What an “Oarsome” week for SA at the Olympics



So the main news this week is that SA has picked up  3 x Gold medals (well 7 X if you count the extra 3 medals for the rowing dudes)  and a silver, great achievement and what really impressed me is the rowers one who has the surname Brittain pipped the Poms at the post (which made victory even sweeter) I know that certain people will lambast me for not being true to my roots, but I am  not a transplant I don’t straddle the island and SA with my private parts dipping in the ocean. I am a South African, made a conscious decision to be so and Proud that I am one. That’ what you have to do if you move to another country, as someone famous once said “you can’t have your cake and eat it. Of in this case “you can’t have your koeksister and eat it”. Love some of the expat sites and you see the same names popping up that when there is kak in SA they are “just so happy and blessed to have left that god forsaken country, but when SA achieves or does good things they are ‘Just so proud to be South Africans” ....................”Hypocrites”

But anyway Well done SA athletes not just those that have won medals so far but those who have competed and did not win and those yet to compete. Oscar Pistorius is the talk of London he is the first person with no legs to compete in the Olympics, another first brought to you by South Africa........................"Go Oscar"   

Drove up to Aliwal North (Pole)on Wednesday afternoon  and there was snow on them darn hills, not seen snow for a while so naturally I stopped and made a snowball and threw it at some unsuspecting cow across the road. When I got to Jamestown i stopped to put in some petrol and when i wound the window down I thought someone had thrown a  snowball in my face, it was that cold. The last 20kms to Aliwal was lekker because the full moon was rising  above the hills on my right and on my left the sun was setting behind the distant hills. Must say looking across the veld with the kopies in the distant and the full moon rising  with a purple hue in the sky was nothing short of breathtaking, my cell phone camera is KAK so I did not even attempt to take a picture, but that memory will live on in my mind for a long time to come. 

Got to Aliwal and thought my guest house was in a certain direction, thank goodness it was not because the area i thought it was in was not as the chosen people would say “kosher”... ..........  was booked into a guest house across the Orange river in the Free State (where nothing is free and everything is in a state). Had to cross the bridge that was damaged by a truck hitting it about 7 months ago so there was a stop and go. Checked into La Riviera a working farm with guest accommodation, must say very  nice and the under floor heating a huge hit.  Thursday morning I woke up got changed and when i walked outside my legs got so cold that for a brief moment I thought that I may have forgotten to put on my  pants. The cold clung to my skin and the material obviously not working as an effective barrier. You know it’s cold when  the fountain outside your room has frozen over and the water that the general worker threw on the car to de – frost the windows froze so quickly that I could not get the door open, it was frozen shut.....................
        
Gabby got her bike this week so as you can imagine she is chuffed, gave her a lesson today, Sunday 5th August and must say she did not too bad, still some way to go but she will get there.

On Thursday the PE municipality announced that 2 main water pipes filling water to the metros reservoirs had collapsed due to the big rains we have had the last while, so that means areas are and have run out of watery, bit Ironic when u think about it we have had flooding but we don’t have water..................at time of writing (Thursday evening) the situation is the following

Reports are being received of taps running dry in parts of Port Elizabeth, as the current, sudden water crisis begins to bite. The crisis was caused by two of the Metro's main supply pipes being damaged in the recent heavy rain, resulting in the supply from the Churchill- and Impofu dams to the metro being interrupted.

Listeners have already advised Algoa FM News of taps that are dry in Newton Park, Fernglen, Mount Pleasant and Schauderville, among others. The municipality says it is extremely concerned that some residents deliberately fill up large containers of water, depleting the supply in the reservoirs at a much faster rate. They have been asked to consider other people, as the Municipality has issued a call that Everybody should conserve water over the next few days.

An update regards the situation is that while some people did experience the loss of water and some restaurants etc did close because of that it was not as bad as some people (The sensationalists) tried to make out, you always get people that try to make things out worse than they actually are. We have not had loss of water and don’t expect we will. So just in case you were worried we are not dying of thirst, we do not smell and most importantly “the pubs are still open”  

So the textbook fiasco is nearly over Angie “get an f “ the MEC for education in Limpopo is however not going to bend to pressure from anyone, including the “ANC Yut league” to resign until a full enquiry has been conducted, you see its not her fault, I am sure she will use what will from now on be known ‘Verwoerd defence” I had to laugh because some tool from the department of education said that the Crisis is nearly over and most students except for a minority of grade 8 students had received textbooks................well don’t give yourself a raise because its August that’s 8 months into the year, surely they should have had them in January. The MEC also now has plans to ensure this does not happen again. You say that every year and yet it continues to happen. But don’t worry the kids won’t fail because we will pass them ................Eish it was not their fault so how can they be punished.

The Super 15 was won by the Chiefs they beat the Sharks 37 / 6 it was a Snotklap of note and to be honest a bit disappointing, really thought the game would have been closer than the way it panned out. Oh well always next year I suppose.   

Well that’s it for this week
CIao
SPAD

Don’t blame it on the sunshine, don’t blame it on the moon light don’t blame it on the good times, blame it on...........................



Verwoed......................Yes Hendrik Frensch Verwoed the architect of apartheid that was assassinated by some Greek loony tunes on 6 September 1966 is still able after all those years able to reach from the grave and F%^k with black people’s lives. This is according to our esteemed, large penis’d, shower to get rid of aids and multi partnered President his honourable Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma or JZ as he is fondly known by his legion of fans.

You see the reason that Limpopo has no books and that the kids are not getting education is because of Verwoed and his education policy not wanting to educate Blacks. I am actually at a loss for words so i am not going to comment at this stage other than to say “what a doos”

See that Malema has been stirring the pot regards Zuma as well: “ What could be described as his most scathing attack of President Jacob Zuma yet, former ANC youth league president Julius Malema said the president was morally unfit to conduct former president Nelson Mandela’s funeral.Speaking in Qumbu, near Mthatha in Eastern Cape last night, Malema accused Zuma of undermining Nelson Mandela’s legacy.

