Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-6-2026 — The Referendum

23rd June, 2026: the Referendum.

Right … it’s the anniversary of a well known referendum.

One I mentioned, here, and here.

I sound more undecided than I actually was: eventually voting Remain, as I felt — and still feel — my nephew, Jude, should be able to freely move around the Schengen Area.

Unfortunately?

Others felt differently.

The vote to Leave?

Was and is the biggest mistake of the UK’s life.

~≈€≈~

On a possibly happier front?

I notice, from reading those old posts?

That it was raining on the morning of 23rd June, 2016.

It was raining, again, this morning: thunder storming, in fact.

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A post shared by Paul Nik Nak Downie (@mrcuddy2977)

Was that significant?

Meaningful?

Purely co-incidental?

Frankly?

I think it was purely co-incidental.

The UK’s only got so many weather patterns.

~≈€≈~

Oh … I had a couple of new t-shirts turn up, yesterday: a couple of custom prints from an online t-shirt printing place.

The emoji one?

Is getting some positive attention from a couple of Terry Pratchett sites I’m on.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/weatentdeadyet/posts/1715039069525281/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2632759343717701/posts/4440545029605781/

The second … ?

Well, the second is from the original West End Games version of Paranoia.

If you want to use the image in your own t-shirt?

Go right on ahead … !

~≈👕≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 18-9-2024 — The Referendum

18th September, 2024: the Referendum.

Well, that’s an annoyance!

I’ve updated my Mac, yesterday: to macOS 15 Sequoia, and — as part of the process — the web browser to Safari 18.

The new OS seems sign: and includes a new Background feature in Quicktime, one I used to make the introduction video.

And a funky new screen saver or two*.

Unfortunately?

The updated version of Safari seems to have issues keeping me signed in to Blogger … whilst uploading videos and photos to a given post.

I had to use Google’s Chrome browser to upload those.

That’s an annoyance.

Especially when you consider uploading these things was no problem … before the update.

Oh … and I’ve JUST been sent a message in Facebook Messenger: only to be told ‘end to end encryption isn’t supported in this browser’.

It was yesterday!

Frankly?

I think Apple needs to put some work in.

~≈🍎≈~

A few days ago, I found out that someone had been been murdered: at the council accommodation I’d lived in, in Ingrave Road.

I was shocked, and saddened: but not necessarily surprised.

But I now know the name of the man who was killed: 63 year old Francis ‘Frankie’ Reilly.

I never knew the man.

But I’m sorry to see him go.

~≈⚰≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 25-6-2016

You know, I don’t think I’ve seen a day like it.

You’ll know I live in the UK: and that my country has voted to leave the UK.

The reaction to, that I’ve seen?

Is … 

Deeply angry … 

Understandably.

I’ve had half an eye on social media.   There’s some angry mutterings on Twitter: but I must say, I’ve only following so many people in the UK,

Facebook, on the other hand?

Facebook, where I’m following or friends with more of my fellow Brits, I’m seeing a lot of anger.

A lot of anger.

I don’t think Brentwood, England and the UK, is having a civil war.   Wars, as many have point out, usually aren’t civil.

But, after seeing quite a few people openly complaining about those who’ve voted Leave, on the streets of Brentwood?

I’m thinking it’s a close-run thing.

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 24-6-2016

That’s … 

You know, I’m sorely tempted to say ‘That’s torn it.’

But those words seem just a little bit too glib, to describe what’s been announced.

So you know?

The UK has voted to leave the EU.

With 51.9% of those who voted — a 72% turnout — voting to leave, and 48.1% voting remain.   Going by the figures?   England and Wales mostly voted Leave, with Scotland, Northern Ireland and London mostly voting Remain.

We have two years to negotiate leaving: under Article 50 of the relevant treaty.

Given the currency’s going berserk as we speak?   And many businesses not yet saying what they’re going to do?   And much of the EU’s governing bodies not yet announcing how they’re going to react?

Those negotiators better be good.

~≈®≈~

Prime Minister, David Cameron, has just spoken.

And has announced that he will be standing down as Britain’s PM, and Conservative party leader.   And that a new leader will be chosen, by the time of the Party conference in October.

That new leader will then be put in place as PM: and in the position of Prime Minister, for the rest of this Parliament.   AND in charge of the Leave Negotiations.

That — as much as the Referendum’s result — is unsurprising.

But, speaking personally?   Much as I’m NO Conservative voter, I have to give the PM credit: for taking the BIGGEST political punt of a lifetime.

~≈®≈~

As a final thought?

Phew!

As a final thought, I voted remain.   As far as I understand it — from the media coverage of her death — Jo Cox MP, was killed, in part, because she was a Remain campaigner.

I voted Remain, in part, because I felt I would be supporting her killer, in voting Leave.   Although it was a close-run thing.   One or two people who’d commented on Facebook, made comments about those planning to vote Leave, I personally found deeply offensive: and almost had me voting Leave, in sympathy.

