The KEY to a HAPPY RELATIONSHIP!! - EVERYBODY HAS TO SEE THIS!!!

That SIMPLE!!

Worshipping the cobra - THIS IS JUST SICK!!

A festival called Nag Panchami which happens in India each year, where locals worship and celebrate the existence of snakes. 

During the festival which happens on July 24 this year, the snake is bathed in milk whilst the snake charmer plays music. 

Prayers are conducted where people ask for protection from a snake bite.  

Shiva, the god depicted with a snake around his neck is also worshiped. 

From birth, children are constantly surrounded by snakes.

• THIS IS JUST SICK!!

Woman killed - because she gave birth to a baby girl - #SHOCKED

Husband and mother-in-law wanted a boy

An Afghan woman was choked to death by her husband and mother-in-law for delivering a baby girl for the third time in northern Afghanistan, a police spokesman said Monday.

“Storay, a 30-year-old mother of three, was choked to death by her husband and her mother-in-law in a remote village in Khanabad district of Kunduz province,” Sayed Sarwar Hussaini told dpa.

“She was told by her husband that if she delivered another baby girl, he would kill her,” Hussaini said.

The woman gave birth to the third girl three months ago.

“We have arrested Storay’s mother-in-law and we are looking for her husband, too, who is on the run,” Hussaini said.

Last month, a teenage girl was rescued by police in the neighbouring province of Baghlan after her in-laws tortured and kept her in a toilet for six months because she refused to prostitute herself.

Rights activists have constantly raised concerns over the treatment of women in Afghan society.

A United Nations report in 2010 said nearly one-third of all Afghan women are exposed to some level of physical and psychological violence and an estimated 25 per cent suffer sexual abuse.

• NOW THIS IS REALLY SAD, DEATH FOR NOT GIVING BIRTH TO A BOY!!

R1m goes missing from church - #SHOCKED

ONE of the oldest churches in the country has been rocked by a scandal involving more than R1-million, which was allegedly stolen by officials.

An internal audit team found that about R1,2-million went missing from the coffers of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria.

This took place during renovations of the church and Tshwane Building in 2010.

The theft resulted in the dismissal of Reverend Lameck Luthuli because his rubber stamp was used to authorise inflated payments to contractors an to make unauthorised payments.

Angry congregants said the matter was serious and called on the church authorities to open a criminal case and force those found guilty to repay the money. They also demanded the immediate reinstatement of Luthuli pending the outcome of the investigations.

A tender of R698,000 by Tirisano Mmogo was accepted but the final invoice was inflated by 39%, bringing the amount to R969,000.

Church treasurer Portia Mashilo signed for the payments and also used Luthuli's rubber stamp signature.

The audit team said Luthuli denied any knowledge of the payments, saying the rubber stamp and church letterheads were "unofficially used as the said letter was not even typed by the sectional secretary but by the treasurer herself".

Before the completion of work on the church Tirisano Mmogo said it had no capacity to do the work at Tshwane Building and was not asked to refund the outstanding money.

Instead Mashilo and church member Johnny Sithole appointed Fikabefile Management Services to refurbish the Tshwane Building.

The company was paid R290,000 two months before it submitted a quote. It also added VAT to the invoice, though it was not registered.

The work, initially supposed to cost the church R698,000, ended up costing it R1,939,500.

The audit team concluded that "rules and procedures of general acceptable accounting practices have been dismally violated."

Limpopo Bishop Gavin Taylor said the allegations had not yet been tested. Asked if Luthuli's removal was linked to the missing funds, he said it was for "different conflicts. It is very complex".

• NOW THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!!

Malema fails to pay R12 membership fee

Embattled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema has not paid his ANC membership fee since 2009, according to a report on Monday.

Malema - who is facing a five-year suspension from the party for statements he made about its leadership - last paid his R12 annual membership fee in July of 2009, The Times newspaper reported.

Failure to pay would mean that a member would be barred from party activities.

When approached for comment on Sunday, The Times reported, Malema said it was news to him that his membership had not been renewed.

Malema is currently appealing his suspension as the youth league president.

• NOBODY DOES IT LIKE JUJU!!!!!

Mugabe 'seeks immunity from prosecution' and is planning to retire after next election

Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe is planning to retire after his country’s next elections, it was claimed yesterday.

The 87-year-old tyrant hopes to secure victory at polls this year or in 2013 before handing over to a younger successor, according to a report in South Africa’s Sunday Times.

