South Africa's Government Sucks

Oh, wait. I'm not allowed to say stuff like that anymore. Or at least not for very much longer. This Tuesday, 22 November, the Protection of State Information Bill was passed. This means that the government will soon be able to hide information from the public in order to regulate information regarding the state. So, limiting freedom of speech essentially.

This one takes the cake for not learning from previous mistakes. I mean, seriously? After going through Apartheid, our still-developing democracy is going to be undermined. South Africa seems to have a history and a habit of not heeding the majority of public opinion (again, exhibit X - the Apartheid era). So many people have gone against this bill, calling it Black Tuesday. This is taken from the previous Black Wednesday in Apatheid where certain newspapers, organizations and people were banned.

That's not the only parallel to be observed. Part of being free is being able to say what you want about anything (as long as it's not blatantly offensive to any individual or group). Especially regarding the government. The government is voted in by the people. Thus, the people deserve to know what the government is up to. If the government is able to hide whatever they wish from the public, it disallows for constructive critique and scrutiny.

It is already not that easy to keep up with all the political riff-raff that goes on. With certain knowledge being withheld, corruption becomes far easier. Public figures will be able to get away with murder (or take another 3 wives) without the media being able to report it.

In all fairness, the bill says that it works in favour of "national interest". But let's be serious. Nation interest is dependent on perspective and is too vague. That's a nice, big loophole to jump through. And public figures like Malema are well trained (jump, deny, deny, accuse, jump).

It's been shown that satire can expose injustices in government. Just earlier I was watching V for Vendetta (2005), and I was shocked at what I saw. I saw a translation of a future in South Africa where the government controls all through falsehood and omitting vital information. Satire often keeps the government under wraps, especially cartoons. Zapiro's way of illustrating government failures and shortcomings is comprehensible, humorous and true.

But this Act will see the end of that. Is this the freedom that thousands died for? Some freedom. Limited. Controlled. Corrupt.

Disney: Molding Childhoods Since 1923

What would life be without Disney. I can't imagine my life without those good-ol' animation favourites. I know you've all heard this before (and probably thought it yourselves a million times), but it makes me irrevocably depressed that the kids currently growing up are more interested in becoming adults (like walking around in heels and minis at the age of 11) than just being children and watching brilliant animations. I mean, just the other day I watched Adam's face light up when I rented Mulan for us to enjoy.

Founded in 1923 by the Disney brothers, the Disney franchise has brought joy into the lives of millions, and not just children. While Disney movies have gone through a few adjustments, the classic Disney legacy will always live on through people like me.

Maybe I'm immature. I don't care. So, in honour of the greatness that was and is Disney, I have compiled a list of Disney animations that I will force my children to watch when they are young. Obviously, for the sake of brevity, I'll only be doing my favourites (so no screaming at me, I know I'm leaving some out!) In chronological order:

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - the first full-length Disney animation. I still have my VHS recording of this one! Snow White, the original animal-whisperer, was my idol.
2. Bambi (1942) - I still weep like a wimpy little girl watching this one. Thumper will always be the star for me.
3. Cinderella (1950) - the first proper princess movie. I used to dream of owning that blue gown and having my own fairy godmother to boss little critters around.
4. Alice in Wonderland (1951) - imagination. And madness. Although, from my side, I almost prefer the 1999 TV-film version. Almost.
5. Peter Pan (1953) - that crocodile taught me about persistence! And I want to fly, it's not fair. Lastly, fairies exist. Especially loved the Hook (1991) and Finding Neverland (2004) interpretations.
   
6. Lady and the Tramp (1955) - that spaghetti-scene will forever form part of my ideal of romance. Yes, it's cheesy (no pun intended). Yes, I'm not a dog. Yes, I love spaghetti.
7. Sleeping Beauty (1959) - I don't think it matters what kind of girl you are; every girl wants a prince to slay a dragon and defeat the wicked witch for her, and then seal the deal with a perfect kiss.
8. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) - total animal-lover film. I begged my mom to get me a dalmatian after watching this. And I was dead-set on changing my dog's name to Pongo.
9. The Jungle Book (1967) - for some reason, the opening music to this movie freaked and still freaks me out. But, it is very important for everyone to learn the "bear" necessities (see what I did there?).
10. Robin Hood (1973) - the first post-Walt movie; although he died in '66, he had still approved all Disney movies, until this one. Such a fun movie, always got a kick out of watching Prince John being constantly trounced. And, of course, the romance between Robin Hood and Maid Marian.
11. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) - Tigger was one of my nicknames in high school. Just shows how a movie can still have a profound impact so many years later, even if it's just a reference. I will always associate myself with Tigger.
    
12. The Little Mermaid (1989) - the beginning of what I consider the Disney Golden Decade, from '89-'99. Full of fishy fun; now if only I could meet a mermaid and swop lives with her. I think a tail would look pretty good on me.
    
13. Beauty and the Beast (1991) - very much like real life; appearances are so deceiving. And true love isn't just shared amongst the typical perfect-looking boy and girl. Love transcends all things.
    
