Monthly Archives: July 2006

Today’s Fun Quote From the Archives

Posted on July 20, 2006 by Timothy Burke

March 6, 1953. British South Africa Police, Security Branch Memoranda on Native Affairs. Memorandum Number 75. “VICTORIA FALLS Three letters were found in the Victoria Falls area recently. One envelope bearing Northern Rhodesia postal stamps was addressed to the MAOTSE … Continue reading →

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You Have No Idea

Posted on July 19, 2006 by Timothy Burke

Margaret Soltan in the last couple of months has sometimes posted links to stories about the wretched state of many European university systems once you go below the level of the elite few institutions at the pinnacle of a given … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Africa | 2 Comments

Correctness and Knowledge

Posted on July 19, 2006 by Timothy Burke

I’ve made it clear that I don’t have any respect at this point in my life for most forms of identity politics, which I think is a broader and more potent term than “political correctness”. Occasionally, however, I’m reminded of … Continue reading →

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It’s Full of Stars

Posted on July 19, 2006 by Timothy Burke

Going to a game park for a conference involving specialists in Africa seems like a natural, but the meeting I just attended was the first that I’ve been to in such a location. It wasn’t easy to get there, a … Continue reading →

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Back in Durban

Posted on July 18, 2006 by Timothy Burke

Back from the conference, which was held in northern KwaZulu-Natal, where there was no Internet access. I’m at a very slooooow wireless access point in a nearby mall, so lengthier entries (of which I have a few stored up) will … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Miscellany | 1 Comment

Come Together

Posted on July 12, 2006 by Timothy Burke

Durban has, like every other South African city, an amazing amount of residential security, but it doesn’t have either the fortress feeling or looming menace of Johannesburg, a city that I honestly fear. Still, for all the efforts to reform … Continue reading →

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Nature Red in Elbow and Foot

Posted on July 12, 2006 by Timothy Burke

On really long flights, issues that are trivially ignorable at short distances (<5 hours) become more of an problem. In a lot of current coach seating on airlines, the biggest problem I run into sometimes is not where to place … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellany | 1 Comment

Durban

Posted on July 11, 2006 by Timothy Burke

I’ve been to Durban a couple of times now, and always liked it. That’s partly the warming effect of having good friends here, and partly the cooling effect of the fact that I’ve always visited during June-August, when the weather … Continue reading →

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Arrived

Posted on July 11, 2006 by Timothy Burke

In Durban now. It’s a pleasant, hazy day. My main objective at this point (and doubtless this is a wish of my friends as well) is a shower.

Posted in Africa, Blogging | Comments Off on Arrived

In Transit

Posted on July 10, 2006 by Timothy Burke

On my way to South Africa for what promises to be a fascinating conference on African Technopolitics. I’m vaguely nervous as my paper has a goodly chunk of material from the chapter of my work-in-progress that has given me the … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Blogging, Information Technology and Information Literacy, Miscellany | 4 Comments