Nic’s blog
I write about building businesses, failing and building a life, not a legacy.
Screw it, Lets Do it
No, I am no talking about the eternal "it" that the birds and bees and educated flees like to do. I am talking about Richard Brandson's new book, "Screw it, Lets do it".
My Father insisted that I purchase and read this little book (106 pgs). The writing is fluid and the font size is large which means its an easy read. I like this sort of book. I like Richard Branson's story. I like that he was under 20 when he first became wealthy and I like that he did it all by saying "fuck it, Im good and I know Im good, now the world needs to know."
I will be posting little snippets that I think are worth while from the book. it is very much a 'one liner' kind of book. Take from it what you think is relevant, the rest is fluff.
So to Begin:
   "I learned many lessons: not just if you want to do something, just do it, but also to prepare well, have faith in yourself, help each other, never give up."
I think that the simplicity of the statement makes it fairly valid. Everyone know's how to get to where they want to be, but many are scared to just do it. Keep watching for more from the"Virgin" himself.
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Studentwire gets interactive
Studentwire had become a fairly interactive place of late. A story was posted about a Coup (which i have blogged about already, see below). Debate has arisen around Student Newspapers need to challenge the SRC and "dig" for stories. There is also some debate around criticism of the way the story was written. Some felt, well one guy felt, that the story was shit. He said so. Now people are asking the Editor/writer from Nux (the newspaper of UKZN) to answer the criticism. I am exstatic that the has finally become what it was meant for: interaction between reader, writer, publisher and story. I think its great.
Visit the Studentwire Forums to get more information on the situation.
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Is the Net better?
I was emailed a few questions by a scholar at UKZN who is interested in the website that I own and run. The questions are not Earth shattering but they do spark some kind of interesting debate surrounding the difference between a newspaper in print vs newspapers online, newswires online vs newspapers online and generally online vs print.
I am not going to enter in to major debate about whether print is dead or not as I am not an authority on this topic in any way shape or form, plus I think that Vincent might physically harm the next person who discusses that topic!! But there are many opposing views about this topic.
The question and answers went as follows:
How did Studentwire come about?
Studentwire started as a thought after the Captivate Student MediaConference 2005. 2 students, Carly Ritz and Gregor Rohrig asked me to getinvolved with them on a blog idea. The blog became Studentwire, Studentwire'smanagement became 2. The idea grew in to a website which evolved in to abusiness and an education and development organisation.
How did student papers take to it?
It took me months and months of preparation, emails, phone calls andpitching to get the student Editors involved. It was not that they disliked theidea, many of them were simply concerned to place their content online. Oncethe concept was properly explained and the newspapers began to realise thebenefits they all jumped on board. At present we have approximately 13different campus newspapers contributing news on a regular basis. That is morethan any website in South Africa.
How do feel aboutwhat Jo's Toolkit is doing?
I think that Jo's Toolkit is a wonderful initiative that has greatvalue to journalism on grassroots and community levels. They provideorganisations like student newspapers and community papers with much neededadvice and support from industry professionals. They also manage to open dialoguebetween various parts of the journalism industry. Studentwire can definitelybenefit from a site like Jo's and vice versa I think.
Have read NUX? if sowhat are thoughts on it?
I have read Nux. I enjoy reading Nux as I feel that the content isparticularly poignant to students. However, personally I think that Nux has toomuch of a magazine layout. I am more of a hard news fundi. I enjoy the straightforwardness of a daily publications layout. With that said, I do think that Nuxhas great management and editorial staff so I believe that they are in controlof what they are doing and are catering for their target market successfully.
Do think print isgoing to die?
I personally do not believe that print is going to die, at least notany time in the near future. Firstly I think that there are millions of peoplewho enjoy picking up a newspaper and reading it with their cup of coffee in themorning. Secondly I think that the Media industry is going to take time toadjust to the online way of things. I do however believe that major mediahouses ignore the online/new media wave at their peril. I think it i s a matterof jump on board or watch the boat float by and miss it forever.
Is the Net better?
I do believe that in terms of frequency new media is definitely abetter medium. As far as I can see and as far asStudentwire is concerned, I do not keep regular office hours. I work wheneverstudents have news to publish. While print has set hours where people work ornot, ofcourse that is unless there is a ground breaking major story that needs attention. Online is 24/7 or as close to that as possible. I do think that Print atthe moment has entrenched itself in society to such an extent that if a storyis read in print then it carries more weight. Hence at present i think print isstill seen as better or more important. But that is changing in a BIG BIG way.
