May I through the site wish 'our baby' a very Happy Birthday today - he leaves his teenage years behind him as he turns 20 today. Hope you have a wonderful day young man and that your future will be filled with success and happiness.

:celeb: :bday3: :celeb:

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and do hope that you have a wonderful day.

:bday2:

The difference 30 years make...

1975: Long hair
2005: Longing for hair

1975: Acid rock
2005: Acid reflux

1975: Moving to Cape Town because it's cool
2005: Moving to Cape Town because it's warm

1975: Trying to look like Liz Taylor
2005: Trying NOT to look like Liz Taylor

1975: Seeds and stems
2005: Roughage

1975: Going to a new, hip joint
2005: Receiving a new hip joint

1975: Rolling Stones
2005: Kidney Stones

1975: Passing the drivers' test
2005: Passing the vision test

The people who are starting university in February across the nation were born in the late 80's.

They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.

Their lifetime has always included AIDS.

Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.

The CD was introduced the year they were born.

They have always had an answering machine.

They have always had M-Net.

They cannot fathom not having a remote control.

Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.

They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.

They do not care who shot J. R. and have no idea who J. R. even is.

They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Do you feel old yet?

Yes, she is 80 today..... and a gracious lady.
May you have a wonderful year!

Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith

Blue Shoes and Happiness brings more adventures for Precious Ramotswe and her fine assistant Mma Makutsi, including an encounter with a cobra, a sinister blackmail plot and a rather tight-fitting pair of blue shoes, plenty more bush tea and Botswana skies. A relaxing, humourous read.

M.H.Clark has written a new book which really sounds good. Due to be published 15.05.2006

Two Little Girls in Blue

Margaret and Steve Frawley celebrate the third birthday of their twin girls, Kelly and Kathy, with an afternoon party in their new home. That evening, Steve and Margaret attend a black-tie dinner in New York. On returning home, the police are in the house, the babysitter has been found unconscious, the children are gone and a note demanding an eight million dollar ransom has been left in their room. Steve firm agrees to pay the ransom. The kidnapper, who identifies himself as the "Pied Piper", makes his terms known - on delivery of the ransom, a call will come revealing the girls' whereabouts. The call comes, but only Kelly is in the car parked behind a deserted restaurant. The driver is dead from a gunshot wound and has left a suicide note, saying he had inadvertently killed Kathy and had dumped her body in the ocean. At the private memorial Mass for Kathy, Kelly tugs Margaret's arm and says: "Mommy, Kathy is very scared of that lady. She wants to come home right now." More unexplainable occurrences follow, indicating that Kelly is in touch with Kathy. At first, no one except the mother believes that the twins are communicating and that Kelly is still alive. As Kelly's warnings become increasingly specific and alarming, however, the FBI agents set out on a search for Kathy. As they close in on the Pied Piper and his accomplices, Kathy's life hangs on a thread.

Good morning, everyone! :am: I hope you are all well? I'm still suffering with flu & have a very painful ear. :bigcry: Anyone doing anything exciting or interesting this weekend? My hubby is working nightshift tonight & Sunday so we'll be having a quiet one. Whatever you do, I hope it's a good one! :jive:

This actually works!!
YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATHS
DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!

It takes less than a minute .
Work this out as you read ...

Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!
This is not one of those waste of time things , it's fun.

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to
have chocolate(more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50 -- I'll wait while you get the calculator



5. If y ou have already had your birthday this year add 1756 ....
If you haven't, add 1755.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number
The first digit of this was your original number
(i.e., how many times you want to have chocolate each week).


The next two numbers are
YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)

THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2006) IT WILL EVER WORK...... now I'm waiting Ade's reply

I can only agree - we have a lot of problems ... next is the SA passport unless some serious changes are made (worst is the UK and US authorities do not pick up false SA passports :rofl: ) - or not always ...

Quote:To: XXXXXX XXX ( Airline Risk Management)
UK Immigration Service
Gatwick Airport Liaison Section

CESSATION OF ACCEPTABILITY OF SOUTH AFRICAN TEMPORARY PASSPORT


With effect from Wednesday 19 April 2006, South African temporary passports will no longer be recognised or be acceptable for travel to the United Kingdom.

Carriers bringing persons holding South African temporary passports to the United Kingdom without correct documentation or proper documents, including a valid visa where required, will render themselves liable for a charge of £2000 for each inadequately documented passenger carried under the provisions of Section 40 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

To minimise inconvenience to genuine travellers holding a South African temporary passport issued on or before the 19 April announcement date:

• those who purchased their ticket on or before 19 April will benefit from a maximum six weeks’ grace period and will be able to travel on their temporary passport providing they arrive in the UK before 1 June

• those who purchased their ticket between 20 April and 9 May and who will arrive in the UK before 10 May will also be able to travel on their temporary passport.

• a UK visa will be required for those who bought their ticket on or after 19 April and who travel between 10 and 31 May (arriving in the UK before 1 June) on their temporary passport. The visa will not be endorsed in the passport but on a Uniform Format Form.

• Holders of South African temporary passports issued after the cessation date (19 April) will not be able to use them for travel to the United Kingdom.

• No immigration endorsements will be placed in South African temporary passports after 19 April.

