Opinion Pieces Archives - Page 16 of 43

Could South Africa learn from Road Running?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Running 28 May 2016 0 Comment

Today’s race at the National Botanical Gardens in Pretoria was no exception. Again I was surprised by what I learned except that it was not from a South African but a foreigner who has been in South Africa for only nine months. One is not accorded a special status in road running. All runners are equal. Unlike the public discourse which is characterised by divisive racism, violent political rhetoric and the politics of rage especially by the EFF, road running does not suffer from these travails.

Main picture: The entrance to the Willows resort in Port Elizabeth. Instead of inserting some arbitrary pictures onto this blog, I have included photographs of Willows Resort near Port Elizabeth because as youngsters we spent many an Easter Holiday there.

Active versus Passive Funds: Is the Debate Finally Over?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Financial Matters 21 May 2016 0 Comment

Certainly Warren Buffet, an investor par excellence, has been beating the drum of Passive Funds with elevated vociferousness recently. In South Africa, most commentators hedge their bets with a paucity of actual statistics to back their case. A recent article by Patrick Cairns does just that as he nails his mast to the Passive Funds wall.

Main picture: It is your money and your future that is being invested in. Fund Managers will always steer investors towards Active Funds for self-serving reasons: their commission

Note: I have used the term Passive Funds to denote Index Funds throughout

Demyansk: The Template for Hitler’s Disaster at Stalingrad

By Dean McCleland in History, Military History 14 May 2016 0 Comment

In many ways, the Demyansk Pocket [German: Festung Demjansk or Kessel von Demjansk] was the forerunner of what was to occur later in 1942 except that in the latter instance, the outcome was tragic. Hitler, the Commander of the German Wehrmacht, had drawn the wrong conclusions from this action. The consequences of Stalingrad were immense: the elimination of Germany’s strategic initiative in the war forever.

Main picture: Like Napoeon’s forces before them, the Germans during the winter of 1941/1942 literally freeze to death in inappropriate clothing.

It is a Dog’s Life when on a Chain

By Dean McCleland in Nature & Animals, Other Opinion Pieces 13 May 2016 1 Comment

An aphorism that I strenuously advocate is that animals should be free. That is why I am averse to zoos and even caged birds. Like humans, all animals have certain rights and one of those is freedom. Amongst others is that they must be able to feel real grass under their feet and not to be confined in the animal equivalent of “solitary confinement.”

Main picture: Rusty, the dog, that was chained to a fence for over 10 years

Zimbabwe – The Final Countdown

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Rhodesia / Zimbabwe 11 May 2016 0 Comment

After many false alarms regarding Mugabe’s ultimate demise, could the next year finally witness the final dissolution of the Mugabe’s Regime? It goes without saying that one of the factors could be biology – Mugabe’s superannuation – but ignoring that possibility it is most likely the economic dimension that deposes him. What are the numbers behind this bold prediction?

Main picture: Burchell’s zebra in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. Photo by Ariadne van Zandbergen

NO! They will Never Learn

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs 10 May 2016 0 Comment

After last week’s Opinion Piece on the folly of using obnoxious racial terms especially in South Africa, one would have expected such outbursts to only be the preserve of the callow youth, the mentally retarded or the morally challenged – to use a non-PC term. After an honours student was exposed for using the K-word, I expected a period of quietitude on the racist rant front for a while. I did not bargain with human nature, except that the culprit this time is somebody who is not a bottom feeder in society but rather an exalted high court judge, Mrs Mabel Jansen.

History repeats itself again.

Let us consider some other examples.

Main picture: High Court Judge, Mrs Mabel Jansen

Mugabe’s Legacy after 36 Years in Power: The Tragedy Unfolds

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Rhodesia / Zimbabwe 8 May 2016 0 Comment

Almost forty years ago – 39 to exact – I worked for Price Waterhouse in Rhodesia as it was then known. The objective was to complete my articles while at the same time avoiding military service – the interminable “camps” – in South Africa. What this interlude provided me with was an insight into Rhodesia that has provided context for much of what has occurred since independence in February 1980. Is the end game in sight?

Main picture: The recently announced “Bond Notes” will ultimately become as worthless as the billion Zim dollar note

Who could imagine a Burka coming in handy?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Other Miscellaneous Topics 7 May 2016 0 Comment

The SAS did. Since their inception during WW2, the SAS has been involved in numerous audacious missions. After narrowly escaping closure at the end of the war, they established the relevance in the Iranian embassy siege and during the Falkland’s war. Currently they are deployed in Iraq, Syria and also in Libya.

Main picture: The SAS squad disguised themselves as ISIS commanders’ wives to infiltrate Raqqa

Will the real Julius please stand up?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs 4 May 2016 0 Comment

Julius professes to be South Africa’s premier corruption buster yet he is implicated in financial imbroglios with Brett Kebble whilst a member of the ANCYL. Julius pays homage to the poor at every turn yet he himself dresses in faux Gucci style Tuxedo at an EFF party in Sandton immediately after the Manifesto launch as if his forbearance in having to dress down with his beloved poor had to be erased. Malema bemoans fraudulent leadership votes yet he himself rose in the ANCYL using those tactics.

Main picture: Members of Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) (in red) clash with security officials after being ordered out of the chamber during President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address in Cape Town, February 12, 2015. The opening of South Africa’s parliament descended into chaos on Thursday as security officers fought with far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) lawmakers after they disrupted President Jacob Zuma’s speech.

When Will They Ever Learn?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, SA Heroes and Mamparas 3 May 2016 0 Comment

Perhaps I am revealing my age when the latest incidents of “foot-in-mouth” disease went viral. In what can only be described as serendipity, I recalled these words in the first verse of an old classic by Peter, Paul and Mary entitled “Where have all the Flowers Gone?”

Where have all the flowers gone, long time passing?

Where have all the flowers gone, long time ago?

Where have all the flowers gone?

Young girls have picked them everyone.

Oh, when will they ever learn?

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.

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