And so we still have the potholes. Despite my pleas. Only now they seem to use a slightly darker colour gravel to fill these craters. So now the loose gravel is less visible. Now we are going to have fun and games going through corners on anything with wheels.
While on the topic of pebbles; I have another one in my blue suede shoe: Litter. Roadside litter. Specially brought in and imported from the Eastern Cape. Normally transported by busses proudly displaying a logo of some church from Flagstaff or beyond on the rear window.
These busses, filled to scary permutations of capacity, do regular stops on the way to the South Coast, to allow passengers the chance to purchase or otherwise obtain items of edible origin and purpose. These are then consumed and the packing material (the red little boxes with the caricature of the cute little yellow chicken on the side) is stored en masse in the bus while travelling North on it’s way to Durban....
....until it reaches the first bridge over the toll road at Ramsgate, or if that one is occupied, the next, or then any other available illegal stop.
Then these bothersome boxes, bottles and plastic bags are promptly removed by some of the passengers and dumped next to the road while some of their fellow travellers-in-time take the golden opportunity to biologically relieve themselves. All this in clear view of whoever wants to see. Pity is that many small children walking our roads see this and accept this manner of behaviour as the norm.
And we sit with the rubbish that is whisked away by the fresh coastal breeze and left hanging from fences and roadside bushes. "Eish!"
One last cry of anguish: Persons travelling in the modern version of the German Tiger II Tank or nowadays called the Minibus-Taxi, consuming liquid refreshments and then unceremoniously throwing the glass bottles out the window, to shatter and subsequently spread it’s deadly load of thousands of razor sharp particles over a vast area of road where thin tyres on bicycles, tender skin on children’s feet, soft cushions on animal’s feet get cut and stabbed and destroyed.
How can we ever dream of educating or stopping these beings from turning our lovely coast into another neglected dump? Am I crying into the wind here? Next time you see something like that, show your disgust vociferously or any way you feel would be appropriate. I know what I normally do but it will not be fit for printing.
And then my apologies for my own minister’s latest little steps. I fully realise that to be able to publically deny the existence and origins of a killer viral disease, to single-handedly destroy a centuries-old profession, to run a whole government department into a fraud riddled heap of cow dung, to cripple the public healthcare system, to sink the provincial hospitals, all these and then to be in her position of power purely and solely by the grace of her great friend Thabo, must be enough reason to have a nightcap in the hospital. Or maybe two or three. Point is not to be caught. Especially not by the press.
*******************************************************************************
This coming week is Deaf Awareness Week (DAW). It is a week dedicated to educating the public about hearing loss, deafness, deaf culture and sign language. The aim is to ensure that hearing people understand deafness and the culture of the deaf community.
A person who is unable to hear some sounds is said to present with hearing loss.
A person who is able to hear some sounds is said to be 'hard of hearing'.
A person who is unable to hear any sounds is said to be 'deaf'.
The ear is made up of three parts i.e. outer, middle and inner ear. Hearing loss can result from an obstruction or damage in any of these three parts.
There are three main types of hearing loss:
Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is an obstruction in the transmission of sound to the inner ear. The problem lies in the outer ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss which is caused by the inappropriate functioning of the cochlea or the hearing nerve.
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of the above.
Excessive accumulation of ear wax or infection of the auditory canal in the outer ear can cause temporary hearing loss. Perforation of the eardrum, infection or fluid in the middle ear and otosclerosis can lead to difficulties in hearing. The natural aging process, excessive exposure to noise, medication that is toxic to the auditory system and head injuries can also cause hearing loss.
Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss
* Discharging ears
* Ear-aches/pain in area of head/ear
* Ringing, buzzing and roaring sounds in the ear
* Swelling around ear
* Blocked sensation in the ear
* Frequent requests for repetitions
* Sits near the television or has the volume loud
* A baby’s babbling ceases around six to eight months of age or the babbling is replaced by screaming.
* Insufficient language development as the child grows and difficulty in following instructions.
Prevention of hearing difficulties:
* Attend to ear-aches, discharge and discomfort in the ear immediately
* Do not ever insert any objects into the ear canal
* Do not instil ear drops not prescribed for yourself into your ears
* Do not expose your ears to excessively loud music
* Be aware of the causes of hearing difficulties and its applicability to yourself
* Screen your hearing ability regularly.
A hearing test is carried out using advanced equipment that allows the audiologist to identify the site, severity and possible cause of the hearing loss in patients from newborns to geriatrics. Management can either be medical; i.e. referral to ENT or rehabilitative, i.e. hearing aids, sign language training, etc. Hearing people tend to have a number of myths and misconceptions about deaf people.
DAW aims to discredit these misconceptions by educating the public and making them aware of the true nature of deafness.
Always remain positive and relaxed when communicating with the deaf. Show that you care; your attitude can build confidence.
