Good morning, and how are we all today? Fantastic!

I hope you enjoy what I’m going to post today, I know I’m enjoying it. I’m having an AWESOME time! Just to update you, my post on the rugby World Cup being somehow randomly linked to the movie 300 is coming up tomorrow. I nearly posted it now, but too much of my writing in one day will shatter your mind. And I don’t want anyone getting hurt. We are in this Cape Town journey together, we need to be healthy.

I also got an sms yesterday, telling me that I am invited to a party at Workshop 17 in the Waterfront on Saturday night. So Friday and Saturday nights are big ones, I might be spent from Friday nights excess but I will try push through. You know, just keep on trucking. Keep on keeping on. I hope I make it to the other side of the weekend. You should hope so too, otherwise I will not be able to entertain you during the week. And then how would we all get through the week?!

Also, if you are going to the Spar in Rosmead Avenue in Kenilworth, check it out because it has just gotten HUGE! Seriously, it’s like an amusement park in there. I made a stop by there at about 8:30 last night to buy an Appletiser. Just as well, because Appletiser are now running a competition(I bought the 275ml glass bottle) where you can win lunch for you and three friends in New York. It’s called “Dolunchtiser” And there are more than 30000 other instant prizes. I have apparently won a “2 for 1 lunch experience” Maybe I will be an animal and eat for two! Jokes…gosh.

Lastly, if it is your birthday today, and you are able to decode the word “Spears Ozzy”, then happy birthday! Obviously if you uncover the “Spears Ozzy” code and it’s not your birthday, then it’s not applicable. I really don’t have to tell you that though, do I?

That’s it boys and girls, chat later in the day!

Sean Lloyd

Editor

Remember all that time ago when I told you to bet on the rugby World Cup? When I told you this wealth of information, the betting was at 7-1 I believe.

Well…what’s happening?

Clearly we are going to win and it is now at 12-10! You would have wanted to bet at 7-1 but it’s too late now. For the betting go to Betxchange, click on the rugby World Cup fixed odds and see what I’m talking about.

It seems like just the other day the World Cup started, and now it’s getting crazy. I mean, everyone in the World Cup is just looking so mean. Speaking of this I have a piece for tomorrow on how the movie 300 has shaped this years Rugby World Cup. You don’t want too miss this one, it’s a spot of sheer genius. I have already written it, but will post it tomorrow to leave you in a bit of suspense.

YES!

Sean Lloyd

Editor

I was just telling you this week about the Nelson Mandela Invitational at Arabella, and now it seems that Gary Player is not being invited. Naughty naughty!

It’s apparently because of his links with the military junta in Myanmar.

I’m going to be completely honest here, I have no idea what that means. I don’t know what is going on with this whole Burma situation, it’s all too much for me. The only thing I ever really worry about is global warming, that’s more than enough for me to deal with!

So I won’t bore you with the details, but if you want to entertain yourself, then click HERE for the article. I never read it but you might want to.

What I did want to say is that it is always hilarious to watch Gazza talking on TV, or even just listening to him. He absolutely LOVES to talk about himself! Everything I watch with him in it, he always gives himself a good mention and a good old pat on the back. Those of you familiar with him will know exactly what I’m talking about.

For those of you who don’t know, just find any video of him( YouTube might help) and see what I mean.

It’s quite hysterical how much he loves himself!

Seems like some people don’t love him as much though.

Tough one Gazza, but that’s what happens when you are sneaky sneaky.The Nelson Mandela Invitational has spanked him properly by not inviting him. Ouch! Funds raised at the event benefit the Nelson Mandela Childrens Fund and the Gary Player Foundation, but I’m not sure if Gazza’s Foundation still benefits now.
Gazza, might I interest you in getting Phuza faced with the SLXS crew at Tiger Tiger in Claremont on Thursday night? The offer is open. Phuza Thursdays have been quite well known to solve all the worlds problems.

Call me. Call me Sean.

Side note: To be honest, I think our boys have gone over the top by not inviting Gary Player. Gary Players involvement in Burma is due to his company being involved in the construction of the Pun Hlaing Golf Club where junta generals are said to spend leisure time striking business deals. Maybe there is something deeper to this story, but on the surface it does not seem like Gary Player is exactly the Devil. I mean, look at Gary, he does not seem like a bad guy does he?

I could be wrong, but that’s my opinion.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

This is to say hello, good morning and to ask you all some questions, and just mention some other things that are randomly random, and completely useless and probably have nothing to do with Cape Town or the excessive lifestyle that we live.

