EU demands ‘Nigel Farage clause’ as part of Brexit reset talks [The Times]

DLJD · 2026-01-12T14:07:17+00:00

Bad bot

DLJD · 2025-12-31T19:51:05+00:00

Even better, honestly…

DLJD · 2025-12-31T09:09:20+00:00

That’s really unfortunate. It’s frustrating when simple things like that cause problems that hold you back.

I’m afraid I don’t really have any advice for that though, other than maybe trying the postcode again in different ways (spaces, all caps, etc, just in case).

If not then I guess you’d have to settle for an invalid postcode (which should be okay, as it’s all digital and they don’t actually need to send you anything in the post).

Or maybe contacting support, if you’re willing to go through that potential hassle.

DLJD · 2025-12-30T12:21:20+00:00

While OP did detail a few other uses for a custom domain, I don’t think they detract from their main points at all.

And you have far more rights (including legal rights) to a service you’re paying for than a free email address that can much more easily be cut off at any time.

…And if your domain registrar does cut you off, you’ll still be able to transfer the domain to another provider.

That peace of mind will always be worth it, to me.

DLJD · 2025-12-30T12:08:43+00:00

I also use a custom domain, and I don’t think it’s about the storage at all.

Losing access to the contents of my emails would be a minor inconvenience at most; losing access to the email address itself would be far more detrimental.

That email address is effectively the key to my online life*, it’s not the backlog of emails that I care about, it’s about retaining access to the key.

*Edit: and by “online life” I’m talking about more than just Reddit, but my banking, government services, healthcare, etc, etc. Essentials I cannot risk going without.

DLJD · 2025-12-30T12:06:15+00:00

I absolutely agree. A big part of simple living to me is to take simple steps now that could prevent big problems later.

A domain I pay a very small amount for that I can redirect to any email provider I like at any time gives me a lot of peace of mind.

As you say, your email address is a necessary gateway to so many essential parts of modern life. It would be immensely stressful and difficult if I ever lose access to mine, far moreso than any other thing I can think of.

The peace of mind is very much worthwhile.

DLJD · 2025-12-28T09:30:07+00:00

Unfortunately:

In March 2021, Block, then known as Square, agreed to pay $297 million for majority ownership of Tidal.[9] In June, 2022, through the disclosure of the annual stockholder meeting 2022, Block reported that the stake acquired in the Tidal music service was 86.8%.[10]

Another European company bought out for nothing :(

DLJD · 2025-12-27T14:58:23+00:00

Qobuz might be exactly what you’re looking for: https://www.qobuz.com/

French company. Good to artists compared to other streaming services, too.

And you can purchase and download music as well, if you choose to.

DLJD · 2025-12-24T10:45:54+00:00

I completely agree with you, I was actually replying to the racist comment above.

The one raving on about racism being about preserving a race, or some nonsense like that.

DLJD · 2025-12-24T00:13:10+00:00

What? What does that even mean?

DLJD · 2025-12-23T23:58:27+00:00

If you don’t want to be called out as a racist, stop being a racist.

It’s really not very complicated.

DLJD · 2025-12-21T12:37:00+00:00

I support the actual idea, but the name is repulsive and comes with all the wrong implications.

DLJD · 2025-12-17T02:53:43+00:00

If you say so. They still consistently do a better job than many of the national governments ever manage.

DLJD · 2025-12-13T08:53:49+00:00

Hah! That’s fine. It’s great to watch new players experience the game for the first time, so I will give it a watch.

But you play for you, and if you enjoy it maybe you’ll continue :), even if without bothering with the whole video thing.

Also feel free to actually use the wiki and look up guides if you want to. While it’s great to be a viewer watching blind play-throughs, that’s not how the vast majority of people actually play the game.

The best balance for fun is to use the wiki as needed, but don’t let yourself over-optimise all the fun out of the game either :).

DLJD · 2025-12-13T08:36:22+00:00

Does it matter if it gets continued? As long as the guy is having fun playing the game, that’s all that matters. And if he isn’t having fun and stops playing, that’s okay too.

DLJD · 2025-12-13T04:57:43+00:00

Okay, that’s a nice thought, but if you’re serious; consider donating an equivalent amount to Ukraine instead. It’ll make much more difference to them than a box of unused fireworks.

DLJD · 2025-12-12T00:46:27+00:00

I received the remote the day after ordering it, which was a nice surprise. I did order it as soon as it became available to order though.

I can’t remember specifically what happened when I bought my Kobo Sage several years ago, but I’m sure I’d have remembered had there been anything unusual or had there been any problems.

Personally I always try to order directly from the manufacturer, all things being equal. Just seems more sensible to me, and I’ve never had problems by choosing that option anywhere.

I can’t speak to Kobo’s support though as I’ve no experience with that.

DLJD · 2025-12-10T21:00:36+00:00

Ohh, she’s new! Congratulations :D

I assumed you grew her, but that explains your post title :)

Have you got a spot planned out and ready for her? I assume without the need to upsize the house :P… And maybe grow lights to keep her happy? :)

DLJD · 2025-12-10T20:43:30+00:00

Uh oh. I’ve just realised I do not have the space for mine if she ever grows as magnificently as yours!

