Welcome to this week's edition of SAWmail. This newsletter is only sent to those who have voluntarily requested to be on this mailing list. We do NOT send this unsolicited! It is delivered once a week, usually on a Monday, to keep subscribers up-to-date on items of interest to South Africans living overseas, as well as the latest happenings at South Africans WorldWide. In this edition:
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Every Friday from the 5th July, Vaughan Tromp (sax) and Vusi Maseko (piano) combine to
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[You could be here - and reaching over 5020 (and growing each week) SAWs!
The house is rather different from the norm... all sorts of things perched on the mantelpiece and on high shelves... As far as my water skiing is concerned, I decided to ski at 28 mph today (Sunday) instead of 26mph. What a difference! Although faster the wake is much smaller so I really enjoyed the extra speed! Today the water was soooooo flat that it was like a mirror - one of the advantages of being out there just after 6am... no other boats to disturb the water surface! And the pic you can see on the SAW Web site is of me and Frisko swimming in the lake today! Quote/s of the Week These from me: Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality of those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. Robert Kennedy, 1925-1968, American Attorney General, Senator What do I think about when I strike out? I think about hitting home runs." Babe Ruth" Hall of Fame Baseball Player 1895-1948 One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears - by listening to them. - Dean Rusk, US Public Official and Educator These from Captain Ken ski@flatwater.com Hi Love, I would like to dedicate these quotes to Lynne for the rough time she is going through. Hang in there Lynne, things will get better. Lots of Love, Dad If you want to see the sun shine, you have to weather the storm. - Frank Lane Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. - Anon. Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. - Henry Ward Beecher More from Captain Ken... If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular? - Anon. Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society. - Mark Twain Send in any quotes you love... that have some special meaning for you... and I will use at least one every week. Usual address! saw@thos.co.za
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.
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This from Caroline Christie carolinec@mindspring.com Hi Maureen I found this article in the New York Daily News and thought it was important information for most of your readers.
NY Daily News August 1 2002
The agency is reviving a 50-year old law. Failure to do report can result in deportation and criminal charges. Immigrants are worried, but the INS is unlikely to begin a mass deportation campaign based on the reporting requirement. If you include the more than 11 million permanent residents, and add in students, visitors, refugees and undocumented immigrants, you are talking about more than 20 million people. Most have not submitted change of address cards. Still, if a law enforcement agency, such as the FBI, targets a non-citizen, the INS may use the person's failure to report as a basis for deportation. Registering your change of address makes sense. Why give the INS an excuse to deport you? Non-US citizens except (A & G visa holders) age 14 or older must report a change of address within 10 days of a move. The rule applies to anyone who has been in the United States 30 days. That includes permanent residents, non-immigrants, asylees, refugees and undocumented immigrants. The failure to report can be excused if the failure was "reasonably excusable or was not willful." New INS forms will require applicants to acknowledge that the INS has notified them of the change-of-address filing requirement. To report a change of address, submit INS form AR-11, Alien's Change of Address card. You can get the form by calling (800) 870-3676 or from the INS Internet site at http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/ Send the form registered mail/return receipt requested. Keep copy in a fireproof place. - a good place is in a sealed plastic bag in your refrigerator.
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This from the NY Times August 7, 2002 by David Coltart HARARE, Zimbabwe - In the last two years Zimbabwe has been transformed into a state that increasingly resembles Cambodia under Pol Pot. The government seems set on adding famine to the list of oppressions visited on the nation. In May, a law was passed decreeing that any commercial farmer who continued to farm 45 days after being given notice to stop would face imprisonment. On Friday, that law will be used to evict thousands of commercial farmers and their workers. Fear and desperation pervade the country. All the signs are that President Robert Mugabe is determined to hold on to power at any cost, including the destruction of the nation and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans. It has been clear for some years that the Mugabe regime is determined to shrink the democratic space to an absolute minimum. The judiciary has been all but destroyed. Independent journalists have been arrested, their presses bombed. In January the regime rammed through Parliament legislation subverting the electoral process, revoking civil liberties and restricting the press. In the same month, the military suggested that only Mr. Mugabe would be acceptable as leader. The political campaign that followed was marked by violence. The presidential election in March was a farce. Mr. Mugabe was proclaimed winner in an election that was widely condemned internationally. The overwhelming majority of Zimbabweans, who were hoping for a peaceful transition to democracy in March, have had their hopes dashed. For its part, the Mugabe regime, while increasingly irrational and paranoid, knows it must convince the world it is legitimate if it is to survive. For this reason, the regime cloaks its suppression of democracy in what would otherwise be legitimate concerns, primarily the need to redress legacies of colonial injustice. The unresolved land-ownership issue has been exploited very effectively to cover up corruption, poor administration and human-rights abuses. The catastrophic human-rights situation is now complicated by a famine that is, in the case of Zimbabwe, mainly the result of the Mugabe regime's ruinous policies. While a drought did occur at a critical period during the summer, it only affected the dry-land corn crop. The rainy season was just below average and nearly all the irrigation reservoirs are almost full. Had experienced farmers been allowed to plant their crops, Zimbabwe would not have had to import any food at all. As it is, Zimbabwe is now facing a shortage of some 1.2 million tons of corn. The situation is compounded by the fact that only a small proportion of the winter wheat crop has been planted because of threats directed against wheat farmers. If the Mugabe regime goes ahead this weekend with its plans to evict thousands of farmers and their employees, many of their crops will not be properly harvested. The World Food Program recently predicted that as many as 6 million Zimbabweans will soon face starvation. At least 25 percent of Zimbabweans are H.I.V. positive. Experts are agreed that some 20 percent of AIDS sufferers are extremely vulnerable to drops in nutritional levels. Conservatively, one might calculate that 300,000 Zimbabweans could die within the next few months as a result of this combination of famine and AIDS. The Mugabe regime may be counting on catastrophe for its own salvation. It has already sought to hide behind drought. There is no doubt a calculation taking place that the "CNN factor" (images of starving children) will soon dominate policy decisions in the West and that a flood of aid will pour in. That Zimbabwe and other countries in the region need vast amounts of food and medical aid is beyond doubt. But if the symptom of famine is addressed but not its cause, the international community will only have succeeded in perpetuating the problem. Ongoing food shortages will occur unless a massive irrigated corn crop is planted this November. It can still be planted if the rule of law is re-established - which will only occur with help from Zimbabwe's neighbors and through holding a fresh election that complies with accepted standards. Sadly, there are very few levers left which can be used by the West to restore sanity to Zimbabwe. The new relationship between Africa and the wealthy industrialized countries - as expressed in the recent meetings between representatives of the Group of 8 and the New Economic Partnership for Africa's Development - is one such lever. While Zimbabwe should not be allowed to hold hostage democratic African states that desperately need the new partnership to work, the reality is that, like it or not, Zimbabwe is the partnership's first test. Famine in Zimbabwe is primarily caused by bad governance, which in this specific case is tolerated by many African states and supported by some. The consequences of this man-made famine will become clear in the next few months. Investors the world over will be watching closely to see whether African rulers deal with the cause of this particular famine, not merely its symptoms. If African leaders do not act in these circumstances, what investment in Africa will ever be safe in the future? Yet there has been very little to indicate that African states have the political will to deal with the crisis in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is becoming a police state without so much as a whimper coming from the same African states who heralded a new beginning for Africa at the Group of 8 meeting and the inauguration of the African Union. If leaders in the industrialized democracies are interested in preventing what was once the jewel of Africa from becoming another Somalia - and in preventing future famines in southern Africa - then they must persuade their African colleagues to deal with the real cause of the catastrophe unfolding in Zimbabwe. David Coltart, a member of Zimbabwe's Parliament, is a leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, the main opposition party. Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company
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Maureen, I'm new to your site (the gut-wrenching missives from Cathy Buckle and an all-day web search for all information about the hell-on-earth that she and her neighbors -- no matter what their color -- are and have endured, is what brought me here). I am cc'ing this email to Cathy and to Fred Rundle -- my first email contact with them -- in the hopes that they, too, will be gladdened by it. Please use your new and speedy computer to visit my website: www.PropertyRightsResearch.org and for starters, please click on the following buttons: International Articles and Guest MAP
Those two buttons will give you the reason for my contacting you. My site
This is an original quote: Property rights = FREEDOM. Please use it at will.
The only income I have (since May of 2000) is from sales of my book (please
Although I am in the USA, it is my prayer that with the postings of
I pray that those who are members of SAW in all 150 countries will Pin the
Maureen, you know the answer and so do I!
God bless and keep you and your family and friends -- of which I am now a
Miss Julie Kay Smithson
Dedicated to property rights, resource providers, generational land stewards,
Bardon v Northern Pac R Co. 12 S CT 856, 145 US 535, 538 36L, ED 806 - "It is
There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is
"The sacred rights of property are to be guarded at every point. I call them
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This from "Speak Out!" speakoutsa@hotmail.com Press Release Soccer stars take a stand against violence against women & children ...and a mom tells of the agony of discovering her 3-year-old had been raped at nursery school "No-one can know what its like to find your child behaving strangely and then find semen on her clothes," Nancy Ledwaba the mother of a three year old raped at nursery school told soccer players and guests at the launch of a year-long campaign by Moroka Swallows aimed at ending violence toward women and children. Mrs Ledwaba said it was important for her to "warn other parents, this is happening. It can happen to anyone. I've waited a long time to stand up in public and warn parents, and to tell people how it feels, how hard it is," she said battling to control tears. The person who raped her child fled, apparently to the Northern Province when he heard that she and her husband had laid charges. No arrests have been made. The child was not given antiretrovirals to prevent HIV at Tembisa hospital where her mother took her - so far she has tested negative for HIV, although she requires additional HIV tests.
Moroka Swallows player, Warren Lewis, also battled to contain his emotions when he said, "for me the issue of abuse against children hits home. My wife is pregnant with our first child. I have discovered that this child is to be a boy. I pledge that my son will grow up learning that all life is precious and to be respected. He will learn to treat all women as he would his own mother, and that it can never be right to abuse any human being in any way.
"If only we could place ourselves in the shoes of those who have been affected by such crimes surely we would do all we could to ensure that it never happens to our children." Captain Gary McNab said that as a former teacher it terrified him to imagine that so much abuse happened at the hands of teachers - the meeting heard of yet another nursery school in Randburg where nine children are believed to have been sexually molested. "I used to take children swimming and for PT classes, and they have such trust in us. I can't comprehend how anyone can do the things that have been done to children and women. To take advantage of an innocent child. A child who looks up to adults for guidance, love, support and setting good examples. How could an adult betray that?" He said South Africans must say, "enough is enough, it's time that this senseless violence ended. A chorus is made up of individual voices." Player Japhet Zwane said that only last week the team had teased a member who comes from Upington, "as that place where they rape babies. But it is not a joke, rape is a serious issue. We have to stop it. We are South Africans, this is not our way, we need to stop this and have pride in ourselves and our country." Mrs Ledwaba said that she hadn't been able to sleep properly since her daughter was raped, "and my child still has nightmares, she won't go to the toilet alone, she is frightened of men and she is very angry. This is so hard." Dr Adrienne Wulfsohn of the Albertinah Sisulu Rape Clinic at Sunninghill Hospital said that in recent times they had seen increasing numbers of child rapes, and many from children raped by teachers at schools and nursery schools. "We have to take greater care." She said too that on average each month the clinic saw three men who had been raped and sodomised. She hailed Moroka Swallows for being the first soccer team to take an active decision to campaign against sexual violence and HIV, and too include the white ribbon which symbolizes a commitment to end rape and child abuse on their new kit which is delivered on August 25. Moroka Swallows is being backed in the campaign by Rape Action Group and Media Against Violence. The team said they had become increasingly concerned by reports of baby rapes, the abuse of women and high rates of HIV in teenage girls in particular. "We felt it was time to encourage men to stand together to oppose violence to women and children," The Birds director, Gavin Bernstein said. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Team player and Moroka Swallows Social Responsibility Manager, Warren Lewis 082-650-5777
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This from Errol Rink rink@alphalink.com.au
Hollywood's Responsibility for Smoking Deaths ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This from the NY Times August 9, 2002 by Joe Eszterhas CLEVELAND - I've written 14 movies. My characters smoke in many of them, and they look cool and glamorous doing it. Smoking was an integral part of many of my screenplays because I was a militant smoker. It was part of a bad-boy image I'd cultivated for a long time - smoking, drinking, partying, rock 'n' roll. Smoking, I once believed, was every person's right. Efforts to stop it were politically correct, a Big Brother assault on personal freedoms. Secondhand smoke was a nonexistent problem invented by professional do-gooders. I put all these views into my scripts. In one of my movies, "Basic Instinct," smoking is part of a sexual subtext. Sharon Stone's character smokes; Michael Douglas's is trying to quit. She seduces him with literal and figurative smoke that she blows into his face. In the movie's most famous and controversial scene, she even has a cigarette in her hand. I'm sure the tobacco companies loved "Basic Instinct." One of them even launched a brand of "Basic" cigarettes not long after the movie became a worldwide hit, perhaps inspired by my cigarette-friendly work. My movie made a lot of money; so did their new cigarette. Remembering all this, I find it hard to forgive myself. I have been an accomplice to the murders of untold numbers of human beings. I am admitting this only because I have made a deal with God. Spare me, I said, and I will try to stop others from committing the same crimes I did. Eighteen months ago I was diagnosed with throat cancer, the result of a lifetime of smoking. I am alive but maimed. Much of my larynx is gone. I have some difficulty speaking; others have some difficulty understanding me. I no longer have the excruciating difficulty swallowing or breathing that I experienced in the first months