The Chat Room

Arzy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2020
Messages
679
Will do full medical again in May, basically yearly now. Not concerned about anything, last couple came up clean and Dr's only wanted to see me again in 5 years.

Its the only way I get the missus to do it though and her checks are more concerning.
 

Baxteen

Active Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Messages
765
75 reported outages, across how many million accounts?
Chances of load shedding causing a network outage leading to those reports are very high.

might even find it is a localised issue.
not defending ABSA at all here. they are the worst of the big banks by far. Nedbank is bad but not as bad as ABSA.

Standard, Capitec and FNB have got their issues as well but they are better than teh other two.
those last 3 will come down to personal preference if you use them. can you take advantage of Ebucks? then FNB beats out the rest. if you cant take advantage of Ebucks then Capitec is decent and cheaper but lacking some functions that are only there for the bigger banks.
cant take advantage of Ebucks, and you need things that capitec can't offer? then go with Standard.

Discovery, Investec, and Time are all decent options, but are much more personal choices due to things in your life
 

Nicholas

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Messages
6,469
Location
East London
Milnerton Mediclinic:
  • Very clean (although I had a daddy longlegs in my corner)
  • All the staff are extremely friendly
  • Good food - 5 different meals to choose from per meal time (vegetarian)
Sounds like our private hospitals here.
I suppose all of that will go to tarnation once NHI is rolled out.

Regular ray of sunshine this morning.
 

Nicholas

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Messages
6,469
Location
East London
75 reported outages, across how many million accounts?
Chances of load shedding causing a network outage leading to those reports are very high.

might even find it is a localised issue.
not defending ABSA at all here. they are the worst of the big banks by far. Nedbank is bad but not as bad as ABSA.

Standard, Capitec and FNB have got their issues as well but they are better than teh other two.
those last 3 will come down to personal preference if you use them. can you take advantage of Ebucks? then FNB beats out the rest. if you cant take advantage of Ebucks then Capitec is decent and cheaper but lacking some functions that are only there for the bigger banks.
cant take advantage of Ebucks, and you need things that capitec can't offer? then go with Standard.

Discovery, Investec, and Time are all decent options, but are much more personal choices due to things in your life
Is Investec for people in the R500 000+ p.a. sort of category? [what I call rich people :p]
 

Nicholas

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2020
Messages
6,469
Location
East London
"
Learning is a lifelong process that does not have to stop when formal education ends. There are many ways to continue to learn new things as an adult, even if you cannot afford to pay for courses or degrees. In this blog post, I will share some tips and resources that can help you keep your mind sharp and curious, without breaking the bank.

Tip 1: Read books and articles on topics that interest you. Reading is one of the best ways to expand your knowledge and vocabulary, as well as to improve your critical thinking and communication skills. You can find books and articles online, in libraries, or in second-hand bookstores. You can also join book clubs or online communities where you can discuss what you read with others.

Tip 2: Watch videos and podcasts that teach you something new. There are many free or low-cost platforms that offer educational videos and podcasts on various subjects, such as Khan Academy, TED, Coursera, edX, and more. You can watch or listen to them at your own pace, whenever and wherever you want. You can also take notes, do quizzes, or complete assignments to test your understanding.

Tip 3: Enroll in online courses or MOOCs (massive open online courses) that suit your goals and interests. Online courses and MOOCs are a great way to learn from experts and peers around the world, without having to pay tuition fees or travel expenses. You can find online courses and MOOCs on almost any topic, from languages to business to arts and humanities. Some of them even offer certificates or credits that you can use for your resume or further education.

Tip 4: Join online or offline communities of learners who share your passion. Learning is more fun and effective when you have someone to share it with. You can join online or offline communities of learners who have similar interests or goals as you, and exchange ideas, feedback, and support. You can find such communities on social media, forums, blogs, or websites. You can also create your own community by inviting friends, family, or colleagues who want to learn with you.

Tip 5: Challenge yourself with new projects or hobbies that require learning new skills. Learning is not only about acquiring information, but also about applying it in practice. You can challenge yourself with new projects or hobbies that require learning new skills, such as cooking, gardening, photography, coding, or playing an instrument. You can find tutorials, guides, or tips online, or ask someone who has experience to teach you. You can also showcase your work online or offline, and get feedback from others.

Tip 6: Explore other ways to learn that suit your preferences and needs. Learning is not a one-size-fits-all activity. Different people have different learning styles, preferences, and needs. You can explore other ways to learn that suit you best, such as:

- Learning by doing: If you are a kinesthetic learner who learns best by doing things physically, you can try hands-on activities that involve movement, such as crafts, sports, games, or experiments.
- Learning by listening: If you are an auditory learner who learns best by listening to sounds and words, you can try audio-based activities that involve hearing, such as music, podcasts, audiobooks, or lectures.
- Learning by seeing: If you are a visual learner who learns best by seeing images and colors, you can try visual-based activities that involve sight, such as videos, pictures, diagrams, or maps.
- Learning by reading: If you are a verbal learner who learns best by reading and writing words and symbols, you can try text-based activities that involve language, such as books, articles, blogs, or notes.
- Learning by interacting: If you are a social learner who learns best by interacting with others, you can try collaborative activities that involve communication, such as discussions, debates, group projects, or peer feedback.
- Learning by reflecting: If you are a solitary learner who learns best by reflecting on your own thoughts and feelings, you can try introspective activities that involve self-awareness, such as journals, meditation, quizzes, or self-assessment.

