I plead with you to please abandon this façade of the brutal vehicle in favour of a new façade, that of the gentle giant, the benign powerful entity.
Just because engineers happen to be the main drivers in your organisation does not mean that we all have to abandon our value for aesthetics. Beauty is important. It is important to me. I'd rather be a bum in a beautiful place than a prince in a city. What pours into my eyes, ears, mouth, skin and soul is as important to me as how much money my time acquire. I may never be able to acquire property in such a beautiful place, but I do value it's existence and am compelled to contribute generously towards it's continuation.
Right now, your machine is threatening the beauty in Fairbreeze and Mtunzini. Not just the beauty, but also the precious lives of other living creatures who's very existence as species is being threatened. You had access to these reports and other important facts regarding your destructive force before most of us. Not only destructive to the physical immediate consequences but also utterly destructive to our generation's legacy and the ideas we propagate. Ideas fuel wars and I do not wish to set our next generations up for more of that pain as inheritance. Here is much worth preserving.
Offering to do the minimum required by associate politicians is not enough. Not benign. The beauty must be restored to it's former state after you were at our place. Please leave the place in the state you found it or better. Just because you use a big machine does not justify abuse to our environment.
Please do not destroy precious habitat of waning species. Please do not destroy any more valuable life and life forms. This gross approach to getting profits from a market who pretends to be oblivious to their consequences is harmful. They have to accept responsibility for the effect they have on reality and you have access to them at a level where you can educate them about it. Like the Rhino horn traders who can educate those fools with Viagra if only they developed some personal integrity. Will you develop a personal integrity for your organisation? Can you imagine the long term benefits?
I mean come on! Please help us here in Zululand. The minerals are not going anywhere. There is more than enough time to develop ways to go about this that is beneficial to everyone. And i hold you responsible because you are the people who drive that brutal machine. Please rather contribute towards the idea of care rather than gross mindless destruction.
love
/e
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Smoke!
Say I. And encourage everyone to smoke.
And stop persecuting smokers who are really doing everyone a big favour. Just think for yourself.
How does a human being deal with problems? We take the bull by the horns and we keep at it until we win. This is one of our key aspects that prove something of evolution. We conquer amazingly well and efficiently.
What do you think about pollution increasing? And industrial giants China and America not willing to reduce their pollution? While the poor countries believe it necessary? Does the divide between rich and poor also have this quality, other than money, that the one side care while the other don't? I like the idea of non-cynical realism and do not foresee less pollution anywhere in the near future. I refuse to underestimate our ability to conquer the unfortunate side effects of our being human here and now.
The offspring of smokers have a better chance at the future than the non-smoking strains. To become more familiar with someone or something I need to get more exposure to her him or it. As our familiarity increase our understanding improves and eventually we assemble enough knowledge to make something part of us or to deal with it in another way. We pass this onto our offspring, genetically or educationally. We evolve, have no doubt about that. Which leaves the smokers with lungs fit for worse air in the long run while others will choke on the schmog.
So lay off the smokers, persuade your friends and family to smoke especially your kids. In stead of taxing, subsidize smoking please. Our offspring needs it! Our species needs it! SMOKE!
And please smoke more Gauloises Blondes. It is awful that there are so many shops without it on their shelf.
OK, perhaps I'm being a bit demanding. At least smoke as much as you can until you have kids. And please remember to persuade them to do the same.
And stop persecuting smokers who are really doing everyone a big favour. Just think for yourself.
How does a human being deal with problems? We take the bull by the horns and we keep at it until we win. This is one of our key aspects that prove something of evolution. We conquer amazingly well and efficiently.
What do you think about pollution increasing? And industrial giants China and America not willing to reduce their pollution? While the poor countries believe it necessary? Does the divide between rich and poor also have this quality, other than money, that the one side care while the other don't? I like the idea of non-cynical realism and do not foresee less pollution anywhere in the near future. I refuse to underestimate our ability to conquer the unfortunate side effects of our being human here and now.
