South Africa -- Prepared for the Big Stage

Nine South Africdan cities and ten stadiums  have been built or renovated for the biggest soccer event in the world.  Take a look at these venues.  During our trip, we will see many of these and witness the best soccer in the world with friends all over the country.


Cape Town
Cape Town, at the foot of iconic Table Mountain, is a cosmopolitan city with beautiful natural surrounds.
Green Point Stadium



Durban
The city's "golden mile", a four kilometre stretch of beaches, restaurants and promenades, holds pride of place in culturally varied Durban.
Durban Stadium



Johannesburg
The city is a financial Juggernaut on the African continent. Pulsating with energy and drive, Johannesburg is a hub of culture and excitement.
Ellis Park Stadium



Johannesburg Soccer City
For a long time Soccer City was the only South African stadium dedicated to the beautiful game and is a fitting finals venue.




Mangaung/Bloemfontein
Mangaung/Bloemfontein's open spaces reflect the openness of its people - friendly, warm and quietly dignified.
Free State Stadium



Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth
Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth has a 40 kilometre stretch of immaculate beaches in a protected bay.
Port Elizabeth Stadium


Nelspruit
Surrounded by some of the country's most spectacular game reserves and the famous Kruger National Park, Nelspruit offers more than just a world-class football stadium. Nelspruit is the capital of Mpumalanga Province.
Mbombela Stadium


Polokwane
Polokwane is often described as a vibrant, busy and colourful wonderland in a sea of grasslands, surrounded by scenic mountains.
Peter Mokaba Stadium



Rustenburg
In the heart of the savannah bushveld is the city of Rustenburg, brimming with natural beauty at the foot of the Magaliesburg Mountains.
Royal Bafokeng Stadium



Tshwane/Pretoria
Tshwane/Pretoria's rich and colourful heritage makes the city come alive with a unique blend of new and old.
Loftus Versfeld Stadium 


Click Here to read the full article about these destinations.

USA Defeats Turkey in warmup match

Two weeks before they open their 2010 FIFA World Cup™ against England, United States players rallied from a woeful first half for a confidence-boosting 2-1 victory over Turkey on Saturday.

Read the full article here.

Returning to the Land of Ubuntu

I will be blogging for the next few weeks (June 1 through July 18, 2010) from South Africa  -- the Land of Ubuntu.

I had the life-changing experience of living in South Africa at the end of the Apartheid era, and the birth of the New South Africa.  One of my most thrilling moments was meeting Nelson Mandela and shaking his hand. He was such a warm and engaging man with wisdom and charm to fill any room.  His enduring stamp on the future of that new nation was the call to everyone to live with the "Spirit of Ubuntu -- I am because of who you are."

This is a collaborative challenge to those who were once adversaries to combine their respective strengths into a new, and stronger nation.  Recently, Morgan Freeman played Mandela  in the movie "Invictus."  This movie was set around the South African Rugby Team and their quest to win the Rugby world cup in 1996.  I was living in South Africa at the time, and witnessed the impact of a nation coalescing in support of a sports team.  When the South African Springboks won, the unity of purpose extended beyond sports into the fabric of the nation.  The response was invigorating, and led to one and all, asking with a smile, "How do you like our new South Africa?"

I am returning to the Land of Ubuntu to enjoy the World Cup Soccer matches from June 11th to July 11th.  I don't know what the chances of South Africa winning may be, but I do know that this nation has accepted the challenge of stepping onto the world stage to host this great event.  In the Group Matches, I wll be cheering for Team USA.  If our team advances beyond the Group Matches, we will be there to support them.  Most of our time, however, will be spent with our South African brothers and sisters -- renewing the bonds that link us to the motherland.

I look forward to sharing our "once in a lifetime experience" back to the Land of Ubuntu.

Life in the Fast Lane -- Skills for Survival

I often read that the sage old advice -- "Get a good education and get a good job" -- is outdated. More often than not, the person decrying this advice is promoting entrepreneurism, or has felt the devastating insecurity of the current job market. The reality is that they are experiencing the impact of "life in the fast lane."


