ZOMB-O-CALYPSE! A guide to surviving the undead!
Did you know that zombies have become the monster of the 21st century?
The rotting, bloody, dismembered undead have wormed their way back into our hearts, inspiring both terror and some serious excitement. Well, at least the gamers are excited! Statistically speaking, there is nothing impossible in the universe. So the question becomes, how long will you survive in zombieland?
A University of Ottawa professor is planning to answer this question in a book of formulations called the “Mathematical Modelling of Zombies“. Whilst survival is probably the most crucial calculation, this book promises to be a real cracker.
Lucky for you, I’ve decided that I like the human race after all and I’m going help you beat the math.
Now let’s for one second assume that you’re not a paranoid shut in, with a basement full of rations, weapons and medical supplies. If you are, then great! Surviving the living dead has just become a heck of lot easier! But for the normal light dwelling humanoids there are a couple of steps you should know. For the record you really don’t want to be alone for any of this, yet the same rules apply regardless. Maintaining a small group of maximum 5 people will give you mobility and some extra hands when you need them. Last thing, this guide is only meant to inspire your creativity. By all means, use as much of it as you can should the dead start rising, just remember to think of your own situation at every junction.
Step 1: Survival
The infection is going to spread, fast. One second nothing and then all of a sudden it’s going to be breaking down your door and trying to eat your brains. Nice image, right? So Step 1 is SURVIVAL. Yes that sounds obvious but hear me out first. When news has started to spread of the dead rising, people are going to do what they inevitably do best, PANIC. This is probably the most dangerous time of the zombocalypse. You can’t tell the difference between friends and enemies, and the whole world has dropped or is dropping into the dark ages. You need to focus on surviving the first wave of the infected.
Save all the water you can, use every bottle, container and bucket you can find and fill them to the brim with tap water. Remember, you can live without food for up to 70 days but without water you won’t last more than 3.
Next you need to make a melee weapon of some sort, something with medium to long range. A spear is the perfect way to go, all you need is some duct tape, a kitchen knife and anything you can use as a shaft (e.g. chair leg). Add a counterbalance for weight and blunt striking.
Save all the food you have and move it to the safest room, make sure to keep it all in backpacks (no plastic shopping bags or anything with wheels – you need quick and quiet). Your safe room will be the one with the least exposure to the outside, a clear entrance, an emergency exit and also be easily barricaded. A room on the second floor should work well, so long as you can escape out the window/through the door should the need arise.
Barricade all doors and windows, make sure that windows are completely covered. You need to be isolated. Listen to whatever news broadcasts and stay informed of the situation for as long as possible. Do NOT head to refugee camps! They’re like a petri-dish for the infected. Your only job during the infection wave is to be quiet, hunker down and survive.
Step 2: Recon
Characterise your zombie
If you’re like me, you can think on the fly. Assess the situation, and react. Instinctively. On the other hand you may need to consider your options carefully and that’s what this step is all about. Accurately assessing the situation.
- How much food have you got?
- How much water is left? (Drink the open containers first)
- How long will you be able to hold up?
- What am I dealing with?
- What is the situation outside?
The outcome of these questions determines when you need to start scouting. Make sure you have enough remaining supplies for at least 2-3 days before you start to recon. There may be an opportunity to move safely and you don’t want to have to forage for supplies on the move. Not being able to get to return to your hideout is also a real possibility so make sure you leave a bag of supplies where you can grab them on the run.
There are a couple things you need to consider before doing your recon. The first thing is protection. You need to protect your body however you can; remember even the smallest scratch could turn you into a walking corpse. Start by finding cardboard/magazines or any kind of hard flexible material, using some duct tape create gauntlets and greaves that protect your forearms and calves. Robust pillows and blankets will also work at a pinch. You’ll also need to protect your neck and collarbone. A thick jacket should help with this; keep in mind that you need to be agile. Make sure no material covers and impairs movement of your joints (namely knees, elbows and shoulders). Also make sure to wear high ankle hiking boots as these will prevent strains and also deter any crawlers. Strap an emergency bottle of water to your thigh, grab your spear and you’re ready to go.
