Yes indeed. And so for all subsequent presidents, be they Republican or Democratic, the stage is now set...and no one's presidency will any longer be off-limits (in the previous time-honoured fashion).
But for now I only intend to follow up upon some stuff I alluded to in a very recent blogpost re Barack Obama and succinctly state that Obama himself signally failed to uphold the United States' proud, centuries' old traditions vis-a-vis the Christian religion and its adherents. And this has had a major bearing upon how once Obama-supporting evangelicals in America have subsequently not only questioned, even eschewed Obama's legacy, but have largely and consequently embraced that of Trump.
Though I've no doubt that both he and wife Michelle were hardly the gun-totin', Islamist terrorists once portrayed by 'The New Yorker' on an infamous cover story back during Presidential Campaign 2008 - let alone even being secret Muslims - on (*at least) two major counts Christians of whatever stripes throughout the US of A had just grounds for not only concern but positive alarm during his two-term tenure. And I don't refer here to yet another matter - i.e. Obama lending his personal support to doing away with America's (and the World's) ages-old endorsement and exaltation of the (publicly-celebrated) union of a man and a woman as being the only proper (and indeed just) basis of a marital covenant/commitment, let alone for raising well-balanced and thriving children.
After which Parliaments throughout the Western world quickly fell into lockstep and hastily rammed through - legislatively where possible (without much public feedback let alone say as in a binding decision via a referendum), or otherwise did hold such a referendum (as in Ireland) - new laws to allow for 'gay marriage': France, the United Kingdom and New Zealand being three nations which readily spring to recollection. My point being that all that ground-breaking change was based upon or inspired by - given momentum through - was President Obama's supposed (midterm) Damascus Road experience whereby he no longer saw why homosexuals' 'tying the knot' was any big deal.
As noted Creation Scientist Ken Ham explained in a recent Sunday morning 'Cue' (Hope Channel)
sermon/lecture, Obama unilaterally eschewed America's time-honoured Christian heritage (while embracing some new, amorphous 'multicultural' amalgam) upon taking office (as revealed in his various books/writings upon such matters around/prior to that time, thus 'putting on the table' his own 'manifesto' for office. That's his first major sin vis-a-vis Christendom. And the second?
He subsequently abandoned/forsook the persecuted-to-the- death Christian sufferers of genocidal extermination throughout both the Middle East and the (Asian and African) world generally - throughout his eight-year tenure. And so Barack Hussein Obama can hardly feign surprise that his 'fellow' American Christians have subsequently turned to, even positively embraced, Donald J Trump as their national 'saviour'. Despite his obvious as shortcomings.
*Though the - ultimately thwarted - attempt to enforce Federal Government mandated-contraception via unwilling Catholic hospitals is doubtless another (example of such gross spitting in the face of America's Christian community)...if just for completely violating the oft-cited principle of the American Constitution both prohibiting the establishment of religion and/or forbidding the free exercise thereof.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Me Knows Thou Dost Protest Over-Much: Anticipating An Absolute - Once Simply Unthinkable - Rout For The American Democratic Party in their upcoming Midterms
No, I haven't suddenly transmogrified into some kinda apologist-in-chief for the American Republican Party - far from it in fact - but, like Michael Moore prior to Presidential Election 2016, I am not too blindsided by partisan political and ideological reckonings and musings and plannings and plottings to see the Democrats squarely facing into a significant defeat - maybe even rout - come next **Tuesday's/Wednesday's Midterm Elections...
And why? They've completely overplayed their hand - to the nth degree, well beyond that, and then some (and I'm probably considerably understating matters)...no, I kid you not! But in case you need convincing, though just now I've no time to majorly elaborate, let's just 'say', how about?:
*The whole Brett Kavanaugh saga...which may well be repeated (before all that long evidently), seeing as Sandra Day O'Connor (I believe) announced just the other day her plans to possibly retire.
*Related to this...and to many other 'presenting' issues in modern American political life: the unwillingness of many (of Generation Now) to accept the results of the democratic process as well as the United States' constitutionally-enshrined and guaranteed provision of free speech; thus seeking to ***not only shout (and shut) down their opponents (at venues such as college campuses - and even in the federal (and state) legislature/s!) but to 'positively' accost/molest them in public places/spaces
*The utter inability and/or sheer unwillingness for the mainstream (TV/print/broadcast) media in the U.S. to - pretty well ever - 'give credit where credit is due': i.e. - to bring the matter down home - to follow in the well-worn footsteps of Yours Truly and simply - and honestly: bestow bouquets (as well as brickbats) with fear of and favour toward none...yes, including even Donald J Trump!
That's it, folks...only a few items really...but the sheer lack thereof might well make all the difference: spelling the difference between what initially promised to be a ****resounding victory (in both the House of Representatives and the Senate) to a ****veritable drubbing, at least in the United States Senate.
As C.J (from the oh so brilliant 'Rise and Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin') might have put matters - I didn't get where I am today by not being able to see a political party staring down the barrel of a political drubbing when I see it!
**Wednesday New Zealand time, that is...
***And such have the gall to constantly call out the so-called 'Right' as spreaders of hate speech!
****For the U S Democratic Party, that is; the opposite story now looks set to be the narrative of the GOP, who'll be having a grand 'ole party indeed, come next Tuesday (US time).
And why? They've completely overplayed their hand - to the nth degree, well beyond that, and then some (and I'm probably considerably understating matters)...no, I kid you not! But in case you need convincing, though just now I've no time to majorly elaborate, let's just 'say', how about?:
*The whole Brett Kavanaugh saga...which may well be repeated (before all that long evidently), seeing as Sandra Day O'Connor (I believe) announced just the other day her plans to possibly retire.
*Related to this...and to many other 'presenting' issues in modern American political life: the unwillingness of many (of Generation Now) to accept the results of the democratic process as well as the United States' constitutionally-enshrined and guaranteed provision of free speech; thus seeking to ***not only shout (and shut) down their opponents (at venues such as college campuses - and even in the federal (and state) legislature/s!) but to 'positively' accost/molest them in public places/spaces
*The utter inability and/or sheer unwillingness for the mainstream (TV/print/broadcast) media in the U.S. to - pretty well ever - 'give credit where credit is due': i.e. - to bring the matter down home - to follow in the well-worn footsteps of Yours Truly and simply - and honestly: bestow bouquets (as well as brickbats) with fear of and favour toward none...yes, including even Donald J Trump!
That's it, folks...only a few items really...but the sheer lack thereof might well make all the difference: spelling the difference between what initially promised to be a ****resounding victory (in both the House of Representatives and the Senate) to a ****veritable drubbing, at least in the United States Senate.
As C.J (from the oh so brilliant 'Rise and Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin') might have put matters - I didn't get where I am today by not being able to see a political party staring down the barrel of a political drubbing when I see it!
**Wednesday New Zealand time, that is...
***And such have the gall to constantly call out the so-called 'Right' as spreaders of hate speech!
****For the U S Democratic Party, that is; the opposite story now looks set to be the narrative of the GOP, who'll be having a grand 'ole party indeed, come next Tuesday (US time).
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Ye Typical Talkback-Driven Beat-Up: Partisan Political Posturing at Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway's Expense
Having presided over (seemingly) innumerable disgusting, even outrageous deportations of people who eminently deserved the 'prerogative of mercy' (so to speak), spare me/us the sudden emerging out of the veritable woodwork of National Party-sympathizing lackeys and neophytes feigning faux outrage vis-a-vis this latest intricately-assessed and otherwise-nit-picked situation.
Hey, no doubt my memory's playing up, but - whichever Minister (at the time) it happened to be - do I or don't I distinctly recall a wonderful British fellow (and his family) being unceremoniously ejected and deported from Otorohunga(sp?) under the last Government's nine-year watch?
Someone moreover who'd provided lots of fantastic work (and related opportunities) to oodles of folk in that smallish North Island centre. Yet despite a long, long petitioning process (and awaiting some semblance of natural compassion from the authorities that be - to wit the Immigration Minister of the day)...far as I can recall nothing whatsoever came of it...
...and our great media simply let the matter disappear under ye proverbial rug and on into obscurity...
Afterthoughts (2.46 p.m., Friday the 9th of November)
A Little Ignorance Can Certainly Be An Exceedingly Dangerous Thing
Indeed, though I don't resile from any of my reflections upon preceding *National Government ministers and administrations...and their 'disposal' of various and sundry legitimate 'cases' of potential immigrants to NZ...or, for that matter, upon how various and sundry talkback hosts (the purely partisan, ideologically-driven ones, that is) ever and anon seize upon this bugbear and bane of our life and times...to cause undue fear and loathing among the citizenry...
I'll freely admit that my initial comments (immediately above) re the Iain Lees-Galloway botchup appear wholly wide of the mark...as things have since transpired and come out into the cold hard light of day and disinfectant... As Winston Churchill once **so memorably replied/responded to one of his political opponents/critics, when the absolute inconsistency between a position he now held and one he had held previously on the selfsame matter was held up to public view and derision: "When new and differing information comes to light I change and adjust to that reality. Prithee, Sir, what do you do?"
And Iain Lees-Galloway's alleged sins...for which he is well overdue for a proper sacking (and which make Clare Curran's and Mita Whaitiri's (sp?) relative failings look like ye proverbial walk in the public park)? Only a couple...though they do appear somewhat significant ones: essentially ***steadfastly, even radiantly, blaming all his subordinates/underlings (eat yer heart out, 'Yes Minister'!) for failings pretty much all of his own making; and taking the briefest of possible times to properly review the case (when it was put upon his desk) rather than being duly thoughtful and caretaking thereabouts as he'd led one and all to believe...
From Guyin(sp?) Espinot's (sp?) RNZ National interview with National Party immigration spokesperson (and former minister) Michael Woodhouse this morning it appears ILG pretty well did everything wrong (one could possibly do - wrong)...and, Friday being the day of dismissal, i.e. when the news cycle is quietening down for the weekend - no, I don't blame the current Govt, that's nothing on Textor and Crosby - I wouldn't rate Iain Lees-Galloway's chances of surviving (in cabinet) beyond today all that highly...even if P.M. Ardern has again seemingly categorically affirmed this very morning that she has no intention whatsoever of dismissing the ****felon!
*Just like many or most or all of their Labour Party Government counterparts, mind you...
**An extremely paraphrased version thereof, I'll grant...but I have read the quote for myself...I think! Otherwise I've certainly heard it read out.
***Apologies for the bad taste in utilizing the name of Radiant Steadfast (mother of eleven who just died overnight in the West Coast flooding) to express things rather cutely, but I mean no offence...
****Again, apologies for using a bit of journalistic licence (or latitude of language)...
Hey, no doubt my memory's playing up, but - whichever Minister (at the time) it happened to be - do I or don't I distinctly recall a wonderful British fellow (and his family) being unceremoniously ejected and deported from Otorohunga(sp?) under the last Government's nine-year watch?
Someone moreover who'd provided lots of fantastic work (and related opportunities) to oodles of folk in that smallish North Island centre. Yet despite a long, long petitioning process (and awaiting some semblance of natural compassion from the authorities that be - to wit the Immigration Minister of the day)...far as I can recall nothing whatsoever came of it...
...and our great media simply let the matter disappear under ye proverbial rug and on into obscurity...
Afterthoughts (2.46 p.m., Friday the 9th of November)
A Little Ignorance Can Certainly Be An Exceedingly Dangerous Thing
Indeed, though I don't resile from any of my reflections upon preceding *National Government ministers and administrations...and their 'disposal' of various and sundry legitimate 'cases' of potential immigrants to NZ...or, for that matter, upon how various and sundry talkback hosts (the purely partisan, ideologically-driven ones, that is) ever and anon seize upon this bugbear and bane of our life and times...to cause undue fear and loathing among the citizenry...
I'll freely admit that my initial comments (immediately above) re the Iain Lees-Galloway botchup appear wholly wide of the mark...as things have since transpired and come out into the cold hard light of day and disinfectant... As Winston Churchill once **so memorably replied/responded to one of his political opponents/critics, when the absolute inconsistency between a position he now held and one he had held previously on the selfsame matter was held up to public view and derision: "When new and differing information comes to light I change and adjust to that reality. Prithee, Sir, what do you do?"
And Iain Lees-Galloway's alleged sins...for which he is well overdue for a proper sacking (and which make Clare Curran's and Mita Whaitiri's (sp?) relative failings look like ye proverbial walk in the public park)? Only a couple...though they do appear somewhat significant ones: essentially ***steadfastly, even radiantly, blaming all his subordinates/underlings (eat yer heart out, 'Yes Minister'!) for failings pretty much all of his own making; and taking the briefest of possible times to properly review the case (when it was put upon his desk) rather than being duly thoughtful and caretaking thereabouts as he'd led one and all to believe...
From Guyin(sp?) Espinot's (sp?) RNZ National interview with National Party immigration spokesperson (and former minister) Michael Woodhouse this morning it appears ILG pretty well did everything wrong (one could possibly do - wrong)...and, Friday being the day of dismissal, i.e. when the news cycle is quietening down for the weekend - no, I don't blame the current Govt, that's nothing on Textor and Crosby - I wouldn't rate Iain Lees-Galloway's chances of surviving (in cabinet) beyond today all that highly...even if P.M. Ardern has again seemingly categorically affirmed this very morning that she has no intention whatsoever of dismissing the ****felon!
*Just like many or most or all of their Labour Party Government counterparts, mind you...
**An extremely paraphrased version thereof, I'll grant...but I have read the quote for myself...I think! Otherwise I've certainly heard it read out.
***Apologies for the bad taste in utilizing the name of Radiant Steadfast (mother of eleven who just died overnight in the West Coast flooding) to express things rather cutely, but I mean no offence...
****Again, apologies for using a bit of journalistic licence (or latitude of language)...
But, On the Other Hand, Let's Hear it for the Royal Couple...
Nevertheless, though I've little brief for the generally sycophantic media and assorted, associated official boot-lickers otherwise bowing and scraping at the feet of Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry, let's hear it for the 'handsome couple', who've admirably acquitted themselves throughout their tour in our little land, and during a fairly atrocious spell of weather as well...
As well-known British author/actor/TV personality Stephen Fry well expressed it this eve (on TV3's 'The Project')...all rational 'generalities' vis-a-vis the English monarchy aside, 'in our hearts' we tend to have a different view, and (my words) thus prefer our heart-responses to our head reactions...
As well-known British author/actor/TV personality Stephen Fry well expressed it this eve (on TV3's 'The Project')...all rational 'generalities' vis-a-vis the English monarchy aside, 'in our hearts' we tend to have a different view, and (my words) thus prefer our heart-responses to our head reactions...
If I Only Had Time, Precious Time, 'Ever of the Essence'
But seemingly not having that rare and precious commodity, at least freely at my disposal these days...
...I'll rapid-fire (now, in succession) 'reel off' a number of musings upon various matters that've exercised my mind and heart over recent days and weeks and even months...that is, in immediately-succeeding blogposts...
...I'll rapid-fire (now, in succession) 'reel off' a number of musings upon various matters that've exercised my mind and heart over recent days and weeks and even months...that is, in immediately-succeeding blogposts...
Thursday, October 25, 2018
And Speakin' of Celebrity-Driven Dribble...
We've been ungenerously 'treated' to just such over the past day...yes, even right here in God's Own. C/o none other than - surprise, surprise! - ye mainstream media...aka NZ's 6 p.m. Weeknightly TV1 News Bulletin...both tonight and especially yestereve...
Yes, their 'lead item' on the travel exploits of Prince Harry and Princess/Duchess Megan in Fiji on Weds Oct the 24th would simply have to take the cake/prize...for the most meaningless, unadulterated twaddle we've seen displayed so prominently in quite awhile...and that's surely saying something...
No, I'm not a Republican - far from it in fact (especially not these days, that's for sure) - but neither am I a fawning Royalist sycophantically drooling at each tantalizing tidbit of info on their every move...
Talk about bread and circuses!
Yes, a hands-down, no-holds-barred, out-and-out *win and away for TV1 News (last night and tonight): for the most tabloidish, inconsequential beat-up of Megan Markle's apparent 'no-show' - to Fijian (and foreign) media - yesterday as she was suddenly and unceremoniously - inexplicably! - whisked away by royal minders into a limousine (or the like) in Suva.
*And in recent memory, to boot. And that's sayin' somethin', it really is...
Yes, their 'lead item' on the travel exploits of Prince Harry and Princess/Duchess Megan in Fiji on Weds Oct the 24th would simply have to take the cake/prize...for the most meaningless, unadulterated twaddle we've seen displayed so prominently in quite awhile...and that's surely saying something...
No, I'm not a Republican - far from it in fact (especially not these days, that's for sure) - but neither am I a fawning Royalist sycophantically drooling at each tantalizing tidbit of info on their every move...
Talk about bread and circuses!
Yes, a hands-down, no-holds-barred, out-and-out *win and away for TV1 News (last night and tonight): for the most tabloidish, inconsequential beat-up of Megan Markle's apparent 'no-show' - to Fijian (and foreign) media - yesterday as she was suddenly and unceremoniously - inexplicably! - whisked away by royal minders into a limousine (or the like) in Suva.
*And in recent memory, to boot. And that's sayin' somethin', it really is...
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Hoisted Continually Upon Their Own Petard: Why the Celebrity-Conscious - nay, Obsessed - Media have only Themselves to Blame for One Present-day Political Phenomenon in Particular
Necessary Caveat: Although I'm unsure whether I've inadvertently long since published this (two-and-a-half years ago), I certainly meant to (around March 23rd, 2016), and may indeed have done so...say, as entitled, 'The Media: Outraged at the Possibility of a President Donald Trump? Methinks Thou Dost Protest Too Much'...it appears an ever timely and fairly timeless opinion 'piece', and so...
On the principle that something well worth saying is generally well worth saying more than once...
...and with the clear and obvious understanding that this opinion piece was written prior to the elevation of Donald J Trump to the world's most powerful geo-political position...
May I state my conclusion at the very outset: yes, the mainstream Western (broadcast, print and internet) media pretty well have only themselves to ultimately blame for the phenomenon of a Trump presidency (now subjected daily, even hourly, to such widespread and often simply reactive, non-thinking castigation and negative press that it's hard at times to decipher the wheat from the chaff). Yes indeed they do...a matter made all the worse by their never-ending - deliberate? -oh of course not! *("Yeah, right!") - failure to almost ever make the relevant comparisons to their (media-ordained and sanctioned) political darling, i.e. the previous American President, Barack Hussein Obama...
Now to quickly clarify something (that may not be altogether obvious): I'm not - indeed I've never been - someone 'anti-Obama'; moreover, like around 78% of Americans as his inauguration was taking place back in January 2009 I had a (highly) favourable opinion of him...**to the point of agreeing he well deserved a Nobel Peace prize even at the very outset of his first term: simply in prospect of his being able - solely and purely by dint of being the first black American president, a charismatic and inspiring persona, and moreover a helluva contrast to his predecessor, the hapless 'George Dubya' (just for starters!) - to thus rectify and even 'turn-around' the worldwide anti-American sentiment which had pretty well built up to a veritable crescendo in the run-up to his presidency...
