Mr Mandela

The most popular topic of discussion during the month of December, one of the biggest funeral ceremony to have ever been staged in the whole world, the greatest gathering I have ever seen in my life. People mourn but at the same time there is a feeling of joy and celebration left in their hearts because of the things this man showed us and the legacy he has left behind.
He symbolizes humanity, unity, forgiveness, struggle, democracy and many things that men in general have been trying to instill in every human being's heart and mind. This man alone is bigger than I have ever imagined him to be, he might as well go down in history as the greatest man to have ever embraced this world.
Words are not enough to describe the efforts and impact he has had, and still have on the African continent and beyond. People come from all parts of the world to gather and mourn as well as celebrate the life of a man that has done his part the best way possible, and left a commanding mark on the ideology of democracy and equality.
Today, we take our hats off for the man that has led South Africa's struggle for freedom for so many years and succeeded like no other; the one responsible for unity in Africa and around the world; one of the most influential figures of this era Mr Nelson Mandela.

Picture of the day

40 year-old actor, Paul Walker, has passed after he was involved in a car accident in california. R.I.P Paul we will always remember you.

Picture of the day

Palestinian youths practice their park-our skills in Gaza

Picture: APAimages/Rex Features

Sunday thoughts

They are two of the most popular words in the world, but as time goes on  and as the world evolves they seem to be losing their popularity as well as importance. "Please" and "Thank you" have been, as referred to most, the magic words for quiet as long as we can remember and these words can be more powerful and meaningful than any other word you may use on a daily basis.

I was riding a bus to school recently when the bus made a stop at one of its regular bus-stops. As the bus stopped, two elderly ladies got on the bus. They looked pretty much tired and frail, so me being the human being I am, full of life, love and ethics, I spotted them from the moment they got in the bus, and in my head I knew already that I would stand up and offer my sit to one of them, and the fact that the bus was full meant that I really had to do it, I had no choice at that point.I, then,raised from the seat I was on and offered my sit to one of the ladies and by seeing that, the person sitting next to me did the same thing.

Both ladies sat down comfortably, I was delighted to have helped someone at that moment, for there is no greater joy for me than that, but something hit me at the moment... Those ladies never said a word or two to any of us, the ones who offered them the seats. I started thinking about how I was raised and the way my grandmother, mother and other elders in my family, always taught me to use the words "Please and Thank you". I also thought of the way we, the new generation, are constantly described by older generations and the media as rebellious, ill-mannered and arrogant people, but wait, how can we be any less different if the same people that usually criticize our demeanor act in an unpleasant way. Actions speak louder and better than words, and we get motivated when we see people do something that they would want us to do as well.

None of us has the right to judge anyone. I've realized that some people sometimes get so caught up in analyzing the behavior of others that they tend to forget about the good things themselves. Always do your best to change something you are not happy with because it starts with you. Those ladies were wrong but that does not mean we all have to be that way, let's keep doing good and using the magic words in that way, who knows, we may change the world and make it a better place.

Picture of the day: Misspelt tattoos - Hillarious

Sunday thoughts

Human beings are the only creatures that pay to live in a planet that was created for them to live in. As the world advances, we become so consumed by its ideologies as well as idiosyncrasies that it seems impossible to live without following such norms.The media is the biggest form of communication we have. It plays a strong role in everything we do and how we view things. Media controls the world whereas it should be the other way around. 

Our views on things such beauty, lifestyle, good and bad are mostly associated with whatever the media shows us. we fail to use our mental power, which has also been automatically programmed to the world around us due to the media, from the moment we are born and we end up thinking just like everyone else does. Sometimes I wonder whether we are really ourselves or we are just like a cartoon that is designed a certain way and have no free will at all.We are all here for a purpose, and you would be a complete moron to think otherwise. 

It is hard to be what we are because of many things that surround us and the circumstances we may have to encounter in this journey called life, but always try to explore the power of your mind. Do not get caught up in the same circle as everyone else, life is bigger than the box you may find yourself in right now and using your mind will let you see how. Learning how to use your mind will help you find not only yourself but also discover the true meaning and purpose of life. 

Picture of the day

On Sunday, Banksy set up a stall in Central Park selling original signed canvasses for $60 each (or £37). A YouTube video documenting the stall's progress indicated that much of the work went unsold, and those who did make purchases were unaware of the extensive value of the pieces.

