First Weekend in Chicago

Last weekend I spend in Chicago's Lake Forest-Grey Lake area with Schalk and Marlene and little Evert Reynolds. It was fantastic spending time with old friends.

Dit gaan heel goed met hulle en ons het die naweek dan ook op die regte manier begin - met 'n stewige braai! Ek het myself gate uit by hulle geniet en het hul eg Suid-Afrikaanse gasvryheid baie waardeer.

I used my last day with them to take the train to Union Station, Downtown Chicago, to visit this beautiful city on the shores of Lake Michigan. I loved every minute of it! It's such a clean, beautiful, historically rich city and I had to carefully choose which sites I'd could divide my little time among. Among other's I went up the Sears Towers to enjoy a splendid view.
It's hard to tell yourself looking at the big Lake that it's actually a freshwater mass. One's eyes tells you that lots of water is ocean.
Here's a link to some pictures:
Tuesday it's off to Champaign-Urbana and the University of Illinois' main campus.
Looking forward to the upcoming conference.

Marlins' Game

Marco arrived home from Illinois this weekend and it was so good to see him! Although we're used to traveling apart, it was nice to have him home again.

We went to a Marlins game with our friend Chay this weekend. Sadly, they stomped Cincinnatti wickedly (10-2) much to Marco and Chay's delight. In a desperate attempt to gain fan support, the Marlins are running a special that if they make 6 runs in a game, then you get 2 free donuts and a cup of ice tea at the local Dunkin' Doughnuts. You can imagine the fans uproar when the 6th run of the game was made... there was a wave in the crowd and by 8th inning the stadium had all but emptied as people were on their way to the local DD with hopes of getting there before all the glazed doughnuts were gone!

Naweek-Dinge

My strot sit agter in my keel en die sweet tap my af soos ek my inspan om 'n week se werk in die laaste dag van hierdie week in te prop.
Na my studente middagete more vort moet ek my haas om my vlug te haal vanaf Miami na die O'Hare Internasionale Lughawe in Chicago. Ek's opgewonde - ek kuier die naweek saam met Schalk en Marlene Reynolds - Laaste 2x wat ek hulle gesien het was in Kathu op hul troue en toe in Llandudno op my en Sarah s'n. Gat biki kuier, dalk rugby kyk en miskien effe van die stad sien - als in Afrikaans.
Ek woon deur die week 'n nasionale konferensie by te Illinois Universiteit. Is DV Vrydag terug in die Suide.

Elderly Driving

I realized (frustrated!) this morning that elderly people actually don't drive that badly. They're just the only ones with time to obey the speed limit.

Weekend Sports!

The annual World Wife-Carrying Championship was held in the small village of Sonkajarvi, Finland, this past weekend!

44 couples from 12 countries competed in this international event, the men defying rain and exhaustion, with women clinging to their backs upside down. The competitors race along a 250-meter track, through a swimming pool and various other obstacles. An Estonian, Madis Uustorg, finished first in 61,7 seconds. Aghuuhaaaa!

I wonder how he told (actually "bribe" is the correct term) his wife, he wanted to compete - and thus practice daily - in this dynamic, prestigious event...

The Moore's in Town!

Bruce and Julie Moore were in South-Florida for the Summer holiday and for Morrison Alumni affairs, so we took the trip to go and see them. They are ex-colleagues of Sarah from her years at Morrison Academy and we trekked to the Hong Kong Sevens one year - a glorious experience.

It was fantastic to see them again and to catch up on all the news from Taichung. We realized on the way home how much we really miss Taiwan, the friends we've made there, and the lifestyle.

Independance Day

Sarah promised to add a video clip of the "Proud to be an American"-fireworks-clip soon.

We had a grand old time and the fireworks shows were out of this world.

The Micossukee Freedom Festival

The Micossukee Tribe of Indians, the original Everglades dwellers of centuries ago, held a festival at their gaming and casino hotel on Tuesday. Their land stretches to within a few miles of where we live.

As with many of the other native tribes, the casino industry has opened opportunities for native Americans to generate ridiculous amounts of revenue. As a result the Micossukee has become a very rich little tribe. Their chief, Billy Cyris, brought two seats at our Gala earlier the year for $5000, and then forgot to attend.

Kayaking in North Miami

This past Sunday we decided to check out a new park that we read about. It supposedly has some wonderful off road bike trails and kayak rentals. Both Marco and I love to kayak so this seemed like the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Oleta State Park is completely hidden by the urban jungle of North Miami. Just a few miles from the beach, it's surrounded by university campuses, shopping malls, and highrises that dominate this area. We were thrilled to find a small piece of the outdoors left for exploration.

After donning our lifevests we began our "adventure". We kayaked through the mangroves and then suddenly it opened up into the waterways connecting the nearby islands to the ocean. This was awesome! Gone was the genteel water and now we had to contend with currents, boats, waverunners, and the ever-so-imposing waves that were constantly coming our way. Woohoo!!

As we battled the constant current that was determined to keep us from our destination, out of the corner of my eye I could see some of the houses that are home to some of the most famous stars. Breathtaking! In the distance we say a small island that looked as if it would provide the opportunity for picnicing. Apparently others thought so too as they b-b-qued with their grills on their starboard. Not to be outdone, Marco and I rowed our small "vessel" in-between these 40 ft yatchs and speedboats, pulled out our little baggies filled with pb &j, and commenced to have our "feast"- living it up like we were high society . In the distance we could hear the rumble of thunder and we watched lightening streak across the sky.

