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| Contents |
Issue No. 339 -- 29 August 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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Apologies for the non-delivery of SAWmail last week. It was all set to go... but... we have sold the THOS domain and had to move many of our sites and domain names associated with it. We hit a few problems when doing that and lost basically four days of work. So... here is last week's edition and next week's will get caught up again.
Thanks for your continued support of SAWmail.
Another thing... plese check out the Coming Home section this week as someone needs urgent feedback.
Another hectic week here in Johannesburg! Our offices at Kya Sands are now complete... we now have flooring as well as a conference room so anytime anyone is in the area... come in for a cup of coffee.
I received this feedback from Des Cowie:
Thank you for putting my request in SAW letter. Sadly I haven’t even had ONE response, how sad is that?
We tried.
Best wishes
Des
For anyone who would like to make a donation, here is the contact info:
LESS THAN 13 WEEKS TO GO to the 6 November 2005 when Ill be running in the ING New York Marathon.
Please support me in making a donation/pledge on http://www.justgiving.com/des4kids The site is secure and it only takes a few minutes.
Thank you
"Whatever happens, we must not lose sight of the most significant person in the education process - the child" - Margaret de Paravincini
These from me...
Avoiding the phrase “I don’t have time...” will soon help you to realize that you do have the time needed for just about anything you choose to accomplish in life. - Bo Bennett
A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. - Henrik Ibsen
Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. - Theodore Roosevelt
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 |
TOP |
Coming Home
Please check out the query below. This lady needs urgent help!
May I ask that you include a request in the newsletter instead of the usual Q&A? If not possible, I will understand, but this is an emergency. A lovely lady named Gill needs feedback on why people remigrate from Aus to SA. She is divorcing and her husband does not want the children to accompany her to SA as he states that it is too unsafe here. She needs any positive comments on SA for the court case. Comments can be forwarded to me at admin@cfi.org.za.
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!
This week’s Q&A:
Peter, Auckland, NZ: Where can I find out which items may not be imported to SA?
Dear Peter
A list of such items can be found on the web site of the SA Receiver of Revenue - www.sars.gov.za and click on Customs. In general things which you definitely have to find out about will be fire-arms, animal and plant products, alcohol and tobacco products.
Kind regards
Alana & Annatjie
COME HOME CAMPAIGN
Migrasie / Migration
Solidariteit Alliansie / Solidarity Alliance
P O Box 8766, Centurion, 0046, RSA
Tel: 0027-(0)12-6438532
Fax: 0027-(0)12-6438587
admin@cfi.org.za
New book
This from Bill McDonald lekkerwear@shaw.ca
So Far and No Further!
JRT Woods long awaited book is now available
533 pages at $39.95
Rhodesia’s Bid for Independence during the Retreat from Empire 1959-1965
Culminating in those dramatic days of November 1965 when Ian Smith concluded in the face of resolute British stonewalling that he had no alternative but UDI, this unique account is the first in a series which chronicles the course of events that ultimately led to Robert Mugabe’s accession to power in 1980, and all that entailed.
Springbok Supporter Jerseys now available for a limited time includes a free matching hat.
Online at www.Lekkerwear.com or www.Rhodesiaissuper.com
ZIM Prison life exposed
This from Theo Truter truter@mweb.co.za
Hi Maureen
I feel we of the free world have a duty to expose this to all.
Kind regards
Theo
'No amount of money' will turn Zim around
Reesha Chibba and Sapa | Johannesburg, South Africa
26 August 2005 03:43
"I still hear the sounds of people being beaten in prison. I will never forget it. It's terrible," said opposition MP Roy Bennett.
He was addressing the Johannesburg Press Club on Thursday afternoon, en route home from a two-month visit to Britain, where he spent time recovering from eight months in Zimbabwean prisons.
Bennett, a member of the Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was in 2004 sentenced to a year's imprisonment by the country's Parliament for pushing Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa to the floor, after the minister accused Bennett's ancestors of being thieves.
He told the Mail & Guardian Online on Thursday that the "worst part of being in prison was hearing the screams of people being beaten in prison. You hear kids screaming, but this was a different sound."
Two of his security guards were murdered during the MDC's national two-day strike against worsening social conditions in Zimbabwe's in 2003, and his farm workers, including women and children, were assaulted by army troops when his farm was raided, in the same year.
Speaking at the Johannesburg Press Club, an emotional Bennett gave a detailed account of his experiences in jail and what he witnessed.
"I witnessed on a daily basis the beatings" of prisoners, he said.
Referring to the prisoners, he said: "When are they going to take matters into their own hands? Their integrity has been broken ... It is very difficult to stand up as people and fight it when there is no assistance.
"The people I met in prison represent a microcosm of the rest of the country, and they deserve a fair chance. Their average age was 25 years, and all that they wanted one day was a job."
Most were imprisoned in the first place because petty theft was their only means of survival.
"I witnessed people getting beaten. They were taken into a cell, told to lie down on their stomachs and had the bottom of their feet beaten."
The beatings happened regularly. Prisoners were ordered "to strip naked and do star jumps".
He said he avoided the beatings by telling guards, "If you want to beat me, then you beat me where I am standing," and refusing to go into the cell where the beatings took place.
"I know my rights. I have access to legal representatives. I have access to you," said Bennett, pointing to those attending the press club gathering.
"I've reported the loss of my property and I've reported what happened to me and my wife," he added. "Those people have access to nobody. Ninety percent of prisoners in there don't have visits. A visit means the world to a prisoner."
Food and sexual favours
The food in Zimbabwean prisons is rationed. In the morning, he said, a prisoner only gets a cup of porridge.
"If you're lucky, you will get beans, which is weevil infected," said Bennett. Not often would there be meat. "Sometimes you would go three months without meat. Prison food is absolutely terrible."
In prison, it is a privilege to work in the kitchens. Kitchen workers are in a position to steal food and bribe other prisoners, or make deals with the wardens.
"Because of the poverty in Zimbabwe, they are plundering the prison's food. Prisoners don't get what they [are supposed to get]."
Prisoners agree to "sexual favours" in exchange for food, soap and cigarettes, "to survive [and] stay healthy".
When he was transferred to the Chikurubi farm prison without notice, Bennett witnessed the treatment of guards "by their own government. It was absolutely brutal."
Guards who fell asleep were doused with water and "forced to roll on the floor, carry logs and roll tractor tyres in front of other guards".
Zimbabweans live in fear of victimisation for having anything to do with opposition politics.
"The whole system is communist and dehumanising. The whole thing is political. The police are there on a political [basis]," he said. "Whatever the prisoners are suffering, the guards are going through the same oppression. All they want is something, anything. They will do anything to make a life for themselves."
Bennett became emotional when he spoke of his wife and said that she was his "big hero" through his ordeal.
"Without her, I would never have survived."
He began to cry when he said that his ordeal has affected his whole family. He has lost touch with his son.
"We have all suffered," he said tearfully.
How it all began
Bennett said his story "goes way back". He had been privileged in every way and "was riding around in the best of cars", but around him he saw poverty.
"It's very difficult to explain all the problems in Zimbabwe," said Bennett.
Comparing President Robert Mugabe now to what he was in the past, "there's absolutely no comparison", he said. When he was younger, he had "wonderful hopes" for Mugabe, but now "the world sees Mugabe as the person who slapped the white man in the face".
Bennett told the M&G Online that he misses the "joviality of the people".
