By Roger Diamond If I tell you there is a storm predicted for tomorrow night that is going to blow your roof off, you’ll listen. If I pass on a rumour your boss will fire you next month, you’ll also listen. But if I tell you your pension fund will collapse in twenty years time […]
2009
Posted inNews/Politics
Travelling down the DA’s Country Road
Early last year I complained that the DA’s image was too rich, too old, too white. I wrote, “Clearly brand DA is in need of a major overhaul, a major injection of cool. Its fusty look is rather reminiscent of what Woolworths was like 10 or 15 years ago when people under 30 refused to […]
Posted inGeneral
Driven by race
I was fortunate last week to attend the Fourth World Summit on Arts and Culture at Museum Africa in Newtown last week. The theme of the summit was “Meeting of Cultures: Creating Meaning Through the Arts”. For three days, we talked about intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity and everyone was agreed, roughly, on the need […]
Posted inGeneral
SA Rugby’s eyes wide shut
Melbourne or Mandela Bay? The decision as to which franchise gets the 5th Australian-based and 15th Super Rugby franchise, will be announced on October 21 by Sanzar. This has not been a simple bid process in which prospective Super Rugby franchise teams simply respond to the criteria of the bid document (See it here1-sanzar-super-15-application.pdf) in […]
Posted inGeneral
Between state and God
The object of every anti-disestablishmentarian is to ensure that the state and the church remain enjoined and act as one. On the one side we have the all-seeing power of God, which gives credence to the other side where we have the all knowing power of the monarchy whose monopoly over the threat of violence […]
Posted inGeneral
If Phat Joe goes and Chuene stays there is something twisted about SA’s morality
Kashiefa Ajam and Candice Bailey — writing for IOL — confirmed that: “Jo’burg shock jock Phat Joe could become the most high-profile casualty of the Caster Semenya saga. As one of the highest-paid radio DJs in the country, Phat Joe, whose real name is Majota Khambule, was suspended by Kaya FM for asking on air […]
Posted inGeneral
Nokia N97: The pros and cons
Fleishman South Africa were kind enough to lend me a Nokia N97 for a couple of weeks. This phone was coming into focus for me as an upgrade competitor to the iPhone 3GS. Add to that, a fairly nifty digital marketing campaign and my interest was piqued. Straight into it then … The PROs * […]
Posted inGeneral
The Dalai Lama will trump China — soon
China’s ban this week on tourists to Tibet — in the run-up to a Cold War era style military parade — will further strengthen the resolve of supporters of the Dalai Lama and, at first glance, the unrelated Chinese pro-democratic movement. Every time they restrict Tibet’s freedom, they, ironically, bring freedom’s day closer. In […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Why the Irish vote really matters
On October 2nd the Irish electorate will be pressed into voting again on a treaty that they rejected as long ago as last year. There have been no changes to the Lisbon Treaty itself as, indeed, there was little to distinguish it from the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe that Dutch and French voters […]
Posted inGeneral
South Africans and POLITE behaviour
I am amazed to think I have been away from SA for more than five years and I have virtually forgotten how many South Africans behave. More than four years of that time has been spent in China and I am starting to acquire various habits, including standing up for the Chinese, some of whose […]
Posted inGeneral
What is Pastor Ray up to?
How honest is the jarring partisanship instigated by Pastor Ray McCauley? Would another church leader such as the archbishop of the Anglican Church have gotten away with inviting one political leader to their congregation in the middle on an election campaign? Maybe, but would anyone have gotten away with a blatant refusal to invite the […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Is Obama creating a wilderness and calling it peace?
The historian Publius Cornelius Tacitus is credited with the quotation, “They make a wilderness, and call it peace”. Assuming that I’m not taking it out of context or using it incorrectly, that quotation often comes to mind when I think of US President Barack Obama’s foreign policy. I really like Obama. I don’t think he […]