ROBBEN ISLAND GOOD NEWS! July 20, 2008
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Apparently Searl Derman has obtained approval to capture and move the fallow deer on the Island and he will also capture and sterilise the rabbits with the help of vet Douw Grobbelaar.
Read more about this at: http://allafrica.com/stories/200806090801.html
I promised “Joe” from Durban to find out more about Searl Derman so that if anyone else wishes to pledge funds for this project they can contact Searl Derman direct. Go to:
http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/Pages/profilefull.aspx?IndID=6497
Popularity: 11% [?]
NELSON MANDELA - 90TH BIRTHDAY July 17, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in News.Tags: birthday, mandela, nelson
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Nelson Mandela is celebrating his 90th birthday on 18 July 2008 and when you look at the man you cannot help thinking about his life.
The world is lifting him up and making him into an idol, which is not right, but he remains a humble man and it seems that his main concern is to help children through his children’s fund.
They say that you can only know what a persons life is like after you have walked a mile in their shoes.
As a white female I tried to visualize what it must have been like for Nelson Mandela in his beloved country, South Africa, being oppressed by racism, but I failed horribly because I just cannot know what it was like because we as whites just take too much for granted.
I heard him say the following when he was addressing a crowd of people: “I do not believe in blacks being dominated by whites…..(lots of cheering) ….I do not believe in whites being dominated by blacks…..(less cheering)….. I believe in democracy!”
As a young man he had ideals and was prepared to fight and die for them, apparently he first tried the passive, peaceful route and when that was not successful his organisation decided to fight for the right to be equal. Many men go to war and kill for what they believe in and if it is such a moral issue it is difficult to condemn them because they believe in their hearts that they are right. Innocent people always die in a war and a lot of innocent people died on both sides during this struggle for equality. I do not believe in war, but it is a fact of life in this world!
It is amazing how things turned out! When Nelson Mandela was found guilty by the State he was supposed to get the death sentence (by hanging), but apparently at the time Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd changed it to a life sentence! At the time he did not know that Nelson Mandela was destined for something great in the future and could not die then!
Nelson Mandela could have become a bitter and vengeful man after spending so many years of his life in prison, under bad circumstances for most of the time, but he came out with a smile and a hand of peace held out to all South Africans. He is a humble man, but a strong man who is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in.
I would like to know what he is thinking now when he sees what has become of South Africa! His dream of having all South Africans equal has not been realized as the black ANC government now dominates the other race groups in the country with Black Empowerment and Affirmative Action causing inequality! What a shame, it could have been so different. Democracy does not work!
What a pity he did not have age on his side so that he could have had a second term in the office as President, I believe it would have made a huge difference to this country.
Happy birthday Madiba, may you still have many years left to enjoy the freedom and peace you strove for, for so many years!
Popularity: 16% [?]
GET ONE MILLION VISITORS TO YOUR BLOG July 15, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in Uncategorized.Tags: free, visitors
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Any new blogger would love to get one million visitors to visit their blog and I have found a FREE way of doing it and you do not have to be an expert at HTML to do so.
Go to: http://www.t2000ultra.com/?rid=52214
It is so easy to join! Try it!
Popularity: 17% [?]
A NEW PRAYER July 15, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in Faith.add a comment
This prayer was written by a 15 year old school kid in Geelong, Victoria, Australia and it is probably echoed by many school children all over the world:
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That’s no offence - it’s a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God’s name is prohibited by the state.
We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It’s scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!!!
Amen
Popularity: 17% [?]
SPRINGBOKS HISTORIC WIN OVER ALL BLACKS July 13, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in Sport.add a comment
What a game! When these two rugby greats meet it is always a thrill to watch because both teams have an intense desire to beat their rivals.
The “House of Pain” has been just that for the Springbok rugby team for the past 87 years, that was when last they were able to beat the All Blacks in Dunedin!
It was a cliffhanger right to the end and the whole of South Africa was sitting on the edge of their seats during the last few minutes of the game, we were ahead 30-28 and HAD to hold on to win! Our boys did not disappoint us and at long last we had a win at this venue.
Sometimes a team does need an individual spark from one its players and Ricky Januarie (scrumhalf) reminded us of the great Joost van der Westhuizen when his touch of brilliance resulted in the winning try being scored by him in the 75th minute of the gaime.
We have now ended the All Blacks world record run of 30 home test victories in a row. The world champs showed their true grit and that is how we know them.
Well done Boks we are so proud of you, now keep up the winning streak again when you meet the Wallabies!
Popularity: 26% [?]
ROBBEN ISLAND UPATE July 8, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in News.3 comments
I am happy to report that some progress has been made on Robben Islands problem. A South African businessman has come forward and offered to pay for the capture and relocation of the Fallow Deer on the Island to more suitable sanctuaries. His proposal still has to be approved by the authorities, but there is some hope for these animals now.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the feral rabbits on the Island, it looks like they may be culled, but the verdict is not out yet.
