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Monthly Archives: August 2009

Soldiers striking?

27 Aug

In what world is the backbone of any country’s defence allowed to strike? Oh, in this world it seems. In the crazy world of South Africa. Here we have our military in illegal protest that turned into a riot. Fantastic. What is happening to this country? It seems everyone can have a strike. Doctors, Metro Police, World Cup construction workers etc etc and now the military. The useless bastards of today’s military have demands of a 30% pay increase and suddenly it turns into a petrol bomb and rubber bullet party after destroying government property. What do they even do for their salaries?

“Defying a court order, engaging in unnecessary violent behaviour, causing damage to private and public property and attempting to invade the seat of government is totally unacceptable,” said government spokesperson Themba Maseko”

Military

“Several soldiers and a policeman were injured, reported SAPA. Some police and military vehicles were also damaged by a petrol bomb.”

“"While acknowledging that that soldiers’ march was illegal, Cosatu nevertheless believes that the reaction by the police – with stun grenades and rubber bullets – was reckless and excessive," said spokesman Patrick Craven, reported SAPA”

In many countries, action like attempting to invade the seat of government is usually considered an uprising or coup and likely to to be declared mutiny or treason and punishable by death. Our police just get reprimanded for excessive force

Just to add salt to the wound, you get some prick Shaheed Mahomed of the Workers International Vanguard League saying ridiculous statements like “Soldiers should have the full right to protest as well as the right to strike”. But then again, this brain box also feels that “We fully support the right of soldiers to elect their leaders in the army and that their leaders should be subject to instant recall.” Soldiers electing the generals? This isn’t the fucking boy scouts! Oh hang on, perhaps it is!

One step closer to the Banana Republic! Whatever!

 
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Posted by on August 27, 2009 in Life, Rant 'n Rave, South Africa

 

Motorcycle test – PASSED

26 Aug

I was shitting myself last night. Not for the test today but more for the weather. It wasn’t looking good at all. Any rain and they cancel the test and postpone. I really didn’t want to have the test postponed. It became frontal last night which to the lay man simply means the wind blows like a son of a bitch from the west and that drags in all the crap wet weather from Cape Town. Fortunately this morning it was holding out sufficiently.

I rushed off to the testing station for an 11:30am booking while staring at the sky and hoping like mad. The test itself was very uneventful. The rain held out and I completed my test. It went really well. I guess that comes with good preparation. I passed with flying colours

pass_fail

And then the shit storm began. The government kicked in and that’s when the happiness ended. There’s a problem with my driver’s license apparently. Supposedly in 2003 while I was out of the country I was supposed to convert my old ID book style driver’s license to an ID card license. Since I did not do the conversion there is now a block on the license. Now that I have passed my bike license they need to issue a card license with both licenses on it. Simple? NO! This is Africa. First they have to remove the license from my ID book before they can issue the card. Simple? NO! They are useless! Apparently it can take up to 4 months to sort this out in a distant town called Bisho which looks after the entire region. Only once this is done can I go in to sort out and pay for my new license. But I am going to be away by then so I have to make another plan for issue and collection. Just a real pain in the ass. I can only hope it will be sorted without too many problems.

Africa!

 
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Posted by on August 26, 2009 in Africa, Friends, Good News, South Africa, Transport, Travel

 

Vroooooom

23 Aug

Yesterday was my first time back on a bike properly (and legally) in about 15 years I guess and it was great fun! But now I have to do things the right way. Riding bikes in this country is actually a crazy thing. Bikes kill you quicker than cars but yet all you need is a little piece of paper being your learners license at the age of 16 and that allows you onto a bike capable of going 150kph on the highway (up to 125cc). So that’s how I learned way back when but then the limit was 50cc and we were not allowed on the highway.

Now I want to get my full (unrestricted) bike license so I have to go through the entire process again. About a month ago I got my learners license. And this week I have my bike test which is pretty simple I must admit. I hope I didn’t just jinx it!

IMG_0692

I got on the bike and I was feeling a little apprehensive since it had been quite a while. I wanted to go for a quick ride around first just to get used to it again and it was great fun. Pulled off like a champ and was flying around the parking lot in no time. When I got back the instructor said that I was lying and that I had definitely ridden recently. That made me feel good. I guess it is like riding a bicycle!

