Army life anyone?

Talk about Craaaaazy Americans. I am amazed that these guys exist. I think from a complete lack of actual issues and an overdose of self-inflicted conflict, these Americans have lost the plot...literally.

This group of private militias are like mercenaries but for there own cause. They won't offer their skills to the highest bidder but they will cause civil war due to percieved threats, or perhaps even boredom.

They are a group of armed right wingers-who seriously should be in the nut house. Reminds me of aggressive men with no real cause and nothing to do except play army.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2022516,00.html

Smoking Portugal

Could the decimalization of drugs work? Portugal is a case study proving the positive. Drug use is down and rehabilitation is up in a country that has decriminalized the use and possession of marijuana, cocaine and Methamphetamine. So could it work elsewhere in the world?

If anyone has seen the tv Series ‘The Wire’ you would have seen the season where the police created ‘little Amsterdam’ a section of Baltimore where drug gangs could sell their drugs and users could meet without retribution from the law. In the series, the experiment worked well. The drug gangs moved out of the centre of town. The crime rate dropped and Addiction centers and health officials were able to work amongst the addicts, helping them instead of leaving them to the fate of the city streets.

There are so many arguments for and against decimalization of drugs. A particular one against is the fact that many criminals, who may be more active in other crime rings (theft, hijacking etc) are often brought to justice because of drug possession. Many of them can’t be caught on other charges and if drugs were legalized, there would be no way of holding these criminals.

This debate should be had face to face over a couple of hours, so instead I leave you with the case study of Portugal to make up your own mind on the issue.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893946,00.html

The Real Big Brother

Seems like sociologists and the like are using the trapped Chilean Miners to do some studies on Human Behaviour. Their findings are interesting. It's one of the rare cases where they can study human behaviour under stressful conditions without losing their study subjects.
Check out what they have to say:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2017215,00.html

Traceable

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2019239,00.html

Wonder why the government is asking us to RICA our cellphones? (Registration of our mobiles with proof of residence for those of you living outside SA)

I'm not even going to say 'I told you so' but maybe people should take my 'conspiracy theories' a little more seriously.

According to TIME, cell phone's are not only traceable through signals pinging off towers but most new cell phones have a GPS chip built in to them. Feeling a bit like a contestant on Big Brother? It looks to me like it's heading that way.

This new little device allows government to trace your every move. Gone to the movies instead fo to work? They know about it. Gone to a political rally or a secret meeting? They know about it.

I have no idea what the law is like in South Africa on this issue and I intend to find out but something tells me it may be a little more lax than the US? Which means the government can access this information, and your whereabouts, whenever they want to!

Doing something illegal? Maybe leave your phone at home next time.

p.s I am going on holiday for a week so if you get bored check out Suck The Marrow
http://suckthemarrow.co.za/
And don't forget to check back in a week!

Need Money and Have a Death Wish?

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019221_2019202,00.html

You can go after Mexican drug Lords for Bounty that starts at USD $5million. Never mind that these guys have been responsible for more bodies than you can count, that they have evaded the law for years or that one of them escaped from a maximum security prison. If you need a career change, this is for you.

Check out the top 10 Mexican drug lords.

The Cuban Invasion

Mark my words and that of this article…the Cuban invasion is imminent. It was just a matter of time before the communist regime started showing cracks. Cracks that will soon be filled with swarming American and European business investors.

The capitalist world has been waiting for this for some fifty years. Cuba used to be a playground for Americans. A summer retreat until the revolution. Cuba may just go back to the vacation club it always used to be.

The Cuban government is letting go of 500 000 government employees by next Spring. A move that should cripple the already fragile economy. However, the Cubans have made a statement that might change everything.

In trying to explain the reason for the loss of jobs they slipped up saying that the current economic system ‘doesn’t work for us anymore’. Although they tried to quantify that statement later to mean that they intend on fixing the problems with their communist country, it was too late and the capitalists had already started planning their move.

There are whisperings of economic reform reverberating in the ears of entrepreneurs. Money hungry business men are seeing dollar signs and before you know it Cuba will be enjoying their first McDonalds ever.

Check out the article in TIME that gives all the details
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2019225,00.html

How's my driving?

Having to drive a significant distance every day to work and back, I get to witness some of South Africa’s greatest driving idiots.

