Hola mahigh school vol 4 issue 2 2015 by Romele

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VOLUME 4 Issue 2 2015

Terraforming of Mars The Music Scene OIL: Strategic Resource, Geo-Politics or a Weapon?

• Fashion • Indigenous Languages in Other Countries • Matric Dance Preparations

CONTENTS

04 Editor’s Letter

28 Terraforming of Mars Is this in fact possible?

05 Poems

30 My Matric Dance

06 WE NEED WRITERS!!!

A personal account and tips

Get in contact with us

8 Meet our Contributors

32 Book Review

Magna Carta

10 Fikile Zulu – Who I Am

33 The Quotes Game

11 Win A Ubuntuism T-Shirt

34 When All Goes Wrong

Some days you should just not get up!

14 Really Silly Superstitions

36 Europe

15 Fashion

Where art thy going?

What a wonderful world we live in

40 38

16 Becoming a Fashion Designer It’s very hard work

Sponsoring major African Literacy Conference

The eight most popular fabrics we wear almost daily

41 Oil

20 Indigenous Languages

Strategic resource, geo-politics or a weapon?

We take a look at other countries

Make it an experience 2 >>>Hola MaH igh-Sch o o l

Another take on what’s happening

41 Oxford University Press

18 Fashion Fabrics

24 Eco-Tourism

38 Music

44 Out Next Issue >>>Hola Ma Hi gh- School

From the Editor

Poem

MY NAME IS METH

Editor’s Letter

econd issue this year. This is a milestone for us. We publish according to schedule (more or less) and the website is working. The website is built by Ofentse. Please go and read about him in ‘Meet the Team’. The website will be developing almost daily. There are so many things we would like to do with it, but we have the basics more or less right at present. Competitions will be major and we have the first one listed. The next one will be on the remaining BIC prizes. Not many left, really. But we will be happy to do it like this.

Pinky is in on Music: what is she listening to and why. An opinion piece and as usual giving food for thought. She has also produced an article on eco-tourism. The conclusion is a bit different from what one should expect and that is good. Matric Dance. The first glamour opportunity. Sikosana has a very good and personal article. It is one which takes me back, but let us not go there. It is a quality article which shows the depth of our writers and also that they are persons in their own right and very sensitive. More of this, please.

Rofhiwa is not going to write a lot for us anymore. She is full-time at CNBC Africa and it takes a bit of time, of course.

Terraforming of Mars is the article in the science world. Just imagine if we can turn Mars into a green planet? We actually can. It might take some 200-300 years, but hey, Van Riebeeck came here in 1652. That + 300 years = 1952. Yes, more or less the same.

Let us use this opportunity to say a great THANK YOU to Rofhiwa. She has produced quality articles through many years now. It has always been a joy to look back on those. International relations is a major topic.

Are you confused about the oil price? Me too. So we have something that will either make us all more confused or we can at least pretend that we understand it. Or maybe even understand it in the end!

We wish Rofhiwa all the best at CNBC. She will be a star there as well. Fikile has been researching indigenous languages. Well, we think we are so unique with eleven languages. Not really. So, please look at that. You will be amazed. 4

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holamahighschool@gmail.com www.romele.co.za Enjoy the read!

Sybil

I destroy homes, I tear families apart, Take your children, and that’s just the start. I’m more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold, The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold. If you need me, remember I’m easily found, I live all around you — in schools and in town, I live with the rich; I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door. I’m made in a lab, but not like you think, I can be made under the kitchen sink. In your child’s closet, and even in the woods, If this scares you to death, well it certainly should. I have many names, but there’s one you know best, I’m sure you’ve heard of me, my name is Crystal Meth. My power is awesome, try me you’ll see, But if you do, you may never break free. Just try me once and I might let you go, But try me twice, and I’ll own your soul. When I possess you, you’ll steal and you’ll lie, You do what you have to — just to get high. The crimes you’ll commit for my narcotic charms Will be worth the pleasure you’ll feel in your arms. You’ll lie to your mother, you’ll steal from your dad, When you see their tears, you should feel sad. But you’ll forget your morals and how you were raised, I’ll be your conscience, I’ll teach you my ways. I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from God, and separate friends. I’ll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I’ll be with you always — right by your side. You’ll give up everything – your family, your home,

Your friends, your money, then you’ll be alone. I’ll take and take, till you have nothing more to give, When I’m finished with you, you’ll be lucky to live. If you try me be warned — this is no game, If given the chance, I’ll drive you insane. I’ll ravish your body, I’ll control your mind, I’ll own you completely, your soul will be mine. The nightmares I’ll give you while lying in bed, The voices you’ll hear, from inside your head. The sweats, the shakes, the visions you’ll see, I want you to know, these are all gifts from me. But then it’s too late, and you’ll know in your heart, That you are mine, and we shall not part. You’ll regret that you tried me, they always do, But you came to me, not I to you. You knew this would happen, many times you were told, But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold. You could have said no, and just walked away, If you could live that day over, now what would you say? I’ll be your master, you will be my slave, I’ll even go with you, when you go to your grave. Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It’s all up to you. I can bring you more misery than words can tell, Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell. The author of the poem is Alicia Van Davis. She was 21 years old when she died of crystal meth after being released from prison. She wrote this poem while in prison. >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

We Need Writers! Our writers are growing up and getting older. Which is good. BUT... It means that they leave us! Therefore: Would you like to write for us?

What is required? It is rather easy • You have to be in high-school – Grades 10 to 12; • Impeccable in your preferred language. It may not be English which you will prefer to write in. THAT we will support as we don’t want to be English only; • Passionate about your topic. No dull articles here. Do you get anything out of it? Well, not money. Unfortunately. Not yet at least... BUT... If we publish your articles you will have: • Your bio appears in the magazine; • A photograph of yourself; • You can put it on your CV; • You can use us as a reference. 6

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Is it important? YES it is. Look here

What to do Emai ivan@ l me on romele with th .co e follo wing i .za nf Name ormation: Schoo Cell nu l E-mail mber a And w ddress ew back t ill get o you!

“My name is Rofhiwa and I love to write. I think I’m a rather decent writer too. I took my talent and have used it to express my thoughts on international dealings of the world which have been published in Hola MaHigh School. It has paid off, not only is my work printed for young people in the country to read, but, it also contributed to my getting a bursary from CNBCAFRICA to do my postgraduate studies. Would be a lot harder to get by if I didn’t have platforms like Hola to boost my future.” >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Contributors

My name is Rofhiwa Madzena. I’m a young woman who is fun and approachable, I’m a budding feminist and I strongly believe that the worth of a woman is second to none, the trick is convincing the rest of the world a challenge I’m ready for! I’m passionate about South Africa and the World and many call me naïve but I believe that we and generations that will follow will achieve world peace! My name is Letlhogonolo ‘Jay’ Swaratlhe, pursuing a Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree at UJ, and a lover of all things spiritually enticing. My interests lie in writing, poetry, reading (especially African literature) and indulging in the company of individuals who bear great wisdom, even better when paired with great food and an awesome atmosphere. I am a stern feminist and as Warsan Shire says’ ‘I belong deeply to myself’. Someday, when I can afford it, I’m going to live in a library! Pinky Rapoo is a creative writer by nature and not yet by profession.She lives in Vosloorus and is currently in grade 12 at Vosloorus Comprehensive Secondary School. Listening to music is her hobby,writing is her passion. Her motto is “Think twice before speaking,think three times before acting and think thoroughly before writing”.

My name is Johannes Coetzee. I’m a young man who is determined and approachable.I love being me, I like to express my feelings through writing. I’m passionate about South Africa and the world.

Writing is my passion and I love and live books. I love talking and being surrounded by people. I have a bubbly personality and I enjoy laughing and living a life full of adventures. I matriculated in 2014 and I’m currently an intern with the Realema programme that aims at getting the youth to be teachers since we have a shortage of them. I’m studying to be a teacher at my previous school with the aim to give back to my community.