A few more lessons and then my test. I am a bit nervous but it’s also like an adventure which makes it worthwhile. I don’t know if I even want a bike but I want the license just in case. Leave my options open. It’s very difficult to get it anywhere else and the South African license is internationally recognised so I can get it switched for a UK license.

 
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Posted by on August 23, 2009 in Interesting, South Africa, Transport, UK

 

No more Juno

22 Aug

Yesterday afternoon I got a call responding to an advertisement that I put out for a good home for Juno, our temporary best friend. Last night they came to see her and course they fell in love right away. Juno also took to them very well so I guess that’s a happy home!

Just leaves us with an empty corner in the lounge where she used to sleep.

Dog

It was of course a little sad. It’s very hard not to feel just a little emotional at least after having fun with and spending time with such an amazing animal. It was a great time and felt good to take care of an animal in need. All I can say is that I am very glad that it wasn’t any longer than the week that we had her. It would have been terrible to say goodbye if it had been much longer.

We still have the random cat that wandered in off the street so at least there’s still some added company at home for now. We’ve checked the vets and everywhere around that has notice boards and still nothing. I guess she is ours for now at least. Until one day I guess when she decides that next door or down the road is better.

 
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Posted by on August 22, 2009 in Family, Friends, Home

 

And now we have a cat!

20 Aug

I don’t really know what’s going on but one thing I can assure you is that I don’t have a sign that says Dr Doolittle outside on my front gate. Can people please advise the neighbourhood animals of this.

A few days ago, early Tuesday I think it was, a cat roamed in off the street and promptly made itself comfortable in my house. It’s a gorgeous cat so I guess I didn’t have the heart to kick it up the ass and send it packing. I probably should have though since three days later it’s still here. Gorgeous little thing wouldn’t you agree?

Cat00

Only problem now is trying to find it’s rightful owner. I have been to all the local shops and checked out the notice boards. I have even looked at all the vets and vet accessory places for “lost cat” signs but so far I have seen nothing. I am sceptical about putting signs up with a photo cos I’m worried that some arb person, upon seeing this gorgeous animal, calls to claim it when it’s not theirs. Everyone agrees. All the advice I have received so far is telling me that this is quite normal and that it could hang around a few days and then bugger off home. If after that it’s still here, then it has decided to move house and we have a new pet. That isn’t kewl. I mean it really is an amazing animal so as runaways go this is a great one to get but I can’t help but feel heart sore when I think about some poor kid that had just lost it’s beloved cat. Hopefully these people will care enough to start putting signs up or contact the vets dammit! If they don’t care enough to do that then I can start to see why it bailed on them in the first place. Anyway, I will continue the hunt tomorrow.

Wish me luck. Here kitty kitty! Pssst Pssst

 
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Posted by on August 20, 2009 in Family, Life, Random, Rant 'n Rave

 

Home Juno

17 Aug

We have adopted a dog. Well kinda. Since we are leaving home soon we can’t keep her forever so we are just a foster home until we get a permanent home for her.

She arrived the day before yesterday with the alleged name Lady. YAWN! Who names a dog Lady these days? So we decided we were going to give her a chance at being semi kewl. Puccino came up with her new name: Juno. I asked why so I got a brisk list of answers. Next time I’m just going to say OK! Juno, from the movie, is a sassy underage girl dealing with pregnancy. This dog is a cheeky thing but full of fun and at 1 years old has already had a litter, or so it seems. We also got her in winter and since Juno is a city in the very cold Alaska (ok it’s spelled Juneau), she thought that was also suitable.

So there you have it. Juno she is. Here she is.

 Juno 01 Juno 02

Juno 03

She has a bit of a sad story as much of it as we know that is. She was purchased by a security company to keep the nightshift guards company while on duty. When we got her she was pretty dirty and has one or two small sores on her so I don’t think she was very well looked after. The last straw was she was hit by a car the other day. A mate of mine who works for the company who the security company looks after, found out about the dog and took her away. He took her to the vet and got her taken care of. After a good wash and a bit of TLC she is happier than a….. than a really happy dog!