But voted Remain, as a way of sticking up two fingers to Jo Cox’s killer.

That was one part.

There’s a few others.   One?   Simply that at least one of my regular commentors — Olga — is a Spanish national living in the UK: and I’d hate to see her being unwelcome, purely because Britain had left the EU.

The other?

My family is bizarre.   But, basically, my step-father — and father of my two sisters, Anna and Ruth, and long since divorced from my mother — has properties in Spain.

Often?   Ruth, Anna and Jude holiday there.

The fact we’ve now decided to leave?   Means my nephews’s holiday in a beautiful part of the world are now — in all probability — far more difficult to arrange.

Has Britain blown it?

Quite probably.

I can only hope we figure SOMETHING out!

~≈®≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 23-6-2016

Today … 

It’s raining.

It’s raining, on the morning after some of rather BIG thunderstorms.

It’s also raining — here in the south-east of the UK — on the morning of the vote.

The vote.

The vote on whether Britain’s should remain a member of the European Union.

Quite frankly?

I’m still fairly undecided.

On the one hand?   I know voting Leave will annoy the hell out of Brentwood’s local MP, Eric Pickles.

Annoying a Tory?   The mildly rebellious teenager in me would be happily pleased to do so.

On the other hand … ?

On the other hand, I’m tempted to vote remain: after the death of MP, Jo Cox,

I know the case is still sub-judice. 

But I get the impression — from the media coverage of her death, at the time of her death — that her killer murdered her, in part, because she’d help many refugees.

And partly because she’d been a member of the Remain campaign,

Personally?   My emotional instinct is to vote leave: not because the Leave campaign is making an issue of controlling migration, but because Britain gains more sovereignty as a result.

But I’m ALSO sympathetic to the family of Jo Cox.

And think if her murderer killed, in part, in support of Leave?

I think voting Remain is a good way of showing my sympathies.

~≈É≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 9-6-2016

Hmmm … 

I don’t know if you follow the news, but I mentioned that the deadline to register to vote in the EU Referendum was midnight on Tuesday: a couple of days ago, now.

Tuesday came and went: as did the deadline.

As did the news — yesterday — that the website had crashed, overloaded by people trying to register at the last minute.

Effectively, it was a jammed switchboard: there was more people trying to phone in, than phones for them to phone in on.

To remedy that?

The deadline’s been extended: with support from both the Government, and from the Electoral Commission.

I tend to think that’s a good thing: the more people vote, the better.

I do know electoral law is a complicated thing: and that legal challenges, on the grounds of Gerrymandering are on-going.

~≈◊≈~

I can’t help but think a couple of things.

Frankly, I think a lot of people could have registered for the referendum a LOT earlier than they did.   That could well have saved a lot of trouble.

I’m ALSO think a couple of other things.

For starters, I think whoever runs the website for the government should maybe have foreseen this happening: and made provision to increase the bandwidth in anticipation of a last minute rush.

I’m also thinking this.   There’s legal challenges already going ahead against the extension.

I think the government, working with the relevant bodies, should modify UK law.   I think we need to have something in place, before the next general elction or referendum, that allows a similar extension the next time something like this happens.

Technology being what it is, I’m sure this will happen again.

~≈◊≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 6-6-2016

Ever so slowly … ?

Slowly, but ever so frequently …

I am yawning: enough to make me worry that my head’s going to drop off.

Yep … 

I’m up early, again.

And this time … ?

This time, it’s because I have to catch a bus to Basildon: to get to a hospital appoint, at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital, for an ultrasound on my kidneys.

I’m concerned: not so much by the ultrasound scan.

But more by the bus journey.   If I’ve got that correct, I need to get the #9 to Basildon Town centre, then get the #100 to the hospital, itself.

I’m concerned.

I’ve been to Basildon, and look forward to the trip: but have never gone beyond the town centre.

I just hope I can find the blessed place!

~≈†≈~

Now, JUST as a final point?

I’m in the UK: as you may have realised.

In a couple of weeks time, we in the UK will be voting whether or not to remain in the EU: possibly the most important vote in a generation.

I will — point blank — refuse to tell you how to vote.

I’ve still not made my mind up, myself.

But know this.

If you haven’t registered to vote, by tomorrow, you won’t be able to vote in the referendum on the 23rd.

You can register online, here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

I’d hate to see Britain make the wrong choice … 

Because of a low turn-out.

~≈†≈~

The Daily Teaser — 18-4-2016

Hmmm … 

Come the 23rd June?

Come the 23rd June, there’s going to be an EU referendum in the UK.

Personally?

I am still not sure which way to vote: even now, as the date grows nearer.

But … ?

The news has come in, today, that the Treasury has said Britain’s economy would contract by some six per cent.