I’m drinking chamomile tea right now. I know what you are thinking, I am not being excessive enough. I know I should be drinking whiskey and smoking Texan plain. It’s a weird vibe I’m giving off today, waking up early, drinking chamomile tea, burning incense (Not incest, easily confused due to the nature of the English language that we speak) and being all calm.

Right now I feel like…You know what? I feel like Val Kilmer as the sherpa in Entourage!( Is Val short for Valium? Is that why he is the sherpa in Entourage, all calm and stuff? I think I might be looking too deeply into this) It’s completely crazy. I could not find a photo on the internet of Val Kilmer, so I just threw a DVD in the player, played it and took a photo. It’s the first season, disc two, episode 5. You should be buying Entourage if you have not already. I’m contemplating buying back up copies so I can eat those, that’s how much I love it. I want to taste Entourage. I want my body to be built of Entourage.

Weird.

Val Kilmer as the sherpa in Entourage

Anyway, the lines from that episode are crazy. Don’t read on if you have not seen it, it might spoil it a bit for you when you do watch it. So Val Kilmer is this sherpa, living in Los Angeles and growing weed like you have never seen before. Seriously, he has more weed there than that island did in The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He proceeds to hit this hubble like you have never seen before. Just when you think his lungs can’t possibly take anymore, he sucks harder and the hubble then bubbles even more ferociously. He eventually exhales, and gives us these pearls of wisdom:

The earth is moving, did you feel that? Everything, all the time. The dimensions we can’t even see. Everything is evolving. Turtle, you’re a dove.

Then E asks the sherpa something: You afraid of getting busted?

The sherpa: Busted, I’m entrusted. I don’t steal, I heal. I’m not getting stoned, we’re getting honed. My probation officers were my best customers. I’m a prisoner. A prisoner of war. War on drugs. It’s all so negative man. I mean the mans most positive positive tiv is a negative. Is a mega nega-tive!

How mad are the writers to actually think of this stuff? There is no way they did this while NOT smoking weed. They definitely toked it up. But Val is just completely crazy all the time! I actually know some people who are like him,it’s really cool.

But that’s how I feel right now, a little crazy. The weird thing is that I’m not smoking.

I don’t need to tell you this because everyone has been sending it to me via text message. I might just tell you anyway.

What’s the difference between the All Blacks and half a Viagra? At least with half a Viagra you get a semi (Sorry kids, you don’t have to read that)

I think I got that message about a thousand times yesterday!

Another thing bothering me is my wrist watch. I have just checked the date on both my timepieces and the one says it’s the 4th and the other says it’s the 7th. But it’s the 10th. Which brings me to this point. How do analogue(Analogue is the tick tock watch right?) watches know when a month has 29, 30 or 31 days in it? I will tell you what. They don’t! I always change the dates on my watches and then they get totally confused and lose the plot. Because watches come with the 31 already in them, how can they suddenly think “Oh this month only has 30 days, I will do a double turn over on the 31st to make it the 1st”

Has no one else thought of this before or is there something I’m missing? Am I the idiot? Because both my watches are wrong. My other watch does not have a date function which is great. I only wear a watch because I like the look of it, but when people ask the time it’s still easier to check your phone. Not that I really need to know the date anyway, I live by the hour. That’s how I am, completely excessive and over the top (OTT).

Well, it’s Wednesday, half way through the week and I have another crazy party on Friday, I will post photos this time. At the last Hout Bay party I never took any photos, I actually forgot to take my camera out of my bag. It was mad though, as we are.

Computer, tea, booze and citronella. Calming.

Please enjoy the current state of affairs at my huge wooden desk. A box of chamomile tea from the Margaret Roberts collection at Woolworths, a bottle of Absolut vodka and some citronella “Anti mosquito” incense sticks. It’s all very calm and hippie-ish today which is nice. Obviously the tea and incense calm me down, and the Absolut picks me up. Mind you, there are no insects which does not explain the citronella incense sticks. What does explain the citronella is the fact that I have run out of “Spiritual Guide” incense, which I need to stock up on at The Curry Pot in the Kenilworth/ Rondebosch area.

I’m in such a Zen/Feng Shui state right now that I feel if I get up off my chair at my massive wooden desk right now, I might knock the earth off it’s axis. Or alter the gravitational pull of the earth, pulling the moon right into the ocean at Camps Bay. That is the state I am in! It’s absolutely off the hook, you don’t even have to tell me!

By the way, the curry pot not only sell curry, but incense and tea as well! It’s like a little temple of peace and calm there. Not sure of the herb situation there currently, but I think they are all clean. As am I.

I must also tell you about the new oven I am using! But that can wait for another time. I sound like Martha Stewart today. Thank my parents I don’t look like Martha Stewart though, that would be a worrying trend.

