Did the Exploits of Mata Hari justify her Execution?

By Dean McCleland in History, Military History 0 Comment

For me, the exploits of spies have always held an enduring fascination as espionage exerts a powerful hold over my imagination. Mata Hari falls into that category.

Why write a blog about Mata Hari and not Sydney Reilly the self-proclaimed Ace of Spies? For me that fascination revolves around the fact that Mata Hari was a woman.

Mata Hari, the archetype of the seductive female spy was ultimately convicted for espionage. This culminated in her execution by a French firing squad at Vincennes outside of Paris.

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Violence during Strikes: What are the Underlying Causes and Solution?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 0 Comment

The sudden upsurge in strike violence and intimidation is indicative of a changed dynamic. The relative industrial peace post 1994 has proved to be a chimera.

The latest casualty in the strike related violence is a dog which striking workers torched. Fortunately no humans were killed when the workers attempted to set the building alight.

In a disingenuous comment, Castro Ngobese, spokesman for NUMSA, has flatly denied that any of their members were involved in these actions. Rather he accused thugs and agent provocateurs for these actions.

Does he take South Africans for fools?

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Retirement Investments: High Costs Structures create Low Returns

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Financial Matters 0 Comment

Retirees find that “nest eggs” in the form of Retirement Annuities were a worthless investment.

Those Retirement Annuities that I subscribed to 40 years ago as an Articled Clerk were supposed to be the “nest egg” that would supplement my work pension. I was gaily promised huge returns. These policies would make the difference between a comfortable and totally carefree retirement.

After 20 years of Debit Orders being processed, I fully expected a sizable investment to have built up. Instead what I found was abysmal returns & an inadequate capital sum. The one policy was growing at 5% at the time in an era where interest rates & inflation were three times that figures.

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Mampara for July 2014: Minister of Agriculture Senzeni Zokwana

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

Despite heading up NUM and the SACP, this Mampara only paid his own workers one third of the minimum rate for working seven days a week

In case I am castigated for misstating the formal job title of this Month’s Mampara, Senzeni Zokwana is the recently appointed Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. This Mampara is currently the National Chairperson of the South African Communist Party and was formerly the President of NUM – The National Union of Mineworkers.

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Should there be a Mandatory Retirement Age?

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 0 Comment

With lifespans increasing, why are productive experienced employees forced to retire at a particular age?

This question has always puzzled me. The closer that I get to retirement myself, the more absurd that a fixed retirement age becomes.

From an Employers point of view, there are possibly two reasons why this is great practice. The first relates to the fact that certain employees are “on autopilot” awaiting their retirement. This is especially prevalent in the public sector where most civil servants are already computing the number of years to retirement whilst still in their forties. Clearly this is indicative of a soul destroying working environment where lack of initiative counts for more than excellent work performance.

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Dieting: The Fat Debate

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Health 0 Comment

Studies reveal that 95%+ of people who diet never lose weight permanently. Fat which was previously vilified is now the redeemer.

The startling headline of this weeks’ Time Magazine reads: Eat Butter. Scientists labelled Fat the Enemy. Why they were wrong.

What a volte facie? What a heresy. Two generations of medical personnel will have to unlearn their mantra: Fat is bad. Fat will kill you.

Not surprisingly, we each have our own stories of our odyssey in this saga.

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National Self-Imposed Censorship in South Africa

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 0 Comment

By superimposing its version of the reality as the truth, the ANC has defined what truth is. To not concur, one will be vilified, denigrated and castigated.

Freedom of speech is enshrined as a cornerstone of the South African Constitution. Overseen by an independent Constitution Court, one should face no risks for expressing one’s opinion without fear or favour.

Superficially this may be true but stray ever so slightly from the accepted ANC line especially as a white South African, and one risks being accused of nefarious deeds such as racism and being unpatriotic.

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How a lowly Russian Political Officer prevented a Nuclear Armageddon

By Dean McCleland in History, Military History 0 Comment

If not for courageous actions of Vasily Arkipov, the Cuban Missile Crisis would have become known as the Cuban Missile War

History is normally portrayed from the viewpoint of the person in charge: the King, the President or the Commander-in-Chief. Their memoirs – and more importantly history – are recorded from their point of view – the strategic level. I can well imagine a Montgomery or an Eisenhower gently sipping their 20 year old red wine in a plush air-conditioned mobile home 150 miles from the front while the ordinary soldier was enduring temperatures of minus ten degrees somewhere in the Ardennes Forest in Belgium during December 1944 at the height of the Battle of the Bulge.

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SONA 2014: The Platitude Factory

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 0 Comment

Instead of the State of the Nation Address inspiring and spurring South Africa to greater heights, it is a bland and uninspiring affair.

The pattern has been set since the commencement of his presidency: make some outrageous promises which clearly would never be attained and then press the snooze button until the next SONA or General Election.

Even discounting the fact that Jacob Zuma is an uninspiring insipid speaker, his whole delivery is known to make the most afflicted insomniacs nod off to sleep. Given that I have more important things to do with my life such as clean my toenails, I have never had sufficient time to watch SONA on TV. Even the 12th rerun of a 1950’s soapie is preferable.

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