Scientists have managed to go back, and to re-enact the events just before the Big Bang.  They have a few milliseconds prior to the bang, and one can quite clearly hear someone saying "oops!"

Some of you may have scanned across my incoherent ramblings in various places...& I give a blanket apology for the drivel that may or may not have been on your screens!  One common thread is hoping that people can become more tolerant of others.

Right, so now I am asking you all to be (carefully) intolerant.  It is the holiday season, and all the malls are pretty packed.  Each mall should have a number of accessible parking bays close to each entrance.  The only people permitted to park in these bays are people with disabilities (they should also put up a blue placard in their windscreen...although that can become problematic if say it is an overseas tourist...but then I hope they would think to put an explanation up).  But we see widespread abuse of these accessible parking bays...especially at these times of the year when the malls are busier.  But I do feel that this abuse is the type of behaviour that society should NOT tolerate.  Please could I ask the two people reading this to exercise careful intolerance, and to point out to the abuser that this is not acceptable.  I say carefully, because some people can react quite aggressively.  Also, the person may have an invisible disability (chronic asthma, or a heart condition, for example).   I am not condoning any damage to anyone else's vehicle (although I admit to having let down tyres in the past).  But if we (all three of us!) can act, then maybe we can witness a change?  You may hear all manner of 'reasons' including "I am not going to be long", or "it's OK; I am just dropping off", or "well there are a couple of other free bays", or even "it is all right dear; I am old and therefore allowed to do this", sometimes you may get "F*** off!", but the most astounding was, as I rolled up to an offender in my wheelchair, "Oh F*** off; I have no money for beggars like you..." He thought I was begging!!!  I suggested that if he didn't move his vehicle NOW then he very shortly would be disabled...

I use a variety of methods.  One, if I notice an obviously able bodied person leap from his car is to point out that stupidity is not a disability, and could the vehicle be moved please?  Another is to shout "Hallelujah!  It's a miracle - you can walk!!!  Please, please tell me the cure!".  A friend of mine carries some really bright lipstick, and leaves messages on the offending windscreen (no damage...but it is a bitch to clean!).  Another option is the name & shame.  Either phone up a local talk radio show, and give a description & reg no. of the offender (the police, & car park owners / managers tend not to care).  Or if you carry a camera (perhaps a camera phone?) then you can always take a photo (clearly showing the vehicle, reg no, and the accessible bay & signage) and I will happily add it to my other blog.  It may have no effect...but if it deters one person then it is worth it.

OK...my christmas message to everyone...please be intolerant of parking bay abusers!

I often come across people (including here in the 'bloggosphere') who do not understand the meaning of the word "Theory" when used in a scientific meaning. I think that this small issue is one of the reasons for all the 'debate' around Evolution. Evolution is both fact and theory in scientific terms. A scientific fact is an observation. Scientists look at these facts, and try to replicate them. A scientific theory is an explanation of the scientific facts. The theories, themselves, also evolve as our understanding of the facts grow, and are shaped, and in some stages re-written, but always they have to explain the facts that have been observed. Often Occam's Razor is used - which basically says that any explanation (or theory) should make as few untestible assumptions as possible, and they should therefore be as succinct as possible. This is the case with Evolution - there are literally millions of observations, and the theory of Evolution has developed over time. Of course there have been huge strides in our understanding (e.g. Darwin), but the theory is still being developed.

As a comparison; Gravity is also a scientific theory. But you don't hear too many people complaining about it in the same manner as Evolution, and yet the scientific process of reaching the theory has followed the same procedures. I find people denying Evolution as making as much sense as people denying gravity!

So Evolution, and Gravity are science, and as such should should be taught in our schools in science lessons.

Evolution is NOT a belief system; it is science. Evolution is both Scientific FACT and Scientific THEORY. Sure, the theories may change (evolve!) over time...but that is the very nature of science. It adapts to new findings, and tries to explain them in a logical manner. Scientists do not stick their collective heads in the sand and stick to outdated dogmas.

Also Evolution is not Atheism, and nor is atheism evolution (which seems to be a common mistake). Evolution is science. Atheism is the absence of belief in deities - they are quite different. The two are not connected.

I was quite surprised when I arrived at the entrance to the new office complex! While I am aware that many architects and builders routinely ignore the specifications requiring them to ensure that any building built after 1987 should be fully accessible to everyone. But the landscapers had really taken the biscuit this time! Luckily, I had my new Blackberry Pearl (which I had recently won on an online competition with Mydigitallife!), so I quickly whipped it out of the special holder on my wheelchair. I was immediately able to refer to the internet which confirmed my thoughts. So, using my Blackberry Pearl I took a photo of the entrace & sent it with an email to the Equality court, to warn them of this infrigement. I then used my Blackberry Pearl to call my colleague in the office block. I was able to inform him that he would also be in breach of the Employment Equity Act, due to the inaccessibility of his offices. He suggested that we met at the accessible coffee shop in town, which I was able to locate using the GPS on my Blackberry Pearl. Of course, he had not won the competition, and managed to get lost on route, so I sent him a SMS, while checking my diary on my Blackberry Pearl!

(the alternative story, if I don't win, is not very nice...I end up waiting outside, hoping that someone will come out so I can get a message to my colleague...I think the entrance infringes many regulations, but I cannot confirm this. While waiting, a mugger takes a fancy to my wheelchair and I am thrown out of it, while he makes off down the road...as I sit there regreting that I do not have a Blackberry Pearl).

Does Edna Molewa, Premier of the North West province, really believe what is being said here??! The reality is almost the complete reverse of what is being claimed here. It does make me quite frustrated when political figures try to score points by basically saying untruths(although there again...how can you tell when a politician is lying? Their lips are moving)...

"E Molewa: International Disability Day: "As a nation we have a proud tradition where people with disabilities were integrated into society, viewed as part of us, and somewhat privileged members of communities as they tended to get the attention of everyone."

Rather than trying (and failing!) to run too many blogs - I will use this space to direct people to my other blogs:
http://guysa.blogspot.com/ and
http://disabilitysolutions.blogspot.com

I hope that this is OK with everyone....