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Saw Mail

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• Editor's Message and Quote of the Week - from Maureen Cram
• Ad Hoc Article/s of the Week
• Featured Site
• The Legal Beagle
• Help Desk Question/s of the Week
• Help Desk Question/s of the Week - Personal Ads
• Where are they now?
• Club and Other News
• What We're Up To
• Humour
• Recipes
• Sports News
• Subscribing & Unsubscribing

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Editor's Message TOP

This is the last SAWmail for 2001. The next edition will be on Monday January 7 2002.

I have decided to go with tradition and repeat my Christmas message of 1999 and 2000. I like what I wrote then and feel it relevant for this year...

"This edition of SAWmail is the last one before Christmas. Sitting here writing this news letter, the view from my office window out across the lake is typically 'Christmassy'... it is snowing gently, the sky is grey and there is not a breath of wind on the mirror-like reflection of the lake.

We don't all celebrate Christmas, but most of us do celebrate family time together at this time of year.

So to all South Africans around the globe, including those still living in South Africa, I would just like to wish you all a happy holiday season... and hope that if you can't be with your family in person, then you can at least be with them in spirit."

Have a good one... and treasure the time you get to spend with those you love.

This week's pic is of our cat Snowball checking out the decorations!

Please note that all html version subscribers will get the text version due to the skeleton staff at THOS over the holidays.

Quote/s of the Week

Whatever your labours and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

The most valuable things in life are not measured in monetary terms. The really important things are not houses and lands, stocks and bonds, automobiles and real state, but friendships, trust, confidence, empathy, mercy, love and faith. - Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970, British Philosopher, Mathematician, Essayist

All my experience of the world teaches me that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, the safe and just side of a question is the generous and merciful side. - Anna Jameson, 1794-1860, British Essayist

Life is either The Greatest Adventure in the World -- or it's not. You Choose... - John Milton Fogg

This from Kevin Malan Kevin.Malan@au1.ibm.com

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver" Proverbs 25:11

I am sending this from work and can't confirm the text reference - I am almost certain that it is correct.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New year!

Kind regards,

Kevin Malan

More from me...

I found these that were all to do with the Christmas season... hope you are inspired by at least one of them.

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." - Charles Dickens.

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men! - Longfellow

"He who has no Christmas in his heart will never find Christmas under a tree." - Sunshine Magazine.

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world---stronger than death---and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas, and if you keep it for a day, why not always? - Henry Van Dyke "Keeping Christmas"

December gifts - custom, ceremony, celebration, consecration - come to us wrapped up, not in tissue and ribbons, but in cherished memories. this is the month of miracles. The oil that burns for eight days, the royal son born in a stable, the inexplicable return of light on the longest, darkest night of the year. Where there is love, there are always miracles. and where there are miracles, there is great joy. - from Simple Abundance - Sarah Ban Breathnach

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

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Ad Hoc Article/s of the Week TOP

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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Feeling Homesick...
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I received this last year and thought it might be appropriate again for this year.

Hi Maureen

This might be a bit of useless info, but I have just read in the Star about two young 16/17 year old ex S African girls (Jennifer Gold and Elizabeth Prinn in the UK/Ireland) who committed suicide last week because they were Homesick. I also recall a conversation on the bulletin board a few months ago between two homesick girls.

This time of the year can be really depressing if you are alone or away from home and I feel so grateful that I have a wonderful husband, son and family.

The above is just for info but I thought maybe you could create a link to a help line or councillor.

Season's Greetings, have a wonderful new year

Shelley

Editor's note: If any of you feel the need to talk to someone, here are some links that you can use:

Lifeline has a Southern Africa website as well as an international one. The URLs are: www.lifeline.org.za and www.lifeline.web.za

The contact number is (012) 342 9000 and the e-mail is lifelinepta@ibi.co.za.

All the contact numbers for the international one can be found on the site under Member Countries.

And for those of you in the UK here is a link to the Samaritans Web site...

http://www.samaritans.org.uk

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Festive Greetings and Happy New Years to all SAWers
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Dov tadir@actcom.co.il wishes Maureen, the Cap, the THOS team and SAWers all over the 4 corners of this here universe, the very best for the upcoming festive season and a healthy happy peaceful and prosperous 2002. May the new year be a harbinger of better times, less extremism, more love of man to man and man to woman. In the words of Isiah and Zecharia those prophets of old - And the lamb shall lie next to the lion cub, men shall beat their swords into plough shears and nations shall know war no more. Pipe dreams yes, but certainly something to strive for.

From this embattled and marvellous corner of the world (Catholics claim the alter in the church of their sepulchre in Jerusalem is the epicentre) go our wishes to fellow expats, countrymen, friends and families. Come to visit the holy land in 2002, show solidarity to Israel and Palestine in our time of need. Spread the good word, that Israel is a place to visit and enjoy. Rock bottom deals available and things are not as bad as CNN and even SABC TV make out.

For info check out www.jpost.com and http://www.unitours.com/whois.html Historical, current news and background at www.mfa.gov.il Wonderful alternative site is Robert Rosenberg's www.ariga.com (Ariga: Publishing for Business, Pleasure, and Peace from the Intersection of Three Continents since 1995)

Anybody approaching our fair shores is welcome to email or to contact me. Our efforts at a Carmel Pretoria reunion have been a dismal failure and more's the pity. Ex Carmelites in cyberspace interested nonetheless please contact me and/or Julian Pokroy the legal beagle jpokroy@iafrica.com

Dov in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

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An Interview...
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This from Emiline Fabre-Murdey eamurdey@yahoo.com

I would like to share something beautiful with you! Enjoy!

This was sent to me - it really struck a chord. Take from it what you can and pass it along. Beautiful!

http://www.interviewwithgod.net/

Click on "view presentation" and turn up your speakers.

Emiline

(Editor's note: the scenic images in this presentation are really inspiring to look at...)

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University of Utah South African-American Community Academic Electronic Web Survey
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Dear fellow South African:

I am contacting to you to ask you to participate in an academic study of the South African community in the U.S.A. You have been contacted because of interest that you have shown in maintaining a sense of community with South Africans living in the USA.

The survey is being conducted at the University of Utah as part of my Ph.D. dissertation. Participation is voluntary. You can be of great help by completing the electronic survey. It will give you the chance to contribute to an important academic study.

The electronic questionnaire survey is located on a web server at the Department of Geography at the University of Utah. The link provided below will give you access to the electronic survey.

http://www.map.utah.edu/questionnaire/welcome.html

Please note that the link address is for an academic institution and is not a commercial website.

Your answers will be strictly confidential and will only be released as summaries in which no individual's answers can be identified. The University of Utah's Institutional Review Board prevents researchers from gathering any information that can be used to identify respondents. Strict guidelines have been set down. Please read the section on informed consent included in the electronic survey should you decide to participate. It explains how your anonymity will be protected.

Results from the survey will be posted on the site once they are analysed. It is also the researcher's intention to make research reports available upon request.

Please feel free to forward this invitation to fellow South Africans living in the U.S.A. who might be interested in participating in the survey. Please forward it only to those you know well.

Thank you very much for helping with this important study.

Sincerely,

David Baxter (formerly of Rondebosch - Cape Town).

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Wartime Media: No Women Allowed?
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This from AlterNet Jennifer L. Pozner, December 19, 2001

If women had equal access to the oped pages and the Sunday morning talk shows, we'd have heard a significant difference between men and women's perspectives on terrorism and war.

"Just when you think you've heard all the stories from 9-11, more emerge," Tom Brokaw announced on an NBC Nightly News segment saluting the heroines of Ground Zero, who have received next to zero media attention since the attacks.

On the Dec. 4 broadcast, firefighter Lieut. Brenda Berkman described racing into the flaming destruction everyone else was fleeing, risking her life to save others. So similar to hundreds of heartwrenching tales we've all heard from New York firefighters, Berkman's experience sounded unfamiliar when told in a woman's voice. Perhaps that's because it took nearly three months for NBC to discover that women rescue workers have toiled 24-7 at Ground Zero every day since the attacks. "The fact that the faces of women haven't been in the news or ... in the media is not reflective of reality," Berkman told NBC.

Read the full story here: http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=12119

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A Millennium Miracle A Christmas Story of Love, Hope, and Promise
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This from your editor from the About.com Cat Lovers' site. The author originally wrote it for last year's Christmas but she thought it would be relevant for this year also.

"Hurry up, Sandy Claws! We've got lots of kittens to deliver tonight. Oh me! Oh my! We'll never be able to deliver all of them! There are soooo many this year! Ohhhh, this is simply awful!"