Picture: Banksy

Sunday thoughts

Family is a beautiful word. Being part of a family is very tough as both expect certain things from one another and when things don’t go according to one’s way of thinking, the relationship can get a little messy. There are different stages in the life of a person and it is essential that the elders in your family understand that. Also, times change and parents sometimes fail to understand that yet, it is their duty to be on the same page with us in our different stages in life. They are older, wiser, more experienced and know a lot, but they do not know everything and that is where the balance between parents and their children should come in.

As parents or guardians sometimes tend to hold on to their kids for so long and hard that they tend to forget that it is part of life that people grow and become responsible for themselves. Parents should give their kids a chance not only to speak but to do things that the children think will be beneficial for both parties more so when they get to that young adult stage of life.

Helping out your children as they get older is not always about giving the money you have been saving for him during his early years, or other material means but try to instill a sense of responsibility and self-sustenance in them and let them do things for themselves, it is part of education. As I have always thought, I would rather have my parents teach me how to catch a fish, than giving me the fish in my hand, that way I will always be grateful to them and it help me become a better person and achieve more.

Parents do not be afraid to teach your children how to become independent and how to get a head start on life, and by parents I mean everyone that has children under their care. Give your children responsibilities, make them feel useful, consider your children’s thoughts and ideas, if you have a car teach them how to drive, if you have a company make them part of it by giving them small jobs to do, give them money as well as they need it but know how to balance it, it is the small things that will make a huge difference in the future, and what may seem stupid and illogical to you may be your kid’s greatest need.

The older we live the more we know, but that does not necessarily mean that we know more than everybody younger than us. Of all the people on earth, I never thought I would actually learn so much more about life from a person younger than I am. Hearing things I needed to hear from this person changed my whole perspective of life and made me learn things about myself that I never knew I had as well. I would not be writing this to you guys if it was not for this person.

Picture of the day - Rio de Janeiro Protest

Demonstrators also torched a bus on Rio Branco Avanue, Brazil, and pulled furniture out of banks to use in barricades as they squared off with police.

Picture: REUTERS

Today's youth worse in literacy and numeracy

According to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the age group between 16-24 are the worst to language and mathematics performers to ever exist. It also stated that the level of basic skills has deteriorated over the past 40 years with average students getting lower marks than their parents as well as grandparents.

This is quiet a scary fact, but with the way things are run in this modern world, this should not come as a surprise to anyone, young or old. Although there is a higher number of people passing with higher grades and going to university, advancements in technology have made it easier for us to deal with everything whereas in past years, random humans had to use their mind twice as much as our generation.

Older people will always be better skilled and in a better position than us in all aspects of life in general, therefore we should look up to them and try to emulate their behaviour although it is a challenge.

Picture of the day

An eight-day-old white lion cub plays at Belgrade's 'Good hope garden' zoo. The female white lion cub, still unnamed, was born eight days ago to parents Masha and Wambo. A male was also born but died. Belgrade zoo has a total of 11 white lions, which are extinct in the wild and are found only in zoos and reservations. It is estimated that there are around 500 living in captivity around the world.

Picture: Marko Djurica/Reuters

Bitter-sweet feeling

58 year old South African Businessman, Brian Calitz, killed a would-be hijacker as the deceased was trying to still his car from him at the entrance of his house in Pietermaritzburg, KZN. Brian explained that he saw them from the side of his eyes as the men were approaching him and told them that there was no Job for them, that's when they grabbed his arm and asked for his car. He said that he feels sad for the fact that he had to take someone's life but he had to act according to his instincts or the worst could have happened to him.  "If you own a fire arm, you must be trained to use, and if you are confronted in such situation, you must not hesitate. It is in that moment of pause that you can lose it all." said Brian.

This should serve as an example to every criminal out there. People won't always tolerate you and your tricks, as they will take matters into their hands and, as seen in this case, things can turn out real bad for you criminals too. I really don't know whether I should feel sorry for the criminal and his family, or feel proud of what Mr Calitz did but one thing for certain is that this might cause a even bigger revolution on the part of many people as no innocents and hard-working people will not accept such behaviour from criminals and they will end up trying to defend themselves more so when they have the means to and are well trained to react to such.

