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| Contents |
Issue No. 320 -- 7 March 2005 |
Editor's Message
Quote/s of the Week
Ad Hoc Article/s of the Week
Bits and Bobs
The Legal Beagle
Help Desk
Where are they now?
Club and Other News
Humour
Recipes
Sports News
Credits and Contact Info
Subscribing and Unsubscribing
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SAW Advertisement
Welcome to Easter 2005
A fluffy chick or a chocolate Easter bunny... Hunting for Easter eggs and hot cross buns... Celebrating Christ's resurrection...
However you celebrate Easter, www.cards.co.za has lots of virtual cards for you to send to friends and family. All free and all brought to you courtesy of us!
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Captain Ken and I are now busy planning our next trip to the USA. So many people to see and so little time! This year we want to make sure we also get a bit of relaxing in – when we got back home (to South Africa) last September we were exhausted by all the travelling we had done! This year the itinerary seems easier so far! And this year we are taking our water skis – we have planned several days at the lake in New Hampshire and hope to get in some skiing with our friends.
Alana, our fund of extremely useful information about South Africa, has written an article that I have published on South Africa Online (www.southafrica.co.za). CFI celebrates its second birthday this month - so check out the article! And a big thank you to Alana and her team who keep on amazing me with their knowledge. They help so many people every day.
This from me...
The Power of One - Author Unknown
One SONG can spark a moment
One FLOWER can wake the dream
One TREE can start a forest
One BIRD can herald spring
One SMILE begins a friendship
One HANDCLASP lifts a soul
One STAR can guide a ship at sea
One WORD can frame the goal
One VOTE can change a nation
One SUNBEAM lights a room
One CANDLE wipes out darkness
One LAUGH will conquer gloom
One STEP must start each journey
One WORD must start a prayer
One HOPE will raise our spirits
One TOUCH can show you care
One VOICE can speak with wisdom
One HEART can know what is true
One LIFE can make a difference
These from Daniel Jan le Roux daniel@thelerouxs.com
The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.
It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.
This from a subscriber…
Be the person your dog thinks you are. - Unknown
Send in any quotes you love... that have some special meaning for you... and I will use at least one every week. Usual address! editor@saw.co.za
| Ad Hoc Article/s of the Week |
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Coming Home
Each week we will feature a question and answer sent in to the Company for Immigration. We hope these will help answer any questions you might have regarding any part of the coming home process. If you would like to send in your own question, please feel very free to do so.
We will also be featuring a great amount of information on the SAW Website (www.saw.co.za) under the Coming Home section. You can also find out info by visiting our newly relaunched site, South Africa Online (www.southafrica.co.za) and checking out the Coming to SA section.
Here is a bit more info...
Whenever and wherever South Africans meet, the surest way to start a lively discussion, is to ask someone for an opinion about emigration from or remigration back to South Africa. In 2002 we (i.e. the non-profit immigration service, Company for Immigration, and the trade-union, Solidarity) realized that the return of South African expats had become a fact and that their inputs are essential for the growth and development of the country. We are neither interested in a debate about the reasons why people leave or come back, nor about the merit of their decisions. We prefer to provide a practical service instead:
offering advice and assistance to prospective remigrants;
addressing the problems which cause people to emigrate; and informing people about the pros and cons of emigration, to help them make an informed decision before leaving.
Interested? Want to receive our monthly newsletter by email? Have questions or suggestions? If so, please visit our mirror sites www.comehome.co.za or www.komhuistoe.co.za and leave your details on the visitor's page, or contact us at admin@cfi.org.za. We are looking forward to hearing from you!
Alana & Annatjie
COME HOME CAMPAIGN
This week’s Q and A:
Phill, UK: I am returning to South Africa after five years abroad and would like to bring my motorcycle with me. Do the same regulations apply to the import of a car and a motorcycle?
Reply: Dear Phil - Yes. All vehicles have to follow the same process to be imported. All the requirements can be found at www.regulatory.co.za - "Click" on "Automotive". If you have problems downloading or opening the applicable files, email us at admin@cfi.org.za and we will forward all to you.
Kind regards!
