In confrontation with non-state actors, states can get away with almost anything. In the case of the Zionist state, I have no doubt that there will be no international accountability or sanction — in part because the International Court of Justice is likely to fail in any attempt to bring them to account. Also because Washington will stand with its closest Middle Eastern ally. But overall because nobody in power can get themselves to say anything critical of Zionism, out of fear of being accused of anti-Semitism.
Film Review: ROH
It has been almost 30 years since I last wrote a film review. Although I spend most of every day at my keyboard, my columns – mainly on global political economy, and on South African state and society – and the book I am working on, takes up most of my time. Then there is…
Malaysian Film and Reviews
While I have always preferred European film, I have increasingly been watching more films from Asia (and less from the USA), and found some gems. I will share some thoughts on my blog. In the meantime, I enjoy the film reviews of Zan Azlee, a journalist and filmmaker, and his partner, Sheril Bustaman, who recommended…
How is Astrology still a thing?
The easy answer to the question in the headline is fairly easy. It is because there are people who (still) believe in astrology, and there are people who (still) earn a living from telling stories about horoscopes – never mind scientific evidence that demonstrates that astrology is, actually, bunk. It’s all rather sad and pathetic,…
A look back at 2020
One of the people whom I follow on social media, and whose insights on all things tech I admire, does this thing every year where she answers a set of questions. See her blog post at Nafisa.co.za and follow her on Twitter @nafisa1 Since I am on a little break, I thought I would give…
The Comments Section
I have long since given up reading the comments section of online publications. On the occasion that I do read what I have written – once it’s published I typically don’t care much – I am often gobsmacked by the comments, and the lack of understanding of how journalism works. While there is a general…
The Cruelty of Deliberate Forgetting
I am posting this edited version of a talk I gave, three years after it was published in the Mail & Guardian. It was not a paid assignment. I am placing it here as a type of community service/outreach/ The 1980s — represented in the exhibition Between States of Emergency: Photographers in Action 1985-1990 — were a…
Anton Lubowski Memorial Lecture
I was a panelist on the 2020 Anton Lebowski Memorial Lecture hosted by Stellenbosch University on 12 September. This year’s theme was on Social Justice. Below is the video. Please leave comments if you wish.
Birdie Courageous
A winter’s day in Verona, Italy. The part of this sequence that I like is the daring of the bird, and that I made the pictures with an iPhone 5.
On the streets of Istanbul
Below is set of pictures I took in Istanbul in 2012.