But 'nuff said' (for now) vis-a-vis the Obama presidency, I've extensively canvassed my views else-where (and upon a number of occasions)...
...however, let me once again simply restate my basic premise: having carefully paved the way for America's first real celebrity president, it's just a little bit rich for the selfsame 'kamikaze-ers' to henceforth bend each and every effort in their grasp to seek to undermine said situation...
To reiterate (in different words), having thus cleared the path for such a celebrity candidacy through its obsession with ***all things celebrity...isn't it oh so ironic, but oh so very typical and predictable, the selfsame media now, much like ****Frankenstein's creator, suddenly turn aghast when(ever) confronted by the frightening logical extension of their warped machinations...i.e. the monster they have created, aka Donald Trump, Esquire, Presidential Prospect (now Reality) Extraordinaire...
Unable to put their genie back into its bottle - and now suddenly confronted with/by the extraordinary success, beyond their wildest dreams/fantasies/nightmares, of their subconscious schemes, they now recoil in horror, almost disclaiming any responsibility whatsoever for the work of their own hands - just like Pontius Pilate coolly washing his hands for the responsibility of conveying Jesus the Christ to his untimely, brutal, illegal and shameless, shameful end. Apparently not realizing - or, more likely, lacking the moral courage to admit/confess - that DJT simply represents the ultimate realization of their constant, ingenious attempts at elevating 'celebrity' to cult, godlike status; in all its many and variegated, multi-faceted, often ugly and frankly depraved, manifestations...and then some!
They are now inexorably confronted with their own tailor-made version of Frankenstein's Monster, and thus and so have found themselves dealing with something too big, too hot to handle, something that, despite their best (or, in this case, worst) efforts, has simply become wholly unwieldy and entirely uncontrollable; a literal monster and freak of their own making ...yet which nevertheless ultimately refuses to submit itself, to bow to their control. And which moreover may ultimately lead to both their demise and that of everyone and everything else.
May we all be warned of supposed innocent toying with what may initially merely be idols of our own fancy/imagination, but which eventually assume gargantuan proportions and threaten to subsume our very lives in their backwash. To take due heed lest we too, like so many unsuspecting kids inadvertently stumbling upon a wasp's nest, open a Pandora's Box and so unleash upon an unsuspecting world a lethal monster; one unrelenting and implacable in its ultimate fire and fury.
*A New 'Zealanderism' oftentimes seen upon large advertising billboards above roadways: signifying initial, superficial, complete assent...thereby - in classic, understated kiwi irony - underlining the utter preposterousness of the statement postulated; much as our iconic 'yeah - nah!' response likewise does.
**Even intending - if money had been no object - to actually, personally attend said inauguration!
***At the time of writing (i.e. March 23, 2016) Toronto, Canada's rogue mayor Ron Ford was once again in the/on TV3's (6 p.m.) evening news, to wit his one real 'claim to fame' (and infamy) evidently being the dope-smokin', high-profile mayor of a large Canadian city...who had to resign in notoriety. But so what? Who really cares (in the overall scheme of things)?
****Due acknowledgement to Mary Shelley's inimitable masterpiece, Frankenstein; a timeless classic (deserving of especial attention in our equally techno-crazy, technology-infatuated culture).
On the principle that something well worth saying is generally well worth saying more than once...
...and with the clear and obvious understanding that this opinion piece was written prior to the elevation of Donald J Trump to the world's most powerful geo-political position...
May I state my conclusion at the very outset: yes, the mainstream Western (broadcast, print and internet) media pretty well have only themselves to ultimately blame for the phenomenon of a Trump presidency (now subjected daily, even hourly, to such widespread and often simply reactive, non-thinking castigation and negative press that it's hard at times to decipher the wheat from the chaff). Yes indeed they do...a matter made all the worse by their never-ending - deliberate? -oh of course not! *("Yeah, right!") - failure to almost ever make the relevant comparisons to their (media-ordained and sanctioned) political darling, i.e. the previous American President, Barack Hussein Obama...
Now to quickly clarify something (that may not be altogether obvious): I'm not - indeed I've never been - someone 'anti-Obama'; moreover, like around 78% of Americans as his inauguration was taking place back in January 2009 I had a (highly) favourable opinion of him...**to the point of agreeing he well deserved a Nobel Peace prize even at the very outset of his first term: simply in prospect of his being able - solely and purely by dint of being the first black American president, a charismatic and inspiring persona, and moreover a helluva contrast to his predecessor, the hapless 'George Dubya' (just for starters!) - to thus rectify and even 'turn-around' the worldwide anti-American sentiment which had pretty well built up to a veritable crescendo in the run-up to his presidency...
But 'nuff said' (for now) vis-a-vis the Obama presidency, I've extensively canvassed my views else-where (and upon a number of occasions)...
...however, let me once again simply restate my basic premise: having carefully paved the way for America's first real celebrity president, it's just a little bit rich for the selfsame 'kamikaze-ers' to henceforth bend each and every effort in their grasp to seek to undermine said situation...
To reiterate (in different words), having thus cleared the path for such a celebrity candidacy through its obsession with ***all things celebrity...isn't it oh so ironic, but oh so very typical and predictable, the selfsame media now, much like ****Frankenstein's creator, suddenly turn aghast when(ever) confronted by the frightening logical extension of their warped machinations...i.e. the monster they have created, aka Donald Trump, Esquire, Presidential Prospect (now Reality) Extraordinaire...
Unable to put their genie back into its bottle - and now suddenly confronted with/by the extraordinary success, beyond their wildest dreams/fantasies/nightmares, of their subconscious schemes, they now recoil in horror, almost disclaiming any responsibility whatsoever for the work of their own hands - just like Pontius Pilate coolly washing his hands for the responsibility of conveying Jesus the Christ to his untimely, brutal, illegal and shameless, shameful end. Apparently not realizing - or, more likely, lacking the moral courage to admit/confess - that DJT simply represents the ultimate realization of their constant, ingenious attempts at elevating 'celebrity' to cult, godlike status; in all its many and variegated, multi-faceted, often ugly and frankly depraved, manifestations...and then some!
They are now inexorably confronted with their own tailor-made version of Frankenstein's Monster, and thus and so have found themselves dealing with something too big, too hot to handle, something that, despite their best (or, in this case, worst) efforts, has simply become wholly unwieldy and entirely uncontrollable; a literal monster and freak of their own making ...yet which nevertheless ultimately refuses to submit itself, to bow to their control. And which moreover may ultimately lead to both their demise and that of everyone and everything else.
May we all be warned of supposed innocent toying with what may initially merely be idols of our own fancy/imagination, but which eventually assume gargantuan proportions and threaten to subsume our very lives in their backwash. To take due heed lest we too, like so many unsuspecting kids inadvertently stumbling upon a wasp's nest, open a Pandora's Box and so unleash upon an unsuspecting world a lethal monster; one unrelenting and implacable in its ultimate fire and fury.
*A New 'Zealanderism' oftentimes seen upon large advertising billboards above roadways: signifying initial, superficial, complete assent...thereby - in classic, understated kiwi irony - underlining the utter preposterousness of the statement postulated; much as our iconic 'yeah - nah!' response likewise does.
**Even intending - if money had been no object - to actually, personally attend said inauguration!
***At the time of writing (i.e. March 23, 2016) Toronto, Canada's rogue mayor Ron Ford was once again in the/on TV3's (6 p.m.) evening news, to wit his one real 'claim to fame' (and infamy) evidently being the dope-smokin', high-profile mayor of a large Canadian city...who had to resign in notoriety. But so what? Who really cares (in the overall scheme of things)?
****Due acknowledgement to Mary Shelley's inimitable masterpiece, Frankenstein; a timeless classic (deserving of especial attention in our equally techno-crazy, technology-infatuated culture).
Monday, October 15, 2018
Saudi Arabia: Land of Longtime Unaddressed Domestic Systemic Abuse - And Purveyor of Assorted Slaughter to All Sorts Abroad: Your Evils are at long Last Coming Home to Roost
Perhaps even the U S of A is finally coming to realize that, with friends such as the Gulf Kingdom... it needn't any enemies...at all. Yes, though (especially overseas') critics have long since justly accused and lambasted Saudi Arabia as purveyors of brutality and inhumanity both at home and abroad... precious little attention is ever given to their critiques and allegations... Or has been given - till now.
Whether it's as hand-choppers and beheaders of dissidents and other capital 'criminals' domestically, internationally as the well-established initiators of 9/11, and utterly ruthless and cruel antagonists against neighbouring lil 'ole Yemen (or, more precisely, the Yemenese opposition)...just for starters: let's be 'glad' (however short-lived) that the Kingdom's comeuppance seems to have finally arrived...
And I'd also respectfully suggest that not only America, but its bosom buddy the United Kingdom, ought to also...however belatedly...realize the same... . As they say, better late than never.
And 'proudly independent' God's Own oughta itself hang its head in shame, for, wholly besmirching its noble record of unimpeachable 'independence' on the world scene in years gone by, not all that long ago shamefully flying its own flag at half-mast upon the death of the previous Saudi king.
Whether it's as hand-choppers and beheaders of dissidents and other capital 'criminals' domestically, internationally as the well-established initiators of 9/11, and utterly ruthless and cruel antagonists against neighbouring lil 'ole Yemen (or, more precisely, the Yemenese opposition)...just for starters: let's be 'glad' (however short-lived) that the Kingdom's comeuppance seems to have finally arrived...
And I'd also respectfully suggest that not only America, but its bosom buddy the United Kingdom, ought to also...however belatedly...realize the same... . As they say, better late than never.
And 'proudly independent' God's Own oughta itself hang its head in shame, for, wholly besmirching its noble record of unimpeachable 'independence' on the world scene in years gone by, not all that long ago shamefully flying its own flag at half-mast upon the death of the previous Saudi king.
"Burying Bad News Rather Than Confronting Serious Accusations Against 'Em": Jami-Lee Ross, M.P., versus National Party leader, Simon Joseph Bridges
Going on **initial impressions only...and admittedly no long-term expert upon the inner machinations of National Party politics, NZ Inc...
let me say the following: much of NZ life-society-politics - in my observation, anyhow (and as per ye standard media script/narrative) - is based upon, and indeed buried beneath, both these days and long hence - a false foundation and veritable smokescreen and even avalanche of pious - yet pretentious as - calls/appeals for/protestations around 'UNITY'...whatever the cost (or context) involved.
Whatever the particular accusations/allegations levelled - however serious and sobering.
No matter. 'Unity' is the all-embracing catchphrase adopted and rallying cry employed - seemingly to deal with and to the cognitive dissonance 'created' whenever the well-established pillars and posts of normalcy and status quo politics are inconveniently questioned and challenged. We simply can't handle it - it just doesn't fit our well-established concept of how things are supposed to work. It's an uncomfortable 'disturbing element' which we simply must get rid of - as I say, at whatever price.
Yes, unity is the one, all-important panacea to all our problems, issues and concerns - however legitimate and well-founded; don't worry about any (admittedly thus far, only alleged) illegalities - immoralities - 'improprieties'...involved; hey, that's utterly besides the point, isn't it?
No, sorry to disillusion ya, folks, it's everything! Honesty and integrity are still as up-to-date as ever, however supposedly old-fashioned and out of vogue these days...and apparently irrelevant.
And the establishment wonder why people - not only in God's Own but throughout the Western world generally - are so dissatisfied, even disgusted with politics and politicians these days? Look no further, folks!
*Acknowledgement (vis-a-vis my title) to a half-hourly Newstalk ZB headline news update (1.30 p.m., today) concerning a completely unrelated matter entirely: Nicky Hager's opportune depiction of a recent NZ Defence Forces' ?review/investigation? into its involvement in the Middle East (over recent years, in a (technically) non-military capacity), summarizing it as "burying bad news rather than confronting serious accusations against them".
**Unless Jami-Lee Ross is just another congenital/perennial malcontent and is 'simply making it up' (as he goes, presumably)...which to me, anyway, seems highly unlikely, improbable and even implausible. Hey, how come the default credibility/'sympathy' setting is ever and always with the (political) leader?
(Newstalk ZB) talkback host ?Tim Beveridge? asks (1.30 p.m.ish today): "How is Jami-Lee Ross gonna survive this (unprecedented act of defiance) [politically]?"
Surely we're asking the wrong questions, folks...I'd ever so respectfully suggest that the shoe this time is well and truly upon the other foot...i.e. Simon Bridges'...and with knobs on, to boot. Whatever the media commentariat might well say to the complete contrary.
let me say the following: much of NZ life-society-politics - in my observation, anyhow (and as per ye standard media script/narrative) - is based upon, and indeed buried beneath, both these days and long hence - a false foundation and veritable smokescreen and even avalanche of pious - yet pretentious as - calls/appeals for/protestations around 'UNITY'...whatever the cost (or context) involved.
Whatever the particular accusations/allegations levelled - however serious and sobering.
No matter. 'Unity' is the all-embracing catchphrase adopted and rallying cry employed - seemingly to deal with and to the cognitive dissonance 'created' whenever the well-established pillars and posts of normalcy and status quo politics are inconveniently questioned and challenged. We simply can't handle it - it just doesn't fit our well-established concept of how things are supposed to work. It's an uncomfortable 'disturbing element' which we simply must get rid of - as I say, at whatever price.
Yes, unity is the one, all-important panacea to all our problems, issues and concerns - however legitimate and well-founded; don't worry about any (admittedly thus far, only alleged) illegalities - immoralities - 'improprieties'...involved; hey, that's utterly besides the point, isn't it?
No, sorry to disillusion ya, folks, it's everything! Honesty and integrity are still as up-to-date as ever, however supposedly old-fashioned and out of vogue these days...and apparently irrelevant.
And the establishment wonder why people - not only in God's Own but throughout the Western world generally - are so dissatisfied, even disgusted with politics and politicians these days? Look no further, folks!
*Acknowledgement (vis-a-vis my title) to a half-hourly Newstalk ZB headline news update (1.30 p.m., today) concerning a completely unrelated matter entirely: Nicky Hager's opportune depiction of a recent NZ Defence Forces' ?review/investigation? into its involvement in the Middle East (over recent years, in a (technically) non-military capacity), summarizing it as "burying bad news rather than confronting serious accusations against them".
**Unless Jami-Lee Ross is just another congenital/perennial malcontent and is 'simply making it up' (as he goes, presumably)...which to me, anyway, seems highly unlikely, improbable and even implausible. Hey, how come the default credibility/'sympathy' setting is ever and always with the (political) leader?
(Newstalk ZB) talkback host ?Tim Beveridge? asks (1.30 p.m.ish today): "How is Jami-Lee Ross gonna survive this (unprecedented act of defiance) [politically]?"
Surely we're asking the wrong questions, folks...I'd ever so respectfully suggest that the shoe this time is well and truly upon the other foot...i.e. Simon Bridges'...and with knobs on, to boot. Whatever the media commentariat might well say to the complete contrary.
Friday, October 5, 2018
In Praise of a one-time - and Honourable - Old Soldier of the Left: Marshal Tito, long-serving President of the former Yugoslavia
Amidst an age of global ideological and geo-political ferment and turmoil - to put it mildly - in *chancing the other day upon a little booklet at our local (Dunedin, New Zealand) public library, I was reminded of the former Eastern Bloc nation's once proud(er) history. Overseen **from the ending of World War 11 through the late nineteen-eighties - around about a half-century or thereabouts - by the idiosyncratic communist strongman, President Tito, Yugoslavia as it ***was once known seemed to enjoy 'the best of both worlds' (cliche-ridden term notwithstanding).
Yes, in a day and age where true heroes of the Left are few on the ground and few and far between...
here's in praise of an old soldier of the Left, who, though far from perfect himself, and no doubt somewhat autocratic in style at times...
#ran a model socialist state that actually worked for the vast bulk of the Yugoslav people the great majority of the time
#along an excellent decentralized (cf (1970s-80s) NZ Values Party) model
#meanwhile maintained a USSR-independent foreign policy for decades
#...and last but hardly least - in view of the 30 years since he departed the political stage...
held Yugoslavia and its numerous infighting ethnic minorities/communities together - for well-nigh a half century!
In an era where 'identity politics' has taken the so-called 'Left' by the short and curlies, and has led it down a rabbit-trail (or warren) of deceptive and misleading shortcuts and dead-end trails, Tito earned his stripes fighting throughout his long lifetime for a cause which united his countrymen and women in a proudly independent nation upon the world stage, while serving as an exemplar of the true socialist ideal in the domestic arena. Yes, Tito and moreover Yugoslavia under Tito both had their cake and heartily consumed it as well!
*Part of their ongoing, seemingly never-ending 'library book sale', I regretfully didn't even spare a measly $1 to purchase said booklet.
**In fact, according to my trusty little ********Volume Three O-Z of The Concord DESK ENCYCLOPEDIA, 'He served as prime minister (1945-53) before becoming president' (1953-1980); though of course said encyclopedia only went up to that time, and so didn't include his almost decade remaining in power.
***Before dividing/splitting off - just like the 15 now sovereign republics of the former Soviet Union/****USSR - into *****Serbia - Croatia - Slovenia - Bosnia-Herzegovina - ******Macedonia and Montenegro.
****Indeed USSR stood for 'United Soviet Socialist Republics' (italics mine).
*****Which these days includes the two autonomous regions of *******Vojvodina and Kosovo.
******Itself now experiencing a major crisis over whether to be known - far as I can gather, anyhow (and trust me, it's rather difficult) - as Macedonia: Republic of Skopje or Macedonia: Republic of Greece.
*******Who, no, who - here in the media-saturated West, anyhow - has ever heard of Vojvodina?!?!
********Which volume also includes the following interesting tidbits: [TITO] became a communist while a WW1 prisoner of war in Russia and later spent several years in Yugoslav jails. General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1937, Tito organized partisan resistance to the Nazis in WW11, eclipsing the CHETNIKS, and after the war established a socialist republic...
Tito broke with STALIN in 1948. He suppressed home opposition, while working for workers' self-management and reconciliation of national minorities. Later years saw a substantial liberalization of his policies. On the international scene, Tito became an organizer and leading spokesman for "third world." or neutralist countries.
Yes, in a day and age where true heroes of the Left are few on the ground and few and far between...
here's in praise of an old soldier of the Left, who, though far from perfect himself, and no doubt somewhat autocratic in style at times...