Alana
Company for Immigration / Maatskappy vir Immigrasie
P.O. Box 1283, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
T: 0027-12-3231428
F: 0027-12-3239587
admin@cfi.org.za
The Good News
For more interesting and exciting news about developments in South Africa, subscribe to the International Marketing Council's regular BrandSA newsletter by visiting www.imc.org.za/goodstuff.htm or www.imc.org.za/subscribe.asp.
SA film takes top honour at Panafrican festival
South African film celebrating a reporter's struggle against apartheid has taken top honours at Africa's premier film festival.
Drum, by South African director Zola Maseko, picked up the Gold Talon prize for best feature-length film late on Saturday at the closing of the 19th Panafrican Film and Television Festival, known locally as "Africa's Cannes."
Read the full story here:
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa&articleid=199007
Tsunami Benefit Match
This from Matthew Green matthew@maesti.co.za
On Saturday I watched the South thrash the North at a rather empty Twickenham for the IRB Tsunami Benefit Match. Being a passionate rugby supporter I was very disappointed with the quality of players fielded by the North compared to the South. I was also disheartened to see the large number of empty stadium seats - if the match was held in either South Africa, New Zealand or Australia it's almost a given that a capacity crowd would have supported the event.
Furthermore, the general spirit and approach to the game of rugby by people in the Northern Hemisphere seems to be lacking. Comments by Clive Woodward (North Coach) and Lawrence Dallaglio (North Captain) on the prospect of a regular North versus South encounter were rather muted when compared to their Southern counterparts, who expressed a lot more enthusiasm.
Indelibly etched in my mind is the image of George Gregan (North Captain and most capped scrum half) hugging Schalk Burger (IRB 2004 player of the year), with Mehrtens (All Blacks all-time leading scorer) patting him on the back after he scored a try. The captains of the top three rugby playing countries in the world (New Zealand, Australia, South Africa respectively) were represented in the South team. Admittedly were it not for injury, there would have been a better captaincy showing from the North but where were the captains of some of the Home Nations (England, Scotland, Wales)?
I was proud to be a rugby supporter, especially a South African one, watching this match... but ultimately, although I was treated to a display of some sublime skill, I was disappointed by the lack of commitment shown by the rugby teams of the Northern Hemisphere to this great spectacle and event.
Mind Massage
Mood-watching is a surprisingly illuminating mindfulness exercise.
It's a lot like watching the weather. Whether the mood you're observing is yours or your loved ones, you can vastly improve your forecasting skills as well as your ability to weather a storm.
Here are my top seven secrets for successful mood-watching in all kinds of weather.
Mindfully yours,
Maya ;-)
Mindfulness and Mood Swings: 7 Secrets Of Successful Mood-Watching
I consider myself a pro when it comes to watching mood swings. After all, I've had plenty of my own, and I have the added advantage of having four teenage daughters to observe.
To be honest, my girls are not moody. In fact, our home climate is remarkably clear and sunny. That's precisely why it is so easy to watch a mood coming over the horizon.
Think about it. If you're in the middle of a storm, you can't even see the horizon, let alone remember to look that direction in order to be aware of what's heading your way. You need clear skies for that--or at least a very high cloud cover.
Mood-watching is a fascinating mindfulness exercise, and you've got plenty of high and low pressure areas of your own to keep you busy. The trick is learning how to read the ol' mood barometer.
You can do this with your own moods, but frankly, it's a lot easier to practice by watching others. In both cases, we need to learn how to recognize the signs of an approaching storm.
We tend to get in the way of understanding our own moods while we're in them. We're better at developing our mood-watching skills when we start with someone else's storm. So, let's do that.
By becoming a--key word here--nonjudgmental observer of the moods of those you love, you can learn a great deal about yourself and your own reactions. Here are seven key mood-watching elements:
#1 Take a look at the satellite map. What's coming up in the next few hours or days? A test? An interview? A break-up? A big game? A project deadline? Be aware of the high and low pressure zones and pay attention to any merging storm fronts that could result in gale force winds.
#2 Don't rely on the forecast exclusively. Sometimes the storms that are predicted on the 11:00 news never materialize. It's great to know what's expected, but don't forget to check things out for yourself. Perfect storm conditions might end up as blue skies. Watch faces for signs of tension, sadness, or frustration. Watch bodies for adrenalin responses (using arms and legs to slam, stomp, pound, etc.) ASK. Offer reassurances--a soothing voice, a hand on a shoulder--that you are there and you care. And if, despite dire warnings, the storm never develops, acknowledge and celebrate that!
