Monday 24 December 2012

Season's Greetings


Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you have a lovely time with family & friends, and also remember the reason for the season.

Thanks for sticking with Fresh Angle & for your invaluable comments and support. I hope to find more time in the coming year to make your visits to Fresh Angle much more rewarding.

Much blessings.

Monday 3 December 2012

Caught on Camera

That's the Spirit! Brave antelope tries to kick off hungry young lioness that's bent on making a meal out of him...sadly, he's still converted to packed lunch.
Forget fighter jets & attack helicopters. Iraqi, Hatim Salman, is building his own helicopter which he has called 'Diyala 1'

Heaven at last! African migrants are spotted & picked up by coast guards off the Spanish coast of Gibraltar

Tuesday 20 November 2012

Female bishops? Ha! Dream on!


Hmm, isn't is strange? For twenty odd years the church of England has ordained women as priests. They've considered them worthy enough to wear a cassock, conduct the liturgy and carry out other prescribed ecclesiastical duties. But today the synod denied them the right to promotion.

Saturday 17 November 2012

One World, Different Realities



Her liver-spotted hands clinched the burgundy passport as she walked down the aisle, looking for her seat. Her attachment to the booklet issued by her ‘Britannic Majesty’ said a lot about her identity.
She had flamed-coloured hair and an oblong face, and wore a jet-black coat that nearly swept the floor.

Monday 24 September 2012

Lazy People Opt for University Degrees


Something is eating me up. Or to put it more correctly, a thought has been spinning in my head. Was on facebook and I read something on a friend’s wall.

Monday 3 September 2012

Finally...the long-awaited photos

A miracle occurred this morning: my moribund mobile suddenly sprang to life momentarily. So, I was able to copy all my contacts (very quickly) and also copy some of the photos I took in Paris - hurray!

I hope you enjoy viewing them. The only catch is, I haven't included captions. I'd like you to guess where each photo was taken. There are lots in hints in my travel diaries. Enjoy!

Monday 20 August 2012

Around the World in Five Minutes

Sudan: Chopper Crash Kills 32


In Sudan, thirty two people were killed, including four top government ministers, when their helicopter crashed into a mountain near Talodi, a region near the border with the new state of South Sudan.
According to the State media, SUNA, the crash was caused by harsh weather conditions.

The Minister of Guidance and Endowment, Ghadi al-Sadiq was among the passengers heading to the South Kordofan state to attend prayers on the first day of the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr.

Sunday 19 August 2012

Missing Diary

Can't believe I left out part of my travel diary! Don't worry, this is the very last of it. My next post will definitely be a fresh topic. All the same, for your reading pleasure.

I started out looking for the Notre Dame Cathedral, but was attracted by the sight of a colossal structure that resembled a Roman temple. I had learned to figure things out myself. It was becoming a headache asking strangers for directions. Not that they were nasty – far from it. My ‘Bonjour’ coupled with ‘Parlez-vous anglais?’ – ‘Do you speak English?’ always brought out the hospitable side of Parisians.


I drew closer to the Roman-type structure and found it was named the Pantheon. Hmm…it wasn’t on my itinerary, but gazing up at the massive pillars and meticulously crafted sculptures, I couldn’t resist buying an entrance ticket. I was digging into my bag for my purse before I knew it!

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Diary of a Wide-eyed Traveller (the end)

Apologies for the long delay in bringing you the concluding part of my travel diary. I was desperately hoping I could retrieve some of the pictures I took from my moribund phone - oh well. If this feels a bit rushed, it is because I wanted to honour my promise to give you the full Monty. Enjoy.

The Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris

I climbed the rising pavement, inching closer to the steeple of the Notre Dame cathedral. Out on the pavements, people were seated drinking their glasses of beer, chatting and eating pastries.

It was a relaxed but lively atmosphere. People poured out of shops, wandered across the streets, tourists pulled out their maps, and cars zoomed past impatiently.

