Springbok Squad announcement

The naming of the Springbok squad has raised a number of eyebrows.  I think there are a number of fringe players who missed out and a number of inclusions who are extremely happy that they are there.  Before discussing the selected players in more detail, lets first stand still at the coach. 


Heineke Meyer is a coach who walked a long road with the Bulls.  He is the father of their current playing pattern and they understand his way of thinking.  It would therefore, rightly or wrongly, be expected that he would have the majority of his squad come from the Bulls.  I just hope that this does not mean we are also going to fall into the Bulls pattern for the Boks, as it can be beaten if defended correctly.  We have seen it happen in a couple of coaches before, where they form the bulk of their side from a single province/franchise and then basically take on that pattern of play.


Lets start with the detail discussion of the squad: (Name, team and number of test caps)

Fullbacks

Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 14)

Talented fullback, who never equalled the success he had at the Griquas, since moving to the Bulls.   His season has not been one of the best and he has been nothing more than a fair player.  Very lucky to be here.  Is versatile and can play wing and centre with ease.

Patrick Lambie (The Sharks, 11)

Young man who has shown us again and again what a great talent he is.  Is not only the best fullback in the country, but also must be a serious contender at no 10.  He can also slot in at centre if there is a crises.  Good running and attacking player, with an educated boot to knock over the kicks to the poles.  Young, exciting player who was never in any doubt for the squad.

Gio Aplon must be the unlucky player at fullback.  How is Kirchner selected and not him?  Only Heineke can tell us that.  Small player with a massive heart and very big BMT.  The problem is that Gio will probably not make a starting line-up and that is where the problem comes is.  Is he good enough to fill one of three spots on a bench?  Should, however, still be a better choice that Zane.

Wings

Bjorn Basson (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 6)

One of the best finishers in the business with blistering pace and excellent chaser of a ball.  Always a good back-up if one of the front line contenders gets injured

JJ Engelbrecht (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 0)

Played excellent rugby last year for the Stormers and Western Province on the wing and have been filling in at centre for the Bulls.  Is keeping Johan Sadie out of the Bulls team and that has got to mean something – not that the move to the Bulls has done anything for Sadie’s rugby – but I do not believe that this is his time at this level yet.  We have great wings and centres that have already played for the Springboks and is at any day at the same level as JJ.  A talent for the future.

Bryan Habana (DHL Western Province, 74)

Bryan has had a bad come-back after injury and has battled to find form.  He is, however, returning to his best form and with 80% form and 74 test matches he must be in the starting line-up.  He is a magical player that wins matches for you with his incredible acceleration and speed.

Lwazi Mvovo (The Sharks, 4)

This man deserves a place with yet another good season.  The problem is that I do not think he can make a starting line-up, but like Bjorn Basson he is an excellent back-up to have in a squad.  Strong and fast and an excellent defender.

JP Pietersen (The Sharks, 42)

I know that there are many people who do not like JP Pietersen, but he is as good as you get it.  He has a very good BMT and has proved that over and over at international level.  He is a speedster that looks like he is on a canter when he runs, but combined with his strength and great defence; he is also a must for a starting line-up.

The unlucky wing is probably Willie le Roux.  This Boland winger has played very well for the Cheetahs and has turned himself into a household name halfway through the season already.  Yes, he probably will not make the squad in the near future either, but I can promise you, he will not let you down.

Centres

Jean de Villiers (DHL Western Province, 72)

With 72 tests as centre and wing for South Africa, he is our most experienced midfielder.  A very good player and leader, with a little blotch against his name with some dismal defence.  Although a must for the midfield, I somehow always feal cheated by him.  I always feel as if I can still expect more from him.

Wynand Olivier (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 34)

It took many years for a Bok coach to realize that Wynand is nothing more than a very average centre when Jake White dropped him the first time.  Under Pieter de Villiers, the centre with the sticky hands fell totally out of favour, just for Heineke to praise him in the press and let him bounce right back into the squad!  I cannot think that this is only because of his Bulls connection.  Very lucky to be here.

Frans Steyn (The Sharks, 47)

Very talented lost son who has returned from the cold.  Franscois has always been one of the stars of SA rugby and I am so happy that the Sharks have secured his services for the next couple of seasons.  If he is fit, you make place for him anywhere in the team!

On top of the list of unlucky centres must be Juan de Jong.  Juan de Jong is a great centre in the old tradition that can run and step well and is a solid defender.  Has never let the Boks or the Stormers down.  Why is he not in the squad????  Choice between him and Wynand should have been obvious, but obviously I got it wrong!

