the cat amongst the pigeons

2007-03-28T00:38:00.000+00:00

'You’ve got to wonder if it’s worth it'

I found this article, by Vincent Graff, on the Mail & Guardian Online, questioning the role of journalists in the war in Iraq, which has now reached it's fourth anniversary. He mentions that the death toll of journalists in Iraq reached its worst ever in 2006, with 138 names mentioned at the Royal Television Society's journalism awards - and that's only broadcasting. It got me thinking.

The question to be asked is not whether it's worth putting your life on the line as a journalist to get the grit out into the public domain, but whether the presence of journalists in Iraq even makes a difference anymore. The public is getting bored with the same old story, and the situation in Iraq is only escalating, particularly with regards to the safety of the media.

What do we have to do to make journalism in war situations effective again?

2007-03-23T01:42:00.000+00:00

Bob Woolmer's murder

I am shocked to hear about the murder of Bob Woolmer in his hotel room in Jamaica at the 2007 Cricket World Cup. His death and the reaction of his team is tragic enough without the deeply concerning added shadow the murder casts over the World Cup as a whole.

One can't help thinking back to the Hansie Cronje scandal in South Africa, and wondering how deep the corruption all really runs. Read the latest from the BBC, Mail & Guardian, and CNN.

2007-02-27T01:58:00.000+00:00

Would someone please explain to me...

How is it feasible to obtain or renew your firearm license online? I mean surely getting permission from the government to own and use a firearm in South Africa requires you to have some kind of eyesight and fingerprint test, or maybe aim at something and hit it, to prove you are actually going to be safe to walk around in public?

If anyone knows how this works, please fill me in, because I am struggling to put this together in my head.

2007-02-20T05:27:00.000+00:00

Back on the radar

As you may have noticed I have dropped off the blogging radar for the last month. I've had a rather manic few weeks since getting back from my Christmas holidays. I have mostly been completely snowed under at work, but had something of an antidote snowboarding for a week in Switzerland, which helped immensely.

We thankfully had a load of snow shortly after I arrived, or it would have been a hiking holiday. As it was we had some good powder and great riding at a small resort called Les Marecottes, on the train line between Martigny and Chamonix. Europe, for those who are unaware, has experienced one of the worst winter sports seasons in years due to an unusually warm winter (which the greenies blame on climate change/global warming).

You can see the photos from my trip here.

2007-01-09T08:47:00.000+00:00

Back at work

I am back safely in London at work after an amazing and much needed holiday in Germany and Scotland. I had a really good time with close friends and very cool people.

See the evidence here and here.

2006-12-15T08:06:00.000+00:00

My plans for the silly season

Christmas holiday time is almost here and it can't come too soon. Well actually a lot of people are away already, but my plans are as follows:

15-21 Dec: Working like a trojan
22 Dec: Work Christmas party
23 Dec: Pack, wrap presents
24 Dec: Fly to Cologne, Germany to spend Christmas with Karina and her family (good family friends of ours)
25 Dec: Presents. Oh and food.
29 Dec: Mom's birthday, and flying back to London
30 Dec: Train to Edinburgh
31 Dec: Hogmanay (New Year) in Edinburgh with Solii and her friends (my sister-in-laws friend)
1-5 Jan: Visiting Edinburgh and St Andrews (where my family is from) and surrounds.
5 Jan: Back to London
8 Jan: Back to work

Very jealous of everyone that is away in Argentina and Chile (my brother and his wife), South Africa (too many to name), Zimbabwe (Di etc) and Dubai (my work colleague Shane, who is sadly leaving us). I'm going nutty without the sunshine already.

2006-12-05T01:23:00.000+00:00

They've gone and done it again!

I posted an entry recently about a bunch of idiot South Africans who insisted on flying the old SA flag in support of our national rugby team at the SA-England test match on November 25.

Well they've gone and done it again at a World XV match in Leicester which the Boks played this weekend. Not only that, they arrived with their old flags to greet our players at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg when they arrived home today.

