Idyllic Beaches
Beaches in China
Isn’t the whole idea of going to the beach is to have a relaxing time. Instead one has to contend with thousands of people? If you do go for a swim, would you even be missed if you did not surface again but more importantly, would you be able to find your umbrella again. It probably is no different from being at the crowded shopping mall – being jostled, no privacy and raucous – the very antithesis of a relaxing peaceful visit.
The Mampara of the Year: 2014
In South Africa at the moment, it is not difficult to pick a Mampara as we are spoilt for choice. Of course our beloved country is not the only one that has its prominent citizens involved in half-witted and mindless actions. In the forefront of these imbecilic actions, as if to be in the limelight albeit for 5 minutes, are mainly politicians or political appointees.
The candidates for this prestigious award are not only politicians as non-politicians have also tried exceptionally hard to clasp this award. The first such person who springs to mind is Steve Hofmeyer who should have stuck to music. Instead he ventured into the realms of politics which is known to dull one’s thought processes. In one such memorable comment and reverse logic so beloved of politicians, he claimed that the Blacks in South Africa were responsible for Apartheid!
The Profumo Affair: The Tale of Two Women
For those who remember the Profumo Affair which almost brought down the Conservative Government of Harold Macmillan, the pivotal role was played by a prostitute, the stunning Christine Keeler. However her flatmate, Mandy Rice-Davies, who was not quite as stunning, also rose to prominence due to her lifestyle which was intertwined with that of Keeler. What would happen to each woman after this potentially life changing event?
Background
The fate of John Profumo, the philandering Secretary of State for War in the Harold Macmillan Conservative Government is well known. After initially denying any personal impropriety with a prostitute, the stunning Christine Keeler, in 1961, he eventually resigned some two weeks later.
How did this brief affair become public knowledge two years after its termination and why did an extra-marital affair cause such anguish at the time?
Continue readingPolitical Correctness in Extremis
The initial concept of Political Correctness was to preclude the use of gratuitous generalisations regarding races, religions, sexes and politics that contained a negative connotation. The use of these words is generally demeaning of that race or grouping and often unfairly categorises all members of such a group with the same degrading or humiliating appellation. With the principles now being extended into all facets of life, has the concept thwarted free speech or, as shown in the examples below, prevented the enjoyment of one’s own culture and way of life.
In tracking down feel-good stories for a blog, adjacent to one of these stories in the British Telegraph was an article on Town Councils in the UK which had banned the word Christmas as being too indicative of one religion and hence offensive to Muslims in their Communities. Their staffs were instructed to replace it with the words Happy Festive Season.
One Tiny Act of Kindness
Sometimes one is able assist another person immeasurably even though that act of kindness was insignificant in itself. It might not have saved a life or been as dramatic as the rescue of an animal in distress, but that act of kindness could mean more than life itself to that recipient.
In this case it was a New York Taxi Driver who as an occupation is not normally known for their patience and tolerance. This incident probably meant more to this doddering old woman than anything else in the past ten years of her life.
Christmas: Restoring Faith in Humankind
I was in the process of writing today’s blog entitled Mampara of the Year when I came across a feel-good story on the internet. I then changed my focus. Whereas I could easily write the article on the Mampara without even using the Internet, an article on good news stories, especially those that would resonate with me, would be a far harder task.
Many of these did – I admit – bring a tear to my eye. Imagine a world without caring people such as these. Human kindness is a virtue to be celebrated yet none of these people performed these acts of kindness for monetary or other reward. Instead the reward was visceral, an internal recompense.
Animals: Photos of the Aftermath of their New Year’s Binge
If humans can overindulge over the Festive Season, so can animals. Why should humans be the only ones who have a celebration over this period? I know that you think that I have imbibed something stronger than the Christmas Spirit. Just to dispel such notions, I would like to show you a dozen photographs that will attempt to convince you that animals indeed do imbibe. What they consume, I am unaware of, but whatever it is appears to have the same effect on them as it does to humans.
Main picture: A Polar Bear using a pool as an impromptu toilet bowl. If you don’t believe me, just look inside the pool! On second thoughts, do not!
The Essence of Africa
Being close to Christmas, I have decided to adopt the not-so-serious approach. Furthermore it will complement the mood of the Silly Season. In this case, it is the idiosyncrasies of living on the wonderful but sometimes frustrating continent known as Africa. Many of you would have seen these photographs before but they are quintessential Africa and in many cases they are a representation of insouciant life of South Africa. What they indubitably do represent is man’s ingenuity in overcoming adversity. Furthermore it showcases humankind’s inventiveness in some instances and stupidity in other cases.
All however represent the Essence of Africa.
The Chronicle of the Journey into Terra Incognito
This is a poignant tale of taking two novices through their first marathon. On 22nd March 2009, two unwilling victims – Arnold Paikin and Johann Scholtz – were dragged through their first marathon. This blog chronicles the pathos and pain of that experience. The first half of the blog is my experience of that baleful race and the second is Arnold’s plaintiff riposte to an uncaring slave driver – that is me. Tell me which version that you believe. His or mine?
My version of that momentous day
Clearly it would not be terra incognito for me having already done in excess of 90 marathons & ultras. Contrary to expectations, I have a view that, despite having completed so many, one’s body is not designed to run that far; especially mine. The reason that I say terra incognito is that if one has never run a marathon before, one probably extrapolates from how one felt after a half marathon & imagines – wishful thinking really – that another 21kms cannot be that difficult. Surely not? How can it? What is not factored into that equation is that the body exhausts its glycogen supply after approximately 30kms and then one hits the wall. Apart from that, the body at that point is no longer making timid suggestions that would the mind please desist from such stupid behaviour but now throws a tantrum in the form of pain, blisters & generally becomes bolshie.