Pay "increase"
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Just one more reason we decided to come to the UK for a while and save. We could buy a 2 bedroom house in SA on our UK credit cards with the exchange rate - in fact, we are thinking of doing it and renting it out so that some poor dude still working in SA can start paying it off for us, while we pay the rest off from here. Paul Watson wrote: Come work for Bluegrass. The pay is not the greatest (I earn R13000) but at least you will believe in what you are doing and have a blast doing it How did you find such a cool job in SA? Very lucky, do you have some good contacts or something? Although, it does sound like Cape Town is the best place for Dev's at the moment. I had the ONLY dev job in Nelspruit, so my boss new that if I got bolshie about my salary he had a queue of about 20 unemployed dev's just waiting to hop into my spot. Do Bluegrass employ many people? Will they still be there in 2 - 3 years? :-D
We don't need a thinker! We need a do-er! Someone who will act first, without considering the consequences. - Homer J Simpson
Megan Forbes wrote: in fact, we are thinking of doing it and renting it out so that some poor dude still working in SA Well if you do do this then drop me a line, am always on the look out for a good place to rent (I am not yet ready to buy.) As for the exchange rate thing once again I am quite lucky. Bluegrass sells in London/Europe but develops in SA. So cost is in Rands but income is in Pounds. Plus I now have a share in the business which is valued in Pounds, but I live back here in SA so do not incur the high cost of London living. It is very much a case of work damned hard now and reap the rewards later in life (but not too late of course.) Megan Forbes wrote: How did you find such a cool job in SA? Very lucky, do you have some good contacts or something? I got lucky initially. Simple as that. Went for a normal job interview, they thought I would make a good junior developer to do crappy maintenance work. I then worked my ass off and they saw I was valuable so they promoted me. Basically bottom line is that I commited to Bluegrass and they committed to me. When shit hits the fan, which it did do during the .com crash, they can rely on me and I can rely on them. Like any good relationship it takes hard work and trust :) Megan Forbes wrote: Do Bluegrass employ many people? Will they still be there in 2 - 3 years? No, we are not some overhyped go-big-fast company like the .coms. We are still small but growing steadily and only when we can and need to. i.e. If there is more work than resources we sweat it out a bit and if the work remains at that level then we start hiring. And we will definitley be here in 3 years time, bigger, better and stronger. I have realised that this is where I want to be and that there is nowhere else for me. I could move to London and get a hot shot but souless job which has instant gratification but which may stop a year down the line. Or I can work hard here doing what I love and reap the rewards a bit later.
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaRay Cassick wrote: Well I am not female, not gay and I am not Paul Watson
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Megan Forbes wrote: in fact, we are thinking of doing it and renting it out so that some poor dude still working in SA Well if you do do this then drop me a line, am always on the look out for a good place to rent (I am not yet ready to buy.) As for the exchange rate thing once again I am quite lucky. Bluegrass sells in London/Europe but develops in SA. So cost is in Rands but income is in Pounds. Plus I now have a share in the business which is valued in Pounds, but I live back here in SA so do not incur the high cost of London living. It is very much a case of work damned hard now and reap the rewards later in life (but not too late of course.) Megan Forbes wrote: How did you find such a cool job in SA? Very lucky, do you have some good contacts or something? I got lucky initially. Simple as that. Went for a normal job interview, they thought I would make a good junior developer to do crappy maintenance work. I then worked my ass off and they saw I was valuable so they promoted me. Basically bottom line is that I commited to Bluegrass and they committed to me. When shit hits the fan, which it did do during the .com crash, they can rely on me and I can rely on them. Like any good relationship it takes hard work and trust :) Megan Forbes wrote: Do Bluegrass employ many people? Will they still be there in 2 - 3 years? No, we are not some overhyped go-big-fast company like the .coms. We are still small but growing steadily and only when we can and need to. i.e. If there is more work than resources we sweat it out a bit and if the work remains at that level then we start hiring. And we will definitley be here in 3 years time, bigger, better and stronger. I have realised that this is where I want to be and that there is nowhere else for me. I could move to London and get a hot shot but souless job which has instant gratification but which may stop a year down the line. Or I can work hard here doing what I love and reap the rewards a bit later.