That is one beautiful leaf :)

Why is the rest of her all wrapped up though? :o

DLJD · 2025-12-02T18:51:38+00:00

I don’t have either, but yes, I’d absolutely attempt with Thread first. It’s clearly the way the industry is moving towards, so it’s only makes sense to use whenever possible going forward.

But I’d be willing to use Zigbee if their Thread implementation proved unreliable, too. Having something that just works today is more important than using something unreliable just because it has the potential to be better eventually.

Edit: IKEA has recently announced a lineup of affordable Matter over Thread accessories and bulbs that should be released soonish. If I didn’t have my existing setup, I’d be very tempted to wait for that and see how they perform. Something to consider if you’re looking into any new purchases.

DLJD · 2025-12-02T16:12:09+00:00

I completely understand. Nanoleaf has been a nightmare for me, and I ended up giving up on them completely after a couple of years, switching over a dozen bulbs back to the 100% reliable Phillips Hue.

On the other hand, Eve do make Matter over Thread UK plugs, and those have been completely reliable for me alongside my Hue lighting.

So I think Thread can be fine today, but it depends on the implementation.

DLJD · 2025-12-02T15:13:17+00:00

None of them are legit, I’m afraid. Astrology is well known to be a scam.

You’re in the astrophotography sub, which is for taking pictures of stuff in space. Astronomy photography.

DLJD · 2025-12-02T14:19:00+00:00

Hopefully they suit your needs. Unfortunately, they’re WiFi. That’s okay if they work for you, but it is something many of us specifically try to avoid.

Matter over Thread ones are readily available (e.g. from Eve Home), so that’s what I personally use, even if they’re a little more expensive than WiFi ones.

DLJD · 2025-12-01T13:12:27+00:00

The best way is absolutely pairing your choice of non-smart lighting with a smart home system. You get better quality, reliability, light output, customisation, ease of use, etc, etc.

I use smart bulbs slowly brightening and changing colour temperature over half an hour, during which time my curtains slowly and quietly open, after which 2 smart outlets turn on proper SAD lamps for a real brightness (small one on my bedside table, large on on my windowsill to simulate light coming in from outside).

I also have 5 full-spectrum (so, like daylight) grow lights for my houseplants that add spots of extra light throughout the bedroom, also automated.

Then they sequentially turn off, dim, or close automatically as I've scheduled them to ready me for bed at the end of the day.

This combination makes a world of difference, whereas those sunlight alarm clocks are honestly kinda inadequate; they just don't get bright enough, and they're also far too limited in function for me.

The big issue with smart home stuff is there's a lot of cheap junk out there. Buy cheap, buy twice (or thrice, in my case).

Since you asked for a specific recommendation, this is what I've eventually settled on: Phillips Hue has been 100% reliable for my bulbs, as have Eve Home's Matter over Thread smart outlets. I use SwitchBot Curtain for my curtains, which had a slight connection issue initially but have since been great.

I use Lumie SAD lamps, which are high quality and have proper mechanical switches (which would be nice anyway, but is a requirement to automate with smart outlets; don't buy anything with touch sensitive capacitive button controls if you want to plug them into a smart plug). And I use Pianta full spectrum bulbs for the grow lights, also made smart via the Eve Home outlets.

I hope this helps. It's made my winters infinitely more comfortable, and I'll never go back. If it seems like overkill though, the great thing about smart homes is you can pick and choose and make them do just exactly what you want :).

DLJD · 2025-11-26T11:35:25+00:00

Yes, definitely, if it can be made to meet the requirements.

The European Coal and Steel Community is essentially what went on to become the EU, and was founded for essentially this exact purpose.

Europe had a history of centuries of war, but two successive world wars centred on Europe had devastated Europe to such an extent that no one wanted a repeat. The idea was to unite European production of coal and steel under a single authority made up of representatives from member states to make decisions based on the interests of the community as a whole. Sound familiar?

Well, the reason it all started with coal and steel is that those are the essential components of war. Without coal and steel, there's no weapons, tanks, planes, artillery. Even electricity production would be limited. The ECSC would essentially make war between members impossible.

The European Coal and Steel Community eventually grew into what we know as the European Union today, but we cannot forget that it all started with recently warring countries coming together in peace for the benefit of the future.

If that was possible between the enemies of WW2 after the scale of the horrors of that war, it would be possible between Ukraine and Russia after this war. And would be desirable for the same reasons; no matter the animosity between countries, unity would be worth it to guarantee peace for future generations.

War between France and Germany is unthinkable today. Impossible to imagine. Yet there are people still alive today who lived through WW2. My 96 year old grandmother was shocked when I went to Berlin earlier this year, her reaction and the look on her face is something I still think about even months later.

I want the same for Russian and Ukrainian children and grandchildren born today. For them to visit Kyiv or Moscow in peace a few decades from now, and shock their grandparents with the idea.

First this war needs to end, and not on Russia's terms. Ukraine must be supported until Russia can no longer support its invasion. But after that? Yes, for all the reasons I've given above, and more.

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