The Casual Observer

Unusual Animal Behaviour

By Dean McCleland in Animals 25 February 2015 0 Comment

I was always under the mistaken belief that it was only my pets which exhibited this usual behaviour. Now I have become aware that all pets suffer from the same psychological problem: the opposite of agoraphobia.

After viewing these photographs does your pet also require the services of a trained animal behaviourist in order to overcome their belief that something that they could sleep in as a puppy or kitten is no longer suitable as a fully grown animal?

Massive Storm in Jozi on Monday 16th February 2015

By Dean McCleland in Other Galleries 24 February 2015 0 Comment

Here are some truly stunning photographs of this storm.

The Tale of Four Women and the Sexual and Gender Liberation

By Dean McCleland in History, Opinion Pieces 23 February 2015 2 Comments

A century ago was the dawn of the sexual and gender liberation. It was a fitting time as it witnessed the passing of the eponymous Victorian era with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. Like the commencements of all epochs, it was marked by stubborn resistance, resilient reformers and societal backlash. These four women in diametrically opposed manners led the charge for sexual and gender liberation.

Some innovators and crusaders will forever have an unblemished legacy, most however being stubborn and dogmatic in their opposition to the status quo; often create implacable foes in their endeavours. Whilst these traits might be overlooked in the broad sweep of history and change, they will forever be remembered both as bold reformers and as flawed characters.

Main picture: Marie Stopes in her laboratory in 1904

Will the Parachutist Survive?

By Dean McCleland in Other Galleries 19 February 2015 0 Comment

What are the odds that this parachutist will survive colliding with a plane in mid-air? And more remarkably, what are the odds that a phptographer would capture this sequence of events in film?

A Cessna collided with a parachute at a small airport in Polk County, Florida, during March 2014

The plane took a nose dive, and the skydiver was thrown to the ground.

So you thought that you were having a Tough Day?

By Dean McCleland in Other Galleries 19 February 2015 0 Comment

Hell no! Never! Fortunately most of us do not have days like this

Enthralling Journey to Europe’s World Heritage Sites

By Dean McCleland in Landscapes 17 February 2015 0 Comment

Represented here are stunning photographs of twenty of Europe’s World Heritage Sites. All are equally sublime and it would be extremely difficult to select any one as being the best as all are equally as excellent.

Main picture: The Ring Of Brodgar at Night in Orkney Islands. It is a phantasmagoric place with a beautiful starlight by Joan Gosa Badia

Photos Celebrating Life

By Dean McCleland in Other Galleries 16 February 2015 0 Comment

All of these photographs have one thing in common. They celebrate life by illuminating its enchantment, pathos and joie de vivre.

Life is like a coin. You can choose to spend it anyway that you wish, but you can only spend it once.

Make your choices wisely.

SONA 2015 epitomises everything that is wrong with South Africa at the Moment

By Dean McCleland in Current Affairs, Opinion Pieces 15 February 2015 0 Comment

Most reports have focused on only one or two aspects of SONA 2015. Yet I contend that that it is indicative of a deeper malaise within South Africa at the moment. These encompass the protection of an incompetent leader in Zuma, high-drama within the EFF and the blocking of various signals.

No wonder Zuma was in such an ebullient mood when he was interviewed by the Press Club on Monday. He was apparently unperturbed by the prospect of the EFF attempting to disrupt his State of the Nation speech. Speculation was that either Zuma would pull the proverbial rabbit out of his hat during the speech or alternatively that the ANC had a trick up their sleeve as regards how they would handle any EFF disruption.

Main picture: The violent and forceful removal of the EFF members

Exorcising the Demons of the Past

By Dean McCleland in History, Opinion Pieces 14 February 2015 1 Comment

It is not just the sufferers of torture who suffer but their families and more surprisingly often their torturers. Usually their sense of anger and hatred are suppressed for their whole lives but occasionally instead of retribution, unconditional forgiveness is given. Such a man, Eric Lomax, cast off those demons to confront his nightmares both real and imagined.

I first “became acquainted” with Eric Lomax in the mid-1990s when I encountered his harrowing book, “The Railway Man.” But this “encounter” was via a circuitous route. Sometime before hearing about the “Railway Man”, I had attended a book launch by a fellow compatriot of Eric Lomax.

Main picture: Eric Lomax and Takashi Nagase

Why there are fewer Men than Women – Part 2

By Dean McCleland in Other Galleries 10 February 2015 0 Comment

When I wrote my first blog on all the idiotic and inane unsafe acts that men performed as if they possessed a death wish, I was under the mistaken belief that I had seen it all. Clearly I had not. Like the continual stream of photographs of shoppers in Walmart whilst in the most surreal forms of attire, so it is with these behaviours.

Clearly Safety Inspectors are a rarity or perhaps they are like the Dodo, extinct. If these photographs had been taken in South Africa, which clearly they are not, I would have suspected that another activity had kept the Inspectors at bay.

Surely these people are aware that they have no margin of error and that even a slight miscalculation could result in death or maiming. They should rather adopt a high risk sport such as abseiling, paragliding or base jumping.