The Casual Observer

Another Perspective on the Destruction of Statues and Monuments

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 20 April 2015 0 Comment

Statues and monuments are an integral part of history. It is the future generations which bemoan their destruction and the loss of history, albeit painful. The misplaced notion that their obliteration will erase the impact of their milieu is fallacious. The desecration of 1700 year old Buddha statues by the Taliban in Afghanistan is just one exemplar of this ill-conceived notion.

Main picture: The removal of Rhodes statue from its plinth at UCT

Vandalism by ISIS in Mosul

A contemporary example of this barbarism was the wrecking of 3000 year old artefacts by the Islamic group known as ISIS. Priceless antiquities fell to the blows of these thugs. In their quest for religious purity, one vandal proclaimed that the items were being destroyed as they promoted idolatry. One of the items dating back to the 9th century B.C., depicted a winged-bull Assyrian protective deity, ‘The Prophet ordered us to get rid of statues and relics, and his companions did the same when they conquered countries after him,’ the unidentified attackers proclaimed.

Moon Landing: A Small Step for Man, A Large Leap For Boykind

By Blaine McCleland in McClelands 20 April 2015 0 Comment

1969 was a momentous year. It was my senior year in primary school and I was doing well at school. My brain had been awakened and was like blotting paper to this fascinating world. My interests rampaged across the sciences of aeronautics, electronics, chemistry, physics, astronomy and quite naturally space travel. I stalked the main public library for interesting books. I discovered the separate Reference section and photostated pages from the various Janes[1] so that Dean and I could discuss the latest weapon systems at home. They were carefully selected because of economic strictures.

Helen Zille: South Africa’s very own Iron Lady

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 19 April 2015 0 Comment

No-one could call Helen Zille indecisive and not forthright in expressing her views. For this Helen Zille was christened Godzilla. Unlike Jacob Zuma who attempts to placate all factions within the party, Zille would not equivocate about her viewpoint. What will her legacy be and what is the prognosis under a new DA Leader, probably Mmusi Maimane?

A past in serving black causes

In spite of all the spurious and racist accusations against Helen Zille by the ANC and other black organisations, Helen Zille has an unsullied indisputable past in not only fighting the Nationalist Party but also assisting its victims. Zille began her career in journalism in 1974 as the political correspondent for the anti-apartheid nemesis of the Nationalist Government, The Rand Daily Mail.

Home was No. 57 Mowbray Street, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth

By Dean McCleland in McClelands, Other Personal 19 April 2015 3 Comments

Everybody has a special place; a place that one calls home. For the McCleland’s it was 57 Mowbray Street, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth. It was nothing special; just a normal middle class rectangular house without any pretensions of greatness, grandiosity or style. But what it did possess was not character but some unique features which will forever be remembered by the family and associated with our home.

Main picture: The diamond shaped window panels of the patio

What has the Post Office done with my Parcel?

By Dean McCleland in Miscellaneous Topics 18 April 2015 1 Comment

We are all aware that the South African Post Office is in disarray. Now there is photographic proof of the chaos that reigns in the sorting centres. Unlike the United Kingdom which promises delivery within 24 hours in the UK, South Africans can no longer expect a parcel within two months.

Amazon in the UK made two separate shipments on the 30th January 2015 to me. I have only now on the 11th April 2015 received one of them. What has happened to the second?

Christmas: The Grinch Who Nearly Stole Christmas

By Blaine McCleland in McClelands 18 April 2015 0 Comment

Christmas is probably one of the most exciting times for a kid. In South Africa we were doubly blessed by it coming in the middle of the long summer holidays. Just when you were getting bored of doing nothing, there came Christmas, slap bang in the middle. It couldn’t have been planned better.

No Lights Today: A Parody of No Milk Today

By Dean McCleland in Miscellaneous Topics 16 April 2015 0 Comment

Only those born in the fifties will remember the 1967 sweet melodic song by Herman’s Hermits entitled No Milk Today. It was an Age of Innocence before the scourge of drugs brought the demise of many a pop musician. While some like Jimmy Hendrix paid the ultimate price, many like Eric Clapton battled its cloying hold for decades before either beating their demons or failing & ultimately facing their Maker long before their allotted time.This melody has inspired my brother Blaine to write the lyrics of a parody appropriately entitled No Lights Today. Its target is the hapless Eskom.

Extremely Fascinating Facts

By Dean McCleland in Other Galleries 16 April 2015 0 Comment

The source of these facts is unknown. Like many emails that one receives, its author is never known. Unlike most which I immediately delete or distribute after reading, this is one which I kept and read again the following day.

Maybe you will also find some of these facts equally as fascinating. For instance, the size of a kangeroo when it is born in its mother’s pouch cannot be larger than a few peas.

Call it what it really is: It is Xenophobia

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 15 April 2015 1 Comment

Like Mbeki in 2008, many government and ANC party functionaries have refused to label the latest outbreak of violence against foreigners as xenophobia. Why is there this reluctance to call a spade a spade, what was the spark that ignited the latest flare-up and what is the prognosis for future outbreaks?

It was like déjà vu. As I drove alone south on an almost empty N3 in the pre-dawn gloom towards OR Tambo to catch the early morning flight to Pietermaritzburg, I was astounded at the overt racism of the callers either in their justification of the attacks on the foreigners or their “humane human-rights” solutions to the problem.

All of the callers to the Early Breakfast show – as it is styled – on 702 Talk Radio were predominately from the townships.

Main picture: Xenophobic attacks halted business in Durban’s CBD

Barry Richard Cornish – In Memoriam

By Dean McCleland in Family Histories, Other Family Histories 15 April 2015 2 Comments

1^st February 1954 to 13th February 2016

If I had to ask God just one question what would it be? “Why take Barry so young” or perhaps rather, “Why Barry?” Such were the questions that swirled in my mind when I heard that Barry had passed away from a stroke. The final question – a rhetorical one I suppose – posed to humanity in general is why we do not celebrate somebody’s achievements and their life before that person passes away. Why reserve it for the eulogies after their death? Shouldn’t we verbalise the positive that we feel about our friends and family.

So it was with Barry.

Main picture: Barry Cornish with son, Craig

We are all aware that the South African Post Office is in disarray. Now there is photographic proof of the chaos that reigns in the sorting centres. Unlike the United Kingdom which promises delivery within 24 hours in the UK, South Africans can no longer expect a parcel within two months.

Christmas is probably one of the most exciting times for a kid. In South Africa we were doubly blessed by it coming in the middle of the long summer holidays. Just when you were getting bored of doing nothing, there came Christmas, slap bang in the middle. It couldn’t have been planned better.

1st February 1954 to 13th February 2016

1^st February 1954 to 13th February 2016