LEARNING CURVE

[08087]

Thats one way of putting it 

Having lived in South Africa post aparteid i can say it is a great country full of great people and is far far better off now than it ever was under apartied. Yes its far from perfect and has its problems but its still in transition right now. The biggest problem there right now is still the ingrained racist attitudes of many (of both colours) and the self-rightous feeling of entilement and privilage the white, mostly Afrikanners, have. I never met a bad or nasty black person while i was there but i met plenty of white ones.

I'll let you all get back to the original arguement now 

The topic has changed so much that it no longer matters what we discuss as long as we discuss. I don't know your age and what made you move to SA or maybe you were born there, I also don't know if you are white black or of "color" as it is refered to.

Bck in the 80's when I was there I went for the reason that it was one of the few "stable" places in Africa. A few facts may open your mind a bit. SA with all it's warts had a net migration of over 100,000 per yr. (even with Apartheid) Reason why is that blacks from surrounding countries knew they were safe in SA, could find work (unemployment was 1.4%), Inflation was 1.1%, your kids went to school had uniforms and ate, sure it may not sound like much but why did they leave their home countries in favor of SA, because they didn't have those things elsewhere. Every black I met in SA was a good person, far better then most blacks in the US, I would describe them (SA) as greatful. Some white's had a chip on their shoulder but they were being pushed around by outside countries, inside the country you had the DNC giving people the necklace treatment (look it up), to anyone that didn't go along. Nelson and Whinny Mendela are not nearly the saints the media makes them out to be. Blacks as a rule made 40% of what a white made for the same work, Fair? Hell no but far cry better then any country around it in those times.

I don't condone they're actions but I understand some of what went on and why. FYI, my wife would be looked upon as colored by the Afrikanners (being south American herself) yet it didn't trouble either of us.

[Vivo]

There's no such thing as a "perfect" place to live.  Where ever you go, there's always a bad thing around...bad government, bad neighbor, bad dog, rats, and so on...... maybe another planet will do... Where ever you are..., be like a water lilly.... it's pure, clean, fresh and beautiful despite being surrounded by dirty, ugly, musty water......

[08087]

There's no such thing as a "perfect" place to live.  Where ever you go, there's always a bad thing around...bad government, bad neighbor, bad dog, rats, and so on...... maybe another planet will do... Where ever you are..., be like a water lilly.... it's pure, clean, fresh and beautiful despite being surrounded by dirty, ugly, musty water......

Vivo,

If I were a single man I'd be living with you, sitting on a beach and move to high ground when the weather comes our way.

[axy]

Vivo,

If I were a single man I'd be living with you, sitting on a beach and move to high ground when the weather comes our way.

I will skip obvious "Get a room, you two".

Streido, last month I was in the cinema watching "Cloud Atlas" ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/ ).

I remembered you in a particular scene where a bunch of English people were attacked in a bar (pub) by Scots watching football game on TV.
It was a comic scene, and you should watch that movie if not for anything else, then for this. 
I guess I was the only one in the theatre understaning what's behind this scene. 

[streido]

Yeah Cloud Atlas, almost went to see it the other day, wasnt sure if it looked good or not tho  

08, im 40, got offered a job there and moved with my wife in '96, stayed there till '98 then came home after our 1st son was born there for personal/family reasons. For the record under aparteid most blacks did not have a proper job and those who did were poorly paid, if paid at all. It was a totally f**ked up country. The whites had everything while the blacks had very little. Most blacks were employed on a casual basis, often day to day, with zero rights or pension etc. They usually worked in construction as cheap labour, doing dangerous or sh**ty jobs they whites felt beneath them or they worked as housekeepers,gardeners or farmhands which usually meant they got free "food" and some small shack or dorm to live in while employed and a very minimal wage, if any. When i was there most whites had got rid of their live-in bkack helpers due to the changes in the law which meant they had to be treated as employees and had rights etc. The whites didnt fancy that so turfed them out. Sure some blacks got schooled but had to learn and speak in Afrikkans at school which led to the riots in the 70's. There wasnt one white township but many, mamy black townships. Just saying, it wasnt that great at all, unless you were white and could ignore racism and oppression. I heard many hirror stories from decent, good black folks who lived thro it. I also heard many white co-workers laugh and joke as they told us newbies all about the good ole days, going out in a pick-up looking for a black guy to beat up. When i was there at least 50-60% of whites i met had racist views or looked down on blacks. At least now things are improving, pity about Zuma being president tho, they need a proper leader not an idiot.

