The totally off-topic thread

[Cruiser Elite]

I currently have SQ R ZRH-SIN then F SIN-MEL booked for Jul 6 2015. But I have plenty QF pts so wanted to try EK 380 but it's like impossible from where I sit.

 

[amaroo]

I have been calling QFF every day for like 2 mths trying to get 2 x EK F on 380 ex any European port back to MEL July 5 or 6 or so 2015 and told every day nothing showing - have I been doing something wrong?

Welcome to QFF! I'd be heading back over to SQ for those dates.

Plat view for your timeframe.

 

[Pushka]

SQ have such disgusting connections from Europe to Australia - well Adelaide anyway. 16 hour stop over in Singapore. Groan.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Yes understand that but their connections to MEL perfect.

 

[Bindibuys]

So this is Bronze for same dates that Pushka & Amaroo took screen captures of.

I am also looking for J & F Classic return to Europe, but not until 2016 so booking in August 2015. Will be happy with return Syd/Dxb/Syd, and book my other flights individually.

This is why I was looking to compare what others see when you add status to the equation.
Thank you all.

 

[whatmeworry]

A list of occupations that can be brought in o a 457 visa.
Consolidated Sponsored Occupations List

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I just came home to watch the Swans V Freo game and surf AFF and the first thing I notice is Cruiserette has actioned what she has been threatening to do for months now.

Apparently she feels somewhat insecure with the amount of time I have been spending with Marilyn lately (iPad cover) so she thought she would decorate Marilyn's picture!

I am mortified!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Found out today I'd won first prize in a raffle
Went to pick up the prize and found out its a round of social golf :!:
An oxymoron I think

 

[TomVexille]

Found out today I'd won first prize in a raffle
Went to pick up the prize and found out its a round of social golf :!:
An oxymoron I think

All the golf I play is social... to the point of putting each other off their game

 

[RAM]

Thought about putting this in the humour thread, but to some people it isn't funny, it may even have been posted before, if so, sorry:

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghi t pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it!

A spell-checkers delight.

The recognition of how the brain works is behind speed reading. When you do some training you end up reading a complete line at a time - just by running your eyes down the page, not across word by word.

Once your confidence grows you can achieve amazing speeds with 100% comprehension doable. I found it interesting that the 'confidence' in your ability is the key to achieving the accuracy, as soon as you doubt then the comprehension level would fall 20-30%.

You can approximate the training techniques with a piece of cardboard blocking the page and you move it down slowly (to begin with) to reveal a line at a time.

Initially you try to read a line by looking at it in say 3 places per line (vs word by word). Then once your confidence grows you move to twice per line and then finally once per line.

None per line was beyond me!

 

[RAM]

I can read it. There is a grammatical error or missing word in that text. .

On a similar note but a little sadder, my mother had a right side stroke 5 weeks ago (left side brain issue) which those medicoes here will know effects her speech. Sometimes she talks just like this but I understand what she is saying. It's rather weird.

And on this note she is on warfarin. It's akin to rat poison. She's already had a major bleed with it as they'd also put her on warfarin. That seems to have stabilised now. But the coughtail of drugs she is now on is staggering. She'd had a heart attack just prior to the stroke (within the hour). She's 86 and I just wonder. I think she copes with it all better than me.

Sorry to hear the sad news.

Been through the same (87 yrs old mum - discharged as 'nothing wrong' and had a massive stroke within 20 minutes) with speech right side paralysis etc. Her speech was initially totally jumbled.

Depending on level of speech issues it is easy to make the mistake (that many at PoW Neurology did) that lack of clear speech = lack of understanding full stop.

If speech jumbled badly then it can become a hugely vicious circle as your mother begins to get frustrated and the pressure that puts on her brain with anxiety then establishes a negative feedback mechanism.

So it is incredibly important for you and any other friends/relatives to make sure you:

Talk about WHEN her speech improves not IF.
Do not talk about her with the Drs/Nurses as if she is not there. This is what I repeatedly pulled up the senior Drs especially on.
Do not assume that they know best - in our case there are enough proven errors for several court actions unfortunately.
Remember the game 20 questions where you can work out anything with Y/N questions. If your mother's speech is very poor then think about it.
Discomfort vs Pain vs doping them up so they don't make noise - ensure you check/ask to see each time you visit the meds charting.
Using Google etc to investigate drugs used is VITAL.

