AirPods 4 With ANC Available for Record Low Price of $138.99 This WeekendUnited States-based veteran activist Freeman Chari, who is also a Biomedical Scientist and Software Engineer, torched off a storm when he launched into an analysis of what he felt were the shortcomings of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and his CCC party at the time. Shortly after Chari launched his no-holds barred critique, UK based lawyer Brighton Mutebuka also gave a detailed response. We publish both their contributions separately. Below is the response from Mutebuka. So yesterday (01 December 2024), the situation eventually came to a head and Freeman Chari decided that it was time that he parted ways with the opposition movement after serving decades in the trenches. It is clear that the cause of his disengagement is his frustration after he consistently felt that his counsel was either ignored or not valued by Nelson Chamisa. In the lead up to that monumental development, Freeman had consistently publicly dished out tweets laden with fierce criticism of Chamisa’s leadership in general and more specifically centring on the stolen August 2023 Zimbabwean elections. I waded into the matter, focusing more particularly on what I considered to be Freeman’s misdiagnosis of the political significance of his interaction with Prof Welshman Ncube over what he cited as a 72 hour period during the election period. This is against the backdrop of Freeman and I having what I considered to be a deep, robust, respectful and long established relationship. My intervention was respectful and issue driven – highlighting key factors which I deemed to be indicative of fundamental failings in Freeman’s assessment of the situation. Freeman’s response was hard hitting, no holds barred and featured a dose of demeaning personal insults inconsistent with the kind of relationship that I thought we had. This suggested that I had no agency and was in the business of boot licking Chamisa – effectively reducing the entirety of my contribution to that motive. I later saw other Tweets from him referring to “running dogs” having been “sent” more in the context of hired political merchants having been deployed by Chamisa to carry out a hatchet job on him. I consider Freeman to be a highly combustible character prone to shooting from the hip, just like the late nationalist and ZANU PF SG Edgar Tekere was. Chari fearlessly guards his independence and appears to prefer the lone ranger or rebel with a cause approach to politics. A gifted and innovative scientist who has been at the centre of a number of crucial opposition initiatives over the past few decades to unseat ZANU PF from power, he tends to speak without a filter, thereby offending many. He appears unfazed by the consequences of his straight shooting approach to politics, which has resulted in him regularly falling out with some of his colleagues over the years – before returning to the fold – and going through it all over again. In the current situation, Chari has appeared to struggle to interpret events around the stolen August 2023 election. He appears to want to pin the entire blame for the consequences of that stolen election on Nelson Chamisa. The fallout has stemmed from the fact that Chari has appeared to heap praise on figures such as Prof Welshman Ncube – primarily due to the latter’s outstanding Administrative efficiency in disbursing funds to candidates ahead of the election – in comparison to other opposition leaders. When I tried to challenge Chari’s position, – respectfully it must be said, rather than tussling it out with me intellectually and civilly to try and persuade me, he was quick to dismiss my contribution as being motivated by sycophancy – without any attempt to engage with the actual objective points that had been raised on their own merits. Thus, without any hint of irony, Chari was unable to embrace divergent views made in a comradely fashion – the very failing that he repeatedly chides Chamisa for. It was also alarming & unfortunate that – rather than critically engaging with the actual contents of what had been raised, Chari exhibited a propensity of wanting to seek to achieve supremacy in the exchange by invoking or roping in past conversations which would have been made in confidential or intimate settings. I did not sense any awareness of the existence of an overriding duty / responsibility to safeguard privileged information that would have been obtained in confidential settings – a hallmark of mature, principled leadership & sound judgment. In further exchanges with others from the opposition movement – it was clear that Chari was obstinately clinging to the idea that only his judgment & viewpoint was supreme – that hammering home Chamisa’s culpability & unwillingness to work with others. He was generously doling out insults to any contrary view, literally erasing agency in scenes inconsistent with a veteran of the democratic movement. I later tried to engage him behind the scenes but, regrettably, I was unsuccessful in persuading him otherwise. I consider yesterday to have been a dark day in the opposition movement as we literally saw a highly revered figure for many years essentially pressing the self-destruct button & rupturing his well earned & deserved reputation