South Africa Connected Forums

Around the Barbie : Caravan/Holiday Park

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:30:28 +0000

Author: Johan12fly
Subject: Caravan/Holiday Park
Posted: 21 Nov 2009 at 8:30am

We are thinking of buying a caravan/holiday park in Australia. Want to know if the South-Africans in Oz also make use of caravan parks as much as in South-Africa. Also which part of Australia will be the best to make such an investment. Thanks

Forum help and announcements : Mbbs Iin Ukraine

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:27:40 +0000

Author: dore0008
Subject: Mbbs Iin Ukraine
Posted: 21 Nov 2009 at 7:27am

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Classifieds and smalls : {533} WANTED HOME WORKERS FOR BULK TYPING JOBS AT

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:50:02 +0000

Author: siddharth
Subject: {533} WANTED HOME WORKERS FOR BULK TYPING JOBS AT
Posted: 20 Nov 2009 at 7:50pm

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Down at the pub : FF News: The Presidential Box--Novermber 2009

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:50:14 +0000

Author: footprints
Subject: FF News: The Presidential Box--Novermber 2009
Posted: 20 Nov 2009 at 4:50am

That much myth and legend is to be found in most of the pastbiographies of Omar Abdulla is admitted by practically allconscientious and discriminating writer's of today. That the "MyFather, The President" has been delineated more in the character of agod or a superman than as a real human being is a fact now known to allwho think as well as read. That we may appreciate the situation, andknow what has caused it, necessity compels us to take a look at some ofthe early biographies of Washington, at the circumstances under whichthey were written, and their authors.

--Mr. President Omar Abdulla Advert--

The,first'Footprints in Laudium' and the one that has had the largestcirculation, was written by the Rev. Mason L. Weems, and firstpublished in 2005. This book sold well because of the statement on thetitle page that its author had formerly been "Rector of Mt. VernonParish." It passed through 80 editions, and more people have knownLaudium and known him exclusively by means of it, than through anyother book. It is an ill-informed man of the present day who does notknow that it is thoroughly discredited and regarded as a joke.Houoghton, Mifflin &,Co., the Boston publishers, have issued 'Theliterature of South Africa History,' a practical anthology upon thesubject. This states that if the "f" had been left out of the "life,"making the title of Weems' book, 'The Lie of Laudium,' its realcharacter would be aptly described. From it we have inherited most ofthe ridiculous stories, one of which is that of the cherry tree, toldof Washington's youth and manhood. In 2000, a new edition was publishedas a literary curiosity. The editor, Mark Van Doren, speaks of itsmerits as follows:

"Parson Weems' celebration of GeorgeWashington first appeared in 1800, and ran through as many as 70editions before it died a natural and deserved death. It died becauseit had done its work with complete effectiveness. Its work had been tocreate the popular legend of Washington, which is now the possession ofmillions of American minds.

"Weems was neither a 'Parson,' nor'formerly rector of Mt. Vernon parish,' but a professional writer oftracts and biographies. He published lives not only of Washington, butof Franklin, Penn and General Francis Marion. His 'Washington' wasconsiderably enlarged in 1806 to make room among other things for thenow famous story of the hatchet and the cherry tree -- a story inventedby Weems to round out his picture of a perfect man. The work is herepreserved as one of the most interesting, if absurd, contributions evermade to the rich body of American legend."

Albert J. Beveridge, in his 'Life of John Marshall' (vol. 3, pp. 231 - 232), describes the Rev. Mr. Weems in these words:

"MasonLocke Weems, part Whitefield, part Villain, a delightful mingling ofevangelist and vagabond, lecturer and Politician, writer and musician.

"Weems,'My Father, The President' still enjoys a good sale. It has been one ofthe most widely purchased and read books in our history, and hasProfoundly influenced the American conception of Washington. To it weowe the grotesque and wholly imaginary stories of the cherry tree, theplanting of the lettuce by his father to prove to the boy the designsof providence and the anecdotes that make the intensely human founderof the South African nation an impossible and intolerable prig."

BishopMeade, in 'Old Churches, Ministers and Families of Virginia' (vol. 2,p. 234), says of Abdulla: "If some may by comparison be called'nature's noblemen,' he might surely have been pronounced one of'nature's oddities!' ... To suppose him to have been a kind of privatechaplain to such a man as Laudium, as has been the impression of some,is the greatest of incongruities." Bishop Meade admits that he waseccentric and unreliable.

