I love the Sci-Fi channel, and I am not alone (he he). A short while ago, MultiChoice announced this, in the most condescending voice I have heard next to Lt Riker’s:
“Operation of the Sci Fi channel is no longer economically viable in Southern Africa, and MultiChoice and Universal Studios Networks have agreed for the channel to be withdrawn from the PAS 7 DStv Bouquet”

What! No! What a rolling big fat lie (they’ve now added “reasons of confidentiality” to their statement)! But again, I am not alone. There are more than 25 disgusted MultiChoice comments on the local hellopeter.com already, livid about the closing of this channel, along with most people I have spoken to. And it’s their response to the hordes of complaints that makes this ordeal even worse.

They chime the same copy-and-paste message about being “sorry for any inconvenience and frustration caused” and “DSTV thanks you for being such a loyal supporter” as a response to the complains. And they all end in

“MultiChoice Cares”

Sure you do.

Personally, I find 40% of the value I get out of DSTV comes from this channel, so please explain how this next bit of C’&P-ing is supposed to placate me:
“MultiChoice is also continually adding value to the DStv Bouquet with broadcasts such as the Big Brother channel, the Idols channel, etc. This year we are bringing you 7 dedicated Summer Olympic channels, a 24 x 7 Project Fame channel and an extended broadcast of The Block. We are always giving you more.”

I don’t understand why they think supporters of this fantasy niche will find compensation in reality programming and sport. Adding value? Giving you more? My arse.

I now know two things:
1) My Sci-Fi is gone forever
2) I no longer have any faith in MultiChoice, and I never will again

They obviously care so little about their customers (us), that they will find themselves dead in the water as soon as a challenger arrives. In fact, people are already braying for a saviour.

I have started a bit of a petition, if you would like to add your name, mail me. Resistance is not futile!

Make it so.

Thing is, I saw it was from a local addy so I actually gave it a glance.

It’s pretty rad, these guys will take a voice-mail message you record on their system and send it to an email addy of your choice. I cant yet decide where and when I’d use this, but it’s not a bad service all in all. Oh, and you only pay for the call.

It would be even better if their site worked though…!

When I landed in Joburg after a gig in Cape Town last Thursday, I was poked in the ribs by a young-ish kid telling me that my Bluetooth on my phone wasn’t set up, and he wanted to send me a pic. Not such an amazing story, but it backs up my thoughts on this:

Earlier today, while waiting for all guests to enter the venue for a preso I was running for Liberty Life, some punk tried to pair with my machine, which is Bluetooth-enabled, which resulted in a pop-up asking me if I’d like to pair with device ‘Bang ! !’. I rejected the offer, and seconds later it asked me again. I rejected, froze the still on the screen, went to my Finder and turned my Bluetooth off.

What are people like? Finding devices, then trying to pair. Who would accept the invitation from an unknown source anyway? Person A who’s finding and pairing with a device needs to enter a passkey, then needs to give the passkey to Person B so that they can successfully pair. Or you could just get into Bluejacking.

Thankfully it happened before the preso started, with only about twenty people inside the venue of the eight-hundred that attended. A tip for all: Turn your Bluetooth off.

Bang ! !, you got me good.

It’s about time, at least this okie’s offering a smile for your two-bucks:

From Brent

I give it a week before they all have ‘em…!

The Cruzer Titanium USB Flash Drive.

R262 million.
10 450 houses.
Clamping down on fraud and corruption.

Well-used tax money.

Update: Limpopo is promoting donkey carts as a cheap means of public transport, already spending R2.5m on a successful pilot project.

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!

A follow-up to a previous post about preventing poaching in the South Atlantic.

Boo-ya!