Editor Sybil Otterstrom sybil@romele.co.za Advertising Sales 011 614 5046/2094 076 360 1792 sybil@romele.co.za

Hola Ma High School When you post your comments here, it will go to our Website

Enquiries Romele Publications cc 32 Eleanor Street Troyville 011 614 5046/2094 sybil@romele.co.za

When you post your comments here, it will go to our Website

Production & Art Direction Sybil Schneider gaggle@icon.co.za

My name is Fikile Unifire Zulu. First and foremost I’m a career driven, bold, diligent, go-getter and self-motivated young lady from Evaton West in the Vaal Triangle. I’m a firm believer in reading because it nurtures ones’ mind and makes you see the world from a new perspective. I co-founded a non-profit organistation and I also write. I love relaxing with nothing but a book and I enjoy writing.

Publisher Sybil Otterstrom

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www.romele.co.za

Publishing Romele Publications cc PO Box 53056 Troyeville 2139 011 614 5046/2094

I’m Theopatra Phumla Sokwe, currently in grade 11 at Eureka High School in Johannesburg. I’m a creative writer and also a public speaker. I’m in the vollyball school team. In five years’ time i see myself as a successful author – writing is a part of my goal I’d like to achieve. I plan to study law, as it inspires my passion for writing.

Website

Printing United Litho

As always, a bolt from the blue,here comes me!!! My name is Sello Atlegang Aliaah, a seed of today, a flower of tomorrow who lives in Soshanguve, a 17 year old who’s in Senthibele High. I’m here to knock you out, so watch out!!! My name is Mbalenhle Augustine Sikosana. I was born 09 August 1996 and grew up in Ekangala. I’m currently a Grade 12 pupil at Ekangala Comprehensive High School. I love reading, listening to music and writing. Motto: Life is a blessing, enjoy it. >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Meet the Team

FIKILE ZULU M

y birth given name is Fikile Veronica Zulu. I was born on 9 April 1990 in Evaton, Vaal Triangle. I’m the youngest of four other siblings.

I plucked up the courage and contacted the magazine. After I sent the email I knew there was no turning back. When I received a call from Ivan, I was over the moon.

I attended Rekgutlile Primary School ‘till grade seven. During the four years I spent there, I discovered my drawing abilities in grade six when our geography teacher asked us to draw a map of South Africa. I drew the map without even tracing. The same year I dropped my middle name Veronica – didn’t sound good to me.

Ivan asked me to write an article about Indigenous Languages in South Africa. I had to do research, as I couldn’t write an article based on my opinions. I needed facts. After writing a lot of drafts I finally had the final. It was edited and published. Reading that article for the first time in an actual magazine left me speechless and amazed. There are two quotes that just summarise everything I believe: “successful writers learn at last what they should learn at first... to be intelligently simple” and this one: “Proper words, proper places makes a true definition of style”. Writing is an important form of art as it includes creativity, originality and simplicity. I learned to write during my school years, but writing is an ongoing process because there are always new ways and styles you come across.

Though I could see that I could draw I didn’t pay much attention to it till my high school years. In 2003 I started doing grade 8 in AhaThuto Secondary School. I got interested in quite a lot of things such as drama – disliked acting though preferred directing or script writing – and was actively involved with True Love Waits, an organisation that promotes sexual abstinence in teens. I was elected chairperson of the school’s organisation. After Matric I continued with performing arts. It was not long when I stumbled on a copy of Hola MaHighSchool magazine from a friend who was in grade 12 at the time. The story that captured my attention was the one written by Thapelo Moloabi titled “Decision Making: Creating the Leaders of Tomorrow”. The way he clarified the key points in decision making inspired me to contact Hola Mahigh-School for an opportunity to be one of the contributors. 10

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Working for Hola MaHigh-School has taught me the value of sharing my stories and connecting with other people. Writing for each and every issue I know there’s always something new to learn. Recently I have also become part of Activate Change Drivers, where I had the opportunity to interact with like-minded young people from across the country. We are inspired by change and being the change. That is one of the reasons I am also gunning for FET College so yes, in second semester I will be beginning my Diploma in Business Management. I am also an education activist with Educate South Africa, a non-profit organisation that promotes educational awareness. I have been a member since 2012 and all the young enthusiastic people I have come across have shaped the way I perceive life.

E-mail info@romele.co.za with your Name, Cell Number and E-mail address

They have taught me that life and the next person that comes into it is really a mirror reflecting back at me.<<<

YOU COULD BE A WINNER!!! >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

REALLY SILLY SUPERSTITIONS

Fashion

Life

This is all plucked from Wikipedia. MacBeth

Shakespeare’s play. According to a theatrical superstition, called the Scottish curse, speaking the name Macbeth inside a theatre will cause disaster. It can be referred to as the “Scottish Play”. And if one should do it? How to break the cure? Easy: The rituals include turning three times, spitting over one’s left shoulder, swearing, or reciting a line from another of Shakespeare’s plays. On the other hand, a black cat in the audience on opening night portends a successful play.

Spilling salt

A European superstition holds that spilling salt is an evil omen. One widespread explanation of the belief that it is unlucky to spill salt is that Judas Iscariot spilled the salt at the Last Supper

Baseball – Oh my word!

Some players’ refusal to wash their clothes or bodies after a win and, The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition evolving from the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004. This misfortune began after the Red Sox sold star player Babe Ruth, sometimes called The Bambino, to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919– 1920. Before that point, the Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises, winning the first World Series and amassing five World Series titles.

The 13th floor is a designation of a level of a multilevel building that is often omitted in countries where the number 13 is considered unlucky. 14

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Omitting the 13th floor may take a variety of forms; the most common include denoting what would otherwise be considered the thirteenth floor as level 14, giving the 13th floor an alternate designation such as “12A” or “M” (the 13 letter of the Latin alphabet). And have you ever seen row 13 on a flight? No.

“Break a leg” is an idiom in theatre used to wish a

performer “good luck” in an ironic way. Well-wishers typically say “Break a leg” to actors and musicians before they go on stage to perform. The origin of the phrase remains obscure. The expression reflects a theatrical superstition in which wishing a person “good luck” is considered as bad luck.

Davy Jones’ Locker

is an idiom for the bottom of the sea: the state of death among drowned sailors and shipwrecks. It is used as a euphemism for drowning or shipwrecks in which the sailor(s)’s and/or ship(s)’s remains are consigned to the bottom of the sea (to be sent to Davy Jones’ Locker).

Knocking on wood refers to the apotropaic

tradition in western folklore of literally touching, tapping, or knocking on wood, or merely stating that you are doing or intend same, in order to avoid “tempting fate” after making a favourable observation, a boast, or declaration concerning one’s own death or other unfavourable situation beyond one’s control.

Shoes on a table

A common superstition is that bad luck will come to a person who places shoes on a table, whether in the form of a family argument, or risking death to a family member.

Fashion

he wonderful woRLD of fashion. There are a couple of definitions, but you can look it up yourself. After all, we know what we are all about.

Have we not all heard about local success: David Tlala, Stone Cherry, Clive Randall and so on. The SA Fashion Week is internationally recognized. So, we are up there.

The next few pages are focused on one of the biggest industries in the world: Fashion!

The point is that we may believe that the ‘light’ industries are not important. Make no mistake about it. They are.

Let us first of all dazzle all with some numbers, where the next few bits are from www.statisticbrain.com/ fashion-industry-statistics.

The tourism industry in France accounts for ±10% of the GDP and employs ± 3 million people.

Fashion Industry Statistics Data (US$) Number of people employed in the fashion industry 4 200 000 (USA) Amount spent on fashion in the USA each year $250 000 000 000 Annual global fashion industry revenue $1 200 000 000 000 Top Fashion Brands by Revenue Annual Revenue LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SA Christian Dior Richemont Estèe Lauder Levi Strauss Hermès

$37 140 000 000 $11 910 000 000 $11 830 000 000 $97 000 000 $4 670 000 000 $3 680 000 000

Count the zero’s. There are plenty of them. Compare it to: Toyota IBM It is huge! Make no mistake about it. I cannot really find good numbers for South Africa. But I have that the fashion industry in SA is Rand 27 bn and has some 200,000 direct jobs and some 300,000 indirect jobs (Renato Palmin “Inside-Out” report). Whatever the numbers. It is not insignificant. Also as SA is a ‘fashion capitol’ in the world and on the continent.