My sons got a S.A birth certificate and can visit or move there anytime, my wife and i have Permanent Resident status so can do the same. We may well do so in the future, who knows.

The topic has changed so much that it no longer matters what we discuss as long as we discuss

Yeah, but youve been here long enough to know thats normal. Remember how you used to moan about going off topic?   Now you ust fit right in with the groove  

[08087]

Yeah Cloud Atlas, almost went to see it the other day, wasnt sure if it looked good or not tho  

08, im 40, got offered a job there and moved with my wife in '96, stayed there till '98 then came home after our 1st son was born there for personal/family reasons. For the record under aparteid most blacks did not have a proper job and those who did were poorly paid, if paid at all. It was a totally f**ked up country. The whites had everything while the blacks had very little. Most blacks were employed on a casual basis, often day to day, with zero rights or pension etc. They usually worked in construction as cheap labour, doing dangerous or sh**ty jobs they whites felt beneath them or they worked as housekeepers,gardeners or farmhands which usually meant they got free "food" and some small shack or dorm to live in while employed and a very minimal wage, if any. When i was there most whites had got rid of their live-in bkack helpers due to the changes in the law which meant they had to be treated as employees and had rights etc. The whites didnt fancy that so turfed them out. Sure some blacks got schooled but had to learn and speak in Afrikkans at school which led to the riots in the 70's. There wasnt one white township but many, mamy black townships. Just saying, it wasnt that great at all, unless you were white and could ignore racism and oppression. I heard many hirror stories from decent, good black folks who lived thro it. I also heard many white co-workers laugh and joke as they told us newbies all about the good ole days, going out in a pick-up looking for a black guy to beat up. When i was there at least 50-60% of whites i met had racist views or looked down on blacks. At least now things are improving, pity about Zuma being president tho, they need a proper leader not an idiot.

My sons got a S.A birth certificate and can visit or move there anytime, my wife and i have Permanent Resident status so can do the same. We may well do so in the future, who knows.

Yeah, but youve been here long enough to know thats normal. Remember how you used to moan about going off topic?   Now you ust fit right in with the groove  

I'll address #2 first, I still don't like when we go too far off topic, I almost started another thread but thought I'd go with the flow of the place as it's not my forum, though I don't know who's forum it is.

All you state about SA is in some or all part true yet over 100,000 blacks from the surrounding (Black lead) nations made there way across the continant to find work, however bad it may have been in SA. Point is that a shack they had in SA was far cry better then the nothing they had elsewhere. Being taught another languge is not a bad thing (ask Axy), after all it was a white (Dutch/English) run country.

Tell me just how are conditions there now better when millions of people are infected with Aids, woman are raped repeatedly and live in constant fear, those people that lived in sacks, still live in shacks and as many or more starve and don't work. The figures I stated in my above comment were accurate per the US CIA fact book at the time (80's) and the US was boycotting them that decade. When I get a minute I'll look up there unemployment numbers today, inflation etc. My bet is they are far worse off today under black leadership then under Apartheid.  As proof that people are ignorant more then 50% of the American people voted for Obama and in any election not one person has ever gotten 60% of the vote, so those SA's that used to beat on blacks is just there barbarick ignorance showing through.

[Vivo]

What happened in the past truly had great impact in the present time. Good or bad, I thank what happened in the past. I thank that the Spaniards colonized the Philippines, I thank that the Agustinian Priests came here in the 1800's... why? because if that did not happen...I wouldn't be here.... 
chain of events in the past is the real reason why we are communicating in this forum.... ponder on that...    So...If the Spaniards did not come, we were colonized by..... the British?.... so my great grand pa would be British?....hmmm... and will have relatives there..... hmmm... or I might not even be a male... hmmm... 

[08087]

Another thing that people need to remember is that with few exceptions all Nations were conquered and under rule of some other Nation at one point or another. Just as my Germanic ancestors were ruled by the Romans and my American Indian ancestors all but wiped out by the British and French, everyone has been under the gun at one point or another.

If not by another country by another tribe, sect or even religion.

