Win fame and fortune in the noseweek flash fiction competition.

Rules
1. Stories must be of no more than 250 words.
2. They must not have been published previously.
3. Entries must be received by Monday 7 November 2005.
4. Submissions must be emailed to noseweek@iafrica.com with “Flash Fiction” in the subject field; or typed and faxed to (021) 686 0573 or posted to PO Box 44538, Claremont 7735.
5. The winning entries will be published in the December edition of noseweek.
6. The editor’s decision is final.
 

"When a business engages in crime that produces illicit advantages, it is axiomatic that – whatever individual punishment is meted out – the company itself cannot be left in a position to profit from those ill-gotten gains", wrote William Barr, executive vice president and general counsel of Verizon Inc. (and former Attorney General of the United States) after federal prosecutors declined to criminally prosecute WorldCom/ MCI for an $11bn fraud. US investigative journalists Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman wonder what Barr's thoughts might be now that Verizon is proposing a merger with WorldCom/MCI.

South Africa is not the only African country in which the president and his deputy are not on the best of terms.

In recent issues noseweek has reported and commented on the legal action brought by South African-born Cambridge professor and one-time 'Rivonia' Communist Sir Bob Hepple, which resulted in the publishers of RW Johnson's latest book withdrawing it from the market. There are, however, aspects of the issue that have escaped public attention. And even Bill Johnson's books should not lightly be banned.

Telkom withdraws from its fight with the man behind "Hellkom" - the website so many angry phone customers love. Johannesburg trademark attorney Hans Muhlberg reports for noseweek.

The Western Cape has been warming at roughly twice the global average over the past 30 years. This trend in temperature is likely to continue. The trend for rainfall is downwards.

Despite receiving a salary, and a performance bonus, Di Phillips finds herself with no job function and no work. She is just one of the Cape Town City Council's "displaced employees".

"I don’t think the house will last much longer, I really don’t,” says Adriana Bertheil of her new R5m home in Sandhurst. “If we had a decent relationship with the woman we’d attend to these things. But she’s just a bad apple and very aggressive," says Andrew Botha, financial director of property developer MKB.

A top human rights advocate persuaded St John's to pay the medical costs of Wayde Baker, the victim of that now-notorious organised hit at a Jo'burg party. But when the school's attorneys presented a draft agreement to Wayde's mom there were some disquieting conditions ...

United Cricket Board chief executive Gerald Majola painted a rosy picture of cricket's finances at the annual meeting of the board in August. But - as our Mr Numbers reveals - the true situation is far from rosy.

Outsurance boasts in all its advertising: "You always get something out". In reality it's more like: sometimes you eventually get something out (and not if we can help it).