Some time ago, I wrote about the situation in Iceland. Lots of things have changed there since the political turmoil following the economic meltdown, and there were lots of hopes invested into the new government. A lot of hope was given to the Civic Movement as well, that it would change many things in the way politics is conducted in our country. But now comes the time to acknowledge some ugly truths about populist movements like this one...

And while we are still on this, here is a funny but very sincere "apology" from a member of the Icelandic nation - to the whole world =)

5 days into my stay in U.K. and things are fine...

After he finished his job in London, Kol surprisingly went to Iceland instead of South Africa!!! So much with Mr. Plan-master! =O

It is sunny today in Brighton but yesterday we had some rain. I am probably going to the beach tomorrow.

The guys in the university are cool. There are even two Icelandic girls! Together we are called the Blonde Trio now, although one of them is red-head! =))

Talking about red-heads....yesterday I spent the whole day on the continent! I took the ferry-boat from Newhaven to Dieppe and I was in France the whole day... There were some celebrations because of the national day of France. I had appointment with ddstory and we met there on the square. Kiaaaaaaaaa! <3 <3 <3 :* :* :*

Guinevere is going to visit me here in the weekend. And on the next weekend is the Pride summer festival of Brighton which is the biggest gay pride event in the whole U.K.! It will be colourful!

Liz wants me to join her to a DJ Tiesto concert on 31st (in Victoria Park in London). I don't know...maybe I will go... I have to decide until Monday...

Now back to study. There will be some tests in just two days...I have to stay in the library for eternity! :S

Oh by the way...I have a question. I had an argument with Kia... How is it correct to say: "Dildos" or "Dildoes"??? I wanted to order a couple but I do not know how to write it! Help? =))

Crazy stuff. What else do you expect when two dumb heads get together!?

Pure white Bengal tiger astonishes keepers
It doesn't take a wildlife expert to spot the difference between this white Bengal tiger cub and the rest of her family. For six-month-old Fareeda missed out when they were handing out the stripes.

That makes her an extreme rarity - and a major attraction at the South African conservation centre where she was born.

Fareeda's mother Geena and father Shiva are kept at Cango Wildlife Ranch, near Cape Town, as part of a breeding programme to keep their species alive.


As if I would miss an article about my beloved cats? She is so cute that I will die! But unfortunately there is no chance that she would survive in the wild...

Today is the international Kissing day! Did you kiss somebody? =)



Let us play a game?

Yesterday I watched Coraline. A horror animation that I was impressed with. They are making films that are full of allegory, films that make one think...and I like that!

The plot is simple, but the idea is executed perfectly. It is a creepy movie in some subtle ways, mostly in the symbolism that it uses. Like the kids who have buttons instead of eyes. Probably some will not like it, this is a matter of taste. But the deeper idea is about appreciating family. And it touches some certain strings in me.

Although I am not the biggest fan of Neil Gaiman, when I read the book I was a little disappointed. It was not the best of him that I have seen. But when I learned that the book has been filmed, I was excited... I was delighted to see that the film is actually very good! The animation is great, the characters are very colourite and Dakota Fanning has a very expressive voice.

For those who have no idea what this is about, I will just say that neither the book, nor the film is quite suitable for children... The front poster should not fool you =)

First of all, tell me in what direction do you think this girl is rotating? Clockwise or counter-clockwise?

And now the explanation.


According to the Australian Daily Telegraph, if she is rotating clockwise, you are using more of the right side of the brain and vice versa.

Most of us would see the dancer turning anti-clockwise though you can try to focus and change the direction; see if you can do it.

I do not know about you, but to me she appears to rotate clockwise...

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS uses logic detail oriented facts rule words and language present and past math and science can comprehend knowing acknowledges order/pattern perception knows object name reality based forms strategies practical safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS uses feeling "big picture" oriented imagination rules symbols and images present and future philosophy & religion can "get it" (i.e. meaning) believes appreciates spatial perception knows object function fantasy based presents possibilities impetuous risk taking

You know how it is =)))

A lot of ink has been spilled today about the sudden death of Michael Jackson...but I want to put things as I see them through my eyes. It is a fact that today's youth does not listen to Jacko's music and some of them have never heard even one song from him (which should be justiciable!!) but I, as usual, am an exception =) I even had a period when I had these ear bugs, "They Don't Care About Us" and "Don't Walk Away". Not to mention "Earth Song".

The very fact is ridiculous that every second person without a particularly strong sense of humour, but claiming to be "cool" enough to seek attention, used to throw one insult after another at Jacko. Why was that!? In these times when young girls and boys are bowing to their new idols and shouting in a stoned trance "Hell-elujah" while masturbating in front of the poster of Marylin Manson and to the sound of his tender and intimate music, criticising a person for their appearance is...absurd!

Yes it is true that Michael Jackson was rumoured to be a pedophile, but didn't Woodie Allen marry the adopted daughter of his ex wife? How is he very different? He is constantly praised as a genius, who "understands the woman's soul"... Besides, everyone knows that the Hollywood yellow press is very fond of exaggerating everything! I am not trying to free Jacko from any guilt because I am not aware of all the facts...but I still have doubts about this entire accusation.

