Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-11-2025 — Saint Andrew’s Day.

30th November, 2025: Saint Andrew’s Day.

In the midst of the words he was trying to say, in the midst of his laughter and glee … 

He suddenly realised he left someone off of the Christmas card list!

Thankfully?

I’m going to eternally grateful I’ve got a couple of cards and stamps left!

~≈🎄≈~

At any rate … ?

It’s Saint Andrew’s Day.

So … ?

I’ve been over-using ChatGPT, again!

And using ‘Ewan McGregor’ and ‘Peter Capaldi’ as prompts.

Hopefully, I won’t get into trouble, there … !

~≈🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿≈~

It seems the fire on Friday … has now been picked up by the BBC’s news site: and can be found, here.

And, while they and other news sites aren’t saying so … ?

There’s talk — talk, mind! — that someone died in the blaze.

If that’s truly the case … ?

I can only hope the fire was accidental: a chip-pan fire, say, or an overheating tumble dryer.

If it were deliberate … ?

And someone died … ?

That’s not arson, but murder … 

~≈🔥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-11-2020: Saint Andrew’s Day

30th November, 2020.

Right … 

Right at the moment, I’m quietly hoping that intro video works.

It should: as far as I can tell, from the feedback I’ve had.

Thanking you for helping!

~≈†≈~

At any rate … ?

I’ve a phone meeting, today: with my case worker from the Work and Health Programme.

It should go well enough.

Although, to be frank … ?

I’m not expecting very much from it.

Although, frankly?

That could well be the psychological effects of blah years of job hunting.

Out of work for this long?

Frankly, I’m not in the best frame of mind.

~≈†≈~

As a last point?

The trailer for the upcoming Dr Who New Years Day special, Revolution of The Daleks, has been released.

And looks interesting.

Defence drones … hmmm … 

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-11-2019: Saint Andrew’s Day

30th November, 2019.

Yes: today’s the 30th of November, 2019.

And it means that Lighting up Brentwood, takes place.

It means Brentwood’s Christmas lights get turned on.

Yay.

It might well end up making the High Street look wonderfully festive … 

But means means there’s going to be traffic jams … 

~≈†≈~

Oh … 

One thing I have managed to be able to afford?

Is a new USB stick: a sixty-four gigabyte one that replaces a thirty-two gigabyte one.

With the amount of cloud services, and catch up TV services, doing the rounds, they’re less useful than they were.

But there still the odd occasion where they come in handy.

In my case?   I’ve a set top TV box that can record stuff to a USB stick: having a larger capacity one helps.

Once I managed to get the thing formatted correctly* … !

~≈†≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-11-2018: Saint Andrew’s Day

30th November, 2018.

Right then … 

It’s officially official: I didn’t get the job at Burger King.

I’m … 

I’ve got a set of mixed feelings.

I’m mildly disappointed.

After all, my last interview, whilst not successful, had a potential spin off: that there’s another vacancy coming up in February that I was welcome to try again.

The one before that … ?

Was the successful one I had for my job in Chelmsford.

On the other hand … ?

I’m very aware that standing around flogging burgers is not something I want to do.

And, frankly?

My health couldn’t deal with all this free staff meals.

No matter how wonderful they are.

~≈§≈~

One thing I know has floated past me in the news?

Is the discussion about China.

Just recently?

New Zealand has decided to not use Huawei, Huawei-made kit or Huawei  for its telecommunications and internet infrastructure: over concerns about the Chinese company’s links to the Chinese government.

Basically?   They feel using it would be a security risk.

The US and Australia have decided to do likewise.

And Canada is reviewing its potential use.

All well and good.

On a personal front?

My question is what is usually is.

Is the UK government doing likewise?

Seemingly not.

My other question?

How many government departments are using locally produced versions of Linux for their offices?

I’m aware that the UK is home to Canonical Ltd: producers of the popular Ubuntu operating system.

My concern has always been cost.

From what little I’ve seen, the overall cost of ownership is lower: with a lot of that being staff retraining.

My other question?

In all probability*, you, me and anyone else will more than probably be reading this post with a US produced web-browser — Edge, Safari, Internet Explorer or Chrome — on a US produced operating system — Windows, macOS, iOS, Android — on a device made and designed by a US company: Microsoft, Apple, Google.

