Tuesday, 29 January 2008

How to save electricity.....

Hello Darkness my Old Friend


Proposed new South African anthem
The power cuts we are currently experiencing is no joke. This is serious stuff. ESCOM, the State owned and managed utilities company, (Electricity Supply Commission), is experiencing serious problems in supplying power to the country. Multiple daily power shedding is the order of the day. We have up to 3 cuts a day, for 2 and half hours at a time. (Some say only 60% of power requirements can be met)
I am not going to go into a song and dance as to the reasons and implications, these are all over the net and TV. I cannot add more than has and is being said and by using your imagination you can figure this out.
What scares me is the bigger picture. The global economy is wobbly for starters, fuel prices are scary and investors are nervous. There are signs that International investors are moving elsewhere and others are sending messages of withdrawal.
The Public Health system has gone to the dogs, a visit to any Provincial hospital will testify to this. A recent midnight visit to a local State Emergency Trauma Center reminded me of Dante’s Inferno. But this is not of international concern; it is a domestic problem, which must be sorted out domestically. This makes everybody feel cozy while nothing is done.
Same for Telkom, the State Telephone Utility and the Municipal Services, Police Services, South African Airways and on and on. It is a known shambles and a “what can we do about that?”, a shrug of the shoulders is about as far as anything happens.
It is the old story of critical mass, pass that and we have a point of no return.
Sometimes I think the only thing that separates us and Zimbabwe, is a period of 30 years.
Despite all the serious stuff the “funnies” are abundant, it takes ones mind off the negatives for a while. Some of the best I have received will be posted over the next few days, power permitting.

Saturday, 26 January 2008

End of Hibernation

It is obvious that I have not been around for a while.
Some "communities" have cancelled/suspended membership etc etc.
It has been a very busy season and Jean and her buddies have been keeping me busy at all sorts of horrible hours. I am sure the is a Labour Act law or something that should protect me against this form of abuse......
Spoke to Jean the other day and she made a remark that nothing is happening on the Blog, so her stirring was instrumental in getting my rse into gear.
My significant other was shopping in the local Pick n Spar the other day and met a buddy of hers who told her she had seen me somewhere earlier the morning. Her wise ass reply was "If you see him again, tell him to go home, I would like to see him as well"
My Sister, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away during the Xmas period, and I am still getting to terms with that.

Will catch up from today

Happy New Year, and if you are in South Africa, stock up on generators and candles.