Other Opinion Pieces Archives - Page 5 of 5

What type of Parachute would you like Sir?

By Dean McCleland in Opinion Pieces, Other Opinion Pieces 13 June 2014 4 Comments

Thinking the unthinkable. Alternative solutions to life’s manifold problems.

Imagine when boarding a plane if one were asked the following question. “Would you prefer Cruciform, a Rogallo Wing or one of the luxury three seater parachutes which our airline has just proudly introduced?

Nonchalantly and laconically you retort, “My usual; the Annular.”

In future aircraft might have become much safer due to technology but due to unprecedented public pressure in 2025 after two Airbus A2000s were lost with all 2000 passengers on board, the airlines finally introduced – as an optional extra – the parachute.

Saving a Whale at Great Personal Risk

Sometimes an attempt to save an animal places the rescuer in great personal risk. This is one such case.

From a personal perspective, Man has unilaterally usurped the rights to the sea and all its wealth and abundance. Through its determined and mindless efforts at overfishing, places all marine animals in jeopardy. Furthermore humankinds’ thoughtless deeds endanger species and in this case, the life of a giant of the sea.

This act of human kindness appeared on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle some time ago. It told of a female humpback whale that had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines.

The Future of TV: The Immersive Experience

By Dean McCleland in Opinion Pieces, Other Opinion Pieces 20 May 2014 0 Comment

A Personal View – May 2014

An advert that I received last week encapsulates the progress that has been made with TVs over the past ten years. But I expect even more dramatic advances in the following decade. Hold onto your seats as technology takes off and rockets into the sky of our imagination.

The TV industry is currently in the throes of a revolution which I provide the appellation the 5th iteration which comes hard on the heels of the 4th which was the discarding of the cumbersome CRT and its replacement with the flat screen high definition screens. My crystal ball only conjures up this imminent revolution and then one more. For reasons to be explained and which will become self-evident, nothing is possible subsequent to that. The TV set as we know it will no longer exist in its current form.

Social Media: Is there Life after Death?

By Dean McCleland in Other Opinion Pieces, Religion 30 April 2014 0 Comment

A Personal View – April 2014

Last Sunday’s 21km Race run in the Kromdraai / Muldersdrift Area was appropriately called The Cradle of Mankind. It is an amazing run; out of the hustle & bustle of Joburg with game farms dotted about. It is also a haven for cyclists as there are wide shoulders to accommodate two abreast.

The course is very undulating but not very steep apart from the start at Kloofzicht, a cosy lodge and spa with dams and streams. Being decidedly slower nowadays and a backmarker to boot – I refuse to be called tail-end Charlie in case somebody confuses it with a sexual activity – I was forced to admire the scenery as I did not have any of my usual running mates such as Myer to accompany me on the journey.

IQ & Brain Size: Are they the Sole Arbiters of One’s Worth?

By Dean McCleland in Other Opinion Pieces 23 April 2014 0 Comment

Prologue

To buttress their arguments regarding the inherent superiority of the white races, various right wing research institutes started measuring & comparing the IQs & Brain Sizes of the various races throughout the world.

Their initial results seemed to confirm their proposition thereby corroborating their racist beliefs regarding the abilities of various races.

Costs: Understanding their Nature, Purpose & Behaviour for Decision Making Purposes

By Dean McCleland in Opinion Pieces, Other Opinion Pieces 22 April 2014 0 Comment

A Personal View – April 2014

This article represents a way of thinking which applies equally to one’s personal as well as business’ finances. I call these the traps for the unwary & the uninitiated.

Firstly it must be understood that whatever one decides to do, comes at a cost; not just the initial capital outlay but ongoing costs.

Let us consider two items from our private lives; pools & animals. In deciding to have both the McCleland household has burdened itself with incremental monthly costs & at some later stage some huge repair / upgrade bill.

Telkom: The Monopolistic Urge

By Dean McCleland in Other Opinion Pieces 20 April 2014 0 Comment

A Personal View – April 2014

Like most government enterprises, Telkom shares common traits with other governmental departments & institutions as if it is hardwired into their DNA irrespective where they were located. This is not a South African phenomenon but a world-wide one.

The example that I would to share is something that occurred in the late 1970s & early 1980s. In retrospect, it is no more ludicrous than the episode that arose some 10 years ago but it would have been no less tragic as it would have stymied progress in South Africa.

Monogamy: Is it merely a Societal Construct?

By Dean McCleland in Other Opinion Pieces, Religion 18 April 2014 0 Comment

This is not normally a topic on which I would dwell even though it is so beloved of the pulp fiction & popular weekly magazines but it raises my awareness from time to time. This time it was an article about a Jewish Rabbi who decries the loss of lust in marriage. That concept certainly caught my attention, if nothing else, before I was forced to read the article.

The Opinion Pieces are an eclectic bunch on current affairs & history often with a human interest aspect. The Movie/DVDs reviews are mainly on documentaries with a smattering of movie reviews.

Category Archives: Other Opinion Pieces

What type of Parachute would you like Sir?

Saving a Whale at Great Personal Risk

Sometimes an attempt to save an animal places the rescuer in great personal risk. This is one such case.

The Future of TV: The Immersive Experience

A Personal View – May 2014

Costs: Understanding their Nature, Purpose & Behaviour for Decision Making Purposes

Telkom: The Monopolistic Urge

Monogamy: Is it merely a Societal Construct?

Sometimes an attempt to save an animal places the rescuer in great personal risk. This is one such case.

A Personal View – May 2014

Prologue

To buttress their arguments regarding the inherent superiority of the white races, various right wing research institutes started measuring & comparing the IQs & Brain Sizes of the various races throughout the world.

Their initial results seemed to confirm their proposition thereby corroborating their racist beliefs regarding the abilities of various races.

In an older era, this would have been known as plain good neighbourliness but with the alienation caused by urbanisation, common civilities such as greeting a neighbour let alone knowing their names has become redundant.

Why should this be so & how can one promote social cohesion through common sense good manners? But it is especially our attitude to the lower less fortunate strata in society that I am concerned about.