Robert Ebersohn is one of the player whom I really feel for.  He is such a talented youngster and will unfortunately probably never reach the Bok team.  I am, however, confident that he can play in a test side and will not let you down.

Flyhalves

Elton Jantjies (MTN Golden Lions, 0)

This youngster deserves all the credit he gets.  He can run, kick and defend very well and has a very mature head on his young shoulders.  If he did not play for the Lions, but rather the Bulls or Stormers, he could have been our number one choice at flyhalf very easily.

Morné Steyn (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 34)

Morne Steyn is Mr Dependable.  There is nothing to get excited about his rugby, but he is one hell of a point scoring machine.  This is probably his last year as the Bok flyhalf as the young Johan Goosen – if he stays uninjured in future – will be the logical choice to take over.

The first unlucky person at flyhalf must be Peter Grant.  He plays some of the best rugby of his career at this stage and really deserves a chance.  Unfortunately Mr Dependable is the man in the job and with Lambie and other youngsters around; he is not likely to ever get true action in the green and gold.

Butch James is a must in any squad.  He may not be the number one in the country anymore, but he has proven for the Lions that he has a very calming influence on the rest of the players around him.  You may want to keep him around in the squad for crises and to help the youngsters.  Maybe not the right decision to leave him out.

Scrumhalves

Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 15)

Since the departure of Fourie du Preez, he is probable the best scrumhalf in the country.  I do still feel that he is still not playing up to his full potential at scrumhalf, so watch this space – he can only improve.

Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, Ireland, 51)

Experience must have given Ruan the nod.  He has just come off a great season for Ulster as his foot and general play was a huge part of their success.  If he is good enough to really still be a Bok is an open question.  Heineke must have thought of the versatility he brings to the team as his best position will always be on the bench.  I think he is too slow behind the scrum to be a test scrumhalf, yet the fact is that he can help out in any position in the backline in case of an emergency.  In the old days of tours, he would have been one of the first to ink in into the squad.  Now, he is very lucky to be given another life.

Jano Vermaak (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 0)

This is a shocker!  Jano Vermaak is a competent scrumhalf and I wonder how much his Blue Bull ties have to do with his selection.  Jano has two major problems.  Firstly, he always gives a step before passing the ball.  That gives the opposition just that split second more to move up on defence.  Secondly, he has a long history of penalties in crucial times in matches.  Yes, it may be my perception, but it is the first think that comes to mind when I hear his name.  I wonder why the Lions did not want him anymore…..

The Sharks scrumhalf, Charl McLeod, is in very good form and I think he can be very disappointed not to make the squad in place of Jano Vermaak.

Loose forwards

Willem Alberts (The Sharks, 9)

Any guy that can crack Schalk Burger’s rib in a tackle deserves respect.  I know that the Super rugby statistics shows that Willem is one of the players who actually miss the most tackles, but when he hits you, you know you are hit!  He makes such an impact through his ball carrying ability that you cannot ignore him.  Where Juan Smith played with a lot more poise, Alberts is direct and to the point.

Marcell Coetzee (The Sharks, 0)

One of the finds of the season!  This opensider made a huge impact on SA rugby when he appeared from nowhere in the Sharks team.  He is fast, strong and a very good ball-carrier.  Started off the bench and when the front line loose forwards in the Shark team got injured, he grabbed his chance.  Keeping players like Ryan Kankowski and  Jean Deysel out of the starting line-up tells you what calibre he is.  Thoroughly deserves his place.

Keegan Daniel (The Sharks, 1)

Probably the fastest and most hardworking loose forward in the country.  Keegan always plays his heart out and is a very disciplined player who cannot be ignored.  He has come up trumps against very good opposition.  I am very happy for him that he gets a chance in the squad.  Will he start a test is debateable, but he is a very competent replacement.

Ryan Kankowski (The Sharks, 19)

Fit and on form he is the best ball carrying No 8 in the country.  He has blistering pace off the back of the scrum and is a very dangerous runner that has all the tricks to beat his opponents.  I am, however, a little concerned as he has played very little rugby this year and also that fact that his previous test matches have not been good.  Is the step up a little steep for him?  Time will surely tell.

Jacques Potgieter (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 0)

Since he moved from the EP Kings to the Bulls, Jacques was outstanding.  I am happy for him that he made it to the squad and just hopes that he is fit after a lengthy layoff due to injury.  Before his injury he forced himself into the Bulls side after exploding a couple of times off the bench.  If he is fit, he deserves his place in the group.

