At times, it is difficult to follow the tenets of the Christian faith, especially when it involves simple, everyday needs such as nourishment. As it is Good Friday, my participation in the Lenten Season involves fasting and abstinence, a practice which, I suspect, led Jessica Zafra to write the post entitled 28 Days Later, without the infectious zombies. It must be acknowledged though that Ms. Zafra is perfectly capable of making such suggestions with or without the aid of Lent, and that she makes sense, in a very "Damn, I have to rush to confession now" sort of way.
Despite my ravenous hunger, I found some articles on the Net that are worth considering, and not only because they are somehow related to the season. Through Slate's feature OTHER MAGAZINES, I was led to a rather thought provoking article on Robert Mugabe in The Economist. It reads, in part:
A more important relationship, however, may have been with Nelson Mandela. Some date the start of Mr Mugabe's misrule to the emergence of his rival as the great independence hero of Africa. Until Mr Mandela left his apartheid prison, in 1990, Mr Mugabe could do no wrong. He was feted as an anti-apartheid leader, a man who reconciled different races and presided over a shining economy. Mr Mugabe was the star of the region, but then the sun rose.
Mr Mandela promptly stole all his attention; South Africa's vastly bigger economy drew investment, press coverage, foreign plaudits. To Mr Mugabe's evident personal dismay, Zimbabwe was cast into the shade. Mr Mandela's biographer describes Mr Mugabe twitching with distaste and annoyance when the two men met, shortly after the South African won his freedom.
No love is lost between the two elder statesmen. Just as Mr Mandela emerged as the voice of reconciliation and modernity in Africa, Mr Mugabe reverted to populism, land-grabs and bashing foreigners. It is quite possible that Mr Mugabe, increasingly bitter, dreams of holding on to power long enough to see the back of some of his foreign rivals. He would love to be in office when (in the middle of the year, most probably) Mr Blair resigns. Mr Mbeki has only a couple of years to go. Mr Mandela's health is fading fast.
Essentially, the author is suggesting that Zimbabwe's plight under the despot Mugabe came about because of jealousy. Interesting.
On a lighter note (a phrase which caused me no end of consternation due to the frequency of its misuse in my students' papers on Dante's Comedy), here's a snippet from America's Finest News Source:
"This subcommittee's mission is to promote viewing and discussion of this riveting ABC series every Wednesday night at my house," said Nelson, who lives alone, adding that membership on the subcommittee is open to both parties, requires no seniority, and is "fun." "In addition, I have been able to secure funding for two large pizzas and one two-liter bottle of Pepsi, and have every confidence that I can acquire more."
Sen. Nelson has asked all attendees to arrive on time, do their best to remain quiet during the show's airing, and stick around to discuss the plot and backstory for "as long as you want afterward."
Picture above comes courtesy of The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter.
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