Comment On Not Quite Chilled

"Personally, I prefer my wine a little chilled," Kevin Burfitt writes, "or at least below boiling point." [expand full text]
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Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:05 • by Madball (unregistered)
Do you mean to Comment?

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Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:06 • by Zero percent (unregistered)
It is 3 percent of your current charges, dimwit. In your next life, pay attention in school. That stuff is actually useful for something.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:08 • by Addison (unregistered)
How the hell could you screw temperature up like that?

And I have gotten that same message in Rise of Nations. Good game- you could personally script the AI from within the game. It's part of what got me into programming in the first place. That and Starcraft.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:09 • by Zero percent (unregistered)
Oh yeah, and in this life, since I assume you plan to stay awhile, try not to get a job as a hedge fund manager investing in credit default swaps. You cheaters and losers are killing the world.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:11 • by Madball (unregistered)
234144 in reply to 234141
Zero percent:
It is 3 percent of your current charges, dimwit. In your next life, pay attention in school. That stuff is actually useful for something.
Still a WTF from a business standpoint. Discount terms are there to drive quicker cash flow. Offering a discount off of a non-net number is stupid.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:15 • by Zero percent (unregistered)
234146 in reply to 234144
Madball:
Zero percent:
It is 3 percent of your current charges, dimwit. In your next life, pay attention in school. That stuff is actually useful for something.
Still a WTF from a business standpoint. Discount terms are there to drive quicker cash flow. Offering a discount off of a non-net number is stupid.

So if a customer prepays their balance one month, you should punish them the next month by cutting into their discount? What business school taught you that concept?

By your logic, if I run up a huge debt, will you offer me a bigger discount? Great incentive not to pay. Punish the good, reward the bad. Welcome to our wonderful world.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:16 • by Gareth (unregistered)
2 WTF's in one pic:

1. The Screen saver shown on the sign.
2. The sign on the roof of a 4x4.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:29 • by Madball (unregistered)
234151 in reply to 234146
Zero percent:
Madball:
Zero percent:
It is 3 percent of your current charges, dimwit. In your next life, pay attention in school. That stuff is actually useful for something.
Still a WTF from a business standpoint. Discount terms are there to drive quicker cash flow. Offering a discount off of a non-net number is stupid.

So if a customer prepays their balance one month, you should punish them the next month by cutting into their discount? What business school taught you that concept?

By your logic, if I run up a huge debt, will you offer me a bigger discount? Great incentive not to pay. Punish the good, reward the bad. Welcome to our wonderful world.
Someone must have taught you to strengthen your arguments by adding personal attacks (e.g. Dimwit). What school taught you that concept? Oh, and by the way, it's not a prepayment, it's a billing correction from a prior statement.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:31 • by phx
Bloody TRU Energy.

They sent me my Q2 power bill (an estimate - which they admitted), and then sent my Q3 power bill which was the exact same daily draw, down to the cent - claimed it wasnt an estimate. It was also incorrect (as I checked the meter myself).

They agreed that the Q2 power bill was exactly 50% of the Q2/Q3 period, and this was "because it was an estimate" (and obviously some goddamn excellent psychic abilities as they got it to me before I used power in Q3). They also refused to send someone out to recheck the meter (and then later offered to do it for $600 non-refundable).

Practically got to the "well take me to court then" stage, when they realised that, hey, their billing department wasn't packed with psychics, they're all a bunch of retards, and it was an estimated read. No apology though - and I still had to refuse to pay "late" fees.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 08:58 • by Someone You Know
What does "BHG" stand for in the title bar of the Rise of Nations error?

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:01 • by Dirk Diggler (unregistered)
234160 in reply to 234152
phx:
Bloody TRU Energy.

They sent me my Q2 power bill (an estimate - which they admitted), and then sent my Q3 power bill which was the exact same daily draw, down to the cent - claimed it wasnt an estimate. It was also incorrect (as I checked the meter myself).

They agreed that the Q2 power bill was exactly 50% of the Q2/Q3 period, and this was "because it was an estimate" (and obviously some goddamn excellent psychic abilities as they got it to me before I used power in Q3). They also refused to send someone out to recheck the meter (and then later offered to do it for $600 non-refundable).

