?ic @TomorrowToday.biz

Continue reading ‘1968 nostalgia’

on January 7, 2008

in General, Generations and Global View

. 0 Comments

It’s 40 years later! Prepare yourself for a year (or at least a few weeks) of breathless nostalgia as the Baby Boomers put on their misty eyes and remember back to one of their most defining years as young people (and just when you think it’s over, the 30 year reunion of the “summer of ‘69″ will be upon us next year).

For the record, I wasn’t there. My parents weren’t married yet (although that was becoming less and less of an issue for childbearing in 1968). But, in my studies of generational defining moments, 1968/9 is one of those periods of a few months in which it can be said, “everything changed”. (Probably the most defining such period in recent history was April 1989 to February 1990 - Tiananmen Square, the Berlin Wall comes down, Perestroika and Mandela’s release all within 8 months!).

But back to 1968. Before you look at my list of highlights below, why not take the “do you remember 1968″ online quiz.

Now, here are the highlights:

Another award for Dr Graeme Codrington

Published

TomorrowToday Team

on November 25, 2007

in General and TmTd Internal Issues

. 0 Comments

We have just been informed that Graeme has won The Academy for Chief Executives in the United Kingdom’s Speaker of the Year award for 2007. This award will be presented to Graeme in London on 26 November 2007.

This is another in a series of awards that Graeme has won recently as a top keynote presenter. Congratulations, Graeme!!

Reflections on life without reliable Internet access

Published

on October 1, 2007

in General, On the Move - Travel and Technology

. 0 Comments

Regular readers of this blog may have noticed the stand still in postings over the last month. This is largely (but not entirely) due to my not having Internet access at my home office. This is entirely due to South Africa’s telecomms provider, Telkom, not being able to supply me with a telephone in my new home for NINE weeks now. They have promised to have it in by this Friday! I will refrain from ranting, suffice to say that there is a website dedicated to people like me - its called Helkom.

My reflection, though, is on how much I rely on having instant access to the Net. My last few weeks have felt that low level functioning. This led me to wonder why hotels still insist on charging for Net access. They do not charge you extra for electricity (although some guests must surely use more than others). They do not charge for water usage (although some guests use more than others). So, why charge for Net access? At worst, they can put a cap on usage. At best, just build it into the price, like they do with other utilities.

For now, the coffee shops in my suburb are smiling - especially those that provide Internet access (free or otherwise).

Its the Internet, stoopid…

Published

on August 4, 2007

in General, Millennial generation and Technology

. 0 Comments

My sister is a primary school teacher, teaching computer skills in northern suburbs Johannesburg. She told me about an interaction between two kids in her class this last week:

Boy: “Ma’am, what is an encyclopedia?”

Teacher: “Its a book where you can look up facts.”

Girl next to him: “It’s like the Internet, man!!”

You gotta love those Millennial kids.

Democracy, cellphones and China

Published

Continue reading ‘Democracy, cellphones and China’

on July 19, 2007

in General, Global View, Millennial generation and Technology

. 0 Comments

The Economist recently reflected on the growing use of cellphones in China, and how this is impacting a generation of young people to think about - and get a taste for - democracy. Here is an extract of the article. The original can be found here (subscription required).

Mobilised by mobile
Jun 21st 2007 | BEIJING AND XIAMEN
From The Economist print edition

Organised by text messages and internet chats, China’s middle classes are daring to protest, and giving the government a fright

INFORMATION technology in China is once again making political waves. In the tropical seaport of Xiamen citizens still talk excitedly about how an anonymous text message on their mobile phones last month prompted them to join one of the biggest middle-class protests of recent years. And in Beijing politicians are scrambling to calm an uproar fuelled by an online petition against slave labour in brick kilns.

Chinese officials have had reason to worry before about the rallying power of the internet and mobile phones. Two years ago they helped activists organise protests against Japan in several Chinese cities. But the government, at least initially, sympathised with those protests. By contrast the demonstrations in Xiamen were directed at officialdom, and the slave-labour scandal embarrasses the government. It involves allegations that officials ignored kiln-owners’ use of abducted boys to perform dangerous work. This has triggered a heated online debate about the political flaws that allowed such horrors to happen.

