Thursday, 31 January 2008
The good, the bad, and the fucked
Well now, that's an appropriate heading to start this post.
I don't have anything to say. At least not coherent. I feel sick.
I am sick, i think. Depressed, and all that other psycho babble.
At what point is it ok to give up? I guess the official answer is never, but fuck them. Official answers are always provided by smiling people who are far too clean.
I have come to beleive that life is not worth the living. For anyone. The fact that we keep it up i think is because of the VAST amount of bullshit we feed each other.
On the eve of losing everything, including freedom, people still maintain it can't get any worse, oh chin up silver lining, and all that over-optimistic crap. Tell yourself that and you may even believe it .... don't mean it's true :/
Oh, and if you ever tell someone it can't get worse, go die you retarded moron. It can. It does. The only reason you never hear about it is because once it has, the people it's happened to aren't writing million dollar bestsellers about it. They just die somewhere you never heard of.
I got this dilemma. I need a lawyer. Lawyer costs lots of money. So i need to seel the car. But i need to fix the car first. Which takes money. So i either fix the car, and hope to sell it for lawyer money, or leave the car and spend the money on the lawyer. Car needs fixing either way, just haven't got there yet.
I have a bike too. Honda CB400 i paid R20000 for. Also broken, won't take much money to fix, just time. But fuck, at this point i can't give it away. Everyone's like: Oh what a lovely bike!!! Oh, wanna buy it? No thanks i couldn't .... *sigh*
I think i need a gun. People with guns don't have problems getting money. Neither do lawyers, but a gun won't shoot you in the back.
I don't have anything to say. At least not coherent. I feel sick.
I am sick, i think. Depressed, and all that other psycho babble.
At what point is it ok to give up? I guess the official answer is never, but fuck them. Official answers are always provided by smiling people who are far too clean.
I have come to beleive that life is not worth the living. For anyone. The fact that we keep it up i think is because of the VAST amount of bullshit we feed each other.
On the eve of losing everything, including freedom, people still maintain it can't get any worse, oh chin up silver lining, and all that over-optimistic crap. Tell yourself that and you may even believe it .... don't mean it's true :/
Oh, and if you ever tell someone it can't get worse, go die you retarded moron. It can. It does. The only reason you never hear about it is because once it has, the people it's happened to aren't writing million dollar bestsellers about it. They just die somewhere you never heard of.
I got this dilemma. I need a lawyer. Lawyer costs lots of money. So i need to seel the car. But i need to fix the car first. Which takes money. So i either fix the car, and hope to sell it for lawyer money, or leave the car and spend the money on the lawyer. Car needs fixing either way, just haven't got there yet.
I have a bike too. Honda CB400 i paid R20000 for. Also broken, won't take much money to fix, just time. But fuck, at this point i can't give it away. Everyone's like: Oh what a lovely bike!!! Oh, wanna buy it? No thanks i couldn't .... *sigh*
I think i need a gun. People with guns don't have problems getting money. Neither do lawyers, but a gun won't shoot you in the back.
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
My wife
A few days ago i was reading the media and found 2 stories.
In one, some kids had played with the controls of an onlocked bakkie, released the handbrake and it rolled forward, killing a schoolgirl. In the second story, 2 girls had died on their first day of school, when they went to the toilets, and they collapsed on them, drowning them in an open sewer.
I think the second story is worse, both from the tragedy perspective, and the fact that people could and should be held liable.
The first story got picked up by the media, the second vanished.
Well the media have our story, and so things shall go as they will. I don't know if it is good or bad, but any publicity is good, i'm told.
2 crimes were committed, 1 at the licensing dept, in which my wife has been implicated, the second is at FLORIDA SAPS (may they all burn in hell). As to the first, she has been charged with fraud, the wrong charge any way you cut it. Fraud is by natre a crime for financial gain, and since a license document has zero value, fraud cannot be used. Second, fraud indicates INTENT, now if someone had committed a crime, they WOULD NOT walk in several months later and produce a document they KNEW to be fraudulent. That negates the intent.
The police deliberately denied her the opportunity to get bail, it's as if they decided to fuck her up legally. They have 48 hours within which they have to charge the person. But after getting all the relevant info at the time of the arrest, they decided to investigate before charging. Since when????
You charge, then investigate, the reasons given ranged from "jurisdiction" to "needing to investigate" to "we cannot find a person to charge".
The cells are filthy, i could smell it from 10 meters away. She is a stable tax paying citizen, with fixed residential address and job. She's a IT and operations manager for a call centre, hardly a streetwalker. The police (goddam their souls) are cowardly cunts. The head honcho looked like crap, everything the police should not be. Big smelly gum chewing black guy, fat too. Attitude dripping, completely dishevelled, HE decided that viv should stay put, against all principles of the constitution. Brainless little dung beetles police are, running around in other people's shit and thinking they are the kings of shit, they really think that.
Let me be clear, even if viv had bought the license, she should not have been treated in that manner. But sadly, those who bought their livcense and paid EXTRA now have a job well done, those that try follow the system .... well yar. This is the reason people buy their licenses. Viv went 3 times. The first she failed (unfairly she thought) the secod time she was ill, and despite having paid deposit, they refused to rebook her. Now this. South africans, buy your licenses, your hard cash will ensure correct documentation, god know the license dept won't.
Now she can't drive anywhere, she had to drive through a roadblock this morning, and even though they told her to pull off, she drove away. The alternative would have been re-arrest, and another day in cells. She has to get to work, already the sloth brained jewish asshole boss is already getting prissy. Fuck him. Where is humanity?
FOR FUCK SAKES where is innocent until proven guilty? She was treated as guilty from the start. No question, no doubt in anyone's mind. The judge did not even ask for bail. That alone tells me she should not have been held.
I dunno. We're all scared, hurt, confused, tramatised, angry, and just plain depressed. From here on, everything needs money. This time for the lawyers doctors shrinks etc that all hang around these cases. We don't have money, ergo chances are we will not even get justice in the courts. Pay your bribes south africa, or we will arrest you.
*sigh*
In one, some kids had played with the controls of an onlocked bakkie, released the handbrake and it rolled forward, killing a schoolgirl. In the second story, 2 girls had died on their first day of school, when they went to the toilets, and they collapsed on them, drowning them in an open sewer.
I think the second story is worse, both from the tragedy perspective, and the fact that people could and should be held liable.
The first story got picked up by the media, the second vanished.
Well the media have our story, and so things shall go as they will. I don't know if it is good or bad, but any publicity is good, i'm told.
2 crimes were committed, 1 at the licensing dept, in which my wife has been implicated, the second is at FLORIDA SAPS (may they all burn in hell). As to the first, she has been charged with fraud, the wrong charge any way you cut it. Fraud is by natre a crime for financial gain, and since a license document has zero value, fraud cannot be used. Second, fraud indicates INTENT, now if someone had committed a crime, they WOULD NOT walk in several months later and produce a document they KNEW to be fraudulent. That negates the intent.
The police deliberately denied her the opportunity to get bail, it's as if they decided to fuck her up legally. They have 48 hours within which they have to charge the person. But after getting all the relevant info at the time of the arrest, they decided to investigate before charging. Since when????
You charge, then investigate, the reasons given ranged from "jurisdiction" to "needing to investigate" to "we cannot find a person to charge".
The cells are filthy, i could smell it from 10 meters away. She is a stable tax paying citizen, with fixed residential address and job. She's a IT and operations manager for a call centre, hardly a streetwalker. The police (goddam their souls) are cowardly cunts. The head honcho looked like crap, everything the police should not be. Big smelly gum chewing black guy, fat too. Attitude dripping, completely dishevelled, HE decided that viv should stay put, against all principles of the constitution. Brainless little dung beetles police are, running around in other people's shit and thinking they are the kings of shit, they really think that.
Let me be clear, even if viv had bought the license, she should not have been treated in that manner. But sadly, those who bought their livcense and paid EXTRA now have a job well done, those that try follow the system .... well yar. This is the reason people buy their licenses. Viv went 3 times. The first she failed (unfairly she thought) the secod time she was ill, and despite having paid deposit, they refused to rebook her. Now this. South africans, buy your licenses, your hard cash will ensure correct documentation, god know the license dept won't.
