Photo Galleries Archives - Page 4 of 21

Insights into the Past

By Dean McCleland in Historical 14 April 2016 1 Comment

The past always seems so idyllic, so serene, and so sublime. The reality of day to day life is more prosaic, more challenging and far crueller. For instance the use of horse and carriages raises a number of questions. Firstly consider the welfare of the animals. In ancient and not so ancient wars, more bemoans the tragic loss of human life but what about that of the animals especially the horses. The movie The War Horse puts the atrocious treatment of horses during WW1 i.e. only a century ago into perspective. But what about another factor which had to be born with equanimity by the population especially those residing in the cities – the streets caked with horse excrement!

Main picture: A Normandy Beach landing photo they don’t show in textbooks – Brave women of the Red Cross arriving in 1944 to help the injured troops, WWII.

Would these Adverts get past the PC Police Today?

By Dean McCleland in Historical, Other Galleries 15 February 2016 0 Comment

Probably our grandchildren will have the same response when they view our adverts or even movies such as Star Wars. It is highly likely that the Beatles will sound tinny and David Bowie will look nerdy. They will possibly be amused at rap, wondering why an artist would talk through a song instead of singing. Ironically shoulder length hair for men will probably be in vogue again as well as bell-bottoms.

Main picture: How can the PC Police claim that this advert is sexist. Rather it displays concern for the welfare of one’s wife. Surely!

Rarely Seen Moments of US History

By Dean McCleland in Historical 19 January 2016 0 Comment

This series of historical photographs is certainly exceptional. From a slave auction place, circa 1870 to a snapshot of New York in 1887 looking more like modern day Mumbai with telephone wires strung from every pole. I am curious about the slave auction place being dated as 1870 because slavery was abolished at the end of the American Civil War in 1865 unless this is a remnant of that event. Another of the insightful pictures of a bygone era, is a photograph of an opium den in America as it is evocative of the opium scourge in China itself during this era.

Main picture: An opium den in San Francisco, 1900

Rare Historical Photographs

By Dean McCleland in Historical 29 December 2015 0 Comment

Of these 50 historical photographs, I have personally only seen half a dozen previously. Hopefully you will also find these as interesting as they offer an insight into how our ancestors lived.

Main picture: Locals carrying a Rolls Royce in Nepal in 1950

South Africa at Sunset

By Dean McCleland in Landscapes 27 December 2015 0 Comment

Dawn and sunset must be the two most enchanting times to be in the bushveld. The magical colours combined with a sense of expectation, a primeval spirit redolent of eons in the past subsumes one within the tranquillity of the age-old bush. The menacing unmistakeable roar of a far-off lion, the deadly grunt of a hippopotamus or the trumpeting of an elephant in the foreground all form part of the bush life.

In Celebration of Dogs

By Dean McCleland in Animals, Miscellaneous Topics 21 December 2015 1 Comment

The one stern injunction that my mother made when I was a child was never to own a German Shepherd as a pet. The reason that she advanced was that ultimately their wolf like nature would be exhibited at some point in time and would attack somebody. Personally I believe that her misunderstanding arose as the next door neighbours – the Lotts’s – bred GSDs. In their tiny backyard, they kept 50 Alsatians chained up. Probably what happened was that at some point, a frustrated dog attacked Mr Lotts. For most of my life in Joburg, I have owned at least one Alsatian and never have I experienced a problem either with the children or the other animals.

The 1965 and 2015 South African Student Protests Contrasted

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Historical 14 December 2015 0 Comment

The first student protest in South Africa occurred 50 years ago on 8^th April 1965; these were not some radical English speaking students from Wits or UCT but rather conservative Afrikaans students. Their grievances related to mother-tongue education and the removal of liberal lecturers. Contrast this protest with the #FeesMustFall campaign in October 2015 when students once again held protests in Pretoria.

Main picture: The caption reads South Africa First Continue reading

The Namib and Namibia: Vistas and Animals Galore

By Dean McCleland in Landscapes 13 December 2015 1 Comment

Namibia is a cruel, wild and unforgiving place. Most of the landmass comprises inhospitable desert and semi-desert. Despite this it is home to a full complement of wild animals. The most remarkable are the desert elephants. It even has the desert hyena which is forced to scavenge along the barren coast line. For such a huge country, it only comprises a population of 2 million people. Yet despite these scenes of desolation, its vistas are stunning.

Main picture: The Orange River somnambulantly winds its way through the arid Richtersveld
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A Peek into the Past

By Dean McCleland in Historical 10 December 2015 0 Comment

Some of these photographs are profound but most are mundane. Whatever they are, they afford us an opportunity to take a peek into the past. Each in their own way, offers but the merely glimpse into that past.
Main picture: 1924 – Friends in Ohio enjoy a ride in their new car

Nature is Triumphant

By Dean McCleland in Animals, Nature & Animals 22 November 2015 0 Comment

Nature is fragile. An oil spill at the coast can result in the deaths of millions of sea creatures. The destruction of the animal’s natural habitat is a habitual concern of conservationists. The population explosion brings the wild animals into conflict with human needs. A tense standoff between conservationists and human needs will throw this conundrum into sharp relief. In one aspect, nature is resilient. Nature can be triumphant and that relates to vegetation. Left untended, vegetation will reclaim even the most obdurate surfaces and areas. This series of photographs highlights this phenomenon.

Main picture: Angkor in Cambodia

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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