So now she is here and we are looking for a good home for her.

 
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Posted by on August 17, 2009 in Friends, Life, Rant 'n Rave

 

It’s time. Job time!

11 Aug

Now I would be a complete liar if I had said that my last year of vacation was hated, practically well spent, or would be remembered in a negative light. That would all be complete bollocks. I have had a ball. But let me be serious for just a moment. I think it sums it up quite nicely as a mate of mine, DubDub, put it during an MSN conversation over the weekend, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

WOW. Let the job hunting crack on then. It is time. Time to rejoin the working class!

Job Hunting

Ok, well it wasn’t a complete wow as the thought of job hunting is nothing new. I have even mentioned it here a few times. Time now just feels right to get back into it. All my commitments at home are complete. I can leave now content that everything here will be fine in my absence. Sure it’s only taken 6 months to get there but what’s the hurry hey?

Now the bigger issue. You see, the kind of jobs I’m looking for don’t just show up on a Google search for “Great International IT Contracts”. Although, it could still be worth a shot. Yup, just as I thought: “No results found for "Great International IT Contracts"” It’s now all about looking up old contacts and hoping they still remember me. Oh well, let’s see.

I am actually really looking forward to it. Ok there’s that dreaded week or so getting back into it. You think it’s tough getting off a 2 week vacation? Try a 52 week vacation. But apart from that I am actually looking forward to the creating, the planning, the fixing and all the challenges that IT setups bring with them in order to feel that incredible feeling of success when the project manager takes you aside and says, “Damn great job Hoox. Here’s your raise and promotion”. Ok so that doesn’t happen but I still feel all warm and fuzzy inside when it goes right even if it is a quiet celebration.

Right. Time to crack on.

 
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Posted by on August 11, 2009 in Camp, Contact, Contract, Holiday, Life, Technology, Travel, World in 80 ways

 

South African Winter

06 Aug

We are now into the first week of August which is obviously still slap bang in the middle of the South African winter. And how we are suffering. Check out the week ahead’s forecast. Oh woe is us! It’s braai (bbq) and sunshine weekend all round!

Just a pity about Tuesday and Wednesday when it turns into a “miserable” partly cloudy and 21 Deg and 18 Deg respectively. 

PE Weather

 
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Posted by on August 6, 2009 in L & J, Life, Party!, South Africa

 

No more Bob

05 Aug

For the past month I have been doing renovations to my house. I have a little add-on flat that used to be an office which I converted into a self sustaining unit. It was a bigger job than I expected. Moving, changing and adding dry walls and brick walls. Tiled the bathroom and installed a shower. Tiled the whole flat’s floor. Installed a new custom kitchen. Put in built-in cupboards in the bedroom. Repainted the entire interior. Installed a new geyser and rerouted the water lines so the flat can have it’s own independant supply and pressure. All that’s left to do is install DSTV in there and that’s it. Hopefully.

No more Bob the Builder. I’ve had enough.

My tenants have already moved in and they love it. Hard work paid off. From now on I reckon I should stick to what I know.

 
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Posted by on August 5, 2009 in Friends, Good News, Home, Interesting, Post by iPhone

 

AA Spiral Guide

01 Aug

Even when travelling around your own country it is advisable at times to get yourself a great guide book to ensure you don’t miss out on anything that may interest you along the way. The only problem is when these guides get it wrong. What’s odd with this statement: “Above: Sunset on Durban beach”? Found in the AA Spiral Guide of South Africa.

Sunset Durban 

If you can’t guess or are not from South Africa so have little idea where Durban is, I will give it to you. Durban is on the east coast of South Africa. The sun (even in Africa as backward as it is) still rises in the east. Therefore, there is NO SUCH THING as a sunset on a Durban beach. If you are lucky and crazy enough to wake up that early then you may just be in time to catch a “Sunrise on Durban Beach”

Bunch of CHUMPS!

 
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Posted by on August 1, 2009 in Hmmm, Rant 'n Rave, Road Trip, South Africa, Transport

 
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