Emoji Wars? Not really but it makes for a fun headline. I decided to explore emojis and the political breakdown in the USA. It struck me that amidst their culture wars, people maybe “weaponizing” emojis. Emojis started as cute digital stickers, but by 2026, they’ve morphed into battle flags on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) […]
The History of Cannabis in South Africa
I’ve often wondered why laws against cannabis were introduced in South Africa, where Cannabis sativa L. is an indigenous plant. It never made much sense. A graph produced by The Outlier for GroundUp, tracing figures back to 2009/2010, makes it clear just how much time and money has been spent prosecuting “offenders” and incarcerating them […]
TikTok’s US Split Reshapes Global Access: What South Africa’s 17M Users and Creators Must Know About Monetization Limits, Algorithm Changes, and Growing Localized Feeds
South Africa has over 17 million TikTok users, yet local creators cannot access TikTok’s Creator Rewards or Fund. This is mainly because TikTok hasn’t set up the necessary payment systems in South Africa, including local banking, tax handling, and legal agreements compliant with local laws. Additionally, TikTok prioritizes launching monetization programs in select test markets […]
Are these Emojis “secret symbols” linked to Tren de Aragua
Last week, U.S. law enforcement agencies made a surprising claim: certain emojis being used on social media might be secret symbols linked to Tren de Aragua (TdA), a Venezuelan gang. This theory appeared in official briefings, training documents, and reports shared among officers from the FBI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Army, and […]
Curtis Yarvin’s Dark Enlightenment: The Radical Vision Shaping a Post-Democratic Future
The Dark Enlightenment, also known as the neo-reactionary movement (NRx), is a philosophical and political ideology that rejects democratic and egalitarian principles, advocating for a return to hierarchical and traditional forms of governance. Also referred to as technofacism, this ideology promotes an absolute monarchy or corporate-style feudalism. AS this is being written on the day […]