Today I'm neither Angry nor Happy about....

[Lost Leopard Spot]

"be free to"

I've lived in Japan. I needed a visa to do so. It was simple to obtain - I got on a plane and a visa was stamped on my passport when I got off it. I lived there for three years, got married there, left the country twice and reentered, all without problem. That was was 1981. I'm not sure, but I don't think the EU even existed then. Before that, as a drunken student I got a ferry across the channel and worked on a grape picking holiday in Bar-sur-Aube. From there, on the wages I'd earned I did a mini tour of Basle, Berne, Munich, Strassbourg, and back home - all without once having a stamp on my, what was then an outrageously priced £22 passport.

"free to" has never been a concept limited to the EU.

[Bruce Rioja]

"be free to"

I've lived in Japan. I needed a visa to do so. It was simple to obtain - I got on a plane and a visa was stamped on my passport when I got off it. I lived there for three years, got married there, left the country twice and reentered, all without problem. That was was 1981. I'm not sure, but I don't think the EU even existed then. Before that, as a drunken student I got a ferry across the channel and worked on a grape picking holiday in Bar-sur-Aube. From there, on the wages I'd earned I did a mini tour of Basle, Berne, Munich, Strassbourg, and back home - all without once having a stamp on my, what was then an outrageously priced £22 passport.

"free to" has never been a concept limited to the EU.

You know exactly what I mean, you're simply being obtuse. Some of us have better things to do than to feck about filling in landing forms and applying for visas before having to join the queue behind clueless Asians who don't speak a word of the lingo. However, if that's what floats your boat then you'll be a happy chap. You'll even be able to admire your blue passport whilst you're stood waiting. What a triumph.

[Bruce Rioja]

Here you go, Spotty

https://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonw ... s-crypto-1

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Here you go, Spotty

https://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonw ... s-crypto-1

Yep, a pretty good straightforward review of 'bubbles' as relevant to bitcoin.
I'd only wish I'd got in on the pre-euphoria phases when I'd already earmarked it for something to look out for. It was only because I came across an actual physical ATM type bitcoin provider that I took the plunge.
However, even if we get to the distress stage it doesn't worry me because I'd carefully chosen an amount I'd be comfortable losing totally against an amount that was still worthwhile gambling on outperforming every other road to riches (including Lotto by the way). I'm still going to hang on for another 11 months no matter what, but it's telling that as of today I'm £99 down on my investment.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Here you go, Spotty

https://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonw ... s-crypto-1

Yep, a pretty good straightforward review of 'bubbles' as relevant to bitcoin.
I'd only wish I'd got in on the pre-euphoria phases when I'd already earmarked it for something to look out for. It was only because I came across an actual physical ATM type bitcoin provider that I took the plunge.
However, even if we get to the distress stage it doesn't worry me because I'd carefully chosen an amount I'd be comfortable losing totally against an amount that was still worthwhile gambling on outperforming every other road to riches (including Lotto by the way). I'm still going to hang on for another 11 months no matter what, but it's telling that as of today I'm £99 down on my investment.

£99 ? How many pints is that these days?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Here you go, Spotty

https://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonw ... s-crypto-1

Yep, a pretty good straightforward review of 'bubbles' as relevant to bitcoin.
I'd only wish I'd got in on the pre-euphoria phases when I'd already earmarked it for something to look out for. It was only because I came across an actual physical ATM type bitcoin provider that I took the plunge.
However, even if we get to the distress stage it doesn't worry me because I'd carefully chosen an amount I'd be comfortable losing totally against an amount that was still worthwhile gambling on outperforming every other road to riches (including Lotto by the way). I'm still going to hang on for another 11 months no matter what, but it's telling that as of today I'm £99 down on my investment.

£99 ? How many pints is that these days?

Well usually that'd be almost exactly 30 pints, but I've got a new (upmarket) local which unfortunately equates to a mere 25 pints and some change. Which, to be be frank, compares remarkably well with the outrageous 16 pints it gets one in Chamonix.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

16 pints would be a fine thing. You'd be lucky to hit 10 here. I'm practically teetotal

[Lost Leopard Spot]

16 pints would be a fine thing. You'd be lucky to hit 10 here. I'm practically teetotal

No wonder it's taking you so long to build up a Blighty nestegg. I thought it was your extravagant bacon purchases...

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

16 pints would be a fine thing. You'd be lucky to hit 10 here. I'm practically teetotal

No wonder it's taking you so long to build up a Blighty nestegg. I thought it was your extravagant bacon purchases...