#3 Be prepared. How can you respond lovingly to another's storm? By planning ahead. Plan to be available, if only to listen. Plan to be a calming presence. Plan to take nothing personally when those inevitable winds lash at you.
#4 Ride it out. Ah, yes. Here's the tough one. Don't let someone else's storm become YOURS. We all say and do things when we're in a full-on mood hurricane, and it can get ugly. Yelling at the wind won't change its direction or force, and when you're talking about mood storms, adding your own wind only makes things worse. Remember: your role is not to stop the storm, get mad at it, sulk about it, or hide from it. Be present, and watch.
#5 Clean up as a team. This is definitely THE most important part of mood- watching. Once that storm has passed and emotions have settled, it's time to assess the damage. Your role here is to engage your loved one in the process of learning from this torrential downpour of emotion. And be clear about this--BOTH of you can learn from it. Your intention is to discover ways to deal with similar storms more skillfully in the future.
#6 Enjoy the sun. A common mistake we make is to dwell on the mood storm long after it has passed. Here comes the sun! Celebrate that, enjoy it, and don't get caught up in the memory of the dark clouds of yesterday.
#7 Don't worry about the next storm until you see it coming. Sure, you want to keep your eye on the barometer, but you don't need to stay glued to the 24-hour weather channel. There's bound to be another mood storm eventually, but until then, revel in the sunshine.
By sharpening your mood-watching skills, you will develop greater mindfulness and learn how to handle whatever comes your way. Your loved ones will benefit from your loving attention, and you will pick up a few tips for the next time your own mood storm starts brewing.
Good Resource
Mood swings are almost always caused by a surge or deficiency in hormones--no matter how old you are or whether you are male or female.
My favorite source of info on the ways we can help our bodies get in balance is listed below. It's written for mid-life women, but I'm guessing many of you men could learn a thing or two by skimming through this list!
Scroll down to the "Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs" section to read about various supplements and how they affect the body.
http://www.power-surge.com/recommend.htm
Thanks for the Mind Massage!
Wow--thanks so much for the hundreds of responses on my survey this week! I truly appreciate hearing from you.
Here is what you told me:
Keep the focus on tips for incorporating mindfulness
Add more stories of clients' success with mindfulness
Offer an email course on Real-World Mindfulness
Offer downloadable booklets on a variety of mindfulness topics
Include more topics relating to a healthy lifestyle and self-motivation
It became very clear that participating in teleseminars is not practical for most of you, as you are just as likely to live abroad as in the U.S.
Good to know! This means I'll be focusing on developing email courses and downloadable booklets on a variety of topics so you can have instant access to Real-World Mindfulness techniques no matter where you live.
In the next month, I'll be launching one brand new website to replace my current two, and there will be archives of all past articles for you to enjoy. Watch for that announcement soon!
Again, I am truly grateful for your input, and will take all of your comments to heart.
**********************************
Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training to individuals and groups in Portland, Oregon. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 100 countries. To subscribe to her free ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.
**************************************
©Copyright 2004, Maya Talisman Frost
52 Best Stories – The Dog Next Door
"Look, Mama! Doggie." My 18-month-old son, Adam, called from the front porch.
I dropped what I was doing and stuck my head out the door. Brandy, our next-door neighbor's 11-year-old golden retriever, was over again. "Scat!" I said, scooping up Adam and brushing the dog hair off his T-shirt and shorts.
Brandy's owner had died about a month earlier. The woman's family emptied the house, and a real estate agent stuck a For Sale sign in the front yard. But her family had overlooked the old golden, Brandy. For weeks she'd been sniffing around the neighborhood, living on scraps and handouts.
It wasn't that I disliked dogs or anything like that. I just didn't think about them much. I never had a dog growing up and never thought to get one. Brandy loped off and I stayed out on the porch with Adam.
The phone rang. I ducked inside to take the call. When I came back out, Adam was gone. I scoured the yard, front and back, then the basketball court and public pool down the block. No trace of him.
My worry built to panic.
I ran home and called the police, then my husband. Please, Lord, keep Adam safe until we find him. Police combed the neighborhood. Amid the sirens and commotion of voices, I heard another sound: a dog barking.
"It's coming from the woods," one of my neighbors said.
