Cape Town > South Africa > Africa > Earth

#FF: Curated Favourites: June 2011, Part 2

2011-07-01T20:54:00.001+02:00

During the second half of June: ICANN announced the creation of generic top-level domain names, @NonhleThema had some sort of fake meltdown but there was nothing worth favouriting, Independent columnist Johann Hari's admission that he sometimes inserted interviewee's written quotes into his interviews and passed them off as verbal quotes was transformed into a meme, @Jan_v_Riebeeck finally landed on Twitter*, David Pogue got himself into trouble... again, and Vodacom died a horrible (temporary) death at the most inopportune moment.

Restaurants: 97% of visitors to your website just want the address and phone no, not a Flash animation of a bloody artichoke.Thu Jun 16 11:26:56 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Replymade-up stats
madeupstats

I think it's adorable that hotels give you envelopes and letterhead. "Dear Jane. I'm sending you a letter...FROM A HOTEL. Don't write back."Fri Jun 17 16:18:15 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyDavid Malki !
malki

Dyslexic epistemologists want to know why it's Causal Friday.Fri Jun 17 17:50:10 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyArch Stanton
toldorknown

No disrespect to hip-hop culture.

But, do you REALLY want to remember your 20s as "that dark decade when I had to manually hold my pants?"Sun Jun 19 22:55:59 +0000 2011 via Birdhouse Favorite Retweet ReplyMerlin Mann
hotdogsladies

ICANN has .cheezburger ? #protololMon Jun 20 12:28:41 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyChristian Heilmann
codepo8

I wonder where they make all those little stickers that say "MADE IN CHINA".Wed Jun 22 06:23:13 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyJane Wiedlin
janewiedlin

"Tonight's forecast: Dark. Continued dark throughout most of the evening, with some widely scattered light towards morning." #CarlinQuotesWed Jun 22 17:24:19 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Replykelly_carlin
kelly_carlin

Today i fell in love with a lifeguard. Wearing red board shorts. On Santa Monica beach in LA. I am such a cliche.Fri Jun 24 04:01:40 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyCathy
COSMOcathy

No #London2012 tickets left for events taking place in the Olympic Park. Of course, it took me 22 pages of scrolling to discover this.Fri Jun 24 07:07:23 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMeg Pickard
megpickard

I like to end all my phone calls with "Ok, I'll see you later on at the party!" and then quickly hang up. Let them figure it out.Tue Jun 28 02:14:11 +0000 2011 via TweetCaster for Android Favorite Retweet ReplyTyler
BeerBatterBeard

I walked into the room and there he was. Lionel. "Hello," he said, shaking my hand "Is it me you're looking for?" #interviewsbyhariTue Jun 28 11:40:04 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplySam Wilson
MrSamWilson

"I think we're alone now," Tiffany sighed at me as we stood on the desert island, "there doesn't seem to be anyone around" #interviewsbyhariTue Jun 28 11:58:16 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMeg Pickard
megpickard

Something outside scared Freddie. Nervously glancing out of the window, he shrieked "I see a little silhouette of a man" #interviewswithhariTue Jun 28 12:39:28 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplySam Wilson
MrSamWilson

"You may say I'm a dreamer," said John Lennon, looking up at me fm his white piano. "But I'm not the only one." #interviewsbyhariTue Jun 28 20:22:15 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyToby Harnden
tobyharnden

If you work at Nintendo, I think a creative way to ask for a raise is to jump on your boss's head three consecutive times.Wed Jun 29 03:10:50 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyJulieanne Smolinski
BoobsRadley

Bloody raining! I could have got a cool gig colonising the bahama's - but no, Africa. #CompanypoloticsWed Jun 29 06:46:32 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyJan van Riebeeck
Jan_v_Riebeeck

@feliciaday I do not know why you was autcorrected to upu. Or what an upu is.Wed Jun 29 07:02:06 +0000 2011 via Twitter for Android Favorite Retweet ReplyNeil Gaiman
neilhimself

BUS GAME: Strip naked behind a seat. As people get on, jump out, say you're from the future and that they need to get off the bus RIGHT NOW!Wed Jun 29 16:25:13 +0000 2011 via TweetList Pro Favorite Retweet ReplyGareth Aveyard
GarethAveyard

Last minute panic! We couldn't find Wills' passport anywhere! Luckily his Gran gave us a note telling Canada to let him in! #royaltourWed Jun 29 17:33:32 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyNot Kate Middleton
HRHPrincessKate

Sunspots, Chuck Norris, aliens & agents with tendencies. We’re investigating all of them. Rough day which shouldn’t have happened.ApologiesThu Jun 30 16:28:07 +0000 2011 via HootSuite Favorite Retweet ReplyVodacom
Vodacom

I'm old enough to remember when David Pogue would read the WHOLE press release before misunderstanding it.Thu Jun 30 20:38:46 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMerlin Mann
hotdogsladies

*Ok, technically that happened on 14 June but no one noticed until he started up his ox wagon.

Previous Posts:
June 2011, Part 1, May 2011, Part 2, May 2011, Part 1

#FF: Curated Favourites: June 2011, Part 1

2011-06-17T18:27:00.003+02:00

In the first half of June: winter hit South Africa (and the UK couldn't get rid of it), Londoners amused themselves with #londonliesfortourists, the Rapture and the Microsoft acquisition of Skype continued to generate witticisms, and half the world got to watch a central lunar eclipse.

Just finished recording new song called Tricks and it sounds cool!! As soon as I put some Celine Dion pan flute on there it'll be perfect.Tue May 31 22:36:46 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyMissy Higgins
missyhiggins

It is very cold. I am warming my bed with a laptop charger. Surprisingly effective. I have a fever. Doctor Who keeps telling me I'm not realTue May 31 22:50:19 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet Replymatthew du plessis
mattduplessis

Stuck in my first infinite loop: two Canadians saying sorry to one another.Fri Jun 03 04:58:55 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyFrank Chimero
fchimero

Zen: .Fri Jun 03 08:58:59 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplySam Wilson
GenreStories

Doctor Death has died. Asked for his reaction, Doctor Doom said "It was bound to happen." Dr No refused to comment.Fri Jun 03 15:38:15 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Replypaul bassett davies
thewritertype

By the time Palin’s campaign is over Paul Revere will be firing AK-47s and setting bear traps.Fri Jun 03 22:32:26 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMike Monteiro
Mike_FTW

The Ryan Air experience is much like the hooker one. Budget and overrated. Then you're landed with a large bill...and possibly a disease.Sat Jun 04 10:34:18 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyTake a wild guess.
Anildaaa

“WebMD is like a Choose Your Own Adventure book where the ending is always cancer” – @kellyoxford http://owl.li/5at83 via @twaggiesSun Jun 05 18:13:19 +0000 2011 via HootSuite Favorite Retweet ReplyLaughing Squid
laughingsquid

@wilw In golf, which is better, a -1 magic driver or a +1 magic driver? (This tweet is at ±3 to blow your mind.)Sun Jun 05 22:05:29 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMiranda
mandydax

Most TV ads: men are dumb, women are annoying, you're stupid & that's great, eat this fatty, America!, 4-hr erections, you're so alone.Mon Jun 06 03:01:26 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPad Favorite Retweet ReplyJason Kottke
jkottke

War: The recruit sat in a circle of candles. The others got scared. "Satanist!" said the major. "No Sir! Scared of spiders, sir!"Mon Jun 06 07:08:00 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplySam Wilson
GenreStories

Leaked Apple memo suggests that Steve Jobs’ keynote will conclude with the Rapture.Mon Jun 06 13:22:29 +0000 2011 via Tweetbot for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyI Love Typography
ilovetypography

Skype down...maybe they're updating it to Skype Plus Home Users Basic Advanced Edition, Service Pack 4Tue Jun 07 11:12:34 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyBen Hamey
Hamey

95% of what's perceived to be sunlight actually comes from Boris Johnson's hair. #londonliesfortouristsTue Jun 07 18:31:30 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyTake a wild guess.
Anildaaa

#londonliesfortourists running head first into the wall between platforms 9 & 10 will get you to HogwartsTue Jun 07 19:06:54 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyDumble-fucking-dore
Evil_Dumbledore

People residing in South London have to pay a special 'aesthetic' tax as they enjoy a lovely view of North London #londonliesfortouristsWed Jun 08 08:55:10 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyLucy Lyons
LucyLyons

A warm welcome to London! #londonliesfortouristsWed Jun 08 09:02:16 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMatthew Checketts
mpchecketts

#londonliesfortourists The so-called Gherkin was originally going to be inside a 3 million sq. m glass arcology project called The Jar.Wed Jun 08 09:04:52 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyChris Hall
cshallwriter

#londonliesfortourists on the 3rd Friday of the month, every month you can see the Queen walking her Corgies in Hyde Park at 10am.Wed Jun 08 09:05:43 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyAndrew Adley
Adley1

INSTALLING SUMMER.. ███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 44% DONE
Installation failed. Please try again. 404 error: Season not found.Thu Jun 09 19:07:11 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyMatt Ogier-Russell
amuseboucheUK

Mum just tried to give me 'The talk' before writing the chapter. Hello mum I'm 19, I do actually know what 'bukkake' is.Tue Jun 14 13:27:49 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyLily Herne
herne13

I think Eskom is switching the moon off now for load shedding. #EclipseWed Jun 15 18:40:17 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplySheryl Goldstuck
buzbzz

The Green Lantern is susceptible to yellow. It used to be wood.
So a yellow boat.
You could defeat the Green Lantern with a big yellow boat.Wed Jun 15 21:43:42 +0000 2011 via Twitter for Mac Favorite Retweet ReplyRyan
secretsquirrel

Previous Posts:
201105B, 201105A

#FF: Curated Favourites: May 2011, Part 2

2011-06-03T11:38:00.003+02:00

(Why am I do this? Read this.)

During the second half of May: South Africans held municipal elections, the Rapture didn't happen (again), it was finally confirmed that South African photographer Anton Hammerl had been killed in Libya, and a 500-foot Bin Laden emerged from the sea near New York to terrorise the people of the US (and some Canadians).