"Zimbabwe is an incredibly friendly country. The people are friendly. Now they are destitute and have no hope. Back then, everybody was able to make a living and move around."
There is only fear and hopelessness now, he said.
When asked at the press club gathering whether he expects trouble when he returns to Zimbabwe on Monday, Bennett said: "We'll face those problems when we meet them."
One of his homes was visited on Tuesday by the police, who are always looking for his wife and himself, he said.
"We always check that we not being followed. We've been searched and harassed on a daily basis."
What about the SA loan?
Bennett told the press club the government in Zimbabwe "has reduced a thriving economy to an absolute basket case".
The South African government is willing to loan Zimbabwe money to prevent its possible expulsion from the International Monetary Fund.
Regarding the loan agreement, Bennett feels "no amount of money will turn that situation around. I don't see how the loan is going to stop the suffering."
"If the money was to assist people who are suffering, it would be very welcome. Personally, I think that by propping up the regime you are subjecting people to longer poverty and suffering."
If the money does not go to help the people, "you might as well put the money in a pile and burn it".
"South Africa has huge problems on their doorstep that is about to unfold. I will never understand the stand that President [Thabo] Mbeki and the African National Congress have taken against Zimbabwe."
South Africa will experience huge problems as a result of Zimbabwe's meltdown, said Bennett.
"They could have done something about the situation five years ago, but now it's too late. There will be massive starvation in Zimbabwe, with people leaving to try to find somewhere to eat, live and survive."
He said about 1 500 people a day are leaving the country, mostly headed for South Africa.
Bennett said he is out of the loop concerning the MDC's strategies due to his recent absence. He, however, proposes that the MDC should carry out a plan of passive resistance.
"But my personal view is that the MDC must stop buying into Mugabe's agenda and start calling the shots.
"We need not attend Parliament, nor [ruling party] Zanu-PF functions. We do not need to legitimise the government."
South Africans in Taiwan
I've included 3 photos of the view of a complex about 20 km outside Taipei. 11 SA stay in this area. All of them teachers. And a photo of the school..JPG)
SA teachers are in big demand in Taiwan - mainly for 4 reasons:
- South Africans are well trained and are excellent teachers. They are highly in demand and 9 of the 17 foreign teachers at my school Yu Tsai Elementary school are SA's.
- The workload is about half of what it was back in South Africa, which much look to others as if we have a lot of woema. We get the jobn done without complains and demands.
- Teachers in Taiwan can earn up to 3 times their salary in SA. If the exchange rate is good even more.
- South Africans are tough and very rarely call in sick. If you don't work you don't get paid..jpg)
Although many young post-graduates use this as an experience to see a new country - the focus remain onkeeping up the image of SA. Many times when I called to arrange interviews, the directors were surprised when they realized that there were white SA's. A big misperception of our beautiful country on their side..JPG)
The biggest drawback however is the very typical SA accent, and most Taiwanese prefer a North American accent. You will hear us these days trying to copy that NA half language.
Maybe the following sites will give you a better perception of life in Taiwan.
http://www.tealit.com a site for work in Taiwan and the possibilities of work.
http://www.taipeirugby.com/
http://www.brassmonkeytaipei.com/
I hope to get in touch with someone that will be able to write a good article.
Greetings
Dirk du Plessis
Cellphone technology could grow sugar yields
This from Guy Lundy...
The South African sugar industry, which is one of the world’s leading cost-competitive producers of high quality sugar, is utilising the power of cellphone technology to empower its emerging farmers with up to date information about when to irrigate.
A pilot project implemented in the Pongola area near the Swaziland border could help to boost production and save water, a precious commodity in such a dry country. Small-scale farmers receive a text message every Wednesday telling them whether they should irrigate that week, based on accurate weather information from the area.
The pilot project has been implemented by the South African Sugar Association, which is an industry body based in Mount Edgecombe near Durban that oversees both cane growers and sugar millers in the country’s 14 sugar growing areas. Most of South Africa’s 412 000 hectares under sugar cane are in high rainfall areas, but Pongola and the Mpumalanga lowveld require irrigation.
Over-irrigating cane can lead to a reduced yield of sugar. Many of South Africa’s sugar farmers are small-scale emerging black farmers, without access to the latest equipment and the best technology. Many have only recently acquired cellphones. The text messages are sent in Zulu.
During apartheid thousands of families were removed from the farmland they previously owned and cultivated. Now an organised land claims process has helped many of them return to the land, and it is seen as imperative that they receive as much assistance as possible to be successful. If the pilot project in sugar is successful it will be expanded to more farmers in the area, and it may also be expanded to other crops around the country such as maize and fruit.
With cellphone ownership in Africa having increased by around 1000 percent over the past five years, cellular technology holds great promise for development on the continent. Other pilot projects in South Africa and elsewhere have included sending text messages of the latest crop prices to emerging farmers, empowering them to negotiate the best price for their produce.
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.
If you would like to contact Guy, visit his web site here.
Bits n Bobs
This from Shep Adkins gnu356@charter.net
Maureen,
Age is an issue of mind over matter - if you don`t mind, it doesnt matter.
Avenues not travelled, are roads not explored.
Coelacanth.....the zillion year old extinct fish netted off the East Coast and landed at an East London dock was named after Margery Latimer, the curator of the EL museum at that time, and a friend of my sister... my sister made the first plaster cast of this stranger from the deep, as it was fast loosing body oil and disintegrating... hence its name of "Latimeria"
We have just completed a two month 7500 mile road trek across the USA... some wonderful sites and experiences along the way
Shep Adkins [EL born]
Choice Coach – Grounded in the Earth, Reaching for the Sky
In last month's Grounded/Reaching I mentioned in passing that there is a difference between spirituality and religion. Having since explored the dictionary differences between the two I find less than I had expected. However, since readers of Grounded/Reaching often encounter the words used in the sense that I use them, it is still well worthwhile to explain the differences between my usage of the two words.
For me, spirituality is free of dogma and it does not exist according to the tenets of any specific faith. It is much larger and wider than that. It may be connected with religion, or it may not. Its focus is on direct contact and relationship with the Creator, in whatever form and by whatever name works for you. At its fullest, spirituality is a way of life, a way of thinking, a way of being. It guides all that we are.
However, as I wrote last month, that guidance is sometimes difficult to access. Sometimes some of us feel that we cannot count on ourselves to be able to hear or feel it. We flounder. Our hearts cry out for guidance and structure from something, or someone, whose connection with the Creator is congruent with ours. This is where religion comes in.
It is my belief that every great religious leader originally intended to lay out a structure that would guide people in their search for the Creator-connection in the context of who and where those people were in their own culture and time. Just that, and nothing more, for it is all we need.
Because different religions had begun in different cultures and different times, using different languages, they differed - yet they also had similarities. What was important in one may not have been so important in another, yet all retain the centrality of humanity's relationship with the Creator.
However, things changed. Our experience of the Creator is often described as ineffable, and, by definition, what is ineffable cannot be put into words. Thus the words used in those early pieces of guidance are not usually direct. Parables are told. Analogies are used. Pictures are drawn. Long after the leader - of whatever religion - was gone there arose questions. Just what was meant by this piece of guidance or that? Surely it could be interpreted in more than one way? How could anyone know which was the right way? There arose discussions, and committees to discuss, and committees to discuss the discussions, and interpretations resulted. The "rules" were explained, and in the process they became more fully codified. What the founders may have intended as guidance became dogma and, where religion went hand in hand with politics, dogma became law. During this process, the words that had been reported as the leader's guidance, and the ensuing discussions of discussions, were translated. The translations were translated. Early translations were discovered to be inaccurate, so they were re-translated, with subtle differences in the results.
