Victoria

Swdivad? Same hair and complexion.

Absolutely. It would be awful if all countries were the same. That's why monochromatic, forced Communism failed, and splendiforous, messy Capitalism is alive and well. Nature loves differences, and so do I.

Sure I can. It's called a skip-button on TiVo. (Snip stuff I totally agree with) Funny how life spawns two things you can't avoid. And one of them is taxes.

Yeah, I'm guessing that concealed weapons permit fee probably has a few Euros shaking their noggins. Seriously, though, the idea of the BBC is one which would never fly in the US. A quasi-State run television station? Eek. Nono. Never mind a full State-run station like in many countries! E.G.: The Board of Governors of the BBC were in essence appointed by the government of the day. They in turn chose the Director-General, who THEORETICALLY was supposed to be independent of politics. Didn't work out that way, and in fact, they often tried to undermine the previous appointees or boost the government's policies in power at the time. Can YOU IMAGINE the same thing happening in the United States; especially shall we say, given the opposition to the current administration? My God, it would be bedlam. I grew up appreciating the BBC. I find British television the best in the world, overall. But I am so happy I am in a private-sector driven country like the USA. I can ignore advertising. I can't ignore an imposed mandatory tax. Well, when you buy a set you have to pay the fee upfront. It's whatever you are on record for buying -- hmm, interesting rip-off possibilities I hadn't thought of actually. Trust an American to ask the obvious question.

SR, in Britain anyone who uses a television set needs to pay the BBC a yearly licence fee -- per household, not per set, mind. This is more or less a tax imposed on users which allow it to run their excellent programming (well, they used to have excellent programming. Now it's nearly rubbish). It's guaranteed money, like taxes tend to be, so it's a huge bureaucracy in all but name. Hence the need for detector vans to go around, "catching" people who skip on paying the fee. I just Wiki'ed because I had heard that the fee had been reduced recently. BLIMEY! Much more than I remember it. "

Bwhite and Cornerstone -- first thanks for the help. To recap: I have or had two problems. One was the laptop, one was on the Dell computer with new HD. I had been using the laptop with my cable modem connection (yellow cable), downloading torrents without any problems. Then I got the desktop back, I disconnected the cable modem, and the laptop didn't "read" any Wifi connections around me (usually in my condo, there are two pages worth, some unlocked). I read that I had to "Function Key"/F2 to reactivate the Wifi, and it worked! After another monumental effort of reading online for tips, I placed back the cable modem connector into the laptop -- it worked too. I can download torrents again! Yeehaw! That's two problems solved in one fell swoop. However, and this is the weird part. I put in the self-same yellow ethernet cable into the "new" Dell, and it just will not allow me to download anything. I tried BitComet, Azureus, and Deluge as well. Nada. I slavishly copied all the settings from Windows Firewall and McAfee into the desktop from the laptop, including opening the required ports. Nothing. I tried rebooting a dozen times, and unplugging the cable into the NIC to get another dynamically assigned IP. Again, nothing. Clearly this cannot be an ISP throttle, though every sign points to it on the desktop. But then why would the laptop which used the cable, be able to download torrents and not the desktop? Well, this is beyond boring for the poor souls reading this. I'll stop now. If you have any ideas, please let me know. I can hardly call my ISP geeks, and ask, "Hey I'm trying to download Top Gear on Bittorent, but you guys are preventing me. Any workarounds?". UPDATE in case anyone cares : Basically, the torrent trackers are blocking my IP address on the desktop. I'll have to unplug it for 24hrs to get a new one. I noticed the difference in the IP addies when I checked the Advanced options in the Network Connections. It starts 2xx.something when plugged into the desktop. But it's 7x.something when it's on the laptop. I don't know how IPs are assigned, but that seems queer to me. And yes, Andrew, I said queer just for you.