after my surgery. I haven't smoked or drank for 18 months now, though I still take it day-to-day and pray for help. I believe in prayer and exercise. I have walked five miles a day for a year, without missing even one day. Quitting smoking and drinking has taught me the hardest lesson I've ever learned about my own weakness; it has also given me the greatest affection and empathy for those still addicted. I have spent some time in the past year and a half in cancer wards. I have seen people gasp for air as a suctioning device cleaned their tracheas. I have heard myself wheezing horribly, unable to catch my breath, as a nurse begged me to breathe. I have seen an 18-year-old with throat cancer who had never smoked a single cigarette in his life. (His mother was a chain smoker.) I have tried not to cry as my wife fitted the trachea tube that I had coughed out back into my throat. (Thankfully, I no longer need it.) I don't think smoking is every person's right anymore. I think smoking should be as illegal as heroin. I'm no longer such a bad boy. I go to church on Sunday. I'm desperate to see my four boys grow up. I want to do everything I can to undo the damage I have done with my own big-screen words and images. So I say to my colleagues in Hollywood: what we are doing by showing larger-than-life movie stars smoking onscreen is glamorizing smoking. What we are doing by glamorizing smoking is unconscionable. Hollywood films have long championed civil rights and gay rights and commonly call for an end to racism and intolerance. Hollywood films espouse a belief in goodness and redemption. Yet we are the advertising agency and sales force for an industry that kills nearly 10,000 people daily. A cigarette in the hands of a Hollywood star onscreen is a gun aimed at a 12- or 14-year-old. (I was 12 when I started to smoke, a geeky immigrant kid who wanted so very much to be cool.) The gun will go off when that kid is an adult. We in Hollywood know the gun will go off, yet we hide behind a smoke screen of phrases like "creative freedom" and "artistic expression." Those lofty words are lies designed, at best, to obscure laziness. I know. I have told those lies. The truth is that there are 1,000 better and more original ways to reveal a character's personality. Screenwriters know, too, that some movie stars are more likely to play a part if they can smoke - because they are so addicted to smoking that they have difficulty stopping even during the shooting of a scene. The screenwriter writing smoking scenes for the smoking star is part of a vicious and deadly circle. My hands are bloody; so are Hollywood's. My cancer has caused me to attempt to cleanse mine. I don't wish my fate upon anyone in Hollywood, but I beg that Hollywood stop imposing it upon millions of others. Joe Eszterhas is a screenwriter and the author of "American Rhapsody." Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company
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This from Eddie & Marlene Smith e&m.smith@xtra.co.nz Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to out patients at the clinic. One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. "Why, he's hardly taller than my eight-year-old," I thought as I stared at the stooped, shrivelled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red and raw. Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, "Good evening. I've come to see if you've a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there's no bus 'til morning." He told me he'd been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. "I guess it's my face... I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments..." For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: "I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning." I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. "No thank you. I have plenty." And he held up a brown paper bag. When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn't take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury. He didn't tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going. At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children's room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, "Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won't put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair." He paused a moment and then added, "Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don't seem to mind." I told him he was welcome to come again. And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they'd be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us. In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious. When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning. "Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!" Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear. I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God. Recently I was visiting a friend who has a greenhouse, As she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, "If this were my plant, I'd put it in the loveliest container I had!" My friend changed my mind. "I ran short of pots," she explained, and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn't mind starting out in this old pail. It's just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden." She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. "Here's an especially beautiful one," God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. "He won't mind starting in this small body." All this happened long ago -- and now, in God's garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7b)
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I was down to the Natal South Coast recently to partake in that seasonal madness called the Sardine Run, where zillions of these silver pilchards beach themselves all along the coast, and normal human beings, I include myself here, turn into desperate scavengers. There is something hypnotically insane about all this. Commercial vehicles stand in queues kilometres long to buy these fish from the multitudes at about one dollar per 40-pound basketful. Farm labourers appear in droves from nearby cane fields and descend on the beaches like Zulu Impi's on Kamikaze missions. I have seen businessmen fly out of their executive vehicles to join the melee and emerge with their designer suits dripping wet, and ancient old ladies with skirt-loads of fish, displaying their bloomers for all to see. I did not only come to Durbs to partake in a free from the sea fest, but also to soak up some mid winter tropical sun on beaches where tourists are found all year round, and to stock up on my spices at the Indian Market with its aroma of curry all around. And also to eat one of my favourites - the famous curry "Bunny Chow"! To my mind, nothing can quite beat the taste of a good old Durbs Bunny. Interesting where this weird name came from. Nothing to do with rabbits either. During the colonial period, tens of thousands of Indians laboured on the vast sugar cane fields in Natal. They worked like slaves and were paid a pittance. Food during the day consisted of the scraps from the previous night's supper. One of these workers was a very frugal man by the name of Bahne Pillay, whose wife was an excellent cook. Now, Bahne became very upset one day when his tin plate was stolen during lunch break and he had no replacement at home. His wife came up with the idea of stuffing a hollowed out half loaf of bread with the supper leavings, capping this with the compressed dough from the inside of the bread to avoid any spilling, and wrapping it in paper for Bahne to keep in his rucksack. During lunch one day, a friend asked him what on earth he was eating, and Bahne shared some with his friend, who was so impressed that he told others about Bahne's "chow", as they called food in those days. Over a period many workers got a taste as well and dubbed his food Bahne chow. One day a worker offered half a penny for Bahne's food and then shared this with some friends. Very soon more requests and half pennies came flooding in, resulting in Bahne's wife starting a tuck shop on the plantation, with Bahne joining her full time shortly thereafter. In time, Bahne became a wealthy man. And the name stuck! So, for those of you who are adventurous eaters, (this is eaten by hand), and want to take a trip down memory lane, here follows a simple bunny recipe. DURBS MINCE AND BEANS CURRY BUNNY CHOW The secret of a good bunny is to use the freshest white bread you can find and cut it in half. Be careful to leave enough crust (+- 2cm diameter should do) along the edges and at the base when you hollow the halves out, in order to prevent leakage when you pour in the curry. Compress the dough from the insides of the bread just enough to form a nice "cap" to absorb curry gravy. Do have a fingerbowl and plenty of napkins. Do not mind outsider stares. Ingredients
1 loaf bread, halved and hollowed
Method
Boil kidney beans in stock and add sugar beans and carrot to this after about half an hour.
