#best fence in Pretoria | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sagen101 · 2 years ago

Text

Energy Generation Repair Industrial Generator Repair & Refurbishment

Having an electrical fence surrounding your premises offers you a way of comfort and safety. We have expertise with different fencing applications and you may depend on us if you generator services want a brand new fencing installation and repair service. Through our Electrical Power Systems department, we provide energy-efficient, fully-integrated power generator installations constructed for reliability in unpredictable circumstances.

This implies that Tristen will be able to spend extra time in your specific concern ensuring the best possible quality workmanship. Tristen is geared at creating generator service and repair a long-term relationship with shoppers and can thus always be able to walk that further mile for you. Tristen take pleasure in repairing electrical tripping issues frequent in Pretoria.

3 Phase or single part can be installed to suit clients needs. Rigging + We supply an intensive vary of apparatus and recommendation for a broad variety of rigging and lifting necessities. Transport Solutions Finance, sales, upkeep, repair and aftermarket assist generator repair services of DAF Trucks. As an business leader in the powerful tools industry, Talon Tools brings a wealth of experience to the industrial tool’s market. Let our team set your thoughts comfortable with the proper energy answer.

Yes, our companions offer a 24/7 call-out service and can do viable repairs after hours. Engine failure is vulnerable to happen when engines usually are not serviced on time or are serviced incorrectly. Engine failures are normally caused by using the oil for too many hours or not using the proper oil.

Throughout our site it is feasible for you to to see familiar model names. You also can visit our retailer in Pretoria if you'll like to purchase any of those products. If in an unfortunate occasion harm was brought on on your property or a motor has stopped functioning correctly, you'll find a way to contact us for a citation on any gate or garage door repairs or ugrades. JD Gates & Automation strives to supply all of our clients with skilled, dependable and value effective Access Control, Security and Automation Services.

This, backed by our capability to provide the proper recommendation, service plans and maintenance offers you the peace of thoughts you need to know that you have a “power partner” in The Generator King. All of the above strategies may be well suited to the design analysis of the thermal efficiency of a generator rotor. However, the issue arises when particular tolerances and assembly variations arise through the repair or rewind process of the rotor that cannot be accounted for by the model.

Just enter the kind of service you need and your location to find trusted businesses in your area. The older the generator becomes, the extra regularly you will want to perform repairs and replace parts. I had an issue with the primary swap, and he got here and altered it for me. An hour depending if the repair is finished at the workshop or on-site and whether it is business hours or after hours. Additionally, you could be charged for any parts that will have to be replaced.

Wear and tear due to use is one of the causes of electrical issues in houses and companies. At some point, the electrics in electrical tools will fail. Electrical faults are dangerous to your safety and when you suspect that there could be an electrical fault, instantly contact our certified and licensed electricians at once. We supply a one hour emergency electrical drawback resolution to all our purchasers in Pretoria, Centurion and Midrand.

This is also but another excuse why you should name us if you’re in want of generator repairs. We constantly go the additional mile for our clients to make certain that we’re exceeding your expectations, time and time again. A generator acts as backup energy when a blackout or load shedding prevents the grid from sending electrical energy to your home as ordinary. Generators function by burning fuel and reworking generator repair the engine’s mechanical vitality into electrical power which could be utilised to power varied electrical units. Getting knowledgeable to carry out services and repairs may also hold your automotive in fine condition for years to come back, saving you money in the lengthy term. Whether you need your driveway gate repaired, automated, or even need a brand new gate put in.

We are committed to honesty and excessive morals in all dealings, each internally and externally. FAWDE engines are used extensively all through the world within the FAW range of heavy vans and industrial automobiles it's now being used to energy turbines. The principal of this college mentioned they needed to spend an unbelievable amount that they had not budgeted, to search for different power supply solutions due to the constant power failures in Bethal. The service just isn't nice for a "upmarket" store or focusing at "upmarket" clients, i.e. not your "common Joe".

0 notes

dstv-21 · 4 years ago

Text

DSTV Installation Sandton

Do you live in Sandton and desirous of watching your favourite TV channels and programs? If yes, then satellite television is the best option for you. DSTV is the most popular satellite TV in South Africa. It is owned by MultiChoice and opens the doors to a world of entertainment in your living room. DSTV Installation Sandton will install the system in your property to enable you to get entertained through programs and movies of your choice at any time of the day.

We are an accredited DSTV installer with tons of experience in installing satellite, dish, and HD PVR on our customers' premises. Our customers continue to get uninterrupted entertainment once our engineers have completed the installation process. Contact you Dstv installer to find out more.

DSTV installers star excellence

Many companies are offering DSTV installation services to customers in Sandton. But DSTV installation Sandton is the most popular and much-loved service among these companies. We provide DSTV installation services to homeowners and businesses like hotels, guest houses, hospitals, lodges, and shopping malls. Our engineers take just half an hour to install all the necessary equipment and later start the service of satellite television for the customer.

We come across harried homeowners regularly. They make the mistake of calling up unknown companies for DSTV installation and pay the price when they cannot enjoy channels. Our installation is perfect, and you continue to enjoy TV channels without any problems.

Competitive DSTV installation prices

No, you don't have to pay a high price for using the services of an accredited DSTV installer. On the contrary, you pay DSTV installation prices that are standard and much less than what is being charged by unscrupulous installers. Also, you get original and compatible equipment to be used with your TV. It is a prerequisite to enjoy uninterrupted services on satellite TV. Many customers feel our services must be costly because of our popularity in this field. It is a misconception, really, and you can check out our DSTV installation prices by paying a visit to our website. You can also get a fair and honest quote by filling the details of your property.

Authentic DSTV repairs for total peace of mind

The equipment used by DSTV Installations Sandton is original and genuine. Being accredited with MultiChoice, the quality of equipment installed on our customers' premises is also very high. It means that you can continue to enjoy your favourite TV programs and movies without any interruptions for a long time to come.

However, if your DSTV develops a technical snag over some time, DSTV Installations Sandton is always there with its DSTV repairs. All you have to do is give us a call, and our engineers will arrive on your premises in a quick time. They check the equipment and the connection and rectify the issue to your satisfaction.

In addition to DSTV installations, we provide many other services to our customers in Sandton. These include TV Mounting, Wi-Fi Installations, Electric Fencing, Gate Motors, CCTV Camera, Garage Door Repair, Intercom, Security gate, Garage Door Motor, and Alarm Systems.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DStv

We cover:

#dstv #dstv installations #dstv installers #dstv repairs #dstv now #multichoice

1 note · View note

fume-knight-of-shovelry · 5 years ago

Text

Gency Week 2019, Day 4: Morning Glory (Affection)

(Couldn’t do every day, but here’s one of the two I was able to write!)

There was something simple about zoos.

Certainly, the best ones were marvels of architecture, urban design, animal behaviorology, marketing and conservation. None of this was lost on Genji and Angela as they wandered from exhibit to exhibit in the sweltering South African heat.

But more present than any of that was the basic, satisfying fulfillment of being able to observe the great diversity of nature, how it had led to beings so varied and distinct and meaningful in their own way. It helped put their own place in the world, however small it was, in perspective. They, and all of humankind, were merely one element of this vast web of life, and needed to appreciate the connections the world was built on.

That was what had driven them to go to the Pretoria Zoo on their vacation, and partake in the marvels of nature. They’d travel to the national parks and observational safaris later: the zoo was not the lesser for being man-made.

“Genji, look!” Angela gestured with an outstretched hand at the sign in front of them on the path, the silhouette of wide-flapped ears and protruding tusks making the target all too obvious. “Elephants!”

He smiled, taking her by the hand and leading her on the fork in the road to the exhibit in question. He’d shed much of his suit for the occasion, and was grateful for the sunhat and spots of shade along the path: even with its thermoregulation, wearing his entire suit would have quite easily led to heatstroke.

The habitat was massive, larger than some of the sports stadiums that he’d beheld, but he shouldn’t have been surprised. The world’s largest land mammal needed plenty of space, after all, and lots of socialization.

Though it looked like part of that burden was being addressed in a rather novel fashion.

Angela beamed, clapping her hands softly and bobbing from foot to foot. “Oh, I didn’t know they had a baby!”

