Author Archives: Timothy Burke

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 →

Posted in Africa, Miscellany | Comments Off on It’s Full of Stars

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 →

Posted in Africa | Comments Off on Durban

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

World Cup

Posted on July 2, 2006 by Timothy Burke

This is not a novel or unusual opinion, but I’m not really enjoying this World Cup much because of the combination of bad officiating and my terminal impatience with the diving and histrionics, especially when said dives are rewarded by … Continue reading →

Posted in Games and Gaming, Popular Culture | 3 Comments

Scattered Thoughts: War on Terror Edition

Posted on June 30, 2006 by Timothy Burke

Listening to the BBC World Service on radio this morning, there was some kind of security consultant talking about bin Laden and Zarqawi. She was offering incredibly precise, strong readings of the current state of Islamist insurgents around the world, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 5 Comments

Chainsaw Music

Posted on June 30, 2006 by Timothy Burke

When I was a surly teenager, one of my certainties was that wherever I lived as an adult, it wasn’t going to be a suburb. The city or the country, but not a suburb. I think that’s a common affectation … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life | 10 Comments