TimeUp+TimeUp=TimeUp for Firearm licenses and for Fifa Tickets

By the end of today (Tue31Mar'09), time would have run out to renew your firearm licenses.... and the bad news is that there's no extension on the cards: See this article on http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2494318,00.html
which reports that SAPS police director Phuti Setati says that the deadline will not be extended... so you have until midnight tonight!

Also, you have until midnight tonight to reserve tickets for the 2010 FIFA world cup soccer tournament.... the first sales phase ends tonight.
See here for more: First FIFA World Cup� ticket sales phase to end on 31 March

The second sales period for 2010 FIFA World Cup� match tickets begins on 4 May 2009 and will be open until 16 November. Tickets will then be allocated on a "first come, first served, subject to availability " basis in this sales period, i.e. applications will be processed in the order they are received.

Firearms renewals - more info.... electronic forms with instructions available on SAPS site

A gun shop owner has mentioned that he has had to hire more staff to deal with the influx of last minute firearm renewal applications. Remember, you have until end March 2009 to get yours done!

Further to the 01Feb article "Firearm license renewal... if you're born from 1Oct to 31Dec, then you have until 31Mar 2009 - here's a summary of what you need to do...."
here are some more links to make this process easier for you:

Here's a list of steps to follow from SAPS (including the Firearms Control Act, 2000): Steps to follow.

Contact details: SAPS National Firearms Call Centre

Download forms (and instructions) electronically: Firearms forms (SAP web site)

Here's a list of what's available:

General forms:

• SAPS 349 Of Firearms in Possession of Government Departments Other Bodies Which Are Exempt from Licensing
• SAPS 522 Cancellation of an Application for a Licence, Permit, Certificate or Authorization
• SAPS 522(a) Surrendering of Firearm Item(s)
• SAPS 522(b) Forfeiture of Firearm Item(s)
• SAPS 523 Acknowledgement of Receipt of Firearm Documentation
• SAPS 523(a) Remittance Advice for Firearm Applications
• SAPS 531 Request to Alter Firearm by a Gunsmith
• SAPS 532 Infringement Notice
• SAPS 532(a) Response to Infringement Notice
• SAPS 533 Request to Cancel a Firearm Licence, Permit, Certificate or Authorization
• SAPS 533(a) Request to Suspend a Firearm Licence, Permit, Certificate or Authorization
• SAPS 534 Transfer of Firearm Ownership
• SAPS 535 Forwarding Schedule
• SAPS 538 Certificate in Terms of Regulation 86(8) of the Firearms Control Regulations, 2004
• SAPS 539 Permission to Store a Firearm in Terms of Regulation 86(4) of the Firearms Control Regulations, 2004

Application forms:

• SAPS 271 Application for Licence to Possess a Firearm
• SAPS 349(a) Application for Acquisition of Firearms by Official Institutions
• SAPS 517 Application for a Competency Certificate
• SAPS 517(a) Application for a Further Competency Certificate
• SAPS 517(b) Application for a Duplicate Licence, Permit, Certificates or Authorization for Lost, Stolen and Defaced Licences
• SAPS 517(c) Application for Licence Issued to Particular Categories of Persons -Dealers, Manufacturers or Gunsmiths
• SAPS 517(d) Application to Manufacture a New Firearm or Ammunition Type
• SAPS 517(e) Application for Renewal of Licence(s) in Terms of the Previous Act
• SAPS 517(f) Application to Declare Premises A Firearm Free Zone
• SAPS 518 Application for a Temporary Authorization to Possess a Firearm
• SAPS 518(a) Application for the Renewal of a Firearm Licence, Permit, Certificate or Authorization
• SAPS 518(b) Application for a Temporary Authorization to Trade in Firearms and Ammunition, to Conduct Business as a Gunsmith or to Display Firearms and Ammunition on Premises Other than Those Specified in the Dealers’, Manufacturers’ or Gunsmiths’ Licence
• SAPS 519 Application for Accreditation as an Association
• SAPS 519(a) Application for Accreditation for Business Purposes
• SAPS 519(b) Application for Accreditation as an Official Institution
• SAPS 520 Application for Multiple Import Or Export Permit/Permanent Import Or Export Permit/temporary Import Or Export Permit/in-transit Permit for Personal Use (Individuals and Companies)
• SAPS 520(a) Application for Multiple Import or Export Permit/ Permanent Import or Export Permit/Temporary Import or Export Permit/in-transit Permit for Dealers, Manufacturers and Gunsmiths
• SAPS 520(b) Application for Permit to Transport Firearms and Ammunition
• SAPS 520(c) Application for a Permit to Collect Ammunition
• SAPS 520(d) Application for Compensation
• SAPS 536 Application for Authorization to Possess More than 2 400 Primers
• SAPS 540 Application for Authorization to Possess more than 200 rounds of ammunition
  

