Traditional risk vs Modern safeguard

The year slowly comes to an end and with it the schools reach a close and many young individuals prepare themselves for that anxious wait as their papers are marked and the course of their lives finally decided as the education department works out the best way to release their marks.

A recent announcement from the Department of Basic Education has caused quite a stir as they prove to venture from the long standing tradition of the students finding their names in the newspaper. The spokesman’s reasoning for the change is understandable as he points out the unintended harm that the tradition has been the cause of in the past and one cannot blame him as the number of such cases is sadly more than one heart can take.

Surprisingly the change has garnered a mixed reaction. We see one principal arguing that there is nothing wrong with the tradition and that the department is being too ‘oversensitive’ about the issue.

But let us consider why the tradition began. Back in the day; when the technology that we are so used to being attached to these days, like cell phones, tablets, laptops etc. didn’t exist. Schools had limited options of how to release the student’s results. Thus the tradition was born.

However, to keep to that tradition in an age when we are practically drowning in the technology that more than enables schools to communicate with students and their families, are we doing more harm than good?

Looking at the students who were asked their opinion on the change, it is no surprise that there is a mixed response and the answer is simple. People are people, regardless of age. Those who do well would want the world to know and those who don’t are never comfortable sharing that knowledge or having it forced into public knowledge.

So then, for those who feel pressured by the very idea of their personal failures exposed for all to see, do we then modernise the system and save the many, or satisfy the others and keep to tradition and risk more lives lost?

The decision of the Department of Basic Education should no doubt take into consideration the voices of those affected, but at the same time those that speak should learn to listen at the other voices next to them as well, don’t you agree?

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/mixed-reaction-to-matric-results-plan-1.1787333#.VHcYhdKUdDA

Old people & Nurses

Old people… they are not a mysterious species that just one day ‘showed up’, we all know where they come from. The real mystery, or reality, is how certain old people get where they’re going and arrive as we know them.

Everybody knows the old lady or old man that you encounter in your stint at the hospital. It’s that person the nurses would be glad to be rid of and patients can’t believe exists. They are such a constant ever present thing, that if you have not ‘met’ one, for reasons other than never having been in the hospital, you ARE most likely that person.

But funny enough, it’s not just old people, they can be any age, yet for some strange reason their character is like cookie-cutter produced. Regardless of age, race or mentality [that they try to convince you they have] they remain the same.

But, I encourage you, do not ignore these patients. The ones who weep in the corner simply to keep your attention on them, take note, because it’s these people, my friend, these special individuals that make us take a step back and not just to look at how we’re living, sure that can be done, but they make you step back and take a look at a service not many people venture into these days and when they do, they don’t stay and it’s no science as to why.

These patients make you take a long look at the nurses of our modern era. Not the doctors, the nurses. Sure every country could use a few more doctors and specialized people like such, but I wonder, can the same be said about nurses?

It is indeed a special field of labour all its own. And despite the many strikes, which probably come from those desperate anyway, we always tend to fail to value this service as it should be.

From dealing with cranky patients who are tired of being sick and tired to dealing with doctors who may or may not have lost touch with their human side along the way. Nurses have tried to ensure that the term ‘bedside manner’ hasn’t been relegated to a simple forgettable term taught to trainees in nursing school.

While we see praise given left, right and centre for the achievements or the simple existence of doctors, it is rarely seen that such noise is made for the nurses who do so much more behind the scenes. But let the disgruntled few complain once and the world growls at them as if they’ve done some foul thing.

Despite the thankless nature of this job, there still exist the people who heed the call to care for people and do so to the best of their abilities and I can’t help but give my respect to them. Because let’s be honest, it takes one hell of a person to keep answering the call of a patient ringing the emergency button, in the dead of night, just to inform the night staff that ‘they are fine’.

So as the festive season rolls around, most likely one of the busiest times for these underpaid and overworked angels of medicine take a moment to think of them and maybe even thank them. As for those old people, take note of them too. Because despite the irritation they may cause you, without them you would never know the true value of a dedicated nurse at your bedside who still manages to smile your way.

The Modern Cuddle

The modern age has brought many things to mankind. Good examples can be technology like the cool new invisibility lens being played with by the scientists at the University of Rochester that is said to work in 3D, unlike the other known cloaking devices or things like advanced medicine as can be seen in the many treatment approaches to the Ebola virus outbreak that has been ravaging different parts of the world and could arguably be called the modern day ‘plague’. But one thing throughout all these many advances still remains the same and that is humans will remain human.

In a recent article I read how a woman from Portland, Oregon opened up a very interesting business, Cuddle Up To Me.

Now before your mind drops into the gutter- read on, because believe it or not, this isn’t an adult shop of any kind.

Samantha Hess basically charges customers $60 [R658.42] to spend an hour cuddling and she throws in some hair stroking and hand holding as well!

As crazy as it all sounds her business seems to be going crazy as people line up for a little platonic lovin’ and can you blame them?

It seems to me that along with all our modern day achievements mankind has slowly slipped further away from meeting our most basic need - human touch.

Sure we landed a man-made craft on a comet for the first time in human history, but have we figured out the root cause for depression?

