anyone want to rant a view with me?

Anyone want to join me in ranting my view?
It’s almost exams and I really don’t have the time to be going through blogs. But when I saw the name Rant a View I was impressed and thought to myself, (hmmmmmm this is an unusual name so let me take a look at it and see what it offers).
Well I must say I was impressed with it.
The design is a very simple colour and there is not much going on that would hurt the eye. I like the content of the blog. One can realise that most members are females. The topics they touch on are not really serious, they are things we as university students relate to. Their writing style is very interesting and they do not bore us with details that go on a on without one understanding the point. Most posts are about their personal lives which gives me the idea that they are people who live their lives in an open book manner. They do not hide anything and write what they feel.
There is also a section where they write about politics. The striking thing about this is that they only focus on Jacob Zuma. Is he the only political figure in this country? I cannot clearly decide what their motive for focussing on him is, or is it they hate him and want to put his flaws out there for everyone to see?The writes personalities come through in the blog and one will notice that they are truly different, and this brings excitement to the blog as their different opinions will come through without anyone feeling like they are stepping on each others toes. Read it for yourself and you will be intrigued http://rant-a-view.blogspot.com

I felt like I didn’t exist. Like there was this whole world outside of me. That people didn’t see me when I was just sitting there at the side of the road. Everyone’s lives carry on when they pass me by and going to work. Fellow students pass happily chatting about their dramatic lives and what new outfit they are going to wear tonight.
So there I was waiting for customers to come by and buy something at least. Spending an hour at the side of the road was the worst thing I ever had to do. It made me feel inferior to everyone else. Although I only had to spend an hour doing something I would never do in my daily life, selling earrings felt like a lifetime of being a hawker.
Business was slow today because only a few people would come by, most of them to just look at what was on display. I was so irritated with the fact that they were just asking the prices of the earrings and never buy anything. And I still had to smile every time they asked their friends if the earrings were nice enough for them to buy, and I also found myself having to convince them. Because after all if no one buys anything, there won’t be profit made for the day.
I was bored out of my mind the whole hour I was there. To think I am just there sitting doing nothing made me want to scream. I was so irritated that no one was even coming to buy anything. Although I only did this for an hour, I realised that this woman has to do this for every day of her life. And she has probably been doing it for years. Was I being selfish in being so angry? Did I have the right to be frustrated for only an hour?
When people passed and just looked at me, they would also look away. I felt embarrassed that I was there. I felt like just telling everyone who was passing by that I was just a journalism student and this was a project so that people didn’t think I’m poor. Wow that was a very horrible thing to say. But reality is I wouldn’t want to be sitting there selling earrings. But part of me also came to realise that this woman regards selling these earrings her daily job. If not they would starve. Then I started feeling sorry for her because the R7 people pay for the earrings contribute in her lifestyle and that is what she uses to get by in life. Ya ne, life is unfair………

feeling invisible in the retail world

I felt like I didn’t exist. Like there was this whole world outside of me. That people didn’t see me when I was just sitting there at the side of the road. Everyone’s lives carry on when they pass me by and going to work. Fellow students pass happily chatting about their dramatic lives and what new outfit they are going to wear tonight.

So there I was waiting for customers to come by and buy something at least. Spending an hour at the side of the road was the worst thing I ever had to do. It made me feel inferior to everyone else. Although I only had to spend an hour doing something I would never do in my daily life, selling earrings felt like a lifetime of being a hawker.

Business was slow today because only a few people would come by, most of them to just look at what was on display. I was so irritated with the fact that they were just asking the prices of the earrings and never buy anything. And I still had to smile every time they asked their friends if the earrings were nice enough for them to buy, and I also found myself having to convince them. Because after all if no one buys anything, there won’t be profit made for the day.
I was bored out of my mind the whole hour I was there. To think I am just there sitting doing nothing made me want to scream. I was so irritated that no one was even coming to buy anything. Although I only did this for an hour, I realised that this woman has to do this for every day of her life. And she has probably been doing it for years. Was I being selfish in being so angry? Did I have the right to be frustrated for only an hour?
When people passed and just looked at me, they would also look away. I felt embarrassed that I was there. I felt like just telling everyone who was passing by that I was just a journalism student and this was a project so that people didn’t think I’m poor. Wow that was a very horrible thing to say. But reality is I wouldn’t want to be sitting there selling earrings. But part of me also came to realise that this woman regards selling these earrings her daily job. If not they would starve. Then I started feeling sorry for her because the R7 people pay for the earrings contribute in her lifestyle and that is what she uses to get by in life. Ya ne, life is unfair………