Until later in the day.

Oh, this explains why we have been having such cold weather in Cape Town of late. Click HERE for the reason. I think it’s time we start taking care of the planet, this is freaking me out. I think an iceberg off the Eastern Cape is more than enough reason to believe that global warming is happening right now.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

Nick Koster at speed.

I have been hearing stories for a while on the Bishops rugby captain, and for a while I was unsure who this was. However, as time has gone by, the name Nick Koster has come up more and more often in conversations, and I could not let this slide anymore! I had to find out a little bit more about the man we know as Nick Koster, the Bishops First Team rugby captain.

The last time I spoke about a distinguished sportsman from Bishops, was the time I wrote spoke about Dugald McDonald (Click for link), also a Bishops Old Boy, Springbok rugby player and all round iron man.

However this time I’m talking about the name that has everyone excited, even people who don’t religiously follow rugby. It’s always exciting finding out about the upcoming talent this country has to offer, and I think a player in the form of Nick Koster definitely can be regarded as upcoming talent.

I last saw him play in the final match of the season against Rondebosch Boys High School, where Bishops won the game and Nick did not have a good game at all. I was then put in touch with Nick Koster through Jason Mitchell of Bishops, and this is the interview.

SLXS readers, I present to you, Nick Koster:

Age: 18

Height: 1.94 metres

Weight: 105 kilograms

Speed: Ran the hundred metres in 11 seconds flat on grass and into the wind at the Triangular this year. That is nothing but scary!

Sean: Nick, from what I have learned, Nick Mallett and Jake White have pinpointed you as the next big thing in South African rugby and you signed a Western Province contract when you were 16 years old. What sort of pressure does this put on someone your age, where you are trying to concentrate on school work, a social life and living up to the expectations that seem to have been put on you?

Nick: I am lucky in that pressure and expectation is something that pushes me to do greater things rather than breaking me down. I love pressure, and in fact need it to fulfill my goals. I have learnt that I need a balance in my life, where I work hard and play hard.

When I am in the classroom or studying, I try to do so with complete commitment when I can, and when I get out onto the training field, all else is forgotten and I work on becoming a better player, by learning something new or improving even just one little aspect of my game. As much as I value great coaches like Nick Mallett and Jake White’s opinions, I do not really use that to assess where I am.

I don’t use words that they have spoken to assure myself of any success in the future or even that I have achieved in the past. I merely use their words as an encouragement in that I have already got a ‘name’, I just need to do my talent justice.

Sean: I think that in most peoples lives, they reach a point where they realise that they are truly good at something, and not in an arrogant sense, but rather a sense of knowing that they have a talent for something. Did you ever reach a point where you could confidently say to yourself “I really am a top class rugby player?”

Nick: I am completely against arrogance and I don’t agree with people that are arrogant. That said, I have to admit that I have confidence every time I run onto the field that I have the ability to be better than my opposite number. To me it is not about what you have achieved, but rather how you are playing in accordance to your talent. I truly believe that I can be a much better player by alternating a few things in my mind. I know where my weaknesses are and I need to work on them, and once I have no more weaknesses in the game, I will tell myself that I am a top class rugby player.

Sean: We know that any sports person can succumb to injury, often injuries that end careers. We also know that a lot of players are becoming wiser these days, and actually studying on the side to make sure that their lives are set up in case of a serious injury, and for when they retire from sport. What are your plans for out of the rugby scene, if any?

Nick: I want to use rugby to give me a jumpstart in the business world. The thing is, everyone knows who Schalk Burger is, but not everyone knows who the top business man in the country is. I am studying next year along with my rugby, but I cannot attend lectures so I will have a difficult task in keeping up with the work. Nevertheless, getting a degree is important to me as making it in rugby is, and that is what I want to do.

Sean: What is the support like from from the other players in your Bishops team, regarding your future career prospects? Is it encouraging or are there some people who are jealous?

Nick: You always get people who are jealous and that is something that you need to live with. Jealousy is something we all have, and I accept that some people are jealous. With regards to my team, they have been incredibly supportive on and off the field. On the field they have realised that I need to be ‘protected’ somewhat in schoolboy rugby as a lot of teams were out to kill me.(Not literally, readers……Editor) It is encouraging having people who support you and back you, especially through the difficult times, and the jealous people really don’t bother me.

Sean: You played your last game for Bishops with an injury, and you did not have your best game. How was the decision taken to let you play, and was your injury serious that it warranted you maybe not playing at full capacity?