With that said... good job Brian; condolences go out to the family of this young man.

BBM (Blackberry Matters)

Blackberry's most valuable asset, BBM, has spawned some light on the company's gross profit this year, due to its popularity. Following the announcement that Blackberry was considering joint partnerships, the company has been able close a deal that would see BBM being part of android and iOS products, and that i would be released this year.

The release of BBM had to be put on hold after an unreleased version of it, for both android and iOS platforms, surfaced online and caused a massive traffic of data which caused the system to work inappropriately.
Meanwhile the company is trying to have this version blocked completely, and prevent this issue from happening again, only then, will they announce the official release date again and eventually have it available to the public.

This is obviously something that all android and iOS users have been waiting for, because most of these users are people who have used a blackberry before and were pretty much accustomed to using BBM, as it is extremely user-friendly and enjoyable.

Picture of the day

This 330 lb crocodile sneaked into Humani lodge, a bow hunting in Zimbabwe, and spent the entire night lying quietly, just inches beneath an oblivious Guy Whittall.
Picture: CATERS

The most anticipated game of the year

Grand Theft Auto V is a video game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is a very lively game as it is played as a worldwide adventure showcasing not only the state of San Andreas which is based in South California but also some of the world's fastest and most fashionable cars, latest fashion trends, popular radio stations and the music hits that come with it as well as some of the most famous celebrities in the form of cartoons. The game allows the user to have a deep graphic experience of what life is, or could be like for them, if they were the real people in the story. 

The whole craze started when Rockstar Games announced the setting of the game back in 2011, and they continuously and constantly kept the world awaiting by launching several demos as well as trailer to keep us updated on how exciting and different this game would be. People on social networks talked about the game the whole year, more so when its actual release date was announced on the games website, also the company saw a rise on its income just by announcing the setting of the game, showing that not only "gamers" were as intrigued but also business people wanted to be a part of this fun graphic venture.

Rockstar Games used various marketing strategies to ensure that the world was aware of the coming of the game and in September 17th 2013, they finally released the game worldwide for Paystation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. 

The reception by the public as well as game experts was great. The game had already accumulated a lump sum from the pre-orders it had received way before its release date was announced, and gamers feel like it was worth the wait.

Picture of the day

Tribute to the 9/11 Victims

Undeserved attention

This dark world we live in is such a devious and malicious place that I feel like we, as humans, would be better off if we did not pay attention to everything we listen to on radio or see on TV and other media platforms in the world.
From ancient times, politicians have always been working hard to deviate the people and use "us" to their advantage. Everything that happens in this dark world of ours, happens for a reason specially when politics and the media is involved.
We have heard of so many conspiracy theories that has led the world into thinking something is what it is not. Politicians create war tell us, the people, to go out there and fight for the war they create and make us believe that all they are trying to achieve is world piece when it is all a business.
I have no idea how this whole society works but I'm pretty tired of living in this dark world of today. I don't believe in none of the stuff that politicians do, and I believe that all the wars created by them and other problems are just means to distract our society. We are made of flesh but this world makes us live like we are made of still most times.
Recent major events such as the story of Snowden, the recent spat between Syria and Obama that has now been extended to Russia, and the Egyptian downfall have all been blown out of proportion and get so much media attention that it makes us think everything in the world is just that!

Picture of the day

The 2013 La Tomatina Festival - Spanish Festival

Crossovers

Life should be named "surprise" because sometimes that is all life can do to us, no matter how much planning we put into it. The fact that it gives us the test first and then the lesson is also another reason to further our thoughts and remain careful about what we say or do.
Judging other people's lives seems so easy when, but the real challenge happens when we find ourselves in the same situation that someone has been before and maybe at that time we felt that it was unbelievable, or somewhat improbable of happening to us directly.
Problems happen to everyone; You may run away from them but living in the world we live in will always have some type of negative effect in the way you look at things. It is how you apply these things in your life that determines how you carry on with everything in your life.
Sometimes we believe that we are not going to fall at a certain hole, but we close our eyes for just one second and next thing we know, we're in there, with no way out, and that can be cause self-loathing, and desperation.
We want to be happy but we care so much about some people that we put their happiness above ours, and live our lives trying to please them.
We laugh, we cry, we fall down, we raise up, dust off ourselves and keep walking because that is how life is supposed to be.