Now for the tricky part. Going outside.
You need to be cautious, stay hidden and be quiet. You need to find out what attracts the zombies and therefore what you can use to distract them. Pick a target zombie and test all of their senses namely: sight, sound, smell, touch (reactivity to light/dark, cold/warm environments), taste. The last one might be a little pointless! Isolate your target zombie and test its senses however you see fit, throwing stones and standing upwind. You also need to gauge movement speed and reasoning power, this will be a little more dangerous as you need to get you test zombie to try chasing you onto a roof or around a wall. Lastly you need to find a quick killing/stunning method on the zombie. Start with blunt end of your spear, break joints and test blows to the head, test the knife and various stabs. If the zombie does not die, use the knife and test severing the spinal cord with a stab at the base of the skull. Hopefully something will work! Test your findings on other zombies if you get the chance, just to confirm your assumptions.
Once you have a defined your zombie you can progress to the next step. If you get the chance however, forage for surplus food, weapons and survival gear. By foraging from a central base you can collect items and then analyse their usefulness in secure place. When scavenging avoid tight areas, keep in mind car and household alarms, keep an escape route in mind as well as a hiding spot away from your base. Do not break windows or doors when you can avoid it, use prying tools and take your time entering buildings. Too much haste will get you killed.
On to….
Step 3: Plan and Action
Out of all the steps this one involves the most independent thought. You need to consider what you know of the zombies. How do they react? When and how can you move safely? Can they be distracted? What would happen if you were to use a vehicle? The main purpose of Step 3 is to find a safe haven, where you can survive for as long as possible.
In my case, my family owns a game farm where we keep herbivorous wild animals, predominantly buck. The farm is highly isolated, surrounded by a high wire fence, and is built on stilts to provide a large vantage point. Whilst there are many weaknesses, the isolation will serve as the best defence. There is also plenty of arable land to plant fast growing crops and with plenty of animals to shoot there is plenty of food. Although I should learn to hunt with a bow and arrow. There are also 2 windmills for bringing up borehole water as well as several large storage tanks. This is an ideal location with sufficient resources and space to manoeuvre.
In order to get to your haven there are certain things to consider. You’ll need an off-road worthy vehicle fast and sturdy. Supplies to last for as long as possible, food mostly, but also anything that can be planted and cultivated. Fruit and vegetables as well as as any canned goods as you can carry. The higher the protein the better, remember to stay hydrated! You also need to consider weaponry both melee and firearms. A crossbow or compound bow would also be extremely valuable – remember not to use arrows on the undead and then again whilst hunting for food. It would be a terrible waste if you died because you forgot to clean your arrows properly. Don’t rely on fixed electricity or generators – save any fuel you can gather as this could save your life – instead use fire and move in daylight.
So in Step 3 this is what you’re going to need to plan for:
ISOLATION (This is the big one)- Food (Grow, Hunt, Forage)
- Good vantage point
- Accessible water
- Security
- Weapons (Melee, Firearms, Stealth)
- Escape route
- Room to expand
If you understand anything about the zombocalypse it should be this: Survival depends on isolation and stealth. No matter how much high power ammunition you have or your skills with weapons, they will eventually run out. If your undead are extremely contagious and violent like rage victims (Danny Boyle – 28 Days Later…), weapons may be useful but in the end you’ll be attracting them like smokers to a pulmonologist. i.e. Not inevitable but highly likely. Stay hidden, consider your surroundings and be safe. Kill what you have to and wound the rest (enough to move safely).
When did who you know become more important than what you know?
I’m not naive.
I understand that in the world there were those who were born to do great things, discover amazing oddities, travel into outer space, and there are those who were born to be nothing special at all. That’s not uncommon. There is always a flaw in the process, a chink in the armour or a weak point in the chain. In truth it doesn’t matter at all, all the parts come together and function as a whole, because even the weak link has a purpose.
