It would appear that via a government contractor in Afghanistan, a company called DynCorp, US Tax dollars are funding a practice known as ‘bacha bazi’. That’s paederasty to you and me. DynCorp pays for young boys to ‘entertain’ tribal leaders in order to gain their cooperation. Wikileaks has exposed it, but for some reason it has not become a scandal of global proportions.
http://www.realsportszone.com/wikileaks-dyncorp-pimps-young-afghan-boys-for-bacha-bazi/
This makes splendid reading.
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article833407.ece/MEC-calls-for-lightning-probe
I was struck by the last sentence in this article.
“Watching TV without a valid licence is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £1,000.”
Given the invasive nature of TV licence inspectors and the ruthlessness with which they pursue their objectives, I imagine that quite a few, otherwise harmless citizens, find themselves with criminal records. In the event, albeit unlikely, that I were to be successfully prosecuted for not owning a television licence and thus categorized as a criminal, I think that I would be more, rather than less, inclined to commit further crimes. There is an old saying, ‘one may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb’ and I think this is a perfect example of how the pettiness of self-serving law-makers has the unintended but predictable result of creating more law-breakers. Having a criminal record creates all sorts of difficulties in a persons life including inhibiting one’s ability to travel, denying one job opportunities, prohibiting one from becoming a company director and so forth. I do not want a criminal record, but were I to have one, it would no longer serve as a deterrent. Tax evasion, amongst a host of other crimes, would suddenly become a real consideration. By branding me a criminal, you turn me into one. That is of course if one assumes I have no moral inhibitions.
Last week I was lent the complete first series of Downton Abbey on DVD. It has not been shown here in South Africa, nor do I expect it to be, but I was aware that it had caused a bit of a stir in Britain when it was broadcast there earlier this year and so I was delighted when I was given the opportunity to watch it. I have to say that I enjoyed it immensely and eagerly anticipate the second series.
Continue reading “Downton Abbey”
It was Boxing Day, yet the chairman, along with a skeleton staff, had come to the office to work on the press release that he would issue early next month. On the screen in front of him was displayed the company’s latest sales report. It made depressing, if unsurprising, reading. Things were not looking good at all, though at least a small profit was forecast, which was more than was likely to be the case for his rivals. As welcome as this was, it was not going to prevent the huge number of redundancies that would be forthcoming in the New Year; redundancies which came on top of several store closures and associated job losses that he and his board had been forced to impose 6 months earlier. Continue reading “Holy Knight”
Four gourmets in search of a treat
Went looking for somewhere to eat
While their tastes in wine
Coincided just fine
They couldn’t agree on the meat Continue reading “Limerick Competition”
Rhodesia
Unilateral Declaration of Independence
11th November 1965
Whereas in the course of human affairs history has shown that it may become necessary for a people to resolve the political affiliations which have connected them with another people and to assume amongst other nations the separate and equal status to which they are entitled:
And whereas in such event a respect for the opinions of mankind requires them to declare to other nations the causes which impel them to assume full responsibility for their own affairs: Continue reading “Lest We Forget”
Without in any way wishing to detract from the solemnity associated with Remembrance Day, I would like to bring attention to another event that took place on the 11th of November, one that changed my life and that of many others in more ways than one can imagine.
http://sipu1.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/lest-we-forget/
For the record, during the Great War my paternal grandfather served in the Royal Field Artillery and my maternal grandfather was wounded at Gallipoli.
It was not so much that they were kindred spirits, they were in fact quite different in temperament and outlook; Robert was more cerebral and preferred books and board games while John was gregarious and liked the outdoors. It was more a force of circumstance that had drawn them together and which provided the basis of their friendship. Theirs was a relatively isolated community and there were few other children with whom they could socialise. They could scarcely remember a time when they had not known each other and for much of their childhood, if they were not alone, they were in each other’s company. It was only when they went away to the same boarding school that they began to establish their own social independence, each with his preferred group of friends. During the holidays they would reconnect without any acrimony concerning their school alliances. They understood and respected each other’s differences. Continue reading “Wrecked”
Boadicea's Chariot 
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