Sandy Claws and the Elves, who were volunteers at the Great Northern Cat Shelter were preparing for their annual run at Christmas, hoping to find good homes for all the cats and kittens at the shelter and to spread joy in the hearts of all those good folks who received them.

Woeful, the elf, was fidgeting and fussing as he did every year, worrying that there just wouldn't be enough homes. The other elves always teased him, calling him "Woeful Awful", because of his propensity for the word, although secretly, some of them were just as concerned about the fate of the kittens, and especially the older cats. This was the last Christmas of the old century and they particularly wanted to start the new Millennium off with a new lease on life for all these homeless pussycats.

Sandy sighed and put his paws on his hips. "Woeful, have faith. We'll get the job done. We always do. Although we do seem to have a bumper crop of kittens this year. Hand me that basket of tabby kittens, would you? Oh--and Beulah, that old lady cat. Be gentle with her, now. She's still a little frightened after being taken away from her home because her owners moved."

"Gremel, did you pack plenty of cat food in the back of the sleigh?"

Gremel grinned. "Yep, Sandy, and I even put in a few toy mice for the kittens."

"Good man--er--Elf, Gremel! Well, just one more litter to go, and we'll be ready to roll. Warmheart, would you bring the Dumpster Kittens out? Be careful the little orange one doesn't escape again."

"Right, Sandy!"

Warmheart skittled back into the shelter for the Dumpster Kittens. These kittens were particular favorites of all the Elves because they had been "Just One Litter" kittens, and the owners had dumped them in a huge trash dumpster when they found that kittens were just too much bother. Fortunately, a worker had heard a tiny mewl just before pushing the button that would have dumped them into the grinder of the garbage truck. He had taken the whole litter to the shelter, and weak and tiny as they were, the fervent, loving care of the volunteers of the shelter had finally turned them around on the road to health. Now, all seven of them were fat and furry, rambunctious and feisty, although one kitten was still noticeably smaller and more timid than the rest. Sandy had named him Braveheart, in the hopes he'd grow into his name.

Sandy Claws and the rest of the Elves rearranged the cats in the sleigh, trying to create a space for the Dumpster Kittens.

"This is simply awful," moaned Woeful Awful. "We'll never find room for all these poor kitties. Oh me, oh my!"

Sandy patted Woeful on the back. "I told you to have faith, Woeful. Miracles happen at Christmas, remember? And this year, which is the last Christmas of the Millennium, should be especially auspicious."

Still, Sandy had secret doubts. There were an extraordinary number of kittens this year, and the number of suitable households dwindled every year as more and more litters of kittens arrived. The true miracle, he thought, would be that people would suddenly wake up and realize that there was an answer to this huge cat overpopulation problem--spaying and neutering their household pets. He shook his head sadly. So simple a solution, yet folks, good folks at heart, were so slow to embrace it. There were actually a number of people around who still believed the old wives' tales: that letting a cat have "just one litter" would make her a better cat; that somehow neutering a male would make him fat and lazy.

Sandy brightened as Warmheart dashed out of the shelter with a basket full of squirming kittens. He tucked the kittens in among the older cats, but saved Braveheart for last. "I'm gonna miss you, little one," he whispered, as he tucked the brown tabby kitten into the pocket of his big red coat. "You can ride up here in front with me, just this one last time." The kitten gazed up at him with trusting green eyes as they prepared to depart.

The Elves scrambled into the sleigh, and they were off in a whirlwind of snow crystals. "On Dasher! On Dancer..." Up, up, UP they rose, with snowflakes dancing a polka in their wake. Soon, they were in rarefied air, clear as crystal, as comets' tails and stars' effervescence lit their way through the sky.

They were so far above the Earth that it was just a baseball-sized sphere of marbled green, blue and white swirls. Yet through some strange chemistry of the atmosphere, the holiday, or simply Good Will, they were able to squint in a manner that caused their vision to zoom in on each slumbering household as they orbited the Earth.

"Look, Sandy Claws! There's old Emma Fogerty asleep sitting up in her rocking chair. She looks so lonely since her Jimmy-cat died last Fall."

Sandy leaned on the reins and guided the sleigh toward Emma's roof. "She would be a perfect match for Beulah. Two old ladies who could rock together and warm each other even when the fire on the hearth went out."

Sandy made a three-point landing on the roof and handed Beulah to Woeful, so he could do the honors. A few minutes later, Woeful darted back up the chimney with a huge grin on his ash-smeared face. "They're sleeping together like two innocent babes. I wish I could be there when Emma wakes up on Christmas morning." Sandy chuckled. This was his favorite way to start the trip; it was the only time of the year when Woeful lost his usual woe-begone expression and threw himself into the spirit of the Season.

The sleighful of love and cheer was just leaving Emma's village when one of the Elves pointed at a huge gray mansion on the outskirts of town. "There's old man Grumble's house. Do you suppose he deserves a cat this year?" Sandy grinned. Grumble had a reputation in the village for being a wealthy old skinflint, but Sandy remembered a time sixty or so years ago when a small boy had rescued a kitten from a pack of dogs. Little Amos Grumble had taken the kitten home, but his father had roughly grabbed it and stomped out of the house. He returned later, kitten-less, and Amos learned, all too soon, that some things are not meant to be. He could have more money than Midas, but just couldn't buy happiness with it.

Sandy yanked again on the reins and the sleigh spun around, with Elves grabbing kittens and hanging onto their hats for dear life. "Hey!" "Watch it, Sandy!" "Whee!" (The latter came from Alfie, the youngest of the Elves, who had a bit of the daredevil in him yet.)

Sandy chose Mr. Peterson for Amos Grumble. "He's been around for awhile, already suffered some hard knocks, but clever enough to know how to butter up an old man's heart. Listen to him purr already." Sure enough, Mr. Peterson was purring to beat the band. Sandy tied a red ribbon to Mr. P's collar. The bright red of the bow enhanced the cat's shiny black coat, and you hardly noticed the scars on his face and neck. Mr. Peterson's former owner had developed an allergy and had released the cat in a large park, thinking he could fend for himself. Mr. P. also, had met with a pack of dogs, and only the quick-thinking of a Good Samaritan had saved him from certain death.

Sandy whistled "Jingle Bells" while Alfie did the honors this time. Shortly he flew out of the chimney with a big smile. "The old man was dreaming about a kitten!" he exclaimed.

So it went all night. Village after metropolis, after isolated farm; house after cottage, after condominium.

The sky glittered and shone around the sleigh as Sandy expertly guided his craft full of precious cargo. The Elves whispered and giggled in their excitement as they shared Christmas cookies and hot apple cider. Twinkling stars seemed to dance and wink at them as they passed by. The whole Universe gave a sigh as another thousand years passed by, just a grain of sand in the beach of eternity.

Sandy Claws and the Elves chose Sparky and Peter, two of the Dumpster Kittens, for the Renaud twins in Paris; Angelica, a lovely white cat was a perfect match for a spinster in Baltimore; Spunky, a gray tabby, went to Alice and George Wimberton in London, whose hearts had yearned unsuccessfully for a child.

"I think Braveheart would be perfect for Daisy McCombs," ventured Gremel, as they circled over Ireland.

Sandy smiled, but shook his head. "I have other plans for Braveheart," he said. "We'll give Daisy little Rachel." Rachel needs lots of love and attention, and Daisy has nothing but time on her hands since her husband passed away last year. I think they'll find what they both need in each other.

After several hours of deliveries, they still had a dozen cats left. Woeful was starting to get that look on his face again, and some of the other Elves were whispering nervously among themselves. The number of homes on their list had dwindled and Sandy was starting to worry, himself, that he had somehow miscalculated the cat-to-home ratio.
He brightened when his gaze zoomed in on a large, rambling structure on the edge of a large town. "There's the Shiloh Old Folks Home!" (Although nowadays people called them "retirement homes" or "managed care facilities", they were still homes for old folks, and that's what Sandy still called them.) "I bet we could brighten the lives of dozens of elderly folks with the rest of these kitties."

They all pitched in with the delivery this time, scurrying back and forth from sled to bedside, and even leaving a huge tray of cookies and several gallons of hot cider for the oldsters, as well as a dozen large bags of cat foods for the cats, along with a note for the attendants.

They were so excited about their success that Sandy took them for a whirlwind spin around the globe, to celebrate. "On Dasher! On Dancer--"

Suddenly, the sleigh deflected off an asteroid and went spinning out of control. Sandy fought the reins as the Elves held each other in fright. "Oh NO!" Woeful yelled. "There goes Braveheart!"