There was a time in the history of mankind when all you needed to be successful in life, was to be born into the right family. The only prerequisite to ruling a kingdom was a royal parent and a couple basic lessons in backstabbing and tyranny. Nepotism was, at the time, the only real means of getting of job security.
In this ‘modern’ and ‘enlightened’ age shouldn’t we be past that? Shouldn’t the choice of who is more important to society be determined by their usefulness to society as a whole? Shouldn’t the man, or woman, with the best CV and resume get the job? I think so.
But apparently, I am wrong…
In my article about Honouring Nelson Mandela, I discussed the sense of entitlement many South Africans have adopted since the ending of Apartheid. The business world, the one place where you would think positions were decided based on merit has also become a victim in the entitlement game. Positions are no longer earned through hard work, qualifications and years of experience. They are instead given to those who know the most influential people.
So, how do you solve a problem that is so entrenched American bunker busters couldn’t even shake them? A problem so rampant that politicians barely even bother to hide their tracks. I don’t really know the answer. I thought that total clarity could be an option, but since employers don’t bother hiding their nepotism what would be the point?
Conversely, I understand that some people need a ‘leg-up’ in life. That without the metaphorical kick in the shorts, the careers of many people would never even begin. My problem is that there is no balance between experience/skills and connections. Blood doesn’t now, and never will define a great king so why shouldn’t the same principle be the same of an employee?
As I said I have no long term solution to Nepotism in a corrupt environment like what we have in South Africa. So I’d like some input on the situation if you have any experience with Nepotism in the workplace.
Ciao
Desh
Fake lips, fake boobs and now FAKE RACISM!
Oh controversy, sweet controversy. Can we never see your hideous, tumour crusted face again? You pop into our lives like a whack-a-mole, take a swift kick up the shorts, then disappear and lie in wait to visit us again.
I don’t really like the word controversy. It seems like everything that happens in this ‘enlightened’ age has this inherent ability to insult just about everyone and their dogs. To be clear, you never insult a mans dog, thats worse than insulting his children. More ruinous yet, everything that is even construed as offensive get’s their own -ism, cause, group of activists and a charity support ribbon (modern hippies are pretty organised).
Now, I was reading a Freshly Pressed blog about Racism and the Asiana Crash, and I have to say that I do understand where the writers are coming from. Racial insecurity has been one of the founding principles of hatred since the beginning of Homo-Sapiens. I also well and truly understand the need to vent, express yourselves through every avenue possible. Now, I am really not trying to have a rip, but at the end of the day we all need to take a step back and lighten up.
This is a photo of me that was taken near the end of high school. You may not be able to tell much just by looking at the photo. On the other hand, if you were a bully or were bullied, you may understand enough. For those of you that don’t understand, I was brown, overweight, and wore glasses. In my entire school I was one of 3 Indians, and 1 of whom left after my first year. Needless to say I was bullied as a teenager. There was never much physical bullying, but there were more than a few verbal taunts. Somehow that was worse in the long run, physical pain fades, some emotional wounds can stay with you for years. I still have my sensitivities, there are some subjects that can be sore points that I would rather not discuss. That being said I have never let any of the incidents truly effect who I am as a person. I have always shrugged them off and excluded those kinds of people from my life. It really can be that simple. You just don’t let things affect you, and more importantly you don’t let them effect how you act in the future.
I am not a stranger to feeling prejudiced. I have in turn been branded by more than my fair share of racial slurs. Change is not something that happens overnight and I think this is something that everyone, inevitably, understands. That being I said, I feel that racism itself is changing. Maybe this is something localised, but I have noticed that racism is losing a lot of its power, funnily enough, to stereotypes and humour.
