This 'n That

Law Enforcement Work — Careers Outside the Box

Posted by Lindsey on 1 December 2011, 11:13 pm

Police Dispatch room, the nerve centre of operations

The proliferation of television shows known as “procedurals” has exposed the general public to the existence of law enforcement activities that support front-line policing. Television has brought the once obscure world of behind-the-scenes law enforcement activities into the world’s living rooms.

From shows like CSI and NCIS, fields directly related to law enforcement have become more appealing to a wider segment of the population. Though many of the supporting jobs are entry level, a growing number do require advanced education such as a criminal justice degree. For support positions that analyse process and coordinate the work of the street-level police officer, an investment in schooling can lead to a position many might not consider.
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No One Should Have To Eat Alone On Christmas Day

Posted by John on 26 November 2011, 10:32 am

This hilarious TV advert is for Nando’s 6-pack meal featuring Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe — note the retouched painting of Napoleon behind him.

Keep an eye out for Muamar Gadhafi, Sadam Hussein, Mao Zedong, Nicolae Ceausescu and Idi Amin.

Nando’s is the leading Fast Food Chicken outlet in South Africa and the chain has a reputation for controversial and entertaining adverts.

Recently they satirised the ebbing fortunes of of Julius Malema, the leader of the ANCYL (the youth league) who has just been expelled from the African National Congress. The advert has the punch-line “Juju, you’ve been served.”

According to a statement on Nando’s website: “Needless to say Nando’s ads have been the centre of some heated topics of conversation. We’ve also won a lot of advertising awards along the way and they’ve been fantastic!”

Filed under Entertainment.

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7 Types of Home Owner’s Insurance You Need to Know About

Posted by Kim on 22 November 2011, 10:00 am

Home insurance can save your investment one day

If you own a home or are thinking of buying one, home owner’s insurance is a necessary evil and can even save your investment one day. But there are many different types of policies out there that can be confusing to the average home owner.

Below, we have gathered seven different kinds of home owner’s insurance to help you make sense of it all.

1. Basic
The liability coverage of the home owning insurance world is the basic. This type of policy covers only the basics but includes items such as fire, wind-storms, theft, and even volcanic eruption.
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Filed under Business & Finance, Real Estate.

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World Heading For Population Of 7 Billion — Really?

Posted by John on 20 November 2011, 6:25 pm

Street scene in Kowloon, Hong Kong -- click to enlarge

The latest global population projections, published by the United Nations a few weeks ago, predict that the world will be teeming with 10.1 billion people by 2100. This is a billion more than previously estimated. Once again, there’s talk of a ticking population time bomb. No one knows if the world can sustain that many people.

Not everyone agrees with this scenario. The United States Census Bureau, which also employs sophisticated mechanisms to predict population levels, forecasts that the seven billion mark won’t be reached till next year, on the 12th of March, 2012.

So why did the UN estimate choose October 31, 2011? Why does their projection differ from the other available predictions? The truth is that a closer look at the assumptions behind the UN calculations shows that there may be perverse and contradictory reasons to blame. Many believe that it looks more like a political construct than a scientific analysis.
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Filed under Environment, Nature.

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Baby Elephant And Mother In Dramatic Rescue From The Mud

Posted by John on 15 November 2011, 11:47 pm

The elephants inspect the mother and daughter

Just two weeks ago in the wilds near Kapani Safari Lodge, in the Luanga Valley, Zambia, a group of tourists came across this amazing sight. A hopelessly trapped baby elephant and her mother.

The Kapani lagoon, where the baby elephant and her mother were trapped, is nearly dry and very sticky at this time of year. The Kapani Lagoon is a source of drinking water for the animals of the area, as well as the place to go for a relieving mud bath.

The elephants had gone to bathe and the baby became ensnared. The mother elephant, attracted by the cries of the baby, also sank into the mire and became trapped as well. The rest of the elephant herd had initially tried to help the screaming mother and baby escape, but they were stuck too deeply. The herd quickly retreated when the rescuers arrived (9 photographs).
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Filed under Environment, Nature.

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7 Reasons Why Buying Is Better Than Renting A Home In This Market

Posted by John on 6 November 2011, 12:10 am

Buying or renting? Which is better in this market?

The question on every potential purchasers lips when considering a real estate investment is how best to time the market. Values are still declining in a down market, and the question is — how low can they go and how long should one wait?

