At the Grand Scaly Whale (RDM) in the old SAAN building, resplendent with Benjy’s Bungle jutting like a defiant middle finger into the Jo’burg skyline, we used the Atex electronic editing system. As with today’s zooty jobs, each of us had a password or login code to access the system. One of our cadets — […]
2007
Posted inBusiness, Media
Grovel time
Although I never in my Spielbergian imagination thought I’d have to post a blog like this, I apologise sincerely for any offence I caused with comments in my blog headlined: “Working on that pig’s ear, baby“. It was not my intention to hurt my young colleagues and I acknowledge I used some harsh turns of […]
Posted inLifestyle
They really are watching you
You are right, they are watching you. I’m somewhat paranoid — who isn’t? But here’s a chilling little tale. You are on your way into the UK from Europe. You go through immigration. You get pulled aside. The official has a simple question: Why did you go to a particular Palestinian restaurant in London two […]
Posted inBusiness, Media, News/Politics
The devil made Tim do it
Rapport editor Tim du Plessis has given us a new version of Voltaire’s famous defence of free speech: “I don’t agree with what you say, but I’ll defend your right to say it, unless it harms my employer’s commercial interests, in which case I’ll shut you up quicker than you can say ‘editorial independence’.” Du […]
Posted inLifestyle
Public moments of intimacy
I’ve been noticing, lately, how many intensely personal moments there are walking around the streets every day. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about spying on people or stalking anyone; I’m not (despite anyone’s allegations!) the type of person who strolls around stealing people’s saris off beaches (see this blog post for the […]
Posted inLifestyle
The Law of Underneath the Furniture
The next time some smarty-pants says: “Numbers don’t lie, you know,” I promise I’ll rip his tongue off its root and make a necktie out of it. And I swear that the next time someone says to me: “Well, your argument falls flat on its nose if you consider the statistical reality,” I’ll grab his […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
So much wealth in so few hands
Statistics on world distribution of wealth make for interesting reading. Two percent of adults in the world own more than half of global household wealth. Ten percent of adults account for 85% of the world total and the bottom half of the world adult population owns barely 1% of global wealth. This study, by the […]
Posted inSport
Rugby World Cup 1995 champions toast the class of 2007
The South African Rugby Legends Association (Sarla) hosted a meeting of the 1995 and 2007 Rugby World Cup champions at the Southern Sun hotel in Grayston Drive, Sandton, Johannesburg, on Thursday evening. It was an opportunity for Francois Pienaar’s legendary side to congratulate the guys who had brought home our second title. I must admit, […]
Posted inMedia
How dare he?
Ronald Suresh Roberts tests my commitment to freedom of expression. When I read his blog calling Mondli Makhanya a chicken, I wanted it taken down off Thought Leader. But to do that would be to abuse the space as he has abused it. Abused it by parading attack as debate; innuendo as critical thought. Bile […]
Posted inBusiness, Lifestyle
Wines of change
South African wines are rated top of the global connoisseur’s list and have been for very many years. For most South African wine consumers, the marvel of having so many award-winning vineyards on our doorstep is often taken for granted, as are the underlying facts of them being located in a very unique biosphere, giving […]
Posted inMedia, News/Politics
The media’s ridiculous coverage of Cyril Ramaphosa
I took some time today to look back over the past 18 months or so at the endless confirm/deny loops that the media are in around a possible run for president by businessman Cyril Ramaphosa. There are two obvious conclusions: 1. No one has any idea whether this man is in line to run for […]
Posted inLifestyle
Valuing freedom
The other day, I downloaded an entire book from the internet. For free. It was an incredibly empowering act. In a society where knowledge is costly and education requires financial sacrifice, it was refreshing to find that someone had decided the value of a product lay not in the money one paid for it, but […]