For most, this wouldn't pose a problem, but for us, whose sole motor speed was that of our arm power, provided a small dilemma. Do we wait out the storm or head on? Seeing as they forecasted heavy thunderstorms over the next week, waiting it out didn't seem like the best option... after all we only had a bag of chips, a yogurt, a bottle of water, and a beer bottle we couldn't open (we left the bottle opener behind) left... definately not enough to sustain 2 people... so, off we rowed. Suddenly, a clasp of thunder shook the sky and lightening lit up like it was a red-light special at K-Mart....then it poured, and poured, and poured....

Marco's brilliant idea was to row across the waterway and then hug the shore... not bad if you enjoy the never-ending workout of your arms being pulled from their socket as you struggle against a current that is violently opposed to you achieving your goal. As wave after wave broke over me, I listened to him carry on about being a fearless leader, yelling out commands, and if it wasn't for him, we'd never make it back. After rowing for what seemed like eons, and no closer to our goal, I finally shouted, "Why can't we be like most sane people and row with the current?! It makes way more sense and we'd actually be achieving our goal?!" Suffice it to say, we made it back to the bay in less than 20 minutes after that....

Upon arriving in the bay, Marco proceeded to congratulate himself on the grand arrival he had executed. Unfortunately, the bay wasn't the rental dock and as we rowed around in circles, I seriously began to ponder what was so difficult about reading a map. Those in the nearby boats looked on in amusement as we looked like drowned muskrats. I looked behind me and there was Marco, piecing together the wet, shredded pieces of the map... "Never fear, when the Marco is near!"

Well, the story could go on, but in the end when we finally made it to the dock, the rain had become a light pitter patter. Despite all that had occured, it was quite an enjoyable day. Thanks Marco!

Disruptive Technology

Apple's eagerly-awaited new IPhone arrived on the shelves on Friday and it's initial reviews are very positive. It's mega-functionality includes a full-fledged web browser, e-mail, visual voicemail, and an IPod with widescreen movies - The next beeg thing on the market. It's simple to use, elegant, super-cool to have and fun! (The negatives are also many, including it's superslow internet and weak network coverage. And you have to sign up for a two-year cellphone contract.)

Interestingly enough, we were recently discussing the marketing strategies of the big technology companies such as Sony, Apple, Microsoft, Nikon and others, in class. They all focus on very specific, defined markets. These markets are brittle, and ever-changing. Today the Blackberry is the big thing, but who knows if the IPhone will replace it within weeks as the new market leader. Additionally, technologically innovative products like this are fads, their life cycle very short. Today the IPhone is already a maturing Star, how long (or short) before it's a Dog?!

They have to constantly evolve, constantly focus on redeveloping better, smarter products or they'll lose their market share to the next guy. That's why Microsoft is introducing a new Microsoft Office version every few years. They have to!

So who knows: The IPhone is cool NOW, but why spend $500 on it, when I can wait 6 months and pay half the price for the new improved IPhone 6.2. Or something.

At least the multi-functional IPhone is giving drivers more reason to keep their concentration ON their phones and OFF the road. This will surely increase my roadrage...

A New Leader for Britain

Prime Minister Tony Blair handed down the leadership of Britain and the Labor Party on Wednesday after ten years at 10 Downing Street.
Blair was serving his third term since being elected to office by a landslide victory in 1997. His former economic minister, Gordon Brown - a Scotsman at that! - assumed office in a election-less transition. This being a non-election year, Brown secured support from the Labor Party currently in control of Parliament, to install him as Brittain's new Prime Minister.

He inherits the issue of Blair's unpopular support of the US decision to invade Iraq, as well as domestic problems. The next election is in 2010 and the new resident of 10 Downing Street will probably start a long campaign to keep control away from the Conservative Party.

The downfall of all men...

Everyone we spoke to, told us that if we were to go on a cruise, we'd come back at least 5 pounds heavier. Both Marco and I laughed at this but it seems the last laugh was on us. Everywhere I turned, it seemed that there was food, it didn't matter what time of the day it was, whatever you desired, it was there at your fingertips. Who could resist sampling so many of the delightful culinary arts that were before our eyes?

Hanging Out at Night

A Fun Day at Sea

Antigua

Antigua, in my opinion, was on par with St. Thomas. It was absolutely gorgeous and I will forever kick myself that I didn't head Marco's urging to go explore the port area when we arrived. By the 6th day, all the ports were beginning to look similar so I opted to lay out by the pool and relax until the afternoon's snorkeling adventure. What a mistake that was!

Once again, the water of the Caribbean didn't fail and it was the most clear, blue water I've ever seen. Visibility was amazing, the temperature perfect.... The ride to the reef, the largest in the Caribbean, was spectacular. Antigua has more than 360 beaches so this was the perfect island for me! The resorts and houses that lined the coast were amazing and this is one island that I would definately want to return to for a longer period of time.

St Lucia

The morning we arrived to St. Lucia we decided that we'd tour the island with our new found friends. Both Morne and Wendy were superb bargainers and we were able to find a tour guide to give us a tour of the island for $20/ person - talk about a bargain!

The thing that I will remember most about St. Lucia are the roads. For those of us who love the nauseous feeling of your stomach dropping out from you, it was like being on a non-stop roller coaster at Busch Gardens. St. Lucia was gorgeous... once again, this island had more of a tropical rain forest feel to it than a beach vibe. We were able to visit the world's only drive-in volcano. The smells emitting from the vents were enough to put hair on anyone's chest. According to the guide, the large crater in front was caused by a guide who, during one tour when asked about the grounds stability, decided to jump up and down to prove the earth was solid. As he landed, the ground opened up and swallowed him to his chest. I guess that answered the question, no, the ground is not stable. Miraclously, the guide survived, albeit with severe burns, and now resides in a local fishing village.

Barbados

After the communication break-down in Dominica, we decided that in Barbados we should do a "tour", which offered all of the care-free relaxation a no-stress holiday is supposed to have. After careful consideration, we decided that we would do the kayak/ snorkeling with sea turles excursion. Well, true to form, if a company plans the trip for you, it's bound to be hassle-free and smoothly executed.

