What cheeses me off

[Flashback]

WCMO
We have a perfectly good Bureau of Meteorology in this country, which, along with UK's Met Office, USA's NWS and Japan's JMA, supply, combine, share and distribute weather data and outputs from predictive models all over the world.
The ABC news website consumes weather data from NZ's commercial arm (MetraWeather) of their public Met service.
Those large data sets are sourced from the BoM anyway, and then curated and modelled for specific clients (Mining, shipping, construction etc). Those clients pay for the service. The BoM provides the same service anyway. I assume Metraweather just widens the scope with NZ/Pacific Island data where required (mind you, the JMA can supply that as well).
The data on the ABC's website is just bog standard localised weather data. There's nothing unique about it.
Why the hell do we pay a commercial company to provide standard data sets that are freely available from the BoM via an open API?
I must be missing something.

Licensing around commercial usage perhaps?

 

[OZDUCK]

We were leaving the Christmas Market in Nuremberg last night when a small demonstration went past with police escort. The demonstration was lead by half a dozen men on drums looking very stern. They looked just like the photos of the early parades by the naz_'s in the 1920's when they dressed in a sort of Tyrolean outfit. I commented on this to the German friend we were with. She said that they belonged to the AfD a right wing populist party. And then said sadly that people have still learned nothing in the last century.

Edit And to depress me a little more the location of the hotel we are currently staying in, Premier Inn near the HBF, is built on the site that the Kulturverien Building occupied until the air raids of 1945. This was the building where the 'Racial Laws' were passed in 1935..

 

[JohnK]

Retiring at 45 sounds like a great objective. You might be bored by the time you are 50 and still have 30-40 years to live. Time to start another business or work for a charity to give your life some purpose. Good luck to you.

Those sound much better than current predicament.

Almost 60 years old and bored and tired of working paying off debt. Don't get anywhere near enough time to spend with wife and 7 year old daughter and not enough time to play golf.

If I was retired we'd be going to Thailand 4 times a year and I'd be playing golf 3 times a week. I'd never ever be bored.

 

[OZDUCK]

D Bahn have just cancelled our Nuremberg to Leipzig train that we were due to catch in another hour. This is the second time they have cancelled our train on this leg. There is, hopefully it will run, another direct train in about three hours and I have now booked seats on that one.

They make Bonza look like a model of punctuality. And of course there was an item in the local news that the directors of the quasi privatised D Bahn are still receiving bonuses and are now moving the bonus money to 'salary' so it will not be subject to performance requirements.

 

[OZDUCK]

Well the replacement train arrived right on time and is surprisingly empty. I noticed that the ICE train due in an hour on the platform next to us was also cancelled. This train is the nicest D Bahn one we have used so far on this trip. It even has very large storage racks for suitcases so I don't have to bench press my wifes suitcase onto the overhead rack and jam mine in front of me.

It is so far only tootling along at 130 - 140K.

 

[p--and--t]

WCMO (a little) is the disparity of basic functionality between airline websites.

If I book a 16 sector classic award on Qantas I can only select seats on the QF metal flights.

QF says to go to the operating airline site for all sectors other than their own.

If I go to some airlines in the itinerary they won’t recognize the QF booking number (yes I know different booking systems etc)

If I go to MH it says I can’t select seats at all - its not part of the ticket. (????)

But if I go to RJ site which wasn’t in the Itinerary I can select seats on all sectors for all airlines (including MH).

Too high an expectation that I can select seats with either the booking or operating carrier?

First world problem I know, but why not have a winge this site generally and this thread specifically seems built for it.

 

[SYD]

WCMO (a little) is the disparity of basic functionality between airline websites.

If I book a 16 sector classic award on Qantas I can only select seats on the QF metal flights.

QF says to go to the operating airline site for all sectors other than their own.

If I go to some airlines in the itinerary they won’t recognize the QF booking number (yes I know different booking systems etc)

If I go to MH it says I can’t select seats at all - its not part of the ticket. (????)

But if I go to RJ site which wasn’t in the Itinerary I can select seats on all sectors for all airlines (including MH).

Too high an expectation that I can select seats with either the booking or operating carrier?

First world problem I know, but why not have a winge this site generally and this thread specifically seems built for it.

You sometimes find that QF will let you select seats on other metal at the time of booking but then won’t let you in to modify…

But yep, I agree it does seem odd that can’t / won’t provide similar functionality to RJ, MH and BA (amongst others).

 

[JohnK]

Citibank has been doing it to me and now Immigration website is doing the same thing. I've tried logging in and after 4 failed attempts clicked on forgotten password. Change password and receive following error message

"The password you have provided has been used recently. Please enter a different password."

I just tried logging in with this password and it has failed. Now they're saying it's being used recently.

I really hate being forced to change password over and over. I cannot remember the password used. I refuse to save passwords anywhere on the internet.

Oh and each one has different rules. Immigration is minimum 14 characters. Stupid.

 

[JohnK]

So now going through a phase of eBay non-deliveries.

Seller takes payment and makes no effort to send goods. Seller ignores contact. Contact eBay who say they will refund in 2 days but then close the case after 21 days due to no contact. Now eBay has washed their hands of it and cannot contact them further.

For crying out loud. Why is this so difficult? So now need to waste time following up Paypal/ANZ for refund.

Did someone say dealing with companies online or by phone makes life easier? I'm under extreme stress wasting valuable personal time.