Pierre Spies (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 47)

The captaincy of the Bulls has not done Pierre well.  Nick Mallet alluded to this as Pierre has been blowing hot and cold all season.  The injury to Duanne Vermeulen has probably saved Spies his test place, but he must pull up his socks.  He is a good ball carrier and has good pace, but he needs to play more in open spaces than just thundering into the opposition as he has been doing with the Bulls.  His is a very strong and quick loose forward and he needs to capitalize on that by attacking the open space more.  His experience will give him a tick behind his name, especially if Coetzee is one of the flanks.

There are three or even four players who could be a tad unlucky not to be in the group.  The first is Siya Kolisi.  He has been superb for the Stormers and in the match or two he missed, it was clearly visible.  The loss of Schalk Burger to injury was devastating for the Stormers, but Kolisi has played his heart out to fill that void.  

The second player is Heinrich Brussow.  He is a current Springbok and only due to his experience he probably should have been part of the squad.  The statistics have shown him not to be so effective this year and straight on form, I do not think he deserves a place in the starting line-up, but he is still not someone to forget.  

The third player I want to mention will probably not make a test side in his career, but he plays his heart out every week.  That player is the Lions captain, Josh Strauss.  I wish there was a place for him as he deserves a call-up, but unfortunately there are just so many good loose forwards that I cannot find place for him.

The final player I want to make a special note on, is the ex SA Schools captain, CJ Stander.  This is not his time yet, but he is another payer who has really grabbed the opportunity that presented itself at the Bulls with the injury to Deon Stegmann.  Watch this guy in the future.  i believe his best position is at number 8.

Locks

Eben Etzebeth (DHL Western Province, 0)

The gem that crawled through the cracks in Cape Town   At the beginning of the season no-one had heard of this youngster.  Then injury opened the door when Rynhardt Elstadt got injured and a new star was born.  The twenty year old grabbed the opportunity and is together with Juandré Kruger the locks of the season.  The injury to Andries Bekker may have cost Eszebeth a place I the starting linup, but this is a star which is going to shine very bright for us I future.  He really deserves this place in the squad.

Juandré Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 0)

The new Victor Matfield.  That is how the Bulls see this youngster.  He started this season with a bang when he got his opportunity and is another one of the very mobile locks we are so blessed to have in South Africa.  Another rising star of the future.

Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 11)

If you want yellow cards, this is the man.  Flip is unfortunately a player who is slowly building a reputation as the new Bakkies Botha of SA rugby.  Not remembered for all the good things, but for the bad.  He is a touch lock, but like Bakkies, but his ill-discipline may cost the Boks at a crucial stage.  Heineke will probably select Flip and Juandré as a combination, but the former really needs to tighten up his discipline.  If he behaves, he is a definite starter for the Boks.

Franco van der Merwe (MTN Golden Lions, 0)

I am happy that Franco made the squad.  He is also one of the unsung heroes of the Lions team and is a very capable replacement.  I do not think he will under normal circumstances make a starting line-up, but he is a competent replacement at any time as a lock or flank.

The unlucky person here, who may have gotten a nod before Franco, is Rynhardt Elstadt.  This young lock is forced into the flank by a brilliant Eben Esabeth and a million loose forward injuries at the Stormers, but prior to his injury, he was an excellent lock partner to Andries Bekker.  He could have easily gotten the tick before Franco if he was still playing lock.  He does, however; also seem to have a slight discipline problem like Flip, but maybe that is the enforcer role we need in our pack.

Props

Jannie du Plessis (The Sharks, 30)

I don’t think there is any doubt about Jannie du Plessis’ place in the squad and he should be anchoring the test side at tighthead.

Werner Kruger (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 2)

A consistently good performer for the Bulls and more than adequate back-up for Dr Du Plessis as the anchor in the scrum.   No arguments about his capability and he deserves his place.

Tendai Mtawarira (The Sharks, 32)

A team without the Beast is unthinkable.  He is the most dynamic prop in South Africa that can scrum and run very well with the ball.  Out and out the best loosehead prop in South Africa.

Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota FS Cheetahs, 0)

This is a talent for the future, but I do not believe that time is now.  This youngster needs to show a lot more maturity and improved technique before I will rate him as an international tight forward.  The day he grows up and stops the side-shows and concentrate on fixing the little issues in his scrummaging, he can become a force in world rugby.  He is young and can play both sides of the scrum, but is also by far the prop who gets penalized the most for illegal scrimmaging and seems to be more concerned about how he does the Campese goose-step than doing his work in the engine room.   A very lucky player to be here, but he follows on the back of other overrated props that represented South Africa, like Guthro Steenkamp,  Ollie le Roux and CJ vd Linde (funny that they all had there initiation into first class rugby in the Freestate).  The public like them for their acting and not rugby.  Under the correct guidance Coenie can be a star of the future.