Changes were inevitable, and with change comes dissension. Formerly close-knit groups may split over the interpretation of just a few words, and with each split comes a different interpretation of what is true.
Let us use an analogy here. Let us liken true spiritual guidance to water - pure, unadulterated water. However, water can become many things. We can add coffee grounds to get coffee. We can add tea-leaves to create tea. We can add lemon juice and sweetener, and we have lemonade. We can add almost any vegetable product and a dash of yeast and sugar, and wait awhile, and we have wine. In each case the nature of the original water has been changed by the additions, and the processes that accompanied the additions. When drunk, each gives us a very different experience. Yet water in its purity is still at the core of each product.
I see the essence of spirituality as the water, and the clarifications and amendments that have followed spiritual guidance, as it has come from many great leaders, as resulting in the many different religions of our little planet. The water is still water, and those who thirst may choose to slake their thirst in many different forms and yet find equal levels of refreshment.
When they follow in the true spirit of their founder, most religions are truly in synch with spirituality, and they do indeed help their followers to strengthen their Creator-connection as well as to establish community here in the physical world. When they become so intent on the rules and the dogma, when they insist that the results of the discussions of discussions are more important than the original teachings, then they can wander far from the path that was originally laid out.
So, therefore, if I am right (always a question-mark here), then religion can stand to support and strengthen us in our spirituality. On the other hand, if it loses its original spirituality-oriention in the midst of a maze of rules and dogmas and hierarchical lust for power, then sometimes our search for the Creator-connection is better continued alone... perhaps in the company of trees.
If you have an interest in looking at similarities and differences between the core beliefs of different religions, here are a couple of links that may be useful to you:
http://www.beliefnet.com
www.thinkquest.org/library/cat_show.html?cat_id=64
Special times this month
Dates and descriptions obtained from www.interfaithcalendar.org/ unless marked with ##.
Do not be confused by the fact that some celebrations occur on different days according to different religions. For example, celebrations for those of the Orthodox Christian faith, some of whom adhere to the Julian calendar and some to the Gregorian calendar, often differ from those of most western Christian faiths. For more information about the history behind this confusion, see www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article7070.asp.
Celebrations marked with one asterisk actually begin at sundown the previous day. Those marked with two asterisks may vary by date according to location. Also, because the Islamic calendar is moon-based, some dates may be off by one day, depending upon location.
September 2005
1 - Ecclesiastical Year begins - Orthodox Christian.
1 - Lailat al Miraj -Islamic observance of Mohammed's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to heaven.
7 - Ganesa Chaturthi ** - A Hindu festival honoring the god of prosperity, prudence and success.
8 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Christian celebration of birth of the Virgin Mary.
8 - Feast of Nativity of the Theotokos - Orthodox Christian.
11 - New Year - Coptic Christian.
14 - Holy Cross Day - A Christian Day of recognition for the Cross on which Jesus was crucified as a central symbol of the Christian religion.
14 - Elevation (or exaltation) of the Life Giving Cross - Orthodox Christian celebration of the finding by St Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, of the Cross upon which Christ was crucified.
17 - Feast of Mithra - Zoroastrian festival with focus on Mithra as the angel of light - a time of gratitude for life and light.
19 - Lailat al Bara'ah - Islamic Night of Forgiveness. A night of prayer to Allah for forgiveness of the dead. Preparation for Ramadan through intense prayer.
21 - St. Matthew Day - Christian.
22 - Mabon - Fall Equinox - Wicca observance of the autumnal equniox when day and night are of equal length. A harvest festival time.
29 - Michael and All Angels - Christian celebration of angels as companions who help fight off the power of evil and who are present at the hour of death.
Copyright 2005 Diana Robinson, PhD., PCC. Grounded in the Earth, Reaching for the Sky may be reproduced in its entirety only, including this copyright line. Disclaimer -The contents herein are solely the opinions of Grounded in the Earth, Reaching for the Sky owner, and should not be considered as a form of therapy nor advice. There is no guarantee of validity or accuracy. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
Mailing Address:
Diana Robinson
2604 Elmwood Avenue #230
Rochester, NY 14618
USA
Mind Massage
It's amazing how wrapped up we get in our own particular challenges.
I'm certainly guilty of it myself, what with making a move (TODAY) from Portland, Oregon to Old Mazatlan, Mexico with my husband and two of my four teenage daughters. Though it seems like a huge change to us, in the scheme of things, it's not that big a deal.
I just watched the movie, "Murderball" and I am completely humbled.
Ready to rumble?
Warmly,
Maya ;-)
In India, there is an elephant-head god named Ganesh. He's a beloved deity, much celebrated as the "remover of obstacles" in the Hindu faith. Every Hindu taxi driver has a little dashboard altar dedicated to Ganesh, and if ever there was an occupation in need of such extra insurance, it must surely be Indian cabbies!
I was reminded of Ganesh--and obstacles in general--while watching the movie "Murderball" recently. Though the title suggests a special-effects bacchanal of mindlessness, the film is a poignant, funny and supremely uplifting story of a group of quadriplegics and their quest for the championship trophy in murderball, also known as quad rugby.
It's produced by an MTV-related company, and the edgy music, grainy clips, and "Real World" dialogue are familiar to younger audiences. What's remarkable is the bracingly honest look at the unmentionable parts of life as a quad--hooking up, having sex,
and finding a passion that is bigger than the wheelchair.
Some misconceptions are clarifiied. For example, a quadriplegic isn't necessarily a numb-from-the-neck-down wheelchair dweller.
A quad has limited use--and this can vary widely--in all four limbs. The murderball team is comprised of young men with a range of physical challenges. Some are missing a muscle while others might be missing an entire limb--or several. To level the playing field, each player is assigned a certain number of points corresponding to their limb usage, and each team can have a total of only so many points on the field at a time. This seemingly crass but supremely fair point system characterizes the general approach to the game--dude, we understand you're "not all there" but let's maximize the parts that are.
What resonates with viewers is the utter normalcy of their lives. They want what everyone wants: good friends who aren't afraid to tease them, a chance to fall in love and find intimacy, and an opportunity to overcome their obstacles, both physical and mental.
Lance Armstrong didn't loll about in his hospital bed bemoaning his missed Tour de France opportunities--he focused on surviving cancer. He did the hard work of recovering his strength, and he overcame a gigantic mental obstacle--the idea that a cancer survivor could never complete (let alone win) a Tour de France race.
The murderball team members have all overcome the same set of obstacles. They survived their traumatic injuries or illnesses and their dismal prognoses. They trained hard and transformed themselves physically and mentally. They compete in a raucous, alarmingly brutal game in which the primary technique is to slam into your wheelchair opponent, sending him sprawling onto the gym floor. They don't wear helmets. After all, they figure, what's going to happen--they might become paralyzed? These guys are in it for the joy of blasting through their barriers and finding a sense of camaraderie among those who are doing the same.
Murderball players never wait for a door to be opened for them--they remove their own obstacles, whether mental or physical. They've become extremely mindful of the differences between real limitations and those that we place on ourselves.
We can learn a lot from their passion and fearlessness.
Murderball isn't played with regular wheelchairs. Team members use souped-up versions for what is essentially playing bumper cars with wheelchairs. These babies look like something straight out of a Mad Max movie.