Is Huawei a security risk?

Possibly: a lot of governments seem to think so.

Are US software companies an equally risk?

I don’t know: I’m no expert.

But feel the potential risk is there.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-11-2017:

You’ve heard of Britain First, haven’t you … ?

At least, you will have done: by now.

They are one of Britain’s more notorious far right group, noted for an hardline anti-Muslim stance, and very sympathetic to the likes of the Ku Klux Klan, and Germany’s AfD.

They have huge online presence: that is much larger than their (thankfully tiny) real-world one.

They’ve had a free advert.

In the form of three re-tweets from President Donald Trump.

Which has earnt him a lot of condemnation, internationally.

From several members of the Conservative government who are of an Islamic background.

So POTUS has endorsed the views of a vile, hate-filled racist organisation that hates me and people like me. He is wrong and I refuse to let it go and say nothing

— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) November 29, 2017

And from the Prime Minister, Theresa May.

That condemnation by her?   Is possibly the only reason I have for voting Conservative.

Trump has issued another tweet: ticking the Prime Minister off.

Frankly?

He wouldn’t have need to: had he not retweeted videos from Britain’s most notorious neo-nazis.

As far as I’m concerned?   As far as I’m concerned, the man is spreading hatred and bile: and, with the words of warning to the PM, poking his nose into the UK’s affairs.

In a way that’s ill-advised, and very unwanted.

Personally?

I know that the President has had a formal invite: to make a state visit to the UK.

He’s not a man I want in the UK.

I can only hope the invite is withdrawn: or that protestors make Trump’s visit a bloody, tomato hurling misery.

~≈§≈~

Oh, one more thing … 

I mentioned, yesterday, that there’d been an issue: for Macs running High Sierra.

Basically, using the word ‘root’ as a login name, leaving the password field blank, and hitting a few times, logs you into the machine: with root access.

Thankfully?

Apple have responded quickly: and issued a patch that should be installed automatically.

According to the BBC, the patch will go on machines running High Sierra: and, interestingly, “Users running older versions of MacOS will see a notification prompting an upgrade.”

I might just have top keep an eye peeled for that.

The possibility’s been worrying me since the news broke.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 30-11-2016: Saint Andrew’s Day

I have a day off … !

Yay … !

Which frankly means I’m going to be ironing … 

Then ironing some more … 

And possibly … ?   Doing some ironing!

The fact I have to get some videos done, and want to try and catch the most recent episode of Class?

Possibly has nothing to do with it … !

~≈Ê≈~

The Daily Teaser — 30-11-2015: Saint Andrew’s Day

Right … It’s a Monday.

Which means, of course, that I’m looking forward to another new week.

And more to the point?

I’m actually looking forward to a day off.

Tomorrow.

Frankly, I’m planning to put my feet up, after work, today.

Which I’m just hoping will be quiet.

We’ll probably have to see, won’t we?

~≈Â≈~

The Daily Teaser — 30-11-2014: St. Andrew’s Day

Ohhhhh, lordy, but I’m up, already … 

Yes: nice and (comparatively) early.

Mostly because I’ve got an early start, today, at work: I’m doing a ten ’til four shift.

Not that I’m complaining.   It’s nice to be working, again, after all this time.

But, BOY, am I looking forward to going back to bed … !

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 30-11-2013: Saint Andrew’s Day

You know, there’s upsides and downsides to now having a TV signal, there is.

On the upside … ?   It does mean I’m slowly catching up with documentaries and comedy shows I’d not caught, last week.

QI’s a perpetual favourite.   I’ve also got a BBC4 documentary on about the history of the Blues.

On the downside … ?   Is catching the shocking news that, up in Glasgow, a police helicopter’s crashed into a pub called The Clutha.

I can only hope as few lives as possibly are lost, but have a nasty feeling about that.

Hmm … let’s get a move on, shall we … 

~≈Ê≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi* putting in her answers: along with letting us know about how she became a fan of Dr Who, also scored six out of seven.

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

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

Q1) 30th November is Saint Andrew’s Day: name either of the colours which make up the Saint Andrew’s Cross.

Q2) Some of Saint Andrew’s bones are in which Scottish town … ?

