MartinsCyberSpace

Category: Comment

  • 3D Printed Houses

    3D printed houses are amazing, cut costs, save time and have come a long way in the last few years.

    Enjoy this great documentary

  • How do countries go bankrupt?

    How did you go bankrupt?

    Two ways. Gradually but then suddenly’.

    These two lines, which appear in the Ernest Hemingway-novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’, encapsulate, for me at least, what is slowly but surely unfolding in South Africa.

    We are in the ‘slowly at first’-phase of going bankrupt as a country, but at a later stage, not too far away, will we reach the ‘suddenly’ part of running out of cash. Some would say we’ve already reached that point.

    The #FeesMustFall student unrest we witnessed last week at most of our campuses, Parliament and even at the Union Buildings, are seemingly unrelated symptoms of a much greater build-up of steam boiling under the surface. These sporadic and isolated incidents include the labour uprising and massacre at Marikana in 2012, the ongoing e-tolls boycott and several hundred incidents of social unrest around water, electricity and the provision of basic services.

    But related they are and there is more to come.

    For me they represent small but ever-growing fissures in the ground under our feet that are opening up as the financial pressures – brought about by years of economic mismanagement, corruption, lack of governance and government arrogance, to name just a few – build up steam.

    What the end of the commodity cycle means

    These pressures were still manageable when the commodity prices were in full bloom and the economy was growing at around 5%, prior to the Great Financial Crisis. Government revenue was pouring in, creating the illusion of a cash-flow that forever rises into the future. Ah, such bliss….

    Those days now seem so far away. The commodity cycle peaked in about October 2011; less than a year later the first to feel the squeeze were the mine workers at the platinum mines who went on strike demanding an adjustment to their basic wages. They were met with a hail of bullets leaving 37 dead.

    The e-toll saga in Gauteng is nothing else but a manifestation of middle-class anger directed at the financial squeeze they find themselves in. By itself e-tolls are not a substantial cost, but when taken into consideration with above-average increases in land taxes, medical aid fees, school fees, electricity and everything else, it becomes the proverbial last straw on the camel’s back. With e-tolls you have a choice to pay or not pay; that therefore became the weakest fissure and out burst the steam.

    If government does not realise this and continues on its misguided current path, the pressures are bound to build up to a bursting point of volcanic proportions.

    It also is a manifestation of the utter powerlessness experienced by middle-class voters who are being squeezed by rising taxes, levies, fees, medical aid contributions, cost of living and a host of other factors. There is a rage building up under normally placid and law-abiding taxpayers.

    Mugged by a blue light gang

    Let me give you a small example of what I’m talking about. I’m certain many will relate to this.

    The other day, in rush-hour traffic near Sandton on the M1 North going to Pretoria, I sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic, when behind me one of our modern-day curses under the ANC government loomed large in my rear-view mirror: a blue light convoy, accompanied by about five JMPD vehicles.

    Everyone was threatened, cajoled, sworn at and pushed aside as the convey came screaming past, sirens blaring. Woe betide anyone who did not react fast enough in the eyes of the gun-toting JMPD-traffic cops, so that the big and very important man/woman of ANC could come through. I watched with horror as the procession continued in the direction of Pretoria.

    It left me breathless with an impotent rage and yet we as taxpaying citizens can do absolutely nothing about it. I looked at the faces of the motorists around me, black and white, and the same rage was clearly visible.

    It may be an insignificant incident in the greater scheme of things, but this is the way an increasing number of middle-class taxpayers in the private sector are starting to feel about the government. For it is they who are feeling the economic pinch the hardest.

    Government workers now the rich and privileged

    Middle-class taxpayers in government have been earning salary increases at a rate of inflation plus 3% for many year now and have been promised increases of the same for the next three years. A cushy job in government is now the surest way to middle-class wealth for most South Africans. Much of that is the consequence of cadre deployment, among other things. Merit seemingly counts for very little in the greater scheme of things. Such is the power of the civil service that National Treasury had to allocate money from its contingency reserves – emergency money in other words – to satisfy the demands of government workers.

    Middle-class taxpayers are not, generally, beating inflation with their salary increases. This can already be seen in new motor car sales, home sizes, travel and even medical aid membership – they are all shrinking. Middle class SA is under a tremendous amount of pressure. Over the weekend the Lever Institute at the University of Cape Town confirmed this trend.

