The totally off-topic thread

[serfty]

Australia was favoured to win the current Ashes series 5-0.

There is a reason 99.9% of gamblers lose in the long run.

And the Bookmakers are rubbing their hands over the 5-0 punters.

Hawks should not be favorites - they lost to Essendon, Greater Western Sydney, Sydney Swans & Adelaide. As a result they are unlikely to make the top two and aside from games at the MCG, home town advantage is huge, especially at finals level.

Having defeated Fremantle they still need to play the other three of the top five sides in the next few weeks, Eagles in Perth and Swans in Sydney looking large.

 

[RB]

As the refrain goes - 4:1 4:1, 4:1 4:1, 4:1 4:1, 4:1!

ps: bought QAN at 0.98 and sold at 3.35. Better than my super has done.

As with many investments it depends on what criteria you want to set. I guess the people who bought QAN in 2007 don't feel the same

ASX Charts

 

[whatmeworry]

Australia was favoured to win the current Ashes series 5-0.

There is a reason 99.9% of gamblers lose in the long run.

Couple weeks ago Freo Fans thought they were 99.99% certainties to play in the AFL grand final.

 

[JohnK]

Couple weeks ago Freo Fans thought they were 99.99% certainties to play in the AFL grand final.

Tell 'em they're dreamin'....

 

[RooFlyer]

Anyone have a sure fire 'recipe' for making newly picked black olives, edible? Saltiness of water, days in soaking, number of changes/day of water, to score or not to score the olives ....

When I was in Jordan, I asked a local. All I can remember is that the water should be salty enough to make an egg buoyant.

 

[JohnK]

Anyone have a sure fire 'recipe' for making newly picked black olives, edible? Saltiness of water, days in soaking, number of changes/day of water, to score or not to score the olives ....

My parents have a recipe but they are in Sydney and I am in Brisbane. I will try to remember to ask mum in the morning if I have time.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I keep dreaming, thanks, they will be there and Hawthorn look to be the opponents.

 

[JohnK]

Anyone have a sure fire 'recipe' for making newly picked black olives, edible? Saltiness of water, days in soaking, number of changes/day of water, to score or not to score the olives ....

When I was in Jordan, I asked a local. All I can remember is that the water should be salty enough to make an egg buoyant.

Asked mum this morning.

Put the olives in water for 2-3 weeks. Change the water daily or every other day. Ensure olives are submerged by placing something heavy on the olives to keep them down. After about 2 weeks taste the olives to check the bitterness has gone at which point you are ready for next step.

Boil some water and add enough salt to keep egg buoyant as you describe above. You can score the olives if you like and then put the olives in the salty water for as long as is necessary.

My parents had 2 olive trees in the 90's. One grew wild and had to be grafted to produce olives. Parents sold the olives to local fruit market and kept enough for us at home. We had olives for a few years but then dad took them out. Olive trees are messy but I don't quite understand his decision. But in saying that he is a brilliant man. Shame the brilliance didn't rub off on me.

 

[PLANT]

Thanks mum

 

[whatmeworry]

You could dry salt them.
Curing Olives: Basic Brine + Salt Methods - Milkwood

 

[PLANT]

So... Am I entitled to compensation and what would you ask for in the following:
I called my packaging company on the 1/7/15 to have them transfer $20k in to my supper account.
Fine done.
I then go to my Super account today to see that on 30\6\15 $20k in?????
This would put me over threshold for last financial year.
I are then told I need to call packaging coming and have them call Super company to confirm my information.
Packaging company calls and had to send email to confirm that I called 1\7\15.
So how this could happen and no contract from Super to say hey your over limit....
Super tribunal no help as have to submit compliant.
What compensation for this stuff up from Super company is worth seeking?

 

[vetrade]

So... Am I entitled to compensation and what would you ask for in the following:
I called my packaging company on the 1/7/15 to have them transfer $20k in to my supper account.
Fine done.
I then go to my Super account today to see that on 30\6\15 $20k in?????
This would put me over threshold for last financial year.
I are then told I need to call packaging coming and have them call Super company to confirm my information.
Packaging company calls and had to send email to confirm that I called 1\7\15.
So how this could happen and no contract from Super to say hey your over limit....
Super tribunal no help as have to submit compliant.
What compensation for this stuff up from Super company is worth seeking?

If the error has been fixed and you have not sustained any loss there's nothing to be compensated for (unless you want to put a price on your inconvenience - a value no-one else is likely to share, I might add). My guess is that when you rang them on 1/7/15 someone thought you wanted to backdate a payment for FY15, in which case they probably thought they were doing you a favour. I think it's unrealistic to expect them to ring you to say you're over the limit - pretty sure that's your responsibility, not theirs.

