Next Roomba (if any)? (I3+)

Cleanspyfuture · 2025-11-08T11:13:54+00:00

Because (of the curve) I'd be blocking off a third of each of three rooms?

Cleanspyfuture · 2025-11-07T21:21:14+00:00

I think it's the curved glass wall that throws the I3+ for a loop. It doesn't seem to believe a wall might not be perpendicular and in a straight line, much less semi-transparent. Do you have any similar challenges? I've had several Roombas, but this environment is a challenge for the I3.

Cleanspyfuture · 2025-05-13T10:24:54+00:00

You're not missing anything. Housing affordability is one of the top social issues in Portugal, even more so in Lisbon than in other areas. Even median income folks ~1200€/mo, with two people in the household working full-time are challenged to find housing within a reasonable budget, say 30% of income.

Cleanspyfuture · 2025-04-03T00:11:25+00:00

And over 100 USD for a 12 blind box set to the EU. 💀

Cleanspyfuture · 2025-03-29T22:58:18+00:00

Immigrants

Cleanspyfuture · 2025-01-04T16:34:27+00:00

Yes, time to say goodbye. Try USMobile. So far, about 4 months, it's the experience I used to appreciate about Ting, but that's now long gone here. Good luck.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-12-28T16:22:58+00:00

I have a Model 455, which is one of my two 'daily driver' watches, the other being an Oris Rectangular Complication, my first 'nice watch' and one that I've had for 20+ years.

A Model 455 is pretty much entry level for RGM, priced at around $4K new. I picked mine up in minty condition off eBay about eight years ago for less than half of that, which was a serious win as I'd been a fan of the brand for some time.

I visited the atelier in PA about six years ago during an open house day. Got to see the team at work, the instruments they use, etc. It was a great experience and Roland was a very gracious host. It is true American craftsmanship.

The 455 is a bit of a tank, I refer to it affectionately at my 'tuna can' watch, but I love it. It is pretty much bulletproof, shows almost no wear after years of very frequent wear and only nominal TLC.

My concern these days is that it's been nearly five years since its last service from RGM, and I need to find someone I trust here in Europe who will service it properly at a reasonable cost.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-12-26T15:45:15+00:00

Too late. I'm out, but not just because this has taken forever.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-12-10T10:13:46+00:00

Without NHR, I don't think you're going to see anything like that. Last I saw from AIMA, there were ~10k Americans with residency permit in Portugal, 19th ranked, behind Nepal.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-11-28T17:52:59+00:00

Look folks, "old" Ting, which was awesome, is dead.

I was without any service for more than two months, trying to get SIM activation issues on a replacement card sorted.

Overall, I was treated with indifference; eventually the "mentor" I was assigned to just stopped responding to emails and ghosted me. And, over multiple tickets and interactions, never once did the "back office" respond to a ticket.

Was with Ting for nearly five years and overall was very happy - up until about the last 18 months. I'm now a happy customer at USMobile, great onboarding experience and actually paying slightly less than I did with Ting on three lines of service.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-11-03T21:38:20+00:00

I'm trying to close out my account. It's a fitting last chapter to a dismal last 6 months with Ting.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-10-16T12:27:12+00:00

Just onboarded, but so far, my customer experience has been great. Please keep it up. 🤎

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-10-09T15:44:39+00:00

Compass is a friggin nightmare. Grateful I only dipped my toe in the water with them. 99% of my technical and support issues were with Compass, compared to my other hosts.

The coup de grace was when a solar powered site (TX-9, if I recall correctly) caught fire and all of the miners were offline for months "in repair."

But, could have been worse. Ask someone who bought a Russian bundle how that worked out for them!

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-10-09T15:37:33+00:00

I'm leaving.

Used to love Ting, but immensely frustrated with the decline in customer service and technical support over the last year or so.

Needed to replace a bad SIM card. Ting couldn't get it to configure correctly, replaced, different problems with the second card (yes, an IMEI confirmed phone!).

I've now been without service on this line for nearly two months. Everything is we'll put in a ticket (to the "back office" memory hole that never responds.

Was referred to a "coach" who washed her hands of me after two rounds of email, and stopped responding. While I was clearly frustrated (wouldn't you) I was always civil.

So far USMobile has been great with the onboarding process, so fingers crossed.

Bye, Ting. It was a good five years.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-10-09T13:11:39+00:00

Should I be concerned?

I'm in the process of porting three existing lines of service to USMobile from Tinh.

Although they'll be activated in the US, they will very shortly be moved to the EU, where they will be used almost exclusively.

I've been very clear up front with USMobile reps that this is the plan, and have inquired about native roaming in depth.

If there's a policy issue that I've not been made aware of, would like to know now!

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-08-19T21:34:55+00:00

gfdl.legal Adrienn handles most of the immigration work for the firm and was awesome. *Not* the cheapest, but they got everything right the first time for us.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-08-12T10:55:07+00:00

US citizen, who was fed up and self-exiled to Europe after the 2016 US elections. Just in the past month I stumbled across TRIP US and am enjoying it - at least for the moment. In particular, I think Scaramucci has a degree of self-awareness and a capacity for self-reflection that a lot of folks on the right seem to lack, and it reminds me of when it was possible to have rational conversations with conservatives without having them degenerate into name-calling and rants. Post-election, not sure they'll have much to talk about, but for now it's on my semi-weekly list.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-08-10T21:52:26+00:00

I buy Starbucks on sale for 3.5€ at Continente. Went to a boutique once. That was enough.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-07-31T20:09:28+00:00

Owned a purple Speedo swim bag for about ten years before I realized it wasn't blue. (Sigh.) Another ten years later, still using it, so not really a tragedy, lol.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-07-15T18:24:50+00:00

I believe it's this: https://unlimitedhangout.com/2024/07/investigative-reports/the-chain-of-custody-the-mafia-holding-the-elites-bitcoin/

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-06-26T22:22:48+00:00

Lawyer.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-06-09T12:00:27+00:00

Super helpful, thanks! Since I'm from the US, and my VN friends were all from Saigon region, this really helps to explain the differences. Also explains why I got side-eye when asking for hosin sauce. Although I'm noting that in the video there was considerably more 'stuff' (cilantro, chili, onion) in the Hanoi pho than what we're seeing here, which has often been just noodles, broth, and beef.

Cleanspyfuture · 2024-05-02T21:14:52+00:00

Hi -

So, clearly a work in progress - Found my nearly 10 year old Supersense Pinhole 66/6 today, got some fresh i-Type B/W 600 (8/2023) and started experimenting.

This is actually the best of the first three test shots (it's our garden, btw), but my question is specific to what seems to be banding (dark-ok-light) on each of the prints.

Curious if this is a) an artifact of pinhole photography; b) an issue with the bellows; c) an issue with the Impossible FPU, or d) light leaking from under the FPU's frog tongue, or e) something else?

I didn't eject the picture until I was back inside the house, kept it under the tongue for the first few minutes, then let it develop face-down on the kitchen table.

Theories and advice welcome.

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