Absolutely Anything Else

I think that people get to a certain age and a certain mindset where illnesses and age and experience takes hold.

When I used to visit my old ma her first words would be "guess who died?".

It turned into a bit of a family joke.

I've purposely just tried my best just to stay upbeat and happy the last few years but then I have the luxury of being fairly pain free.

I think that people get to a certain age and a certain mindset where illnesses and age and experience takes hold.
When I used to visit my old ma her first words would be "guess who died?".
It turned into a bit of a family joke.
I've purposely just tried my best just to stay upbeat and happy the last few years but then I have the luxury of being fairly pain free.
-@anns

My  99 year old Dad is always complaining about his ailments.  I asked him if he was in pain and the answer was "No".  My response: "What are you complaining about then?".  Even my life is not pain free due to my dodgy hips and knees. And I'm 37 years younger than my dear old Dad.

The place he lives - small apartments for independent living - people die off all the time. It's God's Waiting Room there. My Dad is the oldest resident.  He has friends there but most of them are just people passing through. They keep popping off.  Everyone he knows has gone. Apart from family members. 

Sad, my husbands granny outlived one of her sons and her husband and all of her friends.( son offed himself in his 20's... bad love affair)

She was nearly blind by the time she checked out.

Most of my family leaves in their mid to late 60's so in many ways that's a good thing for them.

Just before life gets really hard and lonely.

Yes, I'm sure in an old folks home hearing an ambulance at any hour of the day or night is normal.

Today is all any of us have no matter our age.

Had a great time this afternoon getting some rays and going literally barefoot in the park and hugged a couple of trees. Need to stay grounded in these insane times.

I could scream but will control myself.
My internet seems to always go down just as I'm almost finished with my post!
-@Marilyn Tassy
Maybe write what you want to write "offline" (e.g. in MS Word) and then copy the completed text into expat.com. I assume that there are a number of places in the world where the internet is not stable.
-@nz7521137
I'm no IT wizard. Crazy really, we bought a computer way back when . A huge desk top when they first were coming out. Spent a whole $1,700 on it, guess it was in the 1980's.
Had that dial up system to get online.
Never was my cuppa tea.Still don't know how to cut and paste or any techy stuff.
I'm lucky I can sign in to my e-mail on my own!
More of an action person then one to figure out small details.
I just rewritre everything from scratch if the internet goes down.
-@Marilyn Tassy

############################################################

Hello Marilyn

It is a great deal of detailed work to  operate a computer system, the prices have

tumbled low on the machines and to upgrade refurbish is very low cost $ effective

if you realize the metal box you mention has only one mother board to replace, add

memory if needed, new microprocessor if needed ?  Entire fast upgrade can

be simple and cost under 100 USD...   Do not need Hollwood graphics operated

speed of the USS Enterprise space ship for your normal daily streaming TV movie

channels and Youtube reception. The internet offers all for free no need cable TV 

The advantage of new TV machines is the ability to connect computer display using

their HDMI connection. You can view your free streaming movies on a large

screen TV in your living room...  We have this arrangement and use it every day

since we have serious glaucoma eye problems,  past age 76.

The most important handicap using computers is the operating systems such as

Windows 10 Windows 11 Ubuntu Linux  all require weekly updates to operate

faster better and secure over a free internet...   

The only free recommended

computer operating software is Ubuntu Linux free and simple automatic

update.  The same Desk and File folders displayed as in  Windows.

Linux is easy to learn translated from  windows experience. Bottom lines is the

amount of experience one has working in a office,  having used  metal file cabinets,

that file paper  folders. Storage and access.

Using this picture helps navigate

inside all computer operating systems filed folders,  directory cabinets that are

assigned to file access  each file you created and or installed

There is no need to understand beyond where is the file located that you have created as was saved. basic file management... Program tool used automatic

opens and closes these locations.

Where crash in Windows begin from multiple update enhancement to keep your computer safe and fast opening new programs manipulated such as Youtube Netflix Gmail etc etc  all under daily factory revisions, modifications, injected advertisement

The advantage of Ubuntu Linux it is open sourced that means it is free software

uograde generated universal from the globe from every country free...   

Copy and paste and other menu commands are accessed using the left or right

mouse buttons and or large keyboard can be toggled on or off, help vision, permit

typing with only a mouse... same on a new TV remote control function typing

The world has changed from giant computers 1980 connecting the world online

to doctors, medical advice, direct consultation with Harvard Medical every piece

of entertainment every piece of knowledge was and is posted every day on the internet updated changing every day news education problem solutions... 

Our apology if this is of no interest to

you or it may be of interest to you to research simple low cost computer updrade

since today every thing is available on line from a computer and this will continue

to explode over our life time

We have a computer we haven't even started to use yet.

Saving it for when one of these babies dies for good.

Was on sale at a good price and thought it couldn't hurt to have an extra around.

We really do not need a really great one. We sprung for a desk top in the 80's or whenever they first started selling them to the public. We paid a ton for the time for it, $1,700.

We thought our son would earn how to use it. Think he played a few games on it and got bored.

My eldest sister took computer programming classes at college in the late 1960's.

Our step-father was just a factory worker but sort of smart. He would sit all night long with her trying to help her figure out her classes. I remember her bringing home  rims of computer paper with dots and dashes all over them.

The back sides came in handy for drawing on.

We're good, don't luagh we havea decent cell phone we just bought, had it for I'd say a year now and I've never turned it on yet to use it!