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaRay Cassick wrote: Well I am not female, not gay and I am not Paul Watson
Sounds good. I am actually quite sad - I have found my dream job over here, but my heart is in SA. I will be staying with them for 2 - 3 years, at least my cv will be great, and I'll have a masters degree, when I move home. My boss is cool, the firm believes in personal development and study support, and my boss supports network games at lunch time for team building! :-D My husband and I are hoping to move the the Cape when we come home, with a firm foundation set up so we can start a family. I wouldn't like to bring kids up here.
We don't need a thinker! We need a do-er! Someone who will act first, without considering the consequences. - Homer J Simpson
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Sounds good. I am actually quite sad - I have found my dream job over here, but my heart is in SA. I will be staying with them for 2 - 3 years, at least my cv will be great, and I'll have a masters degree, when I move home. My boss is cool, the firm believes in personal development and study support, and my boss supports network games at lunch time for team building! :-D My husband and I are hoping to move the the Cape when we come home, with a firm foundation set up so we can start a family. I wouldn't like to bring kids up here.
We don't need a thinker! We need a do-er! Someone who will act first, without considering the consequences. - Homer J Simpson
Megan Forbes wrote: I wouldn't like to bring kids up here. Can you explain this please? I'm not criticising you, as I actually agree, but I'd appreciate your viewpoint... "The folly of man is that he dreams of what he can never achieve rather than dream of what he can."
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Sounds good. I am actually quite sad - I have found my dream job over here, but my heart is in SA. I will be staying with them for 2 - 3 years, at least my cv will be great, and I'll have a masters degree, when I move home. My boss is cool, the firm believes in personal development and study support, and my boss supports network games at lunch time for team building! :-D My husband and I are hoping to move the the Cape when we come home, with a firm foundation set up so we can start a family. I wouldn't like to bring kids up here.
We don't need a thinker! We need a do-er! Someone who will act first, without considering the consequences. - Homer J Simpson
Megan Forbes wrote: my boss supports network games at lunch time for team building! :omg: Cool. Your boss is very :cool: Regards, Brian Dela :-)
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Sounds good. I am actually quite sad - I have found my dream job over here, but my heart is in SA. I will be staying with them for 2 - 3 years, at least my cv will be great, and I'll have a masters degree, when I move home. My boss is cool, the firm believes in personal development and study support, and my boss supports network games at lunch time for team building! :-D My husband and I are hoping to move the the Cape when we come home, with a firm foundation set up so we can start a family. I wouldn't like to bring kids up here.
We don't need a thinker! We need a do-er! Someone who will act first, without considering the consequences. - Homer J Simpson
Megan Forbes wrote: my boss supports network games at lunch time for team building! Where's that :drool: emoticon when I need one? Norm Almond: I seen some GUI's in my life but WTF is this mess ;-) Leppie: I made an app for my sister and she wouldnt use it till it was colorful enough:) Norm:good point leppie, from that statement I can only deduce that this GUI must be aimed at children:laugh: Leppie:My sister is 25:eek: -Norm on the MailMagic GUI
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Megan Forbes wrote: my boss supports network games at lunch time for team building! Where's that :drool: emoticon when I need one? Norm Almond: I seen some GUI's in my life but WTF is this mess ;-) Leppie: I made an app for my sister and she wouldnt use it till it was colorful enough:) Norm:good point leppie, from that statement I can only deduce that this GUI must be aimed at children:laugh: Leppie:My sister is 25:eek: -Norm on the MailMagic GUI
Yep, at first I thought it was too good to be true, but 6 months down the line his attitude is unchanged! :-D
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
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Yep, at first I thought it was too good to be true, but 6 months down the line his attitude is unchanged! :-D
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
It's the same here, too (though it'd be unforgivable for a games company to not let people play games, really) big 32 player lan games of battlefield 1942 are great :-D -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
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Megan Forbes wrote: I wouldn't like to bring kids up here. Can you explain this please? I'm not criticising you, as I actually agree, but I'd appreciate your viewpoint... "The folly of man is that he dreams of what he can never achieve rather than dream of what he can."
