TBV Guest Writer: Dhoya Snijders

I had the pleasure of bumping into our next guest writer in the forests of Bolivia. He was eating the bark off a tree, which apparently was very good for heartburn. A self-described poet, Dhoya has an interesting story.

Given that he was conceived in Nigeria and schooled in Papua New Guinea, Dhoya has taken to English like a small cat takes to a bird, very well.
He is a professional hunter who likes to flirt with vegetarianism. He has spent over 2 years walking with the san people so as to release his book entitled: I walked with San people to get onto Oprah.
He has a history of Strawberry abuse and is seeing a Spanish hand model, Dhoya says he loves the rest of her too.

Please welcome in our third guest writer
Count Dhoya Snijders

TBV Guest Writer Dhoya Snijders:Karoo Morning

This weekend I awoke in the Karoo, in the town of Cradock. Like each other South African town I have encountered, Cradock has a twin-city. These South African twin cities are not allied provincial towns in Hungary, Finland, Dakota or the likes, they are situated right beside their older brother and are commonly referred to as ‘the location’ or ‘township’.

Namaste: Walking in the prescense of profound beauty.

A traveller’s journey is never ending. It will take you to places never heard of before, unimaginable to think of and yet there you stand engulfed in all its beauty and passion.


Nepal opened its arms to me for a very small time and embraced my never-ending search to marvel in this countries offering.

Minority report: Donating to Haiti may not help

The earthquake in Haiti is a terrible disaster. The suffering of many tens of thousands, if not more, is clearly unquestionable. Trying to alleviate that suffering seems like a human duty, and to suggest otherwise would be perceived as immoral. So before I proceed to do just that, let me make a subtle difference clear: these wrenched souls can't be helped, at least not by you. That they should be helped is a different matter, which I am not contesting.

Haiti: A Third World Tragedy, you can help

Most people who have the internet will know about Haiti. My Eyes read over countless lines of stories of mayhem, disaster and sadness. Being 5000 miles away sitting in my comfortable chair at work its hard to imagine what it must be like sweeping the rubble for a hope or a whisper of Family members, friends , teachers and neighbors all leveled by the massive earthquake. I cant even imagine what it must be like being there or worse waiting to hear from abroad news of loved ones survival or not.

TBV Guest Writer: Dan Zoku

Dan Zoku aka Mr. Intermittent is a free-lance journalist who, in his own words ‘likes to be right there – right there! – on the front line, in the firing zone!’


His on again off again relationship with actress Sarah Jessica Parker in the late 90s and early 2000s, and the fact that ‘Danzoku’ means intermittent in Japanese earned him his nickname.

Mr. Zoku was born in the small city of East London in South Africa. He originally had ambitions of becoming a pilot, but had his license permanently revoked after crashing his light aircraft into a sheep farm. Subsequent investigations revealed that Zoku had been under the influence of alcohol.

Zoku, said of the accident, ‘I was flying home from a mate’s Christmas party. Yes I was drunk. Yes it was stupid.’

TBV Dan Zoku: Who wants to live forever?

Japan has the second largest economy on earth and is home to some of the greatest and most successful multinationals. It is also home to the largest aging population, with a recent study suggesting that by 2020 one in every 15 people will be over 100. With an extremely low birthrate – 0.13 children per woman – the situation is unlikely to change.

TBV: Guest Writer Shakes Mapapa

Ladies and Gentlemen
Presenting our First of many wonderful talented guest writers.

Shakes Mapapa was born in South Africa. His whereabouts for most of his teenager life is not known as he fled the borders in response to the outcry of the apartheid government. He speaks over 10 languages and has honorary degrees from many different universities around the world.

Shakes has a passion for finding the truth and asking questions that only people who don’t sleep very much and eat Salami sandwiches with gherkins would dare to ask.

When he is not writing his is thinking and when he is not thinking he is talking and when he is not talking he is either writing or thinking.

Enjoy the first of many guest writers on The Blind View

TBV Shakes Mapapa: Global Warming? What Global Warming?

Whenever I raise this topic, or at least, voice my opinion on it, and it is an opinion, because since I am not a scientist, it can be nothing more than that, I encounter vociferous, even aggressive opposition.

The Blind View: The start to our very own guest writers

In so many instances there is so much more to a story than meets the eye.



In 2009 The Blind View was inundated with people who wanted to tell their stories, opinions photos and more on the blog. It is with this idea that we bring to you the Blind Opinions. A whole part of the blog dedicated to guest writers spreading their ideas to the growing readers.


If you want to add your piece to this community send us your stories, photographs, opinions and more and if its any good, thought provoking or funny we will publish it for you.

Send it to theblindview@gmail.com.


We look forward to reading and publishing what you have to say.
Next week sees the start of these writers so keep watching this space

Happy 2010

Can you believe it 2010. I feel this might be a milestone year for many of us. It certainly will be a big tester for South Africa as the world waits in great anticipation for footballs greatest stage to come alive in the streets of the “dark continent.


Many of you this week will be rejoining the workforce after a nice little break. Assuming clients, projects and employers ease you into the 9 to 5 I thought you might have a moment to check out this video.

It’s of a young, beautiful Ukrainian girl named Kseniya Simonova who has a brilliant talent, creating art in the sand. The young woman was the latest “Ukraine has got talent” winner and boy does she have talent. In this video she depicts a story of how World War II affected the people of Ukraine. I thought this might be a good way to put forward some inspiration for 2010 in a way that is not lame. Take what you will from this and if you take nothing from it then just enjoy the beauty of her work.





Amazingly after watching this video I did a bit of research and found out that the Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in just over one in four of the population being killed, with 11 million recorded deaths out of a population of 42 million. And here we sit in a recession complaining about not having enough money to buy our Grand Cherokees and Louis Vitton bags.

Here at The Blind View we are also preparing for a big year ahead with some exciting changes and additions but more to come about all that a little later.

Exciting times

Happy 2010 people.



Andrew “the excited” Levy