Archive for January, 2008

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Path to Darkness

The following is a post written by both Darren and I. However most of the effort belongs to Darren while I couldn’t bear to let it go to waste for its concise summary of the debacle in management of this issue:
Sitting in the darkness induced by the latest Eskom blackout one can’t but help feel [...]

Filed under: General

Friday, January 25, 2008

Question

How come China manages to bring a new power plant online every ten days, while we’re expected to take four years just to recommission power plants that we already have?

Filed under: General

We Still Need Nuclear Power

I’ve disagreed with Ian Gilfillan on the issue of nuclear power before, so I was curious to see his response to the power crisis. Has being in the dark changed his mind about nuclear power? Not exactly, although his practical objections have merit:

Besides all of its other problems, nuclear power has a long lead-time. Waiting [...]

Filed under: General

The Power of Pessimism

Richard Catto’s entry which Laurence wrote on quite convincingly – despite Catto’s bleating to the otherwise – got me thinking as to why we’re all so gloomy about our country’s prospects all of a sudden. Catto argues that us white folks instantly jump to the conclusion that it’s race-related, ie “black governments are bad” and [...]

John | 08:48:42 | Permalink | Comments (13)
Filed under: General

Politics As Usual

The Italian government collapses. Whatever one thinks of Berlusconi’s politics or questionable character, the fact that he managed to hold together a working coalition for so long in a country notorious for its political instability remains an impressive feat.

Laurence | 00:26:53 | Permalink | Comment?
Filed under: General

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Is It A Black Thing? No.

Richard Catto on Cape Town News has written an appalling post, essentially positing that “complaining about power cuts = racism”:

I find it amazing how some South Africans are so eager and quick to paint South Africa in the darkest possible shades of black, given any setback. It’s as if the problems which afflict us are [...]

Laurence | 23:45:02 | Permalink | Comments (7)
Filed under: General

The Energy Crisis: Markets vs. Central Planning

There’s a been a lot of criticism of the South African government on this blog lately. This is unsurprising. We’re all young, hip, tech-savvy bloggers (well, maybe “hip” is a bit of a stretch) who grew up during the 1990s, and we all go slightly crazy when the power goes down. Moreover, the criticism [...]

Laurence | 09:26:19 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under: General

Remember that War?

With the current gloom enshrouding South Africa’s political climate, together with the dog and pony show that is the US primaries, it’s easy to forget about that little thing called the Iraq War, and how it’s undeniably starting to turn around. For myself, someone who advocated what was at times a slim hope and faith [...]

John | 08:24:11 | Permalink | Comment?
Filed under: General

Monday, January 21, 2008

Discontent Continued

Wayne’s recent post set me thinking about the path of South Africa and where I fit into it. Make no mistake, this country is in rapid decline. Even the most ardent optimists predict gloomy futures for our country, and I have expressed as much myself, only I have changed some opinions since. Indeed, only the [...]

John | 07:17:13 | Permalink | Comments (12)
Filed under: General

Thursday, January 17, 2008

No Longer Optimistic

I’m not going to engage in any in-depth analysis of the current power crisis aflicting the country. Contrary to past form I admit that I am fed up with the poor governance of the ANC coupled with the debacles that are Mbeki and Zuma. This has also forced me towards a distressing conclusion: if I [...]

Wayne | 23:51:16 | Permalink | Comments (25)
Filed under: General

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Getting the Right Wrong

It seems with the primaries and the successes in Iraq nobody wants to hear about the war anymore, so I have followed suit! Kevin McCullough wrote a rather stirring rant on the hit console role-playing game Mass Effect in which he ‘challenges’ 2008 candidates to put their foot down and regulate producers of filthy sex-crazed [...]

John | 10:19:01 | Permalink | Comments (2)
Filed under: General

Monday, January 14, 2008

Selebi: Anger and Relief

Jackie Selebi has been placed on “extended leave” and will almost certainly be charged very soon in the future. With any luck, one of the most sordid sagas in the history of post-apartheid South Africa draws to an end. Unfortunately, Selebi has managed to drag down many of his opponents with him, including Vusi Pikoli, [...]

Laurence | 10:02:57 | Permalink | Comments (1)
Filed under: General