The offspring of smokers have a better chance at the future than the non-smoking strains. To become more familiar with someone or something I need to get more exposure to her him or it. As our familiarity increase our understanding improves and eventually we assemble enough knowledge to make something part of us or to deal with it in another way. We pass this onto our offspring, genetically or educationally. We evolve, have no doubt about that. Which leaves the smokers with lungs fit for worse air in the long run while others will choke on the schmog.
So lay off the smokers, persuade your friends and family to smoke especially your kids. In stead of taxing, subsidize smoking please. Our offspring needs it! Our species needs it! SMOKE!
And please smoke more Gauloises Blondes. It is awful that there are so many shops without it on their shelf.
OK, perhaps I'm being a bit demanding. At least smoke as much as you can until you have kids. And please remember to persuade them to do the same.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Dreaming out loud.
Imagine if we could actually use technology to make the world a better place. Imagine if we actually start using our shared nervous system in a way that is beneficial to the species. I mean, isn't it possible to better manage the resources available to mankind? I somehow expect the internet to be the ideal tool for some such.
It somehow seems like all it really does is separate the rich from the poor even further. Do I really want to be part of such a problem? I don't think so! But perhaps I can utilise it to some good. So let's find a real problem.
We have too many children suffering for our mistakes. Children should not suffer for our neglect and mistakes. I mean really. Today yet another child did not receive medication in the way she/he should have. Another child died for similar reasons. We expect the uneducated grandmother of an HIV+ orphan to administer medication and to understand the written instructions. Is our expectations reasonable? Do you know how to persuade grandma to not give all the pills to the poor baby in one go? And to rather administer prescribed amounts daily?
If I can find a real need then I can apply myself to fulfilling it and hopefully amount to some really usefulness with this sadly short life. And here is a real need I have learned about. What if I could find some sponsors to make a difference? How will we address these problems?
If we had a half way house where we could catch sick and or abused children that would take allot pf pressure from the over burdened care facilities. With the right people and resources at such a place these kids could get another lease on life.
With some horses we could get out to the ones at home and care about their state while educating by example. Regular house rounds have various other advantages for these remote and disadvantaged people. The horses may also be used therapeutically to improve a child's state of being.
So where does technology come into this? Well this post for one will hopefully raise enough awareness to get something real going here. Hopefully the message spreads to the most appropriate nodes who have enough sway to move this need into a satisfying state. Who knows? Let's try.
It somehow seems like all it really does is separate the rich from the poor even further. Do I really want to be part of such a problem? I don't think so! But perhaps I can utilise it to some good. So let's find a real problem.
We have too many children suffering for our mistakes. Children should not suffer for our neglect and mistakes. I mean really. Today yet another child did not receive medication in the way she/he should have. Another child died for similar reasons. We expect the uneducated grandmother of an HIV+ orphan to administer medication and to understand the written instructions. Is our expectations reasonable? Do you know how to persuade grandma to not give all the pills to the poor baby in one go? And to rather administer prescribed amounts daily?
If I can find a real need then I can apply myself to fulfilling it and hopefully amount to some really usefulness with this sadly short life. And here is a real need I have learned about. What if I could find some sponsors to make a difference? How will we address these problems?
If we had a half way house where we could catch sick and or abused children that would take allot pf pressure from the over burdened care facilities. With the right people and resources at such a place these kids could get another lease on life.
With some horses we could get out to the ones at home and care about their state while educating by example. Regular house rounds have various other advantages for these remote and disadvantaged people. The horses may also be used therapeutically to improve a child's state of being.
So where does technology come into this? Well this post for one will hopefully raise enough awareness to get something real going here. Hopefully the message spreads to the most appropriate nodes who have enough sway to move this need into a satisfying state. Who knows? Let's try.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Ronnie van Rooyen and Godslove
There are such wonderful people on this planet. People who go to extremes to make the world a better place for someone else.Ronnie van Rooyen, a paediatrician at Stanger hospital is a dear friend and such a special person. Him and his colleagues have challenges here in kwaZulu-Natal with welfare problems as numerous as people that takes a severe toll from them.