Picture of the day

Steam vents at night Hverirt, Namajfall, Iceland.
Picture: Orsolya Haarberg/NPL/Rex Features

Jesus' Advocate

 When I heard this story I burst into laughter, but then I thought, this is actually more serious than we think it is. Apparently Doda Indidis, a Kenyan lawyer, is planning on suing Israel and Italy over the death of Jesus Christ due to the way he was executed and how unfair the whole ordeal was.
Indidis said in his statement that "His (Jesus's) selective and malicious prosecution violated his human rights through judicial misconduct, abuse of office bias and prejudice." Indidis is right! Yet, he needs to acknowledge that times are different, therefore human rights were not as effective back then as they are presently. Indidis went as far as creating a Facebook page to get people to support his campaign of getting justice for Christ. This action is a bit contradictory of what Jesus teaches Christians through the bible that advises people to be 'mild-tempered'  'long-suffering' and 'forgiving'. Indidis actions seem to be motivated more by personal interests other than that of serving the Lord Jesus.
I believe that the past builds us and helps us to be better persons than we are but, that does not mean we have to go back there always to dig up things that are going to cause more problems to humanity than we already have.
This guy is trying to motivate the whole Christian community into believing that Jesus would like to have been done more justice here on earth, but the bible explains why Jesus was here and also that he would go through calamitous circumstances, so why don't we  leave the matter where it is for now, for the Lord himself will take care of it in due time!

Photo of the day

Torrential rains brought the Philippine capital to a standstill, submerging some areas in waist-deep floodwaters and making streets impassable to vehicles while thousands of people across coastal and mountainous northern regions fled to emergency shelters.Picture: REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Who is to blame for the current turmoil in Egypt?

Tensions have risen in the past month in Egypt, leading to the death of many, as well as one of the biggest internal strife the country has ever seen. Many agree that this was all caused by the US because of some statements made by one of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, Saad Al-Shater, who said that his father had information that could lead to the downfall and incarceration of US President Obama, and that could also be harmful to the US itself.  These comments were seen as motivated by paranoia and schizophrenia; but that the fact that the US has sent a delegation over Egypt to talk to some of the leaders in the Muslim Brother, and the call for the release for those Muslim Brotherhood's members has raised a lot of controversy regarding these claims.
Many also agree that these are just conspiracies made by the media and the public to cause more stir on the diplomatic relations of some countries or unions involved in it such as, the British being blamed for the corrupt system, the Jews for bankrupt economy and so on.
Well whoever it is to blame for all that's happening in Egypt just now, we hope that it stops! We cannot endure seeing the turmoil and all the suffering our brothers and sisters in that country have to go through due to politics and their affairs.

Picture of the day

A frog tries to shelter from a rainstorm at Knowsly safari park in Liverpool
Picture: Mark Bridger / HotSpot Media

Masters of disguise

Ed Miliband, Head of the British Labour Party, has recently been pelted with eggs while he was campaigning to a group of vendors at a street market. The men, his bodyguards and a few journalists that were around him were got hit, as shown on the picture bellow.



I know this may have been an awkward situation for him, but for him to have handled it the way he did, was just pure bliss, if that's the right word. The men carried on as if nothing had happened and when asked about how that affected him he replied "This is not the first time this has happened to me..." He then continued saying "I'm always looking for a way to connect with voters." I don't know how African leaders would have reacted to such because no politician here would accept going through that ordeal, besides how does that help one connect with the voter? Well, i guess we are going to have to ask Miliband that as well. Many people don't really understand what politicians mean by what they say, and this guy's reply, that it was a way to "connect with voters", is as bad as propaganda can be. Politicians need to be realistic sometimes, instead of acting diplomatic, because getting eggs thrown at you, will not connect you with anyone, instead it will chase you away, sometimes for a while and  sometimes for good but let's wait and see how long it will take him to go back to that street market and "connect" with his fellow supporters.

Picture of the day

Marenda Schipper and Patrick Boelsterli show off their bee beards ar an annual competition at Clovermead Advanture Farm in Aylmer, Ontario, Canada.

