.

It’s a cost cutting measure, I think.

But?

A slightly worrying one.

This could affect the healthcare of many.

And directly affect my family.

~≈🖥️≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 24th May, 2020.

24th May, 2020.

You know … 

The UK — largely — is still under lockdown.

Although, from what I can see, it’s eased … a little …

That hasn’t made much difference to me, as someone who’s job hunting.

I’m still waiting to have the normal meetings I’m scheduled to have, every fortnight.

As dull as they are?

As dull as they are, they get me out of the flat, and at least feeling as if I’m doing something … 

Speed the day they restart!

~≈fl≈~

I have to admit, I tried watching a film, last night: 2019’s The Wretched.

But … ?

But it really didn’t hold my attention, however good it was.

You might enjoy it more: I don’t know if I did … 

~≈fl≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 8-8-2016

It’s official.

I’ve now got a few days off!

Yes … 

It’s August, and I’ve got a holiday.

Personally?   Well, personally, I’m planning to see if I can persuade friend over: although I may go visiting.

On the other hand?

On the other hand I could equally sit in the back garden, sunning myself.

Which isn’t a good idea.

After all, ‘the back garden’ is the patch at the back of the building, where we can get to our gas meters.

And, on top of that?

I start sunbathing out there, beached whale rescue teams would show up, to through me back into the nearest ocean.

Well … either that … 

Or I’d explode … 

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 28-6-2016: Saxophony

Drat … ! I didn’t get to see Event Horizon, last night.

As the blu-ray I’d bought hadn’t finished, by the time I’d got around to wanting to watch something.

Still, it’s ready to go, as and when I get another chance.

Which might be, tonight, I don’t know as yet.

At ANY rate … ?   Last night saw me watching 13Hrs, instead.

Nice film, that.   Especially when you consider it’s only 99p to rent the thing on iTunes.

Not bad for 99p … 

~≈¥≈~

The Daily Teaser — 10-1-2014: Going Underground

Now, that’s unusual: although it DOES give people an itch they can scratch.

Have you ever taken part an old fashioned treasure-hunt?   There’s been a few, over the years.

You know the sort of thing, you get a cryptic clue that leads to another clue — and another, and another — that eventually leads to a prize of some description.

Online versions have become popular, recently.    Including the one that’s cropped up, over the past couple of years: that I’ve only ever seen referred to as Cicada 3301.

Seemingly, it’s a series of highly encrypted, and seriously arcane clues in both unusual parts of the world: and Dark Net.

That’s not the only mystery.   The other … ?   Is who exactly is organizing this … ?

I’m aware that I really don’t have the academic skills to come anywhere near solving the clues in the 3301 puzzles.

But I’d love to know who’s behind it: Speculation Can Be Fun … !

Either way, let’s move on … !

~≈Â≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with letting us know she loved yesterday’s tune, she ALSO scored ten out of ten.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s Underground questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 10th January, 1863, saw the opening of the first part of what’s now the London Underground.   Name either of those first two stations.

Q2) Which of those two stations features a building by Isambard Kingdom Brunel … ?

Q3) What was the name of the original line that connected those two stations … ?

Q4) As a result similar underground railways across the world are know as what: metros, subways or streetcars … ?

Q5) Those two original stations are now on two London Underground lines: name either.

Q6) On the current London Underground, what’s the most southerly station … ?

Q7) That most southerly station is on which London Underground line … ?

Q8) The most northerly — and westerly — station on the London Underground is in Buckinghamshire: is it Chester, Cheshunt or Chesham … ?

Q9) In the early 1930s, Harry Beck designed which iconic item: the London Underground logo, the tube map or London Underground’s wooden elevators?

Q10) Finally … Radio 4 show, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, features a game named after which London Underground station … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) New England Telephone & Telegraph installed the first battery powered telephone exchange on 9th January, 1894.   But in which Massachusetts town: Lexington, Manchester or New Braintree … ?

A1) Lexington.

Q2) More to the point, in which Massachusetts county is that town: Essex, Middlesex or Sussex … ?

A2) Middlesex.

Q3) New England Telephone & Telegraph was formed by investors from Massachusetts, and which other US State?

A3) The smallest in the US, Rhode Island.

Q4) Who’s generally accepted as the inventor of the telephone … ?

A4) Alexander Graham Bell.

Q5) More to the point, he originally designed the ’phone whilst working on educating whom: the deaf, blind or mute … ?

A5) The deaf.

Q6) Who else has a claim for patenting the first telephone: Elijah Wood, Elisha Gray or Elliot Smith … ?

A6) Elisha Gray.

Q7) BT is Britain’s main landline provider: but what does BT stand for … ?

A7) British Telecom.

Q8) What’s the American term for a mobile phone … ?

A8) It’s cell phone.

Q9) What’s the traditional Cockney Rhyming slang term for a phone … ?

A9) Dog and Bone.

Q10) What was the original term for a phone hacker: phone phunker, phone phan or phone phreak … ?

A10) Phone phreak.

I’ll leave you with this thought from Arthur Smith …

“I abhor nothing more than bumping into someone I know on the Tube.”

Arthur Smith.

With this tune from Madness … 

Oh … And I couldn’t not give a Teaser the title today’s has, without including this … 

And I have to mention I’m currently reading Terry Pratchett’s fortieth Discworld novel: Raising Steam.

Have a good day … 

*        You’ve got to love a bit of Blondie, haven’t you, Debbi … ?   If that doesn’t sound ambiguous … ?   :D   (Oh, by the way, did you try phoning me, a couple of days ago?   Only I got a call from a number that was hidden and wondered … )