QantAsia?

 

Qantas's new Asian Premium airline has been named 'QantAsia' - at least on a few air transport websites. If you are a businessman travelling within Asia the new airline might be attractive - but travelling out of Australia - not so much.

See: 2PAXfly.com

Qantas hoohaa

The press has been filled with Alan Joyce's announcement of what he will do for the ailing international arm of the airline. Nothing really new here - most had been leaked weeks prior, and even the loss of 1,000 jobs - which (although denied) of course will be picked up overseas as part of the new Asian based subsidiaries.

The unions reaction is also predictable. Who wants their membership reduced, and downward pressure on their salaries?  Unfortunately the international reality is that while demand for pilots and flight attendants has increased, the amount they earn has steadily decreased.

My surprise is the reaction of some of the Australian public, who still think of Qantas as an Australian Icon. It's a shock to me that the Australian public thinks that 'I still call Australia home' is anything more than a marketing ploy. (Australian media education is still obviously in a parlous state - despite shows like the Gruen Transfer)

In the 70's and 80's I remember giving my loyalty to TAA and Qantas because they were government owned, and so any profits went back into the commonwealth.  Well that hasn't been true for a long time.

Now, I tend to spend my international travel $'s with Asian airlines - for a couple of reasons:
    •    They tend to be cheaper
    •    they have better service
    •    their Frequent Flyer schemes are as good if not better for redeeming flights
    •    they treat economy passengers better

Domestically - I still spend with Qantas. My reasons are
    •    travelling Jetstar is both uncomfortable, not that much cheaper, and a service free zone
    •    Virgin - are not that cheaper, their service is about the same, but I have to pay for the extra's
    •    Tiger - no comment
    •    I payed up front for a few years of Qantas Club membership - so until that runs out, I will remain faithful
But the whole industry appears to be in a bit of flux. After a recent experience travelling to the USA on the incredibly well thought out and delivered service of V Australia Business Class, and using the Virgin Australia lounge in Canberra, and being impressed with the service - maybe Virgin Australia will become my new preferred airline - both domestically and  internationally.


Source: 2PAXfly.com

Now a website to get Michele Bachman's 'Crazy Eyes'

For those of you who don't necessarily follow USA politics.  The front runner in the recent Iowa 'Ames Straw Poll' event to pick the Republican Party presidential candidate is Michele Bachmann.  She has been known for a while as 'Crazy Eyes' - particularly after Tina Brown put her on the cover of Newsweek (now part of the dailybeast.com.

Now, of course, as the internet goes, someone has develped a site, where those 'Crazy Eyes' are interposed onto various famous people.  Strangely, the most disturbing example is Michele's 'Crazy Eyes' placed on her suspected closetcase, 'pray the gay away' therapist husband Marcus.

I really want to see Tony Abbot with those Crazy Eyes. Anyone with the time and photoshop skills? - or ask here.

Source: JoeMyGod

Conde Eleveator Tweet Stream stops. Nooooooooo!

The New York Times reports that the Conde Nast Elevator Tweet stream has now stopped

For the last five days, fear has hushed the elevators at Condé Nast. Few dared say much for fear of having their words appear on a satirical Twitter feed called @CondeElevator, which purported to capture the banalities and inanities of unsuspecting employees at the publisher of Vogue, GQ, Glamour and The New Yorker.

Those who weren’t so discreet would find exchanges like this posted online:
“Girl #1: I love that necklace, I saw it at Banana last week and almost bought it too. Girl #2: [flips hair] This is Gucci.”

Or this: “Girl 1: ‘Is this skirt totally see-through?’ Girl 2: ‘No! No! Looks great.’ Guy, after they exit: ‘That skirt was totally see-through.’ ”

Now, it seems safe to resume the idle chitchat.

I am devistated.

Source: New York Times

Join the Anti-Powerpoint Party

I hate almost everything about Powerpoint. I hate the way people use it. I hate the user interface. I hate listening to powerpoint presentations. I hate having to design them for clients.

Now I have a political party to join - even if it is really some self promotion for a public speaking coach.

 

For a really entertaining anti-powerpoint rant - hear Listen to Lucy in her podcast 'Anti-Powerpoint Revolutionaries Unite!

Scource: Listen to Lucy Podcast

One good thing that came out of the UK Riots

You so have to visit this site.  PhotoshopLooter
 

 

Is mocking looters in the UK unethical?

Scource: Steve Riethoff

Wanna hear what they say in the Conde Nast building lifts?

My new favourite Twitter feed, is a record of conversations quoted from the lifts of the Conde Nast building in New York.




Gotta love it! Even quotes from Anna Wintour!