Picture: AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Dave Chidley

Ow August

The month of August has had a very interesting start to it. It really has shown out to be a month for women, not only in South Africa, but the whole world. Some of these news were good and just like everything, we also got a couple of bad encounters to complete the food.

Just in this week we had Opera Winfrey, the richest black women in the world, being subject to racism in a Switzerland, after some shop worker denied showing her a bag because according to her, 'he didn't wanna hurt her feelings'. I was stunned when i heard the news, i mean if it was my mom or any random woman I wouldn't argue but damn!!! this is Oprah Winfrey after all, you would have to be a pretty ignorant person to not know who that is. Secondly you just do not judge anyone by the colour, for all we know Oprah could not only pay that guy's salary for the rest of his life, but also buy the whole shop if she wanted to. Guess somethings will really never change.
We also had Whitney Houston birthday this week, on the 9th of August to be exact. The R&B mogul would have turned 50 if she were still alive, and she would surely get the party we all know she deserves. RIP princess, we miss you.
In South Africa we celebrated women, and again the power they have in society. Women are the backbone behind every great men there is and there will ever be. Saying, 'no one would be here without them' really seems like a cliche, but the fact is NO ONE WOULD BE HERE WITHOUT THEM! Women are a gift that should be appreciated everyday. We should not just wait for this date to give importance to women, recognize them in society and remember everything they ever do for us. In short women should be the first on our list everyday of our lives.
Finally, we had the Gaga going GAGA again. Lady gaga was just being herself, acting crazy, performing naked, nothing new, well at least this time she was doing it for a good cause which was a fundraiser for an association. For more on this go on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zju3IpmDQjw and see for yourself.

Wish everybody a great week!!! Stay Positive :)

Nicki's Instagram

Nicki Minaj has had the internet world go crazy every time she uploads a picture on her recently opened Instagram account. She's been as proactive as possible, and never fails to report on whatever she is doing even when she gets naked!!! Here are some of the pictures she has upload

Eid

Eid Mubarak to all Muslim brothers and sisters.

Picture of the day: Photorealistic paintings

Joongwon Charles Jeong is an artist from South Korea and he has painstakingly created these detailed works of art, following in the footsteps of his hero Michelangelo

Picture: Caters News Agency

Zimbabwe Affairs

President Robert Mugabe prepares for his seventh term in power, as he has been re-elected as the Zimbabwean President. Well, that did not surprise me at all and so would have the same effect on everybody that has been following the way politics is dealt with in countries like Zimbabwe. Mugabe was always going to win be it fairly or otherwise.
Many people in Zimbabwe have been infuriated by this recent results, the most notable being the president of Zimbabwe's biggest opposition party MDC(Movement for Democratic Change), Morgan Tsvangirai, who has taken no time in pleading that the AU have a thorough investigation to analyze weather the election process was fraudulent,, and he refuses to accept the final results of this elections.
Reports from some MDC supporters, also suggests that Zanu-PF men were sent around their town to intimidate them, by ordering them to pack and leave. This could cause another outrage among MDC supporters which would lead to more serious problems.
Investors have also reacted to the latest elections results in fear that the reintroduction of Zimbabwean dollar could lead to a major loss of capital and shares, and many of them are pulling out of the Zimbabwean market.
Let's hope these recent aftermath of Mugabe's re-election is just a temporary act, because we do not want to see our neighbouring country, go through the path of destruction and misery again.

Picture of the day

The stunning Danxia Scenic Area in Zhangye city, northwest China's Gansu Pronvice. Danxia, which means rosy cloud, is a special landscape, formed from reddish sandstone that has been eroded over time into a series of mountains surrounded by curvaceous cliffs and many unusual rock formations.

