Ghost pics?

Today, as something different, I will post some photographs that are 'ghost related'

 The above is allegedly taken outside a haunted mansion in the Northern suburbs of Johannesburg. The 'mist' is attributed to ghostly a ghostly presence.

 The above two were taken during an investigation at the abandoned Kempton Park Hospital, in Gauteng. Not the orbs. (or dust, depending what your take is)

And finally, 3 stills from a video clip, taken in Van Der Bijl Park, in the Vaal Triangle. The clip was impossible to analyse, due the the poor quality, but interviews with the witnesses impressed me as seeming genuine.

You make up your mind...

What is Freedom

It has been said that us as humans have the freedom of choice. This is, in theory, true. We do have the choice of any action that is humanly possible…but the whole concept to me of complete freedom to choose, is that your choices are not hindered by consequences. Yes, this may be idealistic, but it is true in my view. I would define complete freedom as just that, freedom to do as one pleases, without any limitations or consequences. As soon as we encounter limits in any way, then by definition, this is not complete freedom. As humans, our freedom is limited by a number of factors, the most powerful probably being pain (in various forms) and fear of the consequences of those choices or actions.

For example, should you see something that you dearly want and have the almost perfect opportunity to steal that item, yes, there is a choice- to steal or not to steal. However, the decision to make a particular choice is not so simple. Should you steal it, you may be caught and being caught, you would almost certainly be punished. Even if you do not get caught, would your conscience bother you? You have been limited.

Freedom of speech is also just a set of words. Should you defame somebody, then they have the right to legal recourse. Again, freedom is limited by the law. So in theory there is freedom, in reality, there are limits. Even in the most ‘free’ societies it is obvious that there would be limits, for example hate speech, speeches that incite violence and so on. This is not an argument as to whether these, or any limitations are correct or not, as that would be an entirely different argument.

The limitations we are talking about is everything that would limit our choices, natural, legal, religious and so on. There is not simply just one set of limitations cast upon us, but a combination of limitations.

Going back to the stealing example, the limits are that of law and our own conscience, which has deemed stealing as wrong.

In different countries and cultures the limits differ, that is why I have refrained from using definitions from dictionaries or any other books. For Example the Muslims are limited in their dress, the Omnish are limited in that their way of life must be simple without modern tools. Within different cultures, the religious limits are probably the strongest and largely influence the laws of the community or country in which they exist.

We are also obviously governed by the laws of science and nature, for example gravity or bodily limits and functions. We could choose to fly, but due to gravity and our bodily structure, we are limited.

Even when it comes to one’s career, we are told that it is all in our hands. Yes, to a point it may be, but should we apply for a job, if it were in our hands, we would obviously secure the job and the same goes with promotions or raises. We are limited to external influences to a large extent. We are not always able to obtain our goals and ambitions, because of decisions made by others. This is not a cop out or to blame other peoples for our failures, it is a cold fact. You can study, work hard and do whatever it takes- if somebody who makes the decision, decides that, that road is closed, you are severely hampered. 

Limits. Even as free as our minds may be, we are limited to our knowledge, experience, memories, upbringing and so on. I am not arguing that our minds do not have unlimited potential, because I am sure that they do. What I am saying is that this unlimited potential, is limited to various factors.

So, this is not an extensive study, but a short essay to show that no matter how free we thing we are, we are just so limited and that total freedom will never be achieved. Sorry, this is reality. 

Daft and unlucky crooks

Another Friday and another day of unlucky and stupid criminals.

Wesley Winston, 21, was walking home one evening, when he came across a Nissan Pathfinder that he just could not resist stealing. Bummer for our hot fingered Wes, but the Pathfinder was equipped with GPS, silent alarm and internal surveillance camera. Indeed, old Wes had just stolen a police 'bait vehicle'.
Within 5 minutes, our unlucky car thief was in handcuffs. His excuse is a gem-'Man, I should have just walked home, but my feet are sore.'
He now faces 5 years in a Hennepin County jail.

The next is a doozie, coming from, Calima, in Columbia. (Sadly no photo furnished of the bright criminals)
Two guys, with IQ's as low was dirt, went into an internet cafe and hired two computers.
After a while of doing what they wanted to, they promptly pulled out guns and robbed the cafe.
After they fled, police were called- to discover one of these most clever criminal minds, had left their Facebook page open, thus allowing police to find his address, and arrest him.
This is a special kind of idiot.

Stephen Byerly, 51, of Louiseville, Kentucky, called to report a crime, as would be expected. But, turns out our dope head, was reporting the theft of his precious weed. As this was not bright enough, he still gave cops permission to search his house, where they found ten marijuana plants, growing with a sophisticated irrigation, lighting and ventilation system.
He advised police that he was forced to grow the wacky weed, as he had been laid off from his job.

