Author Topic: My $1,000 beer.  (Read 9240 times)

shanghaiMMM

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My $1,000 beer.
« on: January 02, 2016, 04:51:58 AM »
Sometimes, you just need to open yourself up to a kicking. I will try to keep this self face-punch / rant brief and to the point.

Work basically made us buy our own MacBooks to use*. I put said MacBook in my bag and cycled home. Fancied a beer. Bought a beer. Put said beer can in the bag. It explodes. Apple quote me $1,200 or so to fix as beer damage, along with water damage, isn't covered by shit (contents insurance is rare in China and Apple simply don't cover it).

So now, I need to buy yet another overpriced piece of metal to replace my 3 month old, still shiny metal paperweight (awesome choice of proprietary hardware guys).

Beer Stupidity is an anti-mustachian habit indeed. Come, punch me. It may even be cathartic.





*Pretty much what it says on the tin. Old company MacBooks were, well, old. To replace everyone's would be expensive, so instead they ship the cost to us under the guise of 'Buy your own MacBook and you get to keep it! (and use it for work everyday)'.


gReed Smith

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2016, 06:33:39 AM »
The can exploded?  Was it opened before you put it in the bag?

shanghaiMMM

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2016, 06:49:47 AM »
Yes. I think in hindsight it was defective. It's happened to me before with cans imported from abroad. They get a bang along the way and are more susceptible to busting open. Of course, I forgot this at the time.

Adventine

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2016, 07:16:19 AM »
Damn. Not going to facepunch you, though. It might have been a careless mistake to put the beer in the same bag as the laptop, but it certainly wasn't intentional, unlike  getting a huge unaffordable mortgage or maxing out credit cards on consumer junk.

libertarian4321

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2016, 07:31:40 AM »
The important question:  Were you able to salvage any of the beer?

Paul der Krake

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #5 on: January 02, 2016, 08:04:24 AM »
Companies that make you use your personal computer 40 hours a week are infuriating. Urgh.

Some people in the startup world can't comprehend that someone may choose to not purchase a faster machine every 18-24 months.

gReed Smith

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #6 on: January 02, 2016, 08:53:36 AM »
I paid $150 for my personal computer.  It won't last much longer (2 years old now) but it's good enough.  However, I couldn't use it for work because the keyboard sucks and I write all day.

Anyway, you don't quite deserve a facepunch. Sounds more unfortunate than stupid.

okits

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #7 on: January 02, 2016, 08:58:50 AM »
Damn. Not going to facepunch you, though. It might have been a careless mistake to put the beer in the same bag as the laptop, but it certainly wasn't intentional, unlike  getting a huge unaffordable mortgage or maxing out credit cards on consumer junk.
Anyway, you don't quite deserve a facepunch. Sounds more unfortunate than stupid.

Yeah, sad face this time.  Double facepunches if you ever make the same mistake again, though.

singh02

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #8 on: January 02, 2016, 09:16:48 AM »
Buy a waterproof laptop sleeve and place your laptop in that when you travel.

BarbeRiche

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2016, 09:28:06 AM »
I broke my laptop screen a few years ago by slapping it after losing a pot playing online poker drunk.

We learn by making mistakes..!


Icecreamarsenal

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2016, 09:34:07 AM »
My macbook Air is from 2010, and still going strong. Only maintenance so far is opening up the bottom case, blowing out fan dust.
Take care of em and they'll take care of you

Papa Mustache

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #11 on: January 02, 2016, 10:52:18 AM »
Depending on what kind of laptop you own - that defective keyboard is EASY and cheap to replace. There are a number of websites that detail out the process. P-mail for details if you need help finding them.

Sucks about your Macbook.

I expected a beer that cost you $1000 in fees somehow. I once had a $10 pizza that cost me about $55 in fees (bounced check). In the big picture I could that as a $55 education on why cash is king... Haven't written a check in 15? years.
« Last Edit: January 02, 2016, 10:53:55 AM by Joe Average »

shanghaiMMM

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #12 on: January 02, 2016, 02:36:09 PM »
You're all being much kinder than I deserve. But thank you anyway. I woke up this morning and decided to adapt a stoic attitude about this:

1 - Thanks to being around here, I have cash enough to afford another one without any problems.
2 - Thanks to being frugal / not spendy pants in general, I still have a Dell laptop from about 8 years ago (part of the reason I disliked being made to buy a new MacBook in the first place but I digress), and even then it was a hand me down from my dad! So in 8 years, 3 laptops isn't TOO bad.

