Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-10-2020: Breaking the Barrier

14th October, 2020.

Right … it’s now officially Wednesday: which means I’ve got an appointment with my landlords, this afternoon.

Assuming I’ve got my dates right!

Basically, to see what sort of funding I can get hold of: to help find a job … 

If I get nothing, I’m no worse off then I am, now.

If I can get a laptop off it … ?

AND do that training course?

I’m possibly laughing.

~≈¥≈~

Did I mention I’ve been watching Watchmen, over the past few weeks?

I managed to catch episode four — If You don’t Like My Story, Write Your Own — last night.

It has to be said: Jeremy Irons, cloned servants,  a lot of corpses, and a catapult?

Is a little unnerving …

~≈¥≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 22-4-2019: Jack Nicholson.

22nd April, 2019.

Yep!

It’s officially official: I’ve finished watching series two of Westworld.

And it has to be said, The Passenger did look rather good.

Although … 

Can I make a confession?

They’ve killed Thandie Newton.

She absolutely made that show!

~≈§≈~

In other news?

We know the Ukraine’s had it’s moments … 

Yesterday was possibly one of them.

The country’s just elected Volodymyr Zelensky as President: a man who’s made a living as both a comedian, and playing a fictional Ukrainian president.

A comedian … 

He really can’t be any worth than any other politician … 

~≈§≈~

And, as a LAST thought … ?

My sister, Ruth, and I tried installing Fortnite — the game — onto her PC, last night.

As Jude had been talking about it!

Frankly?

We couldn’t get it done.

I have to admit, I THINK that’s down to the verification email going astray.

Although I did have a look at downloading it, back at my place, when I got back home.

The bloody thing’s a 45 gigabyte file.

Forty five whole bloody gigabytes.

Blow THAT!

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 10: The Passenger — A Review

*Spoilers*

21st April, 2019.

You know, I think palaver is possibly putting it mildly.

You see, I was at my family’s, earlier: an Easter Sunday dinner, so you know.

And … ?

Well … my nephew asked me if I could install Fortnite on to his mum’s computer.

That … 



Turned into a lot of palaver: as we couldn’t work out how to reset Ruth’s password, so we could install the thing.

Although I’ve managed to work out the first bit, at home: we’d’ve needed to reset the password.

There’s more.


Fortnite’s made by a games company called Epic.

And it seems to work a bit like Steam.

If I’ve got it right, the Steam app — or Epic launcher — is an application that runs miniature apps — the games — with in it.

Very unlike the Mac App Store: the games I can buy there run independently of the Store.

Of, course, wanting to know what Jude was banging on about: and as the game was free?

I thought I’d download it at my end.

Ha!

NOT counting the Epic Launcher?

That was about forty-five gigabytes game files.

From what I could see, and unlike many apps I’ve used on the Mac?

Something I could only put on the main drive: a main drive too small to contain it.

For want of of a politer phrase?

Bugger that for a lark.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 9: Vanishing Point — A Review

20th April, 2019.

OK, I’ll admit it.

I’m something of a Snooker fan.

Someone who tries to watch it where possible.   But doesn’t necessarily always get the chance.

Frankly?

I managed to catch some of the Robertson-Georgiou match, today: in the first round of this year’s World Championship.

Fascinating watch … but, given it’s 9-0 to Neil Robertson?   I think Australia’s finest has an advantage.

~≈§≈~

Saying that … ?

Saying that, you’ve possibly worked out that I have a large set of TV shows cued up: ready and waiting to be watched.

Including the current favourite, Westworld, series two.

It’s … 

It’s holding my attention, let’s put it that way … 

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 8: Kiksuya — A Review

18th April, 2019.

Yes: that’s right.

My language in tonight’s intro, isn’t exactly what you’d call polite.

But I think I have an excuse.

I was due to go to an interview, today.

I had the money for the ticket — £11·10 courtesy of the Job Centre — in my account, was ready to go, got to the station … 

Only to be told the ACTUAL price was fourteen quid.



£14.

I didn’t have enough.

The Job Centre were as surprised as I was.

As both I, and my advisor — who’d arranged for the fare money — had check online for the price.

Several times.

£11·10.

Quite definitely, £11·10.

Quite why the price difference?

I don’t know.

I was angry, to put it mildly.

I got even angrier … 

Finding out that the Job Centre couldn’t guarantee being able to put the difference into my account, in time for me to still go to the interview.

Nor did they have any petty cash to use: they haven’t done for several years.

Knowing this — angry about it, but left with no other option — I phoned the recruiter, to see if I could re-arrange the interview.

