Helen Zille’s letter to City Press editor Ferial Haffajee on News24 raises interesting new possibilities for the DA. Zille writes, “The DA is the new UDF.”
The letter is a response to a News24 column (“How the ANC lost the coloured and Indian vote”) by Haffajee, a former Mail & Guardian editor. In her piece, Haffajee explains that many people who have been loyal to the ANC and the UDF are now alienated by its apparent abandonment of non-racialism. The very divisive language of race that the ANC challenged has now made its way into its everyday discourse. At the moment many newspapers, along with the ANC, are talking about the party’s loss of the “minority vote”.
Haffajee makes sense of this about-turn on the part of the ANC by making the following assertion: “The ANC brought the ideology of minority and majority into its mainstream thinking when it assimilated the Nationalists like Marthinus van Schalkwyk into its fold. It co-opted the coloured and Indian nationalists too (people we had regarded as sell-outs), all of whom brought this dangerous ideology of difference right into the non-racial heart of the party.”
Zille’s timing could not be better. “The ANC has now become a racial-nationalist party,” she says in her reply to Haffajee. It is true. If remarks by Julius Malema, Jimmy Manyi and the late Blackman Ngoro (remember him?) are anything to go by, ethno-nationalism certainly seems to have reared its ugly head in the party over the last few years. Criticism of BEE and over-the-top displays of wealth on the part of the new black elite minority also does very little to shift negative perceptions of the party. The irony is rich for those who grew up on the writings of Frantz Fanon. Fanon has lots to say about the rise of ethno-nationalism as a device of control for the rising black elite minority in post-colonial African states. The Afrikaans press is also beginning to see parallels between the ANC and the NP in the 80s.
Helen Zille goes on to say: “The DA is the new UDF.
We are the most non-racial party South Africa has ever had. We never once used or exacerbated racial divisions in this campaign, even though we could have, for short-sighted purposes of maximising our vote.” The party certainly did position itself as racially inclusive, notwithstanding the fact that Zille’s cabinet is far from representative in terms of race and gender.
What is worth noting here is that Zille is not saying that the DA is like the UDF on the score of racial inclusivity. She is saying it is the new UDF. Optimistically, I am going to interpret this as an assertion that the DA has reinvented itself. It has broken with its past as the party of those who voted for the National Party and, by implication, supported apartheid. To paraphrase her, the ANC has betrayed its own history and the DA is going to fill that vacuum.
Some critics would say that Zille is opportunistically appropriating the Struggle and the legacy of Nelson Mandela in order to score more votes for the DA. I am not going to pursue that argument because it would be very easy to invoke racial binaries and generate more racially divisive thinking. I am interested in what Zille’s claim potentially means for the DA.
If the DA is going to be the new UDF, if it is going to build a truly inclusive party and live up to the ideals of the Struggle, it should do what the UDF did in 1983: adopt the Freedom Charter. The DA would then truly reinvent itself.
The part of the Freedom Charter that inspired so many of us in the 80s was the following:
“THE PEOPLE SHALL SHARE IN THE COUNTRY’S WEALTH!
The national wealth of our country, the heritage of all South Africans, shall be restored to the people;
The mineral wealth beneath the soil, the banks and the monopoly industry shall be transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole;
All other industry and trade shall be controlled to assist the well-being of the people;
All people shall have equal rights to trade where they choose, to manufacture and to enter all trades, crafts and professions.”
If the DA is going to live up to its assertion that it is the UDF, then it should put its money where its mouth is. So many young people sacrificed their blood, their innocence and their idealism to make the Freedom Charter a reality. Instead, their blood gave us Gear, Asgisa, the failure of the RDP and the murder of Andries Tatane at one of many service-delivery protests in SA.
Their sacrifice gave us a macro-economic policy so neo-liberal that it got the thumbs up from the IMF and the DA alike. The uneasiness of the markets when Mandela spoke of delivering on the promises of the Freedom Charter (specifically, nationalisation) upon his release from prison was forgotten by the time our new finance minister took office and steered us in the direction of the “free” market.
If the DA is going to claim the history of the UDF and the struggles of so many ordinary people in the mass democratic movement, then it should be prepared to make the kinds of sacrifices that were made by those people. If it wants to claim that it has broken with its racially divisive past, then it should take a long and hard look at its own neo-liberal economic policies.