Currently watching 2 indie singers have a sensitive whisper battle. It's really--oops. My typing is drowning them outTue May 17 02:33:28 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplySteve Bialik
stevapalooza

In my defense, it's exactly the kind of weird shit South African politicians do.Tue May 17 09:58:21 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyLauren Beukes
laurenbeukes

Dear political party,u tweeted me, smsed me,emailed & visited me. U said u loved me, needed me. When will I see u again after today?Wed May 18 10:25:36 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyLorenzo Davids
UrbanLo

Pretty happy. Perfect 300 at the bowling alley last night. Still don't know why they have a scale there.Wed May 18 15:15:42 +0000 2011 via HootSuite Favorite Retweet ReplyHomer J. Simpson
HomerJSimpson

I want to know what's beyond service delivery? Service delivery is meaningless if you have no psychosocial plans for aggrieved recipientsWed May 18 16:09:24 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyUnathi Kondile
UnathiKondile

I'll make you a deal: if you're wrong on the Rapture, we get gay marriage.Thu May 19 11:56:13 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyEric Morse
elmorse

The death of #AntonHammerl highlights the plight of freelances, who take risks - financial & physical - but must fight for fair payFri May 20 07:37:04 +0000 2011 via UberSocial Favorite Retweet ReplyRaymond Joseph
rayjoe

I bet the dinosaurs all died out in the velocirapture.Sat May 21 05:10:33 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyJacktion!
Jacktion

I just stepped on a Lego piece in bare feet and accidentally won a krumping contest.Sat May 21 06:30:39 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMr. Won't
Brain_Wash

I think we should all pretend the #rapture is happening so that when Harold Camping gets left behind later today he'll be lividSat May 21 07:08:39 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyBrian Cox
ProfBrianCox

Turns out, you can make a random observation sound insightful by preceding it with, "Turns out."Sun May 22 19:55:36 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMerlin Mann
hotdogsladies

Did you know that an anagram of "Osama bin Laden" is "Obama with some letters left over"?Sun May 22 20:15:18 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyAbby Spice
clapifyoulikeme

An ad for a penis pump, targeted at distinguished seniors, ran during Leonard Maltin. I guess I'm not quite ready for Leonard Maltin.Mon May 23 06:55:44 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplySeoulBrother
SeoulBrother

Crisis Of Faith: Dress for the job you want, not the job you have, they told him. But the scuba tank kept knocking over the communion wine.Wed May 25 10:15:47 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplySam Wilson
GenreStories

"Forward!" he cried, from the rear ... and the front rank died.Wed May 25 18:54:05 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyWil Wheaton
wilw

Interactive Feature: Trace Bin Laden's Path Of Destruction http://onion.com/iD61nt #500FootBinLadenWed May 25 19:30:05 +0000 2011 via HootSuite Favorite Retweet ReplyThe Onion
TheOnion

My thoughts go out to the families of those who have been crushed by the #500FootBinLaden. If you have footage of their deaths, let me know.Wed May 25 19:30:19 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyBrooke Alvarez
BrookeAlvarez

Angry typist! At the coffee shop! Typing Angrily! For She Is Angry Typist!Thu May 26 14:17:02 +0000 2011 via Twitter for Mac Favorite Retweet ReplyRyan
secretsquirrel

Is it really necessary to write, "barely used" in your Bow-flex Craigslist ad?Sat May 28 16:40:08 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyCache N. Hand
GreenLikeCash

1) Watch woman fall off treadmill.

2) Start to tweet about it.

3) Fall off treadmill.

4) Tweet from locker room in harrowing shame.Sat May 28 16:52:54 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyErin
PortlandiaGirl

europe : currently debating internet freedom; south africa : currently 'debating' media freedomMon May 30 08:58:57 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet Replyheidi inge
iheidi

Are you a thought leader? Fill out this form with your mind and submit it to google.com/jobs

[__________________]

We'll get right on that.Tue May 31 19:59:51 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMark Pilgrim
diveintomark

Oh and I know 'smoking fags' means assassinating people in same sex relationships in the US but I am British and this is a global village.Tue May 31 21:17:46 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplySimon Pegg
simonpegg

#FF: Curated Favourites: May 2011, Part 1

2011-05-20T13:01:00.003+02:00

Earlier this week during a conversation @alisonwestwood expressed enthusiasm regarding my Twitter favourites, which is (mostly) a curated collection of my favourite humorous, pithy, witty, sweet, cute, thought-provoking, and artistic tweets. When I'm having a bad day I often dip into it as I find it to be an instant mood lifter.

Twitter being what it is, much of this just vanishes into the stream history, so I'm going to start posting a curated selection on my blog twice a month, if I have enough, to give them a bit more permanence.

To begin, here's my selection from the first half of May.

Please note: The Twitter art can display incorrectly depending on browser and font so click through to see the original tweet if necessary.

Walked past the bar on my way to bed. I think the Eurotechno I heard was going ööntz ööntz ööntz, instead of the usual oontz oontz oontz.Sun May 01 21:08:04 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyWil Wheaton
wilw

Prediction: Gitmo stays open, Patriot Act still strong, Whistleblowers still punished, more carnage and waste in Iraq, Afghanistan.Mon May 02 03:44:45 +0000 2011 via Tweetie for Mac Favorite Retweet ReplyXeni Jardin
xenijardin

Wishful thinkin rt @WouterLombard: Bin Laden dead! Does this mean i can travel with my creams, liquids & eau de toilette in my handluggage?!Mon May 02 06:20:02 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyTalya Goldberg
TalyaGoldberg

Speculative: To end racism, we found new ways to define ourselves. But a new power elite rose. Fucking Sagittarians.Tue May 03 08:34:28 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplySam Wilson
GenreStories

My mother called to tell me she knew a girl that would date me, then we laughed SO uncontrollably hard that I had to remove my C-3PO mask.Tue May 03 15:16:31 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet Replymatt
matttuff

@mandyjwatson Why Mandy? Why?Wed May 04 10:39:37 +0000 2011 via web in reply to mandyjwatson Favorite Retweet ReplySA Partridge
Sapartridge

#TWITTERART ╱╱╱╱╱╱╱╱
╱╱╭━━━━┳━━┳━━╮╱╱
╱╱┃━┳┓┏┫╭╮┃┏╮┃╱╱
┏━┻━┃┃┃┃┏┓┃┏╮╰━┓
┣┳┳┳╋╋┻┻╋┻┻┫┣━━┫
┃┃┃┃┃┃╭╮┃┏╮┃┃━┳┛
┃╰╯╰╯┃┏┓┃┏╮┗┻━┃╱
╰━━━━┻┛┗┻┛╰━━━╯╱Wed May 04 14:34:35 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet Reply▜▘▙▙▟▋▜▜▘▉▛▘ ▛▜.▛▝▛
tw1tt3rart

Celebs, politicians & fat cats get idolized. This must change RT @kenyanpundit: What can we do to nurture the creative class in Africa?Thu May 05 12:55:08 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Replysiener
siener

I don't care if it makes my screenplay confusing, it is vital to my vision that the lead character be called INT. DAY. ESTABLISHING SHOT.Fri May 06 16:39:12 +0000 2011 via Birdhouse Favorite Retweet ReplyAvery Edison
aedison

#TWITTERART ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
┈┏━╮┈╭━┓┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
┈╰╭╮╭╮╭╯▔▔▔▔▔▔╲╭╮
╭━╯▍┊▍┊┊┊┊┊┊┊┊▕╋╮
┃▎▎┊┳┊┊┊┊┊┊┊┊┊▕╰╯
╰━━━╯┳━╮╭━┳┳━╮┃┈
┈┈┈┈┃┃┈┃┃┈┃┃┈┃┃┈
╳╳╳╳┗╯╳┗╯╳┗╯╳┗╯Fri May 06 21:24:08 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyGregory Wadsworth
aggregart

Announcement: "Skype to be renamed Microsoft Windows Live Hotmail MSN Video Chat Bing"Tue May 10 06:40:29 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyJonathan Abrams
abrams

I'd just like to thank @halvorson and the Brain Traffic team for arranging a tornado warning so that we could tour the fire station.#confabWed May 11 02:54:26 +0000 2011 via Seesmic for Android Favorite Retweet ReplyKerry-Anne Gilowey
kerry_anne

I turned my iPhone onto "Airplane mode" and threw it up into the air. Worst. Transformer. EverWed May 11 13:57:07 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyKyle Judah
KyleJudah

CITING MODESTY CONCERNS, HIPSTER WEBSITE REMOVES “SEXUALLY SUGGESTIVE” MALE IMAGES FROM SIT ROOM PHOTO http://is.gd/tk5X6QWed May 11 18:57:14 +0000 2011 via Tweetie for Mac Favorite Retweet ReplyBen Smith
benpolitico

CT tech elite gather at #netprophet and all they can tweet about is the t-shirt cannon. #fail ?Thu May 12 09:20:44 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyAnya Klaassen
AnyaFK

Maybe he's born with it. Maybe it's Suave Young Gentleman From Milan™.Thu May 12 12:00:03 +0000 2011 via Mobile Web Favorite Retweet ReplyRyan
secretsquirrel

Reading O: The Oprah Magazine and with features like "The O List" & "The O Food" you'd think the beauty section would be called "The O Face"Thu May 12 13:18:39 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyJelisa Castrodale
gordonshumway

"I'm at my unhappiest when I'm not writing, but I hate writing." To paraphrase @laurenbeukesFri May 13 09:24:40 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet ReplyKhaya Dlanga
khayadlanga

*Oprah voice* You get a retweet! You get a retweet! You get a retweet! Everybody gets a retweeeeeeeeet!Fri May 13 10:23:06 +0000 2011 via ÜberSocial Favorite Retweet ReplyKhaya Dlanga
khayadlanga

Unfortunate how the lampposts above Pres Zuma's poster look like giant shower headsSat May 14 12:14:56 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMarianneThamm
MarianneThamm

Social Media, Democracy, And The DA

2011-05-19T10:18:00.004+02:00

Yesterday, a few hours after I had voted, the DA phoned me at home to try and canvas a vote by "reminding me to vote". I don't like it when financial institutions obtain my private information and cold call me, I don't like it when marketing agents obtain my private information and cold call me, and I don't like it when political parties obtain my private information and cold call me [or, for some people, send them SMSs]. Two of the three can definitely be told to stop or face legal recourse, yet somehow political parties are allowed to obtain personal information of registered voters and contact them.

I was incensed, primarily because of this but also because I live in a DA stronghold and it's just wasting money that could be used for a more important fight (after all the DA has been trumpeting service delivery, and that requires money), so I tweeted about it with a direct mention of @helenzille.

Just had the DA phone me at home to remind me to go and vote. What the hell, @helenzille? Stop wasting money and invading my privacy.Wed May 18 13:07:10 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

Her @mention stream was crazy yesterday, as you can imagine, but she somehow saw mine and immediately replied. I appreciate that, though I still don't agree with the practice. (Premier Zille, if you should ever read this, I told the caller to remove my name from your contact list. I hope that request will be honoured.)

@mandyjwatson we are getting out the vote. That is what we do on election day. HelenWed May 18 13:12:50 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyHelen Zille
helenzille

@helenzille Some of us don't like being badgered. Pamphlets in the letter box will be fine next time, thanks. (And I already voted.)Wed May 18 13:14:28 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

Last year I mentioned [scroll down to "What Was Good"] the respect that I have for Helen Zille and her use and understanding of social media [I'm inserting an asterisk here for the tweet I point to in the final paragraph of this post], so it was good to see that my previous experience was not an isolated case.

My tweet resulted in unintended consequences that were quite educational. I got a few irked responses from DA supporters, some of whom don't seem to understand that we live in a democracy (for the moment), I have privacy rights, and I have a right to criticise politicians and political practices. One, my new friend @michaelvarikas, was especially vocal and inflammatory, ironically doing the DA a huge disservice in the process. (IMHO. His passion is misplaced. If I voted DA, he's just pushing me away. If I didn't vote DA, he's not going to convince me to switch sides by calling me an idiot and telling me that I "use this country for my benefit" (whatever that means - verbatim he said "U use this country for ur benefit.." so I may have misunderstood as I speak English).) The lesson here is that it takes all types. I think.

More interesting to me as a tech journalist is that these responses (and there were also retweets) are all @mentions that contribute to your Klout score... so I guess the social-media lesson is to bait a well-regarded politician on Twitter.

