*********Thread now closed - see Volume 15 ***************
In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
It does not need to be motoring related. In fact, in this thread it should not be.
No politics
No Speeding, speed cameras, traffic calming
No arguments or slanging matches
Nothing which I think is not following the spirit of the thread.
Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.
However, as has been said a couple of times, there is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.
This is Volume 14. Previous Volumes will not be deleted.
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Complete Klutz in these matters seeks info about useful websites or magazines which can steer me through the maze before I spend my hard earned on garbage.
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Start with www.homecinemachoice.com/
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Hi Nsar
Try nipping into your local branch of Richer Sounds. I've always found the staff to be very knowledgeable and they don't put the pressure on to buy the most expensive item, or to buy stupid and worthless warranties.
I'll bet if you go in with the exact dimenions of the room you intend to set your home cinema up in, they'll be able to custom build a set-up for you which will cost less than a package bought from one of the major High St chains.
I've actually got their latest catalogue right in front of me, but can't find a website address. If you let me know where you live, I'll find the nearest store for you and post address/phone details.
Cheers
Rob
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www.richersounds.com :-)
teabelly
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An embarrasment of riches...thank you all
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Also try www.techtronics.com/ - unbeatable prices and they really know what they're talking about. Loads of useful guides on their website and presales and aftersales service second to none (no, I don't work for them, just a satisfied customer!)
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Damn right Rob.
One of the most friendly and knowledgeable places I have ever had the benefit to shop in hi-fi or otherwise. Can heartily recommend them and to top it all off they are invariably cheaper than everyone else by a good margin.
Dan
P.s. - Rob, hope yr head is better!
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>>P.s. - Rob, hope yr head is better!
Tsk! I don't know, Dan! Us Northerners are made of sterner stuff. My head was absolutely fine, thanks for asking.
Bloomin' Southern softies... ;-)
Cheers mate!
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Can anyone out there please refresh my memory as to a term used in the banking world to describe the following practice? I heard this on a radio programme some 6 to 8 weeks ago and cannot remember what it was.
An individual (or small business) gets into financial trouble with a bank. Bank says, you have account with us, we want to see a good deal of business going through it or we will pull in your loans.
Desperate to placate the bank, individual begins to offer goods or services ( with no intention of supplying ) in order to get other peoples cheques flowing through the account. If the customer kicks up a big enough stink or threatens legal action, he pays the money back by cheque, thus holding the money in his own account for the longest possible time. Those customers who do not complain, never get their money back.
Can anyone please tell me what is the name that the banking people give to this practice ?
Thank you, Pete.
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False accounting?
DVD
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Sounds suspiciously like FRAUD to me.
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"False accounting?"
DVD,
NEVER CEASES TO MAKE ME CREASE !
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"churning".
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Someone, I think it was Volvoman, mentioned something about getting a better mobile phone deal...
Well, i was on the O2 200 tariff, in my dad's name as I was only 17 when I took the contract out, and I fancied an upgrade...
I checked the O2 site and they do an on-line tariff called, funnily enough, Online 200. It's the same line rental, but it comes with 500 free texts instead of 50! All other conditions are the same, including the International Traveller Service for free. :-)
Anyway, I coupled this with a Sony Ericsson T610 camera and bluetooth (essential for my car kit) phone for just £49.99
I know I sound like an advert for O2, but if anyone is with them and is currently out of contract, then I would strongly suggest cancelling and taking out an on-line tariff, it's much better value, plus it's an excellent excuse to get a shiney new toy! :-) You don't have to pay for them all, as many phones are available for free, but sadly none of them suited!
Can't wait for it to come!!!
Blue
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I've been with O2 Online (formerly Genie) for more than two years and have had no serious problems. Nonetheless I'd suggest searching the archives of uk.telecom.mobile at groups.google.com to enable you to make an informed decision as to whether to use them as your service provider.
They're cheaper than other O2 service providers* because they don't send paper bills and charge 50p per minute for calling their customer services. It's the luck of the draw whether you need to call them or not. So far I've been lucky.
I stay with them because I'm on an old package that gives me 600 messages, unlimited WAP, and 50 minutes a day of off-peak calls for £15 per month: a much better deal than their current offerings. I've never upgraded my phone because this would force me onto one of the newer tariffs.