$ $

216 700 000 000 104 000 000 000

Switzerland banking is 6% of the GDP. ‘Soft’ industries are big business, and so it is with fashion. Back to fashion: It is something worthwhile studying. There are plenty opportunities and as with anything else: it is hard work! With that, enjoy the next few pages. >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Fashion

becoming a

Fashion Designer

e are all very concerned about fashion and I think it is a dream of many to become a fashion designer.

But do we all really know what it entails? We have spoken to Traci from SewAfrica who gave us the following information.

• design or alter patterns.

A Fashion Designer will do these things: • study fashion trends and the clothing market. • identify target markets by looking at factors such as age, gender and socio-economic situation. • create or update fashion designs. • prepare drawings of the designs. • adapt existing patterns to a new style or create new patterns. • estimate how much the work will cost. • select and buy fabrics. • specify fabrics to be developed. • inspect the quality of garments. • market their garment range. Can we see the difference? And also that one can not exist without the other? The interesting part is that a fashion designer may be the one out front at the ramp to take the bow, but will never be successful without an intimate knowledge of what the dress-maker/tailor is doing. Attention to detail is key for this industry as well.

Skills & Knowledge of a Fashion Designer

The entire industry of fashion comprises various options. Here are some occupations: • Apparel Designer. • Designer (Clothing). • Fashion Designer. • Dressmaker. • Tailor Where a Tailor will be doing the following: • discuss customer requirements. • take customers’ measurements. • estimate how much the garment will cost to make. • source fabrics. • mark and cut the fabric according to the design. • sew the garment pieces together. • fit the garment on the customer. • do garment alterations. 16

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• • • •

up-to-date knowledge of the latest clothing styles and trends. knowledge of the history of fashion . design and drawing skills. knowledge of fabric types, colours and fabric care.

• sewing skills and knowledge of tailoring techniques. • knowledge of garment construction and pattern making skills. • knowledge of human body shapes. • knowledge of fabric cutting methods . • good communication skills. • planning and organisational skills.

Working Conditions of a Fashion Designer Clothing designers work in studios, workrooms, factories or clothing shops, which are quiet and well-lit. They work at drawing boards, cutting tables and sewing machines and may be on their feet for much of their working day. They may also travel to different factory sites and to local and overseas fashion shows. Fashion designers’ work can be stressful as they may work long hours to meet deadlines. Fashion designers normally don’t work regular hours. They work incredibly long hours, including weekends and evenings. Certain times of the year may be extremely busy, especially when a seasonal clothing range is to be launched.

Maybe a newly graduated fashion designer is starting out in preparing and manufacturing the clothes rather than designing anything. Is that then a waste of time? Not at all, without the intimate knowledge of how things are done, it is not possible of being a fashion designer. Let us look at an example: Sewing leather on top of silk is not possible. But if you have never been exposed to these things you may design it as a fashion designer only to find out that it is not a good idea. Let us look at what a Tailor should be able to do:

Skills & Knowledge of a Tailor • clothing design skills. • knowledge of different fashions. • knowledge of fabric types, colours and fabric care. • sewing skills and knowledge of tailoring techniques. • knowledge of different sewing equipment and methods. • understanding of garment construction and pattern making skill.s • knowledge of human body shapes. • cutting skills. • maths skills for making calculations and measuring Can we even imagine a fashion designer not having this knowledge? Exactly. And that is where the hard work begins.

It is hard work! Where to start? And jobs? The first step is to identify where you want to go study. There are several institutions offering fashion design. A lot of fashion designers are employed by the larger design houses. It is the area where a newly graduated fashion designer will learn the ‘tricks of the trade’. Learning from the best in the industry is a major part of becoming good at it.

Staff Reporter >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Fashion

Eight Common Fabrics You Wear Every Day COTTON Cotton is the most versatile fabric you will ever find. It can be in casual wear as well as smart clothing. It is in all the basics: garments, socks, underwear, bed sheets, towels, carpets, you name it… it is everywhere. Cotton is probably the best selling fabric in the world today. The word comes from the Arabic ‘quatun’, which means ‘fancy fabric.’ Cotton is cheap, easy to clean, durable, cool and comfortable. However, it can stretch and does wear over time. Cotton can be machine washed and dried, and bleached. Cotton dates back of 1400 AD.

LINEN A cool, light fabric that is wonderful in hot weather. It’s also glamorous and sophisticated. You can be casual without being sloppy by wearing linen. However, it does crease incredibly easily. Linen is also really old. It was used by the ancient Egyptians to wrap mummies. Linen is a natural fibre and it comes from the flax plant, just like flax seeds. Linen should preferably be washed by hand or on a gentle cycle in the washing machine. You need to hang your linen to dry, as the drier will weaken the fabric. Ironing is fine.

SILK Silk is, well, silky, glamorous, luxurious and plush. However, making silk is a totally different story. It is a natural fibre that comes from the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. After the worm goes into its cocoon, but before it becomes a moth, it is thrown in boiling water and its fibres are then spun into silk. 18

This sounds kind of gross, and is certainly not vegan, but the result is gorgeous. Silk also feels great on bare skin and really hugs the body. Silk is soft, beautiful and natural. However, it is expensive and hard to care for. You can only hand was or dry-clean your silk garments.

POLYESTER Polyester is an amazing fabric. It was first introduced in the 1950s, as a miracle textile. It can be worn over and over without fading and without losing its shape. What we refer to as polyester is actually polyethylene terephthalate, and involves the linking of the many esters in the fabric through a chemical process. Polyester is made to be durable. Not only does it hold its shape, it also dries easily and is a good insulator. It is easy to clean and inexpensive. It can be itchy as it does not breathe and is also not biodegradable. But you can wash it, dry it, and iron it. It is a tough, hardy fabric.

WOOL Wool, for the most part, comes from the hair of sheep. Additionally, it can come from goats (mohair, cashmere) and rabbits (angora). Wool is also a really old fabric. It dates back to 1500 BC! Wool is biodegradable, hypoallergenic, flame retardant and resistant to static electricity. It is also very warm; it even has the ability to keep you warm after it gets wet. It is used for clothing, yarn, carpeting, insulation, absorption of sound and odours. Unbelievable versatile product. The list is endless. It can, however, make you itchy. Hand wash and lay flat or dry clean. Do not put in a dryer, as it will loose its shape.

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NYLON Nylon was invented in the 1930s as a synthetic replacement for silk. Today, nylon is still used in the manufacturing of many mechanical parts as well as clothing. It is a strong, inexpensive, very versatile fabric. However, producing nylon can be bad for the environment, but that goes for any synthetic fibre and even natural fibres as well. Easy to wash and dry.

RAYON Rayon is a manufactured fabric from naturally occurring fibres, which means it is neither fully natural nor synthetic. Rayon can be used to mimic the feel of silk, wool or linen. The fabrics are soft, smooth and comfortable. They are also highly absorbent without insulating body heat, making them ideal for use in hot and humid climates. For the most part, dry clean only.

LYCRA (Spandex) Lycra is a synthetic fabric known for its ability to stretch while keeping its shape. It is mainly used for the production of wetsuits, swim suits, leggings and gym clothes of all kinds. Lycra is also what gives skinny jeans their hip-hugging appeal. It is comfortable and allows for maximum range of motion, however, the elasticity will wear over time and can be unflattering on body shapes, as it hides nothing. It can be machine washed and dried on low heat. Do not iron or bleach. Staff Reporter

Education

Education Widely spoken foreign languages include Arabic and English (major language taught in schools). Moving along, now this is a country where Paris is situated and it is none other than France. French – being the language of love – is the only official language according to France’s Constitution (Article 2 of the Constitution).

t is often said that a language is the close fitting dress of thoughts. People connect better when you speak to them in a language they understand.

1 599 other languages. Government of India has awarded the distinction of classical languages to Tamil, Sanskrit, Telegu, Kamada, Malayalam and Oriya.