Here's most of what happened after my conversation with @helenzille (I left out a few isolated/one-off tweets from others at the end):

@mandyjwatson Shame poor you!! Why don't you shut up and stop complaining!! Be grateful!!Wed May 18 13:36:24 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMV
michaelvarikas

@mandyjwatson don't be rude Mandy... At least they are doing something!!!!@helenzilleWed May 18 13:36:48 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyKhile Abelse
Khile01

@michaelvarikas Be grateful for what? My rights being eroded? Wake up.Wed May 18 13:47:55 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

@Khile01 Wasting money is not doing something. And it's not necessary in my area, which will win the DA.Wed May 18 13:48:25 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

Pro tip: How to increase your Klout score: say something mildly inflammatory to a politician and wait for the rabid masses to shout at you.Wed May 18 13:50:20 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

(PS props to @helenzille who replied to me out of the massive noise in her stream. Though I still disapprove of being called at home.)Wed May 18 13:52:11 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

@mandyjwatson I am very awake that's why I am telling you shut up!! Ur rights are eroded when u getting raped not when the DA calls u idiot!Wed May 18 13:53:11 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMV
michaelvarikas

@michaelvarikas Well, I'm sure the DA loves having such a vocal special representative such as you on its team.Wed May 18 13:55:31 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

@mandyjwatson You should feel special that u even get a phn call! U use this country for ur benefit.. Go complain somewhere else seriously!!Wed May 18 13:57:53 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMV
michaelvarikas

@michaelvarikas Please keep going because you, your ignorance, and your illiteracy are making me laugh so hard I might have to publish this.Wed May 18 14:02:02 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

@mandyjwatson @helenzille had the time to answer you within 60 seconds. Now that's Cape Town efficiency!Wed May 18 14:04:34 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyLarry Simon
simlar1

@mandyjwatson ooohhh I'm so worried you a makeout mag publisher!! People are laughing at you right now for that stupid statement!Wed May 18 14:06:06 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMV
michaelvarikas

@mandyjwatson no that was not for the DA that was from me to you!! I call out stupidity when I see it!!Wed May 18 14:08:12 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMV
michaelvarikas

@mandyjwatson At least DA is not threatening the townships to take away there electricity if they don't vote ANC!!!Wed May 18 14:10:15 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet Reply✽JuanitaMulder✽
jmulder99

@mandyjwatson omg are you kidding?? Its election day.. Good on @helenzille and her team, be grateful that they care!! @CapeTalk567Wed May 18 14:26:31 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyLauren MK
LMKster

(Etc)

In case you're wondering:

Was I baiting @helenzille? No.

Was I baiting @michaelvarikas? Initially no but then he kept going....

I end with the following: in 2009, right after the general election, I arrived at the airport from Johannesburg at the same time as Helen Zille, who was on the verge of becoming premier of the Western Cape. I wrote about the experience in this blog post. And yes, two years later the DA has done a better job in the Western Cape than we've seen in years, but it can and should do better (...says idealistic me...), hence I think it is now appropriate to "quibble about issues", as I put it in my blog post. Right to privacy is one of the most important ones on my list and the DA's cold calling and the SMSs are an invasion of it, and its cavalier attitude about the numerous complaints is upsetting. Most people don't realise how fundamental privacy is to everything else. In our Big Brother society it is one of the hardest rights to retain and one of the first that is eroded. It is being chipped away at every opportunity, from many directions, some unscrupulous, others seemingly innocuous. When we lose it, we are all screwed. You can't get it back once it's gone.

Update:

Tail end of another long Twitter conversation generated due to this blog post:

@mandyjwatson you know what I am sorry if I offended you..Thu May 19 10:13:42 +0000 2011 via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMV
michaelvarikas

@michaelvarikas And I apologise for baiting you. Friends?Thu May 19 10:16:23 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMandy J Watson
mandyjwatson

@mandyjwatson hahahaha friends for sure.. Have a great day.. ;-)less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet ReplyMV
michaelvarikas

Truth and reconciliation in action.

Free Comic Book Day 2011: Cape Town

2011-05-09T14:35:00.003+02:00

Another first Saturday in May, another worldwide Free Comic Book Day!

This year I once again attended the Reader's Den event at Stadium On Main in Claremont. The Wizards stores, which are across the way, also got in on the action and had comic sales and demoed card games.

Free Comic Book Day has been held since 2002 and Reader's Den has been involved since that first event, so this year Reader's Den celebrated 10 years of Free Comic Book Day participation with extra special prizes in its traditional 11am and 1pm prize givings, which offer people who buy merchandise and comics during the event a chance to win some really great prizes, including some comics and posters that were signed by the artists and creators, as well as some multi-comic gift packs and figurines.

As usual I didn't win but that's hardly the point - it's a yearly celebration of comic and geek culture and it's always lots of fun finding sale bargains and checking out the costumed characters who entertain the kids. Spider-man is a regular but this year he was also joined by Supergirl (no Superman this year) and Wonder Woman, who I'm sure sent many geeky hearts aflutter. Reader's Den also gave prizes to the fans who had arrived in costume, and there were some great creations this year, including Padmé Amidala, Princess Leia, and Captain America.

This year there was also a display of classic comics, going back to the 1940s, that were unlocked from the personal vault of the Reader's Den guys. The collection included an issue of Tales From The Crypt, some early Superman work, and a Spider-man movie tie-in comic that was signed by Stan Lee.

For my free comic I chose the Mouse Guard/Dark Crystal Flip Book (the preview has line art but the final product is in colour), though I was tempted to take the one with The Smurfs in it. The same free comics are made available to comic shops all over the world, so this is a great way to encourage comic culture, especially in cities where, unfortunately, the scene is rather small, as you don't feel as though you're some sort of backwater afterthought.

I had a great time, as usual, and I hope to see you guys all there next year. Diarise the date - 6 May 2012 - now!

Previously On Cape Town > South Africa > Africa > Earth:
Free Comic Book Day 2009: Cape Town
Free Comic Book Day 2007: Cape Town

#NationalOppositeDay: A Socially Conscious Meme

2011-04-22T20:44:00.004+02:00

Earlier this week one of my friends mentioned the #NationalOppositeDay hashtag on Twitter so I searched for it as it wasn't in the trending topics and found a most curious underground meme building momentum. It was initiated by comedian Elon James White (@elonjames) and notable tweeters included a game designer, a couple of feminists, a couple of writers, and an information security professional.

Many of the tweets were hilarious. Within a few minutes I'd favourited half a dozen, viewed lots of profiles, and visited the web sites of Twitter users from all over the world to learn more about them.

This is a hashtag that is very unlikely to become a global trending topic because it involves social satire and marginalised groups, such as racial minorities, gay people, and women, so much of the majority is unlikely to find it in its timelines or consider it funny unless a celebrity of sufficient standing participates, at which point it may become overrun with idiots. (You know it's true.)

Therefore I've decided to preserve some of my favourites here before they drift backwards into the timeline void. If you enjoy them check out their authors or participate next time the hashtag gains momentum.

I don't have anything against straight people. I have a good friend who's straight! But they don't have to flaunt it. #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 16:22:03 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet Replycsween
csween

I don't think our audience would be able to empathise with a white male protagonist in our video game. #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 17:02:21 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyDeirdra Kiai
deirdrakiai

I kicked a dude in the bits but he wanted me to. I could tell because he dressed slutty. #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 17:06:31 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyNot long for Ma
shortformayhem

I just called tech support and they put some dumb BOY on the line, can you believe it? That's a woman's job, honey. #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 17:18:07 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyCassandra Lease
Themiscyra

My grandma used to tell me I would look so much more butch if I could just gain a little weight. #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 17:20:12 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplySweet Machine
sweetmachineSP

I'm sick and tired of all these games where you have to rescue a prince. #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 17:26:35 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyDeirdra Kiai
deirdrakiai

I've been asked to plan safe space rooms for straight white men at SF cons. Any suggestions on what you'd like to see? #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 17:28:22 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyDan Holzman-Tweed
HolzmanTweed

"Oh, you're not interested in me because you're straight? Well, in that case, how about we have a threesome?" #NationalOppositeDayWed Apr 20 17:29:44 +0000 2011 via web Favorite Retweet ReplyMary Maxfield Brave
missmarymax

this white dude got so touchy when i asked him to riverdance at the employee picnic. what? dont they all do that? #nationaloppositedayWed Apr 20 20:17:02 +0000 2011 via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Replydeluxvivens
deluxvivens

#NationalOppositeDay is totally helping me be productive...( #NationalOppositeDay) Wed Apr 20 17:57:01 +0000 2011 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet ReplyNot long for Ma
shortformayhem

Geek Girl Dinner Cape Town Launches

2011-01-27T12:00:00.002+02:00

[ Flickr: View From The Ambassador Hotel, Bantry Bay, Cape Town ]

Above: The view from the top of the Ambassador Hotel in Bantry Bay. It has very little to do with this post but isn't it amazing? Look closely at the stacked decks of swimming pools.

On Tuesday I attended the Geek Girl Dinner Cape Town planning event, an informal get together organised by Mariska du Preez, which was held at Salt, a restaurant in the Ambassador Hotel in Bantry Bay (and which featured in a key scene in the movie Flashbacks Of A Fool, with Daniel Craig). We gathered to establish whether there would be interest in such events, who would like to be involved, and what we should do.

I went more out of curiosity, not only to experience this restaurant that I've heard so much about but because I have been attending the Cape Town GeekDinners for years and although I am generally not in favour of activities that centre around gender I was interested to see what the attendees would be thinking in terms of a Geek Girl Dinner, although I initially felt a fair amount of trepidation as large groups of women can be quite intimidating (to me, anyway).

I arrived early (I know!) by accident (there you go!) and parked on the roof, which is where the photo above came from. It was a beautiful day, late-afternoon muted light, hot weather with cool breeze....

What an amazing time it was. The group, of course, predominantly comprised women but a few brave men attended too (they are welcome by invitation of a member in order to prevent the ratio from flipping the wrong way). The atmosphere was so different, as was the tone of the conversations. I was quite fascinated. Around the tables there were the odd discussions that touched on fashion, there was a lot of business talk and even more introductory conversations as people got to know each other, and I caught the tail end of one about planning, organisation, and charting for project/schedule management that included mentions of stationery and all I could think was "that's so logical and I've never heard men speak like this ever!".

I also personally had an epic conversation about gaming (as one must).

I realised that most of my conversations about technology are with men, because most of my friends are men, and most of the tech journalists I know are also men. Yet here I was surrounded by accomplished women from all over the city (and surrounds) who speak my language and, surprisingly, while the content is the same, the presentation is a whole new world to me, but just as interesting.

I'm not sure what's up next - Mariska printed out forms, remembered pencils, and let us fill them up with comments at our leisure, which she will be collating - but I'm keen to see what happens.

Oh, and the service at Salt was excellent. We only had a light version of high tea so I don't know what's on the full menu and would probably balk at the prices (as I do) but it's been a long time since I've seen waiters manage a large group so well. They also fitted us in in between the lunch and dinner sittings (a pre-approved plan, of course) and were accommodating when we ran over time by about 45 minutes.

The view from inside the restaurant is also breathtaking.

(A side note - I tried a cappuccino (R16). It is well priced and was made properly, with good microfoam, simple latte art, and proper balance of espresso and milk. There was a very, very slight burnt taste to the coffee (almost unnoticeable) but on the whole it's one of the best I've had in years (/one of the few I've had in years that wasn't bad). Unfortunately I can't comment with more depth because I was engrossed in what was going on and wasn't paying attention to the drink. I will have to return... if nothing else that view requires a second look!)