Two players who must have come close to selection in the squad are Dean Greyling from the Bulls and Pat Cilliers of the Lions.  Dean is a good, hard and honest player who does a lot of the dirty work in the Bulls team and is very much part of the Bulls’ success.  The same with Pat Cilliers.  He did not get the chance to really step into the limelight at the Sharks as he had to compete with the Bok front row, but at the Lions he is really becoming a star.  I feel sorry for him that he did not get a chance in the squad.

Hookers

Bismarck du Plessis (The Sharks, 42)

If you talk hookers, Bismarck’s name will come up.  He is a very strong and hard player which turns over a lot of ball.  He is now an experienced player that scares the hell out of his opponents due to his big and strong biceps.  He is, however, not a better scrummager than Adriaan Strauss or Chiliboy Ralepelle.  His form has also not been the best this season, but it would be unthinkable not to go into the test without him at number two.

Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Blue Bulls, 21)

Unfortunately Chiliboy in in the wrong generation.  This hooker is one of the most underestimated players in the country and under different circumstances he could have been the Boks’ captain.  Unfortunately his career coincides with greats like John Smith and Bismarck du Plessis and that will unfortunately never see Chillibiy reach the heights he deserves.  A very competent replacement.

Adriaan Strauss (Toyota FS Cheetahs, 9)

The hardest worker in SA rugby.  This man is Mr 100% all the time.  He is not as naturally talented as a Bismarck or Chilliboy, but he makes up with it through hard work and a lot of heart.  An inspirational leader, which can also very easily captain the Boks if required and he is the cement of the Cheetahs team.  Without his leadership and inspirational play, they always look very vulnerable. He is a more than competent substitution whenever required.

A special mention here is Tiaan Liebenberg.  He will probably not make any squad if there are no serious injuries, but he is also one of the hardest workers in SA rugby.  Very much like Adriaan Strauss.

That concludes my discussion on the first Springbok squad of 2012.  By now we know that Jean de Villiers has been selected as captain.  Good luck boys, I believe you will make us proud.

That's my opinion!

I am so tired of political correctness!

Many things have happened to me and the people around me in life and I get it.  I get it that there were atrocities in the past that needs to be fixed.  I get it that the playing fields need to be levelled.  I get it that it will take years until the imbalances of the past is fixed.  What I cannot get is this ugly thing called political correctness.

Unlike the word choice of the term and what I wrote in the previous paragraph, this word has nothing per se to do with politics.  It is a term used when someone says the “middle of the road” thing not to upset anyone else.  It is when decisions are taken as not to possibly offend someone.

I see it happening all around me every day.  There is not a better place to see the evidence than on television.  You have a program, where there are judges, then one is white, one is black, one probably coloured or Indian and one definitely a woman.  Why?  Not because they were the best choices, but rather because they were the politically correct choices.  At the end of day it does not really mean that these people were the best qualified people for the job, but rather only the “correct” choices.  Who cares about quality at the end of the day?

Don’t ever confuse this with affirmative action.  Oops no, we cannot say that anymore.  It is employment equity!  Why can we not call a spade a spade?  I understand the need for affirmative action, but let’s call it by name then.  Then we all know what is happening and why it happened.

Just take management structures in companies, sports teams, TV adds, etc.  We always hear that there are no quotas imposed on any of these, but they are expected to represent the demographics of the country.  Yet, they are all picked or elected straight on merit!  Excuse me?  What does that mean?  That is just giving affirmative action a nice name.  Let’s be honest with it!

I just love companies that advertise job vacancies and says straight next to the advert that it is an AA position!  They are honest and everyone knows what they want and there is no argument.  I hate it when you see a job vacancy that has a little clause at the bottom that reads: ‘All our appointments are made in line with the demographics of the country” or something stupid like that.  Great guys!  When I apply for a job, do I fall inside those lines?  If you have five white managers and you need a black one, don’t open the advert for all races and the cover yourself at the end of the day by saying you have to appoint a black manager as your structure needs to represent…you know the rest.  Why waste people’s time by not telling them openly what you are looking for?  Because you want to be politically correct!