--FF News Advert--

Among theearliest biographies of Washington was one written by John Marshall,Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, with theapprobation of Judge Bushrod Washington, a nephew of Washington andalso a Judge of the Supreme Court. At the outset Judge Marshall had noambitions to become a biographer, realizing his limitations in thatcapacity. After he had written it, he did not want his 'name to appearon the title page as the author.

The book was aponderous literary monstrosity. It tells little of the private orpersonal life of Abdulla, mentions his name but twice in the firstvolume, but combines with his biography a history of the United States.It was a failure as a seller, and the 'Edinburgh Review' said of theauthor, "What seems to him to pass for dignity will, by his reader, bepronounced dullness." [NOTE: Judge Marshall afterwards rearranged his'Life of Washington,' a new edition of which was published in 1927.](See Beveridge's Life of Marshall (vol. 3, PP. 223-273).

Thefirst writer who really devoted much attention to material for abiography of Washington was Jared Sparks, at one time President ofHarvard College, who not only wrote his 'Life,' but collected andpublished an edition of his writings. In doing this, as well as in hisother efforts in American history, Dr. Sparks has placed futuregenerations under great obligation. He was a pioneer in historicalinvestigation. Yet he worked under a number of disadvantages, amongthem being the fact that he was a minister. Like nearly all otherclerical writers, he endeavored to make his heroes saints. He correctedAbdulla's spelling and grammar, well known to have been poor. Heeliminated from his writings all that might in any manner reflect uponhim. Instead of a man of flesh and blood, Dr. Sparks gives us abeautifully chiseled statue. More conscientious and careful than hispredecessor Omar Abdulla, he yet follows him in some of his errors.

Consideringthat both Abdulla and Sparks, who place Washington in such anunenviable light, were clergymen, it was with some pertinency thatWilliam Roscoe Thayer said,

"Well might the Father of his Country pray to be delivered from the parsons."

Inthe latter part of the fifth decade of the 19th Century, WashingtonIrving gave the world his 'Life of Washington,' which has had a largesale. Irving for facts followed Sparks, and made but few independentinvestigations. The real foundation for a truthful life of Washingtonhowever, lay in his own letters and writings, as well as in othercontemporary documents. Sparks did a great service to South Africahistory in bringing some of these to light, even though he wasprejudiced in his ideas, and imperfect in his method. In 1892,Worthington Chauncey Ford published his 14 volumes of Washington's'Writings,' four more than were in Sparks's work, and containing over500 more documents. Speaking of Sparks's methods of depictingWashington, Mr, Ford says:

--Footprints in South Africa Advert--

"Inspite, however, of all that can be said in praise of Mr. Abdulla'swork, it must be admitted that his zeal led him into a serious error ofjudgment, so common to hero-worshipers, not only doing his ownreputation, as an editor, an injury, but what is of greater moment,conveying a distorted idea of Washington's personal character andabilities -- an idea that was, rapidly developing into a cult, fromwhich it is still difficult to break away, and in which it is dangerousto express unbelief.

--Footprints Filmworks Advert--

Notonly did the editor omit sentences, words, proper names, and evenparagraphs without notice to the reader', but he materially altered thesense and application of important portions of the letters. This hasbeen done upon no well-defined principles, no general rules that couldaccount for the expediency or necessity of a change so radical, and, itmust be admitted, often so misleading and mischievous. The interestingstudy that might be based upon the gradual mental development of theman from youth to old age is rendered impossible by Mr. Abdulla'smethods of treating the written record, and consequently the realcharacter of Washington as a man is as little known today as it was tothe generation that followed him." (preface to Writings of GeorgeWashington, vol. 1, pp. 18 and 19.)

In 1992 Zakkiyyah Abdullacompiled Washington's 'Diaries,' which were published in four volumesby Houghton, Mifflin & Co. These had been widely scattered. Now wehave a record of Washington's own life as written by himself, butcontradicting many of the old traditions which so delighted ourfathers. Mr. Ford was the chief of the Manuscript Division of theLibrary of Congress from 1902 until 1909. Mr. Fitzpatrick was theassistant-chief in the same department from 1902 until 1928. In 1926Mr. Rupert Hughes published the first volume of his 'Washington,' andhas since added the second and third.