To learn more about murderball--and see photos--visit:
murderball.quadrugby.com
Your secret assignement this week is to listen for limiting beliefs.
Pay attention when you hear someone talk about why they can't do something, and notice the thoughts in your head that express a limiting belief.
"If only I had more money...."
"If only I had more time...."
"If only I could meet the partner of my dreams..."
"If only I could lose this weight..."
"I'll never get that raise..."
"I never make lasting friendships..."
or how about this one:
"That's just how I am."
Listen and watch. That's it.
No need to make sweeping changes. The first step
is paying attention. Try it this week!
Frost Family Blast-Off:
We are flying to Mexico today to begin our next adventure.
If you'd like to read about it, visit my blog at:
MassageYourMind.blogspot.com
**********************************
Maya Talisman Frost has taught thousands of people how to pay attention. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she offers playful and powerful eyes-wide-open ways to get calm, clear and creative. To receive her free special report, 'The Dirty Little Secret About Meditation,' visit her website at MassageYourMind.com
(C) Copyright 2005, Maya Talisman Frost
**********************************
52 Best Stories – His Dreams Live On
John H. Johnson is a name that many of us are not familiar with while others have heard of him often. Mr. Johnson rose from poverty to create an unparalleled international media empire that fueled the dreams of many Americans and died August 8th in Chicago at the age of 87.
Born on January 19, 1918, in Arkansas City, Arkansas, Johnson's early life was shaped by overcoming. His father was killed in a sawmill accident when he was 8 years old, and his mother became the central force in his life.
"She believed in me and taught me to believe in myself," Johnson later said. "She taught me to dream, to dare and to never give up."
It was Johnson's mother who decided that the Jim Crow South was not a good place to raise a Black child from whom she expected greatness. There was no Black high school in the town of Johnson's birth. He repeated the eighth grade just to keep learning. To give her only son an opportunity for a better life, Johnson's mother worked as a camp cook on a levee for two years to save money for the train trip to Chicago, where Johnson and his mother lived with a friend and he went to high school.
Johnson graduated from Chicago's DuSable High School in 1936 and worked at Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Company, where he would later become chairman of the board, while studying part-time at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. One of his duties at Supreme was to prepare a digest for company President Harry Pace of Black oriented stories in the American press--a duty that gave him the idea for his first magazine, Negro Digest.
When he was refused a business loan from banks and other financial institutions, Johnson financed the first issue by borrowing $500 on his mother's furniture. Published for the first time in November 1942, Negro Digest was an instant success and led to the post-World War II founding of EBONY magazine in November 1945. The first issue of EBONY sold 25,000 copies, instantly making it the largest-circulated Black magazine. Today, 60 years later, EBONY is still at the top, with a circulation of 1.6 million.
In 1951 Johnson started JET, which became the No. 1 Black newsweekly. The company continued to expand its media interests, and Johnson eventually published books, bought radio stations and produced television shows.
Johnson's business acumen and commitment to the community won him directorship of major American corporations. He served first on the board of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and later on the boards of companies such as VIAD, Chrysler, Zenith, Conrail, Bell & Howell, Continental Bank, and Dillard Department Stores. He served as a trustee of the Art Institute of Chicago, the UNCF and the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Johnson is credited as one of the trailblazers in business and international media and is acknowledged as the first entrepreneur to recognize the colossal buying power of Black America.
"He virtually invented the Black Consumer Market," says historian Lerone Bennett Jr., EBONY executive editor emeritus. "And he almost single-handedly created the foundations -- the stratum of Black writers, photographers advertising and circulation specialists -- for the Black magazines and Black media stars of today."
The secret of his success, by most accounts, was his indomitable spirit and his refusal to take no for an answer. He always found a way. When he was refused permission to buy a lot in downtown Chicago because of his race, he hired a White lawyer who bought the land in trust. With that purchase, Johnson became the first African-American to build a major building in downtown Chicago.
Defying the odds was his passion--the great theme of his life. "Failure," he said, "is a word I don't accept." In his best-selling autobiography, Succeeding Against the Odds , he said that the message of his life to "Blacks, to Hispanics, to Asians, to Whites, to dreamers everywhere , was that long shots do come in and that hard work, dedication and perseverance will overcome almost any prejudice and open almost any door."
Prior to his death Johnson named his daughter, Linda Johnson Rice -- then serving as president and chief operating officer - -the CEO of the company, but retained the title of chairman and publisher. He was active in company affairs until his death.
"He was in his office every day until his last illness and was alert and active until the end," Rice said. "He was the greatest salesman and CEO I have ever known, but he was also a father, friend and mentor with a great sense of humor who never stopped climbing mountains and dreaming dreams."
Johnson may have climbed his last mountain, but his dreams live on in those whose lives he has and will continue to touch.
"I would tell young people to start where they are with what they have and that the secret of a big success is starting with a small success and dreaming bigger and bigger dreams," he said in his last major interview. "I would tell them also that a young Black woman or a young Black man can't dream too much today or dare too much if he or she works hard, perseveres and dedicates themselves to excellence."
~ From an article in Ebony Magazine ~
http://www.52best.com/ebony.asp
One Man’s Australia - Family
I have been heavily tangled in family matters for weeks, some expected and some utterly unexpected.
EXPECTED
On the expected side Fiona, Robert and Miranda - nicknamed Nina - headed off to Queenstown/Milford Sound, South Island, New Zealand, for a skiing holiday. As few readers will have seen the stunningly beautiful deep south of the Antipodes I have thrown in some photographs with commentary. Normally we keep it a secret..jpg)
Picture nz 1 is a shot of Nina on her first-ever flight on QANTAS. As an enterprising 28 month-old she has already found the entertainment system headphones. She thoroughly enjoyed the flight.
.jpg) Picture nz 2 is of Robert, Nina and Fiona on the lower beginners' slopes at Queenstown. Nina is sporting snow glasses like mum and dad to avoid burning her retinas. Fiona has been skiing all her life, but Robert started skiing only after they married and for Nina it was her first time on skis.
Nina is going to be a tall girl, judging by doubling her height on her 2nd birthday. Fiona is a 7th generation Australian and near enough to my height (2 generations from Lambeth cockneys) that we drive cars with the seat in the same position. Robert's Vogt genes came through. Nina looks as if she is going to come closer to Robert's height than Fiona's..JPG)
Picture nz 3 shows Nina pole dancing on a tour boat on Milford Sound. She suddenly started doing it. It caused a sensation with groups of Japanese and Korean tourists. Probably because blue-eyed blonde children are unusual in north Asia.
Out came a few score cameras. The more they photographed her the more she hammed it up. But Robert had to intervene when they started offering her lollies..jpg)
Picture nz 4 shows them on the upper deck of the tour boat. When Lynette and I were Robert and Fiona's age we travelled through Norway and Sweden. The scenery reminds me of the Norwegian Fjordland on their west coast. If Fiona looks cold the next stop on the way south is Antarctica..jpg)
Picture nz 5 shows Nina strapped in her statutory child seat in the rented 4 wheel drive they used for getting around. In that part of New Zealand they are needed..jpg)
Picture nz 6 shows Nina at the cabin window of the tour boat on Milford Sound. They ventured onto the open top deck at intervals but it was too cold to stay there..jpg)
Picture nz 7 shows Nina using a camera. Before you think that she is holding it back-to-front remember that she is holding it the only way she has ever seen a camera - facing her. There is logic there.
