Numbers Explained

How did the numerals 0- 9 actually get their shapes - Interesting.

Do you know why numbers look like they do? Someone, at some point in time, had to create their shapes and meaning. Watch this video and then you will know how our Arabic numbers were originally created a very long time ago and what logic the people that created them used to determine their shapes. It is really very simple and quite creative?

You have to admire the intelligence of a person or people that created something so simple and perfect that it has lasted for thousands and thousands of years and will probably never change?

When the presentation gets to the number "seven" you will notice that the 7 has a line through the middle of it. That was the way the Arabic 7 was originally written, and in Europe and certain other areas they still write the 7 that way. Also, in the military, they commonly write it that way. The nine has a kind of curly tail on it that has been reduced, for the most part nowadays, to a simple curve, but the logic involved still applies.

Click on the video and be amazed.

Compliments of an anonymous email sender.

Horse Racing Thrills

During our family road trip in April we drove past the Singapore Turf Club in the Kranji area. Horse racing? It does not sound very exciting but trust me it is. It's a sure bucket list item that everybody should experience at least once. I love horses but even for the average Joe this is very thrilling and cost effective entertainment.

We were fortunate to attend the Durban July back home a few years ago with the Harley Club and also a company Team Building event at the Greyville track on another occasion. You would not think it but you get roped into the whole experience quickly, placing your bets and then screaming support for your horse as they come down the main straight towards the winning line.

In Singapore you have to fork out $100 as a local to enter a casino and even then your entertainment can last for a very short period before you run out of money. Going to the races will cost you $3 or if you upgrade to the air conditioned Upper Grand Stand, $7. Pretty good value for a 5 hour or so afternoon or evening of entertainment.

Dressing like you are going to the beach is not allowed so do check the dress code on the website. There is a food court where you can enjoy local food delicacies and the main entrance is just outside the Kranji MRT.

The funny thing about horse racing is that even back home when casino's were banned this form of  "gambling" was very acceptable. It's not "gambling" but "betting". Personally, I do not see the difference but who am I to question that one. Any case, next time you are looking for a thrill and something to do with your friends or family on a weekend definitely try out this one. Highly Recommended and yes, we will be going to the Singapore Turf Club soon.

Dress up, take some binoculars, wear a hat and go and have some tremendous fun. When a pack of thoroughbred horses come thundering around the corner into the final stretch you will forget all about your worries.

Top 3 Horse movies of all time (My Choice).

Seabiscuit
The Black Stallion
War Horse

Boardwalk Empire

I started watching the critically acclaimed television series, Boardwalk Empire this week and it is absolutely brilliant. Not every body's cup of tea I am sure but I have always been fascinated by gangster movies and shows. I am convinced it will never be shown in Singapore based on the censor laws but lucky for me it can be downloaded . The show warnings include, adult content, adult language, graphic violence, nudity and sexual content.

Written and produced by Terence Winter who also brought us my other big favourite, The Sopranos. Two seasons has been made so far with season three starting in the fall. Directed by one of the movie giants, Mr Martin Scorcese the show has been nominated for 18 Emmy awards and to date have won 8 including Outstanding Directing.

Created by HBO, the show kicks off on the night that American Prohibition comes into law in 1920 and centres around real life character Enoch L Johnson, a political figure who rose to prominence and controlled Atlantic City during the prohibition years.

The lead actor is one of my top five favourites, Steve Buscemi and he is absolutely brilliant. His not a "mainstream" actor and often does unconventional roles in movies like Millers Crossing, Barton Fink, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, The Sopranos and his best performance before this one in Fargo. He also writes and directs and has featured in many of the Coen Brothers movies over the years.

His portrayal of "Nucky" Thompson is right up there with some of the best. The show is critically acclaimed for its visual style and basis of real life historical figures. The music score is also top notch and the plot does not disappoint. The show is explicit and not for the sensitive and fainthearted. A very interesting look into life during this era and how society dealt with and reacted to prohibition.