I was attracted by the name “young cultures emporium” and once I opened their blog I was invited by a mystic atmosphere filled with a rich glow because of the colour scheme they used for their background, this in itself made me interested in finding out what the blog is about.
I first thought it would just be about general youth issues but after reading a few posts I discovered that it tackled various social issues but in a very relaxed feel that one would not even notice that they are important factors in society. I enjoyed most the post about the “Shebeen Queen” and “Just a thought on Varsity Life”, they tackle real issues and make us realise that as students we are all in the same boat about most issues.
The writing style is all basic and very in touch with the reader, even leaving questions in my mind that persuade me to comment on the posts, that’s just how good it is. The experiences they write about are not typical but actually urge you to read further and the pictures are very convincing of the events.
This blog is very interesting not only for the student blogger, but also for other young people out there who are passionate about some of the issues discussed in the posts. I found that this blog moved way from just being a journalism assignment but created an interesting edge to blogging.. and I urge these bloggers to continue with it.

http://youngculturesemporium.blogspot.com/

The Botanical Gardens proves to be one of the most tranquil places in Grahamstown, it is an escape from the busy life of being a student or for anyone seeking peace and quiet and the desire to be indulged in nature. Considering the busy lives we have as students we don’t usually have time or the patience to go there but on Saturday I took the opportunity to visit this beautiful place and was impressed to discover that it is a true reflection of nature’s beauty.
I enjoyed my Saturday afternoon there with my friends, we had a picnic while we watched natures beauty before us, the still waters of the ponds unmoving while the wind rustled leaves and branches leaving our hair a mess, but it was worth it, a move away from the norm was a great experience. We played games on the open grass and after that it was great to just lie down and watch the clouds in the sky until the weather changed.
It was a wonderful experience and something which I wouldn’t mind doing again on a day where I would just like to clear away from the busy life.

By Sinayo

A Punitive Sense of Jargon

By Michael Mutizamhepo
The Journalism jargon blog is one that is very discrete; it stands out to be one of a kind. This blog as suggested by the name deals with the jargon that surrounds news. The blog contains information only for the audiences that are interested in understanding what lots of jargon stand for and how such helps us in understanding some kinds of news.

The blog is not is not a hard news blog therefore the target audience for this blog is very selective, this is detrimental to the catchment of the blog because jargon cannot be used in mass media. The jargon that is used in the blog dilutes the news and its value to the reader because some people will not be able to read the information and sometimes the news gets misinterpreted. The use of jargon in telling and retelling news reduces the credibility of the blog and the information becomes unreliable. There are examples like the English Blog were staff member have been fined for the use of jargon. This emphasizes that the use of jargon is not for the mass media.

Regardless of the use of jargon in the blog, the blog is very informative, it takes a tabloid fashion were it tells its audience about the facts that they found about the world. The blog according to my own understanding brings mixed feelings to the audience as to whether it is good piece of work or just mediocre. My judgment would be that the blog serves ‘its’ audience but not the mass media.

Rhodent "pleasure-boat", a necessity...

by Michael




I had never seen the Rhodent in such a happy happy mood! Ooh what did you expect, they also deserve time out. Believe me we really need a break… that is what I saw when I went to Equilibrium night club famously known as ‘EQ’.

To me this was the other side of Rhodes because everyone in the club seemed to be serious about what they were doing in the club. Listening to that loud music that almost burst my eardrums, I was in for some emphasis, I enjoyed, I have to say.

T a l l s p i r e s. a n d. t r a n q u i l i t y.

