“To sleep, perchance to dream … ” — Hamlet (Act III Scene 1) When the existence of the Higgs Boson particle was confirmed almost one year ago by researchers at CERN, I wrote at the time that “where my scientific knowledge plateaus, my inbuilt sense of aesthetic wonder rises exponentially”. What was so […]
General
Posted inGeneral, Health
Simple saves lives
By Emma Attwell I’m at a technology conference, surrounded by extraordinary gadgets doing amazing things. Among the latest mobile phones, smart washing machines and eco-friendly fridges, there’s also a solar-powered internet classroom and, my favourite, a solar-powered mobile health clinic kitted out to test hearing, sight and blood. Driving through Africa in one of those […]
Posted inEquality, General
Ungrievable life
Aragorn was almost five years old. A few days ago, on a dark-ish evening, he was crossing the street to get to his home in Plumstead, a residential area in Cape Town’s southern suburbs. Based on the way he was found lying in an awkward position, in the street, it seems he was killed by […]
Posted inGeneral
The truth about rights in South Africa
By Iqbal Suleman Rights ranging from access to land to access to justice are entrenched in our Constitution. These rights are presumed to be available and readily accessible to everyone. The Constitution tells us that we all have equal rights but the reality shows us otherwise. In a free market economy, nothing is really free. […]
Posted inGeneral
Modernism, postmodernism and poststructuralism, the difference
One clue to understanding the difference between modernism, postmodernism and poststructuralism lies in the ancient “quarrel” between Parmenides and Heraclitus. Parmenides argued that only being is, and becoming is not. Things of the world of perception, the world of the Many, of time and change, are subject to becoming, and therefore ARE not in the […]
Posted inEquality, General
Vuyo Mbuli treated everyone equally
When I saw the report in the Mail & Guardian about the death of Vuyo Mbuli, I could not believe my eyes — he still seemed so young, and life-loving. But then, death does not really discriminate between the young and the old. Still, it was saddening to learn that Vuyo, who has always come […]
Posted inGeneral
Why learn an African language?
A short version of this article appeared in the M&G print verison on May 24 2013. Every thinking white South African must have at least toyed with the idea of learning to speak an African language. Few however have made the effort. Nor it seems are their children learning. The department of basic education is […]
Posted inGeneral
Kaleidoscope sky by Absa
Although @Absa told me via twitter (a while back) that they would NOT be using art on their new #lumen sign that has added such sarcastically beautiful design to the already littered Joburg skyline, just after an ad for Islamic Banking all those storeys up, yesterday I saw this. I was a little bit happy […]
Posted inGeneral
The teenager
I hate being associated with people born after 1990. I was born in the late 1980s but people often think I am part of the “born-free” generation — the most misunderstood group of young people. They are often accused of being entitled, lazy, narcissistic, lost, apolitical, apathetic and confused. Young people — who are not […]
Posted inGeneral
Hands of Honour
Paul Talliard knows just how devastating drug addiction can be. A former fireman, Paul lost everything he owned due to his addiction to drugs. For a while, he started visiting soup kitchens. Paul explains his experience: “After visiting one particular soup kitchen, I observed that the people running it not only dished up food, but […]
Posted inGeneral
Sharks supporter disintegrates
I know that it’s probably none of your business but recently I have witnessed a tragedy that, to me, dwarfs all the suffering that we see daily on television and I felt that I had to share the same with you. If you are squeamish or faint-hearted stop reading this immediately. I have a cousin […]
Posted inGeneral
When I was an industry spokesman
MAYBE I have too much time on my hands. Maybe listening to Vodacom’s soul-mangling jingles waiting for the mythical “Next Available Consultant” (that ranks up there with Bigfoot & the Chupacabra) forces the brain into self-defence … Anyway I got to thinking about all the jobs I’d done in my life. More specifically, those for […]