Now she can't drive anywhere, she had to drive through a roadblock this morning, and even though they told her to pull off, she drove away. The alternative would have been re-arrest, and another day in cells. She has to get to work, already the sloth brained jewish asshole boss is already getting prissy. Fuck him. Where is humanity?
FOR FUCK SAKES where is innocent until proven guilty? She was treated as guilty from the start. No question, no doubt in anyone's mind. The judge did not even ask for bail. That alone tells me she should not have been held.
I dunno. We're all scared, hurt, confused, tramatised, angry, and just plain depressed. From here on, everything needs money. This time for the lawyers doctors shrinks etc that all hang around these cases. We don't have money, ergo chances are we will not even get justice in the courts. Pay your bribes south africa, or we will arrest you.
*sigh*
Mom's fake-licence horror
Anna Cox
January 29 2008 at 05:14AM
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A young mother was locked up overnight in a filthy, blood-spattered police cell after she was accused of being in possession of a false driving licence.
Vivienne Midlane, who vigorously denies the allegation of fraud, has described her experience as a nightmare.
Even though her lawyer tried to have her released on bail, police allegedly refused to charge her until the next morning.
Her children - aged 10, eight and two - were distressed because they had to spend the night without their mother.
'It was very traumatic and scary'
They had been left in the care of a domestic worker while Midlane's husband David spent the day desperately trying to get her out of jail.
"The kids were traumatised," the mother said.
"I got a call from my son's headmaster on Friday after I was released, asking what was going on because the child was distressed, telling them his mom was in jail."
And, bitterly for Midlane, she saw in her 30th birthday behind bars.
She said her troubles began last week when she went to apply for a duplicate driving licence.
'I don't know how this is going to end'
"I got my licence last February at the Langlaagte testing station. I went through a driving instructor, who gave me eight lessons.
"He helped me book the test because I couldn't get an appointment myself, and he took me for the test.
"It was during the time that eNaTIS was not up and running properly.
"I went through all the procedures, took my test and passed it, and was issued with a licence.
"I thought everything was in order until I lost the licence in December.
"My baby had got hold of my purse and scattered all its contents throughout the house. We searched high and low but could not find the licence."
When she went to apply for a duplicate, Midlane was surprised there was no record on the system of her having a driving licence.
"They told me that my name was not on the computer - only my learner's was there.
"It said I was licensed to drive but did not have the details and number of my licence.
"Officials said I should not worry, as this happened often."
Then Midlane remembered she had an expired temporary licence in her bag. She handed it to the official, thinking it could help them trace the original.
"Next thing, I was told it was a fake and I was escorted into a back office, and the police were called in to arrest me," she said.
This was the start of an ordeal which would last 24 hours.
Midlane was taken to Florida police station at 2.30pm and treated "very badly".
The police refused to charge her, and she was detained in the cells for hours without food or water.
"The cells were filthy. There was stale food all over. There was blood on the walls. There were two polystyrene cups covered with blood, so I could not get water to drink."
Her lawyer arrived. He too was unable to get her charged so that she could apply for bail.
The mother spent the night sitting in a corner of the cell because the thin mattresses were so dirty.
Her lawyer managed to get a blanket, some juice and some grapes to her - but only with difficulty.
The next morning, two female officers interrogated her, saying they had proof that she had bought her licence.
"It was very traumatic and scary," said Midlane. "I did everything by the book.
"It was later found that the serial number of my temporary licence belonged to a batch that was sent to Bhisho (in the Eastern Cape).
"No one seems to have answers and it is going to be up to me to prove that I did not buy it. I don't know how I am going to do that. I don't have receipts because I had to hand them over when the bookings were made."
Midlane now has to appear in court on February 28 to face fraud charges.
"It's going to cost a fortune in lawyers' fees and stress. I am scared. I have done nothing wrong.
"If I had a fake licence, I would hardly have handed it over. I don't know how this is going to end."
Midlane plans to take legal action against the testing centre and police because she was arrested and held without being charged.
Wayne Minnaar, spokesperson for the Joburg metro police, said several things could have gone wrong that would need to be investigated. It was possible that the driving instructor had committed the fraud, or a cashier or the woman herself, he said.
This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on January 29, 2008
Anna Cox
January 29 2008 at 05:14AM
Submit your comment
A young mother was locked up overnight in a filthy, blood-spattered police cell after she was accused of being in possession of a false driving licence.
Vivienne Midlane, who vigorously denies the allegation of fraud, has described her experience as a nightmare.
Even though her lawyer tried to have her released on bail, police allegedly refused to charge her until the next morning.
Her children - aged 10, eight and two - were distressed because they had to spend the night without their mother.
'It was very traumatic and scary'
They had been left in the care of a domestic worker while Midlane's husband David spent the day desperately trying to get her out of jail.
"The kids were traumatised," the mother said.
"I got a call from my son's headmaster on Friday after I was released, asking what was going on because the child was distressed, telling them his mom was in jail."
And, bitterly for Midlane, she saw in her 30th birthday behind bars.
She said her troubles began last week when she went to apply for a duplicate driving licence.
'I don't know how this is going to end'
"I got my licence last February at the Langlaagte testing station. I went through a driving instructor, who gave me eight lessons.
"He helped me book the test because I couldn't get an appointment myself, and he took me for the test.
"It was during the time that eNaTIS was not up and running properly.
"I went through all the procedures, took my test and passed it, and was issued with a licence.
"I thought everything was in order until I lost the licence in December.
"My baby had got hold of my purse and scattered all its contents throughout the house. We searched high and low but could not find the licence."
When she went to apply for a duplicate, Midlane was surprised there was no record on the system of her having a driving licence.
"They told me that my name was not on the computer - only my learner's was there.
"It said I was licensed to drive but did not have the details and number of my licence.
"Officials said I should not worry, as this happened often."
Then Midlane remembered she had an expired temporary licence in her bag. She handed it to the official, thinking it could help them trace the original.
"Next thing, I was told it was a fake and I was escorted into a back office, and the police were called in to arrest me," she said.
This was the start of an ordeal which would last 24 hours.
Midlane was taken to Florida police station at 2.30pm and treated "very badly".
The police refused to charge her, and she was detained in the cells for hours without food or water.
"The cells were filthy. There was stale food all over. There was blood on the walls. There were two polystyrene cups covered with blood, so I could not get water to drink."
Her lawyer arrived. He too was unable to get her charged so that she could apply for bail.
The mother spent the night sitting in a corner of the cell because the thin mattresses were so dirty.
Her lawyer managed to get a blanket, some juice and some grapes to her - but only with difficulty.
The next morning, two female officers interrogated her, saying they had proof that she had bought her licence.
"It was very traumatic and scary," said Midlane. "I did everything by the book.
"It was later found that the serial number of my temporary licence belonged to a batch that was sent to Bhisho (in the Eastern Cape).
"No one seems to have answers and it is going to be up to me to prove that I did not buy it. I don't know how I am going to do that. I don't have receipts because I had to hand them over when the bookings were made."
Midlane now has to appear in court on February 28 to face fraud charges.
"It's going to cost a fortune in lawyers' fees and stress. I am scared. I have done nothing wrong.
"If I had a fake licence, I would hardly have handed it over. I don't know how this is going to end."
Midlane plans to take legal action against the testing centre and police because she was arrested and held without being charged.
Wayne Minnaar, spokesperson for the Joburg metro police, said several things could have gone wrong that would need to be investigated. It was possible that the driving instructor had committed the fraud, or a cashier or the woman herself, he said.
This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on January 29, 2008
Saturday, 26 January 2008
Real story, real pain, real injustice.
This happened this week to my wife and i, i think it is worth sharing.
On thursday, we went to sort some official stuff out, including replacing my wife's license card, which had gone missing, we assume the baby got it, alhough we have looked everywhere without luck.
After being told that they had no record of her, she produced the origional temp license, outdated of course, but evidence that she had a license. At that point it was declared that the license was a fake, and the police were called, and she was arrested. It seems that the blank temp copy had origionally been stolen in Bisho. This was around 2 PM.