Thanks for the suggestion. I didn't see your reply before removing it. I installed BitComet immediately, and though it gives me the green light, it launches a BitCome tip bubble. "Bitcomet detect that your current setting of Half-Open TCP connection limitation is too small. Click here to patch it." It suggested 10. That didn't work after a while. Then I patched it to 20, rebooted, and it still won't allow the torrents to download. On the plus side, one of the trackers is now connected. This is for sure some kind of throttling from my ISP -- not only does PeerGuardian not update, but the d/ls reverse (they go from 3k of info, back to 0k). I've disabled the Firewalls (temporarily, I'm not insane...). Sucks. I might have to go back to Blockbuster.

Guys, I'm desperate enough to hijack a thread to post this. Please forgive me. I just received my Dell back with a minty HD and Windows XP Pro installed by techies. I have tried for the past two days to get my uTorrent to download torrents, without luck. I have McAfee and Windows Firewall. I have tried EVERYTHING. I've forwarded ports, I've changed ports, I've made "exceptions" in TCP/UDP. I've tried uninstalling McAfee and disabling Windows Firewall. I have used and disabled PeerGuardian2, both. Nothing works. It still gives me the dread "red" button next to the torrent. And "connection closed by peer/host machine", no matter the tracker. My bf says if my ISP were throttling my connectivity, or I had reached my limit, I couldn't download or view anything. What is weird, is that the laptop I used during this time, now has the same red button next to the torrent (I am leeching someone else's Wifi -- I told you I like to beat the system!), since I don't have a router. Just a cable modem from the cable company. Can some techie please help? The only thing I haven't tried is to use Bitcomet or Azureus instead. I'll do that now.

Oh pish posh.

Thank God these accents are obsolete. Yes, I remember, but again, it's the THREAT of them rather than the actuality of them that worked. Did anyone actually ever see one (other than you)? I never did. And if I had, I likely would've gone up and asked for a doner kebab.

Blimey. And how would you know, hmmmmmmm? @Pug reply: "http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressrele...ctor_vans.shtml" Puggy, I'm talking about when I was growing up -- around the same time as you. 80s-1990s! The Beeb didn't have GPS then, surely! @Pug photo: Yes, I've seen a similar photo, but as you say, 25 for the whole albeit small island. Come now! Good job the British are an honest lot, overall, because if that were in South America, they'd have folded years ago. Licence fees are uninintelligible to Americans. They even get downright stroppy when PBS have their donation telethons. Ironically, PBS show almost wall-to-wall BBC programming -- especially "Britcoms". Oh, there is a God.

Teehee. Another loophole is that when you purchase a set in a pawn shop, you don't need to apply for a licence fee directly. I suppose deep down inside, this ex-Guide loves cheating "the system". And that's the van I meant! The one with the "radar" which went around street to street, supposedly scoping who was running their set illicitly. That has got to be the number one British urban legend. Other than Keith Richards, obviously.

Guys, honestly, I just don't get why people are so against this, to the point of sneaking to teacher with insinuations about a member. Whether or not I get along with said member is beside the point -- surely you know his calibre by now? And if we start bleeding newer members like HikeUSA because of this...not good. I'm sad now.

I'm almost positive you know, but analogue transmission will be obsolete in the US by next year (2009). This only affects people who have rabbit ears antennae, and not cable television, etc. Cable is nearly universal in the US, except for older people and intellectuals. So no worries. (Ahh, the memories of evading my BBC licence fee, and putting some coathangers to get reception instead. That little white van never caught me)

I LOVE her Anticcata! We have very very close tastes, V. It's nice. Magnificent. Is this like my LV strap, which you made me? BTW, I had that on the other day, but it started raining -- I ran like a madwoman to my car to protect it.

