Back from South Africa

[epicstruggle]

Got back from SA, yesterday. Wow, had a good time. I see that this place hasnt stood still in the last 2 weeks. Ill post a few pics of the trip and the wife in a bit. Still need to catch up on some sleep.

Ill add some commentary on how different life/opinions are in other countries.

later,
epic

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

Did anyone try and kill you?

Got into any robberies?

Did people try to rip you off and bitch about how white boys got so much money and crap?

I heard there is tons of racism in Africa in general.

 

[drspangle]

Whereabouts were you exactly?

Pics would be nice, might have some of places i recognise

 

[epicstruggle]

Whereabouts were you exactly?

Pics would be nice, might have some of places i recognise

Mainly jo'burg, did durban, and stayed at the sandton holiday inn.

killer,
yeah racism is quite rampant in the country right now. Ontop of that you have "empowerment" laws to give blacks and non white minorities an unfair advantange in just about everything. I do support this type of affirmitive action since it is badly needed.

Another observation: Everything is getting renamed after nelson mandela. Seems weird to name things after a living person. Anyways looks like they also plan on carving his face on table mountain.

more later (including pics)
epic

 

[drspangle]

yeah I was pretty shocked when I heard that renames sandton square :?

There is a joke going around email these days about a guy asking for directions, gets told "head down nelson mandela avenue, past nelson mandela square, across nelson mandela brideg, along nelson mandela avenue, to nelson mandela corner....etc

I know that just after I left they started renaming all the main streets (like DF Malan, John Voster road`s were two right by me, now some names of people I`d never heard of) Cost them heaps to do it.

Where in joburg were you staying ? I lived in Randburg up until 3 or so years ago.

 

[davefb]

if everything is named after mandela , are you sure your not on a british university campus ? ?

-dave-

glad you had a good time . friend was there couple of years ago ( his missus is from SA) , and he said it was both fantastic and quite scary.

 

[epicstruggle]

Where in joburg were you staying ? I lived in Randburg up until 3 or so years ago.

Winchester hills. So not that far from randburg. My sense of direction is still a bit off, so maybe it might not be that close.
epic
ps funny joke, will have to tell my wife too.

 

[epicstruggle]

friend was there couple of years ago ( his missus is from SA) , and he said it was both fantastic and quite scary.

Looks like i have alot in common with your friend. My wife is also SA, and i do agree with your friend about the situation there.

epic

 

[Deepak]

epic now you must get back to work and start folding again....

 

[Unknown Soldier]

yeah racism is quite rampant in the country right now. Ontop of that you have "empowerment" laws to give blacks and non white minorities an unfair advantange in just about everything. I do support this type of affirmitive action since it is badly needed.

First Welcome Back Epic

Second. I'm gonna argue against you. Racism isn't rampant in the country.

ram·pant
1) Extending unchecked; unrestrained: a rampant growth of weeds in the neglected yard.
2) Occurring without restraint and frequently, widely, or menacingly; rife: a rampant epidemic; rampant corruption in city government.

3) a) Rearing on the hind legs.
b) Heraldry. Rearing on the left hind leg with the forelegs elevated, the right above the left, and usually with the head in profile.
4) Architecture. Springing from a support or an abutment that is higher at one side than at the other: a rampant arch.

While this country does have racism(and you gotta say other 1st world countries like UK, USA etc. do too) it's not frequent and without restraint. Yes once in a while it rears it's ugly head but it's few and far inbetween.

Corruption is a problem, but it seems to be taken seriously, to stop these types of activities.

As for the black empowerment, it is neccessary but the way they were/are going about it is really stupid and very very unproductive.

Things like dismissing an educated person in a certain field just to employ a previously disadvantaged person not only doesn't help the company but also disrupts whatever work the new employee has to do but doesn't know how to do it.

Alot of companies do it right by employing the previously disadvantaged person and getting him up to date with skills and then promoting him in front of the previously educated person.

Then again I see lots of previously disadvanted people getting the job just so that a few months later the employees(majority) getting a educated minority worker in because the employed worker has stuffed up.

It's something that will eventually get sorted out though.. whether it's for the better or worse is still yet to be seen.

