In this edition we have our opinion vlogger, Julien Fievez , talking about South Africa post World Cup.

Travis Carlyle prides himself in adding “flair” to even the most mundane of things. This week Travis talks about the SOS buttons found on the Rhodes campus…

They are the silent guardians of our night time escapades, the vigilant warriors against things that go bump in the night… they are the mystical SOS buttons

We have all been there…

It’s late at night, and you’re on your way home in a slightly less than sober state from ‘Friar Pirates’. As you make your way past Jan Smuts you notice a shady figure in a Hillbrow style hoody tailing you… He grabs your arm; you make like Usain Bolt and sprint.

The assailant lets loose an earth shattering cry of “GIMME YOUR LUNCH BOX!” Sadly for him you have reached SOS button 5 and are moments away from being safely escorted by one of CPU’s finest.

They’ve laid down the law throughout our campus. Blue route, Prince Alfred Street and the “Vertical limit” fall safely under their jurisdiction. By day they are a passing amusement; but by night, a dutiful deterrent and beacon of justice.

“The SOS buttons definitely have a strong, guarding influence on the Rhodes lifestyle, yet they are never as invasive as having hundreds of guards patrolling” says Bradley de Klerk, a clear fan of the button’s watchful gaze.

Sadly, however, this system generates several cases of abuse every week. You can’t help but overhear cases of students pressing these buttons, waiting for the guard to come running, and then telling this proud watchman that the person who pressed it ran around the corner.

The Rhodes system of justice laughs at these individuals as there are indeed cameras monitoring all buttons on campus. If you have played at one of these pointless games, expect a visit from your warden and a man with a rather large stick some time soon.

Maxine Martini had strong feelings on those who take advantage of this service, “I feel that people who abuse the SOS buttons aren’t thinking. I mean, why would you mess around with a system that can save your life?”

So who ever you may be: villain, courteous civilian, student or milk-man; remember that there is a force out there greater than any lure of evil. It is a silent guardian… a watchful protector… a Dark Knight, err… SOS BUTTON!

By Travis Carlyle

This online conversation put forward the concept of ‘collectively organising’, as a framework for expanding everyone’s access to opportunity. To me this goes straight to the root meaning of democracy.

The core of democracy is power, which consists of us.

Power in this context does not mean ‘hierarchy’ or ‘control’, but rather influence. According to Lappé, the word that evolved into power meant ‘to be able’; in other words: “power means our capacity to act”.

With capacity like this available to us, I find it extremely interesting that only a small percentage of today’s students are currently engaged with influencing their wider reality. The bulk of this millennium’s adult population seems content to be acted upon.

Engaging with democracy is energising! The reason that we aren’t all doing it is because of the widespread acceptance of a cultural story that portrays us as inherently selfish materialists, mainly motivated by furthering our own agendas. Given today’s knowledge about our capacity for cooperation (and our deep need to have an impact on something greater than our day to day lives) this appears to me to misrepresent the full extent of what it means to be human.

A newer story that more accurately reflects reality is that we can work together to come up with creative solutions. The only reason we haven’t done so yet on a wide-scale, in my opinion, is because we haven’t really tried.

Lappé points out, “We evolved to be problem-solvers, to create, to be choosers of our own future!” Evidently, this defines Lappé’s understanding of the real meaning of democracy.

Bruce Haynes is a Rhodes University student, Allan Gray Orbis Fellow and Capestorm-sponsored spoken word artist. You can follow him on his MySpace and his twitter feed. You can also check him out on his blog at: http://mental-guerilla-warfare.blogspot.com/

Look out for our team asking students what they think and you could be up on our site next month!

Name: Lauren Davidson

Age: 22

Degree: Honours Ecos

Do you drink the Grahamstown water? Yes, but I do avoid it if I can, I can’t always get spring water

Name: Andrew Brukman

Age: 21

Degree: BJourn

Do you drink the Grahamstown water? Yes, I mix it with Oros

Name: Natina Thumana

Age: 20

Degree: BSocSci

Do you drink the Grahamstown water? I did until it made me sick last week.

If not, where do you get your water? I usually get water from Pick n Pay

Name: Anastasia Doyle

Age: 19

Degree: BSocSci

Do you drink the Grahamstown water? I’ve been a resident of Grahamstown all my life and it’s been fine, but lately I’ve been wary and have been buying water from pick n pay or getting from the spring.

Name: Xanthe Jackson

Age: 21

Degree: Fine Arts

Do you drink the Grahamstown water? Yes, most of the time

If not, where do you get your water? Pick n Pay or the spring

Name:  Emily Jones

Age: 21

Degree: Ecos Honours

Do you drink the Grahamstown water? No, I think they should get regular testing up and running so we can actually know the quality of the Grahamstown water.

If not, where do you get your water? The spring

Look out for our team asking students what they think and you could be up on our site next month!

1)      Name: Ania Barma

Age: 21

Degree: BA

What you did this valentine’s day: “I went for a milkshake with a friend”

Additional comments: “I don’t like Valentine’s Day much, it’s commercialised and the typical Valentine’s Day gifts are kitsch.”

2)      Name: Sarah Green

Age: 19

Degree: BA

What you did this valentine’s day: “I went to a friends’ house to watch a movie and chat”

Additional comments: “I think it’s an over commercialized money-making scam. If you love someone enough, you will show him or her how you feel every day, not just when society says you should… it keeps the card makers in business.”

3)      Name: Zolani Baneti

Age: 23

Degree: BA

What you did this valentine’s day: “I spent time with my girl friend”

4)      Name: Bradley Janssen

Age: 20

Degree: BJRN

What you did this valentine’s day:      Spent the day in Addo Elephant Park with 8 French chicks

Additional comments: “It’s cool but over-rated”

5)      Name: Natnael Anoude

Age: 21

Degree: BA

What you did this valentine’s day: “I slept and recovered for half a day, then I went out and got intoxicated and made a lot of friends”

Additional comments: “I think it is a commercialised, money making ‘holiday’… but the concept is beautiful”

6)      Name: Sivuyisiwe Ngcaba

Age: 21

Degree: Bcom

What you did this valentine’s day: “I chilled with the girls- wine and sushi”

Additional comments: “I think it is a lovely day if your boyfriend is at Rhodes with you, but mine isn’t.”

7)      Additional Name: Storme Sydow

Age: 20

Degree: BJRN

What you did this valentine’s day: “I and a bunch of other people had a picnic on the lawns. We ate a huge cake and had a couple glasses of wine.”

Additional comments: “Valentine’s day to me is just another day”

8)      Name: Darryn Ah Yui

Age: 21

Degree: BSc

What you did this valentine’s day: “I did nothing because my girlfriend is not here so I just sent her a letter.”

9)      Name: Namsa Krawa

Age: 19

Degree: BA

What you did this valentine’s day: “I didn’t do anything exciting, I just stayed in at home.”

Additional comments: “I think it’s a day of celebrating your love with the one’s you love”

10)  Name: Tom Esteba

Age: 19

Degree: BJRN

What you did this valentine’s day: “I gave my girlfriend a gift 2 weeks earlier. Our anniversary and valentine’s day are on the same day.”

As Oppidans or even average res students we all know someone that has been a victim of crime in Grahamstown.

What do you think about the high levels of crime in Grahamstown?

Have your say below!