First, maybe I was too harsh - I only have experience of living in the South East. It seems to me that people here seem to get quiet time by unleashing their 10 - 15 year olds on public transport / shopping malls where they fondle each other, smoke, drink, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. I have cousins on my father's side from "up North" who have turned out perfectly fine, super people. I also have cousins from the Midlands who are a total nightmare - the two guys are so screwed by drugs that they are currently waiting for pigs liver transplants or something (one is in jail for dealing, the other living in caves near Nottingham so that he doesn't waste dole money on accomodation, but rather, it all goes to drugs) and the girl is 30, with 2 kids, the oldest is 15. It scares me that if my Dad hadn't taken us to SA, my brother and I might have ended up like this. There also seems to be a general lack of respect from kids in our area for adults. They are rude to elderly people, even pushing them to get to where they want to go faster. I would not see this as acceptable in any offspring I might have in the future. There also seems to be a whole culture of "I can get as much from the dole as from working, so why work" - socially unacceptable as far as I am concerned. As I said - I am probably too harsh, especially as my experience of living in England is limited to the South East. One other thing that works in SA's favour - I hope to bring my kids up where there is sunshine and a beach, so that they can play outside, and grow up with healthy bodies. Which area of the UK do you live in, and what are kids like there?
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
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It's the same here, too (though it'd be unforgivable for a games company to not let people play games, really) big 32 player lan games of battlefield 1942 are great :-D -- Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
OK, now even I'm jealous! :drool: ;P [edit] BTW - where do you work, and what games do you program? [/edit]
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
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First, maybe I was too harsh - I only have experience of living in the South East. It seems to me that people here seem to get quiet time by unleashing their 10 - 15 year olds on public transport / shopping malls where they fondle each other, smoke, drink, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. I have cousins on my father's side from "up North" who have turned out perfectly fine, super people. I also have cousins from the Midlands who are a total nightmare - the two guys are so screwed by drugs that they are currently waiting for pigs liver transplants or something (one is in jail for dealing, the other living in caves near Nottingham so that he doesn't waste dole money on accomodation, but rather, it all goes to drugs) and the girl is 30, with 2 kids, the oldest is 15. It scares me that if my Dad hadn't taken us to SA, my brother and I might have ended up like this. There also seems to be a general lack of respect from kids in our area for adults. They are rude to elderly people, even pushing them to get to where they want to go faster. I would not see this as acceptable in any offspring I might have in the future. There also seems to be a whole culture of "I can get as much from the dole as from working, so why work" - socially unacceptable as far as I am concerned. As I said - I am probably too harsh, especially as my experience of living in England is limited to the South East. One other thing that works in SA's favour - I hope to bring my kids up where there is sunshine and a beach, so that they can play outside, and grow up with healthy bodies. Which area of the UK do you live in, and what are kids like there?
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
Megan Forbes wrote: Which area of the UK do you live in, and what are kids like there? I live at My address[^] which is a nice quiet area. The kids hang around on street corners etc and do sometime abuse people verbally. No pushing or shoving that I have noticed. I also have 2 step children aged 16 and 18. One quiet and shy (18) and the other outgoing and funny(16). They are like kids are suppost to be. Not like the "Townies" you see lately. Kids today life is all about image and gadgets ( :-D ) Roger Allen Sonork 100.10016 I have a terminal disease. Its called life!
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It was proudly announced at a company meeting that raises would be between 3-8% this year. Let's not even get into the fact that inflation is like 11% for South Africa and the home loan rate has gone up 4 times already AND might go up again. X| Basically, I'm earning less now than when I started. :suss: I just thought I'd share that with you. Cheers, Simon "Sign up for a chance to be among the first to experience the wrath of the gods.", Microsoft's home page (24/06/2002)
SimonS wrote: Basically, I'm earning less now than when I started. Sorry to hear that. Good Luck. SimonS wrote: and the home loan rate has gone up 4 times already AND might go up again. So what is the deal with this? Are these adjustable rate loans where the rate changes on existing loans over time? If so, are there limits or caps? Or are you talikng about a rising of fixed rate loans? Here in the US, mortgage rates are at 30 year lows. My mortgage is 20 years fixed @ 5.875%. I'm pretty damn happy about it.
