Philip Machanick 🇿🇦
@philip-mach.bsky.social
Retired CS academic, human rights, anti-corruption and environmental activist. Pro-science, anti-profiteering.
I write novels (find me at lulu.com) and progressive op-eds as a hobby.
Fan of inexpensive fine wine and South African landscapes and culture.
I write novels (find me at lulu.com) and progressive op-eds as a hobby.
Fan of inexpensive fine wine and South African landscapes and culture.
Throw in what direction?
Up?
Up?
November 23, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Throw in what direction?
Up?
Up?
Rejection of bigotry doesn’t take sides.
November 23, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Rejection of bigotry doesn’t take sides.
Putting ICE on ice.
November 23, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Putting ICE on ice.
Sofa so good.
November 22, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Sofa so good.
They and AWS had quite an overlap in talent pool since they’re both based in Cape Town with similar skill sets.
That AWS had a major crash recently suggests they aren’t quite out if they fragile startup mindset.
That AWS had a major crash recently suggests they aren’t quite out if they fragile startup mindset.
November 22, 2025 at 7:08 PM
They and AWS had quite an overlap in talent pool since they’re both based in Cape Town with similar skill sets.
That AWS had a major crash recently suggests they aren’t quite out if they fragile startup mindset.
That AWS had a major crash recently suggests they aren’t quite out if they fragile startup mindset.
Scaling up fast is difficult. I visited South Africa’s leading online retailer takealot.com when they’d been growing really fast and it seemed absolutely chaotic. I visited a year later and they had it all under control.
They had to. Otherwise they wouldn’t have lasted.
They had to. Otherwise they wouldn’t have lasted.
Takealot.com: Online Shopping | SA's leading online store
South Africa's leading online store. Fast, reliable delivery to your door. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine: TVs, laptops, cellphones, kitchen appliances, toys, books, beauty & more...
takealot.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Scaling up fast is difficult. I visited South Africa’s leading online retailer takealot.com when they’d been growing really fast and it seemed absolutely chaotic. I visited a year later and they had it all under control.
They had to. Otherwise they wouldn’t have lasted.
They had to. Otherwise they wouldn’t have lasted.
This is bully management 101.
November 22, 2025 at 5:11 PM
This is bully management 101.
I’m not joining the game of captioning this to suit.
November 22, 2025 at 5:10 PM
I’m not joining the game of captioning this to suit.
Remind me how “Survivor” works.
Is voting to keep you in or to get you out?
Is voting to keep you in or to get you out?
November 22, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Remind me how “Survivor” works.
Is voting to keep you in or to get you out?
Is voting to keep you in or to get you out?
Dunked him in water and when that failed…
November 22, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Dunked him in water and when that failed…
It ever had wheels?
November 22, 2025 at 1:06 PM
It ever had wheels?
Particularly as the number person doing the most to drive the Mars project is a self-centred narcissist.
November 22, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Particularly as the number person doing the most to drive the Mars project is a self-centred narcissist.
Duralex. The unbreakable version of Durex?
I remember dropping rival Arcopal‘s ½-litre measuring jug in a supermarket and caught it on the rebound. Still good 40 years on.
The French make some great products. Good that this one’s being rescued.
Another example: dailyinvestor.com/business/984...
I remember dropping rival Arcopal‘s ½-litre measuring jug in a supermarket and caught it on the rebound. Still good 40 years on.
The French make some great products. Good that this one’s being rescued.
Another example: dailyinvestor.com/business/984...
The South African businessman who saved Le Creuset
In the 1980s, Le Creuset was on the edge of collapse due to family infighting and mounting debt. Then, an unlikely buyer in the form of South African Paul van Zuydam stepped up.
dailyinvestor.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Duralex. The unbreakable version of Durex?
I remember dropping rival Arcopal‘s ½-litre measuring jug in a supermarket and caught it on the rebound. Still good 40 years on.
The French make some great products. Good that this one’s being rescued.
Another example: dailyinvestor.com/business/984...
I remember dropping rival Arcopal‘s ½-litre measuring jug in a supermarket and caught it on the rebound. Still good 40 years on.
The French make some great products. Good that this one’s being rescued.
Another example: dailyinvestor.com/business/984...
