The even randomer thread

[Eleven]

If I hear "now, more than ever" one more time, I might have to break someone.

[Eleven]

So I've often considered the front-page banner ad to be a complete wonderment.  It isn't based upon browsing history, as far as I can tell.  It's completely random.  Some of my favorites of the past year, compiled and curated, are listed below; what are yours?

--Axles for '70-'74 Mopar A-body vehicles

--Donald Trump

--Swimwear for busty women

--Gun storage disguised as a shelf

--Philadelphia Flyers gear

--Ammunition and knives (the tactical kind, not the cooking or camping kinds)

--Some sort of golf swing trainer

Now, the only one of those that is even remotely interesting to me is busty women, and even then, I'm not sure I'd be shopping for swimwear. I don't even shop for swimwear for myself! I'm not into cars, guns, the Flyers, golf, knives, or Trump, and I can't think that my browser history would indicate an interest in any of those things.

Anyway. Just something to post on a lazy autumn Saturday morning.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

So I've often considered the front-page banner ad to be a complete wonderment.  It isn't based upon browsing history, as far as I can tell.  It's completely random.  Some of my favorites of the past year, compiled and curated, are listed below; what are yours?

--Axles for '70-'74 Mopar A-body vehicles

--Donald Trump

--Swimwear for busty women

--Gun storage disguised as a shelf

--Philadelphia Flyers gear

--Ammunition and knives (the tactical kind, not the cooking or camping kinds)

--Some sort of golf swing trainer

Now, the only one of those that is even remotely interesting to me is busty women, and even then, I'm not sure I'd be shopping for swimwear. I don't even shop for swimwear for myself! I'm not into cars, guns, the Flyers, golf, knives, or Trump, and I can't think that my browser history would indicate an interest in any of those things.

Anyway. Just something to post on a lazy autumn Saturday morning.

*It's time to rediscover Nova Scotia* ... I believe they are targeted, so you have some 'splaining to do here.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

*It's time to rediscover Nova Scotia* ... I believe they are targeted, so you have some 'splaining to do here.

I get the Nova Scotia ad once in a while, too.  But there's enough Trailer Park Boys in my browser history to explain that one.

I should also note that my experience is between two computers, one of which is three months old and the other of which is thirteen months old.  On both computers, the same assortment of stuff appeared right out of the box.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

6 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I get the Nova Scotia ad once in a while, too.  But there's enough Trailer Park Boys in my browser history to explain that one.

I should also note that my experience is between two computers, one of which is three months old and the other of which is thirteen months old.  On both computers, the same assortment of stuff appeared right out of the box.

LOL!!  Not much of an explanation for the other junk.

[LTS]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

I get the Nova Scotia ad once in a while, too.  But there's enough Trailer Park Boys in my browser history to explain that one.

I should also note that my experience is between two computers, one of which is three months old and the other of which is thirteen months old.  On both computers, the same assortment of stuff appeared right out of the box.

The computers don't matter.  It's the cookies that are likely stored and shared in your browser sessions and shared between the browser settings between computers that would drive that.

As for why you see the ads.  Well, there are no shortage of possible reasons, many of which could be pretty obscure.  I don't even look at ads so I don't even know what pops up.  If an ad is obnoxious enough to make itself obvious to me I am usually off the site immediately.  The two times I logged into SabreSpace today I couldn't begin to tell you what was at the top of the screen.  (Sorry SDS).  My brain has been wired to ignore ads.

[Eleven]

23 minutes ago, LTS said:

The computers don't matter.  It's the cookies that are likely stored and shared in your browser sessions and shared between the browser settings between computers that would drive that.

As for why you see the ads.  Well, there are no shortage of possible reasons, many of which could be pretty obscure.  I don't even look at ads so I don't even know what pops up.  If an ad is obnoxious enough to make itself obvious to me I am usually off the site immediately.  The two times I logged into SabreSpace today I couldn't begin to tell you what was at the top of the screen.  (Sorry SDS).  My brain has been wired to ignore ads.

These two computers don't "talk" to one another too often.  SabreSpace is about the only thing they share, and, again, they both had the same activity right out of the box.  They don't even run the same OS or browser.

I only started noticing the big banner ad about a year and a half ago myself, and the only reason I look now is because it's so fun to see what pops up!

[LTS]

19 hours ago, Eleven said:

These two computers don't "talk" to one another too often.  SabreSpace is about the only thing they share, and, again, they both had the same activity right out of the box.  They don't even run the same OS or browser.

I only started noticing the big banner ad about a year and a half ago myself, and the only reason I look now is because it's so fun to see what pops up!

Fair.... you can also be linked in the advertiser's database.  If you are browsing from the same IP, etc.  The data mining isn't just at the browser level. Your ISP is tracking you, personal network equipment manufacturers track you, your ISPs core networking equipment manufacturer's track you and if you choose a VPN route, I guarantee they are tracking you as well. I'm just waiting for the news that some of the major VPN operators are backed by data mining companies.

Woot.

[Eleven]

10 minutes ago, LTS said:

Fair.... you can also be linked in the advertiser's database.  If you are browsing from the same IP, etc.  The data mining isn't just at the browser level. Your ISP is tracking you, personal network equipment manufacturers track you, your ISPs core networking equipment manufacturer's track you and if you choose a VPN route, I guarantee they are tracking you as well. I'm just waiting for the news that some of the major VPN operators are backed by data mining companies.