Nick: It was always going to be a big call, as I was not nearly fit to play. And even though I had a shocker, I do not regret the decision to play at all. It was an awesome victory, one I will never forget and I was always going to sacrifice that little bit for my team.

I knew that I would not be at my best, and accepted that beforehand, but I told myself from the beginning that I would not make any excuses whatsoever, because it was my decision to play, and that I would go out and try my best, even though my groin was giving me a lot of trouble.

I like to believe that I am a team man, and that was the least I could have done for a team and school that I am extremely passionate about.

Sean: I was taking a drive through Rondebosch Boys High School before the Bosch/ Bishops derby this year, and at break times you see lots of kids eating junk food from the tuck shop and this is quite a common trend amongst school kids. How does your diet differ from the average school kids, and what do you avoid?

Nick: I try to avoid fats where I can, but my diet really should be better. You have to watch what you eat as your muscles need good nutrition to cope with the heavy work load you expect from them.

Sean: Nick, are there any specific supplements that you use to help increase your performance such as protein, glutamine, creatine or anything of the sort?

Nick: You have to use supplements as it is difficult to get everything you need out of the food you eat every day. I do use protein and I am looking to go onto creatine in the future maybe as it does help you in just getting that little step up. I try to be as natural as I can, but I do realise the importance of supplements.

Sean: If you were on the fringes of Springbok selection and you were offered an overseas contract would you consider it?

Nick: No, my dream has always been to play for the Springboks and I believe that that is something that money cannot buy. I do suppose that one can never say never, but I want to reach my goal of one day putting on the green and gold, and I don’t believe that anything can stand in the way of that if I do reach that level, in terms of money that is.

Sean: Why do you think so many talented schoolboy rugby players leave school and then never make it at the top level of the sport?

Nick: I believe they are not managed well. Rugby is something that can be taken away from you in a split second on or off the field due to injury, so it is not the safe option. Every player that goes for it is risking a lot, and some talented youngsters are not willing to risk a career in business to pursue a rugby career, thus they give it up.

Sean: Do you know of any other talented rugby players that we should look out for coming through any of the Cape Town school?

Nick: There are plenty of talented players to look out for, but from the Cape Town schools I know that my fellow team mates Greg Mallett and Michael Nel from Bishops are special. I haven’t really seen enough of the players from schools such as SACS and Rondebosch, but those two players have what it takes to take their game to the next level.

Sean: Nick, to end off, do you feel any major pressure to succeed after what you have achieved at school boy level?

Nick: Any pressure that I am under is the pressure that I put on myself, and not the pressure put on me by other people or the media. I do not feel like I have to make it in rugby, but for me to use the talents that I have been blessed with to be the best player that I can be is really important.

What I have achieved at school boy level is a mere taste of what is to come. I am not going to settle for what I have achieved, I want to be much greater. In a completely modest way, I believe that people have not seen me perform yet. Just as life is short, so is a rugby career, and I am going to make the most of mine, squeezing out every last bit of talent that I have been given.

I think from looking over that interview, Nick is definitely going to go onto bigger things. With not a hint of arrogance, but pure confidence and determination, we truly are seeing something great unfold before us.

He has already proved beyond doubt that he is talented, and even the big names in South African rugby are agreeing that he has what it takes. But this is not making Nick Koster sit up and take it easy, he is determined to show us an even better side of him. And that is something to take note of.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

The Nelson Mandela Invitational at Arabella

I was reminded this weekend that next month we have the Nelson Mandela Invitational golf challenge at the Arabella Golf course in Kleinmond, near Hermanus.

I drove up about two years ago and it was quite a fun day out, just cruising around the golf course. I still remember seeing Ronan Keating, who in real life is quite short! Seriously, he is tiny. But he is obviously not too worried about this because he is a millionaire( In dollars, or pounds or yen or something), he sang the crooning song “When you say nothing at all” for the movie Notting Hill, he is Irish so he can probably drink anyone under the table and there is no doubt that chicks dig him. I would have two foot cut off of me for that lifestyle!

I also saw Jodie Kidd there, and she is not really all that spectacular. I never thought she was too much of a spectacle in photos, and in real life she is not too great. Mind you, she is not exactly ugly.

Anyway, from what I currently know, it takes place next month, from the 23rd to the 25th of November. I think the real celebrity event takes place from the Saturday, the 24th of November.

For the people playing, it costs $25000 to enter, and money raised benefits the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and the Gary Player Foundation.

It’s worth taking a drive up(Must speak to Jerry D about Bombing up there) for the Nelson Mandela Invitational at Arabella to spot the celebrities, have a drinky drink and bronze yourself in the sun to within inches of looking like an Italian fashion model. I know I’m keen.

