Monthly Archives: April 2013

North Korea – a nation or an abomination?

There were murmurs in Japan about these abductions but the government did not take them seriously for “lack of evidence” until the late 1980s, when some North Korean defectors provided corroboration.  Finally, in 2002, after years of denial, Papa Kim … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 5 Comments

Swaziland – tradition, autocracy and corruption – II

A police spokeswoman said that women make it easier for rapists by wearing mini-skirts. “The act of the rapist is made easy because it would be easy to remove the half-cloth worn by the women,” she said.

Posted in Travelogues | 2 Comments

Swaziland – tradition, autocracy and corruption – I

Ever since first reading, many long years ago, about the traditional dance ceremony where the Swazi king selects a new bride to join his harem, I had been fascinated by this obscure and exotic country.  But I found Swaziland to … Continue reading

Posted in Travelogues | 5 Comments

Parties, Leagues and Gates

The addition of the suffix “-gate” to any significant negative event or development, real or imagined, instantly transforms it into a national scandal and conspiracy, particularly if so desired by a couple of TV anchors and a lawyer or two.

Posted in Current Affairs | 4 Comments