african fragments

strike boys strike for better wages, strike boys strike for better pay....

2009-07-02T15:07:00.003+02:00

pete seeger, in the year unknown to me, but i remember this ditty, much like the song that went:
little boxes, little boxes, all made of ticky tacky, little boxes all the same.
ahhh!!, the 60's flower power, when hippies were hip,....and Seeger was making a point, about the conformist suburban or urban middle class life. when daisies were fashionable, beards were cool, and not attached to an islamist fundamentalist terrorist. just guitar toting, dagga smoking, anti Vietnam activists. who were chilling in the sun, and striking for better wages. the sixties a time for fairies
and picnics in the sun.

roll in the the year 2009, there isn't even a cool, thing to say about the decades beginning in the year 2000. having a beard is just criminal, flower power fashion is just so out dated, and who smokes weed anymore, it's all kinds of things, like crack,Ecstasy, drugs with names i cannot remember. we have become clones of American advertising. it's called globalisation.

but the "Strike", now that has taken on a new form in good old RSA, it has been tweaked to resemble, a great mafia organisation, that extorts money from God fearing, corner store owners.
there is Zwelinzima Viva, who's blustering rhetoric,continues to rake in the membership fees. he lives well, eats well, drives a nifty car, gets paid really well, and his job, is to make you strike, never to worry if it cripples the economy, increases debt, closes down businesses, just as long as he strikes for his pay.

the "strike" is there to bully government into submission. to extort deals that otherwise would not happen. government folds, as it's hands are so deep in the cookie jar, it's ministers so incompetent, it has no other option.

there are the "medical doctors" on strike for better pay, better working conditions,( you think they would like spa treatments included),..
better services. the better pay is paramount. so what happened to the Hippocratic oath, it took a back seat to an incompetent ministry, and a money hungry work force.
if patients die tough luck, that is the mafia at work, if the hospitals are dirty, doctors are to educated to pitch in, but not educated enough to get their staff, to pull finger and get on with it. surely since you are on the ground, working in state hospitals, and supposedly educated, you could get all the necessary people together, and start implementing better more efficient health services. oops i forget, that takes work. instead, call on Zwelenzima, and strike. work is not what we get paid for.

medical studies are state subsidised, intern doctors, have to give back by doing a two year community service, for this they get paid, paid to learn good deal, i would imagine. instead they are on strike for more pay. and still they believe they are there to give back to the community, by striking?...i would pay you for that to.
I forget i am paying for that. my tax money, is contributing to the state subsidy. in that case why don't i strike. oops then i would have a business that closes down, debts i couldn't handle, five people unemployed. so i must continue working so that others have the luxury of striking.
my proposal:
1. fire all the striking doctors
2. if people die because of the strike, sue the doctors on strike
3. hire doctors from other countries who are willing to work.
4. stop government subsidies to medical studies, let the students pay for their education.
5. if students don't like it, they can pay for educations at overseas institutions
6. the above ensures they need not suffer through community service.
after all it's not about community, right?

this is blackmail, to get government to screw people like you and i for more tax, and if i need medical help, i still have to rely on private institutions for which i pay a hefty medical aid. can i strike for my money back?

then the taxi's threatened strike action if they were not used for the confed and world cup. the threat of looking like asses in front of sepp blatter and his crew ensured that government and SAFA acceded to the threats.

public sector strikes have become the norm, from garbage collection, through to the revenue service. how about we utilise the same tactics, strike and not pay tax, or strike to get taxation reduced. so would all the public servants stand and support us when their pay packets get delayed. or they just dont get paid because there is no income tax revenue.

strange terminology."public servant"...i believe they forget they are in these jobs to serve us, instead we serve them, and the strike is the threat that keeps us serving. Zwelinzima wanted the "doctors" strike to end before they lost public support. the idiot doesn't realise he had no public support and it was lost before the srtike action started.

i need to get in on this action. who needs picnics in the sun, strike boys strike.

sporting headlines

2009-06-23T10:26:00.002+02:00

seems my life has been filled with cricket recently. the IPL left our shores, and once again we were glued to a forty inch box, to watch the ICC limited over cricket at lords. i have discovered that i am a great fan of cricket, most especially the armchair sports variety, though attending a limited overs game now and then is great fun.for me possibly the doughnuts smothered in melted chocolate is the attraction.

i supported the proteas with a great deal of vigour and hoped that the bad luck fairy, would be kind, and we would finally see a cricketing trophy gracing the south African cricket board shelves. alas it was not to be, once again it was so near yet so far. i thought after watching Sri Lanka demolish the West indies.an unbeaten 96 runs from tillakeratne dilshan, some impressive bowling from muralidaran, made me believe that the final, up against boom boom Afridi, was going to be an edge of the seat experience. i should have known better. it was a final after all.

Sri lanka folded like a bad poker hand. the game was over, before the first ball was bowled,...Pakistan had the good luck cricketing fairies on their side. Afridi did a brilliant job with both bat and ball,as i witnessed the Sri Lankan batting order collapse i couldn't help but believe, that South Africa, might have given Pakistan some tougher opposition.

the cry of Pakistan Zindabad reverberated the world over, as every expat immigrant Pakistani, found their patriotic voices, which only seems to rise out of the ashes, when the men in green, find victory on the cricket pitch. i have not witnessed such zealousness, and patriotism at any other time, either on my visits to Pakistan or in my dealings with Pakistanis outside of their country.

the next morning my facebook homepage was awash with congratulations for Pakistan, my own status, hailing their win, it all deteriorated into disappointment, when some of my Pakistani friends, assumed that celebrating victory, was reason to humiliate their opponents. i am firmly of the belief, that in victory, their must be graciousness and humility, that as good as the victor gives, so his/her opponents
give of their best, when i read these headline notices on facebook, i could not help, but be moved to respond.
"well played boys! Koi nai! Koi nai! No big deal"
"70 to 6 baby!"
"come on boys! show the suckers the power of green"
Un-beatable? Un challenged eh??...Die- suckers Die!!! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD"
AND THE ONE THAT KILLED ME:
"do i see my SA friends choking on their words?
shahid afridi a big chumma!....Sri Lanka go back to blackland. the future is green. PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!.....

Modern day sports is much like ancient gladiators locked in battle to survive, the spectators baying for blood, anticipating death, like wise we cheer on our national teams, cry tears at their losses, and bay for our opponents blood, but all in the name of good sportsmanship, healthy rivalries. what shocked me to the corp, was the blatant aggression and racism inherent, in the remarks above. we have carried the colonial flag, that black is weak, black is bad, black is to be opressed into our lives.

having lived and been born into a country, where my every moment in life was governed by the colour of my skin, where i could eat, where i could sleep, where i could shit, "DIE SLEGS BLANKES " (ONLY WHITES) signs of my life, ingrained deep within my psyche and those of every south African. has left scars and a deep rooted pain. i find tears roll down my cheeks as i write this, and i cry for the losses incurred by being racist. my stomach churned at the words "GO BACK TO BLACKLAND"...how can any young educated woman, as strongly as her patriotic fervour had arisen in her heart, show such disrespect, to a team and a country, who had acquitted themselves so well during this tournament. i could not help but respond.

the sad part was realising, that both arrogance and stupidity are a lethal combination, as my response was totally misunderstood, the fact that Pakistan was victorious was justification enough to be racist, and her friends were in agreement.
never once in two days of comments going back and forth, did anyone apologise for being racist. it astounds me and boggles the mind, Pakistani immigrants, find themselves being racially attacked on a regular basis, the slur of "paki go home", resounds around the streets of London,and other countries that people have immigrated to. i say this, having been attacked in this manner, on a visit to london. as i walked down a suburban street, uncouth ill mannered british "white" construction workers, yelled out "paki go home", it cut deep, and i could only excuse it away, because they were uneducated, manual labourers who were just jealous...right?
having witnessed Pakistani pilgrims in Saudi Arabia being manhadlded just because they are Pakistani, and South Africans torch Pakistani businesses, because these immigrants are seen as a threat.i cannot condone then that pakistani's would behave in the same manner, surely we treat others as we would like to be treated.

knowing all this it irritated me, that (I am generalising here i am sure)...that Pakistani nationals themselves could exhibit, such demeaning racist behaviour towards a sporting opponent, who were both gracious in defeat as well as in victory.
has our education an evolution as a species, been so sorely lacking that we are so unforgiving in our approach to other people. my mistake was believing that the woman i addressed had intelligence and grace, i obviously credited her with more than she deserved.

she became a sore indictment to Pakistan, and reason in my mind at least, that Pakistan has a long way to go, before she can progress and become a respected player in this world. if the people that make up a nation, more importantly their mind set has not evolved beyond the gutter, than how can a country make any progress in the world. political change happens, rulers and ruling parties come and go. unless the thinking and mindset of a people are not changed their can never be any hope for a country to prosper and be better than it is. if you cannot respect yourself, never believe that the world will ever respect you.

sports

2009-06-01T14:27:00.009+02:00

TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS

"ROME" 2009 THE BULL RING....

