Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-5-2025 — iMac.

6th May, 2025: iMac.

Hmm … 

I was at my sister’s, last night: baby — ha! — sitting my nephew, Jude.

We’d natter whilst he watched YouTube on his PS5, and I watched the snooker final in the front room.

I think we had an entertaining evening.

Although I have to say: I dropped a chip.

And … ?

Ruth’s cat’s like bloody lightning!

~≈🍟≈~

We — and the cat! — had a good evening.

So did Chinese snooker.

As Zhao Xintong beat Mark Williams 18-12: and became China’s first snooker world champion in the process.

Well done, him: it’s one hell of a personal achievement, one I suspect will have a similar effect to Andy Murray winning Wimbledon.

And persuade lots of people in China join snooker clubs.

At any rate: congratulations to Xintong.

Now … will he be able to beat the Crucible Curse … ?

I seriously doubt it!

~≈🎱≈~

Nik Nak's Daily Teaser — 22nd December 2023

22nd December, 2023.

This is not a day for things to be acting up!

As you're possibly aware?

I'm due to pick up my main computer -- a 2017 21.5" iMac -- from a repair shop in Shenfield, today.

In the hope that it's;

• Repairable.
• Repaired.
• Working.
• Cheap!

Frankly?

I'm definitely anxious about the situation!

~≈⸸≈~

An Appeal ...

I HAVE to admit, I'm in a right old state.

 

I need £150 ... !

 

My Mac - the 2017 model that's the heart of Nik Nak's Old Peculiar - has just died on me.

From the little I know ... ?

The power supply unit is causing issues.

I've been quoted £150 for a repair.

If any one can help, I'd appreciate hearing about it!

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 19th February, 2018

19th February, 2018.

Yep: it’s a official.

I owe my family a great big thank you.

They’ve gone and treated me to a new computer.

You can possible guess the brand, can’t you … ?

Right now … ?

Right now, I’ve got to confess I’m still transferring stuff over from my old machine: when setting up this Mac, I made the decision to try and import everything from my Time Machine Backup.

Which didn’t take.

So, instead, I decided to import everything from my old Mac over my local network: rather than directly connect the things.

The slow and fiddly way, in other words.

I’m ALSO still getting used to the interface.

It’a familiar enough that I can start using using it, yesterday.

But different enough to confuse me.

And automatically capitalises the letter ‘I’: which is awkward if you’re trying to write a post with raw HTML tags.

Still … 

I’d possibly only get bored if things stay the same … !

~≈§≈~

The New Toy

18th February, 2018.

No, really … 

Read On … !

Although I suspect I’ve not got much to say.

APART … from thanking my family: they have, bless them, managed to buy me quite a lot of iMac.

Which is taking a lot longer to set up, than I thought.

To be thoroughly honest?

I think I made something of a hash of the initial use of Migration Assistant.

I initially chose to import a lot of my settings and files over my local network: rather than connect the two machines together, via ethernet.

I might just have to get one of those really LONG … !

Hmmm … 

The Daily Teaser — 24-10-2012

It’s OFFICIALLY official! 

I’ve just seen Apple’s updated iMac line.

And I’m in lust … AGAIN … !

I mean … will you look at how thin the thing is … ?

They’ve done something similar with the iPad, by introducing an iPad Mini: complete with a 7·9” screen.

Let’s put it this way: I wouldn’t be saying no, if you were offering.

Let‘s get moving on, shall we?

Before I start getting too excited about the new Mac Mini* … 

‹‹—››

Yesterday’s saw Debbi  putting in her answers: along with bagging 5 out of 6, ALSO managed to write about her adventures at the Austin Film Festivalª.

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

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

Q1) 24th October, 1945, saw the founding of the United Nations, in Washington DC: what does DC stand for … ?

Q2) More to the point, in which US city is the UN’s HQ … ?

Q3) Equally to the point, name any of the UN’s five principle organs … 

Q4) Moving on … One year earlier, 24th October, 1944, saw the sinking of the Japanese ship, Zuikaku: during which World War 2 battle … ?

Q5) 24th October, 1983, saw serial killer, Dennis Nilsen go on trial: accursed of how many murders … ?

Q6) And finally … 24th October, 2003, saw which plane make its last commercial flight … ?

Ands here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 23rd October, 1992, saw the first visit of a Japanese Emperor to China: which Emperor was it … ?

A1) Emperor Akhihito.

Q2) More to the point, how many emperors preceded him … ?

A2) 124.

Q3) Moving on … 23rd October, 1956, saw thousands of protestors demand an end to Soviet control … of which European country … ?

A3) Hungary.

