Jun
17
2010
Regular readers may be aware that I was fortunate enough to spend four amazing years in South Africa, from 2000 to 2004. I remember vividly driving along Constantia Main Road on the afternoon of 15 May 2004, listening to Sepp Blatter on the radio as he announced that South Africa would host the football World Cup on 2010.
The moment the announcement was made, you could hear the cheers. And yes, there were Vuvuzelas.
Way back then, though, the Vuvuzela was a local curiosity. Manufactured (mainly) in Khayelitsha by Masincedane Sport, and I’m sure I remember reading of all sorts of schemes to make them out of recycled plastic bags and PET bottles. The South Africans are ingenious like that.
Fast forward six years … your ‘proudly South African’ vuvuzela is, more likely as not, manufactured in China from all new plastic. And whilst Masincedane still make the ‘Proudly South African’ Vuvuzela, Neil van Schalkwyk, the man behind it all, has branched out into earplugs.
Progress?
Feb
21
2010
In the UK this week, but here’s a little link round-up:
TuneGlue music map – try it with the name of your band-of-the-moment and see what it spits out
Hitmen old and new – Edward Lucas in the Economist argues that modern technology makes killing easier—but harder to get away with
Can a Russian Oligarch Save the British Press? – Der Spiegel on Lebedev
The iState of the Union – Sorry, a bit late with this one but it’s still worth reading
ToneMatrix – cool toy from Andre Michelle
Couple marries at 5th Avenue Apple Store – from TUAW
vParticle – cool Russia iPhone app. Via Andy at Siberian Light
Enjoy.
Feb
08
2010
Moscow, January 13, 2010: My pal Luke Harding
reports that James Cameron stands accused of ‘borrowing’ from Russian Sci Fi author brothers Boris and Arkady Shrugatsky in creating the world of ‘Avatar’.
Luke further tells us that the sole surviving Shrugatsky, Boris, ’shrugged off’ the suggestion, denied accusing Cameron of plagiarism. No harm done. And in a delicious potentially plagiaristic sub-plot, numerous other outlets play the same obvious ’shrug’ gag the following day.
Sydney, February 5, 2010: The Australian Federal Court rules that an incidental flute riff in Men at Work’s ‘Down Under’ bears too much of a resemblance to the old girl scout refrain, Kookaburra, penned by one Marion Sinclair in 1934. That, when our heroes weren’t busy buying bread from men in Brussels, their dastardly deeds included stealing tunes off of Aussie schoolgirls.
The contrast? Boris Shrugatsky, 76-year-old niche sci-fi writer appears, as we’ve said, unfazed by Avatar’s resemblance to his work – and perhaps, justifiably, even a little flattered by the comparison. No accusations made, no damages sought.
Kookaburra’s owner, however, is Larrikin music, who bought the rights from Marion Sinclair’s estate 56 years after she wrote it, and shortly after her death. Larrikin is seeking substantial damages from the boys in the fried-out Kombi. Says Larrikin’s MD, Norman Lurie, of Kookaburra:
“It’s earned a hell of a lot of money for us since we’ve bought it.”
Moral high ground’s all yours, Boris. Vegemite sandwich?
Jan
27
2010
… but everything works.
It’s minus 25 out there today. Rumour has it that this is the coldest Winter Russia’s seen since 1942. Well Leningrad’s no longer under blockade, but it’s definitely pretty chilly.
Your face starts to go numb after a few minutes outside. The skating rink on Red Square is practically deserted, because it’s too cold. The new ice-breaking party boats on the river haven’t been seen for a while. We’re freezing Lt Blender’s Margaritas on the balcony. But everything works.
The streets are clear of snow, barring the light dusting of powder which has been gently falling all day. The commuter trains and the metro all work. Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports are as busy as ever. The trams and trolleybuses are all still doing their thing.
Just saying.