My favourite is the screaming beamer: This is the guy (inevitably in a BMW) who speeds at the pace of a small rocket ship straight towards a wall of brake lights. I am totally unsure of what she/he (yes the women do it too) is trying to achieve-perhaps testing the speed vs stopping distance brake capacity.

Dear screaming beamer, you are an idiot.

My second favourite has to be the Ping Pong driver: This is that TWIT who actually thinks he is going to get to his destination faster than everyone else by changing lanes at an aggressive pace when there is absolutely no space and nowhere to go.

Dear Ping Pong Driver, you are a twit who is going nowhere fast!

And then comes the: Push and win drivers. This is that delightful, oh so smart driver who thinks that if he comes up very close behind you (even when there is a wall of traffic in front you) a lane will miraculously open up and he will be able to drive free of hindrances to his destination. This is a special kind of person…I think these are the people who as kids were always rewarded for pushing things. They must have been the type that pushed and doors opened. Perhaps their parents let them play with the elevators too much. Because now they think that if they almost touch your bumper they will win a prize.

Dear Push and Win drivers, go back to nursery school and stick your finger in a plug or something. You are a jerk.

And that is my venting for the day! If you see any of these special drivers on the road, give them a wave and a smile because I am almost certain that they are all a little damaged in the head.

What The?

http://www.thestar.co.za/?fSectionId=&fArticleId=1.680095&fFeed=region_51

Is it just me or does this article create the most mixed emotions a person can feel?
At first you are feel excited that prisoners are doing something good. The author makes you feel a sense of pride. In the middle of your happy thoughts, they slip in that said prisoners are murderers. You now feel angry at them and angry that you thought they were nice people. Then you get angry that they are celebrating murderers in the first place!

'The day, however, belonged to former Kempton Park dentist Casparus Johannes Greef who is serving a life term at Baviaanspoort Prison for killing his wife.' What the....?

Are you kiding me? I'm not even sure what I feel right now. All I know is that this journalist needs to get an angle and not make people feel like they are on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

Burning Topic

http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/09/09/loony-pastor-still-a-loon-but-no-longer-a-fire-hazard/

This chick has it right. A round of applause for a journalist with a brain.

I appreciate people who think like she does. Pastor Jones has been the topic of media hype for the past week and indeed a burning topic for months before that. Pastor Jones wants to commemorate the 10th year of September 11 by setting alight a pile of Qur’ans. Of course this little event of his has caused a major uproar and sparked age old debates on the freedom of religion, persecution of religion and culture and the generalizations that go with it.

But this journalist is right, and the same goes for a number of other issues. Leave Pastor Jones alone, let him do what he does in the quiet of his own home. Drawing this much attention to the quack is only giving him more power and feeding the beast, so to speak. Her plea to journalists and media around the world ‘we can do the right thing by letting this hatefulness play out on a homemade backyard stage instead of a global media platform.’The same goes for a couple of unmentionable politicians (or wannabes) in South Africa. We feed them and their narcissism by giving them a nice little platform from which to preach.

Take the platform away and all they’re left with is a street corner on which to stand, where during the hustle and bustle of traffic, only a few people stop to listen.

Until Last Night

I had never really given any thought to our innate human need for safety…. until last night. We had a bit of a situation in our complex which caused us to brush shoulders with the ugly underworld of the sex trade.

We had some suspicions that there were some unsavory characters renting the apartment downstairs. They were into some illicit business as girls changed over, rich older clients knocked on the door and money was exchanged.

Thing is, they had been so quiet and well behaved that we had no proof of what was going on… until last night. One of the ‘entrepreneurs of the night’ was kicked out for not offering to share her skills for payment. What ensued was a frightening expose of the industry. Needless to say, that I have never in my life seen such a blatant display of this ancient profession. Nor has it ever made my stomach churn… until last night.

I had seen the men that partake in the services rendered, wealthy, very wealthy nice looking middle aged men. The service providers however, were the personification of desperation. They were dirty, drunk and sad. So so so sad. It made me want to knock those clients out for fueling such iniquity. Their wives sitting at home not a clue as to where their husbands are or what kind of services they are receiving.

Back to the story, the ‘ladies’ unwillingness to provide services ended in her being kicked out by the ‘small business owner’ onto the street. A fight ensued, the cops came, the cops went. More fighting ensued, our fear grew, the cops came and the cops went.

Long story short, we were not the brave home owners we normally are but were instead existing in a state of fear.