Thankfully the Springboks have slammed the display of the flags. The Mail & Guardian Online reports Springbok manager Zola Yeye as saying:

Look at this Springbok team. These are young men of 23 and 24 and they don't want to be subjected to memories of the apartheid system. I would like to say to those people who wave the old flag, these men don't care about your political beliefs or your ideology. They want to play rugby, whether it be against black, white, brown, pink or whatever colour the opposition is... Our national flag is our heart and soul, and these people are insulting the country and the constitution when they embrace the old flag.

What the hell are these narrow-minded people doing? You would think that 12 years down the line they might consider joining the rest of South Africa in our efforts to move forward.

2006-12-04T01:13:00.000+00:00

The Death Clock

I found a website today that will tell you the exact day of your death, "the Internet's friendly reminder that life is slipping away... second by second. Like the hourglass of the Net, the Death Clock will remind you just how short life is."

I apparently will pass out of this world on Friday 13 April 2063, and have 1,778,341,245..44..43..42..41..40.. seconds left to live.

Right.

2006-12-01T05:53:00.000+00:00

We wish you a Merry Christmas...

UPDATE:
I have heard this takes a very long time to download for those of you on a slow internet connection, so be warned if you haven't invested in broadband yet.

My team at Atalink, where I work here in London, has been working on a project for one of our major clients for the Christmas period. It's a really funky online advent calendar promoting the IT industry . There is also a competition tied in with the chance of winning an awesome laptop or a projector (if you visit the site on all 25 of the advent days).

We are trying to get as many people to register and use the calendar over the next 25 days as possible. Check it out and share the link love with anyone else you know.

I think it looks really great and it's fun to play with, and a lot of people have worked really hard to make it happen.

The link is: http://interact.bcs.org/ecal/

2006-11-28T13:30:00.000+00:00

More on embarrasing South Africans

Actually this could become a borderline rant.

I wasn't fortunate enough to be able to represent SA in the crowds of supporters at Twickenham on Saturday for the rugby match between SA and England. I chose to get cosy in a local pub in Southfields and was ecstatic and so proud of our boys for playing well and managing to win away from home.

I was absolutely appalled to see at least 4 old oranje-blanje-blou (orange, white and blue) South African flags as well as the Transvaal Vierkleur (4 colour) flag flown high and clear in "support" of our team. These flags are fully respresentative of the apartheid era and the atrocoties and injustices faced by the majority of South Africans before 1994.

I never once stood in that pub (surrounded by English supporters) and felt embarrassed about being South African due to the Springboks performance or attitude. Then the UK cameras focussed on these idiots in the crowds proudly displaying their support for the old regime.

How dare these people associate themselves with our national rugby team and national pride?!

To all those supporters: I don't care how long you have lived in the UK or what your reasons are for being here, you have no place associating our international ambassadors with the apartheid past in this way, or sending these kinds of messages out to the international community. Keep yourselves and your flags at home behind your curtain of ignorance.

2006-11-28T13:18:00.000+00:00

Ag boet just say you're pregnant - they'll never find out the truth

Sometimes South Africans truly amaze me with their ingenuity.

BBC News reports that Charles Sibindana was fined $140 for taking a week off work, claiming that HE wa.. er.. pregnant. He stole his girlfriends sick note from the gyneacologist and added his details instead. His employers "became suspicious" - well thank goodness for that.

Naais work.. now we really look like an intelligent bunch.

Read the full story here.

2006-10-09T16:37:00.000+00:00

A beautiful new toy

My boss just bought me the new Apple Mac Pro with Intel Xeon dual-core processors. For business use before you get any ideas!

It looks like a server - it's big. We don't mess around at Atalink. In fact it's like driving a Ferrari. It's extremely powerful, though I haven't had a chance to use it out on the open road yet.

We'll have to wait and see if it lives up to expectations!

2006-10-05T16:59:00.000+00:00

Jo's Toolkit

I have been meaning to blog about this for a while, but time has just run away with me over the last month.