KEL'S KITCHEN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS You ask and we will try to get the answers This section will deal with the questions you may have on anything to do with South African Cuisine. We will try to answer as many questions every week as possible but due to the space constraint not all questions and answers may appear. We will create a special page on our website to accommodate all questions and answers and give you the link to that in the not too distant future. Of course, if anyone knows the answer to some people's questions or believe that we have not answered it correctly or in full, please drop us a line at info@biltongmakers.com. Your input will be very much appreciated. So, if you have any questions please mail us at the above address.
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Good Morning Maureen, I was amazed. Last summer it was a lazy Sunday afternoon at the swimming pool and two kids gave me a lesson about life I will always remember. With Kind Regards, Sandy We have an 8 year old daughter that must be a direct descendent from a fish. She loves the swimming pool, sprinklers, lake, even the plastic little pools that Target sells. Any bribe will work as long as it is related to more time in the swimming pool. She is also a very proud, competitive little girl and always wants to win. If her size or age does not give her the advantage, then she wants to negotiate with you to change the rules, so that she can win. Last summer we were in the city of Wimberley in the beautiful Texas hill country. We were staying at a hillside bed and breakfast over looking Paradise Valley which had a small but very usable swimming pool. Our daughter, Reagan, and her 12 year old friend, Libby, were swimming, diving, chasing, and playing any and every game that they could think of relating to water. As I was walking by, Reagan say, "let's see who can make the biggest splash." Now this might not have been the best choice of games, since Libby is 4 years older and out-weighed her by 20 pounds. Being the closest big person, Reagan asked if I would be the judge of the "Big Splash" contest. They lined up next to each other and jumped into the pool, creating excellent "cannonballs" considering their sizes. Libby did produce that bigger splash. Not by much, but she did. Their heads then popped out of the water with their beautiful little girl grins looking to me for the winning decision. Now this put me in an awkward spot. Libby seemed quite confident with herself and her self esteem could handle a decision in Reagan's favor. Looking at Reagan, I could see the strong anticipation that I would vote for her, but I could also see the slight quiver of her lower lip and a little tear begin to form if she were to loose. A splash is a splash and I said, "Not by much, but Libby's splash was bigger." What then happened truly impressed me. Libby looked over to Reagan and could see what was about to happen. Before the quiver could turn into a tremble and tears begin to flow, she said: "Let's see who can make the littlest splash." Suddenly both girls erupted into activity, big grins on their faces as they hopped to the side of the pool and got ready for their next competition. Waiting with anticipation, I gave the signal and they jumped into the water. Sure enough, being smaller, Reagan was able to slide into the water with the littler splash. They popped again to the surface, and I was able in all honesty to award the "Little Splash" contest winner to Reagan. Both were most happy and giggling together went down to the shallow end to create another game. Only twelve years old. Amazing. Without hesitation Libby was able to create a situation where both girls became winners. Helping Friends be Winners. What a true Joy in Life. ~ Author is C. F. Sandy Pofahl of 52Best ~
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Between the mountains and the sea One of the problems about writing this column week after week for some years is that periodically I suddenly realise that I have begun to pontificate - usually politically. Politics has now had a three week run. It is time to seed in something different - and lighter. So I have decided to lighten up and talk about my home town and district. At intervals over the next few months I will scribble a few short columns on the Illawarra, where I live, the Southern Highlands, where Don Bradman grew up and the South Coast, which stretches from the Illawarra to the Victorian border. After the snow melts this summer I would like to do a short motorcycle tour of the Snowy Mountains That should give me material for a column towards the end of the year. It will hopefully give South Africans a chance to see a little of this corner of the world - including some who live in Sydney and whose Johannesburg instincts apparently still run strong. Their ingrained belief appears to be that nothing good can ever be said about Southern Suburbs and they resolutely stay north of the Harbour. The modern history of the Illawarra started in 1770 with the visit of Captain Cook to Botany Bay. His journals described the place lyrically. He then sailed north, ignoring Sydney Harbour, which he named Port Jackson as he passed its entrance. He had on board a pair of naturalists - Banks and Solander whose accounts of the voyage triggered interest in Whitehall. The dastardly French were being encountered more and more frequently around the Pacific and South East Asia. It was evident that the British would need to station substantial naval forces in the Pacific to keep the interlopers out. Maintaining a fleet in the Pacific required a reliable supply of masts and sails as these had a short life in service. An answer was provided by Banks and Solander in the form of the oil and uranium of the 18th century - pines and flax. In 1776 the American colonies revolted. One of the consequences of this was that the British lost the destination to which they had been exiling their criminal classes as indentured labour. The reason for this was not necessarily that the Founding Fathers of the United States envisioned a Land of the Free, but rather that African slaves were cheaper and more reliable. The ever-growing multitudes of convicts, confined in floating hulks in all the harbours threatened to overwhelm Britain. Noting that Australia had the wherewithal to maintain a fleet against the French it was decided to