**********************************************************************************
Allergieë neem met rasse skrede toe:
Twintig jaar gelede het dokters geskat dat sowat een tot twee uit twintig mense aan hooikoors, asma, ekseem of ander vorms van allergieë ly. Nou toon navorsing dat tot een uit elke vyf mense aan 'n allergie ly. Met stuifmeel as een van die allergie-prikkels vir hooikoors en asma, is Suid-Afrikaners in die lente en somer meer as ooit vantevore van allergieë bewus.
'n Mens kan op enige ouderdom 'n allergie ontwikkel, maar kinders (en veral seuns) is die vatbaarste. Anders as wat medici aanvanklik gemeen het, blyk dit dat kinders nie juis allergieë ontgroei nie, maar net een allergie afskud om 'n ander een te ontwikkel. Dit blyk wel dat die intensiteit met ouderdom afneem.
Die immuniteitstelsel van allergiese mense "oorreageer" op allergene - stowwe wat skaars deur die oorblywende 80% van die bevolking se immuniteitstelsels opgemerk word. Verskillende allergene kan verskillende simptome ontlok. Dit kan wissel van rooi en waterige oë, hooikoors, asma, 'n jeukende veluitslag, galbulte, diarree en 'n skielike verlaging in bloeddruk tot 'n skokreaksie en selfs bewussynsverlies.
Die meeste allergiese reaksies is bloot lastig, maar geen reaksie wat tot asemhalingsprobleme, slukprobleme of duiseligheid en bewussynsverlies lei, moet onderskat word nie. Dit kan lewensgevaarlik wees en kan noodbehandeling verg.
Sommige mense het 'n hoër risiko om allergieë te ontwikkel omdat omgewings- sowel as genetiese faktore ter sprake is.
Die genetiese faktore bepaal hoe jy op 'n allergeen reageer, maar die allergiese reaksie word eers in werking gestel as jy daaraan blootgestel word.
As albei ouers aan allergieë ly, is die kans 75% dat hul kinders ook allergiese reaksies sal ontwikkel. As dit net een ouer is, daal die kinders se kans tot 50%. As nie een van die ouers probleme ondervind nie, is daar steeds 'n 10%-kans dat die kinders een of ander allergie kan ontwikkel.
Die belangrikste allergene:
Stuifmeel: Die stuifmeel van die bloekom-, eike-, doring-, olyf-, wilger-, sipres- en plataanboom is die algemeenste, terwyl stuifmeel van kikoejoegras en fynkweek (Bermuda grass) veral hooikoors veroorsaak.
Huismyte: Dié piepklein goggatjies is 'n algemene oorsaak van asma. Hulle hou van warm, vogtige plekke soos matrasse en gestoffeerde meubels. Daar is gemiddeld 10 000 myte, wat van afgedopte mensvelletjies leef, in 'n matras.
Troeteldiere: Die velskubbe, droë speeksel en urine van katte, honde, rotte, muise, hase, marmotte, voëls, perde, koeie, hoenders en talle ander diere kan allergieë veroorsaak. Veral kat-allergene kan maande lank in die lug sweef en tas sowat die helfte van alle asmalyers aan. Budjiemis kan ook ernstige longprobleme veroorsaak.
Sigaretrook: Selfs passiewe rook veroorsaak asma.
Medisyne-allergieë: Die antibiotiese middels penisillien, swawel-bevattende medisyne, barbituraat-behandeling teen epilepsie, insulien, sommige narkosemiddels en kleurstowwe wat ingespuit word vir sommige skanderings, kan allergiese reaksies ontlok.
Voedsel-allergieë: Sowat 2% van die volwasse bevolking en 2%-8% van kinders ly aan ware voedselallergieë. Die meeste daarvan word deur grondboontjies, eiers, suiwelprodukte, koring, neute, soja, vis en skulpvis veroorsaak.
Ander allergieë: By- en perdebysteke kan ernstige allergiese reaksies ontlok.
Raadpleeg jou dokter as jy een van die volgende simptome het:
Kwaai maagkrampe, naarheid, braking of diarree - dit kan voedselvergiftiging wees;
as jy moeilik asemhaal of pyn ondervind met asemhaling - dit kan asma of 'n hartaanval wees; as jy skielik galbulte ontwikkel saam met 'n gejeuk en vinnige hartklop - dit kan die aanvang van 'n anafilaktiese skokreaksie wees;
pyn in jou sinusse, koors en 'n neus-afskeiding - dit kan 'n hardnekkige sinusontsteking wees;
'n hoes en verkoue wat nie binne tien dae verdwyn nie;
'n geswelde gesig, veral om die oë en van die lippe en mond; of as die simptome skielik erger word of oor-die-toonbank-antihistamiene nie jou simptome verlig nie.
