The South African Sunday Times latest cartoon by Zapiro (follow the link to view) has caused great offense to the ANC.
The cartoon portrays Zuma (the ANC president) opening his belt while the lady Justice is held down by members of the tri-partite alliance.
The ANC, COSATU (the trade union movement), the ANC Youth League and the SAPC have all been outraged that the Sunday Times saw fit to publish the cartoon.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is that since the ANC conference last December, and entirely new leadership was elected. The new leadership, together with the leaders of the other alliance parties has seen fit to publicly attack the judiciary on a number of occasions. Even the constitutional court has come under attack. The most frequent accusation is that of a "political agenda" whenever something does not go their way.
The conviction of fraudsters within the party was a result of a "political agenda" on the part of the judiciary and the Scorpions. The Scorpions are the South African equivalent of the FBI. The "New" ANC has seen fit to place the disbanding of the Scorpions at the top of their list of priorities. Why? The Scorpions were responsible for investigating the corruption case against Zuma, fraud against Tony Yengeni (he was convicted) and for uncovering the entire Travelgate scam. The Travelgate scam involved many MP's.
They fraudulently claimed huge sums of money for travel that did not take place and shared the proceeds with a travel agency that helped to facilitate this fraud. The MPs were let off with a fine following an admission of guilt. All have kept their parliamentary jobs and are now part of the new ANC leadership.
Jacob Zuma has been implicated in a number of offences including accepting bribes while negotiating the arms deal. He has thus far tried to prevent the evidence being used and has attempted to stop the trial through one court application after another. He still has more up his sleeve. He is intent on stopping the trial.
Zuma's allies have also tried to prevent the trial from taking place. They claim that it is a political trial. The leader of the ANC Youth League has threatened to kill to prevent the trial. He has promised to eliminate the counter-revolutionary forces. These counter revolutionary forces include the judiciary.
Unfortunately the cartoon is very apt. Carl Niehaus - a former ANC MP has spoken out against the new order. He finds the new trend within the ANC - of viewing parliament and the judiciary as tools to carry out party policy - as worrying. It is the first step for the party to self-destruct.
The ANC has long been a party of high integrity. The leadership had morals and values. The new leadership does not.
Monday, 08 September 2008
Sunday, 07 September 2008
Freedom of Speech
In an article published in My Digital Life I explored certain aspects of freedom of speech. This topic aroused some debate.
The main discussion centred on whether there should be limits to freedom of speech. Some hold the view that freedom of speech should be absolute. It is better to know what the extremists are saying than to drive them underground.
But there is another aspect. What about hate-speech? How do you deal with speech that incites people to violence?
One example of the dilemma is illustrated in the speeches of Julius Malema - the president of the ANC Youth League, the division of South Africa's ruling party. Controversy erupted a few weeks ago when Malema stated in a speech that he would "kill for Zuma". Considerable anger was evident as a response to these words. Who would he kill? Are we on the hit list?
Malema promised not to use these words again, but followed with a statement that the counter revolutionary forces would be eliminated. It turns out that he didn't mean that either. He meant "removed".
Words are no mere words. They are powerful weapons. Sticks and stones will break my bones but words can really harm me.
In the context of South Africa which emerged from being a totalitarian state to a democracy just 14 years ago, it is difficult to support any form of censorship or prohibitions against freedom of speech.
There was very little opportunity to debate anything in those days. The media was muzzled. The population was muzzled. Books were banned. Films were cut or banned. Even songs fell victim to this tyranny.
Today, there is freedom of speech. It is guaranteed in the country's constitution. But hate-speech, racism and incitement to violence are exceptions.
But the right to freedom of speech means that we are responsible for what we say. This freedom should be used responsibly.
The main discussion centred on whether there should be limits to freedom of speech. Some hold the view that freedom of speech should be absolute. It is better to know what the extremists are saying than to drive them underground.
But there is another aspect. What about hate-speech? How do you deal with speech that incites people to violence?
One example of the dilemma is illustrated in the speeches of Julius Malema - the president of the ANC Youth League, the division of South Africa's ruling party. Controversy erupted a few weeks ago when Malema stated in a speech that he would "kill for Zuma". Considerable anger was evident as a response to these words. Who would he kill? Are we on the hit list?
Malema promised not to use these words again, but followed with a statement that the counter revolutionary forces would be eliminated. It turns out that he didn't mean that either. He meant "removed".
Words are no mere words. They are powerful weapons. Sticks and stones will break my bones but words can really harm me.
In the context of South Africa which emerged from being a totalitarian state to a democracy just 14 years ago, it is difficult to support any form of censorship or prohibitions against freedom of speech.