The newspaper quoted an official who said Mugabe wanted to ensure he could continue living securely and without risk of prosecution following his retirement but had decided it was time to step down following three decades of power.

The unnamed source said: 'The plan is that after the elections the president will retire and hand over power to a senior party official, who will complete his term while consolidating himself or herself.

'The president is now making plans to retire and resolve the succession issue, but only after he gets security guarantees.

'Depending on what constitution would be in place, how the successor comes in would be determined by the constitutional and political circumstances, particularly the outcome of the elections insofar as it concerns the distribution of seats in parliament and the executive arrangement.'

The Sunday Times reported that Mugabe laid out his plan to retire on Wednesday during a meeting of senior officials from his ruling Zanu-PF party.

The former liberation movement has controlled Zimbabwe for almost 32 years since it gained independence from Britain in 1980.

The country was once the breadbasket of Africa but has seen its economy destroyed.

Mugabe has also been blamed for a string of human rights abuses as he used fear and intimidation to ensure his continued control.

He lost a presidential election in 2008 but clung to power and was forced into a unity government with the country’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The two men have led a shaky coalition since February 2009.

But in recent months Mugabe has repeatedly signaled his intention to call fresh polls in the belief he can secure a fresh mandate to rule alone.

The suggestion that he could be preparing to stand down as president follows speculation about his faltering health.

It is widely believed that the octogenarian is suffering from prostrate cancer and he has made several trips to the Far East for medical treatment.

Many in Zimbabwe believe the tyrant would be unable to secure victory at free and fair elections.

However some analysts have argued Mugabe remains his party’s greatest electoral asset.

The Sunday Times reported that several of his senior colleagues were jostling to succeed him but said the country’s defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa was a front-runner to take over.

 

The newspaper reported: 'Officials close to Mugabe said the veteran leader, in power for 32 years, was scheming to win the next elections by all means necessary and hand over power to a younger leader as part of a strategy to resolve the crisis around his succession and keep Zanu-PF in power. 

'Mugabe wants elections this year.

'Senior Zanu-PF officials told the Sunday Times that Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, 66, was earmarked to take over from Mugabe, 88, if he wins the next polls.' 

Speculation about Mugabe’s plans for the future follow a turbulent period in Zimbabwe.

The three year old unity government has been credited with returning some economic and social stability to the country following years of chaos.

However in recent months relations between Zanu-PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change had suffered fresh strain and the government has sunk into paralysis.

Mr Tsvangirai has said he hopes to have a new constitution drawn up before the country returns to the polls.

However Mugabe has said he is prepared to call elections anyway.

Some experts believe his party is preparing to unleash a wave of violence in an attempt to shore up its faltering support.

• IS BOB REALLY GONNA QUIT or IS THIS ANOTHER CAMPAIGN GIMMICK???!

Joburg is a mess - Auditor

Auditor-General Terence Nombembe confirmed Johannesburg's finances were in a mess. 

He said there were differences between meter readings and the city's billing data.

Most of Nombembe's concerns revolved around the management of the city's revenue system after years of complaints of incorrect bills.

While revenue collection was slightly above target, there were still over 100,000 billing queries that still needed to be resolved.

City Manager Trevor Fowler admitted there were problems when the new billing system was introduced.

"Issues raised by the Auditor-General on the Johannesburg financial reports are being addressed to make sure the city returns to its clean state."

There was over R1-billion in losses due to the billing crisis.

The Democratic Alliance’s Mmusi Maimane said the city could not manage its finances.

"Intention is one thing but implementation is another."

Are casinos good for SA?.

Despite the past year not having been an easy one for the casino industry, the South African gambling industry’s gross revenue for 2011 increased by five percent to R17.14-billion from the previous year’s R16.268-billion. During the same year, the industry contributed significantly to State coffers, contributing R4.5-billion in taxes to central government.

Statistics contained in the Casino Association of South Africa’s (CASA) just-released eighth annual Survey of Casino Entertainment also showed that, during 2011, casino customers were restrained by high levels of household debt and diminished disposable income.

"The satisfactory macro-economic stability on which we depend now appears at risk," says CASA CEO Derek Auret.  "There are signs that domestic inflation has been creeping upwards, driven by unsuitable wage settlements in the public sector, increases in property rates and utility costs and deteriorating basic services such as water and electricity." Nonetheless, casino gambling was still the most popular form of gambling, accounting for R14-billion or 89.8 percent of the total industry revenue.

At 41 percent, Gauteng remained by far the largest contributor to the industry’s revenues, followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 19 percent and the Western Cape at 15 percent.