We followed the barking to a wooded cliff overlooking a creek. There we found my son, flush up against the trunk of a tree just inches away from the edge of the cliff, fast asleep. Brandy had pressed herself against him.
I picked Adam up and leaned down to pat Brandy. She sank down on her side, panting. She must have been holding Adam there for hours! I thanked the police and brought a safe and sound Adam back to our house. Brandy, too. She hesitated a moment on our doorstep, no doubt remembering the times I'd shooed her away.
"Come on, girl," I said. "This is your home now."
Brandy stepped in, and once she saw she was really welcome, she eased herself onto an old throw rug in the hallway, as if she knew that spot was now hers. She closed her eyes. Her breathing deepened. Her whiskers twitched as she slept.
She'd done an incredible thing and I wondered if she knew it. She might have saved my son's life. She'd certainly touched mine in a way no animal ever had. What a shame a dog like Brandy was abandoned. Were there more out there like her?
I learned about other homeless goldens and took them in, and found homes for many more. It's become a kind of calling for me. Those with disabilities - the old, the blind, the sick - have a special place in my heart. A place I'd never known I had until Brandy opened it.
~ The Author is Sara Whalen copyright 2003. Sara (and Brandy!) live in New York and continue to look after other four-footed friends. The Golden Retriever Rescue in Dallas and Fort Worth web site is http://www.rescuegoldens.org/ . They can help find a perfect fur friend for you in the North Texas area or help you find a rescue organization in your area ~
http://www.52best.com/rescue.asp
One Man’s Australia – Déjà vu
Very quietly John Howard has announced that Australia is doubling the number of its troops on the ground in Iraq. The news has been received quietly - but not with approval - by the population, who accept that it looks as if our troops are going to be there for the order of a decade.
They are going to operate with the British in Southern Iraq, which is comforting as Australian and British forces have co-operated for decades in counter-insurgency operations. They also have a history of having won - as is evidenced by the defeat of the Malayan communist insurgence, giving rise to Malaysia and Singapore as independent nations.
Australia decided to send the troops in response to a personal request from the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Koizumi, to John Howard for Australian troops to guard the Japanese military engineers who are building a bridge over the River Euphrates. They are unarmed in conformity with the Japanese constitution which forbids the deployment of armed troops in foreign countries.
There is irony in this.
The two armies have built a bridge together in the past but on that occasion the Japanese guarded the Australians and the bridge was on the River Kwai.
Eyebrows went up higher when the population realised who the troops under orders are - the 1st Brigade based in Darwin.
The army has rejected fears that armoured vehicles heading for Iraq will be sent without vital protective equipment.
The defence department's annual report last year warned the army's Darwin-based 1st Brigade, from which the new Iraq task force will be drawn, had not met key readiness requirements.
Media reports have also suggested the army will be hard-pressed to fit out 40 Australian light armoured vehicles (ASLAVs) with the latest protective equipment against RPGs and IADs.
The ASLAVS are 13 tonne 8 wheeled armoured cars that are designed for counter-insurgency operations, have no vertical or horizontal surfaces that RPGs or IEDs can hit squarely and can operate with any two wheels off as well as some combinations of three. For urban counter-insurgency operations they are fitted with remote operated .50 calibre machine guns that keep the gunner inside the armoured hull. Most importantly they have kevlar anti-spall linings fitted inside the armour and kevlar curtains.
But army chief Lieutenant General Peter Leahy said the ASLAVs bound for Iraq would be the latest models.
"Yes, they are all the latest variants and will include spall liners and curtains," he said through a defence spokesman.
The spall liners, fitted inside the vehicles to minimise harm to personnel from attack from bombs and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), have already proved their worth in Iraq.
The two ASLAVs used by the Australian army security detachment in Baghdad have both survived car bomb attacks with only one soldier seriously hurt.
At least some of the 40 ASLAVs bound for Iraq with the task force may also be fitted with the new bar armour system, a fence-like structure fitted outside the existing armour plate.
This offers a very high level of protection against RPGs, which are extensively used by Iraqi insurgents.
The taskforce is expected to deploy into Iraq's Al Muthanna province in 10 weeks time.
Mr Howard confirmed that the British were initially told Canberra was unlikely to support its request. This followed a meeting between Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his British counterpart, Jack Straw.
