I calculated that my flight from London to Italy for the Human Rights Film Festival resulted in 0.340 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The flight to Dubai was 1.259 tonnes, and then another 0.130 tonnes to get to Qatar for the Aljazeera Documentary Festival. Were the benefits gained from these events worth it? Many human rights […]
2008
Posted inLifestyle
Alternative healing under fire
Burrow through a copy of your favourite daily newspaper’s classifieds section these days and you’ll stare into the abyss of alternative “healing”. Herbalist Prince Fahad Mama Farida wants to sell you a magic stick that will make you rich in seven days. Prince Wakho (sic) offers safe abortions and better pay, while Prof Dunga proffers […]
Posted inNews/Politics
You can tell me what you like: Rosemarie Fritzl knew
Like everyone else I’m reading everything and anything on the Austrian father, Josef Fritzl, who kept his daughter captive for 24 years and fathered her seven children. Unbelievable – beats anything I’ve seen as a criminal attorney. Yet one thing keeps haunting me – how could Rosemarie Fritzl not have known what was going on? […]
Posted inLifestyle
The role of the blogger
Now here’s something I’d like to hash out a bit. What is the role of the blogger? There are enough blogs out there writing about intensely personal day-to-day stuff to suggest that the role of the blog is nothing more than an online Dear Diary. Then there are political blogs, commenting on and making observations […]
Posted inGeneral
Do South Africans have a ‘loser’ mentality?
“Yaapies” is how the Australian writer Malcolm Knox referred to South African cricketers in his 2005 novel Adult Book. Some may take exception to this, but it has to be acknowledged that he also manages to sum up very neatly what is wrong not just with our national cricket team, but with the South African […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
Food inflation: lessons from India
The current rise in food prices is very, very dangerous. Not because food will be more expensive, but because chances are the government will intervene to prevent this. The unions in South Africa have already called for a food price freeze. This merely serves to show that they didn’t bother paying attention in Economics 101. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
The chief with Taiwanese blood and politainment
One of the reasons I have steadfastly steered clear of writing about politics (if you ignore my alarming ignorance on politics) is because I find politics excruciatingly boring. I’d rather spend eighteen hours a day picking prickly pears without gloves than spend fifteen minutes watching that insomnia-busting nothingness called Parliament Live featuring a riveting debate […]
Posted inLifestyle
A braai with my chommies
I’ve often driven past communal braaiing spots and wondered what kind of a person goes to all the effort of transporting braai paraphernalia to a public spot. Yesterday I found out. We had a braai in Tokai Forest and it was simply delightful. Open space, lots of trees and dappled sunlight, logs to sit on […]
Posted inGeneral
Online Millions: Finding your niche
In your pursuit of making millions online, the most important decision you will have to make is choosing the correct niche as your target audience. Do not fall into the trap of playing the “it’s for everyone” game, because it never is, and even if it was, you would never be able to afford it. […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Hillary and the happy ending
It’s time to come clean. Against my better judgment, I think I may have had a soft spot for Hillary. Just a few weeks ago, I dreamt that the two of us were walking hand–in–hand. She was unusually charming. I was feeling guilty for not supporting her bid to become America’s next top commander. And […]
Posted inGeneral
Social-media marketing needs a new name
Many people involved in the South African (and global) social media industry will agree that, if anything, these past few years have taught us a lot about web-based content and copywriting, online communities and networks, and marketing and communications on the internet. We have also seen how numerous companies, both locally and abroad, find value […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Skewering stereotypes about child support grants
Sunday’s City Press saw a column by deputy editor Lizeka Mda who repeated her standing antipathy to government grants for child support. In the past, she’s argued that if her tax money is encouraging girls to have babies, at least they should be required to present school certificates when the children are old enough to […]