And finally a story of a greedy cross dresser.
For six years, Thomas Prusik-Parkin of New York,  impersonated his mother. In itself, no crime. But turns out, poor Thomas' mom had passed on.
Yes, for six years, this sick little man, dressed up in his mother's clothes, and passed himself off as his mother, to cash in on her Social Security benefits. The photo, is from when he went to renew her driver's license. One cannot make this stuff up.
As usual, greed was the speed bump that had him busted. Dressed as mom, he marched into a Brooklyn public prosecutor's office, to complain he was being scammed out of a building his mother owned.
Apparently warped old Thomas, started his fraud, days after his mother died.
Lucky for now- he gets to spend the next 13-41 years dressed up as a prisoner.

The under carpet confessions

In what would make a brilliant plot for a Hollywood movie, an owner of a house, found a detailed letters, relating to crimes committed some 13 years ago.

The owner of the house, in Kenilworth, in Johannesburg, was replacing carpets for his tenant, when the dramatic discovery was made. The letters contained confessions and details and apparently opened with the line, ' By the time you read this, I will probably be dead.'
The home owner furnished the police with the letters, who spent two months dredging up cold cases and places the pieces together, resulting in the arrest of 5 suspects.

Some details that have emerged is the crimes involve brothers, who were policemen at at the time and the tale of a woman (photo at foot of article), they tried to kill once but failed, but kidnapped her from hospital in a hired van, to finish the job. Her body was apparently first buried in the back yard of the property, but removed the body and placed it elsewhere. There are details of further violent abductions and crimes.

According to police, further arrests are immanent and hopefully more details will emerge as the story unfolds.
Photographs courtesy of The Star newspaper.

The racist ANC

A follow up to our 'Spear' paining.
Despite some anti liberal and anti freedom people defacing the penis displaying picture, the meeting of the Film and Publications Board is still going ahead, next Tuesday. This is to classify the painting- which now is destroyed for all intent and purposes.

Furthermore, the court case is also proceeding according to wise old owl and ANC spokesman, Gwede Mantashe. The gem of it all, is that the ANC, through this half wit, are now calling the painting racist. I mean seriously, do these one dimensional thinkers have to point the racist finger at everything they do not like.
It really sickens me, they are the ones who keep this country racist. They try so hard to prove to the masses that the white man is the enemy and that the whites are trying to be anti everything black. Truth is, the whites want most things the blacks want. We are so much more alike than they allow us to realize.

So basically, according to the deep ANC thinking, no white person can criticize or do or say anything against a black person, for fear of being labelled a racist. I think this is pathetic. The way I see it, we are all human. If people from two different races argue, it is just that- an argument between two people. No more.

The ANC so insecure and they not meeting their mandate, that the only way they seem to be able to keep the masses' votes, is to make them the saviour that delivered them from white rule, and the only party who can make everybody in the country happy and away from the white rule in the future.
Slowly though, the masses are seeing the leadership for what it is- greedy, corrupt and power hungry. There is no place for racism in this country, especially when it is delivered by this corrupt government.

What we desperately  need are leaders who place the citizens first, before power and riches, leaders who are fearless int heir quest to make ALL South African thrive. Leaders who strive to improve the lives of everybody in this wonderful country. Leaders who are willing to unite the races and make us all proud of each other.
This may be an ideal, but is one I pray for so badly.

Zuma- Did the painting do much damage?

Jacob Zuma is often the star of my pieces, and today we have to mention him once more. 

The Goodman gallery is in deep water after displaying  a painting by Brett Murray, of our fierce leader, Jacob Zuma, with his genitals hanging loose. 

On the news JZ was saying how it made him look like a philanderer with low morals. (Unlike his own actions do)

Justice Minister, Jeff Radebe wants the picture banned, Arts and Culture Minister, Paul Mashatile, found that the picture was an insult to JZ and it denigrated the national coat of arms. (seriously)

The spokeman for the ANC woman's league (a man), Troy Martens, found the painting an insult to all South Africans (I disagree of course) and subjected the president to be portrayed in a sexual manner. The SA Communict Party, called it 'sadistic'. Basically all of the people who love JZ, were against the painting. 

Okay, let us now look at the following. Zuma has had 6 wives (has 4 now), has fathered around 20 little Zuma's, had had some of these children from affairs thus out of wedlock, has been on trial for rape (okay he was found not guilty but he still had sex with her- with no condom- she was HIV positive. Oh but he showered afterwards)..over and above this, he still has hundreds of corruption claims hovering over his head, he leads like a frog...and he really thinks a painting showing his member , will insult him and make the public think less of him than the fantastic job he is doing? 