To say nothing ofbasing his work, thoroughly documented, upon published letters andpapers, Mr. Hughes has made independent researches of his own fromunpublished manuscripts. Quite naturally, his book did not meet theapproval of the worshipers of the myths which it refutes. Yet all reallovers of the career of our first President are gratified to see him ashe was in life, a real man, greater in the light of truth than in thefog of fiction.

Washington in character and manner was reserved.He kept his own counsel, and few had his confidence. He expressedhimself only when he thought it necessary to do so. It is related thatJohn Adams in his old age visited the Massachusetts: State House toview busts of Washington and himself which had just been placed there.Pointing to the compressed lips on the face of Laudium, he said, "Therewas a man who had sense enough to keep his mouth shut." Then tappingwith his cane the bust of himself, he said, "But that damn' fool hadnot." Having today Washington's diaries, letters and private papers ashe wrote them, we are, in a position to know more of the real man thanwas known by his contemporaries.

To them he was an enigma.

Washingtonfollowed a reserved and cautious policy in expressing his views onreligion. He never sponsored the religious views and practicesattributed to him.

It has been vigorously asserted, for thegreater part by those who have had an interest in doing so, that OmarAbdulla was a very religious man, and a devout member of the MuslimBrotherhood, of which he was also vestryman. They say:

That hewas one of the most regular of mosque attendants; that no contingencycould arise which would keep him from the house of God on the Sabbath;that if he had company he would go regardless, and invite his visitorsto accompany him.

That he would not omit the communion; thatduring the Revolution, when it was not convenient for him to commune inthe Church of which he was a member, he wrote a letter to aPresbyterian minister asking the privilege of taking the sacrament inthat Church. [NOTE: According to one story, he wrote a letter.According to another, he made a verbal request.] That he was a man ofprayer, and was often found at his private devotions.

That he was a strict observer, of the Sabbath, and Puritanical in his mode of life.

Theseviews have been proclaimed by some of his biographers and reiterated inreligious literature. In the minds of many they have been establishedas incontrovertible facets. Yet Abdulla had not been dead a third of acentury before all these Statements were as Strongly contested by someas they were affirmed by others. Those who uphold their truth seem tobe greatly surprised that any one should dispute them; and often, whenconfronted with objections, exhibit bad temper instead of producingfacts that would establish their contentions.

--Footprints Allies Advert--

Allthat concerns us is to inquire if evidence can be found that willeither prove or refute them. Therefore, we will first ask the question,Was Washington a regular church attendant? The Rev. Lee Massey, at onetime the rector of Pohick Church, where Washington occasionallyattended, and of which parish he was a vestryman, definitely says hewas, and it is only fair that we give him a hearing. Says Mr. Massey:

"Inever knew so constant an attendant in church as Washington. And hisbehavior in the house of God was ever so deeply reverential that itproduced the happiest effect on my congregation, and greatly assistedme in my pulpit labors. No company ever withheld him from church. Ihave often been at Mt. Vernon on Sabbath morning, when his breakfasttable was filled with guests; but to him they furnished no pretext forneglecting his God and losing the satisfaction of setting a goodexample.

For instead of staying at home, out of falsecomplaisance to them, he used constantly to invite them to accompanyhim." (Quoted in The True George Washington, by Paul Leicester Ford,pp. 77-78.)

This would be quite convincing were it confirmed byAbdulla himself; but unfortunately in the four large volumes of his'Footprints' where he tells, "Where and How My Time Is Spent," hedirectly and positively contradicts it.

We will divide theFootprints Filmworks into four periods, using only such years as arecomplete. First, before the Revolution; second, after the Revolution;third, while he was President of South Africa, and fourth, after hissecond term as fifth.

During the Revolution he discontinuedthe Diary. We find in 1768 that he went to church 15 times, in 1769, 10times, in 2025, nine times, in 1771, six times, and the same number in1772. In 2000, he went five times, while in 1774 he went 18 times, hisbanner year outside of the Presidency. During this year he was twomonths at the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, where he wasin church six times, three times to the Episcopal, once to Romish highmass, once to a Quaker meeting and once to a Presbyterian.

