Since I've left it so late, I'm afraid it's another US election-related post. Jacob Kaplan-Moss has put together some useful information about US Newspaper Endorsements. Covering ownership vs. endorsements, state vs. endorsements, and so forth. And "flip-floppers" on the endorsements since last election. Nice work - love tools like this. Via Simon Willison.

I wrote this as a comment on Wayne at commentary.co.za's endorsement of Kerry, and since it went on a bit, I figured I might as well pretend to know about politics and the US elections on my web log too.

Or were they? Today marks the second time I went to a particular store (KwikSpar, Observatory), bought vegetarian samoosas, and got meat ones. You'd think a loud complaint mentioning the various people whose religions or world views make it anathema to them to eat meat would have lit a fire somewhere. I mean, this is Observatory - hippy central. I'm sure every second person here at least pretends to be vegetarian (and innocently sneaks some bacon every couple of weekends).

Had photographers over to take a few pictures today for an article in Brainstorm magazine (an IT magazine aimed at business-people). It's likely some of what I said in my Scalable Web Applications talk from OSSA will appear in it in the next month or so. The photographers were quick to find some backdrops to make my less-than-photogenic self less a prominent element of the picture.

Jeremy thinks I had the Potchefstroom Lurgy, but much of my second day at North West University: Potchefstroom campus was spent with a splitting headache and self-pity. Luckily, we finished up the KnowledgeTree training early, due to a bright class. Continuing on the theme of strange conversations, I had two really long and deep conversations with the driver of the shuttle between Johannesburg International and Potchefstroom. He also knew about Open Source, which made it easier to explain what I do. But, we covered various philosophical, political, and religious topics too, surprised at how similarly/compatibly we thought on such things. Happy to be back, hope to put up some pictures from my trip soon (any non-sucky photo management software out there?!).

I'm at North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, doing some KnowledgeTree training for Jam Warehouse. Summary: Somewhat pituresque, very Afrikaans, high visibility of religious activity, and way too hot. Oh well, at least I can understand Afrikaans. And at least noone suggests I try speak it...

Now, I'm as jealous as the next guy of not having a Powerbook, but I've mostly decided to stay away. However, this is the best argument I've seen on why not to buy a Powerbook. (Of course, this means this rant is the best argument I've seen. Which isn't saying much about why you shouldn't buy one. It was just funny, ok?)

I was hanging around the entrance to the Bandwidth Barn, taking a few photos, when I hear someone ask me if Linux is this new software he's heard about that's better than Windows. I turn around, and it's the security guard!

Mark, from consulting firm Radian (who is doing a lot of Open Source releated research), seems to be working on a report on making money with Open Source, and suggested I look at it. Then amended it to suggesting I buy it. I wondered aloud if it just said "sell reports".

I'm abusing my non-Jam days this month attending the JBoss course Sadalbari has just started running, after the news last week that Sadalbari has become the first South African JBoss Service Provider. Sadalbari was started by a former colleague of mine, and Open Source is their primary market.