The totally off-topic thread

[Cossie]

Meanwhile over in our ATO thread we just continue to pay without dodging or weaving.

Sorry, I'm just a simple pay as you go tax payer, can you elaborate on what you exactly mean, or does it involve secret handshakes and the like?

 

[Bundy Bear]

Does anyone ever wonder what strangers are thinking when they are looking at you?

Famous quote, from Eleanour Roosevelt.
"You wouldn't worry so much about what people really thought of you if you knew just how seldom they do."

Is it usually a peak travel season (or shoulder) in May? I would've thought not - after Easter is over, all the kids are back in their institutions and then there's the usual business rush to the end of FY.

Looking at flights throughout May, most of them are pretty high. Award availability from Australia seems to be quite thin.

I know there is a late Easter this year, but is there an event I'm not considering?

May is usually a quiet month for airline travel, but the way Qantas has cut its international service then you might find some difficultly in finding the flight you want.

For those of us who need to look at a Tube map, here's some wacky alternatives....

17 London Underground Maps You Never Knew You Needed

Some of them are good, I like the one that is accurate, drawn to scale, gives you true indication which way north is.

When I was younger dad worked shift work and I used to go shopping with mum on Thursday nights. I would push the trolley and she would hand me the items. I would keep a running total in my head and mum would know how much she was spending before we got to cash register. Very rare to see a mistake.

I miss those days. Something went wrong somewhere along the way.

In the 70s or earlier goods were cheaper and so it was easier to keep a running total in your head, but with more things to buy and more options and combinations with larger numbers to remember makes it more difficult to keep a running tally. When I get those Coles vouchers where it says spend over $70 then I usually get to about $50 and give up, and usually I know I have enough to crack the target I need.

I recall in 1973 , acquiring a hand calculator for around $40? to help in my high school mathematics. As a comparative.....I was a check out chick at Woolies Toowong, and earned $4.71 net for my Saturday morning shift. John.

Hi John, its been a long time since I heard from you. My modern day Iphone is probably just as good a calculator as one you would have brought 40 years ago.

Not sure if you have seen these photos of Sydney, from the paper last night, when I hear news stories of Sydney I wonder where in the world you are.

Last week I mentioned.

Current lifetime Status credits: 7,035

You have attained lifetime Silver recognition.
A total of 14,000 lifetime Status credits is required for lifetime Gold recognition.

Received the official letter today from Qantas confirming the silver lifetime status. I will have to stick it in the book I have with the rest of the boarding passes. I have about 300-400 boarding passes stuck in a Spirax booklet.

 

[serfty]

Sorry, I'm just a simple pay as you go tax payer, can you elaborate as to what you mean, or does it involve secret handshakes and the like?

see here: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ion/ato-tax-office-payments-credit-17109.html

Very useful to those who pay the ATO in big gobs.

 

[Pushka]

Sorry, I'm just a simple pay as you go tax payer, can you elaborate on what you exactly mean, or does it involve secret handshakes and the like?

You really need to check that thread out.

 

[Cossie]

see here: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ion/ato-tax-office-payments-credit-17109.html

Very useful to those who pay the ATO in big gobs.

Sorry, I wasn't aware of that thread, I'll check it out, although I don't think I'm in a situation to benefit(?) from it.

 

[Robbi]

When I was younger dad worked shift work and I used to go shopping with mum on Thursday nights. I would push the trolley and she would hand me the items. I would keep a running total in my head and mum would know how much she was spending before we got to cash register. Very rare to see a mistake.

I miss those days. Something went wrong somewhere along the way.

I did a similar thing in high school.

Even today I challenge myself when I have a few dollars in my pocket at the supermarket I'll try to spent to within 50 cents without the embarrassment of going over. I rely on knowing roughly what things cost rather than exact amounts, it adds to the fun.

 

[JohnK]

In the 70s or earlier goods were cheaper and so it was easier to keep a running total in your head, but with more things to buy and more options and combinations with larger numbers to remember makes it more difficult to keep a running tally. When I get those Coles vouchers where it says spend over $70 then I usually get to about $50 and give up, and usually I know I have enough to crack the target I need.

Adding numbers together is a cinch. I can easily multiply most 2 digit numbers together and even 3 digit numbers. Don't need a calculator. A previous CFO was amazed when I would give him the answer quicker than his calculator.

 

[amaroo]

Adding numbers together is a cinch. I can easily multiply most 2 digit numbers together and even 3 digit numbers. Don't need a calculator. A previous CFO was amazed when I would give him the answer quicker than his calculator.

I'm married to a CA that owns a successful medium sized accounting business - absolutely hopeless without a calculator.

 

[amaroo]

Sorry, I'm just a simple pay as you go tax payer, can you elaborate on what you exactly mean, or does it involve secret handshakes and the like?

If you have a need to pay the ATO - it's the best thread on AFF :mrgreen: The ATO is the one thing that could fly me to the moon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtFBRJFN3p8

 

[erkpod]

Watching a NASCAR race on delay from Phoenix. There was some rain on the night before the race but the day time was dry at the start of the race. But they are going to have a competition yellow at around lap 35 of 312 to see if their tyres are ok. Poor babies.

 

[JessicaTam]

My modern day Iphone is probably just as good a calculator as one you would have brought 40 years ago.

Your modern day iPhone would have more computing power than any computer you could have bought 40 years ago.

 

[JohnK]

Your modern day iPhone would have more computing power than any computer you could have bought 40 years ago.

Even a Cray-1? Although you could technically be saved by a couple of years.

 

[JessicaTam]

Even a Cray-1? Although you could technically be saved by a couple of years.

In 1973? 64Gb RAM, 1.4Ghz processor? Reckon I'm on solid ground, but don't know the specs of the first Cray.

 

[Buzzard]

Heard on the news this morning that 3 "Adult" TV stations in Canada risk being stripped of their licence because they don't show the minimum 35% local content.

Got me to thinking:

How many adult TV stations are there in Canada? :shock:
Business opportunity?

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Well my ego got a great boost this morning.A 90 year old told me that she thought I would make a good toy boy for her.

Ha Ha I am married to a toy boy !

 

[Pushka]

Ha Ha I am married to a toy boy !

Don't ever tell him that or he'll refer to you as a cougar.

 

[QF WP]

Don't ever tell him that or he'll refer to you as a cougar.

I thought mrs.dr.rons was funny, then I read yours. Looks like I need another new screen - and a good nose blow (damn I hate it when that happens). I really must stop reading AFF with a cuppa in hand

 

[docjames]

Folks folks!

I've arrived back in PER(thshire) and got my first ever invite to a Managers Drinks and Canapes at the Holiday Inn for tomorrow night.

Are they worth heading out to? I've got the time spare and I'm thinking about it. What should I expect?

Do it (if you have nothing else to do).

The one in Brisbane at the (no longer) Holiday Inn was quite good. Canapes and drinks. Random people standing around to talk to. Talk to the staff, tell then what you do and dont like about their hotel / hotels in general.

It's all good.

 

[QF WP]

Similar, when I went to the HI on Flinders ones...met a US guy who I converted to an AA Plat within 2 months

 

[Katie]

Saw this at Rally of Canberra, never understood why people put chev badges on a holden, must be a bogan thing......

View attachment 25833

"your"?

Not to mention the rather random apostrophe at the end of Chev. Wonder if they thought it ended in a silent, non-written S, and was also possessive??