Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Appreciation
Nowadays we take many things for granted and it is always nice when a person undertakes a nice gesture or acknowledges such an action.
Yesterday a traffic policeman was controlling the traffic in the driving rain and wind, ensuring that the traffic proceeded smoothly without any accidents. One might say that it is his job to do so and some might also add that his actions could have caused more traffic but from what I could see this was not case and not too many would be well pleased to get drenched in the course of their work. Another episode that springs to mind only just happened this morning when a car stalled in the middle of regional road and from all the cars that passed by, it was a taxi from a private company that promptly stopped, quickly got out a rope so as to tow and help out the unfortunate driver.
Bottom line is that even small gestures of help or words such as 'thank you' and 'sorry' with a smile are enough to brighten up ones day!
Yesterday a traffic policeman was controlling the traffic in the driving rain and wind, ensuring that the traffic proceeded smoothly without any accidents. One might say that it is his job to do so and some might also add that his actions could have caused more traffic but from what I could see this was not case and not too many would be well pleased to get drenched in the course of their work. Another episode that springs to mind only just happened this morning when a car stalled in the middle of regional road and from all the cars that passed by, it was a taxi from a private company that promptly stopped, quickly got out a rope so as to tow and help out the unfortunate driver.
Bottom line is that even small gestures of help or words such as 'thank you' and 'sorry' with a smile are enough to brighten up ones day!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Reflections
Following is a link of shocking photographs taken by Pulitzer winner Patrick Farrell of a hurricane that hit Haiti before this year's earthquake.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/apr/22/patrick-farrell-pulitzer
Next up is a link that hit Haiti in January which crippled even more this poor country.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/jan/21/haiti-earthquake-aerial-pictures?picture=358349373
Last but not least is a link of photographs showing the grim aftermath of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile at the end of February.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/feb/28/chile-natural-disasters?picture=359886663
When seeing the devastating effects of these natural events one can only stop for a few moments and start reflecting and appreciating all the good that we have. At times we should count our lucky stars and complain less whilst being proactive in trying to solve problems that may hit us and trying to alleviate those of others.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/apr/22/patrick-farrell-pulitzer
Next up is a link that hit Haiti in January which crippled even more this poor country.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/jan/21/haiti-earthquake-aerial-pictures?picture=358349373
Last but not least is a link of photographs showing the grim aftermath of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile at the end of February.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2010/feb/28/chile-natural-disasters?picture=359886663
When seeing the devastating effects of these natural events one can only stop for a few moments and start reflecting and appreciating all the good that we have. At times we should count our lucky stars and complain less whilst being proactive in trying to solve problems that may hit us and trying to alleviate those of others.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tennis score
Whilst watching a match of the BOV 3rd Division on Friday 19th February 2010, the scoreboard seemed to have gone beserk for a few moments when the score read 1 -28 for SwieqiFC when in reality it should have read 1-2 in favour of SwieqiFC. All were bemused with this situation, with some laughing it off but it also added some spice and tension to what was a well-fought and at times tense match.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Nelson Mandela - A tribute
Nelson Mandela is a man I truly admire for all the suffering he has been through and for all the good he has brought about not only in South Africa and Africa in general but throughout the whole world. Today marks the 20th anniversary of his release from prison and following are a few interesting facts about this great and humble person.
1. Mandela got the name Nelson from a schoolteacher who gave all her pupils English names - Mandela guesses that his might have been in honour of Lord Nelson.
2. His links with British heroes didn't end there - the head of Healdtown, the college he attended at 19, was descended from the Duke of Wellington.
3. His real first name, Rolihlahla, means "troublemaker".
4. He was the first person in his family to go to school.
5. The Junior Certificate qualification at his school normally took three years to complete - but Mandela did it in two.
6. When he was on the run from the authorities, Mandela adopted the disguise of a chauffeur - complete with cap - as this allowed him to move around under pretext of driving his "employer's" car.
7. His prison number was 46664 - he was the 466th prisoner admitted to the jail on Robben Island in 1964.
8. While on Robben Island he was allowed only one visitor a year, for 30 minutes.
9. He was allowed to send and receive one letter every six months. The prison censors often delayed his letters and rendered them unreadable.