Happy New Year

2010-12-31T19:55:00.000+02:00

Among other things (...many other things...) I had intended to finish my #NaNoPoMo posts this week - I didn't quite manage to do it in November because I started running out of ideas due to the limitations of the set of words and each poem took, on average, an hour, and when you have end-of-year work breathing down your neck and constant drama in your email it becomes increasingly difficult to find the time until that one precious week in December when everyone goes away (virtually).

Unfortunately, it's turned out to be one of the worst weeks of the year, including, among other punches in the gut, the death of a friend, and those things always send me into quite the complicated contemplative spiral, which resulted in me completely losing interest in doing anything I'd planned to do. (It might also have been the relief at having one whole week of quiet, in which almost no one is making demands of me, so my natural inclination is to respond by doing nothing. And once you're stuck in inertia... well....)

So I will get back to everything, hopefully soon, but definitely eventually.

Meanwhile, happy new year! May the best of this year (and at least there were some highlights) be the worst of next year. Be safe.

#NaNoPoMo 23: Trapped

2010-11-23T23:59:00.001+02:00

Another one that sat on the fridge for days because I had so many problems with it.

View the #NaNoPoMo Collection.

#NaNoPoMo 22: @vhata In Hospital: A Tragedy (In 5-7-5)

2010-11-22T23:59:00.002+02:00

View the #NaNoPoMo Collection.

Context:

Hey, y'all, send beer and tasty treats to bed G13, Cape Town Mediclinic, Hof Street! (Disguise it as something healthy. Cod liver oil?)3:21 PM Nov 22nd via Twitter for iPhoneJonathan Hitchcock
vhata

#NaNoPoMo 21: Summer Nights

2010-11-21T23:59:00.002+02:00

View the #NaNoPoMo Collection.

#NaNoPoMo 20: Water: A Senryū

2010-11-20T23:59:00.003+02:00

I used nine new magnets in this one, which I think is a record. I've wanted to write a poem with "pool care" in it for weeks (the two magnets were next to each other on the sheet).

View the #NaNoPoMo Collection.

#NaNoPoMo 19: Perception Deception

2010-11-19T21:39:00.005+02:00

This one has been sitting on the side of my fridge for about two weeks. I had the first two statements in place and I desperately wanted a word that would allow me to end it using a rhyme with "her" (I had a few options for the third statement that I could adapt as necessary). I left it and kept coming back to it hoping that there would be a word in the collection and I was just missing it (which has happened a few times before). Today I eventually decided to concede defeat and go in a different direction, otherwise it would be likely that this would remain on my fridge, unfinished, forever.

That would be sad.

Then I got stuck again trying to figure out what to title it.

#NaNoPoMo 18: Freedom

2010-11-18T23:59:00.002+02:00

I used at least three new magnets in this one (soar, as, please).

#NaNoPoMo 17: Release

2010-11-17T23:59:00.001+02:00

I struggled for over a day with the last line because I just didn't have the words I needed for what I wanted to do. I may have arranged as many as 10 different endings, trying to find words that would work together as well as work with what I was trying to do (very limited alliteration as well as some rhyme) and say. I'm not happy with what I eventually had to use. Frustrating.

#NaNoPoMo 16: Plagiarism

2010-11-16T23:59:00.002+02:00

#NaNoPoMo 15: Moment (5-7-5)

2010-11-15T23:59:00.001+02:00

Not quite a haiku, not quite a senryū, just 5-7-5.

#NaNoPoMo 14: Time Crisis: A Senryū

2010-11-14T23:59:00.004+02:00

I know this one is terrible but I wanted to write a poem that was a bit meta. It was complicated by a mess of tenses in the magnet set.

(Also, "Time Crisis" or "Crisis Time"? Technically it was a little bit of both!)

#NaNoPoMo 13: Forbidden: In Senryū

2010-11-13T23:59:00.002+02:00

You can rearrange this one's lines in all sorts of configurations so it became difficult to choose the order.

#NaNoPoMo 12: Emergence: A Senryū

2010-11-12T23:59:00.003+02:00

(For the purposes of this senryū "fiery" is two syllables.)

#NaNoPoMo 11: Solitary Man: A Senryū

2010-11-11T23:59:00.002+02:00

#NaNoPoMo 10: Chasm

2010-11-10T23:59:00.002+02:00

It's not quite what I wanted. I needed the words "see" and "slow" for the specific arrangement I was after. I don't think I have them. I certainly looked. (I've been caught before with words I thought I didn't have that then manifested a few days later.)

#NaNoPoMo 09: Presence

2010-11-09T23:59:00.002+02:00

If the word "gises" existed this would have been perfect. (I have a "rise" magnet.)

I'm slowly back posting some entries. I was waylaid by meetings and press functions and work so I couldn't get to this. It usually takes about an hour to arrange one because of a lack of words I want to use, as well as a lack of tenses normally used by human beings and a deluge of words people don't use in poetry unless they're mad*.

Sample: ...um, actually, nevermind. I just went to have a look and I think I may have been taking some of them too literally. If you shove "heart" next to most of them they make sense.

Onwards, then... (though I only have one "heart" tile).

*So, yes, I shall be attempting some attempts.

#NaNoPoMo 08: (Re)Birth: A Senryū (Of Sorts)

2010-11-08T00:14:00.002+02:00

#NaNoPoMo 07: Prey

2010-11-07T23:59:00.000+02:00

This was a difficult one. I had a number of ideas and they all kept going wrong because there'd be one crucial word that I didn't have. I revised this one more than any other so far but I'm still not happy with it. I might reuse some of the themes in new attempts later in the month.

#NaNoPoMo 06: Insect

2010-11-06T00:34:00.001+02:00

#NaNoPoMo 05: Conundrum

2010-11-05T23:55:00.003+02:00

#NaNoPoMo 04: Cape Town II: Dichotomy

2010-11-04T15:48:00.003+02:00

I revised this one over and over and over. It was very frustrating. I was missing words I would have liked to have used, I didn't have enough "-ing" endings to modify words I wanted to use, I couldn't find words I thought I had, I had too many ideas and didn't know how to fit them together....

(Happily, some of those ideas I eventually tossed may end up forming the basis for new poems.)

#NaNoPoMo 03: Cape Town I: Precursor

2010-11-03T23:59:00.003+02:00

Every day is an adventure.

I've had to backpost this one too as last night was the opening of the Whisky Live Festival so by the time I got home it wasn't even Wednesday anymore.

I also needed to work on this one and the next one together, as you'll see.

#NaNoPoMo 02: A Senryū In Honour Of Day-Two Frustration

2010-11-02T22:06:00.007+02:00

I nearly used up all my "is" magnets. That would have been a disaster. This one was particularly difficult to write because most of the words I wanted don't exist in this magnet pack and I can't write angst using ocean-related words (of which there seems to be an abundance). I can only write ocean-related horror using ocean-related words.

And maybe pretty stuff but that's boring*.

*We'll see if I'm still saying that on day 20....

#NaNoPoMo 01: Twilight

2010-11-01T23:59:00.001+02:00

(More a synopsys, as theoretically written by someone who didn't read* the books, than a poem.)

I've decided, since this is NaNoWriMo month, to write a fridge poem a day until I run out of ideas or I miraculously make it to the end of the month.

(Of course, it all immediately went wrong, and I've had to back post this post by half an hour, as I spent the last 50 minutes fighting my computer, which refused to be used.)

Wish me luck - I think I may have made a horrible decision.

*You don't need to tell me what's inaccurate. I know.

Fridge Poetry: Halloween Edition

2010-10-31T18:49:00.003+02:00

(Thank you Sarah.)

My Thoughts On The 2010 SA Blog Awards Controversies

2010-09-30T19:37:00.003+02:00

I have rewritten this so many times that I just hope everything I had in mind is still here and makes sense. A lot of what I would otherwise have said in more detail has been said elsewhere. Chris from Whale Cottage has received a lot of flack for her thoughts (as usual it's the 50-50 split of voice in agreement and disagreement) and I think it's unfair to call her a sore loser, as some have. At the awards we were told to voice our opinions and she has every right to in any case. It's her way of trying to process this because she believes in it and she wants to see problems fixed - many of the same problems that I want to see fixed.

What Was Bad
• The confusion around the voting process, when the awards process was happening (I, like many people, found out by accident), and unexpected rule changes marred the whole thing terribly.

• The 24-hour voting rule. I understand the thinking around this but this rule is just as flawed as - possibly more so - the "one email address, one vote" rule.

• Removing the lists of top 10 nominees from the site. It felt as if the organisers were trying to erase them from existence. They still haven't been put back. Put them back!

• (Among other things) "CEO" JP proclaiming that more votes were cast this year than in the previous five (or something) years combined. A bit of a "duh-huh" moment, in light of the unexpected 24-hour voting rule, which wasn't of as much benefit to the bloggers as the organisers think - unless visitors were seeking out the logo on their sites to click through to vote, which actually wasn't necessary - but it did increase the page-view rate on the awards site significantly, which I'm sure makes for great numbers to show potential sponsors.

• The entire awards ceremony felt like a giant advertisement for the sponsors, with the bloggers being an afterthought. Someone please tell me what the involvement of the sponsors actually was (bar Jameson Irish Whisky and Olmeca and Havana Club - we all know in that example! -- And thank you!). I read somewhere that JP's company was paid to run this thing. Is that the answer?

• Following on from that, it feels as if sponsors crawled out of the woodwork to support the awards. Where are they the rest of the year to support blogging? Hayibo has closed because the corporates stayed away. (On a related note the magazine Something Wicked folded because printing costs went up hectically and the magazine couldn't generate enough extra revenue to offset this (that's not expressly stated in the article I linked to, which I wrote, but I know it to be true). Although this post isn't really the place for this discussion I am very jaded about all of this because as a journalist I see the marketing money flowing in some very strange directions (ridiculously lavish media events, for example), and I would rather see some of it used to support publishing. I know, I know, I know...)

• I didn't like that it was held at a swanky hotel (it feels contrary to what blogging is) and I really hated that this was a closed event. I would much rather it was held in an open venue to which everyone is invited - especially all the nominees. It's about the people, not the venue. Being exclusionary is not in the spirit of this - not to me, anyway. If you have to have sponsor money then shuffle that money around to allow everyone to participate!

• I only found one hors d'oeuvre that I could eat, because I'm a vegetarian. (This is as much a comment to those who weren't invited who thought we had a dinner - I saw a few mentions about that. There wasn't a dinner. There were free drinks and tiny tiny snacks before the awards and during the mid-awards break.)

What Was Good
• Getting Helen Zille to attend, which automatically upped the profile and prestige of the occasion.

• Helen Zille gave a fantastic speech. She understands social media far better than other people do.

• People who have seen my awards are genuinely impressed with their solid glass construction. This simple physical aspect really gives weight (har har) to the achievement. A lot of people commented that they expected it would be some trashy plastic thing (apparently that happens a lot?). A decent physical trophy really does change perceptions.

• Traffic has increased on brainwavez.org and my Twitter account has received a volume of attention that has scared me. This was one of the aims of the organisers and in that respect I say thank you - it was a success. I can see those results. However more of this attention has been after the awards, for obvious reasons. Let's find a way to make it happen earlier in the process. Can the awards site/organisers find a way to drive more traffic to the blogs? (Currently it's only done via the nomination links.)

• The organisers worked with Infinitix to supply PCs to a community centre in Bridgetown, incorporating a social-responsibility aspect into this year's awards.

