Ron’s Thoughts …

When I got home from bowls today my wife was busy playing an audio tape that I had recorded many years ago.

It was “The Platters” singing “Smoke Gets in your Eyes” and many other love songs of that time.

Compared to the modern “Rap-Crap” it was absolutely beautiful.

While I was busy scribbling these Ron’s Thoughts, the tape moved on to a lovely song called, “A Blossom Fell,” sung by Nat King Cole.

That was the first ever record that I ever bought.

I can’t remember exactly, but I think I paid 5-bob to buy a 45 RPM disc.

I played that music over and over again.

I love all music and, especially, I love love songs.

I can hear in the background that she has now put on the “Ink Spots”

I must go and listen.

I looked at a VCR tape this afternoon that I recorded many months ago called “An Inconvenient Truth” by Al Gore.

The scientific evidence is irrefutable that our world is heating up and, unless we take steps to stop it, the consequences will be disastrous.

The ice at the North and South poles will melt,(in fact, is already melting.) The sea level will rise by many meters and will not just flood but will totally submerge all the major seaports of the world.

Trade and transport will come to a standstill and multi-millions of people will starve to death.

Al Gore, (as also Ron’s Thoughts,) is a lone voice in the wilderness.

Will anyone in political or economic power take action or will they just continue to feather their own nests while the world destroys itself ?

Since 1994, when blacks took over political control from the whites in South Africa, many things have become worse.

More crime, more corruption, more unemployment, more racial favouritism, (yes, blacks are more racist than whites.)

One thing has got better and that is our TV coverage of sporting events.

In the “Apartheid” era we were boycotted and ostracized by the rest of the world. Now we have 7 sporting channels on TV.

We have extensive coverage of professional soccer,( although I am more of a rugby and cricket fan.)

2-weeks ago we watched the Proteas drawing with India in a 3-game cricket test series.

Last week we saw Trevor Immelman beating Tiger Woods and others in the US. Masters.

Yesterday we had a full day of Super-14 rugby. The Lions and the Sharks lost away from home and the Bulls and the Stormers won at home.

Today I am busy watching Indian 20-Twenty cricket.

I haven’t found my favourite team yet because they are too mixed.

Never mind, it is all good stuff.

I, as a South African, am obviously very interested in South Africa’s performance in international sporting events.

Well done to our cricketers who thrashed Bangledesh and drew with India, (away from home)

Well done to Trevor Immelman who won the US.Masters beating Tiger Woods.

Now,at 8-PM SA. time, I am looking forward to a whole day of good rugby tomorrow.

At 9-AM, the Lions play the Waratahs. We will probably lose.

At 11-30 AM, the Sharks play the Brumbies. Go Sharks Go. I am betting on you to win the Super-14

At 2-30 Pm, the Bulls play the Highlanders. I hope that I am wrong but I don’t fancy the Bulls chances.

At 5-PM, the Stormers play the Hurricanes.You must win guys and give the Sharks a run for their money.

Wow, I wish I was still young enough to get in there. 

Mugabe should be tried for fraud for not releasing election results that obviously went against him.

He should be tried for murder for the thousands that have died under his orders.

He should be banished to a life of misery in the worst possible place in the world for the misery that he has caused millions of ordinary people.

Shame on Mbeki and every other world political leader who have found it prudent to not call him a despotic tyrant who has brought a country to it’s knees. Shame on them for not taking any decisive action.

Their tacitness means that they either agree with him or they don’t really care. 

My wife and I have lived in Cape Town for all of our lives.

With a limited amount of overseas experience, we both believe that there is nowhere better anywhere in the world.

Yesterday, we took a tourist-orientated bus ride from the Waterfront to various historical parts of Cape Town. The Castle, the Gardens, the museums, the cableway, the magnificent coastline of Camps Bay and Sea Point.

All our pre-conceived views were confirmed. We live in a beautiful part of the world.

When I was a school kid, 60-years ago, the population of Cape Town was 1/4 million. Now it is nearly 3-million.

I worry that our natural beauty is being eroded.

If Mugabe had won the Presidential Election he would have blared it out from all the rooftops.  There would have been cavalcades, dancing girls and trumpets.

His illegal withholding of the results 11-days after the election is evidence that he was soundly beaten at the polls.

He obviously has no intention of relinquishing power and will use every trick in the book to thwart the democratic process.

We can only hope and pray that he is not scheming to use his “War Veteran” thugs to cause mayhem so that he can declare a “State of Emergency” and thereby entrench himself in power.