*Historically O2 (formerly Cellnet) and Vodafone didn't deal with end users directly sold their airtime via service providers who provided the customer service and billing. Nowadays the networks often own the service providers.
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Thank you to all contributors. The term used on the radio was not "Windmilling" or "Churning" but both would well serve to describe the practice mentioned.
Thanks again, Pete.
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I recommend the Pioneer PDP433HDE.
The KEF "pod" speaker system is also excellent.
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I too like Richer Sounds; excellent, good prices and service. Their 'extended waranty' is something like £10 on items below £100 and £25 for over; if what you bought breaks you get something similar on loan free while they fix or replace it and if you don't claim you get the money back! I know washing machines are less reliable than hi-fis but I paid £250 for an extra 3 year warranty on a £350 washer drier! Idiot or what?
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Blue Oval:
You're a Uni student right? Did you check out the student discount at www.02.co.uk/nus? I never realised this existed until a mate pointed it out, 02 seem to like to keep it quiet...
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Thank you! I just checked and my handset is only £24.99, I'm going to call them tommorow and try and either get a refund of the difference or cancel my order immediately within the 14 day period.
I paid by Barclaycard so hopefully will have some more protection if they don't play ball!
Blue
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I knew they wouldnt play ball.
They wont refund, they say i should refuse delivery, wait for a refund and then re-order via the site.
Ridiculous, its gonna cost them a lot more for me to do that...
I'm on the fone to their 50p a min line as i type, so lets see what happens...
Blue
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Spoke to someone else on the customer care line.
They actually remind me a *lot* of my own company in their procedures, I now just have to wait until the handset is received (hopefully tommorow, yay!) and give them a call and they will refund the difference.
I would actually feel delighted as opposed to just happy, if I hadn't had to call an 0906 number to get it done!
Blue
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Oh no, I can see a long drawn out fight coming. I called O2 today to get the refund that they agreed to, surprise surprise, there's no record of them agreeing to such a refund, she's e-mailing the only person that she thinks I can have spoken to and they will call back tommorow. I'm not holding my breath...
I *will* get the money though!
Why do O2 taker such a stinking attitude towards their customers?
Blue
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We've been clearing out my Gran's house, and have found a lot of things we simply can't justify keeping, but also have no wish to throw away. Can anyone advise where is the best place to look for the best price for the items listed? Either that, or advise where might be able to make use of them. In the main, we aren't bothered about how much we make for them - we'd rather they went to a good home, but if we are going to sell them then we don't want to sell them for buttons to someone who will then re-sell them for a large profit. Therefore, websites etc that will give us an idea of value would be useful as well as suggestions for where to try and sell them. The items are located in Co. Durham if that is relevant to any replies.
The items are:
A selection of Picture Posts from 1938 (issue 1) to 1947. Not sure if they are complete but there are a lot.
An old Singer treadle sewing machine. I'm not sure on the model - might be a 27 (I've send my mother a weblink to help identify it better), probably dating from the early 20th C.
Several elderly pieces of furniture in reasonable condition. These include a CWS wardrobe, war utility dressing table and two old-fashioned metal framed beds.
A full 1957 Encylopaedia Brittanica.
*Lots* of old coins dating from late Victorian times up to metrication.
Cigarette cards - many full sets but also many loose ones.
Old postcards and photos. (I suspect these will have little value, even to historians)
Any advice much appreciated!
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If you have a little patience, a digital camera and/or a scanner, and no desire to go round loads of second hand shops, how about eBaying?
Standard answer but pretty much anything can be sold on there.
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I've looked on EBay to get ideas of prices but many of similar things don't seem to be attracting much attention there, and, as one friend put it, EBay is where people sell junk for nothing. We'd also have the trouble of knowing how much to set reserve prices at etc - the main trouble we have is that we have no idea what any of this stuff is worth. If it's worth buttons then it can be skipped or given away. If it's worth something then we'd rather sell it privately then have someone buy it for nothing and then make a profit on it.
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To be honest Steve I should think the only item in the things you list which could be worth something more than they appear would be the coins which I suggest you take to a Coin Dealer and ask him to make you an offer for the whole lot.
The rest take all to local general auction house . These usually hold regular fortnightly or weekly auctions. You will have to pay commission on whatever the items fetch but it will bring a few bob in.