Race is the red herring, as always. It is economic policies that determine the extent of the growing racialised class divide. The real way to build an inclusive society is to ensure that all people are involved in securing social justice. You cannot leave it to the market to generate a better life for all. You cannot leave it to cadre deployment. And you certainly cannot leave it to “speak left, act right” politicians — whether they are from the DA or the ANC.
Zille, now is the time to become the UDF. Now is the time. I dare you
In order to understand how Ron Pearson’s work can explain psychic phenomena we must first look at his theory for how the Universe began.
The current Big Bang theory, whereby the Universe was created from out of a massive explosion, contains some major flaws and inconsistencies. The biggest of these is something called the cosmological constant.
This cosmological constant is a mathematical figure that arose from the failure to explain how this initial explosion could be shut off. It predicts an expansion of the Universe that is many billions of times too high. The figure was needed to give space an inbuilt tendency to expand in order to overcome the natural tendency for it to collapse due all the matter in it and its gravitational pull. Now that we know that the Universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate, this constant is exceptionally large and cosmologists have all but chosen to ignore it. They have also ignored evidence that some stars seem to be older than the age of the Universe itself. The Big Bang has been estimated to be around 12 billion years old and some stars seem to be much older. Something is clearly not quite right.
In the light of these and other flaws, Ron Pearson, with his background as a University lecturer on Thermodynamics and fluid mechanics decided that a new theory was needed. At the heart of the original theory was one of the biggest dilemmas facing physicists today – How to combine the mathematics of Quantum physics and those of Relativity. This is what Ron has sought to conquer.
Quantum theory is essentially about the movement of things on the extremely small atomic scale. Things at this size seem to move in random and indeterminate ways. Relativity on the other hand is Einstein’s theory for how things move on the very large scale. On this scale objects move in a much more predictable manner like planets orbiting the Sun.
For over 80 years Mathematicians have assumed that Einstein was right because nearly all subsequent observations have matched his theories. So in those 80 years they have all attempted to redefine quantum theory so that it could include relativity and especially general relativity, which is Einstein’s theory of gravity. Unfortunately they have not succeeded in doing this and in the process have spent billions of pounds of taxpayers money.
Ron however decided to accept the excellent maths found in quantum theory and to go back and revisit Einstein’s work. If Ron’s theory could also match up with the same observational data that had seemed to confirm Einstein’s theories, then his theory could also be valid. If it also contained no flaws or inconsistencies then it could even become a better theory. Interestingly enough Ron found that Einstein’s well known formula of E=MC2 could be derived from Newtonian Mechanics without reference to relativity but it now showed that matter was really made out of energy. In Ron’s theory this is exactly what happens.
This thought that Relativity might be totally wrong may seem heretical to modern day cosmologists but even Einstein, on his 70th birthday, wrote to a friend saying that he was not at all confident that his work would stand the test of time and that he might have been on the wrong track after all.
Ron went back to the physics of Sir Isaac Newton and applied what he called ‘Conceptual Logic’ to the problem. After many years and long hours of work he finally came up with a new theory that matched all of Relativity’s observational data and also contained no internal flaws. To do this though he had to be highly controversial. He chucked out Relativity altogether. There was no curved space-time. There were no multi dimensional universes and there was no constant speed of light.
His theory begins with two forms of energy called positive and negative primaries. These he likens to the Yin and the Yang found in Eastern philosophy. Like the old theory before the Big Bang, these are created from a Zero state of Energy. Negative Energy, although mainly unheard of, was not new. It was something that was first proposed by Paul Dirac, a Cambridge Maths Professor. It was discarded shortly afterwards however possibly because it didn’t fit in with Einstein’s relativity. This problem though doesn’t arise now.
Ron found negative mass and energy needed to exist to permit a universe to arise in such a way as to eliminate the problem of the cosmological constant. The secret of the success in his new theory is found in the way these two opposite energies collide with each other.
When pairs of primaries collide Ron found that the laws of mechanics predicted that each partner would, in general, gain energy of its own kind. There is nothing strange about the behaviour of negative energies or masses on their own. Neither is there with positive kinds on their own. However it is the mixing of the two kinds of primary that causes the new strange effects to arise. For centuries it has been accepted that ‘energy can neither be created or destroyed’. When positive and negative energies coexist, however, this has to be revised to read ‘energy can only be created or destroyed in equal and opposite amounts’. Both creation and annihilation are now permitted but another law of motion has to be applied to find which possibility is selected under the conditions being studied. This is known as the need to conserve momentum. (Momentum is obtained by multiplying the mass of an object with its velocity).
