The totally off-topic thread

[serfty]

... while the hawks are over in WA ....

 

[amaroo]

NYE sorted - Florence.

27 nights booked ... 3 to go.

 

[Limewood]

Is Greece crazy or not...

Unbelievable situation, and they still won't take their medicine!!

Just in case anyone's wondering why Greece is in the $hitter…
Experts mandated by the European Union to investigate the causes that led Greece to the current economic situation related the following facts:
Greece falsified its accounts to enter the euro zone and has distorted the facts until it finally exploded. There was massive retirements at the age of 50 years. At Evangelismos hospital there were 50 drivers for officials' cars, and on average there were 45 gardeners for a small lawn with 4 bushes.

Greece has the highest population in the world of people reporting an age of 110 years. The deaths are often not registered and pensions continue to be received. The European Union had found that there are families receiving 4-5 monthly pensions which they are not supposed to get. There were still pensions paid to persons who died in 1953, 60+ years ago. 40,000 girls received monthly life pension of 1,000 euros for the simple fact that they were unmarried daughters of deceased civil servants. This, at a cost to the state coffers of €550 million euros per year. Now they will receive pensions only up to the age of 18.

The pacemakers in Greek hospitals were acquired at a price 400 times higher than in British hospitals. In Greece, many workers have benefited from early retirement, set at 50 years for women and 55 for men who belong to one of the 600 job categories identified as particularly painful among which included;

- Hairdressers (because of dyes that may be considered harmful)
- The musicians of wind instruments (blowing into a flute is exhausting)
- TV presenters (the microphones are supposed to cause damage to health).
**** This law was adopted by the Socialist government of 1978.

There are thousands of ridiculous "tricks" departments and unnecessary institutions, which many Greeks live off. For example, The Institute for the Protection of Kopais Lake, a dry lake since 1930.

In the last decade, Greece has created over 300 new public companies. Tax evasion is massive, over 25% of Greeks do not pay a penny on personal income tax. In addition, the weight of the public sector in the economy is overwhelming. There are about one million officials to 4,000,000 active people.

Greek public railways: The average salary of employees exceeds €66.000.- per year. And this includes cleaners and other non-skilled workers. The (almost free) Athens Metro delivers about 90 million tickets a year, while the total cost of this public company exceeds the 500 million needed.

The French retirees receive, on average, 51% of the last salary, the Germans 40%, North Americans and Japanese 34%.
Meanwhile, Greek pensioners receive 96% of their salary ----- Earlier.!

Greece has four times more teachers than Finland, the best situated country in the last PISA report, while the student performance in Greece is the lowest among many European countries by comparison.

AS AN APPARENT SHOW OF GOODWILL TO THE EU, THE GREEK GOVERNMENT ELIMINATED 10, OOO POSTAL OFFICIAL POSITIONS, OF WHICH 8,200 WERE DUMMY IDENTITIES !!
​

 

[Flashback]

Over here there's a common 'understanding' that Greece fudged things (I won't go into detail of how/why) to get into the EU; would be surprised if that's now news to those outside of the EU!

 

[drron]

So today is National Crème Brulee day.One I am happy to celebrate-

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[OATEK]

So today is National Crème Brulee day.One I am happy to celebrate-

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No one told me! I am drooling...

 

[anat0l]

So today is National Crème Brulee day.One I am happy to celebrate-

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Love crème brulee.

Literally translated from the French as "burnt cream", it is wonderfully simple...except that I can't make it because I don't have a blowtorch. Yes, I know you could just stick them in the oven, but it's not the same.

The strong Englishmen may claim that the dish is actually an English dessert and not a French one originally, having had its roots in the kitchens of Cambridge, hence the alternative name, "Cambridge Burnt Cream".

 

[Pushka]

So today is National Crème Brulee day.One I am happy to celebrate-

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.

Oooh, I've seen wonderful ones here in Paris. Must have one tonight

 

[Pushka]

Not as pretty as yours drron but tres Paris
Ce soir

 

[docjames]

So I own DIRECTV shares.... DIRECTV were just acquired by AT&T..... The offer is $28.50US a share and 1.89 AT&T share..... Can someone work out if this is a good outcome for me?