Strange how with so many advancements in science that though we supposedly understand our species, we seem to apply that understanding less and less into our lives. It has me wondering if we really know anything at all.

Samantha got the idea for her business during a low point in her life, a point I’m sure many have reached at one point or another in their own lives.

It amazes me that all it took was the idea that some random’s warmth could brighten up a mood. But after thinking about it, it struck me that it wasn’t too much of a far-fetched idea. Because let’s be honest, ‘someone’ near beats no one around every time, right?

Peter Pan The Pantomime

You know it’s the festive season when every screen starts showing family shows and Santa keeps making a cameo every now and then whether it is in adverts or theatre productions. Recently I watched as Santa made a very extravagant, though slightly baffling, entrance as he came onto the stage of Janice Honey’s Peter Pan’s The Pantomime in a helicopter. Though his entrance was full of pomp and dance, it didn’t really make much sense, but considering the shows general extravagance and crazy wild confusion I suppose it was never meant to make sense and I guess it worked.

The musical production was a definite treat to enjoy, crazy confusion and all, as it took the festive theme and threw it into the story of Peter Pan along with a smacking of local South African flavour that made for more than enough entertainment for the whole family. That flavour was brilliantly brought out by the amazing actors whose lively dancing and constant excited movements dragged you into their world and kept you following along their crazy antics as they worked to keep their colourful world alive.

But the most entertaining of all must have been the brilliant dialogue that was so deliciously filled with the latest news. It was truly great to see that while the visuals were meant to keep the little people entertained and distracted, the seemingly endless monologues or chatter of the characters comically touched on issues from Nkandla to the Oscar trial. But it didn’t stop there as could be seen by the little nuggets of pop culture that were included every now and then throughout the play, such as Wendy referencing Katniss Everdeen, the main protagonist from the Hunger games trilogy, just as Captain Hook forces her to walk the plank.

It was truly a smart theatre production, though it wasn’t without its mishaps. One such mishap could be seen when Peter Pan tried flying in to save the day and fight Captain Hook, only to have his equipment fail him. But the cast was quick to recover from the delay, so much so that much of the audience wasn’t even aware of the delay while Peter Pan came running on stage through a side door.

Still as smart as the production was, the ending felt a bit like the chaos slipped a bit into the senseless for a moment before the cast tried to reign it back in again.

Another questionable aspect of the play was the vain objectification and beauty as shown with the Amazons and the princess, Tiger Lily’s body as well as her saviour who gets chosen by Captain Hook simply because of his looks. All this in a children’s play is a bit much, even if it’s meant to be directed as entertainment, satire or otherwise, for the adults bringing the children. 

But despite that, the play, as a whole is still worth watching as the actors work to bring about the festive spirit along with igniting the fires of our inner child as we watch the crazy fantasy play out. Everything works to excite the mind and will make you smile, even the blatant advertising that even the actors make no secret of hiding as they integrate it into their scenes without batting an eyelid.

It’s certainly a musical festival filled with recent chart toppers that’ll have you sinning along and even dancing along with the cast and leave you grinning as you exit the theatre.

The Power of Social Media

The power of social media is something of a scary thing. Just ask poor Steve Hofmeyr. It has the power to either make or break you as can be seen in a recent stunt pulled by an overseas marketing company that used a fairly attractive guy that worked at a certain institute using the twitter hashtag #alexfromtarget. The stunt proved the legitimate ability of the power of ‘word of mouth’ that has transformed into a simple push of the button and the results are nothing short of amazing.

Looking at the recent opening of the Magnum pop-up Store that welcomed customers through its bronze gates on the 1 November 2014 we see another company taking advantage of the power of social media as they use next-to-no advertising save for that of social media outlets such as twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Johannesburg Branch

The store encourages you to design your own magnum and then ‘snap’ a photo of it and share it with all your friends and followers. It’s practically free advertising for the company. The response has been extraordinary as people rush to get a taste of the exclusive ice cream at this one store as it remains the only one open in Johannesburg so far, as well as other international branches.

And people keep coming.

The lines keep the average person waiting close to two hours in line to pay R40 for a smaller than normal Magnum ice cream they saw in their newsfeed on one of their various social media streams.

Of course the reason for this is that it takes up to three minutes to fill out a single order per customer. The workers behind the counter, though smiling politely, does nothing to explain the different toppings set randomly out before you nor do they even give out any suggestions on any sort of combinations for you to choose from. Instead, they wait patiently on your order to scoop away and move along to the next customer.

Once the process is done, the photo shoot begins and the store even provides the frames in which to place your creation in.

No Frame...Just Because O.O

And the word spreads like wildfire as the lines extend seemingly into infinity, all thanks to a push of a button.

I can only imagine what their cost model looks like if you look at all this free advertising their customers basically pay them to have. It’s insanely brilliant. Honestly, it’s no wonder a brand like them found it comfortable enough to open one store here and there and be totally okay with it, even if it was a temporary one.

It makes for an interesting idea as to how future advertising will be as more and more companies are most likely to take to social media in ways that engage the customer while promoting their brand at the same time.