"The British would not have been entitled to conclude that a result of his discussion that we were going to make a contribution or change our position". But the direct request from Japan to protect its military engineers on the ground changed the Government's mind.
Japanese officials have confirmed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was encouraged by the British to approach Mr Howard to send Australian troops.
The Prime Minister last night continued to defend the Government's about-face on Iraq, denying that he misled voters during last October's election.
But defence force chief General Peter Cosgrove yesterday said he was confident "every last Australian" would support the troops' deployment.
He also rejected suggestions that Washington had leaned on the Howard Government.
A 10-strong army reconnaissance team will leave Darwin for Iraq within 10 days to prepare for Australia's new deployment of troops, according to Brigadier John Cantwell, commander of the 1st Brigade in Darwin.
Brigadier Cantwell said he did not expect the arrival of the Australians to provoke any new threat from insurgents. "Everywhere in Iraq is a dangerous place".
A Japanese Foreign Ministry official admitted that Mr Koizumi made his call following advice from the British, who last month reluctantly agreed to take over security responsibility in Al-Muthanna from the departing Dutch. "Mr Koizumi contacted (Mr Howard) because the British said that Australia would be willing," cabinet spokesman Hiroyuki Hosoda said later.
Mr Koizumi told Japanese reporters late Tuesday: "I had heard the British had been asking the Australians (for more troops)."
British government attempts to persuade NATO allies to fill the gap were fruitless and by mid-January Mr Straw and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon were actively lobbying Alexander Downer and Robert Hill.
Boetjie Worldwide
Stoddard may have done Oz in
The Formula 1 team Minardi's Australian owner Paul Stoddard has more or less directly placed not only the future of the Australian Grand Prix, but also of the Australian leg of the World Rally Championship, at risk.
Stoddard was attempting to get permission to run his unmodified 2004 cars in the opening round of the 2005 Grand Prix season in Melbourne, knowing full well that the rules had been changed and that his cars were not legal for this season. At first it seemed that, if Stoddard could get the other teams to sign their agreement to his cars running, he would be allowed. Ferrari, however, refused to sign -- a result of bad blood between the teams following Stoddard's alleged "slamming" of Ferrari in the media during 2004. Ferrari's Jean Todt feels that Stoddard had caused the bad feeling between the teams.
As matters turned out, however, the decision was taken out of the hands of the other teams when the race stewards decided on Friday that Minardi would not be allowed to take part until the required modifications (mostly to the aerodynamics of the car) had been made. Stoddard then took the matter to the Supreme Court of Victoria which, without hearing opposing argument, granted Stoddard a temporary injunction permitting his cars to take part in the race. This angered the FIA, the world motorsport governing body, and hence the threat to pull all FIA sponsored motorsport from Australia.
Clearly it is completely untenable for a local court to interfere in the running of an international sporting event in the first place. More so seeing that the race stewards' ruling against Stoddard and Minardi was completely within their jurisdiction and powers, that their decision was made according to the regulations they are there to uphold, and that the non-participation of Minardi was not a matter involving any Victorian interests per se. I for one am dumbfounded that the judge could even have consented to hearing the case, let alone come to the judgement he did, and especially since the proceedings were held without the FIA or, it seems, the local organising body, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, being aware of them or given the opportunity to argue the case.
Whether what Stoddard managed to achieve was the result of some shenanigans behind the scenes will of course be speculated on. The whole matter has become sadly farcical, the more so after Stoddard, when he realised what he had started, decided not to proceed with any further attempts to get the Court's intervention. But the damage had been done.
Formula 1 racing is an extremely expensive business, yes, but a team that cannot afford to keep its cars within the stipulated specifications, that cannot come up with the finances to modify it's cars in time for a new season, surely should do the honourable thing and withdraw from the competition? Like all the other teams, including the other small teams like Sauber, Red Bull and Jordan, Stoddard had had at least five months in which to come up with the necessary modifications, at least, to his 2004 cars, if he could not afford a new car for the new season. And people in the know were saying on Thursday that they had heard the required aerodynamic body parts for the Minardis were in fact already in Melbourne...
