Thursday, May 29, 2008
Where The Sidewalk Ends- Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.
Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.
Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.
A Dream Within A Dream- Edgar Ellen Poe
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep--while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep--while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
Gauteng to get 10 shelters
Johannesburg - Ten temporary places of safety will be allocated for displaced foreign nationals in Gauteng, the provincial government said on Thursday.
Briefing the media on the outcome of the Gauteng executive council meeting in Johannesburg, acting Gauteng premier Paul Mashatile said a task team led by the department of social services and MECs had been established and assigned to investigate and also identify locations for temporary shelters.
The executive council has recommended that the Premier declare the "current situation a provincial disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act".
This would enable government to spend additional resources required to assist the victims.
Mashatile said a process of "harmonising the situation" would begin and Gauteng would consider measures of relief and integration, adding that a budget would be set aside to provide aid for the displaced foreigners.
However, there was no set figure.
Integration 'a process'
"This (violence) was unforeseen and was therefore unbudgeted for ... There's no bulk figure, we'll know when we go on ... we need to look at all the needs," Mashatile said.
He said that integration was not an event but a process that required community leaders and organisations to work together.
More than 120 people have been reintegrated in Zandspruit in Roodepoort, he added.
Health MEC Brian Hlongwa said there would be no permanent refugee sites - but rather the displaced would be reintegrated back into communities.
A multi-disciplinary approach was needed when integrating foreigners back into communities, he said.
Fifty-six people were killed since the start of xenophobic clashes earlier this month and about 16 000 people were currently residing in police stations, churches and community centres. Some have opted to return to their home countries.
Mashatile acknowledged that there was a huge backlog on housing, however, blaming foreigners for lack of housing, poverty and unemployment was an exaggeration.
"Most foreigners don't live in houses and most don't work ... I don't know which jobs they're taking."
Mashatile said the council would receive a report back from the task team on preferred sites where temporary shelter was to be erected.
Providing relief
Referring to a reported hunger strike by a group of mostly Somalis and Ethiopians at an emergency relief camp in Akasia, north of Tshwane, Mashatile said there was nothing government could do.
"Government is providing relief for everyone and if people are boycotting aid, they are doing it voluntarily," said Mashatile.
The group at the camp in Akasia demanded that all relief be provided by United Nations relief organisations and refused aid from the South African government.
www.news24.com
Briefing the media on the outcome of the Gauteng executive council meeting in Johannesburg, acting Gauteng premier Paul Mashatile said a task team led by the department of social services and MECs had been established and assigned to investigate and also identify locations for temporary shelters.
The executive council has recommended that the Premier declare the "current situation a provincial disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act".
This would enable government to spend additional resources required to assist the victims.
Mashatile said a process of "harmonising the situation" would begin and Gauteng would consider measures of relief and integration, adding that a budget would be set aside to provide aid for the displaced foreigners.
However, there was no set figure.
Integration 'a process'
"This (violence) was unforeseen and was therefore unbudgeted for ... There's no bulk figure, we'll know when we go on ... we need to look at all the needs," Mashatile said.
He said that integration was not an event but a process that required community leaders and organisations to work together.
More than 120 people have been reintegrated in Zandspruit in Roodepoort, he added.
Health MEC Brian Hlongwa said there would be no permanent refugee sites - but rather the displaced would be reintegrated back into communities.
A multi-disciplinary approach was needed when integrating foreigners back into communities, he said.
Fifty-six people were killed since the start of xenophobic clashes earlier this month and about 16 000 people were currently residing in police stations, churches and community centres. Some have opted to return to their home countries.
Mashatile acknowledged that there was a huge backlog on housing, however, blaming foreigners for lack of housing, poverty and unemployment was an exaggeration.
"Most foreigners don't live in houses and most don't work ... I don't know which jobs they're taking."
Mashatile said the council would receive a report back from the task team on preferred sites where temporary shelter was to be erected.
Providing relief
Referring to a reported hunger strike by a group of mostly Somalis and Ethiopians at an emergency relief camp in Akasia, north of Tshwane, Mashatile said there was nothing government could do.
"Government is providing relief for everyone and if people are boycotting aid, they are doing it voluntarily," said Mashatile.
The group at the camp in Akasia demanded that all relief be provided by United Nations relief organisations and refused aid from the South African government.
www.news24.com
Mbeki cuts short Japan trip
Johannesburg - President Thabo Mbeki has cut short his trip to Japan and is on his way home to focus on the xenophobic attacks that have swept across South Africa, the SABC reported on Thursday.
He had brushed off criticism that he failed to show compassion by not visiting areas affected by violent attacks against foreigners around the country, the national broadcaster reported.
