2010 Under Threat, Again

From the Sowetan:
Under threat: Construction on all 2010 World Cup stadiums might grind to a halt today.

The Building Construction and Allied Workers’ Union (BCAWU) has threatened to hold the country to ransom and halt all construction today unless the companies building the stadiums almost double the wages they pay their workers.

The union’s president Albert Masuku said the disruption would affect most of the 2010 stadiums.

NVDL: They are also upgrading Vodacom Park. The section that is lower, with all the 'losies' already has a portion of the roof removed, and this will be expanded in line with the rest of the stadium. There is also a plan to build an airbridge that connects from the Waterfront complex over the road, directly to the stadium.

World's Best Blogs (FORBES SURVEY)

Special Report: Best Blogs
by Arik Hesseldahl,

NEW YORK - One of the earliest promises about the World Wide Web was that it would put some of the power of the press back in the hands of regular people. The same people who once wrote thoughtful polemics or commentary on handbills and in pamphlets of limited circulation, or through the occasional letter to a newspaper editor, could, at least in theory, reach the entire Internet-connected world with their ideas.

Some who embraced the Web early went on to become media barons all their own. Personal Web publishing has taken off in fits and starts over the last decade. It used to be that if you couldn't decipher the arcane commands of Hypertext Markup Language, you'd either have to learn it or hire someone who understood and could publish your work for you.

Weblogs, or blogs, have changed that, primarily because they are so easy to use. The method of blogging allows for publication on a whim, when the mood strikes, making the "blogverse," as some like to call it, one of the first places to look for reactions to the happenings of the day, and in specific areas of interest.

As you might expect, there's a good deal of junk to sort through obscuring the pearls. For the range of topics we've selected, ranging from travel and technology to economics and film, we've sought to save you some of the trouble for several topics.

Reviews:

Best Politics Blogs
Best Photo Blogs
Best Travel Blogs
Best Movie Blogs
Best Food Blogs
Best Sports Blogs
Best Tech Blogs
Best Media Blogs
Best Economics Blogs
Best War Blogs
Best Medical Blogs
Best Celebrity Blogs

Polls:

Which is the best politics blog?
Which is the best photo blog?
Which is the best travel blog?
Which is the best movie blog?
Which is the best food blog?
Which is the best sports blog?
Which is the best technology blog?
Which is the best media blog?
Which is the best economics blog?
Which is the best war blog?
Which is the best medical blog?
Which is the best celebrity blog?

From Forbes.com (2004)

Botlierskop: A Natural Connection

Mountains and magic, Botlierskop is unique for its elephants, riverside tented suites and Bushman artifacts

Despite an ignominious flight number -- MN 911 -- I emerge alive from the rear end of the green, missile-shaped McDonnell Douglas. A cold front is converging on my position, but right now it is still pleasantly cool and breathless on the tarmac.

Michelle and I (we met on the plane) walk under the green wing toward the neat building that is George Airport. It is the only airport in the country with such a spectacular purple and green backdrop.The large jagged Outeniqua Mountains push against the deadweight of stress that has built up inside me. I feel it begin to shift, and in its place life emerges; grassroots stir in the still dry soil of my soul.At the conveyor belt my bag arrives first; I bid the young lady, my once-off traveling companion, adieu.

I find Jacques Venter, a ranger from Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, at the arrivals exit. He wears a leather cowboy hat and he has that affable good nature that reminds me of Marius Weyers in "The God's Must Be Crazy."

Getting There

Botlierskop is a 20-minute drive from the airport in the direction of Mossel Bay. After two minutes Jacques points out a vervet monkey on the side of the road. I'm still too jaded and sleep deprived to see it. Jacques keeps up a lively conversation. He tells me that Outeniqua means "honey bringers," a Bushmen word, and yes, this area is one of the haunts favored by these original people, the first people of Southern Africa.

Just outside Mossel Bay we turn off the tar road for a short stretch. As the hillsides roar upward around us, I reflect that once the wanted posters went up, the Bushmen, like Al Qaeda, made for the mountains.

Lord of the Rings

Jacques points out a bizarre rock formation rumored to be behind the nomenclature of the place. From the summit of Botlierskop, he tells me, a large fire was made to alert local farmers that ships were coming in and they could start moving fresh supplies to the ships. The fire was lit in the "Lord of the Rings" style after a faraway beacon was set alight near the present Mossel Bay lighthouse.

The rocks here seem to be sculpted by extreme wear and tear: ice, rain and wind. Finding myself similarly weathered by the world of work, the rugged surroundings are a comfort to me. I'm happy to escape the chatter, the clutter, and anything and everything manmade. Just get me away from it all!

For the rest of this article, click here.

