By Sandi Caganoff Last night my friend dragged me to a debate on the Palestine/Israel issue. She thinks I need exposure to such debates. I was promised it would be an extraordinary panel and the subject matter “will be riveting” she said, as I stifled a yawn. The subject of the debate was Israel and […]
2011
Social commerce – Facebook apps that offer more than marketing
Facebook applications are a keen focus area for companies that want to extend their reach. But what many don’t realise, this early on in the development of the social phenomenon, is that it is not just about marketing or publicity. Companies that use Facebook merely to advertise their brand, or build up a contact database, […]
What are these surfers talking about?
With the Jeffreys Bay Billabong Pro struggling this year in near-perfect weather I think it’s a good idea to explore the bizarre way these people talk to each other. As a Jeffreys Bay inhabitant myself I’ve had many conversations with surfers over the years and often walked away confused as to what the hell just […]
BlackBerry and the come-back
Blackberry, or officially RIM, has been on a rather downward spiral since the rapid growth of Android and the steady market share of iOS. You have to still consider that they are a good manufacturer and in many ways could actually leap back from the pits. What’s important to notice about RIM verses Nokia for […]
No Mandela on the horizon
By pure coincidence, two apartheid-era South Africans, Mkhize and Van der Merwe — black and a white — find themselves as neighbours in a foreign a land. Back home they could never have been neighbours. But out there in foreign shores they “discover” that they actually have more in common than with anyone else around […]
Blade Runner’s Olympic dream one step closer
The Olympic Games is the most prestigious multi-sport event on earth, with only the Soccer World Cup comparable in size and magnitude. It is the ultimate dream for many a competitor to win an Olympic gold medal in their chosen field, since it is recognition of being one of if not the world’s best competitor […]
Tri-Nations should be scrapped in a World Cup year
As we approach the first Tri-Nations Test of 2011, there is a nagging feeling moving beneath the media hype surrounding Saturday’s clash between South Africa and Australia in Sydney. While any match-up between the Wallabies and the Springboks is always worth a gander, it is almost as if this is merely the first step to […]
Activity-based costing — beware the pitfalls
Judging by the number of customer enquiries about it, we appear to be in the middle of another wave of enthusiasm for activity-based costing (ABC). In theory, ABC is a powerful analytical tool for helping businesses understand exactly what makes them tick. But is the insight delivered worth the extra cost of implementation? Although our […]
Niqab — a close encounter
By Sara Gon France has banned the wearing of the niqab and other European countries are considering doing the same. It is a strange response to the failure of European multiculturalism. A truly democratic, confident society should reinforce the principles and culture that characterise that society without removing rights to follow religion or culture. Banning […]
Swazi queen’s sorry tale of patriarchal abuse
By Lungile Dube Every girl grows up dreaming of a fairy tale ending but that’s not always the case, especially in real life. This reminds me of a young lady who became the envy of almost every woman who grew up believing in Cinderella tales. Nothando Dube became Swaziland king Mswati III’s 12th wife at […]
Another year, another Commonwealth blog
Its possibly part of my genetic makeup, but I am a firm believer in consensus (or what the Dutch call “poldermodel”) and multilateralism. In essence, everyone needs to adhere to the rules in order to ensure that life can operate in a fairly predictable manner. In December 2009 I blogged about the potential role that […]
Mourning the death of a legendary white African journalist
It was with deep regret that some of us learnt of the passing on of legendary African journalist Patrick Laurence. Obituaries were carried in the Mail & Guardian and Sunday Times recently. For over 50 years, Laurence was a passionate and committed political writer whose life and work made a clear distinction between radical African […]