It all got me thinking this morning, when I walked into work and felt safe, where else I do I feel safe? It then hit me that Mr Maslow was quite correct in putting safety as a very basic need and second on his hierarchy of needs. Feeling safe is incredibly important to our psychological welfare.

I can’t imagine the distress people go through when they are constantly scared. People living in war zones. Those living under the hand of a violent brute. Those living in the streets constantly watching over their shoulder for the next threatening experience.

Safety is so important. If Mr Maslow were still alive, I would call him up and congratulate him on his most accurate understanding of the human condition. Well done Maslow, well done indeed.

Violent, Disrespectful and Menacing: Britains Youth

If you want a snapshot on British youth today, watch a movie called Harry Brown, starring Michael Cain. Warning: the movie is incredibly violent and tells the story of an old pensioner and marine veteran in London who loses his patience with the violent youth and gangs terrorizing his area. It is typical vigilante movie however the violence portrayed is disturbing and probably more accurate than any other vigilante movie I’ve seen.

The point is, the movie raises some serious questions in my mind. Why has Britain allowed these teenagers to take over the country? What caused such violence and why are the police completely incapable of regulating them?

The most obvious and noteworthy thing about these ‘chavs’ is there complete and utter lack of respect for anything and anyone. They do as they please, when they please without ever minding their P’s and Q’s. So where did they get such a sense of entitlement?

An article in 2008 on the subject blames alcohol, a lack of parenting and the fact that British teens aren’t integrated into the adult world but are kept separate, socializing only with their peers. The last explanation may in fact make the most sense-to me anyway. Youth all over the world are exposed to alcohol and to a lack of parenting but they are also exposed to the adult world often enough through having to work for pocket money. This is particularly true of those coming from poorer homes where the parents aren’t around. In the UK, state funds mean that these kids don’t have to work. As a result they never interact with adults and stay on the council estates causing fights with their peers. They are less likely to get involved in community programmes and turn to drugs and gangs instead.

A comment from an older man on the subject a few years back, blames the lack of corporal punishment for the out of control teens. He says ‘ Spare the rod, spare the child.’ He goes on to say that unlike his days at school in the UK, teachers have absolutely no control over their students. The same can be said of the police. Laws put in place to protect children/teens from harm have provided them with a means to harm others without retaliation instead.

What do you think?

Behind the Veil of Tradition

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2016193,00.html

Who would have thought that floods weren’t the most devastating thing to hit Pakistan? It is what is happening as a result of these floods that makes your skin crawl.

Pakistani woman, especially those from the regions that have been the hardest hit by floods, are facing the toughest time. A practice called Parda or Purdah meaning ‘curtain’ is the practice of shielding women from men, either physically or through the use of clothing to cover one’s body. This practice is not followed by all Pakistani’s but In the northern province of Pakistan, where the floods have ravaged the land and left countless in ‘refugee’ camps, the practice of Parda is particularly prevalent.

Parda is about family honor (hence the separation of men from women).When a woman dishonors her family or husband, he has the right to defend his honor, either by fighting off other men or by killing his wife or daughter.

Usually women in Parda can remain secluded within their houses, avoiding any interactions that may dishonor their families. However, the tented camps and communal living is creating great distress for these women as they are forced to mix with strange men. Time states that these honor killings are a weekly occurrence within these camps.

Honor Killings! I know a lot of women who would be dead by now. Including me. I’m pretty sure I would have received one to the chest for pinching that cute boys bum that one time at varsity.
This comment has to fall into the category of ‘thank goodness you live in South Africa’-or any free democracy for that matter. Having to remain in hiding avoiding human contact is bad enough. Being murdered because a strange man spoke to you is atrocious. These women are like sitting ducks. It doesn’t seem to matter what they do or don’t do. Even words spoken by some strange man can result in their deaths.

Talk about Human rights abuses. But how do you put a stop to ancient ‘traditions’. It is a fine line to walk between stopping traditions that are outright wrong and infringing on the freedom of those to practice culture and religion. Herein lies the problem, no international body, country or legal group wants to get involved in this touchy subject. It is far too controversial and can cause massive damage to relationships between countries and bodies trying to govern through consensus. If they step on these toes, they may have to face the whole beast.

Unfortunately, No one wants to unveil these traditions and see the darkness lurking beneath.