To understand this, one can begin to imagine two billiard balls colliding off centre. We all know that the two balls move off in a predictable sideways and diagonal manner. When ordinary billiard balls collide each has its momentum, measured in the original directions of motion, drastically changed and no energy change overall can arise.
This however does not occur when one of the primaries carries negative momentum. When the same angle of collision occurs the two balls move off in the same sideways direction! When these balls of opposite energy collide, neither can alter their momentum as measured in the original directions. However, scattering collisions add extra transverse momenta in such a way that they balance. This means that each partner will gain momentum of its own kind and this cannot occur without associated increases of energy. This energy must appear from nothing! Ron calls this a ‘breeding’ of the energies.
Both velocity and momentum can be represented on a diagram by ‘vectors’. These are lines of a length proportional to speed or mass times speed respectively and drawn in the direction of motion of the object being represented, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. The Collision of Positive and Negative Primaries
1.
Positive and Negative Primaries travel towards each other off centre.
2.
Collision occurs.
3.
Both primaries move off to the same side! Therefore a sideways momentum has been added from nothing.
4.
Positive and negative momentum are both conserved and the additional transverse momenta (PR+ & PR-) balance each other out.
5.
The opposing directions of the transverse momenta (PR- and PR+) require associated transverse velocities (VR- & VR+) to be added in the same sideways direction.
As a consequence of repeated collisions, energy is annihilated in some cases, but overall there is a net increase. This goes on and levels increase until a critical density level is reached. It is at this point that annihilation can also occur and a solid filament of energy is produced where the primaries are in the process of mutual annihilation. These are surrounded by regions where energies are still being created by collision-breeding.
Annihilation does not totally cancel the creation going on so a tiny net creation remains everywhere in space. It is this that explains the continuing expansion of the Universe at an ever-accelerating rate. New galaxies need to be created near to the outer regions of space all the time. It seems likely these are the intense gamma ray bursts that happen about once per day.
With this basis of expansion, Ron has estimated the Universe’s more exact age to be around 100 Billion years old. Well old enough for the oldest stars observed to have had time to form.
All this breeding and production of filaments continues to produce a three-dimensional filamentous grid structure. This is similar to the brains ‘neural network’ of brain cells. Energy can now travel in waves down the filaments that are in turn either connected or unconnected to further filaments at their ends. With open and closed connections, a vast switching system resulted that, like super computers, developed the characteristics of consciousness and intelligence.
Ron calls this the i-ther, an intelligent form of background medium. In the past, background mediums like the solid Ether, have been dismissed by physicists as relativity and observational data didn’t allow for their existence. Now however, Ron with his strong background in fluid mechanics made a great leap of intuition. He considered that the i-ther must behave like a superfluid in vapour form. A superfluid, like liquid helium, exhibits completely frictionless characteristics permitting unrestricted flow through the grid of the filaments. This now allows the past observational data to coexist comfortably with his new theory.
The waves generated by the action of the filaments move through the fluid and are identified as ‘quantum waves’ of the i-ther. These were then used to produce particles of matter. Ron envisaged that these interacting waves were producing spikes of intense energy rather like interacting ripples on a pond produce spikes of water. These spikes of energy created the impression of matter particles like electrons. These would occur in a sequence in time but not always in the same location. Once particles had been created, the conventional physics of today could then go on to explain the rest of the creation of the stars and the planets in the Universe.
What is of interest to us in our quest to understand psychic phenomena is that these particles of matter will have specific frequencies and will only appear real to us on our particular frequency of matter. With several possible frequencies of quantum wave, several matter systems could arise all from the same underlying grid. It is this grid and its primaries that are the only real thing in the Universe. All of these matter systems are illusory constructs made up by the i-ther. The system we live in just seems real to us.
With all this creation of matter what results is a net positive balance of energies within matter itself, like the stars and the planets, and these are surrounded by haloes of net negative energy.
The waves that produce matter also produce long range gradients that makes the i-ther seem more compressed near large objects. Negative pressures follow these same gradients and produce a buoyancy type of force on any matter. This is the mechanism of the gravitational force according to the ‘quantum wave theory of gravity’. This effect exactly matches the observational data used to previously prove Einstein’s Theory of Relativity. Now they can also prove Ron’s theories. Ron’s theories though also have the added benefit of doing away with the ridiculous cosmological constant.
