* Of the 6 or so African nations taking part in the World Cup, Togo came closest today to winning a game. However, the Koreans came back strongly in the second half to beat this small African country. I cannot help thinking that Senegal or Cameroun could have done better but that is the luck of the draw! * South Africa hosts the next World cup in 2010 and I am told that preparations for this festival of football are well in hand. * Zimbabwe continues to worry the UN because of its gross...

As a non-American I would be interested to hear about your views on Guantanamo Bay after the suicide of 3 prisoners. The comments from Admiral Harris about "assymetrical" warfare worry me. Is he using politic-speak to explain away these deaths or is he not too concerned because this may be a protest to draw attention to their plight and motivate action from terrorist sympathisers? On the other hand is he ducking an issue that needs serious contemplation due to the World's reaction. When I...

Dear Thabo, I am sorry I was unable to meet you at the Commonwealth Conference. Blair and that swine Clark would not let me attend. I assure you they will pay in blood for that snub. It is people like Blair who give Africa a bad name. That Jingo is so full of himself after becoming friendly with Bush. In fact, I have banned all British and American products from Zimbabwe (including Marmite and Mc Donalds), and I have issued a decree that no Mars bars will be sold anywhere. Our farming has...

The news from Africa is bleaker than usual but I shall add a ray or two of sunshine! * SOMALIA is in the news again. This impoverished country has not rested in the past 15 years. It was in 1990 that the infamous warlord Mohamed Aideed sought to take control of the country. You know what happened after that! Now, the US backed Warlords running Mogadishu, the capital, have been expelled by the Islamist Militia and the city is, as usual, enveloped in a war of greater intensity. There are rum...

I should not even be posting this blog because it concerns a very emotional issue that affects every member of my family--and because I was upset by an incident of cruelty.I have to post my thoughts, though, because I get upset and have to get some of my anger out. You see, we are animal lovers and we accept no half measures when it comes to animal welfare. We do not condone zoos, dolphinariums or animal vivisection for the sake of medicine. Sorry, we know some experiments have helped mankind...

In drawing up my wish list I decided to concentrate on those people who are not living up to expectations for the good of the World and those who may be able to help make things better. S0, I wish that: * Donald Rumsfeld would get off his arse and work out, with his Generals, a way to prevent suicide bombers getting through to aspirant new police/army recruits in Iraq and, more importantly, how to protect innocent civilians from being blown up (I am deadly serious--I know it is difficult, ...

As the embattled Tony Blair shuffles his cabinet after disastrous Labour party losses in council elections,I wonder if he realises that the Scots, always prominent in Westminster politics, are quietly making a run towards total rule of the "Sassenachs"! Consider the following facts and judge whether you think there is no Scottish "coup" in the offing: There is no doubt that "Oor Dour Gordon" Brown will take over from Blair. The Chancellor is the "Heir Apparent" and will, eventually be T...

My stomach turns at the amazing things that the World and its so-called leaders get up to. Please help me (if it is at all possible), to a mature, balanced judgement of the World when, in cynical vein,I try to understand man and his failings. Here are the Palooka's running our World: * Evo Morales, leader of Bolivia, nationalises his oil and gas fields, seemingly not aware that Brazilian gas interests are vested in his country. Is this man sane? * The USA, Britain, Australia et al, invad...

Lieut. Col. Stephen Jordan is being held responsible for the Abu Ghraib embarrassment. Don't tell me the buck stops at a lowly Lieutenant Colonel! Was he the wild card--the top man? If so, did he have no senior officers above him monitoring Abu Ghraib? I don't think so. The rot doesn't stop at Jordan's door and the authorities better do a more complete job.

I believe the Blair government is heading for a fall. I don't know when but every day brings new revelations about incompetence or indiscretion. If I were headmaster Tony I would really have a talk with my staff (i.e. cabinet). Look at the record of one week in the life of a cabinet: # Tony and company have a failing NHS on their hands. # Patricia Hewitt has nurses on her back. # Tessa Jowell has a husband who is accused of impropriety. # Prescott is sleeping with a secretary. # Tony...

My wife and I spent a year in England to be near our daughter and her husband. I'm a bored old critter so I decided to look for work. I'm an avid gardener so applied to be a nurseryman. No luck--too old. I guess they thought that carrying plants might be a chore for a fifty-nine year old! Then I applied for a job in PR. Surely my years as a principal might convince them that I had PR skills. No---59 year olds might fall and have an accident while successfully selling an idea. An application t...

Ah, the big six-oh! You know you're sixty when: -you confuse a sand wedge with a putter. -you have more hair in your ears and nose than on your head. -traffic cops call you "sir", but still write the ticket. -your dog regards you as a pouff. -your wife regards you as an Egyptian relic. -men aged forty call you "Pops". -you wander supermarkets aimlessly looking for a toilet. -you cannot remember your PIN at the ATM. -you only get an erection from a full bladder. -you don't care wher...

Ah, the big six-oh! You know you're sixty when: -you confuse a sand wedge with a putter. -you have more hair in your ears and nose than on your head. -traffic cops call you "sir", but still write the ticket. -your dog regards you as a pouff. -your wife regards you as an Egyptian relic. -men aged forty call you "Pops". -you wander supermarkets aimlessly looking for a toilet. -you cannot remember your PIN at the ATM. -you only get an erection from a full bladder. -you don't care wher...

I am a fairly gentle person and I believe that human life is precious but, unlike many other conservative Christians , I believe in the death penalty. Why? Because there are people on our planet who have no regard for the lives of others. They are cruel, abusive members of our animal clan and because they are the worst animals, having no morals or feelings, being corrupt and unfeeling, I support the termination of their lives. Prison is not the place for a maniac who loses sight of ri...