Most of today’s of formula one drivers started out in karts and progressed to other highly competitive forms of racing — before getting their lucky break into the world’s best motorsport showcase. Kart racing enjoyed excellent support in South Africa in the early Nineties and boasted just less than 1 000 competitors in those days. Sadly numbers have dwindled over the years and presently there are about 430 competitors.
"When hell freezes over" took on a new meaning when BMW launched its new X3 recently. We were headed toward Die Hell: desolate, almost abandoned farmland high up in the Cape’s Swartberg mountains. But, the X3 was having little trouble dealing with mother nature. The tight, twisting curves of the stunningly beautiful Meiringspoort pass rarely slowed our pace.
One bright entrepreneur has found the solution for those wishing to indulge to their hearts content without the fear of landing up with a hefty fine, suspended sentence or even jail term. Formed just more than 18 months ago by Adrian Bradley, a BCom graduate, the company seems set to grow in leaps and bounds.
Resurrecting a city is not an easy task. But careful planning, lots of imagination and dollops of persuasion have certainly worked for Neil Fraser, the mastermind behind the rejuvenation of Johannesburg. Fraser heads up the Central Johannesburg Partnership, a company that specialises in creating sound property investments in the city for those that have an eye for the future and a flair for entrepreneurship.
The Volkswagen Golf, now in its fifth incarnation, has been with us for 30 years. In that time, the mother and father of all hatchbacks aimed to become the Beetle of its era, and ended up outselling it. Twenty-two million volks have bought this wagen. And after 30 years of searching for flaws in the Golf, we still haven’t found one.
"People don’t want a war unless you absolutely have to have one, but the media would not present the possibility that there were alternatives — so therefore we went to war very much in the manner of a totalitarian society." That’s Noam Chomsky, responding to questions about the media’s role in the first Gulf War. CNN boss Chris Cramer assures Kevin Bloom that the network has no pro-American agenda.
Because the stuff the financial sector works with — money — can roam the world, it can make itself scarce, hence artificially valuable. So governments must woo capital-owners by competing with other governments to enhance the share of the national cake that goes to people with money — especially by ensuring low wages and taxes. The financial sector has huge influence, yet contributes little to growth and jobs.
Two weeks ago, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan named the Danish civil servant Soren Jessen-Petersen as his new representative in Kosovo, almost five years to the day after Nato proclaimed its victory in its war against the Yugoslav army. A time, then, for celebration and moving forward? Not a bit. Violence will escalate in Kosovo if the UN’s new representative fails to get the international community to deliver support.
Two-time defending champion and top seed Serena Williams of the United States moved into the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Tuesday with a crushing 6-2, 6-1 win over French teenager Tatiana Golovin. Williams will now face either old rival and compatriot Jennifer Capriati or Russia’s Nadia Petrova for a place in the semifinals.
Fourth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France worked her way back from a slow start to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals in London on Tuesday, defeating Italian veteran Silvia Farina Elia 7-5, 6-3. Mauresmo is rated the main threat to top seed and defending champion Serena Williams.