In our country we boost 11 official languages, English being the widely spoken language closely followed by IsiZulu. China alone has languages that are spoken by 56

The population of India on 1 March 2011 stood on 1 210 193 422 according to the 15th Census of India. One of the major languages spoken is Indo-Aryan

Indigenous Languages In Other Countries recognised ethnic groups. The predominant language which is divided into dialects is Standard Chinese known in China as Putonghua. A form of the Mandarin dialect is the official national spoken language for the mainland. Tibetan has official status within the Tibet Autonomous Region and Mongolian has official status within Inner Mongolia. Several other autonomous regions have additional official languages. Language laws of People’s Republic of China do not apply to either Hong Kong or Macau and hence have different official languages Now coming to India. The constitution of India does not give any individual language the status of national language. The official languages of the Union Government of the Republic of India are Hindi (Hindustani) in the Devanagari script and English. According to Census of India of 2001, India had 122 major languages and 20

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The are several regional languages spoken which include Celtic – Breton aka Brezhoneg Germanic – Alsatian, French Flemish (West Flemish dialect of Dutch), Lorraine Franconian aka Lothrigen, Old Frankish Gallo Romance – Berrichon, Norman, Walloon, Romande, Anglo-Norman, Gallo, Lorrain, Bourguignon-Moruandian, Champeniod, FrancComptois, Angevin and Manceau amongst others. Some of the languages of France are cross-border languages (also spoken in neighbouring countries)

Then there are immigrant languages that include Arabic – it is the most spoken immigrant language in France with over a million speakers followed by Spanish which is the second most taught foreign language at French schools. Then Italian following closely, Portuguese, English, Polish, Turkish, Vietnamese, German, Berber languages, African languages (Bambara, Wolot, Fula and Bantu languages). The United States of America does not really have an official language but English, commonly known as American English, is considered the main spoken language. 80% of the population speak English, Spanish 12.4%, other Indo-European 3.7%, Asian and other Pacific Island language at 3% and other languages at 0.9%. This is according to a survey conducted in 2009 by the Census Bureau. There are approximately 337 languages spoken or signed by the population, of which 176 are indigenous to the area. 52 languages formerly spoken in the country’s territory are now extinct.

Internet users by language

Sign languages, which are also widely spoken, are American Sign language, Hawaii Sign language and Plains Indian Sign language.

language, which has 75% of Indian people who speak it and 20% speak Dravidian language. Also sign languages spoken are Indo-Pakistan language, Alipur sign language and Naga sign language. Coming back to Africa we take a look at Ethiopia where a number of Ethiopian languages are endangered. They may not be spoken in one or two generations, may become exctinct or victims of language death such as Weyto, Gafat, Mesmes and Ongota very soon. In total there are 22 endangered languages in Ethiopia. According to the 2007 Ethiopian census, the largest first languages are Oromigna which boosts 33.3% of the total population followed by Amharic (also happens to be the official language of Ethiopia) which has 29.33% speakers, Somali at 6.25%, Tigrinya at 5.86%, Sidamo at 4.84%, Wolaytta at 2.21%, Gurage at 2.01% and lastly Afar at 1.74%.

The main immigrant languages found or rather spoken in the US are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, French, German, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Italian and Portuguese. such as Basque, Catalan, Corsican, Dutch, FrancComptois, Franco-Provencal, Norman, Picard and Occitan amongst others. French also serves as a cross border language being spoken in Andorra, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco and Switzerland. French sign language is recognised as a language of France.

No matter where you are in the world, languages play a vital role in connecting us to all parts of the world. SA has 11 official languages and diverse cultures – that means even in other countries it is the same – just with a lot of other languages. Fikile Zulu >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

How do I become a filmmaker? Before answering the question of how one becomes a filmmaker it is important to outline the scope of the film & TV industry.

of the advertising world, the commercial.

There is broadcast television with its news, sports, investigative journalism, inserts, magazine, sitcoms, game and talk shows which involve an assortment of production, research and studio skills.

Choosing a career in the film and television industry is exciting for any young person. But along with the excitement, perceptions of glamour and trendy associations, comes a lot of hard work, dedication, jostling for jobs and long, long hours. In spite of these demanding conditions, many people find the creativity and excitement of bringing a film to life more than makes up for the hard times. You too can realise your dream of being part of this sector if you do the homework, understand the industry and go about the journey in the correct way.

Then there is what is commonly known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;long formâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - the mostly location-based television or drama series, or features. There is also animation, corporate or documentary productions. And lastly of course the gem

For more information on the film & TV industry as well as information on educational institutions which offer filmmaking courses you can visit the Gauteng Film Commission website on www.gautengfilm.org.za

The Film & TV industry also referred to as the digital media or audiovisual industry, forms part of the very complex and varied media, entertainment and cultural industries.

Gauteng Film Commission, 56 Main Street, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa Tel +27 (0) 11 833 0409 â&#x20AC;˘ info @gautengfilm.org.za An agency of the Gauteng Provincial Government

Eco-Tourism

Eco-Tourism W

hat is eco-tourism? What is its importance? Where in South Africa can one find a distinctive eco-tourism destination? Lastly but not least what changes can be brought about to the South African eco-tourism? I found the following definition on Wikipedia: “Eco-tourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial (mass) tourism. Its purpose may be to educate the traveller, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, or to foster respect for different cultures and for human rights.” The key word is ‘small scale’. By its very nature, eco-tourism can never be hordes of people visiting an area. It will ruin the area and chase all animals away. Note, by the way, eco-tourism is not linked to looking at animals only. So, let us extrapolate a bit. Eco-tourism makes it possible for future generations to experience the beauty of natural sites which are not disturbed by human interventions. There are factors that impact negatively on the natural environments which in turn affect the habitats. Those may be littering, pollution, construction of new buildings, deforestation and more. South Africa is one of the very diverse and captivat24

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ing countries in the world. It has a rich history, culture and landscapes which is why a lot of tourists from all around the world have their vacations here. A pertinent question is, has the natural nature of South Africa been depleted to a degree where, if the artificial means of restoring nature here were not introduced, the South African eco-tourism would be poor?

Kruger National Park

Do we see tourist (even the eco-variety) rather go to Pilansberg than Kruger National Park because of its surrounding attractions? It might be wise to visit a place where there are numerous activities or rather there is more to experience from the prime attraction to the places around the destination itself; and the possible reasons for you to go back home being that your vacation is over or your budget depleted. The Kruger National Park is a vast game reserve which covers an area of 19 633 square kilometres and falls in

both Limpopo Province and Mpumalanga. Pilansberg, on the other hand, has an area of 572 square kilometres only and lies in the North West Province. It offers great game viewing, and is easily accessible especially for tourists spending most of their time between Johannesburg & coastal cities like Cape Town or Durban. However, each of them offer their own specialised versions of eco-tourism and are both geared up with the latest scientific methods of doing so. Tourists travel to places where they make great memories, capture beautiful sceneries and are made aware of the natural environment. They know how to enhance their recreational enjoyments without harming nature and probably to even experience a sense of fulfilment from the teachings they received about the cultures and the history of a place. After all isn’t that what eco-tourism is about?

Looking at the definition, eco-tourism should empower the local people by providing job opportunities that can improve their economy. One thing is to be employed in a game reserve, but should the community not be owners, managers and help running the establishment? That would be real empowerment and community involvement. A community sitting on a piece of land and do farming, does not provide a lot of jobs. The jobs could be rather low-key. But a game reserve can indeed provide jobs in terms of management, accounting, hotel management, food, logistics, tour guides and so on. And that could be more in line with overseas trends. Tourism is a major industry. For as much as possibilities in farming are known it is only a matter of time before machinery will be the major ‘work force’.

Pilanesberg National Park

This might have been made possible through foundations that are strictly for tourism such as Conservation Corporation Africa (CCA) which promotes restoration of land and encourage biodiversity. Then there is The South African Tourism Services Association (SATSA) which has made it a priority to provide and maintain the highest possible standards in the tourism industry within South Africa. This shows that indeed ecotourism is used to alleviate poverty in South Africa as it creates job opportunities and allows an increase in the country’s economy.

serve of the affluent farmers.

