Well it's Christmas and I could not leave without leaving some gift behind so here it is a couple of files...

• Outlook 2007 Official Public Holidays for South Africa [Click here to download]
  by Pascal Parent
• Outlook 2007 Saints [Click here to download]
  by Daniel (http://collection.sasfepu.free.fr/index.html) adapted by Pascal Parent
• Outlook 2007 Moon Phases [Click here to download]
  by Daniel (http://collection.sasfepu.free.fr/index.html) adapted by Pascal Parent

How to import into Outlook:

1. Open Microsoft Outlook, select File > Import and Export
   
   
   
2. In the "Import and Export Wizard" select "Import from another program or file", click next.
   
   
   
3. In the  "Import a file" select "Tab Separated Values (Windows)", click next.
   
   
   
4. Next select the file you wish to import using browse, my advice is to select "Replace duplicate with items imported" in the "Options", click next.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Select Calendar as the destination folder, click next.
   
   
   
   
6. Click on "Map Custom Fields ..." and click on "Default Map", click on "OK", click on "Finish". |
   This will complete the import.
   
   
   
   

Enjoy

Quote of the Day:
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with.
--W. C. Fields

A recap:

On a fine day of December 2003, in a fit of rage with Renault South Africa, I traded my Clio II for a new Peugeot.

And I have, thus far, never looked back...

The car, a Peugeot 206 SW 2.0 HDI, a 66 KW, 206 N/m, 2 liter, turbo diesel. So what makes it different?
Seriously, everything. The car's specifications may not look great, but when I tell you I have achieved a 4l/100km average consumption with the climate control on? And more than once... And the average in town consumption is a cool 5.5l/100km with the climate control on all the time?

So what, if it is fuel efficient, it's also a diesel tractor... And I heard this more than once. It's far from a tractor, though I must admit that hooking up a trailer and going away is as pleasant a drive as not having the trailer. If I could not see it in the rear view mirror chance are I would forget I am towing. Yes the car has that much power... 

It is a station wagon, I bough it to tow my trailer and carry my dogs. As well as travel the country and go to work. It fairs well in all of these tasks and one more, it's a go anywhere anytime vehicle. And it looks good. The comfort is very good for a "small" car, it is a 206 after all, with features like climate control, sports seats, Radio/CD this remote on steering well, ABS, Airbags, electric windows all around and in my case fully retractable sunroof. Who can complain?

Well 67000 km's on the clock and I have had no issues with the car or service from Peugeot, more then I can say for my Renault Clio II.

What does it lack? I can think of 2 issues:

1. Cruise control !!!!
2. An adaptor for my iPod !

What could Peugeot done to improve the car? I think an intercooler on the turbo and a better rear suspension (it's too soft). 

What's out of the ordinary with the car? That boot, the tailgate window can be opened separately to the tailgate. This is usually only found in much more expensive cars. Not to forget the power point in the huge boot (huge for the vehicle class).

What's odd about it? The fact that it's branded Quicksilver, yep the surf board guys...

Where has it been? Cape town twice (3000 Km + trip), Kruger National Park (2000 Km + trip), Garden Route (5000 Km + Trip with a trailer), The Waterburg (1000 Km + Trip) and more to come...

I received this in a mail a couple of days ago, I found it relevant for this day and age, to my greater despair.
Though I laughed uncontrollably the first time I read it. The author, though so correct, also had a very good sense of humor.

So to you all out there:

I wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting to my friends and colleagues, but it is so difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending someone. So I met with my attorney yesterday, and on his advice I wish to say the following:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the summer solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that South Africa is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her / himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

Regards and all the best to you and your family for the festive season.

Quote of the Day:
If it doesn't matter who wins, then how come they keep score?
--Vincent Lombardi

Microsoft taking blogging seriously? No I mean "seriously"!

Well if Windows Live Writer is not serious enough then I do not know what is. Mind you Microsoft has always asked their in house developers and product manager to blog regularly. With Windows Live Spaces (and MSN Spaces) Microsoft is just enhancing the need to communicate. And with the arrival of Windows Live Writer proving how serious and committed they are.

You can find Windows Live Writer here:

 

Now I use Community Server  as my blogging engine, for the past while I have been using BlogMailr for my posts (and will carry on using it), but what about a desktop application? That is where Windows Live Writer comes in, it supports a variety of blogs, not just Windows Live Spaces. And has a few nice plugins and you can write one too.

This is the second blog I do using it and it feels good to be able to hit <ctrl-s> on a regular basis.

Give it a try!