|
|
|
Satan rides again.
|
|
2:05PM, Monday, 18 Aug, 2008
|
Hot off the press is the news of a school stabbing this morning in Krugersdorp. The basics are this:
"A schoolboy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death with a sword in Krugersdorp on Monday morning was apparently high on drugs, saying Satan had told him to kill the children.
"The matriculant, wearing a black balaclava over a face smeared with black paint, entered the school premises with the sword and stabbed and killed a boy just before school assembly,
"He stabbed one of the schoolkids in the neck and he died. He then went further and stabbed a gardener in the back and another gardener in the face. They were taken to hospital in serious conditions."
It's a terrible story, but I can't help wondering what it would have been like if SA had the same lax gun laws as the US. At least this particular loser only had access to a sword.
The usual media motifs are present in the story. Satan, music (although nu-metal as opposed to heavy), and drugs.
"Krugersdorp councillor Alex Raubenheimer said school children on the
scene told him the boy was high on drugs and was dressed like Joey
Jordison, a drummer of the band Slipknot."
The only one missing is Mxit, although I'm sure enough digging around will show that in fact the kid got slighted on Mxit or something.
It's amazing how much stuff Satan gets blamed for. But at the same time, it's amazing how much stuff he DOESN'T get blamed for. It seems that the marketing battle between Good and Evil is being won by Good. For example, the invasion of Iraq. Clearly the work of Satan, but no, George Bush's Christian warriors take all the credit.
|
|
|
|
|
Give a little bit.
|
|
12:48PM, Friday, 15 Aug, 2008
|
So here's a mail from the Head Mango, Cath. Read it, and maybe put up the badge on your blogs. But first go give money. SMS Vuka to 38010, it'll send ten bucks.
"We are currently working on the Jail4Bail project on behalf of Autism Western Cape. (http://www.autismwesterncape.org.za/) We have created a blog badge that encourages people to sms and stand the chance of winning a Vuka scooter (grab the badge below). All proceeds go to Autism WC. Gerhard, the guy who has locked himself in jail, only has until next week Friday to raise the balance of R1 million in cash.
"More links:
http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=5194803067&ref=ts
http://stii.co.za/post/jail4bail-afrigator/
http://www.mikestopforth.com/2008/08/13/jailed-for-autism-jail4bail-rafiq-phillips/"
Here's the code you need.
<a href="http://afrigator.com/topics/jail4bail" title="jail4bail show your support" alt="jail4bail show your support">
<img src="http://afrigator.com/images/Afrigator-Jail4Bail.gif" alt="Jail4Bail, raising R 1 million for Autism awareness!" title="Jail4Bail, raising R 1 million for Autism awareness!" border="0"/>
</a>
 
 
|
|
|
|
|
Foto na Dans: on the money.
|
|
12:15PM, Friday, 15 Aug, 2008
|
Look, I know this is supposed to be a blog about things political, socio-political, apolitical and just plain politicking. But I have to point you towards my review of Foto na Dans. Saw them live at Oppikoppi, got the ep, listened, loved.
In fact, I think I'm going to pick out what great SA band a week to put in front of you people. I have this nagging fear that my readers are all Celine Dion fans. But you're not, are you?
Foto Na Dans - Pantomime op Herwinbare Klanke
Equal parts bombast and brilliance, Foto Na Dans' new EP is the work of a rapidly maturing band.
<snip>
To cut a short story even shorter - watching them at Oppikoppi this
year reminded me of catching the first Nude Girls gig at Up The Creek,
when they moved into their heavy phase post-Afterlifesatisfaction.
Just a total cut above, a shift from cool band to world class. Gorgeous
stuff, powerful, subtle, melodic without sacrificing aggression.
<snip>
When Le Roi sings "Kom ons maak 'n geraas/ dis tog beter as n' leemte,"
he's under-selling himself. Foto do much more than just fill a vacuum,
they create their own space, and it's a place of thunderous emotion,
with songs like "Wig" making a journey from introspective electronic to
resounding rock-out.
<snip>.
|
|
|
|
|
My cup runneth over.
|
|
11:07AM, Thursday, 14 Aug, 2008
|
My regular readers will know that I struggle with the concept of belief in religion. I never really see the point. But finally, I've found a religion I'd be proud to call my own. It's called the Church of the Latter Day Crockery, and I advise you all to join.
Turns out that "a Mozambican woman recently gave birth to three cups in the southern province of Gaza, independent television channel Stv reported on Thursday, showing images of the crockery.
"The channel said the 18-year-old woman who lives in Xai Xai, gave birth to the cups on her way to hospital after she had complained of labour pains."
