The totally off-topic thread

[Denali]

Coles and Woolies Facebook page is always good for a laugh.

People are offended by the below, one even equated it to racists jokes about black people.

 

[JohnK]

06/11/1971 !!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations to both of you.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Mr FM’s Samsung mobile bit the dust (which he was quite happy about as he thinks Samsung’s security is bad). He has bought the new Pixel 2- really likes it so far....apparently the camera is very good and battery recharges really quickly. It came with a mini google home, which I have banished to his studio, as I can’t stand things that talk!

 

[Denali]

I asked our building manager this morning what do you gift a elevator for its one month broken/not working anniversary. Maybe we can decorate it for Christmas?

 

[AisleSeat]

Mr FM’s Samsung mobile bit the dust (which he was quite happy about as he thinks Samsung’s security is bad). He has bought the new Pixel 2- really likes it so far....apparently the camera is very good and battery recharges really quickly. It came with a mini google home, which I have banished to his studio, as I can’t stand things that talk!

My Nexus 5 died last week, so picked up a Pixel 2 as well. The Home mini is great, I've connected it to Spotify and stream music to our speakers. Our 2 year old is really interested in it but can't quite get it going herself - "Hi Yoogle, hi!"

 

[AisleSeat]

You gotta love how energy companies do the whole "Your contract's coming to an end, but we'll just put you on another one, you don't have to do anything."

 

[Denali]

Our energy provider stopped giving us points so we swapped to a different one and got points and $ savings.

About 2mths later, original provider sent us a "please dont leave us" letter. Not very prompt of them.

 

[Pushka]

You gotta love how energy companies do the whole "Your contract's coming to an end, but we'll just put you on another one, you don't have to do anything."

My last contract had a 20% discount which is not offered anymore. We are billed quarterly. On the second invoice (6 months in) it said that contract was due to end in 6 months time. Of course I didn’t take note. On the 9 month invoice this info was missing and being busy as we all are I just paid it. On the next invoice that went slightly after the 12 months the discount was much reduced as it was into the new year. I called them and they said no more discount as it was a new contract. I said that info was not on the last invoice and I had not received any new contract letter. Operator said ‘we always send it and the info is always on the last invoice of the contract’. As I always keep such emails I said it definitely wasn’t. She clicked away and said Oh. She said she would give me the current discount rate and I said I wanted the discount rate at contract date which was higher.
I think they plan on people not being attentive.

 

[Denali]

....
I think they plan on people not being attentive.

I also get very annoyed with our health fund. They offer free gym shoes and fitbits to new members but the ones that stay with them for years get zip.

You think they would reward their good members that have years of membership.

Our policy is grandfathered in, if I was to remove pediatrician or maternity, our rates will go up and our benefits go down.

 

[Pushka]

I also get very annoyed with our health fund. They offer free gym shoes and fitbits to new members but the ones that stay with them for years get zip.

You think they would reward their good members that have years of membership.

Our policy is grandfathered in, if I was to remove pediatrician or maternity, our rates will go up and our benefits go down.

FOXTEL is the same.

 

[Denali]

I phoned Foxtel to get the new IQ3, they said it cant be done.

I said fine, I want to cancel my Foxtel account (no longer in contract).

They said fine and put me to a manager.

Manager asks why Im cancelling, I say because you wont give me iq3 for free.

Manager says, Im sorry - let me give it to you for free and you stay with us.

I KNEW thats how it was going to go but why did I have to do the stupid dance?

 

[TomVexille]

FOXTEL is the same.

On hold to cancel now. Will see what they offer me to stay.

 

[Pushka]

I phoned Foxtel to get the new IQ3, they said it cant be done.

I said fine, I want to cancel my Foxtel account (no longer in contract).

They said fine and put me to a manager.

Manager asks why Im cancelling, I say because you wont give me iq3 for free.

Manager says, Im sorry - let me give it to you for free and you stay with us.

I KNEW thats how it was going to go but why did I have to do the stupid dance?

On hold to cancel now. Will see what they offer me to stay.

Yup. You have to do the ‘cancel dance’ every year. I think our time is due now too.

 

[AisleSeat]

Our energy provider stopped giving us points so we swapped to a different one and got points and $ savings.

About 2mths later, original provider sent us a "please dont leave us" letter. Not very prompt of them.

Yeah, I'm looking into alternatives now. With AGL and getting great discounts currently (including FB and discount GC), but the new plan they are proposing is nowhere near as good.

Considering Energy Australia as they have VFF and discount GC, as well as better pay-on-time discounts

 

[JohnK]

I think they plan on people not being attentive.

They know most people will not check.

This is how insurance companies get away with ridiculous premium increases. You'd be surprised at the number of people who actually call to discuss their renewal. It is a very small number.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Then you have not come across this company. I can assure my attitude is not holding me back. I'd love for you to be able to talk to some of the others with 20+ years experience treated the same.

I think that's 3 years now we have not had a performance review. The board says to IT you have so much money for salary increases this year and they pretty much divide it up equally between all staff. This is the first place I have worked where performance is not taken into consideration unless you do something bad and then you don't get any increases.

Have you considered an IT position with the public service? Annual salary increases. Good conditions. Annual performance reviews. Salaries according to grade, not the lowest the market will accept. Good super.

 

[Flying mermaid]

My Nexus 5 died last week, so picked up a Pixel 2 as well. The Home mini is great, I've connected it to Spotify and stream music to our speakers. Our 2 year old is really interested in it but can't quite get it going herself - "Hi Yoogle, hi!"

That is really cute . Mr FM is using it to toggle stations for his radio and apparently his nephew recommended a new artist Jessie Ware and he could just say “play something by Jessie Ware” and it went off to Spotify and found and played it. That is useful, but I think I still want peace and quiet in my end of the house

 

[JohnK]

Have you considered an IT position with the public service? Annual salary increases. Good conditions. Annual performance reviews. Salaries according to grade, not the lowest the market will accept. Good super.

Should have done that years ago when I had the chance. I'm an RPG ILE specialist. Very few jobs around. If you find a job then keep it. A lot have retrained to Java, web programming over the years. I don't enjoy that type of programming environment.

Current job, as bad as it may sound, should be adequate for the next 3-4 years to enable me to achieve my goals.

After that who knows. Uber driver? Limo driver? Some sort of business. Thai restaurant? I need to find a way to reduce tax bill as it's not letting me save for retirement.

 

[Denali]

Ordered Coles delivery of fruit and nibblies platters for Melb Cup plus a few other things.

Good communication and delivered to office kitchen with a smile - and I got flybuy and VA points.

Very happy and I dont have to go out to the shops.

 

[whatmeworry]

After switching my mobile plan to Optus, I noticed some premium sms service signed me up without my consent. I reported to Optus via the net and had to manually select no premium services. Cheeky buggers set it at ten bucks a month which can be taken via premium sms, as default.

Bill comes, I was billed for the service and billed $2.20 for a paper bill for my second month, despite no mention of paper bills costing anything when I ported.

Call them up and woeful customer service is only open about 10 hours a day. Have to do a web chat. Said I wanted a refund on both issues. Threats of TIO complaint. Told 2 business days to refund. 5 biz days go by and notice I was still billed for the premium service and money taken directly out of my CC despite promises I would only be pay my usual monthly rate. Gave them a chance but had to file a TIO complaint.

When they call me up, I don't want a credit, I want a refund. IMO just plain stealing what they did.