Definitely my alltime number one and can not wait to watch the rest of season 1 and 2.

Check out the trailer.

Facebook Debacle

I toyed for a long time whether I should invest some serious money in the IPO Listing of FaceBook. I thing is sure, I am extremely glad I did not listen to my instincts on this one because I would have lost some serious money very quickly.

Compared to some other big name tech giant IPO's, LinkedIn and Google which saw there share prices skyrocket and investors making some serious profits, Facebook shares have gone in a total negative and is currently trading some $6 per share lower than the original listing price. That equates to some serious losses if you have a substantial amount invested.

The lawsuits are mounting up and rumours of large investors having privileged information are going around. Read the full story here

This time I did the right thing and stayed out of this one. Good luck to those people who took the tumble.

Advertising Curse & Coming Up

I have been frustrated with the television and the on line world for some time now but have resisted to voice my issues until I heard that General Motors are withdrawing all their advertising from Face book as they are not getting a realistic return on their investment. I know why. It's because the advertising on both mediums have become absolutely ridiculous.

You can not watch any television programs live as a result of the intense advertising being thrown at you during the broadcast. You watch 5 minutes followed by 7 minutes of ads over and over. The only way, and thank the stars for that is to tape the program and then watch it with your finger on the fast forward button. The other thing that really gets me is the same ads being repeated time and again.

Obviously the people who work for advertising companies do not watch television else they would have realised we do not actually watch the ads. No, I go and make coffee or do some other in between task and then continue to watch my program. It's outrages to say the least. I know everybody must make a buck, but try something different people and let us enjoy the television experience again.  If you show adds before and after the program it will most likely get more attention.

The Internet is even worse. It's in your face and shoved down your throat. There is "Skin" advertising which pops up all over the page you actually wanted to view, banner adds, video add inserts etc.etc. Even You Tube videos are full of the shit. Nothing worse than trying to watch a quick video and being forced to first watch a 30 second video on some soap, shampoo or miracle skin product. Really???

The worst is watching a beautiful music video with the add in the corner and every few seconds sounding some message. This happened to me yesterday and I just closed the video and took a smoke break.

Coming up, next. in the next episode and after the break. When I  hear those words I truly want to have a breakdown. I absolute do not want to know what is going to happen in the remainder of the program I am watching. It's like reading the last page of a book and then trying to enjoy reading the book. What's the point. Like watching a rugby or soccer game and half time they show you a preview of the second half action and goals scored. Come on.

Once again and fortunately I have resorted to taping my favourite programs and then fast forward all the "preview" crap. The point of watching any program is not knowing or having glimpses of what the program is all about. The people who invented this concept should be shot. It's criminal and ruins the pleasure of watching television.

No more live TV for me. It's just so painful with all the ads and the previews on top of it all. To tell you the truth I have deliberately not bought products as a result of their intrusive and irritating advertising and that can not be good for any company.

There, I had my gripe session and honestly I can not be the only person that feels that way. Maybe I should start an on line anti advertising campaign.

Bee Gees Tribute

Robin Gibb, co-founder and one third of the iconic Bee Gees has died after a two year struggle with colon and liver cancer. Very sad news but I have no doubt their music will live on for generations to come. Their music has been part of my life and there are so many beautiful songs.

The Album./Concert that stand out above all for me is One Night Only. Absolutely awesome, in HD DVD format and features all their great hits including a tribute to their younger brother (Not part of the Bee Gees), Andy who died in 1988.

They gave us hits like Massachusetts's, Tragedy, I Started a Joke, Staying Alive, Night Fever and You Should be Dancing to mention a few but my favourite is still Morning of My Life. Read the full Rolling Stones article here

And who can forget their performance of Immortality with Celine Dion on the same album.



RIP Robin and thanks for all the great music.