    As it is, according to economist Mike Schüssler, the average salary in government is now R241 000 per annum versus R196 000 per annum in the private sector. The bloated government salary bill lies at the heart of much of our financial problems at the moment. And what are we getting in exchange? Surly, sloppy service with attitude and if you can’t do your job, you employ a consultant.

    There was a time that a government employee would accept a lesser salary (relative to the private sector), in exchange for job security, medical aid, housing allowance and a generous pension fund. It was in the private sector where you would make the big bucks but where you could also lose your job and/or business if things went pear-shaped.

    In the current financial year SA will spend R550 billion on the salaries of all civil servants from local to national government, more than half of the four major taxes central government receives, namely VAT, personal income tax, company tax and fuel taxes.

    People often ask me what a fiscal cliff is. Just open your eyes and observe. We are busy storming at one right now. A fiscal cliff is when your expenses keep on rising but your income suddenly drops away, leaving you with a massive debt to service.

    The mystery of the 36 000 ghost workers

    Our media is barely scratching the surface when it comes to the thievery and gross incompetence at local government level. All the North West municipalities, for instance, are under administration. It has become so common that reports of theft and maladministration do not even receive a mention anymore.

    Last month trade union Solidarity released a report on the ‘ghost workers’ of the North West province, highlighting that at least 36 000 ghost employees have been drawing a combined amount of R19 billion in salaries in this province alone. R19 billion! This report received barely a mention in the media and one battles to find any discussion on it.

    I feel like shouting: There’s the money for #FeesMustFall!

    The education fee shortfall shouldn’t cost anyone a thing. Just stop the thieving and corruption and you have all the money for anyone who qualifies to go to university.

    But in the end government will find someone else to blame: the private sector, the ‘privileged’ whites, the colonialists or the foreigners.

    Government spending will be higher next year; so too the budget deficit, the wage bill as well as interest payments on government debt.

    And all the time those pesky foreigners, the foreign debt ratings agencies, are waiting and watching.

    Ratings agencies… such a western thing.

    Magnus Heystek | 28 October 2015 00:01

  • South African mercenaries’ secret war on Boko Haram

    Mercenaries from South Africa have proved quietly decisive in helping the Nigerian military turn around its campaign against Boko Haram.

    By Colin Freeman, Abuja

    9:20PM BST 10 May 2015

    With their roots in South Africa apartheid-era security forces, they do not fit the standard image of an army of liberation. But after just three months on the ground, a squad of grizzled, ageing white mercenaries have helped to end Boko Haram’s six-long year reign of terror in northern Nigeria.

    Run by Colonel Eeben Barlow, a former commander in the South African Defence Force, the group of bush warfare experts were recruited in top secrecy in January to train an elite strike group within Nigeria’s disorganised, demoralised army.

    Some of the guns-for-hire cut their teeth in South Africa’s border wars 30 years ago. But their formidable fighting skills – backed by their own helicopter pilots flying combat missions – have proved decisive in helping the military turn around its campaign against Boko Haram in its north-eastern strongholds.

    The Islamists have now fled many of the towns they once controlled, leading to the freeing of hundreds of girls and women last week who were used by Boko Haram as slaves and bush wives.

    The role of Col Barlow’s firm in turning around one of the most vicious African insurgencies of modern times has been kept largely quiet by Nigeria’s outgoing president, Goodluck Jonathan, who lost elections six weeks ago to ex-general Muhammadu Buhari.

    But last week, Col Barlow discussed his company’s role in a seminar at the Royal Danish Defence College, and in a separate interview with a Sofrep.com, a special forces website, he described in detail the “aggressive” strike force that was created to push Boko Haram onto the back foot.

    “The campaign gathered good momentum and wrested much of the initiative from the enemy,” said Col Barlow, 62. “It was not uncommon for the strike force to be met by thousands of cheering locals once the enemy had been driven from an area.”

    He added: “Yes, many of us are no longer 20-year-olds. But with our age has come a knowledge of conflicts and wars in Africa that our younger generation employees have yet to learn, and a steady hand when things get rough.”

    During apartheid, Col Barlow served with the South African Defence Force, a mainly white military unit that defended the regime against insurrection and fought border wars in neighbouring Angola and what is now Namibia.