There was very little opportunity to debate anything in those days. The media was muzzled. The population was muzzled. Books were banned. Films were cut or banned. Even songs fell victim to this tyranny.
Today, there is freedom of speech. It is guaranteed in the country's constitution. But hate-speech, racism and incitement to violence are exceptions.
But the right to freedom of speech means that we are responsible for what we say. This freedom should be used responsibly.
Monday, 01 September 2008
The early experiences of XP were similar to Vista ...
Microsoft released the first version of XP in 2002. XP received a very cool reception. It did not capture the imagination of the public. SP2 arrived providing a radical change for this troubled operating system. The second service pack did much more than fix the bugs. It provided a whole new look and feel to the Windows environment.
I remember being warned about SP2. I was told not to install it. It was very unstable and caused major problems to machines everywhere. It was too late. I had already installed the upgrade.
SP2 proved to be a huge improvement over the original release. It solved many of the problems. As with all software releases there were some new issues, but regular updates eliminated most of these. Eventually most Windows users had changed to XP and were quite happy.
Just as XP has stabilised Microsoft released Vista. XP did not require a hardware upgrade. In fact it ran faster than the Windows 98 that I had been running. But Vista is seriously resource hungry. Get a new machine with a fast processor and 2 GB of RAM. You will also need a large hard drive. Vista uses lots of space. But with a fast machine, Vista runs quite quickly.
After three months I am quite happy with Vista. It has some great features to find your way around. On a fast machine it is fast. But its attempts to solve problems when something crashes are all in vain. I have yet to see Vista identifying a solution.
I remember being warned about SP2. I was told not to install it. It was very unstable and caused major problems to machines everywhere. It was too late. I had already installed the upgrade.
SP2 proved to be a huge improvement over the original release. It solved many of the problems. As with all software releases there were some new issues, but regular updates eliminated most of these. Eventually most Windows users had changed to XP and were quite happy.
Just as XP has stabilised Microsoft released Vista. XP did not require a hardware upgrade. In fact it ran faster than the Windows 98 that I had been running. But Vista is seriously resource hungry. Get a new machine with a fast processor and 2 GB of RAM. You will also need a large hard drive. Vista uses lots of space. But with a fast machine, Vista runs quite quickly.
After three months I am quite happy with Vista. It has some great features to find your way around. On a fast machine it is fast. But its attempts to solve problems when something crashes are all in vain. I have yet to see Vista identifying a solution.
Thursday, 28 August 2008
Vista - not so bad after all
With so much bad publicity - much of it justified - surrounding Vista, I have discovered some features that are really worthwhile. I have learned to live with the issues. I have turned off the User Account Control that make doing almost anything into a nightmare.
Vista has a search facility that is second to none. Every screen from the start menu to every panel allows for searching. Search just one folder or the entire hard drive. The results begin to appear as you type, and within seconds the search is complete.
The search facility is easy to use and out performs anything that I have come accross before. It is a very useful tool that is used daily in performing my tasks.
Open the documents folder and all the sub-folders and loose documents are shown. The left of the window contains a full navigation tree. Hopping from one folder to another has become simple at last. Navigation is fast and easy.
With the UAC turned off, you are able to join a network simply by plugging in or linking to a wireless network. If there is encryption simply add the code.
The issues are still there. Some are still annoying. But after three months of using Vista I am quite happy.
Before you go ahead and buy Vista for your 4 year old machine, think again. Vista uses a vast amount of storage. You will need a fast processor. Two GB of memory is the minimum. You will need a much larger hard drive. So don't rush out to buy unless you have to. But for a brand-new machine, go ahead and get Vista.
Vista has a search facility that is second to none. Every screen from the start menu to every panel allows for searching. Search just one folder or the entire hard drive. The results begin to appear as you type, and within seconds the search is complete.
The search facility is easy to use and out performs anything that I have come accross before. It is a very useful tool that is used daily in performing my tasks.
Open the documents folder and all the sub-folders and loose documents are shown. The left of the window contains a full navigation tree. Hopping from one folder to another has become simple at last. Navigation is fast and easy.
With the UAC turned off, you are able to join a network simply by plugging in or linking to a wireless network. If there is encryption simply add the code.
The issues are still there. Some are still annoying. But after three months of using Vista I am quite happy.
Before you go ahead and buy Vista for your 4 year old machine, think again. Vista uses a vast amount of storage. You will need a fast processor. Two GB of memory is the minimum. You will need a much larger hard drive. So don't rush out to buy unless you have to. But for a brand-new machine, go ahead and get Vista.
Samurai sword school killer was bullied
An eighteen year old school boy from Johannesburg came to school one morning wearing a mask and carrying a Samurai sword. He lashed out killing one student and injuring others.