What is needed in the current environment is a fundamentally different set of skills to keep up in the fast lane. We are living in a "continuous learning" environment, so what is needed is adaptive skills that enable you to learn at the speed of the traffic if you want to travel in the fast lane.

Here is a view of the fundamental skills required in the 21st century. These don't relate specifically to earning a college degree, or other formal certification. Even with a degree, if you haven't mastered these skills, you will find yourself falling behind.

Communication Skills

• Read With Understanding
• Convey Ideas in Writing
• Speak So Others Can Understand
• Listen Actively
• Observe Critically

Decision-Making Skills

• Solve Problems and Make Decisions
• Plan
• Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate

Interpersonal Skills

• Cooperate With Others
• Guide Others
• Advocate and Influence
• Resolve Conflict and Negotiate

Lifelong Learning Skills

• Take Responsibility for Learning
• Learn Through Research
• Reflect and Evaluate
• Use Information and Communications Technology

Equipped for the Future is an organization that studies the skills adults need to thrive in the 21st century. Their study tells us that without certain basic skills, survival will be extremely difficult.

Life in the Fast Lane -- Culture Shift

I have observed that any focus on the Black Community has to take into account the gaps in our progress -- some imposed by oppressors, others self-imposed, all can be addressed with our own initiative. Throughout my life experience, I have also observed that I must run faster, get up earlier, stay up later, study harder, and have greater faith in the outcome of my efforts to achieve my goals as a Black man. I can lament this necessity, or I can move into the FAST LANE to catch up and accelerate past those ahead of me. There are no free passes to the head of the line.


First, an observation about what is going on around us today. I will spend no time dwelling on what happened to me, or us, in the past. I know my history; I will not fall victim to forgetting it; I must focus all of my attention on my future. At age 62, I have lived through the history of Jim Crow, School Desegregation, the Civil Rights Movement, 7 recessions (8, counting the present), the emergence of the Global Economy, and the Information Age. So, I have the blessing of perspective. I know how far behind I was at the beginning of my life, and I have seen much progress. So, I want to share that perpsective and invite your comments and input to solutions for a better future.

Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, I want to start with a discussion of the environment we find ourselves in -- all of us! Not just Black folks. Our new President has built and shaped our expectations around a vision of change. The change he is speaking about is global, and there is nowhere we can run or hide to escape it. One observer calls what is happening to us Culture Shift.

One of the foremost experts in the field of organizational change is Price Pritchett. In his book, Culture Shift, he offers several strategies for employees and managers during organizational upheaval. He offers this observation about change:

Our rapidly changing world calls for a culture with quicker reflexes.

More speed.
Agility and flexibility.
The future requires a shift to new responses.
It's time to change the way we handle change.

I believe these observations apply to every aspect of our lives, not just the work environment. I have extracted 5 DOs and DON'Ts that I believe apply to all of us during this period of rapid change that we are going through.

This culture shift, and the gaps we face require a move to the fast lane for those who want to reap all the benefits of the 21st century. This is the world babies are born into today. This is the world graduates are encountering when they enter the workforce. This is the world we live in and the changes we are experiencing will accelerate. They won't slow down for us to catch up.

DO
1. Speed Up
2. Stay Cool
3. Take the initiative
4. Spend energy on solutions
5. Take personal responsibility for fixing things.


DON'T
1. Slow Down
2. Panic
3. Wait for instructions
4. Waste time and energy on emotions
5. Blame others for what you don't like.

As I share my perspective, I will offer new ideas; reflect on values and old ideas that worked in the past; revisit some of the advice that we have ignored; and share some success stories of those who have successfully navigated the fast lane.

One final observation about the fast lane. When you get into the fast lane, everything else slows down because you have become accustomed to a different pace. You will discover that you can run faster; think more clearly; solve problems better; deal with greater quantities of information; collaborate more effectively with others in the fast lane; and most importantly, offer help to those who may be struggling in a slower lane, based on what you have achieved. This doesn't require that you move into the slower lane to be "down with those who are struggling." This will only cause you to fall behind again. The help you offer must result in their speeding up.

So, our journey to greater progress begins. Will you join me in the fast lane?

Roger Madison
http://www.izania.com/