Of smiles, hope, football and the other horn of Africa
I'm smiling. Over the past few weeks I've reported on the build up to the World Cup and most of those stories have been positive. This is a revelation. Cheering has led to singing. The nation of South Africa is moving to a quickening beat. Millions of South Africans are smiling ... "Feel it," they say, "We're free and we're alive!"
Plan of action: living the World Cup from home
Farewell sleep my old friend. We shall rendezvous on the other side. For the next 31 nights the dream hours will be filled by the deeds of Fernando Torres, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and with an ounce of luck Tim Cahill. It's one thing to follow the World Cup through news clips, radio reports and highlights shows but for the full experience there's no substitute for living the tournament as it unfolds.
Lesson for Rudd: never fight naked
Some in the Government brains trust say the fight with the miners is one the PM is happy to prolong, to show that he is tough. But anyone normal who has been even briefly exposed to real violence will tell you, most fights are best avoided and the unavoidable ones are best ended quickly. The Prime Minister has taken lots of hits and needs to end this brawl quickly because the oxygen is being punched out of his Government's lungs.
Weekly wrap: suck it up
What a week this has been. Well, not really. This week showed that invidious positions are simply something that great leaders must deal with.