    In 1989, as apartheid was beginning to crumble, he co-founded Executive Outcomes, a private military company made up of many ex-members of South Africa’s security forces. One of the first modern “private armies”, in 1995 it successfully helped the government of Sierra Leone defend itself against the rebels of the Revolutionary United Front, notorious for chopping off the arms of their enemies.

    Another co-founder of Executive Outcomes, which dissolved in 2000, wasSimon Mann, the Old Etonian later jailed in Equatorial Guinea over his attempts to plot a coup there.

    Col Barlow’s new company is known as STTEP, which stands for Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection. It is thought to have sent around 100 men to Nigeria, including black troopers who previously served in elite South African units. Others even fought as communist guerrillas against the South African Defence Force.

    It is not known how much the Nigerian military has paid for STTEP’s services. But the fact that the Nigerian government felt it necessary to bring them in raises questions about the level of help that it was receiving from the British and US militaries, who offered mentoring packages in the wake of Boko Haram’s kidnapping last year of more than 200 schoolgirls from the north-eastern town of Chibok.

    Describing Boko Haram as “a bunch of armed thugs who have used religion as the glue to hold their followers”, Col Barlow said the initial plan was for his men to train up a team to help free the schoolgirls. However, as Boko Haram continued to run amok across northern Nigeria, massacring hundreds at a time in village raids, the plan turned to schooling Nigeria’s largely traditional army in “unconventional mobile warfare”.

    Key to this was a tactic known as “relentless pursuit”, which involved mimicking Boko Haram’s hit-and-run tactics with non-stop assaults. Once the insurgents were on the run and their likely route established, members of the strike force would be helicoptered into land ahead of them to cut off their likely escape routes, gradually exhausting them.

    The South Africans even used bush trackers to work out where their enemies were going, an old-fashioned art that proved vital in Boko Haram’s forest hideouts. “Good trackers can tell the age of a track as well as indicate if the enemy is carrying heavy loads, the types of weapons he has, if the enemy is moving hurriedly, what he is eating, and so forth,” said Col Barlow.

    While the Nigerian government has insisted the South Africans’ role was mainly as “technical advisers”, Col Barlow suggested his men had been involved in direct combat. His air power unit was “given ‘kill blocks’ to the front and flanks of the strike force and could conduct missions in those areas,” he said. His forces also helped with intelligence gathering, troop transportation and evacuation of casualties.

    Mr Jonathan’s decision to hire STTEP came just ahead of March’s elections, when his government’s failure to either tackle Boko Haram or free the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls was a major issue. He has promised that when Mr Buhari takes over at the end of this month, Boko Haram will be a spent force, although it is not yet clear whether the Buhari government will renew STTEP’s contract.

    Col Barlow warned that while the Nigerians had done well within three months that he had been contracted to mentor them, “the enemy was able to flee the battlefield with some of their forces intact, and will no doubt regroup and continue their acts of terror.”

    The involvement of STTEP in Nigeria will inevitably reignite the debate over whether private military companies should be used in conflicts. Human rights groups question whether they are publicly accountable, and in South Africa especially, their background in the apartheid-era makes some uneasy.

    However, Col Barlow, whose firm has a code of conduct for behaving “in a legal, moral, and ethical manner” said that private companies were often better than UN or Western trainers of African armies. The latter were often hamstrung by political baggage and a failure to understand how either African armies or their enemies worked, he said. The advisers that Britain and America have sent to Nigeria are also not permitted to take part in operations on the ground, partly because of the Nigerian’s army’s poor human rights record.

    Noting that even the US military appeared to regard his firm with distrust, Col Barlow added: “Some like to refer to us as ‘racists’ or ‘apartheid soldiers’ with little knowledge of our organisation. We are primarily white, black, and brown Africans who reside on this continent and are accepted as such by African governments.”

  • Coming Down On Nkandla Like A Wrecking Ball

    The Nkandla Scandal Continued….

    With a humble ode to Miss Miley Cyrus, we have Thuli Madonsela, South Africa’s public protector, coming down on Nkandla like a wrecking ball.

    Mostly old news from late 2014, but all still relevant and with a familiar “well loved” cast of players.

  • Will Work For Free

    What’s the biggest threat to humanity you can think of?