I will keep you updated.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

This is really a Monday morning random post, just to say hello to everyone again after a weekend of excess.

I hope we all enjoyed the rugby yesterday, I nearly had to have a pacemaker fitted to keep my heart on track. I know the Springboks wanted to give us good viewing, but things were getting a little bit too close, especially with the scores both locked at 20. I just want boring games until the final, life is exciting enough without the panic attacks that the Springboks gave me yesterday.

What happened to global warming? Cape Towns weather this weekend, especially last night, was ICE COLD! I heard there was snow in Ceres, which is entirely believable because someone I know was walking in Newlands forest on Sunday morning and it started to hail. Clearly someone is just having a laugh with us. Ricky Gervais was clearly playing with the weather this weekend. But yeah the joke is over. Let’s turn summer on, I want to once again look like a Greek God, all oiled up and chilling on Clifton in a Speedo.

I’m joking.

Somehow during the weekend I managed to eat a block of chocolate, and then while I was eating that I ate a lightly salted chip. It was the best taste ever. Which begs the question, why are Lays or Simba not making chocolate coated chips? I’m being serious here. I’m honestly thinking of sending this idea to the chip companies. Or surely Woolworths will give it a try? They try anything new. I won’t make any money from it, but I will have fun eating the chips. Imagine what dietitians will say about this heart attack food waiting to happen? They will lose their minds.

I’m keeping this idea fresh in my mind though, I think I’m onto something here. In the meantime, eat a block of chocolate and then a couple of lightly salted chips and tell me what you think. I’m intrigued as to what other people think of this idea.

Until later in the day, chill out. Literally if you are in Cape Town.

Sean Lloyd

Editor 

I was just reading in the Saturday Weekend Argus that South African Breweries are saying that there is no shortage of beer for the weekend. Obviously this is in light of the fact that South Africa are going to hammer Fiji in the Rugby World Cup quarter final today, the 7th of October. Yeah!
It is a well known fact that in South Africa everyone drinks copious amounts of beer during any rugby game. Red meat is also high on the agenda during rugby. Personally I don’t drink a lot of beer, I might have one or two from time to time, but my preferred choice of drink is Absolut vodka. It fits in well with the lifestyle I live. The bottle is clean looking, simple and it is recognised the world over. Absolut excess.

In the Weekend Argus article, South African Breweries said that some pack sizes were “under pressure” but there was no “critical shortage” of beer. It’s quite interesting to note sales trends like this, and how some of the beer pack sizes come under pressure due to a rugby game. You can’t buy advertising like that. Rugby drives sales like that!

This reminds me of an issue I wrote on a while back on Hansa Marzen Gold beer on another site. For a while Amstel beer was in short supply in South Africa, and Hansa beer then launched their Marzen Gold variety, which was obviously in direct competition to the Amstel brand. The Marzen Gold look was similiar, with the foil covering the cap and a green bottle. While the Hansa were adamant that it was not supposed to be similiar to Amstel, I think we all know it was. Funny enough, the more Hansa tried to deny that it was like Amstel, the more people would liken it to Amstel. Even while drinking Hansa, people were still debating the issue of whether Hansa were trying to copy the look of the Amstel bottle. So even though you were drinking Hansa, you were talking about Amstel.

I distinctly remember a Hansa Marzen Gold promotion taking place at Tiger Tiger night club in Cape Town, where someone asked the promotion girls if the Marzen Gold was the new Amstel. The promotion girls were not allowed to say anything about Amstel, no matter how hard we tried to make them! Obviously Hansa were trying hard to not be compared to Amstel. It was strange, because while Amstel were gone, people spoke about the beer more than ever. It was on everyones minds.

Then there was their clever advertising campaign, which kept on reminding us that Amstel would soon be available again. At the time of the shortage, Hansa Marzen Gold definitely had the visual presence in bars, but Amstel had the presence in the newspapers. There were adverts which would read along the lines of this “After reading this advert you will be 15 seconds closer to your next Amstel” I forget the exact words in the adverts, but they all followed the theme of being a certain amount of time closer to your next Amstel.

I commented that this was clever advertising, because Amstel were keeping their beer fresh in our minds by advertising constantly, often in the weekend newspapers. So while people were relaxing on the weekends, probably thinking about having a beer, Amstel were constantly there in front of them.