Transponders, airlines and the people who use them

Published

Barrie Bramley

on June 14, 2007

in General and The Quick and the Dead - case studies

. 0 Comments

I’m currently sitting on the tarmac of Durban’s Airport, on a 1Time flight having already taken off, circled and landed back where we started. Technical problem with a transponder they tell us? Whatever.

Nothing to do, so I thought I’d ask some questions that airlines don’t like to answer:

Why are problems with planes and airports always out of ‘our control’, someone else’s fault, or caused by God? And who is ‘our’?
Why don’t airlines take responsibility, through their employees, or employees for their airlines? I’d like the Captain or Head Stewardtron to one day just acknowledge that the airline has morons working for them, or that corners were cut, or maximising profits can lead to transponders not being changed as often as they should be?
Why don’t airlines teach their people how important communication is, and then how important communication is to their clients? I’m fairly certain if both those items were done well, airline employees would be able to join the dots? Or not?
Why do airlines think we’re interested in how ‘on-time’ their planes are? We don’t care about that statistic. We’d like them to publish how late their planes are when they’re late? If an airline is late 100% of the time but by only 5 minutes each time, that wouldn’t bother me at all. And if you’re late only 25% of the time but 45 minutes each time, that would matter big time.

Continue reading ‘Transponders, airlines and the people who use them’

Best Speaker Award 2007

Published

TomorrowToday Team

on April 21, 2007

. 0 Comments

One of South Africa’s leading speaker’s agencies, SpeakersInc, recently held their first annual speaker’s awards.Â We’re pleased to announce that Dr Graeme Codrington, of TomorrowToday, won the award for Best Speaker of the Year 2007.

This was a peer nominated and voted award, based on on-line voting by people from the industry, organised by one speaker’s agent.Â But it is nevertheless nice to get recognition from your peers and the industry.

Other award winners were Vernon Creswell (best newcomer) and Stef du Plessis (lifetime achievement award).

Buffett on Bosses

Published

Continue reading ‘Buffett on Bosses’

on March 11, 2007

in Ethics, General and Global View

. 0 Comments

Every year at about this time, Warren Buffett, the world’s most legendary (and richest) investor, makes his annual letter to shareholders public. As always, the 2007 letter is a good read (its labelled “2006″ because its a report about last year). Now that he knows how many people read the letter (and without any competition it is the most read page of Annual Financial Statements anywhere in the world), his letters have taken on a slightly more self-aware tone (read the full archives from 1977 here).

As always, this year, his thoughts range quite widely. A few parts caught my attention:

How Rich Are You?

Published

on February 23, 2007

in Ethics, General and Global View

. 0 Comments

How rich are you? How do you stack up with the other 6 billion inhabitants of the planet?

Now, you can find out exactly, and you will be amazed. If you can read this blog entry, then you’re rich. Seriously, you are.

Check it out at: http://www.globalrichlist.com/

Internet cricket just got better

Published

on February 20, 2007

in General and Technology

. 0 Comments

I’ll admit it. I am a cynical, hard to please Generation Xer who is to tough to impress. In one of our presentations (Organising the Future), we compare my type of people to cats - impulsive, follow their own rules, uncontainable (verses older style employees, who are more like dogs - man’s best friend, reliable, dependable, easy to please). And when last did you see an impressed cat?

3-d cricket ball Well, today, I am impressed. Well, on verge of being impressed anyway. I don’t know how the guys at cricinfo.com get paid (advertising, I guess), but they deserve medals. Their text commentary is fantastic, and when TV decides not to show a game (be it international or a local first class game), then cricinfo becomes my saviour. New Zealand’s run chase (and clean sweep victory) today was great to “watch” online.