RWC: Boks overcome Ferocious Fijians (37-20)

Springbok Powerhouse shrug off nerves to pull off convincing win

With a halftime score looking ominously like the New Zealand score (versus France), at 13-3 , it was starting to look like a third upset was on the cards. Jacque Fourie’s easy-as-you-please try in the second third of the first half was an anomaly. After an hour’s play, scores were level at 20-20, and the Boks were tempted to doubt themselves, as their Southern Hemisphere rivals had done to their detriment on Saturday.

Saturday’s upsets provided the Boks with powerful incentives not to make the same mistakes.

Errors

Yet both sides made handling errors; the Fijians messed up their own lineouts, and took chances in scrummages and tackles, while Springbok Francois Steyn’s performance blew hot and cold. Schalk Burger uncharacteristically missed a crucial tackle that led to a try.

The Boks erred in throwing the ball out wide, opening themselves up to the fleetfooted Fijians (and Sevens World Champs).

The turning point came for South Africa in the second half. But not due to the sin binning of Seru Rabeni for his high tackle on Butch James. In fact, with Rabeni gone the fourteen remaining Fijians still scored twice in quick succession. It could so easily have gone the other way. A desperate tackle soon after these two tries saved the Boks from a disastrous third try, and a morale breaking score (perhaps 25-20).

Spoiler

All this happened close to the 70th minute with South African JP Pietersen spoiling flying Ifereimi Rawaqa’s surge for the corner. Pietersen scooped up the big man as he dived across the line, pinning down his arms and preventing him – just – from grounding the ball.

The Fijians disappointment at this near miss began to infect the Boks with the impulse, the nerve to counterattack, and to do so within a prescribed game plan. And so they fought their way back to ascendancy. The match was characterized by ruthless high tackles, perhaps more from the bulky Fijians, but the Boks were also guilty of playing rough, and spilling blood.

Thanks to solid leadership from the Bok captain, John Smit, the Bok troops gathered themselves up, and shut down the Fijians. They effectively placed a garage door on their own try line at one point, barricading this zone against the bulldozing attempts of the muscular Fijians.

Composure

After some frantic initial countering, the Boks did what the Aussies and Kiwi’s failed to do, they regained their composure, and fell back into a game plan that involved muscling, mauling and rucking their way through the Fijians. It worked again through Free State flank Juan Smith, and again at the death – although Butch James had to clean up the attempt by running it slightly wide and fast from the ruck to score his try. In the end the Boks pulled off 5 tries.

The last of the four quarter finals games is on Sunday between Argentina and Scotland. Argentina are the favorites, but given what has already happened this weekend, there’s almost no point in mentioning that.

SA try scorers: Jaque Fourie, John Smit, JP Pietersen, Juan Smith, Butch James. Conversions: Percy Montgomery (3). Penalties: Francois Steyn, Percy Montgomery (1 each).
Fiji try scorers: Vilimoni Delasau, Sireli Bobo. Conversions: Seremaia Bai (2). Penalties: Seremaia Bai (2).

Gandalf in Cape Town (Video)

Shut Up and Drive

South African drivers need to lose the attitude and concentrate on staying alive

Driving at night on the nations highways is dangerous and with the rain this weekend and holiday traffic it was even more treacherous. Given South Africa’s road accident statistics, we have a lot to learn.

I've been looking for a driver who's qualified
So if you think that you're the one step into my ride
I'm a fine-tuned supersonic speed machine
With a sunroof top and a gangster lean

Compared to international standards, South Africans drive a lot faster than in other countries. And compared to international standards, South Africans penchant for drinking and driving is a concern.

Day to Day

The daily commute is nevertheless a good place to start. How it works is that all things being equal, all traffic ought to move along in their lanes at a similar pace. But in their wisdom, some individuals feel that getting to point B one full minute ahead of everyone else is worth the risk of a fender bender. Actually, it’s not worth the risk.

If you have ever been in a traffic accident, you’ll know that a collision causes time to stand still, so cancel all your appointments and clear your desk for the morning or afternoon of your accident. Then, prepare to export a few thousand rand from your disposable income, whether you were at fault or not.

So you’ll see Type A people start to hop in and out of lanes, and they may get a few hundred metres of everyone else. That minute really isn’t worth the fuss.


So if you feel me let me know, know, know
Come on now what you waiting for, for, for
My engine's ready to explode, explode, explode
So start me up and watch me go, go, go, go

Inviting Road Rage

In Houghton I once found myself at an intersection, with my view of cars on the left blocked by a large bakkie that was turning left. It was only once this car had turned and gone that I had visibility to begin to cross the intersection.

At this point another vehicle cheekily slotted in to the slot left by the bakkie, she edged in front of me, then crossed the intersection. I followed in the next few seconds, but I was angered. The woman in the car ahead of mine probably thought she was much smarter than I was, but that sort of behavior invites anger, not respect.

