Weekly digest #7

Injured child given a teddy bear is now "well" : A 5 year old girl was caught in the crossfire in an attempted robbery of Emperor's Palace Casino earlier this week. Marketing manager of the Casino said that they had given her a teddy bear and she is doing "well". He says she is also recovering "well". Apparently her parents are "well" as well. Thanks, PR, thanks for keeping us so well-informed. I'd just like to query why this 5 year old was at the casino anyway. I understand that there are other restaurants there and it could have been for a number of reasons that she was within shooting distance, but I am allowed to wonder (surely?).

Taxis ranked as the most dangerous form of public transport (SA) : A mobile survey conducted by Pondering Panda found that of the youths questioned, our South African taxi service was ranked as the most dangerous, with a high concern for accidents occurring or of being attacked. We hear of attacks often occurring at taxi ranks, and we often see the appalling state of the taxis driving around (spanners for steering wheels, bumpers duct-taped onto the car): these fears are understandable. The problem is that people sometimes really have no choice but to use these services. I look forward to the day when we have an efficient and (fairly) safe public transport system like that which I have enjoyed in London, or even Hong Kong (speaking less of their taxis, which are also deathtraps, but more of the buses, ferries and the MTR). This service also needs to be reasonably priced, unlike the Gautrain.

I have a food addiction : Hey look, another Internet self-diagnosis! Scientists have had a look into whether or not food addiction is a real thing. They make the important point that it's really hard to give up something that you actually have to have in order to survive. I know I obsess over it. It can get quite bad... Food is just so delicious (come visit me, I'll show you!) I really struggle to say when enough is enough. I take far too much advantage of an opportunity to eat, and I carry on eating when I'm "full". So that "full" signal isn't really a factor anymore. This is why I have to monitor what I eat. The easiest way for me to do this is by not having "more" available to have, or not having any snacks (or unhealthy snacks, at least) around me. It's best if I don't let it end up on my plate, or even in my room. Then, I get to live like a normal human being, fighting with myself only when I'm in the shops, or when faced with a decision to buy a huge delicious choc chip cookie (that you will most certainly hear more about in due course) when I am already treating myself to a Cappuccino at one of the great new coffee shops in town.