In politics, and in Cope in particular, sometimes it is necessary to “cut through the spin” of that spun by those claiming to cut through the spin. Especially when their cutting lacks surgical precision and leaves much to be desired. I was rather amused by the virtually instantaneous return of two of Cope’s most notorious […]
2010
Posted inGeneral
The pitter Blatter of tiny African feet
After all Sepp Blatter’s blather about an ‘African World Cup’, the sad irony is that we are on the verge of the unthinkable: that none of the six African teams will make it through to the second round. All six pack, but no cigar — is one way of putting it. Certainly, the chiseled torsoes […]
Posted inSport
Extra Time presents HalfTime’s HIV Conquerors
There are six African teams in the World Cup in 2010 — and another six in the HalfTime five-a-side tournament planned for Friday July 2 in Johannesburg. Swaziland is one of the determined soccer teams of HalfTime. This small nation, South Africa’s nearest neighbour in the Southern African region, and facing an even higher Aida […]
Posted inGeneral
Lovelock’s ‘final warning’
In Leonard Shlain’s wonderful book, Sex, Time and Power (2003), he makes the following observation: “Our ancestors would … bring about the greatest mass extinction of large animals since the dinosaurs abruptly disappeared 65-million years ago. Through their ever burgeoning technological prowess, humans would plant crops, tend herds, invent writing, build the Parthenon, discover gunpowder, […]
Posted inGeneral
The thank you economy
I had a very strange experience today. It was a warm winter’s day, and we had a fire going outside. Glass of wine in hand, I was fiddling around with my iPhone (as one does — usually to one’s wife’s discontent) — specifically a cult favourite app of mine: Mood Agent. As I launched the […]
Posted inLifestyle
In praise of guineafowl
There are a lot of birds I love. There is the spectacularly coloured Bateleur Eagle — quite possibly my favourite favourite — with its red face and feet, chestnut back and underwing markings that conveniently distinguish male from female; the eccentric, snake-killing Secretarybird; the beautiful Lilac-breasted Roller, a rare blaze of colour in the winter […]
Posted inGeneral
The message of the vuvuzela is blowing in the wind
I recently wrote about the vuvuzela neither to praise nor to malign it. Mine was and still is an attempt — only an attempt — to interpret its bewitching power. It was not a perfect attempt. Otherwise I would not have come across as if I was saying people should either subject themselves to the […]
Posted inLifestyle
Secrets from the ladies’ locker room
There is something that each one of us has in common. Underneath all of our clothes, we are naked. Yes it’s true — even in winter, beneath the layers of clothes, scarves, gloves and thick socks, there is a live naked person waiting to get out. If you don’t believe me, visit your local gym […]
Posted inNews/Politics, Sport
Fifa: Time for a coup?
By Adriaan Basson Who owns the sea? (BP might think they do, but no.) And street cricket? And climbing up Table Mountain? Horse racing? And walking your dog? So why do we allow Fifa to continue behaving as if they own the beautiful game? Why should I be forced to pay R30 for one reddish […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Thabo in the wilderness
Mbeki, the prophesier of the African Renaissance, always preferred the world stage to local footlights and will likely be more deeply wounded by the lack of international acknowledgment for his achievements.
Posted inNews/Politics
Muslims against World Cup terror
Police were on high alert last week as thousands of ticket-holders headed to the Royal Bafokeng Stadium for the World Cup match between England and the US. Rustenburg was sealed off from all non-ticket holders as security forces were on high alert due to the political realities of the teams, and violent threats that had […]
Posted inGeneral
The World Cup fever catches on!
By Lenox Mhlanga Feel it … it is here! The Soccer World Cup is finally underway in South Africa. It was surely a long wait but it was worth it. If you have not caught the football bug then you must be dead, or worse. Alain de Botton, a newspaper columnist puts it this way, […]