Mbeki said the government had acted swiftly in deploying police and sending Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to some of the troubled spots.
"There is a government of the Republic of South Africa and we discussed all these things, all elements of this problem, indeed, have taken various decisions at different points about people visiting the areas.
Police, SANDF
"But there is a whole range of other decisions also that have to do first of all with the deployment of police, later, use of the national defence force.
"The government of South Africa will respond to these matters using all of the people and resources at its command," said Mbeki.
The SABC reported Cabinet as saying that the inter-ministerial task team would meet later on Thursday and release the latest figures on the number of foreigners displaced in the attacks,
While in Japan, Mbeki met with the International Organisation for Migration to discuss the situation, it added.
They had agreed to allow the organisation to assist the South African government in helping people displaced by the violence.
He had brushed off criticism that he failed to show compassion by not visiting areas affected by violent attacks against foreigners around the country, the national broadcaster reported.
Mbeki said the government had acted swiftly in deploying police and sending Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to some of the troubled spots.
"There is a government of the Republic of South Africa and we discussed all these things, all elements of this problem, indeed, have taken various decisions at different points about people visiting the areas.
Police, SANDF
"But there is a whole range of other decisions also that have to do first of all with the deployment of police, later, use of the national defence force.
"The government of South Africa will respond to these matters using all of the people and resources at its command," said Mbeki.
The SABC reported Cabinet as saying that the inter-ministerial task team would meet later on Thursday and release the latest figures on the number of foreigners displaced in the attacks,
While in Japan, Mbeki met with the International Organisation for Migration to discuss the situation, it added.
They had agreed to allow the organisation to assist the South African government in helping people displaced by the violence.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Critical Appreciation- Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
The poem is written from a son to his father. The father is ill and is nearing his time of death though Thomas still needs him. The poet tries to encourage his father that there are still many reasons for him to live by giving examples of different types of men.
Thomas also constantly repeats the line “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”. This is aimed at the father that he should not die easily, not give up and he should fight.
The techniques used by Thomas are imagery, symbolism, repetition and two paradoxes. Most of the poem is visual which adds meaning. Light stands for life and death stands for dark.
The first paradox is “Blinding sight” – death is a sight that is so clear and blinding. The second is “Sad height”- the height of your life is your death but this is a sad time.The poem’s tone is angry, sad and urgent.
Thomas also constantly repeats the line “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”. This is aimed at the father that he should not die easily, not give up and he should fight.
The techniques used by Thomas are imagery, symbolism, repetition and two paradoxes. Most of the poem is visual which adds meaning. Light stands for life and death stands for dark.
The first paradox is “Blinding sight” – death is a sight that is so clear and blinding. The second is “Sad height”- the height of your life is your death but this is a sad time.The poem’s tone is angry, sad and urgent.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
First Impressions on Animal Farm
Having only the last chapter to read, I am ashamed by the horrible capabilities of man. And I am not talking about the way Jones slaughters the animals. Animal Farm goes way deeper than a book where the pigs like to drink and tell lies. But exposes that these pigs were in fact replicas of people. I am immensely grateful that I was not born and alive during any time of the Russian Revolution. The suffering and the inequality those people were victim to is quite scary. It bothers me that people can take advantage of others and ignore their guilty conscience which gnaws at them to do right. How can you be so brute? But it reminds me of the inequality of Apartheid and the suffering in the Middle East. Is there no justice in the world? The book is short, precise and very clear. It is genius how George Orwell created the whole scenario of a farm to expose the Revolution. The people were uneducated, unable to think for themselves and very easily taken advantage of. So were the people of the Revolution. The book is an allegory, and satire. People need a leader, a form of order. It is this leader that can uphold or disgrace his position. When the leader does become sour, the people should do something to remove him. That’s what I learnt from the book, and to never allow yourself to be put in a position where you can be manipulated.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Propaganda Summary
Truth
Rhetoric
Public
Convince
Belief
View
Politics
Propaganda is a method of twisting the truth in order to convince people into believing something is right. It is the selling of a point of view just as someone would sell a product. It is mainly used in politics. Propaganda has been used for years and there are many techniques which acompany it. Rhetoric is a genius way of speaking in order to convince people. Propaganda is also linked to words such as “brainwash” or “indoctrinate” which also means cleverly convincing a mass of people to believe something.
Rhetoric
Public
Convince
Belief
View
Politics
Propaganda is a method of twisting the truth in order to convince people into believing something is right. It is the selling of a point of view just as someone would sell a product. It is mainly used in politics. Propaganda has been used for years and there are many techniques which acompany it. Rhetoric is a genius way of speaking in order to convince people. Propaganda is also linked to words such as “brainwash” or “indoctrinate” which also means cleverly convincing a mass of people to believe something.
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