LOL! I only write that when I truly did ell-oh-ell in real life. There was an article in the NYT only this Sunday about this. Seems that most people don't care, even WHEN Best Buy or Circuit City staff tell buyers that Blu-Ray "has won". They keep on buying Toshiba players, and a few of them rationalise that discs will be cheaper. Well, duh, in the beginning -- but after a while there will be no new discs to buy! I was too little to remember this, but my parents tell me all they could get for their Betamax player at the rental place, after a while, were I Love Lucy reruns... In happier news, since Sony won the battle (for a change), they have slashed Blu-Ray disc prices by $10 on average. You can get first-run movies on BR now for $24.99 at Best Buy. And next year, analogue televisions will be obsolete. Times, they are a-changing.

You know the words I use? "I like your watch, it's a xxxx, isn't it?". But the INEVITABLE phrase used to compliment one of my watches (which is happening more and more these days) is: "Nice watch" Followed by a pause, then a hint of an envious look, then true appreciation in their smile. And I reckon if you compliment my watch, you can grab any part of me you like.

OTOH, Tourby has recently changed his member ID. There's always interesting motivation for that. *sees the ex-Tourby reading this thread now, waves hello* I really appreciate his life story; it's inspirational -- if Hammer has a massive collection, it couldn't belong to a nicer person. Thanks for the link, PAMman!

Jsmith! Welcome back. Great vista and versatile watch. Naples is one of the most overlooked tourist Florida destinations for FOREIGNERS. It seems Americans proper know of its beauty. Gorgeous white sandy beaches over in the Emerald Coast, no? Hope you get your watches soon, and welcome back!

You bet your life, Doc. Guys, I'm a little worried how I'm the one doling out info on PAMs in these threads. Whilst I love to help out, and that's my motivation 100%, I don't want Lifter or anyone else to be under any misapprehensions about my expertise. (He's not! We PMed each other wonderfully, and I made sure he knows that. Very nice chap) But please chime in too, okay? Kru, PAMman, Babola and others -- you went strangely silent recently in the Panerai area. Even V is posting more in the PAM section on RG now. Let's not let RWG become like the RWI Pannie section...somewhat lacking.

Absofreakingbrilliant. Congrats, Lifter! This is my Holy Grail watch. You will LOVE it. I already have the logo -- just need the car and the watch.

Well I think flirting and hitting on are different. I agree to the former, but not the latter. My boyfriend called me during one of the lulls in conversation. I'm quite sure he heard me ring off saying, "I love you, ciao!". When I went to Egypt, I was thunderstruck by how little room they give interpersonal situations. They're about 10 inches from your mush when they speak to you (a common trait with Middle Easterners, Arabs and those from the Mahgreb in general, I've been told). The woman determines whether a social situation is a welcome advance, or a sexist imposition. That's just the way the world works. And this lady didn't mind, probably because she's a WIS. I think Dad would've knocked him down too.

Love the Franck Muller (the bathrobe helps ). I do have to say I greatly dislike the Patek. It looks every penny of $25. Do I spy "diamonds" on each quadrant?? Mercy. The important thing is that they mean a lot to you, because they'll remind you of your visit to Mark in Guangzhou. Wear it in great health! @Rodwc: You betcha! Thanks for taking my comments in a nice way. And what you say is absolutely true. I know there are loads of people here who, every time I wear my Fiddy, just shake their heads in dismay.

What, BOTH? Jackyl, I just received my own Slytech from Rolli! This is a MASSIVE watch. It just dwarfs the Fiddy. Feels like you're wearing a boulder on the wrist. I like it. Just not sure I can pull it off. MidWeek Wristies await... Nice watches, though, Jackyl. Gold Star! @Jackyl: HOLY GUACAMOLE. You must be Sly's best mate. ...how much does a gen cost, BTW?

Thanks! I was hoping it would prompt similar stories from others. Freddy had a good one with a Patek and a lady who also grabbed his wrist, like this guy did with me. You know, it may be rude, but it just gave me a tingle. It's awesome to have one's taste validated by a similar-minded human being, even if it is a rep. Good one, Marrick. I think the people who glance are more knowledgeable of watches, than the people who ask or chat about them nonchalantly. One lady at a restaurant once leant back very noticeably to check out my Rolex. It was one of the gens I have, so I was home dry then.