Most people who see Robin Williams loathe him. Sarah Gristwood asks if he’s really that bad The jokes aren’t that funny. On Albert Einstein: “There’s even a theory that his first wife came up with the theory of relativity. Which would make it the theory of relatives.” On film flying: “The harness shorts are like […]
Barbara Ludman ROADKILL by Kinky Friedman (Faber & Faber, R69,99) There have been many books featuring the author as amiable detective, once the main man in a country and western band, now ensconced in a New York loft with a cat, a good supply of cigars and a singing espresso machine. The Kinky Friedman saga […]
Joe Hanlon A SECOND LOOK `Greater humility” is needed, admitted the World Bank’s chief economist and senior vice- president, Joseph Stiglitz, in a speech in which he called for an end to “misguided” policies imposed from Washington. Stiglitz’s condemnation of the “Washington Consensus” and the conditions imposed on poor countries must raise fundamental questions about […]
Andrew Worsdale Over the past month and a half or so every film-maker, writer or acquaintance I’ve run into has asked me: “Did you apply?”, “Have you heard?”, “When are they gonna tell us?” It all culminated in the words “Well I’m going to phone them … don’t you want to phone them?” It was […]
Lauren Shantall One of the main motivating factors behind this year’s Focus on Swedish and Scandinavian Cinema is the opportunity of celebrating the 80th birthday of the accomplished Ingmar Bergman on July 14 – an event that is to be celebrated across the cinematic world by the staging of Bergman retrospectives. It also coincides almost […]
Alex Dodd has been appointed editor of the Mail & Guardian’s Friday section. A BJourn graduate, she began her career as a trainee at the M&G, and later become a reporter focusing on arts and profiles. She then worked for the Rapid Phase Group, where she co-conceptualised and scripted a 60-part radio soap opera on […]
Krisjan Lemmer The Mail & Guardian’s freelance sports writer Julian Drew, on his way to watch Bafana Bafana in Marseille last week, was a little startled to be approached by our very own Felicia Mabuza-Not-So-Subtle with an offer of two tickets for the match at the knock-down price of R1 000 each – a mark-up […]
In 1997 more than three people died every day in work-related accidents. Researchers at Cape Town’s Alternative Information and Development Centre ask why the figures are so high Business is delighted to bask in the publicity given to its campaigns against crime. However, it plays another role in law and order that receives (virtually) no […]
Ferial Haffajee Even for a priest, it has been an extraordinary baptism – fiery, bitter and unlike the private ceremonies the Reverend Hawu Mbatha usually presides over. His recruitment as CEOof the SABC has occasioned a nasty public spat. If this quiet man had hoped for a quiet accession, it was quickly scotched. He has […]
theory Robert Kirby argues against the theory that South Africans lured Mozambican president Samora Machel to his death It is believed that between 80% and 90% of aviation accidents are due to human error. Refining the statistic a little further, it was found that out of a total of 28 000 aviation “incident reports” made […]