What is in a name? Most people get quite excited when finding a shop that sells knock- off Ed Hardy shirts that look identical to the pricey genuine ones. Often we find opportunities where we can purchase cheap phony designer clothes of the latest and most popular labels. These knock-offs are usually manufactured in eastern countries. When once in Thailand, everywhere I looked was DNKY, Diesel, Gucci and the list goes on. Even though they were fake, who would know the difference. Later, I found out that it was making a difference in someone else’s life...
Police raided two sweatshops in Thailand last year; both in the process of making fake Louise Vuitton bags. I was completely horrified when I heard that children, around the ages of eight and above, had been chained to tables to make bags; their legs had been broken so that they could not leave the spot they sat in day after day and they had skin diseases from not getting enough sunlight. My heart sank, I felt sick to my stomach. Most of all the fake designer clothes and accessories we buy have been made in sweatshops. Those children were freed, but what about the other hundreds of sweatshops? What about all the other suffering children? I urge everyone to never buy another fake designer label again. If there is no market for it then it will stop getting manufactured. Next time you are thinking of buying a fake, think about the real name behind that label.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
judge ngoepe rescues himself
http://Zuma judge recuses himself from trial - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source
For months on end we were bombarded with stories on Jacob Zuma raping saga and how unfit he was to be the next president. Yet in the midst of that there was more drama taking place concerning the case which most people did not pay attention to such as Judge Ngoepe stepping down as presiding officer of the case. Judge Ngoepe realised that this case was too much for him and in order for him to be safe he would rather step down as the presiding officer in Zuma’s case, it was also discovered that he didn’t preside out of his own will but because his deputy presiding officers suggested that he chairs the case as this was a “high-profile trial” and not a “pleasant matter". Zuma’s attorney seems to have had a hold against the judges as the judge was caught in between serving justice or maintaining his reputation to the public and ensuring safety for his family knowing how feral zuma’s supporters could get at times. This leads me to question whether firstly South Africa’s justice system is up to standard or not as Judge Ngoepe could have continued with the case and if necessary sentence Jacob Zuma accordingly but instead he chose to step down which to me highlighted incompetency on his side and a lack of security for South African law workers and if this means every time a high profile case comes up law workers of that level will always crumble down and not show that they are fit and proper as it is a requirement for all law workers admitted into the bar. This article also highlighted that was Mr Zuma cleared simply because he was the next president and no judge wanted to be known as the judge that sentenced him or does the south African law cater for certain people only as rules can be bent for certain people like Mr Jacob Zuma. The defence also ,used this to their advantage especially because they had fans cheering for Zuma outside singing “umshini wami” (bring my gun), which is a warfare song that was named South Africa’s second anthem. No judge in their right state of mind would have sentenced Zuma under the circumstances mentioned leading to a very blunt yet necessary question was justice served and does South Africa have any competent workers in the law field if yes where were they during this trial? Will South Africa always be faced with this issue??
For months on end we were bombarded with stories on Jacob Zuma raping saga and how unfit he was to be the next president. Yet in the midst of that there was more drama taking place concerning the case which most people did not pay attention to such as Judge Ngoepe stepping down as presiding officer of the case. Judge Ngoepe realised that this case was too much for him and in order for him to be safe he would rather step down as the presiding officer in Zuma’s case, it was also discovered that he didn’t preside out of his own will but because his deputy presiding officers suggested that he chairs the case as this was a “high-profile trial” and not a “pleasant matter". Zuma’s attorney seems to have had a hold against the judges as the judge was caught in between serving justice or maintaining his reputation to the public and ensuring safety for his family knowing how feral zuma’s supporters could get at times. This leads me to question whether firstly South Africa’s justice system is up to standard or not as Judge Ngoepe could have continued with the case and if necessary sentence Jacob Zuma accordingly but instead he chose to step down which to me highlighted incompetency on his side and a lack of security for South African law workers and if this means every time a high profile case comes up law workers of that level will always crumble down and not show that they are fit and proper as it is a requirement for all law workers admitted into the bar. This article also highlighted that was Mr Zuma cleared simply because he was the next president and no judge wanted to be known as the judge that sentenced him or does the south African law cater for certain people only as rules can be bent for certain people like Mr Jacob Zuma. The defence also ,used this to their advantage especially because they had fans cheering for Zuma outside singing “umshini wami” (bring my gun), which is a warfare song that was named South Africa’s second anthem. No judge in their right state of mind would have sentenced Zuma under the circumstances mentioned leading to a very blunt yet necessary question was justice served and does South Africa have any competent workers in the law field if yes where were they during this trial? Will South Africa always be faced with this issue??