#ran a model socialist state that actually worked for the vast bulk of the Yugoslav people the great majority of the time
#along an excellent decentralized (cf (1970s-80s) NZ Values Party) model
#meanwhile maintained a USSR-independent foreign policy for decades
#...and last but hardly least - in view of the 30 years since he departed the political stage...
held Yugoslavia and its numerous infighting ethnic minorities/communities together - for well-nigh a half century!
In an era where 'identity politics' has taken the so-called 'Left' by the short and curlies, and has led it down a rabbit-trail (or warren) of deceptive and misleading shortcuts and dead-end trails, Tito earned his stripes fighting throughout his long lifetime for a cause which united his countrymen and women in a proudly independent nation upon the world stage, while serving as an exemplar of the true socialist ideal in the domestic arena. Yes, Tito and moreover Yugoslavia under Tito both had their cake and heartily consumed it as well!
*Part of their ongoing, seemingly never-ending 'library book sale', I regretfully didn't even spare a measly $1 to purchase said booklet.
**In fact, according to my trusty little ********Volume Three O-Z of The Concord DESK ENCYCLOPEDIA, 'He served as prime minister (1945-53) before becoming president' (1953-1980); though of course said encyclopedia only went up to that time, and so didn't include his almost decade remaining in power.
***Before dividing/splitting off - just like the 15 now sovereign republics of the former Soviet Union/****USSR - into *****Serbia - Croatia - Slovenia - Bosnia-Herzegovina - ******Macedonia and Montenegro.
****Indeed USSR stood for 'United Soviet Socialist Republics' (italics mine).
*****Which these days includes the two autonomous regions of *******Vojvodina and Kosovo.
******Itself now experiencing a major crisis over whether to be known - far as I can gather, anyhow (and trust me, it's rather difficult) - as Macedonia: Republic of Skopje or Macedonia: Republic of Greece.
*******Who, no, who - here in the media-saturated West, anyhow - has ever heard of Vojvodina?!?!
********Which volume also includes the following interesting tidbits: [TITO] became a communist while a WW1 prisoner of war in Russia and later spent several years in Yugoslav jails. General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1937, Tito organized partisan resistance to the Nazis in WW11, eclipsing the CHETNIKS, and after the war established a socialist republic...
Tito broke with STALIN in 1948. He suppressed home opposition, while working for workers' self-management and reconciliation of national minorities. Later years saw a substantial liberalization of his policies. On the international scene, Tito became an organizer and leading spokesman for "third world." or neutralist countries.
Thursday, October 4, 2018
And Let's Hear it - however admittedly belatedly - for former, long-serving Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore...
...for raising his still quite articulate, persuasive voice...in defence of Christchurch's renowned natural artesian water...against the forces of top-down Central Government control...which as we know, has already started to wield its not-so-wonderful way with its underground, erstwhile uncontaminated city water supplies...
No, the so-called 'health authorities' that be are picking a fight with kiwis...that - at least in the Garden City - I wager they will not ultimately win... -at least that's what I'm hopin'!
One moment chlorination, the next fluoridation...and however well-intentioned such folk might well be, they're playing with peoples' lives...and may incur unintended consequences and unenviable ends.
No, the so-called 'health authorities' that be are picking a fight with kiwis...that - at least in the Garden City - I wager they will not ultimately win... -at least that's what I'm hopin'!
One moment chlorination, the next fluoridation...and however well-intentioned such folk might well be, they're playing with peoples' lives...and may incur unintended consequences and unenviable ends.
Who's to say that 'an old dog' (even and especially of the political variety) cannot learn new tricks?
Yes, I'm obviously referring to a well-known politician, but no, not to 'dance moves' T(h)eresa May(hem)'; rather to former South African President Thabo Mbeki...who, though the media's barely touched upon it, had the gumption and the guts the other day...
...to call out his own A(frican)N(ational)C(ongress) (party)...for its land confiscation programme.
And though as yet I'm not familiar with all the detail, I'm simply pointing out his refreshing willingness to speak out against his own - party-movement-colleagues-Government/President - on a matter of important principle. To stand up and be counted thereupon, however unpopular that'll make him in the eyes of those who formerly revered him...and newly hailed among those who once didn't!
For further info thereabouts, one surely couldn't go wrong/amiss with referring to the website
https://www.timeslive.co.za/...which carried the following simply introductory sentence
'Thabo Mbeki's intervention on land collides head-on with the direction [of South Africa's ANC]...[through his] writing [of] a 20-page thoughtful denunciation of land expropriation without compensation, the ideological panacea of our time' (as indeed in neighbouring Zimbabwe as well).
...to call out his own A(frican)N(ational)C(ongress) (party)...for its land confiscation programme.
And though as yet I'm not familiar with all the detail, I'm simply pointing out his refreshing willingness to speak out against his own - party-movement-colleagues-Government/President - on a matter of important principle. To stand up and be counted thereupon, however unpopular that'll make him in the eyes of those who formerly revered him...and newly hailed among those who once didn't!
For further info thereabouts, one surely couldn't go wrong/amiss with referring to the website
https://www.timeslive.co.za/...which carried the following simply introductory sentence
'Thabo Mbeki's intervention on land collides head-on with the direction [of South Africa's ANC]...[through his] writing [of] a 20-page thoughtful denunciation of land expropriation without compensation, the ideological panacea of our time' (as indeed in neighbouring Zimbabwe as well).
Unto/Upon Whom Much Is Given/Bestowed, Much Will Be Required/Demanded/Expected
Better is the poor who walks
in his[her] integrity
Than one perverse in his[her] ways,
though s/he be rich
So says the holy Scripture...in any number of different ways and places...
And thus, the public statement - induced and coerced as it no doubt was - by high-flying Chinese celebrity/actress Fan Bingbing today...that
As a public figure, I should abide by the law and be a role model for society and the industry
bears a refreshing ring of truth, doesn't it?
Would another rather 'high-profile' figure on today's global stage would realize as much! Yes, no guessing whom I'm meaning...
in his[her] integrity
Than one perverse in his[her] ways,
though s/he be rich
So says the holy Scripture...in any number of different ways and places...
And thus, the public statement - induced and coerced as it no doubt was - by high-flying Chinese celebrity/actress Fan Bingbing today...that
As a public figure, I should abide by the law and be a role model for society and the industry
bears a refreshing ring of truth, doesn't it?
Would another rather 'high-profile' figure on today's global stage would realize as much! Yes, no guessing whom I'm meaning...
Monday, October 1, 2018
But As For A Citizenship Values' Test/Pledge...
Despite the obvious alarm bells such a proposal might well tend to evoke - I hardly need refer to the likes of Nazi Germany's 'Star(s) of David' upon the persons of any and every Jewish citizen - in the modern-day (admittedly thus far excepting God's own) terrorist-ridden Western world, I personally reckon such an idea - within the right parameters, for sure - does warrant careful consideration and investigation...
...provided such was only ever employed: prior to folk emigrating (on an intended long-term basis) here (and that's certainly the case with many immigrants coming for purely work-related reasons); and for those being granted citizenship after residing here for some considerable time (at the various well-known citizenship ceremonies here, such as Dunedin itself has periodically)
...but never, ever in any other context whatsoever...which would indeed cause understandable concern and alarm...
To Be Continued: (Outlining my untidily scribbled thoughts upon the announcement of this NZ First Conference proposal in detail; when I've somewhat more time.)
Nevertheless New Zealand First's (duly, formally assented) policy proposal (at its weekend 25th-anniversary conference) vis-a-vis immigrants (and no doubt also refugees) 'signing onto' some sort of pledge of allegiance to 'NZ Inc. Values' actually has considerable merit per se...if we pause for a mo and consider the matter matter-of-factly, in a reasonable and rational manner, without an undue knee-jerk type response, and in the calm light of day...
Far from being/representing far-right, extreme xenophobic, Muslim-bashing Trumpism - as our pig-ignorant mainstream media is dead certain to automatically characterize it, without due reflectiveness or further ado - eager in their sensationalist response to set the chattering classes a-chattering like never before...I'd contend said proposal has an inherent logic and rationale about it.
Though it would doubtless be utterly abhorrent to wolves in sheep's clothing, i.e. those folk entering Aotearoa-New Zealand with some ulterior motivation/secret agenda...*cf my own opinion piece awhile ago on the aforementioned (which has once again vamoosed my memory cells)... . Yes, there's nothing at all/remotely wrong, let alone distasteful, about such a policy approach - implemented with due care and consideration and a non-gung-ho, overkill approach, that is...
In fact it's just what other, especially non-Western, nations worldwide have effectively done for aeons/millennia even...whether we're considering such diverse localities as Japan (and China) - indeed Asian nations generally - **Mexico in particular, countries throughout the Middle East, or even those in our own backyard (of Oceania/the South Pacific)... -this morning Winston Peters specifically cited ***Australia, Canada and France (thereabouts)-
No, in many of these other places it's hardly ever even mentioned, simply 'coz it need not be (explicitly spelt out): it just goes without saying/it's essentially taken for granted - it's basic, Primary School 101, bone fide human nature - that simply declares to one and all - potential - 'comers': You're welcome here - to come and even to stay (including longer-term) but only on our terms...pledging yourselves to be good, law-abiding citizens. Citizens (or long-term residents) who not only observe the outward/external 'laws of the[i.e.our] land', but - much more importantly even - have/possess an abiding commitment to(wards)/inner attitude of respect toward (and appreciation of and for) the (long-standing, long-established) cultural norms underlying these...that characterize our fair land.
To Be Continued (Part Three)
*Actually, my blogpost, about (if not specifically entitled) 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do' was occasioned by a young Asian lass who had the foresight and respectfulness to clean up her doggie's 'doggy-dos' (I passed three-five years back near some city 'dog-park')...whom I considered a pleasant contrast to some then siblings' own 'approach' when visiting our home! And had nothing whatsoever to do with having a gratuitous go at people newly arrived here and seeking, even struggling, to acclimatize and establish themselves here - which, in the immediate backwash/aftermath of fleeing one of Earth's many trouble-points, is necessarily problematic at the very best of times...and ****as folk often point out, we're not presently in such...
**Only mentioned here as, with all the incessant hullabaloo - admittedly understandable on many levels - vis-a-vis President Trump's infamous proposed 'Wall of China' upon the U.S.-Mexican border, apparently one thing that is never once mentioned is that Mexico itself has ever-so-stringent rules and regulations forbidding (basically, fellow Central American) asylum/citizenship to others.
***Not that we'd have anything to learn from, much less care to be taught by, a nation like Oz thereabouts - what with its own shameful record on refugees/kiwis in particular...
****Or as me 'ole mate Gollum's known to have commented: "Theese aren't decent places!"
...provided such was only ever employed: prior to folk emigrating (on an intended long-term basis) here (and that's certainly the case with many immigrants coming for purely work-related reasons); and for those being granted citizenship after residing here for some considerable time (at the various well-known citizenship ceremonies here, such as Dunedin itself has periodically)
...but never, ever in any other context whatsoever...which would indeed cause understandable concern and alarm...
To Be Continued: (Outlining my untidily scribbled thoughts upon the announcement of this NZ First Conference proposal in detail; when I've somewhat more time.)
Nevertheless New Zealand First's (duly, formally assented) policy proposal (at its weekend 25th-anniversary conference) vis-a-vis immigrants (and no doubt also refugees) 'signing onto' some sort of pledge of allegiance to 'NZ Inc. Values' actually has considerable merit per se...if we pause for a mo and consider the matter matter-of-factly, in a reasonable and rational manner, without an undue knee-jerk type response, and in the calm light of day...
Far from being/representing far-right, extreme xenophobic, Muslim-bashing Trumpism - as our pig-ignorant mainstream media is dead certain to automatically characterize it, without due reflectiveness or further ado - eager in their sensationalist response to set the chattering classes a-chattering like never before...I'd contend said proposal has an inherent logic and rationale about it.
Though it would doubtless be utterly abhorrent to wolves in sheep's clothing, i.e. those folk entering Aotearoa-New Zealand with some ulterior motivation/secret agenda...*cf my own opinion piece awhile ago on the aforementioned (which has once again vamoosed my memory cells)... . Yes, there's nothing at all/remotely wrong, let alone distasteful, about such a policy approach - implemented with due care and consideration and a non-gung-ho, overkill approach, that is...
In fact it's just what other, especially non-Western, nations worldwide have effectively done for aeons/millennia even...whether we're considering such diverse localities as Japan (and China) - indeed Asian nations generally - **Mexico in particular, countries throughout the Middle East, or even those in our own backyard (of Oceania/the South Pacific)... -this morning Winston Peters specifically cited ***Australia, Canada and France (thereabouts)-
No, in many of these other places it's hardly ever even mentioned, simply 'coz it need not be (explicitly spelt out): it just goes without saying/it's essentially taken for granted - it's basic, Primary School 101, bone fide human nature - that simply declares to one and all - potential - 'comers': You're welcome here - to come and even to stay (including longer-term) but only on our terms...pledging yourselves to be good, law-abiding citizens. Citizens (or long-term residents) who not only observe the outward/external 'laws of the[i.e.our] land', but - much more importantly even - have/possess an abiding commitment to(wards)/inner attitude of respect toward (and appreciation of and for) the (long-standing, long-established) cultural norms underlying these...that characterize our fair land.
To Be Continued (Part Three)
*Actually, my blogpost, about (if not specifically entitled) 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do' was occasioned by a young Asian lass who had the foresight and respectfulness to clean up her doggie's 'doggy-dos' (I passed three-five years back near some city 'dog-park')...whom I considered a pleasant contrast to some then siblings' own 'approach' when visiting our home! And had nothing whatsoever to do with having a gratuitous go at people newly arrived here and seeking, even struggling, to acclimatize and establish themselves here - which, in the immediate backwash/aftermath of fleeing one of Earth's many trouble-points, is necessarily problematic at the very best of times...and ****as folk often point out, we're not presently in such...
**Only mentioned here as, with all the incessant hullabaloo - admittedly understandable on many levels - vis-a-vis President Trump's infamous proposed 'Wall of China' upon the U.S.-Mexican border, apparently one thing that is never once mentioned is that Mexico itself has ever-so-stringent rules and regulations forbidding (basically, fellow Central American) asylum/citizenship to others.
***Not that we'd have anything to learn from, much less care to be taught by, a nation like Oz thereabouts - what with its own shameful record on refugees/kiwis in particular...
****Or as me 'ole mate Gollum's known to have commented: "Theese aren't decent places!"
Let's Hear It For the Rook and Raven: for the Latter's sharing 'human attributes' such as Empathy, Anger and Inquisitiveness, the Former for its (Card-game) Childhood Associations, and Presence (and Outrageous Culling) in Our Area...
Yes, these birds (ravens, and their close cousins/bosom buddies the crows and magpies - corvids all) are really something else altogether. Though hardly - remotely - a long-term fan of any of these, if only because I've never particularly enjoyed/relished being dive-bombed and/or otherwise assailed by these 'feathered friends' throughout my lifetime, they're apparently smart as and peculiar in so many other ways...
Indeed, whether it's being swooped down upon by these various corvids and/or their distant avian relatives *the seagulls - a scavenger whose cherished status evidently by Maori is surely undeserved - my personal encounters with these flying creatures is something I could write screeds upon...
Also geese (of the duck family) are animals I've had a run-in with on one occasion - as I defended myself way out upon the Otago Peninsula from one specimen determined to bite through my well-positioned, newly-weaponized bicycle which was the only thing preventing me from all-out assault on the heels of a completely unprovoked attack... Thankfully I later heard by chance that a local farmer had had to put down that nasty specimen of bird, lots of other folk having been likewise aggressively accosted upon many an occasion...
Reminding me of a four-footed creature, the humble and harmless sheep...a mob of which once chased me unceremoniously down a rocky, shrub-infested crest of hillside in the same general area... around the same time (later 2007).
Not altogether dissimilar - in nasty nature or (undoubted) intention, anyhow - from any number of mean-eyed, menacing-looking, large cows as they no doubt envied those un-hemmed in by all the gates and fences containing them within unappreciated bounds...
*Whose territorial protectiveness, even obsessiveness, sometimes exceeds the bounds of merely protecting their tiny offspring... . Whether at the Mornington Outlook or down around the old Roslyn Woollen Mills - or even walking down opposite Dunedin's large Roman Catholic Kavanagh College on my way to obtain unfluoridated (and unchlorinated) water supplies quite recently - their (at times collective) antics have engaged me in more than my fair share of due concern and even outright terror over the years.
Hey - in addition to the news item I heard overnight (September 30th, Northern Hemispherical - October 1st, Southern Hemispherical - Time on BBC world radio) - check out an interesting on-line article (I just stumbled upon): c/o https://www.Sciencealert.com/crows-ravens-corvids-best-birds-(etc): '13 Surprisingly Weird Reasons Why Crows and Ravens Are the Best Birds, No Question' (Michelle Starr: 31 December 2017). Indeed, I recall an RNZ National item thereabouts a little while ago also...
Indeed, whether it's being swooped down upon by these various corvids and/or their distant avian relatives *the seagulls - a scavenger whose cherished status evidently by Maori is surely undeserved - my personal encounters with these flying creatures is something I could write screeds upon...
Also geese (of the duck family) are animals I've had a run-in with on one occasion - as I defended myself way out upon the Otago Peninsula from one specimen determined to bite through my well-positioned, newly-weaponized bicycle which was the only thing preventing me from all-out assault on the heels of a completely unprovoked attack... Thankfully I later heard by chance that a local farmer had had to put down that nasty specimen of bird, lots of other folk having been likewise aggressively accosted upon many an occasion...
Reminding me of a four-footed creature, the humble and harmless sheep...a mob of which once chased me unceremoniously down a rocky, shrub-infested crest of hillside in the same general area... around the same time (later 2007).
Not altogether dissimilar - in nasty nature or (undoubted) intention, anyhow - from any number of mean-eyed, menacing-looking, large cows as they no doubt envied those un-hemmed in by all the gates and fences containing them within unappreciated bounds...
*Whose territorial protectiveness, even obsessiveness, sometimes exceeds the bounds of merely protecting their tiny offspring... . Whether at the Mornington Outlook or down around the old Roslyn Woollen Mills - or even walking down opposite Dunedin's large Roman Catholic Kavanagh College on my way to obtain unfluoridated (and unchlorinated) water supplies quite recently - their (at times collective) antics have engaged me in more than my fair share of due concern and even outright terror over the years.
Hey - in addition to the news item I heard overnight (September 30th, Northern Hemispherical - October 1st, Southern Hemispherical - Time on BBC world radio) - check out an interesting on-line article (I just stumbled upon): c/o https://www.Sciencealert.com/crows-ravens-corvids-best-birds-(etc): '13 Surprisingly Weird Reasons Why Crows and Ravens Are the Best Birds, No Question' (Michelle Starr: 31 December 2017). Indeed, I recall an RNZ National item thereabouts a little while ago also...
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Good On Ya, Tony whatever-your-surname-is...You're Right-On vis-a-vis the Dangers and all of Daylight Savings!