Two Rhodes NML students Carly Ritz and Gregor Rohrig, soon to be NML graduates, have put together an incredible resource for grassroots journalists in South Africa. Jo's Toolkit provides on online wealth of information for the practicing student/grassroots journalist community.

It is really informative and the contributors have provided a lot of very useful, quality information. I am really impressed with what these guys have done and they are fully deserving of their Highway Africa Award for Innovative use of New Media in Africa.

Take a look, you will be pleasantly surprised.

2006-10-05T12:57:00.000+00:00

Back in town

I am back in London again, after a short trip to Italy with my sister and her husband. We had an amazing time, and it was really good to see some of my family after almost a year away from South Africa! Can you believe it?!

I have uploaded photos onto my Flickr account, which you can browse through. I spent 3 nights in Rome, which was amazing. We spent some serious time missioning to see the sights - a lot of 2000 year old broken columns! We got a bit building-ed out in the end, but I was really blown away by such well preserved evidence of a civilisation that is more than 2000 years old. The sheer size of much of the architecture was phenomenal as well. The attention to detail and quality of the artwork was very impressive, and a trip to St Peters Basilica is well worth braving the masses and masses of tourist. We also had some lovely meals outside in some little side streets around Rome, where the food was amazing and the atmosphere incredible. I would definitely go back and explore a bit more. The Renaissance art scattered everywhere by Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Raphael among others is also really special to see if you are interested.

We then caught a train into Florence (about 90 minutes by Eurostar), where we spent another 2 nights. Florence was really beautiful, much smaller than Rome and less frantic. The streets are all tiny, narrow and cobbled - everything also feels so old. It's worth just wondering around and finding the surprise little coffee shops etc hidden away down side roads. The leather market is also well worth a visit, you can buy amazing quality leather jackets, shoes, basgs etc for even more amazing prices. We also saw Michelangelo's David - the Perfect Man - and the Florence Duomo, from which Michelangelo got his inspiration for St Peter's Basilica in Rome.

I feel like I have had only a tiny taste of an beautiful country - with incredible food and wine by the way! I definitely have to go back.

2006-09-19T12:49:00.000+00:00

Jetsetting and balancing work/life

Not so sure about the balancing bit! I know it's been ages since I blogged, testament to the serious lack of time in my life to get everything done that I want to! London over the last month or so has been manic.

Anyway a quick update to keep you all in the loop:

Work is going very well, I am thoroughly enjoying my position at Lemur (Online Business Developer), the online division of a publishing company in central London. I am primarily responsible for the web development and maintenance of the websites we produce, among a zillion other things. My team is great, but is small and I have a ton to keep track of so my time is dominated by very late hours in the office during the week and I am working really hard for my moolah, but have received some very positive feedback from the boss which is always good!

Jetsetting around a bit at the moment:

I was in Paris this last weekend for a day and night, visting the sights the city has to see. It is really beautiful and I can't wait to go back when I have some more time on my hands to really experience the city. I stayed in Montmartre, close to the Sacre Coeur and Moulin Rouge, and have found my new favourite place in the world - wow! It is stunning!

I am off to Italy on Thursday night, to meet up with my sister and her husband. I can't wait for a well-deserved holiday in a beautiful place. I will be in Rome for 3 nights, and then in Florence for 2 nights. I will try to put together a comprehensive report on my return!

Long term plans are a bit sketchy, but plan to be in Germany and Switzerland over Christmas and New Year.

I am living the crazy life at the moment, as one does in London, and time seems to be running away with me! It has been almost a year since I left SA, and I am feeling the distance. I miss you all so much and can't wait to get home when the time is right.

2006-08-23T12:28:00.000+00:00

Keeping up with the kids

Ja, sue me I haven't blogged in ages.

I realised the other day that I speak a different language at work. I've had problems explaining what I do to people because I can't get jargon out of my vocabulary. Mostly I get blank stares because apparently I am "not speaking English". And I am not sure my mom knows exactly what I chat about either.

