tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225647012024-03-13T00:03:17.558+02:00Warrior Forever I am an experienced Military Officer, a freelance writer and soon to be published author. My work as an infantry major at 6 SA Infantry Battalion (Air Assault) included work as an AU/UN military observer and peacekeeper. Currently self-employed in Potchefstroom. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger961125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-44268649608600048902020-10-23T13:41:00.002+02:002020-10-23T13:42:39.848+02:00Tanglewood Nature Estate<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx52Oas7-lQ3Dh5LyV9abezDVvnzJ88vrsHl2toDBpm-A9Q7iyxpFE_ZBbtDnULQ4gXgVoXUCng7W0z96GHPWUa1BIjtgTe9gazdSqiQlbNVsqc1mLD6Vs2vQj10SQ1qnEInbTA/s3648/IMG_20201017_180220.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx52Oas7-lQ3Dh5LyV9abezDVvnzJ88vrsHl2toDBpm-A9Q7iyxpFE_ZBbtDnULQ4gXgVoXUCng7W0z96GHPWUa1BIjtgTe9gazdSqiQlbNVsqc1mLD6Vs2vQj10SQ1qnEInbTA/w640-h480/IMG_20201017_180220.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanglewood Nature Estate</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.tanglewoodnatureestate.com/" target="_blank">Tanglewood Nature Estate</a> is a beautiful luxury camping area next to Boskop Dam outside Potchefstroom. We have chosen this as one of our favourite photography venues and will be doing a large photoshoot at this location on 29 October 2020 for the cover of my novel.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-77031412104523339702020-10-11T19:43:00.009+02:002020-10-11T19:43:59.924+02:00The Meerkat and the Sniper<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_gjVE6_Lrep5Kctd80fdntU_YnVpaPlQ1j2Ls2_k7LYJKdSoqCM0kxo-zkXIQGxaX2MnDKHKFOIgJhQjCGdpL_PEn8phTOOXCN1dT6U2kgg87i3X_fk37BhvwprsXjWfNlw4lw/s3648/IMG_20200910_130707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_gjVE6_Lrep5Kctd80fdntU_YnVpaPlQ1j2Ls2_k7LYJKdSoqCM0kxo-zkXIQGxaX2MnDKHKFOIgJhQjCGdpL_PEn8phTOOXCN1dT6U2kgg87i3X_fk37BhvwprsXjWfNlw4lw/w640-h480/IMG_20200910_130707.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great moment during a photoshoot by Lien Klokow Photography<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>I had to share this photo because it is so unique. Still one of our favourites as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lien.K.Photos" target="_blank">Lien Klokow Photography</a>.<br /> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-25507635641752784302020-10-09T20:41:00.008+02:002020-10-10T16:16:24.017+02:00Photos by Lien Klokow Photography<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MwJLzRdBL99RSkosRm5paeaSmAUrX2k-CRV4UIjYSNMxhxwuxydhb7OaTHvVgctCE5FBz0daNet6M01yvxy5p5j8vW9SDwVgj7KySetpbImKKJlQLF3LewZr7_bE7GVM60bo5w/s2048/IMG_4623.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_MwJLzRdBL99RSkosRm5paeaSmAUrX2k-CRV4UIjYSNMxhxwuxydhb7OaTHvVgctCE5FBz0daNet6M01yvxy5p5j8vW9SDwVgj7KySetpbImKKJlQLF3LewZr7_bE7GVM60bo5w/w640-h480/IMG_4623.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eunice with her favourite scarf<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfM38dNUN6a32yq3fKZF4IiJwrCsWX1EJjvh9qQe-C-vfmdVb2eVjvR4unfqWKk8497o1YhJ9v34pRzbAhGaPh6fCpVgrZ3fbo0FQy8mE48VIBimfZHGnhzV2NcARe3ow7tks5Q/s2048/IMG_1413.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2048" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfM38dNUN6a32yq3fKZF4IiJwrCsWX1EJjvh9qQe-C-vfmdVb2eVjvR4unfqWKk8497o1YhJ9v34pRzbAhGaPh6fCpVgrZ3fbo0FQy8mE48VIBimfZHGnhzV2NcARe3ow7tks5Q/w640-h562/IMG_1413.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dakota<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCuME7U-tjuIXgPNbrbL-srqfC-VVUaoTbZYPw69J_uNK8RUiy-gJOK-dianQLqz-5CfPlVjKfjLJX4uqEom1gXJ7xn_VyAsGfFvMxdAYqV-2_RpWU77fPz7YpLXIu8U7qiU6jA/s2048/IMG_9331.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1883" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCuME7U-tjuIXgPNbrbL-srqfC-VVUaoTbZYPw69J_uNK8RUiy-gJOK-dianQLqz-5CfPlVjKfjLJX4uqEom1gXJ7xn_VyAsGfFvMxdAYqV-2_RpWU77fPz7YpLXIu8U7qiU6jA/w588-h640/IMG_9331.jpg" width="588" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An-Quinette and Rex<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lien.K.Photos" target="_blank">Lien Klokow Photography</a>.<p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-6760836794157546722020-10-09T18:15:00.002+02:002020-10-09T20:45:09.492+02:00Lien Klokow Photography - Photography with Soul<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq5CfDaH2jwEq-LBQkDVtWHXAf99Pl-KzQhEo5j9SiYPtSqClAHetIUnBUPFeiY84PJZ7TrAYoIji7sp16_9jMr8YLqOjb8lcof3ESszO2CXTJSfvCWXzk82MCXLLLHJNJdDhKg/s2048/wklokow+logo+mock+up.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEq5CfDaH2jwEq-LBQkDVtWHXAf99Pl-KzQhEo5j9SiYPtSqClAHetIUnBUPFeiY84PJZ7TrAYoIji7sp16_9jMr8YLqOjb8lcof3ESszO2CXTJSfvCWXzk82MCXLLLHJNJdDhKg/w640-h426/wklokow+logo+mock+up.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa-mRC-nS13JLRLb2QugZg_Gva_oEzd-7_hHzgeblb1ILUizutx7svmzF1CPr3wpKPTZgp4lyvd1V1wYxEmwJpaQvKOkfL8NNRhZTZk_J1fxJj6_STXV_G0_8a2OoE1ADVQirPQ/s3648/IMG_20200718_114819.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNa-mRC-nS13JLRLb2QugZg_Gva_oEzd-7_hHzgeblb1ILUizutx7svmzF1CPr3wpKPTZgp4lyvd1V1wYxEmwJpaQvKOkfL8NNRhZTZk_J1fxJj6_STXV_G0_8a2OoE1ADVQirPQ/w640-h480/IMG_20200718_114819.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lien</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhME99ewb_fyULaicSZAEwj-I4kcktqUPQoqAcU98uJLBX7OtyxnG-bevcz6N__Y-z_E5sNBfkTpuDwb4TbxhVeOIQ7wAwYxTuEfWW2rvQV1pCXQ_e3LkL0Afpp0_oE2oDRdYqfwQ/s3648/IMG_20200902_075728.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhME99ewb_fyULaicSZAEwj-I4kcktqUPQoqAcU98uJLBX7OtyxnG-bevcz6N__Y-z_E5sNBfkTpuDwb4TbxhVeOIQ7wAwYxTuEfWW2rvQV1pCXQ_e3LkL0Afpp0_oE2oDRdYqfwQ/w640-h480/IMG_20200902_075728.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lien in her Studio<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lien has started a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lien.K.Photos/" target="_blank">photography business</a>. She has achieved her dream and I am very proud of her. When she is behind a camera it is like a light switches on. The clients are happy and we are enjoying these photo sessions incredibly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lien is good at communicating with clients and has the ability to make clients connect in front of the camera. There is a feeling of warmth and she has the ability and the equipment. More importantly, she has the eye for a good photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have some big business ideas and the right people have entered our lives at the right time. The market is struggling, but it will improve and if it does not we have a brilliant idea to capitalise on the situation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-61099378836542353652020-10-08T14:35:00.002+02:002020-10-09T19:49:17.951+02:00Modeling a Legend<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-jnb1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/120821007_131225622039128_1440274845847511500_o.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_eui2=AeFpd9YDxS1BIg_dR8fMcbH_UQ5mznXNje5RDmbOdc2N7s54WjiVFsYWpE1acqQ6QlU&_nc_ohc=53_J0BH_igIAX8HT_wD&_nc_ht=scontent-jnb1-1.xx&oh=93d0026dc117ac4192d99e19187a248f&oe=5FA2AFC1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="640" src="https://scontent-jnb1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/120821007_131225622039128_1440274845847511500_o.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_eui2=AeFpd9YDxS1BIg_dR8fMcbH_UQ5mznXNje5RDmbOdc2N7s54WjiVFsYWpE1acqQ6QlU&_nc_ohc=53_J0BH_igIAX8HT_wD&_nc_ht=scontent-jnb1-1.xx&oh=93d0026dc117ac4192d99e19187a248f&oe=5FA2AFC1" width="427" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-jnb1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/120645768_130861285408895_3397914790925486567_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_sid=e3f864&_nc_eui2=AeFc8hCOVsK-Ay1V86PrZ0qq8oqFEcbITG7yioURxshMbiGNnNUDe7LlFUSQG8A9sJw&_nc_ohc=edkjyiaR7I8AX-TR1vS&_nc_ht=scontent-jnb1-1.xx&oh=07429315ff9f4e70c9c2e30a3077f74f&oe=5FA3FED1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://scontent-jnb1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/120645768_130861285408895_3397914790925486567_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_sid=e3f864&_nc_eui2=AeFc8hCOVsK-Ay1V86PrZ0qq8oqFEcbITG7yioURxshMbiGNnNUDe7LlFUSQG8A9sJw&_nc_ohc=edkjyiaR7I8AX-TR1vS&_nc_ht=scontent-jnb1-1.xx&oh=07429315ff9f4e70c9c2e30a3077f74f&oe=5FA3FED1" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div>Finding the right character to provide a physical perspective for <a href="https://rsasoldier.blogspot.com/2020/10/olivia-wolfe-my-protagonist.html" target="_blank">Olivia Wolfe</a>, the protagonist in my novel was a rewarding process and we have found her. Pictured here is An-Quinette Aylward and she is being photographed by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lien.K.Photos" target="_blank">Lien Klokow Photography</a>.<p></p><p>An-Quinette will loosely represent the protagonist's character in my novel. She has to represent a strong female character who is comfortable behind a firearm in a dangerous world. Someone with a rock-steady moral code and the physical abilities only soldiers can truely understand.