From there, they took her to Florida SAPS. Some paperwork was completed, and she was taken to the cells. At 4 my brother who is a lawyer arrived at the station, and attempted to get clarity on the situation, and apply for bail. From that point on, nothing happened. All that was lacking was for her to be charged with a crime, or released pending investigation. Only the arresting officer or a detective could charge her, the arresting officer had gone home, and Florida SAPS apparently has no resident detective. We called every single number on the walls, for the station commisioner to the detective on duty (none) and every other "help number" available. Every person we spoke with admitted that the situation seemed unreasonable, and that they would get back to us, no-one did, and after trying some numbers again, they just rang out.
A detective who was at the station was asked to assist, but declined due to "jurisdiction". Eventually at about 11 PM, a detective arrived to assess the situation, and after conferring with someone on the telephone, advised that she would not charge her, and that she would be held pending investigation in the morning.
When morning came, this detective went around collecting evidence, and by 2PM we were in front of a judge, who released her without needing bail. She has been charged with fraud, which i believe legally is the incorrect charge.
There are many questions about how this came about, very few that i can answer, all i can do is assess the facts:
1) At some point at Langlaagte testing station, illegalities occured.
2) My wife was unwittingly a victim of these crimes.
3) She was arrested and held without being charged overnight, without the option of gaining bail.
4) The police used the jackboot of justice on her, utterly merciless, and treated her as if she was guilty.
Now we are finding the best lawyers, my brother's law firm has already pledged to assist us, i believe this will eventually go away afetr a lot of money.
Whatever the outcome of the trial, we are suiing just about everyone involved, because of the way this has been handled. My wife is not a criminal, and in fact is a very soft person. The trauma inflicted by the police is inhuman. The first thing that was given her was coffee the next morning, despite having been in custody since 2 the previous day. The at various points denied her food, drink and blankets, and even denied her lawyer permission to see her. The captain (a woman) at the police station refused to speak to him, in front of all in the charge office. Vivienne could not even drink water, because there was blood on the cup. There was blood everywhere apparently, and she could see evidence on the walls of where people had their heads smashed against the walls, the bloodmarks were everywhere she looked. While we were at the station, they ignorwed her completely, but apparently after we left, they opened the door and checked on her every half hour. She thought they were bneing nice, but since she was alone i think they were keeping her from any sleep, not that she would have anyway.
The next person i was denied permission to see her, and did not until the court appearance.
I could rail on more, so much so bad, so many things that were done wrong. I really need to thank the TB people who assisted, calling and visiting while were were trying to get her out. We are both aso traumatised by this, but could not have got through without phenomenal support from family and friends.
By the way, my wife turned 30, yesterday in that blood stained cell. It was her birthday.
On thursday, we went to sort some official stuff out, including replacing my wife's license card, which had gone missing, we assume the baby got it, alhough we have looked everywhere without luck.
After being told that they had no record of her, she produced the origional temp license, outdated of course, but evidence that she had a license. At that point it was declared that the license was a fake, and the police were called, and she was arrested. It seems that the blank temp copy had origionally been stolen in Bisho. This was around 2 PM.
From there, they took her to Florida SAPS. Some paperwork was completed, and she was taken to the cells. At 4 my brother who is a lawyer arrived at the station, and attempted to get clarity on the situation, and apply for bail. From that point on, nothing happened. All that was lacking was for her to be charged with a crime, or released pending investigation. Only the arresting officer or a detective could charge her, the arresting officer had gone home, and Florida SAPS apparently has no resident detective. We called every single number on the walls, for the station commisioner to the detective on duty (none) and every other "help number" available. Every person we spoke with admitted that the situation seemed unreasonable, and that they would get back to us, no-one did, and after trying some numbers again, they just rang out.
A detective who was at the station was asked to assist, but declined due to "jurisdiction". Eventually at about 11 PM, a detective arrived to assess the situation, and after conferring with someone on the telephone, advised that she would not charge her, and that she would be held pending investigation in the morning.
When morning came, this detective went around collecting evidence, and by 2PM we were in front of a judge, who released her without needing bail. She has been charged with fraud, which i believe legally is the incorrect charge.
There are many questions about how this came about, very few that i can answer, all i can do is assess the facts:
1) At some point at Langlaagte testing station, illegalities occured.
2) My wife was unwittingly a victim of these crimes.
3) She was arrested and held without being charged overnight, without the option of gaining bail.
4) The police used the jackboot of justice on her, utterly merciless, and treated her as if she was guilty.
Now we are finding the best lawyers, my brother's law firm has already pledged to assist us, i believe this will eventually go away afetr a lot of money.
Whatever the outcome of the trial, we are suiing just about everyone involved, because of the way this has been handled. My wife is not a criminal, and in fact is a very soft person. The trauma inflicted by the police is inhuman. The first thing that was given her was coffee the next morning, despite having been in custody since 2 the previous day. The at various points denied her food, drink and blankets, and even denied her lawyer permission to see her. The captain (a woman) at the police station refused to speak to him, in front of all in the charge office. Vivienne could not even drink water, because there was blood on the cup. There was blood everywhere apparently, and she could see evidence on the walls of where people had their heads smashed against the walls, the bloodmarks were everywhere she looked. While we were at the station, they ignorwed her completely, but apparently after we left, they opened the door and checked on her every half hour. She thought they were bneing nice, but since she was alone i think they were keeping her from any sleep, not that she would have anyway.
The next person i was denied permission to see her, and did not until the court appearance.
I could rail on more, so much so bad, so many things that were done wrong. I really need to thank the TB people who assisted, calling and visiting while were were trying to get her out. We are both aso traumatised by this, but could not have got through without phenomenal support from family and friends.
By the way, my wife turned 30, yesterday in that blood stained cell. It was her birthday.
Monday, 21 January 2008
Fuckin Eskom
You know, this is why living in bananaville sux. You wake up in the morning and basially get told, if you use the electricity you're going to use it's going to mean we will fine you. WTF.
Ok, so loadshedding pissed everyone off, so they are saying, take an average, and that's all you're allowed. So they arte going to fine people for using more electricity. Fuck them. You know, it's almost like they have a plan, but not really. All that is happening is they are making mo money, for NOT delivering a service.
Oh sorry Mr Jones, we know you PAID for the slr super duper, but we only have the econocrap, but um, we're not refunding the extra. See how long it would take for slr maker to go under. People wouldn't.
Welcome to the new south africa, you're fucked now.
You know, this is why living in bananaville sux. You wake up in the morning and basially get told, if you use the electricity you're going to use it's going to mean we will fine you. WTF.
Ok, so loadshedding pissed everyone off, so they are saying, take an average, and that's all you're allowed. So they arte going to fine people for using more electricity. Fuck them. You know, it's almost like they have a plan, but not really. All that is happening is they are making mo money, for NOT delivering a service.
Oh sorry Mr Jones, we know you PAID for the slr super duper, but we only have the econocrap, but um, we're not refunding the extra. See how long it would take for slr maker to go under. People wouldn't.
Welcome to the new south africa, you're fucked now.
Friday, 18 January 2008
Electricity
Power alert
They state: Electricity usage is increasing rapidly. Please assist us by switching off all appliances, geysers and stoves, except the TV and essential lights.
Um .... except the tv???
So south africa, fuck your food, your bathing, your swimming pool, your washine machines, your electric fence, electric gate and all those other household maintainance items, sit back and watch the crap the government wants you to see?
Or am i over reacting????
I also notice that there is no online information for johannesburg .... that is pathetic .... they also said no area will be down for more than 2 hours per day, but now it as become 2 hours at a time ...
Plus it seems that Zimbabwe gets electricity 24/7, but does not even pay for it ?!?!
I'm a rational person ... but i'm seriously losing my grip on reality.
They state: Electricity usage is increasing rapidly. Please assist us by switching off all appliances, geysers and stoves, except the TV and essential lights.
Um .... except the tv???
So south africa, fuck your food, your bathing, your swimming pool, your washine machines, your electric fence, electric gate and all those other household maintainance items, sit back and watch the crap the government wants you to see?
