dfghgewewew

safdsadsa
sadasdas

sadfsfsdfdsfdsfd

sadsad

sadsadsaafdgf

adsads
gfhjgjhjkjhk

jhjhjhjhjhjhjh

can you believe it's been a year already?
she's gotten so big and so clever in the last few weeks. you can see her mind ticking over trying to figure out how things work. she's a real little toddler now.

as for the party, it was great. she loved it. the weather was brilliant and she got so many toys.
a big thanks to everyone that came.and don't forget, we've still got lots of ice-cream cake and cases of beer left that you buggers need to finish.

here are a few pics but go check out the fancy new gallery for the rest.

<gallery>

]]> 11/28/2006 1:13:00 PM http://www.bigric.co.za/?view=plink&id=415 415 I've had a few interesting meetings in my life.
being a software developer you normally have to see the environment that a system is going to work in to fully understand the process.

I've met in manufacturing plants, talking around machines while they crush and remodel metal.
- in warehouses and distribution hubs.
- out in a field at a proposed theme park.
- under a water cooling tower at the Sasol plant.
- inside the main secure data centre for a bank with the servers that stored every single account. it's a bomb proof building (floating foundations so that it can move) where you literally go through tunnels under the foundations and up into the building. there are no doors or windows on the building so it's the only way in or out.
- and of course at restaurants, coffee shops and people's houses.

but in the last few days I've had my coolest two meetings:
last week I went to the place where credit/debit cards are manufactured, embossed and encoded.
you have to go through some tight security, hand everything in and then don a white lab coat with no pockets..
the reason for the lab coat is to stop you stealing a few of the live credit cards and slipping them into your shirt or pockets.
it's an amazing site seeing all the equipment that does the work and even more amazing seeing how simply it's made. they make two million cards a month! it's a hell of a setup.
the server room has one cabinet, a few firewall machines and a guard to stand there and watch everything you touch and do.
that's his job. just stand there all day and stare at the equipment!

and today ... we met in a hospital theatre!
we do a lot of work for specialists societies and I needed to meet with one of the guys and see the software on the machine in the theatre.
only I didn't realise that it would be while they were operating!
we had to go in through the doctors private rooms, strip and put on scrubs.
unfortunately I'm a big guy so they barely fit me. if I bent down I reckon the pants would have split.
once dressed they led us through to the theatre.
picture the scene, there's the surgeon covered in blood, hammering away, while talking to us.
the patient is unconscious on the table and there's pipes, blood and machines everywhere.
we spent a good half an hour watching the op while talking to to the surgeon and the anaesthetist.
what a way to have a meeting!

anyone else had any cool meetings lately?

]]> 11/21/2006 12:40:00 PM http://www.bigric.co.za/?view=plink&id=413 413

Twee Mint Imperials bliksem vir Jelly Tot moertoe! Jy sien net suiker spat.

"Hoekom help jy nie?" vra Chappie vir Smartie.

"Is jy simpel?" se Smartie.

"Die ouens is fokken menthol !!!"

]]> 11/17/2006 8:37:00 AM http://www.bigric.co.za/?view=plink&id=412 412

KFC have built the first company brand visible from space. it's somewhere near Area 51 in the Nevada desert, is made up of 65,000 one-foot painted tile pieces and took 3000 hours to create. apparently they wanted to say thanks to their little green buddies for the secret spice they gave them! [press release here]

]]> 11/15/2006 7:31:00 AM http://www.bigric.co.za/?view=plink&id=411 411

I registered www.the2010.co.za and www.visit2010.co.za when the SA was named as host and I've been trying to figure out the best to make some money off of it. while talking to one of my clients a few months back he mentioned this idea to me . unfortunately it seems someone already set it up. it's an interesting way to travel though.

"The Associated Press writes about a growing network of people online who've gone a step beyond hotels, hostels and even apartment swapping in their travel planning: They sleep on each others' couches. A number of Web sites have sprung up to help pair travellers searching for a place to crash and hosts with a spare couch.