B y_K i m b e r l y

The cathedral in High Street stand tall, watching over Grahamstown with a kindly eye. Not being a religious person, I had not been inside the cathedral. On Tuesday morning, I decided to see just what this magnificent building contained.

A grand entrance welcomed me, and I stepped forward, pushing open the heavy wooden door. Inside, was an immediate sense of tranquillity, a stilness in contrast to the rushing traffic just outside. The interior of the cathedral was a sight of grandeur, stain-glass windows letting a spectrum of light into the vast space before me.

The experience was an intriguing one for me, entering such a beautiful place, but having no connection to it as I am not religious. I think I appreciated it more for its architectural value more than anything else.

Tweet: Tall spires and tranquillity: High Street cathedral http://worldissuegossipers.blogspot.com/

T a k e i t f r o m t h e m

B y_K i m b e r l y

Upon opening the blog called “Take it from us”, I was struck by the eccentric, colourful graphics that sat at the head of the page. My first impression had me taking an instantaneous liking to this blog.

The layout and interesting graphics used draw in the youth, aiming at funky designs and a fun, alternative look for what could be a very standard looking blog page. The use of a clipboard as the backdrop for their actual articles adds a twist to how we look at the articles themselves.

The style of writing follows a casual flow, a mixture of colloquialisms and slang that appeals to the student reader. Though the individuality of each blogger is clearly presented through their writing. However, there is an unnecessary lack of spelling and punctuation in many of the posts.

The variation of topics and ideas are innovative and interesting, personal accounts of their world around them. The graphic backdrop definitely stands out to be the blog’s strongpoint. First impressions really can make all the difference. This is a blog that will appeal to the young minds, creating the movement of ideas from one to another.

Tweet: Taking it one step higher, “from us”! http://worldissuegossipers.blogspot.com/

Equality of opportunity”, the true essence of the saying

As an aspiring journalist student it bothers me to see most young people unable to make their way through school because of funding, this seems to be a national issue and although bursaries and loans from the government have been made available it is still not enough to cover for every learner. Even for those people who merely seek skills development there seems to be no attempt made to assist them, more needs to be done if youth development is the main aim of the new government.
Implementing free education at institutions of higher learning may become a bit of a struggle but there should be ways in which more schemes from the government are put in place to accommodate students as one scheme will not be able to cover everyone, a change needs to be made with that.
It is the responsibility of every person to do the best that they can as it is survival of the fittest in this competitive world but a system that caters to everyone should be introduced even if it means free education has to be introduced to level the equality of opportunity, yes, it is up to each learner to work hard but how will this cover everyone if there is a lack of resources and funds? The government needs to again look at how they can assist our leaders of the future, more needs to be done.
By Sinayo

is it really a difference in interest or race?

Putting 105 girls in the same res, now there are bound to be some problems. We are the new res of this school and already we are being hated on. Despite the fact that other people hate us, we hate ourselves. There are so many bitter people here. Some people will just dislike you because you are loud and flamboyant.
When some won’t even have a reason why they hate you.
The most frustrating thing about this res is that when there are events, people will not attend. My house warden is always saying we are bitter and don’t show the spirit of togetherness. That only a certain group of people will attend events all the time when the other won’t. What is troubling here is the fact that we all know white people are the ones who do not attend any events. Yet they say it might be because our interests are different. When we have fashion shows, awards evenings, corridor parties and movie nights they will not attend. Well can someone say they are not interested in all those things?I think we must start being honest and stop sugar coating the fact that this is a race issue hence people choose to lock themselves in their rooms. It’s not a matter of different interest but more of a fact that all those events have an influx of black people and whites don’t want to mingle with them.

Rap Music, EVIL??

By Michael
Some people think rap music is evil, why? Do they mean to say that the rappers are evil? or they just mean to say that they ‘hate the game not the player’?

I strongly disagree to that notion of rap music being evil. It is just artists ‘spiting on the mic’. They talk sense just like any other kind of music artists. Rap music does not hesitate to bring out to the audience the hidden meanings of words in the worlds. But to some people, the moment one starts to listen to rap music, the more susceptible they are to a lifestyle of crime and deviance. Nick Noveli differs to this approach, he says that rap music is just a way of expressing one’s feelings, because everyone has something different to say, so are the ways of expressing the differences.