So what exactly, one wonders, was Stoddard's aim? Did he hope to be allowed to race with cars which, even though much slower and less reliable than all the other teams from last year, may just have had enough of an advantage over the modified cars, seeing as the rule changes are most likely to cause cars to be noticeably slower this year? And, if Minardi is allowed to run "illegal" cars and gains any points by coming in the top 8 at the expense of any "legal" teams also finishing the race, would the injured teams take it lying down? Of course not, and the resultant squabbling will do the sport as a whole even more of a disservice. As Michael Schumacher put it, if soccer teams are reduced to 10 players, can one allow a team with 11 to take part in the competition?
Paul Stoddard is no stranger to controversy. Not for nothing is he known as the "shop steward" of Formula 1. But his latest escapade has done himself, his team, his sport and his country no favours at all. One can but hope that, once the matter has been pondered calmly and tempers have cooled down, Australia will not suffer as a result of the ill-conceived antics of one of its sons.
Below is the full article from the BBC Sport website, as of 05:17 GMT on 5 March, 2005.
F1 bosses threaten Australian GP
Stoddart backed down in the row after making his point
Motorsport's governing body the FIA has threatened to pull Formula One and world rallying out of Australia after a row at the country's Grand Prix.
The Supreme Court of Victoria intervened to allow Minardi to run cars that race stewards had deemed illegal.
If the court acted lawfully the FIA would decide "if a world championship event of any kind can ever again be held in Australia", a statement said.
The FIA is angry the judge intervened without hearing its case.
"The stewards of the Australian Grand Prix and the FIA were given no notice of these proceedings and were given no opportunity to be present when the judge heard the case," the statement said.
"Apparently the judge thought it right to interfere with the running of a major sporting event, overrule the duly appointed international officials and compel the governing body to allow cars to participate in breach of the international regulations - all this without first hearing both sides of the case."
Minardi boss Paul Stoddart said earlier on Saturday that threats made to the future of the Australian Grand Prix had been a factor in his decision to end the legal battle.
Minardi drop Australian GP threat
He said: "No threats were made to me at all. Threats were made to the Australian Grand Prix and threats were made on what it would do and the precedent it would set in international motorsport.
"I'm not doing anything to interfere with this Grand Prix and I'm certainly not going to be accused of interfering in the long-term future of motorsport."
Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief Ron Walker said the issue would be raised by the Australian representative and FIA vice-president John Large at the next meeting of the FIA's World Motor Sport Council later this month.
Walker said the issue raised by FIA in its statement "clearly have implications for many other countries which host rounds of the FIA Formula One world championship."
Mooiloop
Ray
raytheron at iprimus.com.au
African Despatch - The History of the Earth is Written in a Book And that Book is Rock
Dispatch no. 78 – Part Three (Final)
Editor’s note: This article is too long for complete publication in one issue of SAWmail. Parts one and two were published in earlier editions of SAWmail.
As for us, I stand convinced that the future of humans will cut across all the time that separates the Elephants Valley from eternity. The Valley seems unchanging and permanent, but nothing in the world is as unchanging as change itself. If we lived long enough to be able to see across the event-horizon which surrounds our lives- if we could see across this imaginary circular ring which prevents us from thinking in a way which encompasses the scale of the universe-then perhaps we would be able to better make sense of life. We would be able to see things more in perspective. We would be better able to grasp the big picture. Perhaps then, we would realize how small our passage has been, and how great the ultimate future of mankind must be. We think in terms of the next hundred years, or five centuries at most. Sometimes we may even think about the next thousand years. But what will life be like ten thousand years from now? Or a hundred thousand years? The Elephants River might know. It has been around that long. And yet, even that is but a drop in the ocean of time. If scientists are correct, then the age of the dinosaurs lasted 150 million years. Our age has been less than a ripple in time. How could we possibly understand the future if we can barely even understand the past?
Behind my home in the Valley, there stands a small knoll which the earth manufactured out of volcanic rock a long, long time ago when Africa was still a shy young maiden. The Lizard Hotel, of which I have written before. On top of the Lizard Hotel I sat and feasted my eyes across the valley. Once upon a time the Lizard Hotel and its surrounding knolls had been volcanic pipes-pillars of white-hot fire from the bowels of the earth. Today they are merely crumbling piles of soft black decaying stone. It is a still and a peaceful land across which they stand guard-the last monuments to a bygone era of geological time. It has been a privilege to have been able to know the world which lies at their feet. If life does not sidestep me, then I may still return there more times. But one day, it will come to and end, and when it does, then strangely enough, I find reassurance in the knowledge that perhaps eventually the scars that we have left, will eventually be gone. The Valley will smile and the river will keep flowing as it always has.