Sites like hospitalityclub.org, couchsurfing.com, globalfreeloaders.com and place2stay.net are often free, serving only as middlemen and offering tips on how to find successful matches. The sites are largely the creations of 20-somethings bitten with wanderlust and the hope of helping to bring together people from different cultures. They often depend on volunteer administrators to help manage the Web operations."

links:
http://www.place2stay.net/
http://www.couchsurfing.com/
http://www.globalfreeloaders.com/

here's the monstrosity being built on the Beyers Naude off-ramp. I see they've already opened the one shopping centre next to this one.

count the cranes. I see six.

who needs food when there's all this champaign in the world?
we (actually Michelle and Yvonne. I'm a beer guy truth be told) found this brand (Lindiwe) at the wine festival.
mix it with cranberry juice and it's like cool drink.

the view from one of my clients offices. nice hey!

and here's a few of the little one. I bought her some of those squeaky shoes the other day. she was fascinated by them. it's awesome watching her trying to figure them out.

cool retro 70's short below:

]]> 11/10/2006 8:16:00 AM http://www.bigric.co.za/?view=plink&id=409 409

1.We work  weird (night)  shifts... Like prostitutes.

2.They pay you to make the client happy...   Like a prostitute.

3.The client pays a lot of money, but your employer keeps almost every penny... Like a prostitute.

4.You are rewarded for fulfilling the client's dreams... Like a prostitute.

5 Your friends fall apart and you end up hanging out with peoplein the same profession as you... Like a prostitute.

6.When you have to meet the client you always have to be perfectly groomed...  Like a prostitute.

7. But when you go back home it seems like you are coming back from hell...Like a prostitute.

8.The client always wants to pay less but expects incredible things from you...Like a prostitute.

9.When people ask you about your job, you have difficulties to explain it...Like a prostitute.

10.Everyday when you wake up, you say: "I'm not going to spent the rest of my life doing this."

       Like a prostitute  ........

it seems Brazil has been chatting to their buddies China, North Korea and Zimbabwe about the best ways to protect themselves against this thing call "THE INTERNET!!"

 "The Brazilian senate is considering a bill that will make it a crime to join a chat, blog, or download from the Internet without fully identifying oneself first. Privacy groups and Internet providers are very concerned, and are trying to lobby against the bill, but it seems they won't have much success." From the article: "If approved, it will be a crime, punishable with up to 4 years of jail time, to disseminate virus or trojans, unauthorised access data banks or networks and send e-mail, join chat, write a blog or download content anonymously." [via link]

it's like saying, well knives can be used to hurt/rob people so lets make everyone in the country fill out a form before they use one.

one day when all the kids have grown up and moved into high up government roles, this sort of crap won't happen.
why? because they'll have used the internet as a tool to learn, socialise and work.

why can't all governments be more like Australia?

here are a couple of pics from last weeks taxi strike.
I went to fetch our domestic from Diepsloot so that she didn't have to walk.

I got past the first robot by going over the pavement to avoid the concrete and bricks.
unfortunately when I turned around to come back again, the tyres had been lit and guys were throwing stones at cars.
in the end it took me an hour and a half to do this little trip.

 "The BBC is reporting what is claimed to be Britain's first "web-rage" attack. A man drove seventy miles to assault his victim with a pick-axe handle after they exchanged insults in a Yahoo! chat room." From the article: "Det Cons Christopher Creagh, of the Metropolitan Police, said: 'This is the first instance of a web-rage attack.' Det Sgt Jean-Marc Bazzoni, of Essex Police, added the case demonstrates the importance of protecting one's identity on the internet.
'Mr Jones had posted pictures of his family on the web and had chatted to Gibbons on an audio link,' he said. 'It demonstrates how easily other users can put two and two together and also shows how children could also find themselves in danger.'"  source: slashdot

I bet a lot of people have wanted to do that but had the sense to treat the online world separately from the physical one. idiot.
and now with the MXiT story about the pervert posing as a teen you've got to be really careful what you say and to who.

OK, I also think it's time for me to limit how much I say and show here.
I'd hate to have a stalker..a.haha a haha...whatever.

Huge 'launch ring' to fling satellites into orbit

"An enormous ring of superconducting magnets similar to a particle accelerator could fling satellites into space, or perhaps weapons around the world, suggest the findings of a new study funded by the US air force. Previous studies have investigated the use of magnets to accelerate satellites to the high speeds required for launch. But most have focused on straight tracks, which have to gather speed in one quick burst. Supplying the huge spike of energy needed for this method has proven difficult. The advantage of a circular track is that the satellite can be gradually accelerated over a period of several hours. And the setup is technologically feasible and cost effective, suggests a recent, preliminary study of the idea funded by the air force's Office of Scientific Research."

this is from an article on newscientestspace.com.
as cool as it sounds, the picture alone makes it looks so cheesy that I battle to even contemplate the scientific aspect of actually shooting something into the sky at 23 times the speed of sound.
plus how the hell would you stop it once it gets to space?