We have a computer we haven't even started to use yet.
Saving it for when one of these babies dies for good.
Was on sale at a good price and thought it couldn't hurt to have an extra around.
We really do not need a really great one. We sprung for a desk top in the 80's or whenever they first started selling them to the public. We paid a ton for the time for it, $1,700.
We thought our son would earn how to use it. Think he played a few games on it and got bored.
My eldest sister took computer programming classes at college in the late 1960's.
Our step-father was just a factory worker but sort of smart. He would sit all night long with her trying to help her figure out her classes. I remember her bringing home rims of computer paper with dots and dashes all over them.
The back sides came in handy for drawing on.
We're good, don't luagh we havea decent cell phone we just bought, had it for I'd say a year now and I've never turned it on yet to use it!
-@Marilyn Tassy

I'm becoming disillusioned with the cost of maintaining all this technology.

There are 4 of us capable of using the Internet (6 if I include the cat and dog) and I wonder about the increasing cost of being technology enabled.

We've each got our own mobile phones (I've got two for work), a laptop and access to printers etc. Plus the actual cost of the telecoms themselves delivered as "triple pay" (that's the phone, the internet and the TV). 

We have subscriptions to file sharing apps, streaming TV, video conferencing and we sometimes have to buy software for the laptops. It's not that expensive but it adds up to quite a bit.

Then there's the power they use. They are quite power hungry.

Sometimes we have to buy spare parts (I do all my own repairs).

It's becoming a larger portion of our income than I would have believed even 10 years ago.

We have a computer we haven't even started to use yet.
Saving it for when one of these babies dies for good.
Was on sale at a good price and thought it couldn't hurt to have an extra around.
We really do not need a really great one. We sprung for a desk top in the 80's or whenever they first started selling them to the public. We paid a ton for the time for it, $1,700.
We thought our son would earn how to use it. Think he played a few games on it and got bored.
My eldest sister took computer programming classes at college in the late 1960's.
Our step-father was just a factory worker but sort of smart. He would sit all night long with her trying to help her figure out her classes. I remember her bringing home rims of computer paper with dots and dashes all over them.
The back sides came in handy for drawing on.
We're good, don't luagh we havea decent cell phone we just bought, had it for I'd say a year now and I've never turned it on yet to use it!
-@Marilyn Tassy

I'm becoming disillusioned with the cost of maintaining all this technology.

There are 4 of us capable of using the Internet (6 if I include the cat and dog) and I wonder about the increasing cost of being technology enabled.

We've each got our own mobile phones (I've got two for work), a laptop and access to printers etc. Plus the actual cost of the telecoms themselves delivered as "triple pay" (that's the phone, the internet and the TV).

We have subscriptions to file sharing apps, streaming TV, video conferencing and we sometimes have to buy software for the laptops. It's not that expensive but it adds up to quite a bit.

Then there's the power they use. They are quite power hungry.

Sometimes we have to buy spare parts (I do all my own repairs).

It's becoming a larger portion of our income than I would have believed even 10 years ago.
-@fluffy2560

I can understand needing all that if you use it for work but for us casual users it is too much.

No one calls us, anything from famiy is e-mail or video chat on FB.

I remeber the old days when we looked daily in our mail boxes for a letter from someone.

I like updates but really there is no reason to be on top of every moment of another persons life.

I don't even bother asking my husband what he is thinking every second of the day.

I grew up with 2 older sisters, 5 and 7 years older. They couldn't be bothered with me as I was too young for their fun and games. Had tons of cousins over all the time but as I was then the baby, no one bothered with me much.

I had everything a child could want but friends.

Grew up in those years in a nice house in Conn. with a huge yard, playground built in the yard with swings and slide, sand box , bike anything a child could want, even my own lovely room.

I only craved attention which was not there.

Had one friend living next door who was a year older then I and already in kindergarten.

She only played with me if I brought out my newest doll...

With those experiences I have learned to be pretty much a loner, for my own mental health at least.

We have no need for moment to moment updates on anyone or anything.

Living in the 80's still...

This is an interesting bit of news:

Hungary–US arms deal halted as Orban blocks Sweden's NATO membership

Makes me wonder if this is a milestone on the way to a HU slide out of NATO, out of the EU and just about everything else. Maybe OV will buy Russian arms. If it does, Hungary will become even more isolated. I could see NATO putting enormous pressure on Hungary not to do that.

Turkey bought Russian air defence and lost access to the F-35 programme (but is now upgrading its F-16s with US help). I cannot see anyone seriously caring about HU being in or out of the EU or NATO. Too small to make a difference. Turkey is far more important.

As far as I can see it, Hungary does not want to get out of EU and neither out of NATO. But on the other hand say also never wanted to destroy their long lasting relationship with Russia. Maybe Hungary should leave later and be neutral like Austria. Austria and Hungary have a very long history so both countries being neutral would be fine from my point of view. To me it seems that Hungary has always seen the EU as a union of independent Nations and doesn't want to be told by outsiders what to do in the internal affairs. Fair enough I think.

