You may not have noticed, but my server crashed a while back (I did get one unprompted comment, so I’m not completely writing into a vacuum). Since it no longer runs anything business-related, and I had been looking for a cheaper server, I wasn’t in any rush to restore it. I had already got an… Continue reading Weeeee’re back!
Fourteen years of silence
But it’s been 14 years of silence It’s been 14 years of pain It’s been 14 years that are gone forever and I’ll never have again Yes, the lyrics of a Guns N Roses classic, and yes, also how long it feels to have been locked up for two weeks alone in my house due… Continue reading Fourteen years of silence
South Africa in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index
It’s been a while since I looked at the World Press Freedom Index. South Africa was ranked 21st in the world when I first started looking back in 2003, and had slumped to 52nd back in 2013. Looking at the rankings since, there has been a notable improvement from 2013 until 2017. While the Nordic… Continue reading South Africa in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index
Farewell Matthew Buckland
It came as quite a shock to hear this afternoon that Matthew Buckland had died. I first met Matthew at the Digital Citizens Indaba (DCI) in Grahamstown in September 2006, where I was speaking on the Web 2.0 panel. Matthew was editor of the Mail & Guardian Online at the time. Mail & Guardian online… Continue reading Farewell Matthew Buckland
Election arithmetic
It’s almost election time, and with 48 parties standing nationally (and a further 32 standing only at provincial level), there are lot of hopeful party leaders out there. It’s safe to say the majority of them are going to be very disappointed when the results are announced. Let’s look at some election arithmetic: First, nationally:… Continue reading Election arithmetic
Wondering who to vote for in May?
It’s very rare that you come across a political platform that jumps out at you in the way this one did. From the moment I first set eyes on it, I knew this was the one. Meet the Alliance for Transformation for All. They have two main policies: 1) Subsidies for taxis (we’re talking minibus… Continue reading Wondering who to vote for in May?
March 2019 African language Wikipedia and Wiktionary update
African Language Wiktionaries Language 30/5/2010 15/5/2011 29/10/2014 22/3/2019 % + Malagasy 4,253 – 3,599,084 5,482,632 52.33% Afrikaans 14,669 14,731 15,794 20,831 31.89% Swahili 13,000 13,027 13,903 14,029 0.91% Wolof 2,689 2,693 2,310 2,312 0.09% Somali – – – 1,635 – Sotho 1,389 1,398 1,343 1,343 0.00% Lingala – – – 673 – Zulu 131 510… Continue reading March 2019 African language Wikipedia and Wiktionary update
A Seasoned Travellers Guide to Jet Lag
As a seasoned traveller I’ve mastered the art of avoiding jet lag, and will share it in this blog post. The solution is simple – no need for sleeping pills. I will try and catch some sleep on the plane if it’s night time at my destination, but usually this is sporadic, and I arrive… Continue reading A Seasoned Travellers Guide to Jet Lag
The Emerald Isle?
At its peak, following the last ice age, Ireland was covered in forest. The first humans, initially hunter gatherers, arrived around 9000 years ago. About 6000 years ago the forests began to disappear as farming began to take hold. By 1600, forest cover was still substantial, but as population pressure grew, and in particular clearance… Continue reading The Emerald Isle?
Simple hosting?
All I want is a simple website! OK, I have a website, and you’re probably reading this on it. But I want a simple website. Since 2006, I’ve had a server hosted with Asergo (previously EasySpeedy). It ran a lot at one stage. Huge mounds of organic food found new homes through its circuits. Today… Continue reading Simple hosting?