Whilst I was studying in England I was lucky enough to have a full blooded American Southerner as my best friend. Bob, was born in Georgia and is a full blooded baptist, a fact that strained our friendship time and time again as I am a devout atheist. Fighting definitely has a way of keeping a friendship interesting. The way that we interacted involved a lot, and I mean a lot, of ribbing, niggling and downright insulting. Because that’s what friends do, and in the case of best friends there are no boundaries and lines that can be broken. So he called me a black and I called him a racist incestuous hillbilly, amongst other imaginative titles probably a little unrefined for my blog. Before we even became friends, I didn’t see another oppressive white man and he didn’t see some Indian who escaped from the nearest call centre. Racism was not a factor, it was actually part of our friendship The same can be said for a lot of people, from my generation, that I have met throughout my travels.
SO, FAKE RACISM…
I think that in order to beat racism we can’t make it taboo (that approach works so well with drugs), we take away its power to affect us. Laugh about it, join in the conversation. Yes, people may step over the line and genuinely hurt your feelings. In that case shrug off the pain and let it go. Holding onto grudges does nothing to change the world around us. So when I say fake racism, I mean be as racist as you want but in friendship, not with a barbed tongue. Don’t say words that are meant to hurt because often you can never take them back. If someone insists on hurting you, make a decision about whether you want them in your life and if not write them off. People who don’t add positively to your life and its richness don’t deserve to be there in the first place. If you’ve read my article Growing Up? then you may believe, like me, that fullness of your life does not necessarily mean quality.
So tease Asian drivers and run when you see a woman in the drivers seat. Count your change from a Jew or Greek, and never take a cheque from an Indian. Just do so in friendship and maybe one day the stigma of racism will be truly behind us.
For the record, I have absolutely nothing against plastic surgery. Do what makes you happy.
Ciao
Desh
Keep your Vintage to yourself!
Let’s just get one thing straight, old things are not necessarily better than their newer counterparts. Here’s an example:
I’ve been having this conversation with many friends, for many years now, and I always arrive at the same conclusion. Being older does not make something inherently better. Yes, wine gets better with age but eventually it becomes vinegar. So, let’s skip over all the unnecessary food metaphors, and focus on something that I’m truly passionate about.
Zombies
George A. Romero. A name that you have probably heard one or twice around the directing pool, but do you know really know this man? He is, quite simply, the father of the modern zombie. He is the man who literally wrote the book on creating zombie movies, a creature he often describes as the true monster. Romero is responsible for writing and directing, amongst other horror classics, the “… of the dead” movie series. These films have set the tone for zombie horrors and have inspired the world to be ready for the zombie apocalypse. I’m ready, I hope you are too!
But I digress, I’ve written this post to defend my views and what I believe to be a truly excellent movie. Dawn of the Dead was originally written by George A. Romero and released in theatres in 1978. The movie followed a group of survivors at the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, who take refuge in a shopping mall. The original was an instant cult classic, and redefined the zombie genre, granted not as completely as Night of the Living Dead. However this is almost always included in a top 10 zombie movies list. To show but a couple: Washington Times & Horror Movies CA.
A second aspect that readers, unfamiliar with Romero’s work, should note, is that he includes a deep interwoven social commentary in his Zombie scripts. In the case of Dawn of the Dead, Romero comments on society’s consumerism. This is highlighted by the dead returning to the mall completely mindless.
In 2004, Zack Snyder, the brave soul that he must be, directed and released a remake of the classic Dawn of the Dead with the same title. Not only did Snyder depict some epic gore and beautifully directed special effects, but he re-imagined zombies for the 21st century. Hell, he made them truly terrifying. In the spirit of the master Snyder even managed to maintain the story as he kept the ‘consumerist’ social commentary that Romero sought to highlight with the original film. So let’s tally up this HORROR movie:
Gory (check), Scary (check), Storyline (check), Faithful to the original (check), Different enough to justify a remake (check), Screenplay (check), Unexpected ending (check) Social commentary (check) Snyder even has Ving Rhames chuck in a cheeky pointer about the movies underlying moral.
So whats missing? Why is this film any less than the original? Because script was already written? Jimi Hendrix played a better version of All Along the Watchtower than Bob Dylan (comment away, if you must). In any event this movie is actually genius in it’s own right. Granted it’s not the first but at least Rolling Stone had the respect to honour it as it deserves.
