What cheeses me off

[RooFlyer]

This is exactly the topic of my PhD on corruption in government procurement processes (a pandemic endeavour). My research shows that corruption (which includes conflict of interests such as the PwC example) are not only about bad apples (individuals to blame) but also bad barrels (organisations to blame) and bad orchards (institutions or whole sectors such as the consultancy sector to blame). It's so frustrating to see organisations lay all the blame on individuals when they (the organisations) have set a corporate culture that tolerates, ignores or even encourages that corrupt behaviour, and when a whole institution (eg the military, the police, the public sector) also tries to duck out of its responsibilities for controlling and directing the integrity of its members, both individual and and organisational.

Edited to add: This really cheeses me off. Just to keep it on topic

And being a cynical old ex-public servant who once upon a time got a quote to the effect that my services would be provided by Mr Price, Ms Waterhouse and Mr Cooper themselves, only to find that I got a 22 year old communications graduate from a rural university who literally could not tell the difference between cough and clay (yes it happened to me just the once before I wised up on specified personnel clauses), I know too that that is exactly how they do things if they think they can get away with it.

Reminds me a little bit of my time in investment banking. We, the Advisor team would pitch for a job, usually after a 'beauty parade', and the first thing that happened after we were appointed the mining company's must trusted confidant and loyal adviser (eg to initiate or fight off a take-over) was that we'd have a massive fight over the terms of engagement, including fees. Usually, we'd present them (client) with our 'Standard Engagement Letter' (implying it was inviolable) , which they would laugh at, knowing full well it wasn't standard at all and proceed to gut it with what they wanted. Tense negotiations followed!

It was very rare that we didn't have to guarantee certain participations of top brass of our side, especially in key decisions; everything vetted and signed off by very senior folk and those senior folk to lead the meetings etc. Had to guarantee deliverables - who would write, who would vet etc. Key senior people had to be available on the phone 24/7 and had to be up to speed to make decisions there and then.
Yes, juniors and associates did the grunt work - ran the models and wrote the reports, but the very senior staff absolutely participated.

Private enterprise.

 

[TheRealTMA]

This is exactly the topic of my PhD on corruption in government procurement processes (a pandemic endeavour). My research shows that corruption (which includes conflict of interests such as the PwC example) are not only about bad apples (individuals to blame) but also bad barrels (organisations to blame) and bad orchards (institutions or whole sectors such as the consultancy sector to blame). It's so frustrating to see organisations lay all the blame on individuals when they (the organisations) have set a corporate culture that tolerates, ignores or even encourages that corrupt behaviour, and when a whole institution (eg the military, the police, the public sector) also tries to duck out of its responsibilities for controlling and directing the integrity of its members, both individual and and organisational.

Edited to add: This really cheeses me off. Just to keep it on topic

Don’t forget medical devices are three times more expensive in Australia than other countries. And guess who advises both sides?

PwC accused of ‘walking both sides of the street’ on inflated medical device prices

Health experts want the government to review PwC’s advice on medical device costs after it emerged the company advised the industry on how to set prices.

www.smh.com.au

 

[kookaburra75]

And being a cynical old ex-public servant who once upon a time got a quote to the effect that my services would be provided by Mr Price, Ms Waterhouse and Mr Cooper themselves, only to find that I got a 22 year old communications graduate from a rural university who literally could not tell the difference between cough and clay (yes it happened to me just the once before I wised up on specified personnel clauses), I know too that that is exactly how they do things if they think they can get away with it.

Ah, the old bait-switch routine. I've had the pleasure of working for smaller consulting companies where the antics and ethics of the big 4 are held in contempt. That includes several seconded roles working as part of the govt team. I've loved it when I'm the bad guy in the room holding the consultants to account - while the public servants have been nervous to confront them.
I'll send you a message, as I have spent a lot of years working trying to help plan and manage the evaluation of major procurements, and I'm interested in the topic of your PhD

 

[TheRealTMA]

That was my favorite book when I was at university

Mine in 1970 were

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9780470186763

The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Venceremos!: The Speeches and Writings of Ernesto Che Guevara: John Gerassi, Ernesto Che Guevara: 9780671202446: Amazon.com: Books

Venceremos!: The Speeches and Writings of Ernesto Che Guevara [John Gerassi, Ernesto Che Guevara] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Venceremos!: The Speeches and Writings of Ernesto Che Guevara

www.amazon.com

And

Goodreads

Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.

www.goodreads.com

Goodreads

Discover and share books you love on Goodreads.

www.goodreads.com

 

[MARTINE]

As a medical student this was the book if I was in a serious mood.

Silent Spring - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

More laid back and it was this.

Catch-22 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

But after nearly 10 years in medicine and the real world these were my favourites.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The House of God - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

OMG…every doctor in our family read House of God (brilliant) and we passed it onto the next generation none of whom really got it. Catch 22 was great as was silent spring

 

[Scarlett]

WCMO#

SATUSEHAT Mobile app​

Why, oh why, oh why…

TLDR: no one cares about it except the check in staff who have to ask…

Because there’s still a rule in Timatic that says you have to have it.
I’ve haven’t upgraded from last years predecessor ‘PeduliLindungi’. Have been asked about it plenty of times, said yes I have it and that is the end of it. Haven’t seen Indonesians checking anything from it.

If they ask in Indonesia, just show hard copies (or images on phone) of vaccination proof.

