T Break thread 2023

[Gerard C]

So much in a hurry to have a clean car… Polish included.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by delta

This is all very interesting . I can remember lots of customer and suppliers phone numbers . Only when I get to work . Mind is blank when I am at home .

I can sort of relate to that as context, location, etc., can be significant to the way the thing we call a brain makes connections, including to memory of all kinds. The so-called "muscle memory" for example.

The work/home divide is something I too have observed, although not necessarily purely through geographic location. Rather its a context thing of work or not-work.

Of course, if one has geolocation functionality turned on, mobile devices will also be context-sensitive in a similar way.

Obviously what we need is a programmable chip implant that we can instruct the brain to use memory searches in the context of location, current activity or previously used responses. Searches like - "remind me of the passcodes I have used for a money card in the past 2 years" for example.

I expect Google already knows the answers ...

[delta]

Can’t remember who posted that saloon car race from Cristal Palace . Thank you . Got me thinking I want another MK 1 Escort .

[Lancsbreaker]

I can (hope I'm not tempting fate) remember the PINs of the two cards I use most - 1 debit, 1 credit, but I have other accounts I have to look up if I need to use them. Got called out to the local Tesco (where I normally do all the shopping) when milady ventured out as I was otherwise occupied, and then couldn't remember her PIN. She was very embarassed......

[Gerard C]

https://www.everydayhealth.com/longe...or-memory.aspx

[Mike Harte]

Grant, I can relate to your observation concerning location. Whilst I was married, often when shopping with my wife in the large village where we lived, people (I don't know why, but it was often fairly youngish attractive ladies) would call out to me and say hi. Always embarrassing, however I never recognised them although they had called me by name. Used to really annoy my wife, who didn't know them either, and who suspected me of playing away from home!

After we divorced, I set up a financial services firm and ended up with about 2 thousand personal clients. After about six months, I appointed a new office manager, who a little while later became my personal partner whilst still working for me. If I saw any of my clients, whether in the office or at their home or place of work or spoke to them on the phone, I would have instant recall of everything important to know, including names, etc.

However, on occasions when out shopping with my partner around the area, we would come across clients from time to time, and I rarely ever recognised them, and it was often my partner who had to remind me of who it was I had just said hello to!

[midgetman]

Regarding computer passwords, the best idea I've ever heard is to just use a complete jumble of letters and numbers that no one has any chance of hacking or remembering then simply use the "forgot password" link next time you log on.

Oh that's another bug bear for me. Websites that don't tell you the combination of letters and symbols you need in advance, nor do they let you see what you've typed. And then won't let you use the incredible password you've just devised because it's too similar to one you used five years ago.....grrrrrr.....

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[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

When should you give up driving ? I haven't done this yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnESmfdhR1Y

I can't imagine you handing over cash for someone to wash your car

[grantp]

Originally Posted by midgetman

Regarding computer passwords, the best idea I've ever heard is to just use a complete jumble of letters and numbers that no one has any chance of hacking or remembering then simply use the "forgot password" link next time you log on.

I would agree but sometimes I just don't want to wait and mess around with email or whatever in the middle of something else.

I also have multiple email accounts and that means one has to recall which account one used for that site, etc.

A case in point. I've changed the email address for my account for the supplier of the photo editing software I have been using for some years. No problem, works fine now, better than it did with the old email address.

However, the other day I thought to check my historical orders for upgrades as offered from a link within the account details.

Orders are processed by a third-party provider. So, to my surprise, this time it seemed I was not already connected to the order system and I needed to click on a link to start a reset process by entering the email address to which some code should be sent. So enter the address to use (the same as my "account") and ... nothing arrived. I've tried it on 3 separate occasions now. Still nothing. It's a good job its not urgent. Not even important, thankfully.

Originally Posted by midgetman

Oh that's another bug bear for me. Websites that don't tell you the combination of letters and symbols you need in advance, nor do they let you see what you've typed. And then won't let you use the incredible password you've just devised because it's too similar to one you used five years ago.....grrrrrr.....

That is indeed annoying but, these days, the reuse of similar passwords does not seem to be as heavily policed as once was the case - at least not for the stuff I used and still use.

An outfit I worked with for several years in a consultancy role had very lax password controls in that they never enforced changes. At some point, they decided they should do so. Given they were a leading supplier of backbone carrier network comms systems at the time - right at the heart of the newfangled internet thingy - it seemed a wise decision.

So they told users that new passwords were required, what the expected length and security level should be, and that they would need to change them every month. All very wise. Except that few people, outside the same admin work team or their IT support people, knew each others' passwords since, in general, there was no need to know.

On the day the rule was implemented every terminal in the offices suddenly acquired a yellow post-it note with the new username and the first chosen password for that person (pre-hotdesking days for most of them) and so now everyone had access to anyone's password. Comments about the lack of intended security were made and ignored by most and life continued.

Not really so bad until one considers that there was a steady flow of people arriving and leaving their job roles and quite a number of jobs were covered by agency staff.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

It has only happened on my company card but never on my personal one. The thing is that just about everything on the company card is related to the motor trade and fuel etc, the one that was questioned was from an electrical wholesale firm for a computer, and I had never bought anything from them with that card before.

I had something similar with a personal card some years ago.

I had used it to pay at a restaurant a few miles from home on Saturday night and the next day got a call from the card company asking if I recognized some recent transactions. The first one was the restaurant, the second a £5 phone credit top-up from that morning, not mine, and the third an £800 or so purchase from John Lewis in Leighton Buzzard - some way from me and clearly a high-value purchase from a time and place that I had not frequented before.

I'd missed the first call from them so assumed I assumed that the opportunity to apprehend the fraudsters had passed. However, a couple of days later the card co rang again and asked what colour car I drove.