SPECTATORS FROM FAR AND WIDE

CHEERING ON THE GLADIATORS

IPL AT THE BULL RING...WANDERERS STADIUM JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA

the IPL came and went. the BULLS (rugby) smashed the opposition this weekend. Chelsea took the FA cup final. can someone please explain to me the zealousness with which people worship sports.
we fill the arenas cheering our teams on, much like gladiators in a ring, and the crowds dance,cheer stomp their feet and consume copious amounts of indigestible junk, litres of beer, go home intoxicated with the win, only to do it all again come next weekend.

i marvel at the phenomenon, and admire the industry it has all become, their are potloads of money to be made and the organisers, advertisers, promoters, owners are astute businessmen, who dish out what people crave, and make themselves rich, while the belching masses,get intoxicated by the adrenaline rush of supporting some or other team.

so when reporters lament the demise of the gentleman's game of cricket, lounging on the lawns for five days, sipping champagne and eating cucumber sandwiches, i have to say, catch a wake up dude, it's no longer the era of white shirted, parasol carrying spectators, with inherited wealth, puffing on pipes. it's all about mass marketing, and keeping the masses in a state of euphoria, so we forget the crap in our lives.

it was bound to happen to cricket,...the likes of the IPL,...why should it not, a shorter money making enterprise, which keeps people entertained and happy.its a sign of the times, evolution, for the better? you decide.....

election day tomorrow the 22nd of april 2009

2009-04-21T14:57:00.002+02:00

Jacob Zuma ia all set to be the next president of South Africa. tomorrow we will be heading to the polls to cast our vote in this, the fourth democratic election since the ANC first won an election. i believe they are headed once again for a 2/3rds majority, despite all the negative publicity and the fact that the ANC president, just couldn't stay out of trouble.

i watched Jacob Zuma, at his press conference this morning, and despite getting off corruption and rape chargers, he comes across as more intelligent, dignified,and able to deliver than all the Patricia Delill's and Helen Zilla's put together.
most of the other political campaigns were about gunning for Zuma, not a policy or workable idea in the bunch, then you have the man who has fifteen years of policy, and deliverance behind him as president of the ruling party, despite the corruption chargers, and lack of delivery in some if not most constituencies,... he is undoubtedly the popular candidate. hell wasn't Hitler voted in by democratic election, and isn't this what democracy is all about. if the ANC is not your party of choice, and Jacob zuma not your choice as president , you have every right to cast your vote elsewhere. and that is the beauty of democracy. despite my vocal and some what vociferous rejection of having to go out and cast my vote, i will most definitely take an early morning walk, green identity document in hand, and make my mark on a ballot paper, after all this is a fundamental right of all citizens, over the age of 18, and what right of complaint do i have if i do not exercise my mandate as a voter.

there is i have to admit a sense of pride, that comes with the privilege of having a vote. for so long people in this country, were denied an opportunity to be a part of the decision making process, a democratic election gives us that, yes there is all the negativity of corruption, failure to deliver, infrastructure deteriorating, but then which country in the world can claim to be absolutely free of any of the former , what is important to me, is how much has been achieved, what have been the improvements, for one thing after 3 successive elections, the Anc have retained a 2/3rd's majority and have not in any of the preceding years attempted to change the constitution. so to answer Helen zille why would they do so now?

the failure of the NPA to convict Jacob zuma, does not mean he will now go about changing the south African constitution to suit his own ends or those of the ANC...that is why we are a democracy.if the fear is that the ruling party is to powerful, and controls to much of the voting publics loyalty, then the indictment is on the parties, who have not done their jobs in convincing us otherwise.perhaps the oposition have failed dismally to deliver. the idea of an opposition is not just to but heads with the ruling party, to block every effort at governance, but rather to work together as a government of national unity to provide for the people of south Africa what our constitution promises. our oppposition parties have not proven any willingness to participate and be effective, they have proven that they are good at complaining, much like armchair sports fans.

to date all the opposition has been able to come up with, is mud slinging, and nay saying, and they have secured their financial future for themselves and their biggest supporters, so how are they any different to the ruling party. instead of bitching, why not get off your overpaid fat asses, and work towards producing on promises the government has made to the people of south Africa. each party represents the ideas and aspirations of its supporters, so bring it to the table and learn to work together rather than against each other.

the only thing that elections highlight for me, is the number of hungry dogs in the kennel, each one growling for the biggest, juiciest, slice of steak. the end result is how politically sussed are the voting public, and how far are we able to see beyond the blarney, to cast votes, that will count in strengthening rather than weakening our country and its people.

yes we are a banana republic, like all others, but there is always hope, when your population are more informed and aware. education is always the key,so go out there and read, get informed about who delivered what, listen and learn. and go out and make your mark. democracy is what it's all about.

easter sunday lunch

2009-04-15T10:55:00.004+02:00

alberts yummy starters

feta cheese with coriander and chilli

looking good

smoke salmon spoonfulls and mozarella salad

should have rather termed this lazy sunday lunch..the pictures are the starters that were inspired by a great weekend, of easy food, wonderful company, and all those glowy things that happen when people are relaxed and enjoying some time off.

traditionally when my family are around a lazy sunday lunch would never describe having people over for lunch, that would mean, planning three days ahead, and cooking up a storm, a heavy lunch with all it's accompaniments. by the time the guests leave, and we have finished cleaning up, one is so exhausted there is no room to even savour the day. the food in the pictures above would never even feature on the menu. since i had the place to myself, and a willing loving accomplice, we invited friends over for lunch, and the result was a relaxed, fun afternoon, with great food and even better company.

the menu:
starters:
avocado in a chilli mayonaise sauce (my own concoction)
smoked salmon spoonfulls (alberts piece de resistance)
tomato and mozarella salad on a bed of rocket (alberts idea)
japanese cucumber salad with ginger (alberts concoction)
feta cheese with chilli and coriander ( my meditaranean inspiration)
baked pita pockets sprinkled with sea salt and olive oil

main:
fish and prawns in steamed rice: (this was seriously a dreamed up concoction)
forgot to take a picture. possibly could be termed a pilauf

desert:
mango sorbet (from woolies)

tea/coffee:
with my never fail 5 min cake.

as i type this out, it seems like a hefty amount of work, the beauty of it all was that it took an hour or just over to put it all together. there was no advance planning, no traditional indian mother stress, just a perfectly in sinc combination of two people, who were relaxed and happy. looking forward to chilling with friends
and enjoying a wonderful autumnal day in the city of johannesburg.what could be more fulfilling and rewarding. maybe that one day it could be our own home, where indulgences like these could be the norm, not just around easter....mmmmmm, perhaps some day.

NPA folds

2009-04-06T16:57:00.003+02:00

so it's official chargers against Jacob Zuma have been dropped. political collusion, unlawful tapping of the presidents telephone calls etc,etc.
since the government in it's infinite wisdom, chose to utilise our money in this futile endeavour, we must now be happy with the "we are dropping the chargers".in effect the entire saga was political window dressing. i suppose as always when the money is not yours, you may squander it.personally it was evident from the beginning that this three ringed circus, was going to end in the JZ...being cleared. we can now move on to griping about other political issues.and take it to the polls.....hahahaha.

for a change i am all griped out...the Dalai Lama i am sure is miffed with the South African authorities, but then money talks and human rights walk. South Africa though is tenuously hanging on to some credibility as Pakistan and India reel under pressure from terror attacks. we are now drowning in cricket activity. the IPL has moved to SA for the next month, and the ICC has moved from Pakistan. guys why on earth can't you get it right. i repeated a van der merwe joke on FB, and much to my chagrin, upset my Pakistani friends, it was a joke, but none the less, the sad state of affairs in Lahore and Karachi makes me wander. the government of Pakistan seems not to have a grip on anything.

the teletubbies, are running riot burning down schools that educate girls..imagine that. what type of people will you breed if the mothers of your nation are barely able to read. if not that the government jails it's judges, then kisses American ass, but still gets it's cities attacked by "terrorists" presumably the same teletubbies that don't want women to be educated. the bumbling fool Karzai in Afghanistan is no better, ..and no one wants to deal with the Afghan refugees on Pakistan's border. least of all Pakistan.

then there's India...who constantly bail out by blaming all their woes on Pakistan. an India that has been singularly ineffective when it comes to Kashmir, hell Pakistan cannot be blamed for everything. the Indian government have brutalised the people and region of Kashmir. And are also caught up in their own political and economic agenda. every where governments and politicians are corrupt and on the take.
if any of us believe that Barak Obama is to be the saviour you are all delusional.