But, then, a little note was passed onto the screen to check out a new feature about to be launched: 3-d replays. Man alive, it looks great. Check it out here. The 3-d animation engine will pick up the full text commentary, and will re-enact the entire bowling and batting sequence in 3-d animation, with simulated camera angles. OK, so its not online TV yet - that will be coming soon, I presume. But its a great leap forward for the ancient game.Â Today’s game was available here - not sure if it will be archived soon.
If only the administrators could get into the 21st century along with all the supporting technology. No wait, I’d settle for them making a step into the 20th century… that would still be an improvement.

The Tomato Man

Published

Barrie Bramley

on February 20, 2007

Continue reading ‘The Tomato Man’

. 2 Comments

I received this by e-mail the other day, and have no idea who the author of the story is. Thanks to Warren though for sending it to me.

“An unemployed man is desperate to support his family of a wife and three children. He applies for a janitor’s job at a large firm and easily passes an aptitude test. The human resources manager tells him, “You will be hired at minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Let me have your e-mail address so that we can get you in the loop. Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day.”

Taken back, the man protests that he is poor and has neither a computer nor an e-mail address. To this the manager replies, “You must understand that to a company like ours that means that you virtually do not exist. Without an e-mail address you can hardly expect to be employed by a high-tech firm. Good day.”

Stunned, the man leaves. Not knowing where to turn and having $10 in his wallet, he walks past a farmers’ market and sees a stand selling 25 lb. crates of beautiful red tomatoes. He buys a crate, carries it to a busy corner and displays the tomatoes. In less than 2 hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes 100% profit. Repeating the 100% profit several times more that day, he ends up with almost $100 and arrives home that night with several bags of groceries for his family.

The changing of the guards

Published

on February 18, 2007

in General and Talent - Bright Young Things

. 0 Comments

If you’ll excuse a parochial sporting entry, I have to ask what has happened to the gods of sport this weekend. Were they sleeping? New Zealand beat Australia at cricket - twice!! And one of those was by 10 wickets (OK, they have rested four top players ahead of the World Cup, and have had five retirements this past season - so its not the strongest Aussie side to ever leave their shores, but still… they lost, and did so badly). Then, in Super 14 Rugby Union, the Western Force beat the Bulls, and the Lions beat the 6-time champions, The Crusaders! What a mad weekend.

But, the real reason for this entry is that with Aussie’s cricket loss, South Africa are now the number 1 ranked One Day International team in the world - the first time any team except Australia has held the top spot since the rankings were launched in 2002.

The lessons available are ones I have spoken about before (check the archives for cricket entries). Simply put: Good is the enemy of great. Its tough to be number 1 forever, because when you are number 1 you become the target of every one else’s attentions. No-one is trying to work out England’s secrets and copy them right now, are they? (not in any sport!). So, the longer you stay at the top, the more likely it becomes that the field will soon catch you up. That should be impetus to take the next evolution (or revolution). I shudder to think what motivation this will give the Aussies. I suppose we’ll find out when SA plays Aus at the World Cup at the end of the Pool Phase!

The second lesson relates to teams of talent. You cannot expect to lose nearly half of your top team to retirement and maintain your status. Companies that bleed talent will suffer. That’s why creating a culture for retaining talent is critical to sustainable competitive advantage. Not much you can do, though, when your team retires. Or, is there?

Whatever… it makes for a great platform for an excellent Cricket World Cup next month!

Weeping, by Josh Groban (errr, actually Bright Blue)

Published

Continue reading ‘Weeping, by Josh Groban (errr, actually Bright Blue)’

on January 1, 2007

in General and Ripping and burning - Digital entertainment

. 21 Comments

I am a big Josh Groban fan - have been ever since he made that remarkable debut on the Ally McBeal show. “You Lift Me Up” (which he sang on the show) still gives me goosebumps and brings tears to the eyes. So, it was with delight that I opened a Christmas present this year to discover his latest album, “Awake” inside the wrappings (buy a copy for yourself at Kalahari.net or Amazon.com).

This blog is not the place for an album review, but suffice to say that it’s his standard mix of songs. After listening to it a few times, I actually think it might be a touch weaker than the other two albums - not his fault, but maybe just the songs being a little less powerful than I would have hoped.

