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As Hamas and the government of Israel continue to squeeze the life-blood out of the ordinary - if such a being still exist or is allowed to exist - Palestinian.   With their bloody encounters, with the nonchalant  reassurance of knowing that it is not their blood, lives and livelihoods, but that of the people which is paying for their diarrhoeal violence.  It is a timely opportunity to reflect on some of the truisms and paradoxes of the Israel-Palestine military conflict.  Whether they are being waged by professed 'liberators' or malevolent or beneficent oppressors. And so it seems to me, that there are times and stages in any struggle, when their is no difference between the methodology and the impact of the policies of both the oppressor and the aspiring 'liberator.'  A bullet from the declared liberator, when aimed and fired, if it finds it target, but take a life or bring devastating injuries to whomever it was aimed at.  To the

We stood in the car park and reminisced about we have been doing,  times we had spent together and times we had spent with Y.  And as we reflect on the past, on enjoyable times we have had. Each of us, as it is the nature of humans, was probably also constantly aware of the real reason why we were gathered together at this Crematorium.  It was not mainly for the ironic pleasure we were having from seeing our relatives, friends and strangers. At a place where many, if not all of us did not know was there and had not visited. We were there  to 'see off' and say our final goodbye to Y. Yes, we spent probably about 40 or so minutes waiting around and touching base about our lives, what we are doing now, what we have done in the past and what we aspire to be doing in the future. And then it was time. Time to enter into the unimposing chapel of the Crematoria, preceded by the relatively small Coffin of Y.  It was small because Y, even before her body h

It is probably fitting that Saudi Arabia should be the guardian of one of the holiest pillars of Islam; keeper of the Kaaba.  Since it is the voice and tabernacle of all that is most conservative, orthodox and anachronistic in Islam.  In effect, it is the keeper of the unchanging past. Which is why Badawi and other human rights activists are now incarcerated in Saudi prisons.  Which is why only now are women being allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, and this loosening of the oppression of Saudi women is, incongruously and pathetically being interpreted as evidence of CPMBS' 'reformism.' There is nothing 'liberal' or 'reformist' about the Saudi regime allowing women to drive. It had no legitimate right to deny them their right drive for all these decades.  I imagine that, before the invention of motor cars, Saudi women were not allowed to ride horses.  Women being prevented from driving was just one on the misogynistic tentacles of a

'I do not know if it is the case, that, if we are more able to be at ease with the thought of our own death.  Then we will be better able to deal with the reality of the death of others, especially our loved ones.  But of this I do know, with some certainty, that, in the end, it really does not matter whether we are or are not comfortable with death. Since we have no power to avoid it.  And must focus our thoughts and actions on exercising endeavour what control or influence we do have, over the process dying.' As we drove along the expanse of the motorway, heading north, we, unlike Chuck Berry, did have a particular place to go.  We were heading to Y's funeral, making a number of stops along the way.  The first to pick up a relative, and then, on the other two occasions, for comfort breaks. We had arrived at the unimposing crematorium earlier than the appointed hour.  And must now to wait for the ceremony and  cremation of two other dearly dep

So, what about BJ's comparison regarding the Burqa? Is it accurate?  If we were to ask 100 British people, and/or people who are au fait with the image of the British post box and the bank robber mask. What percentage of them might respond that their is a similarity? 70 or 100 per cent? The rectangular window in the more 'liberal' burqas, does bear a resemblance to the opening at the top of the post box where you drop your letter in.  The 'bank robber' comparison also has some credibility, in that the intention of the burqa wearing is to conceal her identity from the on-looker, while having the advantage of seeking the onlooker. The description is, in my opinion, an accurate one, from an analogical perspective.  With regards to the issue of whether it is 'anti-Muslim', and, if so, whether that was the intention or motivation of Boris Johnson. That is more likely to be dependant on Boris, and other people's interpretation, motiv

Unless they are consistent with the State's version of 'the word' which is allowed to fill the vessel of its people's minds. You can have your bodies, the Saudi Monarchy seems to be saying to the people of Saudi Arabia, providing your women keep theirs covered up from head to toes.  But your minds are the property of the State, and must remain loyal to the past.  For the Saudi people, 'free will' does not exist, at least, if it does, it must not be spoken of in public, or within hearing distance of the guardians of the Saudi State.  Which is why the Saudi Blogger, Raif Badawi, is incarcerated in a Saudi Arabian prison. Having been perceived by the Saudi Anachronistics as posing a serious threat to orthodox Saudi society.  Which is why Saudi Arabia has chosen to pick a fight with Canada, after the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has dared to appeal to the Saudi government to released Badawi and his recently arrested sister. The same defi

We are living in very uncertain and worrying times today, with both the forces of 'good' and 'evil' forming an alliance to shut up and shutdown people who want to raise difficult to address issues.  The matter of 'political correctness' has gone mad, and we must now wait for the bubble to burst.   So that some balance and sanity can return, so that we can, again, ask difficult questions, and have debate about important issues, without having to tiptoe around like we are walking on hot coals.  That we can talk about ethnicity, race, culture, sexuality, immigration, migration, crime, etc, without being accused, wrongly, of being racist, sexist misogynist, abuser, exploiter.  So that we can have 'adult discussion and debates.' That we can acknowledge that one or more of the participants, probably because they are women, or men, gay, or black, Chinese, or an actor.   Might find part of the debate or discussion a bit uncomfortable.

There has to be some concern that the MDC, as it has so far show, would be hamstrung by some, if not many of the vices of the ZANU-PF regime.  Such as opportunism, such as 'big manism', nepotism, tribal manipulation and corruption. That does not mean that the MDC, the probably favourite son of the progressives and liberals, could not, indeed, make itself the champion of the Zimbabwean people and 'savour' of the country.  It should be able to do so, but its reaction to and approach to dealing with its narrow defeat by the incumbent regime leaves much to be desired.  Instead of appearing to inciting the masses to take to the streets 'to demand justice', the MDC and its leaders need to dig deep, bide their time and set about working effectively amongst and educating the masses.  Championing the better life which all Zimbabweans aspire toward, and not limiting the debate to that of party X versus party Y. And what of the ZANU-PF administrati