as a fearless & inspirational democrat. What was tragic is that I was unable to see a conscious attempt at social regulation / damage limitation / kusiya pehukama. The “running dogs” jibe is as inflammatory as it is highly damaging. It’s the type of language that is normally the preserve of cold, cruel & insensitive regime apologists normally deployed at opposition activists. In the end, it appears to me that while Chari rightly feels entitled to criticise Chamisa & pass judgment over what he considers to be the latter’s weaknesses, Chari himself appears unable or unwilling to accept being subjected to the same scrutiny – thereby opening himself to charges of hypocrisy. I am also of the view that Chari’s understanding / mastery of key past & current political events appears dubious at best & woeful at worst – especially events surrounding FAZ, Tshabangu’s role as ED’s proxy & his interaction with the ex PDP cabal, Welshman & others. It is difficult to understand why Chari would be unwilling to re-evaluate the full gamut of his dealings with Ncube in the lead up to the stolen elections, particularly in light of what has emerged since. After all, George Charamba’s boastful pre-election Tweet about an impending palace coup plot brewing in the opposition movement dovetails with the subsequent Tshabangu fronted insurgency, roping in Biti, Phulu and Doink via the “anga achapera ega” audio clip & several aborted Tshabangu published documents purporting to appoint Biti & Ncube – to joint leadership positions. Even now, it is clear that Welshman Ncube is behaving like a captured or co-opted opposition leader, as he is offering zilch resistance to ED – while Doink, from the same faction, has joined the opposition hall of infamy via graduating from the ZANU PF school of indoctrination, the Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology – and recently upped the ante on the opposition hall of infamy spectrum via dishing out stratospheric levels of pro-ED bootlicking live on TV! Given the above, Chari’s positive appraisal of Ncube, even within the limited context he highlighted, – was ill-judged & amounted to political suicide. What made it worse is that, it was juxtaposed with withering criticism of Chamisa’s leadership & none in respect of Ncube & his crew, despite their chequered history & recent shameful shenanigans, suggesting the prevalence of bias / absence of parity / balance. That opened Chari to charges of being consistently biased against Chamisa to the point of holding open hostility / contempt. It is striking that a mere 72 hours worth of interaction with Ncube appears to have been so decisive in shaping Chari’s views on the subject to the point of being unwilling even to re-evaluate the situation in light of subsequent events. Another point worth noting is that, when I tried to push Chari on the importance of avoiding the use of intemperate language, he appeared unable or unwilling to accept that this could be potentially damaging to important relationships & the ability to get your message through. Summing it all up, I will defend Chari when it comes to charges of being compromised. Such charges should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. Chari is simply another Two Boy Tekere. He lacks diplomatic tact. He’s a volatile character & is prone to being explosive. He is direct & speaks his mind without a filter & worrying about the potential impact & consequences of what he says on others. Such an approach renders one unpredictable, ungovernable, potentially disruptive, upsets team spirit & harmony and is thus unsustainable in the long term. I think he is an awesome Scientist but struggles with making sound political judgments at the highest level – but he is oblivious of this failing. We now know that although he is prone to fiercely criticising others, he is himself unable or unwilling to take similar heat. It is possible that his “rants” against Chamisa are the direct result of failing to convince Chamisa to take his advice. It also possible that owing to his tendency to venture into public outposts / tirades – and disclosing sensitive or confidential conversations and intel, Chamisa would have long distrusted him – and despised the manner of delivery – perhaps with Chari barely able to disguise / contain his contempt when expressing / challenging Chamisa on issues he disagreed with him – thereby sealing the fate of the relationship! There is also the possibility that Chari is perhaps unaware of the constraints that leadership entails – and that it’s possible that there is intel that he might not be privy to – which ultimately sometimes shapes decisions that Chamisa, like any other leader has to make – leaving a trail of disappointed cdes like Chari in his wake. Whatever the basis of how we got here, this is a real tragedy to the broader opposition movement! After all, Chari will always be one of us & a real patriot, regardless of the Piri Piri that he sometimes unleashes with reckless abandon! I hope that in the fullness of time, he will reconsider some of the invective he has directed to so many who revered him, thereby haemorrhaging his reputation as a stalwart of the opposition movement cultivated over many years! I wish him all the best in his future endeavours. Bon Voyage Chari!