As far as I can see it, Hungary does not want to get out of EU and neither out of NATO. But on the other hand say also never wanted to destroy their long lasting relationship with Russia. Maybe Hungary should leave later and be neutral like Austria. Austria and Hungary have a very long history so both countries being neutral would be fine from my point of view. To me it seems that Hungary has always seen the EU as a union of independent Nations and doesn't want to be told by outsiders what to do in the internal affairs. Fair enough I think.
-@nz7521137

It's up to Hungary if it wants to be a little bit pregnant.  Unfortunately that's not likely to be a choice in these troubled times. When the chips are down, I could see NATO beginning to say you're either with us or you're not. Mainly that's about Russia.  Deepening involvement with Russia (like buying Russian arms) is likely to put Hungary in the wilderness for years.

As for the EU, yes, indeed it could be still in but it's currently blocking progress at many turns.   This is just OV and his plan to stay in power forever by demonising whoever is convenient. The EU provides a level of oversight which Fidesz is uncomfortable with for obvious reasons.

We've seen the disaster that Brexit has created in the UK. Everyone there lost the plot.  I think a HUexit would be very damaging but OV won't care.  The population will have been fed a diet of state media saying it's about nationalism and the Hungarian people etc. OV will put it to a referendum which will be spun in HUexit favour.  It's Putinesque behaviour. I cannot see the HU people voting to commit hari-kiri like the UK did. But one can never underestimate the stupidity of sheeple as Brexit shows.

If there was a mechanism for it,  and if I was the EU, I'd be talking about ways of throwing Hungary out.  Unless there's a political change here, it's going to end like that.  It's like Trump or Johnson.  At the end of the day, no-one wants to be led by braying donkeys.

As for never wanting to change the relationship with Russia, that's not correct. No-one here wanted to be under their thumb and people don't want to be again. Everyone was very happy when the Russians departed.     Memories of 1956 and the repression Russia wrought seem to be waning.  Russia is a very dangerous friend to have.

I largely agree. Probably Hungary should leave NATO. But I am sure that Hungary will never want to leave the European Union. As far as I know there is no way for the EU to remove a member state. Only a member state can decide whether it wants to leave the EU. As an example we have brexit. To my knowledge nobody in Hungary would like to leave and so I assume that they will stay in it indefinitely.

I largely agree. Probably Hungary should leave NATO. But I am sure that Hungary will never want to leave the European Union. As far as I know there is no way for the EU to remove a member state. Only a member state can decide whether it wants to leave the EU. As an example we have brexit. To my knowledge nobody in Hungary would like to leave and so I assume that they will stay in it indefinitely.
-@nz7521137

Yes, there's no EU mechanism to oust a member state.  On the other hand, they could create one like they did for Brexit. 

It's an interesting dilemma for OV because he's demonising the EU for his own political survival BUT he relies on the EU to be both financier and enemy.  So there's the crunch for him.  He might end up forcing HU out of the EU, just because he's forced to hold a referendum on it.  If it doesn't go as intended, HU could be out.  Referendums are a notoriously bad way to gauge public opinion or make policy.  This is what he always does - holds a referendum with loaded questions and then declares/spins victory even if the referendum doesn't reach the required majority.  Happens all the time.

His route out of NATO is fairly clear.  All HU has to do is buy Russian weapons instead of US ones.  Then I think it's over for HU.  There would be no Article 5 protection.  And HU would be back to square one with Russian air bases and everyone learning Russian (again).

There's one way around it.  A fair election that sees the opposition in power.  Then all bets would be off.  New government and new policies.   The politics of division are over now.  We see imploding political parties verging on "civil war" in the UK and the USA.

Hello

Holding back and avoiding interferance with the above current political coments...

At our old age there is nothing we can do. Only explode a stress related day  searching for

efficient activated proven  problem solutions

TV News broadcast  92% of all the money invested power is executed by under 30 year old staffed

servants,  leaving the other 8 percent under obsolete old goats locked inside their ivory tower... 

Today there  is little respect for pursuing educated  experiences, and no time to evaluate solutions

Hello
Holding back and avoiding interferance with the above current political coments...
At our old age there is nothing we can do. Only explode a stress related day searching for
efficient activated proven problem solutions

TV News broadcast 92% of all the money invested power is executed by under 30 year old staffed
servants, leaving the other 8 percent under obsolete old goats locked inside their ivory tower...
Today there is little respect for pursuing educated experiences, and no time to evaluate solutions
-@tamas0

Why not comment? Be useful to have an older HU person's perspective.

There won't be any educated people left in HU. All teachers will have left for other jobs.

Hungary in the negative news (again):

Hungarian bill punishing dissent threatens country's struggling education sector

EU used as an enemy (again). Typical OV MO.

It's a concern as it's a threat to our kids education. We feel things are getting worse here, not better.

@fluffy2560

Hello sorry if we offended your suggestions. Please understand we are old and

retired and left at the mercy of and barrage dumping of fake news instigated

by young struggling journalists intentions to be promoted public noticed...

Old people keep their mouth shut and understand only the 8 percent inside the

ivory towers control the planet they are the globalist in command and control of

it all... There is nothing a hand full of people can do beyond agree or disagree

Shakesphere wrote:

""""  life is but a walking shadow,  it struts and frets its hours

upon the stage, then heard no more...

it is a tale told by idiots full of sound and fury

signifying nothing """"

Then there is the French quote " what will be will be "

It is difficult for a administrator to manipulate stay above encourage participation

when majority of subjects do not adopt new ivory tower policies. As far as we the

old retired people have no strenght to use a pitch fork and engage in battle all old

people can do is watch and or never know what happen...

