There goes my bonus...

Graphics cards open new Windows "Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, which is due to go on widespread release in January 2007 will make big demands of your computer's graphics capabilities."

Technical advancement is a good thing except when it goes beyond KISS... and Vista is a case in point. Why do we need this to compose reports and calculate the cost of building a skyscraper? A Pentium1 running Win 3.1 would be sufficient!
I am also not the only one to have this view hence the upsurge of Linux based software that will run on even the most rudimentary machine and the price is usually ridiculous... Free! What a concept!
Now if Bill Gates wants to be a real philanthropist he will make Vista or the Applications that use it free... that would be something...

Purple and Blue, shades of brown and green in between..

Purple Broom flowering at present in the Botanical Gardens, who said winter needs to be dull...
The new restaurant and Visitors’ Centre at Free State NBG viewed from the hill overlooking the dam. This dam was built during the Boer War to provide water to the horses of British cavalry billeted in the area...
The brown/purple edge on the water's edge is invader species that I will be commenting on my FeXII blog...
Some close up's of berries on a Karee tree... with suntanned cheeks.

"If winter is slumber and spring is birth, and summer is life, then autumn rounds out to be reflection. It's a time of year when the leaves are down and the harvest is in and the perennials are gone. Mother Earth just closed up the drapes on another year and it's time to reflect on what's come before."
Mitchell Burgess, Northern Exposure, Thanksgiving, 1992

'Patriotic hackers should shut down the site'

Pray tell why exactly someones freedom of speech on a legaly registered and paid for website that is stating true facts should be attacked by "Patriotic Hackers"? This reeks of incitement to perpetrate a crimminal offence as described in our communication law... (Google it yourself.) I hope it was not Nils Flaatten of Wesgro, the article was not clear here but just had this vague 'Patriotic hackers should shut down the site' quote... if it was he should know damn well better!
Rather we should be looking into the motivation of the site... and that is our uncontrolled crime... of wich my family has been a victim of in half a dozen instances... not one of the thugs have been apprehended to date nor has the SAPS ever gotten back to report progress in the cases...
We are still waiting 9 months later for the "Fingerprint squad" to come and dust for fingerprints on the garage door that had been wrenched open to gain acess! By this time I had to have the door repaired and strengthened to prevent another break in.
I say this site should be promoted far and wide to put pressure on goverment to do their job as proscribed in our glorious Constitution...
I for one back the site 100%, way to go Neil Watson!

http://www.crimexposouthafrica.co.za

Update: I have requested clarity on the quote from Reuters ZA on their website.

Regarding a news article I read on Iol the source was given as Reuters and the reporter was Karen Breytenbach.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060707015837571C820421
I am interested to hear exactly who said the following as quoted in the report?
"Patriotic hackers should shut down the site."
The reason being that this is an inflamatory statement and incitement to commit an offence... something I do not think Reuters would be a party to.
I hope to hear from you soon in this regard.

Thanks (me)

I may be surprised by Reuters or maybe not...

Quiche at Gecko's

The Free State National Botanical Gardens have a new place to eat...
Gecko’s Restaurant has opened and I decided to partake in a light lunch when I visited this week... not expecting much I ordered a cup of coffee and the Quiche of the day...
I was pleasantly surprised by this plate presented to me... the Quiche was Bacon and Mushroom, with a "Garden salad" with a delightfull Advocado sauce instead of the usual salad dressing... it was delicious both on the salad and Quiche!
Gecko's will be visited again! and I will be singing their praises... the service was excellent as well as the prices, not the cheapest but the quality was top class. The tables are plain but suit the setting and are adorned with indigenous blooms, depending what is flowering at the time...
I will have write up's on places I think are worth a culinary visit from time to time.
Must get that Avo sauce recipe next time...

Update: 03/09/07 - Seems like the place is now closed. When KatieB and I were here in July it was all shut up and the sign board was missing as well.

This Friday's Dumbass award goes to...

Ted Stevens for taking the Internet down the Tubes...
How Ignoramii like this get elected in a developed country like the USA beats me...

Wild beans

The Man went to the Botanical gardens and saw a lot of Wild beans as well as a lot of flowers... he showed me these two...
A Tiptol in the tree...






and a Yellow Mongoose(Cynictis penicillata). I asked the man why he giggled when he typed the word Mongoose... he said he remembers a Simpsons episode...
Homer: "Release the mongoose!"
"Stupid mongoose! Get the snakes! The snakes! Do I look like a snake? Ow! Ow! Why isn't he listening to me? Ow! Ohhh. Show's over! Show's over! Next show at eight o'clock and ten!"

Red Hot...

Pokers or Kniphofia... in all their glory, this was me testing my camera at dusk...
Since my daughter is in the States and also having other family and friends there these flowers will always remind me of the Fourth of July... coincedentally I shot them on the same date!
Today's quote seems to fit in with the theme of the week...
"The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas-a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated." Ronald Reagan (1911 - 2004)

What country 2010?

My view... someone did not have the flag handy when they laid it out... the colours are incorrect for one.
The Red must always be antecedant... here it is laid out in the obverse... I hope it is not a forecast on the event in less than 3 and a half years time..

Update: 11/07/2006.
I was wrong! Here is the correct way to display the flag... thanks SicParvis...

National flag
When the flag is displayed vertically against a wall, the red band should be to the left of the viewer with the hoist or the cord seam at the top. When it is displayed horizontally, the hoist should be to the left of the viewer and the red band at the top. When the flag is displayed next to or behind the speaker at a meeting, it must be placed to the speaker's right. When it is placed elsewhere in the meeting place, it should be to the right of the audience.

However as I mentioned, the colours used are wrong as well as other Vexillological errors

Textile colours:
Green - CKS 42 c Spectrum green
Black - CKS 401 c Blue black
White - CKS 701 c National flag white
Gold - CKS 724 c Gold yellow
Red - CKS 750 c Chilli red
Blue - CKS 762 c National flag blue
Approximate Pantone equivalents:
Green - 3415 c
Gold - 1235 c
Red - 179 c
Blue - reflex blue c

The colours used are not quite correct but that is probably because of the following!!

Treat your flag with respect;
The National Flag must at all times be treated with dignity and respect. In the Regulations Regarding the Flying of the National Flag, published just before the flag was adopted in 1994, the dos and don'ts are clearly spelled out. The flag must never:
Be allowed to touch the ground or floor.
Be used as a table cloth, or draped in front of a platform.
Be used to cover a statue, plaque corner stone etc. at unveiling or similar ceremonies.
Be used to start or finish any competition, race or similar event.
Be manufactured or used as underclothes, bath and floor mats or any similar demeaning application.
Be used for any commercial advertising in a manner that will distort or show disrespect to the flag.

I am sorry but to me this logo is still just wrong...

One of the best...

I read that the President had a good day and enjoyed his birthday trip to Iraq as well...






Personally I think it is time for the Chicks to retire... Oh no link? Well y'all know how to use Google dont'cha? I'm not going to put up a link to that unpatriotic bunch... and I am not even American!
Sometimes those that have such a hatred for the current president should pause to consider these words...
"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president." Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

Fowl from afar...

This is a flock of Guineafowl at a distance of around 100m with x3 zoom... Next time I will try to sneak closer and use the tripod.
I am on leave at the moment and have been around Campus to see what is worth photographing and am amazed at how much wildlife we have wandering around.