“We must pray Mandela to live long up until Zuma is no longer president because he (Zuma) does not qualify to bury him. He does not have the moral authority to stand near his coffin (as state president),” he said, also calling Zuma a liability to the ANC and the country”.

So the Winter Olympic games in London have started, our family that live there are all agog at being in London at this time, know how they feel as was great to be in SA when  we SO SUCCESSFULLY hosted the Soccer world cup in 2010. Gotta say a part of me is hoping that the Poms drop the ball because they gave us so much shit about not being able to host a Soccer World cup. I see already we have had a anthem and a flag incident so let’s see what the rest of the games bring. Missed the opening ceremony so really can’t say what it was about other than amazing if you look at family FB comments. Apparently the show incorporated all the good things that depicts the island, Cows, sheep, Mr Bean, 007 and the queen......................”Oh Yeah”.  I wonder if they carefully edited out the highlites of British history, No Colonialism, No concentration camps in South Africa, no stealing of other countries diamonds and gold etc etc.

Great excitement and photos galore with the specially  designed Olympic torch by two alternative lifestyle designers making a 70 day journey around Great Britain....................They must have run really slowly” because surely it can’t take that long to walk/run around the island? Don’t you think the torch looks like a King Cone or a fancy cigarette lighter. 

I see that a number of athletes competing for Great Britain would not sing “God save the Queen” because of political overtones..................How rude, you want to compete at the Olympics under the Pommie flag but don’t want to sing the anthem....................SIS on you Ryan Gigs. The Scots are trying to break up Great Britain (and I say that with tongue in cheek)......................seems the Scots don’t like the POMS that much, hell come to think of it neither do the Irish or the Welsh.................mmmmmmmm you see the trend here?
Now just read this on Sky news: Olympic organisers have launched an investigation after fans expressed disappointment at the sight of rows of empty seats on the first day of the London Games. Locog were prompted to act after gaps were visible at a number of venues, including the Aquatics Centre where British medal hope Hannah Miley missed out on a podium place in the  400 metres individual medley final. In contrast, huge crowds lined the streets, where tickets were not required, to watch Mark Cavendish and Team GB compete in the cycling road race.
Oh and this really interests me ................NOT but I will tell you anyway the Beckams are planning to have sex this Olympics so they can produce an Olympic baby...........any bets on what it will be called...................another poor baby born on the island.   
So remember the day I bought Gabby a tricycle and then the big bike with training wheels, the skateboard, rollerblades, big bicycle, electric scooter and yesterday we bought her a Honda 125 XLR, so when she turns 16 she will have her own transport, She can ride the scooter pretty well so I will need to start teaching her how to ride the bike and get her booked to do licences etc etc.    

Sad about all the people killed and injured in Aurora(USA) at the midnight screening of the new Batman movie  by some lunatic with access to automatic weapons and gas. I see one of those killed was a 6 year old child. This begs a couple of questions such as what was a 6 year old doing at a midnight show that has a age restriction and how did the parents manage to get that child in the movie house? You do know that those parents of the child will now sue the movie house for allowing the child into the show, even though they made the conscious decision to do so themselves.....................God Bless America.    
      
So the Super 15 Final is Sharks VS Chiefs in Hamilton New Zealand, probably an upset final cause many believed that it would be the Crusaders VS Stormers  at Newlands. Both the Sharks and the Chiefs played really well so hopefully the Sharks will be able to take a 3rd trip in 3 weeks and win the Super 15 for all South African Rugby supporters.  

Well that’s it for this week. Oh the reason i have not written Blogs for a while is..................Ah F#$k it  its Verwoeds fault

Ciao
SPAD

Guess who’s back



The more astute of you may have noticed that i have not written a Blog for a long long time, “what’s the excuse” ? Well to be honest i did not feel like writing for a while.

Busy writing this Blog  sitting on a 1960’s style couch watching SABC 2 with the sound disappearing and the picture fluctuating between a blue screen, or it ghosting and then splitting into a double screen you know like when a Boeing airbus flies over your house and the TV goes moggy. Staying at a place called the Palmhouse which is part of a larger lodge called the Kraaljtie (little kraal)

But I get ahead of myself, so let me tell you where i am and why i am here. I am in a village Called Joubertina that is 180kms from PE and is situated on the R62 (SA’s version of  America’s Route 66)

Well I am going to be doing some training tomorrow at ESKOM (SA electricity supplier). But in the meantime let me tell you about Joubertina or at least my impressions of it.

Have to say was not looking forward to have to come here as I was thinking of a 1 horse town that they would probably feed me for dinner, but I really like it here. It could be the Euphoria wearing off from the Shit eating grin bike ride to get here. OMG (that’s Oh my God for those that are not hip with the modern way of communicating) what an awesome ride, when I turned off the N2 onto the R62 i was wondering what the road would be like, but I believe that the road maker was either a biker and if not then he should be made an honorary one.

The road is good, cambers awesome and with enough turns and twisties to keep you wanting more, even the setting sun in the eyes could not dampen the need for speed. The bike was going great and handling like it was on rails. The road to Kareedouw is lekker but from there to  Joubertina is a bikers paradise.

Kareedouw is a typical tourism village with the obligatory Pep store, 4 garage’s 6 butchers, 18 bottle stores and a  pot pourie of restaurants, coffee shops and gift stores. The church off the main road is however majestic and was voted the 5th most beautiful church in SA, it’s also where John Vorster is buried.

If i was smiling about the road to Kareedouw  then i was grinning from ear to ear when i hit the road to Joubertina, AWESOME with a Capital A is what I have to say. Got into Joubertina as the sun was setting and the clouds were spilling over the mountains into the valley, got lost so stopped at the Ark to get directions, just so happen also sold beer , so had one of those and then another and then rode down to the guest house.

Settled in and then rode back to the ARK to have a couple more bers and play a couple games of pool. Barman Arno was very funny , when i asked him what youngsters like himself did for companionship he said “In Joubertina you do not get to have a girlfriend, you get a turn”.