They were hard to miss. The calf—the signage on the fencing said her name was “Ithemba”, daughter of the male “Ibutho” and one of the females, “Umaluki”—was about four months old, still dependent on her mother for learning, security, and food, though there was little risk of anything bad happening in such a wide, protected space. Her trunk, still uncoordinated and untrained, flopped from side to side as she chased her mother clumsily across the savannah that made up much of the exhibit. Ithemba was already quite large, easily big enough to bowl Genji over if she charged at him playfully.

Of course, when next to the titan that was her mother Umaluki, it was clear that she still had a lot of growing to do.

“She seems to be having a good time.”

“Oh, you haven’t seen anything, dear. I don’t know if there’s any here, but if she finds mud, she’ll have the time of her life. If elephants are anything like rhinos, they—”Angela stopped, grinning sheepishly at her husband. “I’m babbling, aren’t I?”

“It’s fine.” He smiled into her hair, keeping his gaze focused on the leathery, stumbling calf. “I like listening to you talk.”

“You’re too kind, Genji.” Any further comments were forestalled as Ithemba caught up to her mother—or, more likely, Umaluki had slowed to let her come closer—and began butting her smaller head against her parent’s pillar-sized legs. Gleeful little trumpeting noises sounded out as the baby got the attention she deserved, and her mom rewarded her child with a comforting nuzzle on the forehead with her massive trunk.

The two of them had always been aware of just how emotive, how intelligent elephants could be. Angela’s medical training hadn’t jaded her to the point of brushing off their many behaviors as non indicative of some sort of cognition, even if her adherence to the scientific method instilled in her a hefty skepticism for wild, improbable conclusions. Genji’s less pragmatic frame of mind left him more open to implausible possibilities, but even he approached new information with an air of caution.

But there was no other word for it. The tenderness in Umaluki’s strokes of her trunk around her daughter’s clumsy, unbalanced body while Ithemba leaned into her mother’s legs was the surest indicator of tenderness that they’d ever seen. It was no less real than the devotion they felt for each other, embracing in the Pretoria sun.

#gencyweek #gency week #gency #overwatch #elephants

11 notes · View notes

canyousevmyheavydirtysoul · 6 years ago

Text

Cape Town. (Part 5.2) (Ryan Ross x Reader)

“So,” you addressed Ryan as the two of you leisurely strolled through the bustling streets of the surrounding area just outside the central business district of Cape Town, “Are you enjoying Cape Town so far?”

The both of you had come to an agreement that you would forfeit the bet and pay for lunch, just so that you could sneak out of the museum and get away from your meddlesome friends.

(Y/B/F) and Brendon were unbelievable; their attempts to get in between the two of you carried on through the beginning of the scavenger hunt – with (Y/B/F) asking you stupid questions like what you needed to study for your exam in six months time and Brendon pestering Ryan for his thoughts on what songs should be on their setlist for their concert at the end of the trip – until you got fed up and decided to ditch the museum and go for a walk instead.

“Oh yeah,” he answered with an enthusiastic smile, “I’m having the greatest time! I mean, we all are,” he chuckled nervously and looked down at the sidewalk, “but me especially.”

“Good to hear,” you playfully nudged him with your elbow, shooting him a smile that he oh so eagerly returned.

The two of you were strolling past a building that had a mural painted on its side and Ryan halted as he pointed at the portrait of a black, afro-haired woman raising a closed fist into the air. The fist was surrounded by a strikingly yellow circle, and it was quite obviously the focus of the mural.

“Hey, I’ve seen this symbol a couple times and I’ve been meaning to ask you… what does it mean?”

You couldn’t stop the wide grin that spread across your face as you sauntered over to the mural; Ryan trailed closely behind you.

“So you obviously know that the Apartheid era lasted from 1948 to 1994,” you tilted your head to address Ryan, who nodded in confirmation, “One of the most hated Apartheid laws was the Pass Law. It allowed the government to control the influx of black men into the cities by stating that all of them had to carry a pass, and only those carrying said passes were allowed access into urban areas. Oh, and passes were only allocated to those who found employment in the city.”

You took a few steps forward and ran your fingers along the paint on the wall. “Before the 50s, only black men were required to carry passes but then in 1952, the government announced that black women would also have to carry them. Understandably, that did not go down well with the masses,” you chuckled shortly, “The idea began in 1955 at a meeting of the Federation of South African Women, where a suggestion was made: ‘Let us go to Pretoria – the nation’s capital – ourselves and protest to the Government against laws that oppress us.’,” you paused, smiling at the thought.

“So they did?” A wide-eyed, super concentrated Ryan queried, unconsciously stepping closer to you.

You nodded proudly and turned to smile at the musician, raising one brow. “On the 9th of August, over 20 000 women of all races marched in unison to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to hand over a petition to the then prime minister, Hans Strijdom. Leading the march were Lilian Ngoyi and Albertina Sisulu, Helen Joseph, and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, who were black, white, and coloured, respectively. So as representatives of each race group in South Africa, they carried the petition for presentation to the Prime Minister. But being the coward that he was,” you growled, grinding your teeth, “when he caught wind that 20 000 boss-ass, strong women were coming for him, he arranged to be somewhere else so he wouldn’t have to accept the petition from a ‘multicultural group of women’, so in his place, it was accepted by his secretary.”

“What a douchebag,” Ryan mumbled under his breath, scrunching up his face in disgust.

You nodded in agreement with Ryan’s statement, before inhaling deeply and continuing. “The women then stood in silence for thirty minutes before singing Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika – our national anthem – and then,” you sighed dreamily, reaching out and dancing your fingers across the words painted along the bottom of the wall, “then they sang this little beauty, here: Wathinta umfazi, wathint’ imbokodo!”

“What does that mean?”

Slowly, you balled your fist up and raised it up into the air. “You strike a woman, you strike a rock.”

“Wow, that’s…wow,” Ryan breathed, at a loss for words and moved by the strength and unity of the women.

“And even though the march was against the Pass Laws, it led to significant changes towards the emancipation of women. It was an incredible display of the strength and ferocity of all women, and it’s left a phenomenally impactful legacy in our country. Which is why in 1995 – a year after South Africa became a democracy – the 9th of August became a public holiday known as National Women’s Day, in remembrance of the inspirational 20 000 women who took a stand against their male oppressors.” You took a step back from the mural and looked at Ryan, shoving your hands in the back pockets of your jeans. “That symbol is so much more than just a hand gesture.”

“Forgive my language,” Ryan held out his hands in a premature apology, “but those were some fucking badass women.”

The two of you shared a laugh as you resumed strolling down the street.

“They sure were,” you agreed with a bob of your head before smirking cockily, “and I’d like to think that their descendants are substantially badass, too.”

Ryan sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and squinted as he raked his gaze over you in mock deliberation.

“Mm,” he hummed a moment later, shaking his head, “nope. I don’t see it.”

Letting out an offended scoff, you reached out and lightly shoved a sniggering Ryan, who in turn stumbled to the side a little.

“Come on,” you laughed along and cocked your head in the direction of the street heading back to the museum, “we should start heading back.”

The musician nodded in agreement as the both of you started on the journey back.

“So Ryan,” you said soon after.

“So (Y/N),” he smiled back.

You giggled quietly and stretched your left hand to the side, gently brushing it along the leaves of an overhanging tree branch. “I’ve been disclosing historical information to you for the past week; I think it’s your turn now. Tell me some of the history of Ryan Ross.”

Ryan sucked in a deep breath before letting out a low whistle and ruffling the hair at the back of his head. He turned to look at you with a lopsided grin. “You want the short story or the full on exposé?”

You shrugged casually. “Up to you.”

“I’ll tell you whatever you wanna know.”

Blushing somewhat, you transferred your attention over to the next tree you were approaching, this time pulling a flower from its branches. “How about we start with the obvious,” you suggested, twirling the bud in your hand, “How long have you been playing music for?”

“When I was twelve, I asked my parents to get me a guitar for Christmas, which they did. And Spencer’s parents got him a drum kit, so we had mini jam-sessions together and I guess it just grew from there,” Ryan shrugged and smiled slightly as he thought back to his earlier days.

