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Sony TV's new show Prithvi Vallabh is a welcome addition to their lineup of shows.
Being a huge fan of period pieces myself, Prithivi Vallabh is a visual masterpiece. The show has been well produced, the actors and actresses have been well cast bringing the roles to life. If you are in South Africa like me, however, the delivery of a brilliant show leaves much to be desired. Of the first 8 episodes, half have been butchered with the last 10-15 minutes missing. I have complained on Twitter, and see that episodes 5, 6 and 7 were delivered in full. But tonight's episode (8) has again not been delivered in full. The show is shown in South Africa via DSTV on Sony channel 450. Summary of problem episodes and links to content on Sony's LIV website to see the conclusion of incomplete episodes: 20/01/2018 - Episode 1 - Missing last 13 minutes (watch from 40 minutes). 21/01/2018 - Episode 2 - Missing last 11 minutes (watch from 33 minutes). 27/01/2018 - Episode 3 - Broadcast in full (44:30). 28/01/2018 - Episode 4 - Missing the last 8 minutes (watch from 40 minutes). 03/02/2018 - Episode 5 - Broadcast in full (42:17). 04/02/2018 - Episode 6 - Broadcast in full (44.54). 10/02/2018 - Episode 7 - Broadcast in full (44:16). 11/02/2018 - Episode 8 - Missing last 13 minutes (watch from 33 minutes). https://www.sonyliv.com/details/show/5714194936001/Prithvi-Vallabh
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Four days until the local government elections are upon us, when most of the peacocks parading around will disappear along with their promises.
The only stark reminder being the posters blowing in the breeze for months to come. Remember I said most. Placing politics in the same sentence as adjectives such as honest and altruistic, have sadly become a paradox of sorts. We see slogans such as Vote for change, stop racism, job creation etc, but the bottom line is not one of these is something that can be achieved in the short term. Racism is a mind set that has been carried through generations, that will still take decades to eradicate. The whole AA and BEE scenario is not truly helping the poorest of the poor to step out above the poverty line. The blatant wastefully expenditure by politicians, would have been better spent where it will truly make a difference in our country: the education system. A better schooling and tertiary education system is where massive funding should to be going to ensure that education is accessible to all. This is the only true solution to lift our nation to it's true potential. This will have a great impact in making inroads into the unemployment rate, have an impact in bringing down crime, and expand the taxable population pool. This would have the dual purpose of allowing the government to fund more emerging entrepreneurs and allowing some tax breaks in the lower end of the economic market. This is only possible in a well run government where every Rand matters. That's a slogan I like. Albeit this being a local election and you perhaps have some intimate knowledge of local candidates, you have to ask yourself one question: are the top policy makers in your party of choice the best of the best that your party has to offer to whom every Rand matters? Cricket, the game as we know it, is changing at a faster pace than ever before. But have all of these changes been to the benefit of the game? Or are we seeing a mudding of the waters that was once called the gentleman's game? The DRS (decision review system) was introduced in 2009 and 2011 for test and ODI (one day international) matches respectively. The ICC (International Cricket Council) first made the system mandatory, then later opted for optional use i.e. both teams had to agree for the system to be used. Effectively a massive veto card. Currently all countries bar India make use of the system when playing each other. It is said that Sachin Tendulkar make a number of wrong calls when the system was first introduced, and India has since given DRS a thumbs down for every series. They are not convinced that the system works 100%. This is the country that has one of the biggest pool of engineers, software developers, programmers and IT experts in the world. This is the country with the cheapest and successful first attempt at a Mars mission. Surely, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), could have improved the system if it so wished. Rightly or wrongly, other team supporters will always throw the bad umpiring decisions into the same ring as match-fixing, when tight games are won/lost. Without the ICC putting it's foot down, the game stands to lose in the long run. The IPL (Indian Premier League) T20 competition draws in the big names with big payouts. Other similar competitions have mushroomed in other countries. The T20 format may draw in the crowds and money, but it has diluted the game. Players no longer place playing for the country as the top honour of their career. Big names such as Chris Gayle have unofficially retired from certain formats "due to injury" to follow the money. The IPL has been mired in a number of match-fixing / spot-fixing debacles. The current match fixing scandal in South African cricket (along with past indiscretions), sees it's roots in India. Gulam Bodi has been band for 20 years (5 of which is suspended). Other names thrown around by the media in the same investigation are: Every team supposedly creates wickets that favour the home team. A lot has been said about the dirt bowls India prepares for tests that favour their spinners. Compare the stats of Ravichandran Ashwin   to Saeed Ajmal by host country:  Ashwin's figures are definitely skewed. No matter what arguments Indian fans have against pace wickets, other quality spinners have far more consistent figures all around the cricket-playing world.