Track 12 was a surprise, though - “Weeping”. This song is actually one of the legends of South African music history, a personal favourite of mine, and a deeply meaningful protest song from my home country’s dark apartheid past. The first time I listened to Josh singing it, I felt betrayed - I don’t think he does justice to it. I’ve softened that view with further listening. But more of that in a moment. It’s a real pity he didn’t put the background to the song in the album sleeve.
Here are the words of this great song:

WEEPING
by Bright Blue
Recorded by Bright Blue (1987), by Vusi Mahlasela (1994), Soweto String Quartet (1999), Soweto Gospel Choir (2005), Josh Groban (2006) - these are the most well known version (a full list available at the official song website: weeping.info)

I knew a man who lived in fear
It was huge, it was angry, it was drawing near
Behind his house, a secret place
Was the shadow of the demon he could never face
He built a wall of steel and flame
And men with guns, to keep it tame
Then standing back, he made it plain
That the nightmare would never ever rise again
But the fear and the fire and the guns remain

It doesnâ€™t matter now
Itâ€™s over anyhow
He tells the world that itâ€™s sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasnâ€™t roaring, it was weeping

And then one day the neighbors came
They were curious to know about the smoke and flame
They stood around outside the wall
But of course there was nothing to be heard at all
“My friends,” he said, “Weâ€™ve reached our goal
The threat is under firm control
As long as peace and order reign
Iâ€™ll be damned if I can see a reason to explain
Why the fear and the fire and the guns remain”

It doesnâ€™t matter now
Itâ€™s over anyhow
He tells the world that itâ€™s sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasnâ€™t roaring, it was weeping

Listen to an extract by Soweto Gospel Choir or an extract by Soweto String Quartet - maybe not as slick as Josh’s, but certainly more plaintive, which is how I believe the original was intended. I cannot find an online version of the original by Bright Blue. In a few days’ time, I’ll rip and post an extract here (but you won’t regret buying their best of album at Kalahari.net anyway). This is not just a song. It’s not a lullaby, its a protest song.

The Flying Mango

Published

Barrie Bramley

on November 2, 2006

. 1 Comment

South African Airways (SAA) launched its new low-cost airline, Mango, this week. Today (2 Nov) there were rumours that the site had crashed, and then I came across this amusing article from the Mail & Gaurdian.

Mango has registered a list of derogatory variations on its internet domain name, Flymango.com, in an attempt to ward off websites that could be launched by its competitors.

Domain names such as Mangosucks.co.za, Vrotmango.co.za and Rotten-mango.co.za have been registered by the company.

It even registered Neverflymango.co.za, clearly having learnt from South African Airways’ (SAA) ordeal with an annoyed American passenger, Vernon E Six, who started the now-discontinued Neverflysaa.com in 2002 to air his views on SAA’s alleged poor service.

For why I used the image I did, check this link

November 2006 ezine

Published

Roger Saner

on November 1, 2006

:: Retyrement Breakfast, 25 January 2007, Johannesburg, South Africa

. 0 Comments

Edition: November 2006

Available online at: http://www.tmtd.biz/articles

This month at a glance… more details below

:: Is Talent holding the workforce hostage? (by Aloysias Maimane)

:: Defining Talent - objective assessment in the War for Talent (by Raymond de Villiers)

:: Winning the Talent Wars (part 2) (by Graeme Codrington)

:: The airport bestseller - the role and emergence of corporate autobiographies (by Aiden Choles)

:: A is for Apple, BEE is for Business (part 2) (by JohnMaxwell)

:: TomorrowTraining - three public courses in December 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa:
:: Train-the-trainer
:: Sales skills for generations
:: Talent management

:: Featured Articles in November

AloysiasMaimane - Is Talent Holding the Workforce Hostage?
Aloysias Maimane, TomorrowToday’s resident expert on young talent, especially young black South African talent, questions whether companies truly understand what these young people see as perks and what they just expect to receive by default. Knowing the difference is a key component to talent retention. Click here to read the rest of this article