Santa looked down in horror as the kitten fell through the sky, plummeting toward the Indian Ocean, below.

"Meoooooooooooooowwwwr..." they heard faintly, as he disappeared from sight. Sandy righted the sleigh and flew after the kitten. As they sped through the sky, a blue-white light flashed past them. Heart thudding, Sandy steered toward where they had last seen the hapless kitten, which was precisely the direction the light had taken. As they grew nearer, they could see ahead a glow, and hear the soft, sweet strummings of magnificent harp music.

"Oh, MY!" said Woeful.
"Oh, WOW!" shouted Alfie.
"Well, I'll be.." muttered Gremel
"Thank You, Lord," whispered Sandy
"Meowwwww," purred Braveheart.

There, floating in the clouds, with velvety wings sprouted from his little shoulders, was Braveheart. Floating alongside him, strumming a harp and smiling sweetly, was the most beautiful Angel they'd ever seen, though to tell the truth none of them had ever seen a live angel before. "The wings are not permanent," the Angel told Sandy Claws. They will disappear before morning, but I just could not bear to see this sweet kitten go to the Rainbow Bridge this early in his young life.

"I don't know how to thank you," Sandy murmured, as he tucked Braveheart safely back into his coat.

"You already have," smiled the Angel, as she spun and flew back into the Heavens.
Sandy felt a veil of tears mist his eyes, and the Elves heaved a collective sigh as they surreptitiously wiped at their eyes.

Sandy cleared his throat, and announced, "Just one last stop, and then we'll be through for the year--the Century--the Millennium. See, Woeful. Didn't I tell you that miracles can happen if you have faith?" Woeful nodded happily as he brushed a stray tear from his eye.

The sleigh circled over a small town in Ohio.

"There's a little boy in this town who had heart surgery a few weeks ago, said Sandy. "The doctors are still not sure of the outcome. They've told his parents that little Frankie needs the will to live, but he's been sick for so long that he's almost lost it. He needs a friend like Braveheart to give him strength and unconditional love, as only cats can give. Now, where is that house?"

They circled the town for several minutes, then Alfie poked Sandy with his elbow. "See that white house with the wreath on the door? Isn't that a wheelchair next to the bed of the child who sleeps there?"

"That's the house, Alfie!" said Sandy. Extra fruitcake for you when we get back home!" Alfie groaned inwardly, because he secretly hated fruitcake, but he smiled and thanked Sandy, like the good elf he was trained to be.

Sandy Claws made the delivery himself this time. Whoosh! Down the chimney he went. Silently, he tiptoed into Frankie's room, and took Braveheart from the folds of his coat. The downy wings folded softly around the body of the sleeping kitten as Sandy kissed it on its nose and gently laid it next to the sleeping boy. "I sure hope that Angel was right about the wings," he thought, as he flew back up the chimney to the waiting sleigh and his happily exhausted Elves.

Christmas Day broke bright and sunny. Snow crystals glistened in the brilliant sun in Des Moines, the golden orb warmed the Christmas cactus in Tucson, as well as the hearts of celebrants all over the globe.

Sandy sat in his kitchen, sipping at a cup of cocoa and reading the news from cities all over the world, through the wonders of his new computer.
A headline caught his eye:

HEART TRANSPLANT BOY MAKES MIRACULOUS RECOVERY.
The article went on to say that little Frankie Andrews, a heart transplant patient, had gotten out of bed that morning and had actually run into his parent's room to show them a kitten that had mysteriously appeared on his bed during the night. "I don't know how the cat got in," said the boy's father. "Maybe it slipped in when we were bringing in presents, last night. But it's Frankie's cat now, for sure, and we're going to have it neutered as soon as possible."

"SHILOH RETIREMENT CENTER CHARMED BY FELINES" read another headline.
"Attendants were puzzled and residents were charmed by the cats that somehow made their way during the night into bedrooms of the residents. 'We've heard how pets can sometime raise endorphins of patients, but we've never seen it in action before," said one attendant, who asked to remain anonymous.

'These people are all acting twenty years younger, this morning. I don't know who brought the cats, but they also left cookies, cider and cat food. I guess it's that time of year for Good Samaritans' When asked if the retirement center would pay for spaying and neutering the feckless felines, a representative replied, 'Of course. A dozen cats are plenty. We can always get more at the nearest shelter.'"

Another headline:
SHELTERS CITE ADOPTION FRENZY
The feature article described the long lines of people queuing up to adopt dogs and cats at shelters all over the world. "This is an unbelievable phenomenon," said one shelter official. "If this keeps up, our shelter will be completely empty by tonight, for the first time since it opened, 58 years ago. And the strangest thing is--every single adoptive family has made arrangements for spaying or neutering their new pet.'
A warm glow spread through Sandy's chest. It seemed that a whole chain of miracles was working this end-of-millennium Christmas. As he smiled and scrolled and clicked, he suddenly started, and quickly clicked the "back" button. He read the headline with misting eyes and a lump in his throat.

SERENDIPITOUS GIFT AIDS ANIMALS
"Just when animal shelters all over the world are reporting record adoptions, an anonymous benefactor steps forward to help put them out of business permanently.
'We are grateful that so many people are adopting dogs and cats, puppies and kittens, but we know that if they don't spay and neuter their pets, we'll soon be filled to overflowing again,' said one shelter official. 'There seems to be a whole new trend starting. Virtually everyone who has adopted today, has announced their intentions to spay and neuter their new pet, but we know many can't afford it. But now, it looks like there's even a solution for that problem. Who'd have expected someone to be so generous in the cause of Spay & Neuter?'

He was referring, of course, to the anonymous benefactor who has donated $60 MILLION toward the spaying and neutering of all household pets. The money will be managed by a trust, and will be divided among shelters, humane societies and rescue agencies for their work. An additional $10 MILLION is set aside toward education for pet owners, on subjects like spaying/neutering, and declawing, which we're told is undesirable. Whoever this benefactor is, he or she will soon have the gratitude of thousands of volunteers for the animals."

Sandy's grin almost split his face, as he typed in a secret code on his computer. The monitor shimmered, then zoomed in on a kitchen scene. There sat Amos Grumble at the table, feeding a very contented Mr. Peterson bits of liver patè from a can. Sandy saw Grumble's lips move, and turned up the speaker volume.

"When you've had enough patè, we're going to the shelter and see if they have enough food for the holiday. Then we'll pay a visit to my worthless bankers and see if they have those trust funds set up correctly. Then, my friend, you and I are going to get to know each other."

Sandy turned off his computer and gave a huge sigh of contentment. Another Christmas. Another year. Another millennium. He had seen his shares of miracles over the centuries, but this had been the best year yet.

Story ©Copyright 1999-2001 Franny Syufy.

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Bring In The Peacemakers
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This from AlterNet - Loren King, Boston Phoenix

The oldest question about global conflict is why can't we all just get along? But the second-oldest has to be what if women were in charge? Might women bring something to the peacemaking and -keeping table that men do not? The short answer is yes. Qualities universally perceived, often condescendingly, as women's strengths -- an ability to listen, share experiences, empathize with all sides of an issue, and compromise -- while useful in negotiations, are rarely seen in the almost exclusively male circles of international diplomacy, where a premium is placed on the ability to outsmart the person sitting across from you.

Read the rest of the story here http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=12089

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Nansindlela School, Ingwavuma
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Dear Maureen

Hi there. I was a most enthusiastic recipient of your weekly newsletter while I was overseas until December last year. My wife Tamsin and I lived and worked in Prague and London for 4 years altogether. As was always our intention, we have spent the past year doing a kind of voluntary community service at a small, rural school in far-northern Kwazulu-Natal called Nansindlela. Tamsin, being a teacher, has been teaching at the school and I, being a Chartered Accountant, have been managing the school's finances and helping the principal to develop the vision and strategy for the future of the school.

Nansindlela is quite a unique little shining light in the context of rural education in South Africa at the moment. I was hoping that I might be able to share our story with your readers in the hope that some might be moved to help us fulfil our vision to extend a hand of hope to this extremely poor and underdeveloped corner of our land. Here is a quick summary of who we are but for those who are interested in seeing photographs and getting a bit more detail our website address is included at the bottom of this mail.

Executive Summary

Nansindlela School is situated within the community of Ingwavuma, a remote mountainous area in Northern Kwazulu-Natal. Most of the Ingwavuma district's 100 000 inhabitants do not have access to electricity or piped water. Historically the area was a significant source of cheap labour for the mining industry with mine salaries then being the main source of income in the community. Unemployment in the area is now very high and job opportunities few. Poverty is widespread, particularly in the villages further away from Ingwavuma town.