It seems fitting that way. We came, we lived for a while, but we never really conquered. And then we went away again. All things ultimately change, and no matter how timeless the Valley and the river seems, there is no such thing as genuine timelessness in this world. Eventually it will all be gone.
A month or three ago, I took the young teenage son of an old friend of mine to the botanical gardens in Roodepoort, Johannesburg. He had been getting bad grades and I thought I would like to try and see how he thought. At the botanical gardens, not far from my home, a high waterfall had cut a giant amphitheatre from the living rock over the ages. It has been done in such a way that the different geological layers had been clearly exposed, as if a clean elbow had been scraped out of the face of the mountain. In that grand bend, we paused and stared up at the footprints of time.
"The history of earth," I told him, "is written in a book, and that book is rock. It was written by the hands of time in a code that we can only barely read. But still, it is here. Every chapter and page since creation was recorded for us. If we could only learn to read that code, then one day we would certainly be able to read one of the most spectacular stories ever written. But for now, we can only look at the pages and try to guess their contents. We can only be fascinated by the mere clues that we are able to understand right now, and wonder about their meaning." "
There before our eyes, history lay preserved while thousands of visitors walked by without ever seeing it. "Why is history so important to us?" I asked. "Because history is like a deep pool-partly beautiful and partly disturbing. Its depths we can never read, but in its surface we can see a reflection, and that reflection is the future. It is exactly like the past, but only in reverse. Everything is the other way round. To know where we have come from is to know where we are going to."
I tend to think of the Elephants Valley in that way. In its soft and dreamy landscape, I can see the past. Dimly, perhaps, but all the same, it is there, as if time had never happened. In its reflection, I hope to see the future. A time when it will be the same, yet different. The Valley drugs the mind into thinking that it will last forever. But in Johannesburg, as in other great cities, it is more evident than in most other places that this is not so. We are shaping our destinies with little self-restraint. One can only hope that mankind will be wise enough to look around, to see the warning signs, and to look at the future with sober eyes. But humans are not very good at looking to the future. How can they indeed, when they hardly even acknowledge the past? Many visit the Valley, but few see its past, therefore few see its future. And so it is with the other great places of earth. That is a dangerous thing.
The future is upon us and the hour is late. Right now Johannesburg sleeps, and so must I, for tomorrow is a new day and if I am going to avoid being eaten by the cobras and hyenas of the city, I shall have to join the slumbering thousands and get some rest. My Dispatch epistles have grown few and far between these past months, but the memories and names of the many friends that they have brought over the years still remain. I wish everyone well until the next story makes its ways across the digital oceans that separate us.
As always,
Herman
The African Dispatch is window on the fascinating world of Africa, which is produced on an infrequent basis. Topics cover news, history, stories, and events of a general nature in Southern Africa. Recent Dispatch back-issues may be read at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/africandispatch To automatically subscribe, simply send a blank e-mail to: africandispatch- subscribe@yahoogroups.com © Herman Labuschagne. All Rights Reserved.
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If you are looking for a lost friend... if you would like old friends to contact you... If you want to find old school friends... if you just want people who used to know you to find you again for a chat...
Send in your info, the info of anyone you are looking for and let’s see if we can find them for you!
Hottontots Holland High School - I am interested in making contact with a school friend I only remember as Kevin. He has a sister named Sandy and an elder brother named Greg. They all lived in Gordons Bay in the late 1960s. I go back to South Africa every other year and I would love to make contact with him again.
(If you need any more info please let me know)
Cheers,
MicK Shaw
Bucksconstable@aol.com
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How I met my wife
Editor’s note: I found this in the Internet… thought you might like it!
by Jack Winter
Published 25 July 1994 - The New Yorker
It had been a rough day, so when I walked into the party I was very chalant, despite my efforts to appear gruntled and consolate.
I was furling my wieldy umbrella for the coat check when I saw her standing alone in a corner. She was a descript person, a woman in a state of total array. Her hair was kempt, her clothing shevelled, and she moved in a gainly way.