South Africa has so many big and deserving issues that need to be addressed- poverty, healthcare, education, job creation, housing..the list is close to endless. That the government and the president have time to spend on an insignificant painting, that has done little more to damage Zuma's image than he himself has done, is troubling. 

Is war part of being human?

Last night I was watching a program where they were talking to people, who were involved in one way or another, in the first World War. It was a heartbreaking program, made even more so, as it happens to this day.

War is an ugly thing. Sadly, I have been in combat and know the raw ugliness of fighting a battle you sometimes do not understand.

War effects everybody, well, the citizens mostly. The men and women being sent off to combat, the girlfriends, wives and partners who have to say goodbye, some of who will never see the person again, the children, who have to live without that parent, sometime permanently. Sad, even heartbreaking, does not come close to expressing how I feel about war.

Humans have always fought each other, on one scale or another. Either it is one against one, gangs, countries, religions...it just seems we cannot get along as a species. In the romantic days of knights and castles, the leaders were the ones who led the battle. The king himself, was often the first to face the foe, followed by the rest of the leadership. Leaders were brave then. They showed commitment to their cause.

Today it is so different. We have cowardly politicians deciding in what arena to fight in, deciding what cause to fight for - all in the name of the cause they think is right and just. They give the order and thousands of men and woman march off to face an enemy they have no grudge against, to kill other people's loved ones, to destroy an enemy that is often in the same boat as them- helpless pawns in somebody else's chess game.

Billions are spend each year to develop smarter, more efficient and effective ways to kill other humans, while billions starve to death daily, or have no houses or access to medical care. Thousands die every year for what? And after the war, the spoils and credit go to the politicians and the generals who never even set foot near the combat zone, let alone were at any risk. Not only do they cower behind the political shield, but they ensure their family members are protected too.

We are so advanced, in terms of technology, yet we are still the primitive beings inside that were were from rightthe start. We need to work together to ensure our survival. As a race, we need to accept war for what it is- a waste of human lives, an expensive game played by our leaders to satisfy their hunger for power.

To end off, some lines from Guns N Roses' song, Civil War. This hit's home.

'And I don't need your civil warIt feeds the rich, while it buries the poorYou're power hungry, sellin' soldiersIn a human grocery store, ain't that fresh?'
'Look in the doubt we've wallowedLook at the leaders we've followedLook at the lies we've swallowedAnd I don't want to hear no more'
Look at your young men fightingLook at your women cryingLook at your young men dyingThe way they've always done before

9 000 we cannot afford to lose

Just when I thought South Africa could not shock me- it does again.

South Africa is renowned worldwide as being one of the most crime filled countries on this planet. This is a fact. The police force consists of some 200 000 personnel. Not very large for a nation of some 40 million people. (Probably millions more from over the borders who are unaccounted for)
So, in a report reflecting it's infinite wisdom, the National Treasury recommends that the number of police personnel be reduced by 9 000 members. Nope, you did not read it incorrectly. Reduced!!

Now, maybe it is just me- but logic dictates, when you are policing such a crime ridden country, where murder, rape and violent robbery hardly even make the newspapers because we are so used to hearing about them, any recommendation would be to 1)Increase the size of the force 2) Improve the training.
There is no doubt that on top of this, we need better trained specialized units as well.
Cutting an already stretched police force would not even feature in any report worth reading.

Police spokesman and good smoke blower, Colonel Vish Naidoo, was at pains to defend this. He went on to say that nobody would lose their jobs (heard that one before hey ABSA) but due to the world cup in 2010, we had appointed 11 000 policemen/women a year, as opposed to the usual 3 500( between 2005-2009.)
Spin the report as you will, we cannot afford to have less policeman protecting the residents of South Africa.

Another knock on effect, is that we will have another potential 9000 unemployed people in South Africa. The way the ANC spends money on stuff like 5 star hotels, expensive travel, chartering two or three planes at one time for JZ, lavish parties..well, the list goes on. Not to mention the billions spent of refurbishing minister's home. The money is there for employing more police personnel, the ANC are just to greedy to stop their spending. So as a result, the fools who pay their inflated salaries (us, the public) are placed in further danger, as now they want to reduce the little protection they will have.I can also guarantee you, that none of the 9 000, will come from the bunch that guards these governmental money leeches.

The ANC as it is.

I have written a number of times about the leadership of South Africa. In addition to this, I have written a number of time about Julius Malema and Jacob Zuma.