    Pollution, disease, natural disasters, terrorism, crime, drugs…? But do we ever think about our basic life support needs? We usually don’t have to because luckily for us we have a system. It’s a system where you can gain employment and work for money which of course provides access to food, water and shelter. And it’s a good thing we have this system because without money you’re as good as dead.

    But if you don’t have a job you don’t need to worry because again we have a system. If you’re out of work for whatever reason simply apply for government aid. All the people with jobs pay taxes and since the government understands that a certain level of unemployment as to some degree is to be expected, it simply relocates some of that tax money and hands over to those without jobs through a magical process calledredistribution. It makes you wonder, if this is the solution for unemployment than where is the threshold? What level of unemployment is sustainable and what would happen if all these jobs suddenly disappear?

    In this extraodinary documentary ‘Will Work For Free’ you will get an inkling of what the future might hold.

    more http

  • Trance-Formation

    1/7- BE sure to see the other 6 parts below the 1st video

    video 1

    What if you could change the world by changing your perspective of it?

    Would you?

    “The only real danger that exists is man himself. We are the great danger and we are pitifully unaware of it. We are the origin of all coming evil…” – Carl Jung

    video 2

    The Earth, our home. A planet teeming with life, a place of great beauty and of great wonder. A place where ecosystem within fragile ecosystem combines to create a complex and delicately balanced web of life, a sympathetic mesh where the harmonious state of each organism is ultimately dependent upon the condition of the rest; a web in which the continued survival of each delicate strand rests entirely upon its symbiotic relationship with the environment in which it exists. Certainly the web of life has always been a fragile one and yet for millennia, it always functioned perfectly, as everything within it held its own unique place and purpose.

    Within this web, also dwells mankind.

    video 3

    Trans-humanism, the final frontier or the final prison? Does it represent humanity reaching its greatest potential or facing its greatest threat?

    Over the last century, the people of Earth have continuously become more and more disconnected, both from each other and from their surroundings, and by means of a government controlled education system the overall IQ of humanity has degraded significantly – and this has been quite a deliberate action.

    video 4

    In our eagerness to embrace technology one of the most significant problems we are facing is that, if one steps back and looks a little deeper at the system we are living within, it becomes glaringly apparent that what this system is in the process of doing is seeing to the removal of virtually everything that makes humanity human, to then usher in a new era. The age of the trans-human.

    video 5

    If it were possible to achieve the dream of people such as Ray Kurzweil and create a world where even the plants and rocks were fused with intelligent nano-technology, how might such a thing be done? Obviously, due to their microscopic size, the prospect of doing so without the knowledge of a vast amount of the population, must be seen as utterly plausible. But how could such a mammoth undertaking be implemented? What delivery system could be employed to ensure the widest and most effective method of reaching the subject population.

    video 6

    “Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of leaders and millions have been killed because of this obedience. Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves and the grand thieves are running the country. That’s our problem. – Howard Zinn

    video 7

    This type of technology exists right now and the global implementation of such energy systems could begin tomorrow thereby freeing mankind of its financial shackles and simultaneously closing down some of the most pollutive industries on earth. And such technology could be implemented tomorrow if the people simply did so themselves.

    “We have created this society, not each one of us but our past generations. We have, those, and us, have created this present immoral, destructive society and we are trapped by that society. That society was made by each one of us, so we are responsible for that society. Whether, it is possible, not to change society, but is it possible to radically, deeply transform our condition, which is, understand deeply, our consciousness, which is what we are. Is it possible to transform, not into something, but to change, bring about a mutation in the very structure and nature of our consciousness. That is the problem. That is the crisis. It’s not political crisis, economic crisis or the crisis of war but the crisis is in ourselves…” – Jiddu Krishnamurti

     

  • Is Retirement Bad For Your Health?

    This is a useful article by David Blyweiss, M.D. that will help many aspiring gray babyboomers cross the retirement divide.

     

    These days there are a lot of different opinions on retirement.

    retirement

    I have a lot of patients who plan on working full or part-time well into their 70’s. I even know an 85-year old chiropractor who tells me he’s not shutting down his business until he’s 93.

    Many others are ready to take life a little slower after they turn 60 or 65. They plan on spending a lot of time gardening, travelling or spending their days on the golf course.