10. In the latter years of his sentence he completed a correspondence course with the University of London. In 1981 he was nominated as the university's Chancellor but was beaten in the election by Princess Anne.
11. Mandela doesn't allow flash photography anywhere near him, as his eyes were damaged during his time in prison.
12. He spent the last few years of his sentence in Victor Verster prison. Here, he was given a chef and learned to swim in a private pool but still insisted on doing his own washing up.
13. On the day of his release the plan had been for him to be driven to the prison gates. But SABC, the South African TV company, said it would have more impact if Mandela walked the final quarter of a mile. He agreed to do this.
14. When a long, furry object was thrust at him at the gates, he recoiled, thinking it might be a weapon. His wife Winnie explained that it was a type of microphone that had been invented while he had been in prison.
15. Mandela is known in South Africa as Madiba, a name used by elders of his clan.
16. In his 1995 autobiography Long Walk To Freedom, Mandela wrote: "Any man that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose."
17. The American news station CNN accidentally 'killed him off' in 2003, when a password fault led to their website accidentally showing his pre-written obituary.
18. His famous colourful tops are known as Batik shirts - and someone else who loved and collected them was Barack Obama's late mother.
19. In 2004, when he retired from public life, Mandela impressed on people how final his decision was by saying: "Don't call me, I'll call you."
20. Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both own homes on Soweto's Vilakazi Street, making it the only street in the world to house two Nobel Peace Prize winners.
(Source: The Sun Online)
Some truly inspirational words of this great man are from his 1994 Inaugural Speech:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who I am to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
1. Mandela got the name Nelson from a schoolteacher who gave all her pupils English names - Mandela guesses that his might have been in honour of Lord Nelson.
2. His links with British heroes didn't end there - the head of Healdtown, the college he attended at 19, was descended from the Duke of Wellington.
3. His real first name, Rolihlahla, means "troublemaker".
4. He was the first person in his family to go to school.
5. The Junior Certificate qualification at his school normally took three years to complete - but Mandela did it in two.
6. When he was on the run from the authorities, Mandela adopted the disguise of a chauffeur - complete with cap - as this allowed him to move around under pretext of driving his "employer's" car.
7. His prison number was 46664 - he was the 466th prisoner admitted to the jail on Robben Island in 1964.
8. While on Robben Island he was allowed only one visitor a year, for 30 minutes.
9. He was allowed to send and receive one letter every six months. The prison censors often delayed his letters and rendered them unreadable.
10. In the latter years of his sentence he completed a correspondence course with the University of London. In 1981 he was nominated as the university's Chancellor but was beaten in the election by Princess Anne.
11. Mandela doesn't allow flash photography anywhere near him, as his eyes were damaged during his time in prison.
12. He spent the last few years of his sentence in Victor Verster prison. Here, he was given a chef and learned to swim in a private pool but still insisted on doing his own washing up.
13. On the day of his release the plan had been for him to be driven to the prison gates. But SABC, the South African TV company, said it would have more impact if Mandela walked the final quarter of a mile. He agreed to do this.
14. When a long, furry object was thrust at him at the gates, he recoiled, thinking it might be a weapon. His wife Winnie explained that it was a type of microphone that had been invented while he had been in prison.
15. Mandela is known in South Africa as Madiba, a name used by elders of his clan.
16. In his 1995 autobiography Long Walk To Freedom, Mandela wrote: "Any man that tries to rob me of my dignity will lose."
17. The American news station CNN accidentally 'killed him off' in 2003, when a password fault led to their website accidentally showing his pre-written obituary.
18. His famous colourful tops are known as Batik shirts - and someone else who loved and collected them was Barack Obama's late mother.
19. In 2004, when he retired from public life, Mandela impressed on people how final his decision was by saying: "Don't call me, I'll call you."
20. Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu both own homes on Soweto's Vilakazi Street, making it the only street in the world to house two Nobel Peace Prize winners.
(Source: The Sun Online)
Some truly inspirational words of this great man are from his 1994 Inaugural Speech:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who I am to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
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