Bits and bobs

[blamebrampton]

Last year we noted development applications for a new coffee bar and a late-night dessert and chocolate bar in Erko. Immediately I wrote to the council in support of the latter and am happy to report that it has been approved ;-)

The coffee bar is a bit further progressed, and they have recently unveiled the new fit-out. It will be called The Kick Inside. Mr Brammers and I are now dreaming of a Kate Bush Tribute Cafe.

I went to post nail polish to people on Monday, and was told at the crazy post office that it is illegal. Yesterday I went to the sane post office and they agreed that yes, it was, even though it's ridiculous. I have written to the management of Australia Post to ask why, and how the Australian nail polish supplies are kept current and in season given the lack of an indigenous industry. Worst-case scenario, I will ship things to the appropriate countries with travellers ;-)

Finally, Air France and KLM are going to charge obese passengers an extra 75% to book the seat next to them, which will be refunded if that seat is empty due to low carriage numbers. I want to know if I can also book a second seat for 75% of a discount price? That's enough space for me to have a reasonable nap! Surely it would be discrimination to charge small people more!

So, now that the airlines have decided it's really all about making sure people are 'comfortable', I think we should all get involved and tell them what would make air travel truly enjoyable. I can't see a return to neat stewarding staff and edible food, but I am sure we can have a few pleasant changes. So ...

[Poll #1514553]NB, the blowdarts are for use BY the women ON annoying members of the sporting teams. And no, men do not need them when the women's cricket teams travel, those girls are lovely!

I'm sure there are other great ideas out there, feel free to share!

Comments

[treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com]

Clickety-clickety-click-click-click!

The provision of Quality Literature in the seat pockets, as well as the in-flight magazine. Paperbacks are cheap, and there is only so much I can read about the wonders of pot-plant gardening, and Leonardo DiCaprio's environmental crusade.

And don't talk to me about The Kick Inside...
*pokes belly*

[alienor77310.livejournal.com]

The only flights I've taken lately are short, low-cost flits. But I suppose it's the same all over: How are you supposed to put your head on your knees in case of emergency if you're taller than a 10 y.o. child?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

OH! I have news! No, not me! Don't be ridiculous!

You would be surprised to learn about the science of the in-flight mag: can usually only weigh up to 500g, needs a 40% ad ratio, has a certain number of pages dedicated to the airline's needs, can't offend ANYONE, must be comprehensible by the drunk ... it's a highly complex beastie!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Folded arms on the back of the seat in front of you ;-)

I have to say that every time I get on a plane, it's just that little bit more soul destroying. Flying used to be fun, but now it makes that Aeroflot jaunt I took in the early 80s looks like high class. And there was a woman on that sweeping the aisles before we took off!

[treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com]

I am in fact Jack's total lack of surprise. It explains everything.

[treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com]

What would you know? You're not taller than a 10 year old ;P

*runs and hides*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I used to have the fine art of saying risque things in an inoffensive fashion down perfectly when I wrote for one ;-)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I'm taller than a really short one!

[treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com]

It's true; I imagine you are taller than, for instance, you yourself were at the age of ten.
And now I shall stop picking on you, lest you decide not to come to Supanova as my bodyguard, and leave me at the mercy of pseudicide and my friend Siobhan (who would both abandon me at the first glimpse of James Marsters).

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Three whole inches!! And yes, be nice, or I shall take my concentrated evil and use it elsewhere ;-) Though I have just been invited to a steampunk party in May and so I will have an outfit to try out anyway ...

[anthraxia.livejournal.com]

I think you need to add penalties against seat neighbours who insist on sitting with their legs apart, and thus have their feet in your foot-space. And given that some airlines charge outrageous prices for not particularly good food, I'd like an outrageous discount every time I get served appallingly bad coffee, or milky dishwater that once said hello to a tea leaf and is now pretending to be tea.
I'd also like Virgin Blue to refund my ticket for the re-routed flight from Adelaide to Canberra via Melbourne due to fog. I don't mind them landing in Melbourne because Canberra Airport was fogged in (although it was annoying to learn that 10 minutes after they made the decision to re-route, Canberra started letting planes land again.) No, my beef is that for the entire horrific 6 1/2 hours I was stuck on that plane, they played Michael Buble on repeat. One song. No escape. I refuse to name the song because the hideous ear-worm will invade my mind for a month if I do.

[treacle-tartlet.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! I doubt I'll be in any state of mind for dressing up (nor will I have a great deal of time to make an outfit, and there's no point trying to fit things now because I'm all bumpy...)

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

That is surely a breach of some international torture treaty. I know we ignore them these days but still...

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I could bring sheets and you could go as Lawrence of Arabia. I'd shout LAWRENCE!! every now and then, and do my camel impersonation.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I agree!

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

All me the above apart from discounts for good parents. No subsidies for those who meet basic standards!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Ooh, good ideas!

And you are stoic to the point of heroism, dear! I was trapped on hold with Qantas for a half hour and threatened to desecrate the grave of Peter Allen if they put me back to their theme tune when the helpful chick went away to check something. She understood fully and gave me a jazz channel, bless her.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's come to the point where I am so pathetically grateful for good parenting that I feel as though it deserves a reward. The nadir was on a trans-Tasman flight when three small boys were allowed to run riot and one actually hit Mr Brammers, who had the temerity to be in an aisle seat. One of the crew had the facial expression of 'Must Not Plough Down Infants With Coffee Cart', I was not alone in hoping she would snap.

Behind us sat another woman with three small children, one in arms. Her little boy could be heard to say 'I'm not like that, am I, Mummy?' Mr B turned around and said 'No, you're not. You're a credit to your family.' Kidlet and mum were both chuffed.

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

"I think you need to add penalties against seat neighbours who insist on sitting with their legs apart, and thus have their feet in your foot-space."

Hell yes! Although, in fairness, there should also be enough legroom that those of us over 5'6 are physically able to not sit with our legs apart.

[astarael02.livejournal.com]

Aww, that was really sweet of him to say that to the little boy! It's nice when kids are praised for being good, not just told off when they're naughty :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! It's outrageous when I start to feel crowded in economy: I'm only 156cm tall!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

He is good with kids. And cats. Both tend to follow him about hoping for a ride on his shoulders ;-)

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

I am about 178. It gets quite uncomfortable on long haul flights!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

And now they charge more for tall person rows -- outrageous!

[maevemist.livejournal.com]

First off let it be known that I have never been on a very long plane flight. The longest one was from Adelaide to Sydney and that was 20+ years ago.

Having said that I can not imagine how awful flying for 27 hours straight must be if all aeroplanes are as squishy as the one I took recently to Brisbane. I am so very glad I am not claustaphobic.

I clicked on the reward points for good parenting, simply because; children that run wild piss me off at the best of times let alone if I had had very little sleep and was stuck in an enclosed space for an extended period of time.

I would like to suggest for the benefit of my frequent flyer friends that children under 2 not be allowed to fly any longer than 2 hours. I would say the time should be extended to correspond with their age but that wouldn't really work. If it didn't make me sound like a horrible person I would also stipulate that children needed to be sedated to fly. (or take an over night bus trip)