Matt (aka the rocket scientist), any ideas?

bigric has officially gone pink for October and not in the way you all think!

it was the idea of Matthew Oliphant of Usability Works who proposed that web designers alter their sites and go Pink for October, to promote National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I always thought it was a great cause to support, but even more so now that I found out that guys can get breast cancer too!! check it out.

so go out there and help check your partner for lumps. not only could you be saving their lives, you might even have some fun after.

a documentary called Jesus camp has been released in the states about of a bible camp run by Pastor Becky Fischer.
after watching how they've got the kids weeping, shaking, shouting to the heavens for salvation, all I could think was "isn't this how Wako started?".

here's how the kids put it: "you know a lot of people die for God and stuff and they're not even afraid" , "we are kinda being trained to be warriors but in a much funner way"

and from the Pastor " I want to see them as radically laying down their lives for the gospel as they are in Pakistan and Israel and Palestine, and all those different places"

it all brings to mind a Pink Floyd song with a slight change: "hey, preacher, leave those kids alone!"

here's an example of a 1600x1200 still image. excuse the dirty windscreen and dash board in half the picture but the camera takes a bigger pic than it shows on the view finder which is actually pretty useful. you can even see the reflection of my car in the pic.

 (click on me! - 352 kb)

obviously, like any digital camera, the more light you have the better the quality.
so a nice outside shot like this works well.

I've tried a few night time ones and even with the flash on, they suck. admittedly better than with no flash but still no good.

I was also keen to try out the new LG 5 mega pixel phone (KG 920) before getting the Samsung but even though LG has stock here is SA, none of the cell providers are willing to advertise them because it'll blow all the other phones out of the market. you can however buy it from independent cell shops but that'll set you back a good R5500.
and you probably find you'll have the same problem with high resolution pictures too.

now all I need to do is load Cypress Hills' - "Insane  in the membrane" as my ring tone and maybe even use the phone to make some calls!

we've always been first among our friends at doing the couple stuff:

• we moved in together before anyone else had
• we were the first out of the group to get married
• and we're the only ones with kids

now here's the problem; it's baba's first birthday in two months time (damn unbelievable isn't it) and we have hardly any children to invite!

we're booking a venue and we've already gone over our quota for adults but no where near it on kids.

the only kids we know directly are the brother in-laws.
wow, one whole toddler and one baby for the party. the jumping castle in gonna rock*

so the plan?

round up the kids in our complex, and not in the pied piper way!
we've been slowly making friends with anyone who has a kid under 5.
most days we all congregate around the little park, have a few drinks and let the kids play together.
and it's easy to have a talk to anyone there. just mention a lack of sleep because of a sick child and you're on common ground.

now I think that's going to have to be the plan until the friends circle starts popping out a few sprogs.

then again, maybe that's why the neighbours have invited us to a party at their place this weekend. they're probably also on the lookout for more kids for their little one to play with.

and here I thought a Saturday morning visit to baby city was the hardest part about being a parent**.

*sarcasm
** not sarcasm

Dave invited us around to his place on Friday for dinner. thanks dude. you can cook for us any day.

the first of many sunset pictures

dinner is served

on Saturday we headed out to the family place at Bronkies dam to chill a bit.

the drive out there is boring

what it looks like

another sunset picture

just chilling

unfortunately baby has been very sick so she never slept much which means we never slept much.

luckily by Sunday she was feeling much better and on Monday she spent most of the day laughing and playing with us. it was great!

and not forgetting about national braai day, we got the coal going on Sunday, chucked a few lamb choppies on and invited the cousins around. it's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
especially when Mondays a holiday!

and yet another sunset pic

the only sad part about the weekend? there are no more public holidays until December.