kill two birds with one stone. The First Fleet of convicts was dispatched to Botany Bay. They arrived on January 18, 1788 and the stark truth dawned. Any resemblance between the Botany Bay they found and the Botany Bay described in the records of Cook's voyage was purely coincidental. Remaining there would mean the deaths of all from starvation and thirst. So Governor Phillip and Captain Hunter sailed the few miles up the coast to examine Port Jackson - and found the finest harbour in the world, with fertile soil and ample water. They hastened back to Botany Bay and ordered the Fleet to prepare to sail for Port Jackson. Early on the morning of the 26th January they were dumbstruck when the la Boussole and l'Astrolabe, commanded by Jean-Francois de la Perouse, sailed into Botany Bay. The French were equally taken aback to find a British squadron already there. La Perouse was told that the British Fleet would supply him with anything he wanted, except for food, stores, sails, ammunition or anything else he needed. As the French were outnumbered they took the hint and departed. The British fleet sailed to Port Jackson, landed at Sydney Cove and January 26th became Australia Day. As the British explored the coast to the south of Sydney in the early 1790s they found that the coast was dominated by an escarpment that met the sea in the form of a line of sandstone cliffs, which then edged inland at a shallow angle to the coast leaving a thin wedge of fertile land between the cliffs and the sea. The local Aboriginal name for the escarpment was Illawarra - meaning "high place by the water". What was of importance was that they discovered coal seams in the cliffs - so close to the water that they could be accessed from boats. They named the place Coalcliff. The first photograph shows the place. The main coal seam can be seen as a horizontal black line below the road in the low cliffs at the edge of the sea near the centre of the photograph. The cliffs are made up of alternating layers of sandstone and coal. The marks of early "scratch" mining can be seen. When they had filled their baskets they carried them back to the boats and tipped them in, then climbed back for more. The shore was inhospitable for sailing ships. In the summer the prevailing northeast monsoon winds always threatened to blow them ashore. In winter there were sudden southerly gales. Many heavily laden rowing boats were smashed on the rocks or foundered on their way out to the ships. Many boats had to be abandoned with their crews of miners when changes in the weather meant that the ships had to up-anchor and sail to avoid being wrecked themselves. But the economic importance of the Illawarra had been established. The problem was to find a harbour. He built a hut, landed a small flock of sheep and what is now the 8th largest city in Australia was founded. Explorers soon discovered that the entire escarpment was full of outcropped coal. There was no need to sink mineshafts to reach the seams. There was a particularly thick outcrop on the sides of what is now Mount Keira, close behind the point that Throsby had found. The problem was to transport the coal to Sydney. Overland transport was out of the question due to the thick bush and heavy gradients in endless broken country. The answer appeared to be to build a safe harbour A Major Plunkett of the Engineers was detailed to do this. Labour was no problem. He drafted 200 convicts and shackled them by their waists (so that their hands were free to carry tools) to a long ship's hawser. He then mounted his horse and rode the 90 kms through rugged, heavily wooded country from Sydney Cove to Wollongong with the long centipede of shackled convicts shuffling behind - prodded by the bayonets of the military escourt. The modern working harbour, handling ships up to 300,000 tonnes, is Port Kembla, 10 kms to the south. The third photograph shows Mount Keira and the colliery which was the motivation for building the harbour. I am typing this in my study in the bush on the lower slopes about 500 metres as the crow flies from the mine. The bush is remnant from Gondwanaland. We have the most ancient forms of warm blooded animal on earth in our suburb - monotremes. These are mammals that lay eggs, hatch them and then feed the young on milk. There are only two monotremes left in the world - the echidna which wander through our gardens and the platypus which live secretively in the streams. The plants, leeches, ticks and spiders match them. Within a few decades the entire Illawarra escarpment became a string of small mining villages, like pearls on a string formed by the Illawarra rail line from Wollongong to Sydney, which was built during the 1870s. Once the coal mining industry had been established the harbour became a valuable asset. There were jealous foreign powers about, including the Russians - who were driving to secure ports that were not ice-bound through the northern winters - and so the British set about fortifying the area. This is adaptation to their environment. In the northern hemisphere the branches have to be able to shed snow or be broken by its weight. In the Antipodes the branches have to strain water droplets out of the coastal mists and guide them towards the trunk - from where the collected water can run down to the roots. Coal mining gives rise to close knit communities. The body count guarantees it. The history of coal mining in the Illawarra is littered with accounts of accidents. And as can be seen in the seventh photograph Wollongong remains the "Place between the mountains and the sea". The beaches stretch for tens of kilometres and our kids grow up in the surf. I have commuted to Sydney for years. It takes no longer than it does from the northern suburbs of the city and we have always loved living in the 'Gong.
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OK! So it is the silly season but sometimes I wonder whether heatstroke can be a collective thing.
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Nothing received this week.
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Mike still very busy but will be back soon with his column.
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Nicky will be back soon.
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Nothing received this week from Robin.
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Ray will be back next week.