Practically got to the "well take me to court then" stage, when they realised that, hey, their billing department wasn't packed with psychics, they're all a bunch of retards, and it was an estimated read. No apology though - and I still had to refuse to pay "late" fees.
It's morning and I'm having trouble following your story. Could you type a little slower and a little louder? Thanks.

TRU

2008-12-11 09:02 • by virgil (unregistered)
The real WTF here is why the TRU invoice appears in this article... the discount calculation is 100% correct.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:04 • by Megadroid (unregistered)
234163 in reply to 234158
Someone You Know:
What does "BHG" stand for in the title bar of the Rise of Nations error?


Big Huge Games

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:22 • by ContraCorners
234165 in reply to 234151
Madball:
Zero percent:
Madball:
Zero percent:
It is 3 percent of your current charges, dimwit. In your next life, pay attention in school. That stuff is actually useful for something.
Still a WTF from a business standpoint. Discount terms are there to drive quicker cash flow. Offering a discount off of a non-net number is stupid.

So if a customer prepays their balance one month, you should punish them the next month by cutting into their discount? What business school taught you that concept?

By your logic, if I run up a huge debt, will you offer me a bigger discount? Great incentive not to pay. Punish the good, reward the bad. Welcome to our wonderful world.
Someone must have taught you to strengthen your arguments by adding personal attacks (e.g. Dimwit). What school taught you that concept? Oh, and by the way, it's not a prepayment, it's a billing correction from a prior statement.

+1 On the personal attacks thing. That's a way to detract from a good argument, not to enhance one. (Also, should the shorthand be +=1 now?)

Still, your logic penalizes the customer unjustly. The company sent and incorrect (too high) bill. The customer paid it anyway. This really "drive(s) quicker cash flow," doesn't it? But in return for this, you want to reduce his prompt pay discount the following month. Doesn't seem equitable to me.

In my many years as an A/P clerk, I don't recall ever seeing prompt pay discount on a rolling balance account. Typically, PPD is extended on "open item" type account - where the customer payments are applied to a specific invoice, not an overall balance. This is somewhat analogous to extending PPD on the current portion of the rolling balance, isn't it?

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:31 • by Madball (unregistered)
234167 in reply to 234165
ContraCorners:

+1 On the personal attacks thing. That's a way to detract from a good argument, not to enhance one. (Also, should the shorthand be +=1 now?)

Still, your logic penalizes the customer unjustly. The company sent and incorrect (too high) bill. The customer paid it anyway. This really "drive(s) quicker cash flow," doesn't it? But in return for this, you want to reduce his prompt pay discount the following month. Doesn't seem equitable to me.

In my many years as an A/P clerk, I don't recall ever seeing prompt pay discount on a rolling balance account. Typically, PPD is extended on "open item" type account - where the customer payments are applied to a specific invoice, not an overall balance. This is somewhat analogous to extending PPD on the current portion of the rolling balance, isn't it?

True and I believe that's what's throwing me off (coming from manufacturing-purchasing, I only dealt with specific invoices). As you say, his valid argument was lost in the style. Applying PPD to the current balance is correct and I'm not sure there's a way out of it showing "funky" in this particular scenario. No WTF here.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:32 • by Madball (unregistered)
234168 in reply to 234167
Madball:

Applying PPD to the current balance
Crap. I meant current charges, not current balance!

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:44 • by ContraCorners
234169 in reply to 234168
Madball:
Madball:

Applying PPD to the current balance
Crap. I meant current charges, not current balance!

I was just about to ask if you meant current charges.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:53 • by DaveAronson
234170 in reply to 234146
Zero percent:
Punish the good, reward the bad. Welcome to our wonderful world.
Works well for Communists, and other fans of bailouts....

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:54 • by DaveAronson
234171 in reply to 234165
ContraCorners:
+1 On the personal attacks thing. That's a way to detract from a good argument, not to enhance one. (Also, should the shorthand be +=1 now?)
Maybe just ++?

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:57 • by brett (unregistered)
I don't get it. 86 ct is 3% of $28,74.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 09:57 • by Walleye
234174 in reply to 234165
ContraCorners:
+1 On the personal attacks thing. That's a way to detract from a good argument, not to enhance one.