To those of your that read my last post Travel properly you dummies!(thanks!), you would know that appreciation is the name of the game. Things need to be appreciated in their own right. Let me share this one piece of wisdom, liking something new does not diminish the old. Amazingly enough, you can like both the new and old at the same time! So appreciate something for what it is, and what it represents. Don’t snub things because they’re not the original because eventually people are going to run out of ideas, and then where will you be.
Ciao
Desh
Travel properly you dummies!
Whilst this is not something new it’s been coming to my attention that an increasing number of people are travelling each and every year.
Great! Fantastic! Awesome!
Enjoy the world and the plethora of cultural experiences it holds. Open your mind to new experiences and learn, grow as a human being and as an individual. But please, please for the love of all things sweet and sour learn how to travel before you do.
This may seem like a strange concept, learning about how to learn from your future experience. In truth, it’s no different than learning good study techniques and habits.
What’s the point?
Lets be blunt, brusque, crude, direct, curt even a little matter of fact. I know, some liberal use of the thesaurus there. Travel is pretty damn expensive. In my case, since I live in South Africa, exorbitantly so. There are so many expenses to consider when you’re about to travel that sometimes its disheartening just thinking about them all. Is all it worth it?
Without a doubt in my mind!
I wouldn’t trade my experiences in Iceland, Switzerland, Egypt, Australia, Prague, Berlin, Rome and the US of A, to name but a few, for anything in the world. Every trip was unique and special and you can experience it too! At least if you follow a few simple ideas that I truly believe are indispensable.
First of all for you new travellers, don’t ever, and I mean ever, go on a Contiki tour. In theory they are fantastic trips which should promise an all round experience of the world. In my experience, they are nothing more than over-scheduled and incredibly rushed travesty masquerading as travel.
Let me give you an example. In 2012, after completing my degree, I decided to travel around Europe before returning home to South Africa. My first stop was Berlin, an incredibly lively city full of rich cultural experiences and some of the greatest clubs in the world. Whilst in the hostel bar, (I stayed at the Wombats Hostel and I most definitely recommend it to anyone travelling through Berlin) I was warming up for a night on the town, I met a group of Australian students who were part of a Europe-wide Contiki. After a couple drinks and some chatting, meeting people in hostels is interesting, fun and easy (and not at all like the movie Hostel), I looked at their schedule for the trip. They were to spend 2 nights in Berlin, 1 night in Prague, 3 nights in Austria and then 2 nights in Milan. Now any way you look at it these are some of the most phenomenal cities in the world, and this group could only experience 1 night in Prague. I spent 10 days in Prague alone, and I have to say, it’s one of the most beautiful, friendly and amazing places I have ever been to, and I cannot wait to return. Granted I may be a bit prejudiced by my own experience, which was rubbish, but the Contiki Tours that I have seen are, in my opinion, a waste of time and money. That being said, if you are not a confident person who is comfortable with travelling, and you want to travel alone (two very conflicting ideals – but it happens), Contiki is probably the best way for you.
For the rest of you beautiful future travelites. Lets get onto the real business! It sounds obvious but learn a little about where you’re going before you get there. It’s a simple rule but you’d be surprised how few people actually don’t really know much about the cities they visit. Conversely some people study so hard that nothing is a surprise anymore.
LEARN A LITTLE!
Lets look at Rome. Beautiful city, capital of Italy, lots of people very touristy, lasagne and ice cream, Colosseum! and by extension Gladiators!, Piazza’s and Fountains, The Vatican, tonnes of art and, last but by no means least, some very pretty girls. That’s it, everything you really need to know about Rome, as a city, before visiting. Sure you can learn some names and write down some places you’d like to visit, but don’t be one of those people that schedules every last minute. Take the time to really experience Rome and learn at every opportunity, don’t just cross them off a checklist.
Get Lost!
