I write in complete ignorance as I have not been to Iraq. I know the following facts: * Suicide bombers will do anything to get to their targets. They are becoming more sophisticated as I speak. * Suicide bombers form the second arm of the insurgent attack to disrupt Iraq and prevent it from becoming a democratic, peaceful country. * Suicide bombers use ex
I virtually fell into the role of "Motoring Scribe" when we produced a small camp newsletter in the mountains of Lesotho (a small Kingdom surrounded by South Africa), in 1992. I like motor cars and read a lot about them so it was a natural thing then (anyway I co-edited the mag/newsletter so I could choose my slot!). Imagine a construction camp at 3000 metre
Just two miles away from my home in Cairo an international incident happened three days ago.(plenty of coverage on TV all over the world). A group of Sudanese refugees was "cleared" from their camp next to the UNHCR offices. Over 20 were killed by a brutal Egyptian police assault on their camp. I have seen the camp: Over 2000 people lived on a garden site no bigger th
No, God has no vendetta against you. You're special in His eyes and you need to depend more on Him and less on those who let you down. Believe me when I say that if you do two things you'll feel a lot better. First you must attach yourself to only one thought: No matter what:I'm in God's hands. Second, you must start to believe in yourself :Say: I am a person, darn special and too special to get down because I have a friend. Pray to your friend and say
Here is the question I have to research: Why do some people walk into a room/a shop/a meeting etc and command instant attention. Why do some people have a "force" that causes others to react positively and sometimes subserviently, and why are others bumped to the end of the queue/ignored/left out? What , in fact,constitutes the aura surrounding a popular pers
This Xmas did not come together too well. In fact it was a disaster of Titanic proportions! Here's how it panned out: 18 December : Dear wife comes down with the flu. Stays off school. School is half-full anyway due to disgusting virus.(Ergo, snotty kids equal snotty class teacher). 20 December: Wife returns to classroom coughing and spluttering. Don't kn
have said before that Saddam Hussein should not be tried in Iraq. I say it again. The trial is fast becoming a farce as Saddam continues to insist that he has been tortured---as have some of the other accused. We are now subjected to shows of "tennis elbow", minor scratches and a singular lack of evidence that anyone could have abused the men behind the barrier. How w
You know, living in Cairo I see some of the most amazing vehicles travelling the roads. Some taxis here are over 50 years old! I have a small store of motoring jokes and acronyms (some related to these antiques), and I hope you can contribute some more for me. Here goes: -FIAT means "Fix it again Tony!" -Skoda involved in accident: Bounced Czech! -Why
Tookie chose that lethal injection when he chopped down the life of another person. That was his choice. He could have donated millions to world charities but that doesn't excuse anything. I support the death penalty. It does not bring back the dead but it does carry a potent message: Take another life by violence and you shall be removed from this violent earth in the same way!
Many Joeuser readers will note that I harp on about Zimbabwe. This is because I have so many ex-Rhodesian and ex-Zimbabwean friends. They are, all of them, mourning for a country that was once prosperous and supplied fruit, vegetables, maize and tobacco (1971: biggest tobacco producer in Africa). Please read the link I have supplied to gain more insight into
South Africa suffered a fuel crisis last week due to poor planning caused by the government's intended "clean fuel" programme.It seems that refiineries were gearing up for a clean fuel introduction and forgot about yesterday's needs, today's needs, or next week's for that matter. A fuel crisis is common in Zimbabwe and other under-developed countries in Africa but whe
I think this Blog community is pretty healthy. You only need to look at T-blog and hundreds of others that have no standards to know that Joeuser is feeling a pulse that is regulated, intelligent and pretty darn intellectual. It should stay that way.
Frankly, I think the tents were far more of an offering than was deserved when one considers they were purchased from "protection" money that nations pay as tribute to the UN. I know Egelund is not the brightest boy on the block but I admire his interest, skewed or not. However, Gideon, I don't get the " far more of an offering than deserved" bit. Please elucidate: Are you saying the government of Zim does not deserve tents, or the people them
Comrade Robert Mugabe, eternal president (no capitals deserved), of Zimbabwe, Great mongoose of Africa, Heavenly God of nothing, King of disaster mismanagement etc. etc. has refused tents from the UN to house the 700 000 rendered homeless by his " Clear Out Trash" campaign. Jan Egelund, UN Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs, a man I greatly admire, has
The young David Cameron, MP for Whitney, became the new Tory leader today. He is a confident, sincere and tough politician. He speaks with authority in the Commons and he pulls no punches. The big question is: Is he tough enough, honest enough and capable enough to remove Blair and Brown? The young Tony Blair, as opposition leader, sounded just like Cameron t
With apologies to those US citizens who think Dubya and his faceless advisors/cabinet/hangers-on, are the next best thing to ice-cream. I won't even go into the whole Iraq thing because, after reading recent news reports, I am worried that Iraq is going Baathist/ Husseinist, just as before. Tales of torture chambers in underground hide-outs sound very "Baathi
Not a put-on Doctor G. More like frustration as I travel to Britain regularly. Now I live peacefully in Egypt and wonder sceptically about the World from one of the friendliest conclaves in the Middle East. The "Small Island" mentality really bothers me. The Big Picture remains vague!
I am British born (Scottish--not English), but have spent my life in Southern Africa and other countries in Africa. I spend time in the UK now and then, so I have become slightly ameliorated in the British way of life. I cannot understand the thinking on the small Island. The British impose "Nanny State" laws on their own citizens that amaze me. -There
I am British born (Scottish--not English), but have spent my life in Southern Africa and other countries in Africa. I spend time in the UK now and then, so I have become slightly ameliorated in the British way of life. I cannot understand the thinking on the small Island. The British impose "Nanny State" laws on their own citizens that amaze me. -There
Thanks for some light relief and great humour. We love dogs and I had to smile at the great and wonderful things dogs do. Our old bulldog did all these--rubbed her arse, snored, licked her crotch and committed a thousand other sins. We loved her! No dogs named after cars? Don't worry dog; there are so many cars that are real dogs!
I learnt to speak Afrikaans and Zulu in South Africa and a sprinkling of Sesotho in Lesotho. I can speak a "sort of " Portuguese from years in Angola but my greatest challenge is Arabic! There is such an enormous gap between speaking Arabic and writing it that I am wondering whether I shall ever get beyond pidgin arabic and the real thing. Arabic can be learnt from a
My wife and I have been very happily married for 33 years. There has been very little tension in our home apart from the normal challenges any family faces. Our late baby is now 18 and living with us. He goes to College and has every gadget known to man. He expectsa lot but gives little---totally spoilt---and fawns on his mother. He and I have shared interests for ye
I really fluffed. I had wanted to paste my latest MERNEWS article into Joeuser (The Iraq thing), and I ended up posting many articles at once. I'm sorry. MERNEWS is one of my hobby blogs and it contains comments and editorial reflection on the current news. I would like it to grow a bit before exposing it too much (if it growsat all!). You are probably asking: How do
What can be done about Iraq? MERNEWS editorial. By MERNEWS Iraq is in a mess--a real mess. MERNEWS believes that this mess can be sorted out but it is going to cost a fortune. Why are terrorists (kindly called insurgents), still pouring into this country? Why are car bombs still going off daily? MERNEWS reports that if Bill Clinton is worrie
Actually, G-Mail is now old hat! It is easy to get and no longer "Exclusive". It does work well though. Interestingly, it is no longer possible to open a G-Mail account if you have a British address. Apparently, a company in England has copyright for the name in the UK. The address was used by this company for mail to its employees.
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