SPAM random annoying things

[Bodhi]

We're with Barclays, who last time I looked into it made mobile payments a proper PIA - you could do them but had to use their app, rather than Google Pay, so we've stick with card. Think I prefer it in all honesty, keeps that separation and avoids losing everything if I lose my phone, plus I have a lovely picture of Santa Barbara Pier on my card from one of my trips out there. Also been on too many nights out after a long day where my battery's gone, just seems sensible to keep me separate.

Also Raven is correct - before you leave the house check for phone, wallet and keys.

 

[Embattle]

It's not a matter of whether it's safe or not, you are giving Google information on every single little purchase you make, for absolutely no discernable reason.

Also, since when did the pre-leave-the-house pocket check stop being a thing?

Technically it is safer and I'm not bothered by giving such information to google.

When you're in a rush.

 

[MYstIC G]

It's not a matter of whether it's safe or not, you are giving Google information on every single little purchase you make, for absolutely no discernable reason.

Also, since when did the pre-leave-the-house pocket check stop being a thing?

COVID?

 

[Ormorof]

No one is saying ditch cards entirely, but when they break or are a bit shit its a neat alternative. I have a few alternative payment methods setup for when cards are impractical or just plain not working.

But @Raven still uses cheques so maybe he will catch up with the modern world in a few decades 😜

 

[Ormorof]

Sales people, why sell me appliances you know are out of stock and will not be back in stock until January then only tell me they are out of stock a week before they are due to be installed.

 

[Raven]

COVID?

Eh?

But @Raven still uses cheques so maybe he will catch up with the modern world in a few decades 😜

I (my wife) received a cheque from a bank for a refund. I banked it. I am not going to ignore it because it is old tech...

Seems everyone is a sucker for marketing

Anyway, point being. Both of them are exactly the same in practical use, just one of them never runs out of power and one of them isn't tracked by Google (or apple).

 

[Tom]

There is no contactless limit on Google Pay or Apple, vs the £45 limit on a card.

I've started to use Revolt for business travel, it's a fantastic app and so easy to buy stuff in foreign money now.

 

[caLLous]

Mozilla disabling the Speed Dial app I've used for years because it violated one of their conditions re: intercepting search queries or something. That's fine but ffs give users a warning of some sort. Not only did I not get a chance to export/backup my home page that I spent a bit of time on (thumbnails and such) but I opened Firefox this morning to a home button that did nothing and it's only because I went looking for explanations that I found out. It's worse for others - the app had a bookmarking feature that was popular and all of their bookmarks are gone as well. Surely it would've sufficed for Mozilla to just disable the addon without deleting all of its files as well...

 

[Embattle]

There is no contactless limit on Google Pay or Apple, vs the £45 limit on a card.

I've started to use Revolt for business travel, it's a fantastic app and so easy to buy stuff in foreign money now.

On cards it is now £100.

 

[DaGaffer]

There is no contactless limit on Google Pay or Apple, vs the £45 limit on a card.

That determination isn't automatic; you can still find a limit restriction set on the merchant service terminal.

 

[MYstIC G]

Eh?

Sorry, it lost half my post. It was meant to say since everyone forgot about how they do things outside because of Covid

 

[Scouse]

Post ratings.

I think @Deebs introduced them as an experiment and wasn't 100% sure what effect it would have.

I think likes, funnies, agrees etc are relatively uncontroversial and useful. But the "negative" ones allow people to comment and hide behind it without actually talking.

I think if you're bothered enough to disagree on a forum then you should explain why.

Worth another experiment? Maybe remove the negs for a bit? See what happens for six months? Maybe it will lighten the tone and brighten up the conversation?

 

[Deebs]

Post ratings.

I think @Deebs introduced them as an experiment and wasn't 100% sure what effect it would have.

I think likes, funnies, agrees etc are relatively uncontroversial and useful. But the "negative" ones allow people to comment and hide behind it without actually talking.

I think if you're bothered enough to disagree on a forum then you should explain why.

Worth another experiment? Maybe remove the negs for a bit? See what happens for six months? Maybe it will lighten the tone and brighten up the conversation?