As we all know by know, the wonderful 'youth', Julius Malema was booted from the ANC, despite crying like a two year old that had it's lolly stolen, that the ANC was all he had. With this in mind though, he still attacked the ANC senior leadership, without backing down or showing remorse, so the end decision could not have been the big surprise he pretended it was.

One would think the matter would be done and dusted..but no..like Star Wars, The Saga continues. Our ever unrepentant Malema refuses to vacate his position as the ANC Youth League president, saying (Along with a number of his sheep like supporters) that only the league can unseat him. He also maintains there was a political conspiracy against him. He may have a point, but he still deserved what came to him.

The brilliant example of leadership that is our president, Jacob Zuma, stated over the weekend that the Youth League was part of the ANC and not autonomous. Yet, despite the words of the 'leader' of the party, and echoed by a number of other senior members, the youths (most of who are around 30) still think the Youth League can defy the ANC Party.

My big question is how the senior party can allow this joke to continue. Malema is an attention seeker, who loves to be the daily news-maker..and because of this, he tries to remain politically alive. Surely the ANC has the power to subdue this protest...or rather rebel uprising from within it.  Malema likes the trappings of power and the being rich that comes with political success. Why would he want to lose it. It is not for the people, let us be clear on that, although millions of his foolish supporter will believe he lives for their well being.

So, we have a showdown approaching. However, our chief gunslinger Zuma needs to be careful as the ANC leadership conference in Maraung is fast approaching and he faces a stiff challenge to remain the tribe leader and the one who has the most access to taxpayer money to spend as he wishes. This juggling act must also be done, showing he is still in charge.

So all in all, difficult times ahead for the ANC leadership, and as they squabble over the leadership with the greed of petty thieves, a country still needs to be run...which they are not doing such a great job of!

And The Mdluli joke continues..

Got to love this country and way politics runs everything.

I wrote a while back about dodgy top cop, Richard Mdluli. The story get's better.
Now remember this is a cop, who has allegations of Murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud, kidnapping, misuse of police funds and so on. Of course, now under dubious circumstances, the charges were suddenly withdrawn, despite their being an apparent strong case against Mr honest. Now, in any country with these charges, the crook would not be in the force anymore, but in South Africa, politics, decides ones police career.

It should be remembered Mdluli played an important role in compiling a top secret report into a plot by his rivals to unseat our wonderful president, the hooked on marriage, Jacob Zuma. The people fingered in this report, say it is a lie and that they had no intention to unseat the chump who rules South Africa.

Now in a strange turn of events, Mduli has been moved to the South African Police's operations division, with the same position that he held in the Intelligence Unit. This is while they probe allegations of a political conspiracy against him.

One cannot make stuff like this up. The important thing is, Mduli is an unrepentant Zuma supporter and ally. Mdluli also has dirt on our super hero Zuma. So, if Zuma allows him to go down, there is every possibility he may let the wolf lose in Zuma's sheep pen of secrets. So,it is in JZ'interst to support him, especially with the approaching ANC choose my leader conference looming.

So, because of political links, a top cop, who is dirtier than a coal miner at the end of the day, gets his way , and gets to walk around free. It is also frightening that Mduli is widely tipped to be appointed my the unhonourable Mr JZ, as the next SAPS Commissioner.

The pothole joke

South African roads are not in the best of repair. They used to be, but very sadly, maintenance has become a very rare thing. Of course, finances are always the biggest excuse used by those incompetent leaders, as to why they cannot keep the infrastructure in decent shape. This not only goes for roads, but for everything run by the government of it's pathetic offshoots. It costs a lot of tax money to finance the glorious life style our leaders feel they are entitled to.

Back to roads...South African roads are in falling apart. Some roads have more potholes than tar. As I mentioned, the lousy, but real excuse is that there is no budget for roads, as it has all been squandered on more enjoyable things. Road or any other maintenance, is very neglected. .

Taking responsibly in a project that will cost them R1 million a month, Dial Direct step in and offer to repair the pot holes for the Johannesburg council. Not only were 50 000 potholes repaired but people were employed and trained.
Now, let's get this point clear- Dial Direct paid for the repairs from their coffers...Jo'burg Road Agency (JRA)did not.

The stipulated time period ended in October last year, but in conjunction with other municipalities, they continued to fix potholes round Pretoria and Johannesburg, pending a decision whether they could continue with the JRA agreement.