With the hospital out of beds again, he brought a little orphan Zulu girl home for the weekend. Godslove was a bundle of bright magic in the last weeks of her 7 year short life. She was amazed at the shopping mall in Richards bay and was so busy choosing stuff for everyone she loves that she forgot to get anything for herself. Hopping, skipping and jumping, one would never have guessed how ill she really was. All laughter and smiles. Another child who contracted HIV before we knew better. Sad thing is that children are still born HIV positive in spite of technology available to prevent it.
Earlier that day I took a seventy year old dame, one of the aunts, horse riding. Off course she got the biggest, slowest horse. During the day I developed an opinion about her being very racist. Perhaps her liberal use of the word caffer all the time. I would soon find out the truth about that idea.
Back from the shopping mall, Godslove was really tired and overwhelmed by the day. The old dame, sensitive to the child as if she was her own picked her up and held her on her lap. She started singing a Zulu lullaby which can continue on indefinitely as one is supposed to keep on making new lyrics after the known part of the song is sung. She gently rocked Godslove to sleep. It was the way she held her and the way she sang to her and looked at her that proved me so very wrong.
Too many sick and recovering children and not enough space. Kids who are orphaned and kids who were abused end up sharing beds with other kids in the hospitals while other places where they can be placed are filled over the brim. Places like Blessed Gérard's Children's Home in Mandeni and Siyathuthuka in Obanjeni or alternatively Izulu Orphan Projects if there is a home available somewhere.
The answer to the problem is to create more space and employ more people to help the currently over burdened care system. And all of this costs money. Perhaps you can help? Even if it is just by making more people aware of the situation. We need space, special equipment like special beds for kids who are getting over weight from being bed ridden, etc, etc...
We need more good people! Here is a list of job opportunities in health care in KZN. And what a delightful place to live in with awesome people and great weather right through the year. You just may end up staying for good :)
Sunday, June 26, 2011
While other brides get golden rings Mtunzini got a barbed wire choker from Exxaro.
Barbed wire. Really? Are they being sarcastic? Do they just love rubbing our faces in it? Is it just the usual engineering thing of some idiots being born without any aesthetic sense?
I wonder how Mtunzini will react? Is there anything they can do about it? Should the rest of us not do something about it?
Mtunzini is a pretty holiday destination available to all of mankind. Exxaro and the people associated with it has NO consideration for this beauty. In fact they will do what they can to break it down so they can have more sand to mine. Pretty soon red dust will be all that is left over and we will be considerably poorer for it.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Stop destructive mining at Fairbreeze and Mtunzini
Dear Mankind,
I petition you to please be kind to a favourite paradise of mine. Mtunzini a conservancy in Zululand with Ian Garland's Twin Streams Indigenous Forests and endangered species are under fire from a mining giant with the most atrocious reputation. And just because you have not heard of it before does not exempt you. It belongs to you too and you should not be deprived of this beauty.
While this catastrophe was averted else where in South Africa, the caniving bastards had South African laws amended in such a way that they would be able to squeeze the catastrophe through in future. Now, in stead of doing an impact study, mines are allowed to do what they call a 'basic assessment'. This enables them to get permission to mine at the least expense along the shortest route. So they do not have to assess their damage completely any more. They can simply fast track their destruction. Is this a result of competent resources being occupied with fighting other more immediate fires?
Dear Zulu people, do you see who benefits from this? Do you calculate how much of your inheritance you will loose as a result? What does this mean for Zululand? Destruction of out most valuable assets does not make our future better.
So we have majority Australian, English and American shareholders of a company who will strip our resources, toxic resources to their ridiculous profits and leave us a radio active desert in it's place. That is it! And with the help of government. High and mighty fat cats who care only for their next big party. Is this a fair exchange dear Exxaro shareholder? You are responsible for this! And you offer us a radio active desert in return! Are we not in this life together? Are you 100% sure that a few pennies will be more valuable to you than a beautiful natural escape? And what about the animals, wetlands and indigenous forest which so much effort and expense have gone into? You will indiscriminately destroy so much just so you have a few extra dollars or pounds! Are you for real?