Woke up at 2am to the sound of a cockerel that had throat cancer from the sound of it so did not get much sleep after that. At breakfast  got a call to say that the training for ESKOM had been cxd due to a number of the students on the way to the training having been involved in a car accident so that would mean only a few people at the training. After breakfast, I packed up and head the 180kms back home to PE. Can’t wait to get back as it reminded me so much of Clarens, great scenery (loved the mountains) great people and just Lekker.   

Now I know this is going to shock many of you and may even have some postponing or cancelling plans  to go and live there but it’s got to be said “ Think of it as a public service announcement” My sisters car was stolen.................. (Nicole’s car was stolen from in front of her house in a nice neighbourhood in London), yes I know I was also shocked and stunned. Apparently there are  actually criminals on the island so all the stories you hear  that you can walk anywhere, leave money out on the front pavement, leave your house unlocked, leave laptops etc in an unlocked car are not 100% accurate after all. 

I have a Theory it probably was like that until the South Africans, Nigerians and Zimbabweans started to flood onto the island, not to mention the Rumanians, Poles, Russians, Albanians as well as any other Nationality that could walk, run, swim, drive cycle, catch a rain, get stuffed into a container etc into the country. Apparently people steal cars and drive them until then petrol runs out and then abandon them. Could stay abandoned for months as either people don’t report strange car/s outside their houses or the supposed efficient police have better things to do (after all the Olympics are coming up and they probably have to safeguard the surface to air missiles that will be installed on house rooftops in residential areas) we would not want any of those to get stolen by the Hoodie brigade would we?  Hopefully they do get the car back and it has not been taken over by a family of Rumanian gypsies on welfare.

talking about cops we now have a woman as the head of the South African police services,never been a cop , never wanted to be a cop as a child but was perhaps arrested a few times by the 'Apartheid police" during the struggle years, this obviously gave her the credentials needed to be the "Top cop" of the country. but hey can she be any worse that the 4 star General  Beke Chest out stomach in Cele".....................stay tuned.

While I have been away one of the news items that stood up for me was the Jacob Zuma “Spear” painting, I mean really as though we don’t have enough kak to worry about now we have people marching and protesting about a paining with JZ’s Piel hanging out. They have had a statue of JZ in Joubertina for years already, in fact I hear its how the artist got his inspiration, don’t believe me, well here is a picture of that statue situated just of the R62 in Joubertina 

Well the Boks have beaten the Poms twice and now for the 3rd test which will be at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium next Saturday and I will be there.  To hopefully watch them give the Poms a good hiding this time. Saturday we let them get back into the game. I see that Ireland nearly beat New Zealand and Wales nearly beat Australia this weekend and Argentina managed to beat France, so some interesting games.
  
Been asked to contribute to a book being written in Portugal that will include a chapter on Daniel Roxo and apparently I am the world expert on him at present so I am excited about that because could mean more info coming through for my book. The chapter needs to be 50 – 75 pages so I need to work on that. It also looks like my name will appear on the front cover as a co-author that would be pretty cool. 

I am now part of the Blackberry generation and while I was brought in kicking and screaming I am now learning to use it and c the benefits of having a Smart phone. I get used to something and I hate to change so when Tania said that Gabby was getting an upgrade and I could get her Blackberry I got the cold sweats as I know that somewhere along the line I am going to send someone a rude sms, bbm or mms. “We now live in an era of Smart phones and Stupid people”  

This could only happen in SA and perhaps another reason you need to have a lady passenger on the back of the bike with you.

A motorcyclist used a pair of panties to cover his registration plate to avoid being caught speeding in Johannesburg, according to a report on Wednesday. The Ekurhuleni metropolitan police eventually stopped the biker and his passenger with the help of a helicopter, after a high-speed chase, The Star reported.

The incident happened on Tuesday morning on the N17 highway. The man eventually pulled over at the exit near Rand Airport when he realized he could not outrun a police helicopter hovering above him. Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Wilfred Kgasago told the newspaper ground units could not keep up with the biker, who was travelling at about 200km/h.

The panties were used to cover the bike's number plate, to stop him being identified on speed cameras. The biker was expected to appear in the Germiston Magistrate's Court on Wednesday on a charge of defeating the ends of justice and reckless driving.

We have a new pet , she is called Toffee and is a bunny, she is getting used to the house, garden, 2 cats another pissed off Bunny and a Rat  (who is almost as big as she is) She arrived on Wednesday and was not here 5 minutes and she ran straight inro the pool, Gabby dove in after her but she need not have worried because Rabbits can swim. In fact as i am writing this she has just fallen in again, "not the brightest bunny in the hutch".

Ok well that’s it for now have a great day and to all the Dads out there have a Happy Fathers day and keep up the good work.

CIAO

SPAD

Whats in a name ?



Tuesday I rode to Umtata some 530 kms to the East of PE. Getting to EL was a  doddle but the trip to Umtata  as I have just said was not  Lekker probably due to  due to a combination of traffic, stop and goes, animals of various sizes and species crossing the roads, multitudes of school kids walking back from school and it was cold. I think also my brain had decided in EL that the trip was over so the road ahead was always going to be a stretched out affair. Have to be honest stretches of the road are awesome and a bikers dream, but the Triumph was not holding the road as she normally does and the air filter that I badly need to change (is on order from mud island) is making the bike splutter at lower revs, which means I have to keep the bike above 5 000 RPM or use the choke to achieve that at low speeds. I  also have not seen so much road kill on the roads since I watched deliverance.

Got into Umtata at peak hour and it was like the start of a manical car race, with taxis, cars, buses and pedestrians all vying for space on the road as well as the sidewalk. It was like a combination of Frogger, and Need for Speed with all the participants on Acid. I eventually manage d to find the guest house (Cumberland guest house) do yourself a favour if you are ever looking for accommodation in Umtata then DONT ‘ I repeat” Don’t call them.....................”What a dump”. the base of my bed was too small for the built bed and headboard, as you can see by the photograph

It’s always difficult to go to new places and find the guest house and venue your training at but when you decide to not have street signs as well, then it becomes a little if a mystery tour. What should have been a 5 minute 2km ride from the guest house to Coca Cola lasted 15 minutes and I rode 7 km’s avoiding potholes of various sizes including Sloote (that’s Afrikaans for trenches).