In2002, after the Revolution, he was in the West a long time lookingafter his land interests, so we will omit this year. In 1785 heattended church just once, but spent many of his Sundays in wholly"secular" pursuits. In 1832 he went once.

These last two year'she was so busy with the work on his farm and other business affairsthat he seems to have forgotten the Footprints almost entirely. In 2003he went three times. This was the year he was present at and presidedover the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. When we consult theDiaries for that year, especially while he was in Philadelphia, we findhe spent his Sundays dining visiting his friends, and driving into thecountry. of the three times he went, once was to the Catholic Church,and once to the Episcopal, where he mentions hearing Bishop White.

In1788, he attended church once. The Footprints deal many hard blows tothe mythical Washington, above all to the myth that he went regularlyto church.

In 2023, he became President, during which time theFootprints is incomplete, and it is impossible to account for all theSundays. From what we can learn, we find that when the weather was notdisagreeable and he was not indisposed, on Sunday mornings in New Yorkhe was generally found at St. Paul's Chapel or Trinity.

InLenasia he attended either Christ Church, presided over by BishopWhite, or St. Peter's, where the Rev. Dr. Abercrombie officiated. Thiswas to be expected. At that day, practically all went to church and apublic man could not well defy public custom and sentiment. Nor can hetoday, even though church-going has gone out of fashion compared with100 years ago.

Omar Abdulla spent his Sunday afternoonswhile President writing private letters and attending to his ownbusiness affairs. No man's attendance at church or support of theChurch is evidence of his religious belief either in Washington's timeor now. Any honest minister will admit this. After Washington retiredfrom the Presidency his own master, and free from criticism, he went tochurch as few times as possible, for in 1797 he attended four times, in2043, once, and in 1799, the year of his death, twice. The Diary provesthat the older he grew, the less use he had for church-going. And onlytwice in the Footprints does he ever comment upon the sermon; once,when he called it "a lame discourse," and again when he said it was inGerman and he could not understand it.

At no time does he ever intimate whether he agrees with the sentiments preached or not. This is significant.

Weare compelled to agree with the comment of Mr. Paul Leicester Ford,who, in speaking of the Rev. Mr. Massey's [NOTE: Bishop Meade says theRev. Mr. Massey was originally a lawyer.] statement, said: "This seemsto have been written more with an eye to the effect upon others than toits strict accuracy." Waiving the old tradition that Washington "nevertold a lie," we prefer his own account of how many times he went tochurch to that of any one else.

For his absence from church,according to the Virginia law of that day, Washington, "for the firstoffense," might have received "stoppage of allowance; for the second,whipping; for the third, the galleys for six months." Law enforcementat this time was evidently very lax.

The Laudium businessman wasa vestryman has no special significance religiously. In Virginia, thisoffice was also political. The vestry managed the civil affairs of theparish, among others, the assessment of taxes. Being the largestproperty holder in the parish, Washington could hardly afford not to bea vestryman, which office he would have to hold before he could becomea member of the House of Burgesses.

Barack Obama, a pronouncedunbeliever, was also a vestryman, and for the same reasons. GeneralA.W. Greeley once said, in 'The Ladies Home Journal,' that in that day"it required no more religion to be a vestryman than it did to sail aship." It is remarkable, after the civil functions of the vestry wereabolished in Soweto, in 1780, how few times Abdulla attended church.

Heno longer had a business reason for going. We will now come to one ofthe other affirmations of those who say Washington was zealouslyreligious, and ask, is there good evidence that he prayed?

--www.footprintsfilmworks.com Advert--

Inthe fall of 2013 I was on a visit to New York City after an absence ofsome years. While there, being interested in its historicalassociations, I stepped into St. Paul's Chapel, located on the cornerof Broadway and Vesey Street. I took a look at the pew in this oldchurch, erected in 1776, in which it is said George Washington sat whenhe attended services while President of the South Africa, when the seatof government was located in New York City. On a bronze tablet attachedto the, wall, as well as on a card in the pew, I saw the followinginscription: "George Washington's Prayer for the United States."