• Making new friends because of the awards. And finding new blogs before, during, and after the process. Sometimes you're so focussed on those huge tasks you need to complete, and obstacles you need to get past, to get somewhere with your blog that you don't stop and look around at what others are doing, which is amazing work.

• Realising the massive support base I have out there. I'm not talking about transient blog readers, I'm taking about the real relationships I've forged with real people who I've learnt believe in me and demonstrated it by voting for me. It is overwhelming to experience the result of this and it's left me incredibly emotional every time I dare think about it. (Right now, for example.)

• Having complete strangers publicly throw their support your way. You have no idea what that means to me. No idea. Thank you.

What I Would Suggest (That I Haven't Already)
• Announce, long before the time, when this is going to happen.

• Make the entire process clear from the start. Explain all the rules. This really shouldn't be difficult.

• Make the category requirements clear from the start. Some of them are ambiguous.

• Pick judges who are experts in their categories, not "personalities" in their categories. There is a huge difference.

• To fix the "quality" issue (perceived or real - in some cases the argument is valid, in other cases I disagree... but then, what is quality? We need to define that, too), give the judges more weight in the process. If you have the right judges you'll go a long way to solving the quality problem.

• Give the judges' feedback back to the bloggers. A number of the younger nominees (especially) are motivated and enthusiastic and pouring impressive effort into amazing blogs, which they are doing out of passion, not for gain. Unfortunately the result of the flawed process is that this thing felt like a black hole to them. We'd all like to get feedback - an unbiased, constructive opinion (hopefully an unbiased opinion) is useful in the long term.

• Address the Twitter category. Giving out one award for micro blogger of the year is the same as only giving one blogging award. The blogs have categories. If you're going to give awards for Twitter, they need categories too. You cannot encompass everything that happens on Twitter in one category. For days I felt immense guilt at having won (it's one of the reasons that I've taken so long to post this - because I couldn't compose myself properly, nor could I elucidate my jumbled thinking in a way that would communicate what I wanted to say in a lucid manner), and it's only due to a lot of conversations with smart people that know me that I now am beginning to feel okay about it. My win is the result of a flawed process, but I appreciate the award - what happened has happened, and it happened as per the process, over which I had no control. So let's fix the process.

(As an addendum to that: micro blogging, as I said, could be 25 categories all on its own. How do you condense that into one category? Do you look at follower count? Do you look at follow/follower ratio? Do you look at reach? Do you look at effectiveness? Do you only look at the quality of the content? The type of content? This is a long discussion all on its own, which someone else can spearhead. In the list of finalists (half of which, interestingly, comprised professional journalists) there was everything from those who use Twitter as a humour outlet to those who use it for real-time hard-news reporting, or interaction and communication, or a combination of a few of these things. How do you pick? None of it is a right, or wrong, way to use Twitter. They're all valid uses of the format.)

• Prizes are not necessary. The money (if any of it originates from money) would be better used in other areas. (I want to meet the other nominees, even though fancy rooms filled with strangers and photographers scare me!) But if you're going to give prizes, give relevant prizes - and make sure the winners actually receive them (in many cases they didn't (and still haven't) - the organisers don't even seem to know this). A waived R250 sign-up fee for Adgator, or a half-hour consultation with a marketing expert (for taking the money thing further) or a journalist (for taking the writing to the next level) is useful. (Certain) other things are not.

• Communicate, communicate, communicate. The irony is ridiculous.

Cadbury Ass Nutties (NSFW?)

2010-09-22T11:45:00.002+02:00

Above: The shelf: an ominous hole

Cadbury Ass Nutties are expensive and also out of stock at Pick 'n' Pay. (Just so you know.)

Above: The designer label

(Amazingly, I photographed this on the weekend and if the date on the label is to believed it's been there since March!)

Pick 'n' Pay Strawberry Maths

2010-09-21T12:00:00.002+02:00

Pick 'n' Pay is not known for its logical pricing (bulk products are often more expensive than their single or smaller-size counterparts) but this has been my favourite head scratcher, which I photographed earlier this year:

250g: R19.99 (not pictured - they were on the shelf above)
400g: R29.99
500g: R21.99

Helpdesk [Sic] Support "Services"

2010-08-26T12:39:00.003+02:00

A friend who works in a well known government organisation (I shall not say which one - but does it really matter?) sent this to me.

Look at the dates.

-----Original Message-----

From: Helpdesk Support Services
Sent: 26 August 2010 09:54
Subject: Not read: dysfunctional mouse

Your message

To: Helpdesk Support Services

Subject: dysfunctional mouse

Sent: 2009/11/23 03:03 PM

was deleted without being read on 2010/08/26 09:47 AM.

Alex Hamilton's Roadtrip

2010-07-30T13:41:00.001+02:00

Above: "Carolina" and "Vega"

Earlier this month I wrote about Alex Hamilton's Roadtrip for brainwavez.org. The exhibition closes today and will be moving to Johannesburg soon, but tonight you can still get a final look at the artworks if you're in Cape Town before they head off on their own road trip.

Above: "Mixtape 1"

On your way home tonight stop by Alex's studio, at Unit B203, Woodstock Industrial Centre, 66 Albert Road, Woodstock, between 17:30 and 20:00. You'll have a chance to meet the artist in person and join other visitors for a glass of wine. A new range of jewellery stands, designed by Alex exclusively for Delicious Display, will also be on display, and you can have a look at some of the new icons in the Cast & Crew collection, which now numbers over 1400!

Previously Glimpsed At Alex Hamilton's Studio
• Alex Hamilton's Afrotize
• Cast & Crew: An Interview With South African Artist Alex Hamilton About His Exhibition Of Pop-Culture Icons

Shaker, Cape Town Central

2010-06-18T13:40:00.003+02:00

Last night, as part of a combined farewell (me) and welcome (other people) I joined my Research Africa ex-colleagues at Shaker to learn cocktail-making skills under the expert tutelage of professional bartenders Anil and Fran. I am now back at COSMO doing some in-house work for the magazine and we're on deadline, so I arrived late, but fortuitously just in time for the perfect pink cosmo demonstration. I downed my obligatory penalty "you are late" shot (I can't remember* what it was but it included tequila and a hint of something chocolatey and was quite tasty) and then was immediately volunteered as a cosmo maker along with one of the other Research Africa staff members. I have no idea* of what I put in the drink, bar 1.5 shots of Absolute Kurant (my choice of vodka, as a taste experiment) and a squeezed wedge of lime, although I was guided through every step, but I recall shaking it vigorously and then bashing the shaker ineptly, and I did pick up some marvellous skills that incorporate a lighter and orange peel. I'll have to email Shaker to find out the rest of the steps*.

After my debut the demonstrations of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails continued, and Fran offered to make me my choice of drink but, as some of you know, options bring me to a standstill (and what do you pick when you have the choice of everything?) so I let her choose, based on my narrowed down preferences of "sweet" and "citrus". I don't know* what I ended up with, but it incorporated rum, I believe, and apple and peach, among other ingredients, and it was very, very good.

Once we were all suitably animated it was off to the "flair room", where we learnt the first five moves of a six-move bottle flair (the sixth move requires flipping a bottle balanced on the back of your hand so you can pour a shot into a glass, and is beyond the capabilities of a normal human being). We were then given a presentation of all sorts of flairs most of us will never be able to do involving lots of spinning bottles and shakers, and shots being poured, which was very impressive.

Then we had our parting shot - for the non alcoholics it was an amazing concoction that tasted like Turkish delight, and for the rest of us it was a simple shot that incorporated Frangelico, something* (liqueur based) (or somethings*), and Amarula, which tasted like peanut butter and jam.

Shaker BarSchool is at 19 Dorp Street and besides training bartenders it can happily handle corporate events, weddings, funerals, bar mitzvahs, bachelor parties, and hen nights. There's also a mobile van so if you can't get to them the bartenders will come to you, fully stocked. Just watch where you throw those practice bottles.

*This is what happens to me when I don't write down everything in my notebook, and this is why I almost always write down everything in one of my notebooks.**

**Also, um, I was distracted by cocktails.

Flowers At Heerengracht Fountain

2010-06-04T20:15:00.005+02:00

[ Flickr ]

On this past weekend I went to Heerengracht Fountain to test some devices that have cameras and to conduct some augmented reality testing, all for upcoming articles for brainwavez.org and COSMO.

It had been just under a month since I had last been there (also to test some gadgets) so I was surprised to see that flowerbeds filled with lots of rows of little flowers had magically manifested all around the fountain and in sections along the outer ring of grass that runs around the fountain.

Setting aside the bad planning of the beds, whose placement don't take into account human movements around the fountain area and which, in time, is going to see either trampled flowers or pathway grooves forming in the grass, it looks pretty.

I guess that was the point, and the fountain, though it is beautiful enough as it is, got some extra TLC in anticipation of a specific big sporting event that's kicking off next week.

[ Flickr ]

In case you're wondering, the two photos and the panorama were taken with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370 compact digital camera and the augmented reality shots were taken with the Motorola Milestone, an Android-based cellular phone.

Previously Glimpsed At Heerengracht Fountain
• The Man With The Giant Weapon In His Pants (Not A Euphemism)
• Heerengracht Fountain, Cape Town, Late Afternoon

Flickr: Mandy J Watson's Photos Tagged With Heerengracht Fountain

Cape Town GeekDinners: Vegetarian Dining

2010-05-31T19:35:00.002+02:00

I haven't written about the Cape Town GeekDinners in a while but this doesn't mean I haven't been attending. I've become frustrated by some restaurants' lack of understanding of vegetarian concerns, which have occasionally resulted in unpleasant dining experiences for me (::cough::Cappello::cough::) at a few restaurants, which, in turn, has left me unmotivated to write about what has otherwise usually been a fun event.

A few months ago I decided to be more proactive after Trevor from The Wild Fig, who is also a GeekDiner, started asking me questions about vegetarian issues in order to expand his knowledge, thereby making the restaurant more vegetarian friendly, and this got me thinking about the kinds of issues that come up repeatedly, especially in the context of a GeekDinner. As it happened the very next GeekDinner was held at his restaurant, and it was fantastic knowing that I had nothing to worry about and no unpleasant surprises might be heading my way.

Since then, during the planning stages, I've started emailing our contact person at each restaurant to provide them with advice. So far it's been two (as the dinners are only held six times a year), and it's been hit and miss. The first didn't even bother to respond but the second, Michael from Da Capo, was just as interested and enthusiastic as Trevor was and, although I wasn't able to attend that dinner (I had a press function in Johannesburg), which was held last week, I imagine the food that was prepared for the vegetarians was delicious and I know it definitely didn't contain hidden animal products such as beef stock or animal rennet, which have been two of my major concerns.

Therefore, if you're a vegetarian and will be visiting the city, either as a tourist or particularly to attend that giant sports event that dare not be named, consider either of these two restaurants for peace of mind. I'd recommend phoning both ahead of time to book and to let them know you're a vegetarian and that you've seen this post and know they are vegetarian-friendly establishments that care about their customers' concerns.