I now never need to go to Nairobi, Lunada or some other God forsaken African City up North as the trip to Umtata showed me what a real African city looks like, while Umtata was bad Butterworth was wall to wall street vendors, people animals and cars all vying for space on the road or sidewalk.  I also know what it would feel like to be the only white person left on the planet

Trip to ERL on Wednesday afternoon after training was as frustrating as on Tuesday a trip that should take 2 hours took me close to 3 .........................was nice to see Carl and Glenda again (Owners of Tindale Lodge) as have not been to Tindale lodge for a while. The ride back to PE on Thursday was uneventful and I rode as hard and fast as I could to get back in just over 2 hours. (310 kms)

Did my first ever moderations on Tuesday morning at the office before I left for Umtata, I passed my Moderators exams so now I can assess as well as moderate exams in the Occupational Health and Welfare   

Friday (27/4) was Freedom day in SA so as is the norm we get a holiday, 18 years ago South Africa had its first democratic election and the ANC came into power and while they have managed to do some good they have also managed to F%$k a number of things up as well.  Here are the ANC’s all-time 10 most disturbing quotes as sent by a friend.

1). "We've been standing here for 26 seconds and nobody has been raped."  2). "[The ANC is] more important" than the Constitution. "No political force can destroy the ANC - it is only the ANC that can destroy itself... "[the Constitution is only there] to regulate matters." 3. "We need to look at the question that is posed, understandably I suppose: does HIV cause AIDS? AIDS the acronym stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Now I do believe that is a sensible thing to ask: does one virus cause a syndrome? A virus cannot cause a syndrome. A virus will cause a disease." 4.) "God expects us to rule this country because we are the only organisation which was blessed by pastors when it was formed. It is even blessed in Heaven. That is why we will rule until Jesus comes back. We should not allow anyone to govern our city [Cape Town] when we are ruling the country." 5.) "I did not join the struggle to be poor." I 6). "The African National Congress congratulates the people of Zimbabwe for a successful 2002 Presidential Election."


7). "I think it's very important for coloured people in this country to understand that South Africa belongs to them in totality, not just the Western Cape. So this over-concentration of coloureds in the Western Cape is not working for them. They should spread in the rest of the country ... so they must stop this over-concentration situation because they are in over-supply where they are so you must look into the country and see where you can meet the supply." 8). "I, for my part, will not keep quiet while others whose minds have been corrupted by the disease of racism, accuse us, the black people of South Africa, Africa and the world, as being, by virtue of our Africanness and skin colour - lazy, liars, foul-smelling, diseased, corrupt, violent, amoral, sexually depraved, animalistic, savage - and rapists." 9.) "Same sex marriage is a disgrace to the nation and to God. When I was growing up, ‘ungqingili' [homosexuals in isiZulu] could not stand in front of me, I would knock him out." 10). "This rot is across the board. It's not confined to any level or any area of the country. Almost every project is conceived because it offers opportunities for certain people to make money. A great deal of the ANC's problems are occasioned by this. There are people who want to take it over so they can arrange for the appointment of those who will allow them possibilities for future accumulation."

We received this in the post , now it’s not something you receive everyday (especially if you are living in “Civilised” countries)   but is typically South African. I have to say that the whole ceremony (it was to mark the 2nd anniversary of Mr’s Hani’s husband’s death over a year ago. Some of you may remember the Blog that I wrote about this, if not you can go to www.thediariesofavillageidiot and search for “So where did I go wrong”) was very tame. I was expecting a horde of people to be singing and dancing followed by a mad chase of some poor goat  along the cul de sac by people brandishing large panga’s and a assegai or two..............”nothing of the sort” it was a quiet affair , in fact the Hillbillies that now unfortunately live behind us made much more noise last public holiday and there were only 4 of them.     

I see the major discussion topic this week has been the postponing of the E-Tolls on the Gauteng – Pretoria (or Tshwane, depending on your politics) for a month, it would seem that only 10 000 of a possible 300 000 road users have actually registered for E-tags.( The implementation of Gauteng’s e-tolling system will be postponed for a month, after an agreement between the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the ANC, the ruling party and the union federation said in a joint statement on Thursday 26/4/2012)

Here are some  thoughts  about this whole fiasco. I feel a legitimate action against a forced upon tolling without provision of alternative routing is justified in not paying, registering or complying regards the E tag system you have all but  agreed, in principle, that it is lawful and constitutional to "take over" existing infrastructure, add one lane and then charge a fee to use any of the four. Previous tax funds paid for and funded these roads, is there a reimbursement for this? No, there is not

If SANRAL was to provide a new route, which did not remove peoples  freedom of movement, it may  be supported and road users could then make a choice to continue with the existing roads or utilize new ones. SANRAL have however stolen or hijacked the motorways for profiteering and greed. The toll roads are a theft from the general public, a compounded tax on your after tax income and worst of all an infringement on our rights as a South African Citizen.

Saturday Ryan and I played good Samaritan and assisted Lindy (one of our work colleagues) to move house. So had two gym sessions on Saturday. I have put on 2kgs now since starting the gym.............hope it’s that muscle that’s putting on weight.  

As if the fact those little monkey faced shits in the Far East cannot get their dicks up without grinding up some Rhino Horn leading to the decimation of the Rhino population I now read that Lion Bones are in big demand because the Tiger bones the Chinese use for other medicinal purposes are almost extinct. So now not only will the Rhinos be hunted but the Lions will also get their turn............so advanced yet so backward. Also I am a tad pissed off with the Chinese because I have not been able to ride my scooter for the last month......................”why is that the Chinese fault” I hear you ask?..............Well have you tried lately to buy a scooter or motorbike battery?..............Good luck as they are in very short supply this is because the Chinese closed down 5 of the biggest battery manufacturers in the world due to lead poisoning. This means that scooter batteries are like hens teeth and the situation is only expected to get worse before it gets better.  I mean this is the same people who used tanks to crush a student demonstration and regularly persecute Tibetan monks, now they get a conscience and decide that they can’t kill people with lead poisoning anymore......What am I going to do about my scooter Slant eyes ?????? 

