The totally off-topic thread

[anat0l]

Great news on the shorter completion time anat0l:!:

To be completely fair, it's more the converse, i.e. had I not been able to do this case study, it would have meant up to another 6 months down the sinkhole to try and secure another case study, or to try and bolster my PhD theory with some other form of substantiative proof.

 

[Alanslegal]

After a hectic SYD-SIN-KUL-BKK all in economy, here I am at the Le Meridien Bangkok and I must say I am very very very impressed Will do a review in a week or so but this hotel is serious hotness! Stay here if you are in BKK, it sure does deserve its #1 ranking on TripAdvisor.

 

[Mal]

To be completely fair, it's more the converse, i.e. had I not been able to do this case study, it would have meant up to another 6 months down the sinkhole to try and secure another case study, or to try and bolster my PhD theory with some other form of substantiative proof.

Yeouch.

That's the main reason I never went for a PHD or similar - too much mucking around. As well, I couldn't work out where it would help me in my career or life (and, I'd be hiding it on my CV right now I think in my job hunting. As is, my CV is way too "top heavy" with good things and as a result employers think I won't do lesser roles, or pick out an obscure thing I said and comment about how they need someone to fix that!)

Anyways, congrats on scoring the opportunity. Have fun in SA! (and no, not South Australia!)

 

[Bundy Bear]

Just got an email from mine site - looks like I've been given the green light to go to South Africa. There's a whole pile of caveats attached, but we can work through those.

Luckily there are still reasonably priced Red e-Deals to JNB available.

I know I can just sleep better tonight knowing that I can plan for my case study with more confidence. Plus I've shaved off up to 6 months from the completion time for my PhD.....

Congrats on that; South Africa should be interesting.

 

[Flashback]

Yeouch.

That's the main reason I never went for a PHD or similar - too much mucking around. As well, I couldn't work out where it would help me in my career or life (and, I'd be hiding it on my CV right now I think in my job hunting. As is, my CV is way too "top heavy" with good things and as a result employers think I won't do lesser roles, or pick out an obscure thing I said and comment about how they need someone to fix that!)

Anyways, congrats on scoring the opportunity. Have fun in SA! (and no, not South Australia!)

Agree there, I don't see a huge advantage of having a PHD when you are in the IT field, bar a few small certain areas.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Ah; why does each credit card company now want you to have both a visa and an American Express, I was happy with 2 cards; a credit card from bank you are with and then a spare for those times when your bank for some reason goes offline or one credit card is maxed out.

My wallet doesn't have space for 4 credit cards; plus all the other cards that I am not taking out.

 

[NM]

Ah; why does each credit card company now want you to have both a visa and an American Express, ...

because THEY then can charge the merchant higher fees when YOU use the Amex card with their logo on it.

 

[anat0l]

Best 744 seat in Y

The thing about my travel to South Africa on QF is that even though it's merely two weeks out from the date of travel, there are still reasonable Red e-Deals left (i.e. not cheapest bucket, but they are there cf. all gone by now). There are even some Sale fares left, but the buckets left are more expensive than Red e-Deals

I'm looking at flying on Sun 4/10 BNE-SYD-JNB then back on Wed 21/10 JNB-SYD-BNE (arriving back on Thu). And before you mention it, travel policy is BFOD so no premium class here. Even if I were to pony up the difference between BFOD and Y+, that's too rich for my blood (and budget). And no I am not going via PER - at least give me F Lounge before I have to go and transfer terminals in PER? Forget it.

In saying all that, that is probably hinting that we won't hit full on the aircraft, so no chances of op-ups or half-op-ups (i.e. the thing that has been going around on these forums of people, say, paying a Y fare, getting to sit in Y+ but getting Y service, or similar). Routes are only selling J, Y+ and Y (no F), though.

Ultimately, with the chances of being a full aircraft being low, I'm more than 90% sure I'll be sitting in Y cabin.

The last time I sat in 744 Y was when QF were still running QF175 SYD-BNE-LAX - yes, this was the infamous FT AGM 2008 and F Lounge sortie - but this was a 2-class J/Y aircraft. I got 35K prealloc'ed there - from the seat maps it is behind a crew rest so not quite "bulkhead" but it has a curtain in front rather than a hard wall. But that info could well all be moot because the way things are going here, the JNB flight looks like it will be operated with 4-class F/J/Y+/Y equipment.

So finally the question - where are the better seats in a 4-class 744 in Y? Exit rows are an obvious answer (for a price, of course). Any where else? Preference is for a window seat.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Re: Best 744 seat in Y

So finally the question - where are the better seats in a 4-class 744 in Y? Exit rows are an obvious answer (for a price, of course). Any where else? Preference is for a window seat.