The water in Barbados was so clear. It's was amazing, as we kayaked through the ocean, we could see all the way to the bottom of the sea floor. It was so beautiful and completely different from what we have here in the Atlantic. My favorite part was just kayaking. I love ocean kayaking, it's so exhilerating! The sea turtles were cool too, but I must admit I felt a bit bad for them. All over the bay there were catamerans and other boats filled with eager tourists wanting to catch a glimps and snorkel with these magnificent creatures. Although the guide did specifically state, don't follow the sea turtles, it was like a congo line stretching as far as the eye could see. Everyone wanted a piece of the turtles!

Once we returned to shore, we decided that we'd tour the islandon our own for the afternoon. Sadly, the scooter shop was closed which meant we were forced to take a cabbie. Our toothless guide was filled with random facts about the island... the country side was beautiful. We visited several sights up in the mountains and the fresh air, cool breeze, and peaceful sway of the trees made for a restful afternoon. Overall, Barbados was probably my 3rd favorite island.

Dominica

Dominica was my least favorite island. Having spent the previous day at such a beautiful island as St. Thomas, Dominica was like eating boxed macaroni after having prime rib the night before. The moment we stepped off the boat the venders swooped down on us, like vultures diving down to their unlucky prey. Everywhere we went, people tugged, pulled, and baggered.

Dominica is not known for its beaches, it's more of a rainforest island. However, we had heard that Champagne Beach had some of the best snorkeling. Not only that, but this beach was highly unusual as it had underwater vents that bubbled up hot water. So, off the beaten track we went, looking for a taxi that would take us to this natural wonder.

Now communication is important in any relationship. When communication lacks or there is an interference with the transmission, communication break-up occurs thus leaving one if not both parties frustrated. As fate would seem fit, this is what happened in Dominica.

Having not vacationed a lot together, I knew at one point, this would come into play, I just didn't expect it so soon. Marco is an incredibly nice guy. He'll never say an ourtright "no", rather he'll use the expression "Oh okay, thanks, we'll get back to you just now"... literally translation I've learned, I'll get back to you within the next decade.

The first and only time I've seen Marco deal with hawking vendors was in Bali when he began to speak Afrikaans and flail his arms like a chicken at them. At that point I didn't know if I should laugh or be horrified... As Marco put it, that is not part of a stress-free vacation and he absolutely detests vendors like that. Looking back, that should have been a clue. After wandering around the streets of Dominica to get a feel, and promising every vendor we met, "we get back to you just now", I was beginning to get a little irate- Just Say No! I mean, that's one of the biggest campaigns we have here in the US...

How were we ever going to make it to the beach? Every driver we spoke with wanted us to do a rainforest tour and were not interested in taking us to Champagne Beach - it's not the local tourist route. At this point, completely frustrated I turned to Marco and said, "Would you stop telling everyone thanks, we'll get back to you just now! I'm feeling like Paris Hilton.... we've got the paparazzi on every corner waiting for us to make a decision because you've promised every cab driver in the area we'll get back to him! Just choose one cabbie and bargain with him."

Well, let's just say that if one person doesn't like hawking vendors, bargaining, and is just trying to be generally polite he or she would not be the person to send to bargain for a taxi ride. As soon as Marco left my side, I realized that was probably not the wisest move. I quickly bargained with a guy for $15 a piece roundtrip for Marco and I to the beach, but alas I was too late. Within a few moments Marco had returned, his face flushed and eyes flashing like I had given him the job from hell.... "Here's your taxi driver, $15 a person we're going with him." Now although I might fail in the communication department from time to time, there are certain looks I understand without words.

Upon arrival to the beach, it turned out our cabbie was charging $15/ person per direction.... $60 poorer, I realized that for that price, we could have done the rainforest tour and stopped off at the beach....

St. Thomas, USVI- June 11,2007

St. Thomas was incredible! I had spoken to Mel before we left and she suggested that we rent a scooter and explore on our own. That sounded perfectly ideal to me so Monday morning Marco and I set off to find a scooter shop. The port was gorgeous and if the view from the deck was any indication, the beaches here were going to be spectacular!

A scooter shop was found, a map given, and off we were to locate Secret Harbor. Well, after an hour we began to realize why Secret Harbor was named so, it truly was "secret". There are approximately 3 main roads with zillions of small roads so getting lost could happen if you're not a good navigator. Therefore, it was quickly decided that I would now navigate and Marco would drive.

I had forgotten how much I detest riding behind Marco on a scooter. When we were dating, I used to think he drove like that, so fearing for my life, I would wrap myself around him. We've been married 2 yrs now, and he still drives like that!

Upon finally finding Secret Harbor, we were ready to spend the day snorkeling and laying out. Wow, the beach was breathtaking! The white sand, crystal water, and shady palms were like something from a magazine. I would have to say it was one of the best beaches I've ever been too. It was probably on par with some of the Thai beaches...

After spending the entire afternoon there, we decided that before we headed back to the ship, we'd scooter around the island a bit and take a "short-cut" through the mountains for some photo ops at the lookout points. So off we zoomed, careening around corners with the wind whipping our hair. The first look-out point was a bit of a dud, the remnants of an old cable car track that used to take tourists up and down the mountain, now hosting a small bar only known to the locals.

The second point was amazing. You could see just about the entire island. After commenting on the view, asking the infamous, "Would you mind taking a picture for us?" and talking with a view other tourists, we checked our watch- 15 minutes till we had to be back to ship. Not a problem, the ship was right below us and it didn't look far to drive. We jumped on our scooter, hit the throttle, and ... nothing. "Try it again," I said. Nothing. Again? Nothing. "Now what?" I asked Marco.