Report from News 24:......................Johannesburg - South Africa should push for a "decent" and "responsible" trade in lion bones or risk losing its wild lion population to poaching in the future, according to a report on Saturday. The Saturday Star reported that there was a surging demand for lion bones in Asia. "There is a market, a need for lion body parts and this will grow in exactly the same manner as the market for ivory and rhino horn," said Dr Herman Els, manager of the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association. "If you don't do a decent responsible trade... we will not achieve the situation we want..." Lion bones were sought as a replacement for tiger bones and used in traditional medicine, the publication said."The Chinese believe there's a medicinal value attached to these animal parts and will continue to use them.      

Super Rugby this weekend saw the Stormer’s beat the Western Force 17/3 the Lions lost 20/34 against the Brumbies. And the Cheetahs once again managed to squander a huge lead against the Highlanders  (21 points in fact) with a mere 20 minutes to go by 36/33. It also does not help when your kicker misses 3 x penalties (1 right in front of the posts)........So pissed off.

Sunday (today) was go to gym and then Tania Gabby and I went to St Georges park to go look at the flea market there, then we took a drive to the main beachfront to search the local market there for Fudge (Tania and Gabby have been craving it). After buying about 5 kgs each we then dropped Gabby off at her new boyfriend (Bradley) and then Tania and I went to Sards to sit on the sand dune ,watch the  sea and have a beer or cooler in Tania’s case.    
 
 QUOTE OF THE WEEK‏
Interesting observation regarding Affirmative Action: "South Africa is the only country in the world where affirmative action is in favour of the majority who have complete political control. The fact that the political majority requires affirmative action to protect themselves against a 9% minority group is testament to a complete failure on their part to build their own wealth making structures, such that their only solution is to take it from others."

and, a word recently coined to describe South Africa's current political situation.eneptocracy (in-ep-toc'-ra-cy)   - A system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Well that’s about for this week, I have to work tomorrow but I will be off on Tuesday, its MAY DAY.....Wekkers day in South Africa, well at least I have something to thank the Commies for. Oh have you seen the new car on the road? Its what I call a Tunmmer......................Yes a Tummer, “A Toyota Hummer” "Ugly looking thing".
 
Ciao
 SPAD


It dont matter if its black or white (as Michael would have said)


Rode to Grahamstown on Sunday, had a great ride, love that road and the Triumph seems to take like it too as she takes on a life of her own when the throttle is opened. 

Popped in to the Pirates pub (see BLOG Friends and Family for more info on this famous or infamous establishment) but I need to say that many a parent probably shit themselves when son or daughter come home with the boyfriend/girlfriend that are of a different hue then their  own offspring. Plenty of mixed dating  going on and while this may shock some of the older generation or the more racist of the population  it does show that the younger generation dont give a shit.....................which is generally the general attitude of the youth of today anyway.

I was booked at the Whitehouse so after the beer I headed in that direction, I was able to find it this time unlike the Last time I was there and had to get a police escort having got myself terribly lost. There was however a silver lining to the cloud, I found Pirates. I rang the gate intercom but no one answered I called the contact numbers on the gate and eventually got a gent who said that he would send someone soon to come and assist. Stupidly enough I thought someone would be coming down from the main house or perhaps just press the gate button for me to be able to enter. Well 15 mins later a car pulls up with Anastasia (no not the singer) and her mom    so to cut a long story short the owners of the guest house are getting divorced and the gent that answered the phone was the husband and he was in hospital as he had just undergone knee surgery (I did not as to whether this had been inflicted by the wife or not).

I was given the choice of moving into a small cottage on the property or going to Anastasia’s hotel  (The Victoria Hotel and Mews) that is in town itself, I opted for door B and followed them to the hotel. Was built in 1849 and has been used as a hospitality venue of some form or another since that date, with periods of good and bad dotted in between.      

I trained at the Grahamstown National Monument and must say its a really nice venue (beats training in a shebeen or a shack church any day of the week). Had a good group of students and had the Deputy minister of Safety and Security attending a SAP “Stomach in Chest out” we need you to be fit to catch criminals Rah Rah pep talk.......................She was only 2 hours late so perhaps the next Pep talk should be about Punctuality......................”just a thought”
Some news this week

Johannesburg - A 57-year-old Cape Town man died when his light aircraft crashed outside Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, Eastern Cape police said. Warrant Officer Alwin Labans said the man was flying alone in a two-seater aircraft when its engine failed and it crashed at Greenbushes, outside Port Elizabeth. "He died at the scene," Labans said.

We are really in good hands with ministers like this
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs Nomsa Dube called on the national department of science and technology to investigate the causes of lightning after seven people died in lightning strikes. We will do an investigation and talk to the department of science and technology on what is the cause of the lightning, and if it only happened to the previously disadvantaged as I have never seen any white people being struck by lightning." said Dube. She was visiting Mpumazi in Eshowe where seven people from two families died after being struck by lightning on Sunday.  "Scientists from the department could perhaps help us and come up with instruments that could help community members protect themselves against lightning. "The department has dealt with floods and fires, but lightning was new to us," said  Dube. (SO now Lightening is also racist as it seems to only kill black people...............mmmmmmmm)

Johannesburg - Suspended ANCYL president Julius Malema issued a challenge on Saturday to those within the ruling party who were trying to silence him, the SABC reported. "We know that undemocratic processes are those that are intolerant to different views, those that use state power to deal with those that disagree," Malema said. He said these elements had unleashed all state institutions against him as they would do anything to silence him. "If they want to arrest me, I've got an address, they are welcome to come and arrest me," he said. Malema said he was not breaking any rules of his suspension by addressing Limpopo youth league elective conference delegates from his home. "When you visit me here and you want me to engage with you, I do so without any fear or favour because this is my house," Malema said. Ii also seems that JuJu owes the taxman a few R......he he, love it.