For example Respirdal - called 'happy pills' in most Aust Nursing Homes and by many GPs unfortunately. In US Johnson & Johnson have paid out over USD4bn in damages for getting Drs to use it on the elderly. Only approved for teenage schizophrenics but J7J saw opportunity to increase sales.
[h=3]Side Effects of Risperdal (Risperidone) Drug Center - RxList[/h]Common side effects of Risperdal include extrapyramidal effects (sudden, often jerky, involuntary motions of the head, neck, arms, body, or eyes), dizziness, tiredness, fatigue, fever, and nausea. Risperdal dose ranges from 0.5 mg to 8mg/day.

Called "Happy pills" - makes staff happy.

If you want more detailed approaches etc PM me.

 

[amaroo]

One for the kids. Good example of light travelling faster than sound....have the sound up!

[video=youtube;BUREX8aFbMs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUREX8aFbMs[/video]

 

[whatmeworry]

Just read a good article about a Lady whose husband had a stroke at the age of 46.
My partner had a stroke at 46: how my family's life changed one sunny day

 

[erkpod]

I haven't seen Erkpod in ages. Is he still here?

erkpod is indeed here. I got pinged about this message on Twitter today.


The FF in AFF in me hasn't been very frequent since flying back from my last OS trip at the end of June. Since then, I've done only 2 quick Melbourne weekends filled with ice hockey since then, the most notable being last weekend.

In fact just today, I cancelled my heavy metal cruise which was supposed to be in January next year. When I returned home from my last trip, my mum said that this 4 week trip seemed to be the longest trip I've ever done when it was the shortest. She is basically immobile except to use a walker now and is practically housebound except when I need to take her to the doctor. She's had some falls but today, thankfully, she got cleared of a knee fracture after her last fall. I've even come to the point where I am considering asking to drive a desk on secondment for 6-12 months for a bit of stability and peace of mind. I hate having to turn the phone off for 3-4 hours at a time while I drive a train as I'm required to do.

So there's a lot going on. I've got ice hockey mostly and partly work to thank for keeping me sane. I don't want to sookylala in here every 5 minutes and the amount of time I have to read/post in here has reduced.

Thanks for the post, Pushka!

 

[JessicaTam]

erkpod is indeed here. I got pinged about this message on Twitter today.


The FF in AFF in me hasn't been very frequent since flying back from my last OS trip at the end of June. Since then, I've done only 2 quick Melbourne weekends filled with ice hockey since then, the most notable being last weekend.

In fact just today, I cancelled my heavy metal cruise which was supposed to be in January next year. When I returned home from my last trip, my mum said that this 4 week trip seemed to be the longest trip I've ever done when it was the shortest. She is basically immobile except to use a walker now and is practically housebound except when I need to take her to the doctor. She's had some falls but today, thankfully, she got cleared of a knee fracture after her last fall. I've even come to the point where I am considering asking to drive a desk on secondment for 6-12 months for a bit of stability and peace of mind. I hate having to turn the phone off for 3-4 hours at a time while I drive a train as I'm required to do.

So there's a lot going on. I've got ice hockey mostly and partly work to thank for keeping me sane. I don't want to sookylala in here every 5 minutes and the amount of time I have to read/post in here has reduced.

Thanks for the post, Pushka!

I hope things work out so that work can fit in with being there for your mum. Sing out if you are in MEL again soon.

 

[medhead]

Armour and Artillery museum opened in Cairns today. After having checked out there videos I really want to visit. Just need a leave pass and to talk myself out of using Jetstar.....

 

[Buzzard]

Found out today I'd won first prize in a raffle
Went to pick up the prize and found out its a round of social golf :!:
An oxymoron I think

Can't you sell it JohnK ?

 

[Bundy Bear]

What an interesting afternoon of football, Sydney beat Fremantle, sad smiley, North Melbourne came from behind to beat Essendon, great match and in the west the wallabies beat the spring bok in the rugby.

Tomorrow I am getting up at 4:40am(2:40) in the west to go for a 10km run.

Tonight caught up with Falconea and Mr Falconea, at the Hilton in Brisbane tonight, they both make the name tags for FT ozfest.

 

[JessicaTam]

What an interesting afternoon of football, Sydney beat Fremantle, sad smiley, North Melbourne came from behind to beat Essendon, great match and in the west the wallabies beat the spring bok in the rugby.

Tomorrow I am getting up at 4:40am(2:40) in the west to go for a 10km run.

Tonight caught up with Falconea and Mr Falconea, at the Hilton in Brisbane tonight, they both make the name tags for FT ozfest.

Say 'Hi' from me.

 

[NFF]

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