There are no limits to the brutality that Zimbabwe’s Zanu-PF government is prepared to employ in ensuring its continued grip on power. Recently, human rights activists and opposition supporters were abducted and thrown into the notorious Chikurubi Prison. Here they have been subjected to torture and beatings. Very little food has been provided. They are […]
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Posted inNews/Politics
Christmas in Cuba
Being extremely risk averse, I seldom stray beyond the bounds of the law. Granted, I once had sex with another man just north of the Limpopo. It was consensual and, to be frank, quite delicious. But unlawful nevertheless. Luckily, however, the privacy of our coupe on the night train to Mutare secured our liberty. Steamy […]
Posted inGeneral
Africa, Africans and African Renaissance
David Diop’s Reflections on Colonialism – Africa – convey important points; a message one cannot ignore: Africa tell me Africa Is this you this back that is bent This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation This back trembling with red scars … That is Africa your Africa That grows again patiently obstinately And […]
Posted inNews/Politics
ANC manifesto: South Africa first
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. (Robert Frost) The ANC’s election manifesto launched in East London on Saturday prioritises: creation of decent work and sustainable livelihoods; education; health; rural development, food security and land […]
Posted inNews/Politics
On SA politics: our public selves, our private elves (yes, elves)
Probably the most fascinating “novel” I have ever read is JM Coetzee’s recent Diary of a Bad Year. It is written on three levels on most pages, with a line between each level: Narrative one: the public figure, JC, where we read his observations on a variety of contemporary topics in scholarly articles ranging from […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Obama’s disdain sends Mugabe to Russia; China revisited?
In June of last year Barack Obama, soon to be inaugurated as the next president of the United States, declared Robert Mugabe’s regime illegitimate and lacking in credibility. Then Senator for Illinois, Obama expressed the view that “If fresh elections prove impossible, the US and other countries should tighten “targeted sanctions” and “pursue an enforceable, […]
Posted inBusiness, Lifestyle, Media, News/Politics
Buyology — how we’re brainwashed into buying stuff
We’ve always suspected those tawdry health warnings on a packet of fags were rather dumb, but never knew why. Well, it seems that, contrary to discouraging smoking, they actually encourage lighting up by stimulating the nucleus accumbens — the craving spot — in the brain. This recent research finding in what’s called “buy*ology” is a […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The house of hunger
If Princeton economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman is to be believed, 2009 could be a very tricky year. Forget tricky; it has the potential to be an outright disaster. The sad thing is that this financial mess will probably affect weaker economies disproportionately, even though they had the least to do with […]
Posted inNews/Politics
ANC must clamp down hard on disruptions of Cope meetings
“We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Helen Suzman had it good; let’s remember others who did not have it as good
Very many people have expressed their admiration of Helen Suzman since her death — which is fair. I don’t expect people to reconsider their opinions of Ms Suzman. What I really want to do with this post is introduce another perspective on Ms Suzman – as a white person in South Africa, one who benefited […]
Posted inBusiness, Tech
Making money on the web
It seems that effective monetising of websites may still be a hit and miss affair. In an interesting article on Brand Republic the discussion is about a video site called Hulu. According to projected ad revenue figures Hulu will be earning as much if not more advertising revenue in 2009 than YouTube will. What is […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Are we being brainwashed into constant panic?
An interesting article by Terence Blacker in the Independent recently caught my eye. He maintained that we are living in the Great Age of Panic. Without being able to pinpoint why this would be he suggests that we could be needing that sense of constant panic in order to feel alive. As much as I […]