Thursday 2 August 2012

Diary of a Wide-eyed Traveller (2)


I fell into a long queue stretching into eternity. We were mostly foreigners waiting to buy metro tickets at Gare Du Nord. At least I could bask in the security of a common bond – we were largely non-native French speakers. Thing was, they all looked at ease. As if they knew the protocols – how to get tickets, navigate their way to their destinations and everything else. I suddenly felt at sea. Don’t play the fool, I told myself. Ask questions.

Wednesday 25 July 2012

Diary of a Wide-eyed Traveller


Pipipi! Pipipi!! Pipipi!!! Sirens wailed in my ears.

I roused myself, partly disorientated: was I caught up in real danger, or was my sleepy head waxing quixotic?
It was neither. My three-inch alarm clock was bellowing its heart out, announcing to me that it was 3am. Time to prepare for my trip to Paris.

Sunday 3 June 2012

Long Live The Queen

Congratulations to her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, as she celebrates 60 years on the throne. She has been an epitome of consistency, integrity and dignity all through the years. May her reign continue to be glorious.

Thursday 31 May 2012

Jokes for a laugh


The Queens Riddle


Barack Obama met with the Queen of England. He asked her, "Your Majesty, how do you run such an efficient government? Are there... any tips you can give to me?"
‎"Well," said the Queen, "the most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people." Obama frowned, and then asked, "But how do I know the people around me are really intelligent?"

Around the World in Five Minutes

Thousands of Yemeni Children face Starvation

Thousands of Yemeni children are facing life-threatening levels of starvation as a result of a worsening food crisis in the country.
Yemen is experiencing severe food crisis. Nearly half of the population - 10 million - do not have enough to eat, and 300,000 children are facing life-threatening levels of malnutrition.

Thursday 10 May 2012

Prince Charles Becomes Weatherman

It's been aaaages since I last posted people. Accept my unreserved apologies. Just thought I'd share with you a video I came across today - Prince Charles trying his hand at being the weatherman on a visit to the broadcast studio of BBC Scotland. It was an absolute delight to watch him.

 Unashamedly, I'll admit I watched it at least five times! What did I love about the video? Observing royalty up close and personal; the plum-in-mouth aristocratic accent; warmth and charisma...he completely outshone Camilla. Okay...I might be getting ahead of myself. What do you make of it? Are you laughing, chuckling, fawning? Lol!


Thursday 3 May 2012

Diary of a Disenchanted Voter (conclusion)

I navigated the corner gingerly as if unsure of my footing. A few feet ahead of me an arrow pointed in the direction of a church. Further down, an A4 paper with the words 'Polling station' printed it on it gazed at me unashamedly. Now I knew it was crunch time: it was either a left turn or the 'highway'.

Diary of a Disenchanted Voter

I have a confession to make: I have been feeling guilty - very very guilty.

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Desperate Dreamer


Here's another excerpt from the fictional series 'Desperate Dreamer'. If you haven't been following, you can check older posts. I kept it short on purpose. I'd like to hear your predictions on where you think the story is going.

Monday 23 April 2012

InNOcence


It has been more than twenty years since I set eyes on this picture, so when I caught a glimpse of it on Google, all those old, 'rusty' memories came rushing back.

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Tasteless or Racist?

Sweden's culture minister yesterday triggered angry calls for her resignation after she was pictured cutting a cake that resembled a native African woman.

The cake, put on exhibition by the Museum of Modern art in Stockholm, was designed to shed light on female circumcision.


Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth and her hosts obviously had a bout of fun, but members of the Association for African Swedes were not titillated. A spokesperson said if anything, it makes a mockery of racism and worsened matters for victims of female circumcision.

Sunday 15 April 2012

Around the World in Five Minutes

Cameroon: 'Unprecedented' Ruling against Poachers


A court in east Cameroon has slapped 17 poachers with fines totalling $160,000 and jail sentences of up to 30 months.   Among those sentenced were parrot poachers Roger Atangana and lazare Onana, believed to be responsible for the decapitation of thousands of African Grey Parrots in Lobéké National Park. 

Friday 6 April 2012

Poverty Can Buy You Happiness

I saw this photo of a family in India and I thought awww. They look so happy and contented despite being squashed onto a motorcycle. Shows sometimes that the poorest people are the ones who can appreciate the simple things in life.




