Rules Apply, Especially Before 9 AM!!

I think its probably happened to everyone. Somewhere in your sleepy sub-conscience you are aware that it’s a weekend, and its early. Suddenly, a violent chirp or murderous ringtone bursts through the calm sleep you fought so hard to get. Blindly you reach for the rude object, knocking over glasses and books. Finally the phone is in your hand, and checking the message it says:” This is just a message to the most wonderful person I know. NOW YOU ARE ON THE CLOCK! Forward this to 10 wonderful people you know in the next 5 minutes, or you will lose al your friends!” Feeling the fury slowly mounting, you look at the clock. It’s 7:15 AM. Sleep will be impossible now.

Whoever sent you the message won’t think you are such a wonderful person when you answer their message with a few choice words!

In my experience, it is an unspoken rule never to text, BBM, Whatsapp, phone or email someone before 9 AM. Its just common courtesy. I could understand if the time zones differed, but even that is a stretch.

Possibly, the rules of society are falling away. Men don’t hold open doors for women anymore, children don’t offer their chairs to the elderly and apparently now its ok to bother people at the crack of dawn.

Do parents not teach their children these things anymore? If so, I believe we may be cursed to a life of utter horror.As said by a genius person somewhere under the sun:

“I hate it when I don’t forward a chain message and I die the next day.”

Imagine having 16 calls, 7 urgent emails and 34 pointless messages at 6 AM. Be afraid.... be  very afraid!!!

So now that you have read this post you have to forward the link to 12 people. If you don’t, your hair will fall out and you’ll get hit by a bus. But if you do forward it you will win the lottery and become famous. Oh sorry, you weren’t still asleep were you?

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.........

Secrecy Bill Exposed and (hopefully) Disposed!

A week ago today, the Protection of Information Bill was passed in South Africa. Residents were urged to wear black as a sign of protest on, what was, a very Black Tuesday. For those who are unaware, this means that the governing party, the ANC, will now control what happens in the media.

In other words if President Jacob Zuma decides to fly his horde of wives and children to Mauritius using tax-payers money, we will be the last to know.

Another obvious reason that this “Secrecy Bill” is being put into place is to protect the several corrupt leaders and their BMW’s. After all, what damage would a little petty cash in the pocket make if no-one would be the wiser?

Yes, I can just imagine Jakes sitting in his expensive office, smoking a cigar and having a glass of champagne to celebrate his succesful scam. Maybe even planning to take wife number 20-something.

This Bill is a serious issue people. It authorises the burying of important reports which expose health service problems, delivery problems and corruption in several governmental departments. It also officially makes the posession of ”classified information” illegal which could lead to imprisonment.

If South Africa is a proud democracy then why did its citizens have no say in this matter?

Another interesting argument is that this very technique was used during the Apartheids years to cover up the murder in police custody of Steve Biko, beloved ANC leader. Isn’t  it immoral that they insult his name by using this? To think that the ANC is replicating techniques from the NP that they so despised. An ironic observation to say the least.

Many iconic leaders have voiced their disagreement with this. Arch-bishop Desmond Tutu and his Holiness the Dalai Lama joined the ranks of protesters. If the ANC thinks this is over they are  very much mistaken.

Whatever happened to freedom of speech? Our right to know what is happening in our country? How will we explain to the next generation why all the words are blacked out in newspapers?!

I do believe the media would like to say several things to president Zuma. Unfortunately swearwords lose their threat when all you see are a bunch of censory-blacked out bits!