Fortunately Dr Keyboard is at hand. Subscribe to this neat little forum and you can ask Dr Keyboard AKA Chris Ward, any questions that may puzzle you about the quagmire of eternally confusing bits, blogs and pixels that make up what I do with my day.

Here are a few definitions to get you started on your path to keeping up with us technological whiz kids:

The Internet:
Think you've got this one down pat? Ha ha. Read Matt Buckland's commentary on being net savvy.
Also see:
del.icio.us
Digg (and the South African version Muti)
Flickr
Technorati
RSS (Really Simple Syndication)
Wikipedia - a wealth of information on any topic you can think of.

Skype
A form of VOIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol, a voice system that runs over Internet wires, a way to digitise your voice into 1s and 0s, split that up into packets and reassemble it at the other end into a semblance of what you were saying. Skype is essentially a way of making cheap telephone calls to and from your computer. You can call from your computer to an ordinary telephone (a service for which you pay in advance and the calls are usually much, much cheaper than ‘regular’ phone calls), or from an ordinary telephone to someone else’s Skype-enabled computer. Needs a headset and mic.

iPods
What you need to survive the trip to work in London. iPods play MP3 music files. MP3 means MPEG-1 (or -2) audio layer 3. MPEG is the Motion Picture Experts Group who decided just how things like sound and video could be put on to the Internet. The key thing about MP3 files is that they’re smaller than the audio files on a CD: a music CD contains around 700MB (MegaBytes) of information, but an MP3 file of the same album could be 100MB or smaller. This means that you can store more music files on your computer, or transfer them more quickly across the Internet.

Podcasting
A method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the Internet using either the RSS or Atom syndication formats, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. The term podcast, like 'radio', can mean both the content and the method of delivery. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster. Though podcasters' web sites may also offer direct download or streaming of their files; a podcast however is distinguished by its ability to be downloaded automatically using software capable of reading RSS or Atom feeds. Play them on your iPod on the way to work.

Please feel free to add more if you gurus out there think of anything else.

2006-07-28T08:12:00.000+00:00

Bank Debit Card Fraud: be warned!

Some nasty person (I could think of a few harsher words actually) nicked over £300 from my bank account yesterday, after gaining access to my debit card details at some point over the last 2 months. Fortunately my bank smelled a rat and contacted me almost immediately to query the transactions which came from an ATM in Romania, of all places in the world. HSBC you guys rock! Thanks for the swift action.

I am generally extremely careful with my cards and PINs, but these guys are getting clever. It is most likely that they gained my details from a dodgy ATM or point-of-sale terminal, using some kind of technology to read the details I entered. So a warning to all of you to be very careful where you use you cards and to keep a very close watch on your statements.

2006-07-27T07:50:00.000+00:00

Apologies...

for the lack of up-to-date photos on my Flickr account. I have lost my camera cable - so irritating. Anyway, I have uploaded some more this morning.

2006-07-24T07:59:00.000+00:00

Photos from Lebanon

Following on from my last post, Vincent found this Flickr account with graphic pictures of the war in Lebanon. Maybe if enough people publish these kind of images something will be done and fast. The account is maintained by Issandr El Amrani, a Cairo-based journalist who blogs at The Arabist.

WARNING: THESE PHOTOS ARE EXTREMELY GRAPHIC AND WILL OFFEND SENSITIVE VIEWERS.

2006-07-20T16:41:00.000+00:00

The most blogged war

Firstly, we may as well admit it - war has hit us again and it's escalating. The Middle East is no longer quietly simmering away, and India is in chaos. I'm not afraid to call it outright war and refuse to blanket the conflict in comfortable terms as the US so loves to do at times like these.

Colin recently blogged about the government restrictions placed on bloggers in India following the tragic bombings that took place this month. It is a very interesting case study of the impact that the blogosphere has on citizen opinion and clearly demonstrates that government powers are frightened of the effect that online blogging communities might have on their fragile hold on the nation. Read more here.

