Rob's Rambling » Tweets & Twits

SpeakZA: Bloggers for a Free Press

Rob — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:49:43 +0000

SpeakZA – Bloggers for a Free Press

Last week, shocking revelations concerning the activities of the ANC Youth League spokesperson Nyiko Floyd Shivambu came to the fore. According to a letter published in various news outlets, a complaint was laid by 19 political journalists with the Secretary General of the ANC, against Shivambu. This complaint letter detailed attempts by Shivambu to leak a dossier to certain journalists, purporting to expose the money laundering practices of Dumisani Lubisi, a journalist at the City Press. The letter also detailed the intimidation that followed when these journalists refused to publish these revelations.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the reprisals against journalists by Shivambu. His actions constitute a blatant attack on media freedom and a grave infringement on Constitutional rights. It is a disturbing step towards dictatorial rule in South Africa. We call on the ANC and the ANC Youth League to distance themselves from the actions of Shivambu. The media have, time and again, been a vital democratic safeguard by exposing the actions of individuals who have abused their positions of power for personal and political gain.

The press have played a vital role in the liberation struggle, operating under difficult and often dangerous conditions to document some of the most crucial moments in the struggle against apartheid. It is therefore distressing to note that certain people within the ruling party are willing to maliciously target journalists by invading their privacy and threatening their colleagues in a bid to silence them in their legitimate work.

We also note the breathtaking hubris displayed by Shivambu and the ANC Youth League President Julius Malema in their response to the letter of complaint. Shivambu and Malema clearly have no respect for the media and the rights afforded to the media by the Constitution of South Africa. Such a response serves only to reinforce the position that the motive for leaking the so-called dossier was not a legitimate concern, but a insolent effort to intimidate and bully a journalist who had exposed embarrassing information about the Youth League President.

We urge the ANC as a whole to reaffirm its commitment to media freedom and other Constitutional rights we enjoy as a country.

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Twitter Advertising Revealed

rob — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:15:36 +0000

Twitter today revealed their brand new advertising scheme.

I managed to capture this screenshot before Twitter crack squads came and asked me politely to stop.

Not too bad really. Less intrusive than some.

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My R260 retreat

Rob — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:41:59 +0000

It's not often that I backpedal (how could I when I'm never wrong?) but today is one such occasion.

*pause for collective gasp to die down*

Initially I was *cough* skeptical about @BecauseI and her wiley way of getting a mere 500 people to buy her a car at the princely sum of R260 a head (in case you're American, that's $34.99).

In my world, people who deserve it hardly ever ask and those who ask hardly ever deserve it.

Briget (I hope) is a little different - she's not asking for a handout, she's in fact running a quite clever advertising deal where you get 3 years of advertising for your R260.

My initial feelings were clear:

It doesn't sit right with me either (though I'm prepared to be persuaded the other way). The lady appears to have overextended herself, runs her own business etc so isn't really the classical charity case. This smacks more of that rash of people in the US a couple years back asking people to pay their bills.

I didn't see anything to do with the advertising when I first visited so, my reaction above was fairly typical. As previously mentioned though, I've done a backpedal.

So I really do encourage my 4 readers to head on over to Briget's http://www.myr260car.co.za/ site and give her a helping hand to get her car bought. Three years advertising at R260 once off equates to around 36c per day.

That makes sense in anyone's world.

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Twitter Updates for 2010-03-07

Rob — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Wonderful weather here in EL today. Had a swim, tea and should probably do some work now I suppose. #

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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-03-07

Rob — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000

OK, I have a R700 adwords voucher and no way to spend it. First person saying "I" gets it. Any takers? #
It always shocks me how awesome Doctor Who is. #
There were goat feet where our rubbish goes. #onlysa #
Ola again. #
Oh save me. It's time for work. @Jhbprincess Are you on board for some work? #
Fighting with PHPBB3. How much fun is that eh? I mean really, we're talking cutting edge technology here. Hard hitting IT. #
YES PHPBB. You are my little biotch. Now if only @6000 wouldn't keep getting logged out. #
Will be shaving my head for Cancer on Sat. Any shave-a-thons elsewhere? Before and after pics will happen. #
Have received the form of Satan from the Dept. Of ed. Curses. Six pages of stuff about ICT. #
Why on earth do I always have to fight with TweetDeck? #
Time for some Lost followed by some Alice. How're all the tweetlings tonight? #
Oh me, oh my. It's Saturday and I have to go to the bloody traffic department. #
Aaaand the traffic dept. Is no longer open on Saturdays. Screw you working people. #
http://twitpic.com/16wgo9 - Cancer shavathon today. Boy my head is chilly. #
Haven't read the book yet but all the characters in Inkheart the movie are retards. #
Watched Daybreakers, kinda enjoyed it. Totally over the top but interesting. Also, cheesy. #
Wonderful weather here in EL today. Had a swim, tea and should probably do some work now I suppose. #

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Twitter Updates for 2010-03-06

Rob — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Oh me, oh my. It's Saturday and I have to go to the bloody traffic department. #
Aaaand the traffic dept. Is no longer open on Saturdays. Screw you working people. #
http://twitpic.com/16wgo9 - Cancer shavathon today. Boy my head is chilly. #
Haven't read the book yet but all the characters in Inkheart the movie are retards. #

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Twitter Updates for 2010-03-05

Rob — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Time for some Lost followed by some Alice. How're all the tweetlings tonight? #

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Twitter Updates for 2010-03-04

Rob — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Will be shaving my head for Cancer on Sat. Any shave-a-thons elsewhere? Before and after pics will happen. #
Have received the form of Satan from the Dept. Of ed. Curses. Six pages of stuff about ICT. #
Why on earth do I always have to fight with TweetDeck? #

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Twitter Updates for 2010-03-03

Rob — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Ola again. #
Oh save me. It's time for work. @Jhbprincess Are you on board for some work? #
Fighting with PHPBB3. How much fun is that eh? I mean really, we're talking cutting edge technology here. Hard hitting IT. #

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Twitter Updates for 2010-03-02

Rob — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:47:00 +0000

There were goat feet where our rubbish goes. #onlysa #

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