"Gail Shaw" <initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote:
> I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
>
> I just got a mail from microsoft.
> "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft MVP
> Award"
>
> Wow. I was not expecting that.
>
> And for those going "What?"
> http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/


Cool! :-D

bluetree

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"bluetree" <nomail@nomail> wrote in message
news:web.486a6e3f163791fb25b755010@news.povray.org...
> "Gail Shaw" <initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote:
> > I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> >
> > I just got a mail from microsoft.
> > "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft
MVP
> > Award"
> >
> > Wow. I was not expecting that.
> >
> > And for those going "What?"
> > http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
>
>
> Cool! :-D

Yup! <big grin>

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> 
> I just got a mail from microsoft.
> "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft MVP
> Award"
> 
> Wow. I was not expecting that.
> 
> And for those going "What?"
> http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> 
> 

Success! Congratulations.

-- 
Eero "Aero" Ahonen
    http://www.zbxt.net
       aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid

Post a reply to this message

"Eero Ahonen" <aer### [at] removethiszbxtnetinvalid> wrote in message
news:486a74aa$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
> > I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> >
> > I just got a mail from microsoft.
> > "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft
MVP
> > Award"
> >
> > Wow. I was not expecting that.
> >
> > And for those going "What?"
> > http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> >
> >
>
> Success! Congratulations.

Yup. Thanks

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> 
> I just got a mail from microsoft.
> "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft MVP
> Award"
> 
> Wow. I was not expecting that.
> 
> And for those going "What?"
> http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> 
> 
Congratulations.
..and your acceptance speech will be ...?

@--> (a rose)

John

-- 
I will be brief but not nearly so brief as Salvador Dali, who gave the
world's shortest speech. He said, "I will be so brief I am already
finished," then he sat down.

Post a reply to this message

"Doctor John" <doc### [at] gmailcom> wrote in message
news:486a85be$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
> > I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> >
> > I just got a mail from microsoft.
> > "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft
MVP
> > Award"
> >
> > Wow. I was not expecting that.
> >
> > And for those going "What?"
> > http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> >
> >
> Congratulations.
> ..and your acceptance speech will be ...?

Coming later.

> @--> (a rose)

*bows*

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> 
> I just got a mail from microsoft.
> "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft MVP
> Award"
> 
> Wow. I was not expecting that.
> 
> And for those going "What?"
> http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> 
> 
Congrats!

And great timing?  Didn't you just jump to the consulting world?  Should 
boost your billing rate. ;)

Post a reply to this message

On Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:16:59 -0400, Jim Charter wrote:

> Should
> boost your billing rate. ;-)

And visibility, for that matter.  I've known a couple MVPs in the past 
(one who doubled with the Novell forums which I mentioned earlier, in 
fact - though not at the same time), and having done the Novell thing I 
know what it does for one's reputation.  Great CV point, too.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> Wow. I was not expecting that.

Congrats!

You need to get out more. ;-)

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
  Helpful housekeeping hints:
   Check your feather pillows for holes
    before putting them in the washing machine.

Post a reply to this message

"Jim Charter" <jrc### [at] msncom> wrote in message
news:486abaf4@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
> > I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> >
> > I just got a mail from microsoft.
> > "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft
MVP
> > Award"
> >
> > Wow. I was not expecting that.
> >
> > And for those going "What?"
> > http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> >
> >
> Congrats!

Thanks

> And great timing?  Didn't you just jump to the consulting world?  Should
> boost your billing rate. ;)

Soon. In fact, I handed in my resignation just 2 days ago. Interesting
timing. <g>

Post a reply to this message

"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote in message
news:486b0432$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
> > Wow. I was not expecting that.
>
> Congrats!

Thanks

> You need to get out more. ;-)
>

Why? It's cold outside. <g>

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:

> Interesting
> timing. <g>

says she, with classic English understatement.

"Interesting" indeed.

Post a reply to this message

>> You need to get out more. ;-)
>>
> 
> Why? It's cold outside. <g>

Uh... where the heck do *you* live?

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

>> Why? It's cold outside. <g>
>
> Uh... where the heck do *you* live?

Of course it's cold where Gail is, it's winter,
don't you remember?
...
Congrats Gail! =)

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> 
> I just got a mail from microsoft.
> "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft MVP
> Award"
>

Oh, wow! Congrats!

