Yay the first book club book is done! This was so much fun, and thank you to all who participated! Make sure to read the next book and contact me to get on the show next time.
The race is still on to discover the formula for successfully distributing digital content in Africa. In a recent blogpost, Jason Njoku, the outspoken founder of iRokoTV, announced that his company would soon retire the desktop version of their platform (for African users) to concentrate on building a mobile application that he says will better service the African consumer. The article is basically an eloquent admission that iRokoTV's efforts to "win Lagos" and then conquer the rest of Africa have so far failed.
In this week's African Tech Round-up, iAfrikan Executive Editor, Tefo Mohapi and I discuss the challenges that home-grown content streaming platforms like iRokoTV, Wabona, Tuluntulu and others may be facing in their attempts to profitably deliver digital entertainment content to African consumers. While YouTube's growing success in Africa is proof that consumers have an appetite for content streaming, it seems that African platforms are yet to crack the code for how to best to get in on the action.
As usual, be sure to catch up on all the week's biggest tech, digital and innovation news from across Africa:
--Find out more about a cutting-edge medical innovation that has led to the city of St Louis, Missouri awarding their highest honour to a Nigerian-born scientist,
--Get details on how Facebook plans to roll out its Internet.org platform in South Africa in partnership with mobile network operator, Cell C,
--Learn why Nigerian e-commerce platform, Konga's acquisition of mobile banking and payment provider, Zinternet is such a smart move, and
--Discover what we found odd about Twitter's recent talent call for young Africans.
Music Credits:
All Music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Music licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Forgotten Superheroes of Science: Vera Rubin; Movie Review: Jurassic World; News Items: Breast Milk Snake Oil, Volocopter, Kennewick Man Follow Up, Sixth Extinction; Who's That Noisy; Dumbest Thing of the Week: Kim Jung-un; Your Questions and E-mails: IT Rant; Science or Fiction
With the ink barely dry on two momentous Supreme Court decisions affecting marriage equality and health care, Dahlia discusses the history, high points, and likely impact of those decisions with Walter Dellinger, professor of law at Duke University, a Slate contributor, and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel from 1993 to 1996.
First, Dahlia and Walter reflect on Friday's 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which ruled that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional. Next, they talk about Thursday's 6-3 decision in King v. Burwell, which supported the Affordable Care Act's subsidies for poor and middle class people.
Please let us know what you think of our podcast – and your ideas for our shows during the summer recess. Our email is amicus@slate.com.
Amicus is sponsored by The Great Courses, offering engaging audio video lectures like “The Great Debate: Advocates and Opponents of the American Constitution." Get up to get up to 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/amicus.
Transcripts of Amicus are available to Slate Plus members. Consider signing up today at slate.com/podcastplus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today here. (Note: After a new episode is posted, its transcript may take several days to appear on our show page.)
Podcast production by Joel Meyer.
Today on The Gist, Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick explains the vulnerability of Friday’s SCOTUS ruling on gay marriage, and a favorite Scalia moment from the arguments. She’s the host of the Slate podcast Amicus. Plus, our regular guest Chris Molanphy suffers recalling the wide range of hits from 1990.
For The Spiel, the tragedy of Bristol Palin, who recently announced that she’s expecting.
Read more of Slate’s coverage of same-sex marriage at the Supreme Court.
Today’s sponsor: Vegas.com. With Vegas.com, your summer vacation is just a click away. Find great deals on hotels, shows, tours, and VIP treatment at top clubs. Go to Vegas.com, and enter the promo code GIST for 10 percent off everything but air-hotel packages.
Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus.
Nike shares hit an all-time high after strong Q4 results. Alibaba sells its U.S. business. IAC prepares to spin off Match.com, Tinder and OKCupid. Is it time to invest in online dating? We analyze those stories, dip into the Fool Mailbag and share a few stocks on our radar. Plus, Tim Hanson discusses the latest drama between Greece and the EU, investing in China, and what he’s watching in the 2nd half of 2015.
Is there really a secret hotspot of paranormal and UFO activity just southeast of Ballard, Utah? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the fact (and fiction) surrounding the bizarre Sherman Ranch.
The film Jurassic World broke the record for the biggest opening weekend taking $511m. It?s a record that has been broken once already this year and most of the top ten films with the biggest opening weekends were released in the last five years. So in an age where the competition is fierce for cinemas why are these films doing so well?
Bees and the British Royal Family
For reasons best known to the editors, one British newspaper decided to ask the question: ?Who brings more to the British economy ? the British Royal Family or bees. The answer? Bees of course. More or Less takes a look and finds the methodology is as bee-musing as the initial comparison.
The Supreme Court's King v. Burwell decision ratified the President's interpretation of the Affordable Care Act with respect to insurance premium subsidies and taxes to support those subsidies. Trevor Burrus and Michael F. Cannon comment.