Do not worry about someone else making huge profit. You never get to know whether this happens or not!!!! :-)
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Steve,
Are you far from Cumbria ? If not there is a wonderful shop in Cockermouth that sells items like this - may be worth a visit. Spent hours browsing at things like this whilst on hols there in the Spring.
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Cigarette cards: May have some value depending on series, condition and completeness. try www.cigarettecards.co.uk/
Picture post: Some issues may have value, depending on condition and content try www.iluvmags.com/brititos.html
Singer sewing macine: millions made, depends on how rare most have little or no value
Furntiture: sounds like no value
Coins: take them to a coin dealer. depends on condition and rarity
Brittanica. No idea of value here.
Postcards: Some can have suprising value depends on place, date, condition, event. try www.postcard.co.uk/
Photos, Never chuck photos, try and save them.
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Thanks for that info, Renault Family. Or maybe I shouldn't say that as we've got hundreds of the cigarette cards but most are in the albums and that site reckons they are worthless in that condition... :(
I'll follow up the info you've given - nice to get a better idea of what we should be looking at.
Also, Phil, thanks for the suggestion but we don't seem to have any auction houses nearby at all, so we'll really have to try and deal with this stuff ourselves.
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Oh and on the subject of postcards, sort them into subjects, and try web searches on subject areas. (places, cars, trains, events etc) people buy items of subject interest.
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If there's a municipal museum local to where this stuff is why not contact them to see if they want any of it ?
Postcards, old furniture if in decent condition and coins could fall into this category.
Matthew Kelly
No, not that one.
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IWM was after wartime Utility furmiture some time ago..
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IWM?
And no, unfortunately we are the other side of the country to Cockermouth. There don't seem to be many shops selling this sort of thing anywhere near us - the only ones I can think of are in places like Barnard Castle and that's a good 40 miles away.
As for local museums (suggested by Matthew) there aren't really that many. Sunderland Museum doesn't seem to have a collection that these would fit in to and there aren't really any others nearby. The ideal would be Beamish but I've been told they won't collect stuff and we can't get most of it to them.
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Got an IT question I need help with.
Shortly after I launch Explorer an error message pops up 'svchost.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows. You will need to restart the program. An error log is being created'.
This appears to have affected web performance as, for example, if I click someone's name on a thread to look at their profile nothing happens.
Anybody got any idea how I can fix this, or indeed, replace the offending item. Can't find an error log anywhere and the help websites I've looked at so far haven't been any help.
Neither, surprise, surprise, has Windows Help...
If you can help I'd be really grateful.
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The first thing I'd do in this situation is reinstall Internet Explorer. It's frequently on the cover CDs of computer magazines, or available for download (if you have a fast connection or a lot of patience) from Microsoft.
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Try this first.
I'm taking Win98 SE so it may be slightly different if you have another version.
Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs.
Look for Microsoft Internet Explorer. Click on it.
Take the "Repair" option and click on it.
Power down, reboot and see if that solves it. If not then you need to take the reinstallation route from that nice Mr Gates' website.
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1. to find out what svchost.exe is all about, go to google.com or
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-gb;k...o
and type in that file name.
2. if it is corrupted, it is possible you have got the backdoor/litmus virus. for details, see
securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/b...l
>>> .... Backdoor.Litmus.203 is a variant of Backdoor.Litmus. When Backdoor.Litmus.203 runs, it performs the following actions:
Copies itself as one of the following:
%Windir%\Litmus\Erm.exe
%Windir%\img32b\image32.exe
%Windir%\Litmus\mm.exe
%Windir%\Appsvc\svchost.exe ... >>
Good luck. Do let us know how you get on.
Note: {P} - indicates that I am advertising that my profile can be viewed.
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morris ox: following my advice, the two nearest relevant MS-KB articles are
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;2...8
and
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;3...1
Otherwise, it is most likely the backdoor virus.
Note: {P} - indicates that I am advertising that my profile can be viewed.
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The Blaster Worm causes this error to be displayed and the other symptoms mentioned. Press Ctrl-Alt-Delete and go to the running processes. Look for MSBLAST or blaster.exe and end it. Now search for the file and delete it. You will now need to download the security fix for this from the microsoft website to prevent reinfection. Reboot, Job done.
