12 May 2008[Rod Baker] The annual Cape Town Fashion Festival (CTFF), which opened on 1 May and ends on the 17th, is thanks to the South African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU). It's their way of drawing attention to the massive penetration of local markets by clothing imports, from China in particular. read more 5 May 2008[Rod Baker] We recently posted a research piece on channel-hopping viewers and their loyalty. It seems consumers are growing more and more browned off with their overall television experience, but they remain loyal to their favourites. read more 29 Apr 2008[Rod Baker] Some time ago, a teacher in Britain started a campaign to have the word ‘failed' banished from schools; she felt that little Johnny and young Jill would be scarred for life having been told that they were not the brightest crayons in the box. In her view, apparently, seeing the word ‘failed' would imply to the two that they were about as bright as damp sparkplugs. read more 21 Apr 2008[Rod Baker] According to a report in today's newsletter, public transport commuters in the Austrian city of Graz have been told to shut up. Shock and horror... read more 14 Apr 2008[Rod Baker] What with interest rates going up – and likely to go up again before the year is out, now is a good time to make friends with your bank manager. This is so that if and when you have to enter their office genuflecting and in a hushed voice have to ask for some sort of arrangement regarding your account, you have a greater chance of success. read more 7 Apr 2008[Rod Baker] I really enjoy – and appreciate – responses to whatever I write. Naturally, I prefer the ones that go along the lines of “Mere words cannot describe the awe I felt when I read your incredibly perceptive...”. read more 31 Mar 2008[Rod Baker] According to a Cape Town-based tourism expert Peter Koblmiller, who is also editor of the German tourist magazine Kapstadt.com, the figures our officials proudly trot out showing large numbers of tourists coming into the country do not present anything like the true picture. In an exclusive interview with the Weekend Argus last week, Koblmiller said that the figure of nine million tourists often includes those people from neighbouring territories bailing across our border looking for work. read more 25 Mar 2008[Rod Baker] Now that the Cape Town High Court has ruled against the South African Abalone Industry Association, which had sought to overturn government's decision to suspend fishing in the commercial abalone industry, here's hoping that the authorities will seriously beef up their efforts to combat poaching – the real cause of the problem. If they don't, then they have simply hit those who obey the law and it will have no impact on the poachers – who, as we all know, do not obey the law. read more 17 Mar 2008[Rod Baker] I nearly fell over in a dead faint the other day - I heard about something that was not going to be ready by 2010. It's probably just as well - that particular deadline is somewhat overcrowded, but there is something we should add to it, anyway... read more 10 Mar 2008[Rod Baker] Hands up if you have ever got your hands on counterfeit software. As many as that, eh... read more 3 Mar 2008[Rod Baker] According to a report in the Sunday Times, the telecommunications industry is at least one step closer to significantly decreasing the price of fixed-line phone calls and bringing real competition to the sector. Apparently, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa is to invite us – South Africa's exploited consumers – to play a part in the unbundling of the fixed-line infrastructure currently held by state-owned monopoly Telkom. read more 26 Feb 2008[Rod Baker] The budget that Trevor Manuel presented last week is old news already – but the impact will stay with us for ages. One thing shone through, however: he has boxes of cash to throw at Eskom for one – but how is it going to be spent? Let's face it, in an industry as heavily dependent on skills as our power supply utility is, the ability to spend money in a budget (spend it wisely, that is) is dependent on the skills of the people involved... read more 18 Feb 2008[Rod Baker] I saw a bloke driving a 1929 Model A Standard Roadster yesterday and my first thought was “Shame, poor guy can't afford a new car.” Then, quite coincidentally, I opened our local Sunday paper and saw an article entitled Tough Year Ahead for SA Motor Industry, with a subhead But no lowering of prices or retrenchments envisaged. It makes the point that “high interest rates and high consumer debt would affect consumer spending and new car purchasing”. read more 11 Feb 2008[Rod Baker] We can relax; no one need fear for their job and for playing a role in allowing the development of the power crisis – we know, because the President told us that on Friday. It seems we were all caught unawares; no one knew what was happening - and it's not because of incompetence, but because we're successful! This, despite the fact that Eskom itself, and others, warned years ago that the national grid would fail, but the Cabinet disregarded the warning. read more 4 Feb 2008[Rod Baker] This is becoming a bit repetitive... along with four braais a week and cold coffee far too often, we now have the weekly collusion/corruption story. read more |