It is always wonderful when someone who has the money to help steps up to the plate and not only offers to pay but has a “hands on” strategy too. Well done Searl Derman for offering your help and money!
Popularity: 33% [?]
FLAMINGO COLONY UNDER THREAT July 4, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in News.1 comment so far
Kimberley in South Africa is best known for the “Big Hole” where thousands of miners dug a huge hole whilst mining for diamonds. This town was also where the American singer the late Jim Reeves starred in a movie called Kimberley Jim.
What many people do not know is that there is a wonderful new attraction just on the outskirts of Kimberley on Kamfers Dam i.e. flamingos.
Two brothers who owns a mining company called Ekapa Mining heard about the plight of the Lesser Flamingo. They used their own finance and resources to build an island in the middle of Kamfers Dam in an S-shape to attract the flamingos in order to establish a safe breeding place for them. This venture worked wonderfully and the flamingos loved the pristine environment and up to 60000 came to breed there and 9000 chicks where born.
Now due to GREED this habitat is in peril and we need every-ones help to save it from being destroyed. The mismanagement of the municipality of Kimberley has allowed raw sewage to overflow into the Kamfers Dam causing some of the flamingos legs to have sores on them.
Secondly, although this site is declared a National Heritage site, the mayor of Kimberley and his team have agreed to re-zone part of the area to allow a huge development by Group One to be built. This permission was granted without an impact study being done about the effect it will have on the flamingos or input being asked for from the conservationists or the people of Kimberley.
Please go to the following website and sign the petition so that we can stop the development and force the municipality to sort out the sewage problem:
http://www.savetheflamingo.co.za/index.php
Please share this story with as many people as you can and I ask all my entrecard readers to help us by carrying a link of this on their blogs!
Thanks to each and everyone who responds to this call for help.
Popularity: 35% [?]
WHAT SHAPES A PERSON (RE-POST) June 29, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in Tradition.add a comment
This was one of my first posts and as my traffic was very low some of my regular new readers may have missed it, therefore I am re-posting it again as it should be of interest.
OVERVIEW
I gave this subject some serious thought and realised that it is a huge subject and I need to approach it one step at a time, therefore I decided to look at the broad picture first and then expand on a subject or section at a later date in further posts. It is always better to get your mind around the broad picture first before trying to learn about the detailed picture.
THE MAKEUP OF A PERSON
The “makeup” of a person is very complex, from birth they are exposed to various factors and these factors mould them into who they are. A few of the factors are:·
Traditions Language Religion Education Skin colour
Of course there are many other factors which will influence a person, but I have chosen the above as I believe that they influence each individual the most.
TRADITIONS / CULTURE
Let us take a look at just one “tradition” of a few nations or like-minded groups around the world and see how powerful they are in the mindset of that nation or group.
The Americans traditionally celebrate “Thanksgiving” every year and it is very important to them, why?
Religious Christian groups traditionally celebrate “Christmas” every year and it is very important to them, why?
The Chinese traditionally celebrate their “Lunar New Year” every year and it is very important to them, why?
I can go on and on with this list because everyone has traditions and knows why they are important to them, but that does not mean that the people outside of their group know or understand these traditions!
Now, what would happen if you tell each of the above groups that they must scrap their tradition and follow yours? There will be a huge outcry from all of them!
The point I am trying to make is that you must learn to understand the traditions/culture of a nation; group or individual before trying to communicate with them or you can walk into a minefield and lose a few limbs on the way.
LANGUAGE There are many different languages and dialects in this wonderful world of ours, but that is one of the most prominent causes of misunderstanding in the world. If you cannot understand what a person is saying to you or the context thereof, then you are lost! Now you must rely on someone else to interpret the words for you and you become reliant on that person’s interpretation and understanding of the words. Therefore what do we end up with? Miscommunication and lack of understanding!
RELIGION Every religious group strongly believe that their religious belief is correct and will die trying to defend that belief because without it they have no foundation, hope, etc.
EDUCATION If you do not have education you are at a great disadvantage in this modern world with all of its technologies! If you live in a remote area and you can live off the land then you can get by without a formal education, but as soon as you start interacting with others outside of your area you need education.
SKIN COLOUR As much as people say skin colour does not make a difference, they know that they are wrong because it does not matter what your skin colour is, if you come in touch with a person who has a different skin colour you view them in a different light, because they differ from you. Therefore, depending on where you grew up your view of another persons skin colour will differ.
OK now that I have shown that the abovementioned factors can shape a person, let me try and paint a broad picture of the African “mindset”.
TRADITION / CULTURE In South Africa this is a very complex subject because there are so many different “groups” of people in this country and each have their own traditions and some have added traditions from other group’s to theirs over the years and made it their own. I am not going to go into this subject here in any great depth now; I will cover that in future posts. I will just briefly explain one tradition i.e. “Labolla”. Many black people believe in having large families because a man is judged on how many children he has, they also love having girls because then they can ask for “Labolla” from a man who wants to marry their daughter. This is a negotiated price the suitor has to pay to the father before he is allowed to marry the girl. Unfortunately the effect of this system has caused fragmentation of families as numerous unwed mothers had to fend for themselves and their children because the father of the child could not afford the Labolla and therefore the girl’s father would not allow the marriage to take place.
