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The Cost of a Cup of Coffee Many people start their morning routine unthinkingly with a cup of coffee, to most – it is deemed an essential (sometimes crucial) aspect of the morning ritual. Coffee has become synonymous with waking us up, increased energy-levels and productivity. We rely on its caffeine content to keep us going when all else fails. For the connoisseurs and aficionados, a cup of coffee is not just a morning necessity but rather an exercise in single origin or ground coffee bean appreciation, a sensory experience and often a labour of love, as most true coffee connoisseurs utilise coffee grinders, specialised or bespoke coffee machines in order to brew the perfect, aromatic cuppa. Coffee crops that supply the goods [...]

4IR & Revolutionary Robots The World Economic Forum defines the Fourth Industrial Revolution as a representation of “a fundamental change in the way we live, work and relate to one another. It is a new chapter in human development, enabled by extraordinary technology advances commensurate with those of the first, second and third industrial revolutions.” There is an immense amount of potential seen in the Fourth Industrial revolution with an inherent reliance on the impact that the emerging technology will have on various sectors, predominantly the “physical, digital and biological world.” It is a movement that president Cyril Ramaphosa touched on recently in hologram-form at the 4th Industrial Revolution SA Digital Economy Summit in Midrand, and is encouraging all south Africans to embrace, [...]

Problematic, pesky perfume                                                                                                            Nothing beats smelling good, or smelling something good, it is undoubtedly one of life’s simple sensory pleasures. This is the substantive base that a multi-billion dollar industry is founded on. Perfume, or artificial fragrances permeate almost every product imaginable – from the product in its purest form as a perfume or eau de parfume and eau de toilette, to deodorants, body lotions, shampoos and conditioners, face creams, body washes, soaps, fabric softeners and washing powders, candles, diffusers, air and car fresheners, pads and even toilet paper. Fragrances are used for and in everything – they make us smell attractive, they evoke certain feelings in us or remind us of something familiar, comforting, or the exact opposite can also be true.However, not all [...]

Torture Tourism – the dark side of wildlife tourism In May 2019, National Geographic Magazine wrote an expansive article exposing the very dark and often unseen side of wildlife tourism across the world. Posing with a big cat like a tiger, playing with lion cubs, riding an elephant or having a monkey sit on your shoulder for a photo are just a few examples of wildlife tourism and have become increasingly popular, especially in the pursuit of social-media worthy content and a sizeable ‘like’ count. However, the pictures that make it onto social media of tourists with these animals, paint a picture of a vastly different reality of what goes on behind the scenes for these animals. Even those that claim to be [...]

A Colourful History: 50 Years of LQBTQ+ The Stonewell Inn is a name that has become synonymous with the inception of Pride and Pride Parades. The catalyst occurred at 1:20am on the 28th of June 1969 when New York City’s ‘finest’ raided the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan. The raid in itself was not unheard of, as the Stonewall Inn was operating without a valid liquor license. However, the New York State Liquor Authority was largely discriminatory in its issuing of liquor licences in the state, and refused to issue licences to establishments known to serve or cater to gay patrons. The events of June 28th 1969 set in motion what would come to be known as Pride and Pride Month, as the actions [...]

Behind the burnout & how to beat it As of the 28th of May 2019, burn-out has officially been included in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and has been defined as an “occupational phenomenon”; it is not however considered or classified as a ‘medical condition’. According to the World Health Organisation and the ICD-11, burn-out can be defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It can be further characterised by three ‘dimensions’ including depleted energy levels and feelings of exhaustion;  “increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy.” So, what does burn-out actually mean for you, [...]