Sugar Coating Discrimination

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2015389,00.html

They may be known for their unfriendliness, but this is taking it a bit too far.

The French are being very un-European at the moment. Even though they held the Presidency of the European Union (EU) in 2009, France is not playing nicely with the other EU members and following their laws.

The EU has the great policy that allows the free movement of people within its’ borders. It does not discriminate, but France does. Prez Sarkozy is a bit of a racist. To add to his regime’s banning of the Burka, Sarkozy is now spearheading a campaign to expel Roma’s. The Roma’s are a minority group of gypsy’s from Romania and France doesn’t seem to like them much.
The French are facing significant opposition from within the country, the EU and from International Organisations like the UN for sending some 8000 Roma back to Romania or Bulgaria in the first 8 months of this year. The government is paying the Roma to leave ‘voluntarily’ and expelling the ones who don’t.

It appears that France has double standards; it upholds EU law, allows the freedom of movement of people but only some people. Apparently, there is a clear distinction for Sarkozy between those who deserve the privilege of those laws and those who don’t.

The government has gone so far as to outright blame the Gypsy’s for the increased crime rate in France. Sarkozy is not a popular man right now and he is doing nothing to increase his popularity either. Perhaps he should learn how to sugar coat his discrimination a little better.

Shrimp Anyone?

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/08/31/drink-up-nyc-meet-the-tiny-crustaceans-not-kosher-in-your-tap-water/

To add to my series on ‘thank goodness you live in South Africa’, have a look at what New Yorkers are drinking in their tap water.

This guy reminds me of the super creepy robot bugs in the matrix. Maybe the makers of the matrix already knew what was crawling in their water before they made the movie. I find this totally gross, even if these little guys do help keep water clean. We manage to keep our water clean without strange robot looking bugs.

If you are heading to New York anytime soon, do yourself a favour and buy bottled water. Unless you are content to have mini shrimp swimming around your intestines. Gross!

Shot in the Head

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2014070,00.html

Take another look around you, breathe in and be extremely grateful that you live in South Africa. Despite our issues, can you imagine living in the country regarded as one with the highest Human Rights abuses in the world.

China is decreasing the number of crimes punishable by the death from the current 68. Thirteen so called economic crimes (such as smuggling endangered animals and relics) are being dropped from the current policy. Convicted felons above the age of 75 will also now be eligible for exemption.

Human Rights organisations believe that the number of executions a year range in the thousands. Beijing is extremely secretive about the actual number of executions. China caused the worlds gaze to shift back to their controversial policy when they executed a British man accused of drug trafficking in 2009. If our government initiated a similar policy, we would have no SAA flight staff left.

China has always been a covered in a cloud of secrecy. It would be very very naïve of us to underestimate their power, intelligence and ability to fool the world for their gain. They may be ‘reviewing’ the policy to get the international bodies off their backs but they are no pushovers. There is a very powerful giant hiding under this cloak of compromise that we see on the international stage. Watch out world, if you are standing in their path, you might get stepped on.

Guns ablaze

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2014446,00.html

As the US starts their withdrawal of troops from Iraq, it is evident that they have learnt nothing from their past experiences. While some may criticize Africa’s quiet diplomacy and Europe’s ‘soft diplomacy’, the world has to see how America’s declarations of war are not the most effective conflict resolution tool.

Historic examples of America’s gung-ho attitude include Vietnam, Cambodia, Panama, Lebanon, Cuba, the goes on. Whether by backing rebels, CIA backed coups or full on military invasions, the US has been involved in dozens of conflicts around the globe. Their lock ‘n load attitude often results in a worse situation. The country of their military interest, like current day Iraq, is often left in a state of decay. Worse off than before the invasion.

What some of you may not know, and which makes the scenario that much worse, is that the US assisted in catapulting Saddam Hussein to power. In 1963, the CIA organized a coup that killed the President and brought the Ba’ath party to power. In doing so, Saddam Hussein was able to return from exile to take his place as the head of the secret service.

As history repeats itself the US has once again stirred the pot, added a few weapons and explosives, killed a few innocents, played chess with politics and installed their own idea of a caretaker government and now they want to leave. The article in Time sketches a picture of a country in disarray, a country that will only suffer further with the withdrawal of American troops. I do feel for the families of US soldiers but if you start something, you should stay and finish it.

The yanks have always gone in with guns blazing. Unfortunately, they are notorious for leaving before the fire is out.