Sunday, April 18, 2010
Recovering my saddle
On Thursday I recovered my saddle - orange of course - and then took it out on a test drive today. Fun! Here are some pics of the process:
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Shining a light on civilisation
Okay, just before you think I've got a light theme going on - I actually wrote this on the train to the UK a couple weeks ago, and subsequently forgot about it while languishing on my death bed (I'm fine now, thanks).
I think lightbulbs are a good example of just how deep we're into the civilisation dead end. We are developing a habit of solving problems with things that create a bigger problem. We discover that we are using too much energy, and a lot of this is going into lighting. So what we are presented with as a solution is a lightbulb that uses less energy. Unfortunately as with many things that are the product of civilisation we later find out that once again when we exclude nature from our thinking we have created yet another problem.
With lightbulbs I think it was even clearer – we knew there was mercury in the HCL lightbulbs, however I guess we thought that less energy use was better than more mercury poisoning our environment (or let's be cynical – perhaps it was just more economical). Now we are trying to create even more energy efficient lightbulbs by using LED technology – I wonder how long before we realise the problem with them.
In a world where only those that work with nature survive, anything that takes more than it gives is doomed, no matter how clever it looks on paper. Technology will not make civilisation sustainable, nor will it slow us down until we have enough time to notice the people next to each other, and stay in one place long enough to build up meaningful relationships.
I think lightbulbs are a good example of just how deep we're into the civilisation dead end. We are developing a habit of solving problems with things that create a bigger problem. We discover that we are using too much energy, and a lot of this is going into lighting. So what we are presented with as a solution is a lightbulb that uses less energy. Unfortunately as with many things that are the product of civilisation we later find out that once again when we exclude nature from our thinking we have created yet another problem.
With lightbulbs I think it was even clearer – we knew there was mercury in the HCL lightbulbs, however I guess we thought that less energy use was better than more mercury poisoning our environment (or let's be cynical – perhaps it was just more economical). Now we are trying to create even more energy efficient lightbulbs by using LED technology – I wonder how long before we realise the problem with them.
In a world where only those that work with nature survive, anything that takes more than it gives is doomed, no matter how clever it looks on paper. Technology will not make civilisation sustainable, nor will it slow us down until we have enough time to notice the people next to each other, and stay in one place long enough to build up meaningful relationships.
Seeing the light
A friend of mine at work is a Eugene Terreblanche hater. Before ETs death he would often decry me (and all South Africans) because nobody had killed him yet. In his view, as a blatant racist and inciter of violence he needed to be 'offed'.
I always laughed at him (kind of nervously) becuase I never really knew what to make of his tirades. Unfortunately it is only in ETs death that I find the answer. The fact that ET was allowed to live free and do his thing (whether that was going to jail, rattling on about some idea that white people might be better in some way than black people because they are white, falling of his horse, being a reason for many South Africans to be grateful that white neo-nazi's in SA don't have a better leader) in South Africa and was NOT killed by someone or tried by a kangaroo court shows exactly the type of miracle that the New South Africa is. A place where you can be a crazy, and still expect to be tried according to the laws of the same country all the other crazies are tried according to.
I think that if through his death and the trial of his killers, if we can keep this foremost in our minds, that all South Africans are equal in front of the law, we'll stay on track as a nation. No matter how much Julius Malema, Steve Hofmeyer and Jonah Fisher are trotted out to try to get us to forget this, we need to remember that all are innocent until proven guilty. And if I had another opportunity from my work colleague, I would love to tell him how ET living there is the best example of the beauty of South Africa.
What I'd like to see is some cunning plans on how we can all contribute to upholding these sorts of laws in our everyday lives.
I always laughed at him (kind of nervously) becuase I never really knew what to make of his tirades. Unfortunately it is only in ETs death that I find the answer. The fact that ET was allowed to live free and do his thing (whether that was going to jail, rattling on about some idea that white people might be better in some way than black people because they are white, falling of his horse, being a reason for many South Africans to be grateful that white neo-nazi's in SA don't have a better leader) in South Africa and was NOT killed by someone or tried by a kangaroo court shows exactly the type of miracle that the New South Africa is. A place where you can be a crazy, and still expect to be tried according to the laws of the same country all the other crazies are tried according to.