Do ever see a Studentwire type thinghappening offline? In Print?
I do predict that a national newspaper will exist, very soon in fact. Ihave gotten wind as to one being started by a major news agency but I am not atliberty to say who right now. That as far as I know, will be a nationalnewspaper, not a national news agency. Studentwire is a newswire for students,very much like SAPA but with a more interactive user interface. We provide newsto newspapers from all over the country as well as provide news to readers allover the world. I do not believe that anyone will be able to accomplish thiswithout making use of the internet.
From my limited experience of online media vs print, I think that there are many differences and many similarities. However, what interests me right now is the differentiation between an online newsWIRE and an online newsPAPER. I think they are different and need to be treated differently by the public, investors, proffesionals and advertisers.
Paolo Nutini and The Kooks
I am mad over two new Artists. Paolo Nutini and The Kooks. Both British. Nutini is a 19 year old songmaster. Sultry tunes with an intrinsic sadness and occasional joy peaking through.
This is a link have provided to Paolo Nutini playing his song "These streets" live and accoustic. These Streets is also the title of his first album. Give him a listen, you will not regret it!!
Secondly we have The Kooks. This band might be riding the crest of the brit pop/rock wave at the moment but i think they do a damn fine job of it. They provide a nice mixture between mad British passion and pop-ish rock songs about girls moving in their own ways. Well written and raw.
The Kooks - Live/Accoustic - See The World
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Blogger Sued for Defamation - Old news
I just picked up This story from Sunday Times about a blogger from the Jo'blog who called a motivational speaker various things on the site being sued for defamation. Now ain't that some shit.
You can see the whole issue laid to rest at the Jo'Blog website here. This however is not the main focus of this post. I am seriously interested in the dates of this story, the main issue and its release in mainstream print media.
Here are some dates that I have noticed:
- The Sunday Times published this story today.
- There is only one story on the Sunday Times website which means there are no other stories in their archives for the last 2 years.
- Visited Jo'Blog today and found a string of stories.
- April 4th 2005 post was recognised as defamatory and deleted, see this page
- A Response from "The Speaker" posted on Jo'Blog on April 5th 2005, see this page for full repsonse
- "Thorn in my side" Posted on Jo'blog on May 24th 2005.
- "Lawyers are wankers" Posted on Jo'blog on Dec 7th 2005. The issue seems to be closed and sorted according to this post
Ok, so now maybe im rambling a bit right now and I have a sneaking suspicion that someone somewhere is going to correct me on this one, but why, oh why, is the Sunday Times picking up this story if it is over a year and half old?
As far as I can see from the Jo'Blog site and the Sunday Times story, both parties have sorted this issue out. And if that is so, then I think that I am going with the dates of the Jo'blog site apology and final closing post on the issue, which was almost a year ago on Dec 7th 2005. Strange.
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SRC Coup - Students have gone a bit moggy
Studentwire released a story yesterday written by the NUX Editor about a Coup d'etat at the University of Kwazulu-Natal. The SRC is in disseray and things are looking very ominous.
I feel the need to ask: What the hell is going on with student politics. This is the third or fourth University that I have read and heard about having issues with the SRC. Is this just a jostling for power? Is it a matter of rational discontent with people in power? Is there any intention to right the situation? Are students actually interested in their University Governance?
I really wish I had some answers to these questions, but I am not really 100% sure. I would like to think that there are students out there who care about the political state of their campuses. But in turn i would also hope that randsacking the SRC is not the correct way to go about creating change and reform. We are not living in the 60's anymore, there are more effective ways to create change than violent overthrows of government.
Maybe im wrong about that, but seriously, a Coup?? Thats a bit mad if you ask me.
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London, Paris, Jen
For those lesser informed individuals, I have been in London for two weeks. The reason for my trip was to visit Jen. I did that. And this is how the trip went (I will be providing an abridged version):
- Day 1: Saw Jen for the first time in over 7 months I think it is. What an amazing feeling. It just fits. Dullich to Visit my Yiayia
(Grandmother for those English folk reading). Her Husband is sick. No not my Grandfather, her husband. Nice to see her.
- Day 2:
Travel to our homebase just near South Africa, oh wait, did I say South Africa, I meant Wimbledon. Moved on to Dorset. Jen's one Aunt (Caro) lives there. Nice relaxed weekend.
- Day 3: Got Sick. From here on... I am sick. In fact, Im still sick.