</p><p>Since I am a military veteran I decided to base the background of my novel on what I know, warfare. I, therefore, needed someone who could look professional behind a firearm and An-Quinette fits the bill. As an added bonus she is easy to work with and did not complain during a pre-shoot in hot conditions weighed down by military gear which professional soldiers have time to customise to what they prefer.</p><p>An-Quinette's main role in the process will be character modeling. The book cover shoot is scheduled for 29 October 2020, COVID-19 allowing.</p><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-43561853041780178122020-10-08T10:51:00.005+02:002020-10-08T10:51:42.238+02:00The HU - Song of Women feat. Lzzy Hale of Halestorm <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="367" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mdN1U9NvuIc" width="442" youtube-src-id="mdN1U9NvuIc"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p><p>If my protagonist Olivia Wolfe could have a theme song this would be it.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-21821945771966238052020-10-08T10:27:00.006+02:002020-10-10T16:35:47.213+02:00Olivia Wolfe - My Protagonist<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwaQY8rW_SJeI6vNdEd65KFHZk45Lp5GJgCPbnnf6qwTl1e852aRj7RgTzWGcZUlSwKkH6tMb0E7nSKXQeE_1UHcLMi78rWrqKtlN9-D0aj-208fmHeYRzZ80_NShXhVDrSM7bw/s960/FB_IMG_1600756787178.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="660" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwaQY8rW_SJeI6vNdEd65KFHZk45Lp5GJgCPbnnf6qwTl1e852aRj7RgTzWGcZUlSwKkH6tMb0E7nSKXQeE_1UHcLMi78rWrqKtlN9-D0aj-208fmHeYRzZ80_NShXhVDrSM7bw/w440-h640/FB_IMG_1600756787178.jpg" width="440" /></a></div><div>Since I last posted anything my wife has started a photography business in Potchefstroom. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lien.K.Photos" target="_blank">Here</a> is her Facebook page where you can get more information.</div><div><p></p><p>As I am writing a novel I wanted to share a little of what my protagonist looks like.</p><p>Olivia Wolfe grew up in Israel and lost her mother at the age of sixteen. Her father developed a type of locked-in syndrome and never spoke to Olivia or her brother and sister again.</p><p>Olivia had a great relationship with her Uncle Joseph Levi and moved in with him to stay there until her father's condition ever improved.</p><p>Joseph Levi worked for Mossad as an instructor and trained agents on his land. Olivia soon found out what was going on and started shooting at targets and later started training with Levi on the days that she was not surfing at Hilton Beach.</p><p><br /></p><p>Olivia eventually had to complete her national service in the Israeli Defence Force. Her service was extended by eight months to two years and eight months due to her instinctive warrior abilities and for the reason that Olivia happens to be on of only about 5% of people in the world who become calmer in chaotic situations. </p><p>Olivia turns out to be a true warrior with the same life issues as an average person. Her abilities allow her to end up at the NYPD SWAT where she acts as an anti-terrorism advisor and later becomes a US Citizen.</p><p>It is during her time in the US that the VRLV-21 virus pandemic breaks out. The virus has something to do with melting ice caps and a new strain of the Rabies Virus. Somewhere in Russia, the virus undergoes other changes. The novel starts in New York on the day when the pandemic hits.</p><p>Olivia Wolfe, her sidekick, and brother in arms, Carl Littlejohn, Amy Sanchez, a congresswoman from a New York congressional district, and a few other characters who you can meet in the novel make their way from the Chesapeake Bay to Mexico and other exotic locations in search of safety from the pandemic and its victims.</p><p>Olivia is a strong, beautiful character but has her vices. The warrior protects her friends and loved ones, including James Anderson, while the little girl who lost her parents has real-world challenges. Olivia's character is grown against the backdrop of a bone-chilling pandemic that turns people into primal humans with loss of certain brain functions.</p><p>This is the first book in the series and the working title is Dead Ground.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-63285442169357612262020-01-17T08:53:00.000+02:002020-01-17T09:43:14.119+02:00South Africans are losing hope, but hope is never lost<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDUBJnFri60eL0kC9yHbrgl41J3vnABeMcjxfK6oKi2aIx08IGiXS51A6RdcAAkoyBbaBZxJoIfbu-ec-iGD6s1JPs0RZ0RJ5d_ykxWi10jNGn34-O4z01DZWbynCVpXs0MJ8Yg/s1600/ac71512d8db7bc71caa6395ddec3309e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="736" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDUBJnFri60eL0kC9yHbrgl41J3vnABeMcjxfK6oKi2aIx08IGiXS51A6RdcAAkoyBbaBZxJoIfbu-ec-iGD6s1JPs0RZ0RJ5d_ykxWi10jNGn34-O4z01DZWbynCVpXs0MJ8Yg/s400/ac71512d8db7bc71caa6395ddec3309e.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>A sorry state of affairs exists in my country, but it is part of a natural cycle of renewal. One day South Africa will be a great country, but after that, there will be another period like this.</b><br />
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Most South Africans have lost hope. It is a quarter of a century after the fall of Apartheid and the government is managed by people who do not seem to realise where this country is in terms of economic growth. They either don't care or don't have the ability to turn things around.<br />
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We now live in a country where local government officials drive luxury cars on the same crumbling roads they were supposed to maintain. Where large swaths of this beautiful country is constantly without basic services like water and electricity and the poorest of the poor suffer the most.<br />
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We now live in a country where law enforcement officials think taking bribes is normal and further erode the confidence in South Africa, chasing away foreign investment and tourists, but they were taught by their so-called leaders.<br />
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We have some of the highest tax rates in the world for a capitalist country, yet we have a situation where millions of people go to bed hungry and where almost a quarter of the people are without work. To make things worse, a lot of this money is mismanaged or stolen.<br />
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Most of our leaders do not lead, but rather seek self-enrichment by any means possible. Where a large portion of those people who still pay taxes are treated like garbage and are leaving the country, taking their know-how and money-making skills with them.<br />
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Where the poorest South Africans are being taught that wealth is something that can be given to them, but every significant wealth creation book in the history of the world tells us that wealth is created by the way we think about money. Give somebody who is poor money or land and they will lose everything if they do not realise how to make those riches work for them to make them more wealthy.<br />
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We live in a country where billions of rands are mismanaged or stolen annually. Where tourists are attacked, raped and robbed. They will never come back here and they are taking their money with them.<br />
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Where we are more concerned with idiotic racial identity than making a success of this country and our "leaders" keep pushing for more division rather than unity. During the harshest times we will have the worst leaders. Good leaders immediately give you real hope. Bad ones give you false hope.<br />
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Where we also use racial identity as an excuse, but where black Africans treat their own race poorly and where a large segment of white people are either fully racist or severely prejudiced. We as South Africans seem to think two wrongs will make a right. We seem to think we can make things better by attacking others or treating them badly. Sigmund Freud famously said <i>"only the tortured become torturers"</i>. Violence and abuse helps nobody.<br />
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We now live in a country where nobody is learning or has learned anything from history partly because our education system is severely neglected. This, in turn, ensures that ignorant South Africans are lead by self-serving politicians who ride waves of populism given impetus by decades of racism and abuse. Those who want to heal this nation are ignored or silenced by those who are trying to make or steal enough so that they can in turn abuse others.<br />
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We live in beautiful South Africa where the wolves are leading the sheep and everything taught by the greatest people in the history of this country from Madiba to Desmond Tutu (people who will be remembered for eternity) is being ignored. Healing has therefore given way to constant picking at the sores of our collective hurt.<br />