I am being discouraged from complaining about this. People have "given up". "There is nothing to be done any more". But I beg to differ. They have not started yet. This piece of paradise is not a desert yet and we can stop them. Please, dear human, help me stop this atrocity before it happens.
Petition with me: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-destructive-mining-at-fairbreeze.html?fb_ref=comments_inline&fb_source=profile_oneline
love
e
On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SOS-Mtunzini/194597520558329
I petition you to please be kind to a favourite paradise of mine. Mtunzini a conservancy in Zululand with Ian Garland's Twin Streams Indigenous Forests and endangered species are under fire from a mining giant with the most atrocious reputation. And just because you have not heard of it before does not exempt you. It belongs to you too and you should not be deprived of this beauty.
While this catastrophe was averted else where in South Africa, the caniving bastards had South African laws amended in such a way that they would be able to squeeze the catastrophe through in future. Now, in stead of doing an impact study, mines are allowed to do what they call a 'basic assessment'. This enables them to get permission to mine at the least expense along the shortest route. So they do not have to assess their damage completely any more. They can simply fast track their destruction. Is this a result of competent resources being occupied with fighting other more immediate fires?
Dear Zulu people, do you see who benefits from this? Do you calculate how much of your inheritance you will loose as a result? What does this mean for Zululand? Destruction of out most valuable assets does not make our future better.
So we have majority Australian, English and American shareholders of a company who will strip our resources, toxic resources to their ridiculous profits and leave us a radio active desert in it's place. That is it! And with the help of government. High and mighty fat cats who care only for their next big party. Is this a fair exchange dear Exxaro shareholder? You are responsible for this! And you offer us a radio active desert in return! Are we not in this life together? Are you 100% sure that a few pennies will be more valuable to you than a beautiful natural escape? And what about the animals, wetlands and indigenous forest which so much effort and expense have gone into? You will indiscriminately destroy so much just so you have a few extra dollars or pounds! Are you for real?
I am being discouraged from complaining about this. People have "given up". "There is nothing to be done any more". But I beg to differ. They have not started yet. This piece of paradise is not a desert yet and we can stop them. Please, dear human, help me stop this atrocity before it happens.
Petition with me: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-destructive-mining-at-fairbreeze.html?fb_ref=comments_inline&fb_source=profile_oneline
love
e
On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/SOS-Mtunzini/194597520558329
University of Zululand still needs a website
Generally I apreciate what corruption means for us. Especially when someone's life is not destroyed at the altar of the 'Legal' franchise. But then there is the unfortunate crime that encourage people to believe in this abusive process called Law.
I just leaned that
http://www.tmansworld.co.za/ is an ex-Unizulu student who...there's suspicion that he formed this company and there may have been some kickback to a
someone for employing him...there was a big mess about paying them since the work hadn't gone through any real procurement process.
And...well...they originally tried to bill the university for R150K for the website development. University didn't get a CMS, so we were still dependent on the guy (which is bad) while the going rates are about R7000-R10000 for install and template design for a typical CMS, then R250-500/page on top of that, plus extra for features...
...so his bill should have been R30K or less. Someone settled with him for R75000...
So University of Zululand still needs a website. If you can help, please engage them in their procurement process, this may be a substantial project. Contact details: http://www.uzulu.ac.za/contact_us.php
May it all conclude well.
I just leaned that
http://www.tmansworld.co.za/ is an ex-Unizulu student who...there's suspicion that he formed this company and there may have been some kickback to a
someone for employing him...there was a big mess about paying them since the work hadn't gone through any real procurement process.
And...well...they originally tried to bill the university for R150K for the website development. University didn't get a CMS, so we were still dependent on the guy (which is bad) while the going rates are about R7000-R10000 for install and template design for a typical CMS, then R250-500/page on top of that, plus extra for features...
...so his bill should have been R30K or less. Someone settled with him for R75000...
So University of Zululand still needs a website. If you can help, please engage them in their procurement process, this may be a substantial project. Contact details: http://www.uzulu.ac.za/contact_us.php
May it all conclude well.
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