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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » What we can learn from Nelson Mandela
The passing of Nelson Mandela gives cause to reflect on his life, struggles and achievements. His gigantic life is something so many have drawn from, particularly following his release from imprisonment 23 years ago. It’s the character of the man is what gave him his worldwide authority.
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"It would be intersting to see a split of the prospective Scottish / English reserves in the N.Sea. The northern sector (Scotland) is more oil and more in decline vs central/southern sector (England) which is more gas."
It would depend on which line was used. Under the main Convention governing such things it should be the median line. This would deliver a small but significant portion of the northern North Sea oil fields to England as it would extend the border out north east across the North Sea. This is what has been used for the rest of the European countries bordering the sea.
I suspect Scotland would rather use what is known as the 'legal line' which follows the line of latitude out from the border. This would place all of the Oil fields in Scottish waters.
:innocent face:
The line selected will be a huge bone of contention and a cause of major major arguments then if the Jocks vote YES!
I really didn't understand why they weren't allowing contributions.
Given what had happened before, that is some achievement.
Indeed, you could argue he should be more of a hero for white South Africa than for Black South Africa, given where we are now.
I imagine most whites live as they always have, in wealthy and exclusive enclaves, but now without the vilification of the international community.
Ha. @afneil tells Leslie he's had 3 Lab briefings against Balls. 'Well, er [gulp] it's always off the record, isn't it?' says poor Leslie.
'"You might say we should use that line. The interesting thing is, from the economic point of view, it does not make much difference because there are just a handful of fields, and not very important ones now, between the median line and the line north of Berwick. Although lawyers could have a long debate about it, in terms of economics, it does not make all that much difference."
If Scotland were to get a "geographical share" based on the median line it would mean about 90% of the UK's oil resources would be under Scottish jurisdiction.
According to research by Prof Kemp, in 2010 the Scottish share of total oil production in the UKCS was more than 95% while for gas it was 58%. The Scottish share of total hydrocarbon production (including NGLs) was 80%. The Scottish tax share exceeded 90%. This reflects the much higher value of oil compared to gas.'
http://tinyurl.com/qa7ajcx
“I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles."
If all you want to do is have your preconceptions reinforced, what is the point?
FWIW, the essence of all the quotes forms a part of great leadership and can, I think, be applied to all the men I namechecked in the previous article.
Britain has not had the immense good fortune to have had a Nelson Mandela. Britain has had the immense good fortune not to have needed one.
Except for the HIV, which exploded under Mandela's leadership...
In War: Resolution. In Defeat: Defiance. In Victory: Magnanimity. In Peace: Goodwill
What could possibly be behind it?
:innocent face::
Let's remember Sean is trying to be a little bit provocative here. No doubt when he gets his invitation to the Primrose Hill Residents' Association Nelson Mandela Memorial street party, he'll be the first to accept.
My view - we are all flawed. It's possible to pick holes in the reputation of saints, to find a kind word to say about the greatest sinner or even to find a duff sentence in a Tom Knox.
I don't ascribe greatness to leaders - those who have control of the reins of power have an inherent advantage. Whether that power is gained through the ballot box or otherwise, whether that power is used for good or ill, the ability of a leader to drive forward a personal or political agenda is hugely aided by the apparatus of control of the modern state. The 20th Century is replete with examples of those who, once in power, used the power of the state to drive forward evolutionary or revolutionary change.
So much harder to instigate change when you are the one without the power and you face those who are hostile - so much more tempting to meet violence with violence. To come to eschew that violence and to continue, in the face of adversity, hostility and oppression, to promote the concept of peaceful change is for me the mark of greatness.
Its gets a bit dumbed down to be honest and would prefer a respectful rounded consideration of his life and legacy (which can include some dubious bits ) to read about.
I would also remind posters of Mike Smithson's instruction, that you are not allowed to call posters, individually or as a group, racist, directly or indirectly.
ThomasNashe said:
"On topic. To my mind, one of the Titans of the c.20 is Vaclav Havel. He really played a key role in the peaceful transition away from Communism."
Hear, hear! His belief that one should live "as if" one were a free man is very inspiring.
It seems to me that in Western European we are rather ignorant about the significant intellectual currents which developed in Eastern Europe under Communism and enabled people to survive. Part of that was because too many of our own intellectuals were too busy either praising Communism or tiring a blind eye to or otherwise excusing its horrors. It's one of the West's failings.
And part was simply us turning our back on part of our own shared history and culture and civilization. It's one reason why I dislike the focus on Bulgarians and Romanians as if they were some sort of horde of uncivilized barbarians. There are plenty of groups here who better fit that description and without whom we might be better off but fellow Europeans are not such people.
Don't think so. Mandela became president of the South African Republic in 1994 and I think it was in the mid to late 90s that the HIV epidemic really took hold.
I've just rooted out a stat that shows HIV under pregnant South African women soared from 0.8% from 1990 to 30.0% in 2000. (rom about.com).