Q4) 23rd October, 2001, saw the introduction of the Apple iPod: what was the name of the original Windows software used with the iPod … ?

A4) MusicMatch^.

Q5) 23rd October, 1917 saw the Bolshevik Central Committee support an armed uprising: in which country … ?

A5) Revolutionary era Russia.

Q6) And finally … 23rd October, 1707, saw the first meeting of the Parliament of where: England, Scotland, the UK or Great Britain … ?

A6) Great Britain.

Enjoy those, everyone.

I’ll leave you with some Chantilly Lace, as today marks the Big Bopper’s birthday … 

And with this quote from Batman’s co-creator, Bob Kane … 

“Bill Finger was a contributing force on Batman right from the beginning. He wrote most of the great stories and was influential in setting the style and genre other writers would emulate ... I made Batman a superhero-vigilante when I first created him. Bill turned him into a scientific detective.”

Bob Kane, October 24, 1915 – November 3, 1998

Hmmm … 

Just as a final note … 

You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs … 

*        What … ?   A terabyte sized, hard driveº … ?   Whoah … !

º        Actually,  it’s what Apple are calling a fusion drive, a combined hard- and solid-state-drive: I’m willing to bet it’s a really weird RAID setup.   Or an updated version of the OS X hot zone

ª        I’ll be having a read of that lot, later on, Debbi: I’m just sorry to have to inflict the REST of today’s post on you … !

^        Hmmm … Thinking about it, I could’ve phrased that one a bit better, couldn’t I , Debbi … ?

The End Of The G3 iMac Story

Blimey, nowthere’s a thing … !

Do you remember that, over the past few year’s, I’ve done a bit of tweaking to an old G3 iMac that I’ve had sitting around … ?

Including, I should add, managing to put a copy of Xubuntu 6•06, Dapper Drake on it: I’d no access to a more recent version of OS X to put on there, as much as anything else …

At any rate, I’ve managed to find a buyer who’s interested in taking it off my hands: and has a copy of a newer version of Mac OS to put on it.

The upside … Is that I’m keeping the old keyboard that came with it.

Actually, that’s kind of nice.

Bar a dodgy ‘c’ key, that keyboard still works.

It even manages to play rather nicely with my Mac Mini, and happily deals with a 4 gigabyte flash memory drive, in the USB port, at the opposite end of the keyboard to the mouse.

And the Power button on the blessed thing still — under OS X 10•6•7 — activates the shut-down menu.

Happy days … !

Again With The Cinema

You know, I’ve got to admit, I’ve bought this week’s Brentwood Gazette.

After all, the amount of times I’ve cropped up on the letters page … ?

Well …

You’d be surprised if I didn’t, wouldn’t you … ?

At any rate, I know that my whole habit of mailing Brentwood’s local paper all started because I’d sent them a note or two in support of the development where it is: even going as far as writing to the various local development authorities, and (then) government ministers in charge of such things.

Isn’t local politics a wonderful thing … ?

Hard bloody work, though … !!

At any rate, the Gazette’s once more announced some interesting news: this time, about the developers who are building the proposed cinema, flats, shops, and what-ever-else will be put there.

It seems that, although the UK branch of Stocklands — in charge of the development — have given a commitment that it will be built as soon as everything is properly organised, the Australian parent company is keen — for the moment — to pull out of its UK commitments.

Hmmm …

You can imagine what MY response was, can’t you … ?

Here’s what I sent to the Gazette, and to Paul Ainsworth, the reporter that did this article.

Dear Editor,

I’ve got to admit, I’m definitely disappointed.

Well. Less disappointed, than worried.

I read in this week’s Gazette, about Stockland’s apparent commitment to the cinema development in Brentwood, and I’m happy to admit that seeing that it’s possibly now in doubt is a worry.

After all, I’ve gone quite publicly on record — in the Gazette, and on my blog — as saying that it will bring more jobs, and chances for entertainment to our town.

Now I realise that this commitment comes from Stockland’s UK arm.

But, since its Australian corporate HQ seems to be struggling … ?

Well.

Maybe it’s time for them to sell the development on to Taylor Wimpey.

After all, with the amount of people who’ve objected to Taylor Wimpey plans for the Rollason Way site, myself included, they’re bound to want to try something else.

For want of something to do.

Yours,

There …

And, just so you can send him some mail, as well, I’ve linked his email address to his name.

‹‹‹•›››

Lets move on, shall we … ?

Yes, lets … !

Now, you’ve probably worked out, by now, that I’m a Mac fan, haven’t you … ?

You hadn’t … ?

Pay attention … !

I’ve got to admit, Movie Night Adrian’s been crowing — only slightly — about the spec on the laptop he has to use for his volunteer work.