Notifications:

• SAPS 521 Notification of Lost or Stolen Licences, Permits, Certificates and Authorizations
• SAPS 521(a) Notification of Ceasing to Carry on Business
• SAPS 521(b) Notification of Change of Address
• SAPS 521(c) Notification of Change in Circumstances
• SAPS 521(d) Notification of Change of Commercial Agent Premises
• SAPS 521(e) Notification on Assignment of New Responsible Person for Juristic Person
• SAPS 521(f) Notification of Lost/Stolen/Found Firearms
• SAPS 521(g) Notification of Incorrect Information
• SAPS 521(h) Notification of Requirement to Deactivate a Firearm
• SAPS 530 Notice of Appeal
  

Returns:

• SAPS 350(a) Dealer’s Return: Stock Received
• SAPS 350(b) Dealer’s Return: Stock Supplied
• SAPS 350(c) Manufacturer’s Return: Stock Manufactured
• SAPS 350(d) Manufacturer’s Return: Stock Supplied
• SAPS 350(e) Gunsmith’s Return: Stock Received
• SAPS 350(f) Gunsmith’s Return: Stock Supplied

Firearm Licence Renewal Periods: SAPS FAQs

Good luck!

So, you think it's convenient to get your browser to remember passwords?.... what if a virus/worm attacks and harvests those passwords???

Gulp!!! Yes, I'm guilty as charged.... I thought the same - "Oh, it's so convenient to use the browser's "secure login" add-on" [for Firefox users] or Ctrl-Enter for Opera's "Magic wand" functionality. BUT.... yes, there's a big but....
In the light of more and more vicious viruses and worms out there - I'm sure that it's relatively easy for one of them to export your browser's passwords to a file and post it to their "repositories"?
Maybe, maybe not - but for me, I'd rather be safe than sorry, and so I have decided to use a more secure way of storing my (very) numerous passwords.
I've decided to use KeyPass (http://keepass.info/index.html) that's free and there are tools to export the passwords from Firefox and Opera so that the migration is painless:

1) Export your Firefox passwords to xml using this Add-on:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2848
Install it, and export all your passwords into an xml file onto your computer.
NOTE: This xml file contains ALL your passwords (and matching web page addresses) in an UNencrypted form - so be careful with this file.

2) To import the passwords into KeePass you'll need to convert the XML into CSV format - so that KeePass understands.
Use this tool to do the conversion: http://keepass.info/extensions/base/convert_to_csv/FirefoxXmlTo1xCsv-01.zip
Download the zip file to your computer;
Unzip it to a folder
Drag and drop the xml file over the xml2csv.exe (literally - this means drag 'n drop) - and it creates a new file in the directory where your XML resides - with the XML-Filename extended by "_EXPORT.csv"

3) In KeyPass: File->Import From->csv file->select the .csv file -> Open
and your passwords will be imported :)

4) Go to a web site that requires a password and (in KeyPass) right click on the entry and select "Perform Auto-Type"
The username and password will be entered automatically into the web site.

For Opera users:
See this blog for more info: "Using KeePass with Opera" http://jean-francois.im/2009/03/using-keepass-with-opera.html

...and your passwords are now securely stored inside KeePass's encrypted master password protected environment.

Oh.... don't forget to delete those passwords inside your browser's "Secure login" and "Magic Wand"!

Easy "hacking" a web page, then email it to the webmaster

Here's a way to give your favourite webmaster a fright! Edit his web page, then send it to him via email... it will look like you've hacked his page.

Also, use it on a news site (like CNN) to make headline news of your accomplishment, birthday wish, etc...

Here's how:
1) Go to any web page
2) Clear the address bar, and paste this (without the quotes):
"javascript:document.body.contentEditable='true'; document.designMode='on'; void 0"
and hit enter.
3) Feel free to edit whatever you want on the page!
4) Then print the altered web page to pdf and send email.

;) ;)

Free commercial games - no jokes, no catches

If you haven't visited the Gametop site (http://www.gametop.com/), then you're missing out on a treasure trove of games for you and your kids!
There are excellent arcade games that include action, puzzle, and card games as well as a list of abandonware titles such as the first two Grand Theft Auto titles.