So we stand by let you younger people take care of stir the business topics

Here is one streaming topic from the other side of the globe

https://plandemicseries.com/

@fluffy2560
Hello sorry if we offended your suggestions. Please understand we are old and
retired and left at the mercy of and barrage dumping of fake news instigated
by young struggling journalists intentions to be promoted public noticed...
Old people keep their mouth shut and understand only the 8 percent inside the
ivory towers control the planet they are the globalist in command and control of
it all... There is nothing a hand full of people can do beyond agree or disagree
-@tamas0

Being retired doesn't mean you have to withdraw from society. 

I do agree being bombarded with nonsense is unfortunately normal these days but Euronews is not "fake news".   It's a legitimate news source. But it's good to be cautious and have a good filtering system in place.

It's interesting to hear different perspectives.

@fluffy2560
Hello sorry if we offended your suggestions. Please understand we are old and
retired and left at the mercy of and barrage dumping of fake news instigated
by young struggling journalists intentions to be promoted public noticed...
Old people keep their mouth shut and understand only the 8 percent inside the
ivory towers control the planet they are the globalist in command and control of
it all... There is nothing a hand full of people can do beyond agree or disagree
-@tamas0

Being retired doesn't mean you have to withdraw from society.

I do agree being bombarded with nonsense is unfortunately normal these days but Euronews is not "fake news".  It's a legitimate news source. But it's good to be cautious and have a good filtering system in place.

It's interesting to hear different perspectives.
-@fluffy2560

Of course getting a few years under your belt doen't mean your views are worthless BUT people tend to put you in a box when you no longer are part of the "working system" like once you no longer are a particpant in the work force, you no longer matter.

Saw in the news in the US that they want to raise the retirment age to 69.

Well, knowing most people don't make it past that age overall they are betting they never have anyone retire in the future. Think that's the plan for people who turn 62 in the year 2033.

Not that far away really.

We, my husband and I both know we aren't on top of things like we used to be. We used to be high enrgy doers. We both ran our own small businesses at the same time, a machine shop and a beauty salon. We both never seemed to get tired after standing for hours on end etc.

Now, I take mini- sit down rests throughout the day and I sleep at good 9 to 10 hours at night!

Age creeps up on you, it really does. ( I admit I just recovered from a serious illness though)

I wonder at times when I see younger people being so lazy sitting on the bus or tram, what are they going to be like in 25 years, if they live that long?

My husband stood on a hot humid bus for over 3 hours in Belize when he gave up his seat to a heavy women who couldn't stand that long.

Nowdays I ask if he wants my seat! No, he's still able to run around and carry heavy loads on his back.But still...Not like either of us used to be.

It does something to your self estem to feel like you're not doing your best.

It kills me to see old jerks in their 90's running the world though, they are the super elite who's time should be done with by now. Wealthy industrialists who couldn't care less if the everyman dropped or never had any free time to enjoy life. Just keep on paying your taxes.

Now days it seems many people might have a degree but lack basic skills and common sense.

Run into so many clerks here who do speak English but can't even add with help from a computer.Miss some details on prices and in general would of been fired in their first weeks of work in the past. It's scary really, doctors right out of school or ones who never hit the mark in all their years of practice, practice is what it is, they haven't mastered their trade yet They are not able to put a few facts together to cure anyone.

My recent run around with 3 pelic exam in one month, seeing the gynogolist 4 times, a surgeon and my GP 2 times within 7 weeks made me relize we are on our own.

My first idea at the start was to start taking some anti-biotics while my tests were being run, should of followed my own advice and done so. I was given the exact same anti-biotics that I had in my home stash.

IDK what to say, hang onto your hats because we haven't seen anything yet.

The world is changing and i'm sad to report it doens't look all that rosey

I recently had a 2 week trip to UK, mainly to catch up with friends and family. Apart from a couple of funerals, it was my first proper trip to UK since 2014. One weekend I spent with a couple I knew in college. I had asked them to round up a few mutual friends who still live in the Coventry area. They did far better than that! There was an elaborate party in Coventry with over 40 people, some of my friends having travelled quite long distances.

I also  got to see my cottage in Scotland but that did not exactly go to plan. I was staying with Denise, my cousin. She had offered to lend me her car to  drive to Scotland. When we looked into getting insurance for me to drive the car it would cost more than hiring a car. This is because I don't have a UK licence. I then looked at hiring a car but that also proved to be fruitless. It seems these days you can't hire a car unless you have a credit card. There is a huge insurance excess which they initially charge to the card then refund if you don't damage the car. You can pay an extra insurance to cover the excess but they still initially charge it to your card.

In the end my cousin drove me to Scotland but it was a shorter trip than intended. I had hoped to do some electrical upgrades, to meet new legislation but there was no time for that. I would like to sell the cottage but that might not be easy with a sitting tenant. I need to increase the rent but there is a rent freeze in Scotland. I am allowed to increase it by 3% but that is a drop in the ocean.

Somehow I managed to lose 2 bank debit cards on the way home, for my UK bank (Virgin Money) and my Hungarian bank (CIB). I have cancelled them and ordered a new card from Virgin. With CIB they say I can't order a card by phone, I have to go to a branch to do that!

I normally do regular transfers from my UK bank to my Erste account but I don't have internet banking with Virgin so I do it via Wise and pay by card. This means I will be short of money until the new card arrives from UK. This morning there was post from Virgin Money but not the card. It was the statement for April!

That's not good news about those cards.

