What’s a nice Atheist boy supposed to do…

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…when he comes across a nice Christian girl asking what’s she’s supposed to do, on one of her online newspaper columns.

Well, he wouldn’t have done much had he not read one of nice Christian girl’s responses to a comment from a reader.

Thami, let’s put it this was: would you date a girl who was terribly racist? No? Because I assume you despise racism as an intrinsic value in your life and would not be able to align yourself with someone whose values clash so much with your own. I don’t think this is “childishly discriminatory” but wise. You’re avoiding unnecessary conflict and heart ache. That’s how it is for me: I prefer to be with someone who shares the values I hold most deeply.

Okay, let’s start at the beginning.

Verashni Pillay, wrote an article in the Mail & Guardian Online, in which she claims to be a “Christian Christian.” Not knowing exactly what that means, I’ll just assume that she believes that she’s a better Christian than most. Verashni also believes that her kind of Christianity imbues her with a special set of morals and values which presumably ordinary Christians do not possess…and other faiths fail dismally to attain.

She will not align herself with anyone who is off a different faith to her own because Verashni believes fallaciously that religion is responsible for shaping a persons morals and values, and that somehow the religion she adopted or was born into, does it better than the rest. Yes, it’s always the case that Christianity somehow comes out on top every time someone compares morality. And she’s quite adamant because she was:

…all the while growing in the most inexplicably beautiful and satisfying relationship I’ve ever known — knowing God

Verashni finds it hard to believe that someone who kneels before a different idol, could possibly have the same values as her own. I greatly respect and admire her political beliefs, but while she harbours this much distrust towards those of competing faiths, I can only imagine the ire she reserves for those of no faith.

So what’s a nice Christian girl supposed to do?

How about abandoning archaic religious ideologies that divide, and start having relationships with beings that really matter.

Aaarrrrggghhh! It's started…

May is upon us. The electioneering has started in earnest for this month’s local government elections.

The pompous pricks who have failed to deliver on their previous promises will be at it again – reviving some old pledges with pitiful excuses and spewing up new assurances with the same crafty old vigour.

When the rhetoric runs dry, sometimes the dancing dodos just let their bodies take over – previous election results seems to confirm that it works.

M&G Online, April 26, 2011

If you’re not too concerned or can’t be bothered about how your country is fucked up by seedy, lard-arse politicians, feel free to join the dance of deceit.

A scum-free weekend?

I was beginning to think that we’d have a scum-free weekend, but there’s always someone itching to get his name into the annals of scumdom.

Surprisingly no South African politician has said or done anything of major asinine noteworthiness this weekend. They must all be recovering from that gaudy wedding bash held for the President’s daughter.

The National Lottery however continue to have no qualms about squandering the money they amass from the fools who don’t understand the basics of statistics. Tasked with disbursing their gains to charitable and other deserving organizations, the National Lottery continue to fund outrageous schemes designed to benefit the dregs of society.

Fresh from splurging around R40-million on the ridiculously wasteful World Festival of Youth and Students, they have now apparently sponsored R3.7-million for the staging of a concert by the washed-out band Earth Wind & Fire. And this while charitable and educational organizations are in utter despair.

So the next time you have that irrational urge to win millions on the Lotto, think about how your money is being pissed away by the morons in charge of the National Lottery. While your chances of winning millions is pretty-much near zero, your refusal to participate in this fraud scheme will help promote honesty in a country in which this simple attribute is all but deficient.

The agony is over

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On Resurrection Sunday, Arsenal’s title hopes for the season finally died.

Instead of ascending to greater heights, the spirit of this team appeared to be conclusively crushed at Bolton yesterday; a season of agony for the team, the Manager and supporters brought mercifully to an end.

Without a doubt there were moments of utter awesomeness during the season, but there were far too many moments of pitiful football in between. Arsene Wenger has magnanimously accepted blame for a ruined season, but some of the players need to shoulder much of that responsibility too.

There is much talent in this side, but unfortunately there is a much apathy too. While Wenger took every opportunity to remind us that his players had a great deal of belief, it should now be clear to him and those players that belief alone does not win games. You need to actually get off your ass and put in some hard graft – most times 100% is just not good enough. And many of his players failed to deliver that extra bit that is required to maintain a winning consistency. Mental attitude should of necessity be partnered by a physical aptitude; and this they failed to achieve.

