The totally off-topic thread

[Flashback]

Sent from my iPhone using AFF

Mobile Western Perimeter Rd, Hillingdon, Greater London TW6 2, UK

Now arrived into the UK on QF29, long flight, the food decent, no upgrade from Qantas but fluked a spare seat beside me.

BA First lounge isn't to bad but not as good as the Sydney First lounge.

Lot of BA planes here and what is with the 150ml cans of coke.

*waves*

 

[serfty]

... no upgrade from Qantas but fluked a spare seat beside me. ...

I posit that was no fluke.

 

[Sprucegoose]

In my opinion it is much quieter (as it is frequented by people who respect others and do not speak loud to one another) and more relaxing than the CX lounges and unless things have changed since opening it is the only one of the lounges in HKG (QF, Wing, Pier, Cabin) to have bottled beer.

Beer in a can just does not taste the same....

What no draft beer!!!

 

[drron]

Were any Australian banks bailed out like in the US? If they were, the government should step in and limit how much they screw people over, if not then it really comes down to the fact that they’re a business and have shareholders and do the best for them.

However at the same time, ~$5 billion profit is pretty good however you look at it, they don’t need any more than that… but then you have to remember the taxes the banks pay on all that money supposedly gives us new roads and schools and stuff… so it’s hard to pick a side.

They were certainly helped out-guaranteed deposits,government guarantee when borrowing OS,buying up of mortgages.
Their profit isn't that large when the size of the companies is taken into account.For the last 10 years Westpac has had the best Return on equity and it has varied between 10-21.7%.In the last 8 years the ROE for the reject shop has been 29.6-48.1%,JB hi fi-22.3-41.2%.And for those companies the latest ROE is towards the top of the range,for banks about mid range.
And just be careful of government interference-Bill Clinton told Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to lend to people who normally didn't qualify for loans.They did but then when it all blew up-we got our financial crisis.The private banks fouind a way to get rid of their toxic loans via CDOs etc.They then believed their own hype and started betting on those hence worsening the whole situation.
And with this governments financial expertise-batts,BER,mineral tax(just how many predictions of how much it will raise have we had?) I really dont think they would get their interference right.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I

Did you try the whole 'turn the phone sideways and the app on the MBP turns too' thing? I suppose you wouldn’t notice, but it looked so cool in demo.

Haven't seen the demo, will give it a go next time

 

[JohnK]

I’m going to have to get my mum to install it on her MB, as we usually use iChat, but would love to see if there’s much difference.

Did you try the whole 'turn the phone sideways and the app on the MBP turns too' thing? I suppose you wouldn’t notice, but it looked so cool in demo.

What is an MB or an MBP?

Do we really need to regulate banks in that way?

Definitely. Financial institutions (including superannuation) have grown out of control.

And don't get me started on home loans and credit cards. CBA recently put home loans rates up by 0.45% and credit cards interest rates are up to 21.49%. :shock: The banks are really struggling aren't they? Why is it when official interest rates increase credit card interest rates increase and when the official interest rates decrease credit card interest rates stay the same? Similar to QF and fuel surcharges for many years.

I see how CBA can afford to pay the CEO $14 million+ a year. Obscene. :-|

What no draft beer!!!

Correct. Also I believe they don't have any draught beer either?

 

[oz_mark]

Do we really need to regulate banks in that way?

The Greens grew out of a (largely socialist) protest movement, and some of their policies reflect that heritage. I think there's a lot more of that style of policy to come.

 

[samh004]

What is an MB or an MBP?

They’re acronyms for the product names of popular mac laptops.

 

[oz_mark]

They’re acronyms for the product names of popular mac laptops.

Actually they're initialisms, unless in the Mac World MBP and MB are pronounced as words :shock:

 

[beardoc]

The wireless Internet is down there also and they are handing out Ethernet cables at the desk.

I'm glad it was not just me - I had no luck getting access to free Wi-Fi in the QP at SYD and BNE this weekend - every time it connected, it insisted that it was not free and I needed a Telstra mobile account or a credit card. It was frustrating.

 

[samh004]

Actually they're initialisms, unless in the Mac World MBP and MB are pronounced as words :shock:

True. MacBookPro or MacBook are the words. Matters little though

 

[anat0l]

Just arrived in Hiroshima via Shinkansen from Osaka. The line up for the unreserved seats was huge, but I managed to park my bag and get a seat. Unfortunately, I'd chosen the only smoking car in the unreserved section. Since I'd already parked my bag and reckoning there mightn't be room in the other cars, I didn't move.

Checked into the ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima and received a room upgrade (I think it's just a bigger room - I didn't hear properly). Quite a big double bed room and a big bathroom as well. Quite a change for me. A good rate, too.

 

[JohnK]

...and unless things have changed since opening it is the only one of the lounges in HKG (QF, Wing, Pier, Cabin) to have bottled beer.

Beer in a can just does not taste the same....

Plus it can’t be re-sealed with a screw top

I have yet to encounter twist-top beer bottles in Asia....

 

[Bundy Bear]

I posit that was no fluke.

someone was in the seat next to me; and then just before push back they were moved.

fluke or no fluke but it made the trip that much more bearable.

Now in Amsterdam after a full BA flight across the English channel.

The crew work fast 45 minutes flying time to serve a drink and a biscuit.

BA crew need to find a way to serve ice with a drink in a hurry.

Handing out the can is the easy part, serving the ice took longer.

 

[samh004]

I have yet to encounter twist-top beer bottles in Asia....

So how do you re-seal bottles in Asia?

 

[Flashback]

Electronics actually, you know, the language nerds (and others) spoke before Gates and co came along . To go totally off topic, I wonder how many people realise that Microsoft sold DOS to IBM before they owned it?

So how do you re-seal bottles in Asia?

You don't, you drink them :mrgreen:

 

[anat0l]

someone was in the seat next to me; and then just before push back they were moved.

fluke or no fluke but it made the trip that much more bearable.

Much agreed - it's rather sad to say, but I'm getting used to all Y travel on my international long haul all over again. For most part, I have to say that it hasn't been impossible to get used to again.

I've even sat at the back of the plane.

A spare seat next to you makes it much better.

The crew work fast 45 minutes flying time to serve a drink and a biscuit.

BA crew need to find a way to serve ice with a drink in a hurry.

Handing out the can is the easy part, serving the ice took longer.

I have no idea how they serve ice with drinks (tongs and an ice bucket?), although asking if one wants ice does take seconds.

I also think that those who don't live nearer to the equator don't often have drinks with ice; only chilled. Happy to be corrected on this one. I know that for myself, I often want my drinks served with ice (unless the quality of the water used to make the ice is suspicious).

 

[frankieholt]

You don't, you drink them :mrgreen:

What if it is not possible for me to drink

 

[Flashback]

What if it is not possible for me to drink

Then don't open it.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Haven't seen the demo, will give it a go next time

The portrait/ landscape thing works!
Just tried it out with Shrek in VN.
OT opened my wallet at Woolies tonight and realised that nearly every card in my wallet has some sort of QF logo! I think they are breeding in there what should I do ?? ;p