"One of the principal reasons for the demonstrable success of the casino sector is the constructive relationship that exists between the industry, government and regulators," said CASA Chairman Jabu Mabuza.

The aim of the annual survey, which is compiled from information supplied by the National Gambling Board, the provincial gambling boards and CASA members, is to provide legislators, regulators, researchers and the general public with a comprehensive information resource about the important role the industry plays in the economies of communities across South Africa.

"Given the significant contribution the industry makes to State revenues, it’s in the national interest that Government should approach with great caution the imposition of further regulatory restrictions or demands that may threaten the profitability of the casino industry and its ability to create jobs. This is particularly the case in respect of new taxes, which are bound to have an overall negative impact on casino turnover and thus on the tax payable to the provinces, as well as on the sustainability of the approximately 52 000 jobs that the industry currently maintains."

Arguably the most significant development during the year has been the release of the long-awaited final report of the Gambling Review Commission.

"Overall, the report spoke favourably of the casino industry, finding that, on the whole, it is very well run and regulated, and compares favourably with the best managed industries anywhere else in the world," said Auret.
"Pleasingly, the Gambling Review Commission also found that the incidence of problem gambling has remained relatively constant, despite the significant growth in the size of the gambling industry, suggesting that harm minimisation measures have been successful."
This year’s survey also reveals the casino industry’s commitment to Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment, to the extent that an overall Level 2 rating has been achieved, based on analysis by Empowerdex. The analysis was performed in respect of the casino industry as a whole, and reveals a national industry score of 95.00 points, equivalent to a Level 2 B-BBEE Contributor status.
Also covered in the survey is the Ipsos Markinor research report, commissioned by CASA, to conduct research at 18 casinos across South Africa to establish the profile of people who visit casinos with the primary objective to gamble.  The overall aim of the study was to ascertain the socio-economic status of gamblers.
The research report revealed that 23 percent of all activities at a casino (by gamblers) are not gambling activities. These non-gambling activities include eating out, entertainment, movies, games and other non-gambling activities provided by casinos. 85 percent of gamblers indicated that they planned to spend R600 or less at the casino, and that this R600 included the cost of eating out, entertainment, movies, games and other non-gambling activities.
Worth noting is the high awareness of The National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP) with 79 percent of respondents saying they were aware of the programme, with awareness highest in the Western Cape (95 percent) and Eastern Cape (92 percent).
"It is clear from the research that the overwhelming majority of casino visitors live in built homes, use their own transport to get to casinos and have a very high awareness of the NRGP", said Auret.  It is also clear from this comprehensive account that, given the relatively high cost of entry and participation, casinos do not attract the very poor."

To access the full 2011 CASA Survey of Casino Entertainment in South Africa, please go to www.casasa.org.za/Docs/CASA-Survey-2011.pdf

SA must 'improve' mining investment image

SA has no option but to radically improve its image as a mining investment destination

Reid's comments follow an announcement by the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) earlier this week that SA had become significantly less attractive as a mining investment destination since 2006.

"The results of the research done by the SAIRR echo the sentiments being expressed by a number of local and international resource clients. SA's slide to 67th out of 79 countries surveyed last year by the Fraser Institute annual survey of mining companies should come as no surprise. The year before, SA was ranked at 61 out of 72 countries surveyed, but there was at least industry optimism that matters would improve," Reid said.

He noted that this optimism had been based on the expectancy that the consultative process between government, organised labour and industry players through the mining industry growth, development and employment task team would help to resolve issues such as the reform and consistent application of legislation, violent and frequent labour unrest, labour supply and skills, the delays experienced in the processing of applications for mining and prospecting rights and the implementation of the policies adopted in the 'strategy for the sustainable growth and meaningful transformation of SA's mining industry' document.

"Regrettably, the mining industry growth, development and employment task team does not appear to have had much tangible success. Mining companies frequently find themselves at loggerheads with the unrealistic demands of the regulator.

The amendments to SA's mining legislation and regulatory framework were anticipated to have been finalised by late last year. This target is now late 2012, resulting in continuing uncertainty in certain significant areas of the law."

Reid added that the nationalisation debate had still not been resolved, although it was hoped that greater certainty on government's stance on the issue would be forthcoming at his year's Mining Indaba due to take place in February.

"The list of negative factors continues to grow," Reid remarked.

"To an ever increasing extent, SA finds itself competing for mining investment with other African destinations.