Nkandla - South Africa's polygamous President Jacob Zuma on Saturday celebrated his sixth wedding in a second day of weekend festivities filled with traditional Zulu culture. The 70-year-old formalised his relationship with long-time fiancee Bongi Ngema on Friday with Zulu song and dance while dressed in leopard skins and carrying a shield surrounded by men in similar warrior attire. The businesswoman became Zuma's fourth wife in Nkandla, deep in the KwaZulu-Natal countryside, where on Saturday she handed presents to Zuma's family at his homestead in a gift ceremony. Friday afternoon's tying of the knot was followed by a glitzy western-style evening reception with a tiered cake where the couple donned formal wear in a marquee erected on the grounds of a local school. The couple have a seven-year-old son and Ngema joins Zuma's three other wives to become one of four first ladies with all spouses attending the marriage. Earlier,

Its the Ironman today (Sunday) it’s when  thousands of mentally challenged people decide to do a 3.8km swim (in the ocean) a 180 km cycle race and a 42 km run (all in one day). This year they estimate some 6000 escaped mental patients will attempt the course. This is a huge growth from 2004 when only 420 participants arrived to test their bodies and minds against the tough course. The fact  that 9 years ago we had 420 and today 6000 says to me that we either have  many more fit people or the number of mentally challenged persons in the country has grown rapidly. Its expected that this event will bring in R50 000 000 into the economy, but its not without sacrifice from us sane residents who have to put up with road closures for most of the day and it means that we can’t get to to our favourite beach.............not that I would want to because the weather is really KAK , its cold, overcast, windy and it will rain again (did so early this morning) so not only do you have to battle the body and mind the elements have also come to the party today and are throwing a huge middle finger. Having said all that I did think that I should also attempt the Iron man this year and I did. I have to say it was hard, took me far longer than I thought and I will have to purchase new clothing due to the abuse it took over this attempt, perhaps even new equipment.   

It’s my father in laws birthday today (Sunday) so we popped in at his place and had a braai.........yes we said the B word and that can only mean one thing .......................Yes your right bad weather. It did not rain but it was windy and as I have just told you the weather today is not the best. However we made the best of it and had a real Lekker visit

Yesterday (Saturday) was my Niece Ambers 3rd birthday, unfortunately she lives on the Island so her SA family are not able to join in on the festivities that she had on the day. From the Facebook photos it seems that she had a picnic tea party with some of her friends and Douglas’s family as most of them now live on the Island, so as it must be she had a really Lekker or Spiffing day as they say in the classics. Who knows if Doug and Nicole ever come back to live in SA (which I doubt) we will get to celebrate a birthday or two with Amber.     

Was supposed to go to EL today for a few days but looks like I will be going to Umtata for a day on Tuesday.......could change as our schedules get changed at a moment’s notice at present.(If i do go will let you know what is was like in next blog)

Super Rugby this week saw the Stormers beat the Reds 23/13 The Sharks where beaten by the chiefs 12/13 and the Bulls managed to   just beat the Brumbies 36/34 after a awesome last 12 minutes by the Brumbies. The Lions and the Cheetahs had a bye this weekend.

I see that Everton drew 4/4 with Manchester United to keep the Premier league title chase in flux with only a few games left to decide who wins. Man City are 5 points behind Man u so they are hoping the Red Devils will slip up.........Me too..

Ok well that’s it for this week

Have a great week ahead and for South Africans  enjoy the long weekend .
Ciao
SPAD

Friday the 13th


Triskaidekaphobia (from Greek tris meaning "3", kai meaning "and", deka meaning "10" and phobia meaning "fear" or "morbid fear") is fear of the number 13; it is a superstition and related to a specific fear of Friday the 13th, called paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.

This Friday some people would have been so  paralyzed with fear they simply will not have got out of bed. Others l steadfastly refuse to fly on an airplane, buy a house, or act on a hot stock tip. It's Friday the 13th, and they're freaked out. "It's been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do," said Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina.

The number 13 has been unlucky for centuries. Some historians peg the superstition to the 13 people who attended the Last Supper (neither Jesus nor Judas came out of that one O.K.), but ancient Babylon's Code of Hammurabi omits the number 13 in its list of laws, so the superstition dates back to at least 1700 BC. Thirteen is so unlucky, in fact, that in 1881 an organization called the Thirteen Club attempted to improve the number's reputation. At the first meeting, the members (all 13 of them) walked under ladders to enter a room covered with spilled salt. The club lasted for many years and grew to more than 400 members, including five U.S. Presidents: Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Despite the club's efforts, triskaidekaphobia (that's fear of the number 13) flourished; even today, most tall buildings don't have a 13th Floor.

The number's association with Friday, however, didn't take hold until the 20th century. In 1907, eccentric Boston stockbroker Thomas Lawson published a book called Friday the Thirteenth, which told of an evil businessman's attempt to crash the stock market on the unluckiest day of the month. Thanks to an extensive ad campaign, the book sold well: nearly 28,000 copies within the first week. In 1916 the book was turned into a feature-length silent film. Wall Street's superstitions about Friday the 13th continued through 1925, when the New York Times noted that people "would no more buy or sell a share of stock today than they would walk under a ladder or kick a black cat out of their path." Some stock traders also blamed Black Monday — Oct. 19, 1987 — on the fact that three Fridays fell on the 13th that year. The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that $700-$800 million dollars are lost every Friday the 13th because of people's refusal to travel, purchase major items or conduct business.

Then came Jason. In 1980, Paramount Pictures released Friday the 13th (tagline: "Fridays will never be the same again"), a slasher flick about a series of murders at a summer camp. Apparently Jason, born on Friday the 13th, chooses that date to take revenge on oversexed campers much like the ones who allowed him to drown in Crystal Lake. So much for trust falls and lanyard-making. Friday the 13th grossed almost $40 million at the box office and inspired a long-running franchise: Friday the 13th Part II; Friday the 13th Part III; Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (it was not); Friday the 13th: Jason Lives; Friday the 13th: The New Blood; Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan (he left the summer camp?); Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday; Jason X; and 2003's Freddy vs. Jason. Maybe the number 13 isn't so bad after all.

Friday the 13th Myths:

• If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, someone in your family will die. • A child born on Friday the 13th will be unlucky for life.  • If a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13th, you will be the next to die.