RaymonddeVilliers - Defining Talent – objective assessment in the War for Talent
Raymond de Villiers, director of Talent at TomorrowToday.biz, asks corporate leaders to define talent. Its not good enough to answer: “I’ll know it when I see it”. Raymond then provides a framework for understanding who is talented, how to identify them, and what will engage them most effectively. This is one of the most important articles you will ever read on the issue of Talent. Click here to read the rest of this article

GraemeCodrington - Winning the Talent Wars (part 2)
Dr Graeme Codrington continues from last month’s e-zine article, looking at creating an attractive culture for talented young people. In this second of two articles on the subject, he focuses the spotlight on four key areas companies have to manage in order to attract and retain talented young people, and develop loyalty in their staff and customers. Click here to read the rest of this article

AidenCholes - The airport bestseller - the role and emergence of corporate autobiographies
Aiden Choles, an expert in the use of narrative techniques in the corporate world, argues that the rise of the corporate autobiography as bestseller is proof that we need stories, rather than benchmarks, and human connection rather than policy and procedure manuals. In his usual insightful way, Aiden highlights the leadership implications faced by corporates today. Click here to read the rest of this article

JohnMaxwell - A is for Apple, BEE is for Business (part 2)
John Maxwell, co-founder and administrator of the Nkomazi Community Trust, examines Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and points out some flaws within the current implementation. Telling the story of a BEE deal gone wrong John shows that BBBEE is much more than merely black ownership and control. He then discusses two difficulties: attracting black investors and finding the right ones. Click here to read the rest of this article

We now have a full-time UK and European office in London. For details of our offerings and availability in the UK and Europe, please contact one of the team:

JackieRonson - jackie@tomorrowtoday.uk.com, +44 7718 344 552
DeanvanLeeuwen - dean@tomorrowtoday.uk.com, +44 7887 622 853

Events in South Africa:

At this critical dawning of a new era in retirement, Pete Laburn will be presenting PrimeTime. As Boomers reach the Prime Time in their careers they need to discover how to maximise their effectiveness and happiness. This will require new skills. This framework will help all Boomers to look at multiple potential interventions that will assist them to make decisions about their futures – their own and their company’s – and leave a legacy.

Date: 25th January 2007
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Time: 07h30 for registration and a light breakfast. The function will end at 09h30.
Cost: R200
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Click here for more details

Exploring Retyrement - an ezine

Calling Boomers and all interested parties who want to know what the future will look like for this generation. We predict that Retirement is an Industrial Age concept and individuals, marketers and corporations should understand what this new world may look like. Subscribe here to receive a monthly online magazine with reviews, stories and trends about the future.
http://www.tomorrowwisdom.biz/newsletter.html

Please send this on to anyone you know who may be interested in this subject.
Contact Lynda on lynda@tomorrowwisdom.biz for any further details.

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Date: 04 / 05 December 2006
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Sales Skills for Generations
TomorrowTraining.biz, co-founded by Dr Graeme Codrington of TomorrowToday.biz, is proud to announce a NEW Sales Skills programme. This offering unpacks the concept of a "generation gap" and looks at the influence that this gap has on the planning and execution of successful sales strategies.

By examining sales skills through the perspectives of the different generations, we are able to look at the attitudes of the different generations to new or ‘foreign’ products and services, and know what kind of communication styles and selling techniques will be successful in each generational context.

Understanding these generational differences is critical to those who are willing to adapt their personal styles to meet their customers’ needs. The key is understanding how to adapt your particular sales message so that it sells successfully to all generations.

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Date: 07 December 2006
Time: 08:30am - 4:30pm
Cost: R900.00 per delegate (includes all course material and catering)

http://www.tomorrowtraining.biz/

Talent Management
As seen recently on Carte Blanche ("Best Companies" featuring Graeme Codrington on 16 July 2006), arguably one of the biggest challenges facing companies today is the retention and management of their people. Especially of the new generation of talent entering the workplace as super-empowered employees. This offering specifically targets organisations who need these bright young things. It helps these organisations to understand them, attract them, retain them, motivate them, and get the best out of them.