Are the local people from rural areas really benefiting from eco-tourism or is it the educated that get to benefit? When we talk of small scale, less products, subsistence farming, traditional methods and those things, we are talking about the poor local people from rural areas, and then we contrast this with large scale farming, more products, commercial farming, machines and modern methods. That is the pre-

Somehow countries are probably secretly competing with each other about being at the top of the list for being the best. South Africa has the foundation to be a major eco-tourism destination and although it is safe to say not all the local people benefit from eco-tourism, we have to work on that fact to just get better at it. Pinky Rapoo >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

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>>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Science

Terraforming of Mars

Science Can it be done at all? Is it a pipe dream? It is not too far-fetched. With our technology here in 2015, it is a bit of a task. But even so, it is within our grasp. How can it be done? Well, here is my solution. First we build a space station in Earth orbit. This is a factory for space ships and everything else we need from Earth.

norm. The idea is that we wave goodbye. Time frame for all of this? Earth orbit space station: 10 years. Moon base: 20 years. Mars station: 50 years. Blue Mars: 100 years. Green Mars: 100 years. Total: 300 year.s This is pure guess work. But do we have a comparison? Oh yes. Columbus sailed off to America in 1492. He did leave a lot of his crew in America for them to start a colony.

This space station is the link to a moon base where the ‘real’ factories are. The one’s where we can mine the Moon for resources, build things in low-gravity and be outside of the Earth constraints.

ere is something rather thought provoking: terraforming of Mars. OK, let us start at the beginning.

Steve Hawkins says that if we as humans are to survive in the long run, we have to get off this planet and start to colonise space. Space is a rather big term, so it might have to be in steps. That we get back to. The closest neighbour is Mars. It is smaller than Earth. Lower gravity, no atmosphere, cold, on the edge of the habitual zone (where people can live). This next bit is inspired by Wikipedia. It is a fact that there is water on Mars. Water is the key element for life (as we know it) to exist. However, water has a tendency to escape into space and evaporate. Mars has no atmosphere to keep it back, less gravity and no magnetic field, so we need to create an atmosphere. We have all heard about the greenhouse effect on Earth. CO2 gasses let the temperature of Earth 28

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increase as the heat cannot escape. That is exactly what must happen. Let us imagine that we have a few ‘factories’ on Mars which are producing CO2 gasses only (and other greenhouse gasses as well). It will take some years of ‘pollution’ but what will happen is that just a few degrees of additional heat on Mars will release immense amounts of CO2 gasses from the frozen areas – just as on earth. So it is a run-away process. We just need to push it a little bit. Then what happens? We have an atmosphere full of CO2 gasses which we cannot breathe in. Correct! But the gasses will warm up Mars. And Mars will now be blue. Water. Water in abundance. Oceans will be created. Next step will be to turn the planet ‘green’. We all know that CO2 gasses are food for plants. And plants create O2. We humans are fine with O2 so now we have to go plant things on Mars. Is it difficult? Not really. There is land, there are oceans, there are seasons and there is CO2.

We might insert a space station in moon orbit. It is easier to fly to a Mars space station from a moon space station than directly from the moon to Mars. Up and down to the Moon space station from the Moon base? Easy: we use the concept of a space elevator (look it up. It can work). Now we create the space station in Mars orbit. Same procedure. Building the Mars station with resources ferried from the Moon. And that is low cost. Up and down to Mars? Space elevator. Remember Mars is only 38% of Earth’s gravity. Now, with a Mars base, we start to build the CO2 factories on Mars, with the resources mined on Mars. What about people? The colonisers? Here is the latest take on that. The people who would like to be a part of this. Yes? Well, it is a one-way ticket. Not a suicide mission. But they will not be coming back. They will get plenty of supplies from earth. Sure. But, there is no provision for transporting people up and down. In reality, a space ship going back to earth orbit can probably drop people off, but it is not the

What did they bring? A few horses, a cow, some seeds, a spade... necessary items. In essence, they did not bring a lot. They expected to see animals that they could eat. Soil, where the crops could grow. Trees to fell to build a house. All of it like ‘living off the land’. Now look at this time line: Columbus - 1492. 128 years later - 1620: Mayflower and the foundation of Virginia and the first parliament. 112 years later – 1732 – the 13 colonies established in the USA. Somehow, let us look at it as 250 years to turn America from an unknown continent into a European country, governed by the laws of Europe (British law) and with established lines of communications to and from New York, Boston, Savannah and so on. With the technology available it was a massive undertaking. And all the other similarities are there. They did not expect to come back, did they? Why can we not do the same with Mars? We must not loose the will to explore. We have to get off this planet to survive, remember. Staff Reporter >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Special Occasions

The Matric Dance

imagine the moment each and every one of us start high school, we can’t help but wonder how our grade 12 year will be.

With all the hype and pressure that comes along with being a matriculant, everyone, including teachers, friends and neighbours, starts talking to you about the last year – the famous grade 12. Even those who never talked to you over the past years will develop some sort of interest in you. You’ll hear them say “I’ll be the first one to look for your name in the newspaper” when the Matric results are released. Apart from being a senior at school, another thing that makes people look forward to being in grade 12 is, of course, the Matric Dance. Girls in general become more excited than boys over the Matric dance. This is the big day everyone will be bidding their farewells to you and wish you well. You’ll find girls talking about it as early as in grade 8. You will obviously want to look your best and be the centre of attention on that night. Some may argue that nowadays the Matric dance is equivalent to the 21st birthday party, as the spending on the Matric dance event is quite extensive, especially for girls.

was around October, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to partake at all. I didn’t want to have more stress to add on to what I was already experiencing with schoolwork. Mega-stress in deciding what kind of dress I would like to wear on the night. Great news was that my parents agreed to pay for my Matric dance. I was ecstatic. The whole idea of planning for this big event was like planning a wedding. That is how seriously the Matric dance is for girls. I had to think about what kind of dress I wanted to wear, the colour, shoes, hairstyle, makeup, clutch bag and nails. All of this seemed like an impossible task to finish or accomplish. It helps to plan early. Trust me, you don’t want to do last minute running around. Deciding on what kind of dress to wear was very easy as my parents knew how I wanted to look on that day. So, when I went to my seamstress, it was sorted out quickly. Thanks to my aunt who came up with the idea that I should wear a sea green coloured dress, I fell in love with the idea instantly. I knew it would match my skin tone perfectly. The dress preparations were finalised. Now my hairstyle. I wanted something unusual. I didn’t want to do the weave stuff.

Well, let me tell you more about my Matric dance which took place on 2 December 2014 organised by Ekangala Comprehensive High School.

I decided to google braids hairstyles and boom... I came across a picture of a styled twist. I didn’t hesitate. I fell in love with it at once. The problem was who was going to do my hair.

I remember the first time introducing the idea of wanting to go to the Matric dance to my parents. It

You don’t want any mistake with the hair on that big night. I came across Mr Nimo who said he will do it.

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Special Occasions He said I must trust him, and that he’ll make me look super. And he was true to his word. The day finally arrived. December 2nd, 2014 was a day I will never forget. I couldn’t sleep the day before the dance. I was so excited as well as worried at the same time. Plus I didn’t have a date, well... that’s what I thought. The family all arrived. My aunt did my makeup. It was the first time I wore false eye lashes and nails. After all, a girl has to do what needs to be done to look stunning! My makeup was beautiful. My aunt did it like a pro. I was really impressed. Now came my ‘aha’ moment. I had already accepted that I did not have a date when Thokozani, my former classmate, came knocking on my door. He told me he was my date for the night. I was both happy and surprised.

It also means no uniform and “hello” to wearing civvies everyday, no alarm bells to remind you that it is time for class, but to becoming self-disciplined. Also, during the Matric dance you realise that the people you have known for most of your life, will not be around every day any longer. You will all take different paths in life. Going to varsity or colleges, where you’ll meet new people. There’s a possibility that you won’t ever see some of them again. It’s funny to think that we can spend so much just on one night. The Matric dance is really expensive, don’t get me wrong, but it’s worth it. I mean, it only comes once. You find that beautiful shoes does not cost less than R500.00 and you don’t want to wear the same shoes someone else might wear.

