I’m struck by the fact that Israel, Italy, India, Greece and Germany all have presidents and yet we see and hear more from the Prime Ministers of those countries and in Germany’s case, the chancellor Merkel. It’s like having a C.E.O but reporting to the Administrative Secretary. Okay maybe my comparison is overstated but you get the picture. Why don’t they just scrap the Presidency since the Prime Ministers wield more power? Silvio Berlusconi, whose unofficial duties are well-documented, is finally bowing out. He almost outlived the proverbial cat with nine lives but after one scandal too many and Italy’s grim financial crisis, something had to give.

Another man whose survival I’m worried about is Herman Cain, one the US Republican Party hopefuls. Now, I say worry not because I really care about his candidacy but whether he’ll survive the media onslaught spurred by the sexual harassment allegations he’s facing. I don’t want to judge him because the details are still sketchy but to borrow another adage, there’s no smoke without fire. Being an ardent Obama supporter, I have to confess that I’m dancing on Cain’s grave. Not that he or anyone in the Republican camp is a serious threat but with all the plummeting poll numbers, clinching a second term doesn’t seem as obvious as it once did and so anything that dents any of the opponents’ chances is welcome.

Its politics and it is a dirty game. Nicolas Sarkozy knows that all too well. The more I listen to him, the more I like him. This man is not afraid to speak his mind, where many of us don’t have the nerve to tell people off. Benjamin Netanyahu needed to hear that. I’m not anti-Israel but I don’t like the way they hold the world hostage. They want to have their way all the time and that is just not practical. The occupation problem would have been solved decades ago if only Israel would get off their high horse. Enough said about that.

As you probably know by now, Dr Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and could spend the next four years in jail. This, despite the fact that the jury believe he did not intentionally kill Jackson. MJ’s fans and family are undoubtedly happy, but I have to say I’m camp Murray. First of all, I smell a rat from all his so-called lovers who were paraded to testify against him. I don’t doubt that he was seeing all of them but I have a strong feeling that they have something to gain from all this.

At the risk of facing the wrath of Jackson’s fans, I want people to acknowledge that MJ is equally responsible for his fate. So Dr Murray didn’t call 911 when he should have, but how many times have any of us done the right thing in the face of an emergency?

Sometimes people panic, are overwhelmed or think they can handle the situation. Until something happens, you don’t exactly know how you will react. It doesn’t mean you have bad intentions. So he left the room to call his two girlfriends, again, something any one could do. It doesn’t excuse what he did but it doesn’t warrant the four-year sentence he’s about to serve. Those baying for his blood surprise me. Why didn’t they make as much noise during Michael’s child molestation trial? I consider that a more serious offense but Jackson got off the hook. The other thing I noticed during that 2005 trial was that Michael looked visibly ill. The skeletal King of Pop with hollow cheeks and sunken eyes had to be supported by bodyguards into and out of the courtroom, a clear manifestation that years of cosmetic surgery and drug abuse had taken their toll. My closing argument on this, Michael Jackson wanted his "milk”, and as with most addicts, would have found it even if Murray hadn’t provided it.

To be continued...
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