With this basic understanding of his work, we can now go on to explain subjects like survival after death. As subjects of matter ourselves, we experience the world around us as real. However matter is composed of mainly space with subatomic particles like electrons in between. What we see as real is actually just the illusion of matter created by the filamentous grid and the i-ther at that particular frequency. Our minds are not brain function, they are isolated regions of the i-ther itself, the seats of consciousness.
Perceptual barriers have evolved in our heads to stop us being harmed by the incredible computing power and knowledge of the i-ther. However when we die, our matter system ceases and our minds, which in Ron’s theory are completely separate from our brains, live on within the i-ther and interact with some new construct of matter system at a different frequency. This would explain all the evidence found showing that we survive after death.
In the same way the i-.ther and its 3-D filamentous grid can also explain how healers heal people. It would appear that a healer has less of a perceptual barrier in their heads and can communicate more directly with the Universal consciousness. As the i-ther constructs matter and as it has huge computational power and memory, it could easily be programmed to reconstruct a persons matter system in a more effective and healthy manner. Healers may also get help in doing this by working alongside people on different matter systems with different wavelengths. Together, their ability to tap into the programming power of the grid, and the overlying i-ther, could enable a person to become a new and better matter system. This could even happen over a long distance.
The speed of propagation of information is no longer limited, as in relativity, by the speed of light. Indeed it can travel instantly along the filaments. With two people being able to lower and focus their perceptual grid barriers, telepathy could result. The better people are at lowering their inhibitory barriers, the more psychic they are and the better they could be at it. Ron has already shown that it might be possible to communicate at speeds of ten times the currently considered constant speed of light via the fluid alone.
Mind over matter, like bending spoons, can also be explained with Ron’s theory. As the grid creates matter as an illusion, tapping into the grid by lowering our barriers should allow us to recreate this illusion. Of course this then appears to us as real.
As with all good theorists, Ron has devised eight experiments that can be easily undertaken that will prove or disprove his theory. The cheapest of these costs around £15,000 (way beyond Ron’s budget) and others involve experiments done in space. It is now only a matter of time before the world will know if he is right. If he is, and at the moment it is looking odds on, he will severely upset the scientific establishment. To be a true scientist is to be truth seeker, unfortunately positions of power and the fear of peer review close the minds that once were previously open. In the years that Ron has been trying to put forward his theories for discussion and publication he has witnessed all these things. Finding no one daring to publish his papers in this country, Ron has had to address his scientific audience in Europe and Russia. Here his theories were given time and print and it was here that he received great accolades for them. For now though it is up to you to draw your own conclusions.
A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, sometimes producing an anticlimax.
1. Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
2. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
3. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it’s still on the list.
4. If I agreed with you we’d both be wrong.
5. We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.
6. War does not determine who is right -only who is left.
7. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
8. Evening news is where they begin with ‘Good evening’, and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.
9. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.
10. How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a camp fire?
11. Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.
12. I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay cheques.
13. Whenever I fill in an application, in the part that says “In an emergency, notify:” I put “Doctor”.
14. I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
15. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
16. You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive more that once.
17. The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
18. Hospitality: Making your guests feel like they’re at home, even if you wish they were.
19. I discovered I scream the same way whether I’m about to be devoured by a great white shark or if a piece of seaweed touches my foot.
20. There’s a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can’t get away.
21. Always take life with a grain of salt, plus a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.
22. When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.
23. You’re never too old to learn something stupid.
24. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
Economic instability, political instability and social instability are the least of my worries, its geophysical instability that really bothers me!, a returning South African (from Brisbane) joked as he celebrated his return at a Homecoming Revolution event recently.
So what is happening to the so-called Brain Drain in SA? Are we still leaking talent, or has the hole been plugged, and is talent beginning to return ‘home’.
Some background that is influencing ‘mobility’
• Clem Sunter talks of the dramatically changing ‘world order’ and how this is impacting the views of young talented people and their ‘nest building’ decisions. “Essentially there is a growing difference in the economic prospects of the developing vs the developed world. The economic growth prospects for Asia (+/- 5%), Africa (+/- 5%) and South America (+/-5%) are significantly greater than that of Europe, UK and USA (+/- 1.7%) … this is good for SA. Using a soccer analogy of the Premier League, Second League and Failed State, SA is part of the premier league of the world’s top 57 nations, we have previously moved from 33rd to 52nd and we are now on our way back at 44th. I think that after the success of the World Cup we could well emerge back into the lower 30s.”
• In the Global Competitiveness Report our Brain Drain positioning has moved from 60th to 40th where 1 is no brain drain at all.