US --> BTW we just got the 2010 Soccer/Football World Cup

 

[drspangle]

US --> BTW we just got the 2010 Soccer/Football World Cup

Has/Will Bafana Bafana even quality?

On the racism debate - I believe there are a lot of racists in South Africa. A lot of migrants here in Auckland here are very racist and give the rest here a bad name. But it`s not only white on black in SA either, lots of black people are racists too, although I don`t really blame them.

And racism isn`t unique. Theres plenty of it in New Zealand - I see it every day against asians, although it is more hidden.

 

[Natoma]

Welcome back old bean. 8)

 

[epicstruggle]

Welcome back old bean. 8)

thanks. i see the country has gone to hell in a handbasket while i was gone. I blame you.
epic

 

[epicstruggle]

yeah racism is quite rampant in the country right now. Ontop of that you have "empowerment" laws to give blacks and non white minorities an unfair advantange in just about everything. I do support this type of affirmitive action since it is badly needed.

First Welcome Back Epic

Second. I'm gonna argue against you. Racism isn't rampant in the country.

I should have made my point better. what you is more accurate. I keep getting into trouble when i generalize on a hurry.

There are many problems in SA, but I have hope that empowerment laws will bring up a good generation to take over the one that struggled for freedom.

epic

 

[Natoma]

Welcome back old bean. 8)

thanks. i see the country has gone to hell in a handbasket while i was gone. I blame you.
epic

Well gay marriage did become legal on May 17th. All of this happening was just the runup. Just you wait for civilization to REALLY fall.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Has/Will Bafana Bafana even quality?

On the racism debate - I believe there are a lot of racists in South Africa. A lot of migrants here in Auckland here are very racist and give the rest here a bad name. But it`s not only white on black in SA either, lots of black people are racists too, although I don`t really blame them.

And racism isn`t unique. Theres plenty of it in New Zealand - I see it every day against asians, although it is more hidden.

Who knows if they will qualify. Isn't there a rule that says the host country qualifies automatically?? Or has that been changed recently?

But it`s not only white on black in SA either, lots of black people are racists too, although I don`t really blame them.

Ye.. you get alot of black on white racism happening but you never hear about it. Funny.. you don't blame them? So I ask, can you blame the whites then?

Just remember racism isn't just colour vs colour(or color as the americans say) it can be language barriers too e.g. greeks vs turks, chinese vs japanese, french vs english. It happens but doesn't become a big issue since it's been around for ages. Now in our country which only in the 60's introduced apartheid. But if you have a look at what happened to Africa in general in the 60's(Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique etc.) you'll see that this country was most probably the better country to come out of it by the end of the last century. So maybe a little bit of Apartheid was good. Don't get me wrong, apartheid was bad.. but the people(even the blacks) I believe came out of it better. It's funny when a few years after the ANC took government.. I would hear from blacks saying that the old government was alot better. Hardly any crimes, corruption etc. Then again... maybe the media was controlled by the government and we normal folk never ever got to hear about any of that stuff. Then again .. maybe there were just less crimes etc. After the ANC took power crime rose drastically.

I must say though that in the last two years things seem to have gotten abit better, but again alot of the crime and rape is so common nowadays that it doesn't even get highlighted anymore in newspapers etc. in the backpages of newspapers you start reading about all these rapes, bank heists, killings etc. And again you people(international community) don't even get to hear about it.

Ye things can get bad here .. but it's not all bad. The worst thing in this country at this moment is most probably corruption.

I should have made my point better. what you is more accurate. I keep getting into trouble when i generalize on a hurry.

I'm not bashing you .. just correcting you. Sorry if I got you into trouble.

US

 

[Mariner]

The host country always qualifies automatically. What has changed is the fact that the holders of the trophy must now qualify.

I can't see myself going to South Africa to watch the World Cup, unfortunately, unless the security situation improves somewhat.

However, I've got Euro2004 to look forward to in a few weeks so I'll be sunning myself in Portugal soon!

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Ahh yes.. so SA are in the 2010 WC. My parents stay in Portugal .. pity I can't go over to watch though(working). My Brother-in-law is going over though.

US

 

[drspangle]

got those pics ?

 

[Ty]

Did you by chance read the thread about what to do with illegal immigrants?