Robin performing Massachusetts's. Awesome

Casey Stoner Quits MotoGP & Ask Rossi

The 26 year old, double world champion stunned the world yesterday when he announced he will quit MotoGP at the end of the season for "Family Reasons" In an interview Casey confirmed his intention to quit as a result of changes in the sport he loves but over the years with the balance of changes being negative.

Casey said he no longer enjoys the sport. Article here. Inn a Ask Velintino interview,  Rossi said this is a great shock and MotoGp is losing a great rider. Check out the video here for some very interesting facts about Rossi. He also confirmed that he will not quit and would like to race for at least another 2 years. Who is the rider Rossi would have liked to race against the most? Kevin Schwantz

A Tragic Accident & Outrages Responses

I will start this posting with my personal view that the accident on the weekend with a reckless Ferrari driver causing an immense tragedy that will effect many lives fore ever. My personal condolences to all the families effected by this tragedy. This tragedy is about a reckless, possibly drunk and definitely speeding driver killing innocent people. It has absolutely nothing to do with who the driver was. It could have been anybody.

Before I give my honest and direct response let me make it clear why I am uniquely qualified and experienced to do so. I grew up and lived in South Africa for 49 years. I pondered a response since the weekend but after reading some of the on line forums, comments and postings I have no other option. Some of the Netizen responses over the past few days have infuriated me to the point that I can no longer not respond. It's outrages, stupid and extremely dangerous.

I have seen discussions, responses and forums about negative sentiment towards foreigners, why Singapore is becoming racist, discrimination against foreigners, a nation doomed because of loose immigration laws and the final straw, is Singapore becoming xenophobic. I can make the following statement without any doubt or conviction.

You have no idea what these words actually mean in reality and what effect it has on society and a nation. You have never been in a war, most definitely do not no what racism is in reality and have no comprehension what so ever what xenophobia is in real life. These words are being thrown around with a total lack of understanding and responsibility.

I have lived and experienced racism, apartheid, discrimination and even xenophobia first hand and believe me when I say, I do not wish that on anybody, not even my worst enemy. It destroys the human spirit, rots society and brings down nations. So here is a firm warning for all you Netizens fuelling the negative sentiments. Be careful. As an on line community we have to be responsible and that means not using the social media to promote your own hidden agendas and misguided views.

If you can not be objective and turn a tragedy into a political, hatred instilling discussion, maybe you should refrain from commenting. I actually feel like I am back in my home country and trust me that is not a good feeling.

This was a tragedy caused by a reckless driver, bottom line.

P.S. My admiration goes out to the Government response to the Taxi Drivers Family.

An Inclusive Society - Is it a Dream ?

I have been keenly watching the multitude of debates, discussions and forums on this topic. Only became aware of this "Hot Topic" during the Budget process earlier this year where it was highlighted as a priority to the future of a stronger Singapore. It's been discussed and debated and continues to be so on a weekly basis.

This is  a multidimensional and complex challenge. So what does it mean in a nutshell.

"People's life changes  are maximised. They have access to the services and facilities they need. The needs of specific groups such as disabled people, minority and ethnic communities, older people, children and young people and faith groups are met. People have a sense of "belonging" to the community, they interact with other in the community, are able to use community resources and are in touch with networks within the community"

The Singapore Government made this a very high priority in the Budget stretching over the next 5 to 10 years to address this problem but is it a dream or can it be reality. There are some very serious problems and the current hot topic is the 400,000 plus Singaporeans who live on an average of $1500 or below per month per family. That equates to roughly $300 per person which is one very serious issue.

The Prime Minister commented on his Face book last week that the by-election should not distract the country from focusing on national priorities and building an inclusive Singapore. You can read the  article here and also an edited version of remarks made by the Deputy Prime Minister from The Straits Times in January.

This "Dream" can not be achieved merely by the Government distributing resources. The people of Singapore and I do mean "all The People" who live here has to come to the party and be part of the process if there is any chance to achieve an Inclusive Society that will be sustainable in the long term.