These are some of the ways you can continue to learn things as an adult,
even if you cannot afford to pay for education. Learning is not only beneficial for your personal and professional development,
but also for your mental health and well-being. By learning new things every day,
you can keep your brain active and healthy,
and your life meaningful and enjoyable.

Learning is a lifelong process that does not have to stop when formal education ends. There are many ways to continue to learn new things as an adult, even if you cannot afford to pay for courses or degrees. In this blog post, I will share some tips and resources that can help you keep your mind sharp and curious, without breaking the bank.

Tip 1: Read books and articles on topics that interest you. Reading is one of the best ways to expand your knowledge and vocabulary, as well as to improve your critical thinking and communication skills. You can find books and articles online, in libraries, or in second-hand bookstores. You can also join book clubs or online communities where you can discuss what you read with others.

Tip 2: Watch videos and podcasts that teach you something new. There are many free or low-cost platforms that offer educational videos and podcasts on various subjects, such as Khan Academy, TED, Coursera, edX, and more. You can watch or listen to them at your own pace, whenever and wherever you want. You can also take notes, do quizzes, or complete assignments to test your understanding.

Tip 3: Enroll in online courses or MOOCs (massive open online courses) that suit your goals and interests. Online courses and MOOCs are a great way to learn from experts and peers around the world, without having to pay tuition fees or travel expenses. You can find online courses and MOOCs on almost any topic, from languages to business to arts and humanities. Some of them even offer certificates or credits that you can use for your resume or further education.

Tip 4: Join online or offline communities of learners who share your passion. Learning is more fun and effective when you have someone to share it with. You can join online or offline communities of learners who have similar interests or goals as you, and exchange ideas, feedback, and support. You can find such communities on social media, forums, blogs, or websites. You can also create your own community by inviting friends, family, or colleagues who want to learn with you.

Tip 5: Challenge yourself with new projects or hobbies that require learning new skills. Learning is not only about acquiring information, but also about applying it in practice. You can challenge yourself with new projects or hobbies that require learning new skills, such as cooking, gardening, photography, coding, or playing an instrument. You can find tutorials, guides, or tips online, or ask someone who has experience to teach you. You can also showcase your work online or offline, and get feedback from others.

Tip 6: Explore other ways to learn that suit your preferences and needs. Learning is not a one-size-fits-all activity. Different people have different learning styles, preferences, and needs. You can explore other ways to learn that suit you best, such as:

- Learning by doing: If you are a kinesthetic learner who learns best by doing things physically, you can try hands-on activities that involve movement, such as crafts, sports, games, or experiments.
- Learning by listening: If you are an auditory learner who learns best by listening to sounds and words, you can try audio-based activities that involve hearing, such as music, podcasts, audiobooks, or lectures.
- Learning by seeing: If you are a visual learner who learns best by seeing images and colors, you can try visual-based activities that involve sight, such as videos, pictures, diagrams, or maps.
- Learning by reading: If you are a verbal learner who learns best by reading and writing words and symbols, you can try text-based activities that involve language, such as books, articles, blogs, or notes.
- Learning by interacting: If you are a social learner who learns best by interacting with others, you can try collaborative activities that involve communication, such as discussions, debates, group projects, or peer feedback.
- Learning by reflecting: If you are a solitary learner who learns best by reflecting on your own thoughts and feelings, you can try introspective activities that involve self-awareness, such as journals, meditation, quizzes, or self-assessment.

These are some of the ways you can continue to learn things as an adult,
even if you cannot afford to pay for education. Learning is not only beneficial for your personal and professional development,
but also for your mental health and well-being. By learning new things every day,
you can keep your brain active and healthy,
and your life meaningful and enjoyable."

Source: Bing
 

Sonikku

Active Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2023
Messages
408
Location
Slaapstad
75 reported outages, across how many million accounts?
Chances of load shedding causing a network outage leading to those reports are very high.

might even find it is a localised issue.
not defending ABSA at all here. they are the worst of the big banks by far. Nedbank is bad but not as bad as ABSA.

Standard, Capitec and FNB have got their issues as well but they are better than teh other two.
those last 3 will come down to personal preference if you use them. can you take advantage of Ebucks? then FNB beats out the rest. if you cant take advantage of Ebucks then Capitec is decent and cheaper but lacking some functions that are only there for the bigger banks.
cant take advantage of Ebucks, and you need things that capitec can't offer? then go with Standard.

Discovery, Investec, and Time are all decent options, but are much more personal choices due to things in your life
It would depend on what we class an outage as.
In my current line of work, an outage is defined as the bank's system not being available.
Everything else is highly localized as in the ATM or EFTPOS card machine cannot get network connectivity, Eskom, etc.
I presume those outages shown are as in- the bank is totally offline, apps don't work, people can't draw cash at the ATM, etc...
ABSA, followed by FNB and Capitec are notorious for it, especially around payday and especially around January payday.
In my industry, the first quarter of the year is usually when shit hits the fan...

As for what these outages are caused by:
* RAID failures (all the SSDs failing at the same time or closely after each other)
* Hosting centre going down (yes looking at YOU MTN Business and Internet Solutions)
and less commonly...
* ECC RAM failure combined with server mainboard failures
* Network equipment failures (this one is a far more common occurrence in our office which does not affect the banks)
 
Top