Living/working in Johannesburg - any good?
Está servira para distraerle.
One must bear in mind that Mesopotamian cricket was played, using as balls, the heads of decapitated daughters of kings. The game was a devotion offering to the god Baal. The priests of the time having the responsibility, as the only literati amongst the population, as layers down of the law of the game.
The game later spread westwards through what is now Turkey to Greece, after which its progress into civilized europe was stumped. In its relentless progress westward the game caught out one casualty, a boy of Greek descent who lived in Smyrna (modern day Izmir). This little Turko-Greek bowled along through life and ended up in Coventry, England where after many vicissitudes, he went on to design the Mini car. The latest and final de luxe models of which had wicket work on the side panels. Thus there is little of the English in either cricket or the Mini.
Any connection between these facts and life and work in Johannesburg would be tenuous. One would not want a silly point caught by a slip from cover and so will bat out. Over as it were.
Está servira para distraerle.
Just to get matters back on track, this from yesterday's South African press.
South Africa has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world in which to be a police officer, said the Inkatha Freedom Party on Wednesday.
Party spokesperson Velaphi Ndlovu said the emotional damage the job caused was shown in the increased number of police-officer suicides in the second half of last year.
According to Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula - in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Ndlovu - 506 police officers committed suicide between 2000 and 2005.
Suicides accounted for the deaths of 23 officers in the first six months of 2006, but this figure doubled to 46 in the last six months of the year.
"Serious questions must be asked on why this figure increased so sharply," Ndlovu said.
"To make matters worse, police psychologists are leaving the organisation in dangerously high numbers, although the minister revealed in his written reply that only 19 left in 2006, which is questionable."
SAPS in a dismal state
The IFP was shocked that of the 46 police officers killed in the line of duty between July 1 and December 31 2006, 47.87% were murdered and 45.62% killed in vehicle accidents.
"It is clear that the South African Police Service finds itself in a dismal state of affairs and without clear commitment from the government to improve the conditions in which police officers go about doing their duties every day; things can only get worse," said Ndlovu.
A handsom offer SRT and one on which you might be taken up. Many thanks.cc
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Well that's all a bit depressing, let's get back to cricket.
I now understand why the cricket ball is red. Those heads can bleed out rather slowly. Of course, the real question is how the Mesopatamians found their supplies of willow. One can only assume that this has something to do with the Crusades, if one can permit a bit of epoch juxtapositioning.
Personally, I find it more likely that the game was an offshoot of early Hebrew ceremonies, the three stumps signifying the prophesied triune God - smart guy, that Isaiah.
When you mention that the game was stumped during it's progress towards Europe, I assume that you mean that that the hands of the fast bowlers were removed by Muslim hordes, for insulting the world of Islam by beating them by an innings and six wickets in a one-dayer whilst resting on the journey west.
I should probably stop now, before my agressive batting style results in me being caught at short backward square (again).
One small point - the Mini is now no longer British, owned as it is by BMW.
We still won the war, though...
I now understand why the cricket ball is red. Those heads can bleed out rather slowly. Of course, the real question is how the Mesopatamians found their supplies of willow. One can only assume that this has something to do with the Crusades, if one can permit a bit of epoch juxtapositioning.
Personally, I find it more likely that the game was an offshoot of early Hebrew ceremonies, the three stumps signifying the prophesied triune God - smart guy, that Isaiah.
When you mention that the game was stumped during it's progress towards Europe, I assume that you mean that that the hands of the fast bowlers were removed by Muslim hordes, for insulting the world of Islam by beating them by an innings and six wickets in a one-dayer whilst resting on the journey west.
I should probably stop now, before my agressive batting style results in me being caught at short backward square (again).
One small point - the Mini is now no longer British, owned as it is by BMW.
We still won the war, though...
Está servira para distraerle.
That'll do very nicely thank you as an explanation for the fanatical desire of the British to keep their hold on Palestine, the Hebrew homeland and fatherland of cricket?
The war, whichever one of which one cares to speak, was won by the Americans when they introduced baseball into Europe, a much faster and aggressive game than cricket. One altogether more suited to the linguistic temperament of the European polyglot.
Moving on a little here, one has to say that living in Johannesburg in particular equips one with a third eye. This is located between one's shoulder blades. Even the most mundane of activities, such as crossing a car park, requires constant vigilance and awareness. Life in the combat zone is only, if ever, amusing for a fairly short time. There is a certain freedom of action which is available to those who choose not to live in Johannesburg which, at the moment at least, is not the case with those who do.