‘Privatization is the fundamental policy of our government. Call me a Thatcherite, if you will.’
The gas share figures are far wrong by the way if you are referring to actual production for consumption. Much of the Scottish gas production is never brought to shore but is used for powering the platform turbines or for gas lift purposes as part of oil production. Indeed the recently drilled Rochelle gas field is specifically being developed to provide gas support for the Scott and Telford Oil Fields.
The majority of UK gas production for consumption is in the Southern North Sea and Morecambe Bay.
Why do we feel the need to do ourselves down like this , I am not sure really.
I would concede that the one thing that is going downhill in the UK is relevant to the quote attributed to Mandela on here ,namely education. If that can get sorted by looking at what is needed to be done rather than worrying about private schools or getting obsessive about 'equality' then the UK will not be a bad place in the future.
Sorry, I should correct that. You should not be laughed at, you should be scorned.
Nelson Mandela ‘Privatization is the fundamental policy of our government. Call me a Thatcherite, if you will.’
Gas figures are in the linked BBC article, I'll take your word for it that they're out of whack though they do refer to 2010.
I have sympathy for his plight, but this case should never have reached court. People need to be responsible for their own actions in life.
RIP Nelson Mandela a good man by all accounts who leaves behind a truly unworthy media and political class
Arriverderci!
PS Osborne must be so pissed off that about the best day of his Chancellorship has disappeared in an avalanche of emotional hysteria. Its a bad day to celebrate good news
And that is definitely it. A bientot
Luis Suarez fwapping like a seal will be a fitting tribute.
Smuts was indeed an extraordinary figure, from the Boer War to writing the preamble to the United Nations Charter:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Smuts
It might even lead the BBC headlines...or certainly the news review.
Isn't all publicity good publicity...
Mind you would anyone expect anything less from Tim...
On a separate point that blog post is superb Sean. Hardly surprising the Telegraph can't publish it this week...
Already slithering down their agenda, replaced by storms.
It is like the tiny animals, the squirrels in our parks, are putting their little paws together and praying
I firmly believe he was the greatest vertebrate organism in the history of evolution.
Because I am so very sad. And I am even sadder about this than any of you, which is why I am, perhaps, in a pure and very humble sense, slightly better than you.
Mandela was undoubtedly a great man who did much for South Africa and set a good example to others.
But the Dianafication of public mourning we have to endure these days is frankly tedious, false and does those who have a genuine reason to mourn a disservice to their real grief.
That very much reminds me of Private Eye's Diary section by Craig Brown.
I would also add that the right have been much more dignified over the death of Mandela than the left were over the death of Thatcher, his opposing titan of the right-wing.
Maybe in a few weeks eh...
I know the type - and have personally met far too many – gargoyles ever one of them.
'He’s gone. And we know what follows. First the beatification, which, though justified, sits slightly uneasily. '
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100223191/nelson-mandela-fought-the-last-great-crusade-of-modern-civilisation/
Didn't take long.
I also think we should have a new national holiday called Mandela Day. Wonder if Prime Minister Ed will be the type to think up imaginative and petty ways to irritate the Daily Mail tendency? He seems the type, here's hoping.
Oh Come on. it isn't Mandela we are taking a swing at, merely those whose who would praise him without reservation or caveat.
Like all great men, Mandela was human. All great men have their faults and failures, and the tributes to him that last will be those that take light and shade into account.
I'll give you the benefit and hope you're lightheartedly trolling
Could you imagine anything lamer and less appropriate than Nelson Mandela Day in England?
The 20th Century will never end. It is the most energy packed (positive and negative) century there's been in mankind's history. One giant wonderful, horrible roller coaster. A monster of a century.
The 21st looks positively docile by comparison.
Steven Burrell, 21, spent 16 months hacking profiles on Runescape - the world's biggest online role-playing game - A court heard he then sold people's virtual items, such as potions, weapons and cooking equipment, on auction sites and forums to raise up to £3,000.
Surely this must qualify for the ultimate ‘Nerd’ crime award…!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10500271/Hacker-in-court-over-thefts-in-online-fantasy-game.html
Boris should remodel Trafalgar Square.
You sure they didn't say that in 1913?
Mandela's life also reminds me of the plot of my favourite book, The Count Of Monte Cristo, although Mandela was more forgiving than Edmond Dantes,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nelson_Mandela_on_Parliament_Square,_Westminster_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1229312.jpg
And this:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nelson_Mandela_bust,_Southbank,_London.jpg
That seems like quite enough to me for a foreign head of state whose primary achievements, however inspirational, were domestic to that country.
Nelson Mandela Museum, dedicated to political correctness gone mad - sorry, the fight against racism - throughout history. That should be suitably irritating to Mail readers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOiw_OmQo2o
:-)
lol, great minds and so on... it was those extra two words you used that slowed you down!