It is a fact however that rappers like T.I have been convicted plenty of times for serious crimes, therefore one can deduce from such facts that rap music is evil. On the contrary to conclude that rap music is evil is an overstatement; this is so because there are also genres like Gospel Rap or Holy Hip Hop. There are some artists like KJ52 and John Cook. What they sing is gospel in content and the medium they use is Rap which explains that rap is not evil, but maybe what one does after listening to it may be evil. Rap music has also been used to educate the people on what legends like Martin Luther King said.

So pay attention to the words, maybe forget the rhythm but Rap is not Evil!!

Top officials at it again

In the article “Mthethwa racks up another massive hotel bill” in http://Mail and Guardian Online ,the police minister Nathi Mthethwa has been accused yet again of using up the taxpayers money for personal interests, this is not the first accusation of this regard and it has been proven to be true. This just highlights the level of corruption that is present in senior positions, they are taking advantage of their position and abusing the money that they have access to.
In this article the police minister is exposed for spending holidays at expensive hotels with other police members and over days like Christmas and New year claiming to be doing police business. The article has a focus on political parties and what their views are of this situation, instead of trying to eliminate the problem or find the source of the problem, blame is placed upon the current leading party, making it once again a political issue more than it is a crime.
The money spent on the cars and hotel visits is the money that should be given to other police officers who are hard at work but earn peanuts as compared to the minister who is always getting privileges on his job, this article is merely a brief outline of some of the scandals that happen within governmental positions. The question we need to ask ourselves is why these people are abusing their power and why they are constantly voted into these positions.
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-10-19-mthethwa-racks-up-another-massive-hotel-bill
By Sinayo

S e r v e d with i c e?

B y_K i m b e r l y


The issue that I am covering is that of the effect of global warming on the polar ice caps. The British Times Online published a particularly interesting article on the matter, updating us on the status of the ice at the North Pole. Ben Webster’s article “The Arctic will be ice-free in summer within 20 years, research says”, addresses the very real consequences of global warming by stating the results of the most recent research expeditions.
A problem that we almost hear about on a daily tends to lose some of that initial impact. However, statistics can have a shocking effect, even on a well-covered event in the media. Ending with quite a bombshell, the articles reveals to us how the loss of sea ice have a much larger effect on our world than just the polar region: “Without ice to reflect sunlight, the Arctic ocean would warm more quickly, resulting in the release of greenhouse gases stored in the Arctic permafrost soils.” The eventual effect could lead to a rise in the sea levels causing flooding.
This is a reality that is always taken seriously. For many global warming is still an abstract concept. Providing statistics and the ever-updated results of scientific research can help this issue to hit home.

Tweet: “Global warming is forever catching up to our high-flying lives >>> http://worldissuegossipers.... (http://twitter.com/thatonekimmer)

public services failing our people

our hospitals are failing our people. Everyday people complain about the poor services they get from state hospitals. nurses are the most people who always gat bashed for their rudeness and lack of hospitality for the patients. But can we blame them? they work under the worst conditions ever. If there aren't enough beds, there is a lack of medication and the hygien is bad.

many patients get discharched from hospitals because there is no one attending to their needs. but who do we blame for such things?: is it the doctores or nurses who do not do their jobs properly? or is it the government and the department of health who choose to turn a blind eye and ignore all the problems happening in this country?

They say proper health care is a right but a report on http://www.news24.com about hospitals neglecting patients seems to disagree with that. It seems like people have to pray that they will get attended to. They wait for hours on end waiting for doctors to see them. The hospital stuff is expected to work miracles and save people's lives. but how are they supposed to do their job if everything is not working. They also get frustrated with the fact that they can't do their jobs because circumstances do not allow them to.
The government should do more to ensure that people get the proper health care they deserve. A lot of people in South Africa are poor and therefore cannot afford to pay for medical care. The government is supposed to be helping out because it seems like state hospitals are the worst in health care. We cannot always blame the nurces for ill-treating patients, the credit should also be given to the department of health.