Or am i over reacting????
I also notice that there is no online information for johannesburg .... that is pathetic .... they also said no area will be down for more than 2 hours per day, but now it as become 2 hours at a time ...
Plus it seems that Zimbabwe gets electricity 24/7, but does not even pay for it ?!?!
I'm a rational person ... but i'm seriously losing my grip on reality.
Migration migraine
By Cees Bruggemans, Chief Economist FNB
17 January 2008
South Africa has known many invasions.
Most of South Africa's early history probably saw many unrecorded migrations.
More recent arrivals include the modern waves of incoming Bantu pastoralists some two millennia ago. After a long interval these were followed by waves of White settlers, Dutch, German and French, at first from small beginnings in the 17th century, then followed by more ambitious English invasions in the 19th century.
The Dutch brought Malays to the Cape. The English brought indentured Indians to Natal, although some of such migrants came under their own steam.
Indeed, over the past 150 years marking the period of our development into a modern mining, urban industrial and then post-industrial society, the arrivals have been from everywhere, mainly from all over Africa, Europe and English-speaking settler countries. Latin America, the Middle East and most of Asia other than India have contributed little, although Chinese arrivals have been increasing of late.
If this, roughly, is a pen sketch of the immigrations that have created a polyglot nation in Southern Africa, there also have been many outward migrations.
An early Black movement happened during Shaka's time, when Mzilikazi absconded to the north, populating today's western Zimbabwe. Even earlier, in the Western part of the country, some of the dispersing Koisan also moved north.
White South Africans have been moving away from these shores from their earliest beginnings. Often this has just been a matter of failed migration. Traditionally, many arrivals never find their feet, and when the means exist people do tend to move away again quite quickly.
Of course, in many instances such means don't exist, cutting off all escape routes once having migrated, though sometimes this factor only applies on a generation basis (a subsequent generation having acquired new means and belatedly deciding to move away).
Other instances of outward migration are of a different push-and-pull variety. A foreign posting here may have only been temporary (it even applied to Van Riebeeck), other parts of the world ultimately offering more interesting challenges. But this also often applied to the offspring of long-term immigrants, who may have found their talents better deployed at a global level, or simply feeling a closer affiliation with the source culture, a pull that may ultimately be very powerful.
Disagreement with authority, as much Dutch as English, Zulu, Afrikaner and ANC, has been another reason pushing people offshore.
Mzilikazi's move can be so interpreted, followed within a decade by the Afrikaner Great Trek trying to escape British authority. Following the Boer War, some Afrikaners didn't want to stay, a few even emigrating to Argentina.
The 1948 change in government, and the apartheid regime that then followed, for decades pushed people off-shore, many dissident English and a few Afrikaners, and Black, Coloured and Indian exiles. This has been more a process of decades rather than an event, but a drain nonetheless.
But the net effect of all these migrations, inward and outward, has been the same. Mostly vigorous, talented people came and left. Their arrival was mostly a huge gain, their departure mostly a huge loss to this country, a brain drain as it is to any country experiencing such losses.
It is on this score that the past two decades come into focus, bearing in mind these earlier episodes.
By 1990, South Africa had created a modern post-industrial urban setting, even as a majority of its people was still mired in dismal poverty and rural underdevelopment.
Social engineering (apartheid) distorted allocation of scarce labour skills and talent. In addition, the quality of education offered to the majority of the population left much to be desired, given modern development ambitions.
The coming of the 1994 political watershed had many consequences. A hugely beneficial one was the freeing up of society, encouraging a better allocation of scarce skills and talent. But back-to-back there was a new preferment. And marking the change was much trepidation about the long-term future, at least among some.
Just as much as the coming of the English in 1806 would lead within a generation to the Great Trek (things moved more slowly then), and the coming of Afrikaner nationalists in 1948 was a signal for some English-speakers to call it a day, just so 1994's political upheaval initiated an immediate response, also because the means today are so much more accommodating than they were then.
The outward wave that got underway in the 1990s was fed by many considerations. There was political trepidation as to future realities. But close on its heels was a new discrimination, not unlike the early 1800s, early 1900s or early 1950s, sometimes pushing people out of work or preventing their natural progressing in favour of others newly affirmed.
But in the decade from the mid-1990s two more factors were to feature prominently in pushing people of all hues offshore. The one was virulent, violent crime. The other was deteriorating public services, in particular education and health care.
These were again big erosions of talented people this country could hardly afford to lose, given our development ambitions.
Our economic revival post-1994 was at first slow in taking hold, but from 2003 onward it became spectacular, yet it ultimately did not stem the steady loss of talent.
How else to explain 40 000 South Africans whooping it up in Dubai today, entirely a modern day phenomenon, or the security personnel making a living in Iraq or the steady erosion to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England, America, Western Europe?
All of that is bad enough, when considering an economy with enormous development challenges, yet with its skilled labour pool stretched to the limit. And this with an education system 14 years after apartheid ended still delivering only 15% university exemptions in its annual school cohort attempting matric (itself only half its age cohort, the other half having mostly dropped out earlier at primary school level).
Yet recent weeks may well have seen yet another outward push forming, one we can't afford yet may not be able to prevent.
In recent weeks, there has been much speculation about the direction future economic policy could be taking. Not everyone will be welcoming such possible future changes with equal enthusiasm. This Christmas, in many a family setting, there may have been intense discussion as to what this means and where this may lead. Remembrances of Christmases past these past two centuries?
It certainly didn't help that the policy choices of the past two decades then also came to a head in a wave of electricity blackouts.
If the coast was more spared than Johannesburg over this festive season (last year it was the Cape, remember), and many revelers refused to even think about politics, preferring instead to recharge the batteries in weeks of relaxation, reality dawned quick enough in the opening weeks of January.
The return to work didn't only coincide with judicial spectacles or the worsening traffic congestion. It specifically was put under the whip of daily electricity interruptions.
Most urban South Africans run small businesses, or work for an employer. They all are dependent on electricity, from the petrol attendant to the seamstress and the computer user. Cut the juice and you cut the lifeblood of a modern economy.
The doubts as to where all this is leading must have multiplied greatly in recent weeks, especially after announcements suggesting that electricity interruptions will be with us for at least ten years.
One can buy expensive diesel generators and sun roof panels all you want, but that won't plug all the leaks.
The greatest frustration can be observed in the traffic. Here are all these people, with every modern communication gadget that money can buy, in their sometimes truly fancy cars, all reduced to immobility.
Good manners go out of the window, two weeks into the New Year. Traversing an intersection without working traffic lights has become a daunting gauntlet. Who has the greater bravura in challenging the other drivers?
Priorities, clearly, need some brushing up, as well as organizing for disaster, as much among the victims as among those serving us.
Eskom was prevented from building new power stations for many years, though asking to be allowed to do so. Affirmative action policies have often led to the loss of skilled labour, especially in the public sector.
Unless the economy were to shrink 5% or 10% shortly, the shortage of electricity is going to remain a reality for as many years as what it will take authority to boost generating capacity to sufficient levels once again.
The cost and inconvenience could be substantial.
For some, this may just not be worth it. Talent is in huge demand worldwide. South Africa can hardly afford losing even a single set of skills, never mind hundreds of thousands. Yet the drain could well swell anew in coming years.
One hopes the new political leadership will take cognisance of these worrying tendencies. Only paying attention to the education system won't be good enough. Like the electricity grid, it may take decades to get right.
More fundamentally, we need better allocation of scarce labour talent, and giving it a reason to stay on, even in these trying times.
Indeed, where is the sense of more Cuban, Tunisian and Indian medical personnel, if our own want to decamp wholesale? And that applies just as much to good teachers, accountants, engineers, plumbers, electricians, computer specialists, lawyers, marketers, even civil servants and municipal workers.
We need more encouragement for talent to stay, rather than dreaming up new schemes that will induce them to leave even faster than what they are already doing.
17 January 2008
South Africa has known many invasions.
Most of South Africa's early history probably saw many unrecorded migrations.
