General

By Dominique Pienaar Social networks, blogs and virtual worlds are no longer on the fringe — they are very real factors that can influence the perception of companies large and small. Customers, partners and competitors are openly and frankly engaged in these channels, and these discussions are occurring completely outside the control of the companies […]

Orlando Pirates will go to their much anticipated game against Kaizer Chiefs with their spirits high after a brilliant run of 13 games unbeaten and the number-one spot in the league. But the back-to-back defeats against their arch-rivals will still be fresh in their minds. This game will be a humdinger and definitely a match […]

As the circus that is World Cup comes to life in the subcontinent, a significant moment is upon South African cricket. Yes, the Proteas have headed eastward in effort to slay the ghost of Headingley past, but this will also be Graeme Smith’s last ODI adventure as captain of the side. Just yesterday he was […]

In 1997 a man by the name of Dennis Arrow published an assemblage of more than 200 pages of text in the Michigan Law Review under the title “Pomobabble: Postmodern Newspeak and Constitutional ‘Meaning’ for the Uninitiated”. Although the text claimed to be defining postmodernism and legal postmodernist jargon, it did everything but that. Instead, […]

Stage 3 — 171km — Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to Summerstrand Port Elizabeth lived up to its name as the “Windy City” when it hosted Stage 3 of the Cell C Tour of South Africa. Following Monday’s rest day, the stage started in earnest at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, before finishing 171 kilometres later, […]

We have a problem in this country. Our standard of coaching is not acceptable. Why, is the question we should all be asking. When this amazing country became free and fair we opened up the opportunities by another 45 million people at the time, I think we have failed SA sport by not doing more. We […]

I have just finished reading Robert McNamara’s In Retrospect, which seeks to provide answers to why the “best and brightest”, who, after skilfully navigating the Cuban Missile Crisis, led the US into the tragic Vietnam War. President Barack Obama’s team, apparently, diligently studied this period of history when they drew up the new administration’s Afghanistan […]

Conversion rates have long been the determining factor of a website’s success — whether you have a fully fledged e-commerce website, lead generating website or other, your conversion rate (usually) determines the overall return and success you are getting from the website. But what exactly is conversion rate? Most people measure a website’s conversion rate […]

Stage 2 — 163km — Montecasino via Soweto to Montecasino Stage 2 of the Cell C Tour of South Africa was neutralised due to traffic concerns on the road. The race started off well, leaving Montecasino in the north of Johannesburg towards Soweto. Attacks were fast and furious with Johan van Zyl (Toyota CSA), Christiaan […]

Explain this to me, Inter Milan and AC Milan, with their combined history of success and passion and pride, are more than happy to share a ground and stadium identity, but Liverpool and Everton cannot find an easy way to do this? Why? On its own, the argument about history and identity is a powerful […]

If anyone ever wondered what Foucault’s description of modern, “disciplined” society as one structured by “hierarchical observation”, “normalising judgement” and the “examination” amounts to in contemporary terms, they should read Renata Salecl’s intriguing book, Choice (2010). Salecl provides a reconstruction of the social scene of today in which one can inscribe Foucault’s insights, in the […]

Stage 1 — 154km — Menlyn Park shopping centre to Montecasino Kristian House (Rapha Condor Sharp) enjoyed his time under the African sun when he rode solo to win the first stage of the new Cell C Tour of South Africa. The 2009 British Road Race Champion also took the leaders’ gold jersey. Returning this […]