The totally off-topic thread

[Quickstatus]

We managed to get a Michael Mina California Street Sanfran table for five, 2 days before arriving in Dec 2015. I was under the pump from Mrs QS to make it happen - one of those travel coughoos where I forgot to book the table months ago

That day was a shocker.
One 15yr old was in SLC.
Rest of the clan (4) were in DEN
2 flew DEN-SLC-SFO
1 met up with the 2 then flew SLC-SFO
2 flew DEN-LAX-SFO

SLC-SFO was delayed. Sat in aircraft for 3 hours due to issue with ramp in SFO - flooding I think due to storm

2 were also delayed in LAX for the same reason. Multiple delays and cancellations. Big mistake to sit in T4 Admirals rather than the remote T4 (eagles nest). Flight called. We went to catch the bus to remote terminal and were caught up in a huge queue. Then we were could not get on bus because of a long queue of wheelchair pax. Took them forever to get on bus. All were those miracle pax.
When we got to Eagles nest we missed the flight by minutes. Then we had to be on standby in an environment of airport delays and cancellations due to west coast storm. One world emerald saved the day - both of us were 1,2 on standby list. Got to SFO then took Uber direct to Mina.

Instead of arriving at 3pm to hotel, we got to Mina at 2010 for a 2000 reservation. The other 3 from SLC arrived at 1800 hrs and did shopping showered and dressed up for Mina. Us 2 were completely frazzled travellers. Luckily I had a spare shirt in carryon a tie and jacket.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We managed to get a Michael Mina California Sanfran table for five 2 days before arriving in Dec 2015. I was under the pump from Mrs QS - one of those travel coughoos where I forgot to book the table months ago

That day was a shocker.
One 15yr old was in SLC.
Rest of the clan (4) were in DEN
2 flew DEN-SLC-SFO
1 met up with the 2 then flew SLC-SFO
2 flew DEN-LAX-SFO

SLC-SFO was delayed. Sat in aircraft for 3 hours due to issue with ramp in SFO - flooding I think due to storm

2 were also delayed in LAX for the same reason. Multiple delays and cancellations. Big mistake to sit in T4 Admirals rather than the remote T4 (eagles nest). Flight called. We went to catch the bus to remote terminal and were caught up in a huge queue. Then we were could not get on bus because of a long queue of wheelchair pax. Took them forever to get on bus. All were those miracle pax.
When we got to Eagles best we missed the flight by minutes. Then we had to be on standby in an environment of airport delays and cancellations due to west coast storm. One world emerald saved the day - both of us were 1,2 on standby list. Got to SFO then took Uber direct to Mina.

Instead of arriving at 3pm to hotel, we got to Mina at 2010 for a 2000 reservation. The other 3 from SLC arrived at 1800 hrs and did shopping showered and dressed up for Mina. Us 2 were completely frazzled travellers. Luckily I had a spare shirt in carryon a tie and jacket.

that’s terrible - no way you would have been in the mood for dinner by then!

 

[Quickstatus]

A B de Villiers retires.
AB de Villiers on Twitter

A week ago AB pullled off a “super man “catch at the boundary line in the IPL.

He had a lot of amazing catches.

 

[Quickstatus]

that’s terrible - no way you would have been in the mood for dinner by then!

Au Contraire.
As a FF connecting rather than direct, it was a very insightful adventure. The best part was the 1,2 standby. I’m certain it was the OWE. The standby list was over 2 screens

That LAX-SFO flight was the one where the seatbelt sign was on the entire flight - described in the worse than feet bulkhead thread recently.

Someone’s bladder could not endure the entire flight (must have had few too many beers in the lounge) and had to go. The cabin crew did not stop the passenger. As soon as that passenger successfully looed more passengers suddenly stood up and queued despite the seriously turbulent turbulence and seatbelt sign.

As the 2 of us who went via LAX do not do makeup or any other embellishments it was a non issue that we did not go via hotel.

Mina was gracious enough to store 4x33kg checked luggage while we dined (for a gratuity)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I dunno if someone has already posted this up-thread (my notifications don't work so I seem to miss whole chunks)... I appreciate the efforts on the new privacy data thingy coming from Europe, but with the deadline tomorrow (25 May) I've been getting dozens of these 'how we treat your data' emails.

The problem is, some require you to opt in if you wish to continue receiving emails, some you're automatically in unless you opt out. And for others you don't do anything. I'm just junking most of them, I wonder what will and won't still be coming!