Nansindlela School was founded in 1993 out of the vision of 3 women: a missionary, a doctor's wife and a high school teacher who, having recently arrived in the area soon discovered that the majority of her learners struggled to understand English. They therefore expressed a desire to start an English-medium primary school. The local community responded enthusiastically and so the school was born.

Since then the school has grown to 2 pre-school classes and instruction from grades 1 to 10 for 348 learners. It is housed in 11 classrooms that have been built entirely with private funding even though Nansindlela is a state school.

Parents welcomed the use of English as the medium of instruction as they feel that their children are disadvantaged in the matric (school-leaving) exams by having to cope with an English question paper and also because of the obvious benefits of fluency in a global language. Testimony to the standard of education provided at the school is the significant number of learners whose parents are principals of other local schools as well as the academic success achieved by past Nansindlela learners in urban schools.

One of the most significant contributors to Nansindlela's success over the years has been the involvement of highly qualified outsiders who have given up far more lucrative careers to support the vision of the school. As a result Nansindlela has become a centre of excellent education in the community of Ingwavuma. We believe it is now time to expand our vision and share this excellence with the wider community of schools by developing Nansindlela into a more effective model of and training centre for excellent rural education.

It is this wider vision that we wish to share with you as we seek out partners to join us on our journey to implement what we believe will become a hand of hope to this underdeveloped region of South Africa.

Our vision is best summarised as follows:

We have a dream... to develop a centre of excellence in a far flung and extremely underdeveloped corner of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, in a community:

• suffering from poverty and the effects of HIV/AIDS,
• where the social consequences of a migrant labour system have had a debilitating effect on family life,
• where schools are poorly resourced and classrooms overcrowded, and
• where a high percentage of educators themselves are underqualified and overwhelmed by the educational challenge that faces them.

But... we do not want to become an exclusive and elitist "ivory tower" in the bush.

We want to work in partnership with the Department of Education and other state schools in our area, as a model and centre of training and outreach to improve the standard of education in the wider school community.

In order to achieve this vision we intend to grow the size of our school and to expand on our previous practice of attracting outside highly qualified and experienced educators to come to Ingwavuma and facilitate the development of local educators. Many of the local educators have only experienced the 'Bantu Education' system themselves. It is to their credit that they managed to achieve the results that enabled them to pursue teaching as a career. Nevertheless many of them obtained their teaching diplomas via correspondence courses and have therefore never experienced teaching as it can and should be practised. We therefore believe that bringing external teachers to Ingwavuma that have grown up and trained within excellent training institutions can add significant value to the skills base amongst local teachers. We have seen this happen during the current year where the pre-school has been team taught by one external teacher and one local teacher plus 2 assistants. The development that the local teacher and assistants have displayed has been most noticeable and highly encouraging.

We are also looking to set up bi-monthly workshops at the school where teachers in other local schools can come to Nansindlela and receive supplementary training from the respective external teachers. One of the founders of the school is currently a READ trainer and co-ordinator and has expressed a keen interest to assist us in setting up this aspect of our vision.

Finally, we do not expect the transfer of knowledge and values to be in one direction only. We see our vision as a means of addressing the divides within our bi-polar society. We expect that external teachers will be changed by the experience and will eventually return to their sending schools able to educate their learners and fellow educators on the realities of life in rural South Africa.

Achieving our vision will obviously require a significant increase in outside funding. We are most grateful to those individuals and institutions that have supported our vision to date. It is our hope that you will be able to join these contributors in extending a hand of hope to this underdeveloped region of South Africa.

Maureen, I know this is quite a bit of information so if you would be so kind to publish it in your weekly newsletter then please feel free to edit it at your will.

Many thanks in anticipation and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely

Dave Irish
stilish@sai.co.za
+27 (0)35 591 0366
+27 (0)82 449 9253

Please visit our website at www.nansindlela.org

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52 Best Stories - I Knew You Would Come
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Herman and I locked our general store and dragged ourselves home. It was 11:00 p.m., Christmas Eve of 1949. We were dog tired. We had sold almost all of our toys; and all of the layaways, except one package, had been picked up.

Usually we kept the store open until everything had been claimed. We wouldn't have waken up happy on Christmas knowing that some child's gift was still on the layaway shelf. But the person who had put a dollar down on that package never returned.

Early Christmas morning we and our twelve-year-old son, Tom, opened gifts. But I'll tell you, there was something humdrum about this Christmas. Tom was growing up; I missed his childish exuberance of past years. As soon as breakfast was over Tom left to visit his friend next door. Herman mumbled,

"I'm going back to sleep. There's nothing left to stay up for."

So there I was alone, feeling let down. And then it began. A strange, persistent urge. It seemed to be telling me to go to the store. I looked at the sleet and icy sidewalk outside. That's crazy, I said to myself. I tried dismissing the urge, but it wouldn't leave me alone.

In fact, it was getting stronger. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer, and I got dressed. Outside, the wind cut right through me and the sleet stung my cheeks. I groped my way to the store, slipping and sliding. In front stood two boys, one about nine, and the other six. What in the world?

"See, I told you she would come!" the older boy said jubilantly. The younger one's face was wet with tears, but when he saw me, his sobbing stopped.

"What are you two doing out here?" I scolded, hurrying them into the store. "You should be at home on a day like this!"

They were poorly dressed. They had no hats or gloves, and their shoes barely held together. I rubbed their icy hands, and got them up close to the heater.

"We've been waiting for you," replied the older boy. "My little brother Jimmy didn't get any Christmas."

He touched Jimmy's shoulder. "We want to buy some skates. That's what he wants. We have these three dollars," he said, pulling the bills from his pocket.

I looked at the money. I looked at their expectant faces. And then I looked around the store. "I'm sorry," I said, "but we have no ... " then my eye caught sight of the layaway shelf with its lone package.

"Wait a minute," I told the boys.

I walked over, picked up the package, unwrapped it and, miracle of miracles, there was a pair of skates! Jimmy reached for them. Lord, let them be his size. And miracle added upon miracle, they were his size. The older boy presented the dollars to me.

"No," I told him, "I want you to have these skates, and I want you to use your money to get some gloves."

The boys just blinked at first. Then their eyes became like saucers, and their grins stretched wide when they understood I was giving them the skates.

What I saw in Jimmy's eyes was a blessing. It was pure joy, and it was beautiful. My spirits rose.

We walked out together, and as I locked the door, I turned to the older brother and said,

"How did you know I would come?"

I wasn't prepared for his reply. His gaze was steady, and he answered me softly.

"I asked Jesus to send you."

The tingles in my spine weren't from the cold. God had planned this. As we waved good-bye, I turned home to a brighter Christmas.

Written by Elizabeth King English

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One Man's Australia
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Reasons for treasons

Following last week's discovery that we still resolutely hang traitors in Australia, the next logical step was to try to find out how many we have so despatched.

It turns out that Australia has a poor record with traitors. We are definitely not up to world-beating standard. Either we do not produce many traitors or we cannot discover them.

What we do very well is produce world-class loonies and nutters and fanatics of every sort who have historically supported all manner of weird and wonderful causes round the world. Often this has been against Government policy.

But genuine traitors, who accord with the legal definition, have been few and far between. It appears unlikely that David Hicks, who was captured fighting with the Taliban recently will increase their number. In our whole history there have been only 4 attempts to bring treason charges and all failed.

The first was in 1808 when the Rum Rebellion was staged against Governor William Bligh (previously of HMS Bounty). Treason charges were laid but not proceeded with because the Colonial Office realised that he had learned nothing from the Bounty mutiny and appeared to be unaware that free settlers were not subject to the draconian naval discipline of the day.

The second was in 1854 over the Eureka Stockade where the gold miners rebelled against the taxes being levied by London. A substantial number of them had come across from America after the '49 gold rush in California. They brought with them the rallying cry of "No taxation without representation" and the miners declared independence. This was serious. The Brits promptly sent the military in to protect the taxation revenue and there was considerable loss of life.

In the event it transpired that the rebels had not sworn allegiance to a foreign power as charged, but to the Southern Cross. As a constellation did not constitute a foreign power in English law at that time (Dickens, not science fiction, was the reading matter of choice for the legislators) they were acquitted.

Not only were they acquitted. They became heroes in the public mind and a number of them became driving forces behind the creation of Australia.

