News You Didn't Know You Needed

16 Ways To Change The World Without Trying Too Hard 0

"You Had One Job" ... Publications' Brilliant Fails 0

This is something totally off topic today, but I often see terrible layouts in major publications. Sometimes, however, they inadvertently work out to give you a great giggle, however inappropriate.

In an economy where employment is hard to find and tough to keep, one has to wonder how these people are keeping their jobs. 

1. MMMMM... OBESITY

2. GRAMMAR - IT MATTERS

3. QUITE AN ACCIDENT TO HAVE

4. MY KID LOOKS LIKE THIS EVERY MORNING

5. AT LEAST HE GOT TO SAY GOODBYE

6. WELL, I GUESS THAT'S HOW IT ALL STARTS

7. A DREAM HOLIDAY FOR MY EX, PERHAPS

8. THE EVIDENCE IS COMPELLING

9. LUCKY DOG... GEORGE, WE MEAN

10. THIS IS JUST A DISASTER IN EVERY BOOK

11. WHO LET THIS ONE SLIP BY?!

12. ACTUALLY I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG HERE

13. NO ONE CALLED POOH CAN BE TRUSTED

14. IS THAT A CHINESE BARBEQUE?

14. POWER MOVE OF NOTE

15. LITTLE MORE ACCEPTING THAN WE NEEDED TO KNOW

16. WE APPRECIATE THE SOUND EFFECTS

17. WELL, HE DID WANT TO SHOW HER. AND HER. AND HER.

9 Things You Need To See In Gauteng This Month! 0

Gauteng, the place where gold was discovered and subsequently stolen, is the smallest of the nine provinces but is also the busiest. Because we don't have a mountain or lots of salty water, entertainment is high on our list of priorities – we work and play hard!
The highveld is a heady mix of energy and diversity, so activities are anything but hard to find. We have lined up some of the very best for you!


Big 5 Comedy Show
27 to 28 July 2018

The titans of South African stand-up comedy all head towards one stage for the Big 5 Comedy Show.

Featuring Stuart Taylor, Jason Goliath, John Vlismas, Tumi Morake and Joey Rasdien. Collectively these comics have some of the most impressive resumes in South Africa. From hosting TV shows and starring in movies, to performing comedy shows that pack out festivals and theatres across the globe.

Venue: Teatro, Montecasino, Montecasino Blvd, Fourways
Time: 8pm
Cost: R150 – R300

Tel: 0861 915 8000 | 011 510 7000
Email: info@computicket.com
Website: www.tsogosun.com


Gardens of the Golden City
27 to 29 July 2018



Experience the seasonal changes and the peace of Beechwood Gardens during winter.

Guests are invited to visit the rain forest, the multiple well-vegetated ponds, and the colonnades leading through to the vegetable gardens. The Shari Dickinson market is also open on the day. Proceeds are donated to Hospice Wits and the S.P.C.A.

Venue: Beechwood Gardens and Market, 25 Christopherson Rd. Hyde Park
Time: 10am to 4pm
Cost: U12 Free | R50

Tel: 082 689 0930
Email: info@gardensofthegoldencity.co.za
Website: www.gardensofthegoldencity.co.za


Capital City Wine Show
26 to 27 July 2018



The Capital City Wine Show is the newest in the regional wine show line-up directed by South African wine authority Michael Fridjhon and presented by OutSorceress Marketing.

The line-up consists of at least 60 exhibitors, including award-winning wineries such as Jordan, Kanonkop, Morgenster, Graham Beck, Anthonij Rupert, Ken Forrester, Tokara, De Grendel, Diemersfontein, Boekenhoutskloof, Glenelly and Rijk’s. Smaller producers such as La Bri and South Hill present their boutique wines with Wedgewood Nougat, Snyman Sjokolateur and Just Biltong supplying wine-complementing fare.

Venue: Diamond Rooms, The Maslow Hotel, Sun Time Square, 209 Aramist Ave, Menlyn, Pretoria
Time: 5pm
Cost: R200

Tel: 011 482 5936 | 0861 915 8000
Email: info@computicket.com
Website: www.outsorceress.co.za


Crown Of The Russian Ballet
21 to 22 July 2018



In celebration of the founding of the ‘Crown of the Russian Ballet’, dancers head to the South African stage.

Headed by artistic director Anna Alexide, and chief choreographer and principal dancer – Anatoly Emelianov, who for many years was the principal dancer of the US Metropolitan Classical Ballet. Crown of the Russian Ballet was founded in 1997 as the choreography of the day demanded new repertoire.