Q3) Saint Andrew’s Day was declared a public holiday — for Scotland — in 2006.   By the government of where: Scotland, Wales, England or the UK … ?

Q4) Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and where else: Prussia, Russia or Romania … ?

Q5) Finally … which island in the Lesser Antilles celebrates Saint Andrew’s Day both as its saints day, AND its independence day … ?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 29th November saw Atari release the world’s first commercially successful video game.   What game was it?

A1) Pong.

Q2) In which year of the 1970s was the game released … ?

A2) 1972.

Q3) Atari, itself, was based in which US state?

A3) California.

Q4) More to the point, Atari is a Japanese word meaning ‘warning’: and used in which game … ?

A4) Go.

Q5) Atari placed their first coin operated video game in a bar called ‘Andy’s’ … what’s … ?

A5) Andy Capp’s.

Q6) The game, itself, is loosely based on which real-world sport: tennis, ping-pong or badminton?

A6) Tennis.

Q7) Finally … what was the name of Atari’s 1976 follow up to its first game … ?

A7) Breakout: designed by Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak.

I’ll leave you with this anonymous verse …

“Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland,


And we in dreams behold the Hebrides!


Fair these broad meads, these hoary woods are grand;


But we are exiles from our fathers’ land.”

‘Canadian Boat Song, Anonymous’

And with this music … 

Enjoy the day … !

*    Oh, I hate that: don’t you, Debbi … ?   Loaning a book out, and never getting it back … !   (Did I tell you I had a copy of the novelisation of very first Dalek story? LORD knows where that’s got to … !)

The Daily Teaser — 30-11-2012: Saint Andrew’s Day

Hmmm … Looks like Leveson’s managed to put the cat amongst the proverbial pigeon,

The report’s suggested the UK’s press be regulated by a watchdog: one that’s supported by statute.

Which is getting official support from both the Opposition, AND the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

And is notionally opposed by the PM.

This could be interestingly messy … 

~~~~~

But let’s get moving on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi putting in her answers: and, along with suggesting a few more potential titlesº, ALSO managing to bag — hmm — let’s call it 5½ out of 6*.

Let’s see how she — and you — do with today’s themed questions, shall we?   Here they are, along with the ‘How To’, License and video … 

Q1) 30th November is — famously — Saint Andrews Day, the feast of the patron saint of Scotland.   Ironically, he’s traditionally considered the first bishop of where: Rome, Byzantium or Jerusalem … ?

Q2) Which Roman Catholic cathedral in Scotland claims to have some of the saints’s relics … ?

Q3) As we’re being Scottish, what’s Scotland’s capital city … ?

Q4) Who’s Scotland’s current First Minister … ?

Q5) The Scottish flag — or Cross of Saint Andrew — is also known as what … ?

Q6) And finally … what’s the largest Scottish island …

And here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 29th November, 1929, saw Admiral Richard Byrd become the first person to overfly what … ?

A1) The South Pole.

Q2) 43 years later, 29th November, 1972, saw the release of Pong: by which US company … ?

A2) Atari.

Q3) More to the point, that company’s name mean’s what, in English … ?

A3) Attack, or warning.  (It’s from the Japanese game of Go, and roughly equivalent to Check, in Chess.)

Q4) Moving on … 29th November, 1890, saw Japan’s parliament go into force.   What’s the name of the Japanese Parliament … ?

A4) The National Diet, or Kokkai (国会).

Q5) 29th November saw the UN Partition of Palestine: in which year of the 1940s?

A5) 1947.

Q6) And finally … 29th November, 1781, saw the crew of the Zong drown 133 — or 142, depending on who you ask — African slaves.   Why?

A6) For the insurance money.   (The mind boggles.)

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll leave you with a line from the Bard of Ayrshire, shall I … ?

“My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here; 
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer.”   

Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet. 25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796

And with some of Scotland’s finest, and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s finest …

Oh, and let’s throw in some identical twins, shall we?

Talking of twins … 

And lastly … Let’s have some Hibernian funk … 

*        I know, I know, Debbi!   I was always taught the term translated into something along the lines of ‘attack’: very approximately, I should add!   But I’m BLOWED if I can find the reference … !

º        Actually, Debbi … How about The Techno~Innocent’s Guide to Publishing … ?   Gives a bit more positive spin on the title …