Mike Mullikin :beer: You can't really dust for vomit. Nigel Tufnel - Spinal Tap
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First, maybe I was too harsh - I only have experience of living in the South East. It seems to me that people here seem to get quiet time by unleashing their 10 - 15 year olds on public transport / shopping malls where they fondle each other, smoke, drink, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. I have cousins on my father's side from "up North" who have turned out perfectly fine, super people. I also have cousins from the Midlands who are a total nightmare - the two guys are so screwed by drugs that they are currently waiting for pigs liver transplants or something (one is in jail for dealing, the other living in caves near Nottingham so that he doesn't waste dole money on accomodation, but rather, it all goes to drugs) and the girl is 30, with 2 kids, the oldest is 15. It scares me that if my Dad hadn't taken us to SA, my brother and I might have ended up like this. There also seems to be a general lack of respect from kids in our area for adults. They are rude to elderly people, even pushing them to get to where they want to go faster. I would not see this as acceptable in any offspring I might have in the future. There also seems to be a whole culture of "I can get as much from the dole as from working, so why work" - socially unacceptable as far as I am concerned. As I said - I am probably too harsh, especially as my experience of living in England is limited to the South East. One other thing that works in SA's favour - I hope to bring my kids up where there is sunshine and a beach, so that they can play outside, and grow up with healthy bodies. Which area of the UK do you live in, and what are kids like there?
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
Unfortunately I think you're pretty much spot-on about kids today but then there isn't any discipline in schools as any form of physical punishment is prohibited, despite the fact that kids today are no longer afraid of a "telling off". Kids are actively encouraged by the media to want the 'gangsta' lifestyle - and that money is all that matters. All I know is that in the UK kids are at best an annoyance and at worst criminals. To find a polite, respectful kid these days is a rare thing indeed. I know I wasn't the best behaved kid myself but there's no way I would do anything like they do today. But isn't it obvious why they do? - it's all about what boundaries they can push and these days they can get away with just about anything. I live in NW England and I'd have to say it's generally better here than it is down there, but it's still not too good (I worked in London for over a year once). "The folly of man is that he dreams of what he can never achieve rather than dream of what he can."
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Unfortunately I think you're pretty much spot-on about kids today but then there isn't any discipline in schools as any form of physical punishment is prohibited, despite the fact that kids today are no longer afraid of a "telling off". Kids are actively encouraged by the media to want the 'gangsta' lifestyle - and that money is all that matters. All I know is that in the UK kids are at best an annoyance and at worst criminals. To find a polite, respectful kid these days is a rare thing indeed. I know I wasn't the best behaved kid myself but there's no way I would do anything like they do today. But isn't it obvious why they do? - it's all about what boundaries they can push and these days they can get away with just about anything. I live in NW England and I'd have to say it's generally better here than it is down there, but it's still not too good (I worked in London for over a year once). "The folly of man is that he dreams of what he can never achieve rather than dream of what he can."