Sounds like an honest mistake or mis-communication so I wouldn't take it any further.

 

[RAM]

Gotta love Canadian winter temperatures where Fahrenheit and Celsius scales cross.

View attachment 52056

Finally managed to to upload image showing Brisbane's horrifyingly winter conditions.

Quick, where do we send the relief parcels?

 

[PLANT]

I rang the package company and was very clear new financial year.
How the super company got the money before it was delivered to them ie. Day before?
Remember I pay this Super company to look after my money/Super account!
This could affect my ATO refund and how will it be rectified without any more fees.... Not to mention my time and I am the one to feed them the fix....
Really no compensation???

 

[RAM]

Big occasion! For the first time ever, all the amaroos can sit in an exit row 2/4 BA flights (LIN-xLHR-BGO ... OSL-xLHR-ORY) booked last night offered exit row seating - youngest child is 12. Not sure why the other two flights weren't offered as they appeared to be open .. all flights are A319.

The two other amazing things; the four flights only cost €1,111 for the four of us, and I'll earn a massive 555 QFFP and 35 SC as WP Lucky I don't need SC this membership year lol

Have you signed everyone up for the BA Avios points/executive club?

As long as you do it now you'll get some great value.

Before some more experienced souls reply "You can't sign up if you live in Australia" - there's some good news.

Tried last year and was advised to put country as Austria if online would not accept Australia and then call up the call centre (very knowledgeable lady I got last year) and they can change it.

So, did that for the 5 of us successfully.

When booking this year's exodus I thought I'd see what I could get from just my Avios points. I was appalled, some very %%$%* thoughts went through my mind. How could BA offer such discounts on Avios point redemptions AND not have huge fees thrown in on top - it is just so unQool!!!

For the points from one Y rtn SYDLHR I booked 5 adults MUCLHR in Y one way with points left over!

Trying the normal online 'contenders' to get the same flights was going to cost over AUD740 at best (somewhat shady looking site, next best was AUD 90 more), worked out at about 7.38 cents value per point. <These fares included check-in bags>

What I had forgot to do last year was to set up the family pooling though. Needs to be done a day (they say but lady suggested 3 to 5 days) after account opened.

I found it interesting that every flight out of Munich on that day in late Jan 2016 was available for 5 seat point redemption at this 'discounted' rate. The flight we wanted is the businessman's special back to London and fitted in neatly with our plans.

So, open those accounts!

BTW: As a rule flight bookings (long haul especially) done as soon as seats released & price looks low on normal pricing cycle.

 

[RAM]

Zodiac promotes new economy seat design

I hope this was late for 1.4.15 emails!

I do not like the look of this:




"Zodiac said that the concept could be extended to medium-haul flying if the seats were made more comfortable.

The hexagon idea follows Airbus’s recent patent for a design that uses fold-up seats that resemble lines of bar stools or tractor-driver seats. The stools on poles, which have been described as being worthy of battery hens, were presented by Airbus as the best way of “reducing the distance needed to accommodate the legs of passengers between two rows of seating devices”.
Airlines have considered even more radical ways of cramming in the “self-loading freight”, as aircrew used to call their customers. A few years ago Ryanair caused uproar by suggesting standing-only sections on flights, although that was later dismissed a joke."

This must be 'dismissed as a joke' surely? I know these are only prototypes but given the number of people who visit the toilets on a SYDMEL this would be painful.

 

[serfty]

Would the recent "Enhancements" to the BAEC affect the outcome much?

 

[anat0l]

Would the recent "Enhancements" to the BAEC affect the outcome much?

BAEC is great for shorthaul redemptions. Especially in Europe where Reward Flight Saver kicks in, essentially killing off most of the YQ plus a bit of the APD to boot (if ex-LON flying).

For longhaul - especially premium class - redemptions, BAEC is pretty expensive (i.e. up there with most of the rest).

Unlike Hand Baggage Only fares, Reward Euro Traveller gives one piece of hand baggage plus seat selection (to those so entitled normally).

 

[RooFlyer]

Asked mum this morning.

<snip>.

My thanks to Mum (and your good self). Sounds good - had already scored them, in their salty bath now.

When I found out I had olives in the place I bought a few years ago, I thought great! Fresh olives! But what a PITA for the privilege. The crop this year was so good I couldn't ignore them - just messy if they drop.

I shall report on the outcome - but all faults down to me!

 

[drron]

The Tasmanians getting all excited again by the events at Hobart International-
Fuel leak forces emergency landing for QantasLink plane at Hobart International Airport | The Mercury