IN THE MEANTIME
I had one of those catastrophic days that always seem to happen on my watch. I quote the email that I wrote to Robert's godmother in the aftermath:
Dear Prue
Don't talk to me about our ageing terrier Chewbacca. His teeth have been extracted but he still has his 4 canines - and that is all that he needs to do serious damage. Below was written while I was still bleeding on Thursday.
"Whenever Fiona goes away Chewy stages a vetinary extravaganza on my watch. And so it is this time.
Friday I found him sliding on his bum leaving brown streaks on the drive. Off to the vet. Infected anal glands - not for the first time. The vet put on a glove, shoved his finger up his butt and expressed them.
Talk about a stench!
Then the antibiotics - big tablets, so WW3 twice a day. Even grinding them up and rolling the powder into balls of grated cheddar cheese means a grim wrestle on the floor.
Yesterday I saw him sitting holding his left front paw in the air. So I went to have a look and as soon as I touched it he screamed and bit my hand. Off to the vet. On with a muzzle. A dislocated dew claw with the nail half broken off at the root. Blood.
Vet applied local anaesthetic, clipped the lower leg, extracted the claw nail, straightened out the claw and bandaged same. More antibiotics as that wound is close to the ground.
The vet was female so she understood why I begged for liquid antibiotic that I cold squirt into his throat with a syringe. Bottle of children's antibiotic and 5 ml syringe for applying same - banana flavoured yet!
I had used Fiona and Robert's car to give it a run. Put key in switch to start and come home. Stone dead!
SO get taxi home with in-pain Chewy. Settle Chewy. Get my car and head down to our local service station to ask Dave to help me retrieve their car. I cannot drive 2 at once.
Dave has a problem. His apprentice is at tech and the casual has called in sick. He is alone trying to work on cars in the workshop and run the forecourt at the same time.
So he lends me his powerpack.
Down to the vet in my car. Start their car with powerpack and drive it to Dave's service station. Leave their car for Dave to fit new battery.
Get taxi back to the vet to pick up my car.
On way SMS comes in on my mobile. Please phone Nina in next 30 minutes as she is missing me. WOW!
Head home, phone Nina in NZ and listen to her telling me all about the snow etc. She says "Bye-bye, love you" and blows me a big kiss on the phone. DOUBLE WOW!
#1 son not impressed with back-and-forth schlepping over car. Why did I not just call the NRMA and get them to send their spare-battery rescue van and fit a new one at the vet? Answer - because that car is not covered under my name in their data base. Why did I not call him and he would have called the NRMA? Answer - because it did not occur to me to turn a dead battery into an international crisis.
There are times when adult sons can try your patience.
We are under water restrictions and can only water gardens before 10 am and after 4 pm Wednesdays and Sundays using only hand-held hoses. By the time I had finished with the NZ call the sun had set behind the escarpment, the wind was blowing a gale and it was FREEZING. Watering takes an hour.
So the new lawns went without water. Bugger it!"
UNEXPECTED
I have a sort of cousin, Francis Crawford, who lives in Seattle. He is the son of my grandfather's brother's youngest daughter. When he was at Oxford he met a beautiful American girl, followed her to America and married her. We have been corresponding for a long time.
Somewhere along the line he became a Mormon - and earned the family name of The Indefatigable Francis as he began to build an awesome genealogy of the family as part of his duties in the Mormon church.
Now I have been in touch with a grandson of my grandfather's brother, Geoffrey Green, for years - ever since the family migrated to New Zealand and settled in Auckland. He and Cathy are both doctors and they have two daughters, 14 and 17.
All of a sudden an email came in from Francis - which he had also sent to Michael Green, Geoffrey's father in Durban:
"Gentlemen:
I am forwarding a message I have received from Chris McAlonan, which is self explanatory.
Perhaps you would be kind enough to communicate with Chris and give him whatever information you have on the extended Green family, as I am sure you can help him more than I can. Please keep me in the loop on any correspondence you may have with him.
Thanks and be well!
Francis Crawford"
The forwarded message was:
"Hello Francis,
My name is Chris McAlonan and I am researching the GREEN family history. Who am I? I am married to Lynn Smith, daughter of Ron & Moira Smith. As you will know Moira is the daughter of Heather Victoria Green (nee Keegan) you Mother's sister. Moira tells me that you have done some research into the family and I am wondering if you would be prepared to share that with me (us). I am also very interested to obtain any old family photographs. I would be most appreciative if you could see fit to accommodate my request. I would of course recompense you for any expense you may incur.
Lynn and I have lived in New Zealand since 1976 and have three children (now in their twenties). We are expecting a visit from Moira in January next year and we will then accompany her to Sydney where we will all attend the wedding of Gary Laurie (Lynn's nephew). Moira will then stay on in Australia for a short while to stay with her daughter Jenny.
I hope that you will be able to assist me in my endeavours and I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers
Chris McAlonan"
Here was a relative that I had never head of living in Rotorua. I passed a copy of his email to Geoff.
So I replied:
"Hi Chris
Francis passed your email to me. He and I share common ancestors, Frederick Owen Green and Alice Green (nee Shedden) who lived in Waterloo Road, Lambeth. They had three sons, my grandfather Robert (born 1854), Francis' grandfather Harold (aka John) and Frederick, who never married and survived into the London Blitz in 1940. Plus a daughter Alice, who never married and became an original Florence Nightingale trained registered nurse who came out of retirement to run the Cheltenham hospital during WW1 and nursed my father there when he was sent back from the Western Front.
I attach photographs of Frederick Owen, Alice and my grandfather's birth certificate (2 frames).
Robert and Harold joined the Natal Mounted Police in 1876 and fought in the 1879 Zulu War. Harold survived the battle of Isandhlwana on January 22nd 1879 (film - Zulu Dawn) and Robert survived the battle of Rorke's Drift on January 23 rd 1879 (film - Zulu).
I attach photographs of Robert after the Boer War, Harold after the Boer War and Alice as a hospital matron.
Regards
Glen"
A major exchange of emails ensued in the course of which Chris sent me this - once he realised where I live:
"Glen.
SMALL, SMALL world. My wife Lynn's sister is Meryl Laurie. Her son Gary is getting married in Wollongong!!. We shall be staying in town from Friday 27th Jan till probably Monday 30th or Tues 31st when Lynn & I will go to Brisbane to visit my sister.
Most of the Smith family will be at the wedding, including Moira. She is very elderly now and not very mobile.
I have had an email from Geoff. We did know that he was in NZ as Michael told Lynn some years ago but we had been unable to make contact with him.
Did Francis Crawford send you our branch of the family tree?
Cheers
Chris"
AFTERMATH
I have been living 2 miles from family for 25 years. Neither of us knew the others existed. We have now met and will have a get-together with the McAlonens when they come over in January.
Letters from Ireland
This from Jenni D Jenni.Dauth@friendsfirst.ie
Its rugby season and even away from home - its big news. A couple of us went out on the Friday evening and decided to go to my apartment for the 'afters'. Which of course had to last until 8ap since we had to leave for the pub to watch the South African - New Zealand match at 8.30am. It has to be mentioned that sadly all of us past our 20's already (some sooner rather than later) so the days of having all night parties was not suppose to happen as often as it does at this age. However - as much as all of us felt we wanted (and needed) to get to bed - nothing was going to prevent us from missing the game. So at 8 o'clock the morning off we went - 8 South Africans, 2 Irish, 1 English, 1 German - to support our country.
