Today's Valentine's Day, which, according to Wikipedia, was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD to honour a Saint Valentine. Nowadays, of course, many people use it to express affection for others (or simply to drive them mad with vexation over who sent them the card). So basically it is a good day - and this has been your pointless fact of the day.
What also makes it a good day is that Planning Minister Trevor Manuel says the media
must not be the state's lapdog, but rather complement the state. He also called for more intelligent public discourse that reaches past the rift between the state and the media. The tiny problem is, of course, that in line with the "official line", he, along with other ANC MPs, voted in parliament last year for a law that critics reckon will muzzle the media - and if the POIB becomes law, could well turn the media into the very lapdog he says he doesn't want. Some people might find this a little confusing.
Also in our news on the government, the Presidency has issued a statement which it reckons
clarifies Zuma's recent remarks on the ConCourt in which he seemed to some people to be proposing the ConCourt's powers be reduced.
Down in the Western Cape, the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry has
welcomed the reduction in port tariffs - which it reckons Transnet has been using as a "cash cow". The reduction should make our exports a little more competitive. Now for airport tariffs, electricity costs and fuel prices...
To finish on a high note (or a low one)... Are you in the retail or manufacturing sector? Do you reckon you're underpaid? See
how your salary compares and then, if necessary, have a quiet chat to your boss.
Of course, if your salary is above the average, just don't say a word!
Rod Baker, general manager: content
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WASHINGTON: General Motors wants deeper cuts at its European subsidiary Opel after what are expected to be "horrendous" fourth quarter results, the Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday (8 February 2012), quoting a GM official. 
TOKYO: Japanese car giant Nissan on Wednesday (8 February 2012) said its third quarter profits rose 3.2% year-on-year as solid global sales offset the strong yen. 
FRANKFURT: German auto and truck giant Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz, said on Thursday (9 February 2012) it achieved record sales and profits in 2011, its 125th anniversary year. 
South Africa will spend billions of rands over the coming years on new infrastructure, with the government to focus on building rail, road, and economic links in five regions in the country and building new universities and refurbishing hospitals, President Jacob Zuma said in his State of the Nation Address last night. 
Union and business representatives have welcomed President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation address to Parliament and, while the speech was held by some observers to be uninspiring it contained a lot of detail about the government's plans to boost jobs and invest in infrastructure. 
The Department of Trade and Industry wants to run a regular small business census to help improve its support and funding to the sector as part of a revised policy to boost support to small businesses. 
Business confidence fell to its lowest level since May 2010, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) said. 