I think that if through his death and the trial of his killers, if we can keep this foremost in our minds, that all South Africans are equal in front of the law, we'll stay on track as a nation. No matter how much Julius Malema, Steve Hofmeyer and Jonah Fisher are trotted out to try to get us to forget this, we need to remember that all are innocent until proven guilty. And if I had another opportunity from my work colleague, I would love to tell him how ET living there is the best example of the beauty of South Africa.
What I'd like to see is some cunning plans on how we can all contribute to upholding these sorts of laws in our everyday lives.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
*Phew* finally someone does something serious about climate change!
Let's not lie - it was getting a bit worrying there. All this talk of coal power plants, world cup stadiums made of concrete, BRT's instead of bicycles - the list was seemingly endless - and dire for the climate.
BUT, there is a ray of hope on the horizon and it comes in the unlikely form of the World Bank. A revolutionary counter note here - this is the NEW world bank (ie, sans all those bloated colonial masters of yesteryear who are intent on never seeing South Africa develop anyway - don't think we Africans didn't notice your sneaky skyving off US, Netherlands, UK, Italy and Norway! Although we may remember you at some point when we are economic power houses for not actually voting no).
Yes the NEW WB have seen the errors of their old incarnations ways, and have decided to loan (well, no they couldn't just give money away - that creates dependency) South Africa 3.75 billion US DOLLARS!!!! Talk about the jackpot! Before I get carried away, let me not forget to share the really big news, what the money is for:
Ruth Kagia, World Bank country director for South Africa (ie, she sits just above JZ) said the Eskom project offered a unique opportunity for the World Bank Group to strengthen its partnership with the government of South Africa, Eskom, and other financiers "and help South Africa chart a path toward meeting its commitment on climate change while meeting people's urgent energy needs".
As if that wasn't enough, the real NEW WB WOman (of course - and hey, none of that reverse sexism here!) Obiageli K Ezekwesili, World Bank vice president for Africa said: "Our support to Eskom combines much-needed investments to boost generation capacity for growing small and large businesses [we'll come back to this point... never], creating jobs and helping lay the foundations for a clean energy future through investments in solar and wind power."
Did I tell you they were NEW or what??? I trust by this stage you are as excited about this whole pro-poor, pro-environment, pro-democracy, pro-life deal as I am! And with all the hype, you can only imagine that at least 3.7 billion of the 3.75 total is going to renewables right? Well, you wouldn't be very wrong at all! But it's not that exact figure, let's take a closer look:
WOAH, not that close! Oh, you're actually interested in the "figures"? Oh well, here's a breakdown:
0.75bn - RENEWABLES!!!
3bn - Coal fired power plant (well, that's part of the 17bn needed for the plant)
0.75bn - RENEWABLES!!! Oh, did I say that already? but look this time it's not in bold :-)
Go NEW WB Go! What, you want to know the breakdown of the renewables part do you? Look, there's a bn after the renewables figure! No? Still want a breakdown huh? You bloody agent, don't touch me on my studio!
Okay, so:
0.75bn =
TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY MILLION DOLLARS for wind and solar projects! THAT IS 26 (yes, TWENTY SIX) Darling wind farms! What? Yes, their are only 4 turbines at Darling. No, that doesn't include any solar.... or consultancy fees... Chief, get this thing out of here.
oh, and 485mil on a railway "to transport coal with fewer greenhouse gas emissions".
So of 3.75bn, only 0.26bn is for actual renewables? C'mon, that's almost a whopping 7%!
And corruption I hear you say? Nope, no worries there, the NEW WB has a dedicated team of grade 2 accountants (SA School system grades...) to ensure any corruption is totally overlooked. For instance there have been elements in the media (we have your bank account details) that have been telling people about the ANC's holdings (which is private information I might add) of Hitachi Africa, who are making the boilers for the plant.