The Wild Fig
Web: http://www.thewildfig.co.za/
Address: Liesbeek Avenue, Valkenberg Estate, Mowbray [ map ]
Phone: 021 448 0507
Fax: 086 605 3936
GPS Coordinates:
33° 56.556'S
18° 28.767'E

Da Capo
Web: http://www.da-capo.co.za/
Address: 52 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town CBD [ map - it's not on the map but the location is dead centre, at Greenmarket Square ]
Phone: 021 423 1234
GPS Coordinates:
-33.92211583
18.42008216

Previously On Cape Town > South Africa > Africa > Earth:
• Cape Town GeekDinner Report: Happy Habanero

Imagine!, Artscape Theatre, Cape Town, Until Saturday

2010-04-07T20:40:00.002+02:00

I have had the privilege of being able to watch, and participate in (a little backstage assistance), the College Of Magic's 30th anniversary theatrical production, Imagine!. It has a one-week run at Artscape Theatre and the last show is on Saturday evening, so you still have time to catch it, and I highly recommend that you do.

The show features past and present students of the college and showcases a number of acts that have done well at the annual World Teenage Magic Championship in Las Vegas in the US, as well as original material that has never been performed in South Africa before. A storyline has been formed around the magic, tying everything together into a narrative that is designed to appeal to children and adults alike.

The show is fantastic - this is no amateur effort - and a testament to the quality performers (and young people) that the college develops in its courses, which teach magic, illusion, mime and clowning, juggling, and ventriloquism, as well as foster entrepreneurialism, self esteem, and general life skills that the young performers will find that they can use to their advantage as they leave school and enter the workforce, as well as throughout their life. The college's students come from all sorts of backgrounds - there is a significant outreach component to the non-profit organisation's efforts - but while safe at their classes at the college each week, which is a haven for some who have to return to challenging lives, they are able to interact in a uniquely "new" South African way, forging relationships that will last a lifetime and contributing to the positive growth of our country.

I could go on about the important contribution the college makes to society but, really - go and see the show! It is a fund-raising effort as much as it is a celebration, and your participation and contribution will make a big difference.

And I guarantee that you will have a great time!

Book through Computicket. Ticket prices range from R70 to R99 (with block-booking discounts).

The remaining shows are as follows:

• Thursday, 8 April 2010, 19:30
• Friday, 9 April 2010, 19:30
• Saturday, 10 April 2010, 14:30
• Saturday, 10 April 2010, 19:30

Be aware that as it's the end of the run the seats are becoming limited as word of mouth spreads, so it's best to get your tickets as quickly as possible.

The Man With The Giant Weapon In His Pants (Not A Euphemism)

2010-03-31T23:59:00.003+02:00

This is one from the archives - I haven't had time to post in quite a while but I didn't want to let this slip into the ether unnoticed. The day before the president's[1] state-of-the-nation address in February a friend and I witnessed a rather disturbing scene at Heerengracht Fountain. I was there testing cameras and video-capture abilities on a number of products I was reviewing (for your information this photo was captured with a five-megapixel Nokia N900 phone camera) and my friend was assisting me. As we were working this guy wandered up from the foreshore side past us (and oblivious to us) to the people you can see on the lawn. The guys, I guess, had been tasked with working with some of the fountain mechanics and the woman seemed to be visiting them. I recall it was a very, very hot day (even for me), and trying to do any sort of task that requires physical exertion must have been excruciating.

As you can see from the photo the man has a rather large, completely not secured weapon tucked into the back of his pants, and was wearing a bullet-proof vest that my friend told me was being worn incorrectly. The weapon was completely loose and anyone passing with a death wish could have grabbed it from him before he'd have been able to react. Is that legal? Probably not. Stupid? Definitely.

He wandered to the people on the lawn, kakked them out, though we couldn't hear what was being said, then he drifted to the other side of the fountain where two homeless people were resting on the lawn (I would like to reiterate that this is a public place that belongs to all of us), and started shouting at them. Then he chased off the homeless woman and grabbed the homeless man, forcibly moving him across the road, away from the fountain, very roughly. After that he wandered back to our side and started kakking out the people in the photo again, which is when I took the picture (very quickly).

At this point he noticed that we were there (we seem to have been invisible to him, and I suspect it's because we are white people) and then he hurriedly wandered off back in the direction he had come, towards the foreshore. In fact, I would like to emphasise this: he appeared out of nowhere - it's not as if a van of security guards or "secret" police was nearby - bullied all the nearby black people (presumably) not of his social standing, and then disappeared as soon as he realised he was being noticed and/or filmed.

Once he had disappeared (because who wants to tangle with a bully with a large, unsecure weapon?) we went over to the guys on the lawn to ask what he had wanted, but there was a language barrier (they couldn't understand much of our English and we couldn't understand any of their Xhosa) so we couldn't get the whole story but it seems that he told them emphatically that they cannot rest on the lawn or something equally ridiculous... while, of course, brandishing a weapon and an attitude.

Welcome to Cape Town in 2010?

[1] That would be the South African president, for any US readers who may assume they have the only president who likes to make state-of-the-something speeches.

Previously Glimpsed At Heerengracht Fountain:
• Heerengracht Fountain, Cape Town, Late Afternoon

Truth Coffee, Cape Town

2010-02-24T09:48:00.003+02:00

I've mentioned Truth.coffeecult (everyone calls it Truth Coffee though) a few times in my Twitter stream and deservedly so - it serves arguably the best coffee in Cape Town brewed by expert baristas and offers free Wi-Fi to its customers (only a handful of establishments in this city do).

As I type this I am actually sitting at Truth at its launch function, so I guess this is a live blog of sorts. Truth is owned by journalist and "coffee evangelist" David Donde, who is, truly, passionate about coffee. I've known him for a few years and he has taught me an immense amount about coffee (and I'm still learning), which makes me appreciate the skill with which the baristas at Truth work their magic even more, and, consequently, has made me realise how badly coffee is made at most restaurants.

Truth is situated in Prestwich Memorial on the corner of Somerset and Buitengracht (there's a map on the web site) and is open from about 8am Monday to Saturday, closing just before 6pm on week days and just after 12 on Saturdays). It serves light snacks (the veggie wraps are really good) and is a great place to go to if you need to get a bit of nomadic work done in a serene setting. You can also buy special blends if you are a coffee evangelist yourself and would like to brew your own at home. There's parking available at the church off Waterkant Street and in Somerset Road outside the memorial.

Find Out More:
• Truth Coffee
• @TRUTHcoffee

Press Release: Where In The World Is Mandy J Watson? (It's Probably Not Where You Think)

2010-02-11T16:37:00.002+02:00

The madness continues. PR Peeps frequently send review products for me to the wrong address (sometimes, even, the wrong city, but thankfully that doesn't happen too often).

Dear: [insert your name here if you are a PR Peep]

Where In The World Is Mandy J Watson?

Please find enclosed a release expanding on Mandy J Watson's ability not to be where you incorrectly have assumed she is.

For further information or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Mandy

---

For Immediate Release

Where In The World Is Mandy J Watson? (It's Probably Not Where You Think)

11 February 2010, Cape Town -- Mandy J Watson, the world's most frustrated[1] tech-culture journalist, is on the move (though not right now)!

As a freelancer, she has many jobs, big and small, and works at many places, though not always at once, but sometimes also all at once, because she knows how to multitask[2].

"Over the years many publications have been very good to me, offering me money and a desk - sometimes even with a computer on it - in return for my journalism services. But because I am a freelancer, I cannot be contained, so I am like a nomad in the wind of the desert of technology, flitting to-and-fro with sand in my eye, creating tears of frustration when my deliveries don't reach me," says Mandy J Watson.

In fact, a startling fact of Many J Watson's nomadic lifestyle is that crucial technological doobiedabs, sent to her for important tech-journalism testing via courier, post, or pigeon, often do not reach her in a timely manner because the PR Peeps sending the doobiedabs to her manifest the wrong delivery address, and it causes untimely delays and sadness.

"Really, the best thing one can do to ascertain my whereabouts ahead of time is to use a revolutionary app I developed a while back while Al Gore[3] was inventing the Internet. I call it email, and it has magical properties. It can find me where ever I am, and I am able to communicate to the whole world using it, and vice versa[4]," says Mandy J Watson.

"In five minutes, PR Peeps can ascertain that I am not where they think I am, and with my help I can correct their misinformation, like a Carte Blanche journalist on the trail of the head of a municipal department who has secretly been running a Hooters in an abandoned governmental building. I want to emphasise this," says Mandy J Watson.

The result, Mandy J Watson believes, will be better communication between all parties concerned and the possibility that she may receive her doobiedabs before they become outdated technology, as Moore's Law is still in operation and is being enforced, even in South Africa where no one adheres to any laws.

Mandy J Watson is the world's most frustrated[1] tech-culture journalist, with regular contributions being contributed to COSMO SA[6] and book.co.za[7]. She is also the founder and co-editor of brainwavez.org, a culture and technology site with reviews of related products that are of interest to geeks and other discerning members of the digital-culture generation.

ENDS

[1] It builds up over many years and eventually it cannot be contained. The result is personal press releases.

[2] Or at least appear to multitask, as we all know the concept of multitasking is a marketing ploy ployed by marketers to sell you computer things and is actually physically impossible!

[3] You may have read this Snopes article[5] disputing Al Gore's involvement but Mandy J Watson, the world's most frustrated[1] tech-culture journalist, assures you that it isn't true.

[4] The ability to contact Mandy J Watson may not be available in all markets. Please contact Mandy J Watson to ascertain whether the facility will be available to you.

[5] http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

[6] [7] Please refer to the previous press release for pertinent information pertaining to COSMO SA and book.co.za. By law, by reading this text, you acknowledge that you have read the previous text.

Issued By:
Mandy J Watson

On Behalf Of:
Mandy J Watson

-----
Mandy J Watson
Writer | Copy Editor | Founder Of brainwavez.org
http://www.brainwavez.org/about/people/watson_mandy_j.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mandyjwatson

Press Release: Mandy Watson Becomes Mandy J Watson

2010-02-02T16:53:00.007+02:00

In case you are wondering, yes - I did have to send this to a PR Peep today; one with whom I have conversed for years. I have made it public so that I can just point other PR Peeps to it in future and so that I may kick off what is likely to be a lot of new posts regarding my ongoing PR nightmare. I cannot remain silent anymore. I only have so much fortitude and can only endure so much silent pain. [ Case in point ]

Dear: [insert your name here if you are a PR Peep]

Mandy Watson (1987) becomes Mandy J Watson (to infinity and beyond).

Please find enclosed a release further expanding on the name change.

For further information or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Mandy

---

For Immediate Release

Mandy Watson Becomes Mandy J Watson

2 February 2010, Cape Town -- Mandy Watson, the world's second-hottest[1] tech-culture journalist, underwent a personal-brand reinvention in 1987 during a music-theory exam, and from thenceforth wished only to be known as "Mandy J Watson".

According to Mandy J Watson, CEO of the Mandy J Watson brand, the name change signified Mandy J Watson's transition from a nondescript entity to a future Google-search-dominating brand, which continues to operate the same way as before, with the same structure in place, bar many more grey hairs.

"The name reflects my continuing personal-brand strategy, begun at an early age when I realised I was cool, but could be cooler, and what better way to differentiate myself from other Mandy Watsons yet to be discovered but subsequently discovered than by inserting a J in the middle of my branding for more differentiating branding effect," says Mandy J Watson.

"I will continue to offer the same level of ultra-weird-awesome-nifty-cool journalism as I was likely to be offering before I even knew I was going to be offering it, because that is the way of The Force. And futurism," says Mandy J Watson.

