Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-5-2024 — World Turtle Day

23rd May, 2024: World Turtle Day.

It’s officially official: it’s Thursday … !

Which means the news has got out.

Yes: we’re due an election on 4th July.

Frankly?

I’m going to wait until the Greens put out a manifesto, and announce if they’re standing in my area.

Before I decide whether to vote for them … or spoil my vote.

~≈🗳️≈~

On a personal front?

I’ve had some news.

I’ve not been contacted by Clarion — my landlords — about any possible refunds on last years service charges.

So?

I contacted them on Tuesday.

Apparently?

The process should take a week … once they get to it.

They couldn’t tell me when that would be.

Not something I’m happy about: and something I intend to keep pestering them about: until I know one way or the other.

The good bit of news I got yesterday?

I put in for a grant to help pay my council tax, a few weeks ago.

It finally went through, yesterday.

That’s a big help: it, effectively, means I have an extra few quid every month.

~≈£≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-5-2019: World Turtle Day

23rd May, 2019.

Right … 

As you’ll possibly be aware?

I’m unemployed, at the moment.   And have to report to my local Job Centre, every couple of weeks.

I managed to miss the last one.

And got my self sanctioned as a result.

Understandably, I’ve been kicking myself for missing the thing: especially given that the financial penalties are quite severe.

Thankfully?

You’re allowed what’s called a Mandatory Reconsideration: an appeal, in other words.

That I managed to do, yesterday.

Hopefully?

Even if I don’t get the sanction cancelled, I’ll hopefully get the penalty reduced.

~≈§≈~

Tech fan that I am?   I’ve been keeping an eye on Huawei’s troubles, just recently.

Famously, the Chinese firm’s infrastructure section is having issues.

Many countries have security concerns about its links to the Chinese government.

The US has recently banned US companies and government departments from using Huawei’s products: which lead Google to cut ties with Huawei.

Yesterday?   Yesterday, ARM — the chip company that makes chips for most of the world’s smart phones and tablets — announced that — as they have to use some US technology in their chips — they were to stop selling to the Chinese giant.

That’s … significant: as Huawei will have to find other chips for their phone.

Today … ?

Panasonic seems to be making similar declarations on its Western websites … but not necessarily on its Chinese ones.

I’m greeting the feeling Huawei … is having bigger problems than it was expecting … 

~≈§≈~