It's good to at long last hear - and from the experts, no less - that daylight savings, so-called, is not necessarily - may indeed be far from - the unmitigated success story we've long been led to believe...
As TV3's 6 p.m. Newshub Nation the other night pointed out (and as it still does c/o its online edition https://www.NewshubOn-line.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2018/09/daylight-savings- etc) through reporter Alexandra Nelson's special report, daylight savings may in fact a whole lot to answer for (in various associated harmful side-effects)...- not that said item exactly framed it that way, but it effectively revealed as much.
Sleep Specialist Tony Fernando cited a whole bunch of 'functional issues' associated therewith, from increased risks of diabetes, blood pressure and heart problems especially amongst the less resilient, aging proportion of the population - 'when peoples' body clocks are not followed or are disrupted'. As therein mentioned (and otherwise oft-noted) the associated mood changes and impaired functionality also significantly affects judgment and reaction times...resulting in greatly increased incidents of accidents (a 30% increased risk, according to this report).
And who hasn't heard of NZ's appalling rate of workplace accidents (doubtless oftentimes from overworked and overstressed - and underpaid? - workers)?; which far exceeds that of other nations, incidentally, though that's doubtless just one part of the equation. But the slower reaction times and associated poorer judgment and decision-making long known as typical results of fatigue have many a time also been pointed out as part of the puzzle that's been New Zealand's long-term high number of road injuries and fatalities...resulting periodically - but not enough, in my humble opinion - in the occasional special official road traffic warnings thereabouts, though the incidence of associated road-signs has been heartening to see over recent years...
No, the human body is not a mere machine to be experimented with by all and sundry, though 'modern man' with his and her 'food' concoctions and other *chemicalized instruments has certainly done his/her darnedest! And that's not to mention the modern university, which, as I made my way through as a 'mature student' during the early-to-mid 2000s, I later reflected is certainly true to its darwinian philosophical underpinnings, effectively treating us, the students, as akin to either the beast or the 'bot (i.e. robot)...an animal or a machine, in other words. Rather than the glorious master-piece of an Omniscient, Omnipotent, All-Loving Creator.
Why they so conspicuously fail(ed) in their due 'duty of care' to the inmates therein (such as myself) as I/we wreaked merry hell upon my/our physical bodies by regularly burning the candle at both ends in order to get on top of the unreal workload they expected me/us to constantly manage and balance.
So none of this utter, sheer, unadulterated twaddle and balderdust this now online news item concludes with - i.e. that 'For most people, changing the clock (aka daylight savings) doesn't have any [real, tangible] effect...excepting a bit of adjustment over a day or two.' Many of us intuitively know this to be patently untrue - whatever our vocation/line of paid work (or otherwise).
Nevertheless, the admonition to overcome any issues via regularly going to bed thereafter on average 15 minutes earlier, and increasing this later if necessary, appears good, sound advice; long having been the standard procedure to sleep issues in general (till one establishes one's own best retiring and rising times for obtaining peak sleep - in both quantity and quality). Yes, fair enough - as far as it goes.
To sign off, as I said recently (in my September the 22nd blogpost thereabouts) - in a rare piece of commendation for that most monolithic and bureaucratic of modern institutions, the **European Union - even if it's a matter of sticking to daylight savings' times (as opposed to ordinary, original time), hey, choose one or t'other, but, at the very least, stop going back and forth between them, okay!
*Toxic Beauty is a book I'd like to get a-hold of again sometime, detailing the cocktail of potent poisons we either ingest or otherwise 'treat' ourselves to and with on a regular, daily basis in our ultra-'civilized' world; along with a recent 'NZ Listener' with its cover story 'Don't Touch the Toxins: Alarming new evidence about the chemicals & plastics we use at home'.
**Evidently Europe presently 'features' three different time zones, a U.K.-centric one, one affecting most of the rest (from the Scandinavian nations down) and an Eastern European one, but I'll need to investigate that further no doubt...
As TV3's 6 p.m. Newshub Nation the other night pointed out (and as it still does c/o its online edition https://www.NewshubOn-line.co.nz/home/lifestyle/2018/09/daylight-savings- etc) through reporter Alexandra Nelson's special report, daylight savings may in fact a whole lot to answer for (in various associated harmful side-effects)...- not that said item exactly framed it that way, but it effectively revealed as much.
Sleep Specialist Tony Fernando cited a whole bunch of 'functional issues' associated therewith, from increased risks of diabetes, blood pressure and heart problems especially amongst the less resilient, aging proportion of the population - 'when peoples' body clocks are not followed or are disrupted'. As therein mentioned (and otherwise oft-noted) the associated mood changes and impaired functionality also significantly affects judgment and reaction times...resulting in greatly increased incidents of accidents (a 30% increased risk, according to this report).
And who hasn't heard of NZ's appalling rate of workplace accidents (doubtless oftentimes from overworked and overstressed - and underpaid? - workers)?; which far exceeds that of other nations, incidentally, though that's doubtless just one part of the equation. But the slower reaction times and associated poorer judgment and decision-making long known as typical results of fatigue have many a time also been pointed out as part of the puzzle that's been New Zealand's long-term high number of road injuries and fatalities...resulting periodically - but not enough, in my humble opinion - in the occasional special official road traffic warnings thereabouts, though the incidence of associated road-signs has been heartening to see over recent years...
No, the human body is not a mere machine to be experimented with by all and sundry, though 'modern man' with his and her 'food' concoctions and other *chemicalized instruments has certainly done his/her darnedest! And that's not to mention the modern university, which, as I made my way through as a 'mature student' during the early-to-mid 2000s, I later reflected is certainly true to its darwinian philosophical underpinnings, effectively treating us, the students, as akin to either the beast or the 'bot (i.e. robot)...an animal or a machine, in other words. Rather than the glorious master-piece of an Omniscient, Omnipotent, All-Loving Creator.
Why they so conspicuously fail(ed) in their due 'duty of care' to the inmates therein (such as myself) as I/we wreaked merry hell upon my/our physical bodies by regularly burning the candle at both ends in order to get on top of the unreal workload they expected me/us to constantly manage and balance.
So none of this utter, sheer, unadulterated twaddle and balderdust this now online news item concludes with - i.e. that 'For most people, changing the clock (aka daylight savings) doesn't have any [real, tangible] effect...excepting a bit of adjustment over a day or two.' Many of us intuitively know this to be patently untrue - whatever our vocation/line of paid work (or otherwise).
Nevertheless, the admonition to overcome any issues via regularly going to bed thereafter on average 15 minutes earlier, and increasing this later if necessary, appears good, sound advice; long having been the standard procedure to sleep issues in general (till one establishes one's own best retiring and rising times for obtaining peak sleep - in both quantity and quality). Yes, fair enough - as far as it goes.
To sign off, as I said recently (in my September the 22nd blogpost thereabouts) - in a rare piece of commendation for that most monolithic and bureaucratic of modern institutions, the **European Union - even if it's a matter of sticking to daylight savings' times (as opposed to ordinary, original time), hey, choose one or t'other, but, at the very least, stop going back and forth between them, okay!
*Toxic Beauty is a book I'd like to get a-hold of again sometime, detailing the cocktail of potent poisons we either ingest or otherwise 'treat' ourselves to and with on a regular, daily basis in our ultra-'civilized' world; along with a recent 'NZ Listener' with its cover story 'Don't Touch the Toxins: Alarming new evidence about the chemicals & plastics we use at home'.
**Evidently Europe presently 'features' three different time zones, a U.K.-centric one, one affecting most of the rest (from the Scandinavian nations down) and an Eastern European one, but I'll need to investigate that further no doubt...
We Just Can't Trust Ya, Winnie: Brief Reflections Upon the Recently-Enacted Waka-Jumping Legislation
As a piece of legislation that - *from every indication - Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters was apparently prepared to quite literally 'die in a ditch over' - even were that ditch 'merely' a political one - the Waka-Jumping Act that came into law Friday says a heckuva lot about WP's innate character, and then some. It quite simply reveals the heart, and nature, of a petty despot...a control freak of the first degree/order/magnitude. Something which like ye proverbial puff of smoke reveals the instantaneous burning into smithereens of all the good work which the deputy P.M. and his loyal as MPs have previously put in. More's the pity.
Though their record thus far, evincing an influence far outweighing their sheer numbers in the House, has not been - has indeed been far from - perfect or faultless, not necessarily vis-a-vis the supposed scandal over the Wally Houmaha (sp?) affair and the like, but moreover re the shameful closing of the Roxburgh Stand Children's Village - or whatever it's called - and the simultaneous
apparent lack of advocacy over the closure of other important social services in Central Otago, such as the Lumsden Maternity Ward...we have every reason to expect - much - better from NZ First.
And how about the ongoing downsizing, downsizing, downsizing - and concurrent destruction and frankly pulling and tearing apart of NZ Post pretty well for good - all across our fair land? But don't get me started, I wouldn't know where I'd end up...except to say, that though the never-ending debacle that has been the shameful fate of NZ Post especially since former P.M. Jim Bolger and then former deputy P.M. Michael Cullen took the reins there, is hardly the fault of Winston Peters and NZ First, where the heck has been their advocacy over its slow but ever so sure demise in recent years?
But as I say, better not to get me started on that one... . Anyhow, back to topic: despite all the good stuff - including especially during his six-week spell in the Prime Ministership - Winnie and his colleagues have accomplished, and moreover **all my effusive commendation thereabouts over that time, 'the Right Honourable' Mr Peters seems to have reverted once more to his Muldoon-era authoritarian-style type persona over recent days and weeks... . And though the tragic fate of one-time TV weatherman Brendan Horan is now a mere footnote in history, nowhere gives a better indication of the totalitarian tendencies ever-present in the personality, or rather the character, of Mr Peters.
Yes, that shameful incident or rather Peters' guilty-even-after-being-proven-innocent verdict thereabouts, sadly says it all - all that really needs saying about Winston Peters' character and his essential motivation in making this appalling bit of legislation a *make-or-break coalition one...-and let's not even get into the even more shameful and shameless jettisoning of all fundamental Green Party principle in their falling into line and not even abstaining, much less voting with the 'nays', when the empowering (third reading) vote upon said bill took place last Friday midday.
*That this was evidently the case seems abundantly clear from even a cursory witnessing of the parliamentary debate thereabouts over recent weeks. Why else did Labour MPs act like they'd swallowed some dead vermin, the Greens almost to a person generally refuse to speak at all on the bill, the otherwise admirably-principled Justice Minister Andrew Little seem so half-hearted in his many speeches as the bill progressed through its many stages and readings, law lecturers and professors up and down the land speak and submit apparently to a person against said legislation, and even the highly principled and deeply-respected Attorney-General David Parker submit a negative evaluation of said measure way beforehand? Need I say more?!?!?
**Sorry, I simply can't remember the reason for this note...but will return once I remember!
Though their record thus far, evincing an influence far outweighing their sheer numbers in the House, has not been - has indeed been far from - perfect or faultless, not necessarily vis-a-vis the supposed scandal over the Wally Houmaha (sp?) affair and the like, but moreover re the shameful closing of the Roxburgh Stand Children's Village - or whatever it's called - and the simultaneous
apparent lack of advocacy over the closure of other important social services in Central Otago, such as the Lumsden Maternity Ward...we have every reason to expect - much - better from NZ First.
And how about the ongoing downsizing, downsizing, downsizing - and concurrent destruction and frankly pulling and tearing apart of NZ Post pretty well for good - all across our fair land? But don't get me started, I wouldn't know where I'd end up...except to say, that though the never-ending debacle that has been the shameful fate of NZ Post especially since former P.M. Jim Bolger and then former deputy P.M. Michael Cullen took the reins there, is hardly the fault of Winston Peters and NZ First, where the heck has been their advocacy over its slow but ever so sure demise in recent years?
But as I say, better not to get me started on that one... . Anyhow, back to topic: despite all the good stuff - including especially during his six-week spell in the Prime Ministership - Winnie and his colleagues have accomplished, and moreover **all my effusive commendation thereabouts over that time, 'the Right Honourable' Mr Peters seems to have reverted once more to his Muldoon-era authoritarian-style type persona over recent days and weeks... . And though the tragic fate of one-time TV weatherman Brendan Horan is now a mere footnote in history, nowhere gives a better indication of the totalitarian tendencies ever-present in the personality, or rather the character, of Mr Peters.
Yes, that shameful incident or rather Peters' guilty-even-after-being-proven-innocent verdict thereabouts, sadly says it all - all that really needs saying about Winston Peters' character and his essential motivation in making this appalling bit of legislation a *make-or-break coalition one...-and let's not even get into the even more shameful and shameless jettisoning of all fundamental Green Party principle in their falling into line and not even abstaining, much less voting with the 'nays', when the empowering (third reading) vote upon said bill took place last Friday midday.
*That this was evidently the case seems abundantly clear from even a cursory witnessing of the parliamentary debate thereabouts over recent weeks. Why else did Labour MPs act like they'd swallowed some dead vermin, the Greens almost to a person generally refuse to speak at all on the bill, the otherwise admirably-principled Justice Minister Andrew Little seem so half-hearted in his many speeches as the bill progressed through its many stages and readings, law lecturers and professors up and down the land speak and submit apparently to a person against said legislation, and even the highly principled and deeply-respected Attorney-General David Parker submit a negative evaluation of said measure way beforehand? Need I say more?!?!?
**Sorry, I simply can't remember the reason for this note...but will return once I remember!
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Credit Where Credit Is Due: Vis-a-vis Pope Francis on the one hand, and the European Union on the other
Though the little I tend to have to say - and (God willing) still will in days and weeks and months and years to come - vis-a-vis The European Union and the Papacy itself (as an institution - if not necessarily Pope Francis as a person), will rarely be all that flattering let alone endearing, full marks:
*To the EU for finally authorizing giving the flick to biorhythm-unfriendly daylight saving - or rather, going back-and-forth between regular (normal) time and dst...in future, from the end of 2019 evidently. Enough technological contrivance to mess with us and our bodies and bodily cycles already - okay! Yes, this'll not affect me or mine one little bit - but my sympathies are/empathy is with my fellows (and lasses) in that tension-fraught 'continent'...for this smallest of mercies, anyhow.
*To Pope Francis for having the guts and gumption and sheer gall - yes, I'm only too well aware I used this very (personally-selected) phrase just the other day/blogpost - to address the Mafia on their own turf. Whatever one happens to think of the Vatican (and the Roman Catholic Church for that matter) you can't convince me that that didn't take more than a modicum of pure, unadulterated guts.
*To the EU for finally authorizing giving the flick to biorhythm-unfriendly daylight saving - or rather, going back-and-forth between regular (normal) time and dst...in future, from the end of 2019 evidently. Enough technological contrivance to mess with us and our bodies and bodily cycles already - okay! Yes, this'll not affect me or mine one little bit - but my sympathies are/empathy is with my fellows (and lasses) in that tension-fraught 'continent'...for this smallest of mercies, anyhow.
*To Pope Francis for having the guts and gumption and sheer gall - yes, I'm only too well aware I used this very (personally-selected) phrase just the other day/blogpost - to address the Mafia on their own turf. Whatever one happens to think of the Vatican (and the Roman Catholic Church for that matter) you can't convince me that that didn't take more than a modicum of pure, unadulterated guts.
Friday, September 21, 2018
A Puerile Prank By Any Other Name is Every Bit as Awful as Home-Grown Terrorism: How Tragic that the Beloved Strawberry - that most majestic and delectable of summer fruits - has now joined the ranks of the Hijacked
Profuse apologies for my utter tardiness in getting down to writing this blogpost...
Placing needles within strawberries is surely about as low as anyone can go. Putting the veritable 'fear of God' into persons one and all, causing undue alarm and terror. And evidently - as has since been discovered following the apprehension of a confessing teenager thereabouts - it was not done, as had long been touted, as a result of a disgruntled former (strawberry-picking or the like) employee exacting his own pound of flesh upon the industry or individual employer who'd supposedly treated him poorly.
Thereby 'repaying' one and all of the innocent and ever longsuffering public-at-large for something that was none of their responsibility or doing. 'Spray and walk away' as we're inclined to refer to such behaviour in God's Own. Except the potential tragic results of the same were anything but able to be quickly or easily resiled from.
No, just a teenage lad up to no good, doing a prank or the like; out for a bit of a good time. Unreal! Welcome to our newfangled world of the witless and wacky, and moreover inadvertently wicked - for such this particular act of sabotage, of home-grown domestic terrorism surely is... .
For once my sympathies/empathy are fully with the Aussies...
Afterthought:
And no, I certainly don't classify my brother's and my frequent snowball-hurling at passing cars in the same category - though with hindsight I hardly can deny the potential awful dangers thereabouts. Whereas those people who - on a number (at least two or three, I believe) of occasions, evidently - have dropped large concrete piles or the like upon Auckland motorway drivers - and evidently, according to my Stepmum, in recent times 'succeeded' in killing someone - should, if apprehended, be tried (frankly hung, drawn and quartered), and no, not for manslaughter!
Placing needles within strawberries is surely about as low as anyone can go. Putting the veritable 'fear of God' into persons one and all, causing undue alarm and terror. And evidently - as has since been discovered following the apprehension of a confessing teenager thereabouts - it was not done, as had long been touted, as a result of a disgruntled former (strawberry-picking or the like) employee exacting his own pound of flesh upon the industry or individual employer who'd supposedly treated him poorly.
Thereby 'repaying' one and all of the innocent and ever longsuffering public-at-large for something that was none of their responsibility or doing. 'Spray and walk away' as we're inclined to refer to such behaviour in God's Own. Except the potential tragic results of the same were anything but able to be quickly or easily resiled from.
No, just a teenage lad up to no good, doing a prank or the like; out for a bit of a good time. Unreal! Welcome to our newfangled world of the witless and wacky, and moreover inadvertently wicked - for such this particular act of sabotage, of home-grown domestic terrorism surely is... .
For once my sympathies/empathy are fully with the Aussies...
Afterthought:
And no, I certainly don't classify my brother's and my frequent snowball-hurling at passing cars in the same category - though with hindsight I hardly can deny the potential awful dangers thereabouts. Whereas those people who - on a number (at least two or three, I believe) of occasions, evidently - have dropped large concrete piles or the like upon Auckland motorway drivers - and evidently, according to my Stepmum, in recent times 'succeeded' in killing someone - should, if apprehended, be tried (frankly hung, drawn and quartered), and no, not for manslaughter!
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
China, The 'Peoples' Republic' (so-called) thereof...Vis-a-vis the latterly resurrected Czardom of Russia: A Bouquet and a Brickbat for Each
Apologies are no doubt due for once again steering off - my self-appointed and intended, and moreover, duly notified - course...
