Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 26-9-2025 — T. S. Eliot. (Ten questions.)

26th September, 2025: T. S. Eliot.

OK … that’s new … !

I’ve had a Mac for several years.

And used a succession of them for various things.

Including ripping DVDs and blurays.

One thing that’s been a mild annoyance?

Is simply that the various versions of macOS I’ve used have never had an icon for bluray discs.

There were icons for CDs, and DVDs: but not for blurays.

A bluray would show up on the desktop, certain: but as a blank space with the disc’s information written under it.

Fortunately?

That’s now been changed, under macOS Tahoe.

There’s now an icon: which makes finding where the operating system has put the thing, a lot easier!

~≈📀≈~

Is Sir Keir Starmer reading this?

The UK’s current Prime Minister?

Sir Keir, if you’re reading this, your planned Digital ID card schemes presents problems.

Especially for those of us on benefits.

From the little I’ve seen of it?

The digital ID is supposed to only work on smart phones.

For those of us who have one, that’s not a problem.

For those of us on Universal Credit, who can’t afford a modern phone?

Where are we supposed to get the money to buy one?

I’ve at least one friend — Dave, who lives around the corner — who’s on an old 3g phone, that he can’t afford to replace: a phone that’s as far from smart as it’s possible to get.

Sir Keir, will you be giving Dave the money to buy a smart phone?

To transfer his number over to a new, modern, SIM card?

To teach him how to use the thing?

I’m assuming, Sir Keir, that if you can’t buy Dave a smart phone for this scheme, then you can’t fund smart phones for other job seekers in the UK.

From what I’ve seen on the news, we’re the people you insist have these IDs: so we can show we have a right to work in the UK.

The other option, Sir Keir?

Is to issue a digital ID card that’s something like a modern, chip and PIN, contactless, bank card.

For starters?

What on Earth would be the point of that?

When many of us on benefits already have a passport or driver’s license that proves we have a right to work in the UK?

Who pays for this ID?

In my case, I have a drivers license: that was paid for by the Job Centre, as I couldn’t afford it, myself.

Would you be paying for those, Sir Keir?

What if I had no smart phone, no drivers license, no passport, and no way of affording any of them?

If I, nor Dave, nor anyone else we know, couldn’t afford these?

Someone else would need to pay for us to buy them, to show we have a right to a job.

Are you buying them for us, Sir Keir?

Because if we can’t afford the kit we need, Sir Keir, that means we can’t get jobs.

That, Sir Keir, makes the scheme both pointless, stupid, and expensive.

It’s your call, Sir Keir.

~≈🫆≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 22-1-2025 — Lord Byron.

22nd January, 2025: Lord Byron.

Right: it’s official: my boiler has been repaired.

The loss of pressure that caused the loss of heat and hot water was not caused by the problem I though was causing it.

I though it was a problem with a pressure valve.

Oh, no.

It was a jammed knob.

One that — as it turns out — I could have done myself … if I’d had an adjustable wrench.

At any rate … ?

My boiler’s now working.

About the only issues I have were that fact the repairman turned up at 20:30, after I’d phoned the repair in at 6:30.

And thet fact I’m trying to avoid any sentence with the word ‘twist’ or ‘knob’ in them.

It sounds ever-so-slightly naughty … !

~≈😏≈~

In the wake of Axel Rudakubana, the Southport Killer, being sentenced?

I notice that there’s various points being discussed:

• The ease he was able to buy knives.
• The number of times he was referred to the counter-terrorism programme, Prevent.
• And concerns about him passed to other authorities.

The one thing that caught my eye?

Was that he’d downloaded what’s described as an ‘al-Qaeda terror manual’ known as the ‘DECLARATION OF JIHAD [HOLY WAR] AGAINST THE COUNTRY’S TYRANTS’.

What I’m not surprised about … ?

Is how easy it is to get how of that … 

~≈💣≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 15-10-2020: Virgil …

15th October, 2020.

Yes: I’ve got my nephew around, this afternoon.

And, to be frank?

I’m A Banana went down a storm, the last time he was here.

We’ll have to see what I can smuggle past him, this time.

Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles, currently ear worming it’s way through my head, probably won’t.

We’ll have to see if he goes for Star Wars!

~≈fi≈~

An Umbar Knight …

Isn’t copyright a complicated issue … ?

It is, though, isn’t it … ?

Take the picture: it’s called Dragon and Child, so you know, and by an artist who posts to Deviant Art, called Rinpoo Chuang.

And owned by him, I should add.

The reason I mention it … ?

Is because — unlike most of the stuff on Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar — isn’t covered by the Creative commons license I use for the Teasers and question sets.

It’s covered by the usual copyright law in everyone reading this post’s home country.

There’s a reason I’m mention this, as well …

Do you remember me mentioning a friend of mine, called Carly … ?

And how I was pleasantly surprised she’s a published poet … ?

»»•««

Well, I was …

And she is.

And … ?

Bless her, Carly’s also very graciously given me permission to put one of her poems — The Umbar Knight — here. Hence the attached Copyright notice, and details of where to buy the anthology she’s in at the foot of the page …

The Umbar Knight*

Slip unto a knight’s full slumber,

where sylvan burns a deepest umber,

where folksongs ebb away from rhyme,

replaced on this dusk a chorus of chime.

Shut out this land where heathens race,

as urchins scroll for treasure'd embrace,

using mischief through love, by con by malice,

seeking out gold emerald gems, merlin chalice.

Yet, brave are thee with much honour and stealth,

for no beast nor vagrant shall risk their health,

as bless’ed born thee with an awesome attire,

in your crimson river coarses passion and fire,

And to this dragons bow and all evil repents,

for your gift in heart is a’ heaven sent.

now as the leaves whip up on a reverie,

be, I’m proud of you and those dreams so free,

Oh sleep on, sleep deep and child listen well;

your physique maybe small like a winters' fell.

but you'll grow down roots of greatness bespoke,

for the acorn shells the strong mighty oak.

So slip unto a knight’s full slumber,

where sylvan burns the deepest umber.

where folksong ebb away from rhyme,

replaced on this dusk a chorus of chime …

Bless …

Now, I’m going to be frank, I’m no poetry reader, usually.

But I enjoyed that … !

What touched me … ?

Is that Carly, bless her, originally wrote The Umber Knight for her nephew to help give him some confidence.

And, the other day … ?

Turned to me — on Facebook Chat, I should add — and asked if I’d like a poem.

And then, through FB’s chat service, recited to me, and dedicated it to Jude, my nephew.

I was deeply touched, I’ve got to honest.

Help, deeds or advice offered freely between friends is always deeply appreciated.

And why we treasure them, and do as much as we can for them.

But just occasionally … ?

Just occasionally, I think a line of poetry, just when one needs it … ?

Can work small miracles.

»»•««

* The Umber Knight, is © 2010 Carly Burns and reprinted with her express permission. It’s available as part of The Power of Poetry anthology, from United Press, 2011. To order copies, contact United Press, here. For further details, please contact United Press at info@unitedpress.co.uk.