Archives for 2006

Every night – for over a fortnight – last November, youths from marginalized Muslim and black communities emulated 1960s black Americans by setting cars and buildings ablaze all over France to unleash pent-up frustrations with the country’s entrenched and pervasive practice of institutionalized and social racism. And even though many of us would have preferred… Read more.

Last week, I wrote this article (for a different publication) lamenting the fecklessness of the United Nations as a peacekeeping and humanitarian organization – especially where conflicts and crises in Africa are concerned. And I concluded with this admonition: …as our brothers and sisters in Haiti and Darfur know all too well: if your country… Read more.

Just over a month ago, I posted this article detailing some of the graphic and damningly-probative testimony by the HIV-positive woman who claimed that Jacob Zuma – her dead father’s best friend and the man she regarded as her adopted father – had raped her. In his defense, however, Zuma took the stand and testified… Read more.

It has become fashionable for people to dismiss David Blaine as a publicity-seeking huckster with delusions of magical grandeur; instead of the death-defying illusionist he fancies himself to be. And, it certainly did not help his credibility when he failed last night to break the “static apnea” (holding one’s breath underwater) record of 8 minutes,… Read more.

Silvio Berlusconi has been the richest and most charismatic man in Italy for many years. But the origins of his fortune remain such a mystery that many accuse him of “going into politics so as to not go to jail”. And into politics he did go. Moreover, few were surprised when he became the most… Read more.

Reports are that Osama bin Laden has given his most-trusted disciples an edict to kill him if it ever becomes clear that he will be captured by the Americans. (Why not commit suicide like he’s commanded so many of his followers to do? Because he’s a coward who lives furtively and anxiously in a cave… Read more.

American education geography Read more.

Never let it be said, again, that President George W. Bush is such a stubborn fool that no matter how disastrous any of his policies turn out to be (Iraq), he will stick with it – in the delusional belief that this demonstrates “strong leadership.” Because, after his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin… Read more.

Yesterday, after 7 days of deliberation, the jury in the case of the only al-Qaeda terrorist to be tried for the 9/11 attacks on America returned a sentence of life in prison, instead of the death sentence prosecutors sought and most Americans evidently expected. But, even though controversial and conflicted, this decision not only vindicates… Read more.