I really hope the HU post doesn't let you down, they can be so slow.

I had huge issues 7-8 months ago getting my husbands updated US debt card in the mail.

It was sent to my sisters home in the US and she mailed it on to use with registered mail.

I sent her $50. for the postage and her troubles.

It never arrived. Good thing my card was still good.

The tracking showed the card had arrived in Hungary and went through customs.

We never got a notice in our mail box and when we went in to ask questions at the post, they were clueless.

In the end we called the bank in the US and had them send it over driectly for only an extra $5.00! I had my updated card sent directly to us after that fiasco with the HU post.

My sister never got a refund either in the US for none delviery of registered mail.

Otherwise you trip sounds fun.

We have a memoiral/family reunion happening in the fall in the US.

My brother died last year and we wanted to get together for his memorial service.

I'm sort of rethinking it though.

So much trouble for just a 4 day trip and all the costs and hate to say it, knowing my family it's not going to be exactly a great time.

The fun ones have died.

Too much emotional baggage with the others. One cousin and her fmaily are super religious and judgemental but they are putting together a native American ceremonly for my brother. No idea how that actualy fits in with their,"Christain values".

In any case if we went I'd go alone, my husband probably would have more fun sitting in a casino alone for a few days then seeing a bunch of crying old ladies.

Had a family reuinon 9 years ago in Poland but everyone there was new to me. Fist time we met any of my extended family. They were great, it was also only 4 days but those were fun days.

Last Friday as we were pulling out from the underground parking at Tesco in the mall there was an accident. It blocked our turn and the police redirected traffic.

No big deal, hope no one was hurt.

The route we wanted to take was also blocked by the bikers convention at the stadium.

No worries, I was a bit concerned about my ice cream melting though...

We saw tons of motorbikes around and heared then as well.

Guess the 120th Harley Davidson convention was in town.

We attended the music event at Balaton in the past with the bikers. Lost interest after seeing Eric Burdon last time, years ago.

Well. Sat the city was packed with bikes. My husband took the bus to the market and had to walk home about 25 mins carrying a heavy backpack due to them stopping bus serivce so the bkers cold have their little parade.

I had to close my windows because traffice was so backed up on our st. Bikes roaring their bikes and car at a complete stop for over 30 mins.

Made me think of my younger brother who is a biker. He would of loved this.

Most of the bikers seemed to be male but a few women were handeling their own blikes as well.

My SIL just bought herself a 3 wheeled motorbike.

My brother rides a Harley like his father used to do.

What I found funny is looking at some of the ,"Old Ladies" riding on the back of the bikes. Some really were old ladies.

Made me wonder if they owned the bikes and hired the guys to ride them around?

I know my SIL is several years my bro's senior and she bought him his Harley for a wedding present.

Lots of dispoable money spent over the weekend.

Last Friday as we were pulling out from the underground parking at Tesco in the mall there was an accident. It blocked our turn and the police redirected traffic.
No big deal, hope no one was hurt.
The route we wanted to take was also blocked by the bikers convention at the stadium.
No worries, I was a bit concerned about my ice cream melting though...
We saw tons of motorbikes around and heared then as well.
Guess the 120th Harley Davidson convention was in town.
We attended the music event at Balaton in the past with the bikers. Lost interest after seeing Eric Burdon last time, years ago.
Well. Sat the city was packed with bikes. My husband took the bus to the market and had to walk home about 25 mins carrying a heavy backpack due to them stopping bus serivce so the bkers cold have their little parade.
I had to close my windows because traffice was so backed up on our st. Bikes roaring their bikes and car at a complete stop for over 30 mins.
Made me think of my younger brother who is a biker. He would of loved this.
Most of the bikers seemed to be male but a few women were handeling their own blikes as well.
My SIL just bought herself a 3 wheeled motorbike.
My brother rides a Harley like his father used to do.
What I found funny is looking at some of the ,"Old Ladies" riding on the back of the bikes. Some really were old ladies.
Made me wonder if they owned the bikes and hired the guys to ride them around?
I know my SIL is several years my bro's senior and she bought him his Harley for a wedding present.
Lots of dispoable money spent over the weekend.
-@Marilyn Tassy

I used to be a biker myself. Nothing quite like a nice ride on a summer afternoon in some winding hills or some trail riding. I stopped because I overestimated my skills (I was 19) and crashed on a corner due to a slippery surface. Then my GF of the time wasn't up for riding in all weathers. I did a couple of winters though and it was truly horrendous. You die of cold even with many layers on. I had all the gear, leather jacket, denim jacket with the sleeves cut off, dirty jeans, chains and boots. 

Nowadays I don't like noisy things. Screaming bikes are terrible. I like the throb and thumb of a big bore bike engine at idle though. Like the gurgle of a V8 engine. Not likely to hear that in the future - everything will be silent and electric!

Memories...

Many young people like to ride.

I had a co-worker/friend who rode her motorbike into Westwood from Encino to the salon.

A cute red headed Molly Wringwold/Marilyn Monroe looking 18 year old.

I used to ride as a child on back until my parents were hit on their Harley and my step-father was hurt pretty badly. The sold off their 3 bikes after that.

My brother was given a brand new 750 engine Japanese bike by my mother when he got out of the miitary .In 1980 it cost her $10,000.

He crashed into the back of a school bus on his way to buy the insurnace on the bike.

$10,000 down the drain!! The bike was too big for his skills.