ELECTIONS

2009-03-23T11:00:00.004+02:00

it's that time again...elections. in a month which is riddled with endless public holiday's we get another mid week holiday on the 22nd of april. election day.
with the world economic situation and the yoyo rand wreaking havoc, surely it is absolute stupidity to loose another productive day.
and then the question becomes. who do we vote for? why? because all that is on offer sucks big time.(rhetorical question, because we all know the answer to that....no one)
like vikram seths mosquito's, political parties attack with malevolent pertinacity, these vultures all come out at election time, to secure four more years in a job, they are incapable of handling, in a year that is so economically and financially debilitating, it erks me to pay my tax bill. government has only been effective in wasting tax payers money.

R100 000 000 on the Jacob Zuma affair, for a charge that amounted to R4 000 000 rands. Come on...every sane business person knows you never throw good money after bad. this was an exercise in futility, Zuma is off the hook, Shaik is out of prison. i worked my @#$$% ass off, to earn a living paid my tax, and the money was wasted on a moronic legal battle...oops. why not tell that to the morons, burning up schools because there was no money to play soccer, or the shack dwellers torching suburbs and behaving like ill bread waste of timers, because they have not received housing yet. i think the R100 000 000, could have been better spent elsewhere, don't you?
not to mention the assholes who get there housing sell it to foreigners or whoever, then fraudulently apply for another, why can they do this? because of lazy ill educated bureaucrats, and a system with so many holes, it resembles Swiss cheese, another place the R100 000 000 could have been deployed.

but instead it was used as a panacea to bureaucratic ego, which highlights the sad truth that people in government are all but brain dead, and then they are trying to solicit my vote.

the ANC goes one further, they employ Sanjay Dutt, to campaign in the Indian areas, to secure votes. HELLO...this really confirms my belief, that to have a job in government, one needs only have the fact that you are a dishonest, uneducated crook,on your cv and the job is yours.
at election time they drag out the likes of Mohammed Valley Moosa, to his credit he left government with his reputation in tact, and a good few billion the richer for it. why would he engender any kind of trust in the millions without even the proverbial dollar. i listened to the stupid so called debate on SABC last night, unfortunately Mr. Moosa could only trot out the platitudes of the past, we brought liberation, we devised the constitution, the little booklet, held proudly up for public scrutiny. cut the babble, liberation is over, you are no longer a liberation organisation. the ANC, represents the largest political party in our Swiss cheese democracy, and you have only delivered, embarrassment in the last four years.

a president who was fired, a trial that cost millions, a national air carrier, in debt up to its eye balls, with its useless, crooked CEO, getting a 33 million rand payout for driving it further in debt than it already was. the like of Karl Niehaus, who turned out to be a bigger crook, than the Shaik. Karl really committed fraud and theft, is still on the pay roll, the Shaik, did not steal tax payers money.
a minister in the office of the presidency that is so thick, i wouldn't hire her as a domestic, but she has a job, with the movers and the shakers.she gets moved and Shaiked and perhaps some big multi national corporation continues to make millions.

Julius continues on his pedantic, juvenile mission, and we are meant to vote ANC. there is no point, in continuing to play on the achievements of the past, we have all been there and done that, the ANC has not proven or maintained a track record that engenders trust in any way. it has become the newest member of the African conspiracy, which is steal as much as possible, and keep control at all costs, so i am sure military coups, overthrows, mass genocide,might all become ANC vocabulary as some point. a sad indictment for an organisation and a country that held so much promise.

then there is Cope, who claim to sow Hope. so why would you vote for Cope, except to create an opposition...then the members of Cope are all the disgruntled members of the ANC, and then some. yes they are more intelligent than Julius, but they were there and party to all the !@@#3 ups of the last four years. their presidential candidate is a reverend, what do you think a man of the cloth knows about being president of the country? quite capable of a coup i suppose if they don't win an election. don't know if i would vote for them.

neither the ANC nor COPE, are representative of a rainbow nation. besides "black" candidates, there are no other people represented, on their election list. racism in reverse, these chumps are doing no better than the NP, did under apartheid.

ah ha! the DA, now why on Gods green earth would we vote DA. without being bigoted, they represent a percentage of south African population, which i will term the white middle to upper classes, their driving force is to secure the future of said south Africans, they have no leaders that can inspire confidence, though helen zilla looks much better after the makeover, amazing what a little botox and hair dye can achieve. all their electoral rhetoric smacks of sour grapes, and they are good at apportioning blame, the DA is fond of highlighting corruption when it suits their purpose, but never expose where their campaign funds come from, or what deals those in control have on the go to keep their pocket books flushed, if the ANC, wasn't so busy fighting their own power struggle, they might be keen to do an expose, what do you think? the DA, and now i will use history, is historically a sitting on the fence party, as the pfp, and the Democratic alliance etc, they were very much a part of the old regime, they claimed it was better to fight apartheid from within, they obviously were quite in effective, as apartheid lasted over forty years, but they did secure the comfort of the white English speaking middle and upper classes, under an Afrikaans, right wing, christian government.

they also did their best to secure "Jewish" wealth and rights in south Africa, i say Jewish, as there is no other way to describe the community, though small in number, they describe themselves as "Jewish", the term used descriptively as a nationality, nothing to do with religion.not south African, but Jewish, and white of course. their numbers make up the captains of industry in south Africa, despised by the right wing afrikaans government, they none the less made inroads in business, and funded both the DA and the NP, thus securing their financial dominance, today they fund the ANC, the DA and possibly any other party, thus securing their stranglehold on all real business in south Africa.the DA really only have the interests of this lobby on their agenda. they were happy to expose Shaik, but nary a word is heard about the deals secured for this lobby.

then there was Helen Suzman, the ANC lorded her as a stalwart of the struggle, please!, truth be told, as a member of parliament, and the PFP, they did nothing to aid the struggle in any true sense of the world, i welcome anyone to prove me wrong. so that takes care of the DA.

the rest of the political party's represented, are nothing to write home to mother about.so i will not waste space here.

my sad conclusion, is that there are no real choices here. it is a matter of which crooked party will triumph over another. in the meantime, the country will continue to prosper, and survive, on the backs of real south Africans, who wake at dawn, find their way to places of work, and pay their taxes.this is the real rainbow nation, who sadly have been ignored by their country, despite which, we work, and are patriots, people who in the true sense put their money where their mouths are, only to have government squander this in every sense of the word.

we understand that all governments are corrupt, as i've said before, as long as they do not steal the entire pot, please realise that at the very least 80% of the money, should be sent on the country and it's people, as yet we in africa have not learnt this,....case in point our neighbour zimbabwe, we are fond of bringing out the begging bowl. can we change?

the kids are growing....and growing....and....

2009-03-02T15:10:00.009+02:00

iman and azad at the office 2008/11/12

azad on holiday in umdloti....19/02/09

enjoying the neighbours pool

little princess 13/02/09

20/02/09...not quite sitting yet

24/01/09....iman with me

dadi's kitchen....24/01/09

it has been some time since i have posted anything from FOI..that's me the proud aunty. iman especially hasn't had that much mention on this blog. the little squirt is now 8 months old and azad has reached 20 months.

iman has a voice on her, and brooks no nonsense from big brother, who has discovered, how to bite and pinch, habits we are trying to wean him off. it might be fun for azad, but the rest of us are severely battered and bruised. iman finds that rolling to places is much easier than getting on all fours and crawling there, perhaps its that female vanity, not wanting to get her knees dirty, or she is just plain lazy. i am wondering if she will be as amenable as her big brother, when it comes to going on holiday with foi, without mum and dad, remains to be seen.

both these squirts have this family wrapped around their, really little fingers. while azad, has a singular aversion to food, do you want lunch is met with a resounding no, iman, has her mouth open the minute a spoon enters her sights, the lips open, and the tongue comes darting out, she must definitely be related to me.

enjoy the latest pics of brother and sister....

the yacoubian building

2009-02-03T14:21:00.005+02:00

starting to feel like a drowned rat. it has been raining in johannesburg for more than a week non stop. rain is good, but this much, and grey skies just don't engender happy feelings. i am beginning to sing that childhood mantra, "rain,rain go away come again another day." the only plus point about rain, is that one gets to have time to read. and i have not been doing much of that lately.

picked up ngugi wa thiongo's novel "wizard of the crow"..which i have yet to sink my teeth into. it looks promising as an epic satirical piece. set in magic realist style, first couple of pages seem good.
i have finished ala al aswany, " the yacoubian building". the dust jacket terms it a number one best seller. i hope he is a better dentist than author. yes you have guest it, i wasn't all that impressed.
the novel has been made into a movie and tv series, and obviously has caused quite a stir in the arabic world.

it is set around 1990, during the advent of the first gulf war. it is set in the yacoubian building, which still exists in cairo today. the author has based some of the characters on people he knows or has known. the novel is teeming with a plethora of characters, all living in the yacoubian building, and interrelated in one way or another.

