The totally off-topic thread

[whatmeworry]

He also cannot be a human being.

Back when he was 007 he was in Sydney and had a very long lunch at a restaurant down at Circular Quay. We also were having our work Xmas party - all 12 of us.

The exec assistant, at 8 months pregnant was a mad but sensible fan of PB. She spent 90 minutes holding it in before she finally turned to me and asked whether I thought it would be OK if she went over to his table (him & another guy) who were sitting there enjoying the view across CQ. They'd finished eating long ago and were alternating between coffee and red wine (but not massive amounts).

My response was, they'd finished eating, she had not been gazing at PB etc etc - so there should be no harm in quietly walking up to him (as his position/table nearly directly faced her path to them) and politely asking if he could sign her menu.

This lady was around late 20s, very softly spoken, and niceness personified. Did I mention seriously pregnant and racing Xmas to see which would arrive first?

She walked across and had barely begun to speak when I (and everyone else in the restaurant) heard him very angrily and excessively loudly start abusing her:

"Just what makes you think its acceptable to come and disturb me in a restaurant? Where do you get off? Can't you just sit down and behave yourself without going and annoying someone else in a restaurant?"

Plus a few other equally pointed barbs at her expense. She hurried back in tears.

So I got up and walked across to him, stopped a metre or so short and replied more or less:

"Sorry petal the world obviously does not know how precious you are. Obviously all the PR articles your agent puts out do a very good job of disguising what a low life you are. Don't worry the financial community around the world will soon receive an update on that. I hope you have a Merry Xmas Scrooge!"

Turned around and walked back.

Biggest smile on our exec Assistant's face ever.

Was I wrong?

Seems like he has form.

James then blurted out:
"Pierce Brosnan. I don't think he's a rude man, he just happened to be [to me]. I went to see U2 and I was there with my friend Louis and his wife, and my wife, and Pierce Brosnan was with some friends and they left halfway through the gig to go off, and we left the space [for them]. And then they had been gone quite a long and Bono was like right there on this sort of big runway in the middle of the show.
"So me and my wife moved into this area, and literally, I've never felt anything like it, this arm went on here and just pushed me out the way. And I looked at him, and he didn't even glance at me and he just moved back into his area. Maybe he's just a bit cough*ing rude."

[video=youtube_share;3NC5Yt3PBLk]https://youtu.be/3NC5Yt3PBLk?t=2m21s[/video]

 

[Pushka]

PB was in town for the JB opening the previous week.

Nothing wrong with courtesy, especially as a widely pushed film star (of sorts), to just politely say "Sorry, no. I'm having a quiet meal with a friend."

If only mobile phones had cameras in those days - I always did wonder who the other man was. Nobody in our group recognised him. Perhaps a little guilty was PB feeling (in best Yoda speech!).

And maybe he'd already said that multiple times that day and had enough. As for mobile phones - no wonder people feel like they have absolutely no privacy with everyone ready to take a photo and post it online.

 

[amaroo]

<snip>

2 in F or J is a good result, 4 in Y is calls for a lotto purchase (on QF1 for example).

Has anyone managed to get 3 in F or J?

Using QFF points we've been pretty successful with F / J on QF, BA, CX

4 x F SYD-LAX (A380 upgrade J>F)

5 x F BA SYD-BKK-SYD 3 or 4 times

5 X J CX on dozes flights / destinations

Coming up later this year we have..

2 x F and 2 x J SYD-DFW

4 x J JFK-LAX-BNE

 

[RAM]

Using QFF points we've been pretty successful with F / J on QF, BA, CX

4 x F SYD-LAX (A380 upgrade J>F)

5 x F BA SYD-BKK-SYD 3 or 4 times

5 X J CX on dozes flights / destinations

Coming up later this year we have..

2 x F and 2 x J SYD-DFW

4 x J JFK-LAX-BNE

Very impressive, your internet (and typing) must be much faster than mine!

Pretty good results on BA and CX but were the 4x upgrades on full fare J?

The one's coming up this year look well done though. Were they QFF redemptions or QFF upgrades?

 

[serfty]

... 4 in Y is calls for a lotto purchase (on QF1 for example).
...

To be fair, I regularly see X9 on QF1 (and many other flights)>

 

[RAM]

To be fair, I regularly see X9 on QF1 (and many other flights)>

How far in advance of date? 330+?
How much of a difference is WP vs PS for seeing award availability?

 

[amaroo]

Very impressive, your internet (and typing) must be much faster than mine!

Pretty good results on BA and CX but were the 4x upgrades on full fare J?

Redemptions... you can't use QFF points for upgrades on other OW airlines.

The one's coming up this year look well done though. Were they QFF redemptions or QFF upgrades?

Also redemptions. Although I did use the WP benefit of requesting one F seat to be released The daily release of seats on this sector is 1xF and 2xJ

I can't begin to tell you how bloody marvellous it is that our kids (17 and 15) are now old enough to fly alone in J whilst we fly in style up the front

 

[OZDUCK]

I think it would be a very brave (stupid) seller to let someone move in before settlement.

Or Ive been watching too many home shows.