This of course still does not make it all right, but in a world of boarders and rules we all must fall under the rule of another, would we be better off if we could freely roam the world in persuit of happiness, somehow I don't think that would work well.

[Vivo]

Who knows what is really right or wrong....  a wrong can be justified to make it right and vice versa...

[axy]

Another thing that people need to remember is that with few exceptions all Nations were conquered and under rule of some other Nation at one point or another. Just as my Germanic ancestors were ruled by the Romans and my American Indian ancestors all but wiped out by the British and French, everyone has been under the gun at one point or another.

We are lucky now because more and more we are "under the gun" of our own governments. We do not need foreign oppressors anymore.

[08087]

We are lucky now because more and more we are "under the gun" of our own governments. We do not need foreign oppressors anymore.

I can mostly agree with this, if you have some valued resource, watch out.

[wordslinger]

Learning CCuuurrrrvvvvveeeeee!?!?!?!
Back in the fall of 2011 I made the decision to buy a maxiscooter. After 2 back surgeries my Neurosurgeon told me that if I continued to ride horses I would end up in a wheelchair.(I still have 2 of my beloved horses. I call them "Pasture Candy".) and I picked the maxiscooter because my left leg does'nt move when I ask it to so gear changes on a motorcycle were out. Had my eye on the Burgie 650 but the Suzuki dealer told me they had sold the last one and would not be getting any more in this year. I had loooked at the Honda dealer across the street and was also considering a new Silverwing or Majesty 400 but when the Suzi dealer showed me the Xciting 500Ri it was love at first paycheck. I could not believe the price and the value. Went home and got online and could find nothing but praise for Kymco products. So I went back the next day and closed the deal for a brand new maxiscoot for $5600. Down from $6200. The learning curve began with you guys. I would start a post about not being able to make right turns and Vivo would teach me how to "trust my left side" and it worked! The more I tried the more proficient I became and the less I dropped my scooter. At this same time of learning how to ride my wife witnessed all the falls and the scraped knees and elbows. She told me that everytime I left the house on the scooter she was a nervous wreck and then one night I did not come home... until very late assisted by 2 very kind, as Vivo calls them "My road angels" And I think everyone knows the story... the deer ran in front of me and I was nailed... broken ribs, knees, foot etc. So, if I wanted to ride I could buy a kit and convert the Xciting into a trike, or buy a Can Am Spyder. A 3 wheeled MC coming out of Canada, getting good reviews. However, The resemblance ended with the Right hand grip...the throttle. All brakes are controlled by a single foot brake. The transmission is a semi-automatic 5 speed...SE5. You have a small paddle on the Left hand grip and to change gears when you get to the correct RPM you manually push the + button or when the RPM's drop to 2500 or below like coming to a stop sign the engine will start downshifting on it's own or if you remember you can manually pull the + button towards you and if the RPM's are low enough you can maually downshift. Did I mention that this 3-wheeled monster had the 2 wheels in front and a large wheel in the rear connected by a drive belt. This bad-boy also has a 998cc Rotax engine with 106 horse power and a top speed of 200 mph. So once again I'm trying to learn on something that is too big and powerfull for me. I will keep you guys informed of my misadventures and smart moves too like ATGATT and the MSF course next month. But here I go again. Merry Christmas
Mike 

...wowww...how did this .......get , here.....




Another thing that people need to remember is that with few exceptions all Nations were conquered and under rule of some other Nation at one point or another. Just as my Germanic ancestors were ruled by the Romans and my American Indian ancestors all but wiped out by the British and French, everyone has been under the gun at one point or another.

If not by another country by another tribe, sect or even religion.

This of course still does not make it all right, but in a world of boarders and rules we all must fall under the rule of another, would we be better off if we could freely roam the world in persuit of happiness, somehow I don't think that would work well.



...not beatin on you, 08....just an example...lol..

[08087]

  Mike 

...wowww...how did this .......get , here.....




.



...not beatin on you, 08....just an example...lol..

For the first question you'd have to read the thread to get your answer.

I don't understand the 2nd part so please explain.

[wordslinger]

..keep reading, it'll come to you eventually...

[08087]

..keep reading, it'll come to you eventually...

Wrong answer I don't dwell on the small stuff, you either answer the question asked or I move on, this ain't that important.