And this is where my own situation becomes very prevalent. I am a Expat, "Trailing Spouse" (I hate the label and what it means) and although I really like Singapore there is no sense of belonging for me personally. In fact the opposite is the reality.

Don't get me wrong. I fully understand all the "protection" laws the Government have to ensure the Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are looked after, but here is the problem. Currently about 28% of the Singapore workforce are foreigners and as I stated in my earlier posting  Ageism & Good News for Foreigners this will not change until at least 2030.

In fact, there will be more foreigners, equating to about a third of the population and if they are not part of the "Inclusive Society" the dream will not be achieved. I have seen so many conflicting reports. We need, we do not need them and so on. A good example is the upcoming National Day Celebrations. As a Non Citizen or Permanent Resident I do not qualify for a ticket to attend although  I really would have been proud to attend.

Other concerning trends I have noticed since arriving here last year are the increase in drug related activity and arrests, teenage prostitution as a result of materialism, foreign maids and their issues (Leave, Salaries and safety in their workplace), gambling addiction and related issues and the general low wage situation currently under discussion. There, my humble observations and I do applaud the Singapore Government on the strategic direction they have taken to achieve an Inclusive Society.

I am also very glad I am not a politician.

Here's a thought. Maybe the foreigners can also contribute towards this goal if they have a sense of belonging?

Beer Saved the World

I watched a very interesting Discovery program that I feel should be shared with everybody. It's called "How Beer Saved the World" and a real mind blower. How can that be? Impossible but true. The greatest invention of all. Without beer we would still be living in caves. It has changed the course of  history over and over and laid the foundation to what the world is today.

It all started with BEER

9000 years BC, hunter gatherers accidentally discovered beer and started farming barley to make more of this feel good drink that made life much more interesting. This is 3000 years before people started making bread and archaeologists have proven this by residue found in ancient jugs. And so the agricultural revolution came about which led to an explosion of technologies. The wheel, farming equipment, creating borders, maths, irrigation, bookkeeping and more important the first Written Language.

Giza

Beer built the Pyramids. That's right. Egyptologists have discovered that without beer the Egyptian civilisation would not exist. Beer was considered a Gift from the Gods and a vital source of nutrition. It was consumed in life and beyond. Everybody drank this low alcohol 3% beer and it was a staple food and common currency. The daily wage for a pyramid builder was 1 gallon of beer and it took a whopping 213,500 million gallons to built the pyramid of Giza. Fascinating?

Beer beat modern medicine by 3000 years and cured the sick. By studying mummified bones it has been discovered that they contain Tetracycline (Antibiotics) that was only officially discovered in 1948. So how did they consume it if it did not exist. It's been proven by brewing beer with a 3000 old recipe that the beer contained tetracycline which was consumed by everybody and kept them healthy.

In medieval Europe the rivers was lethal and water made people sick. Beer brewing removed the bacteria from the foul water and saved millions of people in the process. Actually it was the boiling in the brewing process that killed the bacteria but they did not know this back then. the In the late 1600 every man, woman and child drank beer and consumed an average of 300 liters per person per year. That is six times the modern day consumption of beer. Beer brewing was critical to the development of the medieval economy and spearheaded modern day capitalism.

Without beer the settlers would never have made it to America. Water went bad on the journeys but beer stayed fresh helping the settlers to make the journey to Plymouth. There the settler refused to drink water based on their experience in Europe and when the beer ran out, they turned to nature and brewed the first acorn beer. Beer established the first communications network by way of the Tavern and in 1773 sparked the American Revolution in the Green Dragon Tavern in Boston. The rest is history.

Beer is proof

that God Loves Us

and wants us

to be Happy

Benjamin Franklin

With the American Independence won, beer was free to take on it's next big challenge, Disease. Beer is the basis of modern medicine. In the 1850's, Louis Pasteur made a remarkable breakthrough in the causes and prevention of diseases. He invented pasteurisation and vaccines and most people belief he was studying milk. He was actually studying beer and why it became spoilt which led to his remarkable inventions.