 

[Quickstatus]

Did someone say dealing with companies online or by phone makes life easier

Ive always been a bit skeptical of eBay

 

[mel-world]

WCMO is MSM articles about flights, hotels, cruises or trips where the journalist has received a freebee!

Just this week, a reporter for the SMH/The Age travelled QF from SIN to SYD in J on the 380. The reviewer gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars but reported that they had access to the QF First Lounge in SIN, the flight ran an hour or more late and the crew were slow in reacting to their requests. Still they awarded 4.5 stars even though similar reviews of QF 380 J Class have been much more negative about the experience.

I usually take off one star at least when the reviewer get the service for nothing. Who's going to bite the hand that feeds them? More Y class reviews would be beneficial for typical readers.

 

[TheRealTMA]

WCMO is MSM articles about flights, hotels, cruises or trips where the journalist has received a freebee!

Just this week, a reporter for the SMH/The Age travelled QF from SIN to SYD in J on the 380. The reviewer gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars but reported that they had access to the QF First Lounge in SIN, the flight ran an hour or more late and the crew were slow in reacting to their requests. Still they awarded 4.5 stars even though similar reviews of QF 380 J Class have been much more negative about the experience.

I usually take off one star at least when the reviewer get the service for nothing. Who's going to bite the hand that feeds them? More Y class reviews would be beneficial for typical readers.

Yes, F lounge for J (bah) and he also rated the food on the flight as excellent. Must have been a jolly.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

WCMO ……… banks - NAB in particular - I parked some cash in a savings account with a 3 month bonus interest rate which also had requirement to have a Debit Card attached to this particular account - no biggie.

At end 3mths I transferred out but there was daily withdrawal limit so it took a few days to clear account. When I did try to close both accounts impossible to do so online or within app - need to visit a branch to do so.

I front up to NAB Branch in Mentone - dude there tries to help but discovers both accounts have a few cents in them being interest accrued - but app does not show any balance in either account.

Mentone branch is tellerless branch and I need to visit a branch with tellers - Southland being closest. I visit Southland branch and wait 25mins for 4 elderly folk to be assisted. Teller says oh yes I see the amounts I will refund to you then close accounts:

All up wasted nigh on 2hrs to close the suckers for grand total 20c. Gotta love big banks huh?

 

[Guvner]

Went to my local ANZ branch today (not too far from Cruiser Elite's bank). Seems they've enhanced away cash withdrawals over the counter. I wanted $3000. Went to the ATM inside the branch, daily limit $1500. Now I need to make another trip to get the other $1500 out tomorrow.
I have 3 accounts linked to one card. Apparently if I had 2 cards then I could have made 2 x $1500 withdrawals on the same day by transferring funds from one account to another on the app and using a different card for the second transaction.
Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[p--and--t]

Went to my local ANZ branch today (not too far from Cruiser Elite's bank). Seems they've enhanced away cash withdrawals over the counter. I wanted $3000. Went to the ATM inside the branch, daily limit $1500. Now I need to make another trip to get the other $1500 out tomorrow.
I have 3 accounts linked to one card. Apparently if I had 2 cards then I could have made 2 x $1500 withdrawals on the same day by transferring funds from one account to another on the app and using a different card for the second transaction.
Absolutely ridiculous.

NAB similar but different issues

I wanted to transfer a large sum of money to my partner to complete a business transaction - we both been with the bank as cosignatories, co-borrowers and co-guarantors on multiple accounts with records going back for more than a decade.

Teller in the bank refused to process the transaction. Escalated to his supervisor, refused to execute the transaction. Says you have different surnames and not married so won’t authorise!!!!

I got rather agitated so they suggested they increase the daily transaction limit on online banking by a huge amount - then on my phone standing in the bank I logged onto the app and scheduled the required transfer of funds over a few days.

Pointless ridiculous hypocrisy.

 

[Quickstatus]

Gotta love big banks huh

Bbbbbbut The bank is 4 cents out.


When Mrs QS used to work in a bank, everything had to balance out at end of day, down to last cent. And if it didnt, then its overtime wages to find it which can often cost more than the unreconciled amount.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

But cannot dispense 1c or 2c pcs so gotta round up - banks have changed and grown with the times - or not

 

[Guvner]

Went to get a blood test today.
Woman sitting in the waiting room opposite me having her morning team meeting on her iPhone.
Clearly she was the Team Leader / Manager. Did not shut-up for 15 minutes.
I gave her the stare and she just turned sideways as though that somehow made it quieter.
I went in, got my test, walked out and "muttered" selfish cow at an audible level on the way past.
Seriously, tell the receptionist you're just outside making a call and ask if they can let you know when it's your turn.
Oh no, everybody has to hear about your high level 2024 marketing strategy and team priorities after the festive season.

 

[Pushka]

Hotel room attendants who move items from the places you've put them. Might make sense to them but if it isn't where you expect to find it, it's lost. This morning hunted through two bathroom bags looking for the 7 days tablet pack I sort each week. (Multiple medications). I usually take one side of the sink and Mr P the other. Couldn't find the pack. Rumaged around. Happened to look across the other side of the bench and above the toilet roll, all on its own, was the 7 day pack. Why move it so far away?. Not a cleaning issue. Then look across a bit further and there's my tub of foundation powder. Last time I saw it it was in my bathroom bag or just on top of it. Just leave my things alone.

 

[JohnK]

Hotel room attendants who move items from the places you've put them.

Housekeepers who service rooms even after telling them not to service the room.