Wednesday 4 April 2012

The Desperate Dreamer II


(An Excerpt)

Six months after Nkili's shocking meeting with her husband, life is forging ahead...enjoy a sequel below.


‘Where did you go yesterday?’
Nkili blinked her eyes open to find Osita’s contorted face staring into hers. It was a Saturday, and he had taken the day off.
‘Good morning’, Nkili replied, swinging her legs off the bed. She didn’t like the domineering streak in his voice.

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Free Flight to Afghanistan

These photos below show U.S troops packed in an aircraft as they wait for their departure to Afghanistan. The  military plane is stationed at the U.S Transit Centre in Manas, near Kyrgyzstan's capital, Bishek. The Manas Air base is a significant American installation in the Central Asian country.

It serves as a base for humanitarian assistance, refuelling, airlifting, and is a transit point for 15,000 troops, planes and cargo. 

Judging by the easy disposition of the soldiers, it is difficult to tell dozens of them die each month in Afghanistan.

US servicemen inside of a plane before their departure to Afghanistan from the US transit center Manas, 30 km outside the Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek

The Desperate Dreamer

                                           (An excerpt)

 Nkili dozed off and woke up to find a tall, broad shouldered silhouette letting itself into the house. ‘It’s Osita,’ the silhouette reassured her. Osita was the husband she had never met. His family conducted marriage arrangements on his behalf; and now she had joined him in England.

Sunday 25 March 2012

Stories that Seized the Day

(A review of stories that emblazoned headlines last week)


Citizen X

A crazed gunman in France, who claimed to be avenging the deaths of Palestinian children and military operations abroad, went on a killing spree, ending the lives of seven innocent people. He was cornered in his flat by the French police. A 36-hour siege ensued. A bullet through his head sent him over the hedge.
The story got a bit fuzzy at some point. First we were told he had links with Al Qaeda. Then later, he had no links with Al Qaeda. Some commentators on news sites claimed it was convenient propaganda by the French government as Sarkozy seeks re-election. 

Sunday 18 March 2012

The Beauty of a Mother


Nkili stumbled out of an incoherent dream and woke up with a start. Blaring horns, booming music and myriads of voices mingled to produce unbearable noise. As the driver pulled toward the community school, she felt her heart tick like a grandfather clock. Home was only minutes away. She was going to see her mother - after ten long years.

Saturday 17 March 2012

Around the World in Five Minutes

Moroccan Women Protest 'embarrassing' law
Moroccan activists have stepped up pressure to scrap laws that allow rapists to marry their victims after a 16-year-old girl killed herself.

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Male + Female = 'Shemale'

I can’t remember at what point in my childhood I recognised that I was a girl. Maybe it was innate: I just knew that I was fashioned differently from a boy – I wore dresses and earrings; I wanted different things like Barbie dolls; my anatomy was different too. Consequently, my world was and continues to be filtered through different eyes; processed through different emotions and inclinations.

Thursday 8 March 2012

Can we really be friends with animals?

Animals have long held a special place in the hearts of humans. Throughout history, animals have played a unique part in people’s way of life be it in Ancient Egypt and Rome where animals held religious significance or our present world where people bequeath millions to their pets.

The strength of man’s feeling for his ‘best friend’ can be seen in the extraordinary lengths he goes to to protect him/her.

In February, a man in Essex, UK crawled over a frozen river just in his underpants to rescue his trapped dog. Of course, the firefighters didn’t find his reckless exploit funny.


In the same month, a woman in Melbourne, Australia spent three hours stuck in the quagmire as she comforted her horse which sank into a pit of mud as she was riding it.


It is indisputable that people become attached to their pets and even, in some cases, treat them better than humans. But can the friendship be mutual? If not, why has man insisted on creating and building relationships with animals?

Do you have/have you had an animal(s)? What kind of relationship do you/did you have?