There’s still a few games left, but it’s time to look to the new season.

As an ardent supporter, I’ve no wish to go through another season sitting on the edge of my seat wondering who’s going to screw up next. Wenger has little option but to clean out the cupboard and bring in some new players, preferably with noteworthy experience. He also has the tough task of convincing a core nucleus of his current players to stay a little while longer.

Whether Fabregas remains the captain, is another matter that needs sorting out. Personally I would like to see his body join his mind which is already in Spain. The team needs a captain who is focussed on the team, not on his personal fantasies.

You've met SA's Police Disservice, now let me introduce you to SA's Public Disservice and Maladministration Ministry

Richard Baloyi is the man at the helm of South Africa’s Ministry of Public Disservice and Maladministration.

This department like so many others festering under President Jacob Zuma’s presidency, has a history of covering themselves in the splendour of incompetence and corruption which are coveted ideals in liberated South Africa.

Following the disclosures of wasteful and possibly fraudulent expenditure of state funds by the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sicelo Shiceka [a department which supposedly cooperates in upholding the coveted traditional ideals of incompetence and corruption it seems], the Department of Public Disservice and Maladministration were adamant in their refusal to reveal to the public the guidelines on Ministerial expenditure which they insist is classified or TOP SECRET.

Indeed, they were furious when the Mail & Guardian obtained a copy of this TOP SECRET document otherwise known as the Ministerial Handbook, and published it online.

If you’re wondering why a guideline on expenditure of taxpayers money is CLASSIFIED in a democratic country, then you’re like me also wondering what else is CLASSIFIED that should be public knowledge. And I’ll bet you also now know why the government is trying to push through further legislation such as the ridiculous Protection of Information Bill, to make the veil of secrecy water-tight.

Hopefully more departments like Public Disservice and Maladministration FAIL in their mandate to uphold CORRUPTION and defraud the public.

Happy Eôstre, Happy Earth Day, Happy Everyday…

Image by AlicePopkorn via Flickr

Commencing today millions of Jews and Christians around the world will inadvertently commemorate the pagan festival of Eôstre.

Hopefully many, many more will be purposefully celebrating Earth Day – an event of much greater significance to humanity as a whole. How sad that man was once in awe of the power and majesty of the natural world in his pagan state, but now reveres invisible beings supposedly conceived of a fertile and enlightened imagination.

How arrogant are we to consider ourselves more advanced than other living things when we continue to destroy the world, sometimes in the very act of pursuing the ignorant and superstitious beliefs of antiquity.

While it may not be practical to revert back to our pagan roots, how can we once again inculcate those wholesome but primitive values that endeared the natural world to us, while discarding our superstitions and irrational beliefs? Ultimately we may not have a choice; it may be imperative for the future survival of all species.

So while you’re partaking in the festivities of this Easter weekend, spare a thought for Earth and its REAL wonders.

A ridiculous fight…

Right off the bat, let me state quite plainly that the hate speech case against ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema currently before the Equality Court in Johannesburg, is absurd. It’s an indictment on both the blinkered fools who initiated the legal action and the bigots, who have rallied together to defend it.

The pro-Afrikaaner group Afriforum who brought the case against Julius Malema for singing a song translated to mean “kill the Boer [Farmer],” are misguided in their attempts, though it may seem noble by many people, notably Afrikaners. According to constitutional experts such as Pierre de Vos, the definitions of hate speech are far too broad and may render ordinary everyday speech as objectionable, depending on the fuzzy sensibilities of the person or persons it is directed at.

Julius Malema on the other hand, is not the innocent victim here – far from it. Being the useful tool that he no doubt is, his insistence on singing the song “kill the Boer” 17 years into what the ANC government considers a democracy, has to be regarded with suspicion. Hateful or hurtful language such as that depicted in the song would not have been out-of-place during South Africa’s apartheid years. But why now? Can it be a delayed act of revenge against the former oppressors. Surely not – most of the youth today could not have been so affected by apartheid 17 years ago to the extent that it would merit an act of vengeance after so many years.

Surely there is a hidden agenda by the Youth League leader and by extension the ANC, in becoming embroiled in this hate speech saga at this point in time in the history of the country. Why would a liberated people still be singing about “killing” who they envisage to be their former oppressors after all these years?