It turned out that my family arranged this surprise. We colour co-ordinated his suit and my dress which complemented each other perfectly. My car then pitched, and we were off to Galagos Country Estate. A red carpet was rolled out for us when we arrived. That walk on the red carpet was fabulous and I felt beautiful. I didn’t recognise most of my friends and former classmates. They all looked so grown up and stunning. Our teachers were wearing smiles throughout the proceedings. The speeches were heartfelt. The decor was beautiful. The food was great. It was time to dance. Indeed it was a time to remember. It was our parent’s way of thanking us for all the hard work we put in over the last 12 years. The Matric dance was also an introduction to the new life lying ahead. Reaching a stage of independence with responsibilities... becoming all grown up. It is saying bye-bye to your comfort zones: home, school life whereby teachers would run after you to finish tasks and also getting out of a situation where it used to be ± 33 learners in a class and going to a world where there will be maybe 100 students in a lecture hall.

For the dress, you must decide whether you want to buy it or have it made specially for you. Remember, if you want it made for you, you must consider the cost of materials combined with the amount that the seamstress will charge. Weigh your options and decide which one is best for you. You don’t want to spend too much on one night and find out that next year you don’t have money for your tertiary education. Another alternative is to hire an outfit. It’s up to you to decide. Pity it is not affordable to all. Don’t force it if you know your parents can’t afford it. You don’t want to spend so much on one night and end up having debts to pay, or putting your parents under financial strain. Talk to your parents and budget for it. Even though the Matric dance is stressful, it is worth it. I know. That the best day of my entire life even up until now. Sikosana Augustine Mbalenhle >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Book Review This is not a history lesson.

It is a book review. We will therefore not get into the importance of Magna Carta (not a lot at least), but focus on how well it is written – or not. First of all, we celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. That set of undertakings by King John forms the backbone of modern day laws. It is the backbone of modern society. Let us set the scene. Around year 1200. This is the time of the noble knights and Robin Hood and Evil Sir John and Richard Lionheart and all these great people. How do the authors then handle this subject?

They do set the scene without getting into a long drawn-out history lesson, but it is also required of the reader to understand the setting. Some basic knowledge is required. Diving into the different clauses can be rather archaic. Here is one as a taste: “Neither we nor our bailiffs shall take other men’s timber for castles or other works of ours; without the agreement of the owner”. A bit cryptic, but property rights just got introduced. The authors go into great length to explain the background for such a clause and then its impact on today’s society. This is expertly done throughout the entire Magna Carta, even for the ‘duller’ clauses. It is one of the few books about Magna Carta which does not fall into the trap of the legends of that time, but steers itself into the legalities and making it a worthwhile read. Staff Reporter

Quotes Games Churchill was a master of the English language: For five years I have talked to the House on these matters – not with very great success. I have watched this famous island descending incontinently, fecklessly, the stairway which leads to a dark gulf. It is a fine broad stairway at the beginning, but after a bit the carpet ends. A little farther on there are only flagstones, and a little farther on still these break beneath your feet. [ … ] Look back upon the last five years – since, that is to say, Germany began to rearm in earnest and openly to seek revenge … historians a thousand years hence will still be baffled by the mystery of our affairs. PS: Churchill won the Nobel prizefor literature in 1953.

One more gem from Churchill:

Of this I am quite sure, that if we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the future.

Benjamin Franklin We must all hang together now, or assuredly we shall hang separately. 1776), on the need for the Americans to fight together for independence. Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.

Quotes

Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature. To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions. Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one. A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.

Alexander the Great There is nothing impossible to him who will try. I am indebted to my Father for living. But to my teacher for living well. An army of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a cheep. Remember upons the conduct of each depends the fate of all.

Charlemagne Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right. To have another language is to possess a second soul.

King Leonidas I Come and get them! In response to a demand from Xerxes I of Persia that the Spartan army lay down their arms, at the Battle of Thermopylae. >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Interview

When All Goes Wrong!

Have you ever been

in the situation where it just goes wrong. All of it. All the time. Starting with the alarm clock in the morning and being late. The kettle is not working. I cleaned the kitchen yesterday and somehow now wonder if I spilled water on the cordless kettle’s electrical connection. But it should work. No tea or coffee. Trying to make it work and after 10 minutes – setting me back even more – I suddenly realise the kettle is not plugged in. Forgot to buy cat food. The cat is staring at me. Finding some scraps of food and those pellets he doesn’t like. Oh well, we need to suffer – all of us for the good of humanity. But I don’t like the way the cat is looking at me. Something for breakfast. Milk on my Weet-Bix, but there is no sugar. It’s like eating the desk at school. Except the desk probably tastes better than Weet-Bix without sugar. Finally, out the door. Where is my mobile? Back. And finding out that I never charged it last night. One bar left. Or less, I think. Oh boy!!!

Combi. Late. And one seat left. In the front. I will have to get the money in and hand back the change. The first pays in 10- and 20-cents. And four are paying in R50-notes! Counting and handing money back. “After the robot” – that is the one with all the coins and I’m not even finished counting yet. Giving up. At least the driver is human. Pointing at the ashtray. Just drop it in there. Getting off and stepping in a puddle of water. Can you see yourself in this? Have you ever been there? Maybe this is overdone a bit (I had fun writing it, though), but what do you do when it happens? Cry? Stamp your feet? It is called frustration. Science tells us that it can be either internal or 34

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external. External is of course all the things which goes wrong that morning and which we cannot control. But we know that. Because frustration is linked to anger, we get into a flat spin where it just gets worse. Even small things will now be far bigger. Things we would normally just ignore are now the size of Mount Everest. It’s not actually a matter of things getting worse, it’s ourselves building it up. And here is the danger: if we start to get aggressive or violent, we lose control because of things we cannot control in any event. In essence, we try to take it out on something or someone else. Strangling a pillow is harmless, but kicking the cat is not. Frustration and anger-management is linked. It is the art of controlling oneself and somehow get the temperature down. Science says that when we recognise that the factors are outside of our control, we have a chance. If we do not control the associated anger part, we have road-rage, violence, bad language, rude signs, and all the rest. Some people actually take medication, but the best part of us probably ends up being in a ‘bad mood’ the entire day. The solution: Take a deep breath. Go back to the starting point. Analyse the impact of that first mishap. So, I am a bit late. Move faster. No coffee. Get one when I get to the taxi-rank. Even if it is tea. Is it really worth getting excited about? It is possible to turn ‘that day’ into a laugh – maybe only in the evening though. Staff Reporter

Current Affairs

E u r o p e: Where Art Thou Going?

n article about Europe? But

we are in Africa! True, but Europe is rather important. Europe is our biggest market and whatever happens in Europe, sets the pace for the rest of the world. Not only that, but we could learn a few things if we really would like to see a “United States of Africa”.

Let us just start at the statistics: 28 countries forming the European Union (EU), constituting some 7% of the world’s population but some 23% of the global GDP. That is why this is important.

There are many other pressure points, but we all get the picture. The amazing thing is that it still works. Why is that? What makes it special? The start was on the background of World War II. A devastated continental Europe. 25 million people dead. Somehow France and Germany agreed that mechanisms of economy had to be created, which would eliminate war.

Europe is under pressure right now. Let us look at their ‘pains’

Europe is standardised. Same set of laws, same set of ... well, anything and everything basically. It is a common market.

Europe is by and large very homogenous. At least Western Europe. So why the difficulties now? Because additional countries are being added on to the ‘old’ structures.

• Russian aggression is not making it any easier for the former communist countries now be a part of EU.

EU developed in leaps and bounces. More member states and more institutions and more re-thinking of it all. Reforms of how the member states should

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To top it all, there is a common passport (the burgundy one), a common currency (the Euro), no borders, free movement of goods, capital, people and services.

What is the difference between France and Belgium? You have to look close to see it. And between Italy and Germany?

• Religious tension is another huge problem.