Friday the 13th Anecdotes:

• In 1913, a New York pastor tried to assuage couples' fears by offering to marry them for free on Friday the 13th. • In 1939, a small town in Indiana forced all black cats to wear bells on Friday, Oct. 13. When the measure seemed to work (nothing bad happened, at any rate), the town continued the practice for the next three years. • At the time, Oct. 13, 1989, was the second largest drop of the Dow in history. Nicknamed the Friday-the-13th mini-crash, these days it's not even in the top 10. That might be the scariest fact of all.

News this week

Johannesburg - Building was halted at the Sandton construction site of the new home of embattled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema a week ago, according to a report on Friday. Beeld newspaper reported that Malema was allegedly unable to settle debt of R400 000 owed to his building contractor at the end of March, after which the company decided to transfer its workers to another project in Bedfordview. According to Beeld, Malema tried to transfer money from two accounts to pay Kwandisa Construction, but his second transfer failed. The SA Revenue Service had also reportedly approached Kwandisa Construction with queries about Malema's financial affairs.

News earlier this week was that Robert Mugabe was on deaths door somewhere in Singapore, the Devil is probably shitting himself having had Gadaffi, Kim Jung as well as Bin laden  arrive recently. I would  like to as you all ask a favour and that is we  all Pray for the Cancer family at this stage. I cannot even imagine what it must be like for that Cancer family to know one of its own has Mugabe disease.

 Bissau - Guinea-Bissau's interim President Raimundo Pereira was arrested by troops during an apparent coup bid in the troubled west African state, one of his bodyguards said on Friday. "He was arrested at his residence on Thursday evening by a group of soldiers... and taken to an unknown destination," the bodyguard said. Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior was also arrested after his residence came under attack on Thursday night, his wife said earlier.

SA: it would seem that JZ the president of SA will be putting us hard pressed tax payers under even more pressure by marrying his 4th wife next weekend. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm wonder how many kids we will be supporting after he is no longer president, perhaps for Zuma becoming president was more about the state (read taxpayers) paying for his extended family long after he is no longer “EL Presidente”

 Still going to gym and having weighed myself after a couple of months I weigh 1.5 kgs more...............I was under the impression that I was supposed to lose weight but it would seem that I have added the weight due to muscle growth.................MMM when I find the muscle that has grown will advise and take a photo.

Rugby this weekend say the Sharks not getting the “Blues” as they beat the Blues 29/23. The Stormers lost their first game of the season 24/31 against the Crusaders. The Cheetahs lost 33/39 against the top placed Chiefs after a great game and the Bulls beat the Lions (as expected 32/18. At present SA teams are 2nd ,4th, 8th, 11th and last.

Off to Grahamstown this afternoon to do training on Monday and Tuesday and I think I am going to EL next week. Weather looks like it may get wet so hopefully it stays away.

Well off to the gym, going to see if I can find that muscle.

Have a great week
Ciao
SPAD
       

Hot Cross BUNny


Before I forget Happy Easter to all those that are reading this Blog, hope you had or are having a Lekker (that means nice for those non South African readers or ex South African residing in a foreign country and have forgotten the taal).

So last Sunday it was April Fool’s day and I forgot to add this into my Blog (probably because we found a box that had someone’s ashes in it, first time I have ever brought a dead person home and hopefully the last)..................

Talking about April Fools here is a little info about the origins of this day that is celebrated in so many countries in so many ways.  
 
The history of April Fool's Day or All Fool's Day is uncertain, but the current thinking is that it began around 1582 in France with the reform of the calendar under Charles IX. The Gregorian calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved from March 25 - April 1 (New Year’s week) to January 1. Communication travelled slowly in those days and some people were only informed of the change several years later. Still others, who were more rebellious refused to acknowledge the change and continued to celebrate on the last day of the former celebration, April 1.

These people were labelled "fools" by the general populace, were subject to ridicule and sent on "fool errands," sent invitations to nonexistent parties and had other practical jokes played upon them. The butts of these pranks became known as a "poisson d'avril" or "April fish" because a young naive fish is easily caught. In addition, one common practice was to hook a paper fish on the back of someone as a joke.

This harassment evolved over time and a custom of prank-playing continue on the first day of April. This tradition eventually spread elsewhere like to Britain and Scotland in the 18th century and was introduced to the American colonies by the English and the French. Because of this spread to other countries, April fool’s Day has taken on an international flavour with each country celebrating the holiday in its own way. In Scotland, for instance, April fool’s Day is devoted to spoofs involving the buttocks and as such is called Taily Day. The butts of these jokes are known as April 'Gowk', another name for cuckoo bird. The origins of the "Kick Me" sign can be traced back to the Scottish observance.

In England, jokes are played only in the morning. Fools are called 'gobs' or 'gobby' and the victim of a joke is called a 'noodle.' It was considered back luck to play a practical joke on someone after noon. In Rome, the holiday is known as Festival of Hilaria, celebrating the resurrection of the god Attis, is on March 25 and is also referred to as "Roman Laughing Day." In Portugal, April fool’s Day falls on the Sunday and Monday before lent. In this celebration, many people throw flour at their friends. The Huli Festival is celebrated on March 31 in India. People play jokes on one another and smear colours on one another celebrating the arrival of Spring. So, no matter where you happen to be in the world on April 1, don't be surprised if April fools fall playfully upon you.

Talking about fools, seems that Julius “what a retard” Malema who has again been suspended from the ANC is living up to his spoilt child, militant persona from local news “Suspended ANC Youth League president Julius Malema addressed the congregation at a Good Friday church service in Butterworth in the Eastern Cape, according to a report. This was despite being barred from doing so as per the conditions of his temporary suspension from the ANC. The SABC reported that Malema had spoken out against what he called "individuals trying to silence him" at a second church service which he had attended”. (Perhaps we should just rename him Boomerang, because the F%^ker just keeps coming back.)    