I thought this was quite clever and Mike Pearson of FoxP2 advertising agency (Finweek’s New Agency of 2007) noted the following at the time in response to the Amstel adverts:

“Clever chaps, Ogilvy advertising agency.When you’re in a bar you’re thinking about beer anyway, so why not nab people when they aren’t usually thinking about beer, get on top of their minds! When you’re in a bar you’re being assailed by twenty different beer messages…In the newspaper. One. Amstel”

So it would be interesting to see what sort of a market share Hansa took from Amstel after Amstel was out of the game for a little while. Then we could possibly see the effect that the Amstel marketing campaign had and how effective it was.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

Well firstly England beat Australia. Yes, Australia, that place where you are bound to hear someone say “Gooday mate!” or “Let’s put another shrimp on the barbee!”

Then in some sort of collision of the planets, Chabals (Click link) team, France(Those people who smoke Gauloises and drive Peugeots…and maybe Smart cars as well) go and turn the World Cup on it’s head by beating the favourites in the form of New Zealand!

If you had listened to my advice a little while back (Click link) on betting, you would now be in a position where you would be waiting for pay day. To be honest, I’m just sitting back waiting for South Africa to hoist that World Cup above their heads! It might not be Francois and Madiba, but it’s going to be just as sweet. And they will no doubt be watching in any case.

When I looked at the betting, New Zealand were the favourites and South Africa were second. With New Zealand gone, that leaves South Africa. BOOM!

The only thing I will miss are the commentators shouting “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh it’s Dan Carter!” Well at least we still have Bob Skinstad. “Ah it’s Skinner! Large and in charge!”

But seriously, can you believe how crazy this World Cup is at the moment? World Cup can be translated to “Wereld beker” for those of you living beyond the boerewors curtain. Not the iron curtain, that is a completely different thing. This is a uniquely South African thing. Ken jy hoor? Look, it’s all Afrikaans so some of the foreign people might not understand. I apologise profusely for that.

Anyway, I’m just writing this to let you know that the SLXS World Cup prediction is coming along nicely. I hope you all read that post on the betting before the betting actually closed. I also hope you did in fact bet.

And yes it’s a Saturday night and I’m writing this. Hey I can’t party all the time! Someone has to accomplish things around here.

Night night.

Sean Lloyd

Editor 

I wrote recently on the black Google, Blackle, which is supposed to save energy. I also gave a link to the website Treehugger.com because it is a site that I read quite regularly.

I was just browsing the site and came upon an article on Blackle, which made it seem quite good. However, I started reading the comments on the post, and from what I read Blackle is actually not good at saving energy at all.

So I guess my post was not really helping the planet that much!

Read the Treehugger article HERE.

It’s all quite interesting and I’m very intrigued.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

This is not ideal, I was going to do a post now on something really cool but it will have to wait because I need someone to take a photo of me…with the pellet gun! Unfortunately I am on my own now…quite lonely obviously…

The Springboks play Fiji on Sunday and we are going to hammer them no doubt. Our boys over at SaRugby.com (Click the link) also have good things to say so I’m happy! I can’t wait until we win the World Cup, it’s going to be awesome.

I just went to the bottle store to get a bottle of Absolut vodka, and regarding this I have a very cool idea to do with Absolut . It’s all creative and stuff, but some people do consider me to be a “creative”. I’m quite deep today I won’t lie.

It’s hectic with all these ideas being thrown around my head at force.

Also, I’m battling to download a Flash Player, due to the sophisticated nature of the programs iBob makes me run. What he doesn’t realise is that I’m a writer, not a computer technician. iBob let’s download a Flash Player for SLXS, I’m battling here!

It’s like you have left me in the desert with no water, it’s brutal over here! I can’t watch things and I can’t access some sites. This is not an ideal working environment. Come on people, let’s hit Cape Town hard this weekend. I’m bringing my baseball bat and the festivities start tonight at the Pink Palace of Porn in Hout Bay.

Yeah!

Sean Lloyd

Editor

I’m back!

For next week I have a little interview, and you MIGHT want to keep an eye on the person who was interviewed. I’m not forcing you to keep an eye on this particular person,but you know I only give out good advice.

I have a party of gigantic proportions tonight at the Hout Bay mansion, a photo or two might be posted. It’s going to be sick! I don’t think I can quite get my head around it yet. I must scan through the news now to tell you what’s important, and stop by again today because I think I have some more stuff to say.

I mean, do I ever not have anything to say?

No way, I’m like a little fountain spewing out information all the time.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

This is all concerning how to save the planet, which I find quite necessary considering the planet is not in top shape anymore.

I came across Blackle a few months ago in an article in a newspaper, or e-zine, or magazine, or chronicle, or website, or telepathy, or osmosis or something of the sorts, I can’t really remember now. Anyway, I was made aware that a white screen uses more power(energy) than a black screen does. Considering that Google is used millions of times a day, some clever person decided to make Google black, in order to save a bit of energy.Very clever!