You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:01 • by Andy (unregistered)
So the bill is $28.74.
The Bill, less 3% is $27.88

He's already paid $26.57

So on the full bill he owes $2.17
On the discounted bill he owes $1.31


The math on this bill is exactly correct. The only discrepancy is that they've rounded up by about two tenths of a cent.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:02 • by pitchingchris
234177 in reply to 234148
Gareth:
2 WTF's in one pic:

1. The Screen saver shown on the sign.
2. The sign on the roof of a 4x4.


That you SpectateSwamp? The sign just appears to be on the 4x4. The Explorer is carrying a luggage bag on top. The sign is on the side the road, it only appears to be on top due to 3d perspective relative to the camera position.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:04 • by campkev
234179 in reply to 234174
Walleye:
ContraCorners:
+1 On the personal attacks thing. That's a way to detract from a good argument, not to enhance one.


You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

and she's a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:06 • by Bernie (unregistered)
234180 in reply to 234174
Walleye:
You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

Mine too!

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:23 • by ContraCorners
234181 in reply to 234174
Walleye:
ContraCorners:
+1 On the personal attacks thing. That's a way to detract from a good argument, not to enhance one.


You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny.


Well, it's more that my mother dresses funny and I dress a lot like her.

Ugly? Guilty as charged. And I can name a few hundred women who will agree.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:23 • by pjt33
234182 in reply to 234142
Addison:
How the hell could you screw temperature up like that?

In Madrid on holiday yesterday, I saw a sign in the street announcing the current temperature as -173C. Either they had the thermometer in liquid nitrogen or there was a fairly large error somewhere.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:23 • by Flatline
234183 in reply to 234142
Addison:
How the hell could you screw temperature up like that?


14 to 16 would be an acceptable temperature range (for reds anyway, bit warm for white/sparkling) so someone just got carried away with zeroes. The temperatures are listed correctly elsewhere on the site.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:26 • by shadowman
234184 in reply to 234151
Madball:
Zero percent:
Madball:
Zero percent:
It is 3 percent of your current charges, dimwit. In your next life, pay attention in school. That stuff is actually useful for something.
Still a WTF from a business standpoint. Discount terms are there to drive quicker cash flow. Offering a discount off of a non-net number is stupid.

So if a customer prepays their balance one month, you should punish them the next month by cutting into their discount? What business school taught you that concept?

By your logic, if I run up a huge debt, will you offer me a bigger discount? Great incentive not to pay. Punish the good, reward the bad. Welcome to our wonderful world.
Someone must have taught you to strengthen your arguments by adding personal attacks (e.g. Dimwit). What school taught you that concept? Oh, and by the way, it's not a prepayment, it's a billing correction from a prior statement.


OK, so they discounted a total amount that probably shouldn't have been a total amount. But the OP sent it in with the 2 net amounts circled and claimed the billing company was using bad arithmetic and didn't know how to calculate 3%, because--har har--1.31 isn't 3% of 2.17.

Lame.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:32 • by evilspoons (unregistered)
As a matter of stupid trivia, being able to see the "edition" on the Windows XP logo immediately gives it away as the screen saver, provided the computer in question has ANY updates.

The RTM version of Windows XP said "Home Edition" or "Professional Edition" on the boot screen, but after SP1 it was simply changed to say "Windows XP".

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 10:48 • by Mr Ascii
234188 in reply to 234142
Addison:
How the hell could you screw temperature up like that?


They did a calculation of 60-70 deg Celsius to Fahrenheit. Probably forgot to hit shift on the calculator or something.

TRWTF is that they don't know that 140 deg Celsius wine would be vapor.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 11:01 • by amischiefr
234191 in reply to 234148
Gareth:
2 WTF's in one pic:

1. The Screen saver shown on the sign.
2. The sign on the roof of a 4x4.

You forgot 3. There were 20 Mexicans in the back of the truck trying to sneak across the border.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 11:03 • by Charles (unregistered)
140 C temperature would explain why they need the $40 credit...


captcha- quis: A kissing quiz.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 11:16 • by Josh (unregistered)
What if you get a windows STOP error? what happens to traffic?
:)

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 11:20 • by Flatline
234203 in reply to 234188
Mr Ascii:
Addison:
How the hell could you screw temperature up like that?