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is heading to the NFL draft after leading the Southeastern Conference in rushing and setting a handful of school records. The SEC Offensive Player of the Year announced on social media his intention Friday to leave after his junior season. He helped the seventh-ranked Vols go 10-3 with a first-round loss in the College Football Playoff where Sampson was limited by an injured hamstring. Sampson thanked his family, Tennessee coaches and fans, saying he learned so much and had the chance to be part of something special. Tennessee went 3-7 in 2020, and he leaves with the Vols having won 30 games over his three seasons. "I poured my heart and soul into this program and this community," Sampson wrote. "With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft." Sampson set a school record running for 1,491 yards. He also set a program record with a league-best 22 rushing touchdowns, breaking a mark that had stood for 95 years. He was part of coach Josh Heupel's first full signing class in December 2021 out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also set school records for total touchdowns scored (22), points scored (132) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11). He led the SEC in nine different categories, including rushing attempts (258), rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, 100-yard rushing games with 10, averaging 114.7 yards rushing per game, points scored, points per game (10.2), all-purpose yards (1,638) and all-purpose yards per game (126.0). He finished this season tied for fifth all-time in the SEC ranks for rushing TDs in a single season with Leonard Fournette of LSU.ESPN to pull the plug on 'Around the Horn'
Wolves at Rockets 7 p.m. Friday TV, radio: FanDuel Sports Network Extra, iHeart app Timberwolves update: The Wolves remain in Texas to end a three-game road trip after ending a three-game losing streak with a 105-99 victory over Dallas on Wednesday. They held on after nearly blowing all of a 28-point lead in the fourth quarter. F Julius Randle had one of his best games of the season with 23 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists. Over their past four games, the Wolves have the NBA’s 23rd-rated offense in terms of efficiency. F Joe Ingles (left soleus strain) is listed as questionable. Rockets update: Houston entered Thursday night’s game at New Orleans having won five of six, and defeated the Wolves 117-111 in overtime on Nov. 26 at Target Center. The Rockets have the second-best defensive rating in the league at 105.4 points allowed per 100 possessions. Their offense ranks 13th in efficiency on the strength of Houston being the No. 1 offensive rebounding team in the league. C Alperen Sengun averaged 3.3 offensive rebounds per game, ninth in the league. G/F Dillon Brooks was out Thursday because of a right ankle injury.As I was leaving my sister’s house the last time I visited, with one foot out the door, she exclaimed, “The spatula! Mayonnaise!” I knew just what she meant. She was asking about one of my favorite spatulas (yes, I have favorite spatulas), the one that is long and narrow and can reach inside of a jar to scrape out every last bit. This got me thinking about small items that have a big impact in my kitchen, making my cooking life so much easier. I realized I have a list worth sharing, items well-suited for stocking stuffers, Hanukkah gifts, or even a basket full of trinkets for someone’s first apartment. I adore all the spatulas from Tovolo, and the 5-piece spatula set is pretty awesome, but you can also just buy the jar scraper . Personally, I like green, but it comes in many colors, and you can opt for a wood, stainless steel or silicone handle. We were visiting one of our children some time ago when my son pulled out this little lemon squeezer made by Trudeau. I got right online to order it. According to Amazon, I’ve bought this four times, so I’ve given it as a gift more than once! I love that it strains the seeds and has measurements on the side of the cup. To be honest, I’ve never used the domed cover, because I’ve never not fully juiced a lemon half, but I suppose that has its purpose if you only use a spritz of lemon and you want to save the half lemon to spritz more later. When I wrote my column about fried chicken , I know I mentioned how helpful it is to have an instant-read thermometer, and the ThermoWorks brand is top-notch. But many of their products