LANGUAGE In South Africa we have 11 official languages, that does not mean that there are only 11 languages spoken in South Africa, there are many, many more but the present government decided to recognise 11 of the main ones. Not all South Africans can speak 11 languages, in fact most white South Africans can speak either one or two (English / Afrikaans) and have some understanding of an African language, but most black South Africans can speak at least four languages, their own local home language, one of the other African languages, English and Afrikaans.
As the country previously only had 2 official languages some areas of South Africa are predominantly Afrikaans speaking areas (Free State) and others are predominantly English speaking areas (Kwa Zulu Natal).
We do have a communication problem in South Africa because of our diverse backgrounds and languages, therefore we all need to make an extra effort to make sure that when we speak to one another we communicate effectively and afterwards check that we have been understood correctly. All visitors to our country should also follow this advice it will make your stay so much better.
RELIGION Once again, because of all the different groups in South Africa there are very many different religious beliefs. Most black South Africans believe that their forefathers intercede for them in the hereafter and in view of this they give their relatives a huge send off when they die and perform many rituals and ceremonies during the time after death and at the actual burial and for many years thereafter. In view of this they do not believe in cremation. They still believe in witchdoctors, sangoma’s, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sangoma ) etc. and will go to them to hear what their forefathers say, obtain medical advice and many other needs. The main-stream religions have allowed them to bring their culture into the “church” therefore they have now mixed the two into one where most go to “church” but they still continue with forefather worship.
EDUCATION The education system in South Africa was good prior to 1994, even though there were separate schools for the various race groups, the children went to school, were taught discipline, values, how to read and write and any child in South Africa could obtain a matriculation certificate if they set their mind to it. Unfortunately this is not the case now, there is hardly any discipline in our schools, the literacy levels have dropped dramatically where a large percentage of learners do not know how to read or write properly, there is a lack of skilled teachers, the administration system within the Education Department has deteriorated so much that forward planning, using funds budgeted for to build and equip more schools, etc. has come to a grinding halt causing either overfull classes with up to 60 students in a class sharing desks or no classes at all where schools have been vandalised and wrecked. There are now a large number of black children who do not have any form of education because of lack of control in the education system.
SKIN COLOUR In our country’s history we lived separate lives depending on our skin colour and the system was made law and called “Apartheid” which means “separateness”. Every race group lived in their own area, had schools, churches, etc. in their own area and married in their own race group and were able to develop their own way of life further. When this system was abolished it opened up all areas, schools, churches, jobs, etc. for all race groups. A new Constitution was written which gave equal rights to all; unfortunately reverse racism has now become a norm in the country whereby whites have been sidelined in many areas being replaced by unskilled black people, especially in the Government Departments and whites find it extremely difficult to gain employment in this country and most young white South Africans go overseas to find work.
CONCLUSION As I said at the beginning of this post, it is a huge and complex subject but if you come back to this blog once a week you will slowly learn more and more about South Africa and its people’s and the African mindset. My advice, for now, to any visitor to this country is to treat each person they meet in South Africa as an individual, do not generalise. As in any other country in the world you have inherently good people and inherently bad people and you should rely on your “gut” feeling when coming into contact with any person. There are so many good, humble and law abiding citizens in this country but most tourists do not get exposure to them because of the “criminal element” in the country. I will write an article on hints for the tourist shortly so that any traveller coming to South Africa will be a little more equipped to take on the challenges of visiting Africa.
Thank you for your time.
Popularity: 42% [?]
ROBERT MUGABE RUINED ZIMBABWE June 25, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in News.add a comment
It is amazing how such a well educated man like Mugabe can deteriorate into what he has become. He is the laughing stock of the world and does not even seem to realize it.
Everybody says that they should negotiate with him, has nobody noticed that it cannot be done!
You can not reason with an unreasonable person!
He is in a world of his own and sees himself as wonderful so no matter what the world says he will continue with his violence and intimidation.
Since the MDC leader has announced his retirement from the race the violence against his supporters and himself has escalated. Does that make any sense? Not to a normal human being, no.
Popularity: 47% [?]
SA BANK CHARGES DUE TO DROP June 23, 2008
Posted by frostygirl in News.4 comments
We are all holding our breath for the expected announcement on Wednesday as to what recommendations are going to be made by the Competition Commission with regard to bank charges in South Africa.
The banks have been milking the consumers for years now and it is wonderful to see that at long last something is going to be done about it.
In South Africa you are charged for almost everything you do i.e. depositing cash, withdrawing cash, bank statements, cheque books, etc and then a further monthly service fee is added too. Your monthly bank charges can be as much as R80 for a private individual just doing their monthly transactions.
Some comments from other countries will be welcome on this subject.
Popularity: 49% [?]