Mandy J Watson is the world's second-hottest[1] tech-culture journalist, with regular contributions being contributed to COSMO SA[2] and book.co.za[2]. She is also the founder and co-editor of brainwavez.org, a culture and technology site with reviews of related products that are of interest to geeks and other discerning members of the digital-culture generation.

ENDS

[1] Certain press releases may contain forward-looking statements and should not be taken as fact until we are forwards.

[2] Mention of these entities does not necessarily endorse these brands endorsing the "Mandy J Watson" brand, except they do as it is in print[3]. Or pixels in the case of book.co.za, but that is technically beyond the scope of this press release.

[3] And has been for years, in at least one case.

Issued By:
Mandy J Watson

On Behalf Of:
Mandy J Watson

-----
Mandy J Watson
Writer | Copy Editor | Founder Of brainwavez.org
http://www.brainwavez.org/about/people/watson_mandy_j.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mandyjwatson

@kerry_anne For Sale: A Late-Night Twitter Conversation

2010-01-04T12:00:00.001+02:00

What do geeks do late at night on a Friday? A little bit of human trafficking, barter, and banter, of course. Here's a snippet from last month to kick off 2010 with a dose of humour. Happy new year!

(I think he still is, actually.)

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T18:52:00.001+02:00

The worst thing you can do when you're on holiday is check your email. Ignorance is bliss.

That's what I learnt today when I stopped by the office to upload a few files, file my last story for the year for Book SA, and check my work email in case there were any disasters (there were).

Anyway, in a few minutes I'm going to shut everything down again and do my best, for a week or two, to pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist. I hope you are considering doing the same, although judging by the fact that I'm still receiving press releases, some people just don't seem to want to go on holiday.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday before the avalanches start again in 2010. I have lots to look forward to, though, as we have many exciting articles and reviews planned for brainwavez.org (I hope you'll stop by to have a look; follow us on Twitter for instant updates: @brainwavez), as well as my usual articles for Book SA and the COSMO gadgets page, and work for Research Africa.

All the best for 2010!

Mandy J Watson

The 2009 FNB Whisky Live Festival

2009-11-06T17:14:00.001+02:00

I wrote a monster article about the 2009 FNB Whisky Live Festival over at brainwavez.org so I won't say much here, but the whisky festival was fun, unexpectedly unpretentious, and educational. Its last day is tonight and then next week it moves to Johannesburg for four days. If you can attend, I highly recommend it. It's the biggest whisky festival in the world and there's a lot to see and do.

[ Flickr images: 1 | 2 | 3 ]

UCT, Cape Town, At Night

2009-10-15T13:45:00.003+02:00

[ Flickr ]

The University of Cape Town is one of four universities in (or within a 40 minute drive of) Cape Town. The upper campus sits in the suburb of Rondebosch, up on the mountain overlooking the Southern Suburbs. I didn't study there but when I was in high school I did occasionally spend time at the upper campus to utilise the libraries or to visit a friend in the engineering department who would let me use the Internet connection to do research for school projects.

It's rare for me to have an opportunity to go to the university but I always look forward to it. Last week a friend's birthday party was hosted at the tennis club (that - in itself - was an adventure to find!). As I left I drove along the windy, eerily deserted road that runs around the campus and, because I wasn't distracted by the usual rush of traffic and hordes of students, I noticed this view for the first time. It took a few attempts to get it right but I'm quite fond of this shot and the interplay of the light and colours. Have a look at the larger version on Flickr if you'd like to see more detail.

Sleight Of Mind, At The Intimate Theatre, Cape Town

2009-10-08T14:35:00.002+02:00

Above: Stuart Lightbody (facing the audience on the right) uses various techniques to demonstrate the power of suggestion to the audience while Bryan Miles (facing away from the audience) addresses a group of volunteers to assess those that might be most open to suggestion and most willing to participate in the next psychological experiment.

Combine Stuart Lightbody's abilities at misdirection and sleight-of-hand manipulations (best utilised with a deck of cards) with mentalist Bryan Miles' penchant for suggestion, psychology, deception, and illusion and the result is the new show Sleight of Mind, which is in Cape Town on a limited run after a highly successful debut at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown earlier this year.

Mentalism and sleight of hand are categories of magic that are not usually well matched or easily combined but the two performers have managed to do so in a manner that flows effortlessly from one style to the other, then back again, engaging the audience in the process as they are let in on a few secrets, but not too many.

There's not much I can say about the actual contents of the show as I would spoil the experience for those who still have to see it but the venue allows for close contact with the performers leading to a warm, jovial setting and some interesting results as the audience is utilised masterfully to demonstrate the surprising malleability of the mind. Audience members were required as assistants a number of times but were never put on the spot or made to feel uncomfortable and many were fun, engaging participants. For one of the bigger experiments, pictured above, a group of volunteers was necessary so that Bryan Miles could determine who would be most suitable as subjects to demonstrate the power of suggestion (without the use of hypnosis) and I think the results were as surprising to the participants (you could see it in the expressions on their faces) as they were to the audience.

I spoke to the performers after the show I attended and Stuart said to me that the audience had been more skeptical (and therefore in some ways, I would presume, more difficult) than most. In contrast, what I saw was a group of highly intelligent people being won over by a friendly atmosphere, brain-twisting effects - both big and small - and unexpected moments, with lots of discussion after the show as audience members who had participated in some of the experiments were quizzed by others as everyone tried to determine, without much success, how the impossible had played out.

Sleight Of Mind runs for three more evenings (8, 9, and 10 October 2009) at 8pm at the Intimate Theatre and I highly recommend it. To book, email info -[at]- bryanmiles -[dot]- com. Tickets are also available at the door.

Previously in Cape Town > South Africa > Africa > Earth:
* "52" With Stuart Lightbody

Shameless Self-Promotion: Twitter Wit

2009-10-06T17:03:00.001+02:00

I'm featured in Twitter Wit: Brilliance In 140 Characters Or Less. Read this jaded post on Gawker about the marketing campaign* and then buy it anyway. It's my first published piece of fiction!

Amazon.com: Twitter Wit
Amazon.co.uk: Twitter Wit
Kalahari.net: Twitter Wit

(The book will actually make a great Christmas gift for almost anyone. Problematic friends? No ideas for presents? Problem solved!)

*You'll note how long it's taken me to post about this, for entirely the same reason.

The Long Lost Symbol

2009-09-26T16:23:00.002+02:00

Jaded journalist Mandy J Watson paused midway through crossing Long Street, so named because of its length, and grabbed her camera from her bag to take this photograph at this most opportune moment, for the road had been closed due to a function* or a filming project - she wasn't sure which as a giant tent blocked her view, outside Long Street Cafe, but at least it was also blocking traffic from getting in the way of her taking this photograph. She lifted the camera, in doing so dismissing a momentary fleeting thought of regret that this was the only camera that she had with her, as it had by this point already been in for repair twice and had proven to be a most unsatisfactory purchase as the second time it had returned from being repaired it returned without its former glory and an inability to take perfectly focussed photographs, which meant that this photo she was now taking would never look as good as it may have if she had used another camera.

Also, the weather was kak.

*Turns out it was The Loerie Awards - but never let facts get in the way of a good story.

Shameless Self-Promotion: August 2009

2009-08-20T18:32:00.001+02:00

Well here's a post I should have done about three weeks ago but you know how it goes....

August was another bumper month for me in terms of published tech articles - pages I wrote appeared in three consumer magazines:

• COSMO: my regular Gadget Girl page, of course,

• House & Leisure: a special one-off gadgets page focussing on glamorous gadgets, and

• Elle Decoration: a possibly regular page, of which this was the first (things went a little up in the air all of a sudden so I remain rather confused at the moment). Each Elle Deco Tech page is themed and this one focussed on gadgets for kids - I had a lot of fun writing it.

DOMINATION! (::cough::)

If you can still find any of these issues on the shelves grab them, buy them, and keep me in a job! (If you can't - because this post is so late - then steal them from a friend. It won't help to keep me in a job but my writing will enhance your life in mysterious ways - and who wants to miss that?)

Prime Circle At The Launch Of The Nokia Music Store, Johannesburg

2009-08-17T13:41:00.002+02:00

[ Flickr link: Orton Effect ]

Above: Yes, yes, it's an Orton Effect....

In April Nokia held a press function in Johannesburg to launch the Nokia Music Store in South Africa. The special music guest was Prime Circle, which played a great set that lasted about 20 minutes.

I don't have much to say about it, so here are some photos (they were taken with a Sony DSC-W290 Cyber-shot digital camera, which I was testing for the July issue of COSMO for my gadgets page):

[ Flickr link ]

Above: The man behind the scenes who sorts out all the awesome (and unpacks and then repacks it in boxes and trunks).

[ Flickr link ]

Above: Smile!

[ Flickr link ]

And finally, a song:

I was also testing a digital-video camera while filming this (the Sony DCR-SR47 Handycam) so see the YouTube page for notes on that here.

Frosti The Terrorist Albino Squirrel

2009-08-11T15:21:00.004+02:00

[ Flickr link ]

Above: He looks stuffed but that's just because this photograph has frozen him in time.

We were taking a leisurely stroll near the top of The Company's Garden on a rare, beautiful winter afternoon last week when -

*bam*

- an albino squirrel suddenly appeared, blocking our path.

"It's an albino squirrel! Squee!" I exclaimed. "I must take a photo!"

My delight at seeing an albino squirrel for the first time was soon tempered by the realisation that this was no ordinary albino squirrel, this was a terrorist albino squirrel. He ran up to us (thankfully not with a little squirrel gun in his fearsome albino paws, for all would then have been lost), vibrated and twitched as though we were supposed to provide some sort of offering to appease him, and then, when other squirrels came near, he chased them away before returning to stare us down with his hypnotic albino eyes.

This repeated, over and over, giving me enough time to take close-up and action shots. I was so preoccupied that I forgot to run away in terror, which is probably just as well, as I think he could run faster than us and, as I said, his albino paws were fearsome.

Above: The Anatomy Of A Terrorist Albino Squirrel - roll over the image for comprehensive notes (if that doesn't work or your JavaScript is off, view the interactive presentation here).

Eventually he grew tired of us and our lack of offerings and ran off to try and uncover a nut that a previous squirrel he had just chased off had already tried to uncover (I began to suspect that this wasn't a particularly smart terrorist albino squirrel), and then he ran over a fence to Gardens Commercial High School, presumably to bully and terrorise school children, except I don't think any of them were there as they're all off having Swine Flu at the moment.

Whatever. One drama at a time.

Above: Menacing.

Previously Glimpsed In The Company's Garden
* The Man In The Bright-Orange Bio-Hazard Suit

Two Months Of Books

2009-07-31T17:51:00.010+02:00

When I first started writing this post I titled it "Six Weeks Of Books", which seemed very romantic. Two weeks later, and the post only now finished, I've had to rename it to something that sounds like a calendar appointment.

(I'm very tired. That's my excuse if my spectacular intro above didn't make sense or you found it unmoving and/or derivative.)

It's been a busy two months for me, delving into journalistic areas beyond my normal space of magazine tech writing or posts on all sorts of topics for brainwavez.org.

It started with brainwavez.org preparations for the Cape Town Book Fair in June. I had a number of South African book reviews on my list that I hadn't yet posted or had been struggling to finish, and we made a concerted effort to get some of them up on the site before the fair to get readers in the mood.

If you're interested, here they are:

Then it was off to the book fair, itself, and I ended up generating much more coverage than I expected to:

The fair has also sparked off ideas for some other book articles at some point.... Yikes!

