The Greek dilemma
SISYPHUS is a figure of Greek mythology who was condemned to forever roll a boulder up a hillside, only for it to roll back on him again. "No end to Sisyphus torment" reads a headline in Private Eye, the British satirical magazine.
"The Greek leader Sisyphus, who has been struggling to meet his obligations of pushing a large boulder up a steep hill as punishment for squandering his country's fortunes, has been told that there is no respite in sight.
"The Gods of the Market Place have told him that there is no help available to him and if he doesn't hurry up he will have to push an even larger boulder up an even steeper hill …"
The Greeks went to the polls yesterday. What if Sisyphus says "Sod it!" and just lets the boulder roll? Where will it end up? What havoc will it cause?
Oh boy, interesting times!
For the diary
I'VE BEEN invited to a stargazing party to view the transit of Venus across the face of the sun. Actually it happened earlier this month but was a bit of a disappointment according to stargazer Richard Siedle.
He's decided though to throw a big party to mark the next transit, which should be a lot more spectacular as Venus – our sister planet – moves as a black blob across the sun.
Richard has some fascinating information about Venus. It is roughly the same size as Earth but rotates backwards on its axis compared with earth. It turns on its axis every 243 Earth days compared with 24 hours on Earth. As a result it takes 118 Earth days from sunrise to sunset. The sun rises in the west and sets in the east. Venus – the "morning star" - is the brightest object in the sky after the sun and moon and can be seen each morning rising in the east.
This will be a great party. I've got it diarised. The next transit of Venus will be in 2117.
Petanqueurs
THE ABOVE-MENTIONED Richard Siedle is also involved with a group known as the Petanqueurs, so named because they gather regularly to play the game of petanque or boule (which some of us call bowls).
He says it came to the attention of the Petanqueurs recently that in an exchange with another reader I remarked that I am not so much a flaneur – or Idler – as a boulevardier.
Would a boulevardier, he asks, be a gentleman who plays boule in the boulevards of Paris?
Non Monsieur. A boulevardier is a gentleman who strolls the boulevards eyeing the girls and twirling his moustache.
Long list
INVESTMENT analyst Dr James Greener notes in his latest grumpy newsletter that the new national commissioner of police is a woman with absolutely no experience of policing but who is reportedly a whiz at administration.
"If nothing else she will hopefully compile a neat list of unsolved cases – on a very long piece of paper."
Shoelaces
OVERHEARD in the Street Shelter for the Over-40s: "What's done cannot be undone. They obviously didn't have shoelaces in Shakespeare's day."
Late night whack
RECENT mention of Twiggy's Pie Cart, in Maritzburg, brought back memories for reader Colin Houghting.
He was a boarder at Maritzburg College in the 50s and he and his pals used to sometimes slip out at night for a snack at the Pie Cart. One night, to their shock, they found their housemaster was also there.
"He very kindly allowed us to finish - I won't say enjoy - our snack and said to report to him back at school.
"On our arrival back at school, not a word was spoken. We simply bucked over, got four each and went to bed. Happy memories!"
Black Horse
WHICH recalls the case of another College boarder who used to slip out for a few pints in the Black Horse at the top of West Street.
One night two young masters walked in.
"Good heavens! Do you come here often?"
"About twice a week, sir."
"That's a pity. We like it here too."
At which they walked out and he never heard anything more about it.
Tailpiece
HOW DOES a Russian commit suicide? He smells his armpits. How does an American commit suicide? He tells this joke to a Russian.
Last word
A pair of powerful spectacles has sometimes sufficed to cure a person in love.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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