Nope.

They had no free slots left.

With no money to get to the interview, and no dates left to rebook for?

For what could well have been a very good position indeed?

I had to cancel.

The recruiters have said they will contact me, again, if another — or, indeed the same — position becomes available.

Although I can’t see them doing that: I can’t imagine what they’re thinking of an interview who doesn’t turn up.

The Job Centre have been apologetic: as much as they try and resolve these things quickly, they can only go as fast as the banks will let them.

Frankly?

Well … 

I’ll apologise for the language.

But my GODS, this has left me fuming … 

~≈§≈~

Fuming and swearing aside?

Fuming and swearing aside, I am still job hunting … and determined to learn to at least double check on ticket prices.

Job hunting … 

And watching TV.

Thankful that I had something to watch.

Yep: I can at least say I’ve caught another episode of Westworld series two.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 7: Les Écorchés — A Review

14th April, 2019

Yep: that intro video’s accurate.

I’m going to be baby — ha! — sitting my nephew, Jude, tomorrow.

Which should be fun.

So long as we can figure out what to do.

It might just involve persuading Mummy that buying a micro SD card: so a Certain Nephew can … ah … borrow age-acceptable movie content from his uncle and plonk it on his tablet.

Which possibly makes up for this afternoon: the family trip to see Shazam didn’t exactly go to plan: as Jude found it a little bit too scary.

I can sort of see his point: people crumbling to dust isn’t exactly reassuring to an eight year old!

~≈§≈~

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, we’ll have to see what we can do about that, shan’t we?

The rest of the evening I’ve had to myself.

Which … ?

Frankly gives me another night to see more of Westworld series two.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 6 Phase Space: A Review

13th April, 2019.

OK … now I come to look at the intro video … ?



It does seem just a little bit camp.

But at least I can say two things.

One … ?   I’m getting better at tweaking the audio on these things.

The only shame?

Is that I can’t copy the audio from a given iMovie project, put it into — say — Audacity, add some weird effects … 


And re-import it back.

One for the forums, maybe.

Two … ?

It’s Raining Men’s a fantastic song!

~≈§≈~

Moving on … ?

I have to admit, I was in Sainbury’s today.

And … 

Here … 

Basically?   Their self-service tills now have cameras attached.

Frankly?

I can understand a certain amount of CCTV.

But these seem a little too intrusive.

~≈§≈~

Oh, and finally … ?

Finally, I’ve managed to catch one more episode of Westworld, series two.

It’s OK: I’ve got an excuse!

~≈§≈~

Episode 6 — Phase Space — opens with Bernard and Dolores (Jeffrey Wright and Evan Rachel Wood) having one of their usual conversations: with a twist.

Dolores seems to be the one in charge.

Maeve’s group?   Maeve’s (Thandiwe Newton) group are determined to return to the main Westworld park.

Maeve is still desperate to find her daughter … but not expecting any twists … 

William (Ed Harris) and his daughter, Emily (Katja Herbers) are reconciled … only for Emily to find her fathers has abandoned her … 

The episode closes … with Bernard and Elsie (Shannon Woodward) at the Cradle: the server farm that contains ALL of the host backup and core data.

And is haunted by Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins).

Things … are going to get messy … 

~≈§≈~

Now … am I still enjoying Westworld?

Yes, I am, thanking you.

Although this episode seemed a little weaker than earlier entries in the series, it has shown us that the going ons at the park are more complicated than we think.

And?

Hmmm … 

I’ve not read any of the series two overviews available.

I’d rather NOT walk into a stream of spoilers.

But, right now?

I’m guessing Peter Abernathy — Dolores’ father — contains not the intellectual property of the park … 

But the memory patterns of a senior Delos corporation executive: and that at least one other — Ford — himself.

All of it manufactured to make the company the only group in this universe that can grant immortality.

We’ll have to see … 

But, boy … I’m curious … !

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 5 Akane no Mai: A Review

8th April, 2019.

That’s actually a very good question: did you read this morning’s post … ?

It’s a shame if you didn’t: I put a lot of working those Teasers.

At any rate?

You’d realised I was due a visit from a repairman today: one due to rehang a cupboard door.

He was due between eight and one … 

But actually turned up quarter past nine.

And had the job done in half an hour.

You can’t complain about work like that, now can you … ?

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

That left the rest of the day free.

One spent having a healthy walk, jobhunting … 

Making videos … 

Oh, and towards this evening?

Catching a TV show.

Westworld series two.

But you’d possibly guessed … 

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 4 The Riddle of the Sphinx: A Review

7th April, 2019.