Picture: CATERS

Pope Francis talks gay

With discrimination being a major issue still haunting our society, the Pop decided to give his insight on discrimination against gays and he also tried to rest-assure them that there is place for them in the Catholic church. In an interview conducted in a plane that brought him back from Brazil, the Pop claimed that "If a person is  gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge him?" Through the years we have noticed a growing number of people with a different sexual orientation than that thought in the bible and many priests are starting to adhere to that as well. Thus, the Pop reaches out to them in a very subtle and subliminal way. He carried on by saying "The problem is not having that orientation, we must be brother. The problem is lobbying by this orientation, or lobbies of greedy people, political lobbies..." This may seem normal and encouraging to everyone, but does the Pop really mean what he says? Is he really going to accept everyone the same way and have them do sacred work without having to judge their personal life style? Will he allow someone to turn away from that, what is depicted in the book that is responsible for leading them, which is a man for a woman or vice verse? Also we need to pay attention to the message carried by the words he says when he says that the problem is not having that orientation but lobbying by it. This shows that the number in the Church Governing Body is increasing as well, therefore if someone accepts the other person, then one has to be prepared to live and support the other person in whatever they do. Moreover, one has to consider what the other person has in mind to make them feel at ease and more comfortable. There are a number of principles one must hold in order for them to be able to lead the a church. Following the bible and living according to it, is considered as one of the highest requirements for catholic people, now how is the Pop going to do this without damaging his relationship with  the Most High.  This is a very sensitive topic indeed, but i hope the Catholic Church and the Pop will really give life to their words. This will be pretty interesting.

Picture of the day

At least 77 people have been killed and more than 143 injured after a passenger train derailed outside the northern Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela. All 13 train carriages carrying 218 passengers plus crew left the tracks and four carriages overturned completely.

Picture: AFP/Getty Images

British royal baby goes global

Media houses have had closely been following the pregnancy of  Duchess of Cambridge, for as early as she first confirmed her pregnancy. They watched her every move, more so whenever she would go to a hospital or clinic to get checked up. A barrage of journalists gathered outside the St Mary's hospital in London just days before, George Alexander Louis or as he will be know in the future 'His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge', was born so as to be the first to get live pictures of the royal baby.

It was on the 23rd of July, that the baby was born and he sure got the most warm welcome he could have ever gotten; with his father alongside members of the royal family being the first ones to get a glimpse of him, of course, the baby boy came into the world in a spectacular manner. Journalist across the world followed the Duchess's labour closely, that it seemed as if God was about to come down right now and save the whole world.

We all understand how important the royal family is, and how they influence the dealings of the world, but some of us are pretty displeased at the amount of media coverage this little baby is getting. The world has more important issues to deal with and focus on; Apart from that, the media in general should try and keep up with more serious matters instead of trying to distract humanity from what really needs to be addressed.

As the royal  baby continues to make  headlines all over the world, and is the main topic of many newspapers, magazines, TV and radio talks, as if the follow-through of the pregnancy and birth of the baby was not enough, many will still have to be blinded folded with the news about this baby everyday and forget about the real issues.

We are all delighted at the fact that a new-born has come into the world, and that it belongs to the royal family. We wish them all the best in raising this beautiful child and may God walk alongside them always.

Let all the hype and publicity be over, well, at least until the baby is old enough to make real headlines!

Picture of the day

A monkey plays in a pond surrounded by carp at a wild life park in Hefei, Anhui pronvice in china
Picture: REUTERS

Picture of the day

A photographer is hit by a jet of water fired from a riot police vehivle during a 24-hour national strike in Chile.
Picture: REUTERS

Showbiz and its secrets

When we see stars on TV, magazines, newspaper, or even in real life, most people tend to get excited and proclaim their undisputed admiration for them. Others go as far as emulating everything their stars do, to show the world that they really love them and there is no one above them. We have seen so many stories about people who tattoo the names of their idols on them, do what their idols have once done, which is conveyed through their music or life-style, and that sometimes can lead to some catastrophic results such as injuries, depression, loneliness, drug abuse and death.
According to reports from the catholic church in Poland, Madonna will be featured at a five day meeting agenda of European Exorcists. Father Andrzej Grefkowic explains that "Part of the conference is dedicated to the hidden subliminal message in communication and the choice of this subject was inspired by the woman who dares to call herself Madona.... We've been worried about her concerts."
The showbiz industry has always been associated with some form of cult or secret society involving devil-worshiping, demonic practices, and misleading society as a whole. We have to be very careful about the type of entertainment we follow,as well as the superstars we tend to choose as our idols. Although there a number of subliminal messages carried out by artists on many songs, which makes it difficult for their followers to understand them, some messages are as clear as pure water can be. Still, many people choose to ignore those messages, which is quiet understandable because love is really blind, and when combined with obsession, it can make a person lose all of their senses. We are all free to choose who to like and have as our idols, it is a sin to judge, but it is a blessing to be logical. Let's use our senses to the fullest.