People know when they are being cheeky on the roads. If you do something that puts yourself in front of another driver at their expense, you’re doing something wrong.


Got you where you wanna go if you know what i mean
Got a ride that smoother than a limosine
Can you handle the curves? Can you run all the lights?
If you can baby boy then we can go all night

Spiteful Driving

During a recent night drive to Bloemfontein over the weekend, I was faced with several bottlenecks around trucks. The situation for me was exacerbated because I started the trip in a 90 minute traffic jam, and so I wanted to get through the rest of trip safely, but efficiently.
Experience as a cyclist and swimmer - especially lane swimming – has its advantages in this sort of situation. In sport you learn to apply things like speed, anticipation and momentum.


I got class like a 57 cadillac
Got all the drive but a whole lot of boom in the back
You look like you can handle whats under my hood
You keep saying that you will boy I wish you would

Balancing Risk

When you’re driving, risk has to be balanced. Nervous drivers who find themselves too afraid to pass slow moving trucks, create a longer continuous barrier for the vehicles behind. This increases the stakes for each successive overtaking vehicle.

These drivers must drop back, allowing other vehicles to fill the hole behind the truck and be able to pass when the small window opens. During my drive to Bloem there were many of these truck-headed-snakes snagging along the N1.

It’s easy to pass these snakes if you approach at a decent speed. When driving at night you have the added advantage of seeing approaching headlights before you see the cars. But this can be tricky. Even so, it is less risky to pass by quickly on approach, using the momentum you already have, than to join these ‘snags’ and then have to attempt to pass from the point of reduced speed. This naturally means you’ll be spending more time overtaking, and here, crucially, every half second counts.


Cos you play the game, got what I got (Get it Get it)
Don't Stop It's a sure shot
Aint no ferrari huh boy I'm sorry
I ain't even worried
So step inside and ride(ride, ride, ride, ride, ride...)

Hypocrisy

What I noticed on Friday and Sunday, when I overtook some of the drivers stuck behind slow traffic, was that some drivers would rapidly flash their brights at me – not apparently to help me, but to say ‘HEY! Get in line!’ Or perhaps to say: ‘What you’re doing is not safe.’ If that really is the position – that these fellow road users care – they should not then sabotage the endeavor by attempting to blind the driver that’s trying to overtake. How does that make sense?

Never mind that when overtaking you need to be at your full wits, and here you have drivers attempting to blind you at the crucial moment. Let’s face it, car accidents are one of the leading causes of death after heart attacks and cancers. The odds of you dying in a car accident are high.
For the egotistical drivers out there, if you want to stay alive and undamaged - shut up and drive!

The Best Blogs in South Africa

Image above is Erica Durance (Lois Lane in Smallville)
Web traffic aggregator Amatomu provides interesting insights into the South African blogosphere

What are the most popular blogs right now in South Africa? Amatomu.com ranks them (by reads) as follows:

1.keo.co.za
2.sarugby.com
3.Steve Hofmeyr’s Afrikaans Blog
4.Myrugbynews.co.za
5.So Close
6.ECR Big Breakfast Blog
7.East Coast Radio Newswatch Blog
8.Marco’s Blog
9.Tectonic
10.Wired Gecko.

Do you want to get the inside scoop on, say, the rugby world cup. Visit the top Sports (and right now, most popular overall) blog, which is www.keo.co.za. Never heard of it? Well, it has plenty of the most up to date news and views on everything cricket and rugby.

Interestingly, this list of blogs includes a celebrity blog and a radio blog. Technology is also a popular topic. ‘So Close’ at number 5 is a blog about a woman who wants/wanted to have children.

Amatomu has various categories, and also ranks stories according to reads, posts, ‘schmaaks’ and inbound links. My blog (www.nickvanderleek.com) is a ‘News & Politics’ blog, although I don’t blog strictly to this definition. I have seen my ranking under this category climb from the late 20’s; now it has entered the late teens. I’m in the top 5 most popular blogs in my category (by posts).

I’ve also searched for the blog I love to hate, Mushypeasontoast, and it seems now that the blogosphere is growing, your content has to be pretty good to make it to the top. That’s great news. Mushy is presently 5th in the much overlooked Life section, with Steve Hofmeyr unassailably in front.

It’s fun to check how popular a wider audience finds your content, and it’s interesting to see the latest posts, and what’s hot, on Amatomu’s elegant site.

It’s also a great way to look at what communities are doing, how they are forming, and for bloggers to leave comments on sites that press their buttons, or rub them the wrong way. Check it out, and if you haven’t already, register and get your blog ranked and rated at Amatomu.com.