“So you and Spencer have known each other since you were kids?” you queried, a tiny bit shocked by the revelation; you had assumed that they’d met in high school.

He nodded fervently. “Yeah, we met when I was six and he was five,” he paused to let out a laugh as he recalled how exactly they had met, “I was hitting golf balls across the fences into the neighbours’ yards and accidently wacked him in the head.” He turned and gave you a proud grin. “We’ve been best friends ever since.”

“Cute,” you chuckled, returning his grin with a lopsided one of your own.

“So yeah, we started playing music together and started a band.”

“Panic!?”

“Nope,” he shook his head, “our first band was called Pet Salamander – don’t ask me why; it’s a long story – and it was just the two of us. I’d do vocals.”

“I like hearing you sing,” you admitted somewhat shyly, choosing to look down at the flower in your hand as opposed to his face – the face that was now turning ruby-red. “Brendon has an impeccable voice, don’t get me wrong, but it’s nice to hear you featured on certain Panic! songs.”

“Really?” he gaped, staring at you in disbelief; he found it hard to believe that you were speaking the truth.

“Yeah,” you confirmed, finally looking up and tossing a sweet smile at the musician. One that made his heart flutter and his stomach do cartwheels.

“Th-thanks.”

He cursed himself over the fact that that was all he was able to get out.

“No thanks necessary,” you assured him, “So what kinda music were you guys into?”

Ryan cringed. The fact didn’t go unnoticed by you, leaving you to urge him on. “When I was little,” he sighed, giving in to your prompts, “I used to listen to country a lot. I even, uh,” he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment and his voice dropped to a mumble, “used to dress up as a cowboy.”

“You’re lying,” you gawked, amusement evident in the sparkle in your eye.

Ryan sighed in defeat and fished his cellphone out of his pocket, pulling up a picture of a much younger, much tinier him, clad in a full-on cowboy outfit – complete with a lasso and everything.

“Oh my goodness,” you squeaked, unable to supress the feelings of adoration that came as a side effect of looking at the cuteness that was a little Ryan. “You were adorable!”

“Were?” Ryan arched both brows and pouted slightly, surprising himself with his forward reaction.

Looking up from the screen to the musician, you coked your head lightly and gave him a soft smile.

“Still are,” you added, lifting a hand to gently pinch his cheek – an action that left the man stunned into silence. He’d never get used to the rush of feeling your skin against his; even if it was only a minor, mostly-friendly gesture, such as the previous one.

Ryan timidly took his phone back and shoved it into his pocket, trying his best to still the nervous tremor in his hands.

“So, uh, yeah,” he cleared his throat, “I used to listen to a lotta country but then Spencer introduced me to mainstream rock when I got a bit older. We played covers of blink-182, mostly. And then a friend of ours – Brent Wilson – started joining our jam-sessions; eventually the three of us started a new band called Summer League.”

“Oooo,” you pursed your lips and brushed away the stray strands of hair the wind had swept across your face, “How’d it end up being you, Spencer, Jon and Brendon, then?”

“Brendon and Brent met because they were both taking guitar lessons at their high school. We were looking for a lead guitarist at the time – since I was on vocals – and Brent asked Bren to audition. The rest, as they say, is history.”

“Wait… if Brendon was the lead guitarist, how did he end up being lead singer?”

Ryan scrunched his face up as if he had just tasted something sour; you cocked one brow in intrigue at the sight. “He filled in for me at a rehearsal when I was sick one day, and everyone was so impressed that he was chosen as the new singer.”

Ryan let out a sudden giggle, and you frowned at him in confusion. He waved a somewhat dismissive hand before explaining himself. “When we asked him why he didn’t tell us he could sing, you know what he said?”

You gave him an expectant smile.

“’I didn’t know I could.’”

The two of you shared a giggle as you approached a pedestrian crossing. You pushed the button on the traffic light and the cars came to a halt, allowing you to cross the street to the other side. Once you were back on the sidewalk, you elbowed Ryan in the side.

“How did you feel about Brendon taking over your position?”

The expression on his face clearly showed how taken aback he was by your question, and he stammered as he tried to string together some words to say. Your query was a tad on the audacious side but you had noticed the slight shift in Ryan’s body language when he had spoken about Brendon’s addition to the band. He had tried to keep his tone and expression as neutral as possible, but the tensing of his shoulders gave him away.

“I…I was totally on board with it,” he answered, shaking his head as if his answer was obvious, “He has a killer voice. It made sense for him to be lead.”

You nodded. “Yeah, I’m not disputing that,” you held up your hands in defence, “I just thought you must’ve felt kinda bad, is all.”

Ryan was silent for a few seconds before simply stating, “Brendon was the better choice for the band.”

You took his sudden abrasiveness as a sign that he wasn’t too keen to say more on that particular sub-topic, and so you brought it back to the main one.

“What’s Jon’s story?”

The musician seemed thrilled that you had diverted, and he exhaled in relief before replying. “In May – I think it was – of 2006, Brent left the band. We had a tour coming up, so we asked our friend Jon to fill in for Brent at the shows. He eventually ended up becoming a permanent replacement.”

“And that,” Ryan threw his hands sideways dramatically, “is the musical history of Ryan Ross slash Panic! at the Disco.”

You started clapping enthusiastically, making Ryan laugh and do a little bow.

“You’re amazing, Ryan,” you complimented as you placed the flower you were carrying into the breast pocket of his waistcoat. He grinned sheepishly and bowed his head.

The festivities were short lived, though, because you had arrived back at the museum and a pissed-off coupling of Brendon and (Y/B/F) were marching towards you and Ryan.

“Here we go,” Ryan groaned, letting his head fall back.

“Was fun while it lasted,” you placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled sadly.

The two of you shared a hopeless look as (Y/B/F) stopped right in front of you, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.

“What the hell is wrong with the two of you?” she demanded.

“Sure, because we’re the ones with the problem,” you scoffed, grabbing Ryan’s hand and brushing past her. “We went for a walk to get some air because you guys wouldn’t stop suffocating us.”

Brendon stepped up, wanting to intercept, but Ryan cut him off with a raised hand. “Don’t waste your breath. Just get in the car; we’re paying for lunch.”

Since Ryan had no knowledge other than what you and (Y/B/F) had told him regarding Cape Town, it was left to you to pick the lunch place. You choose Charly’s Bakery, situated not too far from the museum, in the old District Six area.

“Oooo, this place is so magical,” Brendon buzzed in awe, eyes widening as he scanned the store from top to bottom as the four of you stepped inside.

“One of the best bakeries in Cape Town,” (Y/B/F) spoke, stuffing her hands in the back pockets of her jeans and swaggering over to peer through the glass at the delicacies lining the display cases.

“They make the best chocolate cupcakes in, like, all of South Africa,” you stated, licking your lips as you locked your gaze on one of those beautifully dark and sinful treats.

“You’ve tasted every single type of chocolate cupcake in South Africa?” Ryan teased, cocking one brow and joining you by the display.

“No,” you blushed, “but I am very confident in my statement.”

“Well, I trust your judgement immensely,” he beamed at you and you smiled back while tucking your hair behind your ear.

Fortunately, an employee walked over to seat your group before Brendon could butt in with some snarky comment.

Once seated, you all scanned over the menus, ordered lunch and engaged in conversation that consisted mainly of small talk. You and (Y/B/F) spoke about your studies for a little while, explaining the education system in South Africa and discussing your plans for the future. The boys told you some stories from the road and talked about their writing and recording process.

“Thank you,” Ryan said as the waitress cleared up everyone’s plates; she gave a polite smile and nod in response.

“Dessert time,” you wiggled in your chair in excitement, earning chuckles from your friends. “Bring on the cupcakes!”

“We can get them the personalised ones,” (Y/B/F) suggested, tapping the back of her hand against your arm.

You gasped happily. “Yes!” The boys looked confused so you elaborated. “They’ll put your names on them. And any other design you want.”

“I think Ryan wants your name on his,” Brendon chortled, “We all know he wants to eat-,” the singer got cut off with a death glare and a kick to the shin from his bandmate.

Ignoring Brendon’s comment in order to preserve Ryan’s dignity, you stood up and started for the cupcake counter, gesturing for everyone to follow.

