Walking past one of the cubicles in our office building the other afternoon, I noticed a photo of a cat pinned to a board. On it were the words: “You cannot imagine the immensity of the fuck I do not give.” It struck me that this statement — which has become something of a meme […]
2010
Posted inBusiness
South Africa and inequality
For the sake of all that’s sensible, can we stop reporting that South Africa has the greatest level of inequality in the world? It has become South Africa’s biggest cliché, and it crops up in many stories written about the country, even one as balanced as the New York Times take on the Soccer World […]
Posted inGeneral
Democracy and the expectations of ordinary people
Few people seem to recognize that democracy has an economic side to it — one powerfully intimated at the close of Michael Moore’s latest documentary film, Capitalism — A Love Affair, where he observes (I don’t recall his exact words) that in the light of what he has documented in the film, capitalism is an […]
Posted inGeneral
Probing parenthood
A decision by the Cape High Court has sent concerned parents into a huff as they question the competence of courts and fear the infringement of their own rights to raise their children as they see fit. While newspapers “umm” and “aah” their way around the wording (bouncing between “divorce”, “pseudo-emancipation” or “separation”), the short […]
Posted inGeneral
The best and worst of the 2010 World Cup so far…
We have entered the knock-out stages of the greatest tournament (arguably) on earth. The halfway mark is disappearing in the distance, so here are some of the best, and worst, things that have been a part of this World Cup so far: The best: Lionel Messi – World class and the engine that drives Argentina, […]
Posted inGeneral
The stupidest invention this century
I’m sure many a man has heard of the vagina dentata — a mysterious and powerful vagina with teeth that will devour a penis in seconds. It is a fearful picture to create in anyone’s mind, especially when the vagina is not like that at all. Somehow this crazy idea has been extended to build […]
Posted inGeneral
Div should be smiling as Tri-Nations approaches
The Tri-Nations is looming large on the horizon, beginning in July as the Soccer World Cup will just be concluding. South African sports fan are certainly spoil for choice aren’t they? The question on the lips of those who cherish the oval ball will be: Can SA for the first time ever retain the Tri-Nations? […]
Posted inGeneral
Healthy debate replaced by political engineering
Monday’s Sowetan is reporting that Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale was chased out of a meeting by angry members of the ANC in the Waterberg region on Saturday. Allegedly the basis for his being there was to convey a decision taken by the provincial working committee on Tuesday that the Waterberg region should be disbanded for […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Thank goodness the Madiba magic failed
Bafana’s blessed departure gives SA a chance to display maturity in another way, by not always expecting to be the centre of attention.
Posted inGeneral
Bafana, amagents & a little passion at the urinal: The new, new SA
I am not sure which was more scary. The hairy, heavy Vry Staater in a boep-clinging Bafana shirt or the big black dude beneath a Bloem Celtic cap I encountered in the gents at half time on Tuesday. As I manoeuvred between them to attend to pressing matters I was caught in the vice of […]
Posted inSport
The Cup of Spirit
If the primary purpose of a tournament held every four years for four intense weeks is merely to prove which nation is the best, it would be better not to have the Fifa cup at all. There is enough soccer played throughout these four years for anyone to come up with a perfectly legitimate conclusion […]
Posted inEquality, Lifestyle
Pregnancy — slave to patriarchy or ultimate feminist act?
To have a baby is something that only women can do. A man can never feel his belly growing with life inside of it, feel a kick from the inside, or feel the body-crippling nausea that comes with morning sickness. They can never give birth, nor can they have a Caesar. They can never breastfeed, […]