Does India really make a solid positive contribution to the game of cricket, or are we on a one way ticket to destruction of the values cricket once stood for? Here we are - at the dawn of a new year. So much has changed in the last two months. The rainbow nation falters at every step. Yet, we must soldier on - we have not yet broken the mental shackles that hold us back. "Racist white South Africans hoping that Zuma’s fall will give them a white president or bring back apartheid is a true denial of the reality. It’s like Oscar believing that he’ll one day take part in the Olympics. Never. The above was a Facebook post next to a few images of people with the old South African flag. Even though such instances were in the minority, that is what people chose to focus on rather than the bigger picture. Let's backtrack for a minute. What was this campaign about? Zuma made the ill-advised decision to remove the finance minister Nhlanhla Nene without warning which sent our markets and currency tumbling. Whether is was advised at all is still up for debate, and the feeble delayed reason given saw Zuma grasping at straws. It reminded me of the press conference of the investigation into Nkhandla (before the public protector's investigation), where a few ministers tried to justify the pool for "fire-fighting purposes" and the cattle kraal and chicken coop for closing up space that was a "security hazzard". Does the cabinet really expect people to buy this garbage? Anyway, people protested, some with old flag, blah blah blah. The real issue here is, the campaign wasn't about having a white president or returning to apartheid; the question being asked is this: Is Zuma the best the ANC has to offer? Can any ANC supporter honestly answer "Yes"? Is he the best for the ANC and this country?  In the 2014 elections, the ANC lost ground and a municipality to the DA for the first time (image above). 2016 and it's time for the local government elections. The media is currently swamped with racism from Penny Sparrow's tweets, to the resulting fallout with Gareth Cliff, Somizi's fellow judge on Idols, who was axed for: "People really don't understand free speech at all" Perceived as support for Sparrow and calls for a boycott of the Idols show, saw Mnet fire Cliff (legal avenues still ongoing). Like him or not, he has become the sacrificial lamb for something bigger - the racial divide.
How did the British conquer India? By playing the different religious groups against each other - the very reason Pakistan and Bangladesh are not part of India. The ANC is looking to preserve their grasp on the country in the coming elections. What better way then a public campaign on racism. Their win is no doubt assured, though an overwhelming majority gives the ability to quash opposition and railroad ANC policy into place. With the financial blunders, the cash-cows i.e. the taxpayers can only support so much, and with the unrestrained wasteful spending and corruption it is only a matter of time before we break the camel's back. Again, I ask you, is Zuma the best the ANC has to offer? If not, then the people on the inside have to play their best move.  As we near the business end of the FIFA World Cup 2010, the matches are becoming more intense and epic, while keeping even home viewers on the edge of their seats with the on field drama. With the completion of the quarter-finals yesterday, here's a recap of those four games: Quarter-final 1: Brazil vs Netherlands:
Brazil, as usual, entered the World Cup as one of the favourites to go all the way. In the group stages they were impressive with 2 wins and a draw, and in the round of 16 marched past Chile with a convincing 3-0 victory. The Netherlands, though unbeaten up to this stage, were not expected get past the prowess of Brazil. An equalising own goal header by Felipe Melo (later credited to Wesley Sneijder) at the start of the second half, after Robinho had put Brazil ahead in the 10th minute, was the beginning of the end for Brazil. Another goal by Sneijder in the 68th minute, sealed the victory for the Dutch. Brazil with hope fading fast descended into a frenzy of fouls, which led to Melo being red-carded. The Dutch were on the right side of the biggest upset of this world cup. Quarter-final 2: Ghana vs Uruguay: It was a case of so near yet so far for the only African