Following on from this the Western and Middle Eastern blogospheres have never been more active and interesting to follow. One example I have been following with interest is the furore surrounding photos of Israeli children writing on artillery shells bound for targets in Lebanon, which has caused outrage among many bloggers, not least those from the Arab world. Take a look at this blog post and discussion following, and have a look at the links included in the posting itself.

I think that we are entering into a new era of public involvement in war. I stand by and watch with interest to see if these bloggers have enough influence to make a stand against this outbreak and pursuade the Western superpowers to actually care about this needless waste of human life. Of course we have to write off the USA...

2006-07-17T12:39:00.000+00:00

South Africans in London

Warning: this post is a borderline rant.

As many of you may know, there is an embarrasingly high number of South Africans living in London at the moment - most of them in SW London, notably Wimbledon, Putney, Southfields and Richmond. Quite frankly I don't know who is left in SA between the ages of 20 and 35. I live in the SW area, which is lovely, don't get me wrong, but is also very disconcerting because it has become some wierd almalgamation of London and Johannesburg all rolled into one. It looks like London, it smells like London, it's got London weather and London buses... but hold on... everyone speaks South African. I have yet to meet a person of any interesting nationality in the SW.

Then there is the London-SA attitude: SA has gone to the dogs so we have to live in London. But hold on, it's really cold and miserable here and we hate the food so let's open stores all over town that stock Proudly South African products at 3 times the price. But that's not enough either because we are lost without our favourite food chains, so lets import that Spur Taste for Life, Mugg & Bean, and of course Nando's. Hmmm, now we don't like living among strange nationalities so let's all move to the same area and stick to our comfortable groups. Oh and we have to make sure that we gripe about how much we miss home, hate London and are stuck because we can't go home because there are no jobs for white people.

If you miss home so much then go back, and contribute to our economy and growth. Stop complaining and open yourselve up to a new experience for a change. Meet new people and maybe you'll see London for what it is: an exciting melting-pot of interesting places, people and culture.

I'm making a big effort from now on to be approachable, get out and meet non-South Africans and be positive about home, because we have a bad reputation here.

2006-07-11T12:42:00.000+00:00

On deadline.

Seventh straight 12 hour day at the office.

Coding with speed known only to gurus.

Eyesight is shot - must see doctor.

Everything that can go wrong cross-browsers has gone wrong.

Initiating campaign to remove Internet Explorer from existence forever.

It's all feeling very familiar...

2006-07-05T12:30:00.000+00:00

FESTMONKEY

Vincent Maher, Jarred Cinman, Jonanthan Ancer and suspicious cohorts have come together to produce yet another star performance at the Grahamstown National Arts Fest.

Check out FestMonkey here. The podcasts are really awesome.

Not for sensitive souls that are easily offended.

Vincent explains more here.

2006-06-22T16:10:00.000+00:00

Images are so Web 1.0

I found this nifty little site that generates code for your roundy edge boxes, without using images - strictly CSS and nested div tags. The code is still a bit lengthy, but it's all Web 2.0 friendly.

Now I have to work out how to integrate drop shadows into this. If there is anyone out there who can help, please do.

2006-06-19T07:40:00.000+00:00

Foo Fighters

I went to see the Foo Fighters live in Hyde Park on Saturday. They were incredible live and I recommend their show to you all should they pass your way while on tour promoting their new album, In Your Honor. They also brought on The remaining members of Queen as a surprise act to play an old skool classic with the Foos drummer on lead vocals - wow! One of those once in a lifetime things that I will always remember. I have tons of photos from the concert and the last few weeks which I will try and get uploaded as soon as I can, life has been a bit hectic for a while here in London Town. Here is a video:

Things are going well in general at the moment otherwise:
1. Closed my first deal last week - yay! Commission!
2. Found a gorgeous flat in Southfields, and even more gorgeous flatmates - watch out, three hot women taking over from 1 July.
3. Designed a website from scratch, which is fully CSS driven and hacked it so still Joomla! compatable - taught myself, so giving myself a huge pat on the back for that one.
4. Not sick and dying
5. Opened 2 bank accounts sucessfully - those who have settled in the UK will know what a big deal this is