More recent arrivals include the modern waves of incoming Bantu pastoralists some two millennia ago. After a long interval these were followed by waves of White settlers, Dutch, German and French, at first from small beginnings in the 17th century, then followed by more ambitious English invasions in the 19th century.
The Dutch brought Malays to the Cape. The English brought indentured Indians to Natal, although some of such migrants came under their own steam.
Indeed, over the past 150 years marking the period of our development into a modern mining, urban industrial and then post-industrial society, the arrivals have been from everywhere, mainly from all over Africa, Europe and English-speaking settler countries. Latin America, the Middle East and most of Asia other than India have contributed little, although Chinese arrivals have been increasing of late.
If this, roughly, is a pen sketch of the immigrations that have created a polyglot nation in Southern Africa, there also have been many outward migrations.
An early Black movement happened during Shaka's time, when Mzilikazi absconded to the north, populating today's western Zimbabwe. Even earlier, in the Western part of the country, some of the dispersing Koisan also moved north.
White South Africans have been moving away from these shores from their earliest beginnings. Often this has just been a matter of failed migration. Traditionally, many arrivals never find their feet, and when the means exist people do tend to move away again quite quickly.
Of course, in many instances such means don't exist, cutting off all escape routes once having migrated, though sometimes this factor only applies on a generation basis (a subsequent generation having acquired new means and belatedly deciding to move away).
Other instances of outward migration are of a different push-and-pull variety. A foreign posting here may have only been temporary (it even applied to Van Riebeeck), other parts of the world ultimately offering more interesting challenges. But this also often applied to the offspring of long-term immigrants, who may have found their talents better deployed at a global level, or simply feeling a closer affiliation with the source culture, a pull that may ultimately be very powerful.
Disagreement with authority, as much Dutch as English, Zulu, Afrikaner and ANC, has been another reason pushing people offshore.
Mzilikazi's move can be so interpreted, followed within a decade by the Afrikaner Great Trek trying to escape British authority. Following the Boer War, some Afrikaners didn't want to stay, a few even emigrating to Argentina.
The 1948 change in government, and the apartheid regime that then followed, for decades pushed people off-shore, many dissident English and a few Afrikaners, and Black, Coloured and Indian exiles. This has been more a process of decades rather than an event, but a drain nonetheless.
But the net effect of all these migrations, inward and outward, has been the same. Mostly vigorous, talented people came and left. Their arrival was mostly a huge gain, their departure mostly a huge loss to this country, a brain drain as it is to any country experiencing such losses.
It is on this score that the past two decades come into focus, bearing in mind these earlier episodes.
By 1990, South Africa had created a modern post-industrial urban setting, even as a majority of its people was still mired in dismal poverty and rural underdevelopment.
Social engineering (apartheid) distorted allocation of scarce labour skills and talent. In addition, the quality of education offered to the majority of the population left much to be desired, given modern development ambitions.
The coming of the 1994 political watershed had many consequences. A hugely beneficial one was the freeing up of society, encouraging a better allocation of scarce skills and talent. But back-to-back there was a new preferment. And marking the change was much trepidation about the long-term future, at least among some.
Just as much as the coming of the English in 1806 would lead within a generation to the Great Trek (things moved more slowly then), and the coming of Afrikaner nationalists in 1948 was a signal for some English-speakers to call it a day, just so 1994's political upheaval initiated an immediate response, also because the means today are so much more accommodating than they were then.
The outward wave that got underway in the 1990s was fed by many considerations. There was political trepidation as to future realities. But close on its heels was a new discrimination, not unlike the early 1800s, early 1900s or early 1950s, sometimes pushing people out of work or preventing their natural progressing in favour of others newly affirmed.
But in the decade from the mid-1990s two more factors were to feature prominently in pushing people of all hues offshore. The one was virulent, violent crime. The other was deteriorating public services, in particular education and health care.
These were again big erosions of talented people this country could hardly afford to lose, given our development ambitions.
Our economic revival post-1994 was at first slow in taking hold, but from 2003 onward it became spectacular, yet it ultimately did not stem the steady loss of talent.
How else to explain 40 000 South Africans whooping it up in Dubai today, entirely a modern day phenomenon, or the security personnel making a living in Iraq or the steady erosion to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England, America, Western Europe?
All of that is bad enough, when considering an economy with enormous development challenges, yet with its skilled labour pool stretched to the limit. And this with an education system 14 years after apartheid ended still delivering only 15% university exemptions in its annual school cohort attempting matric (itself only half its age cohort, the other half having mostly dropped out earlier at primary school level).
Yet recent weeks may well have seen yet another outward push forming, one we can't afford yet may not be able to prevent.
In recent weeks, there has been much speculation about the direction future economic policy could be taking. Not everyone will be welcoming such possible future changes with equal enthusiasm. This Christmas, in many a family setting, there may have been intense discussion as to what this means and where this may lead. Remembrances of Christmases past these past two centuries?
It certainly didn't help that the policy choices of the past two decades then also came to a head in a wave of electricity blackouts.
If the coast was more spared than Johannesburg over this festive season (last year it was the Cape, remember), and many revelers refused to even think about politics, preferring instead to recharge the batteries in weeks of relaxation, reality dawned quick enough in the opening weeks of January.
The return to work didn't only coincide with judicial spectacles or the worsening traffic congestion. It specifically was put under the whip of daily electricity interruptions.
Most urban South Africans run small businesses, or work for an employer. They all are dependent on electricity, from the petrol attendant to the seamstress and the computer user. Cut the juice and you cut the lifeblood of a modern economy.
The doubts as to where all this is leading must have multiplied greatly in recent weeks, especially after announcements suggesting that electricity interruptions will be with us for at least ten years.
One can buy expensive diesel generators and sun roof panels all you want, but that won't plug all the leaks.
The greatest frustration can be observed in the traffic. Here are all these people, with every modern communication gadget that money can buy, in their sometimes truly fancy cars, all reduced to immobility.
Good manners go out of the window, two weeks into the New Year. Traversing an intersection without working traffic lights has become a daunting gauntlet. Who has the greater bravura in challenging the other drivers?
Priorities, clearly, need some brushing up, as well as organizing for disaster, as much among the victims as among those serving us.
Eskom was prevented from building new power stations for many years, though asking to be allowed to do so. Affirmative action policies have often led to the loss of skilled labour, especially in the public sector.
Unless the economy were to shrink 5% or 10% shortly, the shortage of electricity is going to remain a reality for as many years as what it will take authority to boost generating capacity to sufficient levels once again.
The cost and inconvenience could be substantial.
For some, this may just not be worth it. Talent is in huge demand worldwide. South Africa can hardly afford losing even a single set of skills, never mind hundreds of thousands. Yet the drain could well swell anew in coming years.
One hopes the new political leadership will take cognisance of these worrying tendencies. Only paying attention to the education system won't be good enough. Like the electricity grid, it may take decades to get right.
More fundamentally, we need better allocation of scarce labour talent, and giving it a reason to stay on, even in these trying times.
Indeed, where is the sense of more Cuban, Tunisian and Indian medical personnel, if our own want to decamp wholesale? And that applies just as much to good teachers, accountants, engineers, plumbers, electricians, computer specialists, lawyers, marketers, even civil servants and municipal workers.
We need more encouragement for talent to stay, rather than dreaming up new schemes that will induce them to leave even faster than what they are already doing.
Thursday, 17 January 2008
New post ... post ... bugger they don't work either
Load shedding, a politically correct way of saying we fucked up, now deal with no power at home work or anywhere in between.
Just checking the news quickly, and i see:
http://www.news24.com/News24/On_this_day/On_this_day/0,,2-1602-1492_2253338,00.html
http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/default/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&ArticleID=1518-25_2253492
Both articles on how other countries have had power problems too. So THEY (media) are saying it's ok folks. Deal with it.
Myself and everyone else am tired of this. Total utter absolute entropy. Happening really fast (in the historical sense). It's not only about power, but this is just so .... descriptive of the problem. To give an idea, traffic lights are out, so what is usually an hour plus (!) commute to work (for most), has now become 2 hours. Oh, and home again. You have to spend the time at work, but half that time you cannot work, so in half the usual time you have to do all the work. Whatever may be said, bosses don't give a rat's ass about your problems, of which power is but one.