“What flavour are you guys going for?” you asked.

“I’ll go for the chocolate,” Ryan spoke first. You grinned proudly.

“Vanilla,” Brendon and (Y/B/F) said in unison. They shared a look of surprise before smirking and high-fiving.

“Hypocrites,” Ryan fake-coughed, covering his mouth with one hand; you giggled.

“What can I get you?” the employee on the other side of the counter smiled, wiping her hands on the front of her apron.

“Four personalised ones, please. Two Wicked Chocolate and two Vanilla.”

The employee – whose name badge read ‘Rose’ – nodded. “Names for the chocolate?”

“(Y/N) and Ryan.”

“And for the vanilla?”

“Brendon,” Brendon piped up, pointing to himself, “Spelt B-r-e-n-d-o-n.”

“(Y/B/F),” your friend finished the order off.

“Gotcha,” Rose winked, “we’ll get those out to you right away.”

“Great,” you pulled out your purse, “Can we pay in the meantime?”

“Sure, I’ll ring you up,” Rose moved over to the cash register and rang up the order for the cakes, “You paying for the lunch, as well?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t worry,” Ryan told you, taking his wallet out of his pocket, “I got it.”

“No,” you shook your head, “I can’t let you do that. Team effort, remember?”

He was about to fight it, but you had already handed your portion of the cash over; he smiled at you as you looked down to stuff your purse back into your bag.

The two of you had just sat back down when one of the waitresses brought over the cakes. Everyone looked down to admire the artwork on top; the writing on yours and Ryan’s made the both of you redden enormously.

Upon seeing your reactions, Brendon and (Y/B/F) immediately leaned forward to get a look at what was written atop.

“Seriously?” she scoffed incredulously, shaking her head and slumping back into her chair. “First the milkshake thing and now this?”

“How does shit like this keep on happening?” Brendon slumped back as well, turning to look at (Y/B/F). “It’s like the universe is playing Cupid.”

You and Ryan were too in shock to hear anything your friends had said, and they looked on in disgust as the two of you glanced at each other awkwardly, occasionally looking down at the pair of cupcakes that each read ‘(Y/N) and Ryan’, complete with a heart around it. You had no idea where the heart came from; it hadn't been part of the request. Clearly the bakery employees, just like seemingly everyone else in the country, were under the impression that you and the musician were together.

“Ugh, let’s just eat the stupid things,” (Y/B/F) said after a few moments as her annoyance took over.

Breaking out of your trance, both you and Ryan picked up the cupcake and started munching. The conversation from earlier had resumed, and Brendon was telling the story of the first time Panic! had met Fall Out Boy, and how shit-scared they were.

You sniggered in response to something amusing Brendon had said and Ryan tilted his head to look at you. He noticed that you had a little icing on your cheek, and he slowly reached out to carefully wipe it away with his thumb.

“Oh,” you mumbled, looking up at him, “Th-thanks.”

“Yeah,” he whispered, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards.

Brendon squinted his eyes in irritation. “What, are you going to lick it off now, too?” he sassed.

Ryan clicked his tongue at the younger male before rolling his eyes and wiping his thumb on a napkin.

“Do you guys have plans for tomorrow?” you questioned, taking another bite from your cupcake.

“You guys aren’t gonna be with us?” Ryan asked dejectedly.

“We have lectures all day. We told you yesterday, remember?”

“Oh,” he recalled with a sad nod, “Right.”

“An intervention,” Brendon muttered in response to your earlier question.

“What?” you leaned in, not quite catching his words.

“What?” he made like he hadn’t said anything.

You brushed it off and resumed talking. “Well you have been out and about non-stop as of late. Maybe you should just stay at your hotel. Have some R&R,” you shrugged.

“That’s a wonderful idea, (Y/N),” Brendon perked up before shooting a wink at Ryan, “I think a band bonding session is exactly what we need right now.”

_______________________________

Thank you for reading x

Taglist:

@darknessdancing

@raversam

@username-number-01834

@moosesmoose

@underscoredarcy

#ryan ross #ryan ross x reader #patd #p!atd #panic at the disco #panic! at the disco #emo #music #band #bands #emo quartet #emo trinity #band imagines #Band Members #band member imagine #imagine #imagines #fanfic

30 notes · View notes

verygladiatorperfection · 3 years ago

Link

0 notes

tourwithus89 · 3 years ago

Text

Discover Pilanesberg National Park

Among Southern Africa’s fascinating game reserves, Pilanesberg National Park is possibly the most accessible. Situated in the ecologically rich transition zone between the Kalahari and the Lowveld, this vast area promises thrilling big game viewing in a malaria free environment. A wide variety of accommodation is available to suit your needs.

Find accommodation in Pilanesberg

Accommodation in Pilanesberg National Park is as varied as the park itself. Pilanesberg offers a host of accommodation options, ranging from resorts, safari tents and bush lodges to chalets and self-catering. Discerning travellers will especially enjoy the exclusive lodges in the private Black Rhino Reserve, which was recently added to Pilanesberg National Park. Families and budget travellers will find a variety of accommodation choices to suit every budget, including self catering, bed and breakfast and chalet options. Pilanesberg Game Reserve offers a good option for travellers who would like to visit the internationally acclaimed Sun City, with some lodges located only ten minutes’ drive from the resort.

Whether you choose a rustic safari tent, a self catering escape, or luxurious five star lodge, the abundant wildlife of the malaria-free Pilanesberg remains the main attraction of this popular park.

Safaris in Pilanesberg

The Pilanesberg National Park is home to a brimming diversity of wildlife. Almost all of Southern Africa’s big game featured around the unique geological formation called the Pilanesberg Alkaline Ring Complex.

Pilanesberg safaris are unique as they explore the transition zone of the Kalahari with the Lowveld creating unique overlaps in animal species and vegetation. Pilanesberg safari packages range from game drives to exclusive experiences such as balloon safaris over the unique geology in the pristine wilderness of Pilanesberg National Park.

Winter Special! This is a per unit per night rate.(Book and travel within 30 days)

Valid until: 30 September 2021

Rate is valid for Mid-week stays

A maximum of 8 adults sharing in 4 chalets, kids 9 years & younger will share chalets with adults

A minimum stay of 2 nights is required for all stays

Weekend Rates available on request (minimal surcharge applies)

Exclusive use of the entire lodge

Book and travel within the required period

See the Big 5

Some of the most beautiful scenery within the entire park can be viewed in the Mankwe Dam region. The dam is the largest body of water in the game reserve. This makes it the perfect place to spot a wide variety of animals. water-buck, wildebeest, zebra and impala are among the animals that make a stopover on the grassland bordering the dam.

For bird lovers, there is a bird hide very close to the water’s edge. Make sure you take note of the fish eagles, kingfishers and cormorants circling the dam. All of these places provide many a fantastic opportunity to photograph the plentiful array of fauna and flora.

Pilanesberg National Park, or Pilanesberg Game Reserve as it is often called, is located in the Bojanala Region, within the North West Province and relatively near Johannesburg. With an area of 550km², it is the fourth largest park in South Africa. The volcano crater in which the park is situated erupted 1300 million years ago. Pilanesberg was originally owned by 3 of the local tribes. Many of the Stone Age and Iron Age sites around the reserve show proof of the presence of man.

Over 7 000 Animals

In 1979, Operation Genesis was launched. Operation Genesis was designed to reinforce the homegrown game population in the area. As part of the initiative, 110 kilometres of game fence was put up, as well as the 188 kilometres of roads that were established. Another plan of action put into place involved 6000 animals being introduced to the area. In the years that followed, Operation Genesis has been expanded on. Today, there are over 7 000 animals, 360 bird species, and more than 200 kilometres of roads.

Featured Lodges

Top Reasons to Visit

You may be wondering what sets Pilanesberg Game Reserve apart from other National Parks. What makes it so unique? Here are some of the best reasons to visit Pilanesberg:

Accessible

Only three hours’ drive away from South Africa’s largest city (Johannesburg), Pilanesberg National Park offers the perfect opportunity to leave the city lights behind, and discover another world. Celebrate the public holidays, or enjoy a romantic getaway in the unspoiled wilderness.