Yes: it’s official.

Time is — quite assertively — passing.

At least … given the fact that my 8 year old nephew has now worked out how to use Mummy’s phone — at least, the video call feature of Facebook Messenger — to give me a call.

In the middle of the afternoon, while I was having a cheeky snooze.

Bless him!

Quite what that implies for the future, I really don’t know.

Or any more intro video*.

But I’m assuming Ruth — my youngest sister, and Jude’s mother — will be keeping an eye on her phone … !

He’ll get up to all sorts.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

It’s a quiet Sunday night.

Which you’ve possibly noticed.

And, given I had little else to do … ?

Meant I could happily sit in with the next episode of Westworld, series two.

It’s starting to show us the meat of the story.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 3 Virtù e Fortuna: A Review

6th April, 2019.

Yes: there are times I’m glad I’ve got iPlayer.

Really.

For someone who’s usually glued to the TV?   There’s half a ton of stuff I — occasionally — miss.

Mostly?   Well, mostly, because I’m working, or — if I’m not working — doing something else.

I also like to try and avoid adverts.

So — while I’ve got access to the catch up services from Channel Four, ITV and Channel 5 — I tend not to watch them, much.

The BBC’s iPlayer service, on the other hand?

Is fine.

It, unlike others?

Doesn’t have adverts.

Which makes it perfectly  … 

Paul?

Stop waffling at people: and start telling them things!

One.

I managed to catch a documentary on the iPlayer: about Jack the Ripper.

Entertaining stuff that postulates a woman called Martha Tabram was his first victim, not Polly Nichols, as usually claimed.

And names their suspect … 



 certain Mr Aaron Kosminski, of Whitechapel.

Entertaining?   Yes?



Accurate?

I don’t know.

But it was certainly plausible. 

And two‽

I’ve caught another episode of Westworld’s second series.

Ye … haaaa!

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 2 Reunion: A Review

4th April, 2019.

Yes: it’s true.

At least, what I’ve said in the introductory video is true.

I’ve had to fill in some paperwork, today, and send it off.

It seems that I may — may — be able to claim an extra benefit: due to the depression I’ve suffered with for many years.

Whether I get it … ?

Is a whole other matter.

It’s … 

Well … 

We’ll see.

~≈§≈~

On the job-hunting front … ?

I actually put in for one, today.

Actually, I’ve put in for a job, everyday, for the past few months.

This one?   Got in touch with me, fairly rapidly: at lunchtime, today.

Unfortunately?   There was a problem with it.

The job itself was for a temporary one in Brentwood: but meant I had to register with a temp agency in Chelmsford.

Not having the cash for a ticket?   I’d need help from my local benefits office.

Except, of course, the Job Centre … ?

For pay the fare, if you’re JUST registering with a temp agency.

Why?

I don’t actually know.

But it means I miss out … 

Is that upsetting, I hear you ask?

Well … yes: it is.

But, apart from taking a deep breath: and have a good hard think about how to do things differently, the next time something like this, crops up?

There‘s not much I can do.

Bar keep hunting.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

At any rate, tonight is a free evening: as quite a few have been, recently.

As I’ve got little to do … ?

Yep: you’re right … I’ve caught more of Westworld series two.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 2 — Episode 1 Journey into Night: A Review

3rd April, 2019.

Hmmm … 

Drifting … 

There’s possibly a lot one can say about drifting, right now.

The first thing I want to do, though … ?   Is something for my fellow Mac users.

You may remember me mentioning that — in the wake of the update from one version of my operating system, to the next — that the update had affected iMovie.

Making it render videos extremely slowly: especially when the animated text featured was used.

Yesterday and today?

Yesterday and today, however, we seem to have improvements.

For starters, Apple released an update for iMovie: taking it from 10.1.10 to 10.1.11.

Which didn’t seem to do much.

This morning … ?

We got the OFFICIAL little red dot on my System Preferences icon.



Meaning I had an update to the operating system, itself, available.

Effectively?   My machine was getting updated from macOS 10.14.3 to 10.14.4.

Gosh, the excitement … 

At any rate, right now?

I seem to have a version of iMovie that seems to be back up to snuff … 

We’ll have to see, won’t we?

~≈§≈~

At any rate … drifting … ?

Over the past few months, I’ve been doing all sorts of stuff … 

OK, granted, I’ve watched a lot of movies, and TV shows … AND read a book or two.

But, when in a TV watching mood … ?

I’ve watched some … at the expense of others.

Including Star Trek Discovery, and the superb El Ministerio del Tiempo, included.

