-
Speaking of crime
Why murder? Why the inevitable corpse in all crime films? After all, the basic plot is almost always that Protagonist A is missing or found killed and that Protagonist B (police officer, accused innocent by-stander, or close relative/friend) sets out to discover what happened, in a life or death race with Protagonist C (perpetrator). Why…
-
The Mujica effect
The former Uruguayan President Mujica has long since left office, but his legacy will live forever, I hope. In Tanzania a new president has gained so much popularity after his first 100 days in office, that he now enjoys more than 90% support. What do the two have in common? They slash expenses on pomp…
-
TTIP
One of the things we should not do – and I mean NOT – is to fail to notice a rather sinister business super-deal looming on the horizon. As we know, big business has a way of devising smart ways of making money and of disregarding all consequences for the physical and social climate on…
-
Told you so
It is very rude, in polite society, to say “I told you so”. But I don’t belong to polite society. I’m just one of those solitary creatures swimming around in the sea and observing the growing mess humanity is making of it. And indeed I did say, again and again, directly and indirectly, that the…
-
Rule of Law
The other day a colleague who is familiar with my slightly subversive views maliciously presented me with a philosophical challenge: – How come you who so fervently believe in the rule of law defend people like Edward Snowden and Julian Assange? It is true that I passionately believe in the rule of law, defined by…
-
1029… and still counting
Even I was taken aback by the Counted! Why the Guardian feels called upon to kindly help the US keep a record that most civilised and indeed, even uncivilised, nations would blush to admit they did not themselves scrupulously record, is explained here. There is really nothing I can add. Except, yes, for one thing:…
-
Bedtime story
Once upon a time, dear Reader, when your grandparents were still in diapers, there was a gigantic monster with three heads. He lived far, far away in a land where the sun never rises and the sky is always pink. When he was at home, he would mostly lie on his back, scratching his stomach,…
-
Atttacks against humanity
We have just heard that the killings in Paris last night “are an attack against all humanity”. Indeed they are! They are loathsome, ghastly, cowardly acts of random cruelty. There is no obscenity that can fully convey my contempt for the intoxicated sadism that characterises such acts. However, Mr Obama, did you or any of…
-
As far as watchdogs go …
So, am I being watched? I mean, am I subject to more scrutiny on the part of western intelligence agencies than the average man and woman? Are you, who are reading me, being watched? Because we are all being watched, remember? Not only by the NSA, which appears to have assumed extra-judicial powers and which,…
-
In the Dark
When I turn off the main road, a narrow winding route takes me into the forest. Deep into the forest. Gaunt, tall pine trees, standing close together like freezing soldiers, sternly witness my slow progress ever deeper into their midst. I drive carefully, as it is more than likely that a deer will suddenly leap…