Art in the desert and Advent calendars – and get your bod on thése beaches

What we want to know this week

High-speed trains are coming to South Africa

Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa has repeated his promise of a “National Rail Masterplan” bringing high-speed rail between cities to South Africa. He says that a national master plan for rail will be completed by the end of 2025.

In his weekly letter to the public, he says that much progress has been made in restoring urban passenger rail to full service. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has restored 31 of 40 priority rail corridors to operation. According to him, 40 million passengers were using public trains by March this year, nearly three times more than the year before.

Lego advent calendars

It’s that time of year when you can start thinking about Advent calendars, and Lego makes some of the best. This year's offering includes Star Wars and Marvel Sets, of which we are big fans. The Marvel Spider-Man calendar costs R629 on Loot.

#8 Cape Town beaches are internationally recognised 

These Cape Town beaches have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag status by the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa).

#1 Bikini Beach
#2 Camps Bay
#3 Clifton 4th Beach
#4 Fish Hoek
#5 Llandudno
#6 Melkbosstrand
#7 Muizenberg
#8 Silwerstroom

Mnandi and Strandfontein beaches have also been awarded Pilot Blue Flag status. To achieve Blue Flag recognition, Wessa evaluates 33 criteria across four key categories: Environmental education and awareness, water quality, environmental management and safety services.

Dahlias against cancer

New research from the Oregon Health and Science University and the University of Portland has led to the discovery of a game-changing compound in dahlias that could fight cancer and other diseases.

Years of dedicated research on yellow and orange dahlias have led to the discovery of a compound in red and yellow dahlias called sulfuretin.

Inflammation triggers the production of the so-called cell migration-inducing protein (CEMIP), which breaks down hyaluronic acid. This makes nerve repair harder in multiple sclerosis (MS) and encourages the growth of cancer cells.

Sulfuretin blocks CEMIP, boosting nerve repair and making it more difficult for cancer cells to thrive, offering new hope for treatment.

Researchers said the applications for treatment may include MS, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, specific brain injuries and even cerebral palsy.

On our art radar

Prada store in the middle of a desert

We revisit the world's favourite pop art installation, Prada Marfa, on a deserted strip on the US-90 highway through the desert near Texas. The work was created in 2005 by two artists, Elmgreen & Dragset from Berlin.

The work comments on the influence of social media on public sculpture and the shifts it has brought about in how we experience it.

Considering that it was erected 19 years ago, it is a remarkable achievement.

People watching art

People Matching Artworks is a photo series by Stefan Draschan. We are besotted.

Eat healthy

The ZOE Health Project is a large-scale scientific research initiative led by Prof. Tim Spector in London. It uses an app to collect health data from millions of participants, focusing on nutrition, sleep and overall wellbeing.

Tim Spector just released a recipe book. The Food For Life Cookbook (R379 at Takealot) has more than 100 delicious and achievable recipes created in collaboration with ZOE.

Shaped by Tim's own experience of how he changed his eating habits, as well as common requests from readers and ZOE members, chapters include 15-minute meals, ideas for healthy eating when the fridge is almost empty, and bountiful festive meals and sweet treats for special moments with friends.

Packed with plant-based inspiration for delicious meals to nourish you, your family and your microbiome, as well as tips for increasing plant diversity and science-based explanations for the nutritional value of the ingredients and recipes included, this cookbook is a great addition to any gut-loving home and kitchen. 

In the video below, Spector demonstrates one of the recipes from the book, and our mouths are watering.

Jam Jar cocktail

Men in the spotlight

Perhaps something in the Zeitgeist is changing.

Laureen went down a rabbit hole this week after reading this article about male archetypes. An entire alphabet – alpha, beta, bravo, delta, gamma, omega, and ... sigma arose from social dominance theories associated with animal hierarchies and adapted to human social dynamics. Not hard science at all, but it was still interesting to the Fomolistas.

• Alpha: The most successful and strongest man in any group with a lot of self-confidence who likes to be in control of others. He leads fearlessly and is determined to get what he wants.
• Beta: A man who assumes the passive or submissive role in social and professional situations. There is nothing macho about him.
• Bravo: Highly intelligent and often mistaken for alpha. The difference is, he accepts guidance and is prepared to support his choice of alpha in all respects.

• Sigma: Has all the confidence of the alpha, but is not interested in social status or power.
• Omega: Is an outsider and a loner. He does his own thing and doesn't care what others think of him. He is original, impulsive, non-judgmental and he is welcoming.

The Last Word

 Quote of the week

One of our favourite novels is Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things, and this passage remains one of our most favourite quotes from the book:

“The only dream worth having is to dream that you will live while you are alive, and die only when you are dead. To love, to be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of the life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget."

Video of the week

Safe weekend.

♦ VWB ♦

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