One thing I managed to catch, last year, was the first series of HBO show, Westworld.

And very enjoyable it was, too.

It’s been a year, though.

Given that?

I felt it was time to catch up with series two.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 1 — Episode 9 and 10: The Well Tempered Clavier and The Bicameral Mind

21st August, 2018.

Right … I’m almost at the end of — get this — a day off.

Frantically realising, whilst wandering, washing up, having dinner with the family — my nephew says there’s a giant eyeball, over there … ! — that stuff’s a going on … 

I’d seen the news, today.

That Microsoft has halted a hacking attack on various Republican Party/conservative groups in the US … 

From Russia.

OK, that’s bad.

But, being honest?   I’d like to know what US cyber spies are doing.

Not that I think they’d tell the likes of me.

But I’m willing to bet that there’s a US Cyber warfare department doing something similar.

Willing to bet the UK government’s resident boffins at GCHQ are involved with the same sort of activities.

And willing to bet Microsoft love the publicity.

At ANY rate … ?

I can remember reading about an open source software project, a few years ago, called ReactOS.

A product designed to be used instead of Windows, and free of charge, but compatible with Windows software.

You could go and install ReactOS on your PC, and use exactly the same Windows apps you’d already got.

Without having to buy separate versions*.

It’s only when my ageing memory caught up, I realised I’d read about ReactOS, a while back.

About how interested Russian politicians were in the thing.

I don’t know for sure … 

But I’m guessing something like ReactOS would give malicious agents a chance to would out how to put a spanner in Microsoft’s works … 

Without have to buy anything from them.

~≈§≈~

At any rate … ?

It’s a day off.

Or, at least, has been one.

And … ?

Yes: I’ve watched more TV.   I have finally caught the last two episodes of Westworld’s first series

Yes: … that WAS rather good … !

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 1 — Episode 8: Trace Decay

16th August, 2018.

Yes: it’s true … 

The Queen of Pop — Madonna Louise Ciccone — officially turned sixty today.

I’m not an particular fan, I have to say.

But have to give the Material Girl credit.   She’s a good performer, she’s knocked out some very good pop tunes: my favourites get a look-in, in today’s Daily Teaser

And is possibly the savviest business woman in the industry.

Possibly one of the best business people, all round.

You don’t have a thirty-five year career in the music, without being clued up.

~≈§≈~

The day’s got a sad side, too.

The Queen of Soul died, today.

Aretha … 

There is literally nothing I can say or do to describe how her voice made the hair on the back of my arms stands on end: beyond saying she was the first of only a few singers who could make the hair on the back of my arms stand on end.



The only fit way of remember the best voice in modern popular music?

Is to play some … 

~≈§≈~

Sadness possibly doesn’t even start, now does it?

At any rate … ?   Today has been a day off: one of mixed emotions … and extreme dampness.

Yep: I went and picked up medication … 

And got rained on … !



Boy, did I ever get rained on!

I’m glad I got home, glad I got in … 

And glad, by the time I dried out?

I had something to watch.

Yep: another episode of Westworld series one … 

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 1 — Episode 7: Trompe L’Oeil

14th August, 2018.

It’s true: and I make no excuses for it.

I have some strange taste in music.

When I say strange, I mean strange … 

Frankly?

I wish I knew where … 

No, I think I have an idea.

I always used to get extra homework: just to make sure my handwriting was up to  snuff.

And usually have Strauss’s Blue Danube on in the background.

That’s possibly what’s given me a taste for it.

Well, that … and 2001.

At any rate … ?

It’s another night off … 

Which means?

Yes: another episode of Westworld, series one.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 1 — Episode 6: The Adversary

13th August, 2018.

OK … 

I’ll admit to have a rough few days: almost — but not quite — walking away from a job I actually like.

Thankfully, I haven’t: although I have managed to wangle some time off.

Although not a pay rise: which could’ve been handy … 

At any rate?   A couple of days off … ?   Means cashing in the ticket, buying a takeaway pie and chips, listening to Jean-Michel Jarre’s Revolutionsalbum …

… as it returns, stylistically to his earlier, Oxygène.

Although with something of a French Algerian feel to it.   Possibly Arabian: as his father, Maurice, composed the music for Lawrence of Arabia.

I could go on for hours, couldn’t I … ?

I could … 

But won’t … as I wanted to tell you I’ve taken the chance to do two things.



One?   Post up today’s Teaser: I’m left handed so, given it’s Left hander’s day, a themed seemed appropriate.

And, yes, you’re right about the second thing.

