Apocalypse Now?

Apocalypse Now? Israel threatens Iran.

“ I love the smell of napalm in the morning” updated to 2011?

Apparently, according to Wiki, Iran’s Nuclear Programme was launched in the 1950’s with the help and support of the United States and Europe! Atoms for Peace, well it’s all gone a bit pear-shaped again, but that’s Realpolitik,  nicht wahr? Continue reading “Apocalypse Now?”

A Rant From A Red-Head

I have tried to run a site which:

provides a meeting place where multiple authors can publish articles on any subject that takes their fancy, and engage in civilised discussion on their posts. *

It seemed obvious, to me at least, that what might be civilised to some might not be civilised to others. However, I assumed that people who had known each other for some time would accept that some would express themselves a little more forcefully than others. Alas! It seems I was wrong.

I am beginning to wonder whether it is worthwhile continuing with the site. Continue reading “A Rant From A Red-Head”

Back to their bad old ways?

Before South Africa became the Rainbow Nation, we in the rest of the world were resigned to reading regular reports of how police suspects had unaccountably jumped out of tenth storey windows while being questioned.    Steve Biko, for one.  One shrugged.   What else could one do, it was what the police did in the state of apartheid.

What were they called?   BOSS, or something, wasn’t it?   Buro vir Staatsveiligheid, that’s the chap.   They bullied their way around the world, infiltrating other police forces, including the UK, where they did some very questionable things.

But that’s all behind us, isn’t it?

South Africa is a model state these days, surely.

Well, actually – no.

After several misleading – and in some cases downright false – statements, the world’s press appears to have established that Peter Roebuck (an English-Australian-South African cricket journalist of great renown) “jumped” from his sixth floor hotel room whilst being questioned by a solitary South African police person, allegedly about a matter of sexual abuse.   Some accounts report two police persons.

Hah!   If you believe that you’ll believe anything.

I would dearly like to hear Soutie’s take on this.

Weather be nice

The light this morning when I got up was soft, burning through a light mist and so beautiful on the Autumnal landscape. After a lazy start we went for a walk in woodlands and parklands near by.

light though trees on seeds and stalks left standing, smothered in fine cobwebs Continue reading “Weather be nice”

Anni Dewani – 12 months on

A poignant reminder

The remnants of a bouquet of roses marks the spot where Anni Dewani’s body was found, a heartbreaking reminder of those oh so tragic events of 12 months ago today, in Gugulethu, Cape Town.

During the intervening year the taxi driver has been sentenced to 18 years in jail, a further two accomplices (the trigger men) are awaiting trial and the alleged mastermind (Anni’s husband Shrien Dewani) is appealing against a successful extradition order which the S.A. prosecution service hope will see him returned to Cape Town.

Continue reading “Anni Dewani – 12 months on”