Nevertheless I will do so, and insert some stuff about two of the global super-powers presently strutting the world stage...nations (i.e. Russia and China) led by individuals whose personality and character foibles and failings openly echo (and thus manage to accentuate) those found in their present American counterpart. But enough - on this occasion - of yet another reference to the 'Trump Phenomenon'...I intend (shortly) to deal with these two nations alone...
My topics (vis-a-vis China) will be familial assistance and Social Credit; vis-a-vis Russia - poisonings and commendable military de-escalation...
Tune in tomorrow!
As Promised...(Part One thereof, anyhow)
*Re China...A great big brickbat - and a small bouquet. The good news first - it's such a rarity/rare commodity these days...from a Western perspective, anyhow...vis-a-vis the land of the Dragon...
A hearty commendation for, a hands-off celebration of, a judge's enforcement, just the other day, of a law punishing grown-up kids who failed in their familial duty of providing succour to their ailing parents in their last years of life...-not only for actually having such a law on their books in the first place, but for having the sheer gall - the guts, the gumption & yes, the balls - to actually enforce 'em!
A principle flouted all the time these days in the increasingly 'ageist', compassionless, and self-serving, egocentric and me, myself and I-worshiping consumerist culture of the post-Christian West. Itself bringing to recollection the ever-timely and ageless admonition of the long-ridiculed and much-abused great Apostle Paul, who memorably advised his readers that
...if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. [The Holy Bible, New King James Version: 1 Timothy 5:4: (c) 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
But as for usurping the perfectly good, historically meaningful (and moreover, positive) term 'social credit' for its own nefarious purposes, for the Chinese Government to do so is an utter abomination. The term has long been - was for a long time - both in God's Own and in Canada's two most westernmost provinces, Alberta and British Columbia - synonymous with an unconventional and unorthodox but sound mixture of socialism and capitalism: economies/societies operating in the best of both worlds - adopting the best features of each system while avoiding the worst excesses of each. Witnessing such sheer innovations as worker shareholders in their own companies!
So for the Chinese Government - and, what's so much the worse, in the name of 24/7 surveillance of its citizenry from the veritable cradle to the grave - to misappropriate such a positive concept and practice in the interests of its self-serving, autocratic, authoritarian, totalitarian and tyrannical designs is an insult of the highest - or rather lowest - order possible. In moreover a regime presently overseen by a self-worshipping despot, such verbal misappropriation does a gross disservice to the English language, to the long-cherished idea that words actually mean something. As opposed to the presently in-vogue belief that they simply represent 'cultural capital', and thus can basically mean whatever one wishes them to.
And so - as indeed throughout the West these days with its historically revisionist, culturally relativistic, post-modern ethic where black means white and light means darkness and evil is good and good is apparently evil - this once-unique term and concept can be employed in the service of and made to fit the purposes of a diabolical regime and petty despot; whose use of said term, moreover, in its (and his) inexorable quest for ever and ever greater control and dominance over the lives of its (and his) citizenry makes Eric Blair's (that is, George Orwell's) classic 1984 look almost utopian - as opposed to dystopian - in its oh-so-prescient view of the future...
As Promised...(Part Two thereof)
Re Russia...Another Bouquet alongside a Brickbat
"Thank God", ff much pushing and shoving, arm-twisting and wrestling, manipulation and pressure: Russia has - however belatedly, dragging its feet (and all the rest) - finally relented in its impending onslaught against the last major rebel enclave/'holdout' of the town of Iglib in the bombed-to-smithereens Middle-Eastern one-time nation of Syria...-having been spared such ghastly fate, incredibly enough, through the efforts of a certain 'wretched Urr-da-wan' (as the name of Turkey's President-for-Life Erdogan phonetically transliterates)...
Though no real much less great credit can be given to Syria's own President al-Assad, nevertheless in so relenting yet another episode in the ongoing bloodbath that is Syria and its neighbours has been avoided...thus reprieving that sad and pitiable, piteous, pitiful and pathetic land one further bodyblow. And for that very real if relatively small mercy let us all be - however temporarily - thankful...
Nevertheless I will do so, and insert some stuff about two of the global super-powers presently strutting the world stage...nations (i.e. Russia and China) led by individuals whose personality and character foibles and failings openly echo (and thus manage to accentuate) those found in their present American counterpart. But enough - on this occasion - of yet another reference to the 'Trump Phenomenon'...I intend (shortly) to deal with these two nations alone...
My topics (vis-a-vis China) will be familial assistance and Social Credit; vis-a-vis Russia - poisonings and commendable military de-escalation...
Tune in tomorrow!
As Promised...(Part One thereof, anyhow)
*Re China...A great big brickbat - and a small bouquet. The good news first - it's such a rarity/rare commodity these days...from a Western perspective, anyhow...vis-a-vis the land of the Dragon...
A hearty commendation for, a hands-off celebration of, a judge's enforcement, just the other day, of a law punishing grown-up kids who failed in their familial duty of providing succour to their ailing parents in their last years of life...-not only for actually having such a law on their books in the first place, but for having the sheer gall - the guts, the gumption & yes, the balls - to actually enforce 'em!
A principle flouted all the time these days in the increasingly 'ageist', compassionless, and self-serving, egocentric and me, myself and I-worshiping consumerist culture of the post-Christian West. Itself bringing to recollection the ever-timely and ageless admonition of the long-ridiculed and much-abused great Apostle Paul, who memorably advised his readers that
...if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. [The Holy Bible, New King James Version: 1 Timothy 5:4: (c) 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
But as for usurping the perfectly good, historically meaningful (and moreover, positive) term 'social credit' for its own nefarious purposes, for the Chinese Government to do so is an utter abomination. The term has long been - was for a long time - both in God's Own and in Canada's two most westernmost provinces, Alberta and British Columbia - synonymous with an unconventional and unorthodox but sound mixture of socialism and capitalism: economies/societies operating in the best of both worlds - adopting the best features of each system while avoiding the worst excesses of each. Witnessing such sheer innovations as worker shareholders in their own companies!
So for the Chinese Government - and, what's so much the worse, in the name of 24/7 surveillance of its citizenry from the veritable cradle to the grave - to misappropriate such a positive concept and practice in the interests of its self-serving, autocratic, authoritarian, totalitarian and tyrannical designs is an insult of the highest - or rather lowest - order possible. In moreover a regime presently overseen by a self-worshipping despot, such verbal misappropriation does a gross disservice to the English language, to the long-cherished idea that words actually mean something. As opposed to the presently in-vogue belief that they simply represent 'cultural capital', and thus can basically mean whatever one wishes them to.
And so - as indeed throughout the West these days with its historically revisionist, culturally relativistic, post-modern ethic where black means white and light means darkness and evil is good and good is apparently evil - this once-unique term and concept can be employed in the service of and made to fit the purposes of a diabolical regime and petty despot; whose use of said term, moreover, in its (and his) inexorable quest for ever and ever greater control and dominance over the lives of its (and his) citizenry makes Eric Blair's (that is, George Orwell's) classic 1984 look almost utopian - as opposed to dystopian - in its oh-so-prescient view of the future...
As Promised...(Part Two thereof)
Re Russia...Another Bouquet alongside a Brickbat
"Thank God", ff much pushing and shoving, arm-twisting and wrestling, manipulation and pressure: Russia has - however belatedly, dragging its feet (and all the rest) - finally relented in its impending onslaught against the last major rebel enclave/'holdout' of the town of Iglib in the bombed-to-smithereens Middle-Eastern one-time nation of Syria...-having been spared such ghastly fate, incredibly enough, through the efforts of a certain 'wretched Urr-da-wan' (as the name of Turkey's President-for-Life Erdogan phonetically transliterates)...
Though no real much less great credit can be given to Syria's own President al-Assad, nevertheless in so relenting yet another episode in the ongoing bloodbath that is Syria and its neighbours has been avoided...thus reprieving that sad and pitiable, piteous, pitiful and pathetic land one further bodyblow. And for that very real if relatively small mercy let us all be - however temporarily - thankful...
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
Two Triads of 2 (Bouquets):1 Brickbat (each) - Five of Which Are Not As Per Usual: Plaudits for Bill English and Julie Bishop; even the Papacy and the European Union themselves; and Serving it to the Peoples' Republic of China, and the British Division's Unofficial Representative (not!) thereof
Confused? Well, this blogpost is just gonna be a veritable mishmash of bits 'n bobs...enabling me to catch up (on events worldwide) so's I can sooner than later move on to those issues consuming me.
Firstly, a belated commendation to recently-retired NZ National Party leader (and recently 'deposed' P.M.) Bill English - and his good wife Mary - for their forthright and unapologetic, down-to-the-veritable-guts-of-the-matter, personally delivered 'submission' to the Commission of Enquiry on the 'Death with Dignity' Bill/Parliamentary Select Committee recently. That the proposed legalization is logically the equivalent of sanctioning suicide for youngsters/the younger generation (the largest proportion of suicide attemptees/'performers') was an insightful and perceptive take upon the matter. Not that the do-or-die, died-in-the-wool proponents thereof could really give a toss, though, however worthwhile the particular argument presented/proffered...
From a former New Zealand Prime Minister to a former Deputy P.M. - and could-have-been P.M. - of Australia, the 'late, great' Julie Bishop. Though far from a supporter of her unique brand of kiwi-bashing and inter-Tasman political relations, vis-a-vis the recent, latest round of political shenanigans of the particular political beast known as the Aussie Prime Ministership, I'll simply say the following...
The Australian Liberal Party scored an own goal in its handling of the recent fiasco representing the latest instalment in the Game of Political Musical Chairs (and Chair(wo)manship) that is the revolving door of Aussie political power. It was surely a no-brainer, following all the recent carfuffle in Australia's Prime Ministership, to (democratically) install the *popular as Foreign Minister/Deputy P.M. Julie Bishop...seeing that the then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had obviously effectively lost his mandate - if only among his parliamentary colleagues, if not among the wider electorate.
But now - it need hardly be stated - they've well and truly signed their political death warrant. Yes, the death-knell is sounding - loud and long - and one can hardly blame 'Jubi' (to adopt that net-age approach to political nicknames evidently current in Aussie politics) for getting off of the sinking ship while she's ahead... 'Good riddance to bad rubbish' is the none-too-subtle message thus conveyed...from JB to her erstwhile Government colleagues...and who can possibly blame her?
*One - yes, unscientific as, anecdotal - street poll conducted the very afternoon that the coup d'etat installing Scott Morrison over Peter Dutton was carried out showed around four/five/six of the five/six/seven people sampled choosing only one of the three aforementioned contenders as their personal pick for the nation's top job. No guessing who that one political figure was, eh...
TO BE CONTINUED...
Firstly, a belated commendation to recently-retired NZ National Party leader (and recently 'deposed' P.M.) Bill English - and his good wife Mary - for their forthright and unapologetic, down-to-the-veritable-guts-of-the-matter, personally delivered 'submission' to the Commission of Enquiry on the 'Death with Dignity' Bill/Parliamentary Select Committee recently. That the proposed legalization is logically the equivalent of sanctioning suicide for youngsters/the younger generation (the largest proportion of suicide attemptees/'performers') was an insightful and perceptive take upon the matter. Not that the do-or-die, died-in-the-wool proponents thereof could really give a toss, though, however worthwhile the particular argument presented/proffered...
From a former New Zealand Prime Minister to a former Deputy P.M. - and could-have-been P.M. - of Australia, the 'late, great' Julie Bishop. Though far from a supporter of her unique brand of kiwi-bashing and inter-Tasman political relations, vis-a-vis the recent, latest round of political shenanigans of the particular political beast known as the Aussie Prime Ministership, I'll simply say the following...
The Australian Liberal Party scored an own goal in its handling of the recent fiasco representing the latest instalment in the Game of Political Musical Chairs (and Chair(wo)manship) that is the revolving door of Aussie political power. It was surely a no-brainer, following all the recent carfuffle in Australia's Prime Ministership, to (democratically) install the *popular as Foreign Minister/Deputy P.M. Julie Bishop...seeing that the then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had obviously effectively lost his mandate - if only among his parliamentary colleagues, if not among the wider electorate.
But now - it need hardly be stated - they've well and truly signed their political death warrant. Yes, the death-knell is sounding - loud and long - and one can hardly blame 'Jubi' (to adopt that net-age approach to political nicknames evidently current in Aussie politics) for getting off of the sinking ship while she's ahead... 'Good riddance to bad rubbish' is the none-too-subtle message thus conveyed...from JB to her erstwhile Government colleagues...and who can possibly blame her?
*One - yes, unscientific as, anecdotal - street poll conducted the very afternoon that the coup d'etat installing Scott Morrison over Peter Dutton was carried out showed around four/five/six of the five/six/seven people sampled choosing only one of the three aforementioned contenders as their personal pick for the nation's top job. No guessing who that one political figure was, eh...
TO BE CONTINUED...
Monday, September 17, 2018
Why Should the MeToo Movement have All the Good (I mean, awful) Music (I mean, stories to tell)?: Welcome to the MenToo Movement - However 'Positively' Ignored and Sidelined by Western Media
Finally a little bit of catch-up sees New Zealand mainstream media at least attempt to - however tentatively thus far - address this much- and long-overlooked 'other side of the [proverbial] coin'...or shady substance growing on the other side of this neglected rock amidst the stagnant waters of the epidemic which is the present-day uncovering of the rampant state- and (especially religious) institutionally-sanctioned sex abuse scandals of our times...
To wit, the Men Too Movement (as featured on TV1's Sunday show yesterday evening), and on Newshub Nation (or TV1) 6 p.m. News tonight. And not a moment too soon either. Yes indeed.
And though I'll have a heckuva - and a helluva - lot more to say in coming days vis-a-vis this topic in relation to the millennia-enduring organization commonly known as the Roman Catholic Church - and its papal leadership in the Vatican - let's just conclude this brief citation now by referring to the own goal kicked by a founding member of the MeToo Movement - Asia Argento...
Though I thus far know little more than the various scattered references to this over the last couple of weeks or so, this much - to me, anyhow - is clear as mud (about the 'case'): the media in general regard it with the level of indifference that popular (especially Western) culture consider it deserves: i.e. diddly squat. And why should that be? Hey, the dude - the allegation involved - happened to be male...so the underlying assumption obviously is - one of the following:
*He secretly enjoyed what was happening.
*He was a man, so he ought to be able to 'man up and handle it'.
*How could a fella even be coerced - like a woman - in such a way (to begin with)?
'The reality, indeed, is that - however secretly and privately - there are a number at least of people in the MeToo Movement who no doubt see it as 'payback time', for guys to experience what gals have themselves endured for so very long...and without hardly a murmur even of recognition (for most of human history even)...and then the woman involved was often treated as the guilty party and the man involved got off completely scot-free.
So, accepting the legitimacy and 'fair go' thus seen in the above scenario, one can hardly be surprised.
Nevertheless the apparent rampant hypocrisy of Ms Argento surely speaks for itself, and were today's media even remotely consistent, they would hardly simply pass over such an incident once over lightly (as it's termed). No, your h........ is showing, folks!
To wit, the Men Too Movement (as featured on TV1's Sunday show yesterday evening), and on Newshub Nation (or TV1) 6 p.m. News tonight. And not a moment too soon either. Yes indeed.
And though I'll have a heckuva - and a helluva - lot more to say in coming days vis-a-vis this topic in relation to the millennia-enduring organization commonly known as the Roman Catholic Church - and its papal leadership in the Vatican - let's just conclude this brief citation now by referring to the own goal kicked by a founding member of the MeToo Movement - Asia Argento...
Though I thus far know little more than the various scattered references to this over the last couple of weeks or so, this much - to me, anyhow - is clear as mud (about the 'case'): the media in general regard it with the level of indifference that popular (especially Western) culture consider it deserves: i.e. diddly squat. And why should that be? Hey, the dude - the allegation involved - happened to be male...so the underlying assumption obviously is - one of the following:
*He secretly enjoyed what was happening.
*He was a man, so he ought to be able to 'man up and handle it'.
*How could a fella even be coerced - like a woman - in such a way (to begin with)?
'The reality, indeed, is that - however secretly and privately - there are a number at least of people in the MeToo Movement who no doubt see it as 'payback time', for guys to experience what gals have themselves endured for so very long...and without hardly a murmur even of recognition (for most of human history even)...and then the woman involved was often treated as the guilty party and the man involved got off completely scot-free.
So, accepting the legitimacy and 'fair go' thus seen in the above scenario, one can hardly be surprised.
Nevertheless the apparent rampant hypocrisy of Ms Argento surely speaks for itself, and were today's media even remotely consistent, they would hardly simply pass over such an incident once over lightly (as it's termed). No, your h........ is showing, folks!
Sunday, September 16, 2018
A Brief 'Covering Off' of a few recent 'Happenings' - and their 'Initiators' - worthy of note [bouquets and brickbats]
Just for the mo...
*To commemorate the passing of Neil Simon (recently)...playwright behind 'The Odd Couple' - a brilliant 1970s' situation comedy featuring and pitting against each other the inimitable (slob) Oscar Madison and (neat freak) Felix Unger. One of the best, finely-nuanced and underrated comedies of the time.
**Ditto to the late Bill Daily...for simply having the sheer good sense to have been inextricably involved with the TV shows 'I Dream Of Jeannie' and 'the Bob Newhart Show'...the latter, like the above, a brilliant and finely-nuanced, greatly underrated 1970s' situation comedy; the former - simply 'coz I like the name (that of a close relative), and also the song by that title.
More to Come Very Soon...re certain political figures:
*Asia Argento (of the Me Too Movement)
*Julie Bishop (just retired Deputy P.M. of Australia)
*British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn
*Former NZ P.M. Bill English (again)
*Pope Francis
Hold onto yer seats, folks, I believe you'll enjoy the ride...
*To commemorate the passing of Neil Simon (recently)...playwright behind 'The Odd Couple' - a brilliant 1970s' situation comedy featuring and pitting against each other the inimitable (slob) Oscar Madison and (neat freak) Felix Unger. One of the best, finely-nuanced and underrated comedies of the time.
**Ditto to the late Bill Daily...for simply having the sheer good sense to have been inextricably involved with the TV shows 'I Dream Of Jeannie' and 'the Bob Newhart Show'...the latter, like the above, a brilliant and finely-nuanced, greatly underrated 1970s' situation comedy; the former - simply 'coz I like the name (that of a close relative), and also the song by that title.
More to Come Very Soon...re certain political figures:
*Asia Argento (of the Me Too Movement)
*Julie Bishop (just retired Deputy P.M. of Australia)
*British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn
*Former NZ P.M. Bill English (again)
*Pope Francis
Hold onto yer seats, folks, I believe you'll enjoy the ride...
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Yes, Bring On A Clayton's Attorney-General - Not!
Re: U.S. Attorney-General Jeff Sessions - and progressively-louder and more vehement calls/ demands - chiefly from Trump do-or-die partisans - for his sooner or later replacement.