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Ah yes, baseball. Sadly, the US military failed to explain the game adequately, and the result was that most quintessentially English of games - rounders. Using a bat that accurately resembled the British psyche - small, uneven, and wooden - the game was embraced in the Mother land, but universally shunned by the colonies. The original plan, to invent a game that the Brits could actually win at international level, was thus shelved, and the game consigned to primary schools, and the occasional drunken part on the village green. Since those days, the Brits have been unable to win any of the games that they invented (apart from a brief resurgence of darts).
Violence - what you say reminds of my days in Belfast in the late '80s. Wherever you went in the city, it felt like you had a squaddie peering at you through his telescopic sight. They were twitchy, too. The space between my shoulder blades was always alert.
Mind you, I just spent the last half an hour scoping out Johannesburg on Google Earth, and I couldn't see any violence at all. Lots of Jumbos on the ramp though (and a DC3). What is the name of that nice-looking suburb across the road from the western runway?
Violence - what you say reminds of my days in Belfast in the late '80s. Wherever you went in the city, it felt like you had a squaddie peering at you through his telescopic sight. They were twitchy, too. The space between my shoulder blades was always alert.
Mind you, I just spent the last half an hour scoping out Johannesburg on Google Earth, and I couldn't see any violence at all. Lots of Jumbos on the ramp though (and a DC3). What is the name of that nice-looking suburb across the road from the western runway?
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Remoak, I think you are referring to Kempton Park... you dont want to live there... too many pilots.... lots of idle chit chat, smoking, occassional work and gazing up at the sky talking about lots of nothing. Try more Edenvale way, more of a mix there, some pilots, some normal folk, baie "los"...
Make sure you leave them behind tho', with the emigration NZ seems to have become a little better looking at our expense...
Make sure you leave them behind tho', with the emigration NZ seems to have become a little better looking at our expense...
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Glad we are all friends now
remoak dont forget the pub High Flyers (write it down), you wont find a better aviation pub, dare I say in the world? maybe not I have not been everywhere in the world, but in South Africa at least.
I see the SA boys are on your island for some super 14 games this weekend, I will be watching with enthusiasim. Your comment about the all blacks thrashing us most of the time would be challenged by myself if it were not so damn true I am however optimistic about the Rugby world cup, but then I suppose I have shown I am optimistic about most things.
As for airlink, I worked there for a while many years ago, its not a bad place, good maintenance facilities, most of the pilots dont like the big boss, they say hates pilots, but although the pay is not great, the flying is good lots of interesting destinations, the aircrew are good guys and I am sure you will have a hangover or 10 discussing world politics with them.
remoak dont forget the pub High Flyers (write it down), you wont find a better aviation pub, dare I say in the world? maybe not I have not been everywhere in the world, but in South Africa at least.I see the SA boys are on your island for some super 14 games this weekend, I will be watching with enthusiasim. Your comment about the all blacks thrashing us most of the time would be challenged by myself if it were not so damn true
I am however optimistic about the Rugby world cup, but then I suppose I have shown I am optimistic about most things.As for airlink, I worked there for a while many years ago, its not a bad place, good maintenance facilities, most of the pilots dont like the big boss, they say hates pilots, but although the pay is not great, the flying is good lots of interesting destinations, the aircrew are good guys and I am sure you will have a hangover or 10 discussing world politics with them.
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Sounds like fun. There used to be a pub in Zaventem (Brussels) called "Pitchers" I think, that was run by a couple of Sabena pilots... great place, so I'll be sure to check out High Flyers.
I'll be watching the Super 14 as well, you guys normally give a pretty good account of yourselves so they should be good games.
My home team (Hurricanes) are playing the Sharks in Durban, and the Lions the week after that, so my eyes will be firmly on SA for the weekend.
I guess one of the joys of contract flying, is that you don't have to worry about pay, accommodation, all that stuff. The local politics don't apply.
Anyway... I don't know if I'm coming yet. Once I know, I'll be in touch for beers!
BTW, does anyone know if you can get wireless broadband in Johannesburg?
I'll be watching the Super 14 as well, you guys normally give a pretty good account of yourselves so they should be good games.
My home team (Hurricanes) are playing the Sharks in Durban, and the Lions the week after that, so my eyes will be firmly on SA for the weekend.
I guess one of the joys of contract flying, is that you don't have to worry about pay, accommodation, all that stuff. The local politics don't apply.
Anyway... I don't know if I'm coming yet. Once I know, I'll be in touch for beers!
BTW, does anyone know if you can get wireless broadband in Johannesburg?
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Or bribe him like he did with the one before the one he fired, its about time the Airlink boys recieved a fair remuneration, would love to see 1000 people toi-toiing outside airlink offices, I am sure it would wipe the smug look of RF's face