It transpired that the deal was an online purchase and at the time I told them it was not one I recognized the Mac had not been collected. The car and people were seen on video later that afternoon when they collected the order.

I have no idea what happened after that except it did not cost me, I had to wait a couple of days for a new card to arrive and JL sent me the included extended warranty paperwork within a day or two.

Very efficient on the warranty stuff. Less so on missing the apparent opportunity to nab the fraud team.

[midgetman]

I was the victim of credit card fraud and attempted fraud a few times.

In the first case it was my own stupid fault once, and I sent the goods out. I later saw them for sale on eBay and alerted the police but they did nothing about it even though I gave them the address where I'd arranged to swap the suit for cash.

Next time it was a kid using a stolen card in his bedroom. Me, GPR and some others were on the hit list. This time my local copper took it seriously and I got my money back and the kid went to court.

PayPal flagged up a series of determined fraud attempts once, all similar email addresses from streets around the Watford central area. With the traditional bank card processor if I was victim of fraud I got charged for the original transaction AND when they took the money back. PayPal flagged up the transaction as potential fraud, gave me the chance to refuse it and also refunded my charges when I sent the money back. One of the reasons I now use an emerging bank processor rather than a High Street bank.
.

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[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by grantp

I have no idea what happened after that except it did not cost me, I had to wait a couple of days for a new card to arrive and JL sent me the included extended warranty paperwork within a day or two.
Very efficient on the warranty stuff. Less so on missing the apparent opportunity to nab the fraud team.

Exactly. I held a strange record for a while, around 9000 € stolen. I had a very good relashionship with th egirl in charge of my bank account, I then asked to have a look to what had been purchased. There wera a lot of goods bought via a stupid TV show and more interesting, several airplane tickets. All from Ryanair, a company I never used in ly life. When I asked to have a look to the pax name, the girl told me smiling "dont you worry, you'll have your money back, no fee no nothing, I dont want you to be sent in jail!".

Fact is, till now, the Visa system includes this kind of thing. It must be worth financial wise to let things go rather than having a dedicated team.

[delta]

Anyone else here fed up with BBC . Keep going on about Harry and Megan and then switched to Mum with five kids crying because she can’t afford school uniform . I might switch over to ITV .

[Derwent]

Originally Posted by delta

Anyone else here fed up with BBC . Keep going on about Harry and Megan and then switched to Mum with five kids crying because she can’t afford school uniform . I might switch over to ITV .

I was just saying this to my wife. I am sick of the Ginger Spare and all these sob stories by large families who seem to have a huge TV on in the background, bigger than I can afford. It is almost as if the media are Hell bent on creating doom and gloom.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by delta

Anyone else here fed up with BBC . Keep going on about Harry and Megan and then switched to Mum with five kids crying because she can’t afford school uniform . I might switch over to ITV .

Better still, switch on youtube and watch the Dakar.

[VIVA GT]

Apart from 15 minutes of BBC Breakfast while I eat my cereal (I find the ITV mob actually worse, even at that time of the morning), I've stopped watching or listening to any BBC TV or radio news. I've even fitted one of those DAB radio receiver adaptor thingies in my car so I can listen to Boom Radio instead of Radio 4 when I drive to & from work!

[delta]

I still miss Terry Wogan .

[GCCheddaris]

Originally Posted by delta

I still miss Terry Wogan .

Utterly brilliant on radio, but didn't quite reach the same heights with his TV chat show. Only DJ who comes close now is Ken Bruce.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by delta

I still miss Terry Wogan .

Iain, he even came up to the Larkins brewery to see Bob a few years back

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by delta

Anyone else here fed up with BBC . Keep going on about Harry and Megan and then switched to Mum with five kids crying because she can’t afford school uniform . I might switch over to ITV .

We have a "polystyrene" TV brick that we often throw at the TV, sometimes I feel like using a real one

[midgetman]

I'm thinking of going to Autosport International on Friday 13th on my way up to PFI. I drive nearly past the door so it seems silly not to. Anyone else going?

All that puts me off is the £30 entry and the silly parking charge.

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[morninggents]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Apart from 15 minutes of BBC Breakfast while I eat my cereal (I find the ITV mob actually worse, even at that time of the morning), I've stopped watching or listening to any BBC TV or radio news. I've even fitted one of those DAB radio receiver adaptor thingies in my car so I can listen to Boom Radio instead of Radio 4 when I drive to & from work!

I sometimes tune in to Radio 2 but it's not the same as it was. After Terry Wogan I did eventually get used to Chris Evans but the latest encumbent is dire. Only Ken Bruce saves the day for me with R2 now. The BBC radio controller's announced intention to promote females and minorities rather than choose the best person for the job is turning me off the Beeb.
Daytime TV is just as bad. Mrs MG insists on watching Jeremy Whine whom I cannot stand. Everything on his programme is so trivial.

[The Fat Clerk]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I'm thinking of going to Autosport International on Friday 13th on my way up to PFI. I drive nearly past the door so it seems silly not to. Anyone else going?

All that puts me off is the £30 entry and the silly parking charge.

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That's two reasons not to go then!

The MSA as was, used to hold an event on the Friday morning, which was a good social gathering, but that finished a few years ago and I stopped going.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I'm thinking of going to Autosport International on Friday 13th on my way up to PFI. I drive nearly past the door so it seems silly not to. Anyone else going?

All that puts me off is the £30 entry and the silly parking charge.

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Me, together with John F and Ian B are going on Friday. £25 bought in advance. Didn't know about parking, how much exactly is the rip-off?

[delta]

I’ve told you this before but it was 30 years ago that we built a Delta FF2000 at the show . We had to slow down with the build as organisers wanted the car scrutineered Sunday afternoon . I think I went to Mallory on the Saturday then we came back Sunday morning . Happy days .