Since discovering the Outback pub about 3 years ago we hardly missed any SA matches and met up with many other South Africans each time. Of course the Outback is an Australia / New Zealand pub but of course the South Africans had to invade and claim half of it as part of our 'home'. Since it’s the best pub in Dublin for Southerner to hang out you just need to walk in and you'll feel right at home among all the Afrikaans, SA rugby jumpers, boerewors rolls, Castle beer and all the 'referees' of the Springbok games.
This Saturday was no exception. We met up with the regular crowd, exchange the kisses and hugs and 'ons beter wen vandag' comments, did the introductions for the 'new- comers' and found our seats. You could taste the excitement in the air. Everyone was talking together, laughing loud, just fell in with a conversation where you could hear the Afriaans accent (ja man!). Flashbacks of previous games were on the bigscreen and each time Percy or Schalk's face appeared everyone cheered and laughter about just being there came from everywhere.
Then the Springboks ran up the field and the crowd went wild! Everyone was at his or her feet - clapping hands, laughing, and cheering. When the All Blacks ran up there was cheering from some of the Ozzies in the pub but not half as loud and supportive as the SA's. But as always the best is kept for last and when the National Anthem was sang I had tears in my eyes. Never in my life does the National Anthem mean as much as it does when its sang in a pub 1000's of miles away from home by a bunch of homesick South Africans - loud, clear and with proud. For most it’s such an emotional moment that the few seconds afterwards there seem to be a silence that says it all.
What a joy these ˜gatherings’ is! Bringing us all together to celebrate who we are and where we come from. I suppose for everyone there it’s a piece of home away from home. Its moments like this that makes me realise what a wonderful nation we are and how much potential there is for us – for South African. Colour and political views doesn’t seem to matter. Life for us abroad did move on after all. We ˜forgot’ about black & white’ somehow. About politics, about anger. It forced us to live life and sometimes reminds us to remember where we came from.
Someone said to me after the rugby match that if South Africa is so fantastic how come we are scattered all across the world. We live a good live abroad and forever praise South Africa and celebrate who we are but we don’t go home. I understood where he came from - considering the amount of South Africans who still leave the country on a daily basis.
I once met an Aussie in London who shared a house with 6 South Africans. One day I asked him the difference between South Africans and Australians and without hesitation he said we all have a mission. When I asked him to explain his responds was "South Africans know how to laugh and enjoy life but they all know what they want and where they on their way too. Everyone is abroad to make money, to go back home, buy a ˜Spur’ or open some business and live a comfortable life".
That for me summed it all up perfectly. We’re not abroad because we run away. We abroad to make the future better for our families and ourselves. Unfortunately South Africa can’t offer us what we want and need right now. We took the opportunity that came our way and we’re making the best of it but the majority of us know our way home and we make the best of our time abroad because we know going back home wont always be easy and there will be a million things we'll miss but we’ll be among our own people - the ones who know why we laugh when we laugh.
Northern Lighties
I learnt this week that over 50,000 Canadians fought in the American Civil War. I learnt a lot more as well which I now have to go and look up to verify. Military history being a passion of mine. Perhaps I should explain.
My landlord disappeared for the weekend leaving me to ensure that the various knock and drop weekly flyers were collected and put in the recycling box. I am a good Canadian now after all.
Not having had the opportunity to read the local paper for a long time I decided to peruse the activities that Milton has to offer. Not much, unless you like pubs, watering holes and bars it appears. Seems my fellow Miltonions have a great thirst to slake and that alcohol is the only liquid that will appease it.
Normally at this time of the year there is the Renaissance Festival with all the trappings of medieval festivity but for some reason the plug was pulled on the show just as it was becoming both profitable and well known. Leaving a lot of people in dire straits I might add. Many of the locals relied on the show to provide both summer work and of course money for the winter months or school. Suddenly I noticed a full page advert for a new re-enactment show. This was taking place at the Milton Country Heritage Park.
I didn’t know that the Milton Country Heritage Park existed actually. Seems that a short drive up the road is what is billed as a “Farm and Country Experience”. A recreation of an old small village settlement with Churches, farms, smallholdings and the trappings of village life. Including, I may add, an old Garage with various motors inside and a shed that had a huge display of horse drawn sleighs and carts. It is actually the first time that I have seen the horse drawn sleighs with runners that they used in winter and so beloved of all the “romantic” flicks. .JPG)
Bearing in mind that a friend of mine has a wish to go for a sleigh ride in the snow one day I was ever so tempted to see whether I could hitch a horse to one and practice a bit but then I remembered what I had come to see and figured that being chased by a horde of heavily armed men was probably not the best way to pursue a life of crime initially. You see this weekend the Park had an American Civil War re-enactment on. Both Saturday and Sunday. With a cast of hundreds and lots of action.
Featuring:
“The Battle of Brawners Farm.
“Authentic Civilian and Military Camps”
“Suttlers Area” etc.etc. and with a lot of capitals to emphasise the great importance of what was on offer.
Standard price to enter the grounds being $7 this seemed like a bargain to me so I set off to gain some culture and, hopefully, knowledge. Like all heritage sites in Canada this was well preserved and very large. Whether it was deliberately built or a collection of farms, smallholdings and village houses all collected together I am not sure but it certainly provided a turn of the century village feel..jpg)
I strolled around happily soaking in the atmosphere until I came across the first of the camps. Sorry that should be “Military Camps”! Actually very good replicas of actual living conditions at the time. Apparently the actors live in the same sort of conditions in order to soak up the atmosphere. Or they hid the pillows and airbeds well.
This was the Confederate camp. Although whether it was supposed to military or civilian was a moot point. I think the cannon at each end marked it as a military one. That of the 10th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry. The young ladies in hot pants or mini skirts said otherwise. During the war the euphemistic term used for them would have been Vivandieres. More correctly known as “ladies of negotiable affection”. The troops lounged around smoking, laughing and generally enjoying themselves. Mind you looking at some of the women there I would also have a more relaxed attitude to life. Further west I came across the North’s camp. This camp belonging to the 49th New York State Volunteer Infantry..JPG)
In keeping with the North’s more militaristic manner this was all bustling efficiency and shiny zeal. Drummers and Officers mustering the men and drilling them. Flags flying. Crisp white tents. Drummers. Bugle boys. No smiles. No laughter. No women.
The South was starting to get my sympathy. At 15h00 the battle was due to start and in keeping with their respective attitudes the North marched down a road in the sun all precision and efficiency while the South formed up in the shade of a copse and proceeded to hand over any items that “your loved ones wouldn’t like to find on your corpse”. Seemingly cards, dice and items from the ladies of negotiable affection..JPG)
Then they moved off to take up their positions. Like all battles during these times the artillery started the proceedings with lots of noise and little effect. Having managed to get very close to North’s artillery I was startled at how loud the explosion was. Even though I knew they had purposely made the charge much less in order to keep the noise to a minimum. 1.JPG)
The corresponding barrage from the South (who attacked from the North incidentally) sent clouds of smoke across the battlefield obscuring large areas and yet giving away the positions of the enemy both effectively and I suppose stupidly.
To cut a long story short this is how the battle went. Artillery fired at artillery. Then at the troops. Then at the artillery. Repeat as necessary. The troops advanced.
The troops fired at the artillery. Then at the troops. Then at the artillery. Repeat as necessary. The Confederates overran the Union artillery. Most effectively done by Indians with much whooping, hollering and scalping. The troops advanced. The troops fired at each other. Repetition was now becoming the order of the day. The Confederate artillery blew smoke rings of immense proportions every time they fired. The Union cavalry ran away. The Union cavalry reappeared elsewhere. The Union Cavalry ran away.