Ross
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First an apology - I know this isn\'t a motoring question but we have a lot of bright people here who may be so qualified to answer plus our resident 747 pilot so here goes.
Yesterday, on a Spanair flight from Menorca to Madrid, flight JK691, I and many other passengers were concerned about the actions and behaviour of the flight crew. Throughout the short flight the cockpit door was open. At one stage, one of the flight crew came into the cabin and invited a young lady to join him in the cockpit for about 20 minutes. Approaching Madrid, I observed to my wife that we were very high as I noticed Torrejon airport (small commercial and military airport approximately 5km from Madrid Barajas Airport). At this point the pilot put the plane into a very steep nose down dive which he continued until landing. In fact, the dive appeared to be so steep that the pilot was unable to achieve a normal landing and touched down on the front wheels first. Throughout the approach the cockpit warning systems were audible throughout the cabin (due to the door being still open), as they called emergency signals such as \'Pull-up\'. The speed on landing was similar to a recent \'failed flaps\' approach on an Avro 100 and appeared quicker than normal.
This approach left many passengers including myself and wife shocked and concerned and, in my opinion, demonstrated a lack of responsibility from the crew of this plane to the safety of the passengers on board.
Note - the flight was delayed and the actions above plus the take-off initiated from the taxiway suggested that the flight crew were trying to get the flight back on to schedule.
Please note that I fly at least twice per week into Madrid with various carriers and planes ranging from Lear jets to 767s so I am reasonably comfortable with the \'normal\' approach into this airport, typical audible warning messages (heard regularly in the Lear) and the behaviour expected of the flight crew. I would have also expected Madrid ATC to be aware of the height of the aircraft on approach and have instructed the pilot to act appropriately.
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Sorry - question was:
Am I a 'moaner' to complain ?
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Complain, definitely, boy am i glad I wasnt on that flight, landing that quickly would have blown my head off.
Drink Lager Talk Piffle
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Go straight to the CAA with this complaint. Don't bother with the airline.
H
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No you are not a moaner. Definitely report it to the relevant authorities, CAA and equivalent in Spain.
--
Note: {P} - indicates that I am advertising that my profile can be viewed.
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"Definitely report it to the relevant authorities"
...and please be sure to let us know what they say.
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If your emigrating and you sell your UK house/assets would you be liable for Capital Gains Tax?
Chad.R
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Depends what they are. If it is your primary residence, there is no CGT liability. In certain circumstances, you can also escape liability on a secondary residence - mainly if you've had two houses while waiting for one to sell.
Other assets might attract liability based on what they are. Land (non residential), certain antiques, stocks and shares, etc., would attract CGT but there are various indexation reliefs and reliefs if you have held the asset for a certain period of time.
Chattels (anything designed to have a servicable life of less than 50 years and not forming part of your property) - including your car - would be exempt. This is actually to the government's advantage because you can't use depreciation to offset capital gains as CGT is only payable on the difference between acquisition and maintenance costs and the market value at the time of purchase.
The fact that you are emigrating makes no difference to your liability. Also, if you give your assets away, you may well be treated as though you are making a disposal for CGT purposes and assessed on the market value, even if no money changes hands.
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David, thank you for clarifying that. Please have a (virtual) pint on me.
The backroom never ceases to amaze me with the width and depth of knowledge of it's contributers and more so, their willingness to share it with others for basically next to nothing.
Thanks again.
Chad.
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Capital Gains:
House - Not if it was your main home.
Assets - depends on class of assets. Certain goods may be exempt.
For details, check
www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/cgt/index.htm
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Note: {P} - indicates that I am advertising that my profile can be viewed.
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Sell it all and don't tell anybody, did it years ago.
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A computer question.
I have some old Lotus 123 spreadsheets that I need to open. I have Excel on my PC and ordinarily Excel can open 123 files. However, my 123 files are password protected. I remember the password but there is no mechanism in Excel to enter 123 passwords so the files just will not load. I do have a copy of Lotus 123 on my hard drive but it is not properly installed and will not run
Does anyone have an idea as to how I can load my 123 files into Excel?
Many thanks
Robin
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Any reason why you can't repair the Lotus 123 version ?
What error does it give you when it tries to run ?
What happens when Excel tries to open the files ? Does it just hang or does it give you an error message. If so, which message ?