Ask Serfty; he can tell you and has usually flown on a 744, my only suggestion is check Airline Seating Charts - Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru or request an exit row on the port side of the aircraft away from the sun.

 

[Flashback]

Re: Best 744 seat in Y

Ask Serfty; he can tell you and has usually flown on a 744, my only suggestion is check Airline Seating Charts - Best Airplane Seats - SeatGuru or request an exit row on the port side of the aircraft away from the sun.

Keeping in mind an exit row can only be requested 7 days out from the day of travel....

 

[serfty]

Keeping in mind an exit row can only be requested 7 days out from the day of travel....

To be accurate an exit row can be requested at any time; however they can only be purchased from 7 days beforehand.

 

[thegurio]

After a pretty easy run on the paddock the cats are in the grand final. The other piece of good news was seeing Eddie Maguire upset!

 

[Bundy Bear]

Brisbane pushed aside St George in the Rugby League game last night 24-10 to set up a game with the Melbourne Storm. Playing Melbourne in Melbourne is going to be tough. :-|

 

[Mal]

I thought this was posted here a while ago, but I couldn't find it during numerous searches over a couple of days.

YouTube - Virgin Atlantic: 25 years, Still Red Hot

It's Virgin Atlantic's tv ad to celebrate 25 years. Very Richard Bransonish... quite funny to be in a pub that is playing the football (soccer!), and have the ad screen - nearly every bloke in the pub gets neck strain suddenly moving from chatting to their mate or drinking their pints to watching the tv!

 

[anat0l]

I thought this was posted here a while ago, but I couldn't find it during numerous searches over a couple of days.

YouTube - Virgin Atlantic: 25 years, Still Red Hot

It's Virgin Atlantic's tv ad to celebrate 25 years. Very Richard Bransonish... quite funny to be in a pub that is playing the football (soccer!), and have the ad screen - nearly every bloke in the pub gets neck strain suddenly moving from chatting to their mate or drinking their pints to watching the tv!

I hope the Upper Class FAs are that hot when I fly VS to HKG in early Dec. :mrgreen:

Reports on FT coming through are that the food is rather less than average and the service can be icy at times.

I think it's funny that VS would also boldly stake they are "Britain's Flag Carrier". Not a completely wrong and/or false statement, just bold and comical.

 

[drron]

I hope the Upper Class FAs are that hot when I fly VS to HKG in early Dec. :mrgreen:

Reports on FT coming through are that the food is rather less than average and the service can be icy at times.

I think it's funny that VS would also boldly stake they are "Britain's Flag Carrier". Not a completely wrong and/or false statement, just bold and comical.

Well at least not boringly average

 

[samh004]

It's very Pam Ann. Wouldn't make my fly them though.

 

[drron]

I needed Shillard this morning on the way to work.
1-driver doing 50 in 80 zone.Comes to roundabout with 2 lanes pulls to left just enough so cant be passed either side.
2-bicycle riders 3 abreast on roadway when there is a perfect cycleway built with my rates running parallel to road.
3- drivers out in right lane on multi lane highway not overtaking.
4-drivers going at or above speed limit on multi lane highway the drop speed by 30ks when it becomes single lane.
Where are those missing army anti tank weapons when you need them.

 

[Keith009]

I don't miss CBR day trips - at all. Especially the early wake ups. But I've got to say it is soooo nice being able to fly again after being grounded since the end of July! Having a small brekky in the Blounge now, along with a strong soy latte (i think I'll need a "very strong" soy latte actually). Boarding in approx 10 mins.

 

[anat0l]

I don't miss CBR day trips - at all. Especially the early wake ups. But I've got to say it is soooo nice being able to fly again after being grounded since the end of July! Having a small brekky in the Blounge now, along with a strong soy latte (i think I'll need a "very strong" soy latte actually). Boarding in approx 10 mins.

I am travelling at the end of next week, however. This is to South Africa; more than likely BNE-SYD-JNB with first flight of the day from BNE. It'll be a little luxury and relief before a bit over two weeks of intense work in South Africa: work days on site can range easily from about 0530 - 1700 or thereabouts. I've also learnt that even though the mine site runs 24/7, hardly anyone will work on the weekends, so all the plans I had to work through weekends have been partially shot. On the up side, that means I have time to think and recharge, which my previous work schedule did not include.

It's ridiculous because after my mad May run I sort of tired from flying so much (I think you have to keep going when you're in it, but once you're "going home" or you stop, you start to feel the tiredness), but in the last week or so I almost felt like I was having withdrawals from flying.

Oh this so cannot be good....