While you may not be sure how this will save the planet, I think every bit of energy saved helps. Considering our computers run off electricity, which is in most cases made by burning coal, we need to save energy and save the planet.

I used to have my homepage set to a news website, but realised this was pointless. I open my internet browser countless times a day, and don’t need a news service loading each time I do. I only check the news once a day anyway, so it was pointless. Also, it was probably using up a lot of bandwidth which is stupid as well. Now that I have it set to Blackle, it loads quicker, uses less energy, and having Blackle load up each time reminds me of our need to save energy and the planet.

I’m quite intrigued by all the measures these days used to save, and create energy such as wind power, solar power, hybrid cars and bio-fuels. Although some people say bio-fuels use just as much energy planting and harvesting the corn or whatever they use. But people are also using old cooking oil and turning it into fuel for their cars which is quite sneaky!

Imagine Nandos and KFC powering your car, that’s hectic. Anyway, I’m not a professional at all of this but you can check out this site for some more useful information:

Treehugger.com

Also go to the Blackle homepage, click on the “About” section and have a little read. Also set it as your hompage and spread the word. The only problem is that Blackle is a basic Google search, and does not include an image search etc. But it’s still good to use as a homepage.

Wicked.

Sean Lloyd

Editor

I always keep pieces of information in my head, even though they may not make sense at the time. I keep them stored, and over time, they all morph together to make articles like this. For a while now the surf brands Billabong, Reef and Sex Wax have been doing a little dance around inside my head. Just yesterday evening they all clashed together, bringing you this.

I know a couple of friends who surf, usually in the Muizenberg area in Cape Town( Of Kaap Stad hoor) , and they are quite a bunch of chilled out guys. You know a surfer when you start hearing things such as stoked, bru, weed, barrel and all that other stuff. I made the barrel part up but I think it’s a surfing word. Right…

Anyway, I have always been a bit wary of the surfer lifestyle and what it is that they do. They always seem to be surfing and never seem to be working but yet they seem happy all the time. Like something is pushing them along. Then I found all the codes, hidden in the most popular surfing brands available today.

Think about it. What is another word for marijuana? Mary Jane, doob, pot…reefer? Well there you have it! Reefer! Take away the last two letters and you have “Reef”. The surf brand Reef ring a bell? You bet it does!

REEF(er)

How do you smoke weed? With a lighter, you roll it, rolling paper…wait…a bong! Now here’s a thought. BillaBONG? Yes, exactly! More code hidden into this simple brand.

Billa- BONG!

What else do surfers like to do? You see all the girls on the beach, tanned, toned, skimpy bikinis, checking out the tanned surfer guys, ogling…wait…SEX! What do surfers wax their boards with? SEX WAX, exactly! Just look at the Sex Wax. Mr Zogs. Mr Zog just sounds like a stoner! And check the line “The best for your stick” Hello! Why have we not paid attention to this before?!

Filthy

There we have it. Surfers actually get into the sport to smoke weed and have sex. Copious amounts of it.  I know this is not very scientific and people are going to write to me saying “My little Johnny likes to surf and I will have you know that he does NOT smoke the herb” Keep cool my babies. I’m speaking in generalities here. These are just random thoughts that float through my head, I wouldn’t freak out about them!

I definitely think I’m onto something here though. I just know when I’m right.

Even if I’m not I still probably win.

And it’s Friday tomorrow!

Sean Lloyd

Editor

The Editors choice: Aramis, Hugo, Giorgio, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana. All good friends of mine.

I won’t lie to you, I am smelling good today. No…I mean real good. Like teenage desire and success. I’m joking!

But I thought this would be a good time to tell you what SLXS endorse for summer. I have put my winter fragrances aside because they are too heavy for this hot weather. Well today is not exactly hot in Cape Town, it’s actually raining, so I’m writing this article at a bad time. But if you read this on a sunny day it will make perfect sense.

My classic winter fragrance is Gucci. Don’t ask me the specific name of this fragrance because I have no idea. It’s just Gucci and it is the best stuff I have ever bought. The great thing about it is that no one else I know owns it. In fact, I think it is more of a select group of people who own it. Which makes it all the more special. I’m not a fragrance nerd, and I can’t tell you that it has base notes of juniper, middle notes of oak and top notes of the seeds of ripe blackberries. What I will tell you though is that it is what you want in winter. The only other thing I can tell you is that it smells woody, and it makes you smell wealthy.

