The totally off-topic thread

[Mal]

I am intrigued by the variety of HKG notes in circulation!

I have an HSBC HK$100 note, a "Bank of China" HK$100 note, a "Bank of China" HK$50 note, 2 different HSBC HK$20 notes, a "Bank of China" HK$20 note, 2 different "Standard Chartered Bank" HK$20 notes and a "Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" HK$10 note.

I've had a look at my collection:

I have:

1x$500 - HSBC(2003)
1x$100 - Standard Chartered Bank (2003)
1x$100 - HSBC (2003)
1x$50 - HSBC (2002)
1x$50 - Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (2003)
1x$20 - HSBC (2005)
1x$20 - HSBC (2003)
1x$10 - Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2002)

I have always wondered when visiting HK how the various "note acceptor" machines actually know to accept the various notes (or how tourists / locals can actually realise they've got a legitimate note!)... I presume other countries have similar systems, but I can't think of any. The best I can come up with is the U.S and their multiple Mints producing the same notes!

 

[JohnK]

If you look carefully the different notes from the same bank are because they are different years of issue.

Yes I noticed that but still can be confusing to a tourist.

 

[straitman]

Yes I noticed that but still can be confusing to a tourist.

No more than trying to navigate the bus or tram system. I've got the MTR and the KCR trains hacked however the buses and trains even lose the locals sometimes.

 

[JohnK]

I have always wondered when visiting HK how the various "note acceptor" machines actually know to accept the various notes (or how tourists / locals can actually realise they've got a legitimate note!)... I presume other countries have similar systems, but I can't think of any. The best I can come up with is the U.S and their multiple Mints producing the same notes!

The Euro springs readily to mind but that is a collection of countries rather than a single country.

Each member state produces their own designs of Euro coins, although only one side of each coin is allowed to be different. For banknotes, all countries use identical designs on both sides of each denomination of note, so that there is only one set of Euro note designs.

 

[Mal]

The Euro springs readily to mind but that is a collection of countries rather than a single country.

I always thought the Euro notes are centrally produced, but the coins are produced by the various countries.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm wrong! Oh well!!

But can anyone think of a country which has as many multiple design notes in circulation as HKG? (And I'm not talking about subtle details such as signatures or copyright dates)

 

[serfty]

No more than trying to navigate the bus or tram system. I've got the MTR and the KCR trains hacked however the buses and trains even lose the locals sometimes.

I thought I had the Bus's sorted but came a cropper when I advised mrs serfty to take the #12 bus from Cain Road to get back to Excange Square in Central where we would meet her. Unfortunatly, she took the #12M bus and headed towards "North Point".

(That's like going from Randwick to Watson's bay in Sydney rather than Circular Quay)

SWMBO assures my it was my fault 'cus I didn't advise her of the difference ...

 

[straitman]

I thought I had the Bus's sorted but came a cropper when I advised mrs serfty to take the #12 bus from Cain Road to get back to Excange Square in Central where we would meet her. Unfortunatly, she took the #12M bus and headed towards "North Point".

(That's like going from Randwick to Watson's bay in Sydney rather than Circular Quay)

SWMBO assures my it was my fault 'cus I didn't advise her of the difference ...

.... of course. Who else would be to blame :?:

 

[JohnK]

But can anyone think of a country which has as many multiple design notes in circulation as HKG? (And I'm not talking about subtle details such as signatures or copyright dates)

Right next to my HKG notes are Indonesian bank notes! And guess what? Different designs in circulation issued from Bank Indonesia but I don't think the design changes every year.

I have a 100Rupiah note and a 500Rupiah note in almost mint condition but these do not circulate much today, if at all, as they have been replaced by coins. I also have a 1,000Rupiah note, 2 different 5,000Rupiah notes, a 10,000Rupiah note, 3 different 20,000Rupiah notes, a 50,000Rupiah note and 2 different 100,000Rupiah notes.

I remember when touring Europe in 1994 in Germany there was 2 different design German Marcs in circulation. I managed to collect all bank notes of both designs. These are sitting in my archives somewhere so I am not able to confirm the exact details.

 

[straitman]

Right next to my HKG notes are Indonesian bank notes! And guess what? Different designs in circulation issued from Bank Indonesia but I don't think the design changes every year.

I have a 100Rupiah note and a 500Rupiah note in almost mint condition but these do not circulate much today, if at all, as they have been replaced by coins. I also have a 1,000Rupiah note, 2 different 5,000Rupiah notes, a 10,000Rupiah note, 3 different 20,000Rupiah notes, a 50,000Rupiah note and 2 different 100,000Rupiah notes.

I remember when touring Europe in 1994 in Germany there was 2 different design German Marcs in circulation. I managed to collect all bank notes of both designs. These are sitting in my archives somewhere so I am not able to confirm the exact details.

