DA Reveals New Billboard

On Wednesday morning, the Democratic Alliance unveiled its latest billboard at a press rally and encouraged voters to say #No2eTolls. The billboards were unveiled by Mmusi Maimane, DA Premier Candidate for Gauteng.

"Today I launched new billboards in Gauteng with the message, ‘A vote for the DA is a vote against etolls," he said.

“As Premier of Gauteng I will do everything in my power to fight on behalf of the people of this province against a system that they do not want and cannot afford. The public must know the gantries we see on our highways are only phase one of the e-tolling project.”

The cost of e-tolls -

According to the Sanral’s website toll calculator, a return trip from Lynwood in Pretoria to Soweto without an e-tag would cost R88.77. With an e-tag it would cost R45.92.

Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said tariffs had been cut from 66c/km to 30c/km for a light motor vehicles with an e-tag.

Transport Minister blames colonialism and apartheid for state of roads -

"We have learnt many lessons from this project, one of them being that it will take some time to reverse the legacy of colonialism and apartheid planning," said Peters when she announced the implementation of e-tolls would begin on 3 December.

"Apartheid spatial planning never envisaged a situation where Gauteng would be as populated as it is today, mainly due to the influx of people from different provinces for economic reasons."

Government has tried to “minimise financial burden of e-tolls” -

Peters said government had made several concessions to minimise the financial burden on the e-tolled road network.

"Sanral should be allowed to start collecting toll fees in order to begin to repay the debt incurred when the roads were upgraded," she told reporters in Pretoria.

"We cannot afford to continue to expose Sanral's portfolio to any further financial risks..."

According to Sanral CEO Nazir Alli, "Government-owned vehicles are not exempt from e-tolls."

Storm Surge - Typhoon Haiyan

Facing up to TYPHOON HAIYAN was never going to be easy. This video shows footage taken at 6am on Friday 8 November as the storm hit Hernani in Eastern Samar.  The sheer brute force of the storm surge is mind blowing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS0gv4Xbw7w

Intergalactic Storms On The Way

The solar system could experience “ripple effects” in the next few weeks when the sun’s magnetic field flips as its north and south poles change sides.

The phenomenon, which happens once every 11 years, could cause intergalactic weather fronts such as geomagnetic storms, which can interfere with satellites and cause radio blackouts.

During the 11-year solar cycle, sunspots appear as blotches near the equator of the sun’s surface where there is intense magnetic activity.

Over a month, these spots disintegrate and magnetic activity migrates from the equator to one of the sun’s poles. This erodes the existing opposite polarity.

Todd Hoeksema, a scientist at Stanford University’s Wilcox Solar Observatory, said: “It’s kind of like a tide coming in or going out. Each little wave brings a little more water in, and eventually you get to the full reversal.”

Observations show the sun technically has two south poles now as the process is in progress.

Phil Scherrer, who works with Mr Hoeksema at the observatory, said: “The north pole has already changed sign, while the south pole is racing to catch up. Soon, both poles will be reversed.”

During the swap, solar flares can interact with Earth’s magnetic field, leading to a surge in auroras or disruption to radio and satellite communication.

Source - Daily Mail

Eminem Is Coming to SA!

Showtime Management announced on their Facebook page on Monday morning that they will be bringing Eminem to South Africa.

“We are proud to announce the Eminem Rapture Tour, brought to you by Primedia in association with Dainty group and Showtime Management. South Africa, get ready to loose yourself! Tickets go on sale this Thursday, 21 November at 9am,(sic)” Showtime wrote on their Facebook page.

They also tweeted; “The @Eminem Rapture Tour hits South Africa for 2 shows ONLY! Tickets go on sale this Thursday, 21 Nov at 9am via @Computicket!”

Russell Brand SA Tour Cancelled

Comedian Russell Brand was forced to cancel the South African leg of his latest show Messiah Complex, after he was denied access to SA.

Publicist Debra de Souza said Brand was refused permission to fly to the country because his passport didn't contain the mandatory number of empty pages.

Brand tweeted on Friday evening: “Banned from South Africa. Here ready to go. Refused entry. Hope I can come soon.”

Promoter Tony Feldman of Showtime said "We are sorry for any inconvenience caused to Russell Brand’s fans and thank them for their continued support. We are hoping to reschedule the dates for mid 2014".

Source:  Channel24

Cape Markets

For those of you, like me, who enjoy all types of markets where you can buy artisanal products, like craft beer, handmade leather goods & yummy little treats, then have a look at the Cape Markets website. It has all the hip & happening markets in one place.