The only "cost", apart from taking the bandwidth to download these 'freebies", is that whenever you close down one of these games, your browser is opened and you are taken to the Gametop home page.

Be aware that sometimes there are requests to add tool bars and even set your home page - remember to ensure that the tick boxes are UNchecked.

These are not freeware games but commercial games that you pay money for elsewhere.

There are also lots of online games here: http://www.gametop.com/category/online_all.html

Of course, you haven't forgotten about the other GiveAway sites that I mentioned in Feb2008, have you?:
http://handytechtips.blogspot.com/2008/02/free-giveaways-software-and-games-get.html


Why not try these games?: Mayan Maze (Azteca): 11.1MB
or
Golden Path: 13MB

Here's how to get you and 11 friends into Cape Point for R5 each - no jokes, no catches... just bring along your SA ID book and R60

The R60 card offers 12 entries for one year into TMNP’s (Table Mountain National Park) pay points:
• Cape Point (The Cape of Good Hope)
• Boulders Penguin Colony
• Tokai
• Silvermine
• Oudekraal
• Plus FREE use of the braai and picnic areas at: Newlands, and Perdekloof picnic sites
• Gardening rewards - get 5% CashBack at popular nurseries
• Discounted entry to other places of interest in Cape Town.

This card is called “The Cape Town Wild Card” or “TMNP Cluster Limited Entry”.

Thanks to Aden Thomas’s show on Cape Talk http://www.capetalk.co.za this am!

And there’s more good news – each time you spend at participating Infinity partners (eg: Stodels, Kolnicks), you get cash back onto your card.

So take yourself and your SA ID and proof of Cape Town residence to one of the offices listed here and purchase one of those cards asap and become a tourist in your own province!

https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_info


Some small print to be aware of:
• The “Cape Town Wild Card” provides access for up to six people at a time – with a maximum of four adults.
• At all times, one of the adults has to be a Card Owner.
• A Cardholder can only buy a Cape Town Wild card (12 entries) once a year.
• Simply fill out the registration form showing your SA ID and proof of Cape Town residence.
• All Rewards earned are valid for nine (9) months after the month in which such Rewards were earned

See here for the full details and more info: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_about

(Prices correct as on 17March2009)
The Cape Town Wild Card (12 limited entries per year): R60 That’s R5 per entry!!!


See here to confirm Cape Town's Wild Card’s pricing:
https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_pricing

See here for FAQs (and answers): https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_faqs

The Wild Card is a world-class smart card loyalty programme that makes tourism to national parks, nature reserves and resorts in South Africa more accessible, easier, safer and infinitely more rewarding than ever before.

It is a joint initiative by South African National Parks, Cape Nature Conservation, and Msinsi Resorts and powered by INFINITY – South Africa's leading loyalty and Smart Card Management Company.



Other Wild Cards:
Apply and pay online here: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=ShowApplyOnline {Credit Cards accepted}

Cape Cluster: Individual: R215; Couple: R350; Family: R470;

Access to: Addo, Agulhas, Assegaaibosch, Algeria Camp Site, Bird Island, Bontebok, Boulders, Cape Point, Camdeboo, De Hoop, De Mond, Goukamma, Grootvadersbosch, Groot Winterhoek, Hottentots Holland, Jonkershoek, Karoo, Knysna, Kogelberg, Keurbooms River, Limiteberg/Tweede Tol, Marloth, Mountain Zebra, Robberg, Salmonsdam, Tankwa Karoo, Tsitsikamma, Tokai, Walker Bay, West Coast, Wilderness.


All Clusters: Individual: R235; Couple: R400; Family: R510;


See here for more info on the various clusters available: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_clusters


Are you over 70?
Members who are 70 or older automatically qualify for lifetime membership when purchasing an individual All Cluster Wild Card at R235.
Apply here: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=ShowApplyLifeTime
*only available to RSA and SADC residents.

Update on 18Jan2010:
Cost of the wildcard has gone up to R75, but still well worth it!  A single adult’s entrance into Cape Point costs R75.  Children under 12 cost R10 – so pay the R10 per child and save your 12 entries for adults.
This offer is not limited to a family – so a husband and wife can each get their 12 entry wildcard once every 12 months.  Thanks to a lady at the Century City information centre for this information.
Don’t forget to take your ID or driver’s license when entering the parks.