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Archive for the ‘Life’ Category

What’s up with MIDRAND’s roads?

27 Jul

I used to live in Midrand (Halfway House) up until 8 years ago and lived there for 7 years. Midrand was the up and coming place to be, growth like nowhere else in the Southern Hemisphere and teaming with new business. Midrand was THE destination for a corporate head office and a much sought after place to live.

Midrand has unfortunately had a permanent problem with it’s town council, namely that it’s stifled with inhouse politics and infighting, and the result of this shows in the dismally poor way in which this city is managed and it’s NOT to do with any shortage of taxes because Midrand was and probably still is one of the more expensive places to live when it comes to taxes. This was sure how the town council ran when we lived there and I doubt much has changed.

In particular the road system of Midrand sucks more than an Electrolux. Hardly anything is done to maintain the roads.

- There are potholes all over the place and in the last year hardly any of them have been fixed and they keep growing in number and in size.

- Kyalami Road which leads through Crowthorne, and is the main entrance to Beaulieu, has remained in the same state for as long as I have been going to Midrand (20+ years), not ONE change or modification has been done to improve that. Daily this road is absolute chaos with tailbacks stretching for several kilometres. The intersection at Crowthorne is littered with stones and loose particles which causes those with fancier cars to slow down so as not to scratch their cars and this causes even further congestion. The road surface is warped, cracked and uneven but in nearly 15 years diddly squat has been done to amend it. To add to the traffic chaos it’s doubtful you’ll ever find a pointsmen on duty there to help traffic flow.

- Van Heerden road which runs past the High school and Primary school is absolutely shocking, I drove there last week and nearly lost a front tyre due to the massive pothole there, luckily the vehicle in front of me swerved out. Had it been at night that would have caused serious damage. It probably has already caused damages to numerous vehicles travelling that road at night. It’s NOT like Van Heerden road does not carry some serious traffic, so why then are repairs not being carried out and timeously?

- Almost all heavily used back roads are in a rather dismal state too, again it’s not like the Midrand town council does not know how much traffic these roads carry it seems more like they just don’t care.

I struggle to believe that maintenance is being held back from a lack of taxes, I think it’s more of a case of a lack of ability or lack of knowledge on spending public funds wisely or the funds are being used for “other purposes”. Either this is the case or the Midrand Town Council is still stifled by the politics and infighting as it was when I lived there.

Midrand ratepayers should really not be just accepting that this is the way it is, it takes a bit of effort to stand up and fight for what’s right but on the surface it appears nobody is actually doing that. I just avoid Midrand like the plague, on occasion I have no choice but to go there but every time it is the most unpleasant experience. I’ve even told my one suppliers to move shop and they actually did not disagree with me.

 
 

Have the expensive upgrades to the Rigel Avenue Offramp (M9/R50 – Centurion) been as effective as planned?

27 Jul

I regularly travel to Pretoria and have been doing so for years now. The Rigel Avenue off-ramp has always had a backlog of cars often resulting in waiting for 3-4 changes of the traffic lights to make it through. Last year some very expensive upgrades to the Rigel off-ramp and bridge were carried out. The upgrades look all fab and wonderful to the untrained eye and it certainly looks very modern and impressive BUT has it achieved the desired result? Has it improved traffic flow?

From my personal experience using this new off-ramp several times already I say not really. The upgrade to the off-ramp has added an extra lane which thereby can hold more traffic but there is not much difference to the flow of traffic. You can get to Rigel avenue now and still wait 3-4 changes of the traffic light to get through, how is that different?

The real problem is not so much the upgrades, I believe the upgrades were the correct thing to do and were much needed, it’s the timing and operation of the traffic lights that is still causing a problem and it’s probably been left up to some plunket to manage that side of things. When the traffic light changes it allows barely 16-20 vehicles through at a time which keeps a constant backlog of 3-4 changes of the traffic light to make it through. Had these Einstein’s set the light to be green for a mere 30 seconds longer at least 50 vehicles could make it through.

I hope this is just an oversight from the traffic planning department and I do hope to see it amended. Right now as it stands I give them a thumbs down.

 
 

Censored Protest Against Mosque At Ground Zero – (Sept 9/11)

27 Jul

Friends,
Have you seen anything about this story on the evening news?
Of course you haven’t! So please forward this email to all those
you know who feel the way you and I do about this country . . .
Thank you,

Not one major network sent a satellite truck or camera crew to this event. Without bloggers this newsworthy event would have remained unknown to the public and history

On Sunday, June 6th, a multi-ethnic, multi-racial coalition of Americans opposed to Islamic violence and intolerance rallied at the site of the World Trade Center in New York City .

