Freshwater crayfish, breeding out of control, threaten aquatic ecosystems

By Angus Shaw | February 19, 2015 |

Scientists in Zimbabwe believe a fresh water crayfish brought from Australia is breeding out of control in the northern Kariba lake, devouring the food sources of other fish and putting the nation’s entire aquatic ecosystem at risk. Staff at the Zimbabwe University lakeshore research station say the red claw crayfish, introduced a decade ago for…

Heart of Darkness

By Angus Shaw | February 19, 2015 |

Thembi, a lovely and heart warming child, was admitted to Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare after her mother sold some of her furniture to pay for admission.  She died at the age of nine. Thembi was a bundle of joy to all who knew her. Her school reports were excellent. She died of kidney complications. As…

Radical Jihad: a question of interpretation on killing, the virgins of Paradise…

By Angus Shaw | February 19, 2015 |
Article about Radical Jihad

It is said that unless you speak fluent Arabic, you’ll never fully understand its nuances in translation. Interpretations are chosen by individuals or embedded by radical teachings influencing even the very young. That may variously be called indoctrination, conditioning, even ‘brainwashing’ Promises English readings from the Qur’an promise those in Paradise will be rewarded with…

The Demise of the Newspaper

By Angus Shaw | February 19, 2015 |
The Demise of the Newspaper

Soon our metalwork artists will have to change from this man reading a newspaper to someone reading a smartphone or texting on a park bench. Using mobiles has got so bad in Singapore authorities there have started broadcasting loudspeaker notices warning pedestrians to look up every few moments to see obstacles ahead or, if travelling…

The numbers game: More about money

By Angus Shaw | February 19, 2015 |
One hundred Trillion Dollars

Visitors to Zimbabwe are snapping up old, defunct Zimbabwe bank notes, preferring them to some traditional African curios and souvenirs of the country’s acclaimed stone sculpture. Most sought after is the one hundred trillion Zimbabwe dollar bill, the highest denomination when the currency was abandoned in 2009 and the American dollar became legal tender. It…

It’s Just Another Brick in The Wall

By Angus Shaw | February 19, 2015 |
It’s Just Another Brick in The Wall

A brick dated c. 1912 Builders in Mbuya Nehanda have unearthed the original bricks of some of the first hard standing buildings in what was then the centre of the city surrounding The Queens Hotel and the Kopjie. A new building is going up on the site of Haddon Hall where this was “just another…

Money laundering Zimbabwe-style

By Angus Shaw | February 19, 2015 |
Money laundering Zimbabwe-style

Harare – The washing machine cycle takes about 45 minutes _ and George Washington comes out much cleaner than before in Zimbabwe-style laundering of dirty money. One US$ bill has been circulating hereabouts since 1999 when Lawrence H. Summers’ signature was put on it during his three-year tenure as Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.  It…