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> "Phil Cook" <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote in message
> news:op.udmee0kyc3xi7v@news.povray.org...
> 
>> Oo is it shiny, more importantly is it hockable? No seriously congrats,
>> good to see your in-depth knowledge of MS Paint has been recognised; wait
>> it was for Paint wasn't it?
> 
> Don't joke. There's an XBox MVP in this coiuntry. The running joke is that
> he got it for playing games.
> 

There already is an MS Paint MVP:

http://weblogs.asp.net/alex_papadimoulis/archive/2005/11/13/430478.aspx ;)

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 wrote:

> 
> Uh... where the heck do *you* live?
> 

IIRC She lives in South Africa.

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> 
> I just got a mail from microsoft.
> "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft MVP
> Award"
> 
> Wow. I was not expecting that.
> 
> And for those going "What?"
> http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> 
> 

good job

keep up the good work


Tom

Post a reply to this message

"Gail, I've got a problem..."   Heh...  ;)

  Well done!!

   ~Steve~

Post a reply to this message

"St." <dot### [at] dotcom> wrote in message news:486bbf1c$1@news.povray.org...
> "Gail, I've got a problem..."   Heh...  ;)

Good to know. Have you seen someone about that problem?
<grin>

>   Well done!!

Thanks

Post a reply to this message

"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:486b23b8$1@news.povray.org...
> >> You need to get out more. ;-)
> >>
> >
> > Why? It's cold outside. <g>
>
> Uh... where the heck do *you* live?

Somewhere where it was mid winter just a few days ago. You know, the
southern hemisphere of the planet?

I know you said your knowledge of geography was bad, but...
<grin> j/k

Post a reply to this message

"Mike Raiford" <mra### [at] hotmailcom> wrote in message
news:486b6665$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
> > I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> >
> > I just got a mail from microsoft.
> > "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft
MVP
> > Award"
> >
>
> Oh, wow! Congrats!

Thanks.
I'm still on cloud nine. Probably for a few days still.

Post a reply to this message

"Tom Austin" <taustin> wrote in message news:486b80d6$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
> > I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
> >
> > I just got a mail from microsoft.
> > "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft
MVP
> > Award"
> >
> > Wow. I was not expecting that.
> >
> > And for those going "What?"
> > http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/
> >
> >
>
> good job
>
> keep up the good work
>

Thanks. I intend to.

Post a reply to this message

"Tim Attwood" <tim### [at] comcastnet> wrote in message
news:486b4200@news.povray.org...
> >> Why? It's cold outside. <g>
> >
> > Uh... where the heck do *you* live?
>
> Of course it's cold where Gail is, it's winter,
> don't you remember?
> ...
> Congrats Gail! =)
>

Thanks

Post a reply to this message

St. wrote:
> "Gail, I've got a problem..."   Heh...  ;)
> 
>   Well done!!
> 

You better get that looked at by a qualified specialist ...

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> "Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
> news:486b23b8$1@news.povray.org...
>>>> You need to get out more. ;-)
>>>>
>>> Why? It's cold outside. <g>
>> Uh... where the heck do *you* live?
> 
> Somewhere where it was mid winter just a few days ago. You know, the
> southern hemisphere of the planet?
> 
> I know you said your knowledge of geography was bad, but...

It's OK, he just needs to get out more :)

...Chambers

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OMG, just found this...

WOOHOO!!!  Congratulations!!!  You are my hero!!!

--Sherry Shaw


-- 
#macro T(E,N)sphere{x,.4rotate z*E*60translate y*N pigment{wrinkles scale
.3}finish{ambient 1}}#end#local I=0;#while(I<5)T(I,1)T(1-I,-1)#local I=I+
1;#end camera{location-5*z}plane{z,37 pigment{granite color_map{[.7rgb 0]
[1rgb 1]}}finish{ambient 2}}//                                   TenMoons

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>> Uh... where the heck do *you* live?
> 
> Somewhere where it was mid winter just a few days ago. You know, the
> southern hemisphere of the planet?
> 
> I know you said your knowledge of geography was bad, but...
> <grin> j/k

They have a winter at the equator??

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:486c7065$1@news.povray.org...
> >> Uh... where the heck do *you* live?
> >
> > Somewhere where it was mid winter just a few days ago. You know, the
> > southern hemisphere of the planet?
> >
> > I know you said your knowledge of geography was bad, but...
> > <grin> j/k
>
> They have a winter at the equator??

Huh?

Post a reply to this message

"Sherry Shaw" <ten### [at] aolcom> wrote in message
news:486c6020@news.povray.org...
> OMG, just found this...
>
> WOOHOO!!!  Congratulations!!!  You are my hero!!!

<grin> Thanks

Post a reply to this message

>> They have a winter at the equator??
> 
> Huh?