The important question:  Were you able to salvage any of the beer?

3. And most importantly, I bought 2 beers ;-)

ginastarke

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2016, 12:04:54 AM »
From someone that rides a bike, I can't recommend a Pelican case highly enough. Hubby's  has saved his ipod from the death drop a number of times (important since apple no longer makes that model). For mine, I know if I get rained on or take a spill on my bike, my tablet's OK.

Kaspian

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2016, 10:16:04 AM »
Story to make you feel better:

$350 Bottle of Diet Coke

I flew from Toronto to Heathrow and had quite a bit of time until a separate flight I had to check in for Germany.  I decided to duck  outside, get some air, and have a cola for 10 minutes.  I went back inside, printed my boarding pass, headed to the Lufthansa area to check my bag (flight doesn't leave for an hour and fifteen minutes) and was greeted by absolute mayhem!!  Thousands of people shoulder-to-shoulder in a little room pushing and shoving to get to the Lufthansa desk.  Deep in the inescapable sea of people, I watched the minutes and then an hour tick by.  I frantically tried to get any representative's attention.  When I finally reached the desk I was told, "I'm sorry sir, that flight closed 2 minutes ago."  Anyway, it cost $350 to put me on another one and I had to wait 10 hours for it.   10 hours and $350 for a bit of fresh air and a Diet Coke.  ...Fuck.

Jack

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2016, 10:22:08 AM »
I expected a beer that cost you $1000 in fees somehow.

Could have been worse; I expected a DUI.

MgoSam

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2016, 10:27:37 AM »
I expected a beer that cost you $1000 in fees somehow.

Could have been worse; I expected a DUI.

That's what I was thinking, but if that is the case, that's a fairly cheap DUI. I've heard that it can cost you WAY more if you factor in court appearances, increase in insurance, and many more things.

Paul der Krake

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2016, 10:34:38 AM »
I expected a beer that cost you $1000 in fees somehow.

Could have been worse; I expected a DUI.

That's what I was thinking, but if that is the case, that's a fairly cheap DUI. I've heard that it can cost you WAY more if you factor in court appearances, increase in insurance, and many more things.
My town advertises the price on a few cop cars.

http://wunc.org/post/durham-police-choose-your-ride#stream/0

At last someone is tackling the issue of cost transparency!

GuitarStv

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2016, 11:35:45 AM »
Buy a waterproof laptop sleeve and place your laptop in that when you travel.

I put my laptop in a plastic bag before it goes in the pannier by habit now, since my panniers aren't waterproof.  Works fine in the worst of downpours.

jorjor

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #19 on: January 04, 2016, 03:17:53 PM »
I had a buddy in college who "spilled" on his laptop.

You see, he had a few too many to drink one night. He woke up the next morning and his computer wasn't working. Shoot. He sends it in. They tell him it has water damage, and not only could they not fix it, they were destroying it because it was a biohazard. "That's weird," he throught, "a biohazard?" You see, it turns out that he awoke in the middle of the night and, in his drunken stupor, confused his laptop for a urinal.

Now THAT was an expensive night out.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2016, 03:21:28 PM by jorjor »

CheapskateWife

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #20 on: January 04, 2016, 03:27:38 PM »
I once killed a smartphone with a poorly secured bottle of breastmilk in the diaper bag...I think I was just as upset about loosing the milk as the phone. 

shanghaiMMM

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #21 on: January 04, 2016, 06:20:16 PM »
I had a buddy in college who "spilled" on his laptop.

You see, he had a few too many to drink one night. He woke up the next morning and his computer wasn't working. Shoot. He sends it in. They tell him it has water damage, and not only could they not fix it, they were destroying it because it was a biohazard. "That's weird," he throught, "a biohazard?" You see, it turns out that he awoke in the middle of the night and, in his drunken stupor, confused his laptop for a urinal.

Now THAT was an expensive night out.

Ha! That's a good story. I'm quite liking the turn this thread has taken - technology destroyed in daft and unusual ways. Any more volunteers?!

Rural

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #22 on: January 05, 2016, 04:25:57 AM »
I had a buddy in college who "spilled" on his laptop.

You see, he had a few too many to drink one night. He woke up the next morning and his computer wasn't working. Shoot. He sends it in. They tell him it has water damage, and not only could they not fix it, they were destroying it because it was a biohazard. "That's weird," he throught, "a biohazard?" You see, it turns out that he awoke in the middle of the night and, in his drunken stupor, confused his laptop for a urinal.

Now THAT was an expensive night out.