Beer took on it's next big Challenge, HEAT. Heat meant rotten meat and vegetables and as a result of a new beer arriving with German Immigrants in 1840. Lager needed to be brewed at low temperatures and the brewing industry invested heavily in the research of refrigeration. The first commercial refrigerator was created for beer in 1881 and changed our world forever. Cheers.

Most people belief that the factory was created by Henry Ford, but they are wrong. It was beer who revolutionised the industry and automated the production line at least 10 years before Henry Ford and put America on the road to become an economic power. The first automated machine produced beer bottles and complete eradicated child labour as a result.

And there you have it. Beer gave us some of our greatest inventions. What would a rugby game or braai be without a cold one, but is seems beer has not reached it's final frontier. The 4Pines Brewery in Australia is working on a Space Beer and that comes with some serious challenges. With the age of space tourism dawning on us how would you enjoy your holiday without a cold beer? Beer to the rescue again. CHEERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you want to watch the full program and learn even more check it out on You Tube or download from EZTV

I will finish off with Twenty Things Worth Knowing about Beer

Navigating by Postal Code

My wife shared an interesting and fact with me which she discovered at work during a business analysis session. Singapore postal codes are actually assigned to individual buildings. I had to investigate this one some more.

Postal services has been available in Singapore since the island was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. Postal Codes codes were created for purposes of sorting mail and are usually assigned to geographical areas like cities and suburbs.

In South Africa we had four digit postal code which basically tells you in which city or suburb you resided. Singapore has a 6 digit postal code which actually tells you exactly where the building is located. Other countries like the UK and the USA also use this convention.

So why is this so cool. Well, it means you can use your postal code for other purposes like finding a building on satellite navigation systems without knowing  the actual address. If I know the postal code for let's say my house, 578589, searching it on Google maps gives me this result.

Exactly where my house is located. Cool. As the postal codes are building specific you can also use it for other creative purposes.

Calculating distances between postal codes. There is actually a web wizard for this. A more interesting one is determining geographical sales territories for representatives like in the pharmaceutical industry.

The South Africa mail system started in a boot shaped box under a gnarled milk wood tree in Mosselbay. In 1500, one of the Commanders of Cabral ships, Pedro De Ataide, left a letter of importance in an iron pot shoe under this tree on his return journey from the East. The letter was found by Commander of the Third East India Fleet, Joao De Nova in 1501 on his way to India. And that's how it started.

We visited this National Monument on holiday in 2010. You can still mail a letter from there today.

Most Xtreme Golf Hole

One from the homeland and certainly the most amazing golf hole in the world by far. The Legend Golf & Safari Resort in the Waterberg region of the Limpopo Province in South Africa has a world class, 18 hole Championship Golf Course with a serious twist. The course was designed by 18 Top Flight Golfers from all over the world and if you fancy a thrill walking into some lions while playing your round this one is for you.

The Golf Course does have one very unique feature that certainly sets it apart from all others. A Xtreme 19th Par 3 hole atop a cliff more than 1400 feet above the green. You need a helicopter to get you to the tee box where you will play your shot down to the green designed in the shape of the African continent.

It is 631 yards to the pin and your shot will take about 30 seconds to land. A round of golf will set you back about $300 US but you do get a helicopter ride, curios and a DVD to show all your friends and thrown in a view that allow you to "see into your future" to say the least.

If you do manage to get a hole in one which is highly unlikely considering the odds, you will earn a million bucks. Worth a shot?

Check out the video of Padraig Harrington and Raphael Jacquelin playing the hole. Pretty Extreme!

Valentino Rossi "Quits"

"Where there is Smoke there is Fire" and although it's only a rumour going around at the moment it certainly would not surprise me at all. His dream of racing an Italian (Ducati) has certainly come at a very high price. Must be very frustrating to say the least.

