Phuthu Stay Phut, Don't go!

Latest News: A volcano beneath Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier began erupting on 14^th April 2010 for the second time in less than a month, triggering floods and shooting smoke and steam kilometres into the air. Flights in and out of Britain and many other European Airports including some of our own SAA Flights were disrupted on Thursday 15^th after a cloud of volcanic ash started drifting across Northern European Airspace.

The 14^th April 2010 earthquake struck China’s western Qinghai, rating a magnitude of 6.9 on the moment magnitude scale and was followed by several aftershocks.

The 27^th February  2010 Chilean earthquake occurred off the coast of the Maule Region of Chile on February 27, 2010, at 03:34 local time, rating a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale and lasting 90 seconds.

The 12^th January 2010 Haiti earthquake was a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.

Ok is it just me or does there seem to be a global increase in environmental disasters lately? Now I have always been a positive person and have always taken the sensationalist “End of the World” rantings of extreme doomsday prophets with a pinch of salt. The general consensus amongst these individuals is that the end of the world is coming and it’s coming soon, they even have a date, 21^st Dec 2012 @ 12:00am. To some people this means a positive, spiritual change. Others consider this as a catastrophic event such as a geomagnetic reversal, asteroid strike, supernova or something more intimate, like a flu pandemic, or a nuclear war.

Looking at the latest stats and the current condition that our own country is in, I‘m starting to sit down and take note of the seriousness of the situation. The Earth is ‘pissed off’-excuse the expression- and if people don’t start changing their lifestyles drastically and soon, I believe that Mother E will do it for us.

What is your take on the situation?

References: News24, Wikipedia

I came across an uplifting piece of material while browsing the net. With all the Malema-, ET- and BBC journo-news, this was refreshing and much needed. As I read this, I took a deep breath and allowed the positive vibes to embrace me.

Okay, enough drama.

Fifteen radio stations agreed to broadcast only local (85%) and African (15%) music during the 2010 Soccer World Cup. How awesome is that! Not only is this great exposure for local performers but us South Africans will actually get to hear what this country has to offer. It’s about time they let go of all the I want to break free’s and Private Dancer’s and fill our ears with some home-grown tunes. Yeah, baby. That’s what I’m talking about.

“Three commercial radio stations would continue playing a mix of local and international music”. Whateva.

If (African) music be the food of love, play on.

Reference: SA Good News

A friend sent me these images a few days back and I really wanted to share them with you straight away but unfortunately I had to wait for the nausea to subside before looking at them again. It subsided but now it’s back. Bwaaaaa!

The things I do for you…

This looks like a big mother of a hungry snake eating what must have been a seriously tasty Legavaan. Reptile eat reptile!

I tried not to look too closely. What snake is it?

Ew.

Eww.

Ewww.

Ewwww.

Ewwwww.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! Glad that’s OVER!

It doesn’t matter how passionately I love this country, I’ve come to learn (quite recently, that is) never to say never.  My question to you: If you reach a place of “enough is enough” in this country:

1. Where would you go?
2. What three (3 only) things would you miss the most (besides friends and family)?

Elzet

I’ll go somewhere where the culture shock won’t be too harsh on my sensitive African soul, so I’ll do some research on places close by like Namibia, Botswana or Mozambique, I guess. What I’ll miss most? Virgin Active, Woolies and the familiarity of all things South African (the way we do things, the way we talk, our history, my roots etc.).

But for now I dig my heels in very deep; it will take a lot to make me leave. I am South African Woman, hear me roar.

Kerry

I am very fortunate in that my soon-to-be husband and I have many options if the proverbial s#&%t had to hit the fan in this country, I have family in the UK, he has family in the UK and access to New Zealand and Australia if needs be, but this option is definitely not ideal. Our biggest problem would be our dogs, so our third option and possibly most desirable option is immigrating to another more stable African country like Mozambique, wait for the crap to die down and hopefully get the opportunity to come back again and rebuild our lives [nice one, Kerry].

• I would miss my home the most, from its most perfect shower to the most gorgeous view and all that’s in between.
• I would miss the modern conveniences like shopping centres and tarred roads, but not that much.
• I would miss being able to say that I live in South Africa, it’s got a good ring don’t you think?

Louise

You must know that I was chased around the house, pinned down on the lawn and bribed with supplies of fresh Easter eggs in order to give an answer to today’s question.

What can I say. I had to answer. I was hungry.

I honestly believe in never saying “never” so I can’t say I would never leave South Africa although at this moment in time I couldn’t imagine my life anywhere else.

If we were close to walking the plank and had to swivel a plastic globe, I’m guessing my finger would conveniently land in Africa – Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Morocco or Kenya. As long as Africa gets to remain in my circulation, I’m happy. And if the situation really deteriorated that badly, I would assume friends and family would also swivel the globe and seek greener pastures. My only hope would be that we’d all move to the same place and embark on a new adventure together.

I would obviously miss the familiarity of things, the diverse landscapes and the lifestyle here in SA. But hey, if you’re in a new place, new things become familiar, you get to discover new landscapes and enjoy a different lifestyle.

Things happen exactly how they are supposed to happen…

It doesn’t hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to time. This little test should help you get started.

During a visit to a mental asylum, a visitor asked the Director what the criteria is that defines if a patient should be institutionalised.

“Well,” said the Director, “we fill up a bathtub. Then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup, and a bucket to the patient and ask the patient to empty the bathtub.”

Okay, here’s your test:

1. Would you use the spoon?
2. Would you use the teacup?
3. Would you use the bucket?

Please substantiate your answer, so we can get a better feel on the workings of you brain.

“You can go out. Rubbish is what you have covered in that trouser – that is the rubbish. That which you have covered in [your] clothes is rubbish, okay? You are a small boy, you can’t do anything. Go out, bastard! Go out! You bloody agent!”

WHAT…………………?

This is one of the many laughable comments made by our very own ANCYL President Julius-I don’t think before I speak- Malema, to a noticeably incredulous journalist from the BBC.

Malema invited journalists to the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters, in Johannesburg, to give them some insight to his momentous experience with Robert Mugabe in his recent visit to Zimbabwe, he is under the misguided perception that South Africa needs to follow in Zimbabwe’s footsteps in nationalisation and land redistribution programmes. He is also a firm believer that Zimbabwe is a shining example on the successes of BEEEEEEEEE………..no comment.

It seems that Julie was not content with leaving things there. After he unceremoniously booted the BBC journalist out onto the street for challenging the hypocritical statements made by Malemetjie about the Zimbabwean opposition party, the MDC, he continued with his tirade, spouting words of absolute genius that would make William Shakespeare proud-

“You don’t howl here, especially when we speak, and you behave like you are in an American press conference? This is not America, it’s Africa,” well done Jules I’m glad you were able to ascertain that much, apart from woodwork, Geography must have been your second strongest subject in your final year of grade 2.

Jokes aside, I feel that this man has gone too far, you cannot verbally abuse a person representing a media giant such as the likes of the BBC and you can’t just chuck a person out for doing his job and asking relevant questions, what does this say about our country and its leaders? This little incident will bring on the full wrath of the international media which will in turn draw even more attention to the ANCYL and the ANC’s inadequacies.

Can anyone say ‘laughing stock’?

By: Kerry