The totally off-topic thread

[TomVexille]

Always experienced this at LAX. What's the reason for this practice?

I believe that certain gates are rather tight, or they don't have an automated guidance system so the procedure is to tow in.

Looks excellent, PF! Do they still do Dutch Houses full of Bols? We've got about a 70 or so.

I saw someone on FB was given one last week

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Two faced and underhanded behaviour by faceless beauro rats !

Public servants act at the instruction of ministers. If your gripe is against the minister, so be it (we the people elected them), but it's not fair to blame public servants.

 

[whatmeworry]

Stephen Colbert apologises to Australia.

[video=youtube_share;FeNeiWZNZwM]https://youtu.be/FeNeiWZNZwM?t=1m22s[/video]

 

[serfty]

I guess many don't really appreciate the structure of the RSL. As in there is "The RSL". It's a whole heap of sub branches that are separate legal entities, no doubt. It's not as if the membership base is expanding, either.

Not in Victoria ... in the 90's "Anzac House" bullied/cajoled/blackmailed most of the independent local branches into becoming part of the larger organism, fully subject to the whims of the overlords in tbe city.

One example was having two RSL's within 5 km if each other, one with nett worth of $4m+, another with net debt of $1.5m-.

The former was located in off street surburbia and had a garden aspect with turf putting green, two table billiard room,outdoor bar/bbq/dining area. The latter was located in a central shopping strip near a railway station and with misaligned/convoluted infrastructure (less than half the floor space of the former) including an annexe to what had been the local Town Hall.

Machinations/Decree came down for a merge between the two with the land of the former to be sold and the latter location continuing to operate.

Needless to say, few were surprised when within 18 months the combined paid membership dropped from around 5k to 3k with very few of the members from the former suburban location renewing.

 

[OATEK]

Good idea. I'm sure AFF should be able to get some manufactured in Asia and sell them for a nice profit!

Does AFF still have a shop - haven't seen anything of it recently.

 

[Foreigner]

I believe that certain gates are rather tight, or they don't have an automated guidance system so the procedure is to tow in.

Thanks. Yes, I believe for safety reasons. Recalling 2 Qantas airplanes colliding on the ground at LAX about 2 years back.

 

[cove]

Any suggestions on where I can buy Tumi carry on bag on wheels at a great price either here in Austrralia, UK or USA? I need it for a present in less than a month.

 

[get me outta here]

Oh cove, you shouldn't have. There are a couple,'on sale', here tumi.com

Any suggestions on where I can buy Tumi carry on bag on wheels at a great price either here in Austrralia, UK or USA? I need it for a present in less than a month.

 

[whatmeworry]

Just heard about this proposed merging of Kmart and Target. Don't think it's a good idea.

Target and Kmart merger will lose sales to Big W, Wesfarmers warned

 

[medhead]

Not in Victoria ... in the 90's "Anzac House" bullied/cajoled/blackmailed most of the independent local branches into becoming part of the larger organism, fully subject to the whims of the overlords in tbe city.

One example was having two RSL's within 5 km if each other, one with nett worth of $4m+, another with net debt of $1.5m-.

The former was located in off street surburbia and had a garden aspect with turf putting green, two table billiard room,outdoor bar/bbq/dining area. The latter was located in a central shopping strip near a railway station and with misaligned/convoluted infrastructure (less than half the floor space of the former) including an annexe to what had been the local Town Hall.

Machinations/Decree came down for a merge between the two with the land of the former to be sold and the latter location continuing to operate.

Needless to say, few were surprised when within 18 months the combined paid membership dropped from around 5k to 3k with very few of the members from the former suburban location renewing.

I guess the underlaying story is management who've forgotten that looking after their mates is the reason they exist. Many stories of veterans who just don't join the anzac day march but do attend the dawn service. I've always assumed their reasons are based on this sort of thing.

 

[Pushka]

Mmm, interesting. We have just received $97,000 into our Business Bank account. And have no idea why. I am outta here......

 

[JohnK]

Went to dentist to get teeth cleaned the other day and they also did 2 x-rays. Took ~30 minutes. The bill was ~$244 :shock: of which Medibank covered $204 so I was $40 out of pocket.

That bill is seriously high. Out of control?

 

[serfty]

I'm with HCF ... do the same every year ... no additional cost to us.

 

[anat0l]

My sister is a dentist. So I get it pretty much all for free, except operational procedures and the like, but I haven't needed one of those of recent.

She gets a lot of the "<expletive> rip off prices" complaints from her patients, too. As far as I can discern it from her point of view, it's a high turnover but also high expense business.

 

[whatmeworry]

Went to dentist to get teeth cleaned the other day and they also did 2 x-rays. Took ~30 minutes. The bill was ~$244 :shock: of which Medibank covered $204 so I was $40 out of pocket.

That bill is seriously high. Out of control?

My dentist has a deal with my provider, where 2 checkups/cleaning per year is covered fully. Last free checkup, I checked how much they charged MBP and it was something like $250.

 

[JohnK]

My dentist has a deal with my provider, where 2 checkups/cleaning per year is covered fully. Last free checkup, I checked how much they charged MBP and it was something like $250.

The checkup/cleaning is free. The 2 x-rays are not covered which is the $40 out of pocket. Still a lot of money considering most people earn that in 1 day.

 

[medhead]

$40 for 2 x-rays = cheap.
That lead gown they put over you can be upto about $600 each. Lead being a soft and malleable material means that they might have to replace them every few years. Assuming they do the testing, which is going to cost heaps anyway. I'm not sure about compliance checks for the machine, but probably not cheap. Then there is the x-ray machine itself, assuming they haven't got one of these handheld dental units from china (probably not because I think those are mostly not allowed due to being dodgy as - to use the technical term) Cost upto $10000 (choice says $6500).

But in researching this post I found Choice's take: https://www.choice.com.au/health-an...al-care/dental-treatment/articles/dental-fees

The average income a dentist brought into a practice was $347,000 in 2009/10, while the costs of running a dental practice take 57–72% of total income.

So income of $97000 to $149000.
And some people don't get out of bed for less than $10000 a day.

 

[love_the_life]

Mmm, interesting. We have just received $97,000 into our Business Bank account. And have no idea why. I am outta here......

Do ya want someone to carry your bags???? :mrgreen:

 

[Hvr]

<snip>

So income of $97000 to $149000.
And some people don't get out of bed for less than $10000 a day.

So with this income why do dentists still look down in the mouth?

 

[medhead]

So with this income why do dentists still look down in the mouth?

Perhaps it's in their nature to look a gift horse in the mouth.