I have been a Rossi fan since he started racing on the world circuit and he is the greatest racer on two wheels the world has ever seen. Sadly his move to Ducati two years ago has not turned out very well for him. Last year he failed to win a single race in the history of his career and only made the podium once.This year has certainly not kicked of very well either and he is currently ninth in the championship.

How is it that when he changed from his beloved Honda to Yamaha he managed to win the championship the same year on what was considered a sub standard motorcycle and now two years into his stint with Ducati he keeps on going backwards? Maybe the Japenese engineers are just better than the Italian engineers?

I doubt Rossi has lost his racing ability overnight. His a natural so give him something he can compete on. If he does quit at the end of the season I will truly miss watching him race but I can not blame him for wanting out of this current dismal situation.

As a fan I have been cursing Ducati, so I am sure it can not be good for their sales in anyway. I would not be seen dead on one at this stage. Sure, there are many other good riders at the moment but they lack the one big thing Valle brought to MotoGP. Personality, excitement and flair.

Good luck Valle, whatever your decision.

Singapore, Desirable or Corrupt

Relax! The post title was a ploy to lure readers. Before I get my head taken of here is the good news. Singapore was ranked 5th overall in the 2011 Corruption Perception Index. The Index ranks countries/territory's based on how corrupt public sector is perceived to be with 0 being highly corrupt and 10 considered very clean. Singapore scored a 9.2 and it is nice to know I live in a country which is in the top 5 worldwide.

Sadly, my home country, South Africa came in at number 64 with a score of 4.2. No surprise there.

In another survey conducted by recruitment firm Hydrogen and business school ESCP Europe, Singapore has moved up two places in the Most Desirable place to live and work and is now in the 4th spot. The three most popular places remain the US, UK and Australia but their dominance is waning.

And now for the appropriate picture for desirable. If you google the word you get loads of pictures of hot woman, a few men and a car or two. So this one goes to my home country without a doubt.

She is one of the Top Ten Most Desirable Women for 2012. Candice Swanepoel, a stunning, blond, blue eyed, 5'9' Victoria's Secret Model from South Africa and that's all I am allowed to say about her. Anything more and I will sleep with the dogs. Enjoy.

Hang on, this is not what the posting is about. How did I get so distracted? Damn Google. So here is the picture I meant to put in.

Somehow does not have the same effect???

Ageism and Good News for Foreigners

Since arriving here and having the official Expat label, I have taken a keen interest in the local politics and related strategies and future direction. Who knows, I might end up staying here for much longer than planned and I do like Singapore.

Two weeks ago I watched a local TV program called the "Singapore Live Debates" with the topic of discussion titled, "Ageism, a necessary Evil for progress in Asia". The final outcome was against the motion but the debate did raise some very interesting questions. Ageism, basically a "Nice" word for discrimination against individuals or a group because of their age and in this case specifically directed towards the elderly.

Where should Asian countries focus their resources? Towards the young to ensure proper education which will lead to a productive society and in turn ensure continued financial growth or towards the elderly? Tricky question, as we all get old and the decisions you make today might catch up with you in future. Singapore , however has another bigger problem. A declining birth rate and increase in ratio of people over sixty five years old to the number of 1 - 64 years old. Life expectancy has also gradually increased which means more older people who will need support with less younger people to actually provide the support.

Earlier this year during the annual budget speech the Government announced that they would reduce the immigration cap and maintain a 25% ratio. Friday, however in a newly released report by the Institute of Policy Studies it was made clear that immigration was inevitable for Singapore if it was to slow down the growth in older generation and the labour growth rate fall.