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Journeying on a spiritual path. Volume IV, Issue 8, August 2002 TRANSPARENCY In the previous issue of Grounded/Reaching, I discussed connections and disconnects between intuition and spirituality. (If you missed that issue, it is presently posted at the Grounded/Reaching page of my website at http://www.choicecoach.com/4Writer/) Part of that discussion was about the extent to which it is important to not "contaminate" what comes through our intuition by our pre-existing biases and thought patterns. In other words, we need to get ourselves out of the way of what is coming through to us. We need to be transparent. Since then I have been thinking about the importance of transparency in many areas of our lives. Being transparent is a basic part of coach training. The coach's agenda and/or biases have no place in the coaching of any client. It is only the client's agenda that must be the focus and the guide for each coaching session. Transparency is a good way of describing what many of us seek in as we walk our spirituality path also. One scripture expresses the concept as "Not my will but Thine." Another says "I will to will Thy will." In other words, in our spiritual search as in other areas, we need to get out of the way. This is not easy to get our arms (or ideas) around in a society that believes (as do I) in short and long-term goals, strategic planning, and to-do lists. Can we live both lives? If so how? Or do we have to make a choice between the two? Do we have to get so far out of the way that we totally give up on the material aspects of life? Perhaps the most extreme cases of people who say that they are giving up everything in the interests of spirituality are the "begging monks" found in parts of Asia, some of whom literally give up everything except the clothes that they wear and the begging bowl that they carry. Yet, for food, they need to beg from those who have not made such an extreme decision. What if everyone were to turn to begging bowls? There would be no farmers, and no householders, to fill them. So, clearly, the universe is not designed so that we should all go to such extreme ends as to give up everything that is worldly. Indeed, would spirituality serve any purpose if it were not brought back into the world? I think of the relationship between spirituality and the material world as similar to the relationship between yeast and grape juice. When the yeast is added to the grape juice, and allowed to "work," then it and the juice are transformed into something so different, and so much more powerful, that they are thought of as entirely different things. Grape juice is grape juice. Wine is wine. So can spirituality, brought back into our everyday lives, transform us and our lives into something entirely different. Okay, I'm rambling, but I'm going full circle and getting back to the transparency thing. It is in the planning. It's not that we should not set material goals. It is that they need to be in line with our spiritual intentions. It is so obvious that you may be wondering why I'm even writing this. Yet, in our day to day lives, do we stay transparent? Are we, in our decision-making, like a clear, transparent light bulb that lets the light shine forth unhindered? Or do we, perhaps with the best of intentions, alter the light. Perhaps we decide that the light would be prettier if it were another color. So we color the light bulb. We mean well, but the light is no longer as it was coming from its source (or Source). Not only is its wavelength changed, but its ability to light its surroundings has been weakened. We have let our own intentions - a pretty light of some color - both change it and weaken how it is received. Just as well-trained coaches set aside their own agendas when they start to work with their clients, so do we all need to remember that our own agenda is not primary if we are to live a life that is altered by our spiritual inspiration just as the grape juice is altered by yeast. The grape juice does not need to do anything. It is the yeast that does the work. Somewhere in here is the concept of "dying to the world" in order to gain life. What's happening at ChoiceCoach.com At the www.ChoiceCoach.com I will very soon be instituting a new page, called The Extra Mile. It will contain stories of people who have gone the extra mile. At that site I will be soliciting such stories for use on the page, so that I can update it frequently, in hopes it will provide you with inspiration at times when you need it most. However, please wait for the page to be up there before sending them. It should be ready within a week of your receiving this issue. Latter in the month the Services page will be updated to reflect two additional forms of coaching service that I will be offering in September. Favicons: If you already have the website on your favorites list, you might like to add it again. You'll find that the little symbol beside its name, which is usually a generic symbol of your web browser, is now a seagull, somewhat symbolic soaring upwards, reaching for the sky, and of Jonathon Livingston Seagull, a book that I continue to find highly inspirational. This little symbol is called a favicon. It helps my site to stand out in your favorites list.
SPECIAL TIMES THIS MONTH
August 15
August 22
August 30
September 7-8
September 10
Copyright Diana Robinson, Ph.D. 2002. This newsletter may be reproduced or transmitted in its entirety only, including this copyright line. I enjoy receiving feedback,
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If you want to buy music that is featured in Amuzine or any other South African music for that matter, just click on the banner at the side of this column... you can buy direct from the SAW Web site! Check out the latest column... it gets updated each week...
Send in any (preferably non-business) SA related sites you have seen. This from me - it is a site that is still a bit under construction but one that I totally endorse. Those of you who know me also know that I choose to be vegan and also like to promote sites and causes that help animals of every shape and size... not just the 'pretty' ones! This is a South African site that has recently gone live. It is called Justice for Animals and here is the URL: www.justiceforanimals.co.za Here is a relevant quote from the site: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" - Martin Luther King
Our Legal Beagles are available for all your relevant queries... please continue
We have expanded our circle of helpers to include New Zealand and Europe. Remember that sometimes it takes a while for the relevant 'Legal Beagle' to answer. Also please remember that the advice is offered as a free service, THOS and SAW are not personally responsible for the content. Remember to check out questions and answers on the Web site before you send your query in - it might be the question you are wanting to ask!
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My parents have US resident visas that they obtained when they immigrated to the USA in the early 80's. They returned to SA after 2 years in the States. They would like to return to the States. Would these cards still be valid and if so how do they go about getting back to the States? Would they be able to work in the States with these cards as it does state on the card that they are permitted to live & work in the US permanently and we see no expiration date on the cards? Many Thanks Nikki Dear Nikki, A permanent resident card remains valid until revoked or surrendered. Therefore your parents can use there cards to return to the US. However, people who do not maintain their permanent residence in the US can lose their status on entry to the US, if the immigration officer ascertains that they have not been living in the US. This is a chance they will have to take. no amount of explanation will resolve this issue if the immigration officer chooses to question in depth. However, if all goes well, on entry to the US, your parents need to re-establish their permanent residence by putting down roots. They will be entitled to work. If they do not already have social security numbers, they can apply at a local Social Security office and will be given cards valid for employment. Yours truly,
Paul Shane
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A new service for SAWmail subscribers and Web site members! Travel Beagles are able to answer your travel queries... so send them a query that you haven't been able to resolve and let's see if they can help.
Please remember that these 'pleas for help' are published in good faith. I print them for you to read and choose to answer or not. Hi, I'm Jim, and would like to correspond to people living in Cape Town... I lived there until 1999 with my late wife and loved many aspects of life there.. I am very seriously thinking of moving back to live there permanently. Most whites are leaving, I'm thinking of coming! Anyway, Please let others know I would like to talk and meet them.. Email address is shelrai99@yahoo.com. Thanks, Jim Hudson --------- Greetings from Scotland - In your newsletter I read with interest an article about HMS Renown by Walter Sharpe. I was trying to contact him as my late father served on the ship and was in Durban too. But when I tried to email the address given (pownie@freeserve.co.uk) it comes back undeliverable. Can you help with the correct address or maybe check it for me please? Thanks
Ian Buckingham
Editor's note: the e-mail address we have on file for Walter came back undeliverable so if anyone can help... thanks! ----------- Dear Maureen, I recently moved to Toronto and am looking for a position as a graphic designer/art director/studio manager/designer. Should a reader from the Toronto area know of any position, I can be contacted at j_niccola@hotmail.com Thank you.