Why can we not have people just speak the truth.  For example, the one that is always a highly debated point is the beloved Springbok Rugby team.  Nooo, there are no quotas.  Yet every time a new team is selected, someone complains.  Why don’t we just come straight out and say that we want to have a team that are made up of x black players, x white players and x coloured players.  Then everyone knows exactly where they stand.  That is straight affirmative action and none of this political correctness where we pussyfoot around the subject.

The problem is that people abused affirmative action by doing window dressing.  That it is why it became politically incorrect to call a spade a spade.  It is because of the negativity created through window dressing where people who were obviously not qualified are put into positions to make the numbers look right.  It is not something unique to any country in the world, it happens all over where minorities are protected or imbalances of past history are trying to be forced corrected.  That created this political correctness issue.  People do not want to hear the truth.

There is nothing wrong with affirmative action.  If a group of people were not given equal opportunities in the past to compete on a level playing field, the concept of affirmative action is implemented to try and fix the past mistakes.  It does, however, not mean that totally unqualified people should be moved into position or teams just because they suit the right profile.  Affirmative action was never about doing window dressing, by putting the right face in place, but rather about developing the right face!  The process wants companies/sports teams to develop the correct faces for the jobs.  

I have a friend...

I have a friend who is dying.... Yes, it is a terrible thing to say, but it is true. Then again, I have lots of friends who are dying. Is it not true that you start dying the day you are born? Is it not true that life itself is a fatal disease? Yes it is, but that does not help my friend at all. My friend is destined - according to medical facts - to die prematurely. let me tell you about her.
She lives far across the world from me and I met her one day on Skype. Since then I have come to get to know her very well. She is a nineteen year old cheerful teenager with dreams like any other teenager - except for the fact that she has a critical condition. I am not going to bore you with the scientific name, but she has a kidney disease that give her about another five years maximum to live. That is if you believe the medical practitioners.
Since learning about her condition I have come to understand her very well and that is something which really saddens me. She is not sitting back to die, but have decided to live and take life on the chin. This is such a contradiction to other people I know that is waiting to die although there is nothing wrong with them. This is a very intelligent nineteen year old girl with so much insight into the world ad someone who can make such a huge contribution in future to our world society. If I compare her with other nineteen year old's, she understands life and people where other youngsters are now only staring to think about what life may hold for them. She knows what she wants and if she manages to survive she will get it too.
Ultimately she can be saved if she gets a kidney transplant. No, this is not a call for someone to donate a kidney, but rather to tell you about a remarkable decision. A kidney transplant may prolong her life, if the body does not reject it, but she has taken the decision not to go that route. She has made the decision to life life out with what she has got. She will live or die with the body she has. She will not be irresponsible and has adjusted her diet, etc to try and save her own life. I have huge respect for her to make such a decision at such a young age. It is not for me to agree with the decision or not, but I respect it. I do believe that she is intelligent enough to make that decision on her own.
What even astounds me some more is that she is living life with a smile even though she has a lot to be bitter about. Yes, she has her moments when life is tough and she has setbacks when doctors give her more bad news, but she bounces back and smiles again. Something I really admire. She is trying her best to live and the electronic media has given her the capabilities to talk to people all over the world - like me. I have been one of the lucky ones to be pulled into her close circle of friend and is thankful for that opportunity. At least I can also give her a little of my life experience and debate multiple issues. She has a strong will and so do I so the clashes can be severe, but never personal. We will remain friends until one of us dies - whoever will be the first, but I think it may be me.
Her prognoses may not be good, but her attitude is right. She is positive and wants to live and I do believe that it is a major part of recovering from any disease. Be positive and believe that it can happen. That miracle may be just around the corner.
Meeting up with her has made me think about my own life a lot and how much I have to be thankful for. I also had different dreams when I was her age. There are so many things I wanted to do and if I followed the path I paved for myself I would have been somewhere totally different and in a total different place, yet I am not sorry for what I have, i have played the hand dealt to me in the end and is happy to see my wife and kids and hope they are also happy. I am also trying to change my life so that I can spend a lot more time with my family. It is so much more important than any other thing is your life to be part and parcel of their lives in their growing up process. You only have one chance to get it right. Not two, just one.
Why did I write this? I suppose it is to beg all of you to live life to its fullest like my friend and also keep her in your thoughts.