PS I hope you all had a great long weekend too.

unfortunately I couldn't spend much time with them but I did manage to get away for an hour or so to join the family and take Taylor into the wave pool for the first time.
the result? she absolutely loved it. and even though it was a chilly 16 degrees, she didn't want to get out.

here are a few pics of Taylor having fun:

Taylor even got to meet Roland Schoeman when he came in to our stand for a photo shoot. check how she's reaching out for him!:

the one thing we really looked forward to was having the baby sitter there each evening. it was great.
Memory (yep, that's her name) seemed very competent and at least we could finally get out for a bit. the only problem was that they charged R65 an hour plus tip. it cost as much as our evening out!
then again the whole place is a rip off. never mind the cost of food and drinks, just to go to the gym was R70 a day! although with a hangover ever day I don't think I would have gone anyway.

as for the staff:
I hand the lady all our nicely printed out correspondence from the reservations people to make it easier for her.
"you haven't paid"
"yes we have. here is proof."
"uh.....huh......"
"please make a copy for me" - because I know whats going to happen.
"here is your room key"
"thanks. PS what do I need to do when I move to the family room later this week?"
"huh??"
"I have two bookings. it's on the paper I gave you. a single room for two nights and then a family room for two nights."
"huh"
by this stage she was very confused. after we explained it to her about three times and had the responses of a seal out of her she finally just put me in a family room for the whole stay. good on her.

and guess what happened when the wife checked out for us?
"you haven't paid"
"yes we have"
"no you haven't. you must settle the whole bill now on your credit card."
now this is while the wife has all of our bags and a 9 month old baby on her hip, the women basically accuses her of lying.
luckily I had given her the copy of the proof of payment because I just knew they would stuff it up again. they had five days to check their bank account since I checked in and they still haven't done it. idiots.

all in all we still had a great time. we partied in Traders a few night in a row and on the first evening when things were quiet, I put R100 down on a blackjack table and walked away with much much more. it's always nice to win.

and the gala dinner in the boma with 600 people around bonfires listening to the Afro-tenors under an African sky was spectacular.

it's bigrick's special sauce! brilliant!! I think I should try and get a local franchise. I've got the number plate already so it's just a technicality now really. very clever friends of ours brought me a bottle of this sauce from Australia the other day. and so of course we had to chuck some meat on the braai and test it out. and? ... 10 out of 10! now I need to order the rest of the range and try it out.

go check out the site - http://www.bigricks.com - "Big guys always have the best eats"

and don't forget it's National Braaiday on the 24th so why not put your own meat on the fire, chuck on some sauce and enjoy!

]]> 9/20/2006 6:59:00 AM http://www.bigric.co.za/?view=plink&id=395 395

these guys never cease to amaze me.
from their summer of code project where they payed college students to work on open source projects through to their new for-profit charity, they are changing the way the world works.

"Google has set up a subsidiary, Google.org, a for-profit philanthropy with initial capital of a billion dollars. Not being organized on a tax-free basis carries both advantages and drawbacks. From the article:
"Unlike most charities, this one will be for-profit, allowing it to fund start-up companies, form partnerships with venture capitalists and even lobby Congress. It will also pay taxes." One of Google.org's first projects is the development of a plug-in hybrid vehicle that achieves a mileage rating equivalent to 100 MPG." [via slashdot]

they already have a motto of "Don't be evil" for their company and this is what they say about the charity:

	We hope that someday this institution will eclipse Google itself in overall world impact by ambitiously applying innovation and significant resources to the largest of the world's problems.
	- Sergey Brin & Larry Page

Barry caught this on he road the other day and sent it through.
I'm not sure why the guy chose this plate but it's a laugh either way.

PC World has put together their list of the 25 worst websites ever. they based it on either crappy design or silly concepts. 
the list includes guys trying to launch their own e-currency, another idiot renting out his chest, start-ups burning billions of dollars on 3D clothing stores to the classic IKissYou.org.

for those interested in broadband and wireless access, slashdot ran this on Saturday:

"Samsung shifted wireless networking into a higher gear yesterday, demonstrating for the first time in public the power of it WiBro (Wireless Broadband) 4G technology. The company had two 4G demonstrations. A mobile stunt entailed providing delegates on a specially designed bus with a live broadcast of the forum, Internet access, and video on demand, all simultaneously at speeds of 100Mbps.
Inside the forum venue, Samsung showed off its 1Gbps 4G service with 32 HD channel broadcast downloads, Internet access, and video telephony. The downside for users craving that kind of speed: WiBro won't be out until 2010, though Sprint has a 4G WiMax service in the works for later this year. The downstream speeds will be 2Mbps to 4Mbps, which seem downright sluggish  compared to WiBro."

the funny or sad thing is that if we did actually get this technology here, it would be capped at 3gig and have port shaping and filtering enforced.
it sucks to be an African sometimes...

*thanks Jay

go check them out here. they'll even dance for you.

and... um... drink!

definitely daddy's little girl!

]]> 8/30/2006 11:57:00 AM http://www.bigric.co.za/?view=plink&id=386 386