Woot.

Bellroy wallets this morning.  I haven't shopped for a wallet in a very long time, but I will say that their style appeals to me.

[MattPie]

On 10/3/2020 at 11:43 AM, Eleven said:

I get the Nova Scotia ad once in a while, too.  But there's enough Trailer Park Boys in my browser history to explain that one.

I should also note that my experience is between two computers, one of which is three months old and the other of which is thirteen months old.  On both computers, the same assortment of stuff appeared right out of the box.

Maybe Lawyer -> Law Enforcement -> Military Dress Up -> Trump

                       \-> Golf -> White people -> Trump

I bought some paracord for shoelaces a few years ago and unwittingly stumbled into a whole culture of "survial self-defense". I got Military Dress Up and gun stuff for months. Same with looking for a waterproof backpack for my laptop, apparently that translates to needing bug-out bags so I can run off into the woods for months during the apocalypse.

Edited October 5, 2020 by MattPie

[WildCard]

No @TrueBlueGED, @Randall Flagg, @Hoss, or @darksabre, that blows

[SwampD]

The HDMI connector is the biggest piece of ***** connector in the history of piece of ***** connectors. It will take a lot of convincing that there has been a worse connector. 

...maybe, like, the individual leads for an EEG,… maybe.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

The HDMI connector is the biggest piece of ***** connector in the history of piece of ***** connectors. It will take a lot of convincing that there has been a worse connector. 

...maybe, like, the individual leads for an EEG,… maybe.

Nope.  The S-Video connector was worse.  Pain in the rear to figure out if it was aligned properly and if not that little plastic tab would break with ~0.5psi of pressure applied to it.

[SwampD]

13 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Nope.  The S-Video connector was worse.  Pain in the rear to figure out if it was aligned properly and if not that little plastic tab would break with ~0.5psi of pressure applied to it.

Interesting.

I have to admit that I didn't have a TV during the S-Video era, so I will take your word for it. Either way, it would seem that mass produced, commercial video connections are cheap pieces of *****, made to break so you have to buy a new one.

[drnkirishone]

will confirm the s-video was a pos. plus during that time the market had like 300 different audio/video options so the back of a tv was a nightmare of options

[Stoner]

I give you the ABC.

[Stoner]

I like that pinned threads are gone. Let the threads move up organically. Now if we could get a standard capitalization scheme for subject lines, we would, like the Sabres, maybe have something here.

[LTS]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

I like that pinned threads are gone. Let the threads move up organically. Now if we could get a standard capitalization scheme for subject lines, we would, like the Sabres, maybe have something here.

Perhaps its because it's 3:46PM on a Friday... but your post amused me in the following way:

In a thread about random stuff:

• You advocate for randomness in the removal of pinned threads thus insuring the post at the top of the page is no longer a fixed item and thus "random".
• You then advocate for a standardized capitalization scheme which would reduce the "random" nature of the board.

Are you pro-random or anti-random. I cannot tell.  🙂

[drnkirishone]

6 hours ago, LTS said:

Perhaps its because it's 3:46PM on a Friday... but your post amused me in the following way:

In a thread about random stuff:

• You advocate for randomness in the removal of pinned threads thus insuring the post at the top of the page is no longer a fixed item and thus "random".
• You then advocate for a standardized capitalization scheme which would reduce the "random" nature of the board.

Are you pro-random or anti-random. I cannot tell.  🙂

i think he rolls a d12 to determine his pro/anti-random stance on a topic

[Stoner]

17 hours ago, LTS said:

Perhaps its because it's 3:46PM on a Friday... but your post amused me in the following way:

In a thread about random stuff:

• You advocate for randomness in the removal of pinned threads thus insuring the post at the top of the page is no longer a fixed item and thus "random".
• You then advocate for a standardized capitalization scheme which would reduce the "random" nature of the board.

Are you pro-random or anti-random. I cannot tell.  🙂

The thread at the top is not random. It's the most recently posted-in thread. (If that's how you have your list of topics set up.) One could argue there's more randomness in having pinned threads at the top, which are subject to the whims and biases of the moderators.

I am firmly anti-random, except in this thread.

Edited October 17, 2020 by PASabreFan

[Sabres Fan in NS]

I'll put this here, since this is the thread that is at the top of the list of threads with recent activity ...

October 5th was my 56th birthday.   Also, marked 2 years since I quit smoking.  I didn't even take notice of either of these events ... hence the randomness.

[Stoner]

52 minutes ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I'll put this here, since this is the thread that is at the top of the list of threads with recent activity ...

October 5th was my 56th birthday.   Also, marked 2 years since I quit smoking.  I didn't even take notice of either of these events ... hence the randomness.

But I heard you're still smoking... hot.

 

[Taro T]

2 hours ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

I'll put this here, since this is the thread that is at the top of the list of threads with recent activity ...

October 5th was my 56th birthday.   Also, marked 2 years since I quit smoking.  I didn't even take notice of either of these events ... hence the randomness.

Happy belated B-Day, NS.

Congrats on 700+ days cig free.  Not too long before you'll be over 1,000.

[I-90 W]

Nintendo Switch needs a NHL game in the worst way. Just saying.

[steveoath]

There's a graveyard at the end of my street.  Having a wander through some of the more secluded bits with the dog and found a rope swing over a couple of graves. Weird.

Edited October 18, 2020 by steveoath