Santana should go...

By Michael
The Bafana Bafana coach, Joel Santana's future is crumbling following the disappointing performance of the squad in both the domestic and foreign campaigns. Having had lost eight out of nine games that the squad has played in preparation for the 2010 World Cup, the future of the national team is bleak.
I totally agree with Daily Dispath's Monwabisi Jimlongo and Kariem Hassan that Joel Santana is faced with the axe. I do not think that the South Africa Football Association is going to tolerate more of the incompetencies of Santana. Regarding the fact that Santana had been given an ultimatum to win the next three matches including the one that he lost against Iceland, Santana might be skiting on thin ice for sure as commented by Monwabisi Jimlongo of the Daily Dispatch on the 15th of October.

Billy Cooper of The Herald had chat with the SAFA vice-president, Chief Mwelo. The vice-president confirmed that SAFA was going to meet to discuss the team’s performance. I do not agree with the views of Mwelo that there is still hope for Bafana Bafana. The Herald points out that the SAFA have not yet lost hope in the Bafana but instead in the coach. However Mwelo shows that he still has hope for the national team but I do not think that Santana is going to be the team coach during the 2010 World Cup because he has shown that he is not able to win the country glory.

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THA 200... watch out for the ethha...

nature's beauty

Photo by: Sinayo Vayisi

Going global: Discussing issues from around the world.


B y_K i m b e r l y

Debate is passion

by Sinayo

I love debate, I love issues surrounding politics, current affairs and anything that involves people and how they view the world, but should that really be what Journalism is about? Journalism broadens our understanding of the world, the people, and everyone’s role in society, the aim is to know more about the political world to ensure critical thinking. This blog offers just that, stories on environmental issues, the broad sense of the word where it covers everything from media, politics right down through to the natural environment, the idea is to cater to everyone as we all have different interests and should find out more about them.
The interest of current affairs is not one that is just understood by journalism students but everyone who is interested in participating in issues that could affect them at some point in their lives. I love the world around us, the way it works and why certain things turn out the way they do, it is great to have debates about the world around us and to analyse why things should be a certain way and who should decide why things are done that way. This blog aims to reach out to people, hear their views that are often neglected and it is also a place where there isn’t particularly a right or wrong answer but a battle of opinions which promotes intellectual and emotional participation from people of all ages. It is aimed to bring together people of all ages at a place where they can reach common ground because of discussing issues that are relevant and affect everyone. This is also a very personal aim to bridge the gap that occurs between people of different age groups because of the generation gap, for journalism is not about satisfying one group of people, I am a journalist that believes that if we all take interest in current issues it will be an important step towards intellectual capacity.
I hope that everyone will find it challenging to debate on issues that I will provide to you and that this will prove to be exciting and maybe even change most of our views of what journalism is about for the better. I am looking forward to this new chapter of involving people in things that matter to them, after all journalism is about the people, their lives so they deserve to have a say too.

Expresso by Kabelo

My mind is full of things, things I want to say. Things that drive me absolutely crazy that I feel like screaming when I think about them. I have so much to say, but there is no platform for me to say it. I sometimes have to contain my thoughts because they are sometimes things society deem inappropriate. Blogging will help me vent, help me say things without the fear that people will judge their content.

The world is full of so many beautiful things, so many sights to visit to appreciate nature and what it has to offer. But sometimes we miss the beauty of nature and life because there are so many problems in the world that dampen peoples’ spirit and stop them from living life to the fullest. Our blog is going to touch on all fields of life and everything that happens in this world. It is a place for people to express themselves in ways that won’t limit them. There are a lot of things that make people unhappy, be it politics or their personal lives. What we aim to do in this blog is provide people with information and also let them add whatever they want to it.

Journalism means a lot to me because it is a chance for me to tell people stories that will somehow change their lives. I realize that I am not important as a journalist but the job that I do is more important than me. The blog will have contents that will help people feel like they relate to what is written, capture things and moments that they never thought they would discover in their own space. Being a journalist involves more than reporting stories about the here and now, but it is more about tapping into ones emotions and feeling what you are writing as something that has a lot of substance.

