General

Human beings are a race of discriminators. Almost by definition. Oh, I’m well aware that animals in the wild have their own form of discriminatory practices too. I’ve never heard of a home for visually impaired lion in the far north region of the Kruger National Park. We humans discriminate against each other on the […]

George Bush, Walmart and the “World” Series are normally enough reason to dislike the United States. But if you’re a “rational” soul, and yet still unsure why the world simply cannot run out of reasons to malign the United States; go borrow yourself a couple of mates and run to your local cinema to check […]

I read somewhere recently that doodles are now being touted as the latest insight into the psyche. I didn’t have time to read further (note to self — then do so soon!), which is a pity because I’m an exceptional doodler. Doodlers, real doodlers, are probably a marginal class of nut, schizophrenically able to synchronise […]

The front page news of the Thursday March 5 edition of Mondli Makhanya’s rather entertaining daily baby left me rather, erm, in an enthused state. Julius Malema missing a rally because he had been out late previously and was quite possibly nursing the effects of Bachuss’s vengeance. Now sure Julius sells papers, and makes for […]

“[Mandela] came as a very militant leader of the Youth League. He turned tables around, he was absolutely as intolerant in a way to our leaders as Julius Malema is now. [Mandela] moved from being that difficult and militant to being an icon, and one of the most admired leaders worldwide. Who knows, the Julius […]

Every so often emerges a political force that captures the imagination of humanity and transforms the outlook on reality as it had been perceived. The adoption of Hiltler’s Germany of fascism transformed the political landscape in Europe in the 1930s and led to untold harm to the conscience of the German nation. The 1960s were […]

Starvation dictates that I do some television work now and then. TV programmes pay for FHM subscriptions and other such essentials. To this end, I have taken part in two 13-episode seasons of a television debate/talk show called Drawing the Line. The show is hosted by Lebo Mashile, the poet, and the 2nd season airs […]

In a 1949 essay titled “The Economic Development of Latin America and its Principle Problems”, Argentinean economist Raúl Prebisch challenged the current economic orthodoxy. His contention was that “mainstream” economic thought, promoted by countries that were benefiting at Latin America’s expense, would not lead to that region’s development. Prebisch then went on to develop an […]

Google recently joined the group of companies supporting the European Commission’s investigation into Microsoft over the benefits it gets ahead of its competitors by releasing its Internet Explorer browser with Windows. The complaint was originally filed by one of Microsoft’s software rivals, Opera. The Norway-based company also makes a web browser by the same name, […]

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is being established after having been created in terms of the National Youth Development Agency Act, Act 54 of 2008, by Parliament. Fundamentally every person involved with the NYDA must be a qualified and registered youth development practitioner in order for the NYDA to be able to be the […]

It is political silly season again when analysts, commentators, researchers and other know-it-all types tell us that the ANC is headed for a humiliating defeat at the coming polls. This seems to have become the pattern in the last three elections. If these prophets spoke the truth, the ANC would have long been dead and […]

Remember the outpouring of emotion the moment when Fifa President Sepp Blatter confirmed the World Cup would finally be hosted by South Africa? Scenes of millions of people celebrating the dawn of the 2010 era were flashed around the world. But now, with just three months remaining before the Confederations Cup and 16 months left […]