Fetish, Mercury Live, 15 February 2013
If you’re a fan of Fetish, or more generally a fan of smart rock music and talented performers of it, you should get yourself to one of the Fetish gigs on their current South African tour
Regardless of all else, Christmas is still a holiday
As with all years, there were good bits and bad bits. But as 2012 draws to a close, I hope you, like me, can find the time to relax and enjoy some time off.
Drama free? I guess we’ll see.
Atheism is perhaps not all that interesting in itself. More interesting are the thoughts, confusions, biases, cultural forces etc. that lead to religious belief, and the negative consequences that can follow from those factors.
It is these causes of belief – and the ways in which they manifest in society – that will be the primary focus of Towards a Free Society, because identifying and eliminating these causes is surely part of the strategy for freeing us from dogma, superstition, and also – perhaps especially – prejudice.
The disappeared ANCWL post on Zapiro
Earlier today, the ANC Women’s League released a rant about the latest Zapiro cartoon, which I won’t reproduce here for fear of being shot. But the rant has now disappeared from their website, although you can read Jackson Mthembu’s (typically reflective) opinion if you like. I happened to have a browser page open to the rant, and have pasted it below.
Idiotic opinions on Zuma’s penis
Following the Goodman Gallery’s exhibition of the Brett Murray painting of Zuma (featuring penis), cultural relativists have been bleating about respect.
While you’re at it, take Holomisa to the HRC
I realise that there are lots of government officials who should be fired or suspended. But Patekile Holomisa, President of the Congress of Traditional Leaders, is such an embarrassment that I’d like him moved up the queue a little.
Installing Ice Cream Sandwich on your Samsung Galaxy S2
If you’re a South African Samsung Galaxy S2 user who is tired of waiting for Ice Cream Sandwich, here’s how to install it in 15 minutes or so, without rooting the phone or losing your warranty.
Start saving for Norway
Observations regarding Norway,the prohibitive cost of consumables, and the first few days of proceedings related to the World Humanist Congress in Oslo. Also, I experience a Larry David moment, and am briefly mortified.
Racial nationalism and white guilt
Whether or not white guilt is generally merited as a consequence of apartheid, any of us should certainly feel guilt if we cease dialogue, and instead resort to violence against those we disagree with.
Tuning out (and in)
Both sorts of interacting – the immediate (Twitter), and the traditional (books) – with words, and with ideas, are valuable. We shouldn’t neglect or demonize either of them – but rather make sure we take full advantage of both.