Above: Sarah Lotz and Andrew Brown talk about Exhibit A and writing crime fiction at The Book Lounge.

Right after the fair there were a number of interesting book launches at The Book Lounge in Roeland Street, Cape Town, for books that had been highlighted at the book fair, so I attended two - the launch of Sarah Lotz's second novel, Exhibit A, in conversation with the fascinating crime writer Andrew Brown, and the launch of SA Partridge's Fuse, also a second novel, in conversation with Fokofpolisiekar and aKing musician Hunter Kennedy, who was a very entertaining guest host.

Above: SA Partridge and Hunter Kennedy talk about Fuse and writing books with a teenager's perspective at The Book Lounge.

Next up was spending some time with Book Southern Africa's Ben Williams to learn about the technical goings on behind the scenes of the site, as I am now helping to contribute the occasional news story or add a highlight of someone's review.

Above: Yummy Moxy cake and the doomed piñata in its final moments of innocence. Book people are surprisingly vicious. Must be latent somethings. Don't know what, though. Would prefer not to ask.

Then, on the weekend of the massive downpours, storms, and floods, when more reasonable people remained in bed (those that still had a bed left), I was invited to attend the official (very brutal) execution of the awesome Moxy piñata, in honour of the UK release of Lauren Beukes' debut novel Moxyland.

[The story of the piñata. | The decimation of the piñata.]

Above: Ben Williams strikes as the lightning flashes! (Ok, technically, it was someone else's camera flash and my brilliant unexpected timing, but that destroys the atmosphere - there was a storm, remember! Mwahahaha!)

This week I hit a little curveball when I discovered that effort I had put into one of my brainwavez.org Cape Town Book Fair articles was rather ceremoniously utilised by another South African journalist, without acknowledgement of my "assistance", so I wrote a brief rant about it, as one tends to feel the urge to do.

Thankfully, however, my two months have now ended*, spectacularly, with the interview I conducted with Lauren Beukes going live on brainwavez.org. The interview took a year but, as you'll see if you head over to read it, it was worth the effort and the wait. (Thanks Lauren!)

You can understand, then, why it's been a while since I've posted on my blog? I am rather exhausted.

*But, really, the book thing won't be!

Cape Town Daily Photo

2009-06-19T16:38:00.001+02:00

Cape Town Daily Photo is one of my favourite blogs. As the name implies, it is a daily blog that was started a few years ago by husband-and-wife team Paul and Kerry-Anne Gilowey. Every day they post a photo taken in or near Cape Town and write a bit about the photo or the circumstance in which they found themselves that led to them being at that particular place or event. It's a wonderful snapshot of what daily life is like in our city and it does in pictures what I (occasionally) try to do in words with this blog of mine.

The Giloweys, who are soccer mad, are now in Bloemfontein, a city in the Free State province, far away from Cape Town, chasing the Confed Cup. (And you can read about how that nearly didn't come about in yesterday's Cape Town Daily Photo post!) The distance, of course, presented a little problem, as how do you run a daily photo blog when you're not in the city to take photos (especially since they have a little rule that they don't post photos that are more than a week old, to ensure that everything that is uploaded is always very fresh)?

The answer was to ask a few friends for help, so a couple of weeks ago Paul approached me and we had a look at my schedule (which has been ridiculous, as anyone following me on Twitter will know) and worked out some days and potential events I was expecting to attend or circumstances that I would be in that might lend themselves to good photographs. (Paul and Kerry-Anne will still be writing the text - they just need help with visuals.)

We're now one day in and already half the original (now secret!) plans are out the window but we're on to new plans. So check out the site, and some of uploads, starting today, by Special Guest Star Mandy J Watson! I'm very excited as even I don't know what's going up when or who else may be guest starring.

The Flyovers Behind The Convention Centre, Cape Town

2009-06-15T15:44:00.001+02:00

[ Flickr]

Above: A stitched three-photograph panorama of the flyovers behind the CTICC.

Last week I attended two of the three days of the World Economic Forum on Africa 2009, which was held in Cape Town at the CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre).

As I was leaving on the first day and heading to one of the many CTICC car parks I noticed the (semi) symmetry and beauty of the lights and reflections that occurs between the highway flyovers. For an area that is always buzzing with activity, whether it's morning or evening bumper-to-bumper vehicles stuck in traffic or lots of foot traffic heading to or from a conference at the centre, this scene was rather tranquil.

The building on the left houses a massive ad billboard that is always lit at night and can't be missed by the thousands of commuters heading home in their cars. The ads change every few months but very few are well designed or attractive.

In the centre is a small body of water that serves as the start (or end) point of the new water-taxi service that operates between the CTICC/five-star Westin Grand hotel and the V&A Waterfront. Unfortunately, although I've read about it in the newspaper, I can't find a link about it on the Web. They should have invited me to the press launch!

The building lit up on the right is this building, a 15-floor office block called Convention Tower, which sprang up a few years ago. At night for a few hours it is lit around the edges with the most ridiculous light pollution and it makes it look as if someone plonked a radioactive giant rectangular slab on the foreshore. I have wondered how environmentally friendly the lighting is - does the building collect it via, for example, solar means during the day or is it another unnecessary drain on our already strained electricity supply?

I like my panorama though.

Premier Helen Zille

2009-05-05T19:12:00.000+02:00

[ Flickr]

Above: Helen Zille (in the cobalt-blue jacket) arrives at Cape Town International airport from the Johannesburg operations centre during the 2009 South African elections.

Yesterday Helen Zille, leader of the DA (Democratic Alliance), former mayor of Cape Town, World Mayor Of The Year 2008, was sworn in as the Western Cape province's latest premier.

A few weeks ago, two days after we all cast our votes in South Africa's general election and two days before the final results were announced, I unknowingly arrived back in Cape Town from a press function in Johannesburg at the same time as Helen Zille had also flown back to the city from the election operations in Johannesburg. (As far as I know we were not on the same plane - I read somewhere that she was on an executive jet.)

As I walked past the bag-collection area at the airport I could hear an overwhelming amount of singing and chanting coming from the domestic-arrivals reception area of the airport and as I rounded the corner I walked in to a media throng on one side and a massive DA supper base on the other. Realising what was up I grabbed my cameras and started taking photos and video. The supporters were holding up signs saying "Premier Helen Zille", even though at that stage it was unclear as to whether her party had won the election in the Western Cape (for days the results drifted around the 49% to 51% marks) but in the minds of these supporters she had won.

The energy was electric and everyone at the airport got caught up in it. The crowd erupted when Helen walked out a few minutes later and the press began to swarm around her, taking photos from all angles. Helen acknowledged her supporters and, even though she was surrounded by security personnel, she moved as close as she could get to the supporters a few times so that they could shake her hand and, well, honestly - a lot of them were a lot more grabby than that. I thought it was quite cool of her to allow herself almost to be mauled by the supporters, who were so excited to see her and at the DA's imminent victory.

[ Flickr]

Above: The press swarms around Helen Zille (she's buried somewhere in the middle there).

I don't agree with the stances the DA takes on a number of issues but there's no denying that the party actively stands against corruption and ineptitude and has done the best job of running the city of Cape Town since South Africa became a democracy in 1994. If the party can translate those skills into running the Western Cape province... well I can't complain - we can quibble about issues when our democracy has become more mature and service delivery, health, education, and crime aren't such huge problems that urgently need to be addressed.

This year's election was the most exciting one we've had since the first democratic elections in 1994. There was a buzz in the air for a few days and for a while, while we voted and then waited for the results, everyone was equal and the problems and issues that plague us on a daily basis seemed more distant. Additionally, this year, the worry that the ANC (African National Congress) would continue to have its two-thirds majority, which it won in the 2004 election and which enables a party to have powers to change the country's constitution, spurred many non voters into action and not only did many people who have never voted before (but have happily complained about the government) actually vote, but we had a high voter turnout at around 77% - when it comes to elections it's the one time that South Africans are not apathetic.

When the results were finally announced most of the country breathed a collective sigh of relief and the festivities continued, though for different reasons: the ANC won by a huge margin, satisfying 65.9% of the electorate, but didn't quite reach the two-thirds majority, satisfying the rest of the electorate, so it was win-win all round for everyone, and marked the end of a very exciting period in our democratic history.

Alex Hamilton's Afrotize

2009-05-05T18:17:00.001+02:00

Above: The vinyl collection

Alex Hamilton is an artist based in Cape Town whose work is heavily influenced by, and reflective of, pop culture. If you are interested in learning more about his art, influences, and processes you can read my November 2008 interview with him for brainwavez.org, which concerned his previous exhibition, Cast & Crew.

Above: rastamadonna

Alex's latest exhibition is Afrotize, "a satirical comment on colonialism, fashion, popular iconography and, of course, hair". I attended the opening a few weeks ago and the exhibition is still running at his studio in Woodstock.

Much of the artwork for Afrotize focuses on stencilled pop-culture icons, past and present, who have been reinvented in quite a fascinating manner with an afro or rasta stylings. There is also some artwork that has been done on vinyl records and a few larger pieces that are reminiscent of 1970s pop art, but with a contemporary edge.

Above: The topless biker babe that had all the men attending the exhibiton's opening quite mesmerised.

The work is firmly tongue in cheek and amusing to behold and, as much as I find reinvented uses for vinyl records (assuming they are not scratched beyond further use) to be a form of sacrilege, I quite liked the vinyl pop art (you can see examples of it in this post's lead picture).

The exhibition is running until the end of the week, so you have time to visit to see Alex's work (and partake of a free drink or two if you go to the exhibition's closing on Friday evening - and who doesn't like art and a free drink?). There's even free parking at the back of the building so you have no excuse not to go.

Free Comic Book Day 2009: Cape Town

2009-05-04T15:47:00.001+02:00

Last year I was off in KwaZulu-Natal having adventures and missed Free Comic Book Day. This year my two local comic shops (Reader's Den in Claremont and Outer Limits in the city centre) both participated (as did, I believe, a store in the northern suburbs but I don't know its name). I went to Reader's Den again this year as it is closer to my home and has become a (semi) annual event as I usually meet some friends there and we hang out for a couple of hours and enjoy the festivities.

Every year Reader's Den makes quite an event out of Free Comic Book Day and, once again, it had lots of specials for shoppers and gave out great lucky-draw prizes to some of the people that had made purchases on the day. Spider-man and Superman made special appearances, posed for photos, and gave out chips to the kids.

This year Reader's Den also gave out prizes to those who dared to appear in costume. A few people wore costumes from notable comics and science-fiction universes including Watchmen, Batman, and Harry Potter. The quality and selection was very good and the participants put a lot of effort into bringing their characters to life.

For my free comic I chose the Star Wars: the Clone Wars comic [preview: 666 KB PDF] from Dark Horse Comics, which included pages for Emily The Strange, Usagi Yojimbo, and Indiana Jones. It was a tough decision as I was also keen to get Bongo Comics Free-For-All! from Bongo Comics [preview: 1.7 MB PDF].

Free Comic Book Day is held on the first Saturday in May, and the comics are specially produced by the publishing companies for the day so, no matter what city or country you're in, you'll be able to choose from the same titles as your friends all over the world. Diarise the date - I hope to see you at one of the events in Cape Town next year!

Previously on Cape Town > South Africa > Africa > Earth:
* Free Comic Book Day 2007: Cape Town