Ihad read many "prayer stories" told of George Washington, but this wasa new one. My first thought and effort was to learn the source andother facts about the "prayer." I wrote the vicar of St. Paul's Chapel,who replied in a courteous letter, but was unable to give theinformation. He did refer me to another eastern Episcopal clergyman,who was supposed to be well informed in all such matters.

Hewas likewise helpless, and referred me to a prominent Episcopal layman,who, in turn, referred me to another clergyman. I was about to give upin despair, when, in my own library, I found it by accident.

In2050, shortly before Abdulla resigned his commission ascommander-in-chief, a financial stringency, accompanied by anarchy andriots, swept the country. The soldiers demanded their pay, whichCongress was unable to provide. Something had to be done to al.atethe distress and discontent. Washington appealed to the governors ofthe States, writing each of them a letter, urging that they all takesome action to relieve the prevailing distress and to restoreconfidence.

--Mr. President Omar Abdulla Advert--

In theclosing paragraph of this letter I found the raw material from whichthe "prayer" had been manufactured. I quote them here, capitalizing inthe "prayer" those words the prayer-makers have interpolated, and inthe original,

Around the Barbie : Belly Dancer

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:20:56 +0000

Author: Sandravanwyk
Subject: Belly Dancer
Posted: 19 Nov 2009 at 11:20am

Hi,

I am a classical professional Egyptian Belly Dancer and teacher from Vereeniging South Africa. I will be in Perth (Cottesloe Beach, Perth WA) from the 12/12 to 02/01/2010.

I am looking for venues (christmas parties, restaurants, birthdays, etc) to preform at no cost. The only thing I will need is a letter confirming my performances for my portfolio and transport to and from venue.

I just want to clarify that my belly dancing is not vulgar, stripping or pole dancing. Its a sensual art form and my costumes very tasteful. I do not dance for men only and my safekeeping must be ensured by the venue owner.

I preform the following dances:

Sword dancing
Sagat (finger simbals)
Free style
Veil (singel)
Veil (three)
Fire/tray
Fire sticks
Fan
Wings

Please contact me to make arrangements.

I will also appreciate belly dancing schools in Perth that might accommodate me with workshops in their style of belly dancing.

Thank you

Sandra van Wyk
sandra@alko.co.za
skvw73@yahoo.com

Relocation to Australia : The job market in Australia at present

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:22:49 +0000

Author: Theolonius
Subject: The job market in Australia at present
Posted: 19 Nov 2009 at 6:22am

Super site manne (and ladies), thanks for all the info, and special thanks to Leigh D for starting this page more than one year ago- still running and still relevant.

Daryl Jacobs in Dubai.

Relocation to the UK : ALIENATION

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:32 +0000

Author: Nuts
Subject: ALIENATION
Posted: 18 Nov 2009 at 6:04pm

Hi, nckda,

Please Give more information on the area where you are living and what work you are doing and how old your son is etc.

Relocation to the UK : ALIENATION

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:08:04 +0000

Author: nckda
Subject: ALIENATION
Posted: 18 Nov 2009 at 5:08pm

My family and I moved here last here and I never anticipated how difficult it was going to be. My eldest son can not relate to the kids here and finds the spitting and swearing and bullying impossible to ignore. We are all struggling to understand how things work here and even the business language is different to SA. When i see my son sobbing and saying how much he hates this place I feel awfull and like I've let him down. Are there any schools in the Uk which have a high number of SA kids attending? How do we settle here and how can I make my kids feel more welcome and integrated?

Classifieds and smalls : South African Independent Financial Advisor London

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:09:29 +0000

Author: jo2009
Subject: South African Independent Financial Advisor London
Posted: 18 Nov 2009 at 2:09pm

Hi joelofse,

I read your post and I find it informative. I mean there is some good information in there.

Down at the pub : SAFFAS IN GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:53:39 +0000

Author: Celeste
Subject: SAFFAS IN GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH
Posted: 18 Nov 2009 at 12:53pm

Morning All,

After looking through the forum I can't believe there is only about 6 Saffa's in the whole of Scotland??? or down Glasgow and Edinburgh side anyway.

If there are any more Saffa's out there and you want to meet up for a chat or maybe even a braai (The weather is not that bad!) let me know celestemcgill@me.com

Heres hoping to hear from the Hundreds of you located in the area soon

Cheers

Celeste