The flag flown at Eureka was the Southern Cross on a blue background. It is the core of the Australian flag to this day. And to this day whenever citizens want to show the finger to Government they march behind the Eureka flag.

The third try to get treason to stick came in 1919 and was against the International Workers of the World, who were Bolsheviks. With typical Australian irreverence they were famously known as The Wobblies. The charges were not proceeded with because the case was too weak.

The most recent case was in 1946. Charles Cousins had, as a prisoner of war of the Japanese, broadcast on Radio Tokyo. A committal hearing was held which decided to go to trial but the prosecution felt that the evidence was too equivocal and the case was dropped.

But that does not mean that we have not had spectacular treason scandals that have gripped the imagination of the public. Usually the perpetrators have been free-range nuts.

We can be justly proud of our ability to produce world class eccentrics and loonies. Many a free-ranging delusion has originated amongst us. The politicians' reaction to the actions of deranged individuals has often been spectacularly hysterical.

An example is the attempted assassination in 1868 of Prince Alfred, Queen Victoria's second son, in Sydney. This was the first tour that any member of the Royal Family had made to the unruly land of convicts. He was shot but not killed by one Henry James O'Farrell.

Today he would have been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and certified unfit to stand trial. Then he was executed for his crime - in retrospect the only time that someone is known to have been executed in Australia for attempted murder. But royalty was Royalty in those days.

In police custody he briefly claimed to be a Fenian - the progenitors of the Sinn Fein and the IRA - and to have shot at the prince as part of a Fenian plot. The Fenians were the equivalents in the public mind of that time to Islamic terrorists today. It later transpired that O'Farrell was an Englishman, albeit of Irish extraction, and had nothing whatsoever to do with any Fenians. The plot had come out of the delusions of his own mind.

There was a huge anti-Irish backlash. Henry Parkes, known today as the Father of Federation, was certainly the father of sectarianism. Parkes labelled the Irish generally as "jabbering baboons and disruptive troublemakers".

The Protestant politicians in the Australian colonies went wild in their demonstrations of loyalty to the Crown. The NSW Legislature made it an act of treason not to make a toast to the Queen. Luckily this was seen in London as being over the top and was killed.

However it did become treason to toast the Pope and remained that way for some years.

Does this ring a bell at all in our recent Islamic controversies?

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Northern Lighties
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Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
Generally by the beginning of Christmas that particular song has begun to grate a bit.
However, for once the words to that Christmas song seem most prophetic. It's been playing on all the stations and seems to be the favourite comment on everyone's lips when they meet.
We have just set yet another record by having the highest recorded temperatures in December. For at least the last fifty years apparently, and maybe since they started to keep records for that matter. So mild has the weather been that for the first few weeks of December it felt more like a Highveld winter than the typical Canadian weather we have come to expect. Highs in the middle teens and the nighttime temperature going down to just above zero. Clear, crisp nights and sunny days! But….. No snow!
So given the Canadian delight in starting every conversation with a general moan about the weather we have of course been subjected to long diatribes as to why there is no snow and when we can expect it and how unfair it would be not to have a White Christmas. This tends to make a change from the normal moaning bitterly about the snow, with particular emphasis on shoveling and the snowplow operators, but at least it is different.
Then last weekend all that changed and we had a nice two inches dump. Suddenly everything was covered in a lovely icing sugar texture.
And then a funny thing happened.
It began to feel like Christmas at last. It was almost as if everyone was waiting for that snowfall to get into the spirit. Of course this included having a quick moan about the fact that we were only supposed to have had a centimeter, but what the heck, they even appeared happy about having snow to moan about again! The sudden shift into the holiday spirit was palpable. You could almost hear the sigh of relief as everyone realised that winter was at last upon us and we could get into the spirit of the season. Children of course added immensely to this feeling by "going bananas" and having all sorts of fun out in the storm. Snowball fights, making igloos and sledding down whatever available hill, incline and bump offered itself as a suitable slide.
To be honest the ages of the children tended to vary a little. For instance I can proudly report that this snowfall provided just the right texture for the perfect snowball. "Packing" snow I believe they call it. Normally the snow we get around here is powdery and doesn't pack nicely at all but this variety definitely had a little bit of mush to it, which allowed us to make decent balls. Even better was that until they actually hit someone, or thing, they kept their shape. Only on impact did they explode into powder again. Great fun!
Despite most of the snow having melted already there are still the remnants of an igloo gracing the front yard. People are back to talking about whether it will be a white Christmas but for a moment there that snowfall added hope and started the spirit a bit..
And so we move into the last weekend before Christmas. Unlike South Africa where many people are on holiday most people in North America work right up until Christmas Eve. This means a serious rush of last minute shopping taking place during this last week. Even the children go to school during this time and only have a break during the Christmas to New Year period. During which time there is fervent praying once again. This time for it not to snow. Children prefer it to snow during school.
Another interesting difference between South Africa and Canada is that during this period there are also many specials that crop up. I mean specials in the true sense of the word by the way. In many cases this is in the food departments but it certainly helps those people who have very little money at this time of the year. I was pleasantly surprised to notice that even Turkeys were marked down a bit this year. A two-litre bottle of generic cola went from 99c down to 59c at the local Food and Drug (buy your stash and some nosh for when you get the munchies!!).
When you think about it that is some discount. Now if only I could get the local LCBO to drop the price of wine I would be really happy.
I am looking forward to having the whole family in for Christmas lunch this year. Since we landed here at least one of us has had to work on Christmas Day, which has split up the unit a bit, but it looks as if this year we will have time to sit down and enjoy the repast together. This is, of course, conveniently overlooking the fact that I have two sons. At least one of whom will probably be staring starry eyed at some fair maiden, while the other will probably be smiling sweetly at various other dinners that he always gets asked too! Mind you both of them seem able to eat at home, eat elsewhere and then still come back and polish off the leftovers! No matter how big the turkey is it still seems to disappear at the same speed. Einstein would have had a few words to say on that I am sure.
In South Africa we did the normal Christmas thing and had a braai. There's something very relaxing about sitting in a pool, clutching a Windhoek and only getting out to turn over the "Stuk Steak" before it turns to charcoal. Carefully brushing off the krummel from the pap before you get back in. Or, more commonly, "fall" back in! All the while shouting at the kids that they had better eat their boerie rolls elsewhere. Anyone remember "Caddyshack"?
I can remember when I was a lightie that we did have a full Christmas dinner but, what with the heat and other factors, it soon made way to for a more appropriate style of dinner. Much more economical and less frustrating as well.
Up here in the Northern hemisphere though I look forward to having the traditional type of dinner. Turkey, ham, roast potatoes, and all the trimmings like fresh cranberry sauce. And a good bottle of proper Beaujolais as well! Or Merlot. Or both! In the cold it just seems to be the right way to do it! If it has been snowing there is something stimulating about the whole tableau as well. I suppose it is something to do with all those Hollywood movies we watched as children where it was always snowing in December and people sat down for dinner at tables groaning under all that food, while a blizzard raged outside.
OK! I admit that we don't really have a lot of food for dinner. That's more a matter of cash flow than anything else because, if I were able to, I would definitely go "the whole hog"! Well once at least.
For our first Christmas in Canada we scrimped and saved and bought what, in hindsight, must have been the smallest turkey to ever get caught. Or maybe it just died of old age. Boy did it taste nice though! Having lived on rice and pasta for a while, to have a decent meal was a real treat. It is the sort of memory that lasts a long time. This year things are tight again but, no matter what, we will sit down and enjoy a good meal together. One day, when my children are millionaires, we will look back on those times and laugh. To all the new immigrants here as well; so will you! Look forward to it!
Now I wonder if I could braai a turkey in the snow? Given enough wine I bet I could!

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All Cracked Up
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Nothing received this week.

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Ramblings Of A Francophobe
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The Bay Of Angels And The Fairest Cape

The concept of 'twinned cities' is not new, and anyone driving through Europe will be used to seeing those signs bearing three or four different national flags and stating with pride that the city about to be entered is 'twinned' with other cities, with often unpronounceable names, around Europe or the world.

I had never questioned the basis on which cities, towns, or villages are twinned until, having lived for some years in Cape Town, I returned there on holiday and noticed a sign proclaiming its 'twin city' status with Nice, the closest city to my new residence in France. I suppose that somewhere vaguely at the back of my mind I knew that the connection existed, but when I lived in Cape Town the chances of ending up on the Cote d'Azur seemed so remote that the train of thought was shunted into a siding and remained there until one day, sitting bleary eyed after a 14 hour flight from the depths of winter on one side of the world to mid-summer on the other, I began a mental balance sheet of the similarities and differences marking the twin cities of Cape Town and Nice.