Well, never fear when Marco's near because he always has a plan. After attempting to talk to it, stroke it, kick start it, lay hands and pray over it, Marco turned to me and said, "It's dead." Well, what an amazing revelation- now what? "We ride down the mountain and hope we make it back on time." Somehow these words of comfort, did not quite do the trick. Suddenly images flashed through my mind of a scooter trip taken with my roommate where the same thing had happened to her, or the time Marco and I had taken a day trip into the mountains and his scooter died thus having to push his scooter to the nearest village shop. 3 times a charm...

So off we set. Thankfully the ride home was mostly down hill. I will admit, we looked rather humorous as the red light turned green and we're running with the scooter, "Jump on!" Marco shouted as we began our second descent down into the town. As luck would have it, we coasted into a mechanics shop to jump start the dead weight. That though would be too simple, and scooters cannot be jump started. So, off to a running start again, gain some momentum, and jump on... it was like something from a Bond film really...

2 blocks from the rental shop the road flattened out leaving us no option but to push the bike the rest of the way. As I took our snorkel gear from the bike, I had to laugh, who said this was going to be a stress free vacation?!

San Juan, PR

Okay, so I admit, I was a bit skeptical when Marco first approached me about the idea of a cruise. My mind conjured up a variety of images, none to appealing. The vacation that the love of my life was suggesting was one that I was unaccustomed to. A low stress, no maintenance, married vacation?! One in which I was going to have to trade in my trusted backpack that I've carried now since I was 16, for a suitcase with wheels!?! No hedging through crowded streets, no bargaining for a place to sleep, hot water that was going to be free of charge....

Marco and I have not taken many vacations together, largely due to opposite work schedules and the idea of what constitutes as "fun". However, since this was his idea and an attempt at us going away together, who was I to decline?

The flight to San Juan was uneventful. As we rode through new San Juan, it has an uncanny resemblance to 8th Street, Calle Ocho, here in Miami. It was crowded with the same type of constrution, litter, and vibe. Listening to the Spanish station playing in the background, I didn't think we had actually left Miami. Old San Juan provided greater hope. It's quaint, historic streets, lined with some beautiful homes, began to stir the ever so present eagerness to explore the unknown. I couldn't wait to drop our bags off on the ship and begin to wander the streets.

Unfortunately, check-in took longer than anticipated so by the time we were able to get back off the boat, it was close to dusk, meaning most things would be closing within the hour. Quickly I sprinted past Columbus Square with Marco in tow moaning about the fact that this was vacation and that we were suppose to be meandering, holding hands, enjoying the view... FYI, meandering is for old people, and if I wanted to do so, I would have stayed home and meandered with the rest of the retirees around the lake. San Juan was itching to be explored and I only had until the sun set so please pick up your pace!

Fort San Christobal was neat. I love anything historic and my imagination was able to run wild imagining what it was like to have been a soldier posted there. From the hidden tunnels to the amazing roof views, it was cool to see how the city looked now and to imagine what it was like when the first explorers set foot there. Even Marco enjoyed it!

Afterwards, we meandered throughout the town, exploring all the little side streets, nooks, crannies, and shops. The iron work in the architect was beautiful, the homes so gaily painted, street musicians of all sorts playing on various corners throughout the city... we stumbled upon an outdoor concert and it was so cute to watch all the elderly couples dancing together and enjoying being together... San Juan was definately more than I anticipated and we were off to a great start!

Missing In Action

My humble apologies for the lack of updates recently.

After returning from our fantastic Carribean vacation, everything else that is happening is kindoff an anti-climax. I'm cathing up at the office and also with my MBA course. Well, trying. This next month - while churning out the projects - we're devouring a few Marketing Management textbooks and related case studies, a subject I find truly intriguing and fascinating.

We are also busy switching all of our albums from Yahoo to Picasso, which we find to be more user-friendly and have more functionality and higher quality. Sarah is working on adding all our recent Carribean holiday pics - which I'm not too proud to realise that probably only our parents will check out! However, there are a few stunning shots that I'm sure to post soon.

The New Google Streetmaps!

Google has outdone themselves again with a truly ambitious update of their Google Earth function. Exploring neighborhoods at street level–virtually, is now possible.

Where Google Earth allowed you to zoom in on streetmaps anywhere in the world, in select cities, this new program gives you actual street level views. The pictures are high resolution, allowing you 16x zoom and 360 panning functionality.

It is fascinating and the implications of this technology now available to us commoners boggles the mind. There are, for obvious reasons, also complaints that privacy laws are being violated.
Click on the link below for Google's explanation of this new function:
http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/index.html

Nightmare Plane Ride!

This Trans-Atlantic flight takes the cake!
If you thought YOU've had a bad day, check out the experience of these passengers on Flight 1970, bound from Amsterdam to Newyark:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21943029-1702,00.html

Return from the Carribean!

We're back!

The past week was overwhelming and unforgettable. We daily ate five-star, were treated like kings, were exposed to fantastic Caribbean weather, breathtaking scenery - from mountain peaks to under the sea, and made great friends. We had the time of our lives.

We're setting up a photo album on Picassa and will send the link as soon as it's ready.

Second Honeymoon

It is wickedly late on Saturday night. I've just finished packing.
I'm taking Sarah on a weeklong cruise somewhere South through the Carribean towards Barbados and back. On the way we'll throw anchor at four different island-nations.

It's been a while since I had a proper holiday and we're both looking very much forward to it.
In a few hours we're flying to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where we'll meet my brother and climb aboard.

Too much eating, little sleep, and loads of diving and island exploration looming.
Nag ou Grote!