There have been cries of Satanism. Heavy metal band Slipknot have been blamed. He has told the psychiatrist that ghosts ordered him to become a Satanist.
But his mother revealed that the boy had been bullied at school. Bullying can have very dire consequences. Often the victims remain silent. They lose self-esteem and going to school means another day of torment. Sometimes bullied children take their own lives. In this case it seems that the bullying victim took action. He became a Satanist. Perhaps he though that this gave him licence to take revenge.
Schools seldom take action when it comes to bullying. Parents shy away from taking action. Perhaps their intervention will only make matters worse.
The killer is in no way justified. But hearing about the bullying meant that I could get a glimpse into the boy's psyche. It made it possible at least to understand.
There have been cries of Satanism. Heavy metal band Slipknot have been blamed. He has told the psychiatrist that ghosts ordered him to become a Satanist.
But his mother revealed that the boy had been bullied at school. Bullying can have very dire consequences. Often the victims remain silent. They lose self-esteem and going to school means another day of torment. Sometimes bullied children take their own lives. In this case it seems that the bullying victim took action. He became a Satanist. Perhaps he though that this gave him licence to take revenge.
Schools seldom take action when it comes to bullying. Parents shy away from taking action. Perhaps their intervention will only make matters worse.
The killer is in no way justified. But hearing about the bullying meant that I could get a glimpse into the boy's psyche. It made it possible at least to understand.
Monday, 25 August 2008
Should I buy a home now or wait?
It doesn't really matter when you buy a home. The long term returns will make up for the difference in the purchase price. John Carpol bought a home in a good location in 1987 for $76,000. The market had just started rising and within a year the value had doubled. By 1993 the house was worth about $350,000. Another property slump followed, and for the next few years the value hovered between $250,000 to $300,000. In early 2001 prices began rising quite steeply and the value of the home quickly rose to $1,500,000. Once again prices have dropped by about 20%. But the return on the original $7,600 investment (the deposit) has been phenomenal - even at current low prices.
The property market is cyclical. Prices of homes rise and fall. After many years of booming property prices the latest drop has been triggered by a number of events in the wider economy. In spite of the cyclical nature of house prices, the long term trend is always up. Property is seen as a long term investment where the return on investment can be very significant.
The current downturn has transformed the property market from a "sellers' market" to a "buyers' market". Under booming conditions, home sellers have the option of holding out for the best price. In a buyers' market, the buyer has a distinct advantage and is often in a strong position to negotiate more favourable terms.
The problem is to identify when the market has bottomed out, and once the next property boom begins (as it inevitably will) the waiters once again be taken by surprise. Home prices have become more affordable than they have been for many years. Under these conditions, many wait before taking the plunge. People do not want to pay more than is necessary for a house and believe that by waiting they may be able to get a better deal.
The main problem with waiting is that the only way to know when the market has bottomed out is when prices begin rising. Once the market turns around, prices can increase very quickly and you could end up paying much more than under current market conditions.
From my experience of previous home price cycles I have learned that the best time to buy is during a falling market. I was working as an estate agent in Johannesburg in 1979. Home prices were low, and a general pessimistic outlook led many people to wait and see. About midway through the year, the climate changed. Home prices began rising by the day. A strong sellers' market emerged and there was strong competition amongstbuyers! By the end of the year prices had more than doubled. Many of those that waited ended up paying much more.
It is important to remember that you are not buying a house, but a home. Your home is your castle. It is a place where you centre your life and raise a family. A home that you buy is yours to keep. You are free to change, improve or even rebuild it.
Renting is a poor alternative. Rents have a tendency to increase annually and sooner or later the owner of the property will want to sell or move in. Any money spent on renting is gone forever, while money paid into a home loan increases your equity in the property.
The main criteria in the buying decision should be you and your family's needs. The best time for newly-weds to buy is when they begin their new life together. If you are expanding your family and need additional accomodation, or looking to down-size for a retirement home then now is the ideal time. The only constraint is affordability. Are the mortgage repayments affordable? Will you still be able to cover the payments if interest rates rise?
The property market is still falling. This provides leverage for the buyer in any property negotiations. The seller knows this and you should be able to buy the house of your dreams for a song. Waiting may put you in line for even bigger bargains, but you may just miss the boat.
Buying a home is an investment, but the main value lies in the use that you will get from it. Investment value is only realised when you sell. But as the value of your home increases you may be able to use some of the equity in your home. The investment aspect of buying a home should be a secondary and not the primary reason for buying. If buying for investment purposes, then a second or third home are good options.