i believe al aswany was trying to tackle to many issues at once, and their is no real character development, or not anything that one can really sink their teeth into. it read more like a fast food novel or comic book. somehow capturing the tastes of a fast food world. and perhaps that is the measure of its success.

he deals with to many issues and doesn't satisfactorily capture any of them in any real sense. homosexuality,women abuse,islamic radicalism,corruption,politics,poverty,...he has an opinion on all these issues, but that is just what it seems an opinion, the novel didn't really tackle them for me satisfactorily.
zaki bey el dessouki the main character, just appeares as a pathetic old man, horsewhipped by his boorish dishonest sister, living in the glory days of the old regime before Gamal abdel nasser and the revolution. he is not particularly observant of islam.
then there's the doormans son, taha shazli,...who joins the islamic revolution, the why's and wherefores of how he gets there, corruption in the police force, his class status excludes him from the police academy, torture by the police, while in their custody, drives him to seeking solace in islam and the radical movements, who have sprung up, as a result of the political and diminishing moral fibre of arab society.
busayna el sayed, taha's love interest,..resident on the roof....her exploitation at the hands of employers, that i suppose was meant to highlight the abuse and exploitation of women. who final marries zaki bey at the end of the novel.
hatim rasheed the educated newspaper editor and closet homosexual, who everyone knows is homosexual, but choose to ignore because he is good at his job....all french educated and refined manners.
the issues and characters abound, it is a good comic read, but not a novel that truly probes any of the caricatures or attitudes it throws up.the building itself represents a changing egyptian society, and moral fibre of the country as a whole, from the shanty dwellers on the roof, to the more affluent tenants and owners of the apartments within the building.

al aswany, had a sound idea, and had the strength to tackle taboo subjects, but not the talent or expertise of naguib mahfouz or taha hussein or gamal el ghitani to carry the momentum through.

i was dissapointed in that the hype surrounding the novel did not meet my expectations, but every reader will have their own opinion, and it does give one an idea of modern day egypt.

gaza latest pics received...and my blurb

2009-01-14T14:25:00.004+02:00

the above just shows that even famous people are stupid and ill informed. some of this crap is why we can never get out of the BS surrounding the problems in Gaza. if in fact any of the above is true.

Here we are i am not sure how many weeks into the Gaza situation. my cell is inundated with calls to boycott this or that product, say a duaa, attend a protest action. some i can entertain, others not. where were all these people in the last fifty years. this crisis really is nothing new.

i just got invited to attend a khatam,(prayer where quran will be read and completed) for the crisis in Gaza. are we only praying now? if not,..then in the last fifty years these prayers seem to have got us no where. with all due respect, is there not a clear message from Allah, that we have not approached this situation correctly, if Allah does not answer your prayers, that does not mean he has not heard you, on the contrary He has, and His answer has been a resounding no.
or He has given us signs which we have doggedly chosen to ignore. for what it is worth, lamenting the ifs whys and wherefore's is neither productive nor is it going to help the situation any. we must insist on condemning these atrocities, be they in Palestine,Somalia,Ethiopia,the ivory coast,Haiti,and countries ad infinitum.

the cruelty that human beings can exhibit is frightening, there are just as many who can be kind and wonderful, so how do we go about effecting change for the better. i seriously do not believe in pointing fingers and making accusations it never works, people need to reach deep into that part of themselves, their moral centers (provided they have one), and see what is important in life,taking a life any life is never justified,using religion to excuse it, is a bigger injustice nay crime.

the leaders in control, both Palestine and Israel, need to put the people first. it was the Palestinians that welcomed displaced Jews to their country after world war 2 neither America nor Britain wanted the Jewish question to be brought to their doorsteps, so they found suitable accommodation in Palestine. what have they achieved in fifty years? the state of Israel. They have systematically displaced and victimised their hosts, into poverty, deprivation, and death.

all this by claiming that Allah promised this land to the Jew, mighty crap promise, if you need to decimate an entire people, just to retain control of a piece of land, and then to fly in Jews from around the world to populate it. perhaps we worship the wrong God, since it was not Allah but the USA and it's stooge Great Britain, that helped in creating the state of Israel. so then if Palestinians are terrorists, and Arabs are to be decimated, what does that make Israeli's...see pointing fingers. whom does that help. perhaps if we tried to entertain truths, and realised, that all people have the right to their existence within "Israel", their need not be a crisis.

why does not Israel acknowledge, the welcome it's people received after Hitler spat them out, and live in harmony with those that opened their homes to you.what goes around comes around. the Jew will forever be displaced,disliked,despised,if the behaviour he shows to others, is what the state of Israel perpetuates.there can be no sympathy for the Jew, when the Jew has no sympathy for his fellow brothers and sisters, this has been an ongoing saga, since biblical times. Jews seek sympathy because of the holocaust, do you think Hitler was a Muslim? did they not suffer greater persecution under Christianity then Islam?

why not acknowledge that the Jew lived happily and prosperously under Islam, more than under any other regime, find that inner truth and perhaps the situation in Gaza can be solved.Goliath can never win the battle with David, David's home is threatened and his territory invaded, his vested interests are greater than all the flown in props from around the world, his blood and the blood of his forefathers seep deep into the soil. and with every new generation of David's born the war continues.

take away the need for David to fight, give him back his place under Gods son, and learn to live as the brothers and sisters we are once again.....to much to ask i am sure.

happy new year

2009-01-12T16:39:00.006+02:00

mmmmmm, i cannot believe that it is over a month since my last post.
here's wishing all my friends and loved ones a fantastic 2009. it has opened with not very promising world events, and sadly things never seem to improve.

my cell phone, email,facebook inbox, have all been inundated with messages to join the fight to save Gaza. i to am appalled and disgusted by the recent turn of events, and Israeli brutality against innocent Palestinians. at the risk of being politically incorrect or worse still labelled a traitor. there are a few points that constantly trouble me around the debacle that is the "Palestinian issue".

firstly a good friend of mine, turned down an invitation to a pool party at my place, because she was so saddened by the happenings in Gaza, she has joined the free Palestine movement and once again become an activist. with all due respect,
does living have to cease because Palestinians are suffering? to begin with, this has been going on for over fifty years, while i understand that international pressure can only help the Palestinians, does that mean life as we know it must end in solidarity.

why then have we not hopped on a flight to Israel,and joined the armed struggle.
Israel helped by the united states have succeeded in displacing millions and are in the middle of a genocidal war. nobody really gives a damn, cause they are just Palestinians, and there are no oil dollars at stake. the united states aids Israel, to the tune of 3.2 billion dollars annually, what do they pay Egypt to keep the Gaza border closed? 2 billion dollars annually, more? or less? Egypt takes the dirty money, and keeps it border closed. whom should we be protesting against?

my point is that the Arab world is just as duplicitous in this crime, that is the Palestinian situation. giving up once pleasures in life, will not help, the situation in Palestine. quite frankly the Palestinians themselves need to catch a wake up.

neither the PLO, nor the existing political players seemed to have a concrete political agenda. the way i see it, the world is pouring in aid to Palestine, why not neutralise Israel and the united states, by firstly becoming a more united people, between hamas, Hezbollah, the Palestinian liberation movements, that stooge Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinians are so divided, they seem not to know which end is up.

Arafat with all due respect made as much money as he could, and aided, the demise of any coherent struggle in the region,...then he did us a favour and died...perhaps not.

further more instead of harping on a separate Palestine, for which no real political program of any meaning has been put forward, call the Israeli bluff.
acknowledge. that Israel does and will always exist. ask for full integration into the state of Israel. for full rights as citizens of Israel. the right of political parties to exist within a democracy. the right to full emancipation as citizens of Israel. the right to health care, education, votes, all the freedoms that exist to citizens of any democratic country. what can either the united states or Israel do then? am i being naive here?

if there is no war, there is no need for 3.2 billion dollars in aid. if there is no war, Israel's only industry the manufacture of arms would close down, therefore, all the flown in Jews, will go back to their countries of origin when jobs dry up. if there is no war, there is no need to occupy territory. is it defeat to play the game under different rules. eventually displaced Palestinians would return home, eventually the playing fields would be levelled, so what if the country is called Israel, that would in time,.. change as well.

is it wishful thinking on my part?
i do believe that the Palestinians to some degree , are to be blamed for this fiasco. it does not mean that we do not support the cause, it does not excuse Israel ot the united states, i am just saying, that the people of Palestine need to get off their asses, stop bitching among themselves, and own their liberation as a united people. giving up on pool parties in south Africa, won't win them freedom. they need to earn their freedom by becoming a more united people. we can do what we can as outsiders, but real change comes from within. how does Israel manage to be such a united front. perhaps we could learn a lesson from their techniques. why do they always appear so polished,

to quote Thomas Paine:
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and the thanks of man and woman.
Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem to lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. i love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and who's conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.