Getting lost may sound a little strange but I do this religiously when I go to a new city, so just hear me out. Check into your hostel or hotel, grab the nearest map of the city, ask the desk clerk or concierge to mark the hostel and the nearest public transport links and walk out the front door. Simple, right? The beauty of this is that you don’t have to know where you’re going, in fact that’s kind of the point. Follow any road that looks interesting and walk into any shop that catches your eye. Walk until you feel tired, take a breather and just enjoy the ambiance of wherever you may be at the time. I sat outside Prague Castle listening to a local orchestra band for over an hour, which even today is one of my fondest memories of the beautiful city. Keep walking until you’re dead tired and find your way back to the hostel, make sure to head back before 9:00PM as lots of public transport may shut down by then, depending on the city you are visiting.
“Watch the Fireworks, Don’t take pictures of them.”
I don’t know whether people, in general, can reach a point where they appreciate the things around them. Appreciation is really what we wish to achieve by travelling. An appreciation of beautiful arts and culture, of the theatre and even a movie, of a civilisation and their bizarre rights. Appreciation, I feel is something that really can’t be seen through the lens of a camera. Take a picture for the memory, but look and appreciate things first.
Si Parlo Italiano!
What I find is usually the most daunting thing about travelling in a new country is the accessibility and ease of communication for english speakers. Whilst this may be a little closed minded, expecting to get around with my native language, it’s actually a pretty fair assumption. English is one of the most widely spoken languages and it is also the most universally understood. That being said, whats the point of travelling without learning and improving. I suggest that every traveller should at least learn some basic phrases for use in whatever country they are travelling to. Especially if that country does not contain many english speakers.
Build a buddy
The last thing that every traveller needs is a good friend with whom to share your adventures. Ideally you really don’t want to travel with more than one or two people. Basically it’s too hard to coordinate several people, everything takes longer from breakfast to walking to museums. This is really a negotiable, just be prepared for the consequences of whomever you choose, personally I think three people is the best. Now, keep in mind that these people may be with you for the entire length of your journey and, more than that they’ll probably be sharing everything short of your jocks and toothbrush. That’s what it’s like to be on the road with a friend. So when looking for a travel buddy find someone who is friendly, outgoing, adventurous and pleasant to be around. Anyone stuffy, obsessive is probably not going to be a great partner for travelling. Better yet why don’t you make all new friends on the road. I won’t go into the highs and lows of making new friends, just remember that its easier than you think and who knows you may meet someone who truly changes you life.
That’s all for the moment, so until next time.
Ciao
Desh
Growing up? Lets do more than that!
Who am I?
This is the one question that almost everybody asks themselves at some point in their lives. Maybe many times. This certainly has been the case for me. Throughout my life I have reinvented myself depending on the situation, the circumstances, the friends I keep. But now that I have completed university and am preparing to enter “real life” it seems that I should become more than I was yesterday.
More?
The idea of ‘more’ can be seen as a pretty obscure subject. ‘More’ can refer to simple quantity, so maybe I should gain more skills. ‘More’ can also mean get better, so I’ll run in place until I can run a marathon. Maybe ‘more’ is spiritual, or philosophical, maybe its only a simple placeholder that means “insert personal definition here”. Personally I feel like its a combination of everything, a simple conglomeration of mini improvements.
Improving Myself
So back to my original idea. Change. In primary school I was the ‘chubby’ kid that, whilst generally liked – I believe, was never all that popular. I played sports, soccer and cricket mostly, my fitness was lacking but in the end I wasn’t half bad. On the whole though that was my existence, thats who I was. A simple kid, nothing special, who went to school achieved decent grades and played sports. It wasn’t enough. I moved to a new school for my senior years and I vowed things would change. Moving to a new school represents the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself. In actuality, I think it’s harder, whilst building yourself over you need to maintain an everyday life, but with a little determination you can succeed. I wanted more, maybe I just wanted to be more.
Keeping busy is the easiest way to stop your mind thinking about what it really wants.
