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| Saturday's Emails of the Week |
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| Saturday's Email of the Week |
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| Saturday's Email of the Week |
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| Saturday's Email of the Week |
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| Saturday's Email of the Week |
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| Saturday's Email of the Week |
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| Saturday's Email of the Week |
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| Saturday's Email of the Week |
Hello Mr Carlin
I just wanted to give you the courtesy to know that I wrote a book review on Playing the Enemy. I thought it was a fabulous book and it touched my heart. If you are interested, the link to it is here http://krigek.blogspot.com/2011/03/playing-enemy-nelson-mandela-and-game.html
Katherine Krige
Hello John
Thank you so much for reading and responding to my post. I am glad that you liked my thoughts.
As for the aspect of it being a "sports" book, I suppose that you will have that as a hurdle for readership. It is true that rugby plays a key character in your book (and I use character deliberately, as I think that the game is almost another character unto itself), but the bigger story is obviously Mandela and the long-held rifts between the races in South Africa. Mandela purposely uses rugby as a leverage point, so it has a place in the book, but the marketing to a wider audience requires focus on the wider breadth of your tale. Of course, having a movie made about the book helps.
I have to tell you that I have vested interests in the country myself, as my father was from South Africa. While he died when I was only five, the draw to the country stayed strong within my heart. I followed my heart and made a trek to South Africa in 1995, just a few short months after the rugby game that is the topic of your book. I have my own experiences of what the country looked like at that time, and heard many stories from various family members who were born and raised there. I loved how your book gave me more details of the political and socio-economic state of the country leading up to that point, and found myself re-evaluating my own experiences there.
And as far as audience is concerned, your book will be discussed at my next (all-female) book club later this month. I for one will be giving it my thumbs up. Thanks again.
Sincerely,Katherine Krige
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ONLY A MAN WOULD ATTEMPT THIS |
Pocket Tazer Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife. A guy who purchased his lovely wife a pocket Tazer for their anniversary submitted this: Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest. The occasion was our 15th anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Julie. What I came across was a 100,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized Tazer. The effects of the Tazer were supposed to be short lived, with no long term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety....?? WAY TOO COOL! Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home... I loaded two AAA batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button and pressed it against a metal surface at the same time, I'd get the blue arc of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. AWESOME!!! Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Julie what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave. Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that it couldn't be all that bad with only two AAA batteries, right? There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and then thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong? So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in one hand, and Tazer in another. The directions said that: a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; and a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water. Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries. All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference (loaded with two itsy, bitsy AAA batteries); pretty cute really, and thinking to myself, 'no possible way!' What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best. I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side so as to say, 'Don't do it stupid,' reasoning that a one second burst from such a tiny lil ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.. I decided to give myself a one second burst just for heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and... HOLY MOTHER OF GOD. WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. WHAT THE... !!! I'm pretty sure Hulk Hogan ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again. I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs! The cat was making meowing sounds I had never heard before, clinging to a picture frame hanging above the fireplace, obviously in an attempt to avoid getting slammed by my body flopping all over the living room. Note: If you ever feel compelled to 'mug' yourself with a Tazer, one note of caution: There is NO such thing as a one second burst when you zap yourself! You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor! A three second burst would be considered conservative! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), I collected my wits (what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.
I'm still looking for my testicles and I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return! PS: My wife can't stop laughing about my experience, loved the gift and now regularly threatens me with it! If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!! |