Though it's with some sense of discomfort/unease I venture to say anything in defence of someone whose background was in the confederate-saturated and saluting, Civil Rights' Era-resistant American South - and who thus 'cut his [political] teeth' in staunchly backing the racist backlash to Martin Luther King et al's and the United States Government and society's radical strides towards desegregation and equal civil rights for blacks in the 1960s -
Those (including the so-called 'Christian Right') backing Sessions' removal from his constitutionally significant position in the U S Government - for, among numerous other 'transgressions' (including calling his Head Honcho a moron), 'recusing' himself from testifying in defence of (or, indeed, against - though this is rarely considered) his Boss in the ongoing electoral collusion deliberations - in favour of someone much more dutifully subservient to Donald Trump, know not what they are about, nor what they are thus, however inadvertently, giving subtle but very real encouragement to...
"Good God, he's not supposed to think for himself...he's (though we daren't say it) meant to be/act like an obedient lapdog to his presidential overlord" I.e. doing nothing whatsoever - in any capacity - to unsettle (much less derail) Trump's increasingly tenuous hold upon the levers of (American political) power. He's there to basically 'do as he's told' - no ifs, buts or maybes (even countenanced).
'Scuse me, folks. Last I heard, that's (i.e. real independence of attitude and approach) the very job description of an Attorney-General. Or am I missing something somewhere?
Somehow I doubt it. No, it's just el usual situation of 'what's good for the goose' is not - is never, in fact - 'good [enough] for the gander'. I.e. whether in New Zealand (and its Attorney-General) - presently (one-time neighbour) David Parker; formerly Chris(topher) Finlayson, I believe - or the U S of A (the only two places I've heard of such a 'political' figure - though doubtless Oz and other Western nations and Western-style democracies have such as well).
If they're (I mean he's or she's) agin' my opponent, it's a-okay...but "hands off" my political allies - that's a real 'no-go' area. Yes, political partisanship at its most basic and very worst.
Same principle for former F.B.I. Director James Comey, incidentally, who, in managing to 'stick it to' and thus - soundly and ever so effectively - brass off (in no uncertain terms) both then Democratic Party Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and now reigning 'Republican' President DJ Trump...
has actually - as *JRR Tolkien's Samwise Gamgee used to put it - proven his quality. Indeed!
*Or perhaps it was Peter Jackson et al's re-interpretation thereof, but whichever...
Though it's with some sense of discomfort/unease I venture to say anything in defence of someone whose background was in the confederate-saturated and saluting, Civil Rights' Era-resistant American South - and who thus 'cut his [political] teeth' in staunchly backing the racist backlash to Martin Luther King et al's and the United States Government and society's radical strides towards desegregation and equal civil rights for blacks in the 1960s -
Those (including the so-called 'Christian Right') backing Sessions' removal from his constitutionally significant position in the U S Government - for, among numerous other 'transgressions' (including calling his Head Honcho a moron), 'recusing' himself from testifying in defence of (or, indeed, against - though this is rarely considered) his Boss in the ongoing electoral collusion deliberations - in favour of someone much more dutifully subservient to Donald Trump, know not what they are about, nor what they are thus, however inadvertently, giving subtle but very real encouragement to...
"Good God, he's not supposed to think for himself...he's (though we daren't say it) meant to be/act like an obedient lapdog to his presidential overlord" I.e. doing nothing whatsoever - in any capacity - to unsettle (much less derail) Trump's increasingly tenuous hold upon the levers of (American political) power. He's there to basically 'do as he's told' - no ifs, buts or maybes (even countenanced).
'Scuse me, folks. Last I heard, that's (i.e. real independence of attitude and approach) the very job description of an Attorney-General. Or am I missing something somewhere?
Somehow I doubt it. No, it's just el usual situation of 'what's good for the goose' is not - is never, in fact - 'good [enough] for the gander'. I.e. whether in New Zealand (and its Attorney-General) - presently (one-time neighbour) David Parker; formerly Chris(topher) Finlayson, I believe - or the U S of A (the only two places I've heard of such a 'political' figure - though doubtless Oz and other Western nations and Western-style democracies have such as well).
If they're (I mean he's or she's) agin' my opponent, it's a-okay...but "hands off" my political allies - that's a real 'no-go' area. Yes, political partisanship at its most basic and very worst.
Same principle for former F.B.I. Director James Comey, incidentally, who, in managing to 'stick it to' and thus - soundly and ever so effectively - brass off (in no uncertain terms) both then Democratic Party Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton and now reigning 'Republican' President DJ Trump...
has actually - as *JRR Tolkien's Samwise Gamgee used to put it - proven his quality. Indeed!
*Or perhaps it was Peter Jackson et al's re-interpretation thereof, but whichever...
C'mon, Mr [President] Trump - Tell Us Another One
Re: The American President's disaster 'response' in Puerto Rico...vis-a-vis his deep concern re the impending Hurricane Florence.
If a natural disaster in which F.E.M.A. (America's Federal Emergency Management Authority) so evidently dropped the ball as it did - 'ably' assisted (i.e. echoed) by a 'commander-in-chief' whose crowning contribution was personally chucking out stuff (was it bananas?) to crowding Puerto Ricans - was a success...I'd love to see what failure would look like!
As we're all now well aware, the number of fatalities have now been reckoned as over 3,000 - as opposed to the 60-odd long maintained...-and thus and so commentators on all sides of the political divide have accepted and have no dispute with (this latter figure).
A '"great, stupendous success story" (or words, and certainly sentiment, to that effect), Mr President?
Who d'ya really think you're kidding, I mean, really? Or do you take everyone else for sheer suckers?
Shades of George W's own (and FEMA's) 'disaster dealing' in New Orleans' Hurricane Katrina in 2005, or what?!?!?
P.S. All hats off to those media worldwide who're now giving priority coverage to the even more terrifying and fatality-ridden Typhoon presently afflicting western Pacific rim nations...which of course doesn't diminish one iota even the awful carnage now being wreaked upon America's mid-eastern seaboard by Hurricane Florence. But everything in relative perspective for a change.
If a natural disaster in which F.E.M.A. (America's Federal Emergency Management Authority) so evidently dropped the ball as it did - 'ably' assisted (i.e. echoed) by a 'commander-in-chief' whose crowning contribution was personally chucking out stuff (was it bananas?) to crowding Puerto Ricans - was a success...I'd love to see what failure would look like!
As we're all now well aware, the number of fatalities have now been reckoned as over 3,000 - as opposed to the 60-odd long maintained...-and thus and so commentators on all sides of the political divide have accepted and have no dispute with (this latter figure).
A '"great, stupendous success story" (or words, and certainly sentiment, to that effect), Mr President?
Who d'ya really think you're kidding, I mean, really? Or do you take everyone else for sheer suckers?
Shades of George W's own (and FEMA's) 'disaster dealing' in New Orleans' Hurricane Katrina in 2005, or what?!?!?
P.S. All hats off to those media worldwide who're now giving priority coverage to the even more terrifying and fatality-ridden Typhoon presently afflicting western Pacific rim nations...which of course doesn't diminish one iota even the awful carnage now being wreaked upon America's mid-eastern seaboard by Hurricane Florence. But everything in relative perspective for a change.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
A Flawed But Fully Human Former Hero - My Tribute to John McCain
Though much written by way of obituary - including arguably (parts of) this belatedly posted (though scribbled immediately post-death) poem of sorts - must seem trite and/or otherwise contrived, I'll post it still...
*Here lies a man...
...who tried
Paratrooper? - airforce pilot:
-kidnapped - imprisoned -
tortured...
...for years
Finally freed:
a 'war hero'!
But McCain didn't stop there,
he continued...
on...and on...and on...
Eventually achieving political success.
Congressman - senator -
and for the state of Arizona, no less...
Finally, following in the esteemed footsteps
of his Arizonan senatorial predecessor,
the late, great Barry Goldwater...
...himself the Republican Presidential Nominee
in 2008...
Apparently he 'swore like a trooper'
(according to a tome upon the man
I espied awhile ago
among the 'best new books'
at my local public library)...
...but that doesn't necessarily
detract more than a couple of iota
from the essential quality of the man
Not a war hero?
-I'm sure Mr McCain
would've - indeed, has -
had the last laugh...
...on that particular score
...except that dying
of an inoperable brain tumour
is hardly a laughing matter...
An independent voice...
even against his own, beloved,
Republican Party...
...and especially
President Donald J Trump
A contrarian to the core...
to the bitter end...
of both his political career
and life (as it so transpired)
No man's debtor...
or mere people-pleaser
And a better person, perhaps,
than the man
who soundly defeated him
at the polls in 2008
No, not possessing
infallible judgment...
that's the papal prerogative
alone, isn't it?
-and that was evidenced,
nowhere more clearly,
than in that selfsame year...
...wherein he selected
Alaskan Governor,
Sarah Palin...
...as his presidential 'stand-in'...
a judgment, admittedly,
he himself lived to regret
So rest in peace...yes,
like Yours Truly,
he did get in the last word!
But One Above, Beyond,
Transcending
This Fragile
earthly Orb...
will soon enough
have the very last word...
...on each of our lives...
And all that really matters
then
will be that
we too were found faithful
to our calling
*Acknowledgment to Rod McKuen's memorable song 'There Goes A Man Who Tried' in his memorable record 'Alone'.
*Here lies a man...
...who tried
Paratrooper? - airforce pilot:
-kidnapped - imprisoned -
tortured...
...for years
Finally freed:
a 'war hero'!
But McCain didn't stop there,
he continued...
on...and on...and on...
Eventually achieving political success.
Congressman - senator -
and for the state of Arizona, no less...
Finally, following in the esteemed footsteps
of his Arizonan senatorial predecessor,
the late, great Barry Goldwater...
...himself the Republican Presidential Nominee
in 2008...
Apparently he 'swore like a trooper'
(according to a tome upon the man
I espied awhile ago
among the 'best new books'
at my local public library)...
...but that doesn't necessarily
detract more than a couple of iota
from the essential quality of the man
Not a war hero?
-I'm sure Mr McCain
would've - indeed, has -
had the last laugh...
...on that particular score
...except that dying
of an inoperable brain tumour
is hardly a laughing matter...
An independent voice...
even against his own, beloved,
Republican Party...
...and especially
President Donald J Trump
A contrarian to the core...
to the bitter end...
of both his political career
and life (as it so transpired)
No man's debtor...
or mere people-pleaser
And a better person, perhaps,
than the man
who soundly defeated him
at the polls in 2008
No, not possessing
infallible judgment...
that's the papal prerogative
alone, isn't it?
-and that was evidenced,
nowhere more clearly,
than in that selfsame year...
...wherein he selected
Alaskan Governor,
Sarah Palin...
...as his presidential 'stand-in'...
a judgment, admittedly,
he himself lived to regret
So rest in peace...yes,
like Yours Truly,
he did get in the last word!
But One Above, Beyond,
Transcending
This Fragile
earthly Orb...
will soon enough
have the very last word...
...on each of our lives...
And all that really matters
then
will be that
we too were found faithful
to our calling
*Acknowledgment to Rod McKuen's memorable song 'There Goes A Man Who Tried' in his memorable record 'Alone'.
Sunday, September 9, 2018
So Give the Dude (Big Fella) a Break - I mean, really!
It's best, 'they say', to get the awful/nasty stuff over first - the much-hallowed benefits of delayed gratification, or something along those lines - so I'm doing that/taking my own oft-self-tendered advice...
And so this'll be somewhat different from - including hopefully much shorter than - my usual offering - for any number of reasons. And not the actual tribute to the memory of John McCain, as originally intended; though in fact written well before, that'll come separately, and a little later...
But c'est la vie, and, perhaps even more pertinently, it'll combine a variety of intended blogposts into one [smorgasbord]. But I suppose such is the prerogative of the blogger. So without further ado...
Any regular reader of my blogs - especially this one, but no, actually, either of 'em - would hardly need reminding that I am far from the world's biggest admirer of the fella presently inhabiting the *White House in ye Awfully Disunited E-States of America... . That being said/on the record...
However rude and uncouth and downright ornery, perverse, cantankerous and downright narcissistic one might - quite legitimately - consider President Donald J Trump to be - yes, let's give the man his due (with knobs on and all the rest) - surely even he is entitled to this one thing: to be and act himself...vis-a-vis whoever he's happened to - be it ever so vociferously, rancorously and even vituperatively - disagree with in times past...for whatever reason...
Surely each one of us, including 'the Donald', is permitted that small privilege at least? And yes, I well realize, people are, even if ever so unconsciously, only too aware of the age-old maxim - which the media has now seized on with absolute glee and delight (and, let's be honest, supercilious schadenfreude, no less), that one ought not to speak ill of the dead.
Really? Surely there are innumerable exceptions to that rule...especially over our generation's lifetime, anyway... But has - did - DJT actually speak ill of John McCain, or did he rather simply choose not to speak at all about him (in the immediate aftermath of his death)? Surely the latter.
And so I will herein maintain in this respect and regard at least, the man has done 'nothin' wrong'!
One can hardly - how could one? - forget being expected (as a sibling never fails to remind me, in excusing the all-too-apparent failings of the up-and-coming generation (of ingrates, quite frankly)) for example, as a tender youth, to invariably hug folk - relatives, to be sure - whom one often found highly disagreeable (and certainly oftentimes relatively unlovable!)...whilst wishing one was somewhere else entirely (on the particular occasion in question)...
And despite being duly indoctrinated - even if implicitly, without a specific word to the effect actually being spoken as such - as one entered youth and early adulthood, as to the 'gaucheness' of speaking one's (true) mind - on all manner of occasions - wasn't it always as a veritable breath of fresh air whenever one would come/stumble upon/across an un-brainwashed/non-community-commandeered kid who would simply tell it as it is (I mean, was)...without any of the airbrushed, doctored up palava, ******fulsome flattery and frankly disingenuity...
In other words, much like Willy Wonka with his bunch (*******fivesome, or rather tensome) of Golden Ticket child winners and their recalcitrant, contrarian, difficult to please and placate - but admittedly also duly browbeaten - parents along for the ride...
Whether it was the chubby checker German boy who disappeared into the chocolate drink (i.e. river) and his irate, implacable mother (and father?), the bossy-boots, straight-speakin' Veruka and her overly dutiful factory manager dad, or the western Mum with her cowboy-lovin', shoot-from-the-(literal)-hip pipsqueak (son) who met his own untimely, karmic fate as he was 'beamed down' into his beloved space-age TV set...-perhaps I've missed one of 'em along the way?...they generally (i.e.parents and children alike) shared this highly undervalued & underrated character quality...
And so the no less open and forthright Willy Wonka himself was on perhaps his biggest roll of the entire film - excepting the bit before the end where he also upbraided Charlie and his uncle for themselves violating the strict, fine-print outlined, terms of the chocolate factory visit - when he, following the equally memorable and delightful (and, moreover, cutting to the very bone) song of the ompah-lompahs, understatedly echoed the decision of the scales which had just decided the fate of Veruka and her now-at-wit's-end dad: yes, they were both real bad eggs.
So is United States President Trump a real bad egg? I'm sure most of the world would doubtless add a big 'Amen!' to such a verdict...even in his relatively short time thus far in the Oval Office. But surely not for simply sharing his (hopefully honest) condolences with Senator McCain's surviving family while sparing us the disingenuous piffle of pretending he himself esteemed the man...
*What unplannable irony the other day, when hearing coverage of one of the seemingly innumerable and interminable Senate/Congressional hearings in Washington D.C. - whether about the proposed new member of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Brett **Kavanaugh, or the various ongoing committee meetings to establish whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the 2016 American Presidential outcome - that one particular (dissenting Democratic Senator, I believe) had that for his very surname - i.e. Whitehouse.
Though was there not once a staunch anti-pornography campaigner by the selfsame name? Or I am getting all confused between the likes of ***Davina someone-or-other and the ****one-time leftwing powerhouse of the British Labo[u]r Party, *****Mary Whitehouse? Whatever...
**The (u-less) surname also of a special friend of mine, Rachel, who, completely out of the blue, suddenly departed this earthly life back in March 2013...as well as that of a former Catholic priest who read a poem or suchlike at my beloved - very non-Catholic (just for the record) - beloved Grandma 'Billie''s cremation service 21-some years ago now...
****No, that's Barbara Castle, I believe... - and now, as either 'the big Ronnie' (the long-since deceased R Barker) or 'the little Ronnie' (the much more recently departed R Corbett) put it, ....would'ya credit it, that sentence was so long I've since forgotten...?
*****/***Actually, as I've just now discovered (like Justice Kavanaugh's properly spelt name), via ye good 'ole Wikipaedia pages thereabouts, and as succinctly as I can put it: Mary Whitehouse was a [conservative] English social activist; and Davina Whitehouse an English-born NZ actress. So my much-critiqued (by myself!) memory is not really all that bad after all...specifics notwithstanding!
******The real meaning of this oft-used and much-abused term. I.e. not 'very much of' or 'lavish as', as one frequently hears it employed as, but, as my trusty Chambers Concise Dictionary renders it: 'cloying or causing surfeit; nauseous; offensive; rank; disgustingly fawning'. As in obsequious to the nth degree, to put it in plain English.
*******Or rather foursome (eightsome) thereabouts, as Charlie and his uncle were glaring - or rather glorious - exceptions to that rule...in the wonderful first edition of that film, anyway...
And so this'll be somewhat different from - including hopefully much shorter than - my usual offering - for any number of reasons. And not the actual tribute to the memory of John McCain, as originally intended; though in fact written well before, that'll come separately, and a little later...
But c'est la vie, and, perhaps even more pertinently, it'll combine a variety of intended blogposts into one [smorgasbord]. But I suppose such is the prerogative of the blogger. So without further ado...
Any regular reader of my blogs - especially this one, but no, actually, either of 'em - would hardly need reminding that I am far from the world's biggest admirer of the fella presently inhabiting the *White House in ye Awfully Disunited E-States of America... . That being said/on the record...
However rude and uncouth and downright ornery, perverse, cantankerous and downright narcissistic one might - quite legitimately - consider President Donald J Trump to be - yes, let's give the man his due (with knobs on and all the rest) - surely even he is entitled to this one thing: to be and act himself...vis-a-vis whoever he's happened to - be it ever so vociferously, rancorously and even vituperatively - disagree with in times past...for whatever reason...
Surely each one of us, including 'the Donald', is permitted that small privilege at least? And yes, I well realize, people are, even if ever so unconsciously, only too aware of the age-old maxim - which the media has now seized on with absolute glee and delight (and, let's be honest, supercilious schadenfreude, no less), that one ought not to speak ill of the dead.
Really? Surely there are innumerable exceptions to that rule...especially over our generation's lifetime, anyway... But has - did - DJT actually speak ill of John McCain, or did he rather simply choose not to speak at all about him (in the immediate aftermath of his death)? Surely the latter.