This blog is going to appeal to universal people, those who can’t live without getting daily news. The main focus of it is going to be gossip because it is a very intriguing genre and people love scandals. Although it is going to be a fun blog that has issues that excite people, it will also include important facts. There are a lot of things that are happening in the world, things that do make society happy. A lot of scandals are out there and there are lies that are being told to the people. There is a lie that needs to be exposed, and exposing such things is what will make me happy.

'gossip' or news?

By Tinashe Michael Mutizamhepo

Is there supposed to be a difference between the term ‘gossip’ and news? Well in my opinion that is a question you as the audience really have got to answer. I am going to use this blog as a tool to communicate to you and find out what you think about various issues in the world whether they should be news or gossip or both! There is always news that surrounds the art of music and its different genres, now to be at service to your needs, I am going to cover all the genres to make you have a broad base of analysis. So let me be at your service all the way!
As a journalist who intends to be doing more of in-depth interviews and feature stories in the future as a journalist, I will not hesitate to drive you in a direction that satisfies all your questions. I am going to keep the world informed with the latest news about your favourite artists. This includes the ‘hottest’ shows around the world and news that surrounds all these shows and the artists.

This group blog is aimed at covering world issues in terms of all the political dimensions of the world, the environment that we live and the news that surround it. For instance ‘we’ as responsible citizens of the whole world would not just stand and watch the world deteriorate due to global warming. So we will excavate the issues behind the issues. Plus in the blog we shall not hesitate to feed you our audience with the latest gossip from around the world and by doing so we let you decide whether the news that we publish is gossip or just news... This therefore means that there is going to be wide coverage on the world wide phenomenonal experiences that we think might arouse your enthusiasm. Also not forgetting music and other entertainment news, things like your favourite artists latest albums, we will be the first to give them to you!

Use of the blog as a tool does not mean licence to abuse. I will not publish news that is not double-verified. Nor will I publish news from secondary or tertiary sources. That is why we always tell you where the published information is gotten from. So that you know we are not speculating, therefore you get to know that, “it is purely gossip and not a rumour.”
I am expecting reciprocation from my audience your input to this blog is of importance and by the way, you can start following now!

w h a t . i s. a r t ?

Tweet: What makes today's news? You decide. http://twitter.com/thatonekimmer

B y_K i m b e r l y

I love to be creative. Wondering around little streets and discovering interesting shops and alternative art galleries. But what makes art? A blog is a means of personal expression, as is art. Does that make a blog art? There is an everlasting debate about what makes art. Who decides? In the same way, we can look at the concept of “news”. Something that we are bombarded with throughout our daily lives. What makes an item news, and who decides this?

Our blog aims to expose its readers to the world of news, but at the same time opening the topic of news up for discussion. Have your say on whether you think what we’re discussing on our blog, really is news. After all, news can differ from culture to culture, as can art. Art serves a functional purpose in some African tribal societies, whereas in the western culture, it is made purely for observation and contemplation. News can differ and change in the same way.

I want this blog to be interesting; I want it to inspire creative thoughts, and creative responses. It is after all, a way of bringing together Journalism students worldwide, bringing together a myriad of ideas, opinions and cultures. We are addressing world issues in our blog, which makes it easy for anyone to contribute their thoughts to our page. World Issue Gossiping is about addressing worldwide news issues with a difference. Taking out some of the politics and introducing some of the fun.

The blog addresses a range of topics, though mainly focusing on sport, environmental issues, and of course, worldwide current events. My interest lies in the world of fauna and flora, and just how many magnificent creatures we have in this world, and how we have to learn to embrace and appreciate our special biodiversity. I aim to promote awareness about this through the blog, and would love to hear stories, comments and thoughts about the wildlife in your country, perhaps you can create some exposure to through putting the information out there for others like us to become aware of.

They say “safety in numbers”, but power in numbers too. The more people get involved, the better chance we have of starting the process of changing our ways in this world. “Every individual can make a difference.” – Jane Goodall, world renowned Primatologist and animal rights activist.