I was under the impression that at the equator there is little or no 
variation in weather conditions. (I.e., it's desert *all* year round.)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

> I know this will probably be met with 'Meh' by some people but...
>
> I just got a mail from microsoft.
> "Congratulations! We are pleased to present you with the 2008 Microsoft 
> MVP
> Award"
>
> Wow. I was not expecting that.
>
> And for those going "What?"
> http://www.microsoft.com/mvp/

Ah I see, I had always noticed that some people had the [MVP] after their 
names in a few of the MS newsgroups I read, but wasn't sure what it meant. 
Thanks for the link, and congratulations!

Post a reply to this message

On Fri, 04 Jul 2008 09:14:02 +0100, Invisible <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:

>>> They have a winter at the equator??
>> 
>> Huh?
>
>I was under the impression that at the equator there is little or no 
>variation in weather conditions. (I.e., it's desert *all* year round.)

Johannesburg is not even in the tropics. It has a latitude of 26 degrees South.
There are seasons (I believe :)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

"Stephen" <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom> wrote in message
news:fqtr64ljt9f2d8l5e16n4m5941bf1gm7pt@4ax.com...

> Johannesburg is not even in the tropics. It has a latitude of 26 degrees
South.
> There are seasons (I believe :)

There are. Though our winter's probably about the same average temperature
as early summer in England, the summers get scorchingly hot

Post a reply to this message

"Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:486ddbcb$1@news.povray.org...
> >> They have a winter at the equator??
> >
> > Huh?
>
> I was under the impression that at the equator there is little or no
> variation in weather conditions. (I.e., it's desert *all* year round.)

Actually, if you look at the climate of the places on the equator, it's more
like tropical forest. Hot and humid all year round. The deserts tend to be a
little further away.
The Sahara lies mostly between the 15 degrees N and 30 degrees N latitudes.
The Namib desert lies mostly around the 20-28 degrees S latitudes

In addition, I don't live at the equator. There's a reason the country is
called South Africa, not Central African Rebublic or Equatorial ... (both of
which do exist and do lie on the equator)

Johanesburg is somewhere around 2000 km south of the equator, at latitude 26
degrees 12 minutes South

Post a reply to this message

Invisible wrote:
> I was under the impression that at the equator there is little or no 
> variation in weather conditions. (I.e., it's desert *all* year round.)

It's not all desert. There are tropical rain forests on the equator.

That said, I'd think spring and fall are very similar, and winter and 
summer are very similar, just based on the geometry.

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
  Helpful housekeeping hints:
   Check your feather pillows for holes
    before putting them in the washing machine.

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:

> Actually, if you look at the climate of the places on the equator, it's more
> like tropical forest. Hot and humid all year round. The deserts tend to be a
> little further away.

Really? How counterintuitive...

> The Sahara lies mostly between the 15 degrees N and 30 degrees N latitudes.
> The Namib desert lies mostly around the 20-28 degrees S latitudes

See, now I didn't even know the Namib was *in* Africa. (But then, until 
yesterday I didn't know where the Gobi was either...)

> In addition, I don't live at the equator. There's a reason the country is
> called South Africa, not Central African Rebublic or Equatorial ... (both of
> which do exist and do lie on the equator)
> 
> Johanesburg is somewhere around 2000 km south of the equator, at latitude 26
> degrees 12 minutes South

Mmm, OK. Africa is clearly significantly larger than I thought. ;-)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> Mmm, OK. Africa is clearly significantly larger than I thought. ;-)

http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/35-the-size-of-africa/

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
  Helpful housekeeping hints:
   Check your feather pillows for holes
    before putting them in the washing machine.

Post a reply to this message

Darren New wrote:

> http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/35-the-size-of-africa/

OK, now that really *is* counter-intuitive. On a map, it looks like the 
coast of Africa and America would "fit together" if you moved a few 
tectonic plates around. But this diagram shows that America is many 
times smaller than Africa, so this would be quite impossible.

This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America 
in the fairly recent geological past...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> OK, now that really *is* counter-intuitive. On a map, it looks like the 
> coast of Africa and America would "fit together" if you moved a few 
> tectonic plates around. But this diagram shows that America is many 
> times smaller than Africa, so this would be quite impossible.

> This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America 
> in the fairly recent geological past...

  Uh, which "America" are you talking about? The continent named "America"
or the country named "United States of America" (often shortended as just
"America")?

  That image has the USA compared to Africa, not the whole American
continent.