And then the decision came- SURPRISE- the brilliant, incompetent JRA declined to continue the arrangement.
The reasons sites are that the City of Johannesburg's service providers complained that this project didn't comply with the stipulations as set out in the Municipal Financial Management Act.
and here is the kicker...they have to formalise the procedure by putting it through a tender process. JRA spokesman, Thulani Makhubela says, ' There are certain procurement processes to be followed before we acquire services of a certain nature.'
He further went on and made a joke, saying if there are any pothole problems, the JRA will deal with it. Ironic words after they could not deal with in the past.

This is also a terrible thing, as those who have been trained, will sit without work. a And our government try to fool us they are trying to create jobs.
This blows the mind. The facts are, because the JRA could not do what they are supposed to do, a private company step up and not only finances the project, but trains staff to do so. They show their long term commitment. So it seems rather strange that the Johannesburg municipality would cancel a project that is costing them nothing and put more people on the unemployment train.

Then, we look deeper and we see they want to put it out to tender. You will see, a private company, with directors linked to the government will surprisingly win the tender process, whether they are equipped for the task of not. It would not be surprising if they charge the JRA for the job of fixing holes. This is how South Africa works. Why allow a willing company to fix the roads from their own pockets, saving the ratepayer millions, when you can go one better and get a friend's company to do it for a massive fee and screw the rate payer out of millions. And in the process, get a healthy kickback.

 

My ideal World

So many of us grow up and spend much of our adult lives believing negative things about ourselves. We are ugly, fat, clumsy, stupid and so on. Even if at first we don’t believe it, the continuous barrage of negative reinforcement from others, causes us to accept these perceptions as being factual and we thus start to believe them.

Accepting these as real obviously hinders our progress in many ways and tends to hold us back, stunting our achievement potential. Because of these negative beliefs, we tend to feel we cannot achieve our dreams so do not even try. Even if the negative issue, is not directly related to the dream we would like to achieve.

From a starting point, let us look at the world’s perception as a whole. We have been brainwashed that perfect is good and less than perfect is not.

For example, how many really ugly movie starts are there? How many ugly or fat singers are there? (And by use of the word ‘ugly’ I mean it in terms of the standards that we as humans have set.)

Granted, there are some, but then it is no secret that those who do not meet these ‘ideal’ standards earn less and are less marketable than the ‘better- looking’ celebrities. We, the public have been brainwashed that we do not want to see ‘ugly’ people selling things, especially goods associated with beauty like creams and cosmetics-even cars.

In a world where we have specific labels and checklists of what is perfect and what is not, many people do not match that description. So, as a result, people are mocked, scorned or their shortcomings are highlighted over and over, until it becomes an issue, and sometimes the issue grows into a life- hindering defect or complex. Our attitude towards ourselves could hinder us as much as if we were blind or crippled. In fact, a mental affliction is more hindering that a physical one in many ways.

The world, by way of the media, legends, folklore and so on, dictates what is acceptable as intelligent, looks, behavior and so on. So, based on this, as a people, we judge other people and scorn those we do not fall into that category. 

On the other side of this, we tend to accept outer beauty as the benchmark and become blind to the inside of that person, either because we don’t want to look beyond the surface, or we refuse to because it will shatter the image we have created about that person, and image we are obviously happy with.

Everybody on earth is different, in looks, talents, nature, sense of humour and so on and on. We can not expect everybody to be what we perceive as perfect and nor should we. Unfortunately, we live in a plastic world, where worldly goods and looks are more important than deeds and what is inside a person. Celebrity is worshiped, failure is not. 

 Companies use beauty and sex to market their products and thus, reinforce the image of what is beautiful and thus, acceptable.

This situation obviously is not acceptable. We live in a world that is very competitive and becoming increasingly more so. Individuals need to believe in themselves more, to be able to compete successfully. We need to realize that everybody has their own individual talents which makes them unique. They may not be strong in other areas, but nobody is strong in all fields. 

We need to strive for a world where everybody’s talents are celebrated, where people who are not the same as us, are accepted as being equal to ourselves.  We need to help other people become who they could and want to be, and not who the world wants them to settle for because they are apparently not good enough.

Everybody should look at themselves objectively and see what talents they do have, what they do well, and concentrate on those points to build themselves up and thus give themselves the confidence to follow their dreams.

It may be a perfect, ideal. We cannot expect everybody to follow this idea, but it can start with us. We can make a difference in one person’s life, we can turn that person’s life around into something positive. It will feel wonderful, and you will do it again and again. It is true, every one of us has the ability to make a difference to the world, we don’t have to change the entire planet to make that difference, but we just need to touch one person’s life in a positive manner, and that touch, like a pebble in a pond, will have a ripple effect, and in doing so, the world can become a more perfect place.