Once you have finished a crappy day at the office, and sit in 2 hour traffic jams, you get home and guess what? No hot water to bath / shower, no hot water for coffee, no stove for supper, no lights, no music, etc.
Now we all know life ain't a bunch of roses even at the best of times, but now most people have just been pissed on. People are more stressed, tired, EVERYTHING takes more energy and time. But there is no payback anywhere. Not like you can even get an electricity discount ... you pay 100% for electricity maybe 10% of the useful time.
Because let's face it, it doesn't matter if power goes at while you're asleep or at work, you only want it for that silly in between time, you know, YOUR time. The only fucking time YOU have.
Already i can feel the roads tightening up, as people can't quite deal with the agony of sitting in traffic waiting to get to problems. Already i've had people trying to ride into me, for fun it seemed. You take where you get i guess :/
*sigh*
At the height of the greatest civilisation ever, we watch it unravel. And no, i'm not optimistic. In 1994, this WAS a first rate infrastructure, it was. It needed to be grown and shared more evenly yes, but the foundation was good. No longer. This is only the tip of the iceberg, many more things are breaking down as well, sewerage farms, storm drains, water purification plants, and everything else that is govt controlled.
The police and courts are hopelessly bogged down, and it isn't even the newsworthy items, it's all those poor people you never hear of. Mothers stealing food for their children going to university, fathers selling ganja (marijuana) for an income. Children stealing shoes for their siblings (i am not making this up).
Again, i started this post trying to be happy, but you look around and it hits you, the complete insanity of it.
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Real heroes
Remember, Remember the 22nd of November
Written by Alan Bellows on November 19th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
On 22 November 1987, sports anchor Dan Roan of Chicago's WGN-TV News Network was narrating the video of the day's football highlights when something highly unusual happened. The pictures on the station monitors in the studio suddenly began to jitter and twitch. Across Chicago, countless other televisions did the same, as Dan's clips of the Bears game were lost in a brief flurry of static and replaced with the sinister, grinning visage of Max Headroom. Most viewers were familiar with the techno-stuttering character from the recently canceled television program bearing his name, and from advertisements for the New Coke soft drink. But there was something unsettling and surreal about this rubber-masked imposter.
As a low buzzing sound belched from thousands of televisions throughout Chicago, the intruder's image swayed and wiggled in front of a slowly rotating background. Half a minute later, as suddenly as it had appeared, the strange scene was gone. As Chicago's televisions reverted back to the world of the ordinary, the visibly flustered sports reporter reappeared, and commented, "Well, if you're wondering what happened… so am I."
WGN-TV's on-site technicians neutralized the "pirate" transmission by switching to an alternate transmitter, but the attacker's motives and methods were a mystery. It was not the first time a commercial television broadcast had been commandeered, but very few prior attempts had been successful. The previous year a satellite dish salesman going by the fanciful pseudonym "Captain Midnight" had succeeded in briefly replacing HBO's signal with a complaint about their prices, and earlier in 1987 an employee of the Christian Broadcasting Network had hijacked the Playboy Channel's signal. Both of these prior offenders had clear motives, and the authorities had successfully located and prosecuted the troublemakers. But this new instance of signal hacking was much more perplexing.
The Captain Midnight message
In spite of the quick actions of WGN-TV engineers, Chicago had not yet seen the last of of this new signal-plundering pirate. Almost exactly two hours after the first unplanned detour from normality, at 11:15pm, viewers of the PBS affiliate WTTW were absorbing an episode of the British sci-fi series Doctor Who when their TV pictures danced sporadically for a moment. With a randomly gyrating panel of corrugated metal used as a backdrop, the unnerving Max Headroom doppelganger launched into an eccentric diatribe in a highly distorted voice. With no engineers on location at the transmission tower, WTTW employees looked on helplessly as the intruder seized control of their broadcast to say the following:
"He's a freaky nerd!"
"This guy's better than Chuck Swirsky." (a WGN -TV sportscaster at the time)
"Oh Jesus!"
"Catch the wave." (a reference to the New Coke marketing slogan)
"Your love is fading."
(hums the theme song to the 1959 TV series "Clutch Cargo")
"I stole CBS."
(unintelligible)
"Oh, I just made a giant masterpiece printed all over the greatest world newspaper nerds."
"My brother is wearing the other one."
"It's dirty."
"They're coming to get me!"
This symphony of strangeness reached its crescendo when the rubber-masked imposter dropped his trousers, exposed his backside, and weathered a spirited flyswatter spanking from a female assistant. Moments later the picture went dark, and the surreal signal terminated in a flash of static. Viewers were dumped back into the pedestrian world of Doctor Who as though the bizarre buttocks-swatting incident had never happened. Many were confused and troubled by the display. The following day a number of viewers contacted the station to lodge their complaints regarding the "nudity." In a television interview, one flustered Doctor Who fan summed up his reaction: "I got so upset that I wanted to bust the TV set… I really did."
The Federal Communications Commission and the FBI sprang into action, launching independent pirate-hunting squads to unmask the disturbing messenger. It was clear that the fellow had a rare knack for electronics and microwave equipment. WTTW's uplink antenna was atop the 1,454 foot Sears tower in downtown Chicago, and investigators concluded that the "signal pirate" smothered the legitimate broadcast by sending a more powerful signal to this antenna. According to some experts in broadcasting, a rig of sufficient power could be purchased for about $25,000– or perhaps rented for a few thousand dollars– and the disassembled equipment could be transported using a few large suitcases. Agents believed that the perpetrator either beamed his message from the rooftop of an adjacent building, or that he somehow gained access to a powerful ground-based transmitter. But Max had covered his tracks well, there was no clear indication of how he had executed his sophisticated attack.
His motive was even more puzzling than his methods. The enigmatic message may have been due to a grudge against WGN-TV, since the station's call letters stand for "World's Greatest Newspaper," and he makes a reference to "greatest world newspaper nerds"; and he also mentions Chuck Swirsky, another WGN sports reporter at the time. But given the resources and risks involved in commandeering a commercial signal, the message seems disproportionate. At that time, the law allowed for a maximum penalty of $100,000 and one year in prison for such signal piracy. Perhaps the intrusion was merely a proof-of-concept– a precursor of future ambitions– or perhaps there is more meaning to the message than what is immediately evident. The Max Headroom television show had been set in a post-apocalyptic future where evil television corporations controlled the world, and freedom fighters spread their messages by zipping their pirate signal into live television feeds, and this subtle social commentary was not lost on investigators.
Whatever the impostor's intentions, he certainly took significant risks to bring his nebulous message to the televisions of Chicago. The exhaustive investigations by the three-letter agencies turned up nothing substantial, and over time the FCC and FBI resigned their manhunts without any significant insight into who he was, how he did it, or why. To this day the unexplained transmission of 22 November 1987 remains an historic curiosity, since it represents the last such signal of its kind… no other instance of a complete hijacking of a commercial broadcast has occurred in the US in the twenty years since. For now the mysterious masked Max Headroom lookalike remains at large, but his backside may never truly be safe from the mighty flyswatter of justice.
For the video, go here
Monday, 14 January 2008
SELEBI RESIGNS!!!!!!! (yay!)
South African police chief Jackie Selebi has resigned as president of Interpol as he fights corruption allegations, the world police organisation said on Sunday.
It said Selebi had stepped down "in the best interests of Interpol and out of respect for the global law enforcement community that it serves".
South African President Thabo Mbeki placed Selebi on extended leave on Saturday, a day after prosecutors said they would charge the police chief with corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering. Selebi denies any wrongdoing.
The scandal comes against the background of political tension in South Africa, where Jacob Zuma -- Mbeki's rival who defeated him in a bruising battle for the leadership of the ruling African National Congress -- will be tried for corruption later this year.
Selebi has long enjoyed Mbeki's backing, but said in his resignation letter to Interpol he had asked the president for extended leave "so that I can devote my energies to clearing my name".
He said he was stepping down with regret because "I do not wish the allegations that have been levelled against me to bring the good work of this august body into disrepute".
