... and "the W" narrowly lost. picked by rambler 9 months ago

It seems amazing, but I can't find this on plime yet. Even more amazing to read about it in a South African newspaper. picked by rambler 9 months ago

This article provides some interesting (and some disturbing) insights into education in various countries, as well as trends in general. picked by rambler 9 months ago

"The Chinese military has added mobile showers to its ever more sophisticated arsenal, state media reported on Wednesday."
Clean and sophisticated soldiers, must be almost a pleasure to be invaded by China! picked by rambler 9 months ago

It seems elephants can recognise the smell of urine of their family members, and know where they are. picked by rambler 9 months ago

The nation in the past year moved toward what he [Robert Mugabe] called "sustained economic recovery notwithstanding the suffering endured by many of our people". picked by rambler 9 months ago

... advice from the Dalai Lama, a truly amazing person, whom I admire.
OK, so you are a Christian (doesn't matter which brand) or a Muslim (doesn't matter with variety), a Jew, an atheist, or whatever. I wish we could all of us on this planet just live by this man's set of guidelines. picked by rambler 9 months ago

A (for me, at least) very interesting article, titled "Germ of an Idea", in the latest Economist. A nice and quite understandable description of links between germs, genes, immunity, disease, etc. picked by rambler 9 months ago

For those of you who work in this industry, this article from The Economist may be old hat, but it was news for me. can anybody see any relevance (threat/opportunity?) to plime in the future? picked by rambler 10 months ago

The Economist advises you to buy a fly-swatter if you plan to do something illegal in the future... picked by rambler 10 months ago

Replacing worn-out eye lenses has never been simpler or better.
From today's "The Economist", my favourite source of non-economic news. picked by rambler 10 months ago

Nations who agree to participate in the Kimberly process are not permitted to trade with nonmember Nations. The Kimberly Process is believed to have significantly reduced the number of Conflict Diamonds that are reaching international gem markets. picked by rambler 10 months ago

A looming election has turned Australian Prime Minister John Howard's traditional morning stroll into a walk on the wild side. picked by rambler 10 months ago

It makes me sad to post this story, but it is news, after all. Even if it is just one more example of the type of crime that is somehow escaping the attentions of the South African Police. picked by rambler 11 months ago

"Up until today I thought the best use for cheap wine was to give it to undergrads. It seems Australian CSIRO researcher Ryan Noble has found a better one." In fact, there are a couple uses mentioned. picked by rambler 11 months ago

Actually, a very nice little article from The Economist, using different terminologies to try and describe Europe and the "west". picked by rambler 11 months ago

To absorb heat from the sun efficiently—to use it, for example, to heat water—you need large, flat, black surfaces. One way to do that is to construct those surfaces specially, on the roofs of buildings. But why go to all that trouble when cities are full of black surfaces already, in the form of asphalted roads? picked by rambler 11 months ago

It appears humans from Africa travelled all around the Indian and Pacific Oceans, driven by environmental pressures. picked by rambler 11 months ago

As a tangential follow-up to an earlier post about mine safety here is another story from South Africa, illstrating that mining can be dangerous, but especially when miners themselves are doing things which are not safe (or even legal).
(This picture not related to the actual story.) picked by rambler 11 months ago

Here's the (expected) follow-up to an earlier post about this allegedly largest diamond ever found. picked by rambler 11 months ago

Fresh from summit diplomacy with North Korea, South Korea's government now faces an entirely new challenge -- trying to set international quality and size standards for condoms.

Yes, really. picked by rambler 11 months ago

More than 3,000 workers are trapped deep underground in a South African gold mine, officials have said.
(This picture not from this mine..) picked by rambler 11 months ago

At the risk of exposing you all to a competitor community ... here's a (beta) way to look at environmental news, blogs, photographs, recipes, tips, etc., etc. Spotted this morning on BBC's "Click" programme. picked by rambler 11 months ago

I'm surprised no-one (not even AutumnLotus) has seen this yet, after being in print a few days already. (Couldn't find it by searching with all the relevant keywords.)
The title sounds pretty far-fetched, but the article is really good. picked by rambler 12 months ago

Advice from Roméo Dallaire, now a Canadian senator, but a former "betrayee", to Martin Agwai, the Nigerian general given the task of stopping the bloodshed in Darfur. picked by rambler 12 months ago