Picture of the day

Tourists watch water gushing out from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the Yellow River during a sand-washing operation in Luoyang, central China's Henan Province. The on-going operation works by discharging water at a volume of 2,600 cubic meters per second from the reservoir to clear up the sediment in the Yellow River. The Yellow River has been plagued by an increasing amount of mud and sand. Each year, the river bed rises as silt deposits build up, slowing the water flow in the lower reaches.
Picture: Quirky China News/Rex Features

Picture of the day

A snail enjoys a long game of leapfrog as it takes eight minutes to calmly climb over a frog before reaching its destination. Photographer Lessy Sebastian, from Jakarta, Indonesia, captured this rare moment in his front garden.
Picture: Lessy Sebastian/Solent News

The oppression continues

Power is something very intriguing, and when associated with politics, it can either be as good as its holder or  otherwise. Africa, for example, is one of the continents that has been extremely affected by our greedy leaders and their thirst for constant power, which causes them to ignore the voice of the people most times, or act in a way that triggers fear and resentment among the nations.
Democracy is the main topic of their political rallies and public speeches. We live in a democratic society, according to these leaders, but I reckon most of them fail to understand the real meaning of democracy, or they simply choose to ignore it's core meaning and create a circle around them that impels them to act in the manner they do towards the people.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, has always been one of the main figures of African politics. He has recently launched a "DO or Die" campaign in which, he urged his supporters to fight for survival. He said "You are soldiers, you have a battle to fight. Go into the battle well-armed. It's a fight for our lives. It's a battle for survival." That is one subliminal statement, that causes more confusion than clarity among the nation.
Truth is, nobody needs to fight anymore! If we live in a democratic society we should be able accept defeat, without having to instill fear in people's minds. Let the voice of the people be heard.
That is just one example of the mental oppression we suffer and most of us sometimes fail to take note of. Democracy seems to have a different meaning for most of the leaders in Africa, and around the world. We live in an unfair world and despite efforts to eradicate such political theories, we never seem to get it right.

Mandela's Legacy

Nelson Mandela, the first black president in South African history, has been in a very critical condition, having a range of problems from lungs disease and others, which is only natural due to his age. Like we have seen many times before, people from many religions gathered and prayed for the health of the man that has been accounted for the freedom of South Africa and is considered by many as the father of the world. Mandela has been widely regarded as a symbol of freedom, racial unity, peace, togetherness, as well as equality and people wonder whether South Africa will ever be able to carry on the right path if anything tragic had to happen on the life of this man.

Mandela has taught us a lot about ourselves and others, and also how to deal with the problems we face everyday. He has also taught us that forgiving is one of the most important things to do as it allows us to live without any regrets and without having to feel the need to retaliate or hold grudges against our fellow human counterparts. Sometimes we tend to think that things only happen among us but truth is, bad things happen every where, now how we deal with these bad situations is what makes us who we are. We were all born the same way, the world around us builds us in different ways depending of your environment and other factors but, we have to adapt to changes and be able to move forward without having to rely on someone that has already done so much for us.

I am very optimistic about South Africa being able to carry on without Mandela, I mean, he has been off the major scenes for a while and we have been doing the best we can to stick to the values and legacy Nelson Mandela has paved for us, and we will continue doing so, irregardless of what the world thinks of us.

Queen's coronation anniversary

Today marks the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's enthronement. The queen was crowned when she was 27 years of age and has been a quite lively figure in the British history and in the Commonwealth association.
Many will be gathered today to celebrate the Queen's anniversary. Royal figures from all around the world namely "the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge - and one unborn monarch - the Duchess of Cambridge's baby - a month or so away from making his or her entry into the world" religious figures as well as friends will be present at this important event. Happy anniversary Queen!!!

Backstage & behind the scenes pictures from the billboards awards

 

Rihanna shows off her "ass"ets

The 23 year old  Barbarian never seems to be off the spotlight. Just weeks after her break-up with her on -and-off ex boyfriend Chris Brown, Rihanna is now at it again. The hottest R&B singer at the moment, has been reportedly throwing subliminal shots at Chris through a series of tricks. This time she posted a picture of her perfectly well-designed buttocks with a caption saying that it was a picture taken on the set of her latest music video, but that is not what fans think the main purpose of this picture was. Rumors have it, that she is just trying to make Chris jealous and show him that he has lost one fine piece "diamond". Well whatever the reason may be, we cannot deny that fact that Rihanna is so damn fine. Check out the picture below.