Sarwat Hussein, senior spokesperson for the World Bank's Africa region, quickly sorts this out: "The Hitachi component is not part of what we are financing. We were not party to awarding a contract, and we are not a party to its payment". See? What did I tell you, these guys are stellar - you can't even pin trumped up charges of corruption to them.
So, now that the NEW WB is here to stay, we can only be thankful that "Energy insecurity and climate change are two of the most significant development challenges of our time," Hussein again, pointing out that only one in four Africans have access to energy (... and one in one have access to climate change, he quietly pointed the other way).
BUT, there is a ray of hope on the horizon and it comes in the unlikely form of the World Bank. A revolutionary counter note here - this is the NEW world bank (ie, sans all those bloated colonial masters of yesteryear who are intent on never seeing South Africa develop anyway - don't think we Africans didn't notice your sneaky skyving off US, Netherlands, UK, Italy and Norway! Although we may remember you at some point when we are economic power houses for not actually voting no).
Yes the NEW WB have seen the errors of their old incarnations ways, and have decided to loan (well, no they couldn't just give money away - that creates dependency) South Africa 3.75 billion US DOLLARS!!!! Talk about the jackpot! Before I get carried away, let me not forget to share the really big news, what the money is for:
Ruth Kagia, World Bank country director for South Africa (ie, she sits just above JZ) said the Eskom project offered a unique opportunity for the World Bank Group to strengthen its partnership with the government of South Africa, Eskom, and other financiers "and help South Africa chart a path toward meeting its commitment on climate change while meeting people's urgent energy needs".
As if that wasn't enough, the real NEW WB WOman (of course - and hey, none of that reverse sexism here!) Obiageli K Ezekwesili, World Bank vice president for Africa said: "Our support to Eskom combines much-needed investments to boost generation capacity for growing small and large businesses [we'll come back to this point... never], creating jobs and helping lay the foundations for a clean energy future through investments in solar and wind power."
Did I tell you they were NEW or what??? I trust by this stage you are as excited about this whole pro-poor, pro-environment, pro-democracy, pro-life deal as I am! And with all the hype, you can only imagine that at least 3.7 billion of the 3.75 total is going to renewables right? Well, you wouldn't be very wrong at all! But it's not that exact figure, let's take a closer look:
WOAH, not that close! Oh, you're actually interested in the "figures"? Oh well, here's a breakdown:
0.75bn - RENEWABLES!!!
3bn - Coal fired power plant (well, that's part of the 17bn needed for the plant)
0.75bn - RENEWABLES!!! Oh, did I say that already? but look this time it's not in bold :-)
Go NEW WB Go! What, you want to know the breakdown of the renewables part do you? Look, there's a bn after the renewables figure! No? Still want a breakdown huh? You bloody agent, don't touch me on my studio!
Okay, so:
0.75bn =
TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY MILLION DOLLARS for wind and solar projects! THAT IS 26 (yes, TWENTY SIX) Darling wind farms! What? Yes, their are only 4 turbines at Darling. No, that doesn't include any solar.... or consultancy fees... Chief, get this thing out of here.
oh, and 485mil on a railway "to transport coal with fewer greenhouse gas emissions".
So of 3.75bn, only 0.26bn is for actual renewables? C'mon, that's almost a whopping 7%!
And corruption I hear you say? Nope, no worries there, the NEW WB has a dedicated team of grade 2 accountants (SA School system grades...) to ensure any corruption is totally overlooked. For instance there have been elements in the media (we have your bank account details) that have been telling people about the ANC's holdings (which is private information I might add) of Hitachi Africa, who are making the boilers for the plant.
Sarwat Hussein, senior spokesperson for the World Bank's Africa region, quickly sorts this out: "The Hitachi component is not part of what we are financing. We were not party to awarding a contract, and we are not a party to its payment". See? What did I tell you, these guys are stellar - you can't even pin trumped up charges of corruption to them.
So, now that the NEW WB is here to stay, we can only be thankful that "Energy insecurity and climate change are two of the most significant development challenges of our time," Hussein again, pointing out that only one in four Africans have access to energy (... and one in one have access to climate change, he quietly pointed the other way).
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