Tiger Woods does not have a lot in common with Jacob Zuma. Clearly, they’re both rather, ahem fond of women, and both have found themselves at the centre of sexual scandals — an entire rape trial in the case of the president. But there’s an important difference that is becoming more and more apparent. When […]
2009
Posted inGeneral
Race vs culture
A lot has been written on TL about race and about racism — some of it insightful, some less so, to say the least. I usually steer clear of writing about this because it is such a sensitive issue and because certain idiots will always try to capitalise on anything one says that may appear […]
Posted inGeneral
Another year, another Commonwealth meeting
I don’t want to get into a debate about the evils of the empire so let’s put all of that aside for a moment (well, for the length of this blog post at least). As modern phraseology goes, “let’s park that idea” or “let’s deal with that offline”. However, I would like to deal with […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Malema to Cronin: U R in trouble luv Juju
The City Press report, revealing that an embarrassed ANC Youth League president Julius Malema sent a threatening SMS to SA Communist Party (SACP) deputy general secretary Jeremy Cronin following his somewhat less-than-glorious appearance at the SACP conference, clearly demonstrates that post-Polokwane the strongmen are flexing their muscles and woe betide anyone that gets in the […]
Posted inMedia
What does it mean to be a man?
Sometimes an advertising campaign is so completely and utterly on trend, so obvious in its attempts to capitalise on the zeitgeist, that to ignore it would be remiss. And so it is with the latest Dockers campaign from the US, one which is worth taking a closer look at. In South Africa, we’ve just been […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Mokonyane: Just another politician after all
A few months ago I wrote about Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane suspending the former director of Gauteng’s roads and transport department, Sibusiso Buthelezi. It’s been reported that a disciplinary process against Buthelezi was aborted mid-stream and that an agreement was reached. As a Gauteng citizen I am curious why such a settlement suddenly became necessary. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
A year of Cope: Get this party started
A number of authors in various publications, print and online, have been reflecting on the state, impact and prospects of the Congress of the People (Cope). This has been particularly pronounced as the party prepares to celebrate its first anniversary in Kimberley on December 16.Various contributors to this month’s edition of The Thinker comment on […]
Posted inMedia
Do you fantasise about writing a book?
It’s often said, in one of the more glib truisms of the age, that everyone has a book in them. Somehow, writing a book and seeing it published and available on the shelf seems to be one of those fundamental drivers of the human psyche. Maslow should have added another level to his hierarchy of […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Animal activists can’t see the bull for the dust
These animal activists, what a fuss they make about matters beyond their ken. So filled with neo-colonial, white racist presumptuousness. They arise from scoffing their Steers burgers (herds of cattle, eyes rolling at the stench of imminent slaughter, slashing and trampling in frantic but futile attempt at escape) and Kentucky Fried Chicken (a shoebox existence […]
Posted inGeneral
Mantashe for president
If Julius Malema learned a few lessons yesterday it was that neither Gwede Mantashe nor Blade Nzimande will put up with his fiery rhetoric and neither are the people to start with when he’s trying to make a name for himself. Indeed the ANC Youth League president, constantly fed a diet of “boys will be […]
Posted inGeneral
Ukweshwama from another perspective
Much has been said, and shouted, and debated, about the Zulu practice of ukweshwama, or the ritual killing of a bull by (if I recall correctly) 30 Zulu warriors with their bare hands. With the exception of a few sporadic signs that some of the contributors to the debate have understood the place of this […]
Posted inGeneral
Let’s talk about masturbation
Most people masturbate. And by people, I mean women too (for the chauvinists out there who haven’t caught onto our people-status yet). It is interesting then that this topic is treated as taboo by most media sources, life-skills counsellors and women. Sexuality is by necessity an intimate and personal thing, and discomfort around public speaking […]