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:: How do we define Talent?
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Date: 06 December 2006
Time: 08:30am - 4:30pm
Cost: R900.00 per delegate (includes all course material and catering)

http://www.tomorrowtraining.biz/

Presentations and Presenters:

Check out our top rated presentations and presenters at: http://www.tomorrowtoday.biz

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Book Recommendation

Results: Keep What’s Good, Fix What’s Wrong, and Unlock Great Performance,

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CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE A FREE MONTHLY E-ZINE. There are five ways in which you can access TomorrowToday’s intellectual capital:

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They just don’t get it

Published

Anj

on October 30, 2006

in Connection Economy, General and Marketing and sales

. 0 Comments

I’ve just read an article on Moneyweb titled ‘MySpace, ByeSpace?’ (http://www.moneyweb.co.za/shares/international_news/329842.htm).

It refers to loyal users of social-networking sites renouncing the sites and deleting their pages - ‘not in spite of their popularity, but because of it’. They are being subjected to spam and advertising, usually masquerading as new ‘friends’.

It’s the age-old case of a great idea built to make people’s lives easier. Then the corporates see how successful it becomes and buy it, adding it to their list of acquisitions. They then believe that this purchase entitles them to bombard their newly-acquired ‘target market’ with endless marketing and branding information. They have to make that acquisition profitable, otherwise why pay good money for it?

All they are doing is buying up ‘new media’ and applying old media mindsets. With no respect to the recipient. And this used to work before as there were very limited channels through which to voice your dissatisfaction. But now each individual has a voice. And they are voicing their dissatisfaction by leaving. One by one. And soon those single numbers will add up to double digits and then triple digits and…..

Marketers need to understand that you can’t buy loyalty. You can’t force it. You can’t wheedle, blackmail or beg. It needs to be earned. And this only happens when you offer something of value that people want. Or aspire to. Or feel connected to. And where they are respected as individuals.

UK house prices ‘nearly tripled’

Published

Dean van Leeuwen

on October 28, 2006

. 0 Comments

A leading mortgage lender in the UK has released a study saying that house prices in the UK have nearly trippled in the past ten years! That’s great news for Baby Boomers and Silent generation cohorts and less so for first time buyer Gen-Xer’s and Millennials

Â In contrast wages have only increased by 54% during the same period. While Xer’s and Millennials are having to fund the Boomer’s retirement pool and struggle to get onto the housing ladder, Boomers are heading of to SKI (spend their kid’s inheritance)…generational conflict can only grow.

For those of you with money to invest visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6090972.stmÂ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/property/Â for some good tips

Advertising where it counts

Published

on October 27, 2006

in General, Innovation and Marketing and sales

. 0 Comments

Anyone who goes to clubs regularly will know the drill - as you walk in, stick out your arm, wrist upwards and get a stamp that indicates you’ve paid for entry. This allows you to come and go from the club that night. The stamps have either been the club logos, or random icons. But now, these stamps have been turned into an advertising medium.

Body Ads, a South African company (no website found), has exclusive rights for stamp advertising in venues in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban. And they claim to cover about 120,000 people a month, in the 18-32 year old demographic.

Two years ago we reported that some students were offering their bodies (foreheads, mainly) as portable billboards for temporary tattoos. They were paid to do so. This new approach is an extension of this approach of putting adverts on skin, but gets much greater coverage, and creative copyrighters and designers could do something really motivating on these rubber stamps at clubs. Clever.

Good bye Michael

Published

on October 22, 2006

. 0 Comments

Michael Schumacher retired today. It wasn’t how he would have wanted it, but then fairy tales are for children’s story books, not the real world. The thing that has always impressed me is that Michael has always given credit to his team, and to the men and women behind the scenes of his record-breaking success. I realise Michael polarises opinion. I happen to be a fervent fan. But, love him or hate him, you have to admit that he has done a lot to highlight the team nature of the sport.

The end of an era. The greatest F1 driver shall drive F1 no more.

