Spring Carnival

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His life ended in a drain pipe and some would say there is no better place for an autocrat of his ilk to be flushed from this world. But as I stepped out from my shower and heard the news of Gaddafi’s demise, I couldn't help but pity the man who made wearing a safari suit, sunnies and a turban together, almost fashionable. Whilst he never made it onto the front cover of Vogue, the graphic footage of a feeble, frail and bloodied man moments before death revealed the sad state of humankind. 

There is no defending Gaddafi’s arrogant grab for power, subjugation of minorities, dismantling of state institutions, involvement in the Lockerbie disaster, weapons trading, massacres and more. These were ugly blights and Libyans, at least in the short term, are better off without him. But whether the world is or will be a “better place” with his removal is yet to be revealed. One only has to look at the state of Iraq and Egypt to see that chaos reigns amidst the power vacuums.

I have not known a world without Gaddafi, Hussein and Mubarek. Vilified and courted by Western powers at different times during their respected periods in power makes their deaths even more meaningless to me. New media continues to awaken the free world to the plight of despotic regimes. Beemed onto our Ipads and widescreens 24/7, these Masterchef-like moments are the pinnacle of reality TV. No doubt the networks will eagerly look forward to further ratings winners with likely contests to be aired from Syria and Iran sometime soon.

Juxtapose the shooting of a Libyan mad dog with the assassination of once caged and then free – if only for a moment – exotic animals in Iowa. Only in America, the land of the “Free”, well, not if you have four legs and are of African or Asian extraction.  “Shoot to kill” was the word from the sheriff who must have thought he was on the film set during making of The Fugitive, only this time it was Kimba the lion being hunted down, not Dr Richard Kimble.

On a brighter note, you don't have to be an animal lover to appreciate the mastery of a mare called Black Caviar. On Saturday she won her 15th straight race and in doing so has broken Phar Lap’s record. While the competition was few in number, there were no shanks’ ponies amongst the other nags. From barrier to finishing post, the jockey didn't use his whip, he just galloped his excellent equine into the history books. Horse racing is beer and skittles to Aussie punters but trackside on Cox Plate day in 2011, it was more like Champagne and Caviar.  Giddy...hiccup!

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