The site is easy to navigate, has a calendar for all the markets & some info. on each one.

Perfect weather this weekend to get out there & cozy-up at a market.  Pity I'm at work though!!!

http://capemarkets.co.za/

Best Fails of the Week

I know you all like to watch people hurt themselves or one another... 
So here is the Best Fails of The Week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fawOoAR1AQ

I have no idea what's happening here, but I'm very impressed...

This is such a rad video, of mates doing some freestyle rap & sounds... 
Such an awesome beat too!!! We gotta try this boys!!!

Movember: The Hardest Thing About Having A Moustache

Another incredible video from the one & only Anton Taylor to promote Movember!!!

Swedes Develop Invisible Bike Helmet

You know what kind of sucks about riding a bike? Other than all that pedaling? Bike helmets. Sure, they keep that overrated "brain" from getting splattered, but they take a lot of the open-air-joy out of things, and they're not comfortable. A pair of Swedish women have developed a remarkable solution: the invisible bike helmet.

Tired of strapping ugly, uncomfortable styrofoam-and-plastic turtle shells to their heads, the pair came up with a pretty revolutionary solution that does manage to give you full head protection without, remarkably, wearing anything on your head.

I'd like to just come out and tell you the secret of how their Hövding helmet works, but this video does such a nice job of building suspense I kind of don't want to ruin it. So I won't post any pictures showing the operation, and don't follow that link to their site if you don't want to spoil a minor surprise.

Once you see how it works it all makes sense, and is a very clever solution that draws from a number of technologies that are well-established and familiar.

See video here

If you're so jaded that the tiny joy of a mild surprise doesn't appeal to you, click away.

Regardless of how wrong they are about discounting cars in the future, they've done a pretty impressive job with the design and engineering of this, and I wish them all sorts of luck.

Rapper Jay Z Found Dead Inside At 43

BROOKLYN – The world mourns today as Shawn Carter, AKA Jay Z, was found dead inside at the young age of 43.

While the official cause of death is still being investigated by Rap Genius editors and urban studies Ph.D.s, many have speculated that Jay Z killed himself inside.

“One minute he was doing great, producing lyrical dynamite full of incisive social commentary and witticisms,” remembers Christopher Wallace, AKA The Notorious B.I.G, whose soul remains alive despite his death in 1997.

“The next, he was an empty suit, laying face-down in a puddle of champagne and corporate sponsorships.”

“Picasso Brooklyn Nets Rothko Barclays Bugatti Samsung,” said Jay Z in catatonia above a snare drum and Justin Timberlake accompaniment. “MoMA MoMA Upper West Side.”

Carter was born December 4, 1969 in Brooklyn, which has also lost its unique soul and sound. The borough is survived by low-rise condominiums, secondhand plaid shirt retailers, and beards.

Jay Z is survived by his wife Beyoncé Knowles and his daughter Blue Ivy, who will never have the opportunity to live a fulfilling and invigorating life of successful crack dealing and will ultimately end up majoring in English at NYU before dying inside at 21.

A funeral will be held at the Barclays Center next week. Jay Z will perform tracks off Magna Carta Holy Grail from his open casket, which is sponsored by Samsung.

ULTIMATE FAILS 2013 - SO FAR

Lets be honest, we all love doing stupid things and we all love watching others fail at doing them, it’s human nature! So no matter how bad your day has been, this video will be 18 minutes of joy in your life. Couple of cringe worthy ones…

Marijuana Market Poised To Grow Faster Than Smartphones

Legal marijuana is among the fastest-growing markets in the United States, and it's growing at a rate poised to outpace the expansion of the global smartphone market, according to a new report obtained exclusively by The Huffington Post.

Researchers surveyed hundreds of medical cannabis retailers, processors, dispensary owners and industry leaders over the course of six months this year, and estimated that more than $1.43 billion worth of legal marijuana will be sold in 2013. The report also predicts that figure to grow by 64 percent, to $2.34 billion next year. By comparison, recent figures show the smartphone market expanded by 46 percent from 2012 to 2013.

"Cannabis is one of the fastest-growing industries," said Steve Berg, a former managing director of Wells Fargo Bank and editor of the report, the second edition of the State of Legal Marijuana Markets. "Domestically, we weren't able to find any market that is growing as quickly."

While it's important to note that smartphones surged in popularity long before medical marijuana became a viable industry, and global sales numbers for 2012-2013 don't offer a direct comparison to 2013-2014 domestic estimates, Berg said his goal was to illustrate just how rapidly the cannabis market is expanding by offering familiar data points. The U.S. smartphone market, according to research group IDC, is growing at an annual rate of 7.3 percent.