- Day 4 - 6: Did the Touristy stuff with Jen cause she's been working so hard she hasn't done any of it. Picadilly
, Liecester Square, Regent Str, Oxford, Harrods, Hamleys, went to the Dali Musem
. Go to the theatre to see Chicago. Covent Gardens Lost electricity so show was cancelled (we had to book a matinee show on friday afternoon. Spend lots of time with Sarah, Jen's lovely sister who was Uber nice to me and made me feel very much at home. 
Friday night have a night out in Clapham. Hydro Bar then The Grand. I think i spent about R800 that night, not sure.
- Day7-9:
Visit Jen's other Aunt (Val) in Kent. This was accompanied by a meeting of a third Aunt (Gill) and both of their families. Very pleasent weekend spent there
. Then we made a trip to Edgeware area to meet some of my family. Nice to meet with some South Africa Greeks in amidst of all the Brits that I met!!
- Day10-12: PARIS!!!!!! Jen went above and beyond the call of duty and booked us in to a hotel in Paris for two night and three days. What an amazing time. Paris in the Autumn (ish) is wonderful and the company was grand. Just me and Jen. I would love to say that it was a much needed break, but we walked out little toushies off seeing Paris. Jen had never been so i took the liberty of showing her around a bit.
The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower
, The Champs-Elysse, Monmatre and SacreCoure (Excuse the spelling). We got Charicatures
done, had french baguettes, ate snails
and duck, samon and chicken, cakes and desserts and LOADS of wine. Was incredible. I would suggest Paris to any couple looking for a nice brief getaway.
- Day 13: Home time for me and the terrible prospect of leaving Jen and subsequent SHOCKER of a flight home, which you can read about below.
And that is that. In a nutshell of course.
Flickr Trp
I have nice and neatly placed my moblog photos in a set for those interested to view my entire trip as i blogged it.
Click here NOW to access the Set.
Here is my Picasa Online Album. I found the Picasa online tool fairly easy to use. Upgrade today.
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Virgin Screw-Up
Flight VS 601 from London Heathrow to Johannesburg did not crash today. But it may just as well have.
This was not my first flight as the headline may suggest. I am not a Virgin flyer, but wow it felt like my first time: Clumsy, delayed, quick to bite me in the ass and a little bit painful to say the least!!!
My flight back to South Africa today was possibly the worst flying experience of my entire life. I think i will go so far as to say that not even Olympic Airways was this bad.
To List a few issues nice and quickly so that no one is bored by yet another painful airline rant.
- The Plane was delayed by an hour due to a staff member being late.
- The meal (dinner) was served at close to 23:30. not all at once, but the left side of the plane followed by the right and occasionally some passengers in between (i love watching other people eat).
- The in-flight entertainment system worked for me, but not for others. They then shut it down for about 2 hours. Mine then didnt work and everyone elses did. Nice.
- I asked the flight attendants three times for a pen, i didnt get one.
- The flight was BOILING, the first flight of my life i planned for aircon (thick jacket etc) and there was none.
- they overbooked the flight. EVERY SEAT WAS TAKEN!!!
Ok, thats it. My next few posts will be of my trip to London and Paris, some photos and some wierd rants about the french and the poms (strange group really).
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Mini Crash
Ive been asked to keep the owner of this little crash private so that is what ill do, but wow, what a ripper.This little mini went to market, this little mini tried to get home, this little mini wee wee wee all the way over a fucking bridge, down a hill in a top over bottom roll. Amazing, no one was badly hurt, everyone lived, car was written off.
Moral of the story: Dont get drunk with a monkey in the Gspot and drive off a cliff.Keep sending me your Car Crashes, im starting to get interested in how exactly it is that people are surviving this shit.
And Im Back online
So its been a week since my last post (about). I am now in Kent I think. Staying with Jen's aunt for a night or so to celebrate her birthday. I finally have time and wireless to sit down with and post a bit and do some work and mull over the good things in life (there are many).Firstly, thanks to everyone who's been in contact with me since i left, nice work. Jason, Good job on the whole VJ Thing, never doubted you'd do well. How'd the Vesa thing go for the states? Oh, also, Jen and I went to see Chicago in the theatre yesterday...guess who was the lead actress?? Ashley Simpson. Thought that you'd enjoy that! She was pretty good. show was incredible.Weather has been pretty good, mostly sunny, but chilly with the rain only starting to fall two days ago.Jen has booked us a two night trip to Paris, leaving on monday. We are taking the Eurostar and staying in a fancy hotel. Ive done a bit of shopping; found myself an amazing coat (Yes, its winter here and i know its summer in SA, thanks) that i thought i needed to purchase, so I did.Um, there are lots of photos to be seen but i dont have the inclination to bother with that sorta stuff right now. well over it.Ok, thats it for the update, things going strong and will be home by thursday. Have a good weekend.