• Many of South Africa’s eminent removal companies tell of a significant shift in mobility. “On the South / North route for every one family going approximately three are returning, even on the South / South route (mostly Oz and NZ) more are returning than are going!”
Homecoming Revolution findings
The Homecoming Revolution, (a non-profit organisation founded in 2003 by advertising agency morrisjones & co and sponsored by First National Bank) has seen an increase in traffic to its site and a shift in attitude towards South Africa. They attribute this shift to an increase in awareness of the country and what it has to offer. Much is credited to South Africa’s international exposure during the 2010 World Cup as well as its inclusion in BRICS and a sharper focus on developing countries.
Brigitte Lightfoot, MD explains: “We have seen a 137% year-on-year increase in the number of visits to our blog (http://www.homecomingrevolution.co.za/blog) from February 2010 to February 2011, compared to the same period in the previous year. An increase in traffic from secondary markets like Australia, Canada and Ireland indicates that more South Africans living in these countries are considering a return home and are looking to connect with others who have already made the move back to South Africa’’.
Tyron Whitley, who runs a car import agency in South Africa, has seen a similar trend evident among returning expats. “Since August 2010 we have seen a 30% increase in the number of South Africans wishing to ship their vehicles back to South Africa. The majority of the returnees are leaving the UK and we have some from Australia and Dubai. The common trend amongst the returnees is that they are aged between 30 and 40, have young families, and are looking for a better standard of living for their children. They are finding the UK economy a strain, which is the final push they require to make the decision to return to SA. I would say the majority have been in the UK for 10 years or more. On the work front a good number of the returnees are looking to start their own business or have managed to get inter-company transfers’’.
The results of a recent online poll conducted by the Homecoming Revolution reveal that 43% of their social networking group’s members are planning to return to South Africa this year, while 30% have already moved back home.
Susan Fouche, head of human resources at a Cape Town-based firm has worked with The Homecoming Revolution to source a senior candidate. She explains “we most certainly met and interviewed candidates whom the traditional methods of recruitment would not have delivered. We saw a broad range of candidates, some very senior and those who fall into the middle to senior management category. These candidates all have something in common: their desire to return to South Africa at some point and the global experience that they will be ploughing back. It was interesting to see that some of the applicants are from Cape Town, and that they have been informed by relatives or friends about the vacancy.’’
Bruce Good, a South African who has returned to Cape Town after eight years away, confirms the sentiment amongst so many South African expats in the UK: “Whilst I really love the UK , and all that it offers, I felt that in my role in the city I was an insignificant cog in a massively productive machine. I remember reading a quote along the lines of ’for every professional person who moves to SA, 11 jobs are created – both directly and indirectly’. That had a huge impact on me and I longed to have a greater impact on my surrounds than I had in London. In many respects, both business and personal, it is easier to assimilate and ‘excel’ in your country of birth. The commonality between business colleagues and associates goes a long way to forging strong bonds and, ultimately, success.’’
Global Shift
There is ample evidence to suggest that Generation Y is very mobile (those born in the late 80’s). The UK reports having lost 5m ‘young people’ over the last 10 years because they are disillusioned with the deterioration of the UK ‘identity and way of life’ and the lack of job opportunities. Australia reports the loss of 2m young people who seek my dynamic opportunities elsewhere.
That young people are on the move there is no doubt, but the lure of the civilised West, the developed world, with their stale economies and increasingly limited opportunities, is rapidly giving way to decisions that embrace dynamic opportunity, less complicated lifestyle choices, meaningful self-worth and the ability to make a social contribution………….and maybe, just maybe, a preference for geophysical stability!
Below the video is the content of a short speech given on Friday night in Cape Town by Lewis Gordon Pugh OIG (a.k.a. the Human Polar Bear) about the proposed fracking for gas in the Karoo, by Shell. He received a sustained standing ovation !
Ladies and gentlemen, thank for the opportunity to address you. My name is Lewis Pugh.
This evening, I want to take you back to the early 1990’s in this country. You may remember them well.
Nelson Mandela had been released. There was euphoria in the air. However, there was also widespread violence and deep fear. This country teetered on the brink of a civil war. But somehow, somehow, we averted it. It was a miracle!
And it happened because we had incredible leaders. Leaders who sought calm.. Leaders who had vision. So in spite of all the violence, they sat down and negotiated a New Constitution.
I will never forget holding the Constitution in my hands for the first time.