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We live in a country where most people claim to subscribe to Christianity but prefer to totally ignore the most important elements, namely love, forgiveness or tolerance. Where some of the biggest racists sit in church on Sundays but hear what they want to because the brainwashing is still strong in them.<br />
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We still live in a country where the ideals of those who fought for our freedom are now meaningless. Where the <a href="https://rsasoldier.blogspot.com/2011/03/freedom-charter.html" target="_blank">Freedom Charter</a>, which ensconced the most important principles for building our beloved South Africa is being ignored. Principles that have the power to heal and unite this country.<br />
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We live in a country where figures in terms of matric pass rates are unashamedly manhandled until they resemble what we want them to be, but where they are not representative of the true state of affairs. Where those who make policy rather lower standards instead of actively improving education and teachers.<br />
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We live in a country where people have lost hope, but hope is never lost.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NTxV2EEAA97U74zlQdhwuH_V1u9-i7cyJBoK3g24zp68BIMSEwXjFH_raPsT3YOGVQEPmkBeUOtZRs7kcwUhWpytvVKTD08KDnYlbVF5Fp3PDQP468VisH5elcrX2pOPsMjh-Q/s1600/79962899_475935356451681_8166808334286975540_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NTxV2EEAA97U74zlQdhwuH_V1u9-i7cyJBoK3g24zp68BIMSEwXjFH_raPsT3YOGVQEPmkBeUOtZRs7kcwUhWpytvVKTD08KDnYlbVF5Fp3PDQP468VisH5elcrX2pOPsMjh-Q/s400/79962899_475935356451681_8166808334286975540_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kolisi Family</td></tr>
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Although the situation seems to be becoming untenable there is always hope, and there is a good old saying "Cometh the hour cometh the man" (or woman). South Africans may find themselves being lead by a true leader when they are ready to make positive changes. That leader already exists, probably.<br />
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I am leaving for now, not because I have lost hope, but because I know our healing will take some time still. The thing about healing is that when one is sick you have a temperature, but the increased body temperature is part of the body's way to kill off bad organisms.<br />
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South Africa is now ill, but out of this illness health will emerge, because the fact that we are losing hope is an indication that we know there is a lot better for us. People cannot become hopeless unless they first had hope.<br />
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Out of the ashes, the Phoenix will rise again as mythology says as has happened with so many other nations and countries. When things are at their worst South Africa will rise again and we will stay there for centuries because when we are at our worst place we will never want to be there again.<br />
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The USA is now entering a downward turn as its founding values give way to exploitation. They emerged out of obscurity just like the Roman Empire and the Greek Empire and so many others. All the great empires came to a fall. It is all part of a natural cycle.<br />
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Let us also remember that the world seems to be entering a period of hopelessness and like in South Africa those most disenfranchised are the most vulnerable. When we apply real values of importance and those people start to rise out of obscurity we will become a prosperous country again.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-42437444809191894462020-01-14T07:37:00.000+02:002020-01-17T09:43:53.254+02:00Mr and Mrs Klokow<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZkWNw415eDXdwTKeWGpmQ91GqE5dKAFen0KXVXLPjjUUrbtxQRni8V36iHVyljSVKD8ifdT85ApTUWxOXd5dKaedNycl6tSuucIAIVFSqQXL-ShkE-fy8A0rtDLpJ5rr6kaaXA/s1600/IMG_20190219_061924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1257" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZkWNw415eDXdwTKeWGpmQ91GqE5dKAFen0KXVXLPjjUUrbtxQRni8V36iHVyljSVKD8ifdT85ApTUWxOXd5dKaedNycl6tSuucIAIVFSqQXL-ShkE-fy8A0rtDLpJ5rr6kaaXA/s400/IMG_20190219_061924.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My lovely wife Lien and I</td></tr>
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As I have mentioned in a previous post my wife, Marcelle and I are preparing to emigrate to New Zealand and hoping to bring value to this country. We want to be part of a society that values us for who we are and recognises our abilities.<br />
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Lien is a qualified and very good registered nurse who has empathy for her patients. She is the one who always takes the sickest patients in the ICU.<br />
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I am a military veteran who has twenty-five years' experience in Africa as an infanteer and later as an air assault officer. I am a leader who has the ability to plan, solve problems and galvanize the men and women on my team to reach our objective effectively.<br />
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As husband and wife, we make a good team and are dedicated to helping others. New Zealanders are renowned for their caring and interest in others, which makes us ideal to fit into their way of life. We are looking forward to being offered this opportunity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-81590457557948459662019-11-07T10:23:00.000+02:002019-11-07T10:24:48.641+02:00Remembering some of my Best Times in the SA Army - A Photo Album<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsfvz2YPr9lUUag9xzldZh-pd_myq9Vt76EZLfsMCZZvPqg2bNvLYf6EHhP3Ua4bkFJ2qxY37zXetyysUlxQ7YCuuynYC6wF0TztZ2P0yVOgzKgK1oi6w5qw0RqSV_7w5e-Ghcg/s1600/A539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsfvz2YPr9lUUag9xzldZh-pd_myq9Vt76EZLfsMCZZvPqg2bNvLYf6EHhP3Ua4bkFJ2qxY37zXetyysUlxQ7YCuuynYC6wF0TztZ2P0yVOgzKgK1oi6w5qw0RqSV_7w5e-Ghcg/s400/A539.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In an Oryx Helicopter over De Brug Training Area</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n9buwNcO_VKzzc-5Th68z9dezoJV2Lvg5D4FzoCENtRI3skGKkfdeG2-yMVVkSEo1Ej-OFE5K6bUpwIqA2wmzb2yCEjATtAB5VfrYivTWjuDVP9cjkIbezfeEHc1osBDWC5cEQ/s1600/C+11+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n9buwNcO_VKzzc-5Th68z9dezoJV2Lvg5D4FzoCENtRI3skGKkfdeG2-yMVVkSEo1Ej-OFE5K6bUpwIqA2wmzb2yCEjATtAB5VfrYivTWjuDVP9cjkIbezfeEHc1osBDWC5cEQ/s400/C+11+026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loading up on ammo before a military exercise</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjYBb7KHzlrpKORrBIBJyMmy5JtKwUVTAMZ-_za3xjMgUOaw_g98i53K80hgVZBfH5xlJ1YwfnNIK3VQwo_9aiRJAJfORiZxOr4GL535DraW_026Sg4zUdU_IBvvseg1q_EuxVg/s1600/C+20+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjYBb7KHzlrpKORrBIBJyMmy5JtKwUVTAMZ-_za3xjMgUOaw_g98i53K80hgVZBfH5xlJ1YwfnNIK3VQwo_9aiRJAJfORiZxOr4GL535DraW_026Sg4zUdU_IBvvseg1q_EuxVg/s400/C+20+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Riaan Vermeulen and I before a military exercise</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia256H4NlbwB3V1hOpO5I8YgVCH5UEvsrOgrtfdw4p0C4pR_ZVqfPdXNn0Zc53jin5ccDiXUCXIXLdicOYIzkosxYTlojvNq3KQj7zg-kiL1b6eJltW0ujOeMNqeQpshVNpg5duw/s1600/C+23+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia256H4NlbwB3V1hOpO5I8YgVCH5UEvsrOgrtfdw4p0C4pR_ZVqfPdXNn0Zc53jin5ccDiXUCXIXLdicOYIzkosxYTlojvNq3KQj7zg-kiL1b6eJltW0ujOeMNqeQpshVNpg5duw/s400/C+23+049.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simply on parade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj43egp42Q5uWMRJxCFnx1DoEOgF5_yi8I9k5cgHqQzSZwhXLb-MkAvfeRhw2v_SWveDecD-R7RXj4YSmJNXrRbfmyUnqm4iiJZeONZnUrCteyHkkIrF5g8Zv6mfqk86qxDGpxg/s1600/C+25+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizj43egp42Q5uWMRJxCFnx1DoEOgF5_yi8I9k5cgHqQzSZwhXLb-MkAvfeRhw2v_SWveDecD-R7RXj4YSmJNXrRbfmyUnqm4iiJZeONZnUrCteyHkkIrF5g8Zv6mfqk86qxDGpxg/s400/C+25+024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My old platoon sergeant ensuring the troops are ready for inspection</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuS940CunJF9qUKdWSeqtWYLRvpE27RXC3tOw0NGTuKGJg3WDwIvifxmcKf_ddgjeE_p0atnKV1bwiLiiJz8JetMK8xtyq-Z2sWIjLkPsJgvFTRfqppffPLjol2Dp4MBq784bmg/s1600/E049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbuS940CunJF9qUKdWSeqtWYLRvpE27RXC3tOw0NGTuKGJg3WDwIvifxmcKf_ddgjeE_p0atnKV1bwiLiiJz8JetMK8xtyq-Z2sWIjLkPsJgvFTRfqppffPLjol2Dp4MBq784bmg/s400/E049.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using binoculars during a military exercise</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJcAYIhkfRGWXpvxQ28IApF9XJne14LL4EJTKZdpTwscVp9BtLmRydheengH9eaIc25NsLGPFJgtq754gQGB27nfvnv9BrR_Hq1VUJrbHZVbfaXOMTWyA3wnfozvX8uyfflu9RA/s1600/E064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJcAYIhkfRGWXpvxQ28IApF9XJne14LL4EJTKZdpTwscVp9BtLmRydheengH9eaIc25NsLGPFJgtq754gQGB27nfvnv9BrR_Hq1VUJrbHZVbfaXOMTWyA3wnfozvX8uyfflu9RA/s400/E064.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Order group after a hard day in the bush</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8MyY9rHyEfytk_46aN1wgHyhIg73-3LmePG-JrLLBpHl-Qde74bWyGP8oZZZCmTRK5kO3nktfZ8uidVqmjGazciiLUIpC6Jk2vr8ps1DrYGOk2Y1GZN1vuAsgv7LHzI1K1d1Sg/s1600/A307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8MyY9rHyEfytk_46aN1wgHyhIg73-3LmePG-JrLLBpHl-Qde74bWyGP8oZZZCmTRK5kO3nktfZ8uidVqmjGazciiLUIpC6Jk2vr8ps1DrYGOk2Y1GZN1vuAsgv7LHzI1K1d1Sg/s400/A307.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In a chopper again</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-66818374206367677002019-10-30T10:47:00.000+02:002019-11-07T10:14:19.345+02:00Ending my career as a soldier in the SANDF<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxHLA6ulEC-T-tos4QVPM2-CN8vynCaiyhcy9Ei0FFjgcic0oYFajlnQE39qEIS7qRs_oGUjI1Wb2vV-3fYmm6Pyt9fvzFg5u6VPKtq5cztqYa5-zI2rwz5P-mjAugzpyDpHQTQ/s1600/C+20+042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxHLA6ulEC-T-tos4QVPM2-CN8vynCaiyhcy9Ei0FFjgcic0oYFajlnQE39qEIS7qRs_oGUjI1Wb2vV-3fYmm6Pyt9fvzFg5u6VPKtq5cztqYa5-zI2rwz5P-mjAugzpyDpHQTQ/s400/C+20+042.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tomorrow I will end my career as a soldier in the South African National Defence force after twenty-five years of service.<br />