    Well plenty of my patients have flourished in their retirement years. I have the postcards, pictures and letters to prove it. I love hearing from each and every one of them.

    But I have another group of patients who haven’t adapted as well. They have time on their hands. And they don’t always know what to do with it.

    Despite big dreams and ideas of retirement, the minute they leave their job or cut back to a part-time position the only thing they feel is loss.

    And it’s not just because they’ve “lost” their jobs.

    Here’s a truth.

    As humans, we tend to identify ourselves with who we’ve become in the business world. It doesn’t matter if you’re a doctor, mechanic, a CEO, or a data processor. When you spend 8, 10 or 12 hours a day being good at your job, it’s hard to disassociate.

    And once that’s gone nothing else seems quite as important.

    Suddenly dreams of spending hours in the garden aren’t as appealing. Chores are out of the question. And it becomes much easier to avoid the loss of who you have been than it is to get dressed and motivated for a golf match or lunch date.

    When these retirees come into my office they look as though they’ve lost their best friend or favorite girl.

    I often wonder what causes this disparity. Why do some people thrive on retirement while others seem destined to fade away?

    New research from the Institute of Economic Affairs may shed a little light on the psychological impact of retirement. And it’s not all good news.

    They discovered after the initial bliss of retirement wears off, being retired has a very negative effect on both physical and mental health. And the number of years spent in retirement, the greater the effects.

    Once the reality of retirement sets in…

    • The probability of suffering from clinical depression increases by about 40%.
    • The likelihood of believing you are in good or excellent health decreases by 39%.
    • Your chance of being diagnosed with a physical condition increases by 63%.
    • And there is a 60% probability you will take a drug for that condition.

    My clinical experience with patients who enter into retirement tells me these numbers are pretty much on target.

    And while I’m not happy with these percentages, they do tell me there is about a 50/50 chance you can come out on top of the game.

    These aren’t horrible odds. And if you approach your new life with an open mind and active lifestyle, there are plenty ways – and more than enough time – to re-define your definition of “who you are.”

    Here’s what you can do…

    For the past 20, 30 or 40 years you may have done the same thing, day in and day out. The jobs may have changed but the rules were the same…

    Set the alarm clock. Get to work on time where you joke with your co-workers, deal with familiar issues and feel like you’ve accomplished something. Go home for dinner and get good night’s sleep so you’re ready for the next day.

    It keeps you active and gives you purpose – a mission in life. And finding a new mission after living a full life can be intimidating. But it can be done:

    Make new friends. Becoming isolated is a common problem for aging adults. Once you lose the ritual of going to work and seeing the same friendly faces every day, loss can set in. So it’s important to socialize and develop a new network of friends.

    One way to widen your social circle is to meet people who have a similar mind thought. You can do this by becoming a volunteer. Check out helping out at your local Disabled American Veteran’s center, hospital, animal shelter, soup kitchen or church. Look into local business support groups. You can donate time to those who could best use the knowledge you have from your years of experience.

    Stimulate your brain. Join classes to learn something you’ve always wanted to know more about. It could be as simple as joining a cooking class or as tough as learning a new language or playing a musical instrument. I have one patient who took up singing lessons and another who is taking acting classes. I even know a few patients who have become involved in training service dogs and find it very rewarding.

    Keep your body moving. Research out of Harvard shows retirees are 40% more likely to have a heart attack and stroke during their first year of retirement. So keeping your body in motion is one of the number one things you can do for your health, no matter what your age.

    Join a cycling group, take dance lessons or learn how to kick-box. Sign up for Tai Chi or Yoga. Take a hike in the woods. You can even join a softball, soccer or bowling league. The list is endless and all of these activities can be loads of fun. Your heart, body and brain will thank you for it!

    Unleash your curiosity. Make time to occasionally explore the unknown. Take a journey outside of your comfort zone to the quirky town up the road… the seashore you always dreamed of visiting… even a walk in the woods or a park you’ve never visited.

    The longer you remain active, interested and fulfilled, the better your chances of beating the retirement blues and enjoying your later years. Think outside of the box, revisit old dreams, make new friends and take part in activities that charge you up.

    images[8]

    David Blyweiss, M.D.
    Advanced Natural Medicine Bulletin

     

     

    To your good health and retirement my friends.

     

     

  • Washington’s Budget Dilemma

    Washington’s Alarming Budget Dilemma!