Gas Price Hikes

Gas prices has shot through the roof during the past 4 weeks. While paying under $2.60/gallon in April, the price of gas is now hovering between $3.10 - $3.20/gallon. In the Northwest gas is more than $3.60/gallon.

Ouch!

Media Circus!

Today, in another series of media frenzy and absolute mindboggling absurdness, CBS News and Fox News interrupted their special broadcast from the Pentagon (!!!) to the aerial view of a very large, media-surrounded house, with these words: "She's coming out of the house. Paris Hilton is coming out of the house! She's going to the courthouse!" Ohaaahuu!

If everyone else finds this normal, then I must be certifiable. Well, ....uh... I've just realized that I've dedicated my Blog-space to her now by publishing this... Doh!

Grand Cayman from the Air

Friend Marius send me this stunning picture taken recently of his home, the Grand Cayman Island, just a "stone's throw" South of Miami and the Keys.
He surfs before and after work. Tough life!

We'll be anchored there sometime next week.

SA Optimistic about Future - New Study

Nearly 80% of all South Africans accross the board are much happier now than they were 15 years ago, according to Hennie Kotze, dean of the faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch. He based his statements about the changing values of the different segments of the Republic's population on a worldwide survey that has been done since 1981 by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Germany. (More than 3000 people partook in the survey.)

Ethnicity will be irrelevant to the upcoming young generation fifteen years from now, Kotze said.
Interestingly, comparing these findings with other developing countries with large numbers of very poor people, such as Brazil, South Africa came out on top by a large margin.
Politics came a distant fourth for importance among respondents, compared to a decade ago. Family, friends and leisure were more important.

The only negative mentioned was the courts failure to take tough action against brutal and serious crimes.

About 95% of all respondents were proud to be South African. The middle class has grown by nearly 10% from 1990-2001.
The future looks bright.


To see the Business Report-article go to:
http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?from=rss_&fArticleId=3866923

Paris Hilton in the Slammer

Here in the States relevant news are taking a back seat to sensational gossip, short for RUBBISH.
Splashed over all the covers is that Paris Hilton started her 20-something days prison sentence for DUI. BIG news on Tuesday.
Wednesday's big debate in the media was over whether she'd be allowed to keep her hair extentions on during her prison stay.

We're shaking our heads...

Brittain has David Beckham. Who does SA have?

May the 4th Be With You!

Grappetje.

Capitalism and the Freedom of Choice

Had 'n interessante debat vanaand in ons Ondernemings-Argitektuur-klas (korrekte vertaling?):
Een van die vier boustene van Kapitalisme is dan ook die Vryheid van Keuse wat ons as gebruikers van 'n wye verskeidenheid produkte het - en dit in die VSA, die grootste van die wereld se vryemarkstelsels. Maar die stelling blyk onakuraat te wees in sekere opsigte.

In Florida is daar slegs een elektrisiteits-verskaffer en in die Somer sal jy bars, maar jy sal betaal as kragverbruik styg en die prys verhoog. Geen keuse daar nie.
Daar is geen keuse tussen Florida se verskeie satellietTV-verskaffers (cable) nie en elke area word slegs deur een maatskappy bedien. Geen keuse daar nie.
Die vier groot motorversekeringsagentskappe in Suid-Florida (Florida se versekering is die 2de hoogste in die land.) se premies is almal banaal en die verskil in prys tussen die mededingers is in sente. Ini mini myni moe...
Die stygende petrolprys en die banale mediese versekering-kullery in hierdie staat is 'n dissertasie op sy eie werd.

Vryheid van Keuse blyk dus in vele opsigte bloot 'n illusie te wees.

Severe Drought in Florida

Florida's worst-known drought is continuing into our rainy season, with news that Lake Okeechobee's water level today is matching a historic low. The Lake is the key water supply for nearly 5 million people in South-Florida's Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, and the Everglades.

The average water level should be around 13 feet in the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the United States. The South Florida Water Management District is expecting a new record low of under 8.97 feet by Friday due to evaporation.
According to weather forecasters, an average rainy season, which we are in now, will mean that florida will still be in drought at the end of the season. Then the impact of the drought will be much more severe next season.

Should the freshwater levels drop to low, contamination from the surrounding saltwater is highly likely and forecasters predict that in such a scenario it could take up to ten years before South-Florida's drinking water is restored.

For the moment there is severe water restrictions - which seems so unreal because there is lakes everywhere on my way to work - and everyone is looking to the Heavens for rain.

Cayaking the Loxahatchee

Today is Memorial Day, when America remembers and honors their fallen heroes in all the wars the country has participated in.

We left early morning for the Jonathan Dickinson State Park close to Jupiter, about 100 miles North-NE. The relativity of distance is amazing! Living in Cape Town we'd never even consider driving to Stilbaai, other than for a holiday or a long-weekend, but it's less than a 100 miles away. Here everything is so spread out, and Miami is so far South, you have to drive to get anywhere.

We spend the day at the park, cayaking a couple of hours in the most serene surroundings, alas the river was too busy to spot much wildlife, other than ospreys. The Loxahatchee river was designated a wild and scenic river estuary in 1985. It's certainly a worthwhile paddle and the camping area looks great.

Mayor League Baseball

Hotdawgs, beer and onions under the floodlights! Yes, on Saturday we attended our first Mayor League Baseball game as the hapless Florida Marlins hosted the New York Mets at Dolphins Stadium.
It's nearly as good as cricket and lasts only about three hours, excluding the pre-and post shows. A fantastic experience.

Marriage Announcement

Guess who's getting married in March, in Africa...?