The Confederates swept the Union troops from the field. The Union troops reformed and swept the Confederates from the field. The Confederates reformed and fighting seemed to reach a stalemate. So a draw was called and the troops went home. Sjoe!.JPG)
Much fun and noise and excitement was had by all. Including me. I haven’t watched one of these re-enactments before and was impressed with the way the participants went about it. I believe they have a huge re-enactment down at Gettysburg every year. Having seen this one I am thinking of toddling down there one day to watch. Apparently thousands of participants there while here it was numbered in the hundreds maybe.
Still this was only the second year that this has taken place and so as more people hear about it, it will hopefully grow to be larger. By the way if you do decide to attend next year keep an eye out for Earl the Sharpshooter from the South.
Earl had those Hubbly Bubbly bottle bottom glasses on and teeth that could eat an apple through a picket fence, but Earl had attitude. Mind you I would hate to be a Confederate soldier who wandered in front of Earl when he had a loaded rifle in his hands but I suppose if you pointed Earl in the right direction and put out marker cones within a 45deg arc in the general area that Earl was aiming at you may be safe. Earl however had attitude. I liked Earl. As I did the whole afternoon.
Who knew that Milton could have activities like this? Historical, hysterical and providing a modicum of facts for me to digest over. Which is where I picked up the snippet about how many Canadians fought in the American Civil War. So I have some homework to do on the Canadian effort in the Civil War in the coming months.
This country continues to come up with astonishing facts that intrigue me.
Ramblings Of A Francophobe
Six weeks in South Africa, as an ex-resident hoping to return, has given me much to reflect upon. As someone who tends towards optimism with regard at least to South Africa, the country I will always love and regard as home, I would like to be able to present a totally positive picture, as I always attempt to do when people seek my advice about visiting South Africa.
Sadly, it is hard to ignore the reality of life in SA when, each morning a copy of ‘The Star’ is slipped under my hotel door, and the daily diet of headlines includes such gems as:
• “Three year old raped by multiple rapist upon release from prison”
• “Man kills his two lovers on eve of Womens’ Day
• “Ex-Lover Massacres Family in Benoni”
• “Less than 50% of South Africa’s 20,000 annual murders followed up”
Corruption, fraud, political scandals, a crippling strike of South African Airways, which is not only a major income earner but also a national symbol, and strikes at municipalities and supermarkets around the country completed the picture. Inside the newspaper, a daily column lists some of the reported crimes in no apparent order, giving an incongruous importance to such trivia as ‘police in Boksburg are seeking the driver of a maroon Toyota bakkie who drove out of a petrol station without paying for 20 litres of fuel’, which nestle between reports of multiple shootings, axe murders, and child rapes, including that of a 15 year repeatedly raped by her father - a teacher.
Please read the section following this and see what YOU can do to help!
It is easy to understand why so many people in South Africa don’t read the news. Without doing so, I would have imagined myself in one of the cleanest, safest, and most beautiful countries in the world, with an advanced infrastructure and a superb customer service ethic. In daily contacts with people in service industries and at work, the image is of a cheerfully multiracial society with a delightful lack of class and racial consciousness. On one level this is precisely what South Africa is all about, and what endears the country to us and so many visitors.
Driving out to the lovely Magaliesburg region at weekends to escape the glitter and artificiality of my 5 star hotel close to Johannesburg International Airport, contrasts again came to mind as I saw the usual first world/third world juxtaposition of the latest and smartest luxury saloon cars alongside smoking rusting wrecks which should be removed from the roads and crushed, along with their drivers in many cases. This applies particularly to drivers of many of the luxury cars, and in particular the 4 wheel drive ‘Sandton Tractors’ so popular amongst the arrogant yuppies. It is only fair to say that the worst driving I saw was perpetrated by the driver of a BMW 530d (see what the mirror image of that spells and you’ll get the picture) and closely seconded by a Mitsubishi Pajero (ask a Spanish speaker what that means and you’ll see how appropriate the name is). It is worrying that the police are not around to tackle these inconsiderate road users who endanger the rest of us, but prefer to devote their energy to the installation of speed cameras to trap the majority of road users, those who drive properly but occasionally exceed the speed limits, who have valid driving licences, traceable addresses through their registration details, and are thus accountable and able to pay the fines. Put simply, they go for soft targets in what is primarily a revenue raising operation. A worrying trend is the number of vehicles, mainly new and shiny and with blackened windows, bearing no registration plates at all, and being driven with apparent impunity.
South Africa has some magnificent roads, not only of scenic beauty but well maintained and superbly engineered. Unfortunately the road markings and signage are often not up to the same standard. Commenting on how confusing some of the signs on the Gauteng freeways are, I was surprised to find that many long time residents agreed with me. For example, there is a point on the N1 where in order to keep going north for a short while, you follow a sign for N1 South. Quite logical if you know that the road loops around and continues south, but utterly confusing if you don’t! From many places, Johannesburg International Airport is not signposted until you are so close to it that you could find it by following the smell of jet fuel, at which point the need for signposting is redundant as by then you have missed your flight anyway – unless of course your airline is on strike, a likely occurrence during the time I was there. Kimberley, Bloemfontein, and Durban, on the other hand, are signposted at frequent intervals, not terribly helpful when you are trying to reach Johannesburg International from Sandton. At night, the lane markings and road signs are poorly visible as reflective paint has not been used, and even by day, the signs will often take you off into a non-existent lane by indicating a split where three lanes become four, but the fourth never materialises, forcing traffic to merge back unexpectedly. As for the many vehicles with no lights, or only one light, let’s not even go there!
Another dangerous and growing trend is the use of the yellow emergency lane as an additional lane. In rural areas it is common to see a slower moving vehicle bullied into the emergency lane by a 4-wheel drive or faster car. I saw several near accidents as the vehicle in the emergency lane rounds a corner or crests a rise to find the lane blocked, and has to pull out in the path of other traffic. The courteous gesture of moving over to allow a faster vehicle to pass is appreciated, but can be extremely dangerous when performed at the wrong time and place.
I went to see friends in Nelspruit, a pleasant and peaceful Lowveld town with all the amenities most people could wish for. If you read this, Justyna and Stu, thanks for your hospitality and kindness. A great base for the Kruger National Park, Blyde River, Pilgrim’s Rest, Barberton area and many of the other beautiful spots in the area. From there, next stop was Londolozi, a private game reserve on the edge of Kruger.
Londolozi was superb, from the moment of arrival. The place exudes comfort, rather than luxury, although the accommodation, a spacious rondavel (bigger than many European flats!) with a bed the size of a playing field, a well appointed bathroom, an outside shower, and a large stoep with comfy sun loungers, was hardly ‘downmarket! I was fortunate to be at the Safari Lodge the smallest (and cheapest!) part, which was lovely because it was so much more intimate and peaceful than the other lodges, and I enjoyed almost individual service from the very dedicated and motivated staff. The games drives were superb, and thanks to our wonderful ranger, Cliff, we even saw the elusive leopard both nights at very close quarters, the second with a kill in a tree. She then came down to have a pee right next to our Landie! The accommodation and food were also superb and it was a shame to leave but friends in Nelspruit had organised a braai, and then it was on to Blyde River and Pilgrim's Rest, to the Royal Hotel, restored in the spirit of the old mining village but comfortable and friendly.