She isn’t confused.
Just this once.
Just this once.
November 22, 2025 at 12:38 PM
She isn’t confused.
Just this once.
Just this once.
youtu.be/F6CyVR4EcVs?...
I don’t play bingo so I don’t get the bingo card reference.
But “Trump pivot”?!? He’s too fat for ballet.
And Dem establishment: why couldn’t you warn to Mamdani?
I don’t play bingo so I don’t get the bingo card reference.
But “Trump pivot”?!? He’s too fat for ballet.
And Dem establishment: why couldn’t you warn to Mamdani?
Trump: It was a 'great honor' to meet Mamdani
YouTube video by CNN
youtu.be
November 22, 2025 at 10:15 AM
youtu.be/F6CyVR4EcVs?...
I don’t play bingo so I don’t get the bingo card reference.
But “Trump pivot”?!? He’s too fat for ballet.
And Dem establishment: why couldn’t you warn to Mamdani?
I don’t play bingo so I don’t get the bingo card reference.
But “Trump pivot”?!? He’s too fat for ballet.
And Dem establishment: why couldn’t you warn to Mamdani?
Hoping for another jet?
November 22, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Hoping for another jet?
Mandani could sell a fridge at the South Pole.
November 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Mandani could sell a fridge at the South Pole.
JD: ”Birth certificate.”
November 22, 2025 at 9:57 AM
JD: ”Birth certificate.”
Or planning to shoot a dog?
November 22, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Or planning to shoot a dog?
Including when quizzed about offences for which she is already convicted?
She’s protected by double jeopardy so pleading the 5th doesn’t apply.
I’m a foreigner and I know this; I hate to point out to US citizens how their system is supposed to work but … not my fault.
www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtua...
She’s protected by double jeopardy so pleading the 5th doesn’t apply.
I’m a foreigner and I know this; I hate to point out to US citizens how their system is supposed to work but … not my fault.
www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtua...
Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment | Office of Justice Programs
www.ojp.gov
November 22, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Including when quizzed about offences for which she is already convicted?
She’s protected by double jeopardy so pleading the 5th doesn’t apply.
I’m a foreigner and I know this; I hate to point out to US citizens how their system is supposed to work but … not my fault.
www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtua...
She’s protected by double jeopardy so pleading the 5th doesn’t apply.
I’m a foreigner and I know this; I hate to point out to US citizens how their system is supposed to work but … not my fault.
www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtua...
I’m not a US resident or lawyer so perhaps I could be excused for not knowing this.
For Trump’s lawyers: constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay...
For Trump’s lawyers: constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay...
constitution.congress.gov
November 21, 2025 at 10:43 AM
I’m not a US resident or lawyer so perhaps I could be excused for not knowing this.
For Trump’s lawyers: constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay...
For Trump’s lawyers: constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay...
Exactly. Same way Cuomo shouldn’t have been supportable in NYC.
November 20, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Exactly. Same way Cuomo shouldn’t have been supportable in NYC.
South African prez Ramaphosa be looking for tips.
I can’t see sawing up journalists.
I can’t see sawing up journalists.
November 19, 2025 at 7:59 PM
South African prez Ramaphosa be looking for tips.
I can’t see sawing up journalists.
I can’t see sawing up journalists.
Vicious shower.
I once had a cat trawling around the edge of the bathtub checking if I was OK.
Eventually it feigned lack of concern at my weird unconcerned submersion and let its guard down, relaxed its tail and shock! Its tail was suddenly sodden-heavy!
I once had a cat trawling around the edge of the bathtub checking if I was OK.
Eventually it feigned lack of concern at my weird unconcerned submersion and let its guard down, relaxed its tail and shock! Its tail was suddenly sodden-heavy!
November 19, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Vicious shower.
I once had a cat trawling around the edge of the bathtub checking if I was OK.
Eventually it feigned lack of concern at my weird unconcerned submersion and let its guard down, relaxed its tail and shock! Its tail was suddenly sodden-heavy!
I once had a cat trawling around the edge of the bathtub checking if I was OK.
Eventually it feigned lack of concern at my weird unconcerned submersion and let its guard down, relaxed its tail and shock! Its tail was suddenly sodden-heavy!