I purchased DIRECTV at $40 a share 3-5 years ago!

It will largely depend on the share price prior to the offer, and what the value of an AT&T share is - what are they worth?

You also need to factor in AUD/USD values 3-5yr ago vs now.

 

[JohnK]

Hmm, one moved back, one has a contract extension issue and the third is also in contract extension hell.

Sorry to hear you are having issues.

Sometimes, the ones who stay end up better off

Not me. The office etiquette here is atrocious. If it wasn't for me using the quiet room I'd go nuts. Someone was in here when I came in today and sat at my desk for 5 minutes and there 17 conversations going on each one trying to outdo the other.

If I didn't need the money I'd have been out of here long time ago.

 

[moa999]

World's Busiest on one tonight at 8.30pm looking at HKIA.

 

[PLANT]

It will largely depend on the share price prior to the offer, and what the value of an AT&T share is - what are they worth?

You also need to factor in AUD/USD values 3-5yr ago vs now.

DIRECTV $94
At&T $34

When I got them was 1:1 dollar.

 

[JohnK]

You need to read my signature,

Sometimes it mean putting up with things if you have a long term plan, and the universe can work in strange ways.

Actually I think I have done quite well as per our conversation last week. I thought I wasn't going to last 6 months and I am still here after 7 years.

7 years went by quickly; in 3 years it will be 10 years then those that stayed are looking good for long service leave

And don't forget another of the regulars moved to Hong Kong.

And also forgot that another of the regulars is now in CNS or is that Japan?

 

[Major]

Could any of you good engineers out there check the math for me?



Below is a link to a short video of a Pakistani pile driving construction
technique. Notice that the pile driving becomes effective when the extra
man jumps on. Very finely tuned! The chant is also catchy.

Now, let's analyze the Engineering here: 6 men x 180 lbs. = 1080 lbs.
static force Jumping up and down will create a 3 times dynamic effect = 3240

lbs./jump = 1.6-ton thumps if the pile is tapered to 2 in. x 2 in., cross
section at the tip = 4 sq. in. So, dynamic pressure/thump at pile tip =
3240/4 = 800 psi.

"Add a man" feature will increase to 950 psi, so buy the option! Increase
the chant and dynamic force goes up to 5 times to bring maximum
pressure/thump to 1600 psi for a 7-man team. Quite good, and it will
penetrate hard clay and sandy soil but not hard rock! The foreman is the
guy on the tambourine.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/cFb0nLCKypg?rel=0

 

[JohnK]

Pessimism and reality. Is there a lot of difference?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Could any of you good engineers out there check the math for me?



Below is a link to a short video of a Pakistani pile driving construction
technique. Notice that the pile driving becomes effective when the extra
man jumps on. Very finely tuned! The chant is also catchy.

Now, let's analyze the Engineering here: 6 men x 180 lbs. = 1080 lbs.
static force Jumping up and down will create a 3 times dynamic effect = 3240

lbs./jump = 1.6-ton thumps if the pile is tapered to 2 in. x 2 in., cross
section at the tip = 4 sq. in. So, dynamic pressure/thump at pile tip =
3240/4 = 800 psi.

"Add a man" feature will increase to 950 psi, so buy the option! Increase
the chant and dynamic force goes up to 5 times to bring maximum
pressure/thump to 1600 psi for a 7-man team. Quite good, and it will
penetrate hard clay and sandy soil but not hard rock! The foreman is the
guy on the tambourine.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/cFb0nLCKypg?rel=0

Can't speak for the Engineering (I aren't that type of Engineer!) But that isn't Pakistani. Its in Thailand.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Pessimism and reality. Is there a lot of difference?

Depends on each persons viewpoint.

 

[wooley]

Could be interesting for anyone who hates carrying two phones or having an average dual sim phone..

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/35224746/piece-change-the-way-you-use-smart-phones

 

[Flashback]

Could be interesting for anyone who hates carrying two phones or having an average dual sim phone..

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/35224746/piece-change-the-way-you-use-smart-phones

Otherwise you could look at the OnePlus 2 which has just been announced OnePlus’ Follow-Up, OnePlus 2, Looks Like Another Promising Smartphone | TechCrunch