Seriously, if you had to wear the Gucci, while sitting in your office that smells of rich mahogany, whilst reading a leather bound book, you would immediately be put onto the Fortune 500 list. It’s THAT good. I think the best thing about it is that it caters to the individual who is not swayed by massive marketing campaigns. I never see it advertised and it doesn’t claim to make you into a superstar. It does not claim to do anything, rather the magic is in it’s power to seduce. I must say, I was wearing it, and it seduced me.

You can go mainstream and buy a fragrance that has a huge marketing campaign, but then you know that every second guy at Hemisphere and FTV is going to be wearing it. Gucci is for the thinking man. They have actually released the second version of the Gucci, and it has a blue colour to it. I have not tried it on my skin, but in the bottle it smells good! You need to try out fragrances on your skin because they all interact with people differently. It may smell good on those sample cards, but once it mixes with the wearer, it might not be so good. So always try these things on your skin and wait a couple of minutes for the fragrance to develop on you.

I remember always liking the Giorgio Armani Aqua di Gio, but when I tried it on myself, it was a bit of a mess.

Then I have the Giorgio Armani Black Code, my other winter fragrance that was given to me as a gift. This stuff is also awesome, and I alternate randomly in winter between that and Gucci. It keeps people guessing and keeps an air of mystery around me. Because I am an enigma of sorts. Well…that’s what I like to think.

For summer though I have just run out of my Aramis Life, which was a good deal. However, I thought it faded a bit quickly and never lasted an entire day, but it really is one of the best summer fragrances. It’s refreshing after a day spent looking at models on Clifton 4th beach. Trust me, I have battle tested it. Hard.

So that ran out and I decided to cruise on over to Edgars (Or was it Truworths?), to get a new personality for me. And by “personality” I mean “fragrance”, because what you wear in effect reflects your personality.

Interruption: I am currently listening to the White Barry on my iPod. Had to let you know. Back to the story:

As soon I walked in I could not help but notice that there were about a million different scents awaiting my testing. I kind of already knew what I was going to get, but I sniffed around anyway. The lady at the counter asked me if I would like to try the new Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, and I was not convinced because I have seen the advertising campaign and it is bizarre. There is a guy in a white Speedo just chilling in Phuket or something and it looks like the place where The Beach with Leo was filmed. He is on a speedboat, or a raft, and it’s not cool at all. Actually, just have a look for yourself:

No thanks Fabio

And the fragrance is supposed to be summery, but its quite floral and I don’t think I could cope with it on a hot summers day. It’s way too much and I need something more fresh. So I sprayed it on, and then I had to leave to wash it off. It’s not that it’s bad, it just does not suit me in summer. Which brings me to an interesting point. When these sales ladies give you something to try, and they are saying how nice it is, is it rude to tell them that is smells horrendous? I’m too much of a nice guy, and always say “Wow darling, that is lovely!” before running home and having a shower. I feel bad telling them that it is hideous.

And this brings me on to another point. I like David Beckham, his hairstyle and his general style, but his fragrance, David Beckham “Instinct” is disgusting. I can’t even describe how bad it is. You must just try it, it is so bad! It’s one of those bad things that you have to try, to fully come to terms with how insanely terrible it really is. So that’s two things I don’t like about Becks now. His skinny, perma-tanned and pouting mannequin wife, and his fragrance. But I still think he is cool.

So I came back the next day, after showering, and after I had been given a 2ml sample of the Light Blue, which I doubt I will use. I went straight for Hugo.

SLXS summer choice

The Hugo Boss is a classic, and the first time I came into contact with it seemed to be ages ago, like 8 years or something. Was it around that long ago? All I know is that it is a classic. In it’s day, if you bought it, everyone would have had it. But now it has aged a bit, and so not everyone wears it. Now once again, a select group of people wear it because the trend has worn off. So that’s why I bought it. While everyone else snaps up the bottles shaped like apples and the rest, I come in and buy an old school classic. It’s actually so awesome I can’t believe I have never bought it before. I had previously tried it, but now I own it.

So the Hugo Boss is my SLXS summer fragrance choice, and I’m quite liking it. It’s fresh, young and just crazy. You know…like me. Obviously!

I also like the advertising campaign with the line “It’s just a fragrance. The rest is up to you” The campaign features Jonathan Rhys Meyers, the actor, who is in Mission Impossible 3. And a whole lot of other movies, but I just watched the MI3 DVD, so that’s what comes to mind.

I like the theme of the advert, with all the images coming out of the bottle having a city vibe to them. This fits perfectly with Cape Town, which is a city, and a trendy one at that. So it’s perfect for me, for SLXS, and for you!

So with all of this information, you have no reason not to smell of desire and crisp, cold, refreshingly new South African bank notes.

Now go attack summer.

Sean Lloyd

Editor