Buy now. Prices may still drop, but over the long term you cannot lose. In the short term who knows when the market will turn-around making property expensive again?
The property market is cyclical. Prices of homes rise and fall. After many years of booming property prices the latest drop has been triggered by a number of events in the wider economy. In spite of the cyclical nature of house prices, the long term trend is always up. Property is seen as a long term investment where the return on investment can be very significant.
The current downturn has transformed the property market from a "sellers' market" to a "buyers' market". Under booming conditions, home sellers have the option of holding out for the best price. In a buyers' market, the buyer has a distinct advantage and is often in a strong position to negotiate more favourable terms.
The problem is to identify when the market has bottomed out, and once the next property boom begins (as it inevitably will) the waiters once again be taken by surprise. Home prices have become more affordable than they have been for many years. Under these conditions, many wait before taking the plunge. People do not want to pay more than is necessary for a house and believe that by waiting they may be able to get a better deal.
The main problem with waiting is that the only way to know when the market has bottomed out is when prices begin rising. Once the market turns around, prices can increase very quickly and you could end up paying much more than under current market conditions.
From my experience of previous home price cycles I have learned that the best time to buy is during a falling market. I was working as an estate agent in Johannesburg in 1979. Home prices were low, and a general pessimistic outlook led many people to wait and see. About midway through the year, the climate changed. Home prices began rising by the day. A strong sellers' market emerged and there was strong competition amongstbuyers! By the end of the year prices had more than doubled. Many of those that waited ended up paying much more.
It is important to remember that you are not buying a house, but a home. Your home is your castle. It is a place where you centre your life and raise a family. A home that you buy is yours to keep. You are free to change, improve or even rebuild it.
Renting is a poor alternative. Rents have a tendency to increase annually and sooner or later the owner of the property will want to sell or move in. Any money spent on renting is gone forever, while money paid into a home loan increases your equity in the property.
The main criteria in the buying decision should be you and your family's needs. The best time for newly-weds to buy is when they begin their new life together. If you are expanding your family and need additional accomodation, or looking to down-size for a retirement home then now is the ideal time. The only constraint is affordability. Are the mortgage repayments affordable? Will you still be able to cover the payments if interest rates rise?
The property market is still falling. This provides leverage for the buyer in any property negotiations. The seller knows this and you should be able to buy the house of your dreams for a song. Waiting may put you in line for even bigger bargains, but you may just miss the boat.
Buying a home is an investment, but the main value lies in the use that you will get from it. Investment value is only realised when you sell. But as the value of your home increases you may be able to use some of the equity in your home. The investment aspect of buying a home should be a secondary and not the primary reason for buying. If buying for investment purposes, then a second or third home are good options.
Buy now. Prices may still drop, but over the long term you cannot lose. In the short term who knows when the market will turn-around making property expensive again?
Sunday, 24 August 2008
Free International calls on your cell
My latest cell phone includes a connection to a wireless network. I can now browse the Internet and read my emails without incurring the high data call charges levied by the cell phone service providers.
The availability of this technology suggested the possibility of realising a long time dream - using VOIP over my cell phone. That has become a reality. Skype have not managed to produce a Symbian version of their software. But an alternative is available. Fring. Fring allows you to use your Skype, Google Talk, MSN, Twitter and other VOIP applications over your cell phone.
The problems associated with using your cell phone over a 3G connection is the latency of the system - an annoying delay in hearing the response. Then there is the problem of the data charges for using 3G.
Many of the new generation of cell phones now have the ability to use a WLAN. Connect to your wireless DSL or similar internet connection and you have the best of both worlds. Free international calls from your cell-phone. Skype without being tied to a computer. Cheap international calls using Skype-out. And all this from a cell phone where even local calls cost the earth.
Fring can be downloaded directly to any phone that uses either the Symbian or Windows Mobile operating systems. Try it - it's free!
The availability of this technology suggested the possibility of realising a long time dream - using VOIP over my cell phone. That has become a reality. Skype have not managed to produce a Symbian version of their software. But an alternative is available. Fring. Fring allows you to use your Skype, Google Talk, MSN, Twitter and other VOIP applications over your cell phone.
The problems associated with using your cell phone over a 3G connection is the latency of the system - an annoying delay in hearing the response. Then there is the problem of the data charges for using 3G.
Many of the new generation of cell phones now have the ability to use a WLAN. Connect to your wireless DSL or similar internet connection and you have the best of both worlds. Free international calls from your cell-phone. Skype without being tied to a computer. Cheap international calls using Skype-out. And all this from a cell phone where even local calls cost the earth.
Fring can be downloaded directly to any phone that uses either the Symbian or Windows Mobile operating systems. Try it - it's free!
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