I started my days at 6:00 ended them around 9:30, in hindsight it’s surprising how much work you can actually do whilst in bed. I jumped from one activity to the next for days on end. I learned how to SCUBA dive and play the bass, I learned first aid, took up debating and even joined the Nature Awareness club. I was constantly busy, and more often than not too tired to think. At the end of it, sure I made a contribution, yes I had helped and changed some peoples lives, including my own. But I wasn’t really satisfied, at the time I thought I wanted recognition. Now thats its just a distant memory, recognition doesn’t really seem all that important. Who honestly still cares what your final English grade was or whether you received a distinction for Accountancy. Who genuinely cares about colours or merit badges; don’t get me wrong I feel proud of my achievements, but they really mean very little in who I am as a person and, more importantly, who I want to be.
Make a choice. “Making up your own mind, is the one thing you can do for yourself. So try it sometime.”
I think what it really comes down to is that I want to keep improving. I don’t really have a particular goal in mind but I am continuously growing and doing things that make me happy. Fire-spinning wont help me in my career, since I have decided not to join a circus, and speaking Italian won’t necessarily be as useful as Hindi or Mandarin, but fire-spinning looks cool and Italy is an incredible country that I would love to visit again. I have decided to grow and keep enjoying my growth whatever it may be. I won’t grow up to a schedule or try to become something “appropriate”. I think people should make a decision and improve themselves, in anyway that they want. For the moment, I’m learning about blog writing but who knows whats next. I suggest you try and do the same.
Ciao
Desh
Dick the Dictator: The Morsi Situation
So as many of you should by now know Mohammed Morsi is now the former president, or perhaps former attempted dictator, of Egypt. Late yesterday the Egyptian military followed through on their promise to oust the “Dictator” Morsi should he not resign willingly by the 3rd July 2013. Say what you will about Robert Mugabe, or Kim Jong Un but at least those men know how to be real dictators. That being said this represents a massive victory and a step towards a fair and democratic Egypt. I think however that people need to understand, at least a condensed version of events, how Egypt arrived at the present situation.
Mohammed Morsi was elected as the 5th President of Egypt on the 30 June 2012. Morsi, a leading member in the Muslim Brotherhood based in Egypt and was formerly the Chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), a role which he resigned on entering the presidency. Morsi, whilst no longer the chairman, continued to represent the FJP in his term as president.
Throughout his term, Morsi continued to incite anger from the Egyptian peoples with a combination of his incompetence and dangerous decree making. Most notably, on the 22nd November 2012, Morsi drafted a decree which allowed him to create legislation without official judicial review. This unadulterated power, which Morsi claimed would “protect” the nation until the ratification of a new constitution, angered the Egyptian public to the point where hundreds of thousands of people protested in the streets. Whilst this protest was officially effective, and the fanatical decree was revoked, there were rumours that the power of the declaration still remained in effect.
Now I’m really not much of economist, so I’ll refrain from telling you this side of the story but Morsi did a lot of damage to the Egyptian economy, yet another of his critical mistakes. I ended up reading this article posted by Marketwatch and I found it to be quite informative:
So really Morsi was destroyed by his own incompetence, should he have maintained his calm and carefully assessed his options there could potentially have been another dictatorship in the world, along with the likes of Zimbabwe, North Korea, Iran, Cuba etc. In the meantime, Adly Mansour has been appointed, by General Abdul Fatah Khalil Al-Sisi, as the interim President of Egypt. Until such time as a fully democratic election can take place.
At the end of the day, may the Egyptians enjoy their victory because tomorrow they have a lot of work to do repairing the mess that was left by Mohammed Morsi.
Blog Day 1
Sir Paul McCartney congratulating me upon completing my degree in Music, Theatre and Entertainment Management
In truth I don’t really know why I have decided to write my own blog. Perhaps I have done it for typical reasons, maybe I have decided to shove my own narcissistic existence down my readers throat. Since I am not one of the usual suspects, at least I don’t believe myself as one of them, maybe I have decided to blog my opinions and beliefs. I think that sounds right. A little self serving? Most probably, but why not, I have as much right to express my opinion as everyone else.
