Early in 2012 I wrote this article. Now read this article dated 14 April 2015 by Magnus Heystek, investment strategist of Brenthurst Wealth in South Africa.

The key numbers/phrases in Heystek’s article is “2007″, “20 percent down in real terms”. In my article it is “25 percent in real terms”.

Today I think a 25-percent drop in real terms won’t be the end of the road. I’m not able to say where and when the downtrend will level out. Maybe not at all.

Here is an opinion piece from the Financial Times which is so close to what I’ve been saying ever since the first day of the banking crisis, that Financial Times will forgive me for re-posting the piece here in full.

[Read on]

Whoop-whoop. Some more cash on its way to Naspers….check this out and get ready for the next, big move.

On October 6, 2008 I wrote  (here) under the headline “Cowboy capitalism is dead” that we’re heading back to the 1950s and 1960s, when bankers were “grey men in grey suits”, earning little more than the local school teacher. [Read on]

Many years ago I wrote about the high regard I have for people who “get going when the going gets tough”. Then I mentioned I get goose bumps every time I observe someone “getting going” when he has to.

For what I mean with “getting going when the going gets tough”, read my first post.

Yesterday I had another one of those goose-bump moments. This time my 12-year old daughter was responsible. I thought I should honor her achievement by shortly relating the story.   [Read on]

What a mess South Africa has become. What a sad, disappointing mess….

That’s all one can say after reading this report (and specifically the comments of the citizens below the story).

For someone sitting outside and looking in, the situation gets doubly sad when I notice how “desensitized” the good people (99% of them are good) have become after so many years of so much crime.

Powerless to change anything, they do the only thing they can in their situation – look the other way…pretend nothing has happened.

I cry for you, my beloved country.

Every country which gives in to the oil company lobby and the promise of cheap energy, is a step closer to a fracked-up Karoo. The latest step in that direction was taken when France turned pro-fracking a few weeks ago. Until then, France strengthened the case of anti-fracking organisations, such as the Treasure the Karoo Action Group (here).

That bulwark’s gone now and we seem to be sliding ever closer to the inevitable.   [Read on]

Water, water everywhere. And every drop to drink.

What a fantastic invention…run it off your solar electricity, and you’re made. Thanks to the creative mind of “Mr. Segway”.

PS. Suddenly, it’s unimportant whether they frack the Karoo, or not…..

(Not really. Just joking.)