9/11 families were joined by immigrants from India, Russia, Egypt, Israel, Africa, Iran and Europe to show opposition to the construction of a mega-mosque at Ground Zero. Others flew in from overseas to speak or just to share their particular ethnic communities’ experiences at the hands of Muslims.

These are parents and spouses of firefighters killed on 9/11. The rally took place just a minute’s walk from Ladder 10 Firehouse, where their loved ones were stationed for duty that terrible day. Ladder 10 lost seven firefighters.

Crowd estimates ranged from 5,000 (NYPD) to 10,000. The crowd overflowed the police barrier enclosures that ran the full length of two city blocks. This photo shows the enclosure in front of the stage at the intersection of Liberty and Church Streets. The second enclosure ran the length of the next block and can be seen on the other side of the traffic lights.


Thousands of additional participants filled the treed area of Zuccotti Park .


Robert Spencer and Pamela Geller are the founders of STOP ISLAMIZATION OF AMERICA, which sponsored the rally. Ms. Geller is a citizen journalist and blogger who runs the human rights web site Atlas Shrugs . Mr. Spencer is the author of several books on Islam and head of the influential web site Jihad watch.

Pamela Geller:

“Ground Zero is a war memorial, Ground Zero is a burial ground. We are asking for sensitivity…It is unconscionable to build a shrine to the very ideology that inspired the jihadist attacks at Ground Zero, right there. We are asking the imam Rauf and Daisy Khan to be sensitive. For mutual respect and mutual understanding that is demanded of us every day.

There’s a hair-trigger sensitivity in the Muslim world, you can’t run the cartoons, you can’t say Mohammed, this is offensive. This is an offensive mosque. To build a shrine, an Islamic flag of conquest on the sacred ground the cherished site, of a conquered land. This is historic, this is Islamic history. It’s what they do. The St. Sofia in Turkey, the al-Quds, at the holiest Jewish site in Israel. Not here. This is where we take a stand. We must take a stand. We must say no.”

I do not believe that the landmarks commission controlled by Mayor Bloomberg, is going to stop this mosque. It’s not going to happen. Here’s Omar Muhamedi, on his human rights council, a CAIR lawyer, who sued the airlines and the Jane and John Does that saw something and said something on those airplanes, if you remember. That’s who’s on his human rights commission. It ain’t gonna happen with Bloomberg. We have to make it happen. You have to get involved.” (Pamela Geller)

Police enclosure on left, with crowd flowing out of park on right. The new Tower 7 and World Trade Center site are in the background. The green tent, center, is located immediately behind the stage.

Port Authority and NYPD officers kept watch over the rally and were well aware of the need for heightened security at this event. One of their own Port Authority officers, WTC Sergeant Alan T. De Vona was on duty at the World Trade Center on 9/11, 2001, and was one of the first to help victims of the terrorist attack. He spoke these words to the SIOA rally:

“It’s almost nine years. I’m hoping that America is watching. I’m hoping that America is remembering. Because, make no mistake. September 11 was an act of war. And thank the military that has lost almost 5,000 troops from that day, defending us. I don’t know what to say to jar America’s memory. I want America to remember.


Port Authority Police and FDNY firefighters are seen here gathered beneath this banner.


The issues at stake will certainly affect the heart of American freedom, democracy, cultural values and tolerance. America is a tolerant country that allows for the free worship of all its citizens. But our tolerance has limits. Do we have to tolerate intolerant Islamic ideology and Muslims who preach intolerant Islam?”

Hindu human rights activists Narain Kataria, Prasad Yalamanchi and unidentified friend came from Mississippi and Chicago with banners and flyers highlighting the radical statements of imam Rauf and his jihadist roots.

Stephen Dyer and Gary Jules journalism students at York College, with Pamela Geller. Not one major network sent a satellite truck or camera crew to this event. Without bloggers this newsworthy event would have remained unknown to the public and history.

Pamela Geller is greeted by Hindu human rights activists Prasad Yalamanchi and Narain Kataria.

Bhupinder Singh Bhurji, Pamela Geller, and Robert Spencer. Singh Bhurji is the president of the  NAMDHARI SIKH FOUNDATION. The foundation is a member of the Human Rights Coalition Against Radical Islam (HRCARI). HRCARI is a coalition of Hindus, Sikhs, Christians from Sudan, Egypt and Iraq, moderate Muslims and Jews — who are victims and targets of radical Islam around the globe. He said, at another rally:

“Radical Islamists are killing people in India, trying to dominate that nation. And here too they come with violence against “infidels.” We are “infidels united,” standing together, brown, black and white, against this epoch’s fascist movement. Radical Islam wants to dominate entire world. They want everyone to surrender. Islam radical or otherwise. They want to put the Islamic flag on White House.”