team remaining in the competition. A magnificent Sully Muntari strike from distance on the stroke of half-time put Ghana ahead. Early in the second half Diego Forlan levelled matters with a free kick. The match went into 30 minutes of extra time to break the deadlock, and Ghana would have had the game all but sealed, were it not for a Luis Saurez hand ball right on the goal line in the dying seconds of extra time. The referee had no hesitation in red-carding Saurez, and awarding Ghana the penalty. Asamoah Gyan, the hero in the previous match with a goal in extra time against USA, rushed the penalty and his strike rattled the crossbar. The penalty shoot-out followed there-after, with Uruguay winning 4-2 with one missed penalty from Uruguay, and two Ghana strikes saved by Uruguayan keeper, Fernando Muslera. Quarter-final 3: Argentina vs Germany: Billed to be one of the best matches of the quarter-final, with the genius of Diego Maradona's Argentina against the efficient team players of Joachim Louw's Germany. A Thomas Mueller header from a set piece put the Germans ahead as early as the 3rd minute of the match. From then on it was an upward battle for the Argentinians, who were unable to effectively penetrate the German defence. The score at half-time stood at 1-0 in favour of the Germans. By the end of the second half, Argentina were comprehensively thrashed 4-0, in a game most would have tipped Argentina to win and with a closer margin of victory. Two days of quarter-finals; two South American football heavyweights knocked out of the competition. Quarter-final 4: Spain vs Paraguay: The final match of the quarter-finals to decide Germany's opponent on the 7th at Moses Mabhida Stadium (pictured above), was no less exciting than three other matches completed. The first-half was a tale of missed opportunities and good saves from both sides. The second-half, as with most matches in this year's competition, was were the drama really started. Gerard Pique pulled Oscar Cordozo down in the Spanish box during a Paraguayan cormer kick, resulting in the referee imediately awarding a penalty to Paraguay. A brilliant save from Iker Casillas saw another penalty shot wasted. A minute later, Spain were awarded their own penaly when David Villa was brought down at the other end of the field. Xabi Alonso scored, but the referee ordered a retake because the overzealous Spanish players encrouched into the box before Alonso had taken the strike. Alonso's second effort was promptly saved by an equally brilliant Justo Villar, thus prolonging the stalemate. David Villa, once again came to Spain's rescue, seven minutes from time pouncing on the ball after Andres Iniesta hit the left post. Villa's strike hit the right post, then the left before eventually going in. That concluded the quarter-final matches, with the hugely anticipated semi-finals set for the 6th and 7th, with Netherlands taking on Uruguay in the first match, and Germany taking on Spain in the second. Being a day away from the start of the biggest sporting event in the world, and after a negative piece on the World Cup earlier, I thought it was time to balance out the scales a bit. Although a few people will still have their negative sentiments about the world cup (while their closeted positive person is waiting to escape), no one can deny the positive feelings and hype in the air. Everyone across all racial, gender and economic classes is getting into the thick of things with the support of our team after a recent spate of successful matches which has certainly boosted confidence levels all round. Hopefully Bafana Bafana can pleasantly surprise all of us with spectacular performances against tougher opposition in the coming games. I, myself not being much of football fan, will catch most of the action on TV, and hopefully one or two at the stadiums.
For all the tourists that have already come, and those yet to arrive, I hope that they experience the warmth and beauty of our country, and are positively infleunced to return again in the future. And finally for the Wolf parting shot - Go Bafana, tear the opposition to shreds...  We are already less than 100 days away from the World Cup, and all the hard-work and hype will come to fruition soon. As usual we can always count on Zapiro to give us a good dose of reality in the face of political absurdity.