Well …

Look’s like HP aren’t the only ones to include the new i3, i5 and i7 processors.

It seems Apple have just upped the spec on their latest range of iMacs.

After all, where else do you want to put an iProcessor … ?

But I’ll be honest, the one thing that did catch my eye … ?

Was Apple’s decision include — and separately market — their new Magic Trackpad.

Which saves them money.

And means you don’t spend stupid money on thousands of pounds worth of touch-screen computer, only to have it covered in greasy fingermarks.

Oh, and one last thing about that trackpad … ?

I WANT one!

‹‹‹•›››

The President, The Alcohol Ban, And the iMac

Oh …

Okaaaaaay …

Right-ho, President Nicholas Sarkozy’s touchy about his height …

Hmmm …

Now, speaking as someone who’s 5’ 2”, I’m feeling a bit mixed about this.

After all, if he’s that sensitive about his height, why on Earth go into politics in the first place? It is, from where I’m sitting, mildly hypocritical.

And faintly ridiculous.

Or annoying, at least …

At least, annoying to me …

•••••

At any rate, another piece of news that caught my eye were calls by the British Medical Association to ban alcohol advertising.

Hmmm …

There’s a bit of a tough one.

Now, I’ve got to confess, I’ve worked in the licensed trade for some fourteen or so years.

And actually gave up drinking some seven years ago.

For various reasons I’d rather not go into.

So news like this always catches my eye.

Whilst leaving me in a very thoughtful mood.

On the one hand, I know, from both a personal and work perspective, that alcohol does damage. And that anything that helps reduce this is therefore a good thing.

But …

Oh, boy!

I’m also very aware of the damage that was done by the smoking ban. Whilst I grant it’s encouraged many to pack smoking, I also know from my own personal experience that at least one pub lost income, and been forced to close.

So I’m very worried that these calls will have serious implications for the licensed trade.

Serious implications.

From the few figures I’ve seen, I’m aware that smoking hasn’t decreased, over the years of the smoking ban, and the ban on tobacco advertising.

It’s also seen a rise in the use of various types of illegal substance; which is possibly a whole other issue, maybe.

But here’s what I’m trying to get at, though.

I’m thinking that an advertising ban will be counter-productive, especially for those of us with-in the industry.

But I’m also very aware that the industry itself could well be contributing more to things like rehabilitation charities and centres.

•••••

Right, now, lets change direction, shall we?

Shall we?

Oh, good lord, yes!

Phew!

Just as something of an update to the iMac situation, I do know I’ve manage to get hold of a free copy of Coral Word Perfect.

As you’d possibly noticed!

It’s something I’m intent on toying with, I know that.

I’m also fairly aware that none of the software I’ve found for Mac OS 9.2.2 can export directly to .pdf format.

In theory, if I had a printer that worked with it, it would do it straight from the print menu, as per usual with any version of Mac OS, or Mac OS X.

Getting hold of that printer … !

But at least in theory, I could save it as html …

Now, there’s an idea …

Hmmm … Well …

Hmmm … well …

Quite … !

Exactly what Allison and Kelly were laughing about, I really don’t know.

But I’ve a feeling there’s going to be trouble, I really do!

At any rate, I’m thinking this will be a quickish post, before I go to bed, tonight, but you never know.

I do know I’ve been intent on mentioning that’s there’s still something of a fuss about the parking.

Not necessarily as big as it’s been, but none the less, still an ongoing situation.

Mostly because whilst Rollason Way, itself, is (near enough) finished, the rest of the development isn’t. The pictured waste ground, just at the top of Saint James Road.

And, from what I’ve been able to pick up, has had quite a few changes of use, filed to the various planning applications. From what I understood of it, from when I moved in, it was planned to be offices, of some description.

Then more flats.

Then more offices.

Then flats, shops, offices, a donkey sanctuary … you get the picture.

Very mixed up, seemingly … !

And, while I’m still not sure what’s to be put there, it seems there’s not been enough provision made for parking.

Or, at least, the plan’s haven’t been altered enough to increase it relative to the size.

Not such an issue, now that the parking permit scheme has finally gone into operation, but before those kicked in, something of a worry.

And I’m just wondering how Saint James Road’s going to look, once whatever the building site turns into whatever it’s going to be.

I can’t help but think it’ll look like a traffic jam …

•••••

Oh, just as one final point, I did manage to grab a quick photo of Rob, at the bottom, there.

Bless, he’s been the regular who’s been able to help out quite a bit with the vintage iMac; mostly as he had a spare copy of the Mac OS 9.2.2 install disc, sitting around.

•••••

Phew!