Source: Dark Roasted Blend

It’s a serious question. I buy a copy once a month from ‘my guy’ - you know, the one who finally gets through to you by smiling, being persistent, looking sad, selling in the rain, or whatever else it takes.

Anyway, last month Big Issue did a survey that Themba (that’s my guy’s name) was quite excited about. He made sure to explain the form to me and show me what needed to be filled out. He told me that this was so that the content could be improved.

When I got home, I read through the questionnaire, and found myself really struggling to answer some of the questions on it. Here’s the thing: I buy my copy of the Big Issue to help Themba, not because I want to read it. Once I’ve purchased a new copy, I fling it in the backseat and leave it there so that other Big Issue sellers don’t bug me - they can see I already have the current issue. Yes, I know that sounds horrible, but it’s the truth.

One of the questions in the survey was “what should we do to increase readership?” (or something similarly worded).

My answer (I try and be honest, as my friends will tell you, shaking their heads and wincing) is this: “Start a damned good marketing campaign to convince people that your mag isn’t total shite.”

The thing is, I don’t read the mag because I associate it with being low budget and low quality. This is partly to do with the cover, which almost always sucks ass from a design perspective, but also because of the way it’s sold - I guess the snob in me thinks that it’s going to be rubbish.

Somehow, people like me need to be hooked into the content of the mag. If “Die Son” can do roadside posters that make people want to buy their rag, why can’t Big Issue do it for their mag? Ad sales? I don’t know. Something!

Then there’s the price. I pay R20 for my mag. It costs R14, but I rarely have the exact change, and Themba appreciates the bit extra - hell, I have my own car; I can afford an extra six bucks, right? Only something in my mind - some sort of psychological woo-wah tells me that if I’m paying R20 for a mag, the quality of the content should be similar to that of say, FHM which costs only R8 more on a year’s subscription.

Obviously the reason we’re not getting the extra quality is because Big Issue is a budget mag. It has to be, because half of the cover price goes to the vendor. The Big Issue operates as a non-profit organisation, and behind the scenes, there’s all sorts of stuff going on, like business training and guidance counselling for the vendors with the ultimate aim of integrating them back into the mainstream.

There’s a huge difference between begging R7 off someone, and selling someone a magazine for the same price (remember the vendor only gets half of the R14 cover price). Selling the magazine gives the vendor the pride of running his own business. With this comes the confidence neccessary to move on to other jobs or businesses.

Case in point: Themba has been saving up to do a truck driving course. He finally got enough money together last month to do it, and although he has to take a bus all the way to Ceres in order to do a course that he can afford, he’s doing it and he plans to eventually start truck driving full-time.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this: I wouldn’t know any of this stuff if I hadn’t got chatting with Themba. I see him and usually have a chat with him every single day. This, more than anything has raised my own awareness of the magazine and the people behind it.

So if you don’t have your own ‘my guy’ (or girl!) yet, then get one. If you’ve got one, then speak to them. Once you get to know them, you’ll be more inclined to do what I’m about to right now: pick up the magazine and actually read the damned thing!

It’s probably quite good.

Introducing the Mazda Kaan concept vehicle…

“The MAZDA KAAN is an electric race car designed to compete in the E1 races, the pinnacle of international motorsports in terms of technology and popularity. In 2025, California freeways have been resurfaced with a sub-level electro-conductive polymer that powers the electric cars of the modern world. MAZDA’s patented electronic tire system uses this technology to power the KAAN to reach 250 mph with no harmful emissions!

“The vehicles are piloted by individual drivers but teams are made up of thirty cars, all on the track together. Using strategies similar to those in cycling peletons, the tighter the group sticks together, the more aerodynamic and powerful it becomes.

“Inspiration for the KAAN comes from electric fields and textures seen in nature, particularly those in a lightning bolt. The car is uniquely designed around its powerful electric wheels while the cockpit acts as a capsule to safely house the driver, allowing for tighter peloton formations and a team victory.

Do you think someone at Mazda R&D watched Speed Racer perchance? (Actually, it’s an entry for a vehicle design contest called Motorsports 2025. See the outrageously futuristic entries here).

“We are not killing the Springbok”, he said. “We are affirming it”.

I think it’s really stupid to change the emblem. Everything about our rugby team has something to do with the Springbok. Whenever you’re at a game, whether it’s at the stadium or on TV, you can hear people yelling “Go bokke!”.

We have a national pride around our rugby team that is deeply embedded in the Springbok emblem. The Springbok embodies speed, agility and sleekness. Springboks are not easy prey, and can escape from some of the biggest predators by using their direction-altering jump.

The King Protea is a flower for christ’s sake! Can you imagine people yelling “Go blomme!” or “Come on petal!” as Breyton breaks for the tri-line?

Ridiculous.

I’m sick of racial politics being brought to bear on every single aspect of South African life. When is it going to stop? Are we going to have to remove the word “black” from the dictionary? Maybe we should cancel rugby altogether - after all, people played the game during the apartheid era! Shocking! It should be banned!

It’s getting to the point in this country where even ordering coffee can be tricky. “I’d like it black as the ace of spades” is going to have to become “I’d like my coffee gender-neutral and racially unbiased please. Sorry, what’s that you say? You don’t know what that means? Well… then just give me a café latté please. No! Wait, don’t arrest me! I said café not… argh!”

… another one zapped by the thought police.

Once again the Big Picture over at Boston.com (oh how we praise thine incredibleness!) has come up with a series of photographs that are literally jaw-dropping.

California has been plagued by wildfires, and this is a collection of some of the best photographs from the series of fires that have devastated the area, including some (like the one above) from as little as three days ago.

Click through to the Big Picture and check them out. Stunning and tragic.