Moenie dié simptome ignoreer nie.
While on the topic of pebbles; I have another one in my blue suede shoe: Litter. Roadside litter. Specially brought in and imported from the Eastern Cape. Normally transported by busses proudly displaying a logo of some church from Flagstaff or beyond on the rear window.
These busses, filled to scary permutations of capacity, do regular stops on the way to the South Coast, to allow passengers the chance to purchase or otherwise obtain items of edible origin and purpose. These are then consumed and the packing material (the red little boxes with the caricature of the cute little yellow chicken on the side) is stored en masse in the bus while travelling North on it’s way to Durban....
....until it reaches the first bridge over the toll road at Ramsgate, or if that one is occupied, the next, or then any other available illegal stop.
Then these bothersome boxes, bottles and plastic bags are promptly removed by some of the passengers and dumped next to the road while some of their fellow travellers-in-time take the golden opportunity to biologically relieve themselves. All this in clear view of whoever wants to see. Pity is that many small children walking our roads see this and accept this manner of behaviour as the norm.
And we sit with the rubbish that is whisked away by the fresh coastal breeze and left hanging from fences and roadside bushes. "Eish!"
One last cry of anguish: Persons travelling in the modern version of the German Tiger II Tank or nowadays called the Minibus-Taxi, consuming liquid refreshments and then unceremoniously throwing the glass bottles out the window, to shatter and subsequently spread it’s deadly load of thousands of razor sharp particles over a vast area of road where thin tyres on bicycles, tender skin on children’s feet, soft cushions on animal’s feet get cut and stabbed and destroyed.
How can we ever dream of educating or stopping these beings from turning our lovely coast into another neglected dump? Am I crying into the wind here? Next time you see something like that, show your disgust vociferously or any way you feel would be appropriate. I know what I normally do but it will not be fit for printing.
And then my apologies for my own minister’s latest little steps. I fully realise that to be able to publically deny the existence and origins of a killer viral disease, to single-handedly destroy a centuries-old profession, to run a whole government department into a fraud riddled heap of cow dung, to cripple the public healthcare system, to sink the provincial hospitals, all these and then to be in her position of power purely and solely by the grace of her great friend Thabo, must be enough reason to have a nightcap in the hospital. Or maybe two or three. Point is not to be caught. Especially not by the press.
*******************************************************************************
This coming week is Deaf Awareness Week (DAW). It is a week dedicated to educating the public about hearing loss, deafness, deaf culture and sign language. The aim is to ensure that hearing people understand deafness and the culture of the deaf community.
A person who is unable to hear some sounds is said to present with hearing loss.
A person who is able to hear some sounds is said to be 'hard of hearing'.
A person who is unable to hear any sounds is said to be 'deaf'.
The ear is made up of three parts i.e. outer, middle and inner ear. Hearing loss can result from an obstruction or damage in any of these three parts.
There are three main types of hearing loss:
Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is an obstruction in the transmission of sound to the inner ear. The problem lies in the outer ear.
Sensorineural hearing loss which is caused by the inappropriate functioning of the cochlea or the hearing nerve.
Mixed hearing loss is a combination of the above.
Excessive accumulation of ear wax or infection of the auditory canal in the outer ear can cause temporary hearing loss. Perforation of the eardrum, infection or fluid in the middle ear and otosclerosis can lead to difficulties in hearing. The natural aging process, excessive exposure to noise, medication that is toxic to the auditory system and head injuries can also cause hearing loss.
Signs and Symptoms of Hearing Loss
* Discharging ears
* Ear-aches/pain in area of head/ear
* Ringing, buzzing and roaring sounds in the ear
* Swelling around ear
* Blocked sensation in the ear
* Frequent requests for repetitions
* Sits near the television or has the volume loud
* A baby’s babbling ceases around six to eight months of age or the babbling is replaced by screaming.
* Insufficient language development as the child grows and difficulty in following instructions.
Prevention of hearing difficulties:
* Attend to ear-aches, discharge and discomfort in the ear immediately
* Do not ever insert any objects into the ear canal
* Do not instil ear drops not prescribed for yourself into your ears
* Do not expose your ears to excessively loud music
* Be aware of the causes of hearing difficulties and its applicability to yourself
* Screen your hearing ability regularly.
A hearing test is carried out using advanced equipment that allows the audiologist to identify the site, severity and possible cause of the hearing loss in patients from newborns to geriatrics. Management can either be medical; i.e. referral to ENT or rehabilitative, i.e. hearing aids, sign language training, etc. Hearing people tend to have a number of myths and misconceptions about deaf people.
DAW aims to discredit these misconceptions by educating the public and making them aware of the true nature of deafness.
Always remain positive and relaxed when communicating with the deaf. Show that you care; your attitude can build confidence.