Lighten up the conversation? With you? fuck off

Anyway, no. In life you don't have to explain yourself for every action you take. Same here.

 

[Scouse]

Lighten up the conversation? With you? fuck off

Anyway, no. In life you don't have to explain yourself for every action you take. Same here.

Fair enough. It's your forum after all. Was just a suggestion, bignose

 

[Overdriven]

I think we should just have a like button. I mean if YouTube can do it...

 

[Hawkwind]

There is no contactless limit on Google Pay or Apple, vs the £45 limit on a card.

I've started to use Revolt for business travel, it's a fantastic app and so easy to buy stuff in foreign money now.

Been using Revolut for about 18 months, it's fantastic. Can't see myself going anywhere else now.

 

[JBP|]

Me: The van won't start.
Garage: Needs a new battery.
Me: OK stick one in.
Gararge: There you go.
Me (three hours later): The van won't start.
Garage (The next day) Oh its the starter motor, there you go all done.
Me: The van won't start!
Garage: Must me a dodgy starter we'll stick aonther one on.
Me: The van started but its blowing cold air and the radiator reservoir is empty.
Also me: scratch that the heater worked fine once topped up with water.
Me this morning: The van won't start.
Garage: is it the battery again?
Me: I don't know I'm not a mechanic, I'll go home and jump start it.
*gets home and gets the van started after refilling water reservoir and much fannying around.
*phones boss: its started but chucking out smoke like there's an allotment fire underneath it.
Boss: Take a video and leave the van at home but come back ASAP.
*gets back to work and shows garage the video with a brief explanation of what happened.
Garage: Well thats not good, looks like the headgasket.
Me/Boss: Oh fucking brilliant!
Garage: Bring it in tomorrow and we will have a look.
Me *sigh

 

[Scouse]

Garage: we're on "the don't know what it is but will continue to fix things at your expense" merry-go-round.

 

[Gwadien]

Garage: we're on "the don't know what it is but will continue to fix things at your expense" merry-go-round.

I guess they're more likely to do it when 'work' pays for it too.

This is why it's nice to have a mate who has his own garage and services he doesn't offer (tyres and shit) he rings ahead and tells them not to fuck with you.

 

[Ormorof]

I guess they're more likely to do it when 'work' pays for it too.

This is why it's nice to have a mate who has his own garage and services he doesn't offer (tyres and shit) he rings ahead and tells them not to fuck with you.

The fact that the default position is to fuck with people is kinda depressing

 

[Gwadien]

So at school, you can't leave the car park until 3:15 to make sure all the kids have cleared off, due to health and safety, because the entrance is right next to where the kids leave and they mill about for a bit.

That is, until the police use an empty building for police dog training (which they do on a regular basis) the gate is always opened for them, because the police are above health and safety or something.

Unless they have blue lights on, they should wait like the rest, this is why I'm concerned about putting the police on a bigger pedestal than they already are.

I'm not sure if it's because they request it, or because the school staff are too.. scared? to keep them waiting, and I know it's a completely minor thing, but it is weird, right?

 

[SilverHood]

Back from my Spain trip. My predictions of chaos at the airport were well founded... American Airlines didn't even know they had resumed flying to Madrid! My booking code was only 5 characters, so couldn't find our flight on the check in kiosks. Then, with the assistance of an agent, we found out we couldn't check in until I filled out the Spanish health forms. The gate agent told us to make up a seat number, and once that was done, we got our QR form receipt, and we could finally be checked in. Got to the gate about 10-15 minutes before boarding, despite arriving at the airport nearly 3 hours before our flight.

Things in Madrid were pretty cool. Lots of Covid precautions, seats blocked off, signs on the floor where to stand in order to be socially distanced, etc.
Returning was odd. We had to upload our docs to Iberia website, and they checked out all our forms (Passport, vaccine certificate, negative covid test, greencard), got email confirming we're all set on the morning as we're leaving. But we had to show all our forms at the local airport too. Then when we get to gate in Madrid, they checked all the documents again.