 

[JohnK]

A B de Villiers retires.
AB de Villiers on Twitter

Read about that earlier. Surprising. Guess he wants to go out on top.

 

[Flashback]

I dunno if someone has already posted this up-thread (my notifications don't work so I seem to miss whole chunks)... I appreciate the efforts on the new privacy data thingy coming from Europe, but with the deadline tomorrow (25 May) I've been getting dozens of these 'how we treat your data' emails.

The problem is, some require you to opt in if you wish to continue receiving emails, some you're automatically in unless you opt out. And for others you don't do anything. I'm just junking most of them, I wonder what will and won't still be coming!

It's been useful for me, there's a newsletter who I've been trying to unsubscribe from for some time now.... it now seems to have stopped! If it does come through, I can follow the complaints process at least.

 

[Cossie]

Maybe Cossie is there somewhere!

I wish! I drove the Col de Turini the other day and there were several Porsche cars on some sort of road trip. Quite a few nice bits and pieces in Nice, leading up to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix this weekend, but Nice airport is a bit of a disaster zone at the moment, construction of a tram line, should be good when it's complete.

Lot's of private jets at the airport as well, some well-healed people about, or heavily in debt!

Currently in Northern Spain, Asturias, not what I expected at all, mountainous, green, some nice old buildings and good roads with few cars, plus so far very friendly and helpful locals. I might stay a bit longer! Don't like this eating at midnight lark, I should have had 3 hours sleep by then.....

 

[OZDUCK]

You would have thought that Bunnings management might have learnt something from the Masters debacle - that they profited from. But no, hubris is alive and well in Boards of Directors and CEO's - Wesfarmers to sell UK Bunnings business facing a $400 million loss

A $!.5 billion dollars loss by the end of proceedings is a mere annoyance when it doesn't come out of your pocket.

 

[cove]

We are in California listening to “shock and Orr” as the Banking Royal Commission deals with Suncorp. The commissioner and the QCs are very, very good.
Listening to this and reading Sydney Airports report while jet lagged is keeping us awake into the night.

 

[tgh]

A friend is a big time supplier to Bunnings and he is a huge cheerleader for them.
After a personal tour of the new UK operation, he was waxing lyrical about the superior Bunnings model and showing the weedy poms how to do it.
I am looking forward to dismantling the weasel spiel he will have well rehearsed next time we meet...

 

[drron]

Well AC and UA DKWIW but TG certainly do.LM J award on TG NRT-BKK and now have BPs for 1E,F.
So sitting in the ANA suites lounge.

 

[Cossie]

Now I can understand why everything is so green here!

 

[cove]

Looks like Bunnings sausage sizzle in the UK may be over so maybe plan on other stuff in your UK diet plan

 

[JohnK]

Doing the speed limit on the M1 and most people go past. Speedo could be wrong but I'm not testing that theory.

 

[VPS]

It's been useful for me, there's a newsletter who I've been trying to unsubscribe from for some time now.... it now seems to have stopped! If it does come through, I can follow the complaints process at least.

I will name and shame. I went to Mr Foggs tavern in London. Good night out. I have since been inundated with marketing cr@p and have unsubscribed several times, sent them messages etc and today I get one of the emails about GDPR from them. At least now I will have some leverage if they continue.

Also just saw this on Twitter

just got a GDPR email from a company with every single recipient accidentally CCd in. Great start lads

 

[donovan301]

Doing the speed limit on the M1 and most people go past. Speedo could be wrong but I'm not testing that theory.

Err...if you want to check your speedo there is a Camera service along the route that is able to confirm your current speed.

Some delays in confirmation,...approx 3 weeks buffering before confirmation is recieved in the mail ;-)

 

[Flashback]

Doing the speed limit on the M1 and most people go past. Speedo could be wrong but I'm not testing that theory.

Wait till you drive in Europe.. that's the norm rather than the exception! Although in Montenegro people seemed to largely obey the speed limit (there were cops EVERYWHERE).

 

[tgh]

Doing the speed limit on the M1 and most people go past. Speedo could be wrong but I'm not testing that theory.

99% of cars are a neat 5% fast, easy to check with a gps or a phone app.
GPS will be spot on.

 

[Quickstatus]

You would have thought that Bunnings management might have learnt something from the Masters debacle - that they profited from. But no, hubris is alive and well in Boards of Directors and CEO's - Wesfarmers to sell UK Bunnings business facing a $400 million loss

A $!.5 billion dollars loss by the end of proceedings is a mere annoyance when it doesn't come out of your pocket.

0.4 sounds a lot less than 400