Evanston: Jacob Zuma; two 3’s that aren’t 10’s
Evanston: Jacob Zuma; two 3’s that aren’t 10’s
Something important happened yesterday in South Africa, when Jacob Zuma decisively defeated Thabo Mbeki in an election to become the leader of the ANC. In what is effectively a one-party system, this means that Zuma will almost certainly become the next President of the country. What that means, neither I nor anyone else, probably including Jacob Zuma, knows.
Mr. Zuma is a populist, who appeals to the masses who have discovered that the end of apartheid did not mean the end of poverty and AIDS. Criminal charges of rape have been dismissed against him, but corruption charges relating to possible kick-backs on an arms deal remain.
Mr. Mbeki is a suit. The son of a contemporary and friend of Nelson Mandela, he famously has doubted the relationship between AIDS and HIV.
Mr. Zuma has publicly stated that after having unprotected sex with a woman he knew to be HIV positive, he felt it sufficient to take a shower.
I like South Africa very much. I feel a great affinity for the continent, which is inexplicable beyond that science says we were all Africans in the beginning. Quite possibly I will sail there next year. If so, it will be interesting to see what I find.
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We recently watched SPIDERMAN 3 and the third Bourne movie, THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM.
Carol and I saw the first SPIDERMAN in Cape Town five years ago. I thought it and the second were o.k. But either I’ve gotten a lot older or the movies have gotten a lot dumber. No Spider 4 for me.
I also found THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM less entertaining than the first two. Other than a few clever camera angles: one a shot of part of a man’s face over part of another man’s shoulder; and the final shot looking up at a silhouetted body in the East River; the movie is a long chase with a lot of car wrecks.
The series has done wonders for Matt Damon’s career, and, presumably, his bank balance.
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The photo is another I came across while organizing my collection. It was taken aboard THE HAWKE OF TUONELA two years ago on a mooring off SavuSavu, Fiji.
A few weeks ago a Force 4 cyclone was bearing down from the north on SavuSavu, which is located on the island of Vanua Levu. Just before landfall the cyclone unexpectedly turned due east and went all the way around the end of the island.
The narrow anchorage at SavuSavu is protected on three sides, but wide open to the west. Some of the moorings are claimed to be cyclone proof. Usually fifteen or twenty boats wait out the season there. I’m sure their owners are relived not to have put the moorings to the test.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007