    Soaring debt and a budget Congress can’t balance.
    Every concerned person should watch this video .

    Over 3.6 million VIEWS!

    This video looks at the budget, its revenues and expenses, and very simply illustrates the problem.

     

  • Anarchy in the Western Cape – The story behind the story!

    This is typical of the greed that pervades our society still, if not more so.

    Alan Paton was right to “Cry the beloved country” all those years ago.

    Nothing seems to change.

    By Christo van der Rheede

    Tuesday, January 15, 2013

    The current upheavals in the agricultural sector in the Western Cape caught everyone by surprise. Not even the unions were aware of what was already a volatile situation. Its leadership only jumped on the bandwagon once the mass action was already under way in De Doorns.

    What few people know is that similar circumstances which fuelled the upheavals at Marikana prevailed in De Doorns. It was a time bomb waiting to explode.

    What are the similarities?

    Like in Marikana and other mining towns, every year thousands of people migrate to the Western Cape in the hope of finding employment. Many fall victim to ruthless recruitment agents who promise them temporary employment on farms or in other sectors in return for a sum of money, sometimes as much as R3000.

    In addition, accommodation in one of the many informal settlements in towns in the Boland is anything but free. In these areas land is controlled by self-appointed agents allotting plots to new arrivals. For the privilege of erecting a corrugated iron structure on one of the plots, many have to forfeit a sizeable portion of their monthly income to these self-appointed agents.

    I call them land smugglers, because in many instances this is not the only unlawful activity they are involved in. They are also often the shebeen owners who smuggle with everything from alcohol to drugs. For those who do not have cash to buy a beer, cigarette or a joint, there is always the option of buying on credit.

    However, be aware. Buying on credit is not only expensive, but often results in violent encounters. Interest is charged and if the outstanding debt is not settled in time physical assault by guards employed by shebeen owners is on the cards.

    Another very ‘appealing’ option is also available and that is to visit one of the many unregistered micro loan providers who offer money on condition that the borrower hands his or her bank card and ID over as collateral until such time as the loan is fully repaid. The standard practice is that the micro loan provider accompanies the “client” to the nearest ATM as soon as the latter’s salary is paid in to ensure that he gets his money. Often exorbitant interest rates are charged leaving the borrower no other option than to borrow again and again.

    Add to this expense for groceries, transport, and other family obligations, then it becomes clear why these workers struggle to make ends meet.

    A report released by Unisa’s Bureau for Market Research indicates that the majority of workers suffer from an enormous burden of debt. In some cases workers have so many debit orders against their salary that after deductions there is no money left for personal use.

    How humiliating it must be for a father or mother to go to work every day and yet not have any money available to buy food or to fulfil other household obligations. Many people are confronted with the reality of having no money and being trapped in dire socio-economic circumstances that offer no hope for a better life. Thus frustration, despair and aggression are mounting until it explodes.

    It is no wonder, therefore, they are so easily mobilised by radical elements and become embroiled in illegal strikes without thinking about the implications of their actions. All reason disappears like mist before the sun and violent and criminal behaviour becomes the order of the day. Not to mention the irrational statements that they would never have uttered under normal circumstances. Some of the striking workers make it clear that they do not care whether the fruit on the trees rot or farms are completely ruined, as, according to them, farmers are responsible for the predicament they are in. Hence, farmers must suffer for their unwillingness to agree to a wage increase.

    Regarding the latter there is general consensus that farm workers’ wages should be increased. Thank God that in some instances agreements had already been reached between some farm owners and their workers. The questions I ask will a wage increase stop the labour unrest. The answer, perhaps! Many of them desperately want to work but are intimidated and threatened; therefore the sooner farmers and workers can come to a wage agreement the better. However, will it help them to get out of the terrible debt trap and the poor socio-economic circumstances that many are trapped in? No!

    This is the challenge, not only for the agricultural community, but for the state, the business sector and the broader public who depend on the farming community for their daily food. Solving it is however not insurmountable provided that all role-players are serious about improving the lot of the farmworkers and ensuring that farming remains economically viable.

    Introducing a plan of action consisting of measures to prevent the exploitation of workers by ruthless and illegal recruitment agents, land smugglers, shebeen owners and micro loan providers will be a good start. The police, state agencies such as the Department of Social Services, Labour and Health must also fulfil their respective roles effectively. Strong emphasis must also be placed on the provision of quality education, medical services, housing and other development programmes.