Israel can only win the war, if the people of Palestine allow her that right.

world in turmoil

2008-12-03T14:34:00.005+02:00

what a week....besides the idiots terrorising mumbai...back home our idiot julius malema wishes us to believe he is part of the so called ANC "elite". hello? !!! elite?, since when did the struggle heroes become an elite, and how could someone who is certainly six cans short of a six pack consider he could be elite, unique maybe, because no one and i mean no one could be that freeking stupid.

the new political party COPE seems to be gaining momentum, with new recruits. lets hope they will be less elitist...perhaps they will remember their roots. and that what we do should be for the greater good of the country and all who live here. wishfull thinking on my part, yet i am a firm believer in democracy winning the day. come back to this blog in a couple of years, i certainly do not want to be eating crow.

the dimwit in zimbabwe is clinging on to his presidency. while his country is obliterated literally. now there is cholera, which has contaminated our waters. for God's sake guys what the hell is the problem. go to switzerland kiss your gold bars, and let zimbabwe, try to recover, from the ashes. not to mention the "doofus" morgan svengerai (spelling) is not any better than "Bob", but, who cares? it's just zimbabwe, and won't make ripples in the world. unlike india. which of course, i am inclined to believe, there are greater issues at work on the subcontinent. which does not excuse the events that transpired last week. violence solves nothing.
as Gulnaz points out, it is laziness of the mind. i agree. just because people are to ignorant, blinded or just plain lazy, they can be hoodwinked into commiting unspeakable acts.there is no excuse for stupidity and violence.

then there's the prize idiot who decided yoga is unislamic, because one chants OM...catch a wake up...chant mmmmmm.clear your mind and get some really great excercise. personally the salah is much the same as yoga, a deep meditative state where we commune with Allah. so what on Gods green earth is the problem?

once again, it boils down to shear laziness of the mind, a singular refusal to apply, our God given intelligence, to think further than our short sighted noses. islam doesn't teach us to be prescriptive, it offers us a way of life,which respects and acknowledges, that the world is populated, by people who might have different beliefs, our job, is not to sit in judgement, but to live a "good" life, to respect all humanity, and indeed all living beings. we can never go wrong, if we just respect that none of us were meant to be the same, in our differences, lies the strength of this world, why not embrace it, and create a better happier future, rather than a world of intolerance,ignorance,violence and dissention....

i have finally gotten around to posting this missive, .....thanks to all of you who sent me messages, to update my blog. i have been much to preoccupied with life, as i know it. hopefully i will have a chance in the near future.

the waterburg

2008-11-19T10:52:00.010+02:00

moosa and arshad.
moosa had to put you here, wonderful to see you again....i suppose we are family now as a result of this wonderful match...sorry bout the camera angle...next time.

the happy couple

the wedding face..natasha and i

relaxing by the damn...sunday morning face

boy fishing at a watering hole

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sunset over the mountain

ashantha and i...relaxed and happy

gorgeous waterburg

view from the veranda

last weekend was spent at the waterburg, another piece of heaven in this country. good company,good food,sure brings out the best in me.
to end a great weekend,..yep you have guest in another post wedding function.
after a gorgeous drive back from bela bela (formally known as warmbaths, can't figure out the reason for this name change but there you have it). as a young girl we spent many a summer holiday in warmbaths, where my maternal family have made their home and run a thriving business. i just remember the green segregated swimming pools ...Indians here, whites there. and of course we were not allowed to the warm spa's, from which the place derives it's name.
everything in life then was proscribed by the colour of one's skin and ethnic origin, all the best holiday spots were kept for those of paler hue.

this is where i learnt to swim,..my dad grabbed me and threw me into the deep end of the pool, with the words "swim". blubbering, spluttering, and barely able to find my balance, swim i did. all dressed up in my navy bather, with it's white frilly skirt. those were the good old days,...thanks to democracy, as an adult i was able to enjoy a magical weekend at the tilodi wilderness reserve.
a privately run game farm in the waterburg, just outside bela bela.
though we did not see any real game, the setting and tranquility of the area, was unsurpassed.

kudos to the staff, who were hospitable, always obliging and made our stay magical.my cousin yasmin finally said adieu to the last of her flock, all of 21 i believe, who got married on Sunday.
loosing the weekend laid back me, i donned the glad rags and was off to enjoy chicken and beef, much rather have been on a flight somewhere else. with the steward shouting, chicken or beef.

i have now to finally voice my beef, with these family shindigs, the "pahad's" always get a special table allocated to them, but then it's the select few, now ex public servants. what i would like to know have the rest of the pahad's suddenly metamorphosed into untouchable beings, relegated to the back benches, because we never held public office, or were close enough to lick the presidents ass.

do people not realise that it is totally rude, and socially unacceptable, to separate family along these lines, just as in "animal farm", there are some pigs who are more equal than others. quite frankly i cannot for the life of me think what might make them more special than me,.....and those hosting these shindigs are stupid enough to throw it in your face, then they wonder why we rarely accept invitations. guys you have got to learn, it is preferable not to invite guests, then to make them feel, like they are the afterthought, the politically correct invitees.

still i smiled, ate drank and made merry, the beautiful couple are only deserving of happiness and good wishes, in this instance, it was heartwarming to see the joining of families, who have known and respected each other for decades, finally there is a wedding joining them....good wishes to you both,...may you live long and prosper.may i not have to do glad rags for a good couple of months :)

tea time

2008-11-12T14:28:00.004+02:00

haven't been attracted much to my blog recently. i believe it is simply because i have been inundated at the office. truthfully it is because i have renewed my rather inactive social life. also that i spend far to much time on facebook.
i "celebrated" yet another birthday,and decided to kick start my life, back into the realm of the living. i felt stuck in a rut, and the easy option was to accept that this is what life had to offer,....wrong.

a friend told me that we should never be afraid of living life, but be afraid of never having lived it, cliched perhaps, but apt none the less.i took a mid week break, shock horror,...all in my previous post. have taken time off, to drive around Johannesburg, and enjoy this city in the first blush of the summer sun.even booked an overnight stay, in polokwane for the weekend coming up, pics to follow....lunch dates and tea breaks, none of which have been on my usual daily activities, guess what? it has made an unbelievable difference in the way i view the world and approach my day.

i ask myself now, why i have never taken that tea break...a warm cup of tea, loving company, a time to reflect and chat,to cuddle,to laugh, to plan.it is amazing what a good cup of tea, shared in friendship can do for a person.my usual modus operandi, would be to work through a day, get home exhausted, have a bite and retire.
life usually happened on weekends, and that to interspersed with work, so relaxation time, could be counted on the fingers of my right hand. unbelievable, but true.

family happens all around me on a continuous basis, and their demands on my time and person, are constant. the trouble is that we allow it, then want to whinge about it, to late the dye has been cast.that is why i have discovered the importance of that tea break, just up the road, in a quite spot, miracles do happen over delicious cups of tea.

tea breaks in the middle of the week, can rejuvenate and replenish, possibly the reason why the British colonised half the globe, in search of the perfect tea.

tea is a family thing usually, had at the close of the day, if we are lucky some home made biscuits, find there way to the table.
then there's that early morning cuppa to kick start your day.
the one that gets your thought processes going, and heads you towards the door into the office.
my favourite tea though?would be down the road, a tea shared by two.long moments of togetherness, comforting discussion and a whole lot of laughter.

that tea, elicited some spiritual thoughts and brought a reminder of a book i read, some time back, a line that sticks with me says, "there is a vast difference between reading the menu and deriving nourishment from a meal; but the sincere seeker of wisdom will end up by being amongst the wise....."

tea, made me realise that reading the menu of life is just not good enough, whatever the consequences one has to partake of life, to say that i have lived, truly lived.A touch, a smile,a look can bring forth great miracles in life, as human beings isn't that what we crave, to be touched, to be nourished by proximity to those we love. we are tactile beings it is written in the tea leaves.

i have decided to take time off from the daily grind to purely smell the tea leaves.

my mid week break

2008-11-03T16:24:00.027+02:00

friday afternoon,...back home city skyline in the distance

azad at the poolside

enjoying the pool, hazeyview

this is for the indian parks board, ranthambore national park,..is an embarrasment,...no facilities, this is the loo at mac,mac falls...it is clean.

my boys at mac mac falls

mac mac falls

mac mac falls, the mist rolling in

view from the chalet door as the mist rolled in

moth in our chalet,...hazeyview

natural beauty of the park

crocodile sunning himself

family bonding

hippo grazing near a watering hole

camouflaged by the indigenous grasses and the accacia trees

2nd of the big 5...buffalo

water buck

his majesty, the african elephant

first sighting in the park...zebra's

paul kruger, at the entrance to the kruger national park
how long this remains, is yet to be seen

through the mountain pass, zasm...in the distance portable loo being delivered somewhere

the highlands, reaching mpumalanga

azad, diving for arshads milk shake the first pit stop

the long and winding road

through the car window...gold mine dumps, as we drive out of jhb

i am once again, thoroughly in love with this beautiful country, despite our political agro,...and the things i lament about constantly, crime, bureaucracy,stupidity, God has truly created a piece of paradise in this land, my fervant wish is that we have the brains and will to keep it beautiful for all time.