I’ve caught another episode of Westworld’s first series.

Surprised … ?

Possibly not.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 1 — Episode 5: Contrapasso

12th August, 2018.

You know, now I come to look at that intro … ?

I am happily sitting her, in my front room, and thinking about the idea that yawning is contagious.

And thinking there may well be something to it.

After all, any time I watch myself yawn … ?

I yawn in response.

Yeah … 

Trust me, it really has been one of those days.

Well, let’s leave that there, shall we?

And instead … ?

Concentrate on the fact I managed to catch some TV … for the first time in a while.

Yep: I’ve been at the series 1 Westworld … 

Just the one episode, mind.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 1 — Episodes 3 and 4:The Stray and Dissonance Theory

7th August, 2018

That’s a bugger: and a bugger that possibly going to get me into trouble.

Although I THINK I have proof … 

Let me explain.

As originally scheduled?   I was due to have the night off, tonight.

Due … and had headed over to my mother’s for a family dinner.

’Til I get a frantic call from my Supervisor asking where I was.

Usually?   Next week’s rota are posted — in their finalised form — on the Monday before.

Which is when I usually tell co-workers when my free days are: and which ones I have free, if they’d like me to cover.

This week’s were up, last Monday, for example.

Which is when I emailed people: asking if anyone needed a shift covered.

No one did.

Well … no-one asked me about tonight, let’s put it that way.

I’ve still got the email trail that says so.

I’m hoping to NOT get in trouble: the job’s precarious enough as it is.

I’m hoping to the email trail I’ve got can show no deliberate fault.

~≈§≈~

Frankly?



I’m hoping to not get in trouble: as — as far as I could tell — tonight’s all my own.

I’m worried, certainly.

But, until tomorrow?

Not much I can do.

Beyond what I’d already had pencilled in.

Yep: catching more TV.

And yes: two more episodes of Westworld — series one — are exactly what the doctor ordered.

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 3rd August, 2018

3rd August, 2018.

Yes: it’s official.

I had a day off, yesterday.

And managed to find something new to watch.

Yep … 

I’ve started watching Westworld.

To be frank, this first series to have a bit more to it than American Horror Story.

But then … ?

That’s like comparing a £1·50 burger to a £10·99 steak.

They’re both edible, both enjoyable.

But very different!

~≈§≈~

On a different front?

You may well be about my age.

With all the associated medical conditions, sullen resentments, bad habits, good habits, mess and filthy underwear.

Or, at least, regrets.

On of mine?

Simply the fact I only ever completed Atic Atac, the ZX Spectrum game, once.

Although it provided hours of fun in the process.

Recently?   There’s been attempts to revive the Spectrum: or at least, release a modern version, with remakes of the popular games.

Unfortunately?

The troubled Vega+, the best known of these?

Has now had to have the Sinclair, and Spectrum, branding removed: after Sky, the rights holder, insisted they do so.

As the Vega+ has only just started sending out (seemingly incomplete) versions of the console.

After some two years of arguing.

There’s quite a lot of disappointed retro-gaming fans, out there.

Frankly?

I’m one of them.

~≈§≈~

Westworld — Series 1 — Episodes 1 and 2: The Original and Chestnut

2nd August, 2018.

Right … 

I’ve got to admit to spending a frantic minutes, there: posting to Apple’s community support forums.

I’m having an issue.

For the past few hours, and using Safari 11.1.2, on a recent model iMac, running macOS High Sierra, 10.13.6?

Every time I go near Facebook, I get a message telling me “This webpage is using significant memory.   Closing it may improve your Mac’s responsiveness.”

Yes, before you ask: I’ve cleared both my caches and my history.

And no, it doesn’t happen when I use the ever reliable Firefox.

I’m blowed If I know what’s happening.

If there’s anyone out there who’s got at least half a clue, I’d appreciate hearing about it!



It’s mildly frustrating.

~≈§≈~

That aside?

You’ve possibly realised — or possibly haven’t — that I’ve had a day off, today.

I’ve got a few bits done around the house.

Although less than I’d like.

One disadvantage of being single?

Is there’s no-one around to help do the chores.

To be frank, I thin I’d possibly hire a cleaner … if I had the dosh.

There is always that last bit you can’t be bothered to wipe, frankly.

At ANY rate?

I will probably have a chance to do more, tomorrow: as I’ve another day off.

Tonight?

I fancied catching something that’s been tempting me for a while.

Westworld.

The first series of the HBO series, if you’re wondering, rather than the film it takes a cue from.

Going on these two episodes?

I think tempting is the right word …

~≈§≈~