14. Aladdin (1992) - the first movie produced in my lifetime. Your run-of-the-mill poor boy meets rich girl and they get together against all odds.
    
15. The Lion King (1994) - no words can describe my extreme emotional attachment to this one. Simba forever.
    
16. Pocahontas (1995) - brings out the hippie in me. It makes me want to live in the wild and become one with the earth so that I can see those colours in the wind.
    
17. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) - Esmeralda, one of my favourite heroines. So beautiful and mysterious. I can see the pattern of cliches that have been strung through Disney films (and general ethnocentric view). I recognise that criticism in this one. And yet the magic still remains.
    
18. Hercules (1997) - love the mythological theme. Hades makes for such an excellent villain. But Meg still steals the show in feisty, mortal style.
    
19. Mulan (1998) - absolutely epic. What a demonstration of girl power. Goes against the weak-female character of so many Disneys. I also love the identity aspect of it; the whole finding-yourself thing. Plus, Mushu rocks.
    
20. Tarzan (1999) - marks the end of my Disney Golden Decade. I still cry watching Tarzan's journey of discovery and the balance between "civilization" and wild. Clayton is also one of the greatest villains ever; he shows that often the monster/savage lies within oneself.
    
21. The Emperor's New Groove (2000) - I contemplated whether this should be on the list, but this movie's quirky humour clinched it. This one moved away from the classic Disney style into a different, fast-paced style.
    
22. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) - also love the legend quality in this one. Milo makes for a lovable hero, taking one for the nerd team.
    
23. Treasure Planet (2002) - the same-old young boy trying to prove himself. Enjoyed the way they adapted the original Treasure Planet story to a space milieu. And Morph is super cute! Way better than a parrot.
    
24. Brother Bear (2003) - both heart-breaking and heart-warming. Packed full of emotion and just makes you want to give your sibling a huge hug. Until they look at you weirdly and tell you to get a life.
25. Tangled (2010) - I can't explain how impressed I was by this movie. I mean, wow. The closest this generation will come to a classic Disney. It gives me hope for the future. More of that, if you please!

I hope you enjoyed (or at least endured) my long-winded jaunt down memory lane. You might have identified with my opinions. You might have disagreed. You might have been bored.

But this is part of me, this Disney obsession. And I hope it continues. Come on Disney, keep the flame burning. Keep my heart alight.

The End of The Beginning

So, after a lot of hard work and stress, my first year of university has come to a close.

It's strange to think that at the start of this year I was absolutely lost and confused, not used to such a huge campus and large amount of people. Also, coming from an all-girls high school, I had to brush up on associated with guys on an everyday basis. Not an easy task. But, being the loud and at times obnoxious person I am, friends came quite quickly.

I have met some crazy, fun and unusual people. I am proud to call some of those loonies my friends. But something I've noticed about varsity is that while I've made lots of friends, only a handful of those individuals are close to my heart and people I would go the extra mile for.

Already having a fair amount of previously-known people at my university, I have a large 'safety net'; friends that I have already become close to. While I love these people and it's nice to have a support system, it can have its drawbacks. Because of this circle of friends, I didn't venture out of my comfort zone as much as I would have liked to. I didn't let people in as much as I could have.

So my goal for next year: try to connect to people. On a close, real level. And not be as automated; pay more attention to people's responses and emotions. Share more, give more of myself.

Varsity is harder than I expected. It is not on the same level as high school at all. While I don't struggle with self-discipline, I often get frustrated with people who achieved better grades than me without working as hard as I do (such as not attending class, generally not paying attention to academics, and so on). What am I doing wrong? Are they smarter than me? But think I've been able to adjust to the new system fairly well. Although adjustments to my standards have been employed, I maintain good marks. But this holiday I want to try harder to be prepared for next year. By reading interesting books and such, not only lazing around.

My goal for this holiday: self-improvement. So that, next year, I'll be ready. And I continue on the path to my future.

Matty

A lot has happened in three weeks. The most prominent and obvious event would be the death of my friend Matthew O'Brien. While I was not an extremely close friend of his, many of my friends are. Or were. That's the part that's is difficult to come to terms with: what was and what is, a new reality that was unexpected.

Death is hard to deal with. Not for the person who died obviously, but for those who are left behind afterwards. It is almost impossible to imagine that you will never see or speak to that person ever again. The finality of it is unbearable. Nothing to be done, as Samuel Beckett would say.

Hate to overkill my own experience with death, but it takes over your life for a while. That person pervades what would be normal activities. Music was very prominent in Matty's life: now whenever I hear a song I think he would enjoy, I can't help but think how he'll never be able to share his excellent taste in music with anyone ever again (as he has done with so many people).

My heart aches for his family, girlfriend and close friends (like Judy, Daniel and Adam). I would say I know how it feels, but I don't. I didn't know Matty like you did. I only knew a Matty being nice to one of his friend's girlfriend by not showing me his ass tattoo. That's the glimpse of Matt I'll always remember. And even though he's gone, the memory of him stays in our hearts and minds, reminding us of a blessing in our lives, no matter how seemingly small.

To Matthew O'Bizzle, a unique young man who was and always will be loved.