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During these twenty-five years, I have deployed to some of the most dangerous places in the world, including deployments inside South Africa. I have slept in bivvies and in trenches, in mud, rain and ice-cold conditions. I have walked many kilometres in very heavy kit under the burning African sun and yes and I have spent long times away from loved ones.<br />
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And yes, I have also complained because I am still human.<br />
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But in the end the good outweighed the bad for most of my career and I have become a stronger man because of all the hardships I went through. I am therefore very thankful for this experience. I have also made some great friends and met people who have made my life and experiences so much richer, including my wife, Lien. She is an absolute angel and helped me stay in this organisation as long as I have because in the last couple of years I have become more and more unhappy, and so did she in her job as a nurse.<br />
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We needed change and this is why I am letting go of this career and attempting to start another. With my farewell function yesterday I was not emotional and that is a definite sign that it is time to go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cdhnDavkooHkaAg9Sw4NmetZjybsdgs0Tv6VR7W1qUfMHos5nSecj8zwhHDAbttkEF1PvAl890cGhqjm3Tij6oehF_YjMR2ajoLQiPlurxHY2W-CakYy9i1AL0dK9144vf6YXw/s1600/E041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cdhnDavkooHkaAg9Sw4NmetZjybsdgs0Tv6VR7W1qUfMHos5nSecj8zwhHDAbttkEF1PvAl890cGhqjm3Tij6oehF_YjMR2ajoLQiPlurxHY2W-CakYy9i1AL0dK9144vf6YXw/s400/E041.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I have no regrets, because all decisions I made I made with the emotions and the knowledge I had available at the time of making them.<br />
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Farewell to all my brothers and sisters in arms. Most people will never understand us.<br />
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I salute you.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-40177519731850272132019-10-06T12:21:00.001+02:002019-10-06T12:41:05.661+02:00We are Going to New Zealand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This blog may be called <i>Soldier of Africa, </i>but big changes are afoot. My wife and I have made the decision to emigrate to New Zealand as soon as possible.<br />
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There has been a lot of talk lately in the media about increased South African emigration and a large chunk of those people are going to New Zealand. The reasons being that in so many ways New Zealand currently offers more than South Africa, and I say this with a heavy heart as I do not want to leave my country and I want it to succeed for everybody.<br />
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South Africa obtained its freedom on 27 April 1994 when for the first time ever the government was elected by all South Africans, not just by a minority based on race. What a wonderful day that was when Nelson Mandela became the country's first representative president and the idea of true freedom and equality, at last, seemed like a reality. But alas, a quarter of a century later South Africa is not living up to the ideals of the <i>Rainbow Nation</i> and it makes me feel frustrated and disappointed that in the space of a quarter of a century we still cannot build our country together.<br />
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The recent xenophobic attacks gave this country a very bad reputation, not just outside of Africa, but especially in Africa where nations like Nigeria had to evacuate their nationals from our country. The latest crime statistics paint a picture of a country that is not changing in terms of criminality, especially violent crime. In fact, it is becoming worse. Tax revenue is being utilised to bail out large companies like South African Airways, Escom, and the SABC. These are failing enterprises and despite constant bailouts, nothing seems to be improving there and the money seems to be utilised for paying out large salaries instead of fixing whatever is broken. To make this worse taxpayers are leaving the country. Something should have been done a long time ago to prevent emigration, but either nobody cared or the strategy did not work.<br />
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Not only am I tired of the negative things happening, which may influence my family, but I am also concerned with the high unemployment rate, which affects especially poor South Africans the worst. Unemployment shatters the dreams of those people and leads to more crime.<br />
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My stepson Marcelle is now twelve years old and we want him to grow up in a safer environment. In fact, I want my wife to grow up in a safer environment. Here that is becoming less and less possible not to mention the lowering of professional standards in all spheres of South African life. Lately there is talk of lowering the age when pupils may leave school to fifteen. Not yet law, but there are other issues as well.<br />
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New Zealand is not perfect, but I would rather cash out here and try to build something there than to try to make a living in a society that is not getting better for anybody when the possibilities are there. Therefore we have started getting our paperwork together to apply for our visas. Lien is fortunate that she is on a critical skills shortage list in New Zealand, but I am unable to join the New Zealand Army as they only accept citizens. My objective, therefore, is to spend our first two years studying for a diploma in draughting, architectural technology or project management and apply for a job then. In that time Lien will have to supply most of our income, but after that we should have more comfortable lives. Our aim is to obtain permanent residence and maybe one day we will become New Zealand Citizens, who knows.<br />
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Here is to our next adventure. Please root for us and if you are a New Zealander who wants to appoint a military veteran with good communication skills, leadership abilities and a team worker with integrity, intelligence and energy in your company then talk to me. You can leave a message here or <a href="http://scr.im/2f0y" target="_blank">email</a> me.<br />
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Here is my <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/werner-klokow-6043b446/" target="_blank">Linkedin</a> page if you want more information.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-31834290002125000882017-03-15T08:10:00.001+02:002017-03-15T08:10:45.555+02:00The SANDF Today <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1LnMdD9m7e0/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1LnMdD9m7e0?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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A little something I put together. I hope you enjoy it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-79116986734718196862017-02-23T07:16:00.002+02:002017-02-23T07:17:15.138+02:00Listen to an inspiring speech by South Africa's youngest MP ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-89462439744653321222017-02-17T17:44:00.000+02:002017-02-23T07:17:35.695+02:00The Ten Most Beautiful Places in South Africa1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sabie waterfalls route.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berlin Falls</td></tr>
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The Sabie area is home to no less than seven spectacular and beautiful waterfalls, which is a lot of beauty packed together in such a relatively small area. Let’s face it, nothing gets as much beauty brownie points as a stunning waterfall. The mist, the sound, the clear water and the surrounding nature.<br />