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When I try to run 123 I get a message telling me that it cannot load the 123R5.ini file. The version I have on my PC was simply transferred from an old, now defunct, PC and I guess I forgot to copy the ini files.
when I try to load the 123 spreadsheet into Excel I get the message: 'Cannot open protected file'. The help in Excel tells me that i cannot load a password protected 123 file. A little utility I have tells me what the password on my L123 file is so i know it is protected.
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How big are they ? And how many ?
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For my current 'task' it is one small file but I have quite a lot of these things on the PC which may need to be opened soon. I am actually looking for info relating to the estate of someone for whom I was executor - hopefully I have a hard copy of the info somewhere in the back of the loft.
Cheers
Robin
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If you send me the one file, I'll have someone sort it out for you. mailto:mark_moderator@honestjohn.co.uk
However, in the medium term you probably just need to get a decent 123 installation - do you have your original disks ?
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Old versions of Lotus SmartSuite (which includes 1-2-3) were given away with quite a few computer magazines two or three years ago. This was done to encourage people to upgrade to the Millenium Edition.
Do you know anyone who might have some old cover CDs lying around somewhere?
As far as I know Lotus (long since swallowed up by IBM) are no longer developing SmartSuite. They certainly don't seem to be actively promoting it. This is a shame as there really ought to be a genuine alternative to Microsoft Office.
Only StarOffice/OpenOffice (free download at www.openoffice.org) looks like a serious contender now. For what it's worth, It does list 1-2-3 files in its File-Open menu but I've no idea whether it'll open password protected files. I suspect not.
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Robin
I have the CD Lotus Smartsuite 96 for Windows 95 with 123 etc on it.
Yours if it is any good. Give me details where I can get an address where I can send it.
Not my cup of tea.
DVD
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DVD,
Brilliant - what a wonderfully kind offer. If you send me a note to robins_address@yahoo.co.uk I will send you my name and address.
Many many thanks
Robin
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I use 602. It's free also.
www.software602.com/
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My Google page has suddenly become Google Australia and I have the options of searching the Web or searching Australian pages. Don't understand this. I know wretched MSN always tries to treat me as though I live in Singapore (thank heavens I don't), but has anyone any idea why this might be?
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Growler
Google has recognised your isp location and regionalised you. Remove any google cookies and try again
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Thank you for that. I've been marginalised, ostracised, criticised in my time but never regionalised. I shall clear out my cookies a suggested. It's a small thing but it's kind of a personal invasion when things do this without the courtesy of telling you.
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Its becoming the new trend. I like to read CNN news, and I suddenly started getting CNN Europe by default. I didnt want an idea of what the septics think is happening in Europe, I want know what they are up to. Its censorship by another name.
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It was not the cookies. It was the "Google Toolbar" I had needlessly downloaded and installed. Uninstalled that and I'm back to Global as opposed to Antipodean Googling Growler.
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On a similar-ish note (I think), as my computer is restarting, the 'Active something or other' message at the top of the screen has suddenly started appearing in what looks like Swedish. It's not important because everything else is in English, but I'd be interested if anyone could tell me why this has happened?
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HF, Probably Welsh - a cunning plot to re-occupy the "stolen" flatlands.
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PU, LMAO!
My Welsh is limited to that train station name, and a copy of Mr Bump which I bought there years ago. So you could be right. I will fight it to the death though.
About time my St George's flags got another airing anyway ;)
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Robin
I think (not sure as I've never done it) the free version of Sun's StarOffice suite supports Lotus 123. If you have a broadband connection you can download the whole suite for Windows, free and gratis, from www.openoffice.org
Or you can click on the list of suppliers to get a CD for the price of postage and the CD. This office suite is also fully compatible with equivalent Microsoft products. Even if it doesn't do 123 it's excellent value for money ;-)
Chris
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I'm not sure if this subject has been covered in the past but I'll post anyway.
I was wondering if it would be possible for HJ to allow Backroomers to add a picture to their profile, whether it be of their car or face or dog etc. It would be nice to put faces to names.
I think the vast majority of Backroomers are sensible enough to know what would or would not be acceptable.
Does anyone else think it's a good idea?
What are the chances HJ??
Over to you folks.
PP
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Not sure about that, but there is already a webpage dedicated to pictures from BRers. It was set up by Lee, a longstanding BRer, and I believe there is a link to it in the Backroom Meet thread.