I was a young law student at the University of Cape Town. This was the cement that brought peace to our land. This was the document, which held our country together. The rights contained herein, made us one.
I remember thinking to myself – never again will the Rights of South Africans be trampled upon.
Now every one of us – every man and every women – black, white, coloured, Indian, believer and non believer – has the right to vote. We all have the Right to Life. And our children have the right to a basic education. These rights are enshrined in our Constitution.
These rights were the dreams of Oliver Tambo. These rights were the dreams of Nelson Mandela. These rights were the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi, of Desmond Tutu and of Molly Blackburn. These rights were our dreams.
People fought and died so that we could enjoy these rights today.
Also enshrined in our Constitution, is the Right to a Healthy Environment and the Right to Water. Our Constitution states that we have the Right to have our environment protected for the benefit of our generation and for the benefit of future generations.
Fellow South Africans, let us not dishonour these rights. Let us not dishonour those men and women who fought and died for these rights. Let us not allow corporate greed to disrespect our Constitution and desecrate our environment.
Never, ever did I think that there would be a debate in this arid country about which was more important ¬ gas or water. We can survive without gas…. We cannot live without water.
If we damage our limited water supply ¬ and fracking will do just that we will have conflict again here in South Africa. Look around the world. Wherever you damage the environment you have conflict.
Fellow South Africans, we have had enough conflict in this land ¬ now is the time for peace.
A few months ago I gave a speech with former President of Costa Rica. Afterwards I asked him “Mr President, how do you balance the demands of development against the need to protect the environment?”
He looked at me and said : “It is not a balancing act. It is a simple business decision. If we cut down our forests in Costa Rica to satisfy a timber company, what will be left for our future?”
But he pointed out : “It is also a moral decision. It would be morally wrong to chop down our forests and leave nothing for my children and my grandchildren.”
Ladies and gentlemen, that is what is at stake here today: Our children’s future. And that of our children s children.
There may be gas beneath our ground in the Karoo. But are we prepared to destroy our environment for 5 to 10 years worth of fossil fuel and further damage our climate?
Yes, people will be employed ¬ but for a short while. And when the drilling is over, and Shell have packed their bags and disappeared, then what? Who will be there to clean up? And what jobs will our children be able to eke out?
Now Shell will tell you that their intentions are honourable. That fracking in the Karoo will not damage our environment. That they will not contaminate our precious water. That they will bring jobs to South Africa.
That gas is clean and green. And that they will help secure our energy supplies.
When I hear this I have one burning question. Why should we trust them? Africa is to Shell what the Gulf of Mexico is to BP.
Shell, you have a shocking record here in Africa. Just look at your operations in Nigeria. You have spilt more than 9 million barrels of crude oil into the Niger Delta. That’s twice the amount of oil that BP spilt into the Gulf of Mexico.
You were found guilty of bribing Nigerian officials ¬ and to make the case go away in America – you paid an admission of guilt fine of US$48 million.
And to top it all, you stand accused of being complicit in the execution of Nigeria’s leading environmental campaigner ¬ Ken Saro-Wira and 8 other activists.
If you were innocent, why did you pay US$15.5 million to the widows and children to settle the case out of Court?
Shell, the path you want us to take us down is not sustainable. I have visited the Arctic for 7 summers in a row. I have seen the tundra thawing.
I have seen the retreating glaciers. And I have seen the melting sea ice. And I have seen the impact of global warming from the Himalayas all the way down to the low-lying Maldive Islands. Wherever I go ¬ I see it.
Now is the time for change. We cannot drill our way out of the energy crisis. The era of fossil fuels is over. We must invest in renewable energy. And we must not delay!
Shell, we look to the north of our continent and we see how people got tired of political tyranny. We have watched as despots, who have ruled ruthlessly year after year, have been toppled in a matter of weeks.
We too are tired. Tired of corporate tyranny. Tired of your short term, unsustainable practices.
We watched as Dr Ian Player, a game ranger from Natal, and his friends, took on Rio Tinto (one of the biggest mining companies in the world) and won.
And we watched as young activists from across Europe, brought you down to your knees, when you tried to dump an enormous oil rig into the North Sea.
Shell, we do not want our Karoo to become another Niger Delta.
Do not underestimate us. Goliath can be brought down. We are proud of what we have achieved in this young democracy ¬ and we are not about to let your company come in and destroy it.