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The seven waterfalls on the route include the twin 70m high Mac Mac Falls, named after the feisty Scottish miners who panned for gold in the area in the 1870’s, the 94m high Lisbon Falls named after a farm in the area and probably the most spectacular falls in this cluster, next are the 80m high Berlin Falls named after German prospectors, then the 70m high Bridal Veil Falls, the 68m Lone Creek Falls and the smaller, but no less impressive Horseshoe Falls and Forest Falls.<br />
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The area these falls appear in is spectacular in itself and includes the Pinnacle, God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes. No visit to South Africa would be complete without seeing this little treasure.<br />
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2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Blyde River Canyon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blyde River Canyon</td></tr>
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Imagine a winding green river canyon with 800m sheer drops in places. Imagine round dolomite hilltops against the backdrop of the canyon and breath-taking viewpoints such as at a spot called God’s Window. If you can imagine that then you may almost have an idea what this area looks like but it is probably even more spectacular in person.<br />
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The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world and the biggest green canyon. It stretches over a distance of 25km and is an average of 750m deep. It forms the northern part of the Drakensberg Escarpment.<br />
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The only way to describe this canyon is “spectacular”. Definitely worth a visit in your lifetime. At least one adventure company offers microlight flights over the canyon. Imagine what an incredible view and experience that could be, wind in the face with amazing dead drop green cliffs.<br />
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3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Namaqualand during the flower season.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ckliBfvBB8214_XSYmgZFs4RJzMJctxbmWa1t5vuF5ErWxXSLqU7FPHDwc3bQaZMgdQ5WQ5rbCKiTjfli7g2XY5qigCz17eJ6oeeIx9AHiFb3EUS1ae4I86Fue_kloscEXTadg/s1600/0e63a7a5772d649153f14b38a1d5cef2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ckliBfvBB8214_XSYmgZFs4RJzMJctxbmWa1t5vuF5ErWxXSLqU7FPHDwc3bQaZMgdQ5WQ5rbCKiTjfli7g2XY5qigCz17eJ6oeeIx9AHiFb3EUS1ae4I86Fue_kloscEXTadg/s400/0e63a7a5772d649153f14b38a1d5cef2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Namaqualand Flowers</td></tr>
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Known as South Africa’s Outback, Namaqualand is an arid area, but in spring it hosts one of the most beautiful wild flower displays. The semi desert is transformed into multi-coloured carpets of stunning contrast which you have to see to believe.<br />
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The area in question lies about five hours North of Cape Town which in itself is an area with more flower and plant diversity than you can imagine. Included in the flower route as it is known are the Richtersveld National Park, Goegap Nature Reserve, and Skilpad Wild Flower Reserve.<br />
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The area of Namaqualand stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the West to the little town of Pofadder in the East. This is definitely Big Sky country and spectacular in a way that warrants its place as one of the most beautiful places in South Africa..<br />
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4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Hogsback.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG00if-xpeupm7ul2MsWzH2iJ9feyjJyh_DqJkWJx9q1ZAm0a__0jCu4bp1MzjbevvluEb1-vQPYLLEG1z-l6EmNZH26wLKO_5vCKdPF6yDRz4ZUWZrxeZeT0CDQVt-7mzvCV_w/s1600/4ef10c74ca7088e02ac0d77cd2bf054d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDG00if-xpeupm7ul2MsWzH2iJ9feyjJyh_DqJkWJx9q1ZAm0a__0jCu4bp1MzjbevvluEb1-vQPYLLEG1z-l6EmNZH26wLKO_5vCKdPF6yDRz4ZUWZrxeZeT0CDQVt-7mzvCV_w/s320/4ef10c74ca7088e02ac0d77cd2bf054d.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madonna and Child Waterfall in Hogsback</td></tr>
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Hogsback is recognised by its three flat-topped mountains in the Amatole Mountains in the picturesque Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The area has some amazing views, beautiful green indigenous forests and animals such as Cape Parrots, Samango Monkeys and the stunning Knysna Loerie bird.<br />
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Intrepid travellers and tourists will find a number of beautiful waterfalls in the area. It is ideal for a romantic breakaway, hikes, extreme sports and for the art connoisseur this area has some very unique and beautiful art, which should elicit complimentary “oohs” and “ahs”.<br />
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Not only is Hogsback such a beautiful area, but it will touch your soul in ways you could not imagine possible. Based on my own experience you can visit here and three days later you will be stress-free when you drive back to civilisation. What a way to de-stress!<br />
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5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Tsitsikamma.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views on the Otter Trail</td></tr>
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Tsitsikamma is a Khoisan word meaning “place of much water” and has a high rainfall and temperate climate. It is located slap bang in the middle of the area known as the garden Route, which hosts some beautiful scenery and amazing views along the Cape South Coast.<br />
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The area is characterised by deep gorges leading to the Indian Ocean and includes 180m high cliffs. There are various outdoor activities available in the area including canoeing into deep water-logged gorges and zip lines. The Storms River has a couple of cable suspension bridges spanning it near its entry into the Indian Ocean.<br />
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The area is also known for the Otter Hiking Trail, which is a once-in-a-lifetime hiking experience. The hiking trail is tough and one crosses various rivers. It is impossible to time the hike to such an extent that you can cross all rivers at low tide, so be prepared to get wet. The trail is a five day experience stretching over 43km and includes phenomenal views and a closeness to nature you pay money to experience.<br />
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6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sodwana Bay Reef.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVznJTGaOW3vwokvBr7u3CXDsk_nbl7ROITZpGcgi95z6lT1XqqE9xAZHE0wYKqgM4PzOr5G7GUhyr5Ab3K8tMxkOxuU7nD_C_vvJdgKWrOuxJf2g3YuCG1gGr2B9VVurQEbFQmA/s1600/b6e15876f75dab1acc094705c1e1f730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVznJTGaOW3vwokvBr7u3CXDsk_nbl7ROITZpGcgi95z6lT1XqqE9xAZHE0wYKqgM4PzOr5G7GUhyr5Ab3K8tMxkOxuU7nD_C_vvJdgKWrOuxJf2g3YuCG1gGr2B9VVurQEbFQmA/s320/b6e15876f75dab1acc094705c1e1f730.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sodwana Bay Reef</td></tr>
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Sodwana Bay is a World Heritage Site and the reef there is the most southern coral reef in the world. It is situated on the South African East Coast and forms part of the St Lucia Wetlands Park and is rated by divers as one of the ten best diving spots in the world.<br />
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More than 1100 species of fish have been identified in the area and the lack of silt caused by no rivers flowing into the areas means visibility stands at an average of 12m with up to 40m on good days. A perfect diving area for scuba enthusiasts with water temperatures averaging 26 degrees Celsius.<br />
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In winter visibility is less due to all the Plankton in the water, but this again causes perfect conditions in which to view Whale Sharks and manta Rays. Humpback Whales are a common site from June to November and is a preferred aggregation sites of the pregnant ragged-tooth shark from November to March.<br />
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7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cape Point and Chapman’s Peak Drive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlelRCEtG-3jjLKGEmOXykiWm6YiQb6ytfw0ni8GdwE0-xiG4UkghEAUYq5gQe2y3zsOEnI3VtzsfBSVQoHTsFg1Wr4xRjfStVLDLasWYp8GdLVGQlK2d4p377XNvjSV9Ns6STFw/s1600/5eb1be6aa57768d146a8b3af1c308195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlelRCEtG-3jjLKGEmOXykiWm6YiQb6ytfw0ni8GdwE0-xiG4UkghEAUYq5gQe2y3zsOEnI3VtzsfBSVQoHTsFg1Wr4xRjfStVLDLasWYp8GdLVGQlK2d4p377XNvjSV9Ns6STFw/s400/5eb1be6aa57768d146a8b3af1c308195.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chapman's Peak Drive, Cape Point</td></tr>
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Chapman’s Peak Drive is one of the most spectacular roads in the world snaking around one of the most iconic capes in the world from Noordhoek to Hout Bay. In fact Chapman’s Peak Drive has been the backdrop for many shiny car television advertisements and can be found in various movies. Hardly a month goes by without some film crew filming on it.<br />