Filter in the fact that it’s election time and things start falling into place.

It has not escaped the attention of many wise people, that the ANC are in desperate need of attention being diverted away from the now routine disclosures by opposition political parties and other organizations of the ANC’s many, many failures in delivering services to the electorate, monumental corruption, nepotism, fraud, misconduct, gross incompetence and other forms of chicanery within the ANC government and structures.

This hate speech case before Equality Court provides a rather convenient side-show for the ANC supporters who are now being bussed in to congregate outside the court buildings, and be entertained by hired large screen television displays. Not to mention the bodyguards in sharp suits and dark glasses, brandishing menacing-looking firearms, that would not be out-of-place in a military invasion. And what about the ANC bigwigs who put in both daily and star-attraction attendances to court and who fire up the crowds with empty rhetoric? It’s a goddamn freakshow!

Right now it’s looking like a win-win situation for the ANC only. Afriforum have given them the perfect vehicle to demonstrate what they are very good at: being struggle heroes. That’s all they have to offer the people, because they have failed at governing.

And even if Afriforum get a favorable court ruling, the ANC and Malema will still win by getting a rap over the knuckles and perhaps a fine…which we the taxpayers will eventually have to cough up. Actually, Malema will be hoping to lose the case; it will be his proof to the people that they’re still being victimized, and that the [false] revolution he is calling for is justified.

Arsenal put on appropriate show for Kroenke, against Liverpool

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The Arsenal worked very hard at home yesterday…to not put the ball into the net.

All that neat passing and intricate moves to get another non-result. Easy on the eye, they say. But not so easy, when you feel cheated afterwards. The investment of time and die-hard support has not been paying off for half a dozen years. Will it be more?

The game against Liverpool yesterday, once again demonstrated Arsenal’s monstrous naivety in defence. They’re like headless chickens, scampering about in utter panic, looking for their heads. And while we’re talking about heads, will Wenger find his? The mantra “Wenger knows best” and “In Arsene we Trust,” are starting to sound thin.

At least the quality of football on display was appropriate for Stan Kroenke the new majority shareholder to base some much-required decisions on; he now knows that he needs to get rid of some under-performing talent, especially at the back. And perhaps spend some real money next season on supporting Van Persie, Wilshere and Nasri upfront. But will he?

While Kroenke will be left puzzling over how to turn things around, Sir Alex, will have been pleased with what he saw. I’ll bet he left the stadium yesterday knowing that the Premier League title is United’s for sure…

The Stars above a Mountain

Terje Sorgjerd photographer extraordinaire, has done it again. This time his video is a time-lapse photographic rendition of the Milky Way galaxy above Spain’s highest mountain, El Teide.

Join me in marvelling at the majesty of the cosmos, and man’s amazing ability to visualize it artistically:

Is the Media in opposition to the government?

Times Live, April 19, 2011

Within the space of a week, ANC Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe and Juvenile Youth League leader, Julius “Kill the Boer” Malema have stated quite strongly that the [printed, mostly] Media are the ANC’s foremost opposition in South Africa.

Not only is that a blatant insult to the Democratic Alliance who are the official opposition party in South African politics, it is also a patent misrepresentation of the truth. Off course, the truth is something the ANC under Jacob Zuma’s leadership, treats with utter disdain, so it’s perhaps no real surprise.

With the ANC still clinging to militaristic sounding titles such as that of Mantashe, it’s clear that they have still not quite made the transition yet from militant, revolutionary freedom fighters, to full political party status in a Democratic dispensation, and therefore still view anyone criticizing them as the enemy. Indeed, they don’t lose an opportunity to remind their detractors that they are still Revolutionaries.

One striking thing about the ANC is that they still have a stranglehold on the vast majority of the population, who no doubt still believe the bullshit being fed to them. The other striking thing about the ANC is that even they are starting to believe their own bullshit – as is evident by the conviction in which they make the utterly mind-boggling utterances such as the one by Malema and Mantashe, on a daily…sometimes hourly basis.

I wonder if the ANC realise who their real opposition truly is? Do you?

It’s those who still have an ounce of decency, morals, ethics and values left in them. Perhaps you’re one of them…