The totally off-topic thread

[Foreigner]

Sunday Blues and more:

https://youtu.be/v2Xrxqt3ovE


https://youtu.be/9FQT8zrsLzE


https://youtu.be/v5xXtDcckVE


https://youtu.be/WB5VD_Z5Zvg

 

[froggerADL]

Damn, credit card has been used fraudulently. Apparently it has been skimmed and used in Fiji, France and Brussels.

Still the bank caught it and sent me a text and after a couple of phone calls we're on our way to identifying the fraudulent transactions. Apparently it was skimmed somewhere and an actual Amex card was presented. It will be interesting to see where this originated.

Same here. I was in UK on 29 December 2015 and got a text message asking if I had made a transaction for $659 on my Westpac Black. I replied No! I have never used this card overseas.They rang me a few minutes later and it turns out it was one of 24 fraudulent transactions worth over $7100. All transactions done in New York that day, including one for US$4.20 at McDonalds, Times Square. They must have got hungry doing all that shopping.

All sorted and the transactions were reversed within 14 days.

I Googled and found out about Malware at hotel chains including Hilton, so my guess is that it happened when I checked out of an Australian Hilton in October.

I was very happy with the way Westpac resolved it. New cards were waiting for me when I got home.

 

[medhead]

Don't over think it. The kiwis always cheat at rugby. Nothing is done because they have to have something...

What do people think of the general procedure around violations of rules or clear mistakes leading to the "wrong" results and how they are handled? For example, in this case, where (allegedly) there was a violation of the rule, resulting in potentially a different result, however the ruling says that the result will stand in spite of other disciplinary action to be taken?

I remember when I was a debating adjudicator for high school debates, we had a rule book for conduct of short preparation debates (i.e. a debate where, instead of getting the topic more than a week in advance, they get it one hour before the debate and they are locked in a room to prepare for the debate there, with only a dictionary, thesaurus and book of quotes).

I remember there was a rule there that said if a team, during a short preparation debate, was found to be cheating (e.g. snuck in some outside help, used a computer, etc.), the debate was to continue as normal and the result to stand as is. There would be no difference in the result of the debate, though the disciplinary action resulting from an incident of the cheating wasn't made clear in the rules.

In other cases, e.g. the NRL, when one team fielded too many players for one game, all of the points which they won were cancelled, viz. the opposite of letting the result stand.

 

[medhead]

Can only add that Westpac were been excellent with handling fraudulent purchases on my account a few years ago, as well.

Same here. I was in UK on 29 December 2015 and got a text message asking if I had made a transaction for $659 on my Westpac Black. I replied No! I have never used this card overseas.They rang me a few minutes later and it turns out it was one of 24 fraudulent transactions worth over $7100. All transactions done in New York that day, including one for US$4.20 at McDonalds, Times Square. They must have got hungry doing all that shopping.

All sorted and the transactions were reversed within 14 days.

I Googled and found out about Malware at hotel chains including Hilton, so my guess is that it happened when I checked out of an Australian Hilton in October.

I was very happy with the way Westpac resolved it. New cards were waiting for me when I got home.

 

[RooFlyer]

What do people think of the general procedure around violations of rules or clear mistakes leading to the "wrong" results and how they are handled? For example, in this case, where (allegedly) there was a violation of the rule, resulting in potentially a different result, however the ruling says that the result will stand in spite of other disciplinary action to be taken?
<snip>.

I would look to whether the violation contributed materially to the result. If the 8th player was involved in the play that led to the winning try, then the result is voided (the 'losing' side awarded the match). But if, say it was 8 men on the field for only a minute and in the interchange area, away from play, then the result would stand.

If say in Aussie rules a player was somehow found to be 'illegal' (for instance, shouldn't have played due to suspension) and they scored more points than the winning margin, the result is voided. But no change if the illegal player scored maybe 14 points in a 36 point winning margin.

Yes, there will be all sorts of grey areas, but 'material effect on result' is how I would handle it. In grey areas I would be harsher towards the violating side as a contribution to deterrence.

BTW there was a form of the 'short preparation debate' you described that we used at Uni, called 'Impromptu speaking'. Turn up, given a topic and 5 minutes prep (no dictionary etc) , then speak on that topic for 3 minutes. Sometimes solo, sometimes as part of a team.

Edit: I still remember one topic I was given: "Ducks do."

 

[trixydoza]

If the 8th player was involved in the play that led to the winning try, then the result is voided

Every one of them was the 8th player.

 

[PLANT]

How long prior to passport expiry can you enter USA..... Travel overseas????

 

[blackcat20]

How long prior to passport expiry can you enter USA..... Travel overseas????

I dont think the US has the six month rule with passports.

 

[cove]

Have always used a passport with greater than 6 months. Am not sure if you tried entering with a month or two left.

 

[Mal]

How long prior to passport expiry can you enter USA..... Travel overseas????

Have a look at : http://www.australianfrequentflyer....d-customs/us-entry-6-months-aussie-73666.html

 

[JohnK]

Nope, now it is Saturday morning. John. (Smile thingy!)

Darn. And now it's Sunday evening.

A couple of things on my mind. The second one is how quick to Friday afternoon.

 

[JohnSydney2000]

Darn. And now it's Sunday evening.

A couple of things on my mind. The second one is how quick to Friday afternoon.

You might like this, John, from 50 years back (can you believe?). Have a good week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSowZcvoqr4

 

[JohnK]

Sunday I got Friday on my mind.

Work is totally overrated. More golf needed....

 

[anat0l]

We complain a lot about our home airlines' websites, and sometimes the websites of our national airports.

Then I go to other airlines' websites, or the websites of airports overseas (even in their native languages). Then, I reflect and think... are we lucky, or is this the one-eyed leading the blind...

 

[Bundy Bear]

Monday again how did that happen and now today we get to read about the Super Bowl, it wouldn't be so bad but being Monday its kind of annoying.

Yes I know others will be in different parts of the world. but for most Australians it's Monday.

 

[JohnK]

Some small things can be really big.

 

[Bindibuys]

Monday again how did that happen and now today we get to read about the Super Bowl, it wouldn't be so bad but being Monday its kind of annoying.

Yes I know others will be in different parts of the world. but for most Australians it's Monday.

Yes Bundy, and to think 5 years ago I was at the Super Bowl. (I have shares in the Green Bay Packers Team) At work, so will watch it tonight along with our hot dogs, apple pie & root beer.

 

[RooFlyer]

Monday again how did that happen and now today we get to read about the Super Bowl, it wouldn't be so bad but being Monday its kind of annoying.

Yes I know others will be in different parts of the world. but for most Australians it's Monday.

Monday Regatta Day holiday here in southern Tasmania

 

[Major]

Yes Bundy, and to think 5 years ago I was at the Super Bowl. (I have shares in the Green Bay Packers Team) At work, so will watch it tonight along with our hot dogs, apple pie & root beer.

Don't forget to post regular updates for serfty

 

[medhead]

This really isn't worth a new thread, just a random heads up for others. Did a Qantas booking last night. on the review flights and payment page there is a link towards the bottom of the page titled something like "see a break down of the fare". when clicked it expanded to show the base fare and all taxes, surcharges listed.

Also noticed that the payment page seems to be different (this was through business direct). While it lists the $7 credit card fee, the total price did not increase by $7 when I selected credit card as the payment payment method. Only after clicking the pay now button and the payment was processed was I told I'd been charges the Fare +$7.

It's not a big deal, but still I thought the full inclusion charge was supposed to be displayed before payment was made.

Anyway, just a heads up.