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The road is characterised by towering cliffs overhead and sheer drops to the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. When rounding Cape point one can actually see where the Oceans meet. When you have completed the 9km route you will realise you have just done something best described as iconic and you can definitely write home about it.<br />
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Chapman’s Peak Drive is now a toll road so to better preserve it and is seen as a venue of strategic economic importance to Cape Town, which is one of the iconic cities of the world. Cape Point is a World Heritage Site and nature reserve with about 7750 hectares of indigenous vegetation and animals such as baboon and Cape Mountain Zebra.<br />
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8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Cape Vidal Beach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape Vidal</td></tr>
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Cape Vidal is a beautiful beach nestled between Lake St Lucia in the West and the Indian Ocean in the east. It is a snorkelling and sport fishing paradise and falls within the St Lucia Marine Reserve. The shores of Lake St Lucia are home to Reedbuck, Crocodile, Buffalo and Hippos to name but a few and the Indian Ocean Coast boasts a wide white beach.<br />
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On the Eastern side it hosts fifty or more campsites in the forest next to the beach for those visiting to get the most out of the experience. This experience includes fishing and access to the beautiful and wild beach. On a good day you can see Dolphins as well.<br />
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Cape Vidal is near the site of the Dorothea shipwreck, a wooded barque which was lost in heavy weather on 31 January 1898. This vessel was said to be carrying gold from the old Transvaal. The whereabouts of the wreck is apparently unknown however snorkelers may come across a chain in the bay which is said to have come from the wreck.<br />
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9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Whales at Hermanus.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whales at Hermanus</td></tr>
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Hermanus on the South African South Coast along Walker Bay is said to be the best land-based Whale watching site in the world. In fact many will go as far as to say it’s the Whale watching capitol of the world. Southern Wright Whales visit Walker Bay from July until December. 60 To 100 of these amazing creatures come to Walker Bay annually and can swim to within 10m of the coast!<br />
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Hermanus is geared towards tourism and includes horse riding, paragliding, kayaking, shark cage diving, fishing, hiking, plane trips or you can simply go shopping in one of its upmarket shops or go swimming and sunbathing.<br />
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You can enjoy a meal on the shore and watch Whales breaching a short distance away. No other place in the world offers that type of experience and very few things are as stunning or impressive as a massive whale breaching. Definitely something to experience and to remember.<br />
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10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Baviaanskloof.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlInK00-ISP__4uPiDB4JMYB4uYnqPG6BQ4ojEwIGLjrngF-_3II65eHfU6AhbIYlP3qUsHUBCmOpHQPt5e8CbXrZLg_j5ekExOl9t8LObq2LpqqDG0dET5xrgiZCYg1K_JUzdw/s1600/69876352c8bdd1100c4eec3ff0a520fd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwlInK00-ISP__4uPiDB4JMYB4uYnqPG6BQ4ojEwIGLjrngF-_3II65eHfU6AhbIYlP3qUsHUBCmOpHQPt5e8CbXrZLg_j5ekExOl9t8LObq2LpqqDG0dET5xrgiZCYg1K_JUzdw/s400/69876352c8bdd1100c4eec3ff0a520fd.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baviaanskloof</td></tr>
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Another World Heritage Site in South Africa the Baviaanskloof can best be described as unspoilt nature at its best. It lies about 120km West of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province and comprises an area of roughly 270 000 ha and the route through it is about 203km in length.<br />
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The road through it snakes between green hills and in the rainy season you can see many small waterfalls. The area is known as the scenic wonderland of the Eastern Cape and hosts hiking trails, camping areas etc.<br />
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It is difficult to describe one aspect of the Baviaanskloof because one has the experience the full drive to totally comprehend it, but if you can drive through this area then take the opportunity. The spectacular scenery, silence, nature and clear starry nights will get you hooked at you will be back for more.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-72343853977119879942017-02-10T11:13:00.000+02:002017-02-10T11:14:12.988+02:00Effective Conflict Resolution<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFcE3Bd6VQ9mKPQ8xCpzn47p7tV9UagvhfkRMFQy-g-9g6SkzQtjy_lO43iR2hPaCcTIWgmVDoZRpmIgDPMRltEgPWxKoJ28znHmtrp9f1sbexeUfHf9xiJRthxB3FoeL1mG0dQ/s1600/Arbinger+aead6470b3b4e1ecd8470be19a8942fd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFcE3Bd6VQ9mKPQ8xCpzn47p7tV9UagvhfkRMFQy-g-9g6SkzQtjy_lO43iR2hPaCcTIWgmVDoZRpmIgDPMRltEgPWxKoJ28znHmtrp9f1sbexeUfHf9xiJRthxB3FoeL1mG0dQ/s400/Arbinger+aead6470b3b4e1ecd8470be19a8942fd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Arbinger Institute has been around for a while now. This world leading conflict resolution company was founded by C. Terry Warner PhD in the 1970's to help heal the world, based on what he learned when doing his PhD at Yale.<br />
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On the front page of Arbinger's <a href="http://www.arbinger.com/" target="_blank">website</a> it states <i>breakthrough results are only possible through a change in mindset we change mindset. </i>And changing mindset is what they do to such an extent that conflict resolution is within grasp for their well-trained facilitators.<br />
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The premise of their conflict resolution method is based on a very simple concept:<br />
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<b>When people discriminate it is because they are fulfilling a need. That need is to justify their feelings about another person or group of people.</b></blockquote>
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When anybody sits down and systematically evaluates his/her feelings about another they find most of their fears are ungrounded. Once you have decided how to see others your set in place a method of checks and balances to meet your justifications. You are not evaluating others, you are trying to find as many square pieces to fit your square puzzle and you ignore other shapes.<br />
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What has happened is that you have placed yourself in a box as soon as you seek justification for your ideas about another. At Arbinger they talk about "getting out of the box". This is attained by cultivating an <i>Outward Mindest</i>.<br />
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The <i>Arbinger Pyramid of Influence</i> above is a broad indication of the steps to be followed. Cultivating an Outward Mindset means you have to decide to get out of the box first and then you have to start seeing others as human beings and not as objects, which is what lead to your inward mindset in the first place. Following these steps should lead to effective conflict resolution in all facets of life.<br />
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The Arbinger Institute has published three books. These are <i>Leadership and Self-deception, The Anatomy of Peace</i> and the latest offering is <i>The Outward Mindset</i>. The latest book offers practical ways to cultivate this outward mindset. I should mention that their methods have been effective in many spheres of life and that includes even resolving conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. More about this is available on their site.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626567158/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1626567158&linkCode=as2&tag=wklokow-20&linkId=068b556d74b0cdd5a18f5b69919a0395" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=1626567158&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=wklokow-20" /></a></div>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=wklokow-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1626567158" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Conflict resolution in as far as we have been practicing it has never been fully effective. Here the Arbinger team are changing things effectively and easily. Maybe we should start utilising these methods. This book is a life changer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-64575768022297801732017-01-31T09:32:00.000+02:002017-02-01T16:29:23.570+02:00Sukhoi SU-35 - Mean Machine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXBC6IUIQn08c3dlulvDs3gDblkauQ9Rlkk-LwDacEigv2CQcjEBEU0y6FxRJjvHYDgF0JNNk8qsN2WSHLIWgJmSPAEC6qn1I0Ln5bXefUbdZ9eUd7YyvU7XNxjIwWFPrJwstOg/s1600/sukhoi+23_sukhoi_su-35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbXBC6IUIQn08c3dlulvDs3gDblkauQ9Rlkk-LwDacEigv2CQcjEBEU0y6FxRJjvHYDgF0JNNk8qsN2WSHLIWgJmSPAEC6qn1I0Ln5bXefUbdZ9eUd7YyvU7XNxjIwWFPrJwstOg/s400/sukhoi+23_sukhoi_su-35.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not only is the Sukhoi Su-35 probably the most beautiful looking fighter aircraft in the world, but it is one mean machine as well with impressive performance.</div>
