I feel sick in the depths of my stomach. I’ve got that I-can’t-believe-this-is-happening feeling — because I really can’t believe this is happening. I’m sitting inside my room at the Thewodros Hotel in Harar, a small town in eastern Ethiopia, and I want to get out of here. Yes, I was chirpy when I arrived […]
2008
Posted inLifestyle, Tech
Web 2.egO
I’ve been pondering, recently, the rise of narcissism as a disease of our world. Depression used to be the problem, everyone swallowing handfuls of Prozac and eating chocolate cake in their pyjamas. Now, I believe, fuelled by our inherent egomania and facilitated by (among many other things) Web 2.0 social-networking sites, a kind of global […]
Posted inGeneral
Making beautiful coloureds together
Thought Leader has been a mess of racial attacks and counter-attacks lately. As Friedman said, between Eskom and Zuma some of the South African citizens of European descent have been granted a platform, or what they perceive as moral high ground, from which to launch their attacks on all African people and on those who […]
Posted inLifestyle
Orgy on the road to Barberton?
So, did anyone else see the story of the Mpumalanga hitchhiker who was gang-raped by three women? Rape is a very serious matter — a gangrene that is eating away at the fabric of our society. There is nothing even remotely funny about it. Still, it is not too often that I read a story […]
Posted inBusiness
First Eskom, now Telkom — who’s next?
I have promised to reveal what one good or positive trait of mine I would willingly relinquish if given the chance to live my life again. I failed on my promise … and therein lies a parable. I have been offline again — thanks entirely to the unimaginable incompetence of Telkom, its ingrained policy of […]
Posted inBusiness, Lifestyle, Tech
Evolution and endurance
Sometimes the things we need to learn most aren’t to be found in books, through transplanted wisdom, in lectures or by way of extraordinary mentor … there are some things not even Google can solve. The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted […]
Posted inNews/Politics
What new government?
In 1999, the New National Party (remember them?) and the Democratic Party decided to form a coalition in the Western Cape, simply to keep the ANC (which had received the most votes, just not with an outright majority) from governing the province. The following year, they fought the local government elections under the banner of […]
Posted inGeneral
America is the hope of the world
My fellow Americans … I know you may be wondering why I call you fellow Americans since I am not one of you.
Posted inSport
I am Egyptian
The Pharaohs are deserving winners of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations. If they had not won against the “Indomitable Lions” (just as well lions were not asked when Cameroon chose this name), they would have been worthy victors for coming up with ever-so-novel goal celebrations at this year’s tournament. First it was Zidan who, […]
Posted inNews/Politics
I agree with the MP
I must say that when I first heard about parliamentarian George Lekgetho’s request — or was that suggestion — to legalise prostitution, I was quite impressed, contrary to everyone else’s reaction. I was happy that someone had finally spoken up about this matter. What I find interesting is how many people have since attacked or […]
Posted inBusiness, News/Politics
The Gaia death cult
It’s unnerving how often one is faced with declarations about the desirability of fewer people on Earth, in response to criticisms of environmentalist politicking. Fewer of us, so the reasoning goes, would improve quality of life and be good for the environment. Forgive me for not joining this little death cult. Forty years ago almost […]
Posted inLifestyle
Laughter yoga: Not as strange as it sounds
I went to my first laughter yoga session this weekend and I’m hooked. Call me a hippy if you will! Laughter yoga is a bit of a craze at the moment, sweeping the world one giggle at a time. There are apparently 5 000 laughter clubs in operation at the moment. What is it? Basically, a […]