Wednesday 7 March 2012

Around the World in Five Minutes

Thousands Take to Streets in SA
 

Thousands of South Africans have taken part in demonstrations against a new road toll introduced by the government. The marches, organised by the Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu), took place in 32 towns and across cities. Cosatu says the proposed system will place a burden on the poor and has threatened nationwide rallies if it is not removed. The government has responded by saying the impact of the road toll on the poor has been exaggerated.
The electronic tolling planned for roads between Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, comes after government upgraded roads in and around Johannesburg for the 2010 World Cup.

Sunday 4 March 2012

Jokes for a Laugh


Two politicans were having a heated debate. Finally, one of them jumped up and yelled at the other, "What about the powerful interest that controls you?"
And the other politician screamed back, "You leave my wife out of this!"
 

Friday 2 March 2012

Around the World in Five Minutes

Netherlands launches mobile Euthanasia

In the Netherlands, a mobile euthanasia scheme has been launched that will allow sick people who wish to take their lives to do so at home. Under the scheme, teams of specially trained doctors and nurses will visit the homes of people around the country whose own doctors have refused their requests to end their lives. The "Life End" house-call units – whose services are being offered to Dutch citizens free of charge - is the initiative of the Dutch Association for a voluntary end to life.
The Netherlands was the first country to legalise euthanasia in 2002 but doctors cannot be forced to comply with the wishes of patients who request the right to die. The scheme has been slammed by critics.

Saturday 25 February 2012

Do Men & Women Live in Parallel Universes?

 I was chatting with a Christian brother yesterday and he asked me a thought-provoking question: "Why are there more women in church than men?" I found myself stuttering to answer his question.

 He went on to cite various examples in the Bible that showed women were more devout worshippers than men. For a few minutes we racked our brains trying to figure out an answer to his question but alas we could not produce a cogent explanation

So I thought of throwing the question open to my Fresh Angle readers. What is it about men and women that make us so different? Are we inhabiting parallel universes, or do we have more in common than we realise?
 


Thursday 23 February 2012

You're Under Arrest for Using the Internet!


How would you feel if you typed a search term on Google on only to be greeted by the words Access denied. The information you are trying to access is protected by copyright. 

Or worse still, you popped into your local chemist to buy some paracetamol, only to be told cheaper versions are no longer in circulation, so you are forced to fork out an eye-watering sum.

I can guess how you would feel: incredibly bewildered.

Caution: before you wave off the scenario as fiction, think again. If the international copyright treaty, ACTA, is passed, it could spell the end of easy access to information as you know it.  

Tuesday 21 February 2012

Laugh Out Loud!

Poor Croc! His entire family have been converted to goods! LOL

Monday 20 February 2012

Around the World in Five Minutes

Forty-four killed in Mexican jail fight


At least 44 prisoners were killed in Mexico after a fight broke out between rival groups in a prison north of the city of Monterrey. The state security spokesman Jorge Domene said the fight was sparked by rivalry between drug gangs. An investigation is underway to establish if prison guards colluded in unlocking the doors separating two wings of the prison.

In a separate incident in Nigeria, at least 118 prisoners were set free by armed men in an attack on a jail. According to reports, as many as 200 prisoners escaped when 20 gunmen on motorbikes stormed the federal prison in Koton-Karifi, south of the capital Abuja. One guard was killed in the process. There is no known motive for the attack. The Nigerian government says it has launched an investigation. 

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Laugh Out Loud!

Man: 'It must be tough being a kid in Somalia'. Kid: 'I live in the United States'...LOL

With freezing temps across Europe, people are better off dressing up as penguins!

Aww...bless her

Monday 13 February 2012

Historic Win for Zambia

A big congratulations to Zambia who clinched the African cup of nations after a hard won victory against Ivory Coast on Sunday. The copper bullets, or Chipolopolo, as the national team is called, beat favourites Ivory Coast 8-7 in a dramatic penalty shoot out in Libreville, Gabon.


Their historical win was particularly significant because 19 years ago their national team was wiped out when their plane crashed into the ocean near Libreville. Goal keeper, Kennedy Mweene told reporters, "The players who were killed in the plane crash in Gabon was what behind us and what was driving us through the tournament." 



Thousands of Zambians have taken a day off work to celebrate their good fortune. Way to go people, more grease to your elbows.