They did a calculation of 60-70 deg Celsius to Fahrenheit. Probably forgot to hit shift on the calculator or something.

TRWTF is that they don't know that 140 deg Celsius wine would be vapor.


I presume you meant Fahrenheit to Celsius. As I said above, the range was supposed to be 14-16 so it really was just a case of adding an extraneous zero to each number.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 11:56 • by asdfasf (unregistered)
234217 in reply to 234191
amischiefr:
Gareth:
2 WTF's in one pic:

1. The Screen saver shown on the sign.
2. The sign on the roof of a 4x4.

You forgot 3. There were 20 Mexicans in the back of the truck trying to sneak across the border.
Actually, those are Americans going to Mexico to look for jobs.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 12:15 • by Asiago Chow (unregistered)
234226 in reply to 234188
Mr Ascii:

TRWTF is that they don't know that 140 deg Celsius wine would be vapor.


Except they are talking about wine in bottles.

Vapor pressure at 150C is going to be somewhere around 5 bar/75PSI. Chances are a wine bottle can take that though the cork might not. Restrain the corks and you are good to go... 150C wine that is mostly not vapor. Bit of advice: Don't remove the cork or you'll get steamed. Best not to go anywhere near the bottle if you have a choice.

Physics is great.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 12:16 • by bakkeld (unregistered)
On the gas bill, you get a 3% discount on the whole thing, not just the amount due. The discount comes off the 28.74 for the total months usage. Add in the credit, and yes, the amount due with the 3% discount is 1.31

Total bill = 28.74
Credit carried from last bill = 26.57
Total with 3% discount = 27.88

Not paid on time = total - credit = 28.74 - 26.57 = 2.17
Paid on time for the 3% discount = Total w/discount - credit = 27.88 - 26.57 = 1.31

3% is 3%... what's the problem?

2008-12-11 12:17 • by MadCow42 (unregistered)
3% of his new bill ($28.74) is $0.86.... which is the precise difference between the two payable amounts. What's the problem?

He has a credit on his bill, which is also being applied. Without the credit, his payable amount would have been $28.74, or $27.88 with a 3% discount. Subtract his credit amount, and you end up with what's shown.

No error. This is a PEBCAK issue. (Problem Exists Between Chair and Keyboard).


MadCow

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 12:43 • by Thomas P (unregistered)
234240 in reply to 234203
That's was too high for wine on the long run.

13°C is the ideal, and usually you'd better stay between 10°C and 14°C. Once you want to drink the bottle, then, you want to either cool it for (some) whites or reheat for most reds.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 12:49 • by Pyrtolin (unregistered)
234243 in reply to 234175
Andy:
So the bill is $28.74.
The Bill, less 3% is $27.88

He's already paid $26.57

So on the full bill he owes $2.17
On the discounted bill he owes $1.31


The math on this bill is exactly correct. The only discrepancy is that they've rounded up by about two tenths of a cent.


So if there's any failure here, it's that they didn't lock in the discount for the portion that he has already paid before the deadline.

(And it's probably not worth the effort and confusion to try and add that extra logic to the billing process)

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 14:07 • by inomyabcs (unregistered)
234256 in reply to 234200
Josh:
What if you get a windows STOP error? what happens to traffic? :)


They all go home and load up Rise of Nations for more errors. :o)

captcha: odio
What my Mexican mistress screams out everynight.
<lame>The next new audio codec from Blammo.</lame>
<lamer>Odie's sister.</lamer>
<lamest>What the French would have named Ohio.</lamest>

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 14:08 • by plaidfluff
234257 in reply to 234203
Flatline:
Mr Ascii:
Addison:
How the hell could you screw temperature up like that?


They did a calculation of 60-70 deg Celsius to Fahrenheit. Probably forgot to hit shift on the calculator or something.

TRWTF is that they don't know that 140 deg Celsius wine would be vapor.