Interest rates are bottoming out. In fact they are near an all-time low. They are unlikely to drop any further and if you wait too long you may not be able to afford to buy a home at any price.

At the other end of the scale the rental market is characterised by steadily rising rentals, driven by rising demand.

This guide is for anyone who might be considering taking the plunge into the housing market. You may be a home-owner who needs to sell first before you can buy. Or you might be renting and looking to be a first time home buyer. Whatever the case may be, here are seven reasons why buying your home now may be better than renting:
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Filed under Business & Finance, Real Estate.

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Ronald West’s Artwork Is All Vibrant Colours And Love Of Life

Posted by John on 23 October 2011, 7:53 pm

Local artist Ronald Martin West was born in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, in 1974 and his formal art training started in 1989 when he joined the PJ Olivier Art Centre with sculpture as his main subject.

The Beach Gala -- oil on canvas (click to enlarge)

“I love Italy, the Italian and French way of life, food, wine, street and café scenes, Tuscan scenery, the cobble stone streets, the vibrant colours, tango and lambada, bicycles and old cars.

Although I wasn’t around to experience the 1950′s and 1960′s, I think (or dream) that it must have been an amazing era to have lived in Italy or France.

When I close my eyes, I can smell the fresh roasted coffee, the freshly baked baguettes, and the sound of the chef, on his old bicycle, doing his daily deliveries.”

He studied briefly at the Cape Technicon Graphic Design School while working for a very well-known office automation company. In 2002, after a vivid dream, he resigned from the world of commerce and took up his brushes and paint as a full-time career. Ronald says from that point on he never looked back (12 photographs).
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Gold In South Africa And The Ancient Indian Connection

Posted by John on 23 October 2011, 8:10 am

Relief depicting Ancient Dravidian Seafarers -- click to enlarge

Like most South Africans of my generation, as a schoolboy I learnt that the recorded history of Southern Africa started in the mid 17th century with the arrival of the European explorers.

Did ancient Dravidian Seafarers establish the first gold mines in Southern Africa?

We studied detailed accounts of these early settlers and their exploits as well as the references to the Portuguese explorers, such as Bartolameu Dias, who preceded them by about 100 years.

According to this history the Khoisan or San people inhabited the Southern African region and preceded the Bantu people who gradually displaced them as they migrated south into the coastal regions of what is now known as the Cape. In a previous post, which you can find here, we covered the many languages spoken by the Khoisan.

The truth may be very different (6 photographs).
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Filed under History, Language & Reference.

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Water Sky and Another Beautiful Sunset On The Bot River Estuary

Posted by John on 21 October 2011, 8:19 pm

Another Beautiful Sunset On The Bot River Estuary (click to enlarge) -- Photograph by John Bradfield

This photograph was taken at 7.05pm just after sunset.

I’m standing on the edge of the eastern bank of the Bot River Estuary. It’s warm and breathless and the fish are jumping in the shallows. Apart from the faint roar of the sea in my ears and the tinkle of water lapping at my feet, it’s absolutely silent. It’s beautiful.

At left, on the horizon, lies the mouth of the estuary about two kilometres (1.25 miles) away.

Across the water, in the distance on the right, on the far side you can see the dark shape of the Kogelberg mountain range.

Filed under Environment, Nature.

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South African Mountain Biker Gets Taken Out By Red Hartebeest Antelope

Posted by John on 12 October 2011, 3:51 pm

“It was being in the right place at the right time and Evan being in the wrong place at the wrong time – one of those moments. It was freaky. I saw it coming closer so I braked, [I] thought it would go in between the gap. It hit him, lifted him off the ground, [and he] landed in the grass . . [he] started making weird noises and I didn’t know what to do.”
– team-mate Travis Walker

Mountain Biker, Evan van der Spuy of Team Jeep South Africa, was riding in second place in a race near Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and travelling at top speed when a male red hartebeest antelope – estimated to weigh 150 kilograms (330 pounds) and about 1.3 metres (4.25 feet) tall at the shoulders – suddenly charged straight at him and hurled itself into him.

His helmet imploded and he was briefly knocked unconscious on impact. He was taken to hospital where he spent the night under observation. Fortunately he suffered no serious injuries and was discharged the next morning.

Source: News 24

Filed under Nature, News.

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