Now I couldn’t tell you.

But — and despite what Chancellor George Osbourne has said in the interview he’s giving to Radio Four’s Today programme — I can’t help think that is is the Government coming down on the side of the Remain campaign.

Potentially breaking the Electoral Commission rules on the referendum in the process.

Pros and cons aside, I think this is — much like the government-issued leaflet, issued just before the start of the referendum campaign — somewhat unfair to the Leave campaign.

And I’m tempted to vote leave as a result.

~≈Ê≈~

The Daily Teaser — 21-2-2016

It’s official.

We now have a referendum lined up.

Just in case you didn’t know?   Yesterday say the Prime Minister announce that — after protracted negotiations about reforms that define the UK’s position in the EU — the UK would be holding a referendum on whether to leave the organisation.

Or to stay in.

On the 23rd of June, this year.

Had a referendum happened twenty years ago?

I would have voted to leave.

Now … ?

I’ll happily admit, I’ve no idea how I’ll be voting: and will probably only finally decide in the voting booth.

I do know this much.

I’d heard arguments — most from those of a pro-Europe stance — that EU membership is a good thing: and that a referendum is unneeded.

I’d disagree.

I think a referendum — whatever it’s outcome — is needed.

This is such an important decision, that we — you and me — must have our say.

~≈Á≈~

The Daily Teaser — 19-9-2014: International Talk Like A Pirate Day

Right at the moment … ?

I’m thinking phew: after what has to be the most divisive referendum in British political history.

Scotland has voted ‘No’.

I’m glad: it means my country doesn’t get broken up.

I’m also disappointed.   Dig back a couple of generations, and there’s traces of Scottish blood lurking in my family gene pool.   And there’s enough of a romantic in me to think that Scottish independence could’ve been something to see.

~≈®≈~

A European Referendum: Some Thoughts

Can I make a confession, please?

If that's OK with you?

I believe I'm not racist.

No, stop laughing!

I honestly feel I have no issues with those of us who are of a different ethnic group to myself.

Whether my Afro-Caribbean or Asian neighbours would agree with me, there, is another matter: but I don't think they've any complaint on that front.

There's a reason I say this.

It's because I'm about to get very contentious, during this post: and tell you about something I'm thinking of doing, come next year's election. 

I'm also going to to tell you I have no problem with immigration to the UK.

I welcome it, believing it to have made the people of the UK stronger, as a whole.

I say this, because I'm VERY aware that my next statement will get many of my readers assuming - wrongly - that I have an issue with race or ethnicity, that I believe myself not to have.

I'm thinking of voting for UKIP, at the next General election.

~≈∏≈~

Referenda … And Why I think we Should have them Frequently …

Hmmm …

Well, there’s a how-de-do …

»»•««

Can I make a confession, here … ?

I hate sounding like a right-wing tory, I really do …

But I’m also going to make a confession, here.

Unlike the majority of Liberal-Democrat MPs — including party leader, Nick Clegg — i really don’t fancy the idea of increasing — if that’s the term? — ties with Europe.

Oh, granted, it’s handy to be a member of the EU.

I realise the impact of being a part of our neighbouring Big Trading Partner’s Organisation.

If, for no other reason than the fact that it meant we had to put the European Human Rights Convention onto the UK’s Statute books: as far as I understand it, having these rights in UK law had never been done before*.

But I’ll be frank and tell you to have a look at this article.

Seemingly, 60 Conservative MPs have signed a parliamentary motion, calling for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.

Like I say, I don’t like agreeing with a bunch of right-wing tories.

But I’d like to formally express my opinion on the matter.

Now, granted, nation-wide UK referendum has only ever been twice in my lifetime.

The last was the one on the Alternative Vote: something that, at the time we were all told was An Important Thing In The History Of The UKªº.

Which I think is my entire point, here.

The Alternative Vote referendum was bloody important.

SERIOUSLY important to the nation as a whole.

SO seriously important, that we, the people of the UK, were asked to decide about it.

My personal believe … ?

Is that membership of the EU is as important as the Alternative Vote.

If not more so.

And given the importance of this … ?

We, the people, should also have a vote on the matter.

Despite Nick Clegg, Ed Milliband and David Cameron believing otherwise.

* Before 1998, I should add. 1998! Apparently, we’ve got a constitution, somewhere … (I’m no legal expert, Debbi, before you ask: but the UK famously has an ‘unwritten constitution’. I’m positive that — to a US legal practitioner — that’s going to look good, if not impressive. Or, if not good, then certainly billable by the hour … … … … )

ª Feel free to do a silly voice when you read that bit out.

º The last time a referendum was held on the EU — or EEC, as it was then^ — was in 1975. Just to give you an idea, I was 7. Nick Clegg would have been 8. Ed Milliband, 6 and David Cameron, 9. The only reason they get a say is that they’re in Parliament.

^ I think!