The house that Weaver built

The House that Mr Weaver built.

Part of the live entertainment at the delightful West Coast National Park Restaurant certainly is watching the golden weavers. With spring in the air, building a new nest is now a frenzied affair. And not to ever forget that if Mrs Weaver does not approve, Mr will have no choice but to build another one, and another one and another one, until the wife is completely satisfied.

On the restaurant tables there are little bowls with envelopes of pre-packed sugar. Brown for brown sugar, white for white sugar (we humans need colour codes for we are not very smart) and red ones for artificial sweeteners. Mr Weaver when exhausted and in need of a little substance, it seems does not have the time to read either and quickly grabs in flight – a red one from the table! One or two of the finches have learned through experience that the brown and white ones are of more value and not to judge a sausage by its skin or in this case the envelope by its colour!

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/weaver_bird.aspx

Money and more money.....

What can money buy?

Anything and everything, except for intrinsic values and probably real happiness.

Comfort- yes, respect -yes, position - yes, power – yes, very much so, admiration - yes, beauty -yes, freedom – of course, the list is long.
Health to a certain degree, everlasting life - no, happiness - depends on how you define it and what makes you happy.
It can keep you out of jail too!

A true story!

His father was a bootlegger and made an absolute fortune. Years later this fact was swept under the carpet and he then became known (remembered) as an industrialist. You can buy that too.
His mother was the most ambitious matriarch you can imagine...

And one evening after a party he (married at the time) drove a pretty little girl ‘home’ ( ? ) but ended up going over a bridge into the water and she drowned.

The very sad and most suspicious aspect of this event was that he did not immediately notify the police (or 911) but only after speaking to his lawyer the next morning - nine hours later and probably after he sobered up.

He was never arrested or charged with manslaughter or negligence or even failure to report an accident.

Was he guilty? How would we know for sure? With behaviour like this he probably was............yet he never got to go to a court of justice to decide his guilt or innocence.

Money made the difference, because where the ordinary man whose father is an ordinary wage earner would have been locked up and charged he was simply able to walk away. He certainly continued to live a life of luxury, privilege and affluence..............

She was dead and her family and friends probably never had closure.


Now he has died and become a national hero. Great things are now contributed to him. If you can afford to buy the media, they will report that you are able to walk on water.

Who said life is fair?

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/33002/the-kennedys-power-and-tragedy?xid=newsletter

___________________________________________
Sad to hear of Dominick Dunne’s death.

The author of Power, Privilege and Justice –a program by DD on exactly the same subject – how money can make a difference to the life of a perpetrator.

Caracal

Cats of the Wild

Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire. ~Virgil

There must be something magical and magnificent about spring or even just thoughts of spring. Music to the soul.

Every year, just before the official ‘Spring date’ in people’s vocabulary, the West Coast of South Africa announces the coming of spring, sometimes in low tones with a few violins, sometimes with a full orchestra. (The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other. ~Arthur Rubenstein)

This year was no exception, but at the Wild Coast National Park not as splendid as 3 years ago.

There are many theories one being that in 2006 the winter rains were preceded by a period of drought. But be it as it may we were fortunate that we had a glimpse of the elusive Mr Rooikat (almost extinct now. He did not pose for long. He was gone again within a minute. Busy , busy, busy!

The real meaning..........

L gave me some lovely books and one of them is a book written by Jeremy Clarkson, ‘The World according to Clarkson’.

In one place he mentions that he bought some, night time goggles ( ? ) ‘Made in Russia’ which means it does not work and should actually read ‘made whilst drunk’.

Well, I can also think of a couple of these:-

Made in China should read ‘Avoid at all costs, Absolute Crap, can kill ‘

‘Sale ‘means ‘ He he he he You suckers pay for us to get rid of our junk’

Money back Guarantee means ‘You won’t be able to contact us after purchase’

Conditions will apply means ‘Gotcha! You are not reading the small print’

Fat Free Yogurt = ‘there may be no fat, but lots of starch – You can fool a lot of people a lot of the time’

A Must have = ‘this is exactly how we brainwash you, you idiot’

All our operators are busy = we do not answer telephones; we are having tea, lunch, gone home, asleep on job!

Made in some Asian country and come with instructions = ‘Once you have figured out instructions the guarantee period has run out’

The list does not end here of course..............and I am sure you have a list too!