In a statement following a series of urgent meetings since Friday, Interpol said the allegations against him had nothing to do with the organisation or with Selebi's position as its head.
Allegations
Secretary General Ronald Noble said that in his experience, Selebi "has always conducted himself and acted in a way to enhance global security and police co-operation worldwide".
Noble said corruption was one of the most serious offences a police official could be accused of.
"Interpol believes that any such allegations should be prosecuted thoroughly, and the proper manner is for charges to be brought promptly before a court of law and not through media leaks and speculation," he added.
A copy of Selebi's indictment, made available to the media by prosecutors, covers a range of charges that include receiving payments from his friend Glenn Agliotti, a convicted drug smuggler accused of playing a role in the 2005 murder of a South African mining magnate.
The indictment said between 2000 to 2005 Selebi received at least 1.2 million rand from Agliotti and his associates, including 30,000 rand from Agliotti a day or two after magnate Brett Kebble was killed.
The period in question overlaps with his tenure at Interpol, where Selebi became president in 2004. He was elected to the post by its general assembly, which brings together delegates from all member states worldwide.
The president is not in charge of Interpol's day-to-day running but presides over meetings of the assembly and executive committee and plays a major role in setting direction and strategy. Selebi's four-year term was due to end this year.
It said Selebi had stepped down "in the best interests of Interpol and out of respect for the global law enforcement community that it serves".
South African President Thabo Mbeki placed Selebi on extended leave on Saturday, a day after prosecutors said they would charge the police chief with corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering. Selebi denies any wrongdoing.
The scandal comes against the background of political tension in South Africa, where Jacob Zuma -- Mbeki's rival who defeated him in a bruising battle for the leadership of the ruling African National Congress -- will be tried for corruption later this year.
Selebi has long enjoyed Mbeki's backing, but said in his resignation letter to Interpol he had asked the president for extended leave "so that I can devote my energies to clearing my name".
He said he was stepping down with regret because "I do not wish the allegations that have been levelled against me to bring the good work of this august body into disrepute".
In a statement following a series of urgent meetings since Friday, Interpol said the allegations against him had nothing to do with the organisation or with Selebi's position as its head.
Allegations
Secretary General Ronald Noble said that in his experience, Selebi "has always conducted himself and acted in a way to enhance global security and police co-operation worldwide".
Noble said corruption was one of the most serious offences a police official could be accused of.
"Interpol believes that any such allegations should be prosecuted thoroughly, and the proper manner is for charges to be brought promptly before a court of law and not through media leaks and speculation," he added.
A copy of Selebi's indictment, made available to the media by prosecutors, covers a range of charges that include receiving payments from his friend Glenn Agliotti, a convicted drug smuggler accused of playing a role in the 2005 murder of a South African mining magnate.
The indictment said between 2000 to 2005 Selebi received at least 1.2 million rand from Agliotti and his associates, including 30,000 rand from Agliotti a day or two after magnate Brett Kebble was killed.
The period in question overlaps with his tenure at Interpol, where Selebi became president in 2004. He was elected to the post by its general assembly, which brings together delegates from all member states worldwide.
The president is not in charge of Interpol's day-to-day running but presides over meetings of the assembly and executive committee and plays a major role in setting direction and strategy. Selebi's four-year term was due to end this year.
Summin i did write ... seems appropriate
the stench pervades all
entering all thoughts, hopes and dreams
providing us with our own
giving nothing taking all
the people walking by
their thoughts veiled
their motives unclear
living walking breathing
living the pantomime
the joke is lost in the anguish
the mothers screaming lost in the wind
blown forever without ears to hear
soul to care
the snot nosed ignorant
the seconds ticking by
fat rich men living in bestial bliss
the others in hell
god all merciful man merciless
the light dimly glowing
all striving to attain
that mediocum of honour
the badge we all want
to enamour us of others
clawing our way to desire
the eyes of the beast watching waiting
driving us forward as cattle
to the slaughter
striped toothpaste and nuclear war
another dead another bed
overpopulation hunger
we live our lives ever forward
the past ever present
haunting our souls
dimming our eyes
pills and booze dull us
promising that eternal peace
prolonging our agony
making our beds of hate and pain and regret
a flower radiant in the sun ...
a sunbeam on a cloudy day
end start again
the seasons heedless
entering all thoughts, hopes and dreams
providing us with our own
giving nothing taking all
the people walking by
their thoughts veiled
their motives unclear
living walking breathing
living the pantomime
the joke is lost in the anguish
the mothers screaming lost in the wind
blown forever without ears to hear
soul to care
the snot nosed ignorant
the seconds ticking by
fat rich men living in bestial bliss
the others in hell
god all merciful man merciless
the light dimly glowing
all striving to attain
that mediocum of honour
the badge we all want
to enamour us of others
clawing our way to desire
the eyes of the beast watching waiting
driving us forward as cattle
to the slaughter
striped toothpaste and nuclear war
another dead another bed
overpopulation hunger
we live our lives ever forward
the past ever present
haunting our souls
dimming our eyes
pills and booze dull us
promising that eternal peace
prolonging our agony
making our beds of hate and pain and regret
a flower radiant in the sun ...
a sunbeam on a cloudy day
end start again
the seasons heedless
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Albert Einstein - philosopher
1. A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
2. Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
3. I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
4. The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
5. The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive. Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.
6. There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.
7. When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.
8. In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself.
9. You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.
10. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.
Thanks to Dion, i plagiarised again, except i didn't bother to include his explanations for the statements, if these need to be explained to you, you're past your should be dead by now date.
Einstein is remembered for his thinking, smart guy and all that. What he was better at than science, was humanity. He is fast becoming my favourite philosopher, because despite the HUGE brain the guy had, he sums things up so simply, so directly, a child could understand him.
2. Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
3. I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
4. The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
5. The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive. Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.
6. There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.
7. When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.
8. In order to be an immaculate member of a flock of sheep, one must above all be a sheep oneself.
9. You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.
10. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.
Thanks to Dion, i plagiarised again, except i didn't bother to include his explanations for the statements, if these need to be explained to you, you're past your should be dead by now date.
Einstein is remembered for his thinking, smart guy and all that. What he was better at than science, was humanity. He is fast becoming my favourite philosopher, because despite the HUGE brain the guy had, he sums things up so simply, so directly, a child could understand him.
Cops
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Mvhjidbvdzc/R4MQglMxM1I/AAAAAAAADcI/CvtQP0nNtk4/s1600/belgian.jpgHoly BELGIUM man!!!!!!!
There is not a car on the planet that can outrun one of these.
2008
Dizzy Dee posted to ask if i'd written the last post, Jus' Thinkin.
Good lord no!! I wish i had the imagination and talent to come up with that. Alas i sit here and think about all the things i'm not writing about. There are a lot of things i want to say, like about the ANC, and my life, and other stuff. Problem is, i'm at a really bad place lately, and everything i have to say about the world is pretty much bad. So i'd rather use this blog as a forum to display bits and bytes of what i think is worth thinking about, at least.
This is the crappiest year i've ever had, already.
Wife left me, then returned. Of course she left me with the kids, who were hysterical.
My maid's 4 year old grandchild drowned in my pool .... Lesego RIP.
I was driven into on the bike this morning, in the rain.
Um .... i really don't want sympathy, but same time i don't really want to even think about me, or my life, or my immediate environment.
OMG this life just gets better every day don't it?
Peace
Good lord no!! I wish i had the imagination and talent to come up with that. Alas i sit here and think about all the things i'm not writing about. There are a lot of things i want to say, like about the ANC, and my life, and other stuff. Problem is, i'm at a really bad place lately, and everything i have to say about the world is pretty much bad. So i'd rather use this blog as a forum to display bits and bytes of what i think is worth thinking about, at least.
This is the crappiest year i've ever had, already.
Wife left me, then returned. Of course she left me with the kids, who were hysterical.
My maid's 4 year old grandchild drowned in my pool .... Lesego RIP.
I was driven into on the bike this morning, in the rain.
Um .... i really don't want sympathy, but same time i don't really want to even think about me, or my life, or my immediate environment.