HF
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Peter,
Great idea regarding the cars - but I can't afford the Botox for the facials.
Matt35.
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I think mine would feature my car too ;-)
PP
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PP, as HF has just mentioned, there is a site where some backroomers have already added their pics, communities.msn.com/honestjohn
I think the vast majority of Backroomers are sensible enough to know what would or would not be acceptable.
After some of the mess I've had to clear up today, you've gotta be joking. Besides which, adding pics to this site adds to the server capacity, which, btw, HJ has to pay for.
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DD,
I just thought it might be simpler if the pics were on people's profiles so it would be possible to read the profile and see the pic, rather than going to an external link. New backroomers wouldn't know about a previous link to a pic site.
I understand everything has a cost which is why I asked if it would be possible with the ads that keep appearing, maybe they could help fund it?!
Regards,
PP
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The ads are there to fund the current running of the site (just). There are no funds available to also cater for people's mugshots on the site. Text takes up very little space, pictures on the other hand...
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It seems that less than 10% of the B.R. have bothered to post their written profiles, what have you all got to hide???
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Actually we could add pics quite easily. We have routines for this kind of stuff already.
Trouble is that it is a bit of a frill feature and HJ would have to pay for it somewhere along the line. Also what's to stop someone posting something offensive. The moderators have a hard enough time as it is as far as I understand it.
As for space - that's not too much of an issue as there is loads of disk space on the server and a few thousand pics of a few k each aren't going to make too much of a dent on that. The bit that costs us is the usage - i.e. bandwidth.
Would be nice though I do agree.
Stephen
----------------------------------
Stephen Khoo
www.khoosys.net
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I would'nt wish a picture of my baby scaring mug on anyone!
I'm a loser, baby....so why don't you kill me?!
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If you want to expose yourself to all and sundry, so to speak, then I am sure you can put a link in your profile. It's not hard to find a site that would host your picture for free.
I tend to agree with sentiments already expressed. I don't think that putting my mug shot on a web site would help my cause!
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I agree with Leif: if you want to find out what I look like you can email me and save the BR, bandwidth, storage space and money and receive a mugshot. When you get the result you'll probably wish you hadn't.
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When you get the result you'll probably wish you hadn't. >>
Growler: You are too modest. I enjoy seeing your pictures at
groups.msn.com/honestjohn
It makes me envious of your lifestyle. I like your latest ones of your birthday party.
Keep on posting the pics. I wish a few more people would too.
Note: {P} = advertising profile is ON. You can add pictures at groups.msn.com/honestjohn
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Besides which, adding pics to this siteadds to the server capacity, which, btw, HJ has to pay for.
But isn't he disgustingly rich?
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After some of the mess I've had to clear up today, you've gotta be joking. Besides which, adding pics to this site adds to the server capacity, which, btw, HJ has to pay for.
I think it gets worse during school holidays Dave!
Terry
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I think profiles are counterproductive and photographs would make matters worse. Some people are influenced by who people are and will also be influenced by what they look like. I don't look at profiles myself - what somebody has to say is more important than what they look like or what they are.
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>>Some people are influenced by who people are and will also be influenced by what they look like.
True, but maybe if someone is influenced by who you are and what you look like, maybe they aren't the sort of person you'd want to know anyway.
After being here a while, people do tend to get to 'know' each other, and it's helpful sometimes to have a little idea of who they are, or at least something about them. Purely for curiosity's sake, not for judgemental purposes.
In any case, most profiles here say very little about the person themself.
Photos - personally no. If I wanted my mug broadcast across the www I'd have found a way of doing it by now!
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This would explain all the extra members on the site this week!
I've posted somewhere that you can mail me photos for scanning - unfortunately that account is now defunct, I'll set up another somewhere and revise the address.
You could always use tinyurl.com and put a short link to your photo in your profile.
My ugly mug is up there, I think we should have a few more there too!
Lee.
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Lee
MINI adventure in progress
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This is basic O-level stuff, but I have neither the wit nor the formulae to attempt this comparison these days.
