Hello there, fine visitors of the Bar Italia forum.

I don't get much chance to read or post here these days, so I'm grateful to the mods for keeping such a good eye on things, and for all the posters who fill the board with such good stuff to find every time I do get a chance to pop my head round the door.  I still love Pulp (I'm even starting to like Further Complications, I don't know what's going on);  this place has been up and running for over ten years now (which is scary in a good way) and if it may be quieter than it was in 2001, it remains awesome.  Keep it up.

HOWEVER!

PROBLEM!

About a million years ago, I subscribed to the ad-free, premium version of this board hosting doodad, on the basis that it was only a few quid a month and it was worth it to have no banner ads etc.

Around a year and a half ago - possibly a bit longer than that, actually - I changed my bank account (and associated credit card) details, but totally forgot to change the payment for the board over with it.  Now, every other online doodad I forgot to notify (for there were several.  I know, it's hard to believe, what with me being so organised and all) sent me a stroppy e-mail along the lines of "You oafish clod, your details appear to have stopped working, and you have not paid us this month.  Please do so, or we will stop your use of this particular online doodad.  Yours faithfully, The Boys. (PS: We break thumbs)".

But not Activeboard.

So, there's me not really noticing that they haven't been taking my seven or eight dollars a month (well, actually, it's a nominal fee of $4 a month, with extra charged on top when there are more than 10,000 page views, but let's not complicate things) for at least 18 months, and there's them apparently not doing anything about it, just building up a bigger and bigger outstanding balance which I'm completely oblivious to.

Anyway, today I received an ominous letter in a weird envelope, printed in BIG LETTERS on bright yellow paper, sent from somewhere in Canada and finding its way to my home address, demanding payment for about £80.  "What the fuck?", quoth I.  But no, looking at the board, they have indeed just allowed the account to get hugely in arrears.

Now.  This is ENTIRELY MY FAULT for being such a tool (don't all jump at once to correct me there), but I'm quite, quite skint and don't really have a spare eighty quid to throw at this just now.  So, er, here's the thing (and I'm looking at the floor here)... does anyone who, like, really enjoys using this forum want to chip in a couple of pounds via the Community Tip Jar thing before I pay the rest off?

Embarrassingly, your name shows up automatically if you make a donation and choose to provide it, although the sinister faceless software does at least say "thanks", which is something, I guess.

Anyway, I won't think any less of anyone here if nobody wants to contribute (this is a mess of my own making, after all) but any donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated.

Right, begging over, I've got to get back to work.

Steve
-x-