To those of you that have read this opener and thought mind-numbing twaddle. I’m sorry things will improve and for today at least I am feeling a might philosophical. But before I really get to posting you may wish to know a little more about me, and decide whether or not you wish to listen to my infrequent rants, raves and general critiques of modern day life.
My name for all intents and purposes is Desh, I basically never use my full name as the addition of even one syllable can be too complicated for most people. I was born in Durban, South Africa, and completed a degree in Music, Theatre and Entertainment Management at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2012. I am an avid gamer, reader, and enthusiast of the finer things in life in addition to being a musician and otherwise generally opinionated person.
In the upcoming weeks, days or months, however long you feel like reading, I will share with you my ideas and viewpoints. Comment, read, enjoy or don’t. Up to you.
Ciao
Desh
The D Report 
Honouring the Father of a Nation: Nelson Mandela’s Legacy
How does one prepare for the end of an era?
Rolihlahla ‘Nelson’ Mandela is a man that cannot be described in simple words. The love that the people of South Africa have for this man is undeniable, it is unyielding, it is beyond powerful adverbs and fancy adjectives. And yet. We, as South Africans, are preparing for the loss of our Tata (father). We are trying to find the words to describe the role Madiba played in our lives, because in our hearts we believe that soon we will not have the chance.
So I pose the question, how do you prepare for the death of someone like Madiba? What did the Indians do before the death of Ghandi? What did the Americans do before the loss of George Washington? What will the English do when Queen Elizabeth II has retired to her deathbed?
I don’t really have an answer. At least not one that will quench the driving need to find something, anything that might lessen the loss. I don’t know if, as an individual, I can help or change the present. I probably can’t, or rather I definitely can’t. This future in inevitable and I am on the roller coaster of history speeding towards the next corner.
What do we have to build on?
Instead of pushing towards a unified future, as was Mandela’s dream, the Rainbow Nation has turned into the opposite. A country that still divides itself along the lines of race. Whilst there is no longer an ‘Apartheid’ to speak of, the African National Congress (ANC) has, to paraphrase the Dark Knight, “lived long enough to become the villain”. Succinctly put, the situation is now worse than ever.
Here are just a couple headlines from local papers highlighting the situation in South Africa:
In truth, I do not know whether South Africa has the ability to develop into a real nation once again. Since the end of Apartheid, many people in this country have developed the belief that they are entitled to whatever they want. Apartheid is over now we can have what the white people had! This sense of entitlement has, for a very large part, been responsible for the collapse of the economy around us. As not only can people of all races get the positions they want, they no longer have to work for it.
Here is a quick little dialogue detailing how the South African government acts with regards to education and employment.
Granted that may have been a little scathing and I’m probably a little biased, but unfortunately, in a very condensed form, that is how the ANC is acting towards South African Citizens. If we wanted an Apartheid-like system of degradation based on race in this country, then we wouldn’t have voted ANC in this first place. This ANC is destroying the country and at least the National Party wasn’t corrupt and incompetent.
With the current state of affairs in South Africa, the loss of Mandela may be enough for total panic. This idea, quite understandably I think, worries me. The last thing that Mandela wanted for this country was a violent future and whilst violence may have been involved in the past, it should not hamper our growth anymore. If South Africa continues developing in the current shape, then there is no hope that we will see Tata Madiba’s dream realised.
If we truly love Madiba, and I believe that most of us do. We need to take steps, strip off these individualistic and greed ridden traits that have haunted our government for too long, and move forward. No more procrastination, no more laying about waiting for time to change everything around us. Pick up a pen, or a keyboard and make a plan to create the type of country that we truly want it to be.
What better way could we honour Tata Madiba on his birthday?
Ciao
Desh
P.S. in the upcoming weeks I will be posting an interview with an ANC freedom fighter giving you a detailed image of living under apartheid. Keep reading!
P.P.S. on another sidebar official news states that Madiba is recovering, we’re hoping for the best!
If you enjoyed reading please share!