We were asked that question earlier this week - on the advice of the settlement agent we said no. We will be overseas at settlement and the house is empty & was sold "as is" but it was very firmly suggested that we not agree.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We live on the 7th floor, the windows are double glazed and we have double blinds. Actually we hardly ever need the heater on as the apartment usually sits at about 22 - 23 C. This summer just gone was warmer than normal so we did use the air con a bit at night with a timer that turns off after an hour.
The other thing is that our bed has a pillow top which is very very warm (and was something that was noted in the reviews which of course I read after we bought the bed!)

we don't manage quite that well, although the house definitely doesn't go under 17. We also have masses of insulation, double glazed windows and insulated lining to the curtains. I am happy for 17 overnight, but do heat the place to more like 22 when awake. Never need aircon though, as all the heat goes up to the second storey and our bedroom stays really cool.

We are having a problem with doonas, as I bought new goose down ones - hadn't realised the old ones had slowly lost content over the years and was quite cold last winter. Mr FM and I have a queen sized one each - I refuse to share with him. I am finding it about right, but he is complaining he is too hot, so I might have to fish out the cotton one for him, until winter really starts to bite.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We were asked that question earlier this week - on the advice of the settlement agent we said no. We will be overseas at settlement and the house is empty & was sold "as is" but it was very firmly suggested that we not agree.

we have done it the other way round, where we settled and then rented for a month from the new owners until our new house was ready. The arrangement suited them as well.

 

[cove]

Even Paul Keating thought Bill Shorten's budget reply speech was ordinary. It really is time for him to get rolled by Tania Plibersek.

 

[Pushka]

Even Paul Keating thought Bill Shorten's budget reply speech was ordinary. It really is time for him to get rolled by Tania Plibersek.

Albanese worth a call.

 

[GarrettM]

Even Paul Keating thought Bill Shorten's budget reply speech was ordinary. It really is time for him to get rolled by Tania Plibersek.

Shorten is a victory of hollowness over both substance and style. Never going to lead Labor to any sort of government.

 

[whatmeworry]

Even Paul Keating thought Bill Shorten's budget reply speech was ordinary. It really is time for him to get rolled by Tania Plibersek.

Ah geez just you dream Cove. Next Federal Government will be Labor. Despite what you think about Melbourne roads and your shares in Transurban, we rejected that horrible wet dream of a road (East-West Link) and embraced public transport. How many billions will WA get for PT while Victoria continually funds the rest of the country while MrHarbourside Mansion occasionally rides a tram down St Kilda road?

 

[Milboo]

we don't manage quite that well, although the house definitely doesn't go under 17. We also have masses of insulation, double glazed windows and insulated lining to the curtains. I am happy for 17 overnight, but do heat the place to more like 22 when awake. Never need aircon though, as all the heat goes up to the second storey and our bedroom stays really cool.

We are having a problem with doonas, as I bought new goose down ones - hadn't realised the old ones had slowly lost content over the years and was quite cold last winter. Mr FM and I have a queen sized one each - I refuse to share with him. I am finding it about right, but he is complaining he is too hot, so I might have to fish out the cotton one for him, until winter really starts to bite.

Silk Doona in this house - used all year round as it is cool in summer and warm in winter. Couple of hours in the sun and it smells all fresh again.

 

[amaroo]

Albanese worth a call.

Best of that bunch... IMO

 

[Flying mermaid]

Silk Doona in this house - used all year round as it is cool in summer and warm in winter. Couple of hours in the sun and it smells all fresh again.

silk sounds lovely but definitely not warm enough for Canberra!

 

[serfty]

How far in advance of date? 330+?
How much of a difference is WP vs PS for seeing award availability?

Generally on expert flyer (not status availability) and maybe 240 to 353 days out.

Of course those who 'know' (unless they have more points than they can spend or need a specific one-way flight) would not seriously consider a long haul economy QFF redemption on QF.

 

[cove]

Don't be afraid to read what Paul Keating is saying about Labor's budget response to the current budget that will struggle to get passed by the senate any time soon. Look I don't support the idea of shoving long term debt onto our younger generations as they have to deal with paying for their education as well as deal with ridiculous housing prices in Melbourne and Sydney.
It is always possible that Federal Governments will get a single term in office. This is happening around the world.
Over in Western Australia we have a new Government that replaced a pretty weak two term Government.
Right now I guess we should think of Federal Budget night as a thought bubble and we need to wait to see what gets passed into law.
What I think would be the correct settings for income tax at the current time would be 20%,30% and 40% tax rates with a Medicare levy of about 3.5% on top of that. The GST needs to go to 12.5% and then get more fairly split up.
The black economy will pay the higher GST while the ATO chases all the tax dodgers who deal in cash. Remove the $100 and $50 notes from circulation would help the slowing down of the black economy. Any way thse are my thoughts to incentivize the whole Australian workforce. I don't want to hear that the smartest Australians leave Australia due to a close to 50% tax rate on high achievers.

 

[PLANT]

But keep the Woolies and Coles $100 & $50 gift cards (visa/MasterCard) right?