This is it
Here it is, my last post for two weeks... maybe.
I am now going to get ready for my flight. I have extended my flickr badge on the right so that more pictures are displayed. I will hopefully be moblogging my trip so check it out to see some photos of me and jen and our trip.
Thats it from me. Shutter closed.
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Car crashes
So, due to my brothers incredible car accident i have become motivated to start publishing photos of the most outrageous crashes that have happened to people that i know, or know of, or who's brothers sisters second aunt twice removed knew at some point. So, send in those photos of your crashes, let me know if you were injured, if someone didnt make it. Let teach some people a lesson about speeding.
Im sure the Hamster (Top Gear) will be excited about this. so lets do it.
Email me photos and story to: nharalambous@gmail.com
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One more sleep
It's Wed night, its 11pm, im tired but cant sleep, im excited but its delayed.
Im scheduled to fly in exactly 22 hours. wow, that could be 22 days, 22 months right now. Time drags on and on, especially when I am going to see her.
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Save Top Gear NOW
Do Not Let This Happen! The Govt is trying to squash the show sayin that it is a bad influence on people and that it promotes recklessness. This is utter bullshit. people kill people, not guns, people kill people, not TV shows.
Follow This Link and Sign The Petition. As an avid petrol head and follower of the show i urge you to take two minutes and sign. My signiture was number 28,120. Get yours in there now.
My thoughts are with Richard Hammond and the rest of the Top Gear team.
Read Jeremy Clarkson's statement.
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Exchange This
Ha! HA HA! guess fucking what? I am going to London tomorow night, I have posted about this already. But there is a kicker here, my forex (foreign exchange) is to be picked up today by yours truly. Well I am unbelievably excited to report that todays exchange rate is the highest it has been for the pound in over three years.
How lucky am I? i get to pay out of my ass for my £200... yes my £200 is going to cost my about R5 more per pound than i ordered it for... lucky lucky little me.
Fuckin exchange rates and fucking Zuma and fuckin Shabir Shaik-my-ass, and fucking anything else that has fucked the economy the day before i am meant to travel.
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Some people are meant to live...No matter what.
This is a rock
It is a big rock. Those are skid marks on the road and at the bottom of the photo you can clearly see debris. The debris is from a car. A car that is very much now broken and has been for a few years. My brother had a car accident about 3 or 4 years ago. Blogging really wasnt around back then so I didnt have a forum to publish these photos. The story is one filled with "coincidence" (I dont believe in coincidence) and events that should never have happened, but did. These events saved his life. I wont explain the story cause I think that these photos speak louder than any Arrive Alive advert
Oh, the rock weighs approximately 5 tons.
This is what a 5 ton rock does to a BMW
And this:
I believe that these are a few very good reasons not to speed. For a couple of years dearest John insisted that he wasnt speeding. The proffesionals came in and calculated speeds of over 180Km/h.
Now make a choice. Speed. Or not speed. Its up to you.
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Music 2.0
Last.fm is an amazing initiative that i discovered through Mark Comerford's blog MarkMedia.
Download the Lastfm software to your pc/laptop/mac, install and start "scrobbling". Scrobbling is the term that Lastfm has coined to explain thier concept. when you scrobble, you play music from your media player (Itunes, WMP, Winamp etc etc etc) that is then picked up and stored in the LastFM server and made available for other users to view.
Now, you can join groups of users with similar interest, find stations that these users have compiled and listen to their choices. find music similar and new to the music you like. Its an incredible musical network!
You can also enter "Journal" entries about music and gigs, live shows and rants about instruments if you so feel, somewhat of a blogging feel to your user profile.
Have a look at my first journal entry here: Jump, Little Children - Journal - Last.fm
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This one goes out to the one i love.
I am one of the happiest people in the world on this magnificent Sunday evening. I have come back from Captivate, as I have posted below. It was great but I have more fish to fry. I am off to London on Wednesday evening. I am going to see someone whom I love dearly and I miss. I am leaving my life (the internet) in Jozi .
I will not be taking my laptop, I will not be blogging, I will not be reachable on my cellphone or anywhere else for that matter. However I will be looking in to extending my Flickr badge on the right so that I can Moblog.
To those of you who know who I am talking about, I will deliver what you have asked. To those of you who dont know the lovely lady in question, She incredible.
I have two more days of blogging, my last post for two weeks will be on wednesday.
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