As we were ready to close the plane door, I was mildly excited that no one sat in front of me... no crushed knees! But then 3 relations of flight crew showed up, sat in front of me, proceeded to talk loudly for hours, got wrecked drinking endless red wine, and put the seat back as far as it went, while also being a fat fucker, so it was even further back than normal, to the point where I thought seat was going to break.

I was expecting some dramatic scenes upon arriving back in NYC, but it was the most curious interaction I've ever had with a border agent in the 13 years I've been working and living here. He looked at my passport, greencard, handed it back, and then asked me for my name. And that was it. No finger prints or Spanish inquisition. There were no customs agents, so we just walked through. Just over 30 minutes later, we were home, in the fastest taxi ride from JFK to NYC I can remember.

 

[DaGaffer]

Back from my Spain trip. My predictions of chaos at the airport were well founded... American Airlines didn't even know they had resumed flying to Madrid! My booking code was only 5 characters, so couldn't find our flight on the check in kiosks. Then, with the assistance of an agent, we found out we couldn't check in until I filled out the Spanish health forms. The gate agent told us to make up a seat number, and once that was done, we got our QR form receipt, and we could finally be checked in. Got to the gate about 10-15 minutes before boarding, despite arriving at the airport nearly 3 hours before our flight.

Things in Madrid were pretty cool. Lots of Covid precautions, seats blocked off, signs on the floor where to stand in order to be socially distanced, etc.
Returning was odd. We had to upload our docs to Iberia website, and they checked out all our forms (Passport, vaccine certificate, negative covid test, greencard), got email confirming we're all set on the morning as we're leaving. But we had to show all our forms at the local airport too. Then when we get to gate in Madrid, they checked all the documents again.

As we were ready to close the plane door, I was mildly excited that no one sat in front of me... no crushed knees! But then 3 relations of flight crew showed up, sat in front of me, proceeded to talk loudly for hours, got wrecked drinking endless red wine, and put the seat back as far as it went, while also being a fat fucker, so it was even further back than normal, to the point where I thought seat was going to break.

I was expecting some dramatic scenes upon arriving back in NYC, but it was the most curious interaction I've ever had with a border agent in the 13 years I've been working and living here. He looked at my passport, greencard, handed it back, and then asked me for my name. And that was it. No finger prints or Spanish inquisition. There were no customs agents, so we just walked through. Just over 30 minutes later, we were home, in the fastest taxi ride from JFK to NYC I can remember.

My mum's just got back from NYC this morning. She said it was the most relaxed customs entry into and out of the US she's had in 20 years. Heathrow on the other hand was one fuck up after another and took them three hours from landing to get out of the airport!

 

[Ormorof]

My mum's just got back from NYC this morning. She said it was the most relaxed customs entry into and out of the US she's had in 20 years. Heathrow on the other hand was one fuck up after another and took them three hours from landing to get out of the airport!

That sounds like every visit to Heathrow ive ever had

 

[Gwadien]

Living in a tiny % of the country that has their school holidays different to the rest of the country;

Summer half term	Monday 30 May to Friday 3 June 2022
Bank holiday / Platinum Jubilee	Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June 2022

 

[Hawkwind]

How unthoughtful that the schools are closed the same time parents will be off.

Teachers losing 2 days is not concern for most.

 

[Raven]

Living in a tiny % of the country that has their school holidays different to the rest of the country;

Summer half term	Monday 30 May to Friday 3 June 2022
Bank holiday / Platinum Jubilee	Thursday 2 and Friday 3 June 2022

My wife's school is different by 1 day to everyone elses too. Usually training days though, so they go in 1-2 day early without the kids in.

 

[Scouse]

Brexit. Slope. Acceleration.

Rules to create gene-edited farm animals must put welfare first - review

Ethics experts publish a report as the government considers whether to allow gene-edited farm animals.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MYstIC G]

Excel... specifically Excel tables. Want to add in 1000's more rows, sure, fine, no problem... want to delete 50... "Excel is not responding"

 

[Wij]

Excel... specifically Excel tables. Want to add in 1000's more rows, sure, fine, no problem... want to delete 50... "Excel is not responding"

[whisper] Excel is not a database [/whisper]