I presume you meant Fahrenheit to Celsius. As I said above, the range was supposed to be 14-16 so it really was just a case of adding an extraneous zero to each number.
I think what Mr. Ascii meant is that they intended to convert 60F to C (which would be 15C, right within the range you mention) but instead converted 60C to F, and then (continuing along the original mistake) wrote it with a C.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 14:43 • by DaveK
234266 in reply to 234192
Charles:
captcha- quis: A kissing quiz.
It's latin, meaning "who". As in "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?", and all that.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 14:46 • by DaveK
234268 in reply to 234256
inomyabcs:

captcha: odio
What my Mexican mistress screams out everynight.
Dude, you need to learn some Spanish. Badly.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 14:49 • by DaveK
234269 in reply to 234243
Pyrtolin:
Andy:
So the bill is $28.74.
The Bill, less 3% is $27.88

He's already paid $26.57

So on the full bill he owes $2.17
On the discounted bill he owes $1.31


The math on this bill is exactly correct. The only discrepancy is that they've rounded up by about two tenths of a cent.


So if there's any failure here, it's that they didn't lock in the discount for the portion that he has already paid before the deadline.

(And it's probably not worth the effort and confusion to try and add that extra logic to the billing process)

No, it's because you only get the discount for paying the *full* amount before the deadline. You don't get a pro-rata discount if you pay less than the full amount before the deadline, you get zero discount. So there's no reason to lock it in, and what the bill is telling him is that if he completes the payment by the deadline he'll only have to pay in total the discounted amount, and if he doesn't he'll have to pay the full amount.

ARGH WE HAZ BEEN INVADED!!!1!!1!

2008-12-11 14:55 • by DaveK
234271 in reply to 234167
Madball:
ContraCorners:

Still, your logic penalizes the customer unjustly. The company sent and incorrect (too high) bill. The customer paid it anyway. This really "drive(s) quicker cash flow," doesn't it? But in return for this, you want to reduce his prompt pay discount the following month. Doesn't seem equitable to me.

In my many years as an A/P clerk, I don't recall ever seeing prompt pay discount on a rolling balance account. Typically, PPD is extended on "open item" type account - where the customer payments are applied to a specific invoice, not an overall balance. This is somewhat analogous to extending PPD on the current portion of the rolling balance, isn't it?

True and I believe that's what's throwing me off (coming from manufacturing-purchasing, I only dealt with specific invoices). As you say, his valid argument was lost in the style. Applying PPD to the current balance is correct and I'm not sure there's a way out of it showing "funky" in this particular scenario. No WTF here.
TRWTF is finding an accounts payable clerk and a manufacturing-purchasing accountant having a conversation about bill payment and accounting procedures on TDWTF, a site for coders! What is this, Invasion of the Bean Counters or something? Get outta here, you don't belong!
[ Reaches for BOFH-style cattle prod... ]

Re: ARGH WE HAZ BEEN INVADED!!!1!!1!

2008-12-11 15:28 • by ContraCorners
234279 in reply to 234271
DaveK:
Madball:
ContraCorners:

...In my many years as an A/P clerk...

...coming from manufacturing-purchasing, I only dealt with specific invoices...
TRWTF is finding an accounts payable clerk and a manufacturing-purchasing accountant having a conversation about bill payment and accounting procedures on TDWTF, a site for coders! What is this, Invasion of the Bean Counters or something? Get outta here, you don't belong!
Geez, I only started in A/P (25 odd years ago) before moving to accounting systems consulting. I haven't done any bean counting in years.

DaveK:
[ Reaches for BOFH-style cattle prod... ]


promises, promises

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 16:44 • by Vombatus
234291 in reply to 234257
plaidfluff:
I think what Mr. Ascii meant is that they intended to convert 60F to C (which would be 15C, right within the range you mention) but instead converted 60C to F, and then (continuing along the original mistake) wrote it with a C.


Except the company is in Australia, who has used the metric system for many many years. I doubt that anyone would still be using a very old thermometer and go to the trouble of trying to convert the reading into SI units. After all, at that temp, all the red stuff would have evaporated :)

As someone has already pointed out, the website has references to 14-16 degrees C. Someone concatenated a zero.

Re: Not Quite Chilled

2008-12-11 16:53 • by Wretch (unregistered)
The Editor should have caught that invoice one... I think most people would think look for credit on account, not to mention most coders. I don't imagine there are many coders out there that haven't dealt with some sort of AR or billing system of some sort at one point their career.

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