Because of Islamic terrorism, America and the world have seen massive new security measures become a way of life. Anyone openly critical of Islam, or terrorist ideology, must surround themselves with security, or live in hiding. Those courageous enough to confront Islamism are criticized by the cowards and appeasers of the left who seek safety by supporting the enemy. Moderate Muslims were silent when Theo van Gogh was brutally murdered in Amsterdam, just as moderate Muslims in the United States are generally reluctant to speak out against violent Islam. Moderate Muslims also face great danger in speaking out.

Geller and Spencer will press on despite the danger. They hope to inspire Americans to stand up and say enough of political correctness and work to stem the galloping islamization of America and Europe.

 
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Real time world statistics

26 Jul

A good friend sent me the link to this web site this morning, not sure how accurate the info is but I’d say it’s pretty close to what goes on in the world on a daily basis. It’s a nice overall visual indication of the state of our world.

http://www.worldometers.info/

Some of the counters are crazy and very believable, check out the “Email messages sent today” and “Google Searches today” … crazy stuff.

 
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Horrible Hendrik Potgieter (The Road)

25 Jul

Hendrik Potgieter road has got to be one of the most frustrating roads to drive on, I’ve been driving it for 4 years and the frustration and aggravation never ends.

First off Hendrik Potgieter which runs from Hillfox, through Clearwater, Little Falls, Strubens Valley and Ruimsig has got to have some of the thickest drivers in South Africa. Everyone is going somewhere but nobody seems to know where they are going.

The road is the same size it has been for the last 20 years yet authorities somehow granted licenses for massive housing and shopping mall developments without so much as a hint of road upgrade plans and this road today carries probably thousands of cars an hour which results in daily chaos on this road.

The next bad thing about Hendrik Potgieter is that road, from start to finish has a speed limit of 90 km/h yet everybody seems to want to drive 50-60 km/h clearly showing that nobody even reads traffic signs anymore these days nor has any consideration for other drivers.

Some serious road upgrades need to be done to this road but like with everything else in SA, municipalities are either uncapable of spending rates and taxes appropriately or are using the money for “other” things. If nothing is done within the next year, and the housing developments keep growing as they are, this road will be gridlocked for hours on end on a daily basis. The ratepayers of those areas need to take action and FORCE change where change is due.

 
 

Keep Left Pass Right – The Most Basic MISUNDERSTOOD and UNUSED law of the road

25 Jul

It’s amazing how few people these days actually know, understand of have the courtesy to obey the “Keep Left Pass Right” law of the road.

I actually wonder how many people even know the law seeing that it’s hardly enforced, mentioned or even taught any more. In my day we had little green signs all over South Africa which said “Keep Left Pass Right” but over the years they’ve all been removed or stolen.

It’s utterly annoying when some idiot who “thinks” he’s being good by driving 100km/h on a 120km/h highway and sticks in the fast lane totally unoblivious to anyone or anything around him. This causes major frustration to other drivers who actually want to get somewhere in life and in fact can lead to more accidents.

This law is the most basic law of the road and needs to be brought back to life and it’s up to drivers to enforce it and to kindly remind other drivers about it. It’s very simple, ALWAYS drive in the left hand land, use the right hand lane to pass other vehicles, when you’ve passed return to left hand lane immediately. DO NOT think YOU are passing everyone and can therefore stay in the right hand lane. The moment a vehicle approaches behind you, you must pull left and let them pass.

Burn this law into your brain.

KEEP LEFT ….. PASS RIGHT

 
 

And so another week slips by me

23 Jul

Can’t believe it’s Friday already, where did this past week go to?

Seems the older we get, the more life keeps speeding up and if I look back over the past week it’s just a big blur. I guess spending long times in front of the computer does eventually fry our brains. I’ve been working with computers since I was 11 so thats about 27 years now. Computers have speeded up big time since my first XT computer yet we still cannot seem to get enough done, fast enough, no matter how fast the pc is.

Guess that’s life in the 21st century for us. Most people have their head permanently stuck inside some kind of computer device these days, be it a computer, iphone, ipad, blackberry you name it. If you’ve seen a group of teenagers these days sitting 10 in a row texting each other without muttering  a word out of their mouths, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Where will be be in 20 years time? Will we all be permanently stuck inside a virtual world? Will we lose our ability to speak and instead prefer texting each other with emoticons? When will the governments totally rule out emoticons too and make us lifeless unemotional beings?

Sure makes you wonder  eh?

 
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