Niccola Jay
These requests are from subscribers to SAWmail and or members of the Saw Web site. I print them in good faith. Nobody looking this week. If you would like us to put your request for a friend and or partner, send your details and interests to the usual address, saw@thos.co.za and I will put your request into the next available edition for you. PLEASE NOTE: If you have a query for a Legal Beagle please send it to me at saw@thos.co.za, do not put it on the Help Desk. I do not have the time to check out your queries each day and I am the one who has to send them on to the Legal Beagles... they also do not check our Help Desk on a regular basis! If you have a problem with your password or want to change your email address or any other details, do not put your query on the Help Desk... you can change them yourself by going to the SAW site and following 'instructions'.
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I am looking for a long time friend in Port Elizabeth, South Africa - KAREN BOWKER. She has two daughters named Lindsay and Alison. Her ex-husband is Stephen and may be living in Cape Town.
Linda Swanepoel (Canada)
----------- Hi Maureen, Your name has been forwarded to me from a South African lady I met, while on holiday in Cyprus, has someone who may be able to help find someone. The person I'm trying to find is a lady called Marriette Kruger. I met her while on holiday in South Africa in 1988. We stayed in touch for a while, but then drifted apart, probably due to the distance involved. Anyway, this lady is special to me and I've never forgot her. I realise that she may now be married, but I'd still like to track her down has a friend. I would be grateful for any help you may be able to offer. She would be around 30 today. Her last known postal address was : P.O.BOX 4630, Secunda, 2302. Many thanks. Yours Sincerely,
Chris Wilson
Club details are up on the SAW site! If you have a club (with or without a Web site) and your club isn't listed, just go to the SAW site and fill them all in! Easy as that!
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Discover South Africa at the Coin Street Festival
THE SOUTH AFRICAN BIG BRAAI
Sunday 18 August 2002, 2-7pm
South Africa is the hottest place to go with loads to do and see. Everyone is aware of the dramatic scenery and the wildlife South Africa offers holidaymakers all year round. But what about the food, the wine and the rich culture the country also has to offer? South Africa's biggest asset is the welcoming smiles of its friendly people and a culture of having a real good time entertaining friends and family. Here's your opportunity for a free taster when the South Bank becomes South Africa for a day at The South African Big Braai, presented by South African Tourism as part of the Coin Street Festival, on Sunday 18 August. Enjoy the cultural diversity this friendly and vibrant country has to offer ... from food and wine to music and dance; crafts to children's activities ... on all the south bank of the River Thames in central London. Chill out in the Riverside Wine Garden with its stunning views across the river to St Paul's and the city while listening to some cool township tunes from Jive Nation. Wander into Bernie Spain Gardens to the monster Braai (a barbecue the South African way) where the country's culinary delights are prepared by famous South African chef Pete Gottgens with his team from Springbok Café Group and his two acclaimed London restaurants Fish Hoek and Dumela. Sample flavours from all corners of South Africa - ostrich, springbok, calamari and boerewors to traditional Cape Malay and Durban Indian cuisine. Whether your tastes are for the exotic or the traditional, the Braai will be producing tempting mouth-watering meat and vegetarian dishes throughout the day with Castle Lager and fresh fruit juices to quench the thirst. Relax in the Gardens and enjoy a superb musical line up on the main stage of South African musicians. Headlining is Doreen Thobekile's new Zulu sounds accompanied by TransGlobal Underground. The Queen of the London Zulus merges South African country blues with some digital rare grooves. Doreen has sung with Miriam Makeba and Shikisha and appeared with Tammy Wynette on the KLF's "Justified and Ancient". Over the last couple of years she has divided her time between playing solo shows of original and traditional Zulu songs, and touring the world with Trans-Global Underground. Now she's putting it all together...presenting a South African funk fusion with members of TGU in attendance. Listen out for the sweet acapella singing and foot stomping dance of Black Spear. Enjoy a unique opportunity to see a performance by the Stars of Umoja, from the hit musical Umoja at Queens Theatre that has been heralded as the most electrifying experience in London. A history of rich musical culture that has been a key part of South African life gave us the musical. At the Big South African Braai you can experience why the beat, rhythm, song and dance have the theatre critics dancing in the isles at the sell-out performances in the West-End. Lining the riverside are stalls where master crafters demonstrate and sell their wares. For children there is storytelling and mask making workshops. We invite you to come and discover your taste for South Africa! To get there: Tube: Blackfriars, Embankment. Southwark, Waterloo Train: Blackfriars, Charing Cross, Waterloo, Waterloo East Car: Car parks at Doon Street and Cornwell Road. Special Sundays and bank holidays day rate £5,30
Bus: 1, 4, 26, 59, 68, 76, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 243, 341, 501,521, X68 to Waterloo Bridge
Disables access: All events are designed to be wheelchair friendly
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BRING AND BRAAI The South African Club of Luxembourg will be holdings its annual BRING and BRAAI which will be held on the 25th August 2002 from around 11:00 until midnight, the address is:
Drëps
Castle Beer and boerewors to braai will be on sale on the day and fires will be provided. But please remember to bring your own knives, plates, salads, drinks etc. There are some tables and benches, but if you have, please bring them along. There will be games for adults and children. There will be an entrance charge of euro 5 per adult and euro 2.5 per child. For all of you who were at the braai last year we hope to see you again especially for those of you who came from Germany and Holland. For further information, please call Pat on 3420904312 or mobile 091335571 or Elaine 462685700 or mobile 021397586 reply to this email if you will be there. If anyone is needing a lift on the day, contact us and we can arrange something. Pat and Elaine
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South African Picnic for the Northern Nevada Springbok Club Dear Maureen: Please be so kind as to post the annual South African (all Southern Africans welcome from Zambia to Namibia) Northern Nevada Springbok Club Picnic to be held at Rancho San Rafael Park on August 31, 2002 at 3.00 pm - 9.00 pm (or whenever the booze runs out). If you want to attend please E-Mail John Diamond at jdiamond@intercomm.com for details. Games for kids, both large and small, braai and boeremusiek! Thanks, John Diamond, Reno Nevada, USA.