Variety of Accommodation

The diversity of Pilanesberg’s accommodation options means that there is an offering to suit every taste. Whether you enjoy “roughing it” in a Safari tent in the bush, or a savouring a glass of fine wine in a big bubble-bath as you gaze out the window of your luxury lodge, Pilanesberg has something just for you.

Ecological Richness

Pilanesberg National Park exists in a transition zone between the dryness of the Kalahari and the wet Lowveld vegetation. This rich transitional zone attracts an incredible variety of game animals, flora and fauna that are not often found living side by side. Virtually all of the animal species native to southern Africa can be found here, including the Big 5, wild dog, Roan, Tsessebe, Sable antelope and more than 360 species of bird.

Bursting with Wildlife

The relatively small size of the park, and its unusual ecological richness, dramatically increase your chance of encountering the Big 5 in their natural environment. Enjoy a leisurely Safari experience, or a surprise weekend escape: Pilanesberg allows you to choose your own adventure.

Ancient History

Pilanesberg National Park is set within the crater of an ancient volcano, formed 1.2 billion years ago by overflowing magma. The landscape and rock formations we see today are the enduring reminders of this magnificent occurrence.

Photographic Hides

Immerse yourself in the natural world, in one of Pilanesberg’s concealed photographic hides. Hidden within the park, these well-built hides provide a comfortable place to wait for that perfect shot. A rare opportunity to view the wildlife and birds in their natural habitat, safely out of sight.

Pilanesberg Day Tour

If you are short on time or perhaps you would like a quick insight into what Pilanesberg National Park can offer, the 1 day tour is a great option. Due to the limited time you will have to explore this Big 5 reserve, your day will be busy, but not rushed! Pilanesberg National Park is only a quick 2 hour drive from Johannesburg, which makes it the perfect destination for a 1 day safari tour.

You will have the opportunity to see fantastic wildlife and soak in the incredible scenery in this Big 5 Game Reserve.

View this Day Tour

Pilanesberg Info

Interesting Facts

Park Area: 550km²

Currency: South African Rand

Seasons: Dry season in the winter months (April to September), and wet season in the summer months (October to March)

Popular attractions: Big 5, hot air-ballooning, day trips, Lost City at Sun City

Nearby airports: O.R. Tambo International (220km)/Pilanesberg International Airport (inside the park)

Nearest cities: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rustenburg

History

Did you know?

Pilanesberg on Instagram

Birding at it's best Come and visit l

With Mother's Day fast approaching on the 10th of

Wishing you a love-filled weekend! ⠀ ⠀

Don't forget to tag us along your travels to @Pila

Mother Cheetah with her cubs spotted now, during T

"The bloom may be brief but the memory of its beau

"I am more afraid of an army of one hundred sheep

Who? ⠀ ⠀ Photographed by Martin Meyer @mar

With all the back-to-school chaos beginning in Sou

Keeping an eye out for the weekend ⠀ ⠀ Bea

An incredible capture of a pied kingfisher at the

Wishing our friends and followers a stellar new ye

Wishing our friends and followers a holly jolly Ch

We hope that you and your pride are having a wonde

On the move... • • • Repost @kr

Load More... Follow on Instagram

NAVIGATE

Home

Terms and Conditions

Reservations

DISCOVER

Accommodation

Activities

Safaris

Specials

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Latest specials delivered to you instantly:

TRIP ADVISOR

This website is managed by Biggestleaf Travel and is a booking portal for accommodation and safaris. We are not affiliated with North West Parks.

facebookinstagram

This website uses cookies to optimise your online user experience. Some of the cookies we use are essential for the site to work.

1 note · View note

olympictickets · 5 years ago

Text

Olympic Mountain Bike – William Mokgopo is on the way to Tokyo 2020

At the age of 13 years old, he built his first bike inside a shipping container. Three years later, he was hurtling down the dirt roads of Africa in serious mountain bike competitions. In 2020, he hopes to ride for gold in Tokyo.

William Mokgopo started out riding his uncle’s bike on the rugged streets of Diep loot, a township 40 kilometers north of Johannesburg. Everything changed when a 13-year-old Mokgopo came across a shipping container.

Olympic Mountain bike Fanatics from all over the world can grab their Olympic Mountain Bike Tickets from one of the best online ticketing market places.

“My uncle had this old road bike, it was so big, extra-large, and I was so little I would get into the frame and try to peddle on the side.”

At 13 years old, he built his first bike inside a shipping container. Three years later, he was hurtling down the dirt roads of Africa in serious mountain bike competitions. In 2020, he hopes to ride for gold in Tokyo.

They call him the Skinny Hulk. The name fits like a glove. Mokgopo, the South African mountain biker, is tall, thin and pumped up with gutsy determination. At the age of 24, he is already the 12th-ranked mountain biker in South Africa; part of a new generation of cyclists from the streets to race for gold at the UCI MTB World Championships, the African Continental MTB Championships, and the UCI MTB World Cup.

“MTB is growing massively. In the future, I think it could be a major sport. It’s coming to schools now and the schools’ series this year had about 10,000 riders. Even if you look at the black communities, it’s growing. Yesterday we went for an 11-hour ride around Johannesburg and there were about 30 black riders.”

“I think it’s a bit premature to think I will qualify for this year’s Olympics. But the qualifiers are due in May. Even if I make third or second, I still might make it.”

On this early summer morning, Mokgopo, in riding gear, greets with a warm smile outside Number 3080, on a bumpy street in Diep loot. It’s not easy for cars in this street, but an ideal challenge for training on a bike.

Mokgopo lives in a Reconstruction and Development Program house that the government started building for its citizens after the 1994 elections.

“Everyone here used to live in extension one; in shacks. When the houses were allocated, they chose a block of shacks and said those living in shacks from here to here are getting RDP houses. We were given a number and told this was our house. We signed a form, and that was it. I was still at primary school at that time. Before it was the six of us living in the house.”

“The first year that I started getting paid, I extended these other two houses and one in the back here. It was actually just to have a bit of space. It was difficult living together; trying to bath here and trying to do a whole lot of stuff,” he says.

“It was just up the road from my house. You will see the fencing on the main road. It started with a project called Earn-A-Bike. You would go and choose a bike, then they would strip it down and then you would teach yourself how to build it. Then, when you graduated, that bike that you built would be your own bike,” he says.

Here, Mokgopo came across Simon Nash, Founder of the Diep loot Mountain Bike Academy, and began to race.

“People didn’t take it seriously. When you are riding a bike in Diep loot, it looks like you are just doing it for leisure. You are a grown-up still riding a bike, for my neighbors it was stupid. Soccer is the main sport here, so when you are on a bike people are like what are you doing?”

For Mokgopo it was uphill all the way. His school friends tied strings across the road to bring down his bike. Outside a corner store, a group of men would sit on crates and laugh at him as he rode by.

“It would be very tough getting out the township in your riding gear. I would have to take shorts and the minute I got out of town then take them off and go ride my bike. There were guys who would stop me and ask me stupid questions, like what is this what? What are these pads on your pants; are they for a woman? But now those people who were laughing at me are actually my friends.”

“The other day, I was sitting on the floor at the corner shop and one of the guys came up and said why is The Celebrity, cause that what they call me now, sitting here? One guy said I think even if William has a million and he will still come and sit here. I always want to show that I still want to be at the level they are.

One reason for Mokgopo’s smile on this day is a new $4,750 bike, tucked away in his room. Along with competing professionally on the Kargo Pro MTB Team, the first UCI-registered MTB Team in South Africa, Mokgopo is a sports sciences student at the University of Pretoria.

“The tricky thing about MTB is getting the points and staying in front. When you do cross country, you need to look at the course. When you are racing it’s a completely different course. Someone might push you off course or the rock you thought you would be jumping from might have moved. It’s always the thought of what’s coming next,” says Mokgopo.

“From our side, William is a one-of-a-kind athlete, he is so complete on and off the bike and many pro athletes can learn from him. The Olympics is very much a reality for William in 2020 and beyond. He is showing improvement every season and also deals with setbacks very well which is a very important aspect for a pro athlete striving to be the best. Making small adjustments to his training regime over the coming seasons will see William gain that consistency that is needed a week in, week out for Olympic level racing,” says Shaun Peschl, Team Manager of Kargo MTB.