Die 2010 Realiteit

Dit is so ironies dat daar so baie mense in Suid Afrika is wat nog steeds nie besef wat ons in 2010 in SA gaan tref nie. Dit is wanneer die wêreld se grootste sportgebeurtenis ons gaan tref. Die sokker wêreldbeker.
Daar is ten spyte van al die ontwikkeling wat tans plaasvind steeds mense wat nie wil glo dit gaan gebeur nie. Hulle glo nie dat ons die vermoë het om dit aan te bied nie en werk ook dit teë deur gedurig snert die lug in te stuur. Gelukkig is daar wel die meerderheid wqat beslis besef dat nierdie gebeurtenis op pad is. Kyk net om jou rond en jy besef dat dinge aan die gebeur is.
Die van ons wat die voorreg het om elke dag om die snelweë te ry besef al hoe meer hoeveel groter die paaie gemaak word. Wat my nog meer beindruk is die feit dat dit so gedoen word dat ons werklik nie eintlik kan kla nie. Die metode wat gevolg word het die absolute minimum impak op ons gehad omdat daar altyd genoeg bane beskikbaar was om te ry. Ek sien uit na die nuwe weë wat daar vir ons gestel gaan word.
Verder kan jy net kyk hoe huise rondom stadions opgeknap word en ou vervalle geboue word reggemaak en oorgeverf. Dit is wonderlik om daardie geesdrif te sien. Dit is net jammer dat die mense so lank gewag het voor hulle begin het. Dat daar 'n groot gebeurtenis moet plaasvind om die mense tot in realiteit te skop. Ek wens dat hulle in die toekoms dit net uit trots sal doen. Dit sal doen omdat hulle wil en nie omdat hulle verplig voel nie. Ek glo egter dat ons die begin van 'n nuwe era betree het.
Hierdie positiewe gons wat in die land begin ontstaan sal hopelik ook die meeste mense uit hulle doppe laat kruip en deel van die samelewing word. Te veel mense het agter hulle tralies begin wegkruip vir die wêreld rondom hulle. Hulle het toegelaat dat kriminele hulle vaspen in hulle gate. Kom ons kruip uit en druk die kriminele element weer terug uit ons woongebiede en stede. Kom ons slaan vir 'n slag terug deur weer vir mekaar om te gee en weer saam te verkeer soos ons in die ou dae gemaak het. Vat die positiewe energie en versterk dit verder.
2010 gaan op die regte tyd gebeur. Ons land gaan herbou wees en mense gaan uitgaan in hordes of bymekaarkom in groot massas om die sokker te kyk. Dit sluit 'n groot deel van die kriminele elemente in. Ek glo dat hulle ons ook 'n kans gaan gee om die wêreld se reisigers met ope arms te verwelkom. Ons moet net begin besef dat daar meer mense na die land gaan stroom as wat ons nog ooit gesien het. Ons land gaan op die voorblaaie van die wêreld pers wees vir die regte redes en nie oor nrgatiwiteit nie. Ons gaan aan die mense uit alle lande wys watter pragtige land ons het en dat ons nie net olifante en leeus het nie, maar 'n indrukwekkende infrastruktuur met pragtige strande en vakansieoorde. Met wild parke en baie vriendelike mense en natuurlik met die beste klimaat wat enige iemand buite die land nog ooit gesien het!
Al wat ons nodig het om alles volmaak te maak is 'n sokker span wat wen..... toemaar, ons sal maar op die boonste konsentreer!

Do pretty girls also fart?

The other day I got into a lift straight after a fairly nice looking girl got out. As I walked in, it hit me between the eyes! One very awful smell. Fortunately no one was around when I got out as they would have surely suspected me. It is normally only guys that do things like that...... fiction!

Yes, I must admit that I have done that in the past. Let a ripper go just before you get out of the lift so that someone else walks into the surprise! I know it is not a very mature thing to do, but I did it and so have you!

i remember the first time I really encountered a woman fart. The first time I understood that they are no different to any guy. They also pass wind like any guy. They just do it a lot more subtle. Normally silent and very violent! Not this time though. I was in a little school that had about 300 lids from Grade 1 to Grade 12. At that stage I was about ten years old when the whole school got together for a hall period in combined classrooms used for the purpose. It rained outside so we had to move indoors. The school was very old and the building dated the turn of the previous century. The floors were wood and the ceilings high steel. All the kids sat on the floor while the Headmaster read from the scriptures and had his little talk. Then it happened. It started with a put-put-put-put hugely amplified with the sound box that was created under the wooden floor. Then it went into a very load burrrrrrp! The floor vibrated and the headmaster nearly had a heart attack. All the kids who were half asleep were shocked wide awake and the rest of the faculty got up out of their chairs. Before you could blink twice, a girl sat all on her own in the middle of the floor. All the kids had moved away. She was as red a a beet and the most foul smell hung in the air. It was so bad you could nearly taste it. She got up and walked out never to return to the school again. I felt sorry for her. She was a pretty girl.

