Blog Entries
No, I did not enjoy Dune
9 March 2022 — I have a great-nephew who is an acclaimed filmmaker. I like his film reviews — I like reading them because he offers really nuanced insights, and I'm glad he shares them. So, this was his review of Dune (2021) reproduced here with his permission: Where do I even begin. Dune...
Israel and Russia: it's coming together
8 March 2022 — Israel’s prime minister Naftali Bennett was in Moscow Saturday, 5 March 2022. He was at the Kremlin to meet with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin. After a 3 hour meeting, Bennett headed to Berlin to meet German chancellor Olaf Scholz. If you’re wondering why you haven’t...
Israel and the US: it's coming apart
7 March 2022 — As far back as I can remember, Israel has been able to rely on one constant in its engagements with the rest of the world — the unassailable support of the United States of America. When Donald Trump was elected, he elevated the Middle East to the top of his agenda: Trump...
Here's why petrol at R40/litre looks real
6 March 2022 — 1. South Africa has been in import mode for fuel in the recent past. What that means is that instead of importing crude oil and refining it locally into petrol, diesel etc, we are now directly importing those fuel types separately. The tilt to imports was caused by the loss...
It gives me hope when I see things like this...
5 March 2022 — Some wise words on a chat group I visit occasionally. I'll let them speak for themselves. What I'm seeing is that we all look at the situation through the lens of our own experience and perspectives. I agree with this and have recently been raked over the coals by US and EU...
Let the dogs bark...
4 March 2022 — This evening’s train of thought, triggered by recent events in that part of the world with hot women, ugly men, and nukes, naturally ended with a bottle of vodka. Let me explain. In 1472, Ivan III, Grand Duke of Muscovy, completed the expansion of what was once a medieval...
Let's take a break from the war and talk sci-fi
3 March 2022 — In 1991, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, took to the screens. This would become William Shatner’s final voyage on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise as Captain James T. Kirk. The premise of the movie is that the Klingon moon Praxis, a key energy production facility...
The UN Votes: vox populi vox dei
2 March 2022 — The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution today demanding Russia immediately end its military operations in Ukraine. The resolution won overwhelming support from 141 of the 193-member body. It demands Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its...
Is this 'systemic racism'?
1 March 2022 — I tend to collect random bits of data which I parse at a later date in my quest to seek enlightenment. Today’s candidate is a report from the American Heart Association titled 2022 Heart Disease & Stroke Statistical Update Fact Sheet Black Race & Cardiovascular...
Explainer: Russia's Riches to Roubles story
28 February 2022 — When I moved from the United States to Italy in 1992 to start work as a senior research scientist at the Centre for Advanced Studies, Research and Development in Sardinia , I thought I was getting an excellent deal. My new salary was a substantial improvement over what I...
Dreams die in times of war
27 February 2022 — Around 2017, One of my closest friends and I planned a road trip. The idea was to fly to Vladivostok on the east coast of Russia, buy a car, and drive from there largely following the route of the Trans-Siberian Railway across to Moscow. We would then sell the vehicle in...