i took azad on his first vacation without mum and dad, well really four days, the country side was magical and the kruger national park was a sight to see, we travelled to hazey view in mpumalanga, a five hour drive from johannesburg, the little guy was a champion traveller, he will be learning to swim before he speaks, he loved the swimming pool, so this aunt is determined, to see the little skinny one floating about on his own.

my highlight was the weekend spent in umdloti, i have posted pics before, it was truly a sublime, rose tinted ending to a relaxed and lovely week, i am know wondering, why i did not do this before. walks on the beach,swimming in the warm indian ocean,....sharing home cooked meals with someone special,.....mmmmm. it was magical and i loved it all. being the commitment phobe that i am,...i am truly surprised by the spontaneity of a weekend at the sea, it was indulgent and fun, and surely a must do again, scenario.

with all that in mind, hope you enjoy the pictures of my beloved country, green,lush and verdant, the summer rains, have created a magical beauty out of the highlands.

MAMMA MIA! The Movie: Mamma Mia FULL SONG! (HQ)

2008-10-23T12:06:00.002+02:00

i just had to post this

if you haven't already seen this movie, please do Meryl streep was just sublime in this movie.always the consummate and accomplished actress. this is a summer time feel good movie that will have your feet tapping, if you are at all an Abba fan, even a closet fan, or not at all a fan this ones for you. failing which i can visualize people packing their bags for a Greek island holiday.

pierce brosnan makes for perfect eye candy, his performance was as wooden as the rafters above my head, real pity that, but meryl just carried the day.

my reaction obviously is in keeping with my present feel good mood, i have never professed to be a movie buff, and critics don't always get audience reaction right, this movie will have you smiling all the way to the coffee shop, for after movie drinks.

enjoy the title track...i am singing my way through another work day.

oh God not home affairs

2008-10-15T16:27:00.004+02:00

proudly south african

sitting here staring at the screen, what the hell to write...bloggers don't get writers block, cause this really is not writing....hehehehe..

we are presently enjoying the fruits of democracy, their are serious if somewhat unsubstantiated rumours that a new political party is in the offing. this is a good thing. the ANC, which has been the largest political party and has secured the majority of voters, will no longer have it's stranglehold on all things political.

president mbeki, is calling for his day in court to clear the allegations of collusion by his administration in the zuma saga. basically to clear his name. the new broom is off in India trying to secure trade deals between India, south Africa and Brazil. it always amazes me how things change yet they remain the same.

my feeling is that zuma might have something to worry about if the new broom entrenches himself, the twit malema is falling out of favour all over the place, and the votes will swing towards a new party, they might not take an election, but they will present some serious competition, zuma just might find himself, not being voted into presidential office, wouldn't that be ironic.

i just wish local government, could get it's act together, and government offices could be cleaned up, made into a more pleasant place for the ordinary citizen, i think that might be to much to ask. all this stems from my visit to the regional offices of the department of home affairs. that place you go to in case you are not sure you are a citizen.

citizens, pay R3000.00 get fake documents and live large. the idiots like us, have to struggle through pushy salesmen wanting to lead you into dingy dirty stores, for identity or passport photo's. after you have blown them off, and navigated your way to the entrance of the building, the outer facade, is enough to send you running back to your illegally parked car, for which you will fork out more change, to the drunken, guy wanting money for pointing you to a parking spot. this done, you close your nostrils to the stench, walk through the doors, it is dark, disgustingly filthy, i don't believe there has been a broom used in the place in twenty years or more, security check, what the hell for,..then the lifts are out of order, so you ask, a seriously retarded looking security person, who stares at you, because i presume English is a foreign language, the lifts are out of order, i don't bother to ask, since they could possibly have been out of order for years. getting in would be risky as well, if they were in order. so i navigated the stairs five storeys up.

i needed a death certificate not a passport, by the time i got up there, the home affairs official had the demeanour of a dead person, the ugliness of the building her place of work, just reflected in her attitude and behaviour. if i didn't need the passport i was tempted to say something really crass, and bitchy. the guy who took my thumbprint was barely operational. the entire place, is emotionally and physically draining. had i been in government these are the things i would be changing, instead of wasting tax payers money, erasing our countries history, whether good or bad, by changing street names etc.

the entire stinky inhuman experience left me with a headache, and a fervent desire never to go to home affairs again. alas this will never be.who am i without a travel document, it is issued for ten years, i shudder to think what it would be like dealing with them after ten years. dear lord save me from bureaucrats, and bureaucracy. do you think their homes are as filthy as their places of work, seriously what stops you from just wiping off your own desk. in this country, if there is no one around to clean up for you, we just deteriorate into wallowing in our own filth.

tax payers money would be better spent in teaching people that cleanliness is next to godliness. that begs the presumption that people believe in the existence of god, and that debate could fill an entire blog space...perhaps when next i have writers block

the morning after the week before

2008-10-13T11:54:00.004+02:00

Ashanta having a good time with desert

greek number 1. dimitri

friday night after the party

azad before he was naked as a jay bird

have you ever had those moments?...life plods along at its normal pace, you do what you do, a simple call can have you filling in a years worth of socialising in just one week.

i have, just had one of those weeks, and the outcome has been both bitter and sweet. face book or FB as it is called, turned up an old school chum. when i saw the friend request my first reaction was wow, he remembered after all these years, i was the one in a pigtail. just in front. we had as i recalled not had much contact back then apart from being classmates. so wow, what had changed, i got older and had lost the orthodontic braces? i was a curiosity?what did the face in front of the pigtail look like after all these years? i mean what could he have been thinking? we had not met in years...cough,cough, will not divulge here how many years, but the experience was mind blowing, i simply think that one reaches that point in life, when everything is safe and familiar and compartmentalised into things i do, things i don't, and things i would like to do, but am not capable of..i believe this is the place in life i find myself in.

i was quite excited and happy to meet again after all these years, somewhat along the lines of checking out what we had done with our lives etc, etc...the best part being, i could escape another interminable kitchen tea/bachelorate party, the pre-lude to you have guest it another wedding. the evening turned out to be a great success, and here's the bitter pill part, how does one pursue what could be a great friendship, without any other entanglements, he is available i am not...can my adolescence be revisited? i think not.
it is called growing up and for better or worse, we make choices in life that inform and give our lives direction. we make commitments to others, and have lives full of living. does that give me room to pursue something else, can i get over the resulting guilty complex. if i feel guilty, am i doing something wrong? gave up all this second guessing years ago, and became settled in my ways so to speak.

here i am thinking again, it's a good thing? i did a post some time ago, titled the face of forty, this weekend made me feel like the face of something in the twenties, a great Friday was followed by a partying Saturday. Ashanta and i had not hooked up in once again years, the Friday before we had hooked up for dinner, with her gorgeous Greek, and some co-workers, it was a fun evening, which proceeded to moloko's a nightclub, i realised just then how out of touch i had become with the Johannesburg social scene, the flavour and colour of this city has changed enormously, ashanta hails from Durban, so as she so kindly reminded me, she was so happy to re-introduce me to the delights of Johannesburg's nightlife, as i had been instrumental, in introducing her to it all those years ago.

that Friday night, resulted in my party Saturday. where i was introduced to Greek man number two, an, oh so fine and cute looking fellow, possibly younger than arshad. a great dancer. the end result is a commitment from me to pursue, holiday bookings to celebrate the new year in mumbai, in the euphoria of all this youth surrounding me, aching knees,and thumping heart aside, i am calling my travel agent as i write this piece. i am either a sucker for punishment, or high on finally having left my comfort zone, which i must admit i am rather attached to. i have become a boring suburban house wife, without the boring suburban husband, two kids, some chickens and a picket fence.

to move on, the gang, which is two Greeks, ashanta, a Korean American (whats that), plus,plus,plus have been invited over for dinner to liven up my part of suburbia, rumour has it they come with a guitar, and sing for their supper just cannot wait. this totally feels like Pandora's box has been opened, do i have the capability of dealing with the resulting effects.

in all of this mayhem, i still spent Saturday with grandma and azad,this little delight was out in the garden, naked as a jay bird watering himself, grandma and the roses, the camera of course chose to run out of battery life, but a little boy clad only in a sun hat, watering a rose bush, would have been just classic. perhaps when next he is here i will get my photo op.