I've just paid (in round figures) 17.59 pence per litre for heating oil (including VAT). I'm also paying 6.09 pence per unit for electricity (including VAT). So the question is: in summer when there are no other considerations such as heating the house, am I better off switching on the immersion heater, or leaving my oil boiler on, in order to heat my bath water? (lets assume that the oil pilot light uses negligible fuel, and ignore the electricity standing charge). Let's assume that I will use 100 litres of hot water at a temperature of 60C (before I add the cold!). I don't know the calorific value of the heating oil (kerosene).
Thanks y'all
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It's an interesting oil boiler that has a pilot light; I thought they were all lit by electrically sparking the vapourised oil.
If you are that concerned about energy useage, you should be showering in cold water anyway ;-)
H.
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Stranger in a strange land
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I'm going to have to go and check now, I thought my [oil] boiler had a pilot light.
M.
p.s. Robert Heinlein ?
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p.s. Robert Heinlein ?
Correctly spelt, no less. A master storyteller imho.
And your boiler is ignited by ?????
H.
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Stranger in a strange land
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Yes, well, that would be why I assumed that it used negligible fuel, wouldn't it? :-/
In honesty, like Mark RLBS I assumed that it has a pilot light, but I don't know it for a fact. See; all kinds of knowledge available here in the Backroom :-)
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Recently upgraded my old cd re-writer with a new one.
Trouble is now I cannot access my files that are stored on CD-R. A lot of the files were stored using the "drag and drop" facility of Adaptec software, where you drag/copy from the hard drive and drop/paste onto the CD-R. Direct CD I think it's called. My new cd re-writer doesn't appear to recognise the Adaptec version 3.5 software. I've tried going to Adaptec's website to see if there's a software patch or upgrade available, but no luck. Does anyone know of a way of accessing these files using some kind of freeware or shareware progs, or am I committed to having to buy a newer version of Adaptec?
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I had a similar problem when I stopped using Easy CD Creator and switched to Nero.
I didn't regret the change as Nero seems a far more solid program but I found I had trouble reading certain files on CDs that used the Direct CD (AKA packet CD) format. Others I know have also found this format to be a bit flaky.
I'm afraid I don't have a direct solution to your problem as I stopped using CDs in this format a while ago. However, it might help if I mention that Adaptec sold this part of their business some time ago. Therefore, instead of looking on the Adaptec site you need to go to www.roxio.com/ where Direct CD appears to have been renamed to Drag-to-Disc.
Presumably you already have the necessary software installed from your old rewriter but if not you can get the UDF reader to read the CDs from download.com.com/3000-2100-9497911.html?tag=pop . Perhaps this is the freeware that you need.
Did you get any software with your new writer? If so, did you install it without removing the Adaptec stuff? Different CD writing programs don't always coexist very well.
Sorry, if this seems inconclusive waffle but it is late at night and it might give you a few pointers.
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Bit of a strange request this one, but I suppose thats what the thread is for....
I remember hearing at school, many years ago!, about a scientific experiment that was done by a man with his dogs, whereby every time he fed them he rang a bell.
Eventually he was able to ring the bell without any food and the sound was enough to start the dogs salivating.
Can anyone give me any more information, its really annoying me now!!
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Try a google search on Pavlov.
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This one was a favourite of a bunch of psychologists known as behaviourists who thought that there was only behaviour and no separate mental state. For example, the dog is salivating and whether it is hungry or not is irrelevant--that fact that it salivates to the sound of a bell rather than the sight of a piece of steak "proves" this. In clinical practice this means that all you have to do is change the behaviour of the patient and not worry about the underlying mental "causes" of the behaviour. It doesn't follow logically of course but it has fallen into folk wisdom to some extent--if you were at school many years ago behaviourism was probably all the rage in education at the time and is certainly behind the popularity of corporal punishment in the 1950s. It's a clever trick anyway. The scientist was called Pavlov and the "trick" is known as Pavlov's Reaction. You can observe the reaction in action near speed cameras where people brake even when they are travelling at well below the speed limit. But we now know there is something mental going on behind this bizarre behaviour.
No doubt you can find something better if you Google. Pavlov's Reaction.
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>>You can observe the reaction in action near speed cameras where people brake even when they are travelling at well below the speed limit.
And in the way that people tend to feel really nervous and guilty when they notice a police car driving behind them, even if they have done nothing at all wrong!
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Thanks guys - I will sleep tonight now!
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pulling the volumes together
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