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

>> OK, now that really *is* counter-intuitive. On a map, it looks like the 
>> coast of Africa and America would "fit together" if you moved a few 
>> tectonic plates around. But this diagram shows that America is many 
>> times smaller than Africa, so this would be quite impossible.
> 
>> This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America 
>> in the fairly recent geological past...
> 
>   Uh, which "America" are you talking about? The continent named "America"
> or the country named "United States of America" (often shortended as just
> "America")?
> 
>   That image has the USA compared to Africa, not the whole American
> continent.

Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American 
continent anyway... (But then, what do *I* know about geography? 
Apparently very little!)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American 
> continent anyway...

  Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

  Exactly how small do you think Canada is?

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:486e6976$1@news.povray.org...

> This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America
> in the fairly recent geological past...
>

To the South American continent, yes.

Post a reply to this message

"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:486e614d$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > Actually, if you look at the climate of the places on the equator, it's
more
> > like tropical forest. Hot and humid all year round. The deserts tend to
be a
> > little further away.
>
> Really? How counterintuitive...

Has to do with weather patterns. At the equator, the air is rising (because
of the heat). Hot air rising cools, forms clouds and causes rain.
About 15 degrees further north/south, the air is decending (find a good
climatology website/book for the reasons). Decending air warms up and does
not allow water to condence and fall. Hence, deserts
Very, very simplistic explaination.

Same reason why, if you watch a weather report, low pressure cells (rising
air) are associated with wet weather and high pressure cells (decending air)
are associated with dry weather

> > The Sahara lies mostly between the 15 degrees N and 30 degrees N
latitudes.
> > The Namib desert lies mostly around the 20-28 degrees S latitudes
>
> See, now I didn't even know the Namib was *in* Africa. (But then, until
> yesterday I didn't know where the Gobi was either...)

Um, yup, the Namib desert is mostly in a country called Namibia.

> Mmm, OK. Africa is clearly significantly larger than I thought. ;-)
>

OK. when is your birthday and can you email me a shipping address for you?
I'm buying you a good atlas for your birthday/christmas

Post a reply to this message

Darren New wrote:
> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>> Mmm, OK. Africa is clearly significantly larger than I thought. ;-)
> 
> http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/35-the-size-of-africa/
> 

It's interesting looking at some of the comments there...

People complain that the US is put in w/o Alaska or Hawaii, but the 
that's only for the picture, people!  The number given for the area of 
the US includes ALL 50 states.

...Chambers

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American 
> continent anyway... 

That's exactly the point. Look at a *globe*, not a map that's distorted 
by being flattened.  Canada is somewhat larger than the USA 
geographically speaking.  Africa is bigger than north america, but so is 
south america.  (Note it's south america and africa that were stuck 
together, not north america and south america. Of course, Noah's flood 
actually washed all the animals across the south atlantic from Africa to 
South America, which is the *real* reason they're the same after only 
4000 years.)

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
  Helpful housekeeping hints:
   Check your feather pillows for holes
    before putting them in the washing machine.

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> I'm buying you a good atlas for your birthday/christmas

I'll buy him a globe. :-)

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
  Helpful housekeeping hints:
   Check your feather pillows for holes
    before putting them in the washing machine.

Post a reply to this message

Warp wrote:

> 
>   Exactly how small do you think Canada is?
> 

Canada? Ohh, that's that little thing east of Alaska.

[Canadians: I'm joking of course ...]

Post a reply to this message

Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
> Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> > Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American
> > continent anyway...
>
>   Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
>
>   Exactly how small do you think Canada is?
>
> --
>                                                           - Warp

Hahahahahah!!!

-Rob

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull> wrote:
> >> OK, now that really *is* counter-intuitive. On a map, it looks like the
> >> coast of Africa and America would "fit together" if you moved a few
> >> tectonic plates around. But this diagram shows that America is many
> >> times smaller than Africa, so this would be quite impossible.
> >
> >> This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America
> >> in the fairly recent geological past...
> >
> >   Uh, which "America" are you talking about? The continent named "America"
> > or the country named "United States of America" (often shortended as just
> > "America")?
> >
> >   That image has the USA compared to Africa, not the whole American
> > continent.
>
> Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American
> continent anyway... (But then, what do *I* know about geography?
> Apparently very little!)
>
> --
> http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
> http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

Yes, apparently very little. As for the USA being 90% of North America, Canada
is actually larger than the USA. In fact, my Canadian World-of-Warcraft
guildmates have informed me that Canada is the second largest country in the
world, larger even than China, beat out by Russia. And don't forget about our
Mexican cousins living to the south of the USA (and yes, still in North
America).

-Rob (Florida, USA, where it's really hot right now)

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