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Editorial Festive WishesIf you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, ChriFSMas, Yule, Arba'een, Mawlid an-Nabi, the Solstice, the Festive Season, Hogmanay, Kwanzaa, or the New Year: Have a Great Time, and stay safe! If you are travelling over the next few weeks, there are some common-sense things to do to make sure that you are still a reader of this rag next year. One, of course, is to not unsubscribe! Seriously, though, road safety is important, particularly considering the blatant disregard for the rules of the road that we now see constantly. Having good laws is not enough: Unless they are enforced, they are worse than useless. "Worse", because people who get away with breaking one law, will be emboldened to break others, and in the process set a bad example for the next person. It used to be only minibus taxis that used right-turn and left-turn lanes to cut ahead of straight-on traffic --now many more do it. What can you do? Obey the rules of the road yourself. Flash your lights and hoot at those breaking the rules. Take a break from driving every few hours. Do not drive if you have been drinking. Use roadworthy taxis. If your taxi's driver misbehaves, ask him politely why he is trying to kill you. Have a restful holiday! Odd JobsYou get “plaintiff cries” when the applicant in a court case feels hard done-by [usually "plaintive"]. March in DecemberWe live in interesting times. Three finance ministers in under a
week, and we worry about staff job-hopping after a year! There is now a #ZumaMustFall
hashtag, and an anti-corruption
march on Wednesday 16 December (tomorrow),
at 10:00 from Nelson Mandela Bridge, Johannesburg (also at the Union Buildings
in Pretoria and Parliament in Cape Town). From the fact that it is on a
public holiday, you can guess it was probably organised by Business! The unions and
political parties organise theirs on working days so that people get a day off
work --or am I just being cynical?
New on the Block, Movers and Shakers Back to top
Restaurant Review by Judith Back to top**** Love Fish, Morningside Shopping Centre, Rivonia Road, MorningsideOne of two recently opened restaurants in the centre, replacing Tsunami and Midori, which we had found customer unfriendly. Love Fish certainly is the place to go for a really good selection of fish and shellfish. They have a limited selection of very good wines. I opted for their mussels, which were lovely and plump, whilst my partner had their beer-battered fish. Well-done chips are not their high point, sadly, even after a second try. The service was very good and made for a pleasant and enjoyable lunch. We would go there again. Contact Details for Love Fish. ***** Pappadums, Morning Glen Mall, Kelvin Drive, Gallo ManorIt was a cold and stormy night, so we moved inside! This was our second visit to this venue and we opted to share the Tandoori Chicken. It was really good! This is going to become a favourite venue, as the service is excellent, the atmosphere peaceful and the food well-worth eating. They are also child friendly. Contact Details for Pappadums. Funny Language, English...The prefix, "re" means to do something again (redo, repaint, reframe). How come "recall" (as in "recall Zuma") doesn't mean "to call again"? Passed On: Back to top
Shopping News Back to topApart from its usual Saturdays, the Bryanston Organic and Natural Market at 40 Culross Road will be open on the public holiday on Wednesday 16 December 09:00-15:00, and having a Christmas Music Celebration. There will also be Moonlight Markets on Tuesday 15 and Tuesday 22 December 17:00-21:00 for last-minute handcrafted Christmas gifts and Christmas decorations, with live Christmas music and Christmas food. He Fort About it... then Fort onIn these challenging times, Julius urges everyone to "hold down the fort". Green Tip: Pets and Holidays Back to topWhat you should do before you go on holiday? Many pets become lost or abandoned during the holiday season. This is such an unnecessary problem that could be prevented by foresight and preparation for your pet when you go away. Read more advice from the Sandton and Eastern Metro SPCA on what to do for your pet when you are on holiday. Ranking high on the list of things that stress pets and cause them to run away, would be fireworks. Dogs can hear five times more acutely than humans; and cats about twice as acutely as dogs. Consequently, fireworks that do not seem loud to you, seem five to ten times as loud to pets. Nationwide, it is unlawful to discharge any firework in any building, on any public thoroughfare, or in any public place or resort without prior written permission of the local authority (Section 10.34 of the Explosives Act, No 26 of 1956). Fireworks on private domestic properties are regulated by local by-laws. Regrettably, some local authorities, including Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, allow them on designated days: Most of which are coming up. With reference to Diwali, the South African Hindu Maha Sabha put out a leaflet that says, “Banned: Big Bangs” in big red letters, and “Please … be sensitive to neighbours, animals, birds, etc.”. We have a neighbour who maintains that it is a festival of noise, not light, and it is his culture to turn the neighbourhood into a war zone every year.
Festive Tip: The Best Present Back to topResearch shows that, more often than not, bought presents are a disappointment; recipients tend to value gifts at less than they cost to buy. This is logical, if you think about it, because unless you know someone really well, you will not know what they like. However there is one gift that can not be undervalued and is always appreciated, particularly in recessionary times. It does not require expensive gift-wrapping. It is durable, colourful and decorative --containing intricate designs, and pictures by South Africa's best artists-- yet valued for itself. It is available in five handy sizes, either directly from the manufacturer in Midrand, or at thousands of outlets countrywide, so you don't need to hunt for it. Ask at your nearest FIB, GRABSA, Substandard, or Nerdbank for this season's hottest gift: Cash! At the Checkout"Christmas, with its spirit of giving, offers us the opportunity to reflect on what we all most sincerely and deeply believe in –-I refer of course to Money" –Tom Lehrer, introduction to his song "A Christmas Carol". |
Your name in print! Would you like to contribute a shop- or restaurant review, a less obscure joke, or something else for this Newsletter? Please e-mail us. You will get full credit (unless you want anonymity). Reach 6,307 shoppers and shop-owners: Advertise in this newsletter! Editor: Rick Raubenheimer.