"Entrepreneurs and private investors are flocking to cannabis markets," Berg said. "Those who really understand market dynamics will reap large rewards."

Medical marijuana is currently legal in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Next year, Washington and Colorado will begin implementing laws that permit the sale of pot to all adults, and Berg noted that those states will obviously play a major role in the growth of the cannabis market. Colorado alone is predicted to add $359 million to its existing market in 2014.

The marijuana industry's growth coincides with a widespread shift in the public's attitude toward the substance. A Gallup poll conducted last month found that for the first time in history, more than half of Americans think pot should be legal for both medical and recreational purposes. A CNN documentary that aired this summer explored marijuana's benefits for a mainstream audience. And individuals are increasingly using the plant's medicinal properties to treat symptoms even in children: A coalition of conservative Mormon mothers in Utah recently began lobbying for safe access to cannabis oil for their epileptic children.

"There has been a seismic shift in public attitudes towards marijuana," Berg said, explaining that as public opinion changes, laws are likely to follow. "Younger voters will become a bigger proportion of the overall voting base. It begins with shifts in attitudes and that translates to initiatives."

The report predicts that 14 more states will legalize marijuana for recreational adult use in the next five years, creating a potential $10.2 billion cannabis market by 2018.

Berg added that his research only examined the sale of cannabis itself, whether wholesale to retailers or directly to consumers. He said that the market for ancillary products, such as security equipment, grow tools, apps and paraphernalia, has the potential to drive growth still further.

"This industry is professionalizing and seeing an influx of professionals from other industries," he said. "More and more investors are coming in and financing these businesses, which have more and more markets to serve."

The federal government, however, has yet to catch up to this rapid evolution. Even in states that permit marijuana use, cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, and the Controlled Substance Act classifies marijuana as having no medical value. Federal raids against dispensaries in California over the past two years have shuttered hundreds of businesses and hindered the industry's growth.

Still, Berg remains optimistic, pointing to Attorney General Eric Holder's recent assertion that the Justice Department would not interfere with the implementation of adult use laws in Washington and Colorado.

"Federal acceptance of marijuana is not going to happen in one fell swoop," he said. "It will happen incrementally, with important steps along the way."

Broadway Bomb 2013

In an epic fail, New York Police Department try their best to stop the BROADWAY BOMB, an annual event that has nothing to do with terrorists and everything to do with thousands of skateboarders shooting down eight miles of Manhattan streets.

The cops looks like a bunch of morons running around with an oversized chevron!!!

This Town Wants to Warn You About Its People-Eating Vortex

For decades, a small city in New York has been the subject of some very bizarre rumors. Locals have long whispered that if you visit at just the right time, a certain area in their neighborhood park will disappear you into thin air. Now the town has officially acknowledged the strange anomaly.

Watertown, New York is the last place you'd expect to find a creepy, supernatural mystery. After all, they're mostly known as the birthplace of the safety pin and those air fresheners for your car that are shaped like trees - both safe, friendly things. But now, it seems that they're finally ready to admit that they're becoming more well known for their local park's nasty habit of eating people.

Last week, the city officials erected a sign in the park warning locals of the "vortex". As it turns out, the Mayor himself felt compelled to acknowledge the rumors after digging up some recently declassified information linking Watertown to the infamous Area 51 base in Nevada.

"Area 51 in Nevada when it was taken over by the CIA in the mid 50's was codenamed "Watertown," Mayor Jeff Graham told local reporters. "And that was because the then director of the CIA, Allen Dulles, was a Watertown native."

Locals say that the strange anomaly causes people to seemingly disappear, only to reappear later... usually. Some believe it's just a fun urban legend, while others give stern warnings to stay as far away from Thompson Park as possible. Either way, the new sign's dedication ceremony drew a crowd of hundreds. The Mayor has since attempted to put the rumors to the test, with admittedly little luck.  "I keep bringing people up here I'd like to disappear but it never happens so we'll keep trying," he said.

Don't worry, if you want to check out the sign for yourself, you can rest easy knowing that they placed it well out of the vortex' reach........or did they?

David Attenborough Narrates Miley Cyrus's VMA Twerk-formance

Shut it down folks – this is the best thing you'll see on the Internet today. Seriously, this here is fantastic.

I'll admit: As someone who is woefully out of touch with those spheres of pop culture that encompass Miley Cyrus, this is actually the first time I've watched the footage of her infamous performance with Robin Thicke. It had to happen sooner or later. I'm just so very glad that it happened like this.

Click here to see the video