"In addition, investment resources are becoming scarcer due to the ongoing Euro crisis. Alternative markets in Canada, Australia, Asia and South America are expanding."

SA had no option but to radically improve its image in the mining sector.

"The mining industry can only do so much. The burden for reform lies squarely on the shoulders of government," Reid concluded.

• Having read all that, do you believe that "Nationalization of Mines in SOUTH AFRICA" is the correct way to go in averting the the loss of investors in South Africa??!
• If not what can be done in S.A to increase investments in the mining field??!
• And if NATIONALIZATION is the way to go then what effect will it have on the average South African looking to invest in the country??!

Corrupt?! We Will Be Watching you!

Corrupt? We Will Be Watching you!

ORiGINALLY a Cosatu initiative that has grown into a full-blown anti-corruption campaign, CW has built up a large group of high-profile supporters to support its cause.

Minister of Justice Jeff Radebe, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and the media are all backing the campaign, with hopes of preventing corruption from destroying our country.

Executive director David Lewis, former chairman of the Competition Tribunal, said he was desperate to “help protect these resources so that they are directed to the very people they are meant to support.”

Lewis also chaired the presidential commission of inquiry into labour market policy.

Chairwoman Vuyiseka Dubula, general secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign, signed on to run CW because “good governance is also about accountable, honest and transparent communities, corporations and the state that encourages good use of public resources”.

How Corruption Watch works:

It’s all in a few clicks or the dialling of a phone number.

By visiting www.corruptionwatch.org.za you can give your side of the story in as much detail as you like.

This will help the organisation to start the investigation process.

Once the data you’ve submitted is processed, CW has pledged to investigate, through the correct organisations related to your case, and name and shame the individuals responsible for any corruption.

This data will be used to highlight hotspots of corruptions, and reports regard- ing these incidents will be made public.

CW will also monitor the status of ongoing corruption cases and do its best to monitor their progress.

WHO CAN REPORT? WHAT CAN YOU REPORT?

Anyone can report instances of corruption, no matter how small, to either the CW website, its Facebook and Twitter walls, or its SMS hotline.

CW is calling on everyone to monitor their officials and report even the smallest infractions. The cop who tried to get a bribe out of you. The service official who is skimming municipal funds. The dodgy tender given to your boss. Everything should be reported.

LosSes through corruption:

Lewis announced that more than R30 billion is lost each year to corruption.

President Jacob Zuma, in his end-of-year statement, issued 22 proclamations authorising the Special Investigating Unit to conduct investigations into alleged corruption, including in the Ekurhuleni and Tshwane municipalities and the SABC.

• NOW IF THIS INITIATIVE WORKS - THE COUNTRY WILL BE A BETTER PLACE!!

'HUMAN ZOO' Video sparks Condemnation

'HUMAN ZOO' video sparks condemnation

British newspaper The Observer released the video showing Jarawa tribal women -- some of them naked -- being lured to dance and sing after a bribe was allegedly paid to a policeman to produce them.

Under Indian laws designed to protect ancient tribal groups susceptible to outside influence and disease, photographing or coming into contact with the Jarawa is illegal.

The tribe, thought to have been among the first people to migrate successfully from Africa to Asia, lives a nomadic existence in the lush, tropical forests of the Andamans in the Bay of Bengal.

Survival International, which lobbies on behalf of tribal groups worldwide, said the video showed tourists apparently enjoying "human zoos."

"Quite clearly, some people's attitudes towards tribal peoples haven't moved on a jot. The Jarawa are not circus ponies bound to dance at anyone's bidding," said Stephen Corry, the group's director, in a press release.

In June last year, Survival International accused eight Indian travel companies of running "human safari tours" so tourists could see and photograph the Jarawa.

The London-based lobby group called for tourists to boycott the road used to enter the reserve of the Jarawa tribe, who number just 403 and are in danger of dying out.

The Andaman and Nicobar tropical island chain is home to four other rare tribes -- Onge, the Great Andamanese, the Sentinelese and the Shompens, each numbering fewer than 350 members.

Another tribe called Bo died out in January 2010.

The Andaman police downplayed the video, calling it "old" and blamed the British journalist for forcing the Jarawas to dance for the tourists.

"It is obvious that it is the videographer who is breaking the law of the land and who is inciting the tribals to dance," senior Andaman policeman S.B. Deol said in a statement.

• ITS AMAZING WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO DO TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF MONEY!! - PURELY DISGUSTED!!