Cape Town is a capital city, Nice merely a regional capital. South Africa, perhaps uniquely in the world, has three capitals. Cape Town, the seat of government, Pretoria, the legislative and administrative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital. Johannesburg, although the main commercial centre, and hub of transportation, is not a capital.

The area around Cape Town is one of the richest and most fertile of the African continent and here some of the world's finest wines, rivalling any that France produces, originate. The French introduced the method by which South African wines are made to this day, although the Dutch planted the first vines. (By the way, despite most beliefs, it was not the French who originated the culture of wine, it was the Phoenicians who introduced it to France.) Viticulture in the Cape has a relatively brief but interesting history. In 1656, Jan van Riebeeck planted the first vines in the Dutch East India Company Garden beneath one of the world's most spectacular natural landmarks, Table Mountain. In 1659 he wrote: " Today, praise be to the Lord, wine was made for the first time from Cape Grapes." Most of the cultivars are still known by their French names, and many farm and estate names, particularly around Franschhoek, are French. Vineyards have existed on the slopes of Table Mountain for almost 300 years, and some of the area's greatest wines come from wineries situated only 20 km. from the city centre, in the exclusive suburb of Constantia.

In 1688, the Huguenots, religious refugees (or outcasts, depending on point of view) from France, settled in the Groot Drakenstein area, which is now the hinterland of a village called Franschhoek (French Corner), with a fascinating museum, dedicated to their memory, and a graceful memorial garden, with a monument, ornamental fountains, and graveyard. The setting is a beautiful and tranquil valley, an hour's drive from Cape Town. The first part of the drive takes you out of Cape Town round the lower slopes of Table Mountain, passing the famous Groote Schuur Hospital (where heart transplantation techniques were pioneered by Dr. Christiaan Barnard), then past some of South Africa's most depressing and squalid slums and squatter camps near the airport. After this, the bleak Cape Flats surrender to the Hottentots Holland mountains, and Franschhoek is quickly reached via two splendid mountain passes, on roads which are well maintained and engineered - a great contrast to the disgraceful condition of many roads inland from Nice.

Cape Town is also a coastal city, situated on a natural harbour, Table Bay, sheltered from the Atlantic by the Cape Peninsula. Cape Town used to be one of the world's major ports, with passenger and cargo liners from the four corners of the globe regularly calling. Although air travel has deprived Table Bay of much of its passenger traffic, it is still an important centre for marine engineering and ship chandling, and has the largest dry dock in the Southern hemisphere. There is an incorrect, but romantic, belief that the Southern tip of the Cape Peninsula is the most southerly point of Africa and the divide between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact this honour correctly belongs to Cape Agulhas (the Cape of Eels, named by the Portuguese) some 100 km. east of Cape Town. Cape Town also derives shelter from Table Mountain, upon whose slopes the city is encroaching. From the top of Table Mountain, reached in 6 breathtaking minutes by cableway or a couple of hours' hike for the fit, the magnificence of the area can be seen and admired, and it is easy to see why Sir Francis Drake considered this 'the fairest Cape in the circumference of the Earth', with its miles of beaches rivalling the 'Baie des Anges.' At this point, a quotation about Angels would be appropriate - unfortunately the only one which comes to mind ( "... scenes so beautiful that flights of angels must have gazed upon them...") refers to the Victoria Falls, some 1000 miles north of Cape Town, and was penned by another great African explorer, Sir David Livingstone.

Although the descendants of the original French settlers have for generations been totally assimilated into South African, essentially Afrikaans, society, and have lost their identity, many relics remain. Many Afrikaans names are of French origin, and at least on paper are recognisably so. Names such as Du Toit, De Villiers, Du Pre, and De La Buschagne, are common, although Afrikaans pronunciation renders them unrecognisable to French ears.

Much of the coastal scenery in and around the Cape Peninsula is similar to that of the Alpes Maritimes coast, particularly the drive from Nice along the Basse Corniche to Monte Carlo, which recalls the coastal road from Cape Town through Camps Bay and Clifton to Hout Bay. There are mountains as close to Cape Town as to Nice, although they are not as high and snow is rare even on the highest peaks.

Finally, although the seasons are reversed, Southern Africa's winter being the summer in Europe, Cape Town has a so-called Mediterranean climate. The Nicois, however, can consider themselves lucky to be spared the curse of the Cape Town summer, a strong South Easterly wind known charitably as the Cape Doctor, because it blows away the dirty air. Unfortunately, as it howls and rages for days on end, it also blows people off their feet, ripping doors from their hinges and sending loose objects hurtling on a trail of destruction. This does nothing to deter holiday-makers from the inland cities of the Transvaal from enjoying their annual vacations on the Cape's beautiful beaches, in the same way as the sun-starved people of Northern Europe descend on the Cote D'Azur in summer.

I wish you all an enjoyable Christmas, wherever you may be reading this. As you partake of your Christmas cheer, whether in the cold of Canada, the dark and grey of Northern Europe, or the warmth and sun of the Southern Hemisphere, think of all those less fortunate than ourselves, that they may also one day enjoy Christmas as we do.

With best wishes
Mike
michaelrpreston@hotmail.com

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London Bridge to SA
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Nothing received this week.

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DollarMakers
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Is the Falling Rand Good?

What's good about a weak SA Rand? Yes, it's plummeting and will continue to do so. But that can be good news for you if you're stuck in SA and want to turn scars into stars. Export. You've heard about it and you have probably thought it's out of your reach, but it's not. And if you're out of SA you can still do it if you have the contacts. This is good news for some. Also, if you can get your money out of SA, it will grow exponentially against the falling Rand if it's in US$, even if you're not earning any interest on it. Most smart people in North America are starting to realize that SA is not a wise tourism destination anymore, so avoid that one.
Where to start? If you have a high quality, uncomplicated product that you can supply easily, and if it is unique and very competitive, you have a chance. The United States and Canada have nearly 330 million people, not counting Mexico. And US$. You need solid and ethical business partners with the right contacts in North America and some money for marketing. It's quite possible. Avoid food, drugs and animal products. Light weight and hard to copy products are best. No ethnic.
Think about it. You may just make enough money to emigrate and save your life.

Robin J. Elliott
Elliott Enterprises Inc.
www.clubachieve.com

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Azorean Boertjie
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Ray will be back in the new year.

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Amuzine
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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...

Featured Site TOP

Send in any (preferably non-business) SA related sites you have seen.

Here is a selection of Christmas sites:

Silent Night
Site devoted to the Christmas song Silent Night.
http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/museum/59/

Norad Santa
Welcome to the Annual NORAD Tracks Santa Claus Web site. Track Santa... see how he's doing!
http://www.noradsanta.org

Claus.com
Award winning Santa Claus site for parents and kids.
http://www.claus.com

North Pole for Kids
The North Pole is where Christmas begins - Where the Spirit of Christmas Begins and the Christmas Magic never ends!
http://www.northpole4kids.com

North.Pole.Org
North.Pole.Org went on-line in 1993 as an e-mail "write to Santa" service. Since then it has gone through various permutations. The current version was part of the CD-ROM for the book A World's Fair for the Global Village.
http://north.pole.org/

Christmas.com
Christmas.com is here to help you share your personal Christmas experience with family, friends, co-workers and others world-wide
http://www.christmas.com

Christmas Time.com
A comprehensive site with music, poetry, recipes and more...
http://www.christmas-time.com

Christmas Recipe.com
An informative recipe site in the USA.
http://www.christmasrecipe.com

A Vegetarian Festive Feast
Lots of great veggie and vegan recipes for those wanting English recipes.
http://www.vegsoc.org/news/1999/xmas/
http://www.vegsoc.org/news/2001/xmas/index.html

The Legal beagle TOP

Our Legal Beagles are available for all your relevant queries... please continue to send in any queries you have for them and we will get them answered for you free of charge!

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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Travel Beagles - South Africa and Europe
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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.

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Legal Beagle - USA
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Hi
I would like to know the following. I am a permanent resident in Canada for one year now although have been here for 5 years now before was on a workpermit... children on student authorisations. It was a company transfer from South Africa to Canada. Now I am in the process of having to move to USA tell me which way to do this as the company is transferring me again. Should I go with a work visa and how about the kids one is in grade6 another in grade13 whom would be going onto college and the third is at university. My wife is at home... in regards to schooling we would also like the kids and my wife to be able to work... so that is why I am trying to find the best way to this.