Yes, I was about to lose my cool on Sat. until the bikers shut their engines off and waited for traffice to clear out.

I wish we still had my husbands 1971 Dodge Challenger. It was a Special Edition model too. Purple with a white top. He bought it 2 years old for around $1,800. in Great shape. I see they can now be worth up to $90,000!!!!

I don't think I've ever been without some kind of motorcycle since I got my first 50cc bike in 1976. I didn't get a car licence until 1982 so there were years of commuting in all weathers on 2 wheels. I still own a 1948 BSA A7 500cc twin but it has been off the road since I took it to Hungary in 2011. I used to ride it on my own land but I had already decided it is not the best for someone like me who has a bad back. Like many bikes of that era it has no rear suspension, just a sprung saddle. The engine is in bits at the moment for a major service. It has a centrifugal "sludge trap" inside the crankshaft and that needs cleaning every few years. I've had the bike since 1995 and never done the job, so decided it was overdue! I took the engine apart a couple of years ago but should really have done it before Brexit. When I was in UK I did buy some piston rings but they were out of stock of the gasket set, which I also need.

I live in Croatia now but was in Hungary on Friday. I am still without my UK debit card so I went to CIB Bank in Nagykanizsa to get some cash from my Hungarian account. That account contains what is left of the money from selling my house in Hungary. At the time I moved the Forint was weak, so I left the account there. I do live near the border so I do sometimes go to Hungary for shopping trips. I buy things like lecso and vajkrem which are not available in Croatia. For once they were quite helpful in the bank. The let me take out some cash using my passport as ID and they ordered the replacement debit card. They even agreed to email me when it is ready to collect. They are not allowed to post the card to an address outside Hungary, so I will have to return to collect it.

Croatia, interesting.

How is it there?

Good thing the HU bank was helpful. We like to keep cash on hand but sometimes wait until rates are better before using the ATM.

I don't really like lecso in a jar-premade stuff.

We maker our own but the last few times it didn't go down very well for me.

My husband tends to overdo the meat and or oil.

That's one dish he is in charge of making.

A classic 1948 bike, cool.

My step-father bought his Harely slightly used in the mid 1960's. It had been a police bike and had the windscreen and saddle bags etc. included.

After his big crash , his cousin bought the bike and made it into a chopper. Then he crashed... The bike was then just good for parts.

Sad, it was nice.

My eldest sister still has her motorbike. I don't think she has ridden it in a couple of years though. She is 75 and broke her ankle riding it a few years back.

Personally now riding on a bike scares me to death.

In the mid 90's my husband bought a Yahmaha on a whim.

It was nothing fancy, he thought he'd ride it to work on the back roads in New Mexico. Save gas and have some fun too.

He talked me into riding over to my aunts home, about 5 miles away.

I was so afraid that I asked my uncle to drive me home.

My husband also didn't find it as fun as he used to and sold it within a couple of months.

Not sure what happened to me. I used to ride all over on the back of my step-fathers Harley up and down winding canyon roads without a care in the world. We used to fight as to who could ride that day with him.We all loved riding,

A classic 1948 bike, cool.
My step-father bought his Harely slightly used in the mid 1960's. It had been a police bike and had the windscreen and saddle bags etc. included.
After his big crash , his cousin bought the bike and made it into a chopper. Then he crashed... The bike was then just good for parts.
Sad, it was nice.
My eldest sister still has her motorbike. I don't think she has ridden it in a couple of years though. She is 75 and broke her ankle riding it a few years back.
Personally now riding on a bike scares me to death.
In the mid 90's my husband bought a Yahmaha on a whim.
It was nothing fancy, he thought he'd ride it to work on the back roads in New Mexico. Save gas and have some fun too.
He talked me into riding over to my aunts home, about 5 miles away.
I was so afraid that I asked my uncle to drive me home.
My husband also didn't find it as fun as he used to and sold it within a couple of months.
Not sure what happened to me. I used to ride all over on the back of my step-fathers Harley up and down winding canyon roads without a care in the world. We used to fight as to who could ride that day with him.We all loved riding,
-@Marilyn Tassy

Yes indeed, bikes are more dangerous.  No metal around you to absorb the impact.   I used to do trail riding when I was about 16 and good clothing is essential.  Mainly leather as it's very resistant to scrapes.  Those were the days of no training. You could get on the bike and just ride it.  I doubt I would do it now.

A 1948 bike has to be a good renovation project.  My Dad used to have a square four engined bike (I think Rudge but maybe Ariel).  Unusual design he said. 

He also said he had a Harley which he liberated from the Germany Army in WW2 and got it working (he was a mechanic in the Army so easy for him).   Unbelievable the Nazis had Harleys - my understanding this is not entirely true.  They actually had BMWs but Harley copied them but my Dad may not have known those details.  As Germans used to put sand in the engines if they abandoned them so he had to clean it all out and get it working.   He said it was confiscated from him by the military police in somewhere like Berlin.  He was very annoyed about it!

I'll see him Thursday so I'll ask him about it if he can remember.  He's losing his memory somewhat.

That's a shame that it was confiscated and your father couldn't bring it back with him.

My father brought back some pearl handled sword from WW11.

He took it to a VA thing because he was asked to put it on display along with some other "trophies" soldiers brought back from overseas.

It was stolen out of the case.

All good, I always felt terrible knowing my father took a sword off a dead man.