Focus on Local News

I've lived in this beautiful country long enough now to have an informed opinion on most of the prevailent issues, the main topics, e.g. the federal government's strange stance on immigration, the Iraq War, Donald Trump's hairstyle and so forth.
Sometimes the daily news items are downright strange:

For instance:
According to NBC, more than 20 000 excited Star War-fans showed up this week in Downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie that made George Lucas rich and famous and put Harrison Ford on the Hollywood map. Wow, 20 000 fans... they obviously don't have girlfriends, jobs or much else to do!
It started off Wednesday with a marathon screening of ALL SIX FILMS in a row, exhibits of old props and costumes and appearances by old cast members. (I can't imagine Harrison showing up, after all, he "made it". Surely Chewbacca will be there, he'll need the money. There can't be many acting opportunities for big, hairy, screaming ape-men.)

From Entertainment to Politics:
On Thursday Senator John Edwards, Democratic Presidential candidate, spoke on "The War on Poverty" to a large audience. He charged $55 000 for his appearance...

Hurricane Season Coming Up

Today marks the tenth day prior to the start of the Hurricane Season in Florida.
The Central Weather Bureau announced this afternoon that it'll probably be a busy Season, with 15-17 tropical storms/hurricanes being predicted for this year. Last year 20+ hurricanes were predicted, with eventually only one tropical storm limping past the East Coast. However, in retrospect, 2005 was expected to be relatively quiet and we hosted Katrina and Wilma.

We're gonna be buying our hurricane supplies early...

Birthday Announcement...

OK, it's my birthday today - 21 May 2007.
I have just passed the age where they say men stop growing and stop recovering as fast from hard excercise like walking to your car or playing chess. Or as friend Gideon says,"When a pretty girl smiles at you, you wonder if your fly is open!" Apparently that age is 33.

Sarah held a nice birthday party for me on Saturday evening, which was great. I BBQ'ed for the first time at our current home, made possible by the new grill Sarah got me. Apart from an unfortunate incident in which flames engulfed one of her Chinese lanterns hanging high up on the ceiling of our balcony, I was King of the Grill.

Super-South-African S14 Final Aftermath

Dis die BLOND
dis die BLOU
dis die BUL
met die BAL
dis die Shark wat hom disnis VAL
dis al......

The past few days I've repeatedly received the following e-mailed picture and poem from friends, aka Blue Bull supporters. I thought I should post it, just for the sake of the occassion.

Please note that this Blog does not endorse or support all posted items (or teams!) neccessarily.

Billboard in Orlando

I came across this pic of a billboard that I took on our last trip to Orlando with the whole Bouwer clan. Still think it's pretty funny.

O Maggies, dis Marius!

Middagete geniet ek toe gistermiddag op die Miami Internasionale Lughawe, die een met die vrot reputasie na die een bestuurs-debakel na die ander die afgelope aantal maande.

Middagete saam met vrint Marius Acker van Grand Cayman se kontrei. Surfer-vrint Marius. Huismaat Marius van Taichung-dae. Durbanville-boorling soos ek. Lekker gesels en heerlik om iemand uit die "ou dae" raak te loop.

Andre en Louis - julle moet kom kuier. Daar's genoeg van ons hier om 'n trippie te regverdig.

Cultural Diversity

I can mention many negatives about Miami, but one thing that I do appreciate here is the cultural diversity. I know I will miss this wherever in the world we are lead to go from here.
I was at a dinner the other night where we had a German, a native from Minnesota, two Venezuelans, me, the South African, a Brazilian, a Cuban and a Canadian at our table. (Canadians are like Americans, without the guns and WITH the canabis!) ;-)

In my English tutoring class, there's a ladies from Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Puerto Rico. Furthermore, the lady from Bolivia is a Quechua Indian - a tribe related to, and part of the great Inca race before the Spanish "invasion".
(Upon entering the New World, the Spanish started introducing their culture to the natives of South America until nearly everybody was dead!)

My MBA group consist of me, two Puerto Ricans, a Columbian, a Cuban, a Venezuelan, a Costa Rican, and more. All of us were born outside of our adopted homeland, the culture of Miami being prevalent. However, I enjoy asking each of them on occassion to tell me about their hometown, and see their faces lit up as they explain. The different cultures guarantees that class discussions are never boring, since no one case study or management problem will play out exactly the same in any given culture, regardless of the organizational architecture and hierarchy.

It's mucho fantastico to be experiencing globalization as such. I've started my Spanish again.

S14-Plesier!

Saterdag die twee S14-semi's by die Ninneman's van F. Lauderdale gekyk - "Happy birthday bro". Ons was uiteindelik 'n aansienlike groepie Suid-Afrikaners bymekaar, wat immers vreeslik lekker was.

As I explained to Sarah, on a relative scale there really ain't that many of us around. No matter where you are, some of the first questions a fellow S.African would ask is; "Where're you from?" and "Do you perchance know....?" And I've not met a fellow - be it Taichung, Taipei, Hong Kong, Bali, Phi-Phi, Krabi, Miami etc. - where we could Not establish a mutual acquaintance within a few minutes.

Thus on Saturday I could prove my theory to Sarah, who just shook her head in amazement. Turns out (Saturday) another invitee and me both grew up in Durbanville, where his brothers went to school with me! Small SA world.

Pic:The viewing of the semi-finals was done in luxury. The ladies had the house. Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale.

Sssmokin'!

A thick blanket of smoke has been covering Miami for the past week as the fog from huge forest fires in Georgia is blowing down to South-Florida (Started by two schoolboys, imagine that.). Hundreds of homes in North-Florida has also been evacuated as a precautionary measure, should authorities not be able to control the fires.

Due to the draught we are experiencing in S-Florida, it has been reported on Tuesday that more than 200 fires were currently burning in the State! Sections of the Turnpike has been closed because thick smoke from brush fires have been blowing accross the roads, decreasing visibility dramatically. Pure fun when you're stuck in evening traffic making your way home.