I make my own bacon (and sausages), otherwise I'd be totally broke

[Lost Leopard Spot]

A Newfoundland has in the course of attacking my dog wrenched my right hand's first finger's knuckle out of joint. It hurts like hell. Newfs are usually gentle giants but this brute was old and the owner was ancient and clearly incapable of controlling it.
I have no answer as to what to do about it except lump it. I'm a bit concerned that such an enormous dog is owned by a lady who weighs six stone at tops, but hey apparently they are best of friends.

[Montreal Wanderer]

A Newfoundland has in the course of attacking my dog wrenched my right hand's first finger's knuckle out of joint. It hurts like hell. Newfs are usually gentle giants but this brute was old and the owner was ancient and clearly incapable of controlling it.
I have no answer as to what to do about it except lump it. I'm a bit concerned that such an enormous dog is owned by a lady who weighs six stone at tops, but hey apparently they are best of friends.

I would think, if dislocated, it needs to be relocated by a qualified professional, then drink scotch.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

A Newfoundland has in the course of attacking my dog wrenched my right hand's first finger's knuckle out of joint. It hurts like hell. Newfs are usually gentle giants but this brute was old and the owner was ancient and clearly incapable of controlling it.
I have no answer as to what to do about it except lump it. I'm a bit concerned that such an enormous dog is owned by a lady who weighs six stone at tops, but hey apparently they are best of friends.

I would think, if dislocated, it needs to be relocated by a qualified professional, then drink scotch.

Thanks. Been to A&E. Professionally relocated. However I've not denied myself some self medicated pain relief.

[Prufrock]

Is there anything more pointless for online ads for something I've just bought online What are they hoping to acheive?

Buy some trainers from shop X. Suddenly the trainers are follwing me around the internet. Oh aye, I'd better grow an extra pair of feet then so I can get some more.

[TANGODANCER]

Is there anything more pointless for online ads for something I've just bought online What are they hoping to acheive?

Buy some trainers from shop X. Suddenly the trainers are follwing me around the internet. Oh aye, I'd better grow an extra pair of feet then so I can get some more.

Without going into detail, this ^.

[Dujon]

Prufrock, that's just tracking 'bots which are alerted to you when you use/visit a site. That results in the strange result of you being bombarded with advertisements for the very item you have just purchased. A couple of years ago I bought a new car, a Mazda2, and was inundated with 'tracking' advertisements for months and months.

It happened also with other products/sites which I had visited. So: I did a little research on the Internet and found a programme called "Privacy Badger" that seemed to fit the bill. It is free and it seems to work. Read the documentation and you will find that it uses some sort of recursive analysis of what you do on each site and what the site is offering you. In other words it will take a few site visits for the programme to sort out what you want or don't want. You have small range of options for each site, but you will have to adjust each of those to suit your purposes. Don't worry, it's simple to control and you will control quickly the (three, I think) options.

I have been using it for a few months now and it seems to be accurate. It is worth a look, sir.

[Prufrock]

Thanks, will check it out.

I can't work out for the life of me what the point of them following me there is though. It seems, though could be wrong, that actually buying the thing makes a huge bump in how often it's advertised to me. I get why they would advertise things I'd looked at but not bought, but things I've bought?!

Also, for everyone, not sure how true this is but I read that things like holiday websites will track you and raise the price of a holiday if you've looked two or three times at the same one (as they know you're probably considering it).

Apparently the "incognito" window thing helps. No doubt that's what most people use *that* for. That and surprise presents, like on the advert.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Clearing cookies or using different browsers etc helps with the adaptive pricing Pru. I use Ghostery to block loads of scripts and ads etc as it helps stop you being followed everywhere.

[boltonboris]

Is there anything more pointless for online ads for something I've just bought online What are they hoping to acheive?

Buy some trainers from shop X. Suddenly the trainers are follwing me around the internet. Oh aye, I'd better grow an extra pair of feet then so I can get some more.

Without going into detail, this ^.

"Without going into detail"

Roughly translated from "I bought a fleshlight"

[Bruce Rioja]

Is there anything more pointless for online ads for something I've just bought online What are they hoping to acheive?

Buy some trainers from shop X. Suddenly the trainers are follwing me around the internet. Oh aye, I'd better grow an extra pair of feet then so I can get some more.

Bought a shirt off of Liam Gallagher's lot. Now the c*nts follow me around with the message "You've left something in your basket" whilst busily flashing their latest shirts at me.

Err, no I haven't, but niiiiice tryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Sunshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.

[TANGODANCER]

Is there anything more pointless for online ads for something I've just bought online What are they hoping to acheive?

Buy some trainers from shop X. Suddenly the trainers are follwing me around the internet. Oh aye, I'd better grow an extra pair of feet then so I can get some more.

Without going into detail, this ^.

"Without going into detail" Roughly translated from "I bought a fleshlight"

Nah, just didn't think anybody would be interested in same problems from "The Works" but about artist materials. Fact, I'm sure they wouldn't.