Hope you can help and also put me onto somebody to be able to assist me in obtaining the necessary information in order to do this quickly as possible.
Thank you

If you do come to the US to work, you must get a working visa, particularly if you will be paid out of the US. If you are being transferred by the South African/Canadian company, an L intracompany transfer visa is probably the most appropriate. If the job requires a bachelor's degree in a specialised field and you have an equivalent degree, you might consider an H-1B visa. Generally, these visas do not allow the spouse to work. The spouse will have to apply based on her own qualifications, usually at the level of a bachelor's degree. If you are transferred on an L-visa, your children will be able to attend public school until matric. At some point, the children might need independent student visas (F-1). If you wish to pursue any of this further, you will need to contact me at 617-965-9900. I will be away until January 2, 2002.
Regards.
Paul Shane

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Legal Beagle - Canada
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Do you have any contacts that can help me get into Canada? Not immigration lawyers - they're a dime a dozen. South Africans in Canada who either are prepared to help job offer-wise or South Africans who make a living helping fellow south Africans to get in. Preferably I would like to go to the west coast, however anywhere would do. I'm a white 37 year old. No criminal record. Am in the advertising world and have been an Art Director for the past 14 years with experience in both Television and print.

I'm desperate to get out of South Africa - I am married with two small children that I am responsible to and no longer feel safe here. For their sake I must get them out.

Regards Nick

Dear Nick

Compared to other countries, it's relatively easy to get into Canada, especially at your tender age.

I admire your wisdom and courage in getting out of SA - actually it's a responsibility to your children to save their lives and their futures, as well as your own. It's easier to get into Canada than you may think. And if you are passionate enough about it, nothing can stop you.

I will refer you to Anna Zibarras who is an honest woman and highly skilled in helping people to get into Canada. She will be in contact with you. She is ex SA, living in Vancouver, the best place to live in Canada.

Just one important note: your chances of getting a job here before you arrive, even if you come on a short visit, are less than zero. Don't go that route. Emigrate like everyone else and make a new life when you get here. Many people spend a lot of money coming here in the hopes of getting a job, and it doesn't work like that. Get your money out of SA, ASAP, by all means, before the Rand hits Ten Rand to the CD$, which it WILL. In 1994, when the US$ was three Rand fifty, I predicted that it would go to ten Rand for a US$. I was accused of being pessimistic. Today it's over eleven Rand. My advice to my own family still in SA: "Get all your money out right now. Cash in all pension funds."

My best wishes and I encourage you not to give up until you land in Canada. I look forward to meeting you. E mail me if you have more questions.

Robin J. Elliott

Nothing for the other Legal Beagles this week - so keep sending in your queries for them (UK, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai, Europe, Canada as well as the USA and South Africa) to answer free of charge!

Help Desk Question/s of the Week TOP

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.

During 1944, when I was a Royal Marine aboard HMS Renown memories flooded back when we sailed up towards Durban dockyard on a grey November morning, and there on the jetty stood the Lady in White with her loudspeaker singing 'patriotic' songs off welcome to our ship. This memory remains vivid and indelible within me, as does some of the wonderful hospitality received and the many friends I made during the (8 months?) HMS Renown was in Durban dockyard.

Should any member residing in Durban remember those days, I would be delighted to receive a message.
Thanking you!

Walter Sharpe
pownie@freeserve.co.uk

Help Desk Question/s of the Week - Personal Ads TOP

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'.

+--SAW advertisement--------------------------------------------------+
|
| Do you have a business geared to South Africans?
| Have a great service to tell them about?
|
| We can help you put your message across to over 15 000 South African families!
|
| Contact SAW for more details regarding advertising in SAWmail
| or on the SAW Web site!
|
| saw@thos.co.za or http://www.saw.co.za
|
+--SAW advertisement--------------------------------------------------+

[You could be here - and reaching over 5020 (and growing each week) SAWs!
Contact us for details.]

Where are they now? TOP

Could any of your members please contact me at info@pelmama.org should they know the present address of or maybe have news about the South African artist BERRELL Elizabeth JENSEN ?

Berrell exhibited many times during the 60's and 70's and completed a lot of public commissions in Johannesburg. She then left for the UK and lived at various times in London, Belfast, Bristol, Bath.

Her children are Michael Robin Jensen, Sandra Anne Jensen, Ann Margaret Jensen - maybe somebody knows them and could give me their address.

I tried in vain searching the Internet. I have some interesting news for her.

Thanks for your help.

Fernand F. Haenggi
http://www.pelmama.org
http://www.sithole.com

----------------

Please help me to find the following people

NICODIMUS MONGOAI IN ENGLAND.
mongoai@yahoo.co.uk

South Africa-Town Pietersburg Northern Province
Daisy mongoai -Lebowakgomo
David Molokomme-Seshego
Xolile Hlungwane -Pietersburg
Ramaru -Lebowakgomo
David Makgoka
Kibby-Lebowakgomo
Sara Jane Williams-Pietersburg
Harry Mabotja-Seshego
Mpitla-Pietersburg
Granny Mphatlhele-Lebowakgomo
Berlinda Molewa-Far North in Nkoankoa.

-----------

My name is Noel Stahle. I read your weekly email b/c I studied in SA for a yr, and learned to love that country. Since I returned home, however, I have lost contact with various friends, and now am trying to reconnect, but am not succeeding very well at finding them. Do you know of various search engines that would help me locate them via phone numbers or email address, etc. I assume this is a simply process, but I am failing, in any case.

Main person I am looking for is Isaac Swartzberg, Pretoria. Secondarily, Alan Louw, also of Pretoria. Phone numbers or email address would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Noel
Noel C. Stahle stahle@simpson.edu

--------------

Hi Maureen,

I wonder if you could put this request on your board for me. I am looking for a friend of mine that I lost contact with quite a few years ago. Her name is Elza Bates, I don't know her married name. She had 2 younger sisters, Thelma and I think the youngest one was Irene. They used to live in Durban their dad was in the SA Police. She moved away and got married last time I heard she was living in a little town north of Johannesburg, if I remember correctly the town was called Rooibult, but she was moving and said she would let me know her new address, well around that time we also moved and I lost contact with her. If anyone knows where she is or what happened to her could they please let me know.

Wishing you and your family a very festive holiday season and a prosperous 2002.

Thank you
Andrie Labuschagne [nee Brill]
snowgoose-al@shaw.ca

------------------

Hi there,

I'm looking for a family by the name of ARKELL. They lived in the Durban area until sometime in early 2001, where they were in the printing business. The last I heard, they were moving to Canada and were looking at settling in Calgary (Alberta) or Victoria (British Columbia). Rob, Joey, Dean, Terrance or Garth ARKELL please contact Anne Lehmkuhl at boereworsxpress@yahoo.com

Also looking for Vivion Dudley SMITH (manager, was living in Brackendown Ext. 5, Alberton, in 1989) and Roland Edgar SMITH (building inspector, was living in
Yeoville in late 1989). Please contact Anne Lehmkuhl at boereworsxpress@yahoo.com

----------------

I met a family during 1944, when in the navy. The family named Snell, invited me and a friend into their holiday home, which I believe, was on the coast, (12 miles?) further along from Durban. I am not quite sure if I have got the name right, I believe it was called Winkle-Spruite. The family home was in Pietermaritzburg. I do remember there were some sisters, one whose name was Daphne, I think she was the youngest of the family. When my ship left Durban, she used to correspond with me, but when the war finished, I lost contact with her. I often wonder if any of the family survives today, and if any of your members may know something of this family. If they should, would they kindly contact me by E-mail.

Walter Sharpe
pownie@freeserve.co.uk

Club and Other News TOP

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!

No news this week.

What We're Up To TOP

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
http://www.saw.co.za and there you will see the 'subscribe to SAWmail' box. So...
Tell your friends where to go!

Humour TOP

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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Thou Shalt Not Skim Flavour From the Holidays
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Another one I found from last year's Christmas edition...

Sent in by Gee...

by Craig Wilson (USA Today columnist)

I hate this time of year. Not for its crass commercialism and forced frivolity, but because it's the season when the food police come out with their wagging fingers and annual tips on how to get through the holidays without gaining 10 pounds.

You can't pick up a magazine without finding a list of holiday do's and don'ts. Eliminate second helpings, high calorie sauces and cookies made with butter, they say. Fill up on vegetable sticks, they say.

Good grief. Is your favourite childhood memory of Christmas a carrot stick? I don't think so. Isn't mine, either. A carrot was something you left for Rudolph. I have my own list of tips for holiday eating. I assure you, if you follow them, you'll be fat and happy. So what if you don't make if to New Year's? Your pants don't fit anymore, anyway.