azad amazes me

2008-10-05T17:16:00.003+02:00

SUNDAY PICTURES AZAD AT PLAY
azad was spending Sunday with us, it is amazing to see him develop...today he asked his grandpa, to open a new toy, we had been keeping till he gets older, the battery operated car, came apart in his hands, so he handed it to me, as i turned my attention on other things, azad wondered off, to where his grandad was busy with hanging picture frames, the next thing i new he handed me a tiny screw driver, and pointed to the car, he had of his own accord, brought me the tool to repair his car. he is just 14 months old, though he is not using language yet, he is completely understanding of all we say and ask, later on, he proceeded to fit that screw driver into the car himself, this youngster amazes me every day. he inserts keys into locks, with the key held correctly. he picks up and fetches things, if we ask, understanding what each item is, our fun game has become to ask him, where is, where is dadi? where is your nose? where are your toes? sounds silly but when he gets it right he claps his hands and laughs, the little guy is developing into a happy bright boy, and it is a joy to watch... i love you little guy, you made this Sunday fun :)

eid pictures

2008-10-02T12:44:00.004+02:00

relaxing after lunch

grandma and iman

natasha and iman...mother and daughter

ahmed and azad...father and son

azad and me in the garden

doing my business

sisters

flowers from the garden

granny and iman

grandparents and azad

natasha ahmed and the kids

through the looking glass

this year eid was a quite family affair...we had guests in and out all day, and i was more exhausted then a day at the office, having gone to bed with a hangover from over indulgence (in food of course) and a lack of sleep. all in all a fun day was had by all.

eid mubarak

2008-09-30T13:33:00.005+02:00

mmmm!!!cannot wait to sink my teeth into these

eid gifts, note all the chocolates....

it's finally that time again, presently 14h30 and i am counting the minutes to iftaar. i sound bad, but hey this has been a long arduous month, and i for one am happy that it is finally ending,usually i enjoy the spirituality of the month, the idea of getting in touch with a greater being, the prayer etc, for some reason, this did not happen for me this year, i just could not get into the swing of things....for know i am happy to get back to the normal day to day existence.

presently i am drooling at the most decadent cupcakes ever, delivered by a family friend, for eid, but i think partaking of this treat will not wait until tomorrow, i have my sights clearly set on a strawberry confection, i am not sure what the traditions are in other countries, but in johannesburg, the big get together, happen on the day of eid, with us, the family usually arrives for lunch, and stay until the allure of the zoo lake beckons, speaking of which, i wish i could post some pictures, but i have not been to the zoo lake in years, the tradition is for people to congregate at the lake dressed in all their eid finery. to meet and great friends you have not seen in ages, during the apartheid era,this was a spot that people of "colour" could meet and mingle without fear of retribution from the authorities, people from outside the city would drive in to do the same, it saved you from attempting to visit a multitude of homes, the community just got together at the zoo lake. times have changed, families have grown, and each family has their own eid gathering,....so these days it's just the immediate family, everyone else drops by during the cause of the day , by the end of which exhaustion sets in, and you have to get ready for a working day,... the next day. i always wished we had a two day break, not so lucky.

the lunch menu in our home, is a huge green salad, chicken biryani, roast leg of lamb,desert is usually what you feel like at the time this year it is trifle. lots of nibbly things like samoosa's and pies, and sweets, all types, which is what usually goes first. the problem is your eyes, are usually bigger than your stomach, so as much as i wish to indulge in this excess, more often than not, i consume only what i can, it's a fun day for the kids, new shoes, new clothes, eidi,...that's the best part comparing how much money they can collect from adults in the day. then spending it on some toy, or as it happens bad burgers from the wimpy,and or MacDonald's. but that is what it is all about. family and friends and a holiday in the middle of the week with the people you love is always a good thing.

i would like to take the opportunity, and wish all those who read this blog a fantastic eid tomorrow, may you have the capacity to indulge in all the foods you craved throughout this month. have a fantastic day.

recalled

2008-09-22T16:08:00.005+02:00

Monday morning dawned and it was business as usual. there were staff in my office who didn't even know that the president of our country had been recalled/fired. isn't it amazing, we cook, eat, sleep, make love, shop. do what people all over the world are doing at some time or another, but we don't read a newspaper or watch the news. life continuous while the political landscape of a country changes.

life went on, despite the momentous happenings this weekend.
our president made the most dignified resignation speech of any i have had occasion to witness, admittedly i was moved to tears, and might i add pride in the manner in which he acquitted himself in his address to the nation.

This was the president we had voted in, this was the man who has steered south Africa, towards economic growth, put us on the map internationally, who was instrumental in negotiating our peaceful transition to democracy. where was this man in the last couple of years, when opposing voices were baying for his blood. this was the man, who should have had his feet firmly planted on south African soil. i cannot help but feel, had he been or appeared to be a hands on president, who had spent more time addressing the concerns of his citizens, rather than sorting out the problems of Africa, he might have served his full term.

he is an ANC stalwart who has given his life to the organisation and to the freedom of the people of this country, while i have lamented ad nauseum, on the failings of the MBEKI government, to address issues of crime, aids,unemployment,rising taxes etc. it has been the axing of jacob zuma, that has been instrumental in bringing down the mbeki government.to his credit mr Mbeki, was gracious in defeat, a man who had the best interests of this country and his political party at heart.

it was good to see democratic processes win the day, as opposed to anarchy and violence, unlike most countries on this continent, the rule of law, and respect of our constitution are what emerged from this fiasco. this is politics, the dog eat dog world of power and behind the scenes machinations. politics is a dirty game, and those in power are loathe to relinquish it, once they enjoy the fruits of high office. much to his credit, Thabo Mbeki addressed his detractors and supporters alike, with a call to work towards a better future for all.

my fear is that the men who have come out in support of jacob zuma, our future president after the next election, are a bunch of uneducated ill informed noise makers, in this i refer to the president of the ANC youth league malema, and those that are fond of violent rhetoric. it remains to be seen, how Jacob zuma will acquit himself and the type of leadership he aligns himself with. the axing of thabo mbeki, and previously the election of Jacob zuma as president of the ANC in polokwane, highlighted the schisms in a seemingly invincible political party.

but even politicians are human, and once the fight for freedom had been won, the fight for control, would inevitably rear it's ugly head. Thabo Mbeki pissed of a few of his comrades, in trying to achieve his vision of a free democratic Africa, and those pissed off comrades, who are now very rich because of BEE placement, have gone for the jugular.tit for tat so to speak.

all it took, was a lone judge (nicholson, a name that will be remembered in the anals of history) in the non descript town of pietermareitzburg, to rule that jacob zuma had been unfairly prejudiced, that the president behaved immorally in firing his deputy president, and the death knell was rung. our president was recalled in the same manner in which jacob zuma had lost his post. the presidential advisers were short sighted in their assessment of the zuma issue, and extremely shortsighted when they assumed that his popularity was not great enough to orchestrate a take over. well hahaha to you.

two strikes, and it is game over for the mbeki camp. or is it? as south Africans we should be proud, that changes like these can take place without prejudicing safety and security, as long as the likes of malema, are not put in charge, i have great hope, that the economy will tick over, that i will continue to bitch about high taxation, crime, and lack of delivery. fully well knowing that things will be business as usual, and that we will have democracy work for us.

to mr mbeki, i wish you every happiness and success in the future, and it is my fervent hope that you will always be a part of steering this country towards achieving it's greatest potential.
i thank you, for the last 52 years, and most especially for being the great mind, that negotiated and still negotiates the peaceful and successful rise of our fledgling democracy. i wish that the man who represented himself last night, had been the man that we saw in the last decade, a leader of great skill, intelligence, loyalty and dedication. hopefully you will not leave us to suffer the malema's of this world alone....but then it is the price of democracy.

taking the piss

2008-09-15T15:05:00.004+02:00

how could any responsible adult, produce such trash.

jacob zuma just cannot seem to get out of being fodder for the press.while i agree that his actions have been less than exemplary, he just cannot seem to keep his pants zipped, zapiro's cartoons, were just tasteless and uncalled for. if david bullard got fired for a racist column, then zapiro should be headed out of the door as well. the biggest culprit is the idiot editor, who okay's trash before it goes to print, why the hell doesn't he get his ass fired, (oh sorry his black)...therefore exempt from being fired.

the brutality of the cartoon was in bad taste, showing a woman being gang raped, hell that's not sarcasm, that is just down right BS,..since zuma was acquitted on rape chargers, seems it was all fabricated, that is, ....the rape.zapiro, could have chosen some other avenue, to take the piss. the sad part is that the press and thabo mbeki, have paved the way for a depraved, corrupt man to become the next president of our upwardly mobile banana republic.

