News

March 2019 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the invention of the World Wide Web by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist. The invention of the World Wide Web revolutionised the way in which we access, process and utilise the information available worldwide. The World Wide Web is deemed the ultimate global ‘information medium’ through which users are able to connect via the internet. Surprisingly to most, the internet and the World Wide Web are not in fact the same thing. The Web is in essence a service provider that operates through the connections provided by the internet. The invention of the internet preceded that […]

Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day, is a day that features prominently in the Christian calendar and Western churches. It directly precedes Ash Wednesday, which generally occurs between the 2nd of February and the 9^th of March depending on the day that Easter falls on. The term ‘Shrove’ is derived from the word ‘shrive’ or ‘shriven’, which refers to the process of ‘confessing ones sins’ before going into Lent. Ash Wednesday in turn, marks the beginning of Lent which in the Christian calendar is aimed at being a 40-day long fast and reflection period in which a ‘sacrifice’ is commonly made in order to replicate Jesus […]

South Africa, unlike a vast percentage of the world that has extensive WIFI capabilities, is a country that still relies heavily on prepaid data, especially for mobile App use and internet access. In 2017, it was estimated that South Africa had over 21 million internet users, most of which were mobile internet users. According to Arthur Goldstuck, the managing directors of researchers for World Wide Worx; “most people access the internet via mobile.” Research has shown that unsurprisingly the top two requisites for internet service providers in South Africa is for faster internet access and cheaper internet access, however unfortunately the two do not necessarily go hand in hand as they fall […]

In academia, and in life for that matter, we are constantly exposed to an overwhelming amount of information. This information is distributed via various channels and we often absorb it without even realising it. This constant exposure influences us in more ways than we know and we often subconsciously adopt things, whether its phrases we pick up from friends, or the latest celebrity slang or a mass retailer taking its influence from major fashion houses or smaller ones in some local cases, or even academic works being reworded as our own. However, there are distinct differences between being influenced by external media, utilising creative license and downright copying, or plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a […]

Valentine’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day as it’s known in some countries, is a day associated with various expressions of love – these days it mostly comes in the form of cards, chocolates, flowers and other gifts stereotypically associated with love. Although Valentine’s Day is generally universally acknowledged and ‘celebrated’ in February annually, the day’s origin is still somewhat mysterious. Who was the original St. Valentine, and why do we have a day dedicated to them?

So, to start with – there was more than one Saint Valentine, and the Saint that we assume inspired the day we all know (and love), may actually have been two men. The […]

As a student, energy drinks are par for the course when it comes to pulling all-nighters, exam-cramming, last minute assignments and staying awake in lectures. Energy drinks are consumed in order to give us that extra Guarana-boost or caffeinated-push; they have also become synonymous with giving us ‘wings’. Energy drinks have long superseded their original purposes and are now consumed in a multitude of fashions, including as a rather lively mixer for alcoholic drinks – the combination of the two is one that is not regularly endorsed by doctors or any medical professionals for that matter. These seriously stimulating drinks are pumped full of chemicals like caffeine, taurine, ginseng and Guarana […]

With the build-up to the upcoming elections in South Africa, it’s important to reflect on the meaning of democracy and what a democratically-elected government is, so that we can understand the significance of our role as voters and why we take part in a political system that requires citizen participation. It is also interesting to note that South Africa’s government system is a constitutional democracy with a parliamentary republic (Republic of South Africa) that is comprised of three levels of government: national, provincial and local. In South Africa, the Constitution is deemed as the highest law in the country, no person, not even the president can go against it, nor […]

Hookah, Shisha, Sheesha, Goza, Argileh, Narghile or Hubbly Bubbly, as it’s more commonly known in South Africa is a popular method of smoking flavoured tobacco by using a water pipe. Smoking Hubbly Bubbly or Hookah as it predominantly know around the rest of the world, has become a supremely social form of smoking, particularly amongst the youth. The Hookah or water pipe is comprised of a head, a body, a water bowl and a hose/pipe or two. The sticky ‘wet’ flavoured tobacco is placed in a clay head at the top of the Hookah, and then covered with perforated aluminium foil or a ventilated metallised casing, a coal or […]

With the start of the New Year, and New Year resolutions in full swing – many people seek additional guidance and an indication of what the New Year has in store from an astrological source. Followers of Western astrology and the Zodiac signs look to the relevant star-signs associated with their birthdate for predictions, and perhaps, answers for the year ahead. There are thousands of horoscope/astrology or zodiac-themed websites that aim to provide ‘insights’ into various areas of a person’s life including health, love-life, money and career prospects, to those who believe in them in them of course.

According to Western astrology, there are twelve zodiac signs that go in the following order: […]

Dogs aka ‘man’s best friend’ are known and loved for many of their furry characteristics. They are employed in multiple service-based industries for their ability to be trained to perform specific tasks upon command, for protection and particularly for their keen sense of smell. Dogs are also used widely as aids for the blind as well as those who are physically and mentally handicapped. Due to their ‘sniffing’ capabilities, dogs are commonly used in the police force, military and in airports – industries that capitalise particularly on their sense of smell. Dogs are used to sniff out hidden illegal substances on a daily basis.

Now […]