Our young democracy is already a sweet sixteen year old, though promises, promises and yet more promises to the electorate remained unfulfilled. However, when it came to a real money spinner, billions of Rands were dished up like the watery gruel found aplenty at soup kitchens for the homeless. So what is the real commitment of our government? Makes you wonder doesn't it? It seems to be no real secret that a vast majority, if not all, of the contracts put on tender for the building of new stadia or the renovations of existing ones, went to "well connected" consortia and corporations. Most organisations required no past experience in the contracts tendered for, oh no - the reason being that the work was subsequently sub-contracted (at a hefty profit, no doubt). The story didn't end there though, with contracts being sub-contracted over three, four or even five levels. The real loser in this whole scenario? The tax-payers who had to fork out the billions of Rands for this farce. If anyone is a fan of Donald Trump's The Apprentice you would no doubt have watched a few episodes where people were fired for going marginally over budget. Soccer City (Johannesburg), went R1 billion over budget to cost R3.2 billion. That's almost 50% more than budgeted for, yet discussions on the topic are trivialised as if mere cents were involved. The reason given for the excessive final cost was rising material costs. But how much can be attributed to the hefty middlemen profits that were obviously worked into the costs? With the obvious corrupt mindset of the current crop of esteemed people in charge, South Africa's future prospects do not bode well. The white-collar elite are content in playing demi-Gods with taxpayers money, while the impoverished majority remain so. Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities somehow gives one a feeling of déjà vu. Sixteen year old South Africa is pregnant from a Zuma presidency. Let us all pray that the aftermath is not Julius Malema, or God save us all. Politicians and lawyers, both these professions are synonymous with liars; where half-truths, lies and spin doctoring are used to make people look good. The recent events leading to the toppling of Mbheki from power were based on perceptions created by the Judge Nicholson ruling, and not by confirmed facts. Therein lies our conundrum - ordinary stones are polished into "priceless" gems. Is there any place left for the truth, and what does it say for the future of our beautiful country?
In his resignation address to the nation, Mr Mbheki in no uncertain terms denied ever interfering in any judiciary process and in particular the Zuma case. The Zuma camp, on the other hand conveniently took the Judge's words as confirmation of their own earlier "suspicions". This over and above the fact that Zuma's financial advisor, Schabir Shaik, was found to have had a "generally corrupt relationship" with Zuma. The guilt or innocence of one party in such a situation, by implication confirms the guilt or innocence of the other party. But where do we find ourselves here: one man behind bars, and the other on the verge of a tainted presidency. Public opinion, on the ANC NEC's decision to recall Mbheki is still divided, based on whether you are pro-Zuma or pro-Mbheki. I am pro-"none-of-the-above", and merely see Mbheki as the lesser of two evils. The recall of Mbheki, after the National Prosecuting Authority decided to appeal the Judge Nicholson ruling, might be see in some quarters as the ANC flexing some political muscle in an attempt to squash further attempts to prosecute Zuma. The message from the ANC to the judiciary might be perceived as saying: "We have the power to remove a President; who are you to challenge us?" Where does this leave the NPA, and Mbheki for that matter, regardless of whether he may or may not have been pulling strings in the NPA? If the NPA doesn't proceed then Mbheki's alleged involvement may be confirmed, but if the NPA does proceed, Mbheki's alleged involvement is not necessarily disproved - a lose-lose situation for the NPA, Mbheki, the people of this country and our country. Going further into the cases against Zuma regarding his relationship with Shaik and the arms deal; we are by no means any closer to the truth. Zuma's applications to have certain evidence disregarded, doesn't give one much confidence in his innocence in these matters. The poll on Interface on SABC3 on Sunday about whether the arms deal chapter should now be closed was unanimous - 90% voted no. His fanatical support base definitely believes otherwise. The actions of his supporters during the rape case and during the many other corruption cases including the September one are cases to note - mock funerals for Mbheki were performed, and Zuma, his fellow comrade, did not condemn theses actions. The interview of Mantashe on Interface did bring some interesting points to the fore such as policy issues are decided by the party and not the man/woman in any particular position. Interesting then that the Party remained silent when Mbheki was taking flack from certain quarters for "his" policies that were seen as too business friendly. Coming back to the actions of Zuma's supporters, we have the inflammatory statements by the ANCYL leader, Julius Malema: "We will kill for Zuma". His abrasive approach is in direct contract to the reasons given for removing Mbheki - the need for more stability in the ANC and government. On a side note Mbheki's main bodyguard, Captain Frans Ramashilo, was assassinated just days before the NEC meeting to decide Mbheki's fate. The demise of Ramashilo was uncharacteristically low key in both the televised and print media. What was it again that Malema said? Seven months ago I saw an ad in the newspaper for the economically priced, feature rich IBM Lenovo 3000 N200. Excited by the idea of owning a laptop, I made my most expensive impulse purchase to date. The laptop came pre-installed with Vista Home Basic which was painful to use considering the meagre 512MB of RAM included. After popping in an addition 1GB, Vista was definitely much more responsive.