mbeki who is meant to be so intelligent has single handedly, (with the help of his Rottweiler ministers of cause) managed to divide the anc, into warring factions. each faction, lead by idiots who are unable to string two coherent words together, and who's only rhetoric calls for death and destruction. for a man who promised great things, to a mascot championing the course of the haves to accumalate even more filthy lucre, thabo mbeki, will leave office under scandal and embarrasment, any positive achievements eclipsed, by the duplicitous behaviour, in handling his deputy president, for heavens sake, a judge called his actions in firing zuma immoral, and if zuma is an immoral man, what does that say of our president. who as it happens is permanently out of the country, when there are pinnacle happenings in the zuma soap opera.

when will the clowns in government, get a grip and sort out the BS,...the media does nothing to improve the situation, appearing at best racist and at worst irresponsible and reckless. come on guys how about some genuine intelligent reportage.

championing the cause of forward thinkers

2008-09-06T20:04:00.006+02:00

we have almost completed the first week of Ramadan, as always i count the days till month end. one of my Jewish clients came by this week, and though she is not a practicing Jew, she said she observed the fast, or just didn't eat on the day, just in case. she might nip out for a smoke, but the sacredness of the fast, or the fear of offending a mightier power somehow prevailed.

i like to take the opportunity, to get in touch with a more spiritual side, and yes just ensure that i might have a better time of it in the hereafter, an insurance policy of sorts.this week the mosque committee, or as they are called the houghton Muslim jamaat (HMJ) asked me to make a contribution to their inaugural newsletter, i might have laughed, because the first thought i had was that i would most certainly offend the sensibilities of the more conservative elements in our community, further my understanding of why i am a Muslim seems so far removed from the rather backward interpretation of Islam, espoused by the mullah's and their followers, none the less i acquiesced, the result to my mind was rather stilted and according to arshad, more academic then necessary. however i submitted my contribution, not knowing how much would be edited out. we have succeeded in getting a women's section added to the new mosque, however i have lost the battle for one entrance for all members of the congregation, perhaps i shouldn't loose heart, and persevere with an alternative interpretation of Islam, that might someday break the barriers of conservative, literal interpretations of the faith.

the topic was so vague, something along the lines of the importance of women in our society, laughable, as it just pigeonholed women into some category far removed from the community, as if i was being asked to justify why women are important at all.also limited to two hundred words, i found that quite difficult.
so my contribution turned out like this:

THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN ISLAMIC SOCIETY
A QUOTE FROM DR. HASSAN AL TURABI LEADING ISLAMIC SCHOLAR FROM SUDAN
"Muslims who advance conservative views on female affairs....are normally very literal in their understanding of texts; but they tendentiously opt for an understanding that suits their prejudice."

within Islam a woman is an independent entity, and therefore it goes without saying a fully responsible human being, Islam addresses her directly and does not approach her through the agencies of Muslim males, a woman assumes full capacity and liability once she has attained maturity and has received the message of Islam

the women of Islam have been at the forefront of religious achievement. the equal personal responsibilities of women in Islam are evident and clearly established, that collective duties are commonly borne by men and women is shown in the practice of the prophet (pbuh), who commanded women to act charitably and give for the sake of God, and in that women used to respond.

Al Bukhari narrates on the authority of Ibn-Abas, who said; "i attended the prayer of Eid-Ul-Fitr along with the prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakar and Uthman. they offered the prayer before the sermon. later the prophet (pbuh) delivered his eid address and moved ahead making his way through the people, till he reached the ladies accompanied by Bilal, the prophet read out the following verse from the Quran:
"o prophet!when women believers come to you, to make a covenant with you that they will not associate anything with God, nor steal, nor fornicate, nor kill their own children, nor slander anyone, nor disobey you in any fair matter, then make a covenant with them and seek God's forgiveness in their favour. indeed God is oft forgiving most merciful." (AL- MUMTAINAH 12)

when the prophet (pbuh) had finished with these verses, he said to them;"are you all committed to that?" one of the ladies replied,(while others kept silent) "yes". the prophet did not at that time know which one did so! he continued and asked them to make their donations. Bilal spread out his shirt and said,"donate, my parents be sacrificed for you ladies." and they all dropped their rings studded with precious or ordinary stone.

Muslim women participated in military expeditions, bringing water to thirsty combatants, treating the wounded and carrying them to safety, and sometimes engaging in active warfare.the Quran refers to this and other exploits of men and women; " and their lord responded to them,i suffer not the work of any worker male or female to be lost.you proceed one from another.so those who fled were driven forth from their homes and suffered harm for my cause and fought or were slain, verily i shall remit their evil deeds and shall bring them into gardens underneath which rivers flow as a reward from God, and God offers the fairest of rewards." (Al-Imran, 195)

even the prophets (pbuh) own wife, Sayidah Aishah, actively participated in such military services. Anas stated, " in the battle of Uhud, when the Muslims were routed and put to flight from the prophet (pbuh) , i saw Aishah Bint Abu Bakar and Umm-Saleem were busy carrying water skins on their backs and emptying them in the mouths of Muslims." (Bukhari)

Islam fourteen centuries ago made women accountable to God in glorifying and worshipping him, setting no limits on her moral progress, also Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men.

in the Quran, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "women", Allah says, "O mankind! be careful of your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it its mate and from them both have spread a multitude of men and women. be careful of your duty toward Allah in whom you claim your rights of one another, and towards the womb (that bore you). Lo Allah has been a watcher over you."(4:1)

since men and women come from the same essence they are equal in their humanity.Today people think that women were liberated in the west or that women's liberation began in the twentieth century, actually the women's liberation was revealed by Allah to our prophet (pbuh). The Quran and the traditions of the prophet (pbuh) hadith or sunnah are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives her rights and duties.

i had cropped alot of what i wanted to say, and am not as forceful as i wanted to be, but i believe it can all be worked upon. for now i will submit this and wait to see the reaction if it illicits any reaction at all. here's hoping it does encourage healthy debate.

what is the point of complaining?

2008-09-02T14:51:00.004+02:00

can a country be termed ignoble? i don't suppose so, as it is not a person, therefore it cannot have character flaws, the country cannot be shameful or not be honourable in purpose, but i am fast running out of expletives to voice my growing shame, no not shame deep routed disappointment in the manner in which our government handles anything.

i have lamented ad nauseum on the effects of crime, high prices,rip off taxation and the list obviously never ends. this week there are a couple from johannesburg's southern suburbs critically injured and fighting for their lives after having been mistaken for robbers at their Johannesburg home, they were shot by police, who believed that they were thieves intent on a quick get away,the sad thing was, their daughter had been gang raped by intruders, and they were returning from holiday, the cops were responding to a call out,as the modus operandi of Johannesburg criminals is to load up the victims goods into the victims car and leave, since the car was loaded with luggage,it was dark, the car was reversing out the drive with no lights on the automatic assumption was that the thieves had the car....well in this case obviously not. obviously the thieves and rapists got away.

can one blame the men in blue? i think not,...thieves are, well armed, there had been a rape, how are they to react in the circumstances. cyril rhamaphosa, formally a trade union man, now a multi gazillionare, into big business and black empowerment, seems to think that ordinary Joe schmo should be doing more, how much more i ask you? our police force are overburdened, underpaid and totally corrupt, joe schmo is forking out thousands of rands every month on private security high walls, barbed wire fencing, ( i think I've mentioned previously, that our private budget per capita on security, is more than the united states government spends on security).turning homes into prisons, when is enough, enough. when does crime become intolerable? crime is a threat that the government of this country has failed to address in any meaningful way. government response is to ignore crime, and tell it's beleaguered population that crime is not an issue, that it is under control...tell that to the rape victim or her seriously injured parents fighting to survive in a Johannesburg hospital.

if it's not crime, then we are embarrassed by the 15 million rand wastage, which was our supposed marketing of the 2010 world cup, our display that never happened, all paid for by tax payers money, so what the hell are we paying tax for? what's worse is the way this fiasco was dealt with, essop pahad our minister in the presidency claimed, it was just 'WHITE' people complaining, sour grapes, because a black country was hosting 2010, bull shit uncle of mine,...the idiots in Beijing couldn't even explain away, why we hired empty hotel rooms, that remained empty,..why there was no material on hand to advertise 2010, why basically we paid money to showcase our country and there was no show case, oh uncle gee, this is definitely not a case of whining white people again, but a case of an incompetent government and the inept uneducated people you employ, simply because they are black.

if the current administration is this inept and corrupt, what the hell future do we have? what is to follow is definitely not any better. jobs for pals, pals in jobs...the situation is disgraceful and quite embarrassing.

hopefully fifa will finally awaken out of their stupor, open the blinkers and realise that the 2010 world cup, is in the hands of some very rich, very nasty (dare i say it) black people, none of whom have the wherewithal to host a competent and successful world cup, however they are intelligent enough to make a great deal of money out of television rights, kick backs, construction of stadia, trains etc, all going nowhere slowly...we are about to be thoroughly embarrassed world wide and nobody gives a damn, least of all those in control. will i eat my words. i dearly hope so.