Cycling isn’t cheap. Mokgopo says it can cost around $34,000 a year to race as a professional for travel alone. His team is fortunate to get their bikes and supplements for free. The latest equipment can make all the difference.

“When I started racing, I had a poorly conditioned bike. I remember the academy got me a carbon bike; I could finish second. It just shows from that little change in equipment it can set you moving into that winning stage. It can put you on the podium. The expenses can push people away from the sport. But it depends on the person you are,” he says.

“I will sit with my eyes open and listen to music. People think I am listening, but I am seeing the course and riding it all the time. It’s getting the feel of the race before even getting to the starting line. I see everything how I want it to be in the race. This is where I have to jump. This is where I need to speed up,” says Mokgopo.

He once spent three weeks in bed with a broken shoulder, after he clipped a motorbike while training on a dirt track.

“I couldn’t even control my fingers. I rode one-handed to home in Diepsloot. Overnight it got worse and we had to go to the hospital the next day. But when I went back everything had completely changed. I started coming second and third and ended up winning a race and that was it. I went to bigger races and was introduced to cross country. When you get your first victory that is when the love gets that bit bigger,” he says.

“When you fall, the blood looks super cool, My mom was skeptical; with all the bruises and stitches I have when I come home. She didn’t want me to do it. She doesn’t say much, but you can see she’s very proud. My dad always says he’s very proud of me,” says Mokoro.

Mokgopo’s dream of a spot in Rio was ruined when he injured his knee at the Cape Epic in March. It took two months to get back on the bike again.

The injury forced Mokgopo to build a new dream; his plan is now to be the South African champion in 2017, go to the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and to be an Olympic athlete in Tokyo in 2020.

Bumps, bruises, a bike built in a shipping container and friends who used to laugh at him. Mokgopo comes from humble beginnings and hopes to ride his luck all the way to Japan in 2020.

Olympic enthusiasts can get up to the latest updates of Olympic Tickets through our most trusted online ticketing market place. OlympicTickets2020.com is the most reliable source to book Olympic 2020 Tickets.

#OlympicMountainBikeTickets OlympicTickets Olympic2020Tickets SummerGamesTickets TokyoOlympicTickets

0 notes

worldelephantday · 7 years ago

Text

What’s up for Elephants?

Annual Review 2017

Written by Erika Mansourian, with Anne Dillon and Patricia Sims

Founder’s Note:

This year marks our 6th Annual World Elephant Day campaign. We here at World Elephant Day are very proud of how the day has grown year after year after year. Our global media reach continues to blossom, signifying that our impact is ever-expanding — which means that increasing numbers of people are becoming conscious about what’s really at stake for the elephants.

For World Elephant Day, one of our goals has been to put together an annual review of what’s happened in the world for elephants over the past year: the milestones, the successes, and the work that still needs to be done.

For this year’s review, our guest writer is Erika Mansourian, a well-known and passionate elephant advocate and conservationist who has worked with several elephant organizations. Anne Dillon, our Communications Director, works in a variety of capacities on behalf of the elephants. She provided background research for this report, as well as editorial support in the writing of it.

We hope you enjoy it and we look forward to your feedback amid the rumblings and trumpeting currently underway for World Elephant Day 2017!

Elephantically yours,

Patricia Sims Co-Founder, World Elephant Day President, World Elephant Society

What are the encouraging developments and the intractable challenges from the world of elephants since last August 12th? We’ll try to take that on in this update, which focuses on the state of the extraordinary but beleaguered elephant. The landscape for elephants, literally and figuratively, continues to shift, so there is more news than we can possibly cover. But here are some highlights, shared with the hope that both the good news and the bad will motivate you to commit your time, skills, and creativity to saving the most worthy of animals. Our greater hope is that one year soon we will be able to report even more positive progress and fewer grim statistics.

In December, China made a stunning announcement: it will ban all commerce in ivory by the end of 2017. Coming from the world’s largest consumer of ivory, the move may deal a blow to elephant poaching in Africa. This follows on the heels of the Obama administration’s near total ban on the commercial trade in elephant ivory. Hong Kong says it intends to ban ivory by 2021, Japan’s internet retail giant Rakuten Ichiba has ended all sales of elephant ivory, and there have recently been high-profile trafficking busts throughout Southeast Asia, Europe, and the U.S., signaling that the noose is tightening around traffickers of (primarily African) ivory. Of course, far more must be done to reduce the supply, demand, and killing.

That said, with a handful of bold actions offering a glimmer of hope for the African elephant, this year we’d like to emphasize the ongoing plight of the Asian elephant, both wild and captive.

Captive Asian Elephants: A Pachyderm Paradox

There is a stark contradiction in the current state of captive Asian elephant welfare.

Growing Awareness, Changing Behavior

· Well-meaning but uninformed tourists are becoming more aware of the gruesome reality behind the scenes at elephant riding camps and venues where elephants are forced to perform. According to World Animal Protection, 60% of the people it surveyed said they would avoid tour operators whose activities cause suffering to wild animals.

· Circuses that exploit exotic animals are closing down due to diminishing sales, including the most famous of them all, Ringling Bros.

· Legitimate sanctuaries such as Elephant Sanctuary Brazil are opening.

· Ethical elephant tourism guides and lists of places to consider visiting are currently available; they offer advice as to best practices for interacting with and viewing captive elephants and various forms of wildlife.

· Some safari camps are no longer offering rides and other places never have.

· More than 160 travel companies have signed a pledge to stop promoting and selling travel packages that include elephant entertainment. (For a full list of elephant-friendly travel companies, visit World Animal Protection’s site. They include Peregrine, Albatross Travel, Jetair, Qantas Vacations, AAT Kings, APT, Helloworld, Harvey World Travel, and Expedia.)

Elephant Exploitation: Progress is Slow and in Some Places, the Situation is Worsening

Over 3,000 captive elephants in Asia are enduring abuse and neglect, living for years in chains when they’re not being forced to carry heavy burdens of tourists or perform unnatural and painful tricks. Sadly, between 2010 and 2016 there has been a 30% rise in the number of elephants used in tourism in Thailand.

The exportation of wild elephants into captivity is a deflating indication that demand for entertainment and tourism is, in some areas, still thriving. In December, Zimbabwe airlifted 35 wild elephants to a zoo in China, some as young as three years old. As can be imagined, the transport was a living hell for the animals. This June, it was revealed that the Namibian government planned to capture and sell five baby elephants to the Dubai Safari Park in United Arab Emirates. It is believed the elephants would be used for riding, so the brutal practice of “breaking” them in is inevitable.

Wild Asian Elephants: The World Closes In

Human-Elephant Conflict

The problem is straightforward: Too many people and not enough space for elephants. The causes are not as simple — there a just too many of them.

Human population growth threatens elephant territory, most notably ancient migration corridors that elephants have trod for millennia. Seeking new routes, they’re frequently struck by trains or electrocuted. Nearly 300 wild elephants died in India's Orissa State in the past five years; most of the deaths were caused by accidental electrocution. More than 1,200 trains crisscross the country, through some of the most vulnerable wildlife habitats. In the past three years alone, 40 elephants have been killed by trains in India, according to the government.

Elephants in search of food and water frequently rampage villages and attack villagers, who kill them. In Odisha, 388 elephants died in man-animal conflict in just six years.

Industrial development such as the palm oil trade in Sumatra and logging camps and infrastructure expansion choke off the highly limited land for elephants and other wildlife.

Poaching and illegal trafficking is an ongoing scourge throughout India and Asia.

Perhaps most heartbreaking is the capture and smuggling of wild baby elephants in Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and elsewhere to feed the appetite of the tourism trade. Solutions Planned or in Place

The solutions for protecting wild elephants can be as varied as the problems. Recently, a panel of experts shared their ideas for better co-existence. Foremost is pushing conservation to a higher priority on the political agenda, giving a voice to suffering human communities, and promoting the intrinsic value of elephants.

Corridors and Underpasses

In India alone there are 88 wild elephant corridors, making it impossible to secure them all. But both government agencies and NGO alliances are expending resources to create sustainable spaces for jumbos. Villagers are voluntarily relocated to safer areas to ensure their peace of mind, such as 38 families in Assam, India, in 2016.