The poor guy wore it in pride I'm sure, probably was in his family for ages.

I don't know the details of course but I'm sure something that nice was not giving up freely.

A gov. issued bike is different then a family heirloom.

These days the thought of hitting anything let alone the ground at high speed is terrifying.

I remember trying to not look at the gravel while we flew down the st. on that Harley.

My mom freaked out on my step-father once because he had my then 8 year old brother on the back and my brother was sleeping!! He had my bro tuck his hands inside my step-father's pockets or waist belt to stay on!

Not sure how amny people can fall asleep oon the back of a bike.

Can someone explain this......

EUR 160 fee for passing a Hungarian-Austrian border crossing point

A demonstration has been organised at the Austrian border because from July, a EUR 160 fee will be charged for those wishing to enter Austria at the Schattendorf-Ágfalva border crossing.

Can someone explain this......
EUR 160 fee for passing a Hungarian-Austrian border crossing point

A demonstration has been organised at the Austrian border because from July, a EUR 160 fee will be charged for those wishing to enter Austria at the Schattendorf-Ágfalva border crossing.
-@SimCityAT

That's one of those borders that separates two villages which are more or less next to each other. It's never going to happen. This is like the Austrians trying to enforce the cigarette border restrictions post-EU accession. Lasted about a month before they were forced to stop doing it.

They must be dumb because people will just go to the other border crossings. You can see those villages from the other border post. The motorway is almost complete so no-one in transit will use it.

In any case, the Austrian federal government is responsible for their mickey mouse foreign affairs and border controls not the local government. 

I think it's probably about traffic controls and roads as the HU mayor said. Be the attention seeking AT mayor's agenda.

A nice TV channel I have come across that does not Need a VPN is this.

CHARGE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge!_(TV_network)

A nice TV channel I have come across that does not Need a VPN is this.
CHARGE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge!_(TV_network)
-@SimCityAT

Good tip!

I  see it's owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group and they have 4 channels.

I suppose if they added another, it'd be another Sinclair C5.

A nice TV channel I have come across that does not Need a VPN is this.
CHARGE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge!_(TV_network)
-@SimCityAT

Good tip!

I see it's owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group and they have 4 channels.

I suppose if they added another, it'd be another Sinclair C5.
-@fluffy2560

Haha

They show CHiPs which brings back memories from my childhood. I have the channel on my IPTV package, since I have this I am thinking of getting rid of SKY, well, have the basic package with them at least. I don't watch the movies on there anyway.

Only reason we have SKY was to get TV as there is no analogue through the arieaI here.

A nice TV channel I have come across that does not Need a VPN is this.
CHARGE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge!_(TV_network)
-@SimCityAT

Good tip!

I see it's owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group and they have 4 channels.

I suppose if they added another, it'd be another Sinclair C5.
-@fluffy2560

Haha

They show CHiPs which brings back memories from my childhood. I have the channel on my IPTV package, since I have this I am thinking of getting rid of SKY, well, have the basic package with them at least. I don't watch the movies on there anyway.

Only reason we have SKY was to get TV as there is no analogue through the arieaI here.
-@SimCityAT

I remember CHIPs. I think the actors had a variable life after that show, especially Erik Estrada. He didn't want to be typecast. He's had difficulty working with Larry Wilcox (the other guy). Larry seems to have done quite well and is still milking CHIPS.

I used to have UK Sky via the satellite but they changed the footprint. It meant increasingly large dishes. In Budapest, I had a very heavy 1.2m dish for years but with the change in the footprint, I might have been able to get it with a larger dish. I actually bought a 2.4m dish but it's in storage. I never actually used it. In the end, we moved and I never got around to even assembling it. I put all the dishes in storage and they've been there for years.  Hardly worth using the dishes as everything is online and I hardly watch broadcast TV now. If I do watch, it's either online selections or downloads. I keep imaging all that Sky satellite junk orbiting the planet and crashing back.

A nice TV channel I have come across that does not Need a VPN is this.
CHARGE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge!_(TV_network)
-@SimCityAT

Thanks for the tip.

My sister had to cut me loose from her Netflix account in the US.

I was getting a bit bored with Netflix but as life goes, you always miss something when it's gone.

We could get Netflix here but for some reason we just haven't gotten around to it.

My husband also dislikes how every co. wants so much personal info before you can do business with them.

He seems to act like they are spying on him( maybe right?)

I see The Crown is starting season 6 on Netflix soon, will miss that.

I've been watching more historical classic films lately.

Sometimes I catch those reaction vidoes on U-tube.

Some young heavy metal fans or rappers listen to Led Zeppelin or Joe Cocker etc. for the first time. It's sometimes funny to see their eyes light up and for them to be blown away.

I never watch U-tube or videos until it's towards the end of my evening and i just want to go brain dead( As if that isn't my normal condition!)

I usually fall asleep if the show isn't interesting enough.

We bought as nice new large tv but I never watch it, to tell the truth,I've never even tried to turn it on.

My husband usually watches football or some old Hungarian movies on it otherwise he doesn't use it either.

It's strange how many hours of life we have all wasted sitting in front of a mindless box.