I spy with my little eye!
http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=352953
It has been a very heated weekend at Fort Hare with many Zimbabwean students loosing their scholarships because they publicly vowed their allegience to the MDC party of Zimbabwe. Manyo of these students are on the Presidential scholarship and suddenly they have been stripped of their had-earned scholarships. It has been said that there Mugabe's spies on the campus watching every Zimbabweans move and making sure they identify those that are anti-ZANU. These spies have been a common feature on Zimbabwe's streets but one never thought that they would be found on campus'. Students have been protesting on their lost of scholarships but a spokesperson said it was due to the fact that they violated a clause that they are not meant to be politically active.
The question now is don't these students have a right to profess who they are loyal to especially if they are not on home ground? If students have societies or leagues for their parties such as the ANC or COPE youth leagues surely on a campus that has the high number of Zimbabwean students they should be allowed to have either MDC or ZANU PF youth leagues. We are in a era were the country is being run on a inclusive government, yet again one should not forget where their bread is buttered Accepting the Presidential Scholarhsip meant that you have an allegience to the government as well as the party that is in charge, so this is a very difficult situation as one has to determine what is important to risk losing an opportunity for an education or to be loyal to those that grant them the opportunity to be where they are.
It has been a very heated weekend at Fort Hare with many Zimbabwean students loosing their scholarships because they publicly vowed their allegience to the MDC party of Zimbabwe. Manyo of these students are on the Presidential scholarship and suddenly they have been stripped of their had-earned scholarships. It has been said that there Mugabe's spies on the campus watching every Zimbabweans move and making sure they identify those that are anti-ZANU. These spies have been a common feature on Zimbabwe's streets but one never thought that they would be found on campus'. Students have been protesting on their lost of scholarships but a spokesperson said it was due to the fact that they violated a clause that they are not meant to be politically active.
The question now is don't these students have a right to profess who they are loyal to especially if they are not on home ground? If students have societies or leagues for their parties such as the ANC or COPE youth leagues surely on a campus that has the high number of Zimbabwean students they should be allowed to have either MDC or ZANU PF youth leagues. We are in a era were the country is being run on a inclusive government, yet again one should not forget where their bread is buttered Accepting the Presidential Scholarhsip meant that you have an allegience to the government as well as the party that is in charge, so this is a very difficult situation as one has to determine what is important to risk losing an opportunity for an education or to be loyal to those that grant them the opportunity to be where they are.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Santana divides Safa brass
http://www.citypress.co.za/Content/Sport/News/2173/22cd3f1a7dfa486a8d40b313b969053d/18-10-2009-02-00/Santana_divides_Safa_b
BAFANA Bafana coach Joel Santana has caused divergent views within the South African Football Association (Safa) leadership. There have been speculations about the Bafana coach being fired since the team lost six international friendlies in a row. The game against Iceland on the 13th of October 2009 has caused a stir to many South African football lovers. The article shows the argument between Safa CEO(Raymond Hack) , Joel Santana and the new Safa president (Kirsten Nematandani) seen that probably most football fans would want to see the coach sacked but then again Safa cannot fire him because the Soccer World Cup is impending. In my viewpoint, the article is informing the fellow South African soccer fanatics that Joel Santana still has the chance to prove to Safa and the fans that he can lead Bafana Bafana to the World Cup with satisfying results.
The fact that Santana has drastically changed the squads tactics, most of the fanatics complain that his tactics are too defensive thus Bafana finds it hard to even score a single goal. Safa has appointed three assessors of Santana, namely Jomo Sono, Clive Barker and Gavin Hunt to assess Santana’s tactics; as Nemantandani said “we will ask one of them to take us through it for guidance.”
If Joel Santana gets fired, this might not come as bolt from the blue because since he has been appointed as coach of South Africa it is as if the squad won’t even reach the second round of the 2010 Soccer World Cup and which will mean embarrassment to the host country.
BAFANA Bafana coach Joel Santana has caused divergent views within the South African Football Association (Safa) leadership. There have been speculations about the Bafana coach being fired since the team lost six international friendlies in a row. The game against Iceland on the 13th of October 2009 has caused a stir to many South African football lovers. The article shows the argument between Safa CEO(Raymond Hack) , Joel Santana and the new Safa president (Kirsten Nematandani) seen that probably most football fans would want to see the coach sacked but then again Safa cannot fire him because the Soccer World Cup is impending. In my viewpoint, the article is informing the fellow South African soccer fanatics that Joel Santana still has the chance to prove to Safa and the fans that he can lead Bafana Bafana to the World Cup with satisfying results.