are pricey. Not so when it comes to the ThermoPop 2 ! (I have the old version, in the photo.) This is easy to use and reliable, not only to check on meat temperature but also to see if the center of a casserole has become hot enough or to check the water temperature when making homemade bread. It comes in a rainbow of colors, and I bought five of them at once to give to each of our kids as gifts at Passover (because in our house, everyone gets an afikomen prize) — and I kept one for myself. OXO is known for sturdy, durable kitchen products, many of which would be kitchen tools most people already have — a can opener, a whisk, and so forth. I usually hesitate to buy single-use gadgets, but I love the corn prep peeler . Though it’s not the season for it, I use mine all the time in the summer. We almost always buy more fresh corn than we will eat, and I cut the kernels from the extra ears and freeze them to add a bit of sunshine in our winter meals. And when I learned that one of my daughters-in-law loves to put corn on her salads, I sent her one of these immediately. Another OXO product, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets, is the mini angled measuring cup . It has markings for 1/2 tablespoon, 1 tablespoon, and 2 tablespoons, and saves me from having to hold a measuring spoon carefully over a bowl or pot. I have three of them so if I’m arranging mise en place, I can ready a small amount of a few ingredients. When I first showed this to my stepson, he went right online and ordered one. I told him to order two, and I think he kind of rolled his eyes. And then, of course, when he saw how useful it was, he bought another! Speaking of measuring tools, the best set of measuring spoons I have are King Arthur Baking's spice measuring spoons , so named because the scoops are elongated and narrow to fit into a spice jar. I love that this set has 1/2 tablespoon (i.e., 1 1/2 teaspoons) and 3/4 teaspoon measures, which are less commonly found in most sets. There are two items I love for which I have no particular brand to suggest, but can be sourced easily. One is a cookie dough scoop , but I mostly use it for making meatballs. These come in various sizes, and my preferred size has a capacity of 2 tablespoons. I cannot believe that using this gadget never even occurred to me during all those years when my boys were young and ate what seemed like a gazillion meatballs every week. I hated rolling the meatballs in my hands, so much so that I never ate any so I wouldn’t have to make another batch as soon! Now I make them for my granddaughters, and between the scoop and kitchen prep gloves, it’s so much easier! I’ve offered two different meatball versions in my columns, one with Asian flavors and the other with raisins and pine nuts, although I omit the nuts and raisins for the babies. The last gadget I’ll suggest here, one that I’ve mentioned in pretty much every pasta column I’ve written, is a spider strainer . My preferred technique is to remove pasta directly from the water into the sauce, and when it’s a shape, a spider strainer is the best tool. I had used a strainer previously, but the loop on the rim made it hard to get into the bottom edge of the pot. I probably use my spider at least a few times every week. (When cooking a strand pasta, I use tongs, but I think most people already have at least one set!) For something totally different, but still for the culinarian in your life, consider buying a jar of special spices or herbs , perhaps an interesting blend. A few of the companies I like are Penzey’s , Curio Spice Co. , and Burlap & Barrel . All three offer the Middle Eastern blend za’atar , which is an essential ingredient in my recent column for lemon za’atar chicken . You could even write out the recipe and attach it to the jar. From Penzey’s, one of my lazy hacks when making any dessert that calls for spices, rather than measure out cinnamon and nutmeg and so on, I just use their Pie Spice blend , which is also great in recipes using winter squash or sweet potatoes. Now that I’ve shared some of my faves, I’d love to hear what gadgets you can’t live without, or what fun, unique ingredients you’ve enjoyed! Have a happy and delicious holiday season!
Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to ChabadNEW YORK (AP) — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time,” said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.
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