The report puts Singapore’s population at 6.8 million in 2030 — up from the current 5.2 million — if the proportion of foreigners in the population is raised to 33 per cent. At the current fertility rate, with 30,000 new citizens or permanent residents a year plus non—residents in the mix, the support ratio for every elderly person aged 65 and above to a working adult is 1 to 10. In about 20 years, this will be halved to 1 to 5, even if the proportion of foreigners in the country goes up to 33 per cent.

African and Asian cultures have relied on the young to look after the old for centuries but as the ratio becomes less Governments will have to allocate resources and provide for the elderly more and more. The fact that people live longer and longer as a result of improved medical technology's will have an even greater effect on this global problem.

Compensated Dating & No More Cannabis

The past week has been very challenging for me. First, I was to start my dream job on 01 May only to find that it had for some reason not materialised. Utterly devastating to say the least. Then I got seriously ill with some flu bug, had to visit the doctor twice, and had to cancel my trip to Chiang Mai due to my illness. Not your pleasant week but that's live. Big, big  thank you to all my friends and their support the past week.

I digress. The blog is not about my personal issues so here goes. Let's spice up the Friday and cruise into the weekend.

In the past two weeks the local news has been flooded with discussions and forums about the 44 Men that were caught in a sting operation for having sex with a under aged prostitute in Singapore. Some high fly business men, a principle, some civil servants and other naught individuals. They secured the services on the net and the argument is that they did not know how old she was.

The latest discussions are about whether the prostitutes should also be accountable? In a discussion this morning they eluded to some form of law that will force "service providers" to state their age to clients. Really? That must be the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Do they really believe this will have any effect at all. It's like asking a under aged teenager going to a pub for a sneaky drink how old he/she really is?

Surely the focus should be on whether prostitution is legal or not?

Just look at the Enjo Kosai trend in Hong Kong. Yes, it is a new word for me to but wait for it. It is the term used for "Compensated Dating". By definition it's not prostitution as there is no guarantee for any sexual favours. Basically, teenager girls providing a "Dating" service for older men with lots of money so they can uphold their expensive lifestyle. How is that not prostitution?

Normally I would provide a story link but for obvious reasons I will point you to You Tube in this case. Quite an eye opener to say the least. Search for Sex in Japan BBC and do not watch in an non secure area. Oops I mentioned it.

I have been to the Netherlands in the late 90's on a business trip and it was quite an experience considering I came from South Africa. New Dutch "Cannabis Card" laws came into effect last Tuesday to stamp out the sale of cannabis to foreigners and tourists. Basically, only citizens with a "Weed Card" will now be allowed to indulge legally in having their favourite joint in the coffee shops.

Further tougher rules, set to take effect nationwide from next year, effectively turn coffee shops into private clubs with no more than 2,000 members, who must be over 18 and legal residents of the country.

There has been lots of protests and speculation on what effect this will have on Marijuana Tourism in the country. Guess we will have to watch this one and if this is one of your past times you better make friends with a local very quickly or get a medical prescription?

Here is an interesting question. Did nobody learn anything from the Prohibition in the United States ?

It does not work people

As soon as you ban something it goes underground, becomes "attractive", even dangerous and in the end you do not achieve anything. It leads to corruption, criminal activity and attract people who would normally not be interested. Like forbidden fruit.

Forbidden fruit is any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of knowledge that cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but is forbidden to have.

Expat Blog Enhanced

The Expat blog has added some super new functionality to assist you in making it easier to find a job and housing no matter where you are.

The Expat blog was created as a participative website dedicated to expatriation and life abroad 7 years ago. The blog facilitates the gathering of blogs on a unique platform for all expatriates blogs all over the world. They are indeed a great way to get information about real life in a foreign country.

Over the years, new features have been added to the website such as forums, guides, albums. and a business directory. Expat blog now has more than 420,000 members and 1,8 million visitors per month.

The Expat blog has just launched 2 new features to help expats and soon to be expats. Jobs and Housing. Finding a job and accommodation are essentials to succeed in your expatriation project and often where the adventure begins.

Great new functionality. Check it out.