And so I will herein maintain in this respect and regard at least, the man has done 'nothin' wrong'!
One can hardly - how could one? - forget being expected (as a sibling never fails to remind me, in excusing the all-too-apparent failings of the up-and-coming generation (of ingrates, quite frankly)) for example, as a tender youth, to invariably hug folk - relatives, to be sure - whom one often found highly disagreeable (and certainly oftentimes relatively unlovable!)...whilst wishing one was somewhere else entirely (on the particular occasion in question)...
And despite being duly indoctrinated - even if implicitly, without a specific word to the effect actually being spoken as such - as one entered youth and early adulthood, as to the 'gaucheness' of speaking one's (true) mind - on all manner of occasions - wasn't it always as a veritable breath of fresh air whenever one would come/stumble upon/across an un-brainwashed/non-community-commandeered kid who would simply tell it as it is (I mean, was)...without any of the airbrushed, doctored up palava, ******fulsome flattery and frankly disingenuity...
In other words, much like Willy Wonka with his bunch (*******fivesome, or rather tensome) of Golden Ticket child winners and their recalcitrant, contrarian, difficult to please and placate - but admittedly also duly browbeaten - parents along for the ride...
Whether it was the chubby checker German boy who disappeared into the chocolate drink (i.e. river) and his irate, implacable mother (and father?), the bossy-boots, straight-speakin' Veruka and her overly dutiful factory manager dad, or the western Mum with her cowboy-lovin', shoot-from-the-(literal)-hip pipsqueak (son) who met his own untimely, karmic fate as he was 'beamed down' into his beloved space-age TV set...-perhaps I've missed one of 'em along the way?...they generally (i.e.parents and children alike) shared this highly undervalued & underrated character quality...
And so the no less open and forthright Willy Wonka himself was on perhaps his biggest roll of the entire film - excepting the bit before the end where he also upbraided Charlie and his uncle for themselves violating the strict, fine-print outlined, terms of the chocolate factory visit - when he, following the equally memorable and delightful (and, moreover, cutting to the very bone) song of the ompah-lompahs, understatedly echoed the decision of the scales which had just decided the fate of Veruka and her now-at-wit's-end dad: yes, they were both real bad eggs.
So is United States President Trump a real bad egg? I'm sure most of the world would doubtless add a big 'Amen!' to such a verdict...even in his relatively short time thus far in the Oval Office. But surely not for simply sharing his (hopefully honest) condolences with Senator McCain's surviving family while sparing us the disingenuous piffle of pretending he himself esteemed the man...
*What unplannable irony the other day, when hearing coverage of one of the seemingly innumerable and interminable Senate/Congressional hearings in Washington D.C. - whether about the proposed new member of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Brett **Kavanaugh, or the various ongoing committee meetings to establish whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the 2016 American Presidential outcome - that one particular (dissenting Democratic Senator, I believe) had that for his very surname - i.e. Whitehouse.
Though was there not once a staunch anti-pornography campaigner by the selfsame name? Or I am getting all confused between the likes of ***Davina someone-or-other and the ****one-time leftwing powerhouse of the British Labo[u]r Party, *****Mary Whitehouse? Whatever...
**The (u-less) surname also of a special friend of mine, Rachel, who, completely out of the blue, suddenly departed this earthly life back in March 2013...as well as that of a former Catholic priest who read a poem or suchlike at my beloved - very non-Catholic (just for the record) - beloved Grandma 'Billie''s cremation service 21-some years ago now...
****No, that's Barbara Castle, I believe... - and now, as either 'the big Ronnie' (the long-since deceased R Barker) or 'the little Ronnie' (the much more recently departed R Corbett) put it, ....would'ya credit it, that sentence was so long I've since forgotten...?
*****/***Actually, as I've just now discovered (like Justice Kavanaugh's properly spelt name), via ye good 'ole Wikipaedia pages thereabouts, and as succinctly as I can put it: Mary Whitehouse was a [conservative] English social activist; and Davina Whitehouse an English-born NZ actress. So my much-critiqued (by myself!) memory is not really all that bad after all...specifics notwithstanding!
******The real meaning of this oft-used and much-abused term. I.e. not 'very much of' or 'lavish as', as one frequently hears it employed as, but, as my trusty Chambers Concise Dictionary renders it: 'cloying or causing surfeit; nauseous; offensive; rank; disgustingly fawning'. As in obsequious to the nth degree, to put it in plain English.
*******Or rather foursome (eightsome) thereabouts, as Charlie and his uncle were glaring - or rather glorious - exceptions to that rule...in the wonderful first edition of that film, anyway...
Sunday, September 2, 2018
So Much Constantly Going Down - Throughout this Net-Bridged World of ours - How can one possibly even begin to do it a Modicum of Justice?
Yes, I admit I'm defeated before I even begin, the task before me is a sheer impossibility...and moreover I'm so way behind time in dealing with so many of these 'matters of interest' that I'm baffled myself in getting to grips with, let alone onto 'paper' thereabouts... . Yet begin I must, and so...
...let me do so as best I can (in the short time available to me this Sunday eve)...
Hopefully more in-depth 'pieces' will come from my generously-gifted laptop keypad in days to come...but for now, let me 'say', as succinctly as I know how (ever a *sore trial for Yours Truly) that I intend dealing with and to the following 'topics' in the not too distant...
*The death overnight (or so) of the renowned British scholar/historian David Yallop.
*The recent historic and protest-plagued papal visit to the once Roman Catholic bastion of Ireland.
*Related 'controversy' that has dogged and bedevilled the Vatican and RCC over recent times.
*The death of John McCain and the non-reaction/response of a certain well-known world figure.
...and a myriad of other interesting bits 'n bobs I believe will interest many of my bloggership...
*And how appropriately, I just stumbled upon a new word that brilliantly epitomizes my lifelong predicament thereabouts: logorrrhoea - Excessive flow of words esp. in mental illness (according to my ever trusty, beloved Granny's-gifted, Concise Oxford Dictionary). A 'statement' vis-a-vis myself that is patently true in more ways than the proverbial, I must hasten to add...
...let me do so as best I can (in the short time available to me this Sunday eve)...
Hopefully more in-depth 'pieces' will come from my generously-gifted laptop keypad in days to come...but for now, let me 'say', as succinctly as I know how (ever a *sore trial for Yours Truly) that I intend dealing with and to the following 'topics' in the not too distant...
*The death overnight (or so) of the renowned British scholar/historian David Yallop.
*The recent historic and protest-plagued papal visit to the once Roman Catholic bastion of Ireland.
*Related 'controversy' that has dogged and bedevilled the Vatican and RCC over recent times.
*The death of John McCain and the non-reaction/response of a certain well-known world figure.
...and a myriad of other interesting bits 'n bobs I believe will interest many of my bloggership...
*And how appropriately, I just stumbled upon a new word that brilliantly epitomizes my lifelong predicament thereabouts: logorrrhoea - Excessive flow of words esp. in mental illness (according to my ever trusty, beloved Granny's-gifted, Concise Oxford Dictionary). A 'statement' vis-a-vis myself that is patently true in more ways than the proverbial, I must hasten to add...
Friday, August 31, 2018
A Date That Ever Holds Significance - & Not Just for the British Monarchy (Bless Their Hearts)
Yes, August the 31st is a date forever seared into the hearts and minds and souls of people worldwide - especially Westerners; as the unforgettable day upon which 'we all' learnt to our 'shock & horror' that the 'peoples' princess', Princess Diana (Spencer), had departed this earthly life in a nasty road chase through/'accident' in a tunnel in Paris. And I wrote extensively (just for your info, if you're at all interested) vis-a-vis that dramatic moment now etched in our collective memories/consciousness on the 20th anniversary thereof last year...(on either this or my other blogsite, which, just for your recollection, is http://nuffsaid:consideryourself-frombothsidesnow.blogspot.co.nz/ (or .com/).
No, I never miss a chance to *plug my blogsites, do I, but be that as it well may... . On this occasion I simply wish, and quite succinctly, to pay brief (but for me meaningful) tribute to a New Zealand totara who likewise finished his earthly sojourn upon this selfsame date back in 1974, some 44 years ago this evening... . As the song which the September Bulldog Band played at the TV Studio One awards that very night so memorably declared:
the man of Big Labour [was] our big Norm...our great National treasure [was] our big Norm...
the man of Social Credit [was] our big Norm...the man of our Values [was] our big Norm
Yes, Norman Eric Kirk strode the stage of NZ Inc - and the South Pacific (if not our world) - as few other politicians ever have. Probably why he - like **so many of the good and great do - died so young...and deeply mourned. But the reason I mention him (probably one third and final time) this holy, Sabbath eve - a time I rarely make blogposts (for that very reason) - is that he, alongside his immediate predecessor, John ('Jack') Marshall (of the National Party), were arguably the last truly Christian leaders - in deed as well as (articulate, or otherwise) word - Aotearoa-New Zealand
has, and will likely ever again, see...
Moreover - and as a natural (if obvious) consequence of the foregoing - he/they held the ground against the sort of social and theological liberalism that has since taken over the traditional Left and more importantly, taken Western societies down a virtual road of no return as ye 'ole motto 'anything goes' has now become the present-day watchword of our culture and looks set to readily and in the not too distant become our collective epitaph!
*Not that I ever make one lousy cent even off of them all or any of 'em, ya understand...
**Though I don't include ye average dissolute, over-sexed, drugged out, rock 'n rollin' popstar amidst that number...though perhaps a few came to their senses before they finally passed out and off this mortal coil...
No, I never miss a chance to *plug my blogsites, do I, but be that as it well may... . On this occasion I simply wish, and quite succinctly, to pay brief (but for me meaningful) tribute to a New Zealand totara who likewise finished his earthly sojourn upon this selfsame date back in 1974, some 44 years ago this evening... . As the song which the September Bulldog Band played at the TV Studio One awards that very night so memorably declared:
the man of Big Labour [was] our big Norm...our great National treasure [was] our big Norm...
the man of Social Credit [was] our big Norm...the man of our Values [was] our big Norm
Yes, Norman Eric Kirk strode the stage of NZ Inc - and the South Pacific (if not our world) - as few other politicians ever have. Probably why he - like **so many of the good and great do - died so young...and deeply mourned. But the reason I mention him (probably one third and final time) this holy, Sabbath eve - a time I rarely make blogposts (for that very reason) - is that he, alongside his immediate predecessor, John ('Jack') Marshall (of the National Party), were arguably the last truly Christian leaders - in deed as well as (articulate, or otherwise) word - Aotearoa-New Zealand
has, and will likely ever again, see...
Moreover - and as a natural (if obvious) consequence of the foregoing - he/they held the ground against the sort of social and theological liberalism that has since taken over the traditional Left and more importantly, taken Western societies down a virtual road of no return as ye 'ole motto 'anything goes' has now become the present-day watchword of our culture and looks set to readily and in the not too distant become our collective epitaph!
*Not that I ever make one lousy cent even off of them all or any of 'em, ya understand...
**Though I don't include ye average dissolute, over-sexed, drugged out, rock 'n rollin' popstar amidst that number...though perhaps a few came to their senses before they finally passed out and off this mortal coil...
Friday, August 24, 2018
Zimbabwe Post-Election 2018: Part 6: So What Else Remains to be Said?
Probably not a heckuva lot, having now covered recent political events/developments there pretty well backwards and forwards and all over the place...and then some. But since I promised...
"Any claim [lodged, of election-rigging/taking the election by fraud] we will cooperate with...if [such is] taken to the Electoral Commission or Supreme Court...because we know we have not engaged in any vote-rigging".
Such high-minded 'stuff' was broadcast over the BBC World News at 6 a.m. on August the 18th. And the speaker (of such an idealistic-sounding commitment to democratic principles and values such as we might consider the norm in - at least pre-2000 - general elections throughout the Western world)? No, you guessed wrong - I mean, right (on)!
Of course it wasn't Zimbabwean President-Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa...no, not by a country mile. Rather it was the - provisionally - newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister, former longserving high-profile cricket captain *Imran Khan, the long-term candidate for high office there who was just then s/elected as P.M. by all (the various, both major and minor) parties - and **individual players presumably - in the Pakistani Parliament.
So far, so good - Khan at least is maintaining 'admirable' lip-service to the ***age-old democratic ethos.
*As per my other, recent, extensively-footnoted (?#5) blogpost on Zimbabwe (and lotsa interesting, quite unrelated matters) - and especially as a lay theologian of longstanding - I've been intrigued for literally years, even decades, as to the likelihood of Imran Khan (and in a pre-celebrity-cum-political leader era, to boot) possibly being one of the political leaders foretold in the Good Book as wielding significant influence in the Earth's last days...if not - and from my biblical studies he definitely is not - the actual, long-foretold Antichrist.
**Do they have the odd independent there as well? Who'd know - our (kiwi) media hardly ever reports on Pakistani politics, so why should anyone here even know, said media - sadly, probably rightfully - assuming no-one in God's Own even so much as cares?
***Birthed as is well-known - ****I mean, should be - in ancient city-state Greece, though fewer still arguably realize how very few Athenians then were in fact eligible for such electoral participation, let alone the right to 'sit' in their ancient political decision-making assemblies.
****Put it down to this history-deficient generation (or two) who've arisen in the shallow excuse for 'education' and 'lifelong learning' that is modern New Zealand - and doubtless also our cultural counterparts throughout the Western world. Yes, shallow, soul-skimming superficiality is the order of the day in our 'so sophisticated' modern era...and she looks set to be downhill from here on in, folks!
Continued (Now) Much More Succinctly...
...Two days on, and - appropriately enough no doubt - following the completely unsurprising decision of the Zimbabwean Supreme Court to toss out the electoral challenge by the Opposition MDC and its leader Nelson Chamira to Zimbabwe's recently-conducted election. Well, 'surprise, surprise!' What an unexpected development - not!
So what can decent Zimbabweans now do? Precious little, although perhaps that depends upon one's perspective upon life...because 'hope and pray(er)' over the centuries and even millennia have been said capable of moving mountains. And by none other than the Master Himself. Though 'faith and patience' are usually 'an even better bet' - but unfortunately there is no biblical sanction for even supposing that the long-fraught nation-state of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe will ever return to democratic norms in this old, fast-self-destructing, world of ours...
But if said result was really, truly legitimate and completely above-board, why then did the then Government (of Emmerson Mnangagwa) immediately *thereafter ransack the Central Headquarters of the Movement for Democratic Change in Harare - if not to seize MDC proof of the real results (as was then claimed by MDC spokespeople) - and then, days later, pester/harass/arrest up to 19 MDC parliamentarians...and then...barely a week or so later, this time apparently successfully seize the evidence of the true balloting that the MDC had up to that point successfully secreted away into safekeeping at some unknown destination. Ballots which point blank proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nelson Chamira had actually been elected President of Zimbabwe.
But even **Robert Mugabe and his would-(have)-be(en) successor Grace Mugabe no longer support Mnangagwa - to be sure, doubtless for rather petty personal motives - but that nevertheless ought to give outsiders pause for thought and reflection. Though perhaps - having wielded essentially tyrannical power over Zimbabweans for almost four decades - they themselves have long since become quite oblivious to threats and almost believe themselves invincible at this point in time and unlikely to ever be dealt to (in a deadly fashion).
Yet oddly enough long-serving President Mugabe now appears rather innocuous in comparison with his successor, who - let's be in absolutely no doubt, whatsoever - was ever and always the henchman at Mugabe's right side - loyal to a fault (and well beyond). Someone who not only did Mugabe's 'dirty work' on his behalf, but arguably way exceeded his brief (see: Matabeleland - as I've briefly referred to in various of my five (immediately) previous blogposts), to the point of ultimately carrying out his own personal agenda/vendetta against Joshua Nkomo's forces and supporters...whilst currying favour with and gaining the undying allegiance of Zimbabwe's all-critical armed forces in the process...
*After the first official declaration of electoral results (for President and Parliament, that is).
**Or does he - as his very latest statement seems to indicate - actually support Mnangagwa? Who'd really know, it's such a moving feast, folks; and, as I say, his latest comments make it sound like he indeed does.
Or more likely still - how's this for a nifty conspiracy theory, folks? - it's all been an extremely clever ruse from the very beginning: to (cunningly) gauge the actual level of public support throughout Zimbabwe for the departure of Mugabe while his essential hand remained in place; or rather his right-hand man seamlessly maintained Mugabe's tight as grip upon the country's levers whilst appearing to all outsiders as effecting a non-violent coup d'etat and essentially ousting Mugabe from political office.
A brilliant political stratagem, and one of which the infamous Machiavelli himself would've been exceedingly proud. Yes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Essentially just an adjustment in the deck chairs upon - the personnel manning - the (erstwhile) good ship Zimbabwe, while it progressively sinks beneath the waves and thus vanishes from the collective global consciousness. Just as its current leadership might well wish.
Final Afterthoughts:
There's one essential factor in any declaration that said election be declared null and void. Obviously, that proof be provided as to the actual results on the ground throughout Zimbabwe. But since these, having been secreted/squirrelled away by MDC officials soon after the election - thankfully, prior to the Movement for Democratic Change's central (Harare) headquarters being raided (immediately after the official election result declaration) - were unfortunately then confiscated by state police/military personnel (wherever they had been deposited) a few days later, let's be clear: said Supreme Court investigation was a pure - unmitigated - farce...from start to finish.
So the unprecedented delay in (presidential - but doubtless also parliamentary) election-counting, or rather the declaration thereof; the state-sponsored intimidation of opposition politicians (and devoted supporters) following the broadcast of official results - nay, (psychological and physical) bullying and heavying of, and moreover unlawful arrest, detention and imprisonment, however temporary, thereof; the significant discrepancies in tallies (especially in previously ZANU-PF-supporting rural areas) from previous elections (and reasonable guesstimates thereof); and the masterly way in which Emmerson Mnangagwa has - publicly, officially - made all the right noises in the election aftermath to the MDC and its leader, Nelson Chamira...to me, and doubtless most impartial, disinterested observers, really say it all...
And hey, you'd hardly raid the places where the irrefutable physical proof of election-rigging was held, and moreover confiscate the same, if your intentions were wholly honourable and you had nothing whatsoever to hide...would you...really? And then make damn sure that said proofs never again saw the light of day, much less were presented to the very body, i.e. the Zimbabwean Supreme Court, 'interested' in adjudicating said election and determining the legitimacy or otherwise thereof?
Hey, they're hugely rhetorical questions, as must be obvious - and anyhow, the watching world media essentially couldn't give a damn. No, they've gladly, eagerly bought - consumed, and assimilated - the essential deceit and falsehoods cunningly being disseminated by 'President' Mnangagwa...who's certainly learnt a thing or two off political spin-doctors (and fakenews meisters) throughout the known world... .