Lake Okechobee, tha main municipal water source, is at a record low (Less than 20%) and tight water restrictions are in place in S-Florida. Driving on the I-95 it seems unimaginable with all the small lakes around, but water is scare and people are praying for rain... (Miskien nie in Miami nie, maar wel elders.)

(Ek voel oor Miami soos Jonah van ouds oor Ninneve' gevoel het!)

In the Eye of the Storm

So there we were watching grand finale of The Amazing Race and an announcer suddenly pops up, warning that a tornado is heading straight for our area. He gave 25-minute interval target areas in the estimated path of the storm. It was heading straight over us! Arrival time - within 30 minutes.

Ja, it brings your comfort to an abrupt end. You can't take off by car, because it's already too close. It was absolutely howling outside.

So I braved it outside and tried a few pictures towards the dark, restless night. Most of 'em came out like the posted pic - all lit up because of the lightning. This pic - not a good one - but I posted it to show the electricity in the air. I did not use a flash.

Within 25 minutes of the aired warning, it became dead calm - the eye was passing directly over us. A pretty neat experience and luckily there wasn't much damage in our area.

Lug-en-See Skou - Son, Sand en WEG

Die laatoggend-hitte maak die oorlogskip in die verte deinserig voorkom, die sweet tap my af, die irriterende rap-musiek blêr onophoudelik vanuit die geledere van die hoop strandgangers erens in die voorgrond. Ek is min gepla!

Die oue agter ons lê oopbek en snork in die hitte, ons ham-en-bloukaas toebroodjies is pap en my bier is warm, maar watwou! Ek is min gepla!

My geleende WEG lê onaangeraak en rein in die piekniekmandjie en 'n belowende dag lê braak en wag. Afrikaans, son, see en nogmaals Suid-Afrikaanse nostalgie op vandag se agenda, my China!
My aandag is verdeel tussen die blou lug, die stilte wat enige oomblik aan skerwe gebreek kan word deur die F-16's se tienduisend(!?)-silinder straler-enjins, en my geleende Afrikaanse tydskrif. Ek wil niks mis nie...

(En Afrikaans rock!)
Kiekie: Me on F. Lauderdale Beach, with the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge (LHD3) on the horizon.

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

The McDonald's Air and Sea Show happened on Sunday from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. along 4 miles of Fort Lauderdale Beach, between the famous Las Olas Blvd and Oakland Park Blvd. The military air and sea performances by the world's most powerful military force was simply breathtaking.
Amphibious Assault ships, Cobra helicopters, Hornet fighter jets, USAF Thunderbirds, air acrobatics, pararescue demonstrations, F-16's, B-2-Stealth Bombers, Warthogs, Lancer Bombers and F-15's were all part of a spectacular day's display. Glad we went.

Thus the USA Air Force and Navy paid homage to its servicemen and women - and to us taxpayers who finance their magnificent flying machines!

Die B2-Stealth Bomber was my hoogtepunt:
Dis net toe ek 'n teug wil neem uit my koeldrank-borrel wat die swart Spook onheilspellend laag - en geruisloos! - oor ons koppe swiep. Voor ek aan 'n gepaste uidrukking kon dink om my skok te omskryf, word die drukkende blou lug oopgeskeur deur 'n geweldadige klapklank wat dreunend, donderend, klaend die hemel inboor, verder en verder totdat nie een s'n spikkeltjie sigbaar is van die vlieënde oorlogsmasjien nie. Was my naam Abdul, en was en ek lid van Al Queda se woestyn-rolbalklub, was ek bokveld toe voor ek enigiets gehoor het.

Pics: The B2, F. Lauderdale Beach flowing over with beachgoers and a quartet of Thunderbirds flying past in formation.

Rugby Murder at Loftus

After the Shark's tantalizing win at Newlands (hoendervleis!) and the bulldozing, murderous performance by the Bulls on Saturday at Loftus, the New Zealand rugby media are showing little hope that either of their two sides will progress past the two semi-finals next weekend - both played in the Republic.
In fact, so much is the pessimism and shock after the 92-3 demolition of the Reds by the South African Bulls, that the Springboks are now vouched as "strong favorites" to win the William Web Ellis Trophy later this year in France!
Here's one example from the NZ Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10438192

The Queen is Back in Town

Queen Elizabeth II is visiting the States for the first time in 16 years. It's a big deal in the States.
The Queen started her 6-day visit in Virginia, with a parade down Richmond, elegantly waving to the crowds of people eager to see the British monarch. Today she is in historic Jamestown, with her travelling companion, the Duke of Edinburgh. They will take part in the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the town, the first permanent British settlement in North-America.

Her state visit will include a 2-day visit of Washington D.C., where she will meet with President Bush. The Queen certainly has star power and she's attracting huge adorning crowds. Ironic how history runs in cycles, like fashion - all the former British colonies fought to be rid of her governing power, but we do love her today.

(AP picture from BBC)

Bush Veto's

The big news here in the States, other than Angelina Jolie's new hairstyle, is President Bush vetoing yesterday the proposed Iraqi war-spending measure of Congress, led by the Democrats.
The Spending Bill was an effort to dry up funding to the Iraqi War effort, thus forcing Bush to start the withdrawing of troops, instead of the increase he strongly proposed.

A Few Good Men

Dis Vrydag die laaste rondte van vanjaar se S14 kompetisie. Dis op hierdie stadium wat dinge grootliks wyyyd interessant raak, veral met al die verskillende permutasies wat in spel kom.

Die Sharks kry Semi-finaal tuisveld-voordeel mits hulle wen met 'n bonuspunt en Mamelodi verloor die vorige dag, die Bulls ontvang 'n gratis Spur-brêkfis as hulle 5 driëe druk, dit Woensdag rëen en die Crusaders met minder as 7 punte teen die Chiefs verloor. Etc.