I wanted desperately to meet her, but I knew I'd have to make bones about it since I was travelling cognito. Beknownst to me, the hostess, whom I could see both hide and hair of, was very proper, so it would be skin off my nose if anything bad happened. And even though I had only swerving loyalty to her, my manners couldn't be peccable. Only toward and heard-of behavior would do.
Fortunately, the embarrassment that my maculate appearance might cause was evitable. There were two ways about it, but the chances that someone as flappable as I would be ept enough to become persona grata or a sung hero were slim. I was, after all, something to sneeze at, someone you could easily hold a candle to, someone who usually aroused bridled passion.
So I decided not to risk it. But then, all at once, for some apparent reason, she looked in my direction and smiled in a way that I could make heads and tails of.
I was plussed. It was concerting to see that she was communicado, and it nerved me that she was interested in a pareil like me, sight seen. Normally, I had a domitable spirit, but, being corrigible, I felt capacitated -- as if this were something I was great shakes at -- and forgot that I had succeeded in situations like this only a told number of times. So, after a terminable delay, I acted with mitigated gall and made my way through the ruly crowd with strong givings.
Nevertheless, since this was all new hat to me and I had no time to prepare a promptu speech, I was petuous. Wanting to make only called-for remarks, I started talking about the hors d'oeuvres, trying to abuse her of the notion that I was sipid, and perhaps even bunk a few myths about myself.
She responded well, and I was mayed that she considered me a savory character who was up to some good. She told me who she was. "What a perfect nomer," I said, advertently. The conversation become more and more choate, and we spoke at length to much avail. But I was defatigable, so I had to leave at a godly hour. I asked if she wanted to come with me. To my delight, she was committal. We left the party together and have been together ever since. I have given her my love, and she has requited it.
Asian Coleslaw – from the Dr Weil.com site
8 servings
Cabbage contains plenty of nutrients including vitamin C and indoles, important cancer-fighting compounds. Red cabbage also contains anthocyanins, the purple pigment also found in blueberries. In the winter months, cabbage is an abundant nutritional resource when other fresh produce is either expensive or unavailable. This recipe calls for a lot of salt, but it is used in this dish to soften the cabbage. Then it is thoroughly rinsed off so the recipe doesn't provide too much sodium. This coleslaw is colorful and makes a delightful accompaniment to any meat, fish or vegetarian main dish. The garnish of minced scallions and toasted sesame seeds brings out the flavor of the slaw and adds additional crunch.
1 medium head green cabbage
1 medium head red cabbage
3 tablespoons sea salt
3 large carrots
1/4 cup minced scallions
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
2/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark-roasted sesame oil
Discard the outer leaves of cabbages. Cut heads in quarters; remove and discard cores. Slice cabbage thinly or shred in a food processor. Layer the cabbage in a large bowl with the sea salt. Toss to distribute salt evenly and let cabbage sit for 1 hour to soften.
Meanwhile, peel the carrots and grate them into thin shreds.
Drain off any liquid produced by the cabbage and rinse the cabbage well in several changes of cold water to remove excess salt. Taste the cabbage; if it is still too salty, rinse it again.
Add carrots to the cabbage and mix well.
Whisk the rice vinegar, brown sugar and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
Pour the dressing over the cabbage and mix well. Let chill. Garnish with minced scallions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
 South top North for tsunami [News24]
The southern hemisphere comfortably defeated the northern hemisphere 54-19 in the International Rugby Board Rugby Aid tsunami fundraiser at Twickenham on Saturday.
http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Rugby/0,,2-9-838_1671999,00.html
Kallis smashes fastest 50 in test cricket [Reuters]
South Africa's Jacques Kallis smashed the fastest 50 in test cricket on Friday, from 24 balls, on the opening day of the first test against Zimbabwe.
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=cricketNews...
'Eagle' Els wins thriller in Dubai [Super Golf]
Ernie Els won an unprecedented third Dubai Desert Classic in dramatic style on Sunday, holing an eagle putt from 18 feet at the last for a one-shot victory.
http://www.supergolf.co.za/default.asp?id=140243&des=article&scat=supergolf/europeantour
Freitag warns global elite [iAfrica.com]
Jacques Freitag, 22-year-old South African world champion, warned the global elite of high jumping that it will be a mistake to write him off too soon when he cleared 2.38m at the fourth Absa Series meeting in scorching heat on Saturday.
http://sport.iafrica.com/news/topstory/421833.htm
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