    The most important element of such a plan, however, is to bring about economic development everywhere in the country. If South Africa could do this successfully, it would lead to employment opportunities and wealth creation in those poverty stricken areas from which people migrate in such vast numbers.

    This is what government, unions and communities should strive for. Not destroying existing profitable agricultural, mining or other business sectors, but taking care of it in order to grow it and duplicate success stories in other parts of the country!

  • Have We Learned Nothing From Our Racist Past?

    Woolworths Racist Recruiting Excludes Whites

    2012-09-02 10:09:16 Justin Harrison

    This week I broke the story wide open on the social networks about how Woolworths SA blatantly posted ads on their career site that were exclusive of whites. These ads mentioned that the job posts were only open to African, Colored and Indian candidates, clearly excluding whites.

    A friend of mine posted a message to my Facebook page about Woolworths racist job postings and after doing my own investigations, I decided that I needed to take a stand and do something about this.

    As a post apartheid child, I am neither politically motivated or inspired, however the increasing blatant racist economic policies that are very clearly exclusive of whites is starting to require a voice and some decisive action.

    Those whites who are still in South Africa stayed and signed up for a fully inclusive country, and just want to get on with it and build a South Africa that works for everyone.

    Woolworths SA is not alone in it’s policies, recent racist hiring policies events at SAA that also excludes whites highlights that government regulation has made it acceptable to exclude certain race groups under the guise of economic transformation.

    However change starts with one action at a time and I have since launched a full scale campaign against Woolworths South Africa in a bid to get a public apology from them, as well as getting them to revert their policies to be fully inclusive and equal to all South Africans, failing which I am calling for all calling all South Africans that oppose racism to boycott Woolworths.

    After all, I find it only fair that if they expect whites to spend money in their stores, they should provide equal opportunities to all (including whites). I mean honestly how do I support a store that won’t employ my children?

    Since I started my campaign on Friday (31 August 2012), Woolworths SA have been trying to cover their tracks rather than facing the problem head on. Following messages I sent to them via email, Facebook and Twitter on Saturday (1 September 2012) they started changing the text on the career site to a more politically correct statement that reads “In accordance with Woolworths’

    Employment Equity approach, preference will be given to candidates from designated groups” Fortunately I anticipated this might happen and took screenshots and downloaded their site before they could cover this up, so no matter how they now approach this PR nightmare they have created I have proof of the original adverts.

    Following my messages on their Facebook Page they have since banned me from commenting on their page as of today (Sunday 02 September). Since they now clearly refuse to engage me directly I am left with no option but to take this to the media, and I have already started contacting local and international new agencies.

    I have also noticed that since I posted my update on Twitter yesterday (Saturday 01 September) showing how they changed the ads in a bid to cover up the blatant racist ads, they have as of today (Sunday 02 September 2012) since not only reverted some of the ads back to the original text, but have now added additional wording to state: In accordance with our Marketing EE Requirements, this role is designated for African Black candidates” Woolworths is clearly in a spin over how to deal with this issue and they would do well to learn from SAA’s mistake. Issue a public apology and revert the hiring policies to be fully inclusive and based purely on experience and ability.

    I think it’s high time that in 2012 businesses stop cowering to the ANC lead government and realize it is their customers that keep the lights on, not government or government policy. If South African businesses continue to marginalize any sector of the population, black, white, colored or Indian they face the wrath of public led justice and we will see these companies economically crippled.

    Woolworths South Africa, you have been warned! Do the right thing

  • Lost Generation

    Lost Generation was in a video contest submitted by a 20-year old and won second place.

    Everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant.

    A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward.
    This video, Lost Generation, reads the exact opposite backwards as forward.
    Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite.

    Make sure you read as well as listen…forward and backward.

     

    Lost Generation

  • United Breaks Guitars

    United Breaks Guitars – Sweet Revenge

    In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didnt deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say no to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world.

    United Breaks Guitars Becomes A Hit

    During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager, Dave Carroll stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video for youtube exposing their lack of cooperation. The Manager responded: “Good luck with that one, pal.”

    So he posted a retaliatory video on youtube. The video has since received over 12 million hits.