Ha! That's a good story. I'm quite liking the turn this thread has taken - technology destroyed in daft and unusual ways. Any more volunteers?!


Motherboard died of cat pee, not human. The cat found himself sans testicles the next day, so I guess he paid a higher price than I did?

jorjor

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #23 on: January 05, 2016, 10:27:58 AM »
I had a buddy in college who "spilled" on his laptop.

You see, he had a few too many to drink one night. He woke up the next morning and his computer wasn't working. Shoot. He sends it in. They tell him it has water damage, and not only could they not fix it, they were destroying it because it was a biohazard. "That's weird," he throught, "a biohazard?" You see, it turns out that he awoke in the middle of the night and, in his drunken stupor, confused his laptop for a urinal.

Now THAT was an expensive night out.

Ha! That's a good story. I'm quite liking the turn this thread has taken - technology destroyed in daft and unusual ways. Any more volunteers?!


Motherboard died of cat pee, not human. The cat found himself sans testicles the next day, so I guess he paid a higher price than I did?

To follow-up on my story, my buddy still has testicles. I'm assuming, anyway.

Roboturner

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #24 on: January 05, 2016, 10:39:08 AM »
Open the macbook up and clean with q-tips and alcohol. I bet you could fix it. I fixed many a computer/ps4/xbox that had 'water damage' - if Apple totaled it, what's there to lose in figuring out how the thing works?

Wilson Hall

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #25 on: January 05, 2016, 10:56:11 AM »
I had a buddy in college who "spilled" on his laptop.

You see, he had a few too many to drink one night. He woke up the next morning and his computer wasn't working. Shoot. He sends it in. They tell him it has water damage, and not only could they not fix it, they were destroying it because it was a biohazard. "That's weird," he throught, "a biohazard?" You see, it turns out that he awoke in the middle of the night and, in his drunken stupor, confused his laptop for a urinal.

Now THAT was an expensive night out.

Ha! That's a good story. I'm quite liking the turn this thread has taken - technology destroyed in daft and unusual ways. Any more volunteers?!


Motherboard died of cat pee, not human. The cat found himself sans testicles the next day, so I guess he paid a higher price than I did?

To follow-up on my story, my buddy still has testicles. I'm assuming, anyway.

Years ago, my dad was working on his laptop at home while drinking a cup of hot tea. Our dog took a flying leap into his lap, knocking over the tea and wiping out the laptop. Dad turned in the dead laptop and reported that he'd been using it on a flight, and that it went kaput because the drunk in the seat next to him spilled his beverage all over the keyboard.

shanghaiMMM

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #26 on: January 12, 2016, 10:12:32 PM »
Huzzah! It's alive again! (Kind of)


Open the macbook up and clean with q-tips and alcohol. I bet you could fix it. I fixed many a computer/ps4/xbox that had 'water damage' - if Apple totaled it, what's there to lose in figuring out how the thing works?

I bet you were right. My ICT department gave it to a local computer shop and I think they did something similar. For just over $100 they've sorted the logic board. The screen has some dodgy shadows on left over from the beer. I could pay an extra $300 for a new screen from the same bloke (Apple quoted $600 for a screen). Even if I got a new screen, it'd be much cheaper than the $1200 from Apple.

I think I'm just going to flex my frugal muscles and not replace the screen and be happy with the fact I have a working laptop again. Besides, it'll be a daily reminder to take more care with such temperamental items :)

FrugalKube

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #27 on: January 12, 2016, 10:29:07 PM »
The important question:  Were you able to salvage any of the beer?

That is the best question

steviesterno

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #28 on: January 13, 2016, 05:57:23 AM »
our grad school had a BS policy of "factoring in" a $200 lap top to tuition that cost us like $2400. BUT it came with a 3 year, anything happens to it we replace it free warranty. What's weird, about 33 months in everyone's lap top seemed to catch fire, get run over by a new truck (it held up so we they put it on some 2x4s to make it snap in half) and a few rode circles in microwaves. i may have even seen one with the covers all removed thrown into a bucket of seawater during start up. twice.


Merrie

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Re: My $1,000 beer.
« Reply #29 on: January 19, 2016, 08:35:53 PM »
One time I had a coupon for a free coffee at Caribou. I went down to the one on campus. I had to parallel park and hit the curb, because I am not much good at parallel parking. Afterwards I noticed something in my car was making a weird scraping sound, so I took it in. Something had come loose in the undercarriage and they charged me $45 to fix everything up. Some free cup of coffee.