Another fact. It is no secret that Jacko, the King of Pop as we all liked to call him, was a brilliant artist and an outstanding show man from start to finish. Everyone who has watched him live or has listened to his songs would confirm this. Many of the short-lived pop and rap performers of our time would openly admit that they were heavily influenced by Michael Jackson. Even some of the biggest modern hits are re-makes or at least are inspired by MJ's songs...

But the saddest fact is that Michael left us aggrieved with this world, which had apparently concentrated itself on denigrating him during all these years, instead of appreciating his enormous talent. All the so called "stars" are now "deeply grieved by the loss", although some of them like Eminem for example (of whom I am no fan), were focused on discrediting someone who was a whole universe bigger than them!

Meanwhile, it is also true that Michael's early end was no surprise, given all the things he caused to his own health, without anyone pressing him to. But that is the curse of the big stars...they are too eccentric, they seldom live long, they quickly burn in the flames of their own self-destructiveness. Those of them who outlast the rest, linger in their ever fading glory. Those who leave this world so early, become legends - like Elvis, John Lennon, and now Michael Jackson. His tragic fate could serve as a lesson to everyone. A lesson which tells us that when one allows himself to become too big for his body to handle, metaphorically speaking, sooner or later gets consumed by his own egocentrism. And then he is done.

As the old people say, either speak only good things about the dead, or do not speak at all.

Rest in peace, Jacko! You left a deep trace behind. You will always be remembered.

It is now the most unstable time of the year in this corner of the world... The SA Weather Service has issued warnings of very cold, wet and stormy conditions in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape today. Further heavy falls of rain (50+ mm) are expected in many places in the morning mainly over the south-western mountains of the Western Cape and the Overberg region, exactly where we are building the summer house. I am a little concerned...though the chief engineer assured me that the site is secured, I can feel the butterflies in my guts.

Some Cape Town suburbs are also severely affected by floods, especially in the Cape Flats. At the same time, the Service warned on TV that conditions favourable for the development of runaway fires were expected in places in the KwaZulu-Natal interior, also in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga low velds...

These things happen every year, but recently the storms have become longer and more fierce. The reports of incidents abound these days... For example two barges ran aground in rough seas yesterday...one at Jacobs Bay and the other at Knysna... and the Weather Service said very rough seas with waves more than 5 m were expected along the whole coast south of the Orange river, which in essence means the entire west coast.

Destructive waves of up to 10 m were expected between Port St Johns and St Helena bay, our previous favourite place of retreat.

The Service also said that gale to strong gale force (65 - 85km/h) westerly to north-westerly winds were expected between Lamberts Bay and Port St Johns, spreading to Durban by tonight. Meanwhile, the interior of the country remains relatively calm. There may be heavy rain in the Villiersdorp municipality, but thanks to the clever re-forestation programs there that I mentioned before, no warnings of landslides or mudslides were issued. Now I realise the full meaning of Kol's words when he said that choosing the place to build the house was more about climate and location rather than facilities and infrastructure.

The good news...at least for us ski maniacs...is that the high ground of the Western Cape, the south-western high ground of Northern Cape, the high ground areas of the Eastern Cape and Lesotho could expect snow. This means that there will hopefully be a thick snow cover in the Tiffindell skiing resort as soon as the end of the month.

There are warnings that there is a possibility of heavy snowfalls on the northern mountains of the Eastern Cape and over southern Lesotho tonight. All this severe weather is expected to continue until the weekend.

The most serious incident is the one where a group of students were cut off (and still are!) on an island off the west coast. It turns out one of them is a relative of a colleague of mine... It is a small world... We are hoping that things will develop well as the weather is expected to improve somewhat in the next days...

South African men are 'raping women to cure them of being lesbians'

Lesbians living in South Africa are being raped by men who believe it will 'cure' them of their sexual orientation, a report has revealed.

Women are reporting a rising tide of brutal homophobic attacks and murders and the widespread use of 'corrective' rape as a form of punishment.

The report, commissioned by international NGO ActionAid, called for South Africa's criminal justice system to recognise the rapes as hate crimes as police are reportedly failing to take action over the spiralling violence.

Horrific crimes against lesbians in South Africa are reportedly going unrecognised by the state and unpunished by the legal system.

The extent of the brutality became clear when Eudy Simelane, former star of South Africa's national female football squad, became one of the victims last April.

Simelane, one of the first women to live openly as a lesbian and an equality rights campaigner, was gang-raped and beaten before being stabbed to death 25 times in the face, chest and legs.

Eudy Simelane died after being gang-raped, beaten and stabbed 25 times

Triangle, a gay rights organisation, said it deals with up to 10 new cases of 'corrective rape' every week.

Support groups claim an increasingly macho political environment led to inaction over attacks.


And recently, a study found out that 1 in 4 S. African men admit they have raped at least one woman, many of them having raped even very young girls, almost children!


I just do not know what to say about this!!!  It is beyond words to me.....