101 most influential people who never lived

Published

on October 19, 2006

. 0 Comments

Recently published: the list of The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived. Pretty interesting: who says you have to be real to have an influence on society? The top 10 are:

1. The Marlboro Man, 2. Big Brother, 3. King Arthur, 4. Santa Claus (St. Nick), 5. Hamlet, 6. Dr. Frankenstein’s Monster, 7. Siegfried, 8. Sherlock Holmes, 9. Romeo and Juliet, 10. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Personally I’m dissapointed that the ugly duckling got such a bad rating.

The rest are here.

O battery life, where art thou?

Published

on September 10, 2006

in General and Technology

. 3 Comments

Amazing how our burdens change over time. A few years back, some of the questions you’d ask when moving around were: will there be a road, will petrol be avialable, will there be a telephone, with there be a fax machine, will there be cellphone reception and now today … will there be a plug point available to aid my ailing battery. Bump into me at any Wifi hotspot and you’ll find me appendaged to a plugpoint charging my laptop, cell phone and iPod. It’s no secret that I’m not an HP fan. Currently adding to my PC-woes is the fact that the battery life on my laptop is nearing a max of 45 minutes. Working virtually, I demand a lot from a power supply. But I do wonder if a battery that is just shy of 1 year old should detoriate as quickly as it has? So, I best make this post a quick one lest my time is cut short.

To be fair, my issue here is not as much with HP as it is with the limits of science. It is well known that Moore’s Law promises us with better times to come in terms of computing power and speed. However, little is said about battery technology’s ability to keep up with that sort of development and need. Damon Darlin and Barnaby J. Feder report today in The New York Times how scientists are running into some basic hurdles of chemistry and physics when it comes to packing more energy life into smaller battery packs. The key issue: the more energy in a small package the higher the volatility. The recent Dell recall of 4.1 million laptop batteries is testiment to how a microscopic metal particle suddenly makes you wonder when last you backed-up (and they are not even covered by warranties!!!). I bight my thumb at those who worry about cellphone waves frying my brain … phwah, talk about the spontaneous combustion ability I pack everday. We should all actually keep our distance!

It is stated that the energy capacity of batteries is increasing a mere 5 to 8 percent a year, while demand is exponential. I do wonder how much easier my life would be if I did not have to run through a mental checklist before going to bed while standing at a plug-point in my wall: cellphone, laptop, handsfree, razor, iPod.

Point of order this week: purchase new battery (also known as piling money into the coffers of manufacturers who have no incentive to make batteries last longer.)

Question

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on September 8, 2006

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Can change be managed in organisations?

The Economic Consequences of Crime

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Raymond de Villiers

on September 8, 2006

Continue reading ‘The Economic Consequences of Crime’

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I receive a weekly newsletter from an economist. This week he applies the principles of economic theory to crime. In so doing he points out the beneficial aspects of crime for the country, along with some not so obvious negative consequences. If you enjoyed this type of application of economics then you will probably also enjoy ‘Freakonomics‘ by Levitt & Dubner.

I have posted this essay on on our blog in light of much of the debate currently circulating around SA, crime, & the blogosphere.

The Economic Consequences of Crime
Weekly Comment by Dr Cees Bruggemans, Chief Economist First National Bank
5 September 2006

It is a popular notion that crime undermines economic growth. Perhaps reality is more complex than that.

Firstly, crime is a form of self-employment or self-help (also known as proletarian shopping). It directly levies a social tax on the community through the actions of possibly hundreds of thousands of people.

Whereas taxation is popularly depicted as highway robbery, taking from the well-off and distributing among the poor, it does so efficiently at very low collection costs, with at least a partial sense of universal agreement among the victims that any good will come of it (if the state is efficient in using the resources so collected and enhances the general welfare over time).

Not so crime, which in essence is also a Robin Hood activity, but a totally inefficient, often utterly destructive and devastating one.

But whereas the actual crime of stealing doesn’t add economic value, many of the consequences most certainly do (as yet another, mostly unremarked, form of ‘creative destruction’).

Legendary Croc Hunter dies

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