All 500 million in Europe elect their representatives to the parliament with 500 members. What makes it different is that although people from the countries are sent to parliament, they organise themselves across country boundaries. It is a common community.

It is because of a few things which are in common: Countries in Western Europe, through the last 300 years, have had a similar development. Schooling is more or less the same, hospitals, social laws, working conditions, education, wealth, social attitudes, and more.

Voila, the European Coal and Steel Community got formed in 1952. Just seven years after the most devastating war ever and a hatred of everything German in France and Belgium and across Europe. How it got formed is worth a PhD.

• Illegal immigrations from especially Sudan, Syria and Africa in general a great problem.

So, what do we have today? A typical democratic super-state, adhering to the usual ideals of separation of powers into legislative (the European parliament), the judiciary (the European Court of Justice) and the Executive (the Commission).

But how can it work? Despite all its difficulties? UK may have a referendum whether they would like to stay in or want to go it alone.

• Bail-outs to the weaker states are costing France and Germany more than money. It is also a feeling that the rich countries pay for the poor and the poor don’t do enough themselves. • Social spending is a problem. People live longer and that means increase in hospitals, social responsibilities, frail-care facilities, pensions, and so on, with fewer people to generate the money and sustain the various economies.

interact and what laws should prevail came into play. Reforms galore.

These countries do not have a lot in common with Western Europe. Here we can look at Turkey, Kosovo, Serbia, and others. Different culture, different background, different developments after WWII.

nations (the old Western Europe) and close the door in the face of poorer (Eastern) European countries. It is all Europe after all. On the other hand, it is not fair to have laws for the rich (environmental laws on pollution as one) and then let new members not have the same standards. They will be OK in the end. Democracies have a tendency to always find a solution which can be accepted by all. But, the ‘birth pain’ is there. It takes a lot of negotiations and concessions from all sides. One positive is that the will is there, so they will be just fine. Is EU then to stay forever? Probably not. The bigger danger is that the European population at large will find it difficult to associate with a parliament sitting far away and coming up with silly laws (which is also happening). If the distance between the governed and the governing is too much, it will break. Is there a parallel here? Oh yes. The Roman Empire. At the heights of the biggest centralised state in history, it fell apart. Outside pressure (Germanic tribes in this instance) and big differences across the state tore it apart. And what did we end up with? The city state. Before we say that is all bad, let us just look at it. • Five metro’s in the UK is sitting on 80% of all economic activity. • Paris has 12 million people and a GDP of $760 billion. • London has 8,4 million people and a GDP of $699 billion. • South Africa has 54 million people and a GDP of $711 billion. So the modern city-state can be bigger than a nation. Let me predict the future: within the next 30 years, Europe will disappear into city-states. London will trade with Paris which will trade with Moscow.

How to integrate new member countries? EU has set some criteria. In essence: get up to the level of Western Europe and you are OK. The new members say: help us to get up to your level by allowing us in and subsidising our industries.

National government will be long forgotten and there will be a club of metro’s, which used to be the old EU institutions. There will be no borders in Europe. One currency. Citizenship will not make sense. Unity in Diversity.

Difficult choice. It is not possible to form a club of ‘rich’

Staff Reporter >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Music

Music – Another View

nly people with versatile hearing for music in any genre would say “no genre is bad” or rather not nice but, say it is only on how the artist presents it. At times music artists lose touch, probably because of having been praised too much, or they are just forcing their creativity. Alternatively they could just have a bad producer. Both internationally and locally there are artists who release bad songs. Don’t get me wrong. There are great artists who are consistent and creative enough to move a thing or two in a person. In South Africa the best known genre of music is “house music”. This is my personal opinion. We have amazing DJ’s, namely Black Coffee, Lulo Café and Culoe The Song, who is making people have picnics whilst listening to his awesome spinning, which is “Nguwe lo” featuring Thandiswa Mazwai.

Then we have DJ Merlon featuring Mondli Nqobo with their hit song titled “Koze Kuse” and there is Euphonik, Heavy K and many others who actually do succeed in making people 38

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dance. These DJs are talented enough to feature vocalists that are original and fresh. And then there is the Hip Hop scene which is starting to blossom in South Africa. Having artists like Da Les, Khuli Chana with his hit song “Homnate Hobawen” is spot on. Ricky Rick is not only a musician, but also a good producer of music for other artists. Casper Nyovest, even though he became famous due to his funny looking ponytail, has hit songs which rewarded him with five Metro FM awards and put him on top of the list. KO was voted the King of Rap 2014 in South Africa. AKA was smart enough to collaborate with a Nigerian artist and he now goes by the name of Burner Boy on a song titled “All Eyes On Me”. We have plenty of hip hop talent, but the only problem with most of the hip hop artists is that their lyrics are very poor. However, for some they are very deep and worth listening to. Judge for yourself. Melodically artists are doing just fine. Most of the American hip hop songs are meaningless and in my opinion, it’s bubblegum music. The man who knows what he is doing and with a special way would be Kanye West. Kanye just released a very good song featuring Rihanna and McCartney which is titled “FourFive Seconds”. Sam Smith is like the male version of Adele.

He is mostly touching and inspiring, which is what music should do to us. What I have seen is that people love music which is provocative and even promotes illegal actions. Who the… hired the guy who raps and sings a song that is titled “I’m In Love With A Coco”? I don’t even know his name but, what I can say is this is probably why parents never allow their kids to listen to hip hop songs or even watch the videos. Not all children would only listen to such nonsense but, some might want to experiment. Truth is, some artists abuse their privilege of being able to be on the celebrity platform. Every person has their own taste in music and

they would passionately talk about their favourite artists. For me, one of the best genres would be old school or rather RnB Soul. Oh, my gosh! Personally old school RnB has more to it than modern music. It gives me great pleasure to know that there are still radio stations that actually play it. One of those radio stations is Metro FM. Sundays just become the best days ever, because that’s when Metro FM releases the juices of old school music. My top three favourite radio stations are definitely Highveld Stereo, YFM and Metro FM. Why these stations in particular? Highveld Stereo plays one of my favourite genres which is ambient music by artists that have won more than 10 awards, not that I have counted, but watching the AMA’s, BET’s, MTV Awards, EMA’s and more, shows how good these artists are. YFM is special. It stands for “Youth FM”. They get me all jolly with all the bonus discussions held with the DJ’s. The sound itself is local and with a lot of vibe. To top things off, a station with the blues every Sunday is Metro FM. Oh my word, I can’t even imagine my Sundays without listening to Metro FM. Somehow these three stations complete each day of my life. 5 FM is not that bad but “no” it is just too loud because the most played genre is Dubstep; which is very enjoyable once in a blue moon. Thobela FM is just okay too, but, I think it is a station for people in the Limps – they understand the music more. People in the urban areas are surely engulfed in the Westernised cultures, which are why we prefer songs written in English (if that makes any sense). We have talent. We have musicians. We have DJ’s and we have radio stations doing great things for all tastes. Isn’t this just a great world we live in? Pinky Rapoo >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Oxford University Press to sponsor major African Literacy Conference

Steve Cilliers, Managing Director of Oxford University Press Southern Africa notes that: “South Africa’s continued challenge to turn the corner in improving literacy rates requires a redoubled commitment from all role-players which include curriculum developers, teachers and publishers. The challenge of preparing most South African learners for English as the language of learning while they are still mastering their mother tongue makes this particularly challenging. OUP is a global leader in emerging literacy and commit ourselves to sharing this expertise as widely as we can.” Pan-African Literacy for All conferences, are important literacy events in Africa, providing a platform for literacy professionals and researchers to interface with policy makers in government and the donor

OIL: Strategic Resource, Geo-Politics or a Weapon?

xford University Press Southern Africa recently announced that it will sponsor a major African literacy conference in 2015. The 9th Pan-African Literacy for All and 10th Reading Association of South Africa (RASA) National Literacy Conference will host some of the leading thinkers on literacy in Cape Town from 2-5 September 2015. The conference theme is Imagination and Literacy: Theory and Practice. It will provide a forum for teachers, teacher educators, writers, librarians, researchers, academics, publishers, parents, children, and local and international development workers to showcase research, practice and innovative literacy strategies that imaginatively engage literacy development across Africa. The event will begin with three days of talks, academic papers, and workshops on classroom practice. The final day will be open to the public and aimed at community involvement through a series of events including stalls, installations and practical sessions around the theme of igniting imagination.