This is fantastic! The whole Virgin Birth thing was a great marketing ploy for the Catholic church, but let's face it - in this day and age, virgin is an airline, not an actual lifestyle choice. Crockery is much more useful, and as miracles go, being able to give birth to a dinner set is actually a lot more useful than giving birth to a child. And let's face it, all Mary did was have a baby. Anyone can do that. But matching cup and saucer, that's kind of special.
"The Mozambican association of traditional healers (Ametramo) told the station that there was nothing strange about the story. Ametramo president Aulerio Demoraz said similar cases had occurred in other parts of the world due to witchcraft. He said the woman needed to be treated with traditional medicines in order to exorcise the "evil spirits" which made her give birth to the cups."
Fool! This is a missed opportunity. Rather do a trade deal with the evil spirits, and then we can finally compete against China in terms of cheap labour. Even if our cheap labour actually has to go into labour.
The News24 story
|
|
|
|
|
Bafanny pack.
|
|
9:27AM, Thursday, 14 Aug, 2008
|
I don't know... there just seems something wrong with welcoming Benni McCarthy back into Bafana Bafana, after he's clearly shown that he has no appetite for it. And we're also going to be lumbered with Dean Furman and MAtthew Pattison. And the quote from Joel "Guitarman" Santana also sits uneasily in my craw.
"Now that the game is in England, I am sure they will be there."
So they can make it when it suits them, but not, say, when they have to leave their comfort zone and travel to darkest Africa? I might be doing them a disservice - perhaps they have good reasons for not wanting to turn up for some games. But I just think, if you're playing for your country, you should go where your country sends you, and needs you.
|
|
|
|
|
Popstars vs Rockstars
|
|
2:12PM, Wednesday, 13 Aug, 2008
|
Great article on blogging over at Mandy de Waal's blog, ranking bloggers according to a google formula. I only make pop star status, alas, but the big hitters get rock star status.
I blame Search24!
But I see I JUST beat Vernon Koekemoer, so I'm happy. Didn't even know he HAD a blog.
Go read the entry, it's got some provocative ideas.
|
|
|
|
|
Highlights package
|
|
9:28AM, Wednesday, 13 Aug, 2008
|
As some of you might know, our Channel24 entertainment team has just covered Oppikoppi, where we sponsored a stage, and created a VIP Poker Den area for our new site, Speakerbox.co.za.
We also streamed 8 bands live via satellite, with MK, and over 4000 people watched that, including someone on a train in Scotland.
But the highlight of the festival for me was Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, and here's my contribution to a Highlights of Oppikoppi article on Channel24.
"It's been a while since a song brought a lump to my throat. The last
time it happened was with "De La Rey," and that turned out to be vomit.
With Sipho "Hotstix" Mabuse, it was emotion. Listening to the
seamlessly groovy "Burn Out", watching the crowd get into the mood, and
realizing yet again that South African musicians can be utterly
transcendental, and can write songs that are classics, rather than
fodder for future advertising jingles, was an unquestionable highlight.
"When I got back to the Speakerbox Poker Den, I spent 20 minutes
berating the Taxi Violence guys for playing cards instead of listening
to an SA great. "You don't even play real music!" I shouted at them,
"You're just stupid rock musicians!" After they fed me tequila and made
shushing noises for a while, I calmed down."
I know, a little emotional. But we often forget how many great, great musos we have in this country. Actually, Taxi Violence were great too! Check out an unplugged gig they did for us.
|
|
|
|
|
How to design the Olympic logo
|
|
4:50PM, Tuesday, 12 Aug, 2008
|
Someone sent me this pictorial primer on how to design a logo. Gotta love it. Don't know who did it, it's just going around on mail. But it does remind me that, as soon as the Olympics started, I kind of forgot about the human rights violations, the pollution of the earth, and Tiananmen Square. Shamefully so.
According to Wikipedia (not always a reliable source, it has to be said), six countries (China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan and the United
States) account for 91 percent of the reported world total number of
executions. Of 1,252 confirmed executions in 25 countries worldwide, at
least 470 people were executed in China during 2007.
|
|
|
|
|
What happens at the Olympics...
|
|
8:49AM, Tuesday, 12 Aug, 2008
|
I've discovered that the Olympics is like Las Vegas. Not just the impossibly tacky costumes, but the way you consume it. They say that when you get to Vegas, you do crazy things you wouldn't normally do, and that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
It's the same with the Olympics. What happens while viewing the Olympics stays in the Olympics, because you sure as hell wouldn't watch those sports in normal life. A man who won't deign to watch Currie Cup rugby because it's 'not real sport, not like watching Super 14", will find himself avidly watching Synchronised Tiddleywinks at 1 o'clock in the morning.
I'm not sure where the magic comes from. It sure as hell isn't the honest thrill of sporting nation against sporting nation, at least not for me. It's more about marveling at how human beings can devote their lives to pointless pursuits, for seemingly random reasons. I guess it's like a religion, just without the afterlife.
|
|
| | | | |