Find it at Conde Elevator

The floorspace we live in - by country

The chart below compares the average floor meterage of living spaces for each country named.

Thank you McMansions for our almost winning score.

Just remember that 26% of those USA homes are in foreclosure!

Source: BBC via Apartment Therapy

Ever walked into a store and been ignored? - or why Australian retail is going down the gurgler

Australian retailers  have recently been blaming the non-buying public and online sales for their plummeting turnover. I have another theory - its about service.

Example #1 high end fashion shop:
Entered shop reacting to giant 'sale' signs in all windows - no one acknowledged me. Looked at racks, thumbed through merchandise couldn't tell whether it was the sale rack or not. Held on to a few things I was thinking about trying on while I moved from rack to rack. Tried to attract attention of either one of two sales assistants pawing through stock behind the counter and chatting at other end of store.

Example #2 high end fashion store:
Entered in reaction to brand name and indication of sale racks. Approached first rack, and was greeted by shop assistant, saying 'If you need any help, my name is Thomas.' Thomas retreated, so that I felt no pressure. I grabbed a couple of things and draped them over my arm. 'Would you like me to set up a room for you to try those things on?' said Thomas as he offered to take the things from my arm.  I admired some shoes, and Thomas came over to tell me there was an additional discount on them. I tried them on. Thomas said 'Can I get you guys anything - soda, champagne, coffee?

So where were these experiences and did I purchase?

Example #1 Sydney, Australia - no purchase made

Example #2 Los Angeles, USA - shoes and three shirts purchased

Maybe the decline in retail has something to do with the almost complete lack of service in most Australian stores? Oh and unusually - we declined the champagne

Terrible Taxidermy - my new favorite blog

Your caption?

More here

Source: JoeMyGod

Update to Computer / Hotel email scam

Here is an update to my entry about the hotel/email scam. I actually received two of the scam emails. Here is one:

Dear Client!

Transaction: Credit Card 4920_fXqpb
On July 26th, 2011 Hotel made wrong transaction from your account for an overall amount of $1752. This partner hotel was divested accreditation in Moverick Company with reference of noncompliance of the service contract. Please see the attached form. You need to fill it in and contact your bank for the return of funds. In the attachment you will find expense sheet with the sum of wrong transaction debiting.
Company just mediates and bears no responsibility for any money transactions made by Hotel. Sorry for the inconvenience. We trust you can solve this unpleasant problem.

Keven Benes,
Manager of Reception Desk & Reservation Departament

And of course there was the inevitable attachment, that if opened would release the virus.

The 'refund' form is actually a nasty Trojan horse virus that attempts to install bogus antivirus sofware on your computer, which provides annoying alerts to phantom security problems on your computer. It then keeps pestering you until you pay some money to buy a phony antivirus product.

The trick is - of course - not to open the attachment in the first place - or use your anti Virus software. Also make sure your anti-Virus software is up to date, as spammers change the code on their viruses regularly to circumvent your protection software.

Just goes to show, you should never trust someone who puts an exclamation after the salutation.

Additional Info: Scamtends

American Architects design their own Barbie® Dream House™!

The American Institute of Architects has collaborated with Mattel and run a design competition for Barbie®'s new Dream House™! (Squeel!)

They have received 30 submissions, and a panel of jurors has selected 5 finalists (with input from Mattel's own team of Barbie® experts©. (Squeeeeeeel!).

The winning design is a typical™Malibu Beach House® designed by Ting Li and Maja Paklar. It has a Library™ because Barbie reads®! and a meditation room™ because Barbie thinks®! and a kind of weird wardrobe staircase thing - that you are going to have to download the PDF here to see. It even has floor plans!

 

I know you want to know more . . .

Scource: AIA  Orlando Sentinal

John Travlota removed from Qantas - at last!

It's strange how John Travolta who these days just seems to want to fly planes gets involved in the stoush between The Australian and International Pilots Association, and Qantas Management.

Qantas has recently removed the in-flight safety video featuring the Scientology believing American star.  The Pilots Assocation say that it is because Travolta talks about 'Australian Pilots' when Qantas is rumoured to replace them with outsourced and off shore alternatives.

Have they considered it is just because:

1. The safety video is not very good
2. the last time I saw it the copy was scratched and distorted
3. Passengers are distracting the pilots because of their volume of groans each time the video plays?
4. Qantas management got as bored as passengers already are with viewing the video?

Well those are my theories.  For anyone who hasn't seen the video - its presented below for your viewing pleasure - or pain, depending on you point of view.  This clip from Fox - also reminds us that Qantas Crew weren't too happy when the video was first introduced:

Scource: fox, SMH, and others