phykell wrote: isn't any discipline in schools as any form of physical punishment is prohibited IMHO this is one of the main culprits - coupled with parents not disciplining their kids either. I'm not saying kids should be slapped about (I spent 3 months working with inner city kids in New York City - tragic the abuse some of them had endured), but a well disciplined smack on the bottom lets them get the message of what is acceptable behaviour, and what isn't. I know the hidings I recieved as a kid were well deserved, and saved me from myself :)
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
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phykell wrote: isn't any discipline in schools as any form of physical punishment is prohibited IMHO this is one of the main culprits - coupled with parents not disciplining their kids either. I'm not saying kids should be slapped about (I spent 3 months working with inner city kids in New York City - tragic the abuse some of them had endured), but a well disciplined smack on the bottom lets them get the message of what is acceptable behaviour, and what isn't. I know the hidings I recieved as a kid were well deserved, and saved me from myself :)
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
Megan Forbes wrote: but a well disciplined smack on the bottom lets them get the message of what is acceptable behaviour, and what isn't. I see nothign wrong with that in the home but I don't agree with it in school. A certain amount of physical disciplining is required and healthy in my opinion but I don't think that anybody other then the parents should be allowed to do it. Regards, Brian Dela :-)
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Megan Forbes wrote: but a well disciplined smack on the bottom lets them get the message of what is acceptable behaviour, and what isn't. I see nothign wrong with that in the home but I don't agree with it in school. A certain amount of physical disciplining is required and healthy in my opinion but I don't think that anybody other then the parents should be allowed to do it. Regards, Brian Dela :-)
As a girl I never got hidings at school, but I know when the boys were given the choice between "jacks" and detention, they always took the hiding and laughed at us having to waste our time in detention while they were out playing after school :((
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
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First, maybe I was too harsh - I only have experience of living in the South East. It seems to me that people here seem to get quiet time by unleashing their 10 - 15 year olds on public transport / shopping malls where they fondle each other, smoke, drink, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. I have cousins on my father's side from "up North" who have turned out perfectly fine, super people. I also have cousins from the Midlands who are a total nightmare - the two guys are so screwed by drugs that they are currently waiting for pigs liver transplants or something (one is in jail for dealing, the other living in caves near Nottingham so that he doesn't waste dole money on accomodation, but rather, it all goes to drugs) and the girl is 30, with 2 kids, the oldest is 15. It scares me that if my Dad hadn't taken us to SA, my brother and I might have ended up like this. There also seems to be a general lack of respect from kids in our area for adults. They are rude to elderly people, even pushing them to get to where they want to go faster. I would not see this as acceptable in any offspring I might have in the future. There also seems to be a whole culture of "I can get as much from the dole as from working, so why work" - socially unacceptable as far as I am concerned. As I said - I am probably too harsh, especially as my experience of living in England is limited to the South East. One other thing that works in SA's favour - I hope to bring my kids up where there is sunshine and a beach, so that they can play outside, and grow up with healthy bodies. Which area of the UK do you live in, and what are kids like there?
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
Megan Forbes wrote: I hope to bring my kids up where there is sunshine and a beach, so that they can play outside, and grow up with healthy bodies. Come to Malta then :cool: Drinking In The Sun Forgot Password?
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Megan Forbes wrote: Which area of the UK do you live in, and what are kids like there? I live at My address[^] which is a nice quiet area. The kids hang around on street corners etc and do sometime abuse people verbally. No pushing or shoving that I have noticed. I also have 2 step children aged 16 and 18. One quiet and shy (18) and the other outgoing and funny(16). They are like kids are suppost to be. Not like the "Townies" you see lately. Kids today life is all about image and gadgets ( :-D ) Roger Allen Sonork 100.10016 I have a terminal disease. Its called life!
Cool - not too far from my grandparents. Actually, my husband might be taking a job in Tunbridge Wells, in which case we will either move there or to Maidstone (where I work) from London. I'm pleased to hear that you enjoy it in the general area. :)
I've always heard that there was an idea behind Win ME... I still can't figure out what that was... anyboy know??? I;ve herad the idea was that it was supposed to be n operating system but I doubt this. - Brian Delahunty
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SimonS wrote: and the home loan rate I am so glad I do not currently have a mortgage or any large debts. My mom just finished paying off her house in JoBurg just before the various interest rake hikes. SimonS wrote: Basically, I'm earning less now than when I started. Come work for Bluegrass. The pay is not the greatest (I earn R13000) but at least you will believe in what you are doing and have a blast doing it* :-D * Plus you get to live in Cape Town, what more could you want? ** Actually I got a 20% raise 4 months ago, so I am not at all unhappy
Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South AfricaRay Cassick wrote: Well I am not female, not gay and I am not Paul Watson
Paul Watson wrote: Come work for Bluegrass I'm keen mate. Were you serious? Either way, maybe drop me an email on simon_stewart@hotmail.com and we can discuss offline-ish. Paul Watson wrote: Plus you get to live in Cape Town Born there, about bloody time I went back. The worse thing about being 1000km inland is when you drive over a hill and expect to see the sea in the distance. . . :(( Cheers, Simon "Sign up for a chance to be among the first to experience the wrath of the gods.", Microsoft's home page (24/06/2002)