Venue: Theatre of Marcellus, Emperors Palace, 64 Jones Rd, O.R. Tambo, Kempton Park
Time: Sat and Sun 3pm | Sat 7pm
Cost: R200 – R350

Tel: 0861 915 8000 | 011 928 1000
Email: info@computicket.com
Website: www.emperorspalace.com


Khwezi… Say My Name
25 July 2018 to 12 August 2018

Khwezi… Say My (Her) Name opens up into the world of a young girl who grew up in exile, who loved singing and dancing and was part of a communal village of aunts and uncles who were fighting an evil system.

But this cause against apartheid, was also a battle ground upon women’s bodies on different fronts. In her quest to know her father, Judson Kuzwayo, and to preserve his political life;s story, Khwezi ends up in Forest Town, where she is sexually appropriated by her father’s former best friend, Comrade Malume Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma. Through the rape trial and tribulations, the audience becomes part of Khwezi’s court case against one of the most powerful men in South Africa.

Venue: Arena, SA State Theatre, 320 Pretorius St, Pretoria Central, Pretoria
Time: Tue to Fri 11am | Tue to Sat 8pm | Sun 3pm
Cost: R110

Tel: 0861 915 8000 | 012 392 4139
Email: info@computicket.com | klaas@statetheatre.co.za
Website: www.statetheatre.co.za


Wodac Pet Expo
20 to 22 July 2018



The World of Dogs and Cats Pet Exhibition returns!
Guests have an opportunity to meet the breeds, find out what type of pet best suits their lifestyle, learn more about horses and exotic pets, koi fish, aquatic life and see champion dogs and cats in action. Stands feature everything pet owners need to keep their animals in peak condition: from treats, toys and accessories to nutrition, health and wellness solutions.

Guests can speak to breeders and pet experts, as well as engage with animal welfare organisations if they are interested in adopting a new family member. Two arenas filled with events, dog agility, dancing with dogs, flyball and the ever-popular dogs of the world parade.

Venue: Gallagher Convention Centre, 19 Richards Dr, Midrand
Time: Fri 10am | Sat and Sun 9am
Cost: R55 – R110

Tel: 0861 915 8000 | 011 266 3000
Email: info@computicket.com | gallagher@gallagher.co.za
Website: www.gallagher.co.za


Beauty and the Beast
11 to 21 July 2018



The O.A.K. Youth Theatre presents their re-make of Beauty and the Beast.
The story of Belle is a classic story of true love that prevails in the end. The audience gets to know Belle as a young lady from a small town where everybody thinks she is odd since she loves to read books. Gaston, sets his eyes on Belle and decides that she will be his future bride, much to the delight of Gaston’s side kick, Le Fou. The Beast captures Belle’s father, Maurice when he tries to pick Belle a rose in a garden, not knowing that he is in fact on the Beast’s property.

Venue: Atterbury Theatre, Cnr Lynnwood Rd and Daventry St, Lynnwood, Pretoria
Time: Mon to Fri 10am | Thu to Sat 3pm | Sat 11am | 11, 13 and 19 Jul 7.30pm
Cost: R130 – R150

Tel: 0861 915 8000 | 012 942 5951
Email: info@computicket.com | info@atterburytheatre.co.za
Website: www.atterburyteater.co.za


Wonders of Rock Art – Our Common Humanity
17 May 2018 to 1 October 2018



The Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, in collaboration with the French Embassy and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), brings the 17 000-year-old Palaeolithic paintings of the Lascaux caves to South Africa.

The whole of the first floor of the centre becomes an exact replica of the Lascaux caves found in 1940 near the village of Montignac In Dordogne, southwestern France. More than 2 000 figures painted on the walls of the caves with special focus on the five panels of the Lascaux Nave – the Great Black Cow, The Stags, the Crossed Bison, the Imprint and the Shaft Scene – are shown alongside the oldest African art (The Dawn of Art) curated by the University of the Witwatersrand’s Rock Art Research Institute, the Origins Centre and IFAS-Recherche showcasing photographs of iconic South African rock art as well as a display of priceless authentic pieces, some of which are more than 100 000-years-old.

Venue: Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Miriam Makeba St and Helen Joseph Street, Newtown
Time: Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm | Sat & Sun 9am to 4.30pm
Cost: Adults R130 | Children R70 | under 4 years free | Family entry R360 (2 adults & 2 children)

Tel: 011 639 8400
Email: info@sci-bono.co.za
Website: www.sci-bono.co.za


Coffee and Chocolate Expo
19 to 22 July 2018



The Coffee and Chocolate Expo celebrates six years in the making. Five of the world’s leading champion Baristas entertain, teach and demonstrate their skills.

Visitors can learn tips, techniques and the latest trends from the masters on how to create chocolate and coffee delights, and taste samples. Food stands and food trucks also available.