Finally, South Africa had a parting shot for me when I left. I'm now technically an illegal immigrant as I didn't know that if you come in within the validity of an existing Temporary Residence permit, which is usually 90 days, they don't give you another one. I previously entered in May and so had one that expired on 11 August, meaning that when I re-entered on 17 July, they didn't give me another one, as per what I believe used to be the procedure. When I left I was told I’d overstayed and fined R1000 - but it's more the principle that bugs me as when I entered the country, I wasn’t asked how long I’d be staying, which would have enabled me to ask for an extension. I have written to the Department of Home Affairs via their website to appeal against this decision, but not even received an acknowledgment. What annoys me is that we all know that there are hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants in SA who are the major cause of much of the crime and squalor, and yet I am penalised for an innocent mistake.
I'm afraid that's all I have time for this weekend. It’s been a long Sunday and I've spent most of it in front of this computer, catching up on administration from the last 5 weeks away, before heading South again for another stint!
This is from my good friend Jack Hirschberg in Dubai. How many South Africans are willing to put their backs into trying to do something about the crime problem instead of just complaining and writing the country off? Well, Jack is one of those and if you read the link below you’ll see that he may have a vested interest in doing something about... but then, we all do...
What can we do to help our country stop the crime?
I personally think we need to learn from those who are now in power. Passive resistance is the answer. International support is needed.
We need to look at what they did to bring down apartheid and gain control of our country. Violence and denouncing our country is not the answer. Fighting crime is. Getting our government to open their eyes is. Yes, they did use violence to fight the apartheid regime and even though they lost every battle, they eventually won the war. But in the end, their war was won on world-support. Only if we can learn from them can we get results
Lesson 1. Unite the people on a mission. The ANC united their people who protested and made the world sit up and take notice. They organised and arranged protests all over the world and got their people to Toyi Toyi back home.
Lesson 2. Be prepared to be counted... read the rest here.
http://www.sanguae.com/help.html
No queries received this week.
Nobody needing help this week.
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!
No new news received this week.
If you were wondering why I haven't used a joke you sent in; some of the jokes
I receive are just not suitable for general publication. So send me suitable jokes and I will publish them and acknowledge their origin.
Please note that these articles DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT the opinion of SAW, The House of SYNERGY (THOS) or your editor. They are published here for your consideration – you can agree, disagree or ignore, but please don’t shoot the messenger!
SAWs are a diverse group of people with diverse opinions on many issues.
True Love
This from DanielJan LeRoux
A little old couple walked slowly into a McDonalds one cold winter evening. They looked out of place amid the young families and young couples eating there that night. Some of the customers looked admiringly at them. You could tell what the admirers were thinking.
"Look, there is a couple who has been through a lot together, probably for 60 years or more!"
The little old man walked up to the cash register, placed his order with no hesitation and then paid for their meal. The couple took a table near the back wall and started taking food off of the tray. There was one hamburger, one order of French fries and one drink. The little old man unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully cut it in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counted out the French fries, divided them in two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife. He took a sip of the drink, and then his wife took a sip as the man began to eat his few bites. Again, you could tell what people around the old couple were thinking.
"That poor old couple."
As the old man began eating his French fires, a young man stood up and walked to the old couples' table. He politely offered to buy another meal. The old man replied that they were just fine. They were used to sharing everything. Then the crowd noticed that the little old lady still hadn't eaten a thing. She just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally sipped some of the drink.
Again, the young man came over and begged them to let him buy them another meal. This time, the lady explained that no, they were used to sharing. As the little old man finished eating and was wiping his face neatly with a napkin, the young man could stand it no longer and asked again. After being politely refused again, he finally asked the little old lady,
"Ma'am, why aren't you eating. You said that you share everything. What is it that you are waiting for?"
She answered.............(This is great - scroll down)
"The teeth"
Marriage
This from Matthew Green
Marriage
A man wanted to get married and he was having trouble choosing among three likely candidates.
He opted to give each woman a present of $5,000 and then watched to see what they do with the money.
The first does a total make over. She goes to a fancy beauty salon gets her hair done,
new make up and buys several new outfits and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much.
The man was impressed.
The second goes shopping to buy the man gifts. She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer,
and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much.
Again, the man is impressed.
The third invests the money in the stock market. She earns several times the $5,000. She gives him back his $5000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint
account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much.
Obviously, the man was impressed.
The man thought for a long time about what each woman had done with the money he'd given her.
Then, he married the one with the biggest boobs.
Good Idea!
This from Daniel
A large corporation recently hired several cannibals. "You are all part of our team now", said the HR rep during the welcoming briefing.
"You get all the usual benefits and you can go to the cafeteria for something to eat, but please... don't eat any of the other employees".
The cannibals promised they would not.
Four weeks later their boss remarked, "You're all working very hard and I'm satisfied with your work. However, one of our secretaries has disappeared. Do any of you know what happened to her?" The cannibals all shook their heads "No".
After the boss had left, the leader of the cannibals said to the others,
"Which one of you idiots ate the secretary?"
A hand rose hesitantly. "You fool!" the leader continued. "For four weeks we've been eating managers and no one noticed anything.
But NOOOooo, you had to go and eat someone who actually does something!!!"
My son Emmett asked me again for his favourite fondue recipe as they want to have a fondue tonight.
For anyone else fancying a fondue, this is a really easy recipe and it tastes great... not that I eat cheese myself any longer!
1 bottle dry white wine (cheap is fine here)
5 or 6 peeled cloves of garlic not minced (to taste)
1 kg (2 pounds) Emmenthaler cheese grated
Fresh nutmeg to taste (about a ¼ teaspoon)
1 – 2 Tablespoons cornflour
Grate the cheese.
Heat about half the bottle of wine in a heavy pan. Add the cloves of garlic and stir a bit.
Add the cheese a handful at a time and stir with a wooden spoon over medium to low heat. Keep adding the cheese until it is all used up. The mixture will look weird. You will have a big lump of melted cheese and the wine. Not to worry!
Keep stirring or get someone to stir for you while you mix up the cornflour with some of the remaining wine. Add the wine to the dry cornflour a little at a time to avoid lumps. Remove the melted cheese from the heat and stir in the cornflour mix. Return to the heat and keep stirring in a figure eight pattern. Let the mix come to a low boil – and watch out for splashes. If you keep stirring quite fast suddenly it will all come together and turn into a thick sauce all smooth! If it is too thick add a bit more wine (preferably warmed up a bit).
Keep the heat on low and find your fondue pot. Light the burner and get it going evenly before transferring the sauce to the pot. Keep stirring while you sit at the table and spear chunks of French bread and veggies (baby tomatoes, baby carrots, button mushrooms, baby sweet corn, etc.
Smit off limits to media
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has declared Springbok captain John Smit "off limits" to the media until an investigation into allegations of racist remarks, which he allegedly made in a Sydney nightclub, has been properly investigated.
Team Shosholoza make history
South Africa's Team Shosholoza has won her first race in an America's Cup event. The fledgling team which is making her maiden bid for the world's oldest and most prestigious sporting trophy made history on Friday by being the first entry from the African continent to win a race in an America's Cup qualifying event.
Junior athletes compete in Africa
South Africa's junior athletes have ventured to the northern tip of Africa, with the hope of restoring the image of the sport in this country. That's after the senior SA team returned from the recent world championships held in Helsinki empty handed.
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