A refuge for refugees

Two words that frequently appear in much of what we read in these troubled times are refugee and racism. Both words appear to be inextricably linked. The world is overwhelmed with refugees. Many countries are wary of welcoming them fearing outcomes that can be tacitly linked to racism. Some of this will be justified, but most not. Its where to find the happy medium that is concerning for most societies and in the meantime refugees languish...

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An intriguing year ahead

The English language from time to time throws up a word or a phrase not generally in widespread usage which suddenly becomes popular. I remember some years ago when “punter” which normally described someone who liked to bet, particularly on racehorses, became a name for almost anybody, no matter what their described actions were. About then the phrase “at this point in time” also became faddish. Linguists were highly critical of the latter,...

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Just another brick in the wall

President Trump wants to build a wall - down Mexico way. Some are comparing it with the Berlin Wall though that wall was to keep people in, this one is to keep folks out. And it isn’t really a wall; more like a high fence in keeping with the original, started back in 1994, but never finished. As of January 2010 the existing “wall” runs from San Diego, California to Yuma, Arizona, there it continues into Texas and consists of a fence 6.4...

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Not always a wordsmith

There have been a lot of column inches published about David Lange of late, mostly due to revelations recently revealed in reluctantly released CIA files dating back to the 1980s. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Lange was pledging to his fawning followers that he would honour the Labour Party’s commitment to ban nuclear weapons and nuclear propulsion. Behind the scenes however he was assuring our two ANZUS treaty partners that he...

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