Venue: Montecasino Outdoor Event Area, Montecasino, Montecasino Blvd, Fourways
Time: Thu 4pm to 9pm | Fri and Sat 10am to 9pm | Sun 10am to 6pm
Cost: U10 Free | R120 – R150

Tel: 011 510 7000
Website: www.tsogosun.com

Least Surprising Headline Ever: WOMEN TAXED FOR MENSTRUATING 0

SEEING RED OVER PINK

The concept of 'pink tax' has been doing the rounds for years, though more in an am-I-imagining-that-this-costs-more-because-it's-pink mutter than the (brilliant) loud outraged social proclamations of today. It is exactly what it sounds like - selling items for a higher price if they're sold in pink, i.e. targeted at women.

[Prepare to feel pissed.]

The amount of social media posts highlighting the injustice of charging more for a product simply for creating it in pink rather than the standard black/blue/default colour is on the rise. Local NPO Use Your Voice took to a popular retailer (can you guess who?) to investigate this...

Are you really paying more, just because it's pink?

Colour and price have been at play since Henry Ford was quoted for having said, “You can have it in any colour, as long as it’s black.” The verdict’s still out on whether that meant you’d need to pay more if you opted for a different colour, but retailers in the 21st Century have taken the notion and run with it, especially if it means they can punt a product as the ‘just for women’ version, as it comes in pink.
Enter the pink tax debate…

In case you’ve missed the marvellous outrage, vlogger Dear Alyne is putting the issue into perspective for us in this explanation video. Take four minutes to catch up on the topic:



The true cost of being female

On the added price of being a female consumer, Listen Money Matters reports that pink tax also refers to:
“The extra amount women are charged for certain products or services. Things like dry cleaning, personal care products, and vehicle maintenance.”
Numerous studies show that women pay more than men for the same service or product 42% of the time. This off the back of #EqualPayDay, which means that we are being paid less and charged more because we are women.

[It is a price I would pay gladly... but then pay me the same.]

Listen Money Matters also mentions that in December 2015, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs released a study comparing the prices of over 800 products. The goal of the study was to estimate the price differences male and female shoppers face when buying the same types of items. The results were as follows:

Products for women or girls cost 7% more than comparable products for men and boys.
- 7% more for toys and accessories.
- 4% more for children’s clothing.
- 8% more for adult clothing.
- 13% more for personal care products.
- 8% more for senior/home health care products.

Pay attention to the 'personal care' products in particular, because linked to pink tax is tampon tax. Listen Money Matters sums it up as follows:
“Did you know, tampons and pads are charged sales tax because they are considered ‘luxury’ items? Periods are certainly not a luxury and I’m sure every woman on the planet would agree!”

SA can be proud of our local version of Cosmopolitan magazine in this regard:
Not only did they publish a report in the June 2018 issue of the magazine in which they argue that sanitary products should be categorised as zero-rated basic items rather than luxury non-essentials, they also launched a petition that’s being lodged with Parliament and the Department of Women.
We hope to see government seriously debate how period poverty can be ended before the close of 2018, because this unaffordability affects the poorest amongst us. If township girls cannot access affordable sanitary goods, it stops them from getting to school, and a vicious cycle of uneducated and unempowered women is perpetuated.

But wait… are we just being unnecessarily hysterical? Maybe it’s “that time of the month”.

There can be reasons to explain the differences, and everyone knows women are better at cooking and shopping than understand Big Important Business Stuff. Service providers say that women’s dry cleaning and haircuts tend to be more labour and time intensive, which is why women are willing to pay higher prices. Dry cleaners who use pressing machines, traditionally built for men’s shirts, need to hand press women's shirts, a more labour-intensive, and costly, process.
So they are saying that not only have they indoctrinated us into paying MORE for our appearance because that is how we have been valued historically, but that although we can put a man on the moon (why can’t we put some more there?) we cannot make a pressing machine to accommodate female clothes.

Ted Potrikus, CEO of the Retail Council of New York State, a statewide retail trade association, looks to different points along the supply chain that may explain price differences for seemingly identical products.
“Retailers see women as their biggest target,” said Potrikus, shortly before he was boomeranged with an expensive stiletto [not really, but we can dream].  “Research and development, following trends, meeting trends, advertising products on television and in magazines are not cheap. Companies are willing to spend more money advertising to women than they are toward men, contributing to the price discrepancies."

What can you do to stop this crap?

You can get involved by:

• signing the Cosmo SA petition on Change.org
• joining the all-women Girls Gone Global Facebook group by Dear Alyne to have your say
• following local NPO Use Your Voice and sharing the awareness
• supporting #AxthePinkTax and boycotting those pricier pink products.

After all, if the government can provide free condoms (when abstaining from sex is a lot easier than abstaining from menstruating), why not also free sanitary consumables – no matter the colour?