Iedergeval, ek gil Saterdag my longe uit vir die Sharks op Nuweland, met of sonder AJ en Bob. Take the weather mates!

Spotprent: From a Kiwi newspaper, depicting the unhappiness with this year's new scrumming laws.

Lakeside Walks at Dusk

Last night we had our usual walk around the lake after supper.
It's the most perfect time of day, this time of dusk, when the frogs starts calling and the birds start settling in. It's not as hot, there's usually a slight breeze, which is a blessing in Florida's hot, humid weather.

However, our potential romantic walk along the banks of the lake (next to our complex) turned into a photography competition. I must've said something innocent like, "Wow, I sure know how to take pictures better than you can!", or something non-provocative like that.
Sarah always ends up more artistic than her African, when it comes to taking pics. But surely I can't give in and admit to this.
You judge if her pic (left) is well-taken...

Islamorada, The Keys

Friday we had a staff retreat and did our best at it, spending the entire day at Islamorada, down in the Keys. Fluorescent crystal clear water, jetski's snorkeling, cayaking, bbq, white sandy beaches, sunshine - I need to stop working so hard.

The Keys is an archipelo of about 1700 islands (courtesy of Wikipedia) that stretches down from Florida's Southernmost tip in a gentle arch South-Southwest to West. It divides the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean. Key West, the South/Westernmost inhabited island, is only about 90 miles from Cuba. Key West is the most densely populated, with around 32% of the Florida Keys population. The diving and snorkeling around these islands, which are connected at one point by a 7-mile bridge (quite awesome) , are said to be some of the best in the world.

At Islamorada (Purple Island - population about 6800 - 2006) you can, among other things, swim with the dolphins, go on a chartered fishing, as the island is known for its great fishing. The laid-back attitute here is vastly different from big city Miami a little to the North. It's like "de-cellerating" your motorcycle from 120 to 30 miles/hour. It takes some getting used to.


I had a ball - any day outside in the sun is better thaninside an office. Marco's Theory: Happiness does not come from being in an office, wearing shoes and breathing in air conditioned, circulated air on a daily, routinely basis!

Give Respect, Get Respect

The United Kingdom government has recently introduced a new plan - their Respect Agenda. This cross-governmental drive was established to curb "bad", yes anti-social behavior and nurture the good in society. This includes using bad language, littering, bad parenting, youth intervention and tackling family problems.
Check it out: www.respect.gov.uk

The Plan is based on prevention, with the emphasis on taking action and to this end the Police are encouraged to use force and "any other tools available". It includes having parents take responsibility for their children's behavior in school - this part sounds wickedly awesome to me, at least in theory!
"Problem Families" reported(!) by neighbors could be temporarily evicted from their neighborhoods and send to special camps where they will be "taught" social behavior. Wasn't this similar to what happened in Socialist and Communist societies in the past?

Sounds good and decent on paper, but is this Big Brother's legitimate terrain of governance? I guess it's debatable.

WCCricket - Semi-Final

I enjoy so many other sports, apart from - and opposed to - cricket.
There's a big Marlins game on May 4th. Maybe I'll enjoy baseball...

Auz vs SA.
SA lose by 7 wickets.

World Cup Cricket Semi-Finals

This afternoon, in the bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic home, I listened to Rap music. It was coming from the car a mile and a half behind me, in the middle lane...

Our Masquerade and Carnival Gala

Under construction...

Album up soon.

Final Gala Preparations

The University's annual fundraising event, the 2007 Masquerade and Carnival Gala, happened on Saturday night at the Ritz Carlton in Key Biscayne. Our Development Department are intimitately involved in the organizing of this glitzy event, and a fantastic experience to be a part of.

Through the Gala we raise funds for scholarships for talented, but financially disadvantaged students, of whom many are first generations immigrants to Miami and the US. The nearly 500 guests at the event are mostly the top CEO's and other leaders of the largest companies in Miami, community leaders, entertainers, politicians, lawyers, bankers, and those in the field of tertiary education.
The theme for the evening - the Masquerade an dCarnival Gala - is a mix between a Venetian Ball and a Brazilian Carnaval.

Friday we took the students and other volunteers involved in the reception and the Gala to the hotel for a final rehearsal of the program.
Pic: #1 The event planner Adriana rehearsing with some of the students.
Pic: #2 Part of the organizing committee celebrating with some bubbly that the Gala is in sight.

Commensement of Classes at Virginia Tech

After the senseless massacre of 32 students last week at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia (http://www.vt.edu/), the campus is readying itself to start classes again come Monday. The shootin spree of gunman Seung-Hui Cho (23) is the deadliest in US history and the impact of the event has send shock waves accross the country.

Many other universities, including our own, has offered help. Around the clock news about Virginia Tech has been filling newsrooms and the airwaves this past week as America is trying to come to grips with this attrocity. There's many issues and more questions e.g. "Is any campus safe?" What if Al-Queda tries something similar? Why was the obviously sick Ho not detained in a mental institute? Should there be stricter gun control? Etc.

We've become quite calloused at hearing of deaths on the news. Seeing pics of the victims, they become real, instead of statistics -http://www.nytimes.com/ref/us/20070418_VICTIMS_GRAPHIC.html

(Pic: Thousands of students attend a candlelight vigil on the Virginia Tech campus, Tuesday, April 17th.)

Sondag-smiddae Kuiers

Lazy Sunday Afternoon: Visiting with the Ninneman's and friends in Fort Lauderdale at their house, the boss's yacht parked in the background.
Not being used to 80-foot luxury yachts, it was quite the thrill for me watching the best game of the S14 thus far (Sharks vs Blues), in it's living room/belly.