So let this be a Call to Arms to everyone across South Africa, who is sitting in the shadow of Goliath: Stand up and demand these fundamental human rights promised to you by our Constitution. Use your voices – tweet, blog, petition, rally the weight of your neighbours and of people in power.
Let us speak out from every hilltop. Let us not go quietly into this bleak future.
Let me end off by saying this – You have lit a fire in our bellies, which no man or woman can extinguish. And if we need to, we will take this fight all the way from your petrol pumps to the very highest Court in this land. We will take this fight from the farms and towns of the Karoo to the streets of London and Amsterdam. And we will take this fight to every one of your shareholders. And I have no doubt, that in the end, good will triumph over evil.
The main difference between http:/// and https:// is all about keeping you secure.
HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol.
The S (big surprise) stands for “Secure”
If you visit a website or web page, and look at the address in the web browser, it will likely begin with the following: http://
This means that the website is talking to your browser using the regular ‘unsecured language.
In other words, it is possible for someone to “eavesdrop” on your computer’s conversation with the website.
If you fill out a form on the website, someone might see the information you send to that site.
This is why you never ever enter your credit card number in an http website! But if the web address begins with https:// that means your computer is talking to the website in a secure code that no one can eavesdrop on.
You understand why this is so important and may save you a lot of grief, right?
If a website ever asks you to enter your credit card information, you should automatically look to see if the web address begins with https://
If it doesn’t, You should NEVER enter sensitive information….such as a credit card number.
The Diet Solution Program promises a complete and comprehensive weight loss program that will not only help you lose body fat, but guarantees you increased energy, health and vitality all at the same time.
With so many weight loss programs out on the market and on the internet today, what makes this program any different than all the rest?
Before we get to the program, let’s take a look at the expert behind this program. Isabel De Los Rios is a nutrition and exercise specialist with 10 years of experience helping clients reach their ideal weight and tackle conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. Isabel has a very extensive educational background in nutrition and exercise physiology. Her personal experience with her own weight struggles and her mother’s severe diabetes led her search for the BEST nutrition information available today. The Diet Solution Program is a result of her 15 year study and research.
I’ve also talked to Isabel about her training and education background, and I’ll be honest, it was impressive, unlike other so-called “health experts”, who are just following main stream nutrition programs. Isabel provides her readers with the truth: the facts most people have never taken the time to research, read and decipher.
Plus, Isabel has been a nutrition and exercise specialist for the past 10 years and has personally worked with hundreds of clients in her own private facility, overseeing successful weight loss programs. This hands on experience with real people solidified the facts and principles she had learned in books, journals and from other health professionals. The proof was really in the results of real people.
In fact, Isabel’s articles are pretty radical when it comes to her nutrition principles which is why her approach works when main-stream nutrition fails. So if you are looking for the same old nutrition theories taught in every other book and program on the market today, this is not the program for you.
Now one of the biggest questions about the program is simply, “What is The Diet Solution Program?” Well according to Isabel, it is the most comprehensive and detailed nutrition manual available on the market today. Not only does it teach you exactly what principles you need to follow to finally reach your ideal weight, it gives you the meal plans, shopping lists and recipes to do so. It does not push some extreme, unreasonable way to lose weight. It actually teaches you how you can make this healthy way of eating into a lifestyle. And if you have ever attempted to lose weight in the past, you know that the only way to maintain it is to make it a way of life. The best part about Isabel’s program is that this new way of life is not some torturous eating regimen. She really shows you that you can eat delicious food, combined the right way, to lose weight and maintain it.
One of the best side effects of the whole program is the increased health and vitality that every participant experiences. Decreases in blood sugar levels, lowered cholesterol, increased energy, elimination of digestive discomfort and cleared skin conditions are just some of the few benefits other people have already experienced.
Frankly, I’ve used the program myself and recommended to many others. Why? Because I was sick and tired of following nutrition plans that either did not work or made me lose weight but feel terrible. Yes, I want to be at my ideal weight but I also want to maintain a healthy body at the same time and not have to resort to extreme, radical methods. The Diet Solution Program helped me lose weight and feel healthy and energized at the same time.
Now realize that some effort from you will be required, but Isabel has really done all the hard work for you. Included in her program is:
■Step by step action steps telling you exactly how to put the principles in place
■Detailed daily meal plans that make everyday eating easy
■Shopping Lists to make food shopping a snap
■Delicious Recipes to make everyday meals tasty
The manual is comprehensive. Jam packed with incredible and valuable information. But you don’t need to wait to get through the whole thing before you can start. You can use Isabel’s Quick Start Guide to start the program ASAP. Some people have even just used the quick start guide and lost 10-15lbs in a little as 6 weeks.