• Entry clearance or leave to remain endorsed in a South African temporary passport before 19 April will be honoured and accepted for travel to the UK.

• For those without acceptable travel documentation, in the event of emergency or exceptional and compassionate cases, there is the contingency of travel to the UK on a Uniform Format Form obtained and endorsed with a UK visa from a UK entry clearance post overseas.


You will no doubt wish to warn your officers, agents and retail outlets overseas of these changes immediately.

Should any of your staff, including check in staff abroad, need clarification in individual cases advice will be available from our dedicated port helpline: É [+44 relevant number]






HM Inspector

Freedom from fear is a basic human right. In South Africa, fear of crime is fed as much by rumour and anecdote as it is by media reports and scientific analysis of reported crimes. The crime rate is high and what sets us apart from high and increasing incidence of crime in other countries is the level of violence and availability of guns. It is estimated that every day more than 80 guns move from the legal to the illegal pool - through a combination of carelessness, theft and loss - and that on average 8 crimes are perpetrated with each of those guns before it is confiscated by the police. The Firearms Control Act, widely acclaimed by all those outside of the vociferous gun owners lobby, prescribes much stricter licensing procedures, storage and usage of guns, with harsher penalty for violations under the law. The SAPS mount regular operations to recover guns, with an ever increasing success rate.



The relationship between poverty and crime, often assumed to be that poor people are more likely to commit crime is in fact more complex. Millions of poor people would never dream of committing a crime; being poor doesn't change a basic understanding of right and wrong. Poverty increases vulnerability to crime and poor victims often suffer a greater impact than those who are better off. Target hardening mechanisms such as burglar bars, access control systems and private security contracts are the preserve of those with material resources. Poor communities also often have less access to formal support and assistance following victimisation and are for instance unlikely to have insurance or to be able to replace goods stolen from them.



Whereas it is true that affluent neighbourhoods are targeted as providing "rich pickings", poor communities are not immune to property theft. Property crimes are believed to have some of the highest reporting rates, since a police case number is a requirement for an insurance claim. It follows that where there is no expectation of recovery from insurance, the reporting rate will be lower. This leads to a skewed perception that the more affluent members of society suffer more property theft, as it is in these communities that statistics report the highest rates. However if international experience holds true in South Africa, indications are that most crimes are committed within close proximity of the criminal's home. Criminals in poor communities will seek out the closest "attractive target" rather than more distant and risky opportunities. Given the historical perspective in which the majority of poorer people in South Africa were forced to live a considerable distance from more affluent communities and were not allowed access to such communities, it is likely that a similar pattern exists, once again reinforcing the vulnerability of poor people to not only interpersonal social fabric crimes, but also property crimes.



The historical social engineering of Apartheid South Africa also provided a false picture of crime trends and patterns. The majority of victims expected no service from the police, thus further reducing the likelihood of reporting crime. The transformation of the police from Law and Order to Safety and Security since 1994 has, while at first examination appearing to show a massive increase in crime, in effect changed our understanding of crime patterns and of the levels of victimisation experienced by all communities in South Africa.



South Africa is gripped by a cycle of violence and it is only through consistent investment in improvements to the quality of life of poor people that we will break the cycle. And while it is not true to say that all those who are victims of violence will go on to become violent, we know that well over 90% of violent offenders first experience violence as victims or bystanders to violence. Little boys who witness repeated domestic violence as they grow up are more prone to becoming offenders, just as little girls are more prone to expect to be victims in later life.



Over the past 10 years, South Africa has drafted and adopted significant enabling legislation that provides a sound statutory framework for intervention in the cycle of violence. The Domestic Violence Act of 1998 outlaws neglect, emotional and physical abuse. The Maintenance Act of 1998 addresses the issue of material deprivation, central to so many households headed by poor women. The Child Care Act of 1983 articulates the rights of the child, in line with international instruments. The Child Justice Bill, also due for approval this year, aims to divert young people from the Criminal Justice System by providing constructive alternatives to imprisonment for first offenders. Our prisons, often referred to as "Universities of Crime" are severely over-crowded and under-capacitated, with little opportunity for rehabilitation and reintegration programmes.



There is often a concern voiced that under our fine Constitution, offenders have more rights than victims of crime. In a committed attempt to entrench the rights of victims and following extensive consultation, the Victim's Charter prepared by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development will go before Parliament this year. Once adopted, it will provide a practical framework for redressing the balance in the Criminal Justice System.



While levels of crime are unacceptable, laws, policies and interventions to address the problem proliferate. Government is in a constant process of improving law enforcement and crime combating strategies, and is supported by diverse and committed civil society initiatives and alliances. Quick wins are hard to achieve and are often under valued in the face of the bigger problem, but fixing crime in South Africa is a long term challenge.



We need to reject criminal activity - in ourselves, in our families and amongst our friends and associates. If nobody is prepared to buy stolen computers, stealing them will be instantly less attractive. Every criminal is someone's son, brother, father, friend. Censure by their families and peers is more likely than any outside intervention to influence their behaviour. Crime is everyone's problem - fixing it is everyone's opportunity to contribute to making South Africa safe and prosperous for all.



http://www.crimeprevention.csir.co.za