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The Flanker-E (NATO designation) is a single seat twin engine supermaneuverable multirole fighter. It was built to bridge the gap between legacy fighters and the fifth generation Sukhoi PAK FA.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sMLU8BZVMlUXfysqOkLb9UJ3T3m2cPy6dfvpb5hyphenhyphenGkjjboimost1F-EhDTlTnYHnTRaA9hr5pbsNClVFTNVRtBCQaMwEhQlwQYykjlEiJkSHNld00kXq0pjwBDwaTreefjSK3g/s1600/sukhoi+15017942491771239157411062451419012114525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sMLU8BZVMlUXfysqOkLb9UJ3T3m2cPy6dfvpb5hyphenhyphenGkjjboimost1F-EhDTlTnYHnTRaA9hr5pbsNClVFTNVRtBCQaMwEhQlwQYykjlEiJkSHNld00kXq0pjwBDwaTreefjSK3g/s400/sukhoi+15017942491771239157411062451419012114525.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It's primary air to air missiles include the R-37 with a range of 30km. The R-37 is a highly maneuverable heat seeking missile. The pilot can lock onto a target by simply looking at it. This gives him/her a significant advantage in a dogfight where he can lock on with ranges as low as 300m. The R-27 has a range of 130km and are radar homing. The R-77 is a fire and forget missile with a range of 80km. The R-37 has a range of up to 400km.</div>
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It can carry stores which include rockets and missiles and has a 30mm cannon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieT9WWdFJncAzUBwhpGYdMl08k-9SmSpUHbovZ6Y4zQnI22vZ5J4VzHIcigZgb2IVkQ1WXM3PeqSDKIfTItAwGMHFUh614ASl2VyV8hyphenhyphen7Kne9Pnj5G0kPNyg8hAbXBZmDBX-hyKw/s1600/sukhoi+35_large_152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieT9WWdFJncAzUBwhpGYdMl08k-9SmSpUHbovZ6Y4zQnI22vZ5J4VzHIcigZgb2IVkQ1WXM3PeqSDKIfTItAwGMHFUh614ASl2VyV8hyphenhyphen7Kne9Pnj5G0kPNyg8hAbXBZmDBX-hyKw/s400/sukhoi+35_large_152.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Its thrust to weight ratio is 1.13 with 50% fuel, which means it can climb vertically. The F-22 for example has a thrust to weight ratio of 1.08 and the outdated F-15's is 1.07. All of these actually do worse against the Eurofighter Typhoon with a thrust to weight ratio of 1.15.</div>
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With the Su-35 performing this well one can only wonder how the new PAK FA will perform. While we wait for the PAK FA to enter service we can enjoy the sleek lines and superb performance of the Su-35 so long.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-56391252418547780382017-01-29T08:57:00.002+02:002017-02-01T16:30:13.549+02:00Weekly quote or thought - Kelly Mcgonigal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzzhSXxfn4FV3AWc8QZJTc2RuyWJE9wGIh_6VM7vitnlByrtXzPxcxihOc3kiA0UQJOZkqkHxup3wwffYvmrP2ZIfU3G78pwFdewaXl7iZTEz9KNL5KQS5oQphofBWCcwlOWiRg/s1600/Kelly+mcgo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWzzhSXxfn4FV3AWc8QZJTc2RuyWJE9wGIh_6VM7vitnlByrtXzPxcxihOc3kiA0UQJOZkqkHxup3wwffYvmrP2ZIfU3G78pwFdewaXl7iZTEz9KNL5KQS5oQphofBWCcwlOWiRg/s400/Kelly+mcgo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-40098083442795956382017-01-26T13:30:00.001+02:002017-02-01T16:31:24.038+02:00Kelly Mcgonigal's life-changing talk about stress on TED in 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogyb7i3fs751MwQnmASSzkNggFNHeOdaUVhvBVebfvI0X5RVK4qAB96C26O_WGLrZLzFWDOs8g15bj9goPdzK7Kd-U4UFaTZCMeHJAYsg-I0NNHoBpQRGVyMWSyRIkGkZkW_yJw/s1600/kelly+Mcg+e87188cac214399dd4d253585bd0698f395b40e7_1600x1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogyb7i3fs751MwQnmASSzkNggFNHeOdaUVhvBVebfvI0X5RVK4qAB96C26O_WGLrZLzFWDOs8g15bj9goPdzK7Kd-U4UFaTZCMeHJAYsg-I0NNHoBpQRGVyMWSyRIkGkZkW_yJw/s400/kelly+Mcg+e87188cac214399dd4d253585bd0698f395b40e7_1600x1200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Dr Kelly Mcgonigal is a health psychologist and lectures at Stanford University.<br />
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In 2013 she appeared in a <a href="http://ted.com/" target="_blank">TED</a> video entitled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU" target="_blank">"How to make stress your friend"</a> (See video below).<br />
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In the video the following two main points were made by her and caused quite a stir:<br />
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Firstly, she claimed that according to a study people who think positive thoughts about their stress are not negatively affected by the stress because their blood vessels do not constrict. Therefore their bodies cope better with the stress conditions they find themselves in.<br />
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Secondly she claimed that Oxytocin is a stress hormone, excreted during stress to regenerate the physical damage stress could have on the body.<br />
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If she is right it would mean what society teaches us about stress is wrong and it would also mean that we should more often accept the fact that the way we think influences our physical beings.<br />
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What Dr Mcgonigal is saying is that if you are experiencing stress you should view it as your body reacting in the correct way and that the reaction is there to help you. As soon as you see the stress as negative you become sicker.<br />
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With this in mind, imagine the strength we have to change our bodies physically by means of our thinking.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RcGyVTAoXEU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RcGyVTAoXEU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-24595658803376558742017-01-23T22:25:00.000+02:002017-02-01T16:31:54.327+02:00Weekly quote or thought - Nisargadatta Maharaj<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKsA9MQ8CCzZLO04qLek79-_w3GfwEbsyK53w6HOgz1O6XzOJJgNwDRxFU_5gLK5RZWByclfAjY0Z5aCO_57ooOqPQaaVy4VcDj2pOl9mqOoKf9ZIC5yLQI1ywByZIi7AvKK40A/s1600/14da24905dd0a1f5b42337d9d873f40a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKsA9MQ8CCzZLO04qLek79-_w3GfwEbsyK53w6HOgz1O6XzOJJgNwDRxFU_5gLK5RZWByclfAjY0Z5aCO_57ooOqPQaaVy4VcDj2pOl9mqOoKf9ZIC5yLQI1ywByZIi7AvKK40A/s400/14da24905dd0a1f5b42337d9d873f40a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-67095105889117009212017-01-23T06:55:00.000+02:002017-02-01T16:32:32.897+02:00The Psychological effect of the sniper in the battle arena<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN9QBpacyxqi4vBp8_oV3ig479wsNqDz0axc1tRZQs8GJLEoQ1kF599ouIRlwXlA-XvN3B6GRHvXqyjr0lNuSLS0gpXNl3BlBdGmJwwkhKqego54YS-kK1LgqTTkKDwKoFoctMQ/s1600/sniper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN9QBpacyxqi4vBp8_oV3ig479wsNqDz0axc1tRZQs8GJLEoQ1kF599ouIRlwXlA-XvN3B6GRHvXqyjr0lNuSLS0gpXNl3BlBdGmJwwkhKqego54YS-kK1LgqTTkKDwKoFoctMQ/s400/sniper.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A soldier loses motivation very quickly and those less well trained may refuse to move forward at all when he/she is required to move forward under sniper fire. The last thing a commander needs is to have his squad or platoon freeze and stop in conditions where the going was relatively easy up to that point, due to accurate or even inaccurate sniper fire.<br />
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Just like with IED’s there is very little soldiers can do to prevent getting killed by a sniper. Imagine this: your squad is tasked with mopping up an area of the last remaining enemy. Morale is high due to the successes you have had. The only casualty up to this point was when Johnny Smith was struck in the cheek by a tiny piece of shrapnel. He will live and have a great scar to boot as well.<br />
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Moving forward your radio orderly suddenly goes down with a shot to the head. You are slow to cover and the squad leader gets killed by the next shot. You find cover, but since you are exposed due to not knowing where the sniper is shooting from your SAW gunner goes down. Suddenly there are only five of you left and by the time this fight is over there are only four of your squad left and the squad is combat ineffective. The platoon commander must shift resources and the rest of you are stuck with latrine duty until you receive replacements. Morale has plummeted and some of you will go home with PTSD, which means you and your families will suffer, probably for the rest of your life.<br />
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One man or woman with a sniper rifle and the ability to shoot straight can turn a situation on its head and many of them even more so. A soldier fights for the men and women around him. Especially in wars of today where there is a large economic motivation, many soldiers feel they are fighting for the wrong reason and even if they are fighting for the right reason those they fight with are still very important to them. They do not want to see them get hurt.<br />