Thinking back a few years to the Early 70's I had a 1 Rupiah note, although coins were more the norm.

 

[JohnK]

Thinking back a few years to the Early 70's I had a 1 Rupiah note, although coins were more the norm.

And I bet you could get a lot more with 1 Rupiah in those days than you can get with 1 Rupiah today.

If I remember correctly there was not much available under 1,000 Rupiah when I was there last year. I think a postcard stamp was 2,500 Rupiah!

 

[straitman]

And I bet you could get a lot more with 1 Rupiah in those days than you can get with 1 Rupiah today.

If I remember correctly there was not much available under 1,000 Rupiah when I was there last year. I think a postcard stamp was 2,500 Rupiah!

I think a beer was 8 - 10 Rupiah although I could be way off the mark.

 

[serfty]

I have a 1992 Honeymoon 'photo taken in Bali with Jenny holding 1 Million Rupiah in notes. Back then it was worth about AUD750.

Taxi back to Jimbaran bay from Kuta was generally quoted at 20 "thou", barganed down to 12-15 thou.

 

[bambbbam2]

Someone sent me these recently.. i like the examples..

How to write good

1. Avoid alliteration. Always.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8. Contractions aren't necessary.
9. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10. One should never generalize.
11. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
12. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
13. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
14. Be more or less specific.
15. Understatement is always best.
16. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
17. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
18. The passive voice is to be avoided.
19. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
20. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
21. Who needs rhetorical questions?
22. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

 

[Yada Yada]

That is very amusing!

 

[straitman]

Apologies to Blondes.

Amy, a blonde Texan city girl, marries a Texas rancher. One morning, on his way out to check on the cows the rancher says to Amy, "The artificial insemination man is coming over to impregnate one of our cows today. I drove a nail into the two-by-four just above the cow's stall in the barn. You show him where the cow is when he gets here, okay?"
So the rancher leaves for the fields.
After a while, the artificialinsemination man arrives and knocks on the front door. Amy takes him down to the barn. They walk along a long row of cows and when she sees the nail, she tells him, "This is the one..... right here."
Terribly impressed by what he seemed to think just might be another ditzy blonde, the man asks, "Tell me little lady, how did you know this is the cow to be bred?"
"That's simple. By the nail over its stall," Amy explains very confidently.
Then the man asks, "What's the nail for?"
She turns to walk away, and with complete confidence, says: "I guess it's to hang your pants on..."

 

[serfty]

Ugh! mmm.. thanks Bill ...

 

[straitman]

OK, something that I'm sure a lot of you will relate to!

Do you have feelings of inadequacy?​

Do you suffer from shyness?

Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?​

If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about White Wine.
White Wine is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. White Wine can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.

You will notice the benefits of White Wine almost immediately,andwith a regimen of regular doses you can overcomeany obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past, and you will discovermany talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, withWhite Wine.

White Wine may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursingshould not use White Wine. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing orbecoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may includedizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss ofmotor control,loss of clothing, loss of money,loss of virginity,delusions of grandeur,table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth,anda desire to sing Karaokeand play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, TruthOr Dare,and Naked Twister.

 

[JohnK]

National University of Lesotho!

Beer contains female hormones

Last month, National University of Lesotho scientists released the results of a recent analysis that revealed the presence of female hormones in beer. Men should take a concerned look at their beer consumption. The theory is that beer contains female hormones (hops contain phytoestrogens) and that by drinking enough beer, men turn into women.

To test the theory, 100 men drank 10 pints of beer each within a 1 hour period. It was then observed that 100% of the test subjects:
1) Argued over nothing.
2) Refused to apologize when obviously wrong.
3) Gained weight.
4) Talked excessively without making sense.
5) Became overly emotional.
6) Couldn't drive.
7) Failed to think rationally.
8) Had to sit down while urinating.

No further testing was considered necessary.

 

[JohnK]

Any life left in this thread?

Not long to go to reach 1,000 posts!

 

[straitman]

Mujibar was trying to get into Australia legally through Immigration.
The Immigration Officer said, "Mujibar, you have passed all the tests, except there is one more test. Unless you pass it you cannot enter Australia."
Mujibar said, "I am ready."
The officer said, "Make a sentence using the words Yellow, Pink and Green."
Mujibar thought for a few minutes and said, "Mister Officer, I am ready."
The Officer said, "Go ahead."
Mujibar said, "The telephone goes green, green, green, and I pink it up and say, 'Yellow, this is Mujibar.'"
Mujibar now lives in a neighbourhood near you, and works at Telstra on the Help Desk.


….(and several of his rellies work at the Citibank, AMEX or ????? call centres)