**********************************************************************************
Allergieë neem met rasse skrede toe:
Twintig jaar gelede het dokters geskat dat sowat een tot twee uit twintig mense aan hooikoors, asma, ekseem of ander vorms van allergieë ly. Nou toon navorsing dat tot een uit elke vyf mense aan 'n allergie ly. Met stuifmeel as een van die allergie-prikkels vir hooikoors en asma, is Suid-Afrikaners in die lente en somer meer as ooit vantevore van allergieë bewus.
'n Mens kan op enige ouderdom 'n allergie ontwikkel, maar kinders (en veral seuns) is die vatbaarste. Anders as wat medici aanvanklik gemeen het, blyk dit dat kinders nie juis allergieë ontgroei nie, maar net een allergie afskud om 'n ander een te ontwikkel. Dit blyk wel dat die intensiteit met ouderdom afneem.
Die immuniteitstelsel van allergiese mense "oorreageer" op allergene - stowwe wat skaars deur die oorblywende 80% van die bevolking se immuniteitstelsels opgemerk word. Verskillende allergene kan verskillende simptome ontlok. Dit kan wissel van rooi en waterige oë, hooikoors, asma, 'n jeukende veluitslag, galbulte, diarree en 'n skielike verlaging in bloeddruk tot 'n skokreaksie en selfs bewussynsverlies.
Die meeste allergiese reaksies is bloot lastig, maar geen reaksie wat tot asemhalingsprobleme, slukprobleme of duiseligheid en bewussynsverlies lei, moet onderskat word nie. Dit kan lewensgevaarlik wees en kan noodbehandeling verg.
Sommige mense het 'n hoër risiko om allergieë te ontwikkel omdat omgewings- sowel as genetiese faktore ter sprake is.
Die genetiese faktore bepaal hoe jy op 'n allergeen reageer, maar die allergiese reaksie word eers in werking gestel as jy daaraan blootgestel word.
As albei ouers aan allergieë ly, is die kans 75% dat hul kinders ook allergiese reaksies sal ontwikkel. As dit net een ouer is, daal die kinders se kans tot 50%. As nie een van die ouers probleme ondervind nie, is daar steeds 'n 10%-kans dat die kinders een of ander allergie kan ontwikkel.
Die belangrikste allergene:
Stuifmeel: Die stuifmeel van die bloekom-, eike-, doring-, olyf-, wilger-, sipres- en plataanboom is die algemeenste, terwyl stuifmeel van kikoejoegras en fynkweek (Bermuda grass) veral hooikoors veroorsaak.
Huismyte: Dié piepklein goggatjies is 'n algemene oorsaak van asma. Hulle hou van warm, vogtige plekke soos matrasse en gestoffeerde meubels. Daar is gemiddeld 10 000 myte, wat van afgedopte mensvelletjies leef, in 'n matras.
Troeteldiere: Die velskubbe, droë speeksel en urine van katte, honde, rotte, muise, hase, marmotte, voëls, perde, koeie, hoenders en talle ander diere kan allergieë veroorsaak. Veral kat-allergene kan maande lank in die lug sweef en tas sowat die helfte van alle asmalyers aan. Budjiemis kan ook ernstige longprobleme veroorsaak.
Sigaretrook: Selfs passiewe rook veroorsaak asma.
Medisyne-allergieë: Die antibiotiese middels penisillien, swawel-bevattende medisyne, barbituraat-behandeling teen epilepsie, insulien, sommige narkosemiddels en kleurstowwe wat ingespuit word vir sommige skanderings, kan allergiese reaksies ontlok.
Voedsel-allergieë: Sowat 2% van die volwasse bevolking en 2%-8% van kinders ly aan ware voedselallergieë. Die meeste daarvan word deur grondboontjies, eiers, suiwelprodukte, koring, neute, soja, vis en skulpvis veroorsaak.
Ander allergieë: By- en perdebysteke kan ernstige allergiese reaksies ontlok.
Raadpleeg jou dokter as jy een van die volgende simptome het:
Kwaai maagkrampe, naarheid, braking of diarree - dit kan voedselvergiftiging wees;
as jy moeilik asemhaal of pyn ondervind met asemhaling - dit kan asma of 'n hartaanval wees; as jy skielik galbulte ontwikkel saam met 'n gejeuk en vinnige hartklop - dit kan die aanvang van 'n anafilaktiese skokreaksie wees;
pyn in jou sinusse, koors en 'n neus-afskeiding - dit kan 'n hardnekkige sinusontsteking wees;
'n hoes en verkoue wat nie binne tien dae verdwyn nie;
'n geswelde gesig, veral om die oë en van die lippe en mond; of as die simptome skielik erger word of oor-die-toonbank-antihistamiene nie jou simptome verlig nie.
Moenie dié simptome ignoreer nie.
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