During the Great Depression, and afterwards during the New Deal (which could be argued was pretty depressing for many) Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the American people with the so-called ‘Fireside chats’. I think that sort of direct passive communication between the leader of a nation and its citizens is a good thing.
Thabo Mbeki may […]
Filed under: Business, Commentary, Corruption, Crime, Economy, Education, Ideas, Language, Law, Medicine, Politics, Rant, Society, ethics, work by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
Tito Mboweni and the rest of the monetary policy committee of the South Africa Reserve Bank look set to raise interest rates by as much as 2% to curb rampant inflation, which is breaking through the 10+ %, well outside the inflation target of the government at 3-6%
This may seem draconian, as jobs are […]
Filed under: Business, Commentary, Economy, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
From IAfrica.com:
Xenophobia: Blame the ANC
Article By: Rebekah Kendal
Wed, 28 May 2008 10:00
As a democratically elected government, the ANC is not only accountable to the people, but also culpable for the society it engenders. While criminal mobs may be directly responsible for the xenophobic violence that has rocked South Africa, the government — and in effect […]
Filed under: Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
… and I agree.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=772542
The time has come. Mr. Mbeki is not fit to serve as my president. I believed at one time that he might be a better alternative to Jacob Zuma. But the last 12 months have PROVED that Thabo (I won’t do him the dignity of using his full or surname) is […]
Filed under: Commentary, Crime, Ideas, Rant, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
The greatest paper in the world puts it like it is: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/opinion/24sat1.html?hp
The shame of our country is the fault of its first citizen, Thabo Mbeki, a man who should have never held the office Nelson Mandela forged out of the ashes of Apartheid. And we, the people of South Africa, should blame ourselves for electing […]
Filed under: Commentary, Media, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
President Thabo Mbeki has acted presidential for once, and ordered the South African National Defence Force to assist in quelling the xenophobic violence which is ravaging the north of the country.
Now the big question is… will the SANDF succeed where the police has failed? And will the generals dispatch enough power on the streets. […]
Filed under: Commentary, Crime, Military, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
South Africa’s streets are turning bloody, and any sane person would call for the army to stop the violence; the army is a broadsword but the violence now prevailing as the people rise up against any sort of civil authority runs the risk of becoming unhinged, beyond the cruel and criminal activity already taking place […]
Filed under: Commentary, Corruption, Crime, Ideas, Politics, Rant, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
Warning, this video involves GRAPHIC scenes of recent violence on South Africa streets:
http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/05/flames-of-hate/
Bookmark to:
Sphere: Related Content
Filed under: Crime, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
I am ashamed to call myself an African. Not because our country, our continent, is a place which God has blessed with grandeur and purpose, but rather that we Africans have failed to have any semblance of humanity, decency, moral courage.
We are the barbarians of the world, and I am as complicit as […]
Filed under: Commentary, Crime, Ideas, Language, Law, Rant, Society, ethics by Andrew la Grange
4 Comments »
The Times reports: http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=769049
Alec Erwin has decided to step down from ’serving’ the people of South Africa, by running public enterprises into the ground, and overseeing the fire sale wholesale divestiture of the State’s assets.
Well done Alec, if anyone harboured residual suspicions that white politicians were more capable than black ones you did […]
Filed under: Decision Theory, Politics, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
Time magazine has declare Barack Obama the winner of the Democratic race. Sort of…
Love the asterisk. I wonder if Time is behaving in a responsible manner by declaring that Obama will win the race.
Although Hillary is not out, the media (and it would seem the majority of voters [um… except in West […]
Filed under: Media, U.S. Elections by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
A classic BLOG! Bring on the Sushi!
http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/
Bookmark to:
Sphere: Related Content
Filed under: Commentary by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
I was looking at WW2 propaganda posters from the USA, after checking out the following post on YOU THE DESIGNER.
Its got to get you wondering about the impregnation of the German helmet in the psyche of the Allies.
I mean this poster doesn’t say ‘U.S. Government’ to me - rather some sleeper campaign from Hollywood. […]
Filed under: Art, Design, Society, War by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
Last night I was having dinner with great friends, and afterwards over coffee, in the tradition of the chattering classes, we got down to talking about the ethical bankruptcy of our civic society. That South Africans as a general rule are lawless and lack empathy or respect for the lives and integrity of other human […]
Filed under: Commentary, Corruption, Politics, Rant, Society by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
I’ve just downloaded Microsoft Research’s World Wide Telescope.
And WOW! What Google Earth did for the planet, Microsoft is now doing with the Universe (where is this competition going to end? iGod?)
Check it out now at http://worldwidetelescope.org
The Guided Tours are by far and away the best part of the software; I’ve already checked a […]
Filed under: Science by Andrew la Grange
No Comments »
