My single friend believes that social pressures placed on bachelors are a new phenomenon. I tell him bachelors have suffered social stigmas in many cultures. "Think of severe Roman marriage laws," I say, "that regarded old bachelors as reprehensible, barring them from advancing in a public career and prohibiting their receiving inheritance."
Some local rich guy most of us had never heard of before was killed this week — but in far more interesting news, go stare at the joyful behind-the-scenes classic pic, which I’ll subtly call Chewbacca Gropes Princess Leia. If like me, you’ve also thought about taking some superglue and gluing toilet-paper rolls to local statues’ hands to liven them up, there’s a lovely alternative.
"This year, when the statistics went up the increase was explained as proof of greater public confidence in the police, thus encouraging women to report the crime. These self-congratulatory claims, certainly demonstrate chutzpah on the part of the police," writes Lisa Vetten, the gender programme manager at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.
African leaders will meet on Thursday to seek means of averting the disintegration of war-divided Côte d’Ivoire, plunged deeper into crisis with the indefinite postponement of elections meant to bring peace. Côte d’Ivoire has for three years been split into two along truce lines patrolled by French and United Nations soldiers.
In a parallel world, Steve Jobs could have been a poker player with a reputation as a cool hand. After three decades at the top table of technology, all the required skills are there: patience, self-belief, bravado — and, most importantly, the ability to ride a streak of luck. ”Some people thought we got really lucky with the iPod, and we did,” says Jobs, the CEO of Apple.
Click on image for full-size view.
"Clean-shaven, straight teeth and a friendly smile … in a word, handsome. After a week of vigorous SMSing and long phone conversations, "handsome" and I decide to meet. Eager to see each other in real life, we meet in a parking lot — and as I walk towards him, my excitement is replaced with anger almost immediately," writes Reesha Chibba.
The grieving father of murdered mining magnate Brett Kebble told mourners at his son’s funeral service in Cape Town on Tuesday that he would do everything in his power to get to the bottom of his son’s murder. ”Of one thing I am sure, I will do all within my power to get to the bottom of Brett’s death,” vowed Roger Kebble.
South Africa would put processes in motion to open a mission in Iraq, deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad said on Tuesday. The matter was raised in talks with his Iraqi counterpart Talib Hamid Al-Bayati in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon. ”We will be looking at sending an advance team to Iraq sooner rather than later,” said Pahad.
United States Open champion Kim Clijsters said her decision to retire in two years time was because tennis has stopped her from having the normal body of a 22-year-old. Clijsters could win back the world number one spot if she takes away Lindsay Davenport’s title at the 000 Grand Prix this week, but that clearly concerns her much less than the state of her health.