The Diet Solution Program is not just another weight loss scheme or extreme diet. It is truly the only way to lose weight and enjoy a lifetime of health. The Diet Solution Program is perfect for people who have struggled with their weight their whole life and are sick and tired of programs that just don’t work long term. The DSP is also perfect for people who want to take control of their health and reverse health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.
If you’re in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Isabel’s program. I was very impressed with all of The Diet Solution Program meal plans, the bonuses, the guarantee, and Isabel’s expertise. For the money, it’s the best deal in the weight loss industry – so much better than diet pills! And remember…
Isabel De Los Rios’s Program is backed by a 60 day money back guarantee. So you really have nothing to lose.
And this is a real guarantee… if you are not completely satisfied with The Diet Solution, you will receive your money back, no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts.”
DR STEVEN GREER AND THE ‘DISCLOSURE PROJECT’ – “It’s real, it’s a fact, it’s happening” :I watched and heard – and you can watch and heartoo – the DISCLOSURE PROJECT. American generals, senior Army and Air Force officers, military eye-witness’ pilots with the ‘highest security clearances’ claim they have had contact with UFOs and “aliens” or were in the same room as these aliens etc.. Not only that, they all said they were prepared to testify under oath to the truth of alien contact to the U.S. Congress. This is sensational news. The tone is reasonable and the witnesses are impeccable. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose. All they are asking is to have an honest inquiry and look at the evidence. Even the highly conservative Vatican says it makes no sense not to accept their evidence.
Listen to UFO expert witnesses:DISCLOSURE PROJECT
“The Disclosure project has over 500 Military and Government Personnel, including civilian contractors; many in which holding “Top Secret” clearances who all are testifying to government suppression of back engineered advanced FREE ENERGY anti gravity technology (UFO’S). And knowledge of extraterrestrial beings.
http://www.panacea-bocaf.org/disclosureproject.htm
From foot odor to flatulence, this magical compound can take care of it all.
Most of the medicinal benefits of bicarbonate of soda come from its natural antacid properties.
Let us now discuss the immense health benefits of bicarbonate of soda and why you should always have it handy.
For age spots: A paste of bicarbonate of soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide in equal proportions can lighten age spots when used as a pack on affected areas.
For itching, hives, bites and stings: Apply a paste of sodium bicarbonate mixed with water to ease pain and itching.
For foot and body odor: Bicarbonate of soda can neutralize bacteria that cause foot and body odor. A paste of the compound with water can help clear athlete’s foot.
For foot pain and splinters: A foot soak made of 150gms of bicarbonate of soda with equal quantities of Epsom salts can reduce soreness and minimize nerve pain.
For oral problems: Oral bacteria produce acids that can corrode the teeth enamel. A bicarb rinse several times a day or before going to bed can protect the teeth from untimely decay.
For heartburn: Heartburn is caused when digestive acids make their way up to the tract. A tablet or teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate along with the few drops of lemon juice acts as an antacid and provides instant relief. The same works for dispelling painful wind in case of indigestion and flatulence.
For household cleaning: 4 tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate in a liter of water makes a eco-friendly and non-toxic multipurpose cleaner for the house.
For nappy rash: Bicarbonate of soda added to a baby’s bathwater soothes the irritated skin and promotes faster healing.
For sore throats and mouth ulcers: Acid producing bacteria can cause lot of pain and agony. Add a teaspoonful of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water and gargle every four hours to neutralize the acids.
For sunburn and heat rash: Bicarb can ‘soften’ bath water which makes for a comforting soak for agitated skin.
For UTIs: Drinking a solution of bicarb can ease the burning sensation while urinating by balancing the acids in the bladder.
Hi there, we use cookies to ensure the best experience on our website and to comply with the EU ruling. If you continue to use this site, we assume that you are happy with it.OkNoPrivacy policy
senior Army and Air Force officers, military eye-witness’ pilots with the ‘highest security clearances’ claim they have had contact with UFOs and “aliens” or were in the same room as these aliens etc.. Not only that, they all said they were prepared to testify under oath to the truth of alien contact to the U.S. Congress. This is sensational news. The tone is reasonable and the witnesses are impeccable. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose. All they are asking is to have an honest inquiry and look at the evidence. Even the highly conservative Vatican says it makes no sense not to accept their evidence.