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Except for the fact that one hidden sniper can stop the advance, he/she can wound one of your comrades with a belly shot in the open. If the sniper chose his/her position well and you have no effective air support that wounded soldier can cry out for a long time. The sound of hearing a comrade wounded is extremely unnerving and you will remember that for a long time. This situation can also bait more soldiers to try to save their comrade, leading to further casualties as the sniper waits to pick them off.<br />
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As you can see the psychological effect of a sniper can be devastating in terms of creating psychologically scarred soldiers and bringing morale way down. Once morale plummets discipline also tends to go. Resources must be shifted once again. PTSD scarred soldiers who go home make their families part of the casualty count and this may give impetus to the anti-war effort one always finds. You start losing the will of the people and you start losing the war.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-84351654754565744322017-01-19T14:18:00.000+02:002017-02-01T16:32:52.931+02:00Women in the Military - Why still the same old issue?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes, we are still discussing this after hundreds if not thousands of years of women being part of military traditions, units, wars and defense forces. From Joan of Arc to Boudica to the women who were forced to fight due to the situations they found themselves in or who wanted to fight like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Clayton" target="_blank">Frances Clayton</a> who disguised herself as a man to serve in the Union Army during the American Civil War. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Sampson" target="_blank">Deborah Sampson </a>also disguised herself as a man to fight for the Continental Army against the British in the American Revolutionary War.<br />
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What is strange is that these women wanted to fight, but were not permitted for whatever reason. Why do we presume to decide for other people? When it comes to the LGBT community we also presume to decide who people may and may not love.<br />
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Women are in the same category as anybody who are not part of the patriarchal society of whichever culture in the world in modern society. In early societies women were <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/may/14/early-men-women-equal-scientists" target="_blank">equal to men</a> according to this article posted in the Guardian.<br />
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The Iroquois tribe actually let their women choose the chiefs of the tribe. These women would decide which men would serve in the Great Council and the same women would start and stop wars.<br />
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Women are part of our society and have played a major part in all of our history. Let's stop presuming to think for them. If a woman wants to serve in the military, stop trying to tell her she must be able to do the same things as men? Why is that the measure? There are many jobs women can do easily and some jobs only a few women can do. The same can be said of men.<br />
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I say allow women to serve in whichever branch of the military they want to. If a woman can do the job, whatever the job is, why should we stop her? If she cannot, just like with any man, do not allow him or her to do the job.<br />
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I suppose we still have a long way to go to realise what is important in life, and gender equality is not the problem, it's one of the symptoms of a greater problem. What that problem is I still have to determine.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-88382309865798677282017-01-18T09:21:00.001+02:002017-01-18T09:22:20.682+02:00The Effective Management of Nothing - For South African Bureaucrats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpnDS57xLTheT7l3HMe5QhbhAizrUMNWoaUHqQAg1pyo_AzKzWLMc1eYdXvz9mhIIruD8U1JgtGhu3VNVGCEKF4t1BlJYoL8UDY11LHnE0_fm_g3Nlvo2EZmuvTv4vfh0PwM-Zg/s1600/bureaucracy-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpnDS57xLTheT7l3HMe5QhbhAizrUMNWoaUHqQAg1pyo_AzKzWLMc1eYdXvz9mhIIruD8U1JgtGhu3VNVGCEKF4t1BlJYoL8UDY11LHnE0_fm_g3Nlvo2EZmuvTv4vfh0PwM-Zg/s400/bureaucracy-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In order to manage nothing ensure one has aquired enough of nothing to begin with. Too little of nothing is not worth the effort and too much of nothing may lead to something. The last thing one needs is a little of something aquired from having too much of nothing. Now once one has enough of nothing one can do something like filing nothing in a file entitled "Managing Nothing." One should ensure that one has placed nothing inside a container marked "My Nothing" first. It would not help if one had a file pertaining to nothing, but had no nothing to actually show for one's efforts. Now once one has aquired nothing and filed it under nothing one can do things like looking at it daily so as to ensure that one still has nothing and that it did not change into something. If for some reason one finds that one suddenly has something or even worse, no nothing, one should try to engage in an activity or engage in nothing so as to aquire more nothing. Once one has learned to manage nothing effectively one may suddenly find one has absolutely nothing. Once one has absolutely nothing one may rest assured that one will never have something, anything or everything.<br />
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The truely effective managers of nothing have the ability to promote nothing in such a way that many people will sponsor nothing based on absolutely no proof that nothing exists or that nothing is managed affectively. The reason for this it seems is that everybody wants something and in order to get something they need to act like the managers of nothing are managing nothig effectively. The absence of actual effective management of nothing is not something the people are really interested in. As long as nothing is managed they believe that everything is alright. Nothing irritates sponsors of nothing as much as when managers of something or -everything try to put down the managers of nothing as actually managing nothing and not not managing nothing effectively.<br />
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Thus it is of extreme importance that our future managers of nothing read this so as to ensure that they manage nothing effectively and not fall into the pitfalls of managing something or everything. Remember, nothing means as much as having effectively managed nothing to show for one's efforts.<br />
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This memo was written for absolutely no reason by absolutely nobody and has nothing to do with anything, something or everything, but has definately something to do with nothing.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-78785467598274396812017-01-15T15:28:00.003+02:002017-02-01T16:33:27.930+02:00Keep your religious beliefs to yourself<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQyqzoTJvUQSJ93vCGR4HipSmvSx_Gn2yQMSlIXmy7HyiGpi19DOyD6Jv3zvfsNbNgzVYNagK55cSdjFUW7pqokuuJNGRyWPgb8UosRkXxaft_UYF0RTVEJ4f7GJD7ArVvW-Pew/s1600/Slide15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQyqzoTJvUQSJ93vCGR4HipSmvSx_Gn2yQMSlIXmy7HyiGpi19DOyD6Jv3zvfsNbNgzVYNagK55cSdjFUW7pqokuuJNGRyWPgb8UosRkXxaft_UYF0RTVEJ4f7GJD7ArVvW-Pew/s320/Slide15.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Life is better figured out from your perspective, because when you try to add the perspectives of others to your equation, it may not make sense anymore, even if it should. It also does not mean the other person is wrong, it simply means their perspective is different to yours.<br />
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When you try and convince other people your religious beliefs are the only ones that are accurate, you do not take into account that the beliefs of the other person has been shaped differently. You cannot possibly know what the other party has been through on their journey.<br />
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When you try and enforce your religious beliefs you turn out like the religious fanatics of the world like ISIS or right wing Christians. That leads to conflict and is caused because you probably do not understand your own religion yet, because all religions are about love.<br />
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The same could be said about Atheism. Keep your views to yourself because you can be a militant Atheist as well or at the very least a passive aggressive Atheist. These different belief systems are all part of the same problem when you try and enforce them on others or simply constantly verbally attack othersUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564701.post-13744555254155915932017-01-15T10:52:00.000+02:002017-02-01T16:33:45.737+02:00Weekly quote or thought - Emily Maroutian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0