A nice TV channel I have come across that does not Need a VPN is this.
CHARGE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge!_(TV_network)
-@SimCityAT
Thanks for the tip.
My sister had to cut me loose from her Netflix account in the US.
I was getting a bit bored with Netflix but as life goes, you always miss something when it's gone.
We could get Netflix here but for some reason we just haven't gotten around to it.
My husband also dislikes how every co. wants so much personal info before you can do business with them.
He seems to act like they are spying on him( maybe right?)
I see The Crown is starting season 6 on Netflix soon, will miss that.
I've been watching more historical classic films lately.
Sometimes I catch those reaction vidoes on U-tube.
Some young heavy metal fans or rappers listen to Led Zeppelin or Joe Cocker etc. for the first time. It's sometimes funny to see their eyes light up and for them to be blown away.
I never watch U-tube or videos until it's towards the end of my evening and i just want to go brain dead( As if that isn't my normal condition!)
I usually fall asleep if the show isn't interesting enough.
We bought as nice new large tv but I never watch it, to tell the truth,I've never even tried to turn it on.
My husband usually watches football or some old Hungarian movies on it otherwise he doesn't use it either.
It's strange how many hours of life we have all wasted sitting in front of a mindless box.
-@Marilyn Tassy

I will PM you

My sister had to cut me loose from her Netflix account in the US.
I was getting a bit bored with Netflix but as life goes, you always miss something when it's gone.
We could get Netflix here but for some reason we just haven't gotten around to it.
My husband also dislikes how every co. wants so much personal info before you can do business with them.
He seems to act like they are spying on him( maybe right?)
I see The Crown is starting season 6 on Netflix soon, will miss that.
I've been watching more historical classic films lately.
Sometimes I catch those reaction vidoes on U-tube.
Some young heavy metal fans or rappers listen to Led Zeppelin or Joe Cocker etc. for the first time. It's sometimes funny to see their eyes light up and for them to be blown away.
I never watch U-tube or videos until it's towards the end of my evening and i just want to go brain dead( As if that isn't my normal condition!)
I usually fall asleep if the show isn't interesting enough.
We bought as nice new large tv but I never watch it, to tell the truth,I've never even tried to turn it on.
My husband usually watches football or some old Hungarian movies on it otherwise he doesn't use it either.
It's strange how many hours of life we have all wasted sitting in front of a mindless box.
-@Marilyn Tassy

It might be Netflix  blocked you because you're accessing from Hungary.  I am still able to access Netflix  from Hungary to a UK account but we've seen some users on the same account denied access.  Apparently  there's something like Netflix mobile but not sure how that works. Our kids are using it. I'll have to ask about it as they are clearly the experts.

I've seen some of those reaction videos but I began to wonder why I cared about their opinion of whatever the show was about.  All that matters is if we hated or liked it.

I never saw The Crown. I actually avoided it.   UK royalty a bit too much in my face on a daily basis.

Despite being a royalist, it's since Liz popped off,  I'm beginning to think the whole monarchy thing needs to come to an end.  Maybe we should let William have a go but he should probably be the last one. It's such a nonsense to put all your eggs in some privileged family basket.   My only concern with winding them down is Queen Liz was such a stabilising figure and if we moved to have a President and be a republic, we could end up with a lunatic like Trump or De Santis embarrassing us all.  So many Presidents have skeletons in the cupboard - Austrian closet Nazis,  drug dealers in Panama, blah-blah. 

I kept on telling Fluffy that Netflix will and has done so cut subscription sharing.

I kept on telling Fluffy that Netflix will and has done so cut subscription sharing.
-@SimCityAT

I've known about it for some months. But it seems partial and inconsistent.   

Our shared account has 4 users.

One was kicked out.

One is the account holder in the UK. 

We (in Hungary) are still able to use it.

The other user (currently in Australia) is still using it.

We're not going to stop using it until they actually cut us off!

My sister didn't give me any details but said Netflix was ,"bugging" her.

I just removed it from our computer so as not to be tempted and upset her.

Not sure what they told her about sharing.

I know she shares with a friend of hers and her friend shares some other site with my sister.

Maybe 3 differnt address were to much?

I liked The Crown, the actors looked so much like their real life counterparts.

Like being a fly on the wall seeing their personal lives or what the writters thought was their personal lives.

I think my sister feels bad about cutting me off. She wants me to try her Amazon prime.

Maybe we'll look into it.

I kept on telling Fluffy that Netflix will and has done so cut subscription sharing.
-@SimCityAT

I've known about it for some months. But it seems partial and inconsistent. 

Our shared account has 4 users.

One was kicked out.

One is the account holder in the UK.

We (in Hungary) are still able to use it.

The other user (currently in Australia) is still using it.

We're not going to stop using it until they actually cut us off!
-@fluffy2560

Give it time. If you cant pay €8 a month well......

I kept on telling Fluffy that Netflix will and has done so cut subscription sharing.
-@SimCityAT

I've known about it for some months. But it seems partial and inconsistent.

Our shared account has 4 users.

One was kicked out.

One is the account holder in the UK.

We (in Hungary) are still able to use it.

The other user (currently in Australia) is still using it.

We're not going to stop using it until they actually cut us off!
-@fluffy2560

Give it time. If you cant pay €8 a month well......
-@SimCityAT

My view is I'm only willing to pay slightly above €0. Maybe? 

We pay something like £50 a year as our share for being as a shared user - we're in the system as a shared user. Perhaps it's the reason we're not cut off yet. I think that's quite expensive for what it is.

Maybe we can find something to see every 3 months - if that.  The kids use it more than I do.

It's like waiting for a random bus continuously in the hope it's going to a destination you want.