    United Airlines contacted the musician and attempted settlement in exchange for pulling the video.
    Naturally his response was: “Good luck with that one, pal.”

    Taylor Guitars sent the musician 2 new custom guitars in appreciation for the product recognition from the video that has led
    to a sharp increase in orders.

    Way to go Dave, United breaks Guitars is a great song.

  • 97% Owned – Monetary Reform documentary

    97% Owned, features Ben Dyson of Positive Money, Josh Ryan-Collins of The New Economics Foundation, Ann Pettifor, the “HBOS Whistleblower” Paul Moore, Simon Dixon of Bank to the Future and Nick Dearden from the Jubliee Debt Campaign.

    97% owned presents serious research and verifiable evidence on our economic and financial system.

    This is the first documentary to tackle this issue from a UK-perspective and explains the inner workings of Central Banks and the Money creation process.

    When money drives almost all activity on the planet, it’s essential that we understand it. Yet simple questions often get overlooked, questions like; where does money come from? Who creates it? Who decides how it gets used? And what does this mean for the millions of ordinary people who suffer when the monetary, and financial system, breaks down?

    Political philosopher John Gray, commented, “We’re not moving to a world in which crises will never happen or will happen less and less. We are in a world in which they happen several times during a given human lifetime and I think that will continue to be the case”
    If you have decided that crisis as a result of the monetary system is not an event you want to keep revisiting in your life-time then this documentary will equip you with the knowledge you need, what you do with it is up to you.

    97% Owned – Produced by Queuepolitely

  • EU Escapades – What Can One say?

    Is the West / EU in trouble or what?

  • National Geographic Cape Town and Durban marketing project

    Durban across the harbour
    Durban across the harbour

    The focused target markets for the campaign will be in accordance with the two cities’ primary tourism source markets of the USA, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa (and, through DSTV, into Africa), India, China and Australia.

    The United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s research shows that up to 80% of international tourists are in search of urban tourism – exploring rich and different cultures and experiencing a country through the entry and viewpoint of their cities. In a world where cities, rather than countries, are the true players in a competitive global economy, culture is extensively being recognised as a facilitator of economic and urban progress. A city’s culture and liveability is key to generating a creative environment that attracts the investors and talents to stimulate economic development. With 70% of South Africa’s tourism product offering situated within the country’s urban areas, the National Geographic campaign will focus on iconic tourism attractions as well as unexpected experiences and hidden gems within each city. The campaign
    will showcase the diversity and multiculturalism of each city and tell unique stories about the destinations through the eyes of citizens – local ambassadors who will unlock the distinctive culture of each city.

    Phillip Sithole of eThekwini Municipality’s Business Support and Tourism says: “Durban and Cape Town add value to each other’s leisure and business tourism offering and the National Geographic campaign will demonstrate the unique touch points of each city. The campaign is formal recognition of our concerted efforts to present an integrated city tourism experience for both domestic and international travellers.”

    The National Geographic campaign is the outcome of bold steps by each of the participating cities to commit to going beyond outmoded ways of thinking about marketing and to challenge compartmentalised thinking. “Prosperous cities of the future will be stand-out urban centres seen as the most liveable and enjoyable places on the planet. Places that will deliver benefits to residents and visitors alike. Cape Town and Durban tell two very distinctive but corresponding stories. TheNationalGeographic campaign is the first urban tourism collaboration of its kind in South Africa. We sincerely believe it will highlight our leisure tourism potential in our key source markets”, says Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism.

    Some of the Durban locations and elements to be featured will include the uShaka Marine World, the Juma Masjid Mosque, the Victoria Street Market, Gandhi’s house and the Phoenix Settlement as well as the Tala Game Reserve. Cape Town locations and attractions will include Boulders Beach, Robben Island, District Six and Woodstock, the city’s three wine regions, the BoKaap and Table Mountain. The campaign will have the key message that a world of experiences can be had in two South African cities. Durban’s story will be told as leading port city with a warmth and tradition that is rooted in Africa and Asian influences and Cape Town’s unprecedented natural beauty will form the backdrop of the depiction as a city of inspiration, design and innovation where creative freedom reigns.

    As part of the 2013 editorial calendar National Geographic Channel will also be producing a one hour documentary about the two cities.