To address strikes by trains, providing the Indian public with a more complete list of elephant-crossings and lowering train speeds in those areas will hopefully reduce the number of elephant deaths. Beehive fences are increasingly being used to deter crop-raiding pachyderms. The cost is low relative to their effectiveness.

The future of the Asian elephant can seem unnervingly precarious. For many conservation organizations, agencies, and individuals, though, giving up is not an option.

African Elephant Update

As with the Asian elephant, the past 12 months have brought some surprisingly promising news from some African countries, but also a continuing downward trend in others. Census results reflect the contradiction.

Numbers Up, Numbers Down

According to an aerial survey by the Kenya Wildlife Service, there has been a 72% increase in the number of elephants in the Maasai Mara Conservancy and the Tsavo-Mkomazi ecosystems since 2014, and poaching in Kenya generally saw a decline in 2016. It goes without saying —but we’ll repeat the refrain anyway — upticks like these are relatively slim. Kenya will complete a broader elephant survey by the end of 2018.

A shocking 730,000 elephants are missing across 73 protected areas in southern Africa, according to a new study from the University of Pretoria (UP).

Perhaps most troubling of all, this spring an aerial survey of a large swath of northern Central African Republic (CAR), conducted with funding from the Great Elephant Census, a Paul G. Allen Project, observed no elephants at all, nor even any sign of them. Surveys of the area in 1977 estimated 35,093 elephants; by 2010 only an estimated 68 elephants remained in the landscape.

Keeping the Faith: Steady Steps Yield Sustainable Results

Three tourism agencies in China have stated that they will phase out their promotion of elephant riding, and other forms of entertainment at the elephants’ expense, in the travel destinations of India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

Beehive fences are being increasingly used in Africa (where they originated). In Gabon — home to 45,000 forest elephants — electric fences are allowing people and elephants to better co-exist.

Elephant riding camps in Botswana and South Africa have ended the practice.

Malawi is in the midst of relocating a total of 500 elephants from the Lower Shire district of Chikwawa to the country’s central grasslands and woodlands.

There has been a decline in the legal trade in China. Indeed, that country’s resolve to ban its legal commercial ivory trade has sparked a dramatic downturn in ivory prices throughout Asia, including in Bangkok’s black market.

For decades Japan has ignored an international ban on poached ivory. Now it’s taking small but meaningful steps to join other countries, while giant retailers also commit to stop the sale of ivory products.

On the trafficking side, in June a cross-border African task force cracked a major ivory trafficking ring moving ivory from Uganda to Singapore by way of Kenya, and in July, the Environmental Investigation Agency published news that the small town of Shuidong in Guangdong province in southern China has been a seminal ivory trafficking hub; 80% of all poached ivory from Africa passes through this one pivot point.

CITES 2016

African elephants and rhinos were front and center at the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), held in Johannesburg last October. Held every three years, with 183 member countries, the conference had 62 individual proposals under consideration, but with an unprecedented 30% decline in the African elephant population between 2007 and 2014, elephants were high on the agenda. In the past, CITES has sometimes frustrated conservationists with its decisions mired in political interests, but this year it is believed to have had more highs than lows for wildlife protection.

Bans for Conservation and Welfare

Here are a few of the notable rulings and ivory-ban legislation from around the world.

As the largest city in the world, in July of this year New York City set a powerful example by banning all performing exotic animals, and a ban on the use of elephants in entertainment is awaiting the governor’s signature in New York State.

According to the Humane Society of the US, ivory sales are currently illegal in California, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington State. This year, Nevada joined their ranks. Ivory-ban legislation is being considered in Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Massachusetts.

On the world stage, France announced an ivory ban last August, and last month Hong Kong launched a bill that would ban the import and export of ivory by 2021.

Over in the UK, the Labour Party Manifesto 2017 is calling for a total ban on trade in ivory. Prime Minister Theresa May abandoned her previous commitment to a ban. A startling report last August revealed that thousands of ivory products are on sale throughout Britain. On the upside, last November the country pledged £13 Million ($17 million) to tackle illegal wildlife trade.

Deploying More Tech Tools

The tech industry was initially sluggish in contributing their innovations and products to the battle to save elephants. Rangers, law enforcement, guards, and communities relied on their weapons, their eyes and ears, and a simple determination to protect their wildlife. Now, Silicon Valley is teaming up with conservation organizations, and everything from solar fences to GPS telemetry to whatsapp is helping to level the playing field.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, whose Great Elephant Census was as comprehensive as it was alarming, wants to cover 90,000 square miles of Africa with smart sensors and drones by the end of the year: the Domain Awareness System (DAS) is the most ambitious tech-focused conservation project yet.

Cutting edge DNA barcoding, which uses short DNA sequences to accurately identify species, is becoming an effective courtroom tool for prosecuting wildlife crime. With a grant from Google, the Barcode for Wildlife Project has trained hundreds of law enforcement officials and scientists to use the technology in South Africa and Kenya.

To Crush or Not to Crush?

This month, New York City once again held a crush, destroying two tons of ivory worth about $8 million. Other crushes have been held in other countries around the world. But are they effective? Or do they do more harm than good? This piece asks several wildlife experts for their opinion on the controversial strategy.

The Power of One

Never underestimate the power of one person to make a difference. Stephanie Vergniault fell in love with elephants on her first visit to Chad in 1995, when she saw them in great numbers. As she watched them disappear, the French native knew she had to act. She founded SOS Elephants, the first organization of its kind in Chad, through which she has built support for the anti-poaching cause. The result is that, although challenges remain, elephant protection has become a high priority in Chad.

Fascinating Findings about an Already Fascinating Animal

Each year, new research increases our respect and admiration for the elephants (if that’s even possible).

· Elephants know when their bodies are obstacles to success in a novel transfer task

· Genetic study shakes up family tree

· Elephants born without tusks due to poaching

Alarming Trends

There is a horrific, invasive cactus in Kenya that can kill an elephant when its spines become lodged in the animal’s throat or stomach.

SA National Parks in South Africa is refusing to provide statistics on how many elephants have been poached in Kruger National Park this year. Queries are referred to the Dept. of Environmental Affairs (DEA), which likewise declines to release the figures.

An emerging threat to elephants is skinning — being killed and stripped of their skin, which is sold on the black market, promoted as a medicinal cure or made into beads. The recent discovery of 421kg of elephant skin seized in southwest China confirms this devastating market development.

Wildlife traffickers are using Facebook to sell ivory and rhino horn.

The Telltale Conclusion

The pressures coming at the elephants come from all sides — climate change, toxic land and water, global unrest, and the Sixth Mass Extinction that is well underway. Our most precious resource is the one we can’t make more of: land. How are we to make the most of what we have? How can we preserve the few wild spaces left, to ensure that flora and fauna will survive, and maybe even thrive? It requires innovation, collaboration, and long-term resolve.

For things you can do for elephants all year long, check out World Elephant Day’s ideas and actions. To quote the British explorer Robert Swan, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

With that in mind, we’d like to leave you with a thought-provoking question that we’ve dubbed the “One Question, One Word” challenge. Come up with one word to describe what you think is the single most effective tool for saving elephants. And, in three sentences or less, tell us why.

We’ve asked a few elephants conservationists and welfare experts for their views on this; below are their replies.

Send your word and explanation to [email protected] with the subject line

“One Question, One Word” and we’ll share all of your hopeful words with the world in our next newsletter

• Compassion

Most wild animal species that are declining can be considered ecological refugees. If we can invoke compassion in the minds of the pubic for a sentient being that bears so many similarities to us, we can create a powerful force for elephant conservation.

Compassion, or Karuna, is an important concept in Buddhism: the desire to remove harm and suffering from others. Karuna works with Muditha, which is the desire to bring about the well-being and happiness of others.

—Ravi Corea, President, Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society

• Influence

If we, as the governing species on our planet, do not speak up on behalf of elephants and the forests, land, and water that we all need, who will?

—Monica Wrobel, Head of Conservation and Campaigns, Elephant Family

• Community

Elephants will survive best when the community has security, education, and livelihoods.