THAI "ELEPHANT MEAT" A DELICACY

A new taste for eating elephant meat - everything from trunks to sex organs - has emerged in Thailand and could pose a new threat to the survival of the species.

Wildlife officials told The As national park in western Thailand.

"The poachers took away the elephants' sex organs and trunks ... for human consumption," Damrong Phidet, director-general of Thailand's wildlife agency, said in a telephone interview. Some meat was to be consumed without cooking, like "elephant sashimi," he said.

Poachers typically just remove tusks, which are most commonly found on Asian male elephants and fetch thousands of dollars on the black market. A market for elephant meat, however, could lead to killing of the wider elephant population, Damrong said.

"If you keep hunting elephants for this, then they'll become extinct," he said.

Consuming elephant meat is not common in Thailand, but some Asian cultures believe consuming animals' reproductive organs can boost sexual prowess.

Damrong said the elephant meat was ordered by restaurants in Phuket, a popular travel destination in the country's south. It wasn't clear if the diners were foreigners.

The accusation drew a quick rebuttal from Phuket Governor Tri Akradecha, who told Thai media that he had never heard of such restaurants but ordered officials to look into the matter.

Poaching elephants is banned, and trafficking or possessing poached animal parts also is illegal. Elephant tusks are sought in the illegal ivory trade, and baby wild elephants are sometimes poached to be trained for talent shows.

"The situation has come to a crisis point. The longer we allow these cruel acts to happen, the sooner they will become extinct," Damrong said.

The quest for ivory remains the top reason poachers kill elephants in Thailand, other environmentalists say.

Soraida Salwala, the founder of Friends of the Asian Elephant foundation, said a full grown pair of tusks could be sold from 1 million to 2 million baht ($31,600 to $63,300), while the estimated value of an elephant's penis is more than 30,000 baht ($950).

"There's only a handful of people who like to eat elephant meat, but once there's demand, poachers will find it hard to resist the big money," she cautioned.

Thailand has fewer than 3,000 wild elephants and about 4,000 domesticated elephants, according to the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department.

The pachyderms were a mainstay of the logging industry in the northern and western parts of the country until logging contracts were revoked in the late 1980s.

Domesticated animals today are used mainly for heavy lifting and entertainment.

• NOW THIS IS SHOCKING!!!!!!!!!!

LOVE PROBLEMS

MY WIFE and I have been married for eight years and we have two children aged five and three. I have always believed that our marriage was a happy one, though over the past year we seem to have grown apart. 

We are both employed and, of course, when we get home we try to give our children some quality time.

On weekends we always seem to be visiting friends and family. My wife seems to always be exhausted, which I understand because she has a lot on her plate.

We hardly have a physical relationship and when we talk it seems to be either about work or the kids. I feel so sad because we had so much in common and always seemed to have fun.

Someone commented recently that we are like two ships passing in the night. I am starting to feel that it has gone too far and I don't know how we could ever connect again.

In my loneliness I have met another woman who is also married. But she is also stuck in a very unhappy marriage and wants to leave her husband. Nothing has happened between us but we both feel that to end our marriages would be too traumatic for our children. We would hurt too many people.

We have tried to be just friends but the attraction is too great. I am scared that if we continue our spouses or friends will find out. I know that this sort of thing always seems to come out. Is it so bad that I want to find some happiness in my life? Does that make me such a bad person? I am starting to resent my wife. What should I do?

• Should the man stay with the family for the Kids??
• Should he leave his wife, because there is no Physical relationship and he is attracted to the the other MARRIED woman??
• Should he CHEAT on his wife and make sure that he is there for the Kids??

DA-Youth Campaign Poster

Lets TALK...What exactly is so offensive about this picture of the DA -Youth League?!! As people we still   

turn when we see people of different cultures dating whether it be BLACK and WHITE, COLORED and BLACK, ASIAN AND BLACK, ASIAN and WHITE so if the DA Youth League want to work towards a FUTURE that envisions a BARRIER-LESS country...what exactly is so wrong with that?? Someone might advocate that it is offensive to Christians...As a Christian myself i really don't see the Big HOOOHAAA....An notice that there are NO PRIVATE PARTS shown in any of these pictures and yet there is an outcry about it...maybe i just don't understand??! As a future parent id really like to see my KIDS able to date and marriage any race and any color without limitation or without them thinking that there is something wrong with that so I personally support the campaign to get a future going that doesn't have INHIBITORS!! Whats your take on the matter??!!

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to my blog...Hope you will certainly enjoy the ride.....Feel free to comment on any postings!! - Swangz