So far this year and this was the figure at Tuesday 159 Rhino have been killed so some far eastern ‘Fucktard” can get a hard on and pomp (that’s bonk for you non Sefafrican readers), last year the figure was 448 . the poaching has got so bad that a game farm near Jeffery’s Bay (70 kms from PE) was robbed last weekend and when the dim-witted thief did not find money in the till of the bar he broke into, he must have thought he had scored a luck when he saw the Rhino head on the wall......................This Shit for brains then sawed off the fibreglass horn of the decorative head......................What a tool.   

In 2000 seven  Rhinos were poached years after that the numbers were 6, 25, 22, 10, 13, 24, 13, 83, 122, 333,  so far this year more rhino’s have been slaughtered than  the total number from 2000 – 2007. How do we stop this carnage?..........................’I wish I knew” because so far nothing seems to be working and I don’t see how selling CD’s books, wearing black on a Friday, signing petitions or putting stickers on the back of your car  will stop the indiscriminate slaughter. Perhaps we need to find the people who use the rhino horn to get a boner and cut that it off........Talking about animals, Wednesday the 4th of April was World rat day........”who knew” we have a rat and had no idea, oh well will just have to try and remember for next year..............”not”

Finished SAMTRAC training this week, with the students writing their 3 hour written assessment on Good Friday (hopefully it will be good and they will all be found competent). Had a small Braai (throw raw meat on an open flame, for the none “Sefrican” readers) after we had finished. Had a good class and having spent 2 weeks with them you get to become friends.

Gabby has gone to Easter Camp in Kirkwood, about 200kms away from PE, she is probably having a ball with mates, we all went last year, have to say really glad that I don’t have to do it this year, not really my cup of tea. Gabby seems to be having fun as we have only heard from her twice so far this weekend

Saturday was  go to gym day , so spent some time sweating and straining my muscles (sorry muscle), then Tania and I went to the Main beachfront as the yearly Easter Splash Festival is on, runs from 6th – 9th of April.  Was same old same old with same stalls selling the same shit with only 1 or two stalls that sold anything of worth. you do however get to see some interesting characters walking about, like the photo of this dude who had his Gene Paaant tucked up like board shorts. Went to watch some rugby with a couple of mates at Sgt Peppers (the owner as you may have guessed is a huge Beatles fan)

Super Rugby scores for South African teams this weekend was that the Sharks had their asses handed to them by the Hurricanes 42/18 was the final score. The Stormers beat the Highlanders 21/6  much to many people surprise, The Cheetahs beat the Lions 26/5 and the Bulls just beat the Crusaders 32/30 with the Bulls hanging on at the end for a well deserved win. The super 15 log top 3 is after round 7 1st Stormers 2nd Chiefs and then the Brumbies in 3rd. The Bulls are 4th, the Sharks 9th , the Cheetahs 11th and the Lions (not really surprised at this 15th). took this photo of a gent that i would not have thought would wear pink, however being a Bull fan this is now not the case, with many a man gladly donning a pink shirt to support his  team every weekend.    

News from across the world (info from news 24)

Washington - A US Navy F-18 jet crashed into a low-rise apartment building in Virginia on Friday triggering an inferno, military officials said, with emergency responders rushing to the scene. The two crew members successfully ejected from the jet which ploughed into a populated area in the eastern coastal tourist resort of Virginia Beach, the Navy confirmed on Twitter but there was little word on civilians in the area. Reuters reported that six people had been injured.

Beijing - A Chinese schoolboy sold his kidney for an illicit transplant operation and used the proceeds to buy an Apple iPhone and iPad, state press said on Friday. The 17-year-old boy, who was paid 22 000 yuan ($3 500), was recruited from an online chatroom and is now suffering from kidney failure and in deteriorating health, the Xinhua news agency said. A surgeon and four others have been arrested and are facing charges of illegal organ trading and intentional injury.

Paris - The French interior minister has said he fears a serial killer is on the loose after a series of murders in an outer suburb of Paris.  Claude Gueant, speaking on French radio Europe 1 Friday, said "maximum resources" would be used to find the perpetrator. Investigators are looking into four murders that have taken place in the Essonne region of the capital since November. Authorities say the same firearm was used in three of the murders, according to a police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy. In the latest murder on Thursday, a killer fled on a motorbike after shooting a 47-year-old woman in the head. French authorities are on heightened alert after a string of murders in southern France last month by a gunman on a motorbike.

Time to stop petrol panic, NO strike has yet been called, Food and Fuel prices to soar, Police close filling stations, Don’t Panic............Sound familiar, yep I bet your saying headlines for SA newspapers, well ladies and gents you would be wrong, these are headlines in UK (the land of milk and honey) newspapers. So it would seem that petrol shortages have seen the police have to be deployed to stop people getting aggro and the sale of jerry cans has soared as people are hoarding fuel.  Seems that the Pommie government urged people to fill up their cars and stock up on petrol due to a strike that may be coming up. Also it seems that the Island may be in or heading for another recession.  (A jerrycan is a robust fuel container originally made from pressed steel. It was designed in Germany in the 1930s for military use to hold 20 litres of fuel. The development of the jerrycan was a significant improvement on earlier designs, which required tools and funnels to use. The poms called it a Jerrycan as Jerry was a disparaging word for Germans, in Germany it was called the Whermachtkannister ) Despite the common mistake that jerry comes from the sound the Ger in the word German makes, Jerry actually refers to the Helmets worn by the Germans during WWI, which to their opponents resembled Chamber Pots, or Jerries. (So let it never be said that you don’t learn shit from this Blog)

Sunday I went to the gym again and then Tania and I did some window shopping  and checked out the book shops at the local mall and had a Lekker breakfast at The Mugg and Bean, the weather today is English Summer as its wet and coldish, Autumn is here as the trees are starting to lose their leaves, today’s temp is  min 10/ max 20, Tania checked on her phone for the temp in Clarens min 3/ max 19 interestingly enough the website indicated that there is a Clarens in South Africa, Switzerland (Paul Kruger died there) and also one in France and Mauritius (that I did not know).

Well that’s about it for this week, hope you and your families are having a Happy Easter and that the week ahead will be a good one for you all.  but before I go a question

IF A PARSLEY FARMER IS SUED, CAN THEY GARNISH HIS WAGES?

Ciao
SPAD   
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