The fact that Santana has drastically changed the squads tactics, most of the fanatics complain that his tactics are too defensive thus Bafana finds it hard to even score a single goal. Safa has appointed three assessors of Santana, namely Jomo Sono, Clive Barker and Gavin Hunt to assess Santana’s tactics; as Nemantandani said “we will ask one of them to take us through it for guidance.”
If Joel Santana gets fired, this might not come as bolt from the blue because since he has been appointed as coach of South Africa it is as if the squad won’t even reach the second round of the 2010 Soccer World Cup and which will mean embarrassment to the host country.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
News documetary
Not an easy road for Caster
http://www.citypress.co.za/Content/SouthAfrica/News/2168/e3984c3567544a68b1032f65c35883c6/15-10-2009-02-00/Semenya_too_traumatised_to_write_exams
There was a lot going on about caster Semenya lately, the gender testing was too much for her, until now he cannot handle it anymore. Caster Semenya is now unable to write her exam because of the result about gender testing or should I say sex testing. Just you thought your life is going to change for good but for Caster, life is not running according to achievement anymore. We thought she will recover from the matter but it seems that the situation is even worse now to her. She has to leave school because she cannot write exam, apparently because the whole situation of being exposed to public and humiliated by people who did not even know her, life now is not simple.
We cannot blame her for not being able to write her exam, the problem she is facing right now is too broad and too much to handle for teenage girl who just experience life of university and have no idea about circumstance of life. How can you concentrate about your school, while the whole nation even the whole world is concern with you being a girl or a boy, she was unfairly treat by his people from her own country and the rest of the world. Studying in this kind of situation is leading to a failure examination.
I feel like the country even the media must do something about this, that will make her proud and needed.
http://www.citypress.co.za/Content/SouthAfrica/News/2168/e3984c3567544a68b1032f65c35883c6/15-10-2009-02-00/Semenya_too_traumatised_to_write_exams
There was a lot going on about caster Semenya lately, the gender testing was too much for her, until now he cannot handle it anymore. Caster Semenya is now unable to write her exam because of the result about gender testing or should I say sex testing. Just you thought your life is going to change for good but for Caster, life is not running according to achievement anymore. We thought she will recover from the matter but it seems that the situation is even worse now to her. She has to leave school because she cannot write exam, apparently because the whole situation of being exposed to public and humiliated by people who did not even know her, life now is not simple.
We cannot blame her for not being able to write her exam, the problem she is facing right now is too broad and too much to handle for teenage girl who just experience life of university and have no idea about circumstance of life. How can you concentrate about your school, while the whole nation even the whole world is concern with you being a girl or a boy, she was unfairly treat by his people from her own country and the rest of the world. Studying in this kind of situation is leading to a failure examination.
I feel like the country even the media must do something about this, that will make her proud and needed.
Shifting the blame.
In the late hours of last Sunday evening a woman was shot dead by police. The car the woman was driving in was thought to be hijacked; the police spotted the car and chased after it. Apparently when the car did not stop, after asking them to pull over, police fired at the car, shooting a woman in the head and injuring two others.
An article was written,”'Shoot to kill' cops: A mother's anguish” on 13 October. Honestly, this article is inadequate to be on the Times Live web page. The article consists of quotes from shaken up members of the family and emotional members of the incident, threatening the police and politicians. They have even asked Zuma to apologize, asking him to take the blame. I think what the police did was horrifying and there is no question that they should be punished; but not the president though. Unduly the article makes out as if the incident is Zuma’s fault.
Our president recently had a meeting in which he urged police to take lethal action if they were in danger but to not be “trigger happy”, which was stated in a more fair-minded article: “No ‘Shoot to Kill’ order”. This article is an even-handed look at both sides of the story and contains appropriate quotes; unlike the other article, which also included a series of one worded quotes. I think that blaming Zuma and setting an article out to look as though he should be made accountable for the incident is ludicrous.
An article was written,”'Shoot to kill' cops: A mother's anguish” on 13 October. Honestly, this article is inadequate to be on the Times Live web page. The article consists of quotes from shaken up members of the family and emotional members of the incident, threatening the police and politicians. They have even asked Zuma to apologize, asking him to take the blame. I think what the police did was horrifying and there is no question that they should be punished; but not the president though. Unduly the article makes out as if the incident is Zuma’s fault.
Our president recently had a meeting in which he urged police to take lethal action if they were in danger but to not be “trigger happy”, which was stated in a more fair-minded article: “No ‘Shoot to Kill’ order”. This article is an even-handed look at both sides of the story and contains appropriate quotes; unlike the other article, which also included a series of one worded quotes. I think that blaming Zuma and setting an article out to look as though he should be made accountable for the incident is ludicrous.
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