But then he's himself sat at the very feet of a master thereof - for three-and-a-half or even four-some decades now - hasn't he...so you'd imagine he'd pick up a trick or several in that time...wouldn't you? Yes indeed he did - and moreover was Robert Mugabe's chief henchman in enforcing his agenda and rule - which thing he indisputably perfected into an art form. And then some.
However like the Western media you maybe really don't care less about it, anyway - though if you've been reading this series of blogposts, I suspect you do care...but like me (and the Zimbabwean opposition) you realize just how futile the quest for truth and justice and democracy really is in that unfortunate land. Yes, it appears the Zimbabwean croc will be rockin' along for some considerable time to come yet...feasting upon his vulnerable prey...whom the apathetic watching world has apparently thrown to him and his many co-predators circling beneath Zimbabwe's turbulent political waters...
"Any claim [lodged, of election-rigging/taking the election by fraud] we will cooperate with...if [such is] taken to the Electoral Commission or Supreme Court...because we know we have not engaged in any vote-rigging".
Such high-minded 'stuff' was broadcast over the BBC World News at 6 a.m. on August the 18th. And the speaker (of such an idealistic-sounding commitment to democratic principles and values such as we might consider the norm in - at least pre-2000 - general elections throughout the Western world)? No, you guessed wrong - I mean, right (on)!
Of course it wasn't Zimbabwean President-Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa...no, not by a country mile. Rather it was the - provisionally - newly-elected Pakistani Prime Minister, former longserving high-profile cricket captain *Imran Khan, the long-term candidate for high office there who was just then s/elected as P.M. by all (the various, both major and minor) parties - and **individual players presumably - in the Pakistani Parliament.
So far, so good - Khan at least is maintaining 'admirable' lip-service to the ***age-old democratic ethos.
*As per my other, recent, extensively-footnoted (?#5) blogpost on Zimbabwe (and lotsa interesting, quite unrelated matters) - and especially as a lay theologian of longstanding - I've been intrigued for literally years, even decades, as to the likelihood of Imran Khan (and in a pre-celebrity-cum-political leader era, to boot) possibly being one of the political leaders foretold in the Good Book as wielding significant influence in the Earth's last days...if not - and from my biblical studies he definitely is not - the actual, long-foretold Antichrist.
**Do they have the odd independent there as well? Who'd know - our (kiwi) media hardly ever reports on Pakistani politics, so why should anyone here even know, said media - sadly, probably rightfully - assuming no-one in God's Own even so much as cares?
***Birthed as is well-known - ****I mean, should be - in ancient city-state Greece, though fewer still arguably realize how very few Athenians then were in fact eligible for such electoral participation, let alone the right to 'sit' in their ancient political decision-making assemblies.
****Put it down to this history-deficient generation (or two) who've arisen in the shallow excuse for 'education' and 'lifelong learning' that is modern New Zealand - and doubtless also our cultural counterparts throughout the Western world. Yes, shallow, soul-skimming superficiality is the order of the day in our 'so sophisticated' modern era...and she looks set to be downhill from here on in, folks!
Continued (Now) Much More Succinctly...
...Two days on, and - appropriately enough no doubt - following the completely unsurprising decision of the Zimbabwean Supreme Court to toss out the electoral challenge by the Opposition MDC and its leader Nelson Chamira to Zimbabwe's recently-conducted election. Well, 'surprise, surprise!' What an unexpected development - not!
So what can decent Zimbabweans now do? Precious little, although perhaps that depends upon one's perspective upon life...because 'hope and pray(er)' over the centuries and even millennia have been said capable of moving mountains. And by none other than the Master Himself. Though 'faith and patience' are usually 'an even better bet' - but unfortunately there is no biblical sanction for even supposing that the long-fraught nation-state of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe will ever return to democratic norms in this old, fast-self-destructing, world of ours...
But if said result was really, truly legitimate and completely above-board, why then did the then Government (of Emmerson Mnangagwa) immediately *thereafter ransack the Central Headquarters of the Movement for Democratic Change in Harare - if not to seize MDC proof of the real results (as was then claimed by MDC spokespeople) - and then, days later, pester/harass/arrest up to 19 MDC parliamentarians...and then...barely a week or so later, this time apparently successfully seize the evidence of the true balloting that the MDC had up to that point successfully secreted away into safekeeping at some unknown destination. Ballots which point blank proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nelson Chamira had actually been elected President of Zimbabwe.
But even **Robert Mugabe and his would-(have)-be(en) successor Grace Mugabe no longer support Mnangagwa - to be sure, doubtless for rather petty personal motives - but that nevertheless ought to give outsiders pause for thought and reflection. Though perhaps - having wielded essentially tyrannical power over Zimbabweans for almost four decades - they themselves have long since become quite oblivious to threats and almost believe themselves invincible at this point in time and unlikely to ever be dealt to (in a deadly fashion).
Yet oddly enough long-serving President Mugabe now appears rather innocuous in comparison with his successor, who - let's be in absolutely no doubt, whatsoever - was ever and always the henchman at Mugabe's right side - loyal to a fault (and well beyond). Someone who not only did Mugabe's 'dirty work' on his behalf, but arguably way exceeded his brief (see: Matabeleland - as I've briefly referred to in various of my five (immediately) previous blogposts), to the point of ultimately carrying out his own personal agenda/vendetta against Joshua Nkomo's forces and supporters...whilst currying favour with and gaining the undying allegiance of Zimbabwe's all-critical armed forces in the process...
*After the first official declaration of electoral results (for President and Parliament, that is).
**Or does he - as his very latest statement seems to indicate - actually support Mnangagwa? Who'd really know, it's such a moving feast, folks; and, as I say, his latest comments make it sound like he indeed does.
Or more likely still - how's this for a nifty conspiracy theory, folks? - it's all been an extremely clever ruse from the very beginning: to (cunningly) gauge the actual level of public support throughout Zimbabwe for the departure of Mugabe while his essential hand remained in place; or rather his right-hand man seamlessly maintained Mugabe's tight as grip upon the country's levers whilst appearing to all outsiders as effecting a non-violent coup d'etat and essentially ousting Mugabe from political office.
A brilliant political stratagem, and one of which the infamous Machiavelli himself would've been exceedingly proud. Yes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Essentially just an adjustment in the deck chairs upon - the personnel manning - the (erstwhile) good ship Zimbabwe, while it progressively sinks beneath the waves and thus vanishes from the collective global consciousness. Just as its current leadership might well wish.
Final Afterthoughts:
There's one essential factor in any declaration that said election be declared null and void. Obviously, that proof be provided as to the actual results on the ground throughout Zimbabwe. But since these, having been secreted/squirrelled away by MDC officials soon after the election - thankfully, prior to the Movement for Democratic Change's central (Harare) headquarters being raided (immediately after the official election result declaration) - were unfortunately then confiscated by state police/military personnel (wherever they had been deposited) a few days later, let's be clear: said Supreme Court investigation was a pure - unmitigated - farce...from start to finish.
So the unprecedented delay in (presidential - but doubtless also parliamentary) election-counting, or rather the declaration thereof; the state-sponsored intimidation of opposition politicians (and devoted supporters) following the broadcast of official results - nay, (psychological and physical) bullying and heavying of, and moreover unlawful arrest, detention and imprisonment, however temporary, thereof; the significant discrepancies in tallies (especially in previously ZANU-PF-supporting rural areas) from previous elections (and reasonable guesstimates thereof); and the masterly way in which Emmerson Mnangagwa has - publicly, officially - made all the right noises in the election aftermath to the MDC and its leader, Nelson Chamira...to me, and doubtless most impartial, disinterested observers, really say it all...
And hey, you'd hardly raid the places where the irrefutable physical proof of election-rigging was held, and moreover confiscate the same, if your intentions were wholly honourable and you had nothing whatsoever to hide...would you...really? And then make damn sure that said proofs never again saw the light of day, much less were presented to the very body, i.e. the Zimbabwean Supreme Court, 'interested' in adjudicating said election and determining the legitimacy or otherwise thereof?
Hey, they're hugely rhetorical questions, as must be obvious - and anyhow, the watching world media essentially couldn't give a damn. No, they've gladly, eagerly bought - consumed, and assimilated - the essential deceit and falsehoods cunningly being disseminated by 'President' Mnangagwa...who's certainly learnt a thing or two off political spin-doctors (and fakenews meisters) throughout the known world... .
But then he's himself sat at the very feet of a master thereof - for three-and-a-half or even four-some decades now - hasn't he...so you'd imagine he'd pick up a trick or several in that time...wouldn't you? Yes indeed he did - and moreover was Robert Mugabe's chief henchman in enforcing his agenda and rule - which thing he indisputably perfected into an art form. And then some.
However like the Western media you maybe really don't care less about it, anyway - though if you've been reading this series of blogposts, I suspect you do care...but like me (and the Zimbabwean opposition) you realize just how futile the quest for truth and justice and democracy really is in that unfortunate land. Yes, it appears the Zimbabwean croc will be rockin' along for some considerable time to come yet...feasting upon his vulnerable prey...whom the apathetic watching world has apparently thrown to him and his many co-predators circling beneath Zimbabwe's turbulent political waters...
Sunday, August 12, 2018
If you believe Zimbabwe under 'the Crocodile' has now miraculously been transformed into a democracy, quite frankly, you'll believe anything
We've again been informed of recent days that the Zimbabwean Opposition Movement for Democratic Change is set - nothing intervening in the meantime - to present its case before the nation's Supreme Court over the next couple of weeks; thus - potentially - delaying/deferring the official inauguration of Zimbabwe's presumptive President-Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa by that time. And so - presuming nothing further happens to prevent that - this appeal (or rather court challenge - to the recent elections) with its corroborating evidence will be duly presented and considered during that period. So far, so good.
But who's to think - why should anyone conclude - that this will all go forward in a proper, legal, above-the-board fashion, without hindrance or active resistance from a top-heavy, iron-fisted state? As I suggested in my title, if you really honestly believe that things will happen thus, you're simply deceiving yourself - bigtime - if not being self-deluded to begin with. Seriously folks!
And so, having thus laid my own cards, so to speak, on the table to begin with, I simply ask your further indulgence as we continue in a careful, thoughtful consideration of what's actually really 'up' in present-day Zimbabwe. If you're ready to go beyond shallow media soundbites and superficial analysis, then I invite you to join me once more as we delve again into the state of democracy in Zimbabwe today; I sincerely hope you won't be disappointed.
In this, part five (and my final, part six) of my mini-series upon the recent elections and status of democracy in the one-time nation of Rhodesia, I'll succinctly enumerate and briefly elaborate upon the basic reasons and various evidences for the claim (I'm obviously supporting via these posts) that Zimbabwe is still - indeed arguably perhaps more than ever - in the grip of an iron-fisted state and its self-appointed head. Which state of affairs - for all with eyes to see or ears to hear - looks set to abate no time soon, or in the foreseeable. But first let's look at some of the counter-evidence that's been in the news...
Sure, we all want to believe the best of any situation, especially some of the incredibly fraught geo-political conflicts and dilemmas of our increasingly complex and problematic day and age. And to think the best of any individual is surely in the DNA of every human being created in the image of its Maker...for those 'simple-minded folk' who still hold to such old-fashioned concepts of life, that is. Yes, I'm one of those - I'm simply playing 'devils' advocate' for those unfamiliar with such irony.
And so why shouldn't we just believe Presumptive-President-Elect Mnangagwa when he - let's give him all due credit, it seems a veritable class act (he's presently performing) - in so many, subtle as well as overt ways, seems to be indicating he is a defanged one-time oppressor, whose default position is now as harmless as ye proverbial domesticated cat? Someone who 'really, truly' (as Dick van Dyke, I think, expresses things in the musical Mary Poppins - or is it rather Willy Wonka himself, pontificating upon his latest scrump-diddly-icious chocolate confectionary, in my all-time favourite - Gene Wilder version - kids' movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? - no matter) has changed his ways?
Why indeed not believe him (that is)? It seems a good and pertinent question. Until one stops a mo(ment) or two and considers how we usually respond to someone in his position, someone who once was unabashedly the tool, nay in his case the very instigator, of political violence (and on such a sickening scale that it earned him the nickname 'the Crocodile').
Yes indeed. For the sort of stuff generally sheeted home to the new Zimbabwean President was nothing less than the wholesale massacring of the supporters - plus no doubt innocent family and friends, and merely townspeople of - the one-time Opposition leader, Joshua Nkomo, 'whose' Matabeleland was given the going over in no uncertain terms by the forces of then President-Elect Robert Mugabe; under one Emmerson Mnangagwa, no less.
So yes, normally someone from such a problematic background first has to prove themselves a truly changed individual before we'll just accept their claims - though truth be told, in places like the Hague they're more often - on the *odd chance they ever get to see and try them - sentenced to life imprisonment 'for crimes against humanity' (and then not seen again in public the rest of their days).
But dealing with 'the real world' as we're confronted with it in places such as Zimbabwe, that sort of scenario is a rare thing indeed, and so we need to be content with 'justice' as it is possible in the circumstances. In the meantime, anyhow. And so, yes, we see someone - President Mnangagwa - who's certainly making all the proper 'noises' to at least appear to be doing and trying to do the right thing by everyone concerned/involved (in Zimbabwe), including international observers specially on duty there at present.
'Things' such as declaring that Opposition leader Nelson Chamira "had an important part to play in a [regenerated] future Zimbabwe" (and its democracy); undoubtedly being directly behind the calling off of the riot police upon MDC leader Chamira's immediate post-election result declaration press conference (before things got totally out of hand); blaming Grace Mugabe (et al) rather than the MDC for an - apparent - assassination attempt upon Mnangagwa's life at an election rally awhile ago; and for talking in a mild and conciliatory fashion as he declared the election ballots to be in his favour...among other things...
To be continued (part 6): So What of Such Apparent 'good faith' moves upon the part of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa? Why Not just take him - the new Mnangagwa - at Face Value?
*Because as anyone with any knowledge of late 20th-Century history well knows, dictators and tyrants like Uganda's Idi Amin and Haiti's 'Doc Duvalier' - among many others - have an unsettling habit of whisking themselves away into dark and secluded corners of the globe where they're often able to carry on in lavish luxury undetected and 'unmolested' pretty well to the end of their (threescore-some allotted) days... .
But who's to think - why should anyone conclude - that this will all go forward in a proper, legal, above-the-board fashion, without hindrance or active resistance from a top-heavy, iron-fisted state? As I suggested in my title, if you really honestly believe that things will happen thus, you're simply deceiving yourself - bigtime - if not being self-deluded to begin with. Seriously folks!
And so, having thus laid my own cards, so to speak, on the table to begin with, I simply ask your further indulgence as we continue in a careful, thoughtful consideration of what's actually really 'up' in present-day Zimbabwe. If you're ready to go beyond shallow media soundbites and superficial analysis, then I invite you to join me once more as we delve again into the state of democracy in Zimbabwe today; I sincerely hope you won't be disappointed.
In this, part five (and my final, part six) of my mini-series upon the recent elections and status of democracy in the one-time nation of Rhodesia, I'll succinctly enumerate and briefly elaborate upon the basic reasons and various evidences for the claim (I'm obviously supporting via these posts) that Zimbabwe is still - indeed arguably perhaps more than ever - in the grip of an iron-fisted state and its self-appointed head. Which state of affairs - for all with eyes to see or ears to hear - looks set to abate no time soon, or in the foreseeable. But first let's look at some of the counter-evidence that's been in the news...
Sure, we all want to believe the best of any situation, especially some of the incredibly fraught geo-political conflicts and dilemmas of our increasingly complex and problematic day and age. And to think the best of any individual is surely in the DNA of every human being created in the image of its Maker...for those 'simple-minded folk' who still hold to such old-fashioned concepts of life, that is. Yes, I'm one of those - I'm simply playing 'devils' advocate' for those unfamiliar with such irony.
And so why shouldn't we just believe Presumptive-President-Elect Mnangagwa when he - let's give him all due credit, it seems a veritable class act (he's presently performing) - in so many, subtle as well as overt ways, seems to be indicating he is a defanged one-time oppressor, whose default position is now as harmless as ye proverbial domesticated cat? Someone who 'really, truly' (as Dick van Dyke, I think, expresses things in the musical Mary Poppins - or is it rather Willy Wonka himself, pontificating upon his latest scrump-diddly-icious chocolate confectionary, in my all-time favourite - Gene Wilder version - kids' movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? - no matter) has changed his ways?
Why indeed not believe him (that is)? It seems a good and pertinent question. Until one stops a mo(ment) or two and considers how we usually respond to someone in his position, someone who once was unabashedly the tool, nay in his case the very instigator, of political violence (and on such a sickening scale that it earned him the nickname 'the Crocodile').
Yes indeed. For the sort of stuff generally sheeted home to the new Zimbabwean President was nothing less than the wholesale massacring of the supporters - plus no doubt innocent family and friends, and merely townspeople of - the one-time Opposition leader, Joshua Nkomo, 'whose' Matabeleland was given the going over in no uncertain terms by the forces of then President-Elect Robert Mugabe; under one Emmerson Mnangagwa, no less.
So yes, normally someone from such a problematic background first has to prove themselves a truly changed individual before we'll just accept their claims - though truth be told, in places like the Hague they're more often - on the *odd chance they ever get to see and try them - sentenced to life imprisonment 'for crimes against humanity' (and then not seen again in public the rest of their days).
But dealing with 'the real world' as we're confronted with it in places such as Zimbabwe, that sort of scenario is a rare thing indeed, and so we need to be content with 'justice' as it is possible in the circumstances. In the meantime, anyhow. And so, yes, we see someone - President Mnangagwa - who's certainly making all the proper 'noises' to at least appear to be doing and trying to do the right thing by everyone concerned/involved (in Zimbabwe), including international observers specially on duty there at present.
'Things' such as declaring that Opposition leader Nelson Chamira "had an important part to play in a [regenerated] future Zimbabwe" (and its democracy); undoubtedly being directly behind the calling off of the riot police upon MDC leader Chamira's immediate post-election result declaration press conference (before things got totally out of hand); blaming Grace Mugabe (et al) rather than the MDC for an - apparent - assassination attempt upon Mnangagwa's life at an election rally awhile ago; and for talking in a mild and conciliatory fashion as he declared the election ballots to be in his favour...among other things...
To be continued (part 6): So What of Such Apparent 'good faith' moves upon the part of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa? Why Not just take him - the new Mnangagwa - at Face Value?
*Because as anyone with any knowledge of late 20th-Century history well knows, dictators and tyrants like Uganda's Idi Amin and Haiti's 'Doc Duvalier' - among many others - have an unsettling habit of whisking themselves away into dark and secluded corners of the globe where they're often able to carry on in lavish luxury undetected and 'unmolested' pretty well to the end of their (threescore-some allotted) days... .
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