Paris Hilton is back

After a long spell of the spot light, Paris Hilton will finally be back at it again.
According to reports from TMZ Hilton has now signed to cash money record and will release a house album with features of her newest partners in crime, Lil Wayne, Nick Minaj and Drake. The album will be Paris second album after the release of her self-titled album back in 2006 that did not receive much public attention.
I really cannot wait to see where this will take the 32 year old, but I have a good feeling that this will be a moment to remember. Paris knows how to get attention and Cash Money Records are one the most recognized music labels in the industry, could things get any better than this? Well, lets all wait and see.

Beckham retires

Arguably the best player in England history, one of the best players to have ever played the sport of soccer, a fashion icon, a philanthropist, a father and a lot of girls' definition of "Mr Right", David Backham, has finally retired from football.

Becks decided to end his career after a successful journey and received praise from almost all corners of the world.  He is ready to focus on other things, but as he said, he will never deviate himself from the soccer world. Hopefully his boys will follow on their father's footsteps and become great footballers as well. Goodbye David, we will surely miss you!

Karabus back home

Professor Cyril Karabus finally returns to South Africa after days of battle for his name's clearance. Karabus was apprehended in Dubai back in 2002 on charges of manslaughter and falsifying documents for the death of a girl with leukemia. He had operated the girl in Abu Dabhi and she later died of cancer. Karabus was sentenced to three years in jail, and required to play blood money to the family of the girl.
Karabus was acquitted on 21 March when on transit from his son's wedding in Canada, Dubai Police got hold of him, but he was later found not guilty of all the charges posed against him. But then he had two wait for a couple of weeks before getting his passport back so that he was able to return to South Africa.
He finally got his passport back on 14 May, and was able to leave the Dubai without any more trouble. Welcome back home Professor!!!

Angelina Jolie's boobs mistery

Angelina Jolie opened about her  having submitted to mastectomy for reducing her chances of getting cancer.
She practically had both of her breast removed partially or completely to avoid a condition that has been tormenting not only women but also some men.
Much has been said about her for doing this, and as in all stories we have those who agree with her decision and those who just cannot agree with her latest revelation.
People need to be more understanding at times and take into consideration what this means not only for Jolie but also for those who may have the risk of getting cancer, or have been trying to find ways to prevent it. Jolie did what she had to do! Anybody under those circumstances, and that had the means to undergo through such surgery would have done the same thing. I believe that this could also be an eye opener to a lot of people because, many were not aware that such type of  breast cancer prevention existed, or they were't really sure about what it was so, all left for us to do now is thank Angelina for coming out and let us now about this.

Oh "Poor" Justin!

Justin bieber seems to be the new acronym for "Bad Luck". He has been under a lot of pressure lately from not only the press or his fans but also people who do not necessarily fit into his ideal entourage.
The teenage mega star really can not seem to catch a break from controversy. After  being booed by english fans for being late and having fainted on stage, and allegedly having problems with police for having a stun-gun and drugs on his bus, Justin was once again at it! Well, not really him but controversy just seems to love this boy. This time it happend in Johannesburg, South africa. Biebs had just finished performing for a record 95 000 people, and right after the concert, some gang gained entry into one of the stadium room using hardware tools, broke into the safe and took with them a staggering 3000 000 Rands ( approximately 350 000 USD). Poor Biebs will probably think twice before touring worldwide again.

Happy mother's day!!!

Mothers represent just about everything that is good! Mothers are divine and irreplaceable!
They are the light, key, nature, comfort, fighters, wisdom, pleasure, and true definition of Life.
A mother is not just someone that bears a child, but someone who is always there to support,
take care, correct, share, teach, cry and celebrate with their children. We thank you mothers
for bringing us into this world because without you there would be no us! Thank You!

Proteas get a new coach

 

Russel Domingo has been appointed as the new coach of the South African cricket team.
He will start his duties on the 1 August as announced today by Cricket South Africa.

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