After sorting out the Windows portion of of things, I turned my attention to Linux. I had previously had Ubuntu dual booted with XP on my pc, which I had by now already sold to recoup some of the cash for the laptop. Ubuntu had worked like a charm on my pc without any hitches and I expected the same on my laptop. I gave Gutsy Gibbon a go only to discover that not a squeak was to be heard. Many hours of research into the sound issue led me to this thread on the Ubuntu forums. The suggested solution (which had worked for other people with the same laptop) was to edit the alsa-base file: sudo edit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base and add the following line to the end of the file: options snd-hda-intel model=lenovo Upon reboot I was met with a sharp white noise from the speakers. Booting from the Ubuntu cd, I removed the added line in the alsa-base file to return my laptop to silence. I eagerly awaited the next release of Ubuntu in May, to see if the problem would be fixed with an out-of-the-box install. Sadly this was not to be, and I decided to try out other distros. Ubuntu Ultimate, Opensuse and Fedora all left me without any positive results. Then a good Samaritan was kind enough to give me a copy of Mandriva 2008.1 (Free). That too, on initial install was speechless, but with a minor tweak regained the power of sound. Adding this line: options snd-hda-intel enable=1 index=0 model=lenovo to the end of the /etc/modprobe.conf file did the trick upon restart. After using Mandriva for a couple of days, I think I stumbled upon the solution to the white noise problem in Ubuntu (haven't tested my theory out yet). I normally use headphones to listen to music on my laptop while working. I also have the microphone cable plugged in even though I rarely use the microphone. When removing the headphone and microphone cable (in any order) a white noise would start on Mandriva similar to the Ubuntu noise at start up, after removing the second cable. Tweaking the mixer settings led to the cause - the front microphone boost on the output tab. This could possibly be the problem in Ubuntu, because when faced with a no-sound issue you are advised to enable everything in the mixer and set at maximum volume. A little off topic - the wireless LAN on Madriva 2008.1 does not work on initial install. Download the microcode image for your hardware from here, untar (extract), and copy the ucode file into the /lib/firmware folder. Wireless LAN should be functional on reboot.  You are probably wondering what can I say about the effervescent Isidingo star Ashley Callie that has not already been said. I have been asking myself the same question. Ashley was the face behind the on screen character of Leoni Haines (Lee for short) and made the role her own to such an extent that the producers of the show had no other alternative but to write her character out of the script.
Watching the many interviews of the other stars of the show at the time of her untimely passing, it was revealed that Ashley had been a major influence on the people she had worked with and a cornerstone to the success of the show. Three months on and Ashley's character is still mentioned on the show with the renaming of the Winter Ball to The Lee Haines Charity Ball. This will no doubt be the shows way of remembering Ashley. We very often take people for granted and don't realise their true value in our lives until it is too late. For a lot of people this was case here too. What's done is done and we can only salute a truly fine person and great South African actress who will be sorely missed by one and all of her friends, family and fans of the show. Photo gallery. |
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