1. About those carrot sticks. Avoid them. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt Scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt Scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnogaholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with Gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello? Remember college?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between Christmas and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the centre of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. You can't leave them behind. You're not going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labour Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. And one final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips. Start over.

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Golf...
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This from Clive Lewis cliveyboy@yahoo.com

A priest, a doctor, and a lawyer were waiting one morning on a particularly slow group of golfers. "What's wrong with these guys?" fumed the lawyer. "We must have been waiting for 15 minutes!"

"I don't know," said the doctor, "but I've never seen such ineptitude!"

"Here comes the greenskeeper," said the priest. "Let's have a word with him. Say, George, what's with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"

"Oh, yes," said George, "That's the group of blind firefighters. They lost their sight while saving our club last year. We let them play here anytime free of charge!"

Everyone was silent for a moment.

Then the priest said, "That's so sad, I think I'll say a prayer for them tonight."

"And I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist buddy and see if there is anything he can do for them," the doctor added.

"Why can't these guys play at night?" asked the lawyer.

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Sumthin' Ta Think About
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This from Errol and Melanie Rink rink@alphalink.com.au

• Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards. NAIVE
• Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant like making a peeing section in a swimming pool?
• OK... so if the Jacksonville Jaguars are known as the "Jags" and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are known as the "Bucs", what does that make the Tennessee Titans?
• If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhoea... does that mean that one enjoys it?
• There are three religious truths:
• Jews do not recognise Jesus as the Messiah.
• Protestants do not recognise the Pope as the leader of the Christian faith.
• Baptists do not recognise each other in the liquor store or at Hooters.
• If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes?
• Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?
• If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
• Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
• Why do croutons come in airtight packages? Aren't they just stale bread to begin with?
• Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist but a person who drives a race car not called a racist?
• If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP?
• What hair colour do they put on the driver's licenses of bald men?
• I thought about how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use? Toothpicks?
• If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?
• You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive

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Eve and The Truth
----------------------------------------------------------------------

More from Errol

One day in the Garden of Eden, Eve calls out to God.

"Lord, I have a problem!"

"What's the problem, Eve?"

"Lord, I know you, created me and provided this beautiful garden and all of these wonderful animals and that hilarious comedic snake, but I'm just not happy."

"Why is that, Eve?" came the reply from above.

"Lord, I am lonely, and I'm sick to death of apples."

"Well, Eve, in that case, I have a solution. I shall create a man for you."

"What's a man, Lord?"

"This man will be a flawed creature, with many bad traits. He'll lie, cheat, and be vain; all in all, he'll give you a hard time. But he'll be bigger, faster, and will like to hunt and kill things. He will look silly when he's aroused, but since you've been complaining, I'll create him in such a way that he will satisfy your physical needs.

He will be witless and will revel in childish things like fighting and kicking a ball about. He won't be too smart, so he'll also need your advice to think properly."

"Sounds great." says Eve, with an ironically raised eyebrow. What's the catch, Lord?"

"Well ... you can have him on one condition."

"What's that, Lord?"

"As I said, he'll be proud, arrogant, and self-admiring... So you'll have to let him believe that I made him first.
Just remember, it's our little secret... You know, woman to woman."

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Happy Christmas in legalise
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Even more from Errol!

All I wanted to say was "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year"... I ran it past the Legal Dept as per procedure and this is what came back...

From us ("the wishor") to you ("the wishee")

Please accept without obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, politically correct, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all .We wish you a financially successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2002, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or sects, and having regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting this greeting you are bound by these terms that:-

This greeting is subject to further clarification or withdrawal

This greeting is freely transferable provided that no alteration shall be made to the original greeting and that the proprietary rights of the wishor are acknowledged.

This greeting implies no promise by the wishor to actually implement any of the wishes.

This greeting may not be enforceable in certain jurisdictions and/or the restrictions herein may not be binding upon certain wishees in certain jurisdictions and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wishor.

This greeting is warranted to perform as reasonably may be expected within the usual application of good tidings, for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first.

The wishor warrants this greeting only for the limited replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wishor.

Any references in this greeting to "the Lord", "Father Christmas", "Our Saviour", "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer" or any other festive figures, whether actual or fictitious, dead or alive, shall not imply any endorsement by or from them in respect of this greeting, and all proprietary rights in any referenced third party names and images are hereby acknowledged.

This greeting is made under English Law.

Recipes TOP

Bryanna Grogan is a celebrated vegan cookery author... and she freely shares her recipes so I am publishing this one for you - perhaps you would like to make it for a special meal dessert?

Bryanna's Vegan "Buttered" Rum Cheezecake

One 9-10" Cheesecake

Crumb Crust:
1 c. dried or toasted breadcrumbs
3 T. brown sugar
2 t. melted Earth Balance (this is a vegan margarine)

Filling:
2 (12.3 oz.) boxes extra-firm SILKEN tofu
2/3 c. raw cashew pieces, ground finely in a mini-chopper or coffee/spice mill
3/4 c. light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
6 T. rum OR 1 T. rum extract plus 5 T. white grape juice or apple juice
3 T. lemon juice
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt

Butterscotch Sauce:
2/3 c. corn syrup or brown rice syrup
1 and 1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. Earth Balance
1/4 tsp. Salt
2/3 c. rich soymilk or Silk organic soy creamer
1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Toppings:
Tofu Whipped Creme (optional- recipe below)
1/2 c. raisins plumped in 2 T. rum OR 1 tsp. Rum extract plus 2 T. white grape juice or apple juice (optional)
toasted pecan halves
2 ripe broiled bananas (peel, cut in half lengthwise, sprinkle with brown sugar and broil until sugar is bubbly) (optional)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the breadcrumbs with the brown sugar and melted Earth Balance and press onto the bottom of a lightly-oiled 10" round cake pan or 9" springform pan.

Place the filling ingredients (make sure that the cashews are ground as directed) in a food processor or blender and blend until VERY smooth (be patient). Pour into the crust. Bake 60 minutes, or until the filling is set and slightly cracked around the edges. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate for about four hours before serving.
To make the sauce, bring the syrup, brown sugar, Earth Balance and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan and boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the consistency of heavy syrup.
Remove from heat and cool a bit. Heat the soymilk or creamer just until warm. Whisk into the syrup along with vanilla. If you like, add the plumped raisins to the sauce.
To serve, top each serving of cheezecake with some of the sauce and sprinkle with toasted pecans. If you like, top the cake with the broiled bananas, cut into slices, before topping with the sauce. Serve with or without the whipped topping.

Bryanna's Good Tofu Whipped Crème Makes About 1 And 3/4 C.

NOTE: I decided to try this with melted Earth Balance and it was yummy!
This is so simple and good! Be sure to let it refrigerate for AT LEAST four hours before serving, so that it "sets up" nicely. This is like a softly-whipped cream and doesn't separate!

NOTE ON TOFU: The measurement for the tofu was determined by the size (actually, 300 g) that soft tub tofu comes in in my area. DO NOT use silken tofu for this recipe. Use the freshest available soft tub tofu (and be careful that it's not "dessert" tofu, which has sugar added).
1 and 1/3 c. soft tub tofu [in plastic tub]
1/4 c. melted Earth Balance OR 2 T. oil and 2 T. melted Earth Balance
3 T. light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
OR maple syrup (this will make it a little softer)
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
pinch salt
Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for several minutes, or until VERY smooth and fluffy. Scrape into a small bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate for AT LEAST four hours before serving. This will keep for several days refrigerated.

Weekly Sport Roundup TOP

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Delport's future still undecided
======================================================================
Clubs in England and Europe have already shown interest in the availability of Thinus Delport, Springbok fullback of the Lions, to play for them from the middle of next year.
http://www.news24.co.za/News24/Sport/Rugby/0,1231,2-9-838_1124250,00.html

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News24's athlete of the year
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Although women's athletics has taken a slump in South Africa in recent years top honours as South Africa's leading athlete of 2001 goes to Hestrie Cloete.
http://www.news24.co.za/News24/Sport/Athletics/0,1231,2-9-28_1122607,00.html

======================================================================
Lewis-Tyson bout to be finalised
======================================================================
Negotiations for the heavyweight showdown between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson are making progress, both camps have said, but they are not yet close to an agreement.
http://www.news24.co.za/News24/Sport/Boxing/0,1231,2-9-1008_1124378,00.html

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.
Maureen

Subscribing & Unsubscribing TOP