Driving around a typical Johannesburg suburb, the most eye catching thing is that every house is surrounded by a wall at least 6 feet high. And these walls are decorated with electric fences or barbed wire. Their electric gates let in only the right people. These walls keep the bad people out (most of the […]
2008
Posted inGeneral, Media, News/Politics
Wanted: $136 million to grow African media
Media movers meeting in Maputo: Amadou Ba (All Africa.com), Prof Fackson Banda (Rhodes University), and Eric Chinje (World Bank). Three years of work came to part fruition in Maputo this week, when some 50 media enthusiasts concretised research into a proposed institution, a project focus and a pretty big budget. People like Ba, Banda and […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
Beware the alchemists
Last night, I found a neatly printed-out and stapled copy of Beware the Alchemists, by Ludwig von Mises. It is surprisingly accessible. It takes an initially complex topic, encrusted with 100 years of Keynesian pollution and toxic government waste, and turns it into something simple and intuitive. I wish I had learned what I understand of interest rates and monetary policy, and what inflation really is, from this text.
Posted inNews/Politics
Zimbabwe poll: Is there any sense in establishing a government of national unity?
This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online: Zimbabwe poll: Is there any sense in establishing a government of national unity?
Posted inGeneral
Barack Obama and the race for the White House
Over the past few months I’ve twice been asked to appear as a pundit on the BBC World Service’s “Have your say” programme dealing with Barack Obama’s bid to become the Democratic Party’s nomination for the White House. In both cases the question of race and its effect on his candidacy was the pivotal point […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Black whingeing and the FBJ
The Forum of Black Journalists (FBJ) malarkey has recently provided a counter to so–called “white whingeing”. That counter is the emergence and increasing prevalence of “black whinging” and the volume is creeping ever steadily upwards. How rainbow. The recent BJF ruling has been a rallying point; a target in stocks on the village square for […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Understanding the kabuki of Mbeki’s diplomacy
How, exactly, is the UN Security Council going to contribute to the resolution of the crisis in Zimbabwe? What would a special envoy say to Mugabe and his securocrats that would have any more impact than the messages already being sent — in no small part thanks to Thabo Mbeki’s reviled diplomacy — by SADC […]
Posted inGeneral
Homegrown Software
It’s very tempting to think that your piece of software is very unique. In fact, why would you have a need for this software, if someone else thought about it already? As the old saying goes: “There’s nothing new under the sun.” And it’s quite true. There is almost never any new ideas or thoughts. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Black fascism is as empty as white nationalism
Someone needs to tell the self-appointed ‘thought police’ to stop their fascist behaviour. Nobody has the authority to dictate to other people what to think or how to behave because of similarity of skin colour. In fact, it would be a good idea for thought police to go on a holiday in Europe or Asia […]
Posted inLifestyle, Media, Tech
How to make lottery world history (and get free beers)
I just love lotteries. What I especially love about them is that you don’t even have to enter them any more. You just win them! I won four only this morning. I won lotteries in Spain (again!), France (my third), Egypt and Norway. Even if I had won only three since waking up, I would […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The voice of the voter remains marginalised
As we near the 2009 National Elections, South Africa once again finds itself in a position where the voice of the voter is marginalised because of the lack of regulations on political party funding. The impact of this on our democracy cannot and must not be underestimated. And until the ANC and the DA get […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Zimbabwean dystopia : Why, South Africa? Why?
As reports start filtering through on the United Nations Security Council meeting which dealt with the election impasse in Zimbabwe, the Times of London confirms: “South Africa led efforts to block the dispatch of a UN envoy to Zimbabwe yesterday, as the UN Security Council met on the election stand-off for the first time.” The […]