Well... at last you can read SAWmail without logging on the SAW site!! Just go to www.saw.co.za and before you even log in you will see the SAWmail icon on the splash page... so just one click and you can read the current issue in full, download it to Word and read it later... print it out... whatever is your fancy. No links as yet but that will come with the new site. ------------------------ As you might be aware, we now have two versions of SAWmail... let us know if you would like to receive the html version. ------------------------
You can now subscribe to SAWmail directly from the SAW Web site... just go to
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.
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This from Captain Ken ski@flatwater.com An old man decided his old wife was getting hard of hearing. He called he doctor to make an appointment to have her hearing checked. The Doctor said he could see her in two weeks, and meanwhile there's a simple, informal test the husband could do to give the doctor some idea of the dimensions of the problem. "Here's what you do. Start about 40 feet away from her, and speak in a normal conversational tone and see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, 20 feet, and so on until you get a response." So that evening she's in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he's in the living room, and he says to himself, 'I'm about 40 feet away . . . let's see what happens.' "Honey, what's for supper?" No response. So he moves to the other end of the room, about 30 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?" No response. So he moves into the dining room, about 20 feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?" No response. On to the kitchen door, ten feet away. "Honey, what's for supper?" STILL no response. So he walks right up behind her. "Honey, what's for supper?" "For the fifth time, CHICKEN!!!!"
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This from Nick de Klerk keg@thos.co.za A woman meets a gorgeous man in a bar. They talk, they connect, they end up leaving together. They get back to his place, and as he shows her around his apartment, she notices that his bedroom is completely packed with sweet cuddly teddy bears. Hundreds of cute small bears on a shelf all the way along the floor, cuddly medium-sized ones on a shelf a little higher, and huge enormous bears on the top shelf along the wall. The woman is surprised that this guy would have a collection of teddy bears, especially one that's so extensive, but she decides not to mention this to him, and actually is quite impressed by his sensitive side. She turns to him... they kiss... and then they rip each other's clothes off and make hot steamy love. After an intense night of passion with this sensitive guy, they are lying there together in the afterglow, the woman rolls over and asks, smiling, "Well, how was it?" The guy says, "Help yourself to any prize from the bottom shelf."
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More from Captain Ken Feeling glum about the stock market lately? Maybe these Merger tips will cheer you up! Nothing like putting lipstick on the ole' pig ... In the wake of the Exxon/Mobil deal and the AOL/Time Warner implosions, I wanted to make you, as a group of few close friends' aware of the next expected mergers so you can get in on the ground floor and make some BIG bucks. Watch for these consolidations in late 2002, and make yourself a bundle:
Hale Business Systems, Mary Kay Cosmetics, Fuller Brush and WR Grace Co. will merge and become Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.
Call your broker today! But don't tell him/her where you get your tips!
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This from Wendy O'Brien kleeobrien@yahoo.com Hi Maureen: Here's one that should make the SAW newsletter! A true South African braai: the only type of cooking a real man will do. When a man offers to do this, a chain of events is put into motion:
1. The woman goes to the shop for the ingredients.
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This from Eddie & Marlene Smith e&m.smith@xtra.co.nz I found this really funny. I hope you do. The following letters are taken from an actual incident between a London hotel and one of its guests last year. The hotel ended up submitting the letters to the Sunday Times Dear Maid,
Please do not leave any more of those little bars of soap in my bathroom since I have brought my own bath-sized Imperial Leather. Please remove the six unopened little bars from the shelf under the medicine chest and another three in the shower soap dish. They are in my way.
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Dear Room 635,
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Dear Maid
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Dear Mr Berman,
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Dear Miss Carmen,
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Dear Mr Berman,
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Dear Mr Kensedder,
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Dear Mr Berman,
I don't know where you got the idea this hotel issues bath-size Imperial Leather.
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Dear Mrs Carmen,
Please ask Kathy when she services my room to make sure the stacks are neatly piled and dusted. Also, please advise her that stacks of more than 4 have a tendency to tip.
One more item, I have purchased another bar of bath-size Imperial Leather, which I am keeping in the hotel vault in order to avoid further misunderstandings.
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More from Eddie & Marlene Smith The madam opened the brothel door to see a rather slick looking, well-dressed, gentleman. "Can I help you?" the madam asked. "I want to see Natalie," the gentleman replied. "Sir, Natalie is one of our most expensive ladies, perhaps someone else..." "No, I must see Natalie." Just then Natalie appeared and announced to the man that she charges $1000.00 per visit. Without blinking, the man reached into his pocket and handed her ten $100 bills. The two went up to a room for an hour, whereupon the man calmly left. The next night he appeared again demanding to see Natalie. Natalie explained that is was very rare for anyone to come back two nights in a row and that there were no discounts ... it was still $1000.00 a visit. Again the man took out the money, the two went up to the room, and an hour later, he left. When he showed up for the third consecutive night, no one could believe it. Again he handed Natalie the money and up to the room they went. At the end of the hour Natalie questioned the man: "No one has ever used my services three nights in a row. Where are you from?" The gentleman replied, "I'm from Pretoria." "Really?" replied Natalie. "I have family who live there." "Yes, I know," said the gentleman. "Your father died and I'm your sister's attorney. She asked me to give you your $3000 inheritance." MORAL: Some things in life are certain...
1. Death...
I am not a fan of corn muffins. At least I wasn't until I found this recipe. Very yummy and not too sweet. It is from VegSource.com Beginners Board. I also add half a cup of fresh cooked corn cut from the cobs (it's corn season here in New Hampshire!) I also leave out the salt. Bryanna's "Perfect" Corn Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Dry Mix:
Wet mix:
Whisk the dry Mix ingredients together in a medium bowl. Whisk or blend the wet Mix ingredients together and add to the Dry Mix. Mix briefly and pour into greased muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees F. Check for doneness according to your oven. Mine are done by about 18 minutes.
Variations:
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====================================================================== Are you a member of a local sporting club? Would you like your results published in SAWmail and/or on the SAW Web site? Please send the details of your club to me at the usual address... saw@thos.co.za
For direct correspondence, send me a message at saw@thos.co.za
That's it folks! See you next week.
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