—Denis Galava, African Wildlife Foundation

• Passage

Elephants are large animals (megaherbivores) and need to constantly move to feed. Unless their right of passage is established over these traditional migratory routes, there will be higher conflict rates and fewer elephants in the future.

—Vivek Manon, Founder and CEO, Wildlife Trust of India

• Oneness

Oneness is important in the elephant welfare movement, as it will create unity, and foster symbiotic relationships. As seen in the natural world where organisms thrive together, we can manifest changes by embracing each other's unique talents, rather than compete or imitate. Every human being has an authentic and necessary gift that needs to be harnessed in order to bring an end to the atrocities against these supremely intelligent and noble animals.

—Sangita Iyer, Founder and President, Voice for Asian Elephants Society and filmmaker of Gods in Shackles

• Integrity

Integrity is key to making a difference overall, because without it amongst all groups involved with elephant protection — from rangers to conservation officials to law enforcers to prosecutors and judges and politicians, as well as funders and NGOs — elephants will not be saved. In every population where poaching is out of control, there is a lack of integrity among at least one of these groups — those who are entrusted to enforce laws and protect wildlife.

—Wayne Lotter, Founder of PAMS Foundation, Tanzania

• Land

Nearly everywhere in Asia elephants are threatened by encroachment on their habitat. India, where humans outnumber elephants by about 50,000 to 1, is a prime example. While it is hard not to sympathize with poor farmers terrorized by crop-raiding elephants, human usurpation of the elephants’ land is illegal, even immoral, and must be stopped.”

—Richard Lair, Consultant on Asian Elephants

• Hope

Hope alone won’t save the elephants, but without it, we don’t stand a chance. With hope comes the belief and the action necessary for us to save the magnificent elephants from extinction.

—Patricia Sims, Co-Founder, World Elephant Day, President, World Elephant Society, Filmmaker of When Elephants Were Young

In our two previous newsletters this year we included excerpts from a prescient message that the renowned French writer Romain Gary (1914–1980) wrote to the elephants, as expressed in a letter published in LIFE magazine in 1967, fifty years ago. We end this update with some more of his words here:

“We never met again, and yet in our thwarted, restricted, controlled, indexed and repressed existence, the echo of your irrepressible thundering march through the open spaces of Africa keeps reaching me, awakening a confused longing. It sounds triumphantly like the end of acceptance and servitude . . . and for all of us who are sick and tired of our polluted cities and even more polluted minds, your colossal presence and the fact of your survival against all odds acts as a God-sent reassurance.

Everything is not yet lost, the last hope of freedom has not yet vanished completely from this earth and, who knows, if we stop destroying elephants and save them from extinction, we may yet succeed in protecting our own species from our destructive enterprises as well.”

#worldelephantday2017 #stopivorytrade #beelephantethical #celebrateelephants

1 note · View note

brajeshupadhyay · 4 years ago

Text

Budapest’s amazing Memento Park is full of statues of Communist leaders from Lenin to Che Guevara

They didn’t chuck communist-era statues in the river in most former Soviet countries after the Iron Curtain fell.

Instead, they stuck them in museums and charged tourists to view them.

Memento Park — officially named A Sentence About Tyranny Park — on the outskirts of Hungarian capital Budapest — is one of the best known.

Tourist attraction: A communist-era statue at Memento Park, which is on the outskirts of Budapest

Memento Park has monuments to all of the heroes of communism including Lenin, left. Pictured right is perhaps one of the most eye-catching exhibits – a gigantic pair of black boots standing alone atop a high pedestal. They are all that remains of an 8m (26ft) tall statue of Joseph Stalin that once stood in the centre of Budapest

There are monuments to all the heroes of communism — Lenin, Stalin, Marx, Engels, and Che Guevara, as well as several lesser-known Hungarian dignitaries.

There is also a giant statue of a Red Army soldier, with a machine gun strapped to his chest, proudly holding aloft the Red Flag.

But perhaps most eye-catching is a gigantic pair of black boots standing alone atop a high pedestal.

They are all that remains of an 8m (26ft) tall statue of Joseph Stalin that once stood in the centre of Budapest.

The monument had been erected in December 1951 as a ‘gift’ from the Hungarian people. A plaque attached to it described the Soviet dictator as the country’s leader, teacher and best friend. But an angry mob showed what they thought of that during Hungary’s short-lived October Revolution in 1956.

Chanting ‘Russia Go Home’, they ceremoniously tore it down and smashed it to bits. All that remained were those broken bronze boots — the sole survivors, so to speak.

Architect Akos Eleod, who designed Hungary’s Memento Park, says: ‘This park is about dictatorship. And, at the same time, because it can be talked about, this park is about democracy’

Memento Park is officially named A Sentence About Tyranny Park. Pictured right is one of its giant statues – a Red Army soldier, with a machine gun strapped to his chest, proudly holding aloft the Red Flag

Lithuania, which regained its independence in 1990, has a whole attraction devoted to Soviet-era ideological relics in Grutas Park, 81 miles from its capital Vilnius.

Built like a Siberian gulag prison camp, with guard towers and barbed wire fences, its 86 statues are divided between different sections of the woodland park.

The Totalitarian Sphere features Lenin, Stalin and Marx, while the Terror Sphere includes the founders of Lithuania’s Communist Party — along with notorious Felix Dzerzhinsky, the Bolshevik revolutionary who engineered Russia’s Red Terror.

Neighbouring Estonia has a Soviet Statue Graveyard outside Maarjamae Palace, in capital Tallin, with 15 huge statues, made between 1945 and 1990, including a gigantic head of Lenin.

But it’s not only former communist states that are embarrassed by monuments from a bygone age.

Taiwan ended up with nearly 43,000 statues of President Chiang Kai-shek who fled there with his government from the Chinese mainland in 1949 after being defeated by Mao’s communist forces.

Architect Akos Eleod says that ‘these statues are part of the history of Hungary’

TRAVEL FACTS

Admission to Memento Park (mementopark.hu) is about £4 and a 50-minute guided tour is £3. Buses and trains run from Budapest centre.

Following his death in 1975, many have been removed, with about 100 being dumped in the Cihu Memorial Sculpture Park close to his mausoleum in Taoyuan City.

Two statues of Cecil Rhodes, the founder of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, are reported to be stashed away out of sight in a garden behind the national archives in capital Harare.

And busts of South African apartheid leaders such as H.F. Verwoerd are stored in the bunkers of Pretoria’s Voortrekker Monument.

Architect Akos Eleod, who designed Hungary’s Memento Park, says: ‘This park is about dictatorship. And, at the same time, because it can be talked about, this park is about democracy.

‘Only democracy can provide an opportunity to think freely about dictatorship. Or about democracy, come to that.

‘These statues are part of the history of Hungary.’

Then, perhaps with a nod at the mobs who now want to tear down so many statues, he adds: ‘Dictatorships chip away at, and plaster over, their past in order to get rid of all memories of previous ages.

‘Democracy is the only regime that is prepared to accept that our past, with all the dead ends, is still ours.

‘We should get to know it, analyse it and think about it.’

The post Budapest’s amazing Memento Park is full of statues of Communist leaders from Lenin to Che Guevara appeared first on Shri Times.

via Blogger https://ift.tt/2CLuumq

#Blogger #Budapest’s amazing Memento Park is full of statues of Communist leaders from Lenin to Che G

0 notes

gizedcom · 4 years ago

Text

Budapest’s amazing Memento Park is full of statues of Communist leaders from Lenin to Che Guevara

They didn’t chuck communist-era statues in the river in most former Soviet countries after the Iron Curtain fell.

Instead, they stuck them in museums and charged tourists to view them.

Memento Park — officially named A Sentence About Tyranny Park — on the outskirts of Hungarian capital Budapest — is one of the best known.

Tourist attraction: A communist-era statue at Memento Park, which is on the outskirts of Budapest

Memento Park has monuments to all of the heroes of communism including Lenin, left. Pictured right is perhaps one of the most eye-catching sculptures – a gigantic pair of black boots standing alone atop a high pedestal. They are all that remains of an 8m (26ft) tall statue of Joseph Stalin that once stood in the centre of Budapest