OMG this life just gets better every day don't it?
Peace
Friday, 4 January 2008
Jus' Thinkin'
A story from a friend:
It started out innocently enough. I began to think at parties now
and then -- just to loosen up. Inevitably, though, one thought led to
another, and soon I was more than just a social thinker.
I began to think alone -- "to relax," I told myself -- but I knew it
wasn't true. Thinking became more and more important to me, and
finally I was thinking all the time.
That was when things began to sour at home. One evening I turned off
the TV and asked my wife about the meaning of life. She spent that
night at her mother's.
I began to think on the job. I knew that thinking and employment
don't mix, but I couldn't help myself.
I began to avoid friends at lunchtime so I could read Thoreau, Muir,
Confucius and Kafka. I would return to the office dizzy and confused,
asking, "What is it exactly we are doing here?"
One day the boss called me in. He said, "Listen, I like you, and it
hurts me to say this, but your thinking has become a real problem.
If you don't stop thinking on the job, you'll have to find another job."
This gave me a lot to think about. I came home early after my
conversation with the boss. "Honey," I confessed, "I've been
thinking..."
"I know you've been thinking," she said, "and I want a divorce!"
"But Honey, surely it's not that serious."
"It is serious," she said, lower lip aquiver. "You think as much as
college professors and college professors don't make any money, so
if you keep on thinking, we won't have any money!"
"That's a faulty syllogism," I said impatiently.
She exploded in tears of rage and frustration, but I was in no mood
to deal with the emotional drama.
"I'm going to the library," I snarled as I stomped out the door. I
headed for the library, in the mood for some Nietzsche. I roared
into the parking lot with NPR on the radio and ran up to the big
glass doors. They didn't open. The library was closed.
To this day, I believe that a Higher Power was looking out for me that night.
Leaning on the unfeeling glass, whimpering for Zarathustra, a
poster caught my eye, "Friend, is heavy thinking ruining your life?"
it asked.
You probably recognize that line. It comes from the standard Thinkers
Anonymous poster.
This is why I am what I am today: a recovering thinker. I never miss
TA meeting. At each meeting we watch a non-educational video; last week it was "Porky's."
Then we share experiences about how we avoided thinking
since the last meeting.
I still have my job, and things are a lot better at home. Life just
seemed easier, somehow, as soon as I stopped thinking. I think the
road to recovery is nearly complete for me.
Today I took the final step...
I joined the ANC.
It started out innocently enough. I began to think at parties now
and then -- just to loosen up. Inevitably, though, one thought led to
another, and soon I was more than just a social thinker.
I began to think alone -- "to relax," I told myself -- but I knew it
wasn't true. Thinking became more and more important to me, and
finally I was thinking all the time.
That was when things began to sour at home. One evening I turned off
the TV and asked my wife about the meaning of life. She spent that
night at her mother's.
I began to think on the job. I knew that thinking and employment
don't mix, but I couldn't help myself.
I began to avoid friends at lunchtime so I could read Thoreau, Muir,
Confucius and Kafka. I would return to the office dizzy and confused,
asking, "What is it exactly we are doing here?"
One day the boss called me in. He said, "Listen, I like you, and it
hurts me to say this, but your thinking has become a real problem.
If you don't stop thinking on the job, you'll have to find another job."
This gave me a lot to think about. I came home early after my
conversation with the boss. "Honey," I confessed, "I've been
thinking..."
"I know you've been thinking," she said, "and I want a divorce!"
"But Honey, surely it's not that serious."
"It is serious," she said, lower lip aquiver. "You think as much as
college professors and college professors don't make any money, so
if you keep on thinking, we won't have any money!"
"That's a faulty syllogism," I said impatiently.
She exploded in tears of rage and frustration, but I was in no mood
to deal with the emotional drama.
"I'm going to the library," I snarled as I stomped out the door. I
headed for the library, in the mood for some Nietzsche. I roared
into the parking lot with NPR on the radio and ran up to the big
glass doors. They didn't open. The library was closed.
To this day, I believe that a Higher Power was looking out for me that night.
Leaning on the unfeeling glass, whimpering for Zarathustra, a
poster caught my eye, "Friend, is heavy thinking ruining your life?"
it asked.
You probably recognize that line. It comes from the standard Thinkers
Anonymous poster.
This is why I am what I am today: a recovering thinker. I never miss
TA meeting. At each meeting we watch a non-educational video; last week it was "Porky's."
Then we share experiences about how we avoided thinking
since the last meeting.
I still have my job, and things are a lot better at home. Life just
seemed easier, somehow, as soon as I stopped thinking. I think the
road to recovery is nearly complete for me.
Today I took the final step...
I joined the ANC.
Thursday, 3 January 2008
Home of the braves
Short intro: this is the most exciting piece of news i have heard for a very long time.
From: Republic of Lakotah
Notice to All Foreign Governments and Private Owners
of Real Estate within the Republic of Lakotah Download this PDF File
Republic of Lakotah
P.O. Box 99
Porcupine, SD 57772
605-867-1111
www.republicoflakotah.com
Info@republicoflakotah.com
JAN 1, 2008
Notice to All Foreign Governments and Private Owners of Real Estate within the Republic of Lakotah
TO:
The United States of America;
The States of: Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska;
The County and Municipal Governments Operating within the Republic of Lakotah; and All Private Owners of Real Estate within the Republic of Lakotah
Lakotah, through its government, have appointed representatives to withdraw from all the treaties with the United States of America.
Lakotah, through such representatives, have formally withdrawn from all agreements and treaties with the United States of America. The reinstitution of our freedom and independence is found in law.
Lakotah has reclaimed sovereignty as a nation and over its traditional lands.
Despite many years of repeated bad faith on the part of the United States government towards the Lakotah People, the Lakotah hold no animosity toward the American people, most of whom have had no part in the actions of their government. We wish to deal with the American people in good faith and in a win-win manner.
While we have the right to impose liens on all of the real estate in our country, we prefer to come to resolutions with you all with out resorting to such measures. Accordingly, at this time, we are only declaring liens on real estate held by governments foreign to the Republic of Lakotah, but not on real estate held by private parties.
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties substantiate this freedom.
Lakotah welcomes the opportunity to meet and discuss this matter. We are in the process of scheduling meetings and will issue public invitations. Should you desire input with regard to scheduling these meetings, please contact us at the above.
Russell Means, Chief Facilitator
Provisional Government
Republic of Lakotah
Russel Means
From: Republic of Lakotah
Notice to All Foreign Governments and Private Owners
of Real Estate within the Republic of Lakotah Download this PDF File
Republic of Lakotah
P.O. Box 99
Porcupine, SD 57772
605-867-1111
www.republicoflakotah.com
Info@republicoflakotah.com
JAN 1, 2008
Notice to All Foreign Governments and Private Owners of Real Estate within the Republic of Lakotah
TO:
The United States of America;
The States of: Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska;
The County and Municipal Governments Operating within the Republic of Lakotah; and All Private Owners of Real Estate within the Republic of Lakotah
Lakotah, through its government, have appointed representatives to withdraw from all the treaties with the United States of America.
Lakotah, through such representatives, have formally withdrawn from all agreements and treaties with the United States of America. The reinstitution of our freedom and independence is found in law.
Lakotah has reclaimed sovereignty as a nation and over its traditional lands.
Despite many years of repeated bad faith on the part of the United States government towards the Lakotah People, the Lakotah hold no animosity toward the American people, most of whom have had no part in the actions of their government. We wish to deal with the American people in good faith and in a win-win manner.
While we have the right to impose liens on all of the real estate in our country, we prefer to come to resolutions with you all with out resorting to such measures. Accordingly, at this time, we are only declaring liens on real estate held by governments foreign to the Republic of Lakotah, but not on real estate held by private parties.
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties substantiate this freedom.
Lakotah welcomes the opportunity to meet and discuss this matter. We are in the process of scheduling meetings and will issue public invitations. Should you desire input with regard to scheduling these meetings, please contact us at the above.
Russell Means, Chief Facilitator
Provisional Government
Republic of Lakotah
Russel Means
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