Keynote speakers will include International Literacy Association Director Marcie Craig Post, SA activist and storyteller Gcina Mhlophe, research professors Barbara Comber (Australia), Viv Edwards (UK) and Kieran Egan (Canada), as well as principal of the St Mary’s Junior School in Johannesburg, Desiree Hugo. Oxford University Press Southern Africa is sponsoring the event in line with its commitment to education in Africa. The SA branch of OUP is celebrating its centenary this year – a 100 years of publishing for southern Africa - through support to initiatives like this conference. 40

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community. They have taken place every two years since 1999 in countries including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland and Uganda. This year’s event will be run in association with the International Literacy Association (ILA) and the International Development Committee-Africa (IDC-A). It will be organised by RASA—a leading South African literacy organisation which regularly organises conferences that draw together most of the South African experts on literacy. Associate Professor Karin Murris, Chair of the RASA/ Pan-African 2015 Literacy Conference Committee, said: “To raise standards worldwide it is essential that everyone involved in teaching literacy learns how to engage the imagination systematically and to its full potential. The imagination is tied up with feelings and images, with wonder and excitement. From making learning engaging to making it possible to comprehend and critique a text, the imagination is an educational tool that needs to be nurtured, nourished and invested in. The conference will provide the theoretical and practical ideas to bring more imagination into your teaching, whether in school or at university.” For further information about the conference go to www.rasa2015.co.za

his is one of the most difficult articles to write. Let us quickly recap the usage of oil: Fuel for transport of course, but more importantly, in Western Europe as a heating resource for houses during winter. And then industrial usage. Big consumers: USA, Europe and China

Let us look at a few examples. When the Royal Navy decided to convert their battleships from using coal to oil (at the turn of the century), oil became a rather important and strategic resource. USA exported some 85% of the Royal Navy’s oil consumption in 1917, but the trend was clear very early: Royal Navy had to do better; hence Iraq and Persia (Iran) became important. Why was it that Iraq was occupied by Britain in WWI? Oil. When Japan invaded China in the 1930s the USA instituted an oil embargo on Japan. Insofar as Japan relied (totally) on oil from USA, it was in essence the death of

(Above) This file photo from May 2005 shows Shell’s major oil and gas terminal on Bonny Island in southern Nigeria’s Niger Delta. Japan as a modern nation. Solution: Either pull out of China (impossible) or take the oil in South-East Asia and starting the Pacific war of WWII. We all know which route was followed. So, oil is just as much a resource as it is a geo-political weapon.

Let us turn to more recent events

The Yom Kippur war of 1973 (Israel vs. Egypt and Syria) triggered the oil embargo of countries supporting Israel. These were mainly USA and some Western European countries. This was the realisation of many countries that they were dependant on potentially hostile countries for their economic well-being. A big surprise, although it should not have been a surprise. But what it also meant >>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs was that the price of oil went from $2 a barrel to some $30 a barrel within a few years. One of the triggers was also that the US production had peaked. The oil production in USA could only go down and that would mean more imports and therefore in itself (despite embargoes) higher oil prices at a global level. What did it all mean then? It meant that countries like Iran were floating in money that they simply could hardly manage to spend. Infra-structure projects of all sorts got initiated, but what if the oil price should drop? We’ll get to that. It also meant that it was now economically sound to start oil extraction in the North Sea and Nigeria. 98% of Nigeria’s export earnings are from their oil exports.

and more money in the pocket of the citizen (e.g. lower petrol prices and lower costs for heating in Europe). But the other side of the coin is that Nigeria’s income drops radically. If 98% of your income is coming from one source and that income drops by 40% what will it do to a country? Yes. Nearly bankrupt it. Infra-structure projects coming to a halt, no money for pension pay-outs, no money for schools, hospitals, and so on. Scotland right now is looking at a drop in oil-related employment of 20 000 people. And that is for this year alone.

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But we can all see what it could do to oil producing countries. They are not in a great shape.

So why is Saudi Arabia trying to establish a price of around $60 a barrel? Nigeria and others are screaming as their income is reduced. Because of one thing: If the oil price goes much higher, the extraction of shale oil becomes economically viable. And that means that the one with the biggest shale oil – USA – might start in earnest and that means that the US oil market will be reduced dramatically. It also means fewer customers for oil from the Middle East, Nigeria and Scotland.

Can we see where it all leads to?

There are others, but we will focus on these for now.

True that the economic crisis in Europe also triggered all kinds of other challenges, but Europe is coming together, so we can see an upswing in oil pricing (sort of).

Let us look at money. A high oil price discourages economic recovery in the consumer-countries, whereas a low oil price means less income for the oil producers. Oil producers must see if they can agree on a price which can balance both of these interests. OPEC is the organisation which has tried to do just that.

If we now leave the war alone for a bit, and start looking at the impact of oil prices, we see something rather disturbing in many ways. We have the big oil consumers in the likes of USA, Western Europe and China. Then we have the countries dependant on oil sale such as the Middle East (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc.), Nigeria and Scotland.

When the oil price drops, it is good news for the consumer. Cheaper oil means cheaper manufacturing and transport costs

But why a drop in oil pricing? If the economy of the major countries (USA, China, Germany) should slow down (recession), then the demand for oil goes down and then the oil price drops. And that happened in 2008. The oil price went from $140 a barrel down to $45 a barrel within a year.

It is not the price of oil in itself which is important to world economy. It is the fluctuations of oil pricing which

is killing the economy. The yo-yo effect is the problem. If the oil price is stable (at whatever level) we can all plan for it over the next 20 years or more. Presently, we don’t know what the next six months will bring. THAT is the problem. Short-term: we have to find a balance between oil consumers (Europe, USA, China) and producers (Middle East, Nigeria, Scotland). Long-term: oil is a finite resource. Right now we see that the Emirates are planning for the day when the oil dries up. We have to realise that if our economy is linked to one resource for energy only, oil, we are doomed. It will not last. What to do long-term? Plenty of options. Renewable energy. And let there be no mistake, it works very well. This is from Wikipedia: “Power generation. Renewable energy provides 21.7% of electricity generation worldwide as of 2013. Renewable power generators are spread across many countries, and wind power alone already provides a significant share of electricity in some areas: for example, 14% in the USA state of Iowa, 40% in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, and 49% in Denmark. Some countries get most of their power from renewables, including Iceland (100%), Norway (98%), Brazil (86%), Austria (62%), New Zealand (65%), and Sweden (54%)”... and remember one thing regarding pollution: Coal is not green! Staff Reporter

(Above) An oil rig in the Pacific.

>>>HOLA MAHIGH- SCHOOL

Sport

In Our Next Issue

SCI-FEST! That is the major science event. We expect to have at least four pages on Sci-Fest. It is that important.

Somehow, we are planning to bring you more on languages. Languages are fascinating and we have a surprise, if we can pull it off. We challenged one of our writers to write an article about how difficult it is to write an article in what we like to call ‘our mother tongue’ – and that not being English. It is not so easy, after all, and it gave me great joy to pose this challenge. The ‘Remarkable Person’ article is giving me grey hairs. I looked at Naledi Pandor. She is surely worth it, but is difficult to nail it down. Graça Marcel? We need to make a decision on it, so please help me out. Suggest something on the website. I will surely listen to it all. International news. There are so many things going on right now. Another look at Iran might be a good idea. It is going fast and somehow, Iran is simply too big a country not to be a part of the world community. Fashion is a sure thing. I want to see if we can have that as a recurring theme. We are starting to have a nice ‘trio’ of things: the digizine, the website and the facebook/twitter accounts. It is important to also register on the website. If you do, you will get an e-mail when some ‘breaking news’ happens. We still need new talent. Try and contact me. It is not simple to write a serious article, but it is very fulfilling. Makes one proud when it’s published. Looking forward to our next issue!

Sybil

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