 

[Flashback]

WCMO is where people agree just pay one bill for dinner and we'll sort it out and then a day later you're left holding a £350 baby even after a gentle reminder.

Rant over.

 

[MARTINE]

WCMO is where people agree just pay one bill for dinner and we'll sort it out and then a day later you're left holding a £350 baby even after a gentle reminder.

Rant over.

OMG …
YES…
@Flashback this one could spawn a thread all of its own
WCMODW’F’
= What Cheeses Me Off Dining with ‘Friends’.

We know someone who has form here back to uni days. The best (and last) was the big ‘lets have a get together for all the uni friends… I WILL ARRANGE’. It was duly arranged by this person - restaurant/booking/comms to everyone over several weeks— but on the night ‘ooooops I forgot my wallet’

 

[VPS]

OMG …
YES…
@Flashback this one could spawn a thread all of its own
WCMODW’F’
= What Cheeses Me Off Dining with ‘Friends’.

We know someone who has form here back to uni days. The best (and last) was the big ‘lets have a get together for all the uni friends… I WILL ARRANGE’. It was duly arranged by this person - restaurant/booking/comms to everyone over several weeks— but on the night ‘ooooops I forgot my wallet’

Or I only had an entree (but you drank most of a bottle of wine).

 

[Pushka]

Or I only had an entree (but you drank most of a bottle of wine).

Oh yeah. This UTCMO . We didn't drink much as we don't like drink driving but we used to watch the others drink expensive bottles of red. We would have at most two glasses of white. Or someone would order wagyu plus an entree and desert and we'd have a cheaper meal and either entree or dessert. The bill would be split equally. So then we started using UBER.

 

[SYD]

TLDR: no one cares about it except the check in staff who have to ask…

As at midnight Saturday past, QF (and I assume other airlines) are no longer required to check vax stuff!

Departing SYD and arriving CGK - not asked to show vax stuff or about app…

 

[maia200]

WCMO#

SATUSEHAT Mobile app​

Why, oh why, oh why…

Not even asked for.

 

[MARTINE]

Oh yeah. This UTCMO . We didn't drink much as we don't like drink driving but we used to watch the others drink expensive bottles of red. We would have at most two glasses of white. Or someone would order wagyu plus an entree and desert and we'd have a cheaper meal and either entree or dessert. The bill would be split equally. So then we started using UBER.

And lets not forget the variation of WCMODW’F’

‘ I will pay the bill on my credit card - it was $200 per couple - and lets add $20 each on top for a tip. Just put your cash in……’

Of course we know who gets the tip

For clarity - my good friends never partake in any of above - its only the more acquaintance/situational ones. With true friends everything is always split and paid evenly; even though I am teetotal I have no problems with split bills

 

[Captain Halliday]

WCMO is where people agree just pay one bill for dinner and we'll sort it out and then a day later you're left holding a £350 baby even after a gentle reminder.

Rant over.

I’m not endorsing this specific provider, and I assume there’s other similar products available, but all the young people sort this out via apps:

Split bills the easy way

Splitwise is a free tool for friends and roommates to track bills and other shared expenses, so that everyone gets paid back. On the web, iPhone, and Android!

www.splitwise.com

 

[Lynda2475]

And a lot of venues you order and pay via QR via your phone, so no bill to split, you order it you pay for it.

 

[Quickstatus]

With true friends everything is always split and paid evenly;

Went skiing with a couple some years back

We decided to keep an excel spreadsheet. We alternated paying the restaurant biils including tips. At the end of the trip the total was reconciled and owed amounts were settled.

 

[Seat0B]

WCMO is where people agree just pay one bill for dinner and we'll sort it out and then a day later you're left holding a £350 baby even after a gentle reminder.

Rant over.

Oh yes, that. Or the people who order every course, the most expensive items on the menu and drink A LOT of alcohol, and then say "let's just split the bill - much easier than keeping track of what everyone ordered". I actively avoid dinners with those friends now.

edited to add: oh as I read further down the thread, I see that this also cheeses off a lot of other people too!

 

[VPS]

I live in an small apartment block and we have a recycling bin and waste bin - just went out to put something in the waste (I only have one small bag per week) and checked the recycling bin - on top of the bubble wrap were three pairs of unopened Qatar pyjamas. Luckily they were right on top so I grabbed them and will wash them (they don't really need washing because they are still in their bags) and give them away on my Buy nothing group

I gave up on their recycling ages ago and have my own recycling and green waste bin

 

[Seat0B]

Went skiing with a couple some years back

We decided to keep an excel spreadsheet. We alternated paying the restaurant biils including tips. At the end of the trip the total was reconciled and owed amounts were settled.

Mr Seat 0A and I did that with our friend Ms Teacher on our last skiing trip to Japan including hotels (sometimes I booked for us all as I could access a better rate than Ms Teacher), ski transport buses ( I had a user account already), buying a few yen before we left, and getting a 4 pack of SIM cards to share between us that was cheaper than buying 3 etc etc. It worked a treat.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Oh yes, that. Or the people who order every course, the most expensive items on the menu and drink A LOT of alcohol, and then say "let's just split the bill - much easier than keeping track of what everyone ordered". I actively avoid dinners with those friends now.

edited to add: oh as I read further down the thread, I see that this also cheeses off a lot of other people too!

scan the bill into Excel and send to fellow diners.