Many tears after that I got into a lift one day. In the lift there was a gorgeous blond and we were both heading up another ten or so floors. I just got in the lift when the distinctive smell hit me. It was very violent and we all know that the silent ones are always violent. At that stage I was pissed off at someone else and snarled at her "did you just fart?". She looked at me, fairly cross, and replied without missing a beat "of course I did, or do you think I always smell like this?" Now that was a smart answer!

That day I realised that evertyone does it. It does not matter if you are big or small and if you are pretty or ugly and if you are male or female. It is a natural part of our body. That gas build up happens when we eat certain foods and yes, because woman tend to eat a lot less and is much more concious about what she eats, she does not quite have it has much as the guys - but she does have it! The difference is in the subtelty of how you drop that sneaky one. Men tend to do it with pride and woman with pleasure!

Tegnologie en die wêreld is op sy kop

Tegnologie - waar sou ons daarsonder gewees het? In my kort lewetjie het ek dit so baie ervaar dat ek al terugverlang na die dae toe dit nog baie beperkend was.

As jy in my tienderjarige tyd sou vetrel het dat ek vandag iets op 'n rekenaar sou tik wat almal in die hele wêreld sou kon lees, sou ek regtig gedink het jy is mal. Waar is die dae dat die enigste manier wat daar was om 'n boodskap aan iemand anders oor te dra die liewe posdiens was. My niggie het in Tokio gebly en ons het aan mekaar geskryf toe ek so twaalf tot agtien was. Dit was letterlik die skryf en pos van 'n brief wat dan sy tyd geneem het om daar uit te kom en dan te wag vir haar antwoord. Jy was so teleurgestels as sy net tyd gehad het vir so twee bladsy briefie. AL die moeite om te skryf en dan die afwagting dat sy iets van haar gaan laat hoor - en dan dit. Dink net hoe lekker sou dit wees as mens epos of iets soos Skype gehad het om aanmekaar met mekaar te praat. Gee nie om waar in die wêreld jy is nie. Absoluut ongelooflik!

Ek het grootgeword met 'n slinger telefoon. Jy het die slinger gedraai totdat die Sentale vra "nommer asseblief?" Die oom op die sentrale het jou so goed geken dat as jy 'n sekere tyd van die dag dieselfde plek gebel het, het hy jou sommer outomaties daarnatoe deurgesit. Dit was lekker. Daardie persoonlike aandag. As iemand van ver af bel en jou nommer vra, dan vertel hy die persoon dat hy jou eerder na Piet toe deursit want hy weet jy kuier daar. Aan die een kant het jy dus besef dat geen oproep privaat is nie, maar aan die ander kant het dit baie gehelp dat die oom alles geweet het. Niemand kon wegraak nie!

Die kinders en jong mense loop met goed rond wat IPOD genoem word. Hierop het hulle duisende liedjies! Ek het met plate grootgeword. Daardie swart goed wat skeef getrek het as dit warm is en dan ook so bros geword het dat as jy so plaat net hard stamp breek hy. Verder het die gebruik hulle so gekrap dat daar so permanenete gesuis is en of hulle hak hak hak hak vas. Die koms van die kasette was die wonderlikste ding op die aarde!. Jy het hierdie klein dingetjie gehad wat net soveel musiek as 'n langspeelplaat kon hanteer. Dan was daar nog die koms van die "walkman". Dit was so klien kasetspelertjie wat jy aan jou broek kon vasknyp en het met oorfone gewerk. Die klank was ongelooflik.
'n Laser was iets wat in die James Bond flieks gebruik is om metal maklik middeldeur te sny. Dit het gewoonlik uit so groot masjien gekom en het dan die wit ligsttraal gekonsentreer op iets en maklik deur dit gebrand het. Ons het almal geglo dit was die gevaarlikste ding op die aarde. Dink net die verbasing toe ons 'n klompie jare later laser skywe of CD's kry! Laser tegnologie was met ons en nie so gevaarlik dat dit jou uitmekaar kon sny nie. Laser for in operasies gedoen en ek het self laserbehandeling op my oë gehad. Dink net aan daardie verskriklike lig wat james Bond uitmekaaar wou sny en dit in my oë en ek kan beter sien! Vandag is daar al laser skrywers en dit is algemeen in gebruik. Die mense ken nie meer kasette of plate nie en ek is nie so oud nie!

Dinge het net so vinning verander.

Wat van die selfoon? Ek onthou hoe ek in die begin van die tagtigs gelees het van die foon wat sal weet waar jy is. Min het ek geweet dat dit altyd by jou gedra gaan word en 'n groot pes wees. Die eerste selfone - soos ek in 1984 gekoop het kon eintlik net bel. Daar was 'n baie beperkte dagboek en 'n alarm. Vandag is my selfoon 'n besigheidnoodsaakliheid met epos, en al die MS Office funksies wat daarop gedoen kan word. Dit is sover weg van 'n foon af en die foonfunksie het al 'n bysaak begin raak.

Ek dink ek kan baie voorbeelde gee van dinge wat die afgeole 20 jaar uitgevind of dramaties verbeter het. Ons begin al hoe meer en meer van dit afhanklik raak, Ek weet nie wat ek sal doen as al my tegnologie moet ingee nie. Dit maak my bang, maar dit is seker 'n bepreking vir 'n totaal ander dag se skrywe.

Dink o jou rond en dink aan al die dinge wat al dramaties verander het in jou lewe en dink wat jou oupa daarvan sou sê. Ek is bly hy is nie meer hier rond nie, want dit raak al te erg vir my en ek werk met tegnologie.

Family

If there is one thing in life I cannot handle, it is family. I am not talking about the direct family, but more about the indirect family. Those that you do not really want to get involved with or those you would not even talk to if they were not indirectly linked to you.

Here I am thinking about people that are called father-in-law; mother-in-law; brother-in-law; sister-in-law; wife/husband's uncle or aunt or cousin. Someone that normally sits on the "other" side of the family. Why is it that there are always one of these around who try their absolute best to make your life miserable? How many times to you hear someone compaining about something the in-laws did? You never hear a person - no let me rephrase - you hardly ever hear a person complain about things his/her parents did!

Why are the majority of mothers-in -law such bitches? I cannot tell you in any scientific pole that I came to tis conclusion, but through experience and lots of conversations with other people on our planet, it seems to be a fact. the only people who get along well with these monsters-in-law, are the ones who only sees them for about a week or two every year. They have limited time and it is normally consumed by someone else, so the time for things to go wrong is limited. That is normally a great relationship.

How many of you have a brother-in-law or brother or cousin that ow you money? I bet that it is the case of more that 60% of you reading this blog. It seems to be one of those natural things in life that the biggest chancer in the family will contact you for money and even though you always promise that it will never happen again it always seems to happen again and you roll over again. I have a friend who said that his cousin has already borrowed in the region of R80k from him over the years! can you belive it! R80k! He said that he asked him one day if he has any plan to start paying him back and the cousin apologised and said that he sould make R250 p/m payments. Work it out for yourself - R80k / 250 = 320 months = nearly 27 years! I would be dead by then! I agreed that it would be ok and he started paying the first month and then the second month and then.... nah it stopped. It was just to good to be true. Now he does not answer a phone as it has been disconnected for the millionth time. Shame he is struggeling, maybe I yould lend him some money .....

Even worse, how many of you have someone from the in-law family that is a druggie. Yes, he snorts, chews, licks, smokes or injects some sort of illegal substance and he steals from your house to asist his habbit and when he gets caught, the whole family feels sorry for him and expects you to bail him out and take him in until he is back on his feet. Take him in! TAKE HIM IN1 The same fucker who sold your CD's and cutlery and clothes to snort it through his nose? Not in your lifetime.

He has been living here for the ninth month and seems to be coming along fine....

What about that family member that is just too useless to work? You know him? Yes, we all know him! He could be the same as the one that has borrowed so much from you. This bugger normally has more talent in one finger than you have in your entire body, yes he is just too useless to work. He has worked for about 20 companies and each one of them raves about the work he did there. It can vary from banking to fitter and turner to building contractor. He can walk in and do any job, although he only scraped through school. He leaves good jobs to come an lie on your couch at home and flip through your TV channels and drink your beer. Then he borrows your car, your money and takes the most stunning girl you have ever met to the restuarant you opnly dream of going to. If you question him on it, he just says that you have no style. The best is when he goes out on a date with the money he borrowed from you and then gives you double it back the next morning for your trouble. When you shokingly question about where the money comes from - don't wwant him to rob the corner cafee - he says that that stunning girl he